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| Premium Times | Tuesday, 31st May 2022 | What Tinubu told APC presidential screening panel — Spokesperson | A national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, on Monday appeared before his party’s presidential screening panel, led by former chairman, John Odigie Oyegun. The committee screening the 23 aspirants contesting to be President of Nigeria on the platform of the APC is holding the exercise at Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja. Mr Tinubu appeared on Day One. The screening exercise will end on Tuesday (today). “Tinubu impressed the panel during the screening process with the way and manner he answered and provided insight into many of the questions asked,” his campaign spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, said in a statement emailed to PREMIUM TIMES. “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, his raising the internal revenue generation of the state from a paltry N600M monthly, which has now grown to N51 Billion today. Mr Onanuga said “the screening Committee expressed satisfaction with Tinubu’s knowledge of the economy and sociopolitical issues that are affecting the country.” | APC Presidential Screening, Presidential Aspirant, APC, Presidential Elections, 2023 General Elections | https://bit.ly/3z2qoS6 | |
| Daily Independent Online | Tuesday, 31st May 2022 | Pressure Mounts On PDP Chairman, Ayu, To Resign | Following the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), some stakeholders of the party are demanding the resignation of Senator Iyorchia Ayu, the party’s national chairman. Atiku, who was the party’s presidential candidate in the 2019 presidential election defeated other aspirants such as Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Bukola Saraki, former Senate President; Governor Bala Mohammed and others to emerge as the PDP’s flagbearer for the 2023 presidential election. Some stakeholders of the party, who spoke with Daily Independent, said based on the PDP’s zoning arrangement, both the national chairman and the presidential candidate cannot come from the same zone. Others also said during the meetings with PDP governors that led to his selection as national chairman, Ayu was made to sign an undertaking that if the presidential candidate emerges from the North, he will resign from his position to pave way for a new national chairman from the South. Speaking in an interview shortly after his emergence as national chairman, Ayu had said he is ready to make sacrifices to ensure the PDP wins in 2023 and will gladly step down if the party asks him to do so. He said, “Luckily, party positions are not tied to the position of executive and legislative positions"". A former minister from the South-South, who is leading the agitation for Ayu’s resignation, told Daily Independent that his group will begin moves to ensure that Ayu honours the agreement and resigns. A former minister from the South-South, who is leading the agitation for Ayu’s resignation, told Daily Independent that his group will begin moves to ensure that Ayu honours the agreement and resigns. “We have written a letter to the national chairman yesterday reminding him of the pact he had with the party leaders if our presidential candidate comes from the North. We will also begin to mount pressure on major stakeholders in the party across the country to ensure he abides by the agreement”, he said. When Daily Independent contacted one of the governors who played a key role in Ayu’s emergence, he said the PDP chairman can only be asked to step down after the conduct of the 2023 general elections. According to him, tampering with the existing party structures now can be catastrophic. “I don’t see activating it now. It has to be after the election. If we win, then we can do rezoning. We can’t suddenly change the party’s structures when we are planning for a major election. That will be catastrophic”, he said. | PDP, PDP National Chairman, Zoning, 2023 Presidential Election, 2023 General Elections | https://bit.ly/3axWhrt | |
| Punch Online | Tuesday, 31st May 2022 | Presidential primary screening: APC questions Tinubu, Umahi, Bakare, others on foreign citizenship, consensus | The All Progressives Congress Presidential Screening Committee, which began sitting on Monday, questioned the party’s presidential aspirants on 10 key issues including their dual citizenship status. Some of the aspirants, who were screened by the Committee headed by a former National Chairman of the party, the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, confided in The PUNCH that the panel asked them if they would be ready to step down for the consensus candidate of the party. The ruling party, which initially scheduled the screening of the presidential aspirants for May 16, shifted it to May 23, but failed to hold exercise on that day. The APC in the guidelines on page 17 of the N100m nomination form obtained by the aspirants, barred the contestants from engaging in thuggery and taking it to court, among other seven conditions. Although there have been reports that the party may adopt consensus, the National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi, who emerged through the method in March, in an interview with Voice of America Hausa Service on May 26, said it would not be feasible for electing the party’s presidential candidate. Despite the Chairman’s statement, the issues of consensus and foreign citizenship came up when presidential aspirants including the party’s National leader, Bola Tinubu; Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State, his Jigawa State counterpart, Badaru Abubakar; the immediate past Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba; Ondo-North lawmaker, Senator Ajayi Boroffice; Pastor Tunde Bakare and Mrs Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, were screened in Abuja on Monday. The questions the aspirants were asked included, “Do you have dual citizenship? Are you the subject of investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission or the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission? Have you been arraigned by the Code of Conduct Bureau? And have you ever been convicted for a crime?”. Other questions asked include, “Have you ever been declared bankrupt? Will you be willing to step down for a consensus candidate? What is your manifesto? Will you abide by the party’s objectives and manifesto? What is your APC membership status?” The aspirants were also asked to present original copies of their credentials including school certificates. An aspirant, who wished to remain anonymous, said, “They asked us pretty much the same questions. They asked about our record with anti-graft agencies, citizenship status, finances and our manifestoes. Of course, there were a few follow up questions depending on the responses given. The issue of dual citizenship has been a controversial issue in Nigerian politics with an Ondo State Election Petitions Tribunal ruling in 2019 that people who had sworn allegiance to a foreign country and acquired foreign citizenship ought not to hold public office. This judgment was, however, upturned by the Court of Appeal. The PUNCH learnt that in some countries like the United States, foreigners who obtain citizenship through naturalisation are usually made to swear an allegiance to that country. It reads in part, “I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform non-combatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.” | APC Presidential Screening, Presidential Aspirants, Key Issues, Consensus, Dual Citizenship | https://bit.ly/3wUYgOc | |
| Daily Independent Online | Tuesday, 31st May 2022 | Some Southern Governors Helped Deny Region Ticket — Wike | A high level conspiracy by some Southern governors on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been identified as the major reason why the party’s presidential ticket could not come to the Southern part of the country as clearly envisaged by Nigerians. Making this revelation on Monday, the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, said some governors ganged up with some vested interest groups to derail the quest of Southern Nigeria to produce the next president of the country. Wike said it was the agreement of the governors of Southern Nigeria that the presidency should come to the South, and he did not betray that agreement. The Rivers State governor made the explanation at a grand reception organised by Rivers people on Monday in Port Harcourt to welcome him back from Abuja after the PDP presidential primary. Governor Wike described as shameful the inability of some of those who were part of the agreement to stick to the agreement when it mattered. He accused them of selling out, and frustrated the collective efforts that would have secured the PDP presidential ticket by him for the South. “I contested in an election (primary) based on the principle and agreement with all Southern governors and leaders of the South that presidency should go to the South this period. We have done our part. We never betrayed anybody because it is not in our blood to betray. But it is a shame to those people, some of the governors from the South, they are the people that were used to sabotage our course.” | PDP, Nyesom Wike, Southern Governors, 2023 General Elections | https://bit.ly/3NNzWEO | |
| Punch Online | Tuesday, 31st May 2022 | Obi would have been my presidential running mate – Kwankwaso | A former Governor of Kano State, Senator Rabi’u Kwankwaso, has said a former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, might have become his running mate if the latter had joined the New Nigeria Peoples Party, instead of the Labour Party, after exiting the Peoples Democratic Party. Kwankwaso, who is now presidential candidate of the NNPP, said the party would hold its presidential primary next week, even though he was the only aspirant who obtained the forms of the NNPP. The presidential aspirant also said the NNPP would shop for a popular vice-presidential candidate from the South after its national convention. Kwankwaso who featured on Politics Today, a current affairs programme on Channels Television, on Monday, was asked about the reports that Obi was to continue his presidential race on the platform of the NNPC after quitting the PDP. Kwankwaso said, “Actually we had opportunities to talk to ourselves on many national issues, until few days to the time when he declared for the Labour Party, of which he is now the presidential candidate. I wish him well and I wish all other presidential candidates well. I’m sure all these would be decide by the electorate across the country who are going to vote on the 25th of February, 2023.” On whether he thought of Obi being his running mate, Kwankwaso said, “Yes, many people suggested that. I believe it could have been possible if not because he joined another party. Now, he is a (presidential) candidate as we have seen from the news just now. We look forwards to seeing what happens in the next few days or weeks.” When asked about picking a running mate from the South-East, the ex-governor said, “We are not there yet. After the convention (of the NNPP), then the party would sit down and look around and see if we can have a very good, credible somebody who is acceptable, somebody who can bring as many people as possible to come and vote for our party as the Vice-President of the NNPP from the Southern part of the country.” | NNPP, Presidential Aspirant, Kwankwaso, South-East | https://bit.ly/3mgCeAB | |
| The Guardian Online | Tuesday, 31st May 2022 | Jonathan absent as APC screens presidential aspirants | After two weeks of delays and postponement, the governing All Progressives Congress (APC), yesterday, began screening its presidential aspirants. At the close of the sale of forms on May 10, 28 expressions of interest and nomination forms were bought for those seeking to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari. Of the number, 23 aspirants were cleared to face the screening committee at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, headed by the former national chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun. Former President Goodluck Jonathan was not on the list though he has been linked with the ticket. Jonathan had rejected the form procured for him by a Fulani group. However, last week’s verdict of the Federal High Court in Yenagoa, which cleared him to contest another term, added to speculations that he is active in the race. Coincidentally, the national convention was postponed on the same Friday that the judgment was given. The former president is currently in Milan, Italy, attending a high-level advisory board meeting of the European Corporate Council on Africa and the Middle East (ECAM Council). This may have put to rest speculations he would run for president in 2023 on the platform of the ruling party, especially after a source at the presidency had distanced President Buhari from the purported plot to draft Jonathan into the race. | APC, ECAM Council, Presidential Aspirants, Goodluck Jonathan, APC Presidential Screening | https://bit.ly/3NATkVk | |
| Daily Post Online | Tuesday, 31st May 2022 | Lagos Senator, Adeola dragged to court over Ogun West APC ticket | The Senator representing Lagos West, Olamilekan Adeola, has been dragged to court over his decision to seek reelection to the Senate through Ogun West. DAILY POST reports that Adeola, who has been representing Lagos at the National Assembly since 11 years ago, is seeking a return ticket, this time, from Ogun West Senatorial District. Adeola’s decision to relocate from Lagos to Ogun while still enjoying the mandate of the people of Lagos West does not go down well with residents of Ogun West, many of whom said the Senator was not from Ogun State. Amidst controversies, Adeola was declared winner of the APC primary conducted in Ilaro on Saturday, thereby clinching the ticket of the APC. He defeated the current occupant of the seat, who had no vote in the election. But, some aggrieved politicians in Ogun, Adebiyi Tajudeen, Olajumoke Ibrahim, and Muideen Akintade, have approached a Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta, seeking an interlocutory injunction, restraining Adeola from participating in the electoral processes leading to the 2023 election in Ogun West. It was their claim that the lawmaker joined the Ogun West race without having stayed in Ogun State for the number of years required by law. They maintained that Adeola’s emergence as the candidate of the APC is in “brazen violation and flagrant breach” of the right of Yewa/Awori people to vote and be voted for. | Ogun State, Ogun West, APC, Senate, Olamilekan Adeola | https://bit.ly/3wQm8SY | |
| The Cable | Monday, 30th May 2022 | Southern, middle belt leaders reject Atiku’s candidacy, say south must produce next president | The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) has faulted the choice of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to field former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate. The forum had previously demanded that all political parties zone their presidential tickets to the south. The SMBLF had also said there would be “grim consequences” if political parties present northern candidates in the next general election. However, on Saturday, delegates of the PDP elected Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential flagbearer. In a statement signed by the forum’s leaders on Sunday, the SMBLF said the choice of a northern candidate is a “brazen affront” to the south. “Sadly, it appears the unity and peace of Nigeria mean little or nothing to a segment of the nation’s political elite. This was evidenced in the PDP special convention, which was held on Saturday, 28th May 2022, where certain candidates from the North were pressured, coerced, and even intimidated to step down for former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who eventually emerged as the flagbearer of PDP, in utter derision of the established principle of zoning and rotation of power between the north and south,” the statement reads. “SMBLF, therefore, totally rejects the candidacy of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the PDP and calls on our people of Southern Nigeria and the Middle Belt as well as all true lovers of peace and unity not to vote for him or any other Northerner in the 2023 presidential election, in the interest of posterity. SMBLF further urges all aspirants for the office of President from southern Nigeria to shun the conceited attitude of individualism and self-confidence, and work collectively to achieve the shared objectives. Again, SMBLF calls on all politicians of southern extraction to refuse the position of a running mate to any northern presidential candidate, which will equally be viewed as subjugating their people to political slavery.” | PDP, SMBLF, PDP Special Convention, Presidential Aspirant, 2023 Presidential Election, Southern Nigeria | https://bit.ly/38tZojq | |
| The Nation Online | Monday, 30th May 2022 | Presidency: Buhari not part of plot to draft Jonathan into race | The Presidency has distanced President Muhammadu Buhari from a plot to foist ex-President Goodluck Jonathan as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate. Presidency sources said at the weekend that President Buhari, who described the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as “a failure” in a recent television interview, could not be supporting any move to draft the one-time leader of a party he defeated roundly twice to come to power on the platform of the ruling party. The source blamed the aides of the former President for putting Jonathan on the front burner and initiating the plot with photos of visits to the President and with persons close to President Buhari. Although the President has not indicated who he is backing for the APC presidential primaries, an informed Presidency source explained: “Former President Jonathan is certainly not in the picture at all. “The mentioning of his name has been invoking feelings of absurdity and ridicule in the Villa.” Also yesterday, a member of the APC National Working Committee (NWC) said Jonathan was not qualified to be the ruling party’s standard-bearer in the 2023 election. There have been speculations that Jonathan is a likely preferred candidate to replace President Buhari. A Northern governor and some close associates of the President are linked to the plot to draft Jonathan into the race. It was learnt that to prevent the President from being continually linked to the ex-president’s purported bid, the Presidency has taken measures to distance President Buhari from the plot. It was learnt last night that instructions had been given that there should be no public release of photos of meetings between the former President and the incumbent at this time as the President does not want such images to be used to confer any modicum of support to the plot to get Jonathan into the race. | APC, Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, NWC, 2023 General Elections | https://bit.ly/3m0ZfqI | |
| The Punch Online | Monday, 30th May 2022 | Atiku’s candidacy: Pro-zoning forces angry, slam PDP, Tambuwal | Organisations clamouring for power shift to the South on Sunday expressed anger over the emergence of a former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, as the 2023 presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party. The groups and individuals, in separate interviews with The PUNCH, said Atiku’s emergence negated the zoning principle entrenched in the PDP constitution. During the PDP presidential primary held at the Moshood Abiola Stadium on Saturday, Atiku polled 371 votes to defeat the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, who got 237 votes; a former President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, 70 votes; the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Emmanuel Udom, 38 votes; the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, 20 votes; a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, 14 votes and an ex-President of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Sam Ohuabunwa, one vote. But delegates were surprised when the Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, who was one of the front runners for the presidential ticket, stepped down and directed his supporters to vote for Atiku as a result of what sources said was due to the intervention of the northern elders, who were pushing for a northern consensus aspirant. Ahead of the expiration of the President, Major General Muhammadu’s (retd.) eight-year tenure on May 29 next year, interest groups, including the Southern Governors’ Forum, the pan-Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the Southern and Middle Belt Elders’ Forum have been calling for the zoning of the presidency to the South. On Sunday, some of them slammed the PDP over the emergence of Atiku, particularly what they described as a gang-up by the North against the South. The Nigeria Equity Group, in a statement by its National Convener, Emeka Nwosu; and National Secretary, Mohammed Mubarak, criticised the candidacy of Atiku, saying power should shift to the South after the two-term tenure of Buhari. The statement partly read, “We wish to respond to the emergence of the former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, as the presidential candidate of the PDP for the 2023 presidential election. We wish to draw attention to the fact that the NEG has campaigned vigorously for equity, fairness and inclusion in our body polity. In our several interventions over the years, we have appealed to the major political parties to be mindful of the complex heterogeneous Nigerian society and to work out a political solution that will be fair, inclusive and equitable to all. “In this case, we believe what is just and fair is for presidential powers to be zoned to the South, specifically to a southern Christian, after the eight-year rule of President Muhammadu Buhari, a northern Muslim. We consider it to be very inequitable, unfair and potentially dangerous for the presidency to remain in the North after President Buhari’s tenure.” Ohanaeze Ndigbo condemned what it called the northern conspiracy against the South and South-East in particular. On its part, the Pan-Niger Delta Forum alleged that the manner Tambuwal withdrew from the contest was dubious. The Middle Belt Forum on its part said it would work against Atiku during the 2023 general election. The National President of the Middle Belt Forum, Dr Bitrus Pogu, made the position of the regional body known in an interview with The PUNCH in Jos on Sunday.Attempts to get Wike’s comment on the PDP primary did not succeed on Sunday. Efforts to reach the governor on his mobile telephone proved abortive, as his line kept saying calls forwarded. | PDP, 2023 Presidential Candidate, Southern Nigeria, Presidential Aspirants | https://bit.ly/3avJdD0 | |
| The Cable | Monday, 30th May 2022 | South-east delegates were not united prior to PDP presidential primary, says Sam Ohuabunwa | Sam Ohuabunwa, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential hopeful, says south-east delegates were not united prior to the party’s presidential primary election. Atiku was declared winner of the presidential primary election at the national convention of the opposition party on Saturday. Reacting to the development on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme, Ohuabunwa said most of the south-east delegates voted for non-south-east hopefuls. The former chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), said the actions of south-east leaders created confusion amongst the party leaders. He said the party’s decision to leave the presidential ticket open was because south-east leaders were disunited and were supporting other hopefuls who are not from their zone. “Despite all that we said the south-east didn’t show unity in the primary election,” he said. “Most of the south-east delegates voted for non south-east people and that created more confusion. Even before this case was fought, some of our south-east leaders were already supporting other candidates who are not from the zone. And this even confused the party people who couldn’t decide whether to give this to the south-east or not. They don’t seem to be united. The party thought, ‘if their leaders are already rooting for other people, what should we do?’ So I think that must have affected the party from taking a final decision.” | PDP, South-east delegates, NESG, PDP Primaries | https://bit.ly/3PPjbL5 | |
