The Nation Newspaper

Tag: pick

  • Payback time as constituents pick senatorial candidates

    It is the season of “one good turn deserves another” for some senators, who are back in their constituencies to renew their mandate ahead of next year’s National Assembly election. The Nation report that the parties’ primaries afford constituents to call the shots.

    The rescheduled primaries to pick the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidates in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will hold today, the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) said yesterday through a statement by APC Acting National Publicity Secretary Yekini Nabena.

    Also yesterday, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) announced its senatorial candidates after the conduct of the party’s senate primaries in some states.

    But despite Nabena’s announcement, two factions of the APC in Delta State held parallel primaries and produced different candidates.

    Ahead of today’s primaries, the APC released a list of the aspirants it cleared to feature in the exercise, which it said would hold in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The names of some applicants who appeared before the Senate Screening Committee were not included on the list.

    The APC National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole had said the party would apply rewarding system to encourage elective office holders for their loyalty to the party, especially, when it was hit by a gale of defection.

    Emerhor, Omo-Agege emerged from parallel primaries

    • Nwaoboshi, Urhoghide, Momoh gets PDP Delta tickets

    Olorogun O’tega Emerhor emerged the winner of the primary organised by a faction for the Delta Central Senatorial District, in Ughelli, Ughelli North Local Government Area.

    The other primary, expected to favour incumbent Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, was still being held at the Police Camp in DCS, Udu Local Government Area was still being held as at the time of filing this report.

    In Edo South and Edo North senatorial districts, Matthew Urhoghide, Abubakar Momoh emerged as the candidates of the PDP.

    If he wins the election next year, Urhoghide, will returning to the Red Chamber to represent the Edo South zone. Momoh, a former House of Representatives member will be upgrading from his Federal Constituency to represent the North Senatorial Zone, should the lection favour him next year.

    Urhoghide, who was the sole aspirant at Image Garden, Government Reservation Area, Benin City, venue of the primary, garnered 891 yes votes.

    Incumbent Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, representing Delta North Senatorial District won the PDP primary with 506 votes. He was trailed by Ned Nwoko (453 votes) and Paul Osajie (216 votes).

    Olujimi, Faseyi, Adewale get PDP tickets

    • Protests in APC office over mode of primary

    Senate Minority Leader Mrs. Biodun Olujimi, Senator Duro Faseyi and a former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) General Secretary Obafemi Adewale got the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) tickets yesterday.

    Senator Olujimi will be flying the party’s flag for the Ekiti South Senatorial District, Faseyi was returned unopposed to fly the PDP ticket in the Ekiti North Zone and Adewale, who was former Attorney-General and Justice Commissioner will represent the PDP in the Central district.

    Mrs. Olujimi was elected by affirmation by delegates from all the six local government areas that make up the senatorial district at a primary conducted yesterday in Ikere-Ekiti.

    Party leaders and delegates from Ekiti Southwest, Ikere, Ise/Orun, Emure, Gbonyin and Ekiti East local government areas elected Mrs. Olujimi by voice vote.

    But protest yesterday rocks the Ekiti APC Secretariat over the mode of primary being proposed by the party to pick its National Assembly candidates.

    Aggrieved supporters of some of the aspirants marched on the party secretariat on Ikere-Ekiti road in Ado Ekiti over modalities for the primaries.

    They berated the APC state executive committee for adopting indirect primary and not direct primary to choose candidates.

    The party secretariat was cordoned off by the police, prevented the protesters from gaining access.

    The protest was carried out by supporters of Osinkolu and House of Representatives aspirants- Bimbo Daramola, Kayode Babade, Pastor Yemi Olayinka and Mrs. Toyin Ajakaye.

    A one-time senator, who is seeking the Ekiti North senatorial ticket, Senator Ayo Arise, announced his withdrawal from the race, for lack of confidence in indirect primary.

    Other aspirants, Cyril Fasuyi, Dr Olusegun Osinkolu, Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi, Sir Kayode Otitoju, Femi Ajepe and Bamisaiye will today battle to clinch the zone’s senatorial ticket.

    However, Arise said he would remain a loyal party member and that he would mobilise support for President Muhammadu Buhari’s victory at next year’s election.

    The protesters accused the Paul Omotoso-led APC executive of compromising the yet-to-be conducted primary by adopting indirect option instead of the direct modality mandated by the Adams Oshiomhole-led NWC.

    The leadership of the APC in Ekiti explained that its adoption of indirect mode of primary was not aimed at scheming out any contestant as being alleged in some quarters.

    Its spokesman Ade Ajayi condemned what he called a violent protest staged with the backing of some national assembly aspirants.

    Logistics forces Oyo APC to shift primaries

    Logistics yesterday forced the Oyo chapter of the APC to shift the conduct of the National Assembly in designated centres by 24 hours.

