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Building bridges: Tinubu’s men hold closed-door meeting with Bode George

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Bode George and Bola Tinubu

Building bridges: Tinubu’s men hold closed-door meeting with Bode George

As part of the efforts to build bridges and ward off the incessant attacks on the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, by the former Deputy National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bode George, the loyalists of the former Lagos State governor Saturday visited George in his Lugard Road, Ikoyi office to solicit support for the incoming President of Nigeria.

George, a fierce critic of Tinubu, had vowed to go into exile if the former Lagos State governor who was the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) emerged as Nigeria’s president in the 2023 general election.“I have not changed my mind, if he (Tinubu) is the president I will go.

“If Tinubu wins, by that time I will be 80 years old. What am I doing here? I will wish you people well,” George had told ARISE NEWS Channel in November 2022.

Speaking after Tinubu was declared the winner of the February 25 presidential election, the PDP chieftain said although he was yet to decide on his destination, his self-imposed exile remains in the works.

George added that he plans to retire to “anywhere in any part of the world” because Tinubu’s victory “might be a hell of a problem.

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“That is still on my plan. If I decide on what to do, I wish you well. I’m not looking for a job, I have everything I want and how much can I eat? I also have my children and they are no longer kids,” he said.

“They are all mature so what am I looking for? My wife is there. She will take good care of me. I will stay in Nigeria depending on the outcome of this (post-election litigation) because I know there might be a hell of a problem.

“You know I am a military lord so I can go anywhere in any part of the world and I will be looking at you people.“I have even decided that having put 25 years each in the military and politics which is 50 years of my life in the public domain, I need rest so whatever I see at the end of this thing. I’m retiring from partisan politics and will be enjoying the rest of my life.”

But in an apparent move to ward off further criticism, Tinubu’s loyalists and leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos yesterday met with George.The delegation was led by the chairman of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), the foremost political platform in the state, Prince Tajudeen Olusi.

The GAC is an influential group comprising critical stakeholders of the APC in Lagos State.It determines who gets what in Lagos politics.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, H Femi Gbajabiamila, who was supposed to be part of the delegation could not make it for undisclosed reasons.

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Also on the delegation is the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs and former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs. Adoke Orelope-Adefulire.Though the meeting was closed-door, THISDAY was reliably informed that the APC leaders were seeking George’s support for Tinubu as he assumes power on May 29.

It was also gathered that the APC leaders were mounting pressure on George to cease further media attacks on Tinubu.

At the meeting, George said that he was happy that the delegation visited him and insisted that he had nothing personal against Tinubu.

Accompanied by former Deputy Governor, Mrs. Kofoworola Akerele-Bucknor, and Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju (rtd), among others, George, however, made it clear that because of his position and membership of an opposition party, he would not congratulate Tinubu until after litigations related to the election are concluded.

George who expressed appreciation to the delegation, admitted that “we had detailed discussions on the unity of this great state of Lagos. I must say we established the fact that the culture of Lagos is to accept and accommodate all kinds of people and tribes. And if you get to Lagos State, there is no known tribe in Nigeria that does not reside here. That’s what makes Lagos the commercial nerve centre of the whole of West Africa.“Secondly, on the details of us working together, because a divided house cannot stand, we will work together on this. And I’ve said I have absolutely nothing personal between me and Tinubu,” George added.

Building bridges: Tinubu’s men hold closed-door meeting with Bode George

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6 Labour Party lawmakers defect to PDP

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6 Labour Party lawmakers defect to PDP

Six Labour Party (LP) members of the Enugu State House of Assembly have officially defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

They made their defection known on Thursday in Enugu in a letter read by the Speaker, Chief Uche Ugwu, during plenary.

The defectors include the Majority Leader, Mr Johnson Ani (Enugu North); the Chief Whip, Mr Ejike Eze, (Igbo-Eze North 1); and the Deputy Chief Whip, Ms Princess Ugwu (Enugu South Rural).

Others are Mr Pius Ezugwu (Nsukka East); Mr Williams Amuka (Igbo-Etiti West); and Mr Osita Eze (Oji River).

The defectors, in the letters, said their defection was as a result of the existence of irreconcilable division, incessant crisis within the labour party at the national level and across all the state chapters.

