TheNewsGuru

Tag: Running Mate

  • US presidential poll: Obama, Clinton react to Biden’s choice of Harris as running mate

    US presidential poll: Obama, Clinton react to Biden’s choice of Harris as running mate

    Former President Barrack Obama has joined major Democratic Party leaders to hail presidential candidate Joe Biden for choosing Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate.

    Obama said Biden “nailed this decision” with the choice of Harris, describing her as a perfect fit for the ticket.

    The former President, in a statement, said: “Choosing a vice president is the first important decision a president makes. When you’re in the Oval Office, weighing the toughest issues and the choice you make will affect the lives and livelihoods of the entire country — you need someone with you who’s got the judgment and the character to make the right call.

    “Joe Biden nailed this decision. By choosing Senator Kamala Harris as America’s next vice president, he’s underscored his own judgment and character. Reality shows us that these attributes are not optional in a president.

    “They’re requirements of the job. And now Joe has an ideal partner to help him tackle the very real challenges America faces right now and in the years ahead.

    I’ve known Senator Harris for a long time. She is more than prepared for the job. She’s spent her career defending our Constitution and fighting for folks who need a fair shake.

    “Her own life story is one that I and so many others can see ourselves in: a story that says that no matter where you come from, what you look like, how you worship, or who you love, there’s a place for you here. It’s a fundamentally American perspective, one that’s led us out of the hardest times before. And it’s a perspective we can all rally behind right now.

    “Michelle and I couldn’t be more thrilled for Kamala, Doug, Cole, and Ella. This is a good day for our country. Now let’s go win this thing.”

    On her part, Hilary Clinton, the Democrat candidate in the 2016 election, tweeted: “I’m thrilled to welcome @KamalaHarris to a historic Democratic ticket.

    “She’s already proven herself to be an incredible public servant and leader. And I know she’ll be a strong partner to @JoeBiden. Please join me in having her back and getting her elected.”

  • Ondo 2020: Ilaje Group commends Akeredolu for picking Lucky Aiyedatiwa as running mate

    Ondo 2020: Ilaje Group commends Akeredolu for picking Lucky Aiyedatiwa as running mate

    The Ilaje Development Summit Group has expressed gratitude to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu for picking one of their own, Lucky Aiyedatiwa as his running mate in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Ondo State.

    TheNewsGuru.com TNG, reports that Akeredolu who ran a joint ticket with his incumbent deputy, Agboola Ajayi in 2016 announced Aiyedatiwa as his running mate last week after a fallout with Agboola who has since decamped to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and his rumoured to be defecting to another party.

    The group in a statement by its Executive Administrator, Rev. Sola Adebawo said Akeredolu’s choice of Aiyedatiwa will help shift developmental attention to the area.

    Read full statement below:

    ILAJE DEVELOPMENT SUMMIT GROUP CONGRATULATES GOVERNOR AKEREDOLU ON THE CHOICE OF ILAJE SON (HON. LUCKY AIYEDATIWA) AS RUnNING MATE IN THE UP-COMING GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION IN ONDO STATE
    · Commends Akeredolu for choosing an Ilaje man as running mate in October election
    · Demands focus on development of Ilaje land by government

    The Ilaje Development Summit Group (IDSG) wishes to congratulate the Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu (Aketi) on his choice of a distinguished Ilaje son, Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, as his running mate in the coming governorship election in Ondo State.

    This represents a clear recognition of both the obvious capacity of our brother and son to perform in this huge role, and a strong indication of an acknowledgment of the critical place of Ilaje in the sustainable success of our dear Ondo State. It also represents the beginning of a new era of Ilaje playing in the mainstream of governance in Ondo State, which our fathers fought relentlessly to help create, and which our resources have helped to sustain over the years.

    As we approach the elections, we demand for a genuine focus on Ilaje for sustainable development of neglected infrastructures and other key areas such as health, education, economy, electricity etc. as a matter of commitment and not mere campaign rhetoric.

    IDSG is a citizen-led initiative to engineer coordinated sustainable development of Ilaje land through participatory partnership of all groups, associations and individuals working for the development of Ilaje land. Though neither apolitical nor irreligious, IDSG is an inclusive organization with no exclusive political or religious affiliation. The organization is made up of the most accomplished Ilaje sons and daughters in Nigerian and in different countries around the world; and we therefore parade some of the finest minds in Ilaje land.

    IDSG convened the much-talked about first-of-its-kind Ilaje Development Summit on november 23, 2019, at the Dome Akure, with participation by the Ondo State Government and Ilaje sons and daughters from different countries around the world, where the first Ilaje Regional Development Plan (a 50-year strategic plan for development of Ilaje land) was launched.

    As a global organization of most outstanding Ilaje sons and daughters across all walks of life, IDSG seeks to partner with government at all levels and other critical stakeholders to engender sustainable development of Ilaje land, which has been obviously neglected by successive administration in the State.

  • Photos: Akeredolu takes new running mate to Tinubu, Sanwo-Olu in Lagos

    Photos: Akeredolu takes new running mate to Tinubu, Sanwo-Olu in Lagos

    Ahead of the coming governorship poll, the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu has paid a visit on the All Progressives Congress, APC, National leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in Lagos.

