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Nigerian Lawmaker, Olawale Slumps, Dies At Tinubu’s Presidential Campaign Rally In Plateau

by Folarin Kehinde November 16, 2022

written by Folarin Kehinde

Amember of Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Abdul-Sobur Olayiwola Olawale, who slumped at the All Progressives Congress (APC)/Bola Tinubu’s political campaign in Jos, Plateau State capital has been confirmed dead.

Olawale, popularly known as Omititi before his demise on Tuesday, was the member representing Mushin Constituency II at the Lagos State House of Assembly.

The lawmaker was among the politicians and members of the ruling APC who stormed Jos for the kick-off of Tinubu’s presidential campaign ahead of the 2023 general elections.

According to report, Olawale slumped at the rally and died moments later.

Similarly in June, the zonal chairman of the APC in Jigawa Central, Isa Burji, reportedly slumped and died at a hotel in Abuja during the party’s special convention.

November 16, 2022 0 comments

Headlines

Amazon To Lay Off 10,000 Employees – NYT

by Folarin Kehinde November 15, 2022

written by Folarin Kehinde

E-commerce giant, Amazon is planning to lay off about 10,000 employees in corporate and technology jobs starting as soon as this week, the New York Times reported on Monday.

The job cuts will focus on the e-commerce giant’s devices unit, which houses voice-assistant Alexa, as well as its retail division and human resources, according to the report, which also said the total number of layoffs remains fluid.

The unit that houses Alexa had posted an operating loss of more than $5 billion a year, with Amazon mulling if it should focus on adding new capabilities when customers use the device for only a few functions.

This development is coming at a time when tech giants such as Twitter and Meta are laying off staff.

November 15, 2022 0 comments

Headlines

There May Be No Election in 2023 – Charlyboy Insists, Gives reasons

by Folarin Kehinde November 15, 2022

written by Folarin Kehinde

Nigeria’s Maverick entertainer and social engineer, Charlyboy, also known as the AreaFada, has predicted the impossibility of conducting general elections in 2023 due to the current state of the nation.

Worried about hunger, poverty, the dollar rise, attacks on the offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and a host of other challenges ravaging the entire country, Charlyboy declared that the 2023 election is currently under threat.

He spoke exclusively to DAILY POST from the United Kingdom where he is currently spending his holiday.

The staunch supporter of the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, also expressed pessimism that the political bigwigs that have held the country hostage for years are not willing to relinquish power to Nigerians in the forthcoming elections.

He said: “There may be no election next year going by what I see. I don’t think that these people who have their stronghold on the nation’s political space are willing to relinquish power to the people.

“I repeat, there may not be an election next year. I have been saying this since last year. The way things are going, I doubt it. Nigeria is on a free fall. I have been saying it for years”.

Speaking on the dollar rise and the state of the economy, CB said: “I was telling my family that a dollar will get to N1500. Look at what is happening now; it’s almost getting to N1000. There you are. The redesigning of the Naira is not a solution. How can it be a solution when you are producing nothing and you are not exporting? So you just keep printing money to pay salaries and you think that’s a solution?

“Do you know what will happen at the end of the day? Because anybody who has money now, will not have tomorrow. If you have 5 million Naira today, some people will think it’s a lot of money, but do you know that every day, that 5 million Naira that you have in the bank keeps depreciating?

“If you give it another 4 months, that money will be worth 800k. So where do we go from there? So it looks like there may be no election next year. Everything points to that fact.”

source: daily post

November 15, 2022 0 comments

Headlines

2023 Polls: Again, Soludo Reveals Why Peter Obi Cannot Win

by Folarin Kehinde November 15, 2022

written by Folarin Kehinde

The Governor of Anambra State, Charles Soludo, has attacked the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, saying he cannot win the 2023 presidential election.

Soludo said the LP candidate was playing a game with his election bid, adding that Obi did not have the necessary structure in place to win the Presidency on the Labour Party platform.

The governor stated these in an article on Monday, titled, ‘History Beckons and I Will Not Be Silent (Part 1).’

