₦airaland Forum

The debacle around Bola Tinubu’s aspiration is unending as a new group called the gaskiya movement of the APC has filed a case against the National leader of the Party.

In their request,they prayed the court to restrain Bola Tinubu’s participation in the primaries over nebulous circumstances of birth,including date of birth and primary school attended, and also prayed the court to disqualify Bola Tinubu from the APC presidential race.

The court papers were filed on the 2nd of June, 2022.Only yesterday, Mr.Tinubu lambasted his political adversaries saying he made all of them including the president.

More drama has ensued since the declaration of Bola Tinubu’s intention to run for President in January.

As the presidential primary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) draws near, 17 governors elected on the platform of the party have agreed to support whoever preferred aspirant President Muhammadu Buhari presents.

Buhari had, before traveling to Spain, told the APC governors to support him to pick a preferred aspirant who will be endorsed to fly the party’s flags in next year’s presidential election.

Daily Sun gathered that only the governors of Kano, Abdullahi Ganduje and Kaduna, Nasir El-Rufai, have outrightly rejected the idea of President Buhari picking one aspirant for endorsement.
Governors of Lagos, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Osun, Adegboyega Odetola and Katsina, Aminu Masari, are sitting on the fence on the matter, it was gathered.

Sources said that there is 50-50 chance the three governors who are neutral now may go either way.

It is expected that by Sunday, the preferred aspirant would be unveiled to the governors, ahead of Monay, June 6, 2022 special national convention.

The battle for the presidential ticket of the ruling party has intensified within the All Progressives Congress APC and dividing the National Working Committee (NWC)

The recent outburst against the APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu by Salihu Lukman and Isaacs Kekemeke, APC National Vice Chairman Northwest and SouthWest respectively, is a pointer to the rift and ongoing crisis pulling the house at its sims.

A source at the party’s National Secretariat says the pro-Tinubu members of NWC are railing for a showdown with those perceived to be in support of Amaechi, whose rating is believed to have gone up since President Mohammadu Buhari made a demand that the Progressive Governors should allow him to nominate his successor.

Will Buhari nominate Tinubu or Amaechi? In the last two days become a source of debate among APC stakeholders who appear jittery ahead of the 2023 general election.

Another source of friction is also said to be coming from pressures mounted by groups predominantly from the north who Insist that APC will lose the 2023 presidential election to Atiku unless APC fields a popular Northern Candidate.

It is their belief that Amaechi cannot stop Alhaji Atiku who they said narrowly lost to Buhari in 2019. These settings are also putting pressure on President Buhari to weigh the sentiment of the average northern voter in deciding where to pick his nominee if he wants APC to retain power in 2023.

I hope you are keeping safe and well as you adjust into your new office in Nigeria’s ruling party.

My name is Suleiman Musa and I am from Kaduna State. I read your widely shared open letter to the President, where you shared your thoughts about how you think his successor should be chosen.

As I am sure you are aware, it has triggered a lot of debates nationwide. It has been perceived in different ways by different people depending on their political persuasions and the interests they represent.

As someone who is an activist from the Northwest like you and who admires your prolific writing capability from a distance, I felt I should offer you some words of counsel. First is to alert you that the dominant public perception is that your letter appears quite disrespectful to the person and office of Mr President.

As a senior member of the party, I am aware that you have several channels that you can use to offer him any suggestions as may be necessary to guide him in any decision that affects the party and country.

Your choice to write an open letter suggests that you are deliberately intent on whipping up cheap sentiments and playing to the gallery. Secondly, you came across as entirely disingenuous to have benefitted from consensus just a few weeks ago only to turn around to criticize the same process that brought you to office.

I am sure that Nigerians would have taken you more seriously if you had insisted on an open contest during the last convention. Curiously, you did not and that made your position untenable. Furthermore, all the governors chose their successors through consensus, and you did not raise any objection. Doing so now portrays you as a hypocrite.

For the avoidance of doubt, Mr President solicited the reciprocity and support of the governors and other stakeholders in choosing his successor. The request was unambiguous. He is the chooser and has not invited anyone to interfere in his right to choose.

All over the world, a President has a right to identify someone who he or she feels can continue to consolidate on what he or she has achieved. Nigeria is no peculiar case.

However, this is politics, and it is also within your right to interpret the President’s statement differently or even attempt to blackmail him into pursuing your obviously self-serving proposal. As you acknowledged in your letter, governors exercised the privilege of picking their successors in their respective states.

