politics
Update : presidential race 2023 : Coalition unable to reach AfDB President, Adesina after procuring N100m APC forms
….’Count me out of presidential race’ – says Adesina
The coalition of 28 groups which procured an All Progressives Congress APC Presidential Nomination and Expression of Interest forms for the President, African Development Bank AfDB, Akinwumi Adesina has said it did not have the consent of the continental public servant to purchase the forms.
According to the coalition, 24 hours after paying for the forms, it has not been able to reach the banker. It however said Adesina remained the best man for the job and that the groups needed to procure the forms to meet with relevant deadlines before trying to convince Mr Adesina.
This was as the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu dismissed insinuations that he could one day enter the 2023 presidential race.
Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi in a statement on Sunday said any such innuendo or proposition is preposterous.
He said; “Our attention has been drawn to innuendoes in certain quarters that Nigerians should not be surprised if the INEC Chairman joins the Presidential race or urging him to do so. It is a preposterous proposition. It will not happen.
“The Chairman remains an umpire committed to free, fair and credible elections. His constitutional responsibilities as the Chief Electoral Commissioner of the Federation and Returning Officer for the presidential election are onerous enough for him to even contemplate straying into extraneous matters at variance with the law, morality and his personal principles.
“The Chairman will continue to discharge his responsibilities without affection for, or illwill against, any political party or candidate”.
Speaking on Sunday after physically picking the forms at the International Conference Centre ICC in Abuja, the coalition said it has not been able to reach Mr Adesina.
The coalition had earlier on Saturday paid for the forms and it said between the period it paid for the forms and when it picked them on Sunday, it was yet unable to get across to Mr Adesina.
Leader of the Youth Arise Movement, one of the groups in the coalition, Babatunde Ademola, said they are very certain that Mr Adesina is a member of the ruling party.
He said; “I am one of the group leaders of this team of 28 groups that have been working tirelessly and consulting across the country and even outside the country to ensure that we get him to come and obey the clarion call.
“I will tell you significantly that we have tried to reach out to him, we have sent messages, we have looked at any which way we will get across to him. We have not gotten any definite response from him, but because we know the Constitution of Nigeria is very clear, and the Act that governs the umpire for electioneering is also clear, and we know that the timing is not on our side and we believe that for such person after we have looked at the situation of this country, we need Dr Adesina to come and solve Nigeria’s problem and because of this, we have put our resources together.
“It is very certain that such a man who knows very well that when he was contesting for the AfDB, the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, supported him wholeheartedly for the first time, supported him wholeheartedly for the second time, such person will not want to throw away the call of over 200 million Nigerians and also feel that he cannot defend the legacy and the goodwill of the President of Nigeria.
“It is a time for him to come and reciprocate the good gesture that President Muhammadu Buhari has given to him by accepting this forms that we have struggled to purchase.
“It is not easy to gather N100 million but we have ensured that we gather as many people as possible. Like he said, on the issue of if we are going to meet up, we have people on ground and we are very certain that he is a member of APC before we begin to do what we are doing. So, we are calling him to come out and accept this form from us. It is a gift to serve this country and solve our problems. We are calling Adesina because it is a call to save Nigeria and I think he is going to accept”.
On when the coalition would present the forms to Mr Adesina, he said; “By the grace of God we will ensure that, we know that he is not available, right now. We have been trying to reach him, but when we get him we will inform you”.
President of the One Nigeria Group, Mohammed Saleh who led the delegation said Adesina is a man of proven integrity and experience.
“He has done so much for Nigeria as Minister for Agriculture. He has solved the problems of so many farmers, created so many jobs by solving the corruption in the agricultural sector. Particularly the fertilizer, which he brought the e-wallet for fertilizer which the farmers are enjoying now and it has created a lot of jobs. It has also helped millions of farmers in Nigeria which they are still benefiting and also as President, African Development Bank he has brought a lot of initiatives that solve Africa’s food security problem. So, we will like him to come back home and apply it here in Nigeria”.
On whether Adesina is a member of the APC and if he would be able to get party delegates to vote for him, Mr Saleh said; “When we get there, we will cross that bridge, don’t worry about that. First, the most significant thing is for us to get him to agree and come and collect the forms, sign it for us and then join the race. That is the most significant thing at the moment. Issue of delegates, everybody and I know all Nigerians apart from not even the delegates even you, everybody in Nigeria knows that Adesina has the capacity to bring Nigeria back from the brink.
“God’s willing, we will be able to submit (the forms). We are going to meet up with the deadline”.
The OK (Obi/Kwankwaso) Movement has declared that it will maintain its independent identity while mobilising support for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and its candidates ahead of the 2027 general election. NigerianNews Updates
Movement’s leader John Ughulu said the group remained committed to its original mission of securing the election of former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and erstwhile Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
Speaking in an interview, Ughulu dismissed suggestions that the movement’s decision to campaign independently would undermine its support for the NDC, insisting that the focus should be on achieving a common political objective.
“What difference does it make when we campaign on parallel lines? The most important thing is that we have one objective,” he said.
Asked whether the movement had decided to retain its independent status rather than formally integrate into the NDC campaign structure, Ughulu said its position had not changed.
“We have always been independent, and there is nothing wrong in that. We are campaigning for NDC party’s candidates. I will appreciate we leave it like that,” he added.
He urged members and supporters to remain guided by the principles upon which the movement was established, stressing that its political mission remained unchanged.
“The members of the OK Movement work on the principles upon which we formed the movement. The mission to bring His Excellency Peter Obi and His Excellency Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso is sacrosanct,” Ughulu said.
