Today's Headlines: PDP Crisis: Wike’s Ghost Rears Head Again; Niger: Military Option Not The Best – Atiku
PDP Crisis:Wike’s Ghost Rears Head Again
Photo Credit:The Nation papers
Between former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), it is different strokes for different folks. While the former is basking in the euphoria of his nomination by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a minister, the latter is enmeshed once again in the quicksand of crisis.
Recall that five governors elected on the platform of the party in the last political dispensation, namely Wike, Samuel Ortom (Benue), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), popularly called the G5, had vowed not to support the candidacy of the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and their stance was widely believed to have aided the success of the APC candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in the election.
The grouse of the G5 governors was that the then national chairman of the party, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, ought to have been replaced with a party member from the southern part of the country since the party’s presidential candidate was also from the north. Their demand was, however, ignored by the party’s leadership, leading to the crisis that ultimately resulted in the party’s defeat at the February election.
But while the party is still smarting from the defeat, the crisis has assumed another phase with suspicions in the Atiku camp that Umar Ililya Damagum, the chieftain of the party appointed to replace Ayu as in acting capacity, is a loyalist of Wike, the acclaimed leader of the G5. Consequently, Atiku camp’s members are demanding Damagum’s removal.
Niger: Military option not the best -Atiku
Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has commended the decisions taken by the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) so far regarding the recent coup in Niger, but warned against the proposed plan to adopt military action to restore democracy in the country. Atiku, in a tweet, on Friday, suggested that diplomatic options be strengthened rather than military action, hoping that only such diplomatic measures could guarantee peaceful return of democracy in the troubled country.
He said: “The military intervention in the Republic of Niger has created tension across the West Africa sub-region, and it is a development that has caused international attention to that neighbouring country of ours.
“The coup is even more worrisome because the number of states that have witnessed military intervention in the last three years in the sub-region is increasing.
“Of course, the world expects Nigeria to take up leadership in ensuring that the crisis of political leadership in the Republic of Niger is not just curtailed but also ensuring the restoration of democratic governance in that country.
Photo credit || Google
Ogbanje Church Opens In Anambra
Photo Credit: Punch papers
A new church called Ogbanje Church of All Nations has been opened in Nnewi, Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Members of the congregation had their first worship service at the church, where they sang and danced to a compilation of songs eulogising the names of some popular river goddesses in Nnewi.
This was corroborated by a video currently trending in social media, showing members of the church as they rejoiced and danced to the tune of songs composed in praise of goddesses of some popular rivers in Nnewi.
Three Hospitalized As Violence Rocks Lagos Ports
Photo Credit: Vanguard papers
Truckers and Carriers Association of Nigeria, TACAN, and Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, are singing discordant tunes over alleged extortion and attack that left three persons hospitalized with severe injuries at Lagos Ports.
While TACAN blamed MWUN members for the attack, MWUN insisted its members had nothing to do with the attack, saying “the attack was a result of an electioneering campaign by the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents, ANLCA that was disrupted by some hoodlums.”
Speaking, a member of the Board of Trustees of TACAN, Mr.Rasaq Babatunde said that drivers and truck owners were attacked and injured because of their refusal to be extorted by MWUN.
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