2023: As INEC Deadline Approaches, Tinubu Urged To Pick Dogara As Running Mate
The 2023 presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu has been urged to pick former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara as his running mate.
According to the National Chairman of the Youth Progressives Forum of APC, Mr. Ukkasha Rahama who made the call on Tuesday during a press conference in Bauchi, Dogara is imminently qualified and would put to rest the agitations bordering on a Muslim-Muslim ticket.
The APC Chieftain added that his argument is not purely about religion, stating that Dogara is competent and has a wealth of political experience that can be easily brought to the table as the Vice President.
Rahama pointed out also that the former Speaker will easily satisfy the demand for fairness and justice in a multi-religious setting like Nigeria.
He said: “In a secular and multicultural country like Nigeria, broad considerations should be made to accommodate all interest groups in leadership for equity and fairness.
“The emergence of Asiwaju as our party candidate has opened another political discussion and to strike the balance, Tinubu and the leadership of the party should consider the choice of Dogara as the Vice-President.”
“This forms the basis of our decision to address this conference to calm the nerves and draw the attention of our great party to ensure justice, fairness, and equity to guide their selection of the Vice-Presidential candidate.”
“The subject of our consideration of Dogara as a good material for Tinubu is not ceded along with his tribe nor his religion, but his political wealth of experience as one of the outspoken legislature.
“Though religion has forced itself into the affairs of governance in Nigeria instead of credibility, competency, and delivery, hence the urgent need to take it out of the business of the government.”
Rahama said of all those being touted as the running mate to Tinubu for the 2023 presidency, Dogara stands heads and shoulders above them all.
“The APC has people that can be paired with Tinubu, which can add value to the presidential ticket, and the foremost so far is Dogara,” Rahama added.
Recall the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has set a deadline of Friday, 17th June for all political parties to submit their list of presidential candidates and running mates for the 2023 general elections.
Breakaway IPOB Leader, Simon Ekpa, Insists No Election In Igbo Land, Accuses Peter Obi Of Killing Biafran Agitators
Former Radio Biafra Director General and leader of a breakaway IPOB group, IPOB Autopilot, Simon Ekpa, has insisted that there will be no election in the South-East region of the country in 2023 without the country conducting a referendum.
The self-proclaimed disciple of the leader of the Biafran separatist group, Nnamdi Kanu, also accused former Governor of Anambra State and presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, of ‘killing’ Biafran agitators and dumping their bodies in a river.
In a series of tweets on Monday night, the Finland-based Ekpa said he will personally mobilize his men to stop any attempts by the Nigerian government to hold an election in any part of the South-East region.
“The Freedom of Biafra will no longer be negotiated, it is too late. Mark my word, in due time you all will join to call for no election. We are not against those collecting PVC.
“Collect your PVC but know that there will be no election in Igbo land in 2023. We will ensure that.
“Peter Obi should tell Biafrans what he knows about the killings of Biafrans and dumping their bodies in a river.
“Biafrans are intact and are not moved. The first mega rallies of any political party in Biafraland will tell you whether Biafrans want election or exit.
“If you want Freedom from Nigeria, you must follow our format; those who are thinking Peter Obi has anything to offer for Biafra are all ignorant.
“Peter Obi is the worst Governor of Anambra state. He killed Biafra agitators, dumped their bodies in a river. It was a sacrilege!
“Apart from the fact that, we can’t exchange our freedom for his ambitions. This generation of agitators will prove to the world that we are resolute, ready and we are more than ready to take blame into the Biafra freedom. Those who stand on our way to freedom will be treated.
“This particular time will prove to you all that the right people are here to get Biafra & we will take the advantage of this election. In due time, you all will call for no election by yourselves.
“Peter Obi deceiving you into fraudulent election is the worst mistake you can do you, we’ve made mistake in the past, we’ve take many risk in the past, but you see this coming election, we are ready to take any blame to make sure that Biafra people wish for no election is upheld,” he wrote.
2023: Ayu Reveals When PDP Would Announce Atiku’s Running Mate
The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Iyiochia Ayu, on Tuesday revealed when the main opposition party would announce its Vice Presidential candidate.
According to Ayu, PDP would reveal the running mate of the presidential candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar within the next 48 hours,
Ayu stated this while addressing members of the consultative committee set up to assist Atiku to choose a running mate.
It was earlier reported that Ayu was in a closed-door meeting with some party leaders at the party’s national secretariat.
Ayu said, “The presidential candidate of our party would have been here, but this morning he suddenly dashed somewhere.
“He apologised and if he comes early, he will join us. But we will go ahead with the assignment he has given us.
“The candidate wrote to us, as the administrative arm of the party, on the choice of his running mate.
