Politics
2023 Presidency: Run off likely between PDP, NNPP – Babangida
I am Honourable Babangida Ibrahim, a Federal House of Representatives member. I represent the Malumfashi/Kurfi Federal Constituency. I am a member of the New Nigeria Peoples Party. I am the Chairman of the House Committee on Capital Markets and Institutions. I was first elected into the House in 2011 then re-elected in 2015 and 2019.
I was formerly a member of the All Progressives Congress. I joined the NNPP about three months after the primaries. I am now the NNPP senatorial candidate for the Funtua senatorial zone, Katsina South.
What made you defect from APC to NNPP?
Simply put, I defected because of injustice. I left the APC shortly after the primary. On the day we were to have our primary that was in the APC, it rained heavily shortly after the primary began at 8.30 pm. The primary was thereafter rescheduled. We were surprised on the rescheduled day, those brought as delegates were not from our constituency. Our people were not allowed to elect the candidate of their choice. As far as we are concerned, that was an injustice. There was no primary. So, we have to leave the party.
Because NNPP is a new party, don’t you think your choice of party may affect your chances in the election?
I believe, as an experienced legislator and one who puts the people of his constituency first, my ambition to go for the senate seat means greater responsibility and further serve my people and larger constituencies. I have a better chance of winning the election. Don’t forget that the APC, as a new party, also won its first election. Being new as a party or as a candidate is secondary. This is because people would rather vote for a better and more competent candidate.
I have used my period in the Federal House of Representatives to serve my constituency. I have facilitated the construction of no fewer than 12 asphalt roads in my constituency; I have facilitated the employment of young people who are qualified to get employment in paramilitary agencies and other federal agencies. I have also facilitated the development of agriculture in my constituency and I have seen the empowerment of several others there. Listing my achievements as a Federal House of Representatives member would take the better part of your time. I believe the people of my constituency would also want to reciprocate my contribution to the constituency and would see that I am elected as the senator representing the Katsina South senatorial zone.
What the NNPP has done is to field well qualified and experienced candidates for all the elective posts . Most of our candidates in the forthcoming elections are either the best or some of the best across the country. They also have the political experience that would make them good representatives of their various constituencies. If you can recollect,the APC won elections as a new party. The personalities that make up a political party can, at times, determine its chances at elections.
Take, for instance,my humble self. I am a three-term member of the Federal House of Representatives who has done an excellent job of representing my constituents.
In fact,some people in our communities encouraged me to go for the senatorial seat so that communities that make up the Katsina South Senatorial zone could also benefit from the dividends of democracy being currently enjoyed by communities that fall under the Malumfashi/Kurfi Federal Constituency, which I presently represent in the Federal House of Representatives.
As a member of the House of Representatives who has spent a considerable number of years there, how do you see the call for a part-time legislature as a means of reducing the cost of democracy in Nigeria?
Consider flight tickets, hotel bills, logistics, and similar expenses. Now, what about the commitment and concentration that our jobs require? I believe those clamouring for a part-time legislature are just being mischievous or ignorant of what legislative business is all about. Instead, I will urge Nigerians to ensure that those elected to represent their various constituencies are competent and well qualified and also ensure that the executive is discouraged from unusual interference in the emergence of the National Assembly leadership to ensure that meaningful laws that would benefit Nigerians are churned out by the Assembly.
The state of democracy in Nigeria today calls for the support of parliamentarians. Nigerians need to support the federal lawmakers to ensure that we act as checks on the executive. Nigerians need to ensure that they elect qualified and competent people to be their representatives at the National Assembly, especially at the House of Representatives.
And as I said earlier, Nigerians should also be on their guard to ensure that the executives don’t interfere unnecessarily with the House of Representatives , especially in the emergence of its leadership. The House should be given a free hand to elect its leadership. It is when you have competent members in the House of Representatives and those who cannot be controlled by the executives as leaders that will promote the growth of democracy in Nigeria.
No matter how good an honourable member of the House of Representatives is or how long he raises his hand to move or contribute to a motion, the House leadership will not recognise him if he is not in their good books or the good books of the executives who control House leadership.
