Babafemi Ojudu, special adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on political matters, on Saturday dismissed a viral quote attributed to Vice-President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, that he will not contest for presidency in 2023 against the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu.
POLITICS NIGERIA recently reported that Osinbajo informed President Buhari of his interest in the 2023 presidential race — the same route Tinubu took.
But a quote linked to the Ogun-born politician seem to portray that Osinbajo has pulled out of the race. However, Ojudu, a top supporter of Osinbajo, says it’s “fake news”.
“Wherever you see this ‘broken news’ shout Fake ! Fake!! Fake!!! It is FAKE NEWS,” he said on his known Facebook page.
Presidential hopeful, Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday met with the Governor of Gombe State, Muhammed Inuwa Yahaya, at his Abuja home.
The national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was accompanied by the Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and former Borno governor, Senator Kashim Shettima.
Naija News gathered that the former Lagos governor met with governor Yahaya over his presidential ambition and to solicit for his support ahead of the APC’s presidential primaries.
Later, the presidential aspirant visited the former Governor of Gombe state and Senator representing Gombe State, Danjuma Goje, in his home in Abuja.
Tinubu, however, appreciated Governor Yahaya and Senator Goje for their hospitality and the engaging discussions shared about his presidential ambition.
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has received Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) nomination and expression of interest form for the 2023 general elections.
The Presidential hopeful has presented the form on Thursday, March 17, 2022, Naija News reports.
Expressing gratitude to the North East Business Forum, the group responsible for the purchase of the interest form, Atiku said the gesture was a promise fulfilled and he is appreciative of the forum’s effort.
Naija News reports that the forum paid for the form barely a day after the opposition party announced the price tag for political positions to be contested in the forthcoming elections.
In his remark after receiving the form today, Atiku said, “In 2018 or (20)19 some young men contributed money and bought a nomination form, the first in political history since the return of democracy to our country and truly they made me shed tears. They put together their hard-earned money and purchased me a nomination form, that actually brought tears from my eyes. I was emotional about it.
“Now again today like the chairman of the Northeast Business Forum said, we were invited and another gesture was extended to me. It was a promise. And today, it is a promise fulfilled.”
The Adamawa State-born politician admitted that the challenges before Nigeria is enormous and in fact, the country has never experienced such before now.
“Our unity is threatened, our economy is in the worst state of affairs since the inception of this country. Our security is a disaster. These are very serious challenges. These are challenges that require the unity of everybody in this country,” he said.
Atiku believed the challenges cannot be solved by an individual or a group of individuals but requires all hands to be on deck.
“So my brothers and sisters, my fellow countrymen, what is before us is not an easy job. Nation-building ordinarily is not an easy job,” Atiku.
Abubakar Malami, Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, on Thursday said that he will not resign from office.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that Malami rather said he will see out his tenure, in May 2023.
Malami made this vow during his keynote address at a conference organised by the National Association of Judiciary Correspondents.
“Many who relied on some unprofessional information disseminators will be taken aback that the Malami that was claimed to have resigned as Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice was still seen in office discharging his functions including attending the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting yesterday, granting interviews to journalists and still today declaring this conference open as the Attorney General of the Federation.
“There is naturally an end to everything. My tenure in office has not yet ended. I pray for a glorious end,” he said.
Rumours are rife that Malami will contest for the governorship seat of Kebbi State in 2023, but the 54-year-old has not declared his intention in that respect.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) caucus in the House of Representatives on Wednesday endorsed the National Leader of the party, Bola Tinubu, for the 2023 presidential election.
The caucus endorsed the former Lagos State governor during a visit to the National Assembly on Wednesday.
House Leader, Hon. Alhassan Doguwa, who led the lawmakers in the endorsement, spoke of Tinubu’s track record as Senator and governor.
He said the APC leader has all it takes to aspire to the presidency and has physical and mental capacity to run the affairs of this country.
Hon. Doguwa then put the question to his colleagues asking whether it was their wish to endorse Tinubu for the 2023 race to which they all answered in the affirmative.
Earlier addressing them, Tinubu described the National Assembly as a vital arm of government.
He noted that the legislators had made important contributions to the unity and stability of the country and sustenance of her democracy as the most direct representatives of the individual constituencies at the Federal level.
The APC leader said he was in the National Assembly to seek the lawmakers’ counsel, collaboration and support for his ambition.
House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila expressed surprise that many of those claiming to be in the race were sitting at home and not interfacing with Nigerians.
“I don’t think it’s good that Nigerians are still waiting six weeks to the primaries to know those in the race. It’s not fair on Nigerians,” he said.
He described Tinubu as one man who had indicated he would not take Nigerians for granted and would consult widely and talk to anyone who cared to listen.
The national leader of the All progressives Congress, APC is currently in the National Assembly to meet with Senators on the platform of the party.
It was earlier reported that Tinubu would be meeting the senators to discuss about his 2023 presidential ambition.
This newspaper learnt that the South-West political strongman was also in the company of his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu. He is to meet with the senators in the in the upper legislative Chamber.
