how is he doing Tinubu damages? by campaigning for him

LibertyRep:
Only?

That's ridiculous! There are a thousand and one competent persons in the South that are as qualified as Mr. Tinubu for the plum job.

This person may unwittingly be doing more damages to the chances of his principal.

Are these the sort of ass-licking aides we should be expecting?

Chief Olabode Ibiyinka George, former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in this interview with TEMIDAYO AKINSUYI, expresses his thoughts on the ban of Twitter by the federal government, ongoing constitution review exercise and other national issues. Excerpts:

The Federal Government at the weekend suspended, indefinitely, the operations of Twitter in Nigeria for deleting a tweet by President Muhammadu Buhari. What is your take on that?

The outright ban of Twitter is not a proper thing to do. This government should be patient in their dealings. If the federal government is angry with Twitter, does that imply that all Nigerians are also at war with Twitter? Were Nigerians consulted before this decision was taken? The head of the Minister of Information should be examined. Why will he advise the President to take such a decision? Why should the Minister of Communications give that advice? If they find any fault with our currency now, will the federal government ban the exchange of naira to dollars?

This is scary. Why are we just fighting everybody up and down? It has nothing to do with politics. It is undemocratic and illegal. My advice to oga (President Buhari) is to take things easy. We are in a democracy and not under military rule. When Twitter banned Donald Trump during the US presidential election, why didn’t Trump place outright ban on Twitter in the whole of US?

The President’s account with Twitter is an individual account, not that of all Nigerians. Twitter is a private company and they have their laws. If they said the President’s tweet violated their rules and deleted it; let them take it up with Twitter. It is an individual account and not that of the entire country. Are we consulted before the President signed in for Twitter? Why should we be punished for his sins?

In all these, where is the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo? He is a constitutional lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria but he is just sitting down there looking. Will he not be a better adviser to the President?. Why he is keeping quiet in the face of all these? Is he just Vice-President by name? Is he just a loading number there or a figure head second in command? He should wake up too and advise the President on constitutional matters. They keep shouting that they have done well in the last six years, the result is clear for everyone to see.

What options do Nigerians have in this, can the federal government be sued?

Of course, people can sue the federal government but unfortunately, the courts are not sitting. Everything is just closing on us. I can never support this ban. How can they punish Nigerians for the sins committed by the President? If the Twitter management believe there is a mistake on his part or he tweeted something that they didn’t like, he should resolve it with them, not saying all Nigerians will not have access to Twitter again. What types of people are advising the President? The Minister of Information should explain himself and the Communications Minister too is also culpable. Must all Nigerians suffer because they close the account of the President? That is very primitive. Twitter only said they don’t like the tone of language used by the President; that’s all. Why are they are treating the issue like it is a direct slap on all Nigerians? When Trump violated their rules, they only singled out his account for ban. Why didn’t they say because he is the president of the United States, then all Americans should be banned? Why should our own be different here? They are talking about June 12 as Democracy day, is this action democratic? They should please take things easy and not test the patience of Nigerians. This is a purely a matter between the President and Twitter, they should stop treating it as if all Nigerians are at war with Twitter?

What is your take on the ongoing constitution amendment exercise?

Few days ago, I wrote an open letter to the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan where I said it was our first Prime Minister Alhaji Tafawa Balewa who was once observed that the “Nigerian democracy should be an ethnic commonwealth which should give each constituent a fair place under its umbrella even if they have lost at the polls. “

This succinct wisdom long uttered more than sixty years ago is the very pivot of the present agitation for a more equitable union. However , the present shadow boxing in the name of the constitution review will not meet Balewa’s standard.

And thus, when the Senate Constitutional Review Committee berthed in Lagos the other day, it was without any inkling of democratic seriousness, totally devoid of any sense of fairness, indifferent to the equitable pursuit of justice. The Lagos public hearing of the constitutional review committee was wrong footed ab initio. There was nothing genuine or sincere about the mode of presentation. There was no attempt to widen the pool of contributions or give the public hearing any semblance of popular input.

The Chairperson of the Lagos hearing , Senator Remi Tinubu, typified the narrow, restrictive nature of the Committee. She was overbearing, uppity, vain, even truculent in her engagement with contributors.

