The general view is that Bola Tinubu, former Lagos state governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) leader, will run for Presidency in 2023 but he has not announced any such intentions.

In fact, a few months ago he mocked those pundits who purported to know his political intentions.

Responding to the pundits, Tinubu said: “Already you have assigned colourful epitaphs to the 2023 death of an alleged political ambition that is not yet even born.”

However, his loyalists have continued to throw their weight behind him for the 2023 presidency.

One of them, Oyo North lawmaker Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, in a recent interview with journalist Edmund Obilo, stated that he will support Tinubu for the country’s top seat once he declares his intentions.

Buhari also reacted to the insinuations that Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State was working against Tinubu’s interest.

“No. I am for Tinubu. I am not for Fayemi and I will not be in a meeting where somebody would be working against Tinubu. I am supporting Tinubu,” Buhari stated.

Responding to a question on whether Tinubu was running for president, Buhari said, “If he wants to be President, I will support him. I will campaign for him.”

Buhari also spoke on the crisis rocking the APC in Oyo State.

The lawmaker noted that the disagreement was caused by the loss of the governorship seat to the Peoples Democratic Party.

He, however, said former Governor of Oyo State, Adebayo Alao-Akala, is the leader of the party in the state and he is working perfectly to make the party better.

• Interventions to address specific challenges at grassroots, says governor

• Gesture, a new dawn in governance -APC Chairman

Before a modest crowd of party chiefs, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Friday, announced the fulfilment of one of the key promises of his electioneering campaign – the execution of 377 projects across all the wards in the State.

Under “Operation 377”, which is said to be first of its kind in the state, over 250 roads will be built and 23 power projects will be done. Deputy Governor Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat will lead the execution of the projects.

At the brief but symbolic ceremony at the Adeyemi Bero Hall,Government Secretariat, Alausa, were some members of the Executive Council, All Progressives Congress Local Council chairmen, councillors and scores of party stalwarts, led by the State’s chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Tunde Balogun.

Sanwo-Olu said the intervention was initiated in response to the series of requests by the various communities across the State to address specific challenges. He said the execution of the projects would change the narrative about grassroots development and the Government’s responsibilities.

He said: “The state-wide 377 ward projects being launched today are state intervention projects in grassroots development. The projects are conceived in response to requests by the various communities across the State to address specific challenges. These projects are not universal; they are diverse, reflecting the needs of each ward across the state.

“The implementation of the projects will commence immediately after this official flag-off, as contractors have been fully mobilized to move to the sites. I urge residents who are the ultimate beneficiaries of these projects to take ownership of them by monitoring the implementation process and ensure that the jobs conform to the quality and standards specified in the project designs.”

Sanwo-Olu said identifying the needs and the design of the projects was in line with the concept of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and participatory governance in which the people are considered as key stakeholders.

The Governor described the grassroots as “the bedrock of development”, stressing that the projects were strategic in promoting the wellbeing of the people across communities. He said his administration would continue to give residents a voice on issues that affect them.

As he spoke, the party chiefs applauded. They stood up, cheering as he asked them to take the message back to the grassroots that his administration was ready to fulfill its campaign promises.

Sanwo-Olu said: “This administration’s development agenda is driven by the spirit to build a Greater Lagos that is livable and conducive for the growth and development of enterprise. The dream of a Greater Lagos is not exclusive; it is predicated on the principle of inclusiveness by which development is not considered as satisfactory until it has addressed the yearnings of the greatest number of the people who contribute to the commonwealth.”

Sanwo-Olu urged all public officers to be responsible in dealing with the people, noting that governance would be meaningless without the input of the people from whose mandate public officers derived their powers.

Dr Hamzat, who is the Chairman of the Projects’ Implementation Committee, said all contractors would move to their sites next Monday, noting that the intervention was in demonstration of the Governor’s campaign promise to run an inclusive administration.

He said the projects’ selection followed a meeting between the Governor and all 377 councillors across the State during which Sanwo-Olu asked them to name specific projects they wanted executed in their wards.

After identifying the projects, Hamzat said, the Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget and professionals in public service evaluated the cost of the projects. This effort, the Deputy Governor said, was followed by a re-evaluation by an independent consultant.

Giving the breakdown of the projects, Hamzat said the Government would be building 257 community roads and drainage. He added that 86 public buildings would be rehabilitated. Two jetties, nine water projects and 23 power projects will be installed across the wards.

