Nigerian citizens who may not have fully followed the tense political situation in neighbouring Niger may have been misled into thinking that for once, their federal legislators are no longer disposed to playing their rubber-stamp role towards the executive branch of government. But we can hardly know if they are really set to act as a check on the executive.

First, has President Tinubu actually asked for approval from them to militarily coerce the Nigerien army to restore democracy to Niger? Some say Tinubu merely informed the legislators of the prevailing viewpoint of ECOWAS on the situation in that country. Consequently, the senate could not have rejected a request which had not been made. To the onlooker therefore, both the president and the senate have been imitating our colonial officers of old. 

What the posture suggests is that Tinubu has deftly informed his senate-friends to expect a possible request for their approval for deployment of Nigerian troops to Niger while his friends have skilfully informed him to expect a likely rejection of any such request. No matter from what angle any analyst perceives the dialogue, it is premature to imagine a change of behaviour of the senators or to think that their current posture will last. If the token sent by the clerk of the legislature to each of them last week to enjoy their recess is tripled by adding the prayers of several well-meaning religious leaders to that of the senate president to enable the holiday makers have a safe trip, the multiplier effect will be too huge to resist. 

As to what truly motivates our legislators, history is our guide. During President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, the much talked about plan for tenure elongation failed woefully and many legislators took credit for it by successfully documenting their rejection of advances allegedly made to them by the presidency. But no one told us what our courageous legislators garnered from the leading opponents of the third term bid. There were pieces of evidence at the time that the bid would have sailed through if the offers made by those in support had surpassed what their opponents provided.  We can only hope that future researchers would stumble on ample literature that would illuminate Obasanjo’s revelation that the tenure elongation would have worked if the originators of the bid were actually able to persuade him on it.    

Nigerians need to note the unusual conciliatory diction of our current senators who rather than reject a request that was not made recommended other options to the one they imagined the president had in mind. It would thus appear too early to begin to rejoice that we now have a group of courageous senators who may at appropriate intervals serve as a check on the executive as it ought to be. It is by far too early to think that the average Nigerian legislator would put aside his personal benefit as a contribution to the emergence of a viable nation. No Nigerian politician relishes opposition; instead, everyone wants to be in power, hence legislators supposedly elected by majority of their people to the senate, the highest law-making body of the nation do not leave anyone in doubt that they prefer the executive branch where contracts are awarded.

From the storyline so far, how easy would it be to change the public perception of legislators as lovers of materialism? Many legislators especially those at the federal level are very well educated and fast at getting the thrust of any argument. Some of them are also quite eloquent and pragmatic in making a case for or against any subject which is why this column and others constantly focus on them. Our belief is that with the quality of our federal legislators, no one is better positioned than them to alter the trend of the nation’s stunted growth. In other words, weekly and indeed daily criticisms of our legislators are borne out of frustration that help is not forthcoming from the most expected segment of society. In which case, lack of faith in our legislators is likely to evaporate when they begin to champion the public good.

Many people no doubt love the proactive approach the legislature adopts whenever lapses or corruption in any government agency are uncovered. The rot in the federal character commission in which citizens are made to pay huge sums into private accounts to secure employment may end with the huge publicity the on-going probe into the subject has received.  In the past, the legislature adopted same approach to dirty reports in several sectors; but to the chagrin of many, such probes ended with accused persons getting-off the hook after parting with a huge percentage of their loot. The power probe which ended with the conviction of the chairman of relevant committee of the House of Representatives was a public embarrassment.

The case of citizen Arunma Oteh, director general of the security exchange commission SEC who was being blackmailed during president Goodluck Jonathan’s administration to bribe the chairman of the committee on capital market was more annoying. Painfully, the senate supported the house of representatives to resolve that it would not appropriate funds to SEC for as long as Oteh remained in office notwithstanding that it was their member that transparently abused his office. Last year, the report of the auditor-general of the federation highlighted shortcomings in several public organizations. The legislators promptly set up panels to investigate all indicted organizations but remained silent on aspects of the report which exposed huge corrupt practices in their own abode.  

It is not impossible for our legislators to reverse the negative brand with which they have painted themselves. To start with, they have to stop behaving like a secret cult whose members swear to keep the group’s secret from outsiders.  Not many have forgotten the draconian measures such as suspension of accused members from the relevant chamber for as long as 180 days. Senator Ali Ndume was dealt with for venturing to call for the investigation of certain allegations against the senate leadership while Representative Abdulmumini Jibrin (Kiru/Bebeji, federal constituency, Kano) was greatly sanctioned for exposing budget padding. Interestingly, despite the public interest the subjects generated, no effort was made to disprove the allegations. What mattered was that the group’s secrets were exposed. 

Perhaps what upsets everyone the most is the consistent policy of deceiving the public concerning the exorbitant take-home pay of our legislators which numerous sources say is the highest in the world. It is more annoying