The Age Newspaper Online

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Abdullahi Adamu has expressed concern over the wave of defections of federal lawmakers in the party to opposition parties.   He said this on Wednesday after a closed-door meeting with party members at the National Assembly.   Senator Adamu admitted that while the party is worried about the gale of defections, nothing can be done about it. According to him, defections are normal during an election year as those who feel dissatisfied with the outcome of party primaries are free to test their popularity in other political parties. Adamu’s comment came a day after two Senators from the party defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The senators are Ahmed Keita representing Katsina north and Senator Francis Alimikhena representing Edo North.

51-year-old man, Usman Madaki, who has been trekking from Bauchi to Lagos in support of the presidential ambition of Bola Ahmed, arrived in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State on Wednesday. In a chat with the News Agency of Nigeria, Madaki, said he commenced the trekking on June 10 and planned to arrive in Lagos on Saturday (June 25). He said, “I want to meet Tinubu in Lagos to celebrate with him on his victory as the presidential candidate of the APC. “I share the belief that he will be Nigeria’s next President. I like Tinubu, he is my godfather even though he doesn’t know me.”

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has on Wednesday, June 22, 2022, visited Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike at his residence. According to reports, Obi, on arrival, was taken inside where he had a meeting with the governor behind closed doors. However, The reason for the visit and the meeting is yet to be known as newsmen were not granted access. Peter Obi’s visit is coming four days after the Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi paid Governor Wike a visit. Recall, Obi, until his defection to the Labour Party days to the Presidential Primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), him and Wike were presidential aspirants of the PDP. Wike had gone into the contest but former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar clinched the ticket of the opposition party. While Obi, who was Atiku’s running mate in 2019, emerged the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party. Wike had indicated interest to run on a joint ticket with Atiku but his Delta counterpart, Ifeanyi Okowa, was cho...

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has agreed to extend the ongoing continuous voter registration (CVR) exercise initially slated to end on June 30, June, 2022. Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters, Hon. Aishatu Jibril Dukku, disclosed this on Wednesday, June 22, 2022, while briefing fellow lawmakers on the committee’s efforts to ensure implementation of a House resolution reached last week. She told the House that; “The Committee held a meeting with INEC yesterday (Tuesday) and they agreed to extend the CVR, all our resolutions were approved.” The House of Representatives had last Wednesday urged INEC to extend the deadline for the continuous voter registration by an extra 60 days from June 30, 2022, to enable more Nigerians to register. The House also called on the Commission to deploy additional staff and voter registration machines across the country to meet the objective. The chairman, House Committee on media and publicity, Hon...

Gunmen suspected to be bandits who abducted the traditional ruler of Panyam, in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State Da Aminu Derwan, have demanded the sum of one hundred and fifty million naira as ransom before he will be released. A family source who pleaded for anonymity disclosed this on Tuesday, June 21, 2022 in Jos, Plateau state capital. Recall, gunmen men who were about 20 in numbers stormed the palace at the early hours of Monday, June 20, 2022, and took Derwan, the district head of Panyam away. It was gathered that, Derwan is the fifth monarch to be abducted within the last six months in the state. According to the family source, they are still talking with them, hoping that they’ll reduce the ransom or release him on compassionate grounds. The state Police Command through it’s Spokesman DSP Alfred Alabo, however, said the combined tactical team deployed to the area are still working hard to find the perpetrators of the heinous act and rescue the Monarch. Meanwhile, H...

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has lost three sitting senators to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and New Nigeria People’s Pary (NNPP) respectively. The lawmakers are Senators Ahmad Babba Kaita (Katsina North), Lawal Yahaya Gumau (Bauchi South), and Francis Alimikhena (Edo North). Whilst Babba Kaita and Alimikhena defected to the opposition PDP Gumau, on the other hand, defected to the NNPP. The notice of their resignation and defection was contained in three separate letters read during plenary by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, on Tuesday, June 21, 2022.   Babba Kaita’s letter read, “As Senator representing Katsina North Senatorial District, I write to formally notify you of my resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC), and registration declaration for the Peoples Democratic Party. “My resignation from the APC was born out of the marginalisation of critical stakeholders by the State Government and Leadership of the Party in Katsina State, where...

