Lifestyle, World News

I want new tanker and not national honour – Man who drove a tanker of fire and saved a Delta community from explosion says.

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Ejiro Otarigho, the driver who drove a burning fuel tanker away from a community in Delta state has disclosed that he needs a new vehicle. 
 
Speaking after the senate asked President Buhari to confer him with a “befitting national honour as he may deem fit for his extraordinary act of bravery, courage and skill that prevented the loss of human lives and property on a massive scale”, Ejiro said it’s not been easy since losing the tanker as it was the only way he fed. 

 
He also told Punch that the thought of hundreds of lives and property engulfing in flames as a result of the tanker fire, gave him the spunk to drive the truck to a location where there will be no disaster.
 
Ejiro said; 
 

“I have received calls from them (Delta state government) but I am not interested in any national honour of any sort right now.

“I know God has brought me to a good place where my story is now being told. All I want is a replacement for my burnt tanker so I can go back to my job.
“I have just been at home and truck driving was the only way I fed. It has not been easy for me since I lost my tanker.”

 
When asked if he would like to get a new job and abandon the dangerous business of tanker driving, he said;
 

“of course, I will. It is a risky job.
“Imagine if I had died that day, nothing would have been said of me. If the government has something better for me, I will do it without looking back. All I want is to be able to take care of myself and my family legitimately.”

Politics

Rep Shina Peller dumps APC after losing primary election

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Shine Peller claimed that the primary election in his constituency was rigged against him and alleged assassination attempt on his life.

Shina Peller, a member of the House of Representatives, has resigned from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The lawmaker, who represents lseyin/ltesiwaju/ Kajola/lwajowa federal constituency of Oyo State, announced his resignation on Friday via Twitter.

Mr Peller contested Oyo North Senatorial District primary election against Fatai Buhari but lost.

He polled five votes against Mr Buhari who garnered 570 votes.

The lawmaker claimed that the primary election was rigged against him and alleged assassination attempt
on his life.

He promised to announce a new political party on Wednesday.

“I have tried my best for APC, the party style of democracy in Oyo State kills my conscience and I have to put my people’s interest first.

“I have realised that the youths and the people will continue to be at the mercy of few at the top. I’ll announce my new political party on 21|06| 22,” he said.

The last primaries created an upset in the National Assembly as several members lost their bid to return to the legislature.

It is believed that the exclusion of statutory delegates by the current Eectoral Act is responsible for the rate of defeat.

The lawmakers erroneously excluded statutory delegates from Section 84(8) of the Electoral Act. Both chambers later amended the section but the president has yet to sign or decline assent to the bill.

On Tuesday, House Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila lamented the poor outing of lawmakers in primaries.

Similarly, the House has resolved to consider a motion to veto the decision of the president on the bill. However, no action has been taken so far.

Politics

INEC deadline: Tinubu submits Masari’s name as running mate

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As part of the plan to beat the Friday June 17 deadline given by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to political parties to submit the names of presidential candidates and their running mates, the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu has submitted the name of Kabir Ibrahim Masari.

It was, however, gathered that the name of Masari, who hails from the home State of President Muhammadu Buhari, would later be changed after the party stakeholders must have agreed on the suitable vice-presidential candidate for the 2023 elections.

A party source confirmed to DAILY POST that it was true that Tinubu has submitted the name of his running mate, but added that “consultation is still ongoing”

It was further gathered that the move by Tinubu and the ruling party was to meet the statutory requirement and beat the deadline set by the electoral umpire.

However, Tinubu will today meet President Muhammadu Buhari as consultation continues on the issue of his running mate.

There have been strong opposition against the issue of Muslim-Muslim ticket been mulled by the ruling party.

Though some names had been mentioned as possible running-mates to the former Lagos State governor, it was gathered that no compromise had been reached yet.

A source in the Tinubu’s camp told DAILY POST that all the northern governors want the position.

The source added that if Tinubu has his way, he would have loved to pick the former Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima as his running-mate, but he wanted the president and the governors to pick.

The source said: “All northern governors want it. If Asiwaju has his way, it will be Senator Kashim. But he wants the president and governors to pick for him.”

Asked why Tinubu does not want to pick his running mate himself, the source stressed he didn’t want to be a ‘winner takes it all.’

“He does not want to be the winner takes it all. You need to respect the President. PMB did not choose a VP for himself in 2015,” the source said.

One of the leaders of Tinubu Support Group, Hon. James Faleke was at the party secretariat yesterday, but his mission was not known.

But the source confirmed that Faleke was at the party secretariat yesterday to collect INEC’s form for the presidential and vice presidential candidates to be filled.

Asked if Faleke was there to submit the name of the running mate to Tinubu, the source insisted that no compromise had been reached in the issue of running mate.

“When the decision is made, it would be made known to all and the decision would be made tomorrow (today),” he added.

Politics

APC inviting nationwide crisis with Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket, groups warn

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Several groups, yesterday, warned the All Progressives Congress (APC), especially its presidential flag bearer, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, against flaunting a Muslim-Muslim ticket in the 2023 general elections.

The Nigerian Youths Coalition (NYC) said the move would amount to the APC beating the drums of religious war.

At a world press conference in Abuja, NYC President Aare Oladotun Hassan wondered why APC would consider a Muslim-Muslim ticket at a time when terrorism, unguarded comments on ethnic bigotry, and cries over alleged Islamisation were increasing.

Also, the Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (YOWICAN) urged APC to drop the idea of a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket, vowing it would mobilise votes against any political party that toes the path.

