By Sani Idris

A political group under the auspices of Concerned Young APC Groups in Nigeria, has restated their support for Mai Mala Buni, the Chairman of the Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC), while calling on the public to disregard his alleged removal.

Comrade Simon Terna Anakaa, National Coordinator of the group, addressing pressmen in Kaduna, said the group vehemently condemned the incessant breach of law by some members of the APC claiming to have removed Mala Buni as the Caretaker Chairman of the APC.

Anakaa, added that the group considered such act as nonchalant and that they would not accept anything short of what only the NEC could decide.

"We are calling on the general public most especially the members of our great Party APC to shun all these claims pending the return of the Chairman of the Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Mai Mala Buni as he is out of the country but keep in mind that he is still the substantive Chairman Caretaker Extra Ordinary Convention Planning Committee.

"We all know what the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee and Extraordinary Convention has laid a good foundation for the progress of our dear APC, ever since Governor Mai Mala Buni-led caretaker committee took charge of the party, a lot has changed via his hardwork.

"He has put efforts to bridge gaps between members of the party and has reached out to aggrieved ones for reconciliation and full participation in the activities of the party.

"This has restored harmony and no doubt, built a solid foundation for peace and progress of the party.

"The APC has also witnessed mass joining by prominent and important Nigerians that included three serving Governors.

"This has boosted the APC, making it the largest and political party in Nigeria," Anakaa said.

According to him, all the achievements recorded by the APC was bane on the purposeful leadership provided by President Muhammadu Buhari and the remarkable performance of the Mai Mala Buni led committee since its creation and its ability to embrace all and sundry.

"The Caretaker Committee led by Governor Buni has successfully conducted ward, local government and states congresses, after which, it listened to and resolved appeals from aggrieved contestants as a step in preparing the party for hitch free conventions.

"The APC’s constitution review is another gigantic step that is aimed at guiding the affairs robustly by establishing a new basis for strong internal democracy through several new clauses in the APC amended constitution, thereby making the party the most democratic of all existing political parties in the country.

"No doubt, the Governor Mai Mala Buni led caretaker committee has been effective and productive with so many success stories and achievements, only history and posterity will judge that," he said.

Anakaa called on all the APC members to remain calm and focused while awaiting the next NEC and the conventions to be held under the leadership of Gov. Mai mala Buni.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that upon recognising the Mai Mala Buni-led committee by the independent electoral commission (INEC), the APC reverses its position on impeaching the chairman of the caretaker committee and the extra-ordinary convention planning committee, both of which are chaired by Buni.

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2023: Obasanjo denies endorsing South East for presidency

NURUDEEN SHOTAYO

March 12, 2022 6:09 PM

Obasanjo accused a presidential aspirant of putting words in his mouth regarding the subject.

Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo

Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has countered claims going round that he has endorsed the South East region to produce the next Nigerian president.

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Obasanjo made this known in a statement released by his Media Aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, on Saturday, March 12, 2022.

This denial comes hours after a report had claimed that Obasanjo had thrown his weight behind the region for the presidency ahead of the 2023 general election.

The said report quoted the former president as saying the South-easterners can bring a lot to the table if given the opportunity to lead the country.

He allegedly made the remark when he received the founder of New Nigeria Group (NNG) and presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, to his country home in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Meanwhile, Akinyemi has now accused Ohabunwa of putting words in Obasanjo's mouth hence the misrepresentation in the media.

The former president also criticised the aspirant for instigating the reports in the media while insisting that he has been misquoted.

Obasanjo said, “If that was the way the presidential aspirant wanted to approach his ambition; such was a wrong way.”

He said “He came here and the former President received him as a gentleman and in the spirit of his 85th birthday celebrations only for him to go and put words into his mouth. Baba is not that sort of man and if that is the way he wants to fulfil his ambition that is a wrong way.”

The former president has been busy lately receiving 2023 presidential aspirants at his home in Abeokuta.

While some of them continue to claim that they have the former president's backing, Obasanjo has on many occasions refused to publicly declare his support for either a candidate or a region.

He recently stated at an event dedicated to mark his 85th birthday that most of the aspirants currently running for the presidency should have been in jail if the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had been given the necessary backing to do its job.