| The Punch Online | Monday, 30th May 2022 | INEC chairman visits Ekiti ahead June 18 gov poll | The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, and members of his team on Sunday commenced what the commission described as “readiness assessment” visit to Ekiti State ahead of the state governorship election scheduled for June 18, 2022. According to INEC, Yakubu and his team, will during the visit meet with stakeholders and witness the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System mock exercise. Meanwhile, the candidate of the Action Peoples Party, Adeyinka Alli, has said that the continued silence of INEC on including his name in the list of candidates for the governorship election despite court order is worrisome. Alli, who said the party was in the contest with youth agenda to dislodge the governing All Progressives Congress and entrench good governance in the state, cautioned INEC against giving room for fake news through not speaking up. The governorship candidate, who spoke in Ado Ekiti on Saturday during a rally organised by APP Women Wing, titled, “Ekiti Women Support Adeyinka Alli for Governor, Christianah Olatawura for Deputy”, said the change of candidate, which saw him as the new candidate followed due process just as court order to that effect had been secured and forwarded to INEC. He said, “Ekiti women and youths are using this opportunity of this rally to pass the message across to INEC, some people are still doubting because INEC has not come out openly to effect this change. INEC has accepted all we forwarded to it. There is a court order in place. “INEC has taken our court order, they are effecting it. What we want is – INEC should come out openly, hold a press conference to address it so that people will know that INEC still remains a good commission as it is.” | INEC, #EkitiDecides2022, Ekiti State, Gubernatorial Elections, Action Peoples Party, BVAS | https://bit.ly/3wWkhxg | |
| This Day Live | Monday, 30th May 2022 | 2023: Obi’s Aspiration Suffers Setback as Fresh Litigation Rocks Labour Party | Plans by former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, to contest next year’s presidential election on the platform of Labour Party (LP) appeared shaky yesterday, as a faction of the party threatened to renew its legal battle this week. Former Deputy National Chairman of the LP, Calistus Okafor, gave the hint in an interview with THISDAY in Abuja. Similarly, yesterday, lawyer to Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mr. Femi Falana, confirmed that the case, which the unions instituted against the late Abdulkadir Abdulsalam leadership of the party, now under the Julius Abure faction, was still pending in court. Okafor, who leads a faction of LP, wondered why Obi failed to carry out due diligence before he, allegedly, identified with a faction of the party, which the factional national chairman described as the wrong faction. Obi left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) last week and announced his readiness to pursue his presidential aspiration in the LP faction led by Abure. However, Okafor told THISDAY that Obi decided to defect to LP without proper information on the fact that the party’s leadership had been a subject of litigation since 2018. Okafor claimed that he remained the authentic national chairman of the party. He explained that he got the post by virtue of his position as Deputy National Chairman of the party when the late national chairman, Abdulsalam, was in office. He added that Abure, who is currently leading a faction of the party, was Acting National Secretary, when Abdulsalam, died in 2020. Okafor further claimed that Abure announced himself as National Chairman without recourse to the provisions of the party’s constitution, following Abdulsalam’s demise. He said the LP constitution stipulated that the deputy national chairman should act and/or replace the chairman in the event of death or resignation. Okafor urged Obi to thread softly, stressing that he LP, under which he intends to realise his aspiration at the moment, is in a deep crisis that may not be resolved before the 2023 presidential election. He said, “The NLC and the TUC actually registered the Labour Party in 2006, but they were not the ones administering it. Peter Obi, at the moment, has been deceived and he is sitting on a keg of gunpowder and it is a pity. He went to wolves in sheep clothing thinking he was discussing with the right people. Staying in the PDP would have been better for him. The LP has not done any convention since 2014, after the last one it did in Akure, the Ondo State capital. | Labour Party, LP, TUC, NLC, Internal Party Conflict, Peter Obi | https://bit.ly/3wW74o8 | |
| Daily Post Online | Monday, 30th May 2022 | PDP NWC, BoT, Atiku will come up with acceptable running mate – Senator Jibrin | The National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Board of Trustees and the party’s 2023 Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar will work together to come up with an acceptable running mate. The Chairman PDP BoT, Senator Walid Jibrin, who disclosed this in a statement, on Monday, described the emergence of the former Vice President as the party’s 2023 presidential candidate as a big success for the party and a good omen for all Nigerians. He said Atiku’s success at the recently concluded PDP primaries had provided Nigerians with a better offer ahead of the 2023 general election. Continuing, the statement read “BoT also congratulates Senator David Mark and the whole of his committee for organising one of the best elective National conventions after the Port-Harcourt convention chaired by Governor Okowa of Delta State in 2018.” He urged all members of the party to be united and rally around the presidential candidate, Atiku, to win the 2023 presidential election and rescue Nigeria from the misrule of the All Progressives Congress (APC). ""Finally, the BoT will assist the party and surely the Wazirin Adamawa himself to come out with a very acceptable Vice president from southern Nigeria,” he added. | NWC, PDP, PDP Board of Trustees, PDP Presidential Candidate, 2023 General Elections, Vice President, BOT | https://bit.ly/3wYqvwv | |
| Nation Online | Friday, 27th May 2022 | INEC warns parties against parallel primaries | Those conducting parallel primaries to pick candidates for next year’s general election risk sanctions, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned. Besides, such elections are in futility. The commission vowed to admit the results and candidate of primaries monitored by its men. With the latest development, the commission may recognise candidates for Senate, House of Representatives, State Assembly in Edo State from the group led by the National Vice Chairman(Southsouth) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dan Orbih. Delegates from the Governor Godwin Obaseki’s camp may not participate in the National Convention of PDP scheduled for tomorrow and Saturday. The congress that produced the delegates from the Obaseki faction was not monitored by INEC. The same circular may determine the fate of PDP governorship aspirants in Ogun State where there were parallel primaries. INEC made the clarifications in a May 25 letter to parties by the Secretary to the commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony. | INEC, PDP, 2023 General Elections, Edo State, Ogun State | https://bit.ly/3PK8CJa | |
| This Day Newspaper | Friday, 27th May 2022 | Buhari Talks Free Polls, Jonathan Attacks National Assembly, Faults Section 84 of New Electoral Act | President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, reiterated his government’s commitment to free, fair, and credible general election in 2023. Buhari also expressed his commitment to ensuring that only honest and reliable candidates won in the polls. The assurances came just as in a rare public outburst yesterday, former President Goodluck Jonathan took a swipe at the National Assembly over the controversy surrounding section 84 of the Electoral Act, describing it as a mess. This was just as divergent views emanated from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) barely 72 hours to its national convention, with members expressing fears over lack of activities in the party and indication of unpreparedness for the party’s presidential primary. Also, yesterday, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command said it had put in place a robust security arrangement ahead of the presidential primary of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scheduled to hold May 28 and 29 at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja. Meanwhile, a usually measured and reticent Jonathan yesterday accused the federal lawmakers of making laws to target individuals and groups, rather than observing the long-held maxim that like judges, legislators must be “blind” in the process of law-making, instead of dishing out self-serving legislations. The former president was speaking in Abuja at the presentation of a book titled: “Political Party Governance,” authored by a former Minister of State for Power, Dr. Mohammed Wakil. Jonathan, who rated the current primaries as a total failure insisted that if it was to be rated, the process would not have a pass mark and would be scored less than 25 per cent. Picking Bayelsa as a case study, the former Nigerian leader characterised the process as “horrible,” stating that for instance, certain people who did some “magic” created just two wards in a particular state constituency where six elected delegates were to determine the fate of six aspirants in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). “Let me use this opportunity to advise the National Assembly that laws must be designed to solve problems, not to create problems and that laws must be made assuming that those who are making the law are blind, just like the judges. That is so that they cannot be able to target an individual or a group of individuals and when you go into the system of making laws (like it is being done), you will make this terrible mistake that has really messed up the whole primaries that are going on. If you have not been involved in the process of primaries, you will be happy or you may not be happy, but for those of us who have been involved, it is terrible,” he maintained. Jonathan stressed that those who are current delegates could easily be bought over, decrying how low the standards have fallen such that aspirants are now openly retrieving monies paid to the delegates. | 2023 General Elections, FCT Police Command, Political Party Primaries, PDP, Electoral Act 2022, Goodluck Jonathan | Page 1 & 5 | |
| This Day Newspaper | Friday, 27th May 2022 | Sanwo-Olu, Abiodun, Abdulrazaq, Sule, Inuwa, Matawalle, Others Secure APC Guber Tickets | Segun James in Lagos, James Sowole in Abeokuta, Hammed Shittu in Ilorin, Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia, Segun Awofadeji in Gombe, Francis Sardauna in Katsina, Benjamin Nworie in Abakaliki, Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia, Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt, Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan and Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba In what seemed like a clean sweep of their elections, nearly all the first term governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC), yesterday, secured their governorship tickets across the country to return to office for a second term, at their respective primary elections. Although there were hitches in some of the states, which followed protests by some of the defeated aspirants, such developments did not, however, affect the declaration of results by the various electoral officers, which saw the first term governors return as candidates of the APC. Governors, who made it back to their government houses included Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq (Kwara), Abdulahi Sule (Nasarawa), Yahaya Inuwa (Gombe) and Bello Matawalle (Zamfara). Other persons seeking to replace the outgoing governors of their states, who had served two terms of eight years, also emerged in the different states, where elections held. A business mogul and former Chief Executive of Sahara energy, Tonye Cole, has emerged the APC candidate in Rivers State. The governorship primary of the APC in Oyo State, has been postponed to today. Though there was no official communication to that effect, it was learnt that the primary was postponed after one of the aspirants complained about the security at the venue of the exercise. Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, was yesterday elected the governorship standard bearer of the APC in Delta State. | Gubernatorial Candidates, Political Party Primaries, APC | Page 1 & 5 | |
| Daily Trust Newspaper | Friday, 27th May 2022 | Buhari Meets Govs, Mum On Preferred Candidate | Ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary, President Muhammadu Buhari has met with governors who are members of the party, Daily Trust learnt from credible sources. The sources told this newspaper that the president met with the governors on Tuesday night. The meeting, it was gathered was convened to discuss issues revolving around the party’s presidential primary. The ruling party had slated its presidential primary for Sunday/Monday, where delegates will elect the party’s flag bearer for the 2023 presidential election. There has been anxiety among the 23 presidential aspirants of the party as the screening, which was scheduled for last Monday was postponed indefinitely. But a source close to the president told one of our correspondents that the governors and the party leadership have been told to ensure the conduct of a peaceful and transparent primary. “The president has told the governors and the party to ensure that the primary is transparent and fair. He did not mention anybody as his preferred candidate during the meeting,” the source, who is an ally of the president, said. A presidential aspirant, who also confirmed the meeting of the president with the governors, said they were anxiously waiting for Buhari’s direction. | APC, Presidential Primaries, Presidential Aspirants, 2023 Presidential Election | Page 4 & 10 | |
| Daily Trust Newspaper | Friday, 27th May 2022 | Presidential Race: Osinbajo’s Campaign Trips’ Funding Raises Dust | The funding of the trips of the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo to states for his presidential campaigns ahead of the primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has continued to attract mixed reactions in the polity. Osinbajo, one of the 23 aspirants eyeing the ticket of the ruling party has gone to 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to woo delegates and other stakeholders of the APC ahead of the presidential primary slated for May 29 and 30. Daily Trust had reported how nine serving governors, who are also aspiring for the presidency have spent millions of naira to charter private jets to move around the country. The vice president, who declared for the presidential race on April 11, has been going about to meet delegates using the 16-seater presidential jet across the country. The Boeing 727-2N6 with registration no. 5N-FGN aircraft was used to Maiduguri, Borno State on Monday as part of his consultation. The aircraft consumes at least 4,500 litres per hour of flight. As at today, a litre of aviation fuel known as Jet A1, which has been on a steady increase in recent times, presently costs between N550 and N600 depending on the location. For instance, at the cost of N600 per litre, it implies that it would be costing the federal government about N2.7m to fuel the aircraft on each one-way trip embarked upon by the president and over N5m for a return trip. Aside from the use of a presidential jet, it was gathered that the vice president also travelled with a retinue of aides tagged Protocol, Security and Press (PSP). Daily Trust reports that the vice president by virtue of his office as number two citizen travels with a retinue of aides drawn from different departments including the protocol, security, and media among others who are officially entitled to Duty Tour Allowance (DTA) of about N12,000 per day after each trip. A source in the presidency told this paper that no fewer than 40 members of the PSP are on the entourage of the vice president. Asked who pays the aides their Duty Tour Allowance (DTA), the source, who is familiar with the workings of the presidency, said they are being paid from the government coffers. “You need to understand this, he is not an appointee, he was elected together with the president. He is eligible for all the entitlements of his office as the vice president. “Who else will pay for their allowance? They are attached to the office of the vice president and as such, they will draw their allowances from the coffers,” he said,” pleading not to be named. But another source said the allowances of aides on the vice president’s team are not being paid from the government coffers. | Vice President, APC, Campaigns, Political Party Primaries, DTA | Page 3 | |
| The Guardian Newspaper | Friday, 27th May 2022 | 48 hours to APC presidential primary: Another shift likely over absence of screening, convention committee | Uncertainty trailing conduct of the special convention of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to nominate its presidential candidate for the 2023 general election is giving party members anxious moments as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) deadline draws nearer. The Guardian gathered yesterday that there are strong indications that the party may further alter the convention date, which is originally scheduled for May 29 to 30. This came to the fore as the Senator Abdullahi Adamu-led National Working Committee (NWC) is yet to constitute convention planning committees as at 5p.m. yesterday, as it was the case, in both 2014 and 2018 where Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State headed both conventions that produced President Buhari as the party’s candidate. Also, about 72 hours to the exercise, the ruling party is yet to screen its presidential aspirants, who have purchased and returned their expression of interest and nomination forms. The development may not be unconnected with the party’s inability to settle for either the direct, indirect or consensus modes of selecting its standard bearer. As at Thursday, President Muhammadu Buhari, members of the Governor Atiku Bagudu-led Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF) and the NWC have yet to come up with a definite position on how to resolve the issue relating to the selection of a presidential candidate. Besides, the decision by the party to reschedule the conduct of its governorship, House of Assemblies, Senate and House of Representatives primaries between Thursday and Saturday after several postponements may have been responsible for the delay. President Buhari had, earlier in the week, met behind closed door with APC governors, National Assembly leadership and the party’s NWC to arrive at a decision concerning the primary. While details of the meeting remained sketchy, it was hinted that the meeting dwelt on exploring the possibility for a consensus presidential candidate for the party before the date for screening would be fixed. But since then, the screening has remained a subject of speculation with pundits insinuating plans to have aspirants withdraw from the race for the yet-to-be known consensus candidate. | INEC, APC, NWC, Screening of Presidential Aspirants, PGF, Political Party Primaries | Page 1 & 7 | |
| The Guardian Newspaper | Friday, 27th May 2022 | Abuja stands still for APC, PDP convention | Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FTC), is in upbeat mood, as the city prepares to host what has been termed a political festival this weekend. But that cosy scenario would hide a multitude of sins and what has been a chaotic, and at times, disastrous process of preparation for the political feast. Delegates are expected to flood the streets of Abuja, almost simultaneously, as the All Progressives Congress, the Peoples Democratic Party and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP). Delegates will be shuttling to and from the arena from hotels that will be staffed with 24-hour security. Hopefully. The Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, already, is wearing a new face, as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) prepares to hold its Special Convention in the facility. The venue, currently, is a beehive of activities. In fact, the main bowl of the stadium has been adorned with different designs bearing white, red and green colours of the party. One of the workers, who spoke with The Guardian, said preparatory activities for the convention started last week and ends before tomorrow morning. However, the Eagle Square, venue of the All Progressive Congress (APC) convention is yet to wear that pomp and pageantry expected of a venue that is to host an activity of such magnitude. Just a few security personnel were sighted at the Eagle Square when The Guardian visited the venue to observe preparations for the presidential primary. A security official at the facility told The Guardian that though the venue is yet to take the look of preparation expected from such activity, he is aware that event will hold as stated. The PDP presidential primary is scheduled for May 28, while APC holds its own primary on May 29. The NNPP convention is slated for May 30. Meanwhile, as the PDP intensifies preparations, chairman of the Convention Planning Committee and former Senate President, David Mark, has ruled out the possibility of compromising rules and regulations put in place to ensure credible, free and fair elections. He also made it clear that his integrity would not be compromised for any political interest. It was also learnt yesterday that some stakeholders, particularly, delegates are uncomfortable with alleged plot to prevent the use of telephones or recording gadgets at the voting arena. | FCT, NNPP, PDP, APC, Stadium, Political Party Primaries, Presidential Primaries | Page 4, 5 & 6 | |
| The Guardian Newspaper | Thursday, 26th May 2022 | 2023: Obi quits PDP, eyes Labour, NNPP tickets | Former governor of Anambra State and erstwhile presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi, yesterday, resigned his membership of the party two days before its presidential primary. He said his resignation was because of the difficulty he faced in carrying out his ‘Rescue Nigeria’ mission through the main opposition party. In a letter dated May 24, 2022 and addressed to the national chairman of the PDP, Iyorchia Ayu, Obi said he had already informed the chairman of the PDP chapter in his Agulu Ward 2, in Anambra State. Director General of Obi’s presidential campaign organisation, Doyin Okupe, who submitted the letter to Ayu at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja, further disclosed that Obi would move to another party to actualise his 2023 presidential ambition. He, however, refused to disclose the party. It was learnt that Obi’s resignation was not unconnected to the contentious struggle to control the party’s structure in Anambra and the Southeast as a whole. A former national publicity secretary of the party, Olisa Metuh, had last week expressed frustration about what he called painful developments in the Anambra chapter of the PDP. Metuh, who had identified Obi as the leader of PDP in Anambra, cautioned Ayu against pandering to the wishes of godfathers. It was further learnt that the main structure in the state is now being controlled by another prominent stakeholder who is working with a governor in one of the South-South states. Recall also that Obi’s supporters have been mounting pressure on him to seek an alternative platform to sustain the popular momentum and save his presidential aspiration. Discreet enquiries revealed that no sooner than he sent in his resignation letter to the PDP ward chairman at Agulu ward 2, that Obi travelled to the United Kingdom, where he met with the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson and intimated him (Johnson) of his intention to join the ‘Labour fold.’ However, in separate telephone conversations with the national chairman and national secretary of Labour Party, Mr. Julius Abure and Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim, both national officers denied knowledge of Obi’s planned entry into the party. | Resignation, Presidential Aspirant, PDP, 2023 General Elections, Southeast, Anambra State | Page 1 & 8 | |
