‘Fani-Kayode Is Not Real, He Is Practicing Stomach Politics’ — Gov. Wike
Nyesom Wike, the Governor of the Rivers State has played down the significance of the defection of a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to him, Fani-Kayode is ‘not real’.
Recall that the former minister had recently defected to the APC and was warmly received by President Muhammadu Buhari in the company of some top APC members at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja. He is expected to be formally received into the APC in Abuja next week. But Wike is not troubled by the PDP’s Fani-Kayode’s loss.
“I don’t know why people are shocked by Fani Kayode’s defection. People make the mistake of taking anyone who is vocal serious. Some people talk just for people to find them something to eat, some people talk because of the problems they have, so that they can be saved — if they will be saved. Femi Fani-Kayode and I are not friends. I don’t like something that is too artificial,” Wike told BBC News Pidgin on Friday.
He added: “Stomach politics is not good. Nothing beats integrity.”
BREAKING: PDP Zones National Chairmanship To North
The next national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will emerge from the northern region of the country, the party’s National Zoning Committee has announced.
Chairman of the committee and Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu state announced this at the end of a meeting in Abuja on Thursday.
“The decision of the PDP Zoning Committee is in line with the Constitution of the party on zoning and rotation of party and national offices in the interest of justice, equity, and fairness.
“Consequently, the current offices being held by officers in the southern zones of the country, namely South West, South East, and South South zones, should swap places with the offices currently in the northern zones of Nigeria, namely North West, North East, and North Central zones”, the statement read.
JUST IN: APC releases revised timetable for State Congresses
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has released the revised timetable and schedule of activities for its October 16 nationwide State Congresses to elect party officials at that level.
Senator John Akpanudoedehe, the National Secretary of the APC Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), announced this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.
“Pursuant to the provisions of Article 11:A sub-section (i-xiii), and Article 17(i) of our party’s Constitution.
“The CECPC of our great party has approved the revised timetable and schedule of activities for the conduct of Congresses across States in the federation to elect party officials,” he said.
According to Akpanudoedehe, purchase of forms for the State Congresses which commenced on Wednesday (September 15) would end on Monday (October 11), while screening of aspirants for State executives would be on October 13 and 14.
According to him, the State Congresses would hold on Saturday (October 16), while appeals arising from the exercise would be from October 23 to 30.
Saraki, Gbemi Reacts As Library Named After Their Father Is Demolished
Former Governor of Kwara State and Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has condemned the demolition of a library named after his late father, Olusola Saraki.
The development did not go down well with the Minister of State for Transportation, Gbemisola Saraki, who also expressed her displeasure.
The library which was demolished by the Kwara State Government is located along Kuntu, Agbo-Oba area, Ilorin.
The former Senate President in his reaction said, “I just got the news that the major official assignment carried out by the Governor of my state, Kwara, today, is the demolition of an old public library named after my late dad, Dr Olusola Saraki.
“May Almighty Allah continue to retain a place for Oloye in Aljannah Firdaus.”
Gbemisola in her reaction said, “Yet again, today we find that the Governor of Kwara State’s focus is not on building up Kwara, but on demolishing buildings which were owned or named after my late father, the Waziri of Ilorin.
“No matter how many structures are demolished, Baba Saraki’s legacy can never be destroyed, because it lives in the hearts and minds of the great people of Kwara. May Allah continue to guide and protect us all.”
This is coming a year after the state government demolished the Ile Arugbo GRA residence of late Saraki.
Meanwhile, the state government in a statement on Tuesday evening said the building was dilapidated and had become a hiding place for hoodlums in the state and a threat to public safety.
It added in the statement titled ‘Clarifications on the renovation of Ilorin West Local Government’s Library Named After Senator Sola Saraki’ which was signed by Mukhtar AbdulGafar Omotosho on behalf of the Ilorin West Local Government (TIC) that the building was pulled down to renovate it and make it a more befitting public edifice.
Akeredolu Reacts To Northern Govs’ Position On 2023 Presidency Zoning
Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has reacted to the Northern Governors’ rejection of zoning the 2023 presidency to the southern part of the country.
Naija News reports that the governors met on Monday at the Council Chamber (Sir Kashim Ibrahim House) of the Kaduna State government house.
The governors, under the auspices of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, held the meeting jointly with some traditional rulers and Emirs from the region led by the Sultan of Sokoto.
