Politics
ADC presidential candidate Kachikwu seeks last-minute Atiku, Obi collaboration to beat Tinubu
The APC presidential candidate spoke to journalists in Abuja on Thursday.
Even the reality he painted Kachikwu said he would not quit the presidential race.
He spoke while delivering what he described as his ‘closing argument’to end his campaign for the election.
“I believed then that my final argument would be a pitch on why you should vote for me but alas as we prepare to vote in the next 48 hours, I am forced to accept the sad reality that there is no pathway towards victory for Ahmed and I.
“I will, therefore, make a different argument today and it is the case for a Nigeria that works for everyone,” he said.
Kachikwu said that sadly those who would be mostly affected by the effect of the current financial constraints in the country were supporters of Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate.
He also said that the PDP, the main opposition party had been weakened by internal factors, including its division which now gave the APC candidate a better chance of winning.
Kachikwu, however, advised that the PDP and Labour party should reach an agreement within the next 24 hours on how to collaborate to win the election.
“Any vote for Peter Obi is a vote for Tinubu. PDP and Labour Party need each other. It is that simple.
“As true democrats, the leadership of both the PDP and Labour Party must find a way to work with the other smaller parties towards building a formidable coalition that ensures that the contest is even.
“Any attempt to go this alone guarantees another four years for the APC.
“Beyond this, we must accept the reality that except Northern Nigeria miraculously comes together in the next 24 hours to throw their support for the PDP candidate, the race looks likely to favour the APC candidate.”
Kachikwu, however, commended Obi for embracing youths and expressed his optimism that the relationship would go beyond the elections into real mentoring for millions of Nigerian youths who had lost hope.
The presidential candidate said that although the three front liners in the presidential race had previous stints in public service, he believed the Igbo’s had not had a fair share in Nigeria and should be given the opportunity.
“I subscribe to the argument that the Igbo’s have not had a fair share in the Nigerian nation, most of the blame for this must go to our leaders who mostly subscribe to self and family as against building their states or region.
“They failed to capitalise on the entrepreneurial spirit of the Ibo man to create an industrial powerhouse in the South East that would provide millions of jobs and shared prosperity for our people.
“Today the economy of the Southeast is in ruins. Our people live in fear and our leaders have relocated to Abuja and Lagos.
“When leaders are afraid to defy evil what do we expect to happen to our communities?
“We all saw what happened in Northeast Nigeria because their leaders failed to stand up to Boko Haram and we now see the same thing in Southeastern Nigeria.
“This attitude of it is their problem has almost destroyed us. We all have to come together to save Nigeria. Nigerians can’t continue to look for a mythic hero or saviour when they are unprepared for individual change.
“Today our youths are poor, angry, bitter, frustrated and therefore, subject to all forms of manipulation and abuse by desperate politicians.
“We can’t continue to do this to our people. We fail to plan for them but plan to use them. We threaten their future with inexplicable debts, we polarise and divide them with tongue, tribe and religion.”
Kachikwu advised Nigerians to look beyond the flaws of the three major candidates and focus on their capabilities, their relationships and associations and those they were likely to work with when elected.
He urged Nigerians to vote rightly and not allow religion, pecuniary gains and tribalism to be the basis for their votes.
Kachikwu also commended and congratulated other presidential candidates for being in the race and giving the 2023 general election a different dimension in ensuring that Nigeria was liberated.
He said whichever way the pendulum of the elections swung, he would remain committed to nation building and devote his time and resources towards deepening Nigeria’s democracy.
Politics
Atiku says he’s not sure about contesting 2027 presidential election
Atiku says he’s not sure about contesting 2027 presidential election
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said that he does not know if he will contest the presidency in 2027.
Atiku made the remark in a yet-to-be-aired interview for a television show, Untold Stories, with Adesuwa Giwa-Osagie, scheduled for broadcast today but exclusively obtained by Daily Trust.
The former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) recently announced the formation of a coalition of opposition leaders to wrest power from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027.
However, there has been widespread speculation about who will lead the coalition and emerge as its presidential candidate, with former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi and former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, being considered among its key figures.
