The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Monday said it has exhausted all its mechanisms to persuade Zamfara State Governor Bello Matawalle to remain in its fold and resist the overtures of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

It, however, said the ultimate choice on which side of the divide to belong ultimately rests with the governor as he alone can decide the political future he wants to chart for himself.

Matawalle will be formally received into the APC on Tuesday by the party leaders led by Governor Mai Mala Buni, who is the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the party.
President Muhammadu Buhari’s Personal Assistant on New Media, Bashir Ahmad, also disclosed yesterday that Matawalle has agreed to join the APC.

He wrote on his official social media handles “So Zamfara is back home. Welcome, Matawalle”.

When contacted, Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP’s National Publicity Secretary who had earlier said that the party will ensure all it can to make Matawalle see reason to remain in its fold, however said having done all they can, the ultimate decision lies with the governor to make.

”As far as we are concerned, every organ of the party have spoken with on the need to remain in the PDP on whose platform he became governor of Zamfara state but the final decision is for him to make.

”You will recall that the governors went to see him, party leaders have spoken with him, the National Working Committee also met and spoke with him. So, we have played our part, he has the final decision to make.”

Speaking earlier, a top PDP chieftain in the state who asked not to be named had said the governor is ‘already technically in APC but waiting for formal declaration to join the fold’.
“I can tell you that His Excellency Governor Matawalle is 80 percent in APC as we speak. If you look at the events that have played out in the past few weeks and you are a good political analyst, you will know that he is physically in PDP but his mind and body are in APC.

“Recently, like his counterpart in Cross Rivers who defected to APC few days ago, Governor Matawalle has not attended any PDP meeting in the last couple of days. He has only been sending representatives. Also, if you look at the dissolution of the cabinet carried out by the governor and few other actions taken by him, then it is safe to assume that his defection to APC is fait accompli”.

nairavsdollars:
Developing myself by being a member of Side Chicks Association Of Nigeria

L[b]eaders and chieftains of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are worried that the much anticipated national convention of the party may not hold anytime soon following the vote of confidence passed in the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) by governors elected on the platform of the party. ­[/b]

Kebbi State governor and chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), Senator Atiku Bagudu, while addressing newsmen last week had said the caretaker committee had performed creditably well by reinvigorat­ing the party at a critical time .

“The vote of confidence is imperative to encourage the leadership of the party to continue its strides in pi­loting her to its next level. It will be recalled that the CE­CPC of the party under the leadership of Gov. Buni was put in place to strengthen the ruling party in the face of some challenges.

“The Yobe State governor and his CECPC members have succeeded in attract­ing serving and former gov­ernors, senators, House of Representatives members as well as other notable opposi­tion figures to the party. They have also helped in stabilis­ing the APC and midwifed a successful membership drive to make the party the biggest in Africa,” the gover­nors said.

Checks by our correspon­dent revealed that many of the party members, especially state chairmen felt that the en­dorsement by the governors was to extend the tenure of the Buni-led caretaker com­mittee by another six months, a situation many of them who have been clamouring for a substantive National Work­ing Committee (NWC) are not comfortable with.

The caretaker committee had few days ago rolled out time table for the conduct of party’s congresses from the ward to zonal levels. The time table was, however, silent on date of the national conven­tion of the party.

A time-table which was re­leased, but later withdrawn indicated that ward con­gresses would begin on July 10, while local government congresses would follow on August 6, 2021. State congress­es were scheduled for Septem­ber 3 and zonal congresses for September 30, 2021.

The Buni-led caretaker committee which first came into office in June 2020 fol­lowing the dissolution of the Adams Oshiomhole-led NWC was charged with the responsibility of reconciling aggrieved members of the party and organising a na­tional convention.

However, the APC National Executive Committee (NEC) in December 2020 extended the tenure of the Buni-led CECPC which will lapse this month end.

Our correspondent also gathered that even if the na­tional convention will hold, the APC governors who are already comfortable with one of them as the caretaker chairman will want the trend to continue by ensuring that they determine the next na­tional chairman.

When contacted, a member of the CECPC, who does not want his name in print, said it is wrong for anyone to assume that the vote of confidence passed by the APC governors in the Buni-led committee is an endorsement aimed at ex­tending their tenure.

“The vote of confidence by the APC governors in the CECPC is just an act of soli­darity and nothing more. The governors are just showing solidarity with one of them (Buni) who has been effec­tively combining his work as caretaker chairman with his position as governor of Yobe State”.

Also speaking with Daily Independent, a former sen­ator from the South-West, who spoke on condition of anonymity, dismissed the al­legations that the governor can on their own determine the next national chairman of the party.

“The governors are power­ful and influential, no doubt. Naturally, they would want to influence the choice of the next chairman but they can’t solely determine the choice”.

On the claim that Asiwa­ju Bola Tinubu, the party’s national leader, was losing grip, he said, “I doubt if that is true. Most of the governors who are with Asiwaju are still with him. And these people, whether you like it or not are in charge of their party structures in their respective states.

“Unless the governors who are with him dumped him, then the issue of Asiwaju los­ing grip of the party structure or his influence waning does not arise.

“He has more northern governors on his side than southern governors. If you notice the crowd that wel­comed him in Maiduguri when he visited, those in charge of the party in the state made it possible. Borno is one of the states with Asi­waju till date”, he said.

