The Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in Lagos, Adediran Olajide aka Jandor, has accused the state government of complicity in the attack on the Labour Party supporters in the state.
Suspected hoodlums had earlier on Saturday attacked the LP supporters with machetes and other weapons as they were trying to make their way to Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) in Lagos Island, venue of the party’s presidential campaign rally in the state.
He wrote: “The attack on Labour party supporters in Lagos today by suspected APC thugs is unacceptable and goes against the very essence of what a democratic society should stand for.
“We must continue to raise our voices and demand an end to this kind of behaviour. Political ideologies may differ, but violence has no place in our society. We deserve better!
“This type of violence is what we witnessed in most parts of local government areas visited during our ward-to-ward tour and to date, nothing has been done to curtail it or bring perpetrators to book.
“This shows that the present government is an accomplice to this behaviour because it favours their agenda to spread fear in the hearts of the people.
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“It was our expectation that the outgoing Chief Security Officer of the state would publicly condemn this attack and investigate these acts of violence, rather he chose to express his lack of capacity by alluding to security issues as excuse to avoiding public debate.
“Even more troubling were the attempts to intimidate residents of the LGAs we were visiting. Residents were instructed not to receive our campaign team and threatened with further violence if they disobeyed.
“They can deny all they want that they do not feel threatened by the awakening of people who demand a better life but the facts are clear, this is the end of their dynasty of hardship and terror. We will break Lagos free this year 2023.”
The Presidential Campaign Council of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has told the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) that it has no moral justification to describe a slip of tongue by its National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu during a rally in Kano where he was quoted as saying “PDP has brought us shame. We won’t retain them in power.”
The gaffe by Ayu was feasted upon by the APC campaign team through a statement by its spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, who claimed that the PDP chairman was stating the obvious.
“In our view, Iyorchia Ayu did not suffer from slip of the tongue. He was only reflecting an inner guilt about the grave damage his party inflicted on our country for 16 years,” Onanuga said.
But while reacting to the APC statement on Saturday, the PDP was quick to remind the ruling party how President Muhammadu Buhari’s convoy was stoned by angry mob in the same Kano during a campaign rally few weeks ago.
In the PDP statement issued by one of its spokespersons, Dino Melaye, the main opposition party called on the ruling party to first deal with its internal wrangling before looking outside to find fault lines in other parties or cast aspersions on Ayu.
“Unsettled by the peaceful, stone-free and resounding rally of the People’s Democratic Party in Kano on Thursday, the fractured, factionalised and fading All Progressives Congress, APC, had no other reaction after the impressive outing than to make a song and dance of what was by its own admission, a slip of tongue of the urbane and intellectually savvy Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP,” the statement reads.
“To demonstrate the extent that incoherence and political erosion has so much disoriented the beleaguered APC, its spinners attempted to cover the flame of its failure with a bare hand in an attempt to veil the rejection and shame that beguiled the party when its leaders were stoned in that same Kano City just a few days before.
“The balablue of the APC is a shock therapy for the massive reception that the PDP received in Kano.
“It is repulsive and revulsive that a party that has ruined the economy and made it so prostrate that citizens are now buying their own currency will be talking about shame.
“How can a party talk of shame where in the place of hope for a better academic system in the university, its presidential candidate is assuring that instead of 4 years, students will spend 8 years? What a renewal of misery and hopelessness?
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“How can a party talk about shame when its own presidential candidate is accusing the President of Nigeria and leader of his party of sabotage and an unpardonable economic mismanagement that has taken the naira from exchanging at 200 naira to a dollar to 800 naira to a dollar within 7 years?
“How can a party talk of shame when in a nation of over 200 million people, the APC is parading a man who most times doesn’t know where he is and utters unintelligible bulaba and balabu all over the place?
“How can a party talk of shame where trillions of naira has been spent on fuel subsidy and Nigerians in the pauperised villages are buying a litre of petrol at 400 naira while those who ferry public money around in bullion vans pay 180 naira per litre?”
One of the spokespersons for the Tinubu, Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, has claimed his presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, has no ruling-party advantage in the forthcoming election.
Keyamo also said the opposition should be prepared to accept defeat in good faith.
He wrote, “Since the opposition assumes that the NAIRA redesign policy is targeted at @officialABAT by the ‘powers-that-be’, it’s safe to assume that they now agree that BAT has no ruling-party advantage in this election. In that case, let them be prepared to take their defeat in good faith.”
The Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has reacted to the claim by the former Deputy Governor of the state, Barrister Mahdi Aliyu Gusau, that he has discovered 16 wards where elections will not hold.
In a press statement issued by the State APC Publicity Secretary, Mallam Yusuf Idris Gusau, the party challenged the former Deputy Governor to mention the bandits’ locations in the state.
“APC and the state government want to immensely thank the lawyer politician for this good information that will help in ensuring the disbandment of the criminals wherever they may be in our dear state.
