Headlines
Akwa Ibom Gov Clarifies, Says I Didn’t Appoint My Daughter First Lady
Akwa Ibom State governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has refuted reports suggesting that he has appointed first daughter Mrs. Helen Obareki as the First Lady of the State following his wife death recently.
He clarified that his daughter was appointed as the Coordinator of the Office of the First Lady, a point he made clear President Bola Tinubu’s wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu during her condolence visit.
Speaking at the All Nations Christian Ministry International, Eket, on Sunday, the governor explained that his decision was a natural outcome, not one motivated by political considerations.
The governor maintained that first ladies are not appointed. However, following the passing of his wife, it was appropriate and comforting for his daughter—who had been her mother’s closest assistant—to oversee and implement the programs of the office.
He noted that priority attention would be given to his late wife’s pet project, Golden Initiative for All (GIFA), as well as other support programs for women, the elderly, the vulnerable, and the less privileged. He added that these activities could only be sustained with Mrs. Obareki as coordinator due to her experience, exposure, education, and access.
His said: “Appointing our daughter, who had worked closely with her late mother, as the coordinator is not an appointment as First Lady. You don’t appoint a First Lady. The Office of the First Lady has responsibilities to the women of this state, and my wife had programs she was running—the GIFA, the support for the elderly, and other programmes.
“As long as I remain governor, those programs will not die. There must be a coordinator, and it must be someone I see on a daily basis, someone who can walk into my room and brief me, not a distant person.”
Governor Eno further explained that, by the appointment, his daughter would be addressed as the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor and Coordinator, Office of the First Lady, stating that this decision was one way to bring healing to the family and comfort to himself.
While expressing gratitude to the wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and her entourage, the governor also thanked the church for their words of comfort and encouraged them to find solace in the word of God.
By Eric Elezuo
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has been declared winner of the presidential primary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The declaration was made at the Trascorp Hilton Hotel, where the final collation of results was made.
The former Vice President polled a total of 1, 846, 370 votes to defeat his closest rival, former Governor of Rivers State, Hon Rotimi Amaechi, who scored just over 500 thousand votes. Alhaji Muhammed Hayatu-Deen came third.
Headlines
ADC Presidential Primary: Hayatu-Deen Alleges Rigging, Withdraws from Results Announcement
One of the presidential aspirants of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, says he will not attend the announcement of the party’s presidential primary election results, citing allegations of widespread vote rigging.
In a statement on his X handle on Tuesday, Hayatu-Deen expressed concern over reports of electoral irregularities from across the country.
The ADC aspirant noted that he witnessed some of the incidents.
“I will not be attending the announcement of the ADC Presidential Election Results today. I am concerned by reports from across the country of widespread vote rigging, some of which I myself observed, and will therefore be taking advice on my next steps,” the statement read.
The development comes amid keen competition for the ADC presidential ticket involving former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Minister of Transportation and former Governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, and Hayatu-Deen.
The ADC presidential primary election collation exercise will take place in Abuja. Results are expected from across the nation.
Ahead of the nationwide presidential primary held on Monday, the ADC had urged aspirants, party leaders, delegates, and members to conduct themselves peacefully and uphold party unity.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, described the exercise as a defining moment for both the ADC and Nigerians seeking a credible political alternative.
According to him, the party remained committed to internal democracy and a transparent leadership selection process.
“The ADC remains proud to stand today as the only truly democratic party in Nigeria because it is the only political party whose choice of presidential candidate is determined through open primaries,” Abdullahi stated.
The party also stressed that the conduct of aspirants and party members during the exercise would reflect the leadership culture the ADC seeks to promote.
Headlines
You’re Not Different from APC, INEC, Amaechi Slams ADC, Rejects Presidential Primary Results
A former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has rejected the results of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential primaries, alleging widespread voter disenfranchisement and electoral malpractice.
Amaechi, in a statement posted on his X handle on Tuesday, described the outcome of the exercise as “concocted results.”
He said he had earlier made it clear that he would only accept the outcome of the primaries if the process was free, fair and transparent.
“I will not accept results from a process that does not reflect the values that the ADC had pledged to uphold,” he said.
Amaechi alleged that about 80 percent of party members across the country were prevented from voting during the exercise.
“There’s no way that about eighty percent of members of the party were not allowed to vote, and you expect me to accept such results,” he stated.
The former Governor of Rivers State accused the party of engaging in practices it had previously condemned in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to him, the ADC cannot criticize vote buying, rigging and manipulation of election results by others while allegedly engaging in similar acts during its own primary.
Amaechi added that the development was unacceptable and contrary to the ideals upon which the party was founded.
