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Tag: Asiwaju Bola Tinubu

  • Bakare wishes Tinubu best in 2023, says new Nigeria possible

    The Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church, Pastor Tunde Bakare, on Sunday wished APC Presidential Candidate, Sen. Bola Tinubu the best in the 2023 general elections, saying that a new Nigeria was possible.

    Bakare, one of the contestants for the APC presidential ticket at the party’s primaries on June 8, made the remarks while addressing his congregation and supporters on the APC primary during the church’s Sunday Worship in Lagos.

    In his address titled “A New Nigeria is Still Possible”, Bakare said he remained committed to such new Nigeria that would work for all and sundry.

    “I congratulate the winner of the APC presidential primaries, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his victory.

    “His emergence as the flagbearer and presidential candidate of the APC is a testament to his significant contributions to the course of the South West as well as his labour towards the formation and establishment of the APC as I have said in times past.

    ” I, therefore, extend best wishes to him as he proceeds on the campaign trail towards the 2023 general elections,” the cleric said.

    Bakare said that since the conclusion of the APC Primaries in Abuja on June 7 and June 8, he had received “an almost endless stream of visitors” and shared various impressions, but yet to make any official public statements.

    “As the main constituency and core group I am accountable to, I deem it appropriate to share a few thoughts with you first,” he told the congregation.

    On his involvement in politics, Bakare said it was antithetical that some parents wanted their children to grow up to be President but did not want them to become politicians in the process.

    The overseer said that he had a lifelong commitment to serving his nation, Nigeria.

    Bakare said that he remained convinced now more than ever that the quest to serve his beloved nation, Nigeria, had been a worthy adventure for a worthy cause.

    According to him, as a presidential aspirant at the APC’s Special Convention, it had been a great honour for him to be the standard-bearer of the message of a New Nigeria; a Nigeria that works for every Nigerian.

    He thanked his supporters across the nation and in the Diaspora for their unalloyed support despite the challenges leading up to the primaries.

    Bakare said: “Our heads remain unbowed because we did not compromise on the values that are integral to building a New Nigeria.

    “For us, the means has always been as important as the end. This is why we confidently wear our “zero votes” as a badge of “zero tolerance for a certain kind of politics”.

    The cleric said that his confidence was rooted in the Biblical reference in Dan 4:17 that Holy God rules human kingdoms and can raise leaders out of losers.

    According to him, since he will ultimately give account to God, he will continually trust Him despite what may today appear to be a setback.

    The presidential aspirant said: “There is still a cause and there is still a nation to transform.

    “This is not the work of just one man or woman or just one party, but the calling upon every Nigerian worthy of the name.

    “It is my earnest prayer that the good Lord will bless Nigeria with leaders not in love with money but in love with justice.”

    He prayed that God would bless Nigeria with leaders not in love with publicity but in love with humanity.

    Bakare prayed that God should bless Nigeria with leaders who can subject their particular egos to the pressing urgencies of the great cause of freedom.

    “May we all find it within ourselves to become these leaders no matter the temptation to be less than.

    “This is the moment where those leaders must begin to revive the dreams of our founding patriots; the dreams of a Nigeria strong and united though tribes and tongues may differ.

    “The dreams of a Nigeria where no one is oppressed, no matter which part of the country they come from and live in, and no matter how they choose to worship God.

    According to the cleric, Nigeria has a seat at the table of nationhood, especially an ideal Nigeria where peace and justice reign.

    He said that the moment had come when Nigerians should begin “to build a bridge between the dreams of our past, the realities of our present and the visions of our future towards a New Nigeria.

    “A Nigeria where every man or woman, and every boy or girl, can live up to his or her full potential, and be all that they were created to be.

    “I remain audaciously confident that a New Nigeria is possible and that, upon the foundational values of integrity and incorruptibility.

    “Nigeria will, no doubt, become a cutting-edge nation; a nation that will, one day, be the peace, progress, prosperity and possibilities capital of the world.

    “I remain committed to working towards this cause in the days ahead in whatsoever capacity God and the good people of Nigeria so choose, ” the cleric said.

