₦airaland Forum

Eight former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) State House of Assembly aspirants have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

A statement issued in Gusau on Tuesday by the state APC Publicity Secretary, Yusuf Idris said the former aspirants announced their defection at a meeting with Gov. Bello Matawalle on Tuesday in Gusau.

Idris said all of them had participated in various PDP state assembly primary elections in their respective constituencies across the state.

According to him, the defectors included: Kasimu Jafaru from Zurmi west constituency, Rukkayya Abdullahi from Zurmi east constituency, Isah Ibrahim-Labbo from Anka constituency and Abubakar Abdulaziz, from Tsafe east constituency.

The other defectors were: Bala Ibrahim and Jamilu Bawa from Birnin Magaji state assembly constituencies, Ibrahim Surajo from Zurmi west and the leader of the defecting team, Murtala Mainasara from Shinkafi constituency.

He said the defectors, who were presented to the governor by the state APC Chairman, Alhaji Tukur Danfulani, submitted all their PDP certificates of clearance to the governor.

“Our decision to join APC was due to a lack of political focus and direction in the PDP.

“Our defection to the APC was informed by the focused and visionary leadership style of governor Matawalle in tackling insecurity and bringing economic transformation,” Idris quoted Mainasara as saying.

Idris also quoted Matawalle as saying while receiving the defectors that APC was a party for all reasonable and patriotic Nigerians focusing on development.

“The governor commended them for what he described as a wise decision of joining the APC.

“Matawalle said he is not surprised over their decision considering their level of exposure and determination to bring development to the doorsteps of the electorate,” Idris said.

Earlier, while presenting the defectors to the governor, Danfulani said: ‘Ín the next few days, more PDP supporters would join APC.”

Betanaija42moro:
This job requires physical and mental energy. People should retire when it is time to retire. Nigerians are hungry, the youths have no job, and it is not safe to travel anywhere in Nigeria today; all these challenges were caused by those who say they have a party structure, but these structures have crippled Nigeria. We want to destroy these structures by voting them out next month.

Kingsmeal:
Labour Party set to hold two rallies in two different locations in Delta state

Date: Same, Monday Jan 9th ‘23

We are unstoppable!!

- An official disclosed that a PDP Women Leader was among those who decamped.

About 1,500 supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday decamped to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rimi and Kurfi Local Government Areas of Katsina State.

Those who decamped were led by a former councilor, Abdul’aziz Makwalla.

Makwalla while presenting the individuals to the APC officials in the state, disclosed that, the PDP Women Leader in the Area, had also crossed-carpeted into the APC.

This political development took place on Thursday as the Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress APC in Katsina State, Dr Dikko Umaru Radda rounded off his campaign tour in Katsina Senatorial District at Rimi and Kurfi Local Government Areas of the State.

Radda seized the moment to reiterate his determination to fight insecurity in the state if elected as governor.

He, also, promised to create job opportunities for the teeming unemployed youths, enhance health care facilities and improve farming using modern methods.

Dr Radda further donated five motorcycles to members of the vigilante in Rimi Local Government Area and three to the Wurma Community Vigilantes in Kurfi Local Government Area of the State, stating that, it was his modest contribution towards assisting them to fight insecurity in the areas.

“I know that some shameless people would come and tell you that APC had failed to provide security for you. You should respond by asking them to account for the large amount of money made available to them in more than seven years to tame insecurity without success”, Dr Radda warned Kurfi residents.

Radda in turn, received a gift of the Holy Qur’an and a ram from the Fardami Ward residents and a horse donated by the Village Head of Kaɗanɗani, in Rimi Local Government Area.

PrinceOfLagos:
Mr President himself

So much energy in this man unlike the so called "City boy of Lagos" that can't even treck for an hour to save his own life

Lizzysamuel:
Lagos light rail from Marina to Mile two is yet to be completed. Why were they making noise over an uncompleted project?

The coach never got to Marina, because the light train has not being completed and it wont be completed this year or even any time soon.

I was in Lagos Island, marina yesterday, then at Ijora Olopa where l saw only 3 coaches. The light train has not been completed, if you truly live in Lagos, go there and prove me wrong.

A stastician and forensic examiner, Samuel Oduntan has ,again, told the Osun State Election Petition Tribunal that there was over-voting in the governorship election that brought in Governor Ademola Adeleke in some of the polling units he examined.


This is just as another witness, Reverend Samuel Bunmi Jenyo, who claimed to be a Personal Assistant to Governor Adeleke said, the number of days between the date Adeleke obtained his Diploma Certificate in Penn Foster High School on 16th July, 2021 and Graduation from Atlanta Metropolitan College on 9th of August 2021 where he obtained his first degree was only 24 days.

The witnesses testified before the Justice Tertsea Kume-led tribunal at the resumed hearing of the petition filed by Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola and the All Progressives Congress (APC) against the declaration of Ademola Adeleke as the governor of the state.


Oduntan, while giving evidence in defence of Adeleke’s declaration said he was paid by Adeleke to extract information through physical inspection of BVAS machines used for the election and compared it with the form EC8 series where he discovered that over-voting occurred in some polling units, particularly six units in Ede South.

The witness told the panel that in Ward 4 unit 7, of Ede South, the accreditation figure he mentioned in his witness statement was 313, while the accreditation on the BVAS report was 383, which showed over-voting.


