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PDP minority caucus asks Buhari to sign electoral act without delay
***decries excessive loans, says APC has sold Nigeria to China
The minority caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the National Assembly has demanded that President Muhammadu signed the reworked electoral act into law without further delay
The Caucus also berated the All Progressives Congress (APC) for setting up 133- member campaign committee inclusive of 16 serving governors for the forthcoming Area Councils Election in FCT.
The leader of the caucus who is also the senate minority leader senator Enyinaya Abaribe and his counterpart in the House of representatives Honorable Ndidi Elumelu gave the indication on Tuesday during the caucus meeting with the PDP Board of Trustees.
According to Abaribe, “We are asking President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the electoral act which we have passed. We made sure that everything he complained about we have given it to him.”
“The President in rejecting the earlier one transmitted to him in November last year, said indirect and consensus mode of primary elections were added to the new one as requested by President Buhari .
“Now that we have bent backwards, no any excuse or reason should be given again. Provisions of the bill are very critical for expected credibility of the 2023 general elections ” , he said.
Honorable Elumelu during a vote of thanks alleged that some APC Governors are again plotting to stop President Muhammadu Buhari from assenting to the reworked electoral act.
“They said they wanted direct primaries, we said if it would mean giving Nigeriand a very sound electoral reform we accept, they came back again they said oh we have rejected it. They are the ones rejecting.
“They say okay, they want Indirect we say we agree but give Nigerians electoral reform. They came back again and said they want consensus, we have given them consensus, we have given them consensus again I am hearing that among them, those APC Governors are still plotting for the President not to sign the act
The Clerk to the National Assembly Mr. Olatunde Amos Ojo had on Monday, transmitted the authenticated copies of the Electoral Bill 2022 to President Muhammadu Buhari .
This was done in accordance with the provisions of Section 58 (3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and the Acts Authentication Act Cap. A2 LFN 2004.
Mr. President had withheld assent to the Electoral Bill 2021 transmitted to him on 19th November 2021. The Electoral Bill was thereafter reworked by the National Assembly and both the Senate and the House of Representatives passed same on 25th January 2022.
For constituting 133- member campaign committee inclusive of 16 serving governors for the forthcoming Area Councils Election in FCT Elumelu berated the ruling APC.
“Let me say that, It is disheartening that APC, for just a small council election they have turned it to a battle ground
“Even those who could not win their polling units are finding themselves in FCT instead of administering their States, they have abandoned their states for just FCT council election.”
He reminded the ruling APC that in the last election the president lost his unit in the villa. “So I wonder why all of them are battling to come and take what they know they can never get, the FCT area Council election.”
“Let me also state that we are not like APC. Let me thank the BOT for finding it worthy to come and interact with us. We can never be like them. “They have promised Nigerians so many things: N1 to $1 today it is N596 to a Dollar. They have Promised Nigeria that farmers would be able to go to farm and produce good food for us.
“Today no farmer to go to the various farms because of insecurity. They have promised Nigerians that they will give us good roads but today go to the Airport you see crowds because we don’t have good roads.
“The legacy left by PDP government is still what we are enjoying today because of failed promises by APC. “They are trying to mugage the future of our children by trying to get China to colonise us. Loan, Loan, Loan. APC is known for loan taking and that is very bad.
“The PDP BOT coming here to interact with us is something that a focused party can do. APC can’t do it, they set out to elect State officers they succeeded in electing 92 chairmen.
“They have not reconciled them in 36 States plus FCT and they said they are going to do convention. Let me take Kano for example, Ganduje is leading some, Shelarau is leading some so I wonder which people are coming for the convention.
“It is going to be another promise like N$ to N1 and we can go on and on, we are not like them who will go to United Nation and lie that they have built specialists hospitals in 36 States, you know that it is a lie. “But for the President of Nigeria to get there and say such a thing, it is a big shame. We can also go on and on and we will not leave here.
“Let me tell the BOT that the two chambers PDP caucuses are doing very well
“Nigerians are tired of APC, so for coming here we are proud of you people. Your coming has further energized us to know that we are doing the right thing and we will never let you people down
He however sent a strong message to the PDP not to impose candidates
“Please tell our party, that this is the time that we should imbibe true democracy and there must be transparency in all the primaries that we are going to organise, let the popular people be chosen.
