Today's Headlines: Buhari’s Administration Most Corrupt In Nigeria – Col. Umar, Former Military Governor Of Kaduna State; War Rages In NNPP
Buhari’s Administration most corrupt in Nigeria–Col. Umar
Photo Credit:The Sun papers
Former military governor of old Kaduna State, Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar (rtd), has said that the sit-tight syndrome of some African leaders is responsible for the current wave of coups within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region and the African continent in general.
Umar who participated in the coup that ousted former President Muhammadu Buhari as military Head of State in August, 1985, surprisingly told Sunday Sun: “We cannot support change of government through military coups.”
Umar, however, said: “But how else do you change those regimes headed by leaders for life? Paul Biya of Cameroon has been in power for 41 years and counting. Museveni of Uganda, 37 years. Eyadema and his father have been the only rulers of Togo since 1967. Also, Ali Bongo and his father, Omar, since 1967. They are too numerous to count. The fact that they are civilians and are able to conduct sham elections does not make their systems democratic.”
He also said that the international community, including the AU, ECOWAS and other regional organisations must not recognise such regimes headed by sit-tight leaders as legitimate and democratic.
Among other issues, Umar x-rayed the eight years administration of Buhari, saying that the former president’s counter insurgency, anti-corruption war and economic revival was a ruse.
War Rages In NNPP
Photo Credit:The Sun papers
The leadership crisis rocking the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has assumed a disturbing dimension following the plethora of suspensions, counter-suspensions, expulsion and vice versa.
infighting in the party gradually started before the primaries when some key stakeholders were sidelined from the election of the aspirants.
The founder and Chairman, Board of Trustees of the NNPP, Boniface Aniebonam, blamed the problem on the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
Aniebonam had accused Kwankwaso of high-handedness, dictatorial tendency and playing anti-party activities, which he said was anathema to the constitution of NNPP.
It would be recalled that after the 2023 polls, the former Kano State governor met with President Bola Tinubu on the possibility of being appointed a minister, a situation the distraught Publicity Secretary, Major Agbo, said was not an issue.
But Aniebonam’s acting National Publicity Secretary, Abdulsalam Abdulrasaq, after a meeting in Lagos State, expressed their displeasure, also accusing Kwankwaso of illegally locating the party’s Situation Room in his residence during the 2023 polls.
Photo Credit:Google
Why military coup is no option in Nigeria —Fani-Kayode
Photo Credit:The Nation papers
Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Minister of Ation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode decried the calls for military coup in some quarters, saying it is not an option in Nigeria.
In a piece titled ‘When Rebellion is a Virtue’, the former Minister of Culture and Tourism also berated African sit-tight leaders, saying that panic measures against the military in their respective countries would not guarantee their continuous stay in power.
“I wholeheartedly oppose the agenda of coup plotters, rebels and subversives in Nigeria,” he said. “In the case of our country, rebellion is a curse and not a virtue.
“I do not believe that a coup is desirable or appropriate here simply because, firstly, our government does not seek to discourage, muzzle, stifle or crush dissent or legitimate and lawful criticism and opposition and, secondly, because we are not burdened with a sit-tight and insane ruler who seeks to remove term limits from our constitution and impose a vicious and corrupt family dynasty and civilian dictatorship on our nation and people.”
Tribunal Upholds PDP’s Victory
Photo Credit:The Sun papers
The Senatorial Election Petition Court sitting in Kaduna yesterday upheld the victory of the senator representing Kaduna Central, Lawal Adamu-Usman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The tribunal also dismissed the petition filed against the lawmaker. The petition, which was filled by the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate, Abdullahi Muhammad-Sani, challenged the election of the PDP senator, on four grounds.
According to the petition, the grounds were of the issue of school certificate forgery, over voting, non-compliance and the issue of nomination and sponsorship of the first respondent by the PDP.
The three-man panel led by Justice H.H Kereng stated that all the grounds presented by the petitioners had failed. The petitions were dismissed.
“The elections and return of the first respondent is hereby affirmed. This petition is hereby dismissed,” he ruled.
Earlier, the judge stated that the petitioners failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the first respondent’s NECO results and other school certificate were forged.
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