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Tag: Abubakar Atiku

  • 2023 Elections: Dele Momodu seeks Atiku’s support

    2023 Elections: Dele Momodu seeks Atiku’s support

    Veteran journalist, Dele Momodu, has expressed hope that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar will support his presidential ambition.

    Momodu said he looks forward to Atiku’s massive support towards his presidential ambition in 2023.

    In a tweet on Wednesday, the Publisher of Ovation Magazine, said he supported Atiku during the last presidential election, hence he expects the same in 2023.

    According to Momodu: “I supported The Wazirin Adamawa Alhaji Atiku Abubakar passionately in 2019. I’m looking forward to his massive support when it comes to my turn. Highest respect Sir.”

    Momodu had in January declared his interest to run for presidency under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

    He disclosed this while handing a letter of interest to the PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, at the party’s secretariat in Abuja.

    The media mogul had said he decided to run for the Presidency after much deliberation with his family, stakeholders and mentors.

  • Buhari snubs Atiku as Okowa, PDP celebrate former Vice President @75

    Buhari snubs Atiku as Okowa, PDP celebrate former Vice President @75

    As Atiku Abubakar marks his 75th birthday today, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has snubbed the former Vice President.

    Notwithstanding, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Delta Governor, Sen. Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, and a host of other high profile Nigerians have celebrated with Atiku.

    The PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan in Abuja on Thursday, said it was proud of Abubakar.

    The PDP described him as an irrepressible democrat, who remains untiring in his efforts and sacrifices toward the unity, stability and development of the nation.

    “Abubakar is a remarkably committed leader, a strong epitome of our national cohesiveness, a statesman to the core and an excellent administrator, who spared nothing, as a leader and businessman, in the pursuit of the overall good of the nation.

    “Indeed, the overwhelming support and solidarity he received from Nigerians across the divide in the 2019 general election is a resounding testimony of the confidence the people have in him as a leader.

    “Moreover, the outcome of that election did not in any way diminish the trust Nigerians have on him and the PDP,” the statement reads.

    The party prayed God to grant Abubakar many more years in good health to His glory and service of humanity.

    In the same vein, Governor Okowa has congratulated Atiku

    In a congratulatory message by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Olisa Ifeajika, in Asaba, the governor lauded the former Vice President for his remarkable commitment to the unity and progress of the nation through his remarkable economic and political activities.

    Okowa said Atiku’s wise and consistent admonitions on national issues had been outstanding and impactful.

    He commended the ex-Vice President and Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 elections for his inspiring role in the defence and promotion of democracy in Nigeria.

    He stated that the Wazirin Adamawa was a detribalised Nigerian, whose benevolence had impacted many lives beyond tribe, religion, gender, social status and partisan frontiers.

    “On behalf of the government and people of Delta, I congratulate our great leader and patriot, former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, GCON, as he celebrates his 75th birth anniversary.

    “As a respectable leader and elder statesman, you have genuinely provided opportunities for people to eke out a living from their God-given potential with your massive investments in education, agriculture, media, hospitality, water and oil and gas.

    “You have made outstanding contributions to the socio-economic and political growth of Nigeria and we will continue to be inspired by your patriotism and love for this great country.

    “Over the years, you have remained a large-hearted, philanthropist and a people’s leader with mass followership across the country.

    “You bestrode Nigeria’s political landscape like a colossus and as you clock 75 years today, it is my prayer and that of millions of Deltans and every Nigerians that God will continue to strengthen you in your service to God and humanity,” he said.

    Also, the Northern Governors Forum has felicitated with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on his 75th birthday.

    Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Plateau State Simon Bako Lalong said the former Vice President is an accomplished politician, businessman and a philanthropist who has used his opportunities in life to serve the nation and assist people in need.

    He said the Forum recognises and appreciates his contributions to resolving some of the nation’s challenges including those peculiar to the northern region such as illiteracy, poverty, insecurity, unemployment and lack of unity.

    While wishing the elderstatesman many more years of peace and good health, the Forum urged him to continue to serve the people and also avail the region and Nigeria as a whole, his experience, wisdom and goodwill.

