APC denies inviting Wike to join party, says he’s not welcomed

Rivers APC denies inviting Wike to join party, says he's not welcomed

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has denied inviting former governor Nyesom Wike to join the party, describing those credited with inviting Wike to takeover APC Rivers as imposters. Darlington Nwauju, A spokesman for Rivers APC, in a statement, distanced the party’s leadership from the said invitation. According to Nwauju, Rivers APC never invited Wike who characterised APC as suffering from cancer to join the party.

Rivers APC denies inviting Wike to join party, says he's not welcomed

Immediate past governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike He said, “We unequivocally dismiss any such rumour or sponsored story that Rivers APC had at any forum invited Wike to join our party none the least calling on Wike to take over leadership of a party he never campaigned for. We dare anyone to provide evidence of any campaigns where Wike openly campaigned for the APC. “The terror unleashed on our party members in cause of his eight years maximum rulership alone is enough evidence to confirm that Wike has no business with Rivers APC. Asking him to come and take over is asking an enemy to come and finish off his victims. “We are aware of his schemes to escape justice over the looting of the collective patrimony of Rivers people which is the major reason for his romancing top APC members. For those suffering from amnesia, a none APC member cannot be a cheerleader for the entry of Wike into APC. “Nobody can decree his membership of a political party through radio or newspaper publications. All vexatious attempts at distracting our party in Rivers State will keep failing. “APC Rivers has a legally recognized state office where all official businesses are conducted. We have a standard procedure for convening our meetings according to our party’s constitution. A village meeting or gathering cannot equate to a stakeholder’s meeting of APC in Rivers. “We, therefore, disassociate the leadership of our party from any so-called stakeholders meeting suggesting that our party be handed over to Mr Wike. “We warn blackmailers to desist from the shameless tradition of using the name of our party to curry favour from desperate politicians seeking relevance at the centre.” Recall that a chieftain of the APC and former Chief of Staff, Rivers State Government House, Chief Tony Okocha stated that the immediate past governor of the state deserves to reap what he sowed in making President Bola Tinubu victorious in the 2023 presidential election. Okocha stated this at a news briefing in Port Harcourt, while also declaring the party’s readiness to receive Wike if he decides to defect, emphasizing that the role Wike played in the emergence of Tinubu as Nigeria’s incumbent President cannot be overemphasised. Okocha who was the Coordinator of the BAT-Vanguard, an acronym for the disbanded Bola Ahmed Tinubu Vanguard in the South-South said Wike has the right to join any party. Okocha stated, “We are noticing that some persons who abandoned Tinubu when Tinubu needed them most and voyaged outside the shores are now relying on their personal relationships one way or the other to begin to make some sense of entitlement. “That they are entitled to whatever. In the leadership of the Tinubu family in Rivers State, we are at peace 100 per cent with His Excellency, Barr Nyesom Wike, the immediate past Governor of Rivers State as our leader. “He who pays the Piper dictates the tune. When it was difficult, even when the national body could not oblige us with funds for the national rally here, the magic was done by somebody.”

“Our own share should be given to Wike” ― Rivers APC

Tinubu's Election Victory: "Our own share should be given to Wike" ― Rivers APC

The Rivers State All Progressives Congress has stated that the immediate past governor of the state, Nyesom Wike deserves to reap what he sowed in making President Bola Tinubu victorious in the 2023 presidential election. A chieftain of the APC and former Chief of Staff, Rivers State Government House, Chief Tony Okocha stated this at a news briefing in Port Harcourt, while also declaring the party’s readiness to receive Wike if he decides to defect, emphasizing that the role Wike played in the emergence of Tinubu as Nigeria’s incumbent President cannot be overemphasised.

