Connect with us

POLITICS

North-east Group Buys PDP Nomination Form for Atiku

Published

on

Share

A group, known as North East Business Forum, on Thursday purchased the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) nomination form for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. This came less than 24 hours after the party commenced sales of nomination and expression of interest form to aspirants that want to contest 2023 general elections in the platform of the party.

The PDP National Executive Committee (NEC) on Wednesday at its 95th meeting approved guidelines for the conduct of its primaries for all elective position, fixing the presidential expression of interest form at N5 million and nomination form at N35 million.

The Chairman of the forum, Alhaji Dalhatu Funakaya, presenting the forms to Abubakar at his Asokoro residence in Abuja, said the gesture was in fulfilment of their promise to foot the bill for his nomination forms.

“We made a pledge in Gombe in November 2021 and we called on him to contest and pledged to purchase nomination form for him,” Funakaya said. He expressed optimism that with the fulfilment of their part, Abubakar would declare for the 2023 presidential election.

Responding, Abubakar commending the forum’s gesture and recalled how the same gesture was extended to him for 2019 general elections, which made him emotional. “In 2018 or 2019 some young men contributed money and bought a nomination form, the first in political history since the return of democracy to our country and truly they made me to shed tears. “They put together their hard earned money and purchased me a nomination form, that actually brought tears from my eyes. I was emotional about it. “Now again today like the chairman of the North East Business Forum said, we were invited and another gesture was extended to me. It was a promise. And today it is a promise fulfilled,” he said.

Abubakar, however, said national unity was critical in tackling the challenges facing the country. “The challenges before us are historical; our unity threatened, economy in worst state of affairs and our security is a disaster. “This is why there must be unity to address these challenges. “The challenges before us is greater than our differences of ethnicity and religion,” he advised.

Also speaking, the founder of Africa Independent Television (AIT), High Chief Raymond Dopkesi, described Abubakar as a man with capability to tackle the challenges of lack of unity, economic distress and ensure progress of youths. Dokpesi applauded the business community in the North for recognising the capacity of Atiku whom he described as a foremost investor in Nigeria. He added that Abubakar’s wealth of experience in private and public sectors made him the most suitable person for the office. (NAN) 

POLITICS

2027 Election: Igbo’s Community Promises Votes for Eno

Published

on

Share

From Christopher Tom, Uyo

Non-indigence in Akwa Ibom State especially the Igbo’s community has promised to give the highest number of votes across the state to Governor Umo Eno come 2027 governorship elections in the state.

The Igbo community said they will not fail to vote massively for the Governor.

The President of Ohanaeze Ndi-Igbo Akwa Ibom State Chapter, Hon.

Keyceey Chidiadi made this known while speaking with media practitioners shortly after the Uyo chapter of Igbo community unity day celebration 2025 in Uyo.

He said Igbo’s scattered across the 31 local government Area of the state without any doubt seriously doing their businesses without any crisis, showcasing their love, unity among the indigence of the state while also contributing their quotas to boost the state economy.

According to him, the Igbo’s are about five thousand while some have not been recorded because they have not identified with the community and advise others to join the train before it’s too late for them.

He said their vote come 2027 is massively for Pastor Umo Eno without compromise because of his leadership style and developmental strive, showcasing true democracy carrying every individual along not minding the state or religion the people came from but stand on peace, unity among the people to benefit the dividend of democracy.

He called on Igbo’s resident in the state to make sure they vote here without going to their various states to maintain their voting strength as the highest numbers of people across the non-indigence communities in Akwa Ibom State.

He said they are law abiding citizens and not ready to accommodate or entertain any crisis, violence, because of their peaceful nature created by God, especially respect for the government of the day while corporate to preach peace in the state. He commended the community for embracing peace after 27 years of crisis without a leader among them, but now peace has restored to them across the communities in the state.

