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Tag: 2023 General Elections

  • We don’t know the convener of Osinbajo think thank group – VP aide, Laolu Akande

    We don’t know the convener of Osinbajo think thank group – VP aide, Laolu Akande

    Nigeria’s vice president and presidential aspirant Professor Yemi Osinbajo has asked Nigerians to ignore Olugbenga Olaoye who claims to be the convener of Osinbajo Think Thank.

    The lad used derogatory comments on Tinubu when interviewed on Arise Tv Wednesday morning when asked to give his opinion about 2023 presidential aspirants.

    Olugbenga while responding to questions about the presidential ambition of the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu had said Nigerians do not want another sick president who would be embarking on foreign medical trips.

    According to Olugbenga Nigeria needs a capable person like the Vice President who formally declared on Monday to run for the top political office in the 2023 elections.

    His words, “We cannot afford another sick President who will be travelling to London all the time as we currently have, we need someone who is mentally sound. The little time that Osinbajo spent leading FEC was different. Things were moving”

    The VP, while reacting to the comments through his spokesman, Laolu Akande, said Olugbenga does not represent the office of the VP and should not be taken seriously.

    Akande made the claims on his official Twitter page, where he claimed that he is not aware of the Osinbajo Think Tank group, insinuating that they are operating on their own.

    The tweet reads, “Indeed this gentleman does not represent the VP nor the Office. His views are completely & totally his own. This particular opinion he has expressed on TV is deplorable and in bad taste. I am not even aware of the so-called Osinbajo Think Tank he purports to represent. Pls IGNORE”

    Recall that the Vice President officially declared his intentions to run for the presidency of Nigeria on Monday.

  • 2023 Elections: VP Osinbajo to meet APC Reps in Abuja

    2023 Elections: VP Osinbajo to meet APC Reps in Abuja

    Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo has scheduled a meeting with the House of Representatives members elected under the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC today, Wednesday.

    The Banquet hall of the presidential villa has been picked to be the venue where the APC caucus will meet with the VP to break their Ramadan Fast (Iftar)

    This was disclosed in a letter sent by the office of the VP and read by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Ahmed Wase to members on Tuesday.

    Recall that Osinbajo held a meeting with 22 APC governors on Sunday where he first revealed his presidential ambition.

    Findings have shown that today’s meeting with APC representatives is a measure to intimate them of his plans for 2023 presidential ambitions and also seek their total support.

     

  • Prof. Wole Soyinka reveals plans for 2023 general elections

    Prof. Wole Soyinka reveals plans for 2023 general elections

    Nobel laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka has revealed his plans for the forthcoming 2023 general elections

    The playwright hinted he would likely take a French leave off the elections and just watch proceedings.

    As the 2023 elections draw near, Soyinka said he might be a spectator, describing the country’s political scene as “turbid”.

    “So, very likely, all I would do is take French leave from the elections and just watch the results,” he said.

    Prof. Soyinka made this revelation at a press conference held in Lagos on Thursday, reprimanding the ruling APC and the major opposition party PDP .He added that their members cross-carpet at the slightest provocation and opportunity.

    Soyinka slammed the most popular parties for the gale of defections, saying that it was now difficult to distinguish between both political parties.

    “Look at the two major parties, there has been such cross over from one rivulet to another, each crossing having its own purpose, that it is getting difficult to even distinguish between the two major parties,” Soyinka added.

  • Omo-Agege aides to resign over political ambitions

    Omo-Agege aides to resign over political ambitions

    Following interests in contesting in the 2023 general elections, members of staff at the Office of the Deputy President of the Senate have been given up to Tuesday to resign their appointments.

     

    The ultimatum was issued in a memo by Dr Otive Igbuzor, the Chief of Staff to the Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, dated March 30, 2022, and titled ‘Resignation of all political appointees.’

     

    The memo read, “I write to draw the attention of all political appointees who are delegates to the state House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, governorship and presidential primaries election (sic), including those who are holding positions in the party, to please put in their resignation letters.

     

    “This has become expedient as a result of the provisions of the recently amended Electoral Act.

     

    “All resignation letters should get to the Office of the Deputy President of the Senate not later than April 11, 2022. Above is for the attention and prompt response of all concerned political appointees of the Deputy President of the Senate.”

     

    It was gathered on Tuesday night that at least two aides to Omo-Agege are nursing political ambitions.

     

    “So far, I know of two us who want to context elections but I won’t want to mention their names now until they openly declare their interests,” a member of staff at the office said.

