Politics

2023: Atiku, Tinubu In Fresh Battle Over Health Issues, Alleged Corruption

Published

3 years ago

January 18, 2023

Barely 38 days to the presidential election scheduled for February 25, both camps of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidates, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, respectively, have continued to trade words.

The attacks heightened over the week, with each calling for the arrest and disqualification of the other over allegations of graft, contrary to the peace accord signed by the respective presidential candidates ahead of political campaigns.

Recall that at the commencement of political campaign season, presidential candidates and the national chairman of their respective parties were made to sign a peace accord committing themselves to a peaceful campaign for the 2023 election. The signing was organised by the National Peace Committee in Abuja.

Some of the candidates that signed the accord were Peter Obi of the Labour Party, LP, Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

However, the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate, Bola Tinubu, was absent but his running mate, Kashim Shettima, stood in for him.

Tinubu’s camp threw the first salvo last week when he called on Nigerians to worry about Atiku’s health and credibility and not his, adding that he (Atiku) must come clean on issues regarding his health and corruption allegations.

The Director, Media and Publicity of Tinubu, Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, PCC, Bayo Onanuga, who disclosed this in a statement, said Atiku ought to have stepped down from the race because he was bound to lose again.

“It is time for Atiku Abubakar, the 76-year-old presidential candidate of the PDP, to come clean over two issues clouding his campaign: his health status and his scandalous confession of how he colluded with his former boss, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to fleece the Nigerian treasury, using the special purpose vehicles after he became Vice-President in 1999.

“We have it on good authority that Atiku indeed fell ill while missing on the field. He was indeed in the UK for some medical help, though handlers camouflage that he was there on the invitation of some British officials at Whitehall, in a mimic of the earlier visit of the APC rival, Asiwaju Tinubu,” the statement partly read.

While countering the allegations and attack by Tinubu, the Atiku, Okowa Campaign Organisation said he (Tinubu) had no moral standing to put to disrepute the impeccable character and integrity of Atiku.

In a statement issued by the spokesman of the campaign organisation, Kola Ologbodiyan, he said his principal (Atiku) had refrained from Tinubu’s appalling health issues before the ignoble public dance of the Tinubu/Shettima Campaign.

“The Atiku/Okowa Campaign Organisation mocks the wobbly, wonky and narcotic-devastated presidential candidate of the APC, Asiwaju Tinubu, over his failed attempt to impute illness on the healthy and energetic presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar.

“The campaign also describes as ludicrous the failed attempt by Tinubu, the famed Lagos property stripper, who has gained notoriety as corruption personified and the living example of the artful dodger, to impugn the impeccable character and integrity of the incoming peoples’ President, Atiku,” Ologbodiyan said.

But not yet done with the verbal tirade, over the week, the spokesman for the APC Presidential Campaign Council, PCC, who also serves as the current Minister of State for Labour, Productivity and Employment, Festus Keyamo, returned fireworks from Tinubu’s camp.

Keyamo said Tinubu’s campaign council has forwarded a petition to the anti-financial crime agencies – the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, ICPC, seeking the arrest and prosecution of the PDP candidate, Atiku.

He further disclosed that he had given a 72-hour ultimatum to the anti-graft agencies to “arrest/invite, interrogate and prosecute Atiku, failing which he said he would go to the courts to cause the agencies to act.”

Tinubu’s camp, speaking through the PCC at its headquarters in Abuja, with the full complement of his media directorate, also queried the sources of wealth of both Atiku and Obasanjo, his erstwhile principal.

The PCC also played a two-minute recorded voice call purported to be a conversation between one Messrs Achimugu and Atiku bordering on allegations of corrupt practices.

The Campaign Council alleged that Atiku had committed a Breach of the Code of Conduct Act, Criminal Breach of Trust, Conspiracy, and Money Laundering.

But while countering the allegations, the PDP dismissed Tinubu’s calls and allegations against its presidential candidate. It described them as simulated allegations and attempts to divert public attention from the issues affecting Nigerians.

“It is indeed ironic that an embattled Tinubu, who is beleaguered by uncountable cases of fraudulent activities, including perjury, forgery, treasury looting, corruption and narcotic-related conviction can attempt to impugn on the unimpeachable integrity of the PDP Presidential Candidate,” its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba alleged in a statement.

