₦airaland Forum

If Asiwaju does what Tambuwal did at PDP primaries - if he steps down for Osinbajo and asks his delegates to vote for Osinbajo - that would make my day. Osinbajo needs his support.

If we end up with Lawan or Tinubu I don't know how I'm going to cope.

If its SP. Then give it to BAT abeg.

The Progressives northern govs. have first pruned the number of aspirants they are taking to PMB to 5 (Osinbajo, Fayemi, Tinubu, Amaechi & Umahi). They’ve pruned further to 3 (Osinbajo, Amaechi & Tinubu) so that PMB can make his pick - source #APCPresidentialPrimaries #Nigeria

It is perhaps not surprising that on the eve of the All Progressives Congress (APC) flagbearer primary there are those running as candidates who wish to associate themselves with the President’s rise to elected office seven years ago.

There are many people who played parts large and small in his historic election in 2015, making history as the first opposition candidate to defeat a sitting president with power changing hands peacefully at the ballot box.

There are those who advised the President to run again; those who decided to build a political party – the APC – that could finally be the political vehicle capable of delivering victory where all other opposition parties and alliances before it had failed.

Those decisions may have been agreed upon by a few. But they were delivered by thousands and voted for by tens of millions. No one can or should claim to have made the possible.

Yet as important as that moment was, it is not what should decide the next general election.

What matters is the future: the policy platforms, the ideas, the drive, and the determination to take over the President’s stewardship of our country and build upon his legacy to make our country better than it has ever been.

The person most demonstrable in those qualities is the one to lead our party and our country forward.

Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
June 06, 2022

Multiple Sources: President Buhari denies endorsing Ahmad Lawan as consensus presidential candidate and has asked the APC Governors to meet with Adamu and NWC to agree on 5 names to consider as party’s flag bearer #Nigeria #APCPresidentialPrimaries

OneCandleAway:
It's so annoying, instead of grassroots campaign they think its disturbing and online spaming that'll give votes?

123456789O:
The bots have taken over the top comments already

Congratulations to @atiku.

Not only is he a formidable candidate but he comes from a zone that has not produced a democratically-elected President for 62 years. This is justice.

@OfficialAPCNg MUST field a NORTHERNER if we want to win.

Whichever way, a hard fight lies ahead.

A Federal High Court sitting in Yenegoa, Bayelsa State will on Friday rule that former President Goodluck Jonathan is “constitutionally” qualified to contest for president in 2023, SaharaReporters has gathered.

Jonathan was Nigeria’s vice-president between 2007 and 2010. He became the president in May 2010 following the death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and completed the latter’s tenure.

Jonathan won the 2011 presidential election but lost his attempt to secure a second term in office in 2015.

SaharaReporters learnt that Jonathan through a proxy, Andy Solomon approached the court praying he is “pre-eminently constitutionally, morally and legally qualified to contest the 2023 presidential election.”

The case with suit no FHC/YNG/CS/2022 has Andy Solomon as the plaintiff and the former President and two others as defendants.

The judgment which is the plan of the Aso Rock cabal supporting Jonathan is expected to be delivered by Justice Hamma Adama Dashen on Friday, multiple sources told SaharaReporters on Thursday.

Justice Dashen, born on April 4, 1962, hails from Adamawa State.

“The case is Andy Solomon vs Dr. Goodluck Jonathan & 2 Ors. I understand tomorrow (Friday) is the day for that judgement from the Federal High Court in Yenagoa declaring Goodluck Jonathan is eligible to contest.

“They are tying up their loose ends,” a source privy to the case told SaharaReporters on Thursday.

Following speculations that he was preparing to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and seek the presidential ticket of the party, some Nigerians, including human rights lawyer Femi Falana, argued that his candidature will breach the constitution. But other Nigerians have also expressed different opinions on the issue.

Falana had based his position on Section 137 (3) of the Constitution, which provides as follows: “A person who was sworn in to complete the term for which another person was elected as president shall not be elected to such office for more than a single term.”

Falana had said, “Some people have said that the amendment is not retrospective and therefore cannot apply to Dr Jonathan. Assuming without conceding that the amendment is not retrospective it is submitted that under the current Constitution a President or Governor cannot spend more than two terms of eight years.

“In other words, the Constitution will not allow anyone to be in office for more than a cumulative period of 8 years. In Marwa v. Nyako (2012) 6 NWLR (Pt.1296) 199 at 387 the Supreme Court stated that Section 180 (1) and (2)(a) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has prescribed a single term of 4 years and if a second term, another period of 4 years and not a day longer.

