Tag: 2023 Elections

2023: Kassim Afegbua moves against Atiku

Former Commissioner for Information in Edo State, Prince Kassim Afegbua, on Sunday described as immoral for former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to continue to express interest in seeking election in the 2023 presidential election having attained the retirement age.

‘’Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar cannot assume the role of a perpetual candidate or professional aspirant year in, year out, of the party as though the party was established for him alone. It defeats all sense of logic for such an old man to attempt another round of political contestation at a time the general feeling and mood in the country supports a younger Nigerian from the Southern extraction of the country,’’ Afegbua stated.

He also advised Atiku to quit his quest for presidency and support a southern Nigerian candidate in the spirit of fairness, equity and justice that will assuage the feelings of stakeholders from the Southern part of Nigeria.

‘’For me, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar should quit his quest for presidency and support a southern Nigerian candidate in the spirit of fairness, equity and justice, that will assuage the feelings of stakeholders from the Southern part of Nigeria. It will be against the run of play and natural justice for any aspirant of Northern extraction to show interest in the 2023 presidential election within the Peoples’ Democratic Party threshold. It will offend national sentiments, emotions and logic for anyone from the North to show such interest given our diversities and hetereogenous political configurations. Given PDP’s doctrine of political power balancing and fairness, it will be against its own unwritten rule to cede the ticket to any Northern aspirant least of all Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’’.

In a statement titled ‘’ 2023: Atiku and the age of Methuselah politics’’, the Edo State People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain said after the 2019 presidential election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar abandoned all the members of the party and sought refuge in far away Dubai, thus exposing the PDP members to the intimidations, harassment and threats posed by the desperate APC’s power oligarchs.

‘’It was a case of a General abandoning his troops in the battle field. Rather than draw strength from his presence, his absence exposed us to all manner of challenges. He was in Dubai and left us to our fate. When it mattered most for us to reach out to our candidate for motivation and necessary encouragement, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar vanished to thin air. Knowing full well that political activities were to take off, he suddenly resurfaced and became a frontliner in his quest to fly the party’s flag once again. That, to me, amounts to gross political selfishness and greed, which must not be allowed to flourish in our contemporary engagements. Even those who are promoters-in-chief of Alhaji Atiku’s aspiration know in their heart of hearts that it is a project that is dead on arrival’’.

Afegbua urged the leadership of the PDP to rise above board to produce a presidential candidate from the Southern part of the country to complete the narrative.

‘’Having concluded the convention of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, with a new leadership that looks promising, the Party will have to rise above board to produce a presidential candidate from the Southern part of the country to complete the narrative. With the abysmal performance of President Muhammadu Buhari on account of age, incompetence and lack of capacity and political will to take deliberate and sustained action to bail out the country from all manner of challenges, it will be immoral for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to continue to express interest in seeking election in the 2023 presidential election having attained the retirement age.

Specifically, Afegbua reaffirmed his position on power shift come 2023.

‘’The Southern geopolitical zones of Nigeria have eminently qualified Nigerians and parade great minds who are competent and ready to take a shot at the number one job. Those who are advancing very nebulous theory of seeing the northern population as a stimulant to win the sympathy of the North against the South are either ignorant of the real demographics or at best, just playing the ostrich. No one in the North should take away what belongs to the South. That will be hurting the consciences and feelings of the average southerner. If the argument is to suffice for example, for an Atiku presidency, he will be finishing his first term of four years at age 81. And were he to become a candidate in 2023 again, and per adventure he loses the election, are we, as PDP, going to reserve the position for him or any other Northerner in 2027? These are very curious scenarios which cannot be overlooked. For 2023, an Atiku candidacy will be like promoting an expired product in the face of very compelling reason to look down South in our quest to wrestle power from the fractured APC’’.

He urged Atiku and other Northern aspirants to support the aspiration of upwardly mobile and younger elements from the South to fly the PDP flag.

