Politics

Obi Will Garner Votes In South-East, Umahi Confesses

Published

3 years ago

September 9, 2022

The Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, on Friday, said the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, would garner a significant number of votes from the South-East.

The former presidential aspirant who described himself as a loyal party man rooting for the All Progressive Congress’ win in the 2023 presidential election, said Obi’s political movement would be an effective harbinger for an Igbo presidency.

However, the movement will not “translate into an outright win”. Umahi revealed this to State House Correspondents shortly after a private visit to the President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.

The visit, he said, is to invite Buhari to commission the new N1.2bn Ebonyi State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja in mid-October.

Feilding a question about his earlier reservations following his loss at the APC presidential primaries and his demand for a president of Southeast extraction in 2023, Umahi described the Obi Movement as an eye opener showing that the South East would not be forgotten in Nigeria’s politics.

The governor said despite the Labour Party’s poise to take a bulk of the Southeast votes, the APC will emerge victorious in next year’s election.

Asked what critical selling points will form the APC’s campaign message in the southeast, he said: “It’s going to be a different ball game altogether. Because when the campaign starts, yes, the interest of our people in terms of the presidency is there, you can’t wish it away. But everyone in the southeast holding the ticket of their party is going to be struggling. You will not tell the guy that has the ticket of the House of Assembly to look at the bigger picture of Igbo presidency. He may not see it but that is not to say that Peter Obi is not going to get substantial votes in the South East.

“But the structure and the spread of APC is such that victory is assured. And I can assure you that some of the disagreements in some states are going to be resolved. A mechanism has been put in place by Mr. President, the candidate of the party, his vice and then the national chairman and leadership of the party, to sort out our differences. And I think we are well prepared for victory in 2023.”

Questioned about the southeast’s readiness to man the presidency, Umahi said: “What happened during the primaries of PDP and APC, were a kind of miscalculation by our people but to say whether they’re ready for the presidency of the country anytime, I think that the movement of Peter Obi is an eye opener.

“That’s why I said, I love what he’s doing. I’m encouraged by what he’s doing. Because if he’s not doing what he’s doing, it means that the South East would have been forgotten.

“So, while my party takes the victory, he would have prepared a very good ground, for the South East Presidency, so that nobody is going to write us off. And you can see the level of his acceptability, which does not translate to victory over APC. I’m sure of that, but it’s a good movement. And it reassures the southeast people and the entire country that we are accepted, you know, that we will one day become the president of this country. It is very important.”

He however argued that there is no direct link between the reduced cases of killings in the southeast and the Obi movement.

Lately, there has been an ongoing narrative that the gory violence prevalent in the Southeast is subsiding due to the prospect of Peter Obi clinching the Presidency in 2023.

He said “You cannot technically assign the reduction in the killings for Igbo presidency, you can see that security generally is improving in the country. And it has nothing to do with the movement of Peter Obi.

“Peter Obi movement is a movement that is anchored on equity, justice and fairness. It may not translate to an outright win because I must defend my party, I must wish my party well and I’m having the ticket of my party.

“But whether what he is doing has meaning there, it is not only in the southeast, it does have meaning. So we must never attribute the killings in the southeast to this kind of movement,” he argued.

Umahi noted that every candidate has a chance to win the elections and he wishes Peter Obi the victory.

“As a party man, I would wish that our party would win. And if God says no, the next person I wish that should win is Peter Obi. Because I believe strongly and I will say it anywhere in this north-south presidency after the north has taken eight years, there is no moral justification for the north to be seeking to take another eight years, it should go to the south. And so, I’m not wishing Peter Obi away.

“Everybody has the chance of winning and chances of losing but you must always have a wish,” he said.

Politics

Ekiti 2026: APC Aspirant Slams Oyebanji For Threatening Party Leaders

Published

13 hours ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

An All Progressives Congress aspirant in the 2026 governorship election, Kayode Ojo, on Sunday, tackled Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, for threatening party chairman in the local government area and wards not to entertain any other contender.

