The lady with blistering speed, Tobi Amusan, @Evaglobal01, made us proud again. She just clocked a new record in the 100m Women’s hurdle. She represents the true spirit of our hopes.
We certainly have something to learn from her: the speed to get things done to make this country a great giant once again. Congratulations Tobi. -AA
The International Centre for Investigative Reporting (The ICIR) spoke exclusively with Islamic cleric, Ahmad Gumi in Kaduna, where he spoke about the recent spate of insecurity in Nigeria, ranging from Boko haram terrorists, Abuja-Kaduna train abduction, attack on Kuje prison, recent threat video by terrorists and how he thinks the government can stem the tide of terror attacks in the country.
The ICIR: What is your comment on the now-viral video of the Kaduna-Abuja train attack terrorists torturing the kidnap victims?
Gumi: There was a lady who was pregnant and they let her go to deliver and they kept her husband trying to show that they are civilised and trying to show that they are not fighting society but fighting the government. Then they negotiated for the release of their children. We are surprised that no matter how criminal a person would be what he is concerned about is underage children. That shows that there’s something underneath their agitations. Their children were released for a number of victims.
Then they requested a list of other prisoners who are still under detention. There was a stalemate, and they attacked the prison because they have intelligence. They budgeted huge amount of money for every victim.
For the first set group of victims, we were able to pay their money and they were released. There was a lady from Lagos, she was able to pay her money and she was released. Then another group, they were ready to pay for their relatives but they were prevented by the security. That prevention is what provoked them to attack the male victims.
The ICIR: In the light of a threat issued against the president and the governor of Kaduna state, what do you make of it?
Gumi: I have been there meeting with bandits, trying to show them, educate them because they are not educated. Where do you want them to get their morals ? Where do you want them to get their education and direction? Who is there to tell them what to do? Nobody! They are all uneducated and the offence society has done is to leave such a number of people uneducated without education, without budgetary concern for their education, their health, what they are doing, and what they are thinking. Nobody is concerned about them. This is negligence.
So, we talked about it, and I spoke with them. We didn’t get a listening ear from the press, the government or the population. They think we are cajoling and appeasing criminals. They are more than criminals; they are fighting you.
The ICIR: If you are to justify the payment of ransom to bandits and then looking at those victims who may not be able to afford it. What do you think should be the way forward?
Gumi: The government has left the issue now for the family to raise money and pay ransom for their individuals. But I think what the government needs to do is to put the round figure for everybody to be released. Then sit down with them and tackle the issue.
The ICIR: Justifying the payment of ransom?
Gumi: Nobody is justifying the payment of ransom but do we have options? You can’t give your enemy your money, but is there any way out?
The ICIR: If there’s no way out, would you say the government and the security architecture and even the security agencies have failed?
Gumi: Let me give you an example, if you go to Oxford University now, they will be conducting a PhD examination on any subject like mass communication. Okay now in Oxford, a mass communication exam is going on. Me that I’m in Nigeria, can you tell me that I failed the exam? Am I a student? How can you say I failed the exam?
What I’m trying to say is no security outfit is designed to tackle this issue. The army is very strong. The army can destroy this town in 15 minutes. The air force can devastate Kaduna if, given the go-ahead. They have that power. The tactics, they have it. But if I give you a hammer to kill a fly in this room, you may end up destroying my furniture and your camera, and you would not get the fly because a hammer is not meant for killing flies. But if I give you a rubber flexible swat which is cheaper than a hammer, you can easily get the fly. So, the question is not the army, is not DSS. These people are isolated in an island or in a forest.
The ICIR: Who or what is the problem?
Gumi: We don’t have the outfit to deal with them. One is a socioeconomic, political issue, you deal with it largely. The army is to give you the power and backing to do it.
When I went there, they thought the government was with me. All of them came, they tried to negotiate, but when I came, and they realised that the government was not with me, they continued their ways.
The ICIR: Would you say your hanging up the negotiation is worsening the situation?
Gumi: Before, they have an iota of doubt whether there’s a genuine face that can dialogue with them but when they saw a clergyman like me who doesn’t have any interest in politics trying to convince them that this is a bad way of having hope that the government will listen to me but when the government didn’t listen to me, everybody finds his own way.
The ICIR: Since you say it is not the victims (Abuja-Kaduna train attack) that they (terrorists) are after why not go after the people they are after?
