Today's Headlines: Nigeria Will Rise Under Tinubu – Former Tinubu SSA, Dapo Thomas; Don’t Deploy Troops In Niger, PDP Tells Tinubu
Nigeria Will Rise Under Tinubu – President’s Ex-adviser
Photo Credit:Punch papers
A former Senior Special Assistant on Policy Formulation and Programmes to President Bola Tinubu when he served as the governor of Lagos State between 1999 and 2007, Dr Dapo Thomas, shares with MUHAMMED LAWAL his expectations from the Tinubu presidency
Many Nigerians have described some of Tinubu’s economic policies since assuming office as inflicting hardship on the people, do you agree with those who said things could have been done differently?
If you go through the history of subsidy under the military and civilian administrations, it has never gone well with the people. They were always against it. There was never a time an attempt was made to remove subsidy that did not result in rioting. Surprisingly, people have given him the necessary support, hoping that things will get better and based on his credibility when he was in Lagos. It is in his character to always take care of the poor. There is no way we can start seeing the results now. He has suspended the five per cent excise tax on telecoms and others. This means we are approaching a level where we will begin to see the effect of this policy.
Many people have admitted that subsidy could go, but its removal without palliatives has plunged many people into poverty. Was it right to remove it before strategising on palliatives?
This is like a case of the chicken and the egg, and the narrative about which comes first. It is a matter of style and approach. On what basis or framework will the Nigeria Labour Congress use to arrive at compensatory or commensurate palliatives if he had introduced the palliatives before the removal of subsidy.
Don’t Deploy Troops In Niger, PDP Tells Tinubu
Photo Credit:Punch papers
The Peoples Democratic Party has kicked against the plan by President Bola Tinubu to deploy troops in Niger Republic to flush out the military junta that overthrew the democratically elected civilian President in that country.
Rather, the main opposition party advised that all tools of dialogue and diplomacy should be further employed by stakeholders to resolve the crisis in Niger.
The PDP stated this in a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting of leaders of the party, led by its presidential candidate in the February general election, Atiku Abubakar, and governors elected on its platform on Saturday at the Bauchi Governor’s Lodge, Abuja.
The meeting, which was attended by the party’s vice-presidential candidate in the last election, Ifeanyi Okowa, and governors Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Duoye Diri (Bayelsa), Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), Peter Mbah (Enugu), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Kefas Agbu (Taraba) and Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), as well as the acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum; Deputy National Chairman (South), Taofeek Arapaja; and National Vice Chairman (South-South), Dan Orbih, among others, was called to deliberate on the state of the party.
Photo Credit:Google
APC Denies Forcing Legal Adviser To Quit NWC
Photo Credit:Punch papers
The National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress has described as ‘untrue’ the report that the National Legal Adviser of the party, Ahmad El-Marzuq, may have been forced out of the committee.
The development is coming two days after the former legal adviser threw in the towel.
El-Marzuq had tendered his resignation on the eve of the National Caucus meeting of the ruling party held at the banquet hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Online and social media were awash with reports of how the presidency and APC governors pressured El-Marzuq into quitting the NWC on Thursday.
Reacting, Deputy National Organising Secretary of the APC, Nze Chidi Duru, reiterated that there was no iota of truth in the viral report.
Duru also dismissed speculation that the lawyer was shut out at the NEC meeting as the handiwork of rumour peddler.
Senators in stormy session, reject military invasion of Niger
Photo Credit:Punch papers
Tempers were said to have risen on Saturday as senators discussed the request made by President Bola Tinubu on the need to send troops to Niger Republic to enforce the resolution of the Heads of States of the Economic Community of West African States for the junta that overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum to restore him to power or face military action.
Senators were said to have been divided on whether to grant approval to the request or shut it down.
It was gathered that many senators from the North were not in support of the move as they argued that doing so would affect the peace of their area.
A source who was privy to the discussions among the senators, who met behind closed doors, said lawmakers from seven northern states, which share border with Niger Republic namely; Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, Zamfara, Jigawa, Yobe and Borno, vehemently rejected the move.
The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “It was a stormy session with concern on the implications of the war if allowed to start.
“Senators from the North are not in support of the proposed deployment of troops to Niger.
“Some of us were not happy with the coup, especially with the attendant implication for the West African region. We were also not happy with the way the coup plotters were grandstanding because we as a country have been good to them.
El_Zaxks (
)
