2023 ELECTIONS
Sleep, do business if you don’t win – Goodluck Ebele Jonathan
Former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, has an advice for politicians contesting in the 2023 general elections. He said if they fail to succeed in their ambitions, they should consider sleeping or doing business.
The former Nigerian leader further explained that he almost cried when he was voted in as vice president in 2017. He cited that he never wanted to be one. Recall that Jonathan was running mate to late President Musa Yar’Adua.
The duo succeeded Olusegun Obasanjo and Abubakar Atiku. Jonathan later succeded Yar’Adua as President after his death in 2010. He advised politicians to conduct themselves peacefully during and after the 2023 elections.
Goodluck Jonathan stated this when he paid a condolence visit to the Governor of Bayelsa State Duoye Diri.
2023 ELECTIONS: LAGOS DECIDES
The 2023 gubernatorial elections approach thick and fast. All political parties are intensifying preparations. Today, we look at Lagos and how the Governorship candidates are readying for Saturday’s showdown.
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate in Lagos state, addressed the press today. Dr Abdul-Azeez Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, has maintained that he has not stepped down for any candidate in the state.
Adeniran stated this while addressing a press conference in Lagos on Thursday. This conference comes ahead of the March 18th governorship election in the state.
There have been speculations that the LP and PDP in Lagos might form an alliance to defeat the ruling party. That is the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state.
The Lagos PDP however said there is no “official conversation” between the party and LP.
Lagos state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party debunks claims by the Labour Party Candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, who claimed that he’s talking with the real owners of PDP structure in Lagos State.
“Making the statement as credited to the Labour Party candidate came as a disrespect to PDP. This was because no one can lay claim to the ownership structure of the PDP.” Jandor said.
“So whoever Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour is talking to are only representing themselves. There are as no official conversation across the two party at the moment. Also, I am not planning to step down for any candidate”. He ended.
STILL LAGOS
Labour Party governorship candidate Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour has said that he was not given the opportunity to contest in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
He made this known to the public in an interview he had with Arise News this morning. The politician also criticised the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Dr. Abdulazeez Adediran, also known as Jandor for not picking him to be his deputy on the ballot.
He said the leaders in his former party, PDP, wanted the ticket for both of them. But Adediran emerged and chose someone else as the deputy to run with.
Speaking about the fallout, Rhodes-Vivour said, “A party is about consensus building and moving forward. There was an agreement. Unfortunately, he denies it and lies about it”.
“I was denied the opportunity to contest after building the structure for four years. After spending so much money on a ticket. I was denied the opportunity to contest because he went out and told these leaders that I want to work with this person as my deputy. Afterwards, the whole process now changed.” Rhodes-Vivour ended.
It surely makes up for a fascinating and unpredictable gubernatorial election coming up on Saturday.
I’m confident judiciary will deliver right judgement – Peter Obi
The presidential candidate of Labour Party, LP, Peter Obi has put out a statement this morning. Recall that the Labour Party presidential candidate is challenging the result of the just concluded February 25 presidential elections.
Obi said he had no reason to question the court, adding that Nigeria has one of the finest judiciary in the world. Although politicians are the people trying to corrupt the judiciary with “transactions.”
“I am confident in the judiciary. I am because I have stayed in court for three years when people said it’s impossible for you to become a governor through the court and I became the first. Remember I was impeached and again the court brought me back”.
2023 ELECTIONS: PETER OBI
The anambra native continued.
“I went for an interpretation where I said my tenure is not complete. People said it’s impossible because somebody else had been elected but I changed it. So having gone through courts, several of them, I have not had any course to doubt the court. I believe Nigeria has one of the best judiciary globally”.
Recall also that INEC had been under fire for its inability to upload the results of the presidential election from all polling units across the federation to its Results Viewing Portal on election day.
Disturbed by the election results and INEC’s declaration, Labour Party approached the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal to grant it permission to inspect the election materials used by the commission during the February 25 polls.
This included the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, which was the major technology deployed during the polls to enhance a free and free process.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the electoral body, Mahmood Yakubu, while receiving lawyers from the Labour Party on Monday, had assured the party stakeholders that the commission had nothing to hide.
The INEC chief pledged to provide all documents requested to aid the ongoing suit.
OTHER NEWS
Bandits kill 8 in Niger including Major General
A community in Niger was attacked by Bandits on Wednesday night. Four soldiers including a Major and four vigilante members were all fatally wounded. The Soldiers and vigilante members were gunned down by the bandits. This was while they were on their way to recover corpses of the local vigilante members killed on Tuesday evening. This occurred in the same local government area.
