The Age Newspaper Online

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has set a June 17th, 2022 deadline for presidential candidates to name their running mates. It also set a July 15th deadline for state elections. INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu said this in a statement on the commission’s social media pages. “Similarly, the list of all Presidential and Governorship candidates must be accompanied by the names of their running mates (i.e. Vice Presidential and Deputy Governorship candidates) without which the nomination is invalid,” Thursday’s update from the INEC chairman read. “All nominations must be uploaded to the portal on/or before the deadlines. The portal will automatically shut down at 6.00 pm (1800hrs) on Friday 17th June 2022 for national elections and 6.00 pm (1800hrs) on Friday 15th July 2022 for State elections.” As of the time of publishing this report, no leading candidate for the presidential election has named their running mate. While the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flag bea

The Bible tells us ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God’. In peacemaking, truth telling and truth seeking are honored, integrity is valued, and trust is given because it is earned, and is a refuge, a safe haven from the incivility and nastiness of conflict. And so Governor Simon Bako Lalong’s modesty, nature and humility keeps him away from hugging the limelight unlike his more aggressive and socially astute contemporaries. Governor Lalong has been tirelessly interfacing with relevant individuals, groups and institutions towards restoring the legacies of the founding fathers of the North particularly the legacies of Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto. Governor Lalong chairs the meeting of Northern Governors Forum in Kaduna. The election of Governor Simon Bako Lalong of Plateau State by his colleagues to succeed the former Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, to chair the Nigerian Northern States Governors Forum, did not come to many as a sur

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said that the only recognized presidential candidate of the Labour Party is Peter Obi. This was contained in a statement issued by the National President of the NLC, Ayuba Wabba, on Thursday, June 9, 2022. According to Wabba, the leadership of the Labour Party led by Barr. Julius Abure, a former trade union leader which produced Obi as the presidential candidate is the only acknowledged leadership by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and NLC. The statement partly reads; “The leadership of the NLC and TUC recognize the leadership of the Labour Party led by Barr. Julius Abure, a former trade union leader and workers are part of the leadership. “The NLC and TUC are aware of only one presidential primary which was held in Asaba, Delta State on 30th May 2022 and produced HE Peter Obi as its presidential candidate and standard-bearer. “This, therefore, serves as a public disclaimer on Mr Calistus Okafor. We warn the general public to steer clear of Calistus

President Muhammadu Buhari will address the nation on Sunday, June 12, 2022, by 7:00 am via live broadcast. This was disclosed by Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, on Thursday, June 9, 2022, during a briefing at a radio house in Abuja. According to him, the broadcast will be centred on the celebration of Democracy Day on June 12, 2022. The minister listed some of the activities lined up for the Democracy celebration to include a public lecture at the National Mosque on Friday and Jumat prayers on the same date and venue. He added that this will be followed by the President’s address and a church service at the National Christian Centre by 3 pm on Sunday. There will also be a Democracy Day parade at the Eagle Square in Abuja on Monday morning. The minister, did not, however, say if Monday will be declared a public holiday as this year’s Democracy Day falls on a Sunday. He, instead, said only the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, could make such an announcement. He assured that

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has pegged the deadline for the submission of list of Presidential candidates and their running mates by political parties at June 17.   The Commission warned the dedicated portal for the submission of list of candidates for national elections will automatically shut down at 6.00pm (1800hrs) on Friday 17th June 2022.   However for governorship and House of Assembly elections, the list of candidates shall be uploaded from 1st to 15th July 2022   INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, gave the hint at a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners in Abuja on Thursday.   The Commission stressed further that only names of candidates that emerged from democratic primaries as provided by Sec. 84 of the Electoral Act 2022 shall be submitted. Yakubu said: “All primaries end today Thursday 9th June 2022. For the next one week from tomorrow 10th June 2022, all Political Parties are required to submit their list of candidates for national e

• To commence impeachment process against the Council Chairman soon The Legislative Arm of Langtang North council of Plateau state has passed a vote of no confidence on the council chairman Hon Zulfa Rimven. Our correspondent reports that 12 members of the legislative arm of the LGA signed the vote of no confidence letter on the Chairman. It was further gathered that the Councillors accused the Council boss of several offences and might soon commence full impeachment of the council chairman Hon Zulfa. Sources from the local government who spoke to our correspondent said Hon Zulfa has done more damage to the party the All Progressive Congress APC than good. A member of the legislative arm who does not want his name in print accused the Councilchairman Hon Zulfa of fanning the embers of crisis and disunity in Langtang North APC. In his words Zulfa is deliberately undermining political leaders from the Council for personal gains. He said, “As I speak to you the APC in Langtang North is

  Former Lagos Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is leading by a wide margin from results so far sorted in the ongoing All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Primary at the Eagles Square, Abuja From the results so far from 17 out of 40 polling boxes, Tinubu has polled 1069 votes out of a total of 2, 203 accredited votes in the exercise.

