Southwest

APC mobilises voters

The All Progressives Congress in the Southwest region has begun mobilisation of voters for governorship and state House of Assemblies candidates in the region ahead of this Saturday’s elections.

It asked the people of Southwest geo-political zone to ensure the candidates on the party’s platform emerged victorious.

The Southwest APC urged the people of Ogun, Lagos and Oyo states to vote massively for the APC in the governorship/Assembly polls while the electorate in Ondo, Ekiti and Osun States should support APC assembly candidates.

National Vice Chairman (South-West) of the APC, Hon Issacs Kekemeke, who spoke in a press statement issued in Akure, urged the people to extend the love they have for Tinubu to other candidates in the March 11 governorship and Assembly polls.

Kekemeke, a former Ondo State SSG and pioneer Board Chairman of National Examination Council (NECO), assured that the Southwest region would benefit from Tinubu’s presidency when they use their votes to install APC governors and state lawmakers in their respective states.

Oyo

Why LP is backing Makinde, by House of Rep candidate

Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Ibadan North Constituency in the recent National Assembly elections, Femi Dexter Akin-Alamu, said yesteray that the party decided to support the re-election bid of Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State for the March 11 governorship election.

He said that the leadership of the party is of the view that the governor has shown capacity to lead Oyo State to greater heights.

Akin-Alamu, in a statement in Ibadan, said that the governor has shown vision and the desire to engineer a modern Oyo State, adding that leaders of the Labour Party have seen that the governor’s vision tallies with their aspirations for the state.

He said: “After many thoughts, prayers and consultation with the leadership of the Labour Party in the state, I, together with other leaders of the Labour Party in Oyo State have decided to give our full and unreserved support to the person that we believe stands way above others in our assessment.

“We cannot preach a different gospel when it seems not to favour the candidate of our party. Party loyalty cannot be put above public good.”

He said that the leadership of LP had met with the party’s gubernatorial candidate for a review after the presidential election and arrived at the realisation that it was better to support the re-election bid of Governor Makinde.

He added: “I saw the need to meet with the governorship candidate of the Labour Party so as to understand his plans, vision and strategy in order to arm my convictions about his candidature so that we can go to work.

Before I could make this happen, I was invited to a meeting of all candidates and state EXCO on Wednesday and was told by the chairman that the meeting was put together to review the February 25 Elections and hear from the governorship candidate about his plans for the March 11 elections.

“At the meeting, it was acknowledged that the Labour Party indeed has great opportunities, but those opportunities must be maximized. “Since a lot of people have accused our gubernatorial candidate of doing almost nothing to win his election, he was requested to tell the assembly his plans, vision, strategy and budget for the election. He was also requested to tell how much he had to spend for the elections and if there was any shortfall between his budget and how much he had.

“The assembly wanted to know his strategy to raise the shortfall.

“Unfortunately, the gubernatorial candidate was upset about the questions, and he thought the best thing to do was walk out on everyone.

“When he left, the state EXCO reached a unanimous decision that the gubernatorial candidate lacked the seriousness, commitment, and capacity required to win the election and the party should therefore find another gubernatorial candidate from another party to support.

Lagos Accord denies collapsing structure

The Lagos State chapter of Accord Party has dismissed rumours making the rounds that the party plans to go into alliance with another party.

In a statement by its Chairman, Ola Beckley and the D.G, Accord Lagos Campaign Council, Comr, Lanre Ogundare, the party urged the public to dismiss the rumours, insisting that it is fielding a candidate for the March 11 elections in the person of Hakeem Olaogun Dickson.

“We want to reiterate that, Accord Lagos, under the amiable chairmanship of J. Ola Beckley is fielding a candidate for the March 11 elections in the person of Hakeem Olaogun Dickson.”

“We have campaigned and toured the length and breadth of Lagos presenting our manifesto to residents and electorate in Lagos State, we are committed to a better Lagos, a working and functional Lagos and a Lagos for all.”

“Considering the foregoing, we have not formed an alliance with ANY political party and not in talk with one at present, but we are resolute in making Lagos State great again.”

“We are open for discussion, possible alliance with clear direction of Lagos first, alignments and realignments. “

Delta

We have no business with Okowa, says LP

The Labour Party (LP) in Delta has urged members of the party in the state to discountenance reported alliance between it and the incumbent governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

Its Chairman Chief Tony Ezeagwu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview on Monday in Asaba that there is no iota of truth in the rumours.

He said that the party and its teeming supporters in the state remained resolute in their determination to win the governorship election come March 11 and would never divert its support to any other party.

“The Labour Party in Delta held a meeting yesterday where we discussed the rumour making the rounds that our party’s candidate, Ken Pela, is a stooge to Gov. Okowa.

“It is also rumoured that I have been settled with one million naira to surrender our support to the PDP.