“In the case of Governor Ladoja v INEC (2008)40 WRN 1 the Supreme Court rejected the prayer of Governor Ladoja for 11 months’ extension to cover the period he was kept out of office through illegal impeachment. The Supreme Court rejected the prayer on the ground that a Governor is entitled to spend a maximum period of eight years or less and not more than eight years.

“It is not in dispute that Dr. Jonathan became the President of Nigeria in 2010 following the sudden death of President Umaru Yar’Adua. He later contested and won the 2011 presidential election. Having spent five years in office as President, Dr. Jonathan is disqualified from contesting the 2023 presidential election. The reason is that if he wins the election, he will spend an additional term of four years. It means that he would spend a cumulative period of 9 years as President of Nigeria in utter breach of Section 137 of the Constitution which provides for a maximum two terms of eight years.”

Jonathan had recently rejected the presidential form of the ruling APC purchased for him, purportedly by a group of supporters from the northern region.

Speaking through his Media Adviser, Ikechukwu Eze, the former president said it was an insult for the group to have bought him the forms without his permission.

However, sources had told SaharaReporters that claims by the former President that he did not authorise the purchase of the multi-million-naira forms are far from the truth.

“Contrary to his denials, former President Goodluck Jonathan gave over N200 million to the governor of Jigawa, Mohammed Badaru, to purchase the APC nomination and expression of interest forms for him,” a source privy to the arrangement had told SaharaReporters.

Interestingly, the Jigawa governor, Badaru had also joined other interested presidential aspirants to vie for the ticket of the APC by buying the N100 million nomination and expression of interest forms.

“I will join the Presidential race since everyone knows I’m a highly qualified person to do the job,” Badaru was quoted as saying during an APC stakeholders’ meeting held at Government House in Dutse recently.

The governor was also said to have told the gathering during the meeting that he was pressurised by his colleagues to contest for the presidential seat.

His media aide, Auwalu Sankara, had said his principal had sought President Muhammadu Buhari’s blessings before buying the forms.

But SaharaReporters learnt that the Jigawa governor had bought the forms and come up with the statements as a ruse to deceive Nigerians; as he was indeed working for Jonathan.

It was further learnt that Jonathan had backed out of the plan and swiftly come up with the denial after the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, had refused to guarantee that the former President would be the consensus candidate of the ruling party.

Jonathan was Nigeria’s leader as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which is now an opposition party.

“The reason why he (Jonathan) gave him that much money – over N200 million – was that he asked the governor to buy himself a form too in order to cover up the deal,” a source had said.

“And upon purchasing the form, Jonathan alerted Buhari. Buhari told him to meet with the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, but Adamu said he can’t guarantee him as a consensus candidate.

“At that point, GEJ (Goodluck Ebele Jonathan) started denying that he purchased the form,” another source had said.

SaharaReporters broke the story of how a cabal in the ruling APC had pushed for Jonathan to succeed Buhari, after being impressed by how the former President never openly criticised Buhari government despite its ineptitude and the insults the APC, as an opposition party, hurled at him (Jonathan) ahead of the 2015 presidential election.

The fact that Jonathan cannot spend more than one term in office, if they can manage to get him there, is also not lost on the cabal. However, SaharaReporters has also reported how Jonathan was later called a betrayer by the cabal after he failed to fulfil some of the conditions given to him, including convincing some PDP governors to defect to the APC.

Some married women have taken to the streets to protest against young women in Owerri, Imo state capital.

The women who are alleging that young women are "snatching" their husbands with indecent dressing, held up banners which captured their grievances.

They also imposed fines against women who wear indecent outfits, adding that should they fail to pay the fine, they will have them to contend with.

After the killing of Deborah Samuel, a Christian, second-year student in the northern Nigeria city of Sokoto on Thursday for alleged blasphemy, fake news and disinformation have been widely shared on social media.

A war of words erupted on Twitter and Facebook between some Muslims and Christians in the country, with each side accusing the other of intolerance and extremism.

Two days after the killing, a peaceful protest in Sokoto turned violent, with demands for the release of the suspected killers of Ms Samuel.

A plethora of fake pictures, videos and posts have been shared by social media users to incite violence and cause further damage and division in the country.

Many of the fake stories are accompanied by comments on why Nigeria should be divided between the predominantly Muslim north and Christian south.

