Politics
2023: Zone presidential tickets to the south, IBBN urges political parties

The Initiative for a Better and Brighter Nigeria, IBBN, Tuesday, in Abuja called on all political parties to zone their presidential tickets to the Southern part of the country.
The IBBN stated that the need for the zoning is to ensure fairness and equity in Nigeria’s leadership, explaining that the North will be concluding a full eight-year term by 2023.
The President of the IBBN, Dr. Isah Sadiq, delivering a speech at the press conference said, “Morestill, as political activities hit the crescendo, we call on political actors in the country to play the game, putting Nigeria first over any parochial interest. Among other things, national interest first. “We call on all Political parties to in all sense of fairness, to zone their presidential tickets to the southern zone of the country, especially since the North will be concluding a full eight-year term by 2023.
“Fairness and equity is all it takes to service and continue to make every union work and indeed fairness and equity is what it will take to keep the Nigerian union as one indivisible great country under God.“
Sadiq speaking on the Abduction and Murder of Little Hanifa in Kano State, expressed fears that from the wave of mass abductions for ransom at schools over the last year, carried out by terrorists elements nicknamed bandits, there could not be any more endangerment of education
He said the recent abduction and murder of little promising 5 year old Hanifa Abubakar by the Proprietor of her own school, who demanded for a ransom of six million naira ($14,500) last month, only to later kill Hanifa with rat poison and bury her in a shallow grave in the city of Kano; there couldn’t violation of the right to life in Northern Nigeria.
“Truth is, a society perpetually void of safe spaces for children is a society with a bleak future, if it has any at all. For the act of terrorism against children alone, Nigerian Government need not show mercy to domestic terrorists and terrorpreneurs alike.
“We must stand up to the active defence of the right to life in Nigeria because the life of Nigerians matter!
“May God comfort the family of little Hanifa and all others who have lost loved ones in the hands of terrorists and terropreneurs in Nigeria,” he said
He further stated that the IBBN in alignment with Civil Society Coalition and well meaning Nigerians called on President Muhammadu Buhari, to authorise a new progressive electoral act for Nigerians that will make elections free, fair, transparent, peaceful and inclusive; especially that Mr President rode to the Presidency with a promise of electoral reforms to Nigerians.
“While we commend the 9th National Assembly for their efforts in advancing progressive clauses in the Electoral Act Repeal and Re-enactment Bill 2020, the Initiative for a Better and Brighter Nigeria however wishes to call on the National Assembly to consider and review section 91 of the Electoral Act Bill which dramatically and astronomically increased campaign spending limits by 300 percent, which suggests that the 9th National Assembly intends to entrench a heavily monetized and merchandising political system, and this has dire implications for election violence, youths exclusion, good governance and the economy, ” the IBBN added.
Still on the electoral process, IBBN recalled that INEC had in June last year, expanded voter access to polling units for the first time in 25 years since the initial delimitation in 1996 by creation of additional 56,872 Polling Units nation wide bringing the total number of polling units in the country to 176,846. A feat he said, should ordinarily improve voter turnout and ease the management of polling units and crowds during elections.
“What we have however, noticed from the recently concluded Anambra State elections and from the recent INEC Consultative meeting with Civil-society Organisations, is that both old and new voters are either not fully aware of this expansion of voter access and or failed to take advantage of it to transfer to these new Polling Units which has the potential to defeat the intended objective of the expansion and even entrench voter disenfranchisement.
“The Initiative for a Better and Brighter Nigeria (IBBN) therefore wishes to call on Nigerians, Civil Society Organisations and serious grassroot stakeholders and Politicians to take inventory of those new polling units in their constituencies, organise townhalls, educate the people and facilitate the even distribution of voters in those areas between the old overpopulated polling units and the new polling units closest to the old ones, by simply applying to transfer those affected voters’ polling units, as well as leveraging on the ongoing CVR for the regular recruitment and registration of new voters to locations where they would be during elections by visiting the INEC website.
