Politics

2023 Postmortem: Why I Withdrew From Tribunal – SDP’s Abe

Published

2 years ago

June 28, 2023

Former governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Senator Magnus Abe, has said the reason he withdrew his case from the election tribunal in Rivers State was due to political exigencies.

Fielding questions on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Senator Abe, while reacting to the EU’s position on Nigeria’s electoral process, said, “Substantially, we have done very well. The truth is that I have been part of elections in this country since 1999 and even before that, even until today. I keep telling people that the 2023 election is the best election we have ever conducted in this country.

“If you look at the participation of the people, the way the election was conducted, you will notice a lot of improvements. First of all, in the law, with the use of technology, and accreditation, where the system was allowed to work, it worked very well. But actually, like your guest said, the conduct of politicians in undermining the process itself, is actually the biggest problem that we face as far as elections are concerned.

“Even in older democracies, elections are a work in progress. As you see things that undermine or challenge the process, you take steps to correct them. So I think that from every other election circle, there’s a lot to learn from them. But in terms of improvement on our electoral process, anybody who is objective, will agree that the 2023 elections, the 2022 electoral act are a major way forward for the Federal Republic of Nigeria in terms of elections. Even in terms of following the rules, we can improve. The thing that went wrong in the election was the fact that politicians refused to play by the rules.”

Asked if he was rigged out in the Rivers state governorship election, he said, “I have said several times that elections in Rivers were an aberration. I even said before the election that there would be problems in Rivers State, and there were problems. But I withdrew my case due to political exigencies, and you know that we have a new president, new hopes, and we are going somewhere, and I do believe that as much as possible, all of us should put our hands together to move the country forward.”

Politics

Oshiomhole Blasts Amaechi, Says He Built Railway To Niger Republic Instead Of Port Harcourt

Published

9 hours ago

November 24, 2025

Editor

Senator Adams Oshiomhole on Monday criticised former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, accusing him of poor judgment and misplaced priorities during his tenure in office.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Oshiomhole said: “Rotimi Amaechi is the most terrible. Look at the choice of language. A guy who shut down Rivers judiciary because he wanted to appoint his own personal favourite as chief judge of Rivers State. Once he couldn’t have his way, the Rivers State judiciary was shut down for almost two years.

“Look at the crisis in the railway system that he superintendent over for eight unbroken years. He was unable to get the priorities right, playing to the gallery.

“Now he rather constructed a rail, not to Kano, not to Port Harcourt, where he came from, but to Niger Republic.

“Which goods are we sending to Niger Republic? He was a minister. And if you were a minister under Buhari, you will be fair to him, life or death, that Buhari gave anyone he appointed free hand to do the job he assigned to you. That is what Buhari was.”

Politics

State Police Can No Longer Be Delayed – South-West Governors

Published

9 hours ago

November 24, 2025

Editor

The Southwest Governors Forum is set to create a South West Regional Security Fund to strengthen responses to insecurity in the region.

This initiative aims to address the rise in kidnapping, banditry, illegal mining, and unregulated interstate migration.

The decision was reached during a meeting of the six governors on Monday at the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Ibadan, Oyo State.

In the communiqué issued at the end, it was agreed that all six states would support coordinated operations, joint intelligence sharing, and rapid-response initiatives across Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti states.

The governors also emphasised that the establishment of state police “can no longer be delayed.”

They applauded President Bola Tinubu for security interventions in states affected by kidnappings, while urging sustained attention on regional development.

Politics

JUST IN: Atiku Officially Joins ADC, Registers With Party In Adamawa

Published

16 hours ago

November 24, 2025

Editor

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has officially registered as a member of the African Democratic Congress in Adamawa State, signalling a major development in Nigeria’s opposition politics ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The registration took place on Monday, following Atiku’s announcement to ADC supporters and stakeholders in Adamawa over the weekend.

Abdul Rasheeth, an aide to the former vice president, had confirmed the development in a statement obtained by The PUNCH.

Videos and photos from the event showed Atiku’s convoy arriving in the town to the cheers of supporters, who beat drums, sang, and carried placards with his image.

Atiku waved and greeted well-wishers from his vehicle as he received his ADC membership card.

In a brief X (Formerly Twitter) post on his handle shorty after his registration, Atiku wrote,” It’s official. -AA”

This move formalises Atiku’s association with the coalition party, which he had previously endorsed in July as a platform for opposition figures, including Peter Obi and Babachir Lawal, to challenge President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

Until now, Atiku and other opposition leaders had delayed their formal registration with the ADC.

The former vice president’s registration is expected to strengthen the party’s profile and consolidate the opposition ahead of the next general election.