Continue Reading

POLITICS

INEC Begins Display of Preliminary Voter Register in Delta

Published

on

Share

From Francis Sadhere, Delta

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Delta State Office, has announced the commencement of the display of the Preliminary Voter Register for claims and objections across the state.

According to a press release by the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Etekamba Udo Umoren, the exercise will begin on Monday, 15th December 2025 and end on Sunday, 21st December 2025.

The display will take place at all the 25 Local Government Area offices of INEC in Delta State between 9:00am and 3:00pm daily.

INEC explained that the exercise is in line with the Electoral Guidelines and is aimed at correcting any anomalies that may have occurred during the recent voter registration exercise.

The Commission noted that the process is essential to producing a credible and reliable voter register, which remains a key instrument for conducting free, fair and credible elections.

The Commission urged eligible voters in the state to seize the opportunity to visit INEC offices in their respective local government areas to confirm that their names and personal details are correctly captured in the register. Voters were also encouraged to report cases of omission, errors in spelling, or any other discrepancies.

In addition, members of the public were advised to raise objections to the inclusion of names of deceased persons, underaged individuals, or any other doubtful entries found in the register.

INEC reiterated its commitment to electoral integrity and called on all Deltans to actively participate in the exercise as part of their civic responsibility.

The Commission concluded the notice with a call to action, encouraging eligible citizens to register and participate in the electoral process.

Continue Reading

POLITICS

Gov Adeleke Didn’t Join APC Because Osun People Already Hated the Party – Jackson Ojo

Published

on

Share

…Says Defectors to Ruling Party Will Regret

By Mike Odiakose, Abuja

A former chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Jackson Lekan Ojo has given further insight into why governor Ademola Adeleke chose the Accord Party instead of the APC when he left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

All the governors that dumped the PDP had detected to the ruling APC, including governor Simi Fubara of Rivers State who joined the party last week.

Speaking at the weekend, Dr Jackson Ojo said the people of Osun State prevailed on Governor Adeleke not to join the ruling APC when it became apparent that there was no point in remaining in PDP over the festering crisis in the PDP.

According to him, the people of Osun State already have deep hatred for the APC and joining the party was never an option for the governor.

Dr Ojo maintained that the performance and achievements of Governor Adeleke is his biggest selling point ahead of campaign for his reelection and the people of Osun State will troop into the Accord Party with him.

“Governor Adeleke trusted himself. He trusted his performance and achievements as governor of Osun State that is why he crossed over to a relatively unknown political party, the Accord Party. All of us have been talking to our people in Osun State to give him maximum support. I have featured of recent at least three times in Osun Broadcasting Corporation to talk to our people. I have been discussing about this, I have been contributing.

“I was one of the people that told the governor to go to Accord Party. I told my governor you don’t need to go to APC because the people of Osun State already hated the APC. I told him to go to any other political party, go to APGA, go to Accord Party because of your performance it will make everybody follow you. And he is going to win the election.

He added that the PDP is already a dead party and that is the reason gales of defection have been hitting the party.

He, however, warned that politicians who are defecting to the APC will regret it as they will be denied the automatic ticket that was used as bait to lure them into the party.

“I don’t think there is any miracle that can resurrect PDP today because they are already in the grave and it just to cover the earth on them. I don’t blame anybody crossing from the PDP because the party is already factionalized. But why are they all going to the APC, the APC is over saturated now. There are persons in APC before that have been fighting.

“You know I belonged to this party before and I know their modus operandi. This is a party that will tell you to go and queue and wait for your time because some people are already working before you came. APC is not a party you just cross to and they give you ticket the second day.

“When my brother who is a member of the House of A Representatives decamped from the PDP to the APC I told him it is good to decamp from the PDP but for going to the APC you are going to regret it. They promised them that they are going to give them automatic ticket but at the end of the day he went and picked the membership card but they called them and told them that crossing to the APC does not mean you are going to have automatic ticket. I hope it will not happen to Simi Fubara in Rivers State.”

