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Fela Durotoye, a Nigerian public speaker, says he worked in the administration of President Bola Tinubu for just six months without receiving a salary.
In October 2023, Tinubu appointed Durotoye as senior special assistant on national values and social justice.
Following Tinubu’s appointment of Daniel Bwala as special adviser on public communications and media, on Friday, some Nigerians on social media criticised the president for appointing a plethora of media aides without considering the cost of governance.
In a 13-man list that went viral on social media, Durotoye was named as one of the media aides to the president.
In an opinion piece published on Monday, Durotoye said his appointment as aide to the president ended in March 2024.
He added that throughout the six months of his appointment as the president’s aide, he didn’t receive any salary, allowance, or upkeep as a government official.
“Like many other issues in the public discourse, social commentary often has the tendency to overgeneralise; and broad assumptions may sometimes lead to errors of misconceptions, misstatements and misinformation,” Durotoye said.
“One of such errors is in a recent case study that went viral on social media regarding the current media team of the president, where my name was listed as one of the president’s media aides. Unfortunately, this statement needs to be updated to accurately reflect the current media team of the president.
“For clarity, I served briefly in the role of Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Values and Social Justice (SSA-NVSJ) for a tenure of six months, from October 2023 to March 2024.
“When I was invited to serve in this administration, I expressed, as a condition for accepting the call, my desire to NOT receive a salary from the government, as I considered this to be my service to my nation.
“When I finally accepted the role in October 2023, it was on the condition that I would not receive any salary or allowances. During my six-month tenure, I did not accept any government funds for my service, expenses, or upkeep.
“I rented my apartment and took my personal car to Abuja. My utility cost, fuel cost and upkeep were all borne by me and I never requested a reimbursement from the government for any expenses I incurred. Everything I contributed—time, effort, and resources—was paid for by me and my family.”
[TheCable]
Take Obasanjo’s Admonition Seriously If You Have Any Honour Left In You – PDP Chieftain To Mahmood Yakubu
AFOLABI
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, has backed the call by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to carry out electoral reforms in the country.
Recall that Obasanjo, while speaking at the Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum, Yale University, New Haven, United States of America, on Sunday, had demanded the removal of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, over his conduct of the 2023 election.
He canvassed for shorter tenures for the officials of the electoral body and a more rigorous vetting process to prevent the appointment of partisan individuals.
Obasanjo criticised President Bola Tinubu’s performance in office, asserting that corruption continues to rank among the most important problems affecting Nigerians.
Reacting, the Presidency claimed that Obasanjo assertion was hypocritical, adding that he was not an ideal leader while he was in power.
However, Osadolor, while speaking to Punch corroborated Obasanjo’s stance.
He insisted that an overhaul of the electoral system in the country was necessary.
Osadolor argued that Yakubu and other INEC officials ought to apologise to Nigerians for dashing their hopes at the polls.
He asked the anti-corruption agencies to investigate the commission’s staff for alleged mismanagement of resources.
According to hìm, Obasanjo’s comments are a reflection of the demands of Nigerians.
He urged the INEC boss to take Obasanjo’s admonition seriously.
He stated, “In a more honourable society, the INEC chairman would have humbly resigned on his own and apologised to Nigerians, whose trust, hopes, and expectations he dashed through his negligence and inexperience. When he was appointed, Nigerians had high expectations and truly believed he was a breath of fresh air.
“But now, after witnessing his administration’s handling of the affair within INEC, Nigerians are not only disappointed, but they also feel as though they’ve stepped back into the dark ages, where elections were sold to the highest bidder and were neither credible, free, nor fair.
“So, President Obasanjo is not saying anything new. He is simply reflecting the sentiments of Nigerians—well-meaning Nigerians—who understand that what INEC is doing now is a threat to our democracy and a recipe for anarchy if not addressed. I would advise the INEC Chairman to take this admonition seriously if he has any honour left in him.”
Nigerian music executive, Michael Ajereh, better known as Don Jazzy, has lamented his relationship status following the viral ‘suspect challenge’.
Naija News reports that the ‘suspect challenge’ is a new social media trend in which couples or friends take turns to tease each other playfully, especially regarding their bad habits.
