Saraki: Kwarans define leadership

By Tunde Ajose

The term leadership could simply be defined as exemplified between the good people of Kwara State and their leader, the Nigerian senate president, Bukola Saraki, especially due to the result of the last presidential election.

Saraki, instead of being sad over the results, where the opposition party won massively, knew there was need to calm his people's nerves and addressed their grievances. This is in order to find a lasting solution to the lingering peace of the state that's being threatened by the opposition party's 'do or die' attitude.

In the last 5 days, the senate president has touched base with his people and both have realised where there are needs to make amends, agreed to work together to shame those who used money and power harassment to sway votes.

The interactions led to revelations and self assessments.

Kwara electorates discovered to their chagrin that the alternatives they wanted to dump Saraki for don't have the best interest of the people at heart, but to fight political foe and heavyweight, Bukola Saraki.

Saraki's performance at the national assembly has been rated the best ever for any senate president, but the executive wouldnt want that as his predecessors used to be rubber stamped. Saraki stood his ground and ensured all bills followed due process, despite presidency embarrassments and character assassinations.

Also, his contributions to the civil service state like Kwara are massive as governor and representative.

In terms of development, overlooking the trademark of sabotage by the opposition party in painting a government in bad light as witnessed in the treatment of Akinwunmi Ambode, governor of Lagos State; where roads were intentionally destroyed and government contractors were threatened, Saraki's love for the people and Kwara can't be compared to someone like the current Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, who dreams everyday of becoming a political leader of some sought through the bad door.

Lai Mohammed lacks the qualities expected of a leader. Aside from the fact that he lies at will, he is a selfish man whose only contribution in Kwara were only personal.

It is on record that proposals submitted to him by Kwarans were either ignored or diverted to his son. The only people that could boast of Lai's presence in the presidency are his immediate family, even his Oro clan has bad tales of him.

Lai's love for Kwara is only to sell the good people to his paymaster in Lagos to steal its resources. If this is not true, Osun State, which is already sold to Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, couldnt boast of being a success.

The case of the gubernatorial candidate is even more worrisome because his sudden connection with presidency got him juicy NNPC contracts, and since the windfall which runs into millions of dollars, he has been oppressing them with his new wealth and status. This is someone, who is also from a notable wealthy background but has never bothered to spread the wealth like Saraki does.

The people have therefore resolved to stick with Saraki no matter what.

The mistake has been made, but the effect could still be corrected. Saturday's gubernatorial and house of assembly elections give room for redemption and hence the needed meeting with true political leader in Kwara, Sen. Bukola Saraki.

May Kwara people win.

Tunde Ajose is a political analyst. He writes from Lagos.

Ogun 2019: Tinubu, a toothless lion

By Tunde Ajose

Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu has been hailed in many quarters as being a ranging bull across the country especially the southwestern part of Nigeria.

He has lived in the fake euphoria of his greatness for so long, he has forgotten where to pull the plug. And like the proverbial oba agbaragunmi, who asked all villagers to pause and pay homage whenever he sneezed and the towncrier rang the bell.

Tinubu only listens to sycophants and fools who are busy pointing him to where next to enslave.

Amongst all Yoruba states, Ogun State has always stood its ground against the slave master and this has been due in part to the quality leadership being provided by Sen. Ibikunle Amosun.

The rest lies with the resolve of the Ogun people to never bow to any demi god.

Tinubu and his minions' conspiracy against the governor of Ogun State dated back to the first coming of the governor. And neither would the next governorship election in Ogun State be the first time Tinubu would bite dust in his attempt of assuming more than his small frame!

He was beaten back in Ondo State when Rotimi Akeredolu became governor, he was beaten back when he sent one of his errand boys to contest Ogun State gubernatorial primary, just as he did successfully with Rauf Aregbesola in Osun State.

Lekan Adeola, popularly called Yayi was sent packing to Lagos where he was compensated to contest for the senate again.

Yayi's misadventure led BAT, as he's known, to collaborate with Adams Oshiomhole, the APC's illegal national chairman and fostered Dapo Abiodun on the people.

Amosun, out of respect for the party and love for the president, advised the authentic winner of the APC primary election and people's choice, Abiodun Akinlade, to seek redress by claiming his mandate on the platform of Allied Peoples Movement (APM).

It's on record that Buhari's victory at the recent Presidential election in Ogun State was the handiwork Of Amosun, who also contested the Senate seat defeating the so called “anointed”ADC senatorial candidate, Titi Oseni silly shaming Tinubu and his co-conspirators, Chief Segun Osoba, Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, and Adams Oshiomole the controversial Chairman of the party.

