Home Blog Page 2372

OPINION: A Defeat Foretold?

By
The Source
-
0
Azu Ishiekwene

By Azu Ishiekwene

Loving Nigeria’s national soccer team, the Super Eagles, is like being in a bad marriage. Your heart is broken many times, yet it’s hard to walk away. There’s a lingering, almost redemptive feeling that just one more try, and it’s going to be alright. But it never is – or has not been for nearly a decade.

It happened again. Hearts were broken on Sunday and millions of fans are still trying to pick up the pieces after Nigeria was beaten 1-0 by Tunisia in the ongoing African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cameroun.

It was an unlikely outcome. Nigeria had started on a very good footing, winning all three-group stage matches and posting perhaps one of the best overall performances among the 24 countries, which included Algeria and Senegal, the continent’s best FIFA-rated countries.

Nigeria’s opening games were so good, and a few of its players like Moses Simon, Joe Aribo and Wilfred Nididi, so outstanding that political campaign-minded strategists of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, improvised a skit from the performance in which Osinbajo sounded like Peter Drury rendering the English Premier League.

Before Sunday’s match, over-the-moon Super Eagles fans had, in fact, started forecasting that the team would not only reach the finals, it could potentially win the cup. The catastrophic exit of perennial rivals, the Black Stars of Ghana, at the group stage, sweetened the triumph of the Super Eagles, provoking disparaging memes and beggar-thy-neighbour comparisons.

After nine years, it seems, the Nations Cup would return to Nigeria for the fourth time, not only improving the country’s FIFA ranking, but also cementing its hopes for a place in the World Cup in Qatar in November.

Now, all of that is up in smoke and like forlorn lovers, millions of fans who decided to believe again, to give the Super Eagles another chance, are nursing broken hearts. Not only are the Super Eagles out of the Nations Cup, the chances that they would defeat Ghana in March to secure the World Cup ticket, are even in doubt.

And typical of what happens when love sours, angry fans are throwing everything, including the kitchen sink, at the grounded Super Eagles. Some are blaming President Muhammadu Buhari’s pep talk with the team on Sunday before their Tunisia game for the defeat.

In Buhari’s seven years in office (his first incarnation 1985 being an exception of course when Nigeria won the FIFA under 16 soccer championship), Nigeria has not won a soccer medal of any description — gold, silver, bronze or wood. He has no business, they say, calling the team before a crucial game and spreading bad luck.

The more charitable among the unhappy fans, especially the religious minded, have quickly modified their position, inventing a moral lesson about the Super Eagles defeat. Comparing them with the Tunisians who started poorly but have advanced to the knockout stages, these fans have reminded us that starting well is not as important as finishing well and strong – a lesson they conveniently forgot when the Super Eagles won all first three group stage matches.

There’s a version of the explanation for the Super Eagles’ defeat that I find irresistible: it’s the political economy of soccer which activist lawyer, Chidi Odinkalu, extracted from a book and shared like an olive branch to soothe combatants and broken-hearted soccer fans alike.

The book, by Franklin Foer, is entitled, “How soccer explains the world: An unlikely theory of globalisation.”

In its afterword, the book says, “If a nation heavily exports oil – Nigeria, Russia, Mexico, Norway, the Gulf States, Iran – it is doomed to underachieve. When an economy can generate wealth so easily, even if that wealth only flows to a small oligarchy, a country can get lazy, thinking that riches will forever flow naturally to it.

“Political scientists call this the ‘paradox of plenty.’ And on the pitch these countries lack a winning temperament and an innovative mind-set. No oil-rich state has made it to the semifinals.”

You can quarrel with Foer all day, but the 92-year-old history of the World Cup is on his side as is the history, to a large extent, of the African Nations Cup. The top two record winners are Egypt (seven times) and Cameroon (five times).

Ghana is next with four wins – and then, oil happened. In fact, as if in a homage to Foer about oil’s debilitating effect on the brain, out of the 14 previous AFCON winners only two – Nigeria and Algeria – are major oil exporting countries.

While the superstitious are blaming Buhari’s call for the Super Eagles defeat and the religious minded are improvising moral lessons from it and a large tribe of fans are simply angry at a missed opportunity to escape their current economic misery, this might just be a good time to begin to ask for and do what needs to be done if we want a different outcome in future.

