Peter Obi Media Office recalls Obi’s warning against Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as controversies increase

 

The Peter Obi Media Office has said that if Mr Peter Obi’s warning not to embark on the project was adhered to, the present controversies surrounding the project would have been avoided.
In a statement in Abuja on Tuesday, the Office recalled that Obi had advised that other hinterland roads should be attended to before embarking on the Coastal Highway.
Said the Office: “The Peter Obi Media Office is revisiting the contentious Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, which continues to raise significant concerns about government priorities, the use of public funds, and accountability.
“When Peter Obi urged the government to rehabilitate Nigeria’s deteriorating hinterland roads before advancing an ambitious coastal highway, his position was unambiguous: public resources should be directed toward projects that provide the greatest benefit to the largest number of Nigerians.”
The statement lamented that: “Instead of addressing these concerns, the Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi, responded by attacking him.
“Now that questions have emerged regarding the project’s scope and its reported truncation, Nigerians are entitled to clear answers.
“How much money has been spent? What has been completed? Who approved any alterations, and who will be held responsible for any waste or mismanagement established by the evidence? Public projects are not political advertisements, and public funds are not private property. Nigerians deserve transparency, an independent audit, and a clear account of the project’s present status.
“Peter Obi did not oppose infrastructure development; he called for responsible prioritisation and value for money.
“The government must stop portraying legitimate scrutiny as an attack and begin recognising accountability as an obligation.
“The central question persists: why target the messenger when the message calls for answers? In a new Nigeria that is Possible and OK, transparency regarding public wealth will be mandatory,” the Office said.

 

Kalu tasks SEDC to extend projects to South-East communities

 

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on the South-East Development Commission (SEDC), Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, has urged the commission to extend its development projects and interventions to communities across the region, stressing the need for tangible results at the grassroots.

Kalu gave the charge on Monday during an oversight visit by the Senate Committee to the commission in Enugu, where lawmakers assessed its operational readiness, ongoing preparations and progress on infrastructure development.

 

He acknowledged the progress recorded by the commission, particularly the improvements at its headquarters, but emphasised that its impact must be felt beyond its administrative base in Enugu.

 

The senator urged the management to sustain the progress ahead of another oversight visit scheduled for December, noting that residents of the five South-East states should begin to see practical benefits from the commission’s activities.

 

Although he acknowledged that the SEDC was relatively new, Kalu said its management must remain focused on its mandate and demonstrate commitment to addressing the region’s development challenges.

 

During the visit, the Managing Director of the commission, Mr Mark Okoye, briefed the lawmakers on ongoing preparatory activities and strategic initiatives designed to accelerate economic growth, improve infrastructure and promote regional development.

 

Okoye disclosed that the commission was advancing plans for strategic projects, including gas pipeline and railway initiatives, while strengthening partnerships with federal ministries, departments and agencies, state governments, development partners and private sector stakeholders.

 

He also highlighted the South-East Vision 2050 stakeholder consultations, describing them as a major step towards developing a long-term blueprint for the region.

 

According to him, the consultations brought together government officials, business leaders, academics, development partners and civil society groups to contribute to a coordinated regional development agenda.

 

The managing director further disclosed that 25 start-ups drawn from the five South-East states had received equity investments under the South-East Venture Capital Programme, an initiative aimed at promoting entrepreneurship, innovation and business growth.

 

As part of the oversight exercise, the committee visited the Enugu State Governor, Dr Peter Mbah, as well as the commission’s temporary headquarters and its newly established permanent headquarters.

 

At the temporary headquarters, the lawmakers inspected the available office spaces and operational facilities to determine their adequacy for the commission’s administrative activities.

 

They also assessed the new headquarters, examining its office facilities, furnishing, information and communications technology infrastructure, and general preparedness for full operations.

 

The inspection was aimed at providing the committee with first-hand information on the commission’s operational capacity, infrastructure requirements and progress in establishing an effective administrative base.

