₦airaland Forum

By Idowu Isamotu

Anyone mistakenly seeing President Bola Tinubu as a failure or a weakling is either blind or misguided and unable to see the new Nigeria that is emerging, according to Bello Matawalle, Minister of State for Defence.

He said this while responding to the threat that the North might vote against Tinubu in 2027.

Daily Trust had reported that the forum, through its spokesman, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman expressed regrets that the region voted for Tinubu during 2023, noting that going forward, the region will prioritize unity and consensus in selecting a candidate for the highest office in the land.

But the immediate past governor of Zamfara State described the forum as a “political burden”, insisted that NEF is not, and can never speak for the region.

He added that he and other leaders would not allow “some elements” to bring Northern region into disrepute.

In a statement on Saturday, Matawalle wondered why many people overlooked what he termed “overbearing attitude” of the forum on issues that affect political unity and cohesion of the country.

"This NEF is more of a political burden to Northerners. The group is seeking to erode other people’s rights in order to be recognised or made relevant in the scheme of things despite the failure of their sponsored candidates in the 2023 general elections.”

“In as much as many have overlooked them in respect of their utterances, it is pertinent to underscore their overbearing attitude on issues that affect political unity and cohesion.

"They cannot offer any positive idea or thought about the future of Northern Nigeria or, indeed, of Nigeria and its unity and togetherness.

“We all know President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR won the February 2023 presidential election convincingly. So, who is the NEF to want to undermine the president’s victory and even threaten to unseat him?”

The group is yet to visit any of the ministers dealing with issues of security, agriculture, water resources, police affairs, education, health, budget, foreign affairs or any head of security agencies in the country so far for first hand knowledge of government programs and actions. ”

“The majority of them are more interested in faulting the government so as to be recognised or accorded some relevance.

"Our region, the North, is united, disciplined and politically-driven enough not to listen and accept being teleguided by any group of elites who had fed fat in the past on the North’s resources and opportunities which had retarded development in the region and nation due to their selfishness.

“President Tinubu is poised to do a lot for the North as President of Nigeria, elected by the people of Nigeria, not by one ethnic group or the other, therefore, anyone mistakenly seeing President Tinubu as a failure or a weakling is making a mistake and should rethink.

"Such a person or group is either blind or misguided and unable to see the new Nigeria that is emerging. Therefore, the NEF’s statement allegedly expressing regret for voting for President Tinubu is unfortunate.

“NEF is not more than a group that has refused to accept reality and is living in delusion. The truth is that the North is proud of its support and vote for President Tinubu and will continue to be proud of her relationship with the President given the enormous change and development his government has brought to the region.”

The President, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity Ajuri Ngelale, however called for unity of purpose and more collaboration between the federal government, state governors, and members of the National Assembly to achieve national development goals.

Tinubu spoke in Lagos on Friday while receiving state governors and the leadership of the National Assembly.

Speaking through Vice President Kashim Shettima, who was also the head of the entourage of governors and federal lawmakers, Tinubu emphasized the fact that the future of the black race rests on Nigeria.

The delegation included Senate President Godswill Akpabio; the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, among others.

President Tinubu expressed optimism about Nigeria’s economic resurgence and called for collective efforts to propel the nation forward.

He urged unity and collaboration among all stakeholders to achieve shared prosperity and promised a brighter future for the nation under President Tinubu’s guidance.

“Let us unite, rally around our leader, and catapult this nation to a greater pedestal. By December, I hope we will have cause to celebrate. Let us coalesce to take the nation to a greater pedestal,” he said.

Emphasizing President Tinubu’s role as a unifying leader transcending ethnic and religious lines, the Vice-President noted that the gathering of 27 governors in Lagos, along with the leadership of the National Assembly and some former governors, bears the testimony of a detribalized leader who has embraced all.

"This gathering cuts across ethnic, religious, and political lines. Here, we have Pastor Eno of Akwa Ibom and Father Hyacinth of Benue, and as the President was seated, he was asking, ‘Where is Wammako, where is Yari’? That is the hallmark of true leadership. What binds us together supersedes whatever it is that may divide us.”

The future of the black man rests on Nigeria to make or mar. Our economy has turned the corner. By the coming months, the economy will roar back to glory,” the Vice-President said.

Senate President Akpabio commended the state governors for emulating President Tinubu’s leadership style, characterized by listening to diverse voices and consulting widely with the people, irrespective of political affiliations.

