Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was spotted exchanging pleasantries with the Labour Party Presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, at the burial of Governor Seriake Dickson’s mother in Bayelsa State, earlier today
Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde who was also in Bayelsa to commiserate with Governor Seriake Dickson over the death of his mother, was spotted sitting right next to Atiku.
Recall Peter Obi had defected from the PDP, a few months before the Party’s primary, to join the Labour Party where he eventually became the Presidential candidate and came third in the February 25th election.
More surprising to see, was Governor Seyi Makinde, a member of the G-5 Governors who worked against the ambition of Atiku in the just concluded presidential election.
Seyi Makinde and the rest of the G-5 Governors had demanded a power shift to the South, a demand which seems to have fallen on deaf ears, as it was met with stiff resistance by the leadership of the PDP.
Many believed the defection of Peter Obi to the Labour Party and Seyi Makinde’s G-5 membership dented Atiku’s ambition of becoming Nigeria’s president in 2023, much more than the flaws of INEC’s BVAS
David Nwamini, the would-be kidney donor in the organ trafficking case that sent Senator Ike Ekweremadu, 60, to jail, has said he wanted to remain and work in the UK, as “they could arrest me or kill me in Nigeria”.
His impact statement was read in court, at the sentencing that saw Ekweremadu, his wife, Beatrice, 56, and the doctor-middleman, Obinna Obeta, 51, jailed, 10 years and 8 months, 4 years and six months, and 10 years, respectively.
The three were found guilty at the Old Bailey of conspiring to arrange the travel of a young man with a view to exploiting him for his body part.
The Ekweremadus’ 25-year-old daughter, Sonia, has a severe kidney disease. It was for her the donor was sourced and brought to the UK.
According to David, he was approached with an opportunity to work in the UK, which he had always dreamed of but never thought would happen.
“He (Dr Obina Obeta) did not tell me he brought me here for this reason. He did not tell me anything about this.
“I would have not agreed to any of this. My body is not for sale.
“I worry for my safety in Nigeria. Those people can do anything. I think they could arrest me or kill me in Nigeria.
“My plan now is to work and to get an education and to play football,” David said, adding that he does not want to claim compensation from the “bad people” as it would be “cursed and bad luck”.
He also said someone visited his father in Nigeria and asked the father to get him to drop the case.
Although it is lawful to donate a kidney, it becomes criminal if there is a reward.
The Ekweremadu were arrested on June 21 last year as they arrived at Heathrow Airport.
World leaders have extended their heartfelt felicitations, marking the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
The US President Joe Biden congratulated the King and Queen, noting the “enduring friendship” between the United Kingdom and United States in a tweet.
French President Emmanuel Macron said King Charles III and Queen Camilla are “friends of France.”
“Proud to be by your side on this historic day,” Macron tweeted in French.
President of the European Council Charles Michel extended his “best wishes” to King Charles III and Queen Camilla in a tweet, adding that the council appreciates the King’s dedication to environmental efforts.
“EUGB friendship,” he tweeted.
Irish Foreign Minister Micheál Martin congratulated the King and Queen on Coronation Day, “a very important day for many across these islands.”
He said, “We will continue to work in support of the bonds of friendship between our peoples and the strong connections we share.”
Finnish President Sauli Niinistö said “it was a great pleasure and honour” to be at the coronation in London.
In a tweet, Niinistö said, “On behalf of Finland, we extended Their Majesties our very best wishes for a long and successful reign.”
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni tweeted in Italian, “The ancient Cosmatesque mosaic in Westminster Abbey, on which today the throne was placed for the coronation of King Charles III, was masterfully created by Italian craftsmen some eight centuries ago.”
“Today it is still there to amaze the world, and to tell the story of the historic and fruitful cooperation between Italy and the United Kingdom, which we are sure with King Charles III -;
“…who once again reminded yesterday that he loves Italy – will further strengthen, as we have already begun to do with PM Rishi Sunak,” she said.
“My best wishes to King Charles III, Queen Camilla and the entire British people,” she said.
Switzerland President Alain Berset extended “best wishes for a long and happy reign ??? ” in a tweet.
French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, in a shaort message, tweeted, “God Save The King.”
