9th Assembly: Boroffice withdraws from Deputy Senate Presidency race

POLITICS

9th Assembly: Boroffice withdraws from Deputy Senate Presidency race

 

Ahead of Tuesday’s inauguration of the National Assembly, front-line contender for the position of Deputy Senate President, Senator Ajayi Boroffice, has withdrawn from the race.

In a statement signed by his Press Secretary, Kayode Fakuyi, stated that “in deference to President Muhammadu Buhari”, Senator Borofice steps down for another contender for the position.

It was gathered that the decision was rectified last night at the caucus meeting of All Progressives Congress, APC, Senators-elect.

A source however disclosed that the third-term senator representing Ondo North Senatorial District stepped down for Senator Ovie Omo-Agege from Delta State.

The press statement issued on Monday read, “Some weeks ago, Distinguished Senator (Prof.) Robert Ajayi Boroffice, OON declared intention, through letters addressed to Senators-elect, to seek the office of Deputy Senate President. The intention to contest was anchored on the deep conviction that with his excellent public service record, rich legislative experience and personality, he has the best credentials for the position.

“Consequently, he embarked on extensive consultations with party leaders, senators-elect and political groups. Indeed, everybody that was consulted agreed that he is eminently qualified to seek the office of Deputy Senate President.

“Instructively, majority Senators-elect have assured the senator of their support and the prospect of victory is high.

“However, in deference to President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Robert Ajayi Boroffice has decided to withdraw from the race.

“For the support and solidarity, Senator Robert Ajayi Boroffice is grateful to Senators-elect. He is humbled by the warm embrace and great display of camaraderie.

“We appreciate the people of Ondo North senatorial district and our friends across the country for the prayers, support and goodwill messages.

“For the far-reaching endorsements, steadfastness and unflinching support, gratitude goes to all concerned political groups across the country especially, the APC Young Stakeholders group, the Women for Buhari and Osinbajo group, and the Ondo APC Youth League,” the statement read.

Meanwhile, the stepping down of Borofice has reduced the number of aspirants jostling for the Deputy Senate President’s position.

Orji Uzor Kalu, Senator Kabiru Gaya, Senator Francis Alimikhena and Ovie Omo-Agege have shown interest in becoming the Deputy Senate President of the ninth Senate.

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Peter Obi, Nuhu Ribadu, others in presidential election tribunal as hearing begins

NEWS

Peter Obi, Nuhu Ribadu, others in presidential election tribunal as hearing begins

 

The running mate to the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi is currently present at the hearing session of the petition filed before presidential election tribunal against the declaration of President Muhammadu Buhari as the winner of the 2019 presidential election.

It would be recalled that Obi ran a joint ticket with the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar in the 2019 presidential election.

Also present in the court is a former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu, and a commissioner at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)

Wole Olanipekun while moving an objection on the preliminary application filed by President Buhari on his qualification said the application have been filed and served to all parties involved in the matter.

But drama ensued after a counsel who identified himself as Poland standing in for the Hope Democratic Party announced his appearance over which attracted a vehement objection to his claim.

However, President of the Tribunal, Mohammed Lawal Garba further urged all parties involved to privately sort out the issues of representation.

Garba also announced that all preliminary applications pending before the court would be heard on June 13.

Meanwhile, the tribunal has just gone into the preliminary part of the substantive matter.

Details later…..

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BREAKING: Senator Goje withdraws from Senate Presidency race, endorses Lawan

POLITICS

BREAKING: Senator Goje withdraws from Senate Presidency race, endorses Lawan

 

Senator Danjuma Goje has withdrawn from the 9th Senate Presidency election expected to hold on June 11.

According to Vanguard, the lawmaker also endorsed the Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan, for the position.

This was disclosed by the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, after their meeting behind closed doors with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Wednesday.

El-Rufai was accompanied by Senators Lawan, Goje and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enang, while briefing State House Correspondents on the latest development.

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Defection: Jimi Agbaje, Ogunlewe, others returned to APC where they belong – Bode George

POLITICS

Defection: Jimi Agbaje, Ogunlewe, others returned to APC where they belong – Bode George

 

Former National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olabode George, has disclosed that the party’s governorship candidate in Lagos State in the last election, Jimi Agbaje, appears to have joined the All Progressives Congress, APC.