"The governors are doing well. I can say so because I have been there before,” Senator Akpabio said.

Expressing confidence in President Tinubu’s leadership, Akpabio noted that the President enjoys the broad support of Nigerians across political divides.

“As you coast home to victory for a second term, may all the governors seated here also coast home to a second term victory in their states,” Senate President Akpabio prayed.

Governor AbdulRazaq expressed support for the 700km Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, describing it as a huge project that will have a significant impact on the nation when completed.

He commended the President’s efforts in stabilizing the economy and improving living conditions, highlighting the positive developments in the country, which include the stabilization of the exchange rate and decreasing food prices.

He attributed these improvements to the President’s initiatives and also lauded the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare’s funding for 8,800 primary healthcare centres.

“We commend your efforts because the ship is gradually turning. We have seen how the exchange rate of the naira against the dollar is coming down. The cost of food is coming down. The dry season harvest is commencing soon. Things are getting better, and there is light at the end of the tunnel,” the Governor said.

He urged President Tinubu to persevere in his efforts towards achieving economic stability.

The governor also expressed gratitude for the support provided by the Federal Government to states, particularly in distributing grains to alleviate food shortages.

”We are here to support you, and we also thank you for the support that you are giving to the sub-nationals. Trucks are wheeling up across the nation, distributing grains. I have received, and most of the states have.

"Because of what you are doing, those who are hoarding food items are releasing them, and that is why the prices of food are coming down,” he said.

Governor AbdulRazaq reiterated the governors’ commitment to supporting the President’s initiatives and pledged to continue complementing the efforts of the federal government in driving progress and prosperity across the nation.

UGHELLI: Troops of the Nigerian Army conducting a cordon-and-search operation over the March 14 killing of 17 military personnel at Okuama in Ughelli South Local Government Area, Delta State, yesterday invaded another community, Olota, and allegedly whisked away no fewer than 10 persons.

This came on a day Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SANs, and retired judges ripped apart the Board of Inquiry constituted by Defence Headquarters to investigate the March 14 killing of military personnel at Okuama in Ughelli South Local Government of Delta State, saying it had no powers to do so.

But Vanguard could not reach Prosper Evuarherhe, the President-General of Olota, but an eyewitness said the military men left with the community’s chairman, Matthew Olokpa, and over 10 others.

He said: “The over 200 soldiers entered Olota in three gunboats this morning (yesterday). They held the Chairman, Matthew Olokpa, Bigi Edjekpewhu, German Obiokute, Kenneth Okorodudu Atua, and others.”

The witness disclosed that the soldiers razed some houses in the community, 50 kilometres from Okuama, and took with them almost all the speedboats they sighted in the jetty.

“Gunshots roared in Olota today (yesterday); we ask those in authority to intervene and tell the soldiers to leave Olota in peace. They left with those apprehended, no fewer than 10 persons. They burnt Germany’s house and two others and destroyed one.

“They also left with many speed boats at the jetty belonging to residents. They beat the community chairman to a stupor before they moved him with the others, along with a 75-engine-powered boat belonging to Kenneth. This latest crisis may not be connected with Okuama.”

Recall that the army had visited the same community and others, including Arhavwarien, Orere, and Omosuomo, more than a week ago, searching for arms and ammunition snatched from the dead soldiers and fleeing suspects.

Meanwhile, Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SANs, and retired judges have ripped apart the Board of Inquiry constituted by Defence Headquarters to investigate the March 14 killing of military personnel at Okuama in Ughelli South Local Government of Delta State.

They told the federal government that the correct thing to do was to institute a judicial commission of inquiry into the incident or ask Delta State government to set one up.

The military panel, headed by Air Vice-Marshal David Ajayi, started sitting, Wednesday, in Warri. However, Okuama community, whose leaders and lawyer, said the displaced residents were hiding and suffering in the forests because of the cordon-and-search operation by the Army, rebuffed the hearing.

But six representatives of Okoloba community in Bomadi Local Government Area, whose boundary dispute with Okuama triggered the tragic episode, appeared before the Ajayi-led board of inquiry on Wednesday afternoon, while officials prevented reporters from covering the proceedings.

