Tag: 2023Election

JUST IN: Place APC leaders on watch list to ensure peaceful elections next month – PDP tells FG

… insists presidential/NASS elections must hold on Feb 25

The People’s Democratic Party, PDP has has advised the Federal Government to place APC leaders on security watch list to ensure a peaceful election next month.

The major opposition in Nigeria said the February 25th date for Presidential and National Assembly Elections remains sacrosanct.

It said attempts by the ruling All Progressives Congress to orchestrate violence to cause a constitutional crisis in order to cling to power will fail.

National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, said this at a media briefing in Abuja on Saturday.

He explained that while the PDP was busy campaigning and preparing for elections the APC was busy scheming to unleash violence and arm twist the Independent National Electoral Commission into shifting the elections.

Ologunagba explained that the APC and its leaders have been engaged in a series of conducts and utterances which are clear indications that the party is not prepared for the forth coming elections.

He said, “The first (of such acts) is the heightening plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to derail the conduct of the 2023 general elections.

“The second is the attempt by the APC to mislead the public by falsely claiming that the PDP has no candidate for Borno Central Senatorial District Election.

“Our Party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been following the many furtive narratives being promoted by the APC with the view to blackmail critical election stakeholders to accede to its design to postpone the 2023 general elections, particularly the February 25, 2023 Presidential election.

“Our Party had earlier alerted the nation of a well-oiled plot by the APC to orchestrate security situation and promote circumstances to warrant the postponement of the 2023 general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“The ultimate intent of the APC is to use such unfounded circumstances to derail the entire electoral process and impose an undemocratic situation on our country.”

He further said, “The PDP hereby insists without equivocation that the February 25, 2023 Presidential and National Assembly election date is sacrosanct.

“February 25, 2023 date is already locked in for the Presidential and National Assembly elections, the security agencies have given their assurances, the Federal Government has also given its assurance; Nigerians are ready for the election and will not accept any postponement of elections under any guise whatsoever.

“The APC and its Presidential Candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu know that they have no chance at all in the coming elections, having been rejected by Nigerians because of their multiple failures, recklessness, humongous corruption, violence and continuing infliction of pains, hardship and life-discounting experiences on Nigerians in the last seven and half years.

“Nigerians are not ready to continue with a hopelessly corrupt, miserably incompetent and viciously insensitive political party, the APC, which has mortgaged the future of our country with an accumulated N77 trillion debt as revealed by the Debt Management Office (DMO).”

This, he said, explains why the APC and its Presidential Candidate continue to promote and encourage violence in various parts of our country including attacking INEC facilities.

According to him, “The APC and its leaders are desperate to use their doomsday orchestrations to frighten and blackmail INEC to alter the electoral schedule after which the APC will take advantage of the situation to unsettle the general election, foist a constitutional crisis and truncate the nation’s democratic process,

“The PDP therefore charges INEC, as an independent institution not to succumb to the blackmails of the APC but focus on its preparations and fix its eyes on delivering a free, fair, transparent and credible election on February 25, 2023. “The PDP also demands that Security Agencies should place APC leaders on watchlist and take urgent steps to halt APC’s implementation of Asiwaju Tinubu’s directives to his party members, as contained in the recently leaked video, to deploy violence and underhand dealings in the 2023 general elections.

“Nigerians are eager to vote on February 25, 2023. They have suffered a lot and cannot wait to kick out the vicious, insensitive and corrupt APC and vote in the PDP and Atiku Abubakar to rescue and rebuild our nation.

“Atiku Abubakar is poised to win the majority of votes cast across the country and secure 25% in all the States of the Federation to emerge President on the very first ballot. Those trying to push the run-off narrative or postponement of elections should perish the thought. They should get ready for elections or quit the race.”

Speaking further, he said the party was made aware of subterranean moves by the APC over the Borno Central Senatorial District election.

He said , “Our Party has been made aware of mischievous and misleading claims by the APC, that the PDP has no candidate for the Borno Central Senatorial election scheduled to hold on February 25, 2023.

