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Crisis Rocks APC Northern Christian Group
… Ex-SGF Babachir, Former Speaker Dogara At Loggerhead Over Obi’s Candidature
There is crisis within the ranks of the Christian group from northern Nigeria in the ruling All Progressives Congress APC over the choice of the labour Party Presidential Candidate Peter Obi as a consensus candidate to support in next year’s presidential election
Only recently, the group of former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal in the party dumped their presidential candidate ,Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2023 Presidential election for the Presidential candidate of Labour Party and his running mate, Peter Obi and Datti Ahmed.
Beside endorsing Peter Obi and Datti Ahmed, the aggrieved group commended Labour Party candidates to Nigerians of good conscience, justice, equity, fairness and unity of the country.
But in a reverse development, another group of the APC Northern Christians led by the former speaker of the house of representatives , Yakubu Dogara has rejected Bsbachir’ s group endorsement
However, in a strongly worded statement Lawal released in Abuja, the Ex- SGF, disclosed that they settled for Peter Obi and Ahmed Datti after a painstaking review and analysis of the alternative presidential ticket.
The statement entitled “Why We Have Chosen to Endorse Obi/ Datti Ticket,” reads in part,
“As one of the foremost critics of APC’s single-faith presidential ticket and also in difference to those who have patiently waited for our guidance as to where to pitch our tent, after a painstaking review and analysis of the alternative presidential tickets, we now wish to recommend the Obi/Datti presidential ticket.
“We wish to briefly narrate some few reasons among many, why we have endorsed this ticket and commend it to all Nigerians of good conscience who desire justice, equity and a harmonious co-existence of all Nigerians across tribes, religion and geopolitical regions.
“More over there is currently in circulation the fake news that I have thrown in my towel with the PDP. Nothing could be farther from the truth. To me the PDP and APC are different sides of the same coin.
“The APC same-faith is a deliberate, well-calculated plan to sow the seeds of religious and social discord among Nigerians. It is obvious that Northerners, in particular, are the intended targets and victims of this satanic plan.
“It is an indisputable fact that the whole of Northern Nigeria is currently mired in several intractable socio-economic problems due to the activities of several nebulous criminal groups.
“Agriculture, the mainstay of the northern economy, is all but abandoned because kidnappers and bandits have prevented people from venturing out of the safety of their homes.
” Interstate and intercity travel for either business or leisure have all but ceased not only due to un-motorable roads but more so for fear of kidnapping, armed robbery and other forms of banditry.
“Our rural schools have all but closed for fear of kidnappers. Government-owned universities have closed thus depriving the children of the already impoverished Northern masses access to affordable higher education.
“Thus, our out-of-school and idle children have become easy targets for recruitment by bandits and kidnappers. And there is no solution in sight.
“Then, out of nowhere, this man, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a renown Yoruba-hegemonist, a man who championed the establishment of a Ministry of Regional Integration in each state government of the South-west geopolitical region which he bestrides as an emperor, and a man who was once quoted as saying “I do not believe in one Nigeria” comes up with a Muslim-muslim ticket knowing fully well that religion is the underbelly of Northern Nigeria.
“APC’s same-faith ticket is a ploy to further sow discord among Northerners using the most potent weapon of social discord – religion. As Karl Max once said – “religion is the opium of the people”.
“Nigerians from all shades of the society must see this Tinubu/Kashim same-faith ticket as a proposal from the pit of hell that can only be conjured by the most Machiavellian minds known to man and therefore must be rejected wholesome by all lovers of our country and its nascent democracy.
“On the other hand, Alhaji Kashim Shetima, Tinubu’s Vice Presidential running mate is a man who once said “restructuring my foot, let’s restructure our minds”.
“For eight years he presided over Borno State at a time when Boko Haram was overrunning the state almost at will and restructuring the minds of its victims against Christianity and western education.
“The kidnapped Chibok and Dapchi girls and many more are now slowly trickling out of captivity in the Boko Haram indoctrination camps fully Islamized and carrying children born into Islam in captivity – a true example of “mind restructuring” if there ever was one.
