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US President Joe Biden’s woeful performance in the presidential debate against challenger Donald Trump has re-ignited questions about what would happen should the veteran Democrat step down as party flagbearer at the last minute.

Such a high-risk political U-turn would be unprecedented in modern American election history. Here’s a look into how replacing the 81-year-old could be possible.

If a candidate leaves
To designate a formal nominee, delegates from all 50 states attend their party’s summer nominating convention to officially anoint a candidate based on primary voting.

Biden overwhelmingly won the primary votes, and the party’s roughly 3,900 delegates heading to the convention in Chicago this August are beholden to him.

If Biden exits, the delegates would have to find a replacement. That would mean bringing US politics back to the old days when party bosses jostled to pick a nominee through deal-making in smoke-filled back rooms and endless rounds of voting.

On March 31, 1968, President Lyndon Johnson made the shock announcement in the middle of the Vietnam War that he would not seek reelection.

The move turned that year’s convention, also in Chicago, into a political crisis with protesters in the street and left-leaning delegates angry at the pro-war stance of party-picked candidate Hubert Humphrey.


Following the debacle, states more widely embraced the primary process and conventions have become well-oiled affairs, whose outcomes have been known in advance since they are determined by the primaries.

If a candidate must step down after being officially nominated at the convention, a party’s formal governing body, either the Democratic National Committee or Republican National Committee, would nominate a new candidate in an extraordinary session.

Who might fill in?
So far, the Democrats have circled the wagons around their designated nominee, at least when speaking on the record, with former president Barack Obama coming out to defend Biden.

When asked about Biden potentially stepping aside, campaign communication director Michael Tyler told reporters aboard Air Force One there were “no conversations about that whatsoever.”

A natural — but not automatic — pick to take Biden’s place would be his running mate on the 2020 ticket, Vice President Kamala Harris.

Sent in Thursday night to put out the fire after the Democratic president’s lacklustre performance, the 59-year-old conceded Biden had been “slow to start” the debate but had “finished strong.”

Otherwise, any of a number of strong Democratic politicians — Governors Gavin Newsom of California, Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan and Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania are mentioned — might be called on.


Meanwhile, could a strong third-party hopeful emerge? So far, no independent candidate is posing any danger to America’s dominant two-party system.

In 1992, Texas billionaire Ross Perot, running as an independent, managed to win nearly 19 per cent of the popular vote.

But in the end, because of the vagaries of the American electoral system, he did not receive a single one of the votes that matter most: those of the 538 members of the Electoral College that ultimately decide the winner.



https://punchng.com/us-election-what-if-biden-leaves-the-race/?amp

America’s most influential newspaper, The New York Times, called in an editorial Friday for President Joe Biden to step aside and allow another Democrat to challenge Donald Trump for the White House in November.

Describing Biden as “the shadow of a great public servant,” the newspaper’s editorial board — which is separate from its newsroom — said Thursday’s debate between the president and Trump proved the 81-year-old “failed his own test.”

His determination to run again is a “reckless gamble,” it said, adding: “the greatest public service Mr. Biden can now perform is to announce that he will not continue to run for re-election.”




https://punchng.com/new-york-times-editorial-board-asks-biden-to-leave-presidential-race/?amp

The Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has assured the Ijesa Muslim Community that there was no plan to demolish the Ilesa Central Mosque in the ongoing Ilesa road dualisation project.

The governor spoke through his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed in a statement obtained in Osogbo on Friday, where he said the assurance given during the ‘Ipade Imole’, a governor community engagement programme held in Ilesa, where he said the mosque would not be demolished, remained intact.

The statement read partly, “Governor Adeleke has received the plea of the Ijesa Muslim leaders and has directed that fresh assurance be given that the mosque is not billed for demolition in the ongoing road dualisation.

The Muslim Ummah should not entertain any fear as the mosque remains intact. Only the extended canopies will be affected, not the main building as earlier indicated.

“The governor has also directed officials of the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure to interface with the Muslim leaders on the subject matter.”

Commending stakeholders for actively supporting the ongoing dualisation at Ilesa, Adeleke expressed commitment to implementing the multi-billion naira infrastructure upgrade with an eye on deep local content and active community engagement and collaboration.




https://punchng.com/no-plan-to-demolish-ilesa-central-mosque-adeleke-assures-muslims/?amp#offcanvasExample

The wife of the Ogun State governor, Bamidele Abiodun has emphasised the need for everyone to join forces with the government to win the war against drug and substance abuse

Abiodun, according to a statement on Friday, made this call when she led an advocacy walk in Abeokuta, the state capital, in commemoration of the 2024 United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking.

