₦airaland Forum

As the presidential primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic party (PDP) draw nearer, there are indications that both parties might have narrowed the race down to about nine aspirants.

In the PDP, there are indications that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike and former Anambra State governor has emerged top contenders for the presidential primary.

A total of 17 aspirants obtained the PDP nomination forms for the May 28/29 presidential primary of the party. They include Atiku, Wike, Saraki, Obi as well as Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal,and former Secretary to Government of the Federation ( SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim,

Others are Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed, Akwa Ibom governor, Emmanuel Udom, former Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose and publisher of Ovation Magazine, Dele Momodu, former president, Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (MAN), Sam Ohuabunwa; investment banker, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen; Cosmos Ndukwe;Charles Ugwu; Chikwendu Kalu; Tareila Diana and Nwachukwu Anakwenze. However, Ndukwe and Anakwenze were not cleared to participate in the exercise.

Atiku, a two term vice president in the President Olusegun Obasanjo administration, is known to have deep contacts across the various state chapters of the opposition party. The former vice president, who is contesting for the sixth time, was the PDP 2019 presidential candidate. Inside sources said his long preparation for the office is a added advantage.

Besides, he has a number of the members of the PDP Board of Trustees and National Executive Committee ( NEC) working for the actualization of his ambition. In a contest that would likely be determined by how much a candidate is able to give to delegates, Atiku’s wealth is an added advantage..

Wike is more or less the face of opposition politics in the country. The Rivers State governor, who is well known for doggedness and for being outspoken has traversed the length and breadth of the country to canvass for the support of party leaders and delegates. Wike is known to enjoy the support of four of the PDP governors, including Governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Okezie Ikpeazu, Samuel Ortom and Seyi Makinde of Enugu, Abia, Benue and Oyo respectively.

His deep pocket is also an advantage. Saraki at the moment has some endorsement already tucked in in his belt, beginning from his endorsement as one of the Northern consensus aspirants by a group of northern leaders led by former Military President, Ibrahim Babangida. He has also been endorsed by some of the PDP chapters in the North Central.

Peter Obi has a lot going for him in the PDP presidential primary. His achievements as a two time governor of Anambra State and his reputation as a good manager of resources has endeared to a lot of party men and women as well as voters across the country.

The former Anambra governor, who was the PDP vice presidential candidate in the 2019 general elections, is generally considered as a breath of fresh and a politician without baggage. So far, he is the only aspirant whose supporters outside the PDP are mobilizing fund to support his presidential campaign in the event that he emerges the opposition party candidate for the 2023 polls.

Meanwhile barely one week to the presidential primary of the APC, the race has gradually gone down to the wire with only five aspirants consolidating hold on the ticket of the governing party.

The party’s national leadership this week confirmed that 25 out of the 28 aspirants that purchased the form to contest the presidential ticket of the party returned their completed forms ahead of the party’s primary scheduled for Abuja on May 29 and 30, 2022.

However, despite the heavyweight party chieftains jostling for the ticket, the coast is becoming clearer that five aspirants, comprising the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, and his Science and Technology counterpart, Dr Ogbonnia Onu, have emerged the real contenders for the ticket.

Sources close to the party told Saturday Sun that baring last minute change in arrangements, especially the speculated President Muhammadu Buhari’s proposed endorsement of one of the aspirants, the race has been gradually narrowed to the five aspirants to square it up during the primary.

Already, the source further argued, the five aspirants have been unrelenting in travelling from one state to the other across the country to consult with the party leaders in states and campaign to the delegates.

Confirming the situation, the source said: “There is truth in the impression that the five aspirants are the real contenders to jostle for the ticket during the primary. Those that have been following the build-up to the party’s primary can testify that the five have better political structures across the country among the 25 aspirants and it is reflecting in their consultations from both Northern and Southern part of the country.

“Perhaps, with the exception of Onu, others are not relenting, travelling from state to state on a nationwide consultation to meet with the delegates and chieftains that would smoothen their chances of winning,” the source said.

Ekiti Governor Kayode Fayemi has said he is not a moneybag but knows the presidency is not for money bags.

The presidential hopeful stated this while canvassing for support of the Kaduna national delegates on Thursday.

He however said though he does not have money, he has the capacity, the competence and the compassion for Nigerians and can lead the country.

Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai described Fayemi as a man of great intent, patience, whom he had known for over 20 years.

Addressing the delegates, Fayemi promised to end insecurity, arguing: “Inequality, poverty, economic undertones of security challenges are some of the issues to be addressed before we can address insecurity.

“Kaduna state is one of the major food baskets in the country. We want to absorb our youth into the food value chain of agriculture and we must guarantee credit for our farmers and off-taking of the produce from our farmers.

“As a founding member of APC there should be correlation between those who worked for the party and those that benefited from the party. I will establish an APC policy institute to be involved in policy making to make policy and hold the leaders responsible.

“I am here because I believe we can build on the legacy of our president and I believe I have the capacity, the competence and the compassion for our people and I can lead the country. I am not an accidental politician, yet I dont set out to be a politician, I am an academic.

“Fighting against June 12 annulment is what brought me here. I ran Radio Kudirat, I was declared personal non great and faced lot of threats. The desire to have a better Nigeria, a more progressive country that that would yield to the yearnings of the people.

“Look at the aspirants, look at our competing vision, temperament, capacity, competence, the courage to do the right thing among the aspirants.

“I am not a moneybag, but I also know this job has never gone to a moneybag. But I can raise money. I have colleagues who believed in me, who are compassionate, who can assist me if I run to them. What you want is a better future for your children where you can sleep with your eyes closed.

“I am not in this race for personal gains but I have a roadmap to transform our country, improve security, economy and infrastructure to build a better country where cohesion becomes foundation of our security.

“I am a bridge builder, a unifier I have lots of friends all over. My vision of a new Nigeria I believe I would earn your support, I pray that I earn your vote but what matters ultimately is to have a better Nigeria.

“I have been having a conversation with el-Rufai, though he said he is tired and wants to go and rest, but the job is unfinished and he is needed to make Nigeria a better place,” he said.

El-Rufai said: “He is the first person I have seen who won an election in 2014 but allowed another person to take the mandate for peace to reign. But the people of Ekiti state compensated him four years later and elected him as their governor.

“Fayemi granted Kaduna state the iron ore mining license which enabled us to have the first indigenous steel plant in 60 years after Ajaokuta a N10 billion project in Kujeni, Kagarko local government that would be completed later in the year,” he said.

El-Rufai told the delegates: “I will wait for you, to hear from you after you have heard from all the aspirants, the Vice President is coming on Saturday and Pastor Bakare said he is on his way but I don’t know when he will be here. It is my duty and honour to recommend to you Dr John Folorunso Kayode Fayemi a presidential aspirant of Nigeria. He has advised some countries on security so you can understand his depth of knowledge on security issues.”

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared his intention to achieve his “lifelong ambition” of becoming the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. His tenure as Lagos state governor ended in 2007, about 15 years ago. He was the only governor who got reelected on the platform of the defunct Alliance for Democracy (AD) party. Why he didn’t deem it fit to contest the 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019 Presidential election to achieve “his lifelong ambition” remains inexplicable.

He was the de facto leader of the defunct AD which metamorphosed to Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) as the only surviving governor on the platform of the party. And that could have made it pretty seamless for him to have emerged as the presidential candidate of the party at the time.

As a renowned political strategist as claimed by many of his admirers, he could have equally challenged a so-called weaker candidate of the then Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who was President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2011 general election. Does it mean that this purported “lifelong ambition” was not there when opportunities for presidential elections arose in the past after his gubernatorial sojourn?

President Muhammadu Buhari could be said to have harbored a lifelong ambition for the presidency. That was why he contested for the position in 2003, 2007, 2011 and finally succeeded in 2015. Tinubu has been harbouring a “lifelong ambition” yet was shying away from expressing it until now. My hunch tells me that Tinubu doesn’t have any “lifelong ambition” for the presidency of Nigeria. If he truly has, he would have made efforts to realize it in the past elections when he was younger and healthier. I wager to posit that Tinubu’s main interest is his suzerainty in Lagos state which may slip off his hands in 2023 if care is not taken.