Addressing newsmen in Abuja, President of YOWICAN, Belusochukwu Enwere, said: “This is an insult. It devalues and dehumanises millions of Christians. Any political party that fields a Muslim-Muslim ticket or Christian-Christian ticket should know it is about to fail because Nigeria is a secular state.

“Muslim-Muslim ticket will divide Nigeria. Any party, whether APC, Peoples Democratic Party or All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) that fields a same-religion ticket is bound to fail.

“Does it imply that northern Christians are not regarded as northerners again? If we claim that we are together, then there should be no reason not to accept a northern Christian.

“If you begin to advocate that you want a same-religion ticket, you are bound to fail, and we will do everything, as Christian youths, within our power, including mobilisation, to ensure it does not fly. We are not giving a threat. But I can say that anyone who tries it is bound to fail.”

A GROUP, under the umbrella of Coalition of Arewa Forum For Good Governance (CAFGG), said any attempt by APC to consider a Muslim-Muslim ticket would create a crisis across the country.

It said the current tension stirred by rumours of a possible Muslim-Muslim ticket is uncalled for and should be jettisoned in the interest of equity, justice and fairness.

In a press statement signed by the Coordinator, Garba Yunusa, the group said: “Nigerians are not unaware that Tinubu is a Muslim from the southwest geopolitical zone. Thus, we feel it would be rational for a northern Christian, especially from the marginalised north-central zone, to be his running mate.

“We strongly believe that once a Christian is picked, the warnings and threats by the Christian Association of Nigeria would have been taken care of.”

Meanwhile, a section of APC stakeholders, led by Mr. Aliyu Audu, addressed a press conference in Abuja, yesterday, saying: “Nigeria is in dire need of good governance, and this can come from either a Muslim leader or a Christian leader.

“But in the spirit of nationalism, justice and fairness, which the northern governors demonstrated a few days ago, the leaders of the north, on whose shoulder the emergence of the vice-presidential candidate rests, must also demonstrate this spirit by ensuring that the candidate comes from the Christian faith.”

Politics

National grid collapse: Nigeria in darkness because of APC – Atiku

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Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has bemoaned the recurring national grid collapse.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) put the blame at the door step of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a statement Monday night, Atiku lamented the darkness that has enveloped Nigeria in recent times.

The political leader described it as a metaphor for the collapsing state of the nation.

He said the country has been enduring collapsing unity, security, economy, education, well-being and value of human life and dignity.

Atiku urged Nigerians to likewise collapse the ruling APC via the ballot in the 2023 general elections.

The PDP standard bearer urged citizens to “enthrone a viable pathway for the New Nigeria that will be united and stable, prosperous and awash with opportunities; secured and inclusive.”

Politics

APC Convention: Tinubu, Osinbajo, Amaechi, others battle for APC ticket (LIVE UPDATES)

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Over 2,000 delegates drawn from the 36 states and FCT will elect the APC presidential candidate from the 23 aspirants jostling for the ticket of the ruling party at today’s primary.

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is set for its special convention to elect its presidential candidate for the 2023 elections.

The convention will hold for the next three days (June 6-8) at the Eagle Square in the nation’s capital, Abuja.

It was initially scheduled for May 29 and 30 but was postponed after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) shifted the deadline for political parties to pick their candidates for the general elections from June 3 to June 9.

A total of 2,322 ad-hoc delegates drawn from the 36 states and FCT are expected to participate in the primary to elect the APC flag bearer out of the 23 aspirants jostling for the ticket.

The aspirants are Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, former Science and Technology Minister, Ogbonnaya Onu, former Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba and former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio.

There are also five serving governors, namely Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Ben Ayade (Cross River) and Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti).

Also in the race are former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu, former Ogun State governor and serving senator, Ibikunle Amosun, former Zamfara governor, Ahmad Sani, former Imo State governor and serving senator, Rochas Okorocha.

There are also the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, a former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, and a serving senator, Ajayi Boroffice.

Also gunning for the APC ticket are two clerics, Tunde Bakare and Felix Nicholas as well as a former Information Minister, Ikeobasi Mokelu, a businessman, Tein Jack-Rich, and the only female among them, Uju Ken-Ohanenye.

All 23 aspirants had been cleared by the seven-member screening committee of the party headed by former National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun.

The committee had in its report submitted on Friday shortlisted 13 aspirants but encouraged the party to allow everyone to participate in the event of inability to reach voluntary withdrawal from the race.

Twenty-eight nomination and expression of interest forms were procured by aspirants and support groups. However, former President Goodluck Jonathan, Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele and AfBD President Akinwumi Adeshina rejected the forms procured for them by support groups. Two ministers, Chris Ngige (Labour and Employment) and Timipre Sylva (State, Petroleum Resources) opted out of the race.

The journey to the convention has been very rough for the party– partly due to the internal wrangling as well as poor planning.

The days leading up to the convention had been fraught with controversies, bickering, lobbying, meetings and threats.

Moves by some party members, including President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure the emergence of a consensus candidate from among the array of aspirants were unsuccessful.

On Saturday, the president held a meeting with the aspirants during which he asked them to go and chose a consensus candidate among themselves.

“I urge all of you to hold consultations amongst yourselves and with the party, with a view to building a consensus in a manner that would help the party reduce the number of aspirants, bring up a formidable candidate and scale down the anxiety of party members,” Mr Buhari said

The same day, 10 APC governors in the north backed the shift of presidential power to the south, a boost to the demand of the southern governor for power to return to the south. The aspirants from the north are expected to exit the race given the decision by the governors. However, they are still in the race.

