Politics
Tinubu: Private sector should drive economy; speaks on power, insecurity, electoral violence, his identity
- Delegates aides to speak at Chatham House conference
Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress(APC) presidential candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday was a guest at the Chatham House, London, where he highlighted his plans for Nigeria if elected president in 2023.
He also spoke about his true age, identity, electoral violence, diaspora voting just as he delegated some members on his entourage to respond to some questions posed to him by the audience at the forum.
His lecture was titled: “Nigeria’s 2023 election: Security, economy and foreign policy imperatives.”
The former Lagos State governor expressed his commitment to the sanctity of the ballot box, saying the next crop of leaders should evolve from free, fair, democratic and transparent elections.
He said, “I stand firmly against all forms of electoral violence and intimidation. Having spent most of my career in the political opposition, I have long fought against electoral malpractice and any attempts to extinguish the legitimate choice of voters. I will continue to do so.
“I urge all my fellow contestants in this election to do the same. Let the sovereign will of the people decide the path of our nation. And let this election be determined by voters making their choice freely rather than the domineering intimidation of the troublesome few.”
Insecurity
Tinubu, who lamented that insecurity had persisted despite the progress made by the Muhammadu Buhari administration, said if elected, he would tackle the crisis so that Nigeria could also effectively provide security support for its neighbouring nations.
He said, “The challenges which have manifested themselves with regard to our national and regional development and security trajectories are very well-known to all of us here: radical extremist violence, terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, human trafficking, trafficking in weapons, trafficking in drugs, climate change and resource-driven conflicts etc.
“Mostly manifesting initially as national problems, these challenges evolved over time into trans-border and multinational challenges.
“We see the thousands of people who have been internally displaced at home or forced into refugee camps abroad. With farming activities disrupted, we have seen shortages of basic food items and food price inflation that are further undermining human security.
“To respond meaningfully to the discontents and to redress the many dislocations arising from them, we must begin by reminding ourselves of that old dictum: Foreign policy is but a continuation of domestic policy.
“As a first step, we must recalibrate domestic policy in order to revamp the foundation on which our quest to pursue human security rests.”
Power outage
Tinubu identified regular electricity as the key to economic revitalisation and industrial growth, promising to improve the framework already in place for boosting energy generation and distribution.
He said, “Fixing the perennial riddle of energy supply is another priority. There is no version of the world where Nigeria’s ambitions for itself can be achieved without solving the problem of how to provide energy to homes and businesses across the country.
“It is time to recognise that the centralised approach to energy policy and infrastructure is not an optimal arrangement and is unlikely to improve by mere tinkering around the sides.
“The Federal Government as regulator and operator, and price fixer is a broken model and one that we fully intend to fix if elected.
“We have privatised power distribution in Nigeria and generation to a certain degree. What we need to do, going forward, is to improve the enabling environment and further reform the legal and regulatory framework to attract more private investments in the sector as we have experienced in the telecom industry.”
He also spoke on his plan to reposition agriculture as a strong tool for economic development, saying, “The present administration has invested heavily in agriculture, providing loans and expanding the country’s total acreage of cultivated land.
“We will build on this, but our focus will be on using technology and expertise to accelerate growth and development by providing the critical infrastructure necessary to achieve the commodity transformations in the agriculture value chain.”
He added, “Roads, rail, access to ports, and storage infrastructure are what we require to radically transform the agriculture sector and increase its value to the nation.
“Providing these will be the areas of our focus so that the full potential of our agro-economy can be achieved, and we can reap the benefits in jobs, improved economic opportunities and increased prosperity.”
Private sector-driven economy
Tinubu promised to engage the private sector to drive economic development.
He said, “My belief that the private sector is the fulcrum of economic progress is evident and documented.
“However, fundamental flaws with the basic design of our national economy imperil the private sector from playing the role it ought to and adding the value it is capable of.