In an Instagram post on Monday, the founder of Mavin Records expressed his desire to participate in a trend but has no partner.
He wrote, “Suspect wants to do suspect challenge but no suspect partner.”
In the accompanying caption, Don Jazzy added, “it hurts.”
In other news, Marvin DJ, DJ Big N has shed more light on how his boss, Don Jazzy, rendered financial assistance to cross-dresser, Bobrisky.
According to the DJ, a friend of Bobrisky rallied to raise funds for the crossdresser before he came out of jail.
The friend reached out to Marvin’s boss and asked for help, and out of the benevolence of his heart, the music producer donated, he narrated.
Speaking via Instagram, DJ Big N said, ‘’This social media sha…. .I always say, make the good wey person Dey do no turn to bad. I can 100% tell you that Don Jazzy has never met Bobrisky before, He Has never spoken to him before, he doesn’t have his number neither does Bobrisky have Jazzy’s.
“A mutual friend of Bob came out to raise funds when he came out of jail and reached out to Jazzy to donate. Out of the benevolence of his heart, he donated. Just like he has done uncountable times for people he doesn’t know from Adam. That never made it to the internet.
“As for Oluwa dollars. I was the person who introduced him to jazzy. He and his lil bro.”
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged aggrieved gubernatorial candidates of the Ondo state elections dissatisfied with the outcome of the polls to seek redress at the court of law.
In a statement released by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President congratulated Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on his victory and praised the peaceful conduct of the election.
He also commended candidates from the 17 political parties for demonstrating maturity and a sense of purpose throughout the campaigns and election.
The statement read, “Those dissatisfied with the outcome of the election can explore the opportunities provided by the judicial system to seek redress on areas of conflict.”
President Tinubu lauded the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its efficient handling of the electoral process, including the timely deployment of staff and materials and the uploading of over 98% of results on the same day of the election.
He also expressed gratitude to the Nigerian Police Force, National Civil Defence Corps, Federal Road Safety Corps, National Youth Service Corps, the military, and other security agencies for their professionalism in maintaining peace and order during the polls.
Muslims in the South-West have called out President Bola Tinubu.
The muslims lamented of hardship and hunger in the country.
The muslims under the aegis of Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria, (MUSWEN) advised President Bola Tinubu to put in more efforts to reduce suffering in the country.
MUSWEN President and Deputy President -General of Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Rasaki Oladejo, made the call at the 9th MUSWEN General Assembly on Sunday.
Recall that the event was witnessed by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Barrister Abdul-Raheem Adebayo Lawal, Executive Secretary of MUSWEN, Professor Muslih Tayo Yahya and Director of Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, Professor Isiaq Lakin Akintola.
Oladejo while speaking at the event maintained that the current economic situation in the country should be handled with serious caution.
He advised Tinubu to show more human feelings, and put measures in place in order to mitigate the general suffering in the country.
Oladejo, while speaking further, urged Tinubu to spend the gains made on subsidy removal on security, infrastructure development, electrification, massive food production and employment-generating projects.
He added that food importation should not be an option to be considered, as it would make a mockery of subsidy removal.
Oladejo further urged Tinubu to listen to the cry of Nigerians on the proposed tax reform bill.
He said, “On the proposed Tax Reform Bill, I urge Mr. President to listen to the outcries from various groups and sections of the country.
“The current economic situation in the country requires serious caution to handle. The government should show more human feelings and put measures in place to mitigate the general suffering wrought on the citizenry by some of the economic policies.
“Although we recognize the fact that the situation is not the creation of the Tinubu administration, the government should do all in its powers to alleviate the sufferings of the people.
“That is the reason Nigerians overwhelmingly voted this government into office in the 2023 election, and the President should have no reason not to make life comfortable for the people.
“On their part, too, the people should be careful not to play into the hands of politicians who had never seen anything good in the administration.
“These are the political leaders who still carry on, more than one year after the 2023 general elections, as if we are still in the electioneering period. To them, any action taken by the administration is subject to politicization, as they never see anything good in whatever action taken or not taken by the government.
“Even though somehow harsh, the government’s economic policies are meant to correct the maladministration of the past and put the country on a firm economic footing.