Tinubu was declared as the winner of the 2003 governorship election against late Funsho Williams by a slim margin in the ratio of about 9:7 in hundreds of thousands of votes as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). That was the closest chance PDP ever had in taking over Lagos state. Stories had it that Funsho Williams actually won the election with over a million votes, but then Vice President Atiku Abubakar did some political magic to save his friend by ensuring that Tinubu retained his seat.

There were speculations that Tinubu never wanted former Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola to get a second term in 2011. By the end of Fashola’s first term, his relationship with his godfather (Tinubu) had soured. Tinubu was poised to deny him a second term.

However, his major impediments were PDP at the federal level and Fashola was popular and endeared himself to Lagosians. PDP at the federal level was ready to hand over the party’s ticket to Fashola if Tinubu had denied him the ACN ticket. President Jonathan and the PDP were watching the Lagos political scenario with keen interest. Tinubu was handicapped. His hands were tired. As a clever politician that he is, he demurred. Recoiled to his shell and allowed Fashola a second term.

Tinubu was able to deal with immediate past Governor Ambode just because APC was controlling the federal government in 2019. Those who say that Ambode is a coward are missing the point. He is not. If Ambode had defected to PDP, he would have still lost the election because President Buhari needed Lagos State for his (Buhari) own reelection. He needed Tinubu’s support and wouldn’t want Ambode’s second tenure ambition to torpedo his own reelection.

Tinubu’s purported control of the Southwest is a fallacious myth. He can only do that when his party is in control of the federal government. Both Governors Olusegun Mimiko and Ayo Fayose dared him, defied his challenge and got their second terms without his support. When Tinubu tried to overreach his influence, in the last Edo State governorship election, Edo people called his bluff by telling him that “Edo no be Lagos”.

As the 2023 general election approaches, Tinubu may lose his stranglehold of Lagos if he doesn’t play his politics well. I want to reveal to Tinubu, through this piece, that he will not be the presidential candidate of the APC for the 2023 general election. The presidential standard bearer of the party would be chosen through the consensus option. The dejure National Leader of the Party President Buhari would assert his authority by choosing who will succeed him in office. When Tinubu finally loses the presidential ticket of the APC, he must remain with the party and vigorously campaign for its presidential candidate. If he decamps to any other political party in order to realize his “lifelong ambition”, the incumbent Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu may likely defect with him to the new party in order to get his support for his own reelection. New leadership will emerge for the Lagos APC. Fashola, Ambode, Muiz Banire and this group which goes by the name Lagos4Lagos, will definitely take over the leadership of Lagos APC.

Since Sanwo-Olu may go with Tinubu to the new party, a brand new governorship candidate will emerge for the APC in Lagos. Don’t forget that PDP is lurking at the corners. Tinubu will then face a stronger challenge to his stranglehold of Lagos by the APC-led federal government and the PDP.

President Buhari as an outgoing president will ensure that APC retains Lagos state under a new leadership. Or even allow the PDP candidate to win in order to spite Tinubu. It bears repeating, that was the treatment given to Tinubu in the last election in Edo state. If Lagos state slips off the control of Tinubu, his humongous wealth and unquantifiable investments may be jeopardised. Tinubu is stuck with APC whether he eventually emerges as the presidential candidate or not. He has a lot to lose if the opposition takes over the governance of Lagos state.

The Supreme Court has granted permission to Rivers State to join as an interested party in a suit filed by President Muhammadu Buhari against the National Assembly on the Electoral Act 2022 .

The apex court has subsequently fixed Thursday, May 26, 2022 for hearing of the suit.

Rivers State is to be represented in the suit by the Speaker of the State House of Assembly and the Attorney General of the state.

Justice Muhammad Musa Datijjo, who led a panel of seven justices of the court, adjourned the matter till Thursday following the concession by Buhari’s lawyer, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), that the Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly and the Attorney General of the state be joined as parties in the suit.

Justice Dattijo then ordered the parties to file and exchange necessary processes latest next week Wednesday and return to the court on Thursday for hearing.

WITH the latest decision of the National Working Committee, NWC, of the All Progressives Congress, APC, to allow ad-hoc delegates to elect the presidential candidate of the party at the May 30 to June 1 convention, two northern aspirants have emerged as frontrunners for the ticket.

Chairman of the Kebbi state Screening Appeals Committee and Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria, VON, Mr Osita Okechukwu, said three delegates would be elected from each of the nation’s 774 local government areas and six Area Councils of the FCT, Abuja making 2,340 delegates in total.

However, the figure will change if President Muhammadu Buhari assents to the Electoral Act 2022 Amendment Bill before him, which will allow statutory delegates to participate in the presidential primaries.

The current Electoral Act 2022 (as amended) has no role for statutory delegates at the convention.

Statutory or “Super” delegates are elected councillors, local government chairmen and their vice, party chairmen in the 774 LGAs and six Abuja area councils, state and federal lawmakers, governors and their deputies, president and vice president, NWC members, state party chairmen and secretaries.

The provision in the Principal Act reads: “A political party that adopts the system of indirect primaries for the choice of its candidate shall clearly outline in its constitution and rule the procedure for the democratic election of delegates to vote at the convention, congress or meeting.

Last week, federal lawmakers amended Section 84 of the Principal Act by deleting subsection ( and inserting a new subsection ( as follows: “A political party that adopts the system of indirect primaries for the choice of its candidates shall clearly outline in its constitution and rules the procedure for the democratic election of delegates to vote at the convention, congress or meeting, in addition to statutory delegates already prescribed in the Constitution of the party.”

For the presidential primaries, Okechukwu reportedly said: “We are going to elect three delegates from each of the 774 local governments, who will elect the president, but the first job is the screening and the delegates would be elected and the delegates would in turn elect the governorship and presidential candidates.”

New arrangements favours emergence of northern candidate

If President Buhari fails to assent the Electoral Act Amendment before the APC presidential primaries, the new delegate arrangement will favour the emergence of a northern candidate unless the APC zones the ticket to the South and takes special measures to produce a southern candidate.

The party is yet to zone the ticket and indications show that the contest would be thrown open.

A breakdown of the 2,340 delegates for the presidential primaries shows that the North has 1,257 delegates while the South has 1,068 delegates.

Also, the North-West zone with seven states and 121 local councils has 558 delegates. It is followed by the South-West, which has six states, 137 local councils and 411 delegates. Both zones account for 979 of the 2,340 delegates.

Going further, the South-South with six states and 123 local councils will have 369 delegates. The fourth zone in terms of delegate strength is North-Central (363 delegates). It has 121 local councils drawn from six states and FCT, Abuja. It is followed by the North-East (336 delegates) with six states and 112 local councils.

The least zone is South-East with five states, 96 local councils and 288 delegates.

Among the 23 presidential aspirants still left in the race for the APC ticket 19 are from the South and four are from the North.

Among the Southern aspirants eight are from the South-East that has the least number of delegates; seven are from the South-West; and the South-South has four.

In the North, North-West has two while North-East and North-Central has one each.

The aspirants

The aspirants from South-West are Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Senator Ajayi Borrofice, Mr. Dimeji Bankole, Dr Tunde Bakare, Dr Kayode Fayemi and Senator Ibikunle Amosun.

Those from the South-East are Chief Emeka newajiuba, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, Senator Rochas Okorocha, Engr Dave Umahi, Senator Ken Nnamani, Mr. Nicholas nwagbo, Mr. Ikeobasi Mokelu and Mrs. Uju Ohanenye.

The contenders from the South-South are Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, Senator Godswill Akpabio, Senator Ben Ayade, and Mr. Tein Jack-Rich.

The aspirants from the North are Alhaji Yahaya Bello (North-Central), Senate President Ahmad Lawan (North-East), Mohammed Badaru (North-West) and Ahmed Yerima (North-West).

With President Muhammadu Buhari hailing from the North-West, some stakeholders are fingering Yahaya Bello and Lawan and as potential northern consensus candidates for the APC ticket.

