Author Archives: News All Around

*Urges them to save democracy by siding with the law in 2023 election petition cases

*Says Nigerians heartbroken, agitated, angry, frustrated because INEC raped, murdered democracy

A former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, on Sunday, commended the Supreme Court for overriding President Muhammadu Buhari on the legality and validity of the old Naira notes of N200, N500 and N1,000.

Frank in a statement in Abuja, however called on the judiciary to leverage the same patriotic courage it demonstrated in reversing the ban on old Naira notes in dispensing substantial Justice in the several election petition cases to be brought before them soon.

He said Nigerians are heartbroken, agitated, angry and frustrated because INEC raped and murdered democracy in the country on February 25, 2023.

He lamented that some of the rulings emanating from the judiciary, especially the Supreme Court in recent times brought shame to the entire country.

According to him, “Some of the Supreme Court’s ruling in recent time have made Nigerians to lose hope in the judiciary especially the one that awarded Senatorial tickets to Akpabio and Lawan who never participated in senatorial primary in their respective constituencies.

“How can Senator Godswill Akpabio and Senate President Ahmad Lawan be made candidates overnight by the apex court and today they claim to have been elected as Senators?”

Frank who is the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Ambassador to East Africa and Middle East, reminded the Judiciary that Nigerians have since lost hope on them as they believe they already know how the courts will rule on the various post election cases to be filed before them.

He called on the judiciary especially the Supreme Court to rise up from its ashes of partisanship and servile disposition to the APC and seize the opportunity by the present political conundrum to reset its image and do the needful courageously.

He urged the Judiciary to know that this is not the time to again sell justice to the highest bidder, saying, “they must redeem their image by ensuring that justice is done and seen to be done to the election petition cases now being brought before it.”

He urged the Judiciary to note that even the National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, admitted that issues of logistics, election technology (BIVAS), the behaviour of some election personnel at different levels, marred the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

He insisted that this a clear indication that INEC failed woefully in its duty to deliver credible elections nor use the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) to conduct the elections in line with its guidelines.

He said: “This is the justice that Nigerians are asking for. INEC has failed and we urge the judiciary to so hold that INEC violated its own guidelines and did not comply with the Electoral Act and its guidelines.”

He insisted that the present case is unique in the sense that Nigerians have continued to cry out that their votes have been stolen and their mandate denied.

“Both international and local observers have agreed with them that the election was marred by massive irregularities and rigging. They equally berated and scored INEC low for not adhering to the law and its own guidelines.

“It is equally obvious that INEC failed to follow its guidelines and promise to transmit election results from the polling units to its server in real time.

“All over Nigeria, evidence abound in video, audio and hard copy formats showing how the results of the elections were falsified to favour the ruling APC.

“We believe that Nigerian Judges and Justices of the Appeal and Supreme Courts were in this country when the Presidential and National Assembly Election was conducted.

“Besides, we believe that Nigerian Judges and Justices read newspapers and listen to news on radio and television, therefore, they cannot claim to be unaware of Electoral heist that was perpetrated during the last election.

“It now behooves on the judiciary to review the facts that would be presented before them by aggrieved political parties, sift them to determine the truth and rule to uphold Justice, stability, peace and democracy in the country.

“Now that the cases will be coming before them, Nigerians are hopeful that they will use the same patriotic courage to rule in favour of the over 30 million Nigerians who voted during the last election in order to make their votes count.

“We saw how the Judiciary in Kenya rose up and sided with the yearnings and aspirations of the people when it annulled a rigged presidential election and ordered for a fresh one.

“We are calling on the Nigerian Judiciary to equally be courageous enough to declare the actual winners of the just concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections as duly elected.”

The Northern Nigerian Movement for Asiwaju has congratulated the president-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his overwhelming victory in the just concluded presidential election.

This was contained in a statement issued by its National Coordinator, Dr Mohammed Attahiru in Abuja on Wednesday.

They praised the Plateau State Governor and Director General, Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Organisation, Simon Bako Lalong, for his commitment in ensuring the victory of Asiwaju against all odds.

According to the group, the overwhelming victory of Asiwaju Tinubu after polling over 8 million votes in a keenly contested election showed that the president-elect remains the preferred choice of Nigerians.