  • Court adjourns suit challenging Atiku’s eligibility to contest presidency

    Court adjourns suit challenging Atiku’s eligibility to contest presidency

    The Federal High Court, Abuja on Monday adjourned a suit seeking to challenge former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s eligibility to vie for the office of the president until Dec. 6.

    Justice Inyang Ekwo adjourned the matter following inability of the parties in the suit to regularise their amended processes to accommodate the 5th defendant (Attorney-General (AG) of Adamawa), who had been joined in the case.

    Recall that the Adamawa State Government, through its AG, had sought an order of the court to be joined in the suit.

    The court, in the motion dated April 26 and filed June 24, granted the prayer of the AG of Adamawa to be joined in the case as 5th defendant.

    The group, an Incorporated Trustees of Egalitarian Mission for Africa (EMA), in a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/177/2019 had sued Atiku, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) as 1st to 4th respondents respectively.

    EMA is challenging Atiku’s eligibility to contest for presidency on the grounds that he was not a Nigerian citizen by birth.

    The group asked the court to hold among others, that considering the provisions of sections 25(1) &(2) and 131(a) of the constitution and the circumstances surrounding the former vice president’s birth, he cannot contest for the top office.

    However, when the matter was mentioned, counsel to EMA (plaintiff), Raphael Oyewole, said though the matter was slated for hearing, he regretted that he had to file a motion for an extension of time because he was yet to serve some of the parties in the suit.

    He said the amended application to include the 5th defendant as ordered by the court had been served on the 1st, 4th and 5th defendants in the court.

    “When was the case adjourned,” Justice Ekwo asked.

    “It was adjourned on June 4, my lord,,” Oyewole responded.

    The judge, who was unhappy over the manner the counsel was handling the case, said: “This is a matter you filed since 2019, and you are just filing your processed this morning after the last adjournment.”J. O. Makinde, Chris Nevo and Alex Shija, who are lawyers to the 1st, 4th and 5th defendants respectively confirmed that they were all served with the plaintiff’s application in the morning.

    But they did not oppose Oyewole from moving the motion.

    Also, Counsel to Atiku (1st defendant), Mr Makinde, prayed for an extension of time to enable him regularise his processes.

    Ekwo adjourned the matter until Dec. 6 for further mention.

  • Buhari’s lawyer to play video where INEC ruled out electronic transmission of results

