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Tag: 2023

  • 2023: ADC governorship running-mate in Oyo defects to PDP

    2023: ADC governorship running-mate in Oyo defects to PDP

    Mr Emmanuel Oyewole, the running-mate to the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2023 election in Oyo State, has defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Oyewole announced his defection to PDP on Friday in Ibadan

    Newsmen reports that Dr Ganiyu Ajadi is the governorship candidate of ADC for the election.

    Addressing newsmen at the Nigerian Union of Journalists’ (NUJ) Conference Hall, Oyewole said he had defected to PDP to support the re-election bid of Gov.Seyi Makinde.

    “I and my followers, spread across the state, have considered this decision and I can say with all sense of responsibility that I have taken this decision in the interest of Oyo State.

    “Truth be told, going by the good governance and masterful administration of Gov. Seyi Makinde, the 2023 governorship election in the state should have only one clear contender.

    “And that is the incumbent governor, because as they say, one good ‘term’ deserves another”,he said.

    Oyewole said the administration of Gov. Makinde was gradually transforming Oyo State to the dream state of residents.

    According to him,the different success stories of the Makinde administration in human capacity development, infrastructure development, economic expansion are praise-worthy.

    Oyewole said Makinde had also done well in the areas of education, security of lives and properties and health care delivery .

    “As loyal and patriotic indigenes of Oyo State, I and the teeming members of the ADC who had earlier signed to my aspiration as ADC deputy governorship candidate, we want these positive developments to continue.

    “And we believe that only Gov. Makinde can make this possible,” Oyewole added.

  • Kaduna-Abuja expressway construction to be completed by 2023 – Minister

    Kaduna-Abuja expressway construction to be completed by 2023 – Minister

    The Minister of State, Works and Housing, Mr. Umar El-Yakub, said work on the Kaduna-Abuja highway, and Zaria-Kano road would be completed early 2023 to reduce negative effects on road users.

    The Minister made this know on Friday during a courtesy visit to the government house in Kaduna.

    “We are even hoping that some sections would be completed very early next year but our preference is to ensure that the entire road is completed,” he said.

    El-Yakub noted that work was suspended due to security challenges on the expressway, adding that the contractors only mobilised their resources to zones two and three due to security situation in the area.

    The Minister explained that appreciable progress has been made on sections II and III of the project covering Zaria-Kano, but lamented the difficulties faced by commuters on the Abuja-Kaduna section of the road.

    He explained further that the Ministry of Works and Housing has discussed with the contractor who has agreed to do a quick fix on the bad sections of the road between Abuja and Kaduna in the short term to alleviate the sufferings currently faced by road users.

    He disclosed that even while the palliative intervention is on, the contractor will fully mobilise back to the Abuja-Kaduna section of the project within a short period.

    The minister commended Gov. Nasir El-Rufai and his team for the significant transformation of the state.

    Newsmen reports that the Minister is in Kaduna to inspect some of the ongoing federal government projects, including the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano dual carriageway, and the Kaduna eastern bypass, among others.

    Earlier in her remark while receiving the minister and his team, the Kaduna State Acting Governor, Dr Hadiza  Balarabe, expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for initiating the projects.

    She said the project which will greatly impact the economic and social lives of the people of Kaduna, the northwestern states and the entire country.

    “Road construction will help ease movement and also to boost the fight against insecurity within the country,” she said

  • 2023: Atiku is my friend but Obi is a better candidate – PDP chieftain

    2023: Atiku is my friend but Obi is a better candidate – PDP chieftain

    A PDP governorship aspirant in Abia, Chief Sampson Orji, has declared his support for the Labour Party’s Presidential Candidate, Mr Peter Obi.

    Orji disclosed this in a statement issued in Umuahia and made available to newsmen on Thursday.

    He stated that his preference for Obi against PDP’s Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, was based on Obi’s competence.

    He further stated that he would mobilise support for Obi “not because he is his fellow Igboman but for his antecedent”.

    He stated: ” I’m a PDP man till tomorrow but I will support Obi not because he is Igbo but because of what he represents.

    “Obi is a movement. My family and friends will vote for him.

    Atiku is my friend but Obi is a better candidate.”

    Orji added: “Aside from competence, equity also favours Obi’s candidacy.

    “South-East is the only zone in Southern Nigeria yet to take its turn at the Presidency.

