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2023: Saraki Dangles ‘Special Status’ Carrot Before Lagos Delegates

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2023: Saraki Dangles ‘Special Status’ Carrot Before Lagos Delegates

 

By Edozie Obasi-Eze

With the jostle for delegates’ votes by the various presidential hopefuls getting hotter, a former Senate President, Bukola Saraki has taken his campaign to Lagos.

Ahead of the May 28 and May 29 presidential primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Saraki was in Lagos on Monday to solicit the support of the party’s delegates.

Together with his team, he met with the party delegates and dangled before them the carrot of designating Lagos State, a special status with a view to attracting more investment to the economic hub of West Africa.

According to Saraki, Nigeria needs a leader with vision and courage to arrest the persistent decline she has been witnessing recently in various aspects of national life.

He said, “Please, let me appeal to you, I am your own. Let us work together to ensure that we win at the federal and win at the state.

“There is nobody among all the aspirants that have the same history and closeness to Lagos State as myself. Do not leave your own to go look for someone outside.

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“Together we can make this country better. My interest will be your interest. I want to appeal, don’t share your delegate votes, this is my own state. I beg you.”

Reacting to calls for “special status” for Lagos, the former governor of Kwara State described such status as a special priority, promising that Lagos special attention would be paid to Lagos in the scheme of things if got elected.

He urged the delegates not to be swayed by material and momentary gratification, rather they should for the leadership that would take Nigeria out of the woods.

He flaunted his political scorecard as a former two-term governor, Chairman, governor’ Forum, and Senate President, which he claimed that no other aspirant among the two major political parties could boast of.

“I have shown that I can stand for what I believe in. I do not run from challenges, I face them. I am a solution provider. In every office that I have occupied, I have left it better than I met it.

“I believe that given your support and I become president of Nigeria, I will leave Nigeria better than I meet it. I will become a chief marketing officer to sell Nigeria,” he added.

Politics

ICPC Tracks 60 Kaduna Projects Worth Billions

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The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has commenced the monitoring of constituency projects worth N21 billion across Kaduna State.

The initiative, aimed at promoting accountability and transparency in the use of public funds, is part of the commission’s broader effort to tackle corruption and ensure the timely completion of government projects.

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Addressing journalists in Kaduna, Chief Superintendent Haruna Aminu, who represented the Constituency and Executive Tracking Department under the leadership of ICPC Chairman Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, revealed that the commission is currently tracking 60 projects across the state.

“We are here to track about 60 projects across Kaduna State with a total value of N21 billion. We started on Wednesday with the Kafanchan axis, where we tracked at least 21 projects.

“Now we are in Kaduna main town, Kabala area, focusing on projects such as solar-powered streetlights across the town,” Aminu said.

The ICPC team observed progress on some of the projects, but Aminu highlighted concerns over delays and execution challenges.

“Generally, on the solar project, we have seen a level of execution. However, we discovered certain shortcomings. This is a project that touches people’s lives, and we will ensure its completion,” he added.

Aminu stressed that contractors who fail to deliver on their obligations will be held accountable.

“There is no contractor that is going to be skipped. They cannot collect government money and abandon projects. The era of abandoned projects is over. We have clear directives and support to hold defaulters accountable,” he warned.

The delay in completing certain projects, particularly the solar-powered streetlights, has affected the intended impact on communities, Aminu noted.

“These projects are vital to improving livelihoods in Kaduna State. If completed last year as planned, they would have made a significant difference by now,” he said.

The ICPC announced that the next phase of the exercise would focus on taking action against contractors who fail to execute their projects.

The commission reiterated its commitment to ensuring that public funds translate into tangible benefits for citizens.

 

 

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Politics

PDP Governors Probe Ondo Polls, Criticizes Edo Result

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the outcome of the Ondo State governorship election, accusing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of electoral malpractice, including vote-buying and result manipulation.

This was disclosed during a meeting of the PDP Governors’ Forum on Saturday in Jos, Plateau State.

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The forum, chaired by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, criticized the conduct of the election, which saw APC’s Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa secure a landslide victory for another four-year term in Alagbaka, Akure.

“We are still reviewing documents from the Ondo election, where the APC openly bought votes and manipulated results,” Mohammed said.

He urged the judiciary to “save Nigerian democracy” and called on the National Assembly to strengthen electoral laws to prevent what he described as “institutional sabotage of the people’s will.”

The PDP governors also condemned the September governorship election in Edo State, describing it as a “rape of democracy.”

The forum accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of colluding with the APC to declare its candidate the winner despite claims that the PDP candidate, Asue Ighodalo, had secured the majority of lawful votes.

“INEC blatantly manipulated the results in favor of the APC candidate. This undermines the credibility of our electoral process,” Mohammed said.

Beyond electoral grievances, the governors urged the PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC) to convene a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting by February 2025.

They emphasized the need for broader consultations with stakeholders to resolve the party’s internal leadership crisis and strengthen its position as the main opposition party.

The forum reiterated its commitment to democratic values and vowed to push for electoral reforms that would restore public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.

The Ondo governorship election has sparked a renewed call for transparency in the country’s electoral system, with the PDP vowing to challenge what it views as a subversion of democracy.

 

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Gaetz Withdraws From Trumps Cabinet Nomination 

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Following his observations that ‘the momentum was strong’ Matt Gaetz whom 47th POTUS elect, Donald Trump nominated for Attorney General has withdrawn.

Biztellers reports that this follows his meeting with Senate and the feedback, which included two women, represented by their attorneys, who accused him of having paid for sex.

Consequently, Gaetz placed on record his full commitment to seeing “that Donald J. Trump is the most successful President in history.”

His withdrawal according his statement on micro-blogging site, X, was based on his conviction that “There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle”.

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In is view, “Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1”.

Gaetz wrote, “I had excellent meetings with Senators yesterday. I appreciate their thoughtful feedback – and the incredible support of so many. While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition. There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1.

“I remain fully committed to see that Donald J. Trump is the most successful President in history. I will forever be honored that President Trump nominated me to lead the Department of Justice and I’m certain he will Save America.”

His backers have promptly encouraged to take his seat in the House of Representatives, having been elected to the house under the flag of the Republicans to represent Florida.

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