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Tag: Presidential Aspirants

  • Just In: APC backpedals says no aspirant was disqualified

    Just In: APC backpedals says no aspirant was disqualified

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has denied disqualifying any presidential aspirants recently screened by the John Odigie -Oyegun led screening panel.

    The clarification was made by the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu when he addressed newsmen at the party secretariat in Abuja.

    The screening report of the John Odigie-Oyegun-led committee had caused panic in the camps of the 23 aspirants.Thesuspense was further heightened when the party and Oyegun kept mum on the 13 cleared aspirants.

    While dousing the tension that was created following the submission of the screening report, Adamu disclosed that the 13 aspirants being touted as the successful candidates were only recommended as first-class materials.

    “I want to say very clearly that no aspirant has been disqualified. It’s like sitting in an exam. Even if you pass there is grading from first-class to ordinary pass.

    “So, no aspirant was disqualified. Incidentally, the president has invited all of them to a dinner today,” he said.

  • Nine APC presidential aspirants set to step down for Ahmad Lawan

    Nine APC presidential aspirants set to step down for Ahmad Lawan

    The Chief Whip of the Senate, Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu says nine presidential aspirants from the All Progressives Congress (APC) are set to step down to support the presidential ambition of the Senate President, Dr Ahmad Lawan.

    Kalu told NAN on Saturday in Abuja that an influential presidential aspirant from the opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is also planing to join the APC.

    Kalu, though did not list their names, was the first to drop his presidential ambition in support of Lawan on the grounds of failure of APC to zone the presidential ticket to the South East.

    He declared his support for Lawan who hails from the North East.

    According to Kalu, “Lawan’s candidature will rock like hurricane.

    “The issue of the APC presidential candidate will be settled even before the primaries.

    “As I am talking to you, about nine presidential aspirants from our party have intimated me of their plans to drop their presidential ambition to support Ahmad Lawan.

    “Does that not signify victory before the election? Lawan’s candidature will rock like hurricane.

    “Lawan is from the North East and has similar sympathy with the South East that is yet to produce president.

    “I have repeated my reasons for dropping my ambition for Lawan severally and I am sure Nigerians are aware already.

    “We are also expecting an influential presidential aspirant from the opposition to join the APC.

    “So, you can see the party is very progressive and properly ready for Lawan’s emergence,“ the former governor of Abia said.

    On the call for postponement of primary elections by some political parties, Kalu said he does not expect the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to listen to them.

    He said the parties were duly informed and should have prepared well as mandated by the electoral body.

    “Extension of the dates will only support irresponsibility. Nigerians find it difficult to keep to time and appointments and that is why they would always seek for extra time.

    “I support INEC to stick to their timetable otherwise we will be living with postponement after postponement. Such a trend is not healthy for a society and its people.

    “We complains of indiscipline but not ready to be practical about the requirements of discipline.

    “INEC should discipline any party that fails to meet up, because that is the only way they can take their jobs seriously,” Kalu said.

  • Details awaited after Tinubu, Osinbajo SW APC leaders meet

    Details awaited after Tinubu, Osinbajo SW APC leaders meet

    D etails are awaited after South West presidential aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC), including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and others; governors and some party leaders met at the Lagos House in Marina.

    The meeting was convened by Chief Bisi Akande, a former APC National Chairman and former governor of Osun and Chief Olusegun Osoba, a former Ogun governor.

    Those present at the meeting included Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Sen. Bola Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State, Sen. Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila.

    The governors of Lagos, Osun, Ogun and Ekiti, Messrs Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Gboyega Oyetola, Dapo Abiodun and Kayode Fayemi respectively were also present.

    Also present at the meeting were the Ministers of Works and Housing, Trade and Industry and Investment, and Interior, Messrs Babatunde Fashola, Adeniyi Adebayo and Rauf Aregbesola respectively and a host of other APC leaders in the zone.

