Politics Archives - Page 47 of 87

2023 and the Contentious Issue APC Must Confront

For the APC, the 2023 presidential elections present a real test of its ability to survive and forge a unified front as a political organisation. The Buhari era is about to end, and the hitherto unifying figure of a Buhari that appears to have glued the disparate tendencies in the party together will no longer be there. Already, the commencement of the process of picking the party’s candidate for the 2023 contest has shown glaringly that the contest will be brutal and acidic, unless a miracle happens. Since the party’s initial objective of booting out PDP and gaining power has been achieved in the Buhari two-term presidency, 2023 will signal for the party the real wheeling and dealing of ruthless ambition driven by self-aggrandizement among its contending power blocs.

Even now, allegations of betrayal, vociferous proclamation of personal ambitions and dirty innuendoes about imposition of candidates have started reaching an uncomfortable level in the party.

Regardless of the drama and subplots that have started unfolding, it is for the party and Nigerians generally to zero in on a candidate that has the right mix of persona, charisma, vision, discipline, awareness and courage to keep the party and the country in good shape post 2023.

The task may be daunting but what the party needs to do is clear cut. This is because the problems a post Buhari president will confront are already here with us now.

One, with continuous fall in oil prices and a general lull in business activity since the outbreak of COVID-19, the economic realities have been worsened by the growing poverty and unemployment which has made upward social mobility unachievable for the wider population. The Nigeria Bureau of Statistics has continued to record staggering inflation rates, with food inflation and general cost of living growing out of hand and, according to the World Poverty Clock, nearly half of the Nigerian population currently subsist in extreme poverty. In fact, the Brookings Institute has predicted the figure to rise to 110 million by 2030.

Atiku deletes Facebook, Twitter posts on Deborah’s killing after receiving threats on his 2023 ambition

Most of the comments were from fundamentalists who warned the politician to stay away from condemning the murder of the Christian student.

Atiku Abubakar has deleted a post he made syndicated on his Facebook and Twitter pages about slain Deboral Samuel after coming under a barrage of threats from fanatics of northern origin who asked him to forget his presidential ambition.

Mr Atiku’s posts around 10:20 p.m. Thursday were deleted less than an hour later. Both had garnered thousands of reactions within minutes, according to a screenshot taken by Peoples Gazette.

Most of the comments were from fundamentalists who warned the politician to stay away from condemning the murder of the Christian student.

“There can not be a justification for such gruesome murder. Deborah Yakubu was murdered, and all those behind her death must be brought to justice,” Mr Atiku said. “My condolences to her family and friends.”

A spokesman for Mr Abubkar did not return a request seeking comments about why he took down the post on Facebook.

The former vice-president didn’t delete a similar message that he posted on Twitter until much later, indicating that he might have seen a difference between Facebook and Twitter users on the sensitive development.

Ms Samuel was murdered at Shehu Shagari College of Education on Thursday morning for allegedly posting comments that blasphemed Prophet Mohammed. The violence has elicited widespread uproar and condemnation, with Catholic priest Matthew Kukah and Sultan of Sokoto calling on authorities to immediately bring the killers to book.

Mr Abubakar is from northern Adamawa state, but continues to receive support across the country, especially amongst southern Christians who see him as a moderate statesman.

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El-Rufai Declares Support For Bola Tinubu’s Presidential Ambition

Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has openly endorsed the Presidential ambition of the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu.

The Kaduna governor openly backed Tinubu’s ambition at the Murtala Square in Kaduna on Thursday.

It was gathered that Tinubu alongside the former Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, former EFCC boss, Nuhu Ribadu and other dignitaries were in the state to seek the support delegates ahead of the ruling party’s primaries.

Shetimma had earlier assured the delegates that the Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai was “solidly by their side,” according to Daily Trust.

However, while speaking, El-Rufai said he would need the support of delegates from Kaduna State before taking a decision.

“I want to correct Kashim Shettima because he said the governor is fully with them,” El-Rufai said.

The governor added that he cannot fully back Tinubu unless the delegates from the state agree.

“Before we confirm what Kashim Shetima said here, I want to confirm from our statutory delegates are you with Asiwaju?” El-Rufai asked, to which the delegates stood in unison, shouting yes.

“Your Excellency, I do what they tell me, they are my bosses. This is how APC in Kaduna works,” he said while addressing Tinubu.

2023: APC Denies Jonathan’s Membership

The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Bayelsa State, Dennis Otiotio on Thursday said Goodluck Jonathan is not a member of the party in the state.

According to Otiotio, Jonathan can only join the ruling party if granted a waiver by the national chairman of the party, Adamu Abdullahi.

Otiotio disclosed this in a chat with Punch on Thursday morning.

The Bayelsa APC Chairman spoke amidst the claims that Jonathan had joined APC in his Ogbia ward in Bayelsa.

Otiotio said, “I think the person you people should be asking the question is the national chairman of the party. He should be the one to grant him (Jonathan) a waiver.

“As of now, he has not officially joined our party. Ask the national chairman if he has granted him a waiver.”

The APC Chairman, however, described the former president as a big fish and an elder statesman.

He further stated that it would be great if Jonathan decides to join the ruling party ahead of the 2023 general election.

[Breaking] 2023: Buhari Orders CBN Governor, Emefiele, Others To Resign

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed all heads of agencies, departments, parastatals and ambassadors with political ambitions to turn in their resignations.

The President in a circular on Thursday also directed the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele to resign.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha signed the circular which directed all heads of agencies with political ambition to resign.