Gumi: I don’t speak for them. But the government took their children, is that so ? After then, they feel too that they will take the citizens of the nation that the government needs to protect to show that the government has failed.
Terrorists usually target soft targets because they cannot get to the officials, that’s why. It’s an unfortunate situation and we are not applying the correct medication and remedy for it.
The ICIR: What of those who cannot meet up with the ransom demand, who would you appeal to in such a situation?
Gumi: We will appeal to the bandits. We need to go there and educate them. They are Nigerians! People don’t know. When I went there, you see, the people that are doing this are called Ansaru. An offshoot of Boko Haram. They are not even Fulanis. But they are using herdsmen as foot soldiers.
I heard they are paying them N50,000 every day. Even if we assumed that they are Boko Haram that was putting bombs during Jonathan’s time, but they don’t have foot soldiers to carry out big operations. They just put bombs, but if you can see now, they go and break prison and release people and they go with their people, they have foot soldiers.
Where are these foot soldiers coming from? It’s these bandits. Since I have been warning Nigerians, these are not even Fulanis but they are only using them as foot soldiers. Don’t let allow us make them our enemies. I have said this in ABU Zaria. Don’t make your neighbour your enemy. Try to pull him to your own side. We left them. We fight them. The language is “kill them”, “bomb them”.
When the language has been what we did, okay come, what do you want? We will build for you schools, we will build for you hospitals, hear your grievances. We would have leaned them to our side.
There was a time I was told reliably by the deputy governor of Zamfara state that initially when Boko haram entered their territory, they apprehended them and took them to the government. Our struggle is we are not fighting the government, they said it. But now, with this lucrative attention, these bandits that you are calling criminals, now it has gotten a flag of religion. He’s the one seeing you as an infidel. What they said in that film may be some of you don’t hear Hausa. They said we wanted you to release these people— this “Bola” and this “trash”. All these people you see to them they are trash. They are Muslims. But what kinds of Muslims? Trash. They see us as trash.
Now somebody who was seeing himself as a criminal, now he is seeing himself as spiritually and morally superior, what will stop him?
We have been saying this but they are not listening to us. The press is so antagonistic. They are pushing the fuel of fire. They think what they are doing is service. What they thought is there is a force there to fight them. That force is not to fight them. The army is to fight army. Police are to police people who are civil, but these people are barbarians in the bush.
The army is to fight army. Police are to police people who are civil, but these people are barbarians in the bush.
The ICIR: On the attack on Kuje correctional centre, what came to mind when this happened? Was there prior knowledge that this was going to happen?
I think they are saying that if the government doesn’t release their people, they will be released and this is not the first prison they have attacked. I have seen the list. They have attacked many prisons before Kuje. They have attacked [prison in] Jos.
The ICIR: Kuje prison is the one that when you look at the architecture, going into that place requires…
Kuje is in Abuja. How can they amass such a huge number of people as footsoldiers to go and do that? It means There’s symbiosis, there’s coordination between herdsmen and terrorists. Some politicians are saying declare herdsmen terrorists. I was against it.
So, you want two terrorists — you are a terrorist, I’m a terrorist— to combine and be working together? With herdsmen working with them, it’s going to be terrible for Nigeria. I don’t see an end to it.
Just ordinary Bokoharam is 12 years now. After 12 years, they are exhausted. They are coming out in masses surrendering. Do you need another 12 years before the herdsmen realise that it’s a futile adventure?.
In another 12 years, how many people will have died? how many people would be affected?
The ICIR: Do you think Nigerians see you in a bad light?
Gumi: No matter what you do even if you are a Northerner, Southerners will say you are bad; if you are a Muslim, Christians will say you are bad, if you are a Christian, Muslims will say you are bad. Nigerians are polarised over this period of time. So, whatever you do, there’s a suspicion that there’s a motive behind it. To them, there’s no good Nigerian. Nobody is doing anything good. Everybody is suspicious.
Buhari’s government that they have been saying he’s behind all these kidnappings, now these people [terrorists] are looking for Buhari. If there’s anybody that has injured, bombarded and killed them, nobody did it like Buhari. I’m telling. But a southerner would say Buhari is colluding with them.
The ICIR: People say if the video of the terrorist flogging victims was from the southeast in relation to IPOB, there would have been immediate highhanded actions.
