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Tag: Atikus

  • Atiku’s presidency will calm agitations in South-East –Ihedioha

    Atiku’s presidency will calm agitations in South-East –Ihedioha

    A former governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha, Wednesday said the victory of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, will resolve political agitations in the southeastern part of the country.

    Ihedioha stated this during a town hall meeting organised by PDP youths with the theme ‘Youths and students as catalysts for PDP’s 2023 general election’ in Abuja.

    Speaking on the issues compounding Imo State, Ihedioha enjoined the youths not to “make mistakes” in voting another party that will compound their woes.

    He said, “For us ordinarily, Imo is a PDP State, but we have been blown by a wave and that’s why we have to work harder . It doesn’t come easy. South East has invested tremendously in national development, we’re very industrious, we have done so much to advance the country’s technology but what we’re getting is not commensurate to it.

    “That’s why there is fatigue, anger  in the land. The current administration has been a curse to the nation, but the dark days must soon be over, we must not work in anger, our faculty must be intact. It’s important we come out of the misery but we’re going to be very careful,” Ihedioha said.

    He also added, “We must work in tandem with the national, we have to win 25 per cent across the states plus FCT and we believe it’s tilting to the one that will unify the country once again, that’s why everybody from West, East, North should vote for Atiku Abubakar, it has become necessary to bring in the man that understands the country.”

    Earlier in his speech, the Deputy Director, Youth Mobilisation for Atiku Presidential Campaign Council, Chinonso Obasi, noted that only Atiku would implement all the recommendations beneficiary to the South-East as proposed by the 2014 national conference.

    Obasi said, “The recommendations of the conference if implemented would have benefitted the Igbo, it proposed for extra states, it is only here we have five states others have six and seven, but Atiku has promised to implement it for us if he becomes president.

    “The conference also recommended that the South-East, as a result of the civil war, would be reconstructed, rebuilt, but that has not happened, he would implement it for us, again for Nigerian students, they will have access to loan as recommended in the confab. He has set aside $10 billion for youth employment, all these the youth will benefit by voting for him on Saturday,” Obasi said.

    The PUNCH reports that the 2014 national conference was inaugurated by former President Goodluck Jonathan on March 17, 2014, in Abuja.

    The conference, which had about 492 cross-section of Nigerians including the professional bodies, was headed by retired Chief Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi and focused on challenging issues of the Nigerian state.

  • Makinde absent as loyalists attend Atiku’s rally in Ibadan

    Makinde absent as loyalists attend Atiku’s rally in Ibadan

    The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde; and the Deputy National Chairman (South) of the Peoples Democratic Party, Taofik Arapaja, on Thursday, mobilised their loyalists and the party’s candidates in the state for the party’s presidential rally held in Ibadan, Oyo State.

    Makinde and Arapaja were, however, conspicuously absent at the rally addressed by the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu; and the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

    The PUNCH reports that Makinde is one of the five PDP governors who have so far distanced themselves from Atiku’s campaign while calling for the resignation of Ayu as the party’s chairman.

    At the rally held at ancient Mapo hall in Ibadan, however, Ayu said the leadership of the PDP under his watch has returned the party to ordinary Nigerians, adding that no single person or a group of people can control the party anymore.

    While commending Makinde for mobilising the people for the rally, Ayu said, “Seyi Makinde is a strong PDP member. He is a member of the family and in the family, sometimes you have a disagreement, and sometimes you will have people who are not happy. As a father of all PDP in Nigeria, I am calling on all our aggrieved members to come back home.”

    In his speech, Atiku also thanked Makinde, party candidates and loyalists in the state for ensuring that the rally was well organised.

    He promised to restructure Nigeria and give autonomy to both states and local governments if elected.

    Atiku said the All Progressives Congress had failed in all ramifications hence the need to vote the party out on February 25, adding that no single promise was fulfilled since APC assumed office about eight years ago.

    Meanwhile, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, has advised Atiku and other party leaders to do everything within their power to reconcile with Makinde before the elections.

    Speaking through the Otun Balogun of Ibadanland, Tajudeen Ajibola, Olubadan, who played host to Atiku and members of his delegation at his Alarere residence, told him to bring about genuine reconciliation between him and all the aggrieved members of the party before the elections.