All the projects, the Deputy Governor said, are distributed across the three senatorial districts.Wards across Lagos Central will be havE 94 projects, Lagos East will have 99 and wards AND Lagos West 184 projects.

Hamzat said: “The projects will be implemented by contractors in collaboration with Ministries, Departments and Agencies, including the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs, Directorate of Technical Service, Lagos State Electricity Board and Public Works Corporation. Supervision and monitoring of the projects will be done in collaboration with the ward councillors and party executives.”

APC Chairman Tunde Balogun described the projects as “grassroots-focused”, confirming that the Sanwo-Olu administration was the first to embark on such massive projects across wards in a single move.

By directly engaging the councillors in the execution of the projects, the party chairman said. the Governor has established a strong connection with the grassroots.

Chairman of APC in Ikoyi-Obalende Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Prince Abiodun Abu, who spoke on behalf of all the party chairmen across councils, described the intervention “a new dawn” in the history of governance in Lagos.

“The State Government has been investing in provision of infrastructure to make the State’s economy stronger and give people a new lease of life. Despite these efforts, the Governor still found the reason to touch the grassroots by initiating these 377 projects. With this, Sanwo-Olu will be leaving a lasting impact on the grassroots,” he said.

He said it would accelerate development across communities in the State.

Hon. Nurudeen Alimi, spoke on behalf of the 377 councillors, saying the Governor, by the gesture, had taken “dividends of democracy” to the grassroots in a way never seen before in the State.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has nullified the suspension of Ekiti Governor Kayode Fayemi, presidential aide Senator Femi Ojudu and others.

Fayemi and the Paul Omotosho-led State Executives Council were suspended for alleged anti-party activities by the State Executives Committee (SEC) on Friday.

The development came barely 24 hours after the Omotosho-led executives suspended Ojudu and 10 others following report of the Patrick Ajigbolamu-led eight-man disciplinary committee set up to probe allegations of anti-party activities levelled against them.

But in a statement on Friday by Deputy National Secretary of the party, Yekini Nabena, APC said the suspensions were a “nullity.”

The party said: “The attention of the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been drawn to a purported and widely-reported “suspension” of the Governor of Ekiti State, H.E. Kayode Fayemi as well as an earlier reported “indefinite suspension” of some other party members in the state.

“The actions are a nullity as the Party’s National Secretariat is yet to receive communication from the state chapter on the purported “suspensions”. We strongly advise all members to adhere to our Party constitution.

“Governor Kayode Fayemi remains the leader of the party in Ekiti State.

“In line with the mandate of the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led APC Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary National Convention Planning Committee and the President’s admonition to party members to ensure and support ongoing amicable and rancour-free settlement of internal party disputes, we call on our esteemed party members and leaders in Ekiti State to be duly guided.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Architect Paul Omotosho-chaired APC Ekiti State Working Committee is the authentic, valid and duly recognised Executive as no factions or divisions exist in the State Chapter.” (The Nation)

Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, on Friday met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The governor however told State House correspondents at the end of the meeting that it would be immoral for him to return to the All Progressives Congress.

Obaseki of the Peoples Democratic Party beat Osagie Ize-Iyamu of Buhari’s All Progressives Congress and others to win the last Saturday’s governorship election in his state.

He had dumped the APC for the PDP when the ruling party disqualified him from participating in its primary election.

There have been concerns that having won the election on the platform of the PDP, he might return to the APC.

But the governor who met with the President alongside his deputy, Philip Shuaibu, said it would be immoral to do so.

Obaseki and Shuaibu were joined on what they called the “thank you visit” to Buhari by their spouses and some lawmakers from the state.  (Punch)

Governor of Rivers State Nyesom Wike, says Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, who was recently re-elected under the the Peoples Democratic Party, is free to return to the All Progressives Congress (APC) if he want to.

In an interview with Channel TV, the governor said Obaseki can return to APC if he wants to but that it’s not possible.

Obaseki defected from the APC to the PDP in June 2020 after a long battle with his predecessor and former National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomole.

However, he contested and won the Edo governorship election under the PDP platform  in the September 19.

In his interview with Channels TV, Governor Wike who was the chairman of the PDP campaign council for the Edo State governorship election was asked what he would do if Obaseki left the PDP for the APC following his victory.

Responding, Wike said “I don’t want to discuss something that is not going to be possible. However, assuming it happens, so what? That is politics.

