The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine

Category: Politics

  • Peter Obi outlines rescue plans for Nigeria

    Peter Obi outlines rescue plans for Nigeria

    Few days after his resignation from the People Democratic Party (PDP), former governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, yesterday, emerged presidential candidate of the Labour Party.

    Obi, the PDP vice presidential candidate in the 2019 election, polled 96 delegates votes out of the 98 votes cast to win the primary in Asaba, Delta State.

    Returning officer and chairman of the seven-member election committee, Usman Aliu Abdulahi, said 104 delegates were accredited for the exercise and that Prof. Pat Utomi who had stepped down for Mr. Obi polled one vote while one invalid vote was recorded.

    “Having satisfied all the requirements and having scored the highest number of votes, I hereby declare Mr. Peter Obi as the presidential flag bearer of the Labour Party,” he said.

    Obi thanked the leadership of the party and delegates for electing him, adding, however, that the task to rebuild Nigeria was the responsibility of all.

    He charged party faithful to comb all nooks and crannies of the country to bring out the votes during the presidential election. He blamed Nigeria’s problem on failure of leadership.

    “I have got a simple mission, Nigeria is not a productive country. I just want to remove it from consumption, from sharing to production. If you listen carefully, you hear people talk about 100 million living in poverty. Why do we have insecurity as a problem? The number one to fight insecurity is to pull people out of poverty. When you have over 20 million out of school, then we have a problem, we will invest in education.”

    Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has assured Nigerians that the victory of Labour Party in Australia last week would be replicated in Nigeria in 2023.

    It warned politicians running to the party for endorsements that the party would not compromise or lower its standard to accommodate them.

    The NLC stated this against the backdrop of the party’s National Convention.

    NLC President, Ayuba Wabba commended the leadership led by Julius Abure, former trade union leader, for working with the leadership of the union to reposition the political party.

    “Millions of Nigerian workers and pensioners are latching on the new vigour and vision of Labour Party to take ownership of the long-suspended delivery of the Nigeria of our collective dreams. Such dreams are epitomised by the success of the Labour Party in different parts of the world. A few days ago, the Labour Party in Australia was overwhelmingly voted into power as Australians yearned for major reforms that would deliver a country that works for all.”

    Wabba enjoined Nigerian youths to continue to identify with the Labour Party and adopt the party fully as their own, noting that the job of unseating and retiring deadwood politicians whose worldview of politics is self-service and nepotism has begun in full earnest.

    (Sun)

  • 2023: Pat Utomi steps down for Peter Obi to emerge Labour Party presidential candidate

    2023: Pat Utomi steps down for Peter Obi to emerge Labour Party presidential candidate

    2023: Pat Utomi steps down for Peter Obi to emerge Labour Party presidential candidate

    Professor of political economy and co-convener of the National Consultative Front (NCFront), Pat Utomi has stepped down for the former governor of Anambra state, Mr Peter Obi to emerge the presidential candidate of Labour Party.

    Utomi announced his decision on Monday during the national convention of the party.

    Vanguard had reported how Obi had arrived the venue of the convention, which is taking place in Delta state.

    Details later..

  • PDP BoT calls for unity among party faithful

    PDP BoT calls for unity among party faithful

    The Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party has appealed to party members to close ranks and support the party’s presidential standard bearer for the 2023 general elections, Atiku Abubakar, as the party moves to rescue Nigeria.

    Chairman of the board, Sen. Walid Jibrin, made the appeal in a statement in Abuja, on Monday.

    He described the election of Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the party a as “big success” not only for the PDP but for Nigerian and Nigerians.

    He said “My advice as the PDP BoT Chairman, is that we must come together as one entity and speak with one voice to make our party greater, not only in Nigeria but Africa.

    “Atiku’s success at the recently concluded PDP primaries has opened a good way for all Nigerians come 2023.

    “We must remember that Atiku was in 2019 elected at the PDP presidential primary in Port-Harcout, but was nakedly sabotaged by APC.

    “We must also remember the good performance of Atiku as Vice-President to Olusegun Obasanjo. He’s not a tribalist, he’s the best man for Nigeria President.“

    The board congratulated all party member’s especially delegates for their peaceful conduct before, during and after the convention which led to emergence of the candidate.

    It also commended Senator David Mark and the various committees who handled the task for organising one of the best National convention after the Port-Harcout convention chaired by Governor Okowa of Delta state in 2019.

    Jibrin promised that the BoT will assist the party and the presidential candidate to come out with an acceptable Vice President from southern Nigeria ahead of the polls.

    (Vanguard)

  • Osinbajo under fire for using presidential jet for political campaign tours

    Osinbajo under fire for using presidential jet for political campaign tours

    Twenty–four hours to the presidential primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has come under fire for travelling in presidential jet during his meet-the-delegates tour nationwide.

