Category: Lead

• My Certificate of Return is a World Cup trophy, president-elect says in Lagos

PRESIDENT-ELECT Bola Tinubu yesterday returned to Lagos in a blaze of glory, describing his Certificate of Return as a World Cup he had brought home.

Bubbling with excitement, he thanked Nigerians for voting for him, assuring that he will not disappoint them.

Tinubu, who stormed the palace of the Eleko of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, thanked the monarch and other community leaders for their support and prayers.

Speaking in Yoruba, he said: “This certificate that I brought home is our own World Cup.”

Oba Akiolu, who hugged the President-elect, wished him an eventful tenure.

Also in Abuja, elder statesman Alhaji Tanko Yakassai urged Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar and his Labour Party (LP) counterpart, Peter Obi, to support Tinubu.

He said the election has produced a winner and loser, adding that after the exercise, they should cooperate with the president-elect in the task of governance.

Oba Akiolu described him as a special breed “who is destined for leadership at the very top.”

He added: “Asiwaju, Lagos will not forget you. You did all your best to serve Lagos and you served excellently. I know you have enemies; all our ancestors had too. So, were all the prophets…

“Some are even enemies of God that created us. But, I know that our forefathers will fight your battles. God will grant you victory and Nigeria will be great under you.”

Tinubu arrived to the warm embrace All Progressives Congress (APC) faithful at the presidential wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja in the afternoon.

They were led by Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, his Chief of Staff (CoS) Tayo Ayinde, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro and other top APC chieftainss.

Tinubu’s first port of call was Iga-Iduganran Palace where Oba Akiolu, other monarchs and white cap chiefs were already waiting.

Addressing the crowd at the palace, Tinubu likened the primary and the general election to a World Cup tournament.

Thanking Lagosians and Nigerians for his eventual victory, he promised to work assiduously for the country.

Tinubu specifically thanked Oba Akiolu and others royal fathers for their advice, support and cooperation.

Other traditional rulers at the palace included: Elegushi of Ikate-Elegushi Kingdom, Oba Saheed Elegushi, and the Oniru of Iruland, Oba Omogbolahan Lawal.

Also at the palace were former Deputy Governor Femi Pedro, former Commissioner for Environment in Lagos Dr. Muiz Banire and Lagos APC Women Leader Jumoke Okoya-Thomas.

Yakassai, grand patron of Northern Alliance Committee, told reporters in Abuja that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducted a successful poll.

He said: “The aim of the briefing is to publicly convey our congratulations to President-elect Senator Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu on his victory in the just concluded presidential election, reflect on the conduct and outcome of the election whichconsequently declared Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the winner of the election.

“As in any contest under democracy, there is always the winner and the loser. But, at the end of it all, the two will team up to move their country forward in the interest of the nation and its people. The country will move on and people will continue to engage in their various activities and all will march on to the next phase in nation building.”

“Yakassai said the National Alliance Committee was delighted that Tinubu, who became the Candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), was elected president.

“He recalled that the group actively participated in the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Committee and campaigned at the grassroots, ward, local government, state, and national level.

“Yakassai thanked God that the candidate supported by the group won the poll.

He said: “The natural thing for all to do now is to give the president maximum support in the task of tackling many issues bedeviling our country, which need all hands to be on deck in handling these challenges.

“There are many challenges on ground ranging from the economic, security and social issues. The task ahead of the new president are enormous.”

Yakassai added: “We appreciate the maturity showed by a number of members of opposition parties by conducting themselves responsibly since the declaration of the result. We also thank the people of Nigeria for reposing their confidence in Tinubu.

“We congratulate the Independent National Electoral Commission for successful conduct of the presidential election and we urge the commission to take into consideration suggestions made by members of the public in conducting the next elections.

“The presidential election was very successful and the evidence of that is the acceptance by the people of the country, the evidence is that there was no protest, or disruptions that led to loss of lives or anything.

“Our expectations is that INEC would also conduct the next elections in the same manner it conducted the presidential election and I congratulate them for a job well done.”

Senior lawyers yesterday urged the Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to comply with the Supreme Court judgment of last Friday.

They warned that not obeying the order would amount to contempt of court and further cast the government and officials as showing disregard for the rule of law.

The Supreme Court held that the old naira notes would remain valid until December 31 and that the old N200, N500 and N1,000 will co-exist with the new ones.

Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) Seyi Sowemimo, Babatunde Fashanu, Chino Obiagwu, Kunle Adegoke, Wahab Shittu and Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa said the judgment must be complied with.

According to Sowemimo, the Federal Government and CBN were bound to obey the judgment. 

He said: “I don’t think any of them – the CBN or Federal Government – has a choice in the matter. 

“They were represented in court and the Supreme Court has given a final decision. 

“The Supreme Court is the highest court in the land and that being so, that is the final decision.

“If they want to observe the rule of law, then they have no choice but to comply with the decision.”

He dismissed the claim by the Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami (SAN) that he could not advise the CBN on monetary policy.

Sowemimo believes Malami was duty-bound to advise the government to comply with the judgment. 

He said: “The Attorney-General himself ought to know that he does not have a choice but to advise the Federal Government to comply with the decision of the Supreme Court. 

“It’s a clear-cut decision. There shouldn’t be any argument about it.

“It’s too late to say it is an economic policy and you cannot advise on it; it is the legal aspect of it that went to court concerning whether they were within their rights to impose or implement that sort of policy without the necessary consultations. 

“The Supreme Court has said no, they acted unlawfully.

“The AGF does not have much of a choice in the matter anymore; his duty is to advise the government to comply.”

Fashanu said it was the duty of the AGF to advise the Federal Government to obey the Supreme Court judgment. 

“When the Supreme Court gives an order, it must be obeyed by the parties it is directed against. 

“It is a dereliction of duty for the AGF to be talking of monetary policy when the Supreme Court has laid down what is to be done. 

“This is a tendency towards anarchy and it is unfortunate,” the SAN said.

Obiagwu expressed similar views, noting that the Supreme Court “is a policy court.”

“It has given a decision that is a policy that went beyond the law. Nobody has a right to pick and choose which judgment of the Supreme Court to obey or not to obey,” the SAN said.

He warned that the Attorney-General and CBN officials could face sanctions for failing to comply. 

Obiagwu said: “Once the apex court has made that decision, the CBN must comply. If it doesn’t, it can be cited for contempt. 

“The Attorney-General has no right to pick and choose or to advise the government on which judgment of the Supreme Court to obey or not. 

“It’s the final judgement; they don’t have any right to disobey it. 

“If they do, there are consequences and we at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) are ready to make sure that any executive recklessness is brought to justice.

“Remember that the Supreme Court reprimanded the Federal Government for disobeying its interim orders. Justice Emmanuel Agim clearly stated that this was unacceptable in a democracy.

