APC

By Tajuddeen Ahmad Tijjani

In a democratic setting like ours, leaders are expected to set guiding principles from which followers are expected to learn good conduct and moral behaviour. Sadly, the Bauchi state government is setting a bad precedent, which won’t augur well for the unborn generation.

I was compelled by a video going viral on the internet at the instance of the Bauchi state governor, his commissioners, and top government appointees watching as a car painted with the pictures of APC presidential candidate Bola Ahmad Tinubu, the Bauchi State APC governorship candidate, Ambassador Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar rtd. CFR and his deputy, Aliyu Musa Barden Gabas, were destroyed while they were watching with admiration.

Electoral market volatility makes them susceptible to negative campaigns since “voters have loosened their ties with their party.” Not only that, the people of Bauchi are tired of the misrule of the PDP, yet they resort to diverting attention to their abysmal failure. Education is comatose, infrastructural decay, salary has now become a privilege, pensioners are crying wolf etc.

 As patriotic citizens of Bauchi, we strongly condemn the ruling party’s abysmal attitude. However, it’s expected that they set a pace for the younger generation while noting that Bauchi, as a civilised state is much aware of the happenings in the city. What we desire is a rancorous-free campaign, and we, therefore, urge the APC not to tear the line of the ruling party; let us emphasise to our supporters to shun violence in whatever guise while, at the same time, mobilising people to turn out in mass to vote for the APC at all levels.

As a people-focused grassroots party, APC has continued to champion the cause of issue-based politics while snubbing every temptation by the PDP to lower our standards by joining them in their infamous style of uncouth politics fraught with crass incivility. To put the records straight, Sadique had never been found wanting in such negativity.

As the leading opposition in Bauchi state, we are conscious of our responsibility to be law-abiding and concentrate on the issue-based campaign. We shall do everything possible to discharge that responsibility with total commitment to the rule of law and the sanctity of our nascent democracy. Often, we call on Bauchi State not to be deterred by the lawlessness of the PDP; it’s imperative to use our PVC and send them out of Ramat House because this irresponsibility has no place in our nascent democracy.

The many ills that bedevilled our state include corruption, economic underperformance, abject poverty, and a dysfunctional educational system derived from the action of the ruling PDP. How does a government that benefited from the freedom of expression and association to rise to the highest echelons in the state become so insensitive and uncaring to free campaigns? 2023 we need a purpose-driving and visionary government with a mission to transform the state for the benefit of all and sundry. With Sadique as the 2023 governor, the above is assured. 

Tajuddeen Ahmad Tijjani writes from Galadima Mahmoud Street, Kasuwar Kaji Azare, Bauchi State.

By Ibrahim Hamisu

Following the cheerful welcome received by the presidential candidate of All Progressive Congress, APC, candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, when he visited Kano State, and the considerable role played by many members of Kannywood in his acceptance in the state, names of many members of the industry appeared in the list of the members of Tinubu/Shatima campaign committee. 

The list was a part of an announcement made by the Director General of the APC presidential campaign committee, Governor Simon Bako Lalong. He confirmed the selection of Kannywood members among the Presidential Campaign Council, PCC, with producer Abdul Amart Maikwashewa, as its leader. 

The announcement was signed by the Director of Press and Public Affairs to Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State, Dr Makut Simon Macham, on 8th November 2022. 

The PCC chairman, Governor Simon Lalong, beseeched the members of Kannywood to call all their fans, supporters, and every Nigerian to support their candidate and promote his good political agenda. 

The members include Abdul Mohd Amart (Maikwashewa) as Director, Isma’il Na’abba Afakallah as Deputy Director, Jadda Garko as Deputy Director II, and Sani Mu’azu as secretary. 

Other members include Malam Khalid Musa, an advisor to the Kano State Governor on the Kannywood industry, as an advisor of the committee; Bala Ahmad and Shu’aibu Yawale, also as advisors. 

Others include a veteran actor in the industry, Ali Nuhu, as a director of actors’ affairs; Jamila Umar Nagudu as his Deputy I and a comedy actor, Sulaiman Yahaya (Bosho), as Deputy Director II. 

A famous singer, Fati Nijar, was appointed as Deputy Director I, singer’s affairs; Ado Gwanja is her Deputy Director II; Dan Isa Mai Kaho is Deputy Director III. 

A comedy actor, Mustapha Badamasi Nabraska, an advisor to Kano State Governor on propaganda, was appointed as director of Works, while Alasan Kwalle was appointed as his deputy. 

Ahmad Salihu Alkanawy will be the operation director; Emmanuel will be his assistant. Tahir I. Tahir will be the program secretary; Adam A. Zango will be his Deputy I; Dailo Pam Lojok will be Deputy II. 

