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  • Atiku, Duke, Ezekwesili absent as parties sign pact

    I wasn’t invited, says PDP candidate

    Abdulsalami: All were invited

    we the candidates pledge to:

    • Run issue-based campaigns, refraining from campaigns that will involve religious incitements, ethnic or tribal profiling
    • Refrain from making speeches that can incite any form of violence
    • Commit ourselves to the monitoring of adherence to this Accord
    • Support all institutions, including INEC and the security agencies, to act and be seen to act with impartiality
    • Speak out against provocative utterances and oppose all acts of violence.

    Presidential candidates gathered yesterday in Abuja to pledge their commitment to a peaceful election next year.

    But frontline contender and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Atiku Abubakar was not at the ceremony, an initiative of the Abdulsalami Abubakar National Peace Committee. He said he was not invited.

    Also absent at the International Conference Centre were many other contenders, including Oby Ezekwesili (Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, ACPN) and Donald Duke (Social Democratic Party, SDP). There are 73 presidential candidates.

    The candidates agreed to:

    • run issue-based campaigns at national, state and local government levels. “In, this, we pledge to refrain from campaigns that will involve religious incitements, ethnic or tribal profiling, both by ourselves and by all agents in our names”;
    • refrain from making or causing to make in our names and that of our parties, any public statements, pronouncements, declarations or speeches that have the capacity to incite any form of violence, before, during and after the elections;
    • commit ourselves and political parties to the monitoring of the adherence to this Accord by a National Peace Committee made up of respected statesmen and women, traditional and religious leaders;
    • support all institutions of government including INEC and the security agencies to act and be seen to act with impartially; and
    • forcefully and publicly speak out against provocative utterances and oppose all acts of electoral violence whether perpetuated by our supporters and/or opponents.

    President Muhammadu Buhari, who was there urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to put Nigeria first on its agenda in organising free, fair and credible elections next year.

    He also noted that building on trust in any election was the collective responsibility of all citizens.

    Buhari spoke during the signing of peace accord for the 2019 elections by Presidential candidate’s and their political parties in Abuja.

    The President, who noted that past elections in Nigeria had been marred by violence perpetrated by political leaders and their followers, said that without trust, the country cannot be successful in its quest for growth.

    He said: “We are gathered here today to perform a very important part of our quest for peaceful political process. We are here to install trust into various contestants.

    “Given the central role that governance plays in our nation state, it is clear that without trust our society cannot thrive or develop.

    “Today, our primary concern is to sign into law, norms, guidelines that will guide the conduct of our national election.” he said

    President Buhari also said that as part of democratic practice, methods of electing leaders had been difficult for people because Nigeria had no long tradition of democracy and because of so many changes in the system, that have made it difficult for the people to imbibe the principles of democracy, such as tolerance, sacrifice and commitment for our country.

    He said: “The conduct of our elections has been consistently marred by violence caused by the behaviours of most sections of the political class and their supporters, but there are encouraging signs that we are learning to embrace the responsibilities expected of us.

    “We are here to commit ourselves, as key actors in the political process; party leaders and presidential candidates, to peaceful and credible conduct of the process.

    “We, the candidates, pledge to uphold the highest standard of conducts and encourage our teeming supporters to do same.

    “I wish to call on  INEC and all arms of security agencies to put the nation first in their conduct. The world is watching us and the task of building or institutionalising trust in our political system and institutions is fundamental to the growth and development of our country,” he stated.

    Speaking earlier, Gen. Abubakar, underscored the essence of peace towards ensuring credible polls.

    He thanked President Buhari for his commitment to ensuring peace and credible election as well as being present to sign the peace agreement and advised him to lead by example.

    He, however, noted that security should be a source of worry to everyone, especially the leaders, whose acts of commission or omission could worsen matters.

    He urged them to temper their utterances and action with responsibility and patriotism.