“We all must turn to community organisers in our localities if we must make democracy work for Nigeria.”
He further expressed worries that the number of men and Officers of security agencies are obviously inadequate to secure Nigeria’s rural communities and forests which need security as well. “It’s obvious that if we don’t secure forests in Nigeria, terrorist elements will always take refuge in those forests and use them as a launching board for their terrorist attacks.
“Government is not oblivious of this, because we have adequate security deployments securing the forest within the villa area through Mambilla Barracks, through the Gwarinpa expressway and down to the AYA area here in the nation’s capital.”
According to him, “the expediency of experimenting with state police to complement the overstretched central Nigerian Police Force stares us in the face at this time of our national history. Beyond preventing deepening attacks, we need reclaim forests and ungoverned spaces already occupied by terrorists. When will we deploy the much celebrated tucano jets and other Airforce platforms procured to extinguish these terrorists? Is it better when the terrorists are done with killing Nigerians? We call on Government to Deploy those tucano jets to use now!”
The Initiative for a Better and Brighter Nigeria commended the gallantry of Men of the Armed Forces, assuring that it will continue to stand with them, while expressing hope that Nigeria will surmount her security challenges, “we however call on Nigeria policy makers and President Muhammadu Buhari’s led Federal Government to be more innovative and proactive in securing the precious lives of and defending the inalienable right to life of Nigerians,” Sadiq added.
Politics
Obi did received N850m from Abure, Tanko clarifies

***describes claim as malicious
The Obi – Datti Chief Spokesman, Dr Yunusa Tanko has clarriffied insinuation by one Mr Calistus Okafofor that the National Chairman of Labour Party Barrester Julius Abure, gave the Presidential Candidate of the party, Peter Obi eight hundred and fifty million Naira, (N850million) to prosecute the 2023 election.
Dr Tanko while debunking the clai said Obi did not collect any funds from the party describing the claim as false, adding that the reverse is the case.
He noted that it was Obi who actually gave money to the party severally.
He challenged Okafor to produce evidence, if actually the chairman told him that he gave Obi money for the purpose of campaign during the election.
“His Exellency has been exemplary in his financial conduct in both his private and public life.
“infact he always matain and always demand for Accountability and Transparency from anybody around
him.
He maintaned that anybody around him should not collect any money from anyone that he or she can not account for.
Dr Tanko declared that he was in the forefront of the campaign and privy to most of the expenses during the campaign and to the best of his knowledge, the party never provided any money directly to Obi to support his campaign rallies across the country.
The Campaign spokesman further stressed that Obi and his supporters were quite aware of all the campaign of calumny being orchestrated of recent from various quarters against the LP leader just to paint him in bad faith by those scared of his rising acceptance by the Nigerian people.
“We are aware that people are already scheming for 2027 and it is unfortunate that certain individuals have chosen to divert attention from the high rate of insecurity and poverty that are currently threatening the very existence of our nation by constantly attacking the personality of Peter Obi.
“Those are the enemy of Nigeria and Nigerians but l know that God will disappoint them and rescue our country from their grips whether they believe it or not’.
Politics
Ondo 2024: Over 250 political structures join forces with Omoluabi Coalition Group

Some political groups and structures of governorship aspirants in Ondo State numbering over 250 have joined forces with the Omoluabi Coalition Group ahead of November Governorship elections in Ondo State.
This took place on Monday 27th of May 2024 at an expanded Exco’ meeting held in Ore, where the President of the Yoruba Council- YCW; the apex umbrella body for all Yoruba socio cultural groups Aare Barr. Oladotun Hassan received the groups executives from all the 18 local governments across the sunshine state.
Aare Hassan in his welcome address admonished them to remain steadfast, and always imbibe Omoluabi ethos in their conducts.
He stressed the need for the remaining political structures in the state to join forces with Omoluabi Coalition to decide who will govern the State for the next four years, as this governorship election “is not about political party but the candidates”.