    Criticisms of Osinbajo came as other presidential aspirants, both the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC), used chartered planes for their trips, including Senate President and APC presidential aspirant, Ahmad Lawan, who also has official plane.

    The condemnation of Osinbajo peaked after the presidential jet, Boeing 727-2N6 with registration no. 5N-FGN aircraft, was deployed to Maiduguri, Borno State, where the vice president met delegates.

    Commenting on Osinbajo’s use of presidential jet for political trips, Mallam Maida Bello said it was morally wrong.

    According to him, government planes attached to officials are meant for official trips.

    He said political party events or political campaigns are not classified as official trips.

    Bello said inasmuch as Osinbajo is the vice president, his trips to meet delegates, in relation to his presidential ambition was personal and should not be financed with government’s funds.

    Supporting this view, Kayode Oshinowo said although it is difficult to separate official and private trips of a vice president, “purely political mobilisation for personally ambition is not official.”

    He said the vice president ought to have hired a private jet for his political consultations.

    He applauded Senate President for opting to use private jets donated to him by two senators from the North and South.

    “I am aware that the Senate President travelled with jets donated to him by his friends and fellow senators instead of the official plane attached to his office, during his political trips relating to his quest for the presidency. That’s what it should be,” he said.

    Another commentor said public officials should separate public life from private life.

    He said that the reported surcharge of former Peresident Shehu Shagari in the First Republic, when he worked with ex-late Prime Minister of Nigeria, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa as a young man and authorised use of presidential jet to take the PM’s mother from Lagos to Kaduna should be a model of public officers.

    Some people have, however, said Osinbajo did nothing wrong.

    According to one of them, there is nothing wrong with the vice president travelling in an official plane to campaigns.

    He said not long ago, former United States President, Donald Trump, used presidential plane when he campaigned for reelection.

    “We are witnesses to the fact that President Trump did not use chartered planes during his reelection campaign. He used the president’s official plane. Whether going for political campaign of wedding, he was US president and he used the paraphernalia of office.”

    (Sun)

  • APC Presidential Primaries; confusion, uncertainty as Buhari keeps mum (Analysis)

    APC Presidential Primaries; confusion, uncertainty as Buhari keeps mum (Analysis)

    Confusion and anxiety best portray the state of mind of presidential aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who are currently in the dark over what becomes of their fate ahead of the proposed presidential primary.

    Their confusion was based on the inability of the party and President Muhammadu Buhari to provide a clear-cut direction and road map of the candidates that will emerge during the primary.

    Curiously, going by the initial arrangements released by the ruling party, the national convention to elect the party’s presidential candidate was scheduled for this weekend, yet few days to the conduct of the primary, the over 25 aspirants jostling for the position are still in the dark over how the candidate will emerge.

    Although the presidential aspirants have carried on with their campaigns and consultations with party leaders and delegates, the persistent rumour of President Buhari planning to adopt one of them as the consensus candidate has contributed in unsettling them.

    Surprisingly, no day passes without intensifying the speculations of either one of the aspirants facing disqualification or planning to pull out of the race.

    Reacting to the situation, a prominent member of the support groups for one of the presidential aspirants, told Saturday Sun that they have never been uncertain of the situation than now, noting that they have no option than carry on with their campaigns hoping that the situation will change.

    “As I speak with you now, there is confusion everywhere. The party’s national leadership seems to be more confused because no serious information is coming from them. Today we will hear of consensus, another day we will hear that the fate of the aspirants will be decided at the primary.

    “They will speculate that he has endorsed this aspirant today, another day it will be another aspirant. The truth is that none of the aspirants is certain of what the future holds for him,” our source lamented.

    A chieftain of the party hinged the confusion on the inability of President Buhari to make his stand known to the party’s leadership, the aspirants and members of the party, arguing that his silence is upsetting and disrupting many things.

    “President Buhari has heightened the suspense. Everybody, including the party leadership and aspirants kept waiting for him to give them direction. His silence has fuelled the speculations about the Goodluck Jonathan option, or other aspirants touted to emerge as consensus candidates,” the party chieftain noted.

    The confusion has also continued to reign supreme within the party, disrupting the execution of the initially released timetable and schedule of activities.

    Faced with the uncertainty, the party’s leadership has continued to screen the presidential aspirants secretly, fuelling rumours that some of them may be facing disqualification from participating in the forthcoming primary.

    The composition of various committees to carry out the conduct of the special convention during the primaries has either been put on hold or suspended completely few days to the exercise.

    Speaking earlier in the week, a chieftain of the party who spoke on condition of anonymity, had argued that it was apparent that President Buhari must have have settled for the consensus option.

