Atiku Campaign Council suffers setback as Deputy Director rejects offer
The People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council in Kano State has suffered a major setback as a popular party chieftain, Ibrahim Al Amin Little, who was appointed the Council’s Deputy Director, rejected the offer.
Ibrahim Amin Little, who has since issued a disclaimer against the appointment, told Daily Sun that his political antecedent as a former state party Chairman and a governorship candidate and aspirant at different times, the recent appointment was the equivalent of dragging him several steps backwards.
Little’s disclaimer came against the backdrop of the inauguration of the 16-member council for the flag bearer of the PDP in the state on 5th January 2023.
The ceremony was performed by Senator Ibrahim Shekarau and attended by the National Vice Chairman of the party, (North West), Senator Bello Hayatu Gwarzo and some party chieftains.
Members of the Council comprised of Adamu Yanusa Dangwani as Director, Umar Musa Maimensileta as Secretary, Professor Umar Faruk Jibril as Director, Media and Publicity, Mutari Janguaza as Director, Finance, and Barrister Hadiza Adodo as Director, Women Affairs, among others.
According to Daily Sun, both Shekarau, who serves as the arrowhead of the Atiku /Okowa campaign project in the state, and Ibrahim Amin Little, who is related to Atiku by marriage are not the best of soul mates politically.
A party source recalled that years ago, Shekarau, through the instrumentality of a Supreme Court judgment, took over the governorship ticket of the APP from Ibrahim Amin Little adding that despite the passage of time, certain wounds don’t just heal.
Besides, it is generally believed that Shekarau and his tendency in the party are not comfortable with Atiku’s son-in-law emerging as the Director of the project as that would automatically undermine their freedom to operate as they wished.
Little, however wished the campaign council well in the discharge of their assignment, adding that whoever works and supports His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, for the Presidency has already befriended and supported him given his close relationship with the presidential candidate.
Speaking to journalists after the court hearing at the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja, on Friday, Meranda said that a quorum in the Assembly required more members.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Obasa and his security details stormed the assembly complex on Thursday and entered the Speaker’s Office.
Obasa also presided over a four-man member after he took the Lagos Assembly and the speaker to court over what he termed as “unlawful removal”.
Meranda told journalists that plenary could only be held when they had numbers that formed a quorum, “so if Obasa was sitting with three or four members, then he was only doing theatre”.
The speaker said that Obasa still held a seat in the Assembly and had the right to come, noting that his invasion to her office was unacceptable.
According to her, I think he is still a member of the House of Assembly so he has every right to come but the invasion and breaking into my office, that is really a big one.
Meranda emphasised that the legal battle was only beginning, and urged all parties to allow the legal teams to handle the matter.
“This is actually just the beginning. Just like what happened in there, both parties have their representatives and I think we should allow the legal team to do their job,” she said.
The speaker, who disclosed that her initially withdrawn security detail was restored, said it was a contrast to the usual level of protection she received.
According to her, presently I have three or four policemen, whereas my normal security details are 12 policemen, four DSS, and two anti-bomb units. But I don’t have up to that presently.
Meranda said the party leadership was taking their own steps in resolving the speakership tussle.
She said: “We are definitely consulting with our leaders and all rightful things will be done at the right time. Let us assure the people of Lagos that we are still committed to our party.
“We are still committed to our leadership and we are still committed to serving the people of Lagos state. That is what is more important.
“I want to assure them that we are very law abiding and we are doing everything within our power just to make sure that we don’t take it more than this level.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) observed that Obasa was sighted at the assembly complex on Friday with his team while the 35 members that were earlier at the assembly drove out of the premises.
NAN reports that the legislative workers avoided the premises for fear of victimisation. (NAN)
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JUST IN; President Tinubu signs N54.99trn 2025 budget into law
President Bola Tinubu on Friday signed the N54.99 trillion 2025 Appropriation Bill into law at the State House, Abuja.
The bill, which was passed by the National Assembly on Feb. 13, after increasing it from the initial N49.7 trillion submitted by President Tinubu, was signed in a brief ceremony in the President’s office.
The 2025 Appropriation Act represents a 99.96 per cent increase from the 2024 Budget of N27.5 trillion.
The 2025 budget has a total expenditure component of ₦54.99 trillion, statutory transfers of ₦3.65 trillion and recurrent (Non-Debt) expenditure of ₦13.64 trillion.
The capital expenditure component is ₦23.96 trillion, debt servicing of ₦14.32 trillion and deficit-to-GDP Ratio of 1.52 per cent.
Sen. Godswill Akpabio, President of the Senate and other leaders of the National Assembly witnessed the signing of the budget. (NAN)
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Teenage Girl arraigned for allegedly drugging, stealing Boyfriend’s N4 million
An 18-year-old girl, Rukayat Ashiru, on Friday appeared before an Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing N4 million cash belonging to her boyfriend.
The defendant is standing trial on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing, to which she pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor, PC Olapeju Durodola, told the court that the defendant and others now at large committed the offences on Nov. 30, 2024, at Mufu Lanihun, at Yidi Agugu in Ibadan.
She said that the defendant allegedly
added a substance to her boyfriend’s drink, one Waris Olamilekan, to make him lose consciousness.
According to her, the defendant stole the money after adding the substance in the complainant’s drink.
Durodola said the offences contravened Sections 390(9) and 516 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Olabisi Ogunkanmi, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N2 million with two sureties in like sum.
Ogunkanmi said one of the sureties must be a property owner within the court’s jurisdiction, while the second surety must be a blood relation to the defendant.
She, thereafter, adjourned the matter until May 26 for hearing.(NAN)