“The government should spend the gains made on subsidy removal on security, infrastructure development, electrification, massive food production, and employment -generating projects.
“Let me, however, sound a note of warning that food importation should not be an option to be considered: it is not a solution because it would make a mockery of subsidy removal.
“Permit me to mention here that MUSWEN has been part of the distribution of palliatives to the needy. We consider this as a moral and religious obligation.”
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, has said that the lawmakers have not taken a stand on the tax reform bills sent to the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu.
He stated this on Monday in Abuja while declaring open an interactive session on the proposed bills.
The bills are, the Nigeria Tax Bill, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill.
Abbas noted that the four bills represent critical proposals from the executive to expand Nigeria’s tax base, improve compliance, and establish sustainable revenue streams for the nation’s development.
He emphasized that tax reforms are a cornerstone of the House Legislative Agenda because of their central role in achieving sustainable economic growth and development.
The Speaker stated that taxes are the bedrock of public revenue, providing the resources required to deliver education, healthcare, infrastructure, and security
He noted, “Yet, Nigeria, despite being Africa’s largest economy, struggles with a tax-to-GDP ratio of just 6 percent—far below the global average and the World Bank’s minimum benchmark of 15 percent for sustainable development.
“This is a challenge we must address if we are to reduce our reliance on debt financing, ensure fiscal stability, and secure our future as a nation.”
The Speaker said the proposed tax reform bills aim to diversify the country’s revenue base, promote equity, and foster an enabling environment for investment and innovation.
He added, “However, as representatives of the people, we must approach these reforms thoughtfully, understanding their potential implications for every segment of society.”
“Taxes should be fair, transparent, and justifiable, balancing the need for public revenue with the burdens they impose on individuals and businesses.
“Let me be clear, the House has not yet taken a definitive position on these bills. Our role is to scrutinize them thoroughly, ensuring they align with the best interests of our constituents and the nation at large. We owe this duty to Nigerians.”
Retired Colonel, Babatunde Bello-Fadile, Nigeria’s first military lawyer, has revealed that former President Muhammadu Buhari once threatened to expel him from the military over a letter he wrote in 1981.
Bello-Fadile made the disclosure in his memoir, ‘Nine Lives: The Bello-Fadile Memoirs’, recounting his experience while serving in the Nigerian Army.
At the time, Buhari was the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Infantry Division in Ibadan, Oyo State.
In the book, the retired colonel detailed his initial encounter with Buhari during a general court-martial, where several officers were found guilty of an offence.
The retired military lawyer noted that the order raised concerns, prompting him to write a letter expressing his views on the matter.
The letter, however, led to a confrontation with Buhari, who allegedly threatened to remove him from the army.
He said, “Those in guardroom then wrote petitions to the chief of army staff, who was then Lt General Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi. All the proceedings of the court-martial were reviewed, with recommendations made by Director of Personnel Services ‘A’ (DPS ‘A’), A Branch for final approval by the COAS.
“The petition from those in the guardroom, which was sent to COAS, was forwarded to A Branch for review and necessary actions.
“Brigadier Shelling endorsed it to DPS ‘A’, Colonel Ode, who, in turn, initialed it to me for action. By the time I read the petition, I was the only one in the office, with Major Demsa as the most senior officer.
“I did a draft requesting the Division to send the record of proceedings to the AHO immediately and that those officers in the guardroom should be moved to the Officers’ Mess too.”
Bello-Fadile said in the letter addressed to the division led by Buhari, he wrote that the officers should not be treated as if they were in “Germany’s gestapo custody” – and that infuriated him.
The lawyer said when he was summoned and was waiting to see the army chief, Buhari walked in and asked Wushishi’s assistant; “Is this the captain? Either I leave the army, or he will leave the army.”
Bello-Fadile said everything was resolved after he informed Wushishi that he had withdrawn the letter and apologised for using the word “gestapo”.
“That was how I was able to escape my first encounter with brigadier-general Muhammadu Buhari in 1981 unhurt, so to say,” he said.
The lawyer said years later, when Buhari was head of state, he did not want to see him at Dodan barracks, which was the seat of power at the time, adding that he had to leave Lagos to Kaduna, where he went to study obtain a PhD in international law.