Gumi: In the Southeast, they don’t have anywhere to hide. IPOB don’t have anywhere to hide. But these people have vast land of forest to hide and they are inhabitants of the forest. It’s their abode. If soldiers come, he’s the stranger, and they can easily finish him. If IPOB have the same facility that protects them, they will be doing exactly or worse. But Southeast is urbanised, they have nowhere to hide, that’s why.
The ICIR: I would like to link this situation (train abduction) to a case when US citizens were held captive by terrorists and soldiers came from the US, They rescued their citizens and left. When that news came out, Nigerians saw it as an embarrassment that another country would come into Nigeria, take their citizens and leave. Now we have this situation. I’m trying to get, is it that the security agencies cannot trace…
Gumi: You cannot compare the capacity of the American army with the Nigerian army. You know the American economy and the Nigerian economy, you cannot compare that capacity and now the same terrorist if they catch another American, it would not be as easy as the first one.
You know there’s no American here for them to deal with. There are so many Nigerians to be dealing with. They (US rescue team) were able to use elements of surprise, and elements of good intelligence to get them. But remember too that the enemies too are now becoming wiser. Look at what they are doing now, they are getting herdsmen to follow them, and this is what I’m afraid of. They are getting them to follow them because they are giving them money. I wanted to put a stop to that and make them come back to the state.
The ICIR: The money the government is using to purchase helicopters is going to billions of dollars…
Gumi: It’s useless. That money could have been used to build roads, hospitals, and amenities for them just the way we did for Niger Delta people, the way we pacified Niger people; that is how we need to pacify these people. They [militants], too, have places they can hide so that the army won’t get them. The best way is amnesty. This one, too, is amnesty and pacification.
The ICIR: Sheikh Gumi, you are not a politician but I would like to digress. Nigerians are going to elect a new set of leaders in 2023. What do you think is the way forward? And who do you think will do well?
Gumi: What I feel is that anybody who wins will do better. Any of them. Anybody will do better. If Tinubu comes, he will do better. If Atiku comes, he will do better. If Peter Obi comes, he will do better. If Kwankwaso comes, he will do better.
The ICIR: Why do you think they will do better than President Buhari?
Gumi: The problem Buhari has is that he doesn’t listen. If Buhari takes you as an enemy, you are an enemy. He’s not a politician. But these people are politicians. As we sit down with you here, we can sit with them and negotiate and show them light and what to do. Once a leader doesn’t listen, he can never do good. Once a leader feels he knows it all, he can never do good.
I think Nigerians are going to heal because I know that all of them are good leaders, good administrators, and intelligent enough to understand the complexity of Nigeria and Nigerians have suffered enough. I think it’s a good tiding for them.
What I will just advise Nigerians is to vote for whoever they like. Because when you vote, you remove that anger. Even if your candidate doesn’t win, you remove the anger that I have tried, and it’s good. So, whoever wins out of these four people who are the four front politicians, should all cooperate together and heal Nigeria.
Luckily by God’s design, I believe in Allah. I believe God has revealed to mankind. I’m a vast believer in this. By design, we have four leading politicians and these politicians are from Southwest, Southeast, Northeast and Northwest. These are the four major corners of Nigeria. Whoever amongst them wins should join them in taking care of that region.
Also, we need devolution of power and restructuring. Because if restructuring is done, even if Tinubu is not the president, the southwest will accept it if he’s involved in the restructuring. If restructuring is done even if Peter Obi is not the president and it is done with him, Igbo will accept it if restructuring and devolution of power are done with Atiku, who is from Northeast— Adamawa, those people will say they accept it. If any restructuring is done with Kwankwaso, Northwest will accept it.
Nigeria is going to heal. I don’t want press men to bring confusion into it. Let Nigerians vote. The only advice that I have is that INEC should be strict. Any violation of the electoral discord should nullify that voting booth. All unaccredited votes should be unaccepted. The transmission should be electronic and instantaneous. In fact, people should hear the results of their polling booths announced before they leave. Instantaneously, we can. Nigerians inshaa Allah by God’s will is going to heal. So, don’t feel bad.
The ICIR: Do you think Nigeria’s problem is more about religion or politics?
Gumi: It’s more political than religious because religiously, there’s no animosity between Nigeria. It’s only that politicians are hiding behind religion to gather more. For example, a Yoruba person, all Yorubas will vote him generally, but if he wants to get other votes, he needs religion to cover. If it’s the North, religion is important to them, and he will need a religious man. If it’s the southerner that you want, you need a Christian because Christians are more in the South. Religion is used as a magnet to attract, but it’s not the main issue; it’s not the main problem. We have schooled with Christians; we are in the armies with the Christians, and there is no animosity at all.
