Politics

192 lawmakers plan defection from APC – Babachir panel

Published

2 years ago

July 17, 2022

Babachir David Lawal

The Planning and Strategy Committee of the Tinubu Campaign Organisation has alerted the All Progressives Congress to the possibility of about 192 National Assembly members defecting from the party to other parties following the outcome of the party primaries that made some members lose a return ticket.

The committee, chaired by a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, made the recommendation in its ‘Report on the Actualisation of the Presidency of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the Coming 2023 General Election.’

The committee, which highlighted the factors the party should consider in settling for a running mate and the possible choices the party could choose from, asked the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.); the party’s presidential candidate, Tinubu; leaders of the National Assembly and other party leaders to intervene. It warned that the defection of the members might affect the party.

The committee’s report, a copy of which our correspondent sighted on Saturday, had 23 members, 22 of whom signed the document except a former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nuhu Ribadu.

Other members of the committee included a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; serving senators Opeyemi Bamidele, Ishaku Abbo, Grace Bent and Basiru Ajibola; member of the House of Reps, Musa Sarkin-Adar, Komsol Longgap and Olawale Raji; former senators Adesoji Akanbi, Abu Ibrahim and Magnus Abe.

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Others were the Director-General, Tinubu Support Group, Umar Mohammed; Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State, Silas Agara; former deputy governor of Lagos State (under Tinubu), Femi Pedro; Safaa Adam; Amina Indala; Kashim Imam; Akin Awodeyi-Akinseyiwa; Saadatu Garba; Abubakar Sanusi and M.T Usman.

The report of the committee, which was said to have been handed over to Tinubu for consideration and implementation, partly read, “Defecting to other parties is quite common during electioneering but it is more worrisome for this election as a lot of influential members feel aggrieved with the processes of the elections.

“There is a need to reach out to the principal officers of the National Assembly and the party leadership at the national, state, zonal and local government levels to mitigate and assuage the aggrieved persons.

“It is worrisome that 22 serving senators and 170 National Assembly members are set to defect from the APC. There is no doubt that this can weaken our strength and there is an urgent need for intervention from the President, our presidential candidate, governors, leaders of the National Assembly, the APC national, state, zonal and local working committees as well as influential party stakeholders.”

The report said the committee met several times in June and deliberated on the issues of running mate, bearing religion in mind; branding and packaging of the candidate; defections among party members and gender equality. It added that the members did a random sampling of opinions from religious and political stakeholders and the general public, and that it used the religious demographic ratio from the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory.

On the issue of the running mate, the committee noted that Muslim-Muslim and Muslim-Christian tickets have respective merits and demerits, but warned that the zone and religion of the running mate were sensitive issues that require careful consideration.

The committee said a Muslim-Christian ticket would sustain the established religious balance in presidential tickets since 1999 and that it could bring about victory for the party as it would satisfy the aspirations of Christians in the North-Central and North-East. It however warned that Muslims in the North-West and North-East might vote for northern candidates in the NNPP and PDP, and could result in a substantial loss for the party.

On the Muslim-Muslim option, the committee said it would help to neutralise the voting strength of the PDP and NNPP and satisfy the Muslim community which has the numerical voting strength that could guarantee victory. But on the demerit of such a combination, the committee said the uncertainty of the possible outcome must not be ignored as it would sharply divide voters along religious lines.

The report added, “It will trigger a large-scale revolt from the Christian communities across Nigeria against our party, thereby resulting in substantial loss of votes that may affect the overall victory of the election. In our current nascent democracy, it has never been tried but when tried, the winner was not sworn in, even though it was adjudged as the most free and fair election.”

‘Don’t relegate Christians’

Meanwhile, the former SGF, who openly opposed Tinubu’s choice of a fellow Muslim as running mate, has described the insistence of the APC and Tinubu on a Muslim-Muslim ticket as his public affirmation that he only requires Muslim votes to be president. He said since the APC had submitted Kashim Shettima’s name to INEC, the Christian community, especially in the North, would oppose being relegated to second-class status.

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Expressing his disappointment with Tinubu’s insistence in a post sent to one of our correspondents on WhatsApp on Friday night, Lawal said, “I did say it: those the gods want to destroy, they first make mad. Tinubu has thrown down the gauntlet. He has submitted Alhaji Kashim Shetima as his nominee. He has stood by his affirmation that he only requires Muslim votes to be president and for all he cares, Christians can all go to hell with their votes. This is his position and he has a right to it. I concede to him.

“We have picked up the gauntlet. The God of justice and equity through the Nigerian voter will decide the victor between the Nigerian Christians, Alhaji Tinubu and his party, the APC. This is our country and we will not let Alhaji Ahmed Bola Tinubu relegate us, our children and our religion to second-class status in our own country.

“This is an existential crisis. Our right to justice and peaceful co-existence with all practitioners of other religions is under threat. A northern Nigerian Christian child deserves to be bequeathed a future in which he can aspire to be president or vice president of Nigeria.”

He said the Bible and the Nigerian constitution support and guarantee their position. “Come on Alhaji Tinubu! Come on APC!!” he concluded.

