Tinubu in London, set for Chatham House lecture tomorrow – Newstrends
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Tinubu in London, set for Chatham House lecture tomorrow

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PRESIDENTIAL candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, arrived the United Kingdom yesterday ahead of his planned lecture tomorrow.

He will be speaking on security, economy and foreign policy at the Chatham House.

The APC presidential candidate was accompanied on the trip by some state governors and party leaders.

The Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the APC had earlier announced that Tinubu will be spending 13 days on foreign trip to the United States and other European countries.

The PCC, in a statement on its Twitter account on Monday, stated that the former Lagos State governor will on December 5 speak at the Chatham House, the United Kingdom’s elite Foreign and Policy Think-tank institution, where he will dwell on security, economy and foreign policy.

Chatham House had on its official website said that Tinubu will discuss “his vision and recently unveiled manifesto for ‘renewing hope’ in Nigeria including his policy proposals for economic reform and revival and how to deliver secure and inclusive job opportunities for Nigerian citizens.”

It said “the event is part of a series of events and outputs examining Nigeria’s 2023 elections and political developments.”

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Meanwhile, the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday accused Arise News of persistent blackmail to railroad the party’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to its town hall meeting scheduled for today, but vowed that the candidate would not succumb to the antics.

The council in a statement by its Director, Media and Publicity, Bayo Onanuga described the continuous broadcast of Tinubu’s participation at the talk shop as “shocking and downright anomalous”, even after informing the organisers of the debate that Tinubu would not be available for the programme.

Onanuga spoke just as Senate Chief Whip, Dr .Orji Kalu dismissed insinuations in some quarters that the APC presidential candidate was denied US visa.

He accused the opposition of peddling the rumour.

According to Onanuga , the APC flag bearer had on  November 7 advanced seven reasons why he won’t be attending the television station-organised presidential debates in a statement by the spokesman for the campaign council, Festus Keyamo.

His words: “We find it shocking and downright anomalous that Arise News continues to broadcast the participation of All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Asiwaju  Bola Ahmed Tinubu in its Presidential Town Hall meeting scheduled to hold on 4 December 2022 despite our earlier statement that our candidate will not be available.

“We noticed that Arise News has also been running a campaign on the so-called constitutional duty of the presidential candidates to participate in its debate  by dubiously citing Section 22 of the Constitution of Nigeria  on the obligation of the Mass Media.

“While it is trite that the media has a clear constitutional duty to hold public office holders accountable to the citizens and its role as the watchdog of the society, there is no part of the Constitution and the Section 22 that says a presidential candidate of any political party and least of all, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, must participate in Arise News Town Hall event or any media organised an event at all.

“The same Constitution grants all citizens of Nigeria including, Asiwaju Tinubu the right and freedom of choice and association. The APC Presidential candidate has a right to decide where he goes and what events to participate in as he seeks the mandate of Nigerians to be elected as the next President of our country.

“We want to make it abundantly clear again that Asiwaju Tinubu will not participate and will not attend the Arise News Town Hall meeting slated for Sunday, 4 December, 2022 and any other ones it may plan before the February 2023 presidential election. We want to equally stress that Arise News has consistently shown a pattern of bias against Asiwaju Tinubu and we don’t consider the medium as credible and impartial.”

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The council then disclosed that the APC presidential candidate has his schedule of campaign activities and other engagements within and outside Nigeria.

“One such is his scheduled event for Monday, December 5, 2022 at Chatham House in London where he will speak on Security, Economy and Foreign Policy.

“Asiwaju Tinubu travelled to the United Kingdom early today (Saturday) for this earlier scheduled engagement. We want to reiterate for the umpteenth time that no amount of blackmail, intimidation and media bullying and innuendos by the owner and management of Arise News will change the position our campaign has taken on this matter.”

The council asked all its spokesmen and supporters to steer clear of “this station over its consistent unprofessionalism and bias against our candidate and party.”

Tinubu not denied US visa – Orji Kalu

Dr.Orji Kalu said on his Facebook wall yesterday that speculations that Tinubu was denied US visa were untrue.

He said: “As the election draws closer, the opposition will spread more fake news against our presidential candidate but we should always ignore and keep our eyes on the ball.

“The news that Tinubu was denied visa to the USA is as fake as other fake news.

“Tinubu postponed the travel himself and was never denied visa.

“The State Department of the US confirmed to me that Tinubu will be received in the third week of December.

“As the presidential candidate of our party with outstanding personality, he will be warmly welcomed in the United States.”

The Nation

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Damagum to continue as PDP national chairman until August – NEC 

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April 19, 2024

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Damagum to continue as PDP national chairman until August – NEC 

National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it will revisit the leadership crisis in the party by August this year.

This therefore means the acting national chairman of the party, Ambassador Iliya Damagum, will remain in the office until the next NEC meeting in August, according to the party.

Bauchi State Governor and the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum hinted on Thursday that the party would look into the demand of the North Central for the national championship position then.

He spoke after the NEC meeting at the national headquarters of the party in Abuja.

The governor said, “You can see there was no dissension and rancour. It was planned that the party will have an implosion. PDP is more than that, we have given beyond all these. This party is a united party that is guided by experience and constitutionality.