| This Day Newspaper | Thursday, 26th May 2022 | Adamu: No Decision on Zoning Till After Screening APC Presidential Hopefuls | The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdulahi Adamu, yesterday, said that the ruling party would take decision on zoning after all the presidential aspirants had been screened. In an interview with select Hausa Service media organisations, Adamu also said the presidential aspirants would be scrutinised in accordance with the party’s guidelines for the 2023 elections The guidelines of the party provides three ways of choosing the party’s candidate for an election, which include direct, indirect and consensus. Baring his mind on the zoning arrangement, Adamu said no decision would be taken until the aspirants were screened. His words: “We have not produced our candidate for the presidency yet. We have to screen the aspirants to know the way forward. We have aspirants from across the country in the race. We will take the decision when we get there.” On likely consensus arrangement, Adamu noted that party members could not be denied the right to contest for president. “You can’t stop our party stalwart from contesting elections or aspiring for the presidency. It is their right and we are happy for them. There is nothing wrong for anybody aspiring for the exalted seat of the presidency. It is God that decides who gets what. Once God makes up His mind and says this is who He wants, that is what we are praying for. We have 28 aspirants for the presidential ticket and everybody knows that all of them cannot get the ticket. If it’s God’s wish, they all can even be president of the country one after the other. Our goal is to ensure justice in the choice of who emerges as the candidate of the party. That does not mean we are perfect. But we pray we do the right thing,” he stated. | APC National Chairman, 2023 General Elections, Screening of Presidential Aspirants, Zoning | Page 1 & 43 | |
| Vanguard Online | Thursday, 26th May 2022 | Presidency: Jonathan still in the race, puts APC screening on hold | Contrary to reports that immediate past president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, is out of the race for the presidential ticket of the ruling All progressives Congress, APC, because he did not submit his nomination form, Vanguard gathered yesterday that he is still in the race. Sources said he submitted his expression of interest and nomination forms to the party. However, party leaders could not confirm, yesterday, if he has left the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the APC. Some leaders of the PDP, led by Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, early in the week, met Jonathan to convince him to remain in the PDP and attend the party’s presidential convention on Saturday. The move to include Jonathan in the race, sources said, last night, was partly responsible for the much-postponed screening of APC presidential aspirants. Apart from the issue of raising a seven-man screening committee to be chaired by the National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, the panel has to be given a list of aspirants to be screened. It was also gathered that the bid by some powerful Northern political leaders to draft Jonathan into the presidency of Nigeria in 2023 is gaining momentum, with the endorsement of the idea by a cross-section of Northern political stakeholders. | 2023 General Elections, PDP, APC, Screening of Presidential Aspirants | https://bit.ly/3LTrSk9 | |
| Vanguard Online | Thursday, 26th May 2022 | 2023: South-West APC presidential aspirants not at war — Fayemi | Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, yesterday, disclosed that South-West presidential aspirants were not at war with each other, but after the success of the region. The All Progressives Congress, APC’s presidential aspirant, while addressing Osun State delegates at Government House, in Osogbo, said aspirants from the zone, including Bola Tinubu, have right to contest the exalted office. “Some people think there is a big battle going on within our fold, but it is not true. I told Tinubu that I am coming here today. So, people must not inherit an enemy that does not exist. What is important is the progress of our people; what is important is that the South-West must succeed. I want to assure you that there will be a collective result to the success of the region.This aspiration is a family business in the southwest. No quarrel in the family, no matter what happens as long as southwest wins, we are all victorious"". Meanwhile, Governor Adegboyega Oyetola while speaking, described Fayemi as a brother who stood by him at the most critical time, praying that the God grant the Governor’s aspirations. | Ekiti State Governor, APC, Presidential Aspirants, Osun State | https://bit.ly/3LKQ2xj | |
| The Guardian Online | Thursday, 26th May 2022 | Diri reabsorbs resigned, loyal political appointees | Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, has reabsorbed his cabinet members and other appointees, who earlier resigned and later stepped down for a consensus aspirant at the recent primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Governor Diri disclosed this, yesterday, at the 76th State Executive Council (SEC) meeting in Government House, Yenagoa. Commending the peaceful conduct of the aspirants during the exercise, the governor said it was cheering that most of them put the interest of the party above their personal ambition by stepping down when the need arose. “Let me use the opportunity to appreciate most of the aspirants whom we spoke to, some of them even on the day of the primaries, while some on the eve of the primaries and for very obvious reasons and respect for the party and the government, stepped down for others,” he said. “For the political appointees, who stepped down and did not contest in the primaries, their appointments are hereby restored. Therefore, the Acting Chief of Staff is directed to ensure that all of those people are restored to their appointive positions,” he directed. | Bayelsa State, PDP, SEC Meeting, Political Appointees Restoration | https://bit.ly/3NFsvzp | |
| Punch Online | Thursday, 26th May 2022 | INEC boss, others decry money politics during primaries | Stakeholders, on Wednesday, expressed fears over the manner politicians have monetised the nation’s electoral process, describing it as a dangerous trend. The stakeholders, including the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, and his predecessor, Prof. Attahiru Jega, raised the concerns during a one-day colloquium with the theme, “Emerging issues that will shape the 2023 general elections in Nigeria”, organised by the Centre for Democracy and Development and Open Society Initiative for West Africa. At the event, Jega warned INEC against altering the timetable for the 2023 elections, including shifting the deadline for primaries. Yakubu said politicians using money to sway delegates to their sides during their primaries, the increasing insecurity across the country, and the menace of fake news had become matters of concern to INEC. He, however, assured stakeholders that INEC would work with anti-graft agencies to reverse the trend. Yakubu said, “Nigeria is moving towards Plutocracy. But there are two dimensions to it. It becomes much more difficult to control the situation when you have willing collectors. We have seen cases where voters reject money and vote for their choice, like what happened in Anambra. Also, there are situations where voters go after the vote buyers on election day. However, it is now going beyond simply the question of buying votes at polling units. What political parties do is critical to what INEC does. INEC conducts secondary elections, but it is the candidates who participate in the secondary elections"". He said that the commission has finalised the regulations and guidelines for the 2023 general elections, adding that “about 430 million ballot papers would be printed for the 2023 elections.” Jega said although there have been increasingly positive changes in INEC over the years, the political class has made many efforts to undermine the integrity of elections. While commending INEC for refusing to yield to the pressure of political parties to change the timetable for elections, Jega said the timetable was set under a process of careful contemplation and in the context of the new electoral law. He said shifting the timetable is a recipe for electoral disaster “because it affects virtually all the others once you shift one timeframe.” | Stakeholders, INEC, 2023 General Elections, Electoral Act 2022 | https://bit.ly/3wTFMgG | |
| Punch Online | Thursday, 26th May 2022 | No evidence APC aspirants shared money to delegates, says Adamu | Following allegations of bribe-for-votes between aspirants of the All Progressives Congress and party delegates in different states, APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, on Wednesday has said there was no evidence to substantiate the claim. Adamu, who debunked the claim in an interview with Voice of America Hausa service, noted that he got feelers that the reverse was the case. According to him, there is no law in the country stopping presidential aspirants from taking their electioneering campaign to delegates across the country. The APC national chairman stated that he discovered the delegates who have been hawking their conscience to the highest bidders. “For now, there is no law against aspirants taking campaign to delegates. I don’t have evidence that aspirants are sharing money to delegates. For me it’s the delegates that are selling their conscience which is not proper. “Our delegates should know that anybody sharing money to them can’t be the right candidate of the party. He doesn’t mean well for the country. I don’t have solution for the problem,” he said. | APC, Delegates, Bribe, 2023 General Elections, APC National Chairman | https://bit.ly/39Xzgh9 | |
| This Day Newspaper | Thursday, 26th May 2022 | Insecurity Forces Anambra PDP to Move 3-Man Ad-hoc Delegates Election to Awka | The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State yesterday moved its three-man ad hoc delegate election in two senatorial zones to Awka, the state capital. The decision was reached because of the level of insecurity in most parts of the state, causing the election of 14 local government areas in two senatorial zones-Anambra South and Anambra North-to be moved to Awka. A chieftain of the party in the state, Hon Ngozi Agudosi, who disclosed this to journalists, said: “This primary election is costing our party a lot of money, but we have to do it for the safety of our party members. In most communities in Anambra State, you cannot even hold family meetings let alone election. Even Ogbaru in Anambra North senatorial zone is not safe, and we wrote to the national leadership of the party to grant us the permission for Anambra North and South senatorial zones to hold their primary elections in Awka, and they granted.” The election, which is ongoing as at the time of filing this report, was under heavy security, and is also being monitored by 43 officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) led by Mr. Ibeh Ibeh. | PDP, Anambra State, INEC, Ad hoc Delegate Election | Page 6 | |
| The Guardian Newspaper | Wednesday, 25th May 2022 | 2023: General Abubakar kicks against zoning, defends 1999 Constitution | As political parties begin primaries to elect their candidates, former Military Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar has counselled them to rise above sectional sentiments and consider competence. To him, Nigeria at this stage of nationhood should not be debating zoning but should concentrate on getting any competent Nigerian, irrespective of his state of origin or religion, who can solve myriads of challenges facing the country. He said, “With the exposure of the younger generation and their connection, I think Nigeria is not short of such individuals across the federation. It is up to the politicians to try and see how they can come up with such an individual. But as long as we keep saying this zone produces this, another zone produces that, then the problem continues. We are not thinking as Nigerians, we are thinking of our villages, states and so on.” Gen. Abubakar, who supervised a successful transition that handed over the rein of power to a democratically elected government on May 29, 1999, also declared that there is nothing wrong with the 1999 Constitution his administration bequeathed to the country. The former head of state in an exclusive interview with The Guardian in his Minna, Niger State residence said he was surprised that after 23 years that the constitution has been operational, some Nigerians rose up against it and described it as the root cause of all problems facing the country. While admitting that there is no perfect Constitution in the world, he said instead of the critics of his administration examining the operators of the constitution, they have been calling for the postponement of the 2023 general elections till a fresh constitution emerges, which he kicked against. And for those who have been clamouring for an interim government till the country has a new constitution, Gen Abubakar said, while he was not begrudging their personal opinions, he said their demands could not be found in the Constitution of Nigeria, which makes it unconstitutional and urged them to join hands with the National Assembly in its ongoing efforts of amending the Constitution. | Abdulsalami Abubakar, Zoning, 1999 Constitution | Page 6 | |
| The Guardian Newspaper | Wednesday, 25th May 2022 | Primaries: Confusion trails Buhari, governors meeting as APC adjusts timetable | The confusion within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was palpable, yesterday, when the National Working Committee (NWC) released yet another revised timetable and schedule of activities for the governorship, state House of Assembly, Senate and House of Representatives primary elections. The new schedule, which comes a day after the party adjusted the old timetable, had a slight alteration in the dates. Unlike in the previous schedule of activities, the primary for the 340 Senatorial aspirants that were slated for Friday, May 27, will now hold on Saturday, May 28. On the other hand, the primary for the House of Representatives aspirants, earlier scheduled for Saturday, May 28, has been shifted back to Friday, May 27. Accordingly, the date for primaries of the 145 governorship and state House of Assembly aspirants remains the same – Thursday, May 26. While apologising for the last-minute adjustment, National Publicity Secretary of the party, Felix Morka, disclosed that “the special convention for the presidential primary will still hold as scheduled on Sunday, May 29 to Monday, May 30.” The suspense over the suspended presidential screening scheduled to hold, yesterday, continued last night, as indications emerged that the proposed meeting of President Muhammadu Buhari with progressive governors might be delayed till another day. This is as news emerged that former President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday met with President Buhari’s influential nephew, Alhaji Mamman Daura, in Abuja. Details of the meeting were not established as at press time, but sources said it might be connected to Sunday’s presidential primary election and his presidential ambition, supporting speculations of a consensus candidate among the 25 aspirants that bought the N100 million nomination form. | APC, Party Primaries, NWC | Page 6 | |
| Daily Trust Newspaper | Wednesday, 25th May 2022 | Presidency: 811 Delegates To Decide Atiku, Saraki, Obi, Others’ Fates | Barring any last-minute change, 811 delegates will elect the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate at its national convention slated for May 28 and 29. The elected delegates of the party, Daily Trust gathered, consist of one national delegate from each of the 774 local government areas and one special delegate per state and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) from among persons with disabilities. The PDP had said that only elected delegates would participate in the nomination of the party’s candidates for all elective positions at the general elections in line with the Electoral Act, 2022. The PDP had cleared former vice president, Atiku Abubakar; former Senate Presidents, Bukola Saraki and Pius Anyim; former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi; Bauchi and Sokoto State Governors, Bala Mohammed and Aminu Tambuwal to contest the party’s presidential ticket. Others were River State Governor, Nyesom Wike; former banker, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen; pharmacist, Sam Ohabunwa, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Emmanuel Udom, among others. | Delegates, PDP, Presidential Aspirants, National Convention, Electoral Act 2022 | Page 13 | |
| Daily Trust Newspaper | Wednesday, 25th May 2022 | PRP Denies Merger With Any Party, Picks Presidential Candidate May 31 | The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) has denied any merger arrangement with any political party ahead of the 2023 general elections. The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Adamu Tudun Doki, in a statement yesterday, said the reports making the rounds on social media that PRP had merged with other parties was false and urged Nigerians to disregard them. He said PRP as the oldest political party in the country was strong enough to go into the 2023 general elections on its own, noting that the party would only consider merger after its primaries. Meanwhile, the party has announced May 31, 2022, for the conduct of its presidential and governorship primaries. Doki said the PRP presidential primary would take place in the states while the collation would take place at its national headquarters in Abuja. He further said the senatorial primaries of the party would take place on May 30, while the House of Representatives and state assemblies primaries was slated for May 27. | PRP, 2023 General Elections, Party Primaries | Page 13 | |
| Arise News Online | Wednesday, 25th May 2022 | Hayatu-Deen: 2023 Presidential Election is PDP’s to Lose | Former Managing Director of FSB International Bank Plc., and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential hopeful, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, has said if the main opposition party is able to get its act together in terms of organisation and envisaging the antics of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), PDP would win the 2023 general election. Speaking exclusively to THISDAY in a presidential interview series, Hayatu-Deen, punctured arguments in favour of zoning or power shift. He said it was unreasonable for the country to be bogged down by power shift clamour and debate, stressing that the argument for zoning is not only lazy but also against democratic principles. He said if he had been asked the question on zoning some weeks back, he would have loved to spend some quality time on the subject. But PDP had already deferred to wisdom by throwing its presidential ticket open, he stated. Analysing the chances of PDP in next year’s general election, Hayatu-Deen, who explained the rationale behind the proposed consensus northern candidate and why it failed, said, “Let me say that the reason for putting in place that framework for producing a consensus candidate from the northern part of the country was informed by two or three reasons. “First and foremost, the field was getting large both in the north and in the south to the point where it would become difficult to manage at the convention. Secondly, the election of 2023 is PDP’s to lose and if caution is not exercised, APC may actually snatch victory from the jaws of defeat if we have an acrimonious convention. Thirdly was that the consensus arrangement was actually going to happen in stages. That the north should reduce the field to one person or maximum of two and, second, that this particular message should actually also be taken to the southern part of the country. At the time, we knew more people were going to come out, but only Pius Anyim had come out as at the time. Lo and behold, after a few weeks, there were far more contestants in the southern part of the country than the north. So, we now started going to various parts of the country, preaching to the governors of the PDP to do other things in their powers to actually shrink the field in the south so that when we go to the convention, we’ll have few people to narrow this process". | PDP, Presidential Aspirant, APC, 2023 General Elections, Zoning | https://bit.ly/3wHPwfm | |
| This Day Newspaper | Wednesday, 25th May 2022 | Atiku: Why I’m Seeking to Be Nigeria’s President in 2023 | Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar yesterday said that he was aspiring to become the president of Nigeria in 2023 because of what he described as the failure of leadership by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). In a policy document titled : “My covenant with Nigerians”, Atiku stated that if he had been allowed in 2019 to take over the reins of governance in Nigeria, Nigeria would have been the better for it. He insisted that the outcome of the 2019 elections was a lost opportunity to put in place the much needed purposeful leadership that would work to achieve the noble objectives of the “Atiku Plan” for Nigerians. Noting that the failure of leadership by the APC led government was staring every Nigerian in the face, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart maintained that the country’s development challenges were progressively worsening and assuming frightening dimensions. Atiku argued that at no other time has the poverty in the quality of leadership and governance been worse than it has been since 2015. As a private businessman of many years, he noted that he possesses a deep understanding of Nigeria’s economy and its challenges, explaining that as vice president, the administration demonstrated willingness to reform, and to implement a formal development agenda. | APC, PDP, Presidential Aspirant | Page 10 | |
| The Cable | Wednesday, 25th May 2022 | PDP primaries: Ikpeazu, Ugwuanyi, Nnamani secure senatorial tickets | Okezie Ikpeazu, governor of Abia, has secured the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket to contest for a seat in the senate. Ikpeazu will represent the PDP in the Abia south senatorial district election in 2023. He won the party’s ticket on Tuesday unchallenged. Ndidi Okereke, chairman of the election committee, said the governor got all the votes from the 198 delegates that participated in the election. Likewise, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, governor of Enugu state, clinched the PDP ticket to contest the Enugu north senatorial district poll. Ugwuanyi garnered 299 votes to defeat three other contenders — Ikechukwu Eze, Celestine Okanya and Godsmark Ugwu. For Enugu east senatorial district, Chimaroke Nnamani, a former governor of the state, won the PDP ticket to re-contest. Meanwhile, Osita Ngwu won the PDP ticket for Enugu west senatorial to replace Ike Ekweremadu who has been in the national assembly since 2003. | PDP, Senatorial Aspirants, 2023 General Elections | https://bit.ly/3afq33X | |