‘Christian-Christian ticket suicidal’

The National Chairman, South West Agenda for Asiwaju 2023, Senator Adedayo Adeyeye, has however warned Lawal against attacking Tinubu over his choice of Shettima.

Adeyeye said it would have been political suicide if Tinubu picked a Christian from the North as his running mate.

In an interview with select journalists in Abuja on Saturday, he said, “Let us establish one point, particularly in the North-East and the North-West, they (Muslims) constitute about 90 per cent of the population. Correct me if I’m wrong. I am not talking of the entire North because the Middle Belt is another issue. But you know we can’t pick a candidate from the North-Central because the National Chairman (of the APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu) is already from there.

“So, if you are now left with two regions, which are the North-East and the North-West, the population of Muslims is almost 90 per cent, to the extent that they believe that politics is part of their religion, it will be suicidal for any politician to disregard that sentiment and feeling and then use sentiment to go and pick a Christian from that area. You are asking that the majority of the population should not vote for you.

“So, if you want to win the votes of those two critical geopolitical zones, you need to have somebody on that ticket from that region either as number one or number two. You need to have a Muslim from those two places if you want to win their votes.”

Speaking to the ex-SGF’s position, Adeyeye said Lawal should “behave like an elder statesman” and be looking for a solution to issues not stoking the fire.

He added, “Being a long-standing friend of Asiwaju, he should not be the one who is throwing him under the bus every time. You drop your friend under the bus; that is not how to be a good friend. Your own is to find a way. If fire is burning, you should see how you can quench it, not to stoke it. That is my message to him.”

Elders oppose APC

Some elders under the aegis of Coalition of North East Elders for Peace and Development have vowed to work against the APC for fielding a Muslim-Muslim ticket for the 2023 presidential election.

A statement by the National Coordinator of the group, Zana Goni on Saturday, partly read, “Without mincing words, we describe the party’s decision in fielding Muslim-Muslim ticket in the 2023 presidential election as the highest level of madness, insensitivity and an evil agenda against our dear country which we have laboured for years to build.

“This decision, which threatens the unity of the country, does not have our blessings and must be resisted by all Nigerians of good conscience. Anything contrary will threaten the fragile unity and peace of Nigeria.

“To make the matter worse, they picked Kashim Shettima, a man whose alleged link with terrorism is still a subject of debate in public domain. Indications across the country are not in favour of the party that has put Nigeria in its present bad situation. Contrary to APC’s expectation, it would lose the presidential poll before 12 noon.”

Outrage unnecessary – Shittu

The Director-General, Asiwaju Tinubu Presidential Campaign Organisation, Mr Adebayo Shittu, said the outrage generated by the Muslim-Muslim ticket was unnecessary. He called on people to focus on the competence of the candidates.

He said in an interview with one of our correspondents on Friday, “I get really disappointed about the dramatisation of the whole thing. A lot of the people involved in the outcry are not even registered members of our party. It will not be the first time we will be having people of the same faith on a ticket.”

He explained that in Ondo, Ekiti and Edo states, where there are a sizeable number of Muslims, the governors and their deputies are Christians, adding that people didn’t complain when late Chief Obafemi Awolowo picked a fellow Christian, Philip Umeadi, as his running mate for the 1979 presidential election.

“Now because the Tinubu-Shettima ticket is a masterstroke, which will certainly lead to the triumph of the APC, people have started an outcry,” he added, “I don’t think the outcry is necessary. If you look at the constitution, it recognises diversity in terms of region and tribe, not of religion. So, there is nothing wrong with what the candidate did. We have done what would make us win the election.

“What is important here is performance. Can these candidates deliver if they win? I think people should look at the issue more dispassionately.”

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Politics

Damagun writes INEC to conduct by-election for 27 vacant Rivers assembly seats

Published

22 hours ago

November 26, 2024

Trends Admin

IIiya Umar Damagum

Damagun writes INEC to conduct by-election for 27 vacant Rivers assembly seats

Few days after governors on the platform of the Peoples Democracy Party (PDP) handed down an ultimatum for things to change in the party, the Acting National Chairman of the party, Umar Damagun has moved against the FCT Minister and his loyal lawmakers, the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

Damagun in a letter addressed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) dated 13th November 2024 and released on Sunday by the spokesperson of the Opposition Lawmakers Coalition, Ikenga Ugochinyere urged the electoral umpire to conduct a bye-election to fill up the 27 seats, they vacated to join the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Wike has been accused of being behind the crisis in the PDP over his disagreement with the Rivers State governor, Sim Fubara, his successor.

The crisis which started over control of resources divided the party in the state with 27 lawmakers in the state assembly siding Wike and defected to the APC following Wike’s acceptance to serve in the government of the APC.

He has also been accused of working in cahoots with Damagun to damage the PDP by not organising the National Executive Committee which would lead to the acting Chairman’s ouster.

After a series of agitation, the latest being from the PDP Governors’ Forum over the weekend, Damagun has demanded that INEC conduct elections as soon as possible, apparently moving against the FCT minister.