“The issue of imposition should be shunned by our party. This is what my colleagues asked me to tell you.”
As the PDP caucus was holding meeting with it’s BOT, the APC caucus also met but in closed door.
However, when their meeting ended they failed to address the media
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has clinched the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket as the candidate of the party for the forthcoming November 16 governorship election in the state by sefeating fifteen other aspirants in a landslide victory
The Chairman of the Governorship Primary Election Committee and Governor of Kogi State, Ahmed Ododo, made the declaration on Monday morning in Akure, the state capital.
Ododo said Aiyedatiwa clinched the APC ticket with a total of 48,569 votes followed by his closest rival, Mayowa Akinfolarin, who trailed behind with 15,343 votes, while Chief Olusola Oke secured the third position with 14,865 votes.
Below is a breakdown of the final results of the election.
Total number of voters – 117922
Total number of accredited voters – 95,178
Total votes cast – 95178
Invalid – Nil
Jimi Odimayo – 490
Omogoroye Judith – 115
Lucky Aiyedatiwa – 48,569
Isaacs Kekemeke – 1045
Soji Ehinlanwo – 492
Olugbenga Edema – 395
Jimoh lbrahim – 9456
Adekojo Funmilayo – 529
Akinfolarin Samuel – – 15343
Wale Akinterinwa – 1952
Olusola Oke – 14,915
Olamide Ohunyeye – 424
Morayo Lebi – 290
Diran lyantan – 348
Prof Dayo Faduyile – 353
Ife Oyedele – 462
1: Ilaje LG
Lucky Aiyedatiwa 2,485
Wale Akinterinwa. 26
Olusola Oke. 2,511
Jimoh Ibrahim 589
2: Ile Oluji/Okeigbo
Jimoh Ibrahim: 282
AIYEDATIWA: 1225
WA: 474
3: Ondo West LG
Jimoh Ibrahim: 2668
Aiyedatiwa: 10610
4: Ese Odo LG
Aiyedatiwa – 298
Akinterinwa – 0
Oke – 147
Jimoh Ibrahim – 174
5: Owo LG
Aiyedatiwa – 2,123
Akinterinwa – 345
Oke – 225
Jimoh Ibrahim – 192
6: Idanre LG
Aiyedatiwa – 1, 579
Akinterinwa – 119
Oke – 225
Jimoh Ibrahim – 120
7: AKOKO NORTH EAST LG
Aiyedatiwa 1, 664
Akinterinwa 135
Oke 138
Jimoh Ibrahim 505
8: AKOKO NORTH WEST LG
Aiyedatiwa 5, 430
Akinterinwa 198
Oke 2, 721
Jimoh Ibrahim 728
9: AKOKO SOUTH EAST LG
Aiyedatiwa 2, 533
Akinterinwa 43
Oke 391
Jimoh Ibrahim 67
10: AKOKO SOUTH WEST LG
Aiyedatiwa – 2, 747
Akinterinwa – 272
Oke – 415
Jimoh Ibrahim – 466
11: No results for IFEDORE LGA due to alleged violence
12: OSE LGA
Aiyedatiwa 1, 091
Akinterinwa 39
Oke 800
Jimoh Ibrahim 267
13: IRELE LG
Aiyedatiwa 1, 203
Akinterinwa 15
Oke 93
Jimoh Ibrahim 139
14: ODIGBO LG
Aiyedatiwa 2, 631
Akinterinwa 114
Oke 138
Jimoh Ibrahim 845
15: AKURE NORTH LG
Aiyedatiwa 2, 860
Akinterinwa 177
Oke 1, 239
Jimoh Ibrahim 1, 606
16: AKURE SOUTH LG
Aiyedatiwa 3, 265
Akinterinwa 86
Oke 328
Jimoh Ibrahim 294
17 OKITIPUPA LG
Aiyedatiwa 1, 622
Akinterinwa 27
Oke 1, 571
Jimoh Ibrahim 109
18: ONDO EAST LG
Aiyedatiwa 4, 803
Akinterinwa 141
Oke 1, 171
Jimoh Ibrahim 406
Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State and chairman of the Ondo State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election committee has applauded stakeholders and members of the party in the state for their orderly conduct and massive turnout during the direct primary election in the state.