| Punch Online | Tuesday, 24th May 2022 | Why Tinubu, Osinbajo, others’ presidential screening was postponed -APC official | Officials of the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress have explained the reason for the postponed screening exercise of the party’s 25 presidential aspirants. The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, had made the announcement in a statement issued on Sunday night that a new date for the exercise would be announced shortly. This is the second time that the National Working Committee of the party would shift the date of the presidential screening after it failed to hold as earlier slated for May 14. Confirming the report, APC National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Argungu, said the postponement became necessary as the screening panel has not been constituted. Argungu, however, assured party members that the panel will be constituted today. He also said that a seven-man panel, comprising a member from each of the six geo-political zones, will be set up by the National Working Committee. Although a new date for the presidential screening has not been officially announced, Argungu hinted that it could likely take place on Tuesday at Transcorp Hilton in Abuja. While his excuse for the screening postponement may appear tenable, a source in the secretariat told our correspondent that the said constitution of screening panels is just a smokescreen. According to him, it is part of the grand plan of the party to put its house and compel the presidential aspirants to buy into proposed consensus talks. | NWC, APC, Screening of Presidential Aspirants, Consensus | https://bit.ly/3wFgfZV | |
| Premium Times | Tuesday, 24th May 2022 | Ekiti 2022: People with disabilities threaten to sue INEC | People with Disabilities (PWDs) have have said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have failed to provide materials for their inclusion in the electoral process as it concerns the June 18 governorship election in Ekiti State. In that regard they have threatened to take INEC to Court for the breach of a provision of the law protecting citizens with disabilities. The Executive Director, Centre for Citizens Living With Disabilities, David Anyaele, told journalists in Ado Ekiti on Monday that the National Disability Law has mandated INEC to provide materials for inclusion of PWDs in all elections. Mr Anyaele said every attempt to prevent members of the group from voting due to INEC’s laxity will be challenged in court, adding that such would amount to a breach of the law signed by President Muhammadu Buhari. On the issue of security, Mr Anyaele said the PWDs are deeply worried due to persistent cases of thuggery during election, urging INEC to partner police and other security agencies to checkmate this. “Up to now, we learnt the INEC has not made some materials ready to sensitise the PWDs, particularly the form EC40H,” he said. “It is also the duty of INEC to allow the deaf to bring sign specialists to polling units for proper voting. To resolve this, there must be disability desk officers across all the polling units. The reason why we are here is to hold INEC into account. It is no longer a charity for INEC to provide enabling environment for PWDs to vote. Before, it was INEC may provide materials for PWDs to participate, but the law has changed it to INEC shall. We are here to observe INEC compliance and any failure, we are going to use every legal instrument to compel INEC to comply. It is not about Ekiti alone, but we are also impressing that in Osun.” | PWDs, INEC, Ekiti State, Osun State, #EkitiDecides2022 | https://bit.ly/3sUyfgx | |
| The Nation Online | Tuesday, 24th May 2022 | APC primary: Buhari, aspirants, governors for high-level talks | Five days to its presidential primary, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is at a critical curve. President Muhammadu Buhari will today meet with the presidential aspirants. Governors, National Assembly leaders and party’s National Working Committee (NWC) members will also meet with the President. Sources said the meeting will discuss modalities for a hitch-free primary and how to foster cohesion in the ruling party ahead of next year’s election. | APC, Presidential Aspirants, NWC, 2023 General Elections | https://bit.ly/3yT2et0 | |
| The Nation Online | Tuesday, 24th May 2022 | Ex-governors, ex-ministers win PDP senatorial tickets | Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom, former governors Saminu Turaki (Jigawa) and Ibrahim Dakwambo (Gombe) are among Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aspirants who inched closer to the realisation of their senatorial aspirations. They won the opposition party’s tickets for their Benue Northwest, Jigawa Northwest and Gombe North Senatorial zones respectively. The countrywide senatorial primary was not without skirmishes in some states. It was stalled in all the five Southeast states where the sit-at-home order imposed by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) kept people off the streets. The party plans to hold the election today. Also in Ekiti State, the primary could not hold as the national officers expected to supervise the exercise did not show up. The primaries would hold today in Bayelsa, Sokoto, Bayelsa and other states. The rivalry between Governor Godwin Obaseki and Vice Chairman (Southsouth) Chief Dan Orbih played out in Edo State where factions held primaries. The primary conducted at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium was boycotted by critical stakeholders of the party in the state. PDP Chairman of Oredo Ward 5, Benin, Tunde Igbinoba, was shot at the parallel primary organised by the Orbih faction. He was said to be on a danger list as at the time of filing this report. Some reporters who covered the event were among those arrested by the police. Two incumbent senators in Ondo – Nicholas Tofowomo and Patrick Akinyelure – lost their bid to retain their slots in the Ondo South and Ondo Central Senatorial Districts. They were defeated by former Ondo deputy governor Agboola Ajayi (Ondo South) and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Ifedayo Adedipe in Ondo Central. | PDP Primaries, Jigawa State, Benue State, Gombe State, IPOB, 2023 General Elections, Senatorial Aspirants | https://bit.ly/3ySPaUA | |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, 24th May 2022 | Presidential Bid: Emefiele Withdraws Suit Against INEC, AGF | The governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, has withdrawn the suit before a Federal High Court in Abuja wherein he wanted the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Attorney-General of the Federation to be restrained from stopping his presidential bid. He had asked the court to restrain the INEC and the AGF from stopping or precluding him from participating, voting or being voted for at the congress or convention of any political party based on the provision of Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022. Following the application, Justice Ahmed Mohammed struck out the suit, saying Emefiele had the right to withdraw same. Counsel to Emefiele, S.T. Maliki, announced the withdrawal after the matter was called on Monday, adding that a notice of discontinuance had been filed. Maliki, who stood in for lead counsel, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), said the notice dated May 16, 2022, had been served on all the defendants in the matter. Counsel to the Save Nigeria Our Fatherland, John Aikpokpo-Martins, opposed the withdrawal and asked the court to award the sum of N1.5m cost. But counsel to the AGF and the INEC did not oppose the withdrawal. | CBN Governor, Electoral Act 2022, INEC, AGF, Restraint | https://bit.ly/39KWvLq | |
| Nigerian Tribune Online | Tuesday, 24th May 2022 | PDP NASS Primaries: Ortom, Banky W, Ango Abdullahi’s Son, Dankwambo, Tegbe, Ned Nwoko, Lar Win | Amid various forms of drama, standard-bearers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have continued to emerge following the House of Representatives and Houses of Assembly primaries of the party held across the country on Sunday and Monday. Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, son of former Minister of Education, Professor Ango Abdullahi, ex-minister of Sports, Alhaji Bolaji Abdullahi won the primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the National Assembly. Billionaire husband of Nollywood actress, Regina Daniels and a former member of the House of Representatives, Ned Nwoko, emerged as candidate of the PDP to contest the Delta north senatorial election. Nwoko scored 242 votes to defeat his rival, Paul Osaji with 67 votes. In the other senatorial districts, Evangelist Michael Diden emerged for Delta South while Chief Ighoyota Amori won in Delta Central. Results of primaries held in Bayelsa State showed that former deputy Chief of Staff, Mrs Ebizi Brown emerged winner of Sagbama Constituency 3, while Honourable Pamoh Werinipre was winner of the Kolokuma-Opokuma Constituency 1 in the State House of Assembly. An incumbent, Honourable Gibson Munalayefa won the Ogbia Constituency 2 Primary, while Chief Macdonald Igbadiwei triumphed in Southern Ijaw Constituency 4. Honourable Ted Elemeforo was declared winner in Yenagoa Constituency 3, with 8 votes to four votes of his opponent Odeinyefa Ogbolosingha. Fourteen serving members of Adamawa state House of Assembly secured return tickets in the primary held across the state. Those who secured their tickets included the deputy speaker and 13 others. However, among those who lost out include the Speaker, Aminu Abbas Iya; the majority leader Hammatukur Yetusrri who are vying for seats at the National Assembly. Mr Joseph Tegbe was affirmed as PDP candidate for Oyo South Senatorial district while Chief Bisi Ilaka and Mr Akinwale Akinwole won as candidates for Oyo Central and Oyo North respectively. In a keen contest, Lanre Sarumi got the PDP ticket for Ibadan North federal constituency, defeating other aspirants like Seun Olufade, Dada Awoleye, Taiwo Lekan-Salami, Bolanle Sarumi, Segun Olaleye and Toyin Balogun. n Ondo, two-term lawmaker representing the Ondo Central Senatorial District, Senator Patrick Akinyelure, on Monday, lost the bid to return to the Senate to a legal practitioner, Ifedayo Adedipe. Incumbent senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), at the National Assembly, Senator Philip Aduda, emerged as the winner in the party primary just as incumbent member representing AMAC/Bwari federal constituency, Honourable Micah Jiba. Similarly, the incumbent federal lawmaker for Abuja South Federal Constituency, Alhaji Hassan Sokodabo, is to stand again as standard bearer of the party in the 2023 election. Speaker, Abia State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji was declared the winner for Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency. In Bende Federal Constitu- ency, a former House of Representative member, Nnenna Ukeje won. A Nigerian musician, Mr Olubankole Wellington popularly called Banky W, was on Monday, declared winner of the PDP primaries for the Eti-Osa constituency House of Representatives ticket for the 2023 general elections, NAN reports. | PDP, House of Assembly Primaries, House of Representatives Primaries, Results, 2023 General Elections, Winners | https://bit.ly/3lDV2JG | |
| Nigerian Tribune Online | Tuesday, 24th May 2022 | 2023 Election: Coalition Of Seven Political Parties In Alliance ― NCFront | A coalition of seven political parties under the aegis of the National Consultative Front (NCFront) have unanimously agreed to present a single candidate for the presidential ticket and other elective positions. However, the Coalition is yet to unveil all the political parties. According to the statement issued by the Communications Executive of the National Consultative Front (NCFront), Ms Bilikis Bello, the alliance came to fruition “after about 15 months of painstaking engagements with like-minded allied political parties, the NCFront. According to her, NCFront is the umbrella body of the ‘3rd Force’ Movement and Political Alternatives to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigeria. She disclosed that NCFront has finally adopted the Labour Party as the mega party for ‘3rd Force’ Stakeholders and Allies for the 2023 elections. “This historic adoption of the Labour Party was made possible by the new rapprochement between the leadership of the Labour Movement and the hierarchy of the Labour Party; an emergent solidarity jointly spearheaded by President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC President, Comrade Quadri Olaleye, both of whom have since personally revalidated their membership of the Labour Party by formally registering with the Party last week"", she said. | NCF Front, PDP, Coalition, APC, Labour Party, NLC, TUC | https://bit.ly/3lDVuaQ | |
| This Day Newspaper | Friday, 20th May 2022 | N’Assembly Pressures Buhari to Sign Act that Changes Rules in Middle of Game | Members of the National Assembly have started mounting pressure on President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the amended Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act, which some analysts have said would amount to altering rules of the electoral process in the middle of the game. This is coming at a time the Supreme Court has joined the Rivers State government in a suit seeking its interpretation of the controversial Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act, 2022. However, analysts also expressed concern that if the president yields to the pressure of the lawmakers and assents to the amended section of the Act, it might affect the timetable for the 2023 general elections that had been released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) because under the electoral body’s schedule of activities, elections for delegates ought to taken place this weekend. More so, some analysts pointed out that what members of the National Assembly did was that they amended the Act for their own personal gains. “Essentially, once they passed the Electoral Act, INEC released the timetable and the process started. They now went back and changed the rules when the game has already started,” the source added. The federal legislature, had last week amended Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act to enable some categories of non-elected offices within the executive officers of the 18 registered political parties vote at the various categories of party executives, including the President, Vice President, Governors and Deputy governors, at the congresses and national convention expected from Saturday. In view of this, the 18 registered political parties have not been able to present their delegates lists, because the President has yet to assent the amended act. The implication is that only the statutory delegates and the elected three man-delegate as well as local governments’ delegates could vote at the congresses expected to commence Saturday. However, in his argument, the Deputy Senate President Omo-Agege, said the amendment sought to make provision for those who would not be elected as ad-hoc delegates to participate in the conventions, congresses, or meetings of political parties. He further asserted that the initial section of the Bill was an error on the part of the legislature. Corroborating Omo-Agege’s presentation, Senator Uche Ekwunife, said the amendment was a straightforward one, adding that, “without this amendment, most of us will not have the liberty of voting during the convention. I support the amendment. Senator Sabi Abdullahi, said, “This Bill is a very straightforward Bill, and let us put in on record that this error was something that happened inadvertently. We have seen the error and that is why we are back here to ensure nobody suffers any harm.” The Bill was read the second time and referred to the Committee of the Whole where it was passed. THISDAY, however, gathered that if by the end of Friday, the bill was not signed into law by President Buhari, then, executives of the 18 political parties would not be allowed to vote at the presidential conventions, National Assembly congresses, governorship congresses and other congresses to elect the standard bearers of their candidates. | National Assembly, Electoral Act 2022, Amendment, INEC, Delegates, 2023 General Elections, Political Party Convention | Page 1 & 5 | |
| This Day Newspaper | Friday, 20th May 2022 | Osinbajo Denies Providing over 7,000 Delegates Free Accommodation | The Osinbajo Campaign Organisation has denied media reports that it planned to provide hotel accommodation for more than 7,000 All Progressives Congress (APC) delegates across the country during the party’s presidential primary election. The support group in a statement issued yesterday described the report as false. It stated: “We have seen an outlandish news report that a so-called Osinbajo Campaign Organisation has said that it would provide hotel accommodation for more than 7,000 All Progressives Congress delegates across the country during the party’s presidential primary election. “Attributing such a claim to Senator Babafemi Ojudu, Special Adviser to the President, in the Office of the Vice-President, the report falsely claimed that “Ojudu announced this to delegates in Minna, while wooing them to vote for Osinbajo during the party’s primaries.” According to the statement, for the records, Ojudu at no time made such a claim and the Osinbajo Campaign team had no such plans. It stressed that such reported offer of free accommodation and free food should be ignored. | APC, Presidential Aspirant, Delegates, Minna, Osinbajo Campaign Organisation | Page 10 | |
| DailyTrust Newspaper | Friday, 20th May 2022 | Tinubu Receives Rousing Welcome In Kano, Meets Delegates | The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Thursday received a rousing welcome in Kano ahead of his meeting with Kano APC delegates to seek their endorsement for his presidential ambition. Tinubu arrived at the airport around 5pm and was subsequently taken to Kano Indoor Stadium where a mini rally was organised for him with members of the party in the state pledging allegiance to him. The state governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, led a retinue of party leaders to receive Tinubu at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA). All members of the entourage including the governor donned uniforms and caps with Tinubu’s emblem in a convoy consisting of over 20 motorbikes and more than 60 vehicles. Despite the heavy rainfall, the entrance of the airport was packed with supporters and the convoy struggled to make it out. Kano, which has the highest number of delegates in APC with 465, is seen as the stronghold of Tinubu with even another presidential aspirant, Rotimi Amaechi on Wednesday telling Ganduje that people in APC already knew where his loyalty was. | National Leader, APC, Kano State, Presidential Aspirant, 2023 General Elections | Page 8 | |
| DailyTrust Newspaper | Friday, 20th May 2022 | I’m Still In Presidential Race – Badaru | Governor Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State has refuted media reports which quoted him as dropping his presidential aspiration for a former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi. Badaru had on Wednesday said he would not contest in the presidential primary of the party with Amaechi because both of them were “children of President Muhammadu Buhari”. Speaking with journalists yesterday in Dutse, the governor insisted that he was still in the presidential race, saying that he picked the APC presidential forms because he believed he had what it took to lead the country. Badaru said, “Amaechi and I are APC family members. We also belong to the Muhammad Buhari school of thought. Amaechi and I joined hands with others for APC’s success in both 2015 and 2019. So, if our father, Muhammadu Buhari, asks me to step down for Amaechi, I will not hesitate to do so. Equally, I believe if he asks him to step down for me, he would do so.” | Governor, Jigawa State, APC, Dutse, Presidential Aspirant | Page 10 | |
| Punch Online | Friday, 20th May 2022 | INEC’s deadline for primaries unreasonable, says Olawepo-Hashim | A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has warned the Independent National Electoral Commission against stampeding various political parties over the conduct of their primaries. According to him, the insistence of INEC that political parties conclude their primaries before June 3, 2022 “is unreasonable and illegal.” He said it was hypocritical that INEC, which had postponed many elections on the very day of election, would refuse to shift ground on the deadline for primaries. “Party primaries are integral part of the democratic process, and it is bewildering that INEC is not even interested in debates between aspirants, which remains a huge opportunity to define party platforms,” he said. The presidential candidate of Peoples Trust during the 2019 general elections said while the Electoral Act, 2022 remained clear that political parties have 180 days to election to submit their nomination, which would be due by August, it seemed what “INEC wants is for parties to gather somewhere and select candidates without due process.” He also argued that while INEC has power to draw election timetable, it has no such power over timetable for parties’ primaries. He also countered what he described as ‘the spurious argument that time is needed for dispute resolution in the court and wondered “when has it become the business of INEC to set up calendars for judicial matters that can go on for years into the tenure of the next administration.” | INEC, 2019 General Elections, 2023 General Elections, Political Party Primaries | https://bit.ly/3sJu8nG | |
| Vanguard Online | Friday, 20th May 2022 | 2023: I’m running as Nigerian Presidential aspirant, not Northern aspirant — Lawan | Ahead of the primaries of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to pick its Presidential candidate for the 2023 Presidential election, the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan has begun his campaign tour of the country, saying that he is running as a Nigerian Presidential aspirant, not a northern aspirant. Lawan who visited Katsina state yesterday to seek the support of party members particularly the delegates for his presidential bid, said that as a Nigerian he is qualified to be President and not as a northern aspirant as being insinuated in some quarters. Lawan said, “I am not running as a northern aspirant because the impression created is that I’m a northern aspirant or that northerners are saying they are not going to allow power to the South. I’m not running as a northern candidate. I’m running as a Nigerian Presidential aspirant and therefore I come with all my qualifications for that office and people should judge me on the basis of what I have to offer”. Lawan who is one of the longest serving Nigerian Federal lawmakers having been elected into the National Assembly since 1999 said he possessed the requisite experience and qualifications that put him at an advantage over other aspirants. Lawan said, “We have been around for sometime. Thank God, from 2019, we have been working with the President of our Party, President Muhammadu Buhari, very closely. I know and I understand most of the national issues that we deal with". | APC, Senate President, 2023 General Elections, Presidential Aspirant, Katsina State | https://bit.ly/3a6ptWd | |
