Category: Politics

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has said Nigerians must create a country that works for us all.

Speaking when he was formally honoured with the award for Leadership Person of the Year 2021 at the Leadership Newspapers’ Annual Conference and Awards ceremony which held at the International Conference Centre (ICC), in Abuja, Osinbajo said a peaceful and secure society founded on law and order and the rule of law is desirable.

Speaking after receiving the award, the Vice President noted that we must also create a country that can provide, “by means of an effective social welfare scheme, a safety net for the very poor and the vulnerable; a united and tolerant nation where all, irrespective of ethnicity, religion or political persuasion, are respected, treated fairly and justly, and have equal access to all opportunities.”

“We must build a Nigeria where a boy or girl does not say that, ‘I am from the South-West, or I am from the North-West, or South-South or North-East, or North-Central or South-East, but that I am a Nigerian, a citizen of one of the greatest and most prosperous nations on earth.”

“This is the kind of Nigeria that those of us in this political tendency, to which Sam Nda-Isaiah belonged, all attest to and believe,” he said.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has rejected the presidential form of the All Progressives Congress purchased for him on Monday by a group of his supporters from the north.

Dr Jonathan’s Media Adviser, Ikechukwu Eze, said in a statement hours after the news that the group had bought the form for him broke that the former did not authorise the purchase and consider the move by the group ‘an insult’.“We wish to categorically state that Dr Jonathan was not aware of this bid and did not authorise it,” the statement read in part.“We want to state that if the former President wanted to contest an election, he would make his intentions clear to the public and will not enter through the back door.”In recent months, there have been increased speculations about whether the former President will run for his old post in in the 2023 general elections and there have been calls for him to do so.

Although he is not a member of the APC, speculations have intensified in recent weeks that he is set to switch from the Peoples Democratic Party to contest for President in 2023.But the former President has yet to state whether he would contest or not, neither has he spoken about the possibility of switching parties.“While we appreciate the overwhelming request by a cross-section of Nigerians, for Dr Jonathan to make himself available for the 2023 Presidential election, we wish to state, that he has not in anyway, committed himself to this request,” Eze said.“Buying a presidential aspiration form in the name Dr Jonathan without his consent, knowing the position he had held in this country, is considered an insult to his person. The general public is therefore advised to disregard it.”

A former vice president and presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, Saturday said Nigeria had been wallowing in disunity because the All Progressives Congress (APC) government had been unfair to all parts of the country.

He insisted that even during the civil war era, Nigeria was not as disunited as is being witnessed under the President Muhammadu Buhari government.Atiku spoke in Abeokuta, Ogun State, while addressing PDP delegates ahead of the presidential primary election of his party.

He said, “As long as the country is not united, as long as there is no peace, you cannot govern even in your own home, not to talk of a complex country like Nigeria, which is multi-ethnic and multi-religious.He also assured that he would not disappoint Nigerians if elected president.

Primate Elijah Ayodele, the Leader Of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church has warned about the possibility of a coup ahead of the 2023 elections.

Ayodele also stated that he foresees a political coup among politicians ahead of 2023, while warning of possible kidnapping and assassination of presidential aspirants.

This was contained in a statement released by his spokesman, Oluwatosin Osho.

The cleric urged Nigerians to pray against political assassination because most politicians would be used as scapegoats.

Primate Ayodele, however, assured that a military coup cannot happen in Nigeria.

“Military Coup cannot come to Nigeria, but let us pray against instability, attacks, political coup that will come up among politicians, because the majority of those coming out don’t have political IQ, and northerners determining who becomes the president in Nigeria is a suicide mission.

“If this continues, there is no way the unity of the country will not face troubles. Let us pray against political assassination. Most of those that want to become president will be used as scapegoats, let us pray against the kidnapping and assassination of presidential aspirants,” he said.

The man of God mentioned the names of some politicians who have bought presidential nomination forms, noting that they wasted several millions of naira because they won’t get their mission actualized.

“The likes of Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, Dave Umahi, Pius Anyin, Bala Mohammed, Dele Momodu, Emmanuel Udom, Fayose, Cosmos Ndukwe, Charles Okodili have all wasted money to buy presidential forms; they should have used the money to take care of people around them instead of spending it on a futile mission,” he stated.

Senate President and presidential aspirant, Bukola Saraki, has explained why the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government couldn’t remove him from office.He gave the reasons on Tuesday at the Transcorp Hotel Calabar, while seeking votes from the Peoples Democratic Party delegates ahead of the party’s presidential primary.Saraki said, “I held people together to an extent that it was difficult for those who were against me to throw me out of office.

“I related very well with my people. I am talking about everyone that mattered at the Senate.“I held people together. We need a President who can afford to hold everyone together. I am someone who, if you give me an office, I will leave the office better than when I met it.”He said that for anyone to succeed as President of Nigeria today, the fellow must have the passion, vision and the brain to create wealth.“To create wealth, you must have the knowledge, certificate for skill acquisition and entrepreneurship.“We must include the youths in our government.

The youths must become ministers in my administration,” he said.Saraki, who was governor of Kwara State, promised to create jobs to fight the unemployment situation in the country.“I seek your support. The promise I make today shall be fulfilled. Give me the opportunity, my team and I shall make this country great once again,” he told the delegates.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has revealed what President Muhammadu Buhari told him about the Presidency of Nigeria.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) made the disclosure on Monday when he visited Ondo Governor Rotimi Akeredolu in Akure, the capital.

Osinbajo hailed Buhari for key assigning responsibilities to him since the All Progressives Congress (APC) assumed power in 2015.