“If the Federal Government goes ahead to restrict the old notes contrary to the judgment of the Supreme Court, there will be consequences, including on the AGF, because we have historical records of AGFs being cited for contempt.”

Adegoke reiterated that the Federal Government was bound to comply with the order.

He said: “On the new naira note issue, the Supreme Court, the final court in the land, has given its decision.

“It is obligatory on all institutions, the presidency, the office of the AGF, the CBN, to obey the decision of the Supreme Court. That is not only the final court, it is the highest court from which there is no appeal.

“The Supreme Court, having given its decision, is now mandatory in line with the constitution for all institutions to implement the decision to the letter.

“There is no option for anyone of them to say it is even deliberating on it. The next thing is to implement it.

“The old naira notes, together with the new naira notes, have to co-exist till 31st December 2023 in line with the decision. 

“That would give sufficient time to the CBN to be able to issue sufficient new naira notes to be in circulation to replace the old notes.

“There is no option about the decision of the Supreme Court. There is no choice to choose whether to obey or not to obey.”

Shittu said anyone who disobeys the order should be cited for contempt.

The SAN said: “The Supreme Court is the ‘uncommanded commander’. Once it sneezes, the country catches a cold. Once it makes a pronouncement, it takes immediate effect.

“The order of the Supreme Court does not require any other authority, including CBN’s directive, for immediate compliance.

“Anyone standing in the way of the implementation of Supreme Court order should be immediately arrested, cited for contempt and taken to prison.”

Adegboruwa described the judgment as “a courageous confirmation of the sanctity of the rule of law and due process”.

He added: “It is a soothing relief from the hardship that Nigerians have been subjected to, over the past few weeks, on account of this rather thoughtless policy.

“The court should always be the platform for the resolution of all disputes by all aggrieved persons. 

“I salute the sagacity and courage of the justices of the Supreme Court for rising up to rescue Nigerians from the pangs of death, frustration and looming economic recession.

“As there is no room for further appeal against the judgment of the Supreme Court, I urge the President to immediately direct the CBN to comply fully with the judgment of the Supreme Court, as stated under Section 287(1) of the Constitution and allow all the N200, N500 and N1000 old notes to be circulating along with the naira new notes till December 23, 2023.

“Across all our land, there will joy in many homes, businesses will bounce back and Nigerians will find cause to celebrate their freedom from all forms of dictatorship and arbitrariness.”

Also, a senior lawyer, Dr Fassy Yusuf, said there was the need for President Buhari to obey the judgment.

To him, the President’s silence was worrisome, adding: “Were it to be the other way, they would have expeditiously hailed the judgment.”

He disagreed with Malami’s claim of being unable to advise on monetary policies.

He said: “The unusual silence of the Presidency and the AGF to the judgment on the ill-conceived and callously executed currency ‘colourisation’ is worrisome and befuddling.

“The outgoing administration should be prepared for a titanic battle with the third arm of government, especially from the NBA.

“President Buhari should know that arbitrariness is not part of democracy. His government cannot decide the judgment it would obey.”

Dr Yusuf urged those close to the corridors of power to advise President Buhari to give immediate effect to the landmark judgment to prevent anarchy from taking over the land.

“Enough of economic and social strangulation. 

“Meanwhile, in a sane country, the AGF and CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele would have resigned or should have been booted out.

“Here we are. They are pretending as if nothing has happened! 

“The damage caused to the country and the psyche of our people can never be fully quantified. A stitch in time saves nine.”

Nigeria’s total public debt portfolio now stands at about N48.93 trillion, with the government borrowing about N3.73 trillion over the past five months.

Data obtained by The Nation’s Economic Intelligence yesterday showed that the government raised about N1.599 trillion in the fourth quarter of 2022.  

The Debt Management Office (DMO), which oversees the issuance and management of Nigeria’s sovereign debts, had earlier confirmed The Nation’s exclusive report that the government had raised N2.129 trillion in the first two months of 2023.

A breakdown indicated that Nigeria’s domestic debts have risen to about N30.643 trillion, primarily due to new borrowings of about N1.599 trillion in the fourth quarter of 2022 and N2.129 trillion between January and February 2023.

Nigeria’s external debt increased to N18.282 trillion, mainly due to the depreciation of the naira against the dollar.

The national debt portfolio for the third quarter ended September 30, 2022, published by DMO indicated that Nigeria had total debt of N44.064 trillion, including domestic borrowing of about N26.916 trillion and converted external debts of N17.148 trillion. 

The DMO had applied the then-official exchange rate of N432.37 per dollar to the country’s external debt of $39.662 billion.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday indicated the official exchange rate at N460.96 per dollar, implying the addition of some N1.13 trillion to the country’s converted foreign debts due to currency depreciation. With this, external debts increased from N17.148 trillion in the third quarter of 2022 to stand now at N18.282 trillion.

With maturing debt obligations and running a budget deficit, the government has continued to raise funds through the monthly issuance of regular bonds, retail savings bonds and treasury bills.

A breakdown of the debt issuances showed that about N852.926 billion were raised through the Nigerian Treasury Bills (NTBs), N4.174 billion through the Federal Government of Nigerian Savings Bonds (FGNSBs) and N741.55 billion through regular bond and Sukuk issuances in fourth quarter 2022.

In January 2023, the government raised N662.617 billion through its regular bond auction, N277.468 billion through the NTBs and N533.03 million through the FGNSBs, a retail monthly debt issuance introduced in 2017.

It raised N1.189 trillion in February 2023, including N770.56 billion through bond auctions, N417.064 billion through NTBs and N1.271 billion through the FGNSBs. Total borrowings in February 2023 represented a 26.4 per cent increase above N940.62 billion raised in January 2023.

The total debt issuance in the past two months represented more than a 33 per cent increase on the total debt issuance in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Faced with sovereign downgrades by global rating agencies, with attendant higher risk profile and cost for international debt issuances, the government appeared to be increasingly dependent on the domestic capital market to raise N8.8 trillion regular debt component of the 2023’s N10.78 trillion deficit.

Providing clarification on the recent borrowings, the DMO stated that the domestic debt issuance was designed not only to provide funds to finance the budget deficit but also to refinance the Federal Government’s maturing obligations during the fiscal year.

According to DMO, out of the N2.129 trillion raised so far this year, only N1 trillion has been deployed for deficit financing, 14.2 per cent of total estimated domestic borrowings of N7.043 trillion in the 2023 budget. The agency said the balance of the funds raised was for refinancing maturing obligations.  

The federal government laid out a budget size of N20.51 trillion on a total revenue of N9.73 trillion in 2023, with plans to borrow N10.78 trillion in 2023.     

Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, at the public presentation of the breakdown and highlights of the 2023 budget proposal, said the overall budget deficit of N10.78 trillion for 2023 would largely be financed through domestic loans.