Tinubu, a former Lagos State Governor was declared winner of the presidential elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the early hours of Wednesday after polling the highest votes at the polls and meeting other requirements for the elections.

Attahiru expressed deep optimism that the emergence of Tinubu as Nigeria’s next president at this auspicious period of the nation’s life, signifies dawn of renewed hope, prosperity and rapid transformation for the country.

“As governor of Lagos State, we could all attest to the sterling performance of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu which saw rapid transformation in all facets of the state.

“It is our sincere belief that when Tinubu assumes office as next president, he will replicate the same transformation across the country for the benefits of all”, he said.

He also expressed optimism that Tinubu’s administration will also address the issues of insecurity, separatist agitations, banditry and kidnapping, among other crimes in the country.

Attahiru said Tinubu’s administration will engender unity and national cohesion by giving every part of the country a sense of belonging, adding that the administration will be all inclusive.

The group while commending Lalong for the sacrifice he has made in ensuring Tinubu’s victory, recalled how Lalong galvanised fellow Northern governors in backing the Asiwaju’s emergence as presidential candidate against all oppositions in the build up to the primaries

The group also noted that Governor Lalong against all oppositions from his home state and other quarters, stood stoically and firmly for the Asiwaju course and eventually saw his victory at the poll, adding that Governor Lalong losing his senatorial bid was part of the great sacrifices he has paid for the victory of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Attahiru expressed the firm assurance and hope that Governor Lalong will definitely be handsomely rewarded and compensated for all his sacrifices and commitments to the Asiwaju Tinubu’s presidency project which is now a done deal.

BY : Idowu Ifemi

The Directorate of National Youth Mobilisation APC North West Barr.Bello Muhammad Goronyo has congratulated the President elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressive Congress (APC) over the well deserved victory at the presidential polls.

The Director said, the get out to vote initiative campiagn engaged by the directorate produced the required results which culminated into a resounding victory for the President elect, Senator Tinubu.

While acknowledging the efforts of the Northern Governors and APC leader H.E Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko for standing firm on their believe that power be returned to South on the principles of Unity, equity, fairness and justice, he said, the support for Asiwaju/Shetima which is sequel to their capacity, experience and commitment to the Nigerian project has yielded result.

He however urged all the North West State directors to embark on rigorous Campaign untill all the northern states Governors and State Houses of Assemblies are delivered to the APC.

” We must not go to sleep, let us get out to vote in all the nocks and crannies and ensure they reach the door step of all eligible voters for the Governorship and State Assembly elections on March 11th.

Barrister Goronyo also congratulated Nigerians for standing by the APC in the Presidential and national Assembly elections, urging them to do it again in the March 11th elections.

This is even as he said, with the Presidency of Tinubu as elected, Nigerians will enjoy a new phase of live.

“Without doubt, APC North-West has affirmed that North-West is APC and APC is North-West. We must remind Nigerians that the political history of Nigeria has shown that every Presidential candidate that wins the votes of North-West wins the Presidency.

“With APC youths united in North-West, supported by all party members and all candidates at all levels, insha Allah, APC will win again massively the March 11th elections.

” While congratulating the President elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his vice Senator Kashim Shettima, we wish them Allah’s guidance as they prepare to take this task of building a new Nigeria”.

Goronyo also commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for conducting a free, fair, transparent and credible elections, trusting that such will be replicated in the Governorship and State Assembly elections come March 11th, 2023.

ENDS

The earth is poised for an unadulterated flow of God’s healing power to the nations at the Healing Streams Live Healing Services this March. All is in readiness as billions of people from all walks of life gear up to experience the infallibility of God’s love unleashed in extraordinary ways at the services.
The healing Streams of God has brought divine healing, restoration, and salvation to billions of lives in all the nations of the earth. The world itself has never before witnessed such simultaneous displays of God’s might globally, as those experienced at the Healing Services. In an atmosphere of reverent worship and praise to God Almighty, the dead received life to the wonderment of all, the lame sprang to their feet and stood in awe; deaf ears were opened, the mute sang melodies of praise, and blind eyes were opened to behold the glory of God manifested.

