The Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe, has expressed support for Senator Uba Sani, Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s preferred successor. The deputy governor, who was on the list of the top three aspirants earlier tipped to replace El-Rufai, was said to have been offered to serve as Sani’s running mate, but she rejected the offer. However, in what pundits described as a fence mending strategy, the deputy governor expressed support for El-Rufai’s candidate and called on her supporters to massively support the APC at all levels in the forthcoming 2023 elections. “I want to extend very special appreciation to HE, Mal Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai for the trust and belief in my capacity that led to my being his running mate/deputy. I believe his actions during this period has left no one in doubt that he has trust in me. These are privileges I will forever relish, cherish and hold dear, for the rest of my life,” she stated. Daily Trust gathered that Balarabe was said to have rejected El-Rufai’s offer in the presence of other senior cabinet members, earlier in the week. An insider told Daily Trust that despite her tact in rejecting the offer, it was received in bad taste. “This is a fence mending approach because some people are already selling the idea that there is a crack within El-Rufai’s cabinet and she needs to prove that it is one big family,” he said. In her statement, the deputy governor appreciated individuals, youth groups, women groups, elderly person-groups as well as Christian and Muslim groups who raised their voices and sacrificed their resources to show support for her to join the 2023 race to Kashim Ibrahim House. “To those that reached out personally and those I had the privilege of engaging on the workability of this project, I say thank you for the experience. I found strangers who became friends and a commitment to stay true no matter what. I do not take the moments we have shared for granted and I thank Allah for giving me the opportunity of meeting you. Your actions thus far only reaffirmed very critical issues for me, that you hold me in high esteem and that you have confidence in my abilities. May Allah continually shower His special grace and favors upon you all,”’ she stated.

  Godwin Emefiele, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), says he has not decided to run for president. On Friday, some groups purchased the presidential nomination form of the APC for the CBN governor, asking him to join the 2023 presidential race. But on Saturday, Emefiele said he has not taken the decision to run for president in 2023. More to follow…

  Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State has accused the Igbo socio-cultural body, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, of delaying discussions with the Federal Government over Nnamdi Kanu’s release. The governor made the claim on Friday when he featured on Channels Television’s Politics Today. “We wished that it should be solved and that’s why I went to Mr President. And our leader, Chief Mbazuluike Amaechi, has also gone to the President and he agreed for a political solution, but it should be us that should initiate it,” he said on Friday. “And I am asking Ambassador Obiozor (Ohanaeze President), he is very slow about this because I had gone to the DG DSS. I had gone to the Attorney-General of the Federation and they were ready to receive them to discuss. I had excluded myself so that politics is not by any means adduced to it.” “So, we should be encouraging the president of Ohanaeze to work with the IPOB leader as Mr President suggested and then let them, you know, bring something before the Federal Government and say, ‘These are what we are bringing on board.’ I think that the President is not averse to that,” the government added. The governor, who said he foresaw the growing insecurity in the South East, reiterated that that was why his government opposed the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) from the onset. He, however, said many people misunderstood him and “jumped into and used it for politics”. Umahi lamented that the situation is now “a pain in everybody’s eye” in the region. Buhari’s ‘Worry’ President Buhari flanked by Governor Umahi during the inauguration of the project. Photo: State House Umahi’s comment followed President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to the state where the Nigerian leader commissioned several projects. During the visit, leaders of the South East region pleaded with the Nigerian leader for the release of Kanu who has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS). But Buhari told the Ebonyi State Stakeholders’ Forum at the Government House in Abakaliki on Friday, that only the court can decide the IPOB leader’s fate. “I have listened carefully to the various appeals from the elders to the traditional leaders, regarding a wide range of options,” he said. “And as I have said previously, this matter remains in the full purview of the court where it will be properly adjudicated. “My worry is for our hardworking and innocent civilians for whom life is already tough and will like to just go out and earn a decent and honest living.”

