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Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar claims he did not run against his Principal Obasanjo in 2003 in order to’maintain Zoning Policy.’

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By Derrick Bangura

 

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, a former Vice President and presidential candidate, said on Tuesday that he did not run against his principal’s re-election, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in 2003 because he wanted to maintain the then-ruling Peoples Democratic Party’s zoning policy (PDP)

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Atiku, who spoke before the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), also stated that he refused to make Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos, his running mate in the 2007 election while still a member of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), because he did not want the Southeast to claim that they were being marginalised.
Atiku also said the south had ruled Nigeria more times than the north since the country returned to democracy. The former Vice President was probably referring to eight years each for former President Olusegun Obasanjo and President Muhammadu Buhari respectively; five years for former President Goodluck Jonathan and three years for late former president Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

But analysts have drawn the attention of the former vice president to the fact that the argument for power shift by those from Southern Nigeria was firstly, based on the rotation principle that power must go between North and South and that one region cannot have it for 16 years continuously because the other region would be marginalised. Secondly, on balance, the fact is that the North has had more leaders since 1960 than the South.

However, continuing, Atiku told the BoT members that: “Many of you were members of our government, when all the PDP governors came in 2003 and said I should run and I say no. We have a creed that power should remain in the Southwest, why should I?

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“Some of those governors then that supported me, some of them went to jail, some of them were kicked out of their offices; we made sure that we kept the policy.

“So, therefore, you cannot come and try to imply that the PDP has not been following the zoning policy. The many years of PDP government eight years and six years all of them were from the south. So, we should not be stampeded by the opposition party. They have a moral obligation which is inescapable.”Atiku told the BoT members.

On the 2007 issue, he said, rather than pick Tinubu, he picked Senator Ben Obi, to ensure a sense of belonging and inclusiveness for the southeast.

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It was because of this, he also claimed to have chosen a former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, in 2019, when they ran on the PDP platform.

His words: “When I joined the CAN, which my friend Bola set up, he gave me a set of condition for giving me the ticket; that I should make him vice president. I said no, I’m not going to make you Vice President, instead, I took Senator Ben Obi.

“When I got the ticket again to run, I took another Obi coincidentally. So, there is absolutely no reason why they should say that there is deliberate attempts to exclude the South East in political participation or power sharing.

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“So, I thought I should disabuse your mind and ,of course, as an enlightened political class, I don’t think that for me, as far as this party is concerned, as far as we’re concerned, I don’t think there’s any deliberate policy to exclude anybody in this country.

“Yes, people have not stopped talking about power rotation and zoning, or whatever it is. For sure, in the party, we invented and formulated this zoning policy simply, because we wanted every part of this country to have a sense of belonging and I personally have paid my dues on the issue of zoning.”

On why the PDP should give him another chance, Atiku said, “Now, I wish to call on you to please give me another opportunity to advance all these ideas of our party, well-beautiful ideas, so that we will come further to consolidate democracy, unity and development for our country.

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“What I’m saying is based on facts. Take any aspect of our growth whether, it is economy, whether it is healthcare, whether it is agriculture, whether it is education, the landmark achievements we made in 1999 to 2007, have not been matched by any subsequent administration.

“We are now at a crucial moment in this country. Many of you here, it is either we retire together or we move on together. Somebody said we recorded 12 million votes during the last election. Those are not only my votes, those were our votes. In achieving or recording those 11 million votes, it was all of us and I believe if we work together again, we can surpass those votes.

“As one of the speakers said, I am worried and you should be worried too that, if we do not win, it means we will be in opposition again for the next eight years. By the next eight years, I don’t know how many of you would be left in politics and it may even ultimately lead to the death of the party, because people gravitate, particularly in developing countries, towards governments.

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“Ordinary people naturally gravitate towards government. So, this is a very, very crucial and historical moment in history. For our survival, I want you to think about it,” he said, explaining why he should be given the ticket.

On his vision, Atiku explained that, “My vision is building bridges across the country. Please join me in building bridges across this country so that every part of this country will have a sense of belonging.

 

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Headlines

Akwa Ibom APC Gears Up to Receive President Tinubu as Governor Umo Eno Joins Party

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State has announced its readiness to host President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other top party leaders as it officially welcomes Governor Umo Eno into its ranks.

Speaking at a press briefing in Uyo on Friday, APC chieftain and former presidential aide, Senator Ita Enang, disclosed that the party was fully prepared to receive the president, Vice President Kashim Shettima, APC National Chairman, and governors elected on the party’s platform for the historic reception.

Governor Umo Eno had on June 6 formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC, in a move widely described as a political game-changer in Akwa Ibom.

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Enang, a former Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly and Niger Delta Affairs, said the governor’s defection had effectively aligned the state with the central government.

