Against appeals by a pro-Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu group to the Independent National Electoral Commission to disqualify Mr Peter Obi from contesting the 2023 presidential election over the $150m Diaspora donations he received, Obi’s running mate, Sunday, gave reasons for the gesture.
Obi is the presidential candidate of the Labour Party while Dr Datti Baba-Ahmed is his running mate.
Dr Ahmed said the donors had confidence in Obi, and challenged other presidential candidates to travel overseas to get donations. He stated this in his verified Twitter handle.
According to him, “Tinubu group asking Inec to disqualify Obi over $150m diaspora funding. Now do you think anyone would wish to donate their hard earned money if they don’t see a messiah in Obi? Anyway let any of the presidential aspirants visit US. I want to see something.”
Recall that the Tinubu-Shettima Connect, rooting for the election of Senator Tinubu, presidential candidate of of the Progressive Congress in 2023, asked INEC to disqualify Obi and his running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, for soliciting funds from Nigerians in the diaspora.
The group, in a statement by its convener, Adebanjo Moyosore, said such was against the Electoral Act 2022.
According to the statement, “It is a matter of great public concern as the country has moved from its old practice with INEC trying to put perfection to the electoral process.
“Unfortunately, a few individuals who think they can get away with delibrate act to undermine the electoral law of the land have already started making sinister moves even when the campaigns are yet to begin in earnest.
“Section 85 of the Electoral Act has clearly explained this. Also, Section 85 (a) (b) provides that any political party that:
“(a) holds or possesses any fund outside Nigeria in contravention of section 225 (3) (a) of the Constitution, commits an offence, and shall on conviction forfeit the funds or assets purchased with such funds to the Commission and in addition may be liable to a fine of at least N5,000,000.
“We therefore call on INEC to act and save our democracy from the hands of some desperate Nigerians.”
Nigerian gospel music minister, Dunsin Oyekan, has spoken out after he and his crew came out of a car accident alive.
The crash was said to have happened along the Lagos/Ibadan expressway on Saturday.
He was on his way to Sword of the Spirit Ministries program organized in Ibadan by Bishop Francis Wale Oke.
Arriving on stage at the church, Oyekan said his escape was a miracle.
“If you saw the accident scene that I came out of, you can never believe that I walked out of that alive. The jeep must have gone under the trailer; so if you are looking for a miracle, this is a miracle standing here!”
Taking to his Facebook page on Saturday, Oyekan told his fans that he was perfectly okay.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Friday met with his counterpart from the United States, Kamala Harris, at the White House in Washington D.C.
Both leaders met to discuss on mutual interests of the two countries.
Speaking at the parley, Osinbajo said both countries must continue to work together at the bilateral and multilateral levels to address common global challenges, promote peace and security, tackle pandemics, climate change, and economic adversity.
“It was truly a pleasure to meet with Vice-President Kamala Harris to discuss Nigeria’s #EnergyTransition Plan and other interests between our governments,” Osinbajo
“In addition to a shared commitment to democracy, both countries must continue to work together at the bilateral and multilateral levels to address common global challenges, promote peace and security, tackle pandemics, climate change, and economic adversity. Thank you for receiving me at the @whitehouse.”
On her part, Kamala Harris stated that African leadership, and in particular, Nigeria’s leadership was key to confronting regional and global challenges.
“It was great to meet with Vice President Osinbajo of Nigeria today to discuss strengthening the relationship between the United States and Nigeria,” she added.
She commended Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plaan (ETP) under Osinbajo’s leadership, saying “I have no question that they-ETP goals-would be achieved,” Harris said.
In his usual style, the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has come down hard on the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Iyorchia Ayu, warning the former Senate President not be an ingrate as he was brought from the gutter to become the party’s National Chairman.
Wike was speaking on Thursday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
What Ayu Said
Ayu, who many political analysts have described as “a spent force who was in political limbo” had granted an interview to BBC Hausa on Wednesday after the reception for former Kano State Governor, Ibrahim Shekau, who re-joined the PDP.