Soludo had last Thursday during an interview on Channels TV ‘Politics Today’ said the investments in Anambra State credited to Obi, an ex-Anambra State governor, were worth ‘’next to nothing.’’

The former Central Bank of Nigeria governor’s criticism of his predecessor in Anambra State triggered a series of backlashes from Obi’s supporters, particularly on social media.

Obi ruled Anambra State between 2006 and 2014 on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance before he defected to the Peoples Democratic Party, and later the Labour Party.

Soludo alleged that some individuals, who were angered by his comments, had launched attacks on him and his family.

He claimed there were suggestions that the Saturday attack in which five security personnel died in his community, Isuofia, in the Aguata Local Government Area of the state, were carried out by those provoked by his comment on the LP candidate.

While describing the attacks on him as an exhibition of desperation, intolerance, he noted that the attempt to bully everyone who expresses the slightest of dissent was reprehensible.

Soludo further cited the attack on the Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Nigeria, Enugu Ecclesiastical Province, Dr. Emmanuel Chukwuma, by Obi’s supporters commonly known as ‘Obidients.’

He described as tyranny the attempt to muscle out those who were not in support of Obi’s presidential ambition, stressing that this attitude might endanger the future political and economic interests of the Igbos, if not checked.

While acknowledging the anger of some youths in urban cities and the Diaspora over the trajectory of the country or with the candidates of the major parties, the governor lectured his adversaries on the tenets of democracy, stating that the minority would have their say, but the majority their way.

According to him, translating anger and social media agitation into political outcomes requires humongous work.

Weighing the LP standard bearer’s chances in the forthcoming poll, the governor said, “Let’s be clear: Peter Obi knows that he can’t and won’t win. He knows the game he is playing, and we know too; and he knows that we know.

“The game he is playing is the main reason he didn’t return to APGA. The brutal truth (and some will say, God forbid) is that there are two persons/parties seriously contesting for president: the rest is exciting drama!

“That many Americans may not like the fact that Joe Biden (79 years) and Donald Trump (76 years) are two frontrunners for president in their parties does not remove the fact that if both of them emerge as candidates, definitely one of them will be president in 2024.

“As my brother, I wish him well and even pray for him. I told him during his courtesy call that my prayer is that himself or Prof Umeadi of APGA would win, why not?

“That is from my heart, but I also told him that my head and facts on the ground led me to know that it’s probability is next to zero (what I cannot say before you, I won’t say behind you).’’

Stating that Obi might not come third in the race, Soludo contended that the LP lacked the structure to win the presidential election in 2023.

He added, “So, I already told him my opinion. As my brother, I wish him well and even pray for him. Indeed, there is no credible pathway for him near the first two positions, and if care is not taken, he won’t even near the third position.

‘’Analysts tell him you don’t need “structure” to win. Fantasy! Of course, LP won governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun on social media and via phantom polls, while getting barely 2,000 votes on ground.’’

The governor conceded that the LP candidate would get some votes in his home state of Anambra, but noted that this would not take him anywhere.

“Of course, Peter Obi will get some votes, and may probably win in Anambra State— as “home boy”. But Anambra is not Nigeria. If he likes, I can even campaign for him but that won’t change much. From internal state-by-state polling available to me, he was on course to get 25 per cent in five states as of August this year. The latest polling shows that it is down to four states, and declining,’’ he submitted.

Dismissing claims that he was envious of his predecessor, Soludo said he and Obi had been friends for a long time, adding that he vowed never to leave APGA for another party.

The governor added, ‘’The same Peter Obi was one of those who told Ndigbo that APGA was the vehicle through which Igbos would organise to engage the rest of Nigeria politically. He was said to have sworn to Ojukwu and publicly that he would quit politics the day he leaves APGA. The rest is history. When he was the vice-presidential candidate under PDP in 2019, the emotive train then dubbed the ticket “the Igbo project”. As then chairman of planning and strategy committee of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, I cautioned for a more pragmatic approach but the emotive blaze of the time held sway. We were vindicated afterwards.

