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Tag: Running Mate

  • 2019: I didn’t nominate Peter Obi as Atiku’s running mate – Wike

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has denied nominating former Anambra Governor Peter Obi as running mate to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

    Wike said the visit of four South-South governors to President Muhammadu Buhari had no political connotation, noting that the governors were in the Presidential Villa to discuss the development of Niger Delta.

    He spoke in an interview with Channels Television Roadmap 2019.

    Wike said: “I never nominated Peter Obi. But the mere fact that the Vice Presidential Candidate is coming from the South-East does not give the zone the sole right to nominate a person , since the entire country will benefit.

    “When the South-East said they were not consulted before Peter Obi was nominated, where did we meet as a party to agree that the Vice Presidential Candidate must come from the South-East. But we said if the Presidential Candidate believes he has somebody to work with, we said so be it “.

    On the new minimum wage, Wike said the review could only be sustained when the nation’s revenue sharing formula was reviewed.

    “I will never oppose the upward review of minimum wage for workers. But the revenue sharing formula must be reviewed. Assuming a state like Zamfara gets N3 billion monthly, and their monthly wage bill is N4 billion, then the state will not survive. Labour should understand the situation.’’

    “You cannot talk of sustainable new minimum wage when you have not reviewed the revenue sharing formula. More of the money should be moved from the Federal Government to the states that bear the burden of governance. If there is no review of the revenue sharing formula, then we are not being fair.”

     

  • BREAKING: Sanwo-Olu picks former contestant, Femi Hamzat as running mate

    The governorship candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019 elections, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has picked a fellow contestant in the primaries, Femi Hamzat as his running mate.
    Recall that Hamzat participated in the governorship primaries but later withdrew his candidacy in support of Sanwo-Olu’s ambition.
    Hamzat, a former Lagos Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, was one of the major contenders for the APC’s governorship ticket before he stepped down for Sanwo-Olu.
    When he stepped down, he said it was borne out of the greater good for Lagos than the benefit of an individual.
    “Having been part and parcel of the formulation and execution of various policies and programmes that transformed Lagos right from former governors Tinubu and Babatunde Fashola’s administrations, I strongly believe that Sanwo-Olu is equally rooted to fly our party’s flag in the 2019 elections.
    “I have no doubt that he is well placed and equipped to take Lagos to greater height, hence my stepping down for him,” he said.
    Sanwo-Olu went on to defeat incumbent governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, in the party’s primary election and will battle Jimi Agbaje of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) at next year’s polls.
    Hamzat made the announcement on his Facebook page today.

  • 2019: Why South East leaders opposed Obi’s nomination as Atiku’s running mate – Gov Umahi

    Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State on Tuesday shed some light on why leaders from the South East are protesting the nomination of former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi as running mate to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
     
    Umahi spoke after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on socio-economic development.
     
    The governor, who is the Chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum, said: “Nobody is against Peter Obi because he is my friend, competent and you must have seen our pictures together on the social media
     
    “We must take decisions against the marginalisation of Ebonyi people because if we have to vote, we must be treated with equity.
     
    “Two names of the nominees came from Anambra, two from Abia and one from Enugu but none came from Ebonyi and Imo.
     
    “What is wrong with somebody from Ebonyi and Imo and you must know that one of the reasons an Ebonyi man is against regions in the country, is the fear of further marginalization.”
     
    Umahi maintained that the southeast leaders must sit with the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and if all must have to work together, the leaders must be part of the decision making.
     
    “I am talking about the southeast people and if six people can come from other regions and take decisions, there must be somebody from the southeast zone.
     
    “There is nothing like the southeast governor’s stand on the matter but we are only saying that when decisions are taken and people from other regions are invited, those from the southeast must be invited.
     
    “The southeast leaders never issued any statement on the matter and anybody from the zone who says that our stand is not good, is not a human being’’, he said.
     
    The governor remarked that if Atiku just picked his running mate without people from other regions seeing the list and making choices, there could have been no complaints.
     
    “Nobody chooses the vice president for anybody, it is just like a wife issue but if other people were on the list, people from Ebonyi should be there.
     
    “Even if we would not make the list as the choice is for Abubakar to make, we should know what disqualifies us from being picked,” he said.
     
    He said that Obi told him that he (Umahi) was supposed to be more embittered and make greater noise than he was making presently, if he (Obi) was in his shoes.
     
