The chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Walid Jibrin has challenged former President Olusegun Obasanjo to provide clarification on his recent statement about Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate of the PDP.
Speaking at a press conference in Kaduna State on Monday, Jibrin said Obasanjo should clarify his statement within 48 hours or risk his secrets getting exposed to Nigerians and the entire world.
Naija News reports the threat from the PDP BoT chairman follows a statement credited to Obasanjo in which he said picking Atiku as his running mate in 1999 was a mistake.
“One of the mistakes I made was picking my number two when I wanted to become the president. But because it was a genuine mistake, God saved me,” Obasanjo was quoted to have said while interacting with some secondary school students at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, Ogun State.
However, Jibrin in his reaction said Obasanjo must openly accept or deny the statement credited to him about Atiku within 48 hours or risk getting his secrets exposed.
He added that the former President’s statement might be coming from a place of bitterness and resentment for being denied the opportunity to execute a third term agenda.
In his words, “I wish to appeal to former President Obasanjo to come out openly to repeat what he has said. Whether or not he was misquoted or meant what was credited to him.
“Although he has not debunked what was reported, one can assume that what was quoted to have been said by him is correct, but if he fails to openly come out and say which is correct in 48 hours, you will hear the bombardment and I will have no option but to break the egg and tell the whole world and Nigerians who is Obasanjo.
“There is no doubt Obasanjo may still be angry with Atiku even after helping him to succeed but perhaps for truncating his third term agenda, in any case, Alhaji Abubakar Atuku is our presidential candidate and I can tell you for sure that he will be the President in 2023 Insha Allah”.
Speaking further on the emergence of Ifeanyi Okowa as Atiku’s running mate and not Nyesom Wike, Jibrin said a high-powered team is been put together to beg the Rivers State Governor and others like him who might have been offended by the recent outcome of events ahead of the 2023 elections.
He said Wike remains a highly respected leader of the party.
”Governor Wike is a great party man who fought for the party, when the committee is constituted, in which we will also bring other contestants together, we will go and meet with Governor Wike and appeal to him even if it means kneeling down to beg him.
“It is our belief that in any contest, there will always be a winner and a loser and we must take whatever comes our way as the will of God who gives power to whatever he wishes at the time he wishes,” he said.
The members of the House spoke during plenary describing Gbajabiamila as one who has brought pride to Lagos State.
Speaking about Gbajabiamila’s legislative acumen, Rt. Hon. Obasa described the Speaker of the House of Representatives as “a legislator who carries out his duty with passion and dedication. He has sacrificed his own personal interest in the interest of the people.
“You will recall during the reign of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); he was awarded a national honour, but because he had reservations the way and manner the country was being managed then, he rejected the offer.
“This shows that he has always been with the people and serves in the interest of the people. He has also contributed a lot to the development of legislative institutions in this country.”
The Speaker thereafter directed the Clerk Barr. Olalekan Onafeko to transmit a congratulatory letter to the celebrant.
The Deputy Speaker, Hon. Wasiu Eshilokun-Sanni, in his congratulatory message described Rt. Hon. Gbajabiamila as an example of what a legislator should be .
“He has shown that the older the wine, the better the legislature,” he said.
Majority Leader of the House, Hon Sanai Agunbiade, described Gbajabiamila is a man that is charismatic of the office he occupies.
“He is calm, composed and each time you watch him preside, you would know an experienced legislator is presiding,” he said.
The Deputy Whip of the House, Hon. Mosunmola Sangodara, described Rt. Hon. Gbajabiamila as a great leader who has brought developmental projects to Surulere constituency.
“He is a very outstanding man. His success cannot be far-fetched as this trait can be seen in his mother who was once a Local Government chairperson and performed very well during her time,” she said.
In his contribution, Hon. Temitope Adewale from Ifako-Ijaye said Speaker Gbajabiamila had shown to the world that there is credence in legislature .
“We are celebrating a man from Lagos who has rose from the ranks to become the ‘number four citizen’ in the country,” he said.
While lending his voice to the debate, Hon. Sa’ad Olumo opined that “Gbajabiamila had done everything in terms of quality representation. He has great impact on us in his capacity and representation.”
AbdulRasheed Shehu, founder of the Atiku Kawai Media Group has said that former President Olusegun Obasanjo is very bitter that former vice president, Atiku Abubakar frustrated his tenure elongation agenda, otherwise known as ‘the Third Term Agenda’ in 2007
Speaking about the process that led to the emergence of his Vice, Obasanjo, who was interacting with some secondary school students at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, Ogun State, said he made a mistake while picking his running mate during the civil rule.