However, barring any last minute changes, all 23 aspirants will slug it out at the convention.

The party says it is ready for the convention for which it recently constituted 18 subcommittees. The Eagle Square venue of the event has been given a face lift.

The Chairman of the Convention Planning Committee, Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, said many people have been at work to ensure the success of the event.

APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, said the convention is a bit different from the previous convention because it is the first transition convention of the ruling party.

PREMIUM TIMES is at the convention ground to bring you live updates of the event.

Politics

APC presidential ticket: Adamu’s consensus plot fails, 21 aspirants in battle royale

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Eniola Akinkuotu, Friday Olokor,  Adebayo Folorunsho-Francis, Stephen Angbulu and Deborah Tolu-Kolawole

An attempt by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Adamu, to select Senate President Ahmad Lawan – a northerner – as the preferred candidate of the APC, failed on Monday as both the Presidency and 12 northern governors of the party openly distanced themselves from the move.

Adamu had summoned a meeting of the 25-member National Working Committee at the party’s headquarters in Abuja ahead of the presidential primary slated for Tuesday (today).

At the meeting, Adamu informed the NWC that Lawan was the anointed candidate of the party, a move which was not accepted by all of the members.

It was gathered that the national chairman insisted the choice of Lawan was arrived at after due consultation with the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).

After the meeting, Adamu hurriedly jumped into his vehicle and zoomed off.

The APC’s stand on Monday threatened the hope of the South to produce the next president as a northerner, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, on May 28 got the presidential ticket of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party after defeating southern aspirants including the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, and the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel.

But northern governors in the APC, at their meeting on Saturday night, raised the hope of the South when they insisted that the presidential candidate of the party should emerge from the southern part of the country.

Adamu’s plot to impose Lawan was on Monday greeted by a groundswell of opposition from some NWC members, northern governors and other presidential aspirants.

Moments after the NWC meeting,  about seven members led by the National Organising Secretary of the APC, Suleman Argungu, told journalists at the party secretariat that Lawan was not the preferred candidate of the party.

Argungu stated, “We want to state that the pronouncement of Lawan as the consensus candidate was the chairman’s opinion and he is entitled to his opinion. It is not the position of the party.”

Others who supported Argungu were the National Vice Chairman (North-West), Salihu Lukman; Deputy National Chairman (South), Isaac Kekemeke; the National Youth Leader, Dayo Israel.

Amid the commotion, 12 northern governors emerged from a meeting with the President at the Presidential Villa where they stated that the President had confirmed to them that he had no preferred candidate.

The governors said they stood by their decision to zone the party’s presidential ticket to the South, a move which angered Kogi State Governor and Presidential aspirant, Yahaya Bello.

According to a communiqué issued after the meeting, the governors said, “After careful deliberation, we wish to state our firm conviction that after eight years in the office of President Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the APC for the 2023 elections should be one of our teeming members from the southern states of Nigeria.

“It is a question of honour for the APC, an obligation that is not in any way affected by the decisions taken by another political party.”

Speaking on behalf of the governors, Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, Simon Lalong of Plateau State regretted that the communiqué from the earlier meeting, where they endorsed power shift, had leaked to the public before they officially informed the President of their resolution.

He, however, noted that the governors had to inform the President in person as part of last-minute preparations for tomorrow’s primary elections.

“Mr. President, as a believer in democratic process, believes that any candidate must emerge through a transparent process and the emphasis that Mr. President told us that for this election, for now, he has no anointed candidate and therefore directed that the Progressive Governors Forum meet with the National Working Committee of the party to agree and proffer further solutions and recommendations for his own succession.”

Asked why their Kogi State counterpart was absent from the meeting, a distraught Governor Nasir El-Rufai (of Kaduna) said it was not compulsory for all 14 of them to agree on the southern ticket.

According to him, Bello had excused himself from the meeting with the President because he rejected the resolution made by the governors. El-Rufai argued that 13 out of 14 yeses are enough to front the agenda for a southern candidate.

“We all met before coming to meet with Mr. President, including the governor of Kogi State. As you can see, he’s not the only aspirant, the governor of Jigawa State is also an aspirant and he’s here with us and we met.

“But the governor of Kogi State chose to excuse himself from meeting with Mr. President because he believes that he does not agree with our position. There are 14 APC governors out of the 19 northern states. The 13 of us are on one page on this subject and we all came to see the President, but the governor of Kogi State excused himself and it is within his democratic rights to excuse himself. But 12 out of 14 is a super majority. 13 out of 14 is an even bigger super majority and the 13 of us met with the President today,” he said.

El-Rufai argued that the governors do not need a 100 per cent agreement rate to proceed with their decision.

On his part, the Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum, Atiku Bagudu, accused the main opposition of ignoring the south and throwing open its Presidential ticket, despite having zoning in its constitution.

According to him, the APC will look out for the interest of the South in its considerations.

“Remember, the main opposition party PDP, they even have zoning in their constitution. But when it came to the selection of candidates, they ignored sections of Nigeria that are saying it’s our turn. In our party, we don’t even have zoning in our constitution, but knowing our president, how magnanimous he is, we felt comfortable to make a recommendation to him that even though we don’t have zoning, Mr. President, can we consider this?” Bagudu explained.

Other northern governors in attendance were:  Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Aminu Masari (Katsina) Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa) Bello Matawalle (Zamfara) Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Abubakar Bello (Niger), Yahaya Inuwa (Gombe), Babagana Zulum (Borno) and AbdulRahman Abdulrazaq (Kwara).