One such amazing miracle recorded at the healing services is that of Ankunda who escaped death by the whiskers from an unknown assailant in December 2021. Having sustained a broken spine and disc fracture from the attack, a disconsolate Ankunda was told she would not walk again. Despite the quagmire of pain and despair, she believed that through faith in God’s Word, she would get her groove back. Her life-transforming moment came during the July 2022 Healing Streams Live Healing Services with Pastor Chris, where she received healing and restoration. Today Ankunda can walk, run and do all she desires without aid to the Glory of God.
Millions of testimonies such as this and many more abound of attendees, who got healed of myriad ailments and freed from demonic oppression during the services.

Come March 17th to 19th from 3.00 pm (GMT+1) daily, the all-encompassing love of God will sweep the nations once again curing his people of all manner of diseases and pain. Are you ready? Registration is on and free so go ahead and register yourself, everyone you love and all that require healing today via http://www.healingstreams.tv/LHS

Speaking recently on this March edition of the program, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome stated, “I hope you’re getting ready for Healing Streams Live Healing Services in March. It’s going to be a great one, it’s going to be big because so many around the world will be healed. Their lives changed forever.” Are you ready to be amongst those whose lives will be indelibly changed forever? Take your first step of faith today with your registration.

Divinely orchestrated by the spirit, the healing services are characterized by rapturous worship of God the Almighty Father, faith-stirring testimonies from attendees of past sessions, an In-depth expose of the Word, and ministrations of the supernatural by the Man of God, Pastor Chris.

Another remarkable testimony wrought at the Services is that of Rowena from the Philippines, who was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. For a long pain-filled time, she had difficulty breathing; could not walk unaided, and experienced fatigue regularly. When the Man of God ministered to her during the Healing Streams Live Healing Services, her health was restored, and the disease was dispelled in the Name of Jesus. Now, she is healed! She breathes with ease, walks unaided, and can run! She is full of life and grateful to the Lord for her miracle!

Through LIVE online broadcast to billions of participants across the globe in all major languages; the healing services are indeed an oasis of hope and revivification to the world today.

At the just-concluded Praise-A-Thon, Pastor Benny Hinn prophesized concerning the program, “There’s going to be an avalanche of the miraculous”. Fill up your cloud in expectations of the miraculous today as you join billions of saints to make tremendous power available for the program through prayer. Take advantage of Healing Streams PRAY-A-THON 720 in preparing for the program by praying for 15mins daily on http://www.healingstreams.tv/prayer

The count-up is on; an epochal weekend of Miracles is almost upon us; get excited and stay expectant for you and set time for divine intervention has come.

The candidate of National Rescue Movement for Kabba/ Ijumu Federal Constuency, Rev Emmanuel Magba has just voted in his vis ward at Kabba .

Speaking to journalists shortly afterward,the cleric cum politician expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the election starting from the accreditation to the actual voting process .

He further commended President Muhammadu Buhari and the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) for conducting a seamless election .

He said,

“the accreditation was very seamless, the same thing with the voting, it was very seamless.Incidences of vote buying have also been reduced to the barest minimum .

I wished to commend President Muhammudu Buhari for conducting a free, fair and credible election ,

Rev Magba who is a favourite in the contest for a seat at the National Assembly expressed ready to work hard for his constituency if elected

GAC Motor Nigeria and Film House Cinemas announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Thursday, 23rd February 2023 at the GAC Motor’s G Style showroom in 7 Ligali Ayorinde Street, VI, Lagos.

The MOU marked the beginning of a strategic partnership that will transform the Nigerian entertainment industry by promoting local content amplification, art-driven sustainable development, and international exposure & collaboration with the Nigerian Movie industry, especially in China.

The event was graced by notable personalities, such as the Director of Filmmaking at Filmhouse Mr. Remi Adeyemi, Mrs. Lolu Desalu the Chief Marketing Officer for Film House, Mr. Jubril- GM Commercial CIG Motors, Mr. Manish- Group CEO, CIG Motors, and top entertainers in the movie industry including Stan Nze, Deyemi Okanlawon, Sophie Alakija, Eku Edewor, Lolo, Seyi Awolowo, and Mr. Hyenana.