    Bakare prayed for those who had suffered with him and followed him before, now, and future that they would not lose their reward, but live to enjoy good governance in the new Nigeria.

    Newsmen recall that Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State, defeated 13 other aspirants, including Bakare, who polled zero vote, to clinch the party’s ticket for the 2023 presidential election.

  • 2023 Elections: I lost the battle not the war- VP Osinbajo

    Following his third place finish at the just concluded All Progressive Congress (APC) Special Convention Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said he lost the battle, but not the war.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu won the presidential primary with total votes of  1,271 votes to become the party’s flagbearer.

    In his reaction, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said he lost the battle, but not the war, saying that he would be committed to the dream and aspirations of a new Nigeria.

    He stated this while speaking at the campaign office of The Progressive Project (TPP) in Abuja on Friday.

    The Vice President also vowed to support Tinubu during next year’s election.

    “This movement is a movement within a party also, we are not doing something that has not been heard of before.

    “What is new is that we have a firm belief that a new Nigeria is possible and it is possible through us who are here.

    “We went to the convention, and the results showed us clearly that we lost, but it is only a battle, it is not the war. There are battles ahead, but we will win the war for a new Nigeria. I have no doubt in my mind that we will win that war for a new Nigeria.

    “That is why our movement for a new Nigeria must remain strong and firm. And we will do everything to keep our movement strong and solid,” Osinbajo said.

    “The dream of a new country remains alive and well… We will have at the back of our minds, that what you have started in the various movements, coming into one, is the seed that will birth a new nation. You and I know the time has come and we will devote everything to it.”

  • 2023 Presidency: Tinubu speaks on choosing a running mate

    Former Lagos Governor and the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has said he has a right to pick his running mate.

    The national leader of APC said the his choice of vice president is in his pocket already.

    Following Tinubu’s victory in the APC presidential primary election, there has been speculation over who he will pick.

    Tinubu is burdened about shopping for a Christian Northerner which has limited his choices.

    Recall that there is an unwritten laws in the APC’s constitution that states that a Muslim-Muslim ticket cannot fly.

    Speaking after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House on Thursday, Tinubu was asked to reveal where he was leaning towards.

    “I won’t tell you that.

    “That is my right, it’s in my pocketbook,” the former Governor of Lagos replied.

    Tinubu, who polled 1,271 votes to defeat 13 other contenders, also praised Buhari for not “tinkering” with the presidential primary.

  • Tinubu liaises with APC govs to pick running mate

    Aa the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, meets with party leaders, including the National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, to pick a running mate, his counterpart in the Peoples Democratic Party, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, on Wednesday began the search for his running mates.

     

    According to the spokesman for the Tinubu Campaign Organisation, Mr Bayo Onanuga, the APC presidential candidate would meet the APC governors.

     

    It was also gathered that Tinubu would meet party leaders, including the National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, before the end of the week.

     

    As Tinubu began the search for his running mate, Atiku on Wednesday held a closed-door meeting with the PDP governors in Abuja with a view to picking the party’s vice presidential candidate.

     

    At the APC presidential primary, which started on Tuesday and was rounded off on Wednesday, Tinubu garnered 1,271 votes to clinch the party’s presidential ticket.

    Tinubu
    Bola Tinubu and APC governors

     

    The Chairman of the Convention Election Management Committee, Governor Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi State, at Eagle Square, Abuja announced that a former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, got 316 votes; the Vice-President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, 235 votes; a former Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, one vote; Senator Rochas Okorocha and Pastor Tunde Bakare got zero vote each.

     

    On Monday, northern governors had insisted on power shift to the South despite the national chairman’s endorsement of the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, from the North-East, as the party’s consensus candidate.

    Tinubu, in his acceptance speech after his victory, said those who did not support him should not be afraid.

     

    He further said, “Our teeming youth population is our nation’s greatest asset. We will create jobs for our youth from the Zamfara and Osun gold deposits to the vast agricultural lands across the country. We will create new opportunities in the Fintech sector, the creative and entertainment industries, digital skills and other areas.”

     

    But there were strong indications on Wednesday that both Tinubu and Atiku had started searching for their running mates ahead of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s June 17 deadline for parties to submit their candidates’ lists.