The bandits who were still hiding in the bush after Tuesday onslaught on the Security in the area opened fire on the Soldiers and vigilante members.
EndSars2020: Snap out of sympathetic frame of mind – Sanwo-Olu
The Governor of Lagos State as at this morning has some news for the 2020 endsars sympathizers. He said that Lagosians should learn from the events and try to move forward instead of trying to play blame games. He stated that citizens should learn from the experience and become resilient. The Governor said he wasn’t responsible for the military engagement on October 20 at the Lekki tollgate. He mentioned that the victims involved in the Lekki tollgate state sanctioned violence has been compensated.
Last December, human rights activists all over Nigeria accused the Governor of ordering soldiers to shoot at unarmed protesters.
NDLEA recruitment portal open
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, made an announcement in the early hours of Thursday morning. The body assured candidates seeking to participate in its ongoing recruitment that efforts are ongoing to hasten the process. The announcement said the NDLEA portal for registration had technical glitches and the agency was trying to make the process seamless.
Barely after the online application portal was opened, more than 200,000 applicants tried to apply. The anti-narcotics agency urged applicants to be patient while the system completes synchronization to serve them better.
Incase you’re interested in applying as well, here’s the recruitment site link.
FOREIGN NEWS
At least one person has been killed and two others injured in a fire outbreak at a building in Rostov, Russia. Dramatic footage on social media shows a large blaze, with smoke visible all over the European city. Rostov’s governor said a short circuit appeared to have caused the fire which ignited fuel tanks. The street where the building is located has been sealed off. There have been a spate of arson attacks on Government buildings in Russia, such as the enlistment and conscription offices since the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Wrongfully convicted American regains freedom.
A man by the name Sidney Holmes, who served more than 34 years of a 400-year prison sentence for an armed robbery was released this week. This was after prosecutors dismissed charges against the wrongfully convicted man.
“I never lost hope, this day would always come. I cannot wait to hug my mother in the free world for the first time in 34 years”. He said.
Sidney Holmes, now 57 had contacted the conviction review unit of the Broward County State attorney’s office in 2020. He cited he was innocent of the 1988 crime. Holmes was arrested in October 1988 in connection to an armed robbery. The robbery led to the death of 2 people outside a convenience store. He was accused of being the driver for the two unidentified men. These were the men said to have committed the robbery.
Holmes walked out of the prison facilities into the arms of his mother and family members in an emotional embrace.
ENTERTAINMENT
BURNA BOY TO PERFORM IN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL
Nigerian superstar Damini Ogulu, aka Burna Boy has been confirmed to perform at the final of the Uefa Champions League this season. The final which will take place in Istanbul, Turkey signifies the first time a Nigerian will be performing at the stage. Uefa released this information in a statement this morning.
“Big news! @burnaboy will be performing at the Champions League final in Istanbul alongside another amazing headliner”. Said the UEFA statement with a teaser video of the self-acclaimed ‘African Giant’. Burna Boy alongside Tems and Rema had performed at an Afrobeats-themed halftime show last month at NBA All-Star Weekend.
Also, Davido performed at the 2022 FIFA World Cup final in front of more than 80,000 people at the iconic Lusail stadium. These are evidences that Afrobeats is quickly gaining global appeal.
SPORTS
Real Madrid, Napoli book place in champions league last 8.
Defending champions Real Madrid cemented their place in the quarter finals with a 6-2 aggregate win over Liverpool. The Spanish side had come into yesterday’s fixture 5-2 up from the first leg. Liverpool needed to win with at least 4 goals to qualify but the Los Blancos had too much for them. Karim Benzema scored the only goal of the night as Real won 1-0. It was the striker’s 19th of the season as it condemns Liverpool to a last 16 exit.
Nigerian superstar Victor Osimhen continued in his imperious scoring form for the season. He got the first and second goals for his side Napoli as they won 3-0 on the night and 5-0 on aggregate. The Italian side are into the last 8 of the tournament. It was his 26th of the season. They will know their opponents on Friday when the draws get made.
Uefa Europa League returns.
Premier league sides Arsenal and Manchester United are both in action in the UEL tonight. The English league leaders Arsenal host Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon after playing out a 2-2 draw in the 1st leg. Man United have it easy though. They won 4-1 in the 1st leg and now travel to Spain to face Real Betis in the return leg. Both teams are favorites to make it into the quarter finals of the UEFA Europa League.
Thanks for reading.
