Lagos Lawmakers Campaign for more Investments in Waterways Transportation
More work is needed attract private investments to the Lagos waterways transportation sector, lawmakers at the State House of Assembly have said.
The lawmakers, who belong to the House Committee on Transportation, made the position known during a recent visit to the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) and the Lagos State Ferry Services (LAGFERRY).
Led by its chairman, Hon. Temitope Adewale, the committee agreed that the government had to improve the environment that would enable such business thrive.
Hon. Adewale noted the interest of the House of Assembly in the success of waterways transportation as an alternative to the ever-growing traffic challenges faced by residents of the state.
To this end, the lawmaker urged LASWA to ensure the security of the state’s waterways through effective collaboration with security agencies.
Adewale expressed belief that securing the waterways would help increase public confidence and boost chances of Public Private Partnership (PPP).
Commending the agency for the success so far recorded, the committee chairman appealed for more efficiency while advising that the waterways must not become escape routes for criminals.
He, therefore, urged for more patrol boats to monitor waterways in the state.
Describing LAGFERRY as one of the agencies that had added value to the governance of the state and the transportation sector, Adewale pleaded for more activities that would help attract investors.
He also promised that the House would continue to assist in areas that would ease the job of the agency and help it meet its goals.
Speaking earlier, Mr. Oluwadmilola Emmanuel, General Manager of LASWA, enumerated the achievements of the agency to include the creation of a control room to monitor the various routes on the waterways.
According to him, this strategy has helped to keep the waterways safe and secured just as he added that the agency currently has two patrol boats for the patrol of waterways to avoid criminal activities on the waterways.
He said the agency had provided 294 life jackets and was expecting 845 more.
The agency, Emmanuel said, also collaborates with security agencies for the protection of the waterways.
He, however, said the Marine Police can be equipped further for effective enforcement.
On his part, the Managing Director of LAGFERRY, Hon. Ladi Balogun, said his agency with a mandate to provide ferry services to ease pressure on road transportation, currently has a fleet of 20 boats.
He noted that at least, 480,000 waterways users routinely patronise the boats.
While explaining that the agency was already setting standards for other operators in the industry, he lamented that recurrent expenditure appropriated for it was not enough as the price of fuel affects business.
‘Why I Called Tinubu Mr. President In London’ – House Of Rep Member Opens Up
The lawmaker representing Suleja/Tafa And Gurara federal constituency of Niger State in the House of Representatives, Abubakar Lado Suleja has been identified as the person who addressed Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as Mr. President recently in London.
It will be recalled that some Northern lawmakers last week, visited the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tinubu in London.
The legislators were led on the visit by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Ahmed Idris Wase.
However, a video emerged and went viral of one of the lawmakers during the visit, addressing Tinubu as Mr. President, to which the former Lagos Governor also responded thank you as captured in the video which went viral on the internet.
“Mr President, see you soon,” the lawmaker had said and Tinubu responded by saying “Thank you.”
With Nigerians eager to know the face behind the words, Honourable Suleja has now been revealed as the one who called Tinubu ‘Mr. President.’
When contacted for a confirmation and clarification, the lawmaker acknowledged calling Tinubu Mr. President but, however, added that he put Insha Allah which means ‘by God’s grace.’
Suleja stated this when he was questioned by the Daily Trust correspondent who reached out to him on whether his statement doesn’t imply that Nigeria now has two presidents.
He said: “No, we don’t have two presidents, maybe you didn’t listen to the video very well because when I said Mr President, Insha Allah followed it, which means by God’s grace.”
The lawmaker added that it is their wish for Tinubu to become the next President of Nigeria in 2023.
“We are praying for him to become the future president of Nigeria. We have only one president who is President Muhammadu Buhari, who is the leader of our party and our mentor but we are praying for Asiwaju to be the next president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and continue from where President Buhari will stop. That is what I meant.”
He also denied speculations that the lawmakers were in London to endorse Tinubu for the 2023 presidency, saying it was rather a visit to check up on him healthwise.
He said it would be wrong to assume they were there for the purpose of endorsement, adding that such a position will insinuate that everyone who had visited Tinubu in London including President Muhammadu Buhari himself were there for endorsement purposes.
