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Buhari Says Corruption War On Course After Pardoning Two Former Thieving Governors

By
James Orji
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Joshua Dariye and Jolly Nyamme

By James Orji

President Muhammadu Buhari has assured Nigerians that the war against corruption is still on course. The president made the assertion following the outbursts that greeted his government pardon of two former governors convicted for corruption.

Former Governors Jolly Nyame and Joshua Dariye of Taraba and Plateau states, respectively were last week pardoned by the president on the recommendation of the Council of States.

The two former governors collectively stole close to N3 billion belonging to their states.

The government also pardoned 157 other convicts.

The action did not sit well with many Nigerians who said the Buhari’s administration is encouraging corruption rather than fighting it as the government has promised.

For instance, a rights activist and popular Lagos lawyer, Femi Falana said the president should have pardoned all those already serving jail terms for petty crimes. The Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN said this will promote equity.

Responding to the criticisms, Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President of Media and Publicity, said in a statement on Monday that the president pardoned the former governors based on recommendation by prominent Nigerians.

Shehu, said Buhari was also guided by the Constitution and the recommendation by the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, PACPM.

The presidential spokesman cited Section 175 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999(as amended).

The statement reads in part: “The Federal Government constituted the PACPM on August 28th, 2018 with the mandate of assisting the President in the discharge of his constitutional responsibility of granting pardon/clemency to convicts or ex-convicts in deserving cases.

“The Committee filed its first report in March 2020 and reconvened on Thursday, 28 September 2021 to attend to the myriad of pending applications for presidential pardon and clemency from Nigerians across the country.

“These accrued cases followed the established process of applying for pardon or clemency first to the Correctional Service (formerly Nigerian Prison Service), which must certify claims made, be they of life-threatening ill-health, (as in the cases of Governors Dariye, Nyame; John Joshua Uloh, Engr Umar Bamalli, Sa’adu Ayinla Alanamu, Charles Ihenatu, Akinwumi Ajayi and tens of others making the approved list of 159; or such cases arising from remorse and good conduct or plainly on the basis of compassion among other stated criteria.

“The PACPM members, under the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, followed up the recommendations with a visit to selected Correctional Centers in several states of the Federation to “critically appraise and identify potential cases of convicts and ex-convicts before recommending them for presidential pardon/clemency and reduced sentences.”

“In this round of the exercise, 412 inmates were interviewed and 162 were recommended to the Council of State by the President in the exercise of his powers, pursuant to Section 175 (2) which requires that he should carry out this function after being “advised by the Council.”

‘Clearly, the presentation to the Council of States meeting last week, attended by former Presidents, a former Chief Justice and 36 States and the FCT along the lines of its statutory membership was a culmination of a rigorous process, regulated and guided by the law which was not, in any way designed to achieve a political purpose.

“While it is natural that the cases of the ex-governors-two among many- would excite political analysts, coming at a time when elections are in the air, the President would at the same time have come across as insensitive and cruel to most people were he to have ignored very compelling cases recommended for pardon made to him because someone is a former Governor. Even Governors have the right to be treated fairly under the law.

“President Buhari assures the nation that nothing done here was intended to achieve a political end or send a revisionist message on the relentless war against corruption which he has ably and evidently led by personal examples.”

2023: Senator Ndume Backs Amaechi; He Fits The Bill, He Says

By
Akinwale Kasali
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By Akinwale Kasali

The Presidential aspiration of Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi received a  boost, as the Chairman Senate Committee on Army, Senator Ali Ndume backed him. Numerous described the presidential ambition of Amaechi, as his personal project.

Since throwing his hat in the 2023 Presidential ring, Ndume has been involved in his trips across the country, throwing his weight behind him.

Speaking on Channels Television on Politics Today, Ndume said Amaechi remains the best among the aspirants seeking the Presidential ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, picking him above Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The Senator representing Borno South Senatorial District said that he is one of those who convinced Amaechi to run for the exalted office in the nation, with optimism that he has the qualities.

“I started it. That is my project. I was one of those who asked Amaechi to run, because I feel at this critical time we need a Nigerian to run, not somebody who will run based on where he comes from or region; not somebody who is not experienced enough; and not somebody who does not have the pedigree, energy and intellect to run.

“In the APC, I feel the best candidate we can present is Amaechi. I don’t want to use the word that he is better than those who you listed.

“The best doesn’t mean others are not good enough. When you have very good people, then you pick the best. He is the best.”