    “Why can’t Atiku support Obi, who was his running mate in 2019?

    “I must speak the truth: What are we gaining in PDP that for 16 years it was in power, Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway is not passable?

    “You cannot drive from Umuahia to Ikot Ekpene or Owerri to Umuahia on a good road.

    “So, it is blindness to tell me to support Atiku, when we have Obi who has shown competence and capacity to take Nigeria out of the woods.

    “Should I work against him because he is Igbo?”

    In a related development, Orji also lent his support to the candidacy of Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe of APGA for Abia South Senatorial District for the fifth time.

    Abaribe, who aspired for the PDP’s governorship ticket, later defected to APGA, alleging irregularities in PDP’s three-man delegates congress.

    He is being challenged by Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu, who picked the PDP’s ticket for the same constituency.

    Orji, popularly called SCOJ, described Abaribe as too experienced to be sacrificed for Ikpeazu.

    He stated that Abaribe had proved his mettle in the Upper Chamber, considering his antecedent and pedigree as an experienced lawmaker.

    He therefore advised Ikpeazu to step down for him (Abaribe) and not waste his time and resources.

    Orji, a former Commissioner for Trade and Commerce, argued that it would be a great disservice to Abia South to replace a champion with a fresher.

    He stated, “Asking me to choose between Ikpeazu and Abaribe is like asking one to choose between experience and the lack of it.

    “Abaribe is too experienced to be replaced with a greenhorn, who would only go there to begin to learn the ropes.

    “Abaribe has performed well in the senate.

    “At a time he was the only voice not just for PDP or Ndigbo but Nigeria.

    “He stood against injustice in the Senate.

    “If I have the opportunity, I will tell Ikpeazu to step down for him.

    “It is not a must that every governor will retire to the senate.

    “I am a Christian and at my age, if I see what is right and refuse to say it, I wonder if I will say it in the grave.”

    Orji noted that being a PDP chieftain would not make him to shy away from the truth “because of my conscience and Christian faith”.

    He frowned at the trend where every governor now developed the penchant to retire to the Senate.

    According to him, the red chamber should not be converted into a retirement benefit for former governors.

    Orji, a former lawmaker in the state, however, added that “if Ikpeazu did well as governor, he will win”.

    He opined that being a governor did not translate to automatic victory at the poll.

    He cited the case of Sen. Orji Kalu who, after two tenures as governor, contested for the Senate for three consecutive times and lost until the fourth attempt.

    Orji tipped the PDP Candidate for Abia North Senatotrial District, a former House of Representatives member, Mao Ohuabunwa, to defeat Kalu.
    Kalu is running on APC’s platform for his second tenure.

    Meanwhile, Orji, who contested the PDP’s governorship primary election of May 25, has approached the Umuahia Federal High Court to nullify Prof. Uche Ikonne’s emergence as the party’s flag bearer.

    The Court has slated Friday, Oct. 21 for the hearing of the suit.

  • 2023: APC, PDP trade blames in Sokoto

    2023: APC, PDP trade blames in Sokoto

    The All Progressive Congress (APC) in Sokoto state has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led government in the state of plotting to deny the citizens’ freedom of political choice.

    Alhaji Isa Sadiq-Achida, the Sokoto State APC Chairman made the allegation in a statement issued to newsmen in Sokoto on Tuesday.

    According to him,”the PDP-led government in the state has lost the popular support of the people due to its bad governance.

    “Out of desperation and frustration, the party resorted to unwholesome and unconventional arm twisting methods, to force people into voting them in the forthcoming elections.

    “The state government, through the Local Government Councils is threatening and intimidating traditional and religious leaders as well as businessmen into supporting and campaigning for PDP.

    “As a party ,we view this as an attempt to use false propaganda to dent the good image of our leaders and at the same time, cripple democracy in Sokoto State,” he said.

    Sadiq-Achida urged the state government to remember that traditional and religious leaders were fathers to all, politicians and non-politicians alike.

    The chairman also said that another disturbing issue on the part of the state government was withholding the salaries of junior LG staff.

    “This is for no reason, other than PDP’s political persuasion. The question begging for answer is, when did the expression of one’s political preference become a punishable offence? ,” he asked.

    Sadiq-Achida further alleged that the state government had adopted some discriminatory actions against the billboards hoisted by candidates of the APC.