“The purpose of our visit was to see his health condition, to pray for him and wish him well. He is very okay and as you can see from the video clip, he looks fine. He stood for almost one hour addressing us.”
He added that, “No, the visit was not for endorsement, we are his loyalists, fans and he is our leader. If people are saying it is for endorsement, then it will mean President Buhari has endorsed him because it was President Buhari who first visited him.”
Zuckerberg loses $6 billion in hours as Facebook nosedive, Drops to No. 5 on world’s richest list
Facebook has removed a Donald Trump ad over ‘Nazi hate symbol’ Facebook bans Myanmar military from its platforms Mark Zuckerberg
Stock plunge knocks his net worth down to $121.6 billion
Mark Zuckerberg’s personal wealth has fallen by more than $6 billion in a few hours, knocking him down a notch on the list of the world’s richest people, after a whistleblower came forward and outages took Facebook Inc.’s flagship products offline.
A selloff sent the social-media giant’s stock plummeting 4.9% on Monday, adding to a drop of about 15% since mid-September.
Zuckerberg is now the world’s sixth richest person after his fortune declined to $121.6 billion in total.
Facebook stock came under pressure from two fronts: an unusually long outage of its namesake platform, Instagram and WhatsApp, a mistake likely costing the company tens of millions of dollars in revenue. (In the latest quarter, it brought in around $330 million a day in sales.)
Facebook last suffered a blackout like this in 2019, when the network shut down for 14 hours. A decade earlier, in 2008, it went dark for a day.
Monday’s outage affected internal systems at Facebook, too, making it impossible for employees to access emails, the internal messaging system known as Workplace, even reportedly some doors at company headquarters.
Britain plans to make Mark Zuckerberg answer for hate crimes
The other matter weighing on Facebook is Tuesday’s Congressional hearing, where a former product manager, Frances Haugen, will testify about her decision to become a whistleblower and leak internal data to the Wall Street Journal.
In a 60 Minutes interview last night, she criticzed Facebook for putting “profits over people” and failing to maintain safeguards against misinformation after the 2020 presidential election.
But Facebook stock has proven surprisingly durable over the past few years of scandals, including last year’s ad boycott and the January 6th riots.
Shares remain near record highs, closing Monday at $326, a more than 150% increase in five years.
The three apps – which are all owned by Facebook, and run on shared infrastructure – stopped working shortly before 5pm. Other related products, such as Facebook Messenger and Workplace, have also stopped working.
The cause of the outage was unclear at the time of filing this report.
WhatsApp loses millions of users after terms update
At time of this report, it is unclear what has caused the issue although the company has suffered outages before.
Few minutes ago, Whatsapp posted on its Twitter handle: “We’re aware that some people are experiencing issues with Whatsapp at the moment. We’re working to get things back to normal and will send an update here as soon as possible. Thanks for your patience!”
In June and April this year, the social media giant’s platforms unexpectedly went down due to a “network configuration issue”.
2023: Badagry traditional rulers endorse Tinubu for president
Traditional rulers in Badagry have jointly endorsed the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu for President in 2023.
The traditional rulers made the pronouncement at a town hall meeting organised by the South West Agenda (SWAGA’23) on Sunday in Lagos.
Oba Momodu Afolabi Asafa, Onijanikin of Ijanikin, commended both attendees to the event and the SWAGA’23 team. “I thank every one of us, especially those who are working tirelessly in order to achieve a greater Nigeria. When an individual walks aright, such a person will arrive his or her destination on time. Any group of persons that value the unique roles of traditional rulers towards national development will always succeed. I, therefore, commend the SWAGA’23 team for a job well done,” Oba Asafa said.
According to the Commissioner, Lagos State Audit Service Commission, Kafilat Ogbara, who is also the Secretary of Lagos SWAGA’23, the team will move to Ikorodu and Epe divisions of Lagos on Tuesday 5th, October 2021 and will be hosted to a dinner at the State House in Marina.
The SWAGA’23 team will on Wednesday 6th, October 2021 meet with stakeholders and prominent personalities in the state to chat a way forward while the official inauguration of SWAGA’23 in Lagos will take place on Thursday, 7th October, 2021.