    “We have now entered the electioneering period; proper keeping of peace becomes the overriding objective. The election itself will not hold in the absence of peaceful atmosphere. Disharmony among political parties hinders all peaceful efforts,” Gen. Abubakar said.

    He also condemned the subtle incitement coming from some religious houses, saying that they do not portend well for the country.

    Gen. Abubakar urged all participants to stick to the contents of the peace pact they signed, and to INEC to carry out its mandate.

    To him, the candidates have the capacity to make or mar the process. He urged that they watch their utterances and conduct ahead of next year’s elections and beyond.

    He added that mere signing of the document will not achieve anything, except all concerned accept to work by the rules.

    The keynote speaker at the occasion and former head of state, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, said the peace accord should be seen as development for the country.

    He noted that some Nigerians had criticised the number of political parties and even cited examples with Europe and the United States that political parties were reduced to two main parties. He stressed that the people also refused to realise that there were other smaller parties in those countries whose interests were not to contest elections at the highest level.

    According to him, the more the platforms, the more people of all generations find opportunity to participate in the process.

    Gowon, who spoke on the theme, “Trust and Democracy”, said it was multifaceted, and covering every area of life and permeates every aspect of the society, adding that it was on the shoulder of the political class that the duty of managing the society rests.

    He advised leaders not to betray their role in properly managing the country’s resources.

    Read also: Atiku, Duke, Ezekwesili absent as parties sign pact

    Gowon said: “The beauty of democracy is that it avails citizens the right to have a say in how they are governed; this right is abridged by the most brutal dictators in the word democracy despite persuasion and the use of force.

    “Military incursion into our politics has led to misery and underdevelopment of our richly endowed nation and contributed to defective democracy.  All hope is not lost for the enthronement of true democracy in the country, which is why we must commend the NPC in sensitising everyone that elections are not do-or-die contests. We should encourage them to consolidate on the success of 2015, so that we can have even better polls in 2019.

    “There are better issues of development than pursuing agenda of violence and hate speech. Promotion of ethnic and religious or mutual suspicion will not make us see the best in us, and will defeat the essence of democracy.

    “There will be no benefit to allow the negatives override the positives in us. All those who aspire to lead the people should be acceptable and be seen to be acceptable to the people. That has worked and continues to work in good societies.

    “I commend the political parties and candidates here for showing commitment and putting the nation above political differences. Nigeria must win, and the nation will lose if we set aside the gains of this conference.

    “I’m hopeful you will honour the pledge of ensuring our elections are free of violence. Your conduct will determine how the game is played and I plead with you to ensure your supporters play by the rules,” he said

    Gowon also said hate speeches and promotion of sectional and ethnic interests would do the country no good.

    In his goodwill message, former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Mohammed Uwais canvassed concerted efforts by stakeholders towards ensuring peaceful elections next year.

    Head of Europen Union (EU) delegation to Nigeria Ketil Karlsen recalled that Nigeria set an example for Africa and the world in 2015.

    “We welcome steps taken so far towards 2019 and we continue to support free and fair polls. We urge all to avoid hate speech, violence and vote buying and say yes to peace, inclusiveness, gender equality and access for disabled persons. We again stress our impartiality as we do not support any particular party or candidate, but support for institutions responsible for carrying out the appropriate mandate.”

    Some presidential candidates were absent at the ceremony held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

    Absent were former Vice President and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of Social Democratic Party (SDP) Donald Duke and that of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) Dr. Oby Ezekwesili.

    The ceremony was attended by members of the diplomatic corps, international community, religious and traditional rulers.

    It was organised by the National Peace Committee for the 91 chairmen of the registered political parties and the 73 presidential candidates participating in next year’s election.

    While Atiku  said he stayed away from the event because he was not invited, there was no information from the SDP presidential candidate, Donald Duke, the ACPN candidate, Dr. Ezekwesili and some other presidential candidates on why they were absent.

