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Tag: 2023 Election

  • I assure you of my commitment towards 2023 election – Amaechi writes Tinubu

    I assure you of my commitment towards 2023 election – Amaechi writes Tinubu

    Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has congratulated Bola Tinubu, on his emergence as the All Progressives Congress (APCs) presidential candidate.

    Tinubu polled a total of 1,271 votes out of 2,102 to defeat Amaechi, who scored 316 votes during the party’s presidential primaries held at Eagles Square, Abuja.

    In a signed letter made available to TheNewGuru.com, Amaechi assured Tinubu of his commitment to support him ahead of the 2023 general election.

    It reads: “Dear Asiwaju, Congratulations on your well deserved victory at the PC Presidential Convention held on 07 – 08 June 2022 and extend my best wishes as you prepare for the 2023 Presidential Elections.

    “I am confident that your victory will re-energize the progressive ideals of our great party APC, buttressed by your mission of a Common Sense Revolution which led to the defeat of PDP in the 2015 general elections.

    “As you embark on this historic journey I wish to assure you of my commitment to your success at the polls in 2023 and ultimately look forward to providing the necessary support to ensure that we develop a prosperous country for all Nigerians

    “Please accept the assurances of my highest esteem

  • Kalu wants Buhari to anoint Lawan as his successor

    Senator Orji Uzor – Kalu has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to choose the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, as the consensus presidential candidate of APC and succeed him as the next president.

    The senator stated this in a statement on Thursday.

    Kalu insisted it is only cohesion and consensus among the regions that can produce a president for Nigeria.

    He noted that the earlier Nigerians and presidential aspirants understand that no amount of money can buy the office of the president, the better.

    Senator Kalu, who is the Senate Chief Whip stated that if aspirants continue throw in money, many of the delegates will collect the them but still vote according to their conscience.

    The Abia North senatorial district representative said if money can buy the office, Late MKO Abiola could have bought it with extra change.

    “If money can buy the president, former President Goodluck Jonathan could have bought the presidential seat in 2015.

    ALSO Read: Orji Uzor Kalu celebrates Aliko Dangote at 65

    “I urge President Muhammadu Buhari, to consider giving Nigeria a man who can give the entire country a sense of belonging, fix our economy, secure all parts of the country, take education very seriously and protect his legacy.

    “The man Nigerians can trust is Senator Ahmad Lawan. Picking Ahmad Lawan as the consensus candidate of the APC will heal and stabilize the country as it is the closest to equity, justice, and fairness.

    “I strongly believe that the fairness Nigerians need is to produce a president from the South East of Nigeria. In the absence of the South East, it is the North East.

    “These two regions are the only ones yet to produce the president of Nigeria and since the opposition has gone North East, it is ideal and wise that the APC go North East.

    “I am sure Nigerians will not waste their votes on any candidate that is not from the two regions in the next year’s general elections and following years”.

    TheNewsguru.com reports that the ruling APC has slated June 6 for it special convention to select its standard bearer.

  • 2023: It’s the turn of South to produce the country’s president – Ben Ayade

    Gov.  Ben Ayade of Cross River says it is the turn of Southern Nigeria to produce the country’s next president in 2023 after the expiration of the eight years of President Muhammadu Buhari in office.
    According to a statement by Mr Bayo Onanuga, Director,  Media and Communication Tinubu Campaign Organisation on Wednesday in Abuja, Ayade said this when Sen. Bola Tinubu visited him at the Government House in Calabar.
    Tinubu, a former two-term Governor of Lagos State and one of the leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), is a leading presidential aspirant of the party.
    Ayade explained that the idea of zoning came about to ensure an egalitarian and equitable power-sharing in the country.
    “Zoning is a provision of our Constitution to ensure balancing, it should not be about ethnic or regional domination, but balancing. It’s the turn of Southern Nigeria in 2023,” he said.
    The governor added that the country was in dire need of change and a new way of doing things.
    He noted that with Nigeria’s potential as number seven in the world in terms of oil and gas deposits, it was regrettable that the country was still importing petrol to meet its local demand.
    He described Tinubu as a trans-generational leader and political strategist, adding that he had the capacity, experience and exposure to lead and was more than qualified to be Nigeria’s president.
    Ayade said history would be kind to Tinubu as the man who propelled the APC to power in 2015, stressing that the APC leader was a cornerstone of the party’s success over the years.
    He said he had a long-standing excellent relationship with Tinubu, adding that each time he sought his advice on issues, he always got it.
    “Thank you for your insensitivity to party affiliation, to age difference, to religion and to ethnicity,” Ayade said.
    According to the statement, the APC leader told Ayade who is also contesting for the 2023 presidency, that there is no collision in their desires.
    “Mine is to respect you as you respect me.
    “I appeal to you as your senior brother and the first to declare his intention, not to endorse me today but when you get to Abuja, you can endorse me fully.
    “We must have that unity of purpose, we must work together not only for the unity and economic development of Cross Rivers, but also of the country.
    “We owe that to the present and future generations,” the statement quoted Tinubu as saying.
    Tinubu promised to work with the state for the full development of Calabar Port if elected as the country’s next president in 2023.
    The statement said Tinubu was accompanied on the visit by Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, former Governor of Nasarawa State, Sen. Tanko Al-Makura, and former Governor of Borno, Sen. Kashim Shettima.
    Senate Leader, Sen. Victor Ndoma-Egba, Presidential Aide, Malam Yau Darazo, and Chairman of TETFUND, Alhaji Kashim Ibrahim-Imam also accompanied Tinubu on the visit, the statement said.
    It said the APC leader had earlier visited Obong of Calabar, Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu V, who described him as a great power-broker and a great leader of the APC.

