Race To Presidency: I’m Out To Rescue Nigeria – Atiku - Newstrends
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Race To Presidency: I’m Out To Rescue Nigeria – Atiku

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Atiku Abubakar

Wike, 4 other governors absent

The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, yesterday said his party has a plan to tackle the challenges bedevilling the country, urging all to join hands with him to rescue Nigeria.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Presidential Campaign Council and launching of three books in Abuja, the former vice president said the country is in disarray and is being torn apart by “mutual distrust, ethnic and sectarian strife and we are now more disunited than we have ever been in our history, including even when we fought a civil war.”

According to him, “But all hope is not lost. We have a plan to address these issues and to arrest the drift of our nation. These plans have been laid out in the document titled “My Covenant With Nigerians”.

Atiku however explained that to rescue and rebuild Nigeria, “We must first take over the mantle of leadership from the party that drove us into this mess.  To do this, we must all be united in purpose and come together to fight and win all the elections slated for next year.

“Every single person who loves this country, as I do, is needed for the arduous tasks that face us ahead as a nation, and this includes every member of the PDP.  And it is my fervent hope and prayer that every man and woman of goodwill will join hands with us to help rescue, rebuild and reposition our beloved country, Nigeria.

“The tasks ahead may appear daunting; they may seem a load too heavy to bear.  But, for the sake of our country, for the sake of our children, and for the sake of generations yet unborn, we must not, even for one minute, shirk in the responsibilities that we have been entrusted with to come together to rebuild this beloved country of ours.”

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Contacted for comments, the APC National Publicity Secretary, Barrister Felix Morka said, “Well, we will talk next time. I am here for something different.”

PDP remains strong despite doomsayers – Udom

Chairman of the Campaign Council and Governor of Akwa Ibom, Udom Emmanuel assured that as a campaign council they have the seriousness and unity that is required.

“It’s our duty to campaign, to carry and publicise the message on how to rescue and restore the hope of Nigerians and it is for Nigerians to vote and for the Almighty to give victory,” he said.

Apparently referring to the crisis in the party, Udom urged the members of the PDP not to mind the doomsayers.

“I want to assure you that PDP is a solid rock and we know that no matter the wind, it will not move the rock. So, irrespective of the wind that you see around the rock, it will not move the rock. The rock remains as solid as ever.

“This time, there is no sitting in Abuja, everybody will have to work hard and carry the message home. PDP is not an Abuja party; you win from your unit, your ward and not by sitting in Abuja. The campaign council will take the message to the unit,” he said.

On his part, the Director General of the campaign council, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, said the PDP and Atiku is the party to beat in this election.

“It is only for us to work and with God on our side, we shall deliver this victory to our party and to Nigerians. We have the support of Nigerians and we appeal that INEC will conduct a free and fair election, and victory by the grace of God will be guaranteed for PDP,” he said.

Wike, 4 other governors absent

Daily Trust reports that Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike and members of his camp in the party were conspicuously absent during the inauguration.

It was also observed that former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, who was listed on the programme of events as the Distinguished Guest of Honour was absent.

A check by one of the correspondents at the International Conference Centre (ICC) Abuja, venue of the ceremony showed that four other governors; Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) were absent.

Governors who graced the event included  Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (Sokoto), Darius Ishaku (Taraba), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Douye Diri (Bayelsa), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), and Ahmadu Fintri (Adamawa).

Three former Senate presidents; Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Anyim Pius Anyim and David Mark were in attendance as well as a former Speaker House of Representatives, Ghali Umar Na’abba.

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Daily Trust reports that the acting National Chairman of the party, Amb. Umar Damagun inaugurated the 600-member campaign council on behalf of the National Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu.

NEC member raises alarm over plot to derail Atiku campaign

A member of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), Chief Chinemerem Madu has raised an alarm over a plot to scuttle the campaign of Atiku.

Addressing journalists at the venue of the inauguration, he alleged that a national vice chairman, whose name he refused to mention was behind the plot.

He said the national vice chairman is approaching and offering members of NEC sums ranging from N25 million to N28 million each to address a damaging press conference with fabrications aimed at derailing the PDP Presidential Campaign.

