₦airaland Forum

The Chief John Odigie-Oyegun-led All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential screening committee may have ranked Vice President Yemi Osinbajo top of the 23 aspirants jostling to secure the party’s presidential ticket for the 2023 election.

The committee had announced that it cleared 13 of the aspirants to contest the primaries due to hold on Monday and Tuesday but was mum on the fate of the others.

An authoritative source hinted that what the committee did was to score the aspirants based on its own criteria and the Vice President emerged tops.

The committee’s report submitted to the National Chairman of the APC, Senator Adamu Abdulahi, was scheduled to be deliberated upon at Saturday night’s meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari, members of the APC National Working Committee (NWC) and the 23 presidential aspirants at the presidential villa, Abuja.

Also at the meeting were the Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babangida Monguno (rtd).

It was gathered that the main objective of the meeting was to encourage the aspirants to support the individual who was ranked top among those who were screened.

The meeting, which took place at the official residence of the president at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Saturday night, came barely 48 hours to the national convention of the ruling party where it is expected to choose its flag bearer.

President Buhari had already asked the governors of the APC to support him to pick his own successor, a demand that has generated some controversy within the party.

Saturday’s meeting also came against the backdrop of the outburst by former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu, against President Buhari ostensibly over the perceived plot to sideline him from the race.

The National chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdulahi Adamu has revealed the ruling party would axe the national leader of the party, Bola Ahmed Tinubu over his recent utterances against President Muhammadu Buhari.

Adamu disclosed this while addressing journalists on Saturday in Abuja ahead of the party’s convention slated for Tuesday.

He noted that Tinubu’s apology wasn’t enough because his outburst was an insult to the president.

DAILY POST recalls that Tinubu had while addressing delegates in Ogun state said Buhari wouldn’t have become president in 2015.

“If not for me that stood behind Buhari, he wouldn’t have become the president. He tried the first time, he failed, the second time, he failed, the third the, he failed, he even wept on national television and vowed never to contest again.

“But, I went to meet him in Kaduna and told him he will run again, I will stand by you and you will win, but you must not joke with Yorubas and he agreed.

“Since he became the president, I have never got ministerial slots, I didn’t collect any contract, I have never begged for anything from him, it is the turn of Yoruba, it is my turn,” Tinubu had said.

Reacting, Adamu said Tinubu’s outburst was uncalled for and he must pay for it.

The seven-member presidential screening committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has shortlisted 13 aspirants to participate in the presidential primary election billed to hold on Monday.
LEADERSHIP had reported exclusively on Thursday that the committee was preparing a shortlist of nine for the consideration of the party APC leadership.

The committee chaired by former national chairman of the party, John Odigie-Oyegun, confirmed the story while submitting its report yesterday to the party’s national chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

Earlier Friday, speculations about “disqualification” of some of the presidential aspirants were rife following the failure of Oyegun, who briefed journalists after submitting the report, to name the 13 aspirants on his committee’s shortlist.

But dependable sources in the presidency who have seen the full report however told our correspondent last night that the said media reports suggesting that ten candidates had been disqualified were not true.

According to one of the sources, all 23 aspirants screened were cleared and qualified, but the committee recommended a “safe list” of 13 names.

Those recommended in the list are APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; former minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi; Senate President Ahmad Lawan; Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, and Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi.

Others include former minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba; former minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu; former Ogun State governor, Ibikunle Amosun; Ebonyi State governor David Umahi, and his Jigawa State counterpart, Abubakar Badaru.

Two other aspirants, former minister of the Niger Delta, Godswill Akpabio and Mr Tein Jack-Rich, were also believed to have made the list after the committee submitted its report yesterday afternoon.

The ten aspirants excluded from the shortlist are Pastor Tunde Bakare; former Imo State governor Rochas Okorocha; Cross Rivers State governor, Ben Ayade; former Zamfara State governor, Sani Yerima, and former Senate president, Ken Nnamani.

Others are former Minister of Information and Culture, Ikeobasi Mokelu; former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Demeji Bankole; US-based Pastor, Felix Nicholas, and the only APC female aspirant, Uju Ken-Ohanenye.

