The Hood – Hearing from your neighborhood

YOUTH ASSEMBLY OF NIGERIA(YAN) WRITES AMAECHI, PRESIDENCY …Calls on INEC to conclude Rivers election within 10 days and Issue Okorocha his certificate of return for Imo west senatorial district

The national leadership of the Youth Assembly of Nigeria(YAN) after an emergency meeting held at YSG Hotel,Abuja has called on the presidency to caution Hon.Rotimi Amaechi from further use of security agencies to harass her members in Rivers state.

The national speaker of YAN; Rt.Hon. Samuel Chukwubuikem Godstime in a two page report presented to the secretary to the government of the federation warned that never again will Rotimi Amaechi be allowed to exhibit an iota of electoral rascality.

The statement added, “We closely watched the activities of the 2019 Rivers State Gubernatorial and House of Assembly Elections and reports coming from our members, scattered around the state, only proves to us, that Nigerian youths in Rivers state are under attack courtesy of the purposeless activities of Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi in his die minute want to force the AAC candidate on the people of Rivers state. Elections held in other parts of the country were relatively peaceful, with pockets of violence in a few locations but Amaechi who brags with the presidency have chosen to play God in Rivers state thereby breaching peace in all quarters.

Scores of Nigerian youths of Rivers state extraction, especially students have been wounded, harassed and intimidated by the said thuggish activities and use of the Nigerian Army to harass our members in their respective polling units in Rivers State”.

We want to use this medium to call on the attention of the President to advice his Minister of Transport to desist from further illicit act.

We will at all cost never allow our had earned Democracy in Nigeria to be raped by mere greed of an individual.

The leadership of YAN in the same vein has given the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) 10 days ultimatum to issue Anayo Rochas Okorocha his Certificate of Return or face their wrath.

The Youth Assembly of Nigeria (YAN) in a statement signed by her National Speaker and made available to Radio Nigeria and the Nation newspaper in Abuja noted that it was unconstitutional and against the electoral Act as amended for INEC to refuse the issuance of Certificate of Return to Rochas Okorocha after his declaration as the winner by the returning officer.

The statement reads in part: We demand that; as a matter of urgency the commission should without any further delay Present the certificate of return of the Senator elect in person of Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha to him to mend the breach of the constitution as INEC has no Constitutional right to withhold any certificate of return of any individual that has been pronounce elected and returned by the returning Officer, as only the tribunal can hear electoral matter and offences, meanwhile it’s only a court of competent jurisdiction that have such powers to deny any individual either returned or otherwise. That failure of the commission to present to the winner of the 23rd February election his certificate of return in person of Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha within 10 working days will attract a massive protest from the youth at the headquarters of the commission Abuja.

We wish to categorically state that our citizens will not sit and watch institutions like INEC being bastardized by some few individuals at the detriment of our hard-earned democracy. That INEC has failed woefully as they have chosen to hearken to the voice of some paymasters and deep pocket individuals to the detriment of Nigerians who have spoken through their votes by throwing the country into their so-called inconclusive elections.

Also lending his voice, the speaker of YAN Delta state chapter; Amb. Emeka Emueze noted that for political holiness and fairness, zoning the Nigeria’s senate presidency seat to south east would be the best.

Amb. Emeka also called for the arrest of both the INEC resident electoral commissioner; Francis Otunta and the Professor who served as returning officer for the just concluded Imo guber election for not following Nigeria’s constitutional provisions as in section 179 and electoral rules via declaration of winner of governorship election.

Don’t tear Nigeria into pieces – Group warns Pastor Chris Okafor over reckless statement on Kaduna crisis

The founder of Liberation City, Pastor Chris Okafor, has been warned against making reckless statement that could tear Nigeria into pieces.

The New Initiative for Credible Leadership (NICreL), which gave the warning, said Okafor’s recent outburst on the crisis in Kaduna State and Governor Nasir El-Rufai is unexpected of a preacher of the gospel.

Pastor Okafor had during a Sunday programme warned the Kaduna State Governor to avoid persecuting Christians and preachers in the state or risks the wrath of God.

The preacher gave El-Rufai, whom he likened to Biblical Herob seven days to reverse bill at the state House of Assembly to license religious bodies or would be visited by God.