| The Guardian Newspaper | Friday, 20th May 2022 | INEC, stakeholders reject Imo PDP ad-hoc delegates’ list | The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has, again, invalidated the outcome of the local council and national delegate congresses conducted by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State, over alleged malpractices and substantial violation of extant laws. This was as the election umpire insisted that only statutory delegates, as provided in the constitution of the party, should be used in all the party’s primaries in the state. In a letter dated May 17, 2022, the INEC’s Acting Secretary, Mr. Aminu Idris, said: “The commission’s monitoring report on the one-man ad hoc national delegates congress in Imo has also indicated substantial non-compliance, as no original local council congress result form was provided at any of the council congress venues. He concluded that the commission expects the party’s primaries in Imo to be conducted using only statutory delegates as provided for in the constitution of the PDP.” Reacting to the development, Imo PDP leadership, stakeholders and some of the chieftains of the party, insisted that any attempt, capable of jeopardising the effort and commitment of the party to ensure credible, free and fair primaries, would be resisted, in the best interest of the party and members. Also, spokesperson of Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) and House of Representatives hopeful for Ideato North and South Federal Constituency, Ikenga Ugochinyere, blamed the development on the alleged desperation of few top party leaders. He also called on the national leadership of the party to order the immediate arrest and investigation of the electoral officers responsible for the missing results sheets for the conduct of wards’ three-man delegates congress and council one-man national delegates congress. He said: “The decision by INEC was painful for the party; but, in line with extant laws, it appears that is the only option for the party, in view of the desperate circumstances. | INEC, PDP, CUPP, Delegates, Imo State | Page 26 | |
| The Guardian Newspaper | Thursday, 19th May 2022 | 2023: APC, PDP in mind game over primaries | The countdown to presidential primaries of the two major parties – All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – is coming with all the thrills and trappings of the now rested Game of Thrones series. Like in a high-stake football match of two top teams, where each side keeps an eye on the opposition’s tactics, the ruling APC, continuing in its deft political manoeuvring, yesterday, tinkered with schedule of activities and fixed a new date for its presidential and all other primary elections. With the new adjustment, APC will be kicking off its primary few hours after PDP concludes its national convention, while the governorship primaries billed to hold tomorrow (Friday) has been postponed till next week Thursday. This was contained in a statement signed by APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka. He said the new dates were approved by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) at its meeting, yesterday. The statement reads: “The NWC has approved an adjusted timetable/schedule of activities for the governorship, state House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate and Presidential primaries and appeals as follows: “Governorship and House of Representatives – Thursday, May 26; Senate and House of Assembly, Friday, May 27; and special convention for presidential primary holds Sunday, May 29 to Monday, May 30. For election appeals: Governorship and House of Representatives holds May 27, while Senate and House of Assembly holds May 28. This is coming a day after PDP moved its governorship and other primaries, leaving its presidential primary for May 28 and 29. A source had earlier informed The Guardian that the major opposition party shifted its primaries to prevent the ruling party from wooing its members who might lose out during the exercise. There had also been some intrigues over the venue of the primaries, with PDP losing the use of Eagle Square to the APC, while it opted for the Velodrome of the MKO Abiola Stadium. Also, last week, the PDP decided to jettison zoning by throwing open its presidential ticket. This, the APC, on the other flank, is also considering by dithering on making a definite pronouncement on zoning, inspite of the prodding from stakeholders, including Ondo State governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, a champion of power shift to the South. However, in a reaction yesterday, the ruling party said there was no iota of truth in media reports that it had zoned the presidency to the Northeast. APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Morka, who briefed reporters at the national secretariat of the party, expressed surprise over the report. He said: “There is no such decision made by the NWC of the party. If and when the party takes the decision on zoning, we will make that announcement.” | APC, PDP, Zoning, Primaries, NWC, 2023 General Elections | Page 1 & 6 | |
| The Guardian Newspaper | Thursday, 19th May 2022 | SDP urges Buhari, IGP to avert breakdown of peace in Ekiti | The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Ekiti State, Segun Oni, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Alkali Baba, to urgently halt the reprehensible activities of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, which he said, were capable of causing a crisis of an unimaginable magnitude. It also has raised the alarm over the assassination attempt on the deputy governorship candidate of the SDP, Otunba Ladi Owolabi. The call came yesterday, following a pandemonium that erupted in Ado-Ekiti when one of the campaign buses belonging to Owolabi was allegedly snatched at gunpoint by suspected thugs. The bus was said to have been driven away to an unknown destination. However, Owolabi, while speaking with journalists, vowed never to succumb to the unwarranted intimidation by the ruling APC, which he said, had lost touch with the people and was afraid of facing the electorate on June 18, 2022. Also, Oni described the situation as an embarrassment to all Ekiti people, at home and abroad, as well as democracy lovers across the country. | SDP, Ekiti State, Gubernatorial Elections, Apc, #EkitiDecides2023 | Page 5 | |
| This Day Newspaper | Thursday, 19th May 2022 | Returning Ministers: Buhari to Determine Sylva, Ngige, Tallen’s Fate, Says Mohammed | President Muhammadu Buhari has the final say on the fate of members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) who decided to renounce their political ambitions and remain in the cabinet, so says Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed. Mohammed also disclosed that the federal government had no plan to ban the social networking website, Facebook, in Nigeria over alleged biased reportage of happenings in some parts of the country. The disclosure came as FEC approved N169.7 billion private sector investments for road infrastructure through the government’s Tax Credit Programme (TCP), during the weekly virtual meeting. Mohammed, who briefed newsmen after the FEC meeting yesterday at the State House, Abuja, said he would need to confirm the status of the returning ministers from the president. He said, “The question about ministers returning or not going, I think you need to give me more time so that I can tell you exactly what the situation is. Right now, I need to crosscheck. I need to confirm again from Mr President what the situation is. You see, the final decision on who is going, who’s coming back, who’s not, lies with Mr. President.” Presidency sources yesterday told THISDAY that President had since asked the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami and the Governor of the Central Bank, Godwin Emefiele to stay on in their jobs even though they had initially nursed the ambition of contesting the 2023 election. While Malami had purchased forms to vie for Governor in his home State of Kebbi, a group of rice farmers purchased forms for Emefiele to contest for ticket to vie for the presidential election. | FEC, TCP, 2023 General Elections | Page 1 & 48 | |
| The Guardian Newspaper | Thursday, 19th May 2022 | Amaechi makes promises to APC delegates in Abuja | A former Minister of Transportation and presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has assured delegates of the party in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of better representation if they help him clinch APC’s presidential ticket and proceed to win the general elections in 2023. Amaechi gave the assurance during his consultative meeting with delegates of the party in Abuja, Tuesday night. He promised: “If you elect me as your president, ministers will know their portfolio before they get to the National Assembly so that when the National Assembly is interviewing a minister, they’ll interview the minister to know his capacity, to see how qualified he is to be minister for transport, for instance. So that when they are asked questions, it will border on how they can tackle challenges in those sectors.” He said ministers from the 36 states and the FCT would be appointed by their people after stakeholders’ meetings to nominate at least three names from their states. This, he noted, is to ensure transparency and accountability. “Where you give us two females, there must be one man. Where you give us two men, there must be one woman, preferably, one man, one woman and one youth. When they bring those names, the leadership of the party at the national level will sit and choose one out of the three. The only ones I will be privileged to appoint would be the extras.” | APC, FCT, 2023 General Elections, Presidential Aspirant | Page 3 | |
| This Day Newspaper | Thursday, 19th May 2022 | 2023: APC Implosion Imminent over Move to Keep Presidency in North, Party Chieftain Warns | The ongoing plot by the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to retain power in the north come 2023 could implode the party, one of the party’s chieftain in Bauchi, Alhasan Farouk has warned. THISDAY had reported yesterday, that in a move that was certainly going to generate shock waves around the country and heighten the already tensed political situation, the APC was working towards zoning its presidential ticket to the North-east, with the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan likely to emerge as its presidential candidate in the 2023 elections. Farouk, in a statement made available to THISDAY, stressed that, “unless drastic interventions are made, next year’s general election may prove the final straw for Nigeria’s 62-year experiment as a highly combustible union of disparate ethnic groups each with an unyielding aspiration to determine its own destiny and a shared suspicion of a nursed domination agenda.” He noted that President Muhammadu Buhari from the North-west as incumbent, had received widespread criticism from several segments of the society for what was termed a lopsided appointment in Nigeria’s security architecture and several ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) where the north had been unduly favoured. Farouk alleged that the apparent mismanagement of the party processes, due largely to the greed and megalomania of vested interest in the north who do not care about the region but their personal aggrandizement, “and are terrified by the prospect of life without the cover of federal power and immunity, may drive Nigeria to the brink and cause an implosion that could break the country and set on-course a new scramble by the global powers of Europe, America, and China – a project some may well say is underway, especially in the case of China, with booby trap loans and investments.” “The center of Nigeria is not holding and the APC’s final act, unless it changes course, may be to preside over the country’s disintegration,” he said. | APC, APC Chieftain, 2023 General Elections, Lopsided Appointments | Page 8 | |
| Daily Trust Newspaper | Thursday, 19th May 2022 | Convention: Osinbajo Promises Niger Delegates Free Hotel, Feeding | Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has promised the 7’000 delegates from Niger State free hotel accommodation and feeding during the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary in Abuja. Special Assistant to the VP, Babafemi Ojudu, announced this yesterday in Minna, Niger State, before his principal was led by Governor Abubakar Sani Bello to a hall in the Government House where Osinbajo interacted with the delegates. He asked journalists to step out, saying his boss would not be able to respond candidly to some questions that would be asked by the delegates if journalists were present. Addressing the delegates, he said: “I want to inform you that coming to Abuja, you have no fear of any kind. Those of us who are his friends and associates have made hotel accommodation available for you. Before you leave here, we will let you know the hotel in which you are going to stay. “Your feeding in the hotel will be done by us. Then there will be buses in the hotel to take you from the hotel to the venue of the conference. We are going to have a desk in the hotel that is going to take care of your needs. Like I said, he wants to partner with you; he won’t let you suffer. We want you to come to Abuja and carry out this assignment and also enjoy yourself.” He also said the vice president would be in each of the hotels where the delegates will be accommodated to talk to them and canvass for their votes. There were insinuations that account numbers of the delegates were compiled by a group assigned by Osinbajo’s campaign team before his arrival. But our correspondent could not establish how much was to be given to each of the delegates. | Vice President, APC, Delegates, 2023 General Elections, Presidential Aspirant | Page 15 | |
| Daily Trust Newspaper | Thursday, 19th May 2022 | Kano’s Political Equation Changes As Shekarau Joins Kwankwaso In NNPP | Following the formal defection of a former Kano State Governor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), the political alignment in the state has taken a different shape.. Shekarau, the Senator representing Kano Central, picked up his NNPP membership card at his Giginyu Ward on Wednesday after several days of back and forth on the defection. The National Leader of NNPP and its presidential aspirant, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, also a former Governor of Kano State, was among the bigwigs of Kano politics that were at the event to receive Shekarau into NNPP; a union some political analysts described as a marriage of convenience. Daily Trust further reports that Kwankwaso personally handed over Shekarau’s membership card, with the Shura Council, Shekarau’s political structure’s highest decision-making body, also in attendance. Daily Trust reports that this is the first time that Shekarau and Kwankwaso will go into general elections as members of the same party, and with both of them considered as two of three strongest politicians in the state, their alignment is being seen as a game changer. | APC, NPP, Kano State | Page 16 | |
| The Guardian Newspaper | Wednesday, 18th May 2022 | SDP’s allegation against me false, misleading, says Ekiti gov | Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has described the allegation by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Ekiti State on ‘task force’ as false, misleading and irresponsible. Owoseeni Ajayi, who was acting as solicitor to the candidate of the SDP, Chief Segun Oni, had written to security agencies in the state, alleging that some citizens and union leaders had been recruited and a ‘task force’ set up by Fayemi to disrupt the June 18, 2022 governorship elections. In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode, yesterday, in Ado-Ekiti, Fayemi said the allegation would have been ignored as another dubious fabrication from the stable of “the troubled SDP,” but for the fact that it was written by a supposed learned fellow. Relatedly, Fayemi has described the accusation by a former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, as false, puerile and laughable, saying that it is a figment of his imagination. A statement by Oyebode stated that the allegation made by Oshiomhole on a national television was false as Fayemi never asked former APC national chairman to rig any election for him or any other person and never had any reason to ask for such. “Members of the public are urged to disregard the allegation by Oshiomhole, who apparently is still experiencing a post-traumatic stress disorder on account of his removal as chairman of APC. It is on record that Fayemi was not responsible for Oshiomhole’s removal as chairman of APC. He has his ward executives and the courts to blame for that.” He challenged Oshiomhole to provide verifiable evidence of his unsubstantiated claims, if true. | Ekiti State, Governor, SDP, Ekiti Elections, #EkitiDecides2023, APC, Gubernatorial Elections | Page 5 | |
| The Guardian Newspaper | Wednesday, 18th May 2022 | I’m PDP’s best, Wike tells Kebbi delegates | Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has said he is the most qualified and capable aspirant to the country’s top office. Addressing PDP delegates in Birnin Kebbi, yesterday, ahead of the national convention, Wike said he has full knowledge of leadership than others. The governor, who expressed dismay over bad governance by the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration, urged Nigerians to shun the ruling party, which failed the people. “Those that are contesting in my party cannot lead the country. I was the one that rescued the party when it was at the verge of collapsing,” he boasted. Wike, who promised to restructure the country, if given the chance to lead, added: “I have the means to change the fortunes of the country for the better. | PDP, APC, Kebbi State | Page 29 | |
| Daily Trust Newspaper | Wednesday, 18th May 2022 | 20 INEC Commissioners To Go In June, August | The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will discharge 20 Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) by June and August this year. The REC in Niger State, Prof Sam Egwu, revealed that his tenure and that of 19 other RECs would elapse between June and August this year. He said, “By the end of June, about 20 RECs will leave, and that will include those who have served their second term, and therefore, would not be eligible for reappointment. And in August, another set will also leave.” Egwu stressed the need for the timely appointment of new RECs to ensure that there was no disruption in the electoral process. He said building institutions was important to addressing political and electoral problems in the country. Some of the affected RECs were appointed or re-appointed in 2017. When contacted, Rotimi Lawrence Oyekanmi, the spokesman of the INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, told Daily Trust that the commission was aware of the development and that some of those affected would leave from June or July this year. He said, “The commission is aware of the development, some of those affected have exhausted their two-term maximum tenure, some have one tenure and can be reconsidered by the federal government. The commission would, at the appropriate time, notify the authorities on the development.” | INEC, RECs, Discharge | Page 11 | |
| Daily Trust Newspaper | Wednesday, 18th May 2022 | APC, PDP Delegates Rake In Millions As Aspirants Scout For Votes | As presidential aspirants of both the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scout for votes ahead of the primaries, delegates are making millions, Daily Trust reports. Thirty-eight aspirants are in the race for the presidential tickets of the two leading parties. While APC has 23, the PDP had cleared 15 aspirants to compete for its presidential ticket. The fate of the 23 aspirants of the APC would be decided between May 30 and June1 by a total of 7,800 delegates selected from across the country. For the 15 PDP contenders, 3,700 delegates would vote to pick one among them as the party’s flag bearer between May 28 and 29 this year. Before the D-day, the presidential aspirants have been reaching out to the delegates in their home states, showering various gifts on them especially cash, while trying to outdo each. Reports from states showed that the delegates are making fortunes from the aspirants. A cross section of the delegates told this paper that it is their season to make money. Commenting on the development, the Director Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Idayat Hassan, said that Nigeria’s election is a money democracy thus money defines the democratic system. “2023 may be the worse primaries as heavyweights jostle for few votes. There is so much work to do in the terms of enforcement and collective behavioural approach in stemming the role of money in politics,” she said. On his part, the Executive Director Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED), Dr Ibrahim Zikirullahi, said that the use of monies to induce delegates is a sinister precursor to the adoption of vote buying as the main strategy for mobilising votes in the 2023 general elections. Also, the Chairman of the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) and Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Malam Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, said that the influx of money in politics is bad for democracy and the nation in general. According to him, this goes to show that political actors are ready to influence the choice of the delegates. | APC, PDP, Delegates, Votes, CSOs, CDD, CHRICED, TMG, CISLAC | Page 3 | |
| This Day Newspaper | Wednesday, 18th May 2022 | Fears Mount in APC over Moves to Zone Presidency to North-east | In a move that is certainly going to generate shock waves around the country and heighten the already tensed political situation, it has come to light that the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is working towards zoning its presidential ticket to the North-east, with the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan likely to emerge as its presidential candidate in the 2023 elections. Many in the South who have been strident in calls for the presidential ticket to be zoned to the South after eight years of Buhari in the saddle are will not likely to be amused by this evolving development. Also, with the latest decision of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to allow ad-hoc delegates to elect presidential candidate at its forthcoming convention, the chances of a northern aspirant emerging as the presidential standard bearer have brightened even more. A reliable source in the ruling party who disclosed the new zoning arrangement in the APC to THISDAY yesterday, further confirmed Monday’s disclosure by Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal that the party may have settled for Lawan as its presidential candidate. | Presidential Aspirant, APC, Zoning, nWC | Page 12 | |
| This Day Newspaper | Wednesday, 18th May 2022 | PDP Notifies INEC of its New Dates for Governorship, Senatorial, Other Primaries | In a PDP letter to INEC dated May 16, 2022, which was signed by the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu and the National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, it said its States’ House of Assembly primary elections would now hold nationwide on Saturday 21. Also, the opposition party stated that the new date for its House of Representatives primary elections would now hold on Sunday May 22, while the Senatorial primary elections would hold Monday May 23. PDP stated that its governorship primary elections have now been fixed for Wednesday, May 25. They also informed INEC in the letter that in the case of the south-east, the Senatorial primaries, the election has been moved from Monday May 23 to Tuesday May 24, “due to the sit at home currently been observed in the south-east region.” | PDP, INEC, Change of Dates for primaries, 2023 General Elections | Page 12 | |
| The Cable | Wednesday, 18th May 2022 | EU: Why Nigerian youths need to influence outcome of 2023 elections | The European Union (EU) has urged Nigerian youths to influence the outcome of the 2023 elections by participating actively. Winifred Achu, a representative of Samuela Isopi, EU ambassador to Nigeria, spoke on Tuesday at a policy dialogue, which took place in Abuja. The dialogue, with the theme, ‘Youths Perspective for Building and Sustaining a Prosperous Nigeria’, was organised by the Agents for Citizen-driven Transformation (ACT), Managing Conflict in Nigeria (MCN) and Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) Programmes. Speaking during the event, Achu said Nigerian youths constitute a large number of voters, adding that the much-talked about future is now. “Now is the time for youths to influence the outcome of the 2023 elections for their benefits and their country at large,” Achu said. “Today is the tomorrow our leaders have always spoken about, when they say the youths are the future of tomorrow. The timing for this dialogue could not have been better, as Nigeria prepares for 2023 general elections. We are at a critical point for young people in Nigeria.” On his part, Yabagi Sani, chairman, Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), said power is not given on a platter of gold, adding that Nigerian youths must earn involvement in the politics of decision making. | EU, Youths, EU-ACT, MCN, ROLAC, IPAC, 2023 General Elections | https://bit.ly/3lDVCHr | |
