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Presidential Election: 45 Candidates Step Down for Atiku, Buhari

Published

5 years ago

February 23, 2019

Eric

No fewer than 45 candidates out of the 72 presidential candidates billed to contest today’s election have abandoned their ambitions to rule Nigeria and adopted either President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress or former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, has learnt.

Saturday PUNCH correspondent, who spoke with the candidates and party chairmen on Friday, learnt that most of them lacked the funds and membership to carry out a nationwide campaign and thus decided to support the bigger parties.

It was learnt that about 15 of them had endorsed Buhari while 30 had agreed to work for Atiku.

Those working for Buhari include Shitu Kabir (Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance), Edozie Madu (Independent Democrats); Danjuma Mohammed (Movement for Restoration and Defence of Democracy); Yusuf Dantalle (Allied Peoples Movement); Ahmed Buhari (Sustainable National Party) and Isah Dansarki (Mass Movement of Nigeria).

Others are Ikechukwu Nwokeafor (Advance Congress of Democrats); Alista Soyode (Yes Party); Charles Ogbali (Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party); Kenneth Kalu (United Peoples Congress); Isiyaka Femili (Nigeria Element Progressive Party) and Robinson Akpu of the National Democratic Liberty Party.

Other candidates supporting Buhari are Inwa Sakil (Unity Party of Nigeria); Babatunde Ositelu (Accord), the Africa Peoples Alliance, which has also endorsed the President although its candidate, Ibrahim Hassan, says he is still in the contest.

While the presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, has stepped down and did not endorse anyone, her former running mate, Galadima Oseni, who is also the national chairman of the party, had endorsed Buhari.

For Atiku, about 30 parties and presidential candidates have stepped down.

The parties, it was learnt, were members of the Coalition of United Political Parties.

On Wednesday, Eunice Atuejide (National Interest Party) stepped down for Atiku.

Similarly, the African Democratic Congress has adopted Atiku while its Presidential candidate, Obadiah Mailafia, has yet to make any public statement on the matter.

The National Chairman of ADC, Chief Okey Nwosu, told one of our correspondents that Atiku had been adopted by the party, adding that it did so in line with the CUPP’s arrangement.

“Our candidate did not have enough funds to execute a nationwide campaign. However, we will be participating in all other elections from National Assembly, governorship to state Houses of Assembly,” he said.

The presidential candidate of the All Grassroots Alliance, Nwachukwu Nwabuikwu, has also endorsed Atiku.

Dr. Nicolas Felix, the candidate of the Peoples Coalition Party also endorsed the PDP candidate earlier in the week just as Action Alliance dropped its candidate, Abdulrashid Baba, and adopted the PDP candidate.

The National Chairman of the Advanced Allied Party, Salihu Butu, told one of our correspondents on the telephone on Friday that his party had adopted Atiku.

Muhammed Zaki (Labour Party) also stepped down for the PDP candidate, according to the LP Chairman, Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, while Dr Olufunmilayo Adesanya-Davies of the Mass Action Joint Alliance also stepped down for him.

Mark Audu of the United Patriots has also endorsed Atiku, according to its acting National Chairman, Chukwudi Ezeobika, while Nsehe Nseobong of the Restoration Party of Nigeria said that he had also stepped down for the former Vice-President.

The presidential candidate of the Progressive Peoples Alliance, Peter Ameh, said he had endorsed Atiku while Major Hamza Al Mustafa (Peoples Party of Nigeria) also stepped down for the former vice-president.

However, 27 other candidates will be slugging it out with Buhari and Atiku on Saturday(today).

They are Mr Fela Durotoye (Alliance for New Nigeria), Omoyele Sowore (African Action Congress), Donald Duke (Social Democratic Party), Rev. Chris Okotie (FRESH), Prof. Kingsley Moghalu (Young Progressive Party), and Adesina Fagbenro-Byron (KOWA).

Others are John Gbor (All Progressive Grand Alliance), Tope Fasua (Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party), Tanko Yunusa (National Conscience Party), Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim (People’s Trust), Yabagi Yusuf (Action Democratic Party), Shipi Godia (All Blending Party) and Peter Nwangwu of (We The People Nigeria).

Ayo Dasilva (Save Nigeria Congress), Chukwudi Osuala (Rebuild Nigeria Party) and Victor Okhai (Providence Peoples Congress) have also decided to test their strength at the polls.

The Punch

Featured

PDP Retains Demagum As Acting National Chairman

Published

2 hours ago

April 18, 2024

Eric

The acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Umar Damagum, has survived attempts to remove him from office.

In the lead-up to today’s National Executive Committee meeting, the issue of whether Damagum should maintain his position or be substituted has been the focal point of discussions among party officials.

Formerly serving as the PDP National Deputy Chairman (North), Damagum assumed the position of acting National Chairman after the court suspended the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu.