Our source who did not want his name in print because he is not authorised to speak on the matter said, “The committee did not disqualify anyone. I don’t know where the news about disqualification came from. The report made it clear that all the aspirants had been cleared and were qualified to contest in their own right.”

Another source close to the committee said the decision of the committee to recommend a “safe list” was based on the large number of aspirants who appeared for screening.

The source said, “During the screening, the aspirants told the committee that they were ready to accept a consensus candidate in the interest of the party. The only exception out of the 23 was Tinubu, who said he would only accept consensus if he was the beneficiary. That being the case, what is the point of going into the primary, which is only a few days away, with a horde of aspirants?”

On the basis for making the “safe list,” the source said electability and the complexity of the country’s makeup were considered, among other things.

“Apart from these two criteria, the committee also tried to avoid the potential of litigation and also the extent and degree of field work that the aspirants undertook,” the source noted, adding that “this last point weighed heavily on the committee’s mind because the committee wanted to recommend people who had actually gone out there to work.”

The source added that the party or President Muhammadu Buhari, who is its leader, was free to go outside the committee’s list to add or remove aspirants.

Meanwhile, chairman of the screening committee, Odigie-Oyegun yesterday the reasons why his committee pruned the number of presidential aspirants from 23 to 13.

While submitting the report to the party leadership at the national secretariat, Oyegun said the committee would have gone a little shorter than 13 but chose to allow the party to decide who their preferred candidate will be.

He said: “First, we had 23 member aspirants that we interacted with. And my first comment is that we were very occupant. Those were 23 that presented themselves. We had a lot of others, prominent Nigerians both within and outside the country that had applied but for whatever reason, could not proceed with their applications.”

“The second point I want to make is that we were surprised at the active participation of the youthful members of the party. Some of them surprised us with what they have accomplished in life, their understanding of the situation in this country and why they want to have the privilege of governing this country.

“What was important was that they so believed in the country and the party that they were able to pay the sum that some of us considered princely handsome to participate in the process. And I think the party ought to pat itself on the back for them.”

On the criteria relied on to screen the aspirants, Oyegun said. “Aside from the basic background, experience and understanding of the Nigerian situation, the ideas as to how issues, difficulties and problems can be addressed were key factors that were considered.

“Our report is simple and short. I don’t want to beat the bush. There were two aspects to it: The basic constitutional qualifications for you to aspire to be a president of the Federal Republic to of Nigeria. That was simple.”

PRESS STATEMENT

APC PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES: ERRONEOUS INTERPRETATION OF ASIWAJU'S PLEAS FOR LEVEL PLAYING FIELD

The attention of the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Presidential Campaign Organisation has been drawn to the erroneous, misleading and mischievous interpretation of his address in Abeokuta, capital of Ogun State on Thursday.

It is on record that the leading presidential aspirant in the forthcoming primaries of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu addressed the national delegates of the party in Ogun State , with Governor Mr.Dapo Abiodun in attendance.

In his effort to convince the party delegates to vote for him at the primaries, he went down memory lane to provide specific instances when he brought his political clout and strategic skills to assist individuals, groups and tendencies in the party to gain political power.

These factual references are already in the public realm.

They have been reported and analysed in the media in the last eight years.

They are therefore, matters of public knowledge.

While we recognise that recent unexpected interventions in the time table and the heat generated by the proximity of the event might have led to some anxiety, this campaign organisation believes that the main thrust of Asiwaju's presentation, was that his huge contributions to the formation and electoral success of the All Progressives Congress should count in his favour as a true party man who desires to be the flag bearer.

There is also no doubt that the fresh conditions proposed by President Muhammadu Buhari for the consideration of a presidential candidate of the party made it necessary for Asiwaju to labour to convince the delegates that he fits the bill.

The campaign was surprised at the way the opposition and Tinubu’s traducers had turned his statement to give an interpretation Tinubu did not mean and did not say.

At no time did Tinubu play any ethnic card or denigrate any ethnic group. That is surely out of his character, as Engineer David Babachir Lawal, attested in his viral whatsApp statement.

Tinubu’s speech in Abeokuta did not demonstrate any disrespect to President Buhari, for whom he has a very high regard, and whose re-election campaign he chaired in 2019.