By Yakubu Dati  It is not for nothing that Elder Godsday Orubebe's resignation from the PDP is trending. After working for the party for years, the former minister is irked that the party has failed to do the right thing at the right moment and said he had to leave due to the failure of the PDP to zone the presidency to the Southern part of the country. His action has generated interest on the political stratosphere because it is an indictment on the PDP for failing to uphold the time tested principles of equity and justice. This is unlike the All Progressives Congress (APC) which got it right as far as equity and fairness to all are concerned. This is why the emergence of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a southerner, has held the interest of genuine statesmen in Nigeria as the APC has demonstrated its capacity to make sacrifices for the well being of the nation. Being a Muslim has however thrown up another challenge to the APC and this has to do with the choice of a running mate for Ti...

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has stopped the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from going ahead with its plan to end the ongoing voter registration exercise on June 30. The judge, Mobolaji Olajuwon, on Monday, June 20, 2022 made the interim order in a ruling on an application for an interim injunction by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and 185 other concerned Nigerians. In the suit, SERAP had asked the court for “an order restraining INEC, its agents, privies, assigns, or any other person(s) claiming through it from discontinuing the continuous voters’ registration exercise from the 30th June 2022 or any other date pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.” The suit followed the decision by INEC to extend the deadline for the conduct of primaries by political parties by six days, from June 3 to June 9. But the commission failed to also extend the online pre-registration which ended May 30 2022 and the Continuous...

Gunmen suspected to be bandits have launched a fresh attack in Panyam, Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau state, and kidnapped a traditional ruler, His Royal Highness, Aminu Derwan. According to reports, the gunmen men who were about 20 in numbers stormed the palace at the early hours of Monday, June 20, 2022, and took away Derwan, the district head of Panyam. A resident of Panyam community, Moses Garuba, who confirmed the incident said the gunmen scared residents away with gunshots before abducting the traditional ruler. Garuba said, “It was last night around midnight that the bandits, who were more than 20 and heavily armed, surrounded the district head’s palace in Panyam.   Because his house was not fenced, some villagers who saw how his house was surrounded by strange people alerted other members of the community through a community bell. But immediately the bandits heard the bell, they started firing gunshots and eventually went away with the traditional ruler, leaving the com...

Nigeria’s security situation appears to be worsening as the country witnessed yet another attack on churches following the killing of worshippers in Owo, a town in Ondo State. Just two weeks after the incident in Owo, gunmen struck again, this time in Kaduna State where they attacked two churches. The worship centres which came under attack by the gunmen believed to be bandits were Saint Moses Catholic Church and Maranatha Baptist Church – both in Kajuru Local Government Area of the state. No fewer than three people were confirmed to have lost their lives to the attacks on three communities – Ungwan Fada, Ungwan Turawa, and Ungwan Makama, all in Rubu general area of Kajuru. Sources told Channels Television that at least two persons were injured while several others were feared missing and said to have been abducted by the bandits. The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs in Kaduna, Samuel Aruwan, has confirmed the attacks on the churches. According to him, the terrorists...

A Non-Political group known as Northern Nigeria Project (NNP) has appealed to the All Progressive Congress (APC), Ahmed Bola Tinubu to reverse the choice of his running mate, Alhaji Kabir Ibrahim Masari and urgently replace him with a northern Christian in the interest of fairness, justice and equity. The group in a Press statement Signed by it's Publicity Secretary, Comrade Yohanna Jatau and made available to newsmen in Jos, Plateau State capital. The statement lamented that the choice of Masari was against the earlier warnings by different groups against the planned Muslim/Muslim ticket but regretted that the party went ahead to picked a Muslim as Tinubu's running mate. It gathered that Tinubu is a Muslim and a one time governor of Lagos state and Masari is also a Muslim from Katisna. While giving condition for the party's victory in the Presidential election, the group called on the relevant stakeholders and the party's presidential candidate to as a matter of urgenc...