When asked if he would be running for the presidency in 2027, Atiku said: “I don’t know because there has to be, first of all, a viable platform, more than any other time in the political history of this country, particularly since the return of democracy.”
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Atiku, who has run for the presidency a record six times, did not rule out the possibility of contesting again in 2027.
“I have not seen Nigeria in dire need of, you know, an experienced and credible leadership than this time.
“We had a similar, you know, what would I say, merger in 2014. About four of us or is it three? We all ran for president and one of us emerged, and we all supported the one who emerged, and he won,” he said.
He agreed with former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s assertion that Nigeria’s democracy is deteriorating, saying the situation is “very dire.”
“No doubt about that,” he said.
Atiku also expressed his disappointment with the country’s political leadership.
“The next generation after me, many of them had been governors, had been senators. Instead of me to see an improvement in the level of governance at the state level and so on and so forth, I don’t see it. So I feel a little bit distressed.”
Atiku also questioned the credibility of the current legislative leadership, especially as it relates to the National Assembly’s ratification of the state of emergency in Rivers State
“I am not surprised,” he said, alleging that they are corrupt.
Atiku says he’s not sure about contesting 2027 presidential election
Politics
Africa’s democracy is govt by small for small number of people – Obasanjo
Africa’s democracy is govt by small for small number of people – Obasanjo
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has advanced reasons for what he called abysmal failure of democracy in Africa.
According to him, African presidents work with a clique and wield enormous powers with little or no resistance from perpetuating illegalities and abuse of office.
The ex-President said the democracy being practised in Africa does not aligned with the people’s values, culture, and way of life.
Obasanjo said spoke on Monday at a colloquium in Abuja to mark the 60th birthday of Emeka Ihedioha, a former governor of Imo State.
The former Nigerian leader, who chaired the event, referencing Abraham Lincoln’s definition of democracy as “government of the people, by the people, for the people,” said the system should work for all citizens rather than a privileged few.
He however wondered if African countries are practising true democracy or only adopting Western Liberal democracy.
He said, “If you are talking about democracy failing in Africa, democracy in Africa has failed. And why has it failed?
“Because in context and in content, it is not Africa. It does not have any aspect of our culture, our way of life, what we stand for, what we believe.
“Today, we have democracy, which is the government of a small number of people, by a small number of people over a large number of people who are deprived of what they need to have in life. That is not democracy that will endure.
“It is ‘I am because I can grab.’ What sort of democracy brings you, and you grab everything and then illegally, corruptly, and you say go to court? When you know that even in the court, you cannot get justice.
“It’s not that democracy is failing, democracy is dying and if we are going to make democracy not to die, we have to look at democracy in the context and in the content of Africa. I hope that we will get to that stage so that democracy which will deliver will be the democracy that we will have in Africa.”
Obasanjo was Nigeria’s military ruler from 1976 to 1979 and democratically elected president from 1999 to 2007.
Politics
Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai’s coalition can’t unseat Tinubu – Shekarau
Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai’s coalition can’t unseat Tinubu – Shekarau
Former Kano State Governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, has cast doubt on the ability of a newly formed opposition coalition to unseat President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 elections.
Shekarau described the alliance, which includes former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, and ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, as a gathering of individuals with personal political ambitions rather than a structured and unified opposition front.
His remarks came just two days after the coalition’s formation was announced, with the stated goal of challenging Tinubu’s administration.
In a statement by his spokesperson, Dr. Sule Yau, Shekarau remarked, “This is just a gathering of certain individuals with political ambitions; none of them has officially consulted their party leadership.”
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He further argued that a coalition featuring prominent figures does not necessarily equate to an effective political alliance.
“The coalition of opposition figures is a good development, as seen in their recent meeting under what they call an opposition alliance. However, none of the key figures involved represents their party leadership,” Shekarau stated.
Emphasizing the legal framework for political mergers, he pointed out that only registered parties could formally unite, making the recent gathering an informal arrangement rather than an officially recognized coalition.
Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai’s coalition can’t unseat Tinubu – Shekarau
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