“Various organs of the party are well-represented in his committee — the National Working Committee, the Governors Forum, the National Assembly, and former governors who have put forward their candidates.
“This deliberation will be chaired by my able deputy, Ambassador Umaru Damaged.
“I wish you a successful deliberation and I hope you come up with a conclusion between tomorrow and Friday.
“Our presidential candidate, this time, has decided to carry everybody along unlike 2019 when he didn’t consult widely in his choice of running mate.”
Northern Elders Charge Parties, Candidates On Issue-Based Campaigns Ahead Of 2023 Elections
The Northern Elders’ Forum on Tuesday charged Nigerian politicians to run issue-based campaigns ahead of the 2023 general elections.
The NEF spokesperson, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, made the call when he featured in a Channels Television programme, Politics Today.
He stressed the need for the 18 presidential candidates to be focused on existential issues ravaging the country.
The 2023 elections, according to the NEF spokesman, will determine the progress or otherwise of the country.
He also urged politicians to be sensitive to the plight of the masses.
Baba-Ahmed said: “Nigerians need change. I’ll strongly advise politicians not to play to the gallery. The country needs leaders who will do things differently and come up with effective approaches to serious issues affecting the country.
“Inevitably, the 2023 general elections would be quite different. It would determine whether the country would move forward or not. The idea is, Nigerians would vote for competence.”
He noted that Nigerians had become fixated on the physical fitness of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, given their experience with President Muhammadu Buhari.
Buhari Not Controlled By Cabal, Takes Decisions On His Own – Presidency
The Presidency has said that President Muhammadu Buhari is not controlled by the so-called “cabal” or backroom boys.
It also dispelled claims that the President does not take decisions alone on national issues or carries them out without the backup of the cabal.
Presidential Spokesman, Garba Shehu, stated this in a statement issued on Tuesday titled “President’s Laudatory Role in the APC Primary.”
Shehu stated that the President played a key role in the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential primary, stating that the Nigerian leader gave the party leadership free hand to conduct a credible election.
He said President refused to be an elected autocrat and ensured that the APC primary was a transparent, free and fair process that would bring back people’s faith in democracy by taking good governance up to the grassroots level.
The statement read: “The media are being inundated with made up stories– speculating about the role of the President in the flagbearer contest: whether he had a favoured candidate, and whether manoeuvres were made to install them; whether the chosen flagbearer was the President’s choice, or another. And on and on.
“Speculation is easy. But facts are simple. The President always said he had a favoured candidate. He said that candidate was whoever was chosen by the APC in a democratic primary to lead the party at the election.
“Those still assailing the APC and the President expounding conspiracy theories and making all manner of speculations about who did what or did not need to understand the important point about the country’s leader: President Buhari takes his own decisions and carries them out without the backup of a so-called “cabal” or back room boys. The strong leader myth in Nigeria has lasted far too long.
“People make assumptions that if you are a leader, you dominate everything, and even determine electoral outcomes.
“Luckily for Nigeria, President Buhari does not suffer from such constraints. He refuses to act as the elected autocrat.”
Shehu stated that the APC Presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, has the unwavering support of President Buhari head of the 2023 general elections.
The Presidential spokesman also mocked opposition parties who were expecting division and disagreements at the just-concluded APC Presidential primary election.
He said: “The flagbearer has been chosen. He has the President’s unwavering support. The journey to victory continues.
“When it is election season we all expect speculation to reach fever-pitch. The press pores over every word spoken, scours every photo taken, and reports every indication suggested, seeking signs of who is supporting who like private investigators – or fiction writers.
“There’s no greater intrigue for this kind of speculation-journalism than a party flagbearer primary. But it only comes around once every four years – or every eight following President Buhari’s second term. Therefore, the media must make the most of it.
“So, what a disappointment the All Progressives Congress (APC) party flagbearer primary must have been for those who assembled to witness a catastrophe? No intrigue, no division, no disagreement, no defeated candidates rejecting the result, no splits, no third-party runs.
“Only determination to rally around the chosen flagbearer to deliver victory and an APC third term in February 2023.
“The opposition reaction to this successful nomination convention has come by way of a counter-offensive so that we do not go on the offensive. In some instances, there is clear evidence of a conspiracy to destabilize the governing party and defame the President.”
Uzodinma States Position On Muslim-Muslim Ticket
Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has reacted to the controversy trailing the Muslim/Muslim presidential ticket being muted in the All Progressives Congress (APC).
This is coming amidst the speculation that the Presidential candidate of APC, Bola Tinubu, would be setting for a Muslim Northerner as running mate.
The speculation has generated a barrage of reactions on and off social media as citizens express worries that it would be an unfair move considering the religious status of the country.
In a chat with State House Correspondents on Tuesday, Uzodinma said Tinubu in choosing his running mate would do what’s best for the country.
