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Electoral Act: APC govs lobby NASS caucuses over direct primary

Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are reaching out to the party’s caucuses in the National Assembly in their latest bid to forge a compromise with the leadership of the legislative arm on the controversial direct primary clause in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.

Chairman of the APC Governors’ Forum, Atiku Bagudu, The Nation gathered, has already met with some principal officers of the National Assembly in Abuja on the matter.

The Kebbi State governor and the legislators ,sources said, discussed the need to ensure that the APC is not divided by the disagreement on the bill ahead of the 2023 elections.

The bill is currently awaiting the assent of President Muhammadu Buhari who is said to be still consulting widely to determine whether to sign the bill or not.

The Nation also gathered that some of the APC governors also met with Senate President Ahmed Lawan to discuss how the grey areas in the bill could be addressed with a view to ensuring that the APC as a party presents a common position on the matter .

An aide to one of the governors said the governors’ initiative may have been informed by the body language of President Buhari on the matter.

“The President is more disposed to signing the bill,” said the source.

He added: “He is more comfortable with the arguments for direct primary. We even gathered that he may have suggested to the governors to reach out to the lawmakers and forge a common front with them on the matter in the interest of the party.

“During the week, upon his return home, my boss had a meeting with members of our state’s caucus in the National Assembly and the discussions were not as heated as the previous ones.

“Both sides are now thinking of the interest of the party and seem to be agreeing that a common position is better and still possible.

“Unless the governors and the lawmakers agree on this issue, whether the President signs the bill or declines assent, APC will be troubled by his decision.”

Bagudu had last month led other APC governors to reject the direct primary clause in the electoral bill, which mandates political parties to adopt the direct primary system.

The Kebbi State governor, after a meeting with eight other governors on the platform of the party in Abuja, briefed the media on their decision.

In attendance were governors Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, David Umahi of Ebonyi, Mai Mala Buni of Yobe, Yahaya Bello of Kogi, Simon Lalong of Plateau, Gboyega Oyetola of Osun, Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano and Mohammed Badaru of Jigawa.

The Kebbi governor, after the meeting, told journalists that political parties should be allowed to pick their system for primaries. He added that holding direct primaries on a large scale was against the spirit of the Executive Order signed by the President to restrict large gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic. He added that the direct primary system would be too cumbersome for the Independent National Electoral Commission to supervise.

But the National Assembly appears determined to see the bill signed into law with the direct primary clause included in it.

Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, after a recent meeting with Buhari said the National Assembly did not have to lobby the President to sign the electoral amendment bill in its current form.

He stated that by transmitting the bill to the president, the National Assembly members already expressed their positions on issues to the President.

House of Representatives Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, who also met with Buhari on the issue asked the President to sign the Electoral Amendment Bill into law, saying: “We are hopeful it will become law and Nigerians will be better for it. The President is happy. He will look at all the issues we have brought to his attention.

“We talked about the Electoral Act Amendment. The official position of the House of Representatives and the Senate, we are for direct primaries. We are for empowering the people at the grassroots level. Let everybody participate in governance.”

An APC ranking Senator from the Southwest also confirmed the development to The Nation, yesterday.

His words: “The National Assembly is under the leadership of the APC. The governors we are talking about are APC governors. So, it should be expected that when we disagree on principles, we will seek to reconcile our differences.

“That is what you are seeing playing out. Don’t forget that PDP governors and lawmakers are up in arms against the same direct primary clause. So, are you expecting that we will continue to disagree for outsiders to benefit? That is not wise politically.

“Good enough, the President who is to sign or decline assent is an APC member too. Do you think he will be pleased to see what is happening? I can assure you that following some development, we are now poised to find a common ground and take credit for the much awaited amendment of the Electoral Bill together as members of the ruling party.”

Lending his voice to the controversy, an APC leader and former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba, said the use of direct primary to select candidates of all political parties was appropriate.

