APC Archives - Swift Wave Radio

OGD flags off campaigns with mega rally, empowerment

Former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel who is also the All Progressives Congress (APC) Ogun East Senatorial Candidate for the 2023 general elections is set to kick-start his election campaign with a mega rally on Sunday, 2nd October, 2022.

According to schedule of events released by his campaign office, the campaign will commence by 11:00am at Ita Oba, Akarigbo Palace, Sagamu, Ogun State.

The Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, is expected to be the Chief Host at the rally.

The statement mentioned that a major highlight of the Mega Rally, which promises to be colorful, will be the Empowerment Programs which Otunba Gbenga Daniel has been known for over the years.

In recent years Otunba Gbenga Daniel has been awarding hundreds of scholarships across various Local governments amongst other multidimensional empowerment initiatives which started over 20 years ago via his pet project, The Gateway Front Foundation.

The statement itemized the prizes to be won include a Star Prize of a tractor worth about N10m. Others are a Toyota Highlander SUV as second prize and a 2.5KVA generator as third prize.

“These empowerment programs will continue as the campaign machinery traverse the length and breadth of Ogun East Senatorial District.

“The public, members of the All Progressive Congress, friends and well wishers across Ogun East Senatorial District, and beyond including Local Government Chairmen, Councilors and Party functionaries, are hereby invited to this special event,” it added.…

News / politics

Nyesom Wike has agreed to work for Tinubu — Masari,

The placeholder of the All Progressives Congress for the 2023 presidential election before the choice of Senator Kashim Shettima as vice presidential candidate, Alhaji Ibrahim Masari, has said the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has agreed to work for the election of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as president.

Recall that Wike, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, met with Tinubu in the United Kingdom over the weekend.

Masari, who spoke in the United Kingdom, told the BBC Hausa Service on Wednesday: “The meeting was basically on the 2023 presidential election and by God’s grace, we are going to work with Governor Nyesom Wike.

“He will assist and we are going to win the election with ease, by the will of God.”

Asked whether Wike would join the APC to assist Tinubu win the election, Masari said he was not in a position to confirm that.

He, however, said Wike does not need to leave the PDP before he could assist anyone he wants to help.

He said: “This is because Wike is a big politician, a governor and he has control in some other states, apart from his state.

“He is good to the people and has associated with his people peacefully.

“By the grace of God, he will be of help to us.”

Asked if the new political romance will last as Atiku’s camp is still trying to pacify Wike, Masari said: “Well, only God knows what will happen next.

“But from what we are seeing now, what has transpired is that we are going to work with Wike and he will be useful to us.

“If you could remember, it was APC that caused the failure of APC in Bauchi, it was members of the party that led to the defeat of the governor from their party.

“The same thing happened in Adamawa State.

“So, what I want people to understand is that someone can still assist you, even without joining your party if he wants to.

“Furthermore, with the widespread acceptance of Bola Tinubu to Nigerians, …

News / politics

Wole Soyinka speaks on APC’s Muslim/Muslim ticket

Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has reacted to the Muslim/Muslim presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress for the 2023 elections.

Prof. Soyinka made the remarks on Tuesday in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, at a lecture which he moderated.

The lecture, themed: “Good Governance or Miss-governance: The Contract called Democracy,” was organized by Abeokuta Club to mark its 50th anniversary.

Soyinka said: “This gathering here could not have been more timely.

In fact, I am hoping that a series of this kind of encounter will take place all over the nation between now and the long awaited day next year.

“I think it will help many people clarify a number of things in minds before that day and maybe move a little bit away towards pulling us out of the morass in which we find ourselves, if we want to be very honest about this.

“I think we’ve all come here with a lot of negative image hanging on our necks.

“And also some measure of hope, some modicum of illumination.

“There is one other thing going on in my mind.

“And I think we have the experts here who will talk about it.

“There are some school children over there.

“And one wonderful thing about them for me is that they are in uniform.

“In other words I cannot tell which one is a Christian, which one is a Muslim, which one is an Orisa worshipper, which one is a Zoroastrian, which one is a Buddhist.

“They are school children.

“They are equal and they are being encouraged to see one another as human beings, not as separate creatures.

“And I want to be informed if it is against democracy that schools insist that uniforms be worn by children so that they are not distinguished in a very dramatic way so that they do not look at one another as different.

