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Why Tinubu May Not Attend Any Presidential Debate — Festus Keyamo

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Festus Keyamo, the spokesperson of the APC’s Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), has declared that Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the ruling party, may not attend any presidential debates before February’s presidential election.

Tinubu on Sunday shunned the presidential debate organized by Arise Television and a civic group, the latest such miss by the APC candidate.

In his reaction to why Tinubu was absent at Sunday’s event, Keyamo said Tinubu did not attend to avoid “selective appearance.”

Keyamo, in the Sunday statement, explained that several television stations have indicated interest to host similar events. However, Tinubu has no plan to attend any but prefers to speak to Nigerians directly, he said.

“Firstly, many radio and TV networks in Nigeria have indicated interest to host such debates and out of deference to other TV and radio stations, our candidate will not be making selective appearances on some networks, whilst ignoring others,” he said.

Sunday’s debate, tagged Arise News presidential town hall series, was organized by the Centre for Democracy and Development and Arise Television.

Before Sunday’s miss, Tinubu had avoided similar events by the body of lawyers, NBA, and the body of chartered accountants, ICAN. Tinubu’s running mate, Kashim Shettima, attended the NBA event in his stead but the candidate had no representative in Sunday’s debate.

Although the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar did not attend Sunday’s debate, he was represented by his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa, who disclosed that the former vice president is out of the country.

Peter Obi of the Labour Party, Kola Abiola of the Peoples Redemption Party, and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) attended the Sunday event in person.

Keyamo, in the statement, said the candidate cannot afford to attend one debate while ignoring others.

He also claimed that the candidate has other engagements and so is unable to attend the debate series.

He added that the candidate will prefer speaking directly with voters through town hall meetings and campaign rallies.

Tinubu’s decision to avoid the debates prior to February’s general election is not expected to go well with millions of voters, many of whom had raised concerns of his penchant for avoiding public scrutiny. Many have taken to social media to criticize him for being absent at Sunday’s debate with one of the other candidates, Rabiu Kwankwaso of the NNPP, taking a jibe at him.

However, the candidate of the ruling party appears unperturbed by the criticisms.

Read the full statement by Keyamo below.

The APC Presidential Candidate in the forthcoming 2023 Presidential Election, ASIWAJU BOLA AHMED TINUBU, did not attend the Presidential Debate organized by ARISE TV on Sunday, November 6, 2022, for the following reasons:

Firstly, many radio and TV networks in Nigeria have indicated interest to host such debates and out of deference to other TV and radio stations, our candidate will not be making selective appearances on some networks, whilst ignoring others. As President of Nigeria, by the Special Grace of God, he intends to treat all persons and businesses fairly and equally.

Secondly, the busy and hectic campaign schedules of Asiwaju Tinubu will not permit him to honour all such invitations by different radio and TV networks, hence our decision for him not to start with one TV station and later ignore others.

Thirdly, our candidate had long before now realized the importance of speaking directly to Nigerians and shortly after unfolding his Action Plan as President embarked on Town Hall meetings beginning with his interaction with the Business Community and other stakeholders in Kano followed by the Town Hall meeting and presentation by experts last week in Lagos

Tomorrow, he will be interacting with Agro and Commodity Groups in Minna, Niger State.

Whilst we thank Arise TV for the invitation, we want to assure Nigerians that we shall continue to hold these debate groups and Nigerians in high esteem. Nigerians will hear from our candidate loud and clear through other forums.

Lastly, out of profound respect for Nigerians, we urge all our party structures and supporters at the grassroots to continue to organize town hall meetings to educate Nigerians on the Action Plan of our candidate as we believe a grassroots approach to reach Nigerians will also be more profound.

BIG STORY

JUST IN: Jigawa State Governor Loses 24-Yr-Old Son A Day After Mother’s Demise

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Tragically, just one day after the passing of his mother, Governor Namadi of Jigawa has now lost his 24-year-old son.

A statement from the governor’s spokesperson, Hamisu Gumel, confirmed that the governor’s son sadly lost his life in a road accident on Thursday.

“To Allah belongs that which He has taken, and to Him belongs that which He has given, and everything has an appointed time with Him.”

“With a heavy heart and total submission to the will of Almighty Allah, His Excellency Mallam Umar Namadi, Governor of Jigawa State, announces the passing of yet another member of his family; his dear son Abdulwahab Umar Namadi.