‘’Earlier last year, I was conscripted into the Technical Committee for Atiku presidency. Having attended three meetings of the group, I found my spirit and conscience permanently in conflict with the ethos of justice, fairness and equity, which the south deserves. A Nigerian of southern extraction deserves to be given unfettered opportunity to represent the party in the 2023 presidential contest. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and his northern aspirants should support the aspiration of upwardly mobile and younger elements from the South to fly the PDP flag. Anything short of such will be tantamount to standing logic on its head, and a deliberate attempt to undermine the collective interest and aspirations of the Southern aspirants. I will therefore implore the new management and members of the National Executive Committee of the PDP as well as the National Working Committee to speak with one voice in ensuring that the South is given what is due to it. Doing that, will mean promoting the fundamental principles of democracy of all inclusiveness and participation. Let it be known that I will not hesitate to commence the process of mobilizing, sensitizing and conscientizing like minds and team up with other stakeholders to drum up the necessary support that will birth a Southern candidate for the party. Justice should not only be served, it must be seen to have been served’’.

‘’Nigerians in their millions are tired of seeing the faces of persons who have dominated the political space in the last forty years and yet, unwilling to take a bow. In the spirit of the new thinking and paradigm shift, please tell them to allow us to breathe’’ he added.

January 23, 2022
2023: Don’t waste your money to contest – Gov Okowa tells opposition aspirants

…you have done well, you remain Delta PDP leader after your tenure – Ibori tells Okowa

Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has advised aspirants in opposition parties in the State not to waste their time and money to contest the 2023 elections.

TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Governor Okowa gave the advice while speaking at a mega rally organised by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta at the Cenotaph, Asaba, on Saturday.

While affirming that PDP remained one united family in the State, Okowa assured members of the party of free, fair and transparent primary elections ahead of the 2023 general elections.

He assured that leaders of the party in the State would ensure that primaries for all elective positions were free and credible.

He said that the massive mobilisation for the rally showed that PDP was ready to rescue Nigeria from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and advised aspirants in other political parties not to waste their money to contest elections in Delta.

“I give thanks to God for what is happening here today and I thank our leaders in the PDP, our state and local government executives, our youths and women for the massive mobilisation for this rally.

“It is by the grace of God and through their hands that we have mobilised to make a statement today across Nigeria that PDP is prepared to take over this nation.

“One good thing about us in the PDP is that we are one family, we are not like the other people where one man takes it all. Here in PDP, we are one family.

“We work as a family with the love of God but in the other parties, they are always fighting themselves.

“We have been doing a great job as Deltans, but it is because Deltans voted us into power and that is why we have the opportunity to do the great job that we are doing for our state.

“It is because you have always supported us that is why when we win, we win very well. We won well in 2015 and in 2019, and in 2023 we will finish work again.

“We are advising those who want to run in other political parties not to waste their time and money because there is no space for them in Delta,” Okowa said.

Okowa remarked that his administration had done quite a lot since inception, explaining that he had appointed many youths into government and that never in the history of the state had youths been so appointed into various offices in the state.

“Never in the history of this state have youths been so empowered through our various empowerment and entrepreneurship programmes.

“We have done well for our women and we will continue to do more for them, and let me make it clear that even as we play politics, we will continue to do the work that you asked us to do,” he said.

On infrastructure, the Governor assured Deltans that his administration would not slow down in constructing more roads, saying “until I leave office in May, 2023, we will continue to build more and more roads and for those who haven’t been to Asaba in recent times, when you see our new State Secretariat you will be proud that you are a Deltan.

“All our achievements are the collective efforts of all Deltans because you gave us the peace to work and we can’t thank you enough.”

He advised aspirants to control their followers, noting that there was no need for any fight as the party remained one big united family.

“We are one family in PDP; we cannot fight and we will never fight; at the appropriate time, it will be well with us.

“But, one thing I have always promised and I still promise today is that there will always be free and fair primaries; so, there is no room to fight.

“There is no room to quarrel, let us work together as one family that we are and ensure that PDP stays continuously as a family,” he stressed.

In his address, former Governor of the State, Chief James Ibori, lauded Governor Okowa for his style of leadership.

Chief Ibori declared that he would continue to support him to succeed beyond his tenure as governor of the State.

“I cannot be more proud that you are our Governor today. I say that from the bottom of my heart. You have led us and you are leading us very well.

“We are committed to stand by you to finish very strong. At the end of the day, we will all doff our hats for you.

“From what I can see here, you have provided an atmosphere of free and fair contest. From what I can see here, you have provided an atmosphere for people’s aspiration to be heard without fear of intimidation or whatsoever.

“I can recall the day our party was launched at the old parade ground in 1998 when I stood up and I said that democracy is about opening up the environment for everybody and anybody to aspire to be whatever he or she wants to be. And I thank you for carrying on in that manner.