“So now I’m talking to religionists.

“I’m saying why do you want to create such marked differentiation at that age, that impressionable age, when we need to …

News / politics

APC submits name of Tinubu’s running mate to INEC

The All Progressives Congress has submitted the name of the running mate of its presidential candidate for the 2023 elections, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to the Independent National Electoral Commission.

This was confirmed by a source in the Tinubu Campaign Organization to The Eagle Online in the early hours of Thursday.

The name submitted to the electoral umpire was Alhaji Kabir Ibrahim Masari, who is said to be from Katsina State and a kinsman of the State Governor, Rt. Hon. Aminu Masari.

But The Eagle Online was also told that the submission of Masari’s name was an interim measure in order to meet the deadline of INEC for the submission of names of candidates for national elections. The INEC had given the deadline as July 17, 2022 (today).

The source described Masari as a “place-holder” as the search for a vice presidential candidate for Tinubu continues.

As reported by The Eagle Online earlier on, the search for a running mate for Tinubu has been zoned to the North, with the likelihood of a Muslim from among serving or past governors clinching it.

This has largely given an inkling of a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

This is as those said to be in contention are all Muslims.

Among them are the Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje; Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai; Jigawa State Governor, Abubakar Bagudu; Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum; and former Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima.

The Peoples Democratic Party had on Thursday unveiled Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State as the running mate of Atiku Abubakar for the 2023 elections.…

News / politics

Congratulations, Asiwaju Tinubu, the presumed winner of APC primaries – Osinbajo campaign spokesman

As the counting of the All Progressives Congress presidential primary election is winding up in Abuja, spokesman for the Yemi Osinbajo Campaign Organization, Richard Akinnola, has congratulated the former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, clearly in the lead, as the presumed winner.

Akinnola, in a post on his Facebook page, Wednesday midday, stated, “Congratulations, Asiwaju Tinubu, the presumed winner of the primaries.

“In any contest, there must be a winner. However, I’m very proud of my choice of support in the person of Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.

“I have no iota of regret over my support for him. It was a privilege to play a pivotal role for him during the process. I would gladly do it over and over again. It’s a matter of conviction. “And for all our supporters and other volunteers who worked assiduously, day and night on the PYO project, God bless you all. I’m so proud of all of you.

“As l often say, God rules in the affairs of men and He has a purpose for what just happened.

Understandably, many of you are dispirited and downcast but do not let your heart be troubled. There must be a reason God allowed this. It may not be manifest to us now but later as He is all knowing.

“I’m unfazed, unbowed and proud of PYO. Our supporters, abeg, make una shake it off. No be say person die, Life goes on. No yawa,” he wrote.…

News / politics

APC presidential primaries: Seven aspirants step down for Tinubu, one for Osinbajo

Seven aspirants on Tuesday night stepped down for the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in the ongoing presidential primaries of the party.

The aspirants announced their decisions in their speeches to the leadership of the party and delegates at the Eagle Square.

So also did one aspirant, Felix Nicholas, announce that he was stepping down for the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN).

Those who stepped down for Tinubu, a former Governor of Lagos State, were a former Governor of Akwa Ibom State and former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio; Ekiti State Governor and Chairman, Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; Jigawa State Governor, Abubakar Badaru; former Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun; former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Dimeji Bankole; only female aspirant, Uju Ebeze Kennedy-Ohanenye; and Senator Ajayi Borofice. Other aspirants who went solo included Pastor Tunde Bakare, Rotimi Amaechi, Rochas Okorocha and Ogbonnaya Onu. voting, which started at past 2am on Wednesday, was ongoing as at press time after a disruption occasioned by encroachment.…

News / politics

Seven APC presidential aspirants reject Governors’ shortlist

Seven of the presidential aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress have dissociated themselves from the shortlist presented to President Muhammadu Buhari by Northern Governors to choose a consensus candidate from.

Their position was contained in a letter on Tuesday to President Muhammadu Buhari, hours to the APC primaries.

In the statement by one of them and a former Minister for Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, the aggrieved aspirants said the position of the Governors was meant to sideline others, especially from the South East and South South.

The statement said: “In the past few hours we have been bombarded with calls and messages from my supporters and concerned Nigerians on a list of five Presidential aspirants submitted to President Buhari to choose from. “As long as we are concerned no list has been submitted to Mr. President, the move by the Governors is considered a joke taken to the extreme with the aim of playing with the intellect of Nigerians particularly us from the South-East.