Nasir S. Gwangwazo, a writer, film producer, and editor of Manhaja Newspaper of the Blueprint Media company, will be the News and Publicity Secretary. Hafsat Sulaiman from Kaduna State will be his assistant. 

Hassan Shehu Kano will be the news coordinator on newspapers, radio, and television. Ibrahim Adamu will work as a social media news coordinator, where they will assist Gwangwazo. 

Malam Ado Ahmad Gidan Dabino (MON) will be the director of technical works; Hamza Baban Muri as his Deputy I, and Ibrahim Maishunku as his Deputy II.

Ɗan Musa Gombe will be the studio’s matters, while Sulaiman Albankudi will be the coordinator. Auwal Big Time will be the assistant coordinator. 

Mansura Isa will be the welfare officer; Nuhu Abdullahi will be her first assistant, while Abubakar Ndako Kutugi will be her second assistant. 

Director Sadiq N. Mafia will be the program manager, Audi Sitin will be the first assistant, and Audi Boda will be the second assistant. Asma’u Sani will be the women’s coordinator I, while Maijidda Minna will be coordinator II. 

Sadiq Sani Sadiq, transportation coordinator; Bello Muhammad Bello will be his assistant. Falalu A. Dorayi is the finance director, while Shatima Mansoor will be his assistant. Amina Adamu will be the chief coordinator, while  Ibrahim A.I.T will be her assistant. 

There is also the list of elders of the committee, which include: Sani Idris Moɗa, Magaji Ibrahim Mijinyawa, Muhammad B. Uwar Hankaka, Hajara Usman, Sa’idu Isa Gwaja, and Ɗan Azumi Baba which is also known as Kamaye. 

List of general members of the committee includes Maryam Yahya, Husaini Sule Koki, Nura Ɗan Dolo (Yaya Dankwambo), Aminu Ari Baba, Fati Abubakar Das, Nazifi Shariff, Abubakar Sulaiman (Ɗan Auta), Umma Shehu, Yahanasu Sani, Hauwa Abubakar (Waraka), Aminu Mirror, Waziri Dabo, Anas Sulaiman Nasir, Sani Ɗangwari, Bala Kufaina Abuja, Hamza Badamasi, Hadiza Abdullahi Kabara, Aminu Dumbulum, Maimuna Abubakar (Momi Gombe), Hauwa Garba (‘Yar Auta), Aisha Mahuta, Musa Mai Sana’a, Binta Ola, Abdulrahman Alfazazee, Nasir Adam Salih, Adamu A.D Bauchi, Mudassir Kassim, and Tijjani Abdullahi Asase.

Kannywood Elders Forum, through its public relation officer, Kabiru Maikaba, has already congratulated Abdul Amat Maikwashewa and other members of Kannywood for the well-deserved appointments.

By Uzair Adam Imam

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressive Congress, has continued to be criticised over his failure to show up at the ARISE Townhall interactive sessions attended by other presidential candidates on Sunday.

Tinubu has been challenged for being unprepared and incapable of withstanding the rigour and the complex nature of the session.

The main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said Tinubu decided to avoid the debates intentionally because he had nothing to tell Nigerians.

However, addressing some young Nigerians in London, Tinubu said the debate was not an issue, adding that he could have debated from morning till night.

He added, “I am ready to debate with you from morning till night… and I’m speaking in London, not in Jigawa. It is great that you are alive to tell the story, just giving the assurance never to give up…

“Broadband creation, the energy that you talked about.. if they’ve taken our advice.. at the beginning of democracy in 1999, we brought in investment. 

“My Deputy then is here.. and then so many other innovative things….,” he said.

By Muhammadu Sabiu

Yakubu Dogara, the former speaker of the House of Representatives, has rejoined the main opposition party a few days after endorsing the Peoples Democratic Party’s Atiku Abubakar for president. The defection is the latest political move by the lawmaker in his consistent opposition to the same-faith ticket of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).

On Monday, the former legislator was welcomed into the party at a rally in Lagos State for the presidential race.

Note that this is coming just 48 hours after Dogara and several irate northern APC officials expressed their support for the former vice president’s presidential candidacy.

This is not the first time the former speaker changed his party, as it’s less than a year since he dumped PDP for APC at the Presidential Villa Abuja.

By Muhammadu Sabiu

Atiku Abubakar, the former vice president and presidential candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), claimed that Nigeria had veered off its path toward unity and prosperity under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari.

In a statement released by his campaign group on Sunday, Atiku said that for Nigeria to be great, it must be inclusive and united.