“I want to tell you that I personally don’t believe that your leadership will terminate at the end of your tenure. I don’t believe that. I am bold to say that you have earned your strides and your strides will carry you on”.

Meanwhile, welcoming defectors to the party, Chairman of PDP in the State, Chief Kingsley Esiso said that the rally was primarily organised to welcome decampees from APC and other political parties.

Esiso said that the massive exodus from APC was a testimony that the party has failed Nigerians in all ramifications.

“I can tell you that the primary purpose of this rally is to reduce the opposition party in Delta State by 90 per cent.

“My heart is full of joy and a testimony that APC is a failed political party and the people of Delta have come to realise that APC has only come to bring us economic hardship, poverty, banditry, kidnapping and failed promises.

“It is therefore not a surprise that every reasonable member of the APC is jumping ship to join us.

“Today, we are harvesting many of their leaders from different local government areas and we are celebrating this victory for our great party,” he said.

Other leaders who spoke at the rally included, Deputy Governor, Mr Kingsley Otuaro, Minority Leader, House of Representatives, Chief Ndudi Elumelu, Senator James Manager and former Senate Chief Whip, Senator Stella Omu.

The defectors to the PDP, who were in large number and led by former Chairman of APC in the state, Chief Cyril Ogodo. pledged to work for the PDP to ensure that APC was no more in the state.

January 22, 2022
2023: Delta PDP caucus meeting deadlocks as party fails to reach agreement on zoning

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State has failed to reach an agreement on zoning the governorship seat for the 2023 general elections.

TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports an enlarged caucus meeting of the PDP held on Friday at the Government House, Asaba ended in a deadlock.

According to several sources, the agenda for zoning the governorship seat to Delta Central Senatorial District did not see the light of day before it was quashed.

The PDP State Chairman, Barr. Kingsley Esiso moved the motion for the zoning of the governorship seat to Delta Central at the meeting, a source told TNG.

Barr. Esiso’s agenda was seconded by Sen. Stella Omu and Hon. Ndudi Elumelu but was vehemently opposed by Sen. James Manager and Edwin Uzor.

“And on that ground the meeting was adjourned and no decision was reached until the next caucus meeting,” a source present at the meeting revealed.

TNG reports the enlarged caucus meeting of the Delta PDP was attended by the State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and former Governor James Ibori.

Former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, former Minister of Information and Culture, Professor Sam Oyovbaire, and other key members of the caucus also attended the meeting.

January 22, 2022
2023: Dates for collection of PVCs to be announced soon – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said the actual dates for the collection of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) nationwide would be announced very soon.

TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu made this known on Friday in his remarks at the first quarterly meeting with media organisations for the year 2022 held at the Commission’s conference room in Abuja.

According to Yakubu, the Commission was still in the process of cleaning up data to ensure that only eligible citizens are added to the voters’ register for the 2023 General Election.

The INEC Chairman stressed that those who had registered at any time previously need not register again, adding in the remarks that critical preparations for the 2023 General Election must be concluded this year.

“We are aware that Nigerians want to know when their PVCs will be available for collection. We appreciate the role of media organisations in encouraging and mobilizing eligible Nigerians who have not registered to do so.

“At the same time, we want you to continue to sensitise them that those who had registered at any time previously need not register again.

“For those who have completed the registration, the Commission is right now undertaking the most comprehensive cleaning up of the data to ensure that only eligible citizens are added to the voters’ register for the 2023 General Election.

“We will share our findings with Nigerians very soon. The actual dates for the collection of the PVCs nationwide will also be announced very soon,” Yakubu said.

Read full remarks of the INEC Chairman below:

1. I warmly welcome you to our first regular quarterly consultative meeting for this year. On behalf of the Commission, therefore, let me start by wishing you all a happy and blissful New Year.

2. On another happy note, let me congratulate our friend and brother, Comrade Chris Isiguzo, on his re-election as President of the Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) at its 7th Triennial Delegates’ Conference in October last year. We appreciate the existing strong partnership between the Commission and the NUJ under your leadership. We also look forward to strengthening such partnership, especially as we continue to conduct more off-cycle and bye-elections this year and implement critical activities towards the 2023 General Election which is just 393 days away.