“As has always been the plea of Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle for all well meaning Zamfara State citizens to join hands with his administration in sacking all terror groups and enclaves from the state.
“We also wish to urgently implore security agencies in the state to immediately invite Barrister Mahdi, who had visited such wards, to help with more details of his findings to save the state and its good citizens.
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‘We have always been saying that members of the opposition PDP know some, if not all, of the bandits in the state; this will certainly be an opportunity for the PDP to use such knowledge positively by divulging information that will help the state.
“The PDP and the former Deputy Governor, in particular, owe it as a duty to the state to immediately give details on this matter.
“It must, however, be noted that banditry and other heinous crimes have significantly been decimated in Zamfara State and other parts of the North West through the sustained efforts of the federal and state governments,” the statement read.
No fewer than eleven commissioners in Sokoto State have dumped the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
The development followed an announcement by the state’s Deputy Governor, Manir Muhammad Dan Iya, resigning his membership in the main opposition party.
𝕹𝖔𝖇𝖑𝖊 𝕽𝖊𝖕𝖔𝖗𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖘 𝕸𝖊𝖉𝖎𝖆 had reported that Muhammad made the disclosure in a letter directed to the PDP Ward Chairman of the Kware Ward, Kware Local Government Area of the State.
Reports of the defection hit the media a few hours before the presidential campaign rally of the ruling party.
The APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, and his running mate, Kashim Shettima, are expected to land in the state for the campaign rally on Thursday.
All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has alleged that opposition political parties and enemies of democracy are taking advantage of the current scarcity of fuel and new naira notes to scuttle the forthcoming elections and cause strife in the country.
Tinubu, who addressed journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, said Nigerians must fight the plots and protect the country’s democracy.
The twin crises of fuel and cash scarcity had thrown Nigerians into unprecedented hardships, with some commercial banks accused of hoarding the new notes.
There were also reports of protest in different parts of the country as a result of the frustration resulting from the naira redesign policy recently announced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Speaking on the situation in the country, the former Lagos State governor sympathized with Nigerians and called for calm.
He said: “This is a challenging period in the life of our country when our people are made to stay on the line for hours to get fuel and even get their own money from the banks.
“I empathize with Nigerians across the country, especially the poor masses who have been made to bear the brunt and pains of the CBN naira policy and fuel scarcity the most.
“While the government continues to work to solve these problems, let’s stay calm, maintain the peace and continue to shun and avoid any act capable of causing civil unrest and disharmony.
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“What the opposition and enemies of democracy want is to create a state of national siege and tension that can disrupt the coming general election and create an atmosphere of strife in our country.
“We must say no to them. We must be resolute and stand firm to protect our democracy by ensuring we hold our elections in a peaceful and orderly manner. I am in this race to bring renewed hope and prosperity to all Nigerians.
The Supreme Court on February 1 resolved the crisis in the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in favour of a faction loyal to Governor Godwin Obaseki.
The apex court delivered the ruling in an appeal filed by a lawmaker representing the Oredo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama.
Justice Centus Nweze, who delivered the lead judgment, said Ogbeide-Ihama’s appeal was dismissed on the ground that the issues he raised did not form part of the judgment of the Court of Appeal which he had appealed.
He said: “Any ground of appeal that does not challenge issues raised at the lower court is incompetent. I enter judgment in favour of the respondents.”
Ahead of the February 25 presidential election, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dele Momodu, has slammed the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for fielding Bola Ahmed Tinubu as its standard bearer.
Momodu, who spoke in a Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Tuesday, insisted the ruling party had unprecedentedly failed to deliver on its campaign promises.
This followed a statement credited to the former Lagos State Governor, Raji Fashola, where he insisted Nigerians needed the APC-led administration for another four or eight years.
Fashola had in an interview on Channels Television argued Tinubu had the requisite experience and credentials to become Nigeria’s next president.
However, Momodu on Tuesday maintained that the ruling party was packaging failure for the country, adding Tinubu was obsessed with ridiculous sense of entitlement.
He said: “Nigerian government has lost power. The Nigerian people are fed up. I’m happy the First Lady as well as Tinubu has talked about that on different occasions. Tinubu is placed as a regional force and he is a career politician controlling Lagos.
“It is very unfortunate to claim that Tinubu singlehandedly brought Buhari to power. Several people such as Kwankwanso, Atiku and Amaechi did a lot of work in Buhari’s emergence as President. What should they do? Then if this is Tinubu’s reason for contesting president, then other people should also be entitled to the position.
“Nigerians should know that Tinubu’s candidacy is not about power rotation to the South, but about the ambition of an individual to become president. It’s unfortunate that the party is packaging fluke and that can’t work. Tinubu cannot be president.”
Speaking on the crisis in his party, Momodu faulted the consistent calls for power rotation to the South, adding PDP had been generous and fair to the region all these years.