The VP further commended the President for his “open mindedness and generosity.

Osinbajo recalled that as Acting President, he got to know many things that most people will never come across.

“Even people in government will never come across and I gained a lot of experience on that account.

“Many times, the President, when he was away, said pointedly to me that: Look, I don’t want to feter your discretion in any way.

“As Acting President, you are president. Make sure you are fair and just. Don’t refer anything to me, don’t ask me any questions. Just do whatever you need to do.”

Osinbajo added that it would be a betrayal if with all that he has been given by God’s grace, “retire either to Lagos or Ikene and be writing my memoirs”.

A number of Nigerian leaders worked for the United Kingdom and the United States, former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode (FFK) has claimed in an essay titled ‘What they will not tell you’.Writing further, FFK listed issues he described as secrets about Nigeria that have not been told, answered or explained.“Of the 13 leaders that have led our country since 1960 seven were working for the British MI6 and/or the American CIA.“Only the remaining six were working solely for Nigeria. The other seven were firmly within the power, control and grip of Britain and America”, the author noted.

The former aide to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo called them spies and informants that were carefully and craftily planted,“Of the five Nigerian leaders that died whilst on the throne, every single one of them was murdered in cold blood by local agents of the CIA with the tacit and implicit support of M16 and Langley.”Fani-Kayode insists that no military coup has ever been successful in Nigeria without the tacit backing and support of M16 and/or the CIA.Noting that every nation has secrets, FFK said most are classified and are known only to experienced, circumspect and cerebral members of the intelligence community.

“Nigeria is no different but hers are legion. There are more secrets hidden in the belly of our nation’s womb and history than most.”He said secrets about Nigeria include the deaths of Shehu Musa Yar’adua, M. K. O. Abiola, ex-Head of State Sani Abacha, Dele Giwa, Sulia Adedeji, Alfred Rewane, Bola Ige.Others are Funsho Williams, Ibrahim Abacha, Tunde Idiagbon, Abubakar Audu, Abba Kyari, Brigadier Bako, Major General Shuwa, Bagudu Kaltho and Air Marshal Alex Badeh.Also secretive, according to Fani-Kayode, are the C-130 plane crash, the Bellview plane crash, the Chibok girls abduction, the identity of foreign entities and local collaborators backing Boko Haram and ISWAP.He further mentioned “the murderous herdsmen” in the North-East and North-West and the violent secessionist agitation and brutal killings by “unknown gunmen” in the South-East.FFK added that the Nigerian people, though blissful in their naivety and innocence, still believe that they control their own future and destiny.He lamented that citizens have no idea about what went on in the past and what is going on because they either do not care or are busy trying to make ends meet.

“They are also unaware that our country has become something of a football that is being kicked around and silently carved up by the Americans, the British, the French and increasingly the Chinese.“All those that ruled us and gallantly attempted to stand up against western domination, neo-colonialism, and had a patriotic, zealous and enviable pan-African disposition were taken out by a coup d’etat or by being murdered.“You want their names? I will not mention them. Kindly do the research yourselves and work out who they are.

I will say though that each of them at least gave us something to be proud of.“Yet the tales of woe and sordid state secrets continue. Did you know that approximately 800,000 Nigerian civilians, including women and children, were killed by Biafran forces during the three-year Nigerian civil war.“We often talk about and rightly condemn the mass murder and slaughtered of 3 million Biafran civilians (including 1 million children) but rarely do we spare a thought for or even mention the 800,000 civilians that also perished.”Fani-Kayode stressed that the genocide, mass murder and crimes against humanity went both ways.“These are bitter and uncomfortable truths that many hate to hear and that others will find hard to believe. The dark history of Nigeria is not known by 95% of Nigerians”, he added.

A CHIEFTAIN of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hafiz Abubakar, has asked the former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu, to prevail on his supporters over unwarranted media attacks on Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

Abubakar made the call in a statement to newsmen on Saturday.

The vice president has come under verbal attacks from Tinubu’s supporters since he declared his intention to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari.

Tinubu is also interested in the nation’s top job. His supporters have launched a social media campaign against the person of the vice president, with many describing him as a “Judas” that “betrayed” his former principal.

The APC spokesperson in Lagos State, Seye Oladejo, has questioned the vice president’s handling of Nigeria’s economy.

However, Abubakar, in his reaction, said Tinubu’s supporters were playing a risky game and they should be called to order by the APC national leadership.

He said, “Asiwaju’s campaigners are playing a risky game and the party and administration should call them to order.

“Attacking the VP’s official capacity and his achievements in the same APC government is tantamount to biting one’s nose to spite one’s face.

“Asiwaju’s lieutenants are denigrating their own party and their own government.”

The former Kano State deputy governor said that the vice president, with his credentials and record, had the same rights as Tinubu to contest for the nation’s presidential office.

Abubakar said the attacks on the vice president’s character, person, economic responsibility, and religious affiliation are quite deplorable.

“Let us have a contest of ideas for the ticket of the party, not a contest of backbiting, libel, and name-calling.

“Asiwaju should call his people to order and exercise the leadership he is known for. This approach is a red flag on him and it is a black eye on the party, the president, and administration at large.

“You cannot attack the vice president and not be attacking the president or the administration. It is disappointing and party leaders and the new NWC should take charge in the discussions to avoid a dampening of the party’s fortune,” he said.

He urged Tinubu and his team to work together with everyone to support the party and government to achieve its goals in the time left, and “not throw stones in a house that they helped build.”