Politics

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

A chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Dr AB Baffa , said Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso is the most prepared and qualified candidate for the Nigeria’s presidency.

Kwankwaso is the presidential flagbearer of the NNPP.

Dr AB Baffa, who is also the NNPP’s candidate for Kano North Senatorial District in the forthcoming general election, disclosed this in an open letter addressed to Kwankwasiyya members and NNPP supporters on Monday.

According to Dr Baffa, Kwankwaso’s political trajectory and experience as a former parliamentarian, minister, diplomat and governor stood him out amongst the contenders for the presidency.

He further explained that Kwankwaso’s educational qualifications to the level of PhD are verifiable and undisputed.

The letter reads in part :
“Dare I remind you that our Party, the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, is the only party that fielded the most competent and the most experienced patriot with over four decades of hands-on experience in governance and
Leadership at the civil service, the executive, the legislature, the security, as well as the diplomatic levels, as its Presidential Candidate.”

“Dare I remind you that our Party, the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, Presidential candidate has over 17 years of experience in the civil service, was the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, was a member
of the Constitution Conference, is a Class 1999 Governor, was a Minister of Defence, was a Special Envoy to Darfur and Somalia, was a member of the Board of Niger-Delta Development Commission, NDDC, is a Class 2011 Governor, and he was a Senator of the Federal Republic.”

“Dare I remind you that our Party, the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, has fielded the most properly educated Presidential Candidate in the history of our democracy with traceable and verifiable educational qualifications from Primary School, to Boarding Senior Primary School, to Crafts School, to Technical College (where he obtained his City & Guild certificate), to Polytechnics (where he obtained his National Diploma and Higher National Diploma), and up to Universitiesin the UK and India (where he obtained his Masters and PhD in Water Resources Engineering respectively).”

 By Zayyad I. Muhammad

Outspoken northern politician and a former Presidential Campaign Council Director for the Civil Society Organization of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Naja’atu Bala Muhammad, has said that the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu does not have a blueprint for the North’s development.

Naja’atu was quoted to have said, “I met with Tinubu in London, and he told me he doesn’t have a blueprint for the North”. In short, Naja’atu implied that Tinubu didn’t know what to offer to the north.

In its response to Naja’atu, APC Presidential Campaign Council, through a statement by Mahmud Jega, its adviser in public affairs, said, Naja’atu was sacked for incompetence, quarrelsomeness, and after being uncovered to be a mole planted in APC’s winning campaign.

To many people in the north, Naja’atu’s accusations were ‘heavy’ and ‘Tinubu does have any agenda for the North’s progress’. However, Naja’atu’s accusation became ‘weightless because, less than 48 hours after, she resigned from the APC and quit partisan politics, and accused Tinubu of having no blueprint for the north, she was seen at Atiku Abubakar’s residence and joined the Atiku’s campaign train.

Political pundits are of the view that no serious presidential candidate, whose candidature was 75%-made possible by the Northern APC Governors Forum, will carelessly open his mouth and say he doesn’t have a blueprint for a particular region, especially the north with its massive attractive votes.

Naja’atu Mohammed was just playing politics. Nevertheless. Let’s ‘keep’ Naja’atu aside; the big questions are: does Tinubu have any blueprint for the north?  If yes, is it what the north needs after 8 years of being in power at the centre?

The basic issue facing the north is insecurity- banditry, farmers-herders conflict, and poverty. To be fair to President Buhari and the APC, they did some well-done jobs in the agricultural sector, restoration of security in communities in the northeast, provision of new infrastructure, and the rehabilitation of the old ones, including the successes in the social intervention programs; especially petty cash distribution to the masses.

On October 17, 2022, Tinubu, at Arewa House, told the north his blueprint for the region. He said he would fight bandits and terrorists with technology which Buhari just started in 2022. Tinubu said he would turn the North’s fertile land into grain fields, and the North would become the hub of agriculture. The dairy economy and agro-allied industries will be promoted.  He said he would accelerate the Mambila Project and rejuvenate the existing power Stations. He assured to exploit of the gold in Zamfara and iron ore in Kogi State.

Tinubu also promised to bring back to school the millions of North’s out-of-school children through incentives. He further promised to create a special commission for Almajiri education, including employing Almajiri’s teachers.

Are Tinubu’s promises to the north enough and in line with the region’s needs and wants? Some political pundits believe that the promises are good, but development experts say the north needs more and a new approach, thoughts that resonate with this writer. Apart from these promises, the north extremely needs some strong-willed approach to the current monster of banditry in the northwest – a calculated crime that is as complex as Nigeria. A deployment of massive force and technology against the bandits in the villages where they operate is compulsory.

The North also needs a special economic recovery program in the area of youth empowerment, poverty reduction, and the uplift of business people.

