Oduduwa News

…Calls for Post Tinubu National Security And Foreign Policy Architecture

A former presidential candidate, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has said that the responsibility for the ongoing diplomatic crisis between Nigeria and the United States over alleged Christian genocide lies squarely with the inept and corrupt administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, not with U.S. President Donald Trump, who is also facing mounting pressure from his political base.

Dr. Hashim, a veteran human rights activist and 2009 recipient of the prestigious Lord Max Beloff Prize in Global Affairs from the University of Buckingham, United Kingdom, said the diplomatic standoff reflects the Tinubu government’s “reckless and self serving foreign policy,” which prioritizes personal, political, and pecuniary interests over Nigeria’s national security and global reputation.

“It is deeply troubling that, as we speak, Nigeria does not have ambassadors in many key countries. The bi-national and bilateral commissions established to address pressing concerns on security and trade have collapsed for over a decade,” Hashim stated.

He lamented that, after paralyzing institutional mechanisms for diplomacy, the ruling APC government has resorted to using “a motley crowd of poorly informed operatives and international outlaws pushing shady interests incoherently and dangerously.”

Hashim described this as “a Janjaweed foreign policy, which is truly disgraceful and embarrassing”

Recalling Nigeria’s proud legacy as a stabilizing force in Africa, Hashim noted that the country once stood tall as a reliable partner that brought peace to West Africa through ECOMOG and played leading roles in peacekeeping operations in Congo, Darfur, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. “Our current predicament is both tragic and disgraceful,” he lamented.

Hashim faulted attempts to downplay reports of targeted killings, saying such arguments were “fundamentally faulty.”

“Which categories of Nigerians need to die in the staggering numbers we see before we acknowledge the evidence of complicity and failure to protect citizens?” he asked.

The former presidential candidate further alleged that grave human rights violations are being committed daily by supporters of the ruling APC while the administration looks away. He warned that open threats by party loyalists against groups of voters suspected of not supporting Tinubu in 2027 amount to international crimes under the Rome Statute, which Nigeria has domesticated.

“These threats are directed at an ethnic group that predominantly practices one faith,” he said. “Such acts cannot be dismissed as internal affairs when Nigeria is a signatory to many international human rights conventions.”

Dr. Hashim, once designated a Prisoner of Conscience by Amnesty International in 1989, called for an urgent national dialogue to chart a new course for Nigeria’s post-Tinubu national security and foreign policy architecture.

“Genuine patriots must begin consultations to rebuild a framework that ensures peace, stability, and the preservation of Nigeria’s sovereignty,” he said. “If the American initiative has become a catalyst for this necessary national reawakening, then it is a most welcome development.”

Ayodele Fayose, former governor of Ekiti state, has backed the controversial suspension of Umar Damagum as the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

On Saturday, the PDP NWC led by Damagum suspended Samuel Anyanwu, the national secretary; Kamaldeen Ajibade, national legal adviser; Okechukwu Osuoha, deputy legal adviser; and Umaru Bature, national organising secretary, over alleged anti-party activities.

“There is no hope of PDP coming back for now. Even the captains of our boats are jumping ship. They are jumping from one bed to another. So who is going to hold the party together? PDP has reasonably gone into extinction, unfortunately,” he said.

The Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, has debunked reports claiming that the President is scheduled to visit the United States on Tuesday for a meeting with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance.

Ajayi, in a post on his official X handle on Monday, described the report by Sahara Reporters as “false and misleading,” saying it had fueled unnecessary speculation and uninformed commentaries.

“There’s a Sahara Reporters story that President Tinubu is going to the U.S. on Tuesday to see U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance. That story is not true,” Ajayi wrote. “I can see that the fake news by Sahara has become the basis for some uninformed commentaries since yesterday.”

He stressed that if President Tinubu were to visit the White House, he would be meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, not the Vice President. “If President Tinubu is going to the White House, he won’t be going to see a Vice President,” he added.