“For clarity, the PDP states in an unequivocal term that our Candidate for the Borno Central Senatorial election remains Hon. Umara Muhammad Kumalia as confirmed in the list of candidates for the 2023 general elections as published by INEC.

“Such resort to falsehood further exposes the fact that the APC in Borno State is intimidated by the towering credibility and popularity of our Borno Central Senatorial Candidate, Hon. Umara Muhammad Kumalia among the people for which they are eager to troop out enmasse to vote for him on February 25, 2023.

“The APC should understand that the people have settled for our Candidate, Hon. Umara Muhammad Kumalia and cannot be swayed by their falsehood and misleading claims.

“The PDP therefore urges our teeming party members, supporters and good people of Borno Central Senatorial District to disregard and ignore the APC and continue to stand behind our Candidate, Hon. Umara Muhammad Kumalia as he marches to victory in the forthcoming elections.”

January 14, 2023
Court fires Elisha Abbo from contesting APC Senatorial election

Barely 48days to election, a High Court in Yola presided over by Justice Mohammed Danladi, on Tuesday fired Senator Ishaku Abbo as the APC Senatorial candidate for Adamawa North senatorial zone in the 2023 general elections.

Senator Abbo was sacked on the ground that he was expelled from the party by his ward in Mubi North local government area of Adamawa.

Justice Danladi, held that the Senator and APC are bound by the resolution of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Mubi North Local government chapter’s executive expelling him from the party on the 7th of October 2022.

The court also averred that Senator Abbo is not entitled to enjoy any right or privilege accorded to APC members.

TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) recalls that the Mubi North LG executive of the party had on the 7th of October 2022, approved the expulsion of the Senator as recommended by the party’s disciplinary committee.

The court further restrained APC under which the Senator is seeking re-election from recognising him as its candidate, saying that he cannot validly be the candidate of the party in the forthcoming general election.

The ruling also restrained Senator Abbo from parading himself as the candidate of the party in the Northern Senatorial District in the forthcoming general election.

Justice Danladi, held that the plaintiff’s counsel has proved beyond doubt and that the court is satisfied with the procedure followed by the party, saying that Senator was accorded the opportunity to defend himself but deliberately refused to so do.

He said that the action of the plaintiffs in suing the Senator is not an internal affair of the party as claimed and that they have locus standi to institute the action against him since they are registered members of the party.

It could be recalled that two APC members, Abdullahi Suleiman and Yusha’u Usman of Kolere and Sabon Layi Wards, Mubi North LGA, respectively, sued the Senator and sought for an interpretation regarding his status in APC.

In his reaction, Counsel to the Plaintiffs, Abubakar Ali Esq, appreciated the court, saying that the judgement will serve as a deterrent to erring members of the party who claim to be above the party.

The Counsel to the defendant, E. O. Odo, said that he will inform his Client about the judgment of the court, saying if he agrees, they will challenge the judgement at the Court of Appeal.

January 10, 2023
2023 elections: The odds favour Tinubu – By Dr. Philip Ugbodaga

By Dr. Philip Ugbodaga

For those running around focusing on Tinubu’s age, certificates, alleged ill-health, bublubla and Muslim-Muslim ticket, that is an ineffective political tactic.

Here is Atiku’s challenge. It is in the numbers!
The same applies to Peter Obi or Kwankwanso.

Below are 14 Northern states with APC governors.
Which one do you think Atiku’s PDP, or Kwankwanso’s NNPP or Peter Obi’s Labour Party will win?

1. Borno state: Babagana Zulum
2. Gombe state: Inuwa Yahaya
3. Jigawa state: Badaru Mohammed
4. Kaduna state: Nasir El Rufai
5. Kano state: Umar Ganduje
6. Katsina state: Aminu Masari
7. Kwara state: Yahaya Bello
8. Nasarawa state: Abdulahi Sule
9. Niger state: Abubakar Bello
10. Plateau state: Simon Lalong
11. Zamfara state: Bello Matawalle
12. Kebbi state: Atiku Bagudu
13. Yobe state: Mai Mala Buni
14. Kogi State: Yaya Bello

At the Eagle Square in Abuja, 13 of them campaigned for and got Tinubu elected as the Presidential flagbearer of the APC.
Today, all these governors, including Yaya Bello of Kogi State are supporting Tinubu and there is no crack in their ranks.

