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Tensions are rising in Edo State as Odion Olaye, the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Edo, made provocative statements during a recent campaign event in Egor, Benin City.
In support of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Asue Ighodalo, Olaye’s remarks have sparked controversy ahead of the September 21 gubernatorial election.
A video that has since gone viral captures Olaye confidently assuring PDP supporters of victory, specifically predicting that Egor will be won by the PDP.
However, it was his subsequent comment that has caused a significant stir: Olaye warned that the state “will burn” if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) does not declare Ighodalo the winner of the upcoming poll.
These remarks have raised concerns about the potential for unrest dependent on the election results, with various stakeholders calling for calm and a focus on democratic processes rather than incendiary rhetoric.
Olaye said, “I want to assure you that PDP, our party, is going to win Egor 80 percent come 21st of this month and on 22nd of this month, they must declare Asue Ighodalo the winner.
“If they refuse to do that, Edo state will burn.”
His comments come on the heels of allegations and counter allegations by parties.
In one of the scenarios, the state PDP Chairman, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, said it has uncovered plans by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to use fake INEC staff who would be posing as technical staff to tamper with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
Media Director of APC Campaign Council, Prince Kassim Afegbua, however dismissed the allegation.
Watch the video below:
Media
A Lagos State Special Offences Court, in Ikeja, on Tuesday, convicted and sentenced an American businessman, Marco Antonio Ramirez, to 74 years imprisonment, for defrauding victims of $1.2m, through an EB-5 visa scam and an additional $368,698.24, in fraud.
Justice Mojisola Dada, who handed down the sentence, found Ramirez guilty on two separate consolidated charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The court ruled that the prosecution had proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
On the first charge, Ramirez was sentenced to eight years each on counts one to six, and 10 years each on counts seven and eight.
On the second charge, he received 10 years each on counts one to 12 for obtaining money by false pretence, and 10 years each on counts 13 to 16 for stealing.
The EFCC said Ramirez and his companies, USA Now LLC, Eagle Ford Instalodge Group LP, and USA Now Energy Capital Group LP, obtained the said money from their victims by promising them access to the Employment-Based Fifth Preference United States of America Investor Programme, which would qualify them to be eligible for the issuance of USA Green Card and permanent residency, but that the convict reneged on his promise.
Instead of fulfilling these promises, Ramirez converted the funds for his personal use.
Dada, in her judgment, held that “The convict dishonestly converted the money meant for investments to his personal use.
“The prosecution has successfully proved that the promises made to the victims were false, and the funds obtained were under fraudulent pretences,” she said.
The EFCC said Ramirez’s fraudulent activities took place in 2013, noting that one of the victims, Godson Echegile, lost $545,000 to Ramirez under the false pretext that it was a processing fee for his investment, which would qualify him for a U.S. Green Card through the EB-5 programme.
He was initially arraigned on 12 counts bordering on fraud and he pleaded not guilty. Later, the EFCC amended the charge and Ramirez was re-arraigned on 16 counts on June 24, 2022.
The American was said to have committed the offences on February 5 2013 and April 18, 2013, in Lagos.
When the trial commenced, the prosecution counsel, M.S. Owede, who led Samuel Daji, tendered several documentary evidence and called witnesses to prove the allegations against him and he was cross-examined by the defence counsel, Mr. Lawal Pedro (SAN).
The case suffered several adjournments at the stage of adoption of final written addresses before counsel in the suit eventually adopted their final addresses on May 8, 2024, and the judge adjourned for judgment.
However, while delivering judgment on Tuesday, Dada found Ramirez guilty as charged and sentenced him to 10 years each on counts one to 12 bordering on obtaining by false pretence, and 10 years each on counts 13 to 16 bordering on stealing.
The judge also found him guilty on another separate amended nine-count charge bordering on $368,698.24 fraud.
In a separate case, Ramirez was found guilty of defrauding another victim, Gabriel Ogie Edeoghon, for $250,000 on July 26, 2013.