 

The South-East Development Commission was established to drive reconstruction, economic development and regional transformation across Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states. Authority.

2027: PDP condemns attack on its Cross River campaign team

 

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned reported attacks on its Cross River State campaign team during its consultations tour across the state, calling on security agencies to investigate the incident and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.

The party said the alleged attack, which reportedly involved armed thugs who vandalised vehicles, fired sporadically and injured several supporters, threatened democratic participation and the right of political parties to engage freely with voters.

 

In a statement issued on Monday and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, the PDP urged relevant authorities to take urgent measures to prevent a breakdown of law and order in the state.

 

The party also expressed concern over allegations that the attack was sponsored by the Cross River State governor, although it provided no evidence in the statement to substantiate the allegation.

 

The PDP said the governor should focus on addressing public concerns about his administration’s performance rather than resorting to what it described as intimidation of opposition figures.

 

The opposition party questioned the state government’s record of project delivery, alleging that the administration had yet to demonstrate convincing evidence of major projects initiated and completed since assuming office.

 

According to the PDP, some projects presented as achievements amounted largely to the repainting of existing structures.

 

The party challenged the governor to account for the financial resources accruing to Cross River State, insisting that residents deserved to know how public funds had been utilised and the benefits delivered to communities.

 

It maintained that public resources should translate into visible development, improved infrastructure, employment opportunities and better living conditions for residents.

 

“Public office is a trust bestowed by the people and not a personal entitlement to be retained by any means,” the party said.

 

The PDP further argued that Cross River State needed a new direction and leadership that prioritised residents’ welfare over partisan interests.

 

It said its candidates were engaging with communities, listening to concerns and presenting an alternative vision for the state’s future.

 

Despite the reported attack, the party declared that it would not be intimidated into abandoning its political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.

 

It pledged to continue consulting with residents, promoting democratic participation and defending the rights of its candidates and supporters.

 

The PDP also appealed to residents to remain peaceful and law-abiding, urging them to participate actively in the 2027 elections.

 

It called on political actors to exercise restraint and avoid actions capable of triggering violence in the state.

 

The party specifically urged security agencies to investigate the reported incident promptly, professionally and impartially, protect political stakeholders and prevent a recurrence.

 

It added that anyone found responsible should be held accountable in accordance with the law, regardless of political affiliation or position.

 

The PDP reaffirmed its commitment to what it described as the people’s quest for accountable leadership and improved development in Cross River State. Authority.

APC faults Atiku for addressing Tinubu as ‘Bola’, vows to focus on issues

 

The All Progressive Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for addressing President Bola Tinubu by his first name, describing the action as disrespectful to the office of the President.

The council said it would not follow Atiku’s approach, insisting that its campaign would focus on issues affecting Nigerians, the achievements of the Tinubu administration and its plans to move the country from reforms to prosperity.

Dele Alake, spokesperson for the APC Presidential Campaign Council, stated this in a press statement on Monday amid public reactions to Atiku’s reference to the President as “Bola”.

Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), was accused by the APC council of falling short of the decorum and respect expected of a former vice president and an aspirant to the nation’s highest office.

The council said Atiku’s conduct raised concerns about his regard for constituted authority, arguing that his political ambition and animosity had undermined the statesmanship expected of him.

“Since Alhaji Atiku lost the last Presidential election, he has allowed political animosity and uncontrollable ambition to rob him of the statesmanship that should guide his public conduct and utterances,” the statement said.

The APC campaign council further accused the former vice president of setting a poor example for younger politicians through what it described as unbecoming political behaviour.

Despite its criticism, the council urged APC leaders, spokespersons, members and support groups to accord Atiku the respect and courtesies due to him as a former vice president and presidential candidate.

“Without any regard to his personal choice to disrespect the office he is aspiring to occupy, the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council has implored all party leaders, spokespersons, party members and support groups to accord all the respect, courtesies and regard due to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as former Vice President of Nigeria and a Presidential candidate,” Alake said.

