Politics
APC reduces national chairman’s powers in new constitution
There are indications the powers of the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress may be drastically whittled down in the new constitution proposed by the Constitution Review Committee of the party.
A new constitution of the All Progressives Congress has been prepared with a number changes including reducing the powers of the party’s national chairman.
Already, a draft copy is billed to be formally presented to the APC caretaker committee after the Ramadan holiday, subject to ratification of the National Convention slated for next month.
Part of the new provisions, it was learnt, included the inauguration of an advisory council to replace the Board of Trustees (BOT) expected to serve as the conscience of the party.
APC Caretaker Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) on March 2, 2021 inaugurated an eight-man CRC headed by Prof Tahir Mamman (SAN) to review the constitution of the party to accommodate the new dynamics of managing a ruling party.
The committee watered down Article 14.1 of the party’s constitution (April 2014 as amended) which enunciates the powers of the national chairman.
The Odigie Oyegun-led National Working Committee (NWC) in 2017 set up the Muniz Banire- Committee that carried out similar exercise but never implemented the committee’s report.
Though details of the powers of the office of national chairman were not made available, a source in the CRC said the decision was “to check the overbearing tendencies exhibited by previous holders of the office.
‘’The committee proposed that the powers of the national chairman be curtailed.”
A new advisory council will be inaugurated by the National Working Committee (NWC) after the approval of the National Executive Committee (NEC).
This council will replace the Board of Trustees (BOT) as provided for in Article 12:2 of the party’s constitution (April 2014 as amended)
It was also gathered the review committee did not tamper with the controversial mode of conducting primary elections of the party in Article 20 of the party’s constitution.
The constitution prescribes the procedure for the nomination and emergence of party candidates for any elective office which can either be by direct or indirect primary elections or through consensus.
Article 20(iii) says, “Nomination of candidates for: (a) local government house council/area council chairman, (b) State House of Assembly; (c) House of Representatives, (d) Senate, (e) Governor, (f) President shall be through direct or indirect primary elections to be conducted at the appropriate level.
“Article 20(ii) (a) also gives room for the emergence of candidates through consensus with a proviso that a vote of yes or no should be called to ensure that it was not an imposition which could breach discontent and crisis.”
A new directorate is to be created for women and youths to bring the number of directorates to seven from the existing Directorates of Organisation, Publicity, Administration, Finance, Research, Planning and Strategy as well as Directorate of Social Welfare.
Under the new draft, more powers are accorded the zonal officers of the party.
The Constitution Review Committee was said to have conducted town-hall meetings in the six geo-political zones of the country; held a five-day retreat in Lagos; received 95 memorandums and consulted widely with critical stakeholders in the party.
The committee also considered the Banire Review Committee report and met with Chief Segun Osoba, who chaired the committee that drafted the current constitution and took input from the Presidency, various interest groups and individuals.
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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