Speaking to Vanguard, Olorogun Albert Akpomudje, SAN, and Life Bencher, former Attorney-General of Akwa Ibom State, Uwemedimo Nwoko SAN, and retired President of the Delta State Area Customary Court, Miakpor Emiaso, said the Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, did not have the power to set up a public inquiry into the Okuama incident.

Olayiwola Afolabi, SAN, and Chief Magistrate E.O Eferakoro, retd., advised the federal government to order the Army to vacate Okuama.

Army can’t set up a public inquiry—Akpomudje, SAN

Akpomudje, the Otota (Prime Minister) of the ancient Olomu Kingdom in Delta State, said in his reaction: “A public inquiry will mean that members of the public will have access to go and say their mind because it is an inquiry. Is that what they have set up? The Chief of Defence Staff does not have those powers.

“It is unknown that an internal inquiry within the army cannot be open to the public? May be he can do that just to ascertain some facts.

“However, an inquiry that will touch on how the whole scenario of the killings in Okuama happened is not a matter for the Army to do. We are asking the federal government to set up that inquiry. If not the federal government, then Delta State government.

“Now, on the issue of whether the army has powers to do investigation, well, with the greatest respect, what investigation? Is the military going to investigate itself?

“That is why it is said that you cannot be a judge in your matter; they should leave that to either the federal or the state government to do.

“When it comes to investigation, it is the police that will do it, independent of the component of the police force in the Joint Task Force, JTF, he is talking about a combined team of several security outfits, and does not have the jurisdiction and power to conduct the investigation.”

Army, a concerned party, can’t institute inquiry —Nwoko, SAN

Uwemedimo Nwoko SAN, who spoke to Vanguard in Uyo, capital of Akwa Ibom State, said: “Yes, 17 soldiers were killed, and the event that occurred was, of serious, consequence but the government should set up the board of inquiry, not the Army, to ensure transparency in that process, it is important.

‘The government should set up the board of inquiry itself, not the military because it is an interested party. The Army is already a victim, so they cannot set it up.

“Whatever the federal government is doing must abide by the rule of law. Whether it involves individuals, communities, civil security agencies, or the military, the important thing is that the government must work within the confines of the rule of law.

“So much damage has been done in that community, the government should engage the survivors. It should be able to stop the security pressure from the situation that occurred.

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu has apologised to Nigerians over his comment that they keep their freezers and air conditioners on when they are not at home.

Adelabu clarified during an interview with Channels Television on Thursday that his comment was not meant to offend the sensibilities of Nigerians.

Recall recently the Minister of Power remarked that Nigerians lack of a culture of managing power consumption, attributing it to the affordability of electricity supply.

This came on the heels of the increment in electricity tariffs for customers under the Band A classification by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

“A lot of people will come back from work, they want to have dinner, or they want to see their colleagues down the road, they switch on the AC for the room to be cooling before they come back,” [/b]Adelabu had said.

[b]“Some people will be going to work in the morning, a freezer that you left on for days, they will still leave it on when all the items in the freezer are frozen and five, six, eight hours of their absence will not make it to defreeze, they will still leave it to be consuming power just because we are not paying enough.”

The minister’s remark received widespread criticisms from many Nigerians who questioned his management of the Ministry of Power.

Addressing the criticisms, Adelabu stated that his remark came from his strong desire for positive change within the power sector.

“It was never intended to insult the sensibilities of Nigerians in any way. I never said people should switch off their freezers,” Adelabu said.

“It was actually innocent advice with regard to energy consumption management, which we believe will go a long way in reducing people’s energy bills.

"The example of the freezer, it might not have gone down well with the majority of Nigerians. I will say sorry about that. It was never my intention to insult anybody.

"It was out of my passion and eagerness to ensure that we make a change in the sector, which has suffered a lot of setbacks for some years.

“We said we need to cultivate the culture of energy consumption management. It was just a comical illustration.”

A former federal lawmaker, Shehu Sani, has said that the late Ogbonaya Onu was displaced from being the President of Nigeria in 1999.

DAILY POST reported that Onu, an All Progressives Congress, APC presidential aspirant in the 2023 election, died on Thursday.

Onu, who was the first civilian governor in Abia State, died in Abjua on Thursday.

Sani, a former lawmaker, who represented Kaduna Central Senatoral District in the 8th assembly, while paying tribute to the former minister, said Ogbonnaya “could have been Nigeria’s President in 1999 after he won the APP primaries in Kaduna, attended by the likes of the late Ikemba of Nnewi Chief Ojukwu.