The spokesman of the Atiku, Okowa Presidential Campaign, Kola Ologbondiyan, also in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, demanded the immediate arrest and questioning of Tinubu for his alleged formation of a uniformed gang of thugs code-named “Jagaban Army” for the sole purpose of committing an electoral heist.

“The Jagaban Army, which is apparently set up to disrupt the 2023 general elections and raid polling units for votes on behalf of APC Presidential candidate, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is a direct affront to the Nigeria Armed Forces and other security agencies, as well as an assault on the sovereignty of our nation.

“The notion of Jagaban Army is a ploy to bring hoodlums, thugs and gangsters together under cover of the APC and turn them into an official militia that will be used to unleash mayhem on the day of the election,” Ologbondiyan said.

Meanwhile, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), on Tuesday, slammed Atiku and his counterpart, Tinubu, over engaging in campaigns of calumny against each other.

HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, in a statement, said both candidates are two sides of the same coin since both sides are claiming that their opponent has been found to have allegedly committed the same offence of money laundering they are accusing each other of.

“The case of APC and PDP is very laughable. It is because both Atiku and Tinubu are accusing each other of the same offences that they allegedly said each other committed.

“At least, a spokesman for Tinubu’s campaign and serving minister, Festus Keyamo, confirmed that the APC presidential candidate forfeited $460,000 in one of the 10 US banks linked to him and that he ‘mistakenly’ stayed in the same house as drug barons,” Onwubiko said.

Speaking to the DAILY POST concerning the verbal war between the duo, the spokesman for Peter Obi, Datti Baba-Ahmed Campaign Organisation, Yunusa Tanko said if it were to be in a sane society, the two candidates would not have the moral standing to run for election.

Tanko said it is only in Nigeria that you will see such a heavy accusation with proof into the public domain, yet shamelessly people would still be willing to run for election.

He further urged Nigerians to vote out those who have put the country in a perpetual poverty by voting for the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

“I watched some of these interviews and my system usually gets upset. In a normal sane society, these two characters do not have the moral standing to run for election in Nigeria.

“It is only in Nigeria that you will see such a catastrophic accusation with proof into the public domain, yet shamelessly people are still willing to run for election and some are even thinking about the situation of even voting for such an individual. It is so demeaning and so embarrassing.

“I will only call on Nigerians to look at the credibility, character, consistency and compassion of Peter Obi, to please use their power of voting to do what we call simultaneous equation by eliminating those who have put us into a perpetual poverty and vote them out of power and vote for Peter Obi.

“That is the only thing I can tell Nigerians because I don’t have the power, my only vote cannot bring Peter Obi. I can only use my mouth to advocate for Nigerians to ensure that they vote for Peter Obi, at least to serve as a deterrent to those who feel they can hold Nigerians captive because of their personal greed, their interest and their corrupt tendencies because they want to continue to perpetuate themselves into power,” Tanko said.

Politics

Why Bayelsa Gov Delayed Defection To APC

Published

42 minutes ago

November 1, 2025

Editor

Facts have emerged on why the Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, delayed his defection to the All Progressives Congress two weeks after resigning from the Peoples Democratic Party.

A senior official of the APC at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja confided in The PUNCH that Diri had requested the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, to hand over the party’s flag to him in a formal reception.

According to the APC official, the arrangement for the official reception delayed the governor’s defection.

Diri had, on October 15, announced his exit from the PDP during an expanded State Executive Council meeting at the Government House, Yenagoa.

The governor said the decision followed “extensive consultations” with key stakeholders in the state, adding, “I am not resigning alone. I am here with Mr Speaker, Deputy Speaker, and all the members of our party in the Assembly who are with me on this. So today, I have formally resigned from the PDP for very obvious reasons.”

According to the APC official, who is involved in the party’s plan to receive Diri, the party is done with the arrangements to welcome the governor.

He said, “Governor Diri is coming to the APC, and he will join us on Monday. The party has put up a reception plan, and it is the wish of the governor that the Vice President hands over the APC flag to him. The national secretariat and the VP’s office have worked that out.

