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Tag: governorship

  • Owan-Enoh emerges Cross River APC governorship candidate

    Senator John Owan-Enoh, who represents Cross River State Central District in the Senate, on Tuesday emerged the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

    Owan-Enoh scored 82, 272 votes to beat four other aspirants to the ticket of the party.

    High Chief Edem Duke came second with 7, 367 votes, Prof Eyo Etim Nyong third with 5, 786 votes, Mr John Upan Odey followed with 3, 892, while Pastor Usani Usani got 1, 778.

    The governorship primaries seven-man committee constituted by the National Working Committee of the party led by Ali Magaji conducted the exercise. The APC in the state had adopted direct primaries.

    Magaji who announced the results collated across the 196 wards of the state around 1:48am on Tuesday described the exercise as a family affair.

    He urged all members of the party to support the winner of the exercise to be able to emerge victorious in the general elections next year.

    According to him there was no victor or vanquished, and called on that all members be united.

    He thanked to the security agencies for ensuring a hitch-free exercise and also the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for monitoring the entire process.

    Owan-Enoh expressed delight at his emergence after a painstaking process, saying the proper thing was done.

    He said he would work towards getting members of the party to function as a united family, as the party’s interest was greater than any individual’s interest.

    The lawmaker promised to reach out to all Cross Riverians to provide a better alternative to them, as he expressed confidence that the APC would win the state next year.

    A total of 106, 212 voters were accredited. There were 101, 095 valid votes, 117 invalid votes, while 111, 212 votes were cast in the election.

  • Governorship: Adebutu, Shittu emerge separate candidates for Ogun PDP

    Ogun State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) on Sunday conducted two separate primaries and elected two different candidates for the 2019 governorship election in the state.
    The Sikirulai Ogundele – led  group conducted their primary at the Marque, Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library(OOPL), Abeokuta, with Hon. Ladi Adebutu emerging winner – sole candidate, garnering 2,369 votes out of the 2,669 accredited delegates.
    Capt. Mike Williams Hart (Primary Committee Chairman), Ms Barbara Aloma(Secretary), Emmanuel Ekpe (member), Anthony Agbetuyi (member) and Bukola Oyinkasola (member) from the National body, Abuja, conducted the primary that led to the emergence of Adebutu as  a parallel candidate.
    Another group loyal to Senator Buruji Kashamu and where Engr. Bayo Dayo is the state  executive chairman, had theirs at the PDP State Secretariat on IBB Boulevard, Oke – Mosan, Abeokuta with officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said to have been on ground to observe the exercise.
    At the end of the exercise with 1,994 accredited delegates, 1979 of them voted for Adeleke Shittu from Ijebu – Igbo, in Ijebu North Local Government Area of the state, to emerge the gubernatorial candidate of the Bayo Dayo group, after Fatai Adeyanju had stepped down for him.
    Speaking with reporters, Bayo Dayo maintained that theirs is the authentic primary conducted by the executive Committee deriving its authority from a valid court order since 2016.
    Meanwhile, Confusion and apprehension suffused the air of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, and other parts of the state over the planned governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), prompting five of the governorship aspirants – Senator Gbenga Kaka (Ogun East), Otunba Bimbo Ashiru(Ogun East), Prince Dapo Abiodun(Ogun East), Jimi Lawal(Ogun East) and Abayomi Hunye (Ogun West), to raise alarm on breach of security and breakdown of law and order in the state.
    The signed petition which was signed by the five aspirants and copies of which were sent to the Commissioner of Police, Director of State Security Service(DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps(NSCDC), the army and other sister security agencies in the state, the petitioners cited Hon. Semiu Akintade of Olorunda ward  in Abeokuta North who they claimed has been kidnapped.
     They accused the state Chairman of one of the transport unions in Ogun State, of being behind the alleged security breach, stressing that even some security agents have been given lists their supporters for arrest on trump up allegations ostensibly to keep them out of circulation during the electioneering process.
    Six persons – Abdulkabir Adekunle Akinlade(Ogun West), Senator Gbenga Kaka (Ogun East), Otunba Bimbo Ashiru(Ogun East), Prince Dapo Abiodun(Ogun East), Jimi Lawal(Ogun East) and Abayomi Hunye (Ogun West), are in a keen battle for the APC governorship ticket in a primary that has been shifted till further notice.
    The petition reads: “We, the undersigned gubernatorial aspirants on the platform of All Progressives in Ogun State are constrained to write the petition on the unprofessional activities of some security personnel, who were actively engaged and poised to continue with their nefarious activities of intimidation, harassment, kidnapping and threat to life, such as the kidnapping of Hon. Semiu Akintunde in Olorunda Ward, Abeokuta North Local Government.
    “It is noteworthy, that some security personnel have been given a list of our supporters to be arrested and detained on trump up charges so as to remove them from circulation during the electioneering process.
    “In the circumstance, we hereby humbly request for timely intervention and immediate remedial action to prevent breakdown of Law and Order and safeguard the electoral process rescheduled for tomorrow, October 1, 2018.”

  • APC, PDP pick governorship candidates tomorrow

    Members of the  All Progressives Congress (APC)  and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will, tomorrow, pick the governorship candidates of the two parties  for next year’s elections.

    The primaries will be held in all but six of the 36 states.

    Excluded are Anambra, Bayelsa, Ekiti, Kogi, Ondo and Osun states because governorship elections in those states will be held in later years.

    The acting National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Yekini Nabena, said direct primaries will be used in Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Cross River, Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Kano, Lagos, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Taraba and Zamfara.

