Politics

Why consensus may not work for presidential primary – APC chair

Published

3 years ago

May 26, 2022

Senator Abdullahi Adamu

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, says the consensus method which was used in electing party officers during the March 26, 2022 convention may not be feasible for the party’s presidential primary which begins on Sunday.

The APC chairman said this during a chat with Voice of America Hausa service in Abuja on Wednesday.

Adamu emerged as the APC chairman in March after the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), endorsed him and asked other aspirants to step down for him.

However, the APC chairman said a presidential primary was completely different from a chairmanship election.

On plans by the party to force a consensus, he said, “There is no truth in what you said. The reason is that the chairmanship seat is not the same as that of the tussle for the Presidency of the country. You can’t even compare the two of them. That question does not arise.

“However the party has laid down its rules and regulations for the aspirants. We would scrutinise all of them based on our guidelines to be sure we pick the right candidate for the party.”

The APC chairman, however, said the 28 aspirants ought to know that all of them cannot emerge as the candidate of the party.

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He added, “You can’t stop a party stalwart from contesting election or aspiring for the Presidency. It is their rights and we are happy for them. There is nothing wrong for anybody aspiring for the exalted seat of the presidency. It is God that decides who gets what.

“Once God makes up his mind and say this is who He wants, that is what we are praying for. We have 28 aspirants for the presidential ticket and everybody knows that all of them cannot get the ticket.

“If it is God’s wish, they all can even be president of the country one after the other. Ours is to ensure justice in the choice of who emerges candidate of the party. That does not mean we are perfect. But we pray we do the right thing.”

Adamu also said there was no evidence that aspirants were lobbying delegates with money.

The APC national chairman stated that he has since discovered that it was the delegates who have been hawking their conscience to the highest bidders.

According to him, there was no known law in the country stopping aspirants running for various political offices from taking their campaign to delegates across the country.

“For now, there is no law against aspirants taking campaign to delegates. I don’t have evidence that aspirants are sharing money to delegates. For me it’s the delegates that are selling their conscience which is not proper.

“Our delegates should know that anybody sharing money to them can’t be the right candidate of the party. He doesn’t mean well for the country. I don’t have solution for the problem,” he said.

Meanwhile, security agents and members of the APC have held meetings ahead of the state governorship primaries of the party scheduled for Thursday (today).

The meetings which held across various states were to map out strategies to prevent violence at the primaries.

In Katsina State, the Commissioner of Police, Idris Dabban, on Wednesday, met with Area Commanders and all the Divisional Police Officers in the state.

It was also learnt that the CP directed operatives to be drafted for the exercise to deal decisively with anybody who might want to foment trouble during the primaries.

On his part, the Kano State Commissioner of Police, Samaila Dikko, warned against acts capable of disrupting peaceful coexistence in the state during the primaries.

This was after a meeting with stakeholders aimed at sensitising all political party leaders and their followers in the state on the need to maintain peace in the primaries.

Dikko warned against the use of thugs (‘Yan Daba) and weapons during political activities in the state, as anyone caught will face the full wrath of the law.

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Chairman of the APC in Kwara State, Sunday Fagbemi, urged delegates to conduct themselves in a decent and orderly manner, adding that the party would not tolerate any form of indiscipline from candidates or their followers.

He said, “For peaceful conduct of the exercise, all party members participating in the exercise must comply with all laid down procedures warning non-delegates to keep off venues of the election.

“Delegates must conduct themselves in a decent and orderly manner devoid of any rancor or indecent rowdiness.

“The party will not tolerate any form of indiscipline from candidates of their followers. Therefore the use of thugs or “good boys” is prohibited and warned that aspirants shall be held responsible for any breach of peace and misconduct at the venue of the exercise.”

Meanwhile, the Destiny Campaign Organisation, the campaign organisation of APC governorship aspirant in Ebonyi State, Elias Mbam, has accused the state government of trying to scuttle to governorship primary.

In a statement signed by Paul Okorie, Mbam alleged that the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Francis Nwifuru, had procured thugs from other states of the Federation to scuttle the governorship primary election.

He said, “Credible intelligence available to us alleges that agents working for the embattled Speaker has procured thugs from Enugu, Abia, Cross River and Rivers States, some of which are already in the state, in liaison with his local vigilante, with the plan to attack and cause mayhem at the venue of the gubernatorial primary tomorrow to ensure that it does not hold and prevent perceived opponents from attending.”