Tinubu's Election Victory:

Immediate past governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike Okocha who was the Coordinator of the BAT-Vanguard, an acronym for the disbanded Bola Ahmed Tinubu Vanguard in the South-South said Wike has the right to join any party. Okocha stated, “We are noticing that some persons who abandoned Tinubu when Tinubu needed them most and voyaged outside the shores are now relying on their personal relationships one way or the other to begin to make some sense of entitlement. “That they are entitled to whatever. In the leadership of the Tinubu family in Rivers State, we are at peace 100 per cent with His Excellency, Barr Nyesom Wike, the immediate past Governor of Rivers State as our leader. “He who pays the Piper dictates the tune. When it was difficult, even when the national body could not oblige us with funds for the national rally here, the magic was done by somebody.” He also urged the former Rivers State Governor not to delay in joining the APC to reap from his efforts in seeing Tinubu as President. “Our demand is that nobody should rob Peter to pay Paul. Our own share of the booty given to us should be handed over to His Excellency Nyesom Wike. “We are confident that as soon as it gets to him, he knows those who worked for Tinubu, and it will get to us. “It is only natural, that is how it should go, ” he added. While replying to an aide to the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abunakar who said Wike was not poisoned but suffering from excessive alcohol, he said it was a show of disrespect from the party leadership. According to him, “The leadership of the PDP in Nigeria does not appreciate the influence and pedigree embedded in Wike. “A man goes to thank God for surviving poisoning and somebody said it was not poison but as a result of excessive alcohol. “It does appear to us that the PDP does not know what they have in Wike. So we are asking and calling on Wike to come over to Macedonia and lead us.”

APC campaign coordinator begs Peter Obi, Atiku to withdraw case against Tinubu

APC campaign coordinator begs Peter Obi, Atiku to withdraw case against Tinubu

Dr. Ene Ogbole, a former coordinator in the dissolved All Progressives Congress Campaign Council, has pleaded with the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, and his counterpart in the Labour Party, Peter Obi, to withdraw their cases against President Bola Tinubu from the election petition tribunal. Ogbole made the appeal at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, charging both parties to join Tinubu in his quest for a government of national unity.

APC campaign coordinator begs Peter Obi, Atiku to withdraw case against Tinubu

A collage photo of President Bola Tinubu, Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar She said, “Even though we are aware that it is the fundamental right of all aggrieved candidates to seek redress in the court of law, in the national interest we wish to use this avenue to crave the indulgence of all aggrieved candidates including Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi who are seeking for redress in the tribunal to withdraw their litigations against the president and join hands with him in the proposed national unity and all-inclusive government. “We are saying this confidently because we can see from all indications that the Tinubu-led administration is ready to work assiduously to install peace, development, and progress in Nigeria. We are certain that the priority of all candidates of other political parties is to do the same selflessly in the national interest since Tinubu is playing out their intentions they could and should go a step further to synergize with him to achieve the same patriotic purpose in the national interest.” Her appeal is coming hours after Atiku called up a digital forensic expert, Mr Hitler Nwala, who testified that the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, deleted Presidential Election results on all the 110 BVAS machines he inspected. Nwala asserted that his findings show that the election results of the Federal Capital Territory during the presidential elections were deliberately deleted from the BVAS machine. But the former coordinator of Tinubu’s campaign council stated that the only way to prove to the world that Obi and Atiku’s struggles are not personal or for selfish gain is for them to withdraw their cases from the court and work together with the president to actualise his ‘Renewed Hope’ promises to Nigerians. According to her, Tinubu’s government has proven beyond every reasonable doubt to be transformational in nature with huge potential to reunite and reposition Nigeria for a breakthrough. “The present administration is doing excellent well already as evident in most of the nation-building steps he has embarked on such as the fuel subsidy removal, the education bill that was signed to law, the display of uncommon fairness and equity in the appointment of keys principal office holders and of course, his monitory and economic policies only to mention but a few. “We are also using this opportunity to call on all our elder statesmen from across the length and breadth of Nigeria to swiftly without further delays invite all aggrieved parties to a round table meeting and appeal to them not to subvert the will of the people through distractions but to join hands with the government that was willingly elected by Nigerians to change their story through unprecedented development for the betterment of all and Sundry. “You will agree with us that it is certainly not the time for further distractions; it is time to move Nigeria forward in a positive direction. This is a call for a unity government in the national interest,” she said. A former presidential aspirant of the Social Democratic Party in the build-up to the 2023 election, Cesnabmihilo Nihu-Aken’Ova also joined her voice in making the same appeal, saying the outcome of the poll was evident that the former Lagos governor won it. “It was clear that Tinubu won this election. Those going to court are wasting our time from what we have seen so far. We have passed the stage of the campaign and even Atiku and Obi’s candidates at the governorship and National Assembly level have all been sworn in. I am speaking from my own point of view as a presidential aspirant,” she said.