Facebook user Emeka Fans Page posted a video in which he makes many claims, one of which is "Sokoto people done butcher all the whole Christians in their state".

His video has been viewed over 670,000 times and shared more than 5,000 times. He also urges his followers to continue sharing the video.

A police statement said two protesters were shot by the police when they tried to occupy the palace of the Sultan of Sokoto, the spiritual leader of Nigeria's Muslims.

There are some genuine videos that show protesters burning tyres on streets, wielding machetes, knives and sticks while running across the streets and chanting Islamic prayers. Another video showed people looting and burning shops in a market. But there is no evidence of killing or butchering as claimed by Emeka Fans Page.

The state government has imposed a 24-hour curfew to regain peace in the state.

TWO-YEAR-OLD VIDEO SHARED

Another video was shared by many users, showing a woman in a torn white dress being beaten by men with sticks and what looks like a thick rope.

Other women wearing hijab can be seen standing and watching as the woman is being abused. She attempts to escape into a house but is pushed out by a group of men.

She is heard in Hausa stating: "I won't do it again, forgive me."

The BBC Disinformation unit found the video has been in circulation for at least two years on social media. At first glance, the circumstances surrounding the video are not clear but further investigation indicate the video was shot in Kaduna and the woman was arrested and charged for stealing and selling babies.

However, social media users are currently recirculating it and claiming it is from the recent violence in Sokoto. One user said: "They are killing Christians right now, if you have your relations in Sokoto…"

NON-EXISTENT DOCTOR ACCUSED OF KILLING MUSLIMS

A screenshot of a Facebook post by a purported Christopher Uche-Ayodeji (Dr Chris) where he "confesses" to allowing many Muslims die while working as a doctor in northern Nigeria has also gone viral.

The screenshot says that "Dr Chris" is a physician at the University Hospitals Birmingham in the UK. He claims he enjoyed "every bit of it" as he was on a revenge mission.

The post said he was avenging the killing of a neighbour in northern Nigeria in 2015. Gimba Kakanda, a social critic with almost 200,000 followers on Twitter sent a tweet to University Hospitals Birmingham reporting Dr Chris.

The hospital replied that the individual was unknown to them. But users continued to share the screenshot on social media and went as far as falsely attaching a picture of an unrelated man, claiming it was Christopher Uche-Ayodeji. The picture turned out to be that of a Nigerian writer and journalist Ayodeji Rotinwa who tweeted and pleaded with people to stop using his picture.

On Facebook, the page belonging to Christopher Uche-Ayodeji (Dr Chris) does not exist, and neither does the message in circulation.

Another piece of disinformation being shared on social media is of the burning of the residence of the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Reverend Matthew Hassan Kuka during the riots.

A statement released by the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto said the news was false.

"We wish to disclaim that there was an attack of any sort on the residence of Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah," it said.

The statement also debunked claims that churches had been burnt down. It said protesters had destroyed the windows of the Holy Family Catholic Cathedral on Bello Way and that St Kevin's Catholic Church was attacked and partly burnt.

Religion is a temper flaring zone. I know emotions are running wild. A lot of people read my tweets without understanding me, which is normal. “The headline” didn’t help either. Have never advocate for one's life to be taken or people taking matters into their own hands The law exists for such which I pointed out. Sadly we are here.

I’m happy that punch has an “updated” & “Editors note” 2 capture this. I sincerely meant no harm. Everything was taking out of context. I pray that peace, which Islam greatly preaches will prevail in our lands.

REBUTTAL
Our attention is drawn to a publication by Punch Newspaper 24 hours ago, suggesting that Captain Jamil Abubakar is in support of the gruesome killing of Deborah Samuel, a student of Shehu Shagari college of Education Sokoto, and the Editors note to it thereafter.

Customarily, we would have resorted to silence to let the gathering tension to dissipate gradually, but these are perilous times, and wicked people love to take advantage of moments like this. Given the sensitive nature of the situation, we are therefore compelled to make this statement

To begin with, it is necessary to mention for the avoidance of doubts that Captain Jamil Abubakar is a devout Muslim who is proud of his faith, but his tweets in no way implied brazen support for the murder of Deborah or anyone else.

He sent out a series of tweets outlining the Islamic and Christian views of blasphemy, as well as stating that while Islam has rules and regulations in place to oversee people's behavior and motives, only sharia courts or government are in best position to handle matters like blasphemy.