He had emerged Chairman after a long absence from the political space. Wike was credited with his emergence after an official visit to the state when it was concluded that Uche Secondus would go as the party’s National Chairman.
He alongside the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, pushed for his emergence, which worked.
Ayu said, “When we started the PDP journey, we did not see these children. They are children who do not know why we established this party,” he had said.
“We will not allow one person to come and destroy our party.”
Wike’s Reply
But as he is wont to do, the governor replied Ayu while inaugurating roads in Ikwerre LGA of the state, warning Ayu that he should not be an ingrate.
“You can imagine what power can do. You can imagine how ingratitude — how people can be ingrates in their lives,” Wike said.
“I thought as a chairman of a party who wants to win elections, your business is to bring peace to your party; your business is not to divide your party. Your business is not to show arrogance to your party.
“Yes, the children brought you to be chairman of the party. The children brought you from the gutter to make you chairman.
“Ayu, you were impeached as senate president. Ayu, you were sacked by Obasanjo in his administration. Arrogance cannot take you anywhere.
“Now, we have seen that you don’t want the party to win the election. We will help you.
“These children — these people you call boys — brought you from nothing.”
He accused Ayu of sitting pretty as chairman because of the billions of naira in the PDP coffers which were made from the sale of forms during the party’s primary elections.
PDP Crisis
The crisis in the PDP began after the conclusion of the presidential primary election and the selection of Vice Presidential Candidate.
While Wike had emerged second to the presidential standard bearer, Atiku Abubakar, in the May election, he expected to be chosen as the running mate.
Atiku settled for Ifeanyi Okowa, the Delta State governor, by overruling the decision of the selection committee set up by the party.
The crisis has festered with war of words complicating the already difficult situation, which has stopped the setting up of the PDP Campaign Council.
Popular Nigerian gospel singer, Yinka Ayefele has been allegedly assaulted by an operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Ekiti State.
Ayefele was said to have been punched on his lips by a yet-to-be-identified officer during an altercation between them.
Sources told journalists in Ado Ekiti, that the security agent also threatened to shoot the Ipoti Ekiti-born singer after resisting his forceful attempt to take money from Ayefele’s car.
One of the eyewitnesses said, “The incident occurred in Iloro Ekiti, where he (Ayefele) came to entertain guests at an event. The officer had made an attempt to take money from his car but when Ayefele resisted him, he thereafter punched the singer in the mouth.
“When the singer called his security detail to stop him he also threatened to shoot him before the intervention of his colleagues.
“This assault on the highly respected music producer is condemnable, the matter should be investigated and justice served”.
When contacted, Mr Ayefele confirmed the physical assault on him by the NSCDC officer.
The founder of Fresh FM Nigeria said, “I was moving out in my car after entertaining guests, the officer suddenly dipped his hand into my car to take my money but I resisted him and told him what he did was very wrong.
“That was how he gave me a punch on my mouth, I had cut on my lips and blood started gushing out. When I called my security detail to hold him he stood in the front of my car corking his rifle and threatening to shoot me.
“At that point, his colleagues came and I explained what he did to them. While trying to shield him, they also accused me of fighting them, that I am a public figure and I don’t want to give them something? I said if I didn’t want to give him something, I wouldn’t have stopped, wind down my car. I have settled the area boys and others. I wept profusely, because they did this to me because I am physically challenged.
“They later brought the guy who came to collect money for the area boys who was said to have been beaten while trying to take the money away. He told me how he was beaten and attacked with sharp objects just to frame me up but I have put my lawyer in the know”.
Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Olakunle Oluomo, has been arrested by the anti-graft agency, the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), over allegations of offences bordering on financial crimes.
He was picked up this morning at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, by operatives following a tip off.
At press time, he was undergoing further grilling in the custody of the agency.
