Tinubu, Osinbajo Adamant As S/West Elders Intensify Consensus Effort – Newstrends
Connect with us

Politics

Tinubu, Osinbajo Adamant As S/West Elders Intensify Consensus Effort

Published

on

The moves by the South West elders to come up with a consensus presidential aspirant for the region seem to have hit the rock as Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, are said to be adamant, Daily Trust gathered from credible sources.

Political leaders from the South West geopolitical zone on Sunday continued with their moves to present a common front ahead of the presidential primary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) slated for Tuesday.

Promoters of the consensus move in the South West including former APC Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, and former Ogun State Governor, Olusegun Osoba, had met with the aspirants at the residence of Chief Osoba.

The meeting, which was attended by the aspirants from the South West, governors and elders of the region ended without them reaching a consensus.  

The duo of Akande and Osoba had last month met with the aspirants in Lagos, where it was agreed that they should conduct their electioneering campaigns devoid of hostility, free of rancour and in an amicable manner.

President Muhammadu Buhari had on Saturday urged presidential aspirants of the APC to consult, build consensus and come up with a formidable candidate ahead of the party’s presidential primary. The directive of the president came around the same time when northern governors asked him to source for his successor from the southern part of the country.

The President’s consultations continued yesterday with the National Advisory Council of the party.

The meeting, held at the State House, Abuja, was attended by Osinbajo, Senate President Ahmad Lawan, Akande, his successor, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, the APC National Chairman, Senator  Abdullahi Adamu, National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore, and some governors including those of Borno, Babagana Zulum; Plateau, Simon Lalong; Zamfara, Bello Matawalle and David Umahi of Ebonyi State. 

In a statement last night by his spokesman, Femi Adesina,  Buhari had appraised the series of consultations held so far towards getting a widely acceptable presidential standard bearer and said they were on the way towards winning their third straight victory since 2015.

The president said, “I am optimistic that the outcome of this consultation with the National Advisory Council will in addition to sharpening our focus, help to fortify the positive democratic principles, practices and culture that already exists within the party system.

READ ALSO:

“In the course of these consultative processes, I have already met separately with the Progressive Governors and with all our eminent members who are aspiring to become the presidential flag bearer for our party during the 2023 elections.

“I am pleased to inform you that those meetings have been fruitful and indicative of a party that is prepared and marching towards a third straight victory since 2015, at the presidential polls.”

Daily Trust learnt that the meeting was convened to consider the possibility of coming up with a consensus presidential candidate among the 23 aspirants.

Multiple sources told our correspondents that while the meeting was ongoing yesterday, the duo of Osinbajo and Tinubu were not ready to shift grounds as they have continued to intensify their consultations and engagements with delegates. 

The aspirants from the South West region include Osinbajo, Tinubu, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, Ogun State Governor, Chief Dapo Abiodun, Senator Robert Ajayi Boroffice and Pastor Tunde Bakare.

Sources said while some of the aspirants were ready to shift grounds, Osinbajo and Asiwaju are not.

“We expect both Asiwaju and VP to slug it out as efforts to persuade one of them to step down have not yielded results as of now,” a source who does not want to be named, hinted.

The duo of Akande and Osoba, who have been making efforts to arrive at a consensus among aspirants from the South West, have rejected several efforts to comment on the move.

The Director of Media & Communications, Tinubu Campaign Organisation, Bayo Onanuga, said the party is looking forward to a free and fair contest at the convention.

“We are going into the convention for a free and fair contest. Everybody is looking out for a delegates’ election,” he said.

 Protest in North, jubilation in South over govs position  

Mixed reactions have continued to trail the statement of the northern governors across the country. While they are being applauded in the South, their action is receiving condemnation in some quotas in the North.

The leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide yesterday said that the accord to cede the presidential ticket to the southern region by the ruling party was a true demonstration that the party had the concept of national unity than the PDP.

The apex socio-cultural group, however, reminded the leadership of APC, Mr President and the stakeholders of the need to choose the presidential aspirants of Igbo extraction, noting that one of their sons in the person of the former Minister for Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, was the first to conceive and bear what today is known and called APC.

