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Politics
Suspected thugs attack SDP office in Rivers
By Ikechukwu Okaforadi
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The immediate past governor of Osun State, Adegboyega Oyetola has stated that he has come back to the state to reclaim his mandate stolen by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Oyetola made this known on Monday during an interdenominational prayer session organised by the state’s chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to herald the New Year.
Oyetola who lost July 16, 2022, Osun gubernatorial election also stated that the mandate was freely given to him by God and the people of the state.
While expressing confidence in reclaiming his mandate and leading the APC to victory for Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima in the February 16, 2023, presidential election, he added that the New Year is a year of God’s manifest promises.
Addressing party loyalists, he stated: “I am happy returning home. I wanted to come in gently and unannounced. That was why I didn’t announce my coming, but to my greatest surprise, you were already here in this huge number to welcome me. I thank you all for your undying love and unflinching support.
“God has revealed to us that this year is a year of happiness and unending manifestations. God doesn’t fail His promises. This year is going to be a year of laudable achievements. We are going to reclaim our mandate.
Oyetola, debunking rumours that he will be relocating permanently to Lagos, revealed that he has come back fully.
The former governor who announced the start of campaigns throughout the state called on party members in the state to jettison differences and work together.
He also added that the APC was the party to beat as the nation goes into the general elections in February.
He said: “I am particularly very charged and energized by what I have seen, and I want to assure you that I will lead this party to victory by the grace of God. What I see today shows that victory is assured. Asiwaju is the man, he has no rival. Social media is not the issue. We are talking of people that have demonstrated capabilities. Go to Lagos State and see what he did. Go to Borno and see what his running mate, Shettima did. With Asiwaju/Shettima ticket banditry is over, it is going to be fought with technology.”
While calling on the party members to vote massively for the Tinubu/Shettima APC ticket, he also urged party members to collect their Permanent Voter’s Cards, PVCs, as news of close to a million uncollected PVCs was a source of personal worry to him.
The former governor who gave his farewell address to the residents of the state on November 26, 2022, left the state immediately.
In his absence, the new administration of Ademola Adeleke had alleged several misdemeanours against the Oyetola Administration, including the alleged looting of the government quarters and the taking away of official vehicles by public officials who served in the administration.
In an address to the Osun State Council of Traditional Rulers, Governor Adeleke challenged Oyetola to provide details of the loans he collected on behalf of the state.
L-R: Big Brother Titans CoHost, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu; Head, Product Marketing, Flutterwave, Onyedikachim Nwankwo; Executive Head, Content and Channels West Africa, Dr Busola Tejumola; CEO, Bamboo, Richmond Bassey; and Executive Head of Marketing, MultiChoice Nigeria, TopeOshunkeye at the Big Brother Titan media briefing held in Lagos, yesterday.
2023: Bwala denies claims of 11 APC govs working for Atiku by Afegbua
By Christiana Ekpa
As the 2023 general elections gather momentum, the spokesman for the Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign Council, Daniel Bwala has written off what he described as frivolous claims by Kassim Afegbua, a former Commissioner for Information in Edo State.
According to Bwala on Monday, Afegbua lied about his claims that 11 governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are working underground for Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He said as a spokesperson of the presidential campaign, he would rather not join issues with Afegbua who has no role in the APC campaign activities.
He also took a swipe at Afegbua, describing him as a mercenary hired and paid stipends by the APC for his nuisance value.
Bwala said, “I rather not respond to Afegbua owing to the fact that I consider him quite frankly as a mercenary. A mercenary is someone who is contracted with a stipend to perform specific work”.
Speaking further, he said Afegbua was recently in PDP, where he served as a presidential spokesman but today, where is he now? He is not even a spokesman in the APC presidential campaign. He does not have any designated position. They consider him as a mercenary, they use him for his nuisance value”.
“So, if I a presidential spokesman react to his claims, I will be condescending to his level. We are not on the same level. I will only react to people like Bayo Onanuga, Dele Alake, and Festus Keyamo. These are known spokesmen, not mercenaries like Kassim Afegbua”.
Bwala also stated that he can’t even react to Femi Fani-Kayode. Rather the party will find another person in charge of our social media to react to him.
