Politics

Yoruba elders to Tinubu: your victory in 2023 certain

Published

4 years ago

August 9, 2022

Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu

Yoruba elders yesterday threw their weight behind the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

They said the former Lagos State governor is eminently qualified to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in next year’s election, assuring that he will make a difference as a leader.

To the elders, Tinubu has the pedigree and antecedent, having served credibly as a senator in the Third Republic and two-term governor of the Centre of Excellence.

The elders, under the aegis of the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), said Tinubu’s efforts at stabilising democracy in Nigeria were enough to earn him victory in 2023.

The council stated this in a communiqué after its quarterly meeting in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The communiqué was signed by its Chairman, Mr Francis Akinikawe; Secretary, Chief Clement Fadipe; National Treasurer, Aremu Akindele and National Welfare Officer, Mrs Funmi Jabaru.

Also yesterday, the Southwest APC unfolded a comprehensive reconciliation plan for the six states in a bid to ensure unity and cohesion ahead of next year’s polls.

The APC Campaign Organisation spokesman and Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, said Tinubu’s qualities and achievements make him an easy candidate to sell to the electorate.

Speaking on Arise TV programme, he described the APC flag bearer as a political and economic trailblazer and builder of men.

READ ALSO:

A political group, the ‘ROT Like Minds,’ held special prayers in Lagos at the weekend for Tinubu’s success at the poll.

‘Tinubu a detrabalised Nigerian’

YCE described Tinubu as a destabilised Nigerian and a good leader, who ran an all-inclusive government during his tenure as Lagos State governor.

The group maintained that as the chief crusader of democracy in Nigeria, Tinubu stands for justice, fairness and national cohesion.

YCE said it was optimistic that Tinubu would tackle the myriad of problems facing Nigeria if elected president.

It added: “We believe that you are capable of leading the nation despite challenges of insecurity, economy downtown, and we know you can turn the nation for the better.

“We want the world to know that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a phenomenon in the world of politics.

“We are not against anyone’s group or aspirations but all we are saying is that Asiwaju is the right person for the job.

“He is the best man for the job at this period while our support for his candidacy’s burn out of his starling performances and track record of achievements over the years as fishers of men with just and equitable management of men and re-distribution of the available resources under his watch at every given opportunity.”

A political group, the ‘ROT Like Minds,’ on Sunday held special prayers in Lagos for the success of the APC presidential candidate and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The coordinator of the group, Mr Jimmy Akinboro, chaired the joint Islam and Christian special prayers.

Akinboro explained that ‘ROT Like Minds’ organised the prayers to seek spiritual intervention for the ambitions of Tinubu and Sanwo-Olu.

He said: “The group believes that Tinubu’s presidential ambition will become a reality by seeking the blessings of God.

“Tinubu is a trusted and tested leader who has touched lives and redefined leadership in and out of political positions.

“This is not the first time that this type of programme is being held.

“We have embarked upon this prayer session in honour of our principal and our mentor.

“This is because he has unfolded his ambition to become the president of the country by the grace of God.

“We are his foot soldiers and we are his loyalists. All of us have come under the banner of this group to organise this Christian and Muslim prayer session.

“We want to hand over all our affairs to God so that He can guide us and grant our request.

READ ALSO:

“This is so that Tinubu can become president to continue to do what he knows how to do best, which is developing people and developing society.”

Southwest APC unfolds peace plans

The Southwest APC has unfolded what it described as a comprehensive reconciliation plan to foster unity and harmony in the six states ahead of the 2023 polls.

The Zonal Executive Committee, led by Isaacs Kekemeke, urged warring chieftains, particularly in Ogun, Osun and Oyo states, to sheathe their swords, show decorum and exhibit maturity.

The reconciliation agenda being proposed will encompass the setting up of ad-hoc committees to listen to grievances and visit by selected party elders and officers to the chapters to encourage aggrieved chieftains to subscribe to a truce.

Southwest governors are also expected to play a role in the efforts of the zone to put its house in order.