“Mr. President’s directive is very simple, that all Presidential aspirants including those from the North should meet and harmonise inorder to produce a single candidate. As it stands we have not been consulted or attended a meeting where it was agreed that such names be sent to Mr. President.

“In the so-called list out of the five names only one was selected from the South-East and we are talking about fairness and justice to the South. What the Governors have done is a mere picnic in the park. These are the same Governors talking about Equity, justice and fairness yet in a clandestine manner purportedly sidelined the South East.

“In the absence of any harmonised agreement no list has been submitted to Mr. President, what they have done is just nothing but a charade which is bound to fail.
“We also have it on good authority that the majority of these Governors have been promised and also given various forms of gratifications in order to thwart the process in favour of …

News / politics

I’ll step down if APC says so — Pastor Bakare at screening venue

A presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has said he will step down from the 2023 race if his party so demands.

Bakare spoke on Monday with newsmen in Abuja at the venue of the screening of presidential aspirants of the APC.

On Monday, the screening committee, headed by former National Chairman of the party, John Odigie-Oyegun, screened former Lagos State Governor and National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; former Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun; former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi; Jigawa State Governor, Abubakar Badaru; and former Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba. Others also screened were Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi; Felix Nicholas; Senator Ajayi Borroffice; former Senate President, Ken Nnamani; Uju Ken-Ohaneye; and former Governor of Zamfara State, Sani Yerima. Bakare told newsmen: “The party supremacy is the utmost essence.

“You cannot force your way through a party’s structure.

“The party has the final say.

“And when we get to that bridge, we will know how to cross it.

“The screening exercise is to check who is guilty and who is not.

“And it depends on the people, who are doing the screening.

“By God’s grace, we have complied with everything demanded for.

“We have supplied every information.

“And every information given is accurate and there is no miscommunication anywhere.

“Therefore, we will listen to what they have to say to us.

“And we trust God for accurate answers and deserving answers to all questions.”

On her part, the only female aspirant, Ken-Ohaneye, also said she would step down if the party asked her to do so, provided the party would be willing to carry on with her economic blueprints.

She said: “I want you to know that we are a family politically, and if I am asked by the party to step down, I will not challenge the party, because, like they say, charity begins at home.

“I will never see it as a problem to my party, because I am going to …

News / politics

48 hours to APC presidential primary: Another shift likely over absence of screening, convention committee

Uncertainty trailing conduct of the special convention of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to nominate its presidential candidate for the 2023 general election is giving party members anxious moments as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) deadline draws nearer.

The Guardian gathered yesterday that there are strong indications that the party may further alter the convention date, which is originally scheduled for May 29 to 30. This came to the fore as the Senator Abdullahi Adamu-led National Working Committee (NWC) is yet to constitute convention planning committees as at 5p.m. yesterday, as it was the case, in both 2014 and 2018 where Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State headed both conventions that produced President Buhari as the party’s candidate.

Also, about 72 hours to the exercise, the ruling party is yet to screen its presidential aspirants, who have purchased and returned their expression of interest and nomination forms.

The development may not be unconnected with the party’s inability to settle for either the direct, indirect or consensus modes of selecting its standard bearer.

As at Thursday, President Muhammadu Buhari, members of the Governor Atiku Bagudu-led Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF) and the NWC have yet to come up with a definite position on how to resolve the issue relating to the selection of a presidential candidate.

Besides, the decision by the party to reschedule the conduct of its governorship, House of Assemblies, Senate and House of Representatives primaries between Thursday and Saturday after several postponements may have been responsible for the delay.

…

News / politics

Jonathan to APC, PDP: Your ongoing primaries a mess

Nigeria’s former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, has castigated the country’s political parties for the mess they have made of their ongoing primaries for the 2023 elections.

The Peoples Democratic Party and All Progressives Congress are among the parties conducting their primaries now.

Jonathan, who spoke on Thursday in Abuja at the launch of a book titled: “Political Party Governance,” authored by Dr. Mohammed Wakil, a former Minister of State for Power, said: “These whole primaries going on across the country is a mess. “This is not a standard practice. “The process has failed.

“We cannot use the process to elect president, governors, senators and House of Representatives members and others.

