Category: Politics

Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo has stated that Nigerians will be at a disadvantaged if the country breaks up.

This was stated on Monday by the vice-president when he received the national executive of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), at the presidential villa in Abuja.

The NUJ national executive was led to the presidential villa by Chris Isiguzo, president of the union.

Osinbajo in a statement released by his media aide, Laolu Akande said there is a need to promote the message of unity in the country, and advised journalists to be professional in the discharge of their duties.

“This country is ours, whether we are press, politicians or religious people. The country is ours, and we must do everything to ensure that the country remains safe, secure, and united, and this so important,” he was quoted as saying.

“I thank you for your civic vigilance, for the very kind words you have spoken about Nigeria, and for remaining steadfast in your belief for the rule of law and press freedom in the country.

“As I keep saying, the elite in our country, those of us who have had the benefit of education, positions and all of that, we owe millions of our people who are poor, who have no access and have no voice, a duty to ensure that we don’t let things become worse for them.

“There are so many countries faced with a national challenge and where you have people who are prepared to subvert the entire republic, the press works actively with government to ensure that the information space is protected in such a way that people who want to subvert the republic are not allowed to do so.

“But I think it is important, because your voices as respected members of the fourth estate of the realm, your voices are very important in moderating the kinds of views that we hear constantly which in the end, (if care is not taken) subverts the polity.

“It is important for us to continue to emphasise that the unity of this country is crucial, because if this country breaks up in any way or becomes the subject of what some people will like it to be, all of us will lose out. Obviously, the elite will survive in any way but the vast majority of our people will not.

“So, I will urge that we should as much as possible do whatever we can in our spaces that we occupy to keep emphasising that we cannot afford a situation where the national unity of this country is compromised, or where the country is made the theater of conflict and all sorts of insurgencies and crimes.”

According to Akande, Isiguzo, in his remarks, condemned the spread of fake news, and urged the media to always verify information.

He also urged the federal government to support the media industry with “bailout fund”, in order to prevent job losses.

Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, on Sunday, charged residents of the state and Nigerians in general to keep praying for Oyo State and the country in order to address present challenges.

The governor, who stated this during a special thanksgiving service to commemorate Nigeria’s 61st independence anniversary, held at the Cathedral of St Peter, Aremo, Ibadan, added that despite the myriad of challenges facing the country, all hope is not lost.
A statement by Mr. Taiwo Adisa, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Makinde, indicated that the governor was represented at the event by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mrs Olubamiwo Adeosun.

The statement quoted him as saying that residents of the state should continue to support and pray for his government to succeed in its avowed determination to uplift the state.

He said: “We thank God for the grace to see the 61st year of Nigeria. Many of us were here last year and, by the grace of God, we are here today.

“There is a lot we need to thank God for. He has been merciful unto us and we have received many blessings and grace. We know there are still a lot of things to be done as a country. So, I think as people of God, we should continue to pray for Nigeria, that our good Lord who has started good works with us will be faithful to complete them for us.

“A year ago, we were talking about security here. It was tense in our city and land. I want to thank all of us because we have put hands together to get the security situation much calmer. So, thank you very much for what you are doing to make the security situation much better.
But, always, if you see something, say something and do something about it.

“The government is no magician and cannot be everywhere. So, anywhere you see something that should not be, please raise the word.

“We also thank God for our children who have started school. We thank God for the free education policy of this administration.

“Please, continue to pray for us so that we will be able to complete the good works we have started.”

In his sermon, the Provost of the Cathedral of St.Peter, Aremo, Ibadan, Very Revd. Adewale Adebiyi, urged leaders in the country to rule with absolute fear of God.
He maintained that Nigerian leaders should continue to live and lead in accordance with “God’s injunctions.”

He also admonished leaders to uphold justice and fairness on all issues.
According to him, Nigerian leaders and followers must be pious, fearless, patriotic and courageous in their day to day activities.
He said : “Nigerians need the support of their leaders now more than ever before, as they are facing a myriad of problems.”

The event had in attendance the Chief of Staff to Governor Makinde, Hon. Segun Ogunwuyi, Head of Service, Alhaja Ololade Agboola, Deputy Chief of Staff, Hon. Abdul Majeed Mogbonjubola, and other appointees.

Rashidi Ladoja, governor of Oyo State between 2003 and 2007, has said that his very good brother and colleague in Lagos, Bola Tinubu, would preside over Nigeria better than it is if he is elected to govern Nigeria.

