Some North East elders have endorsed the candidacy of Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party, describing his choice as the best for modern Nigeria ahead of 2023 presidential election.

The elders rejected the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s Muslim Muslim presidential ticket, saying the action of the party would not enjoy their blessings as açcording to them,it did not promote equity and fairness in a diverse Nigeria.

In a statement on Saturday, the elders who described APC’s action as highest level of madness and an evil agenda in Nigeria, reminded the promoters of the same faith ticket to go memory lane to see if their action was in line with what founders of Nigeria’s democracy preached and practiced.

Noting that Nigeria was a secular country that no religion should be elevated against others, the elders tasked APC to reflect on its action given that Nigeria of today had shifted from 1993 where such was promoted without any opposition.

The North East elders, operating under the aegis of Coalition of North East Elders for Peace and Development (CNEEPD),told APC not to be comfortable with their action, saying the rigging which it was relying upon as party in government will fail them woefully as açcording to them, Nigerians would vote and safeguard their votes without fear or intimidations from APC’s hired agents.

In the statement by its National Coordinator,Engr. Zana Goni,the group insisted that contrary to APC’s expectation,it would lose the presidential poll before 12 noon, adding that “indications across the country were not in favour of the party that had put Nigeria in its present bad situation.”

The North East elders,also flayed the attacks being carried out on the facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the South East, attributing the developments to some sponsored terrorists outside the zone with the aim to deplete the South East voting strength.

The statement read in part:”As the 2023 general elections draws near,we the Coalition of North East Elders for Peace and Development have noted with concerns some actions and statements by some political parties and actors in our democratic process. The latest being the impunity orchestrated by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in settling for a same faith ticket in a multi-religious,multi-ethnic and above all,multi-cultural country like Nigeria and the party’s defence of the absurd action in the face of widespread opposition to the abnormalities.

“As leaders who have not only monitored but also actively contributed to political developments in Nigeria for decades,we wish to categorically denounce the APC’s action which we view as inimical to the progress and growth of Nigeria.

Without mincing words,we describe the party’s decision in fielding Muslim Muslim ticket in the 2023 presidential election as the highest level of madness, insensitivity, and an evil agenda against our dear country which we have laboured for years to build. This decision which threatens the unity of the country does not have our blessings and must be resisted by all Nigerians of good conscience. Anything contrary will threaten the fragile unity and peace of Nigeria.”

The elders added:” We wonder why a sane man and sane political party will contemplate and even go ahead to pick a Muslim as running mate to a Muslim candidate in a presidential election in secular country as Nigeria at this modern age.”

Açcording to the group,”To make the matter worse, they picked Alhajji Kashim Shetima, a man whose alleged link with terrorism is still a subject of debate in public domain.”

Noting that,”This is a costly mistake that must be resisted at poll by all Nigerians, irrespective of religion,tribe or ethnic backgrounds in the interest of peace”, the group said:” If this madness is allowed to see the light of the day, the unity and peace of Nigeria will be threatened forever.”

“How can someone tries this in Nigeria? As it stands together Christians and Muslims have started supporting candidates based on religious lines, in mosques and churches across the country. This is not what we need now.

“The peace in Nigeria is too fragile to contemplate this kind of madness as exhibited by the ruling APC. The party has actually made more Nigerians to believe that they have an Islamization agenda as widely speculated,”it said.

The group alleged that attacks on INEC facilitaties in the South East are orchestrated by some political interest groups to reduce the voting strength of the region.

” Given the carefully coordinated attacks launched in recent times on both INEC personnel and facilitaties,we will not be wrong to believe that the actions are carefully calculated, planned, and executed by suspected Boko Haram terrorists with aim to disenfranchised the people of South East and also put them in the bad light.

“Security agencies must clamp down on these evil people and bring them to book immediately,”it said.

“We also urge all the South East communities to constitute a special task force to protect INEC facilities and officials across the zone,”it tasked the region.

“We call on all Nigeria’s to resist this evil and selfish agenda of Muslim Muslim ticket with every legal means. The current level of hunger and terrorism in the North today does not respect the Muslim or any religion hence Muslims must look beyond the lies APC is selling to us. We must vote credible leaders with capacity and programme for our dear country,”the elder advised.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has distanced himself from a memorandum suggesting he had requested President Muhammadu Buhari’s leave to resign from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The memorandum, dated 24th June, 2022, with reference number SH/VP/605/2/0 and titled: “Permission to Resign from APC” had listed, among others, family pressure, his (Osinbajo) continuous participation in active and partisan politics and membership of the APC as the reasons for his decision.

However, when asked to confirm the authenticity of the said memo, the senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, Office of the Vice President, Mr Laolu Akande, described it as fake.

According to him, the language of the author of the memo is not that of Vice President Osinbajo, pointing out that his boss would not write a memo so full of errors.

“Where do you people even get these things from? Who gave it to you? Anyway, for the avoidance of doubt, the memo is fake. VP didn’t write any such thing,” he said.

Meanwhile, the “fake memorandum”, purportedly written and signed by Osinbajo, had read: “I have the honour to inform you that for some time now, I have been having series of meetings and pressure from my immediate family members on some matters. One of the issues borders on my continuous participation on active and partisan politics, and by extension, my continuous membership of our party, the All Progressives Congress, APC.