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He thus urged disgruntled members in the party to unite around Atiku Abubakar whom he described as a cosmopolitan candidate with formidable blueprint.
“Some contestants from the South-east opposed to Atiku’s suggestion of power rotation to the region. That’s why the ticket was thrown open in the first place. It’s after the presidential election that Nyeson Wike started to make such demands when truly most of them had manoeuvered their way to cleverly remove Secondus for a northern chairman.
“I had never said, by fire by force, the power must go to the South. The powers that be decided to change the atmosphere of the primary, and as a loyal member of the party, I had to move on. This is to the disgruntled members to also unite around the presidential candidate and move on, even though they have every right to be angry”, Momodu concluded.
The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State have traded words regarding the achievements of Governor Ademola Adeleke-led since his assumption to power.
Adeleke was sworn in as the State Governor in November last year, after being declared winner in the governorship election held in July of the same year.
However, Elections Petitions Tribunal in the state had invalidated the election on the ground of over-voting and declared Adegboyega Oyetola of the APC as the authentic winner.
The APC state chairman,Tajudeen Lawal, in a statement in Osogbo on Monday accused the Adeleke administration of plans to loot the state treasury.
He also accused Adeleke-led administration of re-commissioning projects already completed by the Oyetola-led administration.
Lawal said: “We are aware that the current government has concluded plans to fleece the state of its resources through re-commissioning of projects the previous government of the APC had already installed for public use.
“Specifically, the Adeleke administration is desperate to shore up its hugely kwashiorkored image by repainting some of the legacy public schools and primary health centres built by the Administration of former Governor Gboyega Oyetola.”
However, Director of Media of Osun PDP, Oladele Olabamiji, who reacted to the development, said APC was surprised by the achievements recorded by Adeleke so far.
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Olabamiji accused the opposition of making needless noise having lost its mandate during the polls.
He said, “It is permitted for the party to make noise. They are surprised that an administration can set for itself developmental agenda within 100 days. We are not bothered by their noise. They have been doing this since the 100 days agenda was made public.
“Our major concern is to ensure that our people get value for their mandate which they surrender to Governor Adeleke. The APC is free to embark on their propaganda.”
The Minister of Works and Housing argued that the ruling party had made tremendous progress to deliver on its promises to Nigerians.
He also slammed the pre-election polls tipping presidential candidates other than Bola Ahmed Tinubu for victory, adding the ruling party had performed better than the major opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the last seven and a half years.
The minister said: “We are a few days to the election now, less than three weeks. We have momentum. The APC will win this election. We are not looking at a coronation. We know it’s a competition, but the opposition is clearly behind. The reason is simple.
“Election, as we all say, see is a game of numbers. Isn’t it? But in those numbers, one of the cardinal problems that the opposition has had is that they have divided. So it won’t add up. The main opposition today, Labour Party, NNPP and PDP were one side in 2019. The totality of their votes was still around three million votes short of the poll by which we won.
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“If you were not enough when you were together, how can you be enough when you are broken into three? Are you bringing more new people in from outside Nigeria? It is not going to add up. It’s just that simple. People have made up their minds. I am happy that a lot more people, especially in the mid-cadre, have shown interest in the elections.
“In persons, we have done 5,000 sample pools and APC is clearly ahead. But I won’t tell you about the percentage difference. The number of undecided voters is now averaging below 5%. We are getting to the stage where campaigns will begin to lose steam.
“Most of the promises we made, we are still working on them, evolving and making progress. In some places, we admit that we need to do more. This is why we feel that we will be entrusted with the capacity to do to complete what we have started because people can see the difference. We haven’t finished solving the problem. But there’s a stark difference in momentum that will move the needle.”
The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, has reacted to the Supreme Court judgement which on Monday restored him as the authentic senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress APC, for Yobe North Senatorial District.
Lawan’s reaction was contained in a post via his verified Twitter handle.
Recall that the Supreme Court in its judgment voided and set aside the earlier judgments of both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal which had affirmed Bashir Sheriff Machina as the genuine APC candidate for Yobe North.
Lawan said the judgment was a victory for the APC in Yobe, the entire country and for democracy.
He wrote: “The Supreme Court Judgement of today on the disputed All Progressives Congress (APC) Yobe North Senatorial ticket in the February 25th National Assembly is a victory for all APC in Yobe, generally for APC across the country and for democracy.
“What happened was democracy at work. The lower courts gave their various judgements and then the Supreme Court gave the final judgement.
“I want to commend the Supreme Court and in fact the judiciary generally for delivering this kind of judgement to strengthen our democracy.
“Now, we will be looking at the 25th of February when the Presidential and National Assembly elections will take place. By the Grace of God, Nigeria will vote APC once again.”