3. Some of the critical preparations for the 2023 General Election must be concluded this year. For instance, the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) which commenced in June last year has entered the third quarter. As at Monday 17th January 2022, a total of 8,260,076 eligible Nigerians commenced the online pre-registration; completed the registration physically; applied for transfer to new voting locations; requested for replacement of their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs); and updated their voter information records. The Commission has been publishing weekly progress reports of the exercise, including analysis of the distribution of online and completed registration by age group, occupation, gender and disability. Since the exercise commenced in June last year, the Commission has so far published 36 weekly reports which show a consistent pattern of young Nigerians between the ages of 18 and 34 constituting the largest majority of registrants. In terms of occupation, students constitute the largest majority of registrants which is consistent with the dominance of young Nigerians as voters. There is a lot of information for public enlightenment and sensitization. We seek for the support of media organisations in this regard.

4. Related to the issue of voter registration is the issuance of PVCs. We are aware that Nigerians want to know when their PVCs will be available for collection. We appreciate the role of media organisations in encouraging and mobilizing eligible Nigerians who have not registered to do so. At the same time, we want you to continue to sensitise them that those who had registered at any time previously need not register again. For those who have completed the registration, the Commission is right now undertaking the most comprehensive cleaning up of the data to ensure that only eligible citizens are added to the voters’ register for the 2023 General Election. We will share our findings with Nigerians very soon. The actual dates for the collection of the PVCs nationwide will also be announced very soon.

5. In the next 23 days i.e. 12th February 2022, a major end of tenure election will hold in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to elect 6 Area Council Chairmen/Chairwomen and 62 Councillors. This will be followed by two Governorship elections in Ekiti State on 18th June 2022 and Osun State on 16th July 2022. Party primaries for the Ekiti State Governorship election are scheduled for 4th – 29th January 2022. For the Osun State Governorship election, primaries will hold from 16th February to 12th March 2022. In the case of Ekiti State, all the 18 political parties have indicated their intention to participate in the election and have already served the mandatory notices for their primaries to elect their candidates as required by law. The Commission’s preparation for the three off-cycles elections is one of the issues for discussion at this meeting.

6. In addition to the end of tenure elections, six bye-elections are scheduled to hold on Saturday 26th February 2022 in Cross River, Imo, Ondo and Plateau States. The detailed Timetable is already uploaded on our website and social media platforms. Hard copies are also included in your folders for this meeting. However, three bye-elections are still pending. You may recall that the Commission suspended Ekiti East I State Constituency bye-election in March 2020 following its violent disruption by thugs. The election will now be combined with the State Governorship election holding on 18th June 2022. The date for the Shinkafi State Constituency bye-election in Zamfara State will be announced after a thorough review of the security situation in the area, while the Commission awaits the declaration of vacancy by the Kaduna State House of Assembly in respect of Giwa West State Constituency.

7. On this note, I want to draw your attention to the distribution of voters to Polling Units in the FCT, particularly the fact that 593 out of 2,822 (or 21%) of the total, do not have voters. This is because voters failed to take advantage of the expansion of access to transfer to these new Polling Units. The list of Polling Units having 0 – 50 registered voters in the FCT is among the documents in your folders for this meeting. The Commission looks forward to the support of media organisations to encourage voters who wish to transfer from their present Polling Units to new ones created as part of the Commission’s expansion of access polling units across the country. After all, your support was crucial to the success of the recent expansion of voter access to polling units for the first time in 25 years since the initial delimitation in 1996.

8. For emphasis, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) will be deployed in the FCT elections which is the second major election after the Anambra Governorship election held in November last year. The 68 constituencies cover extensive urban and rural locations sharing border with five States in the North Central and North Western parts of the country. This is yet another opportunity to pilot the efficacy of the BVAS in a different geographical, geo-political and electoral context. The same technology will be deployed in all forthcoming elections across the country. Similarly, for all elections going forward, Polling Unit results will be uploaded in real-time on the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal.

9. As we commence our first regular quarterly consultative meeting for the year, let me once again wish you a happy new year and for the NUJ President and his team a successful tenure.

10. I thank you and God bless.

January 21, 2022
2023: Native doctors vouch support for South East political class

A group of native doctors and traditional religion practitioners under the aegis of Ofor N’Ogu Ndigbo Amaka Cultural Association have expressed their readiness to render support to the political class from the South East geopolitical zone of Nigeria.

President of the Association, Traditional Doctor Anthony Uzokwe dropped the hint in during an interview at a get-together of the association that held at Ojoto, Idemili South Council of Anambra State.

