The preparations for the 2023 general election, considered by many to be very important in Nigeria’s political history, have continued to generate a lot of interest among major political parties and players trying to outdo themselves.
Some of the political parties and their support groups have intensified their campaigns and rallies both inside and outside Nigeria in their attempt to sell their plans and programs to the voting public and influential groups.
Nairametrics, in the continuation of the series, presents a summary of some of the main political events in the country during the week.
December 5th
The presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, On December 5, 2022, he made an appearance at the world’s leading think tank and policy institute, Chatham House in London, where he revealed some of his plans for important sectors such as defense, economics, education and technology.
- However, his performance at the forum has been the subject of controversy ever since, as both praise and jabs followed the former Lagos state governor from supporters and members of the opposition respectively.
- Opposition parties were not impressed by the candidate’s decision to direct some of the questions they posed to APC chiefs, including Kaduna State Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and the immediate former Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi.
December 5th
A former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogaraformally left the APC for the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).
- This comes just 48 hours after Dogara, who in early July 2020 left the PDP and rejoined the APC, and some aggrieved northern APC leaders declared their support for PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar.
- This followed several months of political permutations when the Northern Elders Consultative Forum, including Christian leaders in the APC in the North on December 2, formally adopted Atiku, after he had expressed opposition to the Muslim-Muslim candidacy of the APC.
- According to them, Atiku was adopted following a resolution by northern Christian leaders to work with their Muslim counterparts to adopt one of the presidential candidates in a bid to defeat the ruling party’s presidential bid that shares the same faith.
December 5th
APC presidential candidate Bola TinubuPutting an end to the controversy surrounding his academic records, he revealed that he just received his original replacement degree certificate from Chicago State University.
- Tinubu made this known by answering questions during his appearance at Chatham House in London, where he addressed controversies over his age, school and background in the private sector.
- He also said that he has so far refused to engage in debates with his fellow presidential candidates because it is tradable and as such he would not allow groups or institutions to use it to make money.
6th of December
Labor Party presidential candidate Peter Obion Tuesday, December 6, he said that the Union of Academic Staff of Universities (ASUU) will not go on strike if he becomes the next president of the country.
- Obi, speaking at a state rally in Owerri, Imo state, said his administration would hold dialogue with ASUU leaders to ensure universities do not lock down, adding that his administration would work with students and invest heavily in education, health and farming.
- The LP presidential hopeful said: “If you make me your president and Datti my vice, ASUU will not go on strike. We will talk with them. We will work with students. The future of any serious country depends on its education and health sectors. I will invest hugely in those sectors if they choose us.”
- However, this appears to be in contrast to the situation during his tenure as governor of Anambra State, when state-employed doctors went on strike for around 13 months.
December 7th
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, December 7, he reiterated once again that the 2023 general election would be free, fair and credible, as manipulation in any form would not be allowed.
- The president spoke at Government House, Abuja, while hosting the West Africa Elderly Forum Pre-Election Mediation Mission, led by former Sierra Leone President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma.
- Buhari said: “That right is guaranteed. We are settling down and progressing. People should vote for whoever they want, in whatever party. We will not allow anyone to use money and thugs to intimidate people. Nigerians know better now, they are wiser and they know that it is better to talk than to bear arms. Elections are even harder to manipulate now.”
December 7th
Bola Ahmed Tinubu, during an interview with BBC Africahe attributed his source of wealth to the real estate he inherited and subsequently turned around.
Tinubu, who gave the interview after his appearance at Chatham House in London, insisted that critics of his source of wealth envy his achievements, adding that he has not accepted any government appointments or contracts since leaving office.
Dismisses charge of taking a share of Lagos revenue: Tinubu, who was governor of Lagos state from 1999 to 2007, also dismissed the allegation of taking a share of Lagos revenue, saying his accusers have no proof of it.
On the allegations that he was taking a share of the income that Lagos earned, he said: “Hey, excuse me, share what? Have you tried it? The World Bank, (and) the International Monetary Fund have investigated the records in Lagos State. What’s wrong with them? It’s envy, envy, envy.”
December 8
the labor party In a major political statement, he said that if his presidential candidate, Peter Obi, wins the 2023 election, the country’s minimum wage could be as high as 80,000 to 100,000 naira.
- This was stated by the national vice president of the LP, Ayo Olorunfemi, on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily program.
- Olorunfemi said the party is considering implementing N80,000 to 100,000 as the new job-based minimum wage compared to the current N30,000, which he said does not reflect the reality of Nigerians.
December 8
chatham house He also invited Labor Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi to discuss his plans for Nigerians ahead of the February 25, 2023 presidential election.
- Obi, former Governor of Anambra State, is expected to attend the event scheduled for January 16, 2023 in London, UK, and is the second presidential candidate invited to address the global forum.
December 8
New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) presidential candidate Senator Musa Kwakwansoon Thursday, December 8, 2022, he called the promoters of his rumored merger with another party failed politicians.
- Kwankwaso said this while speaking to reporters in Abeokuta, shortly after addressing NNPP members at the party secretariat in the state capital.
- The NNPP presidential candidate has denied planning a party merger with other political parties before next year’s elections.
- Kwakwanso said: “That is absolute nonsense. You see, we think we are not above the three or four parties in this country, but by 2023, next year, by the grace of God, the NNPP will win the elections at the national level and at all other levels.
- “So these are people who are failed politicians who have nothing to say to Nigerians other than to spread the unnecessary rumor of a merger.
- “The merger is already gone. We have our candidates. In all parties, everyone is campaigning. Then ignore that nonsense.”
December 8
The Rivers State government had alleged a plot by some unidentified people to blackmail Governor Nyesom Wike, over the demands of the group of 5 governors, popularly known as the G-5.
- The state government issued a stern warning to this group, which it says is orchestrating a smear campaign against the state’s governor, Nyesom Wike.
- State Information and Communications Commissioner Chris Finebone, who briefed reporters in Port Harcourt after the state executive council meeting, held up a copy of a document said to contain the sinister plot by people he describes as political haters and anonymous from Governor Wike.
December 9
The crisis in the Labor Party took a new turn when the party’s National Labor Committee (NWC) on Friday rescinded the appointment of its acting national publicity secretary, Abayomi Arabambi, and dissolved the party’s Ogun chapter over the role they played . in the alleged expulsion of the Director General of the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Council, Doyin Okupe.
- This is even as the NWC passed a vote of confidence in the leadership of its embattled national president, Julius Abure, saying it reviewed all the corruption allegations against him and found him incapable.
Okupe and 10 party members were ousted by LP Ogun state chapter leaders for alleged “non-financial membership status, political mischief and embezzlement”.
December 9
Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiriaccused Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele of targeting the political class with the cash withdrawal limit policy introduced by the main bank on Tuesday.
- Controversies have followed the planned policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria to limit daily cash withdrawal for individuals to N20,000 daily and N100,000 and N500,000 per week for individuals and corporate entities respectively.
- But Governor Fintiri, who was reacting to CBN’s new policy during a campaign engagement in Kala’a, Hong local government area, said it was clear that Emefiele’s policy was aimed at the political class.
- He said that the policy that came shortly after Emefiele’s uneventful foray into politics had been cut short prematurely, could only have been retaliation given that the policy was likely to worsen poverty among citizens.