A source at the EFCC said he had been invited several times but failed to honour the invitation
Suspected hoodlums on Wednesday pelted the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso, with sachets of water while on a visit to Kogi State.
Kwankwaso was in Lokoja, the state capital to inaugurate the party’s secretariat and his campaign offices.
On getting to a popular hotel where he was meant to address his supporters, suspected hoodlums invaded the venue and started throwing sachets of water at the candidate.
Kwankwaso had earlier visited Ogbonicha, the country home of late Abubakar Audu, where a similar scenario played out.
He was accused of trying to hide under the canopy of the late ex-governor to woo supporters of the All Progressives Congress.
A media aide of the presidential candidate, who identified himself as Musa Yunusa, described the action of the supporters as normal in politics, describing Kogi as home to Kwankwaso. Continue reading
English Premier League club, Chelsea have completed the signing of Wesley Fofana from Leicester City.
Chelsea confirmed the signing of the 21-year-old player today on its official website and social media platforms
The Blues have won only two out of five matches in the ongoing campaign. They lost a match and drew one, relaxing presently with seven points on the league table.
Though Chelsea had strengthened the defensive line ahead of the 2022/23 season following the arrivals of Kalidou Koulibaly and Marc Cucurella earlier in the summer, adding Fofana to the list will be a great plus.
Fofana reportedly penned a seven-year deal with the Blues. His contract will last through 2029.
On completing his signing, Fofana said: “The two last days have been really big days for me and I’m very happy. I trained this morning with the team and it’s a dream for me. I’m very excited to start playing games for the fans and the club.
‘I’m here to win trophies – the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, everything. I came here to win and the club is built to win trophies so I’m here to continue that.”
The young star has had an impressive performance for his home national team, France.
Fofana enjoyed two seasons at Leicester and was considered one of the best young players in the English league.
Loyalists of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, are reportedly applying pressure on him to call the bluff of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.
Naija News reports that both Atiku and Wike are at loggerheads over moves to oust the party’s National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, and the aftermath of the PDP presidential primary.
Although the duo had agreed to desist from making inflammatory remarks, divisive comments are still being made to journalists.
While reconciliation has kicked off between both camps, Atiku’s men have faulted comments made by the governor, saying they appeared deliberately skewed to keep everyone guessing.
Atiku’s loyalists want the former vice president to cut his losses, “move on and concentrate on building the party ahead of the 2023 elections.”
Speaking to Vanguard, a party leader said: “It is heart-wrenching that this matter has dragged this long.
“It was agreed the last time that all parties desist from further making inflammatory remarks.
“It was borne out of this that Atiku caused a statement to be issued by his media team urging his supporters to bridle their tongues, but this act of goodwill is not being returned in kind. This is quite unfortunate.
“I must say at this point that Governor Wike has made up his mind about what he wants to do. Bending over backwards to accede to everything he has asked for will be shooting ourselves in the foot.
“Personally, I rather we cut our losses, move on, and concentrate on building the party ahead of the 2023 elections.
“We made significant inroads in Kano with the defection of former Governor Ibrahim Shekarau and his teeming supporters. These are the kinds of things we should be celebrating.”
Another party source said: “My reading of the situation is that there are other local issues in Rivers politics that are being elevated to the national.
“Comments being made by the governor, with due respect to him, appear deliberately skewed to keep everyone guessing. The truth is we cannot wait forever, something has to give.
“The truth is that whichever decision you take in politics, not everyone will be happy or accept it for one reason or another. Our presidential candidate has demonstrated good faith.
“However, it will be disastrous for anyone to contemplate a leadership change at this time, the issue of anyone removing Iyorchia Ayu as national chairman before the election does not arise.”
Another PDP stated that Governor Wike’s recent comments are putting the former vice president on edge, which is not going down well with the latter’s loyalists.
The source, a former member of the National Working Committee, NWC, said: “Wike is giving them (Atiku’s camp) signs that he will work against him. Wike is getting feelers that some interests around Atiku do not want the PDP presidential candidate to give in to his demands.