    “It has been observed that while the Blbillboards of its favoured candidates are left standing and protected, those of the APC candidates are selectively targeted for removal.

    “The selective action is more likely to pollute the current peaceful political atmosphere, than enhance a robust and democratic electioneering process,” he warned.

    Sadiq-Achida also advised the state government to concentrate more on the completion of its abandoned project “rather than embarking on reckless appointments of Special Advisers.”

    Reacting, Malam Hassan Sanyinnawal, the spokesman of the PDP in the state described APC’s allegations as baseless.

    “The state government under the leadership of Gov. Aminu Tambuwal, has always respected the traditional institution in the state and never threatened any leader, let alone sack any,” he said.

    On the alleged withholding of salaries, Sanyinnawal said, “the APC should be reminded that their party’s Secretary was still on the payroll of the state government.

    “Yet, his salary has not been withheld by the government even for a month, not to talk of other civil servants in the state.

    “Therefore, the APC should not subject itself to cheap mischief following the fear of the might of the PDP in Sokoto,” he said.

    Also speaking to NAN, Alhaji Sidi Lamido, the Special Advisor to Gov. Tambuwal on State Urban and Regional Planning Board (SURPB), said the claim on the discriminatory actions against billboards of APC was false.

    “As a board, we work with security agencies and all necessary stakeholders to ensure law and order are fully adhered to.

    “We invited all the political parties to a meeting where a unanimous agreement was reached that any party willing to erect a billboard must seek approval before doing so.

    “So, you see, any violation of such agreement will be addressed officially without any discrimination as alleged by the APC,” he said.

  • PDP berates Tinubu over ‘rats and poisoned holy communion’ comment

    PDP berates Tinubu over ‘rats and poisoned holy communion’ comment

    The Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) has lambasted the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu over comments perceived to be uncomplimentary.

    Recall that Tinubu while answering questions from journalists on how he would tackle climate change if elected Nigeria’s president, likened the situation to a ‘rat and poisoned holy communion’

    He said “A question of how do you prevent a church rat from eating poisoned holy communion.”

    The video has since gone viral on social media.

    “We are a poor nation. They say firewood is not for fetching. They say we need to plant more trees and they are not giving us money.

    “We need to tell the West if you don’t guarantee our finances and work with us to stop this, we are not going to comply with your climate change”, Tinubu said.

    Concerned Nigerians have dragged the former Lagos governor on social media asking him to retract his comment on Holy Communion and apologize to Nigerian Christians.

    In its reaction PDP via a statement issued by the spokesperson of the party’s Presidential Campaign Management Committee, Dino Melaye, tackled Tinubu saying the comment depicted an insult to Christians.

    Dino posited that after ignoring the Christian faith and fielded a Muslim-Muslim ticket, the APC presidential candidate has further “rubbed insult on injury by calling in the Holy Communion into an unrelated conversation”.

    He said, “the APC presidential candidate, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, plunged into new depths of desecration when by an unguarded and unrelated flow of thought he despised the body of Christ by profaning the sacrament of communion and besmirched the church.

    “Having overlooked Christians in his choice of a running mate, he further rubbed insult on injury by calling in the Holy Communion into an unrelated conversation”.

    Dino said  Asiwaju’s response to the question on climate change, exposed his ignorance of what climate change means.

    The statement reads, “Furthermore, he fell out of tune with world leaders in ways that betrayed a lack of understanding of what the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr called the “Fierce Urgency of Now”.

    “It would have been honourable for Tinubu to simply admit that he didn’t know what climate change is. Again, that exposed his limited understanding and poor preparation for governance.

    “Any leader of any great nation who does not understand the basics of climate change, especially with the ongoing flooding in Nigeria and the economic conflict arising from farmers and herders, has no business aspiring to lead our dear country at this moment.

    “Besides, Nigerians who have been in doubt about the presence of mind and the physiological capacity of Tinubu to preside over the affairs of Nigeria should now be convinced that he is not fit.

    “For a moment, his thought processes tripped and he launched into another issue entirely. Nigerians could imagine if what happened in Kaduna had happened on the world stage. As I said earlier, Nigerians can not afford to gamble with the next election.

    “An Atiku presidency will not only be at home with global issues anywhere and anytime. He would build bridges and partnerships to address contemporary and emerging issues with pace, purpose, and patience.