Agreeing with the governors, Buhari in a statement afterwards said he had not anointed any of the presidential aspirants.

This was as he said the party’s delegates would decide the outcome of Tuesday’s primary elections.

According to a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity, Garaba Shehu, Buhari spoke at a meeting with 12 Northern APC Governors at the State House, Abuja, saying he has “no preferred candidate,” and has “anointed no one.”

The statement is titled ‘I have anointed no one, there shall be no imposition, says president Buhari’.

While noting that he is determined to ensure that “there shall be no imposition of any candidate on the party,” Buhari said the party is important and its members must be respected, and made to feel they are important.

The President said he had a clear mind about what he was doing and asked the APC governors to feel the same way: “You were elected as I was. Have a clear mind as I have. God gave us the chance; we have no reason to complain. We must be ready to take pain as we take the joy. Allow the delegates to decide. The Party must participate, nobody will appoint anybody.”

The Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, through his Special Adviser on Political Communications, Alhaji Bashir Adigun,  told The PUNCH  there was no going back on the southern Presidency.

Adigun said, “We have been inundated with enquiries on whether our Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq supports the resolution of Northern leaders on power shift to southern Nigeria.

“We like to state emphatically that the governor was ab initio fully part of the meeting and resolution of the northern leaders that the next President should come from southern part of the country.

“The governor could not immediately sign the resolution of the meeting because he was at his niece’s wedding held  on Saturday June 4,2022 where he was the Chief Host .

Presidency tackles Tinubu

Also in a separate statement, the Presidency rubbished claims by APC stalwart, Bola Tinubu, that he was largely responsible for Buhari’s victory at the 2015 polls after the President had failed in three earlier attempts.

According to a statement signed by Shehu, the Presidency said the past should not decide the next general election and what matters today is to elect a candidate that would “make our country better than it has ever been.”

The PUNCH reports that Tinubu, had raised some dust last Thursday when he claimed that without him, Buhari would not have emerged the president in 2015.

The Presidential aspirant made the claim at the Presidential Lodge in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, when he was addressing the APC delegates ahead of the party’s primary elections.

In its reaction, the Presidency said “It is perhaps not surprising that on the eve of the All Progressives Congress flag bearer primary there are those running as candidates who wish to associate themselves with the President’s rise to elected office seven years ago.

“There are many people who played parts large and small in his historic election in 2015, making history as the first opposition candidate to defeat a sitting president with power changing hands peacefully at the ballot box.

“There are those who advised the President to run again; those who decided to build a political party – the APC – that could finally be the political vehicle capable of delivering victory where all other opposition parties and alliances before it had failed.

“Those decisions may have been agreed upon by a few. But they were delivered by thousands and voted for by tens of millions. No one can or should claim to have made this possible.”

It added that as crucial as the 2015 victory was, it is not what should decide the next general election.

Meanwhile, The PUNCH learnt on Monday that although 21 APC Presidential aspirants were in the race, the battle for delegates votes was largely between Lawan, Tinubu, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State and former Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

Others in the race are: Oil mogul, Tein Jack-Rich; former Governors Godswill Akpabio, Ibikunle Amosun, Ogbonnaya Onu, Sani Yerima, and Rochas Okorocha; Governor Ben Ayade (Cross River), Governor Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Governor Bello (Kogi), Deputy Senate Majority Leader, Ajayi Boroffice; a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole; fiery Lagos cleric, Tunde Bakare; Mrs Uju Ken-Ohnenye; Pastor Nicholas Nwagbo, a former Minister of Information, Chief Ikeobasi Mokelu and a former Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba.

Both Governor Badaru of Jigawa State and a former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, have withdrawn from the race.

Nnamani announced his withdrawal during a meeting with journalists in Abuja on Monday.

He said, “In the present circumstances, it does not make any sense for me to continue in the race as I have not had the opportunity to market my profile and ideas to the delegates of our party in a manner that allow for deliberation and introspection.

“Therefore, I discontinue my aspiration and wish the party successful primary and unity of purpose so that we can win the 2023 general elections.

“I will continue to engage with the party and its leadership to make sure that the ideas and values that I cherish and propagate find strong footing in the party administration and in public leadership after election.”

Meanwhile, the legal department of the Bola Tinubu Campaign Organisation on Tuesday rejected attempts to anoint Lawan as the party’s candidate, insisting that the Electoral Act says consensus must be agreed to by all aspirants before the party can adopt it.

The Director, Legal Directorate, Tinubu Campaign Organisation, Babatunde Ogala (SAN), said this in a statement titled, ‘Consensus Candidate a Legal Impossibility’.

The statement read in part, “While the national chairman has yet to deny or offer any clarification on the alleged declaration, it is necessary to state that such a declaration is a legal impossibility. This is because under the regime of the Electoral Act 2022, consensus, though provided for as one of the means by which a political party may produce its candidate, must specifically occur in a precise form.”

Meanwhile, a former Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State says the powerful cabal in the Presidency is planning to give All Progressives Congress leader, Bola Tinubu, the ‘MKO Abiola’ treatment at the Presidential primary of the APC.

Fayose said this in an open letter to Tinubu on Monday which he personally signed.

MKO Abiola was the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 Presidential election but was denied victory after the result was controversially annulled. He was eventually detained by the military government of General Sani Abacha the following year for declaring himself President. He died four years later.

In his open letter, Fayose said it was obvious that Tinubu was swimming against the tide and he needed to proceed with extreme caution.