In their position made known in a communique after their meeting, the governors condemned zoning as earlier adopted by their southern counterparts, arguing that zoning is not constitutional.
“The statement is quite contradictory with the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as amended that the elected President shall secure at least 25 percent of the votes cast in 2/3 states of the federation. In the case of run-up simple majority win the election,” the communique read in part.
The Northern Governors also rejected the stand of their southern counterparts on Value Added Tax (VAT) collection, saying that VAT collection by state governments would cause economic hardship and multiple taxations.
Reacting to the position of the Northern governors, Akeredolu said his Northern colleagues have expressed and indeed exercised their rights under the freedom of expression.
In an interview with The PUNCH, Ondo Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Donald Ojogo, said the Southern Governors remain resolute on their demand.
He said, “They (northern governors) have expressed and indeed exercised their rights under the freedom of expression. No one can stop them from expressing themselves.”
We Are Working Tirelessly To Ensure APC Remain In Power For 50 Years – : Ali Modu Sheriff
A former governor of Borno State, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, has said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) bigwigs must work together and build bridges for the party to remain in power for 50 years.
Addressing newsmen on Sunday in Abuja, Sheriff, a three-time Senator who is also a contender for the APC national chairmanship, said critical stakeholders of the ruling party must unite to sustain the party at the expiration of President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure in 2023.
Former governors and other APC stalwarts have commenced politicking; consultations and horse-trading for the party’s apex office, amid zoning controversy.
Sherif, who has been consulting critical stakeholders, including governors, senators and founding fathers of the APC said, “Today, as a party we are only six years in government, our aspirations are for the APC to be in government in the next 50 years.
“He (Buhari) brought that to the table and what are we going to face after the exit of His Excellency, the President? It is we the APC members that will tell the world that we are capable of getting their trust even when he finished his tenure.
“Doing that, you need everybody. You need people who know the history of the party, where we are coming from, who know the history of this country, someone who has been in different aspects of life and we need to work together, we need to build bridges across the country.
“Doing that doesn’t come on the platter of gold, we need to put in hard work. Therefore, I believe it is important for me to reach out to all leaders of our party; the youths, the women, different organizations to tell them that we must come together to get our party to run for the next 30, 40, 50 years by the grace of God.”
The Media Office of the Hon. Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, has urged well-meaning people to disregard the invitation of some Groups, operating under The Nigeria Project 2023, purportedly to the inauguration of a Support Group for the Minister and the Governor of Borno State over the 2023 elections.
The social media was awash at the weekend with a poster from the Group allegedly presenting the Honorable Minister and the Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Zulum as Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates respectively of an unnamed political party.
Ordinarily, the poster and the various social media reports almost instantly orchestrated on its account would have been ignored as the handwork of mischief makers. However, it became necessary to issue this disclaimer for two key reasons.
The first of such was to answer with a strong negative to the numerous inquiries from right thinking and well-meaning Nigerians on whether the Honorable Minister had been contacted or if the Groups had his consent in issuing the invitation.
Without equivocation, no individual or Group has contacted the Honorable Minister for or on behalf of The Nigeria Project 2023. As Honorable Minister, Mr Fashola is currently focused on leading his dedicated Team in the Ministry of Works and Housing to deliver on the mandate of President Muhammadu Buhari for an expanded and upgraded road transport infrastructure; and affordable Housing nationwide in order to achieve economic growth and prosperity for the citizenry.
Secondly, is the fact that entities unknown to a political party cannot present candidates on behalf of such a political party. As a ranking and loyal member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the individual and groups cited as promoters of The Nigeria Project 2023 are unknown to the APC and the Honorable Minister.
Against the backdrop of the foregoing, the Honorable Minister of Works and Housing , Mr Babatunde Fashola SAN urges members of the public to be wary of the antics of unsolicited individuals and Support Groups whose real intentions remain questionable. Every support possible should be given to the efforts of the current administration under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari to deliver a better nation for all.
Fresh Crisis In APC As Aisha Buhari Plots To Install Younger Brother As Next Adamawa Governor
A report have emerge claiming Nigeria’s First Lady, Aisha Buhari, is making plans to instal her younger brother, Mohammed Halilu Modi, as the next governor of Adamawa State.
