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…
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.
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.
Former Senate President and 2023 presidential aspirant, Dr. Bukola Saraki has promised to make healthcare free for Nigerians if he emerges as the next leader of the country.
Saraki, a former Kwara State Governor also promised to end all forms of insecurity and revive the country’s failing economy.
The presidential aspirant who is targeting the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says Nigeria needs a leader like him who is bold and has experience in leadership.
Speaking in Kaduna on Sunday while addressing PDP delegates, Saraki emphasized that not just anyone should be allowed to become Nigeria’s president in 2023 as the country needs a true leader who is ready to stand and fight for the people.
“I am here to address Kaduna delegates because the reality is that politically, economically without the support of Kaduna State, it cannot happen.
“2023 is not a time to vote just anybody as president. There is insecurity, hunger, unemployment and disunity across the country,” he said.
Speaking further, Saraki pointed out that “Nigeria needs a bold person. Someone who will put Nigeria first and I have always done that. I stood my ground against all forms of injustice. With me as President, I will end insecurity.“
“I am full of energy that will bring results. Nigeria needs to be united across board. I will revitalise textile and petrochemical industries. You need someone who is respected not only in Nigeria, but also outside the shores of this country.”
“As a doctor, I will ensure that nobody pays for medical bills again. It is possible and we will do it insha Allah.”
“We must not make mistake this time, we need unity. I am committed to whatever will unite this country.
“2023 is not the time to vote just anyone as President of Nigeria. This country is in a very difficult situation. In 2015 you could travel from Kaduna to Abuja anytime of the day and night, but this is no longer possible,” Saraki said.
He also revealed that the northern candidates are still working on the possibility of producing a consensus candidate from their region.
“We are trying to ensure that we have a process that unites us and less rancorous and then we can now move forward to the bigger issue, which is winning the 2023 election,” he said.
The former Senate President promised to unite the people of Nigeria and ensure government accountability to the people.
“What I will be doing differently as the President of Nigeria is that the most important thing is uniting the people of Nigeria. People should have a sense of belonging. Unity is key to progress of the country. Secondly is to ensure there is accountability and also to ensure that security and economy work,” Dr. Saraki added.
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu has responded to rumours that he intends to run for President in 2023 on the platform of the All progressives Congress, APC.
In a statement made available to POLITICS NIGERIA on Sunday, signed by his media aide, Rotimi Oyekanmi, the chairman disclosed that such will not happen. The statement read;
“Our attention has been drawn to innuendoes in certain quarters that Nigerians should not be surprised if the INEC Chairman joins the Presidential race or urging him to do so.”
“It is a preposterous proposition. It will not happen.”
“The Chairman remains an umpire committed to free, fair and credible elections. His constitutional responsibilities as the Chief Electoral Commissioner of the Federation and Returning Officer for the presidential election are onerous enough for him to even contemplate straying into extraneous matters at variance with the law, morality and his personal principles.”
“The Chairman will continue to discharge his responsibilities without affection for, or illwill against, any political party or candidate.”
Abdulmumin Jibrin, Director-General of the Bola Tinubu Support Groups Management Council, has dumped the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
Jibrin’s exit from the APC came exactly one month after he warned that the party may invite doom upon itself if it does not give its 2023 presidential ticket to an aspirant with mass appeal.
“I have done my best for APC. Its time to move on. I will announce my new political party within the next 24 hours Insha Allah. I will make a formal statement in due course,” he announced in a tweet on Saturday.
THE WHISTLER reports that the move may be an early indication that the APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, may also dump the ruling party in the event that he does not emerge as its presidential candidate in the forthcoming primary election.
This website earlier reported that Jibrin warned that how the ruling APC comports itself during its forthcoming primary election will determine whether the party will stand or crumble ahead of the general elections.
“I have said it repeatedly how the APC manages its upcoming primaries at every level (states and national) including Presidential will determine [the] survival of the party.
“Anything short of allowing the choice of the people to prevail in the primaries will spell DOOM for the party!” Jibrin had warned in April.
Fresh Information made available to POLITICS NIGERIA on the events that occurred in a meeting between South-West Leaders of the ruling All progressives Congress, APC, on Friday in Lagos has revealed that there is strong animosity between Rauf Aregbesola and Iyiola Omisore.
Reliable sources privy to the details of the meeting revealed that Aregbesola refused to shake hands with Omisore who is now the party’s National Secretary.
It can be recalled that Aregbesola, during the build up to the party primaries in Osun, attacked the national leader of the party, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a development that did not go down well with the party.
This ultimately led to Omisore’s emergence as Tinubu’s new ally in Osun. Although he greeted Bola Tinubu and was embraced by both Akande and Osoba at the meeting, Aregbesola vehemently refused to neither greet or sit beside Omisore.
This can also be seen in the video below. A source disclosed; “Aregbesola was expected to sit down next to Omisore and Oyetola, but he refused to associate with them, deciding instead to sit far off.”
“Attempts by the elders to make Aregbesola change his mind proved abortive as he said he didn’t want to be associated with Omisore”.
Former Speaker House of Representatives, Hon Dimeji Bankole has picked APC Presidential Nomination Form.
Bankole picked the nomination and expression of interest forms at APC National Secretariat after paying N100million.
As the Nigerian naira continues to struggle against the United States dollar, the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo has stepped up his game of clinching the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) with the distribution of $300 each to about 400 presidential nomination delegates in Adamawa and Taraba states.
The Vice President reportedly switched from doling out money in naira to hard currency in order to stay on top of his game.
At a meeting held behind closed doors in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital and Yola, in Adamawa State on Wednesday, Osinbajo gave each delegate to the APC National Convention US $300
“I was handed an envelope containing $300 shortly after the Vice President left the hall,” a delegate told SaharaReporters while displaying the money.
He was said to have pleaded with the delegates to favour his candidacy above all others in the race, arguing that he has more experience in governance at home and on the international stage than all his competitors.
SaharaReporters reported on April 22, 2022, that some presidential delegates of the ruling All Progressives Congress in the South-West on Friday went home with N250,000 each after attending a meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in Ibadan, Oyo State.
“This was what we were given by Osinbajo today,” a delegate had said while showing the money packaged in an envelope.
A visibly elated VP was accompanied to Muna Hotel in Yola, the venue of the meeting by some APC party senators, House of Representatives members and cronies of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Palpable Crisis is looming in the All Progressives Congress, APC over the inclusion of a Withdrawal Letter in the Presidential Nomination Form, POLITICS NIGERIA has gathered.
Some Presidential Aspirants in the party have declined to sign the letter on the basis that it could be a move to force a consensus candidate on them.
This has also been seen as a move to protect the party from court cases/litigation.
The withdrawal letter, seen by this newspaper, has to be signed before a Commissioner of Oath/Public Notary before submission with the following declaration; “I hereby voluntarily withdraw my candidacy from the contest. My withdrawal is in the best interest of our great party, the All Progressives Congress.”
Speaking on the development, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Babatunde Ogala opined that the addition of the letter “might be wrong.”
“It might lead to a lot of problems including litigation because you can’t ask a man to withdraw from a process that you have not even started.”
He queried why the party will have members purchase the form only to assent to withdrawing from the contest before even participating in the process.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the aspirants who have declared from the APC include; Ogbonnaya Onu, Rochas Okorocha, Rotimi Amaechi, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Yemi Osinbajo, Tunde Bakara, Yahaya Adoza Bello, Emeka Nwajiuba, Godswill Akpabio, Kayode Fayemi, Ibikunle Amosun and Nicholas Felix Nwagbo.