“We therefore call on the national chairman and the leadership of the All Progressives Congress to take note of the antics of the state government and their desperate efforts to destroy our party in Ebonyi which may cause the PDP to have an easy win come 2023.”

He, however, called on security agencies to intervene, saying, “We plead with the security agencies, especially the Nigeria Police, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the military to take notice and ensure that the life and safety of Elias Mbam, other aspirants, their supporters, party faithful and delegates are guaranteed and protected.”

In a related development, there is anxiety in the camps of the two leading governorship aspirants of the APC in Oyo State ahead of today’s primary election.

Our correspondent gathered that aspirants were holding meetings and strategising on how to win more delegates to guarantee victory for them in the exercise which will determine the flag bearer of the party in 2023 election.

The lawmaker representing Oyo Central Senatorial District, Teslim Folarin, and a former Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Adebayo Adelabu, are the leading contestants in the race.

However, the Oyo State Public Relations Officer of NSCDC, Oyindamola Okunneye, said the security agency would be fully involved in ensuring peace and order during the exercise.

Okunneye said the agency had deployed his men who would ensure adequate security at the venue

He said, “Our men will be there. Those who would be there have been deployed and our job is to make sure that law and order is maintained. We are not politicians and our involvement will be to ensure security of lives and property.”

The Police Public Relations Officer, Adewale Osifeso, could not be reached when contacted to know the level of the police preparedness for the exercise.

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Related Topics:APC chair consensus Featured Presidential Primary

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LP: Abure, Oti flex muscle as INEC studies Supreme Court judgment

Published

7 hours ago

April 25, 2025

Trends Admin

Abure, Otti and Obi

LP: Abure, Oti flex muscle as INEC studies Supreme Court judgment

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has not yet made a decision regarding the leadership of the Labour Party following a recent Supreme Court judgement.

Multiple INEC sources confirmed to on Thursday that the commission was still reviewing the court’s judgment.

“No decision has been made yet on the Supreme Court judgment of the Labour Party,” an official said anonymously for lack of authorisation to speak to the press.

Another official stated that a decision would only be taken after INEC had studied the Certified True Copy of the judgment.

“The commission needs to obtain a Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court judgement, study it carefully to determine what the court intended, before arriving at an informed decision,” the official said.

The Supreme Court had on April 4, 2025 overturned an earlier ruling by the Court of Appeal that had recognised Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party.

The apex court ruled that the appeal court lacked jurisdiction over internal party matters.

However, the Supreme Court’s decision was interpreted differently, with Abure claiming that the court did not remove him from office, while the LP Caretaker Committee, led by Nenadi Usman, claimed that Abure was fired.

At the same time, Lamidi Apapa, the party’s splinter leader, emerged to claim leadership.

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On April 9, an LP team led by Abia State Governor Dr. Alex Otti and the party’s presidential candidate for 2023, Peter Obi, visited INEC headquarters in Abuja to clarify the leadership position.

During the visit, Otti handed a Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court’s verdict to the electoral authority.

The visit intended to shed light on the party’s leadership and guarantee effective communication with INEC.

The group was met by INEC National Commissioner Sam Olumekun and other senior commission officials.

During the discussion, participants discussed ways to increase collaboration between INEC and the Labour Party, with a focus on safeguarding democratic values.

Olumekun underlined the commission’s commitment to impartiality, transparency, and the rule of law in carrying out its mandate.

Meanwhile, Abure claimed on Thursday that he is still the legitimate Labour Party National Chairman.

Abure issued a warning to Otti and Obi to heed the Supreme Court judgment.

Speaking through LP National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh at a media briefing in Abuja on Thursday, Abure said, “The position of the Labour Party after critically reviewing the Supreme Court judgment delivered on the 4th of April 2025 stated as follows: The Supreme Court, contrary to speculations, actually reaffirmed the National Convention of the Party held on the 27th of March 2024 at Nnewi.

“The reason for the non-justiciability of internal disputes of a political party is simple, and in the eyes of the law, a political party is a corporate entity with its constitution, rules, regulations, and guidelines which are binding on members who had joined freely have consented to be so bound (See Abegunde Vs. Ondo State House of Assembly & Ors. (2015) LPELR-24588 (SC).

“Consequently, we admonished Alex Otti, the Governor of Abia State, and Peter Obi, former presidential Candidate of our party in the 2023 General Election, who are the protagonists of the current division in the Party, to hear the Supreme Court loud and clear.”

