TheNewsGuru

Tag: 2023

  • [VIDEO] Why Peter Obi should be in jail – Asari Dokubo

    [VIDEO] Why Peter Obi should be in jail – Asari Dokubo

    A former Niger Delta militant leader, Asari Dokubo, has stated the reason why the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Peter Obi, should be in jail.

    He criticized the former Anambra State governor, alleging he invested the state funds in a family business.

    Asari Dokubo raised the allegations in his latest video.

    “In a normal country, Peter Obi is supposed to be in jail for investing state money in a family business and failed” Asari Dokubo.

    Recall that Dokubo recently described the Labour Party’s presidential candidate as a glorified “Yahoo Yahoo boy.”

    He urged Nigerians not to vote for the former Anambra State governor during the 2023 presidential election.

    Dokubo had stressed that the Labour Party’s presidential candidate was not fit for the highest political office in the country.

    Watch video:

  • Grant one-hour interview, show your mental alertness – Atiku tells Tinubu

    Grant one-hour interview, show your mental alertness – Atiku tells Tinubu

    Former Nigeria vice president and the current presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)  Atiku Abubakar has challenged his All Progressives Congress (APC) counterpart, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to grant at least one-hour television interview before castigating his comments on Arise TV.

    Recall that Atiku had attacked Tinubu for flying a Muslim-Muslim ticket, saying that he didn’t consider the Christians before taking such a decision.

    According to Atiku, he refused to allow Tinubu to be his running mate when he lobbied in 2007, and that caused a separation between them,

    He further revealed that Tinubu then switched camp and supported Late Yar’Adua

    However, in a swift reaction, Tinubu’s Campaign Organization in a statement on Saturday, said the PDP presidential candidate lied and was unprepared for the job of the presidency.

    The group analyzed six areas Atiku lied in his interview, as he argued that contrary to Atiku’s claim, it was the PDP candidate that wanted him to be his running mate.

    Reacting to Tinubu’s outburst, Atiku in a statement by its Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, Saturday, said he was amused to read the knee-jerk response from the Tinubu Campaign Organization, challenging the APC candidate to grant the same interview.

    The former Vice President said he was not surprised at Tinubu’s response because he has not sat down to do any prolonged interview for obvious reasons.

    The statement reads partly, “We would like to challenge Bola Tinubu to subject himself to an hour-long interview as the Waziri did, and if he can be as articulate and mentally present as our candidate, then he can talk.

    “Until then, we will only want to remind him and his yes men that they are not in a position to point fingers when they have not sat on the hot seat.”

  • 2023: NNPP, Kwankwaso not a threat to APC – Lukman

    2023: NNPP, Kwankwaso not a threat to APC – Lukman

    Dr. Salihu Lukman, All Progressives Congress (APC)National Vice-Chairman, North-West, says the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) is not a threat to APC in the 2023 general election.

    Lukman, also the immediate past Director-General of Progressives Governors Forum (PFG) said this when he spoke with newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja.

    He, however, said that the APC would work hard to achieve success in the 2023 general elections because it was not taking anything for granted.

    Lukman said that the difference between APC, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and other political parties was that the party has mass followership among the people.

    “We have made it very clear that the difference between APC in 2015 and Kwankwaso in 2023 is that APC is grounded in the minds of the people.

    “You can see for yourself, but in the case of other parties, including the PDP, they are hoping and waiting for us to mismanage ourselves on the basis of which they pack whatever we are not able to achieve.

    “Now, the reality is that we are not taking anything for granted, we are not dismissing people we are going to work hard,” he said.

    Lukman also supported the Tinubu/Shettima president ticket of the party saying that the APC leadership considered all factors before arriving at the ticket.

    He assured that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the party would protect the interest of all Nigerians if he emerged as the president with the support of the electorate in 2023.

    “My position which I have always buttressed is that politics is about contest and managing interests, certainly, the party leadership must have considered all factors before arriving at its choice of a running mate.

    “In the end, we have to convince Nigerians that Muslim-Muslim ticket or however you look at it does not mean discrimination against anybody,” he said.

    Speaking on his ongoing fact-finding tour of North West, Lukman said it was basically to hear from aggrieved members of the party and get suggestions on how to unite the party, ahead of the general elections.

    He said the key issue was basically reconciliation, adding that there was need to listen to aggrieved party members who unfortunately lost primary elections.

