Politics

APC Presidential Ticket: Tinubu, Amaechi At War

Published

4 years ago

April 17, 2022

Ahead of the May 29/30 presidential primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), two of the leading aspirants have begun to plot victory graph on how to secure the ticket of the party.

Sunday Tribune investigation revealed that a former governor of Lagos State and national leader of the party, Senator Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, are pushing ahead of other aspirants by fishing for the votes of the party’s statutory delegates.

Both Tinubu and Amaechi’s jostling for delegates is part of their back-up plans should the rumoured consensus arrangement being flown by some interests within the party fail.

Nigerian Tribune that the statutory delegates of the party number about 3,000 across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The statutory delegates are former and serving federal lawmakers as well as former and current principal officers of state assemblies.

Sunday Tribune investigations revealed that they constitute about one third of the total delegates who will decide the fate of the presidential aspirants.

Amaechi’s foot-soldiers, Sunday Tribune gathered exclusively, have met statutory delegates from the South-West twice within a month.

The meetings, which were held during the week of the party’s national convention last month and on April 5, took place in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council and 2019 APC gubernatorial candidate in Benue State, Emmanuel Lyambee Jime, led Amaechi’s representatives to the second meeting attended by about 100 of the delegates.

It was gathered that Emmanuel-Lyambee marketed the reasons the delegates should give their votes to the two-term River State governor, chief of which was his legislative experience as a former speaker.

The delegates, who came from all the six South-West states, were told that they would have unhindered access to Amaechi if he becomes the president. A source privy to one of the meetings told Sunday Tribune that “the delegates only listened to them and never made any commitment as to who will get their votes.”

It was learnt the Tinubu also met with about 500 of the statutory delegates at a hotel in Abuja on the eve of the party’s national convention last month. At the meeting, Tinubu, it was gathered, told the attendees why he should be allowed to govern the country, noting that he had paid his democratic dues.

“During the meeting, he told us how he will approach the issue of insecurity and economy,” said one of the delegates.

A former head of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu and the Ekiti Central Senator, Opeyemi Bamidele were some of those who accompanied Tinubu to the meeting.

Ribadu, who also spoke at the meeting, described Tinubu as the most qualified to land the job and charged the delegates to give him their votes.

The former EFCC chief was quoted to have said that speculations about corruption allegations against Tinubu could not be substantiated.

He told the delegates that as the EFCC under him investigated Tinubu a number of times and found nothing incriminating against him.

Before the Abuja meeting, about 200 of the statutory delegates from the South-West delegates had gathered at a hotel in Ibadan where they declared their support for Tinubu.

The group of South-West delegates is being coordinated by a former deputy governor of Ogun State and former Senator from Ogun East, Senator Gbenga Kaka and a former Lagos West Senator, Ganiyu Solomon.

Meanwhile, as part of his ongoing consultations, Amaechi is expected to visit the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun and other leaders of thought in Oyo State tomorrow.

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Politics

PDP Crisis: INEC Rejects Turaki-led NWC

Published

5 days ago

December 23, 2025

Editor

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has said it will not recognise the Kabiru Turaki-led National Working Committee, NWC, of the Peoples Democratic Party, citing existing court judgments and unresolved legal processes.

This was as contained in a letter dated December 22, 2025, signed by INEC Secretary, Dr Rose Oriaran-Anthony.

The Commission stated that it could not act on demands to acknowledge or upload on its website the list of national officers said to have been elected at the National Convention held on November 15 and 16, 2025, in Ibadan.

According to INEC, its position was guided by subsisting court decisions and pending litigation relating to the leadership crisis within the PDP.

The electoral body further noted that it would be improper to recognise any factional officers while the matter remains before the courts.

Politics

Govt That Fails To Protect Its Citizens Has No Business Remaining In Office – Kwankwaso

Published

5 days ago

December 23, 2025

Editor

Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement and 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), has accused the Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of lacking the political will to tackle Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.

Kwankwaso spoke on Tuesday in Kano while unveiling 2,000 operatives of the Kano State Neighbourhood Security Network.

He urged President Tinubu to “rise to the occasion and truly act as the Commander-in-Chief” in addressing banditry and other security challenges.

According to him, Nigeria’s military “remains one of the most gallant in the world,” having served in international peacekeeping missions in Darfur, Liberia, and other conflict zones.

However, he said the armed forces are not being adequately supported to perform optimally.

“Today, many innocent Nigerians are being killed, while the perpetrators walk freely as if nothing happened. The government must apologise to Nigerians for its laxity in the fight against insecurity,” he said.

Kwankwaso, who once served as Minister of Defence, added: “When I was Defence Minister, I knew the capability of the Nigerian military. They are courageous and professional but need clear direction, support, and political will to do the needful.”

He stressed that Nigeria’s armed forces had historically ranked among the best globally and urged the government to equip them properly to change the current security situation.

Kwankwaso also said that if elected president in 2027, he would recruit over one million additional military personnel to strengthen national security.

“Any government that fails to protect the lives and property of its citizens has failed woefully and has no business remaining in office,” he declared.

He further called on the Federal Government to integrate community-based security initiatives, like the Kano Neighbourhood Security Network, into the national security system to boost morale and improve intelligence-driven operations against criminals.

Politics

ADC Announces Temporary Closure Of Secretariat

Published

5 days ago

December 23, 2025

Editor

The African Democratic Congress, ADC , says it has temporarily closed its National Secretariat as part of the end-of-year break.

A statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said full operations are scheduled to resume in the New Year.

According to the statement, the secretariat will close on December 23, 2025, and reopen on January 5, 2026.

The party, however, said essential skeletal services will remain available throughout the period, while all other official activities at the National Secretariat will be suspended to allow staff and party officials observe the Christmas and New Year holidays.

“This is to inform the public that the African Democratic Congress National Secretariat will close for the year on 23rd December 2025 and will resume full operations on 5th January 2026.

“During this period, only skeletal services will be available, while all other official activities at the Secretariat will be temporarily suspended,” the statement said.

The party thanked its members, partners and supporters for their continued loyalty and cooperation throughout the year, noting that their support remains critical to the growth and stability of the party.

The ADC also said it is committed to its ideals and to democratic engagement as it prepares for activities in the coming year.