The Osi Olubadan, who made this known in an interview with Sunday Tribune, revealed that apart from being competent to rule Nigeria, “look at what he has turned Lagos to. But you are only looking at that one. What about another group, led by some Northerners, which is now saying it is Osinbajo that they want. Anybody can canvass for support, but we should look for who is the most competent to lead the country.

If it is coming to the South, all of us should be happy that it is coming to the South. Maybe we will be able to prevent what is happening in the North from happening in the South, i.e., it is not safe to go to any school in the North now because you don’t know when the terrorists will strike cart away the school children, asking for ransom. We have a lot of problems in the country and I am sure the problems in the North are worse than those in the South. Maybe here, we are not used to it here, but they are over there.

The only problem we are used to here is the farmer-herder conflict. Instead of the government addressing it as a major problem, it is not. We are risking another civil war because the danger signs are there. If the people of Benue and Akwa Ibom decide they have had enough and move to protect and defend themselves from attacks, what do you think will happen? They say those creating this problem are not from Nigeria, that they spread from The Gambia to Cameroon and they don’t have any territory that is recognised by the UN. This is why we are asking whether the Federal Government is not complicit on the issue.

There is free movement of people in the North; there is no free movement of people in the South, particularly in the South-West. The borders in the North are all open; those in the South are not, except the Seme border. And when people make noise about opening of our borders, they opened it only for Dangote and BUA to export their cement.

Whereas, most of the time, the cement is even cheaper in Benin Republic than in Nigeria. So, who is fooling who? These are the things that create problems, which is why I said this is not the Nigeria of our choice; a situation where one citizen is treated better than the others. We are supposed to be treated equally by government.

People who are running about 2023, it is not clear what they are looking for. They said Bola Tinubu wants to be president; I told you that the vice-president, Yemi Osinbajo, is also being asked to join the race by people of the North.

Why should it be the people of the North that are running about for the vice-president? Do they see in him somebody they can use? He has not yet indicated he wants to run. Tinubu might not have indicated, but his contribution to the enthronement of the man there is known.

I remember at that time that people were shouting against Muslim-Muslim ticket. Maybe he would have been vice-president now. So, it should be expected that Bola will want to give it a shot.

But given his health, would you advise him to take such a risk?
Are you a doctor?

People have been going to London on political pilgrimage to meet him…
Did they come back to report to you that he is not fit? Let me tell you one thing. If Bola feels that his health is not good enough, he will not contest. I know that about him. He wants to give service. He feels he has contributions to make. His lot is not going to be bettered than it is already is. He can feed himself.

What will a Tinubu presidency give to Nigeria and Nigerians?

What did his governorship give to Lagos? He took Lagos from an IGR of less than N1b to what it is today and development also goes with it. He has also been able to streamline the role of the states vis a vis the Federal Government. Do you remember how many months he was denied allocation for local government councils in the states? The councils did not go under. He fought and won. Of course, he did not do it alone.

The current vice-president was his Attorney General who was able to fight through the courts to get the victory. So, we can understand that Tinubu will be a law-abiding citizen as president and that is where everything starts.

He will respect federal character which is what we are complaining about now. Why should all the instruments of coercion be in the hands of people from one ethnic group? I like to give the example of Hadiza Usman, ex-NPA Managing Director.

What is her background that qualifies her for such post? What has she done in her life? As far as I am concerned, she was just a PA to Nasir el-Rufai. Is el-Rufai himself qualified to run the NPA not to talk of his PA?

I am sorry I am going personal, but that is where the problem starts. The ports that are supposed to give us a lot of money, now we can’t even go there as the roads are not there, except for Dangote trucks that are going to load there.“

The Oyo State Speaker, Hon Adebo Ogundoyin has applauded the peaceful conduct of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP Ward Congress in Ibarapa zone.

Hon Ogundoyin stated this at Ward 2 in Ibarapa East Local Government shortly after participating at the Congress.

The Speaker said it was a good development for the ruling party in the State as the Security operatives at venues of the Congress in the whole of Ibarapa zone had virtually nothing to do as everything went smoothly without any hitch.