    “When my Chief Press Secretary (CPS) issued a statement congratulating Obi, the zone’s leaders started calling me, saying that I have made the VP alone.
     
    “I had to issue a counter statement telling them that I was not consulted before the statement was released and that it was an honest mistake from the CPS.
     
    “I cannot endorse Obi alone and am confident that in further decisions, the Igbo man must be consulted.
     
    “If the position I had was my sin, I cannot repent from it,” he said.

  • 2019: Why South-east PDP leaders must accept Peter Obi as Atiku’s running mate – Jonathan

    2019: Why South-east PDP leaders must accept Peter Obi as Atiku’s running mate – Jonathan

    A former President, Goodluck Jonathan, has appealed to the leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-east zone to support the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in his choice of Peter Obi as his running mate, to ensure victory for PDP in next year’s general elections.
    The former president’s appeal follows a statement issued on Saturday by leaders of the party in the zone stating that they were not properly consulted before Mr Obi’s nomination was made public.
    In a statement addressed to party members which he personally signed, the former president counseled against insisting on obtaining a zonal endorsement for a vice presidential nomination, adding that it is the prerogative of the presidential candidate to select the candidate he believes will help him to achieve his vision and goals for the nation.
    A statement issued by Ikechukwu Eze, the former president’s spokesman, quoted Mr Jonathan thus: “I therefore want to directly appeal to my brothers and sisters from the South-east zone who are members of our party to reconsider their position and allow the presidential candidate of the PDP to select a candidate he thinks he can work with to be able to achieve the party’s development goals. Since Atiku has already nominated Mr. Peter Obi as his running mate, I am pleading with my party members from the zone to accept his choice.”
    Below is the full statement issued by Mr Jonathan:
    “I thank members of our great party for the successful conduct of the primaries for the various elective positions ahead of the 2019 general elections. By holding transparent, peaceful and rancor-free convention and primaries across the country, our party has once more, taken the nation’s democratic exercise a notch higher, in line with our well-established tradition of deepening the growth of democracy in our
    nation.
    “I again congratulate all our candidates for various positions, including Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who was overwhelmingly elected by our delegates as the flag bearer of our party in the 2019 presidential election. The popularity and positive reviews of the exercise across the country is a clear demonstration of national endorsement for the choices we made, going into the 2019 elections.
    “The task before us is to build on this firm foundation and momentum by pulling in one direction and working assiduously for the victory of these candidates at the polls.
    It is against this backdrop that I appeal for calm and understanding in the South East where my attention has been drawn to the fact that some leaders of our party are openly expressing their discomfort with the reported nomination of former Governor of Anambra State Peter Obi as Atiku’s running mate. I am told that some of our leaders in the zone have raised issues with the process of consultation that produced the Vice Presidential candidate.
    “I affirm that consultation is a key ingredient in every political process. Nonetheless, in the selection of a vice presidential candidate, a presidential candidate is allowed reasonable freedom to select his running mate based on loyalty, trust, experience, temperament and capacity to perform the responsibilities of the office. Anything other than this could create tension and acrimony between the presidential candidate and his running mate, even before the inauguration of the government.

    My plea is for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to be given a free hand to choose who he wants to work with as his Vice President without putting him through undue pressure. In this regard, only minimal consultation is required which doesn’t necessarily have to involve full regional review and approval.

    “We have to be careful not to give the impression that the process of selecting a Vice Presidential candidate cannot progress until a regional stamp of approval is formally procured. The system we are used to right from the First Republic is one that places the choice of a running mate at the behest of the candidate, based on his own convictions on capacity and compatibility.
    “From my political history beginning from Deputy Governor to President, I can say that this is the tradition and standard practice in countries where either the President and his Vice or Governor and his Deputy contest election on a common slate. In such instance, once a candidate emerges, he or she is given a free hand to select the person who understands his vision and plans for the country, as his running mate.
    I therefore want to directly appeal to my brothers and sisters from the South East zone who are members of our party to reconsider their position and allow the presidential candidate of our party to select a candidate he thinks he can work with to be able to achieve the party’s development goals. Since Atiku has nominated Mr. Peter Obi as his running mate, I am pleading with my party members from the zone to accept his choice.”