Reacting to his comment, NICreL in a ststement through its Executive Director, Samson Onwu, said Okafor’s comment could undermine peace and security across the country.

Full text of the statement below.

The founder of Liberation City, Pastor Chris Okafor, recently sought to incite sectarian strife by interpreting “A Bill for a Law to Substitute the Kaduna State Religious Preaching Law, 1984,” in ways that suggest it was targeted at Christians in the state.

Pastor Okafor went further to warn the state governor, Nasir el-Rufai to abandon the bill within seven days or face the wrath of God and possibly die within the first two years of his next term in office. He went further to link Governor el-Rufai’s choice of a running mate in the just concluded election with the bill while citing this as basis to assert that Christians are being persecuted in Kaduna state.

The New Initiative for Credible Leadership, after reviewing a video clip in which Pastor Okafor made these and other inciting comments over the bill found it necessary to condemn the preacher’s action and utterances in the strongest terms possible. The kind of behaviour he exhibited has no place in a country governed by law and he must therefore be censured to prevent him from exploiting the cover of being a clergyman to promote ethno-sectarian hate at a time Nigeria needs healing from all the divisiveness that had held it back.

Interestingly, while Pastor Okafor presented the bill as something that was initiated just a few days ago, the bill has been with the Kaduna State House of Assembly for over three years. Furthermore, contrary to his claim that the bill’s main objective is to persecute Christians, the proposed legislation was informed by an urgent need to address the waves of sectarian strife that had repeatedly rocked the state leading to loss of lives. It was a response to unscrupulous and unschooled clergy men across religious divides, like Pastor Okafor, who abuse their position of influence to incite their followers against persons of other creeds.

It is therefore irresponsible of Pastor Okafor to use a proposed legislation meant to discourage hate preaching as a basis to incite further hatred along sectarian lines. Such behaviour calls to question what Okafor believes in as there is no record of Jesus Christ endorsing attacks against those in authority or violent response to even those that attacked him.

The pastor’s admixture of politics into his sermon equally signposts an emerging dangerous trend that could undermine peace and security across the country as clergymen encourage the faithful to migrate their sectarian biases, hatred and disaffection into everyday life. The 2019 elections saw the Christian faith being exploited and abused to promote politics of hate, a development that demystified many clergymen that were once held in high esteem but have now become false prophets before their followers. There is no doubt that this is the fate that would befall Pastor Okafor when the seven days ultimatum he handed to Governor el-Rufai to rescind the bill or die within two years fails to materialize.

While it is well known that many of the hire-for-pay clergy men are under pressure from those they sold fake prophecies to and therefore smarting from their failed predictions in the 2019 elections, there is no way to justify Pastor Okafor’s resort to incitement as a coping mechanism. The pastor has by his acts and utterances certified himself as a candidate for the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the event that any sectarian violence breaks out because of his preaching.

Pending when Pastor Okafor will keep a date with the ICC, we urge the Department of State Services (DSS) to do the needful by immediately investigating his motives and getting him to undertake not to give effect to his threats as this would lead to avoidable loss of life.

We urge the Kaduna State House of Assembly and the Kaduna State Government to note that the incitement by Pastor Okafor is a wake-up call that they cannot continue to delay passing the bill and signing it into law if fanatical and extremist clergymen must be checked. In the interim, the state government should explore exiting legislation, including the anti-terrorism laws, to discourage merchants of hate whose main intention is to cause crises that are of the magnitude as terrorism.

Buratai and the birth of a new Army

By Don Udeike

I am not one that partakes in mediocrity. I am also not one that encourages others to be mediocre. I say this because the general elections have come and gone and as usual words, merchants have begun to ply their trades on behalf of their principals that includes some of those that lost in their respective political bids.

In this article, I have decided to dwell on two critical institutions that made the headlines during the elections, and they are the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Nigerian Army (NA). These two institutions if you would agree with me were on the front pages of the newspapers all through the election period.

For INEC, it is understandable because it was the electoral umpire and as such its activities were always scrutinized especially when it shifted the presidential polls by one week. It was, therefore, no surprise that in spite of the reforms it has implemented and is still implementing, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was taken to the cleaners for even shortcomings that are not of its making.