He added that the APC, which he described as a party grounded in progressive ideals and African traditional values, would maintain its standards of political conduct rather than emulate Atiku’s approach.

The council said its campaign would concentrate on presenting the party’s programmes, highlighting Tinubu’s achievements in office and explaining how the administration intends to translate its ongoing reforms into prosperity.

2027: Tompolo donates 25 vehicles, seeks votes for Tinubu in Kogi

 

A call has gone to voters in Kogi State to cast their ballots for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027 in order to sustain ongoing reforms.

The call was made by High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, as he donated 25 vehicles to the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement in Kogi State for grassroots mobilisation.

 

Tompolo, the Grand Patron of the Movement, announced the donation through the Managing Director of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, Kestin Pondi, at the inauguration of the movement’s Kogi State structure in Lokoja on Monday.

 

Tompolo said the vehicles would support the movement’s campaign to mobilise voters for Tinubu’s second term, urging Nigerians to re-elect the President.

 

He argued that the President had demonstrated courage by removing the petrol subsidy, supporting direct allocation of funds to local governments and allowing states to regulate electricity within their jurisdictions.

 

According to him, the reforms have increased resources available to state governments to pay salaries, pensions and execute projects.

 

“If somebody has done so much for you, what do you do for the person? You give him more,” Pondi said.

 

He urged members of the movement to take the President’s message to homes, workplaces, churches, markets and communities, adding that Nigerians needed to give Tinubu another four years to consolidate his reforms.

 

Tompolo acknowledged that the reforms had brought challenges but maintained that the country would eventually benefit from them if citizens remained patient.

 

Speaking at the event, Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, commended the movement for providing vehicles to facilitate its grassroots mobilisation, urging its members to use them to reach every street, village, market and household.

 

He, however, stressed that vehicles alone could not guarantee electoral success, noting that effective organisation and engagement with voters would be crucial.

 

“Vehicles do not win elections, but people win elections, conventions win elections and organisations win elections,” the governor said.

 

Ododo called on the movement’s coordinators to explain the administration’s policies and projects to Nigerians, listen to their concerns and answer questions with facts rather than insults.

 

He explained that President Tinubu inherited serious economic challenges and had chosen to confront them through reforms, adding that the country needed continuity to consolidate ongoing development efforts.

 

The Governor also listed infrastructure and development projects in Kogi State which he said had received the President’s support, including the proposed Economic City and Free Trade Zone, as well as the Kogi International Airport project.

 

He further cited renewed attention to the Abuja-Lokoja-Benin Expressway, the development of universities and primary healthcare centres, road construction, support for farmers and youth and women empowerment initiatives.

 

Ododo said improved infrastructure, security and an enabling business environment were necessary to attract investment, create jobs and raise living standards.

 

He also thanked Tinubu for supporting security operations against criminality and backing efforts to establish state police, saying improved security would enable farmers to return to their farms and businesses to operate without fear.

 

The Governor pledged to lead the mobilisation effort in Kogi State, declaring his support for the movement’s campaign ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

 

He urged its members to engage communities peacefully and persuade voters through their messages and conduct.

 

Earlier, the National Coordinator of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement, Mr Sunday Asuku, called on residents, youths, students and farmers to mobilise support for Tinubu’s re-election.

 

Asuku described the President’s reforms as necessary for the country’s development and urged Nigerians to support the continuation of the administration’s policies.

 

He also cited the administration’s engagement with organised labour and efforts to prevent strikes by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) as reasons for supporting Tinubu. Authority.

 

Peter Obi Media alerts of political violence in Enugu, calls for immediate end

 

 

The Peter Obi Media Office has raised the alarm over what it calls increasing political violence and intimidation in Enugu State which is governed by an APC (All Progressive Congress) Governor, Dr Peter Mbah.