Many people were deliberately denied the openness of democratic contributions. The hearing was stage-managed, anchored in prejudice, framed in puppeteering identification. Alternative views were cast aside, flung into the pits . This is not right . This is not just.

It is obvious that the Committee is not interested in true and thorough representation of the will of the Nigerian people. It appears to be working with a script towards a predetermined end. The contributions were narrow, overtly partisan, one-sided, lacking in plural contributory logic. This is not acceptable to the Nigerian people. The structures of the present constitution is so biased , so flawed and so mangled with inequities that a mere review will not be sufficient to correct all the glaring wrongs afflicting the Nigerian state.

The unanimous position of the Nigerian people is the total overhaul of the present constitution. Nothing else will do. A genuine juncture of remedy will be to revisit the report of the 2014 Constitutional Conference which has been generally applauded for the sweeping breadth of its equity and democratic balance in rectifying the prejudicial and unworkable structures that are on the ground now.

As a stakeholder in the Nigerian project and as someone who is sworn to the unity of the Nigerian state, I believe that our nation can emerge stronger and better only when all the component units that make up our nation have a sense of belongingness and general accommodation regardless of tribe or sectarian belief, when everyone is treated equally without ethnic bias, when merit is the sole determinant of public positions. This can only be achieved with a people’s constitution. This is indeed what we should work for rather than the charade and the present jamboree that is chaired by Senator Ovie Omo – Agege.

Enough of this false and misleading engagement. Let’s renew our nation through the pursuit of the truth and the resolve on the fairness doctrine. Their-in resides the national salvation. It is only fit and proper that I should conclude this intervention with another nugget of wisdom from our first Prime Minister, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa when he observed : “If crook’s are allowed to determine the destiny of the people, the people will suffer indefinitely.

Governor Seyi Makinde is marking two years in office. How will you rate his performance as the only PDP governor in the SouthWest?

If I am to rate Governor Makinde from figure zero to ten, I will score him 9/10. This is because despite enormous challenges, his performance in the last two years has been quite impressive and he has tried his best to fulfill his electoral campaigns to the people of the state.

You need to visit Oyo state and see what he has been able to achieve so far; all the infrastructural developments and other achievements in other critical sectors. Take for instance, all the road construction across the state. On Thursday, he inaugurated the 65km Moniya-Ijaiye -Iseyin Road. Even the Oke-Ogun road that was impassable before is now rehabilitated.

In the educational sector, look at the support he gave to pupils who have dropped out of schools and were roaming the streets because their parents cannot afford to pay their school fees. Less than a year that he became governor, COVID-19 came and he was able to handle it successfully without letting it get out of hand in the state.

Don’t also forget that Oyo is a very big state with 33 local governments. In the transportation area, I can say that he performed creditably well if you look at transportation within the city of Ibadan. He has also done well in tackling insecurity so that the people of the state can have peace.

Let’s keep praying for him that he will still be able to do more to make life more meaningful for the people. I wish him and the good people of Oyo state the best and I am appealing to them to cooperate with him and give him more support in the coming days so that he can be able to achieve more.
https://independent.ng/twitter-ban-nigerians-shouldnt-suffer-for-the-offence-committed-by-buhari-bode-george/

i will lodge there

i only hope some people won't be crying for refund later

The traditional ruler of Arigidi Akoko in Akoko North-West Local Government Area of Ondo State, Zaki of Arigidi-Akoko, Oba Yisa Olanipekun, said the founder of Synagogue Church of All Nation(SCON), Prophet TB Joshua, came to bid him farewell in his dream before he was pronounced dead in Lagos.

The traditional ruler who disclosed this while speaking with newsmen said the development indicated the love the late televangelist had for his people and home town.

The traditional ruler said immediately Joshua appeared to him, around 1 am on Sunday, he told people and security guards in the palace that a great man has died in the town. As you can see, I have not been myself because this is a great loss to me, my family and the whole of Akoko and even the world in general.

“The day he died, he visited me at night, I sat down here in this palace, I called one of the security men if he can hear the noise of crusaders but moving some steps, the whole noise stopped.

“So, most of the time, I call him papa. I could not believe his death until a reliable source told me his remains has been deposited in the morgue.