“However, I want the general public to know that the Labour Party in Delta has no business with Gov. Okowa, the PDP or any other party in the state.

“As a party, we have not discussed anything of such with Okowa. We have not even held any meeting with him and we don’t intend to do so”, Ezeagwu said.

Kwara

SDP dismisses ‘merger’ with PDP

The Social Democratic Party (SPD) has foreclosed any alliance with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other opposition parties ahead of Saturday’s governorship/House of Assembly election in Kwara state.

The PDP at the weekend asserted that it had concluded merger talks with other opposition parties to dislodge the All Progressives Congress (APC) government in the state.

Speaking with reporters after a meeting with SDP leaders and supporters in Ilorin yesterday, the party’s presidential candidate in the February 25, 2023 elections, Prince Adewole Adebayo, said that the SDP is in the race to win elections, “not only in Kwara State, but across the country.

“Next election is for the SDP to win. With our unity, coupled with our handwork, we can move mountains. March 11 will mean victory for us”.

The SDP chairman in the state, Alhaji AbdulAziz Adebayo, also corroborated the presidential candidate and the state’s gubernatorial candidate on the merger issue, saying the SDP was not contemplating any alliance with any party ahead of the gubernatorial poll.

Cross River

PFN splits over endorsement of PDP’s candidate

Division has hit the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Cross River State chapter over endorsement of Sen. Sandy Onor, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Saturday’s governorship election.

While the leadership of the group said it is backing Onor, an official of the PFN, said discountenanced the purported support.

In an interactive session with reporters in Calabar on Monday, the group announced its decision to back Onor’s governorship bid.

In their endorsement statement, jointly signed by Lawrence Ekwok, PFN Chairman, Apostle Frank Umo, PFN-CRS General Secretary and Pastor Kyrian Ojong, State Director, Politics and Good Governance (DPG), the PFN State chapter noted that their decision was devoid of any selfish interest or any form of influence, rather it is taken in the overall interest of Cross River State.

But, the National Publicity Secretary of PFN, Bishop Emma Isong, who is the General Overseer of Christian Central Chapel International with headquarters in Calabar, said he was not part of the deal.

His words: “Even though I never heard of this decision nor was I ever consulted. My advice is that it is very important we tread very cautiously on this and other political matters else we shall be seen as being partisan and lose our roles as Spiritual Fathers and Mentors.”

LAGOS

I’m not stepping down for anybody, says AA candidate

The Lagos State governorship candidate of Action Alliance (AA), Mr. Tope Balogun, on Monday, said it was untrue that he had stepped down his ambition to support the re-election of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The 40-year-old computer scientist and IT expert told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that he was determined to beat Sanwo-Olu in Saturday’s Governorship and House of Assembly elections.

Balogun said: “I don’t know why this lie from the pit of hell has spread so much. I am really surprised that people can give in to such fallacies.

“I am a man of principle and I have my integrity. I am having a reason for contesting this election.

According to him, so many people have done a whole lot in the past years for the contest.

“I cannot trade them (his supporters) off for my personal gain. If they give me commissioner as reward for stepping down, it will be selfishness on my part.

“This is what so many politicians that lack principle will do, but I am an ideological politician. I am all about the masses and I am not going to step down for anybody.

“I am not stepping down now and I am not ready to step down before Saturday.

Ogun

Accord Party adopts Adebutu

Accord Party (AP) in Ogun State yesterday in Abeokuta adopted Mr. Ladi Adebutu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as its candidate for the March 11 governorship election.

AP Chairman in Ogun, Alhaji Tajudeen Olayokun, announced the adoption at a meeting he held with representatives of the party from the 20 local government areas of the state.

Olayokun noted that the decision to support the PDP governorship candidate was because his ideology tallied with AP’s in terms of grassroots and rural development, infrastructure, agriculture and security.

“We are supporting Ladi Adebutu because we believe he is closer to the grassroots; he has an ideology similar to that of the Accord party.

“This adoption has nothing to do with money. We have weighed other governorship candidates and we concluded that he is the best man for the job in terms of capacity building and overall development of Ogun,’’ he said.

Mr Rotimi Oke, governorship candidate of Accord Party noted that the party decided to drum up support for a candidate with competence, character and goodwill in the interest of the citizenry.

Replying, Mr. AbdulKabir Akinlade, deputy governorship candidate of the PDP, noted that the adoption would be a partnership that would further bring development to Ogun.

Cross River

LP: We have no alliance with APC

The Labour Party (LP), yesterday, said that it had no alliance with All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River.

The party said this in a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary in the state, Dr. Lekam Ofem.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state APC Chairman, Mr. Alphonsus Eba, had at a news conference yesterday in Calabar, announced the party’s decision to endorse and adopt LP candidate for Yala State Constituency I, Brian Odey.