Addressing a delegation of Senators across political party lines and geo-political zones of Nigeria who visited him in London to wish him a speedy recovery from a recent knee surgery, Chief Osoba appealed to President Buhari to sign the bill.

On the delegation were Senator Solomon Adeola (APC, Lagos West), Senator Kashim Shetima (APC, Borno Central), Senator Isah Jubril(APC, Kogi East), Senator Micheal Nnachi(PDP, Ebonyi South) and Senator Ayo Akinyelure (PDP, Ondo Central).

The rest were Senator Gershon Bassey(PDP, Cross River South), Senator Yusuf Abubakar Yusuf(APC, Taraba Central), Senator Sadiq Sulaiman Umar(APC, Kwara North), Senator Tokunbo Abiru(APC, Lagos East) Senator Bashiru Ajibola(APC, Osun Central) and Senator Hassan Mohamed Gusau(APC, Zamfara Central).

Osoba said: “I have a feeling he will sign it. The president himself is a product of direct primary. He submitted himself to direct primary in 2019 throughout the country, so heaven did not fall. After he subjected himself to direct primary throughout Nigeria in all the wards, he also subjected himself to a National Convention to ratify his election at the primary.

“And quote me, I had cause to tell him at our National Caucus during Edo election issue that ‘”Mr. President, if you can subject yourself to direct primary and national Convention, I do not see why anybody should be afraid of direct primary.’”

In his remarks Senator Adeola, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, said the members of the Senate were in London and decided to pay him a get well quick visit as his wealth of experience is needed as Nigeria forges ahead in difficult times, adding that it is gratifying to see that he was fast recovering from his surgery as evidenced in his personally coming to receive them at the door from the first floor and going back up with them to the sitting room upstairs.

Senator Shetimma who spoke on behalf of other senators stated that they came as Nigerians irrespective of their political party or regional coloration to wish him well as an elder statesman who has contributed to the nation through journalism and service in government while some of them are still growing up, stressing that the nation still needs his wealth of experience in forging ahead in these times.

2023 Presidency: Atiku Begins Town Hall Meeting, Declares Buhari A Collosal Failure

Former Vice President, Mr Atiku Abubakar has commenced town hall meetings towards the realisation of his 2023 political ambition with an audacious attack on President Muhammadu Buhari, declaring the president a collosal failure.

In a statement on Thursday evening announcing part of the activities heralding Atiku’s full declaration, the Chairman of the Atiku Abubakar Townhall Meetings, Mr Dare Akinniyi, announced bodily that, Atiku Begins Town Hall Meetings.

The pro-Atiku political organisation challenged President Buhari to stop the show-offs by his administration and address the security problems that have disrupted economic activities across the nation.

“The state of our dear country needs urgent collective efforts in order to stop the growing negative vices that affect human life, the welfare of Nigerians and governance,” Atiku said, adding that, “Sadly, the present government is overwhelmed with incompetence and cluelessness on how to perform its statutory roles effectively.

The statement further urged President Buhari to end showboating and address insecurity which is disrupting the economy of “our dear country.

“He can put a stop to the killings of Nigerians and unite everyone within the little time left for him and the APC to leave the stage.”

The group said, “The state of our dear country needs urgent collective efforts in order to stop the growing negative vices that affect human life, the welfare of Nigerians and governance. Sadly, the present government is overwhelmed with incompetence and cluelessness on how to perform its statutory roles effectively.

“We urge President Buhari to end showboating and address insecurity which is disrupting the economy of our dear country. He can put a stop to the killings of Nigerians and unite everyone within the little time left for him and the APC to leave the stage.”

While calling for an end to the sufferings of Nigerians, the group said it would engage both relevant stakeholders in nation-building and the electorates, to hear their views on public issues as it affects the entire country and, consequently, seek ways of finding solutions to such issues.

“We are going to listen to Nigerians across the states of the federation. We will ask them the kind of government they would like to have in 2023, and how their next leader should govern their affairs. The maiden edition will be held in Kano on December 4, 2021,” the Pro-Atiku group added.

