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OPC, Afenifere never supported Tinubu – CNG hits back

Published

1 year ago

on

Abdul Aziz Suleiman CNG chairman

 

The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has said, the self-professed leading Yoruba groups, OPC and Afenifere had never worked for the victory of Nigeria’s President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

CNG was replying to the statement by the OPC that tends to threaten the North from demanding what is due to it describing the development as unguarded and empty in a statement signed by its Spokesperson, Abdulazeez Suleiman.

The statement said, “without the need to give the OPC more reasons to feel important, the CNG is however compelled to respond to the fact that both the self-professed leading Yoruba groups, OPC and Afenifere never worked for the victory of the Asiwaju.

“While Afenifere, through its leader, Ayo Adebanjo, openly, directly and actively opposed the Tinubu contest, the OPC was completely silent throughout and for any of these groups to now turn around and assume the right to speak against the North, from where the President-elect extracted the bulk of his winning votes, is the accurate personification of crass opportunism.”

Basing their response to facts and figures, CNG extends invitation to the OPC to stop being lazy and instead, dissect the data from the 2023 presidential election to get the idea of how Tinubu was able to overcome strong opposition thereby coasting to victory and where the Northern claim to commensurate reward comes from.

“For a start, Tinubu got more votes from the north-west — the largest voting geo-political grouping in the country — than from the south-west, his home zone. In raw numbers, Tinubu beat Atiku in the north-west, scoring 2,652,824 votes compared to his opponent’s 2,197,824. Not only were Atiku’s margins in some of the states narrow, Tinubu took a whopping half a million votes in Kano alone.

“In fact, Tinubu got 30 percent of his total votes from the north-west alone. That is almost one-third. The entire south-west gave Tinubu 2,542,979, second to the north-west.

“Another vital context is that his second highest votes came from Kano where he also came second. The third was also from a state where he came second, Katsina and coming second in certain states is better than coming first in others. Tinubu was first in Ekiti state, for instance, but he got only 200,000 votes while he got more than double the figure in Kano to place second.

“Tinubu got a miserable one percent of his total votes from the south-east with a total of 127,605 votes from the five states and did not score 25 percent in any of them. If these verifiable figures mean anything to OPC regional jingoists, they should by now understand that the North is only making a legitimate case for appropriate recognition of its efforts.

“No one expects that the incoming president will run an administration that will give to the North what it does not deserve, but no one also can deny the North the right to speak for what is legitimately due to it.”

CNG further made its ground that no amount of threat or hooliganism will stop northerners such as Abdulaziz Yari, Abbass, Betara, Gagdi, Wase and Jaji from exercising their right to contest for the positions of their choices.

“Any other interested candidate from whatever section of the country should be free to contest so that in the end the matter is sorted through democratic election by the legislators themselves.

“In case OPC needs a tutorial on elementary political principle that participation is always, and everywhere, a matter of give and take, contrary to their orientation in uncoordinated brigandage and grandstanding.”

The statement therefore cautioned the incoming President to be wary of the way he relates with what it termed as “proliferated regional jingoist associations like OPC and the Afenifere, lest they drag him into an unnecessary misunderstanding with other sections of the country by pretending to be his kith and kin.

“It is no longer news that neither Afenifere nor OPC played any role in bringing about the Tinubu presidency, what is clear however, is they both expressly and impliedly opposed his bid for the presidency right from the primary to the secondary stages of the race.

“For the OPC and all other merchants of mindless threats and hate campaigns, we say, the North is neither afraid nor apprehensive of their designs and we will remain resolute in protecting our legacy and inherited responsibility to all northerners.

“The OPC and all those who have no other useful vocation other than attacking northerners under the slightest of pretexts, should know that the North’s reticence in speaking out or taking action is not born of fear or ignorance of how to respond in kind.

“We are aware that a few regional political opportunists have made an entire career out of demonizing and insulting the North and all it stands for. We will not feed these people with more reasons to be important. What the North will do, as it has always done, is to insist that justice is done to it and to everyone else.

“The North shall henceforth respond to any provocation coin for coins and we dare say: Shege Ka Fasa for those who have ears to hear.”

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Breaking: Tinubu Orders Release of Minors Arrested Over Endbadgovernance Protest

Published

5 hours ago

on

November 4, 2024

By

President Bola Ahmad Tinubu

President Tinubu Orders release of all minors who participated in the Endbadgovernance protest .