“His visit to me the night of his death signifies that this is where he comes from and wants to be buried. He has a lot of dreams for the town. He has acquired lots of lands where he is building church and school.

“What he told me was that, after 50 years of age, he was going to come back home and had it in mind to complete some project as soon as possible, meaning he wants to move his church to Arigidi Akoko.”
https://tribuneonlineng.com/t-b-joshua-appeared-to-me-day-he-died-%e2%80%95-zaki-of-arigidi-akoko/

says a chronic womaniser

i don't believe you. don't provoke Nigerians

istina:
Nothing will happen
People will simply migrate to other similar apps like Telegram, etc

They too can't try that!

Temidayo Akinsuyi, Lagos

The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Con­gress (APC) on Sunday said it will not refund any money to chairmanship and coun­cillorship aspirants who lost out in the recently conclud­ed primary elections to select candidates for the scheduled July 24, 2021 local government polls.

The state’s Caretaker Committee Chairman, Chief Tunde Balogun, and the Secretary, Lanre Ogunyemi, had in a statement on Friday, titled, ‘List of 57 Lagos State APC Chairmanship and Vice Chairmanship candidates for the forth-coming 2021 Lo­cal Government Elections,’ announced the results of the primaries.

But the results had since been generating ripples in the rank and file of the party. There were also threats by hoodlums to invade the party secretariat located on ACME Road, Ogba. The area was cordoned off by fierce-looking security operatives last week.

Some of the aggrieved aspi­rants have been pleading with the Governor’s Advisory Com­mittee (GAC), the highest deci­sion-making body in the state headed by Asiwaju Bola Tinu­bu, former governor of Lagos State and the party’s national leader to refund their money.

According to them, chair­manship aspirants paid N2 million, plus N50,000 admin fee for the party’s nomination forms, while female aspirants got 50 percent off, exclusive of the admin fee.

“Aside, the nomination fees, we also settled party leaders and mobilise party members for the primaries. Why should they make us spend our hard-earned money when they know they already had pre­ferred candidates?” one of the aspirants asked.

But speaking with Daily Independent on Sunday, Alha­ji Tunde Balogun, the party chairman, said no aspirant should expect a refund as they were not forced into collecting the nomination forms.

He added that the party spent a lot of money in pur­chasing nomination forms, logistics and other expenses to conduct the primaries in 377 wards across the state.

“Nobody should expect any refund from us. If you contest an election, does INEC pay you back? The answer is no. So, why should any aspirant expect a refund from us?

“Yes, they paid for nomina­tion forms but we produced ballot papers and other mate­rials used for the primaries. We also spent a lot of money for logistics. So, there is no re­fund for anyone.

“Those who paid for nom­ination forms did so on their own volition. It was their choice to do so. Nobody forced anyone to pay for anything and I can tell you that the process was open and transparent.

“I have never seen any par­ty so magnanimous to allow female aspirants to pay 50 per­cent of the nomination fees. I have never seen any party that has allowed aspirants less than 40 years to contest with 50 percent payment. We did that so that we can allow as many people to participate.

Also, we allowed the phys­ically challenged to pay a meagre amount so that they too can participate. So, there is no reason for any refund. We have spent a lot of money on printing ballot papers, nomi­nation forms and lots of funds were provided for logistics.

“Remember, we contested elections in 377 wards across the state. So, the cost was huge. These people are only looking at what they have paid as aspi­rants but what we have spent as a party is humongous”.

Balogun also appealed to aggrieved aspirants who are threatening to go to court not to do so, urging them to chan­nel their grievances through the APC Election Appeal Com­mittee.

“There is an appeal com­mittee. They are still sitting and we will consider their report. I don’t see any reason why any aspirant should go to court.

“Of course, the decision of the appeal committee will be binding on us. We could not have election for one week without giving people the re­sult. What will be my expla­nation to our party members today if the results have not been released? So, we have played our part but we will respect the decision of the Appeal Committee”.

In a related development, Hon. Akinwunmi Bayode, chairmanship aspirant of the APC in Iru/Victoria Island LCDA, has petitioned the State Appeal Committee on Local Government Election over alleged fraudulent manipu­lations in the just concluded direct primaries held across the state.

