The Speaker Yobe State House of Assembly, Hon Ahmed Mirwa Lawan, has lost his seat to Lawan Musa a 35-year-old candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Nguru II Constituency.
The Returning Officer of the election, Dr Habib Muhammad, who announced the results said Musa, scored 6,648 votes to defeat Yobe’s Speaker of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who got 6,466 votes.
He said other candidates of ADC, NNPP and APM secured 3,023 and 14 votes respectively.
Daily Trust gathered that the Yobe’s Speaker has been in the house since 2003 when he was elected as House member under All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).
With less than 30 hours to the Presidential and National Assembly elections, no fewer than 5,000 members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Labour Party (LP) have collapsed their structures into the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The decampees, whose structures had all along worked for the APC and LP across the country, changed loyalty to the PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar at an event organised by the Atiku Youth World Outreach on Thursday in Abuja.
The spokesperson for the defectors who came on the aegis of Concerned Nigerian Youths, Mr Uko Miracle, handed over the decampees to the PDP.
In his remarks, Miracle said that the youths decided to pledge their loyalty to Atiku because of his experience in governance.
He said: “Atiku is more experienced and has capacity, wisdom and self-will. He stands far above other candidates.
“Atiku has the self-will to drive Nigeria to the promised land,” he said.
Patron of the Youth Outreach, Maryam Atiku, said: “This is very exciting for us. PDP is indeed a party for the young.”
She said that the youths had a chance to reclaim Nigeria if Atiku was voted into power.
“Atiku and the PDP are committed to recovering this country and making it safe for everyone.
“The PDP will unite this country, improve security, support small businesses, create jobs and better our economy.
“As you have come here to align with the PDP, you have done what is right and what is best for Nigeria.
“We all have to go back to our wards, units and deliver PDP. That is the ultimate task; we cannot be left out,” she said.
Mr Eta Uso, Special Assistant, New Media Operations, to Atiku, urged the party supporters to vote en-masse for Atiku on Saturday.
“This election is going to be a game changer,” he said.
Director General, Youth World Outreach, Suleiman Yakubu, in his remark, declared that Saturday was a very important day for all Nigerians.
Dumebi Kachikwu, presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), says he is forced to accept the sad reality that he cannot win.
The presidential election is billed to take place across the country on Saturday, February 25.
On February 20, TheCable reported that the interim leadership of the ADC blamed Ralph Nwosu, the national chair who was recently removed by a court, for being responsible for actions of aggrieved factions destabilising the party.
Prior to this, some chieftains of the party led by Nwosu declared their support for Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), while another faction endorsed Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Similarly, Biyi Otegbeye, governorship candidate of ADC in Ogun state, declared his support for Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) standard bearer.
Speaking at a news conference on Thursday in Abuja, Kachikwu said although there is no hope of him clinching the presidential seat, he will not quit the race.
“I am forced to accept the sad reality that there is no pathway towards victory for Ahmed and me,” NAN quoted him as saying.
“I will, therefore, make a different argument today and it is the case for a Nigeria that works for everyone.”
Kachikwu, however, commended the acceptance of Obi by the youths, adding that to defeat the ruling party at the polls, LP and the PDP must form a formidable partnership.
“As true democrats, the leadership of both the PDP and Labour Party must find a way to work with the other smaller parties towards building a formidable coalition that ensures that the contest is even,’ he said.
“Any attempt to go this alone guarantees another four years for the APC. Beyond this, we must accept the reality that except Northern Nigeria miraculously comes together in the next 24 hours to throw their support for the PDP candidate, the race looks likely to favour the APC candidate.
“I subscribe to the argument that the Igbo have not had a fair share in the Nigerian nation, most of the blame for this must go to our leaders who mostly subscribe to self and family as against building their states or region.”
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faithful in Benue South Senatorial District rose from a stakeholders meeting in Otukpo on Thursday to formally endorse the candidature of Atiku Abubakar as the preferred candidate for the plum position in 2023.
The meeting was held in the Otukpo country home of former President of the Senate, Senator David Mark.
In a statement by the Special Adviser to the former Senate, President, Paul Mumeh, said, the PDP stakeholders resolved to vote for Abubakar on the premise that their interest will be better served under his presidency.
They distanced themselves from those campaigning for candidates of other political parties, saying, they cannot be faithful members of the PDP and be seen to be working for candidates of other political parties.
They, therefore, urged all party members not to be distracted by the antics of a few but should go all out to vote for candidates of the PDP in the February 25, 2023 and March 11, 2023 elections.