    The governor also visited his counterpart, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

    Akeredolu with Tinubu and others during the visit

    Akeredolu with Tinubu and others during the visit

    He posted photos of the visits to Lagos on his twitter handle and wrote: “Today, I visited our leader, Asiwaju Tinubu and my brother, Jide Sanwo-Olu to formally introduce my Deputy Governor designate and consult with them for the forthcoming election in Ondo State.

    Akeredolu with Sanwo-Olu during the visit

    Rotimi Akeredolu with Sanwo-Olu during the visit

    “We are one in the APC and our party is stronger than ever.”

    Akeredolu and his running mate with Sanwo-Olu

    Akeredolu and his running mate with Sanwo-Olu

  • I made a wrong choice picking Ajayi as running mate in 2016 – Akeredolu

    I made a wrong choice picking Ajayi as running mate in 2016 – Akeredolu

    Ondo Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has said he made a wrong choice in picking Hon Agboola Ajayi as his running mate in 2016.

    Ajayi recently defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) where he is seeking to contest the governorship election.

    Akeredolu spoke at Igbekebo, headquarters of Ese-Odo local government during his “meet the delegates” tour ahead of next Monday primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    He said he was happy Ajayi showed his true colour at what he termed the right time and described his exit from the party as a cleansing for better performance of the party.

    Akeredolu urged the people not to bother about Ajayi and thanked them for not leaving the APC with Ajayi.

    Akeredolu urged the party delegates to vote for him at the primary and assured he was prepared to do more for the people of the state.

  • Bayelsa guber: Dickson sacks Special Adviser over running mate crisis

    Bayelsa guber: Dickson sacks Special Adviser over running mate crisis

    The Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson has dismissed Mrs. Helen Bob, as a Special Adviser in his administration.

    A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, said that Bob was dismissed for repeated acts of gross misconduct, indiscipline, irresponsibility and acts unbecoming of a person occupying the high position of Special Adviser in any government whatsoever.

    Soriwei said that Bob, who was a governor’s aide for almost eight years, was among 130 special advisers out of over 2000 appointees engaged by the governor.

    It was gathered that the development was in connection with Bob’s recent public outburst over Dickson’s choice of candidate and running mate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the November 16 governorship election.

    Bob had condemned some decisions taken by the governor describing them as recipes for failures in the election and saying she was ready to be relieved of her post in the government.

    Bob, who was former Chairperson of Brass Local Government Area, particularly expresses her angst over governor’s choice of Senator Lawrence Ewrujakpor as the party’s running mate.

    She also described a stakeholders’ meeting proposed by the governor to seek possible substitution of Erwujakpor as unnecessary since according to her the governor had the knife and the yam.

    She said: “For me, there is no need calling stakeholders to hear governor’s briefing as usual because they may not be given opportunity to speak out their minds. Even if they do, their opinions will never count because of our past experiences.

    “We all recalled how three aspirants emerged from him to speak for a Restoration political family and the entire PDP. Not even the party leadership could call a meeting to discuss the way forward but strongly supported the governor to ensure one of them won the PDP ticket while others were disgraced.

    “He may be the last PDP governor if he doesn’t fix all these disheartening issues that have clouded our dear PDP. The governor is a very intelligent and experienced personality that knows what best to do at the right time.

    “He need not any stakeholders meeting to fix the party back to the way it used to win general elections. Since 2015 that the model of choosing who bears the PDP flags in state House of Assembly, House of Reps and Senate seats changed to imposition of candidates due to favouritism, family and friends, we have lost more seats than ever.

    “With all due respect my boss, the truth is bitter but I have to state it here clearly that this imposition of candidates is an unpopular and old school kind of party primary model that is why we lost those seats to the APC.

    “Frankly speaking, even those who are close with you are only there to ensure there salaries read hence will never tell you the truth. Please take a good decision yourself as you have always done to fix all the collapsing walls of the party as no stakeholders have any role to play at this point”.

  • 2019: SDP confirms Junaid’s exit, names new running mate to Donald Duke

    2019: SDP confirms Junaid’s exit, names new running mate to Donald Duke

    The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has formalised the substitution of its 2019 Presidential Candidate’s running mate, Dr Mohammed Junaid with Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam, who is also the National Secretary of the party.

    SDP National Publicity Secretary, Alfa Mohammed, who gave the confirmation on Thursday in Abuja, said that the substitution was done long ago.

    He said that Junaid’s substitution was subjected to deliberation at the party’s leadership level which he was a member.

    Mohammed said the consensus was that Junaid should step down as running mate to the SDP Presidential Candidate, Donald Duke, for strategic reasons.

    “Hence, as a genuine party man, he voluntarily stepped down and thereafter signed all the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) forms required to perfect the substitution process.

    “He remains one of our highly respected leaders the party is proud to have.

    “Meanwhile, the substitution which was done long ago now has Shehu Musa Gabam from the North East as our vice presidential candidate,” he said.

