TheNewsGuru

Tag: Primary Elections

  • BREAKING: APC delegate slumps, dies in Abuja

    A delegate at the presidential primary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) from Jigawa State, Isah Baba-Buji, slumped and died while taking his breakfast on Tuesday in Abuja.

    The APC spokesperson in Jigawa, Bashir Kundu, confirmed the incident to reporters in Jigawa.

    He said the official was pronounced dead while taking his breakfast and preparing to move to the venue of the party convention.

    Mr Kundu said Mr Baba-Buji’s body was being prepared to be conveyed back to Jigawa State for burial rites.

    Mr Baba-Buji was the APC vice chairman for Jigawa Southwest.

  • As the gods of the land direct APC today, can it be true that Buhari has no candidate?

    As the gods of the land direct APC today, can it be true that Buhari has no candidate?

    Olawale Gladstone Emmanuel Rotimi, popularly known as Ola Rotimi; one of Nigeria’s leading playwrights and theatre directors – a man called “complete man of the theatre” [an actor, director, choreographer and designer] wrote the book; The gods are not to blame in 1971.

    I am not too sure if Ola Rotimi previewed the Nigeria of today; with specific attention to the APC’s torturous-packaged Primaries – or so it is looking like, when he wrote his award winning book. But, a good writer; just like a good singer would do in the production of good music, writes for lifetime. 

    As such, Ola Rotimi’s book – the gods are not to blame, becomes very handy in the events that are taking place in Abuja today – at the camp of the APC; where a candidate, out of the 22 aspirants, to bear the Party’s flag in the 2023 presidential general election would emerged.

    The confusion that has turned the APC Camp, for the selection of the candidate, to the soap opera show tagged “Fuji House of Commotion” was a video film script written by the leader of the Party [APC]; Muhammadu Buhari, who is the Nigerian President and Commander-in-Chief of our Armed Forces. 

    His written script for this exercise is split into 4 parts. Let us look and the 4 parts briefly and the intensity of how they are playing out.

    • I have a preferred candidate
    • The principle of reciprocity
    • Governors, consult within yourselves and pick a consensus candidate
    • I have no anointed candidate.

    Let us identify each of this 4 parts of the script with evidences as such would make this work easier and simple.

    [1]

    About 3 months, or thereabout, ago, President Buhari, in an interview; one of three interviews he ever granted to any Nigerian Media outfit [because it is not his character to do so] the man admitted to the Channel Television that he had a preferred candidate in the incoming election. 

    Seun Akinbaloye; a very astute and excitingly enterprising Journalist, with the Channel Television did not missed on that revelation from the President. He asked a follow-up question on the President’s answer: “Would you tell us the name of this your preferred candidate?”

    The President did not waste time in answering, by saying, “no, I cannot tell you his name because if l do, they will kill him”.

    [2]

    Then, days to the Primary, President Buhari brought all the governors of the APC together to lecture them on how they should cooperate with him in allowing him to pick the candidate of his choice to succeed him – he called it the principle of RECIPROCITY.

    The President reminded his guests – the governors, softly that the practice in the States, ditto the Local Governments, is for the outgoing Governors or Chairmen to hand-pick their successors. He concluded affirmatively, that the governors, in the principle of reciprocity should allow him to pick his successor – fait accompli. 

    [3]

    A few days after the doctrine of reciprocity, the same President Buhari, in introducing Part 3 of his script, invited the governors again, and some members of the National Working Committee, together in the Aso Rock Villa where he dropped his perfectly packaged bomb. He did not waste time with words as he told them to consult within themselves and produce a consensus candidate in the primary – straightforward of purpose and speech derailed hopelessly.

    [4]

    Last instruction from President Buhari to the APC governors and the leadership of his Party, in less than 48 hours to the exercise was as shocking as ever expected from any Fulani tactician. Let delegates chose the Candidate because l have no anointed candidate – end of film show.