The ICIR: Nigeria Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is presently under attack. Soldiers were killed recently. Schools have been asked to close. It appears nowhere is safe. The Federal Capital is not safe; even the president seems not to be safe. Where should help come from?
Gumi: Help should come from the president if the president, for one minute, listens to those who he should listen to. For instance, they said release our men, then release them, so what? So, they released them. You see, if water is boiling, pour in cold water. Don’t add more fire. As we say, this matter is not military. These people are not beyond negotiations. What do they want? They want you to address their grievances.
The ICIR: on Boko haram, over the years, repentant insurgents have been undertaking rehabilitation programmes. Do you think this makes any sense?
Gumi: It is making. They are coming out now. They are getting confidence in Maiduguri. They are coming out in troops from their families. It’s genuine. You just have to be genuine. You know our security has been infiltrated with bad elements.
The ICIR: Final words to Nigerians, to president Buhari and other governors.
Gumi: We pray that 2023 should come and pass with peace and tranquillity so that we have a new set of leaders that will stir this ship that is about to sink. We will keep on praying. God will see us through. Inshaa Allah.
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State met in Abuja om Thursday to resolve some issues, Daily Trust gathered.
Atiku and Wike, who have been having a running battle since the PDP presidential primary, met in the house of Professor Jerry Gana.
Atiku defeated Wike in the primary, and the Rivers’ governor indicated interest in being the presidential running mate, but the former VP settled for Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State.
This worsened a hitherto PDP crisis, as Wike fraternised with leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, the PDP BoT met over the issue between Atiku and Wike and resolved to reconcile both men.
After the Wednesday meeting of the BoT, Senator Abdul Ningi, acting secretary of the committee, told journalists that the members of the board would resolve the impasse and enable the party to present a common front during the elections.
A source told Daily Trust that at Thursday’s meeting, which lasted over an hour, the politicians agreed to set aside their differences and work together.
The source said they agreed that a small committee would be set up to look into areas where the camps of Wike and Atiku would work together and that the committee would report to the panel that the BoT set up to resolve the crisis.
Another source said, “It was a win-win meeting because after all the public spat, the two politicians resolved that it is to their advantage to work together.
“Atiku needs Wike because Rivers is undoubtedly the vote bank of the South South. Since 1999, they have been delivering the state to PDP at the governorship and presidential elections.
“Atiku cannot afford to miss the over 1.5m votes being delivered by the PDP because it will affect his electoral fortune, and so obviously he needs Wike.
“On the other hand, Wike cannot go to any other political party at this critical moment, he must remain in PDP to remain relevant after he leaves office in 2023.
“Therefore, he definitely has to work with Atiku so that something would come his way at the end of the day. I’m confident that their meeting at the residence of Prof Jerry Gana is for their benefit.”
The newly-appointed spokesperson for the Atiku Abubakar presidential campaign, Daniel Bwala, has revealed how he was promised an appointment by the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential flag-bearer, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
Bwala alongside former Senator, Dino Melaye, were on Thursday, August 4, 2022, appointed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, as his spokespersons for the 2023 election.
Bwala, a legal practitioner with over ten years of experience, has been a staunch supporter of the ruling APC until some weeks ago when he dumped the party for the PDP after Tinubu opted for former Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, as his running mate in a controversial single faith ticket.
Meanwhile, his decision to leave the APC was met with condemnations from a section of the ruling party who accused the Adamawa State born lawyer of looking for favour from the PDP candidate.
Addressing the issue during an interview on Channels Television political program, Politics Today, on Thursday, Bwala said, unknown to his critics, he actually left the APC despite having been guaranteed an appointment by the party's flag-bearer.
He reiterated that his decision to leave the party was purely based on principle and conscience and that he chose to team up with the PDP because they are the only party that can rescue Nigeria from the jaws of the ruling party.
Bwala said, "What they don't know is that I left an appointment already guaranteed for me by the flag-bearer of APC as a Presidential spokesman. This were his promises to me directly, personal and in his car and I understood that when he was giving this promises, even governors could not extract commitments like that.
"I came from a comfort position and it's not about comfort, by taking that decision, if I tell you in terms of economic loss of the cases I'm even doing for the party. But you have to come to a point in your life where you look at the general good of the people.