He assured Governor Eno and his supporters that the APC would embrace them wholeheartedly and honour all agreements reached.

“As progressives, we shall work with the governor and his supporters to ensure that they fit into the party without hitches,” Enang stated. “We will also work with them to align programmes of the state government with the ideals and manifesto of the party.”

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He further described the governor’s move as a “merger” that promises significant benefits for Akwa Ibom and its citizens.

The planned reception is expected to mark a major political event in the state, signaling a realignment of forces ahead of future elections.

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Ekiti Launches Aggressive Anti-Flood Campaign, Dredges Ofigba River

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The Ekiti State Government has intensified efforts to prevent flooding across the state with the launch of a comprehensive dredging campaign, targeting critical waterways in both rural and urban areas.

Chairman of the Ekiti State Environmental Protection Agency (EKSEPA), Chief Bamitale Oguntoyinbo, disclosed this on Friday during an inspection visit to the ongoing dredging project at the Ofigba River in Ise-Ekiti.

Oguntoyinbo, who was accompanied by EKSEPA board members, said the visit was to assess the progress of work being carried out to mitigate flood risks in the community. He expressed satisfaction with the pace and quality of the dredging work.

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“I and other board members of EKSEPA are delighted with the level of job done by the site engineer because he is actually working with the directives of three-kilometer dredging of waterways,” he said.

According to him, the dredging commenced on June 4, and so far, 1.8 kilometers of the river have been successfully cleared.

He applauded Governor Biodun Oyebanji for prioritizing the safety and welfare of residents by initiating the state-wide anti-flooding campaign.

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“I want to commend our amiable governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, for embarking on zero tolerance campaign against flooding in every community and town in Ekiti,” Oguntoyinbo stated.

He also praised the General Manager of EKSEPA, Mr. Olukayode Adunmo, for his commitment to the project’s supervision and success.

In his remarks, Adunmo emphasized the urgent need to clear waterways choked by refuse, which impede water flow and contribute to flooding during the rainy season.

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“Dredging of Ofigba River in Ise-Ekiti in Ise/Orun Local Government Area is necessary because some of the waterways have been blocked by refuse,” he explained. “There is the need for us to remove every blockage to enhance free flow of water and avert flooding during heavy rainfall.”

Adunmo also commended Governor Oyebanji for taking proactive steps to protect lives and properties across the state.

Residents of Ise-Ekiti have welcomed the government’s intervention. Chief Godwin Ojo, a community leader, expressed gratitude to the governor for his timely action.

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“We thank the governor for the move to avert flooding in our community,” Ojo said. “May God grant him more wisdom to pilot the affairs of the state to an enviable height.”

The dredging campaign forms part of the Oyebanji administration’s broader commitment to environmental safety and disaster prevention.

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Tinubu to visit Kaduna Thursday to inaugurate key projects

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Tinubu commiserates with Akwa Ibom governor over wife’s death

President Bola Tinubu is expected in Kaduna State Today Thursday for the inauguration of several key developmental projects executed by the administration of Gov. Uba Sani.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the visit forms part of activities marking Sani’s two years in office.

The projects lined up for inauguration include the 300-bed Specialist Hospital in Millennium City, Kaduna, built by the state government to bolster the provision of healthcare services.

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Tinubu will also inaugurate the Institute of Vocational Training and Skills Development in Rigachikun, road projects in Soba, and Samaru Kataf LGA’S as well as the 24-kilometre Kafanchan Township Road.

Others are the Tudun Biri Road, the 22km road linking Kauru and Kubau LGAs as well as the Vocational and Skills Training Centre in Tudun Biri.

Tinubu is also expected to unveil 100 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses, as part of efforts to modernise the state’s public transportation system.

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The projects are part of the administration’s focus on infrastructurde evelopment, healthcare delivery, youths empowerment, and economic growth.

The state government described the visit as a significant moment for the people of Kaduna and an opportunity to showcase ongoing efforts to transform the state through impactful governance.

Sani, who marked his second year in office this month, has prioritised human capital development, rural infrastructure, and jobs creation since taking office in 2023.

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Tinubu’s visit to Kaduna State was rescheduled from Wednesday to Thursday.

He was initially supposed to visit Kaduna on Wednesday, but due to the recent attacks in Benue, he shifted his trip.

The president visited Benue on Wednesday to commiserate with the victims of the recent attacks and assess the humanitarian crisis.

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During his visit to Benue, Tinubu met with stakeholders, including traditional rulers, political and community leaders, and youth groups, to seek lasting solutions to the hostilities.

He also condemned the ongoing violence and called on the residents to embrace peace and mutual understanding.

NAN recalls that the Benue Government had declared a work-free day for Tinubu’s visit, urging the residents to turn out in large numbers to welcome him.

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