Ajayi’s statement followed a viral report on social media claiming that President Tinubu was set to travel to Washington for “top-level diplomatic engagements” amid heightened global attention on Nigeria’s human rights and security issues.

The report had linked the purported trip to growing U.S. concerns about the alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria and a recent post by Trump threatening possible military action against the country.

Last Saturday, Trump wrote on his Truth Social account that the United States might “go in guns blazing” if the Nigerian government failed to stop the killing of Christians, alleging that the administration in Abuja had done little to protect its citizens.

He said, “If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the USA will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, guns-a-blazing, to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.”

Ajayi, however, urged Nigerians to disregard reports not emanating from official sources, noting that the Presidency would always communicate Tinubu’s foreign trips through verified government channels.

Billionaire businessman Femi Otedola has applauded President Bola Tinubu for introducing a 15 per cent import tariff on petrol and diesel, describing the move as a bold step to protect investments in Nigeria’s refining and energy value chain.

In a post on X on Monday, Otedola said the tariff policy was “a crucial move” to shield the country’s industrial and energy sectors from being undermined by cheaper foreign imports.

“I commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his bold and decisive step in implementing a 15 per cent import tariff on petrol and diesel. This policy represents a crucial move towards safeguarding local industries that have made substantial investments in domestic production and refining capacity,” he wrote.

The business mogul warned that Nigeria could not afford a repeat of past decades when uncontrolled importation of cheaper and substandard goods crippled key sectors such as textiles, vehicle assembly, and manufacturing.

He said the tariff would help provide stability for investors in the energy sector and promote long-term price certainty, contributing to a more predictable operating environment.

“This policy will also help establish a stable and sustainable pricing regime, contributing to greater control of inflation and long-term economic stability,” Otedola added.

Otedola further stated that Tinubu’s approach reflects the type of economic vision required to push Nigeria toward its target of becoming a $1 trillion economy. He praised the President’s focus on empowering local producers and promoting value addition as a model of visionary leadership.

Tinubu had approved the 15 per cent ad-valorem import duty to protect local refineries and stabilise the downstream petroleum market, a policy expected to strengthen local production, though it may also raise pump prices.

Says “all attempts to kill opposition politics in Nigeria shall be resisted”

Former presidential candidate, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has warned that Nigeria’s democracy is under grave threat, alleging a coordinated effort by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to cripple opposition politics and impose a one-party civilian dictatorship.

Hashim, in a statement issued from Doha, Qatar, where he is attending the Covenant Altar of Worship Ministry’s First Worship Convention, condemned the Abuja Federal High Court ruling that halted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Convention earlier scheduled for November 15, 2025, in Ibadan.

He described the court’s decision as part of a wider strategy to neutralise the PDP and “weaponise the judiciary against multiparty democracy.”

“What happened in court is not an isolated incident. It is a carefully choreographed plot to paralyse the opposition and entrench authoritarian rule,” he said.

Hashim also decried reports which indicated that former Jigawa State Governor and PDP founding member, Alhaji Sule Lamido, was blocked from purchasing the nomination form to contest for the position of National Chairman, calling it a blatant assault on internal party democracy.

He accused “fifth columnists” within the PDP of collaborating, “wittingly or unwittingly,” with forces loyal to the APC to frustrate ongoing reform efforts in the party.

“It is now clear that both external pressures and internal sabotage are being deployed to stop the rebirth of the PDP as a credible alternative and defender of democratic values,” he asserted.

Despite the setbacks, Hashim vowed that committed party loyalists would not allow opposition politics to be extinguished in Nigeria.

“Those celebrating the creeping civilian dictatorship should pause,” he said. “The true soldiers of democracy are still standing. We will resist every attempt to kill opposition and destroy pluralism in this country.”

He disclosed plans to resume high-level consultations with key party stakeholders on his return to Nigeria, with the aim of rallying “genuine leaders and men and women of conscience” to safeguard democratic freedom.

“The darkest hour, they say, comes before dawn. A new day will break for Nigeria’s democracy,” Hashim assured.