‘’By the way, in 2016, he visited and proposed that I defect to the PDP and contest the 2017 election against the incumbent Willie Obiano, but I declined. After my victory in November 2021, he called to congratulate me as I did to him in 2010. That is the Anambra way: we fight fiercely during campaigns but share drinks at the next social events. After all, it was the great Zik of Africa who taught us that in politics, there are no permanent friends or permanent enemies but only permanent interests.’’

The governor noted the failure of the LP to field candidates for the two chambers of the National Assembly in Lagos, adding sarcastically that he would have given Obi money if he were the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, for making his victory easier.

He stated, ‘’Not even in Lagos State (supposed headquarters of urban youths) where the Labour Party could not find candidates to contest for House of Reps or Senate.

November 15, 2022 0 comments

Headlines Opinion

Tinubu & Obi: Reconsider your campaign posture

by Leading Reporters November 15, 2022

written by Leading Reporters

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on September 28, 2022, formally gave an approval signal to all political parties and their candidates to embark on electioneering campaign for the 2023 general elections.

We are now in the seventh week of campaigns, but most political parties are yet to make any impact in explaining their manifestos to the public. The mundane scheme of renting a crowd for rallies is what appears to be occupying the attention of our politicians. Painfully, messages delivered at rallies and processions are characterized by merrymaking, acrobatic displays and political violence making it difficult for people to easily assimilate whatever is said at such venues.

While the abolition of rallies may not be directly advocated because they too produce unique results, rallies should not be used to discard other strategies particularly debates and public enlightenment. All candidates must spend ample time to explain their manifestos for voters to easily identify who can best represent them.

Although there have been interactive sessions with some interest groups, political broadcasts through radio and television that are designed to breakdown the promises of the candidates to the understanding of all and sundry using mass media organs ought to be prioritized in line with current global realities.

The preference for rallies is not surprising though because as history tells us, many candidates seeking to be elected into political offices are either personally unfit or have no viable programmes to present to the public. Understandably therefore, it is getting clearer that debates which are the most potent of all political broadcasts may not hold in Nigeria this year.

Instead, our political parties are more comfortable with simple straight party talks which are never interrogated. This is because Nigerian politicians detest debates which clearly bring out visionary and knowledge-driven candidates. It has been so since 1999, as one candidate or the other gives some flimsy excuses for declining to participate.

For example, the nation waited in vain for the candidate of the then ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011 to participate in organized Presidential debates. The 2011 edition, took the format of drama as 3 of the candidates appeared in one debate at one platform while the then President Goodluck Jonathan undertook a one-man debate in his preferred platform. In 2019, the candidates of the two major parties including the incumbent president did not show up.

Already, the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, organizers of this year’s debates have cancelled the event. The group in an official statement said it took the decision after “a critical assessment of events surrounding recent engagements with the presidential candidates as well as subsequent statements from political parties.”

The APC had indicated during the week that its flagbearer, Bola Ahmed Tinubu might not honour invitations for debates with other candidates. In reaction, the Labour Party said its candidate, Peter Obi will no longer show up for debates if his counterparts in the other parties are not forthcoming. Certainly, Nigeria should frown at the continuation of such a retrogressive disposition.

We cannot claim to be running the presidential system of government fashioned after the American type and be avoiding political debates which the same American system have shown to be the best way to compare contestants.

In fact, the United States of America has a long history of political broadcasts; the presidential debate serving as the most popular. The practice is that three days are set aside before any presidential election for the candidates contesting the election to engage one another in a series of debates.

The debates are usually broadcast LIVE to the nation on Radio and Television. As far back as 1960, when Nigeria was only just becoming an independent country, America could boast of exciting presidential debates. Candidate John F. Kennedy who won the American election of that year, achieved the feat because of what was generally believed to be his superior performance over his rival, Richard Nixon during the debates. Some 62 years later, Nigeria is still unable to guarantee a presidential debate because some of the candidates are anxious to cover-up some deficiencies.

Of all the parties, the APC appears to be the greatest culprit in this game of dodging debates. This is surprising because from what I knew of Tinubu when I had cause to relate with him while I ran the NTA, he was quite proactive. Why is APC shielding him from the debates? One can only hope that some ‘eye-service’ officials are not as usual doing a disservice to the man.

