Politics

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.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

A campaign director of the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmad Tinubu, has resigned from her position.

Najatu Muhammad was the Director of the Civil Society Directorate of the APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) before her resignation on Thursday, January 19, 2023.  

Ms Muhammad, in a letter, addressed to the National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Adamu, said she is resigning from partisan politics due to a lack of ideological differences amongst political parties.

The letter reads in part, “In line with article 9.5 (i) of the Constitution of the All Progressives Congress (APC), I am writing to you to intimate you of my resignation from the All Progressive Congress (APC). I am by this letter also informing you of my resignation as the Director of the Civil Society directorate of the Presidential Campaign Council of the APC.

“It has been a great honour working with you (Mr Adamu) to contribute towards the building of our dear nation. However, a number of recent developments in the country’s political and democratic space make it impossible for me to continue to participate in party politics.” 

Ms Muhammad is the third member of the PCC to officially resign from the Council. In early January, Ahmed Ibeto and Zanna Ali resigned. 

Ahmed Ibeto, The Assistant Secretary of the North-central Directorate of Mobilization, in a letter dated January 3, 2023, which was addressed to the APC Ibelu Central Ward, Magama Local Government, Niger State, said his resignation was due to lack of unity of purpose and unending litigations, among others.

Another PCC member, Zanna Ali, a member of the Directorate of Youth Mobilization, North-east, also said his resignation was based on the inability of the ruling party to present a credible presidential candidate.

By Sumayyah Auwal Ishaq

The Kaduna State youth leader of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Aliyu Bello, has affirmed that the PDP Presidential candidate in the 2023 Presidential election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar remains the best among the presidential candidates in the presidential race.

Alhaji Bello said that Atiku has the prerequisite experience, contacts internationally and across the country, and has impacted many lives through his philanthropic works.

While speaking with The Daily Reality reporter, he disclosed that Atiku understands how to bring deliberate steps and actions to create big ripple effects that can impact an economy and make life far more abundant for the people in the country. 

He urged Nigerians of voting age to pick up their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) from the various Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) offices in their localities to participate in the forthcoming general elections.

By Ibrahim Alhamdu

The name Senator Ishaku Abbo, of the senator representing Adamawa north, is synonymous to controversies. Abbo, being one of the youngest senators in the Nigerian 9th senate, is always at the center of one controversy or another, which resulted in his condemnation by many people in his constituency – Adamawa north in Adamawa State and the entire northern Nigeria as a whole.

Before the inauguration of Abbo at the hallowed chamber of the Nigerian senate, a video clip of him physically assaulting a lady at a sex toy shop surfaced. After he physically assaulted the lady in the video, Abbo was seen ordering his police orderly to further arrest the lady he allegedly assaulted for taking sides with the shop owner. The incident generated so much angry reaction from Nigerians on social media and on the streets, which brought disrepute not only to Abbo, but his constituency and his political party. Though, days after the incident, Senator Abbo was arrested by the police who held him for a night, before granting him bail “after meeting a set of administrative conditions for his bond”. He later apologized: he said he was sorry for what happened, adding that regardless of the provocation, his action did not portray him as a good ambassador of the Senate, the PDP, and the youths of Nigeria.

However, all of a sudden, on July 10, 2019, at the Senate hearing of Senator Elisha Abbo over his sex toy shop assault on a lady, there was an intense argument between Senator Oluremi Tinubu and Senator Abbo, while trying to emphasize the extent of the damage to the Senate body and her feeling as a woman, Senator Tinubu, expressed the embarrassment which the youngest Senator in the ninth Senate has brought to the entire National Assembly, but Senator Abbo, in his usual uncouth manner attacked Senator Remi defiantly.

The heat was so intense on Senator Abbo, as women’s groups, civil society movements, students unions, political groups, teams of lawyers and other common people frowned and condemned Abbo’s actions both at the sex toy shop and at the senate hearing, calling for his prosecution.

On September 28, 2020, an FCT High Court found Senator Abbo guilty of the offense. Delivering the judgment the judge ordered him to pay the sum of N50 million to the complainant, Osimibibra Warmate

In his usual character, around October 2019, Abbo picked a ‘fight’ with his governor- Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State. Abbo accused Governor Fintiri of being an ‘Alpha and Omega’ who parades himself as a demi-god, running the PDP like a ‘gangster’, Abbo went to the extent of describing Gov. Fintiri as a ‘small man’ with a big office. When Abbo finally realized that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) wouldl expel him, he defected to the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) where his “sins” would automatically be forgiven.