Ndume said he believes the Transportation Minister will be a great candidate for the top job as he described him as someone who “has the pedigree, energy and intellect” needed to run Nigeria.

N100m For Presidential Forms: APC Prepares Next President To Steal

By
The Source
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0
Comfort Obi

By Comfort Obi

Nigerians should watch out. A red flag has been put up for them. Warning bells are ringing. And, it is time to shine their eyes. Our leaders are waving the stealing banner at us. And they are doing that brazenly.

If the next President of Nigeria in 2023 comes from the  All Progressives Congress, APC, his Party has indirectly, asked him to steal from day one in office. The Party has asked him to embark on a stealing spree. It has given him a shirt, soaked in corruption to wear. It has asked him to immediately do something to recoup every kobo spent on his journey to office.

Here is why.

The APC  under the leadership of its National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, on Wednesday, April 20, 2022, pegged the cost for the Presidential office at an unprecedented sum of N100m. Here is the breakdown:

*N30m for expression of interest form.

*N70m for the nomination form.

The APC is the ruling party in Nigeria. Muhammadu Buhari, the man who says he  abhors corruption and ostentatious life style is the President of Nigeria. And forget that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is, usually, referred to as the National Leader of the Party, it is a mockery. Not true. The tag is meant to humor him.

The real and maximum National Leader of the Party is President Buhari The Party does what he wants. What he directs. What he dictates. Examples abound.

He asked the APC to sack Adams Oshiomhole, its National Chairman. Oshiomhole was sacked. And  that’s inspite of Oshiomhole’s relationship with Tinubu. He was not only sacked, the President shifted the meeting which sacked him to the Presidential Villa. Not the Party Secretariat. Tinubu could do nothing. He only sulked.

The President set-up  the Governor Mai Mala Buni Interim Committee to run the affairs  of the Party, principally to organise National Convention. The Committee was there for a long time. Nobody complained.

When some “rascals” in the Party cried foul, and moved to sack the Committee, they felt they had the President’s blessing. At least, one of them, Kaduna State Governor, Nasir  El-Rufai was on National Television, and told us the President  ordered them to sack Buni.

In far away London where he had gone to take care of his health, the President had a change of mind. He pulled the rug from under El-Rufai and company, and ordered: “Buni stays.” He topped his order by chiding El-Rufai and Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, who in an unprecedented press statement, called his fellow Governors, who preached due process in the Buni issue, Yahoo- yahoo Governors. There was no “pim” again.

For the National Convention, the President picked Senator Adamu, former Nasarawa State Governor, as the National Chairman. And inspite of Adamu’s alleged baggage, and Tinubu’s alleged preference for Senator George Akume, former Benue State Governor and Buhari’s Minister, Mr President had his way. So, everybody knows who the real National leader of the  Party is. Even Tinubu knows.

I brought this aspect up as a proof that there is nothing the National leadership of the Party does without the approval of the President.

However, on the pegging of the Presidential aspiration form at N100m, I find it hard to believe that Buhari, who couldn’t buy his own form in 2015, (he said he took a bank loan) approved of it. Again here is why.

This President swept into office, in 2015, waving the anti-corruption banner. He said he was coming to clean the augean stable. But if this pegging of the form at N100m is not an encouragement for corruption, I don’t know what is.

If it is not an endorsement of stealing, I don’t know what is. When one spends this huge sum on forms alone, in addition to what one would spend on reaching out to delegates, in addition to what one will spend at the Primary, in addition to what one will spend when one becomes the candidate, then, one has been handed over a license   to go ahead, steal, and recoup your money if one becomes the President. Even a saint, and please, there is no Saint in politics, will do that. It is a license for corruption.

And worse.

I have looked at the APC Presidential aspirants,and “wanna bes” and I don’t know how many of them who can afford the sum of N100m. Only a couple of them can COMFORTABLY do that from their personal pocket unless they had stolen and/or are stealing. So, what  this homogeneous price tag is likely to do, is to disenfranchise a number of the aspirants.

For instance, Minister for Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has always said he had no money. He always says he does not like money. Where,  in the world,  will he get the sum of N100m to squander on an aspiration form? There are Dr Chris Ngige and Senator Ken Nnamani too, in this all- comers affair. There are, also, the Governors of Kogi State and Ebonyi State, Yahaya  Bello and Dave Umahi. Bello was a civil servant before luck shone on him in politics. I understand, he too is now billionaire. As for Umahi, the one who says he  became a billionaire at age 25, a time he barely was through with his Youth Service, will they dare it when many people think they are on a wild goose chase?  This price tag is likely to put off others who had set their eyes on the seat. There is Ekiti State Governor, for example. Will he still dare?