    The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) yesterday suspended proceedings for President Muhammadu Buhari’s lawyer to provide the equipment needed to play a digital video disc (DVD) clip where Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Mahmoud Yakubu ruled out the adoption of electronic transmission of results of the last general elections.
    The five-member tribunal,led by Justice Mohammed Garba, adjourned till today, shortly after Buhari’s lawyer, Alex Izinyon (SAN), sought to be allowed to bring equipment to play the DVD after the lawyer to Atiku Abubakar and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chris Uche (SAN) objected to the use of their television set and DVD player for the disc the second respondent’s lawyer sought to play.
    It was the eighth of the 10 days allocated to Atiku and the PDP, who are, by their petition, challenging the outcome of the last presidential election won by President Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
    Atiku and his party claimed, in their petition, to have won the last presidential election, going by results they got from a purported INEC server.
    The petitioners, who proposed to call about 400 witnesses, have so far called 40, having called four yesterday.
    The petitioners proceeded to call its fourth witness for the day, Segun Showunmi, through whom they tendered the CDs and a certificate of compliance. Showunmi introduced himself as the media Adviser to Atiku.
    Although lawyers to the respondents – Yunus Usman (SAN) for INEC; Izinyon, and Adeniyi Akintola (SAN), for the APC objected to the admission of the CD in evidence, the tribunal, in a ruling, overruled the respondents’ objection.
    Justice Garba said the CDs were part of exhibits covered by the pre-election agreement by parties, which the tribunal adopted.
    Upon the ruling, Uche applied that some of the videos be played. Three of the CDs were played.
    The first was a recording of a television programme – “Sunday Politics” – which featured an interview with an INEC official, Mike Igini.
    In the video, Igini gave details of INEC’s preparation for the last general elections, stressing the planned use of card reader for accreditation and electronic transmission of election results through a central server.
    The second video showed an official of the Army, who claimed not to have neither original, photocopy or statement of the West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC) in President Buhari’s personal file.
    The third video INEC’s chairman at a meeting with some members of the Computer Registration Council of Nigeria (CRCN) during which he, among others, spoke about INEC’s plan to deploy technology, particularly a new platform for electronic collation and transmission of results.
    Under cross-examination by Usman, Showunmi admitted being aware of other interviews granted by the INEC chairman, particularly those of February 6 and 8, where he spoke about the impossibility of transmitting results electronically.
    When asked if he could produce his letter of appointment as Atiku’s media aide, the witness said he was not with the letter, but that it could be in his house in Lagos.
    Showunmi said he knew Igini, and agreed with the INEC lawyer that, in the video marked Exhibit P74, Prof. Yakubu only hoped that “election results may be transmitted electronically ,not that it will be transmitted electronically.”
    The witness also agreed with Usman that the interviews, contained in the videos showing Igini and Yakubu, were all done before the election.
    Under-cross examination by Izinyon, Showunmi said he was aware of the INEC chairman’s interview of February 6, 2019 where he said electronic transmission would not be possible.
    Izinyon brought out a CD, which he wanted to play for the witness to confirm if that was the interview he said he was aware of.
    Uche promptly interjected and objected to playing of the video through his witness.
    Upon the intervention of the tribunal Chairman, Uche said the respondent should bring their gadgets to play their video.
    “My lord, these are our equipment,” said Uche, pointing to the flat screen television and CD player. “We brought them to play our CDs. They should bring their own.”
    “In digital world, there is what they call virus that may affect our gadgets if the CD is played on it,”Uche said, following which Izinyon sought an adjournment till the next day to enable him fetch his own equipment.
    The three witnesses were called by the petitioners, before Showunmi made sundry claims about malpractices allegedly perpetrated by APC’s agents during the election.
    One of the witnesses, Suleiman Mohammed Bulama, admitted that he and PDP paid N10,000 to some soldiers during the last general election.
    Bulama, who said he acted as the PDP’s ward collation agent in Jika Local Government, gave the information about the N10,000 payment in his written statement, which he admitted on Monday before the tribunal.
    During cross-examination by Izinyon, Bulama, who was the petitioners’ witness, said he stood by his claim that they (he and his party) paid the N10,000 to soldiers during the last presidential election.
    When confronted by Izinyon that by their action they were bribing security officials, the witness said “no, we did “not pay bribe”.

  • Badeh’s death: Atiku faults Nigeria’s security system, advises Buhari

    Badeh’s death: Atiku faults Nigeria’s security system, advises Buhari

    The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has said the assassination of former Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh should be blamed on rising insecurity in the country.

    Badeh, a four-star General of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), was shot dead on Tuesday along Abuja-Keffi Road.

    Atiku, in a statement issued on Wednesday by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said had gunmen not waylaid the vehicle in which Alex Badeh was travelling, he would not have sustained the gunshots and the health complications that terminated his life.

    Abubakar said while Badeh’s death made headline news because of the personality involved, many ordinary Nigerians are either killed or maimed on a daily basis by rampaging armed robbers, kidnappers, herdsmen and hoodlums across the country.

    The former vice president noted that the best tribute that President Muhammadu Buhari can pay to the late security chief is to ensure free and fair polls next year and return home to a well-deserved rest.

    The statement read: “We cannot continue to pretend that all is well with the security system in our country, where armed robbers seem to be having a field day.

    “It is, therefore, time to look at credible options, especially electing a more prepared candidate who will ensure that policemen and women are well equipped and motivated. Fortunately, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had shown what can be achieved when the police are provided with adequate resources and are well motivated.

    “It is no longer news that during the 16 years when the PDP was in power, the nation boasted of the better motivated, best equipped and best-mobilized policemen in the country.

    “We are shocked and saddened by the circumstances of the death Mr Badeh, an air chief marshal, whom was a fine officer, among the best of his time, one who never lost touch with officers and men despite holding several top positions in the nation’s military establishment.”

    Abubakar further prayed that God will grant repose to Badeh’s soul and comfort those he left behind.