He falsely claimed that the money was for an investment in the USA Now Energy Capital Group LP, which would make Edeoghon eligible for a U.S. Green Card through the EB-5 visa programme.
Ramirez received additional sentences of eight years each on counts one to six and 10 years each on counts seven and eight for this particular fraud.
Several persons have been feared killed after a speeding vehicle rammed into the Oye-Agu Market, Abagana, in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The incident, it was gathered occurred at about 11:10am on Wednesday, causing several items of the traders spilling on the road.
Eyewitnesses near the scene said the driver of the Toyota Sienna vehicle lost control of its brakes and rammed into the market, crushing some of the roadside traders.
Details of the crash and the actual casualty figure are still sketchy.
However, the incident has caused panic and crowded scenes in the market environs with various rescue efforts ongoing.
Some of the injured victims were being rushed to a nearby hospital.
The President-General of the Abagana Community, Ben Okongwu, who confirmed the incident to journalists further revealed that no fewer than three persons died in the crash, including an under-aged child, while some other persons sustained some degrees of injuries.
However, when contacted, the Spokesperson for the Federal Road Safety Corps in Anambra State, Margaret Onabe, said she was not aware of the incident, promising to make enquiries and get back.
The Nigeria Police Force announced on Wednesday the arrest of a Supernumerary Police Officer who urged Edo State residents not to vote for the Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidate, Àsue Ighodalo.
In a video seen by our correspondent, the spy policeman accused the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, of embezzlement and undermining democracy.
He stated, “This election on 21st September is not just about APC, PDP, and Labour. It’s about the evil acts committed by Godwin Obaseki and Ighodalo against the people of this state. They have fought and betrayed democracy, abandoned the rule of law, stolen our resources, and now is the time for judgement.
“This is the time for the people to tell them that we are the rightful owners of this state. Obaseki and Ighodalo have financially ruined this state, leading us into debt.
“Furthermore, they’ve used our resources to build their personal estates. Today, Obaseki and Ighodalo have used state resources to establish Globus Bank. I recall that during Adams Oshiomhole’s tenure, Ighodalo was asked to chair a state economic team, but he refused because there wasn’t enough money to pay him.
“That’s how he recommended Godwin Obaseki. You can see they are trying to make governance a family affair between two friends. We, the Edo people, will not allow that. Now is the time to bring Obaseki to justice.”
The officer further alleged that Obaseki had avoided consequences due to his immunity as governor, but warned that he would be held accountable after his tenure.
He added, “Obaseki has committed numerous crimes against the Edo people. He has been spared due to the immunity granted by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Soon, his immunity will expire, and the Edo people will hold him accountable. We know they will lose, and Obaseki knows it too.”
In response to the video, Force spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi condemned the remarks made by the spy policeman in an official statement.
Adejobi clarified that Supernumerary Police Officers are private individuals trained by the Nigeria Police for specific security duties and are not regular police officers.
He explained, “The NPF strongly condemns this act and clarifies that the individual in question is not a regular officer of the Nigeria Police Force but a Supernumerary (Spy) Police Officer employed by a private company.
“Supernumerary Police Officers are private individuals trained by the Nigeria Police for specific security functions, usually within their place of employment. They are not on the NPF payroll and do not swear an oath of allegiance like regular police officers. While they have the right to belong to any political party and freedom of expression, the Police frown upon the use of an official SPY uniform for political activities.”
Adejobi confirmed that the officer had been arrested and was under investigation.
He added, “The individual involved has been arrested for further investigation. We reiterate that his political comments do not reflect the views of the Nigeria Police.
The public is urged to disregard such statements and trust in our continued commitment to professionalism, neutrality, and the rule of law.”
Only 32 Policemen With 9 Guns Deployed To Secure 200 Villages In Katsina – Governor Radda Laments
AFOLABI
The Governor of Katsina State, Dikko Radda has lamented that his state doesn't have enough police officers to counter insurgency.