“Members of the PDP are alerted of furtive moves by a compromised national vice chairman and a couple of members of the NEC to derail our campaign and scuttle the deserving victory of our presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar at the 2023 general elections.

“This national vice chairman and his cohorts who confessed to having been heavily bankrolled are approaching and offering members of NEC sums ranging from N25m to N28m each to address a damaging press conference with fabrications aimed at derailing the Presidential Campaign,” he said.

Atiku, Tinubu, Obi, Kwankwaso, 14 others sign peace accord today

The National Peace Committee (NPC) led by a former military head of state, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd) will today in Abuja sign a peace accord with presidential candidates of the 18 registered political parties, as part of measures to ensure the success of the 2023 general elections.

The event coming up at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja would be attended by those strictly invited for the event.

In an invitation letter extended to parties and their candidates, the NPC said they were invited to sign the first peace accord on September 29 at the ICC.

Part of the letter signed by Gen. Abubakar in his capacity as the chairman of the NPC said the peace accord will be signed twice ahead of the 2023 general elections.

“The first signing is scheduled to happen at the start of the campaigns this September and the second in January of 2023, just before the elections.

“The first accord signing is intended to commit political parties, candidates and their spokespersons to conduct their campaigns (both online and offline) in a peaceful manner, devoid of ethnic, religious and hateful rhetoric that will incite violence and further aggravate the growing tension and insecurity in the nation.

“These interventions are to complement ongoing peace initiatives aimed at promoting a violence-free and inclusive electioneering process before, during and after the declaration of the final election results,” the letter reads in parts.

The National Peace Committee (NPC), which has Rev Attah Barkindo, Head of the Secretariat, also has the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Rev. Mathew Hassan Kukah the Secretary.”

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2027: Shehu Sani Breaks Silence on Claims Kwankwaso Is Working for Tinubu

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2027: Shehu Sani Breaks Silence on Claims Kwankwaso Is Working for Tinubu

2027: Shehu Sani Breaks Silence on Claims Kwankwaso Is Working for Tinubu

Former Kaduna Central senator Shehu Sani has defended Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso against allegations that the former Kano State governor is working to advance President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid, blaming supporters of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for what he described as a smear campaign following Kwankwaso’s political split with Peter Obi.

Sani made the remarks in a post on his verified X account while reacting to accusations by the ADC Presidential Campaign Council that Kwankwaso was undermining opposition efforts ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

“The ADC guys are still bitter about the Peter and Kwankwaso divorce, hence the smear that they are working for the ruling party or the President,” Sani wrote.

The former lawmaker argued that Obi and Kwankwaso were established politicians with independent political identities and should be allowed to make their own decisions about political alliances without facing hostility from former allies.

According to him, political figures should have the freedom to associate with political parties and coalitions of their choice or withdraw from them without being accused of working against the interests of the opposition.

“No consideration to the fact that they are all accomplished politicians with their own independent track records, and have the right to associate and disassociate,” he added.

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Sani further criticised political groups that, in his view, attempt to control their members or punish them for choosing a different political direction.

“This is the price they will continue to pay for refusing to be supplementary, and disposable cargoes in someone’s container,” he stated.

He added: “Political parties shouldn’t be cultish groups where one can’t pull out in peace.”

The comments came after the ADC Presidential Campaign Council accused Kwankwaso, who is now the running mate to Obi under the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), of weakening the opposition through his criticism of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.

Kwankwaso had called on Atiku, the ADC’s presidential candidate, to step aside for Obi, prompting a strong reaction from the ADC campaign council.

In a statement, the council’s Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, described Kwankwaso’s intervention as reckless and self-serving, alleging that it could deepen divisions among opposition politicians and benefit Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ologbondiyan argued that opposition figures should concentrate on challenging the Tinubu administration rather than attacking one another or attempting to influence the choice of presidential candidates in rival parties.

The ADC campaign council also questioned Kwankwaso’s political calculations, alleging that his actions were driven by personal ambition and future political negotiations rather than a genuine effort to strengthen the opposition.

