Politics
Obasanjo Warns Tinubu’s Supporters over Endorsement Claim
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday cautioned the supporters of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu, over the claim that he had endorsed him.
Obasanjo expressed dissatisfaction with what he described as an unauthorised report of the discussion at the closed-door meeting he held with the former Lagos State governor.
Tinubu had on Wednesday visited Obasanjo at his Penthouse, located within the premises of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta.
Tinubu was accompanied by Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun; two former governors of the state, Chief Olusegun Osoba and Otunba Gbenga Daniel; billionaire businessman, Mr Femi Otedola; former interim National Chairman of APC, Chief Bisi Akande, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, among others.
Both Obasanjo and Tinubu refused to address the media after their closed-door meeting.
But the former president in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, said the statements coming from those claiming to be supporters of Tinubu are unhelpful.
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He expressed dissatisfaction with what he described as an unauthorised report of the discussion at the closed-door meeting he held with Tinubu.
In one of the reports credited to unknown sources who claimed to be privy to the meeting, Obasanjo was said to have told Tinubu that it would be the turn of the South to produce the president in 2023, stressing that he was surprised that someone from the North is also contesting.
Speaker of House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila had also disclosed that what transpired during the meeting between Obasanjo and Tinubu was a sign of victory for Tinubu come 2023.
Gbajabiamila reportedly made the statement on Thursday, while speaking at the Surulere Local Government Area APC meeting in Surulere, Lagos.
The Speaker, who said he was present at the closed-door meeting in Abeokuta, said from what he heard there, Tinubu’s presidency was almost a reality.
But Obasanjo said the statements coming from those claiming to be supporters of Tinubu were unhelpful.
The former president said the discussion during the visit was “more brotherly than political,” adding that at the request of Tinubu, the former president agreed that no statement should be issued from either side.
“Those claiming to be insiders at the meeting issuing statements on the discussion and those crediting to me statement I had not made are enemies of the visitor and are not doing the visit any good”, Obasanjo said.
Recall that Obasanjo had on Friday shared one of the jokes he made with Tinubu when he visited him in his Abeokuta residence
The former president, while speaking at the inauguration of a 300-man planning committee on the installation of the new Olowu of Owu, Oba Saka Matemilola, said he told Tinubu that he had added two phrases to Yoruba vocabularies.
He said: “We now have two vocabularies in the Yoruba dictionary, ‘Emilokan’ and ‘Olule’. These two vocabularies are now popularly used”.
“I asked Bola and he laughed. I said whether the vocabularies are good or bad, we have started using them.”
Thisday
Politics
Labour Party collapses into APC in Plateau
Labour Party collapses into APC in Plateau
In a major political development in Plateau State, the Labour Party in the Northern Zone has officially merged with the All Progressives Congress (APC), marking a significant shift in the region’s political dynamics. The formal defection took place this morning at the APC Secretariat, Kalwa House, Yakubu Gowon Way, Jos.
Led by former Labour Party Senatorial candidate, Barrister Gyang Zi SAN, thousands of party faithful pledged their allegiance to the APC, declaring the ruling party the most viable platform for the socio-economic transformation of their communities.
Addressing the APC State Working Committee, Barrister Zi stated that the decision was reached after extensive consultations and careful evaluation of the political landscape. He noted that the APC’s track record, particularly in implementing people-oriented policies and developmental programmes, made it the natural choice for their political aspirations.
“Our resolve to join the APC is a strategic step to build, consolidate and mobilise for the party’s continued success across all levels of governance,” Barrister Zi explained.
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Receiving the defectors, Plateau State APC Chairman, Rt. Hon. Rufus Bature, described the occasion as a historic milestone for the region. He noted that the mass defection had effectively altered the political arithmetic in the Northern Zone.
“Today marks a turning point in our political journey. The inclusion of our brothers and sisters from the Labour Party signals a broader unity and shared commitment to delivering good governance,” Rt. Hon. Bature stated.
He assured the new members that they would enjoy equal rights and privileges within the party, urging them to actively participate and take full advantage of the opportunities within the APC structure.
In a show of solidarity, goodwill messages were received from the APC leadership in the United Kingdom, and the ceremony concluded with the presentation of the APC flag to Barrister Zi, symbolising his formal induction into the party.
Joining him were all six former Labour Party flagbearers for the State House of Assembly, as well as candidates for local government chairmanship and councillorship positions—further cementing the scope and impact of the defection.
This latest development is expected to significantly influence political alignments ahead of future electoral cycles in Plateau State.
Labour Party collapses into APC in Plateau
Politics
2027: Atiku remains the best to face Tinubu, says Dele Momodu
2027: Atiku remains the best to face Tinubu, says Dele Momodu
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dele Momodu, has declared that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar remains the best opposition candidate to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
Momodu said Atiku stands out in terms of political experience, national reach, and support base.
His words: “You have to be realistic. It’s a game of numbers, and it’s also a game of your network.
“There’s no one in Nigeria today as experienced, as exposed, as networked as Atiku Abubakar from 1993 when he stepped down for Chief MKO Abiola in Jos.”
He said the opposition needs a candidate who can mobilise votes across both northern and southern Nigeria, adding that only Atiku fits the profile.
“For anybody to face a Tinubu, that person has to come from the opposite direction. Which means it must be someone who can get the North to coalesce behind him.
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“So, I pray that the coalition will be able to achieve that. I don’t know if they will, but I’m sure they are working on that. Then it must be someone who has a substantial network in the South. There is no other person I can see who has that kind of network behind him,” he stated.
Citing the example of Donald Trump’s continued relevance in American politics, Momodu said political necessity often trumps past performance.
“Why do you think the Republicans in America will risk a Donald Trump, a man who already lost the election, who already got indicted on many felonies? It is because they need him,” he said.
Speaking on Nigeria’s informal power rotation arrangement, the PDP chieftain said leadership should be about performance, not geography.
“Democracy as practised in Nigeria is done every four years because it is an examination. You pass, or you fail.
“The only qualification cannot be about where you come from. The only qualification we’re seeing now is that it should be a southerner,” he concluded.
2027: Atiku remains the best to face Tinubu, says Dele Momodu
Politics
Delta Governor Oborevwori dumps PDP for APC
Delta Governor Oborevwori dumps PDP for APC
Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori, has announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The announcement came after a high-level closed-door meeting held at the Government House in Asaba on Tuesday evening.
The governor’s defection is coming just after a viral video stirred speculation about his political future. In the footage, which sparked online debates, Oborevwori was seen in close company with known APC stakeholders. At the time, his media aide dismissed the clip as “old and misleading.”
Newstrends learnt senior APC figures were present to welcome the governor into their fold, signaling a significant political realignment in the South-South state.
The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Sir Festus Ahon, said Oborevwori’s decision was based on “wide consultations with political stakeholders and in the interest of Delta’s long-term development.”
“This move was not made lightly,” Ahon emphasized. “The governor is deeply committed to the prosperity of Delta State and believes that working with the APC at the federal level will help accelerate growth and deliver better dividends of democracy to the people.”
Governor Oborevwori was elected under the PDP platform in the 2023 gubernatorial election, defeating his opponents to secure the governorship seat. His defection to the APC, however, is already being interpreted by political analysts as a calculated strategy with an eye on the 2027 general elections
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