Tinubu berates presidential aspirants over defections, sells bid at N’Assembly – Newstrends
Connect with us

Politics

Tinubu berates presidential aspirants over defections, sells bid at N’Assembly

Published

on

Former Governor of Lagos State and national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu

A former Governor of Lagos State and national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has said he is the most qualified aspirant to become the next President of Nigeria.

Tinubu also took a swipe at other presidential aspirants on the platform of the APC, who he said, have at one time or the other defected from one political party to the other, while he has remained consistent in rebuilding the parties he belonged.

Tinubu met with members of the APC caucuses in the Senate and the House of Representatives at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja on Wednesday.

Tinubu said, “I have discussed this aspect; my lifelong ambition with Mr President, Muhammadu Buhari, that after the end of his term, I want to step in his shoe and not step on his toes.

“He joyfully and enthusiastically responded to me and said, ‘Well, come out, let’s see you run and we will see how best you can promote your democratic credentials.’ I love that.

  “I love the opportunity today to come and consult with you: if you want to call it consultation or any other name because of the Electoral Act and INEC.”

 Tinubu also noted that he has been consistent in his political careers.

 

He said, “I am not here to be defensive; I am here with humility to say that I am one of the best products that you can sell. No other one in the race, hiding or open. I am the only one in the race, hiding or open, that is most competent, most qualified to be your President, come Year 2023.

READ ALSO:

 “First of all, I am the only one who has been through the tutelage, the turns and bends of the National Assembly. Where is that other person? None! I am the only one among them who has been consistently in one party to the other, building bridges. They are full of divorcees; they are not stable; some of them are rolling stones.

“I have been through the National Assembly. I have been in the corporate world with a background in public sector accounts, finance and development. Where will they start from?”

Recalling his performance as Lagos State governor, the APC leader noted that he “inherited one of the first bad-managed states of this country,” which was then referred to as the third dirtiest and messed up city in Africa.

“I can look back now today; I am proud standing before you representing that state which is now a mega city with national budgets higher than triple (some) countries of West Africa,” he said.

  Majority Leader of the House, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, who is the leader of the APC caucus, told the lawmakers that it was time for them to repay Tinubu for the benefits they had enjoyed from him politically.

 Ado-Doguwa then moved the motion for Tinubu’s endorsement for President and it was unanimously adopted by members of the caucus.

Earlier in his welcome address, Gbajabiamila described the visit and the meeting as an “epic moment.” This is just as the Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase, noted that it was the first time that Tinubu or a presidential aspirant would be meeting with lawmakers since he joined the National Assembly in 2007.

Tinubu, in response to some issues raised by Wase concerning the crisis in the APC, said the ruling party is “doing well.”

 Meanwhile, some members of the House in opposition parties were sighted at the meeting. They include Lynda Ikpeazu (Anambra State) of the Peoples Democratic Party and Leke Abejide (Kogi State) of the African Democratic Congress.

PUNCH

Politics

6 Labour Party lawmakers defect to PDP

Published

on

6 Labour Party lawmakers defect to PDP

Six Labour Party (LP) members of the Enugu State House of Assembly have officially defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

They made their defection known on Thursday in Enugu in a letter read by the Speaker, Chief Uche Ugwu, during plenary.

The defectors include the Majority Leader, Mr Johnson Ani (Enugu North); the Chief Whip, Mr Ejike Eze, (Igbo-Eze North 1); and the Deputy Chief Whip, Ms Princess Ugwu (Enugu South Rural).

Others are Mr Pius Ezugwu (Nsukka East); Mr Williams Amuka (Igbo-Etiti West); and Mr Osita Eze (Oji River).

The defectors, in the letters, said their defection was as a result of the existence of irreconcilable division, incessant crisis within the labour party at the national level and across all the state chapters.

They regretted that the party had evolved into perpetual discord with various factions embroiled in legal battles, which undermine its ability to effectively serve the interest of the people.

READ ALSO:

According to them, the Labour Party, once considered a beacon of hope for progressive ideas, have regrettably become synonymous with internal squabbles, thereby reducing its capacity to fulfil the aspirations of electorates.