  • 2019: Tough time for Donald Duke as running mate quits, resigns as SDP vice chair

    2019: Tough time for Donald Duke as running mate quits, resigns as SDP vice chair

    Dr. Junaid Mohammed, running mate of the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Mr. Donald Duke, has stepped down his vice presidential ambition.

    Junaid, who is one of the fiercest critics of President Muhammadu Buhari, said he decided to step down because of the “many hassles of the SDP.”

    He said he also stepped down as the deputy national chairman of the SDP and had written letters to the chairman of the party, Chief Olu Falae; and Duke.

    Junaid said, “It is true. I stepped down a while ago because of the many hassles.

    “I also resigned as deputy national chairman. I have written to Chief Olu Falae and Mr. Donald Duke. However, I have not resigned from the party.”

    When asked if he would be supporting President Muhammadu Buhari to ‘take Nigeria to the next level’, Junaid laughingly responded, “You know I will never do such.”

  • 2019: Atiku visits Ekweremadu, explains preference for Peter Obi as running mate

    The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, on Monday visited the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, to seek his understanding over the choice of Mr Peter Obi as his running mate.

    On the entourage of Atiku were the Director General of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, who is also the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki; National Chairman of the party, Uche Secondus; and the National Organising Secretary of the party, Col. Austin Akobundu (retd.).

    It was learnt that the visit was meant to appease Ekweremadu, who had hoped that he would be the natural choice for the position.

    It was gathered that the visitors asked for Ekweremadu’s support and explained to him that Obi was picked in the interest of the zone in particular and the nation in general.

    A source said, “He was told that Obi does not have any corruption case against him and that he does not belong to any faction of the party.

    “He was also told that Obi’s emergence has further raised the acceptability level of the PDP across the country.”

    Meanwhile, the party has scheduled its National Executive Committee meeting for Thursday in Abuja.

    The meeting it was gathered, would approve the full composition of the council and also vet its budget for the campaigns.

    Secondus also confirmed the inauguration of the campaign council.

    “Yes, we are meeting on Thursday and the campaign will be inaugurated same day,” he said in a telephone conversation with The Punch.

     

  • 2019: El-Rufai picks Hadiza Balarabe as running mate

    2019: El-Rufai picks Hadiza Balarabe as running mate

    Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has announced the selection of Dr. Hadiza Balarabe as his running mate for the 2019 general election.

    The choice of Dr. Hadiza Balarabe as running mate continues Malam Nasir El-Rufai’s deliberate policy of promoting women. There are five female commissioners in his 14-person cabinet, a feat not attained even by governors that had much larger cabinets.

    This is the first time in the history of Kaduna State that a major political party will select a woman as running mate.

    The incumbent Deputy Governor, Arc. Barnabas Yusuf Bala, has opted to go to the National Assembly and has since emerged as the APC’s candidate for the southern Kaduna senatorial district.

    Balarabe is the current Executive Secretary of the Kaduna State Primary Health Care Development Agency, a position she has held since February 2016. In that role she has overseen the Kaduna State Government’s programme to revitalise and strengthen primary health care as the core of health service delivery in the state.

    Under her watch, the state is renovating and equipping 255 primary health centres with tools to assist better antenatal services and safer delivery.

    The agency has also helped expand vaccine coverage to protect children across the state.

    Prior to joining the Kaduna State Government, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe was Director of Public Health in the FCT. She studied Medicine at the University of Maiduguri, and graduated in 1988.

    She was a Senior Registrar at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital before joining the services of the FCT in 2004.

    Balarabe, who was born in 1966, is from Sanga local government which is located in the southern Kaduna senatorial district.

  • Lagos 2019: Agbaje picks First Bank director as running mate

    Lagos 2019: Agbaje picks First Bank director as running mate

    The Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidate in Lagos State, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, has announced a lawyer, Mrs. Haleemat Busari, as his running mate.

    The law graduate from the University of Lagos is a Director on the board of several blue-chip companies.

    She was a director in Zain Nigeria Ltd (now Airtel Nigeria, a leading telecommunications company) and a serving director in First Bank, Sierra Leone.

    A statement on Thursday by the Director of Media and Publicity of the Jimi Agbaje Campaign Organisation, Felix Oboagwina, said the PDP candidate picked Mrs. Busari following comprehensive consultations with leaders and stakeholders within and outside the party.

    “Mrs. Oluwayemisi Haleemat Busari came highly recommended and widely endorsed.

    “Stakeholders all agree that without any iota of a doubt, the Jimi-Haleemat combination is a winning ticket on every count,” the statement said.

    Married to Teslim Busari (SAN), Haleemat was born in 1964, to the family of the late Ahmed Giwa, a businessman and Vice President of Jamatul Islamiyya of Nigeria from Epe, and the Late Mrs. Mujibat Giwa (nee Shonibare), a princess of the Kosoko royal family from Isale Eko.

    According to Oboagwina, Mrs. Busari will be bringing to the joint ticket her versatility and connections as a professional in corporate governance, as a Muslim activist and as a bonafide daughter of native Lagos.