Meanwhile, the National Chairman of SWAGA’23, Senator Dayo Adeyeye thanked the Badagry traditional rulers for gracing the event. He said: “I want to specially thank all our Royal fathers for their support so far. We read in the media that traditional rulers in Lagos met and endorsed Bola Ahmed Tinubu for Presidency in 2023. We all know that the adminstration of President Muhammadu Buhari will come to an end in 2023 and it will be fair that the Presidency should be zoned to Southwest.
“I want to categorically say that Tinubu’s case has gone beyond Lagos State Affairs as most political parties have endorsed him in Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, and Ondo States. It is widely known that Tinubu’s philanthropic gestures is second to none. He equally fought for Nigeria’s democracy and performed brilliantly as a governor. I therefore urge all our traditional rulers to key into this project as charity begins at home,” Adeyeye said.
The SWAGA train also visited Badagry to pay homage to the Akran of Badagry, His Royal Majesty De Wheno, Aholo Menu- Toyi I OFR, and other Obas to seek their Royal blessings and endorsement for the APC leader. Reacting to the Prayers, the Akran of Badagry spoke through Oba Agano Toniyoni Aholu of Agbamathen said, “ We are strongly behind Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and we pray that God will make our request a dream come through. Even the blind and deaf in the country can attest to his good deeds. We are also optimistic that Nigerians in their large numbers will give him the necessary support.”
The visit was honoured by Oba Oyekan Ilufemiloye, Possi III, Alapa of Apa kingdom; Oba Moses Ayinde Agboke Joye, Onilogbo of Ilobbo Kingdom; Oba Friday Oladele Kosoko Oniworo of Iworo kingdom, Aholu Saheed Adamson, Aholu of Ajido Kingdom; Oba Isreal Adewale Okoya Okikiola, Onibereko of Ibekereko Kingdom; Oba Abraham Ogabi Oyikilu Ajagun of Imeke Kingdom; Oba Olalekan Ogungbe James Okiki, Arolagbade II, Aholu of Kuweme Kingdom.
Other royal fathers were, Oba Samuel Owolabani; De-Yeti I, Aholu of Ajara Topa kingdom; Oba Agano Toniyoni, Aholu of Agamathen Kingdom; Oba Ebenezer Koshoedo; Thalunno I of Ajara Vetho Kingdom; Oba Samuel Olusegun Wheto, Aholu of Dale-Whedakoh; and Oba Jimoh Fabiyi; De-Sano I, Aholu of Ikoga Kingdom.
Man Who Was Sentenced To Death Commits Suicide In Kuje Prison
A 43-year old businessman on death row has committed suicide inside Kuje prison in Abuja.
Obinna Echianu was sentenced to death for killing Edwin Ali an uber driver, it was gathered.
Echianu was said to have committed the crime alongside Everly Nnorom, a 27-year-old student. However, Nnorom was discharged and acquitted of the crime while Echianu on the other hand was sentenced to life imprisonment.
The prosecutor, Donatus Abah told the court that both men conspired and planned to rob and kill on Dec. 25 2016 which is punishable by death under the law.
The assailants were armed with a revolver pistol and 33 live ammunition and forcefully took the deceased’s Nissan Almera car and a mobile phone at Gosa pedestrian bridge, Airport Road, Abuja. After the robbery, Echianu shot and murdered the driver before fleeing the scene.
A source quoted by Sahara Reporters said Echianu was so unhappy about his sentence that he decided to take his life.
The source said: “He went into the bathroom in his cell and hanged himself. His lifeless body was discovered dangling from a rope around his neck. It is not clear what triggered this last act.
“However, it raises questions about the condition of the prison system in Nigeria. Why could a person on death row have easy access to a means of hanging himself? Also, what is the state of healthcare in the prisons, especially for inmates with mental health issues?
“It is is now too late for anyone to know what would have been the outcome of his appeal. Death of the accused ends every criminal trial.”
The Nerve of a Super Fraud : Aiteo Slams $2.5bn Suit against Shell over Sale of OML 29
*Alleges Fraud, Deceit, Misrepresentation
Seeks compensation As DPR Awards Kugbo West Marginal Field In OML 29 To 7 Waves Petroleum
Fortune and fraud are often in business, uneven cardinal elements; one speaks to value and the other, a vice. Fraught in its pursuit of these discordant factors, the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), has once again, waded into the eye of the storm. Ultimately, it committed the impious fraud of industry in its sale of the OML 29 to Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Company Limited in 2014.
