Politics
APC Leaders In Ondo Allege Plans To Disrupt Primary Election
Ahead of the primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC), some leaders of the party in the state, said they have uncovered plans by some elements within the party to disrupt the shadow election of APC slated for April 20.
The leaders, led by Adewale Ibraheem, who raised the alarm, also expressed apprehension that the APC governorship primary scheduled to pick its candidate may be threatened and eventually aborted by thugs recruited by some elements.
According to the leaders, who disclosed that about 50 thugs have been recruited and deployed to each local government areas in the statel to scuttle the primary election.
Ibraheem specifically alleged the Red Beret supporters, who are the foot soldiers of governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, of planning to disrupt the APC primary election.
He said “It has come to our notice through a credible source in the camp of Aiyedatiwa Supporters that plans have been perfected by Aiyedatiwa’s political foot soldiers to scuttle the APC primary, baring any last minute counter moves.
“A meeting was held in Akure, and it was coordinated by a senior cabinet member in Akure. At the meeting, it was approved that anywhere in all the 18 local government areas of the state where the incumbent is unpopular and may lose election, the election in such place must be disrupted and the election must never be allowed to stand.
“Fund shall be provided to recruit 50 thugs in each of the 18 local governments, to forment trouble on 20th April 2024, and discredit the APC primary.”
“It is evident that Aiyedatiwa is losing out, and he wants to drag everybody down, including the APC in Ondo State.”
“His support base is weak, and the strategists to his aspiration are of the opinion that the power of incumbency be used to waste the fortunes of the APC in Ondo State,”
But in his reaction, the State Director of Information, Lucky Aiyedatiwa Campaign Organization-FSIC, Kayode Fasua, lambasted the group for sponsoring falsehood against Aiyedatiwa, saying it’s an attempt to give the governor a bad name so as to hang him.
Fasua who described the allegation as baseless and false, admitted that the group held a meeting but said “the meeting under reference was an Akure meeting held by APC members in the locality, to appraise the performance of the campaign efforts within the local government, thence far. Nothing more”
He however, stated that “desperadoes within the APC should readdress themselves and give vent to party rules and regulations, by stopping mudslinging Mr. Governor in the belief that he is a simple man, and can’t do anything.
“Party members bandying this cooked-up story are the enemies of the party. The death of former Governor Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) in December last year unsettled everyone.
“Yes, Aiyedatiwa is contesting the party’s next governorship ticket, but the enormous task before him does not give room for the conjecture of raising thugs or anything of the stuff. He is a busy man; one who closes work at 1:am and resumes 8:am”
It will be recalled that the national leadership of the APC has decided to conduct direct primary to elect the flag bearer of the party in the November gubernatorial election.
No fewer than 16 aspirants of the party, including the incumbent governor, Lucky, Aiyedatiwa, Wale Akinterinwa, Jimoh Ibrahim, Olusola Oke, and Isaac Kekemeike, have obtained the expression of interest and nomination forms, and they are to be screened soon.
The incumbent governor, who had wanted the procedural right of first refusal to be applied in his favour, will have to contend with 15 others for the APC ticket
As the clock clicks towards the deal-day, opinions are rife that Aiyedatiwa’s getting the ticket is as difficult as the horse passing through the eye of a needle, because of the issues relating to his WAEC certificate and relationship with his formal boss, Akeredolu.
It will also be recalled that the red cap beret adopted by Aiyedatiwa’s supporters was earlier described by concerned members of the APC as an insignia of a confrontational movement.
There have also been accusations of alleged sponsored attacks on people supporting other aspirants and their billboards by thugs loyal to Aiyedatiwa.
Politics
Obi Urges Nigerian Graduates to Seek Opportunities Overseas if Needed, Vows to Fix Nigeria for Their Return
Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate in Nigeria’s 2023 election, has encouraged Nigerian students to seek better opportunities abroad if local conditions don’t meet their needs.