The partnership will see the launch of a groundbreaking initiative; ‘Project G Star’ (My G for the creative industry), aimed at supporting the creative industry and promoting local content amplification in the country. Leveraging the resources and expertise of both organizations to nurture and promote local talents in the entertainment industry, providing a platform for them to showcase their skills and creativity.
GAC Motor’s commitment to Nigeria’s Art for sustainable development is a significant aspect of the partnership. The partnership is another of GAC Motor’s missions in Nigeria to discover Nigeria, showcasing the country’s beauty and culture to the world through the lens of the entertainment industry.
Movie collaborations and partnerships are also integral to the partnership between GAC MOTOR Nigeria and FILM HOUSE CINEMAS.

The two organizations will work together to produce high-quality movies that reflect the rich cultural heritage of Nigeria, providing opportunities for actors, directors, and producers to showcase their talents to the world.

This initiative will create opportunities for Nigerian movie producers and actors to showcase their talents in China, a rapidly growing market for the entertainment industry.

2023 Elections: APC Non Indigenes Group Calls For Massive Support

…….Endorses All APC Candidates

By Mike Odeh James

As the 2023 general elections approaches, the Chikun All Progressive Congress(APC) Kabilu Network, has called on its supporters and the entire people of Chikun local government to the party into power.

A press statement made available to newsmen in Kaduna, dated 22/2/2023 and signed by its Coordinator Comr Jessy Luka Ajeson states that “Chikun APC Kabilu Network, is a group established to spare-head the mobilisations and unification of the Kabilu’s ( non Gbagyi and Hausa-Fulani) for the progress and electoral victories of the APC in Chikun LG.”

“Looking at the giant strides the El-Rufai led administration have made in all spheres of life in Kaduna state both in infrastructure and human development.
Chikun Kabilu APC Network has officially endorsed, all APC Candidates and has directed all her members to vote all APC Candidates in the forthcoming election,” the statement said.

. “We are also working tirelessly among non APC Kabilu’s to vote APC and the results from our consultations with tribal associations within Chikun is encouraging,” the statement added.

The group said that it is equally calling and mobilizing undecided voters, Kabilu’s from other political parties to queue in that direction so that, communities will benefit from the dividends of democracy in the next dispensation and beyond.The grouo said that it remain resolute to working tirelessly for the electoral victories of the APC in Chikun Local Government.

By UMAR IBRAHIM

On Saturday 25th February 2023, Senator Muhammad Adamu Aliero, former two-term governor of Kebbi State will reap the results of what he sowed so far in his political career as the Kebbi Central Senatorial District electorate will troop out to exercise their mandate.

In fact, the harvest has been manifesting in manifolds as was his misrule. His tenure as Governor between 1999 and 2007 was characterised by high-handedness and total negation of democracy. In eight years, he sacked three party chairmen – Alhaji Malami Abdul-Kadir was removed as chairman of the ANPP and replaced by Alhaji Labaran Maikano who was soon after removed in favour of Alhaji Abdullahi Lamba.

In the course of his tenure as Governor, Minister and now Senator, Aliero has humiliated and fallen-out with virtually all the respected leaders of Kebbi State. The list includes Alhaji Abubakar Malam, Alhaji Abubakar Umar Tafida Kabi, Alhaji Samaila Sambawa, Hon. Buhari Bala, General Sarkin Yaki Bello, Barrister Kabiru Tanimu Turaki and Prof. Idris Kaoje. Others are General Ishaya Bamaiyi, the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Barrister Abubakar Malami, former Governor Saidu Nasamu Dakingari and incumbent Governor Atiku Bagudu.Worse still, his woeful work as governor convinced him that he needed to become an obstacle to his successor in office – Alhaji Sa’idu Nasamu Dakingari. He struggled tooth-and-nail to distract the administration and even vowed in vain to prevent its re-election.

When the incumbent Atiku Bagudu administration came on board, Aliero connived with cronies and collected a whopping N14 billion worth of contracts using various companies. To date, none of the projects was completed not to talk of commissioned.Today, Senator Aliero’s self-centred style of politics has left Kebbi State helpless and hopeless.

 For instance, more than two years after the abduction of some students of the Federal Government College Yauri, Aliero has demonstrated minimum concern over the pathetic plight of the citizens. Instead, he is exploiting his membership of the Senate Committee on Police Affairs to corner juicy contracts worth billions of Naira from the Federal Government.