  • 2023: Will APC sink or swim?

    With the dramatic emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) flag bearer for the 2023 presidential elections, all eyes are now on the ruling party, APC, as they shop for a worthy contender on the 6th of June.

    Atiku’s win did not come as a surprise to those with even a surface understanding of Nigerian politics, which evidently has a thing for regurgitating the same set of worn-out leaders. However, asides being the most influential of the lot, Atiku Abubakar, who has been a prominent player in our political clime as far back as 1996, served as Vice President for eight years under the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, and has twice contested the Nigerian presidency under the same umbrella of the PDP, is also unarguably the most experienced.

    Contrasting his political resume with that of his counterparts, it is safe to say that the PDP has gone with their most formidable option. Let’s not talk about his spending power.

    The APC on the other hand is caught in a conundrum. Over twenty aspirants contesting the primaries of a party in apparent disarray; to some, it already feels like the ruling party is at its last gasp. To others, the emergence of Atiku in what is the PDP’s blatant disregard for zoning, is a negotiation of our national unity and should make the job easier for the APC, who only have to present a Christian Southerner and sweep Christian and Southern votes come 2023.

    Is it this simple though? It should be, but “Bourdillon” is in the way.

    Of APC’s twenty three presidential aspirants, there are three front-runners — the national leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and immediate past Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi. Further narrowing down, VP Osinbajo and Rotimi Amaechi fall within the Christian Southerner stratum inevitably ostracising Asiwaju, a Southern Muslim, who, given Nigeria’s current reality cannot run with another Muslim candidate. And a thorough assessment of the APC’s political makeup does not avail any strong Northern Christian running mate, Mr. Tinubu’s only logical option.

    If the APC were by any chance considering the septuagenarian for the ticket, Atiku Abubakar’s weekend win has them cornered.

    As it stands however, the odds seem to favour the Vice President Osinbajo, as Rotimi Amaechi has also experienced a bump in the road this past week after a Supreme Court ruling on Friday dismissed his appeal against a N96b fraud probe, ordering him to face trial.

    With no moral, ethical or legal baggage in his way, his daunting credentials and having served as Vice President for seven years, there is no doubt that Osinbajo possesses the experience and political clout required to bring this home for the APC. A strong Northern Muslim as running mate, the likes of the graceful Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, or the intelligent Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna, little effort is needed to take on Atiku and the PDP, whose northern votes which would have been assured, will now inescapably be shared. He also stands a very little chance with southern Nigerians, who believe that on no account should another northerner be elected after being led by one for eight full years.

    For the APC, hardly any permutation works at this crucial moment but one that involves Osinbajo. There is no time for handholding and money politics, the APC can either get this right or watch from the sidelines for the next four to eight years.

  • BREAKING: Vote aspirants with ‘no baggage’, Senate President to APC delegates

    Nigeria’s Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, has appealed to APC delegates to consider aspirants’ history and public records before voting at the party’s upcoming presidential primary.

    This is contained in a letter contained in a statement he released on Wednesday.

    Lawan, who is a presidential aspirant asked for the delegates’ votes so that he could emerge as the APC presidential flag bearer for the 2023 presidential election.
    He also urged the delegates to choose a person that would lead and not rule Nigerians and “a leader with absolutely no-baggage”.

