Politics
APC convention: consensus not arrived at in Buhari’s bedroom says, senator Orji Kalu
The senate chief whip, Orji Uzor Kalu on Tuesday while defending allegations against President Muhamadu Buhari that he merely imposed his preferred candidate Abdullahi Adamu under the cover of consensus insisted that consensus was not arrived at in President Muhamadu Buhari’s bedroom.
Kalu who represents Abia North who spoke to the senate Press Corps on Tuesday said the President was able with his wisdom to solve a major crises in the party as well as saving money for the contestants.
“The president in his Wisdom was able to solve the problem, do you know how much money that was saved for the pockets of aspirant by that consensus
“The consensus was not just taken in the president’s bedroom, the president consulted the governors, he consulted the leadership of the National Assembly which I was one of them and he consulted other stakeholders of the party, the youths and all the rest of them and the aspirants themselves.
“So I don’t see any other thing that can be better than that. I know many people, like you Journalists, you were already celebrating that we were going to fight at the eagle square and we did not fight and it came out successfully.
“I want to use this opportunity again to congratulate the president for that able way he solved the problem.”
He said most of them like Abdullahi Adamu especially as he was their colleague in 1999 and he was also their colleague in the senate
“I think he will play a fatherly role both to the former governors and the present Governors We needed somebody that have a figure of the President in the party. We are very happy with that decision.”
On whether he will agree with the people that said it is an imposition only coloured in the name of consensus he said, “It is not imposition it was a democratic agreement because there was consultation at every level of the party and if you have consulted widely it is democracy.
On his reluctance to declare to contest for president in 2023 general election he said
“I had told Nigerians that if this thing is zoned to the South East, I am already a candidate but how do you become a candidate? but with the proviso that they should zone it to South East and micro zone it even to my village if it is possible.” He said is not desperate but anxious to change the living standards of Nigeria and the economy for it to do better.
“Which is what I know how to do better. I can fix the economy in four years. I can bring back the GDP to be able to compete with the United States of America and Japan and all the rest of them.
“I can bring back the capacity utilisation to be under 4 or 5% and be rocking like Hurricane.
“Everybody can declare for president but will everybody get the Presidency’? The answer is no.”
On the need for the South eastern aspirants to come together for a consensus candidate he said they will work on that as a party and they will come back to consult the party members and consult the President.
On his effort to ensure the party micro zone the presidency to the South East he said,
“I’m doing nothing it is the decision of the party, party is supreme,
If they zone it to South East I am a number one candidate there are only two zones that have never been President in Nigeria the northeast and Southeast.
“So if they bring it to my zone I am capable. I have everything it takes to deliver APC to victory not by talking but by action and rework the economy that every Nigerian no matter where you live or stay will be happy in your pockets, in your house, in your electricity in your water and in everything and bring back the lost glory of Nigeria and the pride to carry the Nigerian green passport, I am capable.”
He said many of the aspirants who have already declared are jokers
“You people take politics as a joke whereby everybody say he is an aspirant. What is their experience, their public experience, their capacity to build?
I employ 13,000 workers in Nigeria and I have capacity to manage people.
“Politics is the ability to make everybody happy that is what it’s all about is no good because president president is about is not who becomes president, President is about openness, is about ability to manage you Journalists, ability to manage professors, legislators like Ahmad Lawan you have to manage them, these are what politics is all about. “Politics is not just coming to say you want to answer the name president, they are anxious to become president, are they ready to work? Are they ready to come to their work early to face the job?”
On what the President should look like he said,
“The President should be one that is ready to work for Nigeria. When the economy is down there are two major things the President should look at the economy and security
“These are focused points that somebody should look at to bring back the economy and make it strong. It is not the working of Buhari. “There is worldwide economic downtown I have businesses all over the world I have businesses in the DRC, we are losing money in all the west African countries and everywhere we have business. It is the same, it is a worldwide inflation in all the economies.”
Politics
NASS caucus assures PDP Will Bounce Back, insists Party is greater than Wike, Damagun
Senate minority Leader and key member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus, Senator Abba Moro, has reiterated the party’s commitment to restructuring and regaining its electoral strength.
Speaking after the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Assembly caucus meeting on Wednesday, Moro addressed concerns about the party’s recent setbacks and ongoing efforts to prepare for future electoral challenges.
Moro emphasized that the PDP remains resilient despite recent losses, including gubernatorial elections, and is strategizing to strengthen the party.
“We discussed the affairs of the party, particularly as we approach a critical meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC)to take vital decisions on the state of the PDP,” Moro said.
“We are intensifying efforts to ensure the party grows stronger and prepares for subsequent elections without distractions.”