President Buhari, in his own intuition, tried to tackle these issues by appointing many seasoned northerners into various positions of authority. But this has not worked. in fact, this political patronage strategy has failed. Most of the president’s appointees from the north have not served as a link between the president and his support base nor effectively reached the poor, who formed Buhari’s 12 million supporters, which APC is still banking-on.

As part of the agenda for the North, Tinubu, in his campaign, promises the region should also promise the north that- he will identify 50-100 business people and business enthusiasts in the north and assist them directly in their area of competence or choice. Imagine the impact new billionaires would have in the business sector, like new industries in the manufacturing and agricultural value chain, ICT, media, trading, etc.

Tinubu’s promise to North’s youth is still hazy. Since the North’s young people have lost in their quest to clinch the APC Vice Presidential candidate ticket, though, few young people have benefited from the APC Youth Wing appointments,  but most of the positions were not influential and direct, like the appointment of Abdulrasheed Bawa as EFCC Chairman, which got massive commendation throughout the country, with young northerners feeling well-recognized. Tinubu should directly ‘talk’ to the North’s youth via important and strategic appointments in his campaign council; bringing on more youngsters from the north would be a joker card in the north.

Most people support Tinubu in the north on the belief that he is a ‘builder’ of people. So the north expects from Tinubu three more things on his blueprint for the north- a promise to  ‘build’ some people who can as well build thousands of others and new businesses, to have direct contact with the youth – meaning using his today for their tomorrow; lastly, to confront head-on the senseless insecurity in the northwest, which is not just mere banditry.

Zayyad I. Muhammad writes from Abuja via zaymohd@yahoo.com.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

A former Director in the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hajiya Naja’atu Muhammad, has declared her support for the Kano gubernatorial candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, Abba Kabir Yusuf, alias Abba Gida-Gida. 

On Arise Television’s Morning Show programme, Naja’atu disclosed her reasons for resigning from the PCC-APC and other reasons for supporting other candidates in the forthcoming election. 

She said while she would not be a card-carrying member of any political party, she would support the Kano NNPP’s gubernatorial candidate, Abba Gida-Gida.

She also disclosed that she would support former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for President and Aisha Binani of the APC for governor of Adamawa state. 

Explaining her reason for choosing Atiku over Tinubu, she said Tinubu is the devil and Atiku is the deep sea. 

She also alleged that the APC’s Presidential Candidate, Bola Ahmad Tinubu, is physically and mentally unfit to lead Nigerians.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

A former Director in the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Hajia Naja’atu Muhammad has disclosed that Tinubu told her he has nothing to offer the North if elected Nigerian President.

Mrs Muhammad said that Tinubu told her he had no blueprint for tackling insecurity in the North during a meeting in London.

She disclosed this while giving reasons for her resignation from the APC and partisan politics.

On Arise Television’s programme, Morning Show, Naja’atu said: “I met with Tinubu in London and he told me “I don’t have a blueprint for tackling insecurity in the North; if I have I might be killed.”

“Having a blueprint for tackling insecurity in the North would mean I will be stepping on so many toes “

“He has been urging me to take the appointment and I refused.”

The Daily Reality had reported the resignation of Mrs Muhammad from the APC and Tinubu’s campaign team. She had resigned after claims that the APC lacks political ideology and is not any different from other political parties

However, Tinubu’s campaign team said she is incompetent and was fired for being a spy.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The opposition political parties have urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) not to bow to pressure on the extension of the deadline for phasing out old naira notes in the country.

The CBN Governor, Godwin Emeifele, has identified the 31st of January as the deadline, the decision many people continue to criticize due to the unavailability of the new naira notes.

As the deadline is approaching, the banks in Kano and other states across the country are congested with people who go there to cash out the new naira notes and deposit the old ones.

Several authority figures in the National Hause of Assembly, including the state governors, the likes of Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, have asked the CBN governor to shift the deadline.

However, the opposition political parties urged the CBN governor not to extend the date, adding that the decision would seriously affect the Presidential Candidate of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Labour Party (LP) and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) said these views Friday in separate interviews in Abuja.

Tinubu is frustrated – PDP

Mr Phrank Shaibu, the spokesperson for the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, said Tinubu is frustrated with the decision.

He stated, “Tinubu is obviously frustrated by his inability to stop the cashless policy and currency redesign of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) that will curb vote buying and enhance the credibility of next month’s election, he has begun crying over his imminent defeat.

“Even though the CBN policy affects all 18 political parties, APC is the only one frustrated because their plan to deploy bullion vans and bribe poor voters and security agents on the day of election has failed woefully.”

Naira redesign is a patriotic decision – ZLP

Speaking in a similar vein, the Presidential Candidate of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Chief Dan Nwanyanwu, described the CBN Naira redesign policy as a patriotic decision which should be supported by all.