But for the Nigerian Army, its activities were viewed with suspicion before the elections with the commissioning of the Situation Room to monitor the security situation around the country during the polls online and real-time and also the commencement of Operation Python Dance nationwide to ensure that the elections were peaceful. It is therefore not surprising that the Nigerian Army was at the receiving end of hostile propaganda because troops were deployed for election duty.

The strange thing about the sceptical view of the involvement of the Nigerian Army in the elections stems from two things in my opinion. Our experience with the military during the military era. And two the mentality that the Nigerian army still does things the brute way not minding whose ox is gored.

Having stated this, I think Nigerians need a mind-set reorientation on the Nigerian Army in this dispensation. Nigerians need to know that just as times have changed, the Nigerian Army has also changed, especially within the last four years of this present administration and with such a seasoned officer like Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai as the Chief of Army Staff.

I recall that I was one of those that initially faulted the involvement of the Nigerian Army in the 2019 General election on the premise that the Nigerian Police and other civil authorities could handle whatever security challenges that would arise in the course of the elections. But I was wrong, and I quickly retraced my steps given the enormity of the task and the desperation exhibited by some politicians who felt that they had already won the elections.

And as usual, the opposition held unto just one part of the stick and forgot that a stick has two sides. They held on to the part that the Nigerian Army was involved in the election process and they refused to see the benefits of the involvement of the Nigerian Army in ensuring that the elections were credible, free and fair.

Today that the elections are over, what has now flooded the airwaves is the 2019 elections were militarised, and I wondered what they meant. The opposition party went to town with the propaganda to systematically rubbish the impact of the involvement of the Nigerian Army in the elections to give an impression that the polls were not credible, free and fair. But it didn’t fly. I say it didn’t fly because of the accolades that have poured in as regards the fact that but for the involvement of the Nigerian Army, Nigeria would have witnessed doomsday.

I stand to be corrected that we today live in peace even after a major election is indeed a testament of the invaluable role the Nigerian Army played in ensuring that the polls were indeed credible, free and fair. For example, in states likes Rivers, and Zamfara, the Nigerian Army were even victims, they were loathed by the government of these states and made life unbearable for officers and soldiers on election duty. But in all of these, it didn’t stop them from carrying out their duties in a most professional manner and concerning human rights. This is the new Nigerian Army under Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai.

A new Nigerian Army that has repositioned for greater exploits in line with global best practices as exemplified during the just concluded general elections, and a Nigerian Army that embraces critical thinking in its operations. I recall that sometime in 2017, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai launched three books on Critical Thinking as part of efforts to enhance the capacity of Nigerian Army’s personnel in creativity and innovation in modern warfare.

In the words of the Chief of Army Staff, “it is now a fact that the adversaries being engaged by most militaries are becoming wiser and more unpredictable. Therefore, to be ahead of them, militaries must ensure they have an adaptive mind-set that is realistic, open and unassuming, which no doubt requires the need to be aware of biases, logical fallacies, and assumptions. Thus, the concept of Critical Thinking is a necessity for future leaders of which the Nigerian Army is poised to be in the vanguard of the learning.” If this is not brilliant, I wonder what else to say. In a way, it gives us a peep into the mind of the Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai and by extension how he has transformed the Nigerian Army into a better and more proactive organization poised to deliver on its core mandate of protecting the territorial integrity of Nigeria.

The way and manner the Nigerian Army has transformed within four years leave much to be imagined on the capacity and leadership style of the Chief of Army Staff who has only demonstrated that indeed things can be done quite better in Africa. I think that other African countries should take a cue from the present day Nigerian Army in terms of operational effectiveness, civil-military relations, respect for the rule of law, respect for human rights and others too numerous to mention.

And only recently, the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria Mr Abhay Thakur in company of the Indian Defence Attaché to Nigeria, Colonel Derby Sachen paid a working visit to the Chief of Army Staff at the Army headquarters, where he described the role of the NA during the elections as professional and patriotic which is in line with global best practice and promised to sustain cooperation with the NA in the areas of training, defence procurement and sharing of intelligence that will assist Nigeria in the ongoing fight against terrorism.