Can Atiku or Kwankwanso or Obi peel away any of these govs?

Can any of these opposition candidates win any of these states without the governor’s support?

For emphasis I have also included the south-western states under APC control or in Tinubu’s electoral basket:

The South-Western APC state are:
1. Lagos: Sanwo-Olu
2. Ekiti: Abiodun Oyebanji
3. Ogun: Dapo Abiodun
4. Ondo: Rotimi Akeredolu
5. Osun
6. Oyo
Which of these states can Atiku or Kwankwanso or Obi win?

To complicate Atiku’s path to victory is the enthusiasm being generated mostly in some southern cities for Peter Obi’s Candidacy. In the south, the PDP is mostly dominant in the South South and South East. Even 3 of the governors in these states are APC!

In 2015, the APC won mainly because all the opposition political parties merged and formed a formidable political platform whereas the ruling PDP was enmeshed in an intractable crisis and a political war of attrition with at least 5 sitting governors, the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, several senators and House of Representatives members including serving Ministers leaving the party. The exact reverse scenario is playing out in 2023. The APC is intact but the opposition is sinking deeper into opposition and is fragmented with Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwanso leaving the PDP. The PDP G-5 governors have crossed the rubicon and will not be supporting Atiku’s candidacy in the presidential election. They are expected to declare their support for either Tinubu or less likely Peter Obi in the coming days. This will be fatal to Atiku’s chances and unlikely to shore up Peter Obi’s chances in any significant manner.

Until we see a crack in the APC governor’s support, Tinubu is sitting pretty well and the odds are clearly in his favour to win.

The opponents of the APC Candidate say the Buhari administration has not done well but this is vehemently contested by APC party stalwarts who insist that Buhari is the best thing to happen to Nigeria. Will this count during the 2023 Presidential election? The answer so far is No using Ekiti gov election as a barometer, even though it is a very small sample size. Even the Osun election was won by PDP simply because Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and his faction of the APC are alleged to have worked against the candidate of the APC.

Those opposed to Tinubu, rather than hold him to a campaign of issues are wasting their time with his age, alleged ill-health, his Muslim choice as running mate etc. They even want the courts and INEC to disqualify Tinubu. None of these will work or even happen!
Indeed, Tinubu has so far campaigned more hungrily and more comprehensively than any of his challengers. From the UK to Saudi Arabia, then Kano and Edo states and then back to Kano…all in 4 days! On monday, 9th January, he will be in Adamawa state with President Muhammadu Buhari leading the charge for votes in the state and other core northern states in quick succession putting a lie to the claim by the PDP that Buhari has vowed not to join the Asiwaju campaign train. The supposedly fitter candidates are all lagging behind Asiwaju.

The only way to defeat Tinubu will be at the ballot by all the opposition candidates stepping down for only one of them but this will also never happen. Tinubu is still in pole position for now and coasting to victory.

Atiku lacks the bite….majority of southerners are also unlikely to stomach a potential 16 years of a northerner presidency. In a very commendable display of statesmanship, patriotism and to guarantee national cohesion stability, the political leaders of Northern Nigeria also desire to respect the North-South power rotation on which plank President Goodluck Jonathan was defeated in the North and then eventually nationally in 2015.

It is almost late in the day to upstage the entrenched political system in Nigeria and by the current political and electoral system and in a free and fair contest, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu appears unstoppable and a Jagaban presidency looms large.

Dr. Philip Ugbodaga
Citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFRN)

January 8, 2023
APC’s reign of bad governance will end soon, Imoke, Bassey, others assure Nigerians

The leader of the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP), Presidential Campaign Council in Cross River State Senator Liyel Imoke has assured the people in the state of the party’s readiness to take over power from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in February general elections as their days of bad governance will soon end.