“As a father and great member, whom without you, I would not be where I am today, regrettably, I write to seek for your permission to resign my membership of the All Progressives Congress, APC. However, if the timing of this plan is not convenience or acceptable by Your Excellency, I will surely abide by your decision and advice, which I will consider to be the final.

Mr. Ogar Osim, Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) in Cross River, on Friday told the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state that its mandate was to mobilise workers to support the party in the coming elections and not to select candidates for the party.

Osim said this at a news conference in Calabar while reacting to a vote of no confidence passed on him by the NLC and affiliate unions in the state.

The NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) had met earlier and produced a statement signed by both chairman Mr Ben Ukpepi and Mr Monday Ogbodum, dissociating themselves and passing a vote of no confidence on the chairman of LP in the state.

According to the party chairman, the NLC is not there to lead LP, but “they have their mandate which is to mobilise, even though anytime I meet with them, they claim they founded the party and must take over.”

He said LP was owned by the people who attended its meetings and were active, adding that once a body is registered, it is run by a constitution and the constitution of the party is for NLC to send two representatives to LP meetings.

“In all the other states, the LP chairman goes round to tell the NLC what is expected of them but in Cross River, they want to dictate to the party what to do and even force candidates on the party.

“Candidates are processed by the party and not NLC; it is the party that will tell you what to do and organise its primaries in the presence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which we have done.

“It is unfortunate that in Cross River the NLC came together, collected money from some people and organised primaries without the presence of INEC and made them candidates of the party,” he said.

Rabiu Kwankwaso, the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP),  has confirmed Pastor Bishop Isaac Idahosa as his running mate for the 2023 elections.

The party disclosed this in a tweet on its Twitter handle on Thursday “Our VP Pastor Bishop Isaac Idahosa from Edo State.”

Bishop Idahosa who hails from Edo State is the Senior Pastor of God First Ministry, a.k.a Illumination Assembly.

The church has its headquarters in Lekki, Lagos State.

The man of God is a gospel singer who is popularly known as ‘Prophet Talk Na Do’ by his congregation.

This followed the inability of the party to form an alliance with the Labour Party, LP, for the presidential elections.

Kwankwaso and the LP presidential candidate, Peter Obi, had during talks for an alliance, disagreed on who should deputize each other.

President, Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Wednesday, urged youths to acquire knowledge not towards getting government jobs as there are no “jobs in government anymore.”

He also urged youths to acquaint themselves with history to avoid making the same mistakes of the past.

According to a statement signed on Wednesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, Buhari said this when he paid a Sallah homage visit to the Emir of Daura, Faruk Faruk, at his Palace.

The statement is titled ‘Train, educate your children on right values, the world is changing, President Buhari tells Nigerians.’

He implored parents to inculcate right values in children, including deep fear of God, respect for constituted authorities and living a purposeful life through continuous education.

“We should ensure the children get proper education. The knowledge they acquire should not be towards getting government jobs.

“We don’t have jobs in government anymore. With technology, governments are becoming smaller, nimble and efficient.

“Emphasis should now be on skills acquisition and competence in creation and deployment of technology. During the COVID-19, we asked all level 12 downwards to stay at home, and surprisingly, the systems worked effectively,” the President said.

He also noted that the younger children should be guided and taught history, as they would find it hard to be patriotic, responsible and respectful, without a thorough understanding of their backgrounds.

“Whoever does not have a good sense of history will easily make mistakes,” he said.

President Buhari told the Emir of Daura, Dr Faruk Faruk, that he will be more regular in visits, preparatory to the handing over in May, 2023, adding that the prolonged absence was due to the demands of his office.

“This is the longest I have been away from home. In fact, the Emir took to the court of public opinion at the prayer ground, when he openly told everyone that I had not visited Daura for close to a year,” he said.

He urged all Nigerians to make sacrifices to move the country forward, especially the public servants, calling for more selflessness and inclusion.

“In the end, it is only God that can reward your efforts, not man,” Buhari noted.

In his remarks, Governor Aminu Masari claimed that, having fed at least 863,000 children under the school feeding programme in Katsina, adding that no government has done more to reduce poverty like the Buhari regime.

He said every contrary view is held by those who “only think of themselves” and are “never appreciative until something gets to their pockets.”

Masari said, “No government in the history of this country has done more to reduce poverty like President Buhari’s administration.

“He asked religious and community leaders to bring enlightenment to bear on successful government programs such as the Social Investment Program, SIP through which 120,000 poor citizens in 12 Local Government Areas of the state receive a monthly payment of N5,000 and this is happening in all the states.

“Today, we have over 863,000 children in the state being fed under the school feeding program. This has created 10,000 jobs for women cooks, 14,000 young men and women enrolled in N-Power.

“We have food vendors who are engaged and earning their livelihood. All the foolish talk on social media is by those who only think of themselves. Our elites are never happy or appreciative until something gets to their pockets.”

Masari who said security in the country had improved considerably under Buhari lamented that “human beings forget easily”.