“In this instance, the government must act as a catalyst. We shall do this on all fronts. We will address the conflict between monetary and fiscal policies.
“Budgeting will be based on the projected spending levels needed to push real annual growth rate above seven per cent while reducing the unemployment rate so that we can double the economy in ten years.”
On his age and identity, Tinubu said his birthday was March 29, 1952, adding that his records are with his alma mater, Chicago State University, United States, and Mobil Oil, where he worked as treasurer.
He said, “At the time of birth, I was born march 29, 1952 in the family record.
“I have good exposure in life, my record is consistent. For the school and university I attended, the records are there. The transcript is also there.
“I’m not claiming another father. I am Tinubu and Tinubu proper. If they want DNA, they can as well request that. Chicago State University where I graduated has attested to that (education).
“I’ve received my original replacement certificate from them. Deloitte trained me, and Mobil Oil has also attested to my record. I got to the pinnacle of my career. Who among them can brag about that?
“You want to wrestle with the pig, you need to live with dirt. I got into politics knowing that it is muddy water, one has to live with the dirt.
“I see myself as a marketable individual. They want to use me to make money, and I say no.”
Tinubu, who said that Nigerians in the Diaspora should be entitled to vote, however noted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was yet to give an assurance that the electronic transmission of election results is reliable.
During question and answer session, he asked Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, Cross River State governor, Ben Ayade, and his former commissioners in Lagos, Dele Alake and Wale Edu, to respond to questions that fell within their areas of core competence.
El-Rufai, who answered questions on security, stated that banditry, terrorism, separatism, and oil theft require a new approach including increasing the number of security operatives.
“The numbers must change and the Bola Tinubu administration already has a blueprint which is embedded in our action plan to address this.
“We will scale up the numbers of the armed forces. We’ll ramp up not only the numbers but the training and the equipment,” the Kaduna governor said.
Alake answered the question of how Tinubu plans to lift Nigerians out of poverty if elected and also curb oil theft in six months. “The key to his policy for increasing economic growth is to enable the private sector to make the investment that will increase productivity, grow the economy, create jobs, and reduce poverty,” he said.
Gbajabiamila responded to the question on the strategies of Tinubu on defence; the APC national women’s leader answered the question on healthcare delivery, and how to convert brain drain into a gain for the country, amongst others.
Tinubu was accompanied to the London’s forum by key party stalwarts such as Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, former Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy Dele Alake, one-time Lagos State Commissioner for Finance Wale Edun and National Women Leader Dr. Beta Edu shed light on Tinubu’s manifesto, ‘Renewed Hope for 2023,’ particularly those aspects related to their areas of competence.
Others are Governors Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger), Ben Ayade (Cross River), Abubakar Badaru, (Jigawa) and David Umahi (Ebonyi); former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi, ex-Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole; Deputy National Women Leader Hajiya Zainab Ibrahim, former Lagos State Deputy Governor Chief Femi Pedro, Senator Tokunbo Abiru, Senator Fatai Buhari and Senator Adeola Olamilekan.
Also on his entourage are Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi, former Ogun State Deputy Governor Segun Adesegun, Hadiza Bala-Usman and Alhaji Mutiu Are.
Politics
Edo guber: APC to unveil Idahosa as Okpebholo’s running mate today
Edo guber: APC to unveil Idahosa as Okpebholo’s running mate today
The Edo All Progressives Congress (APC) will announce Hon. Dennis Idahosa as its deputy governorship candidate today, after weeks of power struggles and ego trips by party officials in selecting Senator Monday Okpebholo as the party’s running mate.
It has been discovered that Abuja would host the event.
Idahosa’s selection is said to have been made following President Bola Tinubu’s intervention at a meeting with Edo APC leaders and stakeholders.
Upon being approached, the APC’s acting state chairman did not provide a name. claimed that, however, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) would be defeated by the youngest ticket.