“In the next two months, you will see a lot of activities, leadership is a responsibility, when we will have come out of our congresses, we will look at the issues of leadership. We will look at the constitution and we will do it with no rancor.”

National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba, also said because of the need for reconciliation the issue of the National Chairman would be revisited in August when another NEC will be expected to take place.

He said, “Our party emphasizes the need for reconciliation and stability within the party at this time. Therefore, the issue of the National Chairman, Amb Iliya Damagum, has been deferred to the next NEC meeting, which is tentatively scheduled for August 15, 2024.”

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Breaking: Saraki loyalist, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, dies at 57

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2 days ago

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April 17, 2024

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Breaking: Saraki loyalist, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, dies at 57

 

A top politician, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, has died at the a prime age of 57.

Ibrahim, an ally of former Senate President Senator Bukola Saraki, reportedly died early Wednesday morning in a hospital in Abuja.

Newstrends learnt from a family source that Ibrahim died after a brief illness.

Rafiu Ibrahim from Ojoku, Kwara State, was a member of Kwara State House of Assembly in 2009.

He was later elected in April 2011 to represent Ifelodun/Offa/Oyun Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives of Nigeria in the 7th National Assembly.

Ibrahim became a senator in 2015 when he was elected to represent Kwara South Senatorial District.

He however lost his re-election bid into the 9th National Assembly to Lola Ashiru of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the 2019 general elections.

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PDP: 60 Reps stop Wike group from endorsing Damagun

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2 days ago

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April 17, 2024

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Nyesom Wike

PDP: 60 Reps stop Wike group from endorsing Damagun

The lingering leadership crisis of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a new dimension on Tuesday as members of the G60 in the House of Representatives led by Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere truncated plans by lawmakers loyal to the FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike, to endorse Mr Umar Damagun as substantive National Chairman of the party.

Trouble started during the closed meeting convened by the Minority Leader, Hon. Kingsley Chinda when Hon. Ugochinyere challenged the Caucus Leader’s presentation.

Hon. Ugochinyere, who flared up during the meeting was seen being persuaded by some PDP lawmakers.

However, before the end of the meeting, members of the G60 group left the hall, thereby leaving about 40 lawmakers in the hall where the press briefing took place.

While speaking on the outcome of the closed-door meeting which lasted for over 3 hours, Hon. Chinda said: “We have just concluded the third meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party Caucus of the 10th Assembly and we have resolved firstly to tell all of us and the world that the PDP Caucus in the House of Representatives remain united, indivisible committed and out to perform our duty as the watchdog on behalf of Nigerian people.

“In the same vein, we x-rayed the security situation in our country and we resolved that we can no longer take this situation where Nigerian is almost tagged as ‘one life, one minute silence’.

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“The government is therefore called upon to immediately take steps to ensure that the security situation in the country is normalized.

“And the Caucus has also given a three-month ultimatum for government to normalize the security situation in our country. After three months, the Caucus will take further steps to sensitize and mobilize Nigerians to perhaps take their security into their hands.

“The House of Representatives Caucus also agreed to call on all Party Caucuses, the Board of Trustees, National Executive Committee and the National Working Committee of the party to embark on reconciliatory measures with a view to resolving all litigations that are pending and have hindered the party in any way whatsoever from having a substantive National Chairman.

“We call on our leaders, leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party to continue to demonstrate unconditional loyalty to the party and ensure that the party is moved to her pride of place where she enjoyed the position of the largest party in Africa and to take back the Aso Villa which is actually supposed to be our birthright.

“And so for us, we are going back as we resume the session to commence a strong, virile and purpose-driven opposition to give the people a voice in the Parliament,” he said.

While reacting to the recent suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi, the Minority Leader urged the Senate leadership “to recall our colleague, our senior brother, a veteran politician, a Parliamentarian per excellence, Abdul Ningi.”

Meanwhile, one of the G60 members who gave insight into the discussions during the closed-door meeting confirmed that the hard stance of the group frustrates the grand plan to pass a vote of confidence on the embattled acting PDP National Chairman.

The lawmaker who does not want his name in print said: “We are glad that the plan of the pro-Wike group supporting Damagun falls like a pack of cards, as we refused all entreaties to perpetuate illegality and stoking of crisis in the party.

“Our position remains that Damagun must go for someone from North-central to take over and complete Ayu’s tenure.

“Our Party needs total overhaul and reformation. We currently have in the PDP a national leadership that is in bed with the APC and is working extremely hard to hand over the party to the APC.

“This is quite shameful and disheartening. But we won’t fold our hands and let that happen.

“We are aside other demands insisting on 100 percent formation of Caretaker PDP executive list at all levels without any tampering or inclusion of new names outside the earlier resolution that members of the expiring excos should act as Caretaker for 3 months pending the conduct of substantive election.

“Our party will not be overtaken by APC, we are here to serve the Nigerian people not to the whims and caprices of some selfish politicians,” he noted.

PDP: 60 Reps stop Wike group from endorsing Damagun

(Nigerian Tribune)

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