Politics

2023: Consider Age, Mental, Physical Capacity, Northern Elders, Catholics Caution Nigerians

Published

2 years ago

September 27, 2022

Editor

Northern Elders Forum, NEF, and Catholic Laity Council have asked Nigerians to consider the age and mental as well as physical capacity of presidential candidates in the 2023 elections before voting.

While the northern elders said they would consider these factors to determine which presidential candidate to support, the Catholic Laity Council of Nigeria, CLCN, pleaded with Nigerians to avoid sentiments and consider the age and health status of candidates before voting.

It also advised them to vote for the best candidates whose manifestos and economic blueprint could lead Nigeria out of her present quagmire.

NEF said its option of a consensus presidential candidate was still open, insisting its preferred persons for the Presidency, after a rigorous but productive interrogation, would be one with strong mental and physical capacity to govern Nigeria and solve the pertinent security and economic challenges facing the country.

Northern elders won’t make mistake they made in 2015

Spokesman of the forum, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, who also said such a candidate must be one with the interest of the north at heart in an interview on Channels Television Politics programme on Sunday night, said northern elders won’t make the mistake they made in 2015 when they endorsed All Progressives Congress’ Muhammadu Buhari and encouraged the people of the region to cede their bloc votes to him.

According to him, Nigeria’s next President must have the ability to secure the country, improve the economy, and have plans for 34 million out-of-school children in the region.

While noting that the thoughts of the candidate on restructuring and other national issues would be evaluated, Baba-Ahmed said: “It will be a basis with which the north will support a candidate.”

On the region or zone the next president should emerge from, the NEF spokesman said: “What he intends to do in terms of satisfying us that he has the mental capacity, the physical capacity, the intellect, the willingness to tap into the best that is available, sensitivity to a number of key issues that are central to our survival as a country. Those things are going to represent for us the basis for which we will support a candidate.”

Leading presidential candidates for the 2023 general elections include APC’s Bola Tinubu; Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party; Peter Obi of the Labour Party; and New Nigeria Peoples Party’s Rabiu Kwankwaso.

While Atiku and Kwankwaso are from northern Nigeria, Tinubu and Obi are from the southern part of the country, casting doubts on whether NEF would back them.

Baba-Ahmed said: “At this stage, our options are open. We will not vote on narrow prisms like where you (candidates) come from.

“I can speak for the Northern Elders’ Forum. We’ve not said we will only support a northern candidate; what we said is we will defend the rights of northerners to compete freely and equally with others; we will support a northerner if we think he is the best, and we will not go to apologise for that at all.

“We will support a southerner if we believe he will do justice to the interest of the north and the interest of other parts of the country. What is important for us is that we are looking for the best that is available.”

He insisted that the group wields sufficient influence over the people of northern Nigeria and would exercise its responsibility of endorsing the best candidate very seriously.

He said: “We are not supporting anybody, we are going to support the best candidate that represents the best.

“We will put all those candidates through a rigorous process if they are willing and they had better be willing because, believe me, we carry the responsibility on our shoulders to advise a lot of people in the north where to go and we will exercise that responsibility very seriously.”

Catholic Laity asks Nigerians to consider age, health status, others

On its part, the Catholic Laity Council of Nigeria, CLCN, yesterday, pleaded with Nigerians to avoid sentiments, but consider the age and health status of the candidates before casting their votes in 2023.
The body also called on the electorate to consider the manifestoes of the candidates to know who would rescue the country from her current challenges.

In a resolution at the end of its 149th National Executive Council, NEC, meeting in Bauchi, the body reiterated that the country had suffered so much due to failure of leadership, hence the need to end the trend.

In the document signed by Sir Henry Yunkwap, National President and Mr. Godwin Gege, acting National Secretary-General, Catholic Laity Council also condemned the unjustifiable and unprovoked attack on facilities, abduction and gruesome murder of Catholic priests, religious, lay faithful and innocent Nigerians in general.