George also revealed that Agbaje failed in the last election because ‘he thinks he knows it all’, adding that it was Lagos people that worked against him.

He said that Agbaje originally come from the APC and had been part of the ruling party in the state from the beginning.

According to the PDP leader, any member of the party that wants to leave should go, adding that Sen. Adeseye Ogunlewe, who recently joined the APC, was a member of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), “so he simply moved back to where he came from.”

“Let them go. Some of them were good guys but now they are going to a place where they do not practice democracy at all. Those people who defected to the APC, from where did they originally come from? They came from APC,” the former Ondo State Military Administrator told Sun.

“Ogunlewe was a member of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), so he simply moved back to where he came from. They came from the APC.

“One of them came to my house and told me that the only business he does is to be a PSP operator and that a letter was written to him threatening to sack him; so because of his daily bread, he had to go back to APC.

“In the case of Dipo Olurunimu, his case was a different ball game. At a time, he was the only PDP member left in the Lagos State House of Assembly when others defected.

“But they were harassing him and he had to join them. APC is not a political party. Look at that Rita Orji she came around and got the ticket after that she started running around claiming to be the leader of the party in the state.

“The experience we have had in the South West is that there has been an unnecessary incursion of control over the affairs of the party from the national body.

“There has been interference in the management of the party in the South West and we met some days ago and decided that never again are we going to allow anybody outside of our zone to come and interfere in the affairs of the party.

“Let the leaders face national issues; you cannot know my house more than me. They were handpicking candidates and imposing them on us and we have seen the results, but we are determined that this would never happen again.

“Segun Adewale’s case is laughable; we need to pray for him, he is a very sick young man. The national body of the party has written that he is not a member of the party.

“If he says he is the chairman, I don’t know what party he is leading; but it is definitely not this PDP. We fought a good fight in the presidential election, we worked for Atiku and we are sure he won. But for Agbaje, he said he knows it all.

“We didn’t work against him; it is the people of Lagos that worked against him. Where did Agbaje originally come from?

“Was he not part of the ruling party in the state from the beginning? Some people are saying he is now in APC and all his movements indicate that he is now with them.”

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‘Withdraw Itse Sagay’s SAN title’ – Lagos PDP tells LPPC, others

POLITICS

‘Withdraw Itse Sagay’s SAN title’ – Lagos PDP tells LPPC, others

 

The Peoples Democratic Party in Lagos State has charged the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC) and the Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association and the courts to withdraw all the privileges that Prof Itse Sagay enjoys as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

The party, in a statement yesterday by its state Publicity Secretary, Mr Taofik Gani, also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately replace Sagay as the Chairman of the committee.

According to the Lagos PDP, the security agencies must arrest, interrogate and prosecute Sagay for his comments allegedly capable of provoking civil unrests in the country.

Sagay had faulted Supreme Court’s rulings, which upheld the PDP as the winner of the 2019 general elections in Rivers and Zamfara states, and barred the All Progressives Congress from contesting offices. 

But Gani said, “Prof Sagay exposed his hatred for the PDP when he described the Supreme Court judgment by positing that ‘in the next four years, Zamfara State will be governed by a party and politicians rejected by the electorate.’

“To the PDP, these words and stance are inciting and unbecoming of a senior lawyer and must be taken seriously as professional misconduct within the contemplation of Section 24(1)(a) and (b) of the rules of professional conduct.

“To us as a party in Lagos State and from where most of these false activists speak, Prof Sagay is no more a fit and proper personality to head a presidential advisory committee against corruption. We charge the LPPC, the LPDC, the NBA and the courts to withdraw all privileges Prof Itse Sagay enjoys as a SAN.”

Gani said Sagay had showed enough obvious partisanship and support for the APC, adding that one needed not wonder why all the APC chieftains were “saints” before the Sagay-led PACAC.

He said, “With Sagay as an adviser, the advised is at his own risk. It is very laughable that Sagay attempts to be an appellate court to the Supreme Court.”

Earlier, the PDP had accused the PACAC chairman of instigating anarchy and rebellion against constitutional democratic order and reule of law.

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