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Tag: 2023 Election

  • 2023: ‘No alert has been received’ – LP State chairmen cry out hours to election

    2023: ‘No alert has been received’ – LP State chairmen cry out hours to election

    State chairmen of the Labour Party (LP) have cried out over neglect in the running of campaigns and mobilisation activities in the party.

    They have declared that the presidential candidate of the party, Peter Obi cannot win the presidential election on Saturday as the chairmen are yet to receive money for mobilisation.

    Alleging neglect by Obi, they said the former Anambra Governor has failed to recognise the important role of the 36 state chapters’ leadership but choose to work with cronies and support groups.

    The Gombe State LP chairman and co-ordinating chairman for the 36 States, Sani Abdulsalam, told reporters in Abuja that such tendencies could affect the party’s performance at the polls.

    He was accompanied by the national vice chairman (North East), Mohammed Alkali and the Yobe State chairman, Ibrahim Bukar, amongst others.

    Abdulsalam said: “I speak on behalf of 36 state Chairmen of our party in my capacity as the Coordinating Chairman.

    “We have never been respected by the party leadership and also our presidential candidate has no respect for our party executives at state levels because Peter Obi deliberately mismanaged our goodwill with the imposition of his members and other support groups that decamped with him in May 2022 to our party.

    “Of note, Wednesday, February 22, 2023, was the meeting we had with the National Chairman in the party head office where a discussion was held about the logistics support for state chapters and National officers towards effective Mobilisation of our members for the presidential and National Assembly election on Saturday, February 25, 2023

    “To our surprise, the National Chairman said the Presidential candidate has no confidence in all the 36 state chapters’ leadership but would rather choose to work with their cronies and support group that came with him.

    “The greatest shock from the National Chairman was that money for agents will not be sent to any State Chairman or National officers except those three NWC members including a woman and that all state Chairmen and 19 other members already picked by Mr. Peter Obi himself will be given monies meant for party agents and an alert will be received by 10 pm tonight Wednesday, February 22, 2023.

    “As of now, no alert has been received by any State Chairmen and information reaching us confirmed that money was paid based on ethnic and religious consideration because only persons of a particular ethnic group currently run the campaign of Mr Peter Obi in cohort with the National Chairman, has polluted the party.

    “As members of the Labour Party National Executive and National Working Committee, it is our considered opinion and informed conclusion that Peter Obi cannot win this election since all party executives have been sidelined. He is not ready and is grossly ill-prepared for the Presidential race.”

  • 2023 polls: We are good to go on all fronts – CDS, Irabor

    2023 polls: We are good to go on all fronts – CDS, Irabor

    The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Lucky Irabor has reassured Nigerians that the armed forces and other security agencies are ready to provide safe and secure environment for the 2023 general elections.

    Irabor gave the assurance while briefing newsmen shortly after meeting with service chiefs and heads of security agencies on Monday in Abuja.

    The closed-door meeting was attended by Service Chiefs, Inspector-General of Police, Directors General of Department of State Services (DSS) and National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and the Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI).

    He said the purpose of the meeting was to review security arrangements for the elections and develop action plans to ensure that the exercise hold under a peaceful atmosphere.

    “We have just finished the meeting. The service chiefs, the Inspector General of Police, the DSS, represented by the Director of Operations, the DG, NIA and the CDI.

    “Looking at the security for the elections and as you know, the police is the lead agency for elections security, we have compared notes and assessed the entire situation and we are good to go.

    “The assessment is that we are set on all fronts.

    “We got representation from the Independent National Electoral Commission, who of course you have interacted with, and has also told Nigerians and the world that they are ready for this election.

    “By and large, we are good to go and I like to use this opportunity to assure Nigerians that on the security front, we are good to go on all fronts,” he said.

    Irabor also gave assurance that the security agencies would cover every part of the country to ensure peaceful elections, so that all eligible Nigerians exercise their franchise.

    He added that contingency actions had been taken to address areas with peculiar security challenges.

    The CDS warned those that intend to cause trouble during the elections to have a have rethink, “because they will have a bloody nose”.

  • My wife, myself, and children are fully Obidients – Apostle Suleman declares

    My wife, myself, and children are fully Obidients – Apostle Suleman declares

    Apostle Johnson Suleman of Omega Fire Ministries has declared his support for Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate, Peter Obi ahead of Saturday’s election.