Since the video of the speech he delivered in Yoruba hit the social media, varied interpretations have been given to the speech, which in the main was about Governor Abiodun, who in the true tradition of Yoruba culture bowed to his leader after Tinubu’s short speech.

The Tinubu campaign is not surprised why the opposition in the APC have decided to turn and twist the statement.

The former Lagos governor, a great party man remains the man to beat at the party’s convention on Monday.

We are least surprised that he is the target of well-calculated and most unkind virulent attacks

The campaign organisation hereby appeals to the media to avoid over- sensationalising issues of facts and play its constitutional role of informing the electorate to make informed choices at the presidential primaries.

Bayo Onanuga
Director
Media & Communications
Tinubu Campaign Organisation

According to a statement issued on Friday, tje director-general of the Fayemi Presidential Campaign Organisation, Femi Ige, the Ekiti governor is still in the race to clinch the ruling party’s presidential ticket and will not step down for other aspirants.

Mr Ige claimed that there was a report that Mr Fayemi and four other governors held a meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, where he was pressured to abandon his presidential ambition.

Ige described the report as absolutely fake, stating that no meeting took place between Mr Fayemi and any aspirant about stepping down.

“Fayemi is undoubtedly one of the leading aspirants for the position and one to watch out for in the race. He has deep trust and respect among political leaders in the party and also from colleague governors who form a critical mass in the decision-making process of the party,’’ Mr Ige added.

He stated also that Mr Fayemi would clinch the party’s 2023 presidential ticket at the primary election slated for June 6 to June 8.

He called on Mr Fayemi’s supporters to remain calm, focused and not to lose faith, “because of the lies fabricated by political detractors. No amount of late-night de-marketing will work against the Kayode Fayemi presidential project.”

A Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled judgment for August 29 in the extradition proceedings involving suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abba Kyari.

Justice Inyang Ekwo announced the date on Friday after lawyers to parties made their final submissions.

Lawyer to Kyari, Nureini Jimoh (SAN) faulted the extradition application filed by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and prayed the court to reject it.

Lawyer to the AGF, Pius Akutah argued otherwise, insisting that the AGF has complied with all necessary requirements for an extradition process.

Akutah prayed the court to allow the application and order the AGF to surrender Kyari as requested by the United States (US).

The US requested the Nigerian authorities to surrender Kyari in view of his alleged link with international fraud suspect, Abbas Ramon (a.k.a Hushpuppi).

A Court of Appeal in Abuja, has on Thursday, affirmed Omoyele Sowore as the National Chairman of the African Action Congress.

The court held that a 2019 judgement by the High Court which sacked Sowore as the Party’s chairman was out of the court’s jurisdiction, adding that it was an internal affairs.

In 2019, the High Court, in the judgment that was delivered by Justice Iyang Ekwo, said it was satisfied that Sowore who was the presidential flag-bearer of the AAC, was validly suspended by the National Executive Committee of the party.

The court nullified the judgement, and affirmed Sowore as the National Chairman as against one Leonard Nzenwa.

The court subsequently awarded a sum of N200,000 to the applicants.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has confirmed the release of Mr Ahmed Idris, the suspended Accountant General of the Federation, from its custody.

Mr Wilson Uwujaren, the Head of Media and Public Affairs of the commission, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja that Idris was released after meeting his bail conditions.

“I actually do not have an idea of what the bail conditions are, but all I can tell you is that he has been released after meeting his bail conditions,” he said.

Recall that the former Accountant-General was arrested on May 16 by the EFCC over alleged diversion and laundering of N80 billion.

The EFCC said verified intelligence reports showed that Idris raked off the funds through bogus consultancies and other illegal activities using proxies, family members and close associates.

The commission said the funds were laundered through real estate investments in Kano and Abuja.

It said Idris was arrested after he failed to honour invitations by the commission to respond to issues connected to the alleged fraudulent acts.

It was a pleasure to receive His Excellency Nyesom Wike in the company of notable leaders and officials of our great party, @OfficialPDPNig, at my residence today.

I am proud of the promises that this spirit of camaraderie holds for our party as a united front that guarantees victory in the next election to rescue the country. -AA

Professor Peter Umeadi, Wednesday, clinched the Presidential ticket of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA at a special convention attended by party leaders and members drawn from the six geo-political zones of the country.