“There is also this little matter of an allegation of a very close relationship or otherwise between the Vice Presidential candidate of APC and Boko Haram!
“And, which Christian can forget one Kabiru Sokoto the alleged Boko Haram kingpin accused of complicity in the Christmas bombing of St Theresa Catholic Church, Madallah that resulted in 44 deaths and 77 injured Christian worshippers?
“Or that the said Kabiru Sokoto was eventually arrested at his hiding place in the Borno State Government Lodge Abuja? Are Christians not justified in being scared of a government run by these duo?
“Surely, APC’s same-faith ticket is intended to shame Christians and bestow on them and their religion a second-class socio-political status in their own country.
“In particular it is a validation of the discrimination and oppression being meted out on Northern Nigerian Christians where they are now denied employment, promotion, contracts, and admission to read prestigious and marketable courses in government-owned schools simply on account of their religion.
” It is no wonder then that Alhaji Bola Tinubu thinks that the Bible is a book of jokes from which he can freely construct his “jokes” like his “Poisoned Holly Communion” and “Speaking in Tongues” jokes.
“If he is man enough, I challenge him to ridicule the Holy Quran even once as he freely does the Holy Bible. This guy has no respect for Christians and Christianity at all.
“This APC ticket goes against the grain of Nigerian politics which in practice (if not in law) has always sought to achieve a religious balance in its politics and governance. It is worth noting that all the other seventeen political parties fielding presidential candidates have gone the way of established conventions and practices by fielding different-faith tickets.
“Truly except for its incitement to social disharmony, there is no sense at all in APC’s same faith ticket.
“Furthermore, in our quest for justice and equity in the socio-political and religious space of the country, it is obvious that only the Obi/Datti ticket has the potential of speaking to the genuine clamor for power shift to the South-East and at the same time speak to the cry of marginalization by our people of the South-East.
“Obviously, a Christian/Muslim presidency like the Obi/Datti one will be most appropriate at this stage of our political journey more so since we are now transiting from a Muslim/Christian presidency.
“It will also achieve the regional shift of the presidency from the current NW/SW to a SE/NW presidency as popularly being canvassed . This is justice; this is equity. This is political engineering at its best and one that engineers peace and harmonious co-existence of the various socio-political and religious classes of our nation.
“Nigerians should also resist the temptation of being ruled by the same set of courtiers who are recycling themselves, their children and their friends in a monarchal fashion, in and out of government to the exclusion of other segments of the society.
“This trend has resulted in these disastrous consequences in which we now find ourselves – impoverished, unsecured, divided, severely underdeveloped and massively unemployed with a widening gulf between the rich and poor of the society.
“A keen observer will not fall to notice that APC is a transmutation of Action Group/UPN that is dominated by the children or grandchildren of those who once run and ruined the Action Group while the PDP is a transmutation of NPC/NPN similarly dominated by the children or grandchildren of the people who once run and ruined the NPC.
“A government of either APC or PDP will only be a recycling of the same class of people who have been running and ruining the country from independence to date. Is it any wonder that Nigeria has remained static?
“The Obi/Datti will give us breath of fresh air and the greatest opportunity to redeem our country from the quagmire into which we have been plunged by a recurring group of self-centred reactionaries.
“There is a also this palpable fear and anxiety over a possible transition of the current presidency from one Fulbe to another – same tribe, same religion, same region, same courtiers. This has given rise to a heightened fear of a possible perpetuation of a Fulbe hegemony in the country.
“Besides, there is the perception by many Nigerians that the Fulbe are the main actors in the banditry and kidnappings currently ravaging the country.
“Therefore, there is a widespread perception that another Fulbe-led government will not have the inclination or political will to address the country’s security challenges seeing as a majority of the perpetrators are its kindred.
“There is also this perception that appointments by the current government are driven more by ethnic and religious cronyism than by Nationalistic considerations.
“This has given rise to a fear of a possible perpetuation of this trend by another Fulbe-led government. Both APC and PDP presents us with these horrible options. The Obi/Datti ticket possesses a great potential to wean us from these problems.
