News
Kwankwaso Attack And The Precariousness Of Political Parochialism
By Bala Ibrahim.
The reports making the rounds, that hoodlums had pelted the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso, with sachets of water while on a visit to Kogi State yesterday, Wednesday, are as chilling as they are horribly frightening. Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso was in Lokoja, the state capital of Kogi state, to inaugurate the party’s secretariat and his campaign offices, when the ugly incident happened, and feelers from everywhere are sending sinister signals.
According to reports, no sooner than Kwankwaso had arrived at the hotel where he was billed to address his supporters, than suspected hoodlums invaded the venue and started insulting and throwing sachets of water at him. A similar situation is said to have happened earlier at Ogbonicha, the country home of late Abubakar Audu.
The accusation is that, he is trying to take advantage of the political vacuum in the structure of the late ex-governor of the state, Abubakar Audu, to woo supporters of the All Progressives Congress, APC, to his side. But what’s wrong with that?
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It may be recalled that last week, the Secretariat of the same NNPP was sealed off in Maiduguri, over the allegation of planned violation of development plans in the metropolis. It took the quick intervention of the governor of Borno state, professor Babagana Zulum to reopen the secretariat. On hearing the news, the governor quickly ordered the Borno State Urban Planning and Development Committee, BUPDC, to re-open the sealed secretariat, saying the action was wrongly timed, as campaigns for the 2023 general elections are about to commence. “No matter the justification of closing the party office, the timing is wrong,”-Prof. Zulum.
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Yes, the Urban Development committee may have grounds to accuse the NNPP of wrongful conversion of residential area for office purpose, but as the governor rightly observed, the timing for the execution of the order against the offense is wrong. Surely the committee’s decision might be given a political interpretation, particularly because of the increased incursion of the new party into new territories.
By the same token, the attack on Kwankwaso in Kogi could come with ill-omened interpretations. Why should he be the target of hoodlums, when other people with similar political ambitions are visiting and campaigning freely in the state without incidents?
Politics is a game that should not be played by the rules of a war. Hounding perceived enemies and political opponents will only work against the spirit and objectives of peaceful coexistence. It would rather scuttle our hard-earned democracy, and inadvertently do nobody any good.
Indeed Nigeria is our beloved country, and the only country we have. If we don’t join hands to make it better for us all, no one would come from the outside to do it for us. It is a pity that, unlike what happens in other parts of the world, Nigeria’s peculiar kind of democracy is always suspicious of the opposition. The win at all costs syndrome has turned us into killers and destroyers, making every visitor into our political terrain an enemy. Why?
Hostilities and political intolerance seem to be on the increase now in Nigeria, such that in almost all the states of the federation, opposition parties are raising the alarm about unfair treatment and threats to their existence. This is wrong.
Politics should be played without bitterness, and opposition should be seen as a mechanism for checkmating the excesses or dominance of the party in power. That is one sure way of making the electorates enjoy the proper dividends of democracy.
It is gratifying that the governor of Borno atate, Professor Babagana Zulum had acted swiftly to avert wrong interpretations. It now behoves on the governor of Kogi state, H.E.Yahaya Bello, who has presented himself as a nationalist, and even made an unsuccessful attempt to become the President of the country, to come clean on this quickly.
The governor should act like his colleague in Borno, by launching an investigation, to fish out those behind the attack. And if found, they must be punished in a way that would convince the public and the polity, by that indeed they have been punished.
Politics should not be played with parochialism or narrow-mindedness, because doing so can be precarious.
News
FG Obeys Court’s Order, Stops FAAC Allocation to Rivers State
The Nigerian government under President Bola Tinubu has confirmed that it has stopped the October monthly Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) revenue payment to Rivers State.
The development comes amid the ongoing face-off between Governor Simi Fubara and the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesome Wike.
According to the Spokesperson of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Bawa Mokwa, the decision to stop the payment was made in respect of a court order.
Mokwa disclosed that the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) will respect the court order, which barred the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian government from disbursing monthly allocations to the Rivers State government.
His words: “What I got is that the October 2024 FAAC has not been distributed yet. However, the Federal Government will obey the court order on the matter of Rivers State allocation.
“We are going to follow due diligence as long as there is no contrary order. In case there is a contrary, the status will remain.”
He added, “The process of disbursement of the October 2024 monthly allocation is going.”
The court order was obtained by the factional Rivers State Assembly, led by Martin Amaewhule, who had filed an originating summons against the Rivers State Executive, under the leadership of Simi Fubara.
The Amaewhule faction had alleged that the Rivers State Executive was yet to comply with the order of a Federal High Court directing it to re-present the 2024 appropriation bill to the faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
News
Kano Civil Society Forum Board of Trustees Lacks Authority to Suspend Members, Says Amb. Ibrahim Waiya
The Kano Civil Society Forum (KCSF) Board of Trustees (BOT) has no power to suspend or dismiss any bona fide member of the KCSF, according to Amb. Ibrahim Waiya, the Executive Director of Citizens for Development and Education (CDE).