“Wike also has some people within Atiku’s camp, especially in the NWC. The anger with the Atiku camp is that Wike cannot be seen to be controlling the party. Also, Wike is expecting Atiku to give him an update on what was discussed at their London meeting but Atiku is yet to call him. That is why you hear Wike making those comments.”
Decades of incongruous beliefs amongst humanity have birthed different shades of subversive and counter militant forces across the globe. In some important respects, these anti human forces have formed lives of their own.
According to the Council on Foreign Relations’s Global Conflict Tracker, the world was groping with at Least 27 Live Conflicts as of the last count, precisely in April, 2022.
In each case, nuclear arsenals are swelling. Millions are displaced. International law is disregarded with impunity, as criminal and terrorist networks profit from the division and violence.
In Nigeria, for instance, a terrorist group, Boko Haram, spearheaded by Mohammed Yusuf began the group in the year 2002, with a view of opposing western education with his followers. Though Yusuf is dead, Boko Haram, one of the largest Islamist militant groups in Africa has, since 2011, conducted terrorist attacks on religious and political groups, local police, and the military, as well as indiscriminately attacking civilians in busy markets and villages.
In the process, when things appeared to be getting out of control, a Kanuri born Army General, Tukur Yusuf Buratai, with shy mien, mounted the Nigeria’s defence soap box as Chief of Army Staff in 2015 with unmistakable message to the terrorists to quit or get destroyed.
Within a short period, Buratai reclaimed all the territories hitherto occupied by the insurgents. Peace unfolded and investors’ confidence restored.
However, it is not yet Uhuru. Security challenges across the world are unprecedented. Fierce armed gangs of sundry identities have besieged the world from nearly every corner The Nigerian state has a fair share of this tottering institutional embrace of the dark hour.
Against this back drop, the former Army boss now Nigerian Ambassador to the Republic of Benin, last week, offered anecdotes on how to achieve peace.
His speech, which he personally delivered at a World Peace Symposium in Lagos, where he was honoured as the first title holder of Bearer of Security Torch, is reproduced below:
I want to sincerely appreciate the World Institute for Peace and the organizers of this symposium for identifying me to be its torch bearer. It is humbling on one hand, and gratifying on the other; truly it is an evidence that the efforts of our dear nation and it’s various actors to achieve peace in these tumultuous times have not gone unnoticed, and are appreciated by your esteemed organization. Particularly, being the past Chief of the Army Staff, Nigerian Army which has been at the vanguard of almost all physical efforts at ensuring peace, I am grateful to the institute for this recognition, it is by extension a recognition of the role of the officers and soldiers of our esteemed military in the development of our nation.
From the day the Institute contacted me, I have gone through a moment of reflection on my early days as a young military officer up until my time at the helm of the Army, this has led to several mixed emotions. On one hand, I feel nostalgic for the moments in our history uncharacterized by terrorism and insecurity; on the other, sadness for the victims of insecurity, comrades in arms lost in the battle against insecurity, and their dependents left bereft of their loved ones. However, I am not deterred as I believe peace will be achieved, and we will keep striving. We must always strive to contribute to peace in our societies in whatever capacity we find ourselves. You must contribute either as a medical doctor, a nurse, an engineer, a trader, a barber, a farmer, or a labourer etc.
Following the evergreen words of Robert McNamara which says; “Development means security and without security, there is no development”. This, means that peace is at the heart of national development and advancement, thus highlighting the importance of the core values of the World Institute for Peace and by extension, the relevance of this symposium. The efforts of this organization, and all other organizations that promote peace, are germane to global peace and security.