The SPDC perpetrated the contradiction of a business culture that cultivates sincerity and is at the same time manifests a fraud. Ask Aiteo.
The latter has dragged Shell to court over what it alleged as “fraud, deceit, and misrepresentation” in the sale.
In a suit, FHC/ABJ/C8/738/2021, dated July 27, 2021, and filed before a Federal High Court in Abuja, by its lawyer, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), Aiteo is claiming that the defendant breached a fundamental term of the agreement for assignment dated October 17, 2014, as set out in schedule 1 part 3 – wells, in relation to the Kugbo West and Okiori oil well s listed in schedule 1 of the agreement for assignment.
It accuses SPDC of failing to fully disclose the true nature of the oil wells to it, at the time of the sale, despite receiving the full payment for the transaction.
Shell Petroleum’s conduct was no doubt an invitation for a lawsuit. Describing the oil giant’s action as a “fraudulent misrepresentation,” Aiteo is seeking, among others, the payment of over $2 billion from Shell in general and other collateral damages as a result of the alleged lies and deceit at the time of the sale.
Trouble reared its ugly head immediately Aiteo discovered that the SPDC, from whom it bought the OML 29 in 2014, had transferred the Kugbo West and Okiori Marginal Fields to the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) without disclosing this during the negotiations that led to the purchase of the asset.
The flames of discord flared and burned brightly between the parties in the wake of a letter dated September 16, 2021, and titled, ‘2020 Marginal Field Bid Round Award Of Kugbo West Marginal Field Located In OML 29 to 7 Waves Petroleum Limited’, from 7 Waves Petroleum Limited, informing Aiteo that a section of the controversial OML 29 now belongs to 7 Waves, courtesy of the 2020 Oil Bid Round conducted by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).
The letter signed by Daniel Alabi, Managing Director, 7 Waves Petroleum Limited, stated in part:
“7 Waves Petroleum Limited actively participated in the 2020 Marginal field bid round conducted by the Department of Petroleum Resources [DPR] and emerged as the awardee with 100 percent equity interest in Kugbo West Marginal Field in OML 29 upon payment of the statutory signature bonus. The field would be jointly operated with our partner ‘Multiplan Nigeria Ltd’.
“Our firm would be glad to discuss and engage with Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Company Limited being the leaseholder for OML 29 with the underlying objective of executing the required Farmout Agreement thus (to) enable our firm commence field development activities essential to meet the timeline set by the DPR.
“We would be glad to set up an introductory meeting to discuss the next steps, kindly notify our firm of a suitable date and time. Thank you for the assistance, we look forward to a mutually beneficial and long-lasting working relationship.”
Aiteo had earlier received the rude shock when DPR notified it of the new development in a letter dated August 3, 2021 and signed by Edu Inyang for Director/CEO, DPR.
The SPDC was the legal and beneficial holder of a 30 percent undivided participating interest in OML 29, which is part of the undivided percentage interest held by the defendant in conjunction with TEPING, NAOC, NNPC amongst others.
Prior to the assignment of the lease to Aiteo, Shell as the operator of OML 29 published Information Memorandum in October 2013 wherein it invited bids from interested entities for the acquisition of their joint undivided 45 percent participating interest in OML 29.
Aiteo claimed it did not only join others to bid for OML 29 but emerged successfully. “As consideration for the agreement, the plaintiff made the following respective payments of; $220,000,000.00 as deposit pending the negotiation, completion, and execution of the transaction documents and relevant agreements and the balance of 2,130,000,000.00 upon the execution of the transaction and acquisition documents and the agreement,” it stated.
The plaintiff further averred that based on the agreement for assignment dated October 17, 2014, the defendant in conjunction with TEPING and NOAC as Assignors transferred to it their entire participating interest in OML 29 together with the rights, interest, obligations thereto and in the process purportedly also transferred their participating interest in the wells, “when they knew or ought to have known that they had surrendered and given the wells to the NNPC/ the federal government about five years earlier for valuable consideration”.