The DG Omoluabi Coalition Group Tunji Balogun emphasized the importance of voters card, as he urged those yet to collect theirs to go to INEC offices in their respective local governments for collections.
He said the groups’ target across the state is 200,000 votes. whereas the compilation of registered voters cards at the moment is still 124,678 which is far below target.
He therefore mandated the new members to register their voters cards on the group’s portal for proper documentation.
The woman leader, Yeye Atunluse Oodua Alhaja Tawakalitu while welcoming the new affiliated groups explained that Omoluabi Coalition Group is an independent apolitical and sociocultural group in Yoruba land committed to good governance, aimed at strengthening the democratic process.
She also gave her admonition and assurances that come November governorship election in Ondo state, the choice of Omoluabi Coalition would emerged as governor.
Other speakers included the youth leaders, and state commanders who also corroborated the statements earlier made by the group leaders.
In his closing remarks, the DG Omoluabi coalition advised all members to remain focused and loyal, stressing that the leaders are in consultation with leaders of thought and stakeholders in the State with assurances that “we shall come up with the right choice in the interest of our dear state”.
Omoluabi souvenirs were freely distributed to new members, while the inauguration of streets captains in all 203 wards would come up at a later date.
Politics
I withdrew suit against APC, Aiyedatiwa after Tinubu’s intervention, says Jimoh Ibrahim

The Senator Jimoh Ibrahim representing Ondo South said he has withdrawn his suit against the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa after President Bola Tinubu intervened.
Senator Ibrahim had dragged the APC candidate in the forthcoming governorship election in the State Lucky Aiyedatiwa and the party before the Federal High Court Abuja where he challenged the gubernatorial primary election of the APC held recently in Ondo state.
Ibrahim had alleged that there was no voting in his Senatorial district and a larger part of the State.
Following the suit, the executives of the APC in Igbotako Ward II, Okitipupa local government area of Ondo State, suspended Ibrahim from the party over alleged anti-party activities and insubordination.
However, Ibrahim at a briefing at the Senate on Tuesday, said he withdrew the suit in deference to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who waded in the issue.
Ibrahim in his statement in Abuja titled: “Presidential intervention and notice of withdrawal suit No.
FHC /ABJ/ CS/588/2024,”said: “The suit is now withdrawn due to the intervention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR.
“The President called me, had a meeting with me, and assured me that he will as the leader of the party improve on internal democracy within our party, and i will need to withdraw the case to enable him to chart a way forward.
“The Governor of Ondo state, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, earlier visited my Asokoro residence for several hours after another unsuccessful visit to my hotel room in Akure.
“I cannot disobey the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria because the issue am fighting for is not personal.
“It is simply to improve internal democracy to which the President has promised improvement. My respect for the President is absolute!
“Let me use this opportunity to thank Mr. President for the words of wisdom and encouragement during my meeting with him which lasted over one hour and his various interactions with me on the telephone during which he emphasized his commitment to internal democracy over and over again. Thank you, Mr. President.
“The withdrawal of this legendary suit coincides with the first anniversary of Mr. President’s incredible performance in office, and this is my gift of the ‘cake’ of the first anniversary”
-
Crime1 year ago
Police nabs Killer of Varsity Lecturer in Niger
-
News1 year ago
FCT-IRS tells socialite Aisha Achimugu not to forget to file her annual returns
-
Appointment1 year ago
Tinubu names El-Rufai, Tope Fasua, others in New appointments
-
News From Kogi1 year ago
INEC cancells election in 67 polling units in Ogori-Magongo in Kogi
-
News From Kogi2 years ago
Echocho Challenges Tribunal Judgment ordering rerun in 94 polling units
-
News1 year ago
IPOB: Simon Ekpa gives reason for seperatists clamour for Biafra
-
Metro12 months ago
‘Listing Simon Ekpa among wanted persons by Nigeria military is rascality, intimidation’
-
News1 year ago
Kingmakers of Igu/ Koton-Karfe dare Bello, urge him to reverse deposition of Ohimege-Igu