Politics
2023: Nigeria Must Exit Politics Of Big Men – Utomi, Ighodalo, Others

The Big Tent Coalition of Political Parties and the civil society want Nigeria to move from politics of ‘big men’ to politics of big ideas from 2023.
NAN reports that they made the call at the Big Town Hall Meeting in Lagos on Saturday.
The Convener, Prof Pat. Utomi said it was high time Nigeria is restored to its pride of place among the comity of nations.
The former presidential candidate stressed that the nation must have a political class that adopts a simple life.
“Our country must be healed from the damage of our recent history. We must build afresh,” he urged.
“It is time we look through the windshield and not looking at the rear blue mirror. We are focusing on yesterday, we are getting away from tomorrow.”
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Utomi noted that Nigeria has enormous potential but is crippled by the kind of politics being played.
“If Brazil can come back to life, Nigeria surely will surely up again. It is about what individuals can do to build a great new tomorrow.”
The Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL) founder called for unity in order to respond to existential challenges.
Senior Pastor, Trinity House Church, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo urged like-minds to converge and chart a new path for development.
“We are looking for sincere people interested in Nigeria to come forward and offer themselves to play a role in whatever capacity.
“Some of us will run for offices, some will support, some will fund, some will do the leg work. We will all work together.”
Ighodalo said citizens must get it right in the 2023 general elections to build a country of everybody’s dream.
Prof. Remi Sonaiya, the 2015 presidential candidate of the KOWA Party called for new ideas to restore Nigeria to the path of greatness.
Others in attendance were Prof Bayo Olukoshi, Prof Leslye Obiorah, Prof Jibril Ibrahim, Prof Ugo Nwokeji, Prof Sam Guobadia, Dr Muiz Banire, Sir Tola Mobolurin, Charles Orbih, Dare Dairo, among others.
Politics
What PDP Said About Wike’s Media Parley

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, of being a constant agent of provocation in the political space, alleging that he creates trouble to mask selfish intentions.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, stated this in a statement issued on Monday in response to Wike’s media parley with selected journalists in Port Harcourt, also held on Monday.
According to the PDP, remarks made by the minister on several occasions are proof that he falls short of being a locus classicus of anti-democratic adventurism.
The party said Wike’s conduct was not new, stressing that he has consistently acted as an agent provocateur in the political arena, stirring controversy to advance personal interests.
READ ALSO:Wike Speaks On Defecting To APC
The PDP further stated that since Wike assumed office as Governor of Rivers State in 2015, he has remained a recurrent source of trouble within the party’s leadership.
“From the Sheriff era, where he was a forerunner in the Sheriff-for-National Chairman movement and later turned to fight and remove Sheriff; later he championed the Uche Secondus-for-National Chairman movement (in fact, he granted a very combustible interview that polarized the party just before the convention) and then was the same person fighting to remove Secondus.
“The same Wike led the movement to produce Dr. Iyorchia Ayu as National Chairman against the advice of many party leaders, and so soon thereafter, it was Wike again who led the Ayu-must-go struggle.
“By his end-of-year media chat, Minister Nyesom Wike has reiterated his support for, and in fact declared that he is the ‘number one supporter’ of the presumptive candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the 2027 Presidential election, while remaining a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, confirming the basis of his expulsion from the PDP, for anti-party activities,” the statement said.
Politics
JUST IN: INEC Excludes PDP From Ekiti Governorship Election

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the 2026 Ekiti governorship election, Dr Wole Oluyede, and his deputy were conspicuously absent as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, released the provisional list of party candidates ahead of the election.
INEC on Monday posted the list of candidates from 12 political parties vying for the state’s top job at its office on New Iyin Road, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.
The list shows that the All Progressives Congress, APC, is fielding the incumbent governor, Biodun Oyebanji, with Monisade Afuye as his running mate.
READ ALSO:Tinubu Sends Ex-INEC Chair, Former Oyo First Lady, 30 Additional Ambassadorial Nominees To Senate
Other candidates include Opeyemi Falegan of the Accord Party, with Omoyemi Olaleye as deputy; Akande Oluwasegun of the African Action Congress, paired with Oluwasanmi Fajuyigbe; and Ayodeji Ojo of the Action Democratic Party, with Itunu Ibitoye as running mate.
Similarly, the African Democratic Congress is presenting Oluwadare Bejide and Paul Olowoyeye, while the Action Peoples Party has Bidemi Awogbemi and Akinyemi Adewumi on its ticket.
The PDP’s absence may not be unconnected with the leadership crisis currently rocking the party at the national level.
Politics
Wike Speaks On Defecting To APC

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, dismissed any possibility of dumping the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Wike, however, disclosed that a lot of PDP leaders will join him if he decides to defect to the APC.
The Minister, who spoke during his media chat in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, said: “Today, if I say that I want to go to APC that will be the end of even talking about it.
“You will see other states, joining, leaders in other states joining, I’m not a leader that’s concentrated in the state. No.
READ ALSO:You’re Not 001 – Wike Rubbishes Claims Of Fubara Being APC Leader In Rivers
“If today I say gentlemen, we have had enough of PDP we have to move, watch those who will decamp in Benue, Plateau, Abia, Edo.”
The Minister also declared that he is still a member of the PDP, hence Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State is unhappy.
“I’m a member of the PDP, that’s why I’m still there and Seyi is not happy. That’s not correct, that you are a member of the assembly or council Chairman or National Assembly does not mean that there is no other person,” he added.
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