Obasanjo said he selected the wrong vice, but it was a genuine mistake in the end. Obasanjo said he made many mistakes in life, but that God made him overcome them.
“One of the mistakes I made was picking my number two when I wanted to become the president. But because it was a genuine mistake, God saved me,” Obasanjo said.
Responding to the former president in a tweet, Shehu, who is a member of the Atiku Abubakar presidential election technical committee, said Obasanjo was “still bitter” that Atiku frustrated his tenure elongation agenda, otherwise known as the ‘Third Term Agenda’ in 2007.
“Surprisingly, OBJ is still bitter about his failed 3rd term agenda. Although the PDP family holds him in high esteem, his recent statement is unbecoming. Had @atiku not fought that selfish and unconditional drive, Yar’adua, Jonathan, and Buhari wouldn’t have sniffed the presidency,” tweeted Shehu.
Following the controversy generated by the academic qualifications he filed in forms submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in 1999, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has continued to suffer the backlash.
But a parliamentary inquest had since cleared him of any case of perjury while an independent investigation by the Punch newspaper established that he indeed graduated from the Chicago State University in the United States.
Tinubu’s academic qualification has been a subject of intense scrutiny since his first filing of required papers in 1998 preparatory for governorship election of 1999.
Conflicting Filings in 1992, 1999 & 2022
While Tinubu had claimed in 1992 when he ran for Lagos West senate election that he attended Richard Daley College of Chicago and Chicago State University graduating in June 1979 with B.Sc Accounting, in his 1999 filing he said he attended University of Chicago and Chicago State University, graduating with a degree in Business and Administration, Accounting from the latter.
However, the Chicago State University letter dated August 20th 1999 addressed ‘To Whom It May Concern, was referenced by his then Chief Press Secretary, Segun Ayobolu, showing that Tinubu indeed attended Chicago State University from August 1977 through June 1979, a period of one year, 10 months (22 months) only.
Meanwhile in his 2022 filings for the 2023 presidential election as the presidential candidate of the APC, he did not state his primary and secondary schools.
He also did not state the name of the university he attended.
However, he stated his academic qualification as “B.SC Business and Administration, 1979.”
Investigation conducted by THE WHISTLER showed that following inconsistencies in his academic qualifications filed with INEC in 1998, and the fallout, which led to petitions and a legal tussle, a motion was moved by Hon Tajudeen Jaiyeola Agoro, representing Lagos Mainland Constituency, for investigation according to the account presented in January by then Tinubu’s Chief Press Secretary, Segun Ayobolu, in the
Saturday edition of the Tribune, 2022.
He explained that then Speaker, Adeleke Olorunimbe Mamora, set up a 5-man ad hoc committee on Tuesday, September 21, 1999, to investigate the allegations and report back to the House.
Other members of the committee were Hon. Babajide Omoworare (Chairman), Hon. Thomas Ayodele Fadeyi, Hon. Adeniyi Akinmade, Hon. Ibrahim Gbola Gbabijo and Hon Saliu Olaitan Mustapha.
Committee Report
Quoting the Committee’s report, Ayobolu said, “The Governor of Lagos State started his evidence by admitting ‘full responsibility’ for some of the ‘needless errors’ being pointed at in recent publications and which formed the basis of allegations against him.
“The Governor told the Committee that as a result of the acrimonious primaries of the Alliance for Democracy in Lagos State and its attendant crisis, the information contained in both the INEC form and the affidavit of loss of certificates was supplied by Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi.”
According to him, “The Governor then submitted to the Committee a copy of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) senatorial candidate form dated June 1, 1992, which he used to contest the 1992 Senatorial election as candidate of the party for Lagos West. In the form, which he personally filled, the Governor attached the certificates of Richard Daley College and Chicago State Chicago State University. For his educational qualifications he filled B.SC Accounting only.”
According to the committee report, as cited, “This according to him demonstrated that ‘needless errors’ spotted in the 1999 INEC form were not consistent and that they were ‘genuine errors’.
Quoting the Committee’s final report to read that, “However, we wish to state that the Governor’s inability to clear these issues promptly left the field to numerous aides and well wishers who circulated statements and documents, some of which the Governor claimed were neither from him nor authorized by him. Since the Governor himself accepted responsibilities for the ‘needless errors’ made, and in any event he is responsible for documents signed by him, we strongly advise him to be more careful in ensuring the accuracy of
documents that carry his signature in future”.