Uzokwe stressed that they are ready to build bridges ahead of the 2023 general elections to ensure that one of their own clinches the coveted seat of the president.

The group said they want to play active role in the quest to successfully get the backing of other parts of the country in getting a President from the South East area in the coming 2023 general elections.

Uzokwe said that though they are not politicians, “…but we are part of the citizens of Nigeria and all that affect other people affect us too.

“Our membership cut across age, gender, social class and continents, hence we cannot pretend. We are ready and well positioned to use our large membership base that spread to all states of the Federation, and countries of the world to build political bridges across Nigeria.

“And that will make it easy for an acceptable and sellable presidential candidate to emerge from the South East zone”.

Uzokwe further disclosed that the association was set up by people of like minds to come together, pray and pour libation to the progenitors and ancestral forebears for healing, development, peace and justice to be restored to Nigeria, especially Igboland.

Chief Uzokwe said that the Ofor mandate which was handed over to them from Agu-ukwu Nri was meant to do good and to eliminate every form of negative and atrocious acts from our communities.

The Vice President of the group, Ozo Omekannia, Stone N’Omor in an exclusive interview said the group stands for the uplifting and preservation of culture, custom and tradition of Ndigbo. Was hopeful that with wider sensitization, every form of abominable/negative tendencies and anti-social acts would be eliminated.

On the coming general election, he noted that since other key zones in the country have taken their turns on the seat, fairness demands a collective support for the South East to mount the saddle in 2023.

Chief Chinedu Ihekigbo, Agu N’Eche Mba of Uli in Ihiala Council of Anambra State said the group was set up to uplift and preserve the restoration of Igbo custom and tradition.

Ihekigbo who is also the chairman of the diaspora chapter of the group said he has travelled to virtually al parts of the world and discovered they all preserved their traditions, “hence the need to ensure that ours is preserved. Because that is our identity”.

Ivory Coast based patron of the group, High Chief Simon Umeh, Ichie Ezeude from Umuoji appealed to all members to work as a team so as to achieve the set target.

Another patron, Eze Ebube Ojoto -Dennis Okafor promised to take the group and her potentials to great heights across geopolitical zones and overseas.

He charged them to look beyond gathering to make merry from time to time, but to adopt activities to lift humanity, Igbo culture, tradition and tourism.

January 20, 2022
Speedy passage of electoral amendment bill is crucial for 2023 elections – INEC

The independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says a speedy passage of the Electoral Amendment Bill, currently before the National Assembly, was crucial to its preparations for future elections, including the 2023 general elections.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made this disclosure at the commission’s first quarterly meeting with political parties for the year 2022, on Tuesday, in Abuja.

Yakubu said that INEC was looking forward to the passage to release its timetable for the 2023 general elections.

He said that the passage of the act was crucial for INEC: “On the Electoral Amendment Bill currently before the National Assembly, the Commission is encouraged by the Senate President’s assurance to give priority attention to the Bill, when the National Assembly reconvenes from its recess today.

“We are also encouraged by the commitment of the President to assent to the Bill as soon as the issue of mode of primaries by political parties is resolved.

“We look forward to a speedy passage of the Bill, which is crucial to our preparations for future elections.

“As soon as it is signed into law, the commission will quickly release the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2023 General Elections, based on the new law,’’ Yakubu said.

Yakubu said further that the year 2022 was going to be a very busy year for the commission and the political parties, as the 2023 general election was just 396 days away and all the critical preparations must be concluded in 2022.

He disclosed that as at Monday, Jan. 17 a total of 8,260,076 eligible Nigerians commenced the online pre-registration, completed the registration physically in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR).

Yakubu said that the figure also included voters who applied for transfer to new voting locations, replacement of their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) or updated their voter information records as required by law.

The CVR, which commenced in June 2021, has entered the third quarter.

The INEC chairman said that: “ at the moment, the commission is undertaking the most comprehensive cleaning of the data, to ensure that only eligible citizens were added to the voters’ register for the 2023 general election.

“We will share our findings with Nigerians and the actual dates for the collection of the PVCs nationwide, will be announced very soon.

“I want to request that you continue to encourage eligible voters who have not registered to do so, bearing in mind that those who had registered at any time previously need not register again.

