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Atiku Inaugurates Women Campaign Council, Charges Members to Deliver Votes
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar (GCON) has charged Nigerian women to take charge of the party’s presidential campaign by providing leadership, mobilizing and delivering votes at the 2023 presidential election.
The former VP made this known while speaking at the launch of the PDP Women Presidential Campaign Council held at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja on Wednesday.
Atiku noted that nobody needs to tell him the importance of women in political process as women have largest voting bloc in Nigeria.
He said; “Women are less corrupt. So, I am challenging you to provide that leadership by giving your 100 percent at the general election next year. I charge you to display the unique attribute that God has endowed in you so we can succeed. If you want to be relevant, deliver your unit and i believe you can.
“I call on you Nigerian women to come out, campaign and vote and ensure those votes are counted and protected.
He added that women are the most loyal party members, “that is why we are supporting women to participate in our democratic process.”
“When i was VP, I visited a country called Sweden where i was to have a meeting with their government. It was headed by women. Their minister for finance was a woman, education minister was a woman, by the time i looked at my delegation and that of Sweden, i found out mine was full of men. I then committed myself that as long as i remain in politics, i will promote women.
“ And Between 1999 to 2007, we complied with the Beijing arrangement. Our main objective of setting up this campaign is to ensure your active participation and by that, we will identify those active talent and harness them to build this country.
On her part, the National woman leader of the party, Prof Stella Attoe noted that the PDP women will be the bedrock of mobilization and campaign for the party.
“Our strategy is top notch and we will gather all the votes from every home, unit, ward and local government to ensure victory of Atiku.
“We know where the votes are and we will mobilize dem to vote for our party. Nigerians cannot wait to have you restore their hopes and i believe this is the best time for Nigerianto have a leader like you.
“Women are ready to run this race for you as we hit the grassroots as we rigorously campaign for you,” she stressed.
Also speaking, the party’s national chairman, Senator Iyiocha Ayu said when the party’s presidential candidate was the VP, he head hunted most of the women in that government.
“When he was the VP, I know what he did to empower women. Some he head hunted have become Internationally known. He head hunted Ngozi Okonjo Iwela. When he becomes president next year, he will do more, pay special attention to women and this will help rebuild and recover the nation.”
All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Lagos State, Samuel Ajose, has declared that the endorsement of Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat as the next governor by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) will not stand.
GAC, regarded as the highest decision-making body of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos State, endorsed Hamzat, as its consensus candidate for the 2027 governorship election.
The decision was reached during a closed-door meeting held at Lagos House, Marina, indicating an early alignment within the ruling party ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Speaking after the session, GAC leader, Tajudeen Olusi, said members unanimously agreed on Hamzat, expressing confidence in his ability to sustain and build on the state’s developmental progress.
Olusi explained that the meeting was convened to deliberate on the party’s forthcoming primaries and assess the governorship position ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking about the GAC adoption of Hamzat as Lagos APC consensus 2027 governorship candidate on Arise News on Tuesday, Ajose said that Sanwo-Olu and others are trying to force President Tinubu into making a decision.
“I don’t think our president, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is giving in to what they are doing.
“What they are just trying to do is to coerce him into taking a decision, and I don’t think that decision will stand.”
The House of Representatives has approved President Bola Tinubu’s request to borrow Five Hundred and Sixteen Million, Three Hundred and Thirty-three Thousand, seven ($516,333,007) US dollars in syndicated financing from Deutsche Bank AG.
The House approved it during the plenary on Tuesday in Abuja after the presentation of a report by the deputy chairman of the House Committee on Aids, Loans, and Debts Management, Abdullahi Rasheed.
The money is expected to fund the construction of sections of the Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway.
President Tinubu wrote to the lawmakers, seeking a $516.3 million loan from Deutsche Bank to support the construction of the road.
The president said the loan, to be sourced from a syndicated financing facility by Deutsche Bank, will fund sections 1, 1A, and 1B of the project, which covers about 120 kilometres.
Tinubu requested a resolution in line with Sections 16 and 21 of the Debt Management Office (Establishment) Act, 2011, to enable the federal government to secure the financing for Sections 1, Phase 1A, and Phase 1B of the project.
The project is a flagship initiative of Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and is targeted at enhancing national connectivity, improving the movement of goods across key economic corridors, and drastically shrinking travel time.
The 1,000-kilometre project will link Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun, and Lagos states, connecting Illela to Badagry.
According to him, the financing arrangement will be backed by a partial risk guarantee from the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC).
He said the Federal government will provide counterpart funding of over N265 billion for land acquisition, compensation, and related infrastructure.
The former Lagos governor said the loan is structured for nine years and includes a three-year grace period.
It has an interest rate pegged at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange SOFR plus 5.3 per cent per annum.
Already, the Federal Executive Council has approved the financing plan.
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have arrested a former chairman of defunct Skye Bank Plc, Tunde Ayeni, over alleged money laundering, misappropriation and diversion of funds amounting to N36.54bn and $30m.
Ayeni, a businessman, was arrested in Abuja on Thursday, and is currently being held at the commission’s facility.
The arrest followed an EFCC probe into alleged misappropriation and diversion of funds said to have been obtained from Polaris Bank through multiple entities linked to him.
“Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested a former board chairman of defunct Skye Bank Plc and businessman, Tunde Ayeni, in connection with alleged money laundering, misappropriation and diversion of funds to the tune of N36,540,058,400.00 and $30m.
“Ayeni was arrested sequel to the investigation of the EFCC into alleged misappropriation and diversion of funds to the tune of N36,540,058,400.00 and $30m obtained from Polaris Bank Plc by different entities linked to him.
“The funds were loans obtained allegedly for specific investment projects but subsequently transferred to other entities’ accounts. Investigations showed that, though the loans were obtained for purposes such as finance of marine security activities, electricity distribution contract, estate development, they were diverted to the NITEL/MTEL asset acquisition through NATCOM account,” one of the sources said.
Another source said the commission is currently probing 12 companies allegedly linked to Ayeni, which it said were used to obtain the loans from Polaris Bank.
“Twelve different companies linked to Ayeni are being investigated by the EFCC. They are entities he allegedly used to obtain loans from Polaris Bank for his shady activities. The loans are depositors’ funds fraudulently obtained and frittered into diverse wasteful purposes. Ayeni will be arraigned in due course upon conclusion of investigations,” the source said.
When contacted, EFCC spokesman Dele Oyewale confirmed the arrest but declined to give further details.
The Punch
