Politics

2023: Tinubu, Obi, Others Unveil Agenda For Nigerian Women, Atiku Absent

Published

3 years ago

October 25, 2022

The presidential candidate of Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, has said if any candidate comes to them with promises, “let us ask him what has he done before.”

Obi spoke on Tuesday at the Voice of Women (VOW) 2022 Conference and Awards organised by Women Radio 91.7FM supported by MacArthur Foundation in Abuja.

He said when he was Anambra governor, women’s issue was given priority.

He said his chief of staff, commissioner for finance, and commissioner of local government affairs, among others, were women.

“And I can say that they were far more productive than men.

“For me, women are critical if we want to get Nigeria moves forward.

“We have to take the 50 per cent of the population we are neglecting today serious.

“I will be committed and I said this is my past and you can go and check.

“It is not about I will fight corruption but check the last place I left.

“The last place I left, I left N150 million dollars in the coffers,” he said.

He said like Bangladesh, women and youth should be given a percentage in all electoral positions which must be spelt out in the law.

Obi said as the country prepares for the next election, Nigerians must go beyond the consideration of yesterday and chart a new way forward.

“Don’t vote for me because I am from the South East, or I am an Igbo man, etc.

“It should be based on the character of the person; his competence and commitment to change things,” he said.

Also speaking, Sen. Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), said women’s matters will be prioritised if elected the president in the 2023 general election

Tinubu, who was represented by the APC vice presidential candidate, Kashim Shettima, said “the ultimate assessment of any society is the way you treat women.”

According to him, if you educate a man, you educate an individual but if you educate a woman, you educate a nation.

“It is easy to talk, but can we walk the talk. This is a big question to all,” he said.

Shettima said though 2023 poll is not a form of Olympic game, one’s track record is an important factor in the election.

“Asiwaju was the first governor to appoint a woman as deputy governor in the country,” he said.

Besides, he said Tinubu supported a lot of women to be lawmakers both at the state and national levels, including appointing them into key offices.

Shettima also said that when he was Borno governor, a number of women were appointed as commissioners.

“Asiwaju government will be a government that will be friendly to our women.

“Equity and fairness to women will be a top priority of Asiwaju government,” he said.

He said the government would be committed to social inclusion and political empowerment of women.

Shettima, who assured that education for women would be a priority, said domestic violence against women and all forms of abuse would be fought by the government.

“Asiwaju is competent and he has a track record of excellence and achievement,” he said.

The presidential candidate of Action Alliance (AA), retired Maj. Hamza Al-Mustapha, said to be a president is not about qualifications but the knowledge and skill one possesses.

“We want our women to be reformed,” he said

He said a new bill to ensure more women’s participation in governance should be passed into law.

He said he would enter a legal agreement with women to be committed to their course.

“In Action Alliance, we will enter into a legal agreement and everything we say, we will do.

“We have been deceived for years and there is no time for that anymore.

“Let every candidate you are going to vote for tell you how is he going to ensure this,” he said

Al-Mustapha said that if a candidate is elected as president and fails to fulfil the promises he made, this would afford Nigerians to sue him and his government.

Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, the Executive Director, of Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), said the women were ready to hold all the presidential candidates accountable for their promises.

“We need your full attention about what Nigerian women want.

“We are tired of things heard and not seen. It becomes very important to re-strategise.

“We will not take from any government who will not respect women. We are standing here today to tell you what Nigerians women want,” she said.

Akiyode-Afolabi, however, lamented over the low rate of women vying for political offices across the states in the forthcoming general elections.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that other presidential candidates at the event include Ado-Ibrahim Abdulmalik of Young Progressives Party; Dumebi Kachikwu of African Democratic Congress and Adebayo Adewole of the Social Democratic Party.

NAN reports that the 6th edition of the VOW Conference hosted presidential candidates to speak on their plans and commitments to Nigerian women.

However, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, was conspicuously absent at the occasion and was not represented either
VANGUARD/NAN

Politics

Agege LG Chairman Resigns

Published

3 days ago

November 5, 2025

Editor

Agege Local Government
Mr. Tunde Azeez Disco has stepped down as the Executive Chairman of Agege Local Government, citing persistent health challenges as the reason for his resignation.

The former chairman submitted his resignation letter to the Agege Local Government Legislative Arm.

He noted that his health status had significantly impacted his ability to effectively discharge his official duties.

The legislative house, while acknowledging Azeez Disco’s dedication to public service, quickly accepted the decision. Following a thorough deliberation, a unanimous resolution was passed, accepting the resignation with immediate effect.

The council wished the outgoing chairman well in his future endeavours, with the event underlining the necessity for public officials to prioritise personal health and well-being.

Ganiyu Obasa, son of the Speaker, Lagos State Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, is the Vice chairman of Agege Local Government.

In May, residents of Agege, under the banner of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the local government election in Agege.

They claimed that Obasa allegedly plans to foist his surrogates as candidates in the local government and councillorship elections.

