Author: THN

Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former Lagos state governor, is on course to win the presidential primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) by a wide margin.

Following the completion of the vote-sorting process, he was ahead of his fellow challengers in the race by a mile.

From the votes sorted so far, Tinubu has secured over 1000 votes while his closest challenger, Rotimi Amaechi, the minister of transportation, polled 316 votes.

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo secured 235 votes while Yahaya Bello, governor of Kogi state, got 47.

Ahmed Sani Yerima, former Zamfara governor, secured four votes while Ogbonnaya Onu polled just one vote.

Rochas Okorocha, Tunde Bakare, and Tein Jack-Rich failed to secure a single vote in the presidential primary.

Senate President Ahmad Lawan polled 152 votes while Ben Ayade, Cross River governor, was able to secure 37 votes.

Chukwumemeka Nwajuiba, former minister of state for education, had just one vote, while Dave Umahi, Ebonyi state governor, polled 38.

The total number of votes secured by Tinubu is yet to be determined as the counting is still ongoing at Eagle Square, Abuja.

The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), and his vice, Yemi Osinbajo, have returned to the venue of the ongoing national convention of the All Progressives Congress.

Also, the National leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, and other top officials of the party have also returned to the venue.

The PUNCH had reported Tinubu had obtained over 50 per cent of the total votes cast in the ongoing presidential primary of the party in Abuja.

Tinubu currently leads with over 1149 votes after votes in 27th boxes were sorted.

His closest contenders, Rotimi Amaechi and Yemi Osinbajo, who got 238 and 177 votes respectively.

The winner is expected to be declared in a few hours.

Selected members of APC have gathered to vote on Tuesday in key primaries to choose a candidate for next year’s election to replace the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).

More than 2,300 APC delegates will select a candidate to face 75-year-old Atiku Abubakar of the opposition People’s Democratic Party among others in the February 25 presidential ballot.

Buhari, who is stepping down after the two terms he is allowed in the constitution, arrived at the Eagle Square convention centre early in the evening before voting was to start.

The Nigerian leader has spent the days leading up to the convention in negotiations with the APC’s leaders seeking unity over a party candidate.

“The fate of the party depends on what we do here,” APC party chairman Abdullahi Adamu said, echoing Buhari’s call for unity in the ranks.

“We cannot go into the general election next year without putting our house together.”

Part of the APC’s debate over candidates relates to “zoning” – an unofficial agreement among political elites that Nigeria’s presidency should rotate between those from the predominantly Christian south and those from the largely Muslim north.

After northern Buhari, observers expected the presidency to go to a candidate from the south.

But the PDP – which held its primary on May 28 and 29 – chose Abubakar, a former vice president and a political stalwart who is a northern Muslim.

The opposition’s choice to ignore “zoning” has made the APC reconsider how their candidate will appeal to the north, where voter numbers and participation are traditionally higher.

Buhari, who is the leader of the ruling party, has not declared support for any candidate and instructed APC members to “allow the delegates to decide.”

“Our objective must be the victory of our party and our choice of candidate must be someone who would give the Nigerian masses a sense of victory and confidence even before the elections,” he said last week.

Heavy security was deployed in central Abuja early Tuesday and streets were gridlocked as hundreds of APC supporters wearing the party colours of green, white and red gathered in and around the venue.

The immediate past Minister of State for Education and presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, has revealed the reasons behind his absence from the party’s ongoing presidential primary.

Aside from being among 28 presidential aspirants who bought the presidential nomination form, he was also the first cabinet member to resign his position in pursuing his ambition.

Giving his reasons on Wednesday in a statement he personally signed and titled, “Statement of Appreciation and thanksgiving”, the former minister said alleged “marginalisation of South-East” was responsible for his absence.

The statement read:

I am issuing this statement after a careful review of our campaign for the presidential ticket of the APC.

First, I thank our Almighty God, creator and giver of all things, for the gift of everything we are or have. I then will thank all of the many persons, those afar and those around, who through personal services, prayers, texts, advise, financial gifts, donations, and numerous other means, encouraged me.

