Headlines
Ndume Accuses Tinubu of Being Unreachable, Says President Shut His Doors
The Chief Whip of the Senate, Ali Ndume, has expressed concern over the rising cost of living and food scarcity.
In an interview with BBC Hausa, Ndume said the federal government’s inability to address these issues is a major challenge, adding that some ministers are unable to meet with President Bola Tinubu to discuss the matter.
He said: “The major problem with this government is that its doors are closed, to the extent that even some ministers cannot see the President, not to mention members of the National Assembly, who do not have the opportunity to meet with him and discuss the issues affecting their constituencies.”
He spoke shortly after he and his colleague, Senator Sunday Steve Karimi, sponsored a motion to address the food crisis in the country.
They noted that the World Food Programme has warned that 82 million Nigerians are likely to face food insecurity in the next five years.
The senator said the aim of the motion was to draw the government’s attention to the severity of the food crisis affecting many Nigerians.
He expressed concern that if the government does not take urgent action, the situation could lead to famine and starvation, especially among children.
“We want to draw the government’s attention to the fact that Nigeria is not only facing a high cost of living but also food scarcity.”
“We want the President to intervene in the issue of high cost of living and food scarcity”, he said.
He cited the example of Katsina State, where children are already suffering from malnutrition due to food scarcity.
He also mentioned the situation in Niger Republic and South Sudan, where children are dying due to hunger.
“We have seen how it happened in Niger Republic and South Sudan, where children are dying due to hunger, and we are starting to see it in Nigeria, Senator Ndume,” the senator added.
While calling on the government to take immediate action to address the food crisis, including meeting with experts and other stakeholders to find a solution, he expressed disappointment that the government had not taken any concrete steps to address the issue, despite its promise to do so.
“What we want the government to do is to sit with experts and other stakeholders to find a solution to the problem. We are urging the government to take action, lest they forget that Nigeria is grappling with both soaring prices and a severe food shortage.”
“We fear that a day may come when even if someone has the financial means to purchase food, they will go to the market and find none available” he said.
Daily Trust
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.
