“The Council of Obas has decided that Governor Aiyedatiwa is our candidate,” Oba Adeleye stated, pledging their support for Aiyedatiwa’s election campaign.
Politics
PDP crisis: Atiku promised us Ayu would quit, says Wike
Governor of Rivers, Nyesom Wike, says Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), agreed that PDP national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu would vacate his position.
He stated this on Thursday at the inauguration of a campus of the Rivers State University in Ahoada East LGA of the state.
After the party’s presidential primary in May, there has been crisis in the PDP, with Wike and his allies calling for Ayu’s resignation on the grounds that the presidential candidate and national chairman cannot be from the same region.
However, Ayu has refused to step down, and referred to those calling for his resignation as “children”.
Speaking on Thursday, Wike made a reference to Ayu’s previous comments, in which the latter said he would resign if a northerner is elected as the party’s presidential candidate.
The Rivers governor also said Atiku told him Ayu “must go” on the basis that the party chairman must come from the South since the presidential candidate is from the north.
Wike said, “Ayu said if the presidential candidate comes from the north, that he would resign; that the chairman of our party would come from the south. When the north-central met in the house of Bala Mohammed, governor of Bauchi state, he said so there. When he met the caucus of the senate, he told them that
“Now, when we finished our convention, the candidate of the party came to see me in my house in Abuja on Monday, around 10:30am. I said ‘Listen, I want us to work together.’ He said ‘look, Ayu must go.’
“I said ‘why?’ He said because when a candidate comes from the north, the chairman will come from the south. And I am saying, ‘implement what you told me’.
“What offence have I committed? It has nothing to do with Wike; it has to do with integrity. I challenge the presidential candidate to deny this. If he denies this, I will go further to say so many things to Nigerians because enough is enough.”
Governor Wike also alleged that someone in the presidency is backing the PDP presidential candidate and the party, which is contributing to the crisis.
“Why are they being so arrogant? They are arrogant because they believe somebody in the presidency is backing them. But what they don’t understand is the same person in the presidency backed somebody as APC presidential aspirant, and the person failed,” he said.
“I will tell Nigerians at the appropriate time who is that person in the presidency that is backing them that they are being arrogant.”
He also said Nigerians were being deceived into thinking that he is the one causing problems in the party.
“Some of you don’t know what is happening. You are being deceived; they are telling you Wike is causing problem. Wike is not causing problem; Wike is bringing peace to the country. Wike is advocating for justice. Wike is advocating for equity, and Wike is advocating for fairness,” he said.
“Those of you that don’t understand how party functions, let me educate you. Some of you don’t understand. You think we have finished with presidential primary and it is over. When people say I want to destroy the party because I didn’t win the primary, I think they are sick; they have some mental problem.
“In a contest, there must be a winner, there must be a loser. I have no regrets. We contested election very well and we are not ashamed.”
Politics
Why I can’t form coalition with Peter Obi – Sowore
Why I can’t form coalition with Peter Obi – Sowore
Omoyele Sowore, the African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate in the 2023 election, recently shared his reasons for not forming a coalition with Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s candidate in the same election.
In his appearance on the Honest Bunch podcast, Sowore asserted that, in his view, Obi is similar to other Nigerian politicians, describing him as “better at packaging.”
Sowore explained that his own journey in politics began long before Obi gained national recognition, emphasizing his dedication to advocating for systemic change in Nigeria.
During the podcast, co-hosted by Nedu, Husband Material, Deity Cole, and Ezinne, Sowore highlighted his belief in challenging the status quo, which he feels differs significantly from Obi’s approach.
Sowore said, “Before you discovered Peter Obi, I was already running for president. All these shouts about Peter Obi… He just knows how to package. Anyone can do it.
“If I form a coalition with Peter Obi, I will be going against what I have always stood for, which is that I will never support a Nigerian leader who has held any political office — whether at the federal, state, or local level — if I consider them non-performing.
“It’s the same reason I would never have joined hands with Atiku. And the Peter Obi you’re talking about was a vice-presidential candidate to Atiku when I was a presidential candidate in 2019.
READ ALSO:
- Man bags life imprisonment for defiling 11-year-old girl
- We’re working to end insecurity in Nigeria, says Minister Tunji-Ojo
- Naira: Confidence in Nigeria’s economy drops, says CBN report
“So, what are we talking about? There is no lesser evil in my book. If you are evil, you are evil. If you are good, you are good. I have a general disdain for non-performance.”
He added that there is no such thing as “emotional attachment” in his dictionary.
