Politics

Labour Party asks Tinubu, other APC candidates to withdraw from 2023 elections

Published

1 year ago

September 26, 2022

Advocate News Nigeria

The Labour Party has called on the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu and his running mate, Kashim Shettima, to withdraw from the 2023 election.

The Labour Party also wants all the APC governorship candidates, the senatorial candidates, the House of Representatives and State Assembly candidates to drop their ambitions ahead of the 2023 elections.

This was disclosed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Arabambi, in a statement to commemorate Nigeria’s 62nd Independence Day Anniversary.

In the statement, Arabambi accused the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC government of running the nation into debt, saying Nigerians would not fail to vote out the APC if its candidates refused to withdraw honourably.

Arabambi maintained that the Buhari government in the first four months of 2022, revealed through the Budget and Planning Ministry that the cost of debt servicing had surpassed its revenue in the four months under review.

He claimed that APC government spent a total of N4.2 trillion between January and April 2022 from the earmarked N17.32trillion for the whole year.

“In these same four months, a sum of N285bn was earned as oil revenue, this represents a shortfall of 60.9% of the appropriated figure of N730.12bn,” he said.

The LP spokesman quoted the Director-General of the Debt Management Office (DMO), Mrs Patience Oniha, as having confirmed that Nigeria’s total public debt stock representing domestic and external debt stock profile as at March, 2022 stood at N41. 60 trillion and N42.84TRN ($103.31billion) as at June 30, 2022.

Arabambi said that dividing the debt figure by 200 million Nigerians, including 50 million yet unborn, would mean that “every Nigerian as at June 30 2022 is indebted to the tune of N170,000 naira each.”

He recalled that the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, had on many occasions recommended that government’s borrowing must be at statutory 5% of the previous year’s revenue, saying, however, that the APC government ignored the wise counsel of Peter Obi.

He said, “It is necessary at this juncture for Nigerians to immediately join the cry for the demand for the resignation of the APC from the seat of government, now that it is not in doubt that it has finally ruined a substantial part of the future of Nigeria with its avoidable act of running the country into insolvency.

“The growing cluelessness of the APC in its incompetent management of the country’s economy is easily observed from the silly and unending oil subsidy deductions choreographed calculated scam.”

The Ogun politician held that the Federal Government can build two oil refineries with N11 trillion instead of wasting money on fuel subsidy.

He lamented that the APC government is proposing N6.7 trillion to fund fuel subsidy, while it is planning to borrow N11 trillion to support the 2023 Budget expenses.

“Fellow Citizens, the painful truth is that N11 trillion can build from scratch, two good refineries for the country.

“Unless we, the being wickedly mortgaged Nigerians as a collective pull resources and work together to influence a change quickly in the political leadership of the country, it won’t be long when Nigeria will be turned into an extinct nation by the APC.

“LP has chosen to advise APC to immediately withdraw all its candidates from the 2023 elections and safe itself the embarrassment of repeated public lies and falsehood that has become its main character in government.

“No responsible Nigerian will try to insult his/her integrity by either secretly or publicly trying to canvas votes for the APC with its record of ethnic bigotry, official rascality and unheard-of incompetence and shameful cluelessness.

“It is now clear that APC has gone beyond a point where it can start to repent. It is so insulting and unintelligent.

“Nigeria now must be sure that the APC led Federal Government is bent on completely running Nigeria into irreversible poverty and misery.

“No one should be hesitant in becoming part of the political struggle to send APC out of Government if it fails to resign honourably right now.

“In view of this deliberate infractions, divisiveness, wickedness and lawlessness, Labour Party hereby calls for the immediate withdrawal of all APC candidates from the 2023 general elections so that Nigeria will not go into final extinction,” he submitted.

News

SDP begs President Tinubu to halt attacks, carnage in Kogi

Published

3 hours ago

September 28, 2023

Advocate News Nigeria

• Kogi SDP Governorship candidate, Alhaji Muritala Ajaka

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) on Wednesday begged President Bola Tinubu to stop the incessant attacks and carnages occasioned by the governorship electioneering in Kogi State.

The Director General, New Media, SDP Campaign Council, Mr Isaiah Ijele, made muricthe plea during a news conference in Lokoja on Wednesday.

Ijele said that innocent citizens are being maimed and killed across the state by sponsored political thugs.

He alleged that members and supporters of the SDP Governorship Candidate, Alhaji Muritala Ajaka, were constantly under attack, allegedly sponsored by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

But the APC Campaign Council’s Spokesman, Mr Kingsley Fanwo, had denied sponsoring any attack against SDP supporters in the state.

Ijele, in his recounts, said: “There were gun shots through the night of Tuesday in Anyigba and Ankpa towns where houses and property of innocent SDP supporters were vandalised and destroyed.”

“Our campaign Coordinator in Anyigba and his family were victims as they were chased away from their house and property destroyed, including his motorcycle in Tuesday night attack.

“As it’s now two persons are missing as a result of the attacks being unleashed on Ajaka’s supporters across the Kogi East.

“We are under siege, given the intimidation, harassment and attacks on us simply because of the humongous support our governorship candidate is enjoying in the state.

“As law abiding citizens, we are appealing to the President and the Inspector General of Police to come to our aid by calling Gov. Yahaya Bello to order.”

The spokesman added: “Election is not a war nor do or die affairs, but a game of numbers based on candidates’ pedigree and acceptability before the electorate.”