In a statement on Sunday, the Office said: “The persistent reports of intimidation in Enugu State are unacceptable and must be unequivocally condemned.

“Any political leadership that allows fear to replace persuasion must be held responsible.

“It is shameful that, instead of presenting their records, advancing constructive ideas, and winning public confidence, some state governors are presiding over political violence in which citizens are losing their lives for electoral gain.

 

“The ongoing violence in Enugu demands an immediate and comprehensive investigation—not excuses, unchecked denials, or political concealment.

“We call for accountability at every level. Security agencies must investigate all credible allegations of politically motivated killings, threats, and attacks in Enugu State impartially and without fear or favour.”

The statement demands that: “The authorities must establish who ordered, funded, enabled, or carried out these acts and ensure that everyone found culpable is prosecuted according to the law.

“Holding public office must never shield anyone from justice, and political affiliation must never determine whose life is valued or who is held accountable for a crime.

“We further call on the relevant electoral and law enforcement authorities to take preventive action against political violence, protect opposition candidates and supporters, and ensure that Nigerians can participate in the democratic process without fear,” the Media Office said.

The statement insisted that: “Victims and their families deserve justice, while the public deserves clear and transparent answers.

“There must be no misunderstanding: no governor is above the law, no political party owns the state, and no political aspiration can justify the loss of even one Nigerian life.

“Everyone responsible for political violence must be held accountable, regardless of office, influence, or power. Attempts to intimidate the opposition must be resisted through lawful, peaceful, and democratic means.

“Nigerians will not surrender their constitutional rights in the face of threats and violence. Democracy belongs to the people, not to those who seek power through fear.

“Our message is clear: account for your record, answer for your conduct, and face the Nigerian people—not the barrel of a gun.

“Nigeria deserves leaders who earn public trust through results, respect human life, and uphold the rule of law. The ballot must never become a battleground, nor must justice be sacrificed to political power,” the Office concluded.

Obi Media Office to Dele Alake: What did Tinubu achieve with his procured victory?

 

 

The Peter Obi Media Office has challenged Mr Dele Alake and the All Progressive Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council to move beyond their preoccupation with Peter Obi’s assertion that he won the 2023 presidential election and explain to Nigerians what President Bola Tinubu accomplished with the appropriated victory he obtained.
In a statement on Saturday, the Media Office said the main objective of election victory should be to deliver good governance that enhances the quality of life of the people.
On this score, the statement said President Bola Tinubu’s 2023 victory failed.
According to the statement: “The Peter Obi Media Office urges Mr Dele Alake and the APC Presidential Campaign Council to move beyond their preoccupation with Peter Obi’s assertion that he won the 2023 presidential election and explain to Nigerians what President Bola Tinubu has accomplished with the appropriated victory he obtained.
“As Alake focuses on disputing Obi’s claim, millions of Nigerians are evaluating the substance of the mandate President Tinubu has assumed.
“What has that “victory” delivered to ordinary citizens apart from escalating economic hardship, higher living costs, worsening poverty, and intensifying insecurity under a government marked by grandiosity and corruption?
“What significance does an electoral victory have if it fails to bring meaningful improvements to the lives of the people?
“Winning an election is not an objective in itself; it confers a responsibility to govern effectively and enhance citizens’ welfare.”
Leadership, according to the Office, “should be judged not by the ability to win or appropriate an election or defend its result in court but by the capacity to transform political authority into concrete outcomes.
“We recognise that the courts affirmed the official result of the 2023 presidential election. Nevertheless, a legal victory does not amount to successful governance, nor does it place an administration beyond public examination and accountability,”, the statement insisted.
Going forward, the Media Office advised: “Instead of devoting so much attention to attacking Peter Obi, we call on Alake to explain the record of the administration he represents. Where is the relief Nigerians were promised? Where is the economic prosperity?
“Where are the security, affordability, and renewed hope that responsible leadership should provide?
“Nigerians have little interest in perpetual political disputes as their purchasing power declines and the daily struggle to survive becomes more severe.
“Dele Alake should respond to the question Nigerians are asking: What has Tinubu done with his ‘electoral victory’, if not oversee conditions that many citizens experience as one hardship after another?
“Victory should be measured not by what politicians celebrate at the polls but by what people can celebrate in their homes, workplaces, farms, and communities.”

