Category: Politics

Chuks Ibegbu, a former National Publicity Secretary of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has said Bola Tinubu, National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, should not run for President in 2023.

Ibegbu said Tinubu and Atiku should drop their ambition due to their age.

Speaking exclusively with journalists today, Ibegbu said Atiku, Tinubu and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo should pick a credible presidential candidate from the Southeast.

He noted that the rigorous nature of the Presidency wouldn’t allow the likes of Tinubu and Atiku to perform optimally at their age.

“The Presidency we need should be a young, dynamic person with the energy to move around. Look at Buhari with all the killings in his State; he can’t move around because age is not on his side. He may be mentally sound, but he’s physically comatose.

“Tinubu did his bit in Lagos when he was governor; he was vibrant then, but age is not on his side now. Tinubu is almost 90 years old now; forget about what he is saying about his age. He should be about 80 something but claiming to be 60 something. Age is not on his side now.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said its 2023 presidential ticket will not be given to any aspirant on a silver platter.

Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Yekini Nabena, said this while reacting to the public declaration of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the party’s National Leader, in the 2023 presidential race.

With his disclosure to contest the presidency, Tinubu is likely to clash with his political ‘godson’, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who is also believed to be interested in the presidential race.

Reacting to the declaration of Tinubu, Nabena said, “The APC will not give any of its members a presidential ticket on a platter of gold; there are procedures so he (Tinubu) should continue consulting. The APC is not a come-and-take party. He should consult even those contesting with him.

“So consultations should continue and whoever emerges at the primaries will be the party’s presidential candidate for 2023,” the party said.

Peoples Democratic Party stalwart, Chief Bode George, has described the presidential ambition of All Progressives Congress leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, as a huge joke in an interview with Punch on Monday.

“This so-called ambition must be a huge joke. The Presidency of Nigeria is not for characters like Bola Tinubu. Look at how he mismanaged the resources of Lagos State. It is surprising that he can even dream of becoming the President of Nigeria. He is living in cuckoo land,” said George.

The former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP said Tinubu would be shocked by how things will go and how he will be double-crossed by those he is trusting.

George said the South-West had quality leaders who could produce the next President of Nigeria. He, however, said Tinubu was not one of them.

He said it would be an insult for the South-West, which is the most sophisticated region in the country, to settle for Tinubu.

George also said it was unfortunate that a hallowed ground like the Presidential Villa would be the location for Tinubu to declare his ambition.

Chief Ernest Shonekan, the former head of the Interim National Government who succeeded General Ibrahim Babangida, is dead.

According to TVC news, he died in Lagos at the age of 85.

The deceased was the interim head of the Nigerian government between August 26 and November 17, 1993, before he was ousted in a coup led by late General Sani Abacha.

Details later…

PDP NWC decides against harmonisation of State Excos; upstages Gov. Obaseki’s plot in Edo; retains Fayose’s Exco in Ekiti

The resolution by the National Working Committee, NWC, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Ekiti PDP stakeholders at a meeting held in Abuja, last Monday, has resolved some hitherto knotty party issues.

The resolutions of the meeting effectively put paid to the harmonization of Edo State PDP excos by Governor Godwin Obaseki as such anywhere countrywide was declared illegal.

ODUDUWA NEWS reports that Edo State PDP leaders have been enmeshed in a supremacy battle for control of the party structure.

Governor Obaseki defected to the party in 2020 a few weeks to the party primary election, was gifted the ticket and won the election.
He has consequent upon his inauguration been desperate to take over the structure of the party.

The original owners, leaders and members of the party under the guidance and leadership of the National Vice Chair (South-South), Chief Dan Orbih, had resisted the governor’s move.

Both parties had resorted to legal gymnastics and intercessions.

Orbih had said on several occasions that the governor must respect the Constitution of the Party, and that nobody was charged with the authority to tamper with the elected excos which were further ratified by the National Convention, the highest decision-making body of the Party.

Acting in defiance, the governor, using some of his aides, has continued to put the ratified State Exco under pressure.

The NWC resolution has now given the State Exco a big reprieve. It has been protected against Obaseki’s harmonisation threat and move.

