NewStats: 3,265,463 , 8,186,806 topics. Date: Sunday, 15 June 2025 at 05:31 AM 34e6h

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is proposing amendments to Nigeria’s electoral framework that would strip the President of the power to appoint the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs).

The proposed change would instead give the commission power to make this appointments, though with a different nomenclature to be known as State Directors of Elections.

The commission is also pushing for the introduction of electronically able voters’ cards to replace the use of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

Specifically, the commission is seeking amendments to Section 14 (3) Paragraph F of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution to confer the power of appointing and disciplining Heads of State and FCT Offices of INEC on the commission.

INEC is also proposing amendment to Section 6 (3) of the Electoral Act 2022 to confer the power of appointing Heads of State and FCT Offices on the Commission.

According to INEC, these heads of state would be known as State Directors of Elections.

Special Adviser to the INEC chairman, Mohammad Kuna, disclosed this in his presentation at a retreat with the t Committee of the National Assembly on Electoral Matters on the reform of the electoral legal framework held in Lagos on Monday.

He said the proposal is essential to promote transparency, ability and efficiency in the electoral process.

Currently, the REC is the person in charge of INEC office at the state level.

The REC who is assisted by relevant government agencies, undertakes the Presidential, National Assembly, Gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections in a state and acts pursuant to powers delegated to him or her by INEC's national Chairman and 12 Commissioners.

Among the duties of the REC is to make available all the materials required to conduct an election. The REC also monitors the activities of all ad hoc staff and provides for proper verification of election results

Currently, the appointment of RECs, who oversee the electoral process in each state, is within the president’s purview according to Section 154 (1) of the 1999 constitution.

Section 6 (1) of the Electoral Act reads: "There is established in each State of the Federation, Federal Capital Territory and Local Government Area, an office of the Commission Which shall perform such functions as may be assigned to it by the Commission.

"(2) A person appointed to the office of a Resident Electoral Commissioner shall

(a) be answerable to the Commission ; and

(b) hold office for a term of five years from the date of his or her appointment which may be renewable for another term of five years and no more.

"(3) The Resident Electoral Commissioner appointed under the Constitution may only be removed by the President, acting on an address ed by two-thirds majority of the Senate praying that the Resident Electoral Commissioner be so removed for inability to perform the functions of the office, whether arising from infirmity of mind or body or any other cause, or for misconduct.

But according to the document presented by Kuna sighted by the Guardian, developments in the recent past and especially during and in the aftermath of the 2023 General election suggest the need for the Commission to have greater powers to make appointments to the heads of State and FCT Offices.

The proposal will also confer INEC the power to discipline erring RECs.

Aside from this, the commission is also proposing amendment of Sections 77 (2), 117 (1), 132 (5) and 178 (5) of the 1999 Constitution to provide for early, special, Out-of-Country, diaspora and inmates voting.

The document said this will allow the country to introduce early/special voting to cater for eligible voters on essential services, election personnel as well as voters under incarceration, those in the diaspora and out-of-country voting for eligible Nigerians outside the country during elections.

Another key proposal by INEC is the amendment of Sections 153 (1), 154 (3), 156 (1, a), 157 (2), 158 (1), and 160 (1) and the Third Schedule, Paragraph 15 (b - d) of the 1999 Constitution to create the Electoral Offences Commission and (b) Political Party Regulatory Agency.

The commission is also seeking the
amendment of sections 48, 49, 71 ant 91 of the 1999 Constitution by Providing New Provisions for Special Seats for Women and PwDs

"While the Commission should continue to work with all Political Parties for greater participation of under-represented groups in elective positions, the surest way to achieve that objective is through affirmative action.
This should be backed by a clear provision of the law that may, for instance, create designated constituencies for such groups, especially women and persons with Disability", the document stated.

The commission is also proposing to the National Assembly to: "Amend Sections of EA 2022 to Remove Ambiguities/Cross-Referencing Errors
(a) Section 60 (5) refers to ‘transfer’ of results while 64 (4 & 5) spoke about ‘direct transmission’; (b) Section 64 (4a & 5) refers to 47 (2) with regards the transmission of results; yet 47 (2) makes no reference to the transmission of results; (c) there are similar ambiguities identified in Sections 29 (1), 75 (3) & (4), 77(3), 131 (5) & (6) and 132 (5-10) of the Electoral Act, 2022 detailed in the submission of the Commission.

"Amend Section 65 (1) to Provide Clarity on the Commission's Powers to Review Election Results. Create a caveat in Section 65 (1) to provide that the triggers to the review of results should be instances of declarations made under duress.

"Review Sections 47 (1) and 16 (1, 2 & 4) on the Design, Printing, Control, Issuance and Use of PVCs. Review Section 47 (1) as well as 16 (1, 2 & 4) to Modify Requirements for the Use of PVCs to Allow for the Introduction of Electronically able Voters' Card or Any Other Form of ID Acceptable to the Commission.

https://guardian.ng/politics/2027-inec-moves-to-strip-presidents-power-to-appoint-recs/

Anyiamaka:


Ibas will not see anything. He is teleguided. Just a phone call and the spineless House Committee will fall in line.

Indeed

Sole of Rivers State, Vice iral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.) on Thursday failed to attend a scheduled appearance before the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee on Rivers State oversight.

The committee had invited him to discuss the state's current political situation and governance under the declared state of emergency.

The committee, chaired by House Leader Professor Julius Ihonvbere, was established by the leadership of the House following President Bola Tinubu's declaration of a six-month state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18, 2025.

The President's action suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and the state legislature.

Ibas was appointed as the sole to oversee the state's affairs during this period.

However, during his scheduled appearance on Thursday, Ibas failed to attend the meeting which was scheduled for 3.00pm.

The lawmakers who went into a closed-door meeting came out looking disappointed without addressing journalists.

When asked why Ibas failed to honour the meeting, Ihonvbere said "no comment".

https://guardian.ng/news/rivers--shuns-house-of-reps-invitation/

A silent political pilgrimage is underway. One that leads not to Mecca or Jerusalem but to Kaduna, the quiet compound of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
There, behind closed doors and away from the blinding lights of Abuja’s Aso Rock, the 2027 political calculations are slowly taking shape.


In a span of just a few days, Kaduna has hosted a steady stream of political heavyweights—former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Governor Nasir el-Rufai, former Governor Aminu Tambuwal, and a swift response team from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) led by its national chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje.

Prior to Friday's visit, Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, who chairs the APC governors forum led his colleagues to hold a closed door meeting with the retired general.

The visits, though draped in the fabric of Sallah felicitations, bear the unmistakable weight of political theatre as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections.
The visits have also morphed into something far more calculated which is a strategic pilgrimage by political actors seeking validation, alliance, and relevance.


Among those who accompanied Atiku on the visit were el-Rufai; Aminu Tambuwal, former governor of Sokoto; Isa Pantami, former minister of communications; Achike Udenwa, former governor of Imo; Gabriel Suswam, former governor of Benue; and Jibrilla Bindow, former governor of Adamawa.

In a post on his X handle, Atiku described the visit to Buhari as a ‘wonderful time’ with the former President.

He said: “As the Waziri Adamawa, I was obligated to be in Adamawa during the Sallah celebrations. I held forth for the Lamido Fombina in some of the activities of the Sallah celebrations.

“Today, I had the opportunity to pay a post-Sallah visit to His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2015- 2023. It was a wonderful time with him. As usual, he cracked me up (to the extent that my ribs were hurting with his peculiar humour

Also in a post on X, el-Rufai, who recently defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) from the All Progressives Congress (APC), said the visitation was for “unity and brotherhood”.

For Atiku, who has been a serial contender for the position of President, the "future" is not some abstract ideal, it is the 2027 presidential race.