Supreme Court Ruling
Following the institution of the case at the Federal High Court in Lagos by late Legal luminary, Gani Fawehinmi, the Supreme Court later ruled against any further investigation of Tinubu as a sitting governor, as he was under immunity although the merit and propriety of the case was not looked at.
In the judgement delivered on Friday, the 10th day of May 2002 between Fawehinmi (Appellant) and Inspector General of Police and Two others (Respondents/Cross Appellant), the certified true copy of the ruling which was obtained by our correspondent from Lawyers Online, Justice Samson Odemwingie Uwaifo who delivered the lead judgement relied on Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution, which confers immunity on sitting governors and their deputies, president and vice president.
The apex court concurred with the Federal High Court Lagos and the Court of Appeal stating that the police was right not to issue an Order of Mandamus that would have warranted an investigation as conferred on it by Section 4 of the Police Act, Cap. 359, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990.
The court further ruled that the appellant’s “interest which is above that of the general public” has not “been affected,” by Tinubu’s alleged certificate forgery and age falsification.
In his supportive ruling, Justice Abubakar Bashr Wiali ruled that “investigation of a criminal complaint by the police against any of the office holders mentioned in Section 308 (3) of the 1999 Constitution is not tantamount to laying a criminal complaint before a court. Investigation of a criminal complaint by the police is in my view a preliminary course which may or may not result in a criminal prosecution.”
On his part, Justice Michael Ekundayo Ogundare, ruled that, “The Court of Appeal is clearly right in holding that Section 308 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 does not extend to grant to the officers mentioned in subsection (3) thereof immunity from police investigation into allegations of crimes made against them. That court is equally right in holding that police, however, have a discretion whether or not to conduct investigation into any complaint made to them. And the court will not intervene if on the facts of a particular case, the discretion is properly exercised.”
Chicago State University Clearance
Following various requests to find out if Bola Ahmed Tinubu attended its university, the Chicago State University wrote to The Punch in January 2022 confirming he graduated from the university.
The institution wrote that, “Mr Tinubu did attend our university, however, if further information is needed, go to studentclearinghouse.org website to make a formal request.”
The mail response was issued by Beverly Poindexter, who was in charge of official transcript requests, enrolment and degree verification at the Office of the Registrar, CSU.
Calls For Disqualification Get Louder
Even within the APC, there have been calls for Tinubu’s disqualification for alleged inconsistencies in his qualifications.
In the lead up the party’s presidential primary in June, 2022, a member of the party in Kano State, Sagir Mai Iyali, wrote a petition against him to the John Oyegun-led committee seeking Tinubu’s disqualification.
Iyali in a letter dated May 17, 2022, stated that, “From the information contained in prior submissions to INEC, particularly in 1999, Mr. Tinubu presented a false claim, on oath, of his attendance at the University of Chicago from 1972-1976.
“It is clear now that these claims are false. Not only was this filed in the INEC form with a declaration on oath on December 20 1999, it was also contained in an affidavit of loss sworn to before the High Court of Lagos, Ikeja Registry, December 29, 1998.”
But the Oyegun Committee dismissed the petition and went on to clear Tinubu.
On Friday June 25th, 2022, the Action Peoples Party, APP, threatened to drag Tinubu to court on Monday to challenge his academic qualification to stand for the 2023 election.
Chairman of the party, Uche Nnadi, who disclosed this in a statement said that the party had enough facts to nail him.
The party will rely on information he provided in his INEC forms. He said,
“Tinubu’s new forms contradict his 2007 affidavit that he has primary school and secondary. He denied attending Primary and Secondary but claims a university degree in new INEC forms published today.
“He commited perjury as he abandons his earlier claim of attending primary school, sworn in an affidavit to run for governor but now claims not to have attended primary school.
“His new declaration in new INEC forms of not attending primary and secondary school (is) false information, in view of earlier nomination forms of 2007 on oath containing alleged controversial primary and secondary schools he claimed to have,” he stated.
The former Governor of Anambra State and the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has met with the spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Hakeem Baba-Ahmed.
Baba-Ahmed made the announcement in a tweet via his official Twitter handle on Friday evening.
This development comes two days after Obi met with Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State at his private residence in Port Harcourt.
The NEF spokesman stated that he spent valuable time with the former Anambra governor in Abuja discussing important national issues.
Baba-Ahmed urged those who see Obi as an ethnic candidate can get to know him betterm adding that the country might see a revolution.
The NEF spokesman also wished that the supporters of the LP candidate would tone down his ethnic identity and market him as a Nigerian.