I thank my family, who have endured my incessant derision of their preference for a less public and risky, lifestyle.

I thank all my friends, well-wishers and even those who may not wish us all that well, but have played their parts in the National discuss.

I would urge that no one should be despondent or disappointed. My approach to the Nigeria presidency is hinged on being able to present a progressive vision of an inclusive, united and focused brand of energy to transform Nigeria into a wholesome economic powerhouse, whose citizens will be better secured to live more fulfilling.

I choose to take the tedious path of following the law, meeting requirements and staying disciplined, in other to sell a paradigm of same.

I appreciate all the sacrifices of time, resources and emotions that have been invested by so many persons, young and old, near and afar in this tedious path.

I and almost all other aspirants agreed to a consensus approach to the selection of our candidate, to effectively maintain the outlook of a progressive family, away from an all for money by highest bidder image, which had already been assigned to another political party.

I and other aspirants now of the southeast, wrote the leadership of our party to appreciate the commitment to move the presidential ticket to the south, and requested a further deepening to the southeast to reflect our primary reason for seeking the office, which remains, “to build a more united and inclusive secured and prosperous nation.” This much has been captured in the communique south east aspirants issued on 22nd May, the speeches of Mr. President at his meetings with APC Governors, that of aspirants and of stakeholders.

Following the failure of all these entreaties, it became clear that the convention was headed away from these lofty ideals I subscribe to and will still pursue. I, therefore, declined to attend.

These ideals reflected in what some of the southeast aspirants who choose to attend referred to in their pleas for justice or need to constitutionally require it, in the face of the absence of conscience. Even their elderly wailing on national television could not move a vote, if I had shouted same in a more youthful voice, it may have become inciteful in face of our current security difficulties in the southeast and may thus spite our efforts. Better to stay out.

I am committed to pursuing the ideals of a more united, inclusively secured prosperous nation for us all, lending to our dear country, its citizens and those who may be positioned to use it, the experiences acquired, lessons learnt, and the various matrix that I may bring to bear.

I am grateful for the opportunity to engage all strata of our society, all cadres of leadership both in our party and our country. I appreciate the luxury of your various audience, in sharing this message.
Thank you all, so very much.

A total of 23 African countries have converged on Rabat in Morocco to chart a new course to maximise the utilisation of the Atlantic Ocean for the benefit of the continent.

The meeting, which is on issues bordering the Atlantic ocean, will also develop an African vision that will promote the continent’s identity and security.

The Atlantic is the second-largest ocean in the world, covering about 106,460,000 square kilometres.

It covers approximately 20 per cent of the earth’s surface and holds about 29 per cent of the world’s water surface area.

The ministerial meeting would focus on political dialogue, security and safety, as well as blue economy, connectivity, environment, and energy.

The meeting hopes to develop an action plan to promote economic cooperation and trade, ensure maritime security, fight organised crime, piracy, and trafficking along the Atlantic coast.

The African Atlantic Countries are Nigeria, Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Cape Verde, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Cameroon.

Others are Sao Tome and Principe, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Namibia, and South Africa.

NAN

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces a boisterous parliament Wednesday in his first appearance before lawmakers since narrowly fending off a damaging no-confidence vote from his own Conservative MPs.

His backers are likely to stage a noisy show of support when he steps up for his weekly Prime Minister’s Questions.

Critics, however, have warned the political crisis is not over for the embattled prime minister after more than 40 percent of his own MPs voted against him in Monday’s no-confidence vote.

Johnson, who called the 211-148 vote a “convincing result”, has vowed to plough on, saying it was time to “draw a line” under questions about his leadership and the “Partygate” controversy over lockdown-breaking events at Downing Street.

READ ALSO: UK PM Boris Johnson Wins No-Confidence Vote, Escapes Sack

The prime minister’s team has tried to regain the offensive by pointing to a setpiece speech expected in the coming days on new economic support measures, as Britons struggle with a cost-of-living crisis.