Obi shared this advice during his visit to Anambra State, where he made donations to Peter University in Achina/Onneh and the College of Nursing Sciences in Adazi-Nnukwu. Addressing nursing students, he reaffirmed his commitment to supporting institutions that nurture skills, professionalism, and character.
Obi advised students that, if career opportunities are limited locally, they should feel free to explore options abroad.
“If things aren’t working here, go where they will work for you,” he said, expressing optimism that, with efforts to improve the country, Nigerians working abroad would eventually return.
Speaking at Peter University, Obi urged students to dedicate themselves to their studies, highlighting education as a transformative force essential for national development.
Emphasizing that investment in education is an investment in the future, he encouraged them to aim for excellence, assuring that a stronger Nigeria would await them.
Governor Alex Otti of Abia State at the weekend played host to the former presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, at his Nvosi country home in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area(LGA).
Speaker of the House of Assembly Emmanuel Emeruwa, some aides of the governor, and members of the Kwankwasiyya Movement were present.
Although Kwankwaso said he was in the state to condole with Otti on the passing of Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, the first governor of old Abia State, rumours of a possible political alliance between him and Otti, the only Labour Party(LP) governor in the country, spread.
Onu was buried in Uburu, his hometown in Ohaozara LGA of Ebonyi State on Friday.
Kwankwaso’s visit coincided with a reception held by the governor for 15 Abia indigenes who recently graduated from the Nigeria Police Academy in Kano.
Shortly after he departed the state, political analysts said they were sure that the visit was partly informed by efforts of the Peter Obi-led LP faction to align with other opposition parties ahead of 2027.
‘’Don’t forget that 2027 is near. Do you think the two men would meet like they did now with talking about the next presidential election? That is impossible,’’ one of them told The Nation.
Another said Kwankwaso and Otti were ‘’very much aware that the only way to oust President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progress Congress (APC) from the centre is a formidable alliance.
‘’They know that now is the best time to start talking about how to defeat those in Aso Rock. And that, I believe is the core reason for the visit.”
Last month’s local government poll in the state produced a stunning result with candidates loyal to Otti winning nearly all the chairmanship positions on the platform of the Zenith Labour Party(ZLP)
The governor backed the winners because of court cases on the authentic leadership of the leadership of the LP.
One faction of the party is led by Julius Abure while the other supported by Obi and Otti is headed by Nenadi Usman, a former Finance minister.
Political analysts argued that if Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Obi, and Kwankwaso fail to put their political differences behind and field an acceptable presidential candidate in 2027, they might end up not making a significant impact.
Otti had while welcoming Kwankwaso recalled how he offered him a ‘’platform in May 2022 to run ’’ as a governorship candidate.
He thanked Kwankwaso for his guidance and patriotism.
His words: “Thank you for your guidance, for your patriotism, for everything that you have done for this country.
“I want to thank you for encouraging me in 2022 not to lose faith, though we were in different parties, and it appeared as if everything was going to be lost.
“That call that you made about the 20th of May 2022, for also making your platform available for me to run if I had wanted to use the platform, the rest is now history.”
Kwankwaso, a former Kano State governor, congratulated Otti on his emergence as governor. He also lauded his achievements in the state
“For the little time I have been here, I have had the opportunity of talking to a few people who confirmed to me that you are doing very well. We have seen your project everywhere” he said.
The governor and his visitor urged the new Police officers to work hard, contribute to the security of the country, and be good ambassadors of the state.
“The challenge is for you to now work very hard, knowing fully well that in this society, the son of a nobody can be the father of somebody,” said Otti.
“If people like us who grew up here without any hope at that time can be here, there is no reason why you can’t get here. But I am challenging you to be the best you can be.
“Always do things right and do the right things. You can always get to where you are headed. Cutting corners does not take you too far, “ the governor added.
Kwankwaso charged the new police officers to be professional in the discharge of their duties.
“Let me take this opportunity, based on my experience, to advise you to first and foremost fear God.
“Two, you need to be professionals. Now you are fresh, just coming out of the prestigious institute.stay there as professionals,” he said.
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