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Restiveness in ADC! *Pressure mounts on Atiku to dump Amaechi
Supporters of Rotimi Amaechi are reportedly restive over suspected move to drop the former Governor of Rivers State as running mate to Atiku Abubakar, candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the 2027 presidential election.
The camp of the former Vice President, however tried to pour cold water on the development, which has been described as a brewing crisis, explaining that the delay in unveiling the former Minister of Transportation Amaechi did not mean a plan to drop him.
It comes on the heels anxiety among other party members over the outcome of the last ADC primaries, with Mustapha Inuwa, a chieftain of the party in Katsina State, warning that supporters were beginning to lose confidence over the pending issues regarding the handling of the governorship candidate selection process.
The Guardian reports that while both parties to the simmering trouble in ADC were maintaining studied silence, adding that Amaechi’s supporters had taken a stand that he should proceed to challenge the outcome of the the ADC presidential primaries in court, if his name was not uploaded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC’s) portal by June 27.
Though Bolaji Abdullahi, spokesman of the ADC, had on June 5, disclosed that Amaechi had been chosen as Atiku’s running mate, describing the AA pairing as a “unity and rescue” ticket, some of the former VP’s loyalists were said to be kicking against the choice.
Their grouse was that the Waziri Adamawa was being pushed by members of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), associates of former President, Muhammadu Buhari from the All Progressives Congress (APC) bloc.
The grouse of the naysayers, largely coming from the from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is reportedly centred on the allegation that Amaechi was demonstrating unyielding independence that could make it impossible for them (Atiku’s inner men) to find relevance in the emerging scheme of things.
The report quoted a former prominent member of the Buhari administration, as claiming that the Atiku camp is incensed by the hasty manner in which some ADC leaders pressured the former VP to concede to the conditionalities tabled by Amaechi, including the management of presidential campaigns.
However, some elements in the camp of the former VP, dismissed the move, claiming that the delay in unveiling Amaechi was as a result of their principal’s trip outside the country, saying that the public presentation would be made immediately on his return.
Abdulrasheed Shehu, an Atiku spokesman, though did not reveal the country his principal travelled to, wrote on X: “Atiku/Amaechi is settled. His Excellency is on a short business trip. Once he returns, Amaechi will be officially unveiled as the VP candidate in a few days. Stop posting fake news.”
On the other hand, Inuwa, former Secretary to the Katsina State Government (SSG), and governorship aspirant, during a meeting with his supporters in Katsina, accused party leaders of failing to address complaints over the conduct of the party’s primaries.
The ADC chieftain, who stressed that his camp had previously raised concerns with the party leadership but had yet to receive a response, prompting another round of consultations with supporters, told reporters: “The party that people have confidence and hope in is the party that is starting with this kind of mess. It is really unfortunate. People are disappointed. People are beginning to lose hope in ADC.”
Nothing outside the immediate resignation of his office will mitigate the havoc President Bola Tinubu, has caused Nigeria, Peter Obi, candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), in the 2027 presidential election, said on Monday.
Obi, former Governor of Anambra State and candidate of the Labour Party (LP), in the 2023 polls hours after Kier Starmer, British Prime Minister announced he would be quitting office, urged Tinubu to follow the footstep, having performed more woefully than his UK counterpart.
Writing in his official X platform, the former governor wrote, lamented that the President had failed to improve the standard of living of the citizens, arguing that leaders who failed to listen to the heartbeat and voices of their citizens, had lost the right to remain in position.
Hear him: “This morning, I listened to the British Prime Minister’s speech announcing his planned resignation in July. As a keen observer of global politics, my primary interest lies in examining what successful nations do right and the structural factors that cause others to lag or struggle with governance and development.
“The Prime Minister’s planned resignation comes amid mounting public frustration over a stagnant economy, a worsening cost-of-living crisis, and a perceived failure to honour key campaign pledges.
“Looking inward in our dear country, we can recall our own situation. Before 2015, our President on several occasions championed the call for the then President Goodluck Jonathan to resign over economic hardship and insecurity affecting Nigerians.
“During the Chibok school kidnapping incident, he demanded the immediate resignation of President Jonathan, arguing that the government had failed in its most fundamental duty of protecting lives.
“During the 2023 election campaign, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu made several promises, including improved electricity supply. He also challenged the electorate not to vote for him for a second term if he failed to deliver on those commitments—particularly in providing stable power, fighting corruption, and improving the welfare of Nigerians.