According to the governor, only 32 police officers are assigned to patrol a particular Local Government Area (LGA) within the state.
Although the Governor did not specify which LGA he was referring to, Radda noted that it encompasses ten wards and more than 200 villages.
He further indicated that out of the 32 officers, only nine firearms are at their disposal, with just five of those being functional.
Governor Radda disclosed these during a recent interaction with DW Hausa.
He said: “Currently, in Katsina, there is a local government area with 39 policemen and nine guns, and the serviceable guns are five.
“The LGA has 10 political wards, with more than 200 villages. How can a police force with 39 personnel protect them?
“We have come up with an initiative that for any community ready to defend itself, we will give them necessary support and training to engage criminals before the arrival of the security agents.”
Recall that Katsina has faced significant assaults from bandits. Recently, Governor Radda urged the residents to take proactive steps to safeguard themselves from these attacks.
He addressed the community during a town hall meeting held in Daura.
In a widely circulated video, Radda expressed his anger and urged Islamic scholars to educate the populace on the significance of self-defence as outlined in Islamic teachings.
The governor had previously issued a similar appeal in February.
Additionally, his commissioner for Internal Security, Dr. Nasiru Muazu Danmusa, has made a comparable request recently.
The Management of the National Youth Service Corps has stated that it is waiting for the go-ahead for the implementation of new minimum wage for corpers.
NYSC said the decision on the N70,000 for workers, will be determined by the Federal Government.
The acting Director of the Information and Public Relations unit of the NYSC, Caroline Embu, made this known to our correspondent on Tuesday.
Recall that President Tinubu signed the new minimum wage bill of N70,000 into law on July 29, 2024, following weeks of negotiations with the leadership of the organised labour.
Following the approval of the minimum wage, speculations had risen about the new pay for corps members, with some claiming to have received a directive to increase the capacity of their bank accounts to be able to receive above N50,000.
The supposed message read: “Most of the corps members’ accounts opened in the camp cannot take more than N50,000 at once. All corps members are advised to visit their various banks and confirm that their account can take or receive more than N70,000.”
However, the NYSC had released a statement stating that the purported message was “absolutely falsehood.”
“The attention of National Youth Service Corps management has been drawn to misleading information circulating in the media regarding payment of N70,000 minimum wage to corps members and the directive to upgrade their accounts. This is an absolute falsehood which is far from the truth.
“Corps members, parents and members of the public should note that no directive has been received from the relevant sector of government responsible for wages matters. It is, therefore, impossible for the NYSC to issue any information on such,” a statement, signed by the former Director Information and Public Relations, Eddy Megwa, read.
However, asked on Tuesday if the scheme was currently negotiating a new pay for corps members, the acting spokesperson reiterated that the review of the allowance was in the hands of the Federal Government, and not the NYSC, noting that there was currently no change in corps members’ allowances.
“I don’t know how much the Federal Government will pay the corps members, I cannot tell you that for sure right now, because it is a decision of the Federal Government, not the NYSC. The only thing I can tell you now is that when the Federal Government increases the minimum wage, the corps members are expected to enjoy an increase in their allowance too, just like the DG said,” she said.
Abure Transferred Campaign Money To Wife, Brother, Staff’s Accounts – LP Former National Treasurer, Oluchi Opara
AFOLABI
A former National Treasurer of the Labour Party, Oluchi Opara has made an allegation against embattled party chairman, Julius Abure.
She alleged that Abure forged the party’s late chairman’s signature and transferred money to his wife, siblings, staff and his personal company’s accounts.
Oluchi Opara said the party had no money by the time Abure took over from late A.A. Salam, as national chairman of the party. She explained that two months after Salami’s death Abure cleared every money in the party’s account.
According to her, LP came into relevance through the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi. She added that Abure cannot point fingers at Obi as he was the one who revived the party and the money the party came to have.
