The race for the 2023 presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC), widened on Friday following the entry of Dimeji Bankole, a former speaker of the House of Representatives, who declared his intent to be the standard-bearer of the ruling party.
ABN TV reports that the APC made headlines and generated controversy after it pegged the prices for its expression of interest and presidential nomination forms at N30 million and N70 million respectively (N100 million total price).
So far, about twenty aspirants have purchased the form. Check out the full list of APC aspirants below:
1) Ken Nnamani
2) Yahaya Adoza Bello 3) Tein Jack Rich (yet to buy form) 4) Rotimi Amaechi 5) Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim 6) Dave Umahi 7) Ben Ayade (yet to buy form) 8) Rochas Okorocha 9) Adams Oshiomhole (yet to buy form) 10) Bola Tinubu 11) Yemi Osinbajo 12) Kayode Fayemi (yet to buy form) 13) Ibikunle Amosun 14) Godswill Akpabio (yet to buy form) 15) Emeka Nwajuiba 16) Pastor Tunde Bakare 17) Chris Ngige (yet to buy form) 18) Ogbonnaya Onu 19) Yahaya Bello 20) Dimeji Bankole
21) Nicholas Felix Nwagbo 22) Muhammed Badaru Abubakar 23) Ahmed Yerima (yet to buy form) 24) Orji Uzor Kalu (yet to buy form)
The people of Ebem Ohafia community in Ohafia Local government area of Abia State have called on the state and federal government to come to its aid following what it called a ravaging menace of erosion in the community.
Back Of Ezie Ebem Palace
Our correspondent gathered that the palace of the paramount Ruler of Ebem kingdom and Kpoke 1, Ekeluogo Autonomous Community, HRH Ezie Ukoha Kalu Ukoha (JP) has also come under heavy threat as a result of development.
The people say they are overwhelmed by the development, having exhausted their resources to ensure that it is brought under control but to no avail.
Speaking with ABN TV on Thursday, the President General of Ebem Ohafia Development Union, EODU Mr. Emeka Mba said erosion sites in the community are too many, urging the intervention of Federal Ministries of Works, Environment and other relevant authorities.
He said the challenge is overwhelming to the manpower and resources of the people, stating that if urgent steps are not taken to address the challenge, the people of Ebem will be wiped out of existence in the coming years.
The Governor of the Central Bank, Mr Godwin Emefiele, has said that he would make a decision on the 2023 presidency in a few days.
He said this in a series of tweets on Saturday.
The CBN governor had come under heavy criticism over the All Progressives Congress’ Presidential Expression of Interest and Nomination forms reportedly obtained for him by farmers and friends.
While some Nigerians asked him to resign, others asked the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) to sack him.
He said, “I am humbled by the growing interest of those asking that I run for the Office of President in the 2023 general elections: I have not come to that decision. I note and salute the sacrifices of those farmers and patriots going as far as raising personal funds and offering me Presidential Nomination Forms: I thank them most profusely.
“However, Should I answer their calls and decide to seek presidential nomination, I will use my own hard-earned savings from over 35 years of banking leadership to buy my own Nomination Forms, without proxies in an open and transparent manner in full compliance with the laws and Constitution of The Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“And should I not run for elected office, I will continue to serve and sacrifice for the good people of Nigeria under the able leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari. This is a serious decision that requires God’s Divine intervention: in the next few days The Almighty will so direct.”
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele,9 has said that he has not yet decided to join the presidential race for 2023.
While thanking those who were said to have purchased the Presidential form of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for him on Friday, the governor, on his verified Twitter handle said he did not need anyone to purchase the form for him.
Rather, he said that he would use his “hard-earned” money to purchase the form, should he decide to join the race.
Mr. Emefiele said that the decision was a weighty one and that he needed God to direct him.He expressed optimism that God would direct him one that the decision in a matter of days.
Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State has accused the Igbo socio-cultural body, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, of delaying discussions with the Federal Government over Nnamdi Kanu’s release.
The governor made the claim on Friday when he featured on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
“We wished that it should be solved and that’s why I went to Mr President. And our leader, Chief Mbazuluike Amaechi, has also gone to the President and he agreed for a political solution, but it should be us that should initiate it,” he said on Friday.
“And I am asking Ambassador Obiozor (Ohanaeze President), he is very slow about this because I had gone to the DG DSS. I had gone to the Attorney-General of the Federation and they were ready to receive them to discuss. I had excluded myself so that politics is not by any means adduced to it.”
“So, we should be encouraging the president of Ohanaeze to work with the IPOB leader as Mr President suggested and then let them, you know, bring something before the Federal Government and say, ‘These are what we are bringing on board.’ I think that the President is not averse to that,” the government added.
The governor, who said he foresaw the growing insecurity in the South East, reiterated that that was why his government opposed the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) from the onset.
He, however, said many people misunderstood him and “jumped into and used it for politics”. Umahi lamented that the situation is now “a pain in everybody’s eye” in the region.
Umahi’s comment followed President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to the state where the Nigerian leader commissioned several projects.
During the visit, leaders of the South East region pleaded with the Nigerian leader for the release of Kanu who has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).
But Buhari told the Ebonyi State Stakeholders’ Forum at the Government House in Abakaliki on Friday, that only the court can decide the IPOB leader’s fate.
“I have listened carefully to the various appeals from the elders to the traditional leaders, regarding a wide range of options,” he said. “And as I have said previously, this matter remains in the full purview of the court where it will be properly adjudicated.
“My worry is for our hardworking and innocent civilians for whom life is already tough and will like to just go out and earn a decent and honest living.”
Leaders of the All Progressives Congress in the South-West, on Friday, cautioned presidential aspirants from the zone to guard against their utterances.
It was gathered that the meeting, which was held behind closed doors at the Lagos House, Marina, also resolved that name-calling and other personal attacks should not be encouraged by the aspirants and their supporters.
It was learnt that the aspirants were asked to work with whomever among them emerges as the party’s candidate for the presidential election.
According to sources, the leaders also impressed the aspirants to ensure that the South-West does not lose the opportunity to produce the President in 2023.
A source at the meeting said, “The issue of betrayal was put to rest as the elders affirmed that everyone who desired to run for any political office whatsoever was not encumbered in any way at all.”
It was gathered that the meeting did not agree on the issue of consensus.
A source, who was at the meeting, said the issue was also not listed as part of its agenda, but that it was stylishly introduced by one of the leaders.
He said one of the speakers asked if the aspirants from the zone could still step down for one another if they realised that the zone would be defeated at the party’s presidential primary slated for the end of the month.
But he said none of the aspirants in attendance responded as they were not ready to step down for the other.
The source stated, “How do you ask someone who has paid N100m to step down? Step down for who? All the aspirants believe that they are popular and can win.
“Funnily enough, the issue of consensus was not listed in the agenda of the meeting. It was also not part of the text messages sent to us for the meeting. The meeting was majorly concerned about the utterances that are already portraying us as being divided and that the zone is behaving as if we have no leaders.
“Yet, there are concerns that the large number of aspirants could put the zone in danger if we go into the primary like that. But nobody was asked to step down for the other.”
The meeting was convened by the former interim National Chairman of the APC, Chief Bisi Akande, and a former governor of Ogun State, Chief Segun Osoba.
Present at the meeting were the Vice-President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo; a former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; and the Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi.
Also at the meeting were the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Chief Niyi Adebayo; governors Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun and Oyetola of Osun states.
Others include the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola; the APC National Secretary, Otunba Iyiola Omisore; a former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel; a former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Moses Adeyemo; and a former National Vice Chairman of the APC, South-West Zone, Chief Pius Akinyelure.
