Connect with us

Politics

Trump sets stage for 2024

Published

on

He may have lost the White House and his social media megaphone but Donald Trump is reminding Americans of his ability to dominate the political conversation as he courts controversy on the comeback trail.

Surrounded by “Trump Won” flags at a rally Saturday in Texas, the loser of the 2020 election teased another run for president and dangled impunity for those who waged last year’s attack on the Capitol in a failed bid to halt the transfer of power to Joe Biden.

Trump claimed that those charged in the assault — characterized by the FBI as an act of domestic terror — were being “treated so unfairly” and vowed that “if it requires pardons, we will give them pardons.”

Perhaps attempting to reach beyond the few obscure TV channels carrying the rally live, Trump upped the ante by accusing a trio of Black prosecutors pursuing him over a panoply of alleged crimes as “racist.”

The 75-year-old property magnate urged his followers to launch “the biggest protests we have ever had” if the prosecutors “do anything wrong or illegal.”

The rally made headlines for its lawless, authoritarian tone but Trump set off bigger alarm bells the following day, repeating his false assertion that his vice president Mike Pence could have rejected Biden’s victories in a handful of crucial battleground states.

“Unfortunately, he didn’t exercise that power, he could have overturned the Election!” Trump railed, in perhaps the most explicit and self-incriminating statement yet of his intent.

Stubbornly pushing false allegations of widespread voter fraud that got him banned from Twitter and Facebook, Trump has argued all along that he was the rightful winner of the 2020 election.

But the former reality TV star’s Sunday statement rather gave the game away — making clear that his only aim was to wrestle victory back from Biden, not to resolve disputes over electoral votes.

 ‘Un-American’ 

In this file photo taken on December 7, 2020 -ex-US President Donald Trump looks on during a ceremony presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to wrestler Dan Gable in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC. AFP

 

It confirmed suspicions of bad faith raised when Trump was caught on tape trying to order a Georgia elections administrator to change its tally enough for him to win the state by a single vote.

“This is an admission, and a massively un-American statement,” outspoken Republican congressman Adam Kinzinger said of Trump’s latest outburst.

Kinzinger’s House colleague Liz Cheney, a party grandee turned pariah over her opposition to Trump, said the rally showed that Trump “clearly would do this all again if he were given the chance.”

Despite the mounting controversies, Trump remains by far the favorite for the Republican nomination in 2024 and is the party’s most successful fundraiser, with $122 million on hand.

As the Republican National Committee holds its winter meeting in the coming days in Salt Lake City, there are signs however that his iron grip is loosening.

A recent NBC poll found that 56 percent of Republicans now define themselves more as supporters of the party than of Trump.

Since he left office, several investigations — both criminal and civil, federal and state-level — have been launched into Trump’s suspected tax evasion, financial fraud, election interference, and other allegations, all of which the ex-president denies.

On Capitol Hill, the cross-party House committee investigating his role in the insurrection recently began receiving more than 700 documents from the National Archives from Trump’s time in the Oval Office.

‘Insane, Unconscionable, Unprecedented’ 

Trump sued to keep the trove secret, but the Biden administration chose not to support his privilege claims, and the courts sided with the committee.

In a bizarre signal of Trump’s disregard for convention, the Archives said some documents handed over from the White House had to be taped back together because they had been “torn up by former President Trump.”

Politico reported in 2018 that the White House employed staff whose jobs were partly to repair paper communications that Trump would routinely destroy, which is against the law.

Meanwhile, the Republican Party’s small core of lawmakers willing to call out Trump — including Kinzinger and Cheney, who are both on the Capitol assault committee — appears to be growing.

Saturday’s rally was a bridge too far even for Trump loyalist Lindsey Graham, who told CBS that talk of pardoning insurrectionists was “inappropriate” and would make a repeat of the storming of the Capitol “more likely.”

Tim Miller, the communications director for Jeb Bush’s 2016 presidential campaign, praised Kinzinger and Cheney for “saying what all of us see to be true… that this is absolutely insane, unconscionable, unprecedented.”

“The former president of the United States admitted in a statement that he wanted to overturn a free and fair democratic election to keep himself in power,” Miller told MSNBC on Monday, “that he tried to do it, that there was a plot to do it and that his only disappointment was that it didn’t work.”

 

 

Comments

Politics

APC Secretariat Violence: Oyo Lawmaker Denies Assault, Alleges Smear Campaign

Published

on

The lawmaker representing Akinyele/Lagelu Federal Constituency of Oyo State, Olafisoye Akinmoyede, has denied allegations of violence at the All Progressives Congress (APC) state secretariat, describing claims that he assaulted a party member as false and politically motivated.

An online platform, IMPARTNEWSNETWORK, had alleged that Akinmoyede assaulted one Gafar Oyebade during a meeting convened by the state chairman of the party, Alake Adeyemo, to resolve issues surrounding the executive list of the APC in Lagelu Local Government Area.

However, Akinmoyede, in a statement on Tuesday, said the meeting was peaceful and attended by key members of the state executive, including the chairman, deputy chairman, and secretary, who witnessed the proceedings.

He clarified that contrary to Oyebade’s claim of being the party secretary, the official list presented by the state leadership recognised him as the Public Relations Officer.

According to the lawmaker, following the clarification, the state executive directed the Lagelu Local Government chairman, Fatai Awoyoola, to proceed with the swearing-in of other party officials.

Akinmoyede also faulted attempts to link the incident with the 2019 killing of a former federal lawmaker, noting that a court of competent jurisdiction had already ruled on the matter.