Also, the newly appointed Commanding General United State Army Africa (USARAF), Major General Roger Cloutier paid a working visit to the Chief of Army Staff, where he commended the Nigerian Army’s efforts in curbing contemporary security challenges especially the Boko Haram terrorism.

So in a way, the myth of militarization of the elections is uncharitable to say the least because but for the intervention of the Army, there would still not be a country given the fact that in some places, the military was called to the rescue of the police and they were able to save the day.

This much has been highlighted by scholars who have posited that every government prides itself with her military, and its ability to protect her democracy measures the strength of any government and that though the military is sometimes criticized for some of their extremism, democracy still depends on her for survival.

I cannot agree less with this position, because if one views the conduct of the military during the 2019 general elections, one will conclude that the Nigerian Army indeed saved the day and rose to the occasion of protecting our nascent democracy.

In my opinion, those that are propagating the militarization of the elections are out for mischief purposes because I cannot come to terms with the position. Instead, we must take out the positives from the involvement of the military during the elections and how it should serve as a reference point for other African countries. Just like I mentioned earlier, I am not one that partakes or encourages people to participate in mediocrity.

Instead of crying wolf where non exist, I think that the Nigerian Army under the leadership of Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai is highly commended for a job well done. We are all witness to the birth of a new Nigerian Army.

Udeike sent in this piece from Apo, Abuja.

Sokoto guber: Leave military alone, your 342 stolen votes cannot stand judicial scrutiny – Group tells Tambuwal

As reactions continue to greet the just-concluded governorship election in Sokoto Stata, Govenror Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has been asked not to celebrate yet.

Agenda for Democracy and Good Governance, which made the call asked the governor to leave the Nigerian military alone while he savours the taste of his temporary victory, which would not pass through legal furnace.

Comrade Gambo Mummamadu Abdulkadir, National President, of the group said Tambuwal’s attempt to blame the military for his apparent loss, since the tribunal can easily overturn the election, is a desperate attempt to save himself from his impending sack and defending a stolen mandate.

He made this submission via a statement issued on Monday and forwarded to our report.

According to Abdulkadir, the group has “noted the futile attempt by the “governor-elect” of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, to use the well lauded support of the military to prevent ballot snatching as a justification for stealing the election and making rubbish of the vote by citizens of the state.

“We find it necessary to call Tambuwal to order because it borders on criminal conspiracy for the Sokoto state governor to attempt placing the blame on the doorstep of other stakeholders knowing that his pyrrhic win with 342 votes will not stand up to judicial scrutiny at the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.

“The truth as to how he manipulated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to eventually declare him the winner is now well known across Nigeria as the details have been placed in the public domain. Tambuwal will at some point have to explain how he rigged the Sokoto State Governorship Election to emerge winner when his People’s Democratic Party (PDP) lost the Presidential, National Assembly and Sokoto State House of Assembly seats.

“Under the law, Tambuwal could not have been laying claims to the mandate he has stolen had INEC as an electoral umpire not lost its soul, mind and body to the devil that some politicians are. The tactics deployed by the Commission to help Tambuwal steal the mandate of the people would turn out to be his undoing when the time comes at the tribunal.

“We therefore urge the Sokoto State outgoing governor to be ready to defend the rape of the people’s mandate in court as we are confident that he would be found culpable of commandeering and arming the thugs that necessitated the deployment of military to provide security.

“Tambuwal would be interested to note that political thugs have never been mobilized and used to unleash violence against voters on the scale witnessed under his government. The apprehended ones among them were traced and connected to him, which means Tambuwal’s bitterness is because the military truncated his plan to use thugs to allocate thousands of votes to himself instead of the paltry 342 votes’ margin he was able to get.

“It is no surprise that the outgoing governor is venting his disappointment at being technically defeated at the polls on anyone within hailing distance. His ineffective choice of mobilizing thugs for violence and rigging was a last resort after he had squandered the chance to meaningfully campaign by dissipating energy on his failed presidential aspiration – his shot at the governorship election was a fall back option after he had lost grounds while wasting his time in Abuja and Port Harcourt.