The Speaker who is a Member of the Oyo State PDP 2021 Local Organizing Committee for the Congress commended members of the party across the zone for conducting themselves peacefully adding that the PDP remains the party to beat in future elections not only in Oyo State but also across the country

” I want to commend members of our party in Ibarapa East Local Government particularly and even the whole zone generally for demonstrating high level of political maturity, comportment and loyalty. This was evidence in the peaceful and orderly manner they conducted themselves during and after the Congress. I was at all the ten wards in Ibarapa East Local Government and there was no record of any violence whatsoever. It was the same story across the zone. There was no report of any parallel Ward Congress in my zone. I meant no any PDP 2 Congress. This shows we are one PDP family in Ibarapa zone and I believe the issue of the faction is being addressed at the highest hierarchy of our party in the State” He said

Hon Ogundoyin assured that the Party in the State would soon resolve some of the issues raised by some aggrieved members across the State.

He stressed that the Governor has promised to seek amicable resolutions to all the issues raised by them.

” Leaders have emerged from our various Wards and this will further strengthen our party across the State. With this, Oyo PDP is good to go. I therefore congratulate our newly elected Ward executive members for their victory and I pray to God to make it the beginning of more outstanding feats for our great party.

The INEC Representative from Abuja who was in Ibarapa land, Aliu G. Aliu while commenting on the Ward Congress in the zone expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the exercise.

In his reaction, one of the leaders of the PDP in the zone, Chief Olayiwola Gabriel said members of the party have unanimously elected their Executive officers at the various wards, stressing that there was no rancour at all in any quarter in Ibarapaland.

Governor ‘Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, on Saturday, called for unity among members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, declaring that aggrieved members should give room for resolution.

The governor, who spoke at Ward 11, Ibadan North East Local Government, said that he was happy that the people of Oyo State are excited about the rulling party (PDP) in the state.

He said: “I see excitement with the people. They want to be participants in the democratic process to select their leaders to run the affairs of the party at the ward level. So, for me, it is democracy in action. “And also with the fact that we have been in government slightly above two years now, the people are still excited about their party. It is something that calls for celebration for us.

“Well, the exercise today went peacefully. I expect other congresses to be peaceful as well. “Everywhere around the state, the people are excited because they are getting dividends of democracy. So, I believe the excitement is all over the state.”

He tasked members of the PDP to stay united, adding that the time has come for the aggrieved members to bring their grievances to the table for amicable resolution.

He added: “For the PDP members in Oyo State, I want to ask them to stay unified because we can do quite a lot in unity. “And for some who are angry or aggrieved, let them bring their issues to the table, we will address them. Politics is about conflict and resolution of conflict within interaction of people.”

The governor maintained that the PDP has come to stay in the state, adding that the party will soon take power at the Federal level.

“So, we are not ruling out making overtures to them and getting them also to be a part of this process. This is because PDP is here to stay in Oyo State and the PDP is also poised to take over power at the Federal level. So, you don’t leave a winning team,” Makinde said.

Speaking earlier, the Chairman, PDP Ward Congress Committee, who is the Deputy Governor Office Edo State, Hon. Philip Shaibu,

said that the Committee did not notice any parallel congress in the state.

He added that the ward congresses have been “so peaceful.”

He said: “So far, so good, all the talks of having parallel election has not been noticed and what is key today is that the process has been peaceful.

“No report of any violence anywhere and that is one thing we have been afraid of since yesterday.”

He said the party will settle all internal issues among its members amicably .

He added: “Interestingly, all through the night, we were having discussions and phone calls to some of them that feel aggrieved. We will settle our internal issues and I am happy that we are already discussing.

“We are here to do the right thing and to conduct a free, fair and credible Congress.”

A chieftain of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), Dr. Garus Gololo, has advised the party to field Vice President, Yemi Osibanjo, and Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State, for an overwhelming victory in the 2023 presidential election.

Speaking in an interview in Abuja on Friday, Gololo said Osibanjo has displayed competence, loyalty, hard work and statesmanship to pilot the affairs of the country.

Gololo said, with dialogue and negotiation, power could rotate to the south, despite the fact that the north has the numbers, adding that the south might not pick it the way they are going about threatening the north.

“In politics, what you do when you want votes is to consult with people, dialogue and negotiate with them. For now, who are you fighting for? You can’t fight for Tinubu because already he is aged. He is already in UK hospital, do you want to be going back to London as we are going? We cannot take that thing again, we are okay.

“I can vote Osinbajo direct because he is a person of integrity, he is loyal to the president, he can do anything you think of and he is not biased. When he speaks anywhere, he represents Nigeria, not ethnic or parochial view. I respect him and can go with him.