    ALSO READ: Nine APC presidential aspirants set to step down for Ahmad Lawan

    The statement reads; “To all delegates across Nigeria, I beseech you to put pecuniary and monetary incentives aside and seriously consider what is ‘in the greater good.’ As you make your decision in picking the flag bearer of our party, I urge you to seek for a leader and not a politician.

    “I ask you to choose a person that will lead and not rule Nigerians; one that will be understanding, tolerant, fair, honest, and progressive. A leader that comes with absolutely ‘No-Baggage.’

    “A vital component of any logical, efficient and authentic evaluation of a person involves assessing past behavior. The key here is that one’s best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. If one has always done something a certain way, they are likely to do that same thing in the same manner in the future.

    “The same goes for how one navigates or pillages in leadership. Thus, as you, the delegates, are determining the APC party presidential flag bearer, it is important to look at past behavior to elicit what behaviors, avarice and rapacity candidates have exhibited in the past. It is important for you to access all candidates along this parameter.

    According to the letter which has been obtained by TheNewsGuru.com, it reads in full below:

    My Dear APC Party Delegates,
    Compliments of the season. Permit me to write to you through this medium. As we converge at this great time, in this great party to begin the journey of determining the future of this great nation, we must be cognizant of the fact that the fate of Nigeria fluctuates.

    While democracy asserts that the Nigerian voting public determines the person to emerge as President, however in advance of that, the party delegates are saddled with the task of nominating the flag bearers. This communication is an appeal to all APC delegates as the party prepares for its presidential primaries.

    I am reaching out to every single one of you APC delegates to plead with you to put ‘Nigeria First’ and give thought to the future of 215,763,437 (million) Nigerians, a lot of whom will appreciate the sagacious determination you will make during this process. I am reaching out to you, with humility, to ask for your votes so that I can emerge as the APC Presidential flag bearer for the 2023 Nigerian Presidential election.

    At this point, it is not lost on me that we must come together as one party and as one nation, for we have a great deal to mend, to rehabilitate, to reinstall and so much more to achieve. We have a unique chance to measure up to every expectation and show Nigeria and the world that Democracy triumphs. And that journey shall start during the APC Presidential Primary Election process.

    To all delegates across Nigeria, I beseech you to put pecuniary and monetary incentives aside and seriously consider what is ‘in the greater good.’ As you make your decision in picking the flag bearer of our party, I urge you to seek for a leader and not a politician. I ask you to choose a person that will lead and not rule Nigerians; one that will be understanding, tolerant, fair, honest, and progressive. A leader that comes with absolutely ‘No-Baggage.’

    A vital component of any logical, efficient and authentic evaluation of a person involves assessing past behavior. The key here is that one’s best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. If one has always done something a certain way, they are likely to do that same thing in the same manner in the future. The same goes for how one navigates or pillages in leadership. Thus, as you, the delegates, are determining the APC party presidential flag bearer, it is important to look at past behavior to elicit what behaviors, avarice and rapacity candidates have exhibited in the past. It is important for you to access all candidates along this parameter.

    Dear delegates, look for a leader that will not buy your votes but one that is prepared to sell and deliver your dreams. I promise you that I will be that leader. I am prepared to offer you myself and my heart; my integrity, my dedication and my might. I want to offer you a dream of justice for all, a dream of uniting to fight the foes we face, a dream of unity under one single ideal, common purpose, common endeavor and resolve; a dream to right the wrongs of our past, a dream of work, employment, functioning safe schools, security, electricity, infrastructure, stable economy, compassion for citizenry, technology, opportunity and so much more that Nigerians desire.

    I will give you my all, thinking not of power, but of possibility and the public good. I want you to take my hand so that together, we can show the Nigerian story of hope, unity, tolerance, healing, principle, greatness and goodness. I want you to take my hand so that together we can learn from history, embrace faith and find a way to unify Nigeria and take her into the future. We are at an extraordinary historic moment both in APC and in Nigeria and our unity is the path forward.

    Dear delegates, I give you my word, I will defend the constitution. I’ll defend our democracy. I will defend Nigeria. I will defend every single Nigerian from every nook and cranny, across the length and breath of the nation and from every corner. I commit to defend all 371 spectacular tribes existing in this brilliant, colorful, diverse and beautiful nation.
    This and nothing more than this is what we owe to our forefathers, this is what we owe to each other and this is what we owe to the generations that will follow behind us; to our children and our children’s children.