Speaking in an interview with News Central on Tuesday, Mrs. Oluchi said, “I know I came out sometime in February, like you said, to say that the former national chairman of our party, Barrister Julius Abure has to come out clean to explain what had happened to the finances of the Labour Party, allegations of embezzlement, misappropriation, misapplication of power, and a whole lot of things that I came out to say that time, including the forging of the late national chairman’s signature to withdraw money from an account after he is dead.
“I was thinking that he should have come out to explain to Nigerians or even allow an external auditor to audit the accounts of the Labour Party, but he has refused to do the needful instead and he is trying to do a campaign against the man, Mr. Peter Obi, who gave him life, because before now, there was no Abure. Before now, the Labour Party was nowhere.”
Mrs Opara further accused Abure of being ungrateful. She maintained that the factional chairman of LP was trying to divert attention of Nigerians from the campaign fund looting allegation. She challenged him to allow independent auditors to audit the party’s account.
The former national treasurer also stated that contrary to Abure’s claim the party was not in charge of the last campaign fund, the party actually was in charge.
According to her, the account number, a former member of Obi/Datti campaign council, Aisha Yesufu shared on her X account, was the account the party used to receive campaign funds from Nigerians.
“So I think he is ungrateful on his part, on his side, to come out to want to damage the image of an icon, political icon that is known to the world, not just to Nigeria. Abure should come out because I say he who must go to equity must come with clean hands.
“He should not divert attention. He should come out to collect allegations on his head. I think this story is not new to Nigeria because I came out shouting from pillar to post, telling Nigerians that we have to live by example, because you can’t be saying that the government of the day is not doing the right thing, whereas we have corruption, it is under us.
“Let’s even start with Abure. Let’s allow an independent auditor to audit the accounts first. Let’s start with ourselves first before pointing an accusative finger. And again, we did have a campaign account for the Labour Party. So I don’t know why he is coming out to say that we never had a campaign account. We did, we have. Aisha Yesufu mentioned the account number yesterday (Monday). We did have an account. So he should stop peddling lies. To me, it’s an attempt to cover whatever he has done. And that shouldn’t be,” she stated.
When asked to reconfirm that Abure allegedly looted campaign funds of the party, Opara repeated.
“I came out that February I said that the late national chairman’s signature was forged two months after his death. Before the passing of the late national chairman A. A. Salam of blessed memory, the party didn’t have any money in the accounts. Then two months after his death monies were cleared by Julius Abure.
“Abure never bothered what the family was going through at that time. And again at that time when I came out I noticed that he was transferring money to his wife’s accounts, to his brother’s account, to his company’s accounts, to everybody even down to the staff of the office.
“He will use the staff’s accounts to siphon money; at the end of the day, this same staff will send that money to an account that will get to Barrister Abure.
“A lawyer that he claims to be, forged a signature of a late man like the national chairman of our party. He didn’t care what the outcome was going to be.
“If he is saying I’m lying he should let that account to be reactivated so the Nigerians can actually see, to even question him how on earth did the man after his death came out to sign a check for him to clear money from the account. He should stop pointing accusing finger to Mr Peter Obi,” Mrs Opara explained.
Sodiq Oyedokun, a teenager suspected of armed robbery, has expressed frustration over how his traditional bulletproof and anti-arrest vest, intended to help him evade crime scenes, failed to protect him.
Oyedokun was arrested and paraded alongside 20 other suspected criminals by the Ondo state security outfit codenamed Amotekun in Akure, the state capital.
In an interview, the suspect, said that he inherited it from his late father who was a herbalist.
According to him, ”my father gave the vest to me. I kept it in our house since it was given to me.
He said it was the first time he had put the vest on during an operation, but he usually goes out with it when going out for an operation.
”The bullet proof vest failed me because I ought to have disappeared from the scene of the operation.
”I don’t know why the vest failed me. I was expected to have disappeared and not arrested at the scene when the Amotekun personnel stormed the venue of the operation.
