Politics

Youths Should Be Voted As President, Governors In 2023 – Group

Published

4 years ago

December 7, 2021

The Coalition of Southern and Middle Belt Youths under the auspices of the Coalition of Southern and Middle Belt Youth Leaders Assembly (COSMBYLA) have said only youthful persons should be elected President and governors in 2023.

In a statement jointly signed by Goodluck Ibem, leader of the group and President, Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL); Terrence Kuanum, Coordinator Forum of Middle Belt Youth Presidents; Shittu Waheed, Coordinator, South West Youth Leaders’ Forum (SWYLF); and Tito Zokumor, President, South-South Youth Forum (SSYF), they said the youths can transform the bad economy of the country if elected into power in 2023.

The statement explained, “Electing youths who have distinguished themselves in their various fields of endeavours remains the panacea that will bring our dear country out of the woods.”

It stated that it is on record that when Nigeria was on the path of progress and development, youths were in charge of the helm of affairs, saying that General Yakubu Gowon was military head of state at the age of 27 and Dim Odimaegwu Ojukwu was 33 when he was in charge of the Eastern Region.

It said these leaders contributed positively to the growth of their regions and the nation at large.

It added that the nation fares well when young, energetic and vibrant young men and women were in-charge of governance and leadership positions, pointing out that the nation’s independence that Nigerians are enjoying today was made possible by Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Eni Njoku and others who were youths at that time.

“They worked assiduously and fought gallantly to actualise our independence as a nation in 1960,” the statement said.

It said that the positive contributions and impacts of the youths to nation-building cannot be overemphasised, saying that the youths are key to national development and growth, agents of change, progress and sustainable peace.

The statement opined that vibrant, visionary and energetic youths elected as governors and president would birth a new Nigeria and lead the country to the promised land, assuring that the youths have the capacity to bridge the gap of leadership deficit, divisions, and ethnic hate that is a fly in the ointment and damper to the progress and development of the nation.

It noted that “when youths were at the helm of affairs, $524 was exchanged at N1, stressing that now that the youths have been relegated to the background and completely excluded from governance and leadership positions, one dollar is now exchanged for N524. The situation is really pathetic.”

COSMBYLA called on youths to rise and take the bull by the horn by coming out to take up leadership positions, saying that the time to complain and murmur is over.

“Enough is Enough. We must take what is rightfully ours. The time is now,” the statement explained.

Politics

2027: Daniel-Abiodun Feud Deepens Over Senatorial Ticket For Ogun East

Published

2 days ago

May 13, 2026

Editor

… as Govt accuses Daniel of demonising consensus arrangement that made him Senator

…I will defeat Abiodun in free, fair primary – Daniel boasted

The rift between Governor Dapo Abiodun and the Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, deepened yesterday as the state government accused the senator of opposing the same consensus arrangement that paved the way for his emergence as the district’s senatorial candidate in 2023.

Daniel, despite the unanimous endorsement of Abiodun by some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the zone as the party’s consensus candidate for the senatorial seat, still went ahead to obtain the party’s nomination and expression of interest forms to contest for a return to the Senate in the 2027 elections.

As at Tuesday, the party leaders also formerly formally presented and endorsed the governor as the consensus candidate of the zone for the 2027 senatorial election, describing the endorsement as a collective decision aimed at ensuring quality representation and sustaining party unity in the district.

However, Daniel argued that only a transparent and credible primary could settle the tussle between him and Abiodun to clinch the senatorial ticket of the party, expressing confidence that he would beat the governor in a free and fair primary election.

“Without any doubt, in a free and fair primary, I will not just win, I will win overwhelmingly” he said.

But, speaking on the development, yesterday, the Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to the Governor, Kayode Akinmade, accused the former governor and of demonising the same process of consensus arrangement that made him Senator simply because it no longer aligns with his personal ambition.

Akinmade expressed shocked that Daniel could resort to what he described as ” cheap propaganda and outright falsehood” move against the decision of the party because of his personal ambition after immensely benefited from the consensus arrangement that made him Senator in 2023.

“Daniel is simply fighting the same consensus arrangement and party structure that produced him as senator in 2023. It is shocking that someone who benefited immensely from the collective decision of the party is now demonising the same process simply because it no longer aligns with his personal ambition.