Kekemeke, who is the National Vice Chairman (Southwest), urged the gladiators to jettison personal interests for the collective interest of the party to triumph in the region at this critical time.

He urged the opposing camps in Ogun, led by Governor Dapo Abiodun and Senator Ibikunle Amosun, to cease fire and allow peace to reign in the chapter.

Kekemeke has also dissociated the zonal chapter from the aggrieved governorship contender in Oyo State, who has defected to other parties to contest.

The rift between Abiodun and Amosun deepened at the weekend as both leaders were locked in confrontation over the 2019 poll.

While Amosun said the governor was rigged into office because he never won the election, Abiodun returned the salvos, saying that the senator should desist from playing God.

Supporters of the governor and senator have also been engaged in a curious media war that has embarrassed the zonal and regional leadership of the party.

Also, in Osun, supporters of Governor Gboyega Oyetola and Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola do not see eye to eye.

While the Aregbesola camp has called for the removal of Gboyega Famodun as chairman of the chapter, the governor’s camp said Famodun, who was properly elected during the state congress, cannot yield his position to Lowo Adebiyi, who belongs to the Aregbesola camp.

In Oyo, a post-primary crisis has ensued, following the emergence of Senator Teslim Folarin as governorship candidate.

An aggrieved aspirant, Adegoke Adelabu, has defected from the chapter to contest for governor on the platform of the Accord Party.

Also, the other two camps opposed to the candidate have not shown proof of any readiness to team up with him as the race is gathering momentum.

Party supporters who were confused over the protracted crises in the three chapters have urged the zonal leadership to urgently intervene to nip them in the bud.

Kekemeke said in a statement yesterday that there is no alternative to reconciliation and peace.

He said: “The Zonal Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress in the Southwest has observed the brewing misunderstanding between some respected leaders/elders of our party in Ogun state.

“We grant that misunderstandings and quarrels are an essentially inevitable part of life and human organisations.

“However, it should be understood by all party compatriots that the Southwest zone can not afford any form of a dispute to fester; not at this time when all hands must be on deck to secure resounding electoral victory for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and all other candidates of the party in the Zone during the forthcoming 2023 general elections.

“The party in the zone has already initiated actions to ensure that this family misunderstanding and others elsewhere in the Southwest are amicably resolved.

“I appeal to their Excellencies: Governor Abiodun and Senator Amosun to in the name of God and the interest of the party in the zone sheath their swords and direct their supporters to cease henceforth from making public statements that will further divide the party in Ogun state and the zone.

“I urge all party faithful in the state to remain steadfast, rest assured that, our party will emerge stronger and better.”

THE NATION

Politics

Hamzat, GRV Clash Over Housing, Transport, Governance at Lagos Debate

Published

12 hours ago

November 8, 2026

Trends Admin

Hamzat, GRV Clash Over Housing, Transport, Governance at Lagos Debate

The Lagos State Deputy Governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Obafemi Hamzat, and his African Democratic Congress (ADC) counterpart, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, have presented contrasting development plans for Lagos State ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

The two candidates outlined their policy priorities during the 2026 Lagos State Governorship Debate held in Lekki on Sunday, November 8, with particular attention to housing, transportation, infrastructure, security, healthcare, waste management and accountable governance.

Hamzat, who described the debate as a job interview, relied heavily on his experience in public service, arguing that his professional background and previous appointments had prepared him for the responsibility of governing Lagos.

He said his experience as a teacher, case manager in New York and systems manager, alongside his years in the Lagos State Government, had equipped him with the knowledge required to manage the state’s affairs.

The APC candidate recalled his time as Commissioner for Science and Technology, during which he said he led the development of the state’s residents and structural database.

He also highlighted his tenure as Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, citing his involvement in the delivery of major infrastructure projects, including a cable bridge described as the first of its kind in West Africa and the second in Africa.

Hamzat said effective governance required a leader who understood the people, the state and the responsibilities attached to public office.

Presenting his development blueprint, tagged Jacob’s Promise, he said it was structured around seven pillars, seven broad areas of action and 100 pledges.