Nigeria, the statement went on, “deserves a government that produces results, not one whose defenders are more focused on discrediting the opposition than accounting for the nation’s condition.”

NDC lambasts Tinubu, says 30-day petrol subsidy deceitful, tokenism

 

The National Leadership of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) has described the 30-day petrol subsidy announced by President Bola Ahmed as deceitful and tokenism.
In a statement on Friday, the Party therefore called on Nigerian voters to come out on December 16, 2027 and vote out Tinubu and his All Progressive Congress (APC), replacing them with Mr Peter Obi and the NDC.
The statement signed by Osa Director, National Publicity Secretary of the NDC said: “The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has noted the breaking news by the Federal Government announcing a 30-day discount on petrol through NNPC stations.

“According to the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, _”We are offering a discount on petrol dispensed by NNPC Limited for the next 30 days in the first instance, with priority for public transporters nationwide. So, it’s not a subsidy.
“The government is just saying we sell to you at cost.”

Attacking the Tinubu offer, Osa Director said: “This is nothing but tokenism and a Greek gift from a government that whimsically removed fuel subsidy without proper consideration, consultation, or cushions for Nigerians.

“Nigerians cannot be deceived. What happens to the millions of Nigerians who lost their jobs and whose businesses collapsed as a result of the callous and poorly planned removal of subsidy?

“What about those who lost their lives in poorly equipped government hospitals that have now become mortuaries?” The NDC statement queried.

The NDC went on to say that: “It is clear that President Bola Tinubu and the APC government are desperate, and Nigerians must not be deceived.
“Emilokanomics has failed woefully. The attempt to reintroduce petrol subsidy through the backdoor is not only mischievous but a sign of a government in free fall, ready to clutch at anything to survive.

“Even the bogus promise to dispense discounted fuel at designated NNPC retail outlets is not pragmatic.
“How many such outlets exist in Nigeria to serve over 200 million Nigerians?
Is this not the recipe for another stampede that could have many more Nigerians trampled to death at the filling stations?

“Several questions beg for answers, but the only answer staring Nigerians in the face is that the economy is in a tailspin and at a tipping point.
“The APC has shown itself glaringly incapable of rescuing the country from imminent collapse.”

Offering a way out for Nigerians, Osa Director said: “But hope is on the way. His Excellency Peter Obi, under the NDC, will put Nigeria back on the right track. A New Nigeria is POssible with Obi.

“In a few months, specifically on 16th January, 2027, Nigerians should come out en masse and vote for Peter Obi and all other NDC candidates to vote out the most clueless and rudderless government in the history of Nigeria, NDC concluded.

 

How the North can reject Tinubu and still re-elect him unintentionally

 

By Ike Abonyi

 

_An incumbent’s strength sometimes lies not in popularity, but in the disunity of the opposition. —Anonymous_

 

 

The geopolitical North, like every other region of Nigeria, is deeply dissatisfied and angry with President Bola Tinubu’s administration. It is equally clear that the region is preparing to subject President Tinubu to the same electoral treatment it gave President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.

 

However, political observers fear that two factors could prevent the North from repeating the events of 2015. First, Tinubu is not Jonathan. Second, the politically unified North of 2015 no longer exists. If Jonathan was unwilling to risk bloodshed in pursuit of his ambition, the same cannot be said of a Jagaban who regards the Presidency as his turn and is determined to seize it at all costs.

 

Nevertheless, politically discerning observers argue that rejecting Tinubu in the North would represent a significant political setback for him, but would not, on its own, constitute his defeat.

