Politics

Presidency: It’s too late to kneel and beg – Shettima replies Ezeife

Published

4 years ago

December 7, 2021

National President, AYCF, Yerima Shettima

The president of Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, AYCF, Yerima Shettima has said that 2023 might be too late for the Southeast to produce Nigeria’s president.

Shettima said the Southeast should look beyond 2023 because the next two years might be too late to produce the country’s president.

The Arewa youth leader who spoke to DAILY POST was reacting to the remark by former Anambra State Governor, Chukwuemeka Ezeife on 2023 presidency.

Ezeife had said the Southeast was ready to kneel and beg other regions to support the 2023 presidential ambition of the Southeast.

But Shettima said Nigerians can’t be fooled by Ezeife’s sudden turn around because he has been anti-North for the past 20 years.

The AYCF National President said the Southeast should start engaging and lobbying other regions of the country beyond the 2023 election.

He, however, cautioned the region against allowing people like pro-Biafra agitator, Nnamdi Kanu to champion their cause for presidency.

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Asked to comment on Ezeife’s claim of the Southeast’s preparedness to kneel and prostrate to beg for the presidency, Shettima said: “It’s not enough at this injury time, after he has spent years being anti-North. Ezeife that I know for about 20 years has been anti-North, recently he turned out to be anti-Nigeria, anti-Buhari, and about one year to the election, he now somersaulted and became a repentant person, nobody is a fool. Moreover, he is not alone in all of these.

“Some of their utterances do not in any way promote national unity. Now if the likes of him suddenly somersaulted and say even if it takes them to kneel down, they would. We all know that this kneeling down is not the same kneeling down we all know; we are not fools.

“We don’t have problem with an Igbo man becoming a president but they should do the needful and not under this circumstances of abuses, threats, and intimidations.

“For me, kneeling down would not be enough, they need to heal the injury and go through the processes, so that it would serve as a deterrent to other Nigerians that you can’t eat your cake and have it, it’s not done anywhere.

“When the Southeast were busy abusing the sensibility of Nigerian while believing that they have one of theirs who will use his primitive attitude of intimidation to get their way, they should have realized that it won’t take them anywhere. The attitude of this their so-called hero under detention (Nnamdi Kanu) is a clear indication that they are not very much enlightened and exposed. I expect them to be more exposed not to allow such a person speak on their behalf believing that he is a champion that can give them the presidency on the platter of gold.

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“For me, it’s a good thing that the likes of them have decided to realize that intimidation, blackmail, and harassment can’t give them the Presidency, so they should continue doing and sustaining the tempo by pleading with Nigerians to forgive them for their utterances and abuse of our sensibility as a people. They should retract all the mess they have done to this country, so that at the end of the day; we can have a common front.

“The Southeast are also Nigerians but they must understand that politics is about understanding, negotiating; but not by intimidation in a very primitive form by this their so-called champion who talks and barks like a dog.

“Knowing that he can’t help them achieve the presidency, some of them are saying they are ready to beg; but we are not saying they should kneel and beg, but do the needful by reaching out, engage people so as to build trust and confidence in people.

“All the Southeast need now is confidence building, they should go across board and convince Nigerians that they are prepared. 2023 might be too late for them to do anything, maybe; they should look at the future which is the truth of the matter.

“And in the future, they should not allow somebody with bad attitude to come out and speak for them. That primitive attitude does not sell anymore, violence does not sell anybody anymore. We should be more mature and civil in our approaches so that we can build a country of our dreams where we can all be proud. Nobody wants the country to break and if we all understand this, it will be better for us than going separately.”

Related Topics:Ezeife Featured Presidency Shettima

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Tinubu Hails Wike as APC Dominates 2026 FCT Area Council Elections

Published

15 hours ago

February 22, 2026

Trends Admin

President Bola Tinubu and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike

Tinubu Hails Wike as APC Dominates 2026 FCT Area Council Elections

President Bola Tinubu has commended the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, for his outstanding contributions to the success of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the recently concluded 2026 FCT Area Council elections.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducted polls across the six area councils of the FCT — Abaji, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, and Kwali — on February 21, 2026. The APC secured victories in Abaji, AMAC, Bwari, and Kwali, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won in Gwagwalada.

In a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Sunday, Tinubu congratulated all successful candidates and praised the peaceful and credible conduct of the elections, noting the efforts of INEC, security agencies, and voters.

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The President singled out Minister Wike — a member of the opposition PDP — for special commendation, saying his work in the FCT contributed to significant political gains for the APC. The statement read:

“President Tinubu commends the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for his remarkable achievements in the territory, which have yielded political dividends to the governing APC. He congratulates the APC national leadership, as well as party structures in Kano and Rivers states, for the victories at the polls.”

Tinubu urged newly elected officials to govern with humility, dedication, and patriotism, emphasizing that their mandates are a sacred trust from the people. He also noted that the elections are a boost to Nigeria’s democratic development, reinforcing democratic institutions and culture.

The statement highlighted the importance of continued electoral reforms, calling on INEC to enhance its processes to ensure even more transparent and credible elections in the future.