Speaking on cold war in Rivers state between Governor Fubara and Lawmakers in the State, Dr Ojo declared that the loyalty of the Lawmakers should be to the people of Rivers State and not to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.

“Former governor Nyesom Wike did not give life to the members of the House of Assembly that are loyal to him. Whatever he must have done for them the governor is there today and he could do better.

“The law is already there in place. Nobody should teach the governor how to settle with these people (Lawmakers). These people are not stones, they are not abstract. They are people you can call on phone, they are people you can meet. You don’t need any other person or intermediary. You have direct access to them and they have direct access to you.

“He should deploy more diplomatic ways and he has to settle with them.

“The members of the House of Assembly don’t need to be loyal to the governor, they just have to do their work according to the dictates of the law. Then the governor too has to do his work according to the dictates of the law. We are greeting or not greeting does not matter.

“What is loyalty? Loyalty of the governor and loyalty of members of the House of Assembly is to Rivers people. Greeting or no greeting, when it is time for the governor to send Bill to them he will send it, they will study it holistically and if it is for the benefit of the people of Rivers State they should approve it.

Reacting to the defection of Governor Fubara, Dr Ojo said: “Fortunately or unfortunately I am not one of his consultants. Possibly he must have consulted with his loyalists. I monitored his statement when he said those of you that suffered with him here and there that now we are going to the APC. He knows the best why he decamped to the APC.

“Decamping to APC does not matter anything to me because a political party is just a vehicle. Every achievement of Fubara in Rivers State today is not because he belonged to the PDP. If all his co-travelers are well contacted and they are well informed that the situation will not boomerang against them, then I say kudos to them, congratulations to them.

“But I hope whatever chased them out of PDP will not chase them out of APC.”

Continue Reading

Advertisement

Read Our ePaper

Top Stories

NEWS52 minutes ago

Clement Koko Assumes Office as CIPPON President

ShareBy David Torough, Abuja Clement Koko has been inaugurated as the President and Chairman-in-Council of the Chartered Institute of Professional...

Foreign News6 hours ago

Thousands of Drivers Wrongly Fined for Speeding Since 2021

ShareThousands of drivers could have speeding fines cancelled after a fault saw some cameras falsely triggered on English A roads...

Uncategorized6 hours ago

UK Unemployment Rate Rises to 5.1 Per cent

ShareThe UK unemployment rate in the three months to October has increased to 5.1%, according to official figures. That marked...

Foreign News6 hours ago

French Court Sentences Ex-DR Congo Rebel, Politician to 30 Years in Jail

ShareA French court has sentenced a former rebel leader and politician from the Democratic Republic of Congo to 30 years...

Uncategorized7 hours ago

EEDC Explains Recent Decline in Power Supply across South-East

ShareThe Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) has attributed the recent decline in power supply across the South-East to low electricity...

BUSINESS7 hours ago

DMO Takes Sensitisation on Borrowing Guidelines to Northern States

ShareThe Debt Management Office (DMO) said that its World Bank-assisted workshop on borrowing guidelines was designed to intimate subnational entities...

BUSINESS7 hours ago

Oborevwori Signs N1.729trn 2026 Budget, Three Other Bills into Law

ShareFrom Francis Sadhere, Delta Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori on Tuesday signed the 2026 Appropriation Bill of N1.729 trillion, tagged...

Oil & Gas8 hours ago

NCDMB Oil, Gas Parks Near Completion, Set for 2026 Inauguration

ShareThe Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board said its Nigerian Oil and Gas Parks Scheme, established to boost local manufacturing...

Oil & Gas8 hours ago

Nigeria Tops W’Africa’s Crude Refining as Other Countries Stage Competition

ShareNigeria is expanding its crude refining footprint in the face of apparent asset acquisition and development by other countries in...

SPORTS8 hours ago

AFCON 2025: Super Eagles Camp Swells to 22 Ahead Egypt Friendly

ShareThe Super Eagles camp in Cairo has grown to 22 players with the arrival of Blackburn Rovers defender Ryan Alebiosu,...