Addressing the stakeholders drawn for the nine local government areas making up Benue South Senatorial District, Senator Mark told them to be faithful to PDP “because it makes no sense for people to be jumping from one party to the other.”
He said political parties are vehicles for achieving one’s political ambition that must of a necessity be held sacrosanct obeying the rules and regulations.
Senator Mark frowned at those who jump from one party to the other saying “they are people without conviction or do not know what they really want”.
Current Benue South Senator Abba Moro urged the party faithful to remain steadfast with the PDP.
ABUJA– The Supreme Court, on Wednesday, said it would not allow the Federal Government and states of the federation to turn the Judiciary to a scapegoat in the legal dispute that is currently trailing the ban on use of the N200, N500 and N1000 banknotes as valid legal tenders.
Justice Inyang Okoro, who is heading a seven-man panel of the apex court, made the declaration while consolidating various suits that different states filed to halt the full implementation of the Naira swap policy that was recently introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.
The court had shortly before it stood down its proceedings to allow all the states it joined as interested parties in the matter, to regularise their processes, bemoaned the fact that the dispute has placed the judiciary in the eye of the storm.
The Attorney-General of Lagos State, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN, had before the court went on 10 minutes short break, drew attention to the fact that it had yet to receive any process from FG, in respect of the case.
Onigbanjo noted that with the development, the planned hearing of the consolidated suits of the states may be hampered.
However, before the Lagos AG could conclude his submission, the apex court panel restated its resolve to ensure that the matter was expeditiously heard and determined.
“We want to make it very clear that we are going to hear this matter today because we don’t want a situation where the judiciary will be made a scapegoat.
“With the way this matter is going, they want to make the judiciary a scapegoat but we can’t allow that.
“We are going to hear everything and take our decision. If you have a contempt proceeding, we will also hear it today”, leader of the panel, Justice Okoro stated.
Though the court initially said it would no longer allow any state to join the case as interested party, however, upon its resumed proceedings after the break, it okayed a joinder application that was filed by Abia State.
Counsel to Abia state, Mrs. Udochi Iheanachor told the court that her client had an application it filed on Tuesday, applied to be allowed to consolidate its position with other states challenging the new monetary policy by the CBN.
Though Plateau state attempted to also join in the suit, the apex court declined.
It asked all other states to await its decision on the matter.
Meanwhile, Zamfara state, through its lawyer, Mr. Abiodun Owonikoko, SAN, urged the apex court to set-aside the broadcast that President Muhammadu Bihari made on February 16, wherein he okayed only the old N200 banknote to remain a legal tender till April 10.
Owonikoko, SAN, argued that the President’s directive was a direct affront on the interim order of the apex court that restrained FG from proceeding with the full implementation of the CBN’s monetary policy.
However, on its part, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, urged the Supreme Court to dismiss the case of the plaintiffs for want of competence.
In his Preliminary Objection that was moved by Mr. Tijjani Gazali, SAN, the AGF, maintainedthat the Supreme Court lacked the requisite jurisdiction to entertain the dispute.
Listing his grounds for challenging power of the Supreme Court to intervene in the matter, Malami, accused the plaintiffs of opposing FG’s power, through its agency, the CBN, to withdraw old banknotes and introduce new ones.
According to him, “The Plaintiffs’ suit is about the power vested on the Central Bank of Nigeria by the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007 to call in its Banknotes and introduce new ones.
“This suit as presently constituted, falls under section 251(1)(a)(p)(q) & (r) of the Constitution (exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal High Court) by virtue of the subject matter and parties.
“The Claims or reliefs are not against the Federation, but the Federal Government and its Agency, the Central Bank of Nigeria.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria is distinct from the Federation or the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Plaintiffs have no grievance whatsoever against the Federation of Nigeria.
“This Suit has disclosed no dispute that invokes this Court’s original jurisdiction as constitutionally defined. This suit is an abuse of judicial process.
The Plaintiff have no locus standi to institute this action.
“The Plaintiffs have no reasonable cause of action against the Defendant”, Malami argued.
The Plaintiffs however urged the apex court not to exercise any favourable discretion to FG which they argued acted in contempt of a subsisting order of the court.
Lagos told the court that its case was different, lamenting that the new monetary policy by the CBN constrained it from carrying out its statutory functions as a state.