“APC governors didn’t allow senators make their choices” ― Ned Nwoko

10th Senate: "APC governors didn't allow senators to make their choices" ― Ned Nwoko

Senator Ned Nwoko, representing Delta North Senatorial District has accused governors of the All Progressives Congress, APC, of intimidating members of the party and not allowing senators on the party’s platform to make their choices in the June 13 National Assembly leadership election. Speaking with newsmen weekend at his Idumuje-Ugboko, Aniocha North Local Government Area, country home during a reception in his honour, Nwoko alleged that the election was not peaceful as it appeared in the public space.

10th Senate:

Senator Ned Nwoko He said, “It might have been peaceful, just like the duck or the geese. When you see the geese in the water floating, you think there is peace, but when you look under the water, you will see the legs going fast. “They say the more you look, the less you see. Yes, the election of the President of the Senate and Deputy Senate President appear to the ordinary people outside that everything was peaceful but it wasn’t fair because APC governors were there intimidating APC members. “They didn’t allow them to make their choices. Many Advisers to the President were there intimidating those they can intimidate, but the bottom line is that it was an APC contest; contest between APC and APC. “If it were the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and APC or Labour Party and APC, I am sure things would have been done differently; so the other candidate for APC, Yari, accepted the result, didn’t he? “Four years is a long time, there are many banana peels. The PDP leadership didn’t make their presence felt, which is regrettable, but l am hoping that in the next few weeks, once we have our principal officers, the Minority Leader, things will begin to take shape.” Nwoko also promised to “work for the people in every sphere, in every sector, in every area, whether it is collective or individual interest we will make sure we make sure we address them from health to education to roads to employment and empowerment of the youths.”

Aregbesola to face APC disciplinary action over anti-party activities

Aregbesola to face APC disciplinary action over anti-party activities

Former Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and a former Speaker may soon face the disciplinary team of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Osun state over involvement in anti-party during the last governorship and general election in the state. According to the party’s acting Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, members who were involved in sabotaging the party’s chances during the last series of elections in the state will soon face disciplinary measures.

Aregbesola to face APC disciplinary action over anti-party activities

Former minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola Earlier on Thursday, the party’s elders caucus had urged the former state governor, Aregbesola to sincerely apologise for his misdeeds in a bid to return to the party, saying the APC maintained open door policy for members with genuine intention. However, Lawal described the elders’ caucus statement as being in the realm of mere advice, saying the party will take its stand on the disciplinary measures against everyone involved in sabotaging the party during the last series of elections. He said: “We are the party and we know the members of our party. We know who voted for Tinubu and Oyetola during the last presidential and governorship elections. At the appropriate time, the party will come out with its resolution on the matter. “We are not restructuring the party, the party is intact in Osun under Baba Bisi Akande and Gboyega Oyetola. At the appropriate time, we will reveal the plans we have for those who engaged in anti-party. “I read what the Igbimo Agba of our party said but they are in the advisory role of the party. The party is going to make its position known, our people should just wait a little bit” Also, former Senate Spokesperson, Dr Ajibola Basiru urged former governor Aregbesola and his followers including former speaker Najeem Salaam to explain why he refused to campaign or vote for the party’s candidates during the last series of elections, requesting the former Minister to tell the world whether he is still in the APC. “Today, I am in APC, I worked for APC whether we win or lose. Go and ask him, which party he voted for in the governorship election, which party he voted for during the presidential election and during the House of Assembly election. He was our leader, but today, I am not sure whether he is still within the party. I am not abusing him. Even Asiwaju that is his benefactor, he didn’t vote for him”, he said. Similarly, former Commissioner for Works and Transport in the state, Remi Omowaiye, said those involved in anti-party activities should be punished before they will be welcome back into their fold. “We must not condone indiscipline. I am an advocate of ‘the more the merrier’, but it is important we send a message to the people to serve as deterrent to those nursing similar ambition”, he added.

“Deal to make Akpabio president of senate sealed a day before APC presidential primary” ― Source

"Deal to make Akpabio president of senate sealed a day before APC presidential primaries" ― Source

"Deal to make Akpabio president of senate sealed a day before APC presidential primaries" ― Source

Sources close to President Bola Tinubu have disclosed that the deal to make former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio president of the senate was sealed a day before the presidential primary of the All Progressives Congress. GistReel reports that the presidential primary, which was held at the Eagles Square in Abuja between June 6 and 8, 2022, had Tinubu, Akpabio, Rotimi Amaechi, Yemi Osinbajo and others as aspirants.

