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Damagum’s Planned Sack Tears PDP National Leaders, Governors Apart 

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The governors elected under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the party’s National Working Committee have been divided over plans to remove IIiya Umar Damagum as the party’s acting national chairman.

While Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, who is also the chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, disclosed that plans have been finalized to remove Damagum, his Oyo State counterpart, Seyi Makinde, has expressed support for the embattled national chairman.

Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri pledged his full support for Damagum, but Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke stated that he would respect the decision of the NWC regarding the acting chairman’s dismissal.

After meeting with the party’s NWC, Mohammed declared that Damagum must go, arguing that it is a constitutional aberration for him to remain in office. He noted that the North Central should be allowed to complete the tenure of former national chairman Ayu, who hails from Benue State.

In contrast, Makinde voiced his full support for Damagum. Speaking on Tuesday at the groundbreaking ceremony for the upgrade of Ibadan Airport to international standards, Makinde emphasized that this is not the right time for the party to allow further crisis.

For Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, the relevant provisions of the PDP Constitution should prevail in the ongoing crisis within the party. Adeleke stated, “I stand by the Constitution of our great party, which clearly spells out the succession procedure in the event of the exit of an elected chairman. I also support the resolution of the PDP Governors’ Forum, of which I am an integral part. Our party must adhere to its Constitution at this critical time and at all times. That is the way to build a responsible political party.”

Damagum’s position as acting national chairman has always been precarious, as he occupies a position zoned to the North Central. Prof. Iyorchia Ayu, from Benue State in the North Central, became the national chairman after the position was ceded to that zone, but Damagum, from Kebbi State in the North East, was appointed acting national chairman after Ayu was forced out in 2023.

The PDP North Central caucus has been advocating for Damagum to step down so that the zone can produce a substantive national chairman to complete Ayu’s tenure. However, the party’s leadership remained silent on the matter until Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike, one of Damagum’s major backers, threatened to disrupt the states of PDP governors who supported their Rivers State colleague, Siminalayi Fubara.

Damagum had been working with Wike to diminish Fubara’s influence within the Rivers PDP, leading to speculation that the governor might leave the party. Damagum handed Wike control of the PDP structure in Rivers after approving the state congress held on August 31, 2024, where Wike’s loyalists secured all positions. Fubara and his camp boycotted the congress.

Wike was summoned by the PDP Disciplinary Committee following his outburst against the governors, who responded by openly backing Fubara, insisting that he, as governor, should be recognized as the party’s leader in his state.

However, Investors King reports that as the governors and Wike engage in a battle for supremacy, indications have emerged that Damagum is poised to become the sacrificial lamb.

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Government

Tinubu Warns INEC, Political Parties Against Rigging, Violence as Edo Governorship Election Holds Tomorrow 

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September 20, 2024

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Bola Tinubu

As residents of Edo State within the voting age file out to elect their new governor on Saturday, September 21, 2024, President Bola Tinubu has called on all stakeholders in the upcoming Edo State governorship elections to conduct themselves peacefully and sportingly.

The task is coming amid tension and allegations of meditated arrest and planned rigging by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

There has been heavy deployment of security operatives in the state ahead of the polls.

The distribution of non-sensitive materials took place in Benin City on Thursday amid tight security forces.

Already, a public holiday had been declared in the state today by the government for workers and other electorate to travel to their polling units to cast their ballots for the successor of Goodwin Obaseki.

However, the President, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, warned INEC against compromising the integrity of the poll.

Tinubu also implored the governorship candidates, political parties, and supporters to respect the democratic process and the people’s will.

According to Onanuga, Tinubu believes in the voters’ ability to make informed decisions about their future leaders.

President Tinubu emphasised that democracy thrives on civility, tolerance, patience, and respect for the rules of the game.

He noted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has committed to conducting a free and fair election and urges all stakeholders to work together to ensure a successful and peaceful process.

The President commended the governorship candidates and political parties for their campaigns, which have focused on issues that matter most to the people of Edo State, including improving livelihoods, promoting economic growth, and contributing to national development.

He urged all citizens in the state to remain peaceful and respectful throughout the voting process. He encourages them to resolve any disagreements amicably through the constituted authorities.

“In addition, President Tinubu expresses unwavering confidence in the professionalism and integrity of security agencies and INEC officials. He urges them to remain impartial and avoid any actions that could compromise the integrity of the electoral process,” Onanuga said.

