'I Can't Win' - Dumebi Kachikwu Surrenders, Seeks LP-PDP Alliance

 Dumebi Kachikwu, presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), says he is forced to accept the sad reality that he cannot win.

The presidential election is billed to take place across the country on Saturday, February 25.

On February 20, TheCable reported that the interim leadership of the ADC blamed Ralph Nwosu, the national chair who was recently removed by a court, for being responsible for actions of aggrieved factions destabilising the party.

Prior to this, some chieftains of the party led by Nwosu declared their support for Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), while another faction endorsed Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Similarly, Biyi Otegbeye, governorship candidate of ADC in Ogun state, declared his support for Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) standard bearer.

Speaking at a news conference on Thursday in Abuja, Kachikwu said although there is no hope of him clinching the presidential seat, he will not quit the race.

“I am forced to accept the sad reality that there is no pathway towards victory for Ahmed and me,” NAN quoted him as saying.

“I will, therefore, make a different argument today and it is the case for a Nigeria that works for everyone.”

Kachikwu, however, commended the acceptance of Obi by the youths, adding that to defeat the ruling party at the polls, LP and the PDP must form a formidable partnership.

“As true democrats, the leadership of both the PDP and Labour Party must find a way to work with the other smaller parties towards building a formidable coalition that ensures that the contest is even,’ he said.

“Any attempt to go this alone guarantees another four years for the APC. Beyond this, we must accept the reality that except Northern Nigeria miraculously comes together in the next 24 hours to throw their support for the PDP candidate, the race looks likely to favour the APC candidate.

“I subscribe to the argument that the Igbo have not had a fair share in the Nigerian nation, most of the blame for this must go to our leaders who mostly subscribe to self and family as against building their states or region.”

2020 Twitter Post Of Lady Who Said Obi & Datti Should Be President Surfaces

 

Simon Ekpa Released

 A Nigerian activist working in local politics in Lahti was released

The Central Criminal Police confirms that it suspects the man arrested in Lahti on Thursday of a crime in Finland, but does not comment further on the matter at this stage. The man was released later on Thursday.

ON THURSDAY, DURING THE DAY, THE POLICE arrested Simon Ekpa , a separatist from Lahti, from his private apartment in Lahti. Ekpa was interrogated for a few hours, after which he was released.

Helsingin Sanomat's reporter had arranged an interview at Ekpa's apartment in the center of Lahti, when he ran into the officers of the Central Criminal Police in the house.

"The interview will move into the future," said the KRP policeman.

"Krp is doing its job here."

A few hours later, HS's cameraman witnessed how plainclothes police escorted Ekpa out of the apartment building in Lahti.

CRIMINAL INSPECTOR Tommi Reen from the Central Criminal Police confirmed to HS on the phone that on Thursday, the KRP had a police operation in a private apartment in the center of Lahti in connection with the ongoing preliminary investigation.

According to Reen, the police arrested one man from the apartment. Reen confirms that the KRP suspects the arrested man of a crime in Finland.

At this stage, he does not comment on the criminal title or open the case further. So far, it is not known what the preliminary investigation by the Central Criminal Police concerns.

Reen did not confirm the identity of the arrested person to HS, but spoke only on a general level about the arrest and the operation in the apartment located in the center of Lahti.

According to HS, the police operation in Lahti lasted several hours on Thursday.

Reen said later on Thursday evening that the suspect was interrogated for a few hours after the arrest. After this, the suspect was released.

"The person being questioned today is suspected of a crime. We will return to the title on Friday", Reen commented.

HS has not reached Ekpa to comment on the arrest.

EKPA is a local politician of the coalition in Finland. He is a member of the coalition council and represents his party in the public transport board of the Lahti region.

Ekpa is an influential player in the separatist movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and pushes for the independence of Biafra, located in southeastern Nigeria. He has called on people on social media to boycott Saturday's presidential election in Nigeria.

The Nigerian government has declared the Biafra independence movement illegal.

Lahti's Etelä-Suomen Sanomat newspaper reported on Thursday that Ekpa "doesn't hide the fact that he is participating in the elimination of government officials. He even leads the operation and acquires weapons”.

In an interview with Yle, Ekpa has claimed that he leads a rebel group from Lahti that wants to establish an independent state of Biafra in the southeastern part of Nigeria.

HS earlier reported that Ekpa publicly claims to have deputized the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) separatist movement, Nnamdi Kanu , after he was arrested. He also claims to command IPOB's armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).

However, some of those claiming to be members of IPOB or ESN accuse Ekpa of lying and misusing Kanu's name.