“The governor ensured a peaceful consensus arrangement that paved the way for Daniel’s emergence as the APC senatorial candidate. It is therefore ironic that the same individual now seeks to discredit the party and its leadership merely because he could not have his way politically,” he added.

Akinmade urged the people of the state particularly in Ijebuland from Ogun East Senatorial District to remain appreciative of the developmental strides of the Abiodun administration, especially in infrastructure renewal and road rehabilitation.

“Everybody in the state, especially in Ijebuland, appreciates the modest achievements of Governor Dapo Abiodun. Most of the deplorable roads abandoned by previous administrations have now been fixed, while about 29 major road projects have been completed in Ijebu Ode alone,” he said.

The SA also faulted the former governor’s comparison of federal allocations received during his tenure as governor with those accruing to the current administration, accusing him of deliberately ignoring prevailing economic realities and the sharp depreciation of the naira.
(GUARDIAN)

Politics

2027: APC Clears Delta Speaker, Disqualifies 36 Aspirants

Published

2 days ago

May 13, 2026

Editor

The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Delta State has cleared the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Dennis Guwor and 45 others for the Assembly election primaries.

The party announced this after a two-day screening of aspirants at the APC Secretariat in Asaba.

The screening committee released the result in a statement signed by its Chairman, Dr Uche Uzochukwu, and Secretary, Dr Chiedozie Nwafor, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Asaba, on Wednesday.

According to the committee, 82 aspirants appeared before the panel ahead of the party’s primary election.

It disclosed that 46 aspirants sailed through after detailed verification of the credentials and eligibility requirements.

The committee, however, disqualified 36 aspirants over alleged irregularities and violations of party guidelines.

It explained that Guwor emerged as the only aspirant cleared for Warri South-West.

Of the number, 17 serving lawmakers of the eighth Assembly seeking to renew their mandate were also cleared for the APC primaries, three former commissioners also secured clearance to continue in the race.

They include Funyei Manager (Bomadi), Harry Trakirlowei (Patani), and Orode Uduaghan (Warri North).

The committee listed attempt to induce and bribe panel members among reasons for the disqualifications, while others were accused of submitting unsworn affidavits and failing to present their Permanent Voter Cards.

Some aspirants were also disqualified for failing to provide valid APC membership slips as well as inconsistencies in dates of birth and differences in names on official documents.

The committee also accused some aspirants of failing to confirm payment of party dues.

According to the committee, some nomination forms contained irregular membership numbers and insufficient ward nominators.

The committee also raised concerns over alleged violations of zoning arrangements in some constituencies.

It warned that ignoring zoning agreements could affect the party’s chances during the 2027 General Elections.

The committee said that some aspirants failed to resign from political appointments as required under the Electoral Act.

Others allegedly submitted multiple or invalid affidavits that did not properly disclose facts about their records and certificates.

The committee maintained that the exercise was transparent and strictly guided by APC rules and the Electoral Act.

“The committee carried out its responsibilities with fairness, diligence, and utmost commitment to the integrity of the party.

“We ensured that only aspirants, who met the constitutional and procedural requirements of the APC, were cleared to proceed,” the statement said.

The statement further explained that the screening aimed to strengthen internal democracy within the party, ahead of the 2027 elections.

It congratulated successful aspirants and urged disqualified contestants not to see the decision as final.

According to the statement, dissatisfied aspirants could approach the party’s Screening Appeal Committee for redress.

NAN

Politics

2027: PDP Amends Timetable Ahead Of Primary Election

Published

2 days ago

May 13, 2026

Editor

The Taminu Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has amended the timetable ahead of the party primary election.

This contained in a statement jointly signed by the fractional National Publicity Secretary, ini Ememobong, and National Organising Secretary, Theophilus Dakas Shan, on Wednesday.

The statement said the amendment became necessary due to appeals from stakeholders and aspirants across the country.

“In response to the appeals from stakeholders and aspirants across the country, the Interim National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party has amended the earlier published timetable for activities culminating in the nomination of candidates activities as follows:

“End of Purchase of forms – 15th May, 2026

“Last date for the submission of completed forms – 18th May, 2026

“Screening of Aspirants – 19th May, 2026.

“Aspirants for National and State Assemblies will be screened at their respective states, while Gubernatorial and Presidential Aspirants will be screened in Abuja.

“Other activities will remain as previously announced,” the statement read.