National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged delegates of the party to elect him as the presidential candidate of the party. He said he has what it takes to lead the nation to a brighter future if handed the party’s presidential ticket. Addressing delegates at the APC Presidential convention, Tinubu said he has right experience and connection to put the country on the part of progress. He said: “I have the experience. I have lead Lagos out of the dangerous times and placed it as the 5th largest economy in Africa today. I will use the experience and it will benefit all Nigerians. “I am a unified leader and I have built political structures across the country. I stepped forward because I believe I can lead the party to victory and to the next level. “My experience makes me unique along other aspirants. I will fight terrorism and insecurity to the very end. I mourn those that have been lost and ensure that it is eliminated from our land. “Let me be that man to lead. Le

Seven aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential ticket have stepped down for the leading aspirant and Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed, at the ongoing party primary. While one aspirant stepped down for the Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo as the primary election to elect the party’s candidates dragged from midnight Tuesday to daybreak of Wednesday, May 8, 2022. The aspirants who stepped down for Asiwaju Tinubu are; include; Senator Godswill Akpabio, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Hon. Dimeji Bankole, Governor Badaru of Jigawa State, Ajayi Boroffice and the only woman aspirant, Barr. Uju Ken Ohanenye. The aspirant that stepped down for Prof. Osinbajo is a US-based pastor Nicholas Felix. 14 aspirants of the party are left vying for the ticket in the election which started the early hours of Wednesday and is still currently ongoing. The aspirants include; Mr Chukwuemeka Nwajuba, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Mr Ahmed Rufai, Sen. Roc

Delegates from Ogun state have allegedly rejected N2m ($5,000) cash gifts offered by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo for N10.4m offered by Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the ongoing presidential primaries of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja. According to a report The Gazette, five separate candidates interviewed said they were offered American banknotes to support Tinubu and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. The delegate who provided the information under anonymity to avoid being accused of anti-party conduct that could carry severe disciplinary measures stated that at least each of them has received N10.4m ($25,000).   The Ogun delegates said Tinubu’s team gave them N10.4m ($25,000) each to induce his acceptance as the party’s presidential flag-bearer tonight, while Adamawa delegates said they received $10,000 each from Tinubu’s surrogates.  A delegate said; “Ashiwaju’s people came here and they said we should support him because he has the best chance to defeat Atiku Abubakar. “The

Yahaya Bello, Kogi state governor has warned the All Progressives Congress (APC) against excluding his name on the ballot for the scheduled convention to pick the party’s presidential flag bearer for the 2023 election, saying the decision will be a recipe for trouble. The governor who is also a presidential aspirant under the APC said this on Tuesday, June 7, 202 after he met behind closed doors with the President in the Presidential Villa, Abuja. According to him, the APC will retain power at the center only the stakeholders play by the rules. His statement is coming against a report that the ruling party, particularly, the governors have selected five aspirants out of the twenty three screened aspirants for the ongoing presidential primaries. The list contained only made up of aspirants from southern part of the country as the party claimed to have settled for southern presidential candidate. Yahaya Bello who was displeased by the development said the only thing that could make him n

The former Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Bayo Onanuga has said he was the one that introduced Prof. Yemi Osinbajo to the then Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, in 1999, and that he now regret his decision to link them up. Onanuga said this in a statement on Monday in reaction to an interview with a former National Secretary of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Buba Galadima, who had lambasted VP Osinbajo for daring to contest against his boss, Bola Tinubu. According to Onanuga, he feels strongly that Osinbajo has grossly violated the trust that ordinarily should exist between him and Tinubu by fighting for the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Onanuga’s statement reads; “Tinubu and Osinbajo: The true story of how they met “I never wanted to write this story but I was inspired to do so today, following Buba Galadima’s interview with the Punch on Monday. Buba struck a chord when he spoke about the issue of trust in the relationship

The All Progressives Congress (APC) governors from the North have rejected the choice of Senate President Ahmed Lawan as the consensus presidential candidate of the party.* The National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, was said to have announced Lawan as the consensus candidate, a decision members of the National Working Committee reportedly disagreed with. In a meeting on Monday with President Muhammadu Buhari, the Northern governors insisted that power should rotate to Southern part of the country in 2023. The Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State, briefed State House reporters after the meeting with the president at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. He said the 13 of them apologised to the president for receiving the information about their position after it was leaked. The governor, however, said that they took the decision in the interest of justice and peace in the country. Lalong, who stated that they would hold an

Crisis has hit the All Progressives Congress (APC) following the announcement of Senate President Ahmed Lawan as consensus presidential aspirant by the national chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu. Adamu made the announcement at the meeting of National Working Committee (NWC) on Monday in Abuja. Other aspirants including Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Dr. Kayode Fayemi and David Umahi, among others will however be allowed to contest the primary at the convention holding tomorrow at the Eagle Square, Abuja. *Source: https://thenationonlineng.net/breaking*