Perhaps only Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (he had about nine times more than that before he became the VP), Tinubu, Senators Okorocha and Orji Kalu can effortlessly afford this price tag. Others, I don’t know. And let nobody tell us the form was purchased for him by one group or the other. It is wayo!

Here’s what I expect President Buhari to do. He should put a halt to the N100m tag placed on his chair. He should cancel it. Here we were, screaming about PDP’s N40m tag, and APC, a Party which says it is fighting corruption, puts its own N60m higher than that.

Mr President, this  N100m ridicules you, your integrity and everything you have ever stood for against  corruption. It is a licence to steal, a licence to wear corruption as a shirt.

Don’t let it stick.

As usual, interfere. Intervene.

Obi is the Editor-in-Chief/CEO of The Source (Magazine), https://thesourceng.com. Email: [email protected], [email protected]

Sterling Bank’s Jesus Advert: Christians Call For Removal of Bank MD

By
James Orji
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By James Orji

The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN has called for the removal of the managing Director of Sterling bank Plc, Abubakar Suleiman for approving an advert that insulted Jesus Christ. The body represents all Christians in the country.

The Source magazine reported that the commercial bank, had in an advert compared Jesus Christ to ‘Agege bread’ very infamous among Nigerians for its low quality.

The advert which read “Like Agege Bread, He Rose Again” had attracted trenchant criticisms from many Nigerians.

CAN said in its first reaction to the advert that the bank has shown its disdain for Christians.

The Christian body, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Joseph Bade Daramola, said the bank chief executive has shown ‘hostility and hatred’ for the Christian Faith, therefore, must be removed from office.

It calls on all Christians not to have anything to do with the bank for using an advert “that is insulting, ridiculous and a mockery of Jesus Christ.”

The statement reads, “The attention of the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has been drawn to an ungodly, wicked, insensitive and deliberately provocative advertisement of the Sterling Bank comparing the Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ to ‘Agege Bread’ amidst the Easter celebration.

“In case the management of the Sterling Bank is not aware, the resurrection of Jesus witnesses to the immense power of God Himself. To believe in the resurrection is to believe in God. If God exists, and if He created the universe and has power over it, then He has power to raise the dead; if He does not have such power, He is not worthy of our faith and worship.

“Only He who created life can resurrect it after death, only He can reverse the mystery that is death itself, and only He can remove the sting and gain the victory over the grave (1 Corinthians 15:54–55). In resurrecting Jesus from the grave, God reminds us of His absolute sovereignty over life and death.

“The purported apology did not come from a penitent heart. How can someone in his right mind described the risen Christ as a loaf of bread. That is insulting, ridiculous and a mockery of Jesus Christ. We advised Christians to be wary of the banks and other financial institutions they are patronising.

“We learnt that the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) has reportedly intervened in the matter with a view to impose some sanctions against Sterling Bank. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) is waiting for the decision of the organisation.

“However, in the interim, we call for the immediate removal of the Chief Executive of Sterling Bank; Mr. Abubakar Suleiman with his Management whose actions have clearly shown their hostility and hatred for the Christian faith.”

Power Shift As APC NEC Transfers Powers to NWC for 90 days

By
Ayodele Oni
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Senator Abdullahi Adamu

By Ayodele Oni

The ongoing National Executive Council, (NEC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has  transferred its powers to the National Working Committee (NWC) under the leadership of Senator Abdullahi Adamu for the next 90 days.

National Secretary of APC, Senator Iyiola Omisore told the gathering, currently meeting in Abuja, that Senate President Ahmed Lawan moved the motion and was seconded by Governor Nasir El-rufai.

The NWC will now, henceforth take decisions that might require the intervention of the NEC meeting.

It was gathered that the power shift to the NWC, which comprises elected officials and state chairmen is mainly due to some primary elections slated to be held during those period.

According to the scheduled time table for the conduct of the primary election by the APC, election of national delegates will start from 2nd and ends 9th May.

The delegates are expected to be part of the electoral college that will elect the presidential candidate of the party.

Dates for the conduct of other primary elections are as follows: Governorship,18th May; House of Assembly, 20th May; House of Representatives, 22nd May; and Senate, 24th May.

A special convention to elect the presidential candidate is expected to hold on Monday 30th May to 1st June in Abuja.

