Politics

What Tinubu Told APC Presidential Screening Panel

Published

4 years ago

May 31, 2022

All Progressives Congress National Leader and presidential aspirant, Bola Tinubu, was questioned about his educational background and plans for Nigeria’s development by the party’s presidential screening panel on Monday.

The PUNCH obtained videos recorded from his screening on Tuesday.

In the videos, Tinubu boasted about his initiatives in Lagos and how he helped Nigeria develop its telecommunication sector.

He also defended why he is qualified to be Nigeria’s president amidst controversies over his age and educational background.

The screening panel was chaired by a former National Leader of the party, Chief John Odigie.

Apart from Tinubu, other presidential aspirants screened on Monday included former Governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun; former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi; Jigawa State Governor, Abubakar Badaru; and former Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba.

Others were Ebonyi State Governor Dave Umahi; Felix Nicholas, Senator Ajayi Borroffice, former Senate President, Ken Nnamani; Mrs. Uju Ken-Ohaneye; and former Governor of Zamfara State, Sani Yerima.

The former Lagos governor told that panel that there are three highways to development that Nigeria must prioritise.

“There are three highways in the development of a nation. If you have gas or supplying diesel, electricity transmission is also a highway and communication.

“I could remember that I brought Eron to this nation. Telecommunication is now a success today in Nigeria. I brought Econet. I helped them, they now want to adopt 5G, we started it.

“Nigeria is rich. The essence of our livelihood must be placed on short-term, and medium-term values. They must produce values for us,” he said.

The presidential aspirant also recommended the development of Nigeria’s commodity market.

According to him, he had facilitated presentations to the Federal Government in that regard.

While encouraging Nigeria to “establish commodity exchange”, he said, “Primary and secondary seedlings must not be underdeveloped. Keep your silos during every production, save your products in the silos and dry them, keep the surplus, you can never lose.”

In a statement, Director, Media and Communication, Tinubu Campaign Organisation, Bayo Onanuga, claimed that “Tinubu impressed the panel during the screening process with the way and manner he answered and provided insight into many of the questions asked.”

The statement read, “Some of the questions bordered on his upbringing, educational and professional background.

“He confidently told the panel why he is qualified to fly the flag of APC as its presidential candidate.

“He cited his success as governor of Lagos State, raising the state’s internal revenue generation from a paltry N600M monthly, which has now grown to N51 billion today.

“He also cited his invitation to Enron to begin the first state-backed power generation in Nigeria and spoke on how Nigeria will need to treat the power transmission lines as a highway.

“Tinubu in his answers demonstrated vast knowledge in economic management and a perfect understanding of Nigeria’s political economy.

“The screening committee expressed satisfaction with Tinubu’s knowledge of the economy and sociopolitical issues that are affecting the country.”

PUNCH.

Politics

Obasanjo, Atiku, Obi Meet In Abuja

Published

18 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Editor

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi met in Abuja on Saturday.

The trio were among prominent political figures who attended the Tambuwal Colloquium, titled “Leadership, Service and Statesmanship at 60,” held at the New Event Hall of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, in honour of the 60th birthday of former Sokoto State Governor and Senator, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.

Atiku confirmed his presence at the event in a post on his X handle, stating that he had arrived at the venue for the colloquium organised to mark Tambuwal’s milestone birthday.

The former vice president also shared images of himself, Obasanjo and Obi at the event.

The event attracted political leaders, statesmen and stakeholders from across the country.

Politics

PANDEF Wades Into Rivers Crisis, Sets Up Seven-member Mediation Team

Published

24 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Editor

The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has intervened in the political crisis in Rivers State, calling on all actors to sheathe their swords and embrace peace in the interest of the development of the state and the region in general.

Expressing concern that the political disagreement involving the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the State House of Assembly might degenerate to total lawlessness, the Board and National Executive Committee of PANDEF set up a seven-member reconciliation team to resolve the issues.

The team, which is headed by a former Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Kanu Agabi, has six other members.

They are Senator Obende Domingo (Vice Chairman); Chief Essien Nduese; Dr Timiebi Koripamo-Agari; Chief Mike Ejiofor; Mrs Nella Rabana-Andem, SAN; and Prince Godwin Okotie, the Deputy National Secretary of PANDEF, who will serve as the secretary of the team.

Politics

Wike: Why Removing Fubara Will Be Difficult – Ex-Commissioner

Published

2 days ago

January 9, 2026

Editor

A former Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Austin Tam-George, has said that attempts to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara would be difficult to sustain, citing what he described as the governor’s performance record and the lack of concrete allegations against him.

Tam-George made the remarks on Thursday while speaking on Prime Time on Arise Television, arguing that the impeachment process being initiated against Fubara was to scuttle his chance for a second term.

According to him, Governor Fubara has continued to place the needs of the people at the centre of his administration, with visible interventions in rural development, housing, education and healthcare.

He said this, in his view, has made it difficult for opponents to justify moves to remove the governor from office.

Tam-George also called on the All Progressives Congress, APC, to intervene, arguing that the party should not allow what he described as the humiliation of a sitting governor.

He said: “Well, all I think he needs to do is to do exactly what he’s been doing from the beginning, which is to place the people at the center of gravity of his administration, prioritize the needs of the people, so that the people can see the direct impact of government action in their lives.

“And that’s exactly what he’s doing in terms of rural development, in terms of housing sector transformation, which I mentioned that he is doing the same in education sector and in health.

“So if he continues, if he persists in placing the people’s need at the center of focus of his administration, there is no way they are going to be able to justify this kind of shenanigans.

“Because, if you look very carefully at the so called articles of impeachment, you will see that there is no specificity in terms of any infraction by the governor or his deputy.

“What they are trying to do is to make sure they scuttle the administration so that the governor doesn’t then get to the point where he will be seeking a second term.

“Let me be clear, just two days ago, Nyesom Wike was at one of the local governments, and he made it clear in a moment of epiphany, he made it clear that, look, if Governor Fubara were to get a second term in office, it will amount to his own political burial.

“So all of these things that we are seeing the so called impeachment proceedings they’ve initiated, it’s actually an effort to try to scuttle the prospects of the governor coming for a second term, and I don’t see how they will succeed.

“If you look at the so called articles of impeachment, as I said, they lack specificity in terms of the kind of infraction that they allege that the governor has committed. He has done nothing wrong, and they will see how the process will play out.

“My sense, and in fact, if I were to advise the governor, my sense is that he should just maintain the people, retain the people at the center of gravity of his administration, meet their needs, run a transparent administration as he always done, and then the truth will come out, and he will be able to defend the administration.

“I think the the governing APC should also step in because they can’t possibly allow the governor of the office with probably one of the best performance records in the country to be humiliated by some of these members of the assembly.”