The federal government has approved the upward review of the cost of obtaining the country’s passport.
KT Udo, the spokesperson of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), announced the new passport fees in a statement on Wednesday.
Udo said the increase of the passport fee by the federal government is “part of its efforts to maintain the quality and integrity of the Nigerian standard passport”.
The NIS spokesperson said the 32-page passport booklet with a validity of five years now costs N50,000 from N35,000, while the 64-page booklet with 10-year validity is N100,000 from N70,000.
He added that the increase takes effect on September 1.
“Based on the review, 32-page Passport booklet with 5-year validity previously charged at Thirty-five Thousand Naira (N35,000.00) will now be Fifty Thousand Naira (N50,000.00) only; while 64-page Passport booklet with 10-year validity which was Seventy Thousand Naira (N70,000.00) will be One Hundred Thousand Naira (N100,000.00) only,” the statement reads.
“However, the fees remain unchanged in Diaspora.
“While the Nigeria Immigration Service regrets any inconvenience this increase might cause prospective applicants; it assures Nigerians of unwavering commitment to transparency and quality service delivery at all times.”
The member representing Ideato North South Federal Constituency of Imo State in the House of Representatives, Ikenga Ugochinyere, has urged the Nigerian Police Force to withdraw its invitation to the President of Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero.
Ugochinyere, who is also the spokesperson of the opposition coalition lawmakers, stated that “it’s clear to everyone that the NLC President didn’t commit any terrorism or murder”.
He told the police to withdraw the invitation and avoid creating confusion for President Bola Tinubu, stressing that any move by the security operatives to detain Ajaero might lead to another nationwide protest.
He said, “Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC President didn’t commit any terrorism or murder challenge, drop it, so you don’t bring people back on the street and create confusion for the President. If you want to help President Tinubu go and chase out these bandits in the forest. Find out why crude oil is still being stolen.
“You don’t help the President by inviting the NLC President and accusing him of murder and treason. Stop it!!!!! The President needs help, there’s insecurity, that’s why there’s economic hardship, that’s why food products are high. That’s the real terror that you need to deal with, not Comrade Ajaero.
“I have to advise the Nigerian police, there’s no basis for this now, what Nigerians need now is more enhanced security, more involvement of security agencies in quelling security challenges across all parts of the country instead of inviting the President of Nigerian Labour Congress for a chat over his involvement in terrorism.
“These are old strategies that people can decode, from someone that has been through it, this same police force invited me multiple times and charged me multiple times. Based on my personal experience, I think this invitation should be withdrawn, the country is at a difficult moment now.
“I know Comrade Ajaero and I know he’s not involved in any terrorism. We are trying to find a way to maintain stability and navigate these economic challenges, the Nigerian police should Channel their energy on oil production, what the oil thieves are doing etc. they should focus on wiping out the bandits and criminal elements. I’m urging the Inspector General of Police, don’t let your era be known with what you used to have, don’t get involved in that. The biggest thing I know you can do for the President that I know you love is to find a way to energize the police force to go after all these criminal elements in different parts of the country.”
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nyesom Wike, has vowed to stand his ground and fight for his principles, amidst internal crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party.
Speaking at a media parley on Wednesday, marking his one year anniversary as a minister, Wike declared, “I don’t run away from any fight. I will stay there, I will fight it out. Who am I going to run from? The vampires? I cannot do that!”
Wike’s statement comes amidst speculation that he may leave the PDP due to the internal crisis in the party, particularly against him. However, the minister has consistently maintained that he will not abandon his principles, even if it means standing alone.
Less than 24 hours ago, a former Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South leader, Chief Edwin Clark, had called on the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ambassador Iliya Damagun, to expel Wike from the party to save it from destruction.
In an open letter to Damagun, Clark stated: “I am writing to bring to your attention the activities of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, Nyesom Wike, who is using his closeness to President Bola Tinubu to intimidate the Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and the party.”
Clark, who is also the leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum and the Southern and Middle-Belt Leaders Forum, said: “I cannot stand by and allow the minister to continue to hound the governor. If we do not stop him, the matter will consume him, Wike, and their cohorts.”
When asked by a journalist if he sees himself leaving the PDP in the future, Wike responded, “Anybody who knows me knows too well if I want to join APC today… when I was then PDP and I said ‘look, I will not support your presidential candidate’, Did I say it secretly? Or those people that are saying those things did they bring one member that won election?”
