Politics Archives - Page 71 of 87

Afenifere Tackles Adesina For Comparing Buhari To Awolowo, Azikiwe

The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere has faulted the President’s special adviser on media and publicity, Femi Adesina for comparing his principal, Muhammadu Buhari, to Nigeria’s Independence heroes, Obafemi Awolowo and Nnamdi Azikiwe.

Adesina was reported as saying,
“I have seen the great Obafemi Awolowo. The charismatic Nnamdi Azikiwe (Zik of Africa). Shehu Shagari. Amino Kano. M.K.O Abiola. Bashir Tofa, and many others in action.

“But I have not seen anyone with the kind of attraction, magnetic pull, that Muhammadu Buhari has. And that is round the country, north, and south. People swarm round him as bees do to honey.”

In a statement on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, Afenifere described the comparison as “mischievous and mistaken”, pointing out that people are only attracted to Buhari because he is the President.

According to Ajayi, “For sure – and for various reasons – a person occupying a leadership position is always an attraction anywhere in the world.

“To use the instances cited by the spokesman to gauge the popularity of the President, we can say that those who met him at the airport on his arrival from a medical trip could be in three or more categories.

“Those who genuinely wished him well and were happy to see him back. Those who were there to be really sure that the rumour of his death they heard was not true. And those who always go to any place that people gather – especially when or where a leading figure is or will be present.

“To use the crowd that gathered where President Buhari is not only as a measure of his popularity is erroneous. Admittedly, crowd-pulling can be an indicator of popularity.

“But this is not likely now given the level of mistrust that people have in governments. The mistrust that governments created over the years through its various policies of alienation and disempowerment.

“From the foregoing, it can be stated without equivocation that the majority of the crowd the spokesman talked about would be those curious to see whether their presence and prayers could make Mr President to see that they are suffering and in need of benign policies from the government.

“Comparing President Buhari to Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe therefore is not only mistaken, it is mischievous, to say the least.”

Source: Naijanews

BREAKING: Pastor Bakare meets Buhari in Aso Rock

The founder of Citadel Global Community Church (formerly Latter Rain Assembly), Pastor Tunde Bakare, is currently meeting behind closed doors with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa, Abuja.

Bakare, who was the running mate of the Buhari under the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in 2011, was scheduled for a 12noon meeting with the president in his office.

Despite his previous close political affiliation with President Buhari, the fiery pastor has recently been criticizing the running of his administration.

More details to come

You Can’t Win 2023 Presidency With A Northern Candidate – Momodu Tells PDP

The founder of Ovation Media Group, Dele Momodu, says the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has a better chance of winning the 2023 presidency if it picks its presidential candidate from the South.

In a recent interview, Momodu noted that the opposition party cannot reclaim the Presidency if it fields a Northerner as its presidential candidate in 2023.

Momodu stated that the North will never get anybody who is as popular as President Muhammadu Buhari that can conveniently win elections in a long time to come.

The former presidential candidate also appealed to former vice president Atiku Abubakar not to contest in the 2023 general elections due to his age.

He said: “By 2023, Atiku would have been contesting for 30 years. I love him. He is a businessman; among all of them, he has been able to run his business successfully. But are we going to leave Buhari who is almost 80 and go to someone who is almost 80? The reason I think PDP has a better chance is that anyone who can pick a candidate from the South will definitely win.

“Contrary to the boastfulness of the northern politicians, they will never get anybody from the North who is as popular as Buhari in a long time to come. Buhari contested three times and twice he was defeated by southerners: first by Obasanjo and later by Jonathan. This is because the North’s catchment area is between North-West and North-East.

“If they say that power will not leave the North, it means that they have edged out Tinubu, they have edged out Osinbajo, they have edged out all those who rushed from their parties because they were hoping that the mantle might fall on them. You have the governor from Ebonyi, you have the governor from Cross River who jumped ship and joined the APC recently.

“My thinking is that if there will be elections, I have told my friends (Kingsley Moghalu, Omoyele Sowore) that it would take a miracle for a third force to win election in a country that is as complex and complicated as Nigeria.

“We are left with only one option. If APC is so bad that you don’t want to touch it, the only other option, for now, will be PDP, unless the party breaks up and you have a new re-alliance as it happened with the APC. Anything other than that, the two formidable parties at the national level will be APC and PDP.”

He stated that the ruling APC should be punished for mismanaging the country and creating division among the regions that make up Nigeria since taking over power in 2015.

The media mogul asked Nigerians not to vote for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) nor any of its candidates in the forthcoming elections.

Momodu blamed President Buhari and the ruling party for the current security challenges facing the country and the economic hardship experienced by the citizens.

He said: “APC should be punished for the mismanagement of Nigeria in the last six and half years. If you fail an exam, you do not get promoted. If you fail, sometimes you can get rusticated if your results are so bad and the school gives up on you. The way Nigeria is today, we are just on the brink of collapse. Buhari has led us to the Golgotha.