The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) chieftain expressed hope that the nation will see the candidates up close, we could see a revolution.
He wrote: “I spent valuable time with Mr Peter Obi this morning. I wish those who see him as an ethnic candidate can get to know him better.I also wish those who try to sell him will tone down his ethnic identity. I hope the nation will see the candidates up close, we could see a revolution.”
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Kabir Masari, has disclosed that he receives over 500 text messages daily since he was picked as the running mate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) flagbearer, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
He made this known in an interview with the Voice of America (VOA) Hausa service on Thursday.
Revealing how he was picked, he said someone called him around 3 am on that fateful day and informed him that he will be the running mate of the APC presidential candidate.
“I was told that I will fill a form and return immediately. The form was brought to me and I filled and returned as directed,” he said.
On whether he’s the party’s placeholder, Masari maintained that I don’t know what you mean by that.
‘I am a realist and someone who believes in destiny. In the first place, this opportunity, to me, came as a surprise. I never envisaged in my wildest dream that I will be picked. But when it happened, it was God’s wonders. So nothing is impossible.”
He continued, “I feel honoured for this great opportunity. So, if at the end of the day it became otherwise. I will accept it as a will of God. More than anything, God has uplifted me.
“Do you know that since I was picked as his (Tinubu’s) running mate, I have been inundated with phone calls from every part of the country wishing me luck. To say the least, I receive nothing less than 500 text messages. Over 200 on WhatsApp and 300 on SMS. That’s a rare privilege. It is only God that uplifts His servant.”
On the Muslim /Muslim ticket, Masari noted there’s nothing wrong with that, saying Nigerians should be concerned about development instead of tying down “our day-to-day activities with religious issues.”
Citing the example of the insecurity bedevilling the country, the vice-presidential candidate remarked that it has nothing to do with religion since both Muslims and Christians were victims of the attacks.
The Osun State Governor Gboyega Oyetola has slammed the governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic party Ademola Adeleke.
Speaking at his re-election campaign held at Ibokun and Oriade constituency on Wednesday, the All Progressives Congress candidate, said Ademola Adeleke lacks the capacity to govern the state.
While making a mockery of the senator, Oyetola said governance is a serious business for serious-minded people and not a dancing competition or child’s play.
The governor claims that, given the numerous difficulties the state is currently facing, it takes divine wisdom and a person with a solid understanding of the art of governance to govern the state.
Oyetola concluded that he is endowed with the quality and wisdom of how to govern Osun State.
Naija News earlier reported that Nigerian legendary singer 2face Idibia on Wednesday met with candidates of the three major political parties participating in the July 16th election.
2face during the meeting urged the candidates to advise their supporters on the need to shun violence during the election.
Idibia persuaded Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of the APC, Senator Ademola Adeleke of the PDP, and Akin Ogunbiyi of the Accord Party to sign a peace pact, pledging their commitment to a peaceful election, during separate meetings.
The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi met with Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike behind closed-doors on Wednesday in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State.
Wike who is widely rumoured to be plotting an exit from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP following his loss at the Party primaries and not emerging the running mate to Atiku Abubakar, the party’s 2023 presidential flag-bearer.
This meeting is coming amidst reports that Obi and his party are in talks with NNPP Presidential Candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso over a possible merger. Political Analysts reveal that if the merger succeeds, it will create big problems for the Ruling All Progressives Congress, APC and the main opposition, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
It’s currently unclear the outcome of the meeting but it’s largely connected to the 2023 Presidential Elections.
2023: A New Nigeria Beckons With Tinubu As President, Says Lagos Assembly
– Lawmakers to write Buhari, Northern APC governors, others
– Commend Obasa for championing the cause for Tinubu’s victory
– Describe Tinubu as a political warlord whose time has come
Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly resumed plenary on Monday with a resolution to write commendation letters to Northern governors on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for their collective decision that resulted in the victory of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu during the party’s recent convention.
President Muhammadu Buhari, Southern governors on the platform of the APC, the Conference of Speakers and the National Assembly are to also receive letters of appreciation from the Assembly.
The House, which also resolved to send a congratulatory message to Tinubu, who the lawmakers called a ‘golden fish’, thanked the presidential aspirants who stepped down from the race and supported the former governor of Lagos state to victory.
This is as the members of the House further took turns to eulogise the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, who is known to have commenced the mobilisation for Tinubu long before the latter officially declared his intention.
Recall that Speaker Obasa, since 2020, had visited many states of Nigeria canvassing for support for the emergence of Tinubu as APC flag bearer.
