Presidential aspirant on the platform of African Democratic Party (ADC), Kingsley moghalu has crashed out after loosing the party’s primaries. Moghalu was defeated by the founder of Roots Television Nigeria, Dumebi Kachikwu, in the primary election of the party that was held in Abeokuta, Ogun State. The former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, who was the presidential candidate of Young Progressives Party (YPP) in the 2019 elections, could only poll 589 votes. Kachikwu was declared the winner after polling 977 votes from the election. Kachikwu, a younger brother of former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, will be flying the party’s flag in the 2023 presidential election against other contenders like Obi, Atiku, Tinubu and others.

  The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has mocked Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for alle clinching at very great price, the Presidential ticket of the moribund, decrepit and crippled All Progressives Congress (APC). The opposition party said the APC has since served out its purpose as “a fraudulent contraption that brought in the failed, corrupt and rudderless administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.“ This was contained in a statement signed by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, in Abuja, on Wednesday. He said, “Our Party also sympathizes with Asiwaju for embarking on a journey to nowhere as he is no match for PDP’s more popular, more competent and more prepared Presidential Candidate, His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar the unifier and the people’s choice, who defeated President Buhari fair and square in the 2019 Presidential election. “Asiwaju will soon realize that Nigeria is not one of his acquired estates or fiefdoms and that the Nigerian people are not his political string-puppets and retinue of lackies, from whom he bought the APC Presidential ticket. “Asiwaju will also soon realize that Nigerians hold him responsible for his self-confessed role in installing the failed Buhari-led administration that subjugated the people, brought excruciating economic hardship, acute poverty, bloodletting, terrorism, mass killings, promoted disunity, tribalism and nepotism, lawlessness, massive treasury looting and unpardonable life-discounting experiences to our country.“ Ologunagba noted that It is indeed reprehensible that Asiwaju, after being handed an APC flag that refused to unfold in recognition of the gloomy times of the APC, did not demonstrate any form of remorse for the injuries he engineered and caused our nation in the last seven years. The party spokesman stressed that his failure to express empathy for the victims of violence, kidnapping, mass killings and acts of terrorism, especially the recent gruesome attack in a sacred place of worship, St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo in Ondo State, serves as a foretaste of the big cover up and harrowing experience that Nigerians will face, God forbid, should Asiwaju emerge as President in 2023. The PDP statement further read, “His acceptance speech further exposed his manifest lack of capacity, presence of mind, resourcefulness and selflessness to manage the affairs of a nation as complex as Nigeria. “From Asiwaju’s egotistic outbursts before and after the APC manipulative National Convention, it is crystal clear that his life-long dream of clinching the APC Presidential ticket is not for the wellbeing of Nigerians but out of desperation to lay hands on the keys to the nation’s treasury. “Asiwaju has insulted the sensibilities of Nigerians enough and this APC National Convention will be his final political outing. “ This is because Nigerians have had enough and are now, more than ever before, ready and out on the platform of the PDP to defend our nation and reject Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu in the 2023 Presidential election. “The Nigerian politics is far more complex and beyond the Lagos politics where Asiwaju operates with brawl and deployment of violence rather than brain. “What Nigerians needs now is a unifier in the face of the pain and discomfort inflicted on them by Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his live band of APC looters and mean human beings. He needs to know that Nigeria is not Lagos.” The PDP charged Nigerians to continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with its Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, whom the party described as their choice President in this mission to Rescue, Redirect and Rebuild our nation from the misrule of Asiwaju and his APC

  Senator Abdullahi Adamu, the national chairman of ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has written to Bola Tinubu over his victory at the just concluded primary election of the party held in Abuja. Tinubu, former Lagos State Governor won the presidential ticket of the party, beating Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and vice president, Yemi Osinbajo, whom many call his political son. Adamu had announced Senate President Ahmad Lawan as the preferred candidate of the party. In a letter Wednesday night, the former Senator extended the compliments of members of the National Working Committee (NWC). Adamu said his letter on behalf of all APC members was to congratulate Tinubu on “the sterling victory recorded”. The chairman said his emergence has vindicated the party’s nationalistic outlook and patriotic posture as the choice for every Nigerian. “I am pleased that the Party spoke with one voice when the delegates voted overwhelmingly to nominate you as our presidential candidate.” Adamu expressed hope that efforts between the national secretariat and Tinubu’s campaign team “will proceed with the shared expectations of victory at the 2023 general elections, by the grace of God”.