Eba had explained that the adoption of the LP candidate followed the Supreme Court’s judgment nullifying the candidacy of Mrs. Regina Anyogo, who was the candidate of APC.

He had said that the alliance was to ensure that supporters of LP reciprocate the gesture by voting for the APC governorship candidate, Sen. Bassey Otu, in the March 11 governorship and House of Assembly elections.

Ofem said that the party’s attention had been drawn to the statement issued by the APC leadership to the effect that LP had collapsed its structure for APC, insisting that his party had no alliance with APC or any other political party.

He said LP had a governorship candidate in the state in person of Mr. Ogar Osim, saying that he was very much in the race.

Delta

PDP leaders endorse Omo-Agege

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has suffered a major setback with the endorsement of All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege by prominent leaders of the PDP under the aegis of Delta Unity Group (DUG).

In a statement signed by its chairman, Board of Trustees and immediate past Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Prof. Patrick Muoboghare, as well as co-conveners, Chiedu Ebie, and Chief Itiako Ikpokpo Monday, DUG charged Deltans, particularly the youths to vote for the APC’s governorship candidate during Saturday’s polls.

According to the statement, the group which comprises “standing, prominent and emergent leaders” of the state PDP chapter drawn from all senatorial zones, federal and state constituencies and local government areas across Delta, reached the decision due to the desire to ensure a “state chief executive possessing the necessary level of intellect, competence and capacity to steer” the administration of the State.

“Going further, we are happy to announce that the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate for the governorship election in Delta State, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has agreed to fully integrate and incorporate the Modernisation Agenda of Olorogun David Edevbie into his Build A New Delta (BAND) governance agenda for Delta State.

Rivers

Cole, Abe, Itubor have nothing to offer, says PDP

The Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has derided the governorship candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tonye Cole; Social Democratic Party (SDP), Magnus Abe; and Labour Party (LP), Beatrice Itubor, saying they have nothing to offer the state.

The party in a statement signed by its Campaign Council’s Director of Publicity, Chief Ogbonna Nwuke, said that the way the governorship candidates of the opposition parties spoke had shown that they had no coherent action plan.

The statement said: “Tonye Cole in the course of the interview admitted that his mass transportation plan will include the monorail rail project on which over N50bn has already been wasted without any positive benefit.

“Rivers people should note that the monorail scheme that they have rejected has been re-conceived by Cole as a new conduit pipe designed to siphon public funds by the leadership of the APC.

On Abe, the statement said: “Senator Abe of the SDP on the other hand could not tell his interviewer and the public how much his educational programme will cost the Rivers people. Statistics for building development programmes are not obtained from budgets. They are obtained from available data gathered through research

“Abe who neither has an economic nor educational team that is planning his programmes displayed through his effort to hide himself behind what he claimed is the non-availability of the Rivers budget that he has no plan for Rivers people except smart and deceptive talk.

“Mrs Beatrice Itubo of the Labour Party who as a governorship candidate refuses to relinquish her position as the State Chairman of the NLC did not show when questioned by Channels that she has any grip of the real issues confronting Rivers State.

Kano

‘We’ll not allow NNPP to rig’

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano state has vowed to withstand any attempt by the opposition New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) to perpetuate any form of electoral malfeasance during the forthcoming gubernatorial and state assembly elections on Saturday.

The state Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Malam Muhammad Garba, who made the assertion in a statement, said the APC was compelled to bring the plan to the attention of the public, “because this could disrupt the governorship and House of Assembly elections.”

He further stated that the state government had received credible information on how thugs will be hired from villages in Kano and beyond to upset the electoral process through violence, massive rigging, box snatching and arson.

The commissioner alleged that this time around, the NNPP was planning to bring chaos through the use of thugs to cause mayhem with a view to dispersing voters at polling units in order to have the opportunity to rig the elections and subvert the will of the people.

Abia

Obi factor won’t affect PDP chances

The Publicity Secretary of the Abia State chapter of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Abraham Amah has dismissed the notion that the wave created by the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi in the recent election will jeopardise the chances of the ruling party in the state in this weekend’s governorship and state House of Assembly elections.

Amah who spoke to reporters at the PDP secretariat in Umuahia, the state capital yesterday said the reason Obi got the number of votes he got in the state was that almost every member voted for the person of Obi against the presidential candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

Amah said the tides would change come Saturday, March 11 as the Obi sentiment would no longer affect the voting pattern, as Abians choose their governorship and House of Assembly candidates.

Amah who is also the PDP vice chairman of Abia North, however, said the party has reached out to candidates of various political parties for a possible alliance.

On the just concluded presidential and National Assembly polls, Abraham said Abia PDP was not happy with the double standards applied by INEC in the conduct of the election in the state, a development that disenfranchised many people.