PAGE 16 POLITICS
2023: Lagos YPP Reps candidate urges INEC to conducts credible election
By Abubakar Yunus
The Young Progressives Party (YPP) candidate for IfakoIjaiye Federal Constituency, Lagos State, Buraimoh Peter Folajimi has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct elections that will be seen as credible and fair in the year 2023.
This was contained in the New Year message of the politician which he signed and made available to journalists in Lagos yesterday.
He also called on politicians in the country to run a peaceful campaign that would be devoid of shedding of blood, noting that no ambition was worth the life of any Nigerian.
The New Year message further read in part, “As we enter a New Year, we give glory, honour and adoration to Olodumare who has kept us to see the end of year 2022 despite all economic and security challenges that we are facing as a nation.
“2023, a year to open another chapter in the history of our great country Nigeria, as to enthroning our leaders that will rule us for another four years has come. While we enter another electioneering moment, we beseech the Independent National Electoral Commission, to conduct a free, credible and fair election.
“Our politicians should endeavor to run a peaceful campaigning atmosphere that is devoid of shedding of blood as no ambition of any politician is worth the the life of any Nigerian.
“Therefore, let the will of the people prevail by allowing them to exercise their franchise on the election day and equally, allow their votes to count as they make decisions in electing who controls their resources for the next four years.”
Wamakko’s nephew, others dump APC for PDP in Sokoto
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Sokoto State on Monday received Zayyanu Wamakko, the nephew of the leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Sen. Aliyu Wamakko (APC, Sokoto North) and hundreds of defectors from other political parties.
Gov. Aminu Tambuwal, who received the defectors, appreciated them for joining the party.
Tambuwal, who is the Director General of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, described PDP as the best choice for Nigerians.
He advised the teeming youths to engage in house-to-house campaigns for more support and keep their Permanent Voter’s Cards, PVCs, safe.
“A PDP government, if elected, has designed workable strategies to end banditry, fight corruption, unemployment, address infrastructural decay and boost the socio-economic life of Nigerians among other issues,” NAN quoted him. (NAN)
Be careful of betrayal by greedy politicians - Cleric cautions LP Candidate, Peter Obi
By Abubakar Yunus
The founder and Senior Pastor at Zion Flames Ministries International (ZFMI), Apostle Promise Momo, has prophesied that Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi should be careful about betrayal in the forthcoming general election by greedy politicians.
This is as he urged Nigerians to pray over the 2023 general elections because there are some powers that do not want it to hold.
Pastor Momo released the prophecies during the church’s crossover service, which took place at the crossover night at the ZFM headquarters on Saturday.
According to him, the Lord said this is our year of Supernatural growth, believers should endeavour to seek growth spiritually and in every area of their life.
“Concerning the general elections in Nigeria, the Lord said there are people who have betrayed Nigerans and have sold their conscience just because of what they will eat. Peter Obi be careful of betrayal.
“I saw two parties joining forces together to weaken another, one of the candidates will indirectly work for another and I saw a spirit of death on a former head of state, pray for a former head of state.
“God said he is releasing vengeance upon some of the enemies of Nigeria, there will be strange deaths of prominent people who sow seeds of discord in this nation,’’ he said.
While Speaking in Africa, he said I saw Liberia, and I saw a great giant come out of this nation to kill people in other African nations again.
He said “There will be more police civilian riots in some African countries at a very high scale.
“South Africa is going to be pressured to sign a bill into law by the west, if they do there will be consequences, the Lord will execute judgment on the leaders but the citizens will suffer.
PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2023 PAGE 17 POLITICS
2023 polls, a choice between Nigeria’s recovery or decline, says Atiku
By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja
Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has described this year’s general elections as a choice between Nigeria’s recovery and decline.
Atiku however assured that if elected as the next President of the country, he and his supporters shall work together to recover Nigeria so that all Nigerians can enjoy peace, prosperity, safety and stability.
The former Vice President, who stated these in a message to his supporters on the social media yesterday, declared that he has the experience and the capacity to make this happen again.
He explained that his scorecard and the scorecard of the PDP, as compared with that of the APC, is his boldest advertisement in the ongoing campaign.
Atiku, in the message personally issued by him, said, “It’s 2023 and it’s our year to Recover Nigeria. It is with a profound sense of joy that I welcome you to the Year 2023, Atikulator.