The letter read in part, “Going by the handwritings that are now clearly on the wall, if I may consider sir, I see you as one that may be swimming against the political tide of the cabal in your party. They are equally preparing for your actions and reactions and are fully set to contain same as they did to both Awolowo and Abiola.”

Fayose said unfortunately Tinubu’s empire – which comprised almost all the six South-West governors and ministers as well as Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo – had been balkanised as evidenced by Tinubu’s outburst in Abeokuta last week.

Advising the APC, a political analyst, Tonye Isokariari, said the APC must do the needful to save the party from imploding ahead of the 2023 election.

He said, “The national chairman made a comment, the NWC members have come out to say they are not party to that I believe everyone is entitled to his own opinion. Yes, the APC will survive this,  It’s an internal crisis. As we speak the governors are meeting with the NWC members. So, whatever is going on, they will solve the problem. Well that’s our hope, that they will do the needful for the interest of justice, fairness and equity.”

Another political analyst, Jide Ojo, said Adamu’s declaration  might unsettle the party if not properly resolved.

He said, “The drama that happened today  will unsettle the APC if it is not properly resolved. Before now, Adamu had been accused of running a one-man show. He did same by declaring Lawan as the consensus candidate of the party which the northern governors, President and NWC have disassociated themselves.”

Veteran journalist and spokesman for the Bola Tinubu Campaign Organisation, Bayo Onanuga, says he was the one who introduced Prof. Yemi Osinbajo to then Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, in 1999, a decision he now regrets.

Onanuga said this in a statement on Monday in reaction to an interview by The PUNCH with a former National Secretary of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change, Buba Galadima, who had lambasted Osinbajo for daring to contest against Tinubu, his former boss.

A’Court restrains NASS

 In a related development, the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal on Monday issued an order restraining the National Assembly from imposing statutory delegates at the ongoing convention of the APC.

Delivering his ruling, Justice Haruna Tsammani also restrained the enforcement of the judgment of a Federal High Court in Kano delivered on June 3 granting the enforcement of the amended Section 84 (8) of the Electoral Act, 2022.

The ex parte application by the APC national chairman which was moved by A.A. Popoola and Karma Fagbemi, had pleaded with the Appeal Court to stay the execution of the judgment of Justice A.M. Liman of a Federal High Court in suit No. FHC/KN/CS/137/2022 permitting Senator Mas’ud El-Jibrin Doguwa, Hon. Habila Sani, Hon. Bilyaminu Yusuf Shinkafi, the Senate, the Speaker of House of Representatives and the Independent National Electoral Commission to enforce the amendment.

Justice Tsammani also ordered the service of processes of the order by substituted means against the parties in the matter and adjourned hearing of the motion on notice for stay of execution to June 9.

Adamu had contended that  Section 84(8) of the Electoral Act on statutory delegates participation in the primary, which amendment was still awaiting presidential assent was not in conflict with Section 223 of the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 and Article 20(iv) of the APC constitution.

He had further argued that the suit was filed in Kano on May 24 without joining of the Attorney General of the Federation as the Chief Law Officer of the Federation.

Politics

BREAKING: Oyo Deputy Governor Defects To APC

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The deputy governor of Oyo State, Rauf Olaniyan has announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). 

Olaniyan made this announcement in an interaction with journalists on Sunday.

He said the decision came in yielding to yearnings of his supporters who were tired of waiting after remaining afloat in the PDP, for a while.

He said the defection did not affect his relationship with the state governor, Seyi Makinde, saying he remained on the same page with the governor regarding governance.

He maintained that he was not resigning as deputy governor.

Politics

APC In Make-Or-Break Presidential Convention

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AFTER several months of intrigues and backstabbing by power blocs, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is set to conduct the much-anticipated presidential convention where its standard-bearer will emerge ahead of the next general election. 

The national chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, on Sunday inaugurated 19 committees to handle the process, barely 24 hours to the scheduled date. 

Against the stand of the northern APC governors to cede power to the South, certain aspirants in the race from the North have refused to defer to the resolution asking them to withdraw from the race. 

Six of the northern governors in a communique issued at the end of their weekend meeting in Abuja “strongly recommend to President Muhammadu Buhari that the search for a successor as the APC presidential candidate be limited to our compatriots from the southern states.” 

They further maintained that, “It is a question of honour for the APC; an obligation that is not in any way affected by the decisions taken by another political party.” 

Feelers from the camp of the aspirants, however, revealed that they might have decided to snub the northern governors. 

At the weekend, only Jigawa State governor, Abubakar Badaru, has formally withdrawn from the race. 

Head of Communications, Yahaya Bello Campaign Organisation, Dr Yemi Kolapo, said the Kogi State governor would not drop his ambition as he dismissed the resolutions of the northern governors as mere recommendation that is not binding on her principal. 

She said: “Are they presidential aspirants? They only gave mere recommendation. Has the party agreed to their suggestion? Even the national chairman of the party said no decision was taken at the dinner with Mr President on Saturday. 

“We started this campaign before any of the aspirants. At this stage, on the eve of the election, you can’t be telling us to withdraw.” 

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, who incidentally is from North-East, has also snubbed the resolutions of the northern governors. 

Iyke Ekeoma, spokesman of the Ahmed Lawan campaign organisation, said the position taken by President Buhari mandating presidential aspirants to present a consensus candidate superseded the resolutions of the APC northern governors. 

He said: “The president’s position supersedes the resolutions of the APC northern governors. It is merely advisory, not binding on the aspirants. Even the party’s national chairman hasn’t said anything on zoning. 

