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PDP will restore good governance to Jigawa, says Mustapha Sule Lamido

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By John Akubo, Abuja

In this interview with JOHN AKUBO after screening at Sokoto Governor’s lodge in Abuja, Alhaji Mustapha Sule Lamido, a governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Jigawa State, has challenged past leaders and incumbents to show what their so-called experience has brought to Nigeria. He said good training in leadership is what the country needs.

What have you done that prepares you for the job of the governor?

People always talk about experience, but I ask, those that have ruled with their so-called experience where have they taken us? Where are we today? The current administration that people claimed to have so much experience that would take Nigeria out of poverty, and make Nigeria stable, where have they taken the country to?
What is needed is a passion for leadership. In Jigawa we need people that are committed to leading down to the grassroots, leadership that has a passion for people’s welfare. Most of the leaders that have this so-called experience, if you look at their profile they have been there for decades recycling themselves while they have taken Nigeria back to the stone age with their greed.

What have their experiences done to change the narratives? 
We that have been brought up from the house of leadership, have been at the grassroots level. We can communicate with the masses, that we understand their pains, we visit them, know what their troubles are. We are the people that can communicate with them hence we are the right people to take over leadership for the right governance. 

People are being killed in the Northwest, what has the government done about it?
If you look at the past leaders of this country who are still in circulation at various positions, what have they done for us? They have bastardized the system to the extent that we don’t now have a future. So people like us have been guided, we have been groomed when it comes to leadership, we have been connected. You don’t have to hold political office before you have the experience.

The problem at the state level and at the federal is the lack of trust and disunity among us, it is the cycle of not understanding what the problems or the programs are.
Once you have a leader that knows what the problems of the people are then you will see that the country would move in the right direction. 

You talk about grooming for leadership. You have a father who was a two-term governor, who was a foreign minister. Are you relying on your father for this position?
I will say, nobody can separate a father from a son, likewise a mother and her son and whatever you become in life it is from the roots where you are coming from. It is about how they nurtured you to become what you are in life.

I was brought up in the house of politics, the house of leadership, right from when I was a little boy I used to see people around our house and when I kept asking my mother where my father was, she will tell me he is not in the house, he has gone out. Why because he was out to serve people through politics. He was always out there to serve people, so whenever I got closer to him, I came to understand what responsibilities are, what leadership is all about and that is why till today I keep sitting around him and when it comes to the leadership he puts me through.
Outside what I got from my father, I’m a human being, I’m a Nigerian, I have my own dreams and my own aspirations. Whatever it takes, I now know what the responsibilities of leadership are, I now know the solution to problems, I now know when somebody is having a problem in a particular constituency, village or local Government area, how to solve the problem. Let me say I am from the University of Sule Lamido’s mentoring and guidance. That can never be taken away from my life’s history. I am from that university, I am a student of that university and I believe students of such universities will never fail when it comes to leadership. I am coming from the political house of Sule Lamido. So coming out of that house that has never been known with failure, it has always been about governance, it has always been about people, service to the people. And that’s what I bring.

You are coming seven years after PDP was voted out by APC. How optimistic are you that PDP will recover?

When I emerge from the party primary, I can assure you I’m on ground. In Jigawa the PDP government did well and it moved ahead of time but when the APC took over they bastardised the system, the structure, and everything was messed up. With the current situation in the country, the economy is so bad, poverty at the highest level, insecurity at its peak, what else can the citizens of Jigawa and Nigeria think about the ruling APC, except to vote them out at all levels? I don’t have a problem doing that in Jigawa. 
Before the coming of PDP, Jigawa was not on the map of Nigeria. There was no government in Jigawa, when you look at the map of Nigeria nobody knew what Jigawa was all about after its creation in 1991. When PDP mounted the saddle it brought Jigawa to limelight and Jigawa was known across the globe. People started visiting Jigawa because there was good governance and there was development. Jigawa citizens were proud to be associated with the state. Unfortunately, everything has now been bastardised. There is nothing going on in Jigawa State, development is so low, the economy is so bad, empowerment is very low, and unemployment is at the highest level.
The citizens of the state want a change of government to bring people who have the commitment to lead. People want that proper leadership, which is found in PDP, they want PDP to come back irrespective of whoever emerges. It is about leadership, it is about governance. So PDP is going to produce a very strong candidate and that candidate is me because I’m a very loyal member of the party in Jigawa State.

This party is what we know and what we know is service to humanity. When you talk about PDP in Nigeria as a whole, Jigawa State is one of the founding pillars of PDP. People come to Jigawa to learn what leadership is all about.

You have been screened in readiness for the primary election, how would you rate the exercise in terms of compliance with the electoral act?
In that respect, I think the party has done a very wonderful job. With the new electoral act, the party has done an excellent job.

Culled from The Guardian

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Politics

Obi did received N850m from Abure, Tanko clarifies

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***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’.

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Ondo 2024: Over 250 political structures join forces with Omoluabi Coalition Group

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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.

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I withdrew suit against APC, Aiyedatiwa after Tinubu’s intervention, says Jimoh Ibrahim

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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”

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