He identified respect for citizens, hard work and truthfulness as the principles that would guide his administration, adding that government should prioritise actual delivery over public announcements.

READ ALSO:

According to him, residents should evaluate candidates based on their experience, the substance of their programmes and their ability to translate promises into tangible results.

In contrast, Rhodes-Vivour argued that Lagos needed a different approach to governance, accusing successive administrations of prioritising the interests of wealthy residents and privileged communities over those of ordinary people.

The ADC candidate said his political activities and manifesto had consistently focused on improving the living conditions of ordinary Lagos residents.

He maintained that the state needed an integrated development strategy capable of addressing interconnected challenges in housing, transportation, healthcare, education, waste management and urban planning.

On housing, Rhodes-Vivour promised to deliver 100,000 housing units within his first four years if elected.

He proposed funding social housing through luxury taxation, developing the eastern foreshore and intergenerational areas, and decentralising housing development across the state.

He also promised to expand Lagos’ railway network, saying his administration would connect the state’s rail lines within two and a half years through a private-sector-driven arrangement.

He said the proposed approach would be transparent, equitable and cost-effective, with the objective of improving connectivity and opening up more communities for development.

Rhodes-Vivour further argued that the state’s high internally generated revenue should translate into improved living conditions and better public services for residents.

He cited communities such as Makoko while criticising what he described as development policies that displaced ordinary residents in favour of elite interests.

The ADC candidate also pledged to address traffic congestion, flooding, waste management and the activities of street touts, popularly known as agberos.

OTHER CANDIDATES PRESENT THEIR VISIONS

The debate also featured governorship candidates of other political parties, including Funso Doherty of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and Deji Doherty of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Funso Doherty criticised the state’s revenue and taxation system, arguing that Lagos residents continued to face multiple levies without receiving public services commensurate with the revenue generated by the government.

READ ALSO:

He maintained that Lagos was operating below its potential despite its substantial internally generated revenue.

The NDC candidate, who said he had spent about 30 years in the private sector, promised a new direction for the state, particularly in healthcare and essential public services.

He urged residents to hold his party accountable if elected.

Deji Doherty, on his part, highlighted the need to improve electricity supply and create more economic opportunities for residents.

He said his experience as a technocrat and industrialist had informed his decision to seek the governorship position.

On housing, the PDP candidate cautioned against making unrealistic promises, arguing that the cost of land and building materials must be considered before setting ambitious construction targets.

He also raised concerns about gaps in primary healthcare delivery, particularly in some island communities.

DEBATE AHEAD OF 2027 ELECTION

The Lagos governorship debate was organised by the Nigeria Debate Consortium, a coalition of media organisations comprising Channels Television, TVC News, The PUNCH, TheCable and Vanguard.

The exercise is part of a series of debates scheduled ahead of the 2027 general elections, aimed at giving candidates a platform to explain their programmes and respond to questions on issues affecting Nigerians.

The organisers said the debate was designed to promote issue-based political engagement, democratic accountability and informed electoral choices.

The participating candidates were expected to address major concerns affecting Lagos residents, including the economy and cost of living, transportation and infrastructure, flooding and the environment, healthcare and social welfare, security and accountability.

The February 6, 2027 governorship election will determine who succeeds Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu as the next governor of Lagos State.

Hamzat, GRV Clash Over Housing, Transport, Governance at Lagos Debate

Politics

ADC Crisis: Aregbesola Heads to Appeal Court, Challenges Judgment Nullifying Mark-Led Leadership

Published

12 hours ago

November 8, 2026

Trends Admin

National Chairman, David Mark, and National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola

ADC Crisis: Aregbesola Heads to Appeal Court, Challenges Judgment Nullifying Mark-Led Leadership

The leadership crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has taken another legal turn as the party’s National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, has approached the Court of Appeal to challenge the Federal High Court judgment nullifying the emergence of the David Mark-led leadership of the party.

Aregbesola is asking the appellate court to overturn the judgment delivered on November 5, 2026, by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, arguing that the lower court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the dispute over the party’s leadership.