The minister also highlighted his commitment to principle, stating, “Did PDP not win (in Rivers State)? I stood my ground in terms of principle that if this is not done we will not accept it. People must know you for something. Integrity is very important. Forget about those that are saying this, they are afraid of my face.”
The Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike, has declared the ‘Park n Pay’ scheme in Abuja illegal, following revelations that the scheme was being used to syphon government’s funds under the guise of a legal operation.
Wike made the announcement during a live media parley on Wednesday, marking his one year in office.
The FCT minister expressed his dismay at the scheme’s revenue-sharing formula, where private consultants received 80% of the collected funds, while the FCT administration received a mere 20%.
He condemned the arrangement, while highlighting a significant flaw in the system that allowed private entities to divert funds meant for government use.
Wike further stated that the incident was brought to his attention when a senior advocate reported an attempt by individuals claiming to be from the Transport Secretariat to seize vehicles from his office.
Upon investigation, Wike noted that he discovered that the people were operating under the ‘Park n Pay’ scheme, which he was previously unaware of.
THE WHISTLER reports that the scheme involved an agreement between the Transport Secretariat and private consultants, who collect the majority of the funds.
According to him: “The call from a senior advocate, brought to light a scheme that has been syphoning government funds under the guise of a legal operation.
“The scheme, which appears to have been operating under the radar, highlights a critical flaw in the system that allows private consultants to pocket the lion’s share of revenues meant for the government.
“These are things we need to fight within the system. Sometimes, if you don’t bring it to our attention, we may not know. We can’t be everywhere,” Wike emphasised, while noting the challenges faced in overseeing the sprawling FCT administration.
He continued, “The incident unfolded when a senior advocate reached out to me with a troubling report. He said, ‘Sir, some people came to our office and are trying to seize our cars. They claim to be from the Transport Secretariat’.
“I asked him to give the person the phone, and I asked the person, ‘Who are you?’ He said he is from ‘Park and Pay from the Transport Secretariat.
“I wasn’t aware of this, so I called the person in charge of it. I asked, ‘Who collects the money?’ Unknown to us, there are agreements between the secretariat and some people who claim to be consultants. So, the consultant takes 80%, and the FCT administration takes 20%,” Wike explained, visibly disturbed by the discovery.
The minister emphasised that such activities are illegal and promised immediate action to dismantle the operation.
“I’m trying to say that it’s illegal, and nothing like that exists. And if my colleague hadn’t called me, I wouldn’t have known,” he stated.
In August 2023, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and a group of concessionaires of on-street parking, signed an agreement to restore the ‘park and pay’ scheme in Abuja.
The Permanent Secretary of FCTA, Olusade Adesola, who signed on behalf of the FCTA said that the move was to promote a culture of orderliness and organisation in vehicle parking.
According to him, the initiative will decongest the city and make motoring a more pleasant experience.
Mr Adesola explained that the scheme was suspended in 2014 by an Abuja High Court, on grounds that it was not backed by a law.
He also said that the earlier implementation was without the approval of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
Kano Gov Moves Against Kwankwaso, Blocks N150m As Anti-Graft Agency Invites Nephew For Questioning
AFOLABI
The Kano State government has moved against Governor Abba Yusuf’s political godfather, Musa Kwankwaso after the state’s Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC) invited the former governor’s nephew Musa Garba Kwankwaso for questioning regarding alleged medical contract scam.
The state government has quickly moved to block N160 million by securing a post-no-debt on an account connected to the state’s local government contract where reports of corruption have been reported.
The government said the move is an effort to retrieve N440 million linked to the medical contracts.
Investigators from the anti-corruption agency are expected to question all those accused of being part of the alleged contract scam which includes Kwankwaso’s nephew, Musa Garba Kwankwaso.
He is anticipated to respond to inquiries about Novomed Pharmaceuticals’ possible role in the contract scam.
The contract was allegedly given without proper procedures, with revelation that each local government was expected to pay roughly N9m per month, for a total monthly payment of N396m.
The alleged scam was revealed by Bello Galadanchi, a Nigerian filmmaker and content creator, who claimed that the state government ordered each of the 44 local government councils to pay roughly N10 million for the drug supply, with Novomed Pharmaceuticals receiving the exclusive contract.