Waiya’s statement comes in response to reports that the BOT, led by Prof. Mohammad Tabiu, has suspended him from the forum.
Waiya addressed the issue in a press statement, clarifying that the information circulating on social media and other platforms was misguided. “The misguided information in the press release, published on some media platforms, was said to have been signed by one Alhaji Hamisu Isa Sherifai, who paraded himself as the Secretary of the KCSF Board,” Waiya stated.
He emphasized that he does not typically engage in trivial disputes but felt compelled to set the record straight for the benefit of those misled by the media propaganda. “The only crime Amb. Ibrahim Waiya and his colleagues committed was their objection to a kangaroo election organized by BOT to elect the new leadership of KCSF,” Waiya explained. He noted that less than 50 out of 200 registered organizations participated in the election, which he described as lacking accountability, transparency, inclusiveness, and credibility.
Waiya criticized the BOT for not understanding the KCSF constitution and overstepping their boundaries. “KCSF BOT has no right to outrightly suspend any registered member, except on the recommendation of the Executive Council, after a thorough investigation of any offense,” he asserted. He added that the BOT should not assume the role of managing the day-to-day affairs of the organization.
Highlighting the importance of fair hearing, Waiya pointed out that the Nigerian constitution guarantees this right to every citizen. “It is clearly spelt out even in the Nigerian constitution that fair hearing is a fundamental right of every citizen,” he said. Waiya questioned how the BOT received a recommendation from the executive council, given that the BOT-anointed leadership is currently standing trial in a case challenging the validity of the election.
Waiya appealed to all patriotic members of the KCSF, associates, partners, friends, and colleagues to remain calm and disregard the negative propaganda against him. “We must also note that Kano development, the North, and Nigeria are the primary priority of Amb. Ibrahim Waiya, not his reputation,” he stated. Waiya assured that the purported suspension letter holds no water and that the action will be challenged in court.
The statement was signed by Bahir A. Bashir, Media Aid to Amb. Ibrahim Waiya.
News
Mutiu Adepoju Urges NFF to Retain Augustine Eguavoen as Super Eagles Coach
Former international, Mutiu Adepoju, has urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to keep Augustine Eguavoen in charge of the Super Eagles.
Eguavoen took charge of the Super Eagles in interim capacity in September.
The 59-year-old guided the team to qualify for AFCON 2025 with three wins, two draws and one defeat.
The NFF are reportedly still planning to hire a foreign coach for the three-time African champions.
Adepoju however said his former teammate should stay in charge of the team.
“I would rate him very well. Number one, we’ve qualified for the AFCON, which is one of the objectives,” he told Brila FM.
“I would say he has done well and is still doing well.
“They should keep encouraging him. I believe he’s getting things done, I will rate him high, let just keep supporting him.”
FG Obeys Court’s Order, Stops FAAC Allocation to Rivers State
Kano Civil Society Forum Board of Trustees Lacks Authority to Suspend Members, Says Amb. Ibrahim Waiya
Mutiu Adepoju Urges NFF to Retain Augustine Eguavoen as Super Eagles Coach
Kano State Hosts 8th Annual Audit Forum to Enhance Transparency and Accountability
Kano APC Youth Coalition, Nasir Ja’o’ji and Party Survival
Exclusive: How Kano Govt. Withdraws Accreditation of 14 Journalists Covering Government House
Northern Power Outage: Kano Manufacturers Lose Over 100 Billion Naira, May Lay Off Workers
Government Declares Public Holiday
Civil Society Situation Room Applauds KANSIEC for Peaceful Conduct of Elections
Kano Assembly Describes Power Outage to North as Economic Sabotage
FG Obeys Court’s Order, Stops FAAC Allocation to Rivers State
Kano Civil Society Forum Board of Trustees Lacks Authority to Suspend Members, Says Amb. Ibrahim Waiya
Mutiu Adepoju Urges NFF to Retain Augustine Eguavoen as Super Eagles Coach
Kano State Hosts 8th Annual Audit Forum to Enhance Transparency and Accountability
Kano APC Youth Coalition, Nasir Ja’o’ji and Party Survival
Exclusive: How Kano Govt. Withdraws Accreditation of 14 Journalists Covering Government House
Northern Power Outage: Kano Manufacturers Lose Over 100 Billion Naira, May Lay Off Workers
Government Declares Public Holiday
Civil Society Situation Room Applauds KANSIEC for Peaceful Conduct of Elections
Kano Assembly Describes Power Outage to North as Economic Sabotage
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