“What else can one say to a desperate man who wants to be President through the back door and became treacherous to the point of going on national television to insult those he once called his mentors? If he can defraud his mentors he can steal from the electorates. Now that he has been found out he is desperate to shift the blame to just any other person but himself. Tambuwal’s attempt to blame the military for his apparent loss, since the tribunal can easily overturn the election, is a desperate attempt to save himself from his impending sack and defending a stolen mandate, which is most uncharitable and unbecoming even for someone that has just committed the largest electoral robbery in Nigeria’s history.

“We therefore challenge Tambuwal to save himself without insulting the sensibility of the electorates by trying to shunt the responsibility for his thuggish behaviour to other people. It is an exercise we know he will fail at as he will soon stand trial for his crimes against democracy and the people of Sokoto State.”

Ekiti driver who murdered colleague sentenced to death

By Opeyemi Aremu-Gbemiro

An Ado-Ekiti High Court on Tuesday sentenced 40-year-old driver, Ajibola Abednego to death by hanging for the murder of a fellow driver.

Justice Lekan Ogunmoye, sentenced the convict to death by hanging for the murder of a driver, Ojo Ogunsakin, 42, during a disagreement over loading arrangement.

“The prosecution has established the ingredients of the offence of murder against Abednego.

“May almighty God have mercy on your soul,” Justice Ogunmoye said.

The convict was charged with a one count of murder which contravened the provisions of Section 316 of the Criminal Code Law, CAP C16 Laws of Ekiti State.

He however pleaded not guilty to the charge.

According to the IPO, Sgt. Momoh Kamoru, the incident occurred on or about the March 10, 2017 at the Tosin Aluko Motor Park in Ado Ekiti.

Kamoru, told the court that an argument ensued between the convict and the deceased over who should get passengers first.

He told the court that the convict took a stone and threw it at the deceased which caused his death.

To proof its case the prosecution, called six witnesses including Sgt Kamoru, the wife of the deceased and Dr.J.A.Omotayo of the Ekiti State Teaching Hospital who conducted the post-motem examination.

Counsel to the convict, Mr Kayode Oyeyemi called two witnesses including the convict.

Leave Saraki out of 9th Senate leadership tussle – PDP to APC

Senators-elect of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have been cautioned to stop dragging the name of the President of the Senate Bukola Saraki into their tussle for the 9th Senate’s presidency.

The Caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the upper legislative chamber gave the caution in a statement jointly issued by the Majority Leader, Abiodun Olujimi and Senator Dino Melaye on Tuesday in Abuja.

The PDP advised their APC colleagues to desist from involving Saraki in their schemes to hold on to certain leadership positions in the 9th Senate.

The PDP caucus stated that it has observed closely as the contenders for the various Senate leadership posts in the APC sponsor various publications in the media to make it appear that Dr. Saraki is seeking to play a role in determining who occupied various leadership posts.

“We have noted with regret and surprise how some Senators who are interested in becoming the next Senate President and those seeking to occupy various leadership positions in the next Senate have been busy dragging the name of the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, into their schemes for fulfilling their ambitions.

“We believe those involved in this dirty game are only afraid of the shadow of the Senate President.

“Such people should know that Dr. Saraki is not interested in their plots, schemes and manipulation.

“His concern now is to continue to provide leadership to the Eighth Senate and to ensure that the Senate achieves as much as is possible in the remaining two months of its tenure.

“It is obvious that many Senators and even Senators-elect still defer to Saraki. And this is understandable because he is a national leader of the PDP. He is a respected Senator who has also provided solid leadership for the Senate.

“So, those who are afraid of his influence should find a positive way to deal with that, not sponsoring falsehood in the media.

“Last week, PDP Senators paid Dr. Saraki a visit in his home as a way of encouraging him and in recognition of the personal sacrifice that he has had to make for providing strong and purposeful leadership to the National Assembly, for protecting the independence of the legislature and judiciary, separation of powers, inclusiveness in a multi-ethnic and multi-religious Nigeria and working for the creation of a conducive environment for business to thrive.

“Those who are not sure of their grounds in their quest for Senate leadership are busy putting a spin on that visit.

“Let it be known that no matter the mischief being sponsored by these spineless people, Dr. Saraki knows that it is the duty of all Senators in the Ninth Senate to elect their Senate President and other leaders. Nobody from outside the Senate has such powers.