    It was learnt that materials for the election were still being expected last night from the APC National Headquarters in Abuja.

    In the race for the three senatorial slots are Top Governor Abiola Ajimobi and Fola Akinosun (South); Senator Teslim Folarin; Temitope Olatoye Sugar, Local Government & Chieftaincy Commissioner Bimbo Kolade (Central). The aspirant for the North Senatorial zone, Fatai Buhari, has no challenger.

    In the opposition PDP, a chieftain of the party in Oyo Central, Bisi Ilaka was declared unopposed. Former Deputy Governor Azeem Gbolarumi and a former Information Commissioner Bayo Lawal are jostling for the Oyo South ticket.

    A former House of Representatives Majority Leader Mrs Mulikat Akande Adeola will slug it out with businessman, Salawudeen for Oyo North ticket in today’s election.

    Ex-governor Suswam gets PDP ticket unopposed

    Former Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam has been returned unopposed as the PDP senatorial candidate for Benue Northeast Senatorial District.

    Suswan went into Zone A primary as a sole candidate following the defection of Senator Barnabas Gemade from the PDP to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), two weeks ahead of the primaries.

    Suswam, who took a shot at the Senate after bowing out of office in 2015, lost the senatorial to Gemade, who was forced out of the PDP to fly the APC ticket.

    Ogola loses PDP primaries in Bayelsa

    Delegates yesterday stopped the ambition of Senator Foster Ogola to return to the Senate on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The senator, representing Bayelsa West, was rejected by delegates, who voted for Works & Infrastructure Commissioner Lawrence Ewrudjakpor.

    Senator Ben Murray-Bruce (Bayelsa East) on Monday said he will not be seeking re-election into the National Assembly.

    Kano aspirant backs out of race

    One of the APC aspirants for the Kano Central Senatorial district, Senator Basheer Garba Mohammed (a.k.a Lado) announced his withdrawal from the race and donated his campaign structure to President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

    In a statement, the senator said he was withdrawing from the race based on the intervention of the Ganduje and as a mark of respect for the governor.

    A former governor in the state, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, who recently returned to the party, is believed to be the party’s choice for the senatorial seat. He will now slug it out with Hajia Laila Buhari for the ticket.

    Kalu, Haruna cleared to run in Abia, Kogi

    The APC NWC yesterday cleared former Abia State Governor Orji Uzor Kalu and Yusuf A. Haruna to contest the party’s primaries for the Abia North and Kogi Central senatorial districts.

    Melaye wins Kogi West ticket

    Senator Dino Melaye was yesterday affirmed as the PDP flag bearer for the Kogi West Senatorial District.

    There were six contenders in the race. Four of them were not cleared by the party’s screening committee. The other two stepped down for Melaye, who recently defected from the APC.

    Those who stepped down for Melaye were: former Local Government & Chieftaincy Affairs Commissioner Tolorunjuwon Faniyi and House of Representatives members representing Kabba/Bunu/ Ijumu Federal Constituency Tajudeen Yusuf.

    Those who did not get the party’s nod were House of Representatives members Sunday Karimi (Yagba Federal Constituency); former acting Kogi State Governor Clarence Olafemi, Henry Ojuola and Ganiyu Salaudeen all from the Yagba Federal Constituency.

    The primary was conducted at the Prestige Hotels in Kabba.

    The Returning Officer for the exercise, Mr. Jude Sule said that Melaye scored all the delegates’ votes from the seven LGAs of Kogi West.

    The exercise which was peaceful was monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security personnel.

    Melaye after the exercise, said the affirmation was “Shocking but not surprising bearing in mind that he has represented the axis wonderfully at the upper champer of the national assembly.”

    He however appealed to all other aspirants who might be aggrieved, to let go of their anger and join hands with him to rid the state and the country of the “bad governance of APC, both at the state and national level.”

    At Idah, Kogi East, venue of the PDP senatorial primary for the district, tension was said to be high, where seven aspirants including the incumbent Senator Attai Aidoko contested the shadow primary.

    As at the time of filing this report, the exercise was yet to commence, and it I’d believed it will be postponed.

    Senator Ahmed Ogembe, was reportedly affirmed as the PDP flag bearer for the district, though conflicting reports had it that other aspirants were waiting for the election materials from the party headquarters in Abuja.

    Ogembe is the serving senator representing Kogi East.

    Enugu East PDP inconclusive

    The Returning Officer for the PDP primary in Enugu East Senatorial Zone, Abdulrahman Yunusa, declared the election inconclusive due to shortage of ballot papers.

    Delegates from Enugu East, North, South, Isiuzo and Nkanu East concluded their voting while voting for delegates from Nkanu West Local Government Area, which incidentally was the host council, did not hold.

