₦airaland Forum

fiizznation:
I understand the northern political demography better than any region and that's why I concern myself with it. And am from kano state. I get informations, I move around, I mingle with people. I used to participate in the activities of my local political party.

For instance I can't tell you much about the political environment of the South because I don't understand it very much.

Trinitycian:
Cc garfield1

A former governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau, would this week take a decision on whether to dump the New Nigeria Peoples Party, his Spokesperson, Sule Yau, said on Tuesday.

He was reacting to enquires by The PUNCH on the visit of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the 2023 election, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in Abuja.

Shekarau was the presidential candidate of the defunct All Nigeria People’s Party in 2011 and one of the leaders of the party in the alliance talks with the leaders of the other legacy parties that resulted in the formation of the APC in 2013.

A founding member of the APC, he had moved to the NNPP with thousands of his supporters on May 18, following a disagreement with Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State over the leadership of the party in the state.

But there was a disagreement between him and the national leadership of the NNPP and its presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, over power sharing formula.

Yau said Shekarau and his group would explore the options ahead of the 2023 general election.

He said, “You see, various groups and people are making contacts with him; he has met with Peter Obi who visited him. Kashim Shettima has visited him. Atiku Abubakar has visited him twice and now Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is visiting him.

“So, we are collating all proposals after which we will sit down and analyse and then pick a position.

“So, the meeting with Tinubu does not mean he is returning to the APC, not at all.”

When asked of the reason for Tinubu’s visit to Shekarau, Yau said it was politics.

“An elder statesman like him (Tinubu); if he says he wants to see you, will you say no? But certainly, it has to do with politics. Tinubu’s running mate, Kashim Shettima, was in Shekarau’s house. Peter Obi was at his house and Atiku invited him for a meeting.

“This is not the first time Tinubu is meeting with Shekarau. There was a time he sent an aircraft to Kano to pick him, and he had sent another aircraft to pick him to Abuja in the past.

“So, it is not something new that they are meeting with Tinubu. Remember also that they were colleague governors.”

Asked when Shekarau would take a stand on whether to leave the NNPP, he said, “Before the end of the week.”

LegendHero:
Lol how many people even dey Adamawa for 160k people to decamp at once.

All these lamba self too much.

Chukwuma, who was reacting to reports credited to him to have said that Enugu state was not ‘Obidient’, stated that the popularity and acceptability of the former Anambra State governor were so high that the opponents and enemies alike would not be able to pull him down no matter the campaign of calumny.

The Archbishop of Enugu Ecclesiastical Province, Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Emmanuel Chukwuma, has said that the Obedient Movement of the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has become a national project.

Chukwuma, who was reacting to reports credited to him to have said that Enugu state was not ‘Obidient’, stated that the popularity and acceptability of the former Anambra State governor were so high that the opponents and enemies alike would not be able to pull him down no matter the campaign of calumny.

He, however, denied that he had been against Obi’s presidential ambition> He clarified that he has supported the movement more than those persecuting him.

The Archbishop said Obi has shown credibility, character, honesty and capacity in public office, as governor of Anambra state and other offices he had previously held.

He said, “My own concern is that Peter Obi has been found to be very credible. Nigerians should be out to make sure that young people should be given chance and allow him (Obi) to clean the mess that we’re in Nigeria.

“It is quite clear that in this country people know me as speaking out, I’ve been condemning the evil in this society and in Nigeria.

“And we are very much aware that even in my synod, I condemned the evil things happening in this government led by Buhari and I meant it that we need a new Nigeria, new Nigeria, a new win into a new wineskin.”

He added “There is no doubt that I said, both Atiku and Tinubu are expired and they have no new things to offer us. And I talked about being ObiDIENT nationally. But the situation is that living in Enugu and seeing what has happened in the past years where PDP has been in power for years and other parties have not surfaced until now, it has become very much necessary for people to know that Enugu, as it is, has been so entrenched into a party called PDP.

“I totally support Obidient nationally, but state-wise, I’m talking about the personalities in the state, and I do know that those in the state that are not corrupt will be endorsed and voted by us. We’re praying that the right people under God will come up in this nation to vie for positions that will make Nigeria to be better.

“Let us be very careful of corrupt politicians who may want to run under Obi or Obidient because they feel that it is catching waves,” he warned.

Supporters of the Rivers State governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have given an “irreducible minimum condition” for reconciliation in the faceoff between them and the leadership of the main opposition party.