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Worsening Hardship: Fresh Pressure Mounts on Tinubu’s Ministers Over Planned Cabinet Rejig 

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23 hours ago

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September 19, 2024

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There is apparent fear within the cabinet of President Bola Tinubu over plans by the president to relieve some of the ministers of their duties.
Sources in the presidency said the looming rejig of the cabinet is due to widespread complaints of hunger by many Nigerians.
Top among the ministries that will be mainly affected in the cabinet reshuffle is the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
Sources close revealed that the presidency might completely scrap the ministry.
The move, according to the impeccable insiders, is also to streamline government operations and eliminate underperforming ministries.
It was further learned that the cabinet reshuffle would go beyond portfolio swaps. Instead, some portfolios and ministries would be split, merged, or scrapped.
Those in the know opined that the planned reshuffling and scrapping is overdue and that the President would have announced the changes in the cabinet last week but for his trip out of the country.
They said Tinubu would also restructure some of the ministries for effectiveness and output owing to the alleged protest against bad governance and poverty in the country.
Other sources said President Tinubu aims to finalize changes before departing for the United Nations General Assembly.
They said that the development has ignited fear among the ministers as some who don’t have much closeness with the presidency are said to be loitering around Aso Rock to lobby their stay in their respective positions.
Upon his assumption of office, President Tinubu appointed 48 federal ministers and bagged a record as the President with the highest cabinet size since Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999.
Some analysts in the country had argued that the large cabinet size would drain the country’s already depleted purse.
In January, this year, one of the nine female ministers, Betta Edu, was suspended by Tinubu over N585million scandal.
While in suspension, Edu incurred the anger of Nigerians in July 2024, after she made a comeback with a condolence message to victims of the collapsed school building in Jos in her official capacity as the humanitarian affairs minister by using the official letterhead of the ministry.
Investors King reports that since then, nothing has been heard about her alleged fraud even as the presidency remains mute.

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LG Election: Tension in Osun as APC, PDP Risk Disqualification for Substituting Candidates Unlawfully 

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24 hours ago

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September 19, 2024

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All Progressive Congress (APC)
There is uneasy calm among major political parties in Osun State over the announcement by the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) that the party leadership submitted names of candidates that are different from those who obtained forms to contest the February 22, 2025 Local Government Election in the state.
According to Barrister Hashim Abioye, the OSIEC Chairman, about seven political parties including the Peoples Democratic Party and major opposition All Progressives Congress face disqualification from the poll if they fail to correct the status of their candidates within 48 hours.
Abioye said the political parties contesting in the forthcoming local government election ran foul of the provisions and procedure regarding the substitution of candidates.
He said after the verification committee set up by the commission completed its assignment, it was discovered that some political parties had replaced the names of candidates with ones that were strange to the commission.
According to him, the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and the Action Peoples Party (APP) are affected.
Speaking at a press conference held in Osogbo, Abioye stressed that the affected political parties committed an incurable infraction by giving nomination forms to candidates whose names were different from those with the commission.
He further revealed that virtually all the political parties contesting the elections had one case or another of the infractions, and that while some are remediable others are incurable.
According to the OSIEC boss, “The provision is not an innovation, it is as also contained in the Electoral Act, 2022, that is the provision we have now adopted. For this reason, some political parties, notably the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), the Action Peoples Party (APP) ran foul of the provisions and procedure regarding substitution of candidates.
“While no substitution can be validly done without following the rules, any substitution or change of candidate done after the purported candidate intended to be a replacement for another must have been given and submitted nomination form despite his/her name not being on the list originally submitted to the Commission would be void.
“Let me note once again that virtually all the political parties contesting the elections had one case or another of the infractions which are remediable, but the political parties highlighted above committed the most of the infractions that are incurable by giving nomination form for candidates whose names were not on the list in some local government areas and wards. This we cannot help.”
Giving an instance of the infractions, Abioye stated, “Being a major political party, I will take that of the APC as an example. In Atakunmosa West Local Government, the Chairmanship and Vice-chairmanship candidates submitted by the party to the Commission were not the persons who filled nomination forms submitted to OSIEC.
“In the same vein, the respective vice-chairmanship candidates submitted by the APC for Ede South, Egbedore, Ife Central, Ifedayo, Isokan, Olorunda and Oriade Local Government Areas were completely different from the persons that filled and submitted nomination forms to the Commission. Candidates of the APC in several Wards across various local government areas were affected by this incurable anomaly.”
Meanwhile, the development has thrown the affected parties into panic as they struggle to meet the deadline.

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