However, after the APC accepted and admitted Abbo, the trend of his unnecessary political fight, use of excessive and offensive language which causes tension among people continued bitterly. His open campaign and criticism against his party’s Muslim-Muslim ticket, including criticizing the APC presidential flag-bearer, Bola Tinubu, on national television didn’t come as a surprise to many who knew his antecedents. These led to his expulsion by APC Mubi North Local Government Area on 7th October, 2022, for allegedly engaging in anti-party activities and tampering with the process of internal democracy of the party.

On January 11, 2023, the Adamawa State High Court of Justice No. 3, presided by Hon. Justice Danladi Mohammed, sacked Senator Abbo as APC Senatorial Candidate for Adamawa North, saying he is not entitled to seek re-election since he was expelled. Justice Danladi, held that Senator Abbo and APC are bound by the resolution of Mubi North LG Exco dated 7th October 2022, which expelled him, saying that he is not entitled to enjoy any right or privilege accorded to the APC members.

While responding to the judgment, Senator Abbo, said, the judgment is just a ‘child-play’- saying in Hausa- “Kare ya taka Nera ya wuce bai san kuɗi ba”. Abbo said – the judge is wrong and just wasting his time, peoples’ time, and the Senator’s time. But Abbo promised to appeal the judgment.

Now the question is; has Abbo truly lost his ticket?

Many legal experts are of the view that Senator Ishaku Abbo has lost the ticket, because, people saying that the state high court lacks jurisdiction on such matters, are wrong. Section 6, Subsection (3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria explains all the intricacies and the law has fully explains it all.

But what about a change of candidate? The electoral Act 2022 says: A political party shall not be allowed to change or substitute its candidate whose name has been submitted under section 29 of the Act, except in the case of death or withdrawal by the candidate: Senator Abbo is neither dead nor withdrawn his candidature. Many legal experts say the Nigerian Constitution supersedes the provisions in any other laws; a competent court of law has agreed and validated what the 29-member committee of APC Mubi North LGA, did – the expulsion of Senator Ishaku Abbo, thus, the judgment is bound on Abbo, APC and INEC, the only doctrine of necessity available to the APC and INEC is to accept the person that came second in the primary election that produced Abbo.

Some political pundits are of the view that this court judgment is a golden opportunity for the APC to easily replace Senator Abbo who has been in anti-party activities criticizing the party, its presidential and vice presidential candidates including other leaders of the party, bringing disrepute and low esteem to the whole APC.

Ibrahim Alhamdu is a social and political commentator. He writes from Abuja, Nigeria.

Sumayyah Auwal Ishaq

The Kaduna Gubernatorial debate by the BBC Hausa Service has ended with four governorship aspirants airing their varied opinions on how to move the state forward. After Kano’s debate on the weekend, Kaduna is the second of the five selected northern Nigerian states BBC plans to organise the debate before the 2023 elections.

The debate was hosted at Kaduna State University. Leading participants included Senator Uba Sani (All Progressive Congress, APC), Isah Ashiru (People’s Democratic Party, PDP), and Sulaiman Uthman Hunkuyi (New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP).

The debate had the aspirants speaking on issues ranging from security, economy, infrastructure, education, job creation, and health, among others. 

While the candidates differed on the methods with which they would take Kaduna to a higher echelon, they agreed that peace and security would play a key role in driving the process of development in the state. 

After the debate, the candidates exchanged pleasantries and left the hall with their supporters.

By Aisar Fagge

Dauda Lawal, a governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Monday held Gusau, the capital of Zamfara state to a standstill as thousands of his supporters defied security threats to attend his mega rally.

Lawal held the maiden rally after an Appeal Court in Sokoto reinstated him as the PDP governorship candidate, following the nullification of his primary election by a High Court in Gusau.

Thousands of the PDP supporters, from virtually all the 14 Local Government areas of the APC controlled state thronged Gusau to express their support to the party’s flagbearer.

It was observed that Gusau wore a new look on Monday following the huge crowd of the PDP faithful that graced the rally.

Business activities had been paralysed in Gusau as the crowd caused traffic gridlock around the city, especially on the roads leading to the venue of the rally.

Addressing the mammoth crowd when he arrived at the venue on open van, the PDP candidate promised to restore peace in the state ravaged by the activities of bandits.

He also pledged to improve economy, education, health and agriculture in the state.

According to him, Zamfara needs a robust and effective leadership to be revived, especially with the current insecurity bidevelling the state, noting that only PDP has the wherewithal to achieve that.

