Politics
2023: ACF Chieftain Blasts Adebanjo, Clark, Others Over Zoning

Immediate past Secretary-General of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, Mr. Anthony Sani, Monday, counselled advocates of zoning to stop overheating the polity ahead of the 2023 general elections, noting that elective positions, particularly the office of the President can only be negotiated through lobby of the various ethnic nationalities that make up the country.
This is even as the elder statesman urged pro zoning individuals and groups to realize that political parties are at liberty to adopt any position they believe will win them votes, given that the primary motive for the establishment of political parties, particularly in third world countries like Nigeria, is to gain political power.
Vanguard reports that recently, eminent Nigerians including leader of Ijaw nation, Chief Edwin Clark and foremost Afenifere chieftain, Ayo Adebanjo warned of the dangerous consequences of jettisoning zoning of the Presidential ticket by the All Progressives Congress, APC and the opposition, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the 2023 polls.
Responding to the communiqué signed by the Southern and Middle Belt Forum calling for the zoning of the exalted office to the South; Sani advised the elder statesmen to be guided by history in their public utterances.
He said: “When the socio-cultural groups in the Southern and the Middle Belt Forum repeatedly assert in their recent communiqué that any jettisoning of politics of identity symbolized by rotation of the Presidency between the North and the South-which they alleged is a tradition- would spell doom for the unity, harmony and stability of the country and feign ignorance of fact of history that in 2003, General Muhammadu Buhari from the North contested with President Olusegun Obasanjo from the South, and in 2011 and 2015, President Goodluck Jonathan from the South contested with Buhari from the North; one begins to wonder because if rotation of the Presidency between the North and the South is a tradition as alleged, situations where a Northerner would contest against a Southerner would not arise.
READ ALSO: 2023: There May Be No Nigeria Without Zoning, Clark Warns
“When such groups who profess to be jaunty face of democratic values begin to rewrite history in furtherance of their preferences, it means such groups can redefine democracy premised on triple foundation of justice, liberty and common decency in furtherance of their preferences.
“I say this because if such groups regard themselves as embodiment of national ideals and moral values shared by most Nigerians, they are at liberty to cause their preferences of politics of identity to become national consensus which are binding on the political parties rather than rewriting history.
“In the absence of such national consensus, they should design their winning game plans and use it to canvass for the needed electoral mandate. After all, the constitution does not make it possible for any region’s vote alone to produce the President.
“This is because the President must not only get majority vote but meets the requirement of spread by getting at least 25 per cent of the votes in each of at least 25 states. The North has only 19 states and the South only 17 states, which means the two regions must necessarily come together to produce the President.”
The PDP has since thrown its Presidential ticket open in total negligence of calls to have it zoned to the South. Although, it appears the APC may go south; the Abdullahi Adamu-led National Working Committee of the party is yet to take a firm stand on the issue.
VANGUARD.
Politics
Agege LG Chairman Resigns

Agege Local Government
Mr. Tunde Azeez Disco has stepped down as the Executive Chairman of Agege Local Government, citing persistent health challenges as the reason for his resignation.
The former chairman submitted his resignation letter to the Agege Local Government Legislative Arm.
He noted that his health status had significantly impacted his ability to effectively discharge his official duties.
The legislative house, while acknowledging Azeez Disco’s dedication to public service, quickly accepted the decision. Following a thorough deliberation, a unanimous resolution was passed, accepting the resignation with immediate effect.
READ ALSO:JUST IN: Tinubu’s Minister Resigns Amid Allegations
The council wished the outgoing chairman well in his future endeavours, with the event underlining the necessity for public officials to prioritise personal health and well-being.
Ganiyu Obasa, son of the Speaker, Lagos State Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, is the Vice chairman of Agege Local Government.
In May, residents of Agege, under the banner of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the local government election in Agege.
They claimed that Obasa allegedly plans to foist his surrogates as candidates in the local government and councillorship elections.
READ ALSO:APC Disowns Members Calling For State Secretary’s Resignation
In a meeting held in response to the announcement of candidates for the chairmanship and vice-chairmanship of the Agege Local Government and Orile-Agege Local Council Development Area (LCDA), the aggrieved residents alleged that those shortlisted as candidates to represent the area were handpicked by Obasa.
They said the process was void of internal democracy and collective participation.
Addressing the media, Kamardeen Sabitu, chairman of the PCC for Agege and Orile-Agege, alleged that Obasa did everything possible to manipulate the political structure in the area for personal gain.
During the protest, demonstrators carried placards reading “Red Card, Obasa O to ge, (it is enough). They also chanted songs such as “Enough is Enough, this suffering is enough, Tinubu, rescue us.”
READ ALSO:Elon Musk’s X CEO Resigns
Sabitu added that the people have endured years of political marginalisation under Obasa’s influence. He recalled that the movement against imposed candidates began in 2018, during which one of the protesters died and 11 others were jailed.
“There is no true democracy in Agege. Since 2018, we’ve been resisting Obasa’s control. We salute everyone standing up to this political imposition. One person cannot dominate Agege politics,” Sabitu said.
He emphasised that while the group remains loyal to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and is also appreciative of the party’s leadership, they will not accept candidates imposed on them without proper consultation.
Politics
JUST IN: Reps In Rowdy Session, Reject Key Motions