    However, there was a protest by some chairmen of political parties, who claimed the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was given undue advantage at the ceremony.

    The aggrieved party chairmen wondered why President Buhari, who is the APC candidate in the 2019 election, should be given preferential treatment and why the APC Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole should be allowed to have a group photograph with committee members, excluding other chairmen.

    The protest drew the attention of the Chairman of the National Peace Committee and former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd), who apologised to the aggrieved chairmen and their presidential candidates for any lapses recorded.

    Atiku, who was expected to join President Buhari,  while speaking through his media aide,  Paul Ibe, said he got no invitation to attend the event, adding that as a result, he chose not to attend.

    “I can authoritatively inform you that His Excellency,  Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, did not receive a letter of invitation to attend the event and that is why he did not go there.”

    But in an interview on the allegation that Atiku was not invited, Gen. Abubakar said every presidential candidate and their chairmen were invited.

    He said: “You have seen the number of parties that have been invited. He will answer for himself but speaking for the committee, everybody was invited. What reasons do we have not to invite somebody? This accord was for all political parties to sign to be of goodwill and good behaviour during elections.”

    On whether Atiku’s absence would weaken the accord, he said: “How will it? One candiate? I don’t think it will weaken the accord.”

    Also asked whether he was worried that Atiku , Ezekwesili and Duke were not at the peace accord, thereby presenting the event as being monopolised by the President in power, he said: “Are you accusing the Peace Committee of working for the President?

    “So if you are not accusing us as far as we are concerned every party was invited and you can see the number of people that came.”

    On whether there was room for those that did not attend to sign, he said: “Of course, they are open to come and sign the peace accord. What surprises me is that when we had the conference with the political parties, he agreed on this agenda, the parties agreed and it was the recommendation that the peace committee has taken.”

    Other notable personalities present were Vice Chairman of the National Peace Committee and former Chief of General Staff, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe; Chairman of Vanguard Media, Mr. Sam Amuka, United Nations Secretary-General Special Representative in West Africa and the Sahel, Mohammed Ibn Chambas; Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu;  Interior Minister Abdulrahman Dambazau; the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar 111;  the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi; former Chief Justice of the Federation, Mohammed Uwais; Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Matthew Hassan  Kukah, Head of the EU Delegation to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States, Chairman Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote among others.

     

  • Atiku, Duke, Ezekwesili absent at peace accord signing

    • Atiku: I was not invited
    • We invited everyone-Abubakar

    Some presidential candidates were conspicuously absent at the peace accord signing ceremony at the International Conference Centre, Abuja on Tuesday.

    Prominent among them was presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar; Donald Duke of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Dr Oby Ezekwesili of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN).

    The ceremony attended by members of the diplomatic corps, international community, religious and traditional rulers, was organised by National Peace Committee for the 91 chairmen of the registered political parties and the 73 presidential candidates participating in the next year’s election.

    Atiku said that he stayed away because he was not invited, a claim that was disputed by chairman of the committee and former Head of State Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar (Rtd.)

    But there was no information from Duke and Ezekwesili on why they stayed away from the signing ceremony.

    His spokesman Paul Ibe told our correspondent on phone:

    “I can authoritatively inform you that His Excellency,  Alhaji Atiku Abubakar did not receive a letter of invitation to attend the event and that is why he did not go there.”

    But Gen. Abubakar said all presidential candidates and their chairmen were invited.

    He said: “You have seen the number of parties that have been invited.

    “He will answer for himself but speaking for the National peace committee, everybody was invited.

    “What surprises me is that when we had the conference with the political parties, he came out to come out and agreed on this agenda. The parties agreed and it was the recommendation that the peace committee has taken.”

    “What reasons do we have not to invite somebody? This accord was for all political parties to sign to be of good will and good behaviour during elections.”

    On whether Atiku’s absence could weaken the accord, he said, “How will it? One candidate? I don’t think it will weaken the accord.”