Addressing allegations of vote buying in recent elections, Moro expressed concern over the state of Nigeria’s democracy and the conduct of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“Everyone is worried about Nigeria’s democracy,” he said. “INEC has faced criticism, but every failure is a lesson. We must ensure that mandates stolen from the people, like in Edo State, are restored. Failure should become a mechanism for future success.”
Responding to criticisms of PDP’s Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagun, Moro dismissed claims that his leadership has been detrimental to the party.
“The PDP is not just about one individual,” he stated. “Damagun is the acting chairman, but PDP is about all its members. We are working round the clock to return the PDP to its winning ways.”
He also downplayed the influence of PDP members like FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, who has been associated with the APC.
Moro likened such political dynamics to bipartisan endorsements seen in the United States, emphasizing that PDP remains focused on rebuilding.
“Anyone working against the PDP today will have to contend with the resilience of PDP members,” he warned.
Highlighting the party’s long-standing reputation, Moro described the PDP as a resilient brand that has always bounced back from challenges.
“PDP is a brand,” he declared. “Despite temporary setbacks, we will bounce back. Once our electoral laws are strengthened, future election results will not be the same.”
When asked who should be blamed for the party’s challenges, Moro refrained from finger-pointing, stating:
“The most important thing is that something is not right. We are working to fix it, and we will get it right.”
The meeting concluded with a renewed commitment from the PDP Senate caucus to revitalize the party and ensure better outcomes in upcoming elections.
Politics
Prince Adewole Adebayo Condemns Ondo Election, Calls It an “Ondo Auction”
***Describes Process as “Victimless Crime” in Scathing Critique
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Prince Adewole Adebayo, has issued a critical assessment of the recent Ondo State Governorship Election, labeling it an “Ondo Auction.”
Adebayo argued that the election was less about genuine democracy and more about transactional politics, with “willing buyers” and “willing sellers” dominating the process.
Taking to his X account, Adebayo suggested that the Ondo election could serve as a case study for the Central Bank’s foreign exchange practices, given the efficient “marketplace” nature of the vote.
He lamented what he saw as a lack of authentic voter engagement, claiming that ballots appeared to be traded as commodities rather than cast with genuine intent.
Adebayo extended his criticism to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the police, and major media outlets, whom he accused of watching passively as the alleged auction unfolded.
Offering sarcastic congratulations to those who “purchased” the victory, he sympathized with voters, whom he felt had unknowingly relinquished their democratic power in a flawed process.
Quoting a biblical phrase, “Father Forgive Them For They Know Not What They Do,” Adebayo expressed sadness over the state of democracy in Ondo and called for divine intervention to steer Nigeria towards a more transparent electoral future.
In his post, Adebayo remarked: “The Ondo State Governorship Election of yesterday is what criminologists would term as victim-less crimes: a spectacle of willing buyers @OfficialAPCNg meeting willing sellers in a perfect market that should be an example for @cenbank in the foreign exchange markets. Ondo Auction is smoother than the Dutch Auction. Four years sold so freely and openly that no one should lie that they were coerced or intimidated or browbeaten. And @PoliceNG and @inecnigeria @AIT_Online @ARISEtv @KAFTAN_TV @channelstv @NTANewsNow all witnessed it live.
“No one should pretend that they need someone to interview over this. It is in order to congratulate the buyers on their purchased ‘victory’ while shedding some tears for the sellers with the Calvary elegy that ‘Father Forgive Them For They Knoweth Not What They Do.’ God Bless Nigeria and may God Guide Ondo State.”
Adebayo’s post has since sparked conversation across the country, with calls for reform and a stronger commitment to electoral integrity in Nigeria.
Politics
Olorunfemi Ayodele Festus Reinstated as LP’s Candidate for Ondo Governorship Election
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the reinstatement of Olorunfemi Ayodele Festus as the Labour Party (LP) candidate for the Ondo State governorship election, replacing Olusola Ebiseni just hours before the vote.
The decision followed a Court of Appeal ruling which overturned an earlier Federal High Court judgment that had named Ebiseni as the party’s candidate.
In an official statement shared on its X handle, INEC confirmed receiving the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the appellate court’s judgment.
INEC’s statement explained that the Federal High Court in Abuja had initially directed the Commission on September 27, 2024, to recognize Ebiseni as LP’s candidate, but the Court of Appeal nullified this decision, citing jurisdictional issues.
In compliance with the appellate court’s ruling, INEC restored Festus’s candidacy, adding his name to their website as the official Labour Party nominee for the 2024 Ondo State Governorship election.
This unexpected development introduces a last-minute shift for the Labour Party, which has been actively preparing for a competitive election.
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