The resolutions read: “The problem of Nigeria is the failure of leadership; the inability of our leaders to rise to their responsibilities. The council, therefore, urges Catholics to study and apply the Catholic social teachings to extensive and complex issues in all spheres of life, so that being involved in the political developments in Nigeria will be able to revitalise our Catholic faith for political stability in the nation.

“Council joins her voice to that of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, to urge all Catholic Lay faithful and Nigerians in general, to be honest in conscience and rise above the sentiments of political parties, support and vote for the best candidates whose manifestos and economic blueprint can lead Nigeria out of her present quagmire.

‘’The electorate must consider the age, health status, intellectual sagacity, and grasp of developmental paradigm shift in choosing their next leaders.

“The council condemns the unjustifiable and unprovoked attack on facilities, abduction and gruesome murder of Catholic priests, religious faithful and innocent Nigerians in general. The Federal Government must rise to its statutory obligation of protecting the life and property of its citizens.”

Politics

Edo Poll: PDP Gubernatorial Aspirant Resigns From Party

Published

1 hour ago

May 7, 2024

Editor

Felix Akhabue, a former gubernatorial aspirant for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the September 21, Edo State election, has resigned from the party.

Akhabue was among the 10 aspirant who contested the party’s primary election in February and protested against the conduct of its ward and local government congresses.

Akhabue, a former, chairman of Esan West Local Government Area as well as Commissioner for Wealth Creation, Cooperative and Industry in Governor Godwin Obaseki’s first tenure, dumped the party in a letter dated May 6, 2024, and addressed to the Ward 7 chairman of the party in Esan West local Government Area.

Politics

Edo Poll: Akoko-Edo PDP Leaders Meet Deputy Gov, Pledge Massive Votes For Ighodalo

Published

3 hours ago

May 7, 2024

Editor

Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State Tuesday assured the Deputy Governor of the state, Marvellous Omobayo, of their preparedness to deliver block votes to the party’s governorship candidate, Barrister Asue Ighodalo in the forthcoming September 21st governorship election.

The leaders who came from ward (4), (3) and ward (5) was led by Comrade Princeswill Ogunnubi (ward 4), said Akoko-Edo, since the appointment of their kinsman as deputy governor, Akoko-Edo is a no go area for the opposition All Progressives Congress in the state, just as he predicted victory for the PDP.

Ogunnubi, who spoke during a courtesy call on the deputy governor at his office on a solidarity visit, noted that the visit was imperative to assure the number two citizen of the state of their readiness towards the continuity of the PDP in the state beyond 2024.

He said. “We are not just here today in solidarity with you on your appointment but to also assure you of our unalloyed support to deliver on the political trust and confidence reposed in you by the governor on your appointment.

“You can see that since your assumption as the deputy governor the youth of the state that forms majority of the voting population are excited and solidly behind you to see that you succeed and as a people are eternally grateful to Governor Godwin Obaseki.

“It is on record that we have never had it this good apart from the statutory elective political offices. The time has come for us to compensate the governor by delivering Barrister Asue Ighodalo as the next governor of the Edo State.”

Also on the visit, Mr Ernest Akpaja, another leader, stressed on the need for all party members to close rank and join forces in the task ahead.

“This appointment is a testament to the Governor’s commitment to diversity and inclusiveness. We believe Deputy Governor Godwin will make significant contributions to advancing the governor’s development agenda,” Akpaja said.

Omobayo who was elated at the visit, appealed to the leaders to sustain the unity of purpose in ensuring that Akoko-Edo is solidly “PDP and PDP is Akoko-Edo.”

While thanking the leaders remarked, “Without mincing words, I can assure you that Akoko-Edo will get more positions under the PDP if voted back into power. More better days ahead for our people.”

Politics

PDP Crisis: Why Party Members Are Resigning – Sule Lamido

Published

2 days ago

May 5, 2024

Editor

Former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, has explained why some notable members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP are resigning the membership from the party.