“The president has tasked aspirants to bring a consensus candidate. That’s the level we are; we are still in the race.” 

The meeting to produce a consensus candidate among presidential aspirants from the South-West, held at the Abuja residence of former Ogun State governor, Chief Segun Osoba, also ended in a deadlock. 

A source at the meeting told Nigerian Tribune that none of the aspirants was willing to step down. 

“All of them asked Chief Osoba and Baba Bisi Akande to give them time to consult with their supporters. Some even said they want to consult their immediate family. Only Pastor Tunde Bakare was absent,” he said. 

Ahead of the convention, investigation revealed that party chieftains and aspirants are involved in several meetings to arrive at the consensus option suggested by President Buhari. 

On Sunday, however, Senator Adamu inaugurated the 19 committees of the presidential convention. 

According to an earlier statement by APC national publicity secretary, Felix Morka, Kebbi State governor, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, will chair the election management sub-committee. 

There was drama at the inauguration as the APC national chairman announced Imo State governor, Hope Uzodinma, who was initially paired with Governor Bagudu in the election management committee, as chairman of central steering committee. 

Borno State governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, however, objected as he noted that his Imo State counterpart was assuming the status of a sole administrator. 

Adamu later announced the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Bello, as deputy chairman to Governor Uzodimma. 

Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, is to lead the finance and logistics subcommittee, while the Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun, will superintend over accreditation and decoration. 

The APC national chairman, in his remarks, appealed to the leadership of the various committees to be diligent in order to achieve a seamless process. 

“This convention is a bit different from other conventions. It is different because it is the first transition convention of our great party. The forthcoming convention will be expected within our constitution to produce the standard-bearer of our great party to contest the presidential slot. 

“We are very careful that we chose different persons to be part of the committees that have been enumerated by the national secretary. It is our prayers and hope that every person who is allotted a committee will be anxious to give his or her best to serve in the slot that is given him or her,” he said. 

Uzodinma, in his speech on behalf of chairmen of other committees, assured the APC National Working Committee that they would live up to expectations. 

Meanwhile, contrary to expectations, the actual process of voting will take place on Tuesday. 

“The process is likely to be a three-day exercise,” a source told Nigerian Tribune.

Politics

Osinbajo meets Adamu, five APC governors ahead of national convention

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The meeting, which started at about 7 p.m. in Aguda House, the official residence of the vice president, came a few days after President Muhammadu Buhari met with the APC governors requesting their support to pick his successor.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, on Thursday, met with the National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Adamu, and five governors of the ruling party.

The meeting, according to sources, started at about 7 p.m.

However, the identity of the governors is currently unknown.

The meeting took place in Aguda House, the official residence of the vice president.

Laolu Akande, the spokesperson to the Vice President, did not pick up calls placed to his number.

Mr Osinbajo is in the presidential race under the APC alongside 22 others with the special convention to elect a candidate fixed for June 6-8.

Over the week, the presidential race of the ruling party became intriguing after the meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari, APC governors and the national chairman of the party.

“In keeping with the established internal policies of the Party and as we approach the Convention in a few days, therefore, I wish to solicit the reciprocity and support of the Governors and other stakeholders in picking my successor, who would fly the flag of our party for election into the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2023,” Mr Buhari had told the governors.

He departed for Spain on a state visit after the meeting.

On their part, the APC governors have held several meetings to deliberate on an ideal candidate but failed to reach an agreement so far.

Tinubu’s outburst

Earlier on Thursday, Bola Tinubu, a former Lagos State Governor and presidential aspirant of the APC, during a meeting with Ogun State delegates, narrated how Mr Osinbajo emerged as the vice president.

He said Mr Osinbajo, an indigene of the state, would not have emerged as the vice-presidential candidate in 2015 without his support.

“This is me telling you between my life and God Almighty, Buhari called me to be his Vice President. He said because the first time he contested, he picked Okadigbo, a flamboyant Catholic, but Nigerians didn’t vote for him.

“The second time, he picked another Igbo, Ume-Ezeoke, Nigerians didn’t vote for him. He knows that even if he goes to bring the Pope to run as his vice, Nigerians won’t vote for him. So he said, ‘you, Bola Tinubu, you have six governors, you have never lost an election before, come and be my vice.

“He knew all the calculations then favoured us, that was why he wanted me as his vice, but I told him to let us build the party first.

“I told them that I have a candidate that is a Christian that I can nominate so that the party will not break. That was how I nominated Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. I surrendered my right to him (Osinbajo).”

Politics

John Oyegun, Tinubu’s arch enemy, emerges APC presidential screening committee chairman

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John Odigie Oyegun has emerged as the chairman of the screening committee of the ruling All Progressives Congress, according to party insiders familiar with the development.

Mr Oyegun has started supervising the screening of APC presidential aspirants in Abuja, our sources said.

A source said Mr Oyegun’s emergence as the head of the committee could be problematic for Bola Tinubu. The top APC aspirant had openly led a fight that toppled Mr Oyegun as the party chairman in 2018.

Mr Tinubu then backed Adams Oshiomhole for the position, and the former Edo governor’s ouster in 2020 was seen as part of the game plan to cut Mr Tinubu to size ahead of 2023 politics.

Mr Oyegun also published several statements condemning Mr Tinubu’s dangerous political antics. Both politicians have stayed largely apart ever since.

The development could deepen concerns within Mr Tinubu’s camp that there were plots to frustrate his efforts to clinch the party’s ticket at its convention on June 6.