Yet, you worry that allowing the President to exercise the same right will amount to allowing loyal party leaders and members to become ordinary observers when sensitive issues are being considered. Do you mean politics at the state level are less sensitive? Is internal democracy exclusively preserved for the centre? Many of you claim to be familiar with President Buhari, yet you keep misunderstanding his disposition to inclusiveness as if it is a weakness. That is wrong and potentially misleading.

Your implicit comparison of Mr President’s resolve to exercise his right to freedom to choose a successor to former President Obasanjo’s failed third term bid exposes your desperation and calculated mischief.

Furthermore, your reference to unity, internal democracy and moral standing made the letter hollow and laughable because every discerning politician could easily decipher your motive to prosecute a rehearsed political hatchet job.

I am sure Mr. President himself will not read your letter beyond the first paragraph. I want to assure you that President Buhari continues to enjoy wide respect among the party leadership, and it is expected that he will get the necessary support when he announces his preferred choice of successor soon.

Your stance in the letter further deepens the perception of the pathology of duplicity and chameleonic tendencies often associated with your known backers in this futile proxy war against Mr President.

My little word of caution is for you to understand the limits of political mercantilism. It does not look good to cast aspersions on the Leader of the party and country at a very sensitive period like this.

Finally, I suggest that you consider being circumspect in your speeches lest you mislead the public into assuming that your position reflects how things stand in the party. I am aware that you know the consequences of questioning Presidential authority and should not allow your letter to be seen in such a light.

My prayer is that you re-consider your current posturing and immediately apologize to President Buhari. I wish you the very best in your current position and future endeavours. Best wishes.

West Ham United defender Kurt Zouma has been ordered to carry out 180 hours of community service after he pleaded guilty to kicking and slapping his cat.

The 27-year-old has also been banned from keeping cats for five years.

He had admitted two offences under the Animal Welfare Act at a hearing at Thames Magistrates' Court in May.

Zouma's brother Yoan, who plays for Dagenham and Redbridge, was ordered to carry out 140 hours of community service at the 15-minute hearing.

The case was brought following an RSPCA investigation.

Yoan admitted one count of aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring his older brother to commit an offence.

"Both of you took part in this disgraceful and reprehensible act with this pet cat," said district judge Susan Holdham.

"The cat looked up to you to care for its needs. On that date in February you did not provide for its needs. You must be aware that others look up to you and many young people aspire to emulate you."

Yoan, 24, filmed the incident at his older brother's home and posted it on Snapchat with 'laughing' emojis on 6 February.

Kurt could be seen kicking the Bengal cat across his kitchen, before throwing a pair of shoes at it and slapping its head, while the video also showed him saying "I swear I'll kill it".

The court heard Yoan, whose contract with Dagenham and Redbridge has been extended, had 80 followers on Snapchat, and only five accounts viewed it before it was deleted a few minutes after being posted.

Kurt was also told to pay court costs of nearly £9,000 in addition to the 12-month community order.

"We are pleased there has been swift justice in this awful case and our focus now is matching these beautiful cats to the loving homes they deserve," said RSPCA chief inspectorate officer Dermot Murphy.

"This case sends a really clear message that animals should never be treated like this, and posting videos of animals being harmed on social media for likes is abhorrent.

"We believe teaching children to treat animals with kindness will lead to a more compassionate society. We need positive role models to help us do that."

West Ham hope Zouma can 'learn from his mistake and move on'
The hearing in May had heard that West Ham had fined the player £250,000 and he had lost a "substantial" sponsorship deal with sportswear firm adidas.

"West Ham United wishes to make clear that we condemn in the strongest terms any form of animal abuse or cruelty," said a statement from the Premier League club after the sentencing.

"This type of behaviour is unacceptable and is not in line with the values of the football club.

"Within 48 hours of the footage emerging, we fined Kurt the maximum available to the club.

"Every single penny of this money is now with a number of deserving charities, all dedicated to animal welfare."

The Hammers added: "Kurt admitted at the earliest opportunity that what he did was wrong. He has apologised without reservation.

"We hope that now the court has reached its decision, everyone will allow Kurt the chance to learn from his mistake and move on."

Concerned Yoruba Muslim Scholars in Nigeria have urged the All Progressives Congress (APC) to give its presidential ticket to a Southwest Muslim to enhance national cohesion.

Acting President of the scholars, Sheikh AbdulRasheed Mayaleke, made the call at a news conference in Abuja.

He alleged that Muslims in Yoruba land had long been relegated to the background over the years in terms of the presidency.

Mayaleke noted that the present situation where presidential candidates were chosen alternately from the North and Southern part of the country was premised on understanding of the stakeholders to salvage the country as a united nation.

”We are of the strong opinion that no individual personal interests should be allowed to disrupt this arrangement which is capable of heating up the polity.