In Ekiti for which purpose the meeting was principally held, the Fayose-imposed State Exco has also been retained by the NWC, having been ratified by the party’s National Convention.

This is regardless of the fact of a suit filed by the Senator Biodun Olujimi’s group, challenging the validity of the Congress that threw up the Exco.

The implications of this is that the January 26 governorship primary election will be decided by the State Exco, 148 Statutory delegates and three ad-hoc delegates from each ward across the sixteen local government areas.

Read below excerpts from the decision of the NWC on the Ekiti situation.

1. All elected party executives in Ekiti State PDP on all levels as concluded during the Party Congresses and ratified at the just concluded National Convention must remain as such in avoidance of breach in the Party’s Constitution. Harmonization is not recognized in the PDP Constitution.
2. Sharing of positions along group/faction as proposed is unreasonable and unconstitutional. (must be out of the report).
3. All party faithful in Ekiti State to respect the aspiration of all that scaled through screening; however, some, including male and female, could be persuaded to drop such ambition based on some indices.
4. The issue of forcefully reducing aspirants to 3 ( one per senatorial district) is not realistic as that will promote favouritism and unfairness to the aspirants and their supporters and may cause more problems for the party at the end.
5. Only the National Working Committee is empowered to nominate and appoint those to come to conduct the 3 ad hoc delegates or other activities. The NWC will send a thoroughly trained and fair team to conduct all activities in Ekiti State.
6. All members of our party in Ekiti State must close ranks to achieve the desired winning.
7. Issue of agitation for consideration of candidate to emerge from the South Senatorial District was raised

Makinde says late Soun of Ogbomosho spoke truth to power, berates those criticizing his delay condolence visit

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde has paid a condolence visit to the family of the late Soun of Ogbomosoland, Oba Jimoh Oyewumi Ajagungbade III, where he announced that the departed monarch would get a state burial.

The Governor, while addressing the family, High Chiefs and members of Ogbomoso community at the Palace of the Soun, said that the visit was to officially condole with the family and entire sons and daughters of Ogbomosoland over the demise of the foremost monarch and that of his daughter, Prof. Taibat Danmale, who died on Sunday.

The Governor who described the late monarch as forthright and blunt, explained that the late King always spoke the truth to power and that the state government would accord him due regard through a befitting state burial

While correcting public speculations concerning his delay in paying condolence visit, Governor Makinde maintained that he enjoyed a cordial relationship with the monarch until his demise, stressing that the monarch left a good legacy and did wonderfully well for the development of Ogbomoso and the Oyo state in general.

In his response, the eldest son of the late monarch, Dr. Aderemi Oyewumi, said that governor Makinde is one of the favourite governors of the late monarch, adding that the visit was highly appreciated.

He, therefore, pleaded with the governor to expedite action in installing another Soun of Ogbomoso land very soon.

The Oloris of the late monarch, families and other Chiefs of Ogbomosoland as well as top government officials were present at the visit

Chairman of the Council of Traditional Rulers, the Ooni of Ile-Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi Ojaja II has told Governor Gboyega Oyetola that royal fathers of the state remain apolitical.

Ooni of Ile-Ife made this known on Thursday while reacting to the declaration ambition of Governor Oyetola to contest for second term during meeting of the traditional rulers.

We gathered that Governor Oyetola, declared his interest to contest for another four years to the monarch during an unscheduled visit to the meeting of the Osun State Council of Traditional Rulers held in Osogbo.

Addressing the traditional rulers, Governor Oyetola said that his intention to run for a second term was part of efforts to consolidate on the good works and appreciable performance of his administration.

While seeking the blessings of the monarchs, the Osun Governor appealed to them to persist in their prayers for the success of his administration.

He noted that their prayers had been the driving force motivating him to put more into governance.

Recently, there had been series of controversies trailing the ascendancy of Olubadan throne after the demise of Oba Saliu Adetunji Ajeogunguniso 1. This could be attributed to the crisis arising from the litigations that followed the giving of beaded crowns to the 10 high chiefs by the former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi

Meanwhile, Osi Olubadan of Ibadanland and former governor of Oyo State, High Chief (Senator) Rashidi Ladoja, has described the controversy trailing succession to the throne of Olubadan is needless.