The court’s decision followed a request by a PDP member, Terhide Utaan, triggered by a prior vote of no confidence passed on Ayu by his ward executives in Igyorov ward, Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State.

Recently, 60 members of the House of Representatives called for Damagum’s ouster and called for the appointment of a substantive chairman from the North Central region.

However, shortly after this announcement, members of the House minority caucus, led by Kingsley Chinda, distanced themselves from the group, dismissing it as an unrecognised entity within the parliament.

The PDP Caucus meeting in the House of Representatives on Tuesday ended in discord, with lawmakers divided between those supporting Damagum’s continuation and those opposing it.

However, the primary goal of the pre-NEC meeting, which aimed to endorse Damagum with a vote of confidence by lawmakers aligned with FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, faced hurdles and did not proceed as intended.

Recall that, on Wednesday, the PDP’s National Working Committee expressed full support for Damagum.

Nevertheless, after its caucus meeting on Wednesday, the North Central Zone of the party unanimously decided that the zone should nominate the next national chairman of the party following Ayu’s removal.

Speaking to reporters after the National Caucus meeting in the early hours of Thursday, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, disclosed that Damagum will continue to serve as the acting national chairman of the party until another NEC meeting after today’s session.

The PDP National Caucus is a crucial assembly of party stakeholders that convenes before the NEC meeting and sets the tone for every major decision to be made at the NEC meeting.

In many instances, when the National Caucus reach a consensus on matters, the NEC simply approves it, but when there is disagreement, other members of the NEC will vote either for or against the issue in question.

Ologunagba disclosed that the PDP National Caucus endorsed Damagum’s continued acting role to allow for broader consultations.

The Punch

Featured

Cubana Chief Priest Arraigned, Granted N10m Bail

Published

19 hours ago

April 17, 2024

Eric

Instagram celebrity, Pascal Okechukwu aka Cubana Chief Priest, on Wednesday, pleaded not guilty for alleged Naira abuse.

He pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The socialite was arraigned at the Federal High Court, Lagos before Justice Kehinde Ogundare on Wednesday.

The anti-graft commission filed a three-count charge against Cubana Chief Priest accused of abusing the naira at a social event, an act said to be contrary to the provisions of the Central Bank Act of 2007.

After pleading not guilty, the court granted him bail in the sum of N10million with two responsible sureties in like sum, who must be gainfully employed with the federal or state government and not less than grade level 16.

The sureties, the court emphasized, should have landed property and the document must be verified by the court.

Cubana Chief Priest is also to submit his travel passport to the custody of the court.

The bail conditions must be perfected within seven days but in the meantime he was released to his lawyer who must give an undertaken to produce him later. Failure to do so, he will be remanded in correctional facility.

The charge filed on April 4 by EFFC’s prosecutor Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) alongside seven other lawyers representing the chairman of the Commission, are as follows:

Count 1: “That you, Okechukwu Pascal on 13th February, 2024, at Eko Hotel, within the jurisdiction of the court, while dancing during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same for two hours, and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.

Count 2: “That you Okechukwu Pascal sometime in 2020, in Lagos during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same for two hours, and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.

Count 3: “That you Okechukwu Pascal sometime in January 2024, in Lagos during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.

Meanwhile, the defendant also informed the court of his pending application to challenge the jurisdiction of the court to hear the charge.

Justice Ogundare has adjourned till May 2nd to hear the application

This is coming days after the EFCC arraigned controversial cross-dresser Idris Okuneye better known as Bobrisky on similar charges for which he was sentenced to a six-month jail term.

Featured

EFCC Charges Cubana Chief Priest to Court over Naira Abuse

Published

2 days ago

April 16, 2024

Eric

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a three-count charge against Instagram celebrity, Pascal Okechukwu aka Cubana Chief Priest, for allegedly spraying and tampering with the Naira at a social event, in violation of the provisions of Central Bank Act of 2007.

Cubana Chief Priest will be arraigned on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, before Justice Kehinde Ogundare of the Federal High Court, Lagos.

Reports say the charge against Okechukwu was filed on April 4, 2024 by EFFC’s prosecutor Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) alongside seven other lawyers representing the chairman of the Commission.

In Count 1, it was alleged, “that you, Okechukwu Pascal on 13th Feb. 2024, at Eko Hotel, within the jurisdiction of the court, while dancing during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same for two hours, and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.

In count 2, it was alleged, “that you Okechukwu Pascal sometime in 2020, in Lagos during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same for two hours, and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.

In Count 3, it was alleged, “that you Okechukwu Pascal sometime in January 2024, in Lagos during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.

This is coming days after the EFCC secured the conviction controversial cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye aka Bobrisky, on similar charges. He was subsequently sentenced to six months imprisonment without an option of fine.