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg was at the ceremony and said in a statement, “His Majesty King Charles III has trained and served alongside military personnel, and is the Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force. Thousands of sailors, soldiers and aviators are marching together in the Coronation procession.”
“The UK is a founding member of NATO and a strong and committed Ally, with a long history of stepping up to support Allies and partners,” the statement said.
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Gov. Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has dispelled the rumours of him jostling to become Chief of Staff in President-elect, Sen. Bola Tinubu’s cabinet.
El-Rufai stated this in Gombe on Saturday while addressing newsmen.
Reports claim that El-Rufai was in the state to inaugurate the construction of 550 housing units and Gombe Geographic Information Systems (GOGIS) Service Centre.
He described the reports on the different portfolios being assigned to him and published in national dailies as “mere speculations”.
The governor said he was more interested in contributing to the development of Nigeria than jostling for positions.
El-Rufai noted that being in government was not the only way to contribute to Nigeria’s development, saying even if he was not in government, he would remain committed to the progress of the country.
“I have not had that discussion with the president-elect and I don’t like to speculate.
“I read in the newspapers all kinds of portfolios assigned to me but you know, I am a committed Nigerian.
“I want to see my country make progress and whatever I can do to contribute to the development of the country, I will do it.
“But, I don’t have to do it working in government. Everyone who is working either in the private sector or civil society is contributing.
“There is not just one way to contribute to the country and I will never stop working for Nigeria’s progress,” he said.
The governor said upon leaving office in the next 22 days, he would take a break but be available to provide advice, where needed, on how to move the country forward.
“I will be in the private sector, not any chief of staff. I will take a break and advise people like Governor Inuwa Yahaya if they need it,” he said.
On Tinubu’s presidency from May 29, El-Rufai said Nigerians would not regret voting the president-elect, stressing that better days were ahead of Nigerians under Tinubu.
Call it true friendship or political loyalty, Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, has broken ranks with governors from the North, who are battling President-elect, Bola Tinubu, for the position of the Senate president for the 10th Assembly.
The governors have been in high hopes that electing a Senate president from the Northwest would checkmate Tinubu during his presidency and would not allow him to have it his own way.
But Ganduje, who Tinubu has always praised for his “friendship” and “trust” has toed that predictable line as he has pulled out of the plot.
Instead, he’s again leading the line to see through Tinubu’s aspiration of having a strong hand from the South as his “working partner,” for the post of the Senate president, THE WHISTLER was told.
This has effectively put former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, on the driving seat to emerge the number three citizen of Nigeria come first week of June.
Akpabio’s political sagacity and an “unyielding” and “uncowering” posture to deal with both internal and external pressure to dissociate himself from the president has endeared him to Tinubu, who feels he has found a working ally to steer the ship of the country.
As for Ganduje who’s trumpeting Tinubu’s behind-the-scenes arrangement, “loyalty comes first in a country that, that is rarely seen,” politics-wise, a member of his camp who revealed the raging battle explained to this paper.
It was gathered that governors from the North had settled for two senators-elect from the Northwest zone in order to settle for a consensus candidate.
The northern governors also informed the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Abdullahi Adamu, of their position even as Tinubu was out of the country.
According to a source, Adamu’s seeming abdication of responsibility “for the president-elect to decide” after their National Working Committee meeting was the competing interests, one of which was the position of the Northern APC governors.
It was revealed that he found himself in an uncharted territory and decided to “play a smart one by insisting Tinubu has a crucial say on who emerges Senate President.”
Ganduje, having fully been informed, reportedly splits from the plot after meeting the President-elect a few days after his return from his foreign trip.
The Kano governor quickly began to parrot Tinubu’s preferred choice beginning in Calabar, Cross River State, what was secretly agreed, that, Akpabio is the next Senate President of Nigeria.
Ganduje said, “The senate president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will come from the south-south and it is no other person than the former governor of Akwa Ibom.
“The uncommon governor, the uncommon minister who is going to be the uncommon president of the senate. So we have resolved that.
“I am giving you assurance, we are waiting for the D-Day that he will be the senate president of Nigeria,” the governor said in a meeting with Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade, that was also attended by Ibrahim Gambari, Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari
Ayade on his part said, “I want to thank you so much for zoning the senate president to the south-south and to our brother from a neighbouring state who is also part of Cross River state,” the governor said.
