Politics

APC Gets First Female Presidential Aspirant

Published

4 years ago

May 6, 2022

Editor

The All Progressives Congress got its first female presidential aspirant on Thursday as Ms Uju Ohanenye bought the party’s Expression of Interest and Nomination forms in Abuja.

Ohanenye told newsmen after picking the forms that male aspirants in the race would not succeed in intimidating her.

“My fear is that men will want to muscle me out, but I am standing firmly for the people I am here to protect.

“They will want to push me over, but I cannot be intimidated. I have been emboldened,’’ she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the APC’s presidential Nomination and Expression of Interest forms sell for N100 million.

Female aspirants, youths and persons with disability vying for any elective office on the platform of the party are to pay 50 per cent of the cost, however.

Ohanenye said, like the male presidential aspirants, she had what it would take to lead the country to the next phase of development.

She said she would withdraw from the race for any aspirant with the vision and desire to address growing poverty and insecurity in the country.

The aspirant stressed, however, that as a mother, she had the magic wand to do things better.

“It is so obvious and all of us know that it is time for a mother to come on board.

“As it is today, considering the state of insecurity in the country and other things, children need motherly care; we can understand that from their attitude.

“I have never been a politician, but because of what I have seen, I just felt I should come on board.

“The major solution I am bringing on board is to involve the commoners and the less privileged in the governance of the country,’’ she said.

Ohanenye, a legal practitioner, said there was the need to involve the common man in the governance of the country and to create job opportunities for the teaming unemployed youths.

She said Nigerian youths were very intelligent and should not be allowed to be engaged in anti-social activities.

“I am going to localise the construction of roads and many other things.

“I won’t copy the Westerners all through because they have their ways of constructing roads, which make the construction very expensive,’’ she said.

She explained that locals would be engaged in road construction to get them involved and to enable them to earn incomes to reduce unemployment and keep the people busy and out of mischief.

Ohanenye explained that she was not interested in contesting the governorship seat in her state because she didn’t want to be limited to a particular region or place.

“I want to be out for all Nigerians, be you Christian, Muslim, male, female; I don’t care. I just want to be there to ensure that everybody feels good.

“Lack of love, selfishness and bias are the causes of insecurity; people no longer feel any sense of belonging or reason to live,’’ she observed.

She said she would support the speculated consensus option to pick the APC’s presidential candidate on the condition that the major reason of her joining the race was addressed.

“Those issues concerning the downtrodden must be addressed.

“I don’t really care if any other person other than I takes up the responsibility, but the person must be one who will look into solving the problems of Nigeria,’’ she said.

More than 10 aspirants have so far joined the APC presidential race. They are Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; the APC national leader, Bola Tinubu; the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; and former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha.

Others are Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State; the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige; the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajuba; Governor David Umuahi of Ebonyi State, Pastor Tunde Bakare and Senator Ken Nnamani.

Other aspirants are the Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi; and ex-Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun (APC-Ogun Central).

The APC special presidential primary convention is scheduled to be held from Monday, May 30 to Wednesday, June 1.

(NAN)

Related Topics:APC female Presidential Aspirant

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Politics

Defection: Peter Obi Simply Looking For ‘Food Is Ready’ Party – Wike

Published

43 minutes ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has taken a swipe on former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, over his recent defection.

Speaking during a media parley on Wednesday, Wike said Obi is looking for a ‘food is ready’ political party.

The minister said, “Obi was in APGA, he couldn’t build APGA. He went to Labour, he ran away again from Labour. All he’s looking for is food is ready political party.”

Recall that Obi and Rabi’u Kwankwaso, former presidential candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP, on Sunday officially joined the NDC ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Politics

2027: Nobody Wants Fubara – Wike

Published

1 hour ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed claims that there is widespread support for Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara to return in 2027.

Speaking during his monthly media parley on Wednesday in Abuja, Wike suggested that Fubara can’t claim to enjoy unanimous backing from the public.

He explained that the political crisis in Rivers State had earlier been addressed through the intervention of President Bola Tinubu, particularly during impeachment proceedings initiated against Fubara.

According to Wike, the President advised all parties to embrace peace, leading to the withdrawal of the impeachment move by the State House of Assembly after agreements were reached.

Wike, however, alleged that the governor failed to fully adhere to the terms agreed during the arbitration process.

Reacting to claims that the people were urging Fubara to seek re-election in 2027, Wike rejected the assertion, insisting that such narratives were misleading.

Wike maintained that appearing before the President for arbitration required respect for the outcome, noting that all parties were expected to uphold their commitments.

He said: “The President, intervened in the impeachment proceeding. I said withdraw, let their be peace. And the governor said, look, I’m ready for peace. Look, I’m no longer interested for this. I will not do this. The Assembly went and withdrew the impeachment.

“Having withdrawn the impeachment, he is now too smart on what you agreed before the President. It’s like when you go on arbitration.”

Wike continued, “This one is what I don’t like. Nobody wants anybody. Please, don’t tell me that. Excuse me.

You can go and tell that to the market people or children. Two years that people say he should come out. Who told you that?

“Which politician will say that I was sleeping they came and woke me? Even if people people come to wake you, can’t you say, no, I won’t do it. I’m not prepared for it.

“That you appeared before a President of the country on arbitration, the two parties on arbitration, and these people respected Mr. President, and have done their own part.”

Politics

2027: Wike Opens Up On Preferred Rivers Guber Candidate

Published

2 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday said he hasn’t endorsed any candidate for the Rivers state gubernatorial election in 2027.

Wike stated this on Wednesday during his monthly media parley in Abuja.

Wike said that the endorsement will come only after a meeting by the joint coalition in the state.

He said: “I haven’t endorsed anybody. And I can’t endorse anybody until the joint coalition meets.”

DAILY POST reports that questions have been raised concerning the fate of current governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, in 2027.

The FCT Minister was reported to have endorsed former State Commissioner for Works, Alabo Dakorinama George Kelly, as his preferred candidate for the Rivers State governorship election.

Sources told DAILY POST that Wike settled for George after a closed-door meeting with key political stakeholders in Port Harcourt on Monday.