If the governor believes that the PDP is no longer a party for him to actualise his vision and his mission, there is nothing wrong but I don’t believe that it is going to happen because the governor has consistently told us that there is no way he will leave the PDP. If he leaves the PDP, people in Edo State will not be happy.

And he is somebody I have that trust in that he will not leave the party. This is a party that clothed him. This is a party that when it was raining, gave him an umbrella.”

The State Executive Committee (SEC) of Ekiti APC, following the resolution of its Thursday’s meeting, has suspended the Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, over anti-party activities.

The state party’s SEC said Fayemi was suspended from the Party in view of his numerous anti-Party activities, especially his role in the recent concluded governorship election in Edo State which is contrary to the provisions of Article 21 (A) (ii) of the APC Constitution.

Part of the allegation levelled against Fayemi is the relationship between himself and Fani-Kayode, who recently said that both of them have specifically gone on tour as part of an effort to build a cross-party alliance.

Read details below:

RE: DR. KAYODE FAYEMI ANTI – PARTY ACTIVITIES.

After painstakingly reviewing the activities of some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, we the authentic members of the Party in the State and Members of State Executive Committee per Section 12.8 of APC Constitution being duly constituted members of the National Convention of the Party, rose from its meeting of the 23rd September, 2020 and resolved as follows:

1. We note the continued illegalities in the name of the party, being conducted by Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who as Governor is an ordinary member of the SEC and ought to have called meetings of this duly constituted body as a critical party organ, has failed to do so since his assumption of office in 2018.

2.That the body currently masquerading as the elected members of the SEC or as the State Working Committee or appendages is unknown to us (as due statutory members of SEC) since no Ward Congress has taken place in Ekiti State APC since inception. All SEC members listed in Section 12.8 of our constitution, (i) to (xxvii) as such are open positions since only duly officiated Ward congresses with INEC observation can fill these positions.

3.As such, only the duly elected members of the APC in the state serving as Governor, Deputy Governor, Speaker & Deputy Speaker as well as Principal Officers of the House and Members of the National Convention which includes all present and past National Assembly members today constitute the State SEC of our great party.

4.To this end, in the absence of a properly organized body and meeting, and the continued insistence of the Governor to neglect his duty to initiate Ward Congresses or call a meeting of the SEC to deliberate upon pertinent issues, we as loyal members of our party and members of the State Executive Committee met to rescue our party from continued denigration and abuse, and resolved thus:

1.That Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the Executive Governor of Ekiti State is hereby suspended from the Party in view of his numerous anti-Party activities especially his role in the recent concluded governorship election in Edo State which is contrary to the provisions of Article 21 (A) (ii) of the APC Constitution.
For five days prior to the Edo elections Gov Fayemi hosted PDP big wig Mr Femi Fani- Kayode in the government house in Ado Ekiti in the run up to the Edo elections . It was here they perfected the coup against our party in Edo State. This is same Fani-Kayode who daily abuses President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the APC as a party as well a vital section of our country. We have evidence of that meeting.

Fani-Kayode specifically said he has gone on his tour as part of an effort between him and Fayemi to build a cross-party alliance and few hours after leaving Ekiti he fired a shot at Asiwaju Tinubu.

1 (a) We also have evidence of celebration by his aides in Ekiti government house and on social media.

1(b) We also recall his role in the gubernatorial election in Oyo State where he supported the PDP candidate to defeat the APC candidate. A second tranche of money he sent to Gov Makinde in the election was intercepted by soldiers. The courier Mr Ayo Adegbite, his Chief Protocol Officer was arrested and he immediately disowned and announced his sack . Mr Adegbite remains his aide till date.

1(c) We also recall the support he provided a PDP candidate who challenged an APC Senator Prince Dayo Adeyeye in the Tribunal. He moved the judges to Kaduna to deliver judgement when he knew what he planned against his party was unpopular in Ekiti. We have more to tell on this betrayal and traitorous act of his. APC Senator is out of the Senate today and PDP is in. The relationship between Fayemi and Senator Olujimi of PDP , the beneficiary of his treachery is known to all in Ekiti State.

We also recall his resort to court when majority of party members nominated late Senator Abiola Ajimobi for Deputy National Chairman of the party. He fought Ajimobi till death.

1(d) His fraternisation with the PDP in continuation of his bid for Vice Presidential candidate under the party ( if his bid for Presidential candidate in APC fails ) was masked by commissioning of projects in Rivers State, a smokescreen for his consultation to woo the support of Governor Nyesom Wike last year .

