POLITICS
2023: APC Chieftain Extols Emergence of Eminent Nigerians Group

By Jude Opara, Abuja
Former Director General of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Salihu Lukman, has called on all patriotic Nigerians to support a new group of eminent Nigerians working to ensure the emergence of credible leaders in the 2023 general elections.
An association of ‘about 100 eminent businessmen, political, media and civil society leaders, including 14 current governors, 13 former governors as well as three former senate presidents’ under the aegis of The 2022 Committee, recently announced their presence in Nigerian politics.
Reacting to the development in a statement released to newsmen on Thursday in Abuja, Lukman said the emergence of the ‘Association’ is an opportunity to critically assess the capacity of political parties to serve as effective and competent negotiating platforms for the emergence of ‘quality leadership’ in the country.
According to him, the capacity of political parties to produce the kind of leadership Nigerians aspire is weak. He added that individuals with strong financial muscles, whose vision may be narrow, hardly go beyond access to public resources unfortunately, do have the advantage to win.
The former PGF boss said a situation whereby politicians reduce issues of national development to partisan rivalries must not be encouraged.
Lukman said; “Every patriotic Nigerian should commend the initiatives of the ‘association.’ In addition, Nigerians should encourage members of the ‘association’ to do everything possible to force internal negotiations, which should lead to agreements within political parties leading to the emergence of ‘quality leadership’ in 2023 at all levels in Nigeria. A stitch in time saves nine!
“Therefore, the new political value potentially being created by a group such as the ‘association’ is the possibility of opening the political spaces in the country, including within the current big parties (APC and PDP) to produce higher quality leaders that what would have ordinarily been the case in 2023. It will require some superior organising to produce such a higher quality desired different outcome, which is why such an initiative require the support of all patriotic Nigerians.
“The other dynamic is also the question of providing level playing field for candidates from all parts of the country. There are many leaders across the country and in both PDP and APC who could have qualified to emerge as candidates with all the ‘quality leadership’ credentials being envisioned with reference to any leadership qualification.
“But absence of level playing field in our parties is discouraging these individuals from presenting themselves for consideration. This is partly responsible for why across every part of the country, and in virtually all our political parties, the most qualified candidates for ‘quality leadership’ are hardly in the race for 2023 contests. How is the ‘association’ going to open up the space within our major political parties to ensure that the best and most qualified ‘quality leaders’ are in the race for 2023 electoral contests?”
The APC chieftain said both APC and PDP leaders, and indeed every politician, across all political parties must be made to organize their campaigns based on honesty.
“Requirement for honesty during campaigns should ensure that all candidates who merit being recognised as ‘quality leaders’ must accept challenges, take responsibility and in cases where they fail, accept their shortcomings. No politician should be allowed to take advantage of the frustration of Nigerians as a strategy for winning election.
“If a group such as the ‘association’ want to reposition the country, it needs to take all the difficult steps to compel some degree of honesty among politicians. As a member of APC, I have no difficulty expecting that APC leaders will accept challenges, take responsibility and accept shortcomings. At least, President Buhari is providing leadership in this respect.”
Last month Lukman resigned his position as the Director General of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF).
POLITICS
INEC Presents Certificates of Return to By-elections Winners

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has presented Certificates of Return to senators-elect and members-elect of the House of Representatives who emerged victorious in the by-elections held on August 16.
The certificates were handed over on Thursday at the INEC headquarters in Abuja by different National Commissioners.
Among the recipients were Emmanuel Nwachukwu of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, elected senator for Anambra South, and Joseph Ikpea of the All Progressives Congress, who won the Edo Central Senatorial District.
Also presented with certificates were five newly elected members of the House of Representatives.
They include Barrister Omosede Igbinedion of the APC, who won in the Ovie North East and Ovie South West Federal Constituency of Edo State; Mukhtar Rabi’u Garki of the APC, representing Babura/Garki Federal Constituency of Jigawa State and Fidelix Bagudu of the APC, elected for the Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency of Kaduna State.
Others are Adesola Ayoola-Elegbeji of the APC, who emerged from the Ikenne/Shagamu/Remo North Federal Constituency of Ogun State; and Fola Oyekunle of the Peoples Democratic Party, representing Ibadan North Federal Constituency of Oyo State.
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POLITICS
Activist joins ADC, Urges Nigerians to Unite Against APC

A popular human rights and anti-corruption activist, Comrade Ibrahim Garba Wala, popularly known as IG Wala, has snubbed the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the opposition coalition African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The activist made his stance known in a statement on Thursday ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
He became the latest member of ADC after the emergence of David Mark, former Nigerian Senate President, as the party’s interim national chairman.
In his statement, IG Wala urged Nigerians, both old and young, to rally support for ADC to unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who he said had brought hardship to the country.
According to him, the journey to a better Nigeria is not about fighting each other but about building bridges of understanding.
“For a long time, like many of you, I have felt the sting of political frustration and disappointment. I have pointed fingers and placed blame, convinced that our nation’s problems were the fault of a few individuals.
“This is a common and understandable feeling, but I’ve come to a powerful realisation: our focus on blame has held us back.
“Blaming is easy. It keeps us stuck in the past and blinds us to the real work that needs to be done,” he stated.
Recall that since July ADC has been backed by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-governors of Kaduna State and Rotimi Amaechi of River State.
Recently Dele Momodu of Ovation Magazine and Dino Melaye, former Kogi State senator, joined ADC.
However, APC has dismissed the ADC ahead of the 2027 election following the party’s performance in the August 16th bye-elections across the country.
POLITICS
Obi Mocks Critics as Homosexuality Allegation Trends

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has dismissed a viral photo trending online which some social media users claimed shows his son, Oseloka, in a gay relationship.
Obi, who is also the former governor of Anambra State, described the circulation of the photo as a desperate attempt by political opponents to tarnish his image ahead of the 2027 general election.
The controversy started after an X user with the handle @Waspapping_ posted a picture of two men celebrating a birthday, alleging that one of them was Obi’s son.
The post quickly gained traction online with the caption: “Peter Obi’s son and his partner are out there enjoying life, but Obidients will turn a blind eye.
Well, congratulations to the soon-to-be couple.”Reacting through his media aide, Valentine Obienyen, Obi strongly refuted the allegation, insisting that the person in the photo was not his son.
He accused his opponents of fabricating lies after failing to find any incriminating evidence against him.
In a statement titled “Fake Picture, False Claim: Obi’s Integrity Remains Untouched,” Obienyen said: “The picture currently being circulated is not that of Mr. Peter Obi’s son. Having searched every corner of his life and found nothing incriminating, mischief-makers resorted to posting this false image, claiming it to be his son. Let it be clear: this is not his son. They should look elsewhere for the scandal they have fruitlessly hunted for years.”
Obi maintained that his record in both private and public service remains clean, urging his detractors to stop wasting their time trying to manufacture scandals