We have however observed that despite Punch Newspaper's updated publication/Editor's Note which goes a long way to clarify the facts as they were after a closer look at the tweets and the implication of their earlier publication that has now garnered a lot of traction online, most news organizations have deliberately continued to broadcast false information about Captain JAMIL condoning the illegal killing, as well as misinterpreting the entire concept behind the tweet hence, mocking and defaming his hard-won reputation.

While we advise the general public to discard the false publications, we are also, hereby sounding this final note of warning to all media organization, blogs, social media influencers etc, to desist from propagating the lies as we would not fail to take immediate legal action forthwith.

We want to state categorically here that Captain Jamil, is a law-abiding citizen and a true Muslim; and for what its worth, he will not support or be a part of any organization that supports jungle justice or any conduct that does not promote the rule of law.

Our appreciation goes to friends and family of Captain Jamil who have shown capacity, understanding and support through this ordeal.

Singed for Captain Jamil Abubakar
Barrister Somadina Eugene Okorie

Religion is a temper flaring zone. I know emotions are running wild. A lot of people read my tweets without understanding me, which is normal. “The headline” didn’t help either. Have never advocate for one's life to be taken or people taking matters into their own hands The law exists for such which I pointed out. Sadly we are here.

I’m happy that punch has an “updated” & “Editors note” 2 capture this. I sincerely meant no harm. Everything was taking out of context. I pray that peace, which Islam greatly preaches will prevail in our lands.

REBUTTAL

Our attention is drawn to a publication by Punch Newspaper 24 hours ag0, suggesting that Captain

Jamil Abubakar is in support of the gruesome killing of Deborah Samuel, a student of Shehu Shagan
college of Education Sokoto, and the Editors note to it thereafter.

Customarily, we would have resorted to silence to let the gathering tension to dissipate gradually.

ut these are peous tunes, ana cKed peopie ove totake advantage o moments Ke tis
Gven the sensitive nature or the sIuation, we are thererore compeled to make this statement

To begin with, it is necessary to mention for the avoidance of doubts that Captain Jamil Abubakar

is a devout Muslim who is proud of his faith, but his tweets in no way implied brazen support for
the murder of Deborah or anyon else.

He sent out a series of tweets outlining the Islamic and Christian views of blasphemy, as well as

stating that while Islam has rules and regulations in place to oversee people s behavior and motives,
only sharia courts or government are in best position to handle matters like blasphemy.

We have however observed that despite Punch Newspaper's updated publication/Editor's Note

which goes a long way to clarity the tacts as they were atter a closer look at the tweets and the
implication of their earlier publication that has now garnered a lot ot traction online, most news
organizations have deliberately continued to broadcast talse intormation about Captain JAMIL
condoning the illegal killing, as well as misinterpreting the entire concept behind the tweet hence,
mocking and defaming his hard-won reputation.

While we advise the general public to discard the false publications, we are also, hereby sounding
this final note of warning to all media organization, blogs, social media intluencers etc, to desist
from propagating the lies as we would not fail to take immediate legal action forthwith.

We want to state categorically here that Captain Jamil, is a law-abiding citizen and a true Muslim;
and for what its worth, he will not support or be a part of any organization that supports jungle
justice or any conduct that does not promote the rule of law

Our appreciation goes to friends and family of Captain Jamil who have shown capacity
understanding and support through this ordeal.

Singed for Captain Jamil Abubakar

Barrister Somadina Eugene Okorie

PUBLIC NOTICE:

Capt Jamil Abubakar is no longer a pilot @AzmanAir; his last flight with us was 22nd Dec 2019.

We refuse to take responsibility for a comment or view of a former staff.

The General Public should kindly take note.


#LetsFlyAzmanAir

Be careful what you share or amplify on social media. Some people have started circulating unverified or old images. Don’t assist them to inflame ethnic and religious tensions, please.

Shaykh `Ali Al-Ḥudhaifi al-`Adani condemns the mob killing of Deborah Samuels in Sokoto , Nigeria. Shaykh `Ali Al-Ḥudhaifi al-`Adani the Yemeni is different from Shaykh `Ali Al-Ḥudhaifi of Medinah.

Question was asked by @pristinemethod Pristine Methodology of Nigeria. .

Sokoto is a place I understand. My family lived there for decades. They are VERY TOLERANT, except for blasphemy. My father went there as a 23 year old NYSC member. He became DPP and a judge there. And the NW gave him, a Christian, their slot in the Court of Appeal!

