Politics
Dele Momodu accuses Tinubu of repackaging Abiola’s manifesto

Dele Momodu, publisher of Ovation magazine, has accused Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), of repackaging the manifesto of MKO Abiola.
The APC’s presidential candidate released his 80-page manifesto tagged ‘Renewed Hope 2023’ on Friday.
The ruling party promised to solve Nigeria’s security and economic problems if reelected next year.
Momodu — who is the director of strategic communications of the PDP presidential campaign — criticised the document in an article published on Sunday.
In the article titled ‘APC: Renewed hope or forlorn hope?’, he said the document is filled with “half-thoughts, poor reasoning, and copied notes” from Abiola’s ‘Hope ’93’ manifesto.
Abiola was the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 1993 election.
He was adjudged to have won the presidential poll before it was annulled by Ibrahim Babangida, then head of state.
Momodu emphasised the difference between Abiola and Tinubu, describing the latter’s presidential bid as a “forlorn hope”.
He said the manifesto was “an insult to the sensibility and needs of Nigerians” and accused the authors of “copy and paste”.
The full article:
“After carefully reading through the much-awaited APC Presidential Campaign Manifesto that was released over the weekend, we cannot but conclude that the elephant has given birth to an ant. After such a long delay, what the APC Presidential candidate has come up with is a series of platitudes, half-thoughts, poor reasoning, and copied notes packaged and presented as “Renewed Hope”. The APC and its Presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, could not even come up with something original: “Renewed Hope 2023.” Really? This is again, another attempt by the APC candidate to appropriate Bashorun MKO Abiola’s Legacy. It would be more salutary if he were to run on his own steam instead of copying the memory of a man whose life trajectory was uncommon and whose hope for Nigeria was noble. And the APC candidate should be reminded that 1993 is far different from 2023,” the Ovation publisher said.
“The late MKO Abiola was known for industry and brilliance. Shall we ask what the APC candidate is known for? Whereas MKO’s Hope ‘93 was a genuine course; for the APC and Nigerians, it’s a forlorn hope ~ and that’s the message of Bola Tinubu and the APC campaign in 2023
“In all honesty, the 80-page document that the APC has put together comes across as a little more than an insult to the sensibility and needs of Nigerians.
“At a time when the country is in dire need of clear leadership with vision and courage, all the APC seems capable of doing is to generally copy and paste regurgitated ideas of others with nothing original or breathtaking. Asiwaju says he “knows the way”. With due respect, he does not. On more than one occasion, he has advertised himself as the architect of the victory of the APC in 2015. Their party’s slogan then was “Change.”
“In eight years, they have not been able to change anything positively. They have led Nigeria into a ditch. Inflation is close to 21%. Unemployment rate is 33%. The Naira is one of the worst-performing currencies against the dollar in the world. The suicide rate in the country has risen terribly, because the people have lost hope. Divorce rate too because the APC and its leaders have castrated families, and ruined “the other room:”. Thus, they have worsened the condition of Nigerians. Now, in 2022, Tinubu says he wants to take Nigerians on a journey. A journey to nowhere, most certainly; or, to be precise – to perdition. A week ago, he promised that he would ensure the continuity of the current administration. What does he want to continue? If I may ask: the poverty, agony and cluelessness that the APC have imposed on Nigerians?
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“Like a crafty student trying to avoid being caught in the act of plagiarism, the authors of the document have tried to rewrite some unoriginal ideas. The authors of the document do not only offend Nigerians with their collection of cliches and pedestrian ideas but they offend, expose and indict the APC candidate Chief Bola Tinubu. I urge you in the spirit of fairness to interrogate what the APC calls a manifesto. You will see that they are promising exactly what they have not been able to achieve in eight years.
“Chief Bola Tinubu is not new to Nigerian politics. It is sad that he allowed some people to copy and repackage, without tact or grace, the Abiola Hope ’93 manifesto and mixed it with the 2015 APC/Buhari manifesto for him. They even have the impudence to tag it ‘Renewed Hope’. Nigerians do not need a copy and paste manifesto. They want details and original ideas. The way this country is right now, offering the people empty promises would not take us forward. The question for every Presidential candidate is how? How will you solve the problem? We all know what the problem is. Tell us how? For eight years, Bola Tinubu has projected himself as the power behind the throne. His party has failed to lead Nigeria forward. They must stop blaming the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). They must stop blaming the world and COVID 19. The duty of government is to provide leadership and solve problems. Leadership is about managing people and resources. Nigeria urgently requires a leader with exemplary capacity and ability to lead a nation in confusion with distinction and never with untested experimentation. We’ve already gone through calamitous experiments in the last eight years. The APC government is the only government that blames others and the past for its lack of innovation and creativity.
“I insist that the authors of the APC manifesto exposed and indicted both APC and Chief Bola Tinubu. The authors of the document, whoever they are, seem so disrespectful of Nigerians that they do not seem to care or know that Nigerians will ask where was Chief Bola Tinubu and his running mate when the current administration was getting things wrong with a similar game plan and manifesto? What did they and other APC members say or do in private or public to warn the government about their underperformance? What did they say or do in private or public to remind the outgoing APC administration that they failed to keep the promises they made in 2015? What advice or suggestions did they offer the outgoing administration to keep the lives and properties of Nigerians secure? What advice or suggestions did they give to grow our economy, create wealth and jobs? What strategies did they offer the outgoing administration to fight corruption? Were they just patiently and cynically waiting for the current administration to fail so they can say “I can do it”? Were they too scared or too engrossed with their ambition to tackle the government for the sake of Nigeria?
“I have used the phrase “authors of the document” advisedly because the APC is well-known to dial back, even on its own promises and it is one party whose candidates may not even know the content of their own manifestoes. After the 2015 general elections, the APC openly rejected some of the promises in the party’s manifesto, and that was long after they had been declared winner. This is probably why their 2023 manifesto this time around is long on promises and short on details. As a concerned citizen, I don’t think Nigerians should be taken on another bad ride.
“No other election in recent Nigerian history can be more important than the 2023 elections. The time for progress has come, and 2023 must be a referendum on the APC. My appeal is that voters must vote wisely. And I hope that going forward, Chief Tinubu would make himself available to attend debates and respond to questions that would be raised to do so, and when he does so, he should please refrain from his predilection to reduce serious conversations to vague proverbs and metaphors. Nigerians are not looking for a ‘dibia’. They want a leader with a clarity of purpose and vision.”
Politics
Updated: You can only be admitted from wards, SDP tells El-Rufai, others