  • Oyo 2019: Alao-Akala emerges ADP guber candidate, picks Prof. Olaiya as running mate

    Former Gov. Adebayo Alao-Akala, the governorship candidate of African Democratic Party (ADP) in Oyo State, has picked Prof. Abideen Olaiya, as his running mate for the 2019 governorship election.
    This information was contained in a statement signed by Mr Abraham Ojo, Alao-Akala’s Chief Press Secretary and made available to newsmen in Ibadan on Saturday.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Olaiya, an Associate Professor of Crop Eco-physiology, was a governorship aspirant of Accord Party in the state before his appointment.
    Alao-Akala said the renowned scholar was picked after due consultations with stalwarts and key stakeholders of ADP in the state.
    Olaiya, an indigene of Ibadan, holds a doctorate degree in Agronomy from the University of Ibadan and lectures at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.
    He joined politics in 1995 and was in 1998 elected to represent Ibadan South East/North East at the House of Representatives on the platform of Grassroots Democratic Movement (GDM).
    Olaiya has since been participating actively in politics and other programmes, aimed at improving the welfare of the people in his immediate environment
    The don is a devout Muslim and has served several Islamic bodies in leadership capacities since the past three decades.
    Olaiya is a member of numerous academic and socio political organisations, and has to his credit, several journals and academic publications.
     

  • 2019: Why Atiku picked Peter Obi as running mate – Gbenga Daniel

    The Director General of the Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign Organisation, Otunba Gbenga Daniel on Friday gave reasons why former Anambra State governor, Mr. Peter Obi, was picked as the running mate to the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
    In a statement last night, Daniel said Mr. Obi’s choice was largely influenced by his youthfulness, vast knowledge of global and local economics as well as being a financial expert, all experience which Nigeria is in great need of at this point in time.
    “This ticket will be able to steer our nation back on the path of progress, economic prosperity and unity,” Daniel said.
    In line with its pre-primary election zoning formula, Atiku picked ex-Governor Peter Obi as his running mate for the 2019 presidential election.
    With the development, the party has returned to the winning formula of the defunct National Party of Nigeria from 1979 to 1983 in which ex-President Shehu Shagari paired with the late former Vice President Alex Ekwueme.
    PDP’s zoning of the VP slot to the South East was allegedly designed to woo the Igbo who had been complaining of marginalization.
    Since the conclusion of PDP presidential primaries, party leaders have narrowed the choice of vice presidential candidate to the South-West and the South-East.
    But Atiku and the party leadership have opted for the South-East in order to address “the marginalization of the zone.”
    Already, the PDP has given a copy of the nomination form to Obi to fill with the ex-governor having audience with Atiku at about 5 pm yesterday.
    It was also gathered that a South-South governor may be appointed as the Director-General of the Presidential Campaign Organisation of the PDP.
    Investigation conducted by our correspondent revealed that the PDP leadership had presented some guidelines to Atiku on how to pick his running mate.
    A top source said: “Earlier on Monday, the PDP presented guidelines to Atiku and eventually, it was agreed that ex-Governor Peter Obi fits into the criteria set out.
    “The concession of the slot to the South-East was also in line with the wish of Atiku.
    “In its power sharing formula, the PDP had conceded the VP slot to the South-East and reneging on the agreement would have been fatal for the party in 2019.
    “Apart from being a prudent leader, Obi has rich experience in the private and public sectors which will help him manage the nation’s economy as the Chairman of the National Economic Council (NEC).
    “The banking sector, which is the mainstay of the nation’s economy, will have a new lease of life with Obi in charge.
    “More importantly, the marginalization of the Igbo was one of the issues which PDP had promised to address.
    “Since Ekwueme lost the presidential primaries to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Igbo have not had a fair share of power at the centre.”
    Responding to a question, the source added: “The nomination of Obi will foster the nation’s unity and create a sense of belonging for all tribes.
    “It is like a return to the winning formula of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN) between 1979 and 1983. The ultimate objective of PDP is the preservation of the nation’s unity.
    “More permutations by the PDP will emerge in the next few weeks. We want to make the election of the PDP a fait accompli with interplay of dynamics.”
    At press time, it was gathered that a South-South governor could be appointed as the Director-General of the Presidential Campaign Organization of PDP for 2019 poll.
    It was learnt that the said governor is on the verge of completing his second term, a development which has narrowed the choice to Governor Henry Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State.
    But consultations were still ongoing last night on the campaign structure.
    A reliable source said: “The thinking in PDP over the DG of the 2019 campaign is to pick a governor from the South-South who is almost completing his second term.
    “The idea of the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki being the DG is out of place because he leads the National Assembly, which is a strategic arm of government. He has a lot at hand; we do not want to distract him or any of the serving governors.
    “I think the DG might be a PDP governor who is almost completing his second term in office.”
    Although the source was not forthcoming, it was learnt that the Governor of Bayelsa State, Henry Seriake Dickson, might be appointed the DG.
    “Dickson played a key role in mobilising support and perfecting strategies which earned Atiku the presidential mandate, “a member of the National Working Committee of PDP added.
     
