Politics
APC Primary election in Kogi a sham, say six aggrieved aspirants

***Our lives are being threatened, they alleged
The All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election that was scheduled to hold on 14th of April 2023 in Kogi State did not hold, six aggrieved aspirants have indicated
Senator Smart Adeyemi, Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, Yakubu Ajaka, Prof. Stephen Oseni all contestants in the primary election in Abuja on Sunday who said they have been receiving threat messages indicated that election results announced were written a day before.
They accused the Governor of the State, Yahaya bello of manipulating the result to favour his cousin.
According to them, the chairman of the APC primary election who is the Governor of Zanfara State left in a hurry after witnessing the sham.
Explaining further they said it was against the party’s guidelines for the secretary to preside in the absence of the chairman adding that it was what happened.
They however expressed the confidence that the Party’s National working Committee would not allow it to stand adding that they will get justice
Secretary of the Kogi State APC Primary Election Committee had announced the former Auditor General for Local Governments in Kogi State, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo as the winner of the governorship primary election allegedly conducted across the state on Friday.
The secretary declared Ododo who is from the same ward, Local Government as Bello and his anointed as the party’s flagbearer in the forthcoming November 11, election.
Senator Adeyemi who is representing Kogi West in the 9th National Assembly said the election that was supposed to be concluded by 2pm had its results prepared even before commencement of voting.
“This is the worst form of rigging and it is unprecedented in the history of the state. There was no election. For somebody to have the audacity to write results, seven of us are asking the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to tell Nigerians if electoin was conducted.
‘None of the officials of INEC and the panel led by Zamfara state governor Bello Matawalle came out
He said Metawale was not happy with the sham and that was why he left midway.
“There is the party’s guideline that in the absence of the Chairman, that secretary should not announce result. What we had was allocation of votes. The purported winner is the Auditor General of Kogi state.
“We have no problem with the Governor but the level of his involvement. There was no election at all.
“It was supposed to be a direct primary, people were mobilised but there was no election.
“If the APC refuses to do what is right, it will be difficult for people to vote for the APC in Kogi.
“What happened was a betrayal of democracy. People were not allowed to vote, results were written. The election did not take place, but a grand plot to give the ticket to the candidate of the Governor who is first cousin.
“I want to call on the leadership of the party to avoid the collapse of the party. The tenets of Democracy is one man, one vote.
Another contestant Alhaji Shaibu Audu said he was at his Polling Unit where he waited till 6pm, indicating that there was no election materials, no INEC officials.
“It was a sham of a process, the election did not hold. I will like to appeal to the NWC to take a look at the sham that happened on April 14.
“I will like to call on the President elect and Vice President elect to take a look at it. It was a shame of a process and we don’t want it to stand.
Hon Muri Ajaka said if the party was going to adopt a consensus they are supposed to bring everybody along.
“The people who did this have no character, I am sure that the NWC won’t allow it to happen. The people know their leaders, they know who they want.
“By next week, the leadership of the party will take a decision. The NWC will meet, they can’t present any name without theratification of the NWC.
“We are standing on justice. We aren’t desperate to be Governor but we are desperate for our party to win. They are threatening people with treason, they are threatening to assassinate us.
Professor Oseni said results of an exam that did not take place were announced
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”
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