Politics
Chief Adebanjo Tells Osinbajo, Tinubu To Drop Their Presidential Bids
Chief Ayo Adebanjo, has said that presidential aspirants from the South-West geopolitical zone including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, should forget their presidential ambitions.
The Leader of Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere said it was the turn of the South-East to produce Nigeria’s next President after the regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), in May 2023.
According to him, it is an injustice for a South-West President to emerge in 2023 as ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo from Ogun State ruled from 1999 to 2007; while Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, also from Ogun State, has been in government since May 2015 and would have spent eight years in power by May 2023.
Acvordinf to the Punch, the 94-year old elder statesman added that the South-South zone has also had a shot at both President and Vice-President positions with ex-President Goodluck Jonathan between 2007 and 2010 (as VP) and from 2010 to 2015 (as President).
Adebanjo, however, said for Nigeria to have another President, the country must first be secured.
The nonagenarian said, “Right now, is there a country for them to be President? There must be one country first before you can talk of an election. Is this the country Jonathan handed over to Buhari? Whether a Southern or a Northern candidate, let us unite everyone. We can’t get everyone united until we change this constitution.
“Are you safe? Talk about security. How am I sure that I won’t be shocked when I go to the police station, when electoral officers, soldiers, and policemen are being shot dead and I can’t travel to Maiduguri safely?
“All those who are clamouring for Presidency, be it Jagaban (Tinubu) or Osinbajo, they should assure us of our safety first, that the country is safe, that we are one, then we talk of who is going to be President. They should forget about their ambitions now until there is safety. Nobody can go to the South-East now, and we are all living in denial.”
Asked if he was supporting Tinubu, Osinbajo, or any President from the South-West, the Afenifere leader said, “How can I back a South-West candidate? That is not equity. Has Obasanjo not done so for eight years? Has Osinbajo not done eight years as VP? Has Jonathan not done five years as President? Is the South-East not part of Nigeria?
“We want peace and equity. It is the turn of the South-East. I don’t talk ambiguously. It is the South-East that the thing must go; there is no doubt about that but my anxiety now is that before we say, South-East, have we got a country? Let us settle that before we say South-East is the answer. I am not ambivalent about it at all.”
Politics
President Tinubu Restructures Media and Communications Team
President Bola Tinubu has re-designated the positions of two recently appointed officials in the State House media and communications team to enhance efficiency within the government’s communication machinery.
The restructuring is as follows:
1. Mr. Sunday Dare – hitherto Special Adviser on Public Communication and National Orientation is now Special Adviser, Media and Public Communications.
2. Mr. Daniel Bwala – announced last week as Special Adviser, Media and Public Communication, is now special adviser Policy Communication.
These appointments, along with the existing role of Special Adviser, Information and Strategy , underscore that there is no single individual spokesperson for the Presidency.
Instead, all the three Special Advisers will collectively serve as spokespersons for the government.
This approach aims to ensure effective and consistent communication of government policies, decisions, and engagements.
Signed: Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President, (Information and Strategy)
More accolades for the Minister of State for Defence H.E Dr Muhammed Bello Matawalle, MoN, for his commitment and dedication to his duties and the
latest is the remarks of goodwill of the minister made by the newly elected National Speaker of the leading Youth’s body in Nigeria, the Youth Assembly of Nigeria (YAN), Comrade Famuyibo Oluwasegun, during his acceptance speech at the national election held at Agura Hotels, Abuja weekend.
Comrade Oluwasegun, who hails from Ekiti State, described the Minister as a Youths role model who has demonstrated rare courage in fighting bandits and terrorists to their standstill in North West and other parts of the country and above all his loyalty to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR.
The National Youth Speaker noted further that “After God Almighty who made his emergence possible, the Minister of State Defence and former Governor of Zamfara state, Dr. Bello Matawalle was a prominent factor to his new attained height.
“My mentor, His Excellency Dr. Matawalle extended an unalloyed hand of leadership, direction and support to me which were instrumental to making my victory a reality”, Famuyibo stated.
The YAN Speaker-elect thanked the YAN Board of Trustees, Convention Planning Committee and the entire YAN delegates for finding him worthy to lead the 4th Assembly of Nigerian Youths.
Also lending his voice, the Acting BoT Chairman of YAN, Hon. Gt. C Samuel advised the newly elected leaders of YAN to be good Ambassadors of Nigerian Youths and Nigeria at all times. He encouraged them to bring out the best of their thinking caps while planning for a befitting inauguration of the 4th Assembly as elected.
Other elected new national leadership of the 4th Assembly of Youth Assembly of Nigeria, included Umar Bala Babayaro of Kaduna state emerged the Deputy National Speaker, Sadiq Abubakar of Borno state as Majority Leader, Ezeanikwe Charles as Deputy Majority Leader, Raymond Sylvanus of Cross Rivers state as National Chief Whip, Jennifer Ornguga of Benue state as National Minority Leader and Jude Chinonso as Diaspora Ambassador.
The Federal Executive Council chaired by President Bola Tinubu has scrapped two ministries, Techeconomy can report.
The ministries, according to a tweet by President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, are Niger Delta Ministry and the Ministry of Sports Development.
“There will now be a ministry of regional development to oversee all the regional development commissions, such as Niger Delta Development Commission, North West Development Commission, South West Development Commission, and North East Development Commission.
“The National Sports Commission will take over the role of the Ministry of Sports”, Onanuga tweeted.
“The FEC also approved the merger of the Ministry of Tourism with the Ministry of Culture and Creative Economy.
“The decisions were taken today at the meeting of Federal Executive Council in Abuja.
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