Nigerians to decide next President, say Osinbajo’s supporters

• INEC warns youth against violence during FCT poll
• Okechukwu upbeat on success of Adamu-led reconciliation committee

Nigerians, and not any purported agreement, will determine who becomes the next President of the country, the 2023 NewTribe Project, a presidential campaign team of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, has declared.

Addressing a press conference, yesterday, at Bristol Palace, Kano, a team leader of the NewTribe Project, Simon Kawu, stressed that Nigerians would not fall prey to any negotiation for their next President, but would take their destiny in their hands.

The NewTribe Project, a conglomerate of Osinbajo Presidential Support Groups, had, on Saturday, formally unveiled the campaign train in Kano, to kick-start nationwide awareness for the vice president’s bid to succeed Buhari.

Responding to whether Osinbajo would respect a purported agreement to leave Aso Villa in 2023, Kawu, who represents Shango/Kantingo federal constituency of Gombe State in the House of Representatives, said: “On the issue of negotiating Nigeria, let me say Nigeria is no longer for sale. For now, Nigerians and the younger generation must decide who leads them, and not those who will decide their future behind them.”

AS the February 12, 2022, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council ballot draws near, the Independent National Electoral Commissioner (INEC) has warned the youth against electoral violence.

The FCT Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Alhaji Yahaya Bello, gave the warning during a town hall meeting with civil society organisations and youth groups organised by INEC and the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES) in Abuja.

Bello, who was represented by the Administrative Secretary of INEC in the FCT, Waziri Zannah, bemoaned the incessant use of youths by political actors to perpetrate violence during electioneering and election day.

He stressed the need for stakeholders, including CSOs and youth groups, to commit to the education of those at the grassroots to promote participation in elections.

MEANWHILE, All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, is full of optimism that the Senator Abdullahi Adamu Reconciliation Committee will reconcile aggrieved members of the party.

Okechukwu, a member of the sub-committees in the merger process that formed APC, noted that the Adamu committee had been going about its duty with uncommon insight, purpose and empathy.

The Enugu State-born politician told reporters yesterday: “One will not be mistaken to call the reconciliation committee the nine wisemen, because they are generating germane responses and inputs that would help in strengthening our great party and turning it into a formidable national political movement on the eve of 2023 general elections.”

On reported setbacks suffered by the committee in some states, the Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), said: “Nobody expected the crisis dogging over 15 states chapters to be settled at once. All I know is that the Adamu committee has so far recorded huge successes in the South East, North West, North East, South West and South South. Yes, there are unresolved issues in states like Osun, Kwara and Adamawa, but my understanding is that reconciliation is a gradual progress.”