Ladoja is the second most senior chief in the Civil Line that is to produce the next Olubadan of Ibadan, following the death of Oba Saliu Adetunji.

The former governor spoke at his Bodija residence on Thursday when the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial aspirant and senator representing Oyo Central, Senator Teslim Folarin, led bigwigs in the party to pay a condolence visit to Ladoja on the death of Oba Adetunji.

According to Ladoja, the controversy should not have arisen as the succession plan is clear and unambiguous.

“There is no controversy about it. Egbon Lekan Balogun is the most senior in our line and so he is the next in line to the throne.

“For those asking, my ‘body and mouth language’ is that Egbon Lekan is my senior and he is next in line to the Olubadan stool.

“I do not have the powers to make anybody Olubadan. In 2017, we instituted a case to challenge the needless reform that Abiola Ajimobi as governor wanted to do. Almost all of us as High Chiefs and members of the Olubadan-in-Council agreed to the filing of a suit to challenge him and we gave the task to Michael Lana.

“Lana later called me to say some of the High Chiefs told him to remove their names from the suit, leaving only my Egbon Balogun and myself. Two weeks after we started the case, Egbon Balogun said he was no longer interested in the case. I asked Lana if I could do it alone and he told he ‘yes’ and we continued.

“We won the case at the state High Court and Ajimobi appealed. In a judgment, the Appeal Court, a few days to the exit of Ajimobi from government, sent the case back to the High Court for retrial. They Judges of the Appellate Court said the case was brought under writ of summons instead of originating summons.

“By the time, there had been a new government headed by Seyi Makinde who said he did not want the distraction of the suit and called for out-of court settlement which we agreed to and did.

“After the terms of settlement were agreed to, the court gave a consent judgment based on the terms. But they said they were not happy and instituted two fresh cases which are still in court till today.

“So, I need people to understand that I am not causing any trouble. The cases that are in court today in respect of the Obaship tussle were instituted by Egbo Balogun and his colleagues who are still calling themselves Obas.

“It is they that the people should talk to. Let them go and withdraw the cases they instituted. I don’t like the unwarranted tension this matter is generating.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo this morning visited the widow of the late Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji, who died in the early hours of Sunday after five years on the throne.

Obasanjo arrived at the Popoyemoja palace of the late king around 7:10 am with Olayiwola Olakojo, a former secretary to the Oyo state government and left 30 minutes later.

He was received on arrival at the palace by Olubadan’s widow, Rasheedat, and Gbonka Balogun of Ibadan, Nureni Akanbi, who is also an elder brother to Rasheedat.
The former president prayed for the repose of the soul of the departed monarch and promised his readiness to assist the family whenever the need arises.

In a tribute he wrote in the condolence register, Obasanjo said: “Kabiesi, sun re. You lived for the service of family, community, state and the nation. You served committedly and God granted you longevity. We pray that your soul will be with your creator and the family and community will continue to thrive.”

The crisis rocking the ascendancy of Olubadan throne after the demise of Oba Saliu Adetunji Ajeogunguniso 1 has taken a new dimension as the former governor of Oyo State and Osi Olubadan of Ibadan, has spoken at last about the controversy surrounding who replaces the late monarch.

This is coming after the meeting held yesterday by 10 kingmakers at Mapo Hall where they affirmed the sacrosant of the Olubadan 1957 Declaration and made a pronouncement that Senator Lekan Balogun is the new Olubadan.

The Osi Olubadan, Senator who made the clarification today when he received visitors at his Bodija house, said the Otun Olubadan, Lekan Balogun is the next in line to succeed the departed Oba Adetunji.

Appealing for calm the high chief, “Uninformed people are just causing unnecessary tensions in Ibadan. There is no controversy about who becomes the next Olubadan after the demise of Oba Saliu Adetunji Aje Ogunguniso 1”.

This was just he clarified that he had no hand in the letter written by an Ibadan-born lawyer and former justice commissioner, Barr. Michael Lana.

Recalls that with the exemption of Ladoja, Balogun and others have been elevated to Obaship status by the administration of late former governor Abiola Ajimobi, an action that is subject of litigation and discussion in Ibadan.