Politics

2023: APC Sure Of Victory for Matawalle in Zamfara, Says Analyst

Published

2 years ago

June 18, 2022

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State has perfected modalities to coast to victory in the 2023 general elections.

A Gusau-based public affairs analyst, Buhari Yunusa, in his findings, said: “Today, the APC in Zamfara State has been made stronger with two former governors and all her pioneer members now reuniting their interest with that of the sitting governor.
“The 2023 election is looking a lot more like 2019 where APC secured an overwhelming victory, but only this time, it will do so without a legal baggage weighing it down.

In his findings, Yunusa said: “Recently, APC members met under the leadership of the APC state chairman in Gusau to rejig and revalidate a ceasefire, as well as adopt strategies that will deliver the party in the polls come 2023.

“In truth, the meeting was a show of force, a media spectacle to reassure teeming members of the APC that everyone is committed to the new atmosphere of peace within the party as it deploys every oar to steady the ship in its predicted home run to victory come 2023.”

READ Good morning! Here Are Some Major News Headlines In The Newspapers Today: N187bn fraud: EFCC arrests humanitarian ministry’s contractor, probes four Buhari ministers

Yunusa lamented that “The APC in Zamfara was enmeshed in an orgy of very vicious infighting among high-ranking member, with some of the biggest masquerades in this face-off as erstwhile Senator, Kabiru Marafa, immediate past governor, Abdul’Aziz Yari and former governor, Sani Yarima.”

According to him, “Party members in their numbers have been trooping into the home of erstwhile governor Abdul’Aziz Yari to congratulate him for taking the moral high ground to allow for the hatchet to be buried between him and Governor Matawalle in the interest of the party.

“Senator Marafa has also been saluted by so many of his supporters for his gesture of peace, which has been described as both selfless and forward looking. The feeling around Gusau and the rest of Zamfara is gay.
“Excitement over an all but assured APC victory has reawakened the hope of the masses on the party as the only vehicle upon which their collective growth and development can be negotiated.

READ Gunmen abduct eight graduates travelling to NYSC camp in Zamfara

He said: “Indeed the APC in Zamfara has risen above its mere existence as a party and had morphed into a viable movement peopled by individuals capable of suppressing their personal interest for the sake of the masses. All eyes then will be on the PDP to either find a way to settle their differences or take a box seat and watch as APC sweeps through Zamfara State in its victory parade.”

According to Yunusa, “In a twist of fate, the PDP has entered into a new regime of crisis following the party’s primary elections that have been dismissed as a sham and a charade by many. Already, Mahdi Gusau, erstwhile deputy governor to Governor Matawalle whose disgraceful show of moral bankruptcy and dearth of maturity before he was impeached by the state House of Assembly and other aggrieved members, have dragged the PDP to court seeking a complete annulment of the primaries, citing glaring irregularities.

“At this rate, it will appear the PDP is heading straight for a brick wall. Not that it will matter anymore, but the PDP, ever a party of little or no substance in Zamfara that is also now caught up in a legal battle in the year leading to elections, is a clear enough sign that APC will be without any opposition in the 2023 election.”

READ 44 bandits killed as rival groups clash in Zamfara

With all these in place, it is advisable that the governor should ingore disractors, and continue to face development which he is already known for.

Politics

Peter Obi meets Atiku, Lamido, Saraki in Abuja

Published

7 hours ago

May 14, 2024

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The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election Peter Obi has met with ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, and former Governor of Jigawa State Sule Lamido in separate visits.

Atiku posted photos of him and Obi during their Monday meeting on his X handle.

“It was my honour and privilege to host @PeterObi today,” Atiku wrote.

In a statement following the meetings, the LP presidential campaign spokesman Tanko Yunusa said Obi visited them to discuss the “state of the nation”.

“Worried about the state of the nation and the increasing uncertainty in the living conditions of the poor and underprivileged, Obi in Abuja on Monday visited some top Nigerians, among whom are former vice president, and PDP presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, the former Senate President Senator Bukola Saraki and the former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido,” the statement read.

READ Gunmen abduct eight graduates travelling to NYSC camp in Zamfara

“At the centre of discussion during each of these visits was the state of the nation and how to reduce the suffering of all Nigerians irrespective of class and location. In particular, the desperate condition of the downtrodden in our midst was highlighted.

“Of particular interest and emphasis in these discussions was the worrisome situation in the northern parts of the country.”

Obi was Atiku’s running mate in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2019 presidential election.

But Obi, a former Anambra governor, left the PDP ahead of the 2023 poll and teamed up with the Labour Party (LP).

Atiku flew the PDP’s flag in the poll, losing out to President Bola Tinubu.

Politics

Fubara to probe Wike’s administration

Published

16 hours ago

May 13, 2024

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Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers, says a judicial panel of inquiry will be set up to investigate the management of the state’s resources and affairs under past administrations.

Fubara spoke on Monday while swearing in Dagogo Iboroma, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), as the Rivers’ attorney-general and commissioner for justice, at the government house in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

“Let me also say this: you have a big task. We will be setting up a judicial panel of inquiry to investigate the affairs of governance. So, brace up; I am not going back on it,” the governor said.

Earlier on Monday, the Rivers house of assembly led by Victor Jumbo, the factional speaker, screened and cleared Iboroma as a commissioner nominee.

