Category: Elections - Page 37 - African News Today

I Won’t Withdraw Petition Against Soludo –Andy Uba

11Dec

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Elections, Judiciary, News, Nigeria

I Won’t Withdraw Petition Against Soludo –Andy Uba

The All Progressives Congress in Anambra State has said that it will pursue the governorship elections at the tribunal because it has enough evidence that the elections were manipulated. Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, the Deputy Director, Senator Andy Uba Governorship Campaign Organization, Mr Ikechukwu Onyia, said Uba believed that the declaration of the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Prof. Charles Soludo as the winner of that election was faulty. Onyi said the APC candidate approached the tribunal in line with Electoral Act and constitution. Onyia stated that Uba had a strong case at the tribunal because his votes at some places like Abatete and Oba in Idemili North were not recorded. He commended the tribunal’s ruling granting the inspection of the Certifie...

Obasanjo, Northern Elite, Monarchs Warned APC Against Fielding Buhari – Akande

11Dec

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Elections, News, Nigeria

Obasanjo, Northern Elite, Monarchs Warned APC Against Fielding Buhari – Akande

The pioneer Interim National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Chief Bisi Akande, has given an insight into the severe pressure mounted on the party by influential persons to make sure Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), now the President, did not emerge as the party’s candidate for the 2015 election. In his 559-page autobiography, titled ‘My Participations’, launched in Lagos on Thursday, Akande said persons like former President Olusegun Obasanjo and some unnamed elite, especially from the North, including royal fathers, were against Buhari becoming the party’s candidate. The former Osun State governor explained that an aristocratic leader from the North came to Osogbo, the state capital, to persuade the then governor, Rauf Aregbesola, to prevail on them to drop...

2023: Southern President More Important Than Yoruba President –Afenifere

11Dec

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Elections, News, Nigeria

2023: Southern President More Important Than Yoruba President –Afenifere

Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, has said it was not desperate to have a Yoruba man as Nigeria’s president in 2023. The group said it would rather favour a president that emerges from any part of the South. The group’s position was in contrast with that of Yoruba Council of Elders, which said it supported a president of Yoruba extraction. The two leading Yoruba groups made their positions known during separate interviews on Friday with The Sun following consultations being made by some All Progressives Congress governors. Some power brokers in the South-West under the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria had met in Ibadan, Oyo State, recently under the aegis of Next Level Consolidation Forum to ensure that South-West produced Nigeria's next president in 2023. Read ...

Nigeria May Split Before 2023 Elections – Onaiyekan

4Dec

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Elections, News, Nigeria, Religion

Nigeria May Split Before 2023 Elections – Onaiyekan

As preparations for the next general elections gathers momentum, a former Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, has raised fears that Nigeria may split before 2023 because of the sad realities in the country, including security challenges. He said Nigerian leaders would always want to remain in office even after their tenure because of “greed, wickedness and stupidity”. The cleric stated that one of the obstacles that had been threatening democracy in Nigeria was that incumbent governments did not want a free and fair election. Read Also: Kukah Not Planning Coup Against Buhari, Speaks for the Voiceless – Onaiyekan Onaiyekan stated these in an interview with Saturday PUNCH in Abuja. He said, “There is no reason why the spate of insecurity should c...

Resign Before December 18, Fayemi Tells Appointees Nursing Gov Ambition

2Dec

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Elections, News, Nigeria

Resign Before December 18, Fayemi Tells Appointees Nursing Gov Ambition

Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, on Wednesday directed those serving in his government who would like to contest the governorship primaries to tender their resignation latest by December 18. The directive was contained in a statement signed by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode, in Ado Ekiti, titled, “Ekiti 2022: Fayemi gives Dec. 18 deadline to governorship aspirants to resign position.” Read Also: Buhari, APC Have Failed to Deliver Campaign Promises – Fayemi Oyebode stated that the development “became imperative in order to ensure cohesion and excellent service delivery – two major hallmarks of the administration – remain uncompromised. “In compliance with directives of the Independent National Electoral Commission, the ruling All Progressives Cong...

