2023: PDP Will Handle Wike When His Candidate Is Unveiled, Says Tambuwal

 State Governor Nyesom Wike’s preferred presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, his Sokoto State counterpart, Governor Aminu Tambuwal says the party has lawful avenues of dealing with erring members.

Since his emergence as the PDP presidential candidate earlier this year, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has faced apathy from five PDP governors under the aegis of the G5 or Integrity Group, including Wike, Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ifeanyi Uguwanyi (Enugu), and Seyi Makinde (Oyo). They argue that the PDP National Chairman Iyorchia Ayu, a northerner, must resign.

Responding to allegations of meetings being held with the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, Wike said on Friday that he and his allies in the G5 had not struck a deal with any presidential candidate ahead of next year’s election.

However, Tambuwal sent a word of warning to the Rivers governor and others allegedly planning to go against the interests of the PDP.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will respond to the antics of five of its Governors currently being speculated to be in political dalliance with the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Tambuwal’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Muhammad Bello said in a statement on Friday.

For hours before his remarks there has been reports that the G-5 PDP Governors led by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state have been meeting with Tinubu in London on the possibility of their teaming up to work for his victory in the forthcoming presidential elections

According to Governor Tambuwal, who is also the Director General of the Atiku/Okowa presidential campaign organization, the PDP is a law abiding party; and it would explore lawful avenues to bring any of its erring members to book.”

Tambuwal was quoted as saying he engages in political engineering and political negotiations with the G5 members, whom he described as “good colleagues.”

It is not a war of attrition. I always submit that in this our business, whatever it is that you are doing , even if you try to hide it, it will come out. You cannot plan and execute a political project in your own bedroom. You must come out with it.

So, when my colleagues resolve on what to do, I think it is then that the party will now respond on whatever position they have taken,” he said

BBNaija Star, Ifuennada Poses Topless

 Big Brother Naija star, Ifuennada, took to her Instagram page on Friday December 30, to share sultry photos of herself, IGBERETV reports.

The reality TV star posed topless with just panties, while using her hands to cover her breasts.

Over 1.7million PVCs Uncollected In Lagos - INEC

About 1, 720, 416 Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs, are yet to be collected in Lagos State, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

A document from INEC’s office in Lagos revealed that the total number of PVCs so far collected stood at 7,510,491 as of December 27, 2022.A document from the Commission’s office in Lagos shows that as of December 27, 2022 the total number of PVCs collected was 7,510,491 

10 Political Blunders Made By Nigerian Presidential Candidates In 2022 - SR

 2022 was an eventful year in Nigeria's political space with activities ranging from primary elections at presidential, governorship and National Assembly levels, Continuous Voters Registration exercises, pre-campaign rallies, campaigns and a few presidential debates.

SaharaReporters recalls that each of these events came with a mixture of tension and entertainment, emanating from both political position contenders and their supporters at the low and high echelons.

Whereas political attacks and killings by members and supporters of various political parties heightened the boiling point of insecurity in the country within the year, some presidential candidates intermittently entertained Nigerians with their political gaffes.

Prominent among these candidates who made gaffes that trended and are still trending include the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, former Vice President and presidential candidate of the Peopels Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar and former governor of Anambra State and presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi.

Among many gaffes made by the top political office contenders, here are top 10 that trended across the country.

1: “Bala Blu, Blu, Bulalaba”

The APC presidential candidate and former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu on Thursday November 17, 2022, while addressing his supporters in Imo State struggled to pronounce a word believed to be “hullabaloo” and ended up saying “Bala Blu, Blu, Bulaba.”

2: "Vote for A…PDP"

The former Vice President and the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, while speaking at a political rally in Jos, Plateau State capital, wanted to ask his supporters to vote for PDP but goofed and said, vote for A… I mean PDP.

Atiku who spoke in Hausa Language said, “For God’s sake and for the value of this place, ensure that you vote for A… I mean PDP this time around."

3: “Nasarawa is big…it is a great country”

The former governor of Anambra State and the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, on Thursday October 13, 2022, referred to Nasarawa State as a big country.

4: “God bless PD…APC”

While Atiku and Obi goofed, the APC presidential candidate, Tinubu, has made most notable gaffes in his political engagements in 2022.

On November 15, 2022, during his official flag off of his campaign in Jos, Plateau State capital, Tinubu goofed as he inadvertently prayed God's blessing for the opposition PDP before he quickly corrected himself.

While trying to pray for his party, Tinubu mistakenly said, “God bless PD…APC.”

5: El Rufai turned a rotten situation into a bad one

On October 15, 2022, Tinubu goofed again at the seventh Kaduna Economic and Investment Summit (KADInvest) when he claimed that the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai turned a rotten situation into a bad one.