Senator Godswill Akpabio

Former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio According to Sunday PUNCH, the source said Bola Tinubu met with Akpabio a day before the primary and approached him to step down for him and said if the former governor would agree, it would send a positive signal to the audience and other aspirants since Akpabio would be the first aspirant to be invited to the podium to speak. According to the source Akpabio agreed but said he needed to know what would be his ‘gain’ since he had resigned as a minister and was not a senatorial aspirant. He further said, “Tinubu assured him that he would be supported to emerge as the President of the Senate. As they were speaking, an influential woman (name withheld) also came in. That was how the deal was sealed.”

APC tasks IGP, demands investigation into invasion of Matawalle’s residence

APC tasks IGP, demands investigation into invasion of Matawalle’s residence

APC tasks IGP, demands investigation into invasion of Matawalle’s residence

The All Progressives Congress(APC) has tasked the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, to investigate the vandalisation and invasion of former Gov. Bello Matawalle of Zamfara’s residence by individuals masquerading as security operatives. Alhaji Musa Mada, the Northwest APC Publicity Secretary, said this at a news conference in Kaduna on Saturday. Mada said that the vandalisation and invasion of Bello Matawalle ‘s homes was in violation of sections 34, 35, 37, 41 and 42 of the Constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended. APC tackles NPF, DSS over alleged raid on Matawalle’s homes in ZamfaraFormer Gov. Bello Matawalle of Zamfara “Our enquiry at both the Gusau and Maradu residences of Bello Matawalle confirmed that there was no warrant or anything for that matter presented to the people when the act was carried out by the invaders. “Furthermore, residences of other government officials that worked with Matawalle during his four-year administration were also invaded and some of their personal vehicles were carted away by the same group. “If investigation is not taken, hoodlums may wear uniforms and attack perceived enemies in the name of such operations. “As a party, we will not tolerate that and we will watch closely how the authorities concerned will handle the situation so that we will know whether the police and the DSS are working for the PDP or Nigeria,” he said. Muda urged party supporters and Matawalle’s loyalists to remain calm and not take laws into their hands, pending investigation by police authorities.

APC tackles NPF, DSS over alleged raid on Matawalle’s homes in Zamfara

APC tackles NPF, DSS over alleged raid on Matawalle’s homes in Zamfara

The Zamfara Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Department for State Services (DSS) for allegedly invading the homes of the immediate past Governor of the state, Alhaji Bello Matawalle. The condemnation is contained in a statement issued in Gusau by the State Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Yusuf Idris.

Bello Matawalle DSS APC

The immediate past Governor of Zamfara state, Alhaji Bello Matawalle. The statement read, “The unlawful invasion is a gross violation of the sacred provisions of Sections 34, 35, 37, 41, 42 and 43 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended. “What exactly might have warranted the invasion still remains a mystery to the good people of Zamfara State. “If the government thinks it has any case against the former governor why not charge him to court instead of resorting to such barbaric and uncivilized means,” Idris said in the statement. The APC appealed to the leadership of the NPF and the DSS “to caution their personnel against such misadventure and punish those who took part in the alleged invasion“. “We appeal to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to order the immediate investigation and prosecution of all those who carried out the illegal act of breaking into the two residences of the Zamfara State APC leader and former Gov. Bello Matawalle. “We also call on the IGP to order the immediate arrest of those personnel stationed at the two residences of the former governor. “The former governor has several times said he has nothing to hide anywhere but legal means must be deployed before carrying out any action against him or his property. “We urge the police and all sister security agencies and their personnel to tread political grounds with caution as we cannot condone such action, especially in our dear state, which has deteriorating security challenges,” the statement said. Meanwhile, the Zamfara government, in a swift reaction to the police raid, said it ordered the operatives to recover vehicles allegedly “looted“ by the erstwhile governor.