”The assumption and attempt to permanently disenfranchise the southern Muslims the opportunity to aspire for highest position of President or Vice President of the country is undemocratic.

”It is against this backdrop that we urge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to choose a Southerner, and this time around, a Muslim, as its presidential candidate.

”Moreso that there is underlying agreement at the inception of the party’s formation in 2015,” he said.

He warned that if APC makes the mistake of denying the Yoruba Muslim the opportunity of having a Muslim president through vicious power game plan, “we will not take it.

”It should be recalled that Christian – Christian ticket ruled the South west in the first republic with Chief Obefemi Awolowo as Premier while Chief Samuel Akintola was his Vice despite Muslims being the majority.

”Also, when Gen. Yakubu Gowon became the Military Head of State, he chose Awolowo as De facto deputy.

”Why is it that each time a Muslim candidate is poised to emerge as president or vice that the polity is always unnecessarily heated up to favour Christians in the Southwest.

”This is the fate that befell Late Chief Mashood Abiola to favour Chief Ernest Shonekan and Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo and Asiwaju Tinubu to favour Prof. Osinbajo in 2015.”

He restated that anything short of Muslim candidate from South west for the position of president in 2023 shall be roundly rejected.

Also, Assistant Secretary-General of the scholars, Prof. Abideen Olaiya, said that out of six states in the South West, APC formed government in five states.

”Therefore, APC should give it presidential ticket to Southwest and to a Muslim in particular. We have three Muslims from the region who are contesting the APC Presidential ticket.

”They are Sen. Ahmed Tinubu, Sen. Abikunle Amosun and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Demeji Bankole.”

A meeting the APC governors held Tuesday evening to discuss the stance of President Muhammadu Buhari on the party’s presidential candidate ended in a deadlock, PREMIUM TIMES had learnt.

The meeting was held in Abuja, minutes after the APC governors had a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.

The governors meeting is to reconvene at 8 p.m., one of them told this newspaper.

At the meeting with the president, Mr Buhari told the governors that he would like to pick his successor and wants the governors to support him to do so.

The president left for Spain immediately after his meeting with the governors.

Governors Meeting
At their own meeting, one of the governors told PREMIUM TIMES, members could not agree on how to implement the president’s request.

We believe the president has not settled for any particular person and that is why some governors felt the best thing to do was to nominate two of us (one each from the north and south) to the president for consideration, the source said.

The source said many northern governors, however, argued that no southern governor could defeat Atiku Abubakar, the PDP presidential candidate, in the presidential election; so the north should be given preference.

This angered some southern governors.

Some of the southern governors also argued that the nominees do not have to be state governors. This position is believed to have been pushed by governors loyal to some southern presidential candidates such as Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and ex-Lagos governor Bola Tinubu.

Since the governors could not agree, they resolved to end the meeting and reconvene at 8 p.m.

Buhari’s Position
PREMIUM TIMES reported how President Muhammadu Buhari told APC governors that he would want to pick his successor and needs the governors to support him to do so.

Mr Buhari said this Tuesday at a meeting with governors elected on the APC platform at the State House, Abuja.

“In keeping with the established internal policies of the Party and as we approach the Convention in a few days, therefore, I wish to solicit the reciprocity and support of the Governors and other stakeholders in picking my successor, who would fly the flag of our party for election into the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2023,” the president said at the meeting which was also attended by the APC national chairman.

Mr Buhari told the governors that he realises the ‘compelling need’ for him to provide ‘stronger leadership to the party under this transition process.’

The stronger leadership, Mr Buhari said, is not only to ensure that APCs electoral fortunes improve but also to ensure that the party ‘retains power at the centre’ by winning the presidential election.

The APC holds its presidential primary from June 6 to 8.

At the meeting with the governors, Mr Buhari also stated the factors he would consider in supporting a presidential candidate among the 25 persons seeking to fly the APC flag.

“Our objective must be the victory of our party and our choice of candidate must be someone who would give the Nigerian masses a sense of victory and confidence even before the elections,” he said.

An anticipated bid by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to adopt the consensus arrangement in picking its presidential aspirant may turn out to be hard nut to crack for the governing party, as one its frontline presidential aspirants, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, insisted before the party’s presidential screening committee that he will never step down for any preferred candidate.

The APC national leader was among the twelve presidential aspirants screened yesterday by the party in camera.

The screening of the APC presidential aspirants which took place at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, was shrouded in secrecy, away from curious journalists who were restricted to lobby at the reception of the five star hotel.