“We want to thank you for this great opportunity because our dream of a Bakassi seaport is becoming very real.”
Earlier in the past week, former Senator representing Kaduna Central in the 8th Assembly, Shehu Sani, had tweeted: “The Northerners who supported Asiwaju to the throne are now saying they want the Senate Presidency in order to Checkmate him. It’s a good political strategy.
“But it’s like being in love and also being in doubt & living in fear.True love (is) supposed to be blind,” Sani had said.
Sani did not respond to an inquiry when contacted.
However, this medium gathered that the number of senators in support of Akpabio has risen to 65 to mean all elected senators on the platform of the party.
But an aide to Adams Oshiomhole, who’s also eying the position denied that the number is that high.
Attempts to speak with Akpabio failed but an aide confirmed to this medium that, “It’s a done deal. The Uncommon Senator is the next Senate President. I can confirm to you that we have up to 70 senators-elect which cut across all political parties.”
A Senator-elect on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from the Southsouth however deferred saying “while it’s an internal affairs of the APC, no opposition senator-elect has stuck his neck out in support of Akpabio.
“I can tell you the opposition is one except for those who you already know but that I won’t mention. You know the splinter group right from the post presidential primary to the campaign and the conduct of the election.”
The senator-elect was referring to the senators elected from the states controlled by the G-5, which are Rivers, Oyo, Benue, Abia and Enugu.
Our correspondent confirmed that only Rivers State successfully produced three senators on the platform of the PDP among the G-5 states. The three senators have indicated their support for the APC.
An aide to the Rivers State governor confirmed under condition of anonymity that the three senators-elect including the “deputy governor is fully in support of Akpabio.
“The governor has anointed Akpabio and successfully organised the meeting in the State during the president-elect’s visit; that’s how important Governor Wike is now, so none of them has a choice.
“Akpabio is even a good choice,” she said.
The Ebonyi State Governor and Senator-elect, Dave Umahi has jettisoned moves by stakeholders in Southeast to produce the next president of the Senate.
Umahi who was elected on February 25 to represent the Ebonyi South senatorial district at the upper chamber of the 10th National Assembly, pitched his tent with the South-South geopolitical zone.
The governor who was also in the Senate presidency race, told journalists yesterday that he has stepped down for the former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
According to him, the decision to step down for Akpobio followed his meeting with the president-elect, Bola Tinubu who advised him to hold onto his ambition.
He said, “Yesterday, I saw the president-elect on his invitation and he told me that he is already committed that I should hold on. So I have stepped down for my brother Akpabio. He is my consensus candidate”.
This is coming amid agitation in the Southeastern part of the country that the position of senate president should be zoned to the region.
Prior to the reported endorsement of Akpabio by the All Progressives Congress, APC Governors, the Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu from the Southeast was one of the leading aspirants.
[DailyPoint]
The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele has revealed that the relationship between the All Progressive Congress (APC) and the outgoing governor of Rivers, Nyesom Wike will not last.
He made the assertion in a statement signed Friday by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin.
According to him, cabals in the incoming government of the APC will fight the Rivers governor.
He explained that the governor will be made to pay dearly for some of his actions in recent times.
The cleric made it known that after the inauguration of the incoming government on May 29, several things will change and those who expect to have the lion’s share may end up not getting anything because appointments will break the ruling party.
‘’Wike’s relationship with APC will not last. Cabals will fight him mercilessly and he will be made to pay dearly but he will not understand now. APC will teach him a big lesson, including other PDP defectors.
2023 elections: APC’s victory, difficult reality for opposition parties – Presidency
‘’After May 29, many things will change and several things will turn around. Those who expect the lion’s share may not get anything. Appointments will break APC after the inauguration,’’ he averred.
Primate Ayodele further advised Nigerians not to fight for the sake of any politicians because they are not worth it.
He added Nigerian politicians will only sacrifice their supporters for their personal gains.
Making references to Wike, Primate Ayodele stated that the governor will be betrayed because he betrayed his party too.
‘’Nigerians shouldn’t fight for any politician, play politics but don’t create enemies. Our politicians are not worth it, in the end of it they will sacrifice you and your family will be in pain.
