Politics

2023 Polls: How Division In APC Threatens Tinubu’s Victory

Published

2 months ago

February 4, 2023

The implementation of the Naira redesign policy and the resultant scarcity of the new notes appear to be tearing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) apart.

On Friday, a protest broke out in Oyo State capital, Ibadan, as people attacked banks and other locations. Earlier in the week, a protest also broke out in Benin City, Edo State, Enugu as well as other States.

However, the biggest protest has been coming from within the ruling party, as Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the party took the first salvo during a rally in Ogun State.

During the rally in Abeokuta, Tinubu said the redesigning of the Naira is directly targeted at his presidential ambition. He also maintained the same position in Ekiti State during the party’s rally.

In the last 72 hours, Governor Nasir El-rufai of Kaduna State has been on media rounds— he has spoken to Channels TV, TVC, Arise TV and BBC. On each appearance, the message has been the same: some elements in the Villa are conspiring against Mr Tinubu.

Some of the comments by the Kaduna State governor fueled speculations that the “Villa Cabals” are backing Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who contested against Tinubu but lost.

However, in subsequent interviews, El-rufai clarified that the VP is not part of the people sabotaging the party.

“This is not the policy of our candidate (Bola Tinubu), this is the policy of fifth columnists. They want to bring us down, they want to bring this country down,” El-rufai had said during the interview on Channels TV.

Apart from El-rufai, other associates of Mr Tinubu also made some media rounds. Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola was on Instagram Live discussing the campaign, while Ajuri Ngalale held nothing back during an interview.

Ngalale accused the CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele of presenting a poor policy direction to president Buhari.

“The outcome of the policy wasn’t what Emefiele initially presented to the President,” he said during an interview.

It would be recalled that the VP has also criticized the implementation of the policy.

Osinbajo, during a meeting with some players in the Fintech sector, said Nigerians are suffering the impact of the scarcity of the new notes.

While applying pressure, some governors of the APC equally met with the president behind closed doors on Friday: however, the president insisted on seeing through the February 10 deadline. Shortly after the meeting, Emefiele also announced that there will be no further extension.

The no-extension stance of President Buhari and Emefiele appears to be consistent with the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, who asked the CBN not to extend the deadline beyond the fixed date.

Many within the ruling party are concerned that the impact of the policy may affect their chances at the polls considering how the PDP and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) are making a push into the Northwest.

“Asiwaju is coming to terms with the impact of this policy on the election, therefore, he is pushing the Southwest base. The crowd in Osun was a statement, then Ekiti again. He is sending a message,” Ibrahim Gbadamosi, the coordinator of Asiwaju Grassroots Support told Daily Post.

“There is an uptick here, the fact the Asiwaju spoke up— he opened up the conversation around it. And look at it, the governors, particularly the Northern governors are solidly behind him. So there is no reason to be worried.

“We have six states in Southwest, we are optimistic of about five States in Northcentral, three States in Northeast and still strong in Northwest. In fact, we are pushing in States in Southsouth and Southeast.” He said.

Despite the optimism in the camp of the ruling party, many believe that the hardship associated with the swap of Naira may further weaken the chances of the ruling party.
DAILY POST

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Related Topics:#Tinubu 2023 elections 2023 Polls

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Politics

What Abians Should Expect From Me – Governor-elect, Alex Otti

Published

6 hours ago

March 23, 2023

Editor

The Abia State Governor-elect, Alex Otti, on Thursday revealed that Abians should expect general restructuring of the state once he assumes office.

Speaking on Arise Television’s The Morning Show, Otti said in the next few days he would appoint a team that would help him, adding that he would create a bigger and more robust economy in Abia.

He added that payment of salaries would be one of his main priorities.

Otti said, “In the next few days, I will appoint a team that will be sworn in on the 29 of May. I will appoint the right people who will help me.

“We will look at a lot of things, but we will take it step by step, including revenue.

“As of yesterday, I have already started engaging banks. Things they will expect is a general restructuring of Abia.”

He added, “There is no problem in taking loans, but the problem is what you do with the loans. Payment of salaries is my priority.”

“We will create a bigger economy, a robust economy, we will do everything possible to ensure our economy grows.”

Otti scored a total of 175, 467 votes cast to beat his closest rival and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Okey Ahiwe, who polled 88,529 votes to come second position.

NEC Returning Officer in the state, Prof Nnenna Nnannaya-Oti, declared Otti the winner on Wednesday evening after the resumption of the final collation of governorship election results in Umuahia.

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Politics

Those Arrested For Electoral Malpractices In Kaduna Released Without charge – Shehu Sani

Published

6 hours ago

March 23, 2023

Editor

A former federal lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, has alleged that some persons arrested for different offences during the just concluded elections in Kaduna State were released without being charged to court.

In a tweet on Thursday morning, Shehu Sani said a woman arrested with multiple Permanent Voters Cards and other men arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have all been released.

He wrote, “The woman who was arrested with multiple PVCs and paraded by the EFCC during the presidential election.

“And the men who were arrested for vote buying and paraded by the EFCC during the governorship election in Kaduna have all been released without charges and now at home”.

DAILY POST reports that operatives of the EFCC had, on February 25, during the presidential and National Assembly elections, intercepted a woman with no fewer than 18 voter cards in a sting operation at the Badarwa area of Kaduna, Kaduna State.

The woman, identified as Maryam Mamman Alhaji, who is a member of the support group of one of the leading political parties, also had in her possession a 17-page list containing names of eligible voters, their bank details, and phone numbers as accredited under Badarwa/Malali Ward 01 and 08, Kaduna North Local Government Area of the State.

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Politics

Abia Governor-elect Alex Otti Sends Message To PDP’s Okey Ahiwe, Others

Published

7 hours ago

March 23, 2023

Editor

The Abia State Governor-elect, Alex Otti, has sent a clear message to the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Okey Ahiwe, among others, that his government would not seek revenge.

DAILY POST reported that Otti got a total of 175,467 votes cast to beat his closest rival, Ahiwe, who polled 88,529 votes to come second position.

NEC Returning Officer in the state, Prof Nnenna Nnannaya-Oti, declared Otti the winner of last Saturday’s Abia Governorship election on Wednesday evening after resuming the final collation of the gubernatorial election results in Umuahia.

Speaking on Arise Television’s The Morning Show on Thursday, Otti, who noted that Ahiwe is yet to congratulate him for his victory, said revenge is not important.

Otti said, “If there is no sin, there will be no forgiveness. I will have four years in the first term and another four years.

“We are not going to try and take revenge [on the opposition parties] because it is not important.

“I have received a congratulatory message from Ikpeazu and I thank him for that.”

He added, “The votes that were cast were authentic votes. I have received a lot of congratulatory messages from candidates even before INEC announced the results yesterday [Wednesday].“I thank them for their maturity because they are not going to court. I’m yet to receive a congratulatory message from Okey Ahiwe, the PDP candidate, he is my brother.”