Updated: You can only be admitted from wards, SDP tells El-Rufai, others
Former Kaduna State Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and other political leaders planning to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP) have been told to follow due process.
The Forum of State Chairmen of the SDP said new members could only be admitted from their wards.
They rose from an inaugural meeting of the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chairmen in Abuja yesterday to give the directive.
The forum said there would be no sacred or preferential treatment for new joiners.
Last month, El-Rufai through his X handle announced his membership of the SDP, a move the Kaduna State chapter of the party rejected.
The party stated that he is not a recognised member.
It’s Assistant National Secretary (North West) , Idris Inuwa, at a news conference said El-Rufai’s entry into the party remained a rumour as he was yet to follow due process.
Welcoming new members after its meeting, the Chairman of the forum and Lagos State Chairman, Femi Olaniyi, said the forum resolved to welcome the influx of new members, including prominent politicians from across the country but gave conditions to be fulfilled.
Olaniyi said, “New members will be admitted and registered through the party’s internal structures, led by the chairmen.”
“New members cannot admit or register themselves as members of the party,” he added.
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On the ongoing moves by some opposition elements to join the party ahead of 2027, the SDP sub-national leaders warned that “democratically elected structures of the SDP at the state and national levels must not be truncated or dissolved to appease new joiners or at the whims of any individuals or interests. Elected officials should be allowed to serve out their terms.”
Admitting that the merger talks with the party may warrant some structural adjustments to accommodate new members, the state chairmen warned that fundamental issues such as changes to the party’s name, logo, insignia, slogan, or any drastic alterations to the party’s Constitution or Manifesto must not be undertaken.
According to them, such issues and changes should be thoroughly discussed by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party before taking any action.
The forum passed vote of confidence in the Shehu Musa Gabam-led National Working Committee (NWC).
They also hailed members nationwide for their outstanding efforts in building and positively repositioning the party.
Updated: You can only be admitted from wards, SDP tells El-Rufai, others
Politics
One battle down, two to go, Natasha speaks on INEC rejection of her recall petition

One battle down, two to go, Natasha speaks on INEC rejection of her recall petition
Lawmaker representing Kogi Central in the Senate, Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan, has reacted to the rejection of a petition to recall her by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The electoral body had said the petition for the recall of the senator did not meet the requirement of the Nigerian Constitution.
It said in a tweet on its official handle, on Thursday, “The petition for the recall of the Senator representing the Kogi Central Senatorial District has not met the requirement of Section 69(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).”
INEC said the number of constituents who signed the petition against the suspended lawmaker fell short of 50% of registered voters in the constituency as required by the constitution.
The development comes after the suspended lawmaker accused the electoral body of bias in the attempt to recall from the Senate.
Reacting through her official Facebook page, Natasha wrote, “Oh God it’s victory for the people. One battle down, two more to go.
“Deep gratitude to my beloved husband, awesome support team, magnificent people of Kogi Central and great people of Nigeria at large.
“INEC Nigeria, you did well. Senator Natasha H Akpoti Uduaghan Proudly Kogi Central.”
Politics
2027 election: Shehu Sani declares bid for Kaduna central senatorial seat

2027 election: Shehu Sani declares bid for Kaduna central senatorial seat
Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has officially announced his intention to contest for re-election in the upcoming 2027 general elections.
Sani made the declaration on Sunday while delivering his Eid-el-Fitr message at his residence in Kaduna. The former senator, known for his vocal stance on national issues, expressed his commitment to representing the people of Kaduna Central once again and addressing key challenges facing the region.
“Any politician contesting an election depends on the political equation that determines the position to vie for. If the conditions are right and the equations are favorable, I will offer myself to contest specifically for the Kaduna Central senatorial district,” he stated.
He further emphasised that his ambition remains secondary to ensuring the re-election of Governor Uba Sani for a second term.
“For now, our priority is to see that the incumbent governor, Uba Sani, is re-elected. We will work with all our might and strength to achieve this. We know there will be challenges and opposition, but we are well prepared for all forces,” he added.
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Sani also used the occasion to urge Muslims to pray for Nigeria’s peace and unity during the Eid-el-Fitr celebrations. Additionally, he condemned the recent killing of hunters in Edo State, calling on security agencies to apprehend the perpetrators.
“If citizens cannot move freely across the country, then we are not truly a nation. If individuals take the law into their hands for any reason, it means there is no government or authority,” he lamented.
He called on all Nigerians who desire a better country to work towards peace and unity for the preservation of democracy, despite the challenges being experienced.
Sani also urged the government to uphold fundamental human rights, particularly the right to life, as a crucial step towards national stability and development.
2027 election: Shehu Sani declares bid for Kaduna central senatorial seat
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