While Aiteo claimed its bid for the acquisition of OML 29 was based upon a complete reliance on the representations in the electronic data room information, IM, and the Agreement, particularly as they concern the wells contained within OML 29, it noted that issues came up in 2020 when it wanted to commence work on the assigned wells.
Aiteo claimed that “In the circumstances, therefore, the plaintiff avers that the representations made by the defendant as aforesaid were made falsely, deceitfully and fraudulently with the intention of depriving the plaintiff the full benefit of the assets and the undivided 45 percent participating interest in the wells.”
Consequent upon the SPDC’s deceit, Aiteo claimed its expectations as it relates to the wells can no longer be achieved and that its financial position has been severely and adversely impacted upon, as it is unable to fully repay its alleged indebtedness to its financiers due to the wrongful actions of the SPDC.
While claiming that it paid the sum of $46.2 million for the wells, the plaintiff argued if the money had been invested in other business ventures at the rate of 9.9 percent interest rate per annum from 2014 till the commencement of the suit it would have yielded an additional sum of $52 million. Plaintiff, therefore, claimed that it is entitled to a refund of $99 million.
Aiteo is also praying the Federal High Court to order Shell Petroleum to refund to it, the sum of $46.2 million as payment attributable to Kugbo West and Okiori oil wells being money had and received for a consideration which has totally failed.
Aiteo is also asking for another sum of $52 million being the interest that ought to have accrued on the sum paid on the two wells. While it is claiming the sum of $500,000 general damages, it is also seeking the payment of $2.1 billion as the amount it would have derived from the sales of 32,000,000 barrels of crude oil and other petroleum products from the Kugbo West and 41,000,000 barrels of crude oil and other petroleum products from Okiori wells.
It would be recalled that the SPDC suffered a huge legal blow earlier in the year, as a court in The Netherlands, compelled it to compensate two Nigerian farmers for damages over 2004/2005 oil leaks.
Its alleged bullying tactics and exploitation of legal technicalities in the production and evacuation of crude oil to allegedly short-change not only the Federal Government but also local operators in the oil and gas business were clearly nipped in the law court.
The SPDC was also mired in a missing crude oil scandal by the local regulator, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) through an illicit metering system, which it allegedly deployed to steal crude and cheat local operators.
Peter Obi has been named in a global money laundering scandal
The former governor set up secret companies abroad and refused to declare them as part of his assets.
A former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, has been named in a global tax evasion scandal and investigative reporting carried out by more than 600 journalists in 117 countries.
The investigation is called Pandora Papers.
The BBC writes that the “Pandora Papers is a leak of almost 12 million documents that reveals hidden wealth, tax avoidance and, in some cases, money laundering by some of the world’s rich and powerful.”
The Pandora Papers details how rich and powerful individuals from across the world– including more than 330 politicians from 90 countries–launder money by setting up businesses in tax havens like the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands, as well as in countries like Switzerland and Singapore.
These places are called ‘tax havens’ because it is easy to set up companies there, there have laws that make it difficult to identify owners of companies and there is low or no corporation tax within their jurisdictions.
According to Premium Times, a Nigerian publication that was part of the global investigation under the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) umbrella in Washington DC, Obi discreetly set up a company called Gabriella Investments Limited, in the British Virgin Island.
He named the company Gabriella Investments Limited, after his daughter Gabriella Nwamaka.
Obi, the online newspaper reports, first approached Acces International, a secrecy enabler in Monaco, France, to help him incorporate an offshore entity in one of the world’s most notorious tax havens.
Acces International then contracted a local registered agent – Aleman Cordero Galindo & Lee Trust (BVI) Limited (Alcogal) — to set up Gabriella Investments Limited for Obi.
Gabriella Investment Limited was born on November 17, 2010.
On the same day the company was incorporated, the nominee directors met and issued 50,000 shares of Gabriella Investment in favour of Hill International Holding Corporation, a shell International Business Company operating under the laws of Belize, another tax haven.
The director of the company is Mr. Van Vuuren, who is also one of the directors of Gabriella Investment.
