Politics

A pro-All Progressives Congress (APC) youth group known as APC Youths Awareness Forum has objected to the alleged plan to nominate Dr Ali Pate, a former governorship candidate of the party in Bauchi State, as a minister in President Bola Tinubu's administration.In a press release issued to LEADERSHIP in Gombe, the chairman and secretary of the state chapter of the forum, Balarabe Mustapha Zadawa and Simon Elizabeth Godiya, claimed that Pate lacks grassroots support and therefore his appointment would not benefit the party.They accused him of abandoning the state and party members after losing the primary election.According to them, Pate ran for the governorship in Bauchi State in 2019 and left the state, only to return during the 2023 elections where he also lost in the APC primaries.“Re...

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has cautioned against involving its name in partisan politics. Responding to a circulating report, Professor Adelaja Odukoya, the ASUU Lagos zonal coordinator, refuted the claims that he expressed Nigerians' desire for Peter Obi as well as derogatory remarks about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He clarified that he never mentioned the need for Nigerians to support the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, nor did he ever label President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a slave.He urged manipulative individuals not to exploit the name of ASUU or himself for their political interests. "I am not familiar with any Labour Party candidate, and I cannot speak on behalf of any political party. I possess the intellectual depth and sanity to refr...

Approximately 63 leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Idanre Local Government Area of Ondo State have defected alongside their extensive followers to the All Progressives Congress (APC) Notable among the leaders are Chief Banji Kuroloja, former personal secretary to the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Korede Duyile, Prof. John Jejela, chairman of the PDP Elders’ Forum in Idanre local government area,  Idowu Akinseye, former special adviser to former Governor Olusegun Mimiko, Marcus Adeoti, Lad Owoseni, Kaki former chairman of Timber Finishers, Brigadier Omogbemi, Hon. Oludele former secretary of Idanre LG, Mrs Jejelola, and many others. Representing the defectors, Prof. Jejela stated during the weekend that they have dismantled the entire structure of PDP in Idanre l...

The leadership of Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is alarmed by the audacity of a suspended member who is impersonating the state's spokesperson.In a statement jointly signed by the state's secretary, Chief Chidi Avaja, and the organizing secretary, Hon. Obinna Atuonwu, the party warns that it will take drastic measures to address all impostors.Avaja said, "We have noticed that Offor Okorie, a native of Arochukwu, has been presenting himself as our spokesperson on both radio and social media platforms," stating that Okorie has never been an elected official of Abia APC and has never been appointed as the spokesperson at any time.According to the statement released over the weekend, the APC mentioned that Okorie was among the party members who were suspended for...

The Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal has ruled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has the authority to amend or alter its regulations or guidelines.In setting aside the judgment of a Federal High Court, which had ordered INEC to directly and electronically upload the election results of the Governorship and State of Assembly elections from the polling units to the IREV, the appellate court declared that such a suit by the Labour Party, its governorship candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour and 41 others was an abuse of the court process.Justice Abubakar Umar, presiding over the appellate court, along with Justice Olukayode Bada and Justice Onyekachi Otisi, endorsed the judgment and stated that the power to make a regulation or guideline inherently includes the aut...

Mallam Salihu Lukman, the National vice chairman (North West) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has explicitly informed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the governors of the party that according to the zoning formula of the party, the office of the national chairman should go to the North Central geopolitical zone.He advised Tinubu to adhere to the party’s zoning arrangement, emphasizing that if the presidency was held by someone with a military background, it would be understandable, but not with a president who has a purely civilian background and has been leading the fight for democracy in Nigeria for almost four decades.Lukman stated that restoring constitutional order to the APC would require a demonstration of commitment to revitalizing the party's statutory organs, ensuring t...

The Presidential office has criticized a former Vice President and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the 2023 elections, Atiku Abubakar, for his allegations against the nation’s judiciary, calling his actions laughable.The Presidency asserted that Atiku’s attempt to blackmail the judiciary would fail, and labeled his claims as "laughable and immature."The Presidency, having lost the previous election to President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), stated that the former Vice President's statement was an effort to cast doubt on the current administration without any supporting evidence.The Presidency characterized Atiku’s allegations as containing "insinuations, innuendos, and outright falsehoods" while lacking any valid argument.The Special Adviser to the Pres...

The State Assembly of Ebonyi has approved a bill establishing the Ebonyi Boundary and Associated Issues Commission, aimed at resolving boundary conflicts between various communities within the state. The bill was endorsed during the session of the 7th Assembly at the Assembly Complex on Nkaliki Road, Abakaliki, on Wednesday. The legislation will be referred to as the Ebonyi State Boundary and Associated Issues Commission (Establishment) and Other Related Concerns Act of 2023. Providing insights on the bill, the House leader, Hon. Kingsley Ikoro, expressed concern over the persistent boundary disputes in the state, asserting that these conflicts have resulted in the loss of numerous lives and damage to properties valued at billions of Naira.He emphasized that the new law establishes a co...

The House of Representatives declared that it has become essential for Africa to be fully represented as a permanent member of the United Nations (UN) Security Council, given its significant contributions to the body’s peacekeeping operations and status as the largest regional group of UN members.The House’s stance followed the approval of a motion put forward by Hon. Ahmed Munir (APC, Kaduna) during plenary yesterday.In his argument, Munir mentioned that Africa continues to be unrepresented in the permanent classification of the United Nation Security Council, hence the urgent requirement to revamp the organization in order to maintain its relevance in the twenty-first century and address the current global challenges.He stated that: “Africa constitutes over a quarter of the Organisatio...

Prince Adewole Adebayo, the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 2023 election, has urged President Bola Tinubu to reconsider the removal of fuel subsidies, which he claims has plunged more Nigerians into poverty over the past two months.He further stated that unless Tinubu and his advisers change their approach and develop a contingency plan, the government will encounter a resounding failure."I believe it is not too late for the government, starting with President Tinubu and his team, to ponder their decisions and devise an alternative plan. I speak with a great sense of responsibility when I say that if they continue down their current path, they will fail miserably. And not because they harbor ill intentions towards the people, but because they are adopt...