THE NIGERIAN administration is concerned that Ekpa's actions will jeopardize the country's elections, and Nigeria has asked Finland to intervene in Ekpa's activities. Last week, the Nigerian foreign minister invited the Finnish ambassador to a meeting because of the topic.

Jussi Nummelin , the team leader for Western and Central Africa at the Finnish Foreign Ministry , told HS a week ago that Finland shares the concern for security and condemns violence and incitement to it, as well as "actions that aim to prevent people from exercising their democratic rights".

Nummelin emphasized, however, that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not an actual party in the case, but that if it is a question of suspected crime, the police in Finland have jurisdiction.

President Buhari Arrives Daura, Katsina Ahead Of Elections

 President Muhammadu Buhari arrives Daura, Katsina State ahead of the 2023 Presidential and National Assembly Elections on 23rd Feb 2023

President Buhari with Katsina Governor Aminu Bello Masari as he arrives Katsina State ahead of the 2023 Presidential and National Assembly Elections on 23rd Feb 2023

President Buhari with His Daughter Halima and his Grand Children as he arrives Daura, Katsina State ahead of the 2023 Presidential and National Assembly Elections on 23rd Feb 2023

Atiku Vs Tinubu Vs Obi How They Stand On National Development Benchmarks

 

It was Peter Drucker who said that "effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results not attributes". This Saturday offers millions of Nigerians especially young people the opportunity to look beyond emotions, tribal affiliation, or religious sentiments to elect a President with a proven capacity to lead us out of the current mess we have found ourselves.

The purpose of this write-up is to help us look at the vital areas of national development and the capacity of the leading candidates to deliver based on their experience and antecedents.

Education: In terms of educational qualifications, Atiku is the most educationally qualified among the leading candidates, with an MSc in International relations from Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK. Obi has an average Bachelor's in Philosophy from UNN, while Tinubu has a questionable degree in accounting from the United States.

In terms of their contribution to education, Atiku is far above his competitors towering above them in terms of direct and indirect contributions to the development of education in Nigeria. As Vice President, his passion for education led him to directly intervene in the plight of Anambra school children who were left at home for over two years by Mbadinuju, it was also under the OBJ - Atiku led government that the Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme was launched.

Atiku built Africa's first development university, the American University of Nigeria where rescued Chibok girls were given scholarships. He has also vowed to pay all the withheld and outstanding salaries owed ASUU members and other university workers to underscore his commitment to education.

Tinubu, on the other hand, has no history of support for education beyond a few secondary schools he built during his tenure as governor of Lagos, same goes for Obi and none of them have also gone back to school to earn an additional degree since leaving school.

Peter Obi's record on ASSU strikes and lecturer welfare is also abysmal. Under him, University students stayed at home for years while he owed some educational workers for 36 months.

Job Creation: If there is one qualification the next Nigerian leader needs is the ability to create jobs. Tinubu is the worst when it comes to this benchmark because even though he eats from virtually every taxpayer in Lagos, he has no business that creates real jobs in manufacturing or other key sectors that drive the economy.

Obi is not far behind because as a trader, Obi's major supermarket businesses are import-based most of which take jobs from Nigeria and send them overseas to countries where those goods are manufactured. In contrast, Atiku's businesses are massive creators of jobs. In some states, Atiku is the highest employer of labour after the government because his companies are into manufacturing, agro-based products, and other key drivers of job creation in the economy.

Power: No economy can develop without power. Energy generation is the single reason why most companies are not making profits even banks are now closing early because of the prohibitive cost of power generation. Peter Obi travelled all the way to Egypt to learn about power generation yet he does not know the meaning of "green energy"! This is after 8 years as governor of one of Nigeria's biggest states.

Tinubus's credentials in power generation are far better than Obi's because he single-handedly championed the Lagos state Independent Power Project (IPP) handled by the American Company, ENRON to generate 90 megawatts of electricity which led to some improvements in power supply in Lagos.

Atiku's first-class hands-on experience in the areas of power generation and transmission is one area Nigeria stands to benefit from when elected into office. The OBJ - Atiku-led administration built or started most of the power-generating entities we have in Nigeria today. The PDP-led administration of Jonathan and Sambo completed the rest.

Healthcare: Tinubu and Obi's records in the provision of healthcare are also very poor. Under Obi, Anambra State Government employed medical doctors were on strike for 13 months as a result of his refusal pay the right salary, poor conditions of service, and lack of proper working equipment, Nigeria cannot afford such tragedy. Lagos under Tinubu had healthcare centers that are known for delivering the worst healthcare services. The claim that Tinubu met one functional ambulance as Governor is also false.