They regretted that the party had evolved into perpetual discord with various factions embroiled in legal battles, which undermine its ability to effectively serve the interest of the people.

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According to them, the Labour Party, once considered a beacon of hope for progressive ideas, have regrettably become synonymous with internal squabbles, thereby reducing its capacity to fulfil the aspirations of electorates.

They cited the cases of Mr Julius Abure and Mr Limido Apapa factions as well as the national treasurer as some of the divisions within the party.

They expressed the hope that the PDP would give them the platform to continue to serve the interests of their people and thanked the leaderships of Labour Party for their supports.

The defectors also acknowledge that the letters were sent to the office of the Speaker by themselves, adding that they would work wholeheartedly for the progress of their new party in Enugu State.

In his remark, the Speaker welcomed the defectors into the PDP and promised that they would be carried along in the legislative activities of the House.

With the defection, the PDP now had the majority in the House with 17 members while LP had only six members.

6 Labour Party lawmakers defect to PDP

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More drama at LP as BoT announces takeover

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More drama at LP as BoT announces takeover

  • NLC rejects Abure re-election
  • INEC disowns national convention

The Board of Trustees at the Labour Party says it has taken over the administration of the party, indicating a fresh trouble in the LP’s internal crisis.

This was announced on Thursday in a statement issued in Abuja by the party’s BoT Chairman, Sylvester Ejiofor.

He said the takeover of the party came after the expiration of Julius Abure’s tenure as LP’s national chairman

Abure was re-elected as chairman t the party’s national convention held in Nnewi, Anambra State, on Wednesday, amid leadership crisis.

All members of the National Working Committee were returned at the convention.

But the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has described Abure’s re-election as “an illegality”.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) also disowned the exercise on the grounds that it did not monitor the national convention.

INEC spoke through Rotimi Oyekanmi, media aide to INEC chairman Mahmood Yakubu, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The BoT’s statement read in part, “Following the expiration of the tenure in office of the immediate past National Working Committee of the LP headed by Mr. Julius Abure, the BoT, in line with the party’s constitution, has stepped in to steer the affairs of the LP.

“This step is to avoid any leadership vacuum in the LP.

“Furthermore, the BoT of the LP, in consultation with major stakeholders in the party, will soon communicate the processes for the conduct of an all-inclusive and expansive national convention of the LP.

“This is in line with the March 20, 2018 Federal High Court consent judgment delivered by Justice Gabriel Kolawole which recognised the Nigeria Labour Congress as the owners of the LP and mandated that an all-inclusive and expansive national convention of the LP be held.

“The decision of the BoT is also in furtherance of the agreement signed between the former national chairman of the LP, Mr. Julius Abure, and the NLC and the Trade Union Congress on June 27, 2022, which was mediated by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

“Unlike the charade that took place today in Nnewi and in tandem with the principles of popular democracy, the all-inclusive national convention will start with grassroots congresses at ward, local government, state and ultimately at the national level.

“This process will not leave any genuine member of LP out and will be held in the full view of the Independent National Electoral Commission, media, civil society, security agents, and the general public.”

The Abure-led executive of the party had not responded to the new development as noon on Thursday.

 

A chieftain of the party was quoted in a report by The PUNCH as saying it was a hatchet job.

“Since many of you journalists have been covering this party, have you heard anything about LP Board of Trustees before? It is non-existent.

“How can one Sylvester Ejiofor wake up one day, tag himself as BoT chairman, and issue a statement that he has taken over the affairs of the party? Let him come over to the secretariat and take over then.

“Too many people and mercenaries are just bent on causing conflict in the party,” he said.

 

 

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BREAKING: LP Re-elects Julius Abure As National Chairman

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Julius Abure, the national chairman of the Labour Party

BREAKING: LP Re-elects Julius Abure As National Chairman

The Labour Party (LP) has re-elected Julius Abure as its National Chairman for a second term in office.

Abure was re-elected by a unanimous affirmation of delegates at the party’s National Convention in Nnewi, Anambra State.

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The Chairman of the National Convention and Deputy Governor of Abia State, Ikechukwu Emetu declared him the winner during the event attended by party leaders and members.

More to come…

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