The twelve presidential aspirants screened yesterday include Tinubu; minister of Transportatation, Rotimi Amaechi; Jigawa State governor, Abubakar Badaru; former Senate president, Ken Nnamani; former minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajuiba, former governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun; fiery Lagos cleric and former vice presidential candidate to Muhammadu Buhari in 2011, Pastor Tunde Bakare.

Others are Ebonyi State governor, Dave Umahi; former Zamfara State governor, Ahmed Sani Yerima; Senator Ajayi Boroffice; the only female aspirant, Barr (Mrs) Uju Kennedy Ohnenye, and Pastor Nicholas Felix Nwagbo.

Tinubu who arrived at the screening venue at about 5:50pm had a difficult on his way to the screening room at Transcorp Hotel as a crowd fell over themselves to welcome him with cheers and songs of praises.

LEADERSHIP gathered reliably that sitting right before the committee, Tinubu told members of the presidential screening panel that he won’t agree to a consensus under any circumstance.

His stance was said to have put the former Lagos State Governor “at loggerheads with the whole panel.”

Other aspirants, apart from Tinubu and one of the presidential hopefuls, it was learnt, said they had no option than to bow to whims of the party in the spirit of party supremacy in the event where the party chooses to settle for a consensus presidential candidate.

“Only two others had reservations. But essentially everyone agreed that the interest of the party is sacrosanct. Tinubu outrightly disagreed. He said the only circumstance he would agree is if he emerges as the consensus candidate,” a source close to the screening panel told this paper last night.

There were also concerns yesterday in the camp of the APC national leader following the appointment of a former national chairman of the party, John Odigie-Oyegun, his estranged erstwhile political ally, as chairman of APC presidential screening panel.

Tinubu and Oyegun fell apart during the leadership crisis that consumed latter, leading to the emergence of former Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomole, as his successor.

While the APC was unobtrusive in planning and conducting the screening exercise at an undisclosed room at the Transport Hilton hotel Abuja, journalists had a hard day locating the venue when news broke in the early hours of yesterday without any official statement from the party to the effect that the exercise would hold.

At the hotel, journalists were barred from the venue of the screening unlike in the past when the conventional practice had been for the party to inform the media with details of the screening, including the venue and time of event.

There were no details about membership of the screening committee and when it was constituted till later in the day when it became clear that the APC quickly set up a seven-member committee chaired by Odigie-Oyegun to conduct the screening exercise for the presidential aspirants.

National chairman of the party, Sen Abdullahi Adamu, and National Secretary, Iyiola Omisore, were also said to be members the committee.

There had also been reports that the governing party was planning to prune the number of its presidential aspirants as part of plans for a consensus option which has popped up names like former President Goodluck Jonathan a possible preferred candidate.

The APC had postponed its presidential screening exercise for three consecutive times, leading to the postponement of its presidential convention earlier scheduled to be held on May 29-30.

GOVERNOR UMAHI SUCCESSFULLY UNDERGOES SCREENING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FORTHCOMING ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS, APC PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY.

The Governor of Ebonyi State, Engineer David Umahi has been cleared by the presidential screening committee to contest the All Progressives Congress, APC Presidential Primary slated for June 6 - 8, 2022.

If Governor Umahi emerges in the Primary, he would contest the general election to become the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The presidential screening is taking place at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja on Monday, May 30 and 31, 2022.

Governor David Umahi is one of the frontline APC presidential aspirants whose developmental strides in Ebonyi State speaks volume for him.

Francis Nwaze, FIPMD
Special Assistant to the Governor
(Media and Publicity)
May 30, 2022.

So many people who shouldn’t be President of Nigeria. Atiku and Tinubu are on that list. We can do better than these two. SMH.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has fixed Monday and Tuesday for the screening of presidential hopefuls.

According to a list seen by TheCable on Sunday, a total of 23 presidential hopefuls are expected to participate in the screening exercise.

Eleven aspirants are expected to be screened on Monday, while the remaining 12 are scheduled to participate in the exercise on Tuesday.

The development comes after the earlier postponement of the exercise by the APC.

As of Friday morning — hours before the party had initially scheduled its presidential primary to hold — no date had been fixed for the screening.

The APC presidential primary was scheduled to hold on May 29 and 30.

However, on Friday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced a postponement of the June 3 deadline for primaries after a meeting with the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC).

INEC has now given political parties till June 9 to conclude all matters on primaries for the 2023 general election.

Following the postponement of the deadline for primaries by the electoral commission, the APC had also announced a shift in the date for its primary.

The exercise will now hold from June 6 to 8 in Abuja.

Ebonyi State Governor and All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential aspirant, Dave Umahi has boasted that he would defeat the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP’s Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar in the 2023 polls.

