Tag: politics

  • We Were Mates In Law School, But Not In Politics – Dogara Knocks Keyamo

    We Were Mates In Law School, But Not In Politics – Dogara Knocks Keyamo

    Yakubu Dogara, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, has reacted to Festus Keyamo’s description of him as a “political prostitute.”

    He said this in a tweet on Sunday.

    Keyamo, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, and spokesman for the Tinubu-Shettima Campaign Council, had in a tweet on Sunday morning referred to Dogara as a “political prostitute, wanderer and back-stabber.”

    He was reacting to Dogara’s statement in which he referred to President Muhammadu Buhari’s endorsement of Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, at a campaign in Nasarawa State, as a mockery.

    “My brother and law schoolmate, @YakubDogara, this tweet is beneath you. You are actually pained by the support of PMB for @officialABAT, two leaders who have stayed true to their beliefs and causes, unlike the political prostitute, wanderer & back-stabber that you’ve always been,” Keyamo wrote.

    Responding to the tweet, Dogara said, “My brother, I have a name for you but because it’s not a good one, I won’t say it as a cost of friendship. Yes, we were mates at Law School but I am waiting for you to win a councilorship election first so we can be mates in politics. Learn to punch below your weight category.”

  • Religion And Politics Are Watertight- Sheikh Abdunasir

    Religion And Politics Are Watertight- Sheikh Abdunasir

    By Muhammad Ibrahim, Sokoto

    “In politics, one of the characteristics is quality leadership with which an individual perform accordingly without accumulating wealth meant to execute projects for electorates”, says the Chairman Administrative of the Jama’atul Izalatul Bidi’a was Ikamatus Sunnah(JIBWIS),Sheikh Abdulnasir Abdulmuhyi while answering questions from a team of journalists at Sultanate Council lodge along Abuja road,Sokoto.

    He said the greatest weapon of an electorate 8s his voter card which is necessary for all right thinking Nigerian in as much as he deems it important to have someone who can move the society forward.

    ” Having met most of the requirements, a good leader must be competent and have the fear of Allah as his yardstick in his leadership “,averred the religious leader.

    On insecurity, Sheikh Abdulnasir said to know what is happening, one must dig for the root cause of its precedence before knowing how to overcome its problems.

    ” The three tiers of governments are doing their best looking at the Emir,District head, members of the security agencies and those moving along the roads are involved in this widely talked insecurity “, me and you should have the fear of Allah and contribute towards eradication of this deadly occurrences and see how fast our economy would grow.

    The Sheikh similarly discussed the importance of the last ten days of the month of Ramadan as pronounced by Prophetic traditions.

  • Breaking:  APC caretaker committee secretary resigns

    Breaking: APC caretaker committee secretary resigns

    By Isaac Kertyo

    Barely 24hours after governor Sani Bello of Niger state took over the leadership the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), secretary of the committee, John Akpanudoedehe, stormed out of the party NEC meeting with all his belongings.

    Meanwhile, There was jubilations among the staff of the APC after a letter of resignation was spotted by Politics Digest.

    Politics Digest reported on Monday that governor Sani Bello acting under the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari toile over the leadership and declared himself acting chairman of the party.

  • Don’t Drag CBN into Disruptive Politics – Group Warns

    Don’t Drag CBN into Disruptive Politics – Group Warns

    A rights group, Save Nigeria Movement has described a publication in the Pilot Newspaper, February 8 edition, credited to Reform Nigeria Now (RNN), a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) youth group, in Makurdi, the Benue State capital where it accused the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) of favouring members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the bank’s policies as empty allegation.

    The group also hinted that the RNN in a desperate attempt to malign the CBN and its management exposed its ignorance by failing to point out any policy of the Godwin Emiefele led CBN policy that favoured only members of the ruling APC.

    A statement signed by the group’s convener Rev. Solomon Semaka and made available to journalists in Abuja, wondered why anybody would be so clueless as to blame a man who has done so much for the Nigerian economy, making it strong and resilient.