    “So the recommendations include setting up committees at state level to go round and meet everybody and try to pacify, and that is being done across most of the states.

    “The second issue has to do with complaints that some people who left the party are still holding on to federal appointments.

    “There are other issues which of course, are very critical as we have reflected in some of the statements we issued,” he said.

    This, he said, included issues of insecurity, unity among party members and the question of mobilising for voter registration.

  • NNPP presidential candidate, Kwankwaso picks Bishop Idahosa as running mate

    NNPP presidential candidate, Kwankwaso picks Bishop Idahosa as running mate

    The  New Nigeria Peoples Party, (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso has chosen Bishop Isaac Idahosa as his running mate ahead of the 2023 general elections in the country.

    The party disclosed this in a tweet on its Twitter handle on Thursday “Our VP Pastor Bishop Isaac Idahosa from Edo State.”

    There were speculations of an alliance with Peter Obi’s Labour party, but it didn’t see the light of the day.

    Bishop Idahosa who hails from Edo State is the Senior Pastor of God First Ministry, a.k.a Illumination Assembly.

    The man of God is a gospel singer who is popularly known as ‘Prophet Talk Na Do’ by his congregation.

    Kwankwaso and the LP presidential candidate, Peter Obi, during talks for an alliance, disagreed on who should deputize each other.

    Bishop Isaac Idahosa is the senior pastor of God First Ministry’s Illumination Assembly in Ajah, Lagos. He formed a church in Minna, Niger State, with few members 25 years ago.

     

  • Fresh Primary: Eleje emerges APGA candidate for Ebonyi South senatorial seat

    Fresh Primary: Eleje emerges APGA candidate for Ebonyi South senatorial seat

    The All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Ebonyi chapter has conducted a fresh primary election for the replacement of Mrs Blessing Egbed, who withdrew from the race for Ebonyi South senatorial seat in 2023 polls.

    Egbed is now replaced by Mr Ifeanyi Eleje, who is currently the President, Government Secondary School, Afikpo, Old Boys Association Worldwide.

    Newsmen reports that Egbed, who was elected candidate for the position earlier on May, voluntarily withdrew from the race in the party.

    “My withdrawal from the race was to enable the party to balance the power equation to accommodate other parts of the state to ensure victory at the polls,” Egbed said.

    Mr Benard Odoh, APGA Gubernatorial candidate in the state, while addressing newsmen described the new primary election as a welcome development in the efforts to move the party forward in Ebonyi.

    “The conduct has gone smoothly, no cumbersome process because we were not in contention but for replacement. Somebody has withdrawn and somebody is being replaced.

    “We have two other persons who have also withdrawn and two people, who will replace them but we will respect their privacy at the edge and allow the party to do the needful.

    “The key most important is that we have successively received the letters of those who have withdrawn and the party will be communicated accordingly.

    The State Chairman of the party, Mr Ricky Okorouka, said the primary election was a directive from the superior authorities from the party and INEC.

    Okorouka hailed the conduct and urged party faithful to uphold the principles and ideology of APGA to win all positions in 2023..

    Eleje, also commended the leadership of the party and expressed happiness for choosing him for the replacement for the zone.

  • 2023 : Dr Ayuba urge people of Kaduna to register for PVC

    2023 : Dr Ayuba urge people of Kaduna to register for PVC

    In an interactive session with Southern Kaduna Journalists Forum, Dr John Ayuba, running mate to Mr Isah Ashiru, the  PDP Governorship candidate of  Kaduna State, stated that the Permanent Voters Card (PVC) is the key to inclusive governance in the state.

    Ayuba, a former Commissioner for Finance in the state called on the people to come out en mass to register for their cards as very critical to deciding elective positions in the 2023 General Elections.

    He said that the candidature of Ashiru provided the opportunity for inclusive governance that would ensure equal opportunity for every resident of the state, irrespective of religion and ethnicity.

    He explained that the Southern Kaduna people got stuck with Ashiru because of his strong connection with the people of the area and his touch with rural communities.

    He said that the PDP under Ashiru, if given the opportunity, would operate open governance that would be inclusive and gender-sensitive.

    “Ashiru was part of the success stories of Sen. Ahmed Makarfi era from 1999 to 2007, who worked hard to close the divide between northern and southern parts of the state.

    “He has maintained his ties with the people of Southern Kaduna, and we have confidence that he has our interest at heart and will work for the interest of all in the state.

