A former Governor of Borno State, Senator Kassim Shettima, has said despite the good personality of the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, he is unfit to win the 2023 presidential elections.
Shettima, who is representing Borno Central Senatorial District, spoke when he appeared on Channels Television program on Friday night monitored by ABN TV.
According to him, the VP who is one of the presidential aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, can not defeat the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
The lawmaker claimed that only the National leader of the ruling party, Bola Tinubu, is capable of winning the election come 2023.
He said, “Nobody has ever doubted the competence of Professor Osinbajo, but we believe that in terms of intellectual capacity, someone who is capable of winning the election, is Bola Tinubu.
“We need someone who can match and even overshadow the PDP candidate, Atiku Abubakar. Osinbajo is a good and nice man but nice men do not make good leaders, nice men should be selling ice cream”.
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has alleged that some of his opponents want President Muhammadu Buhari to work against him at the ruling party’s primary.
Tinubu said this while reacting to the backlash that trailed his speech to the party’s delegates in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, on Thursday.
Tinubu had categorically said without him, Buhari would have lost the 2015 election.
He also pointed towards the direction of the Ogun state governor, whom he publicly called by his first name, saying he helped get into office.
The presidential said this after the governor refused to endorse him for the 2023 Presidency.
But in a statement he issued on Friday, the former Lagos state governor said his speech at Abeokuta was misrepresented by his opponents to present a narrative that he disrespected Buhari in hopes that such a narrative would convince the president to oppose his aspirations regarding the approaching primary of the party.
He also vowed to accept the outcome of the party’s presidential primary scheduled for June 6-8 in Abuja.
“Let me also erase any doubt. My respect and regard for President Buhari as Commander-in-Chief of this nation and as a person are high and unfailing. I shall never denigrate him. I certainly did not do so in Abeokuta. We have been political partners for a long time and I hope that partnership continues well into the future. I would do nothing to jeopardize it.”
“I believe our party is the best hope for the nation to right itself. I believe I have a future role larger than the one I now have. I also believe President Buhari has a continuing and important role to play even after his tenure as president is over,” he said.
Tinubu maintained that in Abeokuta, he spoke to the unwarranted attacks against his person that have been part of the campaign of other presidential aspirants, stressing that he recounted the history of the party for those whose memories need repair.
“There are many who had no role in the birth of the APC and in its many victories. Now that the party has climbed the political summit, they want to claim credit for something they had no part in. However, this cannot be said of President Buhari. I am proud of my role in the advent of the APC and its electoral successes. But President Buhari, of course, stands as the main driver of this success. He was elected president twice. He has borne the weight of national governance for seven years. Nothing can rival that. I would not dare belittle what he has done and what he has meant to the party and nation,” he added.
Tinubu, who opined that his aspiration to be President of Nigeria is based on his desire to serve the nation and not a sense of personal entitlement to high office, stressed that governance is a sacred and solemn duty.
He said that his strategic objective was to build on the foundation laid by the Buhari administration.
“I make no apologies for seeking the party’s nomination. I believe I have something important to offer Nigeria that the other aspirants do not have, although I see them as good and committed Nigerians in their own right. While I want this office, there are certain things I will not do and certain lines I shall not cross. I shall never belittle myself by denigrating the president or his office. I dare not seek an office and disrespect it at the same time,” he said.
He added that the position of the presidency is neither to be given as a favour to someone who is unqualified nor should people be motivated by personal reasons to prevent the most qualified person from attaining the office.
“The wellbeing of over 200 million souls is at stake. Let us all realise this and act accordingly, I only desire a level-playing ground for all aspirants and adherence to stipulated rules and due process. If in the fairness of such a process, I do not emerge as the party’s candidate, I shall have no complaints regarding an honest primary and will accept the fair outcome as a true democrat,” he concluded.
The All Progressives Congress Screening Committee has disqualified 10 presidential aspirants of the party.
The PUNCH had reported that 23 aspirants were screened in two days by the committee.
The Chairman of the APC presidential screening committee, John Odigie-Oyegun, made this known on Friday.
Odigie-Oyegun spoke while submitting his committee’s report to the APC National Chairman, Abduallahi Adamu, in Abuja.
Apart from Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, other APC presidential aspirants screened by the panel are Senate President Ahmad Lawan and former ministers Rotimi Amaechi, Ogbonnaya Onu, Godswill Akpabio, and Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba.
Serving governors who were also screened are Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Ben Ayade (Cross River) and Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa).
Others are former Senate President Ken Nnamani, former House of Representatives Speaker, Dimeji Bankole, and serving senators Ibikunle Amosun, Ajayi Boroffice, and Rochas Okorocha.
President Muhammadu Buhari’s running mate in 2011, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Uju Ken-Ohanenye, Nicholas Felix, Ahmad Rufai Sani, Tein Jack-Rich, Ikeobasi Mokelu were also screened.
According to Oyegun, only 13 out of the 23 aspirants screened were cleared by the committee.
He hinted that youthful aspirants made the list of cleared aspirants without revealing names.
