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Obi knocks Tinubu over outlandish motorcade, asks him to lead by example

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The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 Presidential election, Peter Obi, has reacted to the viral video of the long convoy of President Bola Tinubu in Lagos on Wednesday, indicating that leaders who ask followers to sacrifice for a better Nigeria must also lead by example.

Obi spoke against the background of the outrage being expressed by Nigerians over the outlandish display of power by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu during a recent visit to Lagos State.

He spoke on Thursday at St Faith Cathedral, Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion, Awka, during the burial Mass of the late Dean Emeritus of the Church of Nigeria, the Most Reverend Maxwell Anikwenwa, who died at 83.

According to him, there was a need to cut down on the cost of governance, which has always been his position about governance.

Obi, who said he had not seen the viral video of the motorcade, spoke like many other critics of the president on the same matter, describing it as absurd

He said: “I have not seen the video you talked about, but let me tell you what I have always said: that present Nigeria requires that all those who serve and lead must do so by example.

“The behavior, character, and public conduct of those who serve must be in consonance with what society requires today. You can not continue to preach to the people to sacrifice without sacrificing.

“The sacrifice must start with the leaders, visibly, measurably at all times, because the people are suffering and we must all be at the forefront of the suffering.”

Obi, while speaking on the life of the late Archbishop Anikwenwa, said: “He is not just a pastor of God, but a great Nigerian who contributed to this country beyond his pastoral work in building a better Nigeria.

“He is involved in advocating for a better Nigeria, good governance, and others. He was a great Nigerian and a great Igbo man, and I am not surprised about the number of people at [this] burial ceremony today.”

A statement from the Obi-Datti media organization, which was signed by Diran Onifade, pointed out that not since the creation of Nigeria by the British has such mindless and embarrassing exhibition been purveyed by a politician. 

“Not even the military known for their brash and unbridled display of raw naked power dared to exhibit such recklessness.

“The present Nigeria requires that all those who serve and lead must do so by example. Their behavior and their public conduct must be in consonance with what society requires today. 

“We can not continue to preach for the people to sacrifice without sacrificing, too. The sacrifice must now start from the leaders, visibly, measurably at all times because the people are suffering; and we must now be at the forefront of the suffering”, Obi said.

Obi’s call for sacrifice by Nigerian leaders is coming about two weeks after Asiwaju Tinubu in a Democracy Day address on June 12, 2023, called on Nigerians to sacrifice more in the wake of the removal of subsidy on petrol by the federal government, which had not only pushed the cost of petrol up but had equally led to skyrocketing  prices of goods and services.

“The Obi-Datti Media like millions of Nigerians whose sense of decency have been affronted by Asiwaju Tinubu’s unbridled tendency to flaunt power and position, joins our presidential candidate in pointing the hypocrisy inherent in Tinubu’s action. 

“For a man who promised to cut the cost of governance to be moving around with an over-bloated convoy of security details and aides, surely speaks volumes of his “do what I say and not what I do” attitude.

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Group tells NNPP to Stop intimidating judges, prepare for another election in 4 years

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A group under the aegis of Stand Up Nigeria (SUN) has asked the leadership of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and the sacked government of Kano state to prepare for another election in the next four years instead of intimidating the judiciary.

It made the called on Saturday at a press conference in Abuja, following the recent attacks on the judiciary before and after the verdict by the Tribunal sacking Governor Abba Yusuf in Kano state.

National Coordinator of the group, Patriot Sunday Attah applauded the Honourable Justices of the Kano State Governorship election petition tribunal who delivered what he described as “a bold and sound judgement that sacked Engr Abba Kabir Yusuf and declared Dr. Nasir Gawuna as the elected Governor of Kano State.”

The group made up of patriotic Nigerian youths across political parties and ethnic groups who believe in peaceful co-existence, rule of law and institutional governance.

According to Attah, the judgement serves as deterrent to politicians who float electoral laws and make elections do or die affair. We had warn politicians severally to discourage their supporters from rigging and violence during elections as democracy is the government of the people by the people for the people.

He said: “You don’t have to intimidate the judiciary or cause war because you loose an election. The tenure is four years after which a fresh elections would be conducted.

“You may prepare yourself to contest again instead of sponsoring people to blackmail highly respected Justices of the election petition tribunal and intimidate the Appeal Court Judges all in a bid to reverse a sound judgement already delivered.

“We understand that, Kano has an International market which makes it a home to all Nigerians irrespective of religion and tribe. Kano indigenes are also scattered in other States of the Federation without fear of molestation. No one has monopoly of violence.

“The Judges must be encourage and supported by all Nigerians as they deliver more critical judgements that would strengthen our democracy.

“The NNPP and it’s government must come out openly to retract its violent threat being issued by its supporters including a Commissioner under Engr Abba Kabir Yusuf.

“Here is a man ordinarily referred to as Honourable Commissioner, so, where is the Honourable? . It shows how deep the NNPP must have gone in term of intimidation of judicial officers in secret before it was made public.

