Former Aviation minister, Femi Fani-Kayode has described visa ban clamped on some Nigerian politicians by the United States (US) as empty threat.
The US had on Monday announced that some politicians that engaged in rigging during last general elections in Nigeria have been placed on visa ban.
Fani-Kayode in a statement on Tuesday said those at the helm of administration presently in the US are equally guilty of electoral fraud.
“Those that have imposed a visa ban on some “selected Nigerians” for allegedly “undermining democracy” and “rigging elections” are perfectly within their rights to do so because it is their country and they can do as they please.
“We should loose no sleep over that because the Nigerian people, a great and sovereign people who belong to a great and sovereign nation, spoke loudly and clearly and made their legitimate choices during the course of a set of free, fair and credible elections which have, to the glory of God, produced a President-elect and a set of Governors-elect who will all be duly sworn-in according to law on the 29th of this month.
“Wherever any of those elections may have been rigged or democracy undermined can only be properly determined by our election tribunals and courts after all the facts and evidence have been adduced, examined and determined and not by any distant and/or partisan foreign government or power.
“It is also my view that foreign policy, which ought to be based on the principle of equality of nations and conducted on the basis of reciprocity, requires the Nigerian Federal Government to consider the possibility of doing the same to nationals of those that have implemented and announced this measure and issue a visa ban to any foreign citizen or member of any corporate entity or institution that may have indulged in undermining democracy or rigging elections in either their own or any other country in the world over the last 25 years.
“Courage, equity, justice, fairness and mutual respect demands no less.
“The irony of it all is that the President whose Government has issued a visa ban on selected Nigerians for rigging has himself been accused of the most blatant and shameful election rigging in the history of their country by no less than his predecessor in office and millions of his fellow country men.That is a pertinent observation and a relevant point.
“The truth is that the world is becoming less tolerant of double standards, double speak, neo-colonialism, pseudo-imperialism, the hypocrisy and interference of big, rich and powerful countries, who believe that they own and rule the world, in the affairs of less rich and less powerful ones and the practice of what Lord Palmerston, Great Britain’s 18th century Foreign Minister impudently and arrogantly enunciated and described as the implementation of a ‘paternalistic foreign policy’.
“African leaders generally and Nigerian leaders particularly are not mice. They do not scramble and scatter at the sound of a gong and they do not quiver or wet their pants in the face of a gratuitous insult, threat or storm.
“Gone are the days when Africans or their leaders shiver under their bedsheets and seek validation from more often than not ill-informed and ill-advised foreign Government officials with local vested interests and misplaced, malevolent intentions.
“Gone are the days when we sold our souls for a pittance or our people as slaves for mirrors and a bottle of “fire water” whisky.
“We are no longer configured to fear mere mortals. We have learnt that God alone is to be feared. That He alone is our shield and defender. That He alone is our glory.
“That He alone is the lifter of our heads. That He alone rules in the affairs of men and that He alone forges the destiny of nations.
“No Nation on earth, no matter how rich and powerful, can thwart the will of the God of all flesh for our people or undermine the purpose of the Lord of creation for our country. All the visa bans in the world cannot change that.”
Olisa Agbakoba a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN says it’s a futile exercise to try to stop the inauguration of the President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Tinubu is set to be sworn in on May 29 to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari, but some Nigerians said the inauguration should be moved forward until the court makes a decision on whether he actually won the February 25 presidential election.
Just last week, some residents of Abuja, the nation’s capital filed a suit in the court praying the court to determine whether Tinubu can be sworn in without winning 25 percent of votes cast in the Federal Capital Territory.
The All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate won the majority of votes in the presidential election but failed to win 25 percent of the votes in FCT.
This is one of the issues raised by the losers of the election, Atiku Abubakar of the PDP and Peter Obi of the Labour Party, LP, in their petitions before the election petition tribunal.
In spite of the challenge facing Tinubu’s victory, Agbakoba, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, said the swearing-in should go ahead because there is no constitutional provision saying otherwise.
In a statement, he signed on Monday Agbakoba said the swearing-in should go ahead while the court determines whether Tinubu’s won the election or not.
According to the top lawyer, “It is important to state that the inauguration of Mr Bola Tinubu on 29 May 2023 is bound to happen under our constitutional process.