     

  • Ekiti guber: APC picks Egbeyemi as Fayemi’s running mate

    The Former Executive Chairman of Ado-Ekiti Local Government in Ekiti State, Adebisi Adegboyega Egbeyemi, has been nominated as the deputy governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State.

    Egbeyemi was picked as the candidate after party leaders met for long hours to consider who is best suited to pair with former Governor and immediate past Minister of Mines an Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, to fly the party’s flag in the governorship contest.

    Egbeyemi’s choice came after speculations by the expectant public spread that certain eminent indigenes of the state had been picked to fly the ticket with Fayemi in the July 14, 2018 governorship poll.

    He is an indigene of Ado-Ekiti, born on May 8, 1944, to the family of the late Egbeyemi Alade and late Madam Tinubu Egbeyemi.

    Egbeyemi started his education at the Holy Trinity Anglican School, Ilawe-Ekiti and Baptist School, Ado-Ekiti, after which he attended Harding Memorial Modern School, Ado-Ekiti.

    He studied privately while working as a Laboratory Assistant at Ekitiparapo College, Ido-Ekiti, and while working as a bursar at Notre Dame Grammar School, Usi-Ekiti, Egbeyemi sat as a private student to pass both the GCE O’Level and Advanced Level examinations.

    He later proceeded to the University of Lagos College of Education where he graduated in Biology and Physical Education with distinction. He taught briefly at the St Mary’s Girls Secondary School, Ikole-Ekiti, in 1975 before he was transferred to the Teachers’ College, Oye-Ekiti, as a pioneer Physical Education tutor between 1975 and 1977.

    He later went to the University of Ife to read Law between 1977 and 1980 before proceeding to the Law School in Lagos for his Barrister at Law certificate and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1981 as a Solicitor and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

    His political experiences spanned many fields, including the Youth Leader of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) between 1979 and 1983; a member of the Ondo State House of Assembly in 1983; and Executive Chairman of Ado-Ekiti Local Government between 1991 and 1993.

    Others include Leader of the United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) in Ado-Ekiti Local Government between 1996 and 1997 and were founding member of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), using the platform to win the House of Representatives election that was cancelled by the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, in 1998.

    Between 1991 and 1992, he was Commissioner of Education and between 2001 and 2002, Egbeyemi was a member of the Governing Council of the National Teachers’ Institute, Kaduna.

  • Ekiti 2018: Fayose picks Deji Ogunsakin as Eleka’s running mate

    Ekiti 2018: Fayose picks Deji Ogunsakin as Eleka’s running mate

    Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State on Friday afternoon picked the former Chairman of Ado-Ekiti Local Government, Ayodeji Kazeem Ogunsakin as the running mate to the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Prof. Kolapo Olusola Eleka.

    Fayose announced this at Ado-Ekiti. The candidature of Ogunsakin is expected to strengthen the party’s fortune at the governorship election coming up in July 2018.

    Ogunsakin 39, was born to the popular Bello Ogunsakin family of Ado-Ekiti. His late father, Alhaji B.S Ogunsakin was a Muslim leader, Businessman, and Commercial Farmer, and highly respected community leader.

    Deji Ogunsakin attended Ekiti Baptist High School, Igede -Ekiti, University of Ado-Ekiti (now EKSU) and worked as a banker before he joined politics. Ado-Ekiti indigenes adjudged him as one of the best preforming Chairman in the history of Ado-Ekiti Local Government.

  • Tinubu denies purported plans to replace Osinbajo as Buhari’s running mate in 2019

    A national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Ahmed Tinubu, has said there is no truth in the speculation that he may emerge as President Muhammadu Buhari’s running mate for the 2019 presidential election.

    Tinubu described as a “classic case of utterly and irredeemably-fake news,” the report in a national daily that he was being mooted as Buhari’s running mate in 2019 to boost the APC’s chances in the South-West.

    According to a statement by his Media Officer, Tunde Rahman, the APC chieftain said it was speculated in the said report that Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, a pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God, might withdraw from politics in 2019 and return to full church work.