However, two presidential aspirants from the South-West, Pastor Tunde Bakare, and a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole; and the Deputy Majority Leader of the Senate, Ajayi Boroffice, who have all purchased forms, were absent at the meeting.
While commending Osinbajo, who is the highest-ranking public officer from the region, for a job well done, sources said the APC elders stated that all the aspirants had the right to aspire to be the President, but enjoined them to exhibit the ‘Omoluabi’ ethos in their politicking by shunning divisive rhetoric.
While stating that consultation with them would be continuous, the meeting advised the aspirants to queue behind whoever among them eventually emerges as the party’s candidate, stating that the cohesion of the South-West must be sacrosanct.
Akande said the presidential aspirants were united that the presidency should come to the South-West region.
He stated, “We the APC are united and we will ensure that the presidency comes to our region, the South-West. We had a fruitful discussion at the meeting today (Friday).
“We had a fruitful discussion. We also resolved that everybody should maintain absolute decorum because we are united.”
Impeccable sources at the meeting told Saturday PUNCH that Aregbesola pointedly refused to shake Omisore’s hand or sit next to him and Oyetola.
“Aregbesola was expected to sit down next to Omisore and Oyetola, but he refused to associate with them, deciding instead to sit far off. Attempts by the elders to make Aregbesola change his mind proved abortive as he said he didn’t want to be associated with Omisore,” one of the sources said.
At the meeting, Akande called on all aspirants and governors to ensure that they carry on with their campaigns with decorum.
The APC chieftain was said to have called on them to put the interest of the South-West first and ensure that they would not lose the ticket at the primary, which comes up at the end of the month.
A source said, “Baba Akande said it is better for one of us to have the Presidency than for none of us to have it. He said we should carry on our campaigns with decorum. The ultimate goal is to have a small number of aspirants through consensus. However, this will be discussed in subsequent meetings.
“Everything was done to ensure that the impression was not given that Baba Akande was supporting anyone. They also will encourage consensus among all aspirants in order to strengthen the unity of the Yoruba,” he said.
When asked why Bakare, Bankole and Boroffice were not invited, he said, “A list was given to Niyi Adebayo to invite people. I think all these people you mentioned had not yet declared as of the time this meeting was put together.”
The 2023 presidential polls is proving to be a tough battle by the day as leaders of the South West geopolitical zone and presidential aspirants from the zone rose from a meeting last night, with a firm resolve to produce the next president of Nigeria.
This is even as leaders of the South East region yesterday pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to support the South East to produce the next president of the country.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Ekiti State governor, Kayode Fayemi and Senator Ibikunle Amosun were the APC aspirants who attended the “APC presidential aspirants/stakeholders meeting” of the South West, held at State House, Marina.
Former interim national chairman of APC, Chief Bisi Akande and former governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, had called the meeting last week to meet presidential aspirants under the platform of the APC from South West.
Governors Gboyega Oyetola of Osun, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, and Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo attended the meeting.
Other stakeholders at the meeting are APC national secretary, Iyiola Omisore; minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Speaker House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, and minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola.
Presidential aspirants that were absent at the meeting include Pastor Tunde Bakare and former Speaker House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole.
LEADERSHIP Weekend gathered that the presidential aspirants and the South West leaders agreed that the zone must insist on the office of the president and nothing else, even as it was also resolved that the aspirants must work towards actualizing the South West presidency in 2023, even if it means other aspirants stepping down for the popular candidate at the APC presidential primary on May 30.
Confirming the development, pioneer interim national chairman of the APC and former governor of Osun State, Chief Akande, said the South West is united and has resolved to produce the next president in the 2023 general polls.
Akande who made this known at the end of the meeting last night said, “The stakeholders had a fruitful, mutual deliberation. We are united as we will ensure that presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will come to South .We also resolved that everybody should maintain absolute decorum. Thank you, no questions.”
Meanwhile leaders of the South East region yesterday pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to support the South East to produce the next president of the country.