The plenary session of the House of Representatives on Tuesday turned rowdy after members voted against some motions of urgent public importance, which bordered on the protection of lives and key government assets.
With the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, presiding, the session became rowdy, as members dissolved into a closed-door session to restore order.
It all started when the member representing Somolu Federal Constituency, Lagos State, Ademorin Kuye, drew the attention of his colleagues to what he called the illegal allocation of lands within the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex and prayed the House to refer the matter to the Committee on Public Assets for investigation.
Kuye, a member of the All Progressives Congress is the Chairman of the House Committee on Public Assets.
READ ALSO:JUST IN: All Enugu Reps Defect To APC
Proposing an amendment to the prayers, Delta lawmaker and Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Francis Waive, argued that though the matter brought before the Green Chamber is urgent enough, the Committee on Commerce, not Public Assets, should be in charge of the investigation.
Waive was supported by Akwa Ibom lawmaker, Mark Esset, who argued that “It is the Committee on Commerce that should take responsibility on this matter.”
On the other hand, Yusuf Gagdi representing Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency, Plateau State, supported Kuye, stating that the Public Assets Committee should be allowed to take charge of investigating the allegation of illegal land sale and submit a report to the House.
With no end to the back-and-forth argument in sight, Gbefwi Gaza (SDP, Nasarawa) on the advice of Kalu, proposed the constitution of an Ad-hoc Committee comprising members of both Committees (Public Assets and Commerce) to conduct the probe.
READ ALSO:Reps Move To Regulate Cryptocurrency, POS Operations
When subjected to a voice vote, almost an equal number of lawmakers voted in support and against the motion.
Not sure whose voices were louder, Kalu gave it to the nays, sparking unrest in the chamber.
Next on the order of urgent motions was Mohammed Bio representing Baruten/Kaima Federal Constituency, Kwara State.
Bio who lamented the worsening security situation in his constituency, prayed the House to urge the military to establish a base in the crisis-prone areas to stem the tides of attacks.
READ ALSO:List Of 46 Proposed New States Submitted To House Of Reps
This time, more lawmakers voted against the motion, to the surprise of Kalu and the Kwara lawmaker.
It became clear to Kalu that members had resolved to frustrate the day’s session owing to the rejection of Kuye’s motion.
So, when again voices thundered against Ayodeji Alao-Akala’s motion which drew members’ attention to the need to address Nigeria’s description as a “Country of Particular Concern” by the United States President, Mr Donald Trump; Kalu allowed the motion to pass, forcing members to openly oppose the decision.
Voices of dissent rent the chambers and the plenary was suspended for a closed-door session.
…Details later
Politics
Obaseki’s Media Aide Tackles Edo Information Commissioner Over Alleged ₦600bn Debt

A former Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, has denied leaving a debt of N600bn, urging the Monday Okpehbolo-led administration to crosscheck from the Debt Management Office (DMO) before “spewing lies.”
The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, had on Monday in Benin claimed that the immediate past administration in the state left a whooping ₦600bn debt.
Reacting to Afegbua’s claim via video call on Tuesday, Obaseki’s Media Adviser, Crusoe Osagie, challenged the current administration in the state to visit the DMO to see whether Edo drew such debt.
Crusoe, who said no government at whatever level has capacity to draw loans or enter into any debt arrangement without the knowledge and approval of the DMO, said lies being spewed by the Okpebholo’s administration is giving the country a bad image.
READ ALSO:PDP Crisis Worsens As Party Suspends BoT Chairman, Adolphus Wabara
He said information of such gives the impression that the state is being governed by people who don’t understand what it means to run a government.
Crusoe described the claim as false and outrightly out of place.
On the planned probe of Mosium of West Africa Arts (MOWA), Crusoe noted that MOWA remained an international brand that entered into a business agreement with Edo State with all T’s crossed and all I’s dotted.
He insisted that every record about the transaction between Radisson Hotel and the Edo State government was contained in the transition report.
READ ALSO:Obaseki: Leader, I Know How Pained You Are,’ Wike Apologises To Oshiomhole
He said: “MOWA is an international investment drawing funds from the German government, the United Kingdom’s government, and the French government for its development. You think such an investment will be put on a land that was not ceded to that organization by the state.
“These people just come out there and toss all kinds of irresponsible information out there. At the end of the day what happens is that all of these turn around to form the intelligence that gathered out of Nigeria by the international community.
“It makes these countries think that the country is a failed state and the place is not being governed.”
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