“The process is already failed, which is not good for the country.

“But we will manage and move on.

“We pray that good people should come.

“I hope that what happened this year, 2022, will not happen again in this country.”…

News / politics

Osinbajo, Lawan, Umahi consult APC delegates in Imo

Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, and Gov. Dave Umahi of Ebonyi have consulted with delegates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo.

The trio consulted with the delegates in separate meetings in Owerri, the Imo capital, on Tuesday, ahead of the APC’s presidential primaries slated for May 29.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Osinbajo met with delegates from Abia and Ebonyi states in a closed-door session. Lawan, who consulted with the delegates at the party’s secretariat in Owerri, pledged to fully accommodate the interests of the South-East geo-political zone, if elected president. He thanked Gov. Hope Uzodimma for his “excellent leadership skills” in Imo and the South-East, promising not to let Nigerians down.

Also speaking in the course of his consultation, Gov. Umahi pledged to make Nigeria proud if elected president of the nation in 2023.

He assured that his developmental strides in Ebonyi were only a glimpse of his planned developmental initiatives for Nigeria.

“It is with a deep sense of responsibility and humility that I inform you of my intention to contest for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the platform of the All Progressives Congress come 2023.

“If elected President, we shall run a participatory government and, together, develop policy frameworks that will enhance the physical and social environment and tackle corruption and insecurity.

“I will make you proud as president of Nigeria come 2023. The transformation you see in Ebonyi is a microcosm of the macrocosm of Nigeria’s attainment come 2023.

“We shall address squarely, the problems that deter the growth of our economy, especially through the creation of critical infrastructure and manpower development,” he said.…

News / politics

Osinbajo group to Tinubu: VP won’t step down for you

The umbrella organization of all pro-Yemi Osinbajo support groups, The Progressive Project, has said that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will not step down for the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress in the race for the 2023 presidential ticket.

The TPP Director of Operations, Alhaji Usman Aliyu Usman, stated this amid suggestion Osinbajo will step down for Tinubu ahead of the party’s primaries.

Usman said in a statement on Sunday that “some paid agents and other supporters who feel threatened by the candidature of Professor Osinbajo seem determined for a gutter fight which Osinbajo supporters cannot join”.

He said: “One of our visible supporters, Professor Olusola Adeyeye, a two-term Senator who represented Osun Central Senatorial District between 2011 to 2019 made some weighty statements about the APC presidential primaries on Saturday and by Sunday, really baseless and mischievous anti-Osinbajo statements began circulating. “Unfortunately, one of these came from Mr. Daniel Bwala, an aide to Deputy Senate President, Senator (Ovie) Omo-Agege who currently appears to moonlight as spokesman for the Bola Tinubu campaign.

“Specifically, without any proof, Mr. Bwala started circulating a video clip with claims that Professor Yemi Osinbajo is ‘allegedly planning to step down for Asiwaju’; Mr. Bwala had no evidence and he ought to know better than going to town with such.

“Without doubt, Professor Yemi Osinbajo is still riding high in the race and our decision not to interfere in some camps’ deliberate spread of illusion and untruths is only motivated by our genuine confidence in our candidate’s prospects.

“As stated long ago, no group linked to TPP will join any individual or group in playing gutter politics or smearing others but we need to unequivocally state that Professor Yemi Osinbajo is not contemplating any measure of capitulation to any candidate.

“While we are sworn to total allegiance to the Constitution, patriotic values and the spirit of good sportsmanship, we denounce the misleading information and unbecoming tricks that some supporters in other presidential candidates’ camps embrace so eagerly.

“We denounce too, the baseless ad unhelpful information …

News / politics

APC primaries: I have reserved hotels with food for over 7,000 delegates — Osinbajo

The Prof. Yemi Osinbajo Campaign Organisation on Wednesday said that it would provide hotel accommodation for more than 7,000 All Progressives Congress delegates across the country during the party’s presidential primary election.

Senator Babafemi Ojudu, Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari, Office of the Vice-President, disclosed this.

Ojudu announced this to delegates in Minna, while wooing them to vote for Osinbajo during the party’s primaries.

He said: “Before you leave Minna to the national delegates conference, your hotel accommodations and other things will be provided for you to enable you to feel at home through out the delegates conference. “We have provided hotel accommodations for the more than 7,000 APC delegates to the presidential primary election.