This, according to a report, is causing dissatisfaction among chieftians of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the northeast state.
Aisah Buhari, who is a very influential member of the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, enjoys the backing of the Chairman of the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Governor Malam Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State.
It was gathered that a former Vice-Chairman, North-East Zone, Mustapha Salihu, and the Financial Secretary of the party, Saidu Naira, are allegedly working to facilitate the emergence of the First Lady’s brother as the governorship candidate of the APC in the state.
According to sources, Buhari’s wife recently sent Modi to the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, near Jos, Plateau State, to study in other to prepare him for the governorship seat.
At the just-concluded Local Government Congresses of the APC in the state, the First Lady reportedly hijacked the party structure from perceived political opponents of her brother such as Senator Dahiru Binani, Senator Mohammed Jibrilla Bindow (former Governor of the state) and Senator Ishaku Abbo (APC-Adamawa North).
“There is a serious problem brewing at the Adamawa APC, which if not resolved quickly, may cost the party the seat of governor again like it did in 2019,” a source told Sahara Reporters.
“Recall that in 2019, the party lost the governorship contest to the incumbent and member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, Mr Ahmadu Fintiri, over this same power tussle between Mrs Buhari, Bindow, Binani and other opponents in the quest to make her brother become the governor.
“In the same vein, security chiefs in the state were threatened with sack if they did not cooperate by facilitating Modi’s aspiration.”
The first casualty of the threat was the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Aliyu Adamu Alhaji, who was replaced by a new CP, Mr Mohammed Ahmed Barde.
The redeployed CP was said to have insisted on fully supervising the congresses in Yola South.
As a result, the First Lady’s candidate lost to Senator Binani’s candidate.
“As things stand today, all the heads of federal agencies in the state, whose line of duty relate to supervising party congresses, are living in fear of the unknown, should they attempt to work against the interest of the First Lady’s brother“, another party official said.
Sources further revealed that most of the names from the ward and local government congresses sent to the national secretariat of the APC were altered by the quartet in Abuja, which led to aeries of litigations challenging the alterations.
Aisha, who is not hiding the fact of her deep involvement in the ongoing manipulation, was quoted to have said, “I will not repeat the mistake of 2019 where we allowed Governor Bindow to have total control of the party to the disadvantage of many of us.”
Sources said Aisha had vowed that she could not afford to leave office with her husband in 2023 without any of her family members taking over Adamawa State in a bid to sustain their political relevance in the years ahead.
“Except something is done urgently to amicably resolve the grievances from the ward and local government congresses, especially that the state congress is close by, many stakeholders may defect to the PDP.
“If this is allowed to happen, it is the APC that will be the big loser again in 2023, just like it happened in 2019. The way they are going, they can only help the PDP and governor Fintiri to win re-election in 2023”, a top party official stated.
BREAKING! Former Lagos Governor, Babatunde Fashola Picked As 2023 Presidential Candidate
Society gazette reports that the race for who becomes the next president of Nigeria has taken a new turn as a former governor of Lagos state, Babatunde Raji Fashola has been picked by a group of people to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari.
The group, pushing the agenda ‘The Nigeria Project’ is set to launch officially on the 2nd of October, 2021 to further make its decision to pick Fashola known.
Also, the governor of Borno state, Prof Babagana has been picked as the preferred running mate of Fashola ahead of 2023.
This is coming after several individuals within the APC have shown interest in the coming election.
In addition, a flier has been going viral in the social media scene as shared below
Party Supremacy: Lagos APC Members Disagree With Tinubu’s Leadership Style (VIDEO)
Society gazette reports that hundreds of APC members have kicked against the supremacy of APC National leader, Bola Ahmed Tinubu in an anthem shared on the social media.
In a video obtained by TRIXX NG on Dele Momodu’s instagram page, the members were seen in an event singing against the leadership style of the astute politician, making it known that the party belongs to everyone and not just him alone. In the song, they also pointed out the fact that godfatherism which has to do with Tinubu making decisions that must be followed has to end.
This according to Dele Momodu is being championed by one Mr Jide Adediran, a politician who hopes to become the next governor of Lagos state.
Mr Jide Adeniran popular called Jandor has also been pushing the Lagos4Lagos agenda which means anyone that wants to become the governor of Lagos state must be an indigene of the state, and not an imported candidate.
