POLITICS
APC govs seek withdrawal of court cases against Saraki
There are strong indications that governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC), under the aegis of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, will seek for the withdrawal of ongoing litigation against the senate leadership.
It was learnt in Abuja on Saturday that the Governor Adams Oshiomhole-led committee set up by the PGF to mediate in the senate crisis is likely to push for an out-of-court settlement.
Senators opposed to the process leading to the election of Saraki had on July 27 filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja, asking the court to nullify the inauguration of the 8th Senate carried out by the management of the National Assembly, on June 9.
A source in the PGF, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media, explained that nothing was “off the table.”
He said, “The governors as well as the party are favourably disposed to putting this ugly situation behind them.
“There is a very high probability that the (Oshiomhole-led) committee will seek the discontinuance of court cases relating to the events of June 9 in order to get the two sides to sit on a round table.
“Besides, the party’s constitution, specifically Article 21 (x) encourages party members to exhaust all avenues for redress provided for by the party before going to court.”
On their part, senators under the aegis of Like Minds Senators, who spearheaded the emergence of Senator Bukola Saraki as President of the Senate, said taking the matter to court was antithetical to the peace process.
The spokesperson for the senate, who is also a member of the LMS, Senator Dino Melaye, argued that the decision of some members of the Senate Unity Forum to embark on litigation amounted to lack of respect for party elders and President Muhammadu Buhari.
Melaye said, “We are already telling our colleagues who had gone to court that it will be difficult to achieve true reconciliation when they still have cases in the court. It is better to sit down on the table and engage in a dialogue.
“A situation whereby there is still a case pending in court and petitions not yet withdrawn from the police would not allow for smooth reconciliation in the true sense of it.”
Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has disclosed why President Muhammadu Buhari loves Rotimi Amaechi, the outgone Minister of Transportation.
Rufai disclosed that Buhari loves Amaechi due to his decision to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC, during the era of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
He disclosed this when Amaechi met with APC delegates from Kaduna ahead of the party’s national convention.
El-Rufai recalled wooing Amaechi and some other governors into the APC during the PDP administration.
“Let me tell you my history with Amaechi. When we started discussing with the G-7, the seven governors that wanted to defect to the APC, I was holding nocturnal meetings with Amaechi and Governor Nyako of Adamawa State until we got five of them to move to our party, and that was the game-changer.
“And for you to understand how difficult it is, imagine Amaechi of Rivers State from the same South-South with incumbent President Jonathan.
“He made the sacrifice to move to our party. It was a game-changer. This is part of the reason President Buhari loves Minister Amaechi till tomorrow,” El-Rufai said.
Former Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has denied stepping down from the 2023 presidential election for the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu.
Amosun stated that he is not in the presidential race to align with Tinubu or any other aspirant of the APC.
Amosun also denied obtaining the APC senatorial form, saying he did not attend the screening exercise organised for APC senatorial aspirants, as being peddled by some individuals.
There were rumours over the weekend that Amosun had agreed to step down for Tinubu, having been screened and cleared for the Ogun Central senatorial race.
But, in a swift reaction, Amosun debunked the rumour spreading on social media, saying the “two news stories are false.”
According to a statement signed by his media aide, Bola Adeyemi, he said that the Ogun Central Senator “procured only the forms for the presidential ticket of the APC and did not attend the screening exercise for Senatorial aspirants because he is not one.”
While urging Nigerians to dismiss the “false news”, Adeyemi maintained that “Amosun is in the race for the presidential ticket of the APC and has no plans to align with any politician in the race.”
Dame Pauline Tallen, Minister of Women Affairs, has dropped her senatorial ambition.
Tallen made this known in a statement she issued on Monday.
The minister had purchased the All Progressives Congress (APC) form to contest the Plateau South Senatorial election.
According to her, after consultations with her constituents, she has decided to withdraw from the race.
The statement read in part: “I remain resolute as I continue to relish the opportunity to serve Nigerian Women in my capacity as Minister of Women Affairs under the able leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Consequently, I wish to inform you all that following broad-based consultations and interventions from critical stakeholders, I have decided to withdraw from running for the senatorial seat, mindful of our accomplishments and the notable progress we have recorded under my stewardship at the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs.”
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POLITICS8 hours ago
Women affairs Minister, Pauline Tallen withdraws from senatorial race
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