The Presidency has accused former President Olusegun Obasanjo of failing to set a strong foundation for Nigeria as the first president of the fourth republic.
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Public Communication and Orientation, Sunday Dare, described former President Obasanjo as a man with a tremendous capacity for mischief.
Dare stated this on Monday while reacting to the former President’s criticism of President Tinubu’s leadership style.
“Former President Obasanjo is a man with a tremendous capacity for mischief and Nigerians know it. His journey along the path of hallucinations has never been in doubt. So is his descent into muddling facts, forgetting that he ran a Presidency on record as the most corrupt. His recent diatribe at Yale University lacks sincerity,” he said.
Dare argued that under the administration of Obasanjo, $16 billion was diverted from its intended intention of ensuring stable electricity in the country. He dismissed Obasanjo‘s moral right to criticize any government in Nigeria.
“It is actually laughable that Obasanjo’s pretentiousness about fighting corruption is not cutting any ice in “the eyes of the general public. We all know what happened under his watch and how, up till the present moment, there has been no explanation as to how he wasted a whopping $16bn in generating megawatts of darkness across the nation. But that is not even the issue.
“Democracy suffered mortal wounds under his watch only capped by his murderous rage for an ill-fated 3rd term. Successive administrations struggled to clean up the mess Obasanjo left behind, which President Tinubu is now making progress with. Obasanjo has lost any moral right to condemn any government. He should apologize to Nigerians for not laying the foundational infrastructure Nigeria needed to advance,” Dare stated.
Tinubu’s aide added that his principal has been making efforts to put Nigeria back on the track of development.
“The point here is that Obasanjo should take time off this habit of pulling down leaders, especially his successors and try to interrogate himself on how he has contributed to the parlous state of the Nigerian nation which President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is now spiritedly battling to put back on the track of development,” he added.
![Pastors, oil barons were after Regina Daniels before I married her – Ned Nwoko [VIDEO]](/media/k2/items/cache/552deb892e771adc0e0a458fba1fee93_S.jpg)
Senator Ned Nwoko has validated his wife, actress Regina Daniels’ previous claim of having multiple suitors before their marriage.
DAILY POST reports that the actress had in October, revealed that she had over 20 boyfriends for different purposes before meeting Ned.
However, speaking in a now trending video on social media, Ned Nwoko confirmed his wife’s claim.
Discussing Daniels’ past relationships with his friends, Ned said “She is such a gem. Just like she mentioned recently yes she had 20 men.
“She told me there were so many suitors including pastors, oil bunkers, film producers. And how they were sending her things.”
Sharing the video on her Instagram page, Regina Daniels wrote; “Honestly, I always love hearing hubby speak about me with so much love, especially in my absence.”
Watch him speak below
The Emeritus Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has pointed out that politicians driven by greed often select churches and preachers that do not challenge their corrupt practices.
The respected cleric emphasized that it is the duty of religious leaders to speak truthfully to their congregations to foster meaningful societal change.
Onaiyekan made these remarks during his appearance on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-political show on Channels Television.
“I have noticed in Nigeria that greedy people have a way of choosing the kind of churches they go to and which preachers they listen to. If they go to a church where they are constantly being challenged and made uncomfortable, they won’t come back next Sunday but we need more of that,” the Cardinal explained.
He argued that building grand cathedrals filled with worshippers is not enough, adding that there must be a deeper, transformative impact on society.
“The official religious institutions we have in Nigeria have a task to do self-evaluation. They should ask themselves: have we been projecting the right message of our faiths? If we have been doing it, we will not have this kind of outcome.
“The kind of corrupt and godly outcomes have shown that the kind of religiousness that we have is not leading anywhere,” he stated.
Cardinal Onaiyekan cautioned against the complacency of religious institutions in Nigeria, urging them to reflect on their role.
“We cannot just be rejoicing that our churches are full, that we are building big churches. Very good but we still want to see where is godliness in all of these. And if religion does not lead to godliness, it is even worse than none at all,” he added.
The Archbishop lamented the growing corruption among the country’s leaders, whose mismanagement has deepened the nation’s poverty.
