Politics

Wrangling In PDP Democratic – Atiku’s Campaign Spokesman

Published

3 years ago

September 16, 2022

Editor

The spokesman for the Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign Organisation, Charles Aniagwu, says the wrangling within the Peoples Democratic Party is a characteristic of democratic governance.

Aniagwu, who is the Delta Commissioner for Information, stated this while answering questions on a television event monitored by the News Agency of Nigeria in Asaba, Delta State capital.

He said the PDP as a national party was committed to the ideals of freedom of speech and expression as guaranteed by the Nigerian constitution.

He adding that individuals in the party were exercising their democratic rights and helping to widen the democratic space.

“Atiku is a man of character who keeps his words. If he says, look we are going to run a government that will rescue Nigeria, he knows that for him to do that, every segment of the society must be carried along, and that includes our brothers and sisters in the South-West.

“What Atiku wants is to have a very peaceful government so that at the end of the day he is able to unite the country, and because he believes that for him to be able to drive the economic policies, he needs to first of all bring everybody on board.

“To unite the country, he is trying to bring individuals who have the ability; whether they are in the diaspora or other political parties, once you have got the quality to be effective, he brings you in.

“What is happening within the PDP is democracy at play, and even in the midst of the disagreements, the PDP is still far ahead of any other political party.”

Aniagwu added: “Our candidate is the only person that has been able to show Nigerians that he has a policy framework that he will use to rescue Nigerians.

“No other candidate has been able to produce anyone even from those parties you think they are quiet without any crisis.

“Our candidate is very much prepared and he has gone ahead to make a public presentation of what he intends to do with the economy.

“So, in spite of what you are hearing as disagreements, the PDP and our presidential candidate are far ahead of other parties that tend to have what we may call the peace of the grave yard.”

He commended Nigerians for their interest in the unity of the PDP and for the confidence reposed in the party to rescue Nigerians, assuring that the crisis would soon be over.

“What Atiku is looking forward to is not just to get individuals on board for the purpose of getting the votes, Atiku is interested in uniting the entire country but he is starting with the PDP.

“I asked the question, does Atiku Abubakar have the power to remove Ayu? No, he doesn’t have that power. And as a man who believes in the rule of law, he is not going to do that.

“Ayu was not appointed, he was elected at a national convention where every leader of the party, including those who are not feeling comfortable with him, were present.

“The constitution of the party is very clear on this. If you go to the constitution of the party, you will discover in Section 45 of the constitution that for you to remove the chairman of the party or for him to resign, certain processes need to be activated.”

On the attempt to challenge the use of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System in court, Aniagwu described the move as unrealistic as the BVAS was provided for in the Electoral Act 2022 as amended.

He called on the National Assembly to reject any Independent National Electoral Commission’s nominee identified to be card-carrying member of any political party to retain the independence and integrity of the electoral umpire.

NAN.

Politics

APC Defeats NNPP In Kano Re-run Election

Published

14 hours ago

August 17, 2025

Editor

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has defeated the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the Ghari/Tsanyawa supplementary re-run election in Kano State.

Announcing the result on Sunday, the Returning Officer, Prof. Muhammad Waziri of Bayero University, declared APC’s Garba Gwarmai winner with 31,472 votes, ahead of NNPP’s Yusuf Maigado, who polled 27,931 votes.

The supplementary election was conducted after the initial poll was declared inconclusive.

Hon. Gwarmai’s 3,541-vote lead marks a significant victory for the APC, further consolidating its political foothold in the state.

According to Tribune Online, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Kano State Chapter, had expressed concerns over alleged irregularities in the rerun elections for Ghari/Takai and Bagwai/Shanono Constituencies.

Politics

Obi Blames Tinubu For 70% Investment Crash

Published

1 day ago

August 16, 2025

Editor

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of presiding over what he described as “a collapse in foreign direct investment.”

He blamed what he called “poor leadership, weak governance, and uncoordinated reforms” for the country’s economic woes.

Obi, in a statement shared on official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Friday, noted that going by fresh figures from the National Bureau of Statistics, FDI into Nigeria plunged by about 70 per cent in the first quarter of 2025, falling to $126.29m from $421.8m recorded in the last quarter of 2024.

“While the President, ministers, and other government officials continue their global galivanting in search of FDI, our poor performance in key governance indicators – such as rule of law, regulatory quality, government effectiveness, and voice and accountability – continues to prove that you cannot attract sustainable foreign investment with poor leadership and governance,” Obi wrote.

While noting that the country’s investment inflows were largely speculative, Obi said, “Of the total capital importation of about $5.64 bn in Q1 2025, FDI accounted for only about 2.24 per cent, compared to 8.2 per cent in Q4 2024.

“Disturbingly, about 90 per cent of the imported capital went into speculative money market instruments, with negligible impact on industrial growth or job creation, given the ease with which such ‘hot money’ can exit the economy.”

He argued the sharp drop in manufacturing inflows further underscored the lack of investor confidence in the country.

“Capital flows to the manufacturing sector declined by 32.1 per cent, falling to only $129.92 million in Q1 2025 from $191.92 million in the same quarter of 2023. There is no better confirmation of the lack of trust in this government, whose reforms remain uncoordinated and largely reactive,” he said.

The former Anambra State governor further compared the country’s performance with other African nations that recorded major gains.

“In 2024, while global FDI flows declined, Africa’s FDI rose by about 75 per cent to $97 billion,” he stated.

“Egypt alone attracted $46.58 billion. Ethiopia received $3.98 billion, Côte d’Ivoire $3.80 billion, Mozambique $3.55 billion, Uganda $3.30 billion, DR Congo $3.11 billion, South Africa $2.47 billion, Namibia $2.06 billion, Senegal $2.02 billion, Guinea $1.83 billion, and Morocco $1.64 billion.”

According to him, Nigeria has been left trailing far behind.

“Most disappointingly, our dear nation, the so-called ‘Giant of Africa,’ received only $1.08 billion – about one per cent of Africa’s total FDI – representing a decline of about 42 per cent from 2023. Worse still, after that 42 per cent drop between 2023 and 2024, FDI to Nigeria has further declined by 75 per cent between Q4 2024 and Q1 2025,” Obi lamented.

He warned that unless Nigeria fixed its governance problems, it would continue to lose investment to more stable African economies.

“We cannot achieve sustainable growth and development with ineffective leadership and a weak government,” he said.

Politics

By-election: Edo Deputy Gov Lauds Credible Process, Encourages Voters

Published

2 days ago

August 16, 2025

Editor

Edo State Deputy Governor, Dennis Idahosa, on Saturday commended the impressive turnout of voters in the ongoing by-election for the Ovia Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives.

Idahosa gave the commendation after casting his ballot at Unit 3, Old Education Board, Iguobazuwa West Ward, Ovia South-West Local Government Area.

He described the process as seamless, peaceful, and encouraging.

Edo Deputy Governor, Dennis Idahosa, on the queue at the Ovia Federal Constituency to cast his vote.

“I must commend the people for coming out in large numbers to vote. So far, everything is going well. We are expecting free, fair, and credible elections. Ovia people will be happy with the outcome. I am calling on more voters to come out and perform their civic duties.

“I just voted and I am going home while I wait for the result,” he said.

Meanwhile, at Okada West Ward Units 1, 4, and 6, voters were seen in long queues waiting to cast their ballots.