The APC leadership, clearly rattled by Atiku's visit, followed up with their own trip. Their mission was clear. To reclaim Buhari’s symbolic loyalty, reiterate the party’s commitment to his legacy, and perhaps forestall any further defection of his inner circle from the APC.

There are concerns over the potential exit of the C bloc, once the crucible that birthed the APC following the merger of several opposition forces in 2013.

Several former ministers who served in Buhari’s cabinet are also reportedly finalising plans to the SDP, and in Buhari’s home state of Katsina, numerous APC have already defected to the SDP.

It was gathered that the APC feared Buhari’s enduring cult-like followership in the North could become a major liability for APC if he backs his C associates. His bloc vote, they feared, could be catastrophic for the party in 2027.

The potential defections of key figures like Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, Abubakar Malami, and others could further weaken APC, especially if they defect to another party.

National chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, flanked by governors and ministers loyal to President Bola Tinubu, after meeting the former president dismissed speculation over a potential opposition alliance ahead of the 2027 general elections, calling it a “t venture” bound to fail.

Asked about the recent wave of consultations among key opposition leadersmost notably Atiku, Ganduje expressed confidence in the ruling party’s dominance.

“We are not worried at all. This is just history trying to repeat itself. They went on a t venture, which will not work because from what we have seen, there are just some particles that cannot come together. It is a game, and we will not reveal our technicalities on how to handle it, but we assure you, we are equal to the task.”

Ganduje boasted of the APC’s control of 21 states and described it as “still the strongest party in West Africa.” He added that the party is focused not only on maintaining power but also on expanding its reach before the next elections.

But, why are Nigeria’s most influential politicians across party lines flocking to Buhari’s residence in Kaduna?

Buhari, a retired general who first ruled Nigeria from 1983-85 before coming back as a civilian president in 2015 has an enduring political relevance rooted in a formidable grassroots following that dates back to his earliest presidential bids.

In 2011, contesting under the now-defunct Congress for Progressive Change (C), Buhari secured over 12 million votes, a staggering figure for a candidate with minimal nationwide party structure but still lost to the then incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan.

That performance, however, sent a clear message: Buhari was no ordinary candidate. His cult-like base across the North, particularly in the North-West and North-East, marked him as the only politician capable of commanding mass votes in those regions without the usual financial inducements or elite endorsements.

It was this consistent electoral strength that made Buhari the natural choice when opposition forces merged in 2013 to form the APC. Political heavyweights, including then-Lagos State power broker and current President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, threw their weight behind Buhari’s candidacy perhaps recognising that only he could galvanize northern votes and create a true nationwide alliance. In that historic party primaries held in Lagos ahead of the 2015 presidential election, Buhari defeated polled 3,430 votes to get the ticket.

His votes outnumbered those of Kano State governor, Dr Rabiu Kwankwanso and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar who got 974 and 954 votes respectively.

After clinching the party's ticket to confront Jonathan, the result was historic. Buhari defeated the incumbent Jonathan in 2015, becoming the first opposition candidate to unseat a sitting Nigerian president through the ballot box. .

Four years later, in 2019, he repeated the feat by defeating former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, again raking in millions of votes from his northern strongholds.

Perhaps, it is his ability to deliver bloc votes in the northern region which remains unmatched that has made him a key force in the political calculus of 2027.

It was in this regard that Borno South Senator, Ali Ndume, in an interview yesterday on a national television said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should be worried if his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, is not on his side.

The lawmaker, while describing Buhari’s followership, particularly in the North, as occultic, said although the former president has just one vote, he remains an adorable figure.

He said: “Buhari’s followership has diminished naturally because it is different when you are not in power and after spending like eight years in power. Of course, his popularity has diminished, it is natural, but you can’t write him off, especially with the Northern masses. The followership of Buhari has been occultic. You cannot explain it.

“If Buhari is coming here now, you will see people rushing to see him. Everybody, including those in the vegetable market, will rush here. Buhari is still with the Talakawas.

“Tinubu should be worried if Buhari is not on his side. Every number counts, and Buhari has one vote. Tinubu should also be worried about my position. Because I have one vote for him. He does not have a vote for me.

But despite the speculations, Buhari has affirmed that he would never abandon the APC. Through his media aide, Garba Shehu, the former president said he would never turn his back on the party that offered him its presidential ticket twice.

"I am an APC member and I like to be addressed as such. I will try to popularise the party by all means,” he said

Indeed, the APC, battling internal fractures and fears of a C bloc revolt, appears desperate to keep Buhari within its fold.

With the recent pilgrimage to Kaduna, the road to 2027 may not start with campaign posters or manifestos but with a handshake in Buhari’s parlour.

His political capital, though unspoken, is being courted with the urgency of a kingmaker. And in this season of quiet consultations, one thing is clear. Buhari may have stepped aside, but he has not stepped away.

https://policyandpolitics.com.ng/2025/04/01/why-by-elections-are-delayed/

Sundaymessi:
Did you read the post that it's not only about numbers?

I read it and all I see up there is damage control. According to Atiku, the PDP committee had ranked Okowa first, Wike second, and former Akwa Ibom Governor, Udom Emmanuel, third, leading him to pick Okowa as his running mate. The story is everywhere.

What I am saying it Atiku didn't have to lie initially, he should have been bold to say he decided to pick the best person he could work with among the recommended fellows. That all.

Lol. But Atiku lies a lot. That letter shows that Wike was actually number one but Atiku no just want am. He should be bold to say he doesn't think he could work with Wike and stop all these mind games. He should stop being petty.

The House of Representatives has approved a bill seeking to accommodate Lagos State’s 37 Development Area Councils as full-fledged local government areas (LGAs).

If enacted into law, this will increase the total number of LGAs in the state from 20 to 57.

The bill which was among the 42 constitutional amendment bills ed on Wednesday was sponsored by Hon. James Abiodun Faleke (Ikeja Federal Constituency), Hon. Babajimi Benson (Ikorodu Federal Constituency), and Hon. Enitan Dolapo Badru (Lagos Island I Federal Constituency), alongside 19 other lawmakers.

The proposed legislation is titled "A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) to Accommodate the Thirty-Seven (37) Development Area Councils of Lagos State as Full-Fledged Local Government Areas, Increasing the Total Number of Local Government Areas in the Federation to Eight Hundred and Eleven (811), and for Related Matters (HB. 1498)"

It scaled second reading on Wednesday during plenary presided over by deputy speaker, Benjamin Kalu.

If ed into law also, it will bring the total number of local governments in Nigeria to 811 from 774

It will also allow Lagos to officially have the highest number of local governments in Nigeria, suring Kano and Katsina states, which currently have 44 and 34 LGAs, respectively.

https://guardian.ng/breakingnews/house-of-reps-approve-bill-to-increase-lagos-lgas-to-57/

In a swift one-hour session, the House of Representatives on Thursday approved President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.

This, however, came with some critical amendments to the president's proclamation.

With what transpired on the floor of the House, it became evident that lawmakers across party lines were on the same page regarding the need for intervention in Rivers State.

Even those who initially raised constitutional concerns eventually aligned with the decision to approve the emergency rule.

Recall that Tinubu, in a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, and of the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months, appointing Vice iral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd) as .

However, there has been stiff opposition to the president's proclamation from many quarters. The lawmakers were not deterred to proceed with the approval despite the oppositions.

During Thursday's plenary session which barely lasted one hour, the House endorsed the president’s proclamation through a voice vote.

Before the debate, the House had gone into an executive session that lasted 10 minutes.

Once the plenary resumed, Speaker Abbas Tajudeen read Tinubu’s letter declaring the state of emergency and immediately moved to consider the motion.

The Speaker who presided over the plenary then asked to make their contribution during the consideration of the general principles of the President’s declaration.

However, prior to the deliberation of the president's request, lawmaker representing Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency of Abia State, Obi Agwuncha suggested an headcount of present but he his point of order was ignored.