He said, “In Suit No. I/70c/2019, delivered by Justice Mufutau Adegbola on January 23, 2020, all those accused were discharged and acquitted.”

The lawmaker expressed concern over what he described as a deliberate attempt to mislead the public, alleging that Oyebade, a public school teacher under the Oyo State Government, should not be involved in partisan politics.

He described the allegation as a “recycled script” aimed at tarnishing his image ahead of political activities, urging constituents to remain calm.

Akinmoyede also called on journalists to verify information before publication and urged security agencies to take action against individuals who file false reports.

“These tactics surface every election cycle. Those behind them should learn to accept the outcomes of political processes. They failed before and will fail again. Power comes from God,” he added.

Continue Reading

Politics

Oyo Reps Member Denies Assault, Dares APC Chieftain to Prove ‘Hospitalisation’ Claim

Published

on

‎The lawmaker representing Akinyele/Lagelu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Olafisoye Akinmoyede, has denied allegations of assault levelled against him by a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagelu Local Government Area, Mr. Gafar Oyebade.

Akinmoyede described the allegation as “false” and “a lie taken too far,” insisting that no physical altercation occurred.

The denial was contained in a statement issued on Monday by his Legislative Aide, Dr. Isiaq Akintunde.

Oyebade had alleged that he was hospitalised following a confrontation during a meeting held at the office of the state party chairman in Oke-Ado, Ibadan, convened to resolve a leadership dispute in the local government.

‎But the federal lawmaker maintained that the meeting was peaceful and attended by top party officials.

‎“The meeting was convened to clarify Mr. Oyebade’s position within the local executive, and it was attended by the State Party Chairman, his deputy, the secretary, the publicity secretary, and other key state executives, all of whom witnessed the peaceful proceedings,” the statement read.

‎He added that contrary to Oyebade’s claim of being the party secretary, the official list presented by the Lagelu Local Government Party Chairman, Hon. Fatai Awoyoola, identified him as the Public Relations Officer.

‎According to Akinmoyede, the state executive thereafter directed Awoyoola to proceed with the swearing-in of the remaining members of the local government executive.

‎The lawmaker accused Oyebade of fabricating the allegation to advance political interests.

‎“I wonder why Mr. Gafar Oyebade, a secondary school teacher, would claim he was assaulted in the presence of the State Executive. This is an attempt to justify money allegedly collected from an aspirant to tarnish my image,” he said.

‎Akinmoyede further claimed that Oyebade was seen walking freely after the meeting and was not hospitalised as alleged.

‎He also raised concerns over Oyebade’s involvement in partisan politics, noting that civil servants are restricted from active participation in political activities.

The lawmaker called on security agencies and the media to investigate the incident at the party’s Oke-Ado office to ascertain the veracity of the claims.

‎Efforts to reach Oyebade for comments were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.

Continue Reading

Politics

2027: Oseni kicks off Oyo South Senate bid, rallies support for one million Tinubu votes

Published

on

The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency and Chairman, House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, Aderemi Oseni, has declared his intention to contest the Oyo South Senatorial seat in the 2027 general elections.

Oseni made his aspiration known during a high-level meeting with the Ibarapa APC Elders’ and Leaders’ Forum, comprising the G9 and the expanded G64 caucus, held at the party secretariat in Eruwa, Ibarapa East Local Government Area, over the weekend.

The G9 and G64 groups consist of influential stakeholders drawn from Ibarapa East, Ibarapa Central, and Ibarapa North local government areas.

In a statement issued on Monday by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the lawmaker expressed appreciation to the forum for their support and confidence in his leadership and vision.

He said his ambition to represent Oyo South Senatorial District was anchored on a determination to consolidate and expand his record of performance.

Oseni said, “This aspiration is not built on mere rhetoric, but on the continuity and expansion of a proven track record of quality representation and grassroots-oriented governance.”

While soliciting the support of party leaders, he described his ambition as a divine call to serve the people with renewed dedication.

According to him, “This is not a time for self-glory but a sacred responsibility to intensify efforts towards real development, bring more relief to our people and ensure inclusive governance.”

He pledged not to betray the trust reposed in him by party elders and faithful, stressing that his aspiration is rooted in progressive ideals and a genuine commitment to the development of the district.

Oseni also urged leaders in the zone to mobilise support towards delivering one million votes for President Bola Tinubu in the forthcoming election.

Speaking at the meeting, a leader from Ibarapa East, Chief Michael Morawo, lauded the lawmaker for delivering democratic dividends and strengthening the party structure. He added that Oseni has demonstrated commendable leadership through his performance, noting that his impact in stabilising the party within the constituency is evident.

Similarly, a former council chairman in Ibarapa Central, Chief Theophilus Adenrele, commended the lawmaker for not betraying the trust reposed in him. Also, a chieftain from Ibarapa North, Chief Francis Babalola, described Oseni as a humble leader committed to progressive ideals, dismissing speculations about his possible defection if he does not secure the governorship ticket.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the forum, Chief Timothy Jolaoso, said the lawmaker enjoys widespread grassroots acceptance that cuts across political divides.

Jolaoso said, “All indicators consistently point to Oseni as a candidate with acceptance that transcends party lines. He is not only capable but a man of deep faith with proven empathy for the downtrodden.”

He added, “He possesses the goodwill, financial strength, and public trust required for leadership.”

The elder statesman further noted that Oseni’s performance in the House of Representatives, alongside his role as Chairman of the FERMA Committee, underscores his competence and commitment to development.

 

 

Continue Reading

Advertisement

Entertainment

Advertisement

MegaIcon Magazine Facebook Page

Advertisement

MEGAICON TV

Advertisement

Trending