    According to the statement, it is surprising that even though the CBN under Mr Emiefele has ensured that those who accessed its intervention programmes are genuine businessmen and those who truly needed it unlike the previous regimes where a few racketeers were milking the country dry, will be accused on speculative innuendoes.

    The SNM maintained that only those who were profiteering from the lapses of a weak CBN are likely to throw tantrums now that the leakages are blocked.

    “We are sad and disappointed at the handiwork of mischief makers who are intimidated by the robust economic reforms going on in the apex banking institution in the country. There is no doubt that those who ripped the country dry of foreign exchange have resorting to blackmail. They must know that nothing will derail the CBN and its leader from serving the country faithfully.

    “While the world was groaning under the weight of the economic hardship brought about by COVID-19, Mr. Emiefele and his team quickly swung into action and insisted that the best way to stimulate the economy was to encourage domestic production. To this, the CBN in conjunction with Nirsal Microfinance Bank awarded loans to millions of Nigerians under the Targeted Credit Facility Scheme for households and SMEs. The fact that the Nigerian economy rather grew even in the face of a near collapse of world economies is a huge testament to the astuteness of the CBN governor and his policies” the statement noted.

    Similarly, unemployment was one of the greatest challenges of the Nigerian economy. Successive efforts to reduce youth unemployment did not often yield results but recently, the youth-friendly policies of the CBN have drastically reduced youth unemployment in the country through different intervention schemes initiated and funded by the CBN for the benefit of all Nigerians regardless of political, tribal and religious affiliations.

    “The CBN in the last few years has drastically reduced youth unemployment through proactive and youth-friendly interventions such as the Tertiary Institution Entrepreneurship Scheme (TIESS), the Youth Empowerment Development Programme (YEDP) in conjunction with FCMB and several other programs which are exclusively targeted towards youth empowerment. How can anybody claim that these policies are pro- APC when it is clear that they are for the good of the economy?” The group wondered.

    The introduction of the e-naira and several other policies of the CBN, the firm regulation of commercial banks especially in the area of arbitrary charges, deductions, as well as the prompt responses of the CBN consumer protection committee to the excesses of money banks and other financial institutions are policies undertaken for the good of every Nigerian. Politicizing these noble initiatives and policies only to discredit a man whose track record is blameless is shameful.

    “Nigerians cannot continue to entertain the gimmicks of failures who feel they can drag noblemen to the court of public opinion without any concise allegations and hope to win. The CBN has done so well to stabilize the exchange rate of the naira to the dollar and is doing everything within its power to bring it down even more. Those who are bent on tarnishing the image of Governor Godwin Emiefele with the aim of pushing him away so that they can continue their nefarious acts should stay clear”, the group convener warned.

  • IPOB to Okorocha: You’re hypocrite, selfish political fraudster

    IPOB to Okorocha: You’re hypocrite, selfish political fraudster

    The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has attacked former Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, calling him a hypocrite and a selfish political fraudster.

    IPOB, in a statement issued by its spokesman, Emma Powerful on Wednesday said the attention of the group had been drawn to the laughable, disgraceful and unguarded statements coming from Okorocha claiming how IPOB operated and convinced youths in the region.

    It said Okorocha tried everything he could as governor of Imo State to stop IPOB which he failed and that now he had started dancing like a mad man by including IPOB in his infamous statement he was using to deceive the gullible minds in the state thinking he could be allowed to use IPOB for political gains.

    “Okorocha was one of the most unfortunate things that have happened to Imo State. His infamous administration as Imo governor is better forgotten. Nigerians know him for whom he is; a hypocrite and selfish political fraudster. He should not play his evil politics close to IPOB.

    “Okorocha collected many lands belonging to the people of Imo State by force, converted same into his personal property because he was running Imo State as a private estate,” IPOB said.
    The group added that his atrocities in Imo State were pursuing him and his families, including his son-in-law Uche Nwosu as he could not advise his father in law to allow people their ancestral lands and homes.

    “These will continue to hunt them till eternity
    “Okorocha started this ranting during the jamboree declaration he did in Abuja and mentioned IPOB to appeal to his gullible audience. Since he has decided to use IPOB as a campaign slogan, let him prepare well!

