Headlines
South-East Governors Seek Nnamdi Kanu’s Release, Set to Meet Tinubu
Governors under the umbrella of the South-east Governors’ Forum have resolved to meet with President Bola Tinubu to seek the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Hope Uzodinma, governor of Imo and chairman of the forum, announced the resolution at the end of a meeting of the governors held in Enugu on Tuesday.
The governors at the meeting were Hope Uzodinma of Imo, Alex Otti of Abia, Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra, Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi, and Peter Mbah of Enugu.
The Imo governor said the delegation of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Emeka Anyaoku, former Commonwealth secretary-general, Nnaemeka Achebe, and the Obi of Onitsha paid a solidarity visit to the forum.
Uzodinma said the forum has resolved to meet with the federal government to discuss the “pressing issues” in the south-east zone.
“The forum commiserated with the government and people of Abia state, Ebonyi state, Imo state, south-east Nigeria, and Chief Ogbonnaya Onu’s family on the demise of His Excellency, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu,” the Imo governor said.
“The forum received the delegation of the former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, GCON, and His Royal Majesty Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe CFR, Obi of Onitsha, who came on a solidarity visit to the forum.
“The forum deliberated on the reviewed report of the south-east security and economic summit held in Owerri on the 28th of September 2023 and agreed to implement the aspects of the report pertaining to security and economic integration and affirmed its desire to put actionable plans on the key issues agreed.
“The forum resolved to visit Mr. President to discuss pressing issues concerning the south-east region.
“The forum also resolved to interface with the federal government to secure the release of Mr. Nnamdi Kanu.”
TheCable
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.