    “We will work to improve our voting strength in southern part of the state and push for the support of the PDP to deliver good and inclusive governance to people.

    “We are confident that he will build bridges to connect the people of the state to together and work as a united front for socio-economic development of the state,” he said.

    He said 65 per cent of the voters were youths and urged the journalists to galvanise the people to support the party because of its principle of fairness and inclusive governance.

    Mr Ango Bally of Invicta FM who spoke on behalf of the forum, an interest group, said that the objective of the meeting was to familiarise with the deputy governorship candidate.

    Bally congratulated Ayuba, from Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of the state, on being picked as the running mate to Ashiru and urged him to represent the Southern Kaduna people well if elected to office.

    He said that while the people were yearning for change, the party must demonstrate seriousness to take over the political power and provide quality representation.

    Mr Luka Binniyat of Epoch Times, said that the people would be willing to support the PDP, but it was yet to convince the people that it was ready to restle power from the ruling APC.

    Binniyat said that the party needed to come out strongly and demonstrate the capacity to take power and deliver good governance.

    He advised the PDP as the strong opposition to the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) to up their game otherwise they might lose the 2023 elections again.

    Mr Bomba Dauda, Publisher of Gurara Accord, pointed out that the southern Kaduna people gave over 500,000 votes to the PDP in the 2019 General Elections, while the northern zone polled only 263,3440 votes for the party.

    Dauda said that to win the 2023 election, the governorship candidate needed to mobilise votes from his constituency to match what the Southern Kaduna people were doing for the party.

  • 2023: Why we didn’t publish Lawan, Akpabio’s names as candidate – INEC

    2023: Why we didn’t publish Lawan, Akpabio’s names as candidate – INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Saturday finally explained why the names of Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, and former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio were not published for the 2023 senatorial election.

    INEC said it refrained from publishing the names of the candidates submitted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Yobe North and Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial Districts, Lawan and Akpabio, because it didn’t monitor the primary elections that produced them.

    The Commission insisted that the Constitution mandates it to monitor congresses and primaries of political parties.

    A statement by INEC National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye reads: “The attention of the Commission has been drawn to speculations circulating online on the outcome of some of the recent primaries conducted by political parties and related issues. In particular, allegations intended to impugn the integrity of the Commission have been made in respect of the Akwa Ibom North West and Yobe North Senatorial Districts.

    “To set the record straight, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria mandates the Commission to monitor the organization and operation of political parties, including their finances, conventions, congresses and party primaries.

    “In line with its constitutional and legal obligations, the Commission deployed monitors to the various constituencies and received reports of such exercise.

    “In relation to the primaries for the Akwa Ibom North West and Yobe North Senatorial Districts, the Commission stands by the monitoring reports received from our State offices. For this reason, the Commission did not publish the personal particulars of any candidate for the two constituencies at variance with the State reports. Right now, the Commission is funtus officio in the two cases.”

    The Commission urged aggrieved parties to seek redress in Court.

    “Aggrieved parties are at liberty to approach the Federal High Court and seek redress as provided in section 285 of the Constitution of the Federal republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and sections 29(5) and 84(14) of the Electoral Act, 2022,” the statement noted.

    The Commission also disclosed that it is working round the clock to meet the rising requests for Certified True Copies (CTCs) of documents by interested individuals.

  • Labour Party is for online content, they’ll not get 15 votes – APC lawmaker

    Labour Party is for online content, they’ll not get 15 votes – APC lawmaker

    Federal House of Representatives member, Akin Alabi has dismissed the strength of the Labour Party (LP) ahead of the 2023 election.

    On Saturday, the lawmaker reacted to a tweet about LP’s strategy to forestall rigging next year.

    Professor Pat Utomi disclosed that the platform and a coalition were planning to have 15 agents at each polling unit.

    In reply, Alabi wrote: “Labour Party will not get 15 votes in my polling unit at Ajiwogbo, Ward 4, Egbeda Local Government, Ibadan.”

    The comment has generated hundreds of responses from LP’s supporters and rivals.

    Some said Alabi’s declaration was a mockery of the party and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

    The businessman reacted to some, asking someone who talked about bet: “How much have you got?”

    To a tweep who said Alabi was “concerned about LP”, he replied: “PDP is my concern politically. Labour is for online content.”

    “You better respect my political game because I’m on ground”, Alabi told another.