  As presidential aspirants continue to emerge ahead of the forthcoming Presidential election, Bishop of the Living Faith Church world wide, LFC, also known as Winners Chapel, Bishop David Oyedepo has described vying to become Nigeria’s President as a demotion. Speaking during a leadership summit transmitted world-wide, Oyedepo while charging the church workforce on need to be devoted to serving God insisted that it’s too late for him to be the nation’s president. General elections: Pray that God’s will should prevail, Oyedepo urges Christians Those saying pastors are stealing risk God’s wrath— Oyedepo Despite Covid, we planted 10,000 Churches without raising an offering ― Bishop Oyedepo According to the Bishop: “I believe in Nigeria and that is why I am still here, and still praying for Nigeria. But I consider it a demotion if I am invited to become the president of Nigeria. I am called for a global impact. I saw this since 1984. “Even the devil knows that you can’t be genuinely sold-out to serving God, and not standout in life. “Since 1976, I have never missed a change of story” Oyedepo said. “I was 19 years old when I prayed to God not to let me leave a village the way I met it. So I was 19 when I encountered destiny. “I have not been tired going out for God since 1976”. He urged members of the church to pray for grace to be released on them for global impact for Christ.

  There was a mild drama at the South-West All Progressives Congress’ presidential aspirants and leaders meeting on Friday. Impeccable sources at the meeting told Saturday PUNCH that the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, pointedly refused to shake the party’s National Secretary, Iyiola Omisore’s hand or sit next to him and Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola. The meeting was convened by the former interim National Chairman of the APC, Chief Bisi Akande, and a former governor of Ogun State, Chief Segun Osoba. The crisis between Aregbesola and Oyetola became public knowledge after the minister opposed the governor’s second term bid. When Aregbesola was about to have his seat at the meeting, he asked the Governor of Lagos, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, “Governor of Lagos, where is my seat?” Sanwo-Olu replied, “Sir, (it is) beside Baba – Omisore.” After Aregbesola’s objection, others at the meeting subsequently intervened by declaring free sitting in a short video that surfaced online. However, Aregbesola greeted Bola Tinubu and was embraced by both Akande and Osoba, including others, when he arrived at the meeting. “Aregbesola was expected to sit down next to Omisore and Oyetola, but he refused to associate with them, deciding instead to sit far off. Attempts by the elders to make Aregbesola change his mind proved abortive as he said he didn’t want to be associated with Omisore,” one of the sources told Saturday PUNCH. When contacted on Saturday, Sola Fasure, the Media Adviser to Aregbesola, said he could not comment on the matter because he was not at the meeting. The meeting was convened by the former interim National Chairman of the APC, Chief Bisi Akande, and a former governor of Ogun State, Chief Segun Osoba. Also at the meeting were the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Chief Niyi Adebayo; governors Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo, and Dapo Abiodun of Ogun. Others include a former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel; a former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Moses Adeyemo; and a former National Vice Chairman of the APC, South-West Zone, Chief Pius Akinyelure. At the meeting, Akande called on all aspirants and governors to ensure that they carry on with their campaigns with decorum. The APC chieftain was said to have called on them to put the interest of the South-West first and ensure that they would not lose the ticket at the primary, which comes up at the end of the month. A source said, “Baba Akande said it is better for one of us to have the Presidency than for none of us to have it. He said we should carry on our campaigns with decorum. The ultimate goal is to have a small number of aspirants through consensus. However, this will be discussed in subsequent meetings. “Everything was done to ensure that the impression was not given that Baba Akande was supporting anyone. They also will encourage consensus among all aspirants in order to strengthen the unity of the Yoruba,” he said. When asked why Bakare, Bankole and Boroffice were not invited, he said, “A list was given to Niyi Adebayo to invite people. I think all these people you mentioned had not yet declared as of the time this meeting was put together.