His remarks underscore the movement’s intention to retain its organisational independence while supporting the NDC’s electoral ambitions, particularly its presidential candidate, Obi, in the 2027 contest.
The disagreement between the NDC and the OK Movement followed the movement’s announcement of a 59-member Presidential Campaign Council to mobilise support for the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, ahead of the 2027 general election.
The NDC leadership rejected the arrangement, insisting that only the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) had the authority to constitute and announce its official campaign council.
The party also maintained that support groups must operate within its recognised organisational framework rather than establish parallel structures.
NDC National Leader Senator Seriake Dickson reinforced this position, arguing that political movements supporting the party’s candidates should complement, not compete with the party’s machinery.
The OK Movement, however, resisted the party’s position, insisting that its support for the NDC candidates should not be interpreted as an obligation to surrender its independently established structures.
Ughulu maintained that the movement had its own leadership, membership and organisational framework, which it was unwilling to dissolve or merge into the party.
The disagreement escalated after the NDC disowned the movement’s campaign council and referred Ughulu to its disciplinary organ over alleged disregard for party authority.
Despite the controversy, the movement has maintained that it will continue to mobilise support for Obi and other NDC candidates while retaining its independent identity.
politics
Breaking : Imo West Senatorial Race: Court Orders INEC to Recognise Okorocha, Bars Uzodimma from Claiming APC Ticket
A court has reportedly ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish the name of former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, as the winner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary for Imo West Senatorial District.
The court also reportedly directed Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, to stop presenting himself as the APC candidate for the Imo West Senatorial District seat.
The ruling concerns the dispute over the APC senatorial ticket for Imo West, with the court’s directives addressing the recognition of the party’s candidate and the publication of the relevant details by INEC.
The development could have significant implications for the political contest in Imo West, depending on the terms of the judgment and any subsequent legal proceedings.
politics
Breaking : INEC Confirms Oyebanji’s Re-election in Ekiti, First Consecutive Governorship Victory Since 1999
Governor Biodun Oyebanji casting his vote at his Okeelele Unit 003
The Independent National Electoral Commission has declared the All Progressives Congress candidate, Governor Biodun Oyebanji, the winner of the Ekiti State governorship election held on Saturday.
The governor was re-elected after polling 319,224 votes over his closest rivals in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, Olumayokun Oluyede and African Democratic Congress, Dare Bejide, across the state’s 16 local governments.
The Returning Officer for the election, Prof Adenike Oladiji, who is the Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Technology, Akure, announced the results in the early hours of Sunday at the INEC’s headquarters on Iyin Road in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.
Oladiji said, “Therefore, I, Adenike, am the returning officer for the 2026 Ekiti governorship election…Oyebanji Abiodun Abayomi, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and stands re-elected.”
While the APC polled 319,224 votes, the PDP candidate polled 40, 533 votes, and the ADC candidate amassed 12,872 votes.
There are 988,251 registered voters, and 384,940 are accredited.
Out of the 382,109 votes cast, the total valid votes in the election were 375, 777.
According to INEC result, the PDP candidate, who hails from Ikere Ekiti, lost in his Ikere Local Government area.
While the APC and its candidate, Oyebanji, scored 8,742 votes, the PDP, which came second in the LGA, garnered 2,051 votes.
Below are the full results of the governorship election as collated at the State Collation Centre from the 16 LGAs on Sunday.
Efon Local Govt
Collation officer: Prof. Joseph Ojo
ADC – 201
APC – 8742
PDP – 2051
Ijero LG
Collation Officer: Prof. Olaniran Akanni
ADC – 2026
APC – 25506
PDP – 2479
Ikere LG
Collation Officer: Prof. Kehinde Jayeoba
ADC – 245
APC – 11116
PDP – 9872
Emure LG
Collation Officer: Prof Emmanuel Oluwafemi
ADC -732
APC – 14325
PDP – 851
Ekiti South West
Collation Officer: Prof. Kola Oladunmoye
ADC – 1076
APC – 14705
PDP – 1800
Ido/Osi
Collation Officer: Prof. Otalobi Akintunde
ADC – 561
APC – 17901
PDP – 1449
Ekiti West
Collation Officer: Prof Bolaji Stephen
ADC – 674
APC – 28258
PDP – 3644
Ado LG
Collation Officer: Prof. Toye Fasinmirin
ADC – 1054
APC – 38026
PDP – 3817
Ilejemeje LG
Collation Officer: Prof. Kehinde Mogaji
ADC – 579
APC – 8984
PDP – 1243
Ise/Orun LG
Collation Officer: Dr John Isa
ADC – 365
APC – 12907
PDP – 1627
Oye LG
Collation Officer: Prof. Jide Popoola
ADC – 998
APC – 18975
PDP – 2891
Moba LG
Collation Officer: Prof. Suleiman Adegboyega
ADC – 994
APC – 20500
PDP – 1572
Ayekire/Gbonyin LG
Collation Officer: Prof. Oso Bamidele
ADC – 314
APC – 17133
PDP – 1563
Ikole LG
Collation Officer: Prof. Sadiat Adifala
ADC – 812
APC – 26508
PDP – 750
Irepodun/Ifelodun LGA
Collation Officer: Prof. Michael Adeyemi
ADC – 511
APC – 29278
PDP – 2119
Ekiti East LGA
Collation Officer: Prof. Olabode Olatunbosun
ADC – 1730
APC – 26359
PDP – 2795
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