During deliberations, Deputy House Spokesman Philip Agbese, recommended that a National Peace Committee be set up to mediate between the warring parties.

"A National Peace Committee should be in place to ensure that the problems are resolved within six months," Agnese suggested. The House agreed to the amendment.

Labour Party lawmaker, Etanabene Benedict representing Okpe/Sapele/Uvwie Federal Constituency, Delta State pointed out that Section 305 of the Constitution which provides for a state of emergency must not be applied in isolation.

He argued that Section 11(4) of the Constitution should be considered, as it mandates the National Assembly to make laws for a state when its legislature is suspended, not the Federal Executive Council (FEC) as Tinubu had proposed.

"However, Mr Speaker I have a few amendments. Section 305 can't be read in isolation without Section 11 that the national assembly shall make law on behalf of the states in case of a state of emergency where the State House of Assembly is also suspended.

"I listened to Mr president where the Present said Rules and Regulations made by the sole will have to be approved by the Federal Executive Council and all that. But I pray Section 11 should be included in the amendment. Section 11 subsection four should be taken into effect", Benedict said.

Section 11(4) of the 1999 Constitution said: "At any time when any House of Assembly of a State is unable to perform its functions by reason of the situation prevailing in that State, the National Assembly may make such laws for the peace, order, and good government of that State with respect to matters on which a House of Assembly may make laws as may appear to the National Assembly to be necessary or expedient until such time as the House of Assembly is able to resume its functions; and any such laws enacted by the National Assembly pursuant to this section shall have effect as if they were laws enacted by the House of Assembly of the State: Provided that nothing in this section shall be construed as conferring on the National Assembly power to remove the Governor or the Deputy Governor of the State from office."

Following his argument, the House amended the motion to ensure that the National Assembly, not FEC, would assume legislative powers during the emergency.

Also, while the President proposed a six-month emergency rule, Minority Whip, Ali Isah suggested that the emergency should be reviewed continuously rather than being set for six months.

"I believe the matter can be resolved in the shortest period of time. Maybe next week. The President has shown commitment, so the President should be given the opportunity to retain the position of declaration for emergency with review at any given time. They should allow the President to terminate or review the state of emergency. The President doesn't need to wait until six months," he said.

His argument was also adopted which will now allow for a periodic review of the emergency rule instead of a fixed six-month duration.

The motion was then put to a voice vote, and the chamber resounded with voices of 'Aye.'

Following the approval, the Speaker announced that 243 were present in the chamber to assent to the president’s request.

https://guardian.ng/news/rivers-crisis-how-reps-amended-approved-tinubus-emergency-request-in-one-hour/

President-General, Nigeria Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has expressed for the establishment of an Independent Shariah Arbitration in Ekiti and Oyo states.

But the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, condemned the attempt to introduce Sharia in the South West, saying it is alien to Yoruba culture and religious beliefs.

The 20th Sultan of Sokoto and the spiritual leader of Nigeria’s Muslims also expressed concern about the spate of intolerance and disregard for the rights of Muslims, especially in the southern part of the country. He noted that Muslims in the South West had been denied their constitutional rights to a Shariah Court of Appeal.

In a statement, yesterday, by the Deputy National Legal Adviser of NSCIA, Haroun Eze, the traditional ruler lamented the unwarranted resistance and objections from political and traditional quarters to the Muslim community’s efforts to establish an Independent Shariah Arbitration in Ekiti.

He said this was coming barely a few weeks after the announcement on the inauguration of a Shariah in Oyo generated “unnecessary anxiety, thereby leading to its indefinite postponement.

“The Independent Arbitration , which is a voluntary platform designed solely for the resolution of civil and marital disputes among consenting Muslims, was to fill the inexplicable vacuum created by the failure of the political elite in the South West to establish Sharia courts, as allowed by the Nigerian Constitution, in South West, despite the huge population of Muslims in the region,” Sultan said.

According to the monarch, such scenarios as the denial of the rights of female students to wear the Hijab despite a Supreme Court judgment, are nothing but calculated attempts to prevent Muslims in the region from practising their faith.

Speaking during the 2025 Oodua festival at Enuwa Square, Ile-Ife, Osun State, yesterday, Adams stressed that the introduction of Sharia was to destabilise the Yoruba land by religious fanatics and fundamentalists. He emphasised that while Saudi Arabia is an Islamic kingdom where Sharia aligns with religious teachings and is widely accepted, Nigeria remains a nation where the constitution guarantees freedom of religion.

According to him, Saudi Arabia is a good example of an Islamic kingdom that practises Sharia law according to the Holy Quran. He said: “The Saudis also adhere strictly to the law, and they are happy because Sharia law is in tandem with their religious beliefs and teachings. But Nigeria is a secular nation where the constitution allows every citizen to practise whatever religion they believe in freely without any intimidation.

“Sharia law is alien to our culture and religious beliefs in Yoruba land; therefore, those religious fanatics masquerading as Muslims should stay away from acts that could set Yorubaland on fire.”

Meanwhile, berating the recent influx of Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the South West, Adams called on the federal and state government to intensify efforts to tackle insecurity in the region.

Adams further expressed the readiness of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) to partner other security groups in curbing the scourge in Yoruba land.

https://guardian.ng/news/sultan-backs-sharia-law-in-oyo-ekiti-2/

of the Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday impeached Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, accusing him of multiple statutory and financial infractions.

Mr Obasa was subsequently replaced by his deputy Lasbat Meranda. Mrs Meranda, who represents Apapa Constituency 1, was also a former chief whip of the House.

The removal came days after The Gazette reported how Mr Obasa oversaw the withdrawal of N43.5 billion for back up vehicles for lawmakers, as well as other controversial activities.

Details shortly…

https://gazettengr.com/just-in-lagos-lawmakers-impeach-speaker-obasa-amid-multibillion-naira-fraud-allegations/

That Niger leader is just senseless. The most annoying part is that we also have our citizens ing the useless allegations because they lost election last year. I dislike bitter people.

Professor Iliyasu Usman, the first Igbo Muslim to be appointed as Chief Imam of Abuja National Mosque has said that he accepts the good aspects of Igbo culture, while rejecting the bad ones that are not in line with his Islamic faith.

Usman stated this on Tuesday during his unveiling ceremony as one of the Imams of the National Mosque, Abuja, alongside four others, by the Secretary-General, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) Prof. Is-haq Oloyede.

Usman, who is the first Professor of Arabic in Igboland hails from Enugu State.

The other four new Imams are: Prof. Luqman Zakariyah (Osun State), Dr. Sheikh Abdulkadir Salman (Kwara State), Bar. Haroun Muhammad Eze (Enugu State), and Prof. Khalid Aliyu Abubakar (Plateau State)

[b]Clarifying that he has not lost his Igbo roots despite being a Muslim, Usman noted that every tribe and individual has a culture, adding that these cultures have both positive and negative aspects.

"I want to say this unapologetically. Actually, every tribe has a culture and every individual has a culture whether you are Muslim or Christian. In every culture, there are positives and negatives. For instance, in Igbo land, there was a time when twins were killed because they are seen as abominations in the society and we know that even a practicing Christian would not accept this kind of culture.

"For instance, as a Muslim, my religion prohibits me from indulging in alcoholism and I know that part of my culture is that whenever we have festivals, alcohol is consumed. As a Muslim, this kind of culture is an abomination because my religion prohibits it.

"So in every tribe, there are good and bad cultures. I accept good Igbo culture. In the Southeast, we have good communal relationships where we are our brothers' keeper. I accept that.