He said, “I want to use this opportunity to call on Godwin Emefiele, governor of the central bank, not to succumb or listen to anybody from anywhere suggesting that there should be an extension for the return of the old note back to the bank.

“His name will be written in gold if he gets this thing done. And on the part of the President, his mantra failed Nigerians, and he has come up to tell Nigerians that he will ensure free and fair elections.

“I want to say that the decision taken by the central bank of Nigeria and with the approval by President Buhari is the best for this nation.

“It is a patriotic decision taken by CBN as it relates to the new banknote and the time stipulated for the removal of the old note.”

He further said, “We have been in this country and people given the responsibility to serve to go there to help themselves.

“They steal the money and put it to personal use. They don’t use it to even develop their environment.

“They stack the money at home, in septic tanks, in the farm, and some of these funds have been there for more than ten, fifteen years, idling away. So why do you steal what you do not need?

“So, the CBN had to put on its thinking cap. Those categories of naira notes, if not returned before the date stipulated by CBN, would become toilet paper.

“That is, will be of no use. Now people are afraid to take these notes to the banks for fear of being identified.

“Billions and millions of naira notes are still in the homes of some people. It is either they take the courage to bring it to the banks, or by the end of next week, they become toilet paper. 

“This is one way to ensure free and fair elections by making we politicians not have access to money to buy votes.

“So, whether they are National Assembly members or anybody whatsoever who is opposed to this is very unpatriotic.

“Must you carry cash in all your transaction? Go and do the transfer? Let us not cry, we have been enduring for seven and half years.

“This money will get back into circulation immediately after the election, and I suspect CBN will release a little so that Nigeria will have some money in their hands. Those crying are crying because they want money to go and buy votes.

“Emefiele, don’t succumb, you have the support of most Nigerians. Over 95 per cent of Nigerians are behind you in this regard.”

APC plays cash and carry politics – LP

Also, the National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Dr Yunusa Tanko, said, “We are not surprised that those at the forefront of cash and carry politics, who are used to deploying bullion vans for election purposes, are the ones complaining about this laudable government policy targeted at curbing inflation.

“Look at the inflation figures today, inflation numbers are coming down. The CBN must not back down, the bank should insist on the January 31st date to prevent a situation where those who have stashed billions in their closet with the aim of buying votes will be denied that opportunity. “

By Muhammadu Sabiu

The presidential candidate in the 2023 election under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has called on the Central Bank of Nigeria to extend the deadline for the exchange of old naira notes.

This was contained in an address posted on his verified Facebook Hausa page.

Recall that a CBN policy says that the old naira notes in circulation will cease to be legal tender on January 31, 2023.

Commenting about the deadline, Atiku Abubakar noted that such a policy is practised worldwide due to its impact on the economy, adding that Nigerians, at this critical moment, need an extension of the deadline.

He was quoted as saying, “There is no doubt that the CBN policy has generated heated debates within and outside Nigeria.

“It should be noted that the change of currency is a normal practice from time to time—it is not something new.

“Looking at the fact that the January 31st deadline is drawing nearer, patriotic Nigerians are expressing their fear of the policy worsening the situation of Nigerians.

“It would be difficult for many people who do not transact online to have their old notes changed before the deadline.

“While we will continue to educate people on the policy, it’s important for the CBN to consider extending the deadline.”

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The Osun Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Osogbo, Osun State capital has in a judgement delivered in the early hours of Friday ordered that Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke be removed from office and the certificate of returns given to him be withdrawn with immediate effect.

The Presiding Judge of the panel, Justice Tertsea Kume, while reading the judgement of the tribunal said that the conduct of the election flagrantly violates the electoral act.

Justice Kume explained that the election was rigged in six polling units to the detriment of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He further stated that, after the deduction of valid votes vast from the over-voting at these polling units, Adegboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) polled 314,941 and therefore the rightful winner of the election while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Ademola Adeleke polled 290, 266.

By Aisar Fagge

There has been a remour in circulation that President Muhammadu Buhari will commission the Dangote Refinery during his visit to Lagos state.

However, the Management of Dangote Industries Limited debunked the widespread romour, noting that the information was entirely misleading.

The Chief of the Group, Anthony Chiejina, made this disclosure in a statement he signed and issued to journalists.

The statement reads; “Our attention has been drawn to some misleading reports regarding the commissioning of our Dangote Refinery during the present working visit of President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR to Lagos State.

“We want to state categorically that our 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) Refinery project was never part of the President’s programme on projects to be commissioned.

“For the record, the projects slated for commissioning in Lagos State by President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR include: Lekki Deep Sea Port; 32-Metric Tonnes Lagos Rice Mill, Imota; 18.75km Eleko to Epe T Junction Express road; John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History, Onikan, Blue Line Rail (Phase 1) commissioning (Marina to Mile 2); Groundbreaking for the Blue Line Rail Phase 2 (Mile 2 to Okokomaiko), and MRS Lubricant, a private project in Apapa.