She outlined that the budget deficit would be financed mainly by borrowings including domestic sources, N7.04 trillion; foreign sources, N1.76 trillion; multilateral and bi-lateral loan drawdowns, N1.77 billion and expected N206.18 billion proceeds from the privatisation of national assets.

Nigeria’s public debt has continued to generate intensive debate on the growing size of indebtedness and the burden of sustainability amidst declining national revenue.   

Also, while experts agreed that rising demand for sovereign debts provides the government with a comfortable fallback option, many analysts said the government’s domestic mop-up may crowd out other issuers and raise the cost of funds.            

Ahmed had raised the possibility of a higher budget deficit and financing in 2023, noting that “there is a continuing need to exceed this threshold considering the existential security challenges facing the country”.

She however said Nigeria has no plan to restructure its debt as the government remains committed to meeting its domestic and external debt obligations.

According to her, the government will continue to utilize appropriate debt management tools to streamline the cost and risk profile in the debt portfolio, including through concessional loans, spreading out of debt maturities to avoid bunching, and re-profiling of the debt maturities by refinancing short-term debt using long-term debt instruments.

Nigeria has increasingly relied on borrowings to bridge its dwindling national revenue

Data provided by the Budget Office of the Federation showed that Nigeria has consistently over the past eight years significantly underperformed its revenue target. For instance, while the country had budgeted a revenue target of N7.2 trillion in 2018, it generated only N3.9 trillion, about 54 per cent of the revenue target. In 2019, it achieved about 59 per cent with a revenue budget of N7 trillion and an actual of N4.12 trillion. 

Revenue target and actual stood at N5.4 trillion and N3.96 trillion and N6.64 trillion and N4.64 trillion in 2020 and 2021 respectively. 

In the current budget, while the country had set a revenue target of N5.82 billion, it only achieved 63 per cent or N3.66 trillion by July 2022.

Nigeria has been using more than three-quarters of its revenues to service debts. 

Debt-service to total revenue ratio stood at 61.3 per cent in 2020, rose to 90.9 per cent in 2021 and currently stands at 84.5 per cent. Debt-service-to-total revenue was about 32.7 per cent in 2015.

DMO has expressed concerns that the country now faces the risk of being unable to sustain its rising national public debts unless urgent actions are taken to curtail expenditure and increase the country’s revenues.

DMO warned that while Nigeria’s loans may still be within an acceptable range of the country’s economic size, the country’s ability to sustainably meet the obligations on such loans is now under threat.

Director General of the Debt Management Office, Ms Patience Oniha, said beyond keeping within the debt-to-GDP ratio, it is important that the public debt is sustainable and the government is able to service its debt without the risk of distress.

Reviewing revenue budgets and actuals against actual debt service over the past eight years, Oniha said the debt service-to-revenue ratio is “high”.  

She said dependence on borrowing and a low revenue base was now threatening debt sustainability.

“Nigeria’s public debt stock has grown consistently over the past decades and even faster in recent years. Consequently, debt service has continued to grow,” Oniha said.

She pointed out that Nigeria’s low revenue base compounded by its dependence on crude oil resulted in budget deficits over the past decades, putting pressure on the country’s debt sustainability.

“The outlook shows that both the local and international markets are becoming tighter and interest rates are rising, thus priority should be less on borrowing and more on revenues from oil and non-oil sources,” Oniha said.

She said while efforts at increasing non-oil revenue are yielding positive results, urgent actions are required to moderate the level of new borrowings and ensure that the public debt is sustainable.

She outlined that government should, as a matter of urgency, rationalise expenditure and accelerate the growth in revenues, including implementation of strategic actions to boost tax administration and efficiency.

She said it was unacceptable that Nigeria has the lowest revenue-to-GDP ratio among a list of countries sampled by the World Bank, noting that an efficient tax administration would ensure greater compliance to remittances devoid of all forms of evasions in the system.

According to her, most countries around the world have placed more emphasis on taxation as a principal source of funding for the government while the reverse is the case in Nigeria.

Oniha also advised that “borrowing should be tied to projects and some of the projects should generate commensurate revenues to service loans used to finance them”.

She called for the sale of government assets to unlock funding, adding that physical assets such as idle or underutilised properties could be redeveloped for commercialisation to generate revenue.

By Emmanuel Badejo, Assistant Editor; Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin; Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta; Yinka Adeniran, Ibadan; Onimisi Alao, Yola; Mike Odiegwu, Port Harcourt; Bassey Anthony, Uyo; Okungbowa Aiwerie, Asaba Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna and Nsa Gill, Calabar

Political parties are realigning ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.

Groups and political leaders are endorsing candidates.

Results of presidential and National Assembly elections have altered plans of candidates, leading to alliance talks.

That was the case in Oyo, Kwara, Ogun, Rivers, Enugu, Akwa Ibom and Delta.

In Lagos State, alliance talks between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) were made public.

In Adamawa, LP’s governorship candidate, Umar Mustapha, dropped his ambition in favour of All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Senator Aishatu Binani.

Although it is expected that more of the alliances would be more pronounced before the polls, the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) cautioned its members, officials and candidates against forming alliances with any political party.

Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Hakeem Amode, who disclosed the opposition parties alliance talks, said the goal was to defeat the ruling APC.

Amode said: “We are talking with the LP, but cannot diffuse our structure; they are to join us. The talk is ongoing, but we have not concluded anything yet.

“We are also talking to Accord, ADC (African Development Congress), Boot Party and several others. 

“Our candidate, Olajide Adediran has also made this known. So, what I can say is that we are talking to many parties and as many as are ready to work with us, we are ready to form an alliance.

“Once we conclude our talks, all we need to do is to come to the media and announce our alliance.”

A leading LP supporter in the state and Afenifere chieftain, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, had said the party would consider available options to defeat the APC in the state.

However, an LP chieftain had earlier said the party was “not considering any alliance with the PDP.” 

In Kwara, the PDP Chairman, Babatunde Mohammed, said other opposition parties in the state were united to work together and “vote out APC.”.

Mohammed, while unveiling a five-point agenda by the PDP governorship candidate, Alhaji Shuaib Yaman Abdullahi, in Ilorin, said: “We are on the same page with other political parties on the next election, with the exception of APC. We are working together already.

“The other political parties in Kwara State also believe in unison because they have agreed with us to work as a team as a strategy to oust the present APC in the state in the next polls.”

But the Social Democratic Party (SDP) chairman in the state, Abdulazeez Afolabi, said his party would go to the poll alone.

LP’s candidate in Adamawa, Mustapha, at a briefing in Yola, said he would work to ensure Binani’s victory on Saturday.

Mustapha, who is popularly known as Otumba, said: “I am confident that Binani will provide a people-centred leadership that will prioritise human capital and resource development that will prosper Adamawa State.

“That is why I am calling on all my supporters to come out on Saturday, March 11, and vote for Distinguished Senator Aishatu Ahmed Binani as Governor of Adamawa State.” 

