Politics

JUST IN: Tinubu’s Campaign Organisation Retracts Comments On Buhari

Published

3 years ago

June 3, 2022

Editor

The Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Presidential Campaign Organisation has stated that the comments made by a presidential aspirant, Bola Tinubu, have been misinterpreted by the media.

Tinubu, while on a consultation visit to the delegates of the All Progressives Congress in Ogun State had reeled out how he put the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, among others, in Nigeria’s political limelight.

In a statement signed by the campaign Director of Media & Communications, Bayo Onanuga, on Friday, the reports of Tinubu’s statement were described as “erroneous, misleading and mischievous”.

Onanuga stated that Tinubu’s comments were in the public domain and were facts which have been analysed for years.

The statement read, “The attention of the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Presidential Campaign Organisation has been drawn to the erroneous, misleading and mischievous interpretation of his address in Abeokuta, capital of Ogun State on Thursday.

“It is on record that the leading presidential aspirant in the forthcoming primaries of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu addressed the national delegates of the party in Ogun State, with Governor Mr Dapo Abiodun in attendance.

“In his effort to convince the party delegates to vote for him at the primaries, he went down memory lane to provide specific instances when he brought his political clout and strategic skills to assist individuals, groups and tendencies in the party to gain political power.

“These factual references are already in the public realm. They have been reported and analysed in the media in the last eight years. They are, therefore, matters of public knowledge.”

The campaign organisation further stated that the comments of the former governor of Lagos State were twisted by the opposition in the APC to discredit their candidate.

It added that Tinubu did not mean any disrespect to President Buhari with his comment, nor did he speak on tribal lines when he spoke in Abeokuta, referring to a WhatsApp message sent by Babachir Lawal.

“While we recognise that recent unexpected interventions in the timetable and the heat generated by the proximity of the event might have led to some anxiety, this campaign organisation believes that the main thrust of Asiwaju’s presentation was that, his huge contributions to the formation and electoral success of the All Progressives Congress should count in his favour as a true party man who desires to be the flag bearer.

“There is also no doubt that the fresh conditions proposed by President Muhammadu Buhari for the consideration of a presidential candidate of the party made it necessary for Asiwaju to labour to convince the delegates that he fits the bill.

“The campaign was surprised at the way the opposition and Tinubu’s traducers had turned his statement to give an interpretation Tinubu did not mean and did not say.

“At no time did Tinubu play any ethnic card or denigrate any ethnic group. That is surely out of his character, as Engineer David Babachir Lawal, attested in his viral WhatsApp statement.

“Tinubu’s speech in Abeokuta did not demonstrate any disrespect to President Buhari, for whom he has very high regard, and whose re-election campaign he chaired in 2019.

“Since the video of the speech he delivered in Yoruba hit the social media, varied interpretations have been given to the speech, which in the main was about Governor Abiodun, who in the true tradition of Yoruba culture bowed to his leader after Tinubu’s short speech.

“The Tinubu campaign is not surprised why the opposition in the APC have decided to turn and twist the statement.

“The former Lagos governor, a great party man remains the man to beat at the party’s convention on Monday.

“We are least surprised that he is the target of well-calculated and most unkind virulent attacks

“The campaign organisation hereby appeals to the media to avoid over-sensationalising issues of facts and play its constitutional role of informing the electorate to make informed choices at the presidential primaries,” the statement concluded.

PUNCH.

Politics

Worst Of PDP Defections Yet To Come – Saraki Warns

Published

1 hour ago

June 28, 2025

Editor

Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Reconciliation Committee, and former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has warned that more defections from the party may still occur, even as efforts continue to reposition the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Saraki made this known during an interview on Arise TV on Friday.

He said: “PDP would likely see one or two more defections, and we should prepare ourselves for that; there is a possibility.

“We haven’t seen the worst of the defections for PDP. We would probably see maybe one or two governors who will defect, and we might see some senators who will defect.”

He, however, described the timing of the crisis as an advantage, arguing that it gives the PDP time to recover and rebuild before the election cycle begins in full swing.

