Politics Archives - Page 46 of 88

El-Rufai’s Longtime Associate Uba Sani Wins Kaduna APC Guber Ticket

Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has repaid his longtime Personal Assistant and Political Associate, Uba Sani, with the ticket of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for the 2023 governorship election in the state.

The primary election which held on Thursday and dragged into the early hour of Friday saw Sani, who is a senator representing Kaduna Central, as the winner.

Sani polled 1,149 votes to defeat two others – Hon Sani Sha’aban, who got 10 votes and Hon Bashir Abubakar, who scored 37 votes respectively.

There were 39 invalid votes.

Sani was Governor el-Rufai’s Special Adviser on Politics, and his Personal Assistant when he served as Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja during the administration of Olusegun Obasanjo.

THE WHISTLER reports that both have remained close since then.

El-Rufai is seeking a loyal successor as his reign finishes in 2023.

Sani had earlier been chosen among several aides to the governor and was subsequently anointed by the former minister.

Another close political associate of the governor who was a former Chief of Staff, and a two-time Commissioner for Budget and Planning under his administration, Mohammed Abdullahi, popularly known as Dattijo, was urged by the governor to pick the form for Senate to represent Kaduna Central.

Dattijo, who was earlier touted as the anointed candidate of the governor, subsequently picked the senatorial form.

Sani is into his third year of first term in the Senate.

The governorship election comes up in March 2023.

2023: How PDP Governors Forced Peter Obi Out Of The Party

The reason why presidential aspirant and former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi dumped the Peoples Democratic Party has emerged.

It was gathered that some governors elected on the platform of the main opposition party showed him the door after a high-wire game of intrigues, and conspiracy.

There had been speculations that former vice president, Atiku Abubakar might pick Obi who was his running mate in the 2019 presidential election as his vice presidential candidate in 2023.

The decision was reached after Obi noticed that the party was not ready to zone it presidential ticket to the south-east.

However, some governors in the party had threatened not to support the presidential ambition of Atiku if he does not select one of them as his running mate.

This led to the high wire game of intrigues and conspiracy against the former Governor of Anambra State and forcing him out of the party to find another platform where he would express his presidential ambition.

A source that spoke with Vanguard on the issue said, “Obi was hoping to emerge as the running mate to Atiku again since the PDP, from all indications, is not ready to cede the presidency to the South-East.

“However, most of the PDP governors said they will back Atiku if he makes one of them his running mate. This led to a highwire conspiracy against Obi in the PDP. So he had to look elsewhere to pursue his aspirations.”

Recall that Obi claimed that he was quitting the PDP because the party had made it impossible for him to continue to contribute to nation-building on its platform.

Shehu Sani secures only two votes as Isah Ashiru wins Kaduna PDP guber primary

Isah Ashiru has again picked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship ticket for Kaduna state.

A former state and federal lawmaker, Ashiru was the opposition party’s candidate in 2019.

He polled 414 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Sani Sidi, a former director-general of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) who scored 260 votes.

The results were announced at about 6am on Thursday morning.

Ramalan Yero, a former governor of the state, secured 28 votes, Sani Abbas had 15 votes, Haruna Saeed, a former accountant general in the state, won 11 votes while Senator Shehu Sani got two votes.

Following the announcement of the results, Shehu Sani congratulated the winner, noting that he hopes to appreciate the two delegates who gave him “clean votes”.

The Kaduna PDP Governorship primary has been concluded. I lost and Honourable Isah Ashiru won. I wish to congratulate him,” he wrote on Twitter.

“Two delegates voted for me without giving them a dime; unfortunately, I don’t know who they are so that I can appreciate these clean votes. We look forward.”

The governorship primary commenced late on Wednesday, as the accreditation of delegates from the 23 LGAs did not start till 4:30pm.

The delegates were screened at Access Hotel and Nevilla Hotel, after which they were taken to the gymnasium hall of the Ahmadu Bello Stadium (ABS) — where the voting took place.

A total of 788 delegates took part in the exercise to elect the party’s flagbearer.

BREAKING: Popular broadcaster arrested by FIB

Oyo-state-based broadcaster and social activist, Oriyomi Hamzat, has been arrested by the Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB) and is being transferred to Abuja, POLITICS NIGERIA reports.

The FIB is the apex of intelligence gathering in the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). It is the only arm of the Force that provides Intelligence on Crime and National Security.

It is not yet clear why Hamzat, the owner of Agidigbo 88.7 FM, Ibadan, was arrested.

The State Intelligence Bureau (SIB) in Ibadan invited Hamzat, before handing him over to the FIB.

This newspaper understands that Hamzat has been championing the call for justice for Timothy Adegoke, the late Masters student of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State.

Since Adegoke mysteriously died in Room 305 at Hilton Hotel and Resorts Ile-Ife in November 2021, Hamzat has been on the hunt to track down his alleged killer(s).

When this reporter called the police to get comments from them about why Hamzat was arrested, the personnel asked him to “come down to the FIB office”.

BREAKING! Peter Obi Dumps PDP, Withdraws From Presidential Race

Former governor of Anambra state, Mr. Peter Obi has dumped the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Obi announced his resignation in a letter dated 20, addressed to the National Chairman of the party.

In the letter sighted by Vanguard, Obi gave reasons for his withdrawal from the presidential race.