He said the party would proffer solution to the bad governance under the current administration of APC in the country.

The former governor of the State, made the ascertain during a Town Hall Meeting between a delegation of PDP Presidential Campaign Council and stakeholders of the party as well as traditional rulers, at the palace of the Ndidem of Calabar Municipality.

Imoke, who causioned the people against resorting to ethnic sentiment in their voting decision, said the presidency of Atiku and Okowa remains the only viable option for Nigeria.

He implored the people to shun the antics of the ruling APC to perpetrate the party in power beyond 2023, noting that the rulling party has failed the people on all sides and therefore, unworthy to be entrusted with power at any level of government.

In his remarks, the Senator representing Southern Senatorial District Senator Gershom Bassey urged the teaming party supporters to remain focused and Committed to reclaiming their mandate at federal, state and local government levels.

He maintained that the Atiku presidency will implement a five point blueprint including restoring the country’s unity through equity, social justice, and cooperation.

In their separate remarks, the PDP Senatorial Candidate for the Southern Senatorial District, Ntufam Ekpo Okon and the member representing Calabar Municipality Odukpani federal constituency, Ntufam Etta Mbora also reminded the people that there is no better opportunity to redeeming the present situation, than to vote the PDP back to power at all levels.

Also speaking, the National woman leader Prof Stella Effa Attoe, described the current APC administration in the country as the worst ever, and advised people to advantage of the 2023 general election in effecting the needed change by enthroning the PDP back to power.

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January 8, 2023
Delta: Relative of Okowa strongman, Askia dump PDP for APC (Photos)

… umbrella has crumbled-Ilolo

A gale of defections has hit Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Delta state, as the All Progressives Congress, APC, Campaign train hit critical strongholds of the party.

During the week, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s Former Commissioner for Urban Renewal, Dr. Karo Ilolo, and two time chairman of Ethiope East LGA, Chief Mrs Faith Majemite, dumped the PDP and declared for APC.

Speaking on Friday during the APC ward to ward campaign at Uzere, the hometown of Okowa strongman, Bashorun Askia Ogieh, Ilolo said “the PDP umbrella is torn. We are totally committed to the cause of the APC, and we shall win”

Bashorun Askia is the Managing Director of Delta Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, which is considered as Governor Okowa’s financial war chest for the prosecution of the 2023 election.

Also at Uzere, Majemite dismissed the PDP as a party of “thieves.” She said that in seven and a half years, PDP under Governor Okowa, has received N4.2 trillion, but the state is still undeveloped and dirt poor.

“They are all thieves. If PDP comes here to campaign, ask them, where’s our money? Until they answer your question, don’t listen to them,” she said.

Mr. Goodluck Obrogor, the only brother of Bashorun Askia, was the cynosure of all eyes, when he led 177 defectors to denounce the PDP and pledge loyalty to APC.

In his defection speech, Mr. Obrogor said the Uzere people are in the throes of oppression and intimidation and pleaded with Deputy Senate President, and Delta State governorship candidate of the APC, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, to help them.

“Obarisi, please see this place as your own home and come and set us free from the shackles of slavery imposed on us by the PDP,” he said.

Others who decamped were James Miller, former Personal Assistant to the majority leader of the Delta State House of Assembly; Olotu Ode, Uzere community youth leader; Fred Uye, Edafe Agbaka, and other members of the Uzere youth movement.

Others included Okpokoro Precious, Azinoh Urieh, Adaka Frank, Ewomazino Ojabekie, Obi Endurance, Endurance Oluku and Ezekiel Urete.

James Igbi, the former Deputy governorship candidate of the ADC, led a cross section of party leaders and elders in Uzere to decamp to the APC.

In Aviara, former members of the PDP led by Ureghe John-Mark, an Aviara ward executive member, tore PDP cards and also decamped to the APC.

Speaking, John-Mark said Aviara people have been used and dumped, and that they are fed up with PDP and have decided to pitch tent with APC.

Reacting to the gale of defections, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege said by the sincere decision of former leaders and supporters of PDP to dump the party and embrace APC, Bahorun Askia and Okowa have passed judgement on themselves.