     

    The National Assembly and the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), are presently in a legal battle over Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022.

     

    Section 84(12) of the Act reads, ‘No political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the convention or congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election.’

  • I can’t tell you who to vote but ensure you vote – Pastor Adeboye

    I can’t tell you who to vote but ensure you vote – Pastor Adeboye

    The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, on Sunday, said he has never voted in elections in the country saying RCCG is large and highly represented in every political party.

    Adeboye, made this statement at the Church’s thanksgiving service, he said voting for one will be unjust to the rest of his children who could be up against one other in elections.

    He opined that every eligible Nigerian has the right to join any political party of their choice and he would keep praying for them too.

    ”My assignment has nothing to do with partisan politics. Politics is not my calling but to be a pastor.

    ”I have never told you this is the fellow you should vote for or the Party you should vote for.

    “In RCCG, every party is mainly represented. I’m a father of all and I like it that way. I’m not a politician and I will never be.

    ”The only reason I have never voted is that if I vote for one I will be unjust to the rest of my children. I am the father of all.

    “As a Nigerian, you must register, vote, and make sure that your vote counts. You are a Nigerian first before becoming a Christian. Nobody is born a Christian, you are a true Christian when you give your life to Christ. You must vote and make sure there is no rigging.

    ”You have a duty to belong to any party of your choice at the very grass root. You can’t sit down fold your hands, refuse to vote and begin to complain about the government,” he said.

  • Fashola speaks on contesting for 2023 presidency in Nigeria

    Fashola speaks on contesting for 2023 presidency in Nigeria

    The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has reacted to speculations he would run for the presidency of the country.

    Fashola said he would run for the presidency of his home, saying his wife and children would be waiting for me.

    He disclosed this while distancing himself from vying for the presidency in 2023.

    The revealation was made when fiedling questions from a journalist wanting to know if he would contest for the presidency in 2023

    This was disclosed in a tweet by President Muhammadu Buhari’s Special Assistant on Digital/New Media.

    The tweet reads: “A journalist asks BRF about 2023

    “A: I’m running for the President of my home. I’m going to Lagos. My wife and children are waiting for their President. All those who want to run, I wish them the very best of luck… For those looking for headlines, I have disappointed you.”

    The general election will take place in 2023.

    Fashola has put an end to speculations making the rounds that he may contest for the presidency of the country in 2023.

  • Twitter users knock singer Timi Dakolo for performing at Atiku’s Presidential declaration

    Twitter users knock singer Timi Dakolo for performing at Atiku’s Presidential declaration

    Singer Timi Dakolo has replied those criticizing him for singing at Atiku Abubakar’s declaration for president.

    Atiku’s presidential declaration event took place at Abuja International conference center, Thursday afternoon.

    Dakolo sang his hit song ‘Great Nation’, which has since stirred reactions on social media.

    Some Nigerians attributed his performance at Atiku’s ceremony to endorsing the PDP presidential candidate despite his criticism about the state of the nation a few days ago.

    They called him out for seeking daily bread without considering if the ‘old leaders’ would return to power in 2023.

    @novieverest wrote, “If you collect N5m money to sing for a candidate that you don’t trust, you are not different from the poor man or woman that collects N5k to vote too. We have to stand upright in this country. You support Timi Dakolo, but you berate ‘Pastor’ Taribo West.”
    Another user wrote@mamatee001 wrote, “Timi DAKOLO sings at ATIKU declaration. D sickle cell anemia and yahooyahoo pastor omokirikiri remains mute. D dwarf RINU sees nothing bad but just TARIBO prayer for TINUBU, their entire pants were messed with igbe olomi on SUNDAY!! E ni kure ooo!!!!”)

    Timi Dakolo, responding, said he will sing and collect bread.

    He urged those pained about his performance to go ahead and sing theirs.

    “I will sing and collect bread my Guy, if it pains you well well, go sing your own.”He wrote

  • Target general elections and not zoning, Tambuwal urges PDP

    Target general elections and not zoning, Tambuwal urges PDP

    Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has admonished his party, Peoples Democratic party to disregard zoning arrangement but instead strive to win the 2023 general elections.

    In a meeting with state Assemblies and House of Representative members in Abuja on Tuesday, Tambuwal recounted how they made Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan acting president despite zoning at the time.

    The PDP stalwart asserted that Muslim-Muslim or Christian-Christian tickets shouldn’t be considered at all, saying it’s dead on arrival.