Presenting the request to the president, Ebonyi State governor, and chairman South East Governor’s Forum, David Umahi, called for fairness and equity in the power rotation arrangement in the country.
“On the request for the presidency of the South East, I’m an aspirant and would not be able to say much about that.
“But let me say something to Nigerians; if the basis for asking for the presidency to be rotated from the North to the South is on the basis of equity, fairness and justice, and our brothers from South South and South West are putting more candidates than South East, then the question is where is the fairness?”
“Where is the morality, where is the equity? But we must honestly thank the leaders of the Middle Belt and Chief Adebanjo of South West and Chief Edwin Clark, and other leaders of these two zones who have been advocating for power rotation from North to south East, South South and South West.
“South East is political ally to the North until 1999 and when the entire North lined up behind Ekwueme for the presidency, but because of June 12, because of political dialogue we allowed and voted for Obasanjo in South West. The North gave ticket to Dr Ogbonnaya Onu and because of June 12 it was handed over to Olu Falaye”.
Umahi stated that the South East zone has made sacrifices for the entire Nigeria for the peace and stability of the country, adding that when it is the turn of the South East, “rightly or wrongly we should be considered for the peace and justice and stability of Nigeria.”
The Ebony governor continued: “And let me say that all those angling for one position or the other can only have it if there is Nigeria and Mr. President has been fighting for the unity and stability of Nigeria.
“That is why irrespective of political lineage you have treated us equally and so I want the elite to put patriotism of the nation ahead of every one of our aspirations.”
Governor Umahi stated that if equity, Justice and fairness must be the yardstick, the South East will need support, but if not it will be difficult for the South East to be shortchanged and continue to vote for those who will not vote for us.”
Rep Sam OnuigboThe Member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia federal constituency of Abia State, Rep. Sam Onuigbo has said he possesses all it takes to reposition Abia Central Senatorial District, stating that he is the best candidate.
According to the Federal lawmaker, his entire life has been anchored on impactful and selfless service to the people, a trait he has upheld till date which has seen him offer effective representation to his constituents, assuring that he will replicate same if elected Abia Central Senator.
At his official declaration on Friday which took place at Royal Damgret Hotel Umuahia Abia State, Rep Onuigbo further reeled out numerous achievements which he has accomplished since 2015 as a member of the House of Representatives, urging the people of Abia Central not to make mistake as he remains the best to represent them.
He remarked that he is not only visionary, effective, responsive and accessible, but his wealth of experience in progressive leadership makes him eminently qualified, assuring that no community, clan or local government will be left out.
See full declaration speech
DECLARATION SPEECH BY REP SAM ONUIGBO (ODOZI OBODO) DURING HIS OFFICIAL STATEMENT OF INTENT TO RUN FOR THE ABIA CENTRAL SENATORIAL ELECTION WHICH HELD AT HOTEL ROYAL DAMGRET, UMUAHIA, ON FRIDAY, MAY 6, 2022.
[Protocol]
I have always lived a life of service. It is very important that I begin by restating this. This life of service has remained a constant in my life, since my early adulthood when I was a student of Alvan Ikoku College of Education, Owerri. Thus, I am most satisfied when I am fully engaged in serving my people. It is a lifestyle anchored on deriving the ultimate satisfaction from performing impactful services to my people—one framed by the fact that the ultimate reward for service is the happiness on the faces of your people when you have impactfully served them.
2. When I began my political journey, my innate love for service was further framed by the principle of EAR— Effectiveness, Accessibility and Responsiveness. At the core of this is the simple belief that leadership that endures is anchored on a genuine desire to impactfully serve the people, further underscored by ensuring that such services are tailored according to the legitimate needs and yearnings of the people. That way, every step taken by the leader is prompted by the need to satisfy a specific legitimate need of his/her people.