In the petition, Bayode al­leged electoral malpractices, intimidation and oppression of his loyalists, saying evi­dence abound that he defeated Rasheeda Adu, the incumbent chairman of Iru/Victoria Is­land LCDA in the controver­sial primary.

While calling for a cancel­lation of the primary and a fresh election, he said he will do everything possible to get justice and may take legal action if his petition was not acted upon.

Speaking further, Bayode said it was wrong for the APC leadership in the state led by Alhaji Tunde Balogun to release the name of alleged winners when the Appeal Committee was yet to submit its report.

https://independent.ng/lg-polls-lagos-apc-rules-out-refund-for-aggrieved-aspirants/

As APC spokesman, would Alhaji Lai Mohammed have suppported former President Goodluck Jonathan if Had Banned Twitter before 2015 because they deleted his tweet?

resign in Nigeria. its like committing suicide

mekaboy:
Or he resigns. Osibanjo's personality and the Nigeria we have today are totally opposite.

But what about Tinubu, can't he say something

Freestainworld:
They have pocketed Osibanjo in their pockets, his life is in danger, if he should try any thing, they will root him out, he is just praying for their tenure to finish so he can be a free man.

but not tight to collect salary and other benefits as VP

NiceCeSi:
Osinbajo hands are tight. There's nothing he can do or say.

Osibanjo is powerless. This is a Fulani affair. Only Malami and Pantami can advise Buhari

twitter said its working to restore access

SAM1979:
Buhari and Malami has limited powers. Some orders can not be enforced in Nigeria. There is little or nothing Buhari could do about it. If he goes offensive, there are legal means to kick him out immediately in National interest. Freedom of expression is sacrosanct. Twitter may even decide to bypass Internet protocol and give Nigeria free access despite the ban, and this would be great humiliation to him.

Quota system Attorney General. I doubt if he has a twitter handle

Wike that said he can walk whole of Rivers state without security. But i will be happy if he can do that

Temidayo Akinsuyi, Lagos

Ahead of the 2023 presidential election, the Southwest Agenda for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (SWAGA) has said that the presidency position should not be limited to the age of aspirants or the search for a youthful president.

Senator Dayo Adeyeye, coordinator and chairman of the group in a chat with Daily Independent said that Aswaju Bola Tinubu, the candidate they are projecting is not stopping any youth from aspiring for the highest political office in the land if they desire.

While urging Nigerians to elect a presidential candidate who is progressive and modern in thinking, he said that cases abound of youths who are conservative and evil in their reasoning and left governance worse than they met it.

“Some people have been saying Nigeria needs a youthful president in 2023. Nobody has ever prevented anybody from contesting. Even when people do zoning, it is in the mind. It is not written anywhere”.

“So, you are free to come out and contest. In the 2019 elections, Omoyele Sowore, Kingsley Moghalu all came out to contest. Who prevented them from contesting? Now, in America, a minimum of 15 to 20 parties contest, you only hear of two- Democrats and Republicans. There is even a Communist party that contests election up till now”.

“Nobody is preventing any young man from contesting. But we have also seen old men who have been more progressive in their ideas versus very young men who have been very conservative and evil in their ideas. It is not a question of age”.

“In this country, we have a governor, a young man who said he doesn’t believe in COVID-19. So being progressive, being modern and ability to think reasonably is not a function of your age” he said.

https://independent.ng/2023-tinubu-not-stopping-any-youth-from-contesting-for-presidency-swaga/

he should do more and talk less

Temidayo Akinsuyi, Lagos

Fear of prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the 2023 general election are largely responsible for the de­fection of some governors, senators and former political office holders from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Daily Independent has gathered.

Despite the discontent against the ruling party, there has been influx of serving and former political office holders from the PDP into the party, the latest being Governor Ben Ayade of Cross Rivers State.

Other PDP bigwigs who have de­fected from the PDP to APC in recent times are Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State; Gbenga Daniel, former Ogun State governor; Yakubu Dog­ara, former Speaker of the House of Representatives; Senator Elisha Abbo; Senator Hamma Misau and business­man, Jimoh Ibrahim.

