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Sulaiman Bichi Insists On Chairmanship Of Kano PDP

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The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kano State, Rabiu Sulaiman Bichi has swiftly responded to an announcement of dissolution of the 27-member state caretaker committee of the party by the party chairmen from the 44 local government areas of the state led by Mahammina Bako Lamido saying, he is still the state chairman of the party.
On Wednesday, Muhammina in a press conference announced the dissolution of the caretaker committee of the party in the state, saying they relied on section 24(2)(3) of the party’s constitution 2017 which mandated them to resolve political, social and economic issues of concern to the state.
The Chairman of the state caretaker committee of the party told our source in an interview that they have been to court four times on the same matter during which he was upheld as the legitimate leader of the party.
He added that the constitutional clause they are quoting has been interpreted by the court and the National Working Committee, NWC, of the party allowing him to remain as chairman until a congress is held in the state. “They have taken us to court three times and in all the cases we emerged winners. The last one was in Abuja where they took us to Federal High Court where the judgment delivered on the 30th of October 2019 said we are the legitimate leaders of the party in Kano with my humble self Rabiu Sulaiman Bichi as chairman.
“We didn’t appoint ourselves, we were appointed according to the constitutional provision of the PDP by the National Working Committee. Also, for the three times they have been to court in Kano, the court upheld the position of the NWC.
“The Abuja High Court says that we should continue to stair the affairs of the party up to the time when the congress of the party will be held from the 13th of April to the 5th of May this year. We shall continue as the executives of the party up to the time of the congress,” he stated.
He further stated that most of those assembling to remove them have since left the party to other parties and are probably sponsored to destabilise the party ahead of the bye-elections coming up in a few months’ time.
“I wonder why this issue is taking this dimension. They know the provision of the constitution, they know what has happened, they know they have been to court four times and lost the cases to us in all. I am surprised that suddenly when bye-elections are coming up they come up with these issues.
“We wonder why they don’t want to support the PDP to win the elections. Are they paid? Because some of them have moved to other parties and I don’t know their current positions. So, we are surprised that they continue to act in this manner” he explained.
He finally declared “Thus is an already done deal, the courts have decided in our favor, the NWC has decided in our favor. So, what they have done is an effort in futility. It will not have any effect and will not change anything. We shall continue as leaders of the party up to the time when Congress will be held to elect the new leaders.”

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Kwankwaso Agrees To Rejoin APC, Gives Terms, Conditions

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The 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has given terms and conditions to rejoin the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Sen. Kwankwaso, while addressing a gathering at his Kano residence, said any political alliance must recognise and respect the interests of his party and political movement.

The former two-term governor went down memory lane to recall how they founded the APC but were used and dumped.

In his words, “…those calling on us to join APC, we have agreed to join the APC but on clear agreement that protects and respects the interest of my party, NNPP and my political movement, Kwankwasiyya. No state where you go that you don’t have NNPP and Kwankwasiyya. We have gubernatorial candidates, senatorial candidates and others.

“We are ready to join APC under strong conditions and promises. We will not allow anyone to use us and later dump us.

“We were among the founding fathers of the APC and endured significant persecution from various security agencies while challenging the previous administration.

“Yet when the party assumed power, we received no recognition or appreciation for our sacrifices, simply because we didn’t originate from their original faction.

“We are not in a hurry to leave the NNPP; we are enjoying and have peace of mind. But if some want a political alliance that would not disappoint us like in the past, we are open to an alliance. Even if it is the PDP that realised their mistakes, let’s enter an agreement that will be made public,” Sen. Kwankwaso stated.

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I Would Have Gotten Third Term If I Wanted – Obasanjo 

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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has dismissed long-standing claims that he once sought to extend his tenure in office, insisting he never pursued a third term.

Speaking at the Democracy Dialogue organised by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Accra, Ghana, Chief Obasanjo said there is no Nigerian, living or dead, who can truthfully claim he solicited support for a third term agenda.

“I’m not a fool. If I wanted a third term, I know how to go about it. And there is no Nigerian, dead or alive, that would say I called him and told him I wanted a third term,” the former president declared.

Chief Obasanjo argued that he had proven his ability to secure difficult national goals, citing Nigeria’s debt relief during his administration as a much greater challenge than any third term ambition.

“I keep telling them that if I could get debt relief, which was more difficult than getting a third term, then if I wanted a third term, I would have got it too,” he said.

He further cautioned against leaders who overstay in power, stressing that the belief in one’s indispensability is a “sin against God.”

On his part, former President Goodluck Jonathan said any leader who failed to perform would be voted out of office if proper elections were conducted.

Describing electoral manipulation as one of the biggest threats to democracy in Africa, he said unless stakeholders come together to rethink and reform democracy, it may collapse in Africa.

He added that leaders must commit to the kind of democracy that guarantees a great future for the children where their voices matter.

He said: “Democracy in Africa continent is going through a period of strain and risk collapse unless stakeholders came together to rethink and reform it. Electoral manipulation remains one of the biggest threats in Africa.

“We in Africa must begin to look at our democracy and rethink it in a way that works well for us and our people. One of the problems is our electoral system. People manipulate the process to remain in power by all means.

“If we had proper elections, a leader who fails to perform would be voted out. But in our case, people use the system to perpetuate themselves even when the people don’t want them.

“Our people want to enjoy their freedoms. They want their votes to count during elections. They want equitable representation and inclusivity. They want good education. Our people want security. They want access to good healthcare. They want jobs. They want dignity. When leaders fail to meet these basic needs, the people become disillusioned.”

The dialogue was also attended by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto diocese of Catholic Church among others who all stressed that democracy in Africa must go beyond elections to include accountability, service, and discipline.

 

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Rivers Assembly Resumes Sitting After Six-Month Suspension

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The Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday resumed plenary session after a six-month state of emergency imposed on the state by President Bola Tinubu elapsed on Wednesday midnight.

President Bola Tinubu had lifted the emergency rule on September 17, with the Governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly asked to resume duties on September 18.

The plenary was presided over by the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule, at the conference hall located within the legislative quarters in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

The conference hall has served as the lawmakers’ temporary chamber since their official chamber at the assembly complex on Moscow Road was torched and later pulled down by the state government.

The outgone sole administrator of the state, Ibok-Ete Ibas, could not complete the reconstruction of the assembly complex as promised.

Recall that on March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers following the prolonged political standoff between Fubara and members of the House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

He subsequently suspended the governor, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and lawmakers for six months and installed a sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), to manage the state’s affairs.

The decision sparked widespread controversy, with critics accusing the president of breaching the Constitution.

However, others hailed the move as a necessary and pragmatic step.

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