    Yunusa, however, said that the polls of the remaining council area would be done early today.

    “After the remaining one council polls tomorrow, I shall officially declare the winner of the primary for Enugu East Senatorial Zone and return the winner as the candidate of the PDP ahead of the general elections,’’ he added.

    The contestants for the seat are incumbent senator Gil Nnaji, former Governor Chimaroke Nnamani, a lecturer at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Prof. Gab Agu, Prince Lawrence Eze, Chief David Nkwo and Chief Joshua Mba.

    Three Abia PDP senators emerge

    Three Abia senators on the platform of the PDP yesterday clinched the party’s tickets for the 2019 general elections in the state.

    Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South) went through the crucible of a keenly-contested race to grab his ticket, his counterparts from Abia North and Abia Central, senators Mao Ohuabunwa and Theodore Orji, literally got theirs without stress.

    Abaribe, who seeks to return to the Upper Chamber for the fourth tenure, polled 413 votes to defeat three other contestants.

    The contestants included: Education Commissioner Prof Ikechi Mgboji, a former state lawmaker, Emeka Stanley and Chief Solomon Ogunji, an aide to Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu.

  • Ambode, Ashafa pick nomination forms

    Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has urged Lagosians to support him as he seeks re-election.

    Ambode, who yesterday picked the nomination form in Abuja, spoke at a reception organised for him by loyalists and supporters in Alausa, Ikeja.

    He thanked residents for believing in him and supporting him and the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration in the last three and a half years.

    The governor urged them to sustain the support “in the journey ahead and together, let’s achieve more.”

    He thanked “all members of our great party, the APC, our political leaders, most especially our National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for giving me the platform to contribute to the further growth and development of our state.”

    The Chairman of Conference 57, Mrs. Omolola Eze, who spoke on behalf of chairmen of local governments and local council development areas, said: “We all have work to do at the councils as Governor Ambode goes for second term. We need to support him.”

    An APC leader, Senator Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon, said: “We have all awaited this day. Governor Ambode has done so much and we have to go now to our areas to continue the mobilisation and sensitisation.”

    Among the APC leaders and members present at the event were Mrs. Bolanle Ambode, Deputy Governor Idiat Adebule, Secretary to the State Government Tunji Bello, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, members of the House of Assembly, members of the state Executive Council, local council chairmen, among others.

    The lawmaker representing Lagos East, Senator ‘Gbenga Ashafa, yesterday obtained the expression of interest and nomination forms for the APC primaries scheduled to hold on September 26.

    He was accompanied to the national secretariat of APC in Abuja by party leaders from Lagos East, supporters, family, relations, friends and well-wishers.                                                          Ashafa said: “I urge you all to be responsive to this great power you hold, the power of choice. To be able to choose is a power so great that the consequences of its use, or misuse, are always life-changing and defining. Year after year, since 2011, I have kept faith with you as your senator in the 7th and 8th sessions of the National Assembly. Through your contributions at our town hall meetings and constituency outreaches, you have also kept faith by showing support and offering constructive criticisms, which have helped to make me a better lawmaker and also make Lagos East a shining example of what it means to have a responsive senator.”

  • Nasarawa Utd pick Aper Aku stadium for home games

    Nasarawa Utd pick Aper Aku stadium for home games

    Nasarawa United will now be playing their Glo Premier League home matches at the Aper Aku Stadium, Makurdi pending the time they will finish repair work at their home ground in Lafia, SportingLife can report.

    Lafia Township stadium is one of the nine stadia suspended by the League Management Company (LMC) to host league matches .

    Seven teams out of the nine that had their home grounds suspended have found alternative venues for their subsequent games but Nasarawa United and Giwa FC were given chance to pick their preferred alternative ground by Wednesday.

    The club’s chairman, Isaac Danladi told SportingLife that his club have decided to move to Makurdi while they carry out necessary rehabilitation work on their pitch.

    Danladi said LMC’s decision to suspend unfriendly football pitches is good but claiming that the decision was sudden.

    He added that the decision was taken at the wrong time looking at the economic situation in the state and the country at large.

    “Even though we are moving to Makurdi but I don’t think this is the best of time for such decision,” Danladi told SportingLife.

    “Clubs agreed with LMC that clubs with pitches that are not football friendly should look for alternative venues but the decision to ask clubs to move is sudden because of the economic reality on ground. Playing your home matches outside your home ground is like playing all your matches away throughout the season.

    “If you look at the present situation in the country you will agree with me that it is very expensive to play home away from home. We have to negotiate for hotels, stadium, facilities, accommodation and feeding of players and officials and other logistics.”

    He added: “As Chairman of Chairmen, I have to lead by example but I am speaking on behalf of some of the clubs asked to relocate to alternative stadiums, we decided to obey before complain but the truth of the matter is that the decision is too hasty. Rome was not built in a day. The intension is good but the timing is what we view is not right.”