Speaking with Daily Inde­pendent, a credible source in the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), who does not want his name in print, said having done their investigation on the reasons for the defections, they realised that three major factors were responsible for the action of the defectors.

The first, according to him, is current political office holders who are afraid of be­ing victimised by EFCC after leaving office; the second set are former political office holders who want their cas­es with the anti-graft agen­cy dropped and the third are those who still want to remain politically relevant after the 2023 elections.

He said many of the defec­tors always blame internal crisis in the PDP for their ac­tions but it has been discov­ered that while it is true that the PDP is not what it should be, it wasn’t really the cause for their jumping ship.

“The situation is worri­some and we have been do­ing our investigation on what could be responsible for some of our people to be leaving for APC, especially at a time there is a growing discontent by Nigerians and their wish that PDP should return.

“What we find out is that some cabals in APC are going about recruiting our men. The APC cabal going round to recruit PDP governors and senators are Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi, Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa, Mai Mala Buni of Yobe and they had Abubakar Malami, the Attorney-Gener­al and Minister of Justice as their resort.

“They always make our members believe that the APC will still work its way to power in 2023 and it is better you join them now so you won’t be rigged out. However, if you stay out and remain in PDP, the results will be writ­ten against you,” the source said.

He added, “Also, for those who have ongoing corruption cases and those in office who have been indicted one way or the other, they use Malami to promise protection from EFCC. That is what they promised to Cross Rivers State governor, Ben Ayade.

“That did not come to us as a surprise, because Adams Oshiomhole, their former national chairman publicly said their sins would be for­given the moment they joined APC.”

Reacting, Chief Olabode George, a former Deputy Na­tional Chairman of the PDP, said on Thursday that politi­cians defecting from the party to the ruling APC are making mistakes which they would later regret.

Speaking with Daily Inde­pendent, Bode George who ad­mitted that all is not well with­in the PDP, however, said the solution is to join hands with other like minds to find a solu­tion rather than joining APC that has more challenges.

According to George, who is the Atona Odua of Yorub­aland, leaving PDP for APC is akin to jumping from frying pan to fire.

“I really don’t understand why PDP leaders will con­template joining APC at this moment. You don’t bite the fingers that fed you. To me, anyone leaving PDP for APC now is just jumping from fry­ing pan to fire. If your house is leaking, you stay there and repair it.

“You don’t abandon a house you laboured to build and move to another house to become a tenant just because yours is leaking. A rolling stone gathers no moss; a plat­form that gave you recogni­tion and honoured you, why would you just abandon it like that? You think those you are going to meet in APC will fold their hands and watch you be­come their leader?

“Look at a former Delta governor who joined APC, is he not back to PDP? Even the Ebonyi governor that joined them, what has he achieved since then?

“There is no doubt in my mind that we have problems in this party but we must stay and sort the problems out be­cause it is not a private com­pany to anybody,” he stated.

https://independent.ng/fear-of-efcc-2023-poll-driving-pdp-govs-senators-to-apc/

working free you mean working from home or what?

Tinubuadvocate:
Sincerely I'm not happy that bukola Saraki still working free despite his economic crimes against peoples of kwara state. If this man can use the whole 4years to secure bukola Saraki convict so be it.

Temidayo Akinsuyi, Lagos

Chief Olabode George, a former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday said politicians decamping from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are making mistakes which they will later regret.

Speaking in a chat with DAILY INDEPENDENT, Bode George who admitted that all is not well within the PDP, however, said the solution is to join hands with other like minds and find a solution rather than joining APC that has more challenges.

According to George who is the Atona Odua of Yorubaland, leaving PDP for APC is akin to jumping from frying pan to fire.

“I really don’t understand why PDP leaders will contemplate joining APC at this moment. You don’t bite the fingers that fed you. To me, anyone leaving PDP for APC now is just jumping from frying pan to fire. If your house is leaking, you stay there and repair it.

“You don’t abandon a house you laboured to build and move to another house to become a tenant just because yours is leaking. A rolling stone gathers no moss; a platform that gave you recognition and honoured you, why will you just abandon it like that? You think those you are going to meet in APC will fold their hands and watch you become their leader?