Politics

APC filled with crass nepotism —Adamu Garba

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Former presidential aspirant under the platform of All Progressive Congress (APC) has branded the party as being characterised by crass nepotism holding Nigeria down.

Adamu defected to the Young Progressives Party (YPP) having raised about N83 million as an APC presidential aspirant, accusing his former party of over-financialising politics.

Adamu, who featured in an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, said the APC was full of cronyism.

He noted: “That is why I said since APC has taken us to that direction, we have to define a new path.

“A path that would remove Nigeria from poverty and transit it to one of the greatest countries in the world away from the crass nepotism and cronyism that is evidently happening in the APC.

“In a situation where you commercialise political participation in the country, you are causing so much damage to the future of the country.

The YPP presidential hopeful lamented the outrageous fees pegged by the APC for presidential aspirants, adding that young Nigerians had no future in the party.

“By fixing the presidential form price at N100 million, the APC has succeeded in pursuing young people from politics.

“If you are a young man in Nigeria and you try to participate in any political activity in the APC, it is very clear that you are just trying to waste your time.”

Politics

Kano Assembly member returns to APC two days after defecting to NNPP

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A member of the Kano State House of Assembly, Ali Ibrahim Isah Shanono, has returned to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) two days after he defected to the New Nigeria People Party (NNPP).

Shanono who represents the Bagwai/Shanono Constituency in the Assembly, was among the 14 lawmakers in the state who dumped the APC and moved to the NNPP along with former state governor Ibrahim Shekarau on Wednesday.

But he made a hasty retreat on Friday when he returned to the troubled APC after he reportedly had a secret meeting with Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and top party leaders in the state on Thursday night.

In a letter Shanono sent to the state APC faction led by Ganduje, he said he had to deactivate his membership of the NNPP and move back to the APC and promised to “work round the clock for the success of the party at the forthcoming polls” while promising to remain loyal to Ganduje and the party.

However, a source in the state insists Shanono went back to the APC after party officials from his zone loyal to the governor threatened that he would lose his reelection bid if he failed to return to the APC.

Politics

2023: Abdulmumin Jibrin dumps APC, may abandon Tinubu

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The Director-General of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Support Groups Management Council (ABATSGMC), Abdulmumin Jibrin, has left the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Jibrin, who announced this via his Twitter handle @AbdulAbmJ, on Saturday, stated that he has done his best for the APC.

He noted that he will make public his new party within the next 24 hours.

“I have done my best for APC. It’s time to move on. I will announce my new political party within the next 24 hours Insha Allah. I will make a formal statement in due course,” his tweet read.

Jibrin, a former House of Representatives member, has been leading the presidential campaign for the National Leader of the APC, and former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Having dumped the ruling party under which Tinubu is seeking to vie for the nation’s presidency, it is still unclear if Jubrin would still be part of Tinubu’s campaign activities.

Politics

APC, PDP 2023 nomination fees will encourage corruption – Ladoja

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The former Oyo State governor, Rasheed Ladoja, on Monday decried the exorbitant fees charged for the 2023 elections’ nomination forms by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying it would encourage corruption in the country.

The ruling party had pegged its nomination and expression of interest forms at N100 million for presidential aspirants and N50 million for their governorship counterparts.

The PDP on the other hand asked the presidential aspirants to pay N40 million for the nomination and expression of interest forms while those vying for governorship seats in the states are to cough out N20 million for the forms.

Ladoja, who stated this in a chat with journalists at his residence in Ibadan, Oyo State, said the fees charged by the two parties for the forms would have a negative effect on the nation’s economy.

He said the arrogance of APC and PDP would force politicians to embezzle public funds, saying candidates should be picked based on their manifesto and not money.

The ex-governor said: “It is very ridiculous to ask a presidential aspirant to pick nomination form for N100 million and governorship nomination form for N50 million This is pure arrogance from the parties.

“You are asking a presidential aspirant to seek a job of N56 million with a form of N100 million. The same thing applies to the governorship. You are asking an aspirant to pay N50 million to seek a job of N28 million in four years.”

He stressed that the arrogance of the two parties would drop if other parties win elections in some states.

Ladoja added: “Other political parties charge less than APC and PDP. If other parties can also win elections in some states, the arrogance of the two major political parties will drop.

“These parties should understand that they are not the masters, but the people. They are just stampeding people thinking that they would vote for them either they like or not.”

World News

APC’s N100m for presidential form is recipe for corruption —Afenifere

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Afenifere, a Yoruba socio-political group, has criticised the high cost of nomination and expression of interest forms for presidential contenders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday.

According to the group, it would allow corruption to flourish in the country.

The APC had announced the sum of N100 million as cost for the presidential nomination and expression of interest forms for the party’s presidential aspirants.

Mr. Sola Ebiseni, the Secretary-General of Afenifere, reacted to the development by saying it was a tactic to prevent ordinary Nigerians from participating in government activities.

It is an insulting message to the pauperised Nigerians that they have no say in the governance of Nigeria or any part thereof. It is a direct affront to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and particularly the declaration in Section 14 (2) (b) that the participation of Nigerians in their government shall be ensured in accordance with the provisions of the constitution.

How can the poor members of the party who are so blatantly discriminated against, on the basis of their situation in life, contrary to Section 42 of the constitution, participate in the governance of the country, particularly in a country where only a political party can field a candidate and no independent candidate allowed?

“Unfortunately, the two dominant parties are both guilty in this game of absurdity and conspiracy against the ordinary Nigerians in the access to their platforms for political participation,” the Afenifere spokesman stated.