    Ortom speaks

    Meanwhile, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State hinted at the fears of the reconciliation process between the G-5 governors and the party failing, saying that the national leadership of the party should be blamed because no measures were put in place to placate them.

    Ortom also said that arrogance, impunity, and mischief engendered matters in the reconciliation process, and the governors would have expected humility.

    The governor disclosed this in an interview with journalists on Thursday on issues relating to the rift in the party ahead of the 2023 general elections.

    “No efforts by the leadership of our party have been able to address the issues that we are raising. They have not been able to adopt methods that will placate the G5, you know. This is not right. So, on the G5, that is where we are,” he said.

  • Tinubu has many things hidden- Atiku’s spokesperson 

    Tinubu has many things hidden- Atiku’s spokesperson 

    The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has refused to make himself available for debates and scrutiny because he had many things to hide, Phrank Shaibu, Special Assistant  (Public Communication) to the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, said on Sunday.

    According to him, Tinubu’s refusal to “open himself up for scrutiny, evading debates, non-partisan town hall meetings and live interviews” has exemplified the biblical theory that, “the wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.”

    Shaibu in a statement titled, “Reveal your real name, background, Atiku campaign dares Tinubu,” alleged that the entire life and persona of the APC standard bearer was based on falsehood and thus cannot address the questions and so, decided to continue to run all over the place.

    He said, “But these controversies did not begin today. In 2007, a former head of the civil service of Lagos State, Abdulrafiu Babatunde Tinubu, one of the eldest members of the Tinubu family, published a book titled, “Onijumu Wura: The Tinubu Dynasty of Kakawa, Lagos (The Tree).

    “Abdulrafiu included the names of all members of the Tinubu dynasty from the 19th century till date. Conspicuously missing from the book was the name of Bola Tinubu. The author claimed anyone whose name was not listed in the book was not an authentic member of the Tinubu family.

    “Atiku Abubakar’s history has never been in doubt. His father was Garba Abubakar, a Fulani trader and farmer while Atiku’s mother was Aisha Kande. Atiku was named after his paternal grandfather Atiku Abdulqadir who hails from Wurno, Sokoto State and migrated to Kojoli village at Jada, Adamawa State. His maternal grandfather was Inuwa Dutse who migrated to Jada, Adamawa State from Dutse, Jigawa State.

    “Where is Tinubu from? Who are his parents? Who was Tinubu’s father? What was his name? What is Tinubu’s full name? Is it Bolatito, Omobolanle, Abolaji, Bolarinwa?

    “While it is not uncommon for leaders to use a short version of their names, most times, for the purpose of stylistic rendition, the full outlay of their names is nonetheless public knowledge.

    “In the Second Republic, such names as Bisi Onabanjo, Bola Ige, Bisi Akande and many more from the Southwest region are brand names of great political icons. But even as it were, everyone knew that the Governor of Ogun State in the Second Republic was known in full as Olabisi Onabanjo, ditto for Ajibola Ige and the rest of such examples.

    “However, it is confounding that in the case of the APC presidential candidate, he is simply known as Bola Tinubu. No one knows the prefix or suffix to his ‘Bola.’

    “Tinubu also seems to have moved from infancy directly to university in the United States of America hence his record as the only Presidential candidate in the history of Nigeria not to include his primary and secondary school information on his INEC Form CF001.

    “Earlier in 1999, while contesting for the governorship of Lagos State, he lied on oath that he attended St. Paul’s School, Aroloya and Government College Ibadan but his credentials were soon challenged by the late legendary lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN) even as it had been established that Tinubu had no classmates in primary or secondary school.

    “Eager to avoid another embarrassing scrutiny, he has now decided to be silent about his primary and secondary education. Rather than tell the truth, his Campaign Spokesman, Festus Keyamo, shamelessly stated on Arise Television that Tinubu did not attend primary or secondary school and should thus be commended for beating the odds.

    “They are asking what primary school one must have attended to go to secondary school. We want the younger ones to know that this is a virtue and not a vice. In those days, great men wrote exams from home,” Keyamo said. This is complete balderdash given the fact that Keyamo had in 2000 sued the Lagos State House of Assembly for clearing Tinubu of school certificate forgery.