    Adamawa, Benue, Borno, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto and Yobe are to use indirect primaries.

    The two parties have had to adjust their timetables for the primaries several times in the last one month to accommodate inputs of various vested interest groups and to ensure rancour-free voting.

    Ahead of its primaries,the APC in Lagos State yesterday commenced the distribution of identification cards to its  members.

    The state chairman of the party, Alhaji Tunde Balogun, led other executive members to distribute the cards at the ACME Road secretariat of the party in Ikeja.

    The cards were distributed to members through selected party leaders across the different councils in the state.

    Addressing the selected party leaders, Balogun said the move  was to enable members participate in the governorship and subsequent primaries.

    He said no fewer than 1.7 million cards were issued based on the data of members.

    He appealed  to the representatives to ensure the cards were delivered to registered members in their respective areas immediately, saying: ”We have carefully selected you because of your good records in your areas and because we believe you can deliver in getting these cards across to our members .

    “I implore you to do your best in delivering on this assignment so that our members can get their cards before the governorship primary on Sunday.”

    Balogun directed them to distribute the cards to identified party members immediately in the presence of their council chairmen and council party chairmen in their respective areas.

    He said the distribution must also be done in the presence of the state executive members representing each of the 20 constitutionally-recognised councils.

    The chairman said that the party arrived at the arrangement to ensure that cards do not fall into the wrong hands.

    Balogun warned that for no reason should the cards be given to the wrong people and urged the leaders to return unclaimed cards to the secretariat.

    He added: ”Please make sure you check the photographs on the cards before giving them out.

    “We do not want a situation where these cards get to the wrong hands. In case you cannot get the owners of some of the cards, please return them to the secretariat; we will know what to do.

    “And for some of you who cannot get all the cards because of bulkiness, please do come tomorrow, as that is the deadline for distribution.”

  • High stakes as PDP picks governorship candidates tomorrow

    Will PDP improve on its gubernatorial rating in 2019? The opposition is doing its calculations in virtually all the states. How does the game add up for PDP? In this peep, Yusuf ALLI, Musa ODOSHIMOKE, Lagos, Oseheye OKWUOFU, Ibadan, Abdulfatah ALABELEWE, Kaduna, Bisi OLANIYI, Port Harcourt, Chris OJI, Enugu, Ogochukwu ANIOKE, Abakaliki, Kolade ADEYEMI, Kano, Nicholas KANU, Calabar and Justina ASISHANA,Minna review the intrigues in some states,the contenders and the pretenders.

    NOTHING underscores the challenge of picking PDP governorship candidate than the emergency shuttle of the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, to Kwara State on Monday night where he held a closed door session with all the aspirants. So far, none of the aspirants is ready to step down for the September 30 (tomorrow’s) battle.
    The aspirants include the following: ex-Governor Mohammed Sha’aba Lafiagi; ex-Minister of Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi; ex-Minister of National Planning, Prof. Abubakar Olanrewaju Suleiman; a ranking member of the House of Representatives, Alh. Zakary Mohammed; the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Dr. Ali Ahmad; a former Commissioner for Finance, Hon. Razaq Atunwa; a former Attorney- General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Saka Isau(SAN); and a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ahman Pategi Aliyu; a Secretary in the FCT, Mr. Ladi Hassan and Ibrahim Ajia, who was a former Aide-de-Camp to ex-President of the Senate Anyim Pius Anyim.

    Saraki has five challenges confronting him namely: he is haunted by his pledge to allow transparency in the primaries and the need to walk the talk; his promise to give a sense of belonging to Kwara Central, Kwara South and Kwara North Senatorial districts; most of the aspirants are his core loyalists; and whether or not to gamble between Kwara Central (which held the governorship mantle in the state from 1999 to 2011) and Kwara North which has not tasted the power since 1993; Naturally, it ought to be the turn of Kwara North but the political permutations in APC will largely determine the beacon of Saraki and PDP in the state. Saraki is uncertain of the joker of the APC on where the ruling party at the centre will pick its candidate.

    If APC concedes the ticket to Kwara Central, he will have no choice than to take the battle to the same district to the ruling party. But PDP runs the risk of losing Kwara North(where President Muhammadu Buhari is popular) and Kwara South which Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed cannot deliver to him.

    KATSINA

    In Katsina State, Sen. Garba Yakubu Lado has been unanimously endorsed by all the stakeholders in the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP).

    Lado is a veteran in governorship race having contested for the same position on the platforms of the defunct Congress for Progressives Change (CPC) and the Peoples Democratic Movement(PDM). He is from the same Katsina South with the incumbent APC Governor Aminu Masari. While Masari is from Karfur Local Government Area, Lado is from Kankara in Kankara LGA. Lado faces a straightforward “family” battle with Masari because he has always been an ardent loyalist of President Muhammadu Buhari until when he dumped CPC for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The deliberate choice of Lado by PDP was designed to make the race tougher in Katsina because the candidate is a man of the grassroots having been a local government chairman, a member of the House of Representatives and a Senator. Apart from the incumbency factor, Masari might have a smooth sail back to power because of the influence of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    GOMBE

    Out of the 30 governorship aspirants of the PDP in the North-East, Gombe is topping the chart with 13 aspirants who are eager to succeed Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo who has succeeded in sustaining the high standards he inherited from his predecessor, Sen. Danjuma Goje.