He added that he had decided to put all the structures at Binani’s disposal.

The APC candidate, who appreciated the endorsement, said it would boost her chances of becoming the next governor of the state.

But in Oyo where the State Working Committee (SWC) of the LP, Tunji Sadiq, said the party would work with Governor Seyi Makinde, the LP candidate, Tawfik Akinwale, described the decision as strange.

Sadiq told a news conference in Ibadan yesterday that the LP SWC decided to back Makinde after an “unbiased assessment” of Akinwale revealed that he cannot win the election.

The chairman said: “On our thorough assessment of the various governorship candidates for the March 11, 2023 election in terms of character, competence, capacity, and compassion for people, His Excellency, Engineer Oluseyi Makinde, excels above the others.

“Therefore, we, at the LP Oyo State, have decided to use the entire structure of our party throughout the 33 local government areas to support his re-election for another four years. 

“Tawfiq Akinwale is the candidate of the party but the party structure did an unbiased and dispassionate assessment of our governorship candidate and found out that, on a normal day, there is no way he will win that election. 

“It will be unhealthy for us to know what will become of our aspiration and still go ahead.”

But Akinwale said he could not imagine that “some people, for a selfish reason, would say they are backing a party that the people of Oyo State have rejected due to its misrule and misgovernance at the expense of LP, which is the rave of the moment and party the people are looking up to.”

He added: “It is absurd. It is strange to all known political settings and reasoning. In fact, it is a beer parlour politics that can never hold ground. How can it be?

“I am still in the race as the governorship candidate of the LP in Oyo State and I have and will not step down for anybody.

“The people who did that are those who are irresponsible, shameless and don’t understand what they are doing because of selfish reasons.

“To set the records straight, Tawfiq Tayo Akinwale remains the legal and recognised Labour Party governorship candidate and has not stepped down for any party or any individual.”

Also yesterday, the APC in the state said no group within its fold endorsed Makinde’s re-election bid.

The APC was reacting to a media report, which claimed that some pro-Tinubu Support Groups like the Southern for Tinubu BAT Democracy, Yoruba Campaign for BAT and Tinubu Campaign Movement had ditched the party’s governorship candidate, Teslim Folarin, for Makinde.

The spokesperson for the party in the state, Olawale Sadare, said: “We would like to state that there are no pro-Tinubu Groups registered with Oyo APC by the names mentioned above…..Southern for Tinubu BAT Democracy, Yoruba Campaign for BAT and Tinubu Campaign Movement

“The names mentioned in the fallacious news report are fictitious. The latest fake news came from the same unscrupulous elements who promoted one non-existing Alhaji Bashir Adeola as Oyo APC Chieftain purportedly supporting the governor. 

“They (groups) are being sponsored to promote fake endorsement of the governor’s second term ambition with a view to mislead the electorate.” 

In Ogun, scores of supporters of the former governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, the late Buruji Kashamu and Jimi Lawal, agreed to work for the re-election of Governor Dapo Abiodun.

Also, the Allied Peoples Movement candidate in the last Saturday National Assembly election for Ipokia/Yewa South Constituency, Kolawole Lawal, dumped the party for the APC.

One of the leaders of the late Kashamu group, Ola Kukoyi, said they no longer had a future in the PDP and hence, their decision to back Abiodun. 

“When our leader died, we decided we couldn’t be looking. We searched for a candidate that is presentable for the state.

“We picked Jimi Lawal. We all know what is happening both from the national to the state level of PDP, 

“We now decided to stand behind a person who means well for our state and therefore, we decided that the Joshua of our time who will lead us to the Promised Land is Prince Dapo Abiodun.” 

Abiodun, while welcoming his endorsement, noted that he would look out for their success.

Rivers APC faction in alliance with PDP  

A faction of the Rivers State chapter of the APC-led by Tony Okocha, at the weekend directed its members to work for the victory of PDP’s Sim Fubara on Saturday.

Okocha, a former Chief of Staff to former Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, said it was a payback time for Governor, Nyesom Wike, whom he claimed was instrumental in the victory of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in Rivers last Saturday.

He said: “We will reciprocate the governor’s gesture by supporting who the governor wants us to support.

“The governor told Rivers people to vote for someone that will support the state. He mobilised human beings and resources to ensure this victory.”

But the state Publicity Secretary of APC, Mr. Darlington Nwauju, countered Okocha, saying he was not in the position to speak for the party.

Obi-Datti groups endorse YPP, APC candidates 

Many LP leaders in Akwa Ibom at the weekend endorsed the governorship candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), Bassey Akpan.

Apostle Otoabasi Asuquo and OtoAbasi Ntiah, on behalf of Obi-Datti groups, said in a statement that leaders of over 100 Obidient Support Groups were supporting the YPP candidate.

“We have finally seen a man that is competent to deliver good governance and dividends of democracy to the people of Akwa Ibom State. 

“We the directors and leaders of the Obidient Movement in Akwa Ibom have decided to support a leader full of compassion and humility,” he said. 

Also in Delta State, a group, Obidients Movement, said it would work with the APC candidate, Ovia Omo-Agege, ahead of the poll on Saturday.

The group which is led by Nnamaka Konyegwachie explained that the decision was taken because the state needed a breath of fresh air.

Konyegwachie said that the Obidient Movement decided to support Omo-Agege because he has “character and is a man of the people”.

Ex-governor Chime endorses Mbah  

Former Governor of Enugu State Sullivan Chime endorsed the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Peter Mbah for Saturday’s election.

Chime, at an interactive session with Mbah, in Enugu, said: “Mbah is the best Enugu State can offer now”.

The former governor, who is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), added: “I have had interactions not just with him (Mbah), but also Frank Nweke, Chijioke Edeoga, and to me, looking at the field, Peter Mbah is the best candidate.” 

“I have no reservations whatsoever in endorsing and supporting him. I believe, knowing Peter Mbah too well, that he will not disappoint Enugu”.

NNPP warns against alliance

The NNPP has warned its members, officials and candidates against allying with any political party to win the governorship and legislative elections.

The party gave the warning in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Agbo Major, in Abuja yesterday.

They advised the members to stay focused, campaign vigorously and ensure that their candidates emerged victorious.   

Major said: “Our great party is not in any alliance with any political party in these elections.

“Accordingly, party officers, members and candidates at all levels are not authorised to discuss, negotiate or form any alliance with any political party to win the upcoming gubernatorial and legislative polls.

“Anyone who endorses a candidate of another political party will be sanctioned in line with the NNPP Constitution ranging from suspension from office, suspension from the party and possibly expulsion. “ 

But the NNPP candidate in Kaduna State, Suleiman Hunkuyi, called for an alliance between opposition parties in the state, to enable them to defeat the ruling APC.

