Category: Politics

Tinubu enjoined all political stakeholders to desist from violence, intimidation, and harassment, and embrace peace before, during, and after governorship election

The president, who was represented by Senate President Godswill Akpabio at the grand finale of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship campaign, said he had put in place enough security measures to ensure free, fair, and credible election tomorrow.

However, Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, on Thursday, condemned the recent killings in Esa Oke part of the state and the subsequent destruction of property. Adeleke also commiserated with the families of the deceased and other victims of the recent political violence across the state. He ordered more security presence in Esa Oke and its environs.

As part of efforts to ensure security during the Osun State election, Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, announced the prohibition of state government-established security outfits, quasi-security groups, and private security organisations from participating in election-security duties.

Disu said the ban was consistent with established Nigeria Police Force (NPF) election-security directives, in a statement by Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Iniedu.

The APC rally attracted several APC governors and thousands of party supporters.

Tinubu stated, “Let me assure all Osun indigenes that adequate security havebeen provided all over the state to ensure people come out to cast their votes for the candidate of their choice without any fear or intimidation.

“Feel very free to cast your votes for the candidate of your choice. My advice, however, is that you choose wisely because there is need to link Osun State to the centre. We are waiting for Osun to join us.

“I can assure you that nobody will molest you. You can only be molested on social media and not during voting. Nobody will harass or intimidate one another. Go out and vote a party of your choice and choose wisely.”

For his part, Akpabio said, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu fought for democracy, therefore, he would not allow anybody to molest the already established democracy.”

The senate president equally presented the APC flag to the party’s governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji.

Akpabio described it as the “flag of authority and power”, saying, “This is your symbol of your authority.”

A statement by Akpabio’s Media Office, explained that Tinubu expressed confidence in APC’s chances of winning Saturday’s election, saying the large turnout at the campaign was evidence of the party’s growing acceptance in the state.

“From the crowd here today, I am more than convinced that APC is the dominant party in Osun State,” he said.

He cited the presence of former governor and erstwhile interim National Chairman of APC, Bisi Akande; former National Secretary of the party, IyiolaOmisore; and Senator Fadahunsi as indications of the party’s strength ahead of the poll.

Akpabio also commended opposition figures and political groups that had expressed support for Oyebamiji, describing the development as evidence of APC’s broad acceptance.

He stated, “Let me, on behalf of Mr President, thank the opposition parties in the state led by former governor and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, for queuing behind our candidate.”

He said the support demonstrated that APC was a peaceful political organisation capable of accommodating people across political divides.

Akpabio also referred to the reported endorsement of Oyebamiji by the Accord Party leadership in the state, saying it further strengthens APC’s position ahead of the election.

Beyond the election, Akpabio challenged Oyebamiji to prioritiseinfrastructure development and improve the living conditions of residents if elected.

Akpabio said, “On a personal note, I am not impressed by the condition of roads from Ibadan to this state. Osun deserves more than this. Osun should be better than what we have now.”

He charged the APC candidate to begin the transformation of the state immediately after assumption of office.

He stated, “Let me at this point charge our incoming governor, AMBO, to ensure that he transforms Osun State through the provision of quality infrastructure and delivery of true dividends of democracy from his very first day in office.”

Kwara State Governor and Chairman, Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, urged stakeholders to come out en masse and vote for the APC candidate.

AbdulRazaq stressed that Oyebamiji was close to the president, and would be able to attract more federal government presence to the state, saying he would not disappoint the people of the state.

Oyebamiji, in his remarks, appreciated the APC National Working Committee (NWC) for the support given to him, saying the party is well-structured.

He promised that if elected, his government would be an inclusive, stressing that government is a serious business.

Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, said the people of Osun should give their vote to the party’s candidate, saying APC is not known for violence, trouble, and intimidation, but is built on good ideology.

Uzodimma stressed that the people should give Tinubu good support in an effort to fix a better Nigeria for all.

In an interesting twist of events, a former presidential candidate of Accord Party, Professor Chris Imumolen, declared support for Oyebamiji.

Imumolen claimed that all Accord members, stakeholders, supporters would give their vote to the APC candidate.

Others at the rally included Speaker of House of Representatives, TajudeenAbbas; Deputy Senate President, Barau Jubril; Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu; Chief Adebisi Akande; Adegboyega Oyetola; and Lagos state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Equally present were Ondo State Governor Lucky Ayedatiwa; Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun; Kwara State Governor Abdulrazaq AbdulRahman; Edo State Governor Monday Okpobolo; Ekiti State Governor Abiodun Oyebanji; and APC candidate in Oyo State, Senator Sarafadeen Alli.

There were also National Secretary of APC, Bashir Ajibola; Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo; Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma; Deputy Governor of Delta State, Monday John; APC governorship candidate in Lagos State, and incumbent Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni; National Chairman of APC, Professor NentaweYilwatda; Prof Olu Aina; and Senator Adams Oshiomhole. Arise News

The constitution of the council comes as the ADC steps up its campaign and mobilisation efforts ahead of the Osun governorship election, deploying prominent figures from its national leadership and political coalition to coordinate its activities in the state.Imoke leads the council, while Tambuwal serves as chairman and Ihedioha and Nadama as co-chairmen.The ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, announced the composition of the council in a notice on Saturday.