    Those in the race include a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Sen.Bayero Nafada(who is said to have a secret pact with the governor);the Managing Director of the Tinka Point Limited, Bala Tinka who was the convener of the ‘’Talba Neighbor 2 Neighbor’’ which worked for the re-election of Dankwambo in 2015despite the formidability of APC; the state Commissioner for Finance, Hassan Muhammadu; the Commissioner for Local Government, Alhaji Ahmad Abubakar Walama; the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Yayari, Senator Haruna Garba; Ambassador Haruna Garba; Alhaji Jamilu Isyaku Gwamna (who is the Managing Director of the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO).

    With a united APC in the state, it will be extremely difficult for PDP to sustain its 15-year old winning streak after the tenure of Dankwambo. The leader, who holds the aces in Gombe, is Sen. Danjuma Goje. He is anxiously waiting to dislodge PDP by installing his loyalist as the next governor of the state.
    Although Dankwmabo will have substantial say on who will get the PDP ticket, the manner in which he plays his politics will determine the success of his party. Gombe State is a politically slippery environment where zoning plays a key role.

    ADAMAWA

    The refusal of Governor Jibrilla Bindow to defect from APC to PDP has left ex-VP Atiku Abubakar with a wild card to call the shots and prop up his banker son-in-law, Adamu Modibbo which may not translate to a victory for the opposition party.
    Those who might give Atiku a headache are a former Acting Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmed Fintiri, who has been funding PDP before Atiku and others defected; Barrister Ahmed Aliyu; Jamilu Waziri, who was a former protocol officer to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan; Saad M. T. Tahir(ex- Deputy Governor) and ex-Governor James Bala Ngilari. The imposing attitude of Atiku might affect intra-party cohesion and PDP may end up not making significant gubernatorial impact in a heterogeneous state like Adamawa.

    BENUE

    Going by the negotiation which heralded his defection from APC to PDP, the main governorship aspirant to beat in Benue State is Governor Samuel Ortom. Investigation confirmed that Ortom’s return to PDP was a “wholesale” deal by the National Secretariat of the party because of what is termed as his “high electoral asset.”
    Notwithstanding, there are five others struggling for the ticket with him including a former Director-General of NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii; Prof. TorIorapuu; Gabriel Nyitse; Felix Atume; David Iorhemba, and John Tondo.

    Wherever the pendulum swings, the obvious part of the race is that PDP’s ticket will certainly go to a Tiv candidate like the case with APC in view of the huge voting strength of the tribe.

    BAUCHI

    In Bauchi, the PDP is managing to find its bearing because of the cult followership which President Buhari enjoys in the state. The only notable coalition by PDP leaders is alleged gang up against Governor Mohammed Abubakar who has remained unperturbed.

    According to the Chairman of the North-East Screening Committee of PDP, Mr. John Mathew, only four aspirants had been screened in Bauchi State but only three had been prominent. The aspirants are a former Minister of FCT, Bala Mohammed; a former Majority Leader in the House of Representatives, Abdul Ningi; Sen. Ibrahim Gumba; The plot to outwit each other by power brokers in Bauchi PDP may be the undoing of the party. There are many vested interests that are unprepared for political rapprochement.

    The scramble for the slot is between Bauchi South Senatorial District and Bauchi Central Senatorial District. The incumbent APC governor, Bala and Gumba are from Bauchi South. But Ningi is from Bauchi Central. It will be politically fatal for PDP to pick its candidate from Bauchi Central in derision of the exiting power rotation agreement in the state which allows each district to spend two terms in office.

    AKWA IBOM

    By the power sharing formula of the PDP, Governor Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom State enjoys the Right of First Refusal. Since he is interested in a second term ticket, he is the automatic candidate of the party. The hurdles against the governor are his estranged political relationship with his erstwhile godfather, Sen. Godswill Akpabio; the new coalition in APC which looks like a Tsunami; and his inexperience in politics. If Udom wins, he would have nailed the coffins of godfathers in the state. How he will wriggle out of this self-inflicted political problem is a riddle to be solved in 2019.

    PLATEAU

    It is a Southern affair in Plateau State PDP and it could be anybody’s chance. The party, like the APC, has zoned its governorship slot to Plateau South Senatorial District and it is unsurprising that all the 13 leaders aspiring to occupy the Government House in Rayfield in Jos are from the Southern part.

    They include the aged formerFCT Minister, Sen. Jeremiah Useni; Brig-Gen. Gently M. Gambo; Arc. Samuel Jatau; Hon. Exedos Pennam; and Engr. Jimmy Cheto. Others are Rt. Hon. Daika George; Hon. Johnbull Shakarau; Mr. Yitman Maimako; Mr. Sam Abashe; Dr. Godfrey Bawa; Hon. Kemi Nshe; Sen. Victor Lar and Engr. Ibrahim Ponyah.

    NASARAWA

    The joker of the outgoing Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura in ceding the APC governorship ticket to Nasarawa North Senatorial District has left the PDP stranded with no campaign issue. Al-Makura opted to create a sense of belonging for all groups in the state and if his formula works, it will be the first time that power will shift to the North in the state.

    The PDP, which also opted for Nasarawa North to pick its governorship candidate, boasts of the following aspirants: ex- Deputy Governor Solomon Ewuga; Sen. Philip Gyunka; Hon. David Ombugadu; Sen. Patricia Akwashiki and Hon. Dameshi Luka. Except for ex-Governor Abdullahi Adamu who is opposed to the emergence of APC candidate from Nasarawa North, the consensus in the state appears to be in favour of the neglected North.

    Being a volatile state with many ethnic groups, only power shift to Nasarawa North can address the security and disunity challenges facing the state.