    He denied insinuations the committee was working for the current administration.

    According to him: “So if you are not accusing us as far as we are concerned every party was invited and you can see the number of people that came.”

    On whether there is room for those that did not attend to come and sign, he said, “Of course, they are open to come and sign the peace accord.

    However, there was a protest by some chairmen of political parties who claimed that the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, was given undue advantage at the ceremony.

    The aggrieved party Chairmen wondered why President Buhari who is the APC candidate in the 2019 election should be given preferential treatment.

    They also why the APC Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole should be allowed to have a group photograph with the committee members without other chairmen.

    The protest drew the attention of Abubakar, who apologized to the aggrieved chairmen and their presidential candidates for any lapses recorded.

     

     

     

     

     

  • ‘ADC stands with CUPP on Atiku’

    The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has reiterated its support for the decision of the Coalition of United Political Parties to endorse the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, as its joint candidate.

    The National Chairman of the party, Chief Ralphs Nwosu, who disclosed this during a Fund Raising Dinner/First Annual Global Handshake Awards, in Abuja, said ADC’s main priority was the wellbeing of Nigeria.

    He said as a party with integrity, ADC would always abide with the provisions of the CUPP Memorandum of Understanding. He assured members, stakeholders and supporters that all grey areas would be addressed to ensure that all ADC votes were protected in the National Assembly and other elections.

    Nwosu maintained that ADC’s 115 sitting legislators at the state and federal levels and others contesting election at different levels would defeat the ruling and other parties in 2019.

    On the fate of the party’s presidential candidate, Dr. Obadiah Mailafia, the National Chairman explained that all presidential aspirants had been properly briefed before the primary on the decision of the party to adhere strictly to the provisions of the CUPP MoU.

    He added: “Our presidential aspirants were properly briefed before and during the screening exercise for the primary. We made it clear to them that they, and presidential candidates of other member parties would have to go into the CUPP basket from where the best would emerge, based on consensus. We made it clear that the party would uphold the decision of CUPP even if they eventually did not make it, because our first priority is to deliver the nation from the hands of the ruling party, and no one can do it alone,” he said.

    “Since our guide, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has adopted ADC and played a critical role in the formation of CUPP, we have decided that we will follow the directions given by the Coalition team because we believe they are people of integrity. Our candidate will also respect that decision,” Nwosu added.

    The Deputy National Chairman, Strategy, Innovation, and Change, Dr. Chike Okogwu, said: “The ruling government has failed the nation, especially in the management of our economy. How can the Federal Government earn about N8.4 trillion but spend N6.4 trillion on fuel importation, thus needing to borrow money to pay salaries and provide unsustainable infrastructure projects?

    “The candidate of CUPP will ensure local governments in Nigeria go into generating 30MW of power from either of solar, wind, hydro, gas, coal, and waste dumpsites, among others. Improved power generation will drive innovation and industrialisation.”

    According to the chairman, ADC currently has over five million card-carrying members across all the states of the federation.

    He said that the fund raising dinner and awards ceremony was to garner support and evolve a people-oriented party that would effectively respond to the quest for best political leadership that would lead to the realisation of the aspirations of the founding fathers of the country.

    ‘We are a members-driven party that gives priority to participation of members in the decision making process. Through our different strategies, we have been able to achieve a membership base of over five million due-paying members,” he said.

    While commending the Zonal and State executive officers of the party’s commitment to the growth and advancement of ADC, he said, “Within four months, ADC grew from having only one Bayelsa State House of Assembly member to having over 115 elected political office holders.”

    He said the party had five elected Senators, 18 members of the House of Representatives, and several members of the states’ assembly, spread across the country.

    “It will interest Nigerians to know that in Oyo State alone, ADC has more members in the State House of Assembly than any other party,” he noted.