Effort of the Adeleke’s counsel, Onyeachi Ikpeazu SAN to prevent the witness from making comparison on the BVAS report and the result announced to show over-voting was overruled by the tribunal following the arguments of the petitioners’ counsel, Akin Olujinmi SAN that there was no law preventing him from cross-examining the witness.

He said though, he did not work as INEC official on the election day, but carried out physical inspection of the BVAS machines where he carried out his analysis.


Also in his evidence, Reverend Jenyo, appeared before the tribunal and tendered Adeleke’s certificates, bearing Penn Foster High School and Atlanta Metropolitan State College.

Claiming that part of his responsibility as Adeleke’s P.A was to keep his personal documents, he said he has never worked in any of the institutions purported to have been attended by the governor.

He added that though his International Passport does not show he attended Adeleke’s graduation in US, he claimed that he attended the graduation ceremony.


After the cross examination of the two witnesses, the Adeleke’s counsel closed his case.

Subsequently, counsel for PDP, Alex Izinyon SAN also opened his case and told the panel that he would not be calling any witness but would be relying on the evidence of the two other respondents.

He then tendered some documents and closed his case.

The tribunal then adjourned till January 13, 2023 for the parties in the matter to adopt their final written addresses, as the respondents were granted nine days to file written addresses, petitioners to file addresses within seven days and respondents to file reply on point of law within three days respectively.

PrinceOfLagos:
Rip big man

I hope this is not the end of the airline

Adetayo41:
I planning to leave the house for her, I am still in much pain. I swear to God. But will be sending her money for my twin babies

Addme:
Seun , mynd44 OAM4J .
I think their should be balancing in the report.

Yesterday afternoon, August 7, 2022, some opposition figures sought to trend a video in which thugs and supporters of former Senate President Bukola Saraki threw caution to the wind and disrupted an event held on 26th December 2018 by the Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU) at the Emir of Ilorins Palace. This video showed the Saraki crowd, known in those years for intimidating people, heckling the then governorship candidate of APC AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as he gave his remarks at the community event in the presence of the Emir and dignitaries from the Emirate.

Attached to the video (they tried to trend now) is a caption that the Governor was booed at Kwara State Polytechnic. It is false. No event took place in Kwara Polytechnic yesterday, August 7, 2022, to warrant the Governor being there. The video was taken in 2018 at the annual event organised by Ilorin Emirate's apex sociocultural body, the IEDPU. The Governor who was a candidate then, attended the event as a special guest of his home community association. It is well known that this riotous and disrespectful action by Saraki supporters and thugs was the last straw that caused the Saraki's loss of every single elective seat in Kwara at the 2019 General Elections.
Those who trended the video desperately meant to send the signal that an incumbent Governor was being booed.

That probably misled the wrong audience. For the Kwara audience, however, the video did the opposite. It reminded them of the terrible old days when anyone who held different views was treated with contempt and harassed with thugs loyal to the deposed dynasty. The video reminds them of the dreaded dark days when respected Royalty and elders of the community were humiliated for daring to differ. The video brought back memories of when opposition leaders were denied access to public places.

But the fake video came at a wrong moment in history.

Over the last three years of the AbdulRazaq Administration, Kwara has enjoyed unprecedented peace and security.

Scheduled flights to the city of Ilorin have quadrupled. Less than a month ago, this conducive environment allowed all Ilorin sons and daughters and residents of the capital city to enjoy a very peaceful Eid as well as a joyous Durbar at which the Governor and other dignitaries rode on horseback along with the Emir amidst a cheering tumultuous crowd. Such events were never held peacefully in those dark years.

It was a video that retold the story of the horrors of those years, in contrast with the convivial atmosphere that the same man they harassed in the old video has now created in Kwara State. It is a rude awakening of Kwarans to the ugly past administrations and a time call for them to exercise their imminent civic duty of voting to permanently bury the bad old days and its ruthless rulers.

While the Governor represents a bright new dawn of free speech, those behind the video are purveyors of fake news reminiscent of the old order.

Certainly, no reasonable Kwaran wishes a return of those years where to hold a contrary view earns you jeers, indignation and violence.

Members of the public are kindly urged to ignore the old video clip which is clearly one propaganda gone awry.

Alhaji Bashir Adigun
Special Adviser, Political Communication to the Governor of Kwara State

FreedomfromtheT:
I learnt that senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been nursing the ambition to become Nigeria's president for a long time. I think he deliberately allowed his wife to become a 'Christian' and get ordained as a 'pastor' for political reasons. Knowing that as a Southern Muslim, he would most probably go the Abiola way ( which he eventually did), I think he allowed his wife so as to use it to get the votes of Christians. My thoughts though.

Massiveglory:
What a beautiful day.

I lost my sweet mother this morning. The matriarch of our family. My supporter and backbone @indianpicolo.

I am beyond devastated. I have never felt pain like this in my life but I am consoled by the good life she lived. She was loved by everyone that ever met her.
She was so strong till the last minute for us even while she battled with cancer.

I have never typed a more difficult caption in my life. Please pray for our Mums soul to Rest In Peace and for strength for my dad, my siblings, her grandchildren and our entire family to bear this loss.