Hunkuyi argued that realignment within 24 hours among the opposition parties was enough to sack the APC government.

However, LP said it was not ready for any alliance as its candidate Jonathan Asake is the best and will not step down for any candidate.

Gunmen suspected to be terrorists at the wee hours of Sunday killed the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Maru, Zamfara State, SP Raheem Kazeem.

They also killed an Inspector of Police Rabiu Umar in an attack on the Divisional headquarters said to have occured around 2am.

The Nation gathered that the gunmen said to have been in large numbers, stormed the station gun blazing.

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SP Kazeem, who was at the station with few of his operatives, were said to have put up a resistance but were overpowered by the armed criminals.

The DPO and the Inspector were killed during exchange of gun fire and the criminals fled with a service AK-47 rifle before reinforcement could get to the division.

It was learnt that the bodies of the officers were evacuated to a government hospital for autopsy while efforts have been intensified to apprehend the suspects.

A chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Osita Okechuhwu has told the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar to honourably retire from active politics now.

He also asked the former Vice President to stop making false claims about the February 25 presidential poll.

Okechukwu regretted that Atiku glossed over the obvious fact that his desperation and crass opportunism led to PDP’s defeat only to blame Peter Obi, the candidate of the Labour Party.

Atiku, while addressing reporters in Abuja last Friday, stated that Obi’s movement to Labour Party took PDP’s votes in Southeast and South-south.

Reacting to the development while speaking to journalists in Abuja on Sunday, Okechukwu, who is also the Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VON),w said Atiku allowed his entitlement mentality to becloud his sense of judgment.

Read Also: APC PCC faults Atiku, Obi on electronic transmission of results

He wondered why the PDP flag bearer wanted to deceive Nigerians with the false narrative that Obi rushed out of PDP when in fact it was Atiku’s insistence to contest against the zoning principle that propelled Obi to find an alternative platform.

Okechukwu, who is a foundation member of APC, recalled how the former Vice President brought his opportunism to APC to challenge President Muhammadu Buhari for the APC presidential ticket in 2014 on the patriotic premise of rotation convention.

”Now, for Atiku to play the blame game by bellyaching against Mr Peter Obi, who turned out as the hero of the 2023 presidential election, is quite distressing.

”How can Atiku claim that Obi was scared out by PDP Governors when it was public knowledge that his huge war chest and competition with Nyesom Wike made PDP’s primary too contentious and corrupt for Peter Obi?

”It was Atiku’s opportunism that eclipsed the PDP and halted Obi’s hurricane. The simple truth is that His Excellency, Atiku Abubukar’s opportunism eclipsed the PDP.”

Okechukwu pleaded with Atiku to retire honourably from active politics instead of playing the sore loser and sulking publicly with false narratives.

According to the VON boss: ”Here was a man who in 2014 defected to APC, on the patriotic premise that the then President Goodluck Jonathan breached the rotation convention between north and south.

”Today, he violently breached the same rotation convention and the constitution of his party with lamentation outcome.”

• Why gubernatorial election results may not follow February 25 pattern, by analysts
• Polls fallout: Ikpeazu sacks six LG Transition Committee chairmen, two deputies

From Bisi Olaniyi, Benin/ Fanen Ihyongo, Kano/ Sunny Nwankwo, Umuahia/ Chris Njoku, Owerri/ Nwanosike Onu, Awka/ Damian Duruiheoma, Enugu/ Ogo Anioke, Abakaliki/ Osagie Otabor, Akure/
Yinka Adeniran, Ibadan/ Elo Edremoda, Warri

The various political parties and their foot soldiers are back in the trenches ahead of this weekend’s governorship and house of assembly elections.

They are determined to either consolidate their success or reverse their disappointment in the recent presidential elections across the 36 states.

Reports from the field yesterday showed that the parties, after rigorous stocktaking of their performances in the last polls, have largely redrawn their strategies to ensure that they come out victorious this time around.

Voters and logistics are being mobilised on a large scale, multiple sources said.

Observers are of the view that voting in the coming elections may differ from what obtained the last time out.

According to them, emphasis will shift substantially from the centre (presidency) to local politics where several tendencies will be staking everything they have.

However, the governorship election will not take place in Edo, Bayelsa, Osun, Ekiti, Imo, Kogi and Ondo states where the incumbents still have time to wind down.

In Lagos State, for example, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has rolled out its campaign machinery with the Chief of Staff to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Mr Tayo Ayinde, travelling to Badagry yesterday for what he called a thank you visit for the support of the people during the February 25 presidential election.

The APC surprisingly emerged as runner-up to Labour Party in the presidential election.

Ayinde, who doubles as Director General of Tinubu/Sanwo-Olu Independent Campaign Council, thanked the Badagry electorate, various groups, traditional rulers, religious bodies, youths, students, trade unions and associations for voting for President-elect Bola Tinubu and other candidates in the recent elections.

Ayinde urged Badagry voters to double their efforts in the upcoming elections to ensure a more resounding victory for Sanwo-Olu and the two State House of Assembly candidates in the area.

He said: “The time has come for you to show this same gesture to our Governor, Sanwo-Olu, in his reelection bid this coming Saturday.

“This is the time for you, residents of Badagry, to take the campaign to your respective neighbours so that his votes will double what we had on February 25.

 “You have come out in large numbers to vote for President- Elect Tinubu and made history; I’m appealing to you to come out en masse and vote Governor Sanwo-Olu on March 11.

“I want to thank all of you for this great achievement. We will not take it for granted.

“What we see as results tell us that we must do a lot more in Badagry because that is when your lives and that of your children will be better.”

Eti-Osa traditional, community leaders pledge support for Sanwo-Olu

Also yesterday, traditional rulers and community leaders in the 62 communities in the Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos expressed support for the re-election bid of Governor Sanwo-Olu.

They sued for peaceful coexistence among all residents of the area and urged them to come out en masse to perform their civic responsibility without fear of victimisation and harassment from any quarters during the polls.

Speaking during a press conference held at Ikota Primary School, Lagos, the Chairman of the Baale’s Forum in Eti-Osa Local Government Area, Chief Wasiu Alli-Balogun, who is the Baale of Lafiaji, implored Lagos residents in Eti-Osa Local Government Area to file out in large numbers and re-elect Sanwo-Olu because of the remarkable achievements of the governor during his first term in office.

“We want to appeal to those that were annoyed with the last elections that they should forget what happened. Let us forget the past and face the future.

“Governor Sanwo-Olu means peace. He wants progress for Eti-Osa and Lagos as a whole. We need to support him and give him votes so that he can be able to complete the work he has started,” the Baale appealed.  

Chief Alli-Balogun, who claimed there were many irregularities in last Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections in Eti-Osa Local Government Area, noted that many eligible voters were disenfranchised as they could not locate the new polling units where their names were before the close of the election.