     

  • 2019: Olawepo-Hashim leads Atiku, Buhari in social media engagements

    THE weekly Facebook rating of presidential candidates has delivered a major upset as Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim of People’s Trust (PT) has overtaken Atiku Abubakar of People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    In the data released yesterday in Abuja, Olawepo-Hashim recorded Facebook engagements of 28,000+ and Abubakar had 24,000+.

    President Muhammadu Buhari and candidate of the All Progressive Congress in the scheduled February 16, 2019 poll, recorded 16,000+ engagements.

    Kingsley Moghalu, Fela Durotoye and the other presidential candidates were trailing far below with single digit ratings.

    Last week data saw the PT’s candidate overtaking Buhari.

    Abubakar was trailing the President two weeks ago, but had displaced the President in last week’s data with Olawepo-Hashim in hot pursuit.

    In the last three weeks, the PT’s candidate had moved from third position to second and now to first based on engagement figures generated from the direct campaign handles of the three candidates.

    Data analysts involved in the polling project said the data on each of the candidates’ were realistic because “Facebook represents the broad spectrum of voters who will vote in the February poll.”

    According to them, “increasing engagements imply voters’ growing interest in the candidates while a decreasing result reflects voters’ disenchantment. A static return means a candidate at a crossroads in the campaign.”

    The analysts said in their report that Olawepo-Hashim’s growing engagement rating was a measure of voters’ interest in him as a third force alternative.

    “He is no longer part of the pack of third party candidates. He has moved ahead to emerge as a real alternative to both Buhari and Atiku. This is a game changer from data perspective,” according to the lead analyst for the project, Segun Seriki.

     

  • 2019: Atiku promises all-inclusive govt

    The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has declared that it won’t be a winner-takes-all affair if he emerges victorious in the 2019 presidential election.

    Atiku said the PDP would run an all-inclusive government with the institution of a government of national unity (GNU) which, according to him, will be drawn from the membership of other political parties in the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP).

    Speaking yesterday at a meeting with leaders of about 45 political parties that adopted him as sole candidate, Atiku said there will be no room for any cabal to operate under a government of national unity.

    Atiku said: “I want to commit myself to the continuation of the doctrine of government of national unity.

    “We believe as a political party in a government of national unity and there must be stability before you can do anything- implement your economic programme and implement your healthcare programme.

    “Right from the beginning, I have been a member of the PDP and I know we have always believed in a government of national unity.

    “It takes a long time for a country as diverse as Nigeria to be united and stable even before we start talking about which ethnic group we come from or which religion we practice.

    “I want to assure you that as long as we are having a government of national unity, there will not be a cabal.”

    He encouraged parties in the coalition to make public their decision to adopt him as sole candidate for the benefit of Nigerian voters.

    Also speaking at the meeting, President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, called on the parties in coalition to step up their campaign to ensure victory for Atiku.

    Saraki said: “The message everywhere we go is that this country must move forward and we have agreed that the existing President must give way because he is not leading us in the right direction.

    “We have met with Nigerians all over the country-the old, the not-too-old-and the message is that the President cannot lead us the right way.

    “We must be part of the process to usher in a new direction. The most important thing is that we want a change, a new direction. We want a man that understands the issues.

    “We have been to three zones and there is a common message and that message is one of insecurity and hunger. Everywhere in this country, hunger and poverty are the issues.

    “So the challenge before us is how to bring back prosperity to this country.

    “Government alone cannot bring prosperity to this country because close to 80 percent of government revenue goes into personnel cost and servicing of debts.

    “The remaining percentage cannot bring about development.

    “To bring development to this country today, you need an environment that encourages people to bring in investments.

    “Nigerians are even afraid to bring their monies out and so they need somebody that they have the confidence will bring about the right environment for their business.”

    “The chairman of the Coalition of United Political Parties, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, said 15 other parties have indicated interest in joining the 25 parties that have adopted Atiku as sole presidential candidate.

    According to him, consultations were still ongoing to ensure that other parties in the coalition officially write to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw their presidential candidates.