“Look at a former Delta governor who joined APC, is he not back to PDP? Even the Ebonyi governor that joined them, what has he achieved since then?

“There is no doubt in my mind that we have problems in this party but we must stay and sort the problems out because it is not a private company to anybody.”

https://independent.ng/those-leaving-pdp-for-apc-are-jumping-from-frying-pan-to-fire-bode-george/

/The presidency of Nigeria is too important to be awarded to somebody who is sitting in his house. You have to struggle for it. Political power is never served a la carte/.

Temidayo Akinsuyi, Lagos

Chief Olabode George, a former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described as unfortunate the statement by Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike that the party will suffer if he leaves.

Wike who described himself as an asset to the PDP had said “If I leave PDP tomorrow, the party will suffer. I am an asset to the PDP. If I leave the party today, I will win election in any party I find myself”.

However, speaking in a chat with DAILY INDEPENDENT, Bode George who said Wike’s statement is uncalled for, added that the Rivers state governor should understand that a tree does not make a forest.

“That statement from him is most unfortunate and it is uncalled for. He should know that a tree doesn’t make a forest. If the founding fathers of PDP had said such things then, will Wike be governor under PDP platform today? I want to believe he never uttered such a statement. Maybe he was misquoted”.

“To me, the PDP will never suffer if an individual leaves. Some founding fathers labored to make the party what it is today. Now, the likes of Wike are in charge. Wike too will leave someday and others will continue from where he stopped”

.
https://independent.ng/pdp-wont-suffer-if-wike-leaves-bode-george/

Chief Ebenezer Babatope, a former Minister of Transport and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in this interview with TEMIDAYO AKINSUYI, speaks on latest developments in the polity, especially on the death of some military officers last weekend. Excerpts:

What impact do you think the untimely death of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru who died in an air crash in Kaduna alongside some military officers have on our troops and in the war against insurgency?

It is a very sad development and I believe his death will negatively affect the morale of the troops. The late Chief of Army Staff is a very young person, just 54 years old and he was a very committed officer. The federal government should do something urgently; otherwise, it will dampen the morale of the troops. The federal government should do more by committing resources to ensure that we have very good military aircraft to combat not only the insecurity situation and save our troops from premature deaths. The death of the Chief of Army staff saddens so many people and it is a big blow to our nation.

The clamour for Yoruba nation in the South West and secession threats by other groups has continued for some time now. Do you nurse any fear that Nigeria might break up soon?

For those of us who belonged to Papa (Obafemi) Awolowo’s school of thought, we don’t believe in secession or breaking up of the country. But I believe that what Sunday Igboho and others are saying is that fair must be fair. We must be just and fair to all sides in Nigeria. We should also not be in a position whereby we now make the Yorubas to start counting their losses. So, what Igboho and others are agitating for is that nobody should mistreat Yorubas or take them as second-class citizens. That is also my position. We shouldn’t be punished for what we have not done. So, my appeal is that the federal government should listen to these agitators, in terms of Yorubas having a fair share of what is going on in the federation. We must endeavour to run the country where justice and fair play is paramount and everyone have a sense of belonging. No group should be given special treatment over another.

Some Nigerians are calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to convene another conference where eminent Nigerians will discuss the problems bedeviling the report and proffer solutions. Do you subscribe to this?

I don’t agree on convocation of another national conference. Let them go and implement the reports of past conferences. In 2005, I was a member of the National Political Reform conference convoked by former president Olusegun Obasanjo. There is also the 2014 national conference where they discussed lots of things that will make Nigeria better. The government should go and dust up the report and let us implement what is implementable. Doing that will be in the best interest of this country and Nigerians.

As a Yoruba man, will you support the presidential ambition of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu if he decides to run in 2023?

To me, supporting Tinubu for presidency in 2023 is mere waste of time. I am not a member of APC , so why should I support him? I am a fanatical member of PDP while Tinubu belongs to APC and so, he has every right to canvass for presidency under his party. If I say I want to go and support Tinubu for presidency on what basis? He is a Yoruba man like myself but we don’t belong to the same party. There are Igbos, Fulanis and others who belong to my party and who may have interest in the presidency. If they indicate interest in contesting for the presidency, I must give consideration to their feelings. Supporting them will be better than for me to say I am supporting Tinubu because he is a Yoruba man. No, I won’t support him because that will not be fair.