“Wike is playing the politics the way he knows how to play it but there will be repercussions. Anyone who has betrayed someone for gains will be betrayed too sooner or later. Our politicians don’t fear God, they will do anything to be in power but they forget at the end, it’s just six feet underground for everyone. All Wike has done is just out of selfishness and self-glorification,’’ he said.
Seidu Karim and Rashid Abdullah, two Pizzaman employees, were sentenced to 5 years in jail for stealing 20 boxes of chicken wings and two litres of cooking oil from the company’s warehouse in Nyankyerenease, Kumasi, Ghana.
The prosecuting officer, ASP Jonas Newlove Adjei, informed the court presided over by H/H Fred Obekyere Esq, that on Monday, May 1, 2023, the complainant, who is the executive chef of Pizzaman, received a call from his warehouse manager stating that two cooking oils and eight boxes of chicken wings had been stolen.
The chef went to take their daily stock as soon as he heard the news and found that the items had been taken after all.
Employees were requested to present the stolen goods at an emergency meeting that day.
Rashid Abdullah said during questioning that he spotted Seidu Karim concealing two liters of Oki cooking oil under the fence wall.
In an effort to prove his innocence, Seidu Karim claimed that he also spotted Rashid Abdullah stowing away two cartons of chicken wings under the fence wall.
The stolen things were recovered from them and turned over to the Asuoyeboah police command for investigation.
During the inquiry, Seidu Karim admitted to stealing twenty (20) litres of Oki cooking oil from the firm over two months.
The accused were prosecuted and sentenced to 5 years in jail with hard labor by the Kwadaso Circuit Court.
Dino Melaye, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Kogi State governor on November 11, 2023, has announced his running mate.
WITHIN NIGERIA reports Melaye unveiled his running mate in a post alongside a picture shared on Twitter on Friday evening.
He wrote:
Unveiling the Deputy Governorship Candidate of PDP in Kogi State today. ONE KOGI!!! ONE DESTINY!!!
Unveiling the Deputy Governorship Candidate of PDP in Kogi State today. ONE KOGI!!! ONE DESTINY!!! pic.twitter.com/Pj0qCOdIBT
— Senator Dino Melaye. (SDM) (@_dinomelaye) May 5, 2023
Though he did not name her in the post, WITHIN NIGERIA understands she is Hon. Habeebat Deen, a member of the Kogi State House of Assembly.
Kayode Ajulo, a legal practitioner, has stated that King Charles of the United Kingdom may pardon embattled former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu during his coronation ceremony.
Recalls that Ekweremadu was sentenced to nine years and eight months in prison by a UK court on Friday for plotting to harvest a man’s kidney for his sick daughter.
Beatrice Ekweremadu was sentenced to four years and six months in prison, while Obinna Obeta, a medical doctor, was sentenced to ten years in prison for the same offense.
The defendants were charged with conspiracy to arrange the travel of a young Nigerian man named David Nwamini to the United Kingdom in order to exploit him for his kidney.
Sonia, Ekweremadu’s sick daughter, required the organ.
Their trial lasted six weeks, and they are expected to be convicted today at the Old Bailey, London’s Central Criminal Court.
Speaking about the development, Ajulo stated on Channels Television on Friday that Ekweremadu may still have a chance at regaining his freedom.
He said;
There must be a way out’ King Charles’ coronation is an opportunity for a pardon request.
There is a thin line between organ harvesting and donation. The UK Modern Slavery Act rarely weighs the intent of the action.
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Daniel who has been bedridden for 20 years is celebrating his 41st years birthday anniversary today 5th of May.
Daily Trust reports that he was battling an infection under his genitals for nine years without treatment, infection which came from sore he developed in 2006, a couple of years after an accident that left him bedridden. It prompted this story.
“Today is my Birthday. At 41, no wife, not to talk of a child, but I so much Thank God For my Life,” he said.
His journey to being bedridden started on October 10, 2003. He was fresh out of secondary school. He took a menial job running supplies for a water packaging business in Onitsha, Anambra State.
On that day, a herd of cattle shared the road with vehicles. Daniel was getting out of the passenger side of a delivery truck when a running bull gored him.
One moment, he was stepping out, and in the next instant, he was on the bull.