The Cameroun outing was a defeat foretold, but Nigeria does not have to be an eternal hostage to the paradox of plenty.  And Brazil, a major producer, resource-rich and record five times winner of the World Cup (though not a heavy oil exporter), has demonstrated it is possible to beat the paradox of plenty.

A good place to start remaking the story would be to revamp the domestic league. Nations that do well in soccer – and indeed in other competitive sports – tend to have a fairly well organised and managed domestic league, which attracts talents from home and abroad. In its current form, Nigeria’s domestic league is a confluence of government’s inefficiency and a playground for desperate, raw talents.

Seventeen out of the 20 clubs in Nigeria’s Premier League, for example, are owned by state governments. This is a reversal of the trend in the heyday of soccer when leading clubs such as Stationery Stores, Bendel Insurance, IICC Shooting Stars, Abiola Babes, Ranchers Bees, BCC Lions, Mighty Jets, were private concerns, with Rangers International of Enugu being the notable exception.

Over the years, the corrupt hands of government and politics have infiltrated the game, creating a cesspool of patronage and corruption. It’s time to free the space.

The national team has benefited from the infusion of talents playing in foreign leagues, especially in Europe, staving off what could have been a more rapid decline of the game. But without a largely privately managed and truly professional domestic league, the pipeline for talent supply would continue to shrivel and the growth of the game stunted.

Soccer is a tribal game, but even tribes bend to market rules. As things are today, local conditions are not only hostile to these rules, entrenched state interests abhor them.

Unless something is done immediately, Cameroun won’t be the last heartbreak story.

Ishiekwene is Editor-In-Chief LEADERSHIP

FG Sources For N3trn For Petrol Subsidy

By
Bayo Bernard
-
0
Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed,minister of finance

By Fola James

A whopping N3 trillion would be required for petrol subsidy in 2022, the federal government has said. Zainab Ahmed, the minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning disclosed this on Wednesday while speaking to State House Correspondents after the weekly Federal Executive Council, FEC meeting held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

She spoke barely 48 hours after the Buhari administration said it has rescinded its earlier decision to end the fuel subsidy regime. With the new development, it’s estimated that N270 billion will be spent monthly on petrol subsidy for the next 18 months after which the government will now decide on the final decision to take on the issue.

The minister said the government’s decision to put the removal on hold is based on prevailing situation.

For instance, the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC had warned that its members will embark on strike if the federal government went ahead to remove petrol subsidy.

The magazine also learnt that the failures by government officials to reach a decision on the removal forced the administration to change its mind after it earlier said the regime will end by July this year.

While President Buhari is said to have disagreed with his cabinet to remove subsidy, the National Assembly is said not to be in support of removing subsidy.

Recall that Senate President Ahmed Lawal said last week after meeting President Buhari in Aso Rock Villa, Abuja that subsidy removal will make life unbearable for many Nigerians.

But speaking on Wednesday, Ahmed said the federal government has decided to allow for enough time to be able to reach a final decision on the matter with other stakeholders.

Ahmed said, “having taken into account the current realities, increased hardship on the population, heightened inflation, and that the measures that needed to be taken to enable a smoother exit from the fuel subsidy are not yet in place, it was agreed by Council that it is undesirable to exit fuel subsidy now.

“The NNPC has presented to the ministry a request for N3 trillion as fuel subsidy for 2022.

“What this means is that we have to make an incremental provision of N2.557 trillion to be able to meet the subsidy requirement, which is averaging about N270 billion per month.

“In 2021, the actual under-recovery that has been charged to the Federation was N1.2 trillion, which means an average of N100 billion.”

She explained that the implication for not removing subsidy is that the government will require N3 trillion to continue to subsidize petrol for Nigerians this year alone.

According to her, “in 2022, because of the increased crude oil price per barrel in the global market, now at $80 per barrel, and also because NNPC assesses that the country is consuming 65.7 million litres per day, now we’ll end up with the incremental cost of N3 trillion in 2022.”

“So, this has been considered by Council and we’ve also been asked to approach the National Assembly for an amendment to the fiscal framework as well as the Budget, to also further discuss with NNPC on how to make provisions for this and also how to rationalise this expenditure.”

