By Naomi Sharang

Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele representing Ekiti Central District has urged Nigerians to ignore what he described as the ill-motivated advice by former President Olusegun Obasanjo on the ongoing 2023 general elections.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Legal Matters and Human Rights made the call in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday.

The former president had, on Monday in a letter to the chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, called for the halting of the collation of the results of the presidential election and cancellation of the entire electoral exercise.

Bamidele, however, expressed concern that Obasanjo’s claims were spurious, flimsy and unjustifiable to cancel a general election where huge financial and human resources had been committed.

The senator said Obasanjo’s position was a deliberate attempt to truncate Nigeria’s democracy and open invitation to anarchy.

“It is a devious assault on the collective civility and sensibility of the people of Nigeria who came out enmasse to exercise their franchise in fulfillment of their civic responsibilities on Feb. 25.

“It is also an utter disrespect to the democratic world and the delegation of international observers who monitored the election with keen interest and adjudged it as a free, fair and credible process,” he said.

Bamidele described the entire process so far as an improvement on the previous elections in the country.

The Chairman, Southern Senators’ Forum, also said ‘’Obasanjo’s unsolicited reactionary posturing on the just-concluded presidential election is characteristic of his anti-democratic and subversive tendencies which he had displayed on several occasions over the years.

“This is the same Obasanjo who publicly adopted Peter Obi, the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party and urged Nigerians to vote for him. Unfortunately, Peter Obi lost woefully in the polling unit right in front of his (Obasanjo’s) house in Abeokuta. Apparently.

“Obasanjo is jittery because of the outcome of the election which invariably may not be in favour of his adopted candidate. He is a bad loser ”

Bamidele said that it was ridiculous and highly disheartening for Obasanjo to utterly question the credibility of an election where many sitting governors, senators and members of the House of Representatives failed to win their National Assembly elections.

He said in addition to this was the inability of the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Bola Tinubu to win in Lagos State, an outcome he said he had accepted in good faith.

He added that Obasanjo as incumbent President of Nigeria was alleged to have massively rigged the 2003 general elections for his party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and perpetrated the same executive lawlessness in 2007 when he foisted late Umar Yar’adua on Nigerians, following his failed third term agenda.

He said, ” how could a former president call for cancellation of the election where the APC failed to win in Lagos State, an election where President Muhammadu Buhari lost Katsina State to PDP, an election where the Director-General of APC Presidential Campaign Council?

“Gov. Simon Lanlong lost in his state, an election in which the Governor of Kano State, Umar Ganduje and the Governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade failed to deliver respectively for their political parties, as not free and fair elections.

” We are all living witnesses of what transpired during Obasanjo’s tenure when he said “election is a do.or die affair”, in which many results were announced when people were still voting.

” I pray that Nigeria will not again witness such dark days of Obasanjo when his own anointed candidate, Umar Musa Yara’dua himself admitted that the election that brought him to power was not free, fair and credible.

“It is obvious that Obasanjo is pained that he is unable to install his own candidate with the outcome of the election and that is the reason for his emergency televised address in Abeokuta, Ogun State.”

Bamidele pointed out that the credibility of the 2023 Presidential and National Assembly elections is unprecedented in the political history of Nigeria, such that it is largely devoid of financial inducement and electoral malpractices.

He said that the pockets of violence and irregularities that trailed the process in some parts of the country were not enough reasons for anybody to call for cancellation.

He called on all well-meaning Nigerians and lovers of democracy not to keep silent in the face of Obasanjo’s onslaught, urging them to rise up to defend the sanctity of Nigeria’s fledgling democracy and the constitutionality of the just-concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections.

He added that Nigerians must condemn the unjust, undignified, undemocratic and unpopular interjection of Obasanjo in the ongoing electoral process.

He also enjoined Nigerian youths to totally ignore Obasanjo and his cohorts who are making devious and desperate moves to plunge the entire nation into another season of civil unrest and political instability.

He urged them not to be swayed into any action capable of derailing the nation’s, saying they should rather question the credibility and ulterior motives of the anti-democratic forces calling for the election cancellation.