“He departed this world this afternoon (Thursday, December 26th, 2024) as a result of a ghastly motor accident along Dutse-Kafin-Hausa Road. “The burial rite is taking place at this moment in Kafin Hausa town, in accordance with Islamic traditions.

“A 24-year-old, late Abdulwahab is survived by his parents and many siblings. “To Allah belongs that which He has taken, and to Him belongs that which He has given, and everything has an appointed time with Him.”

 

More to come…

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BIG STORY

Sokoto Counters Military, Says 10 Civilians Accidentally Killed In Air Strike

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The Sokoto state government says no fewer than 10 civilians were killed when a military air strike targeted suspected terrorists in Gidan Bisa village, Silame LGA of the state.

Abubakar Bawa, press secretary to Ahmed Aliyu, governor of the state, wrote in a statement issued on Wednesday.

Bawa quoted Abubakar Rana, chairman of Silame LGA, as saying that the incident occurred around 6am on Christmas Day, when two military fighter jets “mistakenly” dropped bombs on the village.

Aliyu, who was accompanied by Aliyu Wamakko, leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, and Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi, minister of labour and employment, attended the funeral prayers for the victims.

Consoling the villagers, the governor described the incident as “unfortunate.”

“The military jets were on their mission to eliminate criminal armed groups terrorising the state and mistakenly bombed innocent people of this community,” he said.

“We consider this a mistake because the same military had on several occasions successfully raided many criminal hideouts in the state.”

Aliyu prayed for Allah’s forgiveness for the deceased and strength for their families.

Muhammad Sifawa, secretary to the state government, announced a relief package of N20 million and 100 bags of assorted foodstuffs for the families of the deceased.

He also assured that the state government would cover the medical bills of the injured.

The military had denied reports of civilian casualties in the bombing.

Reports said air strikes conducted by the air component of Operation Hadarin Daji, targeting the Lakurawa terrorist group, had inadvertently killed civilians in the Gidan Sama and Rumtuwa communities.

However, Abubakar Abdullahi, joint media coordinator for the operation, said the strikes targeted locations confirmed to be linked to the insurgents.

“All military operations are based on thorough intelligence and reconnaissance missions to ensure precision and protect civilian lives,” Abdullahi said.

“The targets struck in the vicinity of Gidan Sama and Rumtuwa were positively identified as associated with the Lakurawa group, reinforcing the justification for the military action.”

Olusola Akinboyewa, spokesperson for the Nigerian Air Force, told TheCable that the missiles were launched following credible intelligence from multiple sources and confirmatory aerial surveillance.

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BIG STORY

Adron Homes Celebrates Christmas With Customers, Reaffirms Commitment To Bridging Nigeria’s Housing Deficit

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As the world embraces the joy and warmth of the Christmas season, Adron Homes and Properties, Nigeria’s foremost real estate company, has extended heartfelt greetings to its esteemed customers while reaffirming its commitment to addressing the nation’s housing challenges.

In a message of gratitude and celebration, Adron Homes expressed deep appreciation to its customers for their trust and loyalty throughout 2024. The company highlighted its unwavering dedication to making incredible housing affordable for all Nigerians, in line with its mission of reducing the country’s housing deficit.

“Christmas is a time to celebrate family, unity, and gratitude,” the statement read. “As we reflect on the year, we are proud to have played a role in making homeownership a reality for thousands of Nigerians. Our vision is clear—to bridge the housing deficit by providing affordable, luxurious, and secure homes for all, regardless of income level.”

Adron Homes has continued to lead the real estate industry by implementing innovative solutions that make homeownership accessible, including flexible payment plans and cost-effective housing models tailored to meet diverse customer needs.

As part of its Christmas and end-of-the-year celebration, the company has launched a special festive promotions ‘Lemon Friday’ aimed at encouraging more Nigerians to join its growing community of homeowners.

“We remain committed to transforming dreams into reality. This is not just about building homes; it’s about building futures and creating opportunities for families to thrive in a space they can call their own,” the statement added.

Adron Homes extended warm wishes to all Nigerians and its global customers, urging them to embrace the season’s spirit of love and hope. “May your homes be filled with peace, joy, and prosperity this Christmas and beyond.”

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