JUST IN: PDP national leaders hold closed-door meeting with Orji Kalu [PHOTOS]

The Chief Whip of the Senate and former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, on Thursday afternoon received the newly-elected officials of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in his Abuja residence.

The team was led by the National Secretary of the PDP, Senator Samuel Anyanwu.

Anyanwu, a former Senator, arrived at the residence of Kalu around 12.28pm.

Anyanwu was welcomed by Kalu’s associates and then led straight to a room for a closed-door meeting.

As the meeting between Anyanwu and Kalu progressed, other executives of the PDP arrived in turns at Kalu’s residence to join.

The visit comes amidst rife rumours that Kalu is being positioned for the 2023 presidency.

Kalu, a founding member of the PDP, formally joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2016.

On Wednesday, he had met Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, a one-time Secretary to the Government of Federation (SGF).

Kalu via his verified Facebook page had said: “I played host this evening to my brother, former Senate President and former Secretary to Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim.

“We held a deep discussion about our region and our country, Nigeria at large.”

Reps invite INEC chairman over costs of direct primaries

The House of Representatives on Thursday invited the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof Yakubu Mahmood to address concerns about the cost of running direct primaries.

Mahmood is to appear before the House Committees on INEC and Appropriation on the matter.

This resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent importance by Hon Leke Abejide on the need to address concerns over the cost of running direct primaries in the country.

Abejide argued that it was necessary for the INEC Chairman to address the House so that all the insinuations about the issue can be resolved.

He said: “The INEC Chairman should brief the Committee on INEC and Appropriations because now that we are considering the (2022) appropriation that is still within the National Assembly for possible consideration for whatever it is going to cost for these direct primaries.

“We are all aware of the importance of direct primary and how it will transfer power to the real people, where they will be able to select or elect the people that will represent them from the presidency down to the councillorship. There has been a lot of noise about the cost implications.

“People have been saying that it will gulp N500bn but this is just hearsay. Nobody has ever sat down to check the actual cost that it is going to cost the nation. It may be something that is within the capacity of the budget of INEC or something that we can even appropriate for this period that we are still considering this budget.

“So, it is important for us to invite the Chairman of INEC to meet with the Committees on INEC in this hallowed chamber, and that on Appropriations, for him to be able to tell them what is going to cost to do this direct primary.”

BREAKING: Ganduje, Shekarau rift gets messier As Thugs Set Kano APC headquarters ablaze [PHOTOS]

The headquarters of a faction of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has been set ablaze. This happened on Thursday morning.

The building located along Maiduguri road, in Kano metropolis, was set ablaze by thugs suspected to be against the Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau’s APC faction.

POLITICS NIGERIA recalls that two days ago, a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama voided the ward congresses conducted by the faction of Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje.

Justice Hamzat Muazu subsequently declared that the congress conducted by the faction led by former Governor Shekarau and lawmaker, Sha’aban Sharadaas, is the authentic exercise, effectively handing over the structure of the APC in Kano State to Shekarau and Sharadaas.

Recall that the Kano APC under the leadership of Ganduje had on July 31, 2021, returned all its candidates unopposed across the 44 local councils, unanimously electing the 13,068 ward executive members across the 484 wards.

Rejecting the option of consensus, a member representing Sharadaas, lamented that the process had excluded some party loyalists.

Sharadaas, Chairman, House Committee on Security and Intelligence, alleged that the party had denied members willing to contest in the ward congress opportunity to do so.

He subsequently teamed up with Shekarau to conduct a parallel congress and submitted its report to the APC leadership in Abuja.

Amid the controversy, the faction loyal to Sharadaas and Shekarau approached an FCT High Court to challenge the authenticity of Ganduje’s exercise – which they were successful on.

JUST IN: Anambra: Court dismisses suit seeking Soludo, Ibezim’s disqualification

A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit that sought to disqualify the governorship and deputy governorship candidates of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the last governorship election in Anambra State – Charles Soludo and Onyeka Ibezim.

