Politics
2023: How El-Rufai’s accolades confused delegates during Amaechi’s visit
There was confusion as a ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirant, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, yesterday visited Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and State’s delegates to the incoming presidential primaries of canvass for support.
Another aspirant, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, last week visited the state and he was endorsed by the delegates.
Despite assuring last week, another presidential hopeful, the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu the support of the delegates, when he visited, Governor El-Rufai described Amaechi as President Muhammadu Buhari’s loyalist and confidant.
Amaechi said he is young and the most experienced among the presidential aspirants, adding that the presidency required agility of a young man, hence, elderly people should go home and rest.
Presenting the Transport minister to the delegates, Governor El-Rufai, who described Amaechi as his own friend and confidant of President Buhari, said the minister won Buhari’s heart in 2011 when as a PDP governor of Rivers State; funded the convention of Buhari’s Congress for Progressive Change (CPC)
Reminding the delegates of their endorsement of Tinubu, El-Rufai said: “Many people contesting elections always say delegates will hardly make heaven, because they don’t keep to their promises. But I always say Kaduna delegates are different.”
The governor, as he did during Tinubu’s visit, however, asked the delegates what their answer to Amaechi would be. But unlike the thunderous declaration of support for Tinubu, the delegates murmured.
El-Rufai said: “Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was here two days ago and you promised him support. Today, here is my friend, my confidant, what are you going to say?
“Many people contesting elections always say delegates will hardly make heaven, because they don’t keep to their promises. But I always say Kaduna delegates are different. You were in a hurry and didn’t listen to what others aspirants will tell you. Amaechi is here and I told you that the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, is also coming after him. Governor Kayode Fayemi is also coming. Also, my big brother who took CPC, Pastor Tunde Bakare, is also coming. As a result of that, you should be prepared and know what to tell them.
“Let me tell you people something. In 2011 when we were in CPC, we were to go to a convention and we didn’t have money. Amaechi then was governor of Rivers State under the PDP. I don’t know how he got to know, then he asked how much was needed to hold the convention, and he gave the money. It was the money we used for the 2011 convention.
“Since then, President Buhari asked me to continue talking to him. When they were meeting, thinking of defecting to APC, we used to meet with the seven governors before two chickened out. Amaechi turned his back against his own neighbour, Goodluck Jonathan and said he was going to follow Buhari. He held on to that trust. That was why the Daura Emirate gave him that title of Dan Amanan Daura.
“We are followers of Buhari. It is what he tells us that we do. So, here is my friend and Buhari’s loyalist, what are you going to do? You should know, after today’s discussion, there are going to be discussions.
“Others will come too, but who is your friend? Who is your loyalist?
“There was a time when I was in the opposition, the DSS were looking for me, they wanted to arrest me. Amaechi told me where to go and wait for him. I waited and he drove me to the DSS himself and he insisted that I should be questioned and released to him the same day and that was what happened. So, who is my friend? Who is my confidant?
“Now, I am going to ask you people two questions, one you can answer, the other you can choose not to answer. Have we agreed that it is justice that the presidency should go back to the South?”
The delegates replied: ‘Yes.”
“The second one is, Asiwaju came last Thursday, now Amaechi is here, what are you going to say, or are you going to tell me later?” Then, the delegates went into murmuring.
Amaechi said he was one of the youngest of all the presidential aspirants in his party, the APC, adding that “our elders should go home and rest.”
He said he governed a state that was ravaged at the time with insecurity, but was able to successfully tame the situation and expressed confidence that if elected as president, he would do the same in Nigeria.
“I will continue with President Buhari’s agricultural transformation to address hunger,’ Amaechi said, adding that the administration of President Buhari inherited poverty, but had been able to change the situation positively.
“You need to vote for a candidate that will protect and provide for all, regardless of region, religion and tribe. This is what I am promising you.”
“As Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly, I was elected Chairman of Nigerian Speakers twice and as Governor, I was also elected Chairman, Nigeria Governors Forum twice. It shows I have what it takes to govern. I am asking you not to waste Kaduna votes. Please give me your votes and I will come back to Kaduna to thank you,” Amaechi said.
EAGLE
Politics
Damagum to continue as PDP national chairman until August – NEC
Damagum to continue as PDP national chairman until August – NEC
National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it will revisit the leadership crisis in the party by August this year.
This therefore means the acting national chairman of the party, Ambassador Iliya Damagum, will remain in the office until the next NEC meeting in August, according to the party.
Bauchi State Governor and the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum hinted on Thursday that the party would look into the demand of the North Central for the national championship position then.
He spoke after the NEC meeting at the national headquarters of the party in Abuja.
The governor said, “You can see there was no dissension and rancour. It was planned that the party will have an implosion. PDP is more than that, we have given beyond all these. This party is a united party that is guided by experience and constitutionality.