When asked to clarify his statement, the lawyer emphasised that, "Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the flag-bearer of APC promised me that he was going to make me the presidential spokesperson for his campaign and he made the promise few weeks before the primaries and I have witnesses that know themselves and that are of high repute in government, in the party and around him. And this is not even a dispute, so I'm saying that on record because if what I said isn't true, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu must be seeing the interview today."
Pulse reports that Atiku's Special Adviser on Media, Mr Paul Ibe announced in a statement that Bwala and Melaye's appointments took effect immediately.
The provisional trial of Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who is in prison custody in the United Kingdom (UK) has been scheduled for May 2, 2023.
Barring any changes, this means Senator Ekweremadu will remain in the UK prison till next year. However, a plea and case management hearing has been scheduled for October 31 this year.
Judge Richard Marks QC said the case would be heard by a High Court judge.
On Thursday, Mrs Beatrice Ekweremadu, who is on bail, appeared at the Old Bailey for a plea and directions hearing, with Ekweremadu and Obinna Obeta also attending by video link from Wandsworth and Belmarsh prisons.
The judge granted Mrs Ekweremadu continued conditional bail and remanded Senator Ekweremadu and Obeta, a 50-year-old London doctor involved in the case, into custody.
Ekweremadu has denied any wrongdoing. Martin Hicks, QC, defending the Senator, has said: “We deny that there was any exploitation or any intent to do so. The argument will be factual denial”.
Senator Ekweremadu, Mrs Ekweremadu and Obeta are facing trial for plotting to traffic a man to the UK and harvest his organs.
Prosecutors claim they planned to have his kidney removed at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, north west London, so it could be given to their daughter who suffers from kidney failure.
The man is said to have refused to consent to the procedure after undergoing tests.
The alleged offences are said to have taken place between between August 1 last year and May 5.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe has asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to disqualify Governor Inuwa Yahaya and his Deputy, Jatau Daniel, from contesting the 2023 Governorship Election.
The party accused the two politicians of submitting forged certificates.
PDP and its governorship candidate, Muhammad Barde sought the disqualification in Suit No: FJC/ABJ/CS/1301/2022 between PDP & two others against the INEC & others.
In an Originating Summons filed by two Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Chief Arthur Okafor, and J.J. Usman, on behalf of the plaintiffs, the party relied on a series of Supreme Court decisions.
The PDP said that Yahaya and Jatau, having deposed to FORMS EC-9, the said forms constituted Certificates, and making a false statement in them amounted to submitting forged certificates.
This, according to the party, is a disqualifying ground under Sections 177(d) and 182(1)(j) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
In the court processes, the plaintiffs alleged that Jatau bears multiple names on his certificates, to wit: Certificate of Primary Education (Manassah Jatau).
“West African Examination Council School Certificate (Daniel Manassah J); University of Maiduguri Certificate (Manassah Daniel Jatau) and National Youth Service Corp Certificate (Daniel Manassah), without a deed poll and any valid change of name attached to his Form EC-9 submitted to INEC.”
The plaintiffs alleged that in 2022, Yahaya submitted FORM EC-9 (Affidavit of Personal particulars of Person seeking election into the office of governor of Gombe state).
It is alleged that Yahaya stated in the form that he worked in the Bauchi state Investment Company Ltd. in 1984, A.Y.U & Co. Ltd. between 1985-2003 as against what he deposed to in 2018 as working in Bauchi Investment Company Ltd. in 1985, A.Y.U & Co. Ltd between 1980-1990.
“That Yahaya in 2018 while presenting his personal particulars to INEC to participate in the Gombe state governorship election, stated in his INEC FORM CF001 that he worked with A.Y.U & Co. Ltd. from 1980 to 1990.
That, however, in 2022, the same Inuwa stated in his INEC FORM EC-9 that he worked with A.Y.U. & Co Ltd from 1985 to 2003.
“By his INEC FORM CF001, the governor has stated under oath that in 1980 -1990, he worked with A.Y.U. & Co Ltd.
“However, in 2022, the same Inuwa stated again on oath via his INEC FORM EC-9 that he worked with the same A.Y.U. & Co. Ltd from 1985 to 2003.”
According to the plaintiffs, Yahaya’s deputy attached his Certificate of National Youth Service Corps dated July 31, 1980, which stated thus:
“This is to certify that Daniel Manassah NYSC/Mad/79/6201 has satisfactorily completed one year of the National Service from Aug. 1, 1979, to July 31, 1979, in accordance with section 11 of the National Youth Service Corps decree No. 24 of 1973”
Furthermore, the plaintiffs contended that the deputy governor who claimed to be working with the Nigerian Army from the period of August 1979 till July 1980 submitted an NYSC discharge certificate with contrary information.