    The chairman of Club Owners Association of Nigeria, has however, expressed optimism that his side will do well in Makurdi.

    Nasarawa United will play their first game at the Aper Aku Stadium against Bayelsa United in a week 12 league match.

    “We thank God that we have a venue close to Lafia which is football friendly. Makurdi is familiar terrain to us and we believe we are at home here,” he said.

  • ‘We’ll pick good candidates’

    ‘We’ll pick good candidates’

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman in Ondo State, Isaac Kekemeke, has said the party will pick credible candidates acceptable to the public.

    Kekemeke spoke when a National Assembly aspirant,  Olayato Aribo, came to pick his nomination form at the party secretariat in Akure.

    The chairman also received the former Ose Local Government Caretaker Chairman, Afolabi Mabogunje, who picked the nomination form for Ose State Constituency.

    Kekemeke denied that some party elders endorsed some aspirants, saying the primaries would be free and fair.

    He said: “By election time, I want my work to be easy and this can only be easy by picking credible candidates so that anywhere we get to for campaign, the people will accept us.

    “Nobody has endorsed any aspirant and we are going to give a level-playing field for all aspirants.”

    Aribo said he picked the nomination form because of the pressure from his people.

    He urged party leaders to unite and work for success in the  election

  • For survivors, it’s time to pick pieces

    For survivors, it’s time to pick pieces

    People in the coastal corridor battered by superstorm Sandy yesterday took the first cautious steps to reclaim routines upended by the disaster, even as rescuers combed neighborhoods strewn with debris and scarred by floods and fire.

    But while New York City buses returned to darkened streets eerily free of traffic and the New York Stock Exchange prepared to reopen its storied trading floor yesterday, it became clear that restoring the region to its ordinarily frenetic pace could take days — and that rebuilding the hardest-hit communities and the transportation networks that link them together could take considerably longer.

    “We will get through the days ahead by doing what we always do in tough times — by standing together, shoulder to shoulder, ready to help a neighbor, comfort a stranger and get the city we love back on its feet,” New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.

    By late Tuesday, the winds and flooding inflicted by the fast-weakening Sandy had subsided, leaving at least 55 people dead along the Atlantic Coast and splintering beachfront homes and boardwalks from the mid-Atlantic states to southern New England.

    The storm later moved across Pennsylvania on a predicted path toward New York State and Canada.

    At the height of the disaster, more than 8.2 million lost electricity — some as far away as Michigan. Nearly a quarter of those without power were in New York, where lower Manhattan’s usually bright lights remained dark for a second night.

    But, amid the despair, talk of recovery was already beginning.

    “It’s heartbreaking after being here 37 years,” Barry Prezioso of Point Pleasant, N.J., said as he returned to his house in the beachfront community to survey the damage. “You see your home demolished like this, it’s tough. But nobody got hurt and the upstairs is still livable, so we can still live upstairs and clean this out. I’m sure there’s people that had worse. I feel kind of lucky.”

    Much of the initial recovery efforts focused on New York City, the region’s economic heart. Bloomberg said it could take four or five days before the subway, which suffered the worst damage in its 108-year history, is running again. All 10 of the tunnels that carry commuters under the East River were flooded. But high water prevented inspectors from immediately assessing damage to key equipment, raising the possibility that the nation’s largest city could endure an extended shutdown of the system that 5 million people count on to get to work and school each day. The chairman of the state agency that runs the subway, Joseph Lhota, said service might have to resume piecemeal, and experts said the cost of the repairs could be staggering.

    Power company Consolidated Edison said it would be four days before the last of the 337,000 customers in Manhattan and Brooklyn who lost power have electricity again and it could take a week to restore outages in the Bronx, Queens, Staten Island and Westchester County. Floodwater led to explosions that disabled a power substation Monday night, contributing to the outages.

    Surveying the widespread damage, it was clear much of the recovery and rebuilding will take far longer.

    When New Jersey Governor Chris Christie stopped in Belmar, N.J., during a tour of the devastation, one woman wept openly and 42-year-old Walter Patrickis told him, “Governor, I lost everything.”

    Christie, who called the shore damage “unthinkable,” said a full recovery would take months, at least, and it would likely be a week or more before power is restored to everyone who lost it.

    The New York Stock Exchange was again silent Tuesday — the first weather-related, two-day closure since the 19th century — but trading resumed yesterday morning with Bloomberg ringing the opening bell.

    And in New York, residents of the flooded beachfront neighborhood of Breezy Point in returned home to find fire had taken everything the water had not. A huge blaze destroyed perhaps 100 homes in the close-knit community where many had stayed behind despite being told to evacuate.