Since leaving office, Aliero’s proxies, political partners and children have been floating all manner of companies collecting contracts not only from the Federal Government but also the governments of Kebbi, Zamfara and Sokoto States. None of the works were concluded and many were even cancelled. His prominent cohorts in these ventures include Alhaji Abba Aliero and Alhaji Kabiru Kamba. 

Their activities are complemented by Aliero’s political thugs especially Alhaji Sani Dododo and Alhaji Bunu Jega. These individuals who started out as critics and traducers of the former Governor are now full-time attack-dogs used in blackmailing power-brokers and bringing down those who refuse to play his bidding.The electorates will never forget the allegations that he also serially cornered and diverted at least three gigantic constituency projects worth more than one billion Naira.Senator Aliero was alleged to have used his clout to corner the direly needed developments meant for the District to his farm and that of his crony.

According to the list of approved Constituency Projects in the 2017 Appropriation Act executed by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, the projects include the construction of Feeder Road which was awarded to Aliero’s Great Northern International Company (GNIC) at Gante for evacuation of agricultural products from farmlands to towns and cities in Kebbi Central Senatorial District worth #200,000,000.

Another project cornered by Senator Aliero was the supply and installation of Central Pivot Irrigation Pumps with sprinklers also in Gante village of Kebbi Central Senatorial District worth #264,000,000.Similarly, the contract for the supply of Massey Ferguson tractors meant for farmers in Kebbi Central Senatorial District worth #200,000,000 and all the tractors delivered to his Labana Farms.

The anger of people in Aliero’s Senatorial District is that Gante village is under Lafagu/Gante ward of Kaoje District in Bagudu Local Government Area of Kebbi State.Aliero’s Labana Farm at Gante is under Kebbi North Senatorial District of Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, the incumbent Senate Majority Leader.

Their anger is exacerbated by the fact that during Aliero’s first term as Senator, the #2 billion Naira Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) intervention under the Anchor Borrowers Programme was also cornered for the exclusive development of his Labana Farms.

One of Aliero’s key fronts is Alhaji Kabiru Kamba from Dandi Local Government Area of Kebbi State, the proprietor of KK Kamba & Sons Nigeria Limited and K.M. Kamba Ventures Nigeria Limited.These two companies have been awarded billions of Naira worth of contracts by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing (FMWH) and the Police Trust Fund (PTF) respectively over the past years with none executed even though fully paid for.

The ‘juicy’ jobs include the procurement of operational solar energy equipment to service several communities in some states of the country, the Federal Government’s Mass Housing Scheme and the construction of police barracks in disparate locations in the country’s six geopolitical zones.

Investigations revealed that not only were the contracts not executed but they were re-awarded and paid for with the active collaboration of two ex Permanent Secretaries in the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Alhaji Babangida Hussaini as well as his predecessor Alhaji Bukar Alhaji.Senator Aliero’s other proxies in these schemes are his brother, Alhaji Abba Aliero and his son, Mustapha Aliero.

 Between them, they registered and run several bogus companies such as Galadi Global Resources, Net Galaxy Max, M.M. Saleh and Sons Nigeria Ltd, Waizah Global Resources Ltd and Eva Top Trading Company Ltd.On his part, Kamba also uses a variety of other firms such as Dunkulu Global Ventures, Maidaji Global Resources, Makharaj Nigeria Ltd, Clarion Prime Associates Ltd., Wastech Engineering, GT Energy Ltd, Viaeny Global Investment Ltd, Yakubeens Nigeria Ltd and Brading Global Concept Nigeria Ltd.Even after the EFCC initiated investigations into the dozens of non-performing contracts, only a few of the solar power projects were shoddily completed. 

In addition to the corruption inherent in the contract awards influenced by Senator Aliero who is chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, the companies completely lack the capacity and competences to carry out the works assigned.

It is believed that Senator Aliero successfully schemed the fraud by working with the Directors of Procurement and Finance who are both Indigenes of Kebbi State.Indications are that these sordid revelations maybe just a tip of the iceberg and concerned citizens of our dear country Nigeria are worried that the investigations into the shenanigans may be scuttled.