    Suleman spoke while delivering a sermon on Sunday in his church in Auchi, Edo State.

    He disclosed that all members of his family and associate pastors are Obidients.

    According to Suleman: “Don’t plan your political life around someone who is ungrateful; he will retire you.

    “In Omega Fire Ministries, God has blessed us; no matter the economy of the forest, a lion cannot eat grass; use this anger to vote against this wickedness.

    “My wife, myself, and children we’re fully Obidients; we’re not those who make noise on social media, we work in the background, and we are fully in support, if you like vote insecurity, tribalism, bigotry or ethnicity.”

    Obi is one of the leading presidential contenders for Saturday’s election.

    Nigerians have been vigorously campaigning for Obi with the aim of him succeeding President Muhammadu Buhari

  • 2023 polls: G-5 govs will not disclose plans, strategies – Wike

    2023 polls: G-5 govs will not disclose plans, strategies – Wike

    River State Governor, Nyesom Wike has stated that the G-5 governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would remain silent and not reveal their strategy ahead of the forthcoming elections starting on February 25.

    Wike while reacting to a claim by the Chairperson of the PDP presidential campaign in the State, Lee Maeba that the G5 was dead.

    The G5 group comprises Wike, Samuel Ortom of Benue, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu, Seyi Makinde of Oyo, and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia.

    However, speaking on Tuesday at a campaign flag-off rally organised by the Rivers PDP campaign council for Ahoada East LGA, Wike said the group has withdrawn from speaking regularly in public, to strategise.

    A statement by Wike’s Media Aide, Kelvin Ebiri, said: “You people say G5 is dead. We that you said are dead are not worried, but you that are alive are worried.

    “We are not talking again; we are not worried. Yet you are worried. You fail to realise that in politics, there is time for talking and time for action. Action has started and 25th February is the D-day.

    “You can never know what our plans and strategies are. No matter how you people pressurise us, we will not disclose our strategy. The more you look, the less you see.”

  • Army assures Nigerians of a hitch free election

    Army assures Nigerians of a hitch free election

    The Nigerian Army on Tuesday assured Nigerians of a peaceful conduct of the forthcoming general election in the country.

    The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 3 Division Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Abdulsalami Ibrahim stated this at the inauguration of the Division’s Operational Planning Training exercise in Bauchi.

    He said the army had prepared its personnel and operatives of sister security agencies for the conduct of a hitch free election exercise.

    Represented by Maj.- Gen. Eyitayo Oyinlola, the GOC described the training exercise as timely, and urged the participants to remain professionals in the discharge of their duties.

    The exercise, he said, would prepare officers within the its Area of Responsibility (AOR) for the task ahead to ensure hitch free election.

    “The lectures in this cadre are particularly crafted to provide the security personnel operating in the North Central and North East regions of operations with the necessary tools to face security challenges peculiar to the regions.

    “Considering the nature of operations, the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies are currently undergoing training across the nation, to tackle militancy in the south, insurgency in the North East and banditry/terrorism in the North West,” he said.

    Ibrahim noted that different forms of insecurity had peculiar set of challenges that require individualised training of security personnel operating in the zones.

    “The lecture on junior leadership should be of particular interest to the young officers deployed in various locations across the North Ventral and North East theater of operations,” he said.

    He said the exercise was in tune with the vision of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya of professional Nigerian Army ready to accomplish assigned missions within a joint operation in defense of the country.

    He tasked the participants not to rest on their oars and continue to work assiduously with other security agencies towards improving security in the country.

    While urging the participants to be objective in their contributions during the interactive sessions, Ibrahim enjoined them to take keen interest in all the presentations during the training.

    Nigerian standard reports that the participants were drawn from the Nigeria Army, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Coros (NSCDC), the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), among others.

  • INEC dismisses reports on election postponement

    INEC dismisses reports on election postponement

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed reports on the planned postponement of the 2023 General Election.

    The commission in message on its Twitter handle titled: “fake news alert” on Monday night said INEC has no plan and will not postpone the election.

    “Our attention has been drawn to a fake report circulating on the social media with the title: ‘INEC May Postpone Feb. 25 Election by a week or two.