I recall during the Jonathan years when I ran into a forum where his officials, aides etc. spent ample time convincing him to not attend the 2015 debate simply because they believed it would give an opportunity to all other contestants to rudely relate to the then president during a debate. From my experience as an election observer across jurisdictions, I can testify that each time a candidate is absent from a debate, the conclusion of the audience is that such candidate has something to hide. This is why I call on Tinubu today to listen to the voice of a few of his admirers who support debates and use the opportunity to engage with voters. The story out there that Tinubu intends to ignore his opponents who are said to be wasting their time discussing rumours about him is a puerile route.

I recommend to the APC candidate and indeed all his fellow presidential contestants that information is power and communication is empowerment. I also call on the PDP candidate Atiku Abubakar to take advantage of the presidential debates to dwell more on his lofty promises such as his plan to strengthen ECOMOG to effectively patrol Nigerian borders and promptly halt invaders who are the alleged champions of insurgency in Nigeria.

One successful political debate is better than 5 rallies and 5 chats with some interest groups combined. As a result, candidates should displace other engagements for the debate. After all, organizers are expected to find a convenient date for all before fixing it. PDP should desist from sending a representative to whatever is called a presidential media forum as it did to the Arise Town hall meeting. And because there would also be a vice presidential forum, the running mate cannot be at all events. In any case, Arise and partners should not have allowed the representation.

In the case of the Labour Party candidate, Peter Obi, many people appear to easily reason with his new stand of not attending debates where some of his colleagues are absent. But that protocol is only good for an office-holder and not for a candidate. Having used all the events, he attends to underscore his visible competence, it would be self-stabbing for him to shoot down his strength. It is for this reason that he too needs to revisit his decision to shun any debate.

Again, it is expedient to say to all candidates that some of us and our few friends and families will not in this modern age vote for anyone who does not see the importance of persuading and convincing us about his capacity to change Nigeria’s stunted growth. We dare say that lovers of issue-based campaigns and persuasive manifestos are not as few as is usually imagined in Nigeria. Of course, candidates who will not engage in issue-based campaigns will be the very first suspects wherever there are reports of political violence at rallies or cases of vote buying and rigging of elections.

In all that has been said above in favour of political debates, Nigeria still needs to depart from the obsolete order where party attack-dogs in the name of spokespersons attack their party’s opponents. Debates should no longer be venues for abuses and every form of intemperate language. Rather, everyone must be allowed to explain what he wants to do for the country. It is the failure of Nigerians to insist on decent political debates that has made it impossible over the years for the nation to pick visionary leaders who can implement viable programmes and remove Nigeria from underdevelopment.

By Tonnie Iredia

November 15, 2022 0 comments

Headlines

Gov Soludo’s Son Distance Self From His Father’s Claims On Obi

by Leading Reporters November 15, 2022

written by Leading Reporters

Professor Chukwuma Soludo’s dismissal of Peter Obi’s presidential ambition is still a trending topic in Nigeria the Anambra state governor wrote a long article highlighting why he thinks Obi won’t win the 2023 presidential election Soludo’s verbal attack on Obi seems to not have his backing of his son, Ozonna, who insists that Obi is the best presidential candidate ahead of 2023.

Ozonna Soludo has declared that Peter Obi of the Labour Party is the best presidential candidate in the forthcoming 2023 general elections. The 28-year old UK-based artiste made the comment on Facebook in response to a social media post criticizing his father for opposing Obi’s presidential ambition. Ozonna Soludo said Peter Obi is the best candidate despite his father’s stance.

Professor Chukwuma Soludo, on Monday, November 14 openly dismissed Obi’s presidential ambition saying he won’t win. Ozonna says he does not want to be dragged into politics, but stated clearly that he prefers Obi to other candidates.