    And when the National Chairman of the Party; a man imposed on the Party a few months ago by President Buhari, and a man who came to the office with larger baggage of confusion than ever expected, added his branch of abnormal tonic to the whole confusion, the hostility that erupted between him, the governors and members of the National Working Committee became heavier than the scenario between Russia and Ukraine – confusion’s aluta continua.    

    In conclusion, there are not too many Nigerians that would believe in President Buhari that he has no preferred and anointed candidate. But why the President would want to be economical with the truth shall remain an exercise The Guru is not willing to embark upon today – he who fights and run away will live to fight another day.

    And the confusion, so it is looking, might just be President Buhari’s anointed way of doing his thing in his own way in blending the two different opposites to a meeting point – an astute political animal unveiling.

    In any case and whatever is the result of today’s APC race in Abuja, Muhammadu Buhari is not to blame. Neither should any one of us attempt blaming the gods of the land. 

    The lesson of this abracadabra game of political titans, as playing out between Buhari and his cronies, is the fact that there shall always be a melting point in every political manipulations and permutations – the game of deceit remains the killing point of the trajetory.

    Are we still flowing on the same page? 

    Godwin Etakibuebu; a veteran Journalist, wrote from Lagos.

    Contact:

    Website: www.godwintheguru.com

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    Phone: +234-906-887-0014 – short messages only. 

    You can also listen to this author [Godwin Etakibuebu] every Monday; 9:30 – 11am on Lagos Talk 91.3 FM live, in a weekly review of topical issues, presented by The News Guru [TNG].

     

  • APC primary: Umahi, Okorocha, Onu, other South-East aspirants write Buhari for consensus

    APC primary: Umahi, Okorocha, Onu, other South-East aspirants write Buhari for consensus

    Presidential aspirants from the South-East partaking in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary election have written to President Muhammadu Buhari to pick one of them as a consensus candidate.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the presidential aspirants in the letter urged President Buhari to intervene for “proper guidance” during the APC special national convention currently underway in Abuja.

    The aspirants especially want Buhari to intervene to allow the South-East to produce the next presidential candidate of the party.

    The letter reads: “We the undersigned, who are aspirants to the Office of President on the platform of our party the APC. write to commend your fatherly leadership of our country and our party.

    “We also commend your unequivocal approval of the position of the 14 Progressive governors from Northern Nigeria, to ensure that your successor is elected from the southern part of Nigeria. We also commend the governors for this patriotic and unifying stand. United we stand – Our unity in diversity has been the rallying point of all patriots.

    “Your Excellency. we most humbly request that this position of our brothers from the North be deepened and made even more wholesome by further zoning this position to the South-East.

    “We are all aware that no President can emerge without the support of various geopolitical zones and without the express collaboration of our brothers and sisters from other zones of Nigeria.

    “With our Convention at hand, your kind directive for the deepening of unity in diversity, championed by our founding fathers solely on the basis of strengthening national unity and cohesion and for rousing victory at the 2023 elections are stated objectives in your speeches to the Progressive governors forum, the APC aspirants dinner and the meeting of APC stakeholders.

    “Furthermore. we are humbly requesting that you consider and pick your chosen candidate from the South-East aspirants in line with your stated objectives of handing over to trusted party loyalists.

    “We humbly seek your Excellency’s prompt and kind intervention to enable the party delegates to assume proper guidance.

    “Please accept as always. our continuing loyalty and assurances of our esteem regards and obedience to whichever candidate your Excellency deems fit and appropriate to adopt as the candidate of the party”.

    TNG reports the letter was signed by Ikeobasi Mokelu; former ministers of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu; Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba; Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, and Mrs. Ken Uju-Ohanenye.

    Although Senator Rochas Okorocha was listed among signatories, he did not append his signature to the letter.

  • APC presidential primary gets underway as accreditation of delegates begins

    The long-awaited presidential primary election of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has commenced in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with the accreditation of delegates amidst tight security.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports delegates’ accreditation for the APC Special Convention for the presidential primary election is currently ongoing at the Abuja International Conference Centre.