"When a brother, whether Muslim or non Muslim have problem, I assist, this is a good culture. But any culture that has to do with idol worshipping for instance, even our Christian counterparts don't accept that. I am a Muslim and Igbo man who will always try to foster the good Igbo culture that is in line with the teachings of my religion."
[/b]
Performing the unveiling, Oloyede said the NSCIA, since the establishment of the National Mosque in 1984, has been appointing, in succession, qualified Muslims who are worthy in character and scholarship to oversee the spiritual activities of the faithful.

He said the appointment of the five additional imams was part of the measures to strengthen the religious affairs unit of the National Mosque and to further harness its vast potential as a center for worship, training, learning and scholarship.

Oloyede said the clerics were unveiled after their consideration by the General Purpose Committee and endorsement by the National Fatwa Committee.

"So you can see that we are not just appointing an imam from the Southeast, South-South Zone, we are indeed appointing two imams from that zone. That shows clearly that in Islam, it is about qualification", he stated.


https://guardian.ng/news/national-mosque-unveils-igbo-muslim-four-others-as-imams/

There was mild drama at the House of Representatives on Thursday after four lawmakers in Labour Party announced their defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a letter read by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, the four lawmakers, Chinedu Okere (Owerri municipal/owerri north/Owerri west constituency), Mathew Donatus (Kaura federal constituency of Kaduna), Akiba Bassey (Calabar municipal/Odukpani constituency), and Esosa Iyawe (Oredo federal constituency of Edo) said they were reg from the Labour Party due to division occasioned by leadership crisis within the party.

Akiba in his letter observed that the Labour Party is currently embroiled in a severe and protracted crisis, with two factions at the national level vying for leadership.

According to him, the division had extended to the state's local government at all levels, as evidenced by the existence of parallel executive committees both of which are engaged in litigation.

He noted that the crisis has rendered the party ineffective in fostering unity and providing a stable platform for governance.

Giving his own reasons, Esosa also noted that his decision to dump the Labour Party was as a result of the party's inability to declare "who should emerge as the legitimate caretaker committee from the national to state levels"

Referring to the incessant tussle brokering the leadership of the party and the numerous perpetual court cases against the leadership of the party, the lawmaker said he and his ers were in a state of confusion as to the party's stability in leadership.

"With regards to my right to freedom of association as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, I hereby wish to notify you of my defection from the Labour Party to the All Progressive Congress APC, whose ideas align with my political aspirations and ideology", he stated.

However, shortly after the speaker read the defection letters, Deputy Minority Whip, George Ibezimako Ozodinobi (LP, Anambra), stood on a point of order and described the defectors as people without ideology, noting that the labour party is not embroiled in any crisis.

With his voice laced with a mix of anger and disappointment, Ozodinobi told his former colleagues in the labour party that they would continue to 'weep' as they have no future in the APC.

"I will quote the Bible. When Jesus was carrying the cross to the Calvary, the woman, Veronica, was weeping. And he looked back and said, women of Israel, don't weep for me, weep for yourself.

"I am telling those who have defected that they will continue weeping for themselves because where you have crossed over to, you don't have a future

"My party remains one. We don't have any crisis in my party", he said.

According to him, "for those of them who want to malign my party before this assembly that we have a faction, there is nothing like that in existence. I wouldn't want to say we are expecting this but when people enter political parties without an ideology, we see such level of defection."

"People who don't have ideology in anything they do, they don't need to be trusted in any form, whether they are in APC or PDP. I stand here today to tell them that this rotten carrot that is dangled before them to defect to the party that has brought hunger to this country, we are waiting and at the end of the day and as the party of the people, by 2027, we will open our arms again to give them their rightful ticket.

"I am telling those who have defected that they will continue weeping for themselves because where you have crossed over to, you don't have a future."

https://guardian.ng/news/youll-weep-furious-lp-lawmaker-blasts-colleagues-for-defecting-to-apc/

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited on Saturday expressed concern about the large scale of oil bunkering in the country, stating that it has traced illegal pipes to sacred institutions, including mosques, churches, and traditional palaces.

The agency also said increasing crude oil production from the current 1.7 million barrels per day to three million barrels is achievable.

Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPCL, Olufemi Soneye, revealed this during a Stakeholders Engagement Session with the National Assembly Press Corp in Abuja.

He noted that there are many challenges in the oil sector that must be looked into if the nation's economy is to survive.

While recalling how a vessel arrested for oil theft was rearrested after three months, Soneye said low prosecution rate of criminals undermines efforts to combat the crime.

His words: "I want everyone who is listening, there is a problem. If we do not take care of these issues, there is a problem.

"In November last year, we went to look at a vessel that was caught with crewmen. The chief of army staff was there, the military, air force, the police.It was a very large vessel with about 23 crewmen on board.

"They were arrested and handed over to the military. But it interests you that sometime this year, around February, the same vessel was caught in another place.

"Now you ask, what is the prosecution rate of those stealing the oil?. It is less than two per cent. So you can see the result when you see over 2,500 folks being arrested, but then the prosecution rate is two percent.

"It's a very difficult challenge for NNPC. Somebody was asking the question, why do we engage private security firms? it's a very good question. The person asked if the military or law enforcement are not doing their job. No, they are doing their job. I can't stand there and say they are not doing their job. But I will just say this.

According to Soneye, there is no country in the world, where non-state actors are the ones taking care of national assets, saying there was a time when the production level went below 900,000 barrels a day.

"At that point, the NNPC knew we were in trouble And then we sought help by discussing with the community leaders and private security. And with the help of the private security, production went up to about 1.5 million barrels.

"Now the president formed a committee formed with the military. And working together with the private security companies, now we are between 1.6 and 1.7 million barrels.

"Have the private security really helped us? Yes, they have. Are the military doing their best? Yes, they are.

"But the important thing that we should take away from here still goes down to what Mr.
Durotoye was saying being exemplary in what we do. If you take a trip to those places you will see at times that some of these pipes are inserted, if you trace them some of them go into churches, some into mosques and some into palaces of kings."

Deputy manager, Command and Control Centre of the NNPC, Murtala Muhammad, has disclosed that more than 8,000 illegal refineries have been destroyed within the last six months in the country.

He said 5,800 illegal oil pipeline connections were detected and destroyed within the same period.

Muhammad said oil theft and vandalisation of oil pipelines remained a threat to crude production in the country, listing Bayelsa, Rivers, Imo and Abia among others as the hot spots.

https://guardian.ng/energy/oil-theft-we-traced-illegal-pipes-to-mosques-churches-palaces-says-nnpcl/

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has raised concerns over the growing number of social media attacks on its officials by individuals dissatisfied with election outcomes.

The commission stated that the harassment of its staff is being fueled by fake news circulating on social media.

Chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, expressed these concerns during a press briefing on the Edo and Ondo states governorship elections in Abuja.

He said that some individuals unhappy with recent election results have resorted to harassing and intimidating INEC officials online.

He explained that his social media s were locked at times due to constant harassment and noted that the abuse is often motivated by political leaders’ comments.

Despite these challenges, INEC remains committed to voter education and hopes that people will eventually understand the situation.

https://guardian.ng/politics/election-losers-harassing-inec-officials-on-social-media-s/

From Sodiq Omolaoye, Abuja

The call by some Nigerians urging the Canadian government to prosecute Canada-based Nigerian woman, Amaka Patience Sunnberger for inciting violence and genocide against Yoruba and Benin people has continued to generate reactions.

Sunnberger sparked outrage after a viral video she posted on her Tiktok showed that she would harm Yoruba and Edo People.

"Record me very well; it’s time to start poisoning the Yoruba and the Benin. Put poison for all una food for work. Put poison for una water, make una dey kpai one by one,” the woman said in Pidgin English.

It appeared she made the comment during a virtual meeting on TikTok. Other voices could be heard interjecting and prodding her. The woman claimed that her comment was in response to the “hate” against the Igbo.

Following Sunnberger’s controversial remarks, some Nigerians urged the Canadian government to prosecute her for inciting violence and genocide.