Change of name and breaking Nigeria’s laws
Gabriella Investment is now known as PMGG Investments Limited in what is a combination of the first letters of the first names of Obi’s nuclear family: P for Peter (ex-governor), M for Margaret (the ex-governor’s wife), G for Gabriella (the ex-governor’s daughter) and G for Gregory (the ex-governor’s son).
Obi has also created a trust known as The Gabriella Settlement, an entity also registered in the BVI.
The Gabriella Settlement is the sole shareholder of PMGG Investments.
Obi also incorporated another company called Next International (UK) Limited on May 16, 1996, in London.
Investigations show that Obi continued to act as director of Next International (UK) Limited for 14 months after becoming Governor of Anambra State, thereby breaking Nigeria’s laws.
In Nigeria, a person is statutorily obligated to withdraw from engaging in or directing a private business, upon becoming a public officer, as stipulated in Section Six (6) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act.
Obi resigned from Next International on May 16, 2008, 14 months after he assumed duties as Anambra Governor.
Obi also contravened Section 11 of the 1999 constitution (as amended) which stipulates that public officers are required to declare “immediately after taking office and thereafter all” their properties, assets, and liabilities and those of his (or her) unmarried children under the age of eighteen years.
Investigations have revealed that Obi did not declare the companies he tucked away in offshore secrecy havens to the Code of Conduct Bureau.
Asked about his offshore assets and shell companies, Obi told Premium Times that: “I am sure you too will not like to pay inheritance tax if you can avoid it.”
Obi, 60, was PDP’s vice presidential candidate in the 2019 general elections.
He often preaches frugality, parsimony, anti-corruption, lean governments and probity every other day on prime time television.
He also once told the world that he wears only one wrist watch, even though images of him at different events showed him wearing different brands of pricey wristwatches.
BREAKING: Gunmen kidnap Ondo varsity lecturer, demand N10m ransom
Gunmen have reportedly kidnapped a lecturer at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba, Akoko, AAUA, Ondo state.
The academic, Mayowa David Adinlewa was abducted during the weekend along Akure-Ikere-Ekiti road.
The abductors have contacted the lecturer’s brother, Toyin, demanding for N10 million ransom.
It was gathered that the victim was on his way to visit his his family at Ikere in Ekiti when he was waylaid by the gunmen.
The assailants have reportedly spoken to Adinlewa’s wife, warning her against alerting the police if she wanted to see her husband alive.
It was also gathered that the victim spoke with his wife during her conversation with the kidnappers.
He begged his wife to ensure that he is freed as he had trekked for hours without food and water, stating that his health was deteriorating rapidly.
When she requested for a location, the kidnappers forcefully retrieved the phone from the victim’s wife and switched it off.
The abduction was confirmed by a lecturer of the university who promised that the victim will soon be released.
When asked if other lecturers were planning to raise the ransom, he said that “all I can tell you is that he would soon be released. We are on top of the situation.”
Contacted, the state police command spokesperson Funmi Odunlami said, “initially, we thought it was a case of an abandoned vehicle. It was later that the family contacted the police that their son had been kidnapped.
“The incident happened between the boundary of Ondo and Ekiti States.
“Our anti-kidnapping unit has swung into action towards rescuing the victim. They are already combing the bush and the axis where it happened.
Odunlami said: “I’m not aware if contact has been made with the family. I don’t know anything about the demand for ransom.
Yahaya Bello Dumps 2023 Presidential Ambition, Eyes VP Slot
Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, has dumped his ambition to contest the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the rulingAllProgressivesCongress (APC), DailyIndependent hasre¬liably gathered.
The governor, who has not hidden his desire to succeed PresidentMuhammaduBuhari, recently said Nigerians were askinghimtocontestfortheseat of thepresidencyin2023general elections.
He also said that he believes he has the necessary qualities to perform excellently aspresident, especially in uniting the nation, which, according to him, is seri¬ously divided.
“Theyouthsandwomenand all Nigerians, including very objective elite, are asking me to run for president in 2023. And I believe that it is high time that we looked into capacity — who can do the job? Who is going to unify this country? And I think they are seeing something in me that they are asking me to come and unite and fix this country,” he said.