    Dear APC delegates, you have the sacred mission at this hour of history, during this hour of decision of taking this country to a plain beyond. I urge you to assist me in uniting Nigeria in our common desire to move forward together.

    We shall meet on the voting field as members of Africa’s largest party and as Nigerians united in our resolve to remain the most vibrant party in Africa and one of the greatest nations on earth. We shall meet on the voting field to tell the positive tale of Nigeria. While this is expected of every Nigerian, it starts with you, the APC delegates.

    I give you my word that I shall not fail you. To this end, I ask for your precious votes and your dedication to our party, APC, and to our motherland. I give you my word that, given the privilege of carrying the APC Presidential ticket, I will represent you with pride, courage, equity, endurance, faith, conviction, devotin to you all and the country we love with all our hearts. I give you my word that I will strive to take the APC presidential ticket nomination you will hopefully give to me and turn it into a landslide win in the 2023 general elections.

    Al-Haji Sir Ahmadu Bello, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Al-Haji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Herbert Macaulay, Professor Eyo Ita, Alvan Ikoku, Chief Anthony Enahoro, Sir Egbert Udo Udoma, Al-Haji Aminu Kano, Chief S. A. Ajayi, Joseph Tarka, Chief Sunday Awoniyi, Dennis Osadebay and all the other great men that founded, made and preserved this great Republic are looking down and smiling fondly at every single one of you as you take your place in history in duty and service of your great party and ultimately, your nation.

    May you all be protected and directed through wisdom as you journey to the presidential primary election to speak for yourself, your family, your generation, your future, your state and for Nigeria.
    May the Almighty be with you as you make the best decision for the future of Nigeria.

  • 2023: Gov. Ifeanyi’s aide organises Inter-Party Sports Festival

    Special Assistant to Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu on Inter-Party Affairs, Mr Matthias Madus, has organised an Inter-Party Youths Sports Festival (IYSF) among political parties in the South-East in a bid to end electoral violence in the region.

    Madus said the gesture was to unite youths from different political parties in the South-East in love and understanding.

    He disclosed this in an interview with newsmen on Tuesday in Enugu.

    According to him, he said, this would reduce the rising insecurity, brutality and violence among party faithful and loyalists during elections, adding that major people who perpetrated these crimes were youths.

    He said that IYSF would hold between Aug. 1 and 10, with football matches between youths of the various political parties and other special attractions such as music hunts and beauty pageants, to promote peace.

    “So, the organising sports festival of this nature among them will change their understanding and perception about politics.

    “Rather than seeing politics as do-or-die affair, we hope to change their orientation and reduce electoral crimes during elections.

    “It will help to build people’s confidence in our politics, bridge gaps and deepens our democracy.

    “I will tell the young artistes to use their songs to discourage electoral violence while ladies will use their beauty through beauty pageant (Miss Political) to promote peace,” Madus said.

    According  to him, IYSF will serve as a tool to ignite the minds of the youth to love and be peaceful as these are key to political developments.

    He added that the sports festival would also restore inter-party broken relationships, and encourage political participation among the youth.

    This, he noted, was in line with Gov. Ugwuanyi’s effort to ensure that people enjoyed peace and tranquillity in the state.

    “Therefore, I will use the event to educate party supporters on need to concentrate their energies in loving and promoting their parties and their manifestoes than criticising and condemning others.

    “So far, I have been in consultation with political parties and many of them have showed willingness to participate, saying it will take youths to the right direction,” he said.

    He, however, said that there would be a registration fee of N5,000 by participating party teams and donations from well-meaning Nigerians.

    Madus, therefore, appealed to individuals, organisations and governments for financial support to help in the quest to stop electoral violence in the country.

  • Ex-Ebonyi SSG clinches APGA guber ticket

    A former Secretary to Ebonyi State Government, Professorprof  Benard Odoh, has emerged candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for the 2023 governorship elections in the state.

    His emergence was confirmed on Sunday after the party’s primary election which took place in Abakaliki, the state capital, having polled 513 votes.

    ALSO READ: Delta: Ogboru emerges APGA guber candidate, vows its time to take over from PDP

    Chairman of the state APGA Governorship Primary Election Committee in Ebonyi, Dr. Olalere Samson, who announced the results, said Odoh picked all the votes, having contested unopposed.

    In his acceptance speech, Odoh described his victory as the beginning of the eventual liberation for the people of the state.

    He described APGA as the only viable party in the state, arguing that the ruling All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party have been torn beyond redemption by crises.