He noted that for the PDP, it goes against the goals of their founding fathers, like Alex Ekwueme and Solomon Lar, adding, that the existing payment for participation is the pinnacle of political insensitivity and an open invitation to steal by anyone who could only rise to power through corruption.

The only path ahead for the country, Ebiseni claimed, was reorganization, which would bring every citizen to power.

Only the reconstruction of the country’s political architecture, which liberalizes citizens’ access to power, can prevent the country’s inevitable decline into oligarchy and anarchy, he said.

Felix Morka, the APC spokesman at the end of a closed-door meeting of the party’s NEC in Abuja on Tuesday, had revealed that members who want to run in the All Progressives Congress‘s (APC) presidential primaries must pay N100 million for nomination and expression of interest forms.

Politics

‘Support me to do Nigeria a favour in 2023,’ Tinubu begs APC state lawmakers

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The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Wednesday met with speakers and deputy speakers of state Houses of Assembly controlled by the party on his 2023 presidential bid.

Tinubu, who addressed the lawmakers at the Lagos State House of Assembly in Alausa, Ikeja, declared that Nigeria needs a courageous leader like him to pull through the current challenges.

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, had earlier hosted the delegation at the Assembly complex.

He said: “I am pushing and requesting your support to be elected president of Nigeria in 2023. I am begging you to do me a favour so I can do Nigeria a favour.

Nigeria needs me even as I need Nigeria. Nigeria needs drastic courageous changes that will bring revenue and I am that courageous one it needs.

“I was raised to be courageous and this has been working for me.

“I want to bring the same to bear as President of Nigeria.

Accelerated development of our nation is about thinking and doing, and I am ready to do that again because I am a thinker and doer.

“I want to become President legitimately through the ballot but I reserve the right to brag.

“I started my teething age of politics in the Senate; I was the youngest and I did well.

“I am well educated, sound, brilliant, vibrant, and one of the best alumni of the Chicago State University.

“I was a student-tutor and one of the most sought-after graduates after school as I had five job offers even before graduation.

“In the face of tyranny and all odds, I have survived, stood and fought for democracy, survived the exile, lived without family, while financing other pro-democracy groups.

“I have contributed to sustaining Nigeria’s democracy more than any other person. I am a very passionate being.

I have contributed immensely more than any other person contesting today. I equally have it better when it comes to legislative experience, I am married to a senator, and have allowed her to practice her religion well.

Politics

PDP’s victory in Adamawa LGA election a referendum on APC— Atiku

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Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Sunday described the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s victory in the Adamawa State local council election as a referendum on the failure of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

PDP won all the 21 chairmanship seats in the local government election held across the state on Saturday.

Abubakar, who reacted to the development in a post on his Facebook page, said the results were indicative of the failed policies and lack of transformation blueprint by APC.

He urged the opposition candidates to work together with the elected council chairmen for the betterment of the state.

He wrote: “The outcome of the weekend’s Local Government Elections in Adamawa State confirms the resurgence of the PDP and the preference of its policies by the citizens.

The election that produced an overwhelming victory for the PDP was a referendum on the failed policies of the APC, which has only succeeded in increasing the tribe of the poor and the jobless.

“I congratulate all elected officials of the PDP and urge them to be focused on providing good governance to their people if the support of their constituents is to be assured.

“I commend officials of the Adamawa State Independent Electoral Commission (ADSIEC), security agents and the citizens for the peaceful conduct of the polls.

“I urge the opposition party to join hands to work as a team in providing much-needed governance and development to the local councils as they are the tier of government closest to the people.

“Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri deserves special commendation for having created the conditions precedent for the PDP victory by having conducted two elections in less than three years, granted autonomy and prompt payment of salaries to LGAs, and supporting State Development Areas.”

Politics

Adamu upbeat on APC victory in 2023 elections

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Adamu expresses confidence in APC, says the party will be victorious in 2023 elections

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Adamu, boasted on Sunday the party would win the 2023 general elections.

Adamu stated this in a chat with journalists at his home in Abuja.

He said: “There won’t be room for failure. This is our first mission. The very first mission is to work against anything that has the potential to bring failure. Thankfully, from my political activism as a student to date, I have never led a failed mission. I have never captained a failed ship.

“If there are things that are posing as problems, I try my best to fix them as best as I can and that is what we will do.

Given the enormity of the job and trust that President Muhammadu Buhari has placed on us, we have no excuse. We are going to ensure that anything we need to work will be provided. Any atmosphere that is cloudy, we will clear it as best as we can. We shall face the election as one party, one family, and confront our adversaries or opponents as one united party.

“Don’t forget that we have faced an election before when our President today was not a President and we won. He is about to complete the second term. He has made it clear that he won’t contest again and that means that we will not be having an incumbent, somebody on the saddle of power from our party on the ballot as we face the next election.”

Politics

APC convention a victory over enemies —Buhari

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President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday slammed skeptics who were poised to celebrate the collapse of the All Progressives Congress (APC) after weeks of infighting in the ruling party.

The former Nasarawa State governor, Abdullahi Adamu, and several other persons were elected into the APC National Working Committee (NWC) at the party’s national convention held on Saturday in Abuja.

In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garuba Shehu, the President said the successful conduct of the convention put the party on a stronger footing ahead of the 2023 general elections.

He said: “The APC convention hosted this weekend sets the scene for an APC victory in the presidential and general elections next year. It is a victory over naysayers who believed that the party was divided but are now disappointed.”

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