“Also, encourage voters who wish to transfer from their present Polling Units to new ones created, as part of the commission’s expansion of voter access polling units, to do so immediately,’’

In his remarks, National Chairman, Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) Mr Yabagi Sani, urged INEC to take measures to rectify observed lapses in the Nov. 2021 governorship election in Anambra state.

Sani stressed the need for upgrading the level of the diligence and proficiency of both INEC permanent and ad hoc personnel on election duties, by way of training, refresher courses and re-orientation.

He also called for a more robust deployment of logistics and greater performance in the distribution of vital election materials.

He also called on the executive and judicial arms of government to consider adequate appropriation and funding of INEC, more seriously.

“We are making this appeal for a more realistic funding of INEC against the backdrop of the humongous reduction in the budgetary allocation to the agency, in the recently passed 2022 Appropriation Act.

“This, in our view, did not reflect the demands of a robust and timely preparations for the 2023 general elections.

“Beside the significance of ensuring the success of the newly introduced digital gadgets and reforms, the relevant authorities must take into cognisance the challenges posed by the prevailing and pervading atmosphere of insecurity in the country, which may not significantly abate before the historic elections,’’ Sani said.

He also called on the National Assembly to immediately address controversial areas in the 2021 Electoral (Amendment) Bill, while also appealing to President Muhammadu Buhari to thereafter, assent to the Bill without delay.

Sani commended series of new strategies and internal restructuring in the administrative machinery of INEC as well as the use of innovations and application of science and technology to enhance Nigeria’s democracy.

Sani expressed the hope that the standards of performance by INEC would not only be sustained, but further perfected and improved upon for greater degrees of success in its conduct of future elections, especially in Ekiti, Osun and the FCT.

January 18, 2022
2023: Don’t come to tell me who is best to succeed me – Gov Okowa tells scheming politicians

Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has asked scheming politicians not to come to him with advice on who is best to succeed him as Governor of the State come 2023.

TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Governor Okowa rather asked such politicians having their choice candidates to go to God in prayers and allow His will only to be done.

Okowa, who made this known while speaking during a family thanksgiving on Tuesday, stressed that the person who will succeed him as the Governor of the State come 2023 will not be by his power but by the power of God.

While asking Deltans to pray for him for the will of God to be done, Okowa said God was yet to give him a revelation of who will succeed him.

While acknowledging his human weakness, the Governor expressed confidence that the God he serves will cause His revelation to come to him and that the person who will succeed him is someone who should keep the fire of the Government House Chapel in Asaba burning.

Okowa said: “This is a year of politics and as politicians we cannot avoid it. I want to crave that each and every one of us should continue to pray for ourselves, and especially pray for me and my family. It’s a trying time. Pray with me. Pray for us. Pray about the State.

“It is not to come to tell me “Dr Okowa this is the best, this one will not be the best to take over your post”. But pray that God will cause His will to be revealed to me. That is the greatest justice that you can do to the State

“It is important that we realise that in every situation, we are men, we are flesh, including me, and we ought to obey the Lord our God. So pray for me that God will reveal to me and that I will have the will to obey God rather than obey man.

“I know that the God I serve will cause His revelation to come to me. When I tell people that I am praying, it is truly and genuinely the truth because people think it’s all politics. It’s not all politics.

“The person who will succeed me by the special grace of God will not be by my power but by the power of God.

TNG reports the family thanksgiving was held at the Government House Chapel in Asaba.

January 18, 2022
CVR Q3: Fresh registration hits 5m -INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), says fresh registration in the third quarter of the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) nationwide has hit 5,027,204 as at Monday.

INEC in its weekly update on CVR for Quarter 3, Week 2, in Abuja on Tuesday also disclosed that the registrants had completed online and physical registration.

This according to the updated statistics comprised 1,292,823 males, and 1,270,245 females, of which 24,129 of the figure were Persons Living With Disability (PWDS).

It said 1,054,501 registered online, while 1,508,567 did physical registration.

The Newsmen reports that 164,695 of the registrants who had completed their registration were artisans, 473,494 businessmen, 98,324 civil servants and 31,273 public servants.

The commission said 250,763 were into farming/fishing, 255,242 housewives, 167,916 traders, 989,166 students, while 132,195 include others not specified.

Newsmen also report that within the third quarter, INEC had received a total of 8,260,076 applications.

The applications include voter transfer, requests for replacement of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), as well as updates of voter information records among others.

The applications according to INEC include 4,416,828 males, 3,843,248 females and 84,319 PWDS across all categories.