PRESS RELEASE The above subject matter refers. We, the members of the above mentioned council have been observing with keen interest the political developments in Plateau State and have also paid more interest in the recent affairs of our Party. Even though arguably, much attention should not be paid to online post because of the abuse of its usage in recent time, we cannot help but be concerned about what we see and read on various social media platforms including some private and Government established media houses. Most of this reports are not just disturbing but also unhealthy to the popularity and growth of the present Government and also our Party by extension. We as elders sometimes get puzzled as to what to believe or not as pertaining the present situation of the Party. However, one thing that is certain and apparent to us is the tension already building up in the political arena. CURRENT HAPPENINGS AND OBSERVATIONS. The APC as a Party has come out with guidelines as to how it...

Plateau state Chapter of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria PFN, on Saturday said it has adopted Sunday June 26 2022 as PVC Sunday across the country. A statement signed by Rev Dr Steven Dangana ,the chairman of PFN Plateau state chapter and made available to newsmen in Jos reads that the decision was taken on Thursday June 16 ,after the National Executive Council meeting in Lagos. The statement further reads that all members of the Pentecostal churches are to attend service on that day with their permanent voters cards. The statement reads in Parts "The church leadership will also ensure that statistics of those with their voters cards are taken and forwarded to the state chairman, who will in turn forward the statistics to the National body." "All Head of churches, Pastors and leader of the PFN in the state are advised to use the PVC Sunday to pray for Nigeria and the forthcoming elections in particular." The statement also reads that "The National leadership...

The National President of the Adara Development Association (ADA), Southern Kaduna, Awemi Dio Maisamari, has confirmed that the military helicopter which arrived during the bandits’ attack on villages opened fire on the youths of the village who engaged the bandits. The helicopter reportedly attacked Maikori youths in the Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Sunday, June 5. Maisamari, who narrated the details of the incident where at least 32 persons were killed, in an interview with Nigerian Tribune said the bandits arrived in an army uniform with a large number of motorcycles but they were resisted by the youths of the village who engaged them in a gun battle outside the village. However, while the battle was on, a military helicopter arrived and rather opened fire on the locals, forcing them to retreat, and giving the bandits the opportunity to enter the village. The ADA National President said that bandits had been going from village to village in the community attacking...

The Presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has confirmed he is in talks with his Labour Party counterpart, Peter Obi. Kwankwaso and Obi are exploring the possibility of cooperation in the 2023 elections, in terms of a possible merger between NNPP and LP. He made the remarks in an interview with BBC Hausa. Kwankwaso said: “We are really talking to Peter Obi, or at least saying that the committee is working to look into the matter (and cooperate with him), and friends and family are coming to talk to us about it.” He noted that their collaboration was especially important as the All Progressives (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had not fielded an Igbo vice-presidential candidate. On Friday, Obi named former presidential spokesman, Doyin Okupe, as his running mate. Daily Post

The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders’ Forum (SMBLF), on Friday, condemned the governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa for accepting his nomination as the running mate to Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming 2023 general elections. This was contained in a statement signed by leaders of four groups which include Chief Edwin Clark, for the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders’ Forum (SMBLF) and the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF); Chief Ayo Adebanjo, leader of Afenifere, Dr. Dru Bitrus, the President-General, Middle Belt Forum and Prof. George Obiozor, the President-General, Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide. The elder statesmen described as unspeakable and quite disappointing that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, who is currently Chairman of the South-South Governors’ Forum, and a native of Owa-Alero in Ika North-East Local Government Area (one of the Igbo-speaking areas) of Delta State, would exhibit such barefaced unreliability to accept the...

The above named group wishes in the overall interest of our great party,the All Progressives Congress, particularly in Plateau, draw your attention to the plight of the teaming supporters and members of the party in Plateau regarding the Governorship Primary elections that took place on May 26th, 2022. The election in Plateau State was characterised by numerous irregularities ranging from changing of delegates list, intimidation of delegates as well as playing critical roles by non delegates,agents or observers to favor a particular candidate at the expense of the growth and unity of the party in the state. Sadly for our party, seven aspirants out of the nine who picked forms walked out of the election hall as a way of expressing their dissatisfaction with the process. As a concerned group, we wish to draw your attention very specifically and specially on the Plateau case, because if it is left unchecked, we are afraid APC will not be retaining power in the state beyond 2023 b...

Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Presidential Candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has dropped the name of Alhaji Kabir Ibrahim Masari as his running mate for the 2023 Presidential election. NAN understands that Tinubu dropped his name as a place holder ahead of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) deadline for parties to submit the names of their candidates for the 2023 elections. Sources in the camp of Tinubu and Masari confirmed this to News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday evening. The running mate of the APC Presidential Candidate hails from Masari, a village in Kafur Local Government Area of Katsina State. He is the kinsman of Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, governor of Katsina. The running mate of the APC Presidential Candidate served as the National Welfare Secretary of the ruling party during the tenure of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as National Chairman. Oshiomhole chaired APC from 2018 to 2020. Tinubu’s running mate was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party...

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, will in the next few hours, announce the Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa as the running mate of the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. Contrary to the reports that the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike would emerge as Atiku’s running mate, Arise TV reports that the party has settled for Okowa.   Details shortly…

Following the earlier termination of the contract for the construction of Legacy Projects by the Plateau Government, the State Executive Council has approved the award of contract for the completion of the projects at the sum of N26.6 billion. The sum is for the completion projects and the engagement of a consultant to provide pre-contract services. Briefing newsmen after the Council meeting, Commissioner for information and Communication Hon. Dan Manjang disclosed that the legacy projects are located across the 17 local Government Areas of the State. They include the construction of 9 No model primary schools, 6 No model secondary schools and 6 No model hospitals with a completion period of 32 weeks. He explained that the State Government had earlier secured 18 billion naira for funding the Lalong project which was still available for the work. He said the project was also rescoped downwards to N26.6 billion, adding that Council approved the sourcing of the shortfall of N8.6 billion. ...

Indications have emerged that the All Progressives Congress, (APC) has picked the Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, as the preferred running mate for the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, ahead of the 2023 presidential elections.   This revelation was contained in a press statement issued by the Director General of Ganduje’s Support Group, Comrade Suleiman Magaji, and made available to newsmen in Abuja.   The statement revealed that the APC National Working Committee narrowed down the choice of Tinubu’s running mate to the incumbent Kano State Governor on the basis of loyalty, commitment and infrastructural development of his state. While commending the National Working Committee of the party for the choice made thus far, the group called on all party faithful to support the duo to enable the party to emerge victorious in the presidential elections.   “It is time we close rank to ensure victory for all our candidates from the ward levels to the pre...

Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) on Wednesday kicked against Muslim-Muslim and Christian/Christian ticket stressing that it is capable of plunging Nigeria into "deep and irredeemable crisis." The Church also said the nation's corporate existence is founded on the principles of "justice, fairness and equity", hence the need to adhere to the status quo. ECWA in a press statement signed by its President, Rev. Stephen Baba Panya, made available to newsmen in Jos, the Plateau State Capital, noted that, "our national interest is greater than any individual or group interest." It reads, "As we look forward to peaceful, free, fair and credible elections in 2023, let me heartily congratulate all candidates that have emerged across the political parties for the Presidential, Governorship, National and States Assembly elections." "We are very much pleased to note that the processes that led to their emergence were largely orderly and peaceful...

The presidential flagbearer of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has bragged about never losing an election. Tinubu said this at the APC rally held on Tuesday in Ekiti ahead of the governorship election in the state to drum up support for the party’s candidate in the election, Biodun Oyebanji. The governorship election in the state is slated for Saturday, June 18, 2022. Tinubu said, “I’ve never failed an election before.” Tinubu, who also spoke in the Yoruba language said, “To ba t’eka, o le te owo” meaning, “if you don’t vote, you can’t hold money.” Tinubu also said the “Peoples Democratic Party is a poverty development party,” urging the people of the state to vote for the APC in the state and in the 2023 presidential election.

In a twist of event, the presidential aspirant of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Bola Ahmed Tinubu is looking elsewhere for Vice President. It is alleged that the former Lagos state Governor is beaming his searchlight for a Christian Nothern woman to be his Vice. Information reaching us is that former Senator representing Adamawa Northern Senatorial Zone Senator Rev. Binta Masi Garba is tipped to share the ticket with Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The information is not unconnected with the relationship between Senator Binta Masi Garba and Tinubu's wife who were former colleagues at the Red Chamber. Senator Ishaku Elisha Abbo, SGG Boss Mustapha and former SGF Babachir David Lawan who were rumoured to be picked for the job have not met the criteria as they are not as popular as Senator Binta Masi Garba. Bola Ahmed Tinubu is seen as an advocate of women inclusion in governance and as such is looking to extend his advocacy to the federal level. Apart from Alhaja Sinatu Ojikutu, who was deput...