So, I will appeal to Nigerians to support the National Assembly to be as independent as possible as against calling for a part-time legislature.
Talking about competence, why do you think your party has an edge over other political parties in the forthcoming general election, especially in the presidential election?
From the analysis carried out by our political party, the forthcoming presidential election may not produce an immediate result. The President may not emerge from the first balloting. It may go into a second balloting and this may be between PDP and NNPP. APC may not even be in contention during the second balloting as its popularity is going down by the day.
What I would, however, advise Nigerians is that, just like I suggested for the legislature, Nigerians should not allow the issue of religion or ethnicity to determine their candidate of choice.
Rather, they should allow competence, political maturity, and political experience to be the major factors in determining who they vote for. What Nigeria needs now is a committed, competent person who has the required credentials and political experience to lead the country. If you look at all the leading presidential candidates, you will know that the NNPP candidate stands out. He has been a state governor, a minister, and a presiding officer at the National Assembly. Our candidate is the one who would give us a new Nigeria.
How would you rate NNPP in Katsina State and what assures you of victory for your party in the 2023 general elections?
First, if you look at all our candidates for the forthcoming general election in the state, you will discover that none of them is a pushover. All the candidates, right from those vying for the state House of Assembly, up to those going for the Federal House of Representatives seats and those going for the green chamber’s seats are people with both political experience and are eminently qualified. They are also those who have made their marks in their various constituencies. Our party will surprise many with the result of the first election. And definitely, we should consolidate our gains from the first election to record more successes in the second election.
Katsina State has suffered an infrastructural deficit in the last eight years. The state economy is comatose and there has not been real progress in the state due to bad governance. All these we are going to rectify when people vote for us to form the new government in the state; and so shall it be by God’s grace.
By Petrus Obi
Youths from the Oru area of Imo State have warned the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, against what they described as continued attacks on the state Governor, Hope Uzodimma, following the minister’s latest comments on the governor’s political ambitions.
The youths, in a statement signed by Hon Chinemerem Obi, said Wike should refrain from interfering in the internal political affairs of Imo State, insisting that the political future of Governor Uzodimma and the people of the state should be determined through democratic processes.
Their reaction followed Wike’s appearance on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout on Monday, where the minister said he would not support Uzodimma for the position of Senate President after the 2027 elections.
Wike alleged that some APC governors were attempting to influence the emergence of lawmakers who would support their preferred candidate for Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives.
He specifically linked the disagreement to Uzodimma, alleging that the Imo governor was positioning himself to become Senate President after leaving office.
According to Wike, Uzodimma’s tenure as governor would end in 2028 and he was allegedly planning to leave office, contest for the Senate and subsequently seek the Senate presidency.
Wike said he would not support the reported ambition.
The minister’s comments have drawn a fresh response from groups in Imo, with the Oru youths accusing him of turning a political disagreement into what they described as a personal campaign against the governor.
The youths said Wike’s opposition to Uzodimma’s reported Senate ambition was a political position to which he was entitled, but argued that the minister should not use his position to dictate the political choices of Imo people.
They also questioned why Wike was repeatedly focusing on Uzodimma amid the wider disagreement between him and APC governors over his proposed Rainbow Coalition.
The coalition has been promoted by Wike as a platform to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, despite Wike remaining a member of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Wike has maintained that supporting Tinubu for president does not require politicians to support APC candidates in governorship or legislative elections.
The Oru youths said the reported ambition to become Senate President remained a political aspiration and should not be presented as an established fact.
They urged Wike to allow Imo voters and the relevant political institutions to determine who represents them at the National Assembly and who eventually emerges as Senate President.
The allegation about Uzodimma’s Senate presidency ambition has also been made publicly by APC chieftain Tajudeen Olesin, who recently claimed that the governor planned to resign before the end of his tenure, contest for the Senate and seek the Senate presidency. That claim was presented as Olesin’s assertion, rather than an announcement by Uzodimma himself.
The youths further appealed to political leaders in the Southeast to avoid statements that could deepen political divisions in the region.
