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“Igbos Will Not Get Presidency By Threatening To Secede” – Gov. El-rufai

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The continued secession threats by various forces and individuals from the South-East cannot earn the Igbos the ticket to produce Nigeria’s next president in 2023, Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai has said.

El-Rufai said though it would be the turn of the South to produce the next President for the country, the Igbo should have it at the back of their minds that it would be impossible for them to get the Presidential slot through their current threats of secession to other parts of the country.

The Kaduna governor noted that politics was all about negotiations and convincing others to cast their votes for you.

He, therefore, advised the Igbo to adopt this approach if they want one of their own to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.

He stated this during a webinar organised by the Africa Leadership Group. The event tagged: ‘Developing a Viable Nation 2’ was hosted by Pastor Ituah Ighodalo of Trinity House Church.

El-Rufai in his response to a question on why the South-East is being denied Nigeria’s Presidency, said, “I don’t think anyone has stopped the South-East from going for the Presidency. But you see, you cannot get the Presidency of Nigeria by threats or by shouting victimhood. This is a political process and you have to engage other parts of Nigeria to convince them to support you.

“That is what everyone does. That is what Jonathan did in 2011; that is what Buhari did in 2015 and 2019. That is what every President does. You don’t stay in your corner, abuse everyone in Nigeria and say give me Presidency. It is not going to happen.”

The Kaduna governor stressed that no particular region in the country can clinch the Presidential seat without the backing of others.

He advised those aspiring to be Nigeria’s next president to get on the on their feet and convince the electorate that they mean well for the people.

But he noted that the weakness in the strength of the ruling All Progressives Congress is in the South-East might not favour the region in its quest to occupy the nation’s number political office after incumbent President Buhari.

El-Rufai further stated, “Presidency is not by allocation. It is the result of a political process. You join a political party, your party negotiates with other parts of the country and it happens. That is how it is done. And you cannot get it by sitting down or threatening secession. It won’t work.

“I think the South-East is going about it the wrong way because if you look at the APC for instance, we do not have many footprints in the South-East.”

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“Support Tinubu’s Government, Things Will Gets Better” – Former Presidential Aide, Adesina Tells Nigerians

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The former presidential aide, Femi Adesina at an event in Lagos, assured of a better Nigeria but noted that the citizens must play their part.

Adesina called for support for Tinubu’s government, asking citizens to pray and have goodwill towards the government.

Adesina made this remark in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday, March 25.

He said: “My message to Nigeria at this time is just to hold the fort, this place is going to get better.

“It is our country, we don’t have another one. So we must ensure that it works because no matter where we go, we will not be first class citizens. Nigeria will get it right, we will get there.

“So, let us support the government, let us pray for the government and have good will towards the government and everything is good, to get better and right,” Adesina added.

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“I Received N266Million From 2024 Budget” — Senator Abaribe Says Amid Claims Certain Senators Were Given N500Million

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The lawmaker representing the Abia South Senatorial District, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, has said that contrary to the claim that some ranking senators received N500 million from the 2024 budget, he only received N266 million.

Recall that the senator representing Cross River North, Agom Jarigbe on Tuesday, March 12, revealed that senior ranking senators had received N500 million each from the 2024 budget while he got nothing.

Lawmakers who have spent at least four years in the Senate are regarded as ranking senators.

Jarigbe made the revelation on the floor of the Senate while speaking on allegations of budget padding raised by the lawmaker representing Bauchi Central, Senator Abdul Ningi.

Ningi had earlier alleged that the Senate of padding the 2024 budget, saying the National Assembly added an extra N3.7 trillion to the initial budget.

Reacting to the allegation on Arise Television on Wednesday, March 13, Abaribe said Ningi knew it was a mistake to make a claim he could not prove.

Abaribe then denied receiving N500 million as alleged by Jarigbe. He added that despite being a senior senator, he only received N266 million.

Abaribe said: “Senator Ningi knew it was going to be a mistake. He knew. He’s a member of the Senate. He can’t say he didn’t know. He’s an old Senator. He has been in the Senate before. He knew that this wasn’t correct.

“I never got 500 million. I think Jarigbe tried to clarify his statement. He came back subsequently to say, ‘No, Ningi told me I was given’, because he didn’t get. He’s also a ranking Senator.

“So, I think that at the end of the day, what you see really is that…well, I’m an APGA Senator–the only APGA Senator in the Senate. Maybe being a minority of the minority, they didn’t consider me worthy of being given. Nobody told me about that money.

“I wanted to say that, without equivocation, that both Jarigbe and the Senate leader tried to clarify this issue. Number one: nobody was given 500 million. Even a few of my colleagues called me to say, ‘Ahh you get 500 million and we dey beg.

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Senator Ningi Resigns Position Hours After Suspension By Senate

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Hours after the Nigerian Senate, on Tuesday, suspended Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP – Bauchi Central) for a period of three months, he has resigned his position as the chairman of the Northern Senators Forum.

His suspension by the Senate was a move likely to raise eyebrows across the political landscape.

Senate Ningi was suspended because of the allegation he raised that the 2024 national budget was padded to the tune of a staggering N3.7 trillion which wasn’t traced to any project.

In an interview, Senator Ningi said the Federal Government is operating two versions of the 2024 budget, And that the N28.7 trillion passed and signed by the President Tinubu was skewed against the north.

On Tuesday, during plenary, Senator Olamilekan Adeola (APC, Ogun West) had raised a motion that there was urgent need to address the allegations raised by Ningi, even if the lawmakers said they were false.

The resignation of the senator representing Bauchi Central, was contained in a letter.Senator Ningi said his decision was based on unfolding events in the National Assembly, the north and Nigeria at large.

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