Politics

NNPP deputy governorship candidate sold his ticket, abandoned party – Prof. Alkali

Published

2 years ago

January 12, 2023

National Chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Prof. Ahmed Rufai Alkali

The National Chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Prof. Ahmed Rufai Alkali, yesterday alleged that the party’s deputy governorship candidate in Yobe State sold his ticket and abandoned the race for the March 11 election.

Addressing reporters yesterday in Abuja on why the party took the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to court and obtained judgment to substitute some of its candidates, Alkali said the candidate, who he did not name, reportedly collected N500 million to abandon the ticket.

The national chairman said the NNPP had to approach the courts when INEC refused to substitute some of its candidates who left the party and abandoned the ticket.

He said the Federal High Court had directed the commission to substitute the candidates with new ones the party forwarded to the INEC.

Alkali said: “Our party has reasons to take INEC to court over disagreements on the issue of uploading and submission of names of some of our candidates.”

The national chairman hailed the Judiciary for being the last bastion of hope for the people and a pillar of democracy and democratic processes, particularly in its duties towards this year’s general election.

He said the NNPP had benefitted immensely from the sound judgments of the Federal High Court and the Appeal Court, which were delivered with dispatch, despite the court’s overcrowded schedules.

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Alkali said: “We also wish to use this medium to most especially appreciate the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under the able leadership of amiable patriotic Prof. Mahmood Yakubu for its high sense of responsibility to the promotion of rule of law and commitment to conducting the most credible election in 2023.

“In the same spirit, we most humbly urge the commission to urgently comply with the court orders expeditiously delivered by the courts so as to further build up confidence of the political parties and general public in the commission’s unflinching and unwavering commitment to conducting free, fair and credible elections in 2023.

“We appreciate the enormity of the assignments before INEC. We, however, believe the commission should continue to implement court rulings, the better for our country. We want to use this opportunity to assure Prof. Mahmood Yakubu of our confidence in him and his commission to deliver a sound election that will stand the test of time. We, therefore, pledge our unflinching support for him and INEC.”

The NNPP national chairman also said the lower court directed INEC to substitute about 80 National Assembly candidates of the party’s canmidates.

He added: “The position of the court was that even though INEC has its own guidelines, the Electoral Act provision supersedes that, in terms of the timeline for final submission of candidates.

“We also had a separate case of two senatorial candidates who purchased the forms and were screened and nominated after the primaries.

“One was Senator Ibrahim Shekarau from Kano and the other one from Taraba State. Also, one of our deputy governorship candidates – from Yobe State – who suddenly sold the position. I understand he collected N500 million.

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“There is another House of Assembly candidate from Potiskum, Yobe State. You know the place of a deputy governor. No governor can run without a deputy. So, when somebody is withdrawn, he has to be substituted.

“In the case of the senators, Shekarau wrote to INEC, telling them that he had withdrawn, while the one from Taraba State went to court to swear to an affidavit that he had left the party and the ticket.

“We approached INEC about the situation and they said as far as they were concerned, the people were not dead and that they were still on the list of candidates for our party. So, we decided to approach the court to interpret the Electoral Act and the court gave a judgment in our favour and we forwarded the correspondence to INEC. But INEC said no; instead, they went to appeal the matter and we also won.

“We have already written a letter to INEC and we are waiting for them to respond so that we can validly nominate candidates from the party. We also have another case, which came up about two or three days ago, concerning about 300 House of Assembly candidates. On such issue, you have to substitute them.”

The Nation

Related Topics:Featured governorship National Chairman NNPP

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Why I can’t form coalition with Peter Obi – Sowore

Published

2 days ago

November 13, 2024

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Peter Obi and Omoyele 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.

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“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.

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Why we want Jonathan to contest 2027 presidency – Northern group

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4 days ago

November 11, 2024

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Goodluck Ebele Jonathan

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.

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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.

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Afenifere, Council of Obas back Aiyedatiwa for Ondo gov

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November 11, 2024

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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.

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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.