They alleged that the NYSC discharge certificate stated on its face that Jatau commenced his National Youth Service in August 1979 and completed the same in July 1979.
Also, the plaintiffs contended that from paragraph D of Jatau’s INEC Form EC-9, he claimed that he worked for the Nigeria Army from July 1979 till August 1980 and his reason for leaving the Nigeria Army in July 1980 was for the National Youth Service.
The plaintiffs contended further that in Jatau’s INEC FORM EC-9, he commenced his NYSC after he left the Nigeria Army in July 1980 but submitted an NYSC Certificate that stated he commenced his National Youth Service in August 1979 and ended in July 1979.
The PDP argued that FORM EC-9 being an affidavit on oath, both Yahaya and his deputy, haven made false statements therein, had committed forgery, and therefore not qualified to contest the state election.
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike and other governors of the party have resolved to remain in the party, work for its success in 2023 and resolve whatever crisis they have internally.
This follows a closed door emergency meeting held at the Rivers State governors lodge in Abuja on Sunday.
While the agenda of the meeting was not immediately clear, AIT learnt that it centred on the festering post presidential primary crisis which has seen the party divided into two major camps.
Those at the meeting include Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State and Governor of Enugu State Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
Others are former governor of Cross River State Donald Duke, former governor of some Benue State Gabriel Suswam, former Ondo State governor Olusegun Mimiko, former Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson, Ibrahim Idris of Kogi State and former Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang.
Senate minority leader Philip Aduda was also at the meeting with some members of the PDP National Assembly caucus.
A source told AIT that non of the governors or chieftains is leaving the party. He said all have resolved to work together to address whatever internal crisis exist and support the party and the candidate towards victory in 2023.
The source also told AIT that the resolution was not without pre-conditions from the camp of Governor Wike. One of which is that the Presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar should initiate direct peace talks and not through emissaries.
AIT also gathered that there were demands as to restructuring the composition of the National Working Committee of the party to reflect national balance following the emergence of Atiku Abubakar. There were however no specifics as to what that restructuring will entail.
Others at the meeting were Prof. Jerry Gana, Kano PDP governorship candidate Mohammed Abacha among other chieftains. Professor Gana brief the media at the close of the meeting.
The meeting is seen as a first major step towards forging harmony among the power blocs of the PDP ahead of the 2023 general elections.
THE WHISTLER has obtained a list of 10 names out of the 12 senators who have indicated interest to dump the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, after which they will team up with the major opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to impeach the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan.
It was gathered on Friday morning that after the successful removal of Lawan, the senators will move swiftly to serve impeachment notice to the president.
The same move is being made in the House of Representatives, although a reliable source said plot to remove the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, is not part of the overall plan to impeach Buhari. Gbajabiamila’s ordeal started before the move to impeach the president began on Wednesday.
The APC currently enjoys the majority in the senate with 61 senators while the PDP has 40 senators. The All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA has 1, New Nigeria Peoples Party 2, Young Progressives Party, YPP, 1 and Labour Party with one senator.
The minority parties in the Senate are presently five in number as at the last defection in the Upper Chamber on June 22nd, 2022. The list is composed of PDP, YPP, APGA, NNPP and LP.
There are three vacant seats which were vacated by the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu (APC – Nasarawa West), Abubakar Kyari (APC – Borno North), who was elected Deputy National Chairman of the APC (North) in the national convention held in March, and Mohammed Hassan, who was appointed Zamfara State Deputy Governor.
What Happened At Wednesday’s Executive Session
A reliable source, who is a senior legislative aide to one of the senators in the ruling party who joined the opposition lawmakers to stage a walk out on Wednesday confided in our correspondent that Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, (All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, Abia-South) had moved a motion for issues on Buhari’s impeachment to be discussed.
That motion was seconded by Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa, (APC -Bauchi North).
The lawmakers were miffed at the poor state of security with increasing wave of terrorists’ attacks across the country and recent spate of attacks in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
The aide said, “There was no opposition during the executive session, according to what the senator told me. It was agreed the issue will be tabled for discussion during plenary under Point of Order (PoO).
“They were all surprised when the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Phillip Aduda, (PDP-Abuja), raised the issue and it was shut down by the Lawan.