“There is so much impunity. People take a lot of things that don’t belong to them and nobody asks them. Whereas if a poor man steals a piece of yam in the village, they throw him in jail for six months or more. So, there is something wrong with the justice system,” he said.
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Since last month when a new national coalition, Save Democracy Mega Alliance 2027 (SDMA’27), launched a campaign to amend Nigeria’s constitution to remove the President’s authority over the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and state governors’ power over the State Independent Electoral Commissions, SIECs, quite a number of Nigerians have applauded the move.
The coalition is also pushing for amendment in the constitution to equally remove the president’s powers over the judiciary, particularly in the appointment of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, as well as that of the Chief Judge of State in the case of state governors.
Before the group launched the campaign, there had been calls from several quarters to remove the powers to appoint the heads of the electoral body and judicial arm of the government from the president.
The argument behind the call is that such practice does not guarantee the full independence of both the electoral body and the judiciary because he who pays the piper dictates the tune.
The coalition is also arguing along the same line as it insisted that removing such powers from the president would prevent executive influence in the electoral and judicial systems by transferring the power to appoint heads of the two institutions to a new independent body to be set up thereafter.
Speaking at a briefing in Abuja, recently, the coalition’s spokesperson, Tony Akeni Le Moin, announced that the coalition would formally launch the campaign across all states, culminating in a “boot camp” finale in Abuja.
He tied the SDMA’27’s focus on two main constitutional amendments, stripping the president and governors of their powers to appoint INEC, SIEC, and judiciary heads and transferring these responsibilities to a body of non-partisan and integrity-vetted Nigerians.
The coalition which has been endorsed by prominent leaders and pro-democracy groups across the country, has also garnered support from Professor Pat Utomi, a well-respected political economist.
Utomi, who has described the movement as a significant milestone for Nigeria’s democracy since 1999, equally referenced the Justice Uwais Electoral Reform report as the most appropriate point to start from.
According to him, the report also recommended executive appointment reforms for the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the judiciary, as insulating the institutions from executive influence would foster fair elections and improve governance.
The coalition outlined a three-point plan, including mobilising national consensus across political, religious, and civil society networks to create a unified demand for constitutional reforms. The group’s target is to build momentum for a national conference to formally propose the amendments and to lobby both the national and state assemblies to strip the executive of its overbearing influence on the INEC and the judiciary.
The step according to the group is to forestall the reoccurrence of the ugly incident that characterized the 2023 elections in 2027.
It warned that without the reforms, the 2027 elections would likely be a rehearsal of past electoral manipulations.
The group invoked Rev. Martin Luther King Junior’s words on the need for organised resistance, urging Nigerians to prepare for what they described as a “national emergency” to restore Nigeria’s democracy.
Commenting on the development, the president of the Middle Belt Forum, MBF, Dr. Pogu Bitrus told DAILY POST that it is not necessarily about who appoints, but most importantly about who fires.
Ho noted that in addition to who fires, the institution must be strengthened such that who appoints or fires doesn’t matter much as such a person would always be guided and put under check by such a strong institution in place.
He said: “The truth about the matter in Nigeria is not even about who appoints the head of the electoral body or the judiciary, but who fires who. Yes, who fires who matters to some extent.
“If the president can appoint but he has no powers to fire or to remove, that might solve the problem.
“It is the fear of being fired if you not do what they want that makes them do what they do rather than just because you appoint them, because even if you appoint somebody and you don’t grease his elbows and he doesn’t fear that if he doesn’t do what you want he might be fired, then he will not be obliged to do what you want him to do. So, it doesn’t necessarily matter who appoints who but who fires who.
“Secondly, the institution has to be strengthened to the level that people will even fear to do the wrong thing.
“For instance, in China, they have a rule that one can lose his life even in some common things we call gratifications here, not to even talk of the real bribery.
“If judges, INEC boss or any other person knows that if he does the wrong thing and it is traced that he can lose his life, he will not compromise, no matter the amount of money that is involved. That checks and balances can keep them away from doing the wrong thing and force them to do the right thing.
“So, it is not who appoints or who fires but as I said that who fires and the laws have to be strengthened such that the checks and balances are so stringent.
“And that if you do wrong, you know you could lose your life and all your families will be obliterated, so you will not do it.