The pro-Wike camp said the PDP national chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, must go, insisting also that they should be allowed to choose his successor.
The supporters of the Rivers State governor urged former Senate President David Mark to speak up on the post-presidential primary election crisis. They alleged that Mark was with Ayu’s letter of resignation.

Those demands came ahead of Monday’s meeting of a six-man committee comprising representatives from the camps of the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and Wike, for reconciliation talks.
But Atiku, in a statement on Sunday, painted a gloomy picture of the country, stating that the statistics on Nigeria’s current position is grim and disappointing.

A source, who was a member of the previous National Working Committee (NWC) of PDP during the Uche Secondus tenure, said, “By ensuring the removal of Ayu, Atiku can be said to have shown that he has the capacity to keep to the agreement of inclusiveness, trust and avoid any victimisation of the supporters of the Rivers State governor.”
Speaking exclusively with THISDAY, the source, who pleaded anonymity, said, “Dr. Iyorchia Ayu has betrayed the confidence of the Rivers State governor, Wike. “Nigerians know that Wike would have won the ticket, but for treachery. He lost the presidential ticket and the chances of becoming the running mate to the presidential candidate due to treachery,” the source said.

According to the source, “Wike has lost twice. He wants to be a stakeholder in the presidential campaign. So, we want the office of the national chairman, because of what we will be bringing on board. Wike has a lot to bring on board. He has capacity.”

The source also alleged the PDP national chairman had already signed a resignation letter.

It said, “What is Ayu bringing to help Atiku? He should resign if he has honour. After all, he signed the resignation letter that he will resign if the presidential candidate comes from the north. The letter is with David Mark. David Mark should speak out.”
The source explained that the purpose Wike was inviting APC chieftains to inaugurate some of the projects he executed was to show the world that he had capacity and had a lot to contribute to the party.

It added, “Defecting to another political party is not on board.”

The source, who played an important role in the sack of Secondus, added, “Wike lost the presidential ticket and the running mate position. He is asking for the office of national chairman. If Atiku is sincere, he should allow Ayu to go. He can appoint him as his chief of staff, if he wants to earn the trust of Wike and his supporters. We have a lot to contribute.”

garfield1:
Cc mynd44 lalasticlala mukina2 Dominique rule 2 and 3 violated

garfield1:
Appeal court will order a rerun which has been done son

The leadership crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress, APC, may have assumed another twist following fresh plots by some stakeholders to unseat the National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.

Adamu was on March 26 affirmed as national chairman of the party at a convention to elect members of the APC National Working Committee NWC.

However, while there had been a build-up of complaints against Adamu, there were no attempts to oust him.

Indications emerged, the weekend, that some APC stakeholders were working to get the party chairman out of the way as part of trouble-shooting efforts to placate the Christian bloc in the party.

An APC leader, who spoke to Vanguard in confidence, said the attempt was to balance power within the APC.

The party leader said: “Yes, there are those who feel that the controversy generated by our Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket can be lessened by having a Christian chairman and also proposing a Christian Chief of Staff to the President. Some have proposed a federal lawmaker, James Faleke, for that position, that is, Chief of Staff.

“There are issues regarding the continued stay of Adamu as party chair. The first is that we need to placate the Christian community.

“Second, a lot of us expected from Adamu in an election season but he hasn’t done much. We need the bureaucracy of the party to be alive this period, but their salaries are not even forthcoming and you expect them to work efficiently? That is one thing that might count against the chairman.

“Also, he was Chairman of the APC National Reconciliation Committee before he became the national chairman of the party. We expected that by now, he would have been able to resolve the major differences but that has not happened.

“The leader of our party, President Muhammadu Buhari also urged us to refund the money paid by aspirants at the convention which produced Adamu as national chairman. Aspirants paid millions, yet we haven’t refunded them. These are some of the issues.”

Party yet to refund aspirants’ nomination fees

Another grouse against Adamu was that over four months after President Buhari directed the party to refund the nomination fees to all aspirants at the party’s March 26 National Convention who stepped down for the party’s consensus arrangement, the party is yet to comply with the presidential order.

The party was supposed to have refunded aspirants from the ward to the national level, who were made to step down for others, as a result of its consensus arrangement.

The party had also in the last two months failed to honour the payment of staff salary as scheduled.

Another source said: “The June salary was paid in the middle of July while the staff only received their July pay last Friday as against payment on the 25th of every month.

“It would be recalled that in a move to perfect a consensus arrangement ahead of the party’s March 27 National Convention, President Buhari, at a meeting on March 23 with eight national chairmanship aspirants at the Villa persuaded them to step down for a consensus candidate with a promise of a refund of their nomination fee.