The PUNCH had reported that the committee held the screening exercise on Monday and Tuesday in Abuja.
According to an earlier released schedule by the party, the cleared aspirants are expected to contest the APC presidential primary at a special convention in Abuja between June 6 and June 8.
A Federal High Court sitting in Kano has ruled that statutory delegates are constitutionally qualified to participate in all meetings, congresses, and conventions of any registered political party in Nigeria.
Sen. Mas’ud El-Jibrin Doguwa, Hon. Habibu Sani and Hon. Bilyaminu Yusuf Shin’Kafi, (all aspirants of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) at the just concluded National Assembly primaries, had filed a suit challenging the disenfranchisement of statutory delegates from participating at the primaries.
The suit marked FHC/KN/CS/13712022, has the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan; National Chairman of APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants.
The plaintiffs in their originating summons dated 23rd May, 2022 and filed on the 24th May, 2022, prayed the court for a declaration of the Court, “that section 84(8) cannot be interpreted to have excluded statutory delegates from voting at the convention, congress or meeting by virtue of section 223 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Article 20(iv)(c) of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Constitution, which allow Statutory Delegation to vote at convention, congress or meeting”.
The 2nd defendant, Adamu, filed a counter-affidavit in opposition to the originating summons dated 1st June, 2022.
But the 1st, 3rd, and 4th defendants did not file any process in the suit.
Delivering judgment on the suit on Friday, 3rd June, 2022, the presiding judge, Hon. Justice A.M Liman, held that, “Section 84(8) cannot be interpreted to have excluded statutory delegates from voting at the convention, congress or meeting, by virtue of Section 223 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Article 20(iv)(c) of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Constitution, which allow Statutory Delegation to vote at convention, congress or meeting.”
The implication of this judgment means all the statutory delegates of each political party shall participate in the subsequent Congresses and conventions, especially, the forthcoming national convention of the APC.
Statutory delegates in this context include, ward, local government, state, and national executives of the party, including past executives, as the guidelines of the party deem fit.
Others include, the President, Vice President, former Presidents, former vice Presidents who are members of the party; Governors, Deputy Governors, former Governors, former deputy Governors, Council Chairmen, serving Councilors and past Council chairman who are members of the party, as may be decided by party guidelines.
Those captured in the statutory delegates cadre also include, serving and past members of the National Assembly of the party; though ministers, commissioners, supervisory councillors, and other political appointees are excluded in the newly signed Electoral Act.
A group, Abia Renaissance Movement ARM has taken a swipe at the defeated aspirant for Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency of Abia State, Mary Ikoku for alleging that Chief Dan Okeke’s victory at the APC primary election for the constituency was irregular, advising her to stop feeding the public with lies.
The group while noting that the will of the people supercedes personal desperation in a democratic setting urged Mrs. Ikoku to try her luck next political season, stating that the delegates have spoken on who their choice of representative at the House of Representatives in 2023 is.
In a statement on Friday in Umuahia, the National Coordinator of ARM, Comrade Nkemjika Ikechukwu urged those who lost at the transparently and fairly conducted primary election of the party in the constituency to avoid weeping over spilled milk, insisting that Chief Dan Okeke won the ticket of APC.
Mary Ikoku at the election venue
Comrade Ikechukwu said Mrs. Ikoku’s mischievous grand plan to hijack the primary electoral process was thwarted, wondering why she should procure her own personal delegates as against the elected delegates for the election.
“We never deemed it necessary to put up a response to the mendacious falsehood being peddled by the defeated Mrs. Mary Ikoku but for the fact that names of illustrious sons of our dear state, including Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu, Deputy Chief Whip of the House, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha and indeed the man who trounced and gave her the most fatal electoral defeat ever Chief Dan Okeke are being mentioned in bad light, it has become vital to set the records straight so that the public will not be deceived.
“It is crucial at this point in time to mention that that the Rossie Rose Hotel which was the venue of the primary election where Mrs. Ikoku was defeated was duly approved by the Abia State leadership of APC. The same venue was also used as Abia North senatorial district primary election of APC which produced Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu as winner.
“It is laughable that someone who was gunning to represent her people at the hallowed chamber of House of Representatives will intentionally decide her own venue against the directive of her party.
“In her mission of lies and falsehood, Mrs. Ikoku also claimed that the primary election which produced Chief Dan Okeke as winner was not monitored by INEC, this is one of the many lies she peddles around.
“INEC representatives arrived the venue as communicated and in good time. There report on how fair and transparent the process was is there for all to see,” Comrade Ikechukwu said.
He further stated that the returning officer Mrs. Ikoku and her co-travellers procured was not allowed to conduct election, rather one Mr joe Ezearo who was sent by the state leadership of APC conducted the election.
The election he said was duly conducted with the assistance of LOC sent from the state leadership and monitored by INEC in the presence of police, Army and other security agencies.
He added, “Mary Ikoku who is sponsoring libellous falsehoods against chieftains and leadership of Abia APC was present at the primary election. Pictures are there to prove it
“The delegates were present and voted while Mrs. Ikoku claims she has her own delegates which wasn’t approved by the secretariat. Who is fooling who?