    Tinubu, however, described the report as false, insisting that he and Nigerians “have absolute confidence and are exceedingly proud of the excellent job that Professor Osinbajo is doing as the Vice-President of Nigeria.”

    He said, “There is no empirical or logical basis for this mischievously speculative story. Is it even conceivable, as the story recklessly insinuates, that Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo would be considering returning to full church work rather than run with his boss, President Buhari, for a second term if the latter so decides without as much as discussing such a sensitive issue with his party and with Asiwaju Tinubu?

    “In any case, is this story not entirely unwarranted and indefensible as the Buhari/Osinbajo ticket has an electoral mandate of four years out of which it has spent only over two and a half years?

    “This is clearly an attempt to distract the APC Federal Government from the yeoman’s job it has been doing in rescuing the country from the deep rooted socio-economic, political, security and moral mess inherited from the PDP’s 16 years misrule of Nigeria, instigate crisis within the party, stoke dangerous embers of religious disaffection within the party and the country generally and stem the remarkable progress being made in the reinvention and revitalisation of Nigeria.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, Asiwaju Tinubu has absolute confidence and faith in both President Buhari and Vice-President Osinbajo, who have been working hard harmoniously in offering inspirational leadership to Nigeria at a most critical period in her history.

    “The haemorrhaging of the national economy through the wanton and unprecedented corruption that obtained before the advent of the APC Federal Government has been staunched.

    “There is greater sanity, accountability and transparency in the management of the country’s finances. The Boko Haram insurgency has been substantially contained. We should not allow ourselves to be derailed from the job we are effectively undertaking in fulfilling our campaign promises anchored on the tripod of containing insecurity, taming the scourge of corruption and resuscitating the economy.”

  • 2015 Elections: Saraki, El-Rufai prevailed on Buhari to drop me as running mate – Tinubu

    A National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has alleged that Senate President Bukola Saraki and the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai prevailed on President Muhammadu Buhari to drop him as running mate for the 2015 presidential elections which the party eventually won.

    Tinubu stated that Saraki, El-Rufai and other stalwarts of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who defected to the APC in the build-up to the 2015 elections, instigated Buhari and some APC chieftains not to pick him as the would-be Vice-President.

    The APC leader’s comments were contained in a book titled ‘Against the Run of Play,’ written by the Chairman, Editorial Board of ThisDay, Olusegun Adeniyi.

    Tinubu, the former governor of Lagos State, said his opponents persuaded Buhari to look for another running mate on the grounds that Christians in the North would not embrace a Muslim-Muslim ticket, and as such, could jeopardise the party’s victory.

    The former governor said the arguments put forward by the party members were not genuine, adding that El-Rufai had the intention to ensure the emergence of the Serving Overseer of The Latter Rain Assembly, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Buhari’s running mate.

    Tinubu added, “What they (Saraki and others from the PDP) did behind my back was wrong. We always do things as a group. By the time they joined, we were already too far ahead in our processes but we accommodated them.

    “We agreed to take their state structures and subsume them into the part and they all had their opportunity to nominate the candidates of their choices for different political offices.

    “But they went behind to instigate Buhari and some other people in the party against me on the pretext of religion. That was not right. They were canvassing arguments that the Christians in the North would not vote for a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

    “Nasir el-Rufai was also selling the same argument within the CPC (the defunct Congress for Progressive Change) because at that point, he still wanted to have Pastor Bakare brought in as Buhari’s running mate.”

    Tinubu stated that some senators and governors then, who defected from the PDP to the APC, met with him on the eve of the primaries to know if there was an agreement between him and Buhari to run together.

    He said he evaded the inquiry, which compelled the allies to join him in canvassing for Buhari as the right presidential candidate of the party.

    “I told them that it was better to resolve such issue after the primaries, but they wanted to make it a condition for supporting Buhari, which, for me, was very wrong. I told them I could not insist on this as a condition for my support for Buhari. I felt that was not right to hold Buhari hostage in this manner.

    “I believe the support that we gave was fundamental to Buhari clinching the party nomination. Without that support, a different outcome would have been most likely,” Tinubu added.

    He noted that Buhari later requested him to nominate three persons for the job, but he (Tinubu) presented only Yemi Osinbajo as his ultimate choice.

    “I backed down because I did not want to be depicted as causing a problem. I backed away from the position in order to offer Buhari a name I once raised with him in 2011: that of Professor Yemi Osibanjo,” he added.