If that happens, with the huge delegates from the North, and likely division of the southern delegates among the crowd of southern aspirants either of Bello or Lawan could pick the prized ticket.

Already both aspirants are waxing strong and receiving support from many parts of the country. Bello, recently, said he is ready for any format or mode of primary – Direct, Indirect or Consensus, saying he is the candidate to beat among the crowd of aspirants in APC.

Zonal breakdown of APC delegates

South-South

Akwa Ibom -93

Bayelsa – 24

Cross River – 54

Delta – 75

Edo – 54

Rivers – 69

Total – 369

South-East

Abia – 54

Anambra – 63

Enugu – 51

Ebonyi – 39

Imo – 81

Total – 288

South-West

Lagos – 60

Ekiti – 48

Ogun – 60

Osun – 90

Oyo – 99

Ondo – 54

Total – 411

North-East

Adamawa – 63

Bauchi – 60

Gombe – 33

Borno – 81

Yobe – 51

Taraba -48

Total – 336

North-Central

Kogi – 63

Kwara – 48

Benue – 69

Plateau – 51

Nasarawa – 39

Niger – 75

FCT, Abuja – 18

Total – 363

North-West

Kaduna – 69

Kano – 132

Katsina – 102

Kebbi – 63

Jigawa – 81

Sokoto – 69

Zamfara – 42

Total – 558

The Kano State Police Command has attributed the incident which occurred at Aba by Court road in Sabon Gari, Fagge Local Government Area of Kano to gas explosion.

Four residents reportedly lost their lives in the incident which happened on Tuesday morning.

According to Kano Commissioner of Police, Sama’ila Shu’aibu Dikko, four people have so far been discovered dead while security personnel are trying to find the remaining victims of the incident.

“It is not bomb explosion; it’s a gas cylinder. There’s a gas welder here and he was the first victim of the situation.”

“As at now, one female and three males have been killed. All the security agencies are here. The Civil Defence, Brigade commander, Air force, myself and the director, DSS, are all on ground.

“We will extend our investigation and at the end of the day we will come out with exactly what happened.”

Former national chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, has accused governor of Ekiti and APC presidential aspirant, Kayode Fayemi, of asking him to commit electoral fraud as the then sitting chairman of the party.

Mr Oshiomhole was speaking on an interview programme on Channels Television’s ‘Political Paradigm’, recounting his days and exit from the office as national chairman.

Mr Oshiomhole who said he was very proud of his accomplishments in office, boasted that he left with his honour when he was asked to resign his position as national chairman of the APC.

“I said it in one of the meetings I had with governor Kayode Fayemi who told me bluntly to my face that, “chairman, what we are saying is, you can go and conduct election to fulfil all righteousness, but when we say this is the person that should emerge, just make sure he is the person that emerge’.

“And I told governor Fayemi that, ‘that would be your own portion not me’. I cannot be used as an instrument of fraud, to invite people to buy forms when I have already decided, regardless of how people will vote, this is the man that will prevail.

“You want to use me for such a purpose, I said no, I said at worst, if you find the number to get rid of me, I will rather leave the job with my honour than sacrifice my honour to keep the job,” Mr Oshiomhole said.

The former governor of Edo State also narrated how President Muhammadu Buhari was always full of praises even in public, and how that landed him in trouble.

A Viral claim stating that the Sokoto State Government has enacted a law, approving a death penalty as punishment for the offence of blasphemy is false.

According to reports and several social media posts gathered by SaharaReporters, it was claimed that the Governor Aminu Tambuwal-led Sokoto Government made the law barely five days after a student, Deborah Samuel, was lynched and burnt to death for alleged blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad.

In a post made by a Facebook user, Abdullahi Aliyu, which generated 68 likes, 14 comments and 3 shares at the time of filing this report, the claim was stated thus:

“Sokoto State Government Signs Into Law Death Penalty For Blasphemy.”

Alhamdulillah. Sokoto State Government Signs Into Law "Death Penalty For Blasphemy"

Alhamdulillah."

According to reports, the same claim was also shared on Twitter, garnering 248 retweets, 24 quote tweets, and 998 likes.

To verify this claim, SaharaReporters contacted the Sokoto State House of Assembly Clerk, Bello Ahmad, who made it known that such a law had never been passed in Sokoto.

"You should ask anyone who gave that kind of information their source. As far as Sokoto is concerned, the government did not make any law like this. And people should please regard it," he said.

A Magistrate Court sitting in Sokoto has remanded two suspects arrested over the murder of a 200-level student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Deborah Samuel, for alleged blasphemy.

The Police arraigned the two suspects, Bilyaminu Aliyu and Aminu Hukunchi, who are also students of the college, on Monday.

The Police First Information Report said both suspects were arraigned as a result of the mob action, which led to Deborah’s lynching.

Both suspects pleaded not guilty to the charges levelled against them following their arraignment.

Against this backdrop, the prosecutor, Inspector Khalil Musa, prayed the court for another date to enable the Police to complete its investigation.

However, the defence counsels, led by Professor Mansur Ibrahim, who did not oppose the application, pleaded with the court to grant the defendants bail.

Ibrahim cited sections 157, 161(a,f) and 164 of the administration of criminal justice law of Sokoto state, as well as 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

The court, however, adjourned ruling on the application to a later date which would be communicated to the lawyers.

It, therefore, directed the defendants to be remanded at the Sokoto Correctional Centre.

Ahead of next year’s general elections, the Governor of Zamfara State, Alhaji Bello Matawale, has conceded two Senate seats and four House of Representatives seats to his predecessor, Alhaji Abdullazizi Yari, for peace to reign in the state party, All Progressives Congress (APC).

According to a member of Yari’s camp who confided this to Daily Telegraph, the Yari camp agreed that the Governor should have his second term ticket, one Senatorial seat and three House of Representatives seats. Yari had earlier stated that the positions in the state APC would be shared with Matawale, who defected to the ruling party 50/50 per cent.

This condition had been a problem with the incumbent Governor and his predecessor, a situation that led to the alleged defection of Yari and his supporters to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

WITHDRAWAL OF MY PRESIDENTIAL ASPIRATION.

On Tuesday, 19th April 2022, I publicly declared my interest to contest for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, following the constitutional provision that precludes our amiable incumbent President, Muhammadu Buhari from seeking re-election to the office, as he would have completed his two terms in office by 29thMay 2023 . The declaration was made in my home town, Alor, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State.

My declaration was sequel to pressure on me from my constituents, political associates, friends and other well-meaning Nigerians, who felt I possess the necessary qualifications and experience for the job. Some of these supporters even taxed themselves to procure the Expression of Interest/ Nomination Forms of our Party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) for me. The forms however are yet to be filled and submitted .

Today, 13thMay , 2022, I had an audience with the President, Muhammadu Buhari as a follow up to the one I earlier had with him on 11thMay , 2022.

Having also consulted widely with my family, constituents, supporters and well-wishers, it is my pleasure to announce the withdrawal of my interest and earlier decision to contest the office of the President in the 2023 general elections.

As a result of this, I will NOT be participating in any of the internal party processes of the said election, starting with the primary.

I took this momentous decision firstly in the overall interest of the nation, in order to enable me concentrate on my job, and assist the President and the Government, weather the difficult last lap, in the life of the administration and secondly for other family reasons.

I have since communicated this decision to the President and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

My constituents , political associates and well-wishers across the country are by this statement informed of this latest decision, which also has the blessing and support of the overwhelming majority, hence supersedes any other interest , personal or otherwise.

Thanks and God’s blessings.

Senator(Dr.) Chris Nwabueze Ngige, MD, OON

Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment.

President Muhammadu Buhari says ministers who resigned from his cabinet to pursue their political ambitions will be replaced “without delay”.

He was speaking on Friday as he bade farewell them farewell at a valedictory session.

Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Thursday joined the Peoples Democratic Party as 3rd Defendant, in a suit filed by the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele against the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, and the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The other defendants joined in the suit were John Aikpokpo-Martins, Olukunle Edun, who filed for themselves and on behalf of members of Save Nigeria, Our Fatherland.