In a meeting held in response to the announcement of candidates for the chairmanship and vice-chairmanship of the Agege Local Government and Orile-Agege Local Council Development Area (LCDA), the aggrieved residents alleged that those shortlisted as candidates to represent the area were handpicked by Obasa.

They said the process was void of internal democracy and collective participation.

Addressing the media, Kamardeen Sabitu, chairman of the PCC for Agege and Orile-Agege, alleged that Obasa did everything possible to manipulate the political structure in the area for personal gain.

During the protest, demonstrators carried placards reading “Red Card, Obasa O to ge, (it is enough). They also chanted songs such as “Enough is Enough, this suffering is enough, Tinubu, rescue us.”

Politics

JUST IN: Reps In Rowdy Session, Reject Key Motions

Published

4 days ago

November 4, 2025

Editor

The plenary session of the House of Representatives on Tuesday turned rowdy after members voted against some motions of urgent public importance, which bordered on the protection of lives and key government assets.

With the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, presiding, the session became rowdy, as members dissolved into a closed-door session to restore order.

It all started when the member representing Somolu Federal Constituency, Lagos State, Ademorin Kuye, drew the attention of his colleagues to what he called the illegal allocation of lands within the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex and prayed the House to refer the matter to the Committee on Public Assets for investigation.

Kuye, a member of the All Progressives Congress is the Chairman of the House Committee on Public Assets.

Proposing an amendment to the prayers, Delta lawmaker and Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Francis Waive, argued that though the matter brought before the Green Chamber is urgent enough, the Committee on Commerce, not Public Assets, should be in charge of the investigation.

Waive was supported by Akwa Ibom lawmaker, Mark Esset, who argued that “It is the Committee on Commerce that should take responsibility on this matter.”

On the other hand, Yusuf Gagdi representing Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency, Plateau State, supported Kuye, stating that the Public Assets Committee should be allowed to take charge of investigating the allegation of illegal land sale and submit a report to the House.

With no end to the back-and-forth argument in sight, Gbefwi Gaza (SDP, Nasarawa) on the advice of Kalu, proposed the constitution of an Ad-hoc Committee comprising members of both Committees (Public Assets and Commerce) to conduct the probe.

When subjected to a voice vote, almost an equal number of lawmakers voted in support and against the motion.

Not sure whose voices were louder, Kalu gave it to the nays, sparking unrest in the chamber.

Next on the order of urgent motions was Mohammed Bio representing Baruten/Kaima Federal Constituency, Kwara State.

Bio who lamented the worsening security situation in his constituency, prayed the House to urge the military to establish a base in the crisis-prone areas to stem the tides of attacks.

This time, more lawmakers voted against the motion, to the surprise of Kalu and the Kwara lawmaker.

It became clear to Kalu that members had resolved to frustrate the day’s session owing to the rejection of Kuye’s motion.

So, when again voices thundered against Ayodeji Alao-Akala’s motion which drew members’ attention to the need to address Nigeria’s description as a “Country of Particular Concern” by the United States President, Mr Donald Trump; Kalu allowed the motion to pass, forcing members to openly oppose the decision.

Voices of dissent rent the chambers and the plenary was suspended for a closed-door session.

…Details later

Politics

Obaseki’s Media Aide Tackles Edo Information Commissioner Over Alleged ₦600bn Debt

Published

4 days ago

November 4, 2025

Editor

A former Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, has denied leaving a debt of N600bn, urging the Monday Okpehbolo-led administration to crosscheck from the Debt Management Office (DMO) before “spewing lies.”

The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, had on Monday in Benin claimed that the immediate past administration in the state left a whooping ₦600bn debt.

Reacting to Afegbua’s claim via video call on Tuesday, Obaseki’s Media Adviser, Crusoe Osagie, challenged the current administration in the state to visit the DMO to see whether Edo drew such debt.

Crusoe, who said no government at whatever level has capacity to draw loans or enter into any debt arrangement without the knowledge and approval of the DMO, said lies being spewed by the Okpebholo’s administration is giving the country a bad image.

He said information of such gives the impression that the state is being governed by people who don’t understand what it means to run a government.

Crusoe described the claim as false and outrightly out of place.

On the planned probe of Mosium of West Africa Arts (MOWA), Crusoe noted that MOWA remained an international brand that entered into a business agreement with Edo State with all T’s crossed and all I’s dotted.

He insisted that every record about the transaction between Radisson Hotel and the Edo State government was contained in the transition report.

He said: “MOWA is an international investment drawing funds from the German government, the United Kingdom’s government, and the French government for its development. You think such an investment will be put on a land that was not ceded to that organization by the state.

“These people just come out there and toss all kinds of irresponsible information out there. At the end of the day what happens is that all of these turn around to form the intelligence that gathered out of Nigeria by the international community.

“It makes these countries think that the country is a failed state and the place is not being governed.”