Politics

2023: PDP, SDP Differ On Same-faith Ticket

Published

1 year ago

December 27, 2022

Editor

The Spokesperson of the Atiku-Okowa Presidential Campaign Organisation, Daniel Bwala, has said that the Christian-Christian presidential ticket that was foreseen by the wife of the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Oluremi Tinubu, is not possible in Nigeria, considering how the whole of the Christendom in the North objected to it.

Bwala also said that even the Church that Tinubu attends did not hold the view of having a Christian-Christian presidential ticket in Nigeria.

Bwala who spoke to The PUNCH was reacting to the remarks by the wife of the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, that the future would give a Christian-Christian presidential ticket in Nigeria.

The Senator during the APC South-West women’s presidential rally at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos State, had disclosed that the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket of the APC would set a new tone in the country’s political landscape after 2023.

However, the spokesperson of the PDP pointed out that the statement by the wife of the APC flag bearer “does not hold water.”

He stated “In Nigeria it’s not possible. How can there be Christian-Christian ticket in a country like ours? Being that to justify the fact that her husband has himself in a predicament of the Muslim-Muslim ticket, which at the beginning they thought only the minority Christians will be complaining about.

“But you can now see when Dogara and certain stakeholders from the North-East, which comprises of highly respected Muslim brothers and Islamic clerics, said that it is not welcomed. It is not just one state saying no, it is something the entire nation is saying.

“So what she is saying does not hold water. Even the Church she works as a pastor even the Redeemed pastor is not in support of Muslim-Muslim ticket.”

He questioned, “What were you expecting her to say? That the ticket is bad, when she is already in it?”

On the contrary, the factional National Secretary of the Social Democratic Party, Alpha Muhammed, observed that there was nothing wrong having a Christian-Christian presidential ticket in Nigeria, having witnessed a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket adding that it is faulted by those who had lost out of the 2023 calculation and who failed to get the vice-presidential slot of the APC.

Muhammed said, “Those against the Muslim-Muslim ticket are politicians who have observed that they are losing the 2023 calculation. They are trying to influence their selfish interest because they expected so much that they will get the VP slot, for themselves and now that they didn’t get it, they believe nobody should get it.

“Nigerians are not bothered about the religion of the president or the vice president and now we have a sitting vice-president what added advantage has he given the Nigerian system to the lives of Nigerian people.

“The Muslim-Muslim ticket we are talking about Tinubu himself has a Christian wife, a pastor. For anybody crying that the Christians are not comfortable under such a leader is just making a comment. If you look at the situation in the country why should a Christian in the first place feel threatened by any Muslim? Most of the people in the current banditry and religious fanatic attacks are Muslims, the whole of Zamfara attacks are on Muslims.”

The factional spokesperson further said “It is unfortunate, unserviceable and of the highest level of hypocrisy for Christians to be shouting. At least there is an attack that is regulated or controlled against Christians in Nigeria, is not so. Muslims are dying in Katsina, Borgu and everywhere, even last week a Mosque was attacked and kidnapping was carried out, it is Nigerians that are victims not Christians anymore.

“Is about Nigeria, for anybody to be whipping up religious sympathy is unfortunate, there is handy-work of politicians who are losing out of 2023 election victory. The only leadership that can bring election confidence is the Muslim-Muslim ticket. There is a possibility that the Christian-Christian ticket is near,” he added.

Politics

Why Tinubu Didn’t Intervene In Ganduje’s Troubles – APC Leaders

Published

2 hours ago

May 12, 2024

Editor

Following weeks of aborted moves and protests to remove the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, concerned chieftains of the party have explained the reason President Bola Tinubu steered clear of the drama.

The embattled chairman was purportedly suspended by the APC executive of Ganduje ward in the Dawakin Tofa Local Government of Kano State on April 15, a move that was quickly thwarted by the state chapters of the party, which suspended the ward executive.

The development resulted in legal tussles with the Kano State High Court granting an ex parte order restraining him from parading himself as a member of the party, leading to Ganduje securing a counter ex parte order from the Federal High Court in Kano presided over by Justice A. M. Liman, who ruled out the purported suspension.

A few days after the legal fireworks, scores of demonstrators stormed the national secretariat of the APC in Abuja to demand his resignation and allow the seat of the leadership, previously occupied by Abdullahi Adamu, to return to the North Central.

However, supporters of the APC national chairman have expressed shock over the deafening silence of the president, who political observers believed was his ally and close friend.

Reacting in an interview with our correspondent, the APC Publicity Secretary for North-West, Musa Mada, pointed out that there was nothing suspicious about President Tinubu’s silence.

He said, “The whole thing (Ganduje’s purported suspension) is just speculation. If we look at it from 1999 to date, no president has proven to be more of a party man than Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

“His silence does not mean that he is not interested in the party. But he understands that the entire hullabaloo is more of a party affair. One thing people should know is that the moment you find a party so quiet, that party is insignificant.

“But where you find people agitating or fomenting trouble at a party, they are striving to get attention or seek some form of recognition. Tinubu is now the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, even though he is still a card-carrying member and leader of the APC. It is not everything he must react to because he doesn’t have the time. He has more important things to do.”