3. This was why in my service to the good people of great Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency, every action we took was tailored to address a specific need. When I was sworn-in in June 2015, and we had to immediately begin the process of finding a temporary solution to the totally dilapidated and failed sections of the Umuahia-Ikwuano-Ikot Ekpene federal road. By that time, the road was totally impassable and there was an urgent need to provide temporary reprieve for the people before finding a sustainable solution. So, this legitimate yearning of my people, became a huge burden on me, and I did not sleep until palliative works on the road were completed in early 2017. We followed that up by calling for a total reconstruction, which is ongoing. This philosophy of service centered around being effectively responsive to the core needs of the people, gathered by being accessible to them also led to the construction of many classroom blocks and provision of educational support in the three local government areas to address educational needs; electricity projects to address energy issues; water projects to address potable water issues; erosion control works to safeguard our people and their livelihood sources; trainings and empowerment to address livelihood issues; hospitals and medical outreach to address health issues; motions and Bills to address myriad issues affecting our people; and interfacing strongly and boldly during oversight functions on issues that demand immediate and urgent attention. In essence, the entirety of my representation for the good people of Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South federal constituency was structured around being a representative of the people, who was guided by the voices of the people.
4. A great example of my representation being led by the clamour of the people is the effort we made in ensuring that efforts were made to restore the delisted courses (mostly management) at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. Not only did I move a motion on the floor of the House on this issue, I followed it up with massive media campaigns and personal meetings. Two things were paramount on my mind while doing this: number one is the importance of ensuring that our children do not lose the chance of being educated in courses of their preferences which were already being offered by the university. The second thing was the need to ensure that businesses around the university boosted by the presence of a large number of students offering the delisted courses, were not affected. I am happy today that most of these courses have become accredited. This, for me, is what representation is all about— paying attention to the voices of the people and amplifying those voices, as their representative.
5. It is important to place on record that I have conceived and implemented mammoth/colossal projects for the good people of great Ikwuano/Umuahia North/South Federal Constituency of Abia State during my time as their representative at the House of Representatives. These projects include:
· Rehabilitation of the failed sections of the Umuahia–Ikwuano–Ikot Ekpene federal road in 2017.
· The ongoing total reconstruction of the Umuahia-Ikwuano-Ikot Ekpene federal road.
· Training of select women and youths from Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency on fashion designing by the Industrial Trust Fund.
· Training of mechanics in their workshops at Mgbuka, Ohiya Mechanic Village, by the National Automation Council.
· Training of select youths from Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency on Solar Panels installation, POP and painting, and web design by the Industrial Trust Fund.
· Training of select women and youths from Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency on fish farming by the Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology, Lagos.
· Training of 1,500 women and youths from Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency on how to start and manage small businesses by the Border Communities Development Commission. This was followed by provision of stipends.
· Training and empowerment of 100 men and women with galvanized battery cages, point of lay birds, bags of feed and start-up funds in February 2021.
· Empowerment of additional 100 youths and women with galvanized battery cages, point of lay birds, bags of feed, and start-up funds in May 2021.
· Training and empowerment of 100 graduates from Ikwuano/Umuahia North/ Umuahia South Federal Constituency in Arts and Culture, and the provision of stipends.
· Training and empowerment of 50 youths from Ibere in Ikwuano Local Government Area on how to run small businesses.
· Empowerment of constituents with several equipment/materials to enable them source for a living. These include the distribution of motorcycles, grinding machines, sewing machines, to hundreds of constituents.
· Construction of a block of four classrooms at Ekebedi Oboro, Ikwuano LGA.
· Construction of a block of three classrooms in Old Umuahia, Umuahia South LGA.
· Construction of a block of two classrooms at Adanma Girls Secondary School, Afugiri, Umuahia North LGA.
· Construction of a block of two classrooms at Umutowe Central School, Olokoro, Umuahia South LGA.
· Construction of a block of three classrooms at Nsirimo, Ubakala, Umuahia South LGA.
