Latest Political News In Nigeria For Today, Saturday, 16th July, 2022
Welcome to the round-up of the latest political news in Nigeria, political gist, highlights of political events, and happenings in Nigeria for today Saturday, 16th July 2022.
Read all the major political news, political event highlights, and happenings in Nigeria for today on a single page right here.
#OsunDecides2022: Yusuf Lasun Of Labour Party Speaks On Stepping Down For Adeleke
The governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Saturday’s Osun State governorship election, Yusuf Lasun has denied stepping down from the race.
There had been earlier reports from some quarters that Lasun had withdrawn from the contest and is now supporting the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ademola Adeleke.
But speaking with newsmen after casting his vote at PU04, Ward 5, Woru compound, Irepodun local government area, Lasun denied stepping down for Adeleke.
He also lamented the challenges posed by vote buying to the electoral system in Nigeria, saying it’s a major problem.
#OsunDecides: Adeleke Speaks On Why He Jumped Queue To Vote
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Ademola Adeleke, has explained why he jumped the queue at his polling unit to cast his vote in the ongoing Osun State election.
Naija News earlier reported that Adeleke cast his vote at Unit 009, Ward 02, Abogunde/Sagba, Ede North.
Speaking with journalists on why he jumped the queue to vote ahead of those he met at the polling unit, the PDP candidate said it was the decision of the voters.
According to Adeleke, the people at the polling unit had invited him to come forward and cast his ballot.
2023: Voting Peter Obi Is Not About Igbo, Christianity – Aisha Yesufu
Human rights activist, Aisha Yesufu has reaffirmed her commitment to supporting the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
In a video shared on Twitter, Aisha said voting for Obi to emerge president is not about ethnicity, Christianity but competence, character, capacity and courage.
The co-convener of BringBackOurGirls urged the electorates to come together and choose the person that will do the job.
She said: “I just want you to know that if you’re thinking of Peter Obi. We are talking about competence. This is not about Igbo, or about Christianity.
Nigeria Is Too Big For Him To Handle, Peter Obi Can Only Be President Of Igboland – Shettima
The vice presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Kashim Shettima says the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi is not fit to be the next President of Nigeria.
According to Shettima, Obi has no experience needed to govern a vast and dynamic nation like Nigeria nor does he have the structures to win elections.
Speaking further on Friday during an appearance on Channels TV Politics Today, the former Borno State Governor stated that what Nigeria needs in 2023 is a technocrat like the APC candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu with the capacity and connections to continue what President Muhammadu Buhari started.
He added that Obi is only qualified to be the president of Igboland and not the President of Nigeria.
#OsunDecides2022: Davido Shares Video Where People Are Allegedly Forced To Vote APC
Nigerian musician, David Adeleke, best known as Davido, has shared a video on his verified Twitter handle where electorates are allegedly forced to vote for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Davido had earlier raised an alarm, alleging that supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are being denied the chance to vote at a polling unit.
The singer quoted a tweet as saying that the electorates were also being beaten.
Naija News understands that Davido’s uncle, Ademola Adeleke, is one of the candidates in the Osun State governorship election seeking to unseat the incumbent Governor Gboyega Oyetola.
2023: Methodist Prelate, Kanu-Uche Reveals Presidential Candidate He Will Support
The Prelate of the Methodist Church Nigeria, Samuel Kanu-Uche on Friday disclosed the presidential candidate he will vote for the in 2023 general elections.
Kanu-Uche speaking ahead of the presidential election vowed to support a presidential candidate who doesn’t engage in vote-buying.
The cleric stated this during the graduation ceremony of 160 members of the church in the Enugu diocese.
The graduates were trained by the church on various vocational skills.
Osun Decides: Controversy Over Alleged Arrest Of Oyetola Commissioner’s Aide
The Personal Assistant of the Commissioner for Regional Integration and Special Duties in Osun State, Olalekan Badmus has been reportedly arrested.
According to Punch, the PA to the commission was allegedly detained at the Oke Baale Police Station.
A post had claimed that the commissioner’s PA was arrested with thumb-printed ballot papers.
The post reads, “The Personal Assistant to Hon. Lekan Badmus (Commissioner for Special Duties) of Osun State has just been arrested with thumb-printed ballots and a bag full of money for vote buying.
He is been called has been handed over to the police and currently cooling off in the cell of Oke Baale Police Station. We admonished the people to be extremely vigilant.”
The commissioner, however, denied the allegation.
Badmus in his reaction released a statement titled, ‘News of my assistant caught with thumb printed ballot papers, fake untrue’.
2023: Ndigbo Need Leaders Like Tinubu – Ohanaeze Commends APC Flag Bearer, Keeps Mum On Peter Obi
Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide has commended the All Progressives Congress, APC, and presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu for dominating the political atmosphere of the southwest by working hard.
Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, said that politicians like the APC chieftain in the region are rare while advising other Igbo politicians to take a leaf from Tinubu’s book.
In a statement he signed, Isiguzoro insisted that the APC national Chairman introduced other tribes to mainstream politics, unlike Igbo elites who have failed to make a similar impact on their region.
#OsunDecides2022: PDP Candidate, Adeleke Speaks After Casting His Vote
The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke has cast his vote.
Adeleke cast his vote at his polling unit in Abogunde/Sagba Ward 2, Unit 9 Ede North, Naija News reports.
It is understood that the BVAS device failed to recognise the fingerprint of the PDP governorship candidate but electoral officials had to use the facial recognition method.