“Ït is also the right of every Senator to aspire to that position as stated by the constitution. He has benefitted from this practice of Senators within the chambers exercising the right. He is conscious of this fact and will not be a party to any plan to seize or interfere with the process of evolving the leadership of the Ninth Senate,”the satement said.

The PDP caucus therefore urged APC members in the senate as well as their handlers to leave Saraki alone and concentrate on how they will convince the Senators-elect to vote them.

The APC senators and to-be senators were further urged to focus on ensuring that the election of the next Senate President takes place in a conducive atmosphere with a view to strengthening the institution.

Understanding Campbell And His Corrupt Mindset On Nigeria

By Philip Agbese

Only a few foreigners really decode the new wave of regeneration in Nigeria at the moment under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari. The actions and policies of the APC-led Federal Government of Nigeria are not mere window-dressing or sloganeering about the change mantra. The impacts are felt and the results palpable everywhere.

Quite early in the life of his administration, President Buhari sought to animate the minds of Nigerians toward attitudinal change by launching the #ChangeBeginsWithMe campaigns. It was designed to inspire an innately positive radical reordering or reorientation of our perceptions and behavioral patterns as a people and a nation. Some Nigerians never saw any sense in it; others even ridiculed the Presidency.

But today, the consistency of the leadership style of the Buhari Presidency has changed the narrative. It has spurred the collective desire of majority of Nigerians to see a better nation under a leader prepared to lead the people on the path of redemption, which has voluntarily compelled the people to adopt the ideologies of change. And three years after, there are visible and delightful changes in the psyche of Nigerians.

Nevertheless, there are some foreign nationals whose years of romance with Nigeria at different levels feel the country is still that dark jungle where nothing was done aright. They posture as being more catholic than the Pope. The ex-Ambassador of America to Nigeria, Mr. John Campbell belongs to this clan of foreigners who have refused to purge themselves of the mentality of a stereotyped Nigeria. They are pleasured more in negative profiling of the country, where current indices insistently resists such categorizations.

Campbell betrayed his concealed mindset on Nigeria with the recent comments concerning the 2019 general elections. He described as flawed the just concluded elections, which got the nod or certification of applause from even international observers. To market himself as a confused old dude, he dishonestly claimed the 2019 general elections was a step-back for Nigeria’s democratic journey from what was obtained in 2015.

The ex-Ambassador very untruthfully alleged that during electioneering campaigns both Buhari and his main challenger in the polls , former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, “…offered little that was new to address security breakdown caused by Boko Haram in the country’s North-East; conflict over land use, ethnicity and religion in the Middle Belt; and the division of oil revenue in the Delta.”

It was the most idiotic comments from anybody who actually followed the robust campaigns of the leading presidential candidates. Even if Campbell monitored it, spewing such nonsensical emotions only bespeaks of his waning capacity to reason with his thinking faculties intact. There is every reason to believe senility has exalted a dangerous influence on Campbell.

Or how else can anybody rationalize or reconcile his outbursts, which decried the absence of generational shift in leadership of Nigeria, because the leading candidates, Buhari and Atiku are in their octogenarian ages? But the current President of America, his home country, Mr. Donald Trump is also an oldie of the octogenarian circle. Are there no new or young generation leaders in America?

What is his concern with the choice of Nigerians on the age of the leaders they prefer to pilot the affairs of their country? What stopped Campbell from prodding America to emulate the France example in electing a youngster like Mr. Emmanuel Macron?

Meanwhile, the 2019 presidential contest was not closed-shop to any aspirant. Nigeria has 91 registered political parties which participated in the elections from the party primary elections level to the general elections. And most of the presidential candidates were youngsters, who were in their early or mid- forties.

For instance, Saharareporters publisher and human rights activist, Mr. Omoleye Sowore in his mid-40s ran the 2019 presidential contest on the platform of the African Action Congress (AAC). But if majority of Nigerians didn’t see the array of youngsters in the race as ideal choice of their leaders at this point in history, why should Campbell insult our sensibilities by fawning this gibberish?

Its obvious Campbell needs to be quarantined in a gerontocracy rehabilitation home before his verbal virus completely smears the cherished image of America through such careless utterances. A diplomat of his standing should comment on international affairs because he has something worthwhile to say; as against mouthing for the sake of it.