     

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that Onanuga said Tinubu already had an arrangement with the APC governors that if he emerged the candidate of the party, the governors would decide the person to pick.

     

    According to him, Tinubu prefers a collective responsibility than doing it on his own.

     

    The spokesman stated, “The Vice-President can come from any region and religion. But the PGF is at liberty to pick. Up till now, we are all aware that Atiku has not chosen a VP. Yet he was elected before him. But in our own case, it is a party affair.

     

    “The party leaders will look at the chances and decide how they will balance a Muslim from the South, maybe with somebody that comes from North- East, North-Central or from North-West. That is how it is done. I cannot circumvent the party. The Governor Atiku Bagudu-led PGF has the task to pick a competent deputy for him,” he said.

     

    Asked when Tinubu might likely meet with the governors, Onanuga stressed that though a date had not been chosen, it would not take long.

     

    “Already, he has a cordial relationship with virtually all of them. You will also have to understand that he has just picked the presidential ticket. I am also sure that this issue of picking the right candidate for VP will be in the minds of the party leadership and the APC governors too.

     

    “At this moment, we just want to pause and take a rest from the stress of the just-concluded campaign.”

     

     

  • Owo attack: Tinubu commiserate with Gov. Akeredolu, donates N75m to victims, church

    A frontline Presidential Aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Bola Tinubu, has donated N75 million to the victims of Sunday’s gunmen attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo.

    He made the donation on Monday in Owo, during his visit to commiserate with Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu and the people of the town.

    The donation was announced by Gov. Rotimi at the palace of Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye, and he thanked the APC leader for the gesture.

    According to the governor, N50 million will go to victims of the attack and N25 million to the Catholic Diocese of Ondo.

    Earlier, the former Lagos State governor said the security apparatus should be enhanced in tackling the current security challenges in the country.

    Tinubu tasked the government at all levels to ensure the protection of lives and property.

    He prayed to God to console the families of the deceased and grant the community and the state government the fortitude to bear the loss.

    Responding, the Olowo of Owo urged the government to do the needful and ensure that those involved in the dastardly attack were arrested.

  • “You lack common sense”- Actress, Nkechi Blessing tells Omokri

    Popular Nollywood actress, Nkechi Blessing, has lambasted the ex-aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri, for linking her to the National leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

     

    Nkechi
    Reno Omokri

    Omokri, while reacting to the viral video of Tinubu where he took the credit for Buhari’s emergence in 2015, likened the former Lagos State Governor to Blessing and another Nollywood actress, Tonto Dikeh.

     

    He claimed Tinubu behaves like Blessing and Tonto Dikeh, who are exploding on the internet after they were promised marriage but never got to the altar.

    Nkechi
    Nkechi Blessing

    Omokri wrote on Twitter: “Tinubu is just behaving like Tonto Dikeh and Nkechi Blessing. Like a woman who was promised marriage and jilted and is now exploding and exposing the jilter. Buhari don buy market. He either builds another ‘other room’ for Tinubu, or marries him as promised!”

     

    In response to Omokri’s jab, Nkechi said Omokri should not allow God to punish him, adding that he doesn’t have common sense.

     

    “I used to think you have sense but it’s obvious you lack common sense. Why put me in this context in the first place? Welcome to Nigeria, when a relationship ends, automatically it’s the man that left the woman…I for like talk more but Instagram guidelines won’t allow. Mr Reno leave my name out of your mouth..no let God P#nish you,” Nkechi wrote on Instagram.

     

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) recalls that sometime August 2020, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, ‌Babachir Lawal, spoke of how the former governor of Lagos State (Bola Tinubu) raised money for then-candidate Muhammadu Buhari to win the 2015 presidential election.

     

    Lawal, who was removed from office for alleged misappropriation of funds, stated that it was Tinubu who raised funds for the All Progressives Congress (APC) to defeat the then President, Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in 2015.

     

    Lawal argued that Buhari and his supporters had no money to win an election except “ideas, zeal and fanaticism”.

     

     

    President Muhammadu Buhari and Bola Tinubu

     

    “Tinubu, who had his tentacles spread across the corporate world, was the only man who knew where and how to raise the funds needed. He was the one that reached out to all the ‘big men’ who were at the time scared of the then President Goodluck Jonathan.