The PDP is planning to throw its presidential ticket open to all aspirants rather than zoning. Are you in support of this?

If by throwing the presidential ticket open, the party wants to look for justice and fairplay, that’s fair enough. The reality is that the Igbos have not had a fair share of the presidency since 1999.I would have supported the Igbos but again, we have been locked out of power and I want the PDP back in power. Also, many Nigerians want PDP back in power because they believe that they will do better than the APC.

Do you think the Nigerian government is doing enough in taking care of elderly ones?

It is when we have a good government, that is when we will be talking about taking care of elders. We haven’t got a government in this country and that is why they haven’t made any provision for the elderly ones in the society. We have not gotten to that situation in this country

The South-West PDP zonal congress has come and gone. What is your message to all the gladiators in the party?

We have a new leadership of the PDP in the SouthWest. I am appealing to Fayose to accept what has happened and cooperate with the new leadership so that the PDP can stand a good chance of winning election in the South- West and Nigeria.

Some groups and individuals are calling for boycott of the 2023 election if the country fails to restructure, what is your take on this?

I don’t really agree with that. Let us return to the federalist years of Nigeria. Federalist era was one which guaranteed justice, fair- play for all. But how long are we going to survive, by boycotting elections? Let’s have ways and means of resolving the controversial issues that are developing and ensure that when we restructure, we allow competent people to govern the nation and justice and fair- play to direct the affairs of the country.

What about the call to approach the National Assembly over restructuring?

Does the National Assembly want people to approach them? They should do the right thing by ensuring that the law they pass honours and allows for free discussion of ideas that would guide proper interpretation of restructuring.

Are you also an advocate of state police?

You see, state police is a good idea because the officers would know the terrain of their areas, the geography of their area and know what operates in their areas. And when we have state police, it would give strength and fervor to the operations of democracy, and when you have state police, you are allowing the people who know the terrain to be in charge of the security of the nation.

Look at it now, people are being killed left, right and centre because of security lapses; that’s what is going on. We can have the state police that would do the right thing under the law; that is what is important and I want to appeal to those who govern us, to give it a chance. When they give it a chance, we are going to be free forever. Let’s give state police a chance and let those who rule Nigeria ensure fairness and justice to everyone.

What is your take on the agitation for restructuring?

I am for restructuring. Simply put, restructuring is redefinition, reaffirment of the federal nature of our country’s existence. We run a federalism in this country for goodness sake and we should reaffirm it, redefine it, to ensure it takes precedence over every other matter. When we are restructuring, we are aiming at justice. That will give confidence to people that they are in a country where their rights are being respected and where they are given all the opportunities to ensure that we run a proper federalism. Those who are calling for restructuring, they know what they are talking about. Restructuring, pure and simple is the redefinition of the federal nature of our country’s existence. We affirm our federation, we affirm our federalism and we ensure that we put power in the hands of those who really want to make something out of it. It is not debatable. It will solve all our problems.

What do you want to be remembered for?

I want to be remembered for the fact that I was a good student of Papa Obafemi Awolowo and I believed in his ideals and progressive ideas. I believe in what he stood for, which is a Nigeria that is free off hate, tribal discord and a Nigeria that will be a showpiece to the world. So, I want to remembered as a disciple of Awolowo who did not fail in espousing his ideals for fairness, equity and a better Nigeria that we can all be proud of.
https://independent.ng/nigerians-want-pdp-to-return-to-power-in-2023-babatope/

so which party are you suggesting as alternative

DatIgalaDude:
No we don't want PDP, APC or any useless party to return.
We just want the right people in the right office.
We want our votes to count!

What is former Ogun state governor, Segun Osoba, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu discussing here?

Osinbajo too weak for Nigerian presidency

PataAlhajaKeji:
He should back out and give way for my Nigger ... Professor Yemi Osinbajo, the best Nigerian for the job, come 2023.

I'm telling you. If Tinubu shout, Osinbajo will piss for body despite being VP

Elock1:
the best Nigerian that cannot even speak up about anything at all

The South West Agenda for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu 2023 (SWAGA), a political group rallying support for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s presidential ambition on Monday said it is confident that the national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will accept its entreaties to contest in the 2023 presidential election.