Former Governor of Edo state, Adams Oshiomhole has said that the Naira redesign policy might have been instituted to scuttle the elections scheduled for February 25 and March 11.
Oshiomhole who appeared in a Channels Television interview on Sunday, February 5, described the policy as ?ill-conceived, not well-thought-out and poorly timed,? adding that Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele took advantage of President Muhammadu Buhari?s anti-corruption posture to pit him against Nigerians.
The former Governor also claimed that Emefiele who he accused of picking the presidential form of the All Progressives Congress during the last presidential primaries, might have chosen this policy to discredit the party since he didn’t win the ticket.
Oshiomhole said;
?I am sorry to say that it is not a secret that he wanted to contest for the APC presidential ticket.
?He bought N100 million APC nomination form and the President directed that all those who wanted to contest for the presidential ticket should resign their appointments.
?I remember that during that time he went to the Villa, I believe, he went to consult and when they asked him if he had been cleared to proceed on his political ambition, he said, there will be big news soon.
?The only news we have heard is this change of currency. We have not heard the news of why he didn?t proceed with his political ambition.
?We didn?t hear anything from him. The only news we heard is the naira redesign. Emefiele could have chosen a policy that will discredit the party.
?And unfortunately, everybody knows that President Buhari?s constituency in Nigeria is the army of the poor.
?The elite have never supported him. And it is these poor people who are hit the most by this policy.
?When you talk about vote buying, we have moved from a situation that all you need is to compromise the police and the INEC, then, you write the results and they are declared and you start balancing the ballot paper later.
?You can see that the tension in the bank is not to eliminate abuses, but to prevent the election from taking place.
?The policy will hurt the election process as the INEC will have to revise its budget as the allocated funds to buy PMS and to bring election materials cannot meet that need now.
?It is in that context that whoever scuttles the election would have scuttled the chances of the APC winning the election.
?I am happy that the National Assembly captured the mood of the people. This is because what separates dictatorship and democracy is the presence of the parliament.
?They live and represent 360 constituencies across the 774 local government areas in Nigeria. They are in touch with their people and they have spoken.
?I believe that Emefiele, knowing the posture of the President against corruption, used that to achieve other objectives.?
Oshiomhole also backed Kaduna state Governor, Nasir El-Rufai on claim of some cabal in the State House colluding to de-market the ruling party.
?Talking about elements in the Villa, I like to speak to faces, though some people may not like that. I will not want to talk about elements, but I prefer to mention names.
?He (Emefiele) has cited his powers under the law. He didn?t say he was acting under pressure. So, I believe him.
?I, therefore, make bold to say that the decision is a product of his own womb; it is ill-conceived, not well-thought out and poorly-timed to create this hardship.?
With 20 days to the 2023 elections, there are insinuations that the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar might win the poll.
Deji Adeyanju, a socio-political activist, said the disorganisation within the APC might lead to Atiku’s victory.
Lately, there have been claims of crisis within APC following remarks by the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu.
Tinubu had accused some people in President Muhammadu Buhari’s government of attempting to sabotage his ambition.
In some of his campaign rallies, Tinubu said the naira policy by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and fuel scarcity was aimed at sabotaging his campaign.
But, despite his remarks, Buhari had vowed to campaign for Tinubu while urging Nigerians to vote for him.
However, Adeyanju tweeted: “Atiku might just win this election with all the disorganization in APC but my prediction is still a Tinubu win because the opposition is also fragmented into 4 parts.”
Adeyanju also noted that Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate, Peter Obi is out of the race to win the February election.
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He explained that Obi’s failure to form an alliance with his counterpart from the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, Rabiu Kwankwaso, and the North would work against him.
“Peter Obi is clearly not even in the race. He is only running against PDP Atiku and the other opposition parties and you will see this in about 2 weeks after the election.
Reason for the meeting is still sketchy at the moment but it may not be unconnected to the ambition of the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu.
Recall with 𝕹𝖔𝖇𝖑𝖊 𝕽𝖊𝖕𝖔𝖗𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖘 𝕸𝖊𝖉𝖎𝖆 that the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, had a few days ago, raised the alarm alleging that some elements in the presidency are working against the former Lagos governor.
Those currently at the meeting are governors of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai; Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu; Imo State, Hope Uzodimma; Zamfara State, Bello Matawale; Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi; Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje; Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun; Yobe State, Mai Bala-Buni; Niger State, Sani Bello; and Kwara State, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq.
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Adamu Garba has said all highly placed members of the party are behind the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu.
Garba said President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Boss Mustapha, and APC governors are behind Tinubu’s presidential ambition.
A civil society group, the Enugu Good Governance Group, E-3G, has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to sanction the Enugu State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), its governorship candidate, Chief Uche Nnaji, and the State Chairman, Chief Ugochukwu Agballah.
The group hinged its petition on the claim that the party is deceiving Enugu people with ‘a fake deputy governorship candidate’.