The current Governor of Zamfara state, Dauda Lawal The government, in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Suleman Idris, had earlier said that the raid by the police was executed in the aftermath of a court order it obtained. “The police operatives stormed the residences of the former governor where over 40 vehicles were impounded. “The police acted on a court order and a search warrant obtained for the operation,” Suleiman said. According to him, the Zamfara government had earlier asked Matawalle and his Deputy to return all the missing vehicles within five work days. “We also lodged an official complaint with the police on the wasteful looting of valuables, including official vehicles. “Consequently, the police sought a search warrant which was duly given by the court and hence raided Matawalle’s residences in Gusau, Maradun and another unidentified hideout. “Over 40 vehicles were recovered, including three bulletproof vehicles and eight Sport Utility vehicles (SUV). “We want to reaffirm our commitment to recover all that belongs to the people. “Our common resolve is to rescue and rebuild Zamfara and recovering the proceeds of crime and public assets is a critical part of our rescue mission. “We want to call on the people of Zamfara to remain calm as we continue to record massive improvements in the areas of security and the lingering water scarcity in the state,” Suleiman said.

Five INEC staff members will testify against Tinubu, APC.

Five INEC staff members will testify against Tinubu, APC.

In the petition that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president and candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party, filed to challenge the outcome of the 2023 presidential election, five ad hoc members of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have been granted permission to testify as special witnesses. Subpoenaed to appear before the Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, were members of the INEC ad hoc staff who were involved in the disputed presidential election results. In the joint petition he filed with his party, Atiku, who finished second in the presidential race that took place on February 25, claimed that the election was rigged in favor of President Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC. In his 66-page petition, the former vice president claimed that the electoral commission had installed a third-party device that was used, according to him, to alter the presidential election results in favor of the APC and its candidate, Bola Tinubu. He also said that INEC had replaced Mr. Chidi Nwafor, its in-house ICT expert, with an IT consultant who helped it install the third-party mechanism before the election. Atiku claims that the aforementioned IT consultant, Mr. Suleiman Farouk, ensured that the device served as an intermediary between the Device Management System, or DMS, and the IRev Portal. He told the court that the DMS was the software that allowed Mr. Farouk, INEC’s IT Security Consultant, to control, monitor, and filter data sent from the BVAS devices to the electronic collation system and the IRev platform from a distance. “For the purpose of the election, the 1st respondent, INEC, hired Tinubu, a 2nd respondent appointee, to manage and supervise the sensitive ICT department of the 1st respondent. “The petitioners contend and shall lead evidence to show that the first respondent, contrary to the original design of the BVAS machine to upload data directly to the electronic collation system and the IReV portal, devised and installed an intervening third-party device (Device Management System) that, in its normal use, is meant to secure and administer the first respondent’s technological ecosystem for the elections but was used to intercept the results, quarantine and warehouse them, and filter them before releasing them to the IRe “The First Respondent manipulated the Election results in favor of the Second and Third Respondents by utilizing the aforementioned Device Management System.
The petitioners added, “The petitioners state and shall lead expert evidence to show the critical components of the 1st Respondent’s Information and Communications Technology, ICT, including but not limited to the BVAS, which is an Android Device manufactured by Emperor Technologies China and supplied to the 1st Respondent by Activate Nigeria Limited.” The petitioners also stated that they would present expert evidence to support their claims. “As a result, lead counsel for the petitioners, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, informed the court at the resumed proceedings in the petition yesterday that his clients had subpoenaed five INEC ad-hoc staff members who were involved in the conduct of the election to appear as witnesses and to also tender sensitive materials in evidence. He added that of the five observers, three of them were in court. However, lead counsel for the INEC, Mr. Abubakar Mahmood, SAN, raised an objection as soon as the first subpoenaed ad-hoc staff was summoned into the courtroom and mounted the witness box. Mahmood, SAN, INEC’s attorney, informed the court that he was only served with the witness statements a few minutes before the proceedings began, insisting that he would need time to review the documents in order to effectively cross-examine the witnesses.
Moreover, INEC’s attorney said there was likewise the requirement for him to return to the Commission to check and affirm the personalities of the observers in order to learn in the event that they for sure filled in as impromptu staff during the political race. Both Boss Associated Olujinmi, SAN, who showed up for President Tinubu, as well as direction for the APC, Ruler Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, fell in line with the place of the INEC. The respondents kept up with that the would require time to concentrate on articulations of the observers that was served on them by the solicitors.
Even though the five-member panel, led by Justice Haruna Tsammani, initially chose a 30-minute standoff to allow the respondents to examine the statements, it later deferred further proceedings in the matter until Thursday to allow INEC’s attorney to conduct his internal investigation.
Counsel for the petitioners presented certified copies of the presidential election results from 10 local government areas (LGAs) in Kogi State earlier in the proceeding. He also presented Mr. Ndubuisi Nwobu, Chairman of the PDP in Anambra state, as the eleventh witness in the case. During the election, Nwobu told the court that he was the PDP’s state collation officer. He also said that the election results were not uploaded to INEC’s I-Rev portal in real time in about 30 of the polling places he visited.
The witness told the court that officials from INEC made him sign the election result because they said they wouldn’t give him a copy unless he signed it. As per him, “Each work made to transfer the outcomes to the I-Fire up entrance fizzled. Witnesses said that “magic started happening at the ward level,” and that some INEC officials would have been abused by enraged voters if he hadn’t intervened quickly. The witness, Fagbemi, SAN, said he wrote a letter after the election to complain about all the anomalies he saw and the obvious non-compliance with the Electoral Act while being cross-examined by the APC lawyer.
“My objection was not about the BVAs, but rather that results were not transferred to the I-Fire up entrance as we were guaranteed broadly by the INEC director,” the observer added. Even as he requested the cancellation of the Certificate of Return that INEC gave to President Tinubu, Atiku is requesting, among other reliefs, that the court declare that he was the legitimate winner of the presidential election.