It is deducible from Campbell’s remarks that he preferred the presidential candidature of Atiku against majority of Nigerians preference for the retention of President Buhari. The reelection of Buhari by Nigerians is not because he is considered the best leader in the whole world, but based on his proven character of integrity and dogged resistance in sustaining the festering monster of corruption, which Atiku lacks. Nigerians know the efforts and public resources’ Buhari has invested in taming Boko Haram terrorism and allied insurrections to berth the prevailing peace in Nigeria.

President Buhari’s impeccable leadership credentials are not hidden to Nigerians who feel the level Nigeria was pushed into the ditch of degeneration; only the continuation of a Buhari Presidency can restore sanity to national life. No foreigner, including Campbell should think of abusing the hospitality of Nigerians by being ludicrous to the people over their choices of how they want to exist.

Campbell has no moral or lawful right to question the sanctity of the ballot, which re-enthroned President Buhari for another four years tenure; he is devoid of the locus standi to disparage the leadership choice of the overwhelming majority of Nigerians. Defeating a rival as done by Buhari in an election that invoked feverish emotions and tensions with nearly five million votes difference is not a tea party.

Whether the likes of Campbell admits it or not, Nigeria is on the path of recovery in all facets of national life. The people are not prepared to slip back to the dark days nor go back to Egypt as he is shamelessly and discreetly promoting in an Atiku candidature. Therefore, no attempt to ridicule the people and Nigeria is potent enough to distract from this focus.

Campbell and his ilk should be sufficiently informed that there is a new Nigeria and new hope for the people. The people cannot please the Campbells of the world before they affirm their liberties and humanity.

The likes of Campbell never wished Nigeria should come to this moment of a steady odyssey on the path of liberation. He is sad at the incredible changes under Buhari, which has frustrated dubious foreign allies in conniving with Nigerians to milk the country. From Campbell’s latest outburst, it’s very clear he tacitly supported the Atiku presidential candidature, which failed to get the popular endorsement of Nigerians at the polls and naturally lamenting.

And the reason can be gleaned from his veiled excitement that the country would have been thrown back to the PDP and its power mongers like Atiku to rape and plunder. Campbell is angling for the return of the PDP era of mindless stealing/looting of the peoples commonwealth; and the opening of floodgates for some public officials to indulge in doing illicit deals with Americans like him or other foreigners.

But Nigerians are wiser and so, have rejected these destructive plots on the nation. Campbell is free to lick his wounds quietly; he can woof over it in his privacy. But to burden the ears of Nigerians with such perverse arguments is unacceptable and only exposes his deranged state of mind.

Agbese, a public affairs analyst wrote from the United Kingdom.

Coalition demands apology from Ambassador over US Country report, Campbell’s report

Following an utterly biased election post-mortem and Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, the Coalition for Good Governance and Change Initiative has demanded an apology from United States Consulate in Nigeria.

Ex-Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. John Campbell, had cast a racial slur on Nigeria with his article for the Council on Foreign Relations, claiming the country is incapable of managing her own affairs.

Mr Campbell rubbished the last presidential election, as he believes it does not inspire confidence in the democratic trajectory of Africa’s most populous country.

In a clapback, however, the Coalition for Good Governance and Change Initiative ordered Mr Campbell to forthwith retract his so-called post.

The group made the strong demand in a letter addressed to the US Embassy by Egbunu Abutu Daniel, its Secretary General.

“ The first issue is the election post-mortem done for the for the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington DC by your predecessor, Mr. John Campbell, in which he cast the worst racial slur imaginable on Nigeria and the African continent at large by tacitly implying that Africans are incapable of managing their own affairs.

“ Mr. Campbell’s assertion in his post-mortem that “Nigerians have begun to question whether democracy is right for their country” is apparently aimed at setting the grounds for Nigeria to descend into chaos. The statement, from our perspective, tallies with the concerns that had earlier been raised about how the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has been making overtures to military officers to stage a coup, transit to interim government and transfer power to the PDP candidate, Mr Atiku Abubakar.

“ We wish to bring to your attention that the so-called post-mortem contained other insinuations that were calculated to incite supporters of the opposition to stage violent protests. This it sought to achieve through the claim that Mr Abubakar will lose his challenge of the election result in court, an assertion that is guaranteed to stir anger among his supporters, who have incidentally shown a disproportionate disposition to violence.

