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Tag: Presidential Aspirants

  • 2023: What I will do if I become president – Gov Wike

    2023: What I will do if I become president – Gov Wike

    “Don’t sell your vote, please give me your vote as we go to primary. If I become president, we will take security as priority because the main purpose of government is protection of lives and property,” said Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.

    Wike stated this on Sunday, at the Government House, Makurdi, Benue State, while declaring interest in contesting the position of the President of Nigeria in the 2023 general election.

    Addressing the delegates of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday, Wike called on them not to sell their votes.

    He opined that most of the presidential aspirants from the party were responsible for its defeat in 2015.

    Apparently taking on the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-Senate President Bukola Saraki, Wike added that some of the presidential aspirants on the platform of the party left the party when it mattered most.

    He said, “Let these people who are interested in presidency in the PDP tell us their contributions. You claimed to be one of the founding fathers of the party, but you left and came back; you have become an ordinary person in the new PDP.

    “If you form a company and run away because the company is not doing well, then you come back and found that it is now doing well, will you want to come and take over?

    “Some people want to use Nigeria to get back their private businesses. Let them mention their private sector that survived. Is it bank that your father had? Everybody is an employer of labour; even me I have 50 people in my house. So everybody has been employing people according to his capacity. In 2015, most of these people made us (PDP) to lose the election.”

    Wike said he had stood firm for the party through thick and thin, adding that he had contributed immensely to the growth of the party.

    “I have spoken truth to power. I don’t have problem with anybody but have to tell them the truth. Umahi and others abused me because I told him that you cannot take our mandate away. As a governor, I have performed well. I can go anywhere with my shoulder high. How many of them have challenged this government (APC)?

    Earlier, Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, who lauded the contributions of his River State counterpart to Benue State and towards the displaced persons, said that the people of the state would support his aspiration.

    “Periodically, you have been helping us, particularly during the 2018 crisis in the state. We will support your aspiration because you have sown seed and you need to reap,” he said.

  • 2023: Presidential aspirants above 70yrs should rethink – Makinde

    2023: Presidential aspirants above 70yrs should rethink – Makinde

    Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has urged presidential aspirants above 70 years to have a rethink ahead of 2023 general elections.

    Makinde made this disclosure on Tuesday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

    He spoke during the 65th birthday anniversary and thanksgiving service of Rev Samson Ayokunle, President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and launching of a ministry.

    Recalled that former Governor of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu; and former Vice President of Nigeria, Abubakar Atiku, have indicated interest to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.

    Tinubu had told Buhari that he will contest on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Atiku on the other hand had said that he would contest on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    But, Makinde, who is a chieftain of the PDP has charged Nigerians to choose wisely in 2023.

    He advised them to elect people that have the energy to serve the country.

    “We have seen a lot of elder statesmen who want to run this country at age 75 or 78. I want them to think twice and I am saying to the people of Oyo State and Nigeria that this world is not easy.

    “It is possible for you to delegate, ask people to go all over the place but when they are reporting to you, if something has not been added, a few things may have been removed,” he said.

    “We are in election season basically and what I will say to us as a people is that we need to choose wisely and elect the people who have the energy to truly serve the country.”

  • 2019: Oshiomhole deliberately weakening APC to favour PDP – Aggrieved aspirants

    …Calls for National Chairman’s resignation
    A coalition of presidential aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have demanded for the resignation of the National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
    The group, which includes governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives, state Houses of Assembly aspirants on the platform of the party, also accused Oshiomhole of working for the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), by deliberately weakening the party to make victory easy for the opposition in next year’s general elections.
    In a statement signed by two presidential aspirants of the party; Alhaji Mumakai-Unagha and Dr SKC Ogbonnia, the coalition noted that the commotion in all the chapters of the party across the country, starting from the congresses and on to the various levels of primaries, were all deliberately foisted by Oshiomhole to achieve his plot.
    They also accused the national chairman of working against the younger generation of Nigerians, preventing youths with political vision and ambition by imposing very exorbitant fees for nomination and expression of interest forms of the party.
    They, however, doubted his capacity to lead the party successfully to victory in the 2019 general elections, noting that he does not have what it takes to manage the myriad of crises he had allegedly foisted on the various branches of the party across the country.
    While calling on the chairman of the party to resign immediately, the group warned that it would mobilise a massive members’ against him if he refused to heed to the call on him.
    “The National Chairman does not have the capacity to lead the party to victory come 2019 following the crisis he has created all over the country as soon as he assumed office, therefore he has lost the confidence of All Progressive Progress members.
    “He has not only succeeded in creating factions within the party in almost the whole thirty six states of the Federation including the Federal Capital Territory, he has introduced development unknown to democracy.
    “He deliberately hiked the prizes of nomination forms to scare genuine Nigerians with burning desire to salvage the nation economy, he’s gradually destroying the party to pave way for the Peoples’ Democratic Party.
    “It is obvious that he cannot manage crisis and he will not be able to manage the crisis he created with impurity during the recent primary elections conducted by the party as it was all sham. He imposed party executives as well as candidates in the various constituents against the wishes of the people.
    “Adams Oshiomhole conspired to deny Nigerian Youths as well as party members that are desirous of contesting the 2019 general election through the prohibitive hike of the nomination form.
    “Today, APC as a party is sharply divided as the recent primary elections were held on factional bases. We are not sure of the party victory come 2019 due to what we may regard or call man made crisis created by the chairman.
    “We, the Coalition of APC Presidential aspirants including Governorship, Senatorial, House of Representative and Houses of Assembly aspirants are hereby calling on the National Chairman to resign. Should the National chairman fails to resign, we shall mobilize APC faithful across the country to besiege the party secretariat”, the statement.