    Although details of the meeting remained still sketchy as of the time of publishing this report, at stake is the 2023 general election and multiplicity of presidential aspirants from the zone.

    Also at stake is the APC Primary election underway.

  • PDP disqualifies two of its 17 presidential aspirants

    PDP disqualifies two of its 17 presidential aspirants

    The Peoples Democratic Party has disqualified two of its 17 presidential aspirants.

     

    It was gathered that the disqualification of the two presidential aspirants of the party was due to failure to meet the requirements of the party.

     

    The Chairman of the Screening Committee, Senator David Mark, on Friday, disclosed this to journalists shortly after the conclusion of the exercise at the Legacy House, Abuja, the presidential campaign headquarters of the main opposition.

     

    The screening, which began around 11 am, lasted till 7 pm and involved all the aspirants.

     

    Mark, however, declined to reveal the identities of the disqualified aspirants or the reasons for their disqualification.

     

    While it was not clear what yardstick was used to weed out the two aspirants, it might not be far from the requirements of the Independent National Electoral Commission, which had the power to disqualify candidates on grounds of non-compliance with extant electoral laws.

     

    Mark added that the report of Friday’s screening would be transmitted to the PDP National Working Committee for consideration on the same day.

     

    He stated, “The exercise, as far as we’re concerned, went on very well. We’ve been here since morning, and I’m sure you people have been here since morning also.

     

    “We’ve been very thorough this time. See how much time we’ve taken to screen each individual who has been here. We screened 17 aspirants, which is quite a number. We cleared 15 and two have not been cleared.

     

    “Now, don’t ask me those who have been cleared and those who have not been cleared, because I won’t tell you. We haven’t released the result to them. So, if you ask a question in that direction, you’re wasting time.

     

    “I think on the whole, that’s what we’ve done. And we’re quite satisfied with the standard of the aspirants by and large. And we think that any one of them, who gets the ticket, will win the election in 2023.”

     

    About the time of submission of the report to the NWC, he said, “This night (Friday). We’ll submit it and then those who were not cleared have a right to appeal. I’m sure they will go on appeal, because there is an appeal panel.”

     

    Speaking on the 15 aspirants, who scaled the screening hurdle, the former Senate President noted that they were all qualified and would perform well if they emerged the flag bearer of the party in next year’s election.

     

    Quizzed about a possible refund of the N40m each aspirant paid for the nomination and expression of interest forms, he quipped, “Why should they refund the money? What will be the reason now?”

     

    The 17 aspirants screened on Friday included, Teriela Oliver, the only female aspirant in the race; governors Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto; Nyesom Wike of Rivers; Bala Mohammed of Bauchi; and Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom; as well as investment banker and economist, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen; former Anambra State governor Peter Obi; and former Senate President, Pius Anyim.

     

    Others were former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar; former Senate President, Bukola Saraki; former Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose; ex-President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Sam Ohuabunwa; a United States-based medical doctor, Nwachukwu Anakwenze; Publisher, Ovation Magazine, Dele Momodu; former Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Cosmos Ndukwe; Charles Ugwu; and Chikwendu Kalu.

     

    Meanwhile, some of the presidential hopefuls had expressed divergent views on the zoning of the ticket.

     

    Speaking to journalists after being screened, Emmanuel noted that despite the southern governors’ resolution that the presidential ticket be zoned to the South, the party’s decision would take precedence.

     

    “The party is supreme. If the party has spoken, we will all abide by what the party has said,” the Akwa Ibom governor said.

     

    On his likelihood of scaling through the process, the governor said, “I want to believe that all the people they’ve seen so far today are equal to the task to rescue and restore this country.

     

    “But in the meantime, I want to believe that so many things are to my own advantage, because if you look at my antecedents, if you look at my training, if you look at the capacity and above all, I think age is also on my side.

     

    “Nigeria today needs a very strong, agile young man. I think as so many factors are in my favour, and that will be decided by the electorate in the primary.”

     

    Fayose voiced his support for zoning, saying it would reduce confusion.