“For some of us, this happening early in PDP is an advantage. We are lucky that this is not happening, let’s say, late 2026; we would not even have had time to recover and regroup,” he said.

“We have just under two years to the election, and we are lucky to have that. I think, with a lot of commitment and understanding, it is not a lost cause.

“A party with over 26 years of history that has been around, the largest party, we will definitely have low times like this.”

Despite the turbulence at the national level, Saraki said the PDP remains strong at the grassroots and across state structures.

He said: “When you go round the country, the state chapters, the local government chapters, the party is still very strong in the grassroots. In some areas in the country, they are not even aware of what is happening at our level, in Abuja.

“The reactions we are seeing at the grassroots give us a lot of encouragement. But what we need to do is to get to the bottom and start to build.”

He added that the party is already laying the groundwork for the 2027 elections but warned that the stakes go beyond just party survival.

“This is not just about resolving today’s issues. It’s about building for the future. The next convention must not be business as usual. We must bring in new, younger faces who represent the future of this party.

“If PDP fails, Nigeria edges closer to a one-party state. And that would be a disaster for democracy.”

Politics

CSO, PDP Bicker Over Fagbemi’s Stand On Osun LG Crisis

Published

1 day ago

June 27, 2025

Editor

An Osun-based civil society group, The Osun Masterminds, has urged the State Government to respect the opinion of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, regarding the leadership crisis rocking local government areas in the state.

The group said Fagbemi, being the number one law officer of the federation, his opinions on issues relating to law are not just official, but are also binding.

This was disclosed by the Executive Director of the group, Prof. Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli, while speaking with journalists at the monthly media briefing of the organisation held in Osogbo on Friday.

Oyedokun-Alli, who said accused the state government of disregard for, not just the Appeal Court, but also the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, adding that the group has studied several legal positions on the Osun local government disputes and came to the conclusion that the government was swimming against the tide of clear court pronouncements.

“We are to point out, however, that the utter disregard for, not just the Appeal Court, but also the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, by the Osun State Government is a matter of grave concern. Where we understand that the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, is the number one Law Officer of the Federation, we must realise that his opinions are not just official, they are also binding.

“We have studied several legal positions on this matter, especially from highly revered silks who have dissected the pronouncements of the Court, and one thing remains obvious – the Osun State Government is swimming against the tide of clear Court pronouncements.

“The question that begs answers, however, is why the Osun State Government is so unwilling to work with Local Government Chairmen elected under a different political platform. Where we respect the principles of separation of powers, should we not be willing to work together even if the political parties are not the same? Has the APC-led Federal Government refused to work with the Adeleke Government because it is of the PDP?”, Oyedokun-Alli said.

Calling on the stakeholders to prevail on the Osun State Government to end the LG crisis, Oyedokun-Alli, however, urged the residents, regardless of party affiliation, to cohabitate in peace.

Responding to issues raised by the group, the spokesperson for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, Oladele Bamiji, said TOM was a partisan organisation that has consistently supported the All Progressives Congress in the state.

Bamiji further said, “Their so-called ‘civil society’ posturing has long collapsed under the weight of its hypocrisy and shameless servitude to the dictates of APC in Osun and beyond, and it is sad they are dead to their dented image out there.

“TOM has again confirmed to the people of Osun that it is nothing but a busy body propaganda irritant of the APC, issuing monthly rankings, not out of civic concern but to earn its monthly stipend from its political sponsors.

“We find it laughable and frankly disturbing that any group claiming to possess civic literacy would hold binding the personal opinion of a political appointee like the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, over and above the ruling of a competent court of law.”
(PUNCH)

Politics

BREAKING: Confusion As APC Chair, Ganduje Resigns

Published

1 day ago

June 27, 2025

Editor

National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, has resigned from his position, Saturday Vanguard has learned.

Although the exact circumstances surrounding his resignation remain unclear as of press time, a senior party official confirmed the development, stating simply, “Yes, it is true. He has resigned.”

Sources revealed that Ganduje’s personal belongings were earlier moved from his office at the APC national secretariat, further fueling speculation.

The development has thrown the party’s headquarters into confusion, with staff and visitors visibly shocked by the unexpected news.