Senator Dayo Adeyeye, coordinator and chairman of the group said even though Tinubu has not formally informed them of his desire to contest, they are confident that he will not reject the offer when the time comes.

Describing Tinubu as a highly experienced leader with the required political tact to make Nigeria work, Adeyeye said members of the group who are mainly former and serving federal lawmakers and grassroots politician will not be wasting their time if they know Tinubu will not be.

“Honestly, I do not have any assurance from Asiwaju Tinubu that he is contesting but I can tell you that he will contest. He will not back out from the presidential race. He cannot back out because there are forces in politics that will not make it possible for him to back out”.

“I am telling you that even though Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has not given us any assurance but you can also be reasonably sure that some of us in SWAGA with our little experience will not be wasting our time if we don’t think that he will come out and do it. I am telling you that by the grace of God he will come out and contest for the presidency. I don’t have assurance from him but we know our efforts cannot be in vain”.

On the statement by Governor Atiku Bagudu, chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) that the APC presidential ticket is open to all eligible members, Adeyeye said they are in support of the statement because no member should be barred from contesting.

He however said that it is the belief of majority of APC members that power should rotate to the South in 2023 after President Muhammadu Buhari must have completed his two terms of eight years.

“Absolutely I have nothing against the idea of throwing the presidential ticket open. Even if a party make pronouncement today that the presidency is zoned to a particular place, I can assure you that people from other areas will still come out. But it is in the mind of the people to say that we have zoned the ticket to a particular place. So, when you come to the field, they will defeat you because you may not get the necessary votes”.

“But as long as the constitution of Nigeria says you must not discriminate against anybody, so a political party can have an internal arrangement to say we are zoning a particular position to a particular place. Some other people may disagree and they have a right to. So, you leave and go to the field. Since the majority believes in the zoning arrangement, you will have your way. That is the way it works in politics”.

“In 2007, it wasn’t only Umaru Musa Yar’Adua that came out, some people came out in the South too. They might be minor candidates but they still came out. That is the way it normally works. Are you going to bar Ayade as a bonafide citizen of Nigeria from contesting if he says he wants to contest? The answer is no”.

“Yahaya Bello said he is interested in the presidency even though he is from the North-Central, can you say he has no right? He has a right to contest as long as the constitution of Nigeria allows it. So, we have nothing against that statement by Bagudu that they want to throw the ticket open because that is what I expect anybody from that political position to say”.
https://independent.ng/tinubu-wont-back-out-of-2023-presidential-race-swaga/

Temidayo Akinsuyi, Lagos

Elder statesman, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai on Friday said the sectional position taken by Abubakar Malami SAN, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice did not come to him as a surprise because the government he works for has always maintained a sectional disposition towards issues.

Malami came under a barrage of attacks for declaring as illegal, Southern governors ban on open grazing.

At a meeting in Asaba, Delta State on May 11, Southern governors called for full enforcement of the ban on open grazing and movement of cattle from the North to the South on foot. They also called for restructuring of the country while reaffirming their belief in a united Nigeria on the basis of equity, justice and peace.

But Malami while featuring on a Channels Television programme, on Wednesday condemned the move of the Southern governors, saying northern governors can ban the sale of spare parts.

He also advised the governors to facilitate the amendment of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to prohibit open grazing.

“It is about constitutionality within the context of the freedoms expressed in our constitution. Can you deny the rights of a Nigerian?

“For example, it is as good as saying, perhaps, maybe, the Northern governors coming together to say they prohibit spare parts trading in the North.”

However, speaking in a chat with Daily Independent, Yakassai, a former presidential adviser to the late President Shehu Shagari said Malami’s position on the issue didn’t come to him as a surprise.

“Don’t forget that he is from the North and the government that appointed him too is sectional. If the government can be sectional, what is wrong with the Attorney-General of the Federation being sectional? So, the federal government should be nationalistic in its approach to national issues, not sectional,” he said.
https://independent.ng/open-grazing-ban-buharis-govt-sectional-so-malami-cant-act-differently-yakassai/