The Anambra state governor also alleged that poverty grew to astronomical levels in Anambra under Obi’s watch. The comment by Soludo triggered angry reactions from ‘Obidients’ – supporters of the Labour Party presidential candidate. While an attempt was made to drag Ozonna into the conversation, he stated that his opinion is different from that of his father. His words: “I would appreciate not being dragged into this. I am not an extension of anybody.

I have my own opinions and have always said I think Peter is the best candidate. All this has nothing to do with me.” Peter Obi’s purported investments are worth next to nothing – Soludo Recall that Soludo recently said the investments made by Obi, when the presidential candidate of the Labour Party was Anambra state’s chief executive is worth next to nothing at the moment.

Strong reasons emerge on why Peter Obi is yet to release his manifesto When asked his perspective on government investing outside the public sector with reference to Obi as former governor in Anambra, Soludo said the value of those investments are now worth next to nothing. 2023: It’ll be miracle of the century if Peter Obi wins, says Mamora Meanwhile, the minister of state for health, Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora has discarded the chances of Obi winning the 2023 presidential election. According to Mamora, Obi’s candidacy is synonymous with independent candidacy in America which has never produced a president.

November 15, 2022 0 comments

Headlines

Elections: National Assembly asked to legalize Presidential, Governorship Debates

by Folarin Kehinde November 14, 2022

written by Folarin Kehinde

The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has charged the National Assembly to make participation in presidential and governorship debates mandatory.

A statement by Secretary-General Willy Ezugwu said a law to that effect would strengthen Nigeria’s electoral process.

CNPP wondered why some standard bearers deliberately refused to attend debates or were excluded by the organisers.

The coalition believes legalizing dialogues with standard bearers in attendance will help citizens make informed decisions.

CNPP said in advanced democracies like the United States, debates are considered an intrinsic part of the electoral process.

Ezugwu noted that no serious contender in the American presidential race could afford to stay away.

“There is a need to make governorship and presidential debates in Nigeria mandatory for all candidates and their parties.

“Debates should be a veritable platform for the public to screen persons seeking to represent them in government.”

The statement urged the National Assembly to immediately set up modalities to make its demand customary.

CNPP suggested a law for the establishment of a National Commission on Election Debates (CED) with a mandate to arrange discourses.

The commission, it added, should be empowered to sanction candidates that fail to participate and also impose penalties.

The 2023 campaign season is in full swing ahead of the general polls in February and March.

November 14, 2022 0 comments

Headlines

Fake News: Arise TV to Pay 2 Million Naira Fine – NBC

by Folarin Kehinde November 14, 2022

written by Folarin Kehinde

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has fined Arise Television N2 million over a fake report about the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu.

The TV station had aired a report that the Independent National Broadcasting Commission (INEC) was investigating Tinubu’s alleged crime bordering on narcotics and illicit drugs.

A statement purportedly issued by the INEC had gone viral on social media but the electoral body, on Saturday debunked the report, saying it was a handiwork of mischiefs.

Arise TV had on Sunday apologized to Tinubu and INEC for misleading the general public.

According to The Nation, the television station was fined N2m for breaching the broadcasting code.

November 14, 2022 0 comments

Headlines

Butterfly Project Empowers 25 Girls On Skill Development, Financial Independence

by Folarin Kehinde November 13, 2022

written by Folarin Kehinde

Kenny Folarin, Abuja

As part of effort aimed at empowering the girl-child to become self-reliant and financially independent, the Butterfly Project has empowered 25 girls on skill development to ensure financial independence and unearth hidden potentials among the girl-child.

Project Coordinator, the Butterfly Project, Samantha Umar while speaking in Abuja over the weekend at the Butterfly Project Exhibition and Maiden Edition for the first 25 graduands stated that project is contributing her own quota to curbing poverty in the lives of girls by empowering them with skills so that they can become financially independent, support themselves, their family and the society at large.

According to Umar, the Butterfly Project, was initiated to solve the problems that girls are facing in the society such as child marriage, period poverty, lack of access to good and quality education which is as a result of poverty level in the society.

Umar explained that the project which is in line with the Sustainable Development Goal 1 (Eradicating extreme poverty for all people everywhere by 2030 is a pivotal goal of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development) also aims at addressing the cycle of poverty by allowing girls to intern under the trusted leadership of a mentor to learn a skill and further empowering them with social support to build a network of self-reliant young ladies.