    “Okorocha arrested our women in Imo State thinking he can break the spirit of IPOB followers. The present administration in Imo State collected people’s lands he took from them by force and handed back to the owners since then Okorocha hasn’t been himself.

    He started sponsoring unknown gunmen and cannibalism in the entire region but we will soon expose him,” the group alleged

  • Politics now big business, avenue for quick money – Soludo

    Politics now big business, avenue for quick money – Soludo

    The governor-elect of Ana,mbra State and former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof Charles Soludo, on Saturday expressed concern over the way people now see as a platform to make money rather than a call to selfless service.

    He lamented that appointment or election into public office had produced rich men who never did any productive work, noting however that disruption to that trend would come at a great cost and could be a dangerous venture for anyone who dares to change the system.

    Speaking in Abuja at the 2021 pioneer class graduation of the School of Politics, Policy and Governance, with the theme, ‘Emergence of the unconventionals’, Soludo also raised the alarm that drug barons have invaded the political terrain because of the global clampdown on criminal activities like internet fraud and illicit drug business.

    He said, “As the noose tightened globally on other rentier/criminal enterprises such as drug trafficking or internet scam, many of the barons flocked into politics as the next easy alternative.

    “Politics has become big business. Appointment or election into public office is seen largely as an opportunity to ‘eat’ rather than a call to selfless service. There is an army of rich (big men) who have never worked or done any productive work in their life but believe that it is their right to expect something for nothing.

    “Youth unemployment, insecurity, poverty and inflation threaten the social fabric, but disruptions will come at great costs and could indeed be dangerous. It is not far to imagine what could befall serious disruptors.

    “In Nigeria, we remember what happened to (late Head of State) Murtala Muhammed, and the history books are replete with hundreds of examples of the inherent risks.”

    Soludo recalled that as the CBN governor, he and his family members received threats owing to the banking revolution he supervised.

    He added, “At a personal level, undertaking the banking revolution in Nigeria came with 19 written threats to me and my family, including physical attacks. Disrupting the existing social order is dangerous. Beneficiaries of the current order are powerful enough to organise and viciously fight back to protect their privileges. On the contrary, the masses who are the ultimate beneficiaries are not organised enough to act as a bulwark against the special interests.”

    Soludo pointed out that the country was currently “standing between the rock and the hard place” because with the objective to retain power within the context of short electoral cycles, politicians were often afraid to undertake the necessary disruptive changes to guarantee long term safety and prosperity for all.

    “On the other hand, the existing trends are totally unsustainable and the system is living on borrowed times,” he added. “Everyone is sleepwalking to the hard place, and praying that somehow a miracle will happen along the way. So, who is ready to put his head on the line to lead such productive but dangerous disruptions?”

    Soludo noted that migrating to a post-oil world of fourth industrial revolution and sustainable prosperity would require massive disruptive transformation and restoration of a productive social contract.

    He stressed that Nigeria does not lack educated and widely travelled human capital to drive her development, adding that across the world, Nigerians excel in their various fields.

    He added, “In the United States, Nigeria ranks highest on education among ethnic minorities and as a percentage of its population, it has the most educated population of all ethnic groups. At home, we have over 100 universities churning out hundreds of graduates every year.

    “Oil and the easy money that came with it destroyed the social fabric and the elite created new institutions and political structures to maximise their gains.”

    Soludo charged the graduands to display honesty always and use their knowledge to contribute to making a new Nigeria a possibility, adding that fixing politics requires talents, skills and citizens’ cooperation.

    The founder of SPPG and former Minister of Education, Mrs Obiageli Ezekwesili, said Nigeria would not have a high number of out-of-school children and maternal death if the nation had the right politics.

    She argued that until Africa exits its kind of politics, there may not be any radical change in the fortunes of the continent in the next century.

    Ezekwesili stated, “There is a cost to be made. The politics of Africa today does not respect cost to the individual. It only promotes benefits to the individual that is in the public space. That is an abnormality. Societies that develop did so on the principle that those in the public space are to provide leadership.