“If Osinbajo is going with Zulum, before 12 O’clock, we would have seen the results. But if you pick Tinubu, who will he pair with? I understand he wants to run with Boss Mustapha, who lost his ward in Hong in 2019. His younger brother bought the form for State Assembly, but did not succeed, is that who will be vice president?”, he said.

On the agitation for power shift by the south and the attendant comments credited to Northern Elders Forum, Gololo threw his weight behind the north, saying the south should rather consult widely and dialogue with the north, rather than engaging in acts that would jeopardize their chances.

He said, “I am solidly behind them. I’m from the North. If you watch very well, the Governor of Ondo state, Akeredolu said if the party fails to zone the presidency to the South West, there will be no APC in 2023 in Nigeria. This is the same person, a sitting governor, who could not deliver his state to the president in 2019. A sitting governor who was defeated by PDP, and you are making this type of statement?

“He just entered politics by chance because he has no background, otherwise, he has no business in politics. Some of his utterances don’t make sense in politics. Party is supreme, no matter what. What matters in politics is whether you can deliver your ward. You cannot deliver your state as a sitting governor and you are saying there must be zoning. Zone to who?

“Left for people like him, Buhari would have lost the 2019 election. Already we know where we are going, we have the votes. Nobody can intimidate us using zoning. We have the votes and you have yours, let us go to the poll. We are not fighting, votes will determine who will be, simple”.

He stressed that “In politics if you have a candidate in mind you want to campaign for, you can go round, discuss with the people, hold meetings with the local community – the elders, youths, women. But you cannot come out directly, after signing “Anti-open grazing” law and talk of zoning. He signed Anti-grazing law, but he cannot sign votes, we will sign that for ourselves in 2023”.

The Ogun State Government has announced a 3-day programme of activities marking Nigeria’s 61st Independence Anniversary in the state.

The 2021 National Day celebration begins on Friday September 24 with a commemorative Jumat service at the Central Mosque, Kobiti, Abeokuta, at 1.00pm.

The anniversary train moves to the Cathedral of St Peter, Ake, on Sunday September 26 for an inter-denominational Church Service which begins at 10.00a.m

A special parade featuring members of the Armed Forces, the Police, Labour and trade Union Groups, children from Schools across the State, will hold on Friday 1st October 2021 at the M.K.O. Abiola Stadium, Kuto as part of the grand finale marking the end of the celebration.

The State Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun urges all Nigerians, especially residents of Ogun State to embrace peace and work for the progress of the country, noting that no nation can become great without sacrifice by its citizens.

“Nigeria is a great country and will be greater if all her citizens reject ethnic and political divisions, religious bigotry and sectionalism” Governor Abiodun added.

The Federal Government may file a fresh action against Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo (also known as Sunday Igboho), following the judgment of Oyo State High Court which awarded N20 billion in damages in his favour.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, told NAN in New York that the Federal Government may file fresh charges against the agitator.

Malami said the position of the Federal Government on the judgment was about “law and jurisdiction”.
“As far as this matter is concerned, which court is it that has the jurisdiction to determine it? And as you rightly know, obedient to court orders and court judgments,” he said.
“But then you have to understand within the context of such obedience that there are associated rights and interests that are vested in the Federal Government.

“Inclusive of rights of appealing against a judgment, inclusive of right to file an application for settingaside the purported judgment and order.

“And indeed, inclusive of the possibility of filling a fresh action if indeed the jurisdiction of the court that was alleged to have indeed handed that judgment is an issue.

“So, we are doing the needful in terms of looking at the law as it exists and then working within the context of the law in ensuring that justice is done as far as the contending issues between the parties are concerned,” the minister was quoted as saying.

The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari has revealed reasons why Fani-Kayode was received at the Aso Presidential Villa.

This was contained in a statement made available today by the Spokesman, Femi Adesina as read in part:

“Not a small ruckus has been caused by the defection of former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode (FFK), from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) last week.

“An icing on the cake, or the salt added to injury (depending on which side you are), was his reception at the Presidential Villa by Muhammadu Buhari, father of the nation. The development has been rocking the polity for many days.

“FFK is by no means a miscellaneous personality, and whatever he does, or does not do, attracts loads of attention.

“He was a founding member of the APC, before he ported back to the PDP. And he did not leave quietly. He ruffled feathers and stirred up the mud. He became a rabid hater of his former party and its members.