Also, the court ordered an accelerated hearing of the suit and directed parties to ensure they file and serve necessary processes within the abridged time.

The two defendants, who are 4th and 5th Defendants respectively said they sought to join in the suit on behalf of “all well-meaning and democracy-loving Nigerians, except those who may be opposed it”.

The Applicants who are legal practitioners and also the 1st Vice President, and National Welfare Secretary respectively of the Nigerian Bar Association told the court that they are alongside the Plaintiff
bound by the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and have a duty to ensure its observance.

“The suit of the Plaintiff raised constitutional questions and the determination of same would radically affect the rights of the Applicants and all whom they represent.

“The Applicants have the right to be governed and to ensure respect and obedience to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The Plaintiff has no locus standi to file this suit considering the provisions of the extant Central Bank of Nigeria Act and other enabling Acts and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

PDP’s joinder application was moved by Sebastine Hon SAN, while Opeseyi George SAN, representing the AGF, vehemently opposed the application.

But Emefiele’s counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome SAN said he purposely did not object to the joinder application because it was like a poisoned chalice, aimed at frustrating the case.

Ozekhome said the purpose for which the suit was filed would take place between May 28 and June 1, insisting that the matter be heard expeditiously in order not to foist a fait accompli on the Plaintiff.
The INEC did oppose the joinder application and the application to abridge time.

The matter has been adjourned to May 23 for a definite hearing, with the Judge warning against filing of frivolous applications.

Meanwhile, in the originating summon marked FHC/ABJ/CS/610/2022, the CBN Governor wants,
“A declaration that the provisions of secticn 84(12) of the Electoral Act, 2022 (as amended), which are inconsistent with the provisions of section 137(1)(g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered), which and have been declared so by a court of competent jurisdiction cannot be relied upon by the Defendants to disqualify the plaintiff from contesting an election to the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or from contesting or participating in the parties’ primaries, or other convention or congress for election to the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, scheduled for 25th February, 2023.


“A declaration that by the provisions of section 84(3) of the Electoral Act, 2022, a political party cannot by its constitution, guidelines or rules impose any criteria, measures or conditions, nomination, qualification or disqualification criteria, for any aspirant or candidate including the plaintiff herein in its primaries during its convention or congress for nomination of its candidates for election besides those criteria as prescribed under sections 65, 66, 106, 107, 131, 137, 177 and 187 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).


“A declaration that by the combined provisions of section 84(3) of the Electoral Act, 2022, and section 137(g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, (as amended) which require a public officer to resign, withdraw or retire from his employment at least 30 days before the presidential election, the Plaintiff cannot be mandated and/or compelled to resign his position as the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria earlier than thirty (30) days to the presidential election or the primaries at congresses and conventions of the political parties which presidential election is scheduled to take place on 25 February, 2023; while the primaries are fixed for the 30th May and 1st June, 2022.


More so, the Plaintiff wants a declaration that the Plaintiff can only be governed by or subject to the provisions of section 137(1) (g) and 318 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered), which require a public officer seeking election into a political office to resign, withdraw or retire from his appointment at least 30 days to the presidential election, rather than by the provisions of section 84(12) of the Electoral Act, 2022 or the guidelines, rules, criteria, measures or conditions made by the plaintiff’s political party or any political party.


“A declaration that the Plaintiff can validly participate in the primary election of a political party and is entitled to vote and be voted for as candidate of any political party of his choice for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for the election to the office of President or any other office under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

Emefiele is also praying for an order that he cannot be hindered, stopped or precluded from participating, voting or being voted for at the congress or convention of any political party of his choice for the purpose of the nomination of candicates for the election to the office of President or any other office under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the Defendants whether by themselves, their agents, servants or privies or any legal representative from hindering, stopping or precluding the Plaintiff from participating, voting or being voted for at the congress or convention of any political party of his choice for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for the election to the office of the President or any other office under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

A source in the presidency has, Thursday, dismissed as untrue claims that Buhari has asked the CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, to resign.

Reports making rounds in the media had alleged that the President, Muhammadu Buhari had given the CBN governor until Monday to tender his resignation letter.

But, A source in the presidency, however, debunked the claims reported in the media as totally untrue.

Communique Issued at the End of the 96th National Executive Committee (NEC) Meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Held Today, Wednesday, May 11, 2022 at the PDP National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja

The National Executive Committee (NEC) of our great Party at its 96th meeting extensively deliberated on urgent national issues as well as the preparation of our Party for the 2023 general elections and resolved as follows:

1. NEC commended the dedication of the National Working Committee (NWC) under the Chairmanship of Sen. Dr. Iyorchia Ayu in effectively piloting the affairs of our Party, particularly in the organization of processes preparatory to the 2023 general elections.

2. NEC restated its confidence in the ability of the NWC to lead our Party to victory in the 2023 general elections.

3. NEC applauded other organs of the Party; namely the Board of Trustees (BoT), the PDP Governors’ Forum, the National Assembly Caucus, the Zonal and State Organs of the Party, our structure at various levels, critical stakeholders and teeming members across the country for their efforts in strengthening our Party in the mission to Rescue and Rebuild our nation from the misrule of the APC.

4. NEC commended the NWC for the deft handling of issues relating to the conduct and outcome of our Party Congresses at various levels preparatory to the election of candidates for various elective positions in the 2023 general elections.

5. NEC applauded the spirit of sportsmanship being exhibited by our leaders, critical stakeholders, aspirants and party members on issues relating to our Congresses.

On the State of the nation

6. NEC strongly decried the worsening insecurity and continued killing of innocent Nigerians by terrorists who are emboldened by the exposed refusal of the APC-led government to confront the terrorists even when it knows their locations, listens to their phone conversations and even aware of their plans.

7. NEC Condemned the failure/refusal of the APC government to rescue our citizens still languishing in their abductors’ dens including a victims of last month’s terrorism attack on the Abuja/Kaduna train. NEC urged the Federal Government to live up to its Constitutional duty to secure life and property and ensure an unconditional release of all the abductees.

8. NEC expressed dismay that our security command and control coordination structure has collapsed under President Muhammadu Buhari as Mr. President remains “absent” having abdicated his duties as Commander-in-Chief and surrendering sovereignty over a substantial part of our country to terrorists.

9. NEC further condemned the humongous corruption and deliberate economic manipulations in the APC Government which have crippled our productive sector and resulted in the unbearable high cost of food items and other essential goods and services with consequential excruciating economic hardship to our citizens.

10. NEC rejected the continuing closure of public universities in Nigeria due to the refusal/failure of the APC government to decisively address the lingering industrial action by lecturers in public universities despite the huge resources at its disposal. It cautioned the APC to stop playing with the emotions, destiny and future of our youths and take action to address the industrial action immediately so that our children can go back to their classes.

11. NEC condemned in very strong terms the mass looting of our national treasury and diversion of public funds through orchestrated purchase of APC Presidential Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms by all manner of persons at excessive N100 million to warehouse slush funds for APC to rig the 2023 general elections. We restate our demand to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate all APC Presidential aspirants in this regard.

12. NEC restated the call by the Party for the immediate resignation, arrest and prosecution of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, for alleged manipulations and financial impropriety in the CBN which contributed to the collapse of our national economy.

13. NEC vehemently rejected the continued stay of Mr. Emefiele as CBN Governor after being confirmed as a card-carrying member of the APC. The CBN is the custodian and keeper of all INEC sensitive materials used in all elections. Having been confirmed as a member of the APC, Mr. Emefiele, can no longer be trusted with INEC sensitive materials which are key to the guarantee of free, fair and credible elections.

14. NEC assures Nigerians that the PDP is resolute in taking very firm legitimate series of action in the march to restore and protect the sanctity of our Central Bank and electoral process

Zoning:
15. After a very extensive deliberation NEC aligned with the recommendation of the PDP National Zoning Committee that the Presidential Election should now be left open. The Party should also work towards consensus candidate where possible.

NEC noted the recommendation of the Zoning Committee that in the interest of justice and fair play, the Party should take decision on Zoning timeously so as to prevent complications to the process.