At a special convention at the Katampe-Abuja national headquarters of the party, a total of 150 delegates affirmed the candidacy of Prof. Umeadi by a voice vote.

National chairman of the party, Chief Victor Oye while thanking party members for travelling the length and breadth of the country to attend the convention, expressed optimism that comes 2023, Umeadi would be sworn in as President, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

On his part, Umeadi promised to make Nigeria a great country every Nigerian would be proud of, if elected.

There is no question that Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the main character in the movie of APC’s 2023 presidential politics. Others are mere pawns or supporting casts.

The postponement of the party's primaries, the crowding of the presidential primary field of play, the frenetic horse trading, the subterranean wheeler-dealing, the consensus proposal, etc. in APC were all designed to keep Tinubu out of contention for the party’s nomination.

Several meetings convened to persuade Tinubu to consent to a consensus candidate for the party, which is the singular reason the party instructed INEC to extend the deadline for primary elections, didn’t work.

Then the party toyed with the idea of asking the screening committee, indicatively headed by his political enemy John Oyegun, to disqualify him on the grounds of previous false claims he'd made—under oath, no less— that he attended the University of Chicago, Government College Ibadan, and St. Paul Aroloya Children Home School, Ibadan.

The petition by one Mai-Iyali Sagir Wada to the screening committee was part of the plot.

Apparently, that hasn’t worked out because the party’s legal advisers know that if Tinubu sues the party for disqualifying on account of a perjury he committed more than 20 years ago, his victory would be a slam dunk.

The fear of Buhari and his cabal is that should a primary election be held, the chances that Tinubu would win are more likely than not, and they DON'T WANT him to be president.

Well, if his victory in the APC primary election is inevitable and they don’t want him to be president, the only option left for them at this time is to let him win the primary and then sabotage him in the general election.

That was what happened to Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.

Outside of that, they're stuck with Tinubu like white on rice.�

Tinubu is a tough nut to crack. In trying to crack him, it’s the party that might crack.

People who know him from his childhood in Iragbiji say Tinubu would rather give up his very life fighting than give up a fight that puts him at a disadvantage. I don't envy the cabal and Abdullahi Adamu�

WANTED BY THE EFCC
Marcellinus C. Nzeribe is wanted by the EFCC.
Know his whereabout? Please report to the EFCC Office or the nearest Police Station.

Even though I am a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, I must say that I'm proud of Governor Nyesom Wike's performance, tenacity and courage.

Yes, he lost, but he fought gallantly. I congratulate and commend his doggedness at the just concluded PDP presidential primaries.

I can only say that Wike is the winner of the game for defying all odds to come second.

Take a bow, Nyesom Wike!

CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE TO ALHAJI ATIKU ABUBAKAR (GCON, WAZIRIN ADAMAWA)

It is history that after far reaching consultations and firm convictions on my part, I decidedly, with our great party and nation at heart, withdrew my aspiration to be nominated as a presidential candidate of our party, in your support.

It is also history that you are clinching this ticket under the auspices of our party for the second time, the first in Port Harcourt four years ago; and, today, to God’s glory.

As a bastion of democracy and good governance in our country, I have no doubt that your nomination by our party at this critical juncture in our nation’s quest for Great Leap Forward, is a good omen.

On behalf of the government and good people of Sokoto state, the PDP Governor's Forum, which I humbly chair, our party men and women, I felicitate with you on this occasion.

I assure you that we are desirous of working very closely with you to ensure our party’s victory next year by God’s grace.

Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (CFR, Mutawallen Sokoto)

May 29, 2022

Sokoto

1. I heartily congratulate His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar (GCON) on his victory at the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential primary election.

2. The keenly contested process of picking a flagbearer for our great party has again shown the PDP as a party that has enthroned a transparent internal democratic process which is what our nation now desperately needs for its much-desired rebirth.

3. I also hail all the other aspirants who have submitted themselves to this transparent democratic exercise that has set the PDP as a worthy example to all other political parties in the country.

4. The beauty of it all is that the party has put in clear display it's maturity, strength and poise and this is now the time for all aspirants and other stakeholders in the party to pull together as we embark on this all-important mission to rescue Nigeria.

Congratulations