    “Since the APC continues to insist that they will not present their presidential candidate for media scrutiny, may we, therefore, call on the media handlers of this particular ‘Bola’ Tinubu to avail the country and its people the full outlay of Bola Tinubu’s name.

    “The country and its people need to know if the man seeking to become their president is known as Adebola, Ajibola or, perhaps, it’s just simply: Bola(lokan)?

    “The nation shall be most grateful if the APC can remove this tiny veil out of the many shades about their presidential candidate that they don’t want the Nigerian people to know about.

    “It is often said that you can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time. Nigerians must not allow a stranger, an anonymous man with no record to control the destiny of over 200 million people.”

  • Buhari constructed road to Atiku’s hometown, says minister

    Buhari constructed road to Atiku’s hometown, says minister

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has warned presidential aspirants from downplaying the accomplishments of the regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), during their campaigns ahead of the 2023 polls.

    He especially accused the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, of doing so.

    Mohammed spoke at a press briefing on Monday in Abuja to discuss the administration’s scorecard in the area of the water sector.

    He said, “Let me use this opportunity to comment on the increasing tendency by some opposition presidential candidates to downplay the achievements of this administration, in their desperation for power, ahead of the 2023 elections.

    “The worst offender in this regard has been the presidential candidate of the PDP, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

    “During his recent campaign in Akure, the former VP was quoted as saying the All Progressives Congress had not done anything for Nigeria in eight years.

    “What a preposterous statement from somebody who should know. I guess we can excuse His Excellency the former Vice President, who, until recently, had fully relocated to Dubai, thus losing touch with Nigeria.”

    The minister said Atiku should not be the one criticising the present regime, claiming that there was no motorable road to his hometown until Buhari became the President.

    He added, “If anyone would accuse the APC-led Federal Government of doing nothing, it should not be Atiku Abubakar.

    “Why? There was no motorable road to Atiku Abubakar’s hometown or to key local governments in Adamawa’s southern senatorial zone, which served as the state’s food basket and economic nerve centre during the PDP’s 16-year rule until President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration took office.

    “Today, the Mayo Belwa-Jada-Ganye-Toungo Road has been fully constructed, and it is the road that Alhaji Atiku uses to get to his hometown of Jada.”

    The minister also stated that before the Buhari regime, five local government areas in the former vice president’s state were under the control of Boko Haram terrorists.

    He added, “What about security? Before this administration came into office, all five local government areas in Adamawa’s northern senatorial district were effectively under the control of the Boko Haram terrorists.

    “All state institutions, the local government administration, the police, the judiciary, schools, hospitals, and markets—had been sacked.

    “Traditional rulers, including emirs and chiefs, had been displaced, with their palaces taken over by the terrorists as their headquarters.

    “The affected five local governments in the northern senatorial zone are: Madagali; Michika; Mubi North; Mubi.

  • Tinubu, Shettima are ‘anti-business’, says Atiku’s aide

    Tinubu, Shettima are ‘anti-business’, says Atiku’s aide

    Paul Ibe, the media adviser to the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has described the All Progressive Congress presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, as ‘anti-business’.

    Ibe slammed Tinubu and his running mate, Kashim Shettima, for stating that other candidates lacked the antecedent and experience to rule the country.

    Tinubu and Shettima spoke while presenting his action plan before the business community and the organised private sector in Lagos on Tuesday.

    But in a statement made available to The PUNCH on Wednesday, Ibe blasted the duo, stating that their remarks showed “gross irresponsibility and disrespectfulness.”

    Ibe said, “It is with utter dismay that we listened to the presidential candidate of the APC, Bola Tinubu and his running mate talk condescendingly about other presidential candidates at a gathering that they invited members of the private sector to on Tuesday.

    “The remarks from the candidates of the APC show gross irresponsibility and disrespectfulness.

    “It is indicative that the Tinubu-Shettima administration will be anti entrepreneurship and business.

    “One would have thought that the duo would use the advantage of such a gathering to talk about solutions that their party, APC, has foisted on the country. Rather, they went on the ultra highway of political indecency.”

    He further called on Shettima to apologise for his comments at the event.

    Ibe said, “Shettima should apologise to Nigerian workers, especially the thousands that benefit from Atiku’s businesses for his irresponsible statement.

    “Politics does not confer on anyone the license to make irresponsible statements.