Presidential Primary and National Convention

16. NEC ratified the conduct of the Presidential Primary (Special National Convention) to elect our Party’s Presidential Candidate on Saturday May 28 to Sunday May 29, 2022 in Abuja

17. NEC approved the setting up of the National Convention Organizing Committee and approved the appointment of His Excellency, Senator David Mark as Chairman, His Excellency Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi as Deputy Chairman and His Excellency Barr. Ibrahim Shema as Secretary.

18. NEC assured of free, fair, credible and transparent processes for the emergence of our Party’s Candidates for all elective positions in the 2023 general elections.

Thank you.

Hon. Debo Ologunagba
National Publicity Secretary

Running mate to Gen Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), in the 2011 presidential election, Pastor Tunde Bakare says he is trusting God to emerge candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2023 general election.

Bakare who spoke with newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja, after submitting his expression of interest and nomination forms said he has all it takes to beat other aspirants.

He said, “Anyone who participates in a race must run according to the rules. My chances are as bright as that of any person. I am eminently qualified either by age or experience or everything that counts in this race. And I trust God that I will emerge the winner.

“We have fulfilled our own side and it is now for the party to set the stage and to tell us what next. They will determine what next. What I know for now is that there will be screening and after screening for those who may have appeal, they will appeal.

“Thereafter, there will be primaries and by the grace of God, we have decided to run according to the rules and we expect to win by His special grace. My chances are as bright as that of any person. I am eminently qualified either by age or experience or everything that counts in this race. And I trust God that I will emerge the winner,” he added.

Bakare also expressed commitment to the realisation of a new Nigeria in his life time, promising to be the bridge between the past, present and the future.

From the Legislative House,
Kano State House of Assembly.

Additional three law makers in the State House of Assembly had decamped to NNPP from APC.

This was contained in their separate defection letters address to the Speaker, Kano State House of Assembly, notifying the Honourable House of their defection from the All Progressive Congress to NNPP.

The letters dated 5/5/2022 and was officially received by the Honourable House, at the same time the House wish them well.

The Law makers that defected to NNPP are;
1.Hon Abdullahi Iliyasu Yaryasa, Member, representing Tudun Was Constituency

2. Hon. Muhd Bello Butu Butu,
Member, representing Tofa/Rimin Gado Constituency.

3.Hon.Kabiru Yusuf Ismail,
Member, representing Madobi Constituency.

Uba Abdullahi
Director, Press and Public Affairs.

Former Zamfara State Governor, Senator Sani Yerima, speaks during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on May 10, 2022.

Former Zamfara State Governor and presidential aspirant under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Sani Yerima, on Tuesday on Tuesday said there is no Nigerian law that determines how and when one gets married.

Yerima stunned many Nigerians in 2009 by allegedly getting engaged to a 13-year-old Egyptian girl, paying $100,000 to the bride’s family.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, the ex-governor defended his decision, saying he never did anything wrong.

According to him, there is no society in the country that has an age bracket before marriage can take place.

The senator explained that the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) which initially wanted to try him was forced to drop the case because he did nothing wrong.

“There is no law in Nigeria that determines when and how you get married. Muslims have Sharia, the Christians I don’t know what their doctrines say,” he said.

“If I had done anything wrong, I would have been tried in court. NAPTIP wanted to try the case and they dropped the matter because I didn’t do anything wrong.

“Whatever you are doing, if you are ignorant of the law, then you are bound to have problems. Once you do anything according to law, you don’t have a problem in any society.”

When asked if he would consider marrying a minor again, he neither replied in an affirmative nor negative tone.

Rather, he said that under Sharia law, there are some criteria that will be followed before any marriage would take place.

He insisted that his decisions would always be backed by the law as he would never be caught doing anything unlawful.

The APC chieftain promised to turn around the fortunes of Nigeria should he clinch the APC’s ticket ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Even people who normally pontificate with cocksure certainty about politics in Nigeria are mystified by what’s going on at APC right now.

Everyone in the corridors of power that I’ve spoken to was either cagey or just as bewildered as the rest of us.

But I came away with three distinct impressions from my conversations with different people.

First, the current circus show of all-comers' gladiatorial presidential primary contest in APC has been orchestrated by APC chairman Abdullahi Adamu with the support of a faction of the Aso Rock cabal.

He tells insentient Buhari to invite people to visit him in the Presidential Villa. During the visits, Buhari tells them to run for president and to meet with Abdullahi Adamu, who directs them to buy nomination forms.

People Buhari has advised to run for president often assume that they’re his “anointed” candidates. But it's an Adamu-inspired scam.

The truth is that Buhari doesn’t have an "anointed" candidate. His only concern is that whoever succeeds him should be someone who’ll conceal his iniquities, who’ll not probe the unprecedentedly stratospheric corruption his regime is perpetrating.

He betrayed this fear, albeit in an indirect way, during his last interview with Channels TV.

“Nobody should ask me to come and give any evidence in any court,” he said. “Otherwise, whoever it is, he will be in trouble because all important things are on record.” Buhari fears being asked to come back to give evidence in court for the corruption he is supervising now.

So, he’s fine with anyone who won’t probe him.

But what’s Abdullahi Adamu’s game plan for swarming the field of contest with an unwieldly large number of contestants?

It looks to me like he designed it to edge out Bola Tinubu whom Buhari and the cabal both fear and despise.

In a fair contest, Tinubu seems more likely than any other candidate in APC to emerge victorious in light of both his enormous war chest and his vast political network within the APC and beyond.

But nobody in the upper reaches of APC’s hierarchy—Buhari, members of the Aso Rock cabal, Abdullahi Adamu, etc.—wants Tinubu to be the party’s nominee. That’s the one thing that unites them.

You only need to study the 9 conditions that the party imposed on its aspirants to know that Tinubu is the target of elimination.

The party said aspirants must sign a “voluntary letter of withdrawal,” and that this must be done before a “Commissioner for Oaths” or “a Notary Public” to make it legally binding.

They must also sign an undertaking to accept whoever emerges as the party’s candidate and to never sue the party in the event that they’re aggrieved by the process that produced the nominee of the party.

This seems to me to point to the possibility of the imposition of a “consensus candidate” for the party.

The party chairman would most probably say that in light of the large number of contestants jostling for the presidential ticket (which he covertly engineered), the party would be bruised if it conducted either a direct or an indirect primary.

There is no unanimity among the cabal who the “consensus” candidate should be, but they’re united in wanting the candidate to come from the South South. Buhari and some members of the cabal are disposed to Rotimi Amaechi, Goodluck Jonathan, or Timipre Sylva.

The family members of the late Samaila Funtua and other members of the cabal want Godwin Emefiele. So, even the cabal is factionalized.

Nonetheless, the APC also fears that should Atiku Abubakar emerge as PDP’s nominee, they would lose the northern vote (and perhaps the election) if their own candidate is from the South-South.

So, the party intentionally scheduled its convention to take place two days after PDP’s, and asked northerners like Senate President Ahmad Lawan and Jigawa State governor Badaru Abubakar to enter the field of play.

If a northerner emerges as PDP’s candidate, Abdullahi Adamu will most likely impose a northern “consensus candidate” on APC. But if Wike were to win PDP’s primary election, Adamu would most probably choose a “consensus” candidate from either of Amaechi, Sylva, or Jonathan.

I learned that Goodluck Jonathan wanted Adamu to assure him that he’d be the consensus candidate, but the uncertainties regarding the outcome of PDP’s primary contest prevented Adamu from doing so, which has caused Jonathan to pull back.

I think, though, that Adamu is being a tad naïve here. Tinubu is the elephant in the room. The party ignores him at its own peril. If he loses out because of a “consensus” arrangement, he’d most certainly not take it lying down. He is a fierce, ruthless, unforgiving fighter.

A consensus arrangement that gives the ticket to either a South-South or a northern politician might unite Southwest politicians to make common cause with Tinubu to frustrate APC in the region.

Either PDP (if it makes the right choice) or a third party (if the PDP messes up) might benefit from this.

