Politics
Malami, Ngige Deny Tendering Resignation Letters as Ministers

* AGF withdraws from Kebbi governorship race
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN), yesterday said there was never a time he resigned from office.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige has also clarified that he did not write or tender any resignation letter.
Malami said he only stepped down his ambition to contest the governorship race of Kebbi State.
Malami was one of the 10 ministers whom President Muhammadu Buhari held a valedictory session for on Friday after they had declared interest in elective positions.
Other ministers at the meeting include Ngige; Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Paulen Tallen; Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio; Minister of State for Petroleum, Mr Timipre Sylva; Minister of Science and Innovations, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu; and Minister of State for Solid Minerals, Mr Uche Ogah.
There were reports that Malami had equally resigned.
But speaking with THISDAY in Abuja yesterday, Malami’s spokesman, Dr Umar Gwandu, said his boss never resigned as the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
“He never resigned as the Attorney General of the Federation; he only withdrew his ambition to contest the Kebbi State governorship race,” Gwandu said.
Asked whether the minister still retains his office or not, Gwandu said, “Of course; he is still the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice. He has not resigned. He withdrew his ambition to contest the 2023 Kebbi State gubernatorial election.
“Malami has the right to choose to voluntarily shelve his gubernatorial ambition. It is a matter of personal conviction and individual rights which didn’t violate any law.
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“Right thinking members of the society accord respect to individual’s right to freedom of choice in matters relating to this,” Gwandu added.
According to the statement, “the decision is not only a demonstration of altruism and patriotism but of contentment, self-control, placidity and decisiveness in problem-solving at a time shrouded with confusing and competing for stimulus. It is a commendable posture worthy admiration coming from a paragon of virtue.”
President Buhari had last Wednesday ordered all ministers with political ambitions to resign.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Ngige has also denied resigning from office as minister. He dismissed the claim by human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana (SAN) that he withdrew his resignation letter after the valedictory session with President Buhari.
In a statement issued by his Media Office in Abuja, Ngige said he neither wrote nor submitted a resignation letter.
He said Falana was embarrassing the public with fake news.
The minister’s statement read in part: “Dear Femi Falana (SAN), you conjured a resignation letter, hung it on Senator Chris Ngige and went to town with it. That is very bad. How a senior lawyer descended to this trade in falsehood and phantom benumbs!
“You went ahead to extrapolate legal opinion not necessary for reproduction here. However, the problem is that when there is so much haste to find fault and condemn, fidelity to facts and details is lost and society suffers on account of this. We pray you fall no further into this demeaning situation.
“Get your facts, right Sir. First is that the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige neither authored nor submitted a resignation letter to the president or ‘any other person authorised by him. Therefore, the resignation letter you referred to does not exist.
“The Circular of May 11, 2022, from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, gave on or before Monday, May 16, 2022, as the terminal date for submission of resignation letters, not just for ministers but for all political appointees of the federal government,” the statement said.
The statement noted that Ngige had an audience with Buhari on May 11, 2022, and followed it up with another on May 13, 2022, adding that “in none of these occasions was a resignation letter tendered.”
The statement said that it was a well-considered decision for Ngige to withdraw from the 2023 presidential race in deference to opinion, arising from consultations with family, constituents, supporters and well-wishers who held the interest of the nation topmost.
The statement disclosed that Ngige did not fill or return the APC’s Expression of Interest/Nomination form.
“Though his supporters had taxed themselves to procure these forms for him, he did not fill and return them to the party.
The statement urged Falana to “affect the necessary correction within forty-eight hours as a check on the wrong impression your position has created before the public.”
Politics
2027 election: Shehu Sani declares bid for Kaduna central senatorial seat

2027 election: Shehu Sani declares bid for Kaduna central senatorial seat
Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has officially announced his intention to contest for re-election in the upcoming 2027 general elections.
Sani made the declaration on Sunday while delivering his Eid-el-Fitr message at his residence in Kaduna. The former senator, known for his vocal stance on national issues, expressed his commitment to representing the people of Kaduna Central once again and addressing key challenges facing the region.
“Any politician contesting an election depends on the political equation that determines the position to vie for. If the conditions are right and the equations are favorable, I will offer myself to contest specifically for the Kaduna Central senatorial district,” he stated.
He further emphasised that his ambition remains secondary to ensuring the re-election of Governor Uba Sani for a second term.
“For now, our priority is to see that the incumbent governor, Uba Sani, is re-elected. We will work with all our might and strength to achieve this. We know there will be challenges and opposition, but we are well prepared for all forces,” he added.
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Sani also used the occasion to urge Muslims to pray for Nigeria’s peace and unity during the Eid-el-Fitr celebrations. Additionally, he condemned the recent killing of hunters in Edo State, calling on security agencies to apprehend the perpetrators.
“If citizens cannot move freely across the country, then we are not truly a nation. If individuals take the law into their hands for any reason, it means there is no government or authority,” he lamented.
He called on all Nigerians who desire a better country to work towards peace and unity for the preservation of democracy, despite the challenges being experienced.
Sani also urged the government to uphold fundamental human rights, particularly the right to life, as a crucial step towards national stability and development.
2027 election: Shehu Sani declares bid for Kaduna central senatorial seat
Politics
Wike’s aide slams Atiku, says it’s too late to buy integrity

Wike’s aide slams Atiku, says it’s too late to buy integrity
Lere Olayinka, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media has alleged that one Nigerian that can never be found in the gathering of men of character and integrity is former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Olayinka said this while reacting to statement by the Atiku Media Office that Atiku rejected the choice of Wike as his Vice Presidential candidate in the 2023 election of his character.
This was in spite of the fact that a committee set up by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to select a Vice Presidential candidate for the 2023 election had recommended Wike.
However, Olayinka said rather than Wike, it’s Atiku that that lacked character as attested to by his former boss, Olusegun Obasanjo, in his book; My Watch.
According to Olayinka, it was already too late for Atiku to buy ‘character and integrity that he has lacked from birth’.
He said no one could have knew Atiku better than President Olusegun Obasanjo, under whom he served as Vice President for eight years.
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Olayinka said; “One of the reasons Wike first rejected Atiku’s offer to have him as his running mate was his not too impressive character and integrity rating, until he was prevaied upon. And this, Atiku exhibited when he rejected the decision of committee the party set up to pick his running mate even after telling everyone that the decision of the committee will be bidding on him.
“Now, after his lies that he picked his running mate based on the committee report that placed the former Governor of Delta State, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, as number one was bursted, he is now sermonising about character and integrity, which he, himself does not have.
“Funny that the same Atiku, that his boss described as a ‘blatant and shameless liar,’ is the one talking about character.
“For the records, Obasanjo said in his book, ‘My Watch’ that ‘What I did not know, which came out glaringly later, was his parental background which was somewhat shadowy, his propensity to corruption, his tendency to disloyalty, his inability to say and stick to the truth all the time, a propensity for poor judgement, his belief and reliance on marabouts, his lack of transparency, his trust in money to buy his way out on all issues and his readiness to sacrifice morality, integrity, propriety, truth and national interest for self and selfish interest.’
“Up till today, Atiku has not debunked what his boss said about him.
“Unlike Atiku, Wike does not hide or pretend on where he stands on issues. He is not one that will do a tweet on major issues and rush to delete it. He didn’t pretend about his position on the 2023 election and he won’t pretend on where he will stand in 2027.
“It is Atiku, that should start being truthful and reliable, especially now that he is old, because everything should not be about desperation to be president.”
Wike’s aide slams Atiku, says it’s too late to buy integrity
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
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