  • 2019: PDP meets presidential aspirants, ‘begs’ them to accept party’s primary results

    2019: PDP meets presidential aspirants, ‘begs’ them to accept party’s primary results

    As the opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gears up to conduct its presidential primary, the national leadership of the party on Wednesday night called a meeting of all the aspirants on the need to accept in good fate and support whoever emerges the party’s presidential flag bearer.

    The PDP team was led by its National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus.

    Other members of the party’s National Working Committee and some members of the Board of Trustees were also in attendance.

    Present at the meeting were the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki; a former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar; a former governor of Plateau State, Jona Jang; Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, a former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa and a former Chairman of the PDP Caretaker Committee, Ahmed Makarfi.

    Also in attendance were a former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso and a former Minister of Special Duties and Inter Governmental Relations, Alhaji Kabir Tanimu Turaki (SAN).

    Absent from the meeting were Ahmed Datti, Gombe State Governor, Ibrahim Dankwanbo and a former governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido.

    The meeting was held behind closed door.

    It was gathered that Secondus told the aspirants that the party would conduct a free, fair and credible primary.

    He was also said to have assured them that the NWC had no favourable aspirants among them, adding that the primary aim of the party was to sack the All Progressives Congress’ Federal Government in 2019.

    He told them that the party and others leaders in the country would want the aspirants to cooperate with whoever emerged as the party’s candidate at the October 6 national convention.

    A source at the meeting said, “Secondus, in his opening remark, thanked the aspirants for having confidence in the party and its national leadership.

    “He also asked them to say whatever they have in mind and suggest to the party, areas they felt that the NWC should work on in order to have a credible primary.”

    Sources at the meeting said the aspirants demanded a free and transparent primary.

    They were said to have also said that they would “cooperate with anyone that emerges so far the process is credible, free and fair. “

    Speaking with our correspondent on the outcome of the meeting, Secondus said he assured the aspirants of the party at all levels that there would be free, fair and transparent primaries where the delegates’ decision would prevail.

    “Let me tell you that we the members of the NWC are assuring all aspirants of our party that the era of impunity or imposition is over in the party as a rebranded PDP under my watch would ensure transparency and fairness for all,” he added.

    Secondus appealed to the aspirants to work harmoniously among themselves in the interest of the party “since it is only one person that will get the slot at the end of the day.”

    He said, “I told them that we must not forget to put the will of God in all we do bearing in mind that nobody gets power unless as designed and approved by God.

    “We are proud of all our aspirants, all of them are eminently qualified to rule this country and if we work in harmony we would chase away the APC out of the Aso Rock Villa by 2019.”

     

  • 2019: PPC requires presidential aspirants to provide spiritual fathers

    Aspirants seeking to be President on the platform of the Providence Peoples’ Congress (PPC), will pay N500,000 for the nomination form, the party announced on Wednesday in Jos.

    The aspirants will also be expected to bring a recommendation letter from their spiritual fathers or any other reputable clergy man, according to PPC chairman in Plateau, Mrs. Kenang Gyang-Filani.

    Gyang-Filani, in a speech to inaugurate the Plateau chapter of the party, said that the group had also opted for Option A4 in determining its candidates for the 2019 polls.

    “We opted for Option A4 to empower the people at the grassroots to determine those qualified to occupy elective offices,” she said.

    The chairman said that aspirants for the State House of Assembly would pay N50,000, while those interested in contesting the House of Representatives and Senate would pay N150,000 and N200,000 respectively.

    Those seeking governorship seats would be expected to cough out N250,000, he added.

    Gyang-Filani said that the party congresses would be conducted between September and October, in line with INEC’s time table, and advised interested members to come for the forms.

    The chairman said that the party would soon announce a date for its one-day prayer toward the success of its congresses and general elections, adding that its major concern was to correct injustices, corruption and other vices that had frustrated Nigeria’s march to greatness.

    She regretted that less than five per cent of Nigerians were controlling the resources and wealth meant for all, promising that the PPC would change the situation if voted into power.

    “From our interaction with Nigerians, most of them have been waiting for a party to salvage the country from the rot eating into its image. PPC is prepared to offer such leadership,’’ she said.

    Gyang-Filani said that the party’s slogan, “get it right, do it right’’ was deliberately chosen to give the electorate the best route toward representative government that would put national interest above every consideration.

    Also speaking, Dr. Haruna Dabin, member of the party’s Board of Trustees, said that the group was out to restore hope to the masses.

    “This is a party of God fearing people; we shall do everything within our power to give Plateau and Nigeria the good governance we all deserve and crave for,’’ he said.

    Dabin declared that the party had no godfathers, saying that all members had equal privileges to determine who should lead.