    “The commission will not and is not contemplating postponing the 2023 General Election. Nigerians should disregard it,” INEC said.

    The fake news dated Feb. 13, claimed that INEC may have to shift the Feb. 25 presidential election to March 4, 2023, due to the scarcity of cash as a result of the new Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) policy limiting daily withdrawal and availability of the newly redesigned N200, N500 and N1000 notes.

    Also reacting, the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi, said INEC had no plan to postpone the election.

    “It is not true. INEC will not, and is not even contemplating postponing the 2023 general election.

    “To be sure, the presidential and National Assembly election will take place on Feb. 25, while the governorship/State Houses of Assembly election will hold on March 11 as scheduled.”

  • 2023: U.S speaks on preferred candidate in Nigeria’s election

    2023: U.S speaks on preferred candidate in Nigeria’s election

    Molly Phee, U.S Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, says her country has no preferred candidate in the Nigeria’s general election.

    Phee stated this when she visited the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu in his office on Monday in Abuja.

    She expressed confidence that the general election would be hitch-free and successful.

    “Democracies are exciting experiment in human governance. It doesn’t matter whether you’re rich or poor, whether you live in a city or in the countryside, what your religion is, what your nationality is.

    “Every single vote counts and Nigerian should have confidence in their electoral process. Thanks to the excellent work of INEC.

    “We are honored to be here to see you today. We are proud of our contribution in technical assistance to help you meet the challenges of conducting such a large election. It is such a large and diverse country.

    “We, like your other international partners are confident that you will succeed,” she said.

    Phee said that although the U.S had no preferred candidate in the election, it would back the processes toward a credible poll.
    She said that the U.S highly valued its partnership with Nigeria.

    “We are both diverse democracy and we want to encourage a successful election that is free and fair and peaceful, and I’m happy to say that I have great confidence that you will have a successful election.

    “Since 1999, Nigeria has been moving up in solidifying and consolidating its democratic trajectory.

    “And now, with INEC under the leadership of the chairman, and the support of his superb team, all Nigerians can have confidence in the integrity of the upcoming election,” she said.

    Phee advised Nigerians to ensure that there was peace in that the country before, during and after the election.

    “I do want to emphasise the importance of conducting a peaceful election.

    “I do want to emphasize that every citizen, every stakeholder, every party involved in in the election has a responsibility before the election, during the campaign period, during the election and after the election, to be peaceful,’’ Phee said.

    In his remarks, Yakubu re-stated INEC’s commitment to free, fair and credible election that would uphold the will of the people as expressed in the poll.

    “Like the United States, INEC is only interested in the process. The commission is not a political party. We have no candidates in the election.

    “We only focus in the process, the choice ultimately belong to the people of Nigeria. The commission will uphold the choice made by Nigerians.

    “We are committed to free, fair, credible, and inclusive and I must also add verifiable elections in 2023,” he said.

    Yakubu said that INEC looked forward to consolidating its partnership with the U.S.

    “If the United States is the largest presidential democracy in the world, which country is the second largest presidential democracy in the world? It is actually Nigeria.

    “Yes, you may have other countries like India, Indonesia, other democracies, but they are parliamentary democracy, not presidential democracy.

    “Based on the projection of Nigeria’s population in the next two years, who knows we may also utterly overtake the United States as the largest presidential democracy in the world.

    “So we’re interested in ensuring that we consolidate our democracy. There is no system of government better than a democratic system where the will of the people will continue to prevail,” he said.

  • INEC directs voters on how to know their Polling Units

    INEC directs voters on how to know their Polling Units

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has advised eligible voters in the upcoming general election to visit its online portal to know their polling units.

    The commission gave the advice in a short message titled “Information for all eligible voters”, issued on Sunday in Abuja.

    The commission said this was important as it had moved some allotted voters from overcrowded polling units to less congested polling units within the same location to promote a stress-free voting experience on election day.

    “INEC in exercise of its powers under Section 40(2) of the Electoral Act, 2022, has allotted voters from overcrowded polling units to less congested polling units within the same location to promote a more pleasant and stress free voting experience on election day.

    “Please visit the INEC’s Voter Verification System on: www.cvr.inecnigeria.org/vvs or voters.inecnigeria.org to check your name on the register of voters and confirm the location of your polling unit where you will vote on election day,” it stated.