    “It is politics that has made the economy to be bad within the context of all the endowment that we have. Yet, we are the world capital of poverty. It is politics that has distorted all the possibilities of our society. You cannot play with the lowest degree of your citizens as political leaders in the public space and expect that something will just happen.”

    She charged the graduands to embrace leadership skills that would transform society.

    The vice-chancellor of the school, Alero Ayida-Otobo, challenged the graduands to have an unquenchable thirst to raise standards while kicking injustice, religious intolerance, and lawlessness out of the country.

    Meanwhile, Soludo, who would be inaugurated on March 17, has commiserated with the victims of the fire incident at the Obodo Ukwu end of the Onitsha-Owerri Road in Onitsha.

    The fire occurred early Friday following a petrol tanker explosion, which razed buildings and shops in the market around the scene.

    A statement on Saturday by his media aide, Mr Joe Anatune, said Soludo expressed deep concern over the magnitude of material losses suffered by the victims.

    He lamented the incessant tanker explosions in the Onitsha axis and other cities around the country as he gave an assurance that a lasting solution to prevent a reoccurrence would be proffered.

    Soludo commended the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), and Governor Willie Obiano for their immediate reactions and condolences to the victims.

    He commended the gallantry of the youths, fire service officials and other security personnel who came immediately to the scene to stem the tide of the fire.

  • Many Drug Barons, Internet Fraudsters Now See Politics as Easy Alternative –Soludo

    Many Drug Barons, Internet Fraudsters Now See Politics as Easy Alternative –Soludo

    The governor-elect of Anambra State, Chukwuma Soludo, says politics has become a big business in Nigeria, adding that many drug barons and internet scammers have flocked into politics to avoid being arrested.

    Soludo, an ex-governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria who won the November 6, 2021 Anambra governorship election on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, spoke on Saturday.

    He spoke on ‘The Purpose and Price of Disruptive Change’ at the first graduation of the School of Politics, Policy and Governance Pioneer in Abuja. The school was founded by former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili

    Soludo said, “Indeed, Africa needs a new liberation movement. The first struggle was liberation from the colonial masters. The second will be liberation from rentier politics and politicians. For me, there is almost a sense of nostalgia, recalling the mission and accomplishments of our founding fathers, especially as we contemplate the world without oil in Nigeria.

    “Much of the existing social order is founded on competition for, and distribution of, rents. Oil and the easy money that came with it destroyed the social fabric and the elite created new institutions and political structures to maximize their gains. As the noose tightened globally on other rentier/criminal enterprises such as drug trafficking or internet scamming, many of the barons flocked into politics as the next easy alternative.

    “Politics has become big business. Appointment or election into public office is seen largely as an opportunity to ‘eat’ rather than a call to selfless service. There is an army of rich (big men) who have never worked or done any productive work in their life and believe that it is their right to expect something for nothing.

    “The tiny less than one per cent elite have a stranglehold on the public purse, sprinkling occasional crumbs to the citizens as ‘dividends of democracy’. The citizens themselves either out of helplessness or acquiescence join the party, expecting the politicians to dole out pittance out of public treasury as charity.”

    According to the governor-elect who would assume office in March, Nigeria is now at a fiscal cliff with a crunching solvency challenge.

    “Youth unemployment, insecurity, poverty, inflation, etc threaten the social fabric. Migrating to a post-oil world of 4th Industrial revolution and sustainable prosperity will require massive disruptive transformations and restoration of a productive social contract.

    “Such disruptions will come at great costs, and could indeed be dangerous.

    “Fixing politics requires talent and skills. But these won’t be enough. It won’t happen by lone wolves working in silos. It requires new developmental organisations – organisations/teams of believers, driven by defined ideology, purpose and character,” he submitted.

  • I’ll remain in politics to help people – Attahiru Bafarawa

    I’ll remain in politics to help people – Attahiru Bafarawa

    A former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa, has said he will remain a politician until his death.

    Bafarawa, a two-term governor, stated this while reacting to reports that he had bowed out of politics.