The plaintiffs – Adindu Valentine and Egwudike Chukwuebuka – are contending that Soludo and Ibezim provided false information in the affidavit (Form EC9) that they submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and should be declared as unqualified to stand for election.

In the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/711/2021 the plaintiffs claimed that Soludo indicated, in his Form EC9, Aguata 2, Anambra Constituency as the position he was contesting when, in fact, he was contesting the Anambra governorship seat.

Ibezim was said to have indicated Awka 2, Anambra Constituency, as against the deputy governorship seat he was contesting.

In his judgment on Wednesday, Justice Taiwo Taiwo held that the suit was frivolous as the plaintiffs failed to show how they were misled by the information supplied by Soludo and Ibezim.

Justice Taiwo noted that Soludo and Ibezim clearly ticked the positions of governor and deputy governor in the forms they submitted to INEC and only indicated their constituencies, which did not amount to supplying false information as envisaged under the Electoral Act.

The judge said it was known to all, including the plaintiffs, that only governorship election was held in Anambra on November 6 this years.

He resolved all the issues raised for determination against the plaintiffs and declined all the reliefs sought by them.

The judge awarded N2million cost against the plaintiffs, and in favour of APGA, Soludo and Ibezim.

Defendants in the suit were INEC, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Soludo and Ibezim.

Yoruba Groups At War Over Alleged N350 Million Gift Received From VP Yemi Osinbajo To Support His Presidential Ambition

The Nigerian Indigenous Nationalities Alliance for Self-Determination (NINAS) has said the President of Ilana Omo Oodua, Prof Banji Akintoye, and his deputy, Shade Olukoya, have unresolved issues within their Yoruba separatist group, which have nothing to do with NINAS.

The self-determination group disclosed that the main problem started when Prof Akintoye accused Olukoya of receiving N350million from Abuja to support Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to be the next President of Nigeria.

While wishing Prof Akintoye a success in his endeavour, NINAS affirmed that it had not retrogressed from seeking self-determination for the indigenous peoples in Nigeria.

These were contained in a press release signed by NINAS Secretary, Tony Nnadi in reaction to an announcement made by Prof Akintoye that he had quit his chairmanship role with NINAS.

In a copy of the statement which was made available to SaharaReporters on Wednesday, NINAS also stated that it was Olukoya that introduced Akintoye to the group in 2018.

The statement was titled, “NINAS Alliance Is Intact And Focused On Its Stated Mission Despite The Resignation Of Its Erstwhile Chairman, Prof Banji Akintoye And The Exit Of His Faction Of Ilana Omo Oodua.”

It read, “An emergency conclave of the board of the conveners of the Nigerian Indigenous Nationalities Alliance for Self-Determination (NINAS) was held today December 1, 2021 to review amongst other things, recent developments in one of our alliance organisations, Ilana Omo Oodua; the resignation of Professor Banji Akintoye from the Chairmanship of NINAS and the exit of his faction of Ilana Omo Oodua from the NINAS Alliance.

“This statement is to address the deluge of enquiries that has poured into the NINAS Secretariat from concerned members of public regarding these developments: Let us recall that the Secretariat of NINAS, while reaching out to all sides involved, had on the 18th of November 2021, issued a statement to calm altercations arising from an Ilana Omo Oodua press conference addressed November 18, 2021 by the Deputy Chairman of Ilana Omo Oodua, Otunba Shade Olukoya concerning months of lingering difficulties within Ilana Omo Oodua, bordering on certain actions and liaisons of the Leader of Ilana Omo Oodua, Prof Banji Akintoye that could imperil the Self-Determination Campaign of Ilana Omo Oodua, inviting Prof Akintoye, therefore, to step back from his role as Ilana Leader in order to abate the many conflicts and controversies emanating from the aforementioned actions and liaisons.