He continued by saying that a nation needs strong leadership that is willing to carry out the mission if it is to be united.

In the former vice president’s words, the approaching general elections are a rescue operation to save the country’s spirit.

The statement partly reads, “The ruling party, APC, has taken us adrift, and we are far off the course to the purpose of unity and prosperity.

“That is why you and I must work assiduously together to ensure that we recover Nigeria.

“Saving the soul of Nigeria must begin with denying the APC your vote in 2023. They have failed us woefully and must be punished for that.

“But it’s not enough to vote out the APC. We must coalesce into the PDP – the only viable party that has the capacity to dislodge the failed ruling party”.

By Uzair Adam Imam

President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday accused the state governors of corruption and diversion of the local government allocations to own personal treasury.

President Buhari decried the menace, saying it was one of the major challenges that hindered the country’s development.

He said the state governors used to collect money on behalf of the council areas in their states and remit just half of such allocation to the council chairman.

Buhari disclosed this at the Presidential Villa in Abuja at an event hosted for members of the Senior Executive Course 44 (2022) of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru.

Buhari, who spoke about the height of corruption in the country, said the ugly behaviour of the governors also encourages corruption in the local government system, thereby inhibiting development at the grassroots.

He added, “Speaking from personal experience, a Chief Executive of a state, a qualified lawyer, trained, the treatment of local governments, what they did, this is my personal experience.

“If the monies from the federal government to state governments is N100m, let’s put it at N100m. N50m will be sent to the chairman with a letter that he’ll sign that he received 100 million.

“The governor will pocket the balance and share it with whoever he wants to, and then the chairman of the local government will see how much he must pay in salaries; to hell goes development. Monies for the salaries will be given, and the balance will put in his pocket. This is what is happening.

“This is Nigeria. It’s a terrible thing. You cannot say the person who was doing these was not educated. He was a qualified lawyer, and he was experienced, yet he participated in this type of corruption.

“So, it’s a matter of conscience, whichever level we find ourselves. As a leader, you sit here, with all the sacrifices the country is making by putting you through institutions and getting you ready to lead.

“The fundamental thing is personal integrity. May God help us.” The president said.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

Kano’s gubernatorial candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, (NNPP) Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, popularly known as Abba Gida Gida, has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the Kano chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Abbas.

Abba Gida Gida’s spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, in a press statement made available to the Daily Reality on Monday accused the APC chairman in the state of instigating and orchestrating violent politics.

Abba Gida said the state APC chairman is notorious in making hate speeches and dishes out vitriol in every public gathering. He noted that this has be addressed in order to restore sanity in the polity.

On the allegations of orchestrating violence, Abba Gida said, there are numerous audio and video clips to support the allegations.

He therefore called on the security agencies to arrest and prosecute the APC chairman.

“We therefore to draw the attention of Security Agencies, all Stakeholders including other Political Parties that are also being intimidated by Abdullahi Abbas to as a matter of urgent public importance take all necessary actions against the person of APC chairman Abdullahi Abbas and his son Sani Abdullahi Abbas,” part of the statement reads.

The NNPP further stressed that if this is not addressed, they would be left with no option than to seek alternative means of protecting themselves and their members. They also said it may warrant them boycotting the signing of the peace accord

“We also want to state in clear terms that if the utterances of Abdullahi Abbas toward political violence are not squarely addressed, we will be left with no other option than to boycott the forthcoming signing of peace accord initiated by the National Peace Committee under the able Leadership of the Former Head of State, Gen. Abdussalam Abubakar and any other inter-party agreements toward 2023 elections as doing same may not guarantee the protection of lives and properties of the good people of Kano state,” the statement adds.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The President of the Nigerian Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has lost an appeal challenging the candidacy of Bashir machina.

On Monday, November 28, 2022, the Court of Appeal sitting at Abuja affirmed the decision of the Federal High Court sitting at Damaturu in Yobe State.

The court held that Bashir machina is the authentic candidate of the All Progressives Congress for Yobe North Senatorial District and not Ahmad Lawan.

Honourable Justice Monica Dongban-Mansen, who presided over a three-member panel, gave the judgement in an appeal brought to the court by Ahmad Lawan.

Lawan had appealed the decision of the Federal High Court Damaturu. In the appeal, he requested that the appellate court should declare him the legitimate flag-bearer of the All Progressives Congress for the upcoming senatorial election.

The Court dismissed the appeal for lack of merit.