Lagos APC Leaders Deny Knowledge of Tobun’s Speakership Aspiration

Lagos APC Leaders Deny Knowledge of Tobun’s Speakership Aspiration

One of Lagos APC Leaders, Abiodun Tobun, the lawmaker representing Epe I in the Lagos Assembly, has not yet informed them of his intention to challenge Mudashiru Obasa, the current Speaker, for the position of the 10th Lagos Assembly, according to prominent leaders of the Lagos chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bashorun Olorunfunmi and Kaoli Olusanya.

Lagos APC Leaders

Lagos APC Leaders. Photo Credit: @OfficialAPCNg: Twitter The two, who are also GAC members, admitted to the public that they followed the news on social media just like every other resident of the state. They denied knowledge of any discussions on how to help Tobun unseat Obasa as a Speaker. Their responses follow a social media article with the headline: “Speakership crisis rocks Lagos Assembly as Abiodun Tobun leads race.” ALSO READ: Presidential Tribunal: Obi tenders 136 exhibits from 6 States Including Lagos and Edo According to the report, Lagos APC Leaders have decided to prevent Obasa from seeking reelection a third time. The leaders, notably Tajudeen Olusi, the head of the GAC, were believed to have met after the elections and decided that the next Speaker needed to be a native of the region. According to the source, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu was not in favour of Obasa’s attempt for a third term because of the party’s mood and his tacit criticism of the president’s attitude. As one of the party’s leaders in Lagos East, where Tobun comes from, Olorunfunmi stated: “I haven’t been told anything, and the party hasn’t yet discussed something similar. Tobun himself said nothing to me. Olusanya added that Tobun’s desire to become a speaker had not yet been disclosed to him. He claimed that because the legislative branch is an independent entity, lawmakers have the free will to choose who leads them. However, he asked the lawmakers to carefully consider their options before making any decisions, especially with the party leadership, noting that “that’s the beauty of Lagos APC democracy and its internal mechanism of handling issues.” ALSO READ: Ohanaeze Criticises APC for Allocating Deputy Speaker Slot to South-East Governor Sanwo-Olu is an insightful democrat who understands the concept of the separation of powers and the independence of the legislative branch of government, according to the governor’s spokesperson, Gboyega Akosile. He will never interfere with lawmakers’ business. “The governor has always had a cordial relationship with the Assembly and he (Sanwo-Olu) has no issue with Obasa and therefore would not have instigated any uprising in the Assembly,” said Akosile, who called the author of the stated report intentionally “mischievous.” Lagos APC Leader, Seye Oladejo also asked the public to disregard whatever rumours they may have heard regarding the election of the 10th Assembly’s leadership. “APC has a reliable internal system to deal with problems, and this will not be an exception,” he asserted. When the time is right, the necessary work will be completed, and Lagos’ residents will be aware of the next Speaker. He added that the legislative branch is an autonomous entity with the power to choose its leaders.