 

The minister of information and national orientation Muhammad Idris stated this to state House correspondents.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents, on Monday.

The Minister was flanked by the Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy; Sunday Dare, Special Adviser on Public Communications and orientation.

Idris stated that the President has instructed the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, to begin the process of securing the minors’ release without delay.

“The President has directed that all minors be released on the and also reunited with their families anywhere they are in the country. A committee has been set up to look at the issues surrounding their arrest, detention and release. All the law enforcement agents related to the case will be investigated and anyone found wanting will be brought to book,” he said.

 

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76 Detained Children: Northwest Youth-Students Forum hails Senator Barau, AGF’s prompt intervention

Published

7 hours ago

on

November 4, 2024

By

 

The Northwest Youth and Students Forum (NWYSF) has expressed its heartfelt appreciation to the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin and the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, for their prompt intervention in the detention of minors by the Nigeria Police Force, following the End Bad Governance Protest.

The forum in a statement signed by its National Chairman, Abubakar Isyaku Balan said the swift action by the leaders will brings hope to the affected families and demonstrates a commitment to protecting the rights of vulnerable citizens nationwide.

He said “The giant move of the Deputy President of the Senate and the Attorney General of the Federal is no doubt a commendable one. We are proud of this and look forward to the release of the children courtesy of this movement.”

According to the statement, the NWYSF, as a forum comprising of talented youth and students, deemed it necessary to protectively initiate awareness programs that will enlighten the teeming youth on human rights and activism.

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“We acknowledge that the minors actions were driven by ignorance and a lack of proper orientation, underscoring the need for civic education and sensitization in the Northwest region. Addressing the underlying issues that led to this situation is crucial, rather than simply punishing the minors. This approach will foster a more informed and empowered youth.

“Considering the economic situation in the North, we urge the Federal Government to show compassion and release the detained minors, taking into account their age and circumstances. We also call on the government to provide support for their rehabilitation and education.

“In partnership with government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and community leaders, NWYSF will develop sensitization initiatives focusing on empowering youths with knowledge of their rights and responsibilities, promoting understanding and respect for human rights and teaching alternative dispute resolution methods.

“In view of the above, by working together, we can prevent similar incidents and foster a more informed, peaceful, and inclusive society,” the statement added.

 

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ICPC Arraigns Provost, Lecturer for Certificate Forgery in Sokoto

Published

1 day ago

on

November 3, 2024

By

Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu ,ICPC Chairman

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned Hauwau Gimbiya Mukhtar Abdulkarim, the serving Provost of the Federal College of Education (Technical) (FCET), Gusau, alongside Abdullahi Boyi, a lecturer with the Sokoto State College of Education (SSCE), on alleged certificate forgery.

The duo were arraigned on a six-count charge, registered as charge No. SS/213c/2024, before Hon. Justice Muhammad Aliyu Sambo at the Sokoto State High Court. ICPC accused the two defendants of forging an appointment letter and using it to apply for the position of Provost at the Federal College of Education (Technical) Gusau, Zamfara State.

The defendants were also accused of making false statements to ICPC officers during the investigation, which is an offence under Section 25(1)(a) and punishable under Section 25(ii)(b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000. “Both defendants, however, pleaded ‘not guilty’ to all six charges when read to them by the Court’s Registrar,” the ICPC revealed in a statement.

Counsel for the defendants, Dr. Muhammad Mansur Aliyu and Mr. M.S. Diri SAN, moved for bail applications on behalf of their clients. They requested the court to consider reasonable bail terms, citing the defendants’ “established positions and cooperation during the investigation.”

Counsel to the ICPC, Mr. Suleiman Ahmad, did not oppose the bail applications. Following the consideration of the applications, Hon. Justice Sambo granted bail under specific conditions designed to ensure the defendants’ continued presence throughout the trial proceedings.

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The bail conditions require each defendant to provide two sureties who are permanent residents of Sokoto State, with each surety signing a bond of one million naira (₦1,000,000). After granting bail, the ICPC prosecutor requested a date for the trial to commence, emphasizing the Commission’s preparedness to present witnesses and evidence in support of the charges.

Hon. Justice Sambo adjourned the matter to November 21, 2024, when the hearing is set to begin. The prosecution is expected to call witnesses and introduce material evidence to substantiate the allegations.

The ICPC press release was signed by Demola Bakare, Acting Director of Public Enlightenment and Education, and Spokesperson for the Commission.

 

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