Fees payable by aspirants for the various positions are Governorship, N50m; House if Assembly, N2m; House of Representatives, N10m; Senate, N20m and Presidency, N100m.

The amount covers cost of nomination and expression of interest forms.

It was further learnt that the stepping aside from decision making during the period by NEC which comprises President and state Governors is to ensure their neutrality during the primaries.

Dr Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state is among sitting Governors being rumoured to be nursing presidential ambition.

Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, some serving ministers and national leader of the APC, Bola Tinubu have equally shown interest to be landlord of Ado Rock villa.

Ondo Suspends Civil Servant For Sharing Governor Akeredolu’s Death On Facebook Account

By
Ayodele Oni
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By Ayodele Oni

Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu said his death rumour while on vacation was the handiwork of his detractors.

The Governor began a two- week leave as part of his annual vacation on April 1, 2022. When he was away, Akeredolu handed over power to his Deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, in an acting capacity.

However, during the vacation, it was rumoured that Akeredolu had died in Germany.

This will be the second time he was rumoured to have died in the last three years.

Speaking live on the state-owned OSRC TV, the Governor described the rumour as wicked and politically motivated.

He thanked the good people of the State, saying that he is very much alive and will return to work on Monday to further give his best for the development of the State.

“I left the shores of this country on the March 27, 2022. I was with my party, I was physically present, I was there until the early hours of 27th March, 2022.

“Throughout 26th, I was at the convention of the APC in Abuja and everybody saw me there. I even sat with delegates from Ondo State.

“I never left them except when I left to greet delegates from South West and other areas. And it was a successful outing for us in Ondo State and for South West as well.

“And the second day, I left for Dubai, we had the annual investment meeting, which is Dubai Annual meeting and we were all there. So many Governors, about 13 of us were there.

“I went principally in respect of our Port Ondo because it was during the previous year that we had relationship, and with the relationship with Dubai Port, I wanted to solidify.

“It was not a pleasure vacation, my vacation started on first, but from 27th March, 2022 it was working visit to Dubai, I was still working, so my first 14 days did not start until 1st of April, 2022. So, I was in Dubai working about the State.

“About 14 States participated and each State has its stand, and I displayed what we have in Ondo State, our Bitumen, our Mineral resources. I attended other fora to discuss and project the image of Ondo State.”

Meanwhile, a civil servant in the Ondo State Civil Service has been suspended for sharing fake news about  Governor Akeredolu.

The State’s Head of Service, Pastor John Adeyemo, who disclosed this in Akure, said the disciplinary measure was based on the death rumour being peddled about the Governor.

The Head of Service who did not disclose the identity of the said officer, however, said the civil servant in question has been suspended and his name forwarded to the Civil Service Commission for appropriate punishment.

He explained that the officer posted the fake news on his Facebook account, adding that such bad behavior would not be condoned.

He suggested severe sanctions against purveyors of such fake news to serve as deterrent to others, stressing that fake news creates problems in the society.

Adeyemo also expressed joy that the Governor is back to the country hale and hearty, saying God has shamed the rumour mongers and their sponsors.

“Incidentally, I called Mr Governor a day before the rumour and we spoke and chatted. So, when I heard the fake news I was disturbed and was like who is this fellow carrying this terrible rumour because I knew Mr Governor was alive and with vigour. So, I never believed it.”

ICYM: Sterling Bank: After Insulting Jesus Bank Tells Christians To Cast The First Stone

By
James Orji
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0

By Tosin Olatokunbo

Sterling Bank Plc has told Christians all over the world and others angry with the commercial bank for insulting Jesus, to ‘cast the first stone’.  There are estimated two billion Christians worldwide.

Critics of the blasphemy insist that the bank has failed to show enough rectitude after comparing the Lord Jesus Christ with ‘Agege Bread, a low-quality bread that has gained infamy among many Nigerians.

The Abubakar Suleman-led commercial bank, in celebration of Easter, had posted an Easter advert on social media platforms and also sent its customers via email. The chief executive of the bank is a Muslim.

The message which contained a picture of a golden-brown bread divided into two was captioned “Like Agege Bread, He Rose!” referring to the resurrection of Jesus Christ, usually marked worldwide on Easter Monday by billions of adherents of the Christian faith.

The advert has been greeted with serious backlash from Nigeria Christians and other well-meaning people across the world who demanded an immediate apology from the bank.