They cited the cases of Mr Julius Abure and Mr Limido Apapa factions as well as the national treasurer as some of the divisions within the party.

They expressed the hope that the PDP would give them the platform to continue to serve the interests of their people and thanked the leaderships of Labour Party for their supports.

The defectors also acknowledge that the letters were sent to the office of the Speaker by themselves, adding that they would work wholeheartedly for the progress of their new party in Enugu State.

In his remark, the Speaker welcomed the defectors into the PDP and promised that they would be carried along in the legislative activities of the House.

With the defection, the PDP now had the majority in the House with 17 members while LP had only six members.

6 Labour Party lawmakers defect to PDP

Continue Reading

Politics

More drama at LP as BoT announces takeover

Published

on

More drama at LP as BoT announces takeover

  • NLC rejects Abure re-election
  • INEC disowns national convention

The Board of Trustees at the Labour Party says it has taken over the administration of the party, indicating a fresh trouble in the LP’s internal crisis.

This was announced on Thursday in a statement issued in Abuja by the party’s BoT Chairman, Sylvester Ejiofor.

He said the takeover of the party came after the expiration of Julius Abure’s tenure as LP’s national chairman

Abure was re-elected as chairman t the party’s national convention held in Nnewi, Anambra State, on Wednesday, amid leadership crisis.

All members of the National Working Committee were returned at the convention.

But the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has described Abure’s re-election as “an illegality”.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) also disowned the exercise on the grounds that it did not monitor the national convention.

INEC spoke through Rotimi Oyekanmi, media aide to INEC chairman Mahmood Yakubu, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The BoT’s statement read in part, “Following the expiration of the tenure in office of the immediate past National Working Committee of the LP headed by Mr. Julius Abure, the BoT, in line with the party’s constitution, has stepped in to steer the affairs of the LP.

“This step is to avoid any leadership vacuum in the LP.

“Furthermore, the BoT of the LP, in consultation with major stakeholders in the party, will soon communicate the processes for the conduct of an all-inclusive and expansive national convention of the LP.

“This is in line with the March 20, 2018 Federal High Court consent judgment delivered by Justice Gabriel Kolawole which recognised the Nigeria Labour Congress as the owners of the LP and mandated that an all-inclusive and expansive national convention of the LP be held.

“The decision of the BoT is also in furtherance of the agreement signed between the former national chairman of the LP, Mr. Julius Abure, and the NLC and the Trade Union Congress on June 27, 2022, which was mediated by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

“Unlike the charade that took place today in Nnewi and in tandem with the principles of popular democracy, the all-inclusive national convention will start with grassroots congresses at ward, local government, state and ultimately at the national level.

“This process will not leave any genuine member of LP out and will be held in the full view of the Independent National Electoral Commission, media, civil society, security agents, and the general public.”

The Abure-led executive of the party had not responded to the new development as noon on Thursday.

 

A chieftain of the party was quoted in a report by The PUNCH as saying it was a hatchet job.

“Since many of you journalists have been covering this party, have you heard anything about LP Board of Trustees before? It is non-existent.

“How can one Sylvester Ejiofor wake up one day, tag himself as BoT chairman, and issue a statement that he has taken over the affairs of the party? Let him come over to the secretariat and take over then.

“Too many people and mercenaries are just bent on causing conflict in the party,” he said.

 

 

Continue Reading

Politics

BREAKING: LP Re-elects Julius Abure As National Chairman

Published

on

Julius Abure, the national chairman of the Labour Party

BREAKING: LP Re-elects Julius Abure As National Chairman

The Labour Party (LP) has re-elected Julius Abure as its National Chairman for a second term in office.

Abure was re-elected by a unanimous affirmation of delegates at the party’s National Convention in Nnewi, Anambra State.

READ ALSO:

The Chairman of the National Convention and Deputy Governor of Abia State, Ikechukwu Emetu declared him the winner during the event attended by party leaders and members.

More to come…

Continue Reading

Trending

Skip to content