Politics

APC, PDP disagree over Edo campaign violence

Published

2 months ago

September 10, 2024

Ahead of the September 21 governorship election in Edo State, the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party, on Monday, continued their allegation and counter-allegation about campaign violence in the state.

In a statement on Monday, the APC Campaign Council’s Media Director, Kassim Afegbua, condemned two recent attacks on the party’s campaign team, accusing the PDP of being behind the attacks but twisting the narratives to appear as the victims.

He said, “The rate at which propaganda has swallowed the PDP in Edo State in this campaign season is quite alarming. They brought in some hackers, spinners, hirelings and cloners to town, in order to twist narratives to suit their bulbous ego, trying as it were, with vaunted hoopla, to confuse Edo voters.

“Two incidents happened in Edo North campaigns of the APC, and the report we saw scripted by the PDP goons was most confounding.

“At Ososo campaigns in the Akoko-Edo Local Government Area, APC had a very successful campaign with huge a turnout to the consternation of the PDP and as we were departing the community, some rag-tag thugs ostensibly supporters of the PDP, wanted to disrupt the flow of our convoy.

“Thank God for our security operatives who were able to restore normalcy. We are of the strong belief that no blood of any Edo person is worth letting in the name of election. The story that PDP goons and urchins put out there was the direct opposite of what transpired.

“At Ekperi, in the Etsako Central Local Government, we also had a robust engagement with our supporters during the campaigns. When we were done, on our way to Fugar, the local government headquarters, some PDP street urchins and thugs tried to disrupt our convoy again, this time, shot at our candidate’s vehicle. Thanks again to the security operatives who accompanied us for the campaign exercise.”

They were able to arrest the ugly situation.

“When PDP hirelings and coupon clippers and rentiers reported the incident, it was twisted to show that we were chased out of Ekperi. Even the PDP chieftain from Ekperi, Barrister Pascal Ugbome, knows that Ekperi is the home of the APC, and the PDP would be beaten flat in that locality and the entire Etsako Land.

“We are just wondering why the PDP should think that electoral engagements must flow from the corpus of bloodletting and violence.”

Afegbua said that the APC had restrained its party members from getting involved in any act of violence during and after this election season, but the desperation of the PDP was inextricably dragging the APC to the path that would compel us to seek self-help.

But reacting to the allegation, the Chairman of the Akoko Edo LGA where one of the attacks occurred, Tajudeen Alade, said, “It is laughable to make such allegation against the deputy governor and I. Do you know the number of security men, armed police, armed soldiers, DSS that are following them in their campaigns?

“How could thugs, as they claimed, beat those heavily armed security men to disrupt their rally? They are all lies, nothing like me or the deputy governor sending thugs to attack them in their rallies.

“They had provoked me in the past when they came to stage a rally directly opposite my house by Technical Road Junction. I did not send anybody to disturb them until the police came. Is it when they held their rallies many kilometres away from my place that I would disrupt it? There is no iota of truth in their allegations.”

Politics

Obi Urges Nigerian Graduates to Seek Opportunities Overseas if Needed, Vows to Fix Nigeria for Their Return

Published

5 days ago

November 12, 2024

Naijablitznews

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.

Politics

Parliamentary system better option for Nigeria -Aregbesola

Published

6 days ago

November 11, 2024

Gloria Ikibah

By Gloria Ikibah.

Former governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, has called for Nigeria to dump the presidential system of government and return to the parliamentary system.

Aregbesola made this revelation at a National Dialogue on Home-Grown Parliamentary System in Abuja on Monday.

The immediate past Minister of Interior, who said he is opposed to the executive system of government currently practiced in Nigeria, insisted that the arrangement in the parliamentary system is best suited for a country like Nigeria.

“If you go on believing that an individual, no matter how beautiful, no matter how good, could have the capacity to govern 120 million people all alone without checks, we are joking. So, by that consideration alone, I am opposed to executive system of government.

“I believe the collective arrangement which the parliamentary system guarantees is best for a nation like Nigeria if indeed we are committed to advancing the interest of the large population and mass of our people,” Aregbesola said.

In February this year, a group of lawmakers in the House of Representatives brought a bill seeking amendments to the 1999 Constitution to transit from the current presidential system to the parliamentary system of government.

According to the group made up of about 60 lawmakers, the transition has become necessary to reduce the cost of government in the face of dwindling revenue.

Titled, ‘The Bills Proposing Constitutional Alterations For a Transition To Parliamentary System of Government,’ the bill was sponsored by the House Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda, and 59 others.

The bill was read on the floor of the House during plenary session in Abuja on Wednesday, February 14, 2024.

In a statement, a Spokesman for the Parliamentary Bill Sponsors, Abdussamad Dasuki said, “Today, we stand on the cusp of history, as lawmakers across party affiliations and regional backgrounds come together to present bills proposing Constitutional Alterations that seek a transition to Parliamentary System of Government.

He added that over the years, the imperfections of the Presidential System of Government have become glaring to all, despite several alterations to the constitution to address the shortcomings of a system that has denied the nation the opportunity of attaining its full potentials.

Politics

2027: Kwankwaso’s visit to Otti sparks possible alliance

Published

7 days ago

November 11, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

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.