The council is tasked with coordinating and overseeing the party’s campaign activities ahead of the governorship election, including mobilisation and preparations for the final campaign rally.

The ADC campaign will climax on Monday, August 10, with a final rally at Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo, beginning at noon.

The party said the rally would bring together its national leadership, governorship candidate, coalition leaders, campaign officials, supporters and members of the public.

It directed all members of the campaign council to attend the rally.

Wike echoed this position on Tuesday in Abuja at the inspection tour of the service carriageways of Southern Parkway in Gaduwa Districts that linked multiple dense residential districts across Phases I to IV of the Federal Capital City in addition to the abandoned Inner Southern Expressway (Goodluck Jonathan Way) that was awarded in December 2014.

He said Fubara had declared his support for the Rainbow Coalition, which Wike was championing and had no other choice than to return to the same political family that produced him.

Wike added that there was no better alternative for Fubara than his coalition, saying the doors were open and that the most important decision was for Fubara to join the group and work together to mover Rivers forward.

“I don’t know what you mean by sin. In politics there’s no sin. If someone realises he made a mistake and decides to correct it, there is nothing wrong with that. Politics is not a sin. What matters is recognising that you were on the wrong path and making the right decision.

“He has publicly stated that he has returned to where he started, and we receive him with an open mind. There is nothing to hide. We will all work together to ensure that we deliver the votes President Tinubu needs for his re-election,” he said.

The minister also promised to deliver the 10 kilometres Goodluck Jonathan Way that runs from the Southern Parkway to Ring Road II at Galadimawa, with five bridges.

He stated that the project contractor would complete the remaining six kilometres of the road by December, subject to provision of funds.

According to him, the road was the only project, apart from the Apo-Karshi Road, awarded by the previous administration that had not been completed by President Bola Tinubu administration. Arise News

Obi made the remark during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics on Sunday, where he reflected on his political future.

Asked whether the 2027 election would be his last presidential race, the former Anambra State governor said the decision would largely depend on the outcome of the poll but indicated he was nearing the end of his political journey.

“It depends on who wins,” Obi said.

“But I can tell you, I’m coming to the end of it because I believe that the younger ones should be allowed.”

The former Labour Party presidential candidate explained that advancing age would make it increasingly difficult to cope with the demands of the presidency.

“I’ll be 68 or 69. So, if you add that to another eight years, I will be 77 or 78. I don’t think I’ll have the energy I have today because that capacity is very important. It’s critical,” he said.

Obi said while the outcome of the 2027 election would influence his next political move, he remained convinced that the country must begin creating more opportunities for younger leaders to take charge.

The former governor contested the 2019 election as the vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party alongside Atiku Abubakar before emerging as the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election.

Ahead of the 2027 general election, Obi became the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress after leaving the African Democratic Congress.

Delivering judgment, Justice Salim Ibrahim held that the plaintiffs, led by PDP Board of Trustees Chairman Adolphus Wabara, lacked the legal standing to institute the suit. He consequently struck it out for want of jurisdiction.The court upheld the preliminary objection filed by INEC and sustained similar objections raised by parties seeking to be joined in the matter. It ruled that the plaintiffs failed to establish that INEC had recognised the purported interim NWC or that they possessed the authority to sue on behalf of the PDP.

Members of the Wabara-led Board of Trustees had approached the court to compel INEC to update its records and recognise the factional interim NWC headed by Kabiru Turaki (SAN). They also sought an order directing the electoral commission to publish the names of the interim executives on its official website.

The plaintiffs argued that the names of members of the Turaki-led executive were forwarded to INEC through letters dated May 4. They further contended that, based on constitutional provisions and the PDP Constitution, the electoral body was obligated to recognise and act on correspondence from the interim leadership.

Aside from Wabara, the plaintiffs included former Niger State Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu, Prof. Jerry Gana, Chief Olabode George, Hajiya Maryam Ciroma, Hajiya Zainab Maina, Dame Esther Uduehi and the PDP.

INEC was listed as the sole defendant in the suit, which was filed on June 4 through a legal team led by Chris Uche (SAN).

However, a faction of the party aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, challenged the court’s jurisdiction and sought to be joined in the case. The group, led by its National Chairman, Abdulrahman Mohammed, maintained that it represented the authentic leadership of the PDP and argued that the plaintiffs lacked the locus standi to institute the action.

In a ruling delivered before the substantive judgment, Justice Ibrahim granted the joinder applications, holding that the interests of the applicants would be affected by the outcome of the suit.

The court subsequently upheld all preliminary objections and struck out the case, describing it as an abuse of court process. Justice Ibrahim held that the plaintiffs were attempting to relitigate issues that had already been determined by various courts.

The court also struck out the PDP’s name from the suit, holding that the plaintiffs lacked the party’s authorisation to institute the action in its name.

According to the judge, the suit invited the court to make orders that would undermine existing judgments. He further held that the matter had become academic, noting that evidence before the court showed that the PDP convention that produced the Mohammed-led executives was duly monitored by INEC.

“The court does not decide hypothetical or academic questions,” Justice Ibrahim held.

The judge also ruled that the suit was incompetent because it was commenced by Originating Summons despite the contentious nature of the dispute.

In addition, the court took cognisance of existing judgments that nullified the PDP convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15 and 16, which produced the Turaki-led executives.

Justice Ibrahim upheld the arguments of the respondents and dismissed the suit.