· Construction of a block of three classrooms at Umulu Ibere, Ikwuano LGA.
· Construction of a block of three classrooms at Umuajata Olokoro, Umuahia South LGA.
· Construction of a block of six classrooms at Amaoba Oboro, Ikwuano LGA.
· Rehabilitation of the Obuohia Obi-Ibere Cottage Hospital, Ikwuano LGA.
· Construction and equipping of the Oloko Health Centre, Ikwuano LGA.
· Purchase of WAEC and JAMB forms for constituents.
· Printing and distribution of past SSCE/NECO/GCE Questions and Answers (1988-2019) on English and Mathematics to students and candidates from secondary schools in Ikwuano/Umuahia North and Umuahia South Federal Constituency.
· Water project in Obunta Oboro Ikwuano LGA.
· Water project in Inyila Ibere, Ikwuano LGA.
· Water project in Avonkwu Ibeku, Umuahia North.
· Empowerment of 250 farmers on the 24th of April, 2017 with fertilizers, coveralls, knapsack sprayers, pesticides, etc.
· Donation of office equipment to Pacesetter FM, Umuahia after the fire outbreak incident.
· Provision of a Generating Plant for NTA Umuahia.
· Donation of a modern and powerful Sony camera set and other accessories to the Broadcasting Corporation of Abia State (BCA) to support their digitization efforts.
· Erosion control work at Amankwo Ezeleke, Umuopara, in Umuahia South LGA.
· Erosion control work at Okwe Oboro, in Ikwuano LGA.
· Construction of a massive Skills Acquisition Centre with nine skills units at the headquarters of Umuahia South Local Government Area, Apumiri, Ubakala. (Ongoing)
· Electricity project in Obuohia Obi-Ibere, Ikwuano LGA.
· Electricity project at Umuezeala Obonipa in Usaka Ukwu,Ikwuano LGA.
· Donation of transformers to the following: Ndoro Oboro, Agbama Olokoro, World Bank Housing Estate Umuahia, Nnono Oboro, Landlord Association of Umudike, Maryrose Umudike, Ameke Junction, Umuagu-ngolori, Isi Court Old Umuahia.
· Medical Outreach in March 2018 where over 400 participants benefited from the free medical and counseling carried out by the medical practitioners.
· Following the outbreak of the Coronavirus, PPEs such as, tap-buckets, hand sanitizers, and liquid soaps, were provided for institutions such as FMC Umuahia, markets, parks, and constituents in line with the stipulations of the World Health Organization’s preventive manual.
· Construction of the Elemaga-Itunta mini-bridge in Ibere, Ikwuano LGA.
· Installation of streetlights at Obuohia Obi-Ibere and Ndoro Oboro, Ikwuano LGA.
· Reconstruction of the Ngwugwo valley embankment.
· Construction of drainage at Iyibom along the Okwe-Obuohia road.
· Construction of the Obuohia-Nkari Bridge (Ongoing).
· Erosion Control and construction of rural road in Umuecheokwu,Umuovo, Old Umuahia -Amakanma, Umuahia South LGA (Ongoing).
· Construction of a market with borehole at Obuohia Obi-Ibere in Ikwuano LGA.
· Construction of school block at Umukabia, Ohuhu, Umuahia North LGA.
6. Having set a standard and positioned Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency on the path of legislative excellence, my yearning to ensure that purposeful, visionary, and people-centered leadership is firmly enthroned in our country, one corner at a time, compels me to answer a higher call and take this gospel of effective, accessible and responsive representation to a larger sphere.
7. It is in view of this that I hereby make myself available to serve as the Senator representing the great people of Abia Central Senatorial District at the Senate of Nigeria. My motivation is simple: it is time to redefine representation in Abia Central and make it more people-centered. In doing this, we will replicate the principle of leadership-as-service, imbued with the EAR political philosophy. That way, our representation will be given life by the legitimate needs and aspirations of our great people. As usual, no one village, clan, LGA, will be supreme to the other. Every step taken will be on a needs-basis and in accordance with available resources. And together as a people, we will again redefine representation for this great Senatorial District at the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and put in place a standard that will grow our district decades after we are done.