    “You know that the leadership of the party is only there as figureheads. President Buhari dictates proceedings in the party especially as it concerns picking the presidential candidate of the party.

    (Sun)

  • Just in: PDP leaders in crucial meeting

    Just in: PDP leaders in crucial meeting

    Just in: PDP leaders in crucial meeting

    Leaders of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party are locked in a crucial meeting at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja.

    The meeting which started in the early hours of Saturday is still ongoing as at the time of filing this report.

    Accreditation of delegates and observers which was scheduled to commence at 6:00am local time has started.

    Although the agenda of the meeting have not been made public, feelers from sources within the party indicate that the meeting was convened to prepare an appropriate response to the decision of the ruling All Progressives Congress to postpone its Presidential primary.

    It was gathered that the PDP is also considering a possible shift in date as a counter move.

    Should the PDP vote in favour of a shift in date, it will not be the first time the party will be doing so.

    The 2018 Presidential Primary in Port Harcourt was postponed on the day it was supposed to hold in December.

    INEC had, in a statement on Friday night, explained how it was urged by the council of political parties to extend the time for primaries following outstanding issues emanating from the exercise across the country. The decision made way to shift the primaries’ deadline from June 3 to June 9.

    An official of the party who has the itinerary of the meeting, Friday night, said “We have strong reasons to believe that the extension was announced by INEC today to allow the APC properly digest the outcome of the PDP’s convention and pick its candidate accordingly.”

    “We were supposed to have our convention a day apart, but this latest move could give the APC a window to shift its convention by additional days just to properly strategise against whoever emerged as flag-bearer at our convention.

  • Integrity is about public funds management – Obi

    Integrity is about public funds management – Obi

    A former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, has replied Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State over the latter’s criticism of his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party.

    Obi, while faulting Wike for questioning his loyalty and integrity to the PDP, stated that integrity was about prudent management of public resources and not membership of a political party.

    Wike had on Thursday taken a swipe at Obi for quitting the PDP few days to the presidential primary of the opposition party.

    Wike, who is running for president on the platform of the PDP where Obi was also an aspirant, had said the ex-Anambra governor had not won an election since he left the All Progressives Grand Alliance.

    Wike had said, “It is not surprising to me. Peter Obi leaving the party is not surprising to me. I know and he knows that there was no way he would have won the presidential primary. The issue is that there must be integrity, there must be character. How can a man who had gone to all the states to tell them how he had been a trader, how his family has been trading, how everybody should support him, how he wore one (pair of) shoe(s), how he did not allow anybody to carry his bag, and all those things…three days to the primaries, he said he had left the party. Integrity…character is very important in whatever you are doing.”

    Replying Wike on the same programme on Friday, Obi, who had earlier dodged a question seeking his reaction, said nobody could question his loyalty to the PDP while in the party.

    “I don’t know how that one came in but I think when we talk about integrity, we are talking about integrity in management of public resources. That is what we should be talking about in this country. And when such things are mentioned about me, I feel maybe there is something missing somehow. Go and check my records as a governor.”

    “I have moved on to where the process might allow me,” he added.

    (Punch)

  • Peter Obi joins Labour Party, thanks youths

    Peter Obi joins Labour Party, thanks youths

    Peter Obi joins Labour Party, thanks youths

    Presidential hopeful, Peter Obi, has joined Labour Party, The PUNCH reports.

    The former Anambra State Governor made the announcement on Friday via his verified Twitter handle.

    According to the 60-year-old politician, he left the Peoples Democratic Party days ago due to “issues that are at variance with my persona and principles”.

    He also thanked the youths for the encouragement.

    Obi wrote, “I thank all Nigerians, especially our youths who have joined me in the mission of taking back and reuniting Nigeria.

    “This project is yours and for the future of your children. I am just a facilitator.

    “Since I resigned from the PDP because of issues that are at variance with my persona and principles, I have consulted widely with various parties and personalities to ensure we do not complicate the route to our desired destination.

    “For me, the process of achieving our goal is as fundamental as what one will do thereafter.

    “Therefore, I have chosen a route that I consider to be in line with our aspirations and my mantra of taking the country from consumption to production; and that is the Labour Party which is synonymous with the people, workers, development, production, securing and uniting Nigerians as one family.

    “I invite all Nigerians to join me in taking back our country. Be assured that I’ll never let you down.”

  • Adamawa: Binani Becomes First Female Governorship Candidate, Defeats Ribadu, Bindow, Namdas, Others

    Adamawa: Binani Becomes First Female Governorship Candidate, Defeats Ribadu, Bindow, Namdas, Others

    Senator Aishatu Binani of the All Progressives Congress (APC) made history today, as she defeated five male contestants to pick the party’s ticket to become the first female flag bearer of any political party in Adamawa.