Lamido blamed the current crisis in the party on the procedures of the court.

He said if the supreme court did not overturn the election of Hon. Emeka Ihedioha as Imo Governor, he would have remained a sitting governor of the state.

He added that the PDP mass resignation was as a result of frustration occasioned by the leadership of the party and the judiciary.

Lamido stated this in an interview with This Day.

Recall that there has been an ongoing resignation by members of PDP especially in Imo and few other small states.

The former governor said if the court did not insist that Senator Samuel Anyanwu was the National Secretary, when he (Anyanwu) went and contested for the Imo State governorship election, the position of National Secretary would have gone to another person from Imo State.

Lamido said, “Emeka Ihedioha and other chieftains of the PDP that resigned from the party were humiliated and frustrated out. They were humiliated by the leadership of the party, with the help of the judiciary.

“Ministers resigned to contest election. Other government officials and even party officials resigned to contest elective offices. Senator Anyanwu ought to have resigned to contest the governorship election in Imo state.

“What did he (Anyanwu) do. He held to the office of national secretary and contested for the governorship election. You cannot eat your cake and still have it back. You cannot appropriate the two positions. You are the national secretary and the governorship candidate at the same time. This is not done.

“So, when the stakeholders from Imo state complained, the judiciary aided him and affirmed his position as National Secretary when he lost his governorship election.

“So, Ihedioha and his group felt frustrated and humiliated by the action of the leadership of the party by failing to stand up for justice. So, as a person, I don’t blame Ihedioha and his associates. I can understand why he and his associates left. Some external influences are tele-guiding the party.”

On the defection of the former Governor of Katsina the APC, Lamido said the State was formally under the control of the All Peoples Party (APP), adding that it was the influence of former President Olusegun Obasanjo that made the PDP to win the state in 2003.

He, however, said with the influence of former President Muhammadu Buhari and all his political associates it went back to the APC.

He stated, “I see it as he wants to meet them. I don’t believe that he went to APC because of the EFCC. Though, I remember what the former national chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole said that when you defect to the APC, all your sins are forgotten.”

Speaking further on the situation in PDP Imo State, he said, “The leadership of the party was extremely unfair to Ihedioha who first asked if Anyanwu will contest for governor and when Anyanwu said yes, Ihedioha left it for him and yet, Anyanwu still did not leave the post of National secretary. It is not fair.”

On the role of the judiciary in the plights of the PDP, he cited the case of the Supreme Court on Ihedioha’s case, arguing that, “if not the ignoble role of the Supreme Court, Ihedioha will still be governor and the same courts was used to support Anyanwu retaining the office of the National Secretary and the Governorship candidate.

“When the history of the PDP is to be told, the role of the courts must occupy a special place. This is especially with the southeast geopolitical zone.”

When asked if he was likely going to join the APC, he said, “No, they will not accept me. Go and ask President Bola Tinubu, if he and his APC will accept me.”

Meanwhile, those that have left the party in the State include former Military Administrator, Air Commodore Luke Ochulor; Former Deputy Governor, Engr. Gerald Irona; Former Ministers of the Federal Republic, Engr. Charles Ugwuh, Chief Chuka Odom and BOT member of the party – Chief Chris Okewulonu.

Former NEC member of the party- Chief Henry Ekpe; Former elected members of House of Representatives – Hon. ThankGod Ezeani, Hon. Mayor Eze, Hon. Uche Onyeaguocha, Hon. Ugonna Ozurigbo, Hon. Obinna Onwubuariri and Hon. Jonas Okeke.

Others that have dumped the PDP included Chairman PDP elders’ committee – Prof. Jude Njoku; Secretary PDP elders’ Committee – Prof. Obioma Iheduru; Members of the South-east Zonal Executive Committee, Chief Stanley Ekezie; Chief Augustine Elochukwu; Two senatorial candidates of the party in the last election- including Chief Emmanuel Okewulonu, former local government chairmen, several House of Assembly candidates of the party.
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