 

But, rather than apologise profusely, for insulting the faith and its adherents, the bank appears to have added more salt to injury after it described those criticizing the advert as sinners, saying ‘Let he who has never sin cast the first stone.”

Many have described the terse apology as half-hearted and unrepentant, pointing out that the bank has not indicated enough that it regretted its action.

“Why did it take the bank so long to respond to the criticism despite the angry reactions of Nigerians to the advert? It took the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria, APCON to issue a threat to sanction the bank before the management deemed it fit to issue a terse apology, which also ended up adding more fire to the issue.

APCON had condemned the advert describing it as blasphemous to the Christin faith.

The Council said in a statement signed by Olalekan Fadolapo, its registrar/chief executive titled, ‘Sterling Bank Agege Bread Easter Advertisement’ that the advert is malicious and that the bank has shown that it’s insensitive to the religious plurality of the country, that its action was capable of causing religious tension in the country.

According to APCON, “The Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria has observed with displeasure the insensitive and provocative Easter celebration advertisement by Sterling Bank Plc which compared the resurrection of Christ with Agege Bread.

“The distasteful advertisement was neither submitted nor approved for exposure by the Advertising Standards Panel, the statutory Panel charged with the responsibility of ensuring that advertisements conform with the prevailing laws of the federation as well as the code of ethics of Advertising in Nigeria.

“APCON will take necessary actions to ensure that Sterling Bank is sanctioned for the exposure of such offensive advertisement according to law and that no religious belief or faith is ridiculed or any blasphemous advertisement exposed in any guise.”

For a country like Nigeria that has witnessed religious tensions in the past due to the careless behaviors of certain individuals, not a few insist that the bank has proved to be very insensitive to the business environment where it operates.

“Normally, the advert was supposed to have been vetted by the management before it was made public. Whether those responsible for that actually did or not, no one can tell considering the outbursts that have greeted the advert, and the fact that the advert was done in bad taste. It could also be that the bank also wanted to use the notorious advert to gain social media mileage by insulting ‘the Lord Jesus Christ,” an analyst said.

“But, no matter the intention for allowing such distasteful advert to run, the authors had almost thrown the country into another religious chaos,” he said further.

In 2002, riot broke out in Kano and some other Northern states after an article referencing Prophet Mohammed was published in This Day Newspaper ahead of the World Beauty Pageant to be held in the country that year.

Nigeria had been picked to host the contest after a Nigerian, Agbani Darego, won the competition the previous year but many Nigerian Muslims had condemned the move, describing it as promoting promiscuity and offending female modesty and sexual morality.

The violent protests started after the article published on November 16, 2002 and written by Isioma Daniel, a 22-year-old Christian fashion journalist, made reference to Muhammad, because many Muslims did not support the beauty pageant was accused of making light of the objection of many Muslims to the contest.

In 2006, the country was thrown into yet another religious crisis after Muslims rioters in Kano, protesting the controversial cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad killed 16 people and burnt many churches.

Considering the negative reactions that greeted the advert, many insist that the government should investigate the issue before it degenerates into another religious crisis in the country.

“Only God knows what would have happened if the said advert attacked Muslims or Prophet Mohammed. By now everybody will be calling on the managing director and his management to resign. In fact, people would have called for their immediate arrest for trying to cause another religious bloodshed in the country,” Kenneth Audu said.

He said the bank should make a formal apology to “the 4 billion Christians across the world and promise that it will never insult the religion and its symbol, Jesus Christ again. Anything short of this would mean that the commercial bank intentionally used the advert to insult Nigerian Christians  thinking that ‘nothing will happen’.

Aisha Buhari Returns, Prays For Peace

By
James Orji
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0
Aisha Buhari
Aisha Buhari

By James Orji

Nigeria’s First Lady, Aisha Buhari has returned from a long holiday in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, UAE. Aisha has spent a better part of her husband, President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure in the oil producing gulf nation.

Last month, the Nigerian Governors Wives Forum, NGWF led by the wife of the Governor of Ekiti state, Bisi Fayemi joined the First Lady to celebrate her birthday in the oil rich emirate.

Sources say powerful aides of the president known as Aso Rock cabal has somehow whittled down the influence of the First Lady in the administration. Aisha had in recent past alleged that the cabal has hijacked power from her husband.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN reported on Tuesday that on her return to the country, Aisha called on Muslim faithful to use the Ramadan period to intensify prayers for lasting peace and security in Nigeria.

She made the call when she hosted wives of service chiefs and other top government functionaries to a Ramadan breakfast at the State House, Abuja.