“However, our Refinery will be commissioned before President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR formally leaves office in May, 2023, and the public will be duly informed and invited to the epic event,” the statement concluded.

By Muhammad Sabiu

The Nigerian Senate has urged the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to extend the window for exchanging old Naira bills from January 31 to May 31, 2023.
 
Sen. Sadiq Umar of the APC from Kwara North originally moved for an extension until July 31 because he was concerned about the apex bank’s insistence that there would be no such extension.
 
Recall that the CBN declared in October of last year that the old naira notes will no longer be accepted as legal money as of January 31.
 
However in December, the Senate approved a resolution asking the CBN to extend the deadline to June 30.
 
Umar introduced the motion, saying that the Senate had asked that the CBN extend the use of the old notes from January 31 to June 30, 2022, but the central bank had insisted on the January deadline.
 
Lamenting the situation, the lawmakers noted that there aren’t enough fresh naira notes in circulation.
 
He was quoted as saying: “Experiences around the world have shown that such abrupt decision if not controlled usually created chaos.
 
“The Senate should extend the use of the old notes to July 31,” he said.
 
Also lamenting is Sen. Biodun Olujimi (PDP-Ekiti) who urged the apex bank to “look away from the elections” after noting that 90% of people in her local government area have not even set their eyes on the new naira notes.

By Muhammad Sulaiman Abdullahi, PhD

Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso’s NNPP has seemingly become the nightmare of many politicians in the Northern and Southern parts of Nigeria. This is simply because many Nigerians are not truly yearning for a better country.

Some Southern press, especially those who used to set the agenda for the country years ago, downplay Kwankwaso’s candidature and deliberately omit, ignore and replace Kwankwaso’s more prominent and more formidable party with someone who is not known beyond Twitter in their coverage.

The Southern press may be scared of Kwankwaso due to several reasons. These could be myopia, tribalism, regionalism, and religious mischief. Yes! I agree that Atiku Abubakar of the PDP and Asiwaju Bola Tinunbu of the APC may be considered as forefront candidates in some contexts. Thus, they may be regarded to be above Kwankwaso in terms of age, venturing into national politics, and political spread but nothing more.

Kwankwaso is naturally ahead of them in terms of integrity, health, foresight, political sagacity and shrewdness, and above all, the love and commitment towards the development of Nigeria. Moreover, his academic credentials are higher than all those who are contesting.

Furthermore, the Southern press thought they could do as they wished without being noticed. So, they cunningly choose to propagate one Yoruba (Tinubu), one Hausa (Atiku) and Peter Obi (Igbo). The latter cannot even publicly and unambiguously condemn the IPOB secessionists’ evil atrocities. Does he even believe in one indivisible Nigeria himself?

The Southern press is not alone in this mischief and tribalism. Some Northern writers who are, to some extent, their puppies and puppets downgrade Kwankwaso and fail to point out a single reason. They even tag him as a local champion. What is bad in being a local champion? All champions should be local, otherwise they don’t have any base.

If you check newspapers, both print and online, such as Vanguard, the Guardian, Punch, Premium Times and the likes, they are at the forefront of this amateur journalism. How can someone be so glaringly subjective in their journalism to the extent that even a blind can see? What kind of a country is this? Are they not aware of Kwankwaso’s credentials and positive antecedents? Are they unaware of how Kwankwaso transformed and developed Kano rapidly? How on earth can you compare Kwankwaso to all those contesting if someone is sensible and objective in his assessment? Most of them are either tribalistic or looking for big brown envelops filled with foreign currency.

These Southern press are not helping matters and are not objective. They are so divisive and tribalistic. To borrow from Orubebe’s outrage when he intended to save the nation from the ongoing catastrophe this Buhari-led government brought, while referring to Jega, he said: You are tribalistic. You are myopic, and we can’t take it!

Finally, the Southern media has achieved much in their agenda-setting warfare. Even some international media outlets borrow a leaf from them and mention Atiku, Tinubu and the other Igbo guy and, conspicuously, leave out Kwankwaso.

However, suppose we are to be sincerely and patriotically fair, let us put all the leading contenders on a scale of preference which is based on capacity and capability and see what happens. In that case, Kwankwaso is the best, followed by the Igbo man, and then Atiku while Tinunbu comes last. At least if they are to be objective, we have four leading contenders and not three, as they are falsely portraying.

Our votes are for Kwankwaso. And he will surely get more than many corrupt contenders and will win the presidential elections.

Muhammad Sulaiman Abdullahi, PhD, wrote from Kano. He can be reached via muhammadunfagge@yahoo.com. @muhammadunfagge.