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has warned the presidential flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, against picking the governor of Rivers State, Nyesome Wike, as his running mate. According to MURIC, the Rivers State Governor is allegedly one of the bigoted Christian governors who had been blacklisted by Nigerian Muslims. The Islamic organisation shared this view in a statement signed and circulated by its director, Professor Ishaq Akintola. The group said it had come to its knowledge that Wike is among those being considered by the PDP and Atiku as a possible vice presidential candidate and deemed it necessary to warn the party and its flagbearer against such a move. “Wike is an open enemy of Islam, a Muslim-hater primus inter pareil and an unrepentant mosque destroyer,” the statement alleged. “The extremist remarks of Wike are still on record. He declared Rivers State a Christian State contrary to the constitution,” the group’s statement reads in p...

Two members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senate Majority Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi, and Adamu Aliero, have officially defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The formal defections of the two APC senators from Kebbi State, were conveyed in two separate letters addressed to the President of Senate Ahmad Lawan, and read at plenary on Tuesday Sen. Aliero and Sen. Abdullahi represent Kebbi Central and Kebbi North Senatorial Districts respectively. Also to defect formally from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progreives Grand Alliance on June15, is the Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe. His defection and exit as Minority Leader was deferred, given the inability of the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, to come with his defection and resignation letter to plenary. Although an announcement to that effect was made by Lawan, it was however agreed that Abaribe’s letter be formally read on the floor before his exit as Minority Leader, after a point of order raised by S...

The former lawmaker representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Abe has expressed confidence that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ahmed Bola Tinubu will be elected as the president of Nigeria in 2023.     Senator Abe stated this during a thank-you visit to his supporters at Bera in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State. Ahead of the 2023 elections, Senator Magnus Abe has declared that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will mobilise one million voters in Rivers state to support the party’s presidential candidate, Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu.     Senator Abe made the declaration while addressing thousands of APC members and supporters at the Port Harcourt International Airport, upon his arrival from Abuja.     He called on people of the state to register their support for ‘Project SMA 2023’, aimed at allowing the people to choose who will be their Governor in 2023.     Abe made it clear that any per...

Fellowship of Churches of Christ in Nigeria popularly known as (TEKAN) whose churches are spread across the country on Tuesday warned political parties against fielding Muslim-Muslim or Christian-Christian candidates ahead of the 2023 presidential election. The body further said as a fellowship, it condemns any such plans, stressing that the nation’s diversity and religious sensitivity at the moment cannot allow for such a proposal. This was contained in a press statement signed by its President, Rev. Caleb Ahima and General Secretary Very Rev. Moses Ebuga, the church urged political parties to consider both religions in making their choices. It reads: “The Fellowship wishes to add her voice on the agitation going on for Muslim-Muslim or Christian-Christian ticket in the country. “As a fellowship, we stand to condemn such calls and stress that the diversity of our country and the religious sensitivity in the country at this material time cannot allow for such proposal, hence the need...

By Jatdul Andrew  The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Stakeholders has called on leadership of the party to limit the search for the vice presidential candidate to northern Christians. The Convener of the group, Mr. Aliyu Audu, while addressing a press conference on Monday in Abuja, said the country is deeply divided within the fault lines of ethnicity and religion, saying the ruling party cannot afford to jettison these sensibilities in critical decision making. It noted that APC must be guided by the sense of these sensibilities in the selection of the vice presidential candidate of the party.   The group insisted that northern APC has in its fold capable individuals from the Christian faith with proven track records that can deliver just like anyone from the other faith. It said their capability to deliver on the ideals of the party aside, they also have the capacity to win elections for the party. It stated: “There have been arguments that vice presidential candidate which...

