2023 : Tinubu to meet Osinbajo, Lawan, Akpabio, Amaechi other APC presidential aspirants in Abuja

Aspirants who participated in the last presidential primary election of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC are set to meet with the standard bearer of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu next week, as part of a strategy review measure in the lead-up to the February presidential election. This meeting is coming less than six months to the Presidential election slated for February 28.

Among those expected to be in attendance are Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; former Science and Technology Minister, Ogbonnaya Onu; former Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba and former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio. Others include five governors who participated in the exercise, namely Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Ben Ayade (Cross River), and Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti). A statement issued yesterday in Abuja by the media office of the APC’s youngest presidential aspirant, Dr. Nicolas Felix, also listed Senate President, Ahmad Lawan; former Ogun state governor and serving senator, Ibikunle Amosun; another serving senator, Ajayi Boroffice; former Zamfara governor, Ahmad Sani; former Imo State governor and serving senator, Rochas Okorocha; a former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole; fiery cleric, Tunde Bakare; Pastor and Businessman, Dr. Nicolas Felix; former Information Minister, Ikeobasi Mokelu; businessman, Tein Jack-Rich and the only female among them, Uju Ken-Ohanenye. The statement partly reads; “The special invitation to the strategic meeting of all 2023 APC Presidential Aspirants which will be held at Transcorp Hilton in Abuja, on Wednesday, August 31st, 2022 by 2pm is to brainstorm on adopting winning campaign strategies that will carry every Nigerian along and address the challenges bedeviling our country.” The Aspirants’ last outing together was the APC presidential primary which held at Eagle Square from June 7 to 10

Human Rights Group Asks Nigerian Secret Police, DSS To Investigate Ex-Chief Of Air Staff, Sadique For Allegedly Recruit ‘1000 Militants, Political Thugs’ Ahead Bauchi Governorship Election

The Human Rights Advocacy Centre has called on the Department of States Services to investigate the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Bauchi State, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar (rtd) over alleged link to insecurity in the state. A security signal seen by SaharaReporters during the weekend had shown how Sadique and his party recruited 1,000 militants and political thugs ahead of the 2023 election in the state. The move it was gathered was part of the former Air Force Chief and the APC's electioneering strategies to win the 2023 governorship election in the state. A colonel in the army, who spoke on condition of anonymity had told SaharaReporters that Sadique and APC recruited “over 1000 foot soldiers with arms to destabilise parts of the state perceived as opposition’s stronghold.”   “It has been a scary situation in Bauchi state since Sadique Abubakar won the APC ticket.    “There have been sponsored crime and criminality in the state. We have received so many security reports on this issue. Even some of his party members are scared of him.”   An APC member stated that the party is now at the mercy of Sadique as he imposed himself on the party through threats and blackmail of those he perceived as a stumbling block to his governorship ambition.    “I can tell you that what happened in Bauchi state is a case of imposition through threats. The former chief of air staff exhibited a high level of desperation and is willing to crush anyone that stands in his way. Some of the boys he trained and armed while in office brandished sophisticated weapons at the slightest opportunity, even in the full glare of security operatives,” he said. Reacting, Human Rights Advocacy Centre in a letter signed by its convener, Comrade Ajibade Moses Adebayo and addressed to the Director-General of the secret police called for Sadique’s investigation. The centre said its position was hinged on the APC guber candidate’s “blatant and arrogant display of power and affluence with known supporters of his oppressing and coercing citizens into submission to his whims and caprices”. It confirmed that the former Chief of Air Staff has equipped a militia group to oppress dissenting voices opposed to him. The human rights group cited how Sadique was reported to have blackmailed his fellow aspirants before the party’s primaries, adding that those against his ambition were visited with violence. “The state is now surrounded by groups believed to be offspring of the dreaded Boko Haram group. These groups operate at the behest of Abubakar. They are also well-armed and sometimes adorn military camouflage in their various operations in wrecking havoc on commmunities and settlements all to coerce these settlements into submission and acceptance of his gubernatorial ambition,” it said. “It is therefore curios that the APC has not known peace since Abubakar won the party’s nomination. As a fact, his supposed victory was celebrated with sporadic gunshots in different parts of the state. “Even in his convoy, it is common to see gun-touting individuals that are not known security operatives operating freely in the full glare of the general public. And they bear every resemblance to the Boko Haram terrorist group in their dressing and operational pickup vehicles with suggestive Arabic inscriptions. “It is indeed a dire situation and Abubakar and his cronies have instituted a reign of terror in different parts of the state through covert sponsorship of the operation of the terror groups. The various indices point in the direction of Air Marshal Abubakar as sponsor of the renewed spate of insecurity in the state”. The centre, therefore, charged the DSS to investigate the former CAS to ascertain his complicity and culpability in the recent surge in insecurity in Bauchi. “We fear that if the situation is allowed to fester, Bauchi might erupt in violence and become the new operational headquarters for terrorist groups,” the centre added. “It is our prayer that in the event that Abubakar is found guilty, he should be made to face the full wrath of the law. Bauchi is bleeding at the moment”.