“They should know that the time of politics of intimidation is over. They know me and I know them. I can’t be intimidated.”

He lamented that Uzere, the second place after Oloibiri where oil was discovered in Nigeria still looks decrepit after over N4.3 trillion oil revenues generated from Uzere and other oil producing communities in Delta, accrued to the state.

“Is this Uzere, the oil rich producing community? Did you offend Okowa? How could Askia be so comfortable with making Uzere people Internally Displaced Persons during floods? With the resources from Uzere you are not supposed to have problems with flooding. Instead of Askia to use his office to help his people he chose to intimidate them.

“Uzere does not look like an oil producing Community. By God’s grace, when I become governor I will consult with illustrious indigenes to ask them what the incoming government should do for Uzere.”

At Aviara, he told the people that that Okowa is deceiving himself, but he will not be vice president. Our next president, he said, is Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and our Vice President will be Senator Kassim Shettima, both of the APC.

He urged the people of Aviara to come out on election day, stare down PDP and Okowa and vote all APC candidates. He assured supporters of adequate security on election day, and urged them not to fear intimidation by the opposition.

At the palace of the traditional ruler of Aviara, HRH, Efadue Imo, Ebobo 1, the Ovie of Aviara, he assured that he would ensure that Aviara community is fully linked to the national grid. He also promised to consult with the traditional ruler to address other challenges of the community.

The defectors were received by the Delta State APC Chairman, Elder Omeni Sobotie, who described the younger brother of Chief Askia Ogieh as the biblical Jacobian twin that has seen the light and prayed that Uzere never experience bad leadership and darkness again.

January 8, 2023
Court quashes suit seeking to sack INEC chair over assets declaration

A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Garki has quashed a suit seeking the probe of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, over alleged false assets declaration.

In the judgment on Wednesday, Justice M. A. Hassan found that Yakubu complied with all relevant requirements in declaring his assets.

Justice Hassan held that the declaration of assets by the INEC chair was lawful, valid and in compliance with the law.

The judge further held that having complied with the relevant laws in his assets declaration, Yakubu could not be investigated by any of the nation’s security agencies, as requested by the claimant.

Justice Hassan, who declined to grant any of the 14 reliefs sought in the suit, declared that the INEC Chairman could not be removed from office over an unsubstantiated allegation of false assets declaration.

The judgment was on the suit marked: FCT/HC/GAR/CV/47/2022, filed by Somadina Uzoabaka.

Uzoabaka had among others, queried the authenticity of the assets declaration made by Yakubu and urged the court to compel security agencies to probe the INEC boss’ claims.

In the suit with Yakubu and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) as defendants, the claimant prayed the court for an order of mandatory injunction directing and compelling the INEC Chair to recuse, excuse and exclude himself and or step down from office pending the investigation of the various allegations against him by security agencies.

The claimant also sought an order stopping the INEC Chair from holding or assuming any public office for 10 years.

In his response, Yakubu faulted Uzoabaka’s claims.

The INEC boss tendered documents before the court to establish the sources of the funds with which he purchased the assets which the claimant claimed were illegally acquired.

Yakubu insisted that his assets declaration was validly done, a position Justice Hassan upheld in his judgment on Wednesday.

January 4, 2023
2023: Again, survey rates Obi far above Tinubu, Atiku, others to win presidential election

Barely two months to elections, a fresh survey conducted by Market Trends International (MTI) on all presidential candidates in the 2023 election has placed Labour Party (LP) candidate, Peter Obi, ahead of Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bola Tinubu of All Progressives Congress (APC), Rabiu Kwankwaso of New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Omoyele Sowore of African Action Congress, among others.

MTI, a market research organisation, has been operating in Nigeria and other African countries for over 30 years. The agency is also skilled in both qualitative and quantitative studies.

Executive Director, MTI, Victor Ozinegbe Ebhomenye, said 44 per cent of the respondents indicated that they would likely vote Obi, the former governor of Anambra State in the 2023 presidential election.