1. That the Paul Omotosho led faction of APC Executive in the State is hereby declared illegal and suspended from the Party for failure to emerge in accordance to the Constitution of the Party.

3.That Paul Omotoso and his co travellers’s refusal to respect court proceedings in which they are not only joined but appeared in court through the proceedings but defiantly disrespected the court contrary to the hallowed decision of the Supreme Court in OJUKWU vs GOVERNOR OF LAGOS STATE

4.That Paul Omotosho faction of the executive should desist from parading themselves as the Executive Members of the Party in the State and that the Nigerian Police and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the general public should take note.

5.That Senator Tony Adeniyi, as a statutory member of the SEC going by our party’s constitution, was elected by all members attending as the Acting Chairman of the State Executive Committee in the absence of direction or directive from the National Body. He is as such the only one thus capable to call the SEC meeting as duly required by the constitution from henceforth.

6.The committee seating also agreed to begin bridge building across our members, statewide and nationally, and set up a special intervention committee, APC Majeobaje Working Group, to be led by Prince Bamgboye Adegoroye, and six other individuals from across our great state. That working group will henceforth do the hard work of rebuilding APC in Ekiti state and prevent the oncoming annihilation of our party if we take no action at the upcoming polls.

We note that the All Progressives Congress is a party of progressives, and must do things only in line with the law. The APC cannot act against its constitution or the law of the land, hence this intervention became urgently necessary and pertinent before marauders destroy the party permanently.

It must be emphasized that with the increasingly discerning capacity and sophistication of our people we cannot afford to take them for granted. We must be able to sustain the relevance of our party in Ekiti State, hold our members and win new members. We are obligated to ensure that the light of our electoral prospect and fortune is not dimmed or extinguished.

Signed:
For Ekiti State APC State Executive Committee

1. Senator Tony Adeniyi
   – Senator , Ekiti South Senatorial District ( 2011 – 2015 )
2. Senator Babafemi Ojudu
   – Senator , Ekiti Central Senatorial District ( 2011 – 2015 )
3. Senator Dayo Adeyeye, Senator , Ekiti South Senatorial District ( 2019- ) Former Minister of Works.
4. Congressman Bimbo Daramola, Ekiti North Federal Constituency ( 2011 – 2015 )
5. Hon Robinson Ajiboye , Ekiti North Federal Constituency ( 2011 – 2015
6. Hon Oye Ojo, Ekiti North Federal Constituency ( 2011 – 2015 )
7. Hon ( Dr.) Adewale Omirin – Hon Speaker Ekiti State House of Assembly (2011 – 2015)
8. Hon Femi Adeleye , Member , Ekiti State House of Assembly , (2007 – 20011)

Adams Oshiomhole, former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says he is strong and healthy after Saturday’s election.

Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had defeated Osagie Ize-Iyamu, his APC rival, in the election.

Oshiomhole had campaigned vigorously for Ize-Iyamu whose loss some people attributed to his influence in the campaign of the APC candidate.

In his first interview since the election, Oshiomhole narrated how he was moved to tears when he saw elderly women who were determined to cast their ballot despite some hitches in the process.

He said rather than get frustrated over how malfunctioning card readers slowed down the process, the people waited patiently.

The former APC chairman further disclosed that he

He spoke to GEE Africa TV.

“You know in life, you work hard and leave God for the outcome, you do your best and trust God to bless your effort,” he said.

“I feel good, I feel healthy thank God, I feel strong thank God. In life you win some and you lose some but life goes on. I want to thank everybody, I am sure a lot of people think comrade is down but I am not down. When God says you are not down, you are not down and I am not down.

“I thank Edo people for all they did over the past two, three, four, six weeks, people under the rain under the sun, young ladies carrying babies on their back, I saw elderly women struggling to see my small face, and on election day I was moved to tears when I saw elderly women of 70 to 75 sitting down because the card readers were not working and they were not frustrated with that, they struck me with that. If at their age, they didn’t give up, why should I give up?”

He asked the people to have faith in Nigeria and see it as the only country that they have.

“And I ask our people to have faith in our country, you cannot have faith in another country,” he said.

“I have only have one passport and I am not about to apply for any other passport. This country, we must make it great, we must strengthen democracy, we must improve on it. No matter the outcome of an election or a particular edition of the process, have faith in God and have faith in our country. God bless you all.” (TheCable)