“Finally, as the political campaigns advance towards the election dates, the tendency to divide the country along regional, tribal and religious affiliations is gradually beginning to manifest.
“We can see very clearly that the APC having woefully failed in its original plan to instigate a form of jihad which it had sought through its same-faith ticket in order to capture the moslem votes, has now resorted to a tribal card.
“The battle cry is now “it is our turn” tribal card in the South-West. The PDP on the other hand, seeing new opportunities in APC’s failed jihad strategy is tending towards adapting both the religious and ethnic strategies of APC in the North.
“Nigerians must be awake to these very dangerous campaign trends because any of the political parties that comes into government by pandering to ethnic or religious sentiments may not be able govern successfully and might further accentuate the social cleavages .
“Men of good conscience should therefore look to opportunities that unite rather than divide us. Only the Labor Party presents this opportunity.
“We therefore call on all patriots to labor for our country in this presidential election. Nigeria’s future is at stake in this presidential election. Obi-Datti is the only way to go. All other ways lead to perdition”, the statement said..
- Dogara’s Group Rejects Babachir’s Adoption of Peter Obi
Meanwhile the group of northern APC Christian political leaders led by Yakubu Dogara former speaker of the house of representatives, angered by the All Progressives Congress (APC) same faith Presidential ticket have distanced themselves from approving the Labour Party (LP) candidate, Peter Obi.
In a counter statement signed by former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, former Deputy Governor of Kogi state, Simon Achuba, and six others, the group argued that Babachir spoke for himself and not for the group, adding that they would announce its preferred choice of candidate in an interfaith ceremony.
The statement read in full:
“We want to draw the attention of the general public to the recent position canvassed by our Chairman, Engr B D Lawal as the position of our Group.We wish to state that necessary consultations have been concluded, and based on manifestly unassailable empirical data, the group is poised to adopt a position which will be made known to the public at an interfaith event to be held very soon. Suffice to say that no one in the group including the Chairman has been mandated to speak to the public about our position at this material time. Based on our modus Operandi, our position was meant to be presented to the general public at the event above referred to. That has not changed.
“Consequently, the decision to endorse a particular candidate and the statement credited to the chairman are solely the decision and views of the Chairman which he is absolutely entitled to but not that of the group. We hope this statement clears all the queries most of us have been inundated with on this all important subject matter.”
Signatories:
- Rt Hon Yakubu Dogara
- HE, Simon Achuba
- Hon Albert Atiwurcha
- Prof Doknan Sheni
- Mela A. Nunge, SAN
- Gen Ishaya Bauka Rtd
- Prof Ibrahim Haruna
- Mrs Leah Olusiyi
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By Kassim Omomia
The House of Representatives Committee on Steel has assured that it will effectively oversight all subsidiaries, agencies, especially research and development centres conneted to Ajaoukuta steel company and Steel development in the country, in order fulfil the long dream of making Nigeria a global steel producer
Chairman of the House Steel Sub- Committee on National Metallurgical Development Centre, NMDC , Hon Abdulmaleek Danga, stated in Jos during an oversight and investigation of petitions of contracts allegedlly awarded, paid- for, but not completed
He stated that the current Committee on Steel in the National Assembly was committed to ensuring proper oversight of steel devevelopment related agencies and research institutions so as to make Ajaokuta work this time around
Hon Danga told staff and top management cadre led by the Director General of the National Metallurgiical Develoomemt Centre, Professor Linus Asuquo, that the Committee was at the Centre in Jos, to carry out a thorough oversight and investigation , following a petition
He reminded the management , staff and Unions of the NMCD of the importance of the establishment of the Centre as a critical support base to sustain Ajaokuta Steel company
“We are here. We will do a thorough job here to sustain Ajaojuta and make it work. This place, (NMDC) must work first before we go to Ajaokuta”
Adressing the petition, Hon Danga pointed that with the avalanche of petitions against the NMDC, the place cannot work
He noted that petitions without facts and figures are retrogresive and create backwardness and stunt growth of any organisation
He noted that even though petitions have become the order of the day in our public life, they are undesirable, create backwardness ,stunt growth and as well create impressions that government agencies are wasting resources, especially when the petitions are without facts and figures
He added that the House was set to ensure the sustenance of NMCD and other ancillary steel agencies. so that Ajaokuta which is so dear to the current government can come on full stream
The subcomittee oversighting NMCD,Jos, which also included Honourable Ayuba Danba, Hon Domimic Okafor,embarked on a facility tour of the massive centre after a thorough session with management, top Staff, contractors, visiting the various departments, laboratories and workshops and projects executed by contractors especially those disputed in the petitions currently investigated by the sub-committee.