“The greatest party in Nigeria is neither the APC nor the PDP. They are just formidable because they are the ones who practice politicking.

“What is needed now is someone who can bring the floaters party on board. Those are the youths. Many people don’t vote. This is because the people do not find anybody whose message resonates with them, whose face is familiar to them.“

Source: Naijanews

BREAKING: Former Senate President Emerges PDP Consensus National Chairman Candidate

Former Senate President, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, has emerged the consensus candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
This is coming ahead of the main opposition party’s October 31 national elective convention holding at the Eagles square, Abuja.

The former Senate President emerged the consensus candidate after hours of continuous meetings by PDP stakeholders of Northern extraction in Abuja.

Naija News had earlier reported that three candidates emerged from those contesting to become the next National Chairman of the PDP.

A candidate emerged each from the North Central, North West, and North-East geo-political zones.

A former Katsina State Governor, Ibrahim Shema defeated other aspirants to emerge from the North West, Senator Suleiman Nazif from Bauchi State, who is the current PDP Deputy National Chairman (North), emerged as the sole candidate from the North East and the North Central chose former Senate President, Iyorchia Ayu from Benue State.

To emerge, Shema got votes from 6 out of 7 states from his zone, leaving his closest challenger, former Kaduna State Governor, Ahmed Makarfi with votes just from Kaduna his home state.

Nazif on his part had no challenger and emerged the sole candidate from his region.

While the North Central zone of the PDP agreed to the choice of Benue-born former Senate President, Iyorchia Ayu as their candidate for the position of national chairman of the party.

PDP chairmanship: Stalemate as consensus arrangement suffers setback

The search for a consensus national chairmanship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, suffered setback Wednesday night.

A meeting of the party’s stakeholders where a consensus candidate would have been picked could not hold as some party leaders were absent.

The botched meeting was billed to hold at the Bauchi Governor’s lodge in Abuja.

However, Governors Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, Samuel Ortom of Benue and Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State were present.

Others present include former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, former Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Tanimu Turaki, Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Walid Jibrin.

However, The Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Fintiri, who doubles as the Chairman, PDP National Convention Organising Committee, said the meeting had been adjourned till Thursday.

He said the meeting could not hold on Wednesday night due to “communications gap“.

“Unfortunately, we could not meet because of communication gap, some of our leaders could not make it to the venue.

“We have adjourned the meeting till tomorrow (Thursday) when we will take a definite position on the chairmanship position that has been zoned to the north.

“At the moment, all the three zones in the North are interested in the position,” Fintiri disclosed.

However, the North Central PDP stakeholders on Wednesday adopted a former Senate President, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, as their consensus candidate.

It was also gathered that various interest camps in the North-West are soliciting support for the duo of Ahmed Makarfi and Ibrahim Shema, ex-governors of Kaduna and Katsina states respectively.

BREAKING: Obaseki meets with Buhari Amidst PDP Crisis in Edo

Governor of Edo state, Godwin Obaseki was received by President Muhammadu Buhari in Aso-rock on Wednesday afternoon.

The meeting was announced by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina who shared photos from the meeting on social media.

“President Buhari receives Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State in State House on 13th Oct 2021,” Adesina captioned photos.

POLITICS NIGERIA recalls that Obaseki is facing a lot of pressure from members of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP over his sluggish approach towards appointments and rewards promised to party members who worked assiduously to ensure he won a second term as governor of the state.

2023: Atiku Meets Mark Over PDP Chairmanship Position, See Details

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 elections, Atiku Abubakar, has met with a former Senate President, David Mark.

Naija News reports that both PDP chieftains met on Monday night to discuss the chairmanship position of the party zoned to the North by its NEC.

A source in Atiku’s camp told The Nation that the former vice president met Mark to deliberate on the unity and progress of the party ahead of the national convention.

He added that Atiku also informed Mark about the chairmanship aspiration of his former Director-General of his campaign, former Senate President, Dr Iyorchia Ayu.

He, however, claimed that Atiku does not want to take sides, considering the fact that the two aspirants are his friends.

The source said: “The two leaders met for the sake of unity and progress of the party. The ex-Vice President does not want to take sides. I think he is looking at the larger picture of 2023.

“We are all concerned about the politics of the national chairman, we do not want the party destabilized under any guise.

“Maybe the ex-VP is trying to see how the party can manage the micro-zoning in the North to keep the zone intact for the next elections.”

Also reacting, a member of the National Working Committee of the PDP said Atiku’s visit to Mark was a tactical endorsement of the former Senate President.

He said: “We have heard of the talks between Atiku and Mark. I see Atiku’s visit to Mark as a tactical endorsement of the former President of the Senate.

“I think we are beginning to have a direction of where the chairmanship ticket will go.”

This news medium reports that Ayu and Mark are from Benue State and are both former Presidents of the Senate.

Other PDP stalwarts contesting for the chairmanship position include former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, former Governors Ibrahim Dankwambo, Ahmed Makarfi, Ibrahim Shema, and Babangida Aliyu.