The former Osun State governor filed a notice of appeal on Friday through his lawyer, Mohammed Sheriff, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

In the appeal, Aregbesola listed former ADC National Deputy Chairman, Nafiu Gombe, the ADC, Senator David Mark, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, as the first to fifth respondents.

He is challenging the lower court’s decision to assume jurisdiction over issues surrounding his emergence as national secretary and the validity of resolutions reached at the party’s 99th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.

Aregbesola also wants the Court of Appeal to set aside the declaration that Gombe’s four-year tenure remained valid and that he was entitled to oversee the affairs of the party.

The appeal contains five grounds, through which his lawyer argued that Justice Lifu made errors in interpreting the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act 2022, the 1999 Constitution and the ADC constitution.

One of the central arguments is that the trial judge wrongly assumed jurisdiction over competing claims to the party’s leadership by relying on issues relating to INEC’s statutory oversight responsibilities.

READ ALSO:

Aregbesola’s lawyer also faulted the court’s reliance on the absence of a democratic election at the 99th NEC meeting to invalidate his emergence as national secretary.

According to the appellant’s legal team, Section 82(3) of the Electoral Act 2022 and Section 223(1)(a) of the Constitution must be considered alongside Article 23(4) of the ADC constitution.

The lawyer argued that Article 23(4) empowers the appropriate executive organ of the party to appoint an eligible replacement to fill a vacant position pending an election at the next convention or congress.

He maintained that the trial court failed to determine whether Aregbesola’s emergence was an election or an interim appointment permitted under the party’s constitution.

In one of the arguments contained in the appeal, the lawyer stated that the absence of voting did not automatically establish whether the resolutions of the NEC meeting amounted to an election or an interim appointment.

Aregbesola is therefore asking the appellate court to set aside the lower court’s decision and strike out the affected claims if it determines that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction.

Alternatively, he wants the findings invalidating his assumption of office and the disputed NEC resolutions reversed.

He also requested that if the Court of Appeal upholds the lower court’s jurisdiction but considers a fresh hearing necessary, the affected claims should be returned to the Federal High Court for retrial before another judge.

Aregbesola Seeks Stay of Execution

Apart from filing the appeal, Aregbesola has also approached the Federal High Court with a separate application seeking a stay of execution of the November 5 judgment pending the determination of his appeal.

The motion, filed on Saturday and marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, seeks an order restraining the enforcement of, or further consequential actions arising from, Orders 7 and 8 of the judgment.

His lawyer argued that the appeal raises substantial and arguable questions of law and fact, particularly concerning the jurisdiction of the trial court and the interpretation of the ADC constitution and relevant electoral provisions.

The application is intended to prevent the immediate enforcement of the disputed orders while the appellate proceedings continue.

How the ADC Leadership Crisis Started

The dispute followed the resignation of former ADC National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, after which Nafiu Gombe claimed he was constitutionally entitled to assume leadership of the party.

Gombe subsequently approached the Federal High Court, challenging the emergence of the Mark-led leadership and arguing that the process violated the ADC constitution and relevant provisions of the Electoral Act.

He asked the court to invalidate decisions taken by the Mark-led leadership and restrain Mark, Aregbesola and other members of the interim National Working Committee from presenting themselves as the party’s legitimate leaders.

However, the Mark-led faction opposed the suit, maintaining that Gombe was no longer serving as deputy national chairman when Nwosu resigned and was therefore not entitled to take over the party’s leadership.

In his November 5 judgment, Justice Lifu ruled against the Mark-led leadership, nullifying the caretaker committee and its decisions, including actions relating to the party’s selection of candidates for the 2027 general election.

The ruling also affected the process that produced former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the ADC’s presidential candidate.

The ADC had earlier announced that it had separately appealed the judgment and applied for a stay of execution. The party also urged INEC to suspend further action on the leadership dispute pending the determination of the legal challenge.

Aregbesola’s latest move adds another dimension to the dispute, with the party’s leadership and the validity of decisions taken under the Mark-led executive now subject to further judicial proceedings.