According to him, nobody has the monopoly of violence but that courtesy demands that people of Kogi should be allowed to peacefully choose the person they want to govern them on Nov. 11.

The director general said that Bello’s administration has failed the citizens, who he claimed has decided to vote in Muritala Ajaka to rescue the state from poverty and hunger.

“We want the quick intervention of the President to save the lives of innocent citizens before they are brutalised and destroyed by sponsored political thugs,” he pleaded.

Responding to the allegations, Fanwo, the APC spokesperson, debunked the SDP’s claims, saying: “We are a Government and our priority is to protect all the people of Kogi State, irrespective of political leanings.”

Fanwo said that all allegations without proof are as good as no allegations.

“As a Government, our concern and responsibility is to create an enabling environment for all to pursue their normal businesses.

“The SDP is a nest of funny birds that cry by the pain of their losses rather than the action of anyone.

“We won’t glorify them and we won’t be dragged into their frivolities, gasping lies and lack of direction,” he said.

On its part, the Kogi Police Command’s Public Relation Officer, SP Williams Ovye-Aya, said that he was yet to be briefed on the alleged Tuesday night attacks by the Respective Divisional Police Officers in Anyigba and Ankpa towns.

He however promised to furnish the public on the development. (NAN)

News

Nnamani loses as tribunal affirms election of LP Senator, Kelvin Chukwu

Published

16 hours ago

September 27, 2023

Advocate News Nigeria

•Former Governor of Enugu state, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had declared Chukwu, who replaced his late brother murdered during the campaign ahead of the February 25, 2023, as the winner of the Enugu East Senatorial district election. He scored over 69,000 votes to defeat Chimaroke Nnamani who secured about 49,000 votes.

Not satisfied, Nnamani alleged that the election was marred by over-voting, irregularities, election malpractices and non-compliance with the electoral guidelines and petitioned the tribunal and urged the tribunal to declare him the rightful winner of the election or cancel the election.

Giving its ruling today (Wednesday), the tribunal which consists of 3-man panel led by Justice Nusirat I. Umar unani upheld Chukwu’s victory and awarded a cost of N500,000 against the petitioners in favour of the three respondents, Kelvin Chukwu, Labour Party and INEC.

The three man honourable Justices unanimously dismissed the petition for being vague, lacking in merit, incompetent, generic and academic exercise.

News

KOGI GUBER: Former Dep. Gov Achuba endorses Muri, urges Kogites to reject Gov. Bello’s violence, 3rd term agenda

Published

4 days ago

September 24, 2023

Advocate News Nigeria

Former Kogi Dep Gov, Hon Simon Achuba

…Says Bello brought his cousin, Ododo of APC, to elongate his grip on Kogi resources

Ahead of the November 11 governorship poll, a former Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Simon Achuba, has declared his support for the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Yakubu Murtala Ajaka.

Achuba, who served under Governor Yahaya Bello, on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), told journalists in Abuja at the weekend that he decided to back Ajaka because of his pedigree and capacity to retrieve the state from maladministration.

He charged voters not to be intimidated by the spate of kidnapping and killings that has permeated the state since the commencement of the electioneering.

Also, he tasked the people of Kogi East in particular to desist from causing mayhem against the people because of political gains.

Alhaji Murtala Yakubu Ajaka, Kogi SDP Governorship Candidate

According to him, Governor Bello brought his cousin, Ahmed Ododo, of the APC, to elongate his grip on the resources of Kogi State without any commensurate development.

“If this is allowed to go through, his wife may become our Governor in 2027. God forbid!!!. We call on all well meaning Kogites irrespective of political ethnic and religious divide to rise up and resist the evil seed being plotted in Kogi State.

“It has been 7 years and 8 months of reckless plundering of our state resources without any tangible legacy to show for his two tenures.

“Rather, all legacy projects by his predecessors has been sold off without reinvestment. I know as a matter of fact that about fourteen billion was paid to Kogi State by the Federal Government for a road constructed by his predecessor.

“Can the successor of Bello expect such legacy fund? It is like daydreaming to think so. He had the opportunity to write his name in gold but turned it down. He will be remembered for bad governance and violence perpetrated in Kogi State.

“Kogites have mastered your tactics and are at the game wisely. The result of the election come November 11 will prove to you that you have so much to learn.

“As you continue to receive decampees, we wish you state the disappointment that follows. Take note that your antics of violence and manipulation not withstanding, this time around will fail.”

He called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies to be diligent in the discharge of their functions.

“We wish to call on INEC to be free and ensure that the election is free and fair. Thank God we have BVAS, Glory to God.

“Anywhere there are votes beyond what the BVAS has accredited the agents are expected to protest.

“On the issue of security, we wish to call on the inspector general of police and the chief of army staff to keep a close eye on Kogi.

“When I was a still the deputy governor in 2019, the State House of Assembly raised the alarm over importation of military software. What concerns a civilian government with military software? Sincere then, there has been killings and kidnappings. We cannot continue like that.

“We urge Kogites to face the evil and terminate it. November 11 is by the corner. We urge the people to reject bad administration through the ballots.

“We call on INEC to check what is happening. I want to ask the youths in Kogi East why have they accepted to be agent of the devil? They should stop destroying the property of their brothers and sisters. The intention of this is to make sure that the votes in Kogi East are suppressed.

“If you endorse it, your children will suffer it . You may enjoy it for now but later you will suffer it. Instead of using the money to develop the state, he has pocketed it. This time the voices of the people will be loud and clear,” he added.