Abike Dabiri, the chairperson, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, disclosed on Wednesday that a group of Nigerians in Canada were reporting the woman to the Canadian authorities.

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo in its reaction also said there was no sufficient evidence that the woman was Igbo, adding that she did not in any way portray the Igbo character of thoughtfulness, discretion, self-censure and equanimity.

Lawmakers in the house of representatives committee on diaspora matters further asked the Canadian government to prosecute Amaka for hate speech.

In letter dated August 28 tly signed by Tochukwu Okere, chairman of the committee; and Biodun Omoleye, chairman of Nigeria-Canada, Parliamentary Friendship Group addressed to James Christoff, Canada’s high commissioner to Nigeria, the lawmakers said Sunnberger’s comments “are a direct threat to the lives and safety of millions of Nigerians

According to the lawmakers, the “incitement to violence and call for genocide through poisoning” are “deeply troubling and are a clear violation of international and Canadian laws such as national, racial, or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility, or violence”.

“Such rhetoric is dangerous and has the potential to incite real-world violence, both in Nigeria and within the Nigerian diaspora,” the lawmakers said.

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, also condemned the threat, describing the comments as divisive, saying that such behaviour has no place in society.

The former Governor of Anambra State called on Nigerians to unite and focus on addressing the nation’s challenges rather than allowing tribalism to divide them.

Though there are indications that investigation into the matter by the Toronto Police Service has commenced, some netizens, particularly from the Igbo community, have argued that Canada should not bother prosecuting her.

They point to instances where persons have made similar threats against Igbos, yet no action was taken.

Some have referenced the recent Igbo must go’ campaign by a group, Lagospedia, which gave Igbo 30 days to leave Lagos and the entire South-West region with their businesses.

A 2019 video of the Wife of the President, Remi Tinubu, where she boasted that the deities of Lagos would be summoned to drive out the Igbos is also being circulated.

For instance, In his reaction, Finland-based Biafra agitator said his organisation, Biafra Government in Exile (BRGIE) has officially written the Canadian Government in defense of Sunnberger amid a call for her persecution over the threat to harm Yoruba and Bini people.

This was contained a letter signed by the Director General of Biafra Ministry of Foreign Affairs, BRGIE, Dr Joy Robi addressed to the Mayor Brampton, Canada.

Recall that in response to Sunnberger's comments, the Nigerian government through the Nigerian in Diaspora Commission, chaired by Abike Dabiri-Erewa on Thursday petitioned the Mayor of Brampton to persecute Sunnberger over her threatening comment.

However, Irobi in a three-page letter to the Canadian Government on Friday expressed concern over the inaccuracies and potential misunderstandings claimed by NiDCOM over Sunnberger.

The letter highlighted alleged several violent remarks by individuals within the Nigerian government against the Igbos which did elicit call for persecution by the government.

"We provide below a counterargument with evidence of how the Nigerian
government that NiDCOM is representing has incited video violence and killings of
Indigenous people in Nigeria, which resulted in many people fleeing out of Nigeria to preserve their lives.

"Bayo Onanuga: I owe no-one an apology for ethnic slur against the Biafran Igbos, they are a threat to Yorubas", the letter cited President Bola Tinubu Media Aide's Onanuga's comment in July 2024 as allegedly inciting violence.

"Information reaching us reveals that Amaka Patience Sunnberger was traumatized by the attempted kidnap of her child in Canada by two individuals. NiDCOM is informed that the police have taken over the matter. Of note, Igbos living in Nigeria and abroad are suffering intensely under the incessant life threat against the Igbo race. This mental abuse has been ignored due to fear of being killed

"NIDCOM's Chair is from a privileged Nigerian tribe with the positive attention her tribe is enjoying but ignores the intense mental suffering being mated on the Biafra people from the great Igbo race.

"Notably, Mrs. Amaka Patience Sunnberger due to the mental suffering certain tribes in
Nigeria has mated on her family and may have angrily misspoken due to her pain, but that is not enough for NIDCOM to be advocating for Amaka Patience Sonnberge to lose her occupation.

"In conclusion, I firmly believe that the claims made against Sunnberger is unfounded and does not reflect the true character and contributions when you examine the painful and mental suffering Biafrans in Nigeria are going through daily.

"I respectfully request that you ignore the NiDOM claims in light of the evidence provided and allow to continue to contribute positively to your community in Canada.


https://guardian.ng/news/nigeria/national/calls-to-prosecute-canada-based-woman-over-yoruba-edo-death-threats-stir-controversy/

1.5m for lexus and Corolla. Okay o

Ss

Interesting.

Royal families in Oyun local government, Kwara State, have kicked against the appointment of the aide-de-camp (ADC) to President Bola Tinubu, Lt. Col. Nurudeen Alowonle Yusuf, as the new king of Ilemona.

Yusuf is the son of the late monarch, Oba Yusuf Omokanye Oyekanmi, the Elemona of Ilemona who died in May, at the age of 95.

There are indications that the process of announcing the president's aide as the new king-designate is only waiting to be ratified by the state government, though there is no official statement on the matter yet.

However, the Guardian learnt that some of the royal families are protesting the appointment of the president's aide.

They claimed that they were excluded from the selection process while also insisting that they are also entitled to the vacant seat.

Yusuf was appointed as ADC to President Tinubu on May 1, 2023. He has had a distinguished military career, serving in sensitive roles in the Presidential Villa during the istration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

A member of the royal families, Prince Afeez Adewale of the Shittu ruling house, in a statement made available to The Guardian on Friday, said the appointment of Yusuf is an exploitation of his family's right to become the next King of Ilẹmọna town.

He explained that two ruling lineages exist in Ilemona town, namely the Arolu ruling house and the Ogobi family.

Several attempts to the President's aide to speak on the matter were unsuccessful as phone calls put to him did not go through and messages sent to him were not replied.

The statement said: "The Arolus are Omokanye, Shittu, Atoyebi, and Oyeyemi While Ogobis consisted of Ajagba Adeyemi, Ibitoye, Adeyemo, Oyebukola, Olarinoye and Adeleke before we were graded to third class by late ex governor of Kwara state, Muhammad Lawal during the late Oba Omokanye Yusuf tenure. Oba Omokanye is the biological father of the ADC Yusuf Nurudeen

He alleged that other of the royal families except that of the president's aide were not involved in the nomination process, urging the government to do thorough investigation on the matter to avoid Injustice.

He stated: "All the listed ruling families both in Arolu and Ogobi are not involved in the nomination of the candidate except that of the late Yusuf Omokanye only. The process is already compromised, and it violated the selection process. Out of four kingmakers, three seats are vacant till today. I wonder where he singlehandedly started his selection process.

"This is abuse of office by the ADC. We want to make it crystal clear that it's not ADC Nurudeen Yusuf's turn, his late father was the immediate past king. The Obaship should go to another ruling family.

"Above all we call on the President Bola Tinubu and Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq as a father not to involve themselves in this kind of shabby nomination.

https://guardian.ng/royal-families-reject-tinubus-adc-as-new-king-of-ilemona/

It is well.

Fresh facts emerged yesterday showing why Sokoto State Governor, Anmed Alliyu, might be plotting to depose the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, or whittle down the latter's powers.

The move, which has stirred tension in the northern part of the country and among the Muslim community, came barely a month after the Kano State House of Assembly reviewed the state’s Emirate Law, paving the way for the dethronement of five Emirs, including Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, and the reinstatement of Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

Kano, meanwhile, is yet to recover from several aftershocks that have rocked the state following the historical upset. The alleged plan by Aliyu to tamper with the Sokoto State Traditional Council Law has drawn reactions from Vice President Kashim Shettima, who advised the state istration to be circumspect in handling relationships with the Sultan.