We regret delay in payment — Lukman

When contacted, National Vice Chairman (North West) of the party, Salihu Lukman, regretted the delay in payment and said the matter was being looked into.

Lukman said: “It is part of the unfortunate internal challenges. Administratively, this should have been resolved long ago. For instance, in my case, about for people stepped down for me and they have been talking to me.

I have been drawing the attention of the party and I think now it is clear that the party has to resolve it as quickly as possible. I can assure you that is going to happen.”

Indications have emerged that just before the APC presidential flagbearer, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, announced his choice of a running mate, Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, led the presentation of a position paper by the North West caucus of the party to the him, asking for the positions of VP, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Finance, Works, Agriculture, FCT and interior ministers among others in exchange for its support to win the 2023 Presidential elections.

According to details of the presentation, the North West caucus of the All Progressives Congress, APC, asked the flagbearer and the national leadership of the party to yield to the region other key political appointments, including Office of the National Security Adviser, and the headships of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA; Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA; Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing system for Agricultural Lending, NIRSAL; Bank of Agriculture, BOA; Bank of Industry, BOI; Department of State Services, DSS, and Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, SMEDAN.

In the presentation, the zonal caucus of the party noted that in view of the region’s importance and contributions to electoral victory at the forthcoming polls, all these key appointments should also be reserved for the area.

But the APC flagbearer went ahead and quickly announced his VP choice, while noting the other demands.

Currently, the north west region has nine federal ministers, representing the states of Kebbi, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa. On policy focus for the region, the APC north west caucus demanded that the incoming federal administration must address security issues frontally, especially banditry and kidnapping in the region.

It demanded that investment in quality and affordable education, especially for the young and out-of-school children in the region must be accorded priority.

The regional leaders also wanted the incoming APC administration to focus on agriculture and development of brown field industry to support value chain creation in the zone; focus on infrastructure “as it is currently being done in the South West;” and leveraging the region’s opportunity cost in mining, agriculture, green and renewable energy for economic diversification.

The party leaders in the North West hinged their demands partly on the basis of the role played by governors from the zone in ensuring equity and fairness in power rotation, during the election of the party’s presidential candidate.

According to the document which detailed the historical analysis of the region to the party’s victory at presidential polls, the leaders noted that the North West zone is the game changer for the APC in 2023.

The presentation argued that the region contributed hugely to the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari as President of Nigeria in 2015 and his re-election in 2019.

Comparing the share of votes across the six geo-political zones, the North West caucus stated that the region’s (APC) share of votes represented 46% and 39% of the entire APC votes in 2019 and 2015 respectively.

“The North West contributed to the electoral victory of the APC in 2015 and 2019 Presidential elections by winning 7 out of the 7 States of Kebbi, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa.

“Indicative of its voting contributions in recent national elections, 5 out of every 10 votes for the APC in 2015 came from the North West, while 4 out of every 10 votes for the party in 2019 came from the region,” the document showed,’’ the presentation read.

Projecting ahead of the 2023 polls, the zonal caucus noted that the region, which contributed the largest number of delegates for the emergence of the party’s presidential candidate and boasts of the highest number of APC governors (6 out of 7), would naturally provide a base for any successful electoral operations for the APC, especially in 2023.

The South-West arm of the Peoples Democratic Party has joined the push for the resignation of the National Chairman of the PDP, Iyorchia Ayu.

Notable South-West members of the PDP told Sunday PUNCH on Saturday that with the All Progressives Congress picking its Presidential candidate from the South-West in the person of Bola Tinubu, the PDP would also need an influential politician from the region to be the party’s chairman.

There are demands from the camp of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State for Ayu to resign as the party’s chairman.

The demand was among the conditions given by Wike who is still said to be aggrieved over Atiku’s refusal to pick him as a running mate. Already, Wike and Atiku have begun meeting with a view to ensuring that a compromise is reached before the commencement of campaigns next month.

However, Sunday PUNCH learnt that the South-West is also demanding Ayu’s exit as a condition to support the party.

“Tinubu is campaigning as the candidate of the Yoruba people. Even Sanwo-Olu said recently that all Yoruba people must see Tinubu as their personal project. The PDP needs to make a huge concession for the South-West which has the second largest voting population after the North-West,” a member of the State Working Committee in Ekiti State said.

Also speaking to Sunday PUNCH, a former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Chief Bode George, said Ayu must leave immediately in the spirit of fairness.