“The governor wants an official and befitting reception, and he deserves it. That is why he delayed his defection. But we are done with the arrangements.”

Similarly, one of the senior administrative officers at the APC secretariat in Abuja disclosed that arrangements were in place to receive the governor into the party on Monday.

“I am aware that the secretariat is preparing to receive Governor Diri on Monday. The governor wants an official reception, and we are working on it. As I am speaking with you, nothing will change the governor’s plan to join the APC,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Bayelsa State chapter of the PDP has insisted that its leadership would not join the governor in defecting to the APC.

The State Publicity Secretary, Ebiye Ogoli, while speaking with The PUNCH, said there was no reason to leave the PDP with Diri, stating that the party’s leadership remained strong.

Ogoli explained that the leadership decided not to defect with the governor because he is in his second term and will not be contesting again; hence, there was no reason to move with him.

“We are not defecting with the governor. We stand by our last statement. The governor did not compel anyone to move with him. Before we took the decision, we considered the fact that the governor is not contesting again and, therefore, there was no reason to move with him.

“The party remains strong. It is not true that we want to defect with him.”

Findings by Sunday PUNCH also revealed that three members of the State House of Assembly — Godbless Oyinke, Ted Elemeforo, and Wisdom Fafi — have refused to leave the PDP.

This is as the Deputy Governor of the state, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has dragged the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, its Speaker, Abraham Ingobere; the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Matilda Ayemieye; the Bayelsa State Attorney-General, Biriyai Dambo (SAN), the Inspector-General of Police; and the Director-General of the Department of State Services before a Federal High Court in Abuja to avert a reported impeachment plot.

Ewhrudjakpo, who has remained in the PDP, said there was a plot by the lawmakers to impeach him because he did not resign his membership of the party with the governor.

The deputy governor, in an originating summons marked FHC/ABJ/CS/221/2025, according to TheCable, sought interim orders of the court to restrain the State House of Assembly from removing or impeaching him in violation of Sections 188(5)–(9), (11), and 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), on the grounds of his refusal to defect from the PDP to the APC or any other political party before the end of his tenure.

Ewhrudjakpo also asked the court to restrain the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services, and the Bayelsa State Attorney-General from withdrawing his security protection as deputy governor, pending the determination of the motion on notice.

(PUNCH)

Politics

PDP NWC Suspends Legal Adviser, Anyanwu, Others Amid Convention Crisis

Published

2 hours ago

November 1, 2025

Editor

The National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party has suspended the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN); National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu; Deputy Legal Adviser, Okechukwu Osuoha; and National Organising Secretary, Umaru Bature, for one month following a court ruling that halted the party’s planned national convention.

Disclosing this while addressing journalists, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said the decision followed an emergency NWC meeting held on Saturday at the party’s office, Legacy House, Maitama, Abuja.

Ologunagba stated that in line with Section 36(2) of the PDP Constitution, the Deputy National Secretary, Setonji Koshoedo, will assume the role of acting National Secretary, while the National Director of Legal Services, Jacob Otorkpa, has been assigned to manage the affairs of the Legal Department.

He stated, “The NWC has reviewed the party’s activities, especially in the recent past, and some decisions were taken. You will recall that on August 8, 2025, the party issued a reprimand to members over anti-party activities, and from then till now, the party reviewed the activities of some members working against the party, and the NWC reached the following decisions today.

“For all these anti-party activities as contained in the constitution of the party vis-à-vis the activities of those individuals, what we have identified as majorly constituting the offences under our constitution is that anybody who breaches any part of the constitution or manifesto, or says or does anything under Section 58 any member that says or does anything that will bring the party to disrepute, hatred, or contempt, disobeys or neglects to carry out lawful directives of the party or any organ or officer of the party, or engages in any conduct likely to cause disaffection among members of the party, or likely to cause disaffection in the conduct of the business of the party.

“The NWC considered these and other actions in line with the constitution of the party and came to the following decisions: The National Legal Adviser, Kamal Ajibade (SAN), is suspended for 30 days and is referred to the National Disciplinary Committee of the party. The Deputy National Legal Adviser, Barr. Okechukwu Osuoha is also suspended for 30 days in line with the constitution and referred to the Disciplinary Committee as may be necessary. During the period of suspension, they cease to function in the capacity of their respective offices.