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), to appear before it on Thursday, May 12, to explain why the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Godwin Emefiele, should be disqualified from running for President in 2023.

Emefiele is one of 25 persons who have indicated interest to run for president on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). He, yesterday, through his counsel, Mike Ozekhome SAN, applied for an order of status quo ante bellum to be made against INEC and AGF so that he would not be made to resign from office until 30 days to the general election.

In an ex-parte application argued on Monday, Emefiele denied being a political appointee but a public servant not caught by Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act 2022.

The CBN governor asked the court to invoke Section 318 of the 1999 Constitution to bar the defendants from asking him to vacate office until 30 days to the February 2023 presidential election.

Emefiele expressed apprehension that sale and submission of presidential nomination form would expire on Wednesday and that unless the AGF and INEC are ordered to maintain status ante bellum as at May 5, when he filed the suit, he would be made to vacate office before his form would be accepted by the appropriate authority.

However, in a brief ruling, Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed, turned down the request for the order. Instead, the judge ordered him to put the defendants on notice and also serve court processes on the defendants.

Justice Mohammed ordered the defendants to appear before him on May 12 and show cause why the request should not be granted.
REACTING to Emefiele’s confirmation of interest in the 2023 general elections, INEC has said it would have no option than to review its long-term relationship with the CBN if its governor joins the presidential race.

Chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, in a statement made available to The Guardian, said though INEC has enjoyed a beneficial relationship with the apex bank in the area of storing its sensitive election materials over the years, the move by the CBN governor to contest for the nation’s number one post while still retaining his current position might have implications on the existing partnership.

Sensitive materials stored with the CBN during elections include ballot papers, results sheets, braille ballot guide for visually-impaired persons, among others.

“The strategic partnership between the CBN and INEC, which enables the Commission to store its sensitive election materials with the apex bank, has been in place for many years and beneficial in several ways.

“Indeed, there have been various reports that the CBN Governor is nursing the intention of running for the office of president, but, he is yet to formally declare his intention to run as of today.

“However, if and when he eventually does, the Commission will look at the implications and take a decision on what becomes of the long-standing strategic partnership with the CBN,” Oyekanmi said.

It would be recalled that on May 31, 2018, the CBN had in a release by the then Director of Corporate Communications, Isaac Okorafor, announced the disengagement of the Deputy Governor in charge of Operations, Mr. Adebayo Adelabu, with effect from July 15, 2018.

In the release, President Buhari formally accepted Adelabu’s disengagement to pursue his political aspiration to govern Oyo State under the APC.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has given reasons Emefiele is not qualified to run for president. A statement by the lawyer said the CBN governor is supposed to resign since he has the constitutional right to participate in politics and contest elections, which he said is according to Section 11 of the CBN Act.

“If he does not call it quits with the CBN forthwith, Mr. Emefiele should be removed by the President in line with Section 11 of the CBN Act and recommended for prosecution for conflict of interest before the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

“Retaining Mr. Emefiele as the CBN governor and presidential aspirant in the ruling party is going to have a more deleterious effect on the national economy that has been paralysed through the implementation of obnoxious monetary policies at the behest of imperialism.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the powers conferred on the Governor and Board of the CBN under the CBN Act are enormous. They include the power to ensure monetary and price stability; issue legal tender currency in Nigeria; maintain external reserves to safeguard the international value of the legal tender currency; promote a sound financial system in Nigeria; and act as bankers and provide economic and financial advice to the Federal Government.

“In addition, the Banks and Financial institutions Act 2020 has empowered the Governor and CBN to grant and revoke licences of banks; supervise banks, dissolve Boards and Management of banks, remove managing directors and other directors of banks, sanction erring banks and officials, make rules that guide commercial banks, provide loan to governments, set interest rates, serve as apex bank to other banks and ensure a cordial relationship with foreign banks.

“Furthermore, the Minister of Finance shall seek inputs from the CBN in preparing the Medium Term Expenditure Framework for the annual budget pursuant to the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007. The performance of these statutory functions, which shall be in the national interest, cannot be left in the hands of a politically exposed person.

“Therefore, the involvement of the CBN governor in partisan politics will compromise the autonomy of the CBN. For instance, during the #EndSARS protests in October 2020, Emefiele held a secret meeting with some of the leading protesters. He tried in vain to prevail on the young men and women to end the protests. In a desperate bid to coerce the leaders of the movement to stop embarrassing the President Buhari administration, Emefiele invoked his powers under the BOFIA by freezing the bank accounts of 20 leading protesters.”

ANOTHER renowned lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, has described the suit by Emefiele, on his eligibility to contest the 2023 presidency, as a comedy. In a statement yesterday, Adegboruwa said by the decision of the Supreme Court in Akinlade vs INEC, there is no competent suit filed by Emefiele pending before the court for adjudication.

He noted that the affidavit supporting the originating summons and the affidavit of urgency were deposed to by his counsel in flagrant violation of Rule 20 of Rules of Professional Conduct (RPC).

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) said originating summons cannot be determined in the Federal High Court without a competent affidavit in support thereof.

Being an employee of the CBN, the legal practitioner explained that any case to determine Emefiele’s status or eligibility should be filed at the National Industrial Court (NIC).

Adegboruwa said as long as Emefiele earns salary from CBN, “he should not dream of contesting election while still holding on to his office. It is an insult to our collective psyche as a people.

“Sensitive election materials are always kept in CBN offices nationwide by INEC, unknown to Nigerians that Emefiele as Governor of CBN had been a politician all his life,” Adegboruwa said.

He further observed that the APC, which Emefiele seeks its presidential ticket, is not a party in his court case, contrary to extant laws and practice. He urged the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Election Situation Room, and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to apply to join Emefiele’s case “and put an end to this joke.”

ALSO, an Associate Professor of Law and former chairman, National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Sam Amadi, has said the suit filed by Emefiele is a dangerous innovation by a public official to evade the requirement of law and to serve personal interest to the detriment of public interest.

“No Central Bank governor anywhere in the world has alleged a right to be involved in partisan politics while still serving as governor. The fact that a governor of Central Bank has been a registered and card-carrying member of a political party since February 2021 is a fragrant violation of the statutory independence and political neutrality of the apex bank.

“The Central Bank is a regulator with quasi-judicial and legislative power. It is not a mere transaction agency. The governor of such agency ought not to be a member of a political party under our market economy that is based on fair regulation.

“Such a person has the powers to impose drastic punishments and penalties on citizens. Such a person is required to be above the political fray. It is so sad that under Buhari, even something like the CBN that used to be respected and hallowed is now an object of political football.

“The suit is based on the Electoral Act but not under the CBN Act that precludes the governor from being involved in politics. It is a cynical suit that follows the bad example that the AGF set by his contrived judgment at a high court in Umuahia. It is a bad precedent,” he said.

MEANWHILE, Emefiele’s aspiration seems to create some confusion over the interpretation of the Public Service Rules (PSR) and Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022 as amended. Recall that in a memo dated May 5, 2022, with reference number HCSF/479/11/19, the Head of Federal Civil Service, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, had clarified government’s stance on the issue of civil servants participating in partisan politics.

Dr. Yemi-Esan had noted that “in the overall best interest of neutrality, harmony, integrity and development of Nigerian civil Service, all civil servants are strongly advised to be guided by PSR and the legal opinion of Hon Attorney General of the Federation and Minister for Justice on the subject.”

In the memo titled, “Clarification on the Provision of Public Service Rules (PSR) vis-à-vis the Supreme Court Judgment as it Relates to participation of Civil Servants in Partisan Politics,” the office of the Head of Service said it decided to respond to series of requests on the subject matter.

“In the light of the above, it has become necessary to draw the attention of all civil servants to the legal opinion of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister for Justice (HAGF/MJ) on the matter.

“In his letter, Ref. No. SGF/PS/HCS/210/II dated 26thNovember 2018, HAGF/MJ asserted, inter alia, that ‘neither the 1999 Constitution nor the Supreme Court has authorised civil servants to engage in partisan politics. The provisions of Rules 030422 and 030423 of the Public Service Rules (2008 Edition) were not nullified by the Supreme Court, hence they remain in force and binding on all civil servants seeking to participate in nomination exercises or party primaries.