However, Sani’s response challenged the suggestion that Kwankwaso’s departure from the ADC-led opposition arrangement amounted to support for Tinubu. He maintained that political disagreements and changes in alliances should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of collaboration with the ruling party.

The disagreement reflects the growing tensions among opposition politicians as parties and political leaders position themselves for the 2027 elections.

Obi and Kwankwaso’s move to the NDC followed their departure from the ADC-led opposition coalition, which had sought to bring prominent political figures together behind a common platform to challenge Tinubu.

Their exit has complicated efforts to maintain a united opposition front, with competing presidential ambitions and disagreements over candidate selection continuing to shape political discussions.

For now, the allegations that Kwankwaso is advancing Tinubu’s interests remain a claim by the ADC campaign council, while Sani has publicly rejected that interpretation. Neither the accusation nor Sani’s response, on its own, establishes that Kwankwaso is secretly working with the President.

The exchange underscores the widening political differences among opposition figures as the race towards 2027 gathers momentum.

2027: Shehu Sani Breaks Silence on Claims Kwankwaso Is Working for Tinubu

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2027: Kwankwaso Signals Fuel Subsidy Comeback as NDC Vows to Crash Petrol Prices

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2027: Kwankwaso Signals Fuel Subsidy Comeback as NDC Vows to Crash Petrol Prices
Former Kano State governor and leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso
2027: Kwankwaso Signals Fuel Subsidy Comeback as NDC Vows to Crash Petrol Prices

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has signalled its willingness to consider restoring petrol subsidy if it wins the 2027 general election, with its vice-presidential candidate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, promising to explore all necessary measures to reduce fuel prices and ease the economic hardship facing Nigerians.

Kwankwaso made the declaration during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, October 15, saying the party’s leadership was united on the need to make energy more affordable.

The former Kano State governor said he, the NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and the party’s leader, Seriake Dickson, had aligned their positions on addressing the high cost of energy in the country.

According to Kwankwaso, the party would consider whatever measures were necessary to bring down petrol prices, including a possible return to fuel subsidy.

He argued that the cost of petrol had become a major burden on households and businesses, contributing to higher transportation fares, rising food prices and increased operating costs for companies.

The NDC candidate said an incoming government would need to examine available policy options to reduce the pressure on Nigerians, particularly low-income earners and small businesses struggling with the rising cost of living.

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Kwankwaso also identified corruption and irregularities in the petroleum industry as issues that must be addressed to ensure Nigerians benefit from reforms in the sector.

He suggested that reducing waste and tackling abuses could help improve the management of public resources and support efforts to make petroleum products more affordable.

The comments reopen the debate over fuel subsidy removal, one of the most consequential economic decisions taken by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who announced the end of the policy during his inauguration on May 29, 2023.

The removal led to a sharp increase in petrol prices, with the effects spreading across transportation, food distribution, manufacturing and other sectors of the economy.

The Tinubu administration has defended the decision as part of broader economic reforms intended to reduce the government’s subsidy burden and redirect public funds towards other priorities. However, the resulting increase in living costs has remained a major concern for many Nigerians.

Kwankwaso’s statement suggests that the NDC would be prepared to revisit the policy if elected in 2027. However, the party has yet to publish a comprehensive framework explaining how a possible subsidy scheme would operate, how much it would cost or how the government would fund it without creating additional pressure on public finances.

Questions also remain about the proposed safeguards against corruption, the method of determining eligible beneficiaries and whether any intervention would involve a blanket subsidy or a more targeted arrangement.

The NDC’s position is expected to feature in the wider debate over economic policy ahead of the 2027 presidential election, as political parties outline their plans for addressing high petrol prices, inflation and the cost-of-living crisis.

For Nigerians facing elevated transportation and household expenses, the central issue will be whether the party can translate its promise of cheaper petrol into a practical, transparent and financially sustainable policy.