The sudden claim by the Vice President that he is a political player in Ogun State is very laughable, same for Osoba whose son rode on Amosun’s political sagacity to clinch the House of Reps slot, as he (Osoba) had to beg followers to vote APC at the last minutes when he realised that voting otherwise would spell doom for his son.

The electorates are becoming more aware and tired of Tinubu's overbearing leadership as a political leader in Lagos, hence, the #OtogeLagos is already gathering momentum. And it's only a matter of time, the hen comes home to roost.

As empires rise and fall, it is obvious that the reign of Tinubu is nearing expiry by his do or die attempts on the peace loving gateway state. And as his plans to embarrass the president of Nigeria, Mohammadu Buhari, failed at the presidential rally in Ogun State, Tinubu and his conspirators would bite the dust once again.

<em>Tunde Ajose, a political analyst, writes from Lagos.</em>

I will not mortgage the Peoples’ mandate – Atiku

Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party and former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, assures Nigerians that under no circumstance will he mortgage the mandate of Nigerians as freely expressed on the 23rd of February, 2019.

This assurance comes against the backdrop of the invasion and arrest of Alhaji Babalele Abdullahi, son in-law and finance director of his group of companies in Abuja on Saturday, 2 March, 2019.
In a desperate move to have Atiku Abubakar concede and congratulate Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at about 8.30am today (Saturday) invaded the Maitama residence of Babalele. They were however not given access into the house until his lawyers arrived.

The EFCC agents numbering about two dozen came in 2 regular vehicles, an 18-seater Toyota bus (registration Abuja CS 522 RSH) and a hilux van.

They came with a search warrant to search the house and office of Babalele and found nothing incriminating.

They then proceeded to his office at Oakland Centre in Maitama and found nothing incriminating there. However, they took away some documents of landed property.

Not done, the EFCC officials stormed his Wuse residence where they again found nothing incriminating after the search.

Afterwards, Babalele was taken away to the EFCC office in Wuse to make a statement alongside Mr. Lawan Ayuba.

It was gathered that the petition relied upon to invade the residence and office of Babalele was authored by a brother of the wife of President Buhari.

As a law abiding citizen, Atiku Abubakar recognizes the constitutional role of the EFCC and indeed any other agency of the government to carry out investigations, but will not be cowed by any attempt to blackmail him into mortgaging his mandate.

#NigeriaDecides2019: Atiku Inaugurates Legal Team

Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, at the weekend inaugurated his legal team to challenge the result of the 23 February presidential election. It is headed by Dr Livy Uzoukwu, SAN.

The Independent National Electoral Commission had on Wednesday, 27 February declared Muhammadu Buhari as winner of the election.

However Atiku Abubakar on Thursday, 28 February rejected the result citing several malpractices including the use of the military to perfect voters’ intimidation and suppression in PDP strongholds, connivance of INEC officials, security agents and the ruling party to manufacture bogus figures and outright falsification of the returns from the polling units. Consequently he had given notice that he will use all available legitimate means to challenge the result of the election.

On Thursday night the PDP presidential candidate met with members of the National Peace Committee prompting concerns in some quarters that he may have been prevailed upon not to proceed with the challenge.

“I have just inaugurated my legal team and charged them with the responsibility of ensuring that our stolen mandate is retrieved”, Atiku said.

“I am encouraged by the presence of fearless men and women of the Bench. The judiciary which had in the past discharged itself ably is once again being called upon to deliver judgement on this matter that will be untainted by lucre and uncowed by the threat of immoral power”, he added.

Atiku Abubakar assures Nigerians that sooner than later these noble dispensers of justice will give a judgement that will represent a historic denunciation of electoral fraud and mandate bandit.

We'll win guber, assembly elections, Saraki assures PDP supporters

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, today urged his teeming supporters not to be discouraged by the outcome of the presidential and National Assembly elections in the state, but should troop out en masse to vote for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship and house of assembly candidates come March 9 elections.

Saraki who was given an heroic reception on arrival at Ilorin International Airport by a mammoth crowd of supporters and well wishers, expressed confidence that the PDP has the number to emerge victorious in the remaining elections.

Addressing his supporters at the Charity House at his Iloffa GRA residence in Ilorin, the Senate President urged his people to close ranks and work in unison for the PDP in the governorship and house of assembly elections.

Appealing to his supporters and other aggrieved stakeholders to overlook wherever the system might have erred in the overall interest of Kwara state, Saraki reminded them that "those you voted for in anger are not your people and cannot attend to your needs as we, who are your brothers will do."

He thanked the people of the state for their support, assuring them that he would always be around to cater for their needs.

He added "I can't run away. My covenant with my people transcends politics. I will never abandon my people. We should not fight. I leave everything to God. I will not fight even with those they declared winners of the last weekend's  elections. We must cooperate  for the governorship election. Once we do this, we shall win the election."