8. My great people of Abia Central, 2023 presents us with the most viable time in our lifetimes to begin the process of all-round development and growth, anchored on visionary leadership and representation. We cannot afford to make mistakes as doing so will set us back decades and harmfully impact on our children and children’s children. That is why this election is critical and one that we must approach devoid of sentiments. Practicality and a keen eye on our futures should guide our actions. In all modesty, I am the best candidate for this job. Not only am I visionary, effective, responsive and accessible, my wealth of experience in progressive leadership makes me eminently qualified. and because the vision that will be implemented will not solely be mine, but a combination of all our visions, it makes my representation people-centric. And together, we shall collectively reshape our futures.
9. As we commence this process, by first participating in the party primaries and going beyond that to campaign for votes in the general elections, I urge us all to let peace and brotherly love guide us.
10. I thank you for finding the time to attend this important event
Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has asked the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele to resign over the latter’s move to join the 2023 presidential race.
The Ondo governor’s comment came hours after a group of supporters purchased the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential nomination form for Emefiele.
In a statement on Friday night, Akeredolu argued that Emefiele cannot combine his work with partisan politics.
“Consequently, we admonish Mr Emefiele to leave the office, immediately, for him to pursue his interest,” he said.
“He cannot combine partisan politics with the very delicate assignment of his office. Should he refuse to quit, it becomes incumbent on the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to remove him forthwith.”
An ‘Illegality’?
The governor said before the purchase of the form, Emefiele had been linked with partisan politics.
“Pictures of branded vehicles, ostensibly purchased for electioneering campaigns, were also posted on social media,” the statement read.
“The audacious moves by those who claimed to be supporting this interest have been unsettling.”
He said while the CBN governor is constitutionally qualified to belong to any group, Emefiele’s position makes the recent move “brazen”.
“There is no gain asserting the obvious. The combined effect of the Public Service Rules, CBN Act, and the 1999 Constitution, as amended, exposes not only the oddity inherent in this brash exercise of presumed right to associate,” the governor added.
“It also confirms the illegality of the act should he proceed to submit the forms while occupying the seat as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.”
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC says it is monitoring the source of the funds used in purchasing political party forms.
The Chairman of the EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa, said this on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme, monitored by ABN TV on Friday.
The ruling All Progressives Congress had pegged its presidential forms at N100m while the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party sold its form for N41m.
So far, 20 people have obtained the APC forms while at least 17 people purchased the forms of the PDP.
Reacting to the development, Bawa said the EFCC was working with the Independent National Electoral Commission to establish the source of these funds.
The EFCC boss noted that N100m was a lot of money as most people would not see it in their lifetime.
He added, “Well, of course, it is quite some money. It could take a lifetime for you to save N40m or N100m but as you know, when it comes to the issue of monitoring of election funds and candidates’ funds, it is mainly the work of INEC but we are working hand-in-hand with INEC and other related agencies to ensure that we follow the money and know the source, whether it is legitimate or illegitimate. That is our concern.”
The EFCC boss also said the commission was working to ensure that corrupt persons do not attain positions of leadership in the country.
Bawa said the anti-graft agency was already working behind the scenes to expose these unscrupulous elements.
“Above all, we are concerned about good governance, transparency and accountability. We are also concerned about ensuring that corrupt elements are not given leadership positions in this country and that is why we are working behind the scenes to ensure that at least we make our position known on certain actors within the political space in this country,” he added.
![17 Aspirants Have Bought N100 Million APC Presidential Form [SEE FULL LIST]](https://abntv.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/APC-Presidential-Forms-1.jpg "APC Presidential Forms")
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