Tinubu said, “Some people need to understand idioms. when I said he turned a rotten situation into a bad one, it is an achievement.”

6: Calling APV instead of PVC

In another instance, Tinubu on Saturday November 26, 2022, while addressing his supporters in Lagos State, charged them to make sure that they collect their “APV”, meanwhile, he meant to say PVC which stands for Permanent Voters Card.

7: "Prevent Church rat from eating poisoned holy communion"

On October 17, 2022, Tinubu during a meeting with Area stakeholders in Kaduna State goofed while responding to a question on Nigeria’s adherence to global climate change advice.

He said climate change “is a question of how do you prevent a church rat from eating a poisoned holy communion?”

8: Tweeting on WhatsApp

Tinubu made another gaffe in April 2022 when he said that social media users could tweet on Whatsapp.

“Do you know how many of you are tweeting on WhatsApp right now?”

Meanwhile, tweeting is only done on Twitter which is a microblogging social media platform while Whatsapp is just a free instant messaging app.

9: Calling Delta State "Niger Delta State"

In another instance, Tinubu on November 25, 2022, during his campaign in Oporoza, Gbaramatu Kingdom in Delta State, said that the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege would be the next governor of “Niger Delta” while he meant “Delta State.” 

10: Calling Plateau State Governor Solomon Dalong instead of Solomon Lalong

Tinubu at the campaign rally in Jos, Plateau state capital, when referring to the party's presidential council Director-General and state governor, Solomon Lalong, called him Solomon Dalong.

Meanwhile, Solomon Dalong is a former Minister of Youth and Sports Development from Plateau state while Solomon Lalong is the incumbent state governor and APC Presidential Campaign Council Director-General.

Tinubu, having made most gaffes, has had several questions and concerns raised about his mental health and his ability to rule Nigeria if voted into power in the 2023 general elections.

Expel Me, See If You Will Survive – Wike Dares PDP

 Wike threw down the gauntlet while he was flagging off a new road in Rivers State.

He said: “In 2003 when President Olusegun Obasanjo wanted to run for a second tenure―a whole president wanted to run for a second tenure―he knelt down before his vice and said, ‘my vice, please, allow me to run.’

“You know one of the conditions he gave him? That Tony Anenih must be sacked as the Minister of Works and that Tony Anenih must not be in the presidential campaign council. Obasanjo obliged and sacked Tony Anenih as the Minister of Works and removed him from the presidential campaign council. This is a president,[and] his own vice giving him condition; a retired General knelt down and was given conditions.


“We (G5) are not even doing that; we are not saying sack this one; we are only saying that the constitution of our party must be respected based on what the national chairman said and based on what you told me in my house.”

The governor then dared the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to expel him from the party, saying “try and see how you will survive it.”

Lawan: Buhari To Sign 2023 Budget Tuesday

 The President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, on Friday said President Muhammadu Buhari will sign the 2023 appropriation bill on Tuesday, January 3 2023.

Lawan stated this after a closed-door meeting with the President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Lawan, who arrived at the State House few minutes before 3:00pm, said he discussed the President’s recent additional loan request and the 2023 appropriate bill.

He rued the signing of the appropriation bill is a bit later than that of the 2022 which was signed on December 31 2021.

2023: Anxiety In Amaechi’s Camp As Wike Seals Deal With Tinubu

 There is anxiety in the camp of Rotimi Amaechi, former Minister of Transportation, over the deal between Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.

Amaechi, who also vied for the APC presidential ticket, came second during the presidential primaries of the APC in June.

Though Amaechi was named as the special adviser on infrastructure in the Presidential Campaign Council of Tinubu, Daily Trust reports that he has not been participating in the campaign exercise.

The former governor of Rivers State, who was the campaign DG of President Buhari in 2015 and 2019, has been at loggerheads with Wike since 2013.

A source close to him in Abuja told this paper that Amaechi was not being treated fairly by Tinubu and the people around him.

“It is an understatement to say he (Amaechi) is not happy. When Oshiomhole went to Port Harcourt, he asked the people to only support Tinubu and that for the other positions, they should support Wike. A similar thing was re-echoed when the Ebonyi governor visited the state,” he said.

He, however, faulted the report that Amaechi was mulling defection to the PDP.

“It is not true that he has met Atiku. He is not leaving APC, the party he co-founded,” he said.

A chieftain of the party in the state, Steve Nwankwo, said that whatever alliance Wike has with Tinubu will not in any way diminish the influence of Amaechi in the party.

He said that Amaechi had laboured to build the party structures in the state saying that the former minister and his supporters were not afraid of whatever alliance governor Wike has with the APC presidential candidate.

The Publicity Secretary of APC in Rivers State, Mr Darlington Nwauju, said Wike’s alliance with Tinubu was in the realms of conjectures and speculations.