After criticising APC Tinubu/Shettima ticket, Dogara named Atiku campaign member – Newstrends
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After criticising APC Tinubu/Shettima ticket, Dogara named Atiku campaign member

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  • He’s running from pillar to post, says LP

A former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has finally decamped from the All Progressives Congress to the Peoples Democratic Party and will now be in the campaign train of the Atiku Abubakar, the PDP presidential candidate.

Indeed, Dogara was on Sunday appointed a member of the PDP presidential campaign council (PCC).

Aminu Tambuwal, director general of the PDP PCC and governor of Sokoto State, announced Dogara’s appointment in a statement on Sunday.

In a reaction to the development, the Labour Party has said the movement showed Dogara as a man still living in the past and is only running from pillar to post.

Dogara’s appointment came two days after he declared support for Atiku.

The Northern Leaders Consultative Forum, which Dogara is a part of, had endorsed Atiku and described him as “the best.”

As a member of the APC, the former speaker of the house of representatives, who is one of the party’s leaders of the Christian faith, kicked against the Muslim-Muslim ticket adopted by the party.

Bola Tinubu, APC presidential candidate and Kashim Shettima, his running mate are both Muslims.

Members of a group of northern Christians in the APC had also expressed reservations over the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the APC, and said it would adopt a consensus candidate.

Babachir Lawal, former secretary to the government of the federation (SGF) and leader of the group, had said Obi would be the group’s choice.

Dogara, however, alongside other members of the group, distanced themselves from Lawal’s endorsement.

In 2018, the former speaker of the house of representatives, had defected from the PDP to the APC because of “failure of governance” in Bauchi, where he hails from.

While Dogara has not made an official statement on his new appointment as at the time of this report, his new role is expected to start immediately.

Meanwhile, the campaign office of Peter Obi and Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, presidential and vice-presidential candidates of the Labour Party (LP), says Yakubu Dogara, made a grave error in endorsing Atiku Abubakar.

The Obi-Datti campaign, in a statement, said Dogara had the right to support whomever he wants but trying to do that based on his selfish interest won’t augur well for him.

“Clearly, the former Speaker knows that he is swimming against the tide by his unpopular decision which amounts to running from frying pan to fire; from one injustice to another and claiming to be acting on behalf his people whose anger for the two wrongs of the two main political parties are glaring,” the statement read.

“Hon Dogara knows as a fact that his position does not reflect the heart and mind of majority of Nigerian populace who are already on the moving train to take back the country from the primeval political thinkers like him.”

The campaign said Dogara’s stand showed his double standard when he refused to support same faith ticket of his party but pitched his tent with the PDP that does not respect fairness.

“At his level as the Ex-leader of the national parliament, Hon. Dogara should have been privileged to read the hand writing on the wall vividly to know that where the pendulum swings today: the talk is not about political party, but about character, competence and capacity, because where the country precariously stands today requires nothing short to save it,” the campaign further said.

“Hon. Dogara as the Speaker of the House of Representatives successfully ran a parliament literally in the opposition to the Executive and heaven did not fall, yet he feels that a pragmatic President like Peter Obi would not be able to maneuver or steer the ship of state.”

The campaign added that it was obvious that the former speaker was still living in the past of the old politics that brought the country to its knees.

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Edo guber: APC to unveil Idahosa as Okpebholo’s running mate today

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Hon. Dennis Idahosa, Senator Monday Okpebholo

Edo guber: APC to unveil Idahosa as Okpebholo’s running mate today

The Edo All Progressives Congress (APC) will announce Hon. Dennis Idahosa as its deputy governorship candidate today, after weeks of power struggles and ego trips by party officials in selecting Senator Monday Okpebholo as the party’s running mate.

It has been discovered that Abuja would host the event.

Idahosa’s selection is said to have been made following President Bola Tinubu’s intervention at a meeting with Edo APC leaders and stakeholders.

Upon being approached, the APC’s acting state chairman did not provide a name. claimed that, however, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) would be defeated by the youngest ticket.