A Catholic priest in charge of St Anthony’s Parish, Angware community in the Jos East Local Government Area of Plateau State, Rev James Kantoma, who is also the chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in the council area, has been kidnapped by gunmen. It was gathered that Kantoma was abducted at his house in the community by the gunmen on Sunday night. A resident of Angware community, Silas Joshua, confirmed the cleric’s abduction to The PUNCH in Jos on Monday . Joshua said, “When the gunmen arrived the community at night, they moved straight to the house of the Reverend Father. “Some youths in the area, who were alerted, tried to stop and even gave them a hot chase into the bush but the gunmen started shooting everywhere and eventually took the Reverend Father away.” The State Chairman of CAN, Polycarp Lubo, also confirmed the abduction of the cleric, describing the incident as sad.let pray for fr James

SUBMISSION OF NOMINATION FORMS Presidential and National Assembly June 10, 2022 – June 17, 2022 Gubernatorial and State Assembly July 1, 2022 – July 15, 2022 LAST DATE FOR WITHDRAWAL BY CANDIDATES/REPLACEMENT OF WITHDRAWN CANDIDATES BY POLITICAL PARTIES July 15, 2022 - August 12, 2022 SUBMISSION OF REPLACEMENT NOMINATION FORMS August 8, 2022 - August 18, 2022 CAMPAIGN BY POLITICAL PARTIES: A. PRESIDENTIAL AND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY September 28, 2022 – February 23, 2023 B. GUBERNATORIAL AND STATE ASSEMBLY October 12, 2022 – March 9, 2023 SUBMISSION OF NAMES OF POLLING AGENTS BY POLITICAL PARTIES December 30, 2022 - January 6, 2023 ELECTION DATE 25th February, 2023 for Presidential and National Assembly Election 11th March 2023 for Gubernatorial and State Assembly Election. Source: INEC

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has advised Tinubu to consult the ‘Noble Dozen’, before picking a running mate for the 2023 presidential election. Tinubu became the flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress, APC, after he became victorious in the party’s presidential primaries at Eagles Square, Abuja on Wednesday. The Islamic group explained that ‘Noble Dozen’ is the name it gave to the twelve Northern governors who insisted that the South should be given the opportunity to produce President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor. MURIC made the suggestion in a statement signed by its director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, on Saturday. “We will like to advise that apart from ensuring that the position of vice president in 2023 goes to the North, Senator Tinubu should consult the ‘Noble Dozen’,” the group said. “Those we refer to as the Noble Dozen are those twelve (12) sincere Northern governors who disabused the minds of Nigerians concerning the myth of Northern hegemony and a nonexistent calip...

By Jatdul Andrew Nasir El-Rufai, the Governor of Kaduna State, has dismissed the calls against a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket, citing that the fixation of Nigerians on religion instead of conscience, capacity and capability is sad and pathetic. El-Rufai spoke during an interview session with Channels TV when asked about his opinion on the task ahead of the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He said he does not care if the President and his vice are all Muslim or all Christians, insisting that what matters at this point is the delivery of good governance. He explained that he is the wrong person to be asked the question about a Muslim-Muslim ticket as he won the 2019 election with a Muslim-Muslim ticket in Kaduna state despite some speculations that he would lose. Buttressing his point, Governor El-Rufai recalled that it was a Lagos-based Pentecostal pastor, Tunde Bakare that brought him into the CPC in 2014 and not President Muham...

The Christian Association of Nigeria has rejected proposed Muslim-Muslim presidential tickets by major political parties in the country, claiming that the outcome of the proposal will be worse. According to CAN, Christian-Christian or Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket in 2023 is a threat to the fragile peace and unity of Nigeria. The apex Christain body gave the warning in a statement on Friday by its National Secretary, Barrister Joseph Bade Daramola, titled, ‘Christian Association of Nigeria Rejects Proposed Muslim/Muslim Presidential Ticket in 2023’. CAN said with the country’s trajectory and its challenges, it was important for the nation’s political parties not to further polarise the country by opting for Christian-Christian or Muslim-Muslim presidential tickets. The statement read, “The Christian Association of Nigeria has once again warned the leading political parties to bury the thought of Christian/Christian or Muslim/Muslim presidential ticket in 2023. We want to unequivoc...