Ojo, who said that the governor’s waning popularity had pushed him to desperation, said, “This threat is not only ludicrous, but also vexatious and aptly demonstrates to all and sundry that the governor intends to turn the APC into his private fiefdom and family inheritance.”

The APC aspirant, represented by the Chairman, Consultative Forum of Kayode Ojo, Olukayode Oluyemo, who spoke at a press conference in Ado Ekiti on Sunday, expressed confidence that Ojo would win the party’s October 27, 2025 primary election despite alleged attacks and harassment from Oyebanji’s camp.

He restarted his determination to govern Ekiti State to redress what he called “the inexplicable stagnation ravaging Ekiti State despite the huge monthly allocation from the Federation Account as well as the state’s potential for development and growth.”

He spoke in reaction to a statement credited to Oyebanji on Friday while receiving his APC expression of interest and nomination forms from a group within the Ekiti State University Alumni Association, which obtained the forms for him.

Oyebanji was quoted to have said, “I want to see the local government, I want to see the local government chairman and the ward chairman of APC that will open their doors and offices for these people. I want to know the party member that will receive them.”

But Ojo described the governor’s threat as a “violation of APC Constitution on the issue that members of the party are free to associate and to hold meetings with any aspirant in as much that they belong to the same party. We are members of APC, I don’t see why the governor is violating this constitutional provision.

“It is our party, so we are calling on the national executives of our party in Abuja to caution him so that he will not destroy APC.

Politics

Benue Assembly Gets New Speaker

Published

15 hours ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

Benue State House of Assembly on Sunday elected Alfred Emberger as its new speaker.

The appointment came shortly after the resignation of the former speaker, Aondona Dajoh.

The new speaker is one of the four members suspended last Friday for attempting to remove the former speaker.

At the plenary session held on Sunday and presided over by the deputy speaker, Lami Danaldi-Ogenyi, the house resolved to lift the suspension on the four members.

The majority leader, Saater Tiseer, who said that the plenary was an emergency one, moved a motion for the lifting of the suspension on the four members and was seconded by Samuel Jiji of Logo state constituency.

The deputy speaker said, “Following the motion raised by the majority leader and supported by members of the house, this house has resolved to lift the suspension of the four members.”

After lifting the suspension, the four members were ushered into the chamber, and the nomination of the new speaker was announced.

A member representing the Makurdi South state constituency, Douglas Akyaa, moved a motion and nominated Emberger for the position of new speaker, seconded by Abu Umoru of the Apa state constituency.

While there was no other nomination, the new speaker took the oath of office administered by the Clerk of the house, John Hwande

The new speaker, in his acceptance speech, commended the former speaker for his service and commitment to the progress of the house and the people of the state.

He further said, “To my esteemed colleagues, I assure you that this leadership will be anchored on inclusiveness, fairness and respect for diverse opinions.

“This house under my watch will work harmoniously with the executive and judiciary while maintaining our independence in line with the principle of separation of powers.”

Politics

JUST IN: Benue Assembly Speaker Aondona Dajoh Resigns

Published

15 hours ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

The Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Aondona Dajoh, has resigned from his position.

According to Channels TV, the resignation is contained in a letter dated August 24, 2025, and titled “Resignation as the Speaker, Benue State House of Assembly.”

Dajoh said his decision was made in good faith and in the interest of the state.

“I write to resign my position as the Speaker, Benue State House of Assembly, effective today, August 24, 2025. This is done in good faith and in the best interest of the state. I want to appreciate my dear colleagues for the opportunity they gave me to be the first among equals,” the letter, personally signed by Dajoh, read in part.

Dajoh, who represents Gboko West State Constituency, pledged to continue serving as a legislator.

“I pledge to remain committed to my duties as a legislator and representative of Gboko West State Constituency,” he added.

Details about who will replace Dajoh had not been released at the time of filing this report.

The House is expected to follow its standing orders to fill the vacancy and name a new speaker in line with legislative procedure.