It said the final amended list of candidates for the 2023 governorship election published by INEC on its website on 30th January 2023 had further confirmed that the Enugu APC was parading a fake deputy governorship candidate in George Ogara.
The group said the reason for parading Ogara, who hails from Enugu North zone as the deputy governorship candidate, was to hide the fact that the real governorship candidate of the APC, Chief Robert Ngwu, and the governorship candidate, Uche Nnaji, hail from Enugu East senatorial zone.
In a statement issued on Thursday by its National Coordinator, Comrade Odinaka Okechukwu, the group said it petitioned the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to stop what it called “fraudulent governorship campaigns by the Enugu State chapter of the APC”.
“The INEC published the final list of candidates for Governorship and State House of Assembly elections on 4th October, 2022, which had the name of Uche Nnaji, serial number 277, as the governorship candidate of the APC in Enugu, and Robert Ngwu, serial number 778, as the deputy governorship candidate.
“On 30th January 2023, INEC published the ‘Amended List of Final Candidates Pursuant to Court Orders, Death, and Corrections of Errors Made by Political Parties’ in line with Section 287 of the 1999 Constitution.
“We observed that the changes did not affect any political party in Enugu, hence Robert Ngwu remains the deputy governorship candidate of the Enugu APC.
“We, therefore, wonder why the Enugu APC has continued to deceive the electorate by parading a fake deputy governorship candidate in the person of George Ogara.
“We hold that it is fraudulent, ignoble, anti-democratic, and must be immediately sanctioned by the INEC”, the group stated.
Ahead of the February and March 2023 polls, the All Progressives Congress, APC, legal team and other senior lawyers in the current administration has met with the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.
The meeting, which took place at the Presidential Villa after the weekly FEC meeting on Wednesday, was aimed at seeking counsel from the VP to ensure adequate preparation ahead of the elections.
Two serving Ministers who are Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SAN: Mr. Festus Keyamo and Mr. Babatunde Fashola attended the meeting.
The current National Legal Adviser to the ruling party, Barr. Ahmed El-Marzuk and his predecessor, Mr. Babatunde Ogala, SAN, other party and government officials were also in attendance.
State House correspondents saw the attendees at the Vice President’s wing of the Presidential Villa but none of them addressed the press.
𝕹𝖔𝖇𝖑𝖊 𝕽𝖊𝖕𝖔𝖗𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖘 𝕸𝖊𝖉𝖎𝖆, however, gathered that discussion was centered on planning and reviewing the party’s preparedness for the forthcoming polls with the VP
The Assistant Director, Media and Publicity, Tinubu, Shettima Campaign Council, Biodun Ajiboye, has said the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, and not President Muhammadu Buhari should be held responsible for the poor exchange rate of the Naira against the Dollar.
Ajiboye made the statement on Thursday while fielding questions on Arise Television’s Morning Show.
He accused Emefiele of being a mole working for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, against the All Progressives Congress, APC-led administration, noting former President Goodluck Jonathan appointed him to achieve a particular purpose.
Ajiboye further added that he would have fired him and taken propositions from other people who can manage the exchange rate properly, if he were the president.
He said, ”An institution manages the exchange rate in question and not the Villa. The institution managing it should take the blame for the unprecedented increase or decrease and for the ability to curtail the exchange rate.
”That the exchange rate is ballooning beyond a reasonable doubt is not entirely the fault of the president or the presidency. But at the same time, if I were the president, for instance, and I see, I feel and know that the exchange rate is going beyond reasonable proportion, I probably would ask the CBN governor, is it that you don’t know what to do? Or what exactly is the problem? If he does not give me a good reason, as chief executive, I will fire him and take propositions from other people who can manage the exchange rate properly.
”I personally don’t see any reason why Emefiele should have continued in the office. Emefiele was a PDP appointee; for whatever reason, President Goodluck Jonathan would not have appointed him if he didn’t suit his purpose. Therefore, I can infer rightly that Emefiele was and is PDP.
“His attempt to join APC and his branded vehicles should mean that, at a time, he probably wanted to cross to APC.”
Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State said yesterday that some elements in the Presidency were working assiduously to ensure the failure of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in ths month’s presidential elections.
He also said the same forces were responsible for the current crisis created by the petrol subsidy, which is making the country waste over N6 trillion annually.
But the Federal Government in a swift reaction yesterday, said it is not aware of any element working against the ruling party, insisting that President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to ensuring that the forthcoming elections are free, fair and credible and wil not favour any presidential candidate.
But speaking in an interview on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, Governor el-Rufai said most of those working against APC’s chances in the presidential election are not even members of the party.
He said they are embittered because their preferred candidate didn’t win the party’s presidential ticket.
The governor said: “Nigerians should stick with the APC because they should see what we have been able to achieve in the last eight years in very difficult circumstances.