    In his words “When it was time for the House of Representatives to go along with the Senate on the issue of the doctrine of necessity that made Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan President, my brother and friend, Dimeji Bankole was not willing to do so. My brother and friend, Senator Dickson Seriake who was leading the squad for ex-President Jonathan to be made acting president was doing it the wrong way.

    (TNG Analysis) 2023: Tambuwal re-positions PDP to thrash APC

    “There was tension and almost chaos in the house of representatives. And we called Dickson. I sat him down. I said Dickson, if you go through that route, of raising sentiments, this thing will not fly. Let’s look at it objectively, speak about Nigeria and how to save our country. If you agree, take the backseat. I am the principal officer from the northwest zone of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. We’re very aware of the situation of the country. So let me drive it and let me see who that person is that will have more affinity and affiliation to President Yar’Adua than myself the principal officer from the zone, he stated.

    Tambuwal revealed how he came up with the motion that started the process of installing Goodluck as acting president then adding that the then speak of the Green chamber Dimeji Bankole was highly emotional then.

    “I said look Mr. speaker, it’s about this country and we must do the right thing. I brought out the motion. I said this is the motion. I drafted it. So please, allow this to go. And that was how the motion for the doctrine of necessity was passed in the House”.

    On what stands him out from other Presidential aspirants, Tambuwal said “from the array of those that are running now. I don’t know of tomorrow. All the names being mentioned that are at the forefront of this consideration for 2023, I am the youngest of them all. Go and check our biodata, check the genuine one.

    Chairman PDP Governors Forum appealed to PDP to study previous election results as they progress towards 2023.

    ” As leaders of our party, who are working towards winning election, not zoning, not winning tickets. Yes, we can share tickets and everybody can take his piece and go to his zone. But you must plan to win an election. That’s the reality of it. It’s not anybody’s making, he stated.

    Tambuwal who urged PDP to accept the reality on the demand for the party’s zoning formula said “after we win, we can then say okay, let’s share power. Win election first. Don’t win zoning, win the election and then we’ll come and share power. Because the President and the Vice President cannot come from the same zone. They cannot even come from the same religion”.

    He insisted that demographics, intra-party wrangling was rife in the All Progressives Congress (APC), voter education and others will determine the 2023 general election.

    He said, ” so demography is an issue, that is why after the election I appealed to PDP to study the outcome of previous role elections as we proceed to 2023″.

  • 2023 Elections: We have started selling forms to everybody -PDP

    2023 Elections: We have started selling forms to everybody -PDP

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said it has not decided if it would use zoning for the 2023 general elections.

    The party leadership stated that it has started the sale of forms to presidential candidates inorder not to violate the electoral timetable already released by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

    It stated that the INEC timetable has made it very difficult to stop any of the aspirants including a former Vice President, from buying the 40 Million naira form.

    Recall that Atiku obtained the PDP presidential form on Thursday, claiming that the form was procured for him by northern businessmen under the aegis of the North-East Business Community.

    The sale of forms to Atiku and the desire to sell same to other northern presidential aspirants of the party took many by surprise because of the clamour for power to shift to the southern part of the country.

    Apart from Atiku, other presidential aspirants from the North in the party are the Governors of Sokoto and Bauchi states, Aminu Tambuwal and Bala Mohammed, respectively.

    Meanwhile Rivers state Governor, Nyesom Wike is also tainted to be eyeing the presidential seat too.

    TNG reports that Ovation Publisher Dele Momodu has since indicated interest under the auspices of PDP but he’s yet to procure the form pegged at 40 million.

    .

  • INEC publishes notice of election in Lagos

    INEC publishes notice of election in Lagos

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday in Lagos State, published the notice of election for the 2023 general elections as required by law, at the gate of the commission.

    The notice read in part : “In accordance with Section 28 (1) of the Electoral Act 2022, notice is hereby given that elections shall hold as follows:

    “Presidential and National Assembly – Saturday Feb. 25, 2023. Governorship and State Assembly – Saturday March 11, 2023.

    “Take notice that the place of delivery of nomination papers for the elective offices shall be the commission’s headquarters, Maitama, Abuja via the online portal established for this purpose.

    The notice dated Feb. 28, was signed by the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.

    Speaking with Newsmen, Mrs Ademike Oriowo, the Public Affairs Officer, INEC in Lagos state said that the same publication was replicated across INEC offices in all the 20 Local Government Areas of the state.

    Oriowo said the commission had commenced implementation of activities and timetable for the 2023 general elections and would not leave any stones unturned in all the processes involved.

    With this notice, the 2023 Presidential and National Assembly elections are 360 days away.