The circular with reference number SGF/OP/ I/S.3/XII/ 173 was titled, ‘Ministers, heads of government agencies, ambassadors and other appointees with political ambitions to resign.

Meanwhile, some ministers in the cabinet of President Buhari have turned in their resignation letters following the directive of the President during the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

The President directed them to submit their resignation letters on or before Monday the 16th of May, 2022.

The likes of Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajuiba, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio and Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu and Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi have tendered their resignation letter to focus on their presidential ambition.

Gov Abiodun, Amosun Clash Over Alleged US Criminal Records

Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun and his predecessor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, have clashed over the governor’s alleged criminal records in the United States.

Abiodun and Amosun have been battling for the control of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

A petition submitted to the national secretariat of the APC had sought Abiodun’s disqualification from the party’s governorship primaries over fraud allegations.

A member of the party in the state, Ayodele Oludiran, had in the April 12 petition alleged that the governor had been accused of ‘concealing criminal offenses he allegedly committed in the USA in the 1980s’.

Oludiran insisted that Abiodun’s candidacy would portend danger for the APC with the damning allegations against him.

However, documents allegedly featuring the mugshot of Abiodun and his purported court conviction for criminal offences which bordered on credit card fraud, petty theft, and forgery surfaced online on Monday.

Reacting to the allegations, DailyTrust reports that Dapo Abiodun Campaign Organisation (DACA) accused Amosun of sponsoring a smear campaign to malign the governor.

The group in the statement, in Abeokuta on Tuesday by the spokesman of APC, Tunde Oladunjoye, accused Senator Amosun and his loyalists of fabricating ‘malicious, unfounded and totally false allegations to incriminate the governor and present him as one who is ineligible to contest the high office he’s occupying’.

But, Amosun in a statement by his media aide, Bola Adeyemi, described the allegations as ‘wild and callous’.

He implored Abiodun to employ every legal means to bring whoever is involved in any ‘smear campaign’ against him to book.

2023: 5 things I will do if elected as President of Nigeria – Tinubu tells Nigerians

The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Former Lagos state Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has disclosed 5 things he will focus on if he becomes President in 2023.

Speaking to party delegates on Monday in Katsina, Tinubu stated that he has all it takes to be the President of the Country.

He explained that he possessed all the requisite qualities to be seen as a potential president of Nigeria due to his wide knowledge and experiences as well as his track record of achievement in governance.

He added that as president, he would;

Unite Nigerians and give them more hope irrespective of tribe or religion.
2. Develop a new strategy and commit enough resources to fight banditry and other related crimes if voted as president.

3. Focus on Economic Development

4. Focus on Education

5. Infrastructural development to get Nigeria working again.

In his words; “I come to unite Nigeria and not to divide it; I come to bring you hope, prosperity, happiness, job and stability. Though tongues may differ, the brotherhood will stand; you are my brother and together we will defeat poverty.”

“Anybody that wants it can run, but not everybody can become the president,’’ he said.

Responding, Gov. Aminu Masari of Katsina State said Nigeria needed a leader like Tinubu with wide experience in governance. He expressed the belief and confidence that Nigeria would certainly overcome the challenges confronting it soon.

BREAKING: Ex-President Jonathan joins 2023 race, as ‘group’ buys him N100m APC form

Ex-President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan may have dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), as a coalition of northern groups on Monday reportedly bought the Expression of Interest and Nomination forms valued at N100m to enable the former leader to run as president in the 2023 general elections.

Details shortly…

BREAKING: Senate President, Lawan Joins Presidential Race

The President of the 9th Senate, Ahmed Lawan, on Monday expressed his intention to battle for the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress.

Lawan joined the long list of presidential aspirants under the ruling party ahead of the 2023 general elections.

The Senate President becomes the 24th presidential aspirants to pick the N100m APC expression of interest and nomination forms.

He would be hoping to clinch the presidential ticket of the party ahead of the national leader of the party, Bola Tinubu, Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo and others on the 30th of May.

A group of his friends led by Chief Sam Nkire, a member of the National Caucus of the party and 15 other Senators, purchased the form for him at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

Naija News had earlier reported that the presidential intention of Lawan has caused a crack in the Senate caucus of the APC over the alleged move to endorse him as the consensus presidential candidate of the parliament.

Some lawmakers had earlier expressed their support for other presidential aspirants in the party ahead of the 2023 race.

For instance, the lawmaker representing Borno South in the Senate, Ali Ndume is leading the campaign for Rotimi Amaechi, and the lawmaker representing Borno Central senatorial district, Kassim Shettima, is playing a key role in Bola Tinubu’s campaign.

BREAKING: Veteran Nigerian radio presenter dies at 67

Yemi Ademokoya Agboola, a veteran in the radio industry, is dead.

Ademokoya is a popular voice on radio in Kwara State. Her program, ‘Akoto Ogbọ́n’ was well-listened to.

According to a family source, Late Ademokoya died at the age of 67 at the weekend at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) after a brief illness.

Confirming her death, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Kwara State Council, in a statement, expressed condolences to the family of the veteran broadcast journalist.

The Union said in the statement signed by the Council’s Chairman, Abdullateef ‘Lanre Ahmed, and Secretary, Omotayo Ayanda, that the news of the sudden death of the journalist in the state came as a rude shock and disbelief.

Furthermore, the Kwara NUJ said she will be remembered for her vibrancy as she contributed positively to journalism.