He said: “The inability of INEC to stick to extant rules and provisions of the New Electoral Act as it concerns senatorial districts in Abia State also calls to question the overall national elections which have been described by many as a charade only fit for the playbook of toddlers in the kindergarten.

“In the past few days within the start of the election, the INEC has engaged in a double-speak that leaves many wondering about their capacity and indeed intentions regarding the conduct of elections in Abia.”

Abraham cautioned Ncheta Omerekpe, a chieftain of Abia State PDP, against his unguided utterances against the party and its governorship candidate and urged Abians to ignore him.

Plateau

‘LP not in alliance with any party

The Plateau State governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Dr. Patrick Dakum has dismissed rumours of merging with other political parties ahead of Saturday’s governorship and state House of Assembly elections.

In a statement by the Director of Media of the Dakum/Pwajok Governorship Campaign Council, Nuhu Gagara said it is a figment of the imagination of the mischief makers.

He called on LP loyalists and Plateau people to disregard such information as it is tantamount to destabilizing the party’s strategy.

The campaign council spokesman said the party has been undaunted by calls that the LP is trying to enter into an alliance with a particular political party in the state.

He said: “This is totally false as the LP is going into the governorship and the House of Assembly elections stronger, better, committed and with the chance of winning resoundingly.

“We are calling on all Obidients, Dakumlated and Edified Supporters to brace up for the March 11, 2023 governorship and House of Assembly elections. It is most laughable, unfair and unpatriotic for rumour mongers to reduce Dr. Patrick Dakum and Edward Pwajok (SAN) as fair-weather politicians, having crisscrossed the entire 17 local governments of Plateau State, spoken to PIDAN, JNI, CAN, professional groups, bodies etc more than any other candidate by insinuating that they will chicken out when there is light at the end of the tunnel.”

He added: “The duo of Dakum/Pwajok and 24 House of Assembly candidates are the best candidates, the most competent, the most experienced and above all, the most loved by the people of Plateau who have been pencilled to win the governorship elections based on the report of credible polling research bodies in the recent past in Nigeria and abroad.”

The media and publicity committee of the Dakum/Pwajok Campaign Council also called on all supporters, lovers and voters of the LP to continue to work assiduously for the success of the governorship flag bearer and all LP candidates across the 24 state constituencies in Saturday’s election.

Kaduna

Eight parties endorse PDP’s Ashiru

No fewer than eight governorship candidates and their political parties have endorsed the governorship candidate of the major opposition party, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Muhammad Isah Ashiru as their consensus candidate in Saturday’s governorship election in Kaduna State.

The governorship candidates are those of the Young Progressive Party (YPP), the Action Alliance (AA), the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM), the Action Peoples’ Party (APP), the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the National Rescue Movement (NRM), the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) and the Action Democratic Party (ADP).

The governorship candidates under the auspices of Rescue and Rebuild Governorship Candidates Forum said their support for Ashiru is total in order to rescue the state from socio-economic hardship imposed by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Addressing supporters of the PDP, the chairman of the Forum, Sanin Yaya said: “Today, we wish to announce our support and loyalty to Isah Muhammad Ashiru Kudan, the candidate of the PDP.

“We took this decision after extensive consultation with our party members as well as the good people of Kaduna State. The decision is bone out of our genuine desire to have one indivisible state, irrespective of tribal or religious differences, and we are confident that Isah Ashiru Kudan is the only candidate that will unify the state.

“This can be seen from the manner of his campaign which is aimed at building Kaduna State, and as well from the selection of his running mate which has given fair representation to both Christians and Muslims who are the two major stakeholders in the state.

“As some desperate politicians have turned the political space into a hub of religious sentiments, Isah Ashiru chose to stand by issue-based campaigns only. We want to use this opportunity to remind the good people of Kaduna State of the hardship and pain inflicted on them by this APC administration, from an unjustified high rate of taxes to authoritative leadership and ego from the increase of school fees to tertiary institutions to unlawful disengagement of teachers, local government staff and the removal of traditional rulers.

“It is on these grounds that we call on our people to stay away from the APC candidate who is only a puppet to his paymaster who will continue with their anti-masses policy in the state.

“On this note; myself, Sanin Yaya, the governorship candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) and the governorship candidates of the AA, the APM, the APP, the APGA and the NRM, as well as the leadership of the Accord Party, the ADP and the ZLP, have today February 6, 2023, wish to endorse Isah Ashiru Kudan, the Sarkin Bai Zazzau and Dr. John Ayuba as our consensus candidates.

“Therefore, we urge the good people of Kaduna State to come out in mass on Saturday to vote for Ashiru/Ayuba for a better Kaduna State.”

(The Nation)

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