But many questions whether Johnson can recover voters’ trust, as the party braces for two Westminster by-elections this month and an upcoming investigation by MPs into whether he lied to parliament over “Partygate”.

Even without any obvious candidate to succeed him, former Tory party leader William Hague this week argued that Johnson should now “look for an honourable exit”.

Comparing Monday’s margin to votes that ultimately toppled Johnson’s predecessors Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May, Hague said it showed “a greater level of rejection than any Tory leader has ever endured and survived”.

“Deep inside, he should recognise that, and turn his mind to getting out in a way that spares party and country such agonies and uncertainties,” Hague wrote in The Times.

 ‘War of attrition’

The Guardian reported Wednesday that rebel Conservative MPs were drawing up plans for “vote strikes” to paralyse the government’s legislative agenda, as happened at the end of May’s stint in office.

The I newspaper also said the prime minister now faces a “war of attrition”, with the rebels pushing to remove him despite his narrow victory in the no-confidence vote.

Johnson, 57, needed the backing of 180 of the 359 Conservatives MPs to survive the vote.

Most of Johnson’s cabinet publicly backed him in the secret ballot. But more than 40 percent of the parliamentary party did not.

The scale of the revolt “constitutes a crisis for Downing Street”, King’s College London politics professor Anand Menon said.

“I think there’s very little doubt that the vulnerability of the prime minister is going to be the single greatest factor shaping what this government does for the foreseeable future,” Menon told AFP.

Under current Tory rules, the prime minister cannot be challenged again for a year, which leaves little time for any new leader to emerge before the next general election due by 2024.

But the party’s “1922 committee” of MPs, tasked with overseeing leadership challenges, says it could easily change the rules if a majority backs it.

The Liberal Democrats are now pushing for a parliamentary no-confidence vote after Johnson survived the Tory revolt.

“Liberal Democrats are tabling a motion of no confidence in the prime minister so Parliament can finally put an end to this sorry mess,” party leader Ed Davey said.

“Every Conservative MP with a shred of decency must back our motion and give Boris Johnson the sack.”

If the government lost a no-confidence motion in the House of Commons it would have to call a snap general election.

That appears unlikely at present given the Conservative majority, but Johnson could face a challenging period in the months ahead.

Senior backbencher Tobias Ellwood, who voted against Johnson, said the prime minister was living on borrowed time.

“I think we’re talking a matter of months, up to party conference (in October),” he told Sky News.

AFP

The National leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, is leading in the ongoing presidential primary of the party in Abuja.

Tinubu won 10 of the 10 boxes sorted so far, obtaining over 750 votes.

He is trailed by former Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

While Amaechi has obtained 143 votes, Osinbajo polled 103 so far.

The Nigeria Labour Congress has called on the Federal Government to end the strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities and other university-based unions.

The NLC President, Mr Ayuba Wabba, made the call in his contributions to the report of the Director-General, International Labour Organisation, during the 110th International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland.

The conference which opened on Tuesday has the theme, “Social justice, decent work.”

According to Wabba, the NLC has written to the Federal Government on how to end the university workers’ strike.

“We call on the government to bring this strike to an end without further delay,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that while the Federal Government continue to work on the demands of the unions, academic activities across all public universities have been suspended.

Wabba said that the NLC had written to President Muhammadu Buhari on how to use a high-powered delegation to end the strike.

He said that one of the main issues in contention was the deployment of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution, a salary payment platform developed by ASUU.

“I think the process has been concluded, what we are waiting for is for that process to reconvene again and for that issue to be resolved. We opened that channel of intervention among others.

“I am also aware that the Interfaith Religious Council also met with Mr President and the thinking was in the same direction.

“We will be very committed to reviewing that process and making sure that our children are made to go back to school.

“The best way to resolve disputes under the ILO rule is through a social dialogue process that works and that respects collective bargaining agreements.

“That will be a lasting option to addressing some of those issues and disputes, and I think it is high time that was done,” he said.

NAN