| Punch Online | Tuesday, 17th May 2022 | Timetable: INEC talks tough as 18 parties fail to conduct primaries | The Independent National Electoral Commission has vowed not to extend the June 3, 2022 deadline for primaries even as The PUNCH observed on Monday that none of the 18 political parties had conducted their presidential primaries three weeks to the deadline. A document obtained from INEC on Monday showed that the Accord Party scheduled its primaries for June 2 while the Action Alliance fixed its own for June 3.The African Action Congress is also expected to hold its own on June 3 while the African Democratic Congress and the Action Democratic Party will hold theirs on June 1 and May 30 respectively. The All Progressives Congress will complete its presidential primary on June 1; the All Progressives Grand Alliance will conduct its primary on June 1 while the Allied Peoples Movement will conduct its primary on May 30. The Action People’s Party slated its primary for May 27, the Boot Party will conduct its own on June 3, Labour Party on June 3 and the New Nigeria People’s Party on June 1 and 2. The National Rescue Movement fixed its Presidential primary for June 1 and 2, the Peoples Democratic Party will hold its own on May 29, the Peoples Redemption Party will conduct its primary on May 28, and the Young Progressives Party will hold its own on June 1 while Zenith Labour Party will hold its primary on June 1. The PUNCH learnt that the Social Democratic Party, which had fixed its primary for May 14, failed to do so. Sources told our correspondent that parties had fixed their presidential primaries for the last minute in order to carry out negotiations and also lobby INEC. | INEC, Political Parties, Primaries, AA, AAC, AP, ADC, ADP, APC, APGA, APM, APP, BP, LP, NNPP, NRM, PDP, PRP, YPP, ZLP, SDP | https://bit.ly/3LflGmo | |
| Punch Online | Tuesday, 17th May 2022 | Screening: APC fails to release results of successful aspirants | The National Working Committee of the All Progressive Congress, on Monday, failed to announce the results of last weekend’s screening of governorship, senatorial and House of Representatives aspirants. Despite waiting till late in the night, expectant journalists left the APC secretariat disappointed. Although no reason was given, our correspondent gathered from a reliable source in the APC directorate of organisation that the results would be communicated to individual aspirants. The development came a day after journalists were restricted from covering Sunday’s screening of governorship and senatorial aspirants in Abuja. The exercise, which started late, was conducted amid tight security at Fraser Suites, the venue of the screening. The PUNCH reliably gathered that it was a joint decision taken by the leadership of the ruling party and the hotel management following the crowd violence and stampede on Saturday night. Trouble started when touts and photographers masquerading as journalists engaged in a free-for-all allegedly over money after they infiltrated the venue midway through the programme. A source from the party secretariat, however, told our correspondent that the actual reason journalists were locked out was to control the huge crowd, which seemingly overwhelmed the hotel management on Saturday. Meanwhile, the APC committees on Sunday completed its two-day screening of 1,693 governorship, senatorial and House of Representatives aspirants. Among those screened for the senatorial tickets were former National Chairman of the party, Senator Adams Oshiomhole; senator representing the Adamawa North District, Elisha Abbo; another aspirant eyeing his senatorial seat in Adamawa, Hamisu Medugu, and Ondo State First lady, Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, who is vying for the Imo East senatorial seat. The four politicians were among the 351 aspirants screened by the Mahmud Shinkafi-led committee on Saturday night. Oshiomhole, who had earlier declared for the presidency, made a U-turn to settle for a ticket to contest the 2023 election for a seat to represent Edo North Senatorial District. | NWC, APC, Screening, Senatorial Aspirants, House of Representatives Aspirants, 2023 General Elections | https://bit.ly/3wpFRbW | |
| Daily Post Online | Tuesday, 17th May 2022 | 2023 Presidency: Amaechi finally resigns, sends message to Buhari | An All Progressives Congress, APC, Presidential aspirant, Rotimi Amaechi has officially resigned as the Minister of Transportation. Amaechi said he resigned from Buhari’s cabinet to focus on his Presidential ambition. There have been speculations over Amaechi’s resignation, following Buhari’s directive to his Ministers. Buhari had ordered his Ministers and appointees with political ambition to resign. Though, some Ministers complied immediately, Amaechi and others stayed on. However, the minister finally tendered his resignation and it was contained in a statement by the Amaechi Presidential Media Committee, signed by Kingsley Wali. The former Rivers State Governor expressed gratitude to Buhari for considering him for the position of a minister. Amaechi noted that the Transportation Ministry recorded significant achievement since the inception of Buhari’s administration. | APC, Presidential Aspirant, Resignation | https://bit.ly/38rr48N | |
| This Day Live | Tuesday, 17th May 2022 | Electoral (Amendment) Act: Supreme Court Adjourns Malami’s Case to Thursday | The Supreme Court of Nigeria has adjourned hearing in the suit filed by President Muhammadu Buhari and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami to Thursday, May 19, 2022. Buhari and Malami had taken the National Assembly before the Supreme Court over Section 84 (12) of the Electoral (Amendment) Act, 2022. The law bars political appointees like Malami from seeking elective public office or voting as delegates in a party primary unless they resign their positions. President Buhari and Malami had in the suit marked SC/CV/504/2022 and filed on April 29, 2022, removed the clause in the electoral act. Both of them told the apex court that the Section 84 (12) of the Electoral (Amendment) Act, 2022 is inconsistent with the provisions of sections 42, 65, 66, 106, 107, 131, 137, 147, 151, 177, 182, 192 and 196 of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, (as amended), as well Article 2 of the African Charter on Human and People and Peoples Rights. They are, therefore seeking an order of the court to strike out the section of the Act, which they said was inconsistent with the nation’s constitution. | Supreme Court, AGF, Electoral Act 2022 | https://bit.ly/3PnWe1p | |
| This Day Live | Tuesday, 17th May 2022 | 2023: Sylva, Tallen Back Out of Political Ambitions, Retain Ministerial Positions | Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, and Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Paullen Tallen, have chickened out of their plans to resign from the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari to pursue their respective political ambitions. Sylva withdrew from the presidential race under the All Progressives Congress (APC) and returned to work as minister, while Tallen pulled out of her plan to contest a senatorial position in Plateau State. Like two of their colleagues, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, and Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige, Sylva and Tallen decided to remain as ministers and beat the May 16, 2022 deadline given ministers in Buhari’s cabinet with political ambitions to resign. But lawyer and human rights activist, Femi Falana, SAN, said Malami and Ngige had exposed the country to ridicule with their U-turn. Falana said after participating in a farewell meeting, the two ministers could not return to the cabinet to function as ministers. | APC, 2023 General Elections, Ministers | https://bit.ly/3yHKFfx | |
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, 17th May 2022 | Primaries: INEC Cautions Parties Against Exceeding Deadline | The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged political parties to stick to the 2023 elections timetable as it would not allow party primaries beyond the June 4 deadline. The INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, outreach and partnership committee (OPC), Prof. Kunle Ajayi, said this yesterday in Abuja at INEC International Republican Institute (IRI) and Women’s Democracy Network (WDN) engagement with political parties on women participation in primaries for 2023 general elections. He said the 18 registered political parties that would participate in the 2023 general elections have been given election time to conduct their party primaries ahead of the general elections and would not tolerate late conduct of the primaries. “The commission fixed April 4th to June 3rd, 2022 for political parties to conduct their primaries to democratically elect their standard bearers for 2023 general elections. INEC is not ready to listen to any excuse that will be contrary to the Electoral Act,” Ajayi said. He also enjoined women to come all out and take their rightful position in Nigeria political scheme. He said the low membership of women in parties’ leadership structures and decision-making positions, and as aspirants, candidates for elections, elected or appointed officials in government, has denied the country the full potential and the positive contributions of the women folk to national development, and to the building of a more inclusive society. | INEC, Party Primaries, OPC, WDN, Political Parties, 2023 General Elections, Electoral Act 2022 | https://bit.ly/3FPZZIC | |
| This Day Live | Tuesday, 17th May 2022 | 3,700 Delegates to Decide Fate of 15 PDP Presidential Aspirants | The race for who will emerge the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has entered a new dimension as former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi; former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim and Publisher of Ovation Magazine, Chief Dele Momodu have intensified their respective campaigns. THISDAY findings showed that their campaigns are channeled towards wooing 3,700 delegates comprising 40 per cent of statutory delegates and 60 per cent of elected delegates from the 740 local government areas and six area councils of the Federal Capital Territory. The presidential convention of the party is expected to hold in Abuja on May 28th and 29th, with the leading aspirants intensifying their campaigns by meeting the party’s delegates across the country. Some are also meeting delegates of the party who are former National Working Committee members. | PDP, Presidential Aspirants, Delegates | https://bit.ly/3t2Hcon | |
| This Day Newspaper | Thursday, 12th May 2022 | 2023: Nwajiuba, Onu, Akpabio Resign Following Buhari’s Directive | Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba; Minister of Science, Technology and Innovations, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu; and Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, yesterday, resigned from their respective positions following the directive by President Muhammadu Buhari that ministers in his cabinet who were desirous of running for elective offices should resign forthwith. However, Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, said he would have to consult with his constituents and the president before resigning his appointment. Other ministers affected by the presidential directive, who were yet to resign included Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, and Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, both of whom have joined the presidential race on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, who is seeking to contest the governorship position in Kebbi State; Minister of State for Mines and Steel, Uche Ogah, who is running for governorship in Abia State, and Minister of Women Affairs, Paulline Tallen, who declared her ambition to contest for a senatorial seat in Plateau State. With few days to the party primaries ahead of the 2023 general election, Buhari yesterday ordered ministers in his cabinet who were nursing the intention to run for elective offices to resign. However, it was gathered that Nwajiuba had tendered his resignation letter on April 28, after the purchase of nomination and expression of interest forms for him by a group. On their part, Onu and Akpabio, it was also gathered, submitted their letters of resignation to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha. Briefing journalists after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided by Buhari, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the president directed that ministers with political ambitions had up till Monday, May 16, 2022, to resign. | Aspirants, FEC, Resignation, Ministers, APC, 2023 General Elections | Page 10 | |
| This Day Newspaper | Thursday, 12th May 2022 | At Last, PDP NEC Throws Presidential Ticket Open, Recommends Consensus | After some back and forth over a period of time, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has finally adopted report of the national caucus of the party, which approved the report of the 37-man committee that threw open the presidential ticket of the party. Before the NEC, PDP stakeholders had met at the Benue State Governor’s Lodge at 10 am, but no resolution was reached and the meeting was adjourned for further consultation. However, while the meeting was adjourned to 8pm, the Board of Trustees (BoT) too met at 7pm, where the report was adopted. But before the NEC and BoT meetings, it was agreed to adopt zoning in subsequent elections, and, due to time factor, the presidential ticket of the party should be thrown open. The NEC and BoT, therefore, urged the party to work towards a consensus candidate, if possible. The report of the 37-man committee was signed by 36 members, except the member from Imo State, Nze Fidelis OziChukwu. | PDP, NEC, BOT, 2023 General Elections | Page 56 | |
| Daily Trust Newspaper | Thursday, 12th May 2022 | INEC To Suspend CVR Exercise June 30 | The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday said it will suspend the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise on June 30, 2022. It explained that the suspension was to enable the commission clean up the registration data ahead of the 2023 polls. INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this at the second quarterly consultative meeting with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja. He said, “As you are aware, the ongoing CVR exercise ends next month, that is 30th June, 2022. Both the online pre-registration, as well as the physical registration, at designated centres are taking place simultaneously. “However, online pre-registrants would require time to schedule appointments to complete their registration physically at designated centres. For this reason, the commission has decided to suspend the online registration in the next three weeks, that is 30th May, 2022. “This will enable the online registrants to complete their registration physically at the designated centres before the exercise is suspended on 30th June, 2022. This will enable the commission to clean up the registration data, print the Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) and compile the register ahead of the 2023 general elections.” On the inclusivity of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the electoral process, the INEC boss said that Section 54(2) of the Electoral Act made provision for assistive materials for them. The Country Director of Action Aid Nigeria (AAN) and convener of the Civil Society Situation Room, Ms Ene Obi, who spoke on behalf of the CSOs, urged INEC to stick to its timetable and schedule of activities for the 2023 general elections. | INEC, CVR, CSOs, PVC, 2023 General Elections, Suspension, AAN | Page 15 | |
| The Guardian Newspaper | Thursday, 12th May 2022 | Self-determination group seeks cancellation of 2023 general election | Any election conducted under the “defective” 1999 Constitution will not be acceptable to majority of Nigerians. Therefore, the Federal Government has been advised to suspend the 2023 general elections because its winner will swear to govern by that constitution. This was the position of Nigerian Indigenous Nationalities Alliance for Self-Determination (NINAS), which insisted the country cannot continue to live under the 1999 Constitution. It described the constitution as “a fraud” and blamed it for mis-governance, insecurity and other challenges facing the country. Coordinating Secretary of the group, Tony Nnadi, said instead of dissipating energy on an election that will not bring peace and solve myriads of challenges facing the country, government should immediately begin a “time-bound transition process to midwife the emergence of fresh constitutional protocols by a two-stage process in which constituent regional blocs will, at the first stage, distil and ratify their various constitutions by referendums and plebiscites, and in the second stage, negotiate the terms of federating afresh, as may be dictated by the outcomes of the referendum and plebiscites.” Nnadi, who said time had come to “end the fraud of 1999 and correct the mischief of 1914”, likened the current situation in Nigeria to the period when South Africa operated an apartheid constitution and called on government to begin the process of enthroning a true peoples’ constitution. | 1999 Constitution, 2023 General Elections | Page 3 | |
| The Guardian Newspaper | Thursday, 12th May 2022 | NJC issues policy directions on election related cases | Ahead of general elections, National Judicial Council (NJC) has released the Policy Directions on Political and Election Related Cases to Heads of Courts nationwide.This came as part of efforts to prevent conflicting orders or judgments capable of disrupting the ongoing electioneering process. Sources said Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, presided over the meeting where the policy directions were formulated. Under the new direction, Heads of Courts are to be held responsible for loopholes in their areas of jurisdiction. The policy, which was made public in Abuja, yesterday, was formulated at NJC’s 98th meeting on May 10 and 11, under the chairmanship of Muhammad. It reads in part: “These Policy Directions shall apply to all suits filed in any court in Nigeria wherein the parties include Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), any political party or its officers, any other person, natural or legal, suing or sued for a declaration in relation to any action taken or to compel or restrain any action or omission with respect to affairs of a political party or any election into a public office. All Heads of Court shall assign cases or constitute panels with a view to forestalling incidences of conflicting judgments and rulings; once facts or issues have been ruled upon, no other Court or Panel of Coordinate Jurisdiction shall be assigned or entertain suits on the same subject matter and parties shall comply or proceed on appeal to the appropriate higher Court.” | NJC, CJN, INEC, 2023 General Elections, Policy Directions on Political and Election Related Cases | Page 3 | |
| Punch Online | Thursday, 12th May 2022 | Ministers’ exit: Buhari bows to pressure, APC panel may demand resignation letters | There are strong indications that members of the Federal Executive Council who have declared their intention to contest the 2023 presidential election may appear before the All Progressives Congress screening committee with copies of their letters of resignation and acknowledgement. Party sources stated that this might form part of the additional stipulations the aspirants were expected to comply with. The development was sequel to the directive by President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Wednesday, that all members of his cabinet vying for elective offices must step down on or Monday. An APC chieftain told The PUNCH that aspirants might be asked to produce their letters of resignation and acknowledgement copies during their screening. He said several appointees and aides had been rushing to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to submit letters of resignation and collect acknowledgement letters. The chieftain, who wished to remain anonymous, said, “From all indications, the party will ask appointees to come with resignation letters and letters of acknowledgement. All those who refuse to resign will just be setting themselves up for disqualification. At this point, it will be safe for anyone who is an appointee to just resign whether you are a minister or not. I am sure the APC will be issuing a statement anytime from now on the matter.” | FEC, APC, Resignation, Aspirants, 2023 General Elections | https://bit.ly/3l1BFd6 | |
| The Guardian Newspaper | Thursday, 12th May 2022 | NAUS vows to disrupt party primaries, 2023 elections if ASUU strike persists | The National Association of University Students (NAUS), yesterday, stormed Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, protesting the unending strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). The students, who decried the strike, said they were tired of staying at home. They vowed that there would not be party primaries and 2023 elections if the Federal Government refuses to accede to the demands of the lecturers. The students, who carried placards with various inscriptions, such as, “No school resumption, no primaries, no 2023 polls,” Put an end to ASUU strike,” “Should students be at peace when we are experiencing unrest” and “#EndASUU strike now permanently,” among others, lamented that courses that were supposed to be four or five years have been extended to unpredictable years. Oyo State Chairman of NAUS, Ridwan Shittu, who spoke with The Guardian, said the Federal Government must do the needful to ensure that education comes back alive and lecturers return to the classrooms. He maintained that Nigerian students could no longer continue with the strike. | NAUS, ASUU, 2023 General Elections, Oyo State | Page 5 | |
| This Day Newspaper | Wednesday, 11th May 2022 | APC Ticket: Jonathan Gives Conditions, Sale of Forms Extended to May 12 | Fresh facts have emerged from the recent meeting in Abuja between the former president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, and National Chairman of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu, which was held behind closed doors. The revelation from the meeting emerged just as the APC last night extended the sale of its nomination and expression of interest forms to Thursday May 12, 2022, while aspirants who had already bought forms are now expected to start submitting same on Friday May 13. According to a three-paragraph statement from the ruling party, although the original deadline for sale of forms was yesterday, the two work-free days observed last week were said to have encroached into the original timetable. Hence, the extension. The meeting between Jonathan and Adamu took place amid wide speculation that APC was hatching a deal with the former president to adopt him as the party’s presidential candidate ahead of the 2023 general election. But a reliable source said Jonathan, currently a member of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), told Adamu he would join the presidential race on the ruling party’s platform only if he was assured of being made the consensus candidate. However, Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State, also a presidential aspirant under APC, said the participation of Jonathan in the party’s presidential primaries this month would be another wonder of the world. The governor’s comment came as one of the presidential aspirants on the APC platform, Adamu Garba, left the party yesterday over the N100 million cost of its presidential nomination and expression of interest forms. Garba said the humongous sum was tantamount to commercialisation of the APC presidential ticket. | APC, PDP, Presidential Aspirant, Nomination Form, Express of Interest Form, Extension | Page 10 & 44 | |