“While the election tribunal deals with the petitions there is no constitutional process to delay the inauguration on 29 May. We need to obey the rule of constitutionalism.”
On Monday, the Inspector General of Police, Alkali Baba Ahmed warned those planning to scuttle the transition of government on May 29 to desist from the act as the police is prepared to deal with troublemakers.
The Nigerian Army also said last week that it will not allow anyone to scuttle the country’s democratic process.
The People’s Democratic Party, PDP, has taken a step to resolve the crisis rocking the party in Kaduda state as a result of the suspension of a former governor of the state, Ahmed Makarfi.
The former governor was suspended last week by the executive committee of his ward in Tundun Wada in Makarfi Local Government Area, for anti-party activities.
His suspension has further thrown the party in the state into crisis, as the PDP is still trying to resolve problems arising from its loss of the last presidential election, close watchers of the party said.
But in a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba on Monday, the PDP said the former governor’s suspension lacked due process and is in violation of the party’s constitution.
The party also said the Tundun Wada ward executive laced the power to discipline the former governor who is a member of the party’s National Executive Committee.
The powers to discipline a NEC member, governor, deputy governor, and national assembly member, the PDP said rests with the NEC.
The statement said, “The NWC, after a thorough consideration of all the issues raised by the Ward Executive, hereby declares the purported decision and action of the Tudun Wada Ward Executives which borders on issues of discipline, as null and void and of no effect, not being consistent with the provisions of the Constitution of the PDP (As amended in 2017).
“For clarity, Section 57 (7) provides that ‘Notwithstanding any other provision relating to discipline, no Executive Committee, at any level except the National Executive Committee, shall entertain any question of discipline as may relate or concern a member of the National Executive Committee, Deputy Governor or member of the National Assembly.
“The NWC, therefore, charges all leaders, critical stakeholders, members, teeming supporters of our party in Kaduna State and the general public to disregard the purported suspension of Senator Makarfi by the Ward being a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of our Party.
“The NWC also charges all party members in Kaduna State to remain united at this critical time especially as the party leadership is progressing in our concerted effort to ensure a comprehensive reconciliation in our party.”
A whopping N13 trillion was spent by the federal government on fuel subsidy in 16 years, Boss Mustapha the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF has said.
The period is between 2005 and 2021, covering the administrations of Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Yar’adua, Goddluck Jonathan and Mohammadu Buhari the SGF said.
The revelation is coming on the heels of federal government’s decision not to end subsidy by the middle of this year as earlier promised.
That decision will now be taken by the incoming administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the government said.
Mustapha made the revelation on Monday in Abuja, the nation’s capital during the launch of the 2022-2026 Strategic Plan of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI.
He said the sum is enough to cover the nation’s total capital budget for 10 years, adding that the funds spent on subsidy has become a big challenge for the nation’s economy.
According to him, the federal government decided to move the removal of the subsidy forward in order to allow for robust debate among Nigerians.
The SGF said the funds spent on subsidy could have been more if not for various measures taken by the government.
“From that Policy Advisory, over N13trillion (N74Billion) is documented to have been expended on the payment of subsidy between 2005 and 2021. The figure in relative terms is equivalent to Nigeria’s entire budget for health, education, agriculture, and defence in the last five years, and almost the capital expenditure for 10 years between 2011 2020,” Mustapha said.
“While we remain open to the ongoing debate, a comprehensive position to guide the incoming administration on when and how to make this decision is being developed by the Presidential Transition Council which I currently head.
“I therefore have no doubt that the incoming administration will consider our position on the issue and make an informed decision in the overriding public interest.
“However, I must state that the Buhari administration has done excellently well in managing the subsidy burden in-spite of the complex challenges it has posed to the economy over these years, putting at the forefront of its considerations, the welfare and needs of the average Nigerian.”
Who is after the life of Ladi Adebutu, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate in Ogun state in the last election.
Adebutu, the son of multi-billionaire Chief Adebutu came second in the March 18 governorship election won by the incumbent, Governor Dapo Abiodun.
The PDP candidate 262, 383 votes against Governor Abiodun’s 276,298 votes has challenge the results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in court, asking that it be overturned.
He said he won the election, and asked the Election Petition Tribunal to declare winner of the highly competitive election.
While the election Tribunal is still sitting, Adebutu has now claimed that his life is in danger, even though he failed to mention those trying to kill him.