January 18, 2022
2023: Ayu boasts PDP will produce Nigeria’s next President

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sen. Iyorchia Ayu, has urged Nigerians to keep faith with the party, saying that is poised to produce the nation’s next president.

Ayu gave the assurance on Sunday in Port Harcourt at the gala night hosted by Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers for PDP governors.

Ayu, in a statement issued to newsmen by Mr Kelvin Ebiri, the Special Assistant to Wike on Media, maintained that the current APC-led leadership has to change.

The PDP national chairman accused the APC leadership being unable to harness the rich diversity of Nigerians into better fortunes that should strengthen the bond of brotherhood and promote peaceful coexistence.

“We must change this narrative and the only way to change this narrative and harness not just the culture but the environment and the richness therein is to back the PDP which is determined to produce a new leadership for this country,” he said.

Ayu also said that Nigeria would bounce back with the PDP in the saddle because the project of rescuing the country and making it great was realisable.

He stated that the party would offer leadership that would unite the people at the national level.

“The PDP will definitely produce the next president and take the country back to the days when we were in power, when we cleared all foreign debts, when we were developing this country at a reasonable speed,” he said.

Earlier in his address, Gov.Wike said the gala night event was an addition to the usual rotational meeting of PDP governors.

He said the meetings had always been used to discuss salient issues relating to the economy, politics and others that bordered on charting a virile Nigerian society.

On his part, the Chairman of PDP Governors Forum and Governor of Sokoto, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, said the PDP governors and other party leaders were already working in synergy towards rebuilding the party.

Tambuwal said the focus was to rescue Nigeria, which will also required all Nigerians of goodwill to join force with the PDP to achieve that goal.

“I appeal and beseech every Nigerian, even those in APC that are patriotic enough, to join hands with us as we continue to march towards rescuing Nigeria together, “ he said.

Governors who were present at the gala night were Gov.Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri (Adamawa), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Mohammed Bala (Bauchi), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Seyi Makinde (Oyo) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu).

Also in attendance were the Deputy Governors of Rivers and Zamfara, Dr Ipalibo Harry-Banigo and Mahdi Aliyu Mohammed Gusau; PDP National Secretary, Sen. Sam Anyanwu and other dignitaries.

January 18, 2022
Electoral Amendment Act: Delay maybe a ‘smokescreen’ to keep present provisions for 2023 elections – NBA President

President of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Olumide Akpata has said the issues delaying the approval of the electoral bill may be a “smokescreen” to keep the present provisions for the 2023 elections.

Recall the President’s Muhammadu Buhari had, in December 2021, withheld assent to the bill, stating that the clause recommending direct primary for political parties “violates the spirit of democracy”.

Electronic transmission of election results and compulsory direct primaries for political parties are among the amendments proposed by the national assembly.

Speaking at a town hall meeting held on the electoral bill and organised by Yiaga Africa, a civil society organisation, Akpata said it is disappointing to have such back-and-forth issues on the bill even though the president and the leadership of the national assembly belong to the same party.

“I’m so disappointed with the ways things have panned out. Almost everything about that bill smells progress. Most of the provisions of the bill are pro-people. I see those provisions as incremental steps,” he said.

“Everything rises and falls on leadership; leadership at the executive arm and in the legislature. We have a bill that has so many innovations that would advance the course of this nation and our people, including ensuring that INEC gets funding one year before the election.

“People with disabilities are included in the process, including that you must submit the names of your nominees 180 days before the election. These are all all provisions that are responding to issues that have been highlighted in the process that are in need of fixing.

“So, Mr President has pointed out these issues of direct or indirect primaries. He had decided that on the basis of that, he is sending it back to the national assembly.

“I think that we can be forgiven when we conclude if this is a smokescreen of some sort and that there is a spanner thrown in the works to keep us in the moment, so that we will stay with the present dispensation, because this is something that could easily have been fixed.

“Mr President is of the same party as those who control the national assembly. If our leaders are interested in the progress for the people and for the nation, these are house issues that could have been sorted out by those in charge of affairs in both arms of government.

“Since the president has thrown in the charge about the direct and indirect primaries and if that provision is removed he would assent the bill, I welcome it to the members of the national assembly to take him at his words. Take out those provisions; we can deal with that further down the road. There is too much in that bill for the baby and the bath water to be thrown away.”

January 17, 2022