“They are feeling someone in that closed-door session tipped off the president and his team, who immediately got in touch with Lawan to shoot it down,” he said.
Our correspondent reports that Aduda had sought to raise the issue during plenary after the executive session but was shut down by Lawan on technical ground.
But Ariyo-Dare Atoye, the executive director, Adopt A Goal for Development, who has over 20 years’ experience on how the parliament works, explained in an interview with our correspondent that Lawan’s action was to protect the president.
He said, “Unfortunately, what transpired was not well captured because there was an internal meeting of the whole where the majority agreed to give the president six weeks and if nothing happens, they can serve an impeachment notice.
“What the Senate President did was to undermine the collective interest of the senate by ambushing them during plenary.
“This will certainly not augur well by the time they resume if nothing significantly has changed. Unlike before when Buhari enjoyed huge support in the core north, people would have come out resisting, responding and threatening fire and brimstone with the mentioning of impeachment.”
Full List Of The 12 APC Senators Planning To Defect
The source revealed names of 10 out of the 12 senators of the APC who staged a walk-out on Wednesday from plenary. Although, few of the 12 senators were seen walking out, the rest who sat back during the short plenary later joined the opposition lawmakers to put their names on defection list.
However, THE WHISTLER could not confirm if they have written to the Senate President to notify him of their plan. But they have joined the opposition parties in their bid to force out Lawan before commencing the impeachment of the president.
These are:
1. Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa, (APC -Bauchi North)
2. Senator Ladi Dadu’ut, (APC – Plateau South)
3. Senator Bello Mandiya, (APC – Katsina South)
4. Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe, (APC – Kwara Central)
5. Senator Danladi Sankara, (APC – Jigawa West)
6. Senator Sabi Aliyu Abdullahi, (APC – Niger North)
7. Smart Adeyemi, (APC – Kogi West)
8. Senator Yakubu Oseni, (APC – Kogi Central)
9. Halliru Dauda, (APC – Bauchi Central)
The senate has adjourned till September for resumption of plenary.
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has reacted to the events that have unfolded in the aftermath of the presidential primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He spoke on Friday at the Port Harcourt International Airport in the Rivers State capital shortly after he returned from a foreign trip.
“I have decided to be quiet because PDP is a party I love so much,” said the governor during a briefing with reporters. “I have moved on to conclude my social contract with the people of Rivers. However, it is time to let Nigerians know the truth.”
Governor Wike faulted the speech by the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, on the day he unveiled Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate.
He also accused the former vice president of telling lies against him, as well as using some chieftains of the main opposition party to spread falsehood against his person.
The governor vowed to respond to both the party’s flagbearer and the party chieftains whom he described as Atiku’s ‘attack dogs’ one-by-one and line by line in due time.
He said posterity would not forgive him should he fail to set the record straight and promised to clear the air after the commissioning of the projects lined up for inauguration by the state government.
On the reconciliation committee set up by the PDP leadership, Governor Wike stated that former Vice President Atiku had yet to send any delegation to him.
He, however, said a former President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, met with him in Spain, although in his personal capacity.
According to the governor, the former vice president came to his house to beg for support but suddenly does not know the way to his house any longer.
He went on to challenge anyone to identify that he or she was sent by the PDP candidate to speak to him about the issue in the PDP and the aftermath of the party’s presidential primary.
Governor Wike who said the idea of setting up a committee was only being seen in the media, however, insisted that he would remain in the PDP and help rebuild the party.
“I am not a slave and will not be a slave. I am freeborn of the country,” he declared.
In the party’s presidential primary held in May, Atiku polled 371 votes to emerge as the PDP’s flagbearer ahead of Wike who scored 237 votes to come second in the contest.
Former Senate President Bukola Saraki (70); Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel (38), Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed (38), Former Senate President Pius Anyim (14), Mrs Tari Diana Oliver (One), and Mr Sam Ohuabunwa (1) shared the remainder of the valid votes.
Weeks after the primary was held, the PDP presidential candidate named Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate in the forthcoming election.
This, however, led to a disagreement among party stakeholders as some commended the choice of Okowa while others rejected it, saying Atiku should have picked Wike who was the runner-up in the primary in the stead of his Delta counterpart.
In a bid to address the perceived grievances of the governor, the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the PDP set up a reconciliatory committee to meet with Wike of Rivers State over the fallout of the party’s presidential primary and crisis trailing the nomination of a running mate.
Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress in Plateau State, under the aegis of Plateau Project Two, have vowed to fight and resist the injustices that marred processes culminating in the various primary elections of the Party.
Rising from a meeting held at Rayfield, Jos, and attended by most of the aspirants for various elective offices on the Party’s platform, including eighteen gubernatorial aspirants, the Plateau Project has observed that delegates election of the Party did not take place, beside imposition and undemocratic processes, a skewed process that saw governor Simon Bako Lalong imposing a gubernatorial candidate on the party.
In a release signed by Barrister Oumar Shittien as Chairman, and Chief Amos Gizo as Moderator, the Plateau Project Two resolved, among other things, “that all petitions complaining about lack of delegates election and imposition of candidates shall be pursued to their logical conclusions.”
It also resolved that, “all court cases in respect of the same complaints shall also be pursued and concluded.”
For continued action and to stay focused, the PPT set up a “committee of elders and representatives of all the aspirants to closely monitor the political situation and make recommendations to the Plateau Project Two Council”, as the meeting which ended unanimously endorsed by members, also elected Barrister Oumar Shittien as its Chairman.
NO SINGLE SHOT WAS FIRED IN DANTATA BRIDGE AND MINISTER’S HILL: FCT POLICE URGES RESIDENTS TO DISREGARD NEWS OF SPORADIC SHOOTINGS.
-as Cp direct investigation into sources of countless maliciously crafted and Panic-generating writeups.
The attention of the FCT Police Command has been drawn to a series of erroneous writeups and publications making the rounds, especially on the social media spaces, suggesting that there was heavy gunfire simultaneously around Dantata bridge in Lugbe and Minister’s hills in Maitama yesterday 26th July 2022 at about 19:38Hrs. Following the receipt of the news, the Command’s Intelligence and Tactical asset drifted to the scene where the news was found false.
Having maintained monitoring and surveillance of the area all night, and with the intelligence at the disposal of the Command, it is important to categorically state that the news is on every scale unfounded and should be disregarded. Members of the public are therefore enjoined to eschew the generation and promulgation of fake/ unverified news and go about their lawful business without the fear of harassment or molestation of any kind from any quarters.
Meanwhile, The FCT Commissioner of Police CP Babaji Sunday psc, while reassuring residents of an unalloyed commitment to the safety of all and sundry in the Territory called for calm noting that an investigation has commenced into the sources of this and many other maliciously crafted write-ups targeted at promoting panic and apprehension in the Territory. He urged residents to only believe information released from official stables.
while the Police continue its quest on bringing crime and criminality to the barest minimum in the Territory, Residents are urged to remain vigilant, & report any suspicious or abnormal occurrence to the Police through the following emergency lines: 08032003913, 08061581938, 07057337653, and 08028940883, while the Public Complaint Bureau (PCB) desk, could be reached on: 0902 222 2352
DSP Josephine Adeh, ANIPR Police Public Relations Officer, For: The Commissioner of Police FCT Police Command, Abuja.
The space meant for the name of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State is blank in the list of candidates published on Friday by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The list was pasted at the INEC headquarters in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
This development confirmed what has already been known in Akwa Ibom – the APC is still yet to have a governorship candidate in the state.
The party may likely not field any governorship candidate for the 2023 election in the state, unless they get the court to compel INEC to accept their candidate – Akanimo Udofia – a young entrepreneur who initially bought the Peoples Democratic Party governorship nomination form and had his name of the ballot during the PDP primary.
INEC did not monitor the primary which produced Mr Udofia and has, therefore, refused to accept him as a candidate, in line with the Electoral Act 2022.
Mr Udofia was seen on Saturday at the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo, with a handful of aides around 1:40 p.m. He flew out of the city in a private jet.
It is indeed a difficult time for the APC in Akwa Ibom as the chairman of the party in the state, Stephen Ntukekpo, faces an embarrassing case of forgery.
Mr Ntukekpo, backed by the former minister of the Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, had filed forged documents at a Federal High Court, Abuja, which enabled him to get a favourable judgement in March.
The judgment paved the way for him to be sworn-in as the APC chairman in Akwa Ibom.
The police at the force headquarters, Abuja, recently recommended that Mr Ntukekpo be charged to court for forgery and impersonation.
Mr Akpabio’s name too would not be on the ballot as INEC had rejected the primary that produced him as the senatorial candidate for the Akwa Ibom North West.
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