     

    He stated, “Well, I say it again very expressly that I am for zoning and I believe that the best thing this party can do for posterity so as not to cause confusion is for this party to zone this presidential ticket.

     

    “If we fail to do it, even if we say anybody can contest, you must officially zone it to the South. In 1999, it was zoned to the South, which brought Obasanjo and Olu Falaye. But the party must remember that whatever we do today will stand against us tomorrow.”

     

    On the screening, Fayose noted, “The panel said they’ve gone through my CV, they’re satisfied and they only want me to talk on the stomach infrastructure policy of my government when I was holding sway in Ekiti.

     

    “So, I told them the importance of stomach infrastructure. And I equally made it very clear that if I become the President of Nigeria, I will be minister for stomach infrastructure and welfare of the people.”

     

    In his remarks on zoning, Ohuabunwa said no manipulation of man could truncate the country’s destiny.

     

    He stated, “They are all being strategic. Since the PDP has not announced, they also don’t want to announce so that they can keep the options open.

     

    “But whether they announce or they don’t announce, what will happen has been predetermined.

     

    “I’m a child of grace. I’m in this race by a conviction that is beyond the ordinary and I know that God, who owns the country and owns the universe, has finished it. So, every manipulation of man that is not right before Him will fail. God is going to intervene in Nigerian politics and elections in 2023 and it doesn’t matter the gimmicks.”

  • I’m shocked with number of presidential aspirants, it’s embarrassing – Orji Kalu

    I’m shocked with number of presidential aspirants, it’s embarrassing – Orji Kalu

    Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has come out to criticize the 2023 presidential aspirants emerging from the South-West and South-South.

    Kalu, in a statement on Tuesday, said it is unjust and embarrassing that the aspirants from both the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have no single respect and concern for the South East.

    National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu (Southwest); former Senate President Bukola Saraki (North); Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State (North); Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (Southwest) and Nyesom Wike of Rivers State (South-South) are among the 2023 presidential aspirants.

    According to Kalu, having a President from the South West or South-South is like having one from the North which is hypocritical and unjustifiable.

    He stressed that aspirants from South West and South-South are not being fair to their brothers by seeking to be Buhari’s successor.

    Part of the statement read, “I’m even shocked with the number of aspirants coming from the South West and the South-South. It’s embarrassing that these aspirants (APC and PDP) have no single respect and concern for the South East.

    “I had thought they would think about the South East. The amount of money being spent by these aspirants is alarming and they have forgotten that money alone can’t buy the presidency.

    “It has become a joke to an ordinary Nigerian who hears Southern commentators and aspirants rooting for a Southern President on the premise of fairness, equity and justice. How can you talk about these morals when you are not even fair to your own brothers?

    “If there is anything like “fairness”, “equity” and “justice”, it should be the entire South pushing for a president of South-East extraction. Anything less than this is “hypocritical”, “unjustifiable” and “inordinate”.

    “What moral justification does a Southerner who refused to be fair to his brothers have against a Northerner running for president?

    “This will be very insensitive, unreasonable, and disrespectful for any Southern man to criticize a presidential aspirant from the North on the ground that the North has done eight years and power should return to the South.”

    Kalu urged the South West and the South-South to support their brothers from South East, adding that they have successfully completed their tenures as ‘President and Vice President’.

    “If the next president after President Muhammadu Buhari doesn’t come from the South East, there would be nothing unfair and unjust if he or she comes from Daura,” Kalu said.

  • Tinubu, Ngige, El-Rufai few others attend Aisha Buhari’s iftar dinner in Abuja

    Tinubu, Ngige, El-Rufai few others attend Aisha Buhari’s iftar dinner in Abuja

    Few Presidential aspirants made themselves available for the iftar dinner organized by president Muhammadu Buhari wife’s, Aisha on Saturday.

    The old Banquet hall state house Abuja started getting filled up as at 06:20pm as dignitaries and presidential aspirants began to arrive.