The Governor said Tinubu would choose a running mate that would help him unite the country and promote peace among the citizens.
Uzodinma added that the former Lagos Governor would choose a competent candidate that will be accepted nationwide and can help win elections.
The Governor urged Nigerians not focus on the religious and geopolitical zone of Tinubu’s running mate, but rather be interested in who can deliver.
He however said the choice of the running mate would be decided by the party’s Presidential candidate after considering some important factors.
“We are looking for a united Nigeria, where governance will be the issue, where a president would be ajudged by his capacity to deliver democratic dividends, develop Nigeria to look like other parts of the Western world where democracy is working.
“I don’t want us to reduce governance in Nigeria to certain things that will encourage divisiveness, rather, we should be a united Nigeria, be our brother’s keepers, have a president of Nigeria that will be a president representing, every tribe, every religion, every denomination. And when we get there, we will cross the bridge.
“The decision also to choose a running mate does not reside with any of us the governors. It is the presidential candidate that will look at the local characteristics and every factor, political and apolitical that will make him win his election and take the decision. So it’s not a decision that we will sit here and take for the candidate.”
Uzodimma asserted that spread of the running mate is also very important to be able to attract votes.
“Spread is very important to be able to attract votes. So the decision of who becomes your running mate, if I were the candidate, what will inform it is what will I do as an action that will enable me to get the kind of votes I’m looking for because the ultimate goal is to win the election,” he said.
“So maybe I’ll start from the nomination, ethnicity, or followership. In this business of democracy I think number is what is very important. And there are certain things as a nation, we should not bring to the public discourse, those things that are capable of creating divisiveness against national unity should not be encouraged.
“It does not mean that I will not remember that I come from a place but I must also be cautious and careful how to use where I come from in taking national decisions. That is very important.”
Speaking further, Uzodinma said the APC Governors would support any member of the party chosen as Tinubu’s running mate.
The Imo Governor said he would like to see a governor as a running mate to Tinubu.
“Why not? Ahmed Tinubu, have you forgotten he was a governor for eight years? If he chooses a governor so be it, we will support it. For now, we are no longer talking about who becomes running mate and who is not running mate. I have told you whose decision it is. The next thing as party leaders now and opinion leaders, is for us to rise up, mobilize the quality and get members of our party to commit to a successful election by 2023. So that our president that is leaving will also be handing over to our own president of APC, that is our preoccupation now how to win the election.”
Buhari’s Aide, Bashir, Slams Opponents Bothered By APC Muslim-Muslim Ticket Consideration
Personal Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on New Media, Bashir Ahmad, on Tuesday scoffed at members of opposition parties for being bothered about the affairs in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Bashir, in a tweet on his verified Twitter handle, said opposition parties had no business with issues of the ruling party.
The ruling party, subsequent to its presidential primary election, has been tensed as regards who the running mate of its flag bearer, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, should be.
While a number of Nigerians especially outside the party challenge its plan to settle for a Muslim-Muslim ticket citing religious implications, APC members have justified it on the basis of excellence and competence.
Speaking on the development, Bashir said members in the opposition trespassed by feeling bothered about the affairs in the ruling party.
He added that whatever the party agrees to settle for remains its sole business.
“I don’t just understand why the process for choosing the Vice Presidential candidate of our party becomes a headache for members of the opposition parties? A Muslim-Muslim or a Christian-Christian ticket or whatever combination we come up with is only a business of ours not yours”, he said.
2023: Ohanaeze Reveals What Will Happen To Peter Obi If He Accepts To Be Kwankwaso’s Running Mate
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio-political organization, has revealed that the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, would lose his popularity if he accepts to be running mate of Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party.
This is coming after several reports alleged that the NNPP and LP are in talks over the possibility of merging ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
Reacting to the development, Ohanaeze Ndigbo in a statement on Tuesday by the Secretary-General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, warned Obi against accepting to become a running mate of Kwankwaso.
He however said the merger arrangements between NNPP and LP would strengthen the chances of Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso dislodging the ruling APC in the 2023 presidential election .
A statement by Isiguzoro reads partly: “The merging arrangements between the Labour Party and New Nigeria People’s Party will strengthen the chances of Obi/ Kwankwaso occupying Aso Rock.
“The headache for the Labour Party is never to accept the Vice Presidential position for Obi, any arrangements that would see Obi as a running mate to Kwankwaso will end the popularity of the Labour Party.
“Mr. Peter Obi is the New Nigeria’s candidate, and Kwakwaso is a regional champion who should serve as the running mate”.
Senate President, Lawan Consoles ‘Self’, Other Senators Defeated In Primaries
The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan on Tuesday consoled lawmakers in the upper chamber who lost their chance of returning to the Senate in their party’s primary.
