The Planning and Strategy Committee of the Tinubu Campaign Organisation has alerted the All Progressives Congress to the possibility of about 192 National Assembly members defecting from the party to other parties following the outcome of the party primaries that made some members lose a return ticket. The committee, chaired by a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, made the recommendation in its ‘Report on the Actualisation of the Presidency of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the Coming 2023 General Election.’ The committee, which highlighted the factors the party should consider in settling for a running mate and the possible choices the party could choose from, asked the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.); the party’s presidential candidate, Tinubu; leaders of the National Assembly and other party leaders to intervene. It warned that the defection of the members might affect the party. The committee’s report, a copy of which our correspondent sighted on Saturday, had 23 members, 22 of whom signed the document except a former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nuhu Ribadu. Other members of the committee included a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; serving senators Opeyemi Bamidele, Ishaku Abbo, Grace Bent and Basiru Ajibola; member of the House of Reps, Musa Sarkin-Adar, Komsol Longgap and Olawale Raji; former senators Adesoji Akanbi, Abu Ibrahim and Magnus Abe. Others were the Director-General, Tinubu Support Group, Umar Mohammed; Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State, Silas Agara; former deputy governor of Lagos State (under Tinubu), Femi Pedro; Safaa Adam; Amina Indala; Kashim Imam; Akin Awodeyi-Akinseyiwa; Saadatu Garba; Abubakar Sanusi and M.T Usman. The report of the committee, which was said to have been handed over to Tinubu for consideration and implementation, partly read, “Defecting to other parties is quite common during electioneering but it is more worrisome for this election as a lot of influential members feel aggrieved with the processes of the elections. “There is a need to reach out to the principal officers of the National Assembly and the party leadership at the national, state, zonal and local government levels to mitigate and assuage the aggrieved persons. “It is worrisome that 22 serving senators and 170 National Assembly members are set to defect from the APC. There is no doubt that this can weaken our strength and there is an urgent need for intervention from the President, our presidential candidate, governors, leaders of the National Assembly, the APC national, state, zonal and local working committees as well as influential party stakeholders.” The report said the committee met several times in June and deliberated on the issues of running mate, bearing religion in mind; branding and packaging of the candidate; defections among party members and gender equality. It added that the members did a random sampling of opinions from religious and political stakeholders and the general public, and that it used the religious demographic ratio from the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory. On the issue of the running mate, the committee noted that Muslim-Muslim and Muslim-Christian tickets have respective merits and demerits, but warned that the zone and religion of the running mate were sensitive issues that require careful consideration. The committee said a Muslim-Christian ticket would sustain the established religious balance in presidential tickets since 1999 and that it could bring about victory for the party as it would satisfy the aspirations of Christians in the North-Central and North-East. It however warned that Muslims in the North-West and North-East might vote for northern candidates in the NNPP and PDP, and could result in a substantial loss for the party. On the Muslim-Muslim option, the committee said it would help to neutralise the voting strength of the PDP and NNPP and satisfy the Muslim community which has the numerical voting strength that could guarantee victory. But on the demerit of such a combination, the committee said the uncertainty of the possible outcome must not be ignored as it would sharply divide voters along religious lines. The report added, “It will trigger a large-scale revolt from the Christian communities across Nigeria against our party, thereby resulting in substantial loss of votes that may affect the overall victory of the election. In our current nascent democracy, it has never been tried but when tried, the winner was not sworn in, even though it was adjudged as the most free and fair election.” ‘Don’t relegate Christians’ Meanwhile, the former SGF, who openly opposed Tinubu’s choice of a fellow Muslim as running mate, has described the insistence of the APC and Tinubu on a Muslim-Muslim ticket as his public affirmation that he only requires Muslim votes to be president. He said since the APC had submitted Kashim Shettima’s name to INEC, the Christian community, especially in the North, would oppose being relegated to second-class status. Expressing his disappointment with Tinubu’s insistence in a post sent to one of our correspondents on WhatsApp on Friday night, Lawal said, “I did say it: those the gods want to destroy, they first make mad. Tinubu has thrown down the gauntlet. He has submitted Alhaji Kashim Shetima as his nominee. He has stood by his affirmation that he only requires Muslim votes to be president and for all he cares, Christians can all go to hell with their votes. This is his position and he has a right to it. I concede to him. “We have picked up the gauntlet. The God of justice and equity through the Nigerian voter will decide the victor between the Nigerian Christians, Alhaji Tinubu and his party, the APC. This is our country and we will not let Alhaji Ahmed Bola Tinubu relegate us, our children and our religion to second-class status in our own country. “This is an existential crisis. Our right to justice and peaceful co-existence with all practitioners of other religions is under threat. A northern Nigerian Christian child deserves to be bequeathed a future in which he can aspire to be president or vice