CONDOLENCES OVER THE TERRORISTS KILLINGS IN OWO AND A CALL TO THE GOVERNMENT The Arewa Christians and Indigenous Pastors Association (ACIPA) commiserate with the families of those killed on Sunday 5th June 2022 to Catholic Community, the peace loving people and government of Ondo State over the ungodly, cowardly and heinous killings of worshippers at the St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo. ACIPA prays for God’s Comfort and consolation to the families of the deceased, the Catholic Community, the people and government of Ondo state, the entire Yoruba nation as well as all Christians and lovers of humanity. ACIPA strongly call on the Federal and State governments to go beyond the usual rhetoric of condemnation and false promise to the people of Nigeria after terrorist killings and abductions. The time to act is now and fast to obliterate all terrorist elements, their allies or sponsors. ACIPA and indeed Nigerians can no longer accept the branding of terrorists as

The national Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has donated a hefty sum of N75 million to victims of a deadly attack on a Catholic church in Owo on Sunday. Tinubu, in the company of Ondo state Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, paid a visit to the scene and commiserated with the families of the deceased. He gave N50 million to the victims and N25 million to the Catholic Church. The deadly attack claimed over 50 lives including women and children. Governor Akeredolu, who shed tears on visiting the scene of the incident swore to capture the culprits. He said, “What has happened here today is tragic. No better way to qualify it. It is the most tragic event! Horrific! What we have seen in America is a child play to what has happened here. That it happened in a church, to say the least, is most condemnable. I feel terribly sad, and I can understand our people are in sad mood. Nobody will see or hear what happened here that will feel safe.” “But let me tell you, we have

The eleventh (11th) Vice President of the Church Of Christ In Nations (COCIN) has been inducted amidst cheers, in a Church service held at the COCIN Hqtrs Church, Jos, which coincided with this year's Choir week. Performing the inauguration, after being presented by the Chairman of the incorporated Board of Trustees, Rev. Prof. Soja Bewarang, COCIN President, Rev. Dr. Amos Musa Mohzo, tasked the new Vice President to be proactive in discharging his duties and prayed for his success. Speaking on politics, Rev. Dr. Mohzo, challenged politicians, to play the game accordingly, and adviced everyone eligible, to go and register, and obtain the voters card, as its the only weapon to be used to vote for credible candidates. Responding, in an acceptance speech, the new COCIN Vice President, Rev. Dr. Timothy Nwan, promised to work in synergy with the leadership of the Church and promote Unity, as the cardinal principle, and theme of the Church. Rev. Dr. Nwan equally promised to offer himself

A Statement by Northern States’ APC Governors and Political Leaders, APC governors and political leaders from the northern states of Nigeria today met to review the political situation and to further support our Party in providing progressive leadership amidst our national challenges. During our discussions, we welcomed President Muhammadu Buhari’s invitation to governors and other stakeholders to contribute to the emergence of a strong presidential candidate for the APC. After careful deliberation, we wish to state our firm conviction that after eight years in office of President Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the APC for the 2023 elections should be one of our teeming members from the southern states of Nigeria. It is a question of honour for the APC, an obligation that is not in anyway affected by the decisions taken by another political party. We affirm that upholding this principle is in the interest of building a stronger, more united and more progressive countr

Political pressure group under the Aegis of Southern Progressive Youth Forum(SPYF), has massively endorsed the governor of plateau State, Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong for the Senatorial bid. Speaking with newsmen in Shendam, the coordinator of the group, Mr. Yenna’an Julius Lutgun in a statement made available to Newsmen, said governor Lalong is a politician with unbridled loyalty, commitment, and soundtrack records on the plateau. “The decision to endorse governor Lalong was taken after overblown consultations with the leadership and groups across the six local governments in Plateau South Senatorial District.” The group also promised to support Lalong to gain a victory in the forthcoming election, saying he has all it takes to contest and win the election based on his track records and experience as former Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, governor and lawyer which has attracted development opportunities for the zone and State at large. “We have agreed to queue behind gov

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is set to punish its National Leader and presidential aspirant, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, over a statement he made about being the person that made President Buhari win the 2015 election. This was revealed by the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu on Saturday ahead of the party’s Tuesday convention. According to him, Tinubu’s apology was not enough because his outburst was an insult to the president. Tinubu had on Thursday, June 2, 2022, stated that President Buhari became President in 2015 because of his intervention. Tinubu while addressing the APC delegates in Ogun state said; “He (Buhari) tried the first time, he failed, the second time, he failed, the third, he failed, he even wept on national television and vowed never to contest again but I went to meet him in Kaduna and told him he will run again, I will stand by you and you will win, but you must not joke with Yorubas and he agreed.” Reacting to Tinubu’s comment, Adamu said Tinub