    “He will collaborate with others to contain the causes and effects of climate change and more importantly, he will work for structures that will help Nigeria to build resilience and adaptation to climate change, particularly in climate-smart agriculture and other strategic initiatives”.

  • Atiku should step down from presidential race and endorse me – Tinubu

    Atiku should step down from presidential race and endorse me – Tinubu

    The All Progressives Congress (APC), presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has asked his main contender and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar to step down and endorse him ahead of the 2023 elections.

    Tinubu spoke on Monday when he met with leaders from the northern part of the country under the umbrella of the Arewa Joint Committee for an interactive session.

    He, however, noted, “You (apparently referring to Atiku) started from Uyo and now ended up in Kaduna and you are speaking to the North that you are the right candidate for the North; how do we reconcile that? You have lost the election.”

    “It’s payback time. Let Atiku endorse me instead of campaigning in Kaduna. I supported him in 2007,” he added.

    The former Lagos helmsman told the gathering that comprised the Arewa Consultative Forum, Northern Elders Forum, Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation,  Jamiyyar Matan Arewa, the Center for Historical Development Research (Arewa House) as well as the Arewa Research and Documentation Project, that he was also one of them.

    “I am one of you. Yes. I am a city boy from Lagos,” he added.

    “As you are aware, security is a function of resources. I am committed to mobilising all assets within our national power to secure Nigeria.

    “We did this in Lagos through many initiatives, especially the Security Trust Fund, through which we addressed many needs of our security forces which helped to sanitise Lagos State.

    “As you may recall, when I assumed office as governor in 1999, the situation I met was basically a case of banditry where urban gangs ruled the streets.

    “I returned law and order, tamed what could have been a huge ethnic war and made Lagos one of the safest states in Nigeria. I will replicate that across the country,” he said.

  • We’ve met yearnings of Nigerians, says Buhari at Ministerial Retreat

    We’ve met yearnings of Nigerians, says Buhari at Ministerial Retreat

    President Muhammadu Buhari has declared open the last Ministerial Performance Review Retreat of his administration, saying high-impact projects have been implemented across the country meeting the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians.

    Addressing the Retreat organised to evaluate the level of progress made in the implementation of the Nine Priority Agenda of his Administration, the president highlighted remarkable progress made in the areas of agriculture, economy, infrastructure, security, health, anti-corruption among others.

    He told participants and guests at the retreat including the Keynote Speaker and immediate past President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, that over 3,800 KM of roads had been constructed across the country.

    Buhari revealed that new aircraft were acquired for the Nigerian Air Force to boost the fight against insurgency.

    He also added that 38.7 million Nigerians had been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, representing 35 per cent of the total eligible population target for vaccination.

    On infrastructure, the President said:

    ”In recognition of the importance of critical infrastructure in economic development and the quest of this Administration to leave a lasting legacy, we have implemented high-impact projects across the length and breadth of the country that meet the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians.

    ”Some of the notable achievements include the completion of 326km Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri rail line and railway ancillary facilities; the completion of over  156.5km Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge railway modernization project with extension to Lagos Port, Apapa.

    ”On road projects, this Administration has constructed 408Km of roads; 2,499Km of SUKUK roads and maintenance of 15,961Km of roads across the Country.

    ”Key among these projects are the construction of 1.9km 2nd Niger Bridge linking Anambra and Delta States with 10.30km approach road; rehabilitation, construction and expansion of Lagos-Shagamu-Ibadan dual carriageway; the ongoing rehabilitation of Abuja-Kaduna – Zaria – Kano Road, among others.”

    While stressing that the Federal Government under his watch has sustained commitment to infrastructural development for the past seven  years, Buhari said over 941km of completed SUKUK road projects nationwide had been handed over.

    He further disclosed that the federal government had embarked on the reconstruction of 21 selected federal roads totaling 1,804.6km, under the Road Infrastructure Development & Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Policy.

    According to him, the roads, which are funded by the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, are in addition to similar existing collaboration with Messrs Dangote Industries Limited and other corporate organisations to improve the stock of the country’s road infrastructure.

  • What my wife told me before joining politics – Banky W reveals

    What my wife told me before joining politics – Banky W reveals

    Popular Nigerian musician turned politician, Banky W, has revealed what his wife, Adesua Etomi told him before joining active politics in 2018.