  The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Ndudi Elumelu, has congratulated the Osun State Governor-Elect, Ademola Adeleke, on his victory at the just-concluded poll. In a statement on Sunday, the lawmaker described Adeleke’s triumph over his co-contenders in the election as well-deserved. According to him, defeating an incumbent governor underscores the people’s confidence and trust in the governor-elect as the leader with the desired capacity, integrity, humility, and love. Elumelu believes the victory further reinforces the main opposition party’s popularity not only in Osun but also in the south-west region and Nigeria as a whole. He added that the outcome of the election was an indication of the impending defeat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the forthcoming presidential election. The lawmaker, however, advised Adeleke to use his goodwill and vision to further unite the people and commence preparations for a transparent, accountable, and development-oriented government. Read the full text of his statement below: On behalf of the members of our great Party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the House of Representatives, I congratulate you, the Osun State Governor-Elect, Your Excellency, Sen. Ademola Adeleke, on your well-deserved victory in Saturday, July 16, 2022, Governorship election. Your overwhelming defeat of a sitting governor underscores the well-founded confidence and trust the people of Osun State repose in you as the leader with the desired capacity, integrity, humility, love for the people, and the political will to lead their state in the right direction. Also, this victory and recovery of the mandate that was stolen from you by the APC in 2018 further reinforce your popularity and that of the PDP not only in Osun State but also in the south-west geo-political zone and the nation as a whole. The indubitable triumph of the PDP over the APC in the Osun governorship election signposts the crushing defeat that awaits the APC in the 2023 Presidential election, with the soaring popularity of our Presidential Candidate, His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar GCON (Wazirin Adamawa) and his running mate, His Excellency, Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa. I congratulate the people of Osun State for their courage, resilience, and patriotism in this election. I also commend the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other democratic institutions for being on the side of the people in their quest for good governance. With the retrieval of our mandate in Osun State, I urge you Mr. Governor-Elect to use your immense goodwill and vision to further unite the people and commence preparations for a transparent, accountable, and development-oriented government that will give the people the breath of fresh air that has eluded them under the abysmal APC administration in the State for the past four years. I pray to God to continue to bless you with wisdom, good health, and strength to lead your people at this critical time in the history of our nation. God’s time is the best. Signed: Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.

  Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, has said the leadership of the All Progressives Congress in the state will respond to the result of Saturday’s governorship poll after studying it. This was contained in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Ismail Omipidan, obtained in Osogbo on Sunday. Adeleke was returned elected after defeating his closest challenger, Oyetola, and 13 other candidates, scoring a total of 403,371. Oyetola got 375,027 votes and won in 13 local government areas of the state to come second in the election. But the governor, who was the APC candidate in the poll, called on his supporters to remain calm, and the people of the state to go about their businesses without let or hindrance. The statement read in part, “Governor Adegboyega Oyetola has taken cognisance of the results of the governorship election in the state as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Sunday. “He, however, noted that the party would be responding appropriately after studying the results and consulting with critical stakeholders of the party. “The governor also called on security operatives to ensure maintenance of law and order. He has, therefore, directed security operatives to take adequate charge so as to prevent break down of law and order.”

  Youths across the 19 Northern states have vowed to propagate the leadership qualities of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, as well as agitate and ensure he wins in the 2023 general election. They made the vow at the inauguration of 19 State Coordinators of the ‘Northern Youth Coalition For Atiku and Okowa 2023’ in Abuja on Saturday. Speaking at the event, Ambassador Suleiman Ibrahim Kuta, the National Coordinator of the group said Atiku has the blueprint to redirect the economy, tackle insecurity and pilot the country back to its glorious days. He explained, “The 2023 general election, unlike any other, is an election in which we can’t afford any mistakes because our survival as a people and as a nation depends on it. “This is why we the Northern youths have taken it upon ourselves to not just identify the right candidate, but to also agitate, propagate and ensure that the right candidate emerges as the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. “After careful assessment, a decision was made based on factors such as fear of God, personal charisma, intelligence, experience, patriotism, inclusiveness and reputation. “Only one candidate has all these qualities and that candidate is Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, GCFR, (Wazirin Adamawa). “Our decision is motivated by the fact that the country is at a very trying moment and there is an urgent need for a paradigm shift. As young Nigerians, we want to witness a working Nigeria, flourishing in unity, peace and progress. “Atiku Abubakar is a man that would redirect our economy, he has the capability to tackle insecurity and corruption. “He is named the ‘Unifier’ because of his reputation of being unbiased and always fair in his judgment which are perfect qualities needed to tackle the current insecurity and disunity raging our great country.” Kuta assured that the organisation would not relent in its pursuit of good governance laced in fairness and equity. “We are dedicated, we are determined and we are deliberate in our quest of ensuring good governance from May, 2023. We have a vision and mission of making sure we contribute our quota towards the actualisation of their Excellencies, Atiku and Okowa as President and Vice President, respectively. “Our representatives from the 19 states and the FCT are here to strategise and map out an action plan that will carry our message to all the nook and cranny of our region,” he said. The National Coordinator added that the membership of the group includes both male and female genders to have a perfect representation and balance for inclusiveness and wider reach.