“For sure, it’s a dateline for the Recovery of our dear country. It needs not to be reinforced that it’s one year we have all looked forward to.
“Nigeria will go through the ballot this year - specifically on February 25 and March 11.
“Those election datelines are crucial to us as Nigerians because they headline our recovery as a people from the hardship and pains that the APC has unleashed on the country in the past seven and half years.
“You already know that I shall be leading the Peoples Democratic Party in my position as your presidential candidate in the mission to defeat the APC and push back on the current hardships and economic downturn.
“When you elect me as your next president, we shall work together to recover Nigeria so all Nigerians can enjoy peace, prosperity, safety and stability.
“I have the experience and the capacity to make this happen again. My scorecard and the scorecard of the PDP, as compared with that of the APC, is my boldest advertisement in this campaign.
“None of the other contestants comes close in my capacity to building an economy from the base to enviable heights, and I make no frivolous claims about that.
“Dear friend, the next election is a choice between our recovery and our decline.
“I am sure that your choice is clear. I am sure that you will mobilise your family, friends and colleagues to go to the ballot and vote to recover Nigeria.
“Thank you very much indeed, and I wish you and your family a happy and prosperous New Year 2023”, he said.
Wike mocks Atiku over Obasanjo’s endorsement of Obi for President
By Musa Baba Adamu
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has mocked the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar over the endorsement of Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The governor said the move by Obasanjo, who refused to endorse Atiku shows that there is something fundamentally wrong with Atiku who was Obasanjo’s vice from 1999 to 2003.
The Governor said it was funny that the engineer of the same legacies upon which Atiku was campaigning, failed to recommend him but instead endorsed Obi.
He was speaking during the flagging off of a road project in Emohua Local Government Area of the state on Monday.
Wike said “If you are bad product, you are a bad product, if you are a good product, you are a good product.
“You worked under somebody, the person has recommended to Nigerians another person, is it me?
“I worked with somebody for eight years and we are using it as a campaign that when we were in office we did well, then my boss is recommending another person to be there, something is fundamentally wrong.
“I was praying that Obasanjo should not say anything, when I saw the letter last night I was touched.
Obi and Obasanjo
Time to decide for a new Nigeria - NNPP
By Ikechukwu Okaforadi
The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has said as the country commences the 2023 new year, a fresh start is offered to Nigerians to enthrone genuine democracy and build a new Nigeria they all desire and deserve on the platform of the NNPP.
A statement issued yesterday by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Agbo Major, NNPP said this new Nigeria will bring to an end the long national nightmare and consistent policies somersaults which crippled the economy and made Nigeria a laughing stock in the comity of nations.
The party said the tasks ahead are enormous and so are the opportunities to build a strong, virile, united, progressive, prosperous, equitable and just democratic society, adding that Nation building is a collective responsibility of citizens and calls for prayers, unity, tolerance and shared vision.
“The new year and the upcoming general election will afford Nigerians a unique opportunity to choose patriotic, credible, courageous, honest, compassionate, versatile and God-fearing leaders who will turnaround the destiny of the nation and steer the ship of the state from its perilous course
“The general election is crucial for the survival of democracy in Nigeria. It demands citizens’ active participation in the electoral process.
“NNPP urges eligible Nigerians to collect their permanent voter cards, come out en masse and vote for its candidates in all elections, ensure their votes are counted and count in the overall result. The will and mandate of the people must be respected as power belongs to the people. The party will resist any attempt to subvert the clear mandate of Nigerians.
“Accordingly, NNPP calls on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to provide a free playing field to all political parties and their candidates participating in the elections. The commission should ensure that all electoral materials are ready and provided on time to ensure citizens discharge their civic duties that will chart the way forward for the country in the next four years.
“Security agents should be alive to their constitutional duties and ensure adequate protection of the people and electoral materials. The wanton killings and burning of INEC offices are outrageous, barbaric and despicable, sad commentary in our political process. This madness must stop. Enough is enough”, NNPP said in the statement issued yesterday.
The party urged also political parties and their supporters to imbibe issuebased politics and eschew politics of bitterness and brigandage that has impeded the nation’s democracy”, NNPP said.