She said the huge task before government now is how to reduce the N3 trillion subsidy.

Zainab said, “how do we fund it? We’ll have to reduce it from that N3 trillion. Secondly, we have several reconciliations with NNPC and NNPC itself is owing (the government) in some cases. We want to be able to settle some of the subsidy costs through this reconciliation process.

“When we’re done with that, whatever is left that we’re not able to apply to what an NNPC is owing the Federation will not be increasing the deficit, That means increased domestic borrowing. But we haven’t finished the reconciliation,” the minister said.

Olujimi: Hope Dims For Female Governor As Kolawole Clinches Ekiti PDP Ticket

By
The Source
-
0
Senator Biodun Olujimi

By Gideon Njoku

The hope that there could be a first Nigerian elected female State Governor between 2022 and 2023 finally dimmed on Wednesday, January 26 2022.

Senator Biodun Olujimi, who many thought could pick the ticket and, perhaps, go ahead to win the upcoming Governorship election in Ekiti State lost it.

Aspiring under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Olujimi gave up even before the voting at the Primary Election began.

In the morning of the Primary to choose a candidate who will fly PDP’s flag, Olujimi threw in the towel. She cited an alleged corrupted Delegates’ list, and threw in the towel.

Not a few people were disappointed when she did. A former Deputy Governor of the State under the first coming of former Governor Ayo Fayose as a Governor, Olujimi is a grassroots politician. He is a good mixer, and a great mobiliser.

She had the opportunity of becoming a Governor on a platter of Gold when Fayose was impeached from office under President Olusegun Obasanjo’s Presidency. But according to the story, she refused to betray her then boss. She let that opportunity slide.

However, Fayose has not reciprocated that sacrifice. He has not quite backed her. Against all odds, it is said, Olujimi became a Senator during Fayose’s second coming as Governor. Yet, not a few people said it was with support from Fayose, a claim some other people dispute.  But, perhaps, it’s true. In Nigeria, not many people become Senators without the support of their Governors, particularly, when they are of the same political party. But soon, her relationship with Fayose went awry.

In 2019, again, Olujimi prevailed against all odds. He snatched victory from the lion’s mouth, thanks to the Court who saw merit in her claim that she, and not Senator Adeyeye, won the Senatorial election in her Zone.

In 2022/2023, Olujimi upped the ante. Even though protocol-wise, Senators come first before Governors, she set her eyes on becoming the Governor of the State. She wanted executive powers. Olujimi has the poise and the confidence to get it. More important, she is popular.

But in politics, one plus one hardly add up to two. At times, it is minus two, or even four.

Olujimi did her homework. But she never had the support of Fayose, the man who seem to want to be in charge all the time. He is in control of Ekiti State’s political structure. Fayose backed another aspirant, Bisi Kolawole. Not Olujimi.  Not  even, as many had expected him to do, the former Governor of the State, Segun Oni, who was defeated after a one term in office. Fayose backed Bisi Kolawole.

Signs that things had gone awry for Olujimi, inspite of the confidence she was exuding, began after the earlier Primary which was won by Kolawole. Olujimi led the other aspirants to protest vehemently to the National Leadership of the party. They said the list of delegates was hijacked and corrupted. They accused the Governor of the Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, who was the Chairman of the Primary Election Committee, of colluding with Fayose to rubbish the Primary. They asked for a cancelation.

A couple of days ago, the PDP Leadership listened to them, canceled that Primary, and rescheduled it for Wednesday, January 26.

There was no difference in the result.

Just before the voting began, Olujimi pulled out. She insisted the delegates’ list was still corrupted.  Then, she flaunted her gender, and the disadvantages that go with it. She said even her delegates were denied her.

Finally, when voting ended, after a physical fight, and results released, she was insulted by the announcement that she scored only two votes. Even though she had pulled out earlier, her name was still left on the ballot.

Olujimi’s failure to clinch victory is a minus for women in politics. The time for any woman to be elected  Governor still seem far.

With the result, Kolawole, Fayose’s choice, who polled a total of 671 votes will fly PDP’s flag.  Former Governor Oni came a distant second with a total of 330 votes.

It is not known what the reaction of the defeated aspirants will be.  Oni, for example, will be very disappointed.