Umahi was speaking in Abakaliki, Sunday while playing host to the national leadership of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, and the Nigerian Union of Women Journalists, NAWOJ.

The Governor whose APC party has again postponed its national convention, can only challenge the PDP candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar at the 2023 presidential election if he emerges the APC standard bearer.

Governor Umahi told the national leaders of the media unions, that he stands shoulders high, above every other presidential aspirant and candidate, in terms of his pedigree and credentials.

The two unions are in Ebonyi State, South East Nigeria for their quarterly Central Working Committee meetings.

The NUJ president Chris Isiguzo, wants the electorate to assess and consider the track records of all aspirants and candidates in determining who to vote for in the coming general elections in the country.

Isiguzo praised the Governor for what he says is the setting of a template for enduring governance through the projects executed by his administration.

REJECTION OF THE PRIMARY ELECTION EXERCISE FOR HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MEMBERSHIP, REPRESENTING ALBASU/GAYA/AJINGI FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY

I hereby categorically reject the process and proceeds of the primary election conducted on 27th of May, 2022 to elect the All Progressives Congress (APC) flagbearer for the position of member House of Representatives for Albasu/Gaya/Ajingi Federal Constituency. I offered myself to serve my constituents as best I can and I would have been willing to accept whatever outcome if it was free, fair and credible. I am sad to say that what ensued at the venue of the primaries highly threatens the credibility and integrity the APC has built over two political cycles. It is therefore a great disservice to my people and our great party, to be silent about such injustice.

To the best of my knowledge, election at the primaries stage requires delegates to cast their votes and a winner emerges with the majority votes. It therefore implies that there could not have been any voting process that occurred considering majority of the delegates were neither allowed to vote nor even granted access to the venue.

No document that supposedly validates the election was signed by my agents because they were also denied access to the voting area.

On my arrival to the venue as an aspirant too, I was denied access to the voting area. My supporters who were around the premises for the primaries resisted the unjust treatment I was given and attempted insisting on my entrance into the voting area.

Like I have consistently been saying, my ambition is not worth anybody’s life or safety, so at that time, I believed the best action to take was to vacate the premises in order to douse the friction and for the safety of the majority delegates, my agents and my supporters who were being targeted by thugs.

I, therefore call on the stakeholders of our party, the APC, to as a matter of urgency, save the reputation of the party by insisting on the members of the electoral committee to conduct a fresh, free and fair election.

I would like to commend and extend profound gratitude to the delegates who despite the ill-treatment, refused to be intimidated by anyone. I would also like to send my appreciation to my supporters who have always been with me from the onset. To be silent about the injustice we have experienced, is to disappoint those supporters. I implore all to be calm and remain the law-abiding citizens I know you to be because I still have faith in the APC that this spectacular blunder, we have experienced on the 27th of May, 2022 shall be annulled and credible primary election shall be conducted.

Thank you very much and may Allah bless you all.

Bashir Ahmad,
House of Representatives Aspirant for Albasu/Gaya/Ajingi

27th May, 2022
PRESS RELEASE

ANYIM WRITES AYU AGAIN AS EBONYI DELEGATES LIST CRISIS GETS MESSIER

PDP frontline presidential aspirant, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim has written a second open letter to the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prof Iyorchia Ayu complaining about the manipulation of the delegates list for Ebonyi State.

The second letter which came less than ten hours after the first, complained that the authentic list of delegates from the state had been changed and replaced with people who were not elected as delegates.
In the first letter, the former President of the Senate had complained that Ebonyi delegates names were completely missing from the PDP’s national delegates list.

The second letter was also copied to Sen. David Mark,
Chairman of the 2022 PDP Special Convention.
Titled: “Re: Open Letter on the Absence of Ebonyi State Delegates List”, the letter reads, “The Chairman may refer to my earlier letter of today the 27th day of May 2022 and captioned as above.

“I am to observe that shortly after my letter, I noticed in an official publication by the party, list of Ebonyi State Delegates alongside other states.

“It is disheartening that by 6pm today, the Ebonyi State Delegates List has changed from what was officially published.

“There is no doubt that the aim of this gamble with Ebonyi State Delegates List is to disenfranchise duly elected delegates from Ebonyi State from participating in the presidential primary election.

“Let it be on record that anybody not on the list originally published by the party, is certainly not a delegate from Ebonyi State”, Anyim cautioned.

Sam Nwaobasi, Media Adviser to Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, GCON

High Chief Ikechi Emenike on Thursday emerged as the standard-bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State for the 2023 general elections.

In the party’s governorship primary held in Umuahia, he polled 672 votes to defeat his closest rival, Hon. Emeka Atuma polled 150 votes.