Speaking to newsmen after casting his vote, the PDP candidate said so far so good, everything is going on fine and expressed optimism that it will continue that way.
Peter Obi: ‘We Are Fighting For Better Nigeria Where The Child Of Nobody Can Be Somebody’ – Aisha Yesufu
Nigerian activist, Aisha Yusufu has revealed why many youths are keen on supporting the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
The activist during an interview on Arise TV was asked if the momentum that she and other youths have created ahead of the 2023 election can be sustained.
Responding, Aisha said the youths have not started because people are yet to see a large phase which is ahead.
Giving reasons why the ‘Obi movement’ can be sustained, Aisha said Nigerians are tired of the suffering they are going through and the insecurity happening to them.
Muslim-Muslim Ticket: ‘Tinubu Should Dialogue With Aggrieved APC Members’
The Niger State Chairman of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Solidarity Vanguard (BATV), Mohammed Katcha, has advised the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Candidate, Bola Tinubu, to dialogue with aggrieved members of the party and Nigerians.
Katcha while speaking with reporters on Thursday in Minna said that such dialogue would assure Nigerians that there is no ulterior motive behind his decision to pick Senator Kashim Shettima as his running mate.
He said that dialogue would douse the tension already created in the minds of the people in a part of the party and some Nigerians.
He described Shettima as a tested and trusted politician who as governor even under insurgency was able to improve the lives of the ordinary people in Borno State.”
Explainer! ‘How Tinubu’s APC, Atiku’s PDP Violated Electoral Act, May Give Peter Obi Presidency’
Controversial writer and Professor of Journalism Farooq Kperogi has said that facts uncovered from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) allegedly show that Labour Party’s Peter Obi may become Nigeria’s president next year by default.
In an essay released on Saturday, Kperogi stated that Peter Obi might be ‘gifted’ the presidency because Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar, candidates for the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) respectively, have violated the Electoral Act 2022, which may cause them to be disqualified if Obi or his Labour Party decides to them.
According to the academic scholar, the Electoral Act requires political parties to notify INEC of their intent to conduct primary elections at least 21 days before the date of their convention and also requires parties to submit their membership registers to it at least 30 days before their primary election. He stated that the APC didn’t meet the first requirement, and the PDP failed the second requirement. The Labour Party met both.
Documents an INEC insider shared with him allegedly showed that the APC didn’t notify INEC of its intent to conduct its primary election 21 days before its convention.
#OsunDecides2022: ‘Avoid Violence’ – Oyetola Tells APC Supporters
The incumbent Governor of Osun State, Adegboyega Oyetola has admonished electorates to stay clear of violence in the ongoing gubernatorial election in the state.
Naija News understands that Oyetola is seeking a second-term under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Oyetola, who is yet to cast his vote, took to his Twitter page this morning to encourage voters to maintain orderliness as they exercise their civic rights.
While praying for a peaceful, free, fair and credible election, the governor appealed to APC members to portray the party and themselves in the best possible form.
Muslim-Muslim Ticket: Even The Muslims Are Not Happy, Northern Christians Will Teach APC A Lesson – El-Buba
A popular clergyman in the north, Prophet Isa El-Buba who is the General Overseer of the Evangelical Outreach Ministries International in Jos, Plateau State has condemned the decision of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to field a Muslim-Muslim ticket for the 2023 presidential election.
According to El-Buba, the decision of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and the APC to pick Senator Kashim Shettima as the vice presidential candidate is highly insensitive and does not portray equity and fairness.
He argued that with the Muslim-Muslim ticket, the APC has messed up its chances at the polls and won’t get the votes from a section of Nigerians.
In his view, in a nation of over 200 million people, it is an insult and a political miscalculation on the part of the APC to field a Muslim-Muslim ticket.
The clergyman added that with the development, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the APC to convince Nigerians that it is not pursuing an Islamization agenda.
The Muslims themselves are not entirely happy with a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket, El-Buba noted.
2023: Buhari Discloses What Will Be His Occupation After Presidency
President Muhammadu Buhari has disclosed what he plans to focus on when his tenure comes to an end.
He revealed that he has decided to return to his farmstead in Daura left for him by his forefathers to focus on farming.
The President said this on Friday in Daura while speaking to the elected Local Government Council chairmen from Katsina State.
He stated that his administration had taken the step of closing the land borders for years to encourage the consumption of local products from the nation’s farmers.
2023: Ohanaeze Speaks On Endorsing Peter Obi, Tinubu, Atiku, Others
The apex Igbo socio-political group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has opened up on the reason they have not endorsed any presidential candidate ahead of the 2023 elections.
The spokesperson of Ohanaeze, Chief Alex Ogbonnia said the reason the group was yet to endorse any presidential candidate was because they had to consult with other Igbo interest groups as the decision would affect the Igbos as a democratic ethnic group.
He said: “Ohanaeze’s modus operandi is different from that of Afenifere. You know the Igbo are a very democratic set of people, so, we usually call a meeting of a wider Igbo assemblage and we look at the issue so that when we make a decision and an endorsement, it will be seen to be carrying everyone along.
“That is why we have not endorsed any (candidate) even when we know where we are going. We must call a meeting of all Igbo interest groups and we look at everything so that if we say something, it will carry the weight of the whole Igbo assemblage.”
That will be all for today. You can read more political and other Nigerian news on Naija News
This article was originally published on Naija News
