Politics
Ahead of 2023, Tinubu’s presidential campaign launched
Some former senators, House of Representative members and other top politicians across South-West states have launched the ‘Bola Tinubu for President’ campaign for the 2023 election.
The group opened their campaign last week with visits to the top traditional rulers such as Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji; and Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi.
Tinubu, who is the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, championed the formation of the party and the emergence of Muhammadu Buhari as the presidential candidate in 2014.
The group, Southwest Agenda (SWAGA), led by former Senator Dayo Adeyeye from Ekiti State, said members came together to actualise the agenda for the South-West to produce the next president in 2023.
Other members of the group are Senator Adesoji Akanbi (Vice Chairman), Bosun Oladele (Secretary), Rotimi Makinde, Otunba Abayomi Ogunnusi, Mrs. Kafilat Ogbara, Oyetunde Ojo, Deji Jakande and Ifedayo Abegunde (aka Abena).
Adeyeye reportedly told the monarchs during their visits that SWAGA was aimed at ensuring that a credible political leader from the region would be supported to succeed Buhari in 2023.
According to him, Tinubu possesses all the qualities and experience needed to lead Nigeria as the next president.
Adeyeye said, “We are here for politics. Politics has started. We Yoruba believe that it is our right to produce the next president. It has been an agreement that presidential power will rotate from the North to the South. May God preserve President Buhari. After his tenure, power will shift to the South. Yoruba will be part of the contest.
“We want the best candidate to emerge as the presidential candidate. As the media adviser to Abiola, I know what Yoruba want. Except a thorough-bred Yoruba person becomes president, we can’t get it. We saw that we have a very capable hand in Asiwaju Tinubu. He is so capable. I’ve tried a bit in Nigerian politics. No one has a bigger political stature than Tinubu in Nigeria today. He has not told us he would contest. We as true Yoruba sons and daughters just decided to embark on this to ensure that we push forward a good candidate. He is sellable all over Nigeria.
“We are having our inaugural meeting tomorrow (Tuesday) in Ibadan. Ibadan is the political headquarters of Yoruba. All Yorubas are represented in Ibadan. Hence, we chose Ibadan. As Yoruba children, we have come to seek your blessings for the meeting and the agenda.”
The monarch said Yoruba played key roles in the struggle for Nigeria’s independence and development, stressing that they deserve top roles in government, particularly those eminently qualified citizens of Yoruba extraction.
As a traditional ruler, Adetunji said his door is open to all political parties and assured them of open arms, stressing that they were free to visit him at any time.
At Alaafin’s palace, Adeyeye told Oba Adeyemi that all regions want the presidential slot but having had an agreement, written or unwritten, there should be no alteration.
He said, “We have a joker that others don’t have. That is Asiwaju. He has no peer in Nigeria today. That’s why we are confident that Yoruba will produce the next president. Tinubu is not only qualified, he offered good governance in Lagos. Prior to that, he was an active member of NADECO. After Abiola, the next eminently qualified candidate we have is Tinubu.”
Oba Adeyemi recalled the leading roles which Yoruba people had been playing in Nigeria’s development.
He said it was right for Yoruba to aspire to be president, adding that it is a noble cause for all Yoruba to consider.
The monarch also said, “We must have true federalism. If we don’t run true federalism, it will be difficult to move forward. Yoruba has been at the forefront of exploits and development efforts of Nigeria but there has been no sincerity in Nigerian politics.
“We need a leader who understands Nigeria very well and able to offer purposeful leadership.”
Politics
Labour Party collapses into APC in Plateau
Labour Party collapses into APC in Plateau
In a major political development in Plateau State, the Labour Party in the Northern Zone has officially merged with the All Progressives Congress (APC), marking a significant shift in the region’s political dynamics. The formal defection took place this morning at the APC Secretariat, Kalwa House, Yakubu Gowon Way, Jos.
Led by former Labour Party Senatorial candidate, Barrister Gyang Zi SAN, thousands of party faithful pledged their allegiance to the APC, declaring the ruling party the most viable platform for the socio-economic transformation of their communities.