The Sultan is the head of the National Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA). At the ongoing North West Peace and Security Summit in Katsina State yesterday, the Vice President described the Sultanate as “an institution that all of us in this country need to guard jealously, promote, protect and preserve for the growth of our nation.”

He said: “Our father, who is a permanent figure in all developmental issues in this country, his Eminence the Sultan of Sokoto; | want to use him as my point of reference to recognise and appreciate all our royal fathers here. And to the Deputy Governor of Sokoto, | have a simple message for you. Yes, the Sultan of Sokoto is the Sultan, but he is much more than that. He represents an idea.”

Concerns that the Sultan’s seat was under threat followed a report that the governor had obtained the approval of the state executive council to forward a bill to the Sokoto State House of Assembly, seeking to amend the existing law on appointment and deposition of traditional heads.

The bill seeks to strip the Sultan of the power to appoint, suspend, punish, or transfer any traditional ruler, and vest the same in the governor.

The Guardian investigation revealed there had been no love lost between Governor Aliyu and the Sultan, who has been accused of allegedly failing to Aliyu’s governorship bid since 2019.

When ed, spokesperson for the governor, Abubakar Bawa, declined comment on the matter and ended the phone conversation with The Guardian.

It was gathered that the current move by the governor against the Sultan trailed the outcome of the 2019 governorship election in the state where he was defeated by former governor Aminu Tambuwal.

It was gathered that the governor is still offended that the Sultan allegedly backed Tambuwal, besides other allegations that the Muslim leader made many moves that undermined the incumbent's authority.

Tambuwal, who contested under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), polled 512,002 votes to beat the current governor who was the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), and garnered 511,660 votes.

Recall that the governor was a onetime deputy to Tambuwal. They fell apart after Tambuwal defected from the APC to the PDP prior to the 2019 poll.

A source close to Tambuwal told The Guardian that the incumbent governor and some of his ers were still bitter over the 2019 contest.

The source said: “There have always been issues between the Sultan and the governor, which started in 2019. The Sultan has always been alleged to be backing the former governor, Tambuwal. There was even a time during the 2019 elections when APC pelted Sultan’s house. The PDP, at that time, had nine strong people in the House of Assembly, and the APC saw the Sultan as number 10.

“Since that time, the people in APC said they would change the Sultan if they won. But APC didn't win. Now, APC is in power. And looking at what is happening in Kano, which has proven that one can easily remove the Emir... The Sultan is still verv close to Tambuwal.”

The source also said part of what made the governor angry was when the renowned international Islamic scholar, Dr Zakir Naik, visited Sokoto, late last year, to take part in the 10th yearly Usman Danfodiyo Week celebration.

The Week is organised by the Sultanate Council to commemorate the life and death of the great Islamic reformer who founded the Sokoto Caliphate, Sheikh Usman Danfodiyo.

The source said the scholar was invited to Sokoto personally by the Sultan without informing the governor. He said: “The Sultan invited Zakir Naik in 2013, and 10 years later, Naik came back to Sokoto and the Sultan did not inform the governor. There was a video trending on social media where the Sultan allegedly said that he was the Sultan and under the law of Islam, he could invite any scholar to come and give a lecture. | think it was towards final day that the governor saw Naik.

“However, there is not much tension because most people know that Sokoto is not like Kano. The Sultan is a much respected person. Most people, even from the APC, will stand against it. They won't let that happen. The Sultanate Council is about the lineage of Uthman Danfodio.”


It was gathered that Vice President Shettima, at about Ramadan, had intervened in the Cold War between the governor and Sultan.A source said the Vice President, who “came to Sokoto immediately after Sallah prayer, spoke to both of them. But what happened after the meeting was that the governor set up a committee to review allegations against some district heads. But surprisingly, an APC leader in the state chaired the committee, and its report led to the recent removal of 15 district heads by the governor.”

https://guardian.ng/after-upsetting-kano-political-tremors-rumble-around-sultan-of-sokoto/

The renewed political romance between the presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Abubakar Atiku and his Labour Party counterpart, Mr Peter Obi, is not new. But will it last this time and in whose presidential interest? SODIQ OMOLAOYE reports.


When Prof. Pat Utomi, in January this year, hinted of the possibility of opposition parties coming together to form a mega party to wrestle power from All Progressives Congress (APC), many thought he was day-dreaming.

But the political economist did not emphasise the importance of the opposition political leaders to form an alliance for a strong and credible opposition, which may eventually metamorphosed into another strong political party.

That is why the recent political romance between the presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Abubakar Atiku, and presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, in the 2023 general elections, did not come as a
surprise to many Nigerians.

Obi, who started the political moves after Atiku had earlier called for the merger of the opposition parties, also met separately with the erstwhile governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, and former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, in Abuja. The parley, which came at quick successions, is believed to be part of an strategic alliance ahead of 2027 general elections.

Atiku and Obi are on familiar terrain. Both had worked together when Obi was in the PDP and as a former running mate to Atiku in 2019 general elections. He dumped PDP for the LP in May 2022 to pursue his presidential ambition.

Chief spokesman of Obi’s Presidential Campaign Organisation, Yunusa Tanko, explained that the closed-door meeting with the PDP big wigs bothered on how to rescue the ‘soul of Nigeria’ from the misrule of the ruling party.

Atiku, also in a recent interview with BBC Hausa Service, hinted of a possible alliance when he said that if the PDP decided in 2027 that it was the Southeast’s turn to field the presidential candidate and selected Obi, he would readily offer his .

But shortly after declaring his conditional for Obi, the former vice president, who has contested for the presidency five times in this democratic dispensation also declared that he has not given up on his presidential ambition.

*The Guardian gathered that Obi’s visit to the top northern politicians was a continuation of his tour of key stakeholders from the region after visiting numerous mosques in northern Muslim numerous mosques in northern Muslim communities in Nasarawa, Niger, Kebbi, Bauchi, Gombe, Sokoto, and Kaduna, during Ramadan where he commissioned multi-million naira boreholes in most of these states. It is also part of his efforts to boost his popularity among the northern communities after the 2023 election results showed that he was not popular in Muslim majority states in the north.*

But the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, while stating the official position of the party on the development, said both Atiku and Obi are, “united by their mutual desperation to be president of Nigeria.”

Also, the special adviser on information and strategy to the President, Bayo Onanuga, also said that Obi’s return to the PDP would not be surprising, noting that, “his reputation as a political wayfarer only dwarfed by Atiku’s track record as a veteran political wanderer of tangible accommodation for both men.”

What is yet to be clear, however, is the chances of Obi returning to the PDP or the possibility of a merger between LP and PDP. Another puzzle is whether Atiku and Obi can dump their respective party to form or adopt another one if the merger becomes impossible and who will be the presidential candidate of the new party.


Feelers from both PDP and LP leaders are indicating that, apart from their presidential candidates in the last general election, most are not keen on the merger. But they favour alliance, which will still allow the parties to retain their structures and identities.

Indeed, some LP leaders have ruled out subsuming the party under the PDP, citing ideological differences, just as the national chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero denied knowledge of the LP merger talk with the PDP. “We are not aware of such talks,” he said.

Besides, Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Ibrahim Abdullahi, said the discussion of both leaders was about fostering a working relationship in form of alliance, not a merger, which will compel both parties to dismantle their existing structure.

He said: They don’t have to necessarily collapse, you know, the parties are there for one platform. No, they could just say, you have a followership in this party, but we are calling you to identify with this party, but you are still recognising your identified platform, but for exigency, you can just collapse your structure into this party, and first of all, win the election and then we begin to talk about how to share the responsibility.

“Not like the regular alliance APC did in 2014 to oust the PDP out of power. NO, LP is not ready to relinquish its name and structure into PDP. Our party is not willing to do the same, but the politicians in these parties are willing.”