However, speaking with Daily Independent, a serving Commissioner in Kogi State, who is a close ally to the gov¬ernor, said the governor has toned down his presidential ambition “given a strong feel¬ing that the APC might pick its presidential candidate from the South”.
Healsoaddedthattheresolve by the Southern Governors’ Fo¬rum (SGF) that they will work against any political party that picks a presidential flagbear¬er from the North in 2023 has really caused a major setback to Governor Bello’s ambition, even though he is yet to formal¬ly declare.
“Yes, the governor has not given up but he is lying low now. Many youths and other Nigeri¬ans are still asking him to run in 2023andmanysolidaritygroups are still springing up every day declaring support for him.
“However, recent develop¬mentsin the polity, especially the resolution by the Southern gov¬ernors that they won’t support any Northerner has made him to tone down on his ambition. While some people in the APC are calling for the presidential ticket to be thrown open, the majority of party members are calling on the party leadership to zone it to the South, given the fact that President Buhari who is from the North will be completing eight years in 2023.
“So, the governor will formally make his position known soon on whether he will contest the presidency or not but he has not given up, especially with mas¬sive support and endorsement he keeps receiving throughout the country.”
Another credible source in the party, however, informed Daily Independent that the gov¬ernor has already begun consul¬tations with party leaders on be¬coming the running mate of the would-be presidential candidate of the party, if the presidential ticket is eventually zoned to the South.
“I am aware he is leaving his options open for running mate to the presidential candidate if the ticket is zoned to the South because naturally the vice-pres¬idential candidate will be picked from the North. But that is also hinged on many factors. If the presidential candidate is a Mus¬lim, can Nigerians afford to vote for two Muslims on the same ticket?”
When contacted, Kingsley Fanwo, the state’s Commission¬er for Information, declined to respond to our enquiries on whether the governor has given up on his presidential ambition.
Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, has dumped his ambition to contest the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the rulingAllProgressivesCongress (APC), DailyIndependent hasreliably gathered.
The governor, who has not hidden his desire to succeed PresidentMuhammaduBuhari, recently said Nigerians were askinghimtocontestfortheseat of thepresidencyin2023general elections.
He also said that he believes he has the necessary qualities to perform excellently aspresident, especially in uniting the nation, which, according to him, is seriously divided.
“Theyouthsandwomenand all Nigerians, including very objective elite, are asking me to run for president in 2023. And I believe that it is high time that we looked into capacity — who can do the job? Who is going to unify this country? And I think they are seeing something in me that they are asking me to come and unite and fix this country,” he said.
However, speaking with Daily Independent, a serving Commissioner in Kogi State, who is a close ally to the governor, said the governor has toned down his presidential ambition “given a strong feeling that the APC might pick its presidential candidate from the South”.
Healsoaddedthattheresolve by the Southern Governors’ Forum (SGF) that they will work against any political party that picks a presidential flagbearer from the North in 2023 has really caused a major setback to Governor Bello’s ambition, even though he is yet to formally declare.
“Yes, the governor has not given up but he is lying low now. Many youths and other Nigerians are still asking him to run in 2023andmanysolidaritygroups are still springing up every day declaring support for him.
“However, recent developmentsin the polity, especially the resolution by the Southern governors that they won’t support any Northerner has made him to tone down on his ambition. While some people in the APC are calling for the presidential ticket to be thrown open, the majority of party members are calling on the party leadership to zone it to the South, given the fact that President Buhari who is from the North will be completing eight years in 2023.
“So, the governor will formally make his position known soon on whether he will contest the presidency or not but he has not given up, especially with massive support and endorsement he keeps receiving throughout the country.”
Another credible source in the party, however, informed Daily Independent that the governor has already begun consultations with party leaders on becoming the running mate of the would-be presidential candidate of the party, if the presidential ticket is eventually zoned to the South.
“I am aware he is leaving his options open for running mate to the presidential candidate if the ticket is zoned to the South because naturally the vice-presidential candidate will be picked from the North. But that is also hinged on many factors. If the presidential candidate is a Muslim, can Nigerians afford to vote for two Muslims on the same ticket?”
When contacted, Kingsley Fanwo, the state’s Commissioner for Information, declined to respond to our enquiries on whether the governor has given up on his presidential ambition.