“We don’t want a situation where more than one person will stay in a room.

“We want all of you to feel comfortable during the primary election.”

Ojudu said that there would be vehicles to convey the delegates to and fro the venue from their hotels and also a desk officer in each hotel to attend to the needs of the delegates.

“At the hotel, food will be provided and there will be a desk officer to attend to all your needs,” he said.

Ojudu said that the campaign organization would do everything possible to reward the delegates if Osinbajo is elected as the party’s candidate and by the grace of God emerges the president in the 2023 general election.

He said: “In the past our delegates have not been rewarded.

“Rather other people who did not contribute were rewarded with appointments and jobs.

“If Osinbajo is elected as promised, we are going to reward all of you with jobs and appointments.”

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that while Ojudu was briefing the delegates and newsmen, Osinbajo was having a closed door meeting with the state Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello.

NAN also reports that after the meeting with Bello, Osinbajo met the delegates in a closed door before leaving Minna.…

News / politics

APC rakes in N2.63b from presidential forms

The All Progressives Congress, APC, on Tuesday, ended its sale of nomination and expression of interest forms, with no fewer than 25 aspirants jostling for its presidential ticket.

Although, the directorate of organization was still computing the figures of aspirants including those who picked forms in their states as of press time, Vanguard gathered that there are no fewer than 105 governorship aspirants, nearly a thousand National Assembly aspirants and more than 1,500 aspirants for states Houses of Assembly.

A revised timetable issued the National Organizing Secretary, Sulaiman Muhammad Argungu, fixed the last day for submission of completed forms and accompanying documents is now set for today, May 11, 2022.

“Also, Congresses to elect Local Government Area (LGA), State and National Delegates will now be held from Thursday, May 12 to Saturday, May 14, 2022”. 27 presidential aspirants

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu
Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello
Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi
Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba
Governor of Ekiti State and Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), Dr. Kayode Fayemi
Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio
Madam Uju Kennedy – N30m
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo
Former House of Representatives Speaker, Dimeji Bankole
Former Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun
Former National Chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole
Former Governor of Zamfara State, Ahmed Sani
Jigawa State Governor, Muhammad Badaru Abubakar
Labour and Employment Minister, Senator Chris Ngige
Senator Rochas Okorocha
Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade
Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi
Mr Tein Jack-Rich
CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele
Science and Technology Minister, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu
Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva
Former President Goodluck Jonathan
Dr Akinwumi Adesina
Senator Robert Ajayi Borroffice
Pastor Tunde Bakare
Pastor Nicholas Felix Nwagbo
Senator Ken Nnamani
- Total = N2.630 billion
Why APC should cede presidency to South-West, says Sanwo-Olu

Submitting his forms on Tuesday at the International Conference Centre, ICC, Abuja, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, urged stakeholders to cede the APC presidential ticket to the South-West.

On why the recent meeting of some South-West APC

…

News / politics

Lagos 2023: Ambode may pick APC governorship nomination form — Source

Baring any last-minute changes, former governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, may pick the Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms, on Friday, to contest the 2023 governorship race on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Ambode was governor of Lagos state for one term. He lost the APC ticket in the build-up to the 2019 elections to Babajide Sanwo-Olu, current governor of the state.

But a close ally of Ambode told Vanguard that the former governor has concluded plans to pick the Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms to contest on the APC platform, this week.

The source, who spoke in confidence, said: “I am talking to you as a friend that he (Ambode) may likely come out this week on the platform of the APC. From what I know, he may likely contest against Sanwo-Olu at the governorship primary.

“Before the close of the sale of forms, oga (Ambode) will pick the Nomination and Expression of Interest Form. There is a likelihood that he will buy the forms on Friday.”

Similarly, a former Commissioner of Energy and Mineral Resources and Chairman of the Akinwunmi Ambode Campaign Group, Olawale Oluwo, said the former governor’s intentions will be revealed soon.

Oluwo, who spoke to ARISE News about Ambode’s intentions for the upcoming election, noted that structures are in place to challenge Governor Sanwo-Olu for the APC governorship ticket.

The Chairman of the Akinwunmi Ambode Campaign Group said that Ambode will “announce his political ambitions by Friday”.

He also dismissed reports that the Ambode campaign group has been banned.