  Jude Ezenwafor, a former chairman of the Labour Party (LP) in Anambra state, has been declared the winner of a presidential primary organised by a faction of the party. Ezenwafor, a sole aspirant, was elected through affirmation at the exercise which held in Abuja on Wednesday. The development comes days after Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra, was elected as presidential candidate of the party at a primary organised in Delta state by the Julius Abure-led faction of the party. However, prior to Obi winning the primary, Calistus Okafor, chairman of another faction of the party, in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1636/2021, and filed before a federal high court in Abuja, challenged the legality of the Abure-led faction. In a ruling on May 30, Inyang Ekwo, the presiding judge, ordered that the LP and some of its executives be served with a fresh suit challenging the party’s leadership, after which the matter was adjourned till June 30 for further mention. Meanwhile, in his address to supporters on Wednesday, Ezenwafor said he has what it takes to lead Nigeria well. “I am on a rescue mission to free Nigerian from social, economic and political crises currently bedevilling it,” NAN quoted him as saying. “Labour is leading a revolutionary course. Labour Party will win the general election. Our party is going to take over Nigeria and bring back the glory Nigeria needs. “I have been in the corridors of government for the past 20 years. We are here on a rescue mission.” Ezenwafor, a former aide to Willie Obiano, former governor of Anambra, also served under Obi. On his part, Okafor, factional chairman of the party, described the candidate as “a man of integrity”. “Having met all the requirements of the party, we hereby affirm you to be the presidential candidate of the Labour Party come 2023,” he said. Okafor, however, said he has nothing against Obi. “I am fighting for what is my right. I am not fighting my brother. Those who think I’m being used should have a rethink,” he said. Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has given all political parties till June 9 to conclude on their primaries.

  The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has held a closed door meeting with governors elected on the party’s platform. Atiku summoned the meeting hours before Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, was officially announced the standard bearer of the All Progressives Congress. It was gathered that the meeting which was earlier designed to be a “thank you” meeting between the PDP candidate and the Governors, became a consultation and strategy meeting when Tinubu’s victory became apparent. Those familiar with happenings within the party told Vanguard that the meeting is the first in a series of meetings preparatory to the campaigns for the the 2023 general elections. Briefing newsmen shortly after the meeting ended, Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum and Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwual said, “On behalf of my colleagues the governors, let me commend the leadership of the party and members of our party for a very successful national convention. “The national chairman along with the candidate came to thank the governors for their roles at the convention. “We talked about cooperation and collaboration in prosecuting a very successful electioneering campaign that will result into victories for the PDP at various elections from the state house of assembly, national election, governorship and the presidential election come February, 2023. “It is more of a consultative meeting on matters concerning the way forward. “ In response to a question whether the issue of a running mate for the PDP Presidential candidate was discussed, Tambuwual said:   “It is part of the consultation, its ongoing and governors are also being consulted on that.“ He had earlier, congratulated his APC opponent, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, for winning the APC presidential ticket after a hard fought primary. Atiku said Tinubu’s victory was proof of his tenacity in his journey towards strengthening the nation’s democracy. This was contained in a tweet on Atiku’s verified twitter account @atiku, on Wednesday. The tweet read “Congratulations, @officialABAT, on your emergence as your party’s presidential candidate. It has been a hard-fought contest, but that you prevailed confirms your tenacity. -AA.”

  Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says he “would have been a little upset” with Senate President Ahmad Lawan over the latter’s decision to contest the party’s ticket. The former Lagos governor garnered 1,271 votes to defeat 13 other presidential hopefuls — Lawan secured 151 votes. Speaking on Wednesday after he was announced as the winner of the primary by Atiku Bagudu, chairman of the election committee, Tinubu thanked Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and Lawan for their contribution to the party and nation-building. To Lawan, however, Tinubu said he would have been upset with him, but said he would leave the senate president to “lick his wounds”. “The vice-president, a very good and supportive pillar, a good associate to the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, professor Yemi Osinbajo. We thank you for being steady and good support to our president,” he said. “To you the legislator, senate president Ahmad Lawan, I would have been a little upset because you competed with me. But that is over now, since you can easily lick your wounds. “It doesn’t take away from thanking you for the past cooperation, collaboration and coolheadedness to build our country. You have helped to steer the ship of this nation in the right direction and with your team in the senate, history is written and will be kind to you. “To my brother, Gbajabiamila, the sparkling speaking speaker, I credit you being ever-ready to do Nigerians’ work and build the nation.”