    All Progressives National leader and presidential hopeful Bola Ahmed Tinubu ,Ebonyi Governor Dave Umahi, Minister of Labour and productivity Dr Chris Ngige among many others graced the occasion.

    Also in attendance was Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna; former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Barnabas Gemade; sacked lawmaker and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; and Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio.

    Recall that the first Lady Aisha Buhari had invited presidential aspirants irrespective of party affiliation to a dinner to break the Ramadan fast. Although, guests were told not to come with their phones,

     

    Meanwhile the details of the meeting cum dinner are not yet in public domain but findings show that it’s connected to 2023 elections in the country.

  • Aisha Buhari to host all Presidential aspirants from various political parties for Ramadan Iftar dinner

    Aisha Buhari to host all Presidential aspirants from various political parties for Ramadan Iftar dinner

    Nigeria’s First Lady, Aisha Buhari, would on Saturday have a Ramadan Iftar dinner with all Presidential aspirants from various political parties, who are not to come along with their mobile devices.

     

    In an invitation letter, the dinner would take place at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.

     

    The invitees were strictly instructed to come only with their invitation cards which would serve as their entry pass.

     

    It was gathered that the instruction does not apply to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, governors and ministers who are expected to be at the meeting.

     

    Spokesperson of the First Lady, Aliyu Abdullahi, who confirmed the meeting said, “There is nothing here. This is a standard operational protocol in the Villa when you are having a meeting with either of the three occupants of the Presidency.

     

    “If they are coming for an event, this is supposed to be DSS enforced when the president is having an event or the Vice President is having an event or the first lady is having an event. Because outsiders will come. That’s the security and standard protocol.

     

    “That does not apply to the Vice President. How can you expect that to apply to the Vice President or even to ministers?”

  • 2023: Don’t attack one another, Ayu warns PDP presidential aspirants

    2023: Don’t attack one another, Ayu warns PDP presidential aspirants

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) has called on all the party’s presidential aspirants not to attack one another in the course of seeking its ticket.

    The Party’s National Chairman, Sen. Iyorchia Ayu, made the call when the NWC gave audience to one of the presidential aspirants, Gov. Nyelsom Wike, in Abuja on Tuesday.

    Ayu said that by attacking one another, the aspirants would not only undermine the party, but arm the opposition party to attack it when its candidate eventually emerged.

    “If you emerge as the candidate of the party, you need every other aspirant and every member of the party to canvass for you in many parts of the country.

    “You alone cannot win elections, you need every member of the party to work for the party,” Ayu said.

    The national chairman urged all aspirants of the party at all levels to campaign on issues including security, economy and others.

    “Make sure that we stick together because it is only a united PDP that will go into this election and win the election.

    “I have no doubt in my mind whatsoever, that we are going to win the next presidential election.”

    Ayu advised the aspirants to support the party in addressing challenges facing it at all levels, saying the ultimate goal was not to win party tickets but win elections.

    He promised that the NWC would provide a level playing ground for all aspirants, assuring that there would not be foul play or manipulation in conducting the party’s primaries.

    Ayu said that no member of PDP NWC would sabotage any of the aspirants.

    “Let assure you, this NWC will try to uphold the tradition of the PDP, that tradition since 1999 is running very credible, transparent conventions starting from Jos to the last one that produced this National Working Committee.

    “I want to assure you, that there will be no foul play, no manipulation, we will certainly do better than what you did in October last year.”

    Ayu said that at this stage, members of the NWC would be neutral until a candidate emerged, when all of them would support and canvass support of all Nigerians for him or her.

    He appreciated the support of Wike to the party’s drive to win elections, urging him not to relent.

    Ayu assured him that the party leaders would be firm behind him if he emerged as PDP candidate.

    Speaking earlier, Wike said that he was not at the party secretariat to negotiate for vice presidential slot but to woo the NWC members on his presidential ambition.