The dignitaries who attended the event included wives of ministers and other Nigerian women who unanimously expressed their appreciation to the first lady for her commitment to peaceful coexistence of Nigeria.

Buhari said the Almighty God has provided Nigerians with another opportunity to re-educate themselves in fasting and prayers to ensure peace and development of the country.

The First Lady also urged Nigerians to extend good virtues of sharing, love, support, forgiveness and sacrifice for the betterment of mankind and Nigeria.

The wife of the president also expressed her gratitude to Almighty Allah for the opportunity to witness the 2022 Ramadan, expressed optimism that the period would provide the country with abundance of peace and tranquillity.

Ramadan fast is one of the five pillars of Islam which provides an opportunity for the Muslim ummah to intensify prayers in humility and the fear of God.

The period is also to extend good virtues of sharing, forgiveness, love, peace and sacrifices for the betterment of mankind and society.

Insecurity: IGP Orders Maximum Security In Universities, Boarding Schools

By
James Orji
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0
Usman Baba Alkali - IGP

By James Orji

The Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, has directed policemen to provide maximum security in universities and public boarding schools across the country.

The police boss said the decision became necessary to forestall security breach in the public institutions and to ensure protections for students and staff.

According to a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, FPRO, Muyiwa Adejobi, a Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP the IGP gave the directive at the management meeting of the Force Management Team, FMT at the IGP Conference Hall, Force Headquarters, Abuja, yesterday.

“The IGP equally directed all State Commissioners of Police, Tactical Commanders, as well as their supervising Assistant Inspectors-General of Police, AIGs, to explore all available options and think outside the box to boost security in and around schools, colleges, and student-based communities,” Adejobi said.

“The IGP has equally directed detectives/operatives of the Force Criminal Investigations Department, FCID, and the Force Intelligence Bureau, FIB, to ensure sustained surveillance and intelligence gathering activities within various school environment, while the police airwing has been directed to extend its aerial patrols to the six geo-political zones of the country.

“The Inspector-General of Police, therefore, assured that all hands will be on deck to ensure a safe environment for all pupils and students in schools and colleges of learning within the country.

“He further reiterated the commitment of his administration to diversifying resources towards sustainable security and safety of all and sundry in Nigeria,” the Force spokesperson said.

2023: Adebanjo Backs Afe Babalola’s Call For Election Postponement

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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0

By Tosin Olatokunbo

Yoruba/Afenifere leader, Ayo Adebanjo has urged presidential aspirants from the south west to shelve their ambition for now until all issues pertaining to insecurity are settled.

Adebanjo spoke barely 48 hours after renowned legal luminary, Afe Babalola called for the postponement of next year’s election. The Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN said an interim government should take over from President Muhammadu Buhari, midwife a new constitution and chart a way forward for the country.

The Afenifere chieftain told the Punch that the issue of unity should be addressed before the country’s transition to a new government.

Top presidential hopefuls for the 2023 election from the south west include vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state, amongst others.

According to him, “Right now, is there a country for them to be President? There must be one country first before you can talk of an election. Is this the country Jonathan handed over to Buhari? Whether a Southern or a Northern candidate, let us unite everyone. We can’t get everyone united until we change this constitution.

“Are you safe? Talk about security. How am I sure that I won’t be shocked when I go to the police station, when electoral officers, soldiers, and policemen are being shot dead and I can’t travel to Maiduguri safely?

“All those who are clamouring for Presidency, be it Jagaban (Tinubu) or Osinbajo, they should assure us of our safety first, that the country is safe, that we are one, then we talk of who is going to be President. They should forget about their ambitions now until there is safety. Nobody can go to the South-East now, and we are all living in denial.”

Speaking on rotational presidency, the elder statesman said presidential hopefuls from the south west should forget their ambition for now, to pave the way for Igbo to produce the next president. This, he said, is based on equity after President Olusegun Obasanjo has served the slot of the south west.

He will not support any Yoruba candidate for president, he said.

“How can I back a South-West candidate? That is not equity. Has Obasanjo not done so for eight years? Has Osinbajo not done eight years as VP? Has Jonathan not done five years as President? Is the South-East not part of Nigeria?

“We want peace and equity. It is the turn of the South-East. I don’t talk ambiguously. It is the South-East that the thing must go; there is no doubt about that but my anxiety now is that before we say, South-East, have we got a country? Let us settle that before we say the South-East is the answer. I am not ambivalent about it at all,” Adebanjo said.

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