While the elections were largely peaceful, FCT officials acknowledged that voter turnout varied, being higher in satellite towns than in city centre areas. Minister Wike praised security agencies and residents for maintaining order during the exercise.

The FCT Area Council elections are seen as a significant indicator for the APC’s performance ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the results bolstering the party’s position in key political zones.

Tinubu Hails Wike as APC Dominates 2026 FCT Area Council Elections

Politics

PDP Heads to Court Over FCT Polls, Cites Video Evidence of Irregularities

Published

18 hours ago

February 22, 2026

Trends Admin

PDP Heads to Court Over FCT Polls, Cites Video Evidence of Irregularities

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has announced plans to challenge the outcome of the February 21, 2026 Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory, declaring that it is heading to court with what it described as strong video and documentary evidence of electoral irregularities.

The move follows the conclusion of voting across the six FCT area councils — Abaji, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali — with official results released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) showing a clear advantage for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

According to the results, the APC won chairmanship seats in Abaji, AMAC, Bwari and Kwali, while the PDP recorded its only victory in Gwagwalada Area Council.

PDP Sets Up Legal Team

In a statement signed by the party’s spokesperson, Ini Ememobong, the PDP disclosed that it has constituted a special legal team to prosecute all election-related petitions arising from the FCT council polls. The team is headed by the party’s National Legal Adviser, Shafi Bara’u.

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The party urged all its candidates dissatisfied with the election outcomes to immediately submit petitions and supporting materials, warning that delays could weaken their cases at the election tribunals.

Claims of Intimidation and Manipulation

The PDP accused security agencies and other actors of interfering in the electoral process, alleging widespread intimidation, vote suppression, and manipulation at polling units and during result collation.

“We specifically congratulate the Chairman-elect of Gwagwalada Area Council, Mohammed Kasim, and the councillors declared successful by INEC,” the statement said.

“This victory, though fewer than expected, is particularly significant given the background of unprecedented intimidation, high-powered money politics, and brazen executive brigandage witnessed during the elections.”

The party insisted it has visual records allegedly showing armed security personnel carting away result sheets, intimidating voters, and influencing outcomes in several polling units.

Voter Apathy and Electoral Reform

Beyond the legal challenge, the PDP blamed low voter turnout on what it described as declining public trust in Nigeria’s electoral system. The party argued that repeated controversies surrounding elections have weakened confidence among voters.

It warned that the FCT council elections could be a signal ahead of the 2027 general elections if urgent reforms are not implemented.

Call for Intervention

The opposition party called on the President and the National Assembly to urgently intervene by reforming the electoral framework, strengthening transparency, and limiting security interference in elections.

With post-election litigation now looming, political focus in the FCT is shifting from the ballot box to the courtroom as parties prepare for legal battles that could reshape grassroots governance in the nation’s capital.

PDP Heads to Court Over FCT Polls, Cites Video Evidence of Irregularities

Politics

FCT Council polls: APC Wins Four Chairmanship Seats as PDP Takes Gwagwalada

Published

18 hours ago

February 22, 2026

Trends Admin

FCT Council polls: APC Wins Four Chairmanship Seats as PDP Takes Gwagwalada

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has recorded a strong showing in the 2026 FCT Area Council elections, securing four chairmanship seats across the Federal Capital Territory, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) claimed victory in Gwagwalada Area Council.

The elections were conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the six FCT councils — AMAC, Bwari, Kwali, Abaji, Gwagwalada and Kuje — with chairmen and councillors elected to oversee grassroots governance.

AMAC: Maikalangu Re-elected

In Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Christopher Maikalangu of the APC was re-elected after polling 40,295 votes, the highest in the contest. A total of 62,861 valid votes were recorded out of 65,197 votes cast.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) placed second with 12,109 votes, while the PDP trailed with 3,398 votes. Rejected votes stood at 2,336, with 837,338 registered voters and 65,676 accredited voters in the council.

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Bwari: APC Clinches Clear Win

In Bwari Area Council, Joshua Ishaku of the APC emerged winner with 18,466 votes, defeating candidates of the ADC (4,254 votes) and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) (3,515 votes). The election covered 10 wards, including Kubwa, Ushafa, Dutse, Byazhin and Bwari Central.

Kwali: APC Extends Lead

The APC also won in Kwali Area Council, where Daniel Nuhu secured the chairmanship seat with 17,032 votes, beating Haruna Pai of the PDP who polled 8,575 votes.

Abaji: APC Dominates

In Abaji Area Council, Umar Abdullahi Abubakar of the APC was declared winner after scoring 15,535 votes. The Young Progressives Party (YPP) followed with 5,357 votes, while the PDP recorded 4,547 votes. The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and ADC polled 53 and 37 votes respectively.

Gwagwalada: PDP Breaks APC Run

The PDP secured its only victory so far in Gwagwalada Area Council, preventing an APC sweep of the FCT councils.

Kuje Result Awaited

As of the time of filing this report, results from Kuje Area Council were still being awaited, with collation ongoing and an official announcement expected shortly.

Election Snapshot

So far, the APC has won in AMAC, Bwari, Kwali and Abaji, while the PDP has taken Gwagwalada, leaving Kuje as the final undecided council. The polls were largely peaceful, though voter turnout varied across councils.