Presidential candidate of Peoples Trust (PT) in the 2019 general elections, Mr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has said that rotation of the presidency in 2023 would be counter-productive to the polity. To him, Nigeria needs a good president from any region, who is prepared and capable of promoting the nation’s socio-economic development. Addressing the media in Lagos, yesterday, Olawepo-Hashim said rotation would not foster national unity and development, adding that those who want power must construct a national platform and build a national consensus behind their programme. According to the businessman, Nigeria needs a president that will unite the country, secure it…
Author: Ifeanyi Nwagboso
Imo State has once again found itself in a unique political situation after last weekend’s Imo North Senatorial District bye-election. First, the necessity for the bye-election, which was conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), was occasioned by the death of the erstwhile occupant of the seat, Benjamin Uwajumogu, last December, after the former Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly from Ihitteuboma Local Government Area of the state, slumped and died in Abuja. Political parties in the exercise included the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), among 15…
As the leadership of the All Progressives Congress moves to reorganise the party, some members of the APC have filed a fresh suit in court to stop the planned membership revalidation/registration in Rivers State. This comes despite warnings by the National Executive Committee of the APC to members to withdraw all litigations against the party. The applicants; Sunday Hawkings, Julius Nbugere, Lucky Nweke, Florence Deigh and Anthony Nwauche, said there should be no registration of new members into the APC until the matters in court have been disposed of. Presiding Judge, Justice L. Ngbor Abina therefore ordered the applicants to…
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday declared Mr Ibrahim Tudu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as winner of the Bakura State constituency supplementary election in Zamfara State. Prof. Yahaya Tanko , INEC Returning Officer for the election who made the announcement said Tudu polled 23,874 votes to win the election, NAN reports. Recall that the APC had on Tuesday announced that it was boycotting the election. APC in a statement by its state Publicity Secretary, Mr Ibrahim Birnin-Magaji said that the party was pulling out because it had lost confidence on INEC and security agencies in the…
The attorney general says the right of the president to engage the national assembly is at the behest of the president. Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, says the national assembly has no constitutional powers to summon President Muhammadu Buhari. The president was scheduled to address a joint session of the federal legislature on the insecurity challenge bedeviling the country, on Thursday, December 10, 2020, after lawmakers reached that resolution during plenary on December 1. An overwhelming majority of lawmakers had also asked the president to fire his security chiefs in the wake of the beheading of over 43…
The All Progressives Congress (APC) said on Tuesday, that Nigeria’s democracy was in desperate need of a viable and coherent opposition political party. Mr Yekini Nabena, APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary said this in a statement, stressing that the PDP had failed as an opposition party. According to him, the PDP as an opposition party lacked the capacity to provide rigorous and intelligent interrogation of the policies and programmes of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration. Nabena was reacting to the PDP’s call on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister APC and declare vacant seats of its lawmakers.…
A non-partisan group, Nigeria Equity Group (NEG) has called on political parties to ensure that a Christian is considered for the position of the president to further ensure balance and equity. The group on Tuesday in a press release signed by its convener, Dr Emeka Nwosu and Secretary, Alh. Muhammed Mubarak said geopolitical consideration should be a factor also. NEG stated in the statement that following 8 years of President Muhammadu Buhari, it will be fair to have a Christian for another 8 years. The group vowed to mobilize Nigerians to ensure the emergence of any candidate that fits the…
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has been sworn in for a second term. Yakubu was sworn-in at the Council Chambers of the State House, on Wednesday. Speaking at the event, Yakubu said elections in Nigeria were getting better. “We have demonstrated in recent elections that elections are getting better and better and elections will continue to get better and better,” he said. On his confirmation by the senate, the INEC boss described it as a “privilege.” He promised to carry out his duties in line with the “oath of office” he swore. “It…
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has presented Certificate of Return to Mr. Obafemi Saheed, the APC candidate, who won the Saturday by-election in Kosofe Constituency II in Lagos. Mr. Sam Olumekun, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), while presenting the certificate on Wednesday, urged Saheed to fulfill all promises he made to the people. Olumekun said that INEC had done its best in conducting a free, fair and credible election into the vacant seat without fear or favour. According to him, the commission has continued to improve in the conduct of elections across the country and will not lower the…
Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi has admitted supporting President Muhammadu Buhari during the 2019 general election, even as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Umahi said this at the foundation laying ceremony of a housing project in his hometown, Uburu on Monday. The governor said that his former party should not waste time in accusing him of giving the president 25 per cent votes during the election. “I preached it in the entire south east zone of the country, that the person who supports us is whom we will support. “I joined the APC for the president’s love…
