DEADLOCKED: APC govs continues search for consensus candidate after first meeting failed to yield result

Published

2 years ago

June 1, 2022

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Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress have begun the search for a consensus presidential candidate, according to reports.

A source privy to the first meeting of the governors disclosed that the meeting ended in a deadlock.

“No agreement yet. Meeting has been postponed to later this week,” the source told The PUNCH on Wednesday.

Asked what transpired during the meeting, the politician said, “The governors are still divided on the matter. Many things are being considered, including capability, region and religion.”

President Muhammadu Buhari had asked the Progressive Governors to search for the right successor at a meeting in Aso Rock on Tuesday.

Buhari also informed the governors that he would be seeking reciprocity ahead of the presidential primary which comes up in the next six days.

He told the governors, “The party has successfully established internal policies that promote continuity and smooth succession plans even at the state and local government levels.

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“For example, first-term governors who have served credibly well have been encouraged to stand for re-election. Similarly, second-term governors have been accorded the privilege of promoting successors that are capable of driving their visions as well as the ideals of the party.

“In keeping with the established internal policies of the party and as we approach the convention in a few days, therefore, I wish to solicit the reciprocity and support of the governors and other stakeholders in picking my successor, who would fly the flag of our party for election into the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2023.

“As we approach the convention, I appeal to all of you to allow our interests to converge, our focus to remain on the changing dynamics of our environment, the expectations of our citizens and the global community.

“Our objective must be the victory of our party and our choice of a candidate must be someone who would give the Nigerian masses a sense of victory and confidence even before the elections.”

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Those vying for the APC’s presidential ticket include the Vice-President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo; the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and the Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi.

Others vying for the party’s presidential ticket are a former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; a former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio; former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu; a former Imo State governor, Senator Rochas Okorocha and former Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.

They also include Pastor Tunde Bakare, the Cross River State Governor, Prof Ben Ayade; his Ekiti State counterpart, Dr Kayode Fayemi, an ex-Minister of State, Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, former President of the Senate, Senator Ken Nnamani; Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello; Jigawa State governor, Mohammed Badaru and former Zamfara State governor, Senator Ahmed Yerima.

Also on the list are Senator Ajayi Borroffice; the only female aspirant, B. Uju Kennedy Ohanenye, Pastor Nicholas Felix Nwagbo; former Speaker of Representative, Dimeji Bankole; President of the Senate, Dr Ahmed Lawal; former Minister of Information, Chief Ikeobasi Mokelu and Mr Tein Jack Rich.

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News

Good morning! Here Are Some Major News Headlines In The Newspapers Today: Reps ask FG to reopen Banex plaza, probe incident

Published

59 mins ago

May 24, 2024

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1. The House of Representatives on Thursday urged the Federal Government and the Nigerian Army to reopen the Banex Plaza in Abuja for business activities. It also urged the authorities to use modern technology, such as surveillance and closed circuit television, to identify and apprehend the perpetrators of the attack on Army personnel in the plaza recently.

2. There was jubilation in Kano State on Thursday as Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf announced the re-appointment of Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi as the new Emir of Kano. He made the announcement after signing the new emirate council law at Government House, Kano.

3. The Kogi Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja has scheduled judgment for Monday in the petition by Social Democratic Party, SDP, and its candidate in the last governorship election in Kogi, Murtala Ajaka. Ajaka and his party are challenging the declaration of Usman Ododo of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as the winner of the election held on November 11, 2023.

READ Major News headlines In The Papers Today: Combined team of soldiers, police vigilantes combing Edo bush for abducted train passengers

4. President Bola Tinubu has directed a comprehensive review of the recently announced governing boards of tertiary institutions. He expressed concerns that the constitutional Federal Character principle did not reflect in the nominations of members of the governing councils.

5. The House of Representatives, on Thursday, passed for third reading, a bill reverting to ‘Nigeria We Hail Thee’, the old National Anthem. The bill sponsored by the Majority Leader of the House, Prof Julius Ihonbvere, underwent an accelerated consideration on the floor of the House before passage.

6. The Federal Government said on Thursday that the country was poised to begin local production of military equipment with the recent signing of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria Bill by President Bola Tinubu. The Minister of Defence, Muhammad Badaru, said following the signing of the bill, the FG had been in talks with 50 local firms for local production of firearms in the country.

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7. The grandmother of a 17-year-old girl identified simply as Favour has buried her daughter’s newborn baby alive in the Ogombo area of Ajah, Lagos State. It was gathered that when the grandmother observed that the teenager had gotten pregnant, she became angry and did everything possible to hide the pregnancy from members of the public.