By Kabiru Danladi Lawanti, PhD

As the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) lifted the ban on the 2023 elections campaigns, attention has now shifted to analysing candidates’ policies and programmes. In Gombe State, like in many states, the governor seeks a second term. Governor Inuwa Yahaya of the All Progressive Congress (APC) is facing a tough battle with People’s Democratic Party’s Alhaji Jibrin Barde (Danbarde), a former banker turned politician. Danbarde was the first runner-up in the 2018 APC primary and was defeated by the incumbent Governor, Inuwa Yahaya. However, he defected to PDP in 2021, ascribing his action to bad governance in the state.

As the 2023 elections fast approach, the two leading candidates are gearing up to face each other again, not at primaries, but in the murky waters of campaigns and the general election in 2023. Already political permutations and predictions have started flowing from those in support or against the two candidates. With the reconciliation between the Governor and his erstwhile friend turned political enemy – Alhaji Danjuma Goje, many predicted that Inuwa Yahaya would have an easy sail in 2023. Coupled with incumbency and support from a political heavyweight in the state, the Governor seem to have no serious challenge going into the elections.

Things took a new turn some weeks ago when Goje appeared to have scrapped the earlier reconciliation efforts by the APC reconciliation committee weeks before the party’s National Convention. Instead, Goje remains as unpredictable as the weather in recent times. Some political pundits on conventional and social media believe Goje may support Danbarde in 2023. This was very clear when he insisted that all candidates seen as Inuwa’s supporters were to be dropped for his anointed candidates during the primaries. It took the intervention of some party stalwarts at the state and national levels to agree to allow these candidates to participate in the primaries.

However, for politicians, especially those who look to the future of who becomes Governor in 2027 in the state, support for who becomes the Governor in 2023 will be based on the odds for those contesting in 2027. For instance, since the return to democracy in 1999, Gombe state has had four governors, including the incumbent, Inuwa Yahaya. Three of these governors came from the Gombe North Senatorial District. These are Abubakar Habu Hashidu (Dukku LGA), Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo and Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe LGA). Only Danjuma Goje came from Gombe Central (Akko LGA). On the other hand, Gombe South has never produced a governor, though all the deputy governors were from that senatorial district.

Suppose the other Senatorial Districts decided to support the PDP’s Danbarde, and eventually, he becomes the Governor. In that case, it means Gombe Central and Gombe South have to wait for another eight years to have a chance to present a candidate for the number one office. This is also tricky because they may decide to support Inuwa Yahaya, with the understanding that APC may consider zoning the Governorship position to either Gombe Central or Gombe South. Can Gombe South buy this mouthwatering offer and support Inuwa? Others think that Gombe South has nothing to lose on whoever becomes the Governor in 2023, as far as the Governorship position is concerned, because they are assured of the position of Deputy Governor for any election year. It is a tradition maintained by all Governorship candidates in both parties since 1999. 

This may leave only the Gombe Central Senatorial district with a serious dilemma. Already the district’s political heavyweights have started their permutations. Most believe that supporting Danbarde means handing over the number one seat to Gombe North for 18 years. Dankwambo 8 years, Inuwa 8 years and Danbarde 8 years. Therefore, support for Inuwa Yahaya in the forthcoming elections is like a national duty if any of their sons is aiming for the Governorship seat in 2027. The two local governments that made up the senatorial district are crucial and strategic in the state’s political equation. With the state’s highest number and registered voters, they had the highest voter turn-out in the 2019 general elections.

Whatever decision the politicians and the electorates take in the forthcoming elections in 2023, they should remember that it can either make or mar their chances of producing the next Governor in 2027. Therefore, Alhaji Danjuma Goje, Alhaji Usman Bello Kumo, Abubakar Mu’azu, Barrister Idris Umar Abdullahi and other politicians from the district need to look beyond their disagreements and think ahead for the senatorial district. This may sound like another push for regional considerations, but some of these choices usually guide rational choices in politics. While no one can doubt the good performances of Inuwa Yahaya in the last four years, Gombe Central’s support for him goes beyond his perceived performance and anticipation for a more common public good. Therefore, the votes from this senatorial zone should/must be used to negotiate a power shift to the senatorial district.

This is politics.

By Muhammad Sabiu

Honourable Abdulsobur Olayiwola Olawale, a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, has passed away in Jos at the rally of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the presidential candidate for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The deceased, also known as Omititi, served as a state representative for Mushin II.

A source who spoke to journalists about the death said, “It is true that he died, but you will understand that at this moment, I can’t put out a report to announce the death of a very good friend.

“He slumped and died. We both travelled to Jos and it’s sad to not come back with him to Lagos.”

Bola Tinubu, a 2023 APC presidential candidate, launched his campaign yesterday Tuesday in Plateau State.

Omititi was also the head of the House Committee on Local Government Services in the state assembly.

In 2017, the deceased politician was appointed the Sariki Adeen of Mushin Central Mosque.