“Election materials were handed over to the right returning officer and we wonder why Mrs. Ikoku’s so called returning officer came to purported election venue without ballot papers and result sheet from the national party of APC they claimed sent him,” he stated.
He further stated that Mrs. Ikoku’s claim that Chief Dan Okeke bribed Hon. Onyejeocha with the sum of N100m to help him emerge victorious is nothing short of figment of her imagination.
Comrade Ikechukwu said Dan Okeke has overwhelming support of the people because of the massive humanitarian outreaches he has over 20 years been embarking upon as well as other developmental initiatives that has made him a popular choice among the people, therefore needs not to bribe a leader of the party from another federal constituency entirely to give him victory in Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal constituency.
He added, “Moreso, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha is a ranking member of National Assembly who has in the past 16 years lifted the burden of the people and made them proud from her personal funds and will not stoop so low to be bribed.
“If Chief Dan Okeke has such amount of money throw down the drain, he would rather channel it to enhancing the living standard of his people. As a man of sound integrity, he has not achieved any level of success in his life through bribery. He has enjoyed God’s blessings and not desperate like Mrs. Ikoku, since he already enjoys overwhelming goodwill of the people“.
Comrade Ikechukwu therefore called on the general public to ignore the lies being churned out by the defeated Mrs. Ikoku and her cohorts, insisting that the will of the delegates will not be truncated.
Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Alliance (APGA), Senator Victor Umeh has kept his senatorial ambition alive by joining former governor Peter Obi in the Labour Party.
Umeh had failed to pick the ticket of APGA, by a slim margin.
Umeh, the former National Chairman of APGA for eight years lost the ticket of the party for Anambra central senatorial zone to a serving member of the House of Representatives, Honourable Ferdinard Dozie Nwankwo who represents Anoacha/Dunukofia/Njikoka Federal Constituency.
Reliable sources said that Umeh has emerged the candidate of the Labour Party for Anambra central senatorial zone for the 2023 general election.
One of the sources told our correspondent that the primary election of the Labour Party is going on right now in Asaba, Delta State where the former Senator is standing unopposed for the ticket.
The Lagos State government on Friday crushed motorcycles popularly known as Okada, that were seized after the ban on their operations went into force in the state.
The Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, had in May announced a ban on Okada operations in six local government areas of the state.
Three days to the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary, some supporters of former President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday besieged the party’s headquarters, demanding his adoption as the consensus candidate. كيفية لعبة روليت
Despite speculations surrounding his presidential aspiration, Jonathan has not formally declared for president and his name didn’t appear in the official list of those contesting the APC ticket. قمار على النت
He was also absent during the screening of the party’s presidential aspirants. كيفية الربح في الكازينو
Chef José Andrés, founder of World Central Kitchen, said that the war in Ukraine is not only a fight for freedom, but also a battle to prevent hunger around the globe.
“Ukraine will have food to feed its people. The big question is if we don’t have Ukraine to win this war and to make sure that ports like Odesa are open again, what we’re going to have is a big food shortage around the world,” he said from Kyiv.
Russia has implemented a blockade of Ukrainian ports, and there are more than 20 million tons of grain that are currently stuck inside Ukraine.
Ukraine is the world’s fourth-largest exporter of corn and the fifth-largest exporter of wheat, according to the US State Department, and the United Nations’ program to fight food insecurity buys about half of its wheat from Ukraine each year.
“I think we’re going to see bigger and bigger number, especially if all the grain that I’ve seen around Ukraine in the silos, that needs to reach faraway places in Africa and other parts of the world that are dependent on the grain that Ukraine produces. This is not only a war for freedom and democracy of the Ukrainian people, this is also a fight to make sure many around the globe will be able to eat in the coming months,” Andrés said.
Andrés said a potential food crisis has already been compounded by issues from hurricanes and drought around the world over the past year.
“If we don’t think about food in the same way we think about people, the economy, fuel, we are going to be up for a big problem in the year 2023,” he said.
He said he and his team were able to bring food through the Danube River, but there is not enough capacity to have multiple grain ships there. He called on democracies around the world to help open all the Ukrainian ports to ship grain.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov assessed the results of the first 100 days of the war in Ukraine on Friday, saying “certain results” have been achieved and work will continue until all goals are met.
“The operation has as its main goal the protection of people in the DPR and LPR. In terms of ensuring their protection, measures are being taken and certain results have been achieved,” Peskov told reporters on a regular conference call.
Peskov said that many settlements “have been liberated from the pro-Nazi-minded armed forces of Ukraine, as well as directly from the nationalist elements,” repeating the Kremlin’s baseless justification for the war.
“The opportunity for people to start establishing a peaceful life has been provided. This work will continue until all the goals of the special military operation have been achieved,” he said.
The lives of countless people have been upended during the war, with thousands dead and millions displaced due to the invasion.
Abia State governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Mascot Uzor Kalu, has expressed concern over what he described...
