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Senate Presidency: I’m Not Stepping Down, Says Kalu

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The chief whip of the Ninth Senate, Orji Kalu, has declared that he won’t step down for anybody in the Senate Presidency race.

Kalu made this known during a press briefing on Tuesday morning at the National Assembly complex in Abuja.

He also added that he was in talks with one of the contenders for the Seanet Presidency, former Zamfara governor, Abdulaziz Yari over collaboration and partnerships.

The National Working Committee of the All Progressive Party had named Senators Godswill Akpabio and Jibrin Barau as its preferred candidates for the office of the Senate President and Deputy respectively.

Senator Kalu said, “I won’t step down for anybody.

READ ALSO: Senate Presidency: APC May Settle For S-South, Tips N-West for Deputy

“We are talking with Governor Yari. Our group and his group are talking intimately and in partnership. We will make sure that no one zone can produce the Senate presidency. Like I used to tell people, no zone can produce the president of Nigeria.

“What we are trying to do with Senator Yari is a united partnership that will work for Nigeria. In the coming days or weeks, that partnership will be unveiled, so we are in serious talks. I cannot deny it; Yari is a friend of mine and I’m his friend and we have decided to talk. We have been speaking for the past four weeks and the result will be unveiled by our sponsors, he has his sponsors and I have my sponsors.”

He added, “The sponsors will come together to decide what direction this partnership will be. I’ll be very happy to reveal what the sponsors will say. Two of us are thinking of the integrity of the Senate and support President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima. If you are thinking that what happened during Saraki’s time, it will never happen again.”

The PUNCH reports that in 2015, Bukola Saraki, a former governor of Kwara state, defied the All Progressives Congress to emerge senate president. The ruling party at the time chose current Senate President Ahmad Lawan.

READ ALSO: 10th NASS Leadership: Why Akpabio May Drop Senate Presidency Ambition

The chief whip noted that the collaborations of Kalu-Yari won’t disappoint Nigerians.

He said, “We are capable of representing ourselves; Yari-Kalu – Kalu-Yari – we won’t disappoint Nigerians. We will give Nigerians what they require and the Nigerian people won’t be disappointed.”
PUNCH

 

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Edo Poll: LP Guber Candidate, Akpata Replaces Running Mate

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Olumide Akpata, the governorship candidate of the Labour Party in the forthcoming election in Edo State, has replaced his running mate, Alufokhai Oluyinka, with Prince Kadiri Yussuf Asamah (SAN).

Prior to his nomination, he served as a partner and head of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice Group at the law firm of Jackson, Etti & Edu.

His extensive experience and expertise in civil and commercial litigation, arbitration, mediation, negotiation, and regulatory compliance make him a valuable asset to the legal community.

He has also earned a reputation for his meticulous approach and dedication to achieving favourable outcomes for his clients.

READ ALSO:Students Attack LP Guber Candidate At UNIBEN, Akpata Fingers Govt Official

His nomination as running mate to Akpata has reportedly caused a mix of excitement and concern within the Auchi political circles.

While some are excited hoping his nomination would serve as a breath of fresh air and also infuse a reasonable degree of credibility into the political process, the critics, however, contended that he has been largely apolitical until now and may not change the tide in the political arena.

 

 

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[JUST IN] Ganduje: Kano APC Sacks Ward Leaders

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The All Progressives Congress, APC, state working committee in Kano, has taken drastic measures against some Ward Party Leaders who suspended the National Chairman of the Party, Umar Abdullahi Ganduje.

APC Ganduje ward in Dawakin Tofa Local Government was said to have suspended Ganduje but in a quick counter, the party’s local government officials thwarted the suspension and sacked those behind it.

The APC Dawakin Tofa Local Government Chairman, Inusa Dawanau, told Newsmen that those behind the suspension of the National Chairman were caught in anti-party activities and their records of meetings with the opposition, exposed.

READ ALSO: UPDATED: APC Suspends National Chairman, Ganduje

Adopting the suspension of the APC Ward APC leaders, the state working committee of the Party said they have sanctioned the perpetrators for six months and a special investigations panel has been set up to verify several allegations against them.

The Kano Chairman of the Party, Abdullahi Abbas, said the decisions of the LG Party Leaders have since been adopted.

We have evidence of meetings between the state government officials and those that suspended the National Chairman. The state working committee has agreed to sanction them for six months and they stand now suspended.”

However, one of the accused party men against Ganduje, Halliru Gwanjo said they decided to suspend him from the party due to the allegations levelled against him by the Kano State government on bribery.

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UPDATED: APC Suspends National Chairman, Ganduje

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The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, has been suspended from the party.

Ganduje was suspended by members of his ward, the Ganduje Ward in the Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area of Kano State on Monday.

His suspension followed alleged corruption charges levelled against him by the state government.

Recall that the Kano High Court had said Ganduje will, on April 17, 2024, be arraigned on charges bothering on allegations of bribery, diversion, and misappropriation of funds, including the purported acceptance of $413,000 and N1.38bn in bribes.

READ ALSO: BREAKING: Kano Govt To Arraign APC Chairman Ganduje, Wife April 17

The Kano State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Haruna Dederi, who confirmed the development, said Ganduje would be arraigned alongside his wife and six others.

The accused individuals, as listed in the writ of summon, include Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Hafsat Umar, Abubakar Bawuro, Umar Abdullahi Umar, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Ltd, Safari Textiles Ltd, and Lesage General Enterprises.

The Kano State Government, which initiated the criminal suit against the eight respondents, declared its readiness to present 15 witnesses to testify before Justice Usman Na’aba of State High Court number four.

It is very true. We have filed the case and it’s going to hold on the 17th of April, 2024. What I cannot confirm is whether he is served or not, but he will definitely be served,” he said.

READ ALSO: Dollar bribery: Kano Govt Files Fresh Legal Suit Against Ganduje, Wife, Six Others

Dederi further highlighted the significance of accountability in governance, remarking, “What he (Ganduje) doesn’t understand is that you cannot run away from the evil day, it will definitely come to you, and this will even serve as a deterrence to all of us that are also in government now.”

The commissioner also addressed the jurisdictional aspect of the case, asserting, “He was saying that we can’t prosecute him, forgetting that the offence also falls under the category of the state offences,” he said.

It’s not totally a federal affair and we have even appealed to Justice Liman ruling on that.”

 

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