“Today is a historic day. Today true democracy is being played. We are overwhelmed with this massive crowd. This show that people of Zamfara are ready and want change.

“We will not let you down. We will not disappoint you. You know we impacted your life even when we are out in power. If you elect us, we will do better.

“If you elect me as your governor, i will ensure security is restored in our dear state. We have mechanism and strategies to achieve that.

“I will improve security, health, economy and agriculture, the glory of our state. We will restore our farming activities by God’s grace,” Lawal said.

Some of the PDP faithful that spoke to journalists said they would vote for Lawal because of his resolve to help the poor and the vulnerable.

They said the candidate had impacted the life of many of the people of Zamfara, especially the downtrodden.

“This man, has never been in power but he is doing what even the government is not doing. He helps orphans, widows, physically challenge, executed many projects in communities.

“This man has offered scholarships to hundreds of students, offered empowerment to women and youths, no wonder you see this massive crowd,” said Adamu Nuhu, a PDP supporter.

Another party’s stalwart, Mairo Magaji, said she came from Shinkafi to witness the rally because of what Lawal is doing to people.

She said she has reserved her vote for him in order to support him attain power to continue serving the people of the state.

By Uzair Adam Imam

No fewer than 7 Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) supporters died and 32 others injured in a truck accident Saturday in Plateau state.

The victims were reportedly returning from a Zonal rally at Pankshin local government area, the headquarters of Plateau Central Senatorial zone.

Our reporters gathered that the truck, which conveyed the victims, crashed at Jwak village close to the Panyam bridge in the Mangu local government area.

The Director, Directorate of Media and Publicity, Atiku-Okowa/Mutfwang-Piyo Campaign Council, Yiljap Abraham, confirmed the traumatic incident to journalists in a statement.

Abraham in a statement said, “It has been confirmed that seven people lost their lives in the road accident on Saturday evening involving supporters of the Plateau State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party.

“They were returning from the PDP flag-off and zonal rally held at Pankshin when their truck crashed on a slope between Pushit and the Panyam bridge in Mangu Local Government Area.

“32 of the passengers sustained varying degrees of injuries. 21 have been taken to Nissi Dominus hospital Mangu, one is at Nanret clinic Mangu and 10 are at the Jos University Teaching Hospital, JUTH.

“Two have been adjudged to be in critical condition with one undergoing emergency surgery at Nissi Dominus hospital. Meantime, the corpses have been removed from the scene and deposited at Allah Na Kowa hospital, Nissi Dominus hospital, and Mangu Cottage hospital.

“The evacuations were coordinated by the Medical Team of the Campaign Council headed by Dr. Juryit, some personal staff of the PDP Governorship Candidate, Barr Caleb Mutfwang with the aid of many sympathizers.

“In his initial reaction, Barr Mutfwang expressed shock at the tragedy. He has asked for prayers and every support to be extended to the grieving families and healing for those injured,” he added.

By Uzair Adam Imam  

Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State and his former boss, Dr Rabi`u Musa Kwankwaso, the Presidential Candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), have continued to trade words over Kano votes in the forthcoming general elections of 2023.

Ganduje, while addressing his party`s supporters, said Kano people would vote for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Presidential Candidate of All Progressive Congress (APC), against Kwankwaso, who is a citizen of the state.

He added that Kano would repeat what happened in the 1993 presidential election when the state supported a Southern candidate, the late MKO Abiola, against its citizen, the late Bashir Tofa.

However, responding to what Ganduje had said in a statement, Kwankwaso stated that whoever works against him in Kano in the forthcoming election would regret it.

Kwankwaso said, “I had a rally not long ago, which was one of the best rallies. I had one in Wudil, the southern senatorial district. I had one in Bichi, northern senatorial district. I opened my office in Kano Central, and one of the best rallies because you can’t compare it with the ones by some of the candidates who had crowds that came to Kano from neighbouring states and so on.

“Now, you see, I don’t want to talk about that man. I don’t know whether he said it or not. But the reality is that anybody who works against NNPP or Kwankwaso in 2023 one day will regret it, that he made a mistake.

“Anybody who knows me, who knows my antecedents, believes that, if I win this presidential election, Kano will have maximum benefit. Of course, northern Nigeria will benefit and, of course, the country.

“So, I am surprised if you go and say I should hold a rally. I have done many rallies in Kano. In just recent months, January and December in Kano, in all three senatorial districts. So, what is the problem with holding a rally in Kano?”