PR Guru, Tokunbo Modupe Clinch PDP Senatorial Primary

Popular Public Relations consultant, Adetokunbo Modupe on Monday, emerged victorius at the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, primary election to pick the flag bearer that will contest 2023 election for Ondo North Senatorial District.

Toks as he is fondly called garnered 124 votes to beat his rival, Prince Foluso Mayowa Adefemi, who polled 93 votes.

The PR guru who contested but lost in the primaries for the same position four years ago, was the Ondo State campaign director of the Goodluck Jonathan presidential campaign for the 2015 election.

He sits atop TPT International, one of the leading PR agencies in Nigeria.

APC Postpones Presidential Screening Indefinitely

The ruling All Progressives Congress APC has postponed indefinitely, the screening of its presidential aspirants earlier slated for Monday, May 23.

Although the no reason was given for the alteration of its timetable, the ruling party has been consistent in violating its own timetable and schedule of activities for the 2023 general election.

National Publicity Secretary of the party, Barr. Felix Morka in a late Sunday statement said a new date will be announced in due course.

“The Screening Excercise for Presidential Aspirants of the All Progressives Congress APC earlier scheduled to be held on Monday, May 23rd, 2022, is hereby postponed.

“A new date for the exercise will be announced shortly. Any inconvenience caused is deeply regretted”, the party stated.

Biafra: Your Agitation Is Useless And Senseless – Umahi Fires IPOB

Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has described the continuous sit-at-home in the Southeast over the detention of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), as senseless and useless.

Speaking in an interview with some editors, Umahi also said the agitation by the pro-Biafra group is ‘nonsense’.

According to the governor and presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), even if Biafra is achieved, Ebonyi State will not be part of it.

Umahi said, “I use this opportunity to tell Igbo to be wise, this sit at home is useless and it is nonsense. This agitation is nonsense for me because even if it was to be Biafra, Ebonyi will not belong to Biafra.

“I have been saying it and I will continue to say it and I have no apologies because we have been used as house boys and house girls and by the creation of Ebonyi State, we are having self-determination and somebody telling me about Biafra. We have to get to the status of our brothers and sisters in Southeast. Before, we have no confidence in ourselves and we are changing the narratives and somebody has been your house boy and house girl and the person wants to aspire, you will definitely not be happy.”

He stressed that the people of his state are in support of a united and equitable just Nigeria.

The APC chieftain said he will continue to preach that there is no gain in sit at home and that there is no gain in killing ourselves.

“We are living peacefully with our brothers and sisters from other regions and it is quite encouraging. But in sit at home, I support not it at all and I call on our people to come out in sincerity and fear of God, let us work together to do something about our region and liberate our people.

“So, the moment extreme politics dies off in Southeast and then brainwashing, then we can begin to aspire as we be. Killings and violence have not been part of our cultural values and I don’t know where it came from. So, that’s my position,” Umahi said.

Presidential Primaries: PDP Loses Eagles Square To APC

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has lost the Eagle Square, the proposed venue of its presidential primary to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Naija News learned that the opposition party lost the venue to the ruling party with the help of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Muhammed Musa Bello.

It was gathered that Bello helped the APC to reserve the Eagle Square for its presidential primary scheduled to hold between May 30 and June 1.

According to the Guardian, the minister denied the PDP from holding its special convention/presidential primary at the Eagle Square. The opposition had slated its presidential primary for May 28 and 29.

Following the development, the opposition party has reportedly moved its event to the MKO Abiola Stadium on the outskirts of Abuja.

The PDP Convention Planning Committee, led by former Senate President David Mark, on Tuesday, visited the stadium to assess facilities at the proposed venue of the special convention.

Meanwhile, the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has hit back at the presidency over the accusation that the group is pushing for the break up of Nigeria.

NEF submitted that the presidency might be playing some mischief by accusing it of supporting calls for some tribes or regions to leave Nigeria.

The spokesman of NEF, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed said at no time did the forum release any statement calling for the break up of Nigeria as claimed by the presidency, adding that the forum is interested in the unity of Nigeria.

The position comes after the call out by the presidency in a statement on Tuesday by the senior special assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu who said NEF has no right to speak on behalf of Nigerians just because they have access to the media.

Presidential bid: Amaechi steps down as transport minister

Rotimi Amaechi has resigned his position as minister of transportation.

The development was confirmed on Monday by an insider in the ministry.

According to the source, the minister resigned following the directive by President Muhammadu Buhari on appointees interested in contesting the 2023 elections.

The president had, on May 11, directed all appointees seeking elective offices to resign on or before May 16.

As of May 13, when Buhari held a valedictory session for ministers seeking elective offices, there was no development on if Amaechi had tendered his resignation.

Speaking after the valedictory session, Lai Mohammed, minister of information, had told state house correspondents that 10 members of the federal executive council (FEC) had indicated their interest in contesting in the general election.

On if all the ministers had tendered their resignation at the time, Mohammed had said “some have and others are in the process of doing so”.

The information minister had also quoted the president as saying “the vacancies would be replaced very soon without delay”.

Amaechi joins the likes of Ogbonnaya Onu and Godswill Akpabio who have also resigned their positions as ministers to contest the presidency in the 2023 election.

Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba had, in April, resigned as minister of state for education to contest the presidency.

Meanwhile, Chris Ngige, minister of labour and employment, and Pauline Tallen, minister of women affairs, have withdrawn their resignation.

While Ngige has withdrawn from running for president, Tallen has stepped aside from representing Plateau south senatorial district in the national assembly.