8. An Ekiti State High Court, Ado Ekiti Division on Thursday sentenced two persons, Benjamin Joseph (32), and Stephen Orban (25), to death by hanging for robbing two persons of cash and valuable items. The convicts were arraigned on December 30, 2022, on four counts bordering on conspiracy and armed robbery.

9. The Naira on Thursday depreciated in the parallel market to N1,515 per dollar from N1,495 per dollar on Wednesday. Similarly, the Naira depreciated to N1,485.66 per dollar in the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market, NAFEM.

10. Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, has told the Federal Government that Nigerians were increasingly being frustrated by poverty and hunger, thus challenging the political office holders to rise to their responsibilities of protecting Nigerians and uplifting their living standards.

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Metro News

8-year-old Anambra pupil ‘beaten to coma by teacher’ is dead

Published

8 hours ago

May 23, 2024

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A primary two pupil of Landmark School, Mgbakwu, in Awka North LGA of Anambra state, Henry Okonkwo, who was allegedly beaten to a coma by his teacher, has died.

It would be recalled that the teacher, simply identified as Faith Nwonye, was arrested after she was said to have physically abused the 8-year-old pupil over the weekend.

Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, the state commissioner for education, in a recent chat with journalists, said the school’s proprietor and Nwonye were summoned to explain the incident that led to the alleged brutalisation of the pupil.

The commissioner said the school was also found to be operating illegally, adding that it has been closed indefinitely.

But in a Facebook post on Thursday, Chuma-Udeh confirmed Henry’s passing while revealing that they will “seek justice” for the pupil.

“He was a boy like any other, with hopes and aspirations. He went to school for a better future but met a gruesome death at the hands of the people who were supposed to help him achieve his life ambition,” she wrote.

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“A quack teacher in an illegal school bludgeoned him to death. We mourn a life nipped in the bud! We mourn Henry Chukwuemeka Okonkwo! We mourn and we seek justice.”

News

Why I reinstated Lamido Sanusi as Kano Emir – Governor

Published

10 hours ago

May 23, 2024

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The Governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf, says the reinstatement of the deposed Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi, was a fulfilment of a campaign promise.

Yusuf, on Thursday, signed the bill repealing the State Emirate Council Law 2019 that gave the state five emirate councils.

The state House of Assembly on Thursday passed the bill for the dissolution of the four additional emirates created by the immediate past administration of former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and the removal of all five emirs.

The governor signed the bill at the Government House on Thursday, the same day it was passed by the state lawmakers.

At the event, according to a statement by his spokesperson, Sanusi Bature, the governor said the new law provided for the reinstatement of Mr Lamido as Emir of Kano and removal of all the five Emirs in all the five emirates.

He added that it was also part of his campaign commitment to residents of the state.

READ Kyari becomes APC acting chairman, Fuanter acting secretary as Adamu, Omisore resign

“The law provided an opportunity for reinstatement of the 14th Emir of Kano Muhammad Sanusi II and removal of 15th Emir of Kano Aminu Ado Bayero, the Emir of Bichi Nasir Ado Bayero, Emir of Rano Kabiru Muhammad Inuwa, Emir of Karaye Ibrahim Abubakar II and Emir of Gaya Aliyu Ibrahim Abdulkadir.

“Governor Yusuf further articulated that the return of Muhammad Sanusi II back on throne will propel peace and prosperity, adding that the repeal of the council law was in realisation of his campaign commitments to restore the lost glory of the state and its rich cultural heritage.

“Governor Yusuf also issued 48 hours to Aminu Ado Bayero and four other former first class chiefs to vacate their palaces and hand over all emirates property to the office of the deputy governor.

“The governor expressed satisfaction that the new law will bring unity of the people of Kano and foster sustainable socio-economic development.

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“He emphasised that the signing of the bill symbolizes the restoration of the revered legacy of the Kano emirate, which has withstood the test of time of over a thousand years.

“Furthermore, the governor urged the populace in the state to continue supporting his administration in delivering a multitude of infrastructural advancements that will propel Kano to greater heights.

“Everyone should go about his or her normal activities in the state, we have done what we believe is in the best interest of the state and its people”

“I want to inform the good people of Kano that today, we reappointed Sanusi Lamido Aminu Sanusi popularly known as Muhammadu Sanusi the II as the 16th Emir of Kano while the five former emirs are expected to vacate the palaces within 48 hours.

“The former emirs are to handover all properties in thier possession to the Commissioner for Local Government who doubles as the state Deputy Governor.

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“Under the new Kano Emirate Repeal law 2024, Kano state is now under one emirate,” the statement said.