Others include Prince Paul Ikonne, 22, Chief Daniel Eke, 16, Dr Alex Otti, 14, Obinna Oriaku, 12, and Dr Uche Ogah, 6 votes.

By this result, Emenike will have to contend with the PDP standard-bearer, Prof. Uche Eleazar Ikonne who emerged on Wednesday.

Midway into the election, Hon Emeka Atuma, Dr Uche Ogah, Obinna Oriaku and Prince Paul Ikonne protested the electoral process used, indirect instead of the direct election process.

Addressing the press jointly at the venue, Dr Uche Ogah, Obinna Oriaku and Prince Paul Ikonne rejected the use of indirect process stating that the party at the national level had instructed that direct process be used.

In his acceptance speech after the primary, the winner, Ikechi Emenike said his victory is the “first step towards liberating Abia.

“It has been a long torturous journey. This is the beginning of the beginning. Now is not the time to sit on the fence.

“Our mission first is to rescue Abia and develop the state,” he said and assured “come May 29, 2023, there will be a bigger celebration. This is the era of development,” Emenike said.

Also speaking, the APC Abia State chairman, Dr Kingsley Ononogbu described the process of the primary as free and fair.

Dr Bob Uwaga was the Returning Officer.

The incumbent Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has won the All Progressives Alliance (APC) ticket at the just concluded primary election a moment ago.

Thus, he is o the march to a second term in office, all things being equal.

BREAKING: Prof Uchenna Ikonne Wins Abia PDP Governorship ticket.

See the results:

Abia PDP Congress results

Void -8
Senator Abaribe -5
Enyinnaya Nwafor-4
Sampson Orji-4
Ude Oko-6
Emma Nwaka-4
Ncheta Omerkpe-3
Prof Greg Ibe-2
Ezinwanyi Jonah-5
Lucky Igbokwe-45
Prof Uche Ikonne-468

Mahdi Aliyu-Gusau, the immediate past Deputy Governor of Zamfara and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Governorship aspirant in the 2023 general elections has withdrawn from the race.

Mr Aliyu-Gusau made the announcement on Wednesday in Gusau hours to the commencement of the party’s governorship primaries.

He urged his supporters, delegates and party leaders to vote for Dr Dauda Lawal-Dare to clinch the governorship ticket during the primaries.

Mr Aliyu-Gusau thanked his supporters for the massive support he enjoyed during and after his days as deputy governor of the state.

The three aspirants, Lawal-Dare, Abubakar Nakwada and Wadatau Madawaki will slug it out for the governorship ticket of the PDP during the primaries.

The government has approved the £4.25bn Todd Boehly-led consortium takeover of Chelsea.

After months of negotiations, the deal has finally been approved after the government received legal guarantees that Roman Abramovich - who has had his UK assets frozen - will not benefit from the sale.

Russian-Israeli billionaire Abramovich put Chelsea, which he purchased in 2003, up for sale on March 2, a week after Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine on February 24.

"Last night the Government issued a licence that permits the sale of Chelsea," said culture secretary Nadine Dorries. "Given the sanctions we placed on those linked to Putin and the bloody invasion of Ukraine, the long-term future of the club can only be secured under a new owner.

"We are satisfied the proceeds of the sale will not benefit Roman Abramovich or other sanctioned individuals. I want to thank everyone, especially officials who've worked tirelessly to keep the club playing and enable this sale, protecting fans and the wider football community."

On Tuesday night, the Premier League approved the takeover, with its board applying "the Premier League's Owners' and Directors' Test (OADT) to all prospective Directors" and undertaking "the necessary due diligence".

Sky Sports News understands that the proceeds of the sale are going into a frozen bank account controlled by the government.

Chelsea have been operating under a special government licence, which expires on May 31, albeit with restrictions over signing and selling players and offering new contracts to stars.

Boehly, co-owner of the LA Dodgers baseball team, and fellow consortium member Hansjörg Wyss were at Stamford Bridge for Sunday's final 2-1 win over Watford.

US magnate Boehly will become Chelsea's controlling owner once the takeover is complete, though California investment firm Clearlake Capital will assume the majority shareholding.

There was confusion at the national secretariat of the All Progressives Congress on Tuesday when the National Working Committee released yet another revised timetable and schedule of activities for the Governorship, State House of Assembly, Senate, and House of Representatives Primary Elections.

The new schedule, which comes a day after the party adjusted the old timetable, had a slight alteration in the dates.

Unlike in the previous schedule of activities, the primary for the 340 senatorial aspirants that was slated for Friday, May 27 would now hold on Saturday, May 28.