“While frantic mediation efforts were still being made by the Secretariat to douse tension, Maxwell Adeleye who described himself as “Communications Director” of Ilana Omo Oodua, issued and massively circulated in the media, outlandish falsehoods in which he avoided the well-known issues rocking Ilana Omo Oodua and claimed amongst other things, that the sum of N350million was disbursed by Abuja to procure the Ilana Press Conference of November 18, 2021. Adeleye also deliberately created the impression that NINAS was somehow behind the Ilana Press Conference of November 18, 2021.

“Unfortunately and to our utter shock, Prof Banji Akintoye who knew for certain that these claims of Maxwell Adeleye were just fabrications, went on to corroborate the fabrications in a virtual meeting of a Yoruba Global Audience the next day, putting names and motives to Maxwell’s falsehoods. (In that virtual Meeting, Prof Akintoye said that the money from Abuja came from Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and given to Otunba Shade Olukoya, for the purpose of dragging him (Akintoye) off the stage. To compound matters, Prof Akintoye went on to allege that Otunba Olukoya had been pressuring them in Ilana to help work Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo into becoming the next President of Nigeria. We do hope that Professor Yemi Osinbajo will take up this matter with those who crafted and circulated this tale.

“The statement issued by Maxwell Adeleye on behalf of Prof Akintoye and 43 others, November 30, 2021, conveying the resignation of Prof Banji Akintoye from the Chairmanship of NINAS as well as the exit of his faction of Ilana Omo Oodua from the NINAS Alliance, contained even more egregious falsehoods.

“The false impression was deliberately created by the said November 30, 2021 Statement that there was a type of Self-Determination being pursued by NINAS and LNC that was different from the type that Ilana Omo Oodua was pursuing.

“This is strange because the Objectives, RoadMap and Strategy Outlines of NINAS are very clearly stated in all of NINAS’ Public Communications over the years particularly the December 16, 2020 NINAS Constitutional Force Majeure Proclamation.

“Combined with the earlier falsehood that Abuja had procured the November 18, 2021 Press Conference, it is clear that the orchestrations of the departed faction of Ilana were targeted at deceiving the Public into believing that NINAS was somehow working for other Objectives apart from its Clear-Cut and Unwavering Pursuit of Self-Determination for all the Indigenous Nationalities of the Alliance Territories being the South and Middle/Belt of Nigeria.

“For the Records and for the avoidance of doubt, Prof Banji Akintoye was first introduced sometime in 2018 to NINAS by Otunba Shade Olukoya who had been involved with the processes for many years.

“There is no doubt whatsoever that Prof Banji Akintoye meritoriously advanced the NINAS Campaign, particularly in Yorubaland, reaching out to his Associates across the Country and substantially shattering the long-standing jinx around the Igbo-Yoruba Collaboration which he said was Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s Solemn prescription in the last days of the sage – who was Prof Akintoye’s Political Mentor. Credit for this feat will forever go to Prof Akintoye and we wish him Good Health and Longevity even as he veers off in another direction in search of the Destination we all identified in NINAS.

“In closing, the NINAS Board of Conveners is pleased to announce to all the organisations across the South and Middle-Belt of Nigeria which have been clamouring to join the NINAS Alliance, that modalities have been emplaced to admit all organizations that publicly and fully subscribe to the propositions and prescriptions of the December 16, 2020, NINAS Constitutional Force Majeure Proclamation, into regional delegations to NINAS. These modalities will be made public in the second week of December 2021 by the NINAS Secretariat.”

Source: Trixxng

Chris Ngige, George Moghalu to face APC panel for anti-party activities

The All Progressives Congress, Anambra State chapter, has announced that a disciplinary committee had been formed to examine Minister of Labour and Employment Dr Chris Ngige and Director-General of National Inland Waterways Chief George Moghalu after both were accused of conducting anti-APC activities.

The news was announced by APC State Chairman Basil Ejidike in Awka on Monday, in which he also accused them of causing a crisis in the party.