Already, only Kabiru Kamba is in EFCC custody while Abba and Mustapha Aliero remain at large, causing apprehension across the state and nation at large. It is widely feared that they could compromise the cases and escape justice by sharing the enormous earnings accrued from the corrupt practices.

The questions on the minds of everybody in the Kebbi Central Senatorial District then was: how much will be enough to satisfy the Senator and his callous cohorts and when will the dividends of democracy begin to trickle down to the people for whom the projects were meant and who really need them?

There’s palpable relief that in just days, the hapless electorate are poised to show Senator Muhammad Aliero the way out and unless he makes restitution, their next move may be to legally confiscate what rightly belongs to them.

So, Aliero’s dubious democratic career seems to be coming to a disgraceful end. Since its inception, he has been switching from one party to the other. For example, he re-decamped to PDP 2007 after spending about a year in CPC in early 2012. 

He later moved from PDP to APC in 2014 to PDP 2022. He and some of his close associates since 1999, like Sani Zauro, who was also former State Chairman of defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) Board of Trustees (BoT) in Kebbi State also quit PDP for APC.It is not surprising that Aliero and his allies should suddenly become persona non-grata among the parties and electorate. After all, it is said that the tree of lies only produces leaves. It does not bear fruits.

Umar Ibrahim wrote from Bunza Local Government Area, Kebbi State.

Atiku Abubakar, Waziri Adamawa, the 77-year old presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP), in the 25th February, 2023, elections maybe an household name in the North but he cannot lay claim to the 14 million followers of President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC),  in the region. If anything, he symbolizes the sort of savagely self-serving professional politicians that Northerners and indeed all Nigerians have since started to shun. 

After a comfortable career in the ‘plum’ Nigeria Customs Service and more than three decades in politics, Atiku’s only legacies are lucrative private enterprises such as the American University of Nigeria Yola, Intels Logistics and Adama Beverages Limited, makers of Faro drinks.

To start with, the North-east geopolitical zone of the country would not vote for Atiku Abubakar because the former vice-president neglected the region when he was in office between 1999 and 2007. He could not record eight projects in his home zone in those eight years to the extent that even the road to his village, Ganye in Jada Local Government Area of Adamawa State, was recently constructed by the APC government of President Buhari. 

Between 2009 and 2019 when Boko Haram terrorists held sway especially in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, Atiku lived more abroad than at home and could not orchestrate any coordinated assistance using his celebrated clout at the national and international arenas.

Atiku Abubakar’s sixth and hopefully last shot at Nigeria’s presidency does not also enjoy the sympathy of the other geopolitical zones in the region. Perennial political peregrination has never been a respected practice in Northern politics. In 1993, he contested the Social Democratic Party presidential primaries losing to M.K.O. Abiola and Babagana Kingibe.

 He was a presidential candidate of the Action Congress in the 2007 presidential election coming in third to Umaru Yar’Adua of the PDP and Muhammadu Buhari of the ANPP. He contested the presidential primaries of the PDP during the 2011 presidential election losing out to President Goodluck Jonathan. 

In 2014, he joined APC ahead of the 2015 presidential election and contested the presidential primaries losing to Buhari. In 2017, he returned to the PDP and was the party’s presidential candidate during the 2019 presidential election, again losing to incumbent President Buhari.To win this time, the former vice-president has tried to define himself as the northern candidate in the coming presidential elections.

 At the start of the campaigns in October 2022, he told the Arewa Town-hall Policy Dialogue in Kaduna that Northerners do not need an Igbo or Yoruba as president but “someone from the north.” According to him, “I think what the average northerner needs is somebody who is from the north and who also understands the other parts of Nigeria and who has been able to build bridges across the rest of the country. This is what the northerner needs. He doesn’t need a Yoruba candidate or an Igbo candidate.” 

The era of divide-and-rule politics is over. How can someone campaigning as a unifier utter such anti-north and anti-unity claims?Thus, while the Waziri Adamawa believes his path to power lies in the north, winning majority of the votes in the region would not be possible for the PDP candidate. He would have to contend not only against his two main opponents, Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC and Peter Obi of the Labour Party, he would also have to tame the rising profile of Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso-led New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP). 

His worst weakness, however, is the terrible track-record in delivering the dividends of democracy to the people.