The 2023 figures help explain the how and why, even though much has changed since then. For example, Nasir El-Rufai, a key figure in the political events of 2015, 2019, and 2023, has been restrained and imprisoned, demonstrating to the North that it can be demonised.

In 2023, across the North’s three geopolitical zones, Tinubu secured approximately 5.59 million votes, Atiku about 5.23 million, and Obi roughly 2.08 million. Tinubu’s lead over Atiku in the North was therefore only about 354,000 votes.

The essential point is that the North does not vote as a single bloc. In 2023, Atiku prevailed in the North-East, Tinubu led in the North-West, and the North-Central was considerably more competitive, with Obi receiving more than 1.4 million votes there. This pattern is unlikely to recur because Tinubu’s electoral standing in the North today is now abysmal. The question is: who will benefit from Tinubu’s 2023 votes in 2027—Atiku or Obi? Because of the zoning issue plus having a formidable Rabiu Kwankwaso as his running mate, many are rooting for Obi to take the lion’s share of votes in the region in 2027. But if for any selfish reason the North rejects Tinubu in favour of Atiku because he is one of their own, it would be playing into Tinubu’s hands by reinforcing the zoning arrangement, which is not constitutional but remains binding. By fragmenting the zoning formula through support for Atiku, the North would be arming Tinubu with the means to fracture the country through his Emilokon agenda. If, however, the North decides to be just and let Tinubu know that the real emilokon is to the South East that has not been President since this dispensation that began in 1999, they will channel their vote to Obi, who incidentally is the best product in the market by all standards.

There are therefore two fundamentally different interpretations of “rejecting Tinubu”:

The North rejects Tinubu and unites overwhelmingly behind a single challenger: this could pose a serious threat to the incumbent.

North rejects Tinubu but disperses its votes among Atiku, Obi, and other candidates: Tinubu could lose considerable northern support without necessarily losing the presidency; this second possibility is especially important.

In 2023, Atiku and Obi together secured substantially more votes than Tinubu nationwide, but their support was split between separate candidacies. Tinubu nevertheless recorded the highest individual vote total. That outcome is unlikely to be repeated in 2027, given the paradox at the heart of the election, which can be stated as follows:

The North can defeat Tinubu only if its rejection of him produces a sufficiently concentrated alternative vote for Peter Obi, who is certain to receive substantial support from the South. Northern rejection alone does not amount to Tinubu’s defeat if those votes are not properly directed. This is why the destination of the anti-Tinubu vote may be as important as its overall size.

If a northern voter says, “I don’t want Tinubu,” and votes for Atiku, while a southern voter seeking change casts a ballot for Obi, the two votes may together signify rejection of the incumbent while remaining electorally divided.

That is the central lesson of 2023.

Current reporting also characterises opposition fragmentation as a significant issue ahead of 2027, while the APC is seeking to preserve its northern advantage amid economic and security concerns.

The point, therefore, is that northern opposition to Tinubu alone will not suffice; those votes must converge if he is to be defeated. Otherwise, the North may reject Tinubu yet still return him to office. This reflects the paradox without presuming that the 2027 result has already been determined.

And perhaps the most significant lesson of 2023 is that, in a fragmented presidential contest, voters may collectively reject an incumbent’s performance without collectively generating a single alternative strong enough to defeat him.

The central question, then, may not be, “Who does the North reject?” It may instead be:

“After rejecting Tinubu, where will the northern vote go—and what will happen to the votes elsewhere?”

If Atiku secures a very large share of the northern vote while Obi or another southern challenger wins substantial support in the South, the opposition could command enormous aggregate backing without any one challenger receiving enough of it to turn that support into victory.

That is essentially what the 2023 figures demonstrate.

However, it would be mistaken to assume that northern voters are automatically Atiku supporters, particularly given the strategic position of another formidable Northerner, Rabiu Kwankwaso.