Peace is not a notion that can be defined in a single sentence. It signifies many things to different people and may be perceived through different lenses; yet, there is a common acceptance that peace denotes the absence of violent conflict. In my years of service as a military officer up until my position as the Chief of Army staff, I have had the privilege of being an genuine participant in the quest for peace in Africa and Nigeria- from insurgency, terrorism, farmer-herder clashes, militancy, riots, Angola civil war, and the Bakasi War… to mention but a few. The Nigerian constitution recognises the Police Force as the primary institution tasked with the responsibility of handling internal security. However, the rise of Boko Haram in 2009 signaled a shift in the nature of internal strife in Nigeria, necessitating a shift in strategy. As a result, the military, particularly the Army, was thrown into the spotlight, and this has progressively become the norm, with the military increasingly playing a role in internal security management. My contributions to the peace initiative stand as proof on their own, as an officer and in the many roles I performed in the Army. As a young Captain I was opportuned to participate in UN Peacekeeping/Observer Mission under the auspices of the United Nations Angola Verification Mission II (UNAVEM II) from 1993 – 1994. It was my first contribution to the global UN Peace initiative. As the commander of the newly reconstituted MNJTF, I worked hard to strategise and planned the fight against the Boko Haram Terrorists group that almost engulfed the Lake Chad Basin countries. The roles played by Nigeria, AU and Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) were so strategic in bringing about the relative peace being enjoyed now. But during my tenure as Chief of Army Staff, one of my main objectives was to strengthen the interplay between the government’s kinetic and non-kinetic strategies in bringing about security and peace for our nation Nigeria.
The past years have also illuminated the importance of diplomacy, discourse, and the role of the community in achieving security. Religious leaders, traditional leaders, security personnel, political leaders, and the general citizenry have a part to play in achieving security in Nigeria and by extension the world.
I have also encountered another variable that is equally as important as the others highlighted above: ‘ Justice”. Justice according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary is the establishment or determination of rights according to the rules of law or equity. It is the conformity and the administration of what is right based on the law.
I believe that we can go a step further as a society. Our approach to handling these issues needs to be improved. Leaving it firmly in the hands of security agents is not completely working, we need to apply a structural functionalist approach to insecurity in Nigeria. All of us need to identify our parts in ensuring peace. Divisive elements have to be struck out, it is us against insecurity, therefore insecurity is the enemy. It is not a matter of Hausa, Igbo, or Yoruba. It is not a matter of Christian or Muslim, it is Nigeria against insecurity. Therefore, we have to be tolerant and alert. Irregularities in our neighborhoods have to be reported. The religious and traditional leaders have to preach tolerance and respect for others, and the political leaders need to make informed decisions. In this way, we can push down insecurity and achieve actual justice and eventual peace for our fallen heroes, brothers, sisters, fathers, uncles and husbands.
Following my exit from active service, I am fortunate, the leadership of His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari was gracious to appoint me as an Ambassador to positively portray the country’s image globally. This task I have set to carry it out judiciously since my appointment. I thank President Muhammad Buhari for giving me the privilege to serve as an ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Now a look at the global peace and security situations. According to UNICEF, from Ukraine to Yemen, conflict is taking a devastating toll. Nuclear arsenals are swelling. Conflict is on the rise. Millions are displaced. International law is disregarded with impunity, as criminal and terrorist networks profit from the division and violence. This is the situation the world finds itself in today.
10. The reasons for the outbreak of conflicts range from territorial disputes and regional tensions, to corruption and dwindling resources due to climate change. Conflicts disrupt access to basic services like food and water, and force people into extreme poverty, with the poorest and the most vulnerable paying the highest price. In addition to taking lives and devastating infrastructure in the short term, conflict and its consequences are profound and enduring, reversing progress towards achieving the Global Goals.