They maintained that disagreements over the 2027 elections, legislative contests and political succession should be settled through democratic engagement rather than personal exchanges.
The development comes amid increasing political tension between Wike and several APC governors over the minister’s political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Earlier, a group identified as Imo Lawyers for the Defence of Democracy also called on Wike to stop what it described as personal attacks on Uzodimma, arguing that political disagreements should be addressed through dialogue and democratic institutions.
The latest controversy is expected to keep the political relationship between Wike and Uzodimma under close scrutiny as preparations for the 2027 elections intensify.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed concerns by some All Progressives Congress governors that the proposed Rainbow Coalition could weaken the ruling party ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout on Monday, Wike said the coalition was primarily focused on mobilising support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election, while allowing politicians to support candidates of their preferred parties in governorship and legislative elections.
Wike argued that supporting Tinubu for president would not prevent politicians from backing other candidates in elections at the state and National Assembly levels.
He cited the experience of the G5 governors during the 2023 elections, saying the group supported Tinubu’s presidential bid while their respective parties retained their candidates for other positions.
“In 2023, core leadership G5, we said we are going to support Mr President. But we never said that all our candidates in other elections will fail,” Wike said.
The FCT minister alleged that some APC governors were opposing the coalition because of their political interests, particularly efforts to influence the emergence of the next Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives.
He specifically accused Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, Hope Uzodimma, of positioning himself to become Senate President after leaving office.
According to Wike, governors seeking to control the emergence of senators and House of Representatives members could ultimately influence the choice of the presiding officers of the National Assembly.
He alleged that politicians who failed to secure APC tickets could contest under other platforms, win their elections and refuse to support candidates favoured by the governors for the leadership of the National Assembly.
Wike also declared that he would not support Uzodimma for Senate President.
“Life or death, I will never support a character of Hope Uzodimma to be the Senate President of Nigeria. Everybody knows that,” he said.
His comments came days after APC governors declared that they would neither participate in nor support any political alliance capable of weakening the party, affecting its candidates or undermining Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Uzodimma, who read the governors’ communique, said their support would remain exclusively for APC candidates at all levels.
Wike, however, maintained that the Rainbow Coalition was not designed to weaken or take over the APC, insisting that its primary objective was to mobilise support for Tinubu across party lines.
He also dismissed reports that Tinubu had agreed to concede nine states to the PDP or the Rainbow Coalition as part of a political arrangement ahead of the 2027 elections.
“Let us help Nigerians. Let’s get the facts. Who are… which are those states? Tell us. That they said the President agreed with me that he has conceded nine states,” Wike said.
The minister said he intended to campaign for Tinubu based on the administration’s record, citing issues such as the President’s support for state police and what he described as the devolution of resources and powers to the states.
Wike further disclosed that Tinubu was aware of the Rainbow Coalition and understood his political activities.
“As I speak to you here, Mr President knows about my concept, of the rainbow coalition…. Mr President understands me very well,” he said.
The dispute has heightened tensions within the ruling party as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 elections.
Meanwhile, sources within the APC said that the party’s National Working Committee was working behind the scenes to broker a truce between the opposing camps.
The sources said the process was expected to advance following the return of APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, from vacation, with plans for the NWC to meet President Tinubu and discuss ways of resolving the disagreement.
FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu provided about ₦50 billion to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde to support the expansion and upgrade of Ibadan Airport.
Wike made the disclosure on Monday during an appearance on TVC News’ Journalists’ Hangout, while dismissing claims that he was the only member of the former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) G5 governors to benefit from the Tinubu administration.
According to Wike, Tinubu also extended financial support to Makinde despite their political differences.
“The president has also extended his hand of support to the governor of Oyo State by providing funds for him to expand Oyo airport with a whopping sum of 50 billion naira,” Wike said.
The minister also cited former Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu and former Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who he said currently serve as Nigeria’s ambassadors to Spain and Greece respectively.
Wike argued that it was therefore incorrect to suggest that he alone among the G5 governors had benefited from the Tinubu administration, saying the President had supported other members of the group in different ways.