“We believe that the intimidation and threat being mounted are targeted towards the Apeal Court judges in order to bully them.

“We urged our Honourable Justices of the Appeal Court to to scumble to their antic but always stand on the part of justice. We have offered to stand by the judiciary and help protect the institution once it continue to maintains the part of justice.”

While recalling similar judgement in the case of Edo State election petition tribunal tat nullified the election of Senator Osunbor of the Peoples Democratic Party and declared Adams Oshiomhole of the Action Congress of Nigeria, winner, Attah said: “We condenm the leadership of the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP who have being threatening the judges and general peace of Kano State using its supporters, to understand that, trying to intimidate the judiciary in order to force the Judges to their side would amount to miscarriage of justice.”

The group thanked President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for providing enabling environment for the judiciary to operate without interference.p2
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1,000 PDP Members Join APC In Bassa As Adakeke lauds Bello

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By Ishaq Dan-Imam, Lokoja

A Frontline member of PDP in Bassa local government area of Kogi state, from Kpata Ward, Alhaji Alhassan Seidu Agbem, an Abuja-based business man and philanthropist, has led 1,000 PDP members and followers to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the area.

The philanthropist, a top notcher of the PDP in Bassa local government area, Seidu Agbem, announced the defection of over 1,000 members and supporters of the PDP to APC at a defection ceremony held at Gboloko, under the influence of Hon. Alhassan Salisu Adakeke.
I what seemed like a last-minute drive for a sweeping electoral victory there an aggressive mobilization of PDP members in Bassa local government for the APC.

Agbem, disclosed that he was moving into APC to complement the campaign efforts of Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello who in his words, “runs a youth inclusive government with gender sensitive policy direction.

Agbem said Governor Bello’s effort at promotion of youth inclusiveness and enhanced women participation in governance was commendable and should be encouraged for sustainability, progress and development.

The maverick politician said he and his supporters were desirous of APC victory and ready to put in all resources to insure victory for the APC.

Receiving the defectors, the Bassa local government party chairman of APC, Hon. Abdulmumin Umar, expressed happiness on the decision of the PDP members to join the APC. Abdulmumin said the APC as a party was opened to all Nigerians as every citizen is free to come into the party with hope and higher prospect of achieving self-esteem, personal development, Community transformation as well as prosperity and good governance. Umar said the decampees now have equal rights and opportunities in political participation in all the activities of the party.

In his contribution, the Special adviser to the Governor on Primary health care services, Hon. Adakeke, commended the wisdom of the defectors he described as game changers and influencers whose political movement to APC means a lot to the APC family in Bassa and the state at large.
He added that the defectors had swiftly collapsed the PDP structure into the winning structure of the APC. He also commended the decampees for appreciating and associating with the good work of governor Bello in the state.

He appealed to the youth of Bassa LGA and Kogi state to key into the development agenda for a consolidated democracy in the state.

The special adviser further indicated that APC had won the presidential, national assembly and state house of assembly elections on a clean slate and is obviously prepared to win the November 11 Governorship elections with convincing victory.

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Ododo/Oyibo campaign in harvest of decampees as NNPP reps candidate, Amanabo Joins APC with Supporters

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****collapses structure for APC

Ahead of the November 11th, 2023 governorship election in Kogi State, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has recieved thousands of decampees from the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP).

The House of Representatives candidate of the NNPP for Ofu/Idah, Igalamela-Odolu/Ibaji Federal Constituency of Kogi State, Egbunu Yusuf Amanabo dumped the party along with supporters to join the ruling APC


Speaking shortly after a closed door meeting with Governor Yahaya Bello and the deputy Governorship Candidate of the APC, Joel Oyibo indicated that he will collapse all his structure in the four Local Governmemt of Ofu, Idah, Igalamela-Odolu and Ibaji for the Ododo/Oyibo campaign organization.
“I have collapsed my structure all through the four Local Government Councils that make up the Federal Constituency to support the APC candidate and his running mate.


Amanabo who also met with the State APC chairman honorable Abdullahi Bello and Women Leader Hajia Hauwa, said, he has officially joined the APC to propel the campaign for the victory of Ododo/Oyibo ticket.
He expressed his admiration for Governor Bello and his style of leadership that is devoid of tribalism and commitment to all inclusive governance and unity of the State.


“From my view, Bello is a dogged leader who is not tribalistic but carries everybody along.
“Flowing from Bello’s open door policy in governance and all inclusive government the APC is poised to winning the next election in November.”
Amanabo indicated that he had been in the opposition for almost a decade adding that each time he deployed personal resources for his campaigns and mobilization.
He added that it is time for him to play the mainstream politics.


He also expressed fulfillment that the APC is not just a ruling party this time around but with a President like Bola Tinubu who has the knack for developments, saying that soon Nigeria will reach its eldorado.

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