It will be recalled that the court had earlier joined seven states- Lagos, Cross River, Ogun, Ekiti, Ondo, Sokoto and President Buhari’s homestate, Katsina, as parties to the suit that was originally filed by three northern states- Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara
Though only the AGF was initially cited as the sole defendant in the matter, the apex court okayed requests by Edo and Bayelsa states to be allowed to join the suit to support FG as co-Plaintiffs.
On the other hand, Rivers, Kano, Jigawa and Nasarawa states had maintained that their own case was different, stressing that their grouse was not only with the Naira swap policy, but also with the cash withdrawal limits the CBN allowed for corporate entities and individuals, respectively.
While consolidating all the cases, the Supreme Court noted that the issue in dispute resolves around Section 20(3) of the CBN Act.
It held that there was no need for more states to apply for permission to join the legal fireworks.
The apex court held that other interested states should abide by its decision in the matter.
APC Northern Youth Leaders/Group, decamping to PDP and endorsement of @Atiku and @IAOkowa as President and Vice President of Nigeria come February 25, 2023. #RecoverNigeria #VotePDP
Scores of youths from the All Progressives Congress on Monday defected to the Peoples Democratic Party in Delta State ahead of Saturday’s elections.
While receiving the defectors, the vice presidential candidate of the PDP and Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State admonished them not to entertain fear over the outcome of the elections.
He said, “We welcome you all to the PDP, the party is a big umbrella capable of covering everybody.
“On Saturday’s presidential election, don’t worry, the PDP will win, there is no doubt about that. Politics is all about numbers, so when we come together, it will be easy for us.
He assured the youths that nobody was marginalising anybody in the party.
The former APC Secretary, Mr Nick Otunba and Chief Roland Irero who led the defectors, said the defection was a confirmation that Delta State belonged to the PDP.
He said that he was not only happy to join PDP but also happy to see a mass defection from the APC to the party following the hardship the APC brought to the people.
They described the APC especially at the state level as a one-man show that had no interest of the masses at heart.
In another development, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Women Worldwide has endorsed the candidature of Atiku/Okowa.
The group made the enforcement in a town hall meeting on Monday in Asaba.
Again, protest has erupted in Ogun State over the naira scarcity, with videos online showing two banks set on fire in the Sagamu area of the state.
The videos shared on Monday showed many residents watching as Keystone and Union banks were set ablaze with some youths holding planks in protest.
On Friday last week, The PUNCH had reported how protest erupted in the Mowe-Ibafo area of Ogun State, with many residents blocking the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in protest of the woes and hardship caused by the lingering scarcity of the naira.
Reacting to the development, a Twitter user, @arranowanna wrote, “Kindly advise your friends, families and acquaintances to avoid any protests. Take your frustration to the ballots on Saturday. Don’t burn banks, don’t burn petrol stations, don’t burn government properties.”
Another user, @morningstar_305 wrote, “I just put a call through to the house and it was confirmed to me that keystone bank and union bank at ijoku has been set ablaze by angry citizens.”
While popular tweep, Pooja, wrote, “If you are in Sagamu, be careful cos there is a protest on new naira notes.”
Meanwhile, on Thursday last week, the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), in a national broadcast had said the old N500 and N1,000 notes were no longer legal tender in the country, however extending the validity of the old N200 note for 60 days, till April 10, 2023.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Bola Oyeyemi, could not be reached as at the time of filing this report, as phone calls to his line were not responded to.
No fewer than 150 supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress in Sokoto State on Sunday decamped to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.
The Chairman of the Atiku/Ubandoma Campaign Committee in Sokoto, Alhaji Isah Madorawa, received the defectors who are from Raha village, Dingyadi/Badawa ward in the Bodinga Local Government Area of the state.
The APC supporters were led to join the PDP by Mallam Dansule Abubakar, who is the chairman of Raha B polling area.
Receiving them, Madorawa said, “The PDP is the only organised and respected party that can redeem Nigerians from suffering and the poor governance created by APC-led administration in the country.
“They brought policies that brought suffering, agony to majority of Nigerians, yet they want to ride on our suffering again, trying to continue with such draconian rule because of lack of sympathy and empathy for the situations of the ordinary man.”
The PDP chieftain urged Sokoto people not to entrust their future into the hands of the APC again, describing the ruling party as agents of destruction.
Rather, he urged them to vote for the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, as well as all the other candidates being fielded by the PDP.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the PDP in the Bodinga Local Government Area, Alhaji Abubakar Sifawa, and local council chairman, Shehu Mohd, promised the defectors fairness and support.
Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Dansule Abubakar commended the good and exemplary leadership of PDP leaders in Bodinga LGA and the kindness shown to the defectors despite being from different parties.
He said they left the APC because of constant lies being peddled to bring confusion and misunderstanding in their community.
He said, “The APC is just like a disaster waiting to happen due to the arrogance of their leaders who have the habit of misleading their children to be thugs, causing trouble and injustice.
“We will mobilise our wives, children and all others to come out and fully support the PDP candidates during election.”
Gov. Abiodun distributes old notes to supporters amidst allegations of storing invalid N500, N1000 for election
The governor and his colleagues opposition to the FG directive on the policy is said to be because they had stocked up old notes to induce voters during the general election.
Governor Dapo Abiodun has begun the distribution of old naira notes to his supporters in Ogun State, in an effort to garner more public support for the fast-approaching general election, amidst allegations that he and other politicians had stocked up notes to induce voters.
In a video seen by Peoples Gazette on Sunday, agents of Mr Abiodun could be seen sharing the old notes in envelopes branded with the governor’s picture, convincing the supporters that the notes remain legal tenders contrary to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) policy.
“These notes remain legal tender, the governor will come back for an enforcement if banks reject them,” his agent told supporters who tried to protest the validity of the notes.
Mr Abiodun alongside his Lagos and Kaduna counterparts and several other state governors have maintained an undaunting opposition to the directive of the presidency and the CBN on the validity of old notes.
The governors have insisted that the old notes should remain legal tender until the Supreme Court makes a definitive pronouncement on the matter which was earlier adjourned to February 22.
The 10 governors who oppose the president’s directive also approached the apex court over the weekend, seeking to obtain a pronouncement that President Muhammadu Buhari and the CBN’s insistence on taking the N1000 and N500 notes out of circulation violate an earlier ruling of the court ordering all parties to maintain status quo.
Political analysts are not united in their perspectives of the situation. While some see the most recent suit against the federal government and the CBN as putting democracy to test, others see it as sheer political selfishness, accusing Governor Abiodun and his colleagues of seeking a free reign of political lawlessness and electoral malpractices during the elections.
The APC governors challenging the federal government have been accused of opposing the CBN policy so as to be able to spend the cash they already have stored for the purpose of influencing the election.
Dear @officialEFCC Good afternoon, Gov Dapo Abiodun is sharing the old 1000 naira and 500 that has already been banned by federal government to it's citizens to deposit in the bank !!!
Dear @officialEFCC Good afternoon, Gov Dapo Abiodun is sharing the old 1000 naira and 500 that has already been banned by federal government to it's citizens to deposit in the bank !!! pic.twitter.com/UkMrIYnMz0
Amidst the Naira Crisis Dapo Abiodun is going about to buy relevance and segregating himself from APC 😂 as if he is not part of the system that failed,
Baba Gave out old naira notes he don keep for house make citizens go dey struggle am out with Banks😂whala
Asiri ti n tu🤣
Amidst the Naira Crisis Dapo Abiodun is going about to buy relevance and segregating himself from APC 😂 as if he is not part of the system that failed,
Baba Gave out old naira notes he don keep for house make citizens go dey struggle am out with Banks😂whala
The All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, has been warned to be wary of Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
Deji Adeyanju, a socio-political activist, warned Tinubu to be prepared because El-Rufai would betray him when the time comes.
In a tweet, Adeyanju pointed out that the governor has betrayed President Muhammadu Buhari.
Stressing that power is transient, Adeyanju wrote: “ElRufai will still betray Tinubu at the right time. Buhari is learning new lessons. He hasn’t even left Aso Rock yet but they are already showing him the kind of shege to expect. Power is always transient.”
El-Rufai, who is known to be close to Buhari, spoke against the president and his government last week.
The APC chieftain accused Buhari of allowing evil individuals to use him to fight the APC.
El-Rufai said those people who are using the president as an instrument to defeat the APC are doing so because they failed in their bid to force their own candidate on the party during the June 2022 primaries.
The governor was reacting to Buhari’s pronouncement on Naira redesign policy and the ongoing currency crisis Nigerians are experiencing.
He stressed that the old naira notes remain valid in Kaduna State.
If BVAS results are transmitted to a central server from the units, it means the central server is a Collation Center for this purpose. Therefore, for transparency, should ALL PARTIES not be represented at the location of the Central Server & see the results arrive? @inecnigeria
Politics › 35-Year-Old Ends Yobe Speaker’s 5th Term Ambition by FuglyGurl(op): 10:59am On Mar 19, 2023