“He was deliberately displaced after a midnight merger with the then AD. The military wanted Obasanjo and Falae.

"The late Chief Onu is one of Nigeria’s most distinguished,decent and disciplined political figures in history.

"He has been an influential figure in Nigeria’s politics for over four decades. A Senator in the second republic, a Governor in the third republic and a presidential candidate, party chairman and minister in the fourth republic.

“He is a rare breed politician who lived as unstained, untainted and unblemished like his white apparel. He was a man who lived and served his country with decorum and impactful anonymity.

"He was a true patriot whose nationalist credentials can’t be faulted by any section of the country. Onu was an unnoticed and unappreciated gentleman and national leader.In words and in deeds, he lived above politics of rancour and controversy.

In 1999, the outgoing military wanted power to shift to the South West. Onu was a simple man.

“His known residence in Asokoro remains the one rented for him by his party, the ANPP, when he was elected its chairman. He remained there throughout his tenure as minister.

May his soul rest in peace.”

Labour Party Chieftain Kenneth Okonkwo has said that the All-Progressives’ Congress (APC) should stop referring to Peter Obi to fix the crisis in the Labour Party because the “worst of Labour Party is still better than the best of APC.”

Okonkwo said this in response to Kassim Afegbua, a representative of the APC, who had previously, on an interview with ARISE NEWS, said that Peter Obi’s inability to solve the conflict in Labour Party means that he would have been unable to rule over Nigeria, and would have made him a bad president.

Okonkwo, in an interview with ARISE NEWSDAY on Wednesday, said that the APC has been the “scourge and the worst thing that has happened to anybody in Africa”, saying that since the party came into power, several companies had left Nigeria, amidst other socio-economic and security troubles, and the APC, as the ruling party, has not been able to resolve the ongoing problems in Nigeria, but is always looking to discredit Peter Obi.

He said, “The worst of Labour Party is still better than the best of APC, and you can quote me on that. They cannot even organise National Convention, they cannot even bring out clean people to govern their party or govern Nigeria, what a tragedy.”

The Labour Party Chieftain said that Obi is not the Chairman of Labour Party to be able to resolve issues within the party in an instant but is just a member who still has to follow due process to get something done.

He also said that Peter Obi is not the President or a government official, and that the APC is always calling on him as a matter of their “incompetence and joblessness and nothing-to-doism.”

Okonkwo the addressed the recent NLC takeover of the Labour Party due to leadership and the recent national convention that was held, saying, “The idea that somebody will go to a backyard and purportedly say he has organised a national Convention without delegates from the ward, from the local government, from the states, to the national convention, is illegal, and that is irrespective of whatever the constitution of the party says because the constitution of Nigeria is supreme, and the act of the National Assembly is superior to the constitution of the parties.

As I’m talking to you now, Abure and his members are no longer the executive of Labour party by the constitution. They have exceeded four years, and again, since they are not members of the executive of the principal organ of the party, they don’t have any right to organise any convention, they have ceased to be members.

“So, what you had was the members now organised stakeholders meeting, because there is a lacuna, there is a vacuum in the leadership of Labour Party, to chart the way forward, and they should because nature does not exist in a vacuum. So, having a stakeholders meeting- and of course NLC is a stakeholder in Labour Party, no doubt about that, there is nothing wrong with that. So, I think with time, they will fashion now the best legal way to go about it. But for now, the Abure executive has nothing to do with laying claim on the leadership of Labour Party.”

Speaking to the allegations against NLC President Joe Ajaero which claim he has a pact with the APC to destabilise the Labour Party, Okonkwo said, “That executive has been tainted with allegations of forgery, so I would not be surprised if they continue on that lane, forging things. The same Joe Ajaero that mobilised people to throw away the faction of Apapa in order to save Abure and save the integrity of Labour Party is the same Ajaero that they are now trying to label that he is doing what he is doing in order to have political ambition, that is very childish to say the least.

“That somebody is telling you to obey your own constitution, obey the constitution of Nigeria, obey the electoral act, and then suddenly the person now has an ambition. And may I ask respectfully, what is wrong in having ambition? Is it not the ambition of amber that is trying to destroy Labour Party? And now he’s talking about ambition. Who is really the person talking about ambition? Joe Ajaero is the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress and I know it as a fact that what they’re saying is blackmail.”