BREAKING! Gunmen Attack Anambra Governor, Willie Obiano During Campaign

Gunmen suspected to be militants of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) held the convoy of Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State hostage on Tuesday.

The incident happened as the attackers disrupted the campaign rally of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) at Odata Secondary School in Ihiala Local Government Area of the State.

“The governor’s convoy was held for about one hour, while there were gunshots all over,” a resident told Daily Trust.

The Police Public Relations Officer in Anambra, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed that there was attack in Ihiala.

In a statement, Ikenga said operatives of Anambra Police Command repelled the attack at Odata.

According to him, exhibits recovered from the attackers were One AK 47 rifle, Two Magazine with 30 rounds of ammunition, One lexus 350 jeep, one Rav 4 jeep, one Mercedes Benz and a Toyota Corolla.

He said preliminary investigation revealed that the hoodlums started shooting sporadically when they arrived Odata Secondary School but security operatives took control.

He said that normalcy has been restored in the area and operations is ongoing for possible arrest of the fleeing gang members.

Reacting to the attack, the Anambra state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment Mr. C.Don Adunuba, said a combined team of policemen and soldiers repelled the attack.

According to him, gunmen came on various motorcycles and in three vehicles, namely, a Toyota Lexus 350 ES with registration number EKY 765 EX, Toyota RAV4 with number JJJ 434FP and a Ford van whose number could not ascertained at the time of this report because it caught fire during the exchange of bullets between the gunmen and security forces.

He said the gunmen, unable to withstand the superior fire power of the security operatives ran into the premises of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, which is directly opposite the campaign ground.

“If the gunmen had not run into the hospital which is a very delicate place to shoot any person, the security men would have gunned all of them down them,” he said.

He said the Anambra State Police Command has requested the people in the area to help look out for people with gunshots and report them.

He also asked hospitals and other health facilities in both Ihiala Local Government Area and neighbouring communities in Imo State to report persons with gunshot injuries.

Meanwhile, Obiano has commended police officers and soldiers who repelled the attack.

Speaking to journalists at Atani in Ogbaru LGA where he led a large crowd of APGA faithful to welcome the APGA governorship candidate in the forthcoming election, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, Obiano described the response of the security men as professional and patriotic.

In the same vein, Soludo, who lost three policemen guarding him when he was attacked on March 31 in his hometown of Isuofia, Aguata local Government Area, while addressing the youth, lauded the security forces for bravery.

“These security men and women in Anambra State lay down their lives for us and they do their best because of the encouragement they receive from the security-conscious state government, among other factors.”

“We expect more professional exhibition as days go by and the election date approaches.” (Daily Trust)

‘Save Us From This Physical Situation’ – Rep Member Cries Out To Speaker Over Faulty AC In Chamber

The House of Representatives was on Tuesday forced to rush its sitting due to the unconducive situation in the chamber caused by faulty air-conditioners.

The faulty AC caused unbearable heat, forcing the lawmakers to cry out for adjournment of the sitting to allow for repairs.

The call was made by Honourable Haruna Dederi (APC-Kano), who raised a Point of Order, pleading with the House Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila to adjourn plenary.

He said “Sir, Order 7 of the rules of this House has given you powers to absolutely control whatever goes on here to preserve decorum.

“To preserve the atmosphere within which we should operate. We are suffocating because the place is extremely hot.

“In my opinion Sir, we could have a way of either adjourning the business of the day or give time so that the air conditioners can be out in proper shape.

“Whatever thing that you can do to save us from this physical situation in which we live”.

The Speaker in his response, agreed with the lawmaker that the heat is becoming unbearable but requested that the day’s legislative business that needs urgent attention should be quickly attended to before plenary is adjourned.

“It is a good point and it is something I just confirmed with the deputy speaker.

“I think what we would do is, read your titles and go to your prayers, we put the question to debates and we try and run through this as quickly as we can because we have a couple of matters under consideration for committee of the whole, which I think we should quickly address.

“We take this one and go straight to consideration of reports, so we can leave here,” Gbajabiamila said.

Source: Naijanews

(VIDEO) Ifeanyi Ubah Begins Campaign In Lagos, One Month To Anambra Election

The Foremost candidate of YPP in the Forthcoming anambra election, Ifeanyi Ubah has Launched his campaign in lagos

In a video sighted by Newslensng which has been making Rounds on social media, a large number of his supporters were seen trooping out and chanting his name. A big banner carrying his picture was seen placed around a long vehicle as various victory songs was been sang.

However, the reason behind his action to take his campaign to lagos is still unclear but Newslensng believe his choice could be based on the security challenges being faced in Anambra

WATCH VIDEO BELOW

https://www.instagram.com/_u/delemomoduovation/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=1ae9b69c-db88-45ca-bc51-8afcb0c9b205&ig_mid=642F2178-B16E-4B04-80B4-EB8978AEDF6C