Tinubu, Atiku, Others Struggle For Political Endorsements

Tinubu told the paramount ruler and his chiefs that he decided to first visit President Muhammadu Buhari and intimate him of his presidential ambition as a necessary decision and in order not to step on toes.

He disclosed that the president afterwards advised him to also let the world – Nigerians know about his 2023 presidential aspiration.

The former Lagos State governor said he was at the palace to seek the support and blessings of the monarch towards his 2023 presidential ambition.

The chieftain of the All Progressives Congress also visited the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, at his palace in Ile Ife, Osun State to seek his blessings for his presidential ambition.

The presidential aspirant had also met with the party’s Senate Caucus at the National Assembly on Wednesday, saying he was present to seek the support, counsel and partnership of the lawmakers for his presidential ambition which he described as a “lifetime ambition.”

Present at the meeting was the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, principal officers of the Senate and APC senators.

At the gathering, Tinubu appealed to the senators to help him win the primaries at the convention so he can succeed President Buhari.

Meanwhile, the special adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on political matters, Babafemi Ojudu, has vowed to return to farm than support Bola Tinubu’s presidential ambition.

Ojudu said this in an interview with a media entrepreneur, Chude Jideonwo, yesterday.

He said Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo remained his preferred candidate.

Asked if he would change his mind if Buhari supports Tinubu, Ojudu said, “Never. Take that from me, write it down today, I will go back to the farm. If I don’t believe in you I will not work for/with you.

“We are still waiting for Osinbajo to come and tell us if he is running. I personally will want him to do so, but he has not come out, so we will wait, and there is still time.

“If I support Osinbajo, he deserves to be supported… I see the way he works, day and night, committed, not asking for things for himself, committed to the people, committed to Nigeria and well educated.

Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State and Senator Orji Uzor Kalu had also visited the president. Osinbajo’s men had visited for head of state General Ibrahim Babangida who gave a glowing remark to the vice president.

Besides visiting Minna, former Senate President Saraki had also visited Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom. On this visit he gave life to the speculation of his ambition to contest. And while his men have been going round the country, he recently met with ex-officio members of the PDP.

The Abubakar Bukola Saraki, ABS, Advocacy Council team led by its chairman, Prof Hagher Iorwuese and director-general, Chief Osaro Onaiwu has also visited former vice president, Namadi Sambo, and former governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Makarfi.

The team also visited the leader of Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Clark on January 29 in Abuja. The team intends to commence a visit of the North East and South West simultaneously on Monday, March 21,2022.

Last Tuesday, he had consultation with all the 36 states chairmen of the party.

Former vice president, Atiku, who has secured his PDP presidential forms, had visited both Rivers and Benue State governors. He has also met with National Assembly members of PDP, and the director general of his campaign, High Chief Raymond Dopkesi has traversed every region and state campaigning for him.

Sokoto State Governor Tambuwal, shortly after declaring his ambition visited, Jigawa and met with former Governor Sule Lamido. Last week he met with PDP state chairmen.

Senator Anyim has also met with members of the National Assembly of PDP extraction.

The presidential hopeful are sowing their political seeds across the nation, however, they call it consultations rather than campaign since the ban on campaigns has not yet been lifted.

LEADERSHIP Sunday recalls that the chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, at an emergency meeting held at the commission’s headquarters had set the “commencement of campaign by political parties for presidential and National Assembly election for Wednesday 28, September 2022, while campaign by political parties for governorship and State Assembly elections is Wednesday 12th October 2022.

The INEC helmsman also threatened to take on any of the participating political parties which fails to adhere to the released schedule of activities and timetable.

They Are Free To Consult – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said aspirants jostling for the tickets of their political parties are free to consult, adding that they are not campaigning for their party for any major election in the country.

Speaking exclusively with LEADERSHIP Sunday in Abuja yesterday, the chief press secretary to INEC chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, said none of the 18 political parties in the country had nominated its candidates.

He stressed that all candidates at the party level are aspirants.

According to him, “They are free to consult. Campaigning is when you are seeking for vote for an election, and INEC is not conducting any election for now, so they are all aspirants seeking support within their party.”

Tambuwal In Kaduna, Meets Namadi, Makarfi, Others

Sokoto State Governor and PDP presidential aspirant, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal yesterday arrived in Kaduna State for consultations with relevant stakeholders on his presidential ambition.

Tambuwal was accompanied by a former governor of Sokoto State, Attairu Bafarawa; former minister and deputy governor of Sokoto State, Mukhtar Shagari; former deputy governor of Zamfara State, Mahdi Aliyu Gusau; and former national chairman and board chairman of the party, Alhaji Haliru Bello among several other personalities.

He commenced his consultation with visits to the former vice president Namadi Sambo; former caretaker chairman of the PDP and former governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Makarfi and former governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero before arriving at the party secretariat where he interacted with party leaders and members.

Tambuwal said he was aspiring for the presidency in 2023 to rescue Nigeria from imminent collapse.

“The APC cannot even manage their own party affairs, how much more of providing quality governance for Nigeria. PDP must plan well in winning elections and avoid all forms of squabbles amongst us.

“The APC is confused and confusing the economy of Nigeria with no defined leadership; hence we must take advantage of their confusion to wrest power from them and give Nigeria quality leadership,” adding that APC had failed Nigerians.

Tambuwal said the country needed someone who understands Nigeria well, like himself, saying he had worked in the three arms of government, the judiciary, legislature and executive.

Bauchi Youths Rally For Yahaya Bello

Youths mobilised from the 20 local government area of Bauchi State have rallied in support of Governor Yahaya Bello to emerge as the next Nigerian president, saying he is the best candidate to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari.

According to them, a Governor Bello presidency is non-negotiable in 2023 because he has been tested and can be trusted in all the areas Nigeria as a country is found wanting today.

The supporters, who yesterday converged at the Multi-purpose Indoor Sports Hall in Bauchi, marched through Kobi Street, Emir’s Drive, Central Market to Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Tomb.

Addressing the supporters, the chief of staff to the Kogi State governor, Phar. Abdulkareem Asuku Jamiu, thanked them for coming to demonstrate their support for Bello, saying Bello was a youthful politician who has excelled where many older politicians have failed in the country.