The APC chief also slammed the National Leader of the New Nigeria People’s Party, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso for allowing his feud with the embattled chairman to degenerate into political blackmail and backbiting among Kano party faithful.

Mada claimed that he was aware that the only thing standing between Kwankwaso and his alleged desire to defect to the ruling APC was the presence of Ganduje as the leader of the party.

“Those fomenting trouble in Kano are of two factions. There are those of the APC extraction and others from the camp of Kwankwaso. If you have been following what is happening in the so-called Ganduje’s Ward, even we in the North know it was the handiwork of Kwankwaso in Kano.

“They are using that avenue to create propaganda. I believe Kwankwaso, as a statesman, should have done better because both of them have been together for about 40 years.”

But another APC chieftain, Sylvester Monidafe, did not share his sentiment.

He stated, “My concern is not about Ganduje himself, but the party and Tinubu’s legacy. I have known Tinubu since 2006 in the ACN days when I returned to active politics.

“We all saw how he stood up to President Olusegun Obasanjo when he tried to undermine the South West states. Basically all the governors except Tinubu fell for his tricks. He stood up to the man and said ‘No way’ before he formed the AD.

“I have been with this man for that long. We used to call him ‘the last man standing.’ He is politically astute and I don’t think he will allow Ganduje or anybody to soil his name.

“On the talks that the president may be attempting to throw him under the bus for Kwankwaso, I have no idea. But I know Tinubu would like to do the right thing. You may want to ask what the right thing is.”

Politics

Edo Labour Party Suspends Youth Leader

Published

13 hours ago

May 11, 2024

Editor

Leadership of the Edo State chapter of Labour Party says it has suspended Youth Leader of the party, Ken Omusi, over an alleged invasion of the party secretariat in Benin City on Thursday.

Omosi, alongside other youths were said to have invaded the party secretariat, sacked the the Kelly Ogbaloi-led State Working Committee and declared himself (Omosi) as the acting chairman of the party.

He further claimed that over the last three months, not less than 350 members had been suspended on the WhatsApp platform of the party by the state chairman without the backing of the party.

While announcing the dissolution of the executives of the party, Omusi called on the national leadership of the party in Abuja to ratify their actions and resolutions.

But addressing newsmen in Benin, chairman of the party, Ogbaloi, while condemning the invasion by the Youth Leader, noted that Omusi has since been suspended for anti-party activities.

Ogbaloi added that the State Working Committee, in the spirit of brotherhood ahead of the governorship election, has lifted the suspension earlier slammed on some members.

According to him, a reconciliation committee would be set up by the state executive to make peace with any of the aggrieved members before the election.

He, however, appealed to members of the party to leverage on the forthcoming new voter registration exercise to expand the voters base as well as ensure broader participation in the electoral process.

“A robust membership drive shall be launched to attract new members and reconcile with the disenchanted individuals who have legitimate grievances”, he added.

He equally urged all members of the party, as well eligible voters in the state, to rally behind the Labour Party’s governorship candidate, Barrister Olumide Akpata and his running mate, Prince Yusuf Asamah Kadiri, in the election

Politics

Rivers Crisis: Why Gov Fubura Got Into ‘Trouble’ – Secondus

Published

16 hours ago

May 11, 2024

Editor

Former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has said Rivers State Governor, Similaye Fubura, was being haunded by his political opponents for daring to prevent the looting of the state.

He explained that the political crisis in the state was orchestrated by those who demand unfettered access to the finances of the state a demand the governor has refused to accept.

Secondus who spoke in Abuja, on Saturday, also accused the immediate past Governor of the state and now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, of being the brain behind Fubura’s political troubles.

He explained that Wike’s conduct, utterances and unrelenting fued with the governor, has cast the state in bad light.

Secondus said, “Wike has been Governor for eight years and is now Minister of the FCT. As Minister, what, has he (Wike) attracted in terms of Federal projects to our dear State since he assumed office? Perhaps misery, grief, and anguish. As Governor he had supervised the exit of investors from the state due to his draconian policies.

“He had on an occasion mentioned that he is capable of causing crisis and he is not far from the truth, as he is causing an unfathomable crisis in Rivers State.

“Mrs Patience Jonathan and I worked for his emergence as governor, have we ever breathed down his neck? Instead what we get is disrespect and insults.

“ I can attest to Dr. Odili’s performance as Governor being the State PDP chairman then. I hasten to say without any fear of contradiction that he is the best governor of Rivers State in this dispensation.

“Wike claims that our revered Dr. Odili made him but in his characteristic manner, he publicly ridiculed the Odili’s without any justification. He owes them an unreserved apology and he should do so publicly.

“These media attacks against the political leaders of Rivers State are unwarranted and diversionary.

“For the records you should account for the three hundred million dollars($300m) you collected from the NNPC for the Ogoni Oil well and the cash refund made by the Saipem oil and gas company and subsequently account for your eight-year tenure of over N4Trillion realized, mismanaged and squandered. Rather than trying to cover your inadequacies through media attacks.”

These attacks, he stressed, might dovetail into a national crisis if not properly checked.

While appealing to President Bola Tinubu to reign in the FCT minister, Secondus added, “I call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to prevail on the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike to stop overheating the Rivers State political atmosphere and allow Fubara to work. Whatever Wike thinks he is It must be stressed that Rivers people made him.”