    The former presidential candidate of the Democratic Peoples Party had in an interview with Sunday PUNCH said he would never contest for any elective office or accept any appointment for the rest of his life but would always offer counsel when needed.

    He also faulted the action of some governors who contested elections to go to the senate after their terms in office, rather aiming for the presidency, saying “anything less than that is an abuse of privilege.”

    “I am not going to be the president and I don’t want to be the president. It is a question of not having the will to do something.

    “I feel I have done my best based on the opportunity given to me and I am grateful for what God has done for me. Therefore, I will never go for any elective office for the rest of my life and I will never accept any appointment. But I will always give my advice whenever it is needed,” he said.’’

  • Falana urges youths to engage in politics for better Nigeria

    Falana urges youths to engage in politics for better Nigeria

    Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), on Monday urged youths to engage more in politics to achieve a new Nigeria.Falana made the call during the 2021 Felabration Symposium, held at Ikeja, Lagos.The theme for this year’s Felabration celebration is “Viva Nigeria”.The theme was picked from late Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s old music titled: ” Viva Africa”, which talked about the essence of staying united as Africans.Our correspondent reports that Felabration is an annual music festival conceived in 1998, by Yemi Kuti, in memory and celebration of her father, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, a Nigerian musician and human rights activist known for pioneering the Afrobeat genre of music.Falana, who was late Fela’s lawyer, said that with more organisational capacity, Nigerian youths would contribute more to the growth and development of the country.“Nigerian youths need to get engaged politically, they have roles to play in the struggle for a new Nigeria,” he said.Falana, who recounted the achievements of late Fela said that due to the fact that he talked, acted and sang about Nigerian problems, the late musician was able to correct some societal anomalies.He said that the Anti-torture Act was enacted in 2017 due to late Fela’s clamour that no Nigerian should be subjected to torture in a police station.Tony Nnadi, Secretary General, Lower Niger Congress, urged the Federal Government to work and ensure the amendment of the 1999 constitution.Nnadi said that the content of the constitution worked against the progress of the nation, giving more power and preference to some regions at the detriment of other regions.Arinola Oloko, a certified Mediation Advisor, said that the 1999 constitution does not support women, youths and the physically challenged and as such needed to be changed.Oloko called for the autonomy of the local government to be able to control their finances which would give room for sporadic development at the grassroots.“As citizens of Nigeria, we must be deliberate to make changes in the nation, we need to organise and be united to make the change a reality,” she said.Seun Kuti, son of the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti,  suggested that for the constitution to be amended, the youth must engage the people in power politically to ensure the constitution was changed to benefit the six geo-political zones.“Protest, rally, demonstration will not change the constitution because the ordinary citizens do not have the power to do so,” he said.Kuti called on Nigerian leaders to be empathetic for the less privilege and ensure that the rule of law played out.He said the problem of terrorism in the country was due to high level of poverty and unemployment.Kuti urged government to embrace policies that would enhance job creation in the country.“Am not an anarchist, we need to organise ourselves, youths are only a reflection of the society, we don’t have the power to change the society but when the Nigerian professionals engage the youth, we will have a better society,” he said.

  • How Global Politics Hampers FGs Fight Against Insecurity

    How Global Politics Hampers FGs Fight Against Insecurity

    By Muhammad Goronyo, Sokoto

    ….as stakeholders checkmate preponderance of crimes

    Concerted efforts by the Federal Government and numerous stakeholders in the country to checkmate the preponderance of crimes and criminalities across the country have been thwarted in some ways by the politics of arms sales rolled out by arms manufacturers and their governments in the world.

    Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto state stated this on Wednesday while condoling people of Goronyo, Sabon Birni and Isa local government areas in the Eastern flank of the state over the recent bandits attacks in the areas.

    According to him, although the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is doing its best possible to end the spate of insecurity in the country, this is difficult to attain because of the ‘end users’ requirements of arms manufacturers abroad and the stipulations of their respective governments as to who or what country should procure arms and ammunition.

    “Try as the government of PMB may, Nigeria does not manufacture arms and ammunition. So, it has has to buy these from foreign countries where the arms manufacturers are situated.