“So, I think these are the things we need to introduce into the law, rather than who appoints and who doesn’t appoint.
“And then, we can strengthen the law to go beyond that, by saying that even the person who influenced them to do the wrong thing should equally be treated the way the offenders are treated.
“That way, we can ensure that things are done rightly. You know the problem is not that we don’t have laws on the ground. As I am talking, there are laws on the ground that I believe have checks and balances in this regard, but the institutions are weak; and because they are weak, these laws don’t mean a lot.
“So, we should know how to strengthen the institutions, whether it is INEC, the police, the military or the judiciary, so that they can be independent. They can have real probity, accountability and then a respect of law will come in.
“We have already messed the system up and it would require these draconian rules and laws to be able to do the right thing again.”
Also, in his submission, president of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, AYCF, Alhaji Yerima Shettima expressed doubt about setting up an independent body to oversee such appointments.
He said the system has been so centralized that granting independence to such a separate body might not be possible because the president and commander in chief has enormous powers to do anything.
“The problem is with the independent body. How can you talk about independence when you have a system that is already centralized? And that is why I am an advocate of decentralization. Who is independent now in the country?
“Now, specifically, you are talking about the appointment of the INEC chairman which is the one that is expected to go through screening and be nominated by the NASS.
“That is what I am getting from other quarters but the fact still remains that we still have the commander in chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who oversees everything.”
He also expressed doubt about the capacity of the current National Assembly, NASS, to strip the president of such powers.
He cited the alleged rubber stamp disposition of the current NASS to buttress his argument.
He told DAILY POST that, “stripping the president of the powers to appoint the INEC chairman or the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, cannot happen under the watch of the current NASS that I know of.
“The current NASS is a total rubber stamp and they can’t do anything. So, I don’t even want to waste my energy by saying I believe or assume that anything like that will ever happen. Maybe in the future that will be done but not now.”
He also emphasised the need for strong institutions as the panacea to most of the problems confronting the country at present.
He equally advised that instead of the group or any other person or persons dissipating their energy pushing to strip the president of such power, they should come together and push that INEC as an institution should be strengthened such that it can no longer dance to the whims and caprices of anybody, including the president.
“So, rather than wasting our energy on that; let us see how we can strengthen the institutions. It is not about the independence of the INEC but about strengthening the INEC as an institution.
“There are a lot of reforms that need to be carried out in INEC. If those reforms can be put in place, I think we would have solved most of the problems confronting the INEC and the president will no longer have the capacity to influence the body,” he submitted.
Also speaking, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Lagos State, Adebayo Fadipe, lauded the move, saying it would restore the integrity of the electoral body.
He believes that the name ‘independence,’ as attached to the electoral body’s name, is just a mere whitewash as the body is under the firm control of the President who hires and fires at will.
He also lamented that chairmen of the INEC in the past have all compromised except one or two of them who distinguished themselves creditably.
“But if the powers are removed from the president and given to an independent body, meaning that the INEC chairman is no longer answerable to the president, I think we will begin to have a semblance of credible election in this country.
“The INEC chairmen have always been under the firm grip of the president who dictates what happens. And the past chairmen including the current one have always danced to the tune of the powers that appointed them and it should not be like that.
“They should be independent and work for the good of all Nigerians and not work for a group of individuals. That is why it has not been possible to have credible elections in Nigeria.
“But, if that is done, then it will open a new chapter of electoral credibility in Nigeria.
“All the manipulations that have come to characterise our electoral jurisprudence will become things of the past and the country can become a reference point for other countries when it comes to conducting credible elections,” he told DAILY POST.
Afrobeats star, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has announced that he will be commemorating his 32nd birthday with a N300 million donation to orphanages.
The singer disclosed this via his X handle on Monday morning.
He explained that the donation would be made to orphanages and a charity that fights against drug abuse among youths.
He promised to share more details in subsequent posts.
The OBO crooner wrote, “Once again, for my birthday this year, we are donating to orphanages and a charity that helps young people stay away from drug abuse & addiction. This year is N300m. Details to follow soon.”
This is not the first time Davido has donated to charity in commemoration of his birthday.