     

    In a well contested APC governorship primary in Adamawa State, the serving senator representing Adamawa central defeated former EFCC boss, Nuhu Ribadu, who scored 288, former governor Bindow, who scored 103 and serving House of Representatives member, Namdas, with 94 votes; Wafari Therman and Umar Mustphar scored 21 and  39 respectively, to clinch the ticket.

    Announcing the result of the primaries that lasted to the early hours of Friday, the chairman of the primaries committee, Alhaji  Gambo Lawal said a total number of  1130 delegates were accredited and a total of 1011 votes were cast, while the invalid votes cast were 36

    He said, “Of the total number of valid votes cast, Senator Ashatu Dahiru Binani scored 430 and having scored the highest number of votes cast, she is hereby returned as the winner of the primary election.”

    (Tribune)

  • Ekweremadu, Tinubu, Kwankwaso, may lead regional parties

    Ekweremadu, Tinubu, Kwankwaso, may lead regional parties

    Ahead of the presidential primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress, indications have emerged that a former governor of Lagos State and national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi; and national leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, Rabiu Kwankwaso, may spearhead regional parties pending the outcome of the primaries that would take place this weekend.

    Meanwhile, Peter Obi has been discussing with the NNPP but has not joined the party, The PUNCH learnt on Wednesday night.

    A source close to Kwankwaso, who was reacting to speculations that Obi had joined the NNPP after leaving the PDP, said, “It is not official, but that rumour is going on. I’m not sure if he (Obi) has reached out to us. You know his resignation was just today (Wednesday). But I know they have been discussing it with Kwankwaso even before now.

    “What might happen is that the politics of 2023 might turn to regional politics. The NNPP is already strong in the North. There is a possibility that Ike Ekweremadu, Enyinnaya Abaribe and Peter Obi might form an alliance under another party in the South East.

    “If Asiwaju Bola Tinubu doesn’t get the APC ticket, he might also go back to South-West with the Social Democratic Party. So, these three parties might become the big parties representing the regions in 2023.”

    (Punch)

  • Nnaji clinches Enugu APC guber ticket

    Nnaji clinches Enugu APC guber ticket

    Nnaji clinches Enugu APC guber ticket

    Chetanne Chinelo, Enugu

    At the end of the All Progressives Congress primaries held today, Uche Geoffery Nnaji, Nwakaibie, has won the gubernatorial ticket of the APC in Enugu state.

    He was the only aspirant for the Gubernatorial primary election of the APC in the state.

    Nnaji who hails from Akpugo in Nkanu West Local Government area of Enugu state pulled 1070 votes to emerge the APC Candidate.

    Five elected state delegates from each of the 260 wards in the state participated in the primaries.

    The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine had published Nnaji as one of the likely guber candidates in Enugu State.

    Nnaji’s political life and desire to serve led him to join the Peoples Democratic Party as one of its founding members. At the time, he was prevailed upon to run for the Governorship Election in 1999 but declined for His Excellency, Sen. Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani as his elder brother from Nkanuland. He instead ran for Senate and won but still stepped down for His Excelllency, Sen. Dr. Jim Nwobodo who was an elder statesman and foundation leader of PDP in Nkanuland, Enugu State and Nigeria. He was later appointed Member of FCDA Board by President Olusegun Obasanjo where he became the Chairman of Finance Committee of the Board.

  • Why we stopped 2 aspirants from Lagos governorship primary – APC committee

    Why we stopped 2 aspirants from Lagos governorship primary – APC committee

    Why we stopped 2 aspirants from Lagos governorship primary – APC committee

    The All Progressives Congress Governorship Electoral Committee in Lagos on Thursday stopped two governorship aspirants from entering the Mobolaji Johnson Arena venue of the ongoing governorship primary in the state.

    The affected aspirants are the former commissioner for energy and mineral resources in the state, Olawale Oluwo and one Abdul-Ahmed Mustapha.

    The Chairman of the committee, Shettima Yuguda, who addressed journalists on the matter, said the duo were not cleared by the party’s screening committee to participate in the governorship primary.

    He added that only Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu was cleared to participate in the election.

    The Borno State former deputy governor said 1,225 delegates would participate in the election but 1,198 had so far been accredited.

    Yuguda said: “We are aware that three aspirants bought forms for the governorship election in Lagos State. The three were accredited for the screening. One was cleared, and two were not cleared.

    “So, as we speak, the other two aspirants have not been cleared by the screening committee and by the appeal committee.

    “We are only attending to those that have been cleared, the aspirant that has been cleared by the two committees.”

    (Ripples)