“We are seriously disappointed by Senator Chris Ngige and Moghalu, who benefited greatly from the party,” said Mr Ejidike. “As a party, we are seriously disappointed, particularly with Ngige. Ngige is the brain behind the crisis in Anambra state APC.

“Whatever is the problem of the party has always come from Ngige because he wants to remain the leader of the party in the state forever.

“He cannot be the leader forever. Today, we have a sitting deputy governor, Dr Nkem Okeke, a serving senator, Chief Stella Oduah, and governorship candidate in the state, Dr Andy Uba.

“We have set up a disciplinary committee to unravel those who are engaged in anti-party activities; including the activities of Ngige and Moghalu. Any person found culpable shall be dealt with according to the letters of our constitution.”

Mr Ngige previously warned Mr Ejidike against creating “a Trojan Horse” in the party and “look inwards and manage the self-inflicted tear in the State Exco and Working Committee of the Party”.

APC Sacks Mai Mala Buni, Names New Caretaker Committee Chairman

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has run into fresh murky waters as a faction sacks Mai Mala Buni.

The faction has also attacked President Buhari over his supervision of the party.

Buni, Yobe State Governor, is Chairman, APC Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee (CECPC).

On Monday, a unit within the party, Progressive Youth Movement, announced his replacement.

They named Mustapha Audu as National Caretaker Committee Chairman with immediate effect.

Audu said a National Reconciliation Committee will be formed to reconcile aggrieved members before the February 26, 2021 convention.

He further announced a zoning formula for Positions in the new National Working Committee (NWC).

In a reaction, John Akpan Udoedehe, APC National Secretary dismissed the “felonious activities of the purported group”.

The scribe’s statement said they are unknown to the party, its structure or as a registered support group and therefore non-existent.

“However laughable, the criminal attempt of the purported group to usurp the leadership of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC now bothers on treasonable felony.

“Relevant security bodies must now check and address their unscrupulous activities. The attention the purported group seeks will not be given to them by the party.

“We can only advise that the general public completely disregard them. They are not registered members of the APC and are being used by opposition elements and fifth columnists to cause confusion.

“As widely reported, the successful meeting between the APC leadership, Progressive Governors’ Forum and the President produced February 2022 as the timeframe for the National Convention”, Udoedehe noted.

DAILY POST confirmed that the APC National Secretariat has been under heavy security in recent weeks after intelligence of a planned forceful takeover.

APC National Chairmanship: Al-Makura, Adamu, Yari, Others May Be Disqualified Due To Indictment By Efcc

Some chieftains of the All Progressives Congress aspiring to contest for the National Chairmanship of the party are in danger of losing out due to indictment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, THE WHISTLER has learnt on Friday.

The APC is currently being administered by a 13-man Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee CECPC led by Governor Mai Bala Buni of Yobe State. It was inaugurated in June 2020, following the removal of Mr Adams Oshiomhole, about two years to the end of his tenure.

While there was high hope that the Buni-led Committee will steamroll the party to early successful National Convention, that hope was dashed early on when many bigwigs started feasting on the party following the decision of the Supreme Court on Ondo State Governorship Election.

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr Eyitayo Jegede, had gone to court to challenge the legal validity of Mr Rotimi Akeredolu’s nomination by the national Caretaker Committee of the APC headed by the Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mal Buni.

The Supreme Court ruled through the majority decision that the non- joinder of Buni as a party in the matter, proved fatal to Jegede’s case, acknowledging that the issue raised by the appellants had merit and constitutional implications.

Soon after that decision, party top shots and stakeholders began to call for Buni’s removal as all decisions undertaken by the caretaker Chairman will be a nullity if joined in any suit.

The schism finally reached boiling point few weeks ago leading to the convenance of APC Governors Forum to chart a new course towards the party’s convention.

While the meeting hit a stalemate, a closed-door meeting by some delegated governors of the party with President Muhammadu Buhari led to the announcement that February 2022 will be ideal for the party to hold its convention.