     

    “These were all rich men that depended on the government’s patronage. But somehow, Tinubu was able to persuade some of them to support Buhari. We had so many experiences, Timipre Sylva (now Minister of State for Petroleum Resources) and I thought we could do it but found out we couldn’t until Tinubu came in and we won the election,” he said.

     

    Lawal said Tinubu spent enormous money “out of his pocket” to finance the party’s campaign.

     

    He said Tinubu was responsible for the lobby of a U. S. consultant who handled President Barrack Obama’s campaign and they did the same for Nigeria’s current president.

  • APC SOUTH-WEST/SOUTH-EAST PRESIDENTIAL ASPIRANTS: Who takes the bow?

    As the heat over choice of person to be the flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) gets hotter, the  Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and other presidential aspirants of the party from the region are to meet today (Saturday), to ensure that they produce the next President.

     

    The presidential aspirants from the South-west geopolitical zone are Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State; Senator Ibikunle Amosun; Deputy Majority Leader of the Senate, Ajayi Boroffice; Former House of Representatives Speaker, Dimeji Bankole; and Pastor Tunde Bakare.

     

    Also expected at the meeting are governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Gboyega Oyetola (Osun) and Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo) and some ministers from the region.

    South-west Presidential aspirants of APC

     

    The South West meeting will hold at the Abuja, residence of former governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba, around 8pm.

     

    Sources informed TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) that the discussion would border on ensuring that the South West goes into June 6 presidential primaries as a united front. A consensus candidate from the region will also be discussed.

     

    “We will all be meeting at Chief Osoba’s home by 8pm in Abuja. Everyone is expected to be present. We will all sit together and discuss the need to ensure that the South West gets the ticket.

     

    “However, all of us will be asked to be truthful with one another and see who among us has the best chance of winning the primary. Then if anyone is willing to step down to boost the chances of the South West, then this will be encouraged,” an aspirant said.

     

    It was gathered on Friday that there is intense lobbying by some northern governors to ensure that the APC gives its presidential ticket to a northerner, which had unsettled the South West bloc of the party.

     

    This was said to have caused Tinubu’s outburst at a meeting with Ogun State delegates on Thursday, where he insisted that the APC must give its ticket to a Yoruba man and that he must be the favoured candidate.

     

    Okorocha, Ohaneye, Onu, other South-east aspirants meet
    In the same vein, Presidential aspirants from the South-East had an emergency meeting on Friday to deliberate on a consensus aspirant for the region.

     

    The aspirants from the region are Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi; a former Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba; former Imo State Governor, Senator Rochas Okorocha; the only APC female in the race, Mrs Uju Ken-Ohanenye; former Senate President, Ken Nnamani; former Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu; and Ikeobasi Mokelu.

     

    Although their last meeting took place at the Maitama home of Okorocha days before his house was raided by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the venue of their Friday meeting was unknown.

    APC
    South-east Presidential aspirants of APC

     

    A source said the Igbo aspirants had resolved to consider throwing their weight behind one of their own ahead of the convention. The source disclosed that all the presidential hopefuls in the region were meeting almost on a daily basis.

     

    Ohaneye confirmed the report in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents on Friday.

     

    Asked if the South-East aspirants agreed on any form of consensus yet, she stated that it would form the highlight of their meeting by evening. “That is actually what we are doing today (Friday). We are looking at getting a consensus representative,” she added.

     

    When reminded that politicians like Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, and Orji Uzor Kalu had thrown their weight behind Lawan, she insisted that they were not at the forefront of the campaign.

     

    “We are talking about APC aspirants. Those people you mentioned are not. We are focusing only on the South-East aspirants. On what grounds are they standing for the South-East?”

     

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that with the power struggle being displayed by both sides (South-east and South-west) of the ruling APC party, who takes the bow over the issue flagbearer?

     

  • Tinubu’s statement on Buhari, Dapo correct-Asiwaju’s camp

    The Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu campaign organisation has  made some clarifications  concerning  the statements  made  by their principal  and presidential aspirant  under the auspices of All Progressives Congress, (APC’) Bola Tinubu during the week.