 

2027: Kwankwaso Signals Fuel Subsidy Comeback as NDC Vows to Crash Petrol Prices

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Adeleke, Davido Face Backlash Over Tinubu’s 2027 Re-election Bid

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2027: Davido Says Nobody Can Force Presidential Candidate on Him, Claims He Defeated 17 Governors With Phone

Adeleke, Davido Face Backlash Over Tinubu’s 2027 Re-election Bid

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke and his nephew, Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, have come under criticism on social media following renewed attention to the governor’s reported support for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.

The controversy centres on the perceived contradiction between Davido’s earlier opposition to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State and his uncle’s subsequent political alignment with Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The backlash intensified after Davido’s earlier social media comments criticising APC supporters in Osun resurfaced, prompting some Nigerians to question whether the Adeleke family was applying different political standards at the state and federal levels.

During the build-up to the August 2026 Osun governorship election, Davido reportedly declared that anybody supporting the APC in the state was an “enemy of progress”. The singer had openly campaigned for his uncle, who contested the election on the platform of the Accord Party.

Adeleke subsequently won re-election, while his reported support for Tinubu’s second-term ambition has reopened debate about the political positions previously expressed by the governor and his nephew.

The governor’s reported involvement in Tinubu’s re-election campaign has attracted attention because of the fierce political contest between the Accord Party and the APC during the Osun governorship election.

Reports published on October 15 indicated that Adeleke had been named among the coordinators of Tinubu’s 2027 presidential campaign structure in Osun State. The development prompted renewed scrutiny of his political relationship with the president.

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Adeleke had previously explained that his support for Tinubu was based partly on their shared Yoruba background and his desire to encourage the president to continue federal infrastructure projects in the South-West.

In an interview reported in August, the governor said his support was not the result of a prior agreement with the president. He also defended his engagement with Tinubu as an opportunity to discuss the development of Osun State.

The explanation has not ended the debate, with critics questioning how the governor’s current position aligns with the political messaging used to mobilise support for his re-election.

Reactions circulating on social media included accusations of political inconsistency, with some users arguing that the family had opposed the APC in Osun while appearing willing to support the party at the national level.

One commenter argued that supporters who stood behind Adeleke during the governorship contest deserved an explanation for the governor’s subsequent political alignment.

Another questioned the apparent difference between Davido’s earlier criticism of APC supporters in Osun and his uncle’s reported backing of Tinubu’s re-election bid.

Other commenters, however, framed the development as a reflection of the shifting alliances that characterise Nigerian politics, arguing that politicians frequently cooperate with former opponents when their interests converge.

The reactions reflect competing views about political loyalty, the expectations of supporters and the freedom of elected officials to make strategic decisions after an election.

Davido’s role in the controversy stems from his outspoken support for his uncle during the Osun governorship campaign. The singer had publicly criticised the APC and defended Adeleke’s administration, making his earlier posts a focal point of the latest debate.

With his uncle now associated with Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign, some social media users have called on the musician to clarify his position.

However, the criticism directed at Davido is largely linked to his previous public statements and his relationship with the governor. It should not be taken as evidence that the singer has changed his political position or endorsed Tinubu’s re-election.

The dispute highlights the challenges political figures may face when their alliances change after elections, particularly when their supporters have been mobilised around strong opposition to a rival party.

For Adeleke, the debate raises questions about how his support for Tinubu will be received by voters who backed him on the Accord Party platform.

For Davido, the resurfacing of his earlier comments illustrates how statements made during election campaigns can continue to shape public perceptions long after the polls have closed.

The development also comes amid growing political manoeuvring ahead of the 2027 general elections, when parties and political figures are expected to pursue alliances to strengthen their electoral prospects.

Ultimately, whether the controversy will affect the Adeleke family’s political standing in Osun remains uncertain. The online backlash, however, has brought the relationship between political loyalty, electoral promises and shifting alliances back into public debate.

The criticism quoted in this report represents the views of social media users, not established findings of wrongdoing. The available information does not establish that Adeleke or Davido personally insulted Osun voters or independently verify claims that people died specifically because of their political support for the governor.

Adeleke, Davido Face Backlash Over Tinubu’s 2027 Re-election Bid

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