Politics

Vladimir Putin has won Russia’s re-election, claiming another six-year term as Russian president to extend his 25-year rule in a distorted election in which all serious challengers were wiped out before voting began.

Published

1 year ago

March 18, 2024

Vladimir Putin

With 50 percent of ballots counted, Putin’s tally stood at 87.3 percent of the vote, election officials announced. Turnout was 73.33 percent, according to the latest figures from Russian authorities.

Communist candidate Nikolai Kharitonov finished second with just under 4%, newcomer Vladislav Davankov third, and ultra-nationalist Leonid Slutsky fourth, partial results suggested.

This is the biggest share of the vote Putin has claimed in any of his five presidential election wins since his first in 2000. At 71, he is already the longest-serving Russian leader.

Speaking after the early results were announced, Putin vowed to lead Russia to victory in achieving his goals, saying “nobody in history has ever succeeded” in suppressing the will of Russians. “They failed now and they will fail in the future,” he said.

Nikolai Petrov from the Chatham House foreign affairs think tank in London said the result made Russia a “totally consolidated autocracy.”

The Russian president’s win occurred despite calls from the supporters of his most prominent opponent, the late Alexei Navalny, who urged their fellow citizens to come out at a “Noon against Putin” protest to voice their dissent against his government.

Putin told reporters he regarded Russia’s election as democratic and said the Navalny-inspired protest against him had had no effect on the election’s outcome.

In his first comments on his death, he also said that Navalny’s passing had been a “sad event” and confirmed that he had been ready to do a prisoner swap involving the opposition politician.

When asked by a NBC, a U.S. TV network, whether his re-election was democratic, Putin criticised the U.S. political and judicial systems.

“The whole world is laughing at what is happening (in the United States),” he said. “This is just a disaster, not a democracy.”

“…Is it democratic to use administrative resources to attack one of the candidates for the presidency of the United States, using the judiciary among other things?” he asked, making an apparent reference to four criminal cases against Republican candidate Donald Trump.

Politics

2027: There’s no coalition, I know who’ll get ADC presidential ticket – Omokri

Published

5 hours ago

July 10, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

Reno Omokri, a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, has said that Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, will not get the sole ticket of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, come 2027.

According to him, there is no coalition against President Bola Tinubu since all those involved cannot settle for one candidate with Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar and Chibuike Amaechi all indicating interest.

Omokri told Arise News that one thing that political leaders in the coalition all have in common is that they all lost in 2023.

He described the coalition as a loser’s convention, adding that President Bola Tinubu has no reason to be afraid of them.

“You’re forming a loser’s convention. I mean, why should I be afraid of you?

“It happens all the time in the United States, we see people forming a loser’s convention. When you gather negative thinkers together, there’s more negativity,” he said.

Reminded that there is a certain logic behind the coalition which is that the likes Peter Obi and Atiku do not want to split their vote, which collectively beat Tinubu hands down in 2023.

Recall that Tinubu got 37% of the votes in 2023, while Atiku and Obi combined got 54% and both parties feel that they might have won on a joint ticket in 2027.

Omokri, however, noted that there is no coalition, adding, “If Peter Obi says he’s running, if Atiku says he’s running…, if we are seeing Amaechi submitting a proposal to the ADC officially for a one term presidency. I mean, have you seen any coalition there?

“There’s no coalition. What you’re just seeing is egos, different egos. The man, Peter Obi, based on what has happened in the past, it’s very unlikely to get the ticket of the ADC.

“Because if you see what’s happening with the ADC, he doesn’t have that clout within the ADC. I have a good idea who’s likely going to get a ticket. It’s likely going to go to a Northerner.

“And the man [Obi] has said, I’m definitely going to run. So, there is no coalition, there are no general forces, this is just egos going here, right, and there.”

Politics

2027: I’ll defeat Matawalle by 10am – Gov Lawal

Published

5 hours ago

July 10, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

Ahead of 2027 general election, Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has claimed that he will defeat the former Governor of the state, Bello Matawalle, if he makes a come back to run.

Lawal stated this on Wednesday while fielding questions on Channels TV’s Politics Today programme.

The statement comes amid speculation that he might switch camp to newly unveiled African Democratic Congress, ADC, following the intractable crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

However, the governor said he remains a member of the PDP, while also dismissing speculations that he was about to decamp to the All Progressives Congress.

Speaking about what would happen if the current Minister of Defense (State) Matawalle decides to seek a ticket for the governorship position under the APC, governor Lawal said he thinks there is no reason for him to fear anybody.

He said: “The truth of the matter is, when I contested in 2023 all these forces were there. They were all in APC when I contested in 2023 and I still won.

“What do you think will change now, in 2027 is it not the same Matawalle that I took over from? I’m praying to God that he should be the one under APC, and let’s see what will happen in 2027 I’m sure history will repeat itself.

“He’s (Matawalle) the one that will be an easier race, in fact, by 10am, it should be a walk over inshallah.”

Politics

Tinubu building on Buhari’s reforms – Former SGF, Boss Mustapha

Published

5 hours ago

July 10, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

Immediate past Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Boss Mustapha, says the administration of President Bola Tinubu is building on the foundation of his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari.

Mustapha said this at the public presentation of a book, “According to the President”, written by former presidential aide, Garba Shehu, on Wednesday in Abuja.

Mustapha highlighted Buhari’s legacy of institutional reforms and praised Tinubu for sustaining and building upon them.

The Ex-SGF stressed that both administrations exemplify a commitment to systemic governance rather than personality-driven politics.

“President Buhari governed with duty rather than drama. He was driven by principles, not applause,” Mustapha stated.

Mustapha also highlighted key policy interventions during Buhari’s tenure, including the Petroleum Industry Act, large-scale infrastructure projects, military retooling, and the National Social Investment Programme, NSIP.

He hailed the former president for advancing reforms in agriculture, power, education, and the digital economy, describing these efforts as part of a broader architecture of inclusive development.