Secretary-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro made this known while briefing journalists at the end of their meeting held in Abakaliki on Sunday.

READ ALSO:

 “We shall forever be grateful as said earlier to Mr President and the northern governors including the leadership of the party for yielding to their voices of Nigerians,” he said.

 However, the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) expressed displeasure with the northern governors, describing what they did as treacherous. 

The group’s spokesperson, Abdul-aziz Suleiman, in a statement, said the decision was also clearly a brazen breach of the standard democratic practice by what he called “The selfish northern governors who see power as an end in itself.” 

 He said, “For the APC governors from the North to take such a weighty decision at the expense of the collective interest and future of the North, amounts to arbitrary treachery and blatant abuse of privilege.

“The move, aimed mainly at serving the vice-presidential ambitions of the state governors, without minding its unforeseen consequences on the future of the larger population of the North, is not only undemocratic but a betrayal of the region’s past leaders who toiled and paid with their lives to ensure a strong, prosperous region,”  he said.

Similarly, a coalition of northern youth groups under the APC has disagreed with the decision of the governors, insisting that the presidency should be retained in their zone.

The youth groups, APC Progressives Youth Elements and North-East Youth Forum of APC, staged protests carrying placards with inscriptions such as: “It’s North or Nothing”, “We are not in support of power shift to South”, “We will not accept the decision of eleven governors”, “It’s in their selfish interest”. 

The President of APC Progressives Youth Elements, Alamin Bala Mai’auduga, said that it’s not time for the South to rule the country. 

 On his part, the leader of the APC North East Youth Forum, Ibrahim Hashim Abdullahi alleged that the governors opted for such an option so that one of them would benefit from being picked as vice president. 

In Kano, the concerned APC Youth Group, also staged a peaceful protest condemning the governors’ decision.

 Buhari’s consensus request supersedes other decisions – Lawan 

Senate President Ahmad Lawan has said that the request by President Buhari that all aspirants should consult among themselves and come up with a formidable candidate supersedes any other decision.

Speaking through Iyke Ekeoma, the spokesperson for Ahmad Lawan Campaign Organisation, the Senate President said until the aspirants reached a consensus, he will remain in the race. 

Iyke Ekeoma said: “The statement by President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday urging all the party’s presidential aspirants to consult, build consensus and come up with a formidable candidate suffices and supersedes any other decision. 

 “It is not a question of whether one person is withdrawing from the race or not. It is up to the aspirants to build consensus among them as requested by the president until that happens.”

 Kwara, Yobe govs’ missing in power shift statement

Daily Trust reports that questions are still being asked on why Governors Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State and Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State did not append their signatures alongside their northern colleagues on the need to move power to the southern part of Nigeria.

Efforts to speak with Kwara’s Abdulrazaq on why he did not sign the statement issued by his colleagues on the southern presidency yielded no result as there was no response to calls and text messages sent to him.

However, his aide on Political Communication, Bashiru Adigun, explained that the governor was not part of the signatories because he was at a wedding function.

“The governor was at a different occasion, he was at his niece’s wedding in Abuja along with the Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello. 

“He was there along with many chieftains of the party. That was why he was not part of the signatories. There is nothing to it,” Adigun added. 

It was also gathered that the Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni was not part of it because the president and the party have not taken a position on zoning.

A source close to him said it was the agenda of the 11 governors and not that of the party. 

“Secondly, he has been in the forefront of Lawan’s ambition and it would not be good for him to abandon the Senate President overnight,” a source close to the Yobe governor, said.

Politics

Damagun writes INEC to conduct by-election for 27 vacant Rivers assembly seats

Published

on

IIiya Umar Damagum

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.

READ ALSO:

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

Continue Reading

Politics

Nigeria would have been better under Peter Obi, too much nepotism under Tinubu – Senator Abaribe

Published

on

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.

Continue Reading

Politics

Lagos 2027: Seyi Tinubu campaign team releases his life documentary

Published

on

Seyi Tinubu

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.

READ ALSO:

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.”

Lagos 2027: Seyi Tinubu campaign team releases his life documentary

Continue Reading

Trending