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“I did not tell Nigerians to vote Buhari in 2015”-Soyinka

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Nobel laureate winner Professor Wole Soyinka has told Nigerians that he did not tell them to vote Buhari in 2015. Soyinka who spoke on Thursday, April 7, 2022, during a media briefing in Lagos stated this.

Soyinka said he recalled that he urged Nigerians to vote out Jonathan, but denied endorsing Buhari, who was the main opposition candidate in the 2015 presidential election.

He said he didn’t vote for Buhari and didn’t ask anyone to vote for the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate.

Soyinka said: “Jonathan had a chance to win that election and I told him this. He blew it. He really blew it on many levels.

“Before the election, I told him frankly. I told him why I was not going to vote for him or support him because he lost the confidence and trust of the people — a couple of actions and inactions, including his failure to tackle corruption. Despite that, it is false to say that I supported the election of Buhari.

“If I believed that is what I should do, I would not hesitate one moment to come out and say this is the candidate. I challenge anyone to say where did I say vote for Buhari — when, what occasion and in what language?

“What I said very distinctly is ‘do not vote for Jonathan’. I don’t regret that because the level of corruption at that stage was such at number one.

“It is a shame that one has to recall negativities. At no time did I ever say ‘vote for Buhari’. You can’t find it anywhere. I did not vote for Buhari. If you do not believe me, go and ask the security man in Abeokuta who used to accompany me if I left my house that day.”

Sometime in May 2021, Soyinka criticised President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration saying he doesn’t believe his government is capable of uniting Nigeria due to its systemic failure.

He said Nigeria had lost a key opportunity to unite, adding that he didn’t believe that President Buhari’s administration could bring the country together.

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Alleged budget padding: ACF condemns Ningi’s suspension, says North’s interest at stake

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The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has expressed disapproval over the suspension of Sen. Abdul Ningi, the former Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum, by the Senate, asserting that the welfare of the Northern region is at stake.

In a statement issued by Prof. Tukur Muhammad-Baba, the National Publicity Secretary of ACF, it was emphasized that the Senate should have conducted an investigation into the allegations raised by the senator to ascertain their validity rather than resorting to suspension.

The ACF urged the Senate to exercise greater caution when addressing criticisms of its proceedings.

Ningi had claimed that N3.7 trillion allocated in the 2024 budget was not earmarked for any specific project.

ACF acknowledged that the 10th Senate had refuted these allegations, deeming them unsubstantiated, and highlighted that the interests of various communities in Northern Nigeria are jeopardized.

Instead of hastily suspending Ningi, ACF advocated for a comprehensive inquiry into the allegations by a committee established either by statute or ad hoc means.

It underscored that the allegations of budget padding, along with concerns regarding the inclusion of items benefiting particular communities of certain senators as “constituency projects,” remain unaddressed, with potentially adverse consequences for both the Senate and the executive branch.

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Nigeria must be safe, secure before 2027 election – Atiku’s ex-aide, Bwala

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Daniel Bwala, a former spokesperson for the now-defunct Atiku-Okowa Presidential Campaign Council, revealed on Friday the essential condition for the 2027 elections to take place. He asserted that the general elections slated for 2027 could only proceed under the backdrop of a safe and secure Nigeria.

Speaking on Arise TV’s Morning Show, Bwala praised President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to rectify the shortcomings of previous administrations. Despite his acknowledgment of Tinubu’s initiatives, Bwala expressed no remorse for his decision to join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He stated, “I have no regrets about my transition to the PDP or my support for Atiku. My actions are guided by personal conviction, and if they don’t yield the desired outcome, I accept the consequences.”

Bwala emphasized the pressing need for a stable and secure Nigeria, citing it as the fundamental prerequisite for holding the 2027 elections. He observed President Tinubu’s endeavors to address the country’s challenges and foster national unity.

Reflecting on Tinubu’s call for opposition cooperation in nation-building, Bwala recognized the importance of prioritizing the nation’s development over partisan politics. He stressed the imperative of a cohesive and functional Nigeria as a prerequisite for engaging in political activities.

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Edo guber: APC leaders endorse Ogbeide-Ihama as Okpebholo’s running mate

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Leaders representing the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Edo South Senatorial District convened in Abuja to express their support for Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama’s nomination as the running mate to the party’s gubernatorial candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, ahead of the September 21, 2024, elections in the state.

During a crucial meeting on Thursday night in Abuja, APC dignitaries, including former governorship aspirants and stakeholders from the southern region of Edo State, endorsed Ogbeide-Ihama’s candidacy. Ogbeide-Ihama, formerly a member of the House of Representatives under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has defected to the APC.

A prominent figure in Edo politics, Ogbeide-Ihama holds sway over the Dan Orbih-led faction of the PDP in Edo South and is bringing along thousands of supporters and PDP leaders from the senatorial zone to the APC.

One of the attendees quoted the leaders as expressing unprecedented unity among major stakeholders from Edo South, which has historically posed challenges for APC victories. With Ogbeide-Ihama as Senator Okpebholo’s running mate and the unified front formed by APC leaders from Edo South, they anticipate delivering the entire Benin zone to the APC for the first time, sans internal party divisions.

They highlighted Ogbeide-Ihama’s entry into the APC alongside ward leaders and other stakeholders from Edo South and across the state’s three senatorial districts. This includes 18 factional chairpersons of the PDP in Edo State, 192 ward chairpersons, and numerous critical stakeholders, all committed to ensuring APC’s success in the upcoming elections.

Senator Okpebholo welcomed the endorsement, affirming the heightened unity within the APC as they prepare for the elections. He expressed confidence in emerging victorious as the next governor of Edo State.

Other notable personalities present at the meeting included General Charles Airhiavbere (rtd), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Senator Mathew Urhogide, Lucky Imasuen, among others.

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