“The National Organising Secretary, Hon. Umar Bature, is suspended for a period of one month and referred to the National Disciplinary Committee. The National Secretary, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, is suspended for one month and referred to the National Disciplinary Committee. In the case of the National Secretary, pursuant to Section 36(2) of the Constitution as amended in 2017, the Deputy National Secretary, Hon. Arc. Setonji Koshoedo, shall act as National Secretary.
In the case of the Legal Adviser and Deputy Legal Adviser, the Director of Legal Services has been empowered and directed to oversee the department during the period of suspension.”

Recall that despite the plan to hold its National Elective Convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15 and 16, the Peoples Democratic Party remains engulfed in internal tension.

Supporters of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, continue to express dissatisfaction with the leadership of the acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum.

Their discontent stems from unresolved disputes over the South-South zonal leadership and the control of party structures in states such as Cross River, Akwa Ibom, and Plateau.

There are also deep disagreements over the micro-zoning formula ahead of the convention, further widening the rift within the party.

These lingering issues eventually escalated into a legal showdown aimed at stopping the convention from taking place.

On Friday, the Federal High Court in Abuja issued an interim order restraining the PDP from proceeding with its planned convention in Ibadan until further notice.

Presiding over the case marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025, Justice James Omotosho ruled that the convention must be suspended until the party aligns its actions with the provisions of its constitution, the 1999 Constitution, and the Electoral Act 2022.

The case was instituted by three aggrieved members of the PDP, Austin Nwachukwu, the Imo State PDP Chairman; Amah Abraham Nnanna, the Abia State PDP Chairman; and Turnah Alabh George, the PDP Secretary for the South-South zone.

They petitioned the court to halt the convention, arguing that it contravened both the Electoral Act and the party’s internal rules.

According to them, the PDP failed to conduct valid congresses in 14 states before issuing the notice for the convention.

In his final judgment, Justice Omotosho found merit in their claims.

He held that the PDP violated its own constitution, the 1999 Constitution, and INEC’s guidelines by failing to conduct proper state congresses and by neglecting to issue the required 21-day notice to INEC. Consequently, he ordered that the planned convention be stopped until the party rectifies all internal irregularities in line with the law.

Politics

JUST IN: PDP Factions Emerge, Anyanwu Group Suspends Damagum, Others

Published

2 hours ago

November 1, 2025

Editor

L–R: Chief Dan Orbih, Senator Samuel Anyanwu (PDP scribe), and Hon. Umar Bature during a press conference following a factional PDP National Working Committee meeting in Abuja on Saturday.

The Peoples Democratic Party has plunged deeper into crisis as fresh divisions emerged within its leadership, with a faction backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, announcing the suspension of the Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, and five other members of the National Working Committee.

Briefing newsmen in Abuja on Saturday on behalf of the factional NWC, the PDP National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, announced the party’s National Vice Chairman (North Central), Mohammed Abdulrahman, as the Acting National Chairman.

He stated, “Unfortunately, some people may say that the National Secretary, National Organising Secretary who has the responsibility of monitoring everything and the National Legal Adviser, who is responsible for all legal issues, were purportedly suspended.

“On this note, we decided to suspend the National Chairman of the party, Ambassador Ilya Damagum, for incompetence, financial misconduct, and disregard for court judgment. He has been suspended for one month and should face the Disciplinary Committee.

“Secondly, we also suspended the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, for issuing statements without the party’s approval, and the Deputy National Vice Chairman (South), Taofeek Arapaja, has also been suspended.

“The National Financial Secretary, Daniel Woyenguikoro, who has been involved in alleged financial misconduct, has also been suspended.

“The National Youth Leader, Sulaiman Kadade, and the Deputy National Secretary, Setonji Koshoedo, have also been suspended for 30 days. All of them will be sent to the Disciplinary Committee to show cause why they should not be expelled.

“Therefore, we are announcing the National Vice Chairman (North Central) to serve as the Acting National Chairman, Mohammed Abdulrahman.”

Earlier, the NWC under Damagum’s leadership announced the suspension of Senator Samuel Anyanwu, National Legal Adviser Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN), and two other members.