He was a Governor on the ticket of the PDP. When he failed for a second term, and felt he had become irrelevant in the party, he defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC. He  later dumped the APC and went back to his vomit – the PDP – when his desires in the APC were not met.

He felt he could pick the PDP ticket, a reason many adduced for his re-defection to the PDP. For sometime, it seemed it would work. He was in same camp with Fayose, and the talk in town was that Fayose was backing him. But they soon fell apart.

Now, any hope of his completing a second term is dashed, just as the hope of Olujimi becoming the first female elected Governor has been dashed.

For the PDP, the problem will be how to reconcile all the aspirants for the task ahead. For now, all the aspirants, but Kolawole, holds Fayose responsible for their fate.

Update: Police Arrest Wife Of Hotelier Who Murdered Him Over Another Woman

By
Akinwale Kasali
-
0
Alaba Bakare and his wife

By Akinwale Kasali

Alaba Bakare, Proprietor of the popular Bama Hotel and Suites in Abule Egba, Lagos State,  never had the premonition of his own death.

He never knew death was lurking around him and that its agent was right beside him, his better half.

Bakare was murdered by his wife, Motunrayo,  for allegedly impregnating another woman.

Prior to carrying the wicked and dastardly act, Bakare, his wife and their three children had gone to Dubai  and had just returned. They had gone for a holiday.

Motunrayo had, allegedly, got information that her husband had impregnated another lady, an information she got shortly after their holiday in Dubai.

Pushed by devilish hatred and jealousy, he decided to teach her husband a lesson.

And she went about it in a most ghoulish manner. Very horrifyingly meticulous.

First, she reportedly drugged her husband on  Monday night. Then she did the unprecedented. She had an iron heat-up. And then, placed the hot iron on parts of his body until he died.

Confirming her arrest, Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Ade Ajisebutu, said: “The body has been deposited at the Yaba Mainland Hospital’s morgue for autopsy.

“The deceased’s wife and three others have been arrested in connection with the suspected murder case.”

Ajisebutu added that the Commissioner of Police, CP Abiodun Alabi, instructed that the case be transferred immediately to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba, for diligent investigation.

Motunrayo, however, has a different story on the murder of her husband. She said she had an argument with him because he refused to sack a worker.

She added that during a fight that ensued, she used a hot iron to burn Alaba’s chest.

“After the attack on Sunday, she said, her husband and her junior brother left the house to relax at a bar before returning home later in the day. When he returned, she said they gisted and went to sleep

“She said she advised her husband to apply something on his chest, but he said she should not worry because it was a small thing and it would heal.

“She later said that they were having fun the following day when her husband suddenly started gasping for breath. They wore clothes and rushed him to a hospital where he died on that same day. She never said she drugged her husband.

But another source said:

“We also heard the story of her husband impregnating someone and it led to a quarrel between them. But investigation is still ongoing,” the source added.

According to CSP Ajisebutu: “His body has been deposited at the Yaba Mainland Hospital’s morgue for an autopsy.

The deceased’s wife and three others have been arrested in connection with the suspected murder case.”

The deceased and his wife were married for Eight years.

No More Endorsements of Candidates, ACF; To Meet Southern Counterparts

By
Uche Mbah
-
0

By Uche Mbah

The Arewa Consultative Forum, (ACF),  has said its members should not endorse any political aspirant or candidate ahead of the 2023 presidential election.

In a communique it issued at end of the Forum’s National Executive Council meeting in Kaduna State, signed by its  National Chairman  a former Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh,  the forum said it  is not a political party that endorses candidates.

According to it, the forum is only interested in what programs the candidates have for the North.

“We should desist from endorsing any candidate for the 2023 presidency. If anybody asks you about the endorsement, tell such person that we are not a political party”, the communique read in part.

“Even for 2023, we do not know yet who the candidate is. We are not a political party. We do not participate in political activities except where it becomes necessary.

“May God help us with a good candidate. It is only the Almighty God that can solve our problems,” he added.

But the ACF plans to meet with their Southern counterparts- South-South people’s congress, Afenifere, and Ohanaeze Ndigbo with a view to dousing political tension in the country.