On the other hand, the primary for the House of Representatives aspirants, earlier scheduled for Saturday, May 28 has been shifted back to Friday, May 27.

Accordingly, the date for primaries of the 145 governorship and State House of Assembly aspirants remains the same – Thursday, May 26.

While apologising for the last-minute adjustment, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Felix Morka, disclosed that “the special convention for the Presidential Primary will be held as scheduled on Sunday, 29th – Monday, 30th of May, 2022.”

Senator Rochas Okorocha, former governor of Imo State and a presidential aspirant of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has said Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is distressed by his lifelong ambition to be president due to his contributions to the party.

Okorocha who is the senator representing Imo West, said this in an interview on ARISE TV.

On the recent move by the five Presidential aspirants in the South East who have united to push for an Igbo candidate for the APC ticket, Okorocha said though he respects Tinubu a lot, the South East presidency is something that should be understood naturally.

He said, “I think it’s just natural, and that everybody should know, and I don’t know what’s behind the mind of Tinubu but I respect him a lot, but I think Tinubu is in distress, because he feels that it’s a time to compensate him on the basis of the role he played in the formation of APC which some of us were part of it.

“So everybody has reason why he’s coming out, and these things define power and strength. He [Tinubu] believed that he has made people and this is the time people should allow him or make him or something. More like a reward system.

“But more than that, we are talking about the nation called Nigeria. We have to have a nation first before personal and individual sentiments will come at play.”

The Minister of Science and Technology and Innovation, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, may be President Muhammadu Buhari’s favourite candidate to carry the flag of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), in the 2023 presidential election.

Although there were speculations yesterday that the screening of the party’s presidential aspirants earlier scheduled for May 23 may have been postponed to accommodate former President Goodluck Jonathan who is suspected to have submitted his nomination form through the backdoor, insiders suggested a completely different track in confidential discussions with LEADERSHIP last night.

“The press may have got the whole speculation about Jonathan wrong,” one of the sources with deep connections to the party and the Presidency said. “The real dark horse, the man to watch, is Ogbonnaya Onu.”

The source continued: “It’s because the scales are tipping in Onu’s favour that President Buhari has delayed the signing of the amendment to the Electoral Act, that may have permitted political appointees to be voting delegates at the primaries.”

In Nigeria, state governors fund the parties and wield significant control over delegates at election time. Keeping political appointees out of the equation increases governors’ control. At the same time, however, it makes is easier for the President, who still exercises considerable power of patronage, to whip them in line.

Onu is not the only candidate that could potentially benefit from the exclusion of political appointees in a field that boasts over 25 APC aspirants who have submitted nomination forms, but who mostly have weak party structures. The source said, however, that “Onu carries additional appeal and advantage.”

At 70, age is not one of those advantages in country where there appears to be an increasing demand for youth and energy.

“That is true”, another well-connected source said last night. “But Buhari is looking for something more than age. He is desperate to redeem his legacy, especially in the wake of the raft of crises facing the country. You know the role of Buhari, his sacrifice and that of the Nigerian Army during the civil war.

“Rooting for Onu would be a masterstroke for the country’s unity at this time. It would repair Buhari’s damaged legacy, especially the accusations of nepotism against him. And increasingly, the thinking inside the Villa is that it is both fair and right to look to the South East.”

The source added that Onu, an engineer with a PhD in Chemical Engineering, has enjoyed a long-standing relationship with Buhari dating to their days, first in the All Nigerian Progressives Party (ANPP), under whose flag Buhari contested the 2003 election.

Although he is only one of the six South East candidates in the race – the others are Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State; former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha; former minister of state for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba; former Senate President Ken Nnamani; and Mrs. Uju Ohanenye – he has served in Buhari’s government as minister since 2015, making him the longest-serving South East minister left in the race.

He is also believed to share similar values of ascetism with the president, his only major run-in with controversy being his promise in 2018 to create 400,000 jobs by producing pencils locally, a promise kept in the breach.

“I can tell you,” the source said, “that increasing, those with big money are less favoured.”

There were indications yesterday that Buhari could convene a meeting of the aspirants on Wednesday to hint at his preferred candidate, a move that could whittle down the crowd of aspirants significantly ahead of the Sunday primaries.

It would be recalled that this was the strategy used to choose the new APC national chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, in March.

In recent times a number of groups, including the Southern and Middle-belt Forum, led by elder statesman, Edwin Clark, have called for the ruling party to yield the presidential ticket to the South East.

The leader of the Yoruba Cultural Group, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, was the first leading South west leader to make the call on grounds of “equity and fairness.”