    ZAMFARA STATE

    If there is any state where PDP is battle ready for governorship race, it is Zamfara State where the stakeholders came together to endorse former member of the House of Representatives, Bello Muhammad (Matawallen-Maradun) as the party’s governorship candidate. Although it was not easy pleading with another aspirant, Sahabi Ya’u, to step down, the interest of the party was larger than other consideration.

    With the ongoing re-strategizing of PDP in Zamfara by a former National Security Adviser, Gen. Aliyu Gusau(rtd) and other elders, the APC will have to look for a credible candidate against PDP’s choice. Since 1998, beginning with the defunct United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP), Bello had won elections into the National Assembly. Apart from serving as a commissioner in many ministries in Zamfara State, the PDP candidate was in the House of Representatives from 2003 to 2011.

    JIGAWA

    In Jigawa State, some foxes in APC are now realigning with their old folks in PDP against Governor Abubakar Badaru . Leading the pack of PDP aspirants is Ibrahim Aminu Ringim, who was the gubernatorial candidate of the party in 2015.

    Others, who have obtained the governorship nomination form, are the first Civiilian Governor of the state, Barrister Ali Sa’adu Birnin-Kudu; Useini Namadi; Danladi Auyo and Tijjani Ibrahim Kwiya whose posters are everywhere in the state.

    LAGOS

    The Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may not go into its governorship primary with more than two aspirants. As at now, the aspirants jostling for the ticket of the party are Mr. Deji Doherty and Mr. Jimi Agbaje.

    Though, the news wasvrecently circulated that billionaire businessman Femi Otedola was in the race, this he had refuted. Doherty and Agbaje are not new in contesting for the governorship of the state; the only person who came close to testing his popularity is among the electorate is Agbaje. He was the standard bearer of the PDP in the 2015 election which was won by the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The PDP has not been able to win the governorship election in Lagos State, even when it was in control at the centre. The PDP is aware that it must present a formidable candidate to slug it out with the candidate of the APC in 2019. That is why, in deciding who picks the party’s ticket at the shadow polls, the candidate must be well grounded for the position.

    As part of the preparations to ensure victory for the party in 2019, its leadership is closing ranks in order to ensure victory for the party in next month primary. The fortune of the party was recently deflated when the former Lagos State PDP chairman Chief Moshood Salvador defectef to the APC with thousands of his followers. The party is still battling to fill the wide gap.

    OYO

    It’s a straight fight between Makinde,Adeseun Businessman and philanthropist, Engineer Oluwaseyi Makinde and Senator Ayoade Adeseun are the gladiators in the Oyo state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary tomorrow.

    Makinde is from Ibadan while Adeseun in from Ogbomoso. Makinde is not new to the governorship race having previously bid for the PDP ticket in  2015 and lost. He soon switched allegiance to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) on which platform he contested the governorship election only to lose to incumbent governor Abiola Ajimobi. He returned to the PDP in 2017 at the invitation of the then caretaker national chairman of the party,Senator Ahmed Makarfi,spending his time and resources to rebuild the party ahead of the 2019 elections.

    His efforts have endeared him to many party supporters who are rooting for him to go all the way. His popularity and grip on the PDP structure seemed to have forced former governor Rashidi Ladoja and his supporters out of the PDP to join the African Democratic Congress (ADC). His opponent, Adeseun ,is not a push over either.

    He has been chairman , Surulere Local Government, pioneer chairman of All People’s Party (APP) in the state, member House of Representatives elected on the platform of PDP and senator elected on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) before rejoining PDP ahead of the 2019 polls.

    But the odds seem to be overwhelmingly in favour of Makinde who many party supporters adore for his generosity. The fact that majority of the votes will be coming from Ibadanland which controls close to half of the 33 local government areas of the state is a factor in deciding who,between the two, will fly the PDP ticket.

    KADUNA

    A former governor and an array of ex-commissioners and legislators.That is the line up for the Kaduna State PDP governorship primary tomorrow. Immediate past governor Ramallan Yero is slugging it out with former NEMA Director General, Sani Sidi, Dr. Mohammed Sani Bello, Sen. Suleiman Hunkuyi, former House of Representatives member, Isah Ashiru, Mohammed Kadade, Bello Kagarko, Jonathan Kish Adamu, Shuaibu Mikati, Ibrahim Dauda and Mohammed Sani. Of the lot,Yero,Sani Bello and Isah Ashiru appear to be the top three aspirants. Bello is a former Commissioner for Science and Technology and former financial controller at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Party chieftains are well disposed to him for sustaining the party since it lost power in 2015.

    The party chiefs, according to sources,are not happy that many of the other aspirants were not there for the PDP when it needed them most in the aftermath of the last elections. They said it was only Bello that put his resources at the disposal of the party and ensured that the party did not go under. He is regarded as the godson of former governor of the state,Senator Ahmed Makarfi,who remains immensely popular in the state and is also a presidential aspirant.

    Ashiru is a grassroots mobiliser and former member of the House of Representatives. He also enjoys the support of notable party bigwigs, including the longest serving chairman of the party in the state, Alhaji Audi Yero Makama. He had defected to the APC and only rejoined the PDP recently.

    Some party members believe he can hold his own against Governor Nasiru el Rufai and that but for the support of President Muhammadu Buhari in the run-up to the 2015 elections he would have defeated el Rufai in the APC primary. Jonathan Kish Adamu is the only PDP aspirant from southern Kaduna state. Alhaji Shuaibu Idris Mikati, is a business mogul and perennial aspirant. Senator Suleiman Othman Hunkuyi, who recently defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC),is another perennial aspirant. He said he joined the PDP for the purpose of kicking Governor El-Rufai out of Government house.