    No fewer than 2,322 delegates from the 774 local government areas of the country are expected to vote at the presidential primary, including the six area councils of the FCT.

    The delegates, three from each local government area, were seen in different uniforms popularly called “aso-ebi”, especially those from the Western and Southern regions.

    The delegates on queue will later on cast their votes for their preferred aspirant that would emerge as the party’s 2023 presidential candidate.

    Although 23 presidential aspirants bought the party’s presidential Expression of Interest and Nomination forms to contest the presidency, 13 were cleared by the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun Presidential Screening Committee.

    President Muhammadu Buhari at a dinner with the party’s presidential aspirants on Saturday backed the rotation of power to the southern part of the country in 2023.

    This limited the number of aspirants that would be contesting the presidential ticket at the primary to those from the South if a consensus candidate was not picked.

    Earlier, 11 governors from the North had in a statement on Saturday, announced their decision to support power shift to the South after Buhari’s tenure.

    The governors, while urging presidential aspirants from the northern part of the country to step down from the 2023 presidential race, said “the decision to support power shift to the south is in the best interest of the country.”

    Meanwhile, there is watertight security at the Abuja Eagle Square located in the Central Business District, venue of the APC special convention, as vehicular and human traffic had been restricted.

    All roads leading to the Eagle Square had been cordoned off, with mobile policemen positioned at strategic positions.

    There is also gridlock in most parts of the city, including Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Ibrahim Babangida Way and other areas, as commuters are seen trekking to cover some distance.

    Some residents of the FCT said the day should have been declared a public holiday, while journalists slated to cover the event struggle to get accreditation tags from the convention accreditation committee as they are seen hanging around.

    Meanwhile, the APC presidential primary election is expected to run through the night.

  • Presidential primary: Adamu runs for cover as APC Govs meeting with NWC ends in deadlock

    Presidential primary: Adamu runs for cover as APC Govs meeting with NWC ends in deadlock

    The meeting between members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) and the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) ended in deadlock at the party’s national secretariat on Monday night.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports almost all the members of the NWC and the Progressive Governors were in attendance during the meeting at the National Secretariat of the ruling party that lasted for an hour except the National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu.

    In attendance include Governors of Lagos, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Kaduna, Nasir El-Rufai, Kano, Umar Ganduje, Plateau, Simon Lalong, Niger, Sani Bello, Nasarawa, Abdullahi Sule, Borno, Babagana Zulum, Gombe, Mohammad Inuwa Yahaya, among others.

    The governors that arrived at the party’s national secretariat around 8 pm, and headed to the NEC Hall of the party came out without addressing newsmen that waited endlessly.

    The meeting was not unconnected with the controversy rocking the party over the choice of the party’s presidential candidate for the 2023 presidential election.

    Sources close to the governors revealed that the meeting has shifted to the Abuja home of the national chairman, adding that they could not arrive at any agreement over the consensus candidate due to interests.

  • OPEN LETTER: “I see danger ahead, sir” – Fayose warns Tinubu

    OPEN LETTER: “I see danger ahead, sir” – Fayose warns Tinubu

    OPEN LETTER TO ASIWAJU BOLA AHMED TINUBU

    By Ayo Fayose

    My Dear Asiwaju,

    Let me start this letter to your good-self whom I considered as one of the leading lights of the Yoruba nation; as a letter that may not be patronizing, especially for the content based on the subjective views I will express here as a Yoruba man and not as a politician.

    I equally wish to state that I am not an APC man and will never be.

    I am writing based on my observed views and the attached possible dangers about your good-self against tomorrow.

    One of the undeniable facts is your outburst in Abeokuta, which is a clear indication that you clearly saw a political danger to which you reacted. This informed the basis of my writing to you now.

    I equally read the reactions of your political allies both in the North and in the South. The reactions gave me great cause of concern for you and your life. Again, I see danger!

