Politics

Ondo Poll: APC Aspirants Absent At Meeting With Aiyedatiwa

Published

1 year ago

January 23, 2024

The Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, on Monday, met with the stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress in the state, calling on them to promote unity for the progress of the party.

The meeting came barely three weeks after Aiyedatiwa was sworn in as the seventh executive governor of the state following the death of his predecessor and principal, Rotimi Akeredolu.

Monday’s meeting was the first Aiyedatiwa would hold with APC chieftains after he assumed office as governor.

At the moment, activities towards the governorship election in the state coming up later in the year have started gathering momentum.

The APC had ruled out giving Aiyedatiwa an automatic ticket for the election.

At the Monday meeting, many of the Ondo APC bigwigs eyeing the seat of the governor were absent.

At the meeting held at the International Culture and Event Centre, Akure, only one governorship aspirant, Mrs Oladunni Odu, who is Secretary to the State Government, was present.

Some of the governorship aspirants, who did not attend the meeting, were Chief Olusola Oke, Mr Wake Akinterinwa, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, Mr Mayowa Akinfolarin, Mr Gbenga Edema, Jimi Odimayo and Olamide Ohunyeye.

Also, only one member of the National Assembly, Abiola Makinde, attended the meeting.

The National Vice Chairman (South-West ) of the party, Mr Isaac Kekemeke, the Minister of Interior, Olubumi Tunji-Ojo, and the Minister of State for Youths Development, Ayodele Olawande, were absent from the meeting.

It was gathered that an invitation was not extended to the absentees as the meeting was called at the instance of Governor Aiyedatiwa ahead of the forthcoming primary of the party in April.

Stating the reason for his absence, one of the aspirants, Oke, said, “I received the invitation for that meeting at 2:00 a.m. today (Monday). I saw it on my phone and the meeting is 11:00 a.m. and already, I am in Abuja going to attend an important function.

“I responded to it that the notice came too short and I couldn’t attend, but I had no reason not to attend the meeting. I would have attended if I had been notified earlier. I don’t know if it was sent late deliberately or not.”

Similarly, another aspirant and former member of the House of Representatives, Mr Mayowa Akinfolarin, said he was not invited to the meeting and he could not attend such an event.

“I was not invited to the meeting; my close associates were not invited too,” Akinfolarin stated.

But the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Ebenezer Adeniyan, said every stakeholder was invited to the meeting.

“They were all invited through their local governments,” the CPS stated.

Speaking at the stakeholders meeting, Aiyedatiwa urged the chieftains of the party to embrace peace and unity ahead of the coming governorship election in the state, appealing to them to forget the past and move the party forward. He also declared that there was no vacancy in the governor’s office currently.

“We must all come together as one family to work together for the progress of our party knowing for sure this is an election year, an election to the office of the Governor of Ondo State even though the seat is not vacant currently. Let us work together In oneness and in peace so that our party, the APC, will continue to govern this state,” the governor said.

The state Chairman of the APC, Mr Ade Adetimehin, commended the governor for the timely engagement of the party stakeholders, stressing that party leaders must put the past behind them to foster unity ahead of the coming governorship election.

Those present at the meeting included members of the state House of Assembly, led by the Speaker, Mr Olamide Oladiji, former deputy governors, Alhaji Ali Olanusi and Alhaji Lasisi Oluboyo, a former state chairman of the party, Ambassador Sola Iji, former SSG, Sunday Abegunde, member of the House of Representatives, Mr Biola Makinde, Chief Segun Ojo, Chief Jamiu Ekungba, Mrs. Jumoke Anifowose, among many others.

Politics

APC Now Mourns Buhari After Blaming Him For Failures—ADC

Published

7 hours ago

July 15, 2025

Editor

African Democratic Congress, ADC, has accused APC and the federal government of hypocrisy over their sudden display of grief, following the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

The ADC said the ruling party, which had spent the last two years blaming Buhari for Nigeria’s challenges, was now seeking to portray itself as the chief mourner.

In a statement signed by Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC’s Interim National Publicity Secretary and spokesperson for the opposition coalition, the party reaffirmed its declaration of a three-day mourning period across all its chapters and structures, beginning today.

‘’During this period, the ADC will suspend all political activities and public statements in honour of Buhari’s contributions to the country.

“Regardless of political affiliations, what cannot be denied is that President Buhari served this country with a fierce sense of duty, personal discipline, and conviction,” the statement read.

The party also highlighted Buhari’s popularity among ordinary Nigerians, especially the poor, who, it said, ‘stuck with him throughout his political sojourn and thereafter.’

However, the ADC expressed disappointment over what it called APC’s sudden shift in tone, saying “we note with regrets that his own political party and the government, which had done everything in the last two years to tarnish his records, dismantle his legacies, and blame him for every one of their failings, are now posturing as the chief mourners at his burial.’’