According to the PDP candidate, he decided to raise the alarm after his security were withdrawn.
He alleged that his security details from the Department of State Services, DSS, and Police attached to him have been reduced by the authorities.
He said he had no other option than to flee the country to escape from being killed.
He told The Tribune in an interview that he would not disclose his whereabout for now.
Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara state has accused the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele of trying to frustrate the incoming government of President elect Bola Tinubu.
The governor made the allegation in the light of reports that Emefiele sought and got President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval for a study leave abroad.
According to the report, the CBN governor got the approval to study in Harvard before the end of Buhari’s tenure on May 29.
But in a statement on Monday, Governor Matawalle said the CBN governor is among top government officials required to help the incoming government take off, noting that Emefiele cannot afford to embark on study leave at this critical time.
Apart from this, the governor said Emefiele has questions to answer regarding the naira swap policy that threw the country into serious cash crisis early this year.
The governor also spoke amidst suggestions that the Department of State Services, DSS, is planning to arrest Emefiele after the end of Buhari’s government.
Recall that a federal high court in Abuja, last year, stopped the DSS from arresting the CBN governor for alleged terrorism financing and other crimes.
Considering these allegations Governor Matawalle said the CBN governor must stay in the country to give an account of his tenure in the government bank.
Matawalle said: “He is the one who initiated and implemented the recent disastrous Naira swap policy, the Naira confiscation program, which put Nigerians through untold woes and trauma and set our economy backward.
“Two of my brother-governors and I took the Federal Government to court over this ill-advised policy and fought resolutely until we got a respite for our people from Emefiele and company.
“This same Emefiele now wants to proceed on study leave when he has some 10 months left of his tenure apparently in a bid to evade rendering accounts. This is unacceptable. President Buhari should not countenance this.
“Emefiele must stay at his job to give full accounts of all that transpired under his watch to the incoming administration. He must answer all the questions the new regime may have for him particularly when he still has some months left of his tenure.”
Seun Kuti, Afro Beat Musician, known more for being a son of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, than his achievement in his choice of career, is a very lucky guy. Otherwise, he would either have been in a hospital now with broken bones, or worse, in the mortuary.
On Saturday, Kuti pulled a shock on most Nigerians. The result was an outrage. But he didn’t care. He crossed the red line as if it was his right to do. As if it was the normal thing to do. And he did so in style. He boasted with it. And regaled in it. And flaunted it. And he was like: Why not? Do you know who I am? So one is tempted to ask: Who is he? What has he achieved in life? Or contributed to the society? Or the music industry?
But for his legendary father’s name, who would have heard his name? Or recognised him as an afro beat musician? He is not one of Nigeria’s young musicians who has, proudly, sold Nigeria to the world. Nigeria’s great Ambassadors. One hears his name in connection with Afro beat music because his father was the king of that genre of music. He was the lord and master. The ultimate. Kuti’s identity is his father. But that’s fine. It is his luck. His privilege. Otherwise, which of his songs has gone viral worldwide? Even in Nigeria?
Yet, it is that name that Seun Kuti spat on, and dragged on the floor, and finally pushed into the gutter on Saturday, May 13, 2023.
On this day, Kuti did the unbelievable. Over what has not been made public, except for speculations, Seun Kuti, along the Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos, pushed a a couple of times, a Police officer, fully dressed in his uniform, driving a Police vehicle. He shoved the Police Officer. Held his uniform. Made as if he was going to give the officer a headbutt. Almost spat on his face. And, finally, slapped the Police Officer hard on the face. It wasn’t all. He, also, verbally, abused the officer. For example, he asked the officer: “Are you stupid?”
Between Kuti and the Officer, the question is: Which of them was stupid in the instant case?
I would, without any shadow of doubt, give the medal of stupidity to Kuti. His action was stupid. And, he was just lucky that he met a cool-headed Police officer. In the face of an unbearable provocation, the Officer maintained his cool. He was calm. He kept his mouth shut. And kept his hands down. As Kuti pushed him around, shoved him, spoke into his face, and slapped him, he did nothing.
Kuti is lucky he did not meet a crazy officer. A hot-headed one. Otherwise, that was Third Mainland Bridge. Kuti could have found himself in the Lagos Lagoon, or the Atlantic Ocean. What he did can only happen in Nigeria. And yet, Kuti was allowed to have two comfortable nights wherever he hid, and had the privilege of reporting himself to the Police Monday morning.
