Politics
Support Third Force to Rescue Nigeria, Utomi Tells Nigerians
The Chairman and Leader NCFront, Prof. Pat Utomi yesterday challenged Nigerians to support the coalition of political parties working together to form a third force that would end the reign of bad leadership in 2023.
Utomi, a professor of political economy, explained that a shift of mindset would be required to facilitate a new order of good governance, value for money choices and commitment to the dignity of the human person in Nigeria.
He gave the advice during a virtual conference of concerned professionals and members of New Fabian Society at the weekend.
He warned the professionals that they would take part of the blame for the state capture that brought Nigeria to the brink of State failure.
Encouraging them to support the third force, Utomi said the third force fulfills popular aspiration for the end of the current regime of dissatisfactory leadership in Nigeria.
He, therefore, urged Nigerians to support a third force that would fulfill the popular aspiration for an end to the regime of dissatisfactory leadership in Nigeria
He added that admitting guilt “is part of the mea culpa we must make. Peers that allowed accountants to participate in looting state treasury evidenced in the accusation of the Accountant General by the EFCC of N80 billion fraud, and health care professionals in reducing the health sector to a man-made disaster have become vicariously culpable.”
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He, therefore, said all should dirty their hands to prepare for a third force government that would focus on the people and not the need and greed of politicians.
Utomi assured the concerned professionals on the call that the painstaking effort to build a strategic alliance for the 2023 elections, beginning with the fusion of NCFront with the Labour Party and build on the fusion an election alliance with other parties which include the ADC, PRP, NNPP, NMR, SDP, APM and several others was bearing fruit.
Utomi, who said he had opened discussions with APGA before recent Supreme Court judgments regarding that party was much hopeful for progress.
He paid tribute to the Rescue Nigeria Project Coordinator, Dr Usman Bugaje, PRPs Halilu Bello and Prof. Attahiru Jega, as well as ADC Chairman, Ralph Nwosu for their untiring work in the construction of the third force.
He said the new Nigeria, which beckons from 2023, would profit from lessons drawn from the errors of the last 20 years.
He explained that the error had resulted in failure to fix the electric power problem and neglect of the need to move orientation away from revenues and revenue sharing to production, which has resulted in unprecedented unemployment.
The political economist added that the error has been feedstock for the current bazaar of violence and insecurity in the country.
He said it was time for Nigeria to be born again and begin afresh, saying professionals should propagate the values and programmes of the big tent partners which reflect the spirit of the founding fathers of Nigeria.
He assured them that Nigeria would rise up again, saying the big tent would employ the collegial leadership approach and announce before the end of next week the members of the presidential college that would collectively account to the Nigerian people for governance performance even though only one person will be called President.
Utomi urged Nigerians to reject the old way, which has led to lost glory and favour big ideas instead of big men, pointing out that to continue to follow a failed approach and hope for a different, preferable outcome is a good definition of insanity.
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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