| Daily Trust Newspaper | Wednesday, 11th May 2022 | Uneasy Calm As PDP NEC Takes Decision On Zoning Today | Barring any last minute change, the much awaited National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will take place at the national headquarters of the party today. Issues billed for discussion at the gathering are the vexed issue of zoning after the 37-member committee set up by the party submitted its report to the National Working committee (NWC) of the party. The NEC has the final say on the zoning issue. Another issue that would be discussed is the venue where the presidential primary fixed for May 28 and 29, this year would be held. Party sources said the romance of former President Goolduck Ebele Jonathan with the APC as to the 2023 presidency would also be discussed. Ahead of the meeting, members of the two main organs of the party, the NWC and the Board of Trustees (BOT) are also said to be divided over the various presidential aspirants. 17 persons had picked the presidential forms of the party. Two were disqualified by the screening committee chaired by a former Senate President, David Mark. A leader of the party, however, told Daily Trust that there was nothing new on zoning because, “What can you zone now after selling forms to everybody; to every aspirant. People from the South, North, everywhere have bought forms, so what are you going to tell them. Even when your strong aspirants are from the North, how do you zone to the South. “I can tell you APC refused to zone because PDP has not zoned. They want to force PDP to the South. But the party does not want to be forced.” Contacted, spokesperson of the party, Debo Ologunagba, said there was a process in the party and that all information would have to wait till after the NEC meeting. | PDP, NEC Meeting, Presidential Election, 2023 General Election | Page 13 | |
| Vanguard Online | Wednesday, 11th May 2022 | Party primaries: Senate amends Electoral Act to allow President, NASS members, govs, others vote | Ahead of primaries by the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC; Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and other political parties to elect their candidates for the 2023 general elections, the Senate has hurriedly amended the recently passed 2022 Electoral Act to allow statutory delegates participate in the process. The statutory delegates include president, governors, National and State Assembly members, local government chairmen and councillors. The APC has fixed its presidential primaries for May 30, 31 and June 1, while PDP has also fixed its presidential primaries for May 28. Consequently, the Senate, yesterday, amended Section 84 (8) of the Electoral Act 2022, which would give room for statutory delegates to participate in political parties’ congresses and conventions. The current version, which was assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari in February this year, prevents statutory delegates from taking part in party primaries. Statutory delegates to congresses and conventions of political parties are elected councillors in all the over 8,000 wards across the country, elected chairmen and vice chairmen of the 774 local councils, elected members of state Houses of Assembly, elected federal lawmakers in the National Assembly, and governors of the 36 states and their deputies. Others include the President and Vice President of the country and executives of political parties at the state and federal levels as well as chairmen of parties at the local government level. The amendment, yesterday, was sequel to a bill sponsored by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege (APC, Delta Central), as the upper chamber said the unintended error committed by the omission must be corrected before the start of party primaries next week. The Senate, accordingly, gave the bill expeditious consideration and passage in a session, read it for second reading and third time. The bill seeks to amend the Electoral Act 2022 to make provision for delegates who, not being elected delegates, as prescribed in the constitution of a political party to participate in convention, congress or meeting of the party. | Party Primaries, APC, Electoral Act 2022, Senate, Amendment Bill | https://bit.ly/3M5fM8J | |
| Daily Trust Newspaper | Wednesday, 11th May 2022 | Moghalu Pays N25m For ADC Presidential Forms | A former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Prof Kingsley Moghalu, on Tuesday in Abuja, formally joined the 2023 presidential race after paying N25m to obtain the presidential nomination and expression of interest forms of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Moghalu told newsmen at the ADC national secretariat that politics in Nigeria should be detribalised for the nation to grow and take its rightful place in the comity of nations. According to him, competent leaders are found in all tribes and religions, and that it was high time technocrats, intellectuals and experienced people took power from Nigeria’s career politicians. He promised to tackle insecurity, inflation and the rotten education sector, among other challenges facing the country. | CBN, ADC, Presidential Aspirant | Page 13 | |
| Premium Times Online | Wednesday, 11th May 2022 | 2023: CSOs demand sack of Emefiele, Buhari’s ministers over expensive party forms | A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has condemned the ongoing rush for the purchase of N100 million presidential forms by appointees of the APC-led federal government. The coalition, at a press conference on Tuesday in Abuja, described the trend as a mockery of Nigeria’s democracy and its citizens’ sensibilities which should not be left unpunished. The CSOs called for the immediate dismissal of government appointees who bought forms to contest elections without resignation. “The government needs to apologise to Nigerians for deceiving them. This administration sold an empty moral capital to the people! Today, it has shown itself morally bereft. Second, there is the need to immediately sack and commence an investigation of all ministers and political appointees that have bought forms to contest elections without resignation, which is in contradiction of the Electoral Act 2022 as amended. “When the head of an institution that will be responsible for safeguarding sensitive electoral materials, monetary and fiscal health of the county insist on contesting elections to make him a candidate for the highest political position while in office is not only absurd but ethically reprehensible and insane,” the 32 CSOs said in a statement read to journalists by the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) boss, Auwal Rafsanjani. At least four of the aspirants serve as ministers under President Muhammadu Buhari leadership while the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, has not officially joined the race. The Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi; Minister of Niger Delta, Goodwill Akpabio; Minister of Labour and Employment of Nigeria, Chris Ngige; Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba; have joined the presidential race on the platform of the APC. Sparing none of the ministers, the CSOs emphasised the risk Mr Emefiele posed to the electoral process in the country if he indeed nursed a presidential ambition. | CSOs, Presidential Forms, Electoral Act 2022, Presidential Aspirants, 2023 General Elections | https://bit.ly/37y9zTC | |
| Daily Trust Newspaper | Wednesday, 11th May 2022 | 35-Year-Old Presidential Aspirant Sues PDP Over N40m Form Fee | A presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Ayoola Falola, on Tuesday, approached the Federal High Court in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, seeking to nullify the processes of the party’s primary elections ahead of the 2023 general elections. The suit is challenging the party for charging N40m for its expression of interest and nomination forms in the forthcoming presidential election. Falola joined the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, in the suit. In his prayers, a copy which was obtained by our correspondent, Falola deposed that the party lacked the power to issue guidelines requesting for payment of nomination and expression of interest forms from the claimant or any other member aspiring to contest for a public office in the forthcoming general elections. Citing Section 84(3) of the Electoral Act 2022 and Sections 65, 66,106, 107, 131, 137, 177, 187, 224, 224 and 15(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the plaintiff prayed that the court should declare the process null and void. He further declared that INEC had the power to monitor the operations of the PDP with regards to imposition in its constitution, guidelines or rules and additional nomination qualification or disqualification criteria. | PDP, Express of Interest Form, Nomination Form, Electoral Act 2022, Nigerian Constitution, INEC | https://bit.ly/3FwQ8at | |
| This Day Newspaper | Wednesday, 11th May 2022 | Aspirant Withdraws, Others Threaten Defection as Crisis Hits Plateau APC | A frontline gubernatorial aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau State, Professor Dakas Clement Dakas, has withdrawn from the forthcoming gubernatorial primary elections of the party in the state. This is as other 17 other gubernatorial aspirants of the party in the state had equally threatened to dump the party, accusing Governor Simon Lalong and the party EXCO of trying to impose a candidate on the party. But the party EXCO, has denied the allegations of imposing a candidate as unfounded, reassuring that level playing ground would be provided for all aspirants. Dakas, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), in a statement said, he had to make an excruciating, but strategic decision to withdraw from the race for the governorship of the state on the platform of the APC and reflect on the happenings in the party. Also addressing the press and pouring out grief, 17 other aspirants accused Lalong of imposing Dr. Nentawe Yilwada, as the gubernatorial candidate of the party. Yilwada was a Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Benue State, but was allegedly asked by the Governor to resign his position to contest the governorship position with an assurance that he would be backed to win the election. The aspirants, however, threatened that if a level playing ground was not provided for all aspirants in the primary election, they would defect to other parties. Chairman and convener of Forum of APC Governorship Aspirants in the state, Chief Amos Gizo, alleged that Lalong, in connivance with party hierarchy was working to foist Yilwada on the party and warned that any attempt to foist a candidate on the party and the people of the state would be vehemently resisted. But the Publicity Secretary of the APC in the state, Mr. Sylvanus Namang, has denied the allegation, saying the party in the state still maintained its position and assurance of a level playing field for all the aspirants, adding that the APC in the state strongly believed in the ideals of democracy which hinges on fairness, justice and fair play. | APC, Plateau State, Gubernatorial Aspirants, 2023 General Elections, INEC | Page 45 | |
| The Cable | Tuesday, 10th May 2022 | Senate passes bill to allow statutory delegates vote at party congresses, conventions | The senate has passed a bill seeking to enable statutory delegates to vote at the congresses or conventions of political parties. The upper legislative chamber passed the bill for third reading after Ovie Omo-Agege, deputy senate president and its sponsor, led a debate on it. The legislation passed first, second and third reading within an hour. While leading the debate on it on the floor of the senate on Tuesday, Omo-Agege said the electoral bill assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari in February only recognises ad hoc delegates. The deputy senate president said the error on the part of the national assembly was not “intended”. “The issue here is narrowed and very straightforward. Section 84 subsection 8 of the electoral act does not provide for the participation of what is generally known as statutory delegates in the conventions, congresses or meetings of political parties,” he said. “Section 84 (8) provides for the participation of elected delegates in the conventions, congresses or meetings of political parties held to nominate candidates. Speaking after the bill was passed, Senate President Ahmad Lawan said it is expected that the president signs the amendment bill into law. | Senate, Electoral Act 2022, Delegates, Amendment Bill | https://bit.ly/3ymfx58 | |
| The Cable | Tuesday, 10th May 2022 | Miyetti Allah: We did not buy APC presidential form for Jonathan | The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) says it did not buy the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential expression of interest and nomination forms for former President Goodluck Jonathan. On Monday, a northern coalition reportedly purchased the forms for the former president to enable him to contest for the presidential ticket of the ruling party. The coalition was described as a “Fulani group” by many. The former president rejected the offer. In a statement on Tuesday, Baba Othman Ngelzarma, national secretary of MACBAN, said it did not purchase any presidential form for any presidential hopeful. “The attention of MACBAN has been drawn to a trending story in which we are being quoted as having bought a presidential nomination form for former President Goodluck Jonathan for the 2023 elections,” Ngelzarma said.“We wish to make it clear that MACBAN did not and will not buy any form for any candidate contesting elections". | APC, MACBAN, Express of Interest and Nomination Form, Presidential Nomination Form | https://bit.ly/3M0pSaT | |
| The Nation Online | Tuesday, 10th May 2022 | INEC kicks as parties seek adjustment of 2023 poll timetable | Despite the provisions of the 2022 Electoral Act, eighteen registered political parties under the auspices of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) have called for the adjustment of the timetable for the 2023 general elections. The electoral umpire, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) published the timetable for the 2023 elections shortly after the 2022 Electoral Act was signed into law. But IPAC said after exhaustive examination of the timetable, it discovered that the schedule of activities were based on certain circumstances and developments that have hampered timely and strict compliance by the political parties to the timetable. It requested that the deadline for the conduct of party primaries be extended to August 4 as against the June 4 timeline stipulated by the Commission. But INEC Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu said there would be no review of the timeline for the party primaries. He reminded the political parties that the period earmarked for the conduct of primaries by political parties commenced on 4th April 2022 and will end on 3rd June 2022. Yakubu disclosed that all 18 political parties have forwarded the schedules of their primaries to the Commission “and some have commenced the process of choosing their candidates by conducting Ward and Local Government congresses”. According to him: “Therefore, the Commission will not review the timelines. Working together, we should ensure fidelity to the timelines in conducting transparent and democratic primaries for the purpose of electing candidates for the 1,491 constituencies for which elections will be held on 25th February and 11th March 2023.” | Electoral Act 2022, IPAC, INEC, 2023 General Elections, Political Parties | https://bit.ly/3P7zRNw | |
| The Nation Online | Tuesday, 10th May 2022 | 14 Cross River APC Gov aspirants accept Otu as consensus candidate | Fourteen of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirants in Cross River State have reportedly accepted Senator Bassey Otu as the consensus candidate of the party. They came up with the arrangement in the early hours of Tuesday after a meeting of key stakeholders in Abuja presided over by Governor Ben Ayade, The Nation gathered. Ayade was said to have begged the stakeholders to unite and present a consensus aspirant from the South. The Governor reportedly picked Otu, stating acceptability and popularity were responsible for the choice. | APC, Consensus Candidate, South, Cross River State | https://bit.ly/3M4a8U7 | |
| Daily Post Online | Tuesday, 10th May 2022 | 2023 elections: Only three APC aspirants qualified to run for president – Lawyer | Kayode Ajulo, a constitutional lawyer, has branded the emergence of many presidential candidates for the 2023 general elections as a good omen for the country. However, according to Ajulo, only three of the numerous All Progressives Congress (APC) aspirants are constitutionally qualified to contest the presidential election. He stated this in an interview with NAN on Tuesday in Abuja. “From our preliminary examination of the aspirants, only three aspirants in the All Progressives Congress (APC) are constitutionally qualified to run for the president’s office,” Ajulo said, declining to elaborate further. Among the APC aspirants are Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and former Lagos Governor, Bola Tinubu. Ajulo explained that he was not surprised at the number of aspirants jostling to serve Nigeria, adding that the number was a far cry from his expectations. “Anyone with a good fortune could afford the price, and by the way, they are only aspirants buying the nomination form. It is not an automatic process that will translate to fielding such aspirants in the primaries because they will have to be screened first,” Ajulo added. Ajulo also mentioned that for those that passed the screening, the stage would be cleared for horse-trading among them ahead of the primary election. | APC, Presidential Aspirants, 2023 General Elections | https://bit.ly/3wgCHXN | |
| Punch Online | Tuesday, 10th May 2022 | Why we want Jonathan back in Aso Rock – Fulani Group | Hours after former president Goodluck Jonathan publicly rejected the All Progressive Congress’ presidential expression of interest and nomination forms, Secretary of the Fulani Group, Usman Mohammed, has vowed that Jonathan won’t leave the country without accepting it. The group, which is an extraction of the nomadic Fulani and the Almajiri communities, stormed the International Conference Centre in Abuja on Monday evening to procure the forms. Hours after Jonathan’s statement disassociating himself from the form, the secretary of the Fulani Group said that the nomination was meant to be a surprise gift to the ECOWAS special envoy. He stated that if the ex-president turns down the nomination form as he threatened, they will be left with no option but to force him to accept it. “I believe you are aware of how we blocked his office in the FCT during our rallies in Kano, Suleja, Minna, and Abuja, and forced him to come out to address journalists. It is the same approach. If he doesn’t accept our form, we won’t let him out of Nigeria,” he said. According to him, the Fulani pastoralists opted for the choice of Jonathan out of the almost 30 APC presidential candidates because of his patriotism and love for Nigeria. | APC, Nomination Form, Fulani Group, FCT, Presidential Election | https://bit.ly/3M47HRw | |
| Punch Online | Tuesday, 10th May 2022 | Oyo’s only PDP senator Kola Balogun joins APC | The lawmaker representing Oyo South Senatorial District at the Senate, Senator Kola Balogun, has defected to the All Progressives Congress. Balogun, who is the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Lekan Balogun’s younger brother, was the only senator elected to the Upper Legislative on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party in Oyo State in 2019. The senator resigned from the PDP after Governor Seyi Makinde allegedly handed over the PDP ticker for Oyo South Senatorial District to Joseph Tegbe, who defected to the PDP from the APC. | Oyo State, APC, PDP, Defection | https://bit.ly/3M2J5bY | |
| Daily Trust Newspaper | Friday, 6th May 2022 | Osinbajo, Nnamani, Bakare Pick Forms For 2023 Presidency | Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, a former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, and the Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church, Nigeria, Tunde Bakare, yesterday, picked their expression of interest and nomination forms to contest for the party’s presidential ticket at the APC presidential primary slated for May 30, 31 and June 1, 2022. Osinbajo’s forms were picked by Senator Kabiru Gaya on his behalf while Nnamani and Bakare personally picked theirs. Answering a question on zoning in an interview with newsmen shortly after picking Osinbajo’s forms, Senator Gaya said, “I believe it is a game of give and take. We have served for the president in this country for seven years under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, so the presidency should go to the South. “That is why we said the best person to handle this matter is somebody who has been in the system (Osinbajo), if he is sworn in today at the Eagle Square, by tomorrow morning he can pick up because he is already in the system. When you are in the system, you don’t have that problem.” He further said it was the turn of the South to produce the next president in 2023, adding that Osinbajo, if given the mandate, would enthrone peace, stability and better economy for the nation. | Nomination Form, APC, Presidential Election, South | Page 10 | |
| Sun News Online | Friday, 6th May 2022 | 2023: Reject VP slot, Ohanaeze tells Igbo politicians | Ohanaeze Ndigbo has ruled out the possibility of the South East accepting a vice presidential slot even as it reiterated its stance on a president from the zone in 2023. Its President General, Prof. George Obiozor, at the Imeobi of Ohanaeze meeting in Enugu, yesterday, said the body has made contacts with several Nigerian leaders with respect to the right of the South East to produce President Muhamamdu Buhari’s successor. He also reiterated the group’s earlier call for a political solution for the release of leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu and other Igbo youths in detention stressing that the body sought justice and equity for all. He said the double dealings about zoning and rotation of power was an orchestrated conspiracy to deprive the South East of the right to produce a president but assured that the conspiracy would fail. “Ours is a right and just cause. I wish to use this opportunity to encourage all the presidential aspirants from the South East to remain focused, tenacious and optimistic. In fact, we are fully committed to the resolution by the Southern and Middle Belt Leadership Forum (SMBLF) that no Southerner, in fact a South Easterner for that matter, should denigrate himself or herself with the position of a vice president. Again, I am confident that we will as a people survive and overcome the current challenges that confront us". | South East, Presidential Election, Zoning, IPOB | https://bit.ly/3OZFiOp | |
| Daily Trust Newspaper | Friday, 6th May 2022 | 2023: Zoning Controversy Lingers As PDP Reschedules NEC Meeting | The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has again rescheduled its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting earlier slated for Tuesday. The meeting which is expected to fine-tune the opposition party’s preparations ahead of next year’s general elections will now take place on Wednesday, May 11, 2022. Senator Samuel N. Anyanwu, the National Secretary of the party, in a statement yesterday said the earlier date “clashes with the local government delegate election involving all members of our party,” adding that “all inconveniences are regretted.” Top among the issues expected to be discussed by the NEC is the vexed issue of zoning threatening the existence of the party. The party’s 37-member committee on zoning headed by the Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom had submitted its report to the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party led by Dr Iyorchia Ayu, but NEC is expected to make the final decision on the zoning impasse. Another issue awaiting the NEC decision is the mode of primaries to be adopted in choosing who flies the flag of the party. | PDP, NEC, NWC | Page 11 | |