#TableShaker

People who have never been to Sokoto, will attack me for saying this. But I have lived there. If you respect their religion, you will prosper there, even if you don’t believe in their religion. They will NEVER force it on you. But you MUST respect it. My testimony

#TableShaker

Dear @NewtonIkire,

Me, I have attended a crusade in Sokoto. I have also preached in Sokoto.

I appeal to every Southern Christian who has ever lived and prospered in Sokoto to publicly bear me witness. Islam has no quarrel with Christianity. Only with paganism!

#TableShaker

Boko Haram has control in Nigeria. They get away with everything, and the Buhari government is hopeless (and spineless, and useless). Their praise for the murder of #Deborah prove this to be true. Imams sympathetic to Boko Haram have the loudest voices in Buhari’s Nigeria.

My brother, this is not true. I respect you but to say @MBuhari "praised" the murder of #Deborah is FALSE. The President CONDEMNED the murder & the suspects have been arrested & detained. The Sultan of Sokoto, leader of all the Muslims in Nigeria, has condemned the murder too.

I have decided to withdraw my Speaking commitment to @NigBarAssoc for its event holding in Sokoto.

I was billed to speak from abroad via Zoom but even now will no longer do so.

NBA should seize this moment to reflect on how relevant its actions are in a troubled democracy.✍�

This would have been my session at the @NigBarAssoc conference in Sokoto:

I shall no longer participate. NBA owes citizens like #DeborahSamuel #EuniceOlawale #BridgetAgbaheme the judicial activism to enforce Justice.

It is not late. Start now @OlumideAkpata . Thank you.✍�

lalasticlala:
This man should not disgrace himself oooo

Presidential candidates and their agendas :

1. Atiku Abubakar PDP = privatization and liberalization of the economy.

2. Bola Tinubu APC = lifelong ambition

3. Yemi Osinbajo APC = continuation of the Buhari policies

4. Peter Obi PDP = aggressive economic and social reforms.

5. Chibuike Amechi APC = ?? (focus on number 2 on the list)

6. Nyesom Wike PDP = acquisition and consolidation of power

7. Bukola Saraki PDP =?? (consensus)

8. Aminu Tambuwal PDP =?? (consensus)

9. Bala Mohammed PDP =?? (consensus)

10. Omoyele Sowore AAC = revolutionary return of government to the citizenry

11. Kingsley Moghalu ADC = new fiscal order

12. Yahaya Bello APC = replication of the Kogi transformation at the center

13. Chukwuka Monye ADC = new face. new order. youth participation

What was supposed to be the All Progressives Congress (APC) national convention at Eagles Square, Abuja, on Saturday, March 26, has turned into a serious campaign for supporters of aspirants for the 2023 presidential election.

Campaign posters of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Governor Dave Umahi, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Yahaya Bello and Governor Abdullahi Ganduje have flooded the arena.

Oil giant Shell reneged on its earlier stand on discontinuing relations with Russia by purchasing 725,000 barrels of Urals, Russian flagship crude product.

On Friday, Shell trading arm bought the product from commodity trader Trafigura at a discount of $28.50 to Brent.

Financial Times noted that the trade was the first deal completed in a public trading window run by S&P Global Platts since Russia invaded Ukraine. The report pegs Shell’s profit from the purchase at $20 million.

Earlier, Shell had revealed its plans to exit its joint venture in Russia. Chief executive Ben van Beurden said he was shocked by the loss of life in Ukraine, resulting from a “senseless act” of military aggression, which “threatens European security.”

“Our decision to exit is one we take with conviction,” Mr van Beurden said. “We cannot — and we will not — stand by.

The company will also end its investment in the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. Last week, Germany, set to receive Russian gas through the pipeline, announced that it was suspending the operation.

Shell will also sell its 27.5 per cent stake in the Sakhalin-II liquefied natural gas facility and its 50 per cent stakes in two Siberian oil ventures.

Shell said the projects were worth about $3 billion at the end of 2021.

Let his hands be shaking, he remains our choice. You cannot suffocate our democratic space. Go and mobilise support for your aspirants whose hands are not shaking. Aren't you the majority? lets meet at the ballot. We are resolute and our support total. Where Asiwaju goes, we go!

We must be prepared for more and more unfair and senseless attacks. It is not criticism but enimity.There will always be that small group spreading hate. As with several presidents, some of these attacks will continue through the various elections and Tinubu's tenure as president