  Pioneer Interim National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and former governor of Osun State, Chief Bisi Akande has said that the southwest geo-political zone of the country would produce the next president saying the region was united. Chief Akande who stated this at the end of a crucial South-West APC Elders meeting with presidential, gubernatorial and National Assembly aspirants from the zone said, “the South West is united for the presidency to come to the south-west in the next general polls.” He explained that the stakeholders had a fruitful, mutual deliberation. The meeting, held at Lagos House, Marina behind closed doors, lasted for over two hours According to Akande, “We are united as we will ensure that the presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will come to South-West in 2023. We had a fruitful, mutual discussion.” According to an inside source, “the issue of betrayal was put to rest as the elders affirmed that everyone who desires to run for any political office whatsoever is not encumbered in any way at all.” The leaders and the aspirants all agreed to conduct a rancour-free campaign. The meeting also resolved that name-calling and other personal attacks should no longer be encouraged by aspirants and their supporters. While commending the Vice President, being the highest-ranking public officer from South West extraction for a job well done, inside sources disclosed that the APC elders stated categorically that all the aspirants had the right to aspire to be President. But, they enjoined all aspirants to exhibit the ‘Omoluabi’ ethos in their politicking by shunning divisive rhetorics. While stating that consultations with them would be a continuous exercise, the meeting admonished the aspirants to queue behind whoever amongst them that eventually emerges as the party’s candidate, stating that the cohesion of the South West must be sacrosanct. The meeting had been convened by the first Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande and a former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Segun Osoba, both of whom served as Co-Conveners. Present at the meeting were the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, former Lagos State Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi and Lagos State Governor, Bababjide Sanwo-Olu, who is the host Also at the meeting, apart from the aspirants were the former Governor of Lagos State and Works and Housing Minister Mr Babatunde Fashola, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief Niyi Adebayo, Governors Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State and Governor Oyetola of Osun State. Others included former Osun State Governor and Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola and the APC National Secretary Otunba Iyiola Omisore. Aregbesola, who arrived in Osinbajo’s convoy at about 6.45 pm, was the first person to storm out of the meeting. Tinubu, after the meeting, also stayed back to have a light dinner with some caucus members of his campaign team.

  Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has asked the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, to resign if he has interest in 2023 Presidency. Akeredolu made the call hours after the CBN governor joined the presidential race of the 2023 general elections. Emefiele picked the N100 million forms from the party’s organising secretary at the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja, on Friday morning. Akeredolu, in a statement personally signed by him, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to terminate his appointment, if he refuses to quit, saying, “This is a joke taken too far.” It read in part, “Rumours had been rife on the subterranean partisan activities linked to him through these shadowy characters in the recent weeks. Pictures of branded vehicles, ostensibly purchased for electioneering campaigns, were also posted on social media. The audacious moves by those who claimed to be supporting this interest have been unsettling. “This latest news confirms that the Governor may indeed be interested in immersing himself in the murky waters of politics like any other Nigerian with partisan interests. It is incontrovertible that Mr Emefiele enjoys a constitutionally protected right to belong to any group or association and participate fully, just as any Nigerian. It is, however, difficult to imagine that a person who occupies the exalted and sensitive office of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria will be this brazen in actualizing his ambition. “There is no gain asserting the obvious. The combined effect of the Public Service Rules, CBN Act and the 1999 Constitution, as amended, exposes not only the oddity inherent in this brash exercise of presumed right to associate. It also confirms the illegality of the act should he proceed to submit the forms while occupying the seat as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria. “Consequently, we admonish Mr Emefiele to leave the office, immediately, for him to pursue his interest. He cannot combine partisan politics with the very delicate assignment of his office. Should he refuse to quit, it becomes incumbent on the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to remove him forthwith.” The CBN governor’s decision to run for the office of the president followed months of speculations regarding political aspirations of the Agbor, Delta State-born former managing director of Zenith Bank. He had, in response to the move to vie for Nigeria’s number one office, asked speculators not to distract him, saying he would rather focus on fixing Nigeria’s monetary policies and aligning them with the federal government’s fiscal policies.