“This may have come as a surprise to Nigerians because the Labour Party and Obi had no presence in Nigerian presidential scene as at December 2021,” Ebhomenye said.

He said the survey, conducted between November 9 and 29, 2022, indicated that Tinubu had 19 per cent respondents, Atiku had 16 respondents; Kwankwaso had 14 per cent respondents, Sowore had zero per cent, others had five per cent, while those that refused and undecided had one per cent each.

Ebhomenye said: “Obi has picked up pace in the race since he declared interest to run with the Labour Party as the party’s presidential candidate at its national convention and presidential primary in Asaba, the capital of Delta State, on Monday, May 30 after other aspirants, like former presidential adviser, Pat Utomi; Faduri Joseph and Olubusola Emmanuel-Tella, stepped down.

“With Obi’s emergence, the party received boosts to achieve lasting alliance talks with NNPP (this alliance is said to have collapsed at the moment; Zenith Labour Party; Allied Peoples Movement; National Rescue Movement; Peoples Redemption Party, and African Democratic Congress, among others before the February 2023 presidential race.”

He said the proposed alliance had halted the APC and PDP from dominating the upcoming elections, adding that the PDP was initially seen as the most popular party to win the 2023 presidential election as at December 2021, with 52 per cent of respondents.

“When asked whom they will vote for, 28 per cent of respondents leaned towards voting for the PDP. However, findings show that 45 per cent of respondents were undecided and did not know which party they would vote for as at December 2021,” MTI further said.

According to the agency, ever since the loss of the party’s presidential ticket in May 2022 and being overlooked as the running mate of the flag-bearer, Atiku, Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike; and four other PDP governors (popularly known as the G5 Governors) have constituted themselves into an opposition within the PDP.

“It is believed these G5 Governors- Wike, Seyi Makinde; Samuel Ortom; Okezie Ikpeazu; and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi- discreetly withdrew their support for Atiku and this could be one factor to explain the drastic fall in support for the PDP. This has also contributed to Tinubu and Obi gaining more grounds in the upcoming presidential election race.

“Furthermore, when asked to advise the incoming president on challenges to tackle immediately he assumes office, Nigerians advised the incoming president to make insecurity (46 per cent), collapsed economy (20 per cent), and unemployment (18 per cent) his top priority, this order tallies with the previous survey results,

“Insecurity in Nigeria is a recurring phenomenon that threatens our well-being. The Southwest is plagued by a surge in cyber crime, armed robbery, kidnapping, domestic crime, extra-judicial killings, herder-farmer conflicts, ritual killings and banditry.

“The Southeast is a haven for ritual killings, commercial crime, secessionist agitation, kidnapping, herder-farmer clashes, attacks by gunmen and banditry.

“The Southsouth remains threatened by militancy, kidnapping and environmental agitation. The Northeast has been subject to a humanitarian crisis lasting over a decade, caused by the Boko Haram insurgency and the Islamic State in the West Africa Province.

“Meanwhile, the Northwest is enmeshed in illegal mining, ethno-religious killings, and banditry,” MTI said.

January 3, 2023
How ’emilokan’ mantra, G-5 dancing steps, Obi, London dialogues unshaped Nigeria’s political landscape in 2022

As the year 2022 eclipses, the political events that heralded the year unfolded many issues that may shape or unshape the political landscape of Nigeria since independence in 1960.

TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) Africa’s most authoritative news platform will take a careful look at the events before and after the primaries of the two major political parties in Nigeria, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

The advent of the social media networks equally helped in shaping it either negatively or positively as the political drumbeats took a new dimension for the first time in the political history of Nigeria.

The presidential candidate of APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu before the primaries of his party while on political consultations to Ogun state had bared it all when he declared that without him President Muhamadu Buhari wouldn’t have even dreamt of going to Aso Rock.

Without mincing words in Yoruba dialect he had declared that ’emilokan’ which literally means it’s my turn to occupy Aso Rock in 2023.

This development did not go down with many Nigerians and before you say Jack Robinson, it turned out to become a mantra echoed all over Nigeria.