’We were sabotaged on subsidy’
“This fuel subsidy requires a national conversation. It is not a partisan thing, it has been going on for years, we tried to solve it under the Buhari administration but we were sabotaged and we are where we are.
“To be honest, we have had the conversation at the level of the National Economic Council, NEC, chaired by the vice president and we all agreed it should go, it was Buhari himself that took the decision that this subsidy will hurt the poor and he won’t do it.
“That is why our presidential candidate in the same party is saying he will remove it. It is not a party position but the personal position of the president.
“For the past three to four years, I have stopped trying to understand how the Federal Government works. I just focus on trying to make my state work because that is my primary responsibility.
‘We didn’t promise subsidy, Naira re-design’
“There are some things we sit and agreed with the president to get done and it doesn’t get done. And those that refused to get it done don’t get punished.
“If you were at our party, we didn’t promise that we were going to keep fuel subsidy or redesign the currency. It isn’t in our manifesto. You need to separate the personal decisions of some people in the villa from the manifesto of the party. It is important to understand that.
“Most of the people in the villa are not members of our party. I believe there are elements in the villa that want us to lose the election because they didn’t have their way.
“They had their candidates, and their candidates didn’t win the primaries and I think they are still trying to get us to lose the election and they are hiding behind the president’s desire to do what he thinks is right.”
Speaking further on fuel subsidy, Governor el-Rufai said: “The problem is not the APC government but the people of Nigeria who are not willing to face the truth. People are paying N300 to N500 per litre in parts of the country and they have to queue for hours to get fuel because of this unsustainable and broken down subsidy regime that we have chosen to maintain for the past 50 years. It has not worked.
“It is not an APC problem, it is a Nigeria problem because today, if President Buhari said remove subsidy, the NLC will be out on the streets protesting. We have had that anytime the price slightly increases.
‘Next govt must remove subsidy, or else…’
“It is a national conversation. The presidential candidates, including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Bola Tinubu have said they will remove fuel subsidy. They have to, unless the country will go bankrupt. The next government must remove it, otherwise the country will collapse.
“This fuel subsidy requires a national conversation. It is not a partisan thing, it has been going on for years, we tried to solve it under the Buhari administration but we were sabotaged and we are where we are.
“To be honest, we have had the conversation at the level of the National Economic Council chaired by the vice president and we all agreed it should go. It was Buhari himself that took the decision that this subsidy will hurt the poor and he won’t do it.
“That is why our presidential candidate in the same party is saying he will remove it. It is not a party position but the personal position of the president.
“If you were at our party, we didn’t promise that we were going to keep the fuel subsidy or redesign the currency. It isn’t in our manifesto. You need to separate the personal decisions of some people in the villa from the manifesto of the party. It is important to understand that.
‘’These elements are hiding behind the President’s desire to do what he thinks is right. I will give two examples: this petroleum subsidy, which is costing the country trillions of naira, was something that we all agreed would be removed.
“In fact, I had a discussion with the President and showed him why it had to go, because how can you have a capital budget of N200 billion for federal roads and then spend N2 trillion on petroleum subsidy?
“This was a conversation I had with the President in 2021 when the subsidy thing started rising. He was convinced. We left. It changed. Everyone in the government agreed, and it changed.
‘Don’t blame CBN gov on Naira re-design’
“The second example I will give is this currency redesign. You have to understand the President. People are blaming the governor of the Central Bank for the currency redesign, but No.
‘’You have to go back and look at the first outing of Buhari as military head of state. He did this; the Buhari-Idiagbon regime changed our currency and did it in secrecy, with a view to catching those that are stashing away illicit funds.
“It is a very good intention. The President has his right but doing it at this time within the allotted time does not make any political or economic sense.”
Denies knowledge of presidency official working against APC
Replying the Kaduna governor yesterday, the Federal Government denied knowledge of Presidency officials working against the APC in the forthcoming presidential election, insisting that President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to ensuring that the forthcoming elections in the country are free, fair and credible and will not favour any presidential candidate.
The government also dismissed Transparency International’s, TI, report that placed Nigeria on 150 on the Corruption Perception Index ranking from the previous 154 out of 180 countries.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, while fielding questions from State House correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting on the claims by Governor el-Rufai, maintained that President Buhari, being the main occupant of the presidential villa, had stressed severally that he wanted his administration to deliver a credible exercise.
The Minister said if there are elements within the seat of power working against the victory of the ruling party, it had not been brought officially to his notice.
He said: “On a more serious note, one thing I can assure you is that no matter what, this administration is focused, determined to ensure free and fair elections.
“But I think with this administration, the most important person is Mr President, and I think he has shown by words and deeds that he is committed to a free, fair and credible election. And fair, free, credible elections actually mean not favouring anybody or disadvantaging anybody.
