Latest Political News In Nigeria For Today, Tuesday, 21st June, 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 Tuesday, 21st June 2022.
Read all the major political news, political event highlights, and happenings in Nigeria for today on a single page right here.
Buhari Speaks On Emefiele’s Interest In Running For President
President Muhammadu Buhari has spoken on the botched presidential ambition of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.
Recall that three support groups had bought the presidential nomination and expression of interest forms of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Emefiele.
The CBN Governor who had earlier rejected the gesture, approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, to ask for a ruling allowing him to contest the 2023 presidency and retain his job at the CBN.
Emefirle, however, withdrew from the presidential race after President Buhari ordered all heads of agencies, departments, parastatals and ambassadors with political ambitions to turn in their resignations.
In a recent interview with Bloomberg, the Nigerian leader said he was bothered about the debate on Emefiele’s interest in running for president.
Buhari expressed a vote of confidence in the CBN Governor, adding that the apex bank’s independence was not in any doubt.
The President said the CBN’s board of directors are to determine whether Emefiele’s actions have fallen foul of the laws of the apex bank.
Again, APC Loses Three Senators To PDP, NNPP
At least three more lawmakers from the All Progressives Congress (APC) have ahead of the 2023 general elections, renounced their membership of the ruling party to join opposition parties.
The development has thereby reduced the number of APC senators in the current National Assembly from 70 to 67, Naija News understands.
The defecting lawmakers are revealed as Senator Ahmad Babba Kaita (Katsina North), Lawal Yahaya Gumau (Bauchi South), and Francis Alimikhena (Edo North).
Their defection was confirmed in separate letters read during plenary at the Red chamber on Tuesday by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan.
Babba Kaita and Alimikhena are said to have defected to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while Gumau on the other hand, defected to the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
Senate Names New Minority Leader, Minority Whip
The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday named Senator Philip Tenimu Aduda representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as the new Minority Leader.
Senate President Ahmad Lawan made the announcement while reading two separate letters signed by the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Samuel Anyanwu.
Lawan also announced Senator Chukwuka Utazi representing Enugu North Senatorial District as the Senate Minority Whip.
The seat of the Minority Leader became vacant following the defection of Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South) from the PDP to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
Shina Peller Announces New Political Party After Leaving APC
The lawmaker representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola/Iwajowa Federal Constituency, Shina Peller has announced his defection to the Accord Party.
Naija News reports that this is coming days after he dumped the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) after failing to grab the party’s senatorial ticket for Oyo North.
Peller, who is popularly for his ownership of one of Nigeria’s top night clubs, disclosed he has moved to the Accord Party while announcing his resignation from the APC on the floor of the House of Representatives during plenary on Tuesday.
Don’t Waste Your Resources, It Is Not Your Turn – Babangida Aliyu Warns Tinubu
The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu has been warned by a former Governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu not to waste his resources in the 2023 presidential election.
Aliyu in an interview with Channels TV on Tuesday said the former Governor of Lagos State should have supported a younger candidate.
According to Aliyu, Tinubu should have supported Kayode Fayemi to win APC presidential ticket.
Trouble In APC As Adamu Claims Lawan Contested Yobe North Senatorial Primary
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu, has claimed that Senate President Ahmad Lawan participated in Yobe North Senatorial Primary.
Recall that it was reported that Lawan had secretly purchased the Senatorial Nomination forms, days after buying the party’s presidential nomination and expression of interest forms.
The Senate President also participated in the Presidential primaries of the ruling party and lost the election to the former Governor of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
However, there has been controversy over the Yobe North Senatorial ticket following the emergence of Bashir Machina as the winner of the APC ticket.
Machina had insisted that he remains the candidate for the senatorial district and threatened to approach the court to stop APC from submitting Lawan’s name to INEC.
Speaking with State House correspondents on Monday, Adamu stated that the Senate President participated in the Senatorial election within the timeline.
Buhari Replaces Amaechi, Akpabio, Others, Sends Nominees List To Senate
President Muhammadu Buhari has sent an executive communication to the senate with a list of six nominations for the replacement of ministers who resigned to run for the Presidential election.
Recall that Buhari prior to the APC primary election issued a directive to all appointees contesting the Presidential election to resign.
While some ministers withdrew from the presidential race others like Rotimi Amaechi, Godswill Akpabio, Ogbonnaya Onu, and others resigned.
In the letter sent to the Senate President Ahmed Lawan on Tuesday, Buhari said the nominees would replace the former ministers that resigned from his cabinet.
2023: Why Nigerians Should Vote For Tinubu – Al-Makura
A former Governor of Nasarawa State, Umaru Al-Makura, on Tuesday stated that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu has paid his dues to ensure democratic government in Nigeria.
The lawmaker representing Nasarawa North senatorial district noted that it is the right thing for Nigerians to vote for the former Governor of Lagos in 2023.
Al-Makura stated this while speaking during a meeting with various support groups for Tinubu from Nasarawa State on Tuesday.
According to the former governor, Tinubu will perform the magic he did when he was governor of Lagos State if he wins the 2023 presidential election.
2023: Shehu Sani Speaks On Replacement Of Running Mates
Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani has reacted to the debate on presidential candidates substituting their running mates ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
Naija News had earlier reported that some presidential candidates submitted the name of a member of their political parties as a placeholder to meet the deadline by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the submission of their running mates.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential flagbearer, Bola Tinubu, submitted the name of Kabiru Masari as a placeholder pending when a substantive Vice Presidential candidate will be unveiled.
Also, the Labour Party presidential flagbearer, Peter Obi, chose former presidential aide, Doyin Okupe as a placeholder pending the unveiling of his real running mate.
While the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, submitted the name of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State as his running mate.
In a tweet via his Twitter handle on Tuesday, Sani said that the presidential candidates should manage their running mates if they cannot change them.
He wrote: “If you can’t replace your running mate, just manage with what you have; there may be blessings from unintended marriage. What God puts together.”
CNG Slams APC, PDP Over Emergence Of Masari, Okowa As Running Mates
The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has reacted to the emergence of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State as the running mate of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar.
Naija News had reported that the former Vice President had announced Okowa as his running mate for the 2023 general elections.
Atiku revealed that he chose Okowa because he has the qualities to be the President and has an appreciation of the deep rot in which the country has been put into.
In a statement on Monday by its spokesperson, Abdulazeez Suleiman, the CNG said that the choice of Okowa as Atiku’s running mate is the wrong one, stating that the governor cannot win the 2023 presidential election for the PDP.
Suleiman stated that the Delta governor does not pass for a young Nigerian, noting that there must be youths’ inclusion for democracy to flourish in the country.
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