    “I did not buy form to contest for Senate. It is only one form that I bought. That is for the office of president.

    “I am not going to say if I don’t win I will go for the senate. The only thing I want is to be president.”

    The Rivers State governor urged the party leaders to shun sentiments, but produce a candidate that could win the votes of Nigerians.

    “You do not need to look at what the elites are saying. What people are talking about is Wike.

    “Why are they talking about Wike? Because in this country, everybody has seen what I have done in Rivers State.”

    Wike described 2023 as the only opportunity for the party to reclaim power, which could only be achieved by presenting a candidate with capacity such as him.

    The governor, who expressed optimism of wining PDP ticket, said that Nigeria needed a courageous, fearless and capable leader.

    He said that if given the opportunity, he would work in synergy with the leadership of the party in the implementation of his policies.

    Speaking on the party’s presidential aspirants canvasing consensus candidate, Wike said that he did not believe in consensus, but transparent primaries.

    “I want to appeal that we should not make any mistake where people will say our election is not transparent,” Wike said.

    He said that he was mentally, physically and emotionally prepared to lead Nigeria, urging the NWC members to support him.

    In his opening remark, Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State said that the journey to presidency in 2023 was not as usual, as it now required PDP to field a competent and courageous person.

    Ikpeazu said that Nigeria could not afford to gamble in 2023, and the only way PDP could regain power was to present a presidential candidate with capability, competence and acceptability, which people could vouch as loyal to the party.

    “I see this possibility in one of the PDP governors, which is in Nyesom, who is firm, straight forward, outspoken, fearless, respect for rule of law and yet carries everyone along, and performing wonders in Rivers State.

    “Who says this cannot be replicated in Nigeria?” he said.

  • Ask all presidential aspirants to state their past achievements – Peter Obi

    Ask all presidential aspirants to state their past achievements – Peter Obi

    Ex-governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi has tasked Nigerians to ask aspirants pertinent questions about what they have achieved in time past in the various offices held before aspiring to vie for political offices.

    Obi tasked some of the aspirants to speak out on their achievements so far before thinking of 2023 general elections.

    Obi, who is also a presidential aspirant, made the call on Monday while meeting with some stakeholders of the main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

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    Obi has urged the entirety of Nigerians to do a thorough background check of candidates so as not to put the country through another route of pains and agony, saying security problems must be tackled with drastic measures.

    He said, “Anybody who comes here and says to you that he wants to be President, ask, where he was 25 years ago and what he has done, where is he coming from?

    “Ask questions about his achievements in the past. Where have you worked? Which school did he go to? Let us know how he managed public money that was given to him in the past”.

    Bola Tinubu, Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike , Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello are among those who have declared to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.

  • 2023 Election: Zulum tasks presidential aspirants on unity

    2023 Election: Zulum tasks presidential aspirants on unity

    Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno has urged presidential aspirants for the 2023 election to always consider the unity and peace of Nigeria as the paramount in their aspirations.

    Zulum made the call on Monday in Maiduguri when he received the presidential aspirant of People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Gov. Nyesome Wike of Rivers State who paid him a courtesy call.

    Zulum said aspirants needed to work towards uniting Nigerians and deepening democracy in the country irrespective of party affiliation.

    He lauded Wike for his concern to the people of Borno during its trying moments, adding that the people of Borno were grateful to President Muhammadu Buhari administration for addressing the security situation in the zone.

    Earlier, Wike said his visit to the governor was a prelude to addressing PDP members in the state on his presidential aspiration under the party.

    Wike lauded Zulum for the development in Borno, particularly the cleanliness of Maiduguri city and urged him to sustain the tempo.

    He also lauded the improvement in security situation in the state.

    “I am happy with you, I commend your work, I have seen the cleanliness of the state,” Wike said.

    Newsmen reports that Wike, who also spoke to newsmen on his mission in Maiduguri, said that based on his consultations with delegates so far across Nigeria, he was confident of getting the party’s ticket.