Politics
Tinubu, APC target consensus Senate President, Speaker, favour Christian to lead Red Chamber
Tinubu, APC target consensus Senate President, Speaker, favour Christian to lead Red Chamber
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday kicked off the search for the 10th Senate President and House of Representatives Speaker.
The party is likely to adopt consensus in choosing the two principal officers, it was learnt.
President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the party’s National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, and some members of the National Working Committee (NWC) held a preliminary meeting at the Defence House, Abuja, temporary residence of the President-elect, on the zoning of the National Assembly principal offices.
Lobbying by aspirants for positions intensified.
After the crucial meeting, three contenders for Senate President – Senator Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom Northwest), Senator Orji Kalu (Abia North), and Senator Osita Izunaso (Imo West); and Muktar Betara (Borno), who is eyeing the House Speaker, held meetings with the President-elect.
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The major highlight of the crucial party meeting witnessed by some members of the APC National Assembly Caucus and lawmakers-elect was zoning.
At the meeting were Vice President-elect Kashim Shettima, Kwara State Governor AbdulRasak Abdulrahman, the Deputy National Chairman (North), Senator Abubakar Kyari, Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Emma Eneukwu and the National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore.
Also at the meeting were Senate President Ahmad Lawan, Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege, House Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, and Speaker of Kaduna State House of Assembly, Yusuf Zailani.
Alighting from the meeting which lasted for two hours, an NWC member said: “Asiwaju and other leaders were here to inspect the facility, but seized the opportunity to have a meeting with the leadership of the NWC and NASS as regards zoning of the leadership of 10th National Assembly.”
He said the meeting could not conclude the deliberation, adding that party leaders agreed to make more consultations and reconvened later in the night.
Adamu declined comment, merely saying that they had a fruitful deliberation.
Asked if the meeting was able to fashion out a zoning formula, the party Chairman said: “Nigerians should be patient with the party. We should wait. What is good for the country is what is good for us as a party. We are only celebrating the victory of our party now.”
Sources close to the APC leaders said they were on the same page on the choice of the next chairman and deputy chairman of the National Assembly by consensus.
He added: “Consensus is being proposed to ensure that the contest is not acrimonious. APC does not want a situation where the race will lead to crisis.”
Also, party leaders, in utter sensitivity to religious factor, were disposed to the choice of a Christian Senate President, since the President-elect and his deputy, Senatorial Kashim Shettima, are Muslims.
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According to the source, APC leaders were disposed to the equitable distribution of the six principal offices in the Red and Green Chambers among the six geo-political zones to foster inclusion and a sense of belonging.
Apart from the Senate President and House Speaker, other offices are Deputy Senate President, Deputy Speaker, Senate Majority Leader, House Majority Leader, Chief Whips and Deputy Chief Whips.
The source said: “The party noted the ambition of its senators and House members and contented that it is in order. The zoning of the Senate President was considered and there was the feeling that since the number one and two citizens are Muslims, the number three citizen should be a Christian.
In his view, the party also decided that there is no zone that will be left out in the distribution of the principal offices .
On which of the Southern zones should produce the Senate President, the source said: “Majority is in favour of zoning of the slot to the Southsouth.”
He pointed out that “the party noted that it has seven senators from the region, apart from securing substantial votes during the election.
However, the source also stressed that there was also a strong case for Southeast, which produced six APC senators.
He added: “It was a lengthy deliberation. Party leaders favoured the zoning of the House Speaker to the Northwest, which gave the ruling party the highest number of votes during the elections.
“There was also a consideration for the zoning of the Deputy Senate President to the Northcentral and the Deputy House Speaker to the Southeast.
The belief of the party is that no zone should be left out.”
Tinubu, APC target consensus Senate President, Speaker, favour Christian to lead Red Chamber
The Nation
Politics
Damagun writes INEC to conduct by-election for 27 vacant Rivers assembly seats
Damagun writes INEC to conduct by-election for 27 vacant Rivers assembly seats
Few days after governors on the platform of the Peoples Democracy Party (PDP) handed down an ultimatum for things to change in the party, the Acting National Chairman of the party, Umar Damagun has moved against the FCT Minister and his loyal lawmakers, the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Damagun in a letter addressed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) dated 13th November 2024 and released on Sunday by the spokesperson of the Opposition Lawmakers Coalition, Ikenga Ugochinyere urged the electoral umpire to conduct a bye-election to fill up the 27 seats, they vacated to join the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Wike has been accused of being behind the crisis in the PDP over his disagreement with the Rivers State governor, Sim Fubara, his successor.
The crisis which started over control of resources divided the party in the state with 27 lawmakers in the state assembly siding Wike and defected to the APC following Wike’s acceptance to serve in the government of the APC.
He has also been accused of working in cahoots with Damagun to damage the PDP by not organising the National Executive Committee which would lead to the acting Chairman’s ouster.
After a series of agitation, the latest being from the PDP Governors’ Forum over the weekend, Damagun has demanded that INEC conduct elections as soon as possible, apparently moving against the FCT minister.
