Headlines
Ebonyi Gov, Umahi Tasks Tinubu to Address Igbo Marginalisation
The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, has been asked to address the marginalisation and discrimination of the South East in the country.
The Governor of Ebonyi State, Davi Umahi, who spoke on Thursday, during a town hall meeting attended by Tinubu, the political elite and entrepreneurs from the region in Owerri, Imo State, said since the end of the civil war, the Igbo had continued to be shortchanged.
Umahi said, “As we welcome and align ourselves with you, it is important that we urge you to address this issue as by the grace of God you become the next president of this country. There are certain positions that have continued to elude Ndigbo since the end of the civil war. It is our hope that your presidency will address this issue when you emerge as the next president of this country by the grace of God.”
The Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, said the people of the South-East had resolved to align with the APC and make Tinubu the next president of the country.
He disclosed that a group of entrepreneurs from the region had levied themselves N500,000 each and realised over N1bn to support the presidential bid of Tinubu.
A former governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim, described Tinubu as a “warrior who has won the fight before the war.”
The immediate past deputy governor of Anambra State, Nkem Okeke, said he made no mistake by joining the APC in 2021, adding that Tinubu would emerge the next president of the country.
Tinubu, while responding, said if elected in the 2023 elections, his administration would bring about progressive governance.
The former Lagos State governor noted that he and his running mate, Kashim Shettima, were the best for the country and vowed to deal with stealing in government.
Reacting to Umahi, Tinubu said, “Your Excellency, the executive governor of Ebonyi State, I heard you very clearly. Our government will address the issue of marginalisation and segregation.”
He added, “I will bring progressive governance; a forward looking governance, not to take us to yesterday. My government will support entrepreneurs and stop exploitation. We are thinkers and doers. We will encourage greater productions in Owerri and Aba, establish and modernise existing hubs throughout Nigeria.
“Outside Lagos, my administration will fight corruption, encourage local production and increase the production demands in the country. We will use Nigerian potentials to realise progress, industrialisation and electricity. The more we consume, the more we will produce.
“We will reduce stealing in governance. We will tackle insecurity in Nigeria. We will address the issue of marginalisation and segregation. Though tongues and languages may differ, but in brotherhood we stand. I believe in the unity of our country.
“Good return on investments. My government, our government will comprise people from every segment of this country. Religion and tribalism, not our problem. We will prove wrong those who want to see us divided.”
Adebayo Adelabu, one of the aspirants for the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket in Oyo State, has alleged irregularities in the party’s governorship primary election held on Thursday.
Adelabu, who expressed dissatisfaction over the conduct of the exercise, stated that the primary was characterized by misconduct ranging from disenfranchisement of his supporters in some wards and the commencement of election process earlier than scheduled.
Speaking after the conclusion of the primary election at IMG School, Ward 9, Ibadan South-East Local Government Area, the immediate past Minister of Power alleged that the process was neither free, fair nor credible.
He said: “Before our people started getting to their various wards, they have already conducted the election and they wrote the figures they want as results.
“In some wards, our people were prevented from voting. They were intimidated. They were chased away violently. And in some wards, voting did not take place at all.
“All this kind of misconduct is not good at this stage of our democracy in Nigeria, and something has to be done about it.”
Adelabu, therefore, vowed to come up with serious petitions against all the irregularities not just in Ibadan, but across all the five geopolitical zones in Oyo State.
“Also, conduct of many party executives is uncalled for, a lot of people bought forms and they were cleared. And they decided to conduct affirmation of a particular candidate in some wards.
“There was nothing like consensus arrangement. It was just a figment of their weird imagination. The instruction we got from Abuja was that we should all carry out free, fair, and transparent direct primary election where every aspirant will be given a level playing ground and the election will be conducted peacefully.
“Where did they get the idea of consensus candidates? And this is what happened in a lot of the wards. And it didn’t go down well with us. “We don’t want that. We are going to assess the gravity of this gross misconduct and the potential impact on the overall result of this election.
“I will put a petition forward to the appropriate authorities so that it can be deeply investigated and there must be consequences to this. The people who perpetrated this misconduct must be identified and punished. And the aspirants involved also need to be suspended because this is not good for us.
“Democracy is the government of the people by the people and for the people where nobody should be disenfranchised. Once you are a party member, you should have that freedom, that authority to pick an aspirant of your choice as the flag bearer of the party.
“This is Ibadan, this is Oyo State and this the centre of politics in the southwest. And we should be able to lay good examples and the process should produce a candidate that won transparently, freely and fairly,” he said.
Meanwhile, at Ward 9, Ibadan South-East Local Government, Adelabu, polled 430 to defeat his closest rival, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, who had 3 votes.
Al Nassr captain, Cristiano Ronaldo, has finally won the Saudi Pro League title.
They were confirmed champions on Thursday, thanks to a 4-2 drubbing of relegation battlers, Damac.
The title race had gone down to the final day after Al-Nassr dramatically dropped points against Al-Hilal the previous week.
Jorge Jesus’ side knew there could be no mistakes against a Damac side fighting for survival at the other end of the table.
Ronaldo was on the scoresheet, as his brace helped Al Nassr secure the title ahead of rivals Al Hilal.
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has announced his withdrawal from the All Progressives Congress governorship primary election in the state.
Fubara made this known in a statement personally signed on Wednesday, saying he would support whoever emerges as the party’s candidate, The Nations reported.
The governor said his decision followed extensive consultations with his family, friends, and political associates.
“After deep reflection and extensive consultations with my family, friends, and associates, I have taken the difficult but necessary decision to withdraw from the APC governorship primaries. I do so with a full heart and with a firm commitment to support whoever emerges as the candidate of our great party,” Fubara said.
Fubara said although the decision was difficult, he remained committed to supporting whoever would emerge as the APC governorship candidate.
According to him, leadership demands sacrifice and personal ambition must sometimes give way to the collective interest of the people.
Meanwhile, the embattled governor expressed appreciation to his supporters for their loyalty, prayers and sacrifices throughout the political process, acknowledging that many would feel disappointed by his withdrawal.
He said his silence in recent weeks was “deliberate and strategic,” adding that it was guided by the higher interest of the state.
Tone Cole, APC chieftain and 2027 governorship aspirant in Rivers State, also announced his withdrawal from the race, saying his decision was, among other reasons, in the interest of the party’s unity.