  • 2023: Ben Ayade denies participating in senatorial primary

    Cross River state  Governor Professor Ben Ayade has denied participating in the All Progressives Congress (APC) Senatorial primary election held in the state on Saturday.

    APC report sheet showed that the Cross River state Governor polled 52 votes against Adams Cecelia, who scored 140.

    However, Ayade has released a statement through his media aide Chris Ita, denying any involvement in APC Senatorial primary election.

    The statement reads in part  ”Ayade is a presidential aspirant and will be taking part in the APC presidential convention slated for June 6.

    ”We make bold to say that the so-called parallel primary election as contained in the said video was at best a poorly scripted skit comedy shot by three persons sitting in a room.

    “The sham video is indeed a joke taken too far. It was a vapid, infantile but failed attempt at manipulation, as the clowns behind it tragically forgot to also manufacture ballot boxes, delegates, observers and APC panel members,” it said.

    The State government said the result circulating on social media was the handiwork of political desperadoes who are out to embarrass the governor.

    ”We wish to assure teeming APC members and supporters, particularly in Northern Cross River, that there was no parallel Senatorial primaries in the district.

    ”The only valid and recognised senatorial primaries that took place in Ogoja and which was won by the former Chief of Staff to the Governor, Martin Orim and which does not have Ayade on the ballot, was monitored by the INEC and representatives from APC’s National Secretariat.

    “The purported video suggesting a parallel exercise should, therefore, be ignored,” it added.

  • Why should Nigerians give you another opportunity? – Tinubu to Atiku

    Following the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2023 presidential election, an All Progressives Congress (APC) leader, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has called on Atiku to explain why he should be given another opportunity.

    Tinubu made the statement on Sunday morning while congratulating Atiku for his victory at the keenly contested primary, praising his political experience and patriotism.

    He further stated that the former vice president and his party will have to explain why Nigerians should give them “another opportunity, after squandering 16 years at the central government, without much to show”.

    “Nigerians are yet to forget the national ruin and mismanagement of our country for 16 years by successive PDP administration and this bad memory will dog the campaign of the PDP Candidate,” Mr Tinubu said via the statement by the Director, Media and Communication of his campaign organisation, Bayo Onanuga.

    The former Lagos governor also said he was looking forward to squaring up with Atiku “as a worthy opponent in the coming presidential election”.

    Mr Tinubu is a frontline presidential aspirant on the platform of the ruling APC which will hold its primary next week.

    With the PDP picking its candidate from the North which has more registered voters than the south, it remains unclear if the APC will be bold enough to nominate Mr Tinubu from the south as its flagbearer for the election.

  • Atiku urges defeated PDP presidential aspirants to work with him

    The Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar has urged his fellow contestants in the primary election to work with him for the victory of the party.

    Abubakar said this on Sunday morning in Abuja in his acceptance speech after he was declared winner of the PDP primary and party’s candidate.

    He described the primary election that produced him freest and a well-fought election, pledging to work with the co-aspirants and give them sense of belonging, if elected.

    “Let me also use this opportunity to call on my fellow contestants and to assure them that I am ready to cooperate and work with them and give them a sense of belonging in this party and our next government.

    “Therefore, my fellow compatriots, I want to appreciate your efforts in deepening our democratic processes in this party. It was a well fought primary election.

    “ So, I commend you for that and I look forward to working with you very closely. So that together we can build this party to a level where we can take over the government,” Abubakar said.

    He also appealed to aggrieved party members to return to the PDP, pledging that their grievances would be addressed.

    Abubakar described the exercise as the freest election conducted by the party, saying the outcome remains historical in bringing fundamental changes to governance and democracy.

    “Today, we are making another history. The history, which we believe will bring about fundamental changes in governance and also in our political processes.

    “Today, we have witnessed another one of the freest elections to be conducted by our great party.

    “Today marks another milestone in the process of our democratic gains,” he said

    The former vice president reiterated his pledge to unify the country as well as deal with its economic and security challenges.

    He recalled that in his declaration he referred to himself as a unifier and pledged to unify the country.

    “I am going to deal decisively with our security challenges in this country. I also pledge to confront our economic challenges, which were caused by the APC government.

    “The PDP made Nigeria one of the most prosperous countries on the African continent.

    “We implemented economic reforms that brought about jobs, and prosperity in this country,” the gains according to him had been wiped out, pledging to return them.

    Newsmen reports that Abubakar polled 371 votes to defeat his close contender, Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers, who polled 237 votes.