The first lady, who doubles as the Chairperson of the Ogun State Drug Control Committee and the Ambassador of War Against Drug Abuse, lamented the alarming rate of prevalence of drug abuse and drug-related vices, especially among the youths.

She said, “This ugly trend of increased drug and substance abuse by our youths needed urgent intervention of all and sundry so as to nip this in the bud and avert grave consequences.

There is therefore need for massive advocacy and education, as well as enforcement to address the scourge that has negatively impacted on the state more than the other 35 states of the federation”.

Abiodun said prevention should be paramount in combating drug abuse as a means of forestalling serious consequences in homes and the larger society, calling on all stakeholders, including religious leaders, to complement efforts at creating awareness of the dangers inherent in drug abuse and trafficking.

She promised her continued support and collaboration with the Ogun State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency calling on the lawmakers to also support ongoing efforts by enacting enabling laws for enforcement.

The Ogun State Commander, NDLEA, Tijani Rabbe, stressed that the fight was a collective responsibility of all stakeholders, particularly parents.

The walk which took off from the state headquarters of the NDLEA, in Ibara took the participants through Omida Market to Panseke among others.



https://punchng.com/ogun-govs-wife-leads-walk-against-drug-abuse/?amp

A former United States of America President Barack Obama has spoken out in support of Joe Biden following what many consider a challenging debate performance.

In a statement released via X on Friday, Obama acknowledged the difficulty of debate nights while emphasising the stark choice voters face in the upcoming election.

Obama wrote, “Bad debate nights happen. Trust me, I know. But this election is still a choice between someone who has fought for ordinary folks his entire life and someone who only cares about himself.

“Between someone who tells the truth; who knows right from wrong and will give it to the American people straight — and someone who lies through his teeth for his own benefit. Last night didn’t change that, and it’s why so much is at stake in November. http://joebiden.com.”

On Thursday, Biden was locked in a fiery debate in the US state of Georgia against his predecessor, Donald Trump; his (Biden’s) first debate of the 2024 election cycle.



https://punchng.com/just-in-obama-rallies-support-for-biden-following-debate-performance/?amp

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Anything that will bring down the price of petrol is welcome

Nigeria my country. Very disorganized set of humans

This is commendable

Say NO to crime, Yahoo lady

Why kill yourself in another man's country. This should be investigated

For allegedly betraying the trust reposed in him by his employer as the officer in charge of payment of drivers’ retirement benefits and stealing close to N10 million from Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank), Komolafe Oluwayomi of the Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos branch of the bank has been remanded at Ikoyi correctional facility.

When the fraud was discovered, a lawsuit was filed by the bank against the 45-year-old Banker by the bank.

He was alleged to have hacked into the bank’s system, stealing N9,989,000 from its account for personal use.

When the matter was reported, Oluwayomi’s arrest was ordered by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Bar Beach Division, Victoria Island.

The investigation team was led by Inspector Patience Eguabor.

Oluwayomi, who hails from Ondo State, resides at Unity Close, Ojodu, Lagos.

He was charged before the Tinubu Magistrate’s Court, Lagos Island on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and stealing.

Police counsel, Ben Ekundayo, informed the court that the defendant committed the offence during working hours at GTBank located at Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Ekundayo told the court that the defendant betrayed the trust reposed in him by his employer as the officer in charge of payment of drivers’ retirement benefits by fraudulently including the name and account number of his friend in the retirement benefits payroll and used it to transfer the sum of N9,989,000 into his friend’s account as if his friend is a beneficiary of the retirement benefits and later transferred the money from his friend’s account to his personal account domiciled at GTB Bank and converted the money to his use.

He said the management of GTB uncovered the fraud when they audited the drivers’ retirement payroll accounts.

Ekundayo said the offences the defendant committed were punishable under sections 411 and 287(7) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges, and Magistrate M.A. Owunmi granted him N2 million bail with two sureties in like sum.

Owunmi adjourned the case till June 11 and ordered that the defendant be detained at the Ikoyi correctional facility till he perfected his bail conditions.



https://platformtimes.com.ng/staff-hacks-into-gtbank-system-steals-n9-9m-from-customers/