In November 2021, Davido donated N250m to 292 orphanages in celebration of his 29th birthday.
The Emeritus Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has described the administration of President Bola Tinubu as a ‘minority government’, stating that more Nigerians voted against him in the 2023 election.
Naija News reports that the cleric while featuring on the Sunday edition of Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-political programme on Channels Television, said Tinubu, the then-candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), should switch from campaign mode to governance mode and serve Nigerians well.
Onaiyekan warned Tinubu against running a polarised government where his political cronies are rewarded with appointments, noting that it was not the best way to move the country forward.
He urged the President to do his best to move the nation forward as he would give account of his stewardship to God.
He said, “There are Nigerians who did not vote for APC. Granted that APC got the highest number of votes and that is why they have the right to rule us. But they also forget that there are millions of Nigerians who did not (vote for the APC).
“Whatever the rules say, the reality is that more people vote against Mr President than those who voted for him.
“Even if you are a minority government, which is what I call what we have now, you still have a duty to serve the people and to do all you can to give everybody what is their right, and to rule well.
“Mr President, it’s about time you switched from campaign mode to governance mode. Elections are over. Campaigns are over. You now have to govern and govern the whole of Nigeria and every Nigerian.
“And therefore, the whole system whereby high political offices are given as a reward for those who were political activists, I don’t believe that that is the best way to move the nation forward.
“I would say, now that you (Tinubu) have been declared the President of Nigeria, sit down comfortably on that chair. As a religious leader, I would say God has allowed you on that chair. If God puts you there, you must then know that he is watching you and that He will be asking you what you did on that chair.”
Former Governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Segun Showunmi, has called on the party chieftains to get serious and fix the ongoing crisis in the party.
Naija News reports that Showunmi made this call in a post via his X handle on Monday, stating that the party had failed to secure victory in three off-cycle elections, which clearly shows that the PDP has become its own enemy.
He said the party’s core principles and objectives have been broken, and there is a need to review operating manuals from wards down to states and the national level.
Showunmi state also called for the reformation of the opposition party and not to continue with assumptions; hence, they will not get big northern states.
The post read, “PDP, PDP, PDP!!! It is time to truly reform. After having 3 back to back elections that did not yield to forming a government, especially the last outing that has shown clearly that we have become our enemies. There is no point passing the bulk or blame game, no this is the time to get serious and fix our party.
“Our core principles and objectives have been broken, from our need to review our operating manuals from wards down to states to national, we can no longer get by the way we have done, it is not unusual for a 25 years organization especially a political party to ask itself pertinent questions around why do things happen they way they have for a while now, and how do we forestall a reoccurrence. (First written 21/08/23.)
“I have reason to return to it after our dismal performance in off-season elections. We must review our election management framework, we are due for a stricter audit and reverse logistics review of precisely who was assigned what and how did they the task.
“We can not pretend we don’t know that resources assigned are majorly diverted and that somehow it has now become fashionable to be careless with the day-of-the-vote activities only to come back and blame everyone but ourselves.
“We must rethink what we mean by campaigning where we gather our so-called members in rallies and excite ourselves by claiming we are campaigning, we can not be speaking to the converted who are quick to betray when there is a large pool of voters who don’t get persuaded to come out and votes.
“It is idiotic to do the same thing over and over and expect a different result. The attitude of our serving governors to elections needs to be compared with those of our rivals and we will see clearly where we lost or if it makes you happy where we were rigged.
“What type of relationships do we build with critical election stakeholders, students, civil societies, opinion moulders, strong boys as we prefer to call them who are local enforcers and protectors of their territories, what about with the security and with Inec or do we consider them the exclusive preserve of the ruling party.
“The business of assumption is over. There is no basis for us to be losing under the circumstances We are losing because we are not doing the right thing. Do not be deceived we can not win an election simply by playing up tribalism, for both parties now have national spread The big northern votes won’t just fall into our laps. We must run a stylized campaign to make them come.
“Yield this responsibility to those who are passionate and knowledgeable and watch our rivals crumble. They are made of clay feet almost like Goliath and I wearing the full armour of the holy spirit in the order of David will slay them. It starts with preparing ourselves That’s why I preach reformation of our party.”