ADC Crisis: Aregbesola Heads to Appeal Court, Challenges Judgment Nullifying Mark-Led Leadership

Politics

‘My History Is Traceable’: Atiku Fires Back at Tinubu Over University Funding

Published

24 hours ago

November 8, 2026

Trends Admin

Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku AbubakarFormer Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar

‘My History Is Traceable’: Atiku Fires Back at Tinubu Over University Funding

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has fired back at President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over comments questioning how he financed the establishment of his university, insisting that his business and educational investment records are traceable.

Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), said his investment in education began long before he became vice-president, accusing Tinubu of attempting to divert public attention from the economic challenges facing Nigerians by questioning his business history.

The exchange followed Tinubu’s remarks at an All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign rally in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Saturday, November 7, 2026.

The President had challenged Atiku to explain how he established the American University of Nigeria (AUN) in Yola, Adamawa State, while serving as vice-president under former President Olusegun Obasanjo between 1999 and 2007.

Tinubu alleged that public resources were used to establish the institution, asking who financed the university and questioning Atiku’s moral integrity to seek the presidency.

In response, Atiku, through his Director of Strategic Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said his investment in education predated his entry into public office.

He maintained that he laid the foundation for ABTI Academy in 1993, arguing that the project later developed into the American University of Nigeria.

Atiku said: “The answer is simple: my investment in education predates my time in public service. In 1993, while a US court ordered the forfeiture of funds in an account in your name, describing them as proceeds of narcotics trafficking or funds involved in unlawful financial transactions, I was laying the foundation for ABTI Academy. That Academy has since grown into the American University of Nigeria.”

READ ALSO:

The former vice-president described his business history as open to scrutiny, declaring that he could explain how he built his businesses and entered public leadership.

“That moment captures the difference between us. My history is traceable. I can show Nigerians how I built my name, achieved success in business and entered public leadership,” he said.

Atiku also revived the controversy surrounding the forfeiture of $460,000 in the United States involving an account in Tinubu’s name in 1993, using the development to challenge the President’s criticism of his own financial history.

He accused Tinubu of focusing on his educational investment to avoid addressing questions about the performance of his administration.

The ADC candidate argued that the more important issue ahead of the 2027 presidential election should be how to address the country’s economic difficulties, including rising living costs, poverty, unemployment and insecurity.

Atiku also criticised the President’s position on the removal of the petrol subsidy, saying Nigerians were yet to experience the promised economic benefits of the policy.

He challenged Tinubu’s argument that the country could not return to subsidised petrol prices, promising that an Atiku-led government would introduce what he described as a transparent, production-based subsidy linked to local refining.

According to him, the proposed arrangement would reduce the cost of energy, including petrol and diesel, while ensuring that Nigerians benefit directly from the country’s refining capacity.

He also promised to expand social welfare programmes and address what he described as an opaque system for distributing funds meant for economically vulnerable citizens.

Atiku said his Affordable Life campaign was designed to provide an alternative to the economic policies of the Tinubu administration, insisting that criticism of his campaign would not stop him from pursuing his presidential ambition.

He further declared that he would remain on the ballot for the 2027 election, expressing confidence in his chances against the incumbent President.

However, the timeline surrounding the establishment of Atiku’s university has also become part of the controversy.

While Atiku says he laid the foundation for ABTI Academy in 1993, information published on the American University of Nigeria’s website, as reported by THISDAY, states that he first established ABTI Academy, now known as AUN Academy, in 2002.

The university was licensed as ABTI University in 2003, while construction of its buildings began in October 2004. Its first students were admitted in the 2005/2006 academic session.

The difference between Atiku’s claimed 1993 beginning of his education investment and the university’s published establishment timeline is therefore an important detail in the dispute.

Tinubu has not, in the reports cited, provided documentary evidence to substantiate his allegation that public resources were used to finance the university. Atiku, for his part, maintains that his investment in education began before he became vice-president.

The exchange has added to the growing political confrontation between the President and the ADC presidential candidate as political activities ahead of the 2027 general election intensify.