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Trump’s opponent Christie drops out of Republican presidential ticket race

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After a week of speculations, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie ended his bid for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination on Wednesday night after failing to gain momentum for a campaign centered on fierce criticism of the policies and character of frontrunner Donald Trump.

Christie dropped out just days before the first Republican nominating contest in Iowa. He had the support of just 2% of Republicans in a nationwide Reuters/Ipsos poll completed on Tuesday – the same level of support as former Representative Liz Cheney, who never declared herself a candidate.

So far, Trump holds a big lead in the contest to be the party’s nominee against President Joe Biden in November’s election, according to the Reuters/Ipsos poll which puts the former president at 49%, ahead of former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley at 12% and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis at 11%.

Christie, 61, told a town hall event in New Hampshire that he no longer saw a path forward for his campaign, and repeated warnings about what would happen if Trump were to win the presidential election.

“I am going to make sure that in no way do I enable Donald Trump ever (to) be president of the United States again and that’s more important than my own personal ambition,” he said.

Christie’s base of support was greatly concentrated in New Hampshire, the northeastern U.S. state that holds the second Republican nominating contest on Jan. 23 after Iowa on Monday.

He had been under pressure from some anti-Trump groups to drop out and give Haley the best shot against Trump in New Hampshire, where voters tend to skew more moderate than in other early Republican nominating states.

Republican pollster Whit Ayres predicted almost all of Christie’s support in New Hampshire, which a RealClearPolitics poll aggregation put at around 12%, would likely gravitate to Haley.

“This leaves Trump as the odds-on favorite to win, but with Haley having a path to winning New Hampshire that is now a bit wider than it was when Chris Christie was in the race,” Ayres said.

According to Reuters, Strategist Sarah Longwell, who holds regular focus groups with Republican voters, said she now gave Haley a slight edge against Trump in New Hampshire. But Trump’s odds of winning New Hampshire would likely go back up to around 60% should the other two main contenders – DeSantis and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy – also drop out.

In what appeared to be a hot mic moment ahead of his announcement at the town hall event, Christie seemed to cast doubt on Haley’s chances.

“She’s going to get smoked. You and I both know this. She’s not up to this,” he said.

Trump and DeSantis both seized on Christie’s comments. Trump said he had made a “very truthful statement” about Haley while DeSantis posted on X that he agreed with Christie.

Haley, a former governor of South Carolina, did not directly address the moment in her response to Christie’s announcement, commending him for his campaign and adding: “Voters have a clear choice in this election: the chaos and drama of the past or a new generation of conservative leadership.”

Christie did not discuss with Haley his decision to suspend his campaign, a person briefed on Christie’s plans said ahead of the announcement.

Since launching his bid in June, Christie has been a staple on cable news shows offering withering critiques of Trump, calling him unfit for office and arguing that he was morally responsible for the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

While the broadsides earned Christie a sliver of support among Republicans wanting to move in a new direction, Trump’s tight grip on the party’s most active members meant Christie never rose above low single digits in national polls.

His departure eliminates the most vocal Trump antagonist from the race, although Haley has grown increasingly critical of Trump in recent weeks.

Christie has repeatedly predicted that Trump would likely lose in the general election to Democratic President Joe Biden, given the four criminal cases hanging over the former president’s candidacy.

Christie ran for president in 2016 but ended his bid after a disappointing finish in the New Hampshire primary and became the first major party figure to back Trump.

He helped run Trump’s debate preparations in 2020 but disavowed the former president following his claims that he won the 2020 election.

 

 

 

 

 

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Generator fumes suspected for death of UNN students

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Strong indications has emerged that the use of a generator in a poorly ventilated environment may have caused the death of some students of the University of Nigeria, Nssuka.

The suspicion emerged after a survivor of the incident disclosed that a generator was operating outside the corridor of the apartment where they gathered, while the doors and windows remained shut.

According to the 24-year-old survivor, an Art Education student, about 10 people attended the party organised by his friend, David, to celebrate the completion of his final examinations.

