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Yomi Awoniyi describes Melaye’s victory as a pyrrhic one

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The process that brought about the victory of Senator Dino Melaye in the just concluded Proples Democratic Party (PDP) Kogi governorship primary election in the state is being challenged by a former Deputy Governor of Kogi State and an aspirant Arc.Yomi Aoniyi

It is no longer news that the primary election held on Sunday saw produced the maveric Senator Dino Melaye as the party’s governorship candidate.

However, Awoniyi has described Melaye’s victory as pyrrhic that portends great danger to the unity of the party in a statement he issued on Monday in Lokoja

“The PDP Governorship primary has come and gone. It took place on the 16th of April 2023. Senator Dino Melaye was declared the winner, having secured 313 votes from a tainted delegates’ list. I secured 77 votes, alongside a hodgepodge of votes secured by 6 other fellow aspirants. Senator Melaye played a pivotal role in the recently concluded Atiku-Okowa presidential campaign. I was the Kogi State Director for the aforesaid campaign.

“Without an iota of doubt, I make bold to say Senator Melaye’s victory is a pyrrhic one. This victory portends great danger to the unity of our party and the prospect of winning the November 11 governorship election.

“The reason for this assertion is simple. The primary that threw up Senator Melaye was flawed. 158 delegates who emerged from the State Ad-hoc Congress of the 29th March 2023 were replaced by the woeful Sen. Abdul Ningi Congress Committee, working in concert with Senator Dino Melaye’s enablers within the Party hierarchy at the highest level.

“Let me hastily add this, in the pursuit of justice and correct conduct, it is necessary to state the facts as they are.

“To gift any aspirant, a total of 158 votes in a contest for 739 votes involving 8 aspirants is not a fair contest. It is fraudulent, duplicitous, sinful, and unwholesome because it confers undue advantage on the favoured aspirant. Sen Dino Melaye won a fraudulent primary.

“To throw some light on the corrupted delegates list, let me mention just a few of the grave anomalies therein. Firstly, one of the ‘delegates’ imported into the list was the candidate of APGA in the just concluded House of Assembly elections.

“Another illegally imported delegate is native to and resides in a ward totally different from where his name emerged. 62 of the 158 delegates imported come from 2 LGAs, Yagba West and Kabba-Bunu, which are undoubtedly my strongholds for the primary elections. In Ijumu, Senator Melaye’s LGA, 29 of the 46 delegates were switched. I stood to be one of the beneficiaries of the delisted delegates.

“I made the assertion above, at a meeting held at the instance of H.E. Ahmed Makarfi, a fine upright gentleman with impeccable credentials, who was brought in to chair the Primary Election. Present at the meeting, were the State Party Chairman, some stakeholders and all the other aspirants. Not one voice controverted my statement.

“If the delegate list which came from the Ad-hoc delegates Congress of the 29th March 2023 had been used for the Primary of the 16th April 2023, we would have had a free, fair and transparent event with probably a completely different outcome.

“Party faithful across the 3 senatorial districts would have accepted the outcome of the election, which was very well conducted under the Chairmanship of H.E Sen Ahmed Makarfi and secretaryship of Barr. Laurreta Ogwuche. But you cannot put a veneer of integrity on a cesspool of fraud. What we have today in Kogi State, is discontent within the PDP rank and file, and some measure of elation within the other political party.

“This pyrrhic victory may look like a fait accompli, but the dust is unlikely to settle even beyond the 11th November 2023 governorship election.

“From the forgoing, it may surprise many that I do not necessarily blame Senator Dino Melaye for where we find ourselves today. He needs to search his heart to see if he has behaved well, as a counsellor of the celestial, which he claims to be. But I blame his enablers.

“It is natural for anyone to make the most of any temporary advantage he or she possesses. But it behoves on the custodians of the party to ensure that such advantages are not misused to the detriment of the common good,” he said.

Awoniyi said all entreaties made to the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party for the rectification of these anomalies were simply paid lip service.

He said the PDP, at the national level, seem not to have learnt anything.

“They continue to foist persons, only known to them in Abuja, on the state chapters and expect to win elections.

“This statement is being made to correct the impression being given that the primary was a free and fair process. It was not. This has led to the PDP, in Kogi State, fluffing a great opportunity of winning back the state from the ruling party. We wait to see what happens in the days ahead.”

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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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