Nigerians are waiting to see how such marriage of convenience will bring the desired result of defeating APC in the 2027 general election.

There are also those who think that President Tinubu’s political machinery and APC’s stronghold on power should not be underestimated. These observers believe that APC has a robust political structure and intimidating war chest, which would make it difficult for any opposition alliance to dislodge it from power.
Another issue that might hinder the planned merger from becoming a reality, analysts said, is the choice of who becomes the presidential candidate from such a merger.

Already, Atiku has served as vice president of Nigeria twice from 1999 to 2007 under President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Some analysts have reasoned that Atiku, with his vast political network and experience may not stoop so low to become a running mate to the former Anambra governor who only became governor after Atiku has served his two as vice president.


The question on the lips of many political observers is that would Obi accept to be Atiku’s running mate again, considering that he has gained wide acceptance among youths and across section of Nigerians.


Feelers have it that ers of the former Anambra governor are also likely to feel betrayed if he accepts to be running mate to Atiku, as it will seem Obi has abandoned his promise to bring the desired change instead of opting for political expediency. Already, his recent visit to Atiku and other PDP chieftains has been heavily criticised for embracing the very people he once vowed to challenge.

But Atiku in an interview has denied that the choice of presidential candidate might frustrate the merger discussion. He said, “That’s not true. That challenge will not arise. I can tell you that the choice of who will fly the flag of the party won’t be an issue.”

One thing is certain, however, the 2027 elections will be shaped by political maneuvering and Obi-Atiku’s romance is just the beginning.

President of Northern Consensus Movement (NCM), Dr Awwal Aliyu Abdullahi, told The Guardian that there was nothing wrong with timing of the visits, saying there are rooms for political alignment and realignment especially when election approaches.

He said it is natural for political parties to align and realign, towards winning elections, noting that it is equally natural for candidates or political players to visit each other, discuss politics, and see how they can come together as one team to work towards dislodging another political party.

He said, “I think the recent meeting between Atiku and Peter Obi is just one of the strategies politicians do adopt to win elections. So, it is also a good development. You find alignment and realignment. Don’t forget, not too long ago also there was a time when the presidential candidate of NNPP visited President Tinubu and there was a lot of insinuation.

Politics is a game of interest, what politicians do is to put their interest first?”

He said both Atiku and Obi must work together to produce a merger that won’t be to service selfish interest if they want to oust APC.

“If they continue on the same momentum and put the interest of the people first, they can do wonders, but then, will Atiku accept to be running mate to Peter Obi? I doubt much. Will Peter Obi agree to be a running mate to Atiku? That is also a million dollar question. Peter Obi has this belief that he can be a good president. Atiku also has this belief that he has the experience to turn around the fortune of this country. So, I think they need to work together. First talk to themselves. Believe that it is not about them, it’s about Nigeria.”

National Coordinator, Coalition of the Northern Groups (CNG), Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi, said the most important thing right now is for Nigerians to make a right choice, saying politicians must also allow
the incumbent president and the process to work.

Lamenting that Nigeria has been choosing wrongly in the last two decades, he said the country needs leaders that can unite the people and solve its security and economic challenges.

Charanchi said: “We seriously need leaders. Leaders that are not biased either with ethnicity or religion. Leaders that can unite this country towards achieving the desired goal. Leaders that at least can take this country away from the insecurity situation, the economic downtrodden. We are having all these kinds of challenges.”

https://guardian.ng/atiku-obi-alliance-another-marriage-in-whose-interest/

Interesting perspective

*North can’t be swayed by superficial gestures — northern elders

*Only a formidable northern vice will help him, says CNG

*It will be difficult to dislodge Tinubu’s base in north, Abdullahi insists

With his recent visits to northern communities, it appears that Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), has begun laying the groundwork for a potential run in the 2027 presidential race even before the starting signal is sounded.

After the Ramadan began in March, Obi visited numerous mosques in northern Muslim communities in Nasarawa, Niger, Kebbi, Bauchi, Gombe, Sokoto and Kaduna states before the fasting period concluded. In the course of the tour, the former Anambra State governor commissioned multi-million naira boreholes in some of these states, making political observers reason that the LP chieftain has started a mission to boost his popularity among Muslim voters ahead of the 2027 elections.

But Obi’s visit to these northern states is coming at a time his party is embroiled in a series of leadership crises.

Recall that prior to the 2023 election, the presidential candidate of the LP, who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), enjoyed massive among urban youths. But he failed to make inroads into the Muslim majority states in the North, as the results of the election announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) indicated.

The Guardian investigation revealed that lack of votes in the North highly affected his chance to emerge as the winner of the fiercely contested election. In the 2023 presidential poll, Obi won in 11 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Most of these states are in Southern Nigeria. He won in Enugu, Lagos, Nasarawa, Delta, Imo, Ebonyi, Anambra, Abia, Plateau, Edo, Cross River and FCT.

Although he came third in the election based on INEC’s official results, he filed a case at the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPT) in Abuja to challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s victory. In the petition, which he filed alongside his party, he alleged that the poll was marred by various forms of corrupt practices such as over-voting, votes suppression and non-compliance with the provision of the Electoral Act in various states.

He disputed the results announced by INEC in Rivers, Lagos, Taraba, Benue, Adamawa, Imo, Bauchi, Borno, Kaduna, Plateau, Ekiti, Oyo, Ondo, Osun, Kano, Katsina, Kwara, Gombe, Yobe and Niger states.

He lost his case at both the PEPT and the Supreme Court. But analysts observed that the former governor has established the viability of a third-party candidacy, something that the entrenchment of the two strong parties — the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the PDP — had made highly unlikely. But what factors led to Obi’s defeat at the poll even though he had garnered a cult-like followership among the youth?

[b]Judging from the pattern of the presidential results, it was clear that he performed poorly in core Muslim states in the North. According to the results announced by INEC, President Tinubu scored 8,794,726 votes. His closest rival, Atiku Abubakar of the PDP scored 6,984,520 votes to emerge second in the election. Obi got a total of 6,101,533 votes while Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) came fourth with 1,496,687 votes.

In of regional spread, the Northwest had the highest number of votes with about 6.6 million votes, followed by the North-central with above 4.5 million votes. The South-west, with about 4.25 million votes, placed third while the North-east followed with about 3.4 million votes. The South-south had 2.85 million while the South-east had 2.2 million votes.

Obi won two regions (South-east and South-south) while PDP’s Atiku scored more votes in only one region (Northeast). Obi trailed Tinubu in the Northcentral while Atiku came second in the South-west and North-west. Overall, Tinubu scored 37 per cent of votes in the elections. His main challenger, Atiku, got 29 per cent of the votes while Obi scored 25 per cent.
[/b]
Interestingly, out of 10 million votes cast in the core Muslim states of North West and North East, Obi merely garnered 665,289, a paltry 6.7 per cent, leaving Tinubu and Atiku to take a large chunk of the votes. Thus, his victory in the South South and South East couldn’t propel him to clinch the Presidency.

Pundits reason that his campaign team has gone back to the drawing table, which is evident from his recent visits and romance with the northern communities.

In addition, there are many who think that Obi’s choice of Datti Baba Ahmed from Kaduna State was not considered strong enough to attract critical votes from the North during the election.

Picking Baba-Ahmed did not add much to Obi’s electoral weight judging by the results. For instance, Baba-Ahmed lost his polling unit in Tudun Wada, Zaria Local Council of Kaduna State to Atiku, who scored 102 votes. Tinubu came second with 98 votes while Obi got 54 votes. Kwankwaso secured 11 votes. In his entire council area, Baba-Ahmed delivered less than 4,000 votes, compared to Atiku’s 60,000 and Tinubu’s 40,000.