Atiku even as a private citizen is actively involved in the provision of healthcare for Nigerians beyond what he did while serving as vice president between 1999-2007. Long after leaving office, Atiku Abubakar went into partnership with the Saudi German Hospital to establish a 100-bed hospital and referral center in Abuja among many other interventions in the health sector.

Security: We cant talk about the 2023 presidential elections without talking about who among the candidates has the experience to tackle our current security challenges. It is a fact that the Obasanjo-Atiku era is the most peaceful period since our country transitioned to democracy.

It was a period when the term bandits was alien to our dictionary. As the number two man in that government, Atiku has the requisite skills and experience to rejig our current security system like they did between 1999 to 2007. Obi, on the other hand, lacks experience in security matters which explains why the Ezu River tragedy where hundreds of people were murdered under his watch is still a mystery. Tinubu on the other hand lacks the energy needed for a robust engagement and monitoring that our collapsing security architecture requires.

Preparedness: Its unfortunate that Tinubu the "Emi Lokan" coroner appears totally confused and directionless after being handed his party ticket. To date, he does not have a real policy document, the entire APC manifesto of 2015 he helped prepare which they disowned and failed to implement has suddenly formed the foundation of the documents they released recently. Tinubu also fumbled when it came to naming a running mate resorting to placeholders, even when he finally found one it was a one-sided Muslim Muslim aggregation that is currently tearing the nation apart at a time religious sensitivity is at an all-time high. A man who does not know how to comport himself when the National Anthem of his country is being recited or played is not ready to lead.

Peter Obi towers above Tinubu when it comes to his level of preparedness even though he also employed the services of placeholders for running mate, his inexperience in handling responsibilities at the national level is a minus. Like Tinubu, Obi has no real policy document that tells Nigerians what he plans to do if they vote for him. Beyond mad men's tales and vomiting crammed statistics most of which are wrong, the LP presidential candidate does not appear ready to lead a complex nation like Nigeria.

Atiku and the PDP on the other hand appear to be the most prepared candidate and political party. Atiku is the only candidate that wrote and released his policy document with a clear blueprint of what he intends to do when elected into office. He named his running mate on schedule, inaugurated his multi-ethnic and multi-religious campaign council, and flagged off his campaign council right on time as directed by INEC.

Conclusion 
Those who have mismanaged our country are always happy to see us disunited when it comes to the choice of a presidential candidate because as long as we are divided we will always enthrone our oppressors. Nigeria does not need a President that will learn on the job, Nigeria does not need a rookie to experiment or complicate an already messed up system, what Nigeria needs is an Experienced Atiku Abubakar to reset our country, get it working again and return her to the path of greatness.

May God Help Us to Help Ourselves This Saturday!!!!

God Bless Nigeria!!!

Dr. Oche Joseph Otorkpa

2023: YPP Denies Collapsing Structure For Tinubu

 The Young Progressives Party (YPP) has said that news making the rounds that it has collapsed its structure in the Southwest to support the Presidential candidate of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is untrue.

In a press statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Egbeola Wale Martins, the party described the news as “a figment of the imagination of shameless political desperados”.

Martins said the party is battle ready to confront any cheap propaganda aimed at dragging its name into disrepute including but not limited to the endorsement of presidential candidates of other political parties.

No individual or group of individuals including the National Chairman of the party can endorse a Presidential candidate different from that of the party as that decision solely rests with the appropriate leadership organs of the party such as the NWC or NEC, the party’s statement said.

SDP Southwest House Of Assembly Candidates Declare Support For Tinubu/shettima

 

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) House of Assembly Candidates in the six Southwest states have endorsed and declared their support for the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in the forthcoming presidential election.

The House of Assembly Candidates from Osun, Oyo, Ogun, Ondo and Lagos declared and formally endorsed Tinubu-Shettima’s candidacy in Lagos.

Speaking on behalf of other candidates, Lagos state House of Assembly Candidate representing Ikorodu Constituency 01, Arulogun Taofeek, disclosed that the endorsement was only for the presidential candidate of the APC.

He noted that endorsement was a sequel to a thorough analysis of other contenders in the race based on their antecedents, pedigrees, manifestoes and broad acceptance across the country.

Taofeek added that Tinubu and his vice presidential candidate, Senator Kashim Shettima stand head and shoulder above the rest.

He said the democratic history will be grossly incomplete if generous pages are not dedicated to Asiwaju’s contribution to democratic struggles and his landmark achievements as the governor of Lagos State.

“His consistency as a progress Democratic is worthy of emulation by all budding politicians. We observed at a close range his energetic campaign through the nooks, corners and crannies of the country.

“His message of Renewed Hope reverberates with all and sundry and we safely confuses that we have in Asiwaju a candidate who is ready to confront headlong the various problems bedevilling our nation."