    Oyinlola, who chairs the CUPP, is expected to coordinate events leading to the formalisation of the adoption of Atiku as consensus candidate and the official withdrawal of presidential candidates of other parties in the coalition.

  • 2019: Group advises Atiku

    The presidential candidate of the People Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has been advised to pay a visit to the United States of America.

    In a statement by one of the pro -Buhari groups , the No Alternative To Buhari-Osinbajo 2019 (NATBuhariOsinbajo 2019), the PDP presidential candidate was advised to convince Nigerians that he is not wanted in the United States of America by visiting the country, the biggest democracy in the world.

    The group said visiting the country by the former vice president would make him acceptable to Nigerians who will soon go to the poll.

    The group also maintained  that Former President Olusegun Obasanjo could not be wrong when he said that the American government wrote to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission of Nigeria in June 2006, on its intention to investigate Atiku Abubakar on corruption-related issues.

  • 2019: We are not part of Atiku’s endorsement – SDP

    The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has distanced itself from Wednesday’s endorsement of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar by Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) as consensus candidate for 2019 presidential election.

    SDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr Mohammed Alfa who disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja, said the party already has a candidate, Mr Donald Duke whose name had been submitted to INEC for the 2019 election.

    Alfa said that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party would meet next week to take a position on the issue.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), on Wednesday announced that it had endorsed Atiku, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the 2019 presidential election.

    Mr Ikenga Ugochinyere, spokesman of the group who announced the endorsement, said Atiku is the coalition’s consensus candidate.

    The SDP publicity secretary however said that the attention of the party had been drawn to the statement issued on the endorsement.

    “We want to enjoin the general public, SDP faithful, especially all our candidates to carry on with their campaigns effectively, irrespective of the development.

    “We assure you that the SDP National Working Committee (NWC) will meet and issue appropriate statement on the matter next week.

    The SDP is one of the 39 opposition parties that formed CUPP in July 2018 with the aim of producing a presidential candidate that can defeat the ruling party All Progressive Congress (APC) in the 2019 election with the aim of forming a government of national unity.

  • Protest at U.S. Embassy over visa for Atiku

    Protesters, under the aegis of the Forum of Non-Governmental Organisations in Nigeria, yesterday stormed the United States (U.S.) Embassy in Abuja. They urged American government to deny former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar visa to the U.S.

    The group alleged that Atiku, who is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in next year’s presidential election, was allegedly involved in a bribery scandal for which Senator William Jefferson was tried and jailed for 13 years in 2009.

    The group’s convener, Wole Badmus, said: Granting his (Atiku’s) visa request will amount to a negation of the Patriot Act which makes the acceptance of foreign corruption proceeds a U.S. money laundering offence.

    “It also makes a mockery of the United Nations (UN) Convention Against Corruption enacted in 2003 in which the U.S. played an active role in its enactment and presently ratified by over 40 countries.

    “It is also against the spirit of investigative group dedicated to combating foreign corruption by Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) formed in 2003 by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

    “Finally granting such request makes a mess of a president Bush Presidential Proclamation 7750 denying U.S. visa to foreign officials involved with corruption, and other supporting legislations by the congress.”

    He noted that if the U.S. denied the former vice president its visa for 13 years and now grants it to him in the twilight of his presidential election, it will be tantamount to making a mockery of the UN convention against corruption.

    Badmus added that if the U.S. that is seen as a global seat of democracy, rule of law and transparency grants its visa to Atiku, the country would have aided him to score a cheap political goal.

    Although the US embassy in Abuja was on a public holiday yesterday following the burial of former President George Bush, Badmus read his letter addressed to the U.S. Ambassador, Stuart Symington before a surging crowd of protesters and the armed policemen on guard.