“ Any argument that Mr Campbell wrote his election post-mortem for the Council on Foreign Relations and could not have been a state backed operation is defeated with the publication of the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2018 at about the same time. The report was published the State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour, which leaves the United States with the burden of liability. “

Prior to the former Ambassador’s piece, the State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour, the US Embassy in Abuja, had published a report seemingly aimed at undermining the achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration and the Nigerian Army.

The Coalition, however, joined the rest of the world to condemn the report.

“ The Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2018, unsurprisingly, was dedicated to sending out the wrong signals about Nigeria. This was apparently done in the belief that these negative messaging about Nigeria would catalyze some sort of citizens’ revolt against the government of President Muhammadu Buhari leading to a forceful change of government.

“ The actual objective of the report became obvious in the sections that accorded Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists greater legitimacy than the Armed Forces of Nigeria that are fighting them to keep the citizens safe. We noted how the report specifically targeted the Army, Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) for demonization. Accusations that these agencies were high handed on terrorists could only have been intended for terrorists’ recruiters to deploy as props when they are attempting to gain new members.

“ Since the report emanated from the State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour, the US Embassy in Abuja would have had the chance to make input while you would have signed off on the aspect about Nigeria, at least the embassy in Nigeria would have validated the claims made in the document and that is assuming the contents were not mostly generated under your supervision.

“ Irrespective of whether your predecessor, Mr Campbell wrote his election post-mortem in a personal capacity or not, and not minding that Nigeria is just one of the nations analyzed in the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2018, the Coalition for Good Governance and Change Initiative hereby demands that the United States tender an unreserved apology to people and government of Federal Republic of Nigeria for malicious publication and promotion of falsehood about the country in a manner that is injurious to it as a nation.

“ The apology we are demanding must come with a commitment from the United States government and persons or organizations acting in its interest to cease and desist from further publishing reports, commentaries or analyses targeted at undermining stability of Nigeria.

“ A failure to tender the apology within reasonable time shall compel us to taking measures to educate Nigerians to resist the racist-oriented US interference in the affairs of Nigeria. We shall also do our best to criminalize the series of exchange programmes targeted at Nigerians youths such that the US will no longer have cohorts from Nigeria for such programmes.”

PDP Wins Zamfara Guber as Appeal Court Nullifies APC Primaries

The Court of Appeal, sitting in Sokoto State, has set aside judgement of the Zamfara High Court which paved way for the All Progressives Congress, APC, to field candidates in the 2019 general elections.

The Presiding Judge, Justice Tom Shuaibu Yakubu, while delivering the lead judgement, averred that the lower court did not properly evaluate and assess all the evidences put before it before making its judgement.

According to him, after reevaluation and reassessment of the evidences by the appellant court, it was discovered that the party did not follow the provision of the Electoral Act and the guidelines provided by the party in selecting its candidates.

The judge held that the party had made two unsuccessful attempts to conduct primaries in the state and list of candidates were not duly submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, by the national headquarter of the party as promised by the national chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomole.

“I hereby, set aside the judgement of the lower court which allowed the party to field candidates in the last general elections,” he said.

He added: “I believe this will serve as a very bitter lesson for political parties to learn. They must abide by the provision of the electoral act which provide level play ground for all aspirants.”

The presiding judge however, said the lower court has the jurisdiction to entertain the case as against the submission made by the counsel to the appellants, challenging the jurisdiction of the Zamfara High Court to hear the case.

Similarly, two other members of the panel, Justices Tijjani Abubakar and Jamilu Tukur have all adopted the lead judgement.

Reacting to the judgement, counsel to 1st and 38th respondents, Barrister Isa Abubakar, said they would appeal against the judgement by the appellant court.

JUST IN: Buhari receives report of Rewane’s panel on minimum wage implementation

President Muhammadu Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari is currently receiving the report of the Presidential Advisory Committee on the New Minimum wage.

The president had, on January 9, this year, constituted the panel, chaired by the Managing Director of the Financial Derivatives Company, Bismarck Rewane.

The report of the 24-man panel is being presented at the council chambers of the State House, Abuja.

Details soon…