    Banky W said that he joined politics to make changes even though his wife told him ‘you know politics in Nigeria is dirty’.

    The Peoples Democratic Party House of Representatives candidate for Eti-Osa Federal Constituency made this known during an interview on Arise TV’s ‘The Morning Show’ on Wednesday.

    While narrating his passion for a better Nigeria, he said, “I have participated in peaceful protests just like anybody that I know among my peers.

    “But the goal of activism and advocacy is improvement and if you haven’t seen the impact you seek, then that activism is not enough.

    “So, for me, the message started changing from just raising awareness via activism and advocacy to saying we have to start moving from protests to politics.

    “We have to start taking these energies and channeling them toward getting like-minds into the government and using that consensus of like-minds to get a change and that is where my mindset started changing and in 2018 I started feeling like the problem in Nigeria is top-down and the solution is from the bottom up.

    “And I started thinking that if with my education, success, background, audience, following, and voice and I can’t stick my neck out that I can be a part of this system and can bring a solution to the table, who am I waiting for to get involved in the system?

    “So, in 2018, I prayed about it and I informed my wife and what she told me was that ‘you know politics in Nigeria is dirty and I know your heart and I know the system is what it is and I don’t want anything that will soil your hands’ and I told her that the truth of the matter is politics will always be dirty and dangerous until good people start to be intentional about putting like-minds in the system.”

  • NASS’ll pass 2023 Appropriation Bill in December – Lawan

    NASS’ll pass 2023 Appropriation Bill in December – Lawan

    The President of the Senate, Alhaji Ahmad Lawan, says the National Assembly will pass the 2023 Appropriation Bill of N20.5 trillion before the end of December.

    He made this known on Tuesday in Abuja at a reception organised to celebrate the national honour of Grand Commander of the Order of Niger (GCON) bestowed on him by President Muhamadu Buhari.

    Recall that Buhari on Friday presented the 2023 budget before a joint session of the National Assembly.

    The budget is tagged “Budget of Fiscal Sustainability and Transition”.

    Lawan, in a speech at the reception, said that the Senate would begin debate on the bill on Wednesday.

    “Tomorrow, we will start the debate on the 2023 appropriation bill. Like we did for the three previous sessions, we are going to pass it before the end of December.

    “We are purposeful and we are focused. It’s not for nothing that the presidency decided to honour 12 of us.

    “They know our contribution to not only the administration of good governance, but also stability of the polity.

    “I strongly believe that the national assembly of today has provided so much inputs into political stability in Nigeria. The records are there.

    “People can look at what we have done and also those things that we didn’t do. I believe that our colleagues in the 9th senate worked so hard.”

    On the number of female senators, the senate president said: “We don’t know why the number is small but they have capacity. These are very experienced legislators.

    “We wish to see more female legislators. That’s only logical,” he said.

    On the national honour, Lawan said that it was a special day for the National Assembly.

    “The number of recipients from the Senate this time is the highest. Every senator deserves the award.”

    He said that his fellow colleagues were his good friends who ensured that the productivity in the senate rose.

    “We judiciously agreed that anything that will be good for Nigerians must be done.

    “By the time we are leaving in 2023, we will leave with our heads high.”

  • My presidency will ensure hope, security – Tinubu

    My presidency will ensure hope, security – Tinubu

    The Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu says his presidency will ensure renewed hope, security, and a prosperous nation if elected as president in 2023.

    Tinubu gave the assurance on Monday during the inauguration of the Women Wing of Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Team in Abuja.

    He said in 2015, the APC-led administration inherited a difficult nation with a burden of uncertainty from both the economy and security sectors.

    He then assured all Nigerians and the APC stalwarts that he would consolidate on the many achievements of the present administration.

    “ APC has been a party that inherited a difficult nation under the weight of uncertainty, hope, security, prosperity, assurance, and diversity is here.

    “We as Nigerians are not going to give up,’’ he said.

    On her part, the National Chairman of the APC, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, said, the Tinubu/Shettima presidential ticket represents new hope for Nigeria.

    Adamu described APC as a symbol of hope that will lead the party to victory in the coming elections.

    The national chairman also urged stakeholders of the party to provide necessary support for its women to ensure adequate their mobilisation and that of youths at the grassroots.