“They are saying all they are saying to cover up their incompetence and corruption in the handling of Labour Party affairs. Their regime is over,” he said.

A Kano State High Court has fixed April 17, 2024, for the arraignment of the immediate past governor of the state, Abdullahi Ganduje, his wife, son, and five others, for alleged bribery.

Ganduje and the others will be arraigned on eight counts bordering on a $413,000 bribery allegation, diversion, and misappropriation of funds to the tune of N1.38bn, among others.

The PUNCH had earlier reported that the Federal High Court in Kano ruled that the Kano Public Compliant and Anti-Corruption Commission lacks the power to investigate Ganduje over an alleged $5m bribery video.

Justice Abdullahi Liman, while delivering his judgment, said the offence was a federal offence that could be prosecuted by the Attorney General of the Federation and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Justice Liman said the Kano anti-graft agency had a limitation in investigating the former governor.

But on Monday, the state governor, Abba Yusuf, urged the EFCC to release the result of its probe into the alleged dollar bribery video involving Ganduje.

Yusuf, in a statement by his spokesperson, Sanusi Tofa, said Ganduje should rather prepare to face his trial instead of talking about non-existent failure in the current administration.

"For whatever option, the Kano State Government would advise the acting National Chairman of APC to show cause why his name, that of his family, and the entire people of Kano should permanently be erased from the global embarrassment that the dollar video has generated,” he said.

However, in a writ of summon sighted by PUNCH Online on Tuesday, the Kano State Government, in a criminal suit, named Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Hafsat Umar, Abubakar Bawuro, Umar Abdullahi Umar, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Limited, Safari Textiles Limited and Lesage General Enterprises as respondents and assembled 15 witnesses to appear before the court.

The case is fixed for April 17, 2024, before Justice Usman Na’aba of the state High Court Number Four.

Confirming the development to Daily Trust, the state Attorney General, Haruna Dederi, said the case has been filed, and all parties involved will be served accordingly.

"It is very true. We have filed the case, but I cannot confirm whether he is served or not, but he will definitely be served. What he (Ganduje) doesn’t understand is that you cannot run away from the evil day. It will definitely come to you, and this will even serve as a deterrent to all of us.

"He was saying that we can’t prosecute him forgetting that the offence also falls under the category of the state offences. It’s not totally a federal affair,” he said.

The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has charged Nigerian Muslims to use the window availed by Eid el Fitr to seek Allah’s intervention in Nigeria’s situation.

Obi charged the people not to allow the prevailing unprecedented hardship in the country to affect their spirit of love, brotherliness and peaceful co-existence

Rather Obi said the people should use this year’s Eid-El Fitri festivities to engender the spirit of oneness and also re-dedicate themselves to the virtues of love, patriotism and unity for the desired national development.

The former Anambra State Governor in a message to Muslims noted that the two major faiths Christianity and Islam coming out of their fasting period should allow the solemnity of the holy months to influence their thoughts and actions in relating with one another and thinking about the future of the country.

Obi said that it is discomforting the amount of blood being shed in the country daily and asked that the situation be taken to Allah for his prompt intervention.

The LP standard bearer said the blood of thousands of innocent souls being wasted daily in Nigeria at various troubled spots, particularly the stress of school children in the North, and the needless death of troops should be enough mitigation to plead to God to save the country from destruction.

"An intense prayer for our dear country has become very necessary more than ever before as our nationhood is in dire need of divine intervention to survive.

“Our economy is already under severe stress, the currency is losing value daily, unemployment and inflation rising.

Obi finally implored the people not to despair and miss the essence and meaning of the festivity and the divine succour it brings, assuring that there is always a light at the end of every tunnel as a new Nigeria is still possible.

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election Peter Obi says the country needs to tackle the devastating effects of poverty and insecurity in the northern region of Nigeria through agriculture and industrial revolution.

Obi said this when he paid a courtesy visit to the Emir of Zazzau – in Kaduna State – Ambassador Nuhu Bamali as part of his ongoing tour of the North.

The LP chieftain lamented that the majority of the vast arable lands in the North are uncultivated while most of the industries in the region have shut down due to lack of political will and inconsistent government economic policies

He, however, noted that the current socioeconomic instability in the country requires that all citizens and leaders come together and see how the situation could be salvaged.

