Don't contest 2023 presidential election, Afegbua advises Atiku – Newstrends
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Don’t contest 2023 presidential election, Afegbua advises Atiku

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You can’t be a perpetual presidential aspirant

Former spokesperson for the Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign Organisation in the 2019 elections, Kassim Afegbua, has advised the former vice-president, Atiku, not to contest the presidency in 2023.

He said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) must zone its 2023 presidential candidacy to the south, and as such, Atiku should “ditch his quest”.

In a statement on Sunday, Afegbua said Atiku should not make himself a “perpetual candidate” for the presidency.

Atiku has unsuccessfully contested the presidency five times in the last three decades.

Afegbua said it is immoral for “such an old man to attempt another round of political contestation”.

According to him, the presidency belongs to the south, adding that the idea of an Atiku candidacy is akin to “promoting an expired product”.

“Having concluded the convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, with a new leadership that looks promising, the party will have to rise above board to produce a presidential candidate from the southern part of the country to complete the narrative,” the statement reads in part.

“With the abysmal performance of President Muhammadu Buhari on account of age, incompetence and lack of capacity and political will to take deliberate and sustained action to bail out the country from all manner of challenges, it will be immoral for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to continue to express interest in seeking election in the 2023 presidential election having attained the retirement age.

“He cannot assume the role of a perpetual candidate or professional aspirant year in, year out, of the party as though the party was established for him alone. It defeats all sense of logic for such an old man to attempt another round of political contestation at a time the general feeling and mood in the country supports a younger Nigerian from the southern extraction of the country.

“For me, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar should quit his quest for presidency and support a southern Nigerian candidate in the spirit of fairness, equity and justice, that will assuage the feelings of stakeholders from the southern part of Nigeria. It will be against the run of play and natural justice for any aspirant of Northern extraction to show interest in the 2023 presidential election within the Peoples’ Democratic Party threshold. It will offend national sentiments, emotions and logic for anyone from the North to show such interest given our diversities and hetereogenous political configurations.

“After the 2019 presidential election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar abandoned all of us in Nigeria and sought refuge in far away Dubai, thus exposing us to the intimidations, harassment and threats posed by the desperate APC’s power oligarchs. It was a case of a general abandoning his troops in the battlefield. Rather than draw strength from his presence, his absence exposed us to all manner of challenges.”

Afegbua said the promoters of Atiku’s aspiration “know in their heart of hearts that it is a project that is dead on arrival”.

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BREAKING: Again Rivers Assembly passes new law without governor’s consent

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BREAKING: Again Rivers Assembly passes new law without governor’s consent

Rivers State House of Assembly on Monday ignored the state governor Siminialayi Fubara’s consent in passing a new law.

The lawmakers specifically passed the Rivers State Public Procurement (Amendment)Bill, 2024 into Law

It is the third time in three months that the state assembly would override the governor.

In March, the assembly had ruled against Fubara to enact the Rivers State House of Assembly (RSHA) Service Commission Law.

It took same measure in April by passing the local government amendment bill into law despite the refusal of Fubara to give his assent.

The lawmakers also threatened to take stringent measures against the governor “if he continues to flout the laws of the state”.

The assembly said it acted in consonance with the provisions of Section 100 (5)of the 1999 Constitution voted, and with a two-third majority votes passed the bill into law.

The lawmakers had passed the Rivers State Public Procurement (Amendment)Bill, 2024 on the 26th of March, 2024, and transmitted it to the governor for assent, which he declined.

Speaking on the bill , the speaker, Martin Amaewhule, said it was to secure taxpayers’ money and ensure that it is not spent on frivolities and twisted contracts.

Amaewhule condemned a situation where due process is relegated to the background, contracts awarded without legal backing and the state being governed in a “dictatorial panache”.

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Edo 2024: Muslims demand fair representation in govt

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Edo 2024: Muslims demand fair representation in govt

In anticipation of the upcoming governorship election slated for September 21 in Edo State, the state chapter of the Nigeria Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has called for the fair representation of Muslims in the state’s governance.

Mallam Abdulazeez Igbinidu, the Chairman of Edo State’s NSCIA, voiced this demand during a stakeholders’ meeting in Benin City. He emphasized the inadequate representation of Muslims in the state’s governance structures.

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Addressing the attendees, Mallam Igbinidu highlighted the purpose of the meeting, which aimed to collectively address the concerns of Muslims regarding the conduct of the upcoming governorship election.

He stressed the necessity for equity and fairness in representation within the state’s governance framework to ensure that Muslims are adequately represented.

The call for equitable representation underscores the importance of inclusivity and diversity in governance, reflecting the need for all population segments to be adequately represented in decision-making processes.

Edo 2024: Muslims demand fair representation in govt

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PDP: Sule Lamido blames court for mass resignation from party

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Former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido

PDP: Sule Lamido blames court for mass resignation from party

Former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, has revealed why the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is grappling with a gale of resignations from its folds in recent times.

Some notable members of the nation’s leading opposition party have quit the party in recent weeks.

Speaking on the exodus from the party, Lamido blamed the situation on the procedures of the court.

He said the actions of the court and the leadership of the PDP have left the party in a precarious and parlous state.

He added that the PDP mass resignation was as a result of frustration engendered by the leadership of the party and the judiciary.

Speaking during an interview with This Day, Lamido bemoaned the selfish moves of some leaders of the party.

Recall that there has been an ongoing resignation by members of PDP especially in Imo and few other states.

The former governor said if the court did not insist that Senator Samuel Anyanwu was the National Secretary, when he (Anyanwu) went and contested for the Imo State governorship election, the position of National Secretary would have gone to another person from Imo State.

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He also asserted that some persons outside the PDP are influencing what happens in the party.

Lamido said, “Emeka Ihedioha and other chieftains of the PDP that resigned from the party were humiliated and frustrated out. They were humiliated by the leadership of the party, with the help of the judiciary.

“Ministers resigned to contest election. Other government officials and even party officials resigned to contest elective offices. Senator Anyanwu ought to have resigned to contest the governorship election in Imo state.

“What did he (Anyanwu) do. He held to the office of national secretary and contested for the governorship election. You cannot eat your cake and still have it back. You cannot appropriate the two positions. You are the national secretary and the governorship candidate at the same time. This is not done.

“So, when the stakeholders from Imo state complained, the judiciary aided him and affirmed his position as National Secretary when he lost his governorship election.

“So, Ihedioha and his group felt frustrated and humiliated by the action of the leadership of the party by failing to stand up for justice. So, as a person, I don’t blame Ihedioha and his associates. I can understand why he and his associates left. Some external influences are tele-guiding the party.”

he said, “The leadership of the party was extremely unfair to Ihedioha who first asked if Anyanwu will contest for governor and when Anyanwu said yes, Ihedioha left it for him and yet, Anyanwu still did not leave the post of National secretary. It is not fair.”

PDP: Sule Lamido blames court for mass resignation from party

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