    The group’s Director of media and communications  Bayo Onanuga  in a statement released and signed by him, described some of the reports carried about the APC leader as erroneous, misleading and mischievous interpretation.

    Tinubu, who is one of the leading aspirants of the ruling party, addressed party’s delegates in Abeokuta, capital of Ogun State on Thursday.

    Tinubu, who went down memory lane, boasted on how he brought his political clout and strategic skills to bring President Muhammadu Buhari and Abiodun to power in 2015 amd 2019 respectively.

    The utterances have received mixed reactions with many saying Asiwaju ridicled both Dapo Abiodun of Ogun state and president Buhari

    .The group insisted that all what Tinubu said are factual and verifiable.

    The campaign organisation said it believes that the main thrust of Tinubu’s presentation, was that his huge contributions to the formation and electoral success of the APC should count in his favour as a true party man who desires to be the flag bearer.

    The campaign said also that the fresh conditions proposed by Buhari for the consideration of a presidential candidate of the party made it necessary for Tinubu to labour to convince the delegates that he fits the bill.

    “At no time did Tinubu play any ethnic card or denigrate any ethnic group,” the group said.

    Tinubu’s comment did not demonstrate any disrespect to President Buhari, for whom he has a very high regard, and whose re-election campaign he chaired in 2019 ” the group said.

    The APC presidential primary comes up between the 6th and 8th of June 2023 in Abuja.

  • Nigerian muslims in Mecca to hold special “Ṭawāf” for APC presidential aspirant, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu

    Nigerian muslims in Mecca to hold special “Ṭawāf” for APC presidential aspirant, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu

    Nigerian Muslims in Mecca for this year’s hajj would have a special
    “Ṭawāf” today for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirant, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, following his bid to become the next president of the country.

     

    This was disclosed via Twitter on Wednesday night, by the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa.

     

    He said in his post: “We seek the favour of Allah and His blessings for
    @officialABAT in the next election.

     

    “We are not testing Allah’s will and power but soliciting for His blessings and anointing because Allah is sufficient for us.

     

    “We will have #Specialtawafforasiwaju in Mecca, tomorrow 28/4/22.”

     

    Ṭawāf is one of the Islamic rituals of pilgrimage, which is done when Muslims circumambulate the Kaaba seven times, in a counterclockwise direction.

     

    The circling is believed to demonstrate the unity of the believers in the worship of the One God, as they move in harmony together around the Kaaba, while supplicating to God.

  • Tinubu, Umahi, others attend Iftar dinner hosted by Aisha Buhari

    Tinubu, Umahi, others attend Iftar dinner hosted by Aisha Buhari

    All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Governors Dave Umahi (Ebonyi) and Bala Mohammed (Bauchi) were among the presidential aspirants that attended the Iftar dinner hosted by the First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari, on Saturday, at the Old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

     

    Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige; Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio; one-time National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Barnabas Gemade; former Speaker Yakubu Dogara; and oil and gas mogul, Tein Jack-Rich were also in attendance.

     

    As at 6:20pm, some of the dignitaries had started entering the venue of the event, which was slated to take off by 6:30pm in the invitation cards.

     

    The First Lady had invited all presidential aspirants, across all political parties, to the Ramadan Iftar.

     

    It was gathered that the invited personalities were instructed to drop their mobile devices at home and only carry their invitation cards, which would serve as the only entry permit for the event.

     

    So far, those who have indicated interest to contest the Presidential election include Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo; former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar; the All Progressives Congress (APC) national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi and former Presidents of the Senate, Anyim Pius Anyim and Bukola Saraki respectively.

     

    Others are the governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike; his Kogi State counterpart, Yahaya Bello and that of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi; that of Sokoto and Bauchi states, Aminu Tambuwal and Bala Mohammed respectively.

     

    Former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha; Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige; Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, businessman Isa Hayatudeen, among others have also indicated interest to contest the presidential elections next year.

     

    However, the directive to the invitees not to approach the venue with phones would not apply to Osinbajo and other governors and ministers, who are expected to be at the meeting.