The actual 2027 equation is not merely:

North rejects Tinubu = Tinubu loses. Rather, the more accurate formulation is: northern rejection + opposition consolidation + adequate national spread = a fundamentally different electoral equation.

In the absence of the second and third elements, widespread northern opposition to Tinubu could paradoxically occur alongside his continued position as the leading individual candidate.

That may be the most significant lesson of 2023. In a fragmented presidential contest, voters may collectively reject an incumbent’s performance without collectively producing a single alternative capable of defeating him.

Perhaps to prevent such an outcome, some individuals have been making determined efforts to create a unified opposition ticket by urging Atiku Abubakar, who is clearly disadvantaged by zoning considerations and age, to step aside in favour of a younger, more dynamic Peter Obi. However, he has refused to yield.

The central strategic lesson is that the 2027 election should not be viewed simply as a contest between the North and the South or as a choice between northern rejection and Tinubu’s victory. The decisive issue is whether voters dissatisfied with the incumbent will ultimately unite behind an alternative candidate strongly enough to convert that dissatisfaction into an electoral majority with the necessary geographical spread.

The central point is that Atiku’s entry into, or sustained strength in, the presidential contest presents opposition strategists with a dilemma on several fronts: if northern opposition votes are divided between Atiku and other regional figures such as Kwankwaso, while southern opposition votes gravitate toward figures such as Peter Obi or remain concentrated in local opposition strongholds, the broader anti-incumbent coalition fragments, enabling the ruling party to retain its pluralities.

The argument that votes cast for Atiku Abubakar in the North will ultimately assist Bola Tinubu rests on basic electoral arithmetic and the patterns of vote-splitting observed in previous elections.

Experience has demonstrated that, in Africa, when opposition leaders set aside personal ambitions to form broad pre-electoral alliances, they consistently undermine the traditional advantages associated with power and patronage. We saw it happen in Nigeria in 2015, in Ghana, Senegal, Kenya, etc. As the renowned political journalist Dorothy Thompson cautioned opposition politicians: “Do not reject an imperfect ally when you are working for a common aim in a time of great danger.” President Tinubu’s first term has put Nigeria in great danger, enough to make Nigeria’s opposition unite for a common purpose.

In conclusion, if the geopolitical North genuinely and decisively wishes to remove President Tinubu from Aso Rock, a desire shared overwhelmingly by Nigerians, it must not disregard the electoral arithmetic involved.

Obi Media to Nigerians: It’s 100 days to end our misery: do not sell or surrender your PVC

 

The Peter Obi Media Office has alleged that the All Progressive Congress (APC) is planning to buy off Permanent Voter’s Cards from the electorate as a strategy to preventing them from voting them out in the forth coming general elections.

In a statement on Thursday, the Office urged voters to resist the pressure to sell or surrender their PVCs for monetary gains.

According to the Office, the plan of the APC is to allegedly capitalize on the wide-spread poverty to offer money to voters to surrender their cards.

Said the statement: “The Peter Obi Media Office has become aware of the ruling party’s strategy of exploiting the poverty in the land—poverty they have created—by offering large sums of money to people in exchange for their PVCs.

“Exactly 100 days left to election day, we urge Nigerians to remain vigilant against anyone offering money or inducements in exchange for your vote, your PVC, or participation in any scheme aimed at compromising the electoral process.

“Reports from some states indicate that some state governors, who have nothing positive to show to persuade their citizens, including civil servants, are collecting their PVCs in exchange for the payment of their legitimate salaries and allowances,” it alleged.

Advising the voters, the Obi Media Office said: “Your PVC is not for sale. Your vote is not for sale. Your future is not for sale. Collect your PVC. Keep it secure. Do not hand it over to anyone. Reject bribes and report any suspected electoral manipulation to the proper authorities.

“On election day, turn out, vote according to your conscience, protect your ballot, and insist that your vote counts” urging them to also “defend your vote legally. Defend your democracy and create a new Nigeria that will be possible and OK.”