Special Adviser on Media to the Governor Ismaila Isah in a statement quoted the Governor to have given the commendation while receiving reports from members of the APC Governorship Primary Election committee, security agencies and other stakeholders who monitored the conduct of the election in different parts of the 18 local government areas in the state.
According to the Governor
“I have received reports from our committee members and security agencies as well as NGOs monitoring the election including video footages and I can say that the process has been transparent and we are going to produce a candidate that will unify the APC ahead of the November, 2024 governorship election in the state.”
Responding to questions over delay in arrival of materials in some wards and local government areas, Governor Ododo said he was certain that the delay has no adverse effect on the conduct of the primary election.
The Kogi State Governor also expressed confidence that concerns noticed in the revalidated membership list would not have any major impact on the outcome of the primary election, stressing that the committee is well guided by the APC guidelines for the nomination of candidates for general elections and relevant provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.
Governor Ododo called on the aspirants and their supporters to see the primary election as a contest among brothers and sisters in one family seeking to make the family better as candidate of the party in the November, 2024 Governorship election in Ondo State.
The Peter Obi Media Reach (POMR), has alerted the public of a fresh plot to blackmail the 2023 Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi by linking him to frivolous, malicious and unsubstantiated allegations of indulging in religious politics.
A statement which was signed POMR spokesperson, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, said he is aware that some persons operating under the guise of civil society, and non-governmental organizations but acting at the behest of some powerful political interests have been deployed to petition and accuse Peter Obi of playing religious politics.
“The motifs is to malign Mr Obi’s purely altruistic motives in supporting underprivileged Nigerians of all faiths. The ploy is to erroneously claim that he goes to religious places to carry out political campaigns off-season.
“We should ordinarily ignore such mischievous ploys as they are only intended to distract attention from Mr Obi’s patriotic and compassionate position.
according to the statement, For the avoidance of doubt and the protection of the gullible in our midst, it has become imperative to restate the truth and the facts.
“Peter Obi understands fully the constitutional dictates of separation of church/mosque and state and that Nigeria is an undisputed secular state.
“Nonetheless, his primary concern in and out of public office has always been to pursue the welfare of the underprivileged in society whom he believes should have a better life given the abundant human and natural resources bestowed on this country by God.
“The organizations that oversee the two dominant religions in the country, Islam and Christianity by their doctrines and concepts of charity are closer to the poor in our midst and naturally attract the generosity of kind hearts like Mr. Peter Obi.
“Peter Obi’s visit to Churches and Mosques is purely prompted by his urge to help the less privileged and has nothing to do with political campaigns.
“In these places, Obi had given messages of hope to lift the spirit of the downtrodden. He hastily and never talked about politics, abused anybody or indulged in name-calling.
“For instance during the Ramadan period, Obi visited some praying centres in the North and South breaking fast with Muslim faiths and dolling some items to help ameliorate their sufferings and even went further to provide basic amenities such as water in some communities.
Similarly, he also visited some churches during the Christian Holy Week and celebrated Easter with prisoners and in all he delivered a message of hope to the people.
What remains an undisputed fact, is that Peter Obi’s charity work predates politics and he would never be intimidated to change this personal disposition, which he believes is an assignment for him from his creator.
We, therefore, urge the public to ignore any insinuations of co-mingling politics and religion; and see them as a grand design to limit Mr. Obi’s freedom of movement and citizenship welfare action.
“Narrow-minded political agents are only embarrassed that Mr Obi’s transparent patriotism and compassionate commitment to the common good of all Nigerians have been self-evident.
Through these visits and acts of undivided fellowship with all Nigerians, Mr. Obi Has come across as Nigeria’s foremost patriot and change agent.
“His visits to the places where Nigerians feel the hurt, he is exposing the enormity of unmet needs and unfulfilled promises across the nation as well as the acute failure of our selfish national elite in addressing proactively the needs of the underprivileged in our society.
“Obi’s preoccupation now is with the poor not politics”
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