The National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Adamu, on Saturday said no presidential aspirant had been disqualified from contesting at the party’s presidential primary slated for Monday.
Adamu said this while briefing the media at the APC headquarters in Abuja this afternoon.
This newspaper had reported that out of the 23 aspirants screened in two days, the Chairman of the APC presidential screening committee, John Odigie-Oyegun, while submitting his committee’s report to Adamu on Friday, said 10 persons were disqualified.
Those not included in the list are; Rochas Okorocha, Tunde Bakare, Ben Ayade, Sani Yerima, Ken Nnamani, Ikeobasi Mokelu, Dimeji Bankole, Felix Nicholas, Robert Borrofice and Uju Ken Ohanenye.
However, in a fresh twist today, the party leadership seems to have discarded the list.
The Chairman of the independent National Electoral commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, has announced withdrawal of sensitive electoral materials from the custody of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Yakubu disclosed this at an ongoing symposium tagged “The Electorate: A Conversation on Elections in Nigeria” taking place at the Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja.
He said in the interim, the CBN will no longer be in charge of election materials beginning with the Ekiti state governorship election.
According to Yakubu, the commission took the decision to prevent such materials from being compromised.
THE WHISTLER earlier reported that the INEC Chairman had told journalists at a briefing last month the commission had “already started talking about what alternatives are available to us in case we need to change the arrangement for the handling of sensitive materials.”
The CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, had made a failed attempt to contest for the position of the president of Nigeria on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The move had sparked outrage from Nigerians and civil society organizations who called on INEC to withdraw the 2023 election materials from the CBN on the grounds that its head had become partisan and a politician.
Bashir El-Rufai, the son of the governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai has warned the All Progressives Congress against denying the national leader of the party, Bola Tinubu the party’s presidential ticket in 2023.
Bashir stated this while reacting to the statement of Tinubu while addressing delegates of the party in Ogun State on Thursday.
Tinubu who sought the support of delegates from the state had claimed that it was the turn of the South-West and for him to take over the presidency in 2023.
The former Governor of Lagos State noted that he is the right candidate to take over from President Muhammadu Buhari at the end of his tenure.
Bashir in his reaction to the statement warned that the ruling party might crash if it fails to give Tinubu its presidential ticket in 2023.
There have been speculations that Tinubu might dump APC for the Social Democratic Party if he fails to win the presidential ticket of APC.
Bashir in a post on his Twitter account on Friday wrote, “If this man doesn’t get this ticket this “party“ as we know it immediately ceases to exist as a single entity.”
Senior members of the Muhammadu Buhari presidency, infamously referred to as the Cabal, have reportedly sold the candidature of Senate President Ahmad Lawan to the president.
This coming a few days to the presidential primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
It was gathered President Buhari is expected to present Lawan to the critical stakeholders of the party as his preferred candidate for the party’s ticket.
According to multiple sources, the Aso Villa Cabal has secured the buy-in of the president for Lawan.
One of the sources, a former governor, told Daily Trust that: “Buhari’s nephew, Malam Mamman Daura, a former director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Daura, and the national chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, have succeeded in ramming Lawan down the throat of the president.”
However, the former governor warned that forcing Ahmad Lawan on the party would lead to disaster and implosion.
“Atiku Abubakar will be declared the president-elect by noon on the election day,” he said.
Kashim Shettima, a former governor of Borno State, on Friday evening said Vice-President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who is aspiring for the presidency in 2023, “should be selling ice-cream” because he is “a good and nice man”.
He said this while featuring on a programme on Channels TV, monitored by POLITICS NIGERIA.
“Osinbajo is a good and nice man, but nice men don’t make good leaders. Nice men should be selling ice cream,” Shettima, a supporter of Bola Tinubu, National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said.
Backing his candidate’s boasts about him helping Muhammadu Buhari to be president in 2015, Shettima said nobody can dispute Tinubu’s claims.
“He played a very crucial role in the ascendancy of President Buhari. I was a founding member of the APC; I can confirm this.”
The Special Convention that’ll produce the presidential flagbearer of the APC is scheduled for June 6-8.
After many years of her crashed union with her husband cum manager Teebillz, Nigerian sensational singer Tiwa Savage has revealed the kind of man she’s looking forward to date.
Tiwa Savage while performing during a recent music concert said she’s not looking for a man that has money.
In the video shared on her Instagram story, Tiwa Savage said she feels less impressed with any man that wants to spend money on her because she has her own money too.
Speaking further, Tiwa Savage said she can walk away from any unpleasant situation by jumping into her car because of the money she possesses.
She added that any man coming for a relationship with her must match with her own energy.