He said, “Our choice of running mate emanated from the people and we are going to unveil him tomorrow (Monday) in Abuja. It will be the youngest ticket ever in the history of Edo State and that is what we will use to defeat the other parties. We are not like them that are producing much older people to govern the state. We are going to produce a young team,” he said.
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Idahosa who is challenging the outcome of the party primary election in the court claimed that he won it and that the supplementary one was illegal.
It was gathered that after Tinubu’s intervention, it was agreed that Idahosa would withdraw his case from the court once all the processes were concluded.
A credible party source said, “It has been a difficult issue for over one week, especially after Idahosa went to court. The leadership of the party in Abuja had to wade into the issue. There have been so many interests at play. Ego was also involved as there were some leaders of the party who saw the primary as an opportunity to get at a leader of the party. They even threatened to publicly denounce the party and work against it if Idahosa is chosen.
“The president intervened and I believe that was what calmed nerves and I hope that all of them will respect and honour the wish of the president,” he said.
Edo guber: APC to unveil Idahosa as Okpebholo’s running mate today
Politics
Shaibu drags Igbodalo, INEC to court over Edo primaries
Shaibu drags Igbodalo, INEC to court over Edo primaries
Edo State Deputy Governor Comrade Philip Shaibu wants the Federal High Court (FHC), Abuja, to declare as invalid and unlawful, the governorship indirect primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of February 22 that produced Asue Igbodalo, and that the party should be ordered to conduct fresh primary election.
Shaibu, through his lead counsel, Doyin Awoyale, SAN, also wants the presiding judge to order the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reject Ighodalo, a Lagos-based lawyer, as the standard-bearer of PDP in the September 21 poll.
He urged the court to nullify the PDP’s “purported” Edo governorship primary election and withdraw forthwith, the certificate of return issued to Ighodalo, saying the factional shadow poll was conducted, contrary to the provisions of PDP’s constitution and Electoral Act.
Edo deputy governor, in the suit with reference number: FHC/ABJ/CS/308/2024, sought an order to restrain Ighodalo from parading himself as the duly-nominated governorship candidate of PDP in Edo, with the party’s National Vice Chairman, Southsouth, Chief Dan Orbih, as the third defendant.
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The originating summons, as obtained yesterday in Benin by our reporter, read: “An order of injunction restraining the 1st defendant (INEC) from accepting and/or recognising the name of the 4th defendant (Ighodalo) as the governorship candidate of the 2nd defendant (PDP) in the 2024 Edo State governorship election, scheduled to be conducted by the 1st defendant on the 21 of September, 2024.
“An order of this honourable court restraining the defendants, by themselves and/agents, representatives, organs, chapters, etc. from tampering with and/or discarding the delegates’ lists that emerged from the 2nd defendant’s congresses of 4th February, 2024 and 10th February, 2024, conducted by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the 2nd defendant.
“An order of this honourable court mandating the 2nd defendant to conduct a fresh governorship primary election for the nomination of the governorship candidate for the 2nd defendant in the 2024 Edo governorship election.”
Shaibu drags Igbodalo, INEC to court over Edo primaries
Politics
Appeal Court reinstates Abure as LP national chairman
Appeal Court reinstates Abure as LP national chairman
The Appeal Court in Abuja has reinstated Julius Abure as the national chairman of the Labour Party.
Justice Hamma Barka in a judgement delivered on Wednesday faulted the High Court for assuming jurisdiction in the matter.
The Court also awarded N1 million in favour of Abure and against the respondent, Lamidi Apapa.
Last year, Justice Hamza Muazu of the Abuja High Court, ordered Abure and two other national officers to vacate their seats over alleged forgery.
But the Appeal Court set the verdict aside and held that Abure’s appeal had merit.
After the 2023 presidential elections, Abure has been in a legal battle with Apapa who laid claim to the party’s chairmanship.
On March 21, 2024, Abure was arrested by the Police in Benin City, Edo State, and was accused of attempted murder, illegal possession of firearms, and related offences.
He was later released on bail.
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