He argued in letter titled, ‘DEMAND FOR IMMEDIATE CONDUCT OF FRESH ELECTION IN 27 STATE CONSTITUENCIES OF RIVERS STATE WHICH HAVE BECOME VACANT PURSUANT TO SECTION 109(1)(g) OF THE CONSTITUTION’ that it’s “unlawful” for the 27 members to defect.

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The members defected to the APC on December 11, 2023.

Damagun said, going by provisions of the Constitution, the lawmakers are no longer members of the Assembly.

The PDP acting chairman therefore urged the Commission to perform its constitutional duties and begin the process of conducting fresh elections to fill the vacancies created in the 27 state constituencies by the unlawful act of the former Assembly members.

Parts of the letter read, “The Leadership of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) wishes to draw the attention of the Commission to the gross violation of Section 109 (1)(g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) by 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly following their unlawful defection from our Party, the PDP who sponsored their elections to the All Progressive Congress (APC) on Monday, December 11, 2023.

“The Commission may recall that our Party, the PDP nominated all our 32 State House of Assembly candidates in Rivers State for the 2023 General Election on the 7th of July 2022 via your electronic candidate election nomination portal (See attached acknowledgement).

“The Commission may also recall that following the nomination, the Commission conducted election into the Rivers State House of Assembly on the 18th of March, 2023 and our Party won 32 seats in the state Assembly. The elected State House of Assembly members were inaugurated and sworn-in on June, 2023.

“However, on Monday, 11 December, 2023 a period of just six (6) months after inauguration, 27 out of the 32 members publicly announced their defection from our Party to the All Progressive Congress (APC). This defection is a gross violation of Section 109(1)(g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As amended).

“The only two grounds of division and merger provided for in the Constitution that permit such defection are completely non-existent in our political Party. It therefore means that the defections of the 27 members are without lawful excuse and these members have vacated their seats in the Rivers State House of Assembly by the operations of Section 109(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution.

“In view of the foregoing, we hereby demand that the Commission performs its constitutional duties and begin the process of conducting a Fresh Election to fill the vacancies created in the 27 State Constituencies by the unlawful act of the Assembly members. Find attached the list of the 27 State Assembly Members and their Constituencies.

“While thanking the Commission for its commitment to deepening democracy in our country, please accept the assurances of our highest regards.”

Damagun writes INEC to conduct by-election for 27 vacant Rivers assembly seats

Politics

Nigeria would have been better under Peter Obi, too much nepotism under Tinubu – Senator Abaribe

Published

1 day ago

November 26, 2024

Trends Admin

Nigeria would have been better under Peter Obi, too much nepotism under Tinubu – Senator Abaribe

Nigeria would have been better than what it is currently if Peter Obi, candidate of the Labour Party (LP), had won the 2023 elections, the senator representing Abia South, Enyinnaya Abaribe, has said.

Abaribe, who spoke on ‘Politics Today,’ a Channels Television programme, on Monday, said Obi would not have been as nepotistic as the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

“Number one, he would not be as nepotistic as this government; he won’t; it’s not in him. That is just who we are; we feel for the other people.”

The lawmaker called attention to Tinubu’s appointment of four ministers from Ogun alone, noting that many other states have just one.

“I say it, and I don’t think so. We are seeing it everyday. I just gave you one example. How can Ogun state have four ministers? Why does he favour Ogun state? Oyo state has only one minister,” Abaribe said.

”The nepotism of Buhari, which nobody followed, has now deepened under President Tinubu because Buhari did it, and nobody said much. I was the only person shouting.”

He said that rather than waiting for presidents to be fair to the people of the south-east, it is high time people of the zone went back to revamp it, make it more livable, better, and more cohesive.

“It’s obvious that if we continue to look at whoever becomes president, they will look at us and do us right. Apart from Obasanjo and maybe Jonathan, I do not think that we have seen that same type of fairness,” he said.

Politics

Lagos 2027: Seyi Tinubu campaign team releases his life documentary

Published

2 days ago

November 25, 2024

Trends Admin

Seyi Tinubu

Lagos 2027: Seyi Tinubu campaign team releases his life documentary

Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu, has been tipped for the seat of Lagos governor in the 2027 governorship election.

This was according to a video making the rounds on various social media platforms, which Peoples Gazette saw on Sunday.

The video highlights the president’s son’s biography, focusing on his education, career, and humanitarian activities as a Nigerian. It also documents his involvement in youth development in the country.

This biopic comes on the heels of some groups’ endorsements of Mr Tinubu’s son as a potential successor to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in 2027.

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On Tuesday, the Coalition of Nigerian Youth Leaders issued an endorsement in Owerri, Imo, suggesting that the younger Tinubu would be welcomed to contest the governorship seat in Osun or Imo.

He was also endorsed by Friends of Seyi, a group emphasising his vision and intellectual wherewithal to govern the country’s commercial nerve.

APC chieftain Joe Igbokwe, however, described the gale of endorsements as a ploy to undermine the president in a Facebook post.

“Who are these faceless people pushing Seyi Tinubu for Lagos governor? This is a needless distraction,” said Mr Igbokwe. “To pull PBAT down is their target. Ruling Lagos is not the job of boys.”