*North-central APC stakeholders, supporters storm Villa, want Tinubu’s DGship swapped with VP candidate

Thousands of protesters from the six north-central states, including the Federal Capital Territory, on Tuesday, stormed the Presidential Villa to oppose the All Progressives Congress choice of Governor Simon Lalong as presidential campaign Director General. The protesters, who came in buses from Ilorin, Makurdi, Lafia, Minna, Jos and other cities, gathered in their numbers in Abuja to demand that the party swaps its vice-presidential candidacy with the DG position given to the geopolitical zone. Under the aegis of the APC North-Central Youths and Women Forum, they converged at the Unity Fountain before proceeding to the entrance of the Villa to deliver a letter of appeal and protest to President Muhammadu Buhari. The letter signed by Dauda Yakubu and 70 other stakeholders representing Benue, Nasarawa, Niger, Kogi, Plateau and the FCT was titled ‘Give Us Vice-Presidential Candidate And Take The Director-General, APC Presidential Campaign’. According to the APC faithful, the region has contributed its quota to the party’s successes in recent times and should be compensated with the VP position. In particular, they agreed that a Christian from the north-central is best suited for the role in the spirit of equity, fairness and inclusivity. “The APC stakeholders and supporters across the six north central states including the FCT are constrained to write this open letter to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, “ the letter reads in part. “We are worried that the various indices at play with our great party do not suggest that the Christians from Northern Nigeria are considered in the party’s scheme of things. “We are also worried that since the race for the vice-presidential candidate of our great party began, as stakeholders of the party in the north-central, we have made representations on why the party should nominate a Christian from the North Central as VP candidate of the party. “As concerned stakeholders of the party in north central, we feel humiliated by the actions of the party’s leadership in recent times which doesn’t demonstrate ethnic and religious inclusion. “We consequently feel that the appointment of Governor Lalong as DG of the presidential campaign council is an insult to our collective sensibilities as a devoted party faithful in the north central. “Mr President may wish to recall that in the annals of the party, the north central zone has demonstrated an unalloyed commitment to the growth and development of the party. But what has the north central received in return? “Mr President, we came from near and far to witness first-hand the news making the rounds that you indeed sanctioned the Muslim-Muslim ticket of our party. There have also been insinuations that the vice presidential ticket was not given to a Christian because you supported it. “Mr President we know you are an advocate of unity, ethnic and religious inclusion. But again, we are short of words with the news making the rounds. Hence this open letter in a protest March to hear from you that you were indeed in support of a Muslim-Muslim ticket. “This is on the heels that as stakeholders of our great party, we have consistently advocated for Lalong as the party’s VP candidate because he posses all the necessary qualities. But to our dismay, he was appointed DG. “Mr President, so many questions are left unanswered in our minds regarding the position of the party in the interest of Northern Christians. If a Northern Christian is good to be campaign DG, why then is a Northern Christian not good enough to be nominated VP candidate of our great party? “Mr President, it is our considered opinion that the lines are not connecting for stakeholders of the party in north central. And consequently we demand explanation as to why our interests have jesttisined using a yardstick that defeats common sense. “Mr President, your fathermy disposition to all regardless of ethnic or religious affiliations has never been in doubt. You have been a great source of strength and support to all and it is on record that you have treated all in the same manner since you assumed leadership of our great country. “We know you can’t be a part of religious exclusion under any circumstance. Hence, our presence here in Abuja through this peaceful protest is to hear if you support a Muslim-Muslim ticket”. The APC stakeholders, therefore, made the following demands to the president; “That a northern Christian is considered as the vice presidential candidate of our great party. “That the north central zone deserves to be considered giving the prevailing circumstances and the strategic importance of the zone in the affairs of the country. “The party leadership should invoke an emergency meeting to reflect the wishes and interests of northern Christians in the composition of the presidential team of the party for the 2023 general elections”.