George, who said he was speaking as a national leader and not on behalf of the South-West, said there was a need for the region to be given a sense of belonging as all the key positions in the party were being occupied by northerners.

“Ayu needs to resign as chairman immediately while the South-West gets the position in the spirit of fairness. I cannot campaign for the party in the South-West in an atmosphere where there is no fairness. What will I tell our people?” he asked.

George, who was the Director-General of the PDP Presidential Campaign in 2007, said the PDP could pick an interim chairman from the South-West just for the purpose of fairness.

He argued that refusing to take Nigeria’s diversity into consideration would make the PDP no better than the APC which is pushing a Muslim/Muslim ticket.

“NEC can appoint an acting chairman from the South-West in order to give the region a sense of belonging. Ayu promised to leave office once the PDP produces a northern Presidential candidate. For the sake of fairness, he needs to step down immediately.

“The PDP as presently constituted does not reflect Nigeria’s diversity. The North produced the Presidential candidate, the national chairman and the BoT chairman and they want the South to accept this. Would the North have accepted this if it was the other way around?” he asked.

Attempts to get a response from the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, proved abortive as he did not respond to repeated calls on Saturday.

However, a member of the National Working Committee who wished to remain anonymous said removing Ayu now would be too risky.

The official, who preferred not to be named because he was not authorised to speak to the media, said the PDP Constitution states that whenever a national officer of the party resigns, he must be replaced by someone from his region.

As a result of the meeting between the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers Sate, a 14-member panel has been set up to consult and make recommendations which both men will consider.

A top party source familiar with the development informed Sunday Vanguard that the membership of the panel was yet to be made public because some of them had yet to be officially informed.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, explained that the panel is expected to take off with “immediate effect.”
The PDP has been enmeshed in crisis since Atiku picked Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State as his running mate for the 2023 election.

The development went contrary to the thinking in some quarters that Wike was the natural choice after he placed second in the primary which produced Atiku as presidential candidate.
Only two weeks ago, Atiku and Wike exchanged hot words over the running mate issue.

This led to the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting which attempted to broker truce.

“We’ve made appreciable progress within the last 24 hours following the meeting between our presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike”, the source said.

“The meeting, which took the enemies of the our party by surprise, has brought down tension and restored hope about a speedy resolution of what our opponents consider as a major conflict. “

Asked which conditions have been given and what concessions have been made, the source said, “The issue of conditions did not arise when both men set aside their differences and spoke to each other frankly.

“Their followers will definitely take a cue from this and fall in line. What is now on ground is seeking a way forward.

“The recommendations, which the 14-member committee make, will be considered and action taken. I can assure you that the campaign council will follow through afterwards.”
In response to questions from newsmen on the crisis within the party, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, expressed confidence that all outstanding issues will soon to resolved.

He said, “The PDP is a very large family and like most human families there are issues but I’m glad to inform you that we have organs, processes and procedures for resolving our issues.

“We are not like the sinking All Progressives Congress, I don’t recall a meeting by their Board of Trustees, our BoT just met and have set up a committee to mediate between our candidate and Governor Wike.”

Wife of the Presiding Bishop of Living Faith Church, LFC, Worldwide, Pastor Faith Oyedepo, has urged winners to obedient in the affairs of the Kingdom (of God).

On his part, the husband, Bishop David Oyedepo, said obedience is better than sacrifice.

The couple spoke at the church’s monthly leadership conference.

The declarations were yesterday, interpreted as a subtle endorsement of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party for the 2023 general elections, Mr Peter Obi.

Obi’s supporters have been campaigning under the alias ‘Obi-dients’.

The candidate himself visited the Oyedepos at the Ota-based church after which photos from the visit went viral as supporters lavishly shared them on social media.

Oyedepo’s wife, while citing Isaiah 1:19-20, stressed the need for Christians to be obedient to spiritual instructions to enjoy the good of the land.

Her words: “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it” (Isa. 1:19-20).

She urged the church to pray for God’s Spirit to serve and be obedient.

In his own sermon, Bishop Oyedepo, while unravelling the mystery of the covenant of obedience, said: “To be obedient is better than sacrifice. Obedience may be costly but the end result is always priceless.

“When you live your life as a seed, its impact lives for generations after you”.

fergie001:
This will also be thrown out on technical grounds. It is a pre-election matter that should have emanated before the election.
The case is supposed to be handled by the FHC and not a tribunal.
A tribunal is a Special Court that only looks at what happened on the day of election to the declaration of results. Anything before or after is not within its jurisdiction.
This lacks merit and will be dismissed for sure.