While some political observers believe that Baba-Ahmed failed to deliver a reasonable amount of votes to Obi in the North, there are those who think that Obi’s itinerary during the presidential campaign did not quite feature so much of the core North.

To them, the former Anambra governor concentrated on the South with occasional forays into the North Central Zone.

However, while speaking during a live interview programme before the presidential election, a former Governor of Kano State and presidential candidate of the NNPP, Kwankwaso, had revealed that northerners won’t vote for the candidate of the LP due to the secession agitation in the South-east. According to Kwankwaso, the northern electorate believes in one Nigeria and would always vote for northern presidential candidates.

But analysts believe that the reason touted by the former Kano governor could not be the major hindrance that affected Obi’s poor outing in the North.

Another issue, according to analysts, is that before the presidential election, there was a strong disaffection among the leading of the LP in the North. Just days to the election, chairmen of the party across the 19 states in the region claimed that they were marginalised by the LP at the national level. A case in point was when the chairman of the party in Gombe,

Alhaji Sani Abdulsalam, on Wednesday, February 22, 2023, barely 24 hours to the poll, alleged that when it came to funds distribution to prepare for the election, he and his colleagues were nowhere. They had also threatened that Obi would lose the election if the needful was not done in time. Obi eventually lost and seems to be working very hard to overturn the result in future elections.

However, some northern stakeholders who spoke with The Guardian argued that the success of Obi’s outreach efforts hinges on several critical factors.

[b]Firstly, they observed that the perception of his actions among northern voters would play a crucial role. According to them, while genuine philanthropy can foster goodwill, there is a risk of his efforts being perceived as politically motivated.

Another factor is that Obi is likely to face stiff competition from rival candidates, especially the president, who though has not announced his intention to contest the 2027 elections, would also be vying for northern votes.

The stakeholders noted that to stand out, the former Anambra governor must differentiate himself through a substantive policy agenda that goes beyond donation of relief materials. They also noted that another issue would be his choice of running mate, saying that a formidable northern politician is critical for him to have a chance in core northern

Spokesperson of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, who said Obi’s current move and romance with the North is strategic, noted that it was unclear whether his interventions would actually resonate
with the people of the North and help him secure their in the 2027 elections.[/b]

He posited that Obi’s donation of boreholes and other relief materials to northern communities was not enough to win over the hearts and minds of the people.

Suleiman said: “It must be noted that while making gestures such as donating boreholes and relief materials may attract some level of goodwill from the people, it is not enough to win over the hearts and minds of the North.

“The people of the North are looking for a leader who truly understands their needs and is committed to addressing the issues that are affecting them on a daily basis.
Simply throwing money at the problem or making token gestures will not be enough to earn their trust and .

Noting that the North is not a monolithic entity that can be easily swayed by superficial gestures, Suleiman maintained that "state within the North has its own unique set of challenges and priorities, and any candidate seeking their must be able to show that they have a deep understanding of these issues and a concrete plan to address them."

He added: "Simply making donations without addressing the underlying issues will not be enough to win over the people of the North.

"It is also important to consider the political landscape in the North and the sentiments of the people towards the current leadership. Many in the North are feeling disillusioned and frustrated with the state of affairs in the country and are looking for a leader who can bring about real change and progress. Peter Obi must be able to demonstrate that he is that leader and that he has a vision and a plan to address the issues that are of concern to the people of the North.

"Ultimately, the success of Peter Obi's interventions in the North will depend on the sincerity of his efforts and his ability to connect with the people on a deeper level. It is not enough to simply make gestures; he must show that he is genuinely committed to improving the lives of the people and addressing the challenges that they are facing. Only then will he be able to build a strong political base in the North ahead of the 2027 election.

Insisting that the the North made a mistake in voting Bola Tinubu to the presidency in 2023, Suleiman obseher that it is unlikely that they will repeat the same error in the future.

"They have learned from their past misstep and will strive to select a candidate who can unite the country and govern in the best interests of all Nigerians.
Moving forward, the North will be more cautious in selecting a candidate for the presidency.

"They will prioritize someone who is seen as more inclusive, less controversial, and more aligned with the interests of all regions of the country. The mistake of ing Tinubu in 2023 has taught them the importance of unity and consensus in selecting a candidate for the highest office in the land", he added.

National Coordinator of Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), Balarabe Rufai, described Obi's gestures as a welcome development that will close the doors for some political missionaries who want to term him as a regional politician, or somebody who is only interested in southern part of the country.

According to him, the move will give him an edge if he decides to contest the 2027 presidential election.

He, however, advised the former Anambra State governor to be circumspect while searching for a formidable northern politician to serve as his running mate.

Rufai stated: "Like I have been saying, Peter Obi has started very well from escaping to contest from a regional party, which is APGA, to a more national party, which is Labour party. That has made him a national figure instead for him to have contested in APGA, which is mostly a party aligned to only southeast.

"But unfortunately, he started well from the party level, but from the beginning of his campaign before the presidential poll, he inclined to going to churches and pastors who were advocating and campaigning for him.

"I think to my understanding that was what made him not to be accepted in the north, most especially muslim dominated areas, but with what he's doing now, I think that will give him an age when it comes to 2027 election.

"The move will make him more nigerian and be acceptable all over the country. But the most important thing for him to do is to look for a very strong candidate in the north to make him his vice president. By the time he is able to secure a very formidable, competent, accepted northern vice president, I think the story has come to an end.

"For example, if he agree with, let's say, somebody like Kwankwaso, a very formidable political leader in northern Nigeria on how they can work together, I think the rest will be history.

Secondly, it's very important for him to come out with a new message that will be acceptable by Nigerians. As it is, Nigerians are really in comatose. If anybody can come up with a very competent message that Nigerians will understand, I think the rest will be history"

President of Northern consensus movement, Dr. Awwal Aliyu Abdullahi, said although the LP Chieftain was making frantic attempt in contributing to the development of northern Nigeria, it won't guarantee him northern vote in 2027.

Abdullahi, who is also a security expert said the former Anambra State governor needed to do much more than just building boreholes.

"That will not give him votes. He needed to truly reach out to those that matters. When I say those that matters, I mean those at the grassroots, the elders, traditional institutions, political leaders, marketers, to youth and women leaders. This is a very big thing that he needed to do a lot of work on.

"He has to sit down, come up with a Marshall plan if at all what he is going is politically inclined. And you and I know that what he's doing is politically inclined. I'm also monitoring and I saw that is happening. In fact, one of the boys that is doing that for him is my boy. I don't want to mention such a thing because for so many reasons, .

"The main thing is that for him to achieve what he is intending to achieve, it has gone beyond just building boreholes. like I said, he needed a Marshall plan. He needed to do a very serious reach out. He needed to meet through political grassroots of the north or people that are truly at the grassroots and has a lot of reach out", he stated.

Abdullahi, however, expressed doubt that Obi's outreach to the north this time will be able to dislodge president Tinubu's political structure in the region.

He said: "To be honest, it will not be significant.First, the president has a political party that has ruled this country for nine years and that political party has every possible stretch and spread that a political party is supposed to have.

"And apart from that the president has also tried to build has built his own independent structure before that of the APC that he's working on or leading Nigeria with right now. So he's combining the advantage of f having a political party that has ruled for nine years and still ruling and that has a very widespread to the lowest of the low as far as Nigeria is concerned and two, having his own personal structure.

https://guardian.ng/politics/as-lp-crisis-festers-peter-obis-romance-with-north-raises-2027-permutations/

Another scrap

Mumu nurse using another person's pain to chase clout.

Look at what governors are doing because LG elections are conducted by states INEC. This is to show you what is coming with state police. I bet in three months of existence, Nigerians will beg for the scrapping of state police by time governors extensively abuse it.

Atiku won't listen. He can't stop being a serial contestant and loser.

If dem no summon, how dem go make money through bribes

Lol. All I see is a man begging to be released.