"The way things are in our country today requires that all of us must get involved in one way or the other. Nigeria has nothing to do with poverty if those of us who are political leaders including my humble self had decided to serve the country Faithfully. Because if we do, Nigeria will have anything to do with poverty. I will always say this anytime I have the opportunity because Nigeria is one of the countries in the world that is blessed with everything that is required,” Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, said on Monday.

God created us with a lot of resources, and if those resources are properly put in place, we will pull most poor people out of poverty. Looking at the North, we can make more money from agriculture than we are making from oil.

“We have vast uncultivated land in the North which can help pull people out of poverty provide food for Nigeria, provide raw materials for industrialisation, and support export. We need to invest in the North. Insecurity is driven by poverty, the more you pull people out of poverty, the more you reduce Insecurity”.

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja has ordered the detention of a Nigerian accused of being a member of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, Emmanuel Osase, for 60 days.

Justice Ekwo gave the order following a motion ex-parte filed by the Department of State Services (DSS).

At Wednesday’s proceedings, the counsel for DSS told the court that the matter was brought pursuant to section 66(1) of the terrorism (prevention and prohibition) Act 2022.

He prayed the court for an order enabling the service to detain the respondent for 60 days pending the conclusion of the investigation.

Ruling, Justice Ekwo, a vacation judge, granted the prayer of the service.

He subsequently adjourned the matter till June 3, 2024.

Osase, who was arrested on March 11, was accused of propagating the messages of the terrorist group, opposing the democratic system of government in Nigeria, and calling for terrorist attacks on Nigeria and its symbols of sovereignty.

The DSS had stated that Osase was jailed for five years for terrorism-related offences in France and was deported after the completion of his sentence.

The Service noted that from its preliminary investigation, Osase was still involved in terrorist activities.

Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has said President Bola Tinubu is doing all it takes to “make the nation better.”

This was when she affirmed that her husband would “go back to a better Nigeria” after his tenure as President.

“Mr. President will do all it takes to make the nation better, that even when we live here, we will go back to a better Nigeria,” said Mrs. Tinubu when she hosted her predecessors and governors’ wives for an Iftar at the State House, Abuja.

The First Lady’s Special Adviser on Media, Busola Kukoyi, dislcosed this in a statement on Sunday titled, ‘First Lady Oluremi Tinubu hosts former first ladies, govenors wives, others at Iftar.’

While maintaining that getting the nation back on track is a collective responsibility, she said, “We all have tasks to do to get this nation back on track.”

Mrs Tinubu noted that the various social investment programmes of the administration are all on track and the results are becoming evident.

Earlier, the wife of the Vice President, Nana Shettima, urged all women to be one another’s keepers.

Like the First Lady, Mrs. Shettima, argued that governance is a collective responsibility, urging women to remember the nation in their prayers, especially in these last 10 days of Ramadan.

On her part, the guest lecturer, Prof. Rafatu AbdulHammed of the University of Abuja advised women not to forget all they learnt during Ramadan, and continue in that line.

AbdulHammed said that living in love, piety, humility and tolerance would enhance the lives of Nigerians.

The women offered prayers for the nation, the President and the world.

Those in attendance include former First Ladies of Nigeria, female justices, wives of governors, female ministers, wives of ministers and wives of service chiefs.

The Labour Party Presidential Candidate in the 2023 general election Peter Obi has admonished prisoners not to feel isolated and finished because everybody is in prison in Nigeria seeking the face of God for freedom and redemption.

Obi who celebrated the Easter mass with prisoners at the Correctional Center in Onitsha, Anambra State told the prisoners that from the day’s reading, Mary Magdalene who was the first to discover the resurrected Christ was once unholy but today she is reformed and privileged to discover the rising of Christ even before the Apostles.

“What that means is that being in prison is not the end of life as they could get corrected and enjoy salvation even before the so-called free people”.

The Archbishop of Onitsha Catholic Archdiocese, His Grace Valerie Okeke who celebrated the Easter mass with about 12 other priests inside the Correctional Center had in a homily said that if Mary Magdalene could transform to be among the early beneficiaries of the Christ resurrection, even them in the Correctional Center will turn around to be great in the society and before God.

The highlights of the Easter celebration with the inmates which Obi has been doing from his days as Governor of the Anambra State (2006 to 2014) were the dancing and elation of the inmates in their various cultural groups all shouting his praises as a friend and father of the Prisoners.