| The Guardian Newspaper | Friday, 6th May 2022 | INEC restates June 3 deadline for primaries as Osinbajo, Bakare, Amosun pick nomination forms | Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday, warned political parties that the June 3 deadline to pick candidates for the 2023 elections remains sacrosanct. The warning followed reports that the commission was under pressure to extend the deadline for the conduct of primaries by some weeks. INEC National Commissioner and Chairman (Information and Voter Education), Festus Okoye, in a statement, reminded parties they have one month, from today (Thursday), to conclude their primaries. He said all 18 political parties have served required notices indicating dates for their conventions, congresses and primaries to the commission. This, according to Okoye, is in compliance with Section 82(1) of the Electoral Act 2022. | INEC, 2023 General Elections, Electoral Act 2022, Political Parties | Page 3 | |
| The Guardian Newspaper | Friday, 6th May 2022 | Adeleke accuses Oyetola, INEC of plot to rig Osun guber poll | The campaign organisation of Senator Ademola Adeleke, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the governorship election in Osun State, yesterday, alleged that the governor and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), were colluding to rig the poll in favour of APC. A statement, signed by Director-General, Senator Ademola Adeleke Campaign Organisation (SAACO), Sunday Bisi, said that a top aide of the governor had recently held several hours of meetings with operational officials of the electoral body in Osogbo with the aim of doctoring the list of presiding officers. He said: “We are constrained to alert the public, the diplomatic community and all lovers of democracy worldwide that the governor, in collaboration with the electoral commission, has commenced an elaborate plot to rig the July 16 governorship elections. We are shocked with the barefaced reprehensible partisanship of some top officials of INEC in Osun. They act more like APC members than an unbiased electoral umpires they are statutorily mandated to be. There can be no justification for an electoral agency to be jointly determining the list of election officials. This conduct undermines the integrity of the electoral process, cast doubt on the readiness of INEC to conduct a credible election and confirms that the electoral body is still hell-bent to aid the repeat of rigging widely perpetrated in 2018.” | INEC, PDP, APC, Osun State, Gubernatorial Election, SAACO, July 16 | Page 26 | |
| This Day Online | Friday, 6th May 2022 | 2023: Ask Amaechi, Ngige, Malami Others to Resign Now, Zenith Labour Party Tells Buhari | The Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) yesterday asked President Muhammadu Buhari to direct his cabinet and other appointees contesting elective positions in the 2023 to immediately resign. ZLP, at its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting added that it was immoral for the appointees to remain in the office while seeking elective offices. The opposition party also criticized the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for charging exorbitant nomination fees, adding that it would serve as an incentive for those who eventually assume office to steal. The National Chairman, ZLP, Dan Nwanyanwu, who presided over the meeting, said it was sad that president has remained silent over the refusal of his ministers and other appointees seeking office to resign from office. Nwanyanwu said: “The NEC condemns the president’s silence on the appointees in the government who are seeking elective offices. It is absurd. It has not happened in our history. It raises a morality question and ZLP believes that there should be moral content in politics. President Muhammadu Buhari this is not right. The NEC therefore calls on the president to direct all those who have indicated interest to run to resign immediately. It shouldn’t be happening under his watch". | ZLP, NEC, PDP, APC, Resignation | https://bit.ly/39IuKDl | |
| Punch Online | Friday, 6th May 2022 | APC gets first female presidential aspirant | The All Progressives Congress got its first female presidential aspirant on Thursday as Ms Uju Ohanenye bought the party’s Expression of Interest and Nomination forms in Abuja. Ohanenye told newsmen after picking the forms that male aspirants in the race would not succeed in intimidating her. “My fear is that men will want to muscle me out, but I am standing firmly for the people I am here to protect. They will want to push me over, but I cannot be intimidated. I have been emboldened,’’ she said. Female aspirants, youths and persons with disability vying for any elective office on the platform of the party are to pay 50 per cent of the cost, however. Ohanenye said, like the male presidential aspirants, she had what it would take to lead the country to the next phase of development. She said she would withdraw from the race for any aspirant with the vision and desire to address growing poverty and insecurity in the country. The aspirant stressed, however, that as a mother, she had the magic wand to do things better.“It is so obvious and all of us know that it is time for a mother to come on board. As it is today, considering the state of insecurity in the country and other things, children need motherly care; we can understand that from their attitude. I have never been a politician, but because of what I have seen, I just felt I should come on board". | Presidential Aspirant, APC | https://bit.ly/3w1ufLS | |
| Daily Trust Newspaper | Thursday, 5th May 2022 | 2023 Presidency: Fayemi, Badaru, Oshiomhole, Akpabio Declare To Succeed Buhari | Ekiti State Governor and Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), Dr Kayode Fayemi; a former Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole; Jigawa State Governor, Abubakar Badaru; and Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Goodwill Akpabio, yesterday declared their interest to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari at the expiration of his tenure in 2023. The four political bigwigs are running on the platform of the APC which has fixed its presidential primary for May 30, 31 and June 1, 2022. While Fayemi made his declaration at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Oshiomhole, a former National Chairman of the APC, declared at the Cyprian Ekwensi House in Garki, Area 10, Abuja. Governor Badaru Wednesday obtained his expression of interest and nomination forms to contest in the party’s presidential primary. Badaru had been initially linked to a senatorial race ahead of the 2023 general elections, but reportedly changed his decision following a stakeholders’ meeting of the APC at the government house on Tuesday night in Dutse. The governor was said to have told the gathering that he was pressurised to contest for the presidential ticket of the APC by his colleagues. Similarly, Oshiomhole said he would end the persistent strike action in federal universities and position the education sector on the right track if given the mandate. Meanwhile, Akpabio has promised not to allow Nigeria sink, noting that he would bring restoration, dignity, respect and succour to Nigerians if given the mandate. | NGF, Presidential Aspirants, APC, 2023 General Elections, Declaration | Page 14 | |
| Daily Trust Newspaper | Thursday, 5th May 2022 | 2023: Emir Of Kano Urges Residents To Collect PVCs | The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Bayero, has urged eligible voters to collect their Permanent Voter Card (PVC) in preparation for the 2023 general elections. Emir Bayero made the call yesterday during the traditional Hawan Nasarawa at the government house in Kano. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Hawan Nasarawa is the emir’s payment of traditional homage to the governor of the state after the Eid el-Fitr celebration. | PVC, 2023 General Elections | Page 36 | |
| Vanguard Online | Thursday, 5th May 2022 | 2023 guber: 179 groups present N50m cheque for Zulum’s form | Maiduguri—No fewer than 179 clubs, associations and professional bodies with thousands of members have presented a N50million cheque to Governor Babagana Zulum of Bornu State to pay for the expression of interest and nomination forms under the platform of All Progressive Congress, APC. The groups had weeks ago, begun gathering of contributions from members and made public an account number to which members channeled contributions of various sums. Presenting the N50million cheque, spokesperson of the coalition, Awaji Bukar, said the contributions, some of which came from as low as N1, 000 by members, was to appreciate the governor for his purposeful leadership to the people of Borno State. The governor assured the groups that his administration, if reelected for a second term, would invest more on infrastructure, commerce, vocational education, jobs, and wealth creation and so on. | Gubernatorial Elections, APC, Borno State, 2023 General Elections | https://bit.ly/3vJyf4Q | |
| This Day Newspaper | Thursday, 5th May 2022 | Protesters Storm PDP, APC over Delay on Zoning, Insist Power Must Go South | A group of protesters, largely from a group by name, the Concerned Nigeria Citizens, yesterday, barricaded entrances to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressive Congress (APC) secretariat gates, insisting that power must shift to the southern part of the country after President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight years in office. The protesters that stormed the PDP national secretariat at about 11 am carried several placards on why the Nigeria’s presidency must shift to south in 2023. Although at the PDP national secretariat, known as the Wadata Plaza, no official of the party accorded them any audience, they thereafter proceeded to the Blantyre office of the APC, where the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Felix Morka, told them the ruling party was yet to take a position. | APC, PDP, Zoning, Southern Nigeria, Presidential Election, 2023 General Elections | Page 8 | |
| This Day Newspaper | Thursday, 5th May 2022 | At Presidential Declaration, Fayemi Kicks against Consensus | Ahead of the May 30 presidential primary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, yesterday, formally declared his presidential bid and immediately kicked against any consensus arrangement to elect. Fayemi, who noted that it would be better for the ruling party to choose either direct or indirect mode of primary, which he said would give party members a say in electing the standard bearer of the party, also told of how he planned to consolidate on the achievements of the APC administration, while also addressing the noticeable gaps. | APC, Ekiti State, Presidential Aspirant, Declaration | Page 42 | |
| The Guardian Newspaper | Thursday, 5th May 2022 | Suspense as APC orders aspirants to sign ‘withdrawal letter’ | Ahead of next week’s deadline for sale of nomination forms of the All Progressives Congress (APC), there is growing apprehension in the ruling party over a controversial Form 18 ‘Letter of Withdrawal’ attached to the Expression of Interest and Nomination forms sold to aspirants to fill and submit along with other forms and their credentials. The withdrawal letter addressed to the National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdulahi Adamu, must also be signed before a Commissioner of Oath/Public Notary before submission. Tagged Form 18, it states that: “I hereby voluntarily withdraw my candidacy from the contest. My withdrawal is in the best interest of our great party, the All Progressives Congress.” It was gathered, yesterday, that some of the aspirants are not comfortable with appending their signatures to the letter, which they consider a booby trap to force consensus option on them. Party sources told The Guardian that about three presidential aspirants from the South have approached their legal teams for interpretation and implication of signing the Withdrawal Form in the presence of a Commissioner of Oath, which makes it legal. An aspirant, who has purchased the nomination form, told The Guardian that: “This is the first time we are seeing this kind of form for aspirants and we see it as an attempt to enforce consensus option through the back door. This is unconstitutional. “Signing that letter means the party leaders can impose any candidate and you will not have any right to challenge them in court. Something is fishy and we must be very careful because there are surreptitious moves not to allow delegates to decide the fate of aspirants.” Another source said it is only political appointees that could sign such a form, because their appointment is at the mercy of the President or governor, but not an aspirant. A party source described the withdrawal letter as an indemnity to prevent members from taking legal action against the party. | APC, For 18, Nomination Form, Presidential Election, 2023 General Election | Page 2 | |
| Punch Online | Thursday, 5th May 2022 | JUST IN: Police take over PDP secretariat in Abia | Armed police operatives were seen at the secretariat of Peoples Democratic Party, in Abia State today. The policemen restricted movement in and out of the secretariat located at Finbars Road, Umuahia. They were said to be working with “an order from above”. The Publicity Secretary of Abia PDP, Fabian Nwankwo, said workers and officials of the party had been asked to observe one-day rest at home. Details later… | Abia State, PDP | https://bit.ly/3kFbd8X | |
| Punch Online | Thursday, 5th May 2022 | More aspirants in presidential race good for democracy – Tinubu | Former Lagos State Governor and presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday in Abuja described the increasing number of aspirants vying for the party’s presidential ticket as a plus for Nigeria’s democracy. Tinubu said this after meeting with the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. While responding to a question from journalists on the increasing number of presidential aspirants in the APC, Tinubu said, “The more the merrier. The more they come, the more challenging it becomes for you to think deeply, focus on issues and be ready to serve Nigeria. “It’s all about service, it’s nothing else. Think wisely, get committed to your thinking to serve the nation and bring progress and prosperity to the lives of Nigerians. “It’s good for the country for so many of us to aspire to want to lead. We are not abandoning our nation. But there’s only one chair and one possibility. We will do that.” | Presidential Aspirant, APC | https://bit.ly/38Nnx4l | |
| This Day Live | Wednesday, 4th May 2022 | Akeredolu to Buhari: It’s Southerners’ Turn to Produce Next President | Chairman of Southern Governors’ Forum, and governor of Ondo State, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, yesterday, urged President Muhammadu Buhari and the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) not to keep party members waiting for their position on where the next president of Nigeria will come from. Akeredolu insisted that it was the turn of the southern part of the country to produce the next president. In a similar vein, Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, declared that rotational presidency in Nigeria between the north and south was legal and constitutional. National Chairman of APC and former governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, had at the weekend said the party was yet to zone the presidency to any geopolitical area ahead of 2023, a comment that provoked negative reactions, especially, from the southern part of the country. But Akeredolu, in a statement he personally signed, stressed the need for the president and the APC leadership to ensure that the southern part of the country produced the next president. The governor joined the growing number of Nigerians advising not just APC, but also PDP, to ensure that their presidential candidates in the 2023 general election were from the southern part of the country. Akeredolu maintained that it was the turn of the southern part of the country to produce the next president, and the APC leadership should have no difficulty in making a pronouncement on the issue. He urged the party leaders to do this without delay, stressing that the principle of Federal Character is enshrined in the 1999 Constitution, as amended. | Presidential Election, Ondo State, Zoning, APC, PDP, Political Parties, Nasarawa State | https://bit.ly/3KCACKV | |
| Vanguard Online | Wednesday, 4th May 2022 | APC, PDP Presidential Slots: Be fair, cede tickets to South – Clark, Southern govs insist | Southern governors, senators and elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, yesterday, insisted that power must shift to the South, next year, to ensure equity, justice and fair play in the country. The Southern governors urged the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to end the guessing game, tread the path of equity and zone its 2023 presidential ticket to the Southern part of Nigeria. The governors spoke on a day Southern Senators Forum also declared that rotational presidency is legal and constitutional and that it is the turn of the South to produce the country’s next president. This is even as Elder Statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, specifically said the APC and other parties should cede their presidential tickets to the South-East, saying former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, retd, should have allowed the Igbo to leave Nigeria in 1967 if they were not to be integrated into the country. He added that there might be no Nigeria without zoning in response to those urging the APC, and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to throw the presidential race open to all parts of the country. | Southern Governors, Southern Senators Forum, Presidential Election, PDP, APC, Southern Nigeria | https://bit.ly/3wmO2pB | |
| Daily Post Online | Wednesday, 4th May 2022 | 2023 Presidency: Buhari meets Tinubu behind closed-doors in Aso Rock | President Muhammadu Buhari met with an All Progressives Congress, APC, Presidential aspirant, Bola Tinubu, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Buhari met with Tinubu on Tuesday night at the State House. One of Buhari’s Personal Photographers, Mr Sunday Aghaeze, confirmed the meeting in pictorial reports, NAN reports. The agenda of the meeting could not be ascertained as of the time of filing this report. | APC, Presidential Aspirant | https://bit.ly/3LEIIEe | |
| Daily Post Online | Wednesday, 4th May 2022 | 2023: Nobody will be allowed to rig elections in Benue – Ortom | Ahead of the 2023 general elections, Benue State Governor, Dr. Samuel Ortom has warned that any attempt by anyone or group to rig elections in the State will be met with stiff resistance. The Governor, who stated this at the expanded caucus meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the State, which was held at the Benue People’s House, Makurdi, Tuesday, also reiterated his commitment to free, fair and credible primary elections. He said the recently held council elections in the State where the PDP won all the 23 chairmanship slots and 276 councillors in the State was a testimony of the people’s appreciation of the PDP administration. On the forthcoming PDP primaries, Governor Ortom said, “We will not tolerate anyone who will want to disrupt the primary elections. I am going to be personally involved. My cabinet members will be involved in the process too.” | Benue State, 2023 General Elections, PDP | https://bit.ly/3kGprX4 | |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, 4th May 2022 | 2023: North Will Benefit More Under A President From South – Ndume | Ndume said in the spirit of equity and fairness, the All Progressives Congress (APC) should zone its presidential ticket to the southern part of the country. The Chairman, Senate Committee on Army was reacting to Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu’s call on APC to declare its position during an interview on Channels TV on Tuesday. Ndume said, “Yes, I am from the north and I’m a Nigerian who believes in the principle of justice, equity and fairness and that is what the party was built on. And I think what Akeredolu said, I advise the party to take a decision on zoning, but even if they delay it a bit, it doesn’t change the position. “If you look at it, the principle of equity and fairness is a constitutional matter in any party. Federal character is more encompassing than zoning. We zone based on federal character. In the constitution every position must reflect federal character including the president. If APC zones its presidency to the south, other parties can zone wherever they want. If the South produces the next president, North will benefit more. The current president came from the North and if you look at it analytically, the South benefited more. So, if the president comes from the South, we will benefit more just as we did previously during (former President Goodluck) Jonathan. When Buhari was elected the South benefitted more. They have the vice president who is so powerful because for the first time the president handed over the country to him. That was unprecedented.” | APC, Zoning, Presidential Election | https://bit.ly/3kAg63f | |
| Daily Post Online | Wednesday, 4th May 2022 | 2023: I backed you as Senate President – Wike reveals issues with Atiku, Tambuwal, Saraki | Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has opened up on his grouse towards former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, ex-National Assembly leaders, Bukola Saraki and Aminu Tambuwal. Wike, alongside Saraki, Atiku and Tambuwal is in the 2023 presidential race under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Governor Wike said that when they agreed amongst themselves that 2019 was the turn of the North to produce President Muhammadu Buhari’s challenger, the agreement was respected by Southerners. The Governor, however, said it was saddening that now it seems to be the turn of the South, some top politicians from the North, such as Atiku, Saraki, and even Tambuwal, who, according to him, he supported to become the Speaker of the House of Representatives and also backed to win the PDP ticket in 2019, have all come out against the gentlemen agreement. “There’s nobody contesting for the presidency from the north that I do not have a relationship with…that I don’t support,” Wike told Channels. “And there’s no one of them who has not come to me, Wike, and said, ‘with you, I think I’ll have my way…but if you ask some of my friends, the problem I have with friendship is that if we agree on something, let’s keep to it. If there’s any reason that it [such agreement] shouldn’t be done, I should be let know. “Nobody in the South can win an election without the North and nobody in the North can win an election without the South…”, Wike said. | Rivers State, PDP, Presidential Election | https://bit.ly/3KH6Xk2 | |
| Daily Post Online | Wednesday, 4th May 2022 | Presidency: Keep your money, Igbos don’t need it – Ohanaeze warns Tinubu amid endorsement | The Ohanaeze Youth Council, OYC, has denied endorsing Bola Tinubu, National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for the presidency. OYC National President, Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, warned Tinubu to be careful of maligning the aspiration of the Southeast to produce Nigeria’s president. Igboayaka warned the APC presidential aspirant to keep his money because OYC would not compromise its stance on Igbo presidency. He was reacting to reports that a self-acclaimed OYC leader, Miracle Nwosu, endorsed Tinubu’s candidacy for the Presidency. However, OYC distanced itself from the purported endorsement of Tinubu’s candidacy. | OYC, APC, Presidential Aspirant | https://bit.ly/3KMFzku | |