According to Umar, the Butterfly Project has been able to make the girls unearth hidden skill-set, passion and potentials that would have been wasted if not harnessed.

” We have many things keeping us back as girls, we have not been able to explore who we are, explore potentials within us, so the butterfly project is aimed at harnessing the skills that are in girls, breaking them out of those barriers that are keeping them and giving them ab inito sly into their dreams and be the woman that they envision to be, the women that we envision to become”.

She alluded that women and girls have the
ability to contribute to the society’s long-term development, and removing
economic barriers is one approach to assisting them in advocating for their rights.

“This is the driving force behind the Butterfly Project, a platform dedicated to
breaking down ‘cocoons’ (barriers) and empowering girls to achieve their full
potential”.

Umar however encouraged the girls that they are enough and have everything to be a great woman and envisioned destiny fulfilled through hardwork and dedication.

Deputy Coordinator, Global GLOW Nigeria, Blessing Archibong explained that the butterfly project was birthed by 5 girls who were selected from different states including the federal capital territory initiated how poverty can be tackled among the girl-child.

Archibong explained that the girls went through 3 month internship and afterwards the exhibition.

She noted that empowering a girl-child is key to herself, family and the nation at large.

“This is the maiden edition, this will be sustainable, if we can empower girls, from where you are with what you have, you can empower a Girl-Child because we believe if you empower a Girl-Child, she will go back and empower her family, community and nation”.

Communication Lead of the Butterfly Project, Haruna Anita stated that the butterfly project has impacted the girls by giving them the opportunity to participate in the communities on different skills also selling their products to support their education and their wellbeing.

She advised that ” Every girl should not rely solely on their parents, every girl is supposed to have a skill that will build her up to be a better person in the future and the future starts now”.

One of the mentors with Global Glow, Elizabeth Emecheta on her part stated that most of the issues the girl-child faces is caused mainly by the poverty level in the society.

Emecheta noted that beyond schooling, parents should do more by giving them the opportunity to acquire skills that they are passionate about, they should not push their children about on what skills to learn, rather ask them what they are passionate about and guide them.

” So if a girl acquire this skill they will be able to break out of poverty because look at what the girls have displayed they make money, fend for themselves and their families.

” For those that have benefited from this project, they should not end it all here, they should duplicate these skills with other girls”. She added.

Skills displayed at the event include Hair Styling, Baking, Fish Farming, Tailoring, Catering, and Make-up.

Others include, Photography, Shoemaking, Fabric Design, Writing and Poetry.

November 13, 2022 0 comments

Headlines

Dream come true as FIFA confirm Kizz Daniel to Perform at W’Cup

by Folarin Kehinde November 11, 2022

written by Folarin Kehinde

Nigerian singer, Kizz Daniel, has been confirmed as one of the headline performing artistes at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The World Cup organisers, FIFA, made the confirmation on Friday as they listed the five official performing artistes for the event.

In FIFA’s list of headliners for the FIFA Fan Festival during the World Cup, Kizz Daniel is the only African artiste performing alongside five international award-winning singers.

For the lineup, American DJ and Music Producer, Diplo, will perform on November 22 while Kizz Daniel’s performance is slated for November 23.

Canadian crooner, Nora Fatehi, will perform on November 29; American singer, Trinidad Cardona, on December 1 and Scotland’s Calvin Harris on December 10.

FIFA shared the lineup on its official Instagram page on Friday.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup is set to hold in Qatar from Sunday, 20 November to Sunday, 18 December, 2022.

This is a dream come true for the singer as he once tweeted in June about his wish to perform at the World Cup.

Kizz Daniel has earned his mark in the industry as a viral hit maker.

His single, “Buga”, which he features Tecno, garnered recognition from around the world as world leaders and celebrities joined in the viral Buga Challenge.

In October, Kizz Daniel released yet another hit track “Odo” (Cough) which is currently a sensation on the Internet.

November 11, 2022 0 comments

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