He also appealed to all aggrieved members of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and residents in Eti-Osa Local Government Area to sheath their swords and come out en-masse to vote for Governor Sanwo-Olu and other APC candidates, stressing that the governor has done so much for the state and deserves to be given a second term.

 Obaseki under pressure to deliver Edo

Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki, and his deputy, Philip Shaibu, both of whom lost their polling units in the presidential and National Assembly elections to APC and LP, are under immense pressure to salvage the situation for the PDP this weekend.

Obaseki, who defected from the APC to the PDP in the run-up to the September 2020 governorship election in the state, is not even in the good books of many influential PDP leaders in the state.

The chances of PDP winning the majority of the seats in the state assembly this weekend look bleak on account of the sore relationship between the governor and many party stalwarts, including the National Vice Chairman, South-south, Chief Dan Orbih.

Party sources said the governor and his deputy have been trying to mend fences with aggrieved members to help them achieve victory this weekend.

Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, a chieftain of PDP, however, insisted that the victories of APC and LP at the presidential and legislative polls would be challenged at the election petitions tribunal to ensure “justice”. He described the results as unacceptable.

I’m still favoured to be re-elected, says Makinde

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, whose party, PDP, lost to the APC in the presidential and National Assembly elections, is optimistic that this weekend’s polls will be a different ball game entirely in the state.

Speaking on a radio station in Ibadan, Makinde said he was happy to be part of the process that “redrew the country’s electoral map” last week.

His words: “I supported fairness, justice and equity. I supported a united Nigeria; a Nigeria that gives opportunity to every part of this country.

Read Also: WHO WINS 2023 GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION?

“You know, you allow people to express themselves. A lot of our people and that is what they decided to do. They decided that look, we want after eight years of presidency in the North, they want it to come to the South and this place being South-West, one of theirs was a candidate, so they supported one of their own.

“I am glad that I am a part of a process that redrew the electoral map of Nigeria. That arrogance, I believe with the result of last Saturday’s election, is basically behind us. Now we know that people will have to seek alignment.

“If you want to rule this country, you are not just going to say oh, because I am from a certain part of this country, then that is the only qualification I require to rule this country. Now, you have to build bridges, and reach out to others.”

Makinde’s ally in the G-5, Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, was in Ibadan on Friday to lend his support to his host.

He said whatever cooperation was at play during the presidential election had gone with that poll.

He said this week’s elections are all about his party.

The APC governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Teslim Folarin, met on Friday with several key leaders of the PDP in the state who are opposed to Makinde. The group is led by a former deputy governor of the state, Hazeem Gbolarumi.

Sources said Folarin had sought the group’s cooperation to defeat Makinde.

The gubernatorial candidate of the Accord in Oyo State, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, is also not giving up on his quest for the position.

Yesterday, he debunked for the umpteenth time rumour of his withdrawal from the race, calling it the work of political desperados determined to keep Oyo in a web of lies and ineptitude.

Adelabu, a former Deputy Governor, Operations of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), maintained that the people of the state are already aware of the antics of some politicians which cannot take them anywhere in the governorship election.

“Their anger is that the citizens have woken up and are ready to take back our state. Through my campaign, I have not and will not engage in their politics of character assassination, bitterness and lies,” the Bayo Adelabu Campaign Organisation (BACO) said in a statement.

It said at no time did Adelabu hold “any meetings with any candidates or political parties with a view to stepping down.”

APC, PDP gear up for Ondo assembly polls

The battle for the control of the Ondo State House of Assembly promises to be a straight battle between the APC, which swept last week’s elections in the state, and the PDP.

In the February 25th polls, APC won in the 18 local government areas. It won all the three senatorial seats and eight out of nine House of Representatives seats.

Other political parties like the Labour Party are expected not to show any surprises because candidates of the parties did not carry out any serious campaigns across the state.

Moreover, the ruling APC would do all it can to win majority of seats in the State Assembly just like it did in 2019.

What might work for the APC in next Saturday’s poll is that the various stakeholders agreed to work in unison just as they did in the 2020 governorship election. There are no factions within the party and many aggrieved aspirants have agreed not to challenge the outcome of the party primary in the law court.

Spokesman of the Ondo PDP, Kennedy Peretei, in an interview, said the party hoped to win no fewer than 16 out of the 26 seats in contention.

State Chairman of the Ondo APC, Engr. Ade Adetimehin, said the outcome of the presidential election had proven the state to belong to the progressive family.

Adetimehin said the party would repeat its feat in the February 25th election by winning all available seats in the Ondo Assembly.

 More trouble for PDP in Delta as former SSG quits

 Former Secretary to the Delta State Government (SSG), Comrade (Chief) Ovuozourie S. Macaulay, yesterday resigned his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to add to the wave of desertion that has hit the party lately.

Macaulay, who is the Director-General of the Warri Uvwie and Environs Special Development Agency (WUEDA), disclosed this in a letter addressed to the Chairman of PDP Ward 5, Owhelegbo in Isoko North council area.

The top PDP chieftain’s resignation is coming one week to the governorship polls.

His resignation takes immediate effect.

“The decision to resign my membership of the PDP is based on the overt exhibition of impunity, blackmail, falsehood and disregard for party rules by the leadership,” he said.

“Over the past years, I painfully endured the arrogance and misdemeanour of the party leadership and actually appealed for a change to no avail.

“Thus, I am left with no choice but to bow out of the party.”

The mass desertion and disenchantment with the leadership of the party was largely responsible for its poor performance in the presidential and national assembly elections.

Until last week, the PDP was the dominant party in the state.

It came a distant third last week even though the state governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, is the PDP presidential running mate.

It is understood that a significant realignment of forces is currently taking place in the state with former governor James Ibori placing his political machinery at the disposal of the APC governorship candidate, Chief Ovie Omo-Agege.

We’re up to the task this time around, APGA vows

Chieftains of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) which was roundly beaten by Labour Party in Anambra State during the Presidential and National Assembly Elections vowed that things would be different this time around.

They told The Nation that Governor Charles Soludo could not afford to run a successful administration in the state without a legislature controlled by his own party.

All hands will therefore be on the deck for APGA to go all out and contest fiercely this week, they said.

PDP sweats in Enugu

The PDP hierarchy in Enugu State, including Governor Ifeanyi Ugwanyi who lost his senatorial bid in the February 25 election, have reactivated their machinery in the hope of recovering part of the ground lost in that election. 

However, observers say most voters in the state were more interested in the presidential election and are likely to give preference to the PDP and APGA in this week’s elections.

Since 1999, the electorate in Enugu has been voting PDP candidates from top to bottom with nothing less than 70 per cent votes cast.

PDP battles to keep pace with APGA, APC in Ebonyi

The PDP is battling to keep pace with APGA and APC in Ebonyi State ahead of the governorship and State Assembly elections.