    KANO

    Things are not looking good for the PDP in Kano state ahead of the primary. On the one hand is the struggle for the soul of the party by the Kwankwasiyya Movement, headed by a former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Rabi’u Suleiman Bichi, and the embattled leadership of Senator Masaud El- Jubrin Doguwa, which was purportedly dissolved by the party’s national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus. There is also the nomination of Abba Kabir Yusuf by his father in law and PDP leader in the state ,Dr.Rabiu Kwankwaso who recently defected from the APC.

    He was handed 51 percent of the party leadership structure in the state by the national leadership, to the chagrin of other party stakeholders, including former Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau. Shekarau has since defected to the APC in protest. Many PDP supporters are opposed to Yusuf’s choice, saying he can’t win the state for the party. Professor Hafiz Abubakar who resigned as deputy governor last month and joined Kwankwaso in the PDP seems to have been left to his fate after picking his own nomination form for the PDP governorship race. Alhaji Sagir Salihu Takai,a former ally of Shekarau who decided to pitch his tent with Kwankwaso has also abandoned the Kwankwassiyya group having refused to succumb to pressure from Kwankwaso to forget the governorship ticket and instead gun for a senatorial ticket. Takai has already been screened by the PDP for the governorship race.

    Another political heavyweight who has picked the gubernatorial form and screened is Alhaji Al-Amin Ibrahim Little,an associate of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. He has been nursing the ambition to govern Kano since 2003. He is regarded as Atiku’s eye in Kano and is mobilizing support for the former VP ahead of the PDP presidential primary. Also in the race are Sadiq Wali, son of the former Permanent Representative of Nigeria at the United Nations, Ambassador Aminu Wali and Jafar Sani Bello, a young breed politician who has served PDP in Kano in several capacities. Sources said some of the aspirants are trying to forge a common front to defeat Yusuf.

    The Nation gathered from reliable PDP sources that Sadiq Wali, Jafar Bello and Sagir Takai met for several hours last Tuesday working out how to come up with a consensus candidate that would confront and defeat Kabir Abba Yusuf. They are yet to make their decision public.

    CROSS RIVER

    Ibeshi, Udayi to challenge Ayade Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State will have a former National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Emmanuel Ibeshi, and a real estate developer,Paul Udayi to contend with in the party primary. The three men are from the northern senatorial district of the state.

    Some party members are reportedly unhappy with the governor for allegedly neglecting them since his assumption of office. They fear that the PDP will be taking a risk by fielding him in next year’s election. But Ayade has maintained his hold on the party structure and remains the aspirant to beat in the primary.

    BORNO

    Locked in the battle for the Borno PDP governorship ticket are Alhaji Mohammed Wakil who doubles as the state co-ordinator of the Bukola Saraki presidential campaign organization, and a former chairman of Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, Mohammed Imam. Political observers in the state consider the two not formidable enough to pose much threat to the APC and even say the PDP could be waiting in the wings to cash in on any possible disagreement that may erupt in the APC during its own governorship primary by offering aggrieved aspirants a chance to try their luck in the PDP.

    YOBE

    In it also a two -way affair in neighbouring Yobe State where two former ambassadors are gunning for the PDP ticket. They are Alhaji Umar Illya Damagum, former ambassador to Romania and Alhaji Umar El- Gash, former ambassador to Pakistan.VParty sources said Damagum stands a better chance to clinch the ticket having previously served as partysecretary for over five years and seems to have mastered the terrain. One of the sources said the non-participation of serial contestant,Adamu Waziri, is also a good omen for Damagum.

    NIGER

    Five aspirants are contesting the PDP governorship ticket in Niger State with Nigeria’s immediate past High Commissioner in South Africa,Mr.Ahmed Musa Ibeto on top of the list. Contending the ticket with him are: the party’s governorship candidate in 2015, Umar Nasko, prominent Minna hotelier Umar Ahmed, Engineer Aminu Bakar and Engineer Hannafi Sudan.

    Party sources told The Nation that it will be a straight battle between Ibeto who recently rejoined the PDP from the APC, and Umar Nasko. According to the sources, Ibeto would not have left his ambassadorial position and ditched the APC if he was not sure of clinching the ticket of PDP based on assurances from PDP kingmakers. But they also conceded that Nasko could spring a surprise as he is well respected in the party for his steadfastness.

  • APC Governorship primaries now holds Sunday

    The National Working Committee (NWC) has again rescheduled the Governorship Primary Election for Sunday, 30th September, 2018.

    Acting National Publicity Secretary of the party, Yekini Nabena announced the new date in  a statement on September 27. 

    Subsequent elections are unchanged and are as follows:

    • 2nd October, 2018 – Senate Primary Elections
    • 3rd October, 2018 – House of Representatives Primary Elections
    • 4th October, 2018 – State House of Assembly Primary Elections
    • 6th October, 2018 – National Convention (Presidential)

  • 2019: Elders back Southern Borno for governorship

    COMMUNITY leaders in the Borno North are rooting for Southern Borno to produce the governor of the state in next year’s election.

    They have already purchased the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) Nomination and Expression of Interest forms for Alhaji Mamman Idris, a governorship aspirant from Southern Borno.

    The forms were presented to Idris by the leader of the Northern Elders Forum, Senator Umar Lawan.

    Lawan said opinion and political leaders from Northern Borno agreed on the need to advocate   and support an all-inclusive government from the South in the next dispensation.