    “I’m about to contest for a 3rd consecutive federal election. That’s not for twitter experts. This is the real deal.”

  • TINUBU: Nothing wrong with choice of Muslim-Muslim ticket – Ladoja

    TINUBU: Nothing wrong with choice of Muslim-Muslim ticket – Ladoja

    Former Gov. Rashidi Ladoja of Oyo State says there is nothing wrong with the choice of the Muslim-Muslim ticket, if it will bring the desired growth and development to Nigeria.

    Ladoja made the assertions while speaking with newsmen on Saturday in his Bodija residence in Ibadan.

    The former governor said that the sentiment of Muslim-Muslim ticket should not be a criteria for electing leaders.

    “I don’t see anything wrong in Muslim-Muslim ticket, because I don’t intervene in the religion matters. Muslims and Christians are from the same father, Abraham is known as Ibrahim in Islam.

    “Some people are following Ismail, while some are following Isaac who are siblings. So, what is now my own to be fighting for one among them.

    “Even, I don’t have time to fight with the traditionalists. It is only God that knows his servants; so, why must we fight over religion,” he said.

    The former governor said that all religions, including traditional religion, preach love and good characters.

    Ladoja said that if not for the crisis and killings in some parts of the country, they usually don’t think about the kind of religion anyone was practicing.

    According to him, it is only politicians that usually cause crisis with religion. They are the causes of all these things, but God will intervene.

    “But, when gunmen started attacking churches and kidnapping clerics in Christendom, people started doubting their fellow brothers who belongs to another religion,” former governor said.

    He said there were many factors involved in electing a president, adding that it also required more prayers.

    The former governor said that his prayers, including that of other Nigerians, was not a repeat of what happened to the late Chief M.K.O Abiola in 1993.

    “There are many factors involved in electing the President. Whoever wants to be president and those working for him, have to work very hard.

    “In fact, they will need more prayers as they are consulting. With all these efforts, God has the final say on who becomes the president.

    “Chief M.K.O Abiola, a Muslim was elected along his Muslim vice, Alhaji Babagana Kingibe. We only pray that if Tinubu wins, it won’t turn into same scenario of late Abiola,” he said.

    Ladoja decried the recent attack on the advance party of President Muhammadu Buhari in Katsina and Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja.

    He said that government need to strengthen the nation’s security architecture to end these heinous killings across the country.

  • 2023: Group cautions APC, Tinubu against Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket

    The Nigeria Democracy Defence Watch has appealed to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Sen. Bola Tinubu, its presidential candidate against presenting a Muslim/Muslim ticket in the 2023 presidential election.
    The group made the appeal in a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari titled: “APC’s Muslim/Muslim Ticket in Nigeria’s 2023 Elections: A Threat to National Stability, Regional Peace and Security’”.

    ​​​​​The letter which was signed by Alhaji Ahmed Adamu and Otunba Adeniji Adegoke, the group’s National Coordinator​​​​​ and National Secretary, was made available to newsmen on Monday in Abuja.

    The letter according to the group is copied to all heads of democratic and security institutions as well as other international concerns.
    It said a Muslim-Muslim ticket would not only be a threat to national stability but could also retard the country’s peace and security.
    The group said presenting such a ticket as being proposed by the APC, would portray Nigeria as an Islamic and sectarian nation.
    This, it said, would be ultimately resisted by the country’s millions of practising Christians, moderate and progressive Muslims and civic groups.
    It added that ethno-cultural associations and enlightened members of the international communities could also protest such a ticket.
    “We are therefore calling on President Buhari to direct the security forces to do the needful by advising Sen. Bola Tinubu, APC presidential candidate and the party on the possible threats this action could pose to security in the country.
    “It is pertinent to note the serious implications of the action with regards to security, especially when one rightly imagines that Christians will feel threatened with a Muslim/Muslim ticket.
    “They may resort to pulpit preachings and mobilisation of opinions across the christendom,” the group said.
    It said civil society organisations and students would likely protest if a Muslim Muslim ticket was eventually introduced into the polity in manners that might constitute security concerns.
    The group warned on the danger such a political arrangement could cause on continental security.
    It noted that the West African Sub-region and African regional peace and security were basically predicated on the presumption of Nigeria’s political stability.
    “We therefore implore you to use your good offices to weigh in on Tinubu and the APC to thread with caution and refrain from unyielding desire to foist on the nation a Muslim Muslim ticket