“We have always complained of late of the security situation in the north. We are still worried about this. The security conditions in the north are far from satisfactory. We urge the Federal and state government to embark on measures that will improve the situation”.

We Have Not Zoned Any Office To Anywhere, Says Buni

By
Uche Mbah
-
0

By Uche Mbah

The All Progressives Congress, (APC), has denied zoning its Presidential ticket and other Principal Offices, including the National Working Committee (NWC), to any region or zones, National Chairman of the party’s caretaker committee,Mai Mala Buni, has said.

A list, circulated late Tuesday, said to be from the Chairman, listed the zoning of Principal Officers of the party.

The list was of the effect that the APC has finally zoned its Presidential ticket to the South.

But in a statement Wednesday, an aide to Buni, Mamman Mohammed, said the list was not authorised by his Principal. He, dismissed it as fake.

“His Excellency has, in clear and unambiguous terms, denied the said list, saying it is false, baseless, unfounded, misleading and has nothing to do with him,” he said.

“The Chairman of the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Committee, said the party has not taken any decision at any fora on anything relating to zoning of offices.

“The publication is just a figment of the author’s imagination that has nothing to do with the Chairman and the party”, Mohamed concluded.

Afro-Pop Sensation, Deeroy Drops ‘LAVIDALOCAL’

By
Akinwale Kasali
-
0
Deeroy

By Akinwale Kasali

Rave of the moment and Afro Pop artiste, Deeroy, has given his teeming fans something to savour and cheer about with his new melodious single and video, ‘LAVIDALOCAL’, that has hit the airwaves.

Having released his debut single, ‘JAYE’, where he featured Juniorboy in 2019, there was need to up the ante, birthing the release of his sophomore, ‘LAVIDALOCAL’.

Deeroy’s Afro Pop tunes genre of music has distinguished him among his peers and contemporaries in the industry with his sereneous lyrics that stands him out.

Born Aroyewun Fawaz Oluwaseun on 20th of January 1998, the Abeokuta, Ogun State  artiste is a graduate from Crescent University where he  studied Economics and Operation Research.

He has been able to juxtapose his education with his musical career, in turn making himself a shinning star in the industry.

From obscurity, Deeroy came into prominence with his style and lyrical composition that has made him the rave of the moment.

Deeroy usually gets inspiration for his songs with things happening around him and nature. His philosophy about life is always Keeping it simple and Real.

His aspiration is to be at the Top of his game and go international in his musical career, carving a niche for himself and also making a name locally and internationally.

Deeroy has not rule out the possibility of collaborating with A-List artiste in Nigeria and internationally as he is working on it and would grab the opportunity with both hands when the situation arises.

He has promised his fans to continue to expect the best from him as he is not resting on his oars in dishing out sumptuous Afro Pop songs to his teeming fans

Ondo Govt’s Alleged N1.5b Bullet Proof Jeeps, Wasteful – PDP

By
Ayodele Oni
-
0

By Ayodele Oni

The People’s Democratic Party, (PDP), in Ondo State, has again advised Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to change his administrative style, which, it alleges, tends to impoverish the people.

The advice is coming on the heels of the purchase of another set of bullet proof vehicles, allegedly, valued at N1.5 billion to the Governor’s fleet.

A statement by PDP’s spokesman, Kenedy Peretei, on Wednesday stated that: “While Ondo State workers celebrated Christmas and New year in unprecedented hardship, occasioned by the non payment of their salaries, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, Governor of the State, has just bought two bullet proof Lexus 670 LXE jeeps with six doors valued at N750M each for his personal comfort and self aggrandisement.

“It is on record that each time the Governor procures official vehicles, he would buy two. One for himself and the other for his wife.

“These latest wonders on wheels were the third batch of vehicles bought by the Governor since he assumed office about five years ago.

“It means, on the average, two vehicles every two years. As we speak, the number of vehicles in the Governor’s fleet, most of which are armored, are about fifteen. This level of executive recklessness and insensitivity to the plight of the people, is beyond any rational thinking.

“There are reports that, wise counsel against this wasteful purchase was rebuffed by the Governor. According to him “Why won’t l buy vehicles.

“Even if I buy, nothing will happen”. A development that has earned the governor the nick name ” Nothing will happen.” Akeredolu has been left alone to be on auto pilot.