Tinubu was heard saying to the Senators: “I told Mr President that my ambition is not blind to the extent that I will step on his toes. I just want to step into his shoes and not on his toes. – Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to APC Senators.”
“I came for your counsel, partnership and support. I believe that you can back me for my life time ambition.”
“I want to beg you to look at my capacity and my experience. I am perhaps the only one who has been in the Senate, who has been a governor and aspiring to become President.”
Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar has revealed what will occur if he fails to win the 2023 Presidential Elections.
Atiku, who was present at a meeting with PDP BoT members on Tuesday night in Abuja said that the party may not survive another 8 years in opposition. He added that should he lose the elections, he will retire from politics completely.
At the meeting, he appealed to elders of the party to work with him to clinch the presidency in 2023.
“I am worried and you should be worried too that if we do not win, it means we will be in opposition again for the next eight years. By the next eight years, I don’t know how many of us will be left in politics and it may even ultimately lead to the death of the party because people gravitate, particularly in developing countries, towards governments. So this is a very crucial and historical moment in history, for our survival.”
He called on the party leadership to jettison the argument of Zoning.
“We invented and formulated this zoning policy simply because we wanted every part of this country to have a sense of belonging and I personally have paid my dues on the issue of zoning.”
“Therefore, you cannot come and try to imply that the PDP has not been following the zoning policy. The many years of PDP government eight years and six years all of them were from the south. So, we should not be stampeded by the opposition party. They have a moral obligation.”
Nigeria’s largest Opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP is set to resolve all the major crisis currently rocking the Party.
It was learnt that the party’s bigwigs held a major meeting on Monday night in Abuja to discuss and resolve serious issues within its ranks.
It can be recalled that the Governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike and Edo state Governor, Godwin Obaseki are currently at loggerheads over the former’s comments on Mr. Phillip Shuaibu, the deputy governor of Edo state.
Former Vice president, Atiku Abubakar, Ex-Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Wike, Gov. Bala Mohammed, Emeka Ihedioha, Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Ex-Gov Olusegun Mimiko, National chairman of the party, Senator Iyorchia Ayu amongst many others were all Present at the meting.
Sources disclosed to this newspaper that the meeting was also centered on strategies to strengthen Synergy within party. The party resolved to postpone its National Executive Committee meeting which was scheduled for today.
National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba made this known to newsmen at the end of the meeting.
“The National Caucus meeting is adjourned to continue on Wednesday. The Board of Trustees (BoT) Meeting and NEC meeting will now be held on Wednesday, March 16.”
Baroness Tinuke Davies-Kesington, the woman leader of the Bola Tinubu Support Organisation, and matron of the Asiwaju Volunteers Group (AVG), says the All Progressives Congress (APC) national leader stands a better chance than the rest of his party’s presidential aspirants.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that according to Davies-Kesington, Tinubu would most likely become the APC flagbearer in respect of the 2023 presidential election “because he has over the years become a brand that is embedded in the minds of Nigerians”.
The APC stalwart was speaking in an interview published on Vanguard on Tuesday.
“Nigeria as a country is showing its advancement by producing world class statesmen as mentioned above. They are all credit to Nigeria. But in my professional judgement, Bola Ahmed Tinubu stands a better chance because he has over the years, not only being known as a politician, but has also become a brand that is embedded in the minds of Nigerians across all geographical locations.
“Asiwaju Tinubu is not only a statesman but also brand. He has a unique vision for Nigeria, a Nigeria that is powerful, with her people healthy, prosperous, and educated,” Davies-Kesington said.
The war of words between Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike and his Edo State counterpart, Godwin Obaseki, continued on Monday with the former recounting how he made the latter governor.
Wike, whose reply came after Obaseki’s full advertorial accusing him of being a bully and domineering force within the PDP.
But while commissioning the Community Secondary School, Omuanwa, in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state on Monday, said, even though Dr. Abiye Sekibo told him not to reply Obaseki, he said “No, I will reply him, I’m a politician,” and went all gun blazing on Obaseki.
Speaking on Obaseki, he said, “Obaseki said I’m a bully, but he came to beg a bully for ticket, a bully was his campaign DG, and a bully bullied him into Edo state government house.
“It didn’t end there, he still came back with his wife to thank the bully after the election.
“I slept in Edo State for three days just to deliver Obaseki, but today, I’m a bully.
“If you check the DNA of Obaseki, what you’ll see is betrayal, serial betrayal and ungratefulness.
“He said I threatened PDP, assuming without conceding that I threatened PDP, I have every right to do so, I have invested in the party. Rivers State has invested in the party.
“Rivers State is one of the few states that had voted PDP since 1999, we have invested in the party.
“You’re a tenant in PDP, I have more stake in PDP than you.
“You said I’m causing crisis in Edo State, I have capacity, that is why I’m causing crisis.
“I challenge you to come and cause crisis in Rivers State, then you’ll know who is who.
“Obaseki, I know your cohorts, I will smoke all of you out.
“Obaseki, I challenge you to defect back to the APC, we’ll shave your head.
“I know those using you, if I decide to run for President, I will win all of you.
“Obaseki, melembe melembe.
“The game has started, I will make you loose weight.