749 PUs he spoke about will be reviewed, but Oyetola has a bad case here....

kingthreat:
If this was true, why did Obiano complain?

Moh247:
Great

Penkelemes Vs Makinde.. APC and Teslim won't get any vote

A fresh broad daylight attack by terrorists has left three people dead and several others injured at Dantsauni village in Batagarawa Local Government Area of Katsina State.

An eyewitness told Channels Television that the terrorists in their numbers and armed with sophisticated weapons invaded the village on motorcycles on Wednesday at about 3:55 pm when the faithful were preparing for Asr prayer.

During the attack, according to the eyewitness, dozens of people, mostly women and children were said to have been abducted.

The eyewitness added that hundreds of residents ran for safety.

The terrorists on their arrival started shooting sporadically along the Katsina Ring Road which is close to the Katsina town, the eyewitness said, adding that during the attack, which lasted for over 45 minutes, no security personnel was seen.

The attack on Dantsauni village comes three days after some terrorists were said to have attacked neighboring communities of Babbar Ruga, Kwarin Maikotso and Kore villages where the terrorists killed two persons and abducted eight others.

Meanwhile, the State Police Command through its Spokesman, SP Gambo Isah, also confirmed the attack, stating that one person was killed and two others injured.

The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has met with the Governor of Rivers State Nyesom Wike.

The meeting which was held at the Abuja reaidence of Prof. Jerry Gana, is the first since the PDP Presidential primary.

…details later

Penguin2:
Wike knows the sentiments of his people. Rivers people don’t want to hear Tinubu with their ear.

So, Wike supporting Tinubu will be the end of his political career.

Penguin2:
I’ve said it before that Tinubu is not hoping on votes.

I pray Wike, Lawal and Dogara can see the light and become Obidient.

Abfinest007:
there's much time to convince d people of ondo bit truly speaking I so much believe APC won't come second

Babachir Lawal, Dogara Meet With ‘Indispensable’ Wike ‘For Inclusive Nigeria.

The former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal and the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara on Saturday met with Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.

The visit comes one day after both members of the All Progressives Congress spearhead a northern Christian gathering to formally reject the Muslim-Muslim ticket of their party.

Governor Wike on Friday also spoke vehemently about some misgivings in his political party, the Peoples Democratic Party.

The visitors, on their arrival were led into a closed door meeting at the private residence of Governor Wike in Port Harcourt.

After the meeting, Lawal said they had just fulfilled a biblical injunction to visit one another.

Dogara said Wike is an indispensable politician that fits into their aspiration to build an inclusive Nigeria.

No fewer than 20 persons have been reportedly killed following an attack by terrorists on Duma village in the Tureta Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

One of the residents who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity said the bandits attacked the village at about 8am on Wednesday and operated for several hours, terrorising locals and rustling livestock.

The resident further disclosed that the terrorists turned in large numbers using motorcycles and carrying sophisticated weapons which they used to kill some of their victims.

It was, however, learnt that many of the victims lost their lives while attempting to escape the attack by diving into a river.

Meanwhile, the Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, led a team of security agents and other government functionaries on a condolence visit to the village.

The governor also observed the Juma’at prayers where special prayers were held for the repose of the souls of the victims.

While narrating their experience to the governor, some of the residents said some youths from the communities were taken away by the bandits who were demanding premium motor spirit in large quantities before the youths would be released.

The Tureta local government area shares a border with Zamfara State and is one of the local government areas in Sokoto that has suffered a series of attacks with many of the travellers abducted.

Northern Christian members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have held a summit where they formally rejected the party’s Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket for the 2023 election.

According to them, the ticket goes against all the principles of equity, fairness and justice.

Joing party stalwarts such as Yakubu Dogara and Babachir Lawal were members of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and clergymen who said Christians in the North must rise against the injustice of the ruling party.

They opined that the ticket was an attempt to further divide the country.

“This is very divisive and must be rejected by all patriotic Nigerians,” Mr Lawal, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, said.

“Also implied in this ticket is the insinuation that Northern Muslims are not willing to vote for a ticket that has a Christian on it and on which they are not represented.

“It is our belief that Northern Muslims would have seen the justice in a Muslim-Christian ticket and would have given it their overwhelming support had the party been inclined to do so.

“Sadly, the party chose to go the divisive line.

“A corollary to this mindset is that Christians should also not vote for a ticket on which there are no Christians.”

On his part, Dogara, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, said Nigeria is at a dangerous crossroad if an important issue like religion is not properly balanced to reflect the interest of all parties in the country.