“Does it ever occur to Mr. Governor that this open display of affluence is a direct affront on the sensibility of the people?

“Is Mr. Governor aware that, many students have dropped out of schools because their parents were unable to afford the astronomical fees of tertiary institutions, charged by the Akeredolu led APC government?

“Is Mr. Governor aware that, workers of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic are being owed eleven months salary?

“That, most of the workers in Ondo State who executed personal capital projects like building of houses and buying of cars using Cooperatives and loans are no longer able to do so since he started the percentage payment of salaries?

“Is Mr. Governor aware that Ondo State workers are no longer credit worthy? So much so that, those who do not have houses of their own are rejected by landlords if they seek accommodation?

“Is Mr. Governor aware that, market men and women who used to get soft loans from the Ondo State Micro Credit Agency have vacated their stalls in the neighborhood markets because such loans no longer exist?

“Many of the artisans are closing shops or refusing to go to their workshops due to outright lack of patronage or poor patronage?

“How can a Governor presiding over such unimaginable misery have the presence of mind to procure armored vehicles valued at such an outrageous amount from taxpayers’ funds?

“Even Governors of states with enormous resources do not use such cars. Not even Governors in Bandits and Boko Haram infested enclaves buy these kind of cars.

“Did Akeredolu purchase these vehicles for security reasons or to further prove the point that, nothing will happen, no matter how he takes the people for granted?

“Whichever way, the truth is that, Ondo State deserves something better than they are being served at the moment.

“We have witnessed prosperity in Ondo State under PDP administration. We experienced decent life under the PDP compared to the present lack that is the order of the day.

“The same Governor that refused to buy even one bag of rice for his APC party supporters during Christmas, had as much as N1.5b Naira to buy cars for his personal comfort.

“I also have it on good authority that, some of the cars in the Governor’s fleet are re-registered in the Governor’s name and taken out of Ondo State immediately new ones are purchased for the Governor.”

There has been no reaction yet from the Ondo Government House, or the APC to these allegations.

Ekiti: Soldiers Arrest Suspected Thugs As PDP Holds Primary Election

By
Ayodele Oni
-
0
Thugs in Ekiti State

By Ayodele Oni

Five buses loaded with armed men, suspected to be thugs, have been apprehended by Military personnel at Ekiti/ Osun state border town of Itawure.

It was gathered that the buses were coming to Ekiti from Ibadan before their arrest by Soldiers at about 3am on Wednesday at Ita Awure/Efon Junction.

They were, allegedly, going to invade Ekiti to stalemate the PDP Primary Election, ongoing at Ado Ekiti, to prevent the emergence of a candidate for the 2022 governorship election.

Ekiti State Police Command confirmed the arrest of one hundred and five suspected thugs in the State.

Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Sunday Abutu, explained that the suspects were apprehended by Soldiers on guard at Ita-wure area of Ekiti state.

He said the suspects were arrested with various dangerous weapons such as cutlasses, guns and charms.

Abutu confirmed that the suspects are still with the Military, but would be prosecuted as soon as they are handed over to the police.

2023: Okorocha To Publicly Declare Presidential Interest January 31, Informs Senate

By
Uche Mbah
-
0
Rochas Okorocha

By Uche Mbah

Former Governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha, will, on January 31, 2022, tell Nigerians he will run for the office of the President in 2023. He will, that day, tell them why he is qualified to run for the office.

As a prelude to his official declaration, Okorocha,  officially, on Wednesday, January 26,  informed the Senate of his intention.

Okorocha, who is currently the Senator representing Imo West Senatorial Zone, belongs to the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, which  has just zoned the Presidency to the South.

In a letter to the Senate which was read by Dr Ahmad Lawan, Senate President, at plenary, Okorocha said he plans to address a World Press Conference on Monday 31st January 2022 to inform Nigerians of his ambition to contest for the office of  the President.

With this, he swells the rank of Presidential hopefuls from his party.

Among them are Bola Tinubu, former governor of Lagos State, Dave Umahi, Governor of Ebonyi state who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Yahaya Bello, Governor of Kogi State.

Speculations are strong that Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, and Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu, are also interested in the office come 2023.

1...2,3712,3722,373...3,156Page 2,372 of 3,156