In some other countries, even in the most civilized countries, the United States of America, for example, Kuti’s body would have been bullet-ridden. In the US, as most countries, the worst thing one can do is to physically attack a law enforcement agent. It is a near abomination. It is okay if one verbally attacks him, but to go physical?, death would have become one’s company. Even when the Police stops one’s vehicle, one is not expected to move one’s hand, or grab one’s phone, or step out, unless one is asked to do so. It could be fatal. Not in our dear Country.
In Nigeria, we’ll grab the phone, call a superior officer, or one big man, and threaten the Police who stopped one with a sack. Many Nigerians think most Policemen are inferior to them. That they are illiterate. But not true. They should go and cross-check. Many of those Inspectors, Sergeants, Corporals, Constables you see see are University or Polytechnic graduates. They are Lawyers and Engineers. They are well-read. There are Inspectors who are Medical Doctors and Lawyers. Some Sergeants have Masters degrees. Of course some are, also, not very lettered. But it is so in a number of careers – including in Politics.
Seun Kuti
That was what Kuti did. In his initial reaction to the ugly incident, he said the officer wanted to murder him and his family. Then he asked everybody to mind their own business. That the Officer had apologized to him. And he doesn’t want the officer sacked! Just imagine!!
Kuti did not say how the officer wanted to murder him and his family. At the scene, the only member of his family seen there was, I guess, his wife. If so, husband’s public attitude must have embarrassed her. Not even her presence could restrain him from unleashing violence on a Police officer. That was disrespectful. He owes his wife an apology. And, I just wonder if there was a child in the car. I hope not, because the child must have been terribly scared.
What pushed Kuti? Did he forget his identity and, well celebrity status? Did he forget that, perhaps, there are some young kids who look up to him? What pushes some of these celebrities? Does that “status” give them the privilege to talk anyhow? Behave anyhow? Atimes, I just shudder, reading and/or watching some of them. In this era of social media, nothing is sacrilegious enough for them not to post – even their intimate lives. Their nakedness, they even force on us!
Of course, we know, celebrities can be crazy. But, in civilized climes, they know their borderline. There are behaviours which could strip them of everything they worked for within a minute. Accomplished Actor, Will Smith, lost everything, almost, in 2022, because, in one insane moment, he slapped Chris Rock, the host of the Oscars for jokingly mocking his wife. He lost money, roles in movies, endorsements and even banned from the Oscars. Yet, he wept and apologized profusely for that show of shame.
Kanye West, talented musician, lost billions of Dollars in endorsements for posts he made which were considered inappropriate.
When our Celebrities travel out of Nigeria, they toe the line. They behave well. They respect the law. But once some of them are home, anything goes. It becomes: “Do you know who I am”? Can you imagine an American celebrity, for example, slapping a Policeman, and boasting about it. In another viral video, Kuti boasted that he had slapped many Police officers before.
Police Authorities in Nigeria need to wake up. They need to inspire their people. They need to give them confidence. They need to stop treating them condescendingly, especially, by reducing them to domestic servants to the rich and mighty. It will not be surprising if Kuti usually has Policemen attached to him at one time or the other.
Is there any wonder, that instead of showing remorse, he is boasting. At the Lagos Police Headquarters, he even had a smile playing around his lips. He was sure-footed.
In the instant case, for example, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos, did not need to wait for the IGP to give him the marching orders to go after Kuti. He should have done that the minute it was reported to him. Where were the DPO and the Area Commander in that area? Kuti ought to have spent Saturday and Sunday nights in a Police cell to know the gravity of what he did, no matter the provocation. And what was the provocation, anyway? He would have been picked up even before the news got to the IGP.
What I hear a few people say is: “Good for the Police. We don’t like them. They assault and humiliate and even kill innocent people. Sure. I agree. It is a menace. But there is no profession without its own bad eggs. The percentage of the good people in the Nigeria Police Force, triples the bad. “Kill the Police, kill the Police”, but where will this country be without the Police? Nobody throws away the baby with the bath water.