The current humanitarian crisis in Ukraine may be in the spotlight right now, but there are many conflicts occurring globally that deserve equal support and compassion. According to the Council on Foreign Relations’s Global Conflict Tracker, there are currently 27 ongoing conflicts worldwide. The tracker categorizes conflict into three groups: “worsening,” “unchanging,” and “improving.” Right now, there’s not a single conflict described as “improving.” Of those worsening are the conflict in Ukraine, the war in Afghanistan, political instability in Lebanon, the war in Yemen, the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar, and the conflict in Ethiopia. Other conflict areas and their impact include Sudan—Political tensions amid regional drought and conflict. Syria—Economic crisis compounds a decade of war. Somalia—Humanitarian access worsens as needs rise. Myanmar—Violent deadlock leaves millions in need. Democratic Republic of Congo—Conflict and disease compound crisis. South Sudan—Regional tensions raise risks. Nigeria—Growing insecurity across the country. Yemen—Cumulative impact of protracted conflict.
The UN has warned that peace is more under threat around the world than it has been since World War II. A quarter of the entire global population lives in conflict-affected areas. Some of the worst affected places are Ethiopia’s Tigray region, South Sudan, Syria, Yemen, and Afghanistan. According to the UN, last year, 84 million people were forcibly displaced because of conflict, violence, and human rights violations. This year, it is estimated that at least 274 million people will need humanitarian assistance.
Nearly 11 years after it started, the Syrian refugee crisis remains the largest displacement crisis worldwide (13.2 million, including 6.6 million refugees and more than 6 million internally displaced people). At least 2 million people are living in tented camps with limited access to basic services. The beginning of the war in Syria dates back to the Arab Spring — a series of anti-authoritarian protests, uprisings, and rebellions that spread across several Middle Eastern countries in the early 2010s.
Lasting more than 60 years, the conflict in Myanmar (previously called Burma) remains the longest ongoing civil war in the world. The country has been plagued by decades of repressive military rule and civil war with ethnic minority groups since 1948, the year the country gained independence from the UK. Nearly 880,000 Rohingya refugees have fled the country. The most vulnerable, including pregnant women, babies, children, and the elderly have been forced to travel for days to reach safety in Bangladesh. Today, they live in the world’s largest and most densely populated refugee camp, Kutupalong. Around half of those refugees are children.
According to the Institute for Economics & Peace the 10 most conflict-affected countries lose, on average, 41% of their GDP. The cost of war is almost unfathomable. In addition to the human suffering, social unrest and damage to infrastructure, the burden of war also impacts conflict-affected countries’ economies.
According to Franck Bousquet, the senior director of Fragility, Conflict and Violence (FCV) Group at the World Bank, wrote in an article for the New Humanitarian, that conflict drives 80% of humanitarian needs and in 2016, the cost of conflict globally stood at an astonishing $14 trillion. That’s enough to end world hunger 42 times over. Just imagine what the world could do with that money if conflicts were to end worldwide.
With all the above negative consequences of conflicts and crises around the world, peace is the ultimate solution. I shall use this opportunity to call on the members of the global community especially the UN and the Super Powers to end all conflicts around the world and bring lasting peace to humanity. Let there be peace, security and development in our world. Enough of the deaths, human sufferings and underdevelopment around the world.
In conclusion, I understand that with this Torch comes great responsibility. As a career soldier, I dedicated my life to the defense of my nation and its people and by extension the entrenchment of peace within Nigeria, West Africa, and of course Africa and the world. The responsibility with this conferment is not just to continue what has been my lifelong duty to restore peace, but also now ensure that I am a forerunner in championing causes and initiatives geared toward achieving national, regional and global peace.
Once again, I express my profound gratitude to the World Institute for Peace and the program’s organizers for choosing me to be a torch bearer. Even though I am a retired general, my active commitment to bringing about peace in Nigeria and the world does nothing but solidify my determination. I thank Ambassador Lamina, the Chairman CEO of the World Institute for Peace in putting this programme together in my honour. I appreciate all the special speakers who spoke via Zoom. I also thank and appreciate all our international and local participants who are physically here and those who join us via Zoom.
Lastly, in our collective pursuit of world peace, we must be conscious of the fact that “victory comes from God alone”.
I thank you all.