    “A gathering of the top echelons of the private sector was supposed to be an avenue for laying out serious policy choices. For Tinubu and Shettima on the contrary, they chose to embarrass their guests, using their audience to play vile political games.

    “For someone who self-appoints as the APC national leader, it is ridiculous that the presidential candidate of the APC failed to proffer solutions to the economic woes that his party has foisted on Nigerians in the past seven years.”

    Highlighting Atiku’s achievements in comparison to Tinubu, Ibe added, “Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, Atiku pioneered the private donor relief funds, which opened the gateway for other Nigerians of means to follow suit in providing succor to people who were worst hit by the attendant self isolation regulation in the management of the pandemic.

    “Tinubu, who has been in hibernation mode for the seven years that his party unleashed the worst moment of economic hardship on Nigerians, has suddenly found a voice because, as it is usual with the APC, the time is here again to hoodwink the people with sugarcoated promises.

    “We, therefore, wish to remind the APC and their presidential candidate that, unlike them, the PDP and Atiku are promise keepers.

    “Unlike the APC and Tinubu, Atiku has not waited for when election is around the corner to espouse solutions to the challenges facing the country.

    “Unlike APC and Tinubu, Atiku’s position on the pathway to economic recovery of Nigeria has remained consistent ditto his views about restructuring, education, national inclusivity and engendering healthy national security.

    “Unlike Tinubu and his APC, Nigerians know that Atiku and the PDP are more believable to deliver on their manifesto.”

  • You’re no longer confident, Atiku’s camp mocks ‘Obidients’

    You’re no longer confident, Atiku’s camp mocks ‘Obidients’

    The Peoples Democratic Party’s Deputy Director, Media and Publicity, Presidential Management Committee, Mr Uloka Chibuike, has said that the supporters of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, are no longer confident in their ability to win the 2023 presidential election.

    Chibuike said the Obidients are no longer at ease as they have been swept away because the status quo had changed for the PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar’s sure victory in the 2023 presidential election.

    He made the remarks in a statement made available to journalists in Awka on Wednesday.

    Chibuike declared that at the moment, no presidential candidate had more support and acceptance in the country, especially in Anambra State, than the former vice president.

    He added that in recent weeks, the PDP had welcomed hundreds of returning members and thousands of sympathisers from other political parties, with more expected to join Atiku’s crusade in the coming weeks.

    The statement read in part, “With the 2023 presidential election a few months away, there is no doubt that Nigeria, especially Anambra State is gradually returning to the status quo with the PDP’s victory more probable.

    “The PDP has taken over the streets, nooks and crannies of the country and the minority Labour Party supporters who are still standing with Peter Obi are no longer at ease or confident in their ability to win the election.

    “The Obi strategy has long been manipulating our youths using lies, deceit, blackmail, sentiments and emotions. The life span of lies and deceit is short, and Obi’s unpopular Labour Party is currently suffering for support in Anambra State and other parts of the South-East, because his deceit has grown stale over time and lacks the strength to compete with the PDP’s influence and legitimacy in the state.

    “Following the appointments and inauguration of the Presidential Council and Management Committee, led by the duo of Senator Ben Obi, CON, and Professor Obiora Okonkwo, OFR, who have through their leadership and daily engagements, rejuvenated the commitment of party faithful, affiliates and supporters, the PDP has become the only alternative in the state and is confident of delivering 85 percent of Anambra votes to Atiku in 2023.

    “Election is about numbers, and so far, only the PDP can boast of the numbers to win the presidential election in the state.

    “As more people are becoming aware of Peter Obi’s weakness in the nation’s polity and his inability to gain majority votes throughout different regions of the country, his mystification is no longer having the desired effect.

    “Our people have abandoned Peter Obi and his endeavour to retrogress the South-East politically as they gradually come to the realisation that throwing away our votes won’t be best for the survival of Ndi-Igbo in the country’s politics.

    “Like we have always done since 1999, Anambra State will no doubt return to status quo with the PDP and ensure that the state leads in front of the anticipated victory of the former vice president.

    “Only a few of Peter Obi’s personal assistants, family members, and misguided individuals are left in his ineffective Labour Party, and their combined votes are inadequate to overthrow the PDP or challenge Atiku Abubakar’s victory in any local government of the state. Anambra is the LP’s to lose.”