He argued in letter titled, ‘DEMAND FOR IMMEDIATE CONDUCT OF FRESH ELECTION IN 27 STATE CONSTITUENCIES OF RIVERS STATE WHICH HAVE BECOME VACANT PURSUANT TO SECTION 109(1)(g) OF THE CONSTITUTION’ that it’s “unlawful” for the 27 members to defect.
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The members defected to the APC on December 11, 2023.
Damagun said, going by provisions of the Constitution, the lawmakers are no longer members of the Assembly.
The PDP acting chairman therefore urged the Commission to perform its constitutional duties and begin the process of conducting fresh elections to fill the vacancies created in the 27 state constituencies by the unlawful act of the former Assembly members.
Parts of the letter read, “The Leadership of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) wishes to draw the attention of the Commission to the gross violation of Section 109 (1)(g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) by 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly following their unlawful defection from our Party, the PDP who sponsored their elections to the All Progressive Congress (APC) on Monday, December 11, 2023.
“The Commission may recall that our Party, the PDP nominated all our 32 State House of Assembly candidates in Rivers State for the 2023 General Election on the 7th of July 2022 via your electronic candidate election nomination portal (See attached acknowledgement).
“The Commission may also recall that following the nomination, the Commission conducted election into the Rivers State House of Assembly on the 18th of March, 2023 and our Party won 32 seats in the state Assembly. The elected State House of Assembly members were inaugurated and sworn-in on June, 2023.
“However, on Monday, 11 December, 2023 a period of just six (6) months after inauguration, 27 out of the 32 members publicly announced their defection from our Party to the All Progressive Congress (APC). This defection is a gross violation of Section 109(1)(g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As amended).
“The only two grounds of division and merger provided for in the Constitution that permit such defection are completely non-existent in our political Party. It therefore means that the defections of the 27 members are without lawful excuse and these members have vacated their seats in the Rivers State House of Assembly by the operations of Section 109(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution.
“In view of the foregoing, we hereby demand that the Commission performs its constitutional duties and begin the process of conducting a Fresh Election to fill the vacancies created in the 27 State Constituencies by the unlawful act of the Assembly members. Find attached the list of the 27 State Assembly Members and their Constituencies.
“While thanking the Commission for its commitment to deepening democracy in our country, please accept the assurances of our highest regards.”
Damagun writes INEC to conduct by-election for 27 vacant Rivers assembly seats
Politics
Nigeria would have been better under Peter Obi, too much nepotism under Tinubu – Senator Abaribe
Nigeria would have been better under Peter Obi, too much nepotism under Tinubu – Senator Abaribe
Nigeria would have been better than what it is currently if Peter Obi, candidate of the Labour Party (LP), had won the 2023 elections, the senator representing Abia South, Enyinnaya Abaribe, has said.
Abaribe, who spoke on ‘Politics Today,’ a Channels Television programme, on Monday, said Obi would not have been as nepotistic as the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
“Number one, he would not be as nepotistic as this government; he won’t; it’s not in him. That is just who we are; we feel for the other people.”
The lawmaker called attention to Tinubu’s appointment of four ministers from Ogun alone, noting that many other states have just one.
“I say it, and I don’t think so. We are seeing it everyday. I just gave you one example. How can Ogun state have four ministers? Why does he favour Ogun state? Oyo state has only one minister,” Abaribe said.
”The nepotism of Buhari, which nobody followed, has now deepened under President Tinubu because Buhari did it, and nobody said much. I was the only person shouting.”
He said that rather than waiting for presidents to be fair to the people of the south-east, it is high time people of the zone went back to revamp it, make it more livable, better, and more cohesive.
“It’s obvious that if we continue to look at whoever becomes president, they will look at us and do us right. Apart from Obasanjo and maybe Jonathan, I do not think that we have seen that same type of fairness,” he said.
Politics
Lagos 2027: Seyi Tinubu campaign team releases his life documentary
Lagos 2027: Seyi Tinubu campaign team releases his life documentary
Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu, has been tipped for the seat of Lagos governor in the 2027 governorship election.
This was according to a video making the rounds on various social media platforms, which Peoples Gazette saw on Sunday.
The video highlights the president’s son’s biography, focusing on his education, career, and humanitarian activities as a Nigerian. It also documents his involvement in youth development in the country.
This biopic comes on the heels of some groups’ endorsements of Mr Tinubu’s son as a potential successor to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in 2027.
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On Tuesday, the Coalition of Nigerian Youth Leaders issued an endorsement in Owerri, Imo, suggesting that the younger Tinubu would be welcomed to contest the governorship seat in Osun or Imo.
He was also endorsed by Friends of Seyi, a group emphasising his vision and intellectual wherewithal to govern the country’s commercial nerve.
APC chieftain Joe Igbokwe, however, described the gale of endorsements as a ploy to undermine the president in a Facebook post.
“Who are these faceless people pushing Seyi Tinubu for Lagos governor? This is a needless distraction,” said Mr Igbokwe. “To pull PBAT down is their target. Ruling Lagos is not the job of boys.”
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