The Committee also addressed some aggrieved union leaders, who laid siege on the committee members in one of the sections of the Centre to express their grievances and alleged mismanagement of the Institute by the Prof Asuquo management
Hon Danga, however, appealed to both sides to work harmoniuosly , so that the current efforts of reviving Ajaokuta are achieved by the House of Representatives Committee on Steel and the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
According to the lawmaker, there is a noticeable lack of communication between the management and some critical stakeholders in the institute, which can result to misunderstanding, misconception about the Centre ,and thus, the avalanche of petitions
“Please work together, so that the current administration can revive Ajaokuta and make Nigeria a steel producing country, which is a dream long sought” he, advised
About 1000 Civil Society Organizations, CSOs, under the auspices of Coalition Of Civil Society Organisations, CCSOs, on Saturday Faults President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Economic Team and called for immediate reconstitution.
Expressing deep concern and worry over the state of the economy and escalating fuel prices compounding the hardship of Nigerians despite the recent protest, the groups said Tinubu must act now to avert disintegration.
The groups said the current situation across the country has cast doubt on the competence of the Tinubu economic team and called for urgent review.
The CCSOs in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Mallam Ibrahim Mohammed, pointed out that the plight of Nigerians is sinking low and their patience is wearing off following the deteriorating economy.
The statement reads in part, “The Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) is deeply concerned about the deteriorating state of the Nigerian economy, which is becoming increasingly unbearable for millions of citizens.
“It is evident that the recent hike in fuel prices and the unstable exchange rate are the direct results of economic mismanagement by those responsible for overseeing our nation’s financial policies. The ripple effects of these failures are being felt in every household across the country, worsening poverty and crippling economic activity.
“The floating of the Naira, which was initially sold to Nigerians as a means of stabilizing our currency, has done little to prevent the continued devaluation of the Naira. In fact, the exchange rate disparity has widened significantly, with the Naira losing value daily, impacting the cost of living, basic commodities, and inflation.
“While this policy was expected to ease foreign exchange pressure, it has instead deepened economic challenges due to poor implementation and lack of strategic foresight.”
The coalition also expressed concern over what it described as death trap of indebtedness of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, which also they claimed had slowed down importation of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, hence the current shortage of PMS across the country.
“Of equal concern is the precarious position of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), which finds itself in a debt trap, with global suppliers of petroleum products losing confidence in Nigeria’s ability to honour its obligations.
“Reports have shown that NNPCL has accrued debts totalling over $6 billion, causing petrol supply shortages. International suppliers are now reluctant to continue providing fuel on credit, exacerbating supply chain issues and pushing up the price of petrol at the pump”, they claimed.
The CSOs also asserted that, “We hold the managers of the Nigerian economy responsible for these disturbing developments. Their inability to provide sound policies and long-term solutions has left the nation in this predicament.
“It is clear that there is no cohesive strategy to address the rising debt, the growing imbalance in the foreign exchange market, or the country’s heavy reliance on importation for petrol supply. The recent hike in fuel prices reflects the collapse of responsible economic management and accountability.
“Nigerians are left to bear the brunt of these failures. Businesses are shutting down, transportation costs have skyrocketed, and citizens are spending an increasingly larger percentage of their income on basic necessities. This state of affairs is unacceptable.”
