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Tag: presidential ambition

  • CBN Boss, Emefiele withdraws suit against INEC, AGF over Presidential Ambition

    CBN Boss, Emefiele withdraws suit against INEC, AGF over Presidential Ambition

    Godwin Emefiele, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), on Monday withdrew the suit he filed against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney-General of the Federation over his presidential ambition.

    Emefiele, through his counsel, S.T. Maliki, told Justice Ahmed Mohammed that a notice of discontinuance had been filed and served on the defendants in the matter.

    The development occurred shortly after the matter was called.

    Maliki, who held the brief of Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, said though the matter was scheduled for the mention, they had Emefiele’s instruction to withdraw the suit.

    “Pursuant to the instruction of the plaintiff (Emefiele), we filed a notice of discontinuance dated and filed May 16, 2022.

    “And the said notice of discontinuance was served on all the defendants on that said date of May 16, 2022, which proof of service is before your lordship,” Maliki said.

    The lawyer said of all the defendants, only the 4th and 5th defendants filed a counter-affidavit in response to the plaintiff’s amended originating summons after the notice of withdrawal had been served on them.

    He prayed the court to discontinue the suit and make an order striking it out, issues having not been joined by parties in the suits, citing Order 50 of the rules of this court.

    Although the lawyer to the 4th defendant, John Aikpokpo-Martins, opposed Emefiele’s intention to withdraw the suit, he urged the court to dismiss the suit at the cost of N1.5 million.

    However, counsel for the 2nd and 3rd defendants, Chris Nevo and T. J. Adi, respectively, did not object to the withdrawal notice.

    For Nevo, he asked the court to award a N1 million cost against Emefiele.

    In his ruling, Justice Mohammed held that Emefiele had the right to file the notice of withdrawal.

    He said the notice of discontinuance was valid and accordingly struck out.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) had, on May 9, reported that Emefiele, through his lawyer, Ozekhome, had approached the court.

    He had approached the court with an ex-parte motion, seeking the court’s interpretation as to whether he could run for the 2023 presidential primary while he holds office as governor of CBN.

  • Drop your presidential ambition, S-West group tells Atiku

    Drop your presidential ambition, S-West group tells Atiku

    By Isaac Kertyo

    The South-West Development Frontier, SDF, yesterday, urged former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to drop his presidential ambition,

    saying those canvassing for his presidency are trying to perpetuate injustice, which is against the unity of the country.

    Speaking in Lagos during a protest, the convener of the group, Mr. Olufemi Osabinu, said: “2023 is a crucial moment that will determine a lot in the stability, or otherwise, of our democracy.

    Nigerians should be allowed to elect a leader, who can stabilise the polity and move the country forward from where the current administrations will hand over in 2023.

    “We are at the forefront of the call for political parties in the country to have their presidential ticket zoned to the Southern part of the country,

    for the sake of equity and justice. While the aspiration of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar sits comfortably with the letter of the 1999 constitution,

    it negates the spirit of the same constitution which recognizes the principle of federal character in appointments into public office, though it does not expressly bar such persons from aspiring to lead their country.

    “Furthermore, we make a clear and undiluted call on former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to give second thoughts to his desire to contest for the office of president in the elections

    again in 2023. While Alhaji Abubakar has served the nation with distinction, as evidenced in the fact that we have been his supporters for years, it is also undeniable that at 77years of age going into this race,

    it will be a mismatch of national priorities to support his quest, taking into consideration the unique interplay of circumstances currently confronting our country.”

  • I don’t want to distract Mr. President – Tinubu on his presidential ambition

    I don’t want to distract Mr. President – Tinubu on his presidential ambition

    All Progressives Congress leader, Bola Tinubu, says he will not reject calls to contest for the Presidency in 2023.

    Tinubu stated this in Abuja on Tuesday after a meeting with members of the Northern Alliance Committee.

    While refusing to officially declare his ambition, he said political consultations were ongoing.

    Several groups including the Tinubu Support Group and the South-West Agenda known as SWAGA, have set up campaign offices across the country, pressuring the former Lagos State governor to run for office.

    On whether he would ignore calls for him to contest, Tinubu said, “I’m not going to turn them down but I am still consulting, particularly brainstorming with my friends and I will find a date to come out openly and tell Nigerians.”

    The APC leader, however, said all hands must be on deck to assist President Muhammadu Buhari by ensuring that he is not distracted.

    “The President is still in office, I don’t want to distract him from all the challenges that he might face today. So we will consult and make our programme known to the people later and the intention is clear. So you keep guessing.”

    Endorsing Tinubu for 2023, the leader of the Northern Alliance Committee, Amb Lawal Munir, said the meeting resolved to work for the actualisation of the ambition of the APC National Leader to the next level.

    Munir, who said they had a fruitful meeting with Tinubu, disclosed that the committee resolved to support him come 2023 due to his superlative qualities.

    He added, “The meeting ended very well. We are working for him. We are working for him because we know he will win the election when the time comes.”

  • APC Governors disagree over Tinubu’s presidential ambition

    APC Governors disagree over Tinubu’s presidential ambition

    Ahead of the 2023 presidential election, a fresh crisis is cooking in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over the reported ambition of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, former governor of Lagos State, to suc­ceed President Muhammadu Buhari as Nigeria’s next President

    Though Tinubu is yet to for­mally declare his interest in the pres­idential race, he has been making consultations and visiting prominent Nigerians to notify them and seek their support.

    Elder statesman, Alhaji Tan­ko Yakassai, who Tinubu recently visited in Abuja, disclosed that the APC national leader informed him of his presiden­tial ambition and asked for his support.

    Senator Rufai Hanga, pioneer national chairman of the de­funct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and APC chief­tain, who recently dumped the ruling party, said there is a split among the APC governors on the issue of the presidential flagbearer of the party.

    According to him, while some governors in the party have settled for one of them as presidential candidate with a serving minister in President Buhari’s administration as run­ning mate, other governors are rooting for Tinubu, saying they should rally round him for all he has done for the party.

    He said,“We have about three to four factions and it is next to impossibility to bring them together. There are governors in the party who have carved their own niche somewhere and are not ready to go with other governors.

    “In fact, just three days ago, some governors sat and I heard it from very strong authority that they met and anointed one of them as presidential can­didate. They have chosen his running mate from among one of the serving ministers. They are willing to go it all hog and are determined that there is no going back.

    “There are other governors who are not willing to hear all that. These governors are all out for Asiwaju Tinubu. These ones are saying that it is unfortunate Asiwaju badly despite all he has done for the party. They are tell­ing their colleague governors not to bite the finger that fed them. So, there is division among the APC governors right no won the issue of 2023”.