“Between last week and now, vitriol poured by FFK on anybody with the slightest affinity to APC has been dug up serially. He has said things straight from the gutters, things that the natural man would call unforgivable and unpardonable. Against President Buhari, the first family, Yusuf Buhari whom he wished had died when the latter had an almost fatal bike accident, APC as a party, the government, leaders of the party, groups and individuals. Even this writer has suffered horrid descriptions from FFK in many write-ups.

“Yes, he even said he would rather die than return to APC, but last week, he returned—well and alive.

“Naturally, a lot of loyal APC members are hopping mad that FFK was readmitted into the party. And not only that, he got back at the highest level. Not at his ward in Ile-Ife, Osun State, but the triumphal entry was at the Presidential Villa, with President Buhari himself as the host.

“I understand the umbrage taken against the development by teeming APC supporters. It’s the natural thing to do. But then, having vented spleen, raised dust and almost brought down the roof, the next thing is to isolate the issues dispassionately. With the bile displayed towards President Buhari and his family over the years, how did the man find the grace to have received FFK? How was he convinced? Who did the convincing? What were the extenuating factors? How? When? Why?

“By agreeing to the readmission of FFK to APC as the leader of the party, and hosting him at the Villa, President Buhari displayed amazing capacity to forgive, to show mercy, and let bygones be bygones. How many of us can do that? Not many.

“Remember William Shakespeare in Merchant of Venice:
“The quality of mercy is not strained.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest:
It blessed him that gives and him that takes…
It is an attribute of God Himself.”

“That was what Buhari did to FFK. He showed him mercy, dropping like gentle rain from heaven, when he could have otherwise spat into the sky, collecting the spittle with his own face. Was that not what me and you would have done? Confess. We would have told FFK to go to hell, and stay there. But Buhari didn’t. He displayed an attribute of God: forgiveness.

“One of the lies that had been serially told against the President was his alleged unforgiving spirit, a falsehood sold to Nigerians by anti-Buhari forces since the days of military rule. The lie traveled for so long, till it was eventually overtaken by the truth in one day. Nigerians saw through the facade, and elected Buhari as President in 2015. Re-elected him with wider margin in 2019.

“I have worked with the President for over six years. And I have seen amazing things in terms of accommodation and capacity to forgive. I have visited him at home many times in the evenings, only to find at dinner table with him people who had been abusing his forefathers on television earlier in the day. This President has a capacity to forgive, and forget. And make peace. That was what he displayed in the case of FFK. Nothing short of divine attribute, which me and you should covet and seek to approximate.

“True, the brother of the prodigal son in the Good Book was unhappy, after his sibling had engaged in riotous living, squandered his inheritance, and came back home in penury. And the father received him with glee, and slaughtered the fatted calf in celebration.

“The brother was indignant. He accused the father of bad faith, saying he had remained faithful and loyal, and not once did the father give him a goat to kill, and make merry with his friends.

“That is the case of the APC members who have been unhappy at the reception given FFK. He did not deserve it, they claim. True. But how many things don’t we deserve, but which eventually come our way? That is the inscrutable nature of God, and we should not begrudge ourselves, or anybody else. How many things have come your way, which you really don’t deserve? But God gave those things to you, nevertheless. Same with FFK.

“I think those screaming blue murder and lamenting the injustice and unfairness of it all should hold their peace. They have made their points, and should let things be. Enough! FFK is back, let sleeping dogs lie. He may stay this time round, as he claims to have had a Damascus road experience, which turned Saul to Paul.

“Many times, FFK has used unprintable words against me. He has deployed phrases from the nether region against me. But after writing those things, and we met in public places, he would embrace me, calling me his “friend and brother.” I agree, we are brothers, though I should hold giant sized grudges against him. President Buhari has shown us the way . To err is human, to forgive, divine.

“And come to think of it. Is it pleasant to swallow one’s vomit? Nah. But that was what FFK did. All those foul words against the President, the APC, the government, many people in government. He has swallowed them. Delicious? By no means. Pueh! You would feel like retching. So, let’s salute the courage of his conviction. It is rare, and not many people would do it.

“I welcome FFK back to APC. And I pray it is for an enduring time. I thank President Buhari for showing an astounding large heart. That’s how to be a father. He has confounded all those who peddle lies about him, and the balderdash about not forgiving.

“The quality of mercy is not strained. It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven. It has dropped upon FFK. May it always drop on us, for “it blesses him that gives, and him that takes.” Amen, somebody!.”