“The provisions of Rule 030402(g), 030422 and 030423 of the PSR (2008 Edition) should be enforced…and that the attention of civils servants (be drawn) to the fact that the Supreme Court judgment in INEC vs Musa did not set aside or nullify these provisions of the PSR, hence, they must be complied with by any civil servant who wishes to seek nomination or participation in party primary elections.”

Opinions are divided on whether the OHCSF’s memo was targeted at the CBN governor after he had been lured into participating in partisan political activities, but Emefiele has approached the court praying it to determine whether in view of the Umuahia Federal High Court ruling on the illegality and unconstitutionality of Section 84(12) he should resign his appointment to pursue his political ambition.

A source confided in The Guardian that the CBN was programmed to purchase the APC presidential nominations on the last day of the sale of the forms, remarking that the decision to postpone the deadline from Friday, May 6, to Tuesday, May 10, exposed the CBN governor to the public outcry that attended the purchase of the forms by the Rice Farmers Association.

Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State has thrown his weight behind the presidential ambition of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.

Mr Yahaya stated this when Osinbajo paid homage to the Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu-Abubakar, on Monday in Gombe.

Mr Osinbajo was in Gombe to interact with All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders in the state ahead of the party’s presidential primaries.

The governor said that Osinbajo has the capacity to deliver good governance to Nigerians, adding that he was optimistic as the next president Nigeria would reach the next level of governance to improve on citizens’ wellbeing.

“We are patriotic, we want this country to progress and get to the next level we want to attain.

“I can boldly say it, these people you see in traditional regalia, and on the government side, and the crowd outside are really committed to see you actualise this ambition by becoming the next president of Nigeria by God grace.

“Gombe is a home to the VP for so many reasons; looking at the dynamics and the place, it is you that the president cap fits, squarely nobody can doubt that,” he said.

In his remark, Mr Osinbajo said he was at the palace to pay respect to the emir.

“We are not allowed to play politics in the palace otherwise I would have made a long speech, I only want to let you know that on April 11, I declared my intention to join the presidential race,” he said.

The VP said with the seven years’ experience he garnered under President Muhammadu Buhari, he was now exposed to lead the country in 2023.

He said that serving under a transparent leader like President Buhari, it was an asset he would leveraged to give Nigerians good leadership.

“I believe with the experience that God gave me in that period will be useful if God helps me and enables me to become the president,” he said.

In his response, Shehu-Abubakar described Osinbajo as part of the successes recorded by President Buhari’s administration in the country.

”Your intervention in the area of economic policy had impacted in the lives of so many Nigerians.

“Your vast experience and good attributes; you have maintained a track record, we are studying your humility and grace, we appreciate you and we pray for more success in all your endeavours,” the royal father said.

TOSSED up, Nigeria’s spinning politics is a coin with three sides: head, tail and middle. All three sides came into play on Friday when a photograph taken at the South-West presidential aspirants’ meeting of the All Progressives Congress hit the internet with a twist in the tail.

In the photograph, some of the South-West APC presidential aspirants flashed smiles on their faces but kept bile in their hearts. They held hands out to shake but swords lay hidden within their sleeves. If looks were daggers, many would have been stabbed into shreds.

There was more peace in Ukraine than the peace in the Lagos House venue of the meeting at Marina. There was more love in Sambisa Forest, and more warmth on the ocean floor than the dubious affection displayed as Yoruba political maturity to deceive that all is well.

All is not well in the APC well. The reported refusal of the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, to sit beside APC National Secretary, Otunba Iyiola Omisore, and Osun Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, was a testimony that the water in APC’s well is on the boil.

Leading politicians at the fence-mending meeting were the chief convener, former interim National Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande, and co-convener, a former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Segun Osoba.

Also at the meeting were the so-called National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; his erstwhile godson, but today’s rallying point for some disgruntled party radicals, Professor Yemi Osinbajo; Omisore, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo; former Governor Gbenga Daniel of Ogun State, former Governor-turned senator, Chief Ibikunle Amosun; Governor Oyetola, Ekiti State governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi; Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu; Ogun State Governor, Chief Dapo Abiodun, and an ex-deputy governor, Oyo State, Chief Adeyemo Alake.

An unknown evil genius sympathetic to Tinubu had put his creative mischief to use, twisting a religious tale into the innocuous APC picture, and posted it online, setting the stage for an online war.

The evil genius had cropped out other stakeholders of the APC from the picture, leaving out only 13 cross-sectional leaders of the ruling national party. He then placed the APC picture above the timeless painting of the Last Supper involving Jesus Christ and his disciples, drawn by Leonardo da Vinci.

When the picture of the 13 APC leaders appeared online alongside the 13-man painting of Jesus and his 12 disciples, it was captioned, “The Last Supper.” Subsequently, supporters of Tinubu and those of Osinbajo scrambled for the head and tail of the spinning political coin while some circumspect few made a grab for the middle.

Osinbajo’s supporters, not prepared to tolerate the ‘betrayal’ tag being pinned on their aspirant, asked: “Who is Jesus in the picture?” Tinubu supporters retorted, “Judas knows himself.”

Preferring the middle side of the coin, however, I thought the best caption to the APC picture was, “A Jesusless Last Supper,” because I didn’t see no Jesus at that supper, nor did I see one Judas. Remember, Judas was the treasurer of Jesus’ ministry. He got 30 shekels of silver. He was a rich man. Only rich people can afford to pay N100m for presidential form.

Contrary to newspaper reports, the aim of the meeting wasn’t to pick a consensus candidate. The aim was to douse the political tension among the presidential sons of Oduduwa.

Baba Akande, a staunch Tinubu supporter, strongly believes that the former Lagos governor will crush the former Lagos commissioner for justice and attorney general in a free and fair presidential primary. Akande feels the campaign of calumny between Tinubu and Osinbajo’s supporters will hurt the eventual APC candidate, hence the need to rein in the warring party supporters.

Despite his obvious frailty, which he alluded to by saying the job of the president doesn’t require strength but brain, Tinubu appears to have wormed his way deeper into the hearts of party leaders across the country with his stipendiary brand of politics even as the catchphrase, “Judas the betrayer,” has caught on among party members.

What does a Tinubu presidency portend for Nigeria? Danger. His prebendal variety of politics will asphyxiate the political space, put public money into private pockets, and make a few overfed cronies have a sense of entitlement to national treasury, singing jeun s’oke ko tun jeun s’apo.

Tinubu’s Machiavellian politics has been sustained in Lagos by the embattled National Union of Road Transport Workers, a murderous organisation that has worked hand in glove with the ruling party in Lagos State since 1999. Nigeria doesn’t need such a man for president.

If Tinubu’s godson and erstwhile state chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers in Lagos, Musiliu Akinsanya alias MC Oluomo, could be rewarded with the hurriedly created position of Chairman, Lagos Parks Management Committee, after being sacked by the national NURTW, lives on Lagos streets would be cheaper than dirt if Tinubu emerges as President.

Osinbajo is a hypocrite. After serving under two terrible masters, Tinubu, and the clueless retired Major General Muhammadu Buhari, for four terms, Osinbajo hopes to come out sparkling clean from 16 years of political muddiness. Èyàn ò tan ara è bii Bàbá Fìyìn.

Osinbajo is a sweet talker. Gold is the colour of the honey in his mouth. Gold is the colour of the political fire bellowing at the thatched House of APC. In King James Bible, Jesus says, “A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.” Therefore, how can the Osinbajo tree whose roots have drawn water from two poisoned brooks for 16 years bring forth good fruit?

In Daniel 4:14, there is an instruction on what to do to bad trees, “Cut down the tree and chop off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it, and the birds from its branches.”