Voters in the northwest region are still groaning and mourning over the multiple tragedies including the debilitating economic situation and devastating security condition traced back to the PDP’s 16 locust years in power.

 Their embittered disposition is unlikely to translate into votes for the former vice-president. In particular, the populous states of Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Niger and Jigawa are all APC aficionados.Any candidate who sees nothing wrong with the awful and pathetic state of affairs in the north is not worth voting for.

 The underdevelopment in the north was foisted by such northern leaders. In other words, the north undeveloped the north. Over the decades, the north has been held down by leaders of northern extraction who presided over Nigeria and saw nothing wrong with endemic poverty and misery culture.

 The coming polls promise to put paid to that.Atiku’s condemnation of the APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket is clearly a case of sour grapes because it makes Tinubu a strong candidate in the Muslim north. In contrast, the PDP’s religiously diverse ticket hasn’t earned him the same robust political mileage in Christian-dominated parts of the north. 

Rather, the Labour Party’s Peter Obi is more favourably looked upon among some northern Christians.The North is the most backward in Nigeria judging from any developmental index. Based on the three Human Development Indexes, (HDI), namely life expectancy, education and per capita income, it is obvious that virtually all the states in the North fall below the HDI of 0.539 as of 2019.

 How would the region develop with a mass of illiterate citizenry? How do we turn this ugly scenario around other than by electing dedicated, progressive, visionary and committed leaders at both the federal and state levels?The North is re-thinking and seeking a way out of the underdevelopment quagmire. It is no longer clinging onto the old attitudes that have failed the people. 

The 2023 general elections provide a historic opportunity for it to seek to change the unenviable narrative. The North is ready for a political paradigm shift. It intends to inject a new life into the leadership of the region and nation.Like the leopard and its stubborn spots, Atiku cannot change his character of callous disregard for ordinary citizens. Only recently, he called on the Federal Government to not extend the deadline for the transition to the newly designed currency notes despite the outcry especially among the unbanked rural dwellers that constitute the bulk of the population of the North.

 This call is reminiscent of his appeal for the repeal of Sharia law introduced after public demand by some Northern states with overwhelming Muslim majorities. It is also a flagrant violation of the religious and cultural rights of citizens as contained in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and extant universal conventions.

However, Atiku’s most pathetic political promise is the release of Nnamdi Kanu, founder of the IPOB and a worse perpetrator of atrocities against Northerners than even Chukwuemeka Ojukwu during his 30-months civil war. What manner of justice rewards aggressors and fails to even acknowledge the deaths and destruction meted on the victims? Would he offer the same treatment to Boko Haram’s Abubakar Shekau and similar terrorists or is this just a depraved pitch by a desperate do-or-die politician?

As if these travesties are not evil enough, the PDP contender also promised to do a single term in the presidency and hand-over to an Igbo candidate in 2027. This is the most undemocratic declaration ever made by a contestant in any democracy.

 How can a single candidate speak for the whole North and declare where his own successor would emerge even before his own election?In the final days to voting, Atiku plans to unleash all manners of religious and tribal sentiments to sway voters in the North.

 Unfortunately for him, the North has since written him off as an untrustworthy and dishonest person not worthy of their bulk support.  As an observer put it “Atiku thinks Buhari just woke up to get 14 million votes in the kitty from a section of the country because of ethnicity? 

No. Buhari built a legacy of honesty and forthrightness over the years while Atiku’s legacies are direct opposites of these.”In 1999 at the launching of a book on Sa’adu Zungur written by Prof. M.A. Yakubu, the current Chairman of INEC at Arewa House in Kaduna, Atiku as the Vice President of Nigeria and the most senior political office holder from the North in the Federal Government at that time publicly pilloried all Northern leaders. 

He told his bewildered audience that the Northern leaders and elders were the people who failed the North and the nation. He said they were the ones who had caused the problems.

The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) in its recent statement declared that Atiku has no credentials to be a sole Northern presidential candidate. Their reason is that he has not been seen as somebody who is close to the North because he has not been fair to us. He is somebody having his base outside the North. 

According to Alhaji Seidu Baba, a founding member of the NEF, Northerners commonly view Atiku as an untrustworthy and dishonest person who does not deserve their massive votes during the 2023 poll.