“At present, however, these conditions have worsened. Electricity supply remains unreliable, insecurity has intensified in many areas, including kidnappings, and economic hardship has deepened rather than eased. Similar concerns are reflected across other critical sectors such as security, infrastructure, transportation, and anti-corruption efforts, all of which have regressed. We are in the worst possible condition.
“I, therefore, join Nigerians of goodwill in calling for the resignation of the President over monumental failure in governance. Such a gesture would help enthrone a political culture rooted in accountability and responsibility, rather than further entrenching impunity. It would also send a powerful message that public office is a sacred trust, not an entitlement, and help build a society in which future leaders understand that failure carries consequences. Only by ending the culture of impunity can we secure a better future for the society our children will inherit in a New Nigeria that is possible.”
“Generally, it was a very bad day. At my polling booth, where I voted, there was massive rigging and the massive sale of votes, and it happened everywhere in the state,” were the exact words with which the African Democratic Congress (ADC), captured Saturday’s governorship election in Ekiti State and its outcome.
Dare Abejide, candidate of the party in the exercise, said hours after Biodun Oyebanji, the incumbent, who ran on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was declared winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Abejide, a guest on Sunday Politics, a public affairs programme on Channels Television told his host, on Sunday: “It merely shows that you don’t need to campaign anymore; all you need to do is keep your money for election day and buy votes. The government of the day has weaponised poverty, and that makes it so easy for them to buy votes. So, let’s get it clear.”
Faulting the process, Abejide added: “First, the election was a very bad one. Yesterday was a very bad day for democracy in the state. It was a day when democracy took flight from Ekiti State,” the two-time Secretary to the Government of Ekiti State said on the current affairs show.
“It was a day when the polling units, particularly my polling booth, became a political marketplace where votes were canvassed for, sold, and bought by politicians. It was a day the security agents abandoned their duties and took sides with the oppressor. It was a day when hungry people went and took money from the oppressors in exchange for their rights.
“Generally, it was a very bad day. At my polling booth, where I voted, there was massive rigging and the massive sale of votes, and it happened everywhere in the state. It merely shows that you don’t need to campaign anymore; all you need to do is keep your money for election day and buy votes. The government of the day has weaponised poverty, and that makes it so easy for them to buy votes. So, let’s get it clear.”
In the result released by INEC, Oyebanji, polled 319,224 votes to beat other contenders to beat Oluwole Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to a second place with 40,543 votes, while Abejide scored 12,872 votes after the figures emanating from the 16 local government areas of the state were tallied.
Abejide, who accused the ruling APC of inducing voters with money and intimidating the opposition, told his host: “It was like a battleground. I suspect it was something that was simply fed into the computers. The options are many for me. One of them is to consult with my party members. We are still collecting results from all the polling units. We will analyse the results and take appropriate action.”
Except Nigerians find a way to arrest the practice of outright buying of the votes of electorates, nothing else will change the parlous state of affairs in Nigeria, the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has warned.
Reacting against the backdrop of the outcome of last Saturday’s governorship election in Ekiti State, Peter Obafemi, who captured the party’s total disenchantment, lamented that a situation in which security operatives who were supposed to arrest offenders were now helping them to commit the crime, left Nigeria no hope in electing credible leaders to change the situation.
Accusing the electoral officials of complicity in the crime, Obafemi, a guest on Sunday Politics, a current affairs programme on Channels Television, told his host that he personally witnessed policemen aiding those buying the votes of the people.
Hear him: “I think it was full of intimidation. Well, I will put it like this: in my own polling unit, I went to cast my vote; coming out, I was shocked. I saw someone with bagloads of money. The culprit is a member of one of these major parties and is being protected by the police.
“I am not alleging. I saw it in my own polling unit. The police and the INEC were very compromised in the conduct of the election. INEC must look into ways that they can help Nigerians for this general election [2027] that is coming up: how they can abort this act of vote-buying.”
Also stressing on other electoral malfeasances, Obafemi, who scored 179 votes in the poll, also talked about general intimidation in the lead-up to the exercise, stating how some of his campaign banners were pulled down.
INEC early Sunday declared Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner of the exercise, which was held in 16 local government areas of the South-West state.
He scored 319,224 votes to beat his opponents Oluwole Oluyede, or the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who got 40,543 votes, while Dare Bejide of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) polled 12,872 votes to come third.
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