He called on members to remain resolute. “We call on party members not to despair and not to faint ,” Hashim said.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu is set to meet former U.S. President Donald Trump “in the coming days,” announced Daniel Bwala, Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication. The talks, possibly at Aso Rock or the White House, aim to address Trump’s recent claim that violence against Christians in Nigeria constitutes a “genocide,” while emphasizing shared interests in combating terrorism. Bwala noted past U.S. support under Trump, including arms sales, has been used effectively by the Tinubu administration.

The meeting follows Trump’s November 1, 2025, redesignation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over religious freedom violations, coupled with threats of military action and aid cuts. U.S. officials, including Rep. Riley Moore and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, have reinforced these warnings. Nigeria has firmly rejected the characterization, with Tinubu affirming constitutional protections for all faiths and government officials dismissing U.S. claims as inaccurate, though some local groups welcomed the scrutiny.

Debate over the issue has surged on social media and in traditional outlets, with historical parallels drawn to Trump’s 2018 engagement with former President Buhari and his 2020 CPC designation. Nigerian authorities insist the violence stems from broader insurgency and banditry, not a targeted religious campaign, while independent reports confirm thousands of deaths, including Christians in some regions. No date has been set for the meeting, but diplomatic tensions are rising rapidly.

Retail brand, Bokku Mart, has tendered an unreserved apology following massive backlash over its viral “Omo Igbo” advertisement, which many Nigerians described as ethnically insensitive and divisive.

The advert, which circulated widely on social media platforms earlier this week, was criticised for reinforcing negative stereotypes against the Igbo ethnic group. Social media users accused the company of promoting ethnic bias in a country already grappling with fragile unity.

In a statement released on Saturday, Bokku Mart acknowledged the public concern, admitting that the content of the advert was “inappropriate and regrettable.” The company stated that it had withdrawn the ad from all platforms and promised to improve its internal review process to prevent future occurrences.

“We sincerely apologise to all Nigerians, particularly members of the Igbo community, who felt offended by the recent advert. The message was not intended to insult or stereotype anyone, and we take full responsibility for the oversight,” the company’s management said.

The apology has since sparked mixed reactions online, with some Nigerians commending the brand for taking responsibility, while others called for more cultural sensitivity training for marketing teams in corporate Nigeria.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has sunk deeper into crisis as rival factions loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, issued conflicting suspension proclamations against each other, deepening the leadership crisis within the opposition party.

On Saturday in Abuja, a faction of the National Working Committee (NWC) loyal to Wike announced the suspension of Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, and five other top officials. PDP National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who spoke for the group, declared the National Vice Chairman (North Central), Mohammed Abdulrahman, as Acting National Chairman.

However, in a swift counteraction, the Makinde-aligned camp dismissed the move as illegal and instead announced the suspension of Senator Anyanwu himself, alongside the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN), accusing them of insubordination and violation of the party’s constitution.

Students of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Iseyin campus, have protested rising cases of robberies, hostel invasions, and assaults around their campus.

The demonstrators say armed intruders frequently attack student lodges—especially in areas like Adenike and Under-G—stealing valuables and harassing residents, including reports of sexual assaults.

In response, students blocked the university gate and marched through the town, demanding tighter security, better lighting, and constant patrols. The university management has acknowledged the incidents but urged calm, promising collaboration with law enforcement. The Oyo State House of Assembly has also called on security agencies to step up protection for students.

Tensions remain high as students await concrete action to restore safety on campus.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected a Federal High Court order halting its planned national convention in Ibadan, describing the ruling as an assault on democracy and party autonomy. The court had restrained the PDP from holding the event, citing constitutional and procedural breaches.

In a swift reaction, the party’s spokesperson, Debo Ologunagba, said the judgement does not affect preparations for the convention and directed members to continue with plans. The PDP has also instructed its legal team to appeal the ruling immediately.

Party leaders condemned the decision as “judicial interference” and “a joke of the century,” insisting that the convention will go on as scheduled. However, analysts warn that defying the order could spark further legal disputes and deepen internal divisions within the opposition party.