    The commission added that the list of registered voters in the 176,846 polling units nationwide would be on display at each polling unit prior to the election day.

    “Eligible voters are encouraged to visit their polling units to check for their name on the register and confirm location of their polling unit where they will vote on election day,” it advised.

  • APC PCC explains media attacks on Tinubu

    APC PCC explains media attacks on Tinubu

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) Medical Directorate has says Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the party’s presidential candidate is being attacked in the media because of his growing popularity and acceptability.

    Dr. Ikechukwu Odikpo, Director of the directorate made the clarification at a presidential campaign medical town hall meeting it organised on Saturday in Abuja.

    Odikpo said the event was historic in the country’s medical evolution as it assembled the best across Nigeria’s medicare to dialogue on how to better the health care sector and services.

    He also said that the event was an opportunity to bring to the front burner solutions and prospects of charting new effective and efficient medical services for the country.

    Odikpo said since the return of democracy in the country in 1999, he had always admired the good fortunes of Lagos politicians ”because they had a great leader in Tinubu.”

    He added that he had secretly wished he was from Lagos State, saying, ”Lagos politicians had enjoyed awesome mentorship as well a structured organisational order, courtesy of Tinubu.”

    The director said Tinubu, a former two-term governor of Lagos State had extraordinary talents, saying, ”history has beckoned on Tinubu to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari.

    ”Buhari has laid the foundation for him to build on because he has been destined to change the Nigerian narratives.

    “It’s only ripe fruits that get stoned, you are ripe, hence all the attacks but no man can change your God’s destiny.

    “Surely, you will build a better Nigeria that we all will be very proud of like Lagos State of today under your governorship.

    “Yesterday is no longer ours to recover but tomorrow is ours to win and we must win our tomorrow in the interest of our future generations and our great country Nigeria.”

    Odikpo assured that, if elected as the country’s next president, Tinubu would change the narrative in the country’s health sector.

    He explained that healthcare as presented in Tinubu’s manifesto was a complete document, covering critical areas like human resources, brain drain, medical tourism, infrastructure, universal health care and health financing.

    “But, we want Nigerians especially medicare professionals and our youths to be part of our actions and decisions, hence this town hall meeting.

    “To carry a positive action in life, you must develop a positive vision.

    “When health is absent, wisdom cannot reveal itself, strength cannot fight, intelligence cannot be applied, art cannot become manifest and wealth becomes useless.

    ”So, health is wealth, let’s create a wealthy nation by putting our health care services in the right perspective with Tinubu as the country’s next president,” he said.

    Odikpo noted that Nigeria was blessed with great potentials to lead the world in almost all areas of human endeavors, but was being weighed down by her environment.

    He said, ”there is therefore need to change our environment so we could start excelling like the western world.”

    Odikpo urged that Nigerians should be thankful to God for having Tinubu, an astute visionary leader, who changed the environmental narrative of Lagos State.

    “He will by the grace of God, be on the driver’s seat of Nigeria as President come May 29th, 2023, the wheel of change will be accelerated by his wealth of experience and statesmanship,” he said.

  • 2023: Tinubu reveals topmost priority if elected president

    2023: Tinubu reveals topmost priority if elected president

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Saturday vowed to use his wealth of experience to transform the nation’s economy to greatness, if elected.

    He made the pledge while addressing crowd of people who converged at the Haliru Abdu Stadium, Birnin Kebbi, to welcome him to Kebbi State.

    Tinubu was in Kebbi with his running mate, Sen. Kashim Shettima, Governors Simon Lalong of, Plateau, Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano, Babagana Zulum of Borno and Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa states, for a presidential rally.

    Tinubu said: “I promise to give the greatest and the best of economy if elected in the upcoming general elections.”

    He also promised to turn the famous Argungu Fishing Festival into the best tourist attraction festival not only in Nigeria but across Africa.

    The flag-bearer appealed to all to remain united and peaceful, observing that despite the fact that “some people are very angry, yet, we must come together and salvage the nation using our PVCs.

    “If voted into power, we will make sure that we replace violence and poverty with peace and agricultural machinery as well as manage the nation’s economy to prosperity.”