“It was running with me [on top of its horns],” he recalls. “People were shouting. It threw me off. Immediately I fell down, I found myself in this condition.”
At least two bones snapped in his neck, some more in his legs and hips, x-rays showed.
Since then, he has been on his back on a mattress—and being moved between hospitals and shelters.
Surgeries and treatments have started and stopped. Back in 2015, a local charity funding them became unable to foot his medical bills and maintain a single-room apart at Karu, a suburb in Nasarawa, for him. That was to keep him close to Primus, where he was being treated then.
He was relocated to Dutse-Makaranta to be near a centre where he was to get physiotherapy.
He was also to undergo years of treatment. In addition to the infection on his genitals, pressure sores had eaten deep into his buttocks and sides.
Osteoporosis brought on by immobility had made his bones fragile. His knees and joints had stiffened from lack of use.
On Friday, a court sitting in the United Kingdom sentenced former deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu to nine years and eight months for organ harvesting.
His wife, Beatrice was handed four years and six months in jail while their doctor, Obinna Obeta, was sentenced to ten years improvement; his medical licence was also withdrawn.
THE WHISTLER reports that the former deputy senate President was arrested by the London Metropolitan Police and was subsequently arraigned on organ harvesting and trafficking charges involving a young man, David Ukpo, whom he was said to pick up from the streets of Lagos State for that purpose.
But Ekweremadu and his wife had pleaded not guilty to the charges while Nigeria’s National Assembly pleaded for clemency.
But on Friday, Justice Jeremy Johnson held that the actions of the lawmaker was serious and amounted to a form of slavery because he was wealthy but leveraged on it to arrange the travel of a lad that could not travel from Lagos to Abuja.
“In each of your cases, the offence you committed is so serious that neither a fine nor a community sentence can be justified.
“People-trafficking of human organs is a form of slavery.
“It treats human beings and their body parts as commodities to be bought and sold.
“It is a trade that preys on poverty, misery and desperation, ” Justice Johnson said.
Speaking to Ekweremadu, his wife and doctor, the judge described them as accomplices.
The judged frowned on Ekweremadu’s doctor citing the prosecution’s evidence that he lied that the victim was the lawmaker’s daughter’s cousin.
“You each played a part in that despicable trade.”
“People-trafficking across international borders for the harvesting of human organs is a form of slavery,” the judge said while sentencing them.
The development drew the reaction of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which is the principal public agency that conducts criminal prosecutions in England and Wales.
“This was an horrific plot to exploit a vulnerable victim by trafficking him to the UK for the purpose of transplanting his kidney.
“The convicted defendants showed utter disregard for the victim’s welfare, health and well-being and used their considerable influence to a high degree of control throughout, with the victim having limited understanding of what was really going on here,”Chief Crown Prosecutor, Joanne Jakymec said.
From the UK Met’s Modern Slavery and Exploitation Command, it described the judgement as a “landmark conviction” and commended the donor for his bravery in speaking against the lawmaker.
“We could not have done this without the help of our colleagues in the CPS, Human Tissue Authority and other partners who have worked tirelessly to achieve this result.
“We do understand the challenges around modern slavery cases as no two investigations are the same. Specialist officers from the Met’s Modern Slavery and Exploitation team understand this and we will ensure victims are supported, signposted and safeguarded with the help of partners,” the Command said.
Media
The second batch of 130 evacuees, comprising 128 females and two males, arrived in Nigeria from Port Sudan on Friday. The plane landed at 3.22pm via Taco Aviation.
A total of 506 stranded Nigerians from war-torn Sudan have so far arrived in Nigeria in two days.
Our correspondents reported that the first batch of 376 stranded Nigerians arrived in Nigeria on Wednesday night after spending seven days at the Arqeen border from Khartoum, Sudan.
The Air Peace plane airlifted 282 evacuees and landed by 11.35pm, while NAF C130 arrived at 11.55pm with 94 stranded Nigerians.
In an earlier video via Twitter on Friday, the Nigerian Ambassador to the Republic of Sudan, Safiu Olaniyan, who was still at Port Sudan, expressed joy that some of the students had arrived in Nigeria.
He said, “It has been tough but at long last, we are on our way home. Pray for us. We are still here. Some of your brothers and sisters are still here. Very soon, they will be joining you.