During an interview with Channels TV in January, Buhari had said even though he had a preferred candidate, he would keep the candidate close to his chest for the candidate’s sake.

That statement has been interpreted variously, especially by dark horses, but so far, none so probable as Onu.

Buhari and Onu share a long political history. They were both in the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). While Buhari, in 2010, left to form defunct, Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Onu emerge national chairman of ANPP.

Their paths crossed politically again, when Onu as chairman of ANPP spearheaded the merger of legacy parties, namely CPC, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and a faction of All Peoples Grand Alliance (APGA) that formed the APC.

With Buhari leading the CPC bloc and Onu leading the ANPP bloc, both party leaders had worked closely and harmoniously, a relationship that ensured that Onu emerged and served as minister for the better part of Buhari’s administration.

Until the APC merger, Onu had remained a loyal ANPP (formerly APP) member since 1998 when he emerged the party’s presidential candidate.

FOLLOWING the heightening state of insecurity in Anambra State, the state governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo has said that his administration has drawn a battle line against criminals, insisting that no place in the state would be safe for them to operate.

Addressing aspirants of the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, for the various elective positions for 2023 at the Governor’s Lodge, Awka, Soludo said government is putting stringent measures in place with security agencies to tackle the situation headlong and restore peace and order to the state.

Lamenting the loss of the member representing Aguata Constituency II at the State House of Assembly, Okechukwu Okoye, who was gruesomely murdered alongside his aide, Cyril Chiegboka by gunmen, the governor assured that the perpetrators of the dastardly act would be arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law.

He said that the security challenges confronting the state were being “perpetrated by criminals who have now engaged in kidnapping, killing and other manner of criminalities as a lucrative enterprise, a far departure from any form of political agitations”.

The governor expressed gratitude to the APGA members for their support during his gubernatorial campaign and congratulated them for successfully participating in and passing through the screening exercise of the party.

While stating that APGA, as political party, remained one big family, Soludo also expressed optimism that the party would win convincingly at the forthcoming elections at the state House of Assembly, House of Representatives and the Senate elections.

He informed them that he would help build APGA as a strong political party founded on the strong philosophy of true federalism and devolution of power, pointing out that those who used APGA as a mercenary platform to get into office would have to be patient when they return to the party until it gets to their turn again.

“There is need to build a political party of believers anchored on the concept of fidelity”, he added, and thanked them for volunteering to serve the good people of Anambra State.

A devastating end to the season, as our relegation is confirmed.

Ahead of presidential primaries of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) billed to hold next week Sunday, aspirants from the South East extraction are currently in a closed-door meeting.

The closed-door meeting, which is being held at the private resident of a former Imo State governor in Abuja, Rochas Okorocha, started at about 3:45pm.

Although the agenda of the meeting was yet to be made public but an aide to Okorocha who doesn’t want his name in print told Daily Trust that the meeting was centred on how to pick a consensus candidate among the aspirants from the zone.

”South East is serious about producing President of this country this time around. This makes our leaders to convene this meeting in order to have a common ground. I can assure you that the zone will push forward an aspirant who is nationally acceptable,” the aide said.

Those in attendance include a immediate past Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu; former minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba; a former Senate President, Ken Nnamani; Okorocha and the only female aspirant, Uju Ohanenye.

As at when filing this report, Ebonyi State governor, Dave Umahi, who is also eying the seat and expected to be at the meeting, was yet to arrive.

Daily Trust reports that the ruling APC is currently considering to opt for consensus among the aspirants who obtained presidential forms and eying the number one seat in the country.

The Presidency has debunked speculations purporting that President Muhammadu Buhari has signed the reviewed Electoral Act Amendment Bill.

Recall that as of Saturday evening, there were insinuations that the President who proceeded on a trip to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates may have signed the bill into law, a development that was raising concerns in some quarters.

An online platform had on Saturday, published a story claiming that the President had already signed the bill, which was transmitted to him last week Friday.

But sources within the presidency told DAILY POST correspondent that the information was false.

Clarifying the true position, the source pointed out that the bill could not have been signed in secret, especially when the president was out of the country and is expected back later today from UAE.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, who just returned to the country with the President, said the news of the signing, which had already gone viral on social media, was not to his knowledge, saying “it is news to me too”.

In a related development, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, House of Representatives, Umar El-Yakub, also debunked the information, stressing that the viral news could not be true, citing reasons for his conclusion.

According to El-Yakub, referring to the President on the bill, said “he couldn’t have signed it yesterday because he was out of the country and he couldn’t have signed already because he’s just entering the country.

“I also cannot tell you that he will still sign it or will not sign it. He’s the President. But if it will be signed later, we will all know”, he said.