    As a knowledgeable student of history whom you are; our great late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and the celebrated winner of the June 12, 1993 general election; Alhaji Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, were led to the Golgotha by self acclaimed “champions of democracy.” I am sure the same people may advise you to ignore my advise.

    Going by the handwritings that are now clearly on the wall, if I may comment sir, I see you as one that may be swimming against the political tide of the cabal in your party. They are equally preparing for your actions and reactions and are fully set to contain same as they did to both Awolowo and Abiola.

    Unfortunately, your kingdom has been badly balkanized if what happened in Abeokuta is anything to go by.

    My advice:

    The book of Proverbs chapter 22 verse 3 (The Good News Translations), “sensible people will see trouble coming and avoid it but unthinking people will work into it.”

    Again, Asiwaju, for reasons of not being misrepresented, I will like to stop here and allow you to take your decisions, good or bad as a wise full-grown adult whom you are.

    I wish you the best of luck.

    Ayo Fayose
    Governor, Ekiti State
    2003-2006 and 2014-2018

  • The country lies drained in the valley between party primaries – By Owei Lakemfa

    The country lies drained in the valley between party primaries – By Owei Lakemfa

    This is one of the most engaging seasons in the life or history of this country; when Federal and state governments and our political  leaders at all levels are engaged in succession politics which can also slide into secession politics. This is the season of party primaries and nothing else matters.

    This is the time big political guns are rolled out and war chests opened to allow hoarded dollars and naira flow.This is the only explanation I can give for the dead silence on armed bandits operating for days long on the Kaduna –Birin Gwari highway unchallenged and without information to the general public. The bandits most infamous score was on May 31 when they ambushed a convoy of buses conveying students to their examination for admission into the School of Health at Makarfi.

    Also, at this time, critical segments in the country’s security architecture are quite busy. The police are busy perfecting security measures for the primaries against the backdrop of threats by students to disrupt the party primaries over the continued closure of public universities due to government-lecturers disputes. So the police could not keep the public updated on the wholesale kidnappings, at least for citizens to avoid travelling the deadly road. As for the army, its attention must have been diverted by the press briefing of the Methodist Church Nigeria Prelate, Samuel Kanu-Uche, on his abduction and his perceived ineffectiveness of the military check points.

    Given the absence of these critical segments, it was left to the Chairman of the Birnin Gwari Vanguard for Security and Good Governance, Ibrahim Nagwari, to brief the nation and reveal the horrors being perpetuated by terrorists.

    The organisation said in last Monday’s attack, the terrorists who have three camps along the road, set ablaze eight vehicles.      It lamented thus: “The political will by the authorities to honour their oath of office to protect lives and property of our citizens remains a mirage. While politicians are engaged on their mission to clinch power, come 2023, none of the gladiators seeking for elections has any agenda of emancipating our people from the bondage of terrorists and miscreants.”

    In the absence of government, the organisation tried to fill the vacuum by telling the people of Birnin-Gwari and communities along the highway to halt with immediate effect, travelling on the highway. It also advised other Nigerians to do the same.

    The neglect of Nigerians by government is frightening; in some cases, unfathomable and quite absurd. For 70 years now, that is a decade before our independence, the West African School Certificate, WASC, has been the primary examination for Nigerian and West African students in the English-speaking areas. It is recognised abroad, including Europe. Even when a subsidiary examination, the National Examinations Council,  NECO, was introduced, it remained subsidiary and not recognised even by Ghanaian tertiary institutions.

    You can imagine my shock to learn that students of Zamfara State, the most educationally-disadvantaged or backward state in the country, are not writing the current WASC/ WASSCE because the state government is owing the examination body fees accumulated over the years! This is an examination in which a total of 1,607,985 candidates from 20,221 schools are taking part across the country. It is an examination that will help build the future of the students and also put them in good stead as they seek admission into tertiary institutions. This is the examination the children are not taking; yet, the state governor, Bello Matawalle, a former member of the House of Representatives, is a teacher!