However, the party, sensing bashing from the main opposition PDP, has decided on easing out from the race those who have been indicted by the EFCC, a reliable source told this paper.

The PDP held its National Convention which produced Mr Iyorchia Ayu in October, and few days ago held a 2-day national retreat for all elected officers at both the national and state levels.

It has put the PDP on good footing, a development that the APC national hierarchy and supporters are not unaware of thus triggering systematic purging of the contenders to ensure whoever eventually emerges does not have the baggage that could be used against it as the election year approaches.

With the development, top contenders may directly be affected.

One of the few frontrunners that may be eased out is current senator, who’s a former governor of Nasarawa State, Mr Tanko-Al-Makura.

The senator and his wife were arrested in July 2021 for illegal retention of government funds, misapprehension and money laundering.

EFCC indictment was based on possessing about 55 accounts controlled by the couple and their companies, that they were involved in suspicious transactions, amounting to billions of naira, when Mr Al-Makura was the governor of Nasarawa State between 2011 and 2019.

It said in one of the accounts, less than $250 was lodged there in the two years preceding his assumption of office, but soon started receiving huge sums after he became governor.

In one case, one business entity paid over N200 million, broken into structured nine transactions, in a single day, August 9, 2016, into one of Mr Al-Makura’s accounts, according to the anti-graft agency.

Also, another contender from Nasarawa State, Mr Abdullahi Adamu, a former governor of the state and current senator, was arrested in 2010 by the EFCC for allegedly misappropriating N15 billion alongside 18 others.

He was subsequently arraigned on a 149-count charge of fraud to the tune of N15 billion alongside his co-accused. The case is yet to be concluded

In February 2018, the EFCC arraigned Nuraini Adamu, a son of the senator, and one Felix Onyeabo Ojiako before judge, Farouq Lawal of the Kano State High Court on a four-count charge of conspiracy, forgery and obtaining money by false pretence.

Yet another contender and former governor who is having a running battle with the EFCC, is Mr Danjuma Goje of Yobe State.

Goje, who has been standing trial since 9 years ago and still a senator, is being accused of conspiring with four officers of his administration while he was a governor, to defraud the state of N25 billion via illegal acts.

The former governor of Zamfara State and current senator, Mr Abdulaziz Yari has also been arrested severally by the EFCC on suspicious monies stuffed in his bank accounts including the sum of $56,056.75 reportedly lodged in his account with Polaris Bank; N12.9m, N11.2m, $l303m, N217,388.04, and $311.8m said to be kept in different Zenith Bank accounts in the name of the ex-governor and his companies, EFCC indictment said.

In February 2021, Yari was first arrested and grilled by EFCC operatives in Lagos, while the Federal High Court in Abuja had, on January 26, 2021, ordered the final forfeiture of funds belonging to Yari domiciled in Zenith and Polaris Banks.

But for former interim Chairman of the PDP, Senator Ali Modu-Sheriff, his controversial nature and alleged excessive baggage like his linkage to Boko Haram terrorists is working against him.

THE WHISTLER could not verify this claim as calls and text messages sent to the phone of Mr John Akpanudoedeh, the National Publicity Secretary of the party were not replied.

However, the source at the APC National Secretariat revealed that these individuals will most likely miss out because of the need to ensure a rancour-free convention and getting a clean National Chairman.

“It’ll be suicidal for the APC to elect a national Chairman who has a case with the EFCC,” he said, noting that the way the PDP handled it convention was encouraging and that APC cannot do less.

He pointed out that the APC, facing already angry Nigerians, will be faced with cleaning the image of its National Chairman, “who looted the treasury of his people because he was a governor.

“The 2023 election will be crucial. We will have to prove we are a great party to transit from one president to another and not end with President Muhammadu Buhari.”

He said the guidelines that will emerge towards the convention will be one that will first and foremost disqualify these persons with “questionable characters and past misdeeds.”