Meanwhile, also paraded include suspected kidnappers, armed robbers and specialised Okada snatchers said to have been terrorizing the people of the state in recent time.
Adeleye who said that they have been profiled, added that they would be charged to court after thorough investigation.
Hit-And-Run Driver Crushes Assistant Superintendent Of Police To Death At Checkpoint in Ekiti
AFOLABI
An Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), who was attached to the Ekiti State Police Command, has been killed by a hit-and-run driver.
The officer identified as ASP Idris Lawal was crushed to death at a checkpoint along Iworoko Road in Ado-Ekiti, state capital, SaharaReporters reports.
The incident happened on Monday night, a police internal memo obtained exclusively by SaharaReporters read.
The signal further revealed that the body of the deceased police officer has been deposited in the morgue.
It read, “Sitrep From Oke-Ila Division; Fatal Motor Accident; Grateful Be Informed That Today Being 10/09/2024 X At About 0023hrs X An Information Received X From Inspr. Segun Adedeji Attached To Patrol Mine X While They Were On Stop And Search Duty X At Ayemi Garage X Along Iworoko Road Ado-Ekiti X A Hit And Run X Unregistered Mecediz Benz Vehicle X White Colour X Knocked Down Ap/No 145800 Asp Idris Lawal X P&G1 Mine X Was Rushed To Ekiti State Teaching Hospital Ado-Ekiti X For Medical Treatment X Was Later Confirmed Dead By Medical Doctor.
“Corpse Had Been Deposited At Eksuth Mortuary For Autopsy X Meanwhile Effort Is On Top Gear To Arrest The Culprit X Above For Your Information Please X Dpo Oke-Ila.”
A 55-year-old woman, Ifeoma, collapsed and died while giving a testimony during a church service at the Zonal Accountant Ministry Church in Ejigbo, Lagos.
The incident occurred at approximately 8:48 a.m. on September 8th during the testimony hour.
According to witnesses, Ifeoma came forward singing to share her testimony when she suddenly collapsed. Immediate efforts were made to rush her to a nearby hospital, but she was later referred to the General Hospital in Isolo, where doctors confirmed her death.
Lagos State Police spokesman, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident, stating that police detectives were dispatched to the hospital but were informed that Ifeoma’s husband and family had already taken her body to Anambra State for burial.
The exact cause of her sudden death remains unclear, and authorities have not yet announced whether an investigation will be launched into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
More...
A 19-year-old girl, Fatimo Agboke, has allegedly stabbed her friend Faruk Azeez to death following a heated argument in the Ijegun area of Lagos on Monday night.
The incident occurred around 9:20 PM, and despite efforts to rush the 20-year-old victim, Faruk Azeez, to the hospital, he succumbed to his injuries.
According to the Lagos State Police Command Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, the father of the deceased, reported the incident to the Isheri Oshun Division shortly after receiving a distressing call from a neighbour.
“The complainant from Ijegun informed us that his son, Azeez, had a disagreement with a female friend, Fatimo Agboke, which escalated into a physical altercation. During the fight, Fatimo allegedly stabbed Faruk in the neck with a broken bottle, causing serious injuries,” Hundeyin stated.
“Upon receiving the report, police detectives swiftly responded and arrived at the scene, where they discovered Azeez lying lifeless in a pool of blood with a deep cut on his neck. The body has since been transported to Mainland General Hospital, Yaba, for an autopsy.
SP Hundeyin confirmed that the suspect, Fatimo Agboke, was immediately apprehended and is currently in police custody. He assured the public that a thorough investigation is underway to determine the full circumstances surrounding the tragic event.
“This is a deeply unfortunate incident, and we want to reassure the public that justice will be pursued,” Hundeyin added. “The suspect is in our custody, and we are investigating all angles to ensure that the truth is uncovered.”
The case has sent shockwaves through the Ijegun community, where neighbours and friends are grappling with the sudden loss of Azeez, who was described by many as a vibrant young man with a promising future.