    He said Southern Borno has not produced governor since 1999, and as justice dictates that that part of the state be  given an  opportunity to rule.

    He said: “Southern and Northern senatorial districts of Borno State buried their political differences.

    “Our people have contributed and they want to deepen the process of democracy. We have bought form and we are presenting it to Idris Mamman.

    “There have been lots of complaints that the people of Southern Borno are marginalised.

    “But that is not true, nobody is marginalized. This is because no one from the South has come out to say he wants to contest for governorship till today

    “So it is a matter of reaching to the people. Power is never served a la carte. You have to look for it, you have to earn it.

    “Now that the intention has been shown, we felt duty-bound to support their aspiration for the betterment of our State”.

    Receiving the form on behalf of the aspirant, the Chairman, Movement of Southern Borno Rotation of Power, Engr. Ibrahim Usman said the gesture from the Northern elders was a dream come true for the people of Southern Borno.

    “We are extremely grateful. By the time we get Idris Mamman into office, everybody is going to say there is a big change in Borno. He will carry everybody along.”

  • Issa Aremu emerges Kwara LP governorship candidate

    Frontline labour leader, Comrade Issa Aremu has emerged as the governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Kwara state.
    Aremu who was the sole aspirant of the party emerged through affirmation by delegates across the 16 local government areas of the state.
    Representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state as well as factional national chairman of the party, Alhaji Abdulquadir Abdulsalam witnessed the primary.
    Ex-Nigerian soccer star and LP governorship candidate in Ogun state, Segun Odegbami also graced the occasion.
    In his remark, Alhaji Abdulsalam urged Kwarans to vote for the LP candidate to bail the state out infrastructural deficiency.
    He added that Comrade Aremu if elected as governor would place workers welfare at the front burner of governance.
    In his acceptance speech, the former national Vice President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said if elected as governor, he would join forces with the progressives to rescue the state from the hands of the select few that had stolen the commonwealth of the people.
    He promised to eschew hate speeches during campaigns, adding that he would be hard on problems facing the state.
    He listed the problems as proliferation of pot-holes, poor medical facilities and water scarcity etc.
    Said he: “There will not be hate speech against anybody but there will be hard comments. Billions of Naira have been expended on water reticulation and Asa Dam yet there is no water to drink.
    “We will rebuild our great state. We will turn Kwara to a state flowing with milk and honey. We will create employment for our youths, we will revive all our dead industries.
    “We promise to ensure dignity of labour by promptly attending to workers welfare. Workers salaries will not only be paid as at and when due, they will also be paid living wages,”Aremu

  • Imo APC governorship aspirant rejects indirect primary

    An APC governorship aspirant in Imo State, Barr Chima Anozie, has asked his supporters to disregard reports about the adoption of indirect primary by the state chapter of the party.
    He said the  stakeholders of the party in the state are yet to take a position on the mode for the primary.
    Speaking with newsmen after obtaining his expression of interest and nomination form, Anozie said that the  State APC stakeholders have not met to take a position on the mode of primary for the elections.
    The Imo State APC, under the chairmanship of Chidi Nwafor had met on Thursday in Owerri and announced that it has adopted indirect primary to elect its candidates.
    But Anozie, who was the first aspirant from Imo to pick him form ahead of the elections maintained that the State can only take a position in a meeting that would be attended by all the stakeholders from both factions.
    “I want to make it known here that the Imo APC has not taken any position on its mode of primary for electing candidates for our elections.I am an aspirant, I have bought my expression of interest and nomination form for the governorship election at the cost of N22.5m.
    “Can you say I am not a stakeholder in the party? Who are the stakeholders that met. This is about election and it is all about testing our popularity at the grassroots. Why then are we afraid of that aspect of our democracy?
    “For the party to arrive at a position of the process, all the stakeholders must be in agreement as directed by the National leadership of our party. If not, Imo APC would face serious crisis that may affect its performance in the 2019 elections,” he said.

  • ‘I’m in governorship race to make Osun retain its pride’

    A governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, has said he is in the race to succeed Governor Rauf Aregbesola and make the state retain its position as the pride of the nation.

    Oyetola, who noted that the foundation for good governance had been laid by the Aregbesola administration, said a visionary government that could consolidate on the current gains is required to advance the course of public good.

    Addressing reporters in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, ahead of his campaign take-off today at the APC state secretariat on Gbongan Road, the Chief of Staff to the Governor described himself as the most competent aspirant for the job because of his vast experience and exposure in private and public service.

    According to him, whoever wants to succeed Aregbesola must not only have the capacity and competence but must also have integrity, passion, vision and a sense of mission.

  • Ekiti 2018: Battle for governor’s seat heats up

    As the campaigns for the July 14 governorship election in Ekiti State enters a crucial stage, Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu and Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan, examine the chances of the parties and their candidates

    AHEAD of the July 14 Governorship Election in Ekiti State, the various political parties hoping to participate in the election have nominated their flag bearers. A good number of them have also named the running mates of their candidates. All these, according to political analysts, signify the commencement of the real battle over who the next occupiers of the Government House should be.

    Going by the list of parties and their candidates as released by the Independent National Electoral Commission Election (INEC) during the week, 38 governorship candidates will be slugging it out at the polls in July, although some pundits and conservative political observers insist the battle will actually be fought by not more than four leading political parties and their candidates.

    Beside the political parties, the frontline contenders in the election remain the immediate former governor of the state who is the current Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi of All Progressives Congress (APC) and the incumbent Deputy Governor of the state, Olusola Eleka, of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who has the backing of Governor Ayodele Fayose, respectively.