“Governor Ambode will announce his plans within the week. I think the closing for the sale of forms is Friday.

“Even the president of Nigeria, can he ban an association? When the constitution of Nigeria says that there is freedom of association, we are all members of the party (APC).

“To be able to ban an association, there is a process and there must be probable cause that the association is engaging in criminality or treason or bad things that threaten …

News / politics

How Tambuwal’s senatorial ambition forced only Sokoto PDP senator to defect to APC

Facts have emerged that the secret ambition of the Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, to come to the Senate if he eventually loses the presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party forced the Deputy Minority Whip of the Senate, Ibrahim Danbaba, to defect to the All Progressives Congress.

Governor Tambuwal and Senator Danbaba are from same Senator District: Sokoto South Senatorial District.

There are indications that Tambuwal has bought both presidential and senatorial Expression of Interest and Nomination forms of the PDP.

In order to avoid facing Tambuwal in a senatorial race, Danbaba was said to have taken the easy way out, with assurances from the APC that he would be given the ticket. The lawmaker’s decision to join to the APC was conveyed in a letter read at the start of plenary by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, on Wednesday.

Danbaba was nominated by the PDP on July 15, 2021 for the position of Deputy Minority Whip following the defection of the former Deputy Whip, Senator Sahabi Alhaji Ya’u, representing Zamfara North Senatorial District, from the PDP to the APC.

Danbaba’s defection brings the total number of APC Senators in the upper chamber to 71, and PDP 37.

The lawmaker, in his letter, explained that his decision to leave the PDP was informed by the lingering and multifaceted crisis at the zonal level.

Senator Danbaba’s letter reads: “I write to formally inform you and distinguished colleagues of my decision to join the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).

“My decision is anchored on the continuing multifaceted crisis that have bedeviled the PDP, especially at the zonal level which has created not only credibility problems, but has undermined party discipline, cohesion and focus.

“The situation at the state level has not helped matters either as depicted by lack of political sanity, focus and credible leadership.

“I have in APC, the political ideology in consonance with my personal political philosophy. This Ideology also seems the best suited to meet the expectations and aspirations of my constituents.…

News / politics

LG poll: APC wins in 31 of 34 LGAs in Katsina — KTSIEC

The Katsina State Independent Electoral Commission has declared the ruling All Progressives Congress as winner in 31 out of the 34 local government areas of the state in Monday’s local government poll.

The Secretary of the commission, Alhaji Lawal Faskari, made the announcement in the early hours of Tuesday in Katsina.

Faskari said the election was not completed in Daura and Funtua local government areas.

He also said that election was cancelled in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area due to some challenges, adding that the exercise was peaceful in all other areas. He added: “The exercise was peaceful, and no fewer than 12 registered political parties participated, except in Dutsin-Ma, where challenges forced the commission to use Section 60 of the Katsina State Local Government Elections Law, 2002 to stop the process.

“The commission has so far received complete results from 31 local government areas, 328 wards, awaiting that of Funtua and Daura, while elections in Dutsin-Ma has been cancelled.

“The commission, therefore, wishes to announce that APC has won all the 31 chairmanship and 328 councilorship seats so far collated.”

He congratulated the winners of the election and appreciated the political parties’ high level of maturity and sportsmanship exhibited during and after the exercise.

Faskari added: “KTSIEC also wishes to express its gratitude to the electorate and other stakeholders, and the entire people of the state for the overwhelming support and cooperation extended to it.”…

News / politics

Breaking: Finally, Osinbajo declares for 2023 presidential race + Video

The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has finally declared his intention to stand for the 2023 presidential election.

The declaration, in the early hours of Monday, comes after several months of waiting by Nigerians for Osinbajo.

He made the declaration via his Twitter handle at about 7am on Monday.

This came a few hours after he met Governors elected on the platform of the APC at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Sunday. He broke the Ramadan fast with the Governors.

Among those in attendance were the Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum and Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, and the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Others included Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Adegboyega Oyetola (Osun), Hope Uzodimma (Imo) and Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna).

In a tweet accompanied by a video of four minutes 40 seconds, Osinbajo said: “I am today, with utmost humility formally declaring my intention to run for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the platform of APC.

“At the direction of Mr. President, I have represented our country in several international engagements.

“I have been in markets, factories, schools, and farms.

“I have visited our gallant troops in the North-East and our brothers and sisters in the IDP camps.”