Iboroma’s appointment follows the resignation of Zacchaeus Adangor in April.

“Please defend us. We know that you are going to defend us because your record is clean. You are a gentleman who is peaceful. You are not a noise-maker. People like you are endowed, and they have the fear of God,” Fubara told Iboroma.

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Fubara succeeded Nyesom Wike, who is the current minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), as governor in May 2023.

He was the accountant-general under Wike.

In May 2022, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) declared Fubara and 58 others wanted over an alleged N435 billion fraud.

‘THIS IS A NEW ERA’

Fubara said the swearing-in of Iboroma marked the beginning of a new era for his government, which he noted has moved on from the political crisis in the state.

“I am happy that this is happening today to mark the beginning of a new era in our administration. When I said that I had a reason for being patient, it is because I know that we are all from one family and if we have a disagreement, no matter how bad it is, it should be resolved amicably,” Fubara said.

“But it has become very clear that this disagreement, there is no way to resolve it amicably. And for a lot of reasons, there is visible evidence that there is sabotage and deliberate attempt to sabotage this administration.

READ Good morning! Here Are Some Major News Headlines In The Newspapers Today: N187bn fraud: EFCC arrests humanitarian ministry’s contractor, probes four Buhari ministers

“For that reason, we have to move forward. And moving forward, if it means taking decisions that are going to hurt anybody. We are not going back on the protection of the interest of Rivers people.”

THE CRISIS

The Rivers house of assembly has been polarised since 2023 following the rift between Fubara and Wike.

In December, 27 members of the assembly defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Rivers assembly has 32 seats. One lawmaker, Dinebari Loolo, died in September 2023.

In October 2023, Ehie Edison was elected speaker of the factional assembly, after his removal as house leader by members led by Martin Amaewhule — amid the plot to impeach Fubara.

Edison later resigned as a lawmaker to become chief of staff to Fubara.

The lawmakers in the Amaewhule-led faction are loyal to Wike.

The political crisis took a fresh twist last Wednesday after Jumbo, a lawmaker representing the Bonny state constituency, was elected factional speaker.

READ JUST IN: Gunmen abduct 73 students from Zamfara school in broad daylight

Last Friday, a state high court in Port Harcourt granted an interim injunction restraining Amaewhule from acting as a speaker of the Rivers assembly.

Charles Wali, the presiding judge, also restrained 25 other assembly members from parading themselves as legislators.

The motion ex parte was filed by Jumbo and two assembly members — Sokari Goodboy and Orubienimigha Timothy — loyal to Fubara.

Politics

Obtaining injunction at 2am can’t sack lawmakers | Backing you was a mistake, Wike tells Fubara

Published

2 days ago

May 12, 2024

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Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), says no one has the power to sack elected members of the Rivers house of assembly.

Wike and Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers, have been locked in a battle for the political structure of Rivers since 2023.

The rift between both men has led to a polarisation of the Rivers house of assembly — with each camp electing a speaker loyal to either man.

In December, 25 Rivers lawmakers loyal to Wike defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Their seats were subsequently declared vacant by Edison Ehie, who was then speaker of the camp loyal to Fubara.

THE INJUNCTION

On May 6, Fubara told state legislators loyal to Wike that they owe their existence to him.

“Those group of men who claim they are our assembly members are not assembly members — they are not existing,” Fubara said.

READ Lagos Taskforce impounds 410 okadas

On May 10, a Rivers high court granted an interim injunction restraining Martin Amaewhule, a lawmaker loyal to Wike, from parading himself as speaker of the state assembly.

Charles Wali, the presiding judge, also restrained 25 other assembly members from parading themselves as legislators.

The motion ex parte was filed by Victor Jumbo, the factional speaker and two assembly members — Sokari Goodboy and Orubienimigha Timothy. All three legislators are loyal to Fubara.

‘MY JOB IS TO MAKE THEM ANGRY’

Speaking on Saturday in Ogu-Bolo LGA of Rivers at an event to honour George Sekibo, a former senator who has spent 36 years in public service, Wike aimed more thinly veiled barbs Fubara’s way.

The former governor’s remarks also came after Fubara gazetted an executive order moving the sitting of the state house of assembly to the government house.

Addressing Anorld Davids, lawmaker representing Ogu-Bolo constituency in the assembly, Wike said: “Let me say this clearly, Arnold, don’t be frightened that anybody would remove you as an assembly member.”

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“Nobody will remove you as an assembly member.

“Most of you don’t understand. This is our work. What l am doing is to make them fear, to make them angry.

“I have no other job than to make them angry everyday, to make them make mistakes everyday. And they will be in trouble everyday. So, don’t worry about yourselves.

“If they like, they can go to anybody by 2am, 4am to get an injunction. The law will take its course. We are not afraid. We followed due process. We must follow due process.

“We are not going to harm anybody. We are not going to give money to anybody to buy arms and kill anybody. We won’t do that.”

‘HANDPICKING YOU WAS A MISTAKE’

Again, Wike apologised for backing Fubara to succeed him as governor.

“I have made a mistake. I own up. And I ask God to forgive me. I have said all of you forgive me. But, we will correct it at the appropriate time,” he said.

READ BREAKING: Two kidnapped Zamfara college staff, student escape

“I am a human being. I am bound to make a mistake. My judgment can be wrong. So, forgive me for making a wrong judgment. That is life.”