The major headlines from mainstream newspapers today, Friday, September 21, are focused on the continuing impasse between Bola Tinubu and Governor Akinwunmi Ambode over the 2019 Lagos governorship, the APC’s latest acquiescence to governors with regards to mode of primaries and the confusion in Osun state over a rumoured alliance between some political parties ahead of the September 22 gubernatorial election.
The Guardian reports that the crisis over who becomes the governor of Lagos state in 2019 may drive a wedge between the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and his loyalists on one hand, and the Presidency and some state governors on the other.
This follows reports that Tinubu withdrew support for Ambode’s re-election in favour of a former commissioner of commerce and industry, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
The party governors are said to have urged the Presidency to prevail on Tinubu to have a change of heart.
They do not want Ambode, whom they refer to as ‘governor general’ to be ridiculed.
Front page of The Guardian, Friday, September 21 (Photo credit: NAIJ.com)
Source: Depositphotos
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Still focusing on the Tinubu-Ambode situation, Vanguard is reporting that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has rallied support for Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, as he declared that the Lagos governor is not in any way embattled over the contention for the governorship ticket of the party.
Oshiomhole made the comment during a meeting with the party’s governors on Wednesday night, September 19.
The APC boss insisted that the Lagos state chapter of the party was in sound health, irrespective of the discontents against the governor.
He said: “Now, the attempt to say an embattled governor…there is no APC governor that is embattled and because we are democratic, the best way to measure democracy is the presence of more than one person showing interest in an office.
“That does not make any other person embattled. But, of course, the media can create this impression that there is an earthquake in Lagos; there is no earthquake.”
Front page of Vanguard, Friday, September 21 (Photo credit: NAIJ.com)
Source: Depositphotos
Now to the issue of the mode of primaries for APC congresses, Punch is reporting that the ruling party has granted the demand of state governors that each state chapter of the party be allowed to choose the mode of primaries to pick candidates for the 2019 elections.
The decision was reached on Wednesday, September 19, following a three-hour meeting between the party’s national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, and it’s 22 governors at the Imo State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja.
After its last National Executive Council meeting, the APC had announced that it would choose its candidates through direct primaries.
It stated that states wishing to use the indirect method must get the approval of stakeholders in the states and write to the national secretariat.
The APC governors, however, insisted on the indirect method which they eventually got during the Wednesday’s meeting.
Front page of Punch, Friday, September 21 (Photo credit: NAIJ.com)
Source: Depositphotos
Mirroring the focus of the previous publication, This Day also reports that the APC finally caved in to pressures from its governors and approved the use of indirect primary for the selection of the party’s candidates for the 2019 general election.
The publication points out that the governors had kicked against the outcome of the last meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) which asked states that wanted to use indirect primary to apply for approval from the NWC; thereby pitting themselves against federal legislators who preferred the direct primary.
The state chief executives, however, had their way on Wednesday, following the meeting with the NWC.
Front page of This Day, Friday, September 21 (Photo credit: NAIJ.com)
Source: Depositphotos
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Finally, to the Saturday, September 22 Osun gubernatorial election, The Nation reports that there was confusion on Thursday, September 20, among the supporters of three major parties participating in the election, following the rumour that they had formed an alliance.
No fewer than three of the five prominent candidates subsequently denied any such alliance; and the denials were broadcast by radio stations.
The candidates are Iyiola Omisore of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Moshood Adeoti of the African Democratic Party (ADP) and Fatai Akinbade of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Speaking for the three candidates at a briefing in Osogbo, the state capital, Omisore said Adeoti and Akinbade did not step down for him, adding that what they had was an alliance for a credible election.
He further accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of intimidating would-be voters at rallies; an accusation that was denied by the party.
Front page of The Nation, Friday, September 21 (Photo credit: NAIJ.com)
Source: Depositphotos
Can Ambode get a second term without Tinubu's approval? - on NAIJ.com TV:
Source: Naija.ng
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