Tinubu, Osinbajo’s former boss, never pretends to be a saint. He neither wears a turban nor clutches a rosary. His son, Seyi; daughter and Iyaloja General of Nigeria, Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, and other family members unashamedly clutch the fattest pies in the land while hunger stalks the land. But what is Fiyin, the son of Osinbajo, doing with a big bag of dollars on the bus taking guests to the wedding of Buhari’s son, Yusuf? And you think Osinbajo hasn’t learnt anything from Tinubu, and Buhari whose daughter, Hanan, turned presidential planes into playthings.

Someone asked me a question about which Man of God was involved in multi-billion naira road contracts in Osun during the Aregbesola years. I answered, “I no know book o, ishh.”

Another person also asked me, “Which servant of the Most High is currently doling out dollars and naira to traditional rulers, market men and women?” I replied, “If Buhari could reward the indicted, suspended and disgraced Ibrahim Magu with AIG promotion, why arrest IPOB members for calling Nigeria a zoo?”

If you think certificates or professorship confer wisdom or integrity, remember Goodluck Jonathan and receive sense. By the way, there’s little difference between the way Nigerian vice chancellors and MC Oluomo think. Wives of Nigerian university vice chancellors have formed an association, it’s called Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities Spouses, and it’s solidly supported by Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities.

At a time when the strike in Nigerian public universities has entered its third month, the spouses of VCs are embarking on a N1.5m per person trip to Turkey to learn how to help their VC husbands build capacity. Would the husbands of female VCs also partake in this madness?

Yesterday, MC Oluomo was state chairman, NURTW. Today, he’s Chairman, Lagos Parks Management, tomorrow, he will be vice chancellor and king. Yīqún hóuzi.

Sokoto State Governor and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential aspirant, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has called on the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, to as a matter of urgency resign his position in the interest of the nation’s economy.

Tambuwal, who made the call while addressing PDP delegates in Jalingo on Saturday, viewed the economy of the country as being in shambles.

The decision of Emefiele to run for the presidency, he believed, would have an immediate effect on the economy, considering its volatility.

He said, “It is high time that President Muhammadu Buhari called Emefiele to order. If he wants to contest, he must resign.”

Wondering why Emefiele would remain in office as CBN governor while seeking for the number one position of the country, he said, “If you want to run, please run, but leave our Central Bank alone.”

Tambuwal, who noticed that the economy is very volatile and such a decision can affect the economy, decried the present state of the nation’s economy.

Tambuwal, while noting that successful leadership demands fairness and equity, felt sad that the country is now more divided than ever before.

The Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria @cenbank must now immediately tender his resignation to stop further destroying whatever little remains of the country’s monetary policy reputation.
Mr Emefele should leave immediately- tonight- to pursue his ill-fated political career.

I just read your waffling neither-here-nor-there tweet reacting to news of your payment of N100M for the APC Nomination form for 2023 Presidential election. Seems you did not read what the APC Spokesperson said to ⁦@Bloomberg⁩ . Resign. Stop embarrassing the country. Stop.

.@GodwinIEmefiele This is for you. Time to end your low-grade hide and seek game that dangerously toys with the monetary authority of this country and its people. Resign.
It is legitimate aspiration to seek to be President of Nigeria but resign from @cenbank to go pursue it.

I constantly remind especially the Monetary (Central Banks) authorities of African countries that considering incontrovertible evidence that Inflation is the greatest enemy of the Poor, they must give their best to holding it down. But what have we seen with Political @cenbank?

The House of Representatives member, representing Argungu/Augie federal constituency in Kebbi State, Bashar Isah has said the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami would resign his appointment before the party’s governorship primary slated for this month.

Isah stated this in an interview with journalists in Abuja yesterday.

He confirmed that Malami had already obtained the necessary forms needed to contest the Kebbi State Governorship Election, from the national Secretariat of the party in Abuja.

He alleged that those blackmailing the AGF over his recent cars distribution and the presidential amnesty granted to some prisoners, were also aiming to rule Kebbi State next year, but were afraid to face Malami at the polls because of his popularity.

Isah said, “The Attorney General of the Federation has collected forms to contest the forthcoming Kebbi governorship primary election and I have also picked my own too. I want to return to the National Assembly.

“The provisions of the new Electoral Act, in Section 84 (12) did not direct the political appointees to resign within a specific period.

“It only stipulates that they should resign before the primary election. Malami is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, and he cannot make that mistake.

“The law says political appointees should resign before the primary election. He is going to resign before then. He must resign because even our party, the APC will not allow him to remain in office while standing for the primary election.

“He is not the only person. Other political appointees would equally resign. Whoever wants to contest among them must resign.”

The lawmaker described all the allegations so far levelled against Malami in recent times as false, saying they were targeted at tarnishing his image because of his popularity among his people.

He said, “The allegations against the Hon Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mallam Abubakar Malami are mere hearsay.

“They are false. It is true that he distributed cars to some people, but the critics had blown it out of proportion.

“They are accusing him of distributing cars to delegates. Some others are saying that the cars were from the customs auctions which is not true at all.

“How can they possibly believe that a man who has more than over 1000 delegates to contend with would distribute cars to all of them? He cannot do that.

“It is not also true that he collected cars from the Nigerian Customs Service because the current Comptroller General of the NCS did not give more than three cars to any individual in an auction, no matter the status in the society.

“How can the AGF now collects more than three cars and give out to delegates. The allegations are completely false. I want the public to disregard that allegation.

“It is one of his associates that supported his governorship aspirations in Kebbi State with the 10 cars. It is a common thing. A member of the House of Representatives recently distributed over 100 cars to his constituents and heavens did not fall.

“Some people are just interested in tarnishing his image and defame his character just because they had scored to settle with him.

“Those who are behind the falsehood against the AGF are those who wanted to contest the next governorship elections with him but have suddenly discovered that he is much more popular than them and that the best thing is to tarnish his image.”

On the issue of presidential pardon to wrong prisoners, the lawmaker said Malami did not carry out the exercise, unilaterally.

He said, “The amnesty granted some prisoners was not a unilateral decision of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Attorney General. It was done by a committee put together by the President.

“The Committee even included Christians and Muslim clerics. People are merely accusing Malami because he is the Attorney General.

“The president, his vice and other top Nigerians numbering about 15 are members of the committee and they all approved the list of people that were pardoned,” he added.

As the Nigerian naira continues to struggle against the United States dollar, the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo has stepped up his game of clinching the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) with the distribution of $300 each to about 400 presidential nomination delegates in Adamawa and Taraba states.

The Vice President reportedly switched from doling out money in naira to hard currency in order to stay on top of his game.

At a meeting held behind closed doors in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital and Yola, in Adamawa State on Wednesday, Osinbajo gave each delegate to the APC National Convention US $300

"I was handed an envelope containing $300 shortly after the Vice President left the hall," a delegate told SaharaReporters while displaying the money.

He was said to have pleaded with the delegates to favour his candidacy above all others in the race, arguing that he has more experience in governance at home and on the international stage than all his competitors.

SaharaReporters reported on April 22, 2022, that some presidential delegates of the ruling All Progressives Congress in the South-West on Friday went home with N250,000 each after attending a meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in Ibadan, Oyo State.

“This was what we were given by Osinbajo today,” a delegate had said while showing the money packaged in an envelope.

A visibly elated VP was accompanied to Muna Hotel in Yola, the venue of the meeting by some APC party senators, House of Representatives members and cronies of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Oshiomhole: My Presidency is not against Bola Tinubu, I have the experience

Oshiomhole: I Have the Experience to Contest for Nigeria’s Presidency

Watch ARISE Exclusive Interview here:https://t.co/L2C37u8i0z pic.twitter.com/akWlVv4sQj

— ARISE NEWS (@ARISEtv) May 5, 2022

Let's leave politics aside. Bola Tinubu is seriously ill and is in no position to be president. As you can see from this video, his hands shake uncontrollably and involuntarily. He also slurs his words.

Should he become president, we would LITERALLY have a rubber-stamp president since he can't physically sign any documents with these shaky hands, which would necessitate the creation of a customized rubber stamp with his actual signature.

How many people would have access to and abuse the rubber stamp?

Can Nigeria afford to transition from its current metaphorical rubber-stamp National Assembly to a literal rubber-stamp presidency in 2023?