The 2023 Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, has said he promised to rebuild Nigeria and not to build a new party.

Obi made the remark while disclosing why he ignored the LP’s National convention in Anambra State.

Addressing Nigerians on X Space hosted by Parallel Facts on Friday, Peter Obi said he ignored the convention because the party leadership under Julius Abure failed to conduct wide consultation with key stakeholders of the party before embarking on the said convention.

He stressed the need for the right thing to be done to salvage the party, adding that he is more passionate about building a new Nigeria than building a new Labour Party.

“We promised to build Nigeria, we did not promise to build a New Labour Party,” Obi said.

He also threw his weight behind the call for a structure for the ‘Obidient’ movement.

"It is the standard practice around the world where movements form themselves into blocs and are part of the political process,” he added.

Two factional groups respectively led by Julius Abure and Apapa Lamidi have been claiming supremacy.

Also, the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, is against Abure’s leadership of the party.

However, Abure was reelected during the controversial national convention organized in Anambra State.

President Bola Tinubu has called on religious leaders to refrain from vilifying or denigrating the nation in their sermons.


Speaking during Ramadan Iftar with traditional rulers and religious leaders at the State House on Thursday in Abuja, the President emphasized the important role of religious leaders in shaping public opinion and fostering a sense of unity among citizens.

He urged the leaders to be more constructive in their criticism of those in elective positions.

President Tinubu also declared that his administration is determined to turn Nigeria’s challenges into prosperity.

He reiterated that no terrorist can defeat the collective will of Nigerians, no matter how hard they try to prey on innocent citizens.

He urged traditional and religious leaders to forge a strong bond with the government to defeat terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and other forms of criminality in the country.

”Yesterday in Abuja, I attended the burial of the 17 soldiers killed in action at Okuama, Delta State. I saw their pregnant wives and little kids.

”The love of the nation is in your hands. Pray for our country. Educate our children. The sermons we preach to the members of our churches and mosques are important.

”Do not condemn your own nation. As a Yoruba man and as our fathers will say, ‘No matter how slippery the bottom of your child is, you must leave the beads there.’

"Leave the beads there. This is your country; do not condemn it in sermons, do not abuse the nation. Leadership is meant for change.

”Yes, this leader is bad, fine. Wait until the next election to change him, but do not condemn your country. Do not curse Nigeria. This is a beautiful land.

The President, who acknowledged the birthday wishes and goodwill extended to him on the occasion, reminded the leaders that his birthday on March 29, 2024, coincided with Good Friday.

"I have earned the honour of having my birthday fall on Good Friday, and I pray that on this Maundy Thursday, you all shall return to your homes safely. May God guide and keep you and your families in good health, and lift your spirits,” the President prayed.

Different speakers at the dinner expressed gratitude for the opportunity to come together in the spirit of Ramadan to share a meal with the President and renew the bonds of friendship that unite the nation.

Vice-President Kashim Shettima emphasized the pivotal roles of religious and traditional rulers in promoting peace and unity, urging them to continue to ‘‘build bridges that transcend ethnic and religious divides.’’

The Vice-President expressed delight that the nation’s economy is on a rebound, noting the strengthening of the naira against the dollar.

”The President means well for the nation, and he has continued to redefine the meaning and concept of modern leadership.

”For many years, fuel subsidy was an albatross. The President took a bold decision from day one, and he hit the ground running. Now the economy is turning the corner,” the Vice-President said.

Speaking on behalf of the Traditional Rulers Council of Nigeria, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, assured the President of the unwavering support of traditional rulers and commended the government’s efforts to address the hike in food prices and the security challenges.

”You are not alone, Mr. President. The prices of food items and goods are gradually coming down. You are doing your best on security, and we cannot allow you to do it alone. We will join hands to support your vision for the betterment of our nation,” the Ooni said.

Ambassador Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, Emir of Zazzau, speaking on behalf of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), highlighted the significance of Ramadan as a period of reflection, empathy, and unity.

On the security situation in the country, the Emir of Zazzau, who represented the Sultan of Sokoto and President General of NSCIA, expressed optimism that the country will return to peace and stability.

”I am happy to see representatives of Muslim and Christian communities in this room. I pray God Almighty blesses the President for him to do more to take the country to the Promised Land,” the Emir prayed.