“In the next two months, you will see a lot of activities, leadership is a responsibility, when we will have come out of our congresses, we will look at the issues of leadership. We will look at the constitution and we will do it with no rancor.”
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba, also said because of the need for reconciliation the issue of the National Chairman would be revisited in August when another NEC will be expected to take place.
He said, “Our party emphasizes the need for reconciliation and stability within the party at this time. Therefore, the issue of the National Chairman, Amb Iliya Damagum, has been deferred to the next NEC meeting, which is tentatively scheduled for August 15, 2024.”
Politics
Breaking: Saraki loyalist, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, dies at 57
Breaking: Saraki loyalist, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, dies at 57
A top politician, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, has died at the a prime age of 57.
Ibrahim, an ally of former Senate President Senator Bukola Saraki, reportedly died early Wednesday morning in a hospital in Abuja.
Newstrends learnt from a family source that Ibrahim died after a brief illness.
Rafiu Ibrahim from Ojoku, Kwara State, was a member of Kwara State House of Assembly in 2009.
He was later elected in April 2011 to represent Ifelodun/Offa/Oyun Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives of Nigeria in the 7th National Assembly.
Ibrahim became a senator in 2015 when he was elected to represent Kwara South Senatorial District.
He however lost his re-election bid into the 9th National Assembly to Lola Ashiru of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the 2019 general elections.
Politics
PDP: 60 Reps stop Wike group from endorsing Damagun
PDP: 60 Reps stop Wike group from endorsing Damagun
The lingering leadership crisis of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a new dimension on Tuesday as members of the G60 in the House of Representatives led by Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere truncated plans by lawmakers loyal to the FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike, to endorse Mr Umar Damagun as substantive National Chairman of the party.
Trouble started during the closed meeting convened by the Minority Leader, Hon. Kingsley Chinda when Hon. Ugochinyere challenged the Caucus Leader’s presentation.
Hon. Ugochinyere, who flared up during the meeting was seen being persuaded by some PDP lawmakers.
However, before the end of the meeting, members of the G60 group left the hall, thereby leaving about 40 lawmakers in the hall where the press briefing took place.
While speaking on the outcome of the closed-door meeting which lasted for over 3 hours, Hon. Chinda said: “We have just concluded the third meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party Caucus of the 10th Assembly and we have resolved firstly to tell all of us and the world that the PDP Caucus in the House of Representatives remain united, indivisible committed and out to perform our duty as the watchdog on behalf of Nigerian people.
“In the same vein, we x-rayed the security situation in our country and we resolved that we can no longer take this situation where Nigerian is almost tagged as ‘one life, one minute silence’.
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“The government is therefore called upon to immediately take steps to ensure that the security situation in the country is normalized.
“And the Caucus has also given a three-month ultimatum for government to normalize the security situation in our country. After three months, the Caucus will take further steps to sensitize and mobilize Nigerians to perhaps take their security into their hands.
“The House of Representatives Caucus also agreed to call on all Party Caucuses, the Board of Trustees, National Executive Committee and the National Working Committee of the party to embark on reconciliatory measures with a view to resolving all litigations that are pending and have hindered the party in any way whatsoever from having a substantive National Chairman.
“We call on our leaders, leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party to continue to demonstrate unconditional loyalty to the party and ensure that the party is moved to her pride of place where she enjoyed the position of the largest party in Africa and to take back the Aso Villa which is actually supposed to be our birthright.
“And so for us, we are going back as we resume the session to commence a strong, virile and purpose-driven opposition to give the people a voice in the Parliament,” he said.
While reacting to the recent suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi, the Minority Leader urged the Senate leadership “to recall our colleague, our senior brother, a veteran politician, a Parliamentarian per excellence, Abdul Ningi.”
Meanwhile, one of the G60 members who gave insight into the discussions during the closed-door meeting confirmed that the hard stance of the group frustrates the grand plan to pass a vote of confidence on the embattled acting PDP National Chairman.
“Our position remains that Damagun must go for someone from North-central to take over and complete Ayu’s tenure.
“Our Party needs total overhaul and reformation. We currently have in the PDP a national leadership that is in bed with the APC and is working extremely hard to hand over the party to the APC.
“This is quite shameful and disheartening. But we won’t fold our hands and let that happen.
“We are aside other demands insisting on 100 percent formation of Caretaker PDP executive list at all levels without any tampering or inclusion of new names outside the earlier resolution that members of the expiring excos should act as Caretaker for 3 months pending the conduct of substantive election.
“Our party will not be overtaken by APC, we are here to serve the Nigerian people not to the whims and caprices of some selfish politicians,” he noted.
PDP: 60 Reps stop Wike group from endorsing Damagun
(Nigerian Tribune)
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