He said, “Our choice of running mate emanated from the people and we are going to unveil him tomorrow (Monday) in Abuja. It will be the youngest ticket ever in the history of Edo State and that is what we will use to defeat the other parties. We are not like them that are producing much older people to govern the state. We are going to produce a young team,” he said.

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Idahosa who is challenging the outcome of the party primary election in the court claimed that he won it and that the supplementary one was illegal.

It was gathered that after Tinubu’s intervention, it was agreed that Idahosa would withdraw his case from the court once all the processes were concluded.

A credible party source said, “It has been a difficult issue for over one week, especially after Idahosa went to court. The leadership of the party in Abuja had to wade into the issue. There have been so many interests at play. Ego was also involved as there were some leaders of the party who saw the primary as an opportunity to get at a leader of the party. They even threatened to publicly denounce the party and work against it if Idahosa is chosen.

“The president intervened and I believe that was what calmed nerves and I hope that all of them will respect and honour the wish of the president,” he said.

Edo guber: APC to unveil Idahosa as Okpebholo’s running mate today

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Shaibu drags Igbodalo, INEC to court over Edo primaries

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Edo State Deputy Governor Comrade Philip Shaibu

Shaibu drags Igbodalo, INEC to court over Edo primaries

Edo State Deputy Governor Comrade Philip Shaibu wants the Federal High Court (FHC), Abuja, to declare as invalid and unlawful, the governorship indirect primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of February 22 that produced Asue Igbodalo, and that the party should be ordered to conduct fresh primary election.

Shaibu, through his lead counsel, Doyin Awoyale, SAN, also wants the presiding judge to order the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reject Ighodalo, a Lagos-based lawyer, as the standard-bearer of PDP in the September 21 poll.

He urged the court to nullify the PDP’s “purported” Edo governorship primary election and withdraw forthwith, the certificate of return issued to Ighodalo, saying the factional shadow poll was conducted, contrary to the provisions of PDP’s constitution and Electoral Act.

Edo deputy governor, in the suit with reference number: FHC/ABJ/CS/308/2024, sought an order to restrain Ighodalo from parading himself as the duly-nominated governorship candidate of PDP in Edo, with the party’s National Vice Chairman, Southsouth, Chief Dan Orbih, as the third defendant.

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The originating summons, as obtained yesterday in Benin by our reporter, read: “An order of injunction restraining the 1st defendant (INEC) from accepting and/or recognising the name of the 4th defendant (Ighodalo) as the governorship candidate of the 2nd defendant (PDP) in the 2024 Edo State governorship election, scheduled to be conducted by the 1st defendant on the 21 of September, 2024.

“An order of this honourable court restraining the defendants, by themselves and/agents, representatives, organs, chapters, etc. from tampering with and/or discarding the delegates’ lists that emerged from the 2nd defendant’s congresses of 4th February, 2024 and 10th February, 2024, conducted by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the 2nd defendant.

“An order of this honourable court mandating the 2nd defendant to conduct a fresh governorship primary election for the nomination of the governorship candidate for the 2nd defendant in the 2024 Edo governorship election.”

Shaibu drags Igbodalo, INEC to court over Edo primaries

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Appeal Court reinstates Abure as LP national chairman

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Appeal Court reinstates Abure as LP national chairman

The Appeal Court in Abuja has reinstated Julius Abure as the national chairman of the Labour Party.

Justice Hamma Barka in a judgement delivered on Wednesday faulted the High Court for assuming jurisdiction in the matter.

The Court also awarded N1 million in favour of Abure and against the respondent, Lamidi Apapa.

Last year, Justice Hamza Muazu of the Abuja High Court, ordered Abure and two other national officers to vacate their seats over alleged forgery.

But the Appeal Court set the verdict aside and held that Abure’s appeal had merit.

After the 2023 presidential elections, Abure has been in a legal battle with Apapa who laid claim to the party’s chairmanship.

On March 21, 2024, Abure was arrested by the Police in Benin City, Edo State, and was accused of attempted murder, illegal possession of firearms, and related offences.

He was later released on bail.

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