    Also annoying in this abridgement of the students fundamental right to education is the excuse by the state’s Commissioner for Education, Zainab Gummi, who tried to link this neglect of the students to insecurity. The Commissioner said : “Our major challenge is insecurity because most students are not even in the right frame of mind to sit for examinations.” She might have assumed that Nigerians are daft. There are many secondary schools in the capital, Gusau; why can’t those ones and the schools in other safe areas not take the examinations? What scientific tests did the state government carry out that revealed most of the students are not in the right frame of mind to sit for examinations? If there is such a result, the state government should make it public. In any case, even if it were so, why can’t the government counsel the students and prepare them for the examinations?

    Perhaps, more amazing to me is that Sokoto State, governed by    Aminu Tambuwal, a trained teacher and former Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, has for the second year running not presented students in the state’s high schools for the WASSCE examinations!

    I was quite impressed by Tambuwal during the 2012 meetings of the House of Representatives and the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, over the fuel price increase uprising. He invited the then NLC President, Abdulwheed Omar, and I as the Acting NLC General Secretary to a private meeting in his Maitama home to discuss how the strike could be averted, and when it was on, how it could be brought to a quick end in the interest of the country. He was then 46 and seemed imbued with so much knowledge and wisdom that  I wished such a politician would lead the country.

    You can imagine my great disappointment that such a man, who in fact was an aspirant for the 2023 presidential election, would deprive students in his state the right to take a basic examination that can build their future!

    Rather than be remorseful or keep quiet, Tambuwal’s administration claimed it prefers the NECO examinations. Like the Zamfara State government, the Tambuwal administration thinks Nigerians are such retards that they will buy any bogus excuse. Tambuwal reminds me once again that a book should not be judged by its cover no matter how attractive.

    With the general neglect of the citizenry, including their welfare, security and general wellbeing, and a concentration on party primaries, the country lies drained in the valley of hunger, hyperinflation and abandonment.

    After the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, primaries on May 28, it is the turn of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to perform on the public stage. The outcome of the APC primaries is likely to indicate the direction the country is going to take as it carries a lot of baggage. In all, Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the APC’s dilemma; he is like a bone stuck in the throat; how does it swallow or spit it out, or will surgery be necessary?

    Whatever the case, patriots should not be silent observers in the processes unfolding in the country. Our country can still be salvaged.

  • APC takes discussions on consensus candidate to National Chairman’s home

    APC takes discussions on consensus candidate to National Chairman’s home

    The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has continued discussions on the possibility of coming up with a consensus candidate ahead of Tuesday’s Special Convention for its presidential primary election.

    Alhaji Abba Kyari, Vice Chairman, North, of the party, on Monday in Abuja, said discussions on the issue would continue tonight at the house of Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, the party’s national chairman.

    Kyari spoke to newsmen at the end of a closed-door meeting between governors elected on the party’s platform and members of its National Working Committee (NWC) at the party’s national secretariat.

    When asked if the party had come up with a consensus candidate, Kyari said: “the discussion continues tonight at the house of the party’s national chairman”.

    He said the possibility of the party coming up with a consensus candidate before the primaries, could therefore not be ruled out.

    No fewer than 2,340 delegates from the 774 Local Government Areas in the country and Area Councils in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are expected to vote at the APC presidential primary.

    The delegates are expected to cast their votes for their preferred aspirant that would emerge as the party’s 2023 presidential candidate.

    Though 23 presidential aspirants bought the party’s presidential Expression of Interest and Nomination forms to contest the presidency, 13 were cleared by the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun presidential screening committee.

    President Muhammadu Buhari, at a dinner with the party’s presidential aspirants on Saturday, backed the rotation of power to the Southern part of the country in 2023.

    This limited the numbers of aspirants that would be contesting the party’s 2023 presidential ticket at the primary to those from the South if a consensus candidate is not picked.

    Meanwhile, 11 governors from the North had in a statement on Saturday, announced their decision to support power shift to the South after the end of the tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The governors, while urging presidential aspirants from the northern part of the country to step down from the 2023 presidential race, said, ”the decision to support power shift to the South is in the best interest of the country”.