The party lost the governorship seat for the first time in its history in Ebonyi in 2020 when Governor David Umahi decided to defect to the APC.

The party still seemingly remained strong in the state as it had eight of the nine National Assembly members from the state and more than one third of the state Assembly members who refused to defect with the governor.

However the party was soon beset with infighting in the lead up to the primaries.

The situation worsened after the primaries as major stakeholders who were edged out defected to APC, APGA or LP.

A few others who stayed back also vowed to work against the party from within for other parties in the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

The result was a total route of the PDP in the elections. It lost all but one of the National Assembly seats while its presidential candidate came third in the state behind the Labour Party and APC candidates.

In the senatorial election, the APC cleared the three seats up for grabs. The APC also won three of the six House of Representatives seats already announced. The Labour party got the other one with one seat yet to be announced.

Although APGA did not get any seat, its senatorial candidate convincingly won Ezza North council which is the stronghold of its governorship candidate.

It is believed that Ezza North/Ishielu constituency election which has not been announced will likely be won by the party as its lead is said to be too large to be overtaken by the other parties.

Alarmed by the results, the PDP and its governorship candidate, Ifeanyi Odii, have been scrambling all week to steady the sinking ship.

It was gathered that Mr Odii has since Monday been holding several meetings with various stakeholders of the party from the various local governments in the state on the way forward.

The APC, led by Senator-elect for Ebonyi South and incumbent governor, David Umahi, though upbeat and bouyed by the results, has also been holding several meetings and re-strategising ahead of the elections.

A party source told The Nation that it cannot rest on its oars as it was evident from the Presidential/NASS election that the Labour Party and APGA are a strong force in the state.

From the look of things, it appears that the APGA candidate, Bernard Odoh, is poised to win at least three out of the four local governments in Ebonyi Central zone.

The Ebonyi North zone, if the results are to be believed, is totally APC while in the South, the APC and PDP may share the spoils.

The implication of this is that the APC may take the day.

The ouster of LP popular governorship aspirant, Edward Nkwegu at the Supreme Court during the week has dampened the growing popularity of the party.

The court-declared candidate of the party is said not to be a strong force and an unknown quantity hence the party is not expected to do well in the election.

However, Mr Odii and the PDP are expected to spring surprises at the election. This is because many Labour party candidates and stakeholders are former PDP members who left the PDP after the acrimonious primaries.

Many of them, who enjoyed the support of some PDP stakeholders during last week’s election, are set to return the favour to the PDP in the governorship election.

Fight to the finish likely in Imo

The victory of APC in the Presidential election may have galvanized the party ahead of this week’s election into the State Assembly.

A political analyst, Phillip Mejuobi, said it will be a fierce battle between APC and LP because of the impressive the latter made during the presidential election.

The governorship election will not take place in Imo until November but a source said the governor, Hope Uzodimma, must work hard to retain the majority in the house.

• Ukraine, Pakistan, UAE, others congratulate Tinubu
• Don’t prove me wrong, Fasoranti tells President-elect
• OPC hails Tinubu,counsels him on unity,federalism

The Sultan of Sokoto ,Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III,yesterday made a case for the acceptance of the outcome of the February 25th   presidential election by the generality of Nigerians.

“Leadership is from Allah Almighty given to whoever He wishes at any time He wishes and nobody can query  Him or change what He did,”the chairman, Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs said  as more congratulatory messages poured  in from home and abroad  for President-elect Bola Tinubu.

Some of the latest congratulatory messages came from the governments of Ukraine,and Pakistan as well as the leader of the Pan Yoruba group, Afenifere, Chief Reuben Fasoranti and the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC).

Abubakar,speaking  during the coronation and presenting of staff of office to  the new Emir of Dutse,Jigawa State,Alhaji Hameem Nuhu Sanusi ,asked the audience to “please support your leaders; do not argue with them or be disobedient. You can’t fight God’s making; accept them as they were being made by God Almighty who gives power to whoever He wishes.”

On the presidential election,he said : “God Almighty did what He wished. We should consider it an  act of God. He made the winners and nobody can stop or change what God Almighty did.”

But he also enjoined leaders to do justice and be fair to their followers,while also asking politicians to encourage peace and stability.

“You should not encourage any act that could disrupt peace,” he said.

Also speaking, the new Emir promised to continue with the legacy of his father and  predecessor.

Don’t set Nigeria on fire, Afenifere leader warns politicians

Chief Fasoranti pleaded with Nigerians and foreigners who wish Nigeria well to steer clear of anything capable of endangering the peace of the country.

 “We should all go peaceful, take lawful means, and thread legitimate and legal paths to rectify anything that might have, from their own point of view, gone wrong,” he said.

He said Tinubu should also be allowed to “ settle down immediately to tackle the enormous Nigerian project of tackling insecurity, solving our economic downturn, restructuring the country, and rebuilding a nation never so badly divided on ethnic, religious and corrupt lines.”

Fasoranti advised Tinubu to avoid making mistakes made by his predecessors by ensuring that every ethnic group was united in his administration,adding: “I did marvel at your doggedness, self-determination, self-assuredness, strong belief in self, ability to overcome daunting and ever surging challenges.

“I was also amazed at God’s grace on you that gave you the strength of character and such abundance of energy, that enabled you to navigate through all the ever emerging intricate problems, and made it possible for you to, against the wishes of some people, traverse successfully all the states of the federation, during the energy sapping marathon presidential campaigns. I am, indeed, glad to know that your hard earned victory had a very good national spread.

 “You now have the opportunity. Now is the time for you to prove me right. I pray to God to be with you.

“In going about this, avoid the mistakes of some of your forebears. Be fair to all concerned. Go ahead to unite the country, see and treat the country as one. Be a federalist. Allow the big ethnic groups to exist and respect one another, but also allow the small ones to feel proud and wanted in the spirit of federalism as practised in the United States.”

OPC : Deliver dividends of democracy

In its own message,the OPC asked Tinubu to reunite “this severely divided, disunited and insecure nation.”

President of the congress,Otunba Wasiu Afolabi who signed the message recalled that Tinubu was in the trenches with the late Founder and President of OPC , Dr. Frederick Fasehun.

He said:“Leading a 200 million-strong nation like Nigeria will not be a small task. So much hope and expectations are pinned on Asiwaju and he cannot afford to fail.

“As OPC, our prayer is that God will grant the President-elect greater ability to record greater achievements than he did in his eight years as the governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007.

“May God grant this country peace, progress and prosperity, as it has never experienced, under this coming regime of Bola Tinubu. May God grant him the wisdom and the health to carry out this great task of nation building.

“However, because Nigerians have never been this divided and insecure since the end of the Nigerian Civil War, the first task that Bola Tinubu must undertake, when he is sworn in on May 29, is that of reuniting this severely divided, disunited and insecure nation.