As the investigation continues, police are urging members of the public with any additional information to come forward.
Global payment giant Mastercard has made a significant step towards bridging the gap between traditional financial institutions and Web 3 by announcing a first-of-its-kind Bitcoin debit card.
The Non-custodial Bitcoin debit card by Mastercard would allow its holders to make purchases directly with Bitcoin by making use of their debit cards like a regular everyday transaction.
The New development opens up Bitcoin holders to over 100 million existing merchants who support Mastercard for their everyday transactions.
The Web 3 debit card is a product of a partnership between Mastercard and Mercuyro, a crypto payment infrastructure provider.
The debit card is set to be rolled out to European users in its pilot stage.
The new Mastercard Web 3 Debit card is Euro-dominated and is designed with the concept of self-custody giving its users total control over their assets, unlike Centralized wallets where assets are partly in the custody of the providers.
Mastercard’s Web 3 integration Strategy
Mastercard’s partnership with Mercuyro isn’t the first time the global payment giants are partnering with a Web 3 firm to integrate crypto into their services.
Mastercard in August rolled out a crypto debit card in partnership with Metamask a leading self-custodial wallet firm in the crypto industry.
The payment giants through its principal member Immersive also had a similar collaboration with Xaman Wallets a self-custody wallet firm to roll out Self custodial Web 3 wallets.
- Immersive is a global web3 card-issuing platform that is backed by Mastercard and aligns with the principal company’s goal to promote self-custody adoption in the global finance industry.
- Besides Immersive and Mercuyro, Mastercard has similar partnerships with other crypto projects with the same goal of self-custody adoption in view. The global payment giants have partnered with Baanx Group, Monavate, and 1inch to name a few.
- Mastercard’s blockchain and digital asset lead Raj Dhamodharan explained in an Aug 14 blog post-Mastercard’s policy and motive behind its push for more self-custody in the payments industry.
- The blog post explained the complexities involved in using crypto for everyday transactions with centralized wallets which often involve the use of crypto exchanges.
‘The complexities of this process have been an obstacle for both buyers and sellers as it limits both choice and the purchasing power of stored crypto ’Raj explained
Mastercard believes self-custody web 3 debit cards solve this problem while integrating cryptocurrency into everyday global transactions.
Features and unique offer
The new Web 3 debit card by Mastercard and Mercuyro comes with some responsibility and commission for its prospective holders.
- The card charges a 1.6-euro ($1.8) issuance fee and a 1-euro ($1.1) monthly maintenance fee. The firm also charges an off-ramp 0.95% fee per transaction.
- However prospective holders of this card are set to enjoy some unique advantages which make the card a worthy investment.
- Users could expect some freedom, control, and simplicity in using their crypto assets for everyday transactions courtesy of the new debit card.
[Nairametrics]
The Independent Media and Policy Initiative (IMPI) has linked the origin of Nigeria’s fuel subsidy to the administrations of former military Heads of State, General Yakubu Gowon and General Olusegun Obasanjo.
IMPI alleged that the former military Heads of State implemented the subsidy during a time of economic prosperity.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Chairman of IMPI, Niyi Akinsiju, noted that the subsidy was initially meant to be a short-term response to a global oil price surge driven by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
Akinsiju pointed out that the subsidy system was meant to be discontinued during periods of economic downturn, but has persisted despite its distortions to the economy.
He expressed concern over the criticism directed at the current government by labor unions over the recent removal of the fuel subsidy, noting that many Nigerians had advocated for its elimination before 2023.
Akinsiju highlighted that under both Gowon and Obasanjo, fuel prices rose in response to economic conditions. Under Gowon, the price of petrol increased by 40%, from six kobo per liter to nine kobo, while Obasanjo oversaw a 70% rise, from nine kobo per liter to 15.3 kobo.
