Daily political manners

Senate President Bukola Saraki says the people of Kwara will resist plans to “annex’’ the state to the South West Zone using the All Progressives Congress and its candidates in the forthcoming general elections. Saraki spoke on Tuesday at Bode Saadu, headquarters of Moro Local Government Area, at the official flag off of the campaign of the Peoples Democratic Party. “This election is not about me or our governorship candidate, Razak Atunwa. It’s about this state, our tradition. Time will tell about whatever we do today. “We went back to PDP because we need a government that will care for our people, give jobs to our people,’’ he said. He appealed to the people of the state, particularly the electorate, to ignore any differences they may have with all the candidates of the party and vote massively for PDP during the general elections. Speaking in the same vein, the Director-General of the PDP Campaign Council in Kwara, Prof. Abubakar Suleiman, urged the party faithful to vote for P

Campaign Rally held today by Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode and APC stalwarts. Agbaje is on, ambode is off

Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has formally presented the national register of voters to the nation’s 91 political parties, with a registered voting population of a little over 84 million. Presenting the register at yesterday’s quarterly consultative meeting with political parties in Abuja, chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, also assured Nigerians that there was no plan to create new polling units or voting points, aside from those used for the 2015 general elections. He said: “As you would have noticed, the commission has been diligently implementing the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2019 general elections. We have so far implemented eight out of 14 activities. “At this meeting, we shall implement the 9th activity by publishing the final register of voters for the 2019 general elections as required by law. In fulfilment of this legal requirement, the commission has made available to each political party a copy of the entire national reg

Atiku Abubakar, the 2019 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said he made a mistake by voting for the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the 2015 general election. Mr Abubakar stated this on Monday at the presidential rally of the PDP in Kogi State. The former vice president popularly known as Atiku said he did not made the mistake alone as Bukola Saraki, Senate President also committed same blunder. Messrs Atiku and Saraki were former members of the ruling party. They had defected to the APC prior to the 2015 general election. While in APC, Atiku contested for the 2015 presidential ticket but lost to Muhammadu Buhari, who is now seeking a second term in office. The former vice president is the major challenger of the president in the February 16 presidential election. “I have always advocated for the restructuring of this country,” Atiku said. “If there is one state that is going to be a beacon of progress, a beacon of hope after restructuring, it’s K

President Muhammad u Buhari has called on Nigerians not to re-elect governors who failed in their first terms, especially those who failed to pay civil servants salaries even after collecting bailouts from the federal government. Mr Buhari, who is also seeking reelection on the platform of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC), said Nigerians’ votes should go for competence. Mr Buhari, who spoke with the Hausa service of the Voice of America, which was aired Tuesday morning, said he saw no justification in governors collecting bailout funds from the federal government and still failing to pay wages. The president was quoted as saying, “I wonder how these governors are able to sleep knowing that they have refused to pay workers their wages. “These workers have families to cater for, they pay rent, pay school fees, Hospital bills and food for their families.” Mr Buhari said the Nigerian Constitution gives governors the independence to spend their funds without interference a

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Princewill Dike, has defended the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, over viral audio tapes of him criticising President Muhammadu Buhari. Reno Omokri, an ex-presidential aide on new media, on Sunday, released a full audio recording of Amaechi referring to President Muhammadu Buhari as an ignoramus who neither takes advice nor reads to acquire information. The viral audio has since stirred controversies from opposition parties as they called on Amaechi to step down as Director-General of Buhari’s campaign. Commenting on the audio, Dike, in a statement made available to newsmen on Monday in Port harcourt, described the audio tapes making the rounds as doctored. He said that since the ouster of the Jonathan administration in 2015, beneficiaries of that administration have not forgiven Amaechi, who is seen as the arrowhead of their defeat. Dike added that Amaechi is loyal, has integrity and theref

The INEC has been in the eye of the storm over the announcement by its Chairman that Commissioner Amina Zakari will Head an in-house committee to oversee the management/ administration of the elections day facility/Collation Centre at the International Conference Centre. The main opposition party, the PDP in rejecting this appointment cited the fact of Amina Zakari’s relationship by marriage to the president. Although the INEC Chairman has given extensive clarifications that the Committee’s work amounts more or less to a Floor Manager’s role during an event, the PDP is having none of that , instead hinting that the INEC Chairman was acting out some hidden script that was authored by the ruling party to undermine the outcome of the 2019 General Elections. Perhaps, this intervention would not have been necessary if the highly respected Timi Frank, a man not known to engage in frivolities, had not alluded to some secret meeting in the Villa attended by the INEC Chairman in the company of

Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has formally presented the national register of voters to the nation’s 91 political parties, with a registered voting population of a little over 84 million. Presenting the register at yesterday’s quarterly consultative meeting with political parties in Abuja, chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, also assured Nigerians that there was no plan to create new polling units or voting points, aside from those used for the 2015 general elections. He said: “As you would have noticed, the commission has been diligently implementing the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2019 general elections. We have so far implemented eight out of 14 activities. “At this meeting, we shall implement the 9th activity by publishing the final register of voters for the 2019 general elections as required by law. In fulfilment of this legal requirement, the commission has made available to each political party a copy of the entire national reg

President Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated his commitment to ensuring that the general elections are free and fair. The president affirmed his commitment in a statement made on Monday, January 7, at the inauguration of 2019 APC Presidential Campaign Council which held ate the International Conference Centre, Abuja. In his speech the president said he has given strict directives to INEC and security agencies to ensure that citizens vote for candidates of their choice without intimidation in any form. He also said that the legacy he wants to leave is the “Enthronement of democracy as a system of government”. Adding that, “For democracy to be enthroned, elections must be free and fair”. Below is the presidents full speech at the inauguration. “Protocols: I would like to welcome you all, the leaders of our party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, to the formal inauguration of the APC Presidential Campaign Council for the purpose of managing our campaigns for the 2019 general electi

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru & J Joseph Erunke ABUJA – Barring any last minutes change, academic activities may resume in public universities next week, as Federal Government has approved over N35.4 billion for the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). n a resolution reached Monday night between the Federal Government and the leadership of ASUU at the Conference Hall, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Abuja, the government announced that Federal Ministry of Finance and Accountant General of the Federation have confirmed payment of N15.389.940,335.71 billion to accommodate payment of shortfall in all institutions that are Presidential Initiative of Continuous Audit, PICA varied. he Minister of Labour and Employment who disclosed this at the end of the meeting said the money was remitted on the 31st December, 2018. Ngige also said that President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the payment of N20 billion for payment of outstanding arrears of the 2009 and 2012 Earned Acade

•Submits 10-point demand to President •Terrorists attack Auno village in the state •Buhari promises to equip military to battle B-Haram ABUJA—PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday met with the Borno State Governor, Ibrahim Shettima and elders from the state at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja, as the governor broke down in tears recounting the resurgence of Boko Haram activities in the state. Wiping tears with his hands and with his voice cracking, the governor expressed confidence in the ability of the President to restore normalcy to the state and called for speedy action to end the crisis. President Muhammadu Buhari (M) flanked by Chief of Staff Mallam Abba Kyari, NSA MAJ GEN Babagana Monguno, Chief of Defence Staff General Abayomi Olonisakin. On the right of the President is Borno State Governor, Alh Kashim Ibrahim Shettima, Borno State, APC Governor Candidate, Alhaji Babagana Umara-Zulum, Borno Elders among whom are Shehu of Dikwa, HRH Muhammad Masta 11 Ibn Alami E