Rep. Herman Hembe, representing Konshisha/Vandeikya Federal Constituency in Benue has defected from All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to All Progressives Congress (APC). The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Hembe announced his defection at Tuesday’s plenary, declining to state reasons for his action. Reacting, Rep. Ndudi Elumelu, Minority Leader of the House said that Hembe’s defection was unconstitutional. Elumelu said that there was no crisis in APGA to warrant the lawmaker’s defection, adding that his action was not in the best interest of democracy in Nigeria. According to him, leaving APGA for APC without crisis in APGA is a…
The All Progressives Congress, APC, on Tuesday, conveyed an emergency National Executive Council, NEC, meeting. The meeting held at the State House, Abuja, was to dissolve the National Working Committee and constitute a 13-member Caretaker/Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee. President Muhammadu Buhari who presided over the meeting called members of the APC to collectively work towards the sustenance of peace in the party. Buhari pointed out that the decision of the party’s NEC to dissolve the former NWC and constitute a 13-member Caretaker/Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee, back in June 25, 2020, has paid off already as members now enjoy a new…
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced that it will not feature in the Dec. 9, Bakura State constituency supplementary election in Zamfara State. Chairman of the State APC Publicity Committee, Alhaji Ibrahim Magaji, made this known to newsmen on Tuesday. TheInfoStride had reported that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday declared the Dec. 5, bye-election in the state as inconclusive. This was due to the cancellation of results in 14 polling units. The Commission also fixed Wednesday, Dec. 9, for supplementary election in the 14 polling units that were cancelled. But Magaji said that the party decided…
The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has said his counterpart from Benue State, Samuel Ortom won’t return to the All Progressives Congress, APC. Wike explained that Ortom won’t return to APC because he almost died during his time with the party. He spoke on Tuesday while commissioning road projects completed by Ortom’s administration in Makurdi and Guma Local Government Areas. The governor insisted that Ortom will remain with the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. According to Wike: “One of the reasons I came today is to dispel the rumours that Ortom is going back. We will continue to stand together though…
Bola Tinubu, the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has commiserated with Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State over the killing of the party’s chairman, Mr. Phillip Shekwo. Shekwo was kidnapped in his house and was later killed by his abductors. His body was found in the bush on November 22. Reacting, Tinubu, in a letter to the governor, described Shekwo’s death as callous and wicked. The letter sent to TheInfoStride by his Media Aide, Tunde Rahman reads: “By this letter, I convey to you my deepest condolences over the killing of the Chairman of Nasarawa State chapter…
The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday, expelled a former National Vice Chairman, South-south, Ntufam Hilliard Eta. The party’s NEC also dissolved states, zonal, and national party structures. This followed an emergency meeting of APC’s leaders at the Aso Presidential Villa, Abuja. Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, told State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, that the party approved the expulsion of Eta for his failure to withdraw the court case instituted against the caretaker committee. The tenure of the party’s caretaker extraordinary convention planning committee led by Governor Mai Buni…
The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has approved waivers for new members. This would allow them contest party primaries ahead of the 2023 elections without waiting for two years as required hitherto. On Tuesday, President Muhammadu Buhari presided over the APC NEC meeting held at the State House, Abuja. The gathering told the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to stop “politicizing” insecurity in Nigeria. The APC body urged the opposition and all stakeholders to join hands with the federal government to end the challenge. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Senate President, Ahmad Lawan; House of Representatives Speaker,…
A group, Northern Youth Leadership Forum (NYLF), has asked former President Goodluck Jonathan not to via for the Presidency come 2023. The group, which addressed a news conference in the Adamawa State capital, Yola on Tuesday, said although, Goodluck Jonathan acquitted himself well as president, especially by humbly conceding defeat in the 2015 election and ensuring smooth transition to the present government, the odds against him are high. National Chairman of the Forum, Elliot Afiyo, told newsmen at the news conference that Jonathan went against the interest of the North when, contrary to an earlier agreement which he signed, he…
The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday declared that Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership has gone senile. In a statement on Tuesday, APC spokesman, Yekini Nabena, said the PDP was engaging in another “beer parlour rant”. The opposition had told the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister APC and declare its lawmakers’ seats vacant. PDP made the call in response to the dissolution of all APC structures nationwide. Nabena warned that Nigeria’s democracy was in danger judging by PDP’s utterances and actions. “It is now clear that the PDP’s disillusionment following their rejection by Nigerians in the 2011 and…
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says its ad hoc staff who went missing during the Dec. 5, Bakura State Constituency by-election in Zamfara have been found. INEC Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mr Nick Dazang, confirming their return while speaking with journalists in Abuja on Monday. Dazang said that the ad hoc staff were found hale and hearty. “I am exceedingly glad to report that INEC Administrative Secretary in Zamfara, Mr Garba Lawal just informed me that our ad hoc staff who went missing have been found, hale and hearty. “He said that they run for their dear…