    The letter, titled: “The Imperatives of Rejecting Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s Visa Request,” reads: “We write to officially and strongly advise the United States Embassy against granting this request as doing so has the capacity if portraying the great American state as being supportive of illicit transactions and gross abuse of public office for personal aggrandisement.

    “This is apart from the tacit and covert electoral gain such can confer him as the general correct perception in our country now is that an Atiku is being denied America Visa because of proven cases of money laundering and financial crimes against him.”

    The protesters were decked in orange T-shirts and fez caps, carrying different placards with inscriptions as “U.S., stay clear of Nigeria’s internal politics”; “No issuance of politically motivated visa to Atiku”; “Senator Jefferson was jailed, Lady Jennifer was jailed, Atiku must also be jailed in the U.S.”;  “Nigerians say no to America’s interference in the nation’s politics”; and “Go, Atiku Go to jail in America.”

  • CUPP adopts Atiku

    The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has adopted the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, as sole presidential candidate for the February 16, 2019 election.

    According to CUPP, 46 political parties in the coalition, including Social Democratic Party (SDP), adopted the candidature of Abubakar, adding that nine criteria were used to arrive at the decision.

    The CUPP also dismissed the prediction by a London based magazine, The Economist, that the coalition would collapse before the election and that President Muhammadu Buhari would win the 2019 election.

    Speaking in Abuja yesterday on how it arrived at its decision, Chairman of the CUPP National Steering Committee Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola said: “The steering committee invited all political parties in the coalition to forward to us memoranda detailing their suggested ideas on how the candidate of the coalition should emerge and the criteria to use.

    “The response was very impressive and rich. The steering committee, which as you all know has every coalition party represented in it, distilled the suggestions, the aggregate of which was used to arrive at the result.

    “After a painstaking assessment of what we have across the coalition parties and after processing the candidates’ suitability using these criteria, the steering committee hereby submits that a former Vice President and candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, is the best and his the most virile of all the options before us.

    “We therefore chose him as the CUPP candidate for the 2019 Presidential election.”

    Speaking on the importance of adopting a candidate and working together, CUPP said if it had formed a formidable force, it would have been difficult for the ruling party to win the governorship election in Osun State.

    He also urged the coalition not to disappoint millions of Nigerians, who he said, were looking up to them for deliverance.

    On the number of parties that signed the MoU and whether SDP was involved in the decision-making, he said: “SDP did submit the forms given to every presidential candidate for the selection committee to appraise. They were even part of the people that drafted the memo if I may go any further. So, SDP were part and parcel of this decision. On the steering committee, SDP was represented from the beginning to the end by Professor Adeniran and by this decision, we mean all the presidential candidates under this coalition will withdraw for Atiku.

    “We started with 39 and other parties have requested to join and as of today, we are talking of 46 with other applications being considered.”

    On the prediction by The Economist magazine that President Buhari would emerge as winner in the 2019 election and that the coalition would collapse before 2019, he said: “From what is happening today, do you see any sign of collapsing on the part of the coalition? The Economist will be surprised.”

  • 2019: Group backs Atiku

    Nigeria Comrades for Atiku, has promised to mobilise support for  the victory of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in 2019.

    The group’s chief organising secretary, Comrade Ilo George,  who made the promise during a visit to the Lagos PDP secretariat, said will also make sure that the party flag bearer in the state, Mr Jimi Agbaje “is also voted into office in 2019.”

    George said: “We will mobilise the grass root to make sure our presidential candidate is voted into office; and that our governorship candidate Jimi Agbaje is also voted into office”.

    He said it has become necessary to vote out the present government because life has become extremely difficult for the ordinary citizens in the country.

    Receiving them on behalf of Lagos PDP Chairman, the party’s Organising Secretary, Mr Babatude Agbaje, thanked the group for coming out to support both the presidential candidate and the governorship candidate.

    Agbaje advised them to get their Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC)  which, according to him, is the weapon they will use to vote out the ruling party that has been making life unbearable for the Nigerian citizens since they assumed office.