Politics
2023: Wike Takes Nomination Campaign to Gombe State
By Edozie Obasi-Eze
The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike has taken his lobby for nomination as the presidential flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to Gombe State, where he addressed party members and loyalists.
Speaking at the party’s secretariat in Gombe, the state capital, Governor Wike urged them to set their sights on the candidate who can win the 2023 presidential poll for the PDP, as anything else would amount to wasting their votes.
He said, “If you want PDP to win the election in 2023, I have made myself available. Give me the ticket, let me go and take the power for you. We are talking about who can take this power from APC (All Progressives Congress). That person is me.”
He said that his achievements as Rivers State governor speak to what he can do if elected the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
According to him, people are free to visit Rivers State to see what his administration had done out of love and passion for the upliftment of the socio-economic wellbeing of the people.
He laid emphasis on the need to rescue Nigeria, which he described as a task in demanding courageous and patriotic men.
Read Also >> State Of The Nation: PDP Govs Fire Back At Presidency
“We need to salvage this country. Let us not pretend about it. Insecurity does not know religion, insecurity does not know ethnicity, poverty does not know ethnicity, and poverty does not know religion. The people who come to kill us, do they look at who is a Christian? Do they look at who is a Muslim? Do they know who is Hausa-Fulani? Do they know who is Igbo? We are dying.
“So, it is not for the sentiment. It is not for people to come and tell you, look, it must come from here, no, no. It is for those who have the capacity. If given the opportunity, I will replicate what I’ve done in Rivers State as President of Nigeria.”
He added that the APC-led Federal Government has made a habit of propaganda and lies without improving the fortunes of the country in any way.
“They said they have given over N300 billion for agriculture. I have no problem with that. Even if they have spent N1trillion, where is the food? I don’t want people going to buy rice and be doing pyramid. I want to see to it that agriculture is working,” he pointed out.
Governor Wike assured that the incoming PDP government would not tell Nigerians lies, nor make excuses for failure, but would work to genuinely improve the lives of Nigerians across the country.
On the occasion, the former Governor of Gombe State, Ibrahim Dankwambo, commended Governor Wike for visiting the state to formally acquaint PDP stakeholders with his presidential ambition.
In the same breath, Dankwambo acknowledged Governor Wike’s excellent performance in office, and assured him of Gombe State’s support, should he clinch the party’s presidential ticket.
Politics
PDP Governors Probe Ondo Polls, Criticizes Edo Result
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.
READ ALSO: NECO Expands Global Footprints, Accredits Niger, Equatorial Guinea Schools
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.
Politics
Gaetz Withdraws From Trumps Cabinet Nomination
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”.
ALSO READ: Trump Taps 27-Year-Old Karoline Leavitt As New White House Spokesperson
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.
Politics
Adeleke Represents SW On Ad Hoc Committee on Nat’l Electrification Plan
The Executive Governors from Nigeria’s South West have unanimously nominated Senator Ademola Adeleke as the chairman of the zone on the National Economic Council (NEC).
Adeleke is the Executive Governor of Osun State, southwest, Nigeria.
This, according to the Spokesperson to Governor Adeleke, Olawale Rasheed, transpired on Thursday, at a meeting of the NEC.
ALSO READ: Adeleke Flaunts Local Content Records, Industrialisation Progress
He noted that the meeting reviewed the state of Nigeria’s electricity sector and resolved to engage subnational structures to address current challenges in the sector.
“The meeting particularly sought to build on the devolution of the electricity sector and its movement into the concurrent legislative list which empowers state governments to regulate the sector in their respective areas,” he stated.
Consequently, the NEC, therefore set up an ad hoc committee to review actions in the sector by state governments and explore ways to ramp up activities through coordination, Rasheed highlighted.
The full list of members of NEC’s Ad-hoc Committee on National Electrification:
- Governor of Cross Rivers State, Bassey Out – Chairman, South-South
- Governor of Katsina State, Mallam Dikko Umaru Radda – Chairman, North-West
- Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya – Chairman, North-East
- Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke – Chairman, South-West
- Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma – Chairman, South-East
- Governor of Plateau State, Barr. Caleb Mutfwang – Chairman, North-Central
- Hon. Minister of Finance, Wale Edun
- Hon. Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu
- Special Adviser, NEC and Climate Change, Rukaiya El-Rufai
- Special Adviser, Power Minister, Hon. Bolaji Tunji
- MD/CEO Rural Electrification Agency, Abba Aliyu
- MD/CEO Niger Delta Power Holding Company, Jennifer Adighije
- Chairman, Nigeria Governors Forum, AbdulRahman AbdulRazak
- NEC Secretariat