Back to Kuti. The IGP’s prompt action is commendable. No waste of time. And so is the immediate weigh-in by Dr Solomon Arase, IGP rtd, and Chairman Police Service Commission. If this incident is not thoroughly investigated, and handled, and in doing so, make it clear that it is a crime to slap a Police officer; nobody will ever respect the Police again. They will become rags. Said an angry eye witness to the Kuti incident, “If Kuti is left free, I will go out and slap a Police officer, and nothing will happen.”
The ball is in the court of the Law Court to decide.
Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN, Counsel to detained Afro Beat Musician, Seun Kuti, has described as illegal the handcuffs put on his Client at the Headquarters of the Lagos Police Command.
He, also, decried that the Police, according to him, paraded Seun in handcuffs before the Media.
Kuti got into trouble when, on Saturday, he brazenly pushed and slapped a Police Officer who was on duty. The incident happened along the third mainland bridge, Lagos.
Kuti’s embarrassing action was greeted by outrage across the country when the video went viral.
In reaction to the incident, the Inspector General of Police Usman Alkali Baba, ordered the Commissioner of Police, Lagos, to immediately arrest Kuti, investigate the incident, and prosecute him for slapping a Policeman who was not only on duty, but in his Police unform.
Commending the IGP for his prompt action, the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Dr Solomon Arase, IGP rtd, condemned Kuti’s behaviour and said he should be urgently prosecuted for daring to assault a Police officer on duty and in uniform.
On Monday, Kuti, who went out of circulation since after the IGP’s order, and the threat to issue a bench warrant on him, submitted himself to the Police in the morning. The Police quickly put him in handcuffs and detained him.
But Kuti’s Lawyer, Olumide-Fusika, condemned the handcuffs put on his Client, and said it was against the law. He said Kuti should be regarded as innocent until proven guilty in a Law Court.
Counsel: “The decision of the Police to handcuff Mr Kuti is equally illegal as it constitutes a violation of Section 5 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law.”
He also condemned the decision of the Police to parade Kuti before the Media.
He said: “Mr Kuti is presumed innocent until the contrary is proved by the State. Therefore, the decision of the police to subject him to the Media parade violates section 9 of the Lagos State Administration of Criminal Justice Law which has prohibited any form of parade of criminal suspects in Nigeria in Lagos State.”
Hereunder is Olumide-Fusika’s full statement issued on Monday after Kuti had been taken into custody.
“Following his encounter with a policeman on third Mainland Bridge on Saturday the 13th May, 2023, my client, Mr. Seun Kuti reported himself in the office of the Commissioner of Police at the Police Command, Ikeja, at 8 am today Monday May 15, 2023.
“I accompanied him to the Ikeja police station together with another lawyer, Mr. Femi Akinyemi from Falana and Falana chambers.
“However, there was no interrogation as it was decided he would be moved to the Force Criminal Investigation Unit at Panti, Yaba. Before his movement, Mr. Seun Kuti, was handcuffed and his photograph taken in the open by the Lagos PPRO, Mr. David Hundeyin who coordinated the parade and apparently shared the photograph of his parade in the media.
“Mr. Kuti is presumed innocent until the contrary is proved by the State. Therefore, the decision of the police to subject him to the media parade violates section 9 of the Lagos State Administration of Criminal Justice Law, which has prohibited any form of parade of criminal suspects in Nigeria in Lagos State. The Police is supposed to enforce the Law, but prefers to disrespect and break it so casually and randomly. A Police institution that has no respect for the law it exists to enforce is not a good example to alleged law breakers.
“The decision of the police to handcuff Mr. Kuti is equally illegal as it constitutes a violation of Section 5 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law.
“After handcuffing him, the Police then drove him in a long convoy of heavily armed personnel from Ikeja to Panti Lagos, where he was again displayed for viewing to the men and officers of that police formation, and is currently held.
“We await the next move of the Police on the misdemeanor alleged against Mr. Seun Kuti.”
After investigation, Kuti is expected to be prosecuted in Court.
Conference Of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has called on warring factions in the ongoing Labour Party (LP) leadership crisis to “find common grounds and sustain its new position as a third force in the current national politics.”
In a statement signed by its Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu, the umbrella body of all registered political parties and political associations in Nigeria noted that “there is nothing unusual about a political party having a leadership tussle or any form of disagreement but its ability to close ranks and make compromises in the interest of the party is paramount.”
Consequently, the CNPP urged “the parties in the leadership crisis to always remember that no individual’s desire is bigger than party’s interest”, saying that “if Labour Party leaders allow external forces to control its internal affairs, the party will be the loser, especially with its new found love with majority of the Nigerian youth population.”