Recall that the Senate President was defeated during the presidential primary of the All Progressives Congress on the 6th of June, 2022.
Lawan has been in the news in the past few days after the youth leader in Yobe State, Bashir Machina refused to step down and hand over the senatorial ticket to the Senate President.
There are possibilities that Lawan might not be returning to the Senate in 2023.
Lawan while speaking at the resumption of Senate plenary on Tuesday called on Senators who lost their party tickets not to lose hope but to remain committed to the political system.
The Senate President while speaking said, “Some of us participated in the congresses for their Senatorial Districts, some of our colleagues went for the governorship of their states, and four of us went for the presidency of our great country.
“We have recorded different results from those activities, but as politicians, it is never over until It is over.
“We should continue to support the political system that we believe in. Those of our colleagues who have recorded successes, we wish them more success in the general elections.
“[And] those of who have not succeeded as much, we are hopeful that between now and then, the situation may be better.
“But on the whole, our commitment to ensuring that this democracy benefits from legislative interventions of the National Assembly should remain our focus.
“As a Parliament, we still have issues that require our legislative intervention.
“The security of our country still needs our attention and, therefore, I urge all of us to continue from where we stopped before we went on recess, in giving due and desired attention for the improvement Of the security of our citizens.
“The electoral process may have thrown up certain issues that the National Assembly could also look at and address, because the electoral act itself, even though a good document, is not a perfect document.
“So, it needs some refinement from time to time to improve our electoral process.”
Peter Obi Unprepared For Nigeria’s Presidency — Sowore
The African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, said on Tuesday his Labour Party counterpart, Peter Obi, was unfit to become Nigeria’s president.
The Sahara Reporters publisher was reacting to the former Anambra State governor’s trip to Egypt.
Obi had in a series of tweets on his verified Twitter handle, said he would travel to the North African nation for what he described as a comparative study of economy and education, among others.
He wrote: “I just departed for Egypt on a three-day visit as part of my detailed study of comparative countries to Nigeria. In Egypt I’m expected to understudy, among others, the Egyptian power sector, education, planning and finance sector.”
Sowore, who reacted to the LP presidential candidate’s trip on his Twitter handle, said the visit was a manifestation of Obi’s lack of preparedness and experience to lead the country despite serving as governor for eight years.
He wrote: “Heard that Peter Obi travelled to Egypt to learn on how to fix Education/Power problems. This is exactly the problem with unprepared candidates. It’s nine months to the election and a two-term governor and former vice presidential candidate wants to go and learn something from Egypt in three days. Wow!”
Running Mate: PMB Meets APC Governors In Aso Rock
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday met with Progressive Governors’ Forum at the President Villa in Abuja.
The closed-door meeting with the governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress was targeted at picking a running mate for the presidential candidate of the party, Bola Tinubu.
The Chairman of the forum and Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu led his colleagues to the meeting with the President.
The meeting was attended by the Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, Governors Babagana Zulum, Borno, Nasir El-Rufai, Kaduna, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, Jigawa, Abdullahi Sule, Nasarawa, Simon Lalong, Plateau, Yahaya Bello, Kogi, and Hope Uzodinma of Imo State.
There are speculations that the National Leader of the ruling party might pick the former Governor of State, Kashim Shettima as his running mate.
Tinubu is expected to submit the name of the APC vice presidential candidate on Friday following the directive of the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC).
The issue of Muslim/Muslim tickets has become a major concern as some Nigerians have warned the ruling party not to take such a step ahead of the 2023 general election.
Abaribe, Abdullahi Officially Resign As Senate Minority, Majority Leaders Respectively
The two Senate Leaders, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe and Senator Yahaya Abdullahi on Tuesday, officially resigned from their positions in the upper chamber of the National Assembly.
Abaribe resigned as the Senate Minority Leader while Abdullahi resigned as the Senate Majority Leader.
Their letters of resignation were read during plenary by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan.
Both lawmakers resigned from their positions as principal officers following their defection from their political parties based on the outcome of the respective primaries in which they contested and lost.
While Abaribe dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Abdullahi defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the PDP.
Reading the letter, “Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe decamped from the PDP to APGA. He also has resigned his position as Minority Leader of this chamber. With this, the position of the Minority Leader is vacant for the PDP to fill.
“I wish our dear friend, Senator Abaribe, very successful membership of his new party. Now, we have APGA represented in the Senate in the person of Senator Abaribe just like YPP.”
Also, Abdullahi in his letter said he dumped the APC because he didn’t get justice.
“Politics is local. I can’t continue to work for the government at the centre while my people are wallowing in abject poverty.
“After failing to get justice in APC, I have moved to the PDP,” Senator Abdullahi said.