In his contribution, Obasa said the outcome of the primary election was worth celebrating, especially in relation to the number of people who supported and played various roles to ensure Tinubu’s victory.
According to him, the action of the Northern governors has further deepened democracy and unity.
Ahead of the convention, the APC governors in the North had resolved to support a Southern aspirant. They also made their decision public.
“That singular action of the Northern governors is proof and testimony that Nigeria’s democracy has come to stay and that Nigeria will continue to exist as one. It goes beyond giving Asiwaju support and shows that in togetherness, we can take this country forward.
“The emergence of Asiwaju gives hope that there are better days ahead where we would have an egalitarian society.
“We have absolute confidence that just like he did it before, he can do it again,” the Speaker said as he recalled the various achievements recorded by Tinubu as governor of Lagos state.
He tasked stakeholders and party leaders to intensify their support for Tinubu ahead of the general election.
On his part, a lawmaker, Abdulsubur Olayiwola, described Tinubu as a political warlord just as he argued that the presidential candidate’s Abeokuta declaration helped his victory.
He also noted that Speaker Obasa started reaching out to Nigerians from other parts of the country even before it became public knowledge that Tinubu would run for the position.
While another lawmaker, Hon. Tobun Abiodun, confirmed that Obasa started the move even “things were still sketchy”, his colleague, Hon. Adedamola Richard Kasunmu, said: “Nigeria as a nation just got lucky because by 2023, we are going to have a President who has the grace to move this country to greater heights.
“With a true democrat in the person of Asiwaju, a new Nigeria beckons.”
He described Obasa as a man with foresight for championing Tinubu’s cause.
Also contributing, the Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, described Tinubu as a man whose time to lead the country has come.
While commending Obasa, Agunbiade added: “We must go back to our constituencies and ensure that those who would vote for Asiwaju get their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs).
For Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu, Tinubu reaped what he had sowed for many years with his victory at the convention.
Eromosele Ebhomele
Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
Osun State governor, Adegboyega Oyetola and the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Ademola Adeleke, have engaged in accusations and counter accusations over the forthcoming governorship election holding in the state on July 16.
The Chairman, Legal Committee, Senator Ademola Adeleke Campaign, Niyi Owolade, and Chairman, Media And Strategy Committee, Diran Odeyemi, accused the APC of having three evil agenda whose implementation it said had started, going by recent sad developments in the state.
They alleged that the evil agendas include direct violence on PDP leaders and supporters, appointment of a compromised State Returning Officer in person of the Vice Chancellor of University of Ibadan, Prof. Kayode Adebowale, and deployment of ill-gotten wealth to buy votes and compromise the electoral process.
They said, “It is regrettable that the Amotekun security outfit established for the purpose of strengthening regional security of boundaries to curb the activities of bandits, kidnappers, terrorists, etc. has now become a tool of oppression and attack in the hands of some desperate politicians of the ruling Party in Osun State, the APC.
“They are launching offensive weapons and dangerous ammunition to intimidate, oppress and harass members of the PDP in Osun State so as to desperately have their way in the coming Osun Governorship election in less than 30 days from now,” the PDP said in the press conference.
“As much as we have confidence that adherence to the spirit and letters of the Electoral Act will guarantee free and fair election, we reject the appointment of Prof Adebowale as State Returning Officer for the July 16th election on account of partisanship and affiliation with the All Progressive Congress as a party, through the party’s former national Chairman, Chief John Odigie Oyegun (the chairman of the governing council and pro chancellor of University of Ibadan), the Governor-elect of Ekiti state, Mr Biodun Oyebanji and his membership of alumni association of Ayedaade Grammar School, Ikire, of which Osun State deputy governor is a member.
The Osun PDP further accused the APC of collating Permanent Voter Card details of public servants, teachers and pensioners in the state for the purpose of vote-buying.
However, reacting to the allegation, Governor Oyetola through his Special Adviser on Political Matters, Sunday Akere, refuted the allegations, saying PDP is accusing others of what it is presently doing.
Akere said, “They are been hunted by their shadow. We are aware of their evil plans to sabotage the electoral process but we keep quiet. Keeping quiet doesn’t mean that we don’t know what they are plotting. We just don’t want to be dragged to their mess.
“Governor Oyetola has done so well in the state since he was sworn into office, so we don’t need to buy anybody’s conscience before they would vote for him for the second term.
“It is the PDP that is involved in vote-buying, they are engaging in fire-for-fire politics. We urge the security operatives in the state to watch them closely to prevent their evil plots in the state.”
