APGA, ADP, NRM presidential candidates, others lobby Tinubu for inclusion

Presidential candidates of some opposition political parties in the 2023 general elections on Thursday asked National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Abdullahi Umar Ganduje to persuade President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for inclusion in his administration.

They made the request during a courtesy call on the APC National Chairman at the party’s National Secretariat, in Abuja.

The Presidential candidates are of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA); Action Democratic Party (ADP); National Rescue Movement (NRM) and Action Peoples Party (APP) among others.

The candidates, under the aegis of the Forum of Concerned presidential candidates, said the need for peace and development of the country informed their decision not to challenge the victory of Tinubu at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT)

Spokespersons of the forum and presidential candidate of the NRM Ambassador Felix Johnson Osakwe assured the President and the ruling party that they were for peace and should be included in the government of national unity.

Osakwe maintained that not all the presidential candidates were against his victory in the election.

According to him: “We are here sir, not only to see Mr. President, but one is to be identified with you and to thank God for your appointment, then number two, we see you as a father, who has been a Commander-in-Chief of a state and here you are today to be the pilot that will lead the presidential candidate especially those who are ready and those who love this country and the interest of this country first before politics, before parties.

“That you will be the right person to lead us to meet with Mr. President, so he can hear our views in person and also for him to know that it is not all the presidential candidate that is against him.

Source: The Nation

Niger: Nobody is interested in war – Tinubu tells Islamic council

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday said all diplomatic options would be exhausted with the military junta in Niger Republic before any last resort of military intervention would come into the picture, insisting that any forceful removal of a democratic government remained “wholly unacceptable,” a statement by the State House said.

Receiving the Nigeria Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs, led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Abubakar III, at the State House, President Tinubu noted that the alternative of kinetic intervention in Niger Republic had not been jettisoned.

“I must thank you for your several visits to Niger Republic, Your Eminence, but you will still have to go back. My fear has been confirmed in Gabon that copycats will start doing the same thing until it is stopped. We are neighbours with Niger Republic, and what has joined Nigerians together with their great people cannot be broken. Nobody is interested in a war. We have seen the devastation in Ukraine and Sudan. But, if we don’t wield the big stick, we will all suffer the consequences together,” the President warned.

President Tinubu noted that Nigeria, under General Abdulsalami Abubakar, instituted a nine-month transition programme in 1998, and it proved very successful, leading the country into a new era of democratic governance. The President said he saw no reason why such could not be replicated in Niger, if their military authorities were sincere.

“Your Eminence, please don’t get tired, you will still go back there. The soldiers’ action is unacceptable. The earlier they made positive adjustments, the quicker we will dial back the sanctions to allete the sufferings we are seeing in Niger,” the President affirmed.

Source: Punch

10 parties merge with Accord for Nov 11 Kogi gov poll

Ahead of the November 11 governorship election in Kogi State, the candidate of Accord party, Admiral Jibrin Usman (retd.), has said a total of 10 political parties have collapsed their structures to support his aspiration.

The former Chief of Naval Staff stated this at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday.

According to him, the state of decadence across many critical sectors of the state economy informed his decision to join the race.

Speaking on whether his party, Accord, would accept to merge with other parties to brighten its chances at the poll, Usman said, “We have all seen the resultant effect of the arrangement between some parties that brought about the All Progressives Congress. There is nothing bad about parties merging. It is constitutionally allowed.

“There is nothing wrong if, for instance, my party decides to merge with another party. It will interest you to know that 10 political parties have indeed merged with my party and my state party chairman has taken them on board. 10 parties are with me, some are adamant but they have approached me saying that I should give them more time.”

Usman who said he had just returned from a tour of 27 districts in Kogi East noted that the poor living conditions of the people requires a new sense of direction in the political leadership of the state

He continued, “During our visit to Kogi East, we covered 27 districts. During the tour, we saw a high level of decadence, lack of infrastructure for effective development and the truth is that Kogi people are really suffering. There is therefore the need for a paradigm shift. Ours is to rescue our people from the maladministration of the ruling party.”

Source: Punch

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