Galadanchi claimed that 25 local governments have already paid the company for August: Dambatta, Warawa, Garun Mallam, Dawakin Tofa, Shanono, Doguwa, Tudun Wada, Gezawa, Ungogo, Nasarawa, Ajingi, Kumbotso, Kabo, Kura, Madobi, Bichi, Tofa, Gwarzo, Rogo, Takai, Kiru, Makoda, Bebeji, and Gabasawa.
Once the terms of the elected council chairmen expired in March,
Governor Yusuf had formed interim management committees for the local governments after the expiration of the terms of council chairmen he inherited from the APC-led government in the state.
However, the interim committees have been accused of not operating in a transparent manner.
Governor Yusuf last week stated that he was unaware of the contract and immediately initiated an immediate investigation.
The chairman of the PCACC, Muhuyi Magaji, said: “We’ve already issued invitations to about five or six individuals, including the permanent secretary of the Ministry for Local Governments, the Director of Planning, and the Director of Local Government Inspection”.
According to him, the commission also called a meeting with the state secretary, the chairman of the Local Governments Directors of Personnel Management Forum, the forum’s public relations officer, and the chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in Kano State.
Bureau De Change (BDC) operators in Nigeria have raised concerns over the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) inconsistent dollar allocations, which they believe are impeding the recovery of the naira. The operators pointed out that the lack of regular and predictable dollar supply from the CBN is causing a loss of confidence in the foreign exchange (forex) market, leading to increased pressure on the parallel market.
To alleviate the forex scarcity, the CBN had approved the sale of $20,000 to BDC operators at a rate of N1450 per dollar on July 18, 2024. This measure was intended to strengthen the naira, particularly in the retail segment of the market. However, despite this intervention, the exchange rate remains high and volatile, with the dollar trading at N1590 in the parallel market.
Aminu Gwadebe, President of the Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), noted that the inconsistency in the CBN’s dollar supply has contributed to ongoing volatility in the forex market. He emphasized that the lack of frequent interventions has increased demand pressure and further weakened the naira.
“The problem is the streamlining, only once, is it on the 18th of July or so? Like you said, about three weeks, till now, no sales again,” Gwadebe remarked, highlighting the sporadic nature of the CBN’s interventions.
Gwadebe called for the CBN to engage in more frequent dollar sales to currency traders. He suggested that sales could occur once or twice a week to ensure a more stable and predictable flow of dollars into the market. According to him, regularity and volume, coupled with a clear cut-off time, would encourage market participants to engage more confidently, thereby improving liquidity and stabilizing the exchange rate.
“But if I know the window is open for one month for me to buy and with no cut-off time, and then I am not sure when it will come again, people will not be encouraged to come into the market,” he explained, stressing the need for consistency in the CBN’s forex interventions.
National Union of Electricity Employees, (NUEE), has threatened to shut down the power sector if the President of Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC), Joe Ajaero, is arrested.
WITHIN NIGERIA recalls that the Intelligence Response Team, (IRT), arm of the Nigerian Police Force, (NPF), had on Monday, August 19, invited Ajaero, for questioning over alleged Criminal Conspiracy, Terrorism Financing, Treasonable Felony, Subversion and Cybercrime.
NUEE’s Acting General Secretary, Igwebike Dominic, while reacting in a statement, said that NUEE noted with utter dismay the political machinations surrounding the police invitation of its General Secretary-cum-President of Nigeria Labour Congress – Comrade Joe Ajaero as a purported fall out of the politically-motivated investigation into an alleged trump up charges of terrorism financing, cybercrime, subversion, criminal conspiracy and treasonable felony against him.
The statement noted that it was not only embarrassing, but childish and clueless for the Federal Government of Nigeria to take to the antics of witch-hunting, harassment, intimidation and name-calling instead of coming out openly to apologize to the Congress and its leadership for the unlawful invasion of NLC National headquarters few days ago.
According to the statement, the choice by the Government to stifle labour and free speech in the country as a tool to compel Nigerians to continue to suffer in silence in the face of government policies that were not favorable to the people was quite deplorable.
The statement said, “Those in government, especially elected leaders, should be mindful of their actions in times like this, if they have the love of the country at heart.”