Electoral Act: INEC Breaks Silence On Buhari’s Letter

2Dec

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Elections, News, Nigeria

Electoral Act: INEC Breaks Silence On Buhari’s Letter

The Independent National Electoral Commission has broken its silence on a letter written to it by President Muhammadu Buhari, over the contentious Electoral Act Amendment Bill. Buhari, who received the bill on November 19, has until December 19 to sign it or withhold his assent and communicate to the National Assembly his views and comments about it. And if after 30 days he refuses to sign the bill, and with the National Assembly not in support of the President’s amendments or reservation, the Senate and the House of Representatives can recall the bill and pass it into law. Should the bill be passed in the form it was sent to the President by two-thirds majority votes in both chambers, the bill automatically becomes a law even without the signature of the President. But reactin...

Tinubu Visited Me To Seek Support For Presidential Ambition – Yakasai

27Nov

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Elections, News, Nigeria

Tinubu Visited Me To Seek Support For Presidential Ambition – Yakasai

A founding member of the Arewa Consultative Forum and elder statesman, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, has revealed that he would support the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s presidential bid in 2023. Tinubu had on Wednesday visited the elder statesman at his Abuja residence. Yakasai told Punch that the ex-governor of Lagos was at his Abuja residence to solicit his support for his (Tinubu’s) presidential ambition in the next general elections. Of recent, posters and billboards advertising the rumoured presidential bid of Tinubu, who was Lagos governor from May 1999 to May 2007, have been seen in major cities, including Lagos and Abuja. Though Tinubu has yet to declare his intention to contest any office in 2023, there have been reports and veiled in...

Governors Against Direct Primaries Should Embrace Dialogue – Lawan

23Nov

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Elections, Legislature, News, Nigeria

Governors Against Direct Primaries Should Embrace Dialogue – Lawan

Senate President Ahmad Lawan says the national assembly expects President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the electoral amendment bill 2021 into law. Lawan said this on Monday while speaking to state house correspondents after the meeting with the president. On November 19, the national assembly had transmitted the bill to Buhari for assent. The decision to adopt direct primaries has elicited varied reactions, with stakeholders such as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and some All Progressives Congress (APC) governors kicking against it. There have also been reports that some APC governors are planning to influence the president not to sign the bill because of the clause. Asked how APC can ensure stability when governors are unhappy with direct primaries, Lawan said the best way...

INEC Lists Corps Members To Conduct Direct Primaries

15Nov

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Elections, News, Nigeria

INEC Lists Corps Members To Conduct Direct Primaries

The Independent National Electoral Commission may be forced to use serving members of the National Youth Service Corps to monitor political parties’ direct primaries across the country if President Muhammadu Buhari, signs the Electoral Act Amendment Bill. This is because of the large number of personnel that will be needed to monitor the direct primaries across the 8,809 awards in the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory. The INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr Festus Okoye, confirmed this in a chat with Punch on Sunday. Okoye said it would be premature to speculate since Buhari had not yet signed the bill. He also said certain factors would be considered. He admitted that the staff requirements for pri...

Anambra Election: APC Candidate, Uba Rejects Soludo’s Victory, Vows To Recover ‘Stolen Mandate’

11Nov

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Elections, News, Nigeria

Anambra Election: APC Candidate, Uba Rejects Soludo’s Victory, Vows To Recover ‘Stolen Mandate’

The governorship candidate for the All Progressives Congress in the just concluded Anambra State election, Andy Uba, has rejected the result announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission. Uba alleged the election result was a charade and had not reflected the wishes of the people. The candidate's position was made known by Ambassador Jerry Ugokwe, spokesperson of the Senator Andy Uba Campaign Organisation. Ugwoke said, “It is surprising that APGA which lost almost 80% of its stalwarts through defection to the APC before the election came out ‘victorious’. The outcome of the election was a charade and did not reflect the wishes of the people of Anambra State.” The development comes as INEC disclosed its readiness to present the Certificate of Return to the Governor-elect ...