    However, on INEC list are the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which has Eleka as its flag-bearer, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), which has Gbenga Adekunle as its flag bearer, All Progressives Congress, (APC), which Fayemi as its flag bearer, Progressives Peoples’ Alliance, PPA, with Goke Animashaun as the candidate and the United Democratic Party, UDP, which nominated Olusegun Adeleye.

    Other parties and their candidates are the Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD), with Ogundipe Lawrence as the candidate and the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN), with Ebenezer Femi Ogunsakin as the flag bearer; Social Democratic Party (SDP) with Akinloye Aiyegbusi as candidate, Action Democratic Party (ADP) with Segun Adewale as its flag bearer; African Democratic Congress (ADC) with Ayodele Adesua and Alliance for Democracy (AD) with Agboola Olaniyi, among others.

    While the APC have announced its readiness to stop Eleka and the PDP from remaining in the Government House beyond 2018, Fayose, who insists that his achievement in the last four years will return his party to office come July 14, has vowed that no party, aside PDP, will emerge victorious in the election. This is just as some other candidates and parties are optimistic of victory as the date draws nearer.

    One of those exuding optimism is former Deputy Governor, Abioudun Aluko, who is reported to have been given the nod to fly the banner of the Accord Party on July 14 in spite of the fact that INEC listed one Ilesanmi Anike Margaret as the party’s candidate. “Many attempts have been made unethically by the enemies of our dear state to crumb the great vision by unpatriotically denying me a platform to showcase my interest. But God in his majesty has put them behind us and they have been put to shame,” Aluko said, while announcing his candidacy on the platform of the Accord Party last Friday.

    Olusola Eleka

    The emergence of the deputy governor, Prof Olusola Eleka, as the candidate of PDP was not without fierce political intrigues. Many have argued that Fayose practically forced his number two man on the party contrary to the wishes of many PDP top players. The highlight of the intrigues that brought Eleka into the governorship race as a candidate is the exit of former Minister, Dayo Adeyeye, from the ruling party.

    Eleka scored 1,190 to defeat Adeyeye, the only challenger in the race, who scored 771 votes. But Adeyeye alleged that Fayose forced many of the delegates to vote for his preferred candidate contrary to the agreement reached before the primary election. He vowed to work against the victory of the PDP candidate in the July election.

    The 49 year old university don is from Ikere-Ekiti. Until his election as Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Eleka was a teacher in the Department of Building, Obafemi Awolowo University, where he had lectured for 24 years. His research interests are mainly in the field of Alternative Building Materials Development for Housing Construction, Construction Technology and Structural Mechanics.

    While his supporters are quick to call him the ‘stabilising factor’ in the current administration, led by Fayose, not a few observers of the politics of the state argued that he is more or less a lame duck deputy who has brought nothing to bear on the administration. “Eleka as deputy governor is so colourless that many people refer to him as Fayose’s Personal Assistant. One wonders the type of governor he will be,” Ebun Olubodun, former spokesperson of the Action Congress in the state said.

    “I know it is a divine project and those doubting should wait and see in the end what it is going to be. Power comes from God and He gives it willingly. Some say I am promoting my deputy. I am not, but I am only doing the will of God. When we do His will, there is no need to fear. We are going to that Promised Land. This is God’s project and it won’t fail,” Fayose had said while explaining the chances of his political godson at the forthcoming governorship election.

    Kayode Fayemi

    The victory of Dr. Kayode Fayemi at the APC governorship primary election, though foretold by some pundits, was not without initial hitches that threatened to tear the party apart. But many thanks to the intervention and wisdom of some prominent leaders of the party in the Southwest, the then budding crisis was nipped and the former governor went ahead to pick the party’s nomination by defeating about 30 other aspirants in the race.

    Fayemi polled 941 votes, followed by another former governor, Segun Oni, who got 481 votes, while Kayode Ojo, with 281votes, came third. In fact, the contest for the gubernatorial ticket was mainly between the two former governors of Ekiti. And contrary to heightened fear in many quarters that the outcome of the primary election will lead to the exit of some of the aspirants, none of them dumped the party.

    It would be recalled that Fayemi, a native of Isan-Ekiti in Oye Local Government of Ekiti State, lost his re-election bid to Governor Fayose in 2014 and was appointed minister in 2015. A scholar with interest in peace and conflict resolution, his research and policy interests include: Democratisation, Constitutionalism, Security Sector Governance, and Regionalism in the Global Context.

    Many of his supporters are quick to say Fayemi remains the only person who can defeat the PDP in Ekiti State given that he trounced the party and its candidate in 2010 to emerge as the governor of the state. But those not in his support insist he will have to reach out to the ordinary people of Ekiti better this time around if he desires to be victorious in the forthcoming election.

    ““All other aspirants ‎are my friends and colleagues, and I am going to work with them to ensure that our great party emerges winner in the forthcoming gubernatorial election,” he said. Adding his voice, President Muhammadu Buhari said, “Fayemi’s track record in the state as a reformist, with a penchant for building educational infrastructure and promoting the welfare of the ordinary people, will bolster his chances at the forthcoming polls.”

    Segun Adewale

    Former factional state chairman of the PDP in Lagos State, Segun Adewale, had earlier declared his intention to rule Ekiti State on the platform of the ruling PDP. But the victory of the Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee of the party put paid to his desire to clinch the PDP governorship ticket. Undaunted, he berthed in the Action Democratic Party (ADP) and wasted no time in securing its ticket.