It emphasised that it was so painful to see this happening in a democracy where it is supposed to be ‘Government of the people, by the people and for the people’, lamenting that what Nigerians have is simply the government of the selected few, for themselves against the people.
The NUEE’s Acting General Secretary noted that it was a blatant abuse of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and International Labour Organization Conventions especially convention 87 and 98, was unacceptable and would be vehemently resisted.
The Union condemned in its entirety what it called Government’s interference in the Labour movement through the weapons of intimidation and official harassment of Labour Leaders, in the country, warning that in the event that Comrade Ajaero is arrested, they will have no choice but to go with the NLC directives.
NUEE called on their National, Zonal, State and Chapter leadership to commence immediate mobilization of their teaming members in Generation, Transmission and Distribution to withdraw their services in the event that Comrade Joe Ajaero is arrested.
They also called on the Federal Government to tread with caution as the entire Nation was angry and heated up already because of the hunger and hyper-inflation in the land.
According to NUEE, “The rights of citizens must be respected and guaranteed if the country must move forward.”
President Joe Biden recently revealed the reasoning behind his decision to step down from the 2024 United States presidential race. Speaking at the Democratic National Convention, Biden emphasized that his decision was not influenced by anger towards those urging him to step aside but was driven by his love for the country and the need to preserve democracy.
During his speech, which marked the culmination of his lengthy political career spanning over five decades, Biden reflected on his time as senator, vice president, and president. He expressed deep pride in his accomplishments while acknowledging the importance of stepping aside for the greater good. “I love the job, but I love my country more,” Biden stated, underscoring his commitment to the nation’s future.
Despite winning the Democratic nomination five months ago and being expected to run for a second term, Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee. He called on the crowd to support Harris and Tim Walz as the party’s president and vice president candidates.
Biden’s speech was punctuated by moments of reflection on key events that shaped his decision to enter the presidential race, including the 2017 white supremacist rallies in Charlottesville and the January 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol. He highlighted the importance of standing against hate and violence and reiterated his commitment to moving America forward.
In his remarks, Biden humorously acknowledged his age, noting that he was too young when he first entered the Senate at 29 and now too old to continue as president. However, he reassured the audience that he had always done his best to serve the American people.
Biden’s decision to step down and his endorsement of Kamala Harris reflect his dedication to ensuring the continued strength of American democracy, even if it means stepping aside from the role he has held with honour and distinction.
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the last year’s election, Peter Obi, has asked the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration to come clean on the details of the newly acquired presidential jet and those of the old ones being sold off.
He made the call on Tuesday night on his X handle.
Daily Trust reports that President Tinubu, on Monday, embarked on a working visit to France aboard a newly acquired Airbus A330 business jet, amidst controversies surrounding its purchase.
The model, typically used as a twin-aisle passenger aircraft, was purchased last month at a cost of $100m and has now been registered to the Nigerian Air Force.
The modified jet is one of the three presidential aircraft recently seized by a French court in favour of a Chinese firm, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited, over a dispute with the Ogun State Government.
However, on Friday, August 16, Zhongshan said that it had decided to release one of the three aircraft as a gesture of goodwill, especially due to a scheduled meeting between President Tinubu and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron.
Obi said that despite all the denials and back and forth over the newly acquired presidential aircraft, the jet was now here, thanks to the French court that helped Nigerians get the information.
“Now that the Jet is here, can Nigerian taxpayers whose money was used to purchase it need to be privy to how much it cost and how old the aircraft is and how long its been in operation.
“In addition, Nigerians also deserve to know about how the old jets being disposed, how many of them, how old they are, and why they are being sold. Transparency and Accountability should be the hallmark of any genuine leadership,” Obi said.
He said that the federal government would lose nothing but respect, if it failed to provide adequate information about its leadership to the people whose money was being deployed and whose mandate the President was holding.
“A presidential jet is a major symbol of national sovereignty and state power. How much it costs to transport the president, is a major issue of public accountability. I hope that Nigerians will not be denied the right of full disclosure on the new presidential jet,” Obi added.
[DailyTrust]
The Katsina State Police Command has initiated a manhunt to apprehend the killers of a member of the Nigerian Hunters Association, Aliyu Yahaya, who was murdered in the Jibia local government area of the state.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Abubakar Sadiq, confirmed the ongoing investigation to the PUNCH on Wednesday morning, stating, “Efforts are ongoing to arrest the perpetrators as the investigation proceeds.”