The Senate President charged his followers to be more committed like the opposition's supporters.

"We should stop internal wrangling. We shall emerge victorious in the remaining election. I'm here to assure you that I shall never abandon you, my people. The people you have voted for are not known to you. We should forgive ourselves and move forward in the interest of our state, " he stated.

Ogun2019: Who are Tinubu and Adams in the gateway state?

By Tunde Ajose

The emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) in a state does not mean that the party's gubernatorial candidate would have an easy ride. This was what the election held on 23rd of February threw up.

If it were so, the pundits who had predicted a loss for the executive governor of Ogun State in the last election would have taken the crown.

But unfortunately for them, the paid analysts and their paymaster, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu's projection fall flat on its face, as the governor, Sen. Ibikunle Amosun despite all odds, seamlessly clinched the Ogun Central Senatorial district mandate.

The odd included the alleged Tinubu bankrolling the African Democratic Congress candidate, Titi Oseni, who pulled a meagre 37,101 votes as against Amosun's 88,110 votes.

Despite the anti-party activities of the so-called APC's party national leader, which was meant to work against the election of Buhari in the gateway state and put the blame roundly at the door of the governor, Amosun was able to ensure a huge success for votes gotten for the president.

It then came as no surprise, that in order to get back at the governor and make last attempt at ensuring they won something after many defeats at bringing the governor to disrepute, the National Working Committee of the ruling party suspended Amosun from the party.

This latest action goes to show the desperation of Tinubu and the national chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, in handling the affairs of the party and digging the grave for the eventual destruction of the party.

Their first attempt was to disgrace the president by making statements to incite the crowd at the presidential rally organised in Abeokuta, the state capital few days before the election.

This little group of disoriented conspirators has forgotten that the relationship between the governor and the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria goes beyond politics as both shared father and son bound way back before the so called lion of Bourdillon and his handbag, former governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, suddenly woke up that it was only an alliance with the upright former general could secure their lifelong dreams of a national political relevance.

And come next Saturday, Tinubu's puppet in the Ogun State gubernatorial election would be beaten roundly again as the people's choice is Abdulkadir Akinlade, a candidate flying under the umbrella of the Allied Peoples Movement, APM.

Tunde Ajose, a political analyst, writes from Lagos.

PDP rejects all elections' results in Kwara

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has rejected the outcome of last Saturday’s presidential and national assembly elections in the State as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The party in a statement on Wednesday by its State Chairman, Hon. (Engr.) Kola Shittu, said it took this decision after a thorough review of the conduct of the election, which it said was marred by widespread irregularities in different parts of the State.

“Reports we received from our polling agents across the State indicated that the electoral process was characterized by massive anomalies that put the credibility of the exercise in doubt.

“Although the election was largely peaceful as there was no record of violence in any part of the State, our agents reported that the exercise was fraught with several discrepancies such as card readers failure, over-voting and inflation of figures.

“In addition, our agents were also harassed and intimidated by some compromised security officials for complaining that card readers were not used for voting in their polling units.

“For the avoidance of doubt, in over 70 per cent of polling units across the State, card readers were not used for voting as they only verified voters but could not authenticate their fingerprints, which led to the use of manual screening of voters. This gave room for perpetuation of electoral fraud in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

"We also received report of how APC agents made use of unclaimed PVCs to vote at some polling units across the State particularity within Kwara Central. Also, many of the local observers accredited by INEC to monitor the election were APC members.

“Additionally, prior to the day of the election, the Federal Government backed APC made some retrogressive and undemocratic moves, using state apparatus to intimidate and arrest some of our members and supporters in some parts of the State.

“Of particular note was the Kwara senatorial candidate of our party, Dr Rafiu Ibrahim who was arrested and unlawfully detained by the Police less than 48 hours to the commencement of an election he was a major contender. This was apparently done to keep him out of circulation and give his opponent undue advantage.

“From the foregoing, election held in Kwara over the weekend cannot be said to be free, fair and credible. And it is on this basis that our party is rejecting the results of the presidential and national assembly election announced by INEC. The outcome of the exercise did not in any way represent the wish of majority of the electorate.

“Therefore, we will further review the circumstances surrounding the conduct of the election and take every lawful means to pursue our rights.

“Meanwhile, we want to thank Kwarans for going out en masse to exercise their civic duty despite the obvious militarization of the election by the APC-led Federal Government.

"The party also asks the public to disregard fake online report that its governorship candidate, Hon. Razak Atunwa has pulled out of the guber race.

"The report is totally fasle, mischievous and misleading. Atunwa remains in the race and will emerge victorious by the grace of God and the support of Kwarans."