₦airaland Forum

Mr Joe Anatune, a strong ally of Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State, is dead.

Anatune, who managed the media campaign of Soludo in the buildup to the election, died 11 days after he was appointed MD/CEO of Anambra State Signage and Advertising Agency.

Anatune died on Saturday at age of 62.

In a statement, Mr Christian Aburime, his Chief Press Secretary, issued on his behalf on Sunday, Soludo expressed shock and disbelief over the incident.

“Joe Anatune was one of the foremost Apostles of the Soludo project with an uncommon strength and courage to deliver on any given assignment.

“He stated further that Joe’s personal sacrifices during his electioneering campaign were not only exceptional but highly commendable.

“He spearheaded the Soludo Promoters Forum (SPF) and for two years used the platform to engage the professionals into mainstream politics. The government and the good people of Anambra State will sorely miss Joe Anatune,” the statement read.

It said Soludo has since commiserated with Anatune’s wife, children, the Anatune family and Awa community over the sudden loss.

Former National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has reacted to social media reports regarding his interest in the presidency.

Speaking with Vanguard, the former Edo state governor said whenever he makes up his mind to go for any office, he would speak directly to Nigerians.

Social media invites had been sent to some journalists and other stakeholders on Friday morning, asking them to attend Oshiomhole’s presidential declaration at the Federal Capital Territory FCT Council for Arts and Culture in Area 10, Abuja.

Major streets of Abuja were also dotted with presidential posters of the former labour leader.

Some of his supporters had thronged the venue only to be told that the event would no longer hold.

When contacted by Saturday Vanguard , Oshiomhole said “it must be a mistake”, adding, “I will not declare on the pages of Newspapers. If I will declare, it will be to people”.

Ahead of the 2023 presidential election, a presidential aspirant and former Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose, has said he will appoint a minister for Stomach Infrastructure if he becomes Nigeria’s president.

Fayose stated this while speaking with newsmen, shortly after his appearance before the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Screening Committee in Abuja, on Friday.

The former governor said that when the committee asked him about his stomach infrastructure policy while he was governor of Ekiti State, he made it very clear that it would be part of his policies if he emerged president.

“I made it clear that I will have a minister for stomach infrastructure and welfare of the people,” he stated.

He, however, added that as much as tarring roads and providing other infrastructure was good, that would not be sufficient for hungry citizens.

“So, for me stomach infrastructure is part of being supportive of the ordinary Nigerian. Stomach infrastructure under my watch as president of Nigeria, will be a major theme.

“No one is saying here that you will not do the needful in terms of developing the country, part of development is the welfare and well-being of the people.”

Stating his position on zoning, Fayose insisted that for posterity’s sake, PDP must zone its presidential ticket in order not to cause confusion in the future.

According to him, even if the party wants everyone to contest, it should officially make a pronouncement and zone it to the Southern part of Nigeria.

He recalled that in 1999, the presidential ticket was zoned to the south when former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Olu Falaye were in the race, but Abubakar Rimi still contested within the ambit of the Constitution.

“But the party must remember that whatever we do today, will speak for us or stand against us tomorrow.

“The system is not functioning in our country; the institutions are not functioning, that is why we have all these problems.

“We must be courageous enough to say this is going to South, and If you want to contest, the Nigerian constitution still gives you the leverage, the opportunity to do so. I support zoning this time to southern Nigeria.”

Fayose said that with the incumbent president from the north, it was only logical for the south to produce the next president, saying this was not about the party, but about Nigeria’s best interest and stability. (NAN)