Addressing the APC State Working Committee, Barrister Zi stated that the decision was reached after extensive consultations and careful evaluation of the political landscape. He noted that the APC’s track record, particularly in implementing people-oriented policies and developmental programmes, made it the natural choice for their political aspirations.
“Our resolve to join the APC is a strategic step to build, consolidate and mobilise for the party’s continued success across all levels of governance,” Barrister Zi explained.
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Receiving the defectors, Plateau State APC Chairman, Rt. Hon. Rufus Bature, described the occasion as a historic milestone for the region. He noted that the mass defection had effectively altered the political arithmetic in the Northern Zone.
“Today marks a turning point in our political journey. The inclusion of our brothers and sisters from the Labour Party signals a broader unity and shared commitment to delivering good governance,” Rt. Hon. Bature stated.
He assured the new members that they would enjoy equal rights and privileges within the party, urging them to actively participate and take full advantage of the opportunities within the APC structure.
In a show of solidarity, goodwill messages were received from the APC leadership in the United Kingdom, and the ceremony concluded with the presentation of the APC flag to Barrister Zi, symbolising his formal induction into the party.
Joining him were all six former Labour Party flagbearers for the State House of Assembly, as well as candidates for local government chairmanship and councillorship positions—further cementing the scope and impact of the defection.
This latest development is expected to significantly influence political alignments ahead of future electoral cycles in Plateau State.
Labour Party collapses into APC in Plateau
Politics
2027: Atiku remains the best to face Tinubu, says Dele Momodu
2027: Atiku remains the best to face Tinubu, says Dele Momodu
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dele Momodu, has declared that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar remains the best opposition candidate to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
Momodu said Atiku stands out in terms of political experience, national reach, and support base.
His words: “You have to be realistic. It’s a game of numbers, and it’s also a game of your network.
“There’s no one in Nigeria today as experienced, as exposed, as networked as Atiku Abubakar from 1993 when he stepped down for Chief MKO Abiola in Jos.”
He said the opposition needs a candidate who can mobilise votes across both northern and southern Nigeria, adding that only Atiku fits the profile.
“For anybody to face a Tinubu, that person has to come from the opposite direction. Which means it must be someone who can get the North to coalesce behind him.
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“So, I pray that the coalition will be able to achieve that. I don’t know if they will, but I’m sure they are working on that. Then it must be someone who has a substantial network in the South. There is no other person I can see who has that kind of network behind him,” he stated.
Citing the example of Donald Trump’s continued relevance in American politics, Momodu said political necessity often trumps past performance.
“Why do you think the Republicans in America will risk a Donald Trump, a man who already lost the election, who already got indicted on many felonies? It is because they need him,” he said.
Speaking on Nigeria’s informal power rotation arrangement, the PDP chieftain said leadership should be about performance, not geography.
“Democracy as practised in Nigeria is done every four years because it is an examination. You pass, or you fail.
“The only qualification cannot be about where you come from. The only qualification we’re seeing now is that it should be a southerner,” he concluded.
2027: Atiku remains the best to face Tinubu, says Dele Momodu
Politics
Delta Governor Oborevwori dumps PDP for APC
Delta Governor Oborevwori dumps PDP for APC
Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori, has announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The announcement came after a high-level closed-door meeting held at the Government House in Asaba on Tuesday evening.
The governor’s defection is coming just after a viral video stirred speculation about his political future. In the footage, which sparked online debates, Oborevwori was seen in close company with known APC stakeholders. At the time, his media aide dismissed the clip as “old and misleading.”
Newstrends learnt senior APC figures were present to welcome the governor into their fold, signaling a significant political realignment in the South-South state.
The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Sir Festus Ahon, said Oborevwori’s decision was based on “wide consultations with political stakeholders and in the interest of Delta’s long-term development.”
“This move was not made lightly,” Ahon emphasized. “The governor is deeply committed to the prosperity of Delta State and believes that working with the APC at the federal level will help accelerate growth and deliver better dividends of democracy to the people.”
Governor Oborevwori was elected under the PDP platform in the 2023 gubernatorial election, defeating his opponents to secure the governorship seat. His defection to the APC, however, is already being interpreted by political analysts as a calculated strategy with an eye on the 2027 general elections
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