…

News / politics

APC National Convention: Full list of candidates endorsed as NWC members

Fifty-four consensus candidates were endorsed as members of the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress at its National Convention on Saturday in Abuja.

At the National Convention held at the Eagle Square in Abuja, all positions were filled by consensus, achieved through dialogue.

This saw six other aspirants stepping down for former Nasarawa State Governor, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, who emerged as National Chairman.

The full list
Abdullahi Adamu – National Chairman

Abubakar Kyari – Deputy National Chairman (North)

Emma Eneukwu – Deputy National Chairman (South)

lyiola Omisore – National Secretary

Fetus Fuanter – Deputy National Secretary

Muhazu Bawa Rijau – National Vice-Chairman (North Central)

Mustapha Salihu – National Vice-Chairman (North East)

Salihu Lukman – National Vice-Chairman (North West)

Ijeomah Arodiogbu – National Vice-Chairman (South South)

Victor Ton Giadom – National Vice-Chairman (South East)

D.I. Kekemeke – National Vice-Chairman (South West)

Ahmed El-Marzuk – National Legal Adviser

Uguru Mathew Ofoke – National Treasurer

Bashir Usman Gumel – National Financial Secretary

Suleiman M. Argungun – National Organising Secretary

Betta Edu – National Woman Leader

F.N. Nwosu – National Welfare Secretary

Felix Morka – National Publicity Secretary

Abubakar Maikaf – National Auditor

Abdulahi Dayo Israel – National Youth Leader

Tolu Bankole – Special (Persons With Disability) Leader

Ibrahim Salawu – Deputy National Legal Adviser

Omorede Osifo – Deputy National Treasurer

Hamma-Adama Ali Kuro – Deputy National Financial Secretary

Nzo Chidi Duru – Deputy National Organising Secretary

Yakubu Murtala Ajaka – Deputy National Publicity Secretary

Christoper Akpan – Deputy National Welfare Secretary

Olufemi Egbedeyi – Deputy National Auditor

Zainab Abubakar Ibrahim – Deputy National Woman Leader

Jamaluddeen Kabir – Deputy National Youth Leader

Oluwatoyin Opawuye – National Ex-Officio (North Central)

Sirajo Dahuwa – National Ex-Officio (North East)

Allyu Ahmed Yako – National Ex-Officio (North West)

Aqunwa Anekwe – National Ex-Officio (South East)

Diriwari Akedewei – National Ex-Officio (South South)

Bunmi Oriniowo – National Ex-Officio (South West)

Yakubu Mohammed Adamu – Zonal Secretary (North Central)

Mohammed Wali Shettima – Zonal Secretary (North East)

Bello Goronyo – Zonal Secretary (North West)

Azobu Innocent Tapa …

News / politics

Osun Primary: Jagaban ‘house of commotion’

The gloves have been worn and the fight for who controls the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State promises to be bloody, literally.

The mud fight may have already been brought to the doorstep of National Leader of the party and presidential hopeful, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

If something is not urgently done to pull the combatants back from the brink, the center might hold no longer, both for Tinubu’s political family and his presidential ambition.

Sources close to the first layer of Tinubu’s political lieutenants told The Guardian that the maverick politician might face stiffer opposition to his presidential ambition from his supposed loyalists more than people outside his political caucus. Specifically, it was learnt that some of his core loyalists do not see him as “politically fit to govern the country apart from his rumored health challenges.”

And the seeming crack in the “Bourdillon school of politics” is said to be the chief reason many beneficiaries of his magnanimity are also gunning for the presidency or supporting another aspirant against their supposed leader.

It was gathered that while some governors in the country are planning to “retire” Tinubu from active politics by 2023, some other ‘enemies within’ are working round the clock to whittle down his political influence and stop his bid for the presidency.

But sources close to the former Lagos State governor said the gang-up against him is not new and expressed confidence that Tinubu will clinch the party’s presidential ticket and become Nigeria’s president by 2023.

One of them said: “Go and check the records, many politicians that worked against him in the past later came back to be his friend, and he was magnanimous enough to welcome them back with open arms. Those working against him now will soon know that they are political featherweights.”

Sources said the open vituperation by Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, against Tinubu in a video that has gone viral is mere child’s play compared to what would be coming out from his “loyalists” in the …

Tag: APC