“Tinubu must heed to the yearnings of pro-democracy organisations like NADECO and even our late founder, Dr. Fasehun, by laying the foundation of a Nigeria founded on the enthronement of true Federalism. We advise Tinubu to embark on the immediate restructuring of this country.

“Taming poverty and inflation remains an urgent task. The country’s four refineries must work before any move to tamper with the fuel subsidy. Other governments failed in giving Nigeria home-refined domestic fuel, Asiwaju must take this as an immediate challenge.

“Tinubu is a product of the struggle. He came from the trenches. He was forced to go into exile by the General Sani Abacha killer-squad, and he remained steadfast to the cause. He deployed his influence, connections and resources to advance the struggle of NADECO-abroad.”

Pakistani Govt. felicitates Tinubu

The Prime Minister of Pakistan Mr Shehbaz Sharif said his country and Nigeria had maintained cordial ties that would see an upward momentum particularly in the areas of defence, trade and economy.

He said:“My felicitation to Mr Bola Tinubu on his victory at the Nigerian presidential election.

“Pakistan and Nigeria maintain cordial ties that will see an upward momentum particularly in areas of defence, trade and economy.

“My best wishes to the President-elect.” Zelensky, UAE President, PM too

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the President and Prime Minister (PM) respectively of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), similarly  congratulated Tinubu on his victory.

The world leaders’ message came 48 hours after Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated the president-elect of Nigeria and said he looks forward to a close cooperation.

A message conveyed by the UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, Fahad Al Taffaq, expressed the Middle East’s country’s readiness to cooperate with Tinubu, who is expected to be sworn in as Nigeria’s next leader in May.

“HH @MohamedBinZayed and @HHShkMohd congratulated President-Elect @officialABAT on winning the General Elections in Nigeria. We look forward to working together to advance the #UAE and #Nigeria cordial relations,” the statement reads.

CACOL:Your  election is milestone in Nigerian history

The Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL) described Tinubu’s victory as another great milestone in the history of the country and also showed the huge level of confidence reposed in him by the Nigerian people.

Chairman of the group, Debo Adeniran, said it was not particularly surprised by “your recent success at the polls because since your emergence as the flag bearer of your party the All Progressive Congress (APC), we had no doubt that you will come out victorious in the Presidential election.

“History will not forget in a hurry the energy and vigour you devoted to political activism and democratic struggles and your labour of love which was manifested in raising numerous others who are doing well in our political space today.

“With this victory, you have proved the ‘doubting Thomases’ who believed you will only record marginal success in the geopolitical zones where your political party held sway, wrong.

“Tinubu must heed to the yearnings of pro-democracy organisations like NADECO and even our late founder, Dr. Fasehun, by laying the foundation of a Nigeria founded on the enthronement of true Federalism. We advise Tinubu to embark on the immediate restructuring of this country.

“Taming poverty and inflation remains an urgent task. The country’s four refineries must work before any move to tamper with the fuel subsidy. Other governments failed in giving Nigeria home-refined domestic fuel, Asiwaju must take this as an immediate challenge.

“Tinubu is a product of the struggle. He came from the trenches. He was forced to go into exile by the General Sani Abacha killer-squad, and he remained steadfast to the cause. He deployed his influence, connections and resources to advance the struggle of NADECO-abroad.”

Pakistani Govt. felicitates Tinubu

The Prime Minister of Pakistan Mr Shehbaz Sharif said his country and Nigeria had maintained cordial ties that would see an upward momentum particularly in the areas of defence, trade and economy.

He said:“My felicitation to Mr Bola Tinubu on his victory at the Nigerian presidential election.

“Pakistan and Nigeria maintain cordial ties that will see an upward momentum particularly in areas of defence, trade and economy.

“My best wishes to the President-elect.”

Zelensky, UAE President, PM too

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the President and Prime Minister (PM) respectively of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), similarly  congratulated Tinubu on his victory.

The world leaders’ message came 48 hours after Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated the president-elect of Nigeria and said he looks forward to a close cooperation.

A message conveyed by the UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, Fahad Al Taffaq, expressed the Middle East’s country’s readiness to cooperate with Tinubu, who is expected to be sworn in as Nigeria’s next leader in May.

“HH @MohamedBinZayed and @HHShkMohd congratulated President-Elect @officialABAT on winning the General Elections in Nigeria. We look forward to working together to advance the #UAE and #Nigeria cordial relations,” the statement reads.

CACOL:Your  election is milestone in Nigerian history

The Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL) described Tinubu’s victory as another great milestone in the history of the country and also showed the huge level of confidence reposed in him by the Nigerian people.

Chairman of the group, Debo Adeniran, said it was not particularly surprised by “your recent success at the polls because since your emergence as the flag bearer of your party the All Progressive Congress (APC), we had no doubt that you will come out victorious in the Presidential election.

“History will not forget in a hurry the energy and vigour you devoted to political activism and democratic struggles and your labour of love which was manifested in raising numerous others who are doing well in our political space today.

“With this victory, you have proved the ‘doubting Thomases’ who believed you will only record marginal success in the geopolitical zones where your political party held sway, wrong.

“You have also proved to the world that your claim of not losing any election right from the time you dabbled into politics is not a fluke.

“We hope you will bring your years of experience and transformational leadership style to bear in governing the affairs of this great country.”

What we expect from you  by RTEAN

The National President of the Road Transport Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Dr. Musa Muhammed Maotakobi,expects Tinubu to replicate across the country the development  he recorded during his tenure as Lagos State governor “where he demonstrated a consistent fidelity to progressive and welfarist ideals, and an ability to build bridges across several divides.”

The RTEAN national president  also urged candidates of  the various parties in the just concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections to accept the outcome of the election in good faith, and pointed out that there is the need for the contestants and their supporters to keep their minds open and be ready to take whatever be the outcome of the presidential and National Assembly polls.

You’re a divine gift to Nigeria, say Bajowa

A veteran of the Civil War,General Olu Bajowa  said he has no iota of doubt that Tinubu would be a success as president as he is “a divine gift to this great nation at this crucial moment when our country requires complete overhaul in the socio-political and economic spheres.”

He said: “It could be recalled that for over three decades now, you have remained most committed, the most consistent and most tenacious player on the political turf in Nigeria. You have demonstrated that you are a diehard progressive democrat, relentless bridge builder, uncommon developer of human capital resources, an avowed, firm believer in the rule of law, and in the unity, peace and progress of Nigeria.

Join hands with Tinubu to develop Nigeria, opposition parties told

The APC National Integrity Movement said  all those who mean well for the growth and development of Nigeria as a nation should join hands with Tinubu to move the nation forward.

National Coordinator of the group, Abubakar Sadiqque Fakai who made the call at a news conference in Abuja said  the President-elect was well equipped to take Nigeria to the next level.

Fakai expressed appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari for creating an  enabling environment for the conduct of a free and fair election.