“Everywhere he goes, he makes that very clear, even as recently as last Friday when he was in Daura (Katsina State), he said the same thing. If there’s anybody working against a candidate, we don’t know officially.”
Also responding to the latest ranking of Nigeria dropping from 154 to 150 out of 180 countries by the Transparency International on Corruption Perception Index ranking, the Information Minister said maybe TI was using a template that was oblivious of the war against corruption in the country.
He said: “We are not fighting corruption because we want to impress Transparency International or any organization whatsoever.
“We’re fighting corruption because we believe if we do not fight corruption, there’ll be no growth, either in terms of the economy or even political. Therefore, what we do and what we’re putting in place to fight corruption is not because we want to be rated by anybody.
“If, for instance, what we’re doing catches the attention of Transparency International and they improve and give us better marks, we’ll go. However, I can assure you that we do not know what template TI is using.
“Whatever template they’re using is clearly oblivious of what this administration is doing, to fight corruption.
“Corruption fighting is not just by how many people have you arrested? How many people have you tried? How many people have you convicted? Of course, even in that respect, we have a very impressive record. Is it the EFCC or is it the ICPC?
“You see, if you look at what we’re doing, even to make corrupt practices, almost impossible or difficult.
‘’I’ll just give you two examples. For instance, this administration, when funds were returned from the Abacha loot and other funds were recovered from the USA, the UK and Europe, what this administration did was that rather than pay these funds into the treasury and face the possibility of it being stolen or relooted, the administration decided that we will put this money into a separate account and ask the National Sovereign Investment Fund to manage these funds, and we used the money for specific projects.
“Some of our legacy projects today actually are being financed from our money that have been stolen, which were returned and which we have kept. To me, this is one example of how to fight corruption, an example of how to ensure that people do not steal what has been recovered again.
“I make bold to say that we have been more proactive in fighting corruption and people are not willing to see what we have put in place in fighting corruption. And that’s why I gave that example of putting money aside and how those funds are being used.
“Again, the courage of this administration even to expose high ranking officials of the administration who have run foul of the law, is evidence of our determination and courage to fight corruption.
“So, we are not really worried or bothered about rating of the TI, because we know that everything we do is to ensure that we fight corruption the best way we know how to do.
“Like I said, if TI is not seeing this, then again, I think they have to change their template. But again, we’re not fighting corruption to impress them.”
Some chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) have decamped to the Labour Party in Ondo state.
This is coming some days ahead of the February presidential election.
The politicians were received on Wednesday in the Akoko South-East/Akoko South-West Federal Constituency of Ondo State.
One of the leaders of the defectors and former House of Representatives aspirant of the APC, Stephen Adeyeri, who spoke at their reception event held in Isua Akoko, the headquarters of the Akoko South-East Local Government Area of the state, said Obi’s impeccable track records coupled with his detailed manifesto containing the solutions to myriads of challenges troubling the nation, spurred him and his supporters to join the Labour Party.
He openly declared his firm support for the presidential candidate, predicting a landslide victory for the former Governor of Anambra State.
According to Adeyeri, Nigerians are fed up with the two major political parties, which, he said, had failed woefully in the administration of the affairs of the nation. He stressed that the only better alternative was the LP.
He said, “Obi is the candidate to beat because he has proven to be competent among other candidates. His records, while he held sway in Anambra, is in the public domain, he didn’t get all of that by subterfuge but by dint of hard work.
“I’m here to sell the candidacy of Obi to my supporters, and I told them the reason why he must be elected, particularly his plans to move the country from consumption to the state of production.”
He stressed that a competent hand is needed to improve the country’s fortunes.
Adeyeri pointed out that the solution to the myriad of challenges ranging from fuel scarcity, dearth of electricity, hunger and a host of others troubling residents would soon be things of the past if Peter Obi is elected as the president of the country.
Adeyeri noted that it would amount to “absurdity if those who weaponised poverty on innocent residents have their ways again”, urging supporters to vote for all the candidates of the party (Labour Party) in the forthcoming general election.
In his remark, while welcoming the defectors, the Labour Party secretary in the state, Agabje Abiodun, advised them to vigorously campaign for the LP in the nooks and crannies of the state.
He stated that the immediate past Governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, had creditably performed well when he governed the sunshine state under the platform of the Labour Party from 2009-2014; hence Labour Party must be voted based on antecedents.
He said, “Labour Party is the only fast-growing party in Nigeria; we can see how people are trooping to join the Obi’s movement. When Mimiko was governor, can you compare his performance with that of the present administration, has failed to meet the expectations of the people?
“People are tired of the present situation. Adeyeri has said it all, residents are suffering, no fuel, steep price of food items, among others are bedevilling everybody; even the APC members are lamenting the ostentatious hardship.”
The All Progressives Congress, APC, has accused the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, of sponsoring thugs against President Muhammadu Buhari in Kano State.
