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2023 Election: Atiku Threatens Me For Not Endorsing Him- Walid
Walid Jibrin, chairman of the board of trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says there are threats to his life for not endorsing Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate in 2023.
Speaking to journalists on Thursday in Kaduna, Jibrin said he received calls from some people threatening his life for not saying the party’s presidential ticket would be zoned to the north-east.
Walid said he was tagged a traitor for failing to declare Atiku, former vice-president, as his party’s preferred candidate for 2023 elections.
“I have received calls from some people threatening my life over my coming out not to mention that the presidency of this country be zoned to the north-east,” he said.
“They were saying that I am a traitor that I should have come out to say that it is only Atiku Abubakar because I said that Atiku was already overthrown by the supreme court.
“They said for that I should say Atiku is the man that I want.”
He said he could not single-handed declare anyone as a presidential candidate of the party because it is the duty of stakeholders to select a candidate.
He said some people are rooting for the ticket to be zoned to the south, saying, “If the Igbos ask me how do I explain to them?”
“I am a leader, I have to make a lots of consultations with National Working Committee, our Governors, then the NEC had to take decision and they should not forget the party has a constitution and a guideline which says there must be primary for whoever wants to contest,” he said.
“About three people went to Wadata Plaza (the party secretariat in Abuja) and demanded to see Munir Yerima.
“When they were there, Yerima rang me saying where I am and I said I am in Kaduna, then he said some people want to talk to me and I said let me talk to them on phone, he said they are intermediary between me and some party people.
“They said I have gone astray and if I don’t recant they would arrange bandits to deal with me wherever I go.
“So I told the man to go and do whatever he wants to do that Iam equal to the task. Then I realise its only a demonstration but they may be planning to assassinate me.”
He also said he has informed the security agencies and demanded protection from them.
“I am a very religious person who cannot even kill a rat or even an ant, yet people are trying to harass me, to assassinate me. I want the police to give me protection and stop this harassment,” he said.
“They said the people are from Kano, Sokoto, Adamawa, Kaduna, Zamfara, Kebbi and Jigawa states. It is a gang from these Northern states who are planning against me. Let’s see if the security agencies would allow this to happen. I would do all expected of me, I am not shaken.
“Soon NWC would convene a NEC meeting and convention to ratify the arrangements.
“There are people agitating for the Southwest, so we have to bring people together to agree on what people want, so they should leave me alone.”
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Board of Trustees, BoT, is currently holding an emergency meeting.
The meeting was called to find lasting solutions to the current leadership crisis bedeviling the party.
Those who have arrived include the BoT Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara; Secretary of the BoT, Senator Ahmed Makarfi; and former Governors Achike Udenwa, Sam Egwu, Babangida Aliyu, Senator Ben Obi, and Chief Olagunsoye Oyinlola, among others.
The meeting is holding amid the crisis surrounding the struggle for who occupies the position of the PDP National Secretary.
Last week, at the PDP national secretariat, a fight broke out between Samuel Anyanwu and Sunday Ude-Okoye during its BoT meeting.
The crisis between the duo started when Anyanwu left to contest for Imo State governorship election and Ude-Okoye was was selected by the Southeast arm of the party to replace him.
This led to a lawsuit, after which the Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu declared Ude-Okoye as the substantive National Secretary.
But Anyanwu said Ude-Okoye has no authority to assume the position, despite the ruling.
Anyanwu cited his appeal of the ruling at the Supreme Court as grounds for maintaining the status quo
The Nigerian Senate has approved the termination of three Resident Electoral Commissioners who have been suspended since 2023 for flouting the provisions of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Act
The approval followed the request from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urging the Senate to terminate the appointments of the embattled State Resident Electoral Commissioner for Adamawa, Sokoto and Abia.
Sponsor of the motion and Leader of the Senate, Michael Bamidele Opeyemi sought the invocation of Section 157 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, saying that the law empowers the Chamber to approve the request.
Those whose appointments will be terminated include, Dr Nura Ali, Sokoto State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Barr. Hudu Yunusa Ari, Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner and Professor Ikemefuna Chijioke Uzochukwu, Abia State Resident Electoral Commissioner respectively.
He said, “Aware that the aforementioned Resident Commissioners were earlier suspended in 2023, bordering on allegations of infractions of the Electoral Act; compromise of elections and abandonment of duty without cogent reasons.”
A copy of the motion sighted by Newsmen on Wednesday revealed that the Office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, and the Department of State Services, DSS, indicted Dr. Nura Ali in their reports, having confessed to corruption, incompetence and receiving bribe to the tune of $150,000 from politicians.
According, the plenary which was presided by the Senate President, Godswill Obot Akpabio activated the relevant provisions of the Constitution and approve the termination of appointment of the affected Commissioners.
President Bola Tinubu will depart Abuja on Wednesday for a private visit to Paris, France, before proceeding to Addis Ababa for the 46th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council and the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the AU Heads of State.
“The president will arrive in Addis Ababa early next week for the AU summit,” Mr Bayo Onanuga, presidential spokesman, said in a statement.
The AU Summit is scheduled to hold from Feb. 12th to 16th.
“In Addis Ababa, President Tinubu will join African leaders at the 46th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council and the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the AU Heads of State, scheduled for Feb. 12th to 16th.
Hea said while in France, President Tinubu would meet with his French counterpart, President Emmanuel Macron.
BREAKING: PDP BoT holds emergency meeting amid Anyanwu, Ude-Okoye crisis
BREAKING: Senate approves termination of appointment of 3 Resident Electoral Commissioners
Tinubu Departs for France Ahead of AU Summit
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