Continuing, the CNPP stated that “Every political party at one time or the other gets enmeshed in leadership crisis due to conflicts of interests. However, it is the responsibility of the fathers of the party to rise to the occasion and ensure that the fortunes of the party is not adversely affected.
“The overall interests of a political party must be paramount at all times as power can only be shared when it is taken.
“In the buildup to the 2023 general elections, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had a taste of such internal crisis, which eventually affected its outing in the last general elections very negatively.
“In the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the party is currently entangled in its own clash of interests over what certain interests in the party see as arbitrary micro-zoning of elective positions in the 10th National Assembly to individuals.
“It is therefore incumbent on a political party’s fathers to weigh options and rise up to the responsibility of cushioning the impact of whatever internal conflicts that may arise without allowing external influences to drive its affairs.
“Obviously, the Labour Party went into the 2023 general elections without deliberately healing its internal grievances, which initially led to the setting up of a Security, Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee.
“Amid the then budding crisis in the party, Labour Party had constituted two committees; a disciplinary committee to handle Ogun State Executive crisis and another tagged the Labour Party Security, Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee (LPSPCRC) to handle every other matter that has to do with “grievances and mischief within the party”.
“It is then very obvious that the current crisis stems from the inability of the National Executive Committee (NWC) of the party, which constituted the eleven eminent members Committee headed by Chief Friday Toyin Ibadin, to resolve the then brewing crisis despite having a single terms of reference “to reconcile all aggrieved members with the aim of a common front to win the 2023 general elections and Peter Obi and Datti Baba-Ahmed becoming the President and vice President of Nigeria.”
“It is therefore expedient that the party elders return the warring parties to the path of reconciliation as the current rigid approach to the conflict resolution will most likely tear the party apart.
“It has been observed that both parties in the leadership conflict have turned the ongoing Presidential Election Petition before the tribunal as their major area of propaganda whereas the provisions of the law is clear on withdrawal of such petitions.
“The Electoral Act 2022 under ‘Withdrawal and Abatement of Petition’, reads: Section 29. (1) An election petition shall not be withdrawn without leave of the tribunal or court. (2) Where the petitioners are more than one, no application for leave to withdraw the election petition shall be made, ‘except with the consent of all the petitioners’.
“The CNPP, therefore, advises the warring factions in the ongoing Labour Party leadership crisis to pursue common grounds for reconciliation rather than resorting to deployment of propaganda tools, using the election petitions at various Election Petition Tribunals across the country, as baits to gain support”, the CNPP stated.
The president-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has allayed fears being expressed in certain quarters, especially observation of Ondo state Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu on the zoning of leadership of the tenth national assembly.
There has been apprehension about possible hijack of the house by opposition members following disagreement among members of the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC).
The APC had zoned Senate Presidency to former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Chief Godswill Apakbio from South South geo-political zone, his Deputy Barau Jubrin from Northwest, Speaker of House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen from Northwest, and his deputy, Ben Kalu from Southeast geo-political zone.
Akeredolu had said in a statement that the zoning of the leadership position by the APC in the yet to be constituted 10th National Assembly defied logic and would enhance injustice in the polity of the country.
Tinubu however stated that “you know our Governor has a knack for fearless, justice but I know that the governor will be further briefed, they will all be on the same line with the party and the president-elect and I am sure some of the reasons for the decision taken will be explained to him.”
The president elect, who spoke through the national vice chairman of APC south west, Isaacs Kekemeke, at a forum in Akure, Ondo state assured that he and the APC leadership would not allow the opposition party (PDP) to hijack the 10th National Assembly leadership like the opposition party did in 2015, when Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara emerged the Senate President and the Speaker of House of Representatives.
He however, said the APC still has enough time to bring the warring factions together before the inauguration of the National Assembly.
“Opposition will not take over the national assembly, both the President-elect and party are working tirelessly to ensure that whatever you perceive as acrimony will be sorted out and this is democracy.
“But I can assure you that the national working committee of our great party is having an interface with those aspirants of the House of Representatives and the Senate and in the short while everything will be sorted out.
“I don’t think there is cause for alarm, this is normal and this is what our party is known for, we believe in democratic engagement and we all know that the president-elect is an engager.”