“There was a friend of mine who kept saying, he doesn’t care if Peter Obi is Igbo, but that it is the turn of the Igbos. But it is beyond that; I have a natural disdain for poor performance,” he explained.
Sowore insisted that while many may not know it, he knew Obi before and during his time as governor, and he backed him.
“I had always known and supported him and stood against his removal when (Olusegun) Obasanjo wanted to use Andy Ubah to replace him—the twists and turns then.
“However, when Peter Obi finished his term in Anambra, the question I asked him was whether he could send his child to any university he had built in Anambra—he was mute and could not respond.
“I also asked him if he could enter any hospital he built in Anambra, which he governed for eight years, even if it was for the slightest headache—there was also no response.”
Sowore went on to challenge the four anchors or any other Nigerians, saying, “If they can pack their bags and head to Anambra for a vacation.”
PUNCH Online reports that President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress recorded 8,794,726 votes in the 2023 presidential election, followed by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party who secured 6,984,520 votes.
In third place, Labour Party’s Obi garnered 6,101,533 votes, and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party secured 1,496,687 votes.
Why I can’t form coalition with Peter Obi – Sowore
Politics
Why we want Jonathan to contest 2027 presidency – Northern group
Why we want Jonathan to contest 2027 presidency – Northern group
The Arewa Consensus for Jonathan, a political group in the North, has urged former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to enter the 2027 presidential race.
Jonathan, who served as Nigeria’s president from 2010 to 2015, is widely regarded for his role in fostering democratic growth and his relatively peaceful exit from power after losing the 2015 election.
Despite his exit from politics, his name has remained a focal point in discussions about Nigeria’s future leadership.
The group’s leader, Munir Musa, who made the appeal during a press conference in Bauchi over the weekend, emphasised that Jonathan’s return to office was crucial to addressing Nigeria’s pressing economic and security challenges.
READ ALSO:
- Expect three-day dust haze, rain across Nigeria from today – NiMet
- Reuters asked to apologise over claims against Nigerian military
- MBF to Tinubu: Rethink subsidy removal, Naira devaluation
He argued that Nigeria, grappling with severe economic downturns and rising security threats, needs a leader with Jonathan’s experience and competence to restore stability.
“The nation is at a crossroads, and we believe that Goodluck Jonathan is the right man to steer us out of the current malaise,” Musa told reporters.
He expressed confidence that Jonathan’s leadership could heal the country’s deepening wounds and usher in a new era of progress.
Why we want Jonathan to contest 2027 presidency – Northern group
Politics
Afenifere, Council of Obas back Aiyedatiwa for Ondo gov
Afenifere, Council of Obas back Aiyedatiwa for Ondo gov
Afenifere, the pan-Yoruba socio-political and cultural organization, has endorsed Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the November 16 governorship election in Ondo State.
Sehinde Arogbofa, a prominent Afenifere leader, announced the support at the Olubaka of Oka land palace, Oba Yusuf Adebori Adeleye.
Arogbofa expressed confidence in Aiyedatiwa’s leadership and encouraged him to follow the values and legacy of Chief Adekunle Ajasin, Ondo State’s first governor. “Afenifere stands firmly behind your mandate… Strive to make Ondo State great again,” Arogbofa said.
READ ALSO:
- ICPC to probe INEC officials alleged fraud in Edo election
- 16 children, 30 other Palestinians killed during Israeli attacks on Gaza
- Court forces Fubara to present 2025 Rivers budget to Oko-Jumbo-led Assembly
Oba Adeleye, speaking on behalf of traditional rulers in Akoko South West Local Government Area, also endorsed Aiyedatiwa, citing his masses-focused policies and the governor’s initiative to allocate five percent of local government funds to traditional institutions as a demonstration of his commitment to their welfare.
-
International3 days agoBelgium University offers scholarship up to €12,000 for Master’s students
-
Sports4 hours agoBREAKING: Super Eagles qualify for AFCON 2025
-
Railway2 days agoNigerian railway adds extra train to Friday, Saturday trips on Lagos-Ibadan route
-
International2 days agoUK announces 45,000 seasonal worker visas for 2025
-
Aviation6 hours agoDisaster averted as bird strike hits Abuja-Lagos Air Peace flight
-
Education1 day ago12-year-old Nigerian girl Eniola Shokunbi invents air filter to reduce spread of diseases in US schools
-
International3 days agoSaudi crown prince says Israel committing ‘genocide’ in Gaza
-
Business2 days agoTop 5 crypto apps that work with Nigerian Bank accounts