APC Primaries:

The primaries came and contestants coughed out N100m each for forms.

Twenty-three (23) aspirants were screened by the John Odigie-Oyegun-led screening committee.

Those screened were Bola Tinubu, former Lagos state governor; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President Ahmad Lawan; Kayode Fayemi, Ekiti state governor; Godswill Akpabio, former minister of Niger Delta Affairs; Yahaya Bello, governor of Kogi state and Oladimeji Bankole, former Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Others are; Tein Jack-Rich, President/ Founder of Belemaoil and Belema Aid Foundation; Ogbonnaya Onu, former minister of Science, Technology and Innovation; Ben Ayade, Cross River state governor; Ikeobasi Mokelu, former minister of Information; Rotimi Amaechi, former Minister of Transportation, Emeka Nwajiuba, former Minister of State for Education and Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi state.

Also screened were Ahmed Yerima, former governor of Zamfara; Ibikunle Amosun, former Governor of Ogun state; Uju Kennedy, only female aspirant; Tunde Bakare, Nicholas Felix; Ken Nnamani, former President of the Senate president, Ajayi Borroffice, deputy senate leader and Mohammed Abubakar-Badaru governor of Jigawa State.

True to his words, when the primaries took place this year Tinubu dusted all the aspirants including a serving vice president to clinch the coveted position of a presidential flag-bearer.

It was indeed ’emilokan’ that carried the day. The only close contestant was the former Governor of Rivers State and immediate past Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.

‘Emilokan’ will only truly manifest paraventure Tinubu emerges Nigeria’s president in 2023.

THE PDP PRIMARIES:

The PDP presidential primaries which took place in May was another political event of 2022 that properly helped to unshape the party’s political history as five governors of immense political wherewithal decided to go on a dancing jamboree to register their bottled up anger.

Leading the pack is vociferous Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike who after losing the presidential primaries aligned with his allies to address alleged marginalisation of the southern part of Nigeria.

To this end, Wike and his integrity group asked for the resignation of the party’s chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu to address the imbalance in the party as the presidential candidate can’t be from the same north.

The party saw it as an empty threat and went ahead to appoint Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal as the PCC Director General to further confirm that the G-5 governors are on their own.

This development also helped to shape the party as a northern party which the integrity group has vehemently rejected.

It’s still a raging issue within the party as the group has continued to shuttle the globe looking for ways and means to address the injustice birthed by the presidential primaries that produced Atiku Abubakar as flag bearer.

THE PETER OBI FACTOR:

Former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi had to abandon the PDP political turf after purchasing form for the presidential primaries when he discovered that it was virtually impossible to achieve anything meaningful.

He left the oldest surviving party in Nigeria to lace his boots with the relatively unknown Labour Party LP.

His emergence as the presidential candidate of the party has galvanized the party into the media space to the extent that most polls carried out in the last four months point to his direction as the most likely president of Nigeria in 2023.

The party does not have structures on ground like established APC and PDP that over the years had acquired structures that could give them a major vintage position in 2023.

THE LONDON DIALOGUES TO SHAPE NIGERIA’s POLITICAL SPACE:

In the last four months several dialogues to properly galvanise the parties for smooth transition next year has not yielded any positive results rather the outcomes are filled with rhetorics.

The PDP is heading towards a point of no return while the birth of Labour Party and NNPP in the Nigerian political space is giving the old gladiators, PDP and APC sleepless nights.

The Nigerian political space that has birthed strong men and not strong political institutions as the year 2022 draws to an end may produce a presidential election that might finally shape the Nigerian political space or properly unshape it for the future.

December 29, 2022
2023: Again, Peter Obi of LP ahead Tinubu, Atiku, others in fresh poll

A new poll concluded in December has shown that the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi is ahead of the three other frontline candidates.

TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) reports the poll conducted by NOI Polls Limited and commissioned by Anap Foundation showed that Obi leads Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC); Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).

Anap Foundation President, Atedo Peterside made this known during a live appearance in of the national television stations on Wednesday.