APC said PDP committed a treasonable felony by sponsoring thugs to attack Buhari during his visit to Kano.
Felix Morka, the National Publicity Secretary of APC, urged security agencies to investigate and probe the former ruling party over the attack on Buhari.
In a statement, Morka accused PDP of setting the most ignominious, debased, and virulent campaign records in the history of the country.
Morka said the “statement issued by PDP on President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent visit to Kano is nothing short of a confessional statement of conspiracy to commit felony. By actively instigating and sponsoring fringe violent anti-social conduct by paid urchins during the presidential engagement in Kano, PDP has crossed the line of fair campaign engagement into grievous criminality.
“This is unacceptable and demands urgent law enforcement investigation and prosecution of all participants in this high crime.”
A Federal High Court in Kano has granted an order for the investigation, arrest and prosecution of All Progressives Congress, APC, chairman Abdullahi Abbas.
The party stalwart is accused of threat to life, disruption of peace and hate speeches in a suit filed by Mahmoud Lamido.
The Kano indigene, through his counsel Bashir Yusuf Muhammad, told the court that Abbas, in a phone call, insinuated that he would kill him (sai na batar da kai).
In the Certified True Copy seen by 𝕹𝖔𝖇𝖑𝖊 𝕽𝖊𝖕𝖔𝖗𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖘 𝕸𝖊𝖉𝖎𝖆, Justice S. A. Amobeda adjourned to the 16th of February to monitor compliance.
The New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, in Kano has described the ruling as “a milestone achievement” for democracy.
Campaign spokesperson, Sanusi Bature said Abbas had been a subject of public discourse due to his utterances that could jeopardise peace.
Bature hinted it was the second time a court ordered the Commissioner of Police to arrest and prosecute the APC leader for alleged violence, intimidation and threat.
“We hope this will serve as a lesson to any politician who chooses the way of violence than promoting peace in Kano and Nigeria,” he noted
The Supreme Court on Wednesday fixed February 6 for final judgment in the long-drawn legal battle over the authenticity of the Senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC for Yobe North Senatorial District.
Entangled in the legal battle for the Senatorial ticket are the incumbent Senate President, Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan and one Bashir Sheriff Machina.
The Apex Court fixed the judgment date after taking arguments from counsel for the All Progressives Congress APC and Bashir Sheriff Machina.
Justice Centus Chima Nweze who presided over a 5-man panel of Justices of the Court fixed the date.
APC which is routing for Senate President, Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan as its Senatorial candidate filed the appeal against the judgments of the Federal High Court and Court of Appeal which held Bashir Sheriff Machina as the party’s candidate.
In its arguments presented by Sepiribo Cromwell Peters, APC claimed that the primary election conducted on May 27, 2022, which produced Bashir Sheriff Machina is unknown to law because it was conducted by unlawful people.
He claimed that another primary election conducted on June 6 which produced the Senate’s President, Ahmad Lawan is the authentic election of the party.
However, Mr Sarafa Yusuff, counsel to Bashir Sheriff Machina asked the Apex Court to dismiss the APC’S appeal for being frivolous and baseless.
He informed the Supreme Court that Danjuma Manga Committee set up by the APC conducted the primary election on behalf of the National Working Committee of the APC.
Yusuff drew the attention of the Court to an affidavit deposed by Danjuma Manga to the effect that he was mandated along with five others by the APC National Secretariat to conduct the Senatorial primary elections in Yobe State.
The counsel argued that up till now, the affidavit of the said Danjuma Manga had not been disputed or denied by the APC and subsequently urged the Court to affirm Bashir Sheriff Machina as the authentic Senatorial candidate of APC for Yobe North Senatorial District
As the candidate of the ADC in Ogun, Biyi Otegbeye, flagged off his campaign at the Ake Palace Square, Amosun stormed the venue at 1:49pm to the chagrin of many at the event.
Amosun had earlier said he would support the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, for the presidency but would support Otegbeye for governor.
Though the former governor was absent when Tinubu visited Abeokuta last week Wednesday, he is, however, the cynosure of all eyes at the ADC rally today
The All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu has cautioned the people of Anambra State against voting for his counterpart from the Labour Party, LP, Peter Obi.
Tinubu said Obi would deny his promises like the Biblical Peter denied Jesus Christ three times before the cock crowed.
He spoke at his presidential campaign rally at Ekwueme Square in Awka, the Anambra State capital on Tuesday.
Tinubu said a man who kept people at home to suffer could turn around and ask to be voted for.
According to Tinubu: “I’m not afraid of anybody, and I don’t worry. The man who left here, he calls himself Peter Obi. We read in the Bible that before the cock crows three times, he will deny Jesus Christ.
“Before cock crows, he denied. So how can he keep a promise to you? He who cannot keep a promise to God.”
Describing himself as smart, Tinubu said he never closed down any market or killed anybody.
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