The G5 consisted of Wike, Makinde, Ikpeazu, Ugwuanyi and former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom. The group opposed the PDP’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, during the 2023 election and backed Tinubu.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
Ahead of the 2027 National Assembly elections, a mass protest voting movement may be building up in Anambra South Senatorial District, following reported moves by members of major political parties to support the candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Chief Ebuka Onunkwo.
The development is said to be linked to grievances among some members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), All Progressives Congress (APC), African Democratic Congress (ADC) and remnants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the treatment allegedly meted out to Onunkwo during previous political contests.
Onunkwo, who had previously contested the Anambra South senatorial seat under APGA, later emerged as the NDC candidate for the 2027 election.
Although the ADC is currently embroiled in legal disputes over the authentic candidates and the conduct of its primary elections, some members of the APC and APGA are also reportedly dissatisfied with developments within their respective parties.
It was gathered that a section of APGA members, in particular, are backing Onunkwo as a form of protest over the conduct of the party’s senatorial primary, while some members of other parties are also believed to be considering voting for him irrespective of their party affiliations.
Confirming the growing support for Onunkwo, the Chief Executive Officer of NOWAS Oil and Gas Limited and a major stakeholder in Anambra South politics, Chief Ignesus Ikechukwudere Nnubia, said the NDC candidate currently enjoys widespread acceptability across party lines.
Nnubia said the growing support for Onunkwo had made his party affiliation less significant, arguing that voters would ultimately vote according to their conscience and assessment of the candidates.
He said, “At the moment, the number of APGA members with him and supporting him makes one wonder what is left of that party. Even the remnants of the PDP have pitched their tents with him, while members of the ruling APC at the national level are also behind him.
“So, the party that he belongs to is not a factor at all. You know that it is a game of numbers, and people are going to vote according to their conscience and not necessarily because of the political party they belong to.
“People are not bound to vote for their party, and some of them are ready and willing to vote for him.
“We are not talking about the party because he will surely get votes from the NDC, APGA, APC and even other political parties that are already closing ranks to support him as their candidate.”
Nnubia further described Onunkwo as the candidate currently standing tall among the contenders for the Anambra South senatorial seat, expressing confidence that his emergence would usher in what he described as a “new dawn” for the district.
He said political parties should not be the major consideration for voters, stressing that what matters most is the ability of elected representatives to improve the lives of their constituents.
According to him, political parties exist because of the people, and therefore the influence of party structures and incumbency has its limits during elections.
Nnubia said those factors would ultimately be tested by the electorate in the 2027 election, which he described as a contest in which voters’ choices would determine the outcome.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for the 2027 Ebonyi State election, Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, has pledged to attract more than ₦2 trillion in private-sector investment to the state within six months of assuming office if elected.
Odii made the pledge while addressing supporters in Lagos ahead of the formal commencement of his campaign.
He said his investment strategy would cover key sectors of the Ebonyi economy, including mining, hospitality, real estate and manufacturing.
According to the PDP candidate, he has identified more than 2,000 prospective investors, each capable of investing about ₦1 billion in the state.
“I have over 2,000 people who can invest ₦1 billion each. When you multiply it, you will get over ₦2 trillion. This has been structured in such a way that all aspects of the economy will be involved,” Odii said.
He said the proposed investment drive was designed not only to inject capital into the state but also to create jobs, expand the productive base of the economy and provide opportunities for young people and entrepreneurs.
Odii said Ebonyi’s natural resources and strategic location placed it in a strong position to attract large-scale investments if its economic potential was properly harnessed.
He promised that his administration would prioritise private-sector participation, industrialisation and job creation while creating an enabling environment for both local and foreign investors.
The candidate also said existing businesses in the state would be supported to expand, while new investors would be encouraged to establish operations across various sectors.
His pledge comes amid growing political activities ahead of the 2027 governorship election, with economic development, employment generation and wealth creation featuring prominently in his campaign message.
The proposed ₦2 trillion investment target within six months, if achieved, would represent a significant boost to Ebonyi’s economy and rank among the most ambitious private-sector investment mobilisation plans proposed in the state.
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