Politics, World News

Buhari writes APC governors, seeks support for Tinubu

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“Our candidate, His Excellency, Sen, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is no stranger to you. So now is the time for all of us to come together and march forward, as we did in 2015, to a convincing APC victory.”

President Muhammadu Buhari has asked the Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF) and other party members to work together and ensure victory for Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the party.

Mr Buhari, in a letter addressed to the Chairman of PGF, Atiku Bagudu, the governor of Kebbi State, said Mr Tinubu is no stranger to the governors.

The excerpts of the letter was released by the Senior Special Assistant to the President, Garba Shehu, on Thursday.

In the letter, Mr Buhari commended the Kebbi State governor, who served as the chairman of the election committee of the just-concluded convention, for his professional and efficient conduct of the primary election.

“I was pleased to see how you were very professional and efficient in handling the sensitive political position of Chairman Progressives Governors Forum.

‘‘Your commitment in pursuit of equity and fairness speaks volumes in the cooperation displayed by APC Governors. This indeed demonstrates the camaraderie that brought us together over 8 years ago.

‘‘The party primaries were peacefully conducted and the delegates have selected the candidate to carry the APC flag in the 2023 Presidential Primaries,” he said.

The president said he looks forward to working with the governors to ensure Mr Tinubu wins the 2023 election.

‘‘Today, as a patriotic APC member and stakeholder, I trust that you will come together to work with our candidate to win the 2023 elections.

‘‘In the past 7 years in government, we have achieved a lot. However, we have a lot more to do. The APC project is far from over and we need all of you to come together to ensure our progressive journey to peace and prosperity is sustained.

‘‘Our candidate, His Excellency, Sen, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is no stranger to you. He is our friend and brother. We know his commitment, his track record, and his capacity to lead our party to success. So now is the time for all of us to come together and march forward, as we did in 2015, to a convincing APC victory.

‘‘I look forward to working closely with APC Governors to support Sen. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and all our APC candidates to success in 2023.

‘‘While I wish our great part success in the 2023 elections, please accept, the assurances of my consideration and personal regards,” Mr Buhari said.

Mr Tinubu emerged as the flagbearer of the APC after defeating 13 other aspirants, including Mr Buhari’s deputy, Yemi Osinbajo.

The vice president got a paltry 235 votes to come third behind Mr Tinubu, who amassed 1,271 votes and former Minister Rotimi Amaechi, who got 316 votes.

Eight persons also stepped down from the presidential race at the convention ground with seven of them endorsing the former Lagos State governor and one supporting Mr Osinbajo.

Lifestyle

Yoruba Group Lauds Northern APC Governors For Zoning Presidential Ticket To South

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…Condemns Killing Of Worshippers In Ondo

Egbe Ilosiwaju Yoruba (Afenifere) has lauded the All Progressive Congress (APC) Northern governors over their decision to zone the presidential ticket of the party to the south.

The group described the decision as not only heartwarming but a good development for the nation’s democracy.

The group in a statement by its secretary, Mr Bayo Aina, said the Northern Governors have shown that they meant well for the country and are ready to make sacrifices for the wellbeing of Nigerians.

It pointed out that the decision will not only give all Nigerians a sense of belonging but erase the impression that the North wants to lord it over the south at all times

Meanwhile, the group has condemned the attack and killings of worshippers at St Francis Catholic Church, Owo on Sunday, describing the attack as another attempt by agents of darkness to instil fears in the hearts of Yoruba people.

It commiserates with the state governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, the government and the people of Ondo State over the incident.

The group called on security agents to apprehend the perpetrators and bring them to book.

It said it was saddened by the development which apparently was a retaliation for the efforts of the Amotekun at stamping out criminality from the nook and crannies of the state.

Egbe Ilosiwaju Yoruba said it stands with the government and people of Ondo state at this moment of grief and urged the governor not to be dampened by the action of the criminals.

Politics

After Osinbajo’s presidential declaration, Tinubu meets APC Govs

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Former Lagos State Governor and National Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Monday met with governors on the platform of the party under the auspices of the Progressives Governors Forum at the Kebbi State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja.

Though details of the meeting have not been revealed, it is coming a few hours after Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, declared his intention to run for the presidency in 2023

Insiders reveal that 14 governors are already in the meeting with the APC leader who is also a top contender for the 2023 presidency.

Some of the governors in attendance at the meeting include Bababjide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna, Mai Mala Binu of Yobe, Simon Lalong of Plateau, Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa, Abubakar Bagudu, Kebbi Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano, Gboyega Oyetola of Osun, amongst others.