Apostle Samson Fatokun, General Secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), noted that the Ramadan dinner with religious and traditional leaders, coincided with Maundy Thursday, the Thursday before Easter, observed in commemoration of Jesus Christ’s institution of the Eucharist during the Last Supper.

The General Secretary, who delivered the address of CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, commended President Tinubu for fostering a harmonious relationship between the State and the Church.

”We are encouraged that your administration has shown great determination in tackling the challenges of kidnapping and banditry and bringing to justice the perpetrators of this dastardly act.

”We shall continue to show our support to your administration so that you can execute your noble intention for the nation,” CAN General Secretary said.

The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, has disclosed that President Bola Ahmad Tinubu is planning to fight hunger and poverty in Nigeria with science and technology.

He disclosed this in his keynote address at the opening ceremony of the consultative General Assembly of the West African Network of National Academies of Sciences (WANNAS) in Abuja on Tuesday.

“It is imperative to inform you that the Administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR is desirous to fight hunger and poverty through the utilization of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI).
“I like to further inform you that the Ministry is doing the needful in securing the country through our activities and programmes, geared towards job creation and wealth generation,” the minister said.

He said the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology was determined to diversify the Nigerian economy, stressing that it was one of the major agenda of the Federal Government through the application of Science, technology and Innovation apparatus.
The minister noted that all through history, no nation had ever become great without paying sufficient attention to Science and Technology (S&T), adding that some countries that were ravaged by war and conflicts, recovered, rebuilt their infrastructure and later became rich and wealthy because they utilized Innovation, Science and Technology for nation building.

"The Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, having realized the role of Innovation in the industrial revolution, has developed many policies and programmes that are critical to the advancement of the sector,” he said.
While noting that the interdependence of West African countries innovatively, calls for synergy and collaboration in all spheres of development, he charged the sub-region to switch to STI and maximize the opportunities embedded therein, saying it would strengthen its currencies and combat the exchange rate syndrome.

He said the academia must lay a good foundation for ECOWAS to leverage on, saying the National Academies of Sciences was paramount in propagąting the campaign of a switch to innovation and industrialization the region yearned for.

“Permit me to conclude with a sincere appeal for synergy and collaboration among the West African Sub-region; that would quicken our quest for sustainable economic development through the utilization of the STI sector,” he said.

Also speaking, Prof. Fatou Sarr, ECOWAS Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs, explained that WANNAS was a group of experts, a think-thank that could play a major role in finding solutions to numerous issues confronting the society at national, local, regional and global levels.

“The reason for our gathering today is important for the development of our countries. In fact, the living standards of a nation depend on the abundance of scientific development and technology.

"This lies in the capacity of its actors to find viable solutions to the problems of the society and contribute to the sociology-economic development of our countries,” she said.
The meeting will end on Thursday with a communique.

Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has broken his silence after an invitation by the Department of State Services over his comments on the activities of bandits in the country.

According to him, the invitation was necessary, and he had a productive interaction with the security agents who queried him.

The PUNCH reports that the Minister of Information and Orientation, Mohammed Idris, confirmed that the prominent Islamic cleric was invited for questioning while noting that no one was above the law.He (Gumi) had offered to dialogue with bandits who abducted from Kuriga Government Secondary and LEA Primary Schools in the Chikun Local Government Area of the Kaduna State.

He urged President Bola Tinubu not to repeat the mistake made by former President Muhammadu Buhari, who he said refused to dialogue with bandits.

The abducted Kaduna children were released on Sunday, with the government saying no ransom was paid for their release.

Gumi, in a social media post titled, ‘Only one person is above the law: The Innocent!’ on Tuesday, wrote, “Last night, I got many frantic calls from well-wishers and journalists about a news item that I was interviewed by security. There is absolutely no cause for alarm.

"Yes, we had a productive interaction on how to curb banditry as we are all trying – each in his own sphere – to tackle the monster bedevilling the nation. There was no animosity but courtesy and full of respect.

“We all need as a nation to unite and work in synergy to achieve an everlasting peace. I thank you for your concern. May Allah continue to protect us all from all evil.”

Gumi had previously negotiated on behalf of state governments to free abducted persons.

Last week, the Federal Government named his associate, Tukur Mamu, among persons linked with terrorism financing.

In his response, Gumi condemned the list saying only a court of competent jurisdiction can so tag his associates and others who appeared on the list as terrorism financiers.