He said: “General Olusegun Obasanjo, then military head of state, formalised the petroleum subsidy regime into law when he numbered it among products for which the government would be responsible for fixing their prices and for which they should not be sold above the fixed prices.
“This was a short-term measure to cushion the rising international oil price. It was intended as a temporary fiscal response to an oil price spike instigated by the actions of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC.
“It is, however, instructive to note that under the two principal protagonists of subsidy, the price of petrol recorded increments in response to emerging economic realities. Under Gowon, the price increased by 40 per cent from six kobo a litre to nine kobo a litre, while under Obasanjo, it skyrocketed by 70 per cent from nine kobo a litre to 15.3 kobo a litre.
“Our argument is that subsidies were introduced into the Nigerian economic ecosystem as a consequence of the availability of fiscal resources. They were then a mechanism for a fairer redistribution of the country’s wealth among the populace in times of huge revenue earnings.
”When there is a downturn, the tendency is to halt their implementation because of the distortion inherent in their continued application.
“But, as it were, the subsidy and we as a people have become economic Siamese twins. Every move by the government to stop its application since 1988 has been received with uproar and outrage, despite the material changes in the economic dynamics that informed the policy in the first place.
“This latest furore over fuel price increase is typical of other times. The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has taken its traditional front role and, as always, pointing fingers at the federal government for being responsible for the price increase.
“However, as a body of analysts, we submit that all this trouble-mongering should stop.”
[NaijaNews]
The National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Felix Morka, has admitted that President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s inevitable reforms have increased Nigerians’ economic hardship.
According to him, Tinubu’s APC-led administration was taking bold measures to reset the country’s long-broken economy, improve national security, and restore the country to wholesome and sustainable development.
Morka said these in reaction to recent statements by the party’s former national vice (North-west), Salihu Lukman, who called on opposition leaders, particularly former Vice President Atiku Abubakar (PDP), ex-governors Peter Obi (LP), and Rabiu Kwankwaso (NNPP), to galvanise and wrestle power from APC’s Tinubu.
In a statement on Tuesday, the APC spokesperson said since his exit as APC national vice chairman, Lukman has been sleepless in search of political relevance and seemed to have found for himself “for now, a new role as the chief discordant trumpeter for a cacophonous political opposition.”
“His(Lukman) latest call for opposition leaders to unite against the APC is a calculated move to cobble political relevance, divert attention from the administration’s substantial progress, and further his selfish agenda. Lukman is simply a cantankerous political rodomont.
“It is ludicrous to tout opposition PDP and Labour Party (LP) that cannot even manage their internal affairs as capable of offering responsible and visionary leadership to Nigeria. The same opposition parties Lukman devoted many years lampooning as inept, chronically corrupt, unpatriotic and destructive to our democracy.
“It takes an overdose of blinding self-interest to vacillate between extremes without reason or rationality. In all of his painfully verbose Sisyphean letters to the Greek gods, Lukman has not explained to Nigerians why he believes as he believes in the failed opposition parties.
“The APC-led administration of President Bola Tinubu is taking bold measures to reset our country’s long-broken economy, improve national security and restore the country to wholesome and sustainable development.
“No doubt, these inevitable reforms have increased economic hardship for our people. The unwillingness of previous administrations to undertake these reforms and tackle the problems at their roots is why the economy has remained in the doldrums for a long time.
“It would be easy and painless for President Tinubu to do as his predecessors have done, continue business as usual, kick the can down the road for future administrations to deal with while the rot and stagnation fester. But in keeping with the renewed hope agenda of his administration, he has chosen to tackle the country’s generational economic problems for the good of present and future generations of Nigerians.
“In the fullness of time, this President shall be vindicated for his vision and unwavering commitment to the national interest and the common good of all.
“We urge Nigerians to remain focused and undistracted by the opposition’s pettiness and disinformation and to continue to support President Tinubu in his commitment to building greater progress and a more vibrant future for our country,” Morka added.
[Leadreship]