In her words: “I was telling my stylist, not like I’m just for looking any guy that has money because I‘ve the money, too. For real If do anyhow, I will get into my landrover and move, all I’m saying is we gat to match our energy. You got to match my energy. So from now we are looking for someone that will add to our fun”
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal has described as ‘bulshit’, the statement credited to a presidential aspirant and national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
Tinubu while addressing the Ogun State APC delegates at the Presidential Lodge, Abeokuta, Thursday stated that he brought President Muhammdu Buhari out of political retirement and assisted him to emerge Nigeria’s President in 2015.
His words: “If not me that led the war front, Buhari would not have emerged. He contested first, second and third times, but lost. He even said on television that he would not contest again.
“But I went to his home in Katsina, I told him you would contest and win, but ‘you would not joke with Yoruba matters.
“Since he has emerged, I have not been appointed minister. I didn’t get a contract.
“This time, it’s the Yoruba’s turn and in Yorubaland, it’s my tenure.”
Reacting to his statement, Lawan argued that Tinubu was not the only person that made the difference, saying there were many others who supported Buhari and never bragged about it.
Disclosing this in a statement made known to Vanguard, Lawan said: “Sometimes it is very difficult to support a Yoruba person in national politics if you are not one.
“They have a way of making you regret your support because they eventually make you seem like a traitor to your own people. Now all these comments about Bola’s Yoruba presidency and his support of Buhari without which Buhari would not have been president is bulshit.
“He wasn’t the only one whose support made a difference. There were many others from all around the country and they are not bragging about it.
“You may wish to know that all of us Buhari supporters are shocked and pissed off by Bola’s speech on this occasion. It is unlike him.
“And this speech is massively trending in the North and being given a negative connotation as you can well imagine. I first read it this morning on an Adamawa group platform and the anger is palpable and all round.
Will Tinubu win Monday’s APC primaries without Northern support?
“You would think Yorubas will resist the temptation of joining in the northerners-bashing game at this very critical time – the primary election is only three days away. It is unfortunate that Bola himself chose to join in this bashing game – choosing to speak in the Yoruba language and in Yoruba land in a manner that seems to denigrate Buhari. I could vividly imagine the discomfort of all the northerners sitting beside him on that podium.
“This appears to be the Abiola saga being replayed. Abiola won the election with majority Northern votes but they took the brunt of the post-election protests that followed.
“Just survey all the people that are doing more meaningful practical things to enthroned Bola as president and you will find that almost all are northerners while his kinsmen engage themselves social media activism and Northern bashing.
“When Yorubas vilify the North like this, our sense of fear and insecurity under a Yoruba presidency gets heightened and in the end, pushes us to rethink our support for not only Bola but any Yoruba as president for that matter.
“Please, do not join our opponents to destroy our chances of clinching Monday’s primary elections.”
The Federal Capital Territory High Court, Wuse, has remanded Peter Nwachukwu, husband of the late gospel singer, Osinachi, in the Kuje Correctional Facility pending the hearing and determination of the homicide related suit instituted against him by the Attorney General of the Federation.
Justice N.K. Nwosu-Iheme gave the order on Friday after he pleaded not guilty to 23 count charges bordering on domestic violence and homicide, among others.
She ordered that the suspect be remanded at the correctional facility while trial was adjourned to June 16 from 12pm and June 17 by 9am.
“The business for today is for arraignment, accelerated hearing is hereby ordered” declared Justice Nwosu-Iheme.
“Defendant should be remanded in Kuje Correctional Facility pending the hearing and determination of this suit,” she ruled.
Nwachukwu’s wife died on April 8 and many of her colleagues had accused her husband of subjecting the deceased to domestic violence, leading to her death.
Afterwards, the Nigeria Police arrested him and he has been in detention since.
FG claims that he contravened Sections 104 and 379 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, section 221 of the Penal Code and the Violence Against Person’s Prohibition Act (VAPP) 2015.
Some of the counts (like culpable homicide) recommends death penalty, 1-year jail term or fine (VAPP Act), among others.
Part of the charges read: “That you Peter Nwachukwu, 56, male, on the 8th of April, 2022 at Aco Estate, opposite police station, Lugbe, Abuja, FCT, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did commit an offence to with: culpable homicide punishable with death in that you caused the death of Mrs Osinachi Nwachukwu by your various acts of violence and aggravated assault with the knowledge that her death would be the probable consequence of your acts.”
“Statement of offence: Emotional, verbal and psychological abuse contrary to section 14(1) of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same section of the Act.