“This is the arrangement the Federal Government made for you. Compliment what the government has done. We still have a long way to go. I wish you a safe flight.”
Addressing journalists after receiving the second batch of evacuees, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, said the returnees were airlifted from Port Sudan to prevent the occurrence that befell the first batch at the Egyptian border.
Sani-Gwarzo said, “All the people that arrived today were evacuated from Port Sudan. It is unique because the bulk of our people after facing the initial difficulties at the border of Egypt, moved them to Port Sudan and a flight was arranged for them. This flight is not only a successful outing but it is an eye-opener for the remaining legs of the journey. More flights have been activated.
“I want to emphasise that people have been receiving video clips via social media that some pregnant women were delivered and some people sick, yes, it is true. We had a delivery. She gave birth in the hospital. Both mother and children are well. Someone with a hand injury has been operated on and he is out of the hospital. The Nigerian community in Port Sudan and the Nigerian embassy in Nigeria gave us good support.”
The permanent secretary stated that the plan of another batch of evacuees arriving soon was ruined by some students, adding that the issues had been rectified and about 800 stranded Nigerians would be airlifted from Egypt in a few hours.
He stated “One challenge that we faced today which has thrown us into re-aligning our plans is the fact that some Nigerians were claimed to have entered the bus without permission which caused the Egyptian side to delay the flight until it was sorted. I am happy to say that a few minutes ago, we received a signal from Egypt that all the problems had been cleared and Nigerians had been moved to the Egyptian side of the border. They will take the long journey from the border to the airport in Aswan and we have two planes that can carry all of them back to the country.
“In the next few hours, we shall have no Nigerian traveller stranded or kept on the Egyptian side. All our efforts will now be concentrated on the Nigerians in Port Sudan and from there, they will come home directly.
“We have almost 800 passengers on the Egyptian side heading towards Aswan airport. We have Azman Air and Max Air on the ground to evacuate others. We have activated Air Peace. We are waiting for their feedback. Air Peace will take two flights out of Port Sudan. Tarco Air will continue with about four flights as they promised today. The third batch of evacuees is expected to arrive in 12 hours or less. All things being equal.”
Sani-Gwarzo added that about 1,700 Nigerians remaining in Port Sudan would be evacuated in a few days, adding that no Nigerian would be left behind in Sudan.
Meanwhile, an official of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Ambassador Catherine Udida, said the returnees would be profiled and provided post-trauma treatment.
Udida said, “We have started the profiling of the students. We will do some referrals. We will liaise with the Ministry of Education to find placements in schools where necessary.”
A representative of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Umar Salisu, said, “We have also directed our missions abroad including all countries that are contiguous borders to Sudan to send their officers there in case any Nigerian is missing around the border or needs assistance and be brought to the missions in that country. We have made adequate arrangements for consular assistance to Nigerians there, including all the six geopolitical zones.”
All returnees received N100,000 each and a bag, courtesy of the Dangote Foundation.
They were also given MTN SIM cards loaded with N5,000 worth of airtime.
[Punch]
The Presidency on Friday said President Muhammadu Buhari’s policies and programmes could have suffered setbacks if the ruling party’s Bola Ahmed Tinubu had lost to any of the opposition political party’s candidates in the 2023 presidential election.
Garba Shehu, Buhari’s senior media assistant, stated this while receiving members of the Arewa Young Lawyers’ Forum (AYLF) on Thursday in Abuja.
According to Shehu, Tinubu’s defeat could have also been a career ending moment for many leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“APC victory in the election is a watershed moment for the Buhari government, its orientation, its programmes and projects.
‘‘In the hands of the opposition, many of the laudable programmes of the Buhari administration would have been sabotaged or unimplemented.
“An important and overlooked aspect of the Tinubu/Shettima victory is that it ensures, not only an orderly transfer of power from the outgoing administration to the incoming one, but also the safety of policies and programmes of the outgoing government.
‘‘For this, we remain grateful to the Almighty, and to citizens of Nigeria for sticking with our party,” he said, while describing APC’s victory in the election as “a difficult reality for the opposition parties’’.
The AYLF had announced Shehu’s announcement as its grand patron.