The gathering reportedly started around 11:30 a.m. at the host’s residence in the Hilltop area of Nsukka, with participants sharing alcoholic drinks and playing Truth or Dare.
Recounting his experience, the survivor said he suddenly lost consciousness after helping one of the participants who had vomited and returning to clean the floor.

He disclosed that his legs had become stiff and he could no longer walk before eventually passing out. The student said he regained consciousness at about 9 p.m., only to discover that his friends were lying motionless on the floor.

“When I regained consciousness at about 9 p.m., I heard someone saying that the host was shaking. I woke up and managed to look into the parlour, where I saw the host and other participants lying on the floor,” he recounted.

He said he subsequently contacted friends for assistance, before one of them eventually helped convey the affected students to Bishop Shanahan Hospital and other medical facilities in Nsukka.

The survivor further explained that the apartment was poorly ventilated, with the doors and windows shut, while a generator was running outside in the corridor. A fan was also operating inside the room.

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Speed Darlington begs Burna Boy to drop case

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Nigerian singer, Darlington Okoye popularly known as Speed Darlington, has apologised to Grammy-winning musician, Damini Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy, asking him to withdraw the charges against him and promising to stop making comments about his sexuality.

Speed Darlington made the appeal in a video posted on his Instagram page on Thursday, in which he expressed regret over the pain and embarrassment he might have caused the singer.

“This video is for Burna Boy. Burna, this is an apology video. I apologise for any pain that I have caused you. Any shame that I have caused you,” he said.

The singer admitted that he was wrong to assume that everyone had the same temperament, adding that he wanted an end to their disagreement.

“I made the mistake of thinking that everybody vibrates at the same frequency. That’s wrong of me. I apologise, Burna Boy,” he added.

He further pledged to refrain from making both direct and indirect comments about Burna Boy’s sexuality, making the withdrawal of the charges a condition for his promise.

“I give you my word that if you withdraw all charges and let everything die, I give you my word that I will never make any direct comment regarding your sexuality. “Even indirect comment. I will no longer try sustain. I give you my word. Let peace reign,” he said.

Speed Darlington also promised not to mention the singer’s name again if the legal dispute was resolved.

“I promise I will never use my mouth to mention your name,” he added.

 

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Why I left Peter Obi- Yinusa Tanko

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Yinusa Tanko, former national coordinator of the Obidient Movement, says he experienced a betrayal of trust and loyalty in Peter Obi’s camp, which led to his exit from the movement.

Tanko spoke on Thursday shortly after his unveiling as the coordinator of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential campaign council.

Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Party (NDP), appointed Tanko as national coordinator of the Obidient Movement in September 2024, following a consensus to zone the position to the north.

He was later redeployed as Obi’s political adviser (north), a position he held until October 30, when he resigned.

However, Tanko said he never wanted to leave Obi’s camp, insisting that he was pushed out rather than choosing to exit the movement.

Tanko said although he appreciated the opportunity to serve Obi, he could not remain in a political group where his contributions were no longer valued.

“Well, you know, as you move along in politics, there may be a time when your group does not want you, does not need you or does not appreciate what you do,” he said.

“You don’t stay where you are being tolerated; you go where you are appreciated.

“As far as I’m concerned, I appreciate all the work I have done, and I appreciate him for giving me the opportunity. But the only thing I have suffered in that particular movement is betrayal of trust and betrayal of loyalty.”

Tanko said he served the former Anambra governor with diligence, honesty and integrity, adding that he still held him in high regard despite the circumstances surrounding his departure.

“Everybody knows that I have served with diligence, determination, honesty and integrity. That was how I served Peter Obi, and I continue to respect him,” he said.

“But now, since they don’t want me, people who appreciate me have picked me from the dustbin and made me a bride.”

Asked whether Obi would be pleased to see him in another political party, Tanko said he could not determine what was on the former governor’s mind.

“You cannot say what is on his mind; only he can speak for himself,” he said.

He added that his new political associates had recognised his contributions to nation-building and offered him another opportunity to serve.

 

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