Three parties in alliance against Amosun

                                                                                     Governor Ibikunle Amosun

Ahead of the April 11 governorship and state House of Assembly elections, three political parties in Ogun State, namely the Progressive Peoples Alliance, Democratic Peoples Party and the Independent Democrats have formed an alliance to unseat Governor Ibikunle Amosun.

Addressing journalists in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, on Wednesday, the state chairman, Conference of Nigeria Political Parties, Otunba Owolabi Odebudo, said the three political parties had resolved to ensure that the ruling APC was not allowed to manipulate the election.

He said they had all resolved to vote for the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party,   Akin Odunsi, in the election holding on Saturday

Jonathan’s kinsmen fight over Peterside, Wike

                                                                                            Peterside and Wike

THE choice of who to vote for as the next governor of Rivers State appears to have torn apart the kinsmen of President Goodluck Jonathan in the Ijaw National Congress, an umbrella body of Ijaw people.

The INC members, on Wednesday, barely stopped short of exchanging blows during a press briefing organised to state their position on whether to vote for the All Progressives Congress candidate, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, or the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Nyesom Wike, on Saturday.

A heated argument ensued between some INC executives   and other members of the group over the directive by the body to members to vote for Peterside.

The furore attracted the police and managers of the Presidential Hotel in Port Harcourt, venue of the press briefing, even as angry INC members continued to point fingers at the INC president, Chief Boma Obuoforibo.

Court clears Ambode for gov race

                                                                                            Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode

A Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday dismissed a suit seeking to stop the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos, Akinwunmi Ambode, from contesting the April 11 polls.

Justice Mohammed Yunusa declared that the plaintiffs had no locus standi to institute the action. The judge also held that the plaintiffs failed to establish any reasonable cause of action to sustain their prayers.

“None of the plaintiffs in the instant suit is an aspirant to be conferred with locus standi,” Yunusa held as he dismissed the suit.

The plaintiffs, Olorunfemi Oluwatosin and Dada Joseph, who are members of the APC, had approached the court seeking an order to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission from allowing the APC to field any candidate for Saturday’s governorship elections in Lagos.

We are taking appropriate action on Akiolu – DSS

                               Deputy Director, Public Relations, Department of State Services, Ms. Marylyn Ogar

The Department of State Services has said that it is taking appropriate action over the alleged threat of Ndigbo in Lagos by Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu.

Answering questions at the National Information Centre in Abuja on Wednesday, spokesperson for the secret service, Marylyn Ogar, said the service was handling the matter though she refused to give the details of the action being taken.

Ogar said, “We are taking appropriate action. Yesterday, the service had once again warned all Nigerians not to stoke the embers of discord within the country.

“If the presidential election had come and gone successfully, we wouldn’t want people to begin to whip up sentiments unnecessarily. So we are handling it.”

Obanikoro flays Akiolu over comment

                                               Minister of State, Foreign Affairs II, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Senator Musiliu Obanikro, has berated the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, over the monarch’s comment on the Igbo living in Lagos.

A statement by Obanikoro, on Wednesday, said the threat issued against the Igbo was not in line with the character and spirit of Lagosians.

He described the traditional ruler’s statement as a premeditated and needless hostility capable of causing division within the state.

An enraged Akiolu had said that Igbo living in Lagos, who do not vote for the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Akinwunmi Ambode, will perish in the lagoon.