    The APC Special Convention for its presidential primary election holds at the Abuja Eagle Square.

  • APC primary: What should happen if South fails to produce consensus candidate – Akeredolu

    APC primary: What should happen if South fails to produce consensus candidate – Akeredolu

    Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu has said only qualified persons from the Southern part of Nigeria should be allowed to contest the presidential ticket of the All Progressives (APC) if the region should fail to get a consensus candidate.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Governor Akeredolu made this known on Monday while faulting the position of APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu on the choice of Senate President Ahmad Lawan as the consensus candidate of the party.

    Akeredolu stressed that the APC has not changed its position that the presidential candidate of the party for the 2023 presidential election should come from the Southern region of the country.

    “My attention has just been drawn to the expensive joke purportedly enacted by the National Chairman of APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.

    “The speculation is rife that the Chairman took a flight of fancy and decided to make a pronouncement beyond his competence. He has, allegedly, made public his preferred choice as the candidate of the APC for the Office of the President in the next general elections.

    “This alleged pronouncement runs contrary to the position of majority of Northern Governors in APC and their counterparts in the South. Our agreement is unanimous on this issue.

    “The office of the President should be contested for by qualified persons from the Southern part of the country if the move to get a consensus candidate fails. There has been no shift from this settled issue.

    “Let it be known that the Chairman or anyone who holds a contrary opinion does so at a personal level. He is at best embarking on a frolic which reasonable people will consider dangerous.

    “We are grieving but have not forgotten that Power MUST shift to the south. On this we stand,” Akeredolu, who is the Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum stated.

  • PDP primary: Banky W reacts after reclaiming mandate

    Nigerian singer, Bankole Wellington, popularly known as Banky W has reacted after reclaiming the mandate to fly the House of Representatives flag of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for Eti-Osa Federal Constituency in Lagos State in the 2023 general elections.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Banky W expressed his gratitude for the success to contest a seat in the House of Representatives after winning the re-run election for the constituency with 24 votes, defeating Sam Aiboni, who scored only five votes on Monday.

    The singer, in an Instagram post, thanked everyone for the support given him to win the party ticket.

    He said: “I want to thank the leaders of the People’s Democratic Party, the PDP, for encouraging me to join the family and empowering me to stand on our great platform.

    “I want to thank our party members and delegates for accepting me, for trusting me, and for giving me the go-ahead in a landslide to represent the great constituency of Eti-Osa, Lagos.

    “I want to thank my very formidable competitor Barrister Sam Aiboni – we are not opponents within the PDP; we are brothers on the same side, and I hope that our shared love for our community will build a bridge for us to be able work together for the progress and prosperity of our people.

    “I want to thank my family and friends, donors and volunteers, prayer warriors and well-wishers – words fail to describe how grateful I feel that you consider me worthy of your blessing, belief and support.

    “I also want to thank the love of my life, my wife, for holding my hand and standing by my side.

    “Most importantly, I want to thank the almighty God – for the gift of life, and purpose. I am nothing without His Grace.

    “Our journey is far from over, this was a great step one but our work has just begun. The road ahead is long – I hope we recognize that this is not a sprint, it’s a marathon.

    “The terrain will be tough – I hope we realize that we are stronger together, and there is no obstacle or opposition that we cannot overcome. I hope we remember that this is not about me, this is about all of us.

    He says, “Our legislative agenda will be a collaboration between all of the stakeholders in our communities.

    “Fully focused on the needs we have in education, healthcare, gender equity, youth employment and economic empowerment.

    “Creating a more conducive environment that we can be proud to live in, raise our children, and grow our businesses.

    “Eti-Osa is already arguably the most progressive & enlightened constituency. But good enough is not good enough.

    “This is about all of us fighting for Eti-Osa to be better. It’s time for us to look in the mirror. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.

    “And we can do this, if we do it together. This is more than a campaign. This is a movement. Please join us.”