He said the election has moved past a three-horse race, as said in an earlier poll released in September, to a four-horse race.

Peterside said Obi has 23 percent, Tinubu scored 13, Atiku got 10 and Kwankwaso polled 2 percent in the fresh poll released in December.

“Nobody has gained or lost more than 2, 3 percent. I don’t know whether that is good news or bad news but it is as if nothing has happened fundamentally, no significant shift,” he said.

He said mobile phones were the instruments used to conduct the poll because of increased mobile phone penetration in the country, adding that a large percentage of people are undecided.

Peterside also said the interest level in the next general elections is driven by economic challenges plaguing the nation, poverty, insecurity, amongst others.

He noted that the appetite of the youths in this election is high and carpeted candidates who have dodged presidential debates.

Anap Foundation had released a similar poll in September in which Obi also led the other 17 candidates in the race for Aso Rock’s top job in 2023.

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December 21, 2022
2023: APC demands immediate interrogation of PDP leaders over alleged plot to derail elections

…says security operatives should query opposition on credible ‘information’ raised by PDP

The Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council has asked security operatives to interrogate leaders of the opposition party, PDP over its claim of a grand plot to derail the 2023 general elections.

TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) reports this was contained in a statement signed and issued by the spokesperson of the PCC, Festus Keyamo, SAN stating that the opposition leaders must explain their source of credible ‘information’ on plot to incite and derail elections.

In the statement entitled: ‘Law enforcement agencies Must Immediately Invite The Leaders For Questioning ‘ stating that:

“We note with concern the incoherent and convoluted Press Statement issued today by the ethically-challenged Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yet again raising alarm about certain plots to incite violence and derail the 2023 polls and having ‘credible information’ as to those unleashing violence in certain parts of the country.

“This Press Statement, coming just barely 48 hours after one of its former officials was convicted by a court of law over illegal acts committed during an election over which the PDP government presided is just a pointer to the lowest level of moral debauchery to which the PDP has sunk. It operates without an iota of shame or respect for the Nigerian people. Instead of continuous apologies for those grievous acts of election rigging, money-laundering and other electoral malpractices, it continues to pontificate.

“Based on its latest Press Statement about having ‘credible information’ about certain individuals plotting to derail the 2023 elections, including acts of arson already perpetrated on the facilities of INEC, we therefore call on the law-enforcement agencies to, as a matter of URGENCY, invite the PDP leaders for immediate questioning. The PDP must provide information regarding:

1.The place and time such a meeting took place and those in attendance

2. The identities of those who committed these acts of arson on the facilities of INEC

3. The information must also include the identity of those who sponsored these individuals (if any).

“The PDP should realise that an electioneering process is very serious business and not a time to issue baseless and infantile statements out of want of something to say to the Nigerian people. The Nigerian people have since grown weary of the antics of the PDP.

“We suspect that the latest alarm by the PDP is one of a long list of diversionary measures adopted by the party to deflect attention from its crumbling edifice.

“Just yesterday, the major leaders of the PDP in Katsina State led by a former Katsina State Governor, Mr. Ibrahim Shehu Shema, and 10 out of the 14-member working committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) boycotted the party’s rally in the State and today they issue this statement to deflect attention from that disaster.

“We also state that this gimmick is nothing but crying wolf when there is none. We have said in an earlier statement on this issue some weeks ago that this is the same unnecessary scare-mongering tactics and crass vituperations they employed and engaged in before the 2019 election which led to their crushing defeat.

“We also said before and we repeat it here that ASIWAJU Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a thoroughbred democrat and one of the major architects of the democracy PDP and Nigerians enjoy today, so he should be the VERY LAST of the Presidential candidates to be accused of undemocratic conduct or underhand dealings in the electoral process.

“The PDP should not joke or play politics with grave security matters. Having ‘credible information’ as to plots and individuals relating to the attack on INEC offices currently, further plots to disrupt elections is, indeed, a matter of national security.

“This is therefore a notice to our law enforcement agencies to immediately invite PDP leaders for questioning. After all, it takes a thief to catch a thief.

December 21, 2022