“Particular of offence: That you, Peter Nwachukwu, male, sometime between 14th November 2009 and April 2022 at Aco Estate, opposite police station, Lugbe, Abuja, FCT, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did commit an offence to wit: emotional, verbal and psychological abuse on Mrs Osinachi Nwachukwu (deceased) by humiliating her and making utterances like ‘you are smelling,’ ‘you are mad,’ to her in the presence of her music crew members.”
A leading presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Governor of Ekiti state, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has debunked insinuations in some quarters that he may be asked to step down for a particular aspirant.
The governor said he is favourably positioned and have backing of the real stakeholders in the party ahead of the presidential primary election to clinch the APC ticket.
An online media had reported that governor Fayemi and other four governors held a meeting behind a closed door with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, suggesting that the former was been pressured to abandon his presidential ambition.
But in a statement released Friday in Abuja, signed by Head of Media and spokesman of Dr. Kayode Fayemi Presidential Campaign Organisation, Femi Ige, described such rumour as “absolute rubbish. No meeting took place between us and any aspirant about stepping down.
“We are undoubtedly among the leading aspirants for the position and one to watch in the race. Our candidate has deep trust and respect among political leaders in the party and also from colleague Governors who form a critical mass in the decision making process.”
The statement asked Fayemi’s supporters to remain calm, focus and not losing faith because of the lies fabricated by political detractors, saying no amount of late night demarketing will work against the Kayode Fayemi Presidential project
A 39-year-old man, Niyi Adeyemo, has cried out after his wife, Jumoke Bamgbola, 38, beat him to a pulp during a disagreement at their residence in Ikosi-Ketu area of Lagos State.
Adeyemo, who is currently receiving treatment in a hospital bed, disclosed that the trouble in his marriage started after his aged mother came to visit him and she objected saying she don’t want relatives around.
According to reports, the alleged assault had happened on Monday, May 30.
He claimed that his wife’s demand for a divorce became intense when she returned from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in January 2022.
He said, “Bamgbola stormed my house on May 30, 2022, around 11 am, and asked me why I had not been picking her lawyer’s phone calls.
“After I refused to respond, she said that I must talk to her because she came prepared for me.
“I tried walking away, but my wife dragged me back, and tore my native attire specially sewn for my late mum’s burial, and became violent.
“She started throwing punches at me all over my body, especially on my legs because she is aware of my health condition.
“She tossed me around the house, and kept saying that she would make sure I was admitted to a hospital.
“She also dragged my private parts and bit my hands as I tried to prevent her from biting my manhood.
“I deliberately stopped myself from hitting my wife like I was advised.
“I called her dad afterwards, and put the phone on speaker, her dad called out her name during the conversation, but she refused to respond or listen to him.
“My wife’s demand for a divorce became intense when she arrived from Dubai early this year.
“While she was in Dubai, we resolved our differences through video calls.
“However, she suddenly changed and began comparing me with another man she met over there.
“My wife came back in January 2022 and requested to lodge at a hotel in the Lekki area of Lagos so as to self isolate because of Covid-19 to avoid virus infection on our son.
“Apparently, she came back to Nigeria with a boyfriend with whom she had arranged to spend the night in the hotel.
“I called her several times, but she refused to receive my calls.
“She once called me, and said that our child is the only bond between us.
“She later threatened to kill me with her bare hands if I didn’t give her a divorce because her boyfriend said that he could not marry someone who was married with a child.
“The matter has been reported at the Ketu police station,” he added.
In response, Bamgbola stated that she filed for a divorce and her husband was served, but he refused to honour the court invite, The Punch reports.
She said, “I called my husband after a visit to see the lawyer, and he complained that my husband had not been picking up his calls or from my mum as well.
“He kept pleading with me that he did not want a divorce.
“He admitted that he allowed a third party in our marriage, and apologized.
“Afterwards, the lawyer told me that I had to see my husband, and make him understand what I wanted because of our only child.
“So, I went to his place, and met another lady with him in the kitchen.
“I asked him why he refused to pick the lawyer’s calls, and why he was telling people that he gave me N1.5m to rent an apartment, but he denied it.
“I actually visited to inform him that the court had fixed June 28, 2022, for our divorce case, and discuss the matter with him if we could settle the dispute amicably.
“He usually beat me, but I always tried not to hit him back because he is a sickle cell patient.
“Apparently, it resulted in an argument, as I was also admitted to a hospital at the Ijoko area because I had a swollen face and bruises all over my body and could hardly talk.
“I was invited to Ketu police station on Tuesday, May 31, about how my husband had filed a case of assault against me.
“I denied the allegation, and told the police operatives that I would visit the station as soon as I get better,” she added.
The state police public relations officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident, however, he is yet to say anything concerning the case.