On August 13, suspected terrorists attacked Yahaya’s residence in Magamar-Jibia, within the Mazanya district of Jibia LGA. They shot him, set his body ablaze and abducted his wife, son and three neighbours.
A family member, Salisu Yahaya, recounted the harrowing incident, saying, “Around 2:00 a.m. on August 13, 2024, armed terrorists scaled the wall of Aliyu’s home, shot him dead, and set his body ablaze inside his room. Despite being fatally wounded, he tried to protect his family from being kidnapped, but the assailants overpowered him and whisked away his family.”
A colleague of the deceased, Basiru Muhammad, expressed deep sorrow over the loss, describing Yahaya as a patriotic young man who died while serving his community.
Muhammad also called for urgent security measures to prevent such tragedies in the area and across the state.
A neighbour, Amadu Bello, whose two wives and mother-in-law were also abducted, pleaded with authorities to prioritise the rescue of his family members.
“I urge the government to take immediate action to safeguard residents from terrorist activities. The lack of adequate security personnel has contributed to the frequency of such attacks in our communities,” he lamented.
Adding his voice, a traditional titleholder in the area, Aminu Dan Mugyanbo, stressed the importance of decisive action from the state governor, Dikko Radda, to address the security challenges plaguing Magamar-Jibia and other parts of the Jibia Local Government Area.
“As we grapple with the devastating impact of this and many other attacks on our community, we will continue to support the efforts of local vigilante groups in protecting lives,” he stated.
[Punch]
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The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has said it will not be silenced by state-sponsored harassment, intimidation, attacks and persecution, following the invitation of its President, Joe Ajaero, by the police on allegations of criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion and cybercrime.
Naija News reports that one of the leaders of NLC in an interview with Vanguard said it remained committed to its opposition to mass suffering and hunger occasioned by the anti-people policies of the Federal Government, saying some interest groups are doing everything possible to silence the current leadership of Congress.
NLC also called on its affiliates to shut down the economy should Ajaero be arrested by the police.
The leader said, “There are grand designs by some interest groups to silence NLC under the current leadership. But they fail to understand that we cannot be silenced.
“We are fighting a just cause. We have the right to express our views in a democracy. The workers elected us to fight and make demands for them. They are hungry, they are suffering, and they are dying and are in pain. These are what we are telling the government which they do not want to hear. These are the reasons they are after us, trying to cow us by all means.
“The operator of the bookshop (Iva Valley) has been on the second floor of Labour House for years. We did not bring him there. If he has issues with the police, what concerns us? We believe the state is using this as a cover-up. They aim to emasculate Labour because of their vested interest.”
Meanwhile, human rights activist and lawyer to the NLC, Femi Falana, SAN, has explained why Ajaero could not honour Police invitation for him to appear at the Force Headquarters on Tuesday, saying the labour leader can only appear on August 29.
Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has accused the presidency and the National Assembly of being bandits against Nigerians.
Naija News reports that Ezekwesili made the comment while speaking on the purchase of the new presidential aircraft during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today.
She said there was no justification for the purchase of a new jet for the president when Nigerians were drifting into poverty every minute.
She added that nobody should pity President Bola Tinubu because he agreed with everything former President Muhammadu Buhari was doing.
She said, “That aircraft is 19-year-old. In everything that we have heard, they are trying to justify the purchase of the new aircraft.
“The fellows dare to play with the intelligence of the public. The executive, the presidency, the National Assembly, I think they have decided that they are the bandits.
“The political class has decided that they are bandits against Nigerians. Because I do not see how it is feasible that the priority of a government that has this level of biting hunger in the land, this level of poverty where people are dropping into poverty per minute will consider the purchase of aircraft for the president.
“The construction of N20 billion homes for the vice president; the purchase of all kinds of funny looking cars and the fleet of the National Assembly members and the executive, what exactly is that?
“I said it publicly that it would not be a piece of cake to run the economy because of the absolute devastation of everything that even resembled economic policy. I don’t think they were doing economic policy under President Buhari.
“But this administration agreed with everything Buhari was doing. There in their own case nobody should feel sorry for them.
“They were culpable in it. The problem with Nigerian societies is that they quickly forget things. I always complain about governance because I understand the basic principles.