Bamidele urged INEC to proceed with the collation and declaration of results and ensure that the winner of the 2023 presidential election is announced without any delay for Nigeria to move forward as a democratic nation.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Julius Toba-Jegede

Prof. Razaq Abubakre

By Razak Owolabi

Prof. Razaq Abubakre, former Vice-Chancellor, Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin says Nigeria needs a strategic leader like Sen. Bola Tinubu, the APC presidential candidate, in these turbulent times.

Abubakre, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja said that among other things, Tinubu had a strategic outlook on the unity of Nigeria.

He said the presidential candidate knows the importance of leveraging Nigeria’s diverse cultures and regional comparative advantage for sustainable development.

The former Vice-Chancellor said that as a principled leader, Tinubu was the only political candidate that has been consistent.

Abubakre added that the presidential candidate also has a cosmopolitan outlook.

“Tinubu is the only primary contestant among the top four candidates who had worked for global multinational firms such as Deloitte in the USA and Exon Mobil in Nigeria.

“Tinubu’s transferable skillsets from his work at renowned multinational companies include his appreciation and pedigree in championing processes, good governance, efficiency and effectiveness required to transform Nigeria for the better.

“This had helped him to be prepared for the leadership requirements of being a successful President of a diverse Nigeria; for example, Tinubu appreciates the power of equity, inclusivity and diversity,” he said.

Abubakre said that through Tinubu’s strategic leadership, he will unlock win-win public-private partnerships for innovative solutions to Nigeria’s many challenges.

He said Tinubu has a unique track record of always being ahead of his time; for example, via his decision to invest Lagos State government resources in Econet which he said has multiplied many folds in return on investment for the state.

Abubakre also praised the presidential candidate for the commencement of development of the light rail project and electricity projects when he was the governor of Lagos State.

On Tinubu’s consistency he said he had never decamped from his political party and did not sell out to former President Obasanjo when the pressure was on.

“He also did not compromise in 1993 after MKO’s mandate was usurped when many others sold out to Abacha by taking up political positions in his cabinet.

“On the contrary, he put his life on the line and fought for the enshrinement of democracy in the latter and the separation of powers (federal and state) for the former.

“Indeed, as narrated by Governor Wike of Rivers State, Tinubu stood his ground with his unalloyed support for President Buhari’s second term bid despite the irresistible entreaties from the opposition camp in 2019,” the emeritus professor said.

He said Tinubu is an idea whose time has come and if elected president of Nigeria, will activate his global network to address Nigeria’s hydra-headed challenges.

Abubakre said some of the challenges Nigeria faces that Tinubu can address include unemployment, weak institutions, limited infrastructure, low government revenue, high cost of business operations and Nigeria’s poor reputation globally.

He said that for example, he can inspire Nigerians in the diaspora to contribute more to nation-building.

“As he did in Lagos through his 25 years of the infrastructural development plan, he and his team can develop a Marshal plan that will be the bedrock of Nigeria’s industrialisation and development of the country’s competitive and comparative advantage.

“As he has done with his support for the Lagos – Kebbi Rice project synergy at Imota, he will help unlock scarce value e.g. via a better supply chain for business.

“This is by unleashing the exponential continental benefits of the African Free Trade Continental Agreement to harness symbiotic synergies across the African continent and for the benefit of Nigeria and the world,” Abubakre said.

He said Tinubu will create the enabling environment to encourage and leverage the power of Nigerian youths to position Nigeria as the regional ICT powerhouse.

Abubakre said the presidential candidate will do this by equipping the youths with the skillsets and creating an ecosystem for them to thrive more in the Internet of Things, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Metaverse and Quantum Computing areas.

He asserted that Tinubu will create an enabling environment for Nigerians to demonstrate their world-acclaimed excellence in the field of learning, hard work, dexterity and tested leadership in the community of nations.

“Tinubu, despite his age and because of previous landmarks and erudition in administration, could win the presidential poll of a developed country.