    “Invariably, this makes it a victim of global arms purveying politics which determines who purchases what weapons and to what use he is going to put it.

    “There is no doubt that what is largely required in the fight against insecurity are high grade weapons and munitions, but where the procurement of such is teleguided by the interests of the producers and sellers, the government of the day will certainly witness the kind of drawbacks we have been witnessing over time in recent years,” Gov. Tambuwal said.

    He explained that despite efforts by state governors in the country, who have unanimously agreed to the deduction of $1 billion in three to four years from their lean accruals from the federal government for the purchase of working equipment for the security agencies in the country, the insecurity situation is yet to abate.

    He, however, added that all these snags will not deter the Sokoto state government from working closely with the federal government and security agencies in the state to ensure that peace is established troubled areas of the state, as over time the northern governors have met several times with the president and assured him of their total support towards addressing the security challenges in their areas.

    The Governor urged the federal government to recruit more security personnel and provide them with enough facilities, reassuring that the state government, which has since its inception six years ago donated 450 vehicles, in addition to other logistic support, to security agencies in the state, will continue to do more to strengthen their operations.

    He pledged that soon the state government will provide vehicles and allowances to lawfully constituted vigilante groups who will work under the supervision of security agencies in the state so as to curb the security challenges in the crime-prone areas.

    Turning to the communities under siege, Gov. Tambuwal appealed to them to expose informants in their midst who supply information to the criminals on the movement of people and goods.

    “Informants are our enemies. We must take appropriate measures to address their activities. Even if an informant is your son or your daughter, please let the government know. We are ready to take tackle them by bringing them to book lawfully,” he assured.

    He also urged people of the state to stop playing politics with security issues, stating that the criminals don’t categorize their victims into tribes, political parties or religion they subscribe to. Instead, they attack people irrespective of leanings or convictions.

    He appealed to traditional rulers and clerics in the state to continue to pray to Almighty Allah in order for the government to re-establish peace in the state and the country in general.

    Praying for the repose of the souls of those who lost their lives to the brigandage of marauders, Gov. Tambuwal expressed satisfaction over the manner in which relief materials the government provided to the IDPs in the affected areas were distributed.

    Twenty four hours before the Governor’s sympathy visit a committee mandated by the state government had, on Tuesday, distributed food items to the victims of bandits’ attacks at Sabon Birni and Goronyo local government areas.

    The items distributed at Sabon Birni include 300 bags of millet,200 sacks of rice, 300 sacks of gari, 60 gallons of oil, 30 jerry cans of palm oil, 30 sacks of sugar,12 sacks of salt,15 sacks of beans, while Goronyo received 200 sacks of millet, 100 sacks of rice, 200 sacks of gari, 40 jerry cans of groundnut oil, 20 jerry cans of palm oil, 8 sacks of salt, 20 sacks of sugar among other items.

    Speaking while handing over the items to the chairmen of the local government areas, the Commissioner of Solid Minerals, Maikudi Abubakar Sabon Birni, charged the Chairmen to ensure equitable distribution of the items to the affected IDPs.

    He also prayed Allah to bring peace and sanity to the area, state and country in general; and also to prevent future reoccurrence of the incident.

    In their seperate remarks, the chairmen of the areas, Hon Abdulwahab Yahaya Goronyo and that of Sabon Birni, Umar Dan Yaro Unguwar Lalle, who received the food items on behalf of the victims of their respective areas commended the state government for its prompt response geared towards further alleviating the plight of the affected victims, assuring that the items will be shared among affected victims without any fear or favour.

    Also speaking, some members of the state government delegation: Professor Mansur Ibrahim and Malam Lawal Maidoki charged the IDPs to take the incident as destiny and will of Allah.

    They also appealed to them to intensify prayers in order to seek Allah’s intervention for the sustenance of peace and harmony.

    Other members of the committee include, the federal legislators representing Sabon Birni/ Isah constituencies, Hon. Saidu Bargaja, the Special Advisers to the Governor on emergency management and political affairs.