He insisted that before the contentious National Convention, the Labour Party fulfilled all legal requirements in line with the LP Constitution, Electoral Act, and the 1999 Constitution.
According to Abure, those insisting their tenure has expired probably misinterpreted the judgment.

“The Supreme Court admonished party members to respect the Constitution of their party when it stated thus; Political Parties have put in place diverse kinds of internal dispute resolution mechanisms to handle any matter arising from disputes among members.

“Political parties and their members should, therefore, have faith in the internal dispute resolution mechanisms prescribed in their party constitution,” he stated.

LP: Abure, Oti flex muscle as INEC studies Supreme Court judgment

Politics

Labour Party collapses into APC in Plateau

Published

1 day ago

April 24, 2025

Trends Admin

Labour Party collapses into APC in Plateau

In a major political development in Plateau State, the Labour Party in the Northern Zone has officially merged with the All Progressives Congress (APC), marking a significant shift in the region’s political dynamics. The formal defection took place this morning at the APC Secretariat, Kalwa House, Yakubu Gowon Way, Jos.

Led by former Labour Party Senatorial candidate, Barrister Gyang Zi SAN, thousands of party faithful pledged their allegiance to the APC, declaring the ruling party the most viable platform for the socio-economic transformation of their communities.

Addressing the APC State Working Committee, Barrister Zi stated that the decision was reached after extensive consultations and careful evaluation of the political landscape. He noted that the APC’s track record, particularly in implementing people-oriented policies and developmental programmes, made it the natural choice for their political aspirations.

“Our resolve to join the APC is a strategic step to build, consolidate and mobilise for the party’s continued success across all levels of governance,” Barrister Zi explained.

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Receiving the defectors, Plateau State APC Chairman, Rt. Hon. Rufus Bature, described the occasion as a historic milestone for the region. He noted that the mass defection had effectively altered the political arithmetic in the Northern Zone.

“Today marks a turning point in our political journey. The inclusion of our brothers and sisters from the Labour Party signals a broader unity and shared commitment to delivering good governance,” Rt. Hon. Bature stated.

He assured the new members that they would enjoy equal rights and privileges within the party, urging them to actively participate and take full advantage of the opportunities within the APC structure.

In a show of solidarity, goodwill messages were received from the APC leadership in the United Kingdom, and the ceremony concluded with the presentation of the APC flag to Barrister Zi, symbolising his formal induction into the party.

Joining him were all six former Labour Party flagbearers for the State House of Assembly, as well as candidates for local government chairmanship and councillorship positions—further cementing the scope and impact of the defection.

This latest development is expected to significantly influence political alignments ahead of future electoral cycles in Plateau State.

Labour Party collapses into APC in Plateau

Politics

2027: Atiku remains the best to face Tinubu, says Dele Momodu

Published

1 day ago

April 24, 2025

Trends Admin

Dele Momodu

2027: Atiku remains the best to face Tinubu, says Dele Momodu

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dele Momodu, has declared that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar remains the best opposition candidate to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election.

Momodu said Atiku stands out in terms of political experience, national reach, and support base.

His words: “You have to be realistic. It’s a game of numbers, and it’s also a game of your network.

“There’s no one in Nigeria today as experienced, as exposed, as networked as Atiku Abubakar from 1993 when he stepped down for Chief MKO Abiola in Jos.”

He said the opposition needs a candidate who can mobilise votes across both northern and southern Nigeria, adding that only Atiku fits the profile.

“For anybody to face a Tinubu, that person has to come from the opposite direction. Which means it must be someone who can get the North to coalesce behind him.

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“So, I pray that the coalition will be able to achieve that. I don’t know if they will, but I’m sure they are working on that. Then it must be someone who has a substantial network in the South. There is no other person I can see who has that kind of network behind him,” he stated.

Citing the example of Donald Trump’s continued relevance in American politics, Momodu said political necessity often trumps past performance.

“Why do you think the Republicans in America will risk a Donald Trump, a man who already lost the election, who already got indicted on many felonies? It is because they need him,” he said.

Speaking on Nigeria’s informal power rotation arrangement, the PDP chieftain said leadership should be about performance, not geography.

“Democracy as practised in Nigeria is done every four years because it is an examination. You pass, or you fail.

“The only qualification cannot be about where you come from. The only qualification we’re seeing now is that it should be a southerner,” he concluded.