“Just like Barrack Obama did in the USA or just like Rishi Sunak in the UK, purely on his merit resting on his trajectory,” the former Vice Chancellor added.

Prof. Razaq Abubakre, an indigene of Osun State was also a former Federal Commissioner of the Public Complaints Commission.

He has a First Class degree from the University of Ibadan and was a Commonwealth scholar for his doctorate, which he bagged at SOAS, University of London.

Abubakre was the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria’s (MSSN) national president from 1974-1975.

His achievement includes the construction of the MSSN Secretariat in Ilorin, uniting the Muslim students and fostering better cooperation with the Christians. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

Prof. Oba Abdulraheem, Kwara NNPP governorship candidate

By Razak Owolabi.

Prof. Oba Abdulraheem, Kwara State NNPP governorship candidate, says he will embark on urban and infrastructural renewal, if elected as Governor of the State.

Speaking on his agenda for the people of Kwara during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Oba said he would embark on massive rehabilitation and maintenance of major urban and sub-urban roads.

The NNPP governorship candidate said this would translate to increase in access to parts of the state through construction of strategic roads.

He said feeder roads which would facilitate ease of traffic flow, aiming at economic cost benefit, would also be constructed to link rural areas in the state with urban centres.

“My administration will embark on rehabilitation of bridges, culverts and drainages in anticipation of flooding during the rainy season.

“We will also ensure maintainance of the sanctity of set-backs on major highways to protect lives and create enough room for vehicles without hindrance,” Oba said.

The NNPP governorship candidate who holds the traditional title, Talba of Ilorin, also spoke on local government reform among his agenda.

“We will restore the structures, dignity and efficient operation of the local government authorities within the extant laws.

“This will include holding local government elections within six months from 29th May, 2023,” Oba said.

On security of lives and properties, he said this was a major concern and a very important agenda adding that all citizens have the inalienable right to life and property.

“The onus of supplementing/complementing the Federal Government’s efforts rests on the state goverment to rise up to the incipient challenges of banditry and kidnapping.

“This is by recruiting unarmed volunteer community policing outfits and harmoniding/regulating non-formal votunteer groups,” Oba said.

He reiterated his mission and vision for a better Kwara as creation of a governable environment, piloted by a vibrant economy and underpinned by quality service, equity and justice.

“I believe that our state is in need of a fundamental political reform, which requires honesty, integrity and forthrightness in order to support good governance, so as to make it transparent and accountable to all Kwarans,” Oba added. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

Prof. Oba Abdulraheem, Kwara NNPP governorship candidate

By Abigael Joshua.

Prof. Oba Abdulraheem, the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) governorship candidate in Kwara has vowed to ensure food security and wealth creation in the state, if voted into power.

Oba who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on his agriculture and health agendas said he would take advantage of abundance of rich arable land in the state to develop sustainable agriculture.

The former chairman of the Federal Character Commission said there would be incentives for small holding subsistence farming.

“Small holding, subsistence farming will enjoy incentives of subsidised land clearing, tilling and improved seedlings.

“Advantage will be taken of the cotton, groundnuts, roots, rice and grains belt of the Kwara North to promote commercial agriculture.

“Ultimately, small and medium light industries such as ginnneries, groundnuts oil and rice mills will be developed,” the governorship candidate said.

He said the forests of the southern parts of the state would support oil-palm, cocoa, rubber and root crops commercial agriculture.

Oba promised to develop access roads in the agricultural belts to ease transportation of farmers and their produce.

“Improved rural access roads scheme will facilitate access and timely evacuation of farm produce,” he said.

Speaking on his health agenda, Oba said the focus would be on primary, preventive health care in order to achieve minimal maternal and infant mortality.

He said this would be achieved by bringng healthcare facilities within easy reach of rural and sub-urban communities.

Oba said his administration would build more cottage hospitals and community health centres, reposition all health training institutions, and provide safe and potable water.

“Incentives would be provided for rural posting of health personnel, while more community health personnel will be recruited and trained in collaboration with the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital,” he promised.

Oba said as far as he was concerned, no child should die of any preventable disease. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Razak Owolabi