HARRYPORTTERJNR:
MUGU MUGU.DID APC WIN IN THE BALLOT?

AchalugoNwa:
if this is true then Anambra is Pdp for the taking if they do their homework.

Anambra vote Apc?
God forbid!

holy ghost fire

Penguin2:
But why would Obiano treat Bianca Ojukwu the he treated her?

damble:
Wetin concern Easterners with APC. These governors!



Anyway, say goodbye to 1 minutes sex. Be free from quick ejaculation. Contact me for SAMSU OIL. The only known remedy with no side effects: zero nine zero one one six three six three one one

Ahead of the 2023 presidential election, the Southwest Agenda for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (SWAGA) has cautioned those politicizing the health status of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, former governor of Lagos state, saying they should not be playing God who alone can give health and long life.

Speaking in a chat with Daily Independent, Senator Dayo Adeyeye, coordinator and chairman of the group said Tinubu in his bid to attend to all his visitors, sleeps at 3am everyday and wakes up by 10am, adding that most youths complaining about the health of the All Progressives Congress (APC) national leader lack the capacity to do so.

He added that Tinubu will not desire to aspire for the highest political office in the land if he knows his health capacity cannot carry him.
Citing the example of President Muhammadu Buhari, Adeyeye said some people critising the president over his health status have died while he (Buhari) is still alive.

“Asiwaju’s issue is not strange to him. He laughs over most of these things people say about him. You don’t want to be President and everybody says that you are a saint. No! They talk about his health. Do you know his health more than him? If he thinks he is not capable, will he come out?”

“Do you have his medical report? There are some people who are talking about Buhari’s but they have died now while Buhari is still alive. Nobody should talk about anybody’s health; health is given by God. And a man who wants to become president, if he doesn’t think he is healthy enough, he will not go for it. So, it is not for you to come out and politicise another person’s health”.

“Asiwaju doesn’t sleep until 3am and he is up by 10am. Most of us who are not up to his age cannot do it. He has been doing that for over 15 years. We always beg him to go and sleep but he will say he wants to attend to everyone before retiring to bed”.

“There are some young men who will spend their time doing disco party, chasing after women and drinking excessive beer and wine. Is that the kind of people we want as our president? “

LegalWolf:


I can’t compare with Fashola but I doubt ambode. See, starting a project is not the thing. It is the commitment to finish. Conceded Fashola started badagry, what did Ambode do for his four years? Nada! I lived in Ashiribo after Federal Secondary School and I can tell you it was hell understand Ambode. But Sanwoolu has done well. And this goes for so many facets of human endeavors

joyandfaith:

Did he not pay them to get ticket?

Niyeal:
Both of them

Mikecold:
lol,

Ask any body who Charles idahosa is in Edo they don't know

He is only heard in dallies, his highest position still remains mere commissioner, sometimes he fights for S. A

The Presidency on Thursday kept mum over the statement by President Muhammadu Buhari where he mentioned that it is unacceptable for someone sitting in Lagos to decide the fate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on zoning for the 2023 presidential election.

The President in an interview with Arise TV had said the party will be the ultimate decider on whose zone will produce his successor in 2023 and not someone sitting in Lagos.

“You cannot sit there in Lagos, for instance, and decide on the fate of APC on zoning. Therefore we should allow the party to decide.”

Many commentators on social media believed he was referring to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, former governor of Lagos state and National leader of the APC.

“Of course, he is referring to no other person than Tinubu. Why mention Lagos out of the entire 36 states and Abuja?. You need to see the anger in his face when he said that” Gafar Olakanmi, an APC member in Lagos said.

When Daily Independent contacted Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity to the President and asked if the President was referring to Tinubu, he paused and then promised to get back to our correspondent.

“I will get back to you. Hopefully, I will get back to you soon” he said.

Calls made by our correspondent to his line hours later were not answered.

The senator representing Enugu North senatorial district in the National Assembly, Chukwuka Utazi has raised an alarm that Nigeria will face serious food challenges next year as farmers are unable to go to their farms due to attacks by killer herdsmen.

Speaking on Channels Television programme ‘Politics Today’ monitored by Daily Independent, Utazi the insecurity crisis in the South East will be reduced to the barest minimum if urgent action is taken to arrest killer herdsmen who are moving about with AK-47 and are killing innocent citizens.

He said the people of the South East have now agreed that state police will go a long way in addressing the insecurity challenges as governors are powerless to perform their roles as chief security officers owing to the present unitary system which supports central policing from Abuja.

He said: “You have to look at the issue of these people moving about with AK-47 and killing our people. Beyond that people are saying we want state police. Before many people didn’t agree but today, it is a common issue for us in the South East and even in the southern part of Nigeria. We want state police so that we can help".

“Now, you find that governors are chief security officers but they are not in charge. We have look at all those issues and we have come to the conclusion that it is very important that we have state police in the southeast to help us tackle the insecurity challenges.

“Today, many people cannot move to their farms, not to talk of kidnap for ransom and banditry and all that. we must disarm these herders moving about with AK-47 so that we can be civil and be able to discuss with our people. If we don’t do so, things will become difficult.

“Next year, we are going to face a lot of challenges in terms of food security in this country because many people cannot farm.

“This is farming season in my area but how many people can go to farms? They are not going anywhere and we are here speaking grammar and talking politics. We have to look at these issues and solve them once and for all.”