The group therefore placed some demands; Immediate intervention from the government: There needs to be a comprehensive and transparent plan to stabilize the Naira, restore confidence in the petroleum supply chain, and negotiate a restructuring of NNPC’s debts to ensure continuous fuel supply.
“Accountability for economic mismanagement: Those responsible for the reckless management of our foreign exchange policies and NNPC’s debts must be held accountable. The government must also disclose its plan to mitigate the rising fuel costs and economic burden on Nigerians.
“A return to sound financial policy: The floating of the Naira has proven ineffective under current conditions. We call for a re-evaluation of monetary and fiscal policies to stabilize the economy, reduce inflation, and attract foreign investment.
“In conclusion, the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations reiterates that without immediate corrective measures, the economic situation will continue to deteriorate, leading to further hardship for the average Nigerian. The government must act decisively and responsibly to reverse this downward spiral”, they added.
…..Says They ‘re Bunch of Hypocrites,
By Sim Omo
A group known as Patriots of Nigerian Democracy has lambasted the 2023 Governorship Candidate of the Labour Party in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour and other leaders of the party for saying they will take over Lagos State in 2027.
It will be recalled that Rhodes-Vivour while speaking to journalists in Umuahia, Abia State capital at the end of LP’s extended stakeholders’ meeting on Wednesday said that they will take over Lagos.
“LP is now well structured, not just to win but to take power in 2027. What we have come to do here in Umuahia is to bring everybody on the same page. We are set for new victories in 2027.
“I believe Labour Party will win Lagos State more convincingly in 2027. Since after the 2023 elections, work has not stopped; we have not gone quiet. Every day, we are getting stronger and stronger.
“So, we are not just going to win but stand up and take power”, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour had said in Umuahia.
Reacting to the statement, the group said that LP leaders are a bunch of hypocrites who pretend to be on the side of the people but neck deep in their selfish interests.
The statement jointly signed by the President of the group, Comrade Olaolu Esan and the Secretary, Engr. Abdullahi Rabiu recalled that LP and its supporters recently attacked the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu for urging the Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti to rejoin the All Progressives Congress (APC), vowing that the ruling party will win the State in 2027 in a viral video.
“All hell was let loose recently when the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu in a video that went viral called on the Governor of his own Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti to rejoin APC.
“Kalu came under heavy criticism and attacks by LP and its supporters. They criticized him for speaking his mind. They made Nigerians to see him in bad light as if what he said was a taboo.
“But here we are. Just about one or two weeks afterwards, the same LP leaders assembled in Umuahia, the Abia State capital to issue a quit notice to APC in Lagos.
“So, where is their nobility? Where is their shame? They abandoned governance for politics of 2027. How does that make them the “Saints” of the Nigerian politics? Are they for the people or against the people?
“We had thought that the LP leaders gathered in Umuahia to discuss the biting economy and the solution. We had thought they gathered to tell Nigerians how they will entrench good governance in Abia State but didn’t know their meeting was about strategies to take over Lagos, an APC controlled State. We have waited for Abia Governor, Dr. Alex Otti to call Rhodes-Vivour to order or to at least tell him, it is not yet time for politics but more than 24 hours, none of the LP’s leaders has done that.
“We want to say that this is very unfortunate. It simply means that politicians irrespective of their political parties and leanings are all one and same. They always think about the next election and not about good governance. They are always after their personal agenda and selfish interests.
“If this will be tolerated, it simply means that the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Kalu is vindicated. Labour Party supporters owe the Deputy Speaker a collective apology for attacking what he said and saying what they attacked. This is hypocrisy.
“Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour’s comment indicates and gives a feeling that the media attacks on Kalu were actually sponsored even though it was highly unnecessary. LP leaders can’t be a bunch of hypocrites.
“Our concerns are good governance and the welfare of the Nigerian people. While we are not saying that politicians should not “battle” themselves over 2027, they must ensure that Nigerians get the dividends of democracy. Good governance should not be sacrificed on the altar of politics. Nigerians should not be shortchanged in anyway rather their lives should be improved by every means possible. That is our position”, the statement stated.