“You cannot have education, an advanced one and have political literacy that then the country will not matter to you.”
Nigerians Deserve To Know Price Of New Presidential Jet, Why Selling Old Jets – Peter Obi Queries FG
AFOLABI
The Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has called on the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to be transparent about the details surrounding the newly acquired presidential jet and the status of the older jets that are being sold off.
Obi made his appeal on Tuesday night via his X (formerly Twitter) account, where he raised concerns over the recent acquisition of the Airbus A330 jet by the Nigerian government.
The purchase of the jet, which reportedly cost $100 million, has been shrouded in controversy, especially after it was revealed that the aircraft had been seized by a French court as part of a legal dispute between a Chinese firm, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited, and the Ogun State government.
The newly acquired jet was used by President Tinubu during his working visit to France on Monday.
Despite earlier denials and conflicting reports surrounding the purchase, the French court’s involvement eventually brought the matter to light.
Obi emphasized the need for the Tinubu administration to provide full disclosure on the acquisition process and clarify the fate of the older jets being sold off from the presidential fleet.
The presidential candidate said, “Now that the Jet is here, can Nigerian taxpayers whose money was used to purchase it need to be privy to how much it cost and how old the aircraft is and how long its been in operation.
“In addition, Nigerians also deserve to know about how the old jets being disposed, how many of them, how old they are, and why they are being sold. Transparency and Accountability should be the hallmark of any genuine leadership.”
He said that the federal government would lose nothing but respect, if it failed to provide adequate information about its leadership to the people whose money was being deployed and whose mandate the President was holding.
“A presidential jet is a major symbol of national sovereignty and state power. How much it costs to transport the president, is a major issue of public accountability. I hope that Nigerians will not be denied the right of full disclosure on the new presidential jet,” Obi added.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has supported the call for former President Goodluck Jonathan to join the 2027 presidential race.
Recall that the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed vowed to jettison his presidential ambition if Jonathan indicates any interest to contest.
Some northern elites and politicians who are displeased with President Bola Tinubu’s administration have also called for Jonathan’s return to the presidency.
Reacting to the development during an interview with Punch, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Ibrahim Abdullahi, said the position of the Bauchi governor and northern elites resonated with the opposition party.
He said, “We are absolutely in support of the position of the Bauchi State governor. Don’t forget, he was a prominent member of the. Jonathan’s administration where he was a minister. As the chairman of the 13 governors of the PDP, a two-term minister, former senator and a two-term governor rounding off his second term, you will expect him to understand and appreciate the situation of where this country is coming from, where it is at the moment and where we hope to take it to in the future.
“If you are talking about a southern Presidency in 2027, we should be looking at one who had enjoyed one term and will probably give Nigerians hope and prosperity as opposed to the one we have in power. Secondly, if you are also talking about a nationalist, somebody who would not rig an election to keep himself in office, who announced before the counting process was over, that he lost, it has to be Jonathan.
“You remember that he called the victor, congratulated him and asked him to send people for the transition process. So, it is this kind of person with a listening ear that we believe can save the situation. No President in Nigerian history has been as criticised as Ebele Jonathan. We tolerated all sorts of insults targeted at us and his Presidency. But today, he is the one everybody is looking for with torchlight, even in broad daylight.”
When reminded that the decision may not go down well with PDP former presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, who has been labelled a serial contester by the ruling All Progressives Congress, the PDP spokesman argued that Atiku cannot dictate for the party who to field in 2027 despite being a major stakeholder of the PDP.
“It is not the place of Atiku to decide for the PDP. We are running a national political party, for crying out loud; one that has governed this country for 16 years. We cannot be expected to have one person determining the direction of the party. If anything, we respect him. He has given it (the presidency) a trial and has been on this for too long.
“But there are times when you realise a battle is no longer around you and you support someone. This is how things are done. If in 2019, we tried, in 2023, we tried again with Atiku, there is nothing wrong in trying someone else in 2027, especially if the odds seemed to favour that person more, which is the case.
“The situation this country is facing today is one that has gone beyond party lines or other narrow considerations. We require a nationalist in the clout of Goodluck Jonathan to be able to salvage the situation. It is clear that for the six and a half years that he was President, he was able to stabilise the forex to a very reasonable extent. The country was able to go on single digit inflation. This we will continue to reference,” he stated.