The party described this behaviour as ‘sheer hypocrisy’ and a ‘brazen move to harvest political gains from a national tragedy.’

It further urged Buhari’s family and loyalists to be cautious of what it called political opportunism during this mourning period, and encouraged Nigerians to reflect on Buhari’s enduring qualities.

“Let his memory be a mirror that reflects the personal ethics we must continue to demand from leadership for generations to come,” Abdullahi added.
(VANGUARD)

Politics

Why I Support ADC’s Coalition But Remain In PDP — Lamido

Published

7 hours ago

July 15, 2025

Editor

Former Jigawa State governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, has said while his support for the Senator David Mark-led adopted party, African Democratic Congress, ADC, remained, his loyalty to Peoples Democratic Party PDP, was unquestionable.

This came on a day African Democratic Congress, ADC, accused the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the federal government of hypocrisy over their sudden display of grief, following the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Lamido spoke to a crowd of his loyalists at an empowerment event organised by Senator Mustapha Khabeeb (PDP, Jigawa South West), in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, over the weekend.

The former governor, who is one of the founding fathers of the PDP, said the coalition of opposition parties was put together to salvage Nigerians from the misrule of the ruling All Progressives Congress in order to rebuild Nigeria.

Lamido said: “Yes, I support the coming together of the opposition under the ADC, but let it be known I will never leave the PDP. I built this house with my sweat and soul. My role now is to offer guidance and ensure Nigeria finds her way back.”

He blasted the APC-led administration at both the state and federal levels for failing the people in every sphere of governance.

“The three PDP federal lawmakers from Jigawa are serving the people. APC lawmakers? They’re serving only themselves. Let the people judge.” He declared.

In a symbolic gesture to signal unity among opposition parties in the state, Lamido introduced Kabiru Hussaini, the state ADC chairman to the PDP crowd.

Senator Mustapha Khabeeb, the host of the event, echoed Lamido’s sentiments, reminding the audience of the PDP’s legacy of progress, especially during Lamido’s time as governor.

He said: “From 1999 to 2015, and especially under Sule Lamido, Jigawa knew what development looked like—roads, schools, hospitals, real change. What do we have now? APC has brought nothing but hunger and hopelessness.”

Khabeeb equally showcased his efforts to continue the PDP legacy through massive empowerment drives.

According to him, this year alone, over 3,000 people were lifted by distribution of equipment, including 600 irrigation machines,100 solar-powered irrigation units,100 paddy rice threshers, sewing and grinding machines and 750 sprayers and 3,000 litres of herbicide

“We’re not waiting for miracles, we’re working. Just like we did last year, and in 2023, we’re lifting our people out of poverty one tool, one machine at a time.

“Compare for yourself—under PDP and Lamido, there was progress. Under APC? Na talauci kawai suka kawo (they only brought poverty),’’ the lawmaker said.

The rally ended with chants of PDP solidarity, as supporters vowed to defend the party’s legacy and prepare for what many are calling a grand opposition comeback in 2027.
(VANGUARD)

Politics

Obaseki: Leader, I Know How Pained You Are,’ Wike Apologises To Oshiomhole

Published

7 hours ago

July 15, 2025

Editor

Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has apologised to Sen. Adams Oshiomhole, a former governor of the state, for humiliating him over Godwin Obaseki.

INFO DAILY recalls that Wike, who was the chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Council for Edo 2020 gubernatorial election (Obaseki Re-election), had, during his appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, November 4, 2020, edition said the governor (Obaseki) has “resolved to quash acts of violence by the APC, its sacked National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, and the party’s gubernatorial candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu.”

He added during the show: “Four years ago, the former national chairman of the APC said that Obaseki was his brain box and the person behind everything he achieved; it is clear, he said so. The same man said the PDP candidate in the 2016 election was not electable.

“Why was he not electable? According to Oshiomhole, Ize-Iyamu can’t be trusted with money. The same man who you could not give an appointment or entrust with money is the same man you are telling Edo people to now vote for.

“You wake up in the morning and you tell Edo people something, and in the night you call the same Edo people and say, what I said in the morning, I didn’t mean it; how do we now know the one that you meant?” Wike queried.

But Wike, who has been in a political romance with the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its leader in recent time, profuriously apologized to Comrade Oshiomhole in a statement made available to newsmen by his spokesman, Mr Lere Olayinka.

Wike said: “Leader, I know how pained you are and what you passed through; I know it was like a humiliation to you.

“I was part of it because I humiliated you while supporting Obaseki. I apologised to you on national TV and I am still saying sorry for what I did to you.”

Wike was in Edo to inaugurate the newly constructed Edo Line Terminal in Benin, which is the second phase of the Benin Central Bus Terminal.

The event was, however, cancelled following the demise of former President Muhammadu Buhari.