Osinbajo had made his presidential ambition known on Monday after he hosted the APC governors at his Aguda House residence on Sunday evening, where he disclosed his intention to run for the APC presidential ticket.

Politics

We must not allow PDP get its dirty hands on government again – Buhari to APC governors

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President Muhammadu Buhari has charged the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC) to work towards retaining power come 2023.

He spoke during a meeting with APC governors at the State House on March 23, ahead of the party’s national convention.

According to The Punch, Buhari said it will be disastrous if the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) returns to power in 2023. The president specifically told the governors to put the interest of the APC ahead of theirs.

He said: “As I remarked when I met Your Excellencies on February 22, our aim must be to hand over to an APC government at the centre and the great majority of states.

We must not, by default, allow the PDP to get its dirty hands on the Government again and return us to the Stone Age.”

President Buhari who said the APC had done considerably well in the last seven years despite the economic challenges also called for unity among the governors.

He said: “It will be a very sad and regrettable development if these manifest gains are frittered away as a result of internal dissent and rivalry. We must avoid narrow focus and inordinate personal ambitions at the expense of our party’s common good.

We must stop frivolous and diversionary litigation when the party’s reconciliation processes are available for settling disputes.We must restore sanity and purpose in the affairs of our party and lead ourselves to victory and safety.”

Politics

APC governors hold emergency meeting after Akeredolu’s narrow win at Supreme Court

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Governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will today (Friday) hold an emergency meeting in Abuja over Wednesday’s ruling of the Supreme Court in the case between the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, and Eyitayo Jegede, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state’s October 2020 gubernatorial election.

The Supreme Court judgment had attracted controversy, as the Judges at the Apex Court had reportedly unanimously agreed that it was illegal for Mai Mala Buni to be the governor of Yobe State and also hold an elective position in the party, noting that a sitting governor cannot hold a dual position of governor and party national chairman.

However, four out of the seven-member panel of judges dismissed Jegede’s appeal over his failure to add Buni as a defendant in the suit.

Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, had in a memo which leaked on Wednesday, called on the party’s leadership to urgently remove Buni as chairman of the caretaker committee, warning that the party risks imminent legal tussles if the governor remains its interim leader.

Keyamo also advised that the party should postpone its planned congresses under Buni’s leadership, arguing that the “unity” in the party might be cut short if the APC continued with the congresses scheduled to hold nationwide on Saturday under Buni’s leadership.

It was gathered that following the controversy that greeted the Supreme Court ruling, APC governors will meet today to discuss the state and local government congresses scheduled to hold on Saturday (tomorrow).

APC Chairman in Borno State and Chairman of the party’s Chairmen’s Forum, Ali Bukar Dalori, gave hints that the outcome of the meeting would determine whether or not the party would go ahead with the state and local government congresses.

You know I am a loyal party man. The party communicated to us to continue with preparations for the congresses pending the outcome of their meeting.

“The state governors are meeting tomorrow (today) so I cannot categorically say whether we’ll hold the congresses or they will say we should postpone them.

The governors have converged on Abuja for an emergency meeting tomorrow. After that meeting, we’ll know the position of the party and the direction they want to follow. Don’t worry, by tomorrow we shall know what’s going to happen,” Dalori was quoted to have said

However, Senator Magnus Abe, who represented Rivers South-East Senatorial District of Rivers State in the National Assembly, on Thursday, slammed Keyamo’s statement on the Governor Mala Buni-led All Progressives Congress (APC) committee, which called for Buni’s removal.

Ripples Nigeria reported that Abe had in a statement on Thursday said Keyamo’s argument based on his interpretation of the judgement of the Supreme Court in Jegede Vs Akeredolu was baseless since the defence of Buni, who heads the National Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the party was never heard.

He expressed surprise over Keyamo’s position on the matter, especially his call for the party to immediately suspend all preparations for the forthcoming congresses.

However, he noted that the party leaders who had reservations about the constitution of the caretaker committee were informed that the decision to establish the Committee was reached after extensive legal examination of the issues confronting the APC at that time by a body of eminent lawyers in leadership positions in the party.

“The Buni- led caretaker committee in the determined effort to reposition the party and carry out its difficult assignment has adjusted the seating arrangements in a lot of states and this may explain the stand that some party leaders will take on this issue. But it is important that we deal with facts and the law,” he said.

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