    Adewale clinched the ADP ticket with 16,890 votes out of the total votes of 17,600 which is 96 percent of all the votes cast at various wards across the 16 local government areas in Ekiti State. The party had adopted the option A4 in deciding who its flag-bearer would be. His supporters say his victory at the primary election testifies to his widespread acceptability across the state.

    Popularly known as Segun Aeroland, the ADP candidate is a native of Ipoti EKiti in Ijero Local Government Area of the state. He ran for the Federal House of Representatives, Alimosho Federal Constituency in Lagos State in 2011 on the platform of the PDP but lost the election to Solomon Olamilekan Adeola of the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). The election was reportedly marred by violence.

    Adewale has promised to fix the power as a matter of urgency giving a three months’ timeline to restore electricity to affected communities.  He also said that he will generate 10 megawatts in each of the three senatorial districts of the state. He has also made a promise to the civil servants that he will clear all the outstanding salaries of workers and that of pensioners within his first six months. He charged Ekiti people to vote massively for his party, the Action Democratic Party (ADP) at the polls to bring about a paradigm shift in the governing and running of the state.

    Issues that may shape the voting

    Aside calibre of candidates and acceptability of political parties, observers said there are some other issues that may play major roles in determining the eventual winner of the Ekiti election. Such issues, we learnt, include, but may not be limited to zoning, consideration of the performance index of the two political parties, APC and APC, which have governed the state in recent times; the rivalry between Fayose and Fayemi and to a lesser extent, religious sentiments.

    Zoning:

    Although the argument may differ amongst the leading political parties in the contest, our investigation shows that zoning may likely play a major role in the forthcoming election. It would be recalled that it dominated discussion during the campaigns leading to the primaries. Now that the parties have elected their candidates, it remains to be seen how the zoning factor will either favour them or serve as one of the major hurdles they must cross.

    Advocates of zoning are saying that out of the three senatorial districts in the state, only Ekiti South has not produced an elected governor. They argued that Ekiti North has produced twice (2007 – 2010, and 2010 – 2014). Ekiti Central has equally tasted the governorship thrice (1999 – 2003, 2003 – 2006 and 2014 to date). This, they said accounts for their demand for the governorship slot to be ceded to Ekiti South. Olugbenga Olagoke, commenting on the zoning demand told The Nation on Friday that this was the reason “The Ekiti South Senatorial District has the highest number of aspirants ahead of the 2018 election.” Another source, a top member of one of the major political parties however countered that zoning is not the major concern of average Ekiti electorates today. “What we want is a governor that will bring back the glory of Ekiti. That is what will count on the Election Day because we are tired of the current show of shame,” he said.

    APC/PDP performance:

    Notwithstanding the large number of participants in the race, some informed observers said the central issue will boil down to the performance of Fayose-led PDP government and Fayemi-led APC government before now. “No one is deceived here in Ekiti. We know the battle is between PDP and APC. APC handed over to the current PDP government almost four years ago. So, the major question our electorates will ask before voting in the forthcoming election is how the two parties fared when they had opportunity to govern the state. It is a simple case. We will simply refer to their performance index and make up our minds on who should lead us,” says Olagoke.

    Fayose/Fayemi rivalry:

    Closely related to this factor is the well-known political rivalry between Fayose and Fayemi. Olagoke said “whether we like it or not, many of the supporters of APC and PDP see the forthcoming political contest in Ekiti as another opportunity to settle the rivalry between Fayemi and Fayose. Depending on how you see it, the two political leaders are set to make a definitive point about their influence.”

    Religious sentiment:

    Another issue some observers have mentioned that may be an election issue is the religious factor. They said Muslims are likely to note if the choice of the party’s candidate or deputy governorship candidate would represent their interests. But The Nation investigation suggests that religion has hardly played a major role in Ekiti State politics. This does not however mean that it is not being discussed today.

    For example, late last year, while responding to a request made by the Muslim community for the deputy governor’s position, Fayose had said “I have nothing against Muslims; they are our brothers and sisters. If I had a Muslim as my deputy, for instance, I would not be the one interfacing with you all the time; the person would do that. I just want us to continue to pray for God’s guidance. He will surely see us through.

    “Since our candidate is from Ikere-Ekiti in the South Senatorial District, one thing that is obvious now is that the deputy will come from either Central or North Senatorial District. I just have to appreciate the support of our Muslim brothers and sisters and solicit more support as we approach the election period.”

    He made the statement during the Jumat to mark the third anniversary of his administration in the state, adding that God will guide him and his party to make the right choice.

    When he eventually picked Kazeem Ayodeji Ogunsakin, a Muslim, as Eleka’s running mate, the Grand Imam of Ekiti State and Chief Imam of Ado-Ekiti, Sheikh Jamiu Kewulere Bello, specifically commended him for the action. The cleric spoke at a rally organised at Fajuyi Park in Ado-Ekiti for Olusola and Ogunsakin by the Muslim Community to endorse the duo for the July 14 governorship poll.

    Kewulere, who is also the President of the League of Imams and Alfas in Southwest, Edo and Delta States said: “We asked for four things from the governor and he has done three things now; this third is so surprising. We had told him that since he has supported a Christian governorship candidate, we want a deputy and we have been expecting.

    “We have said any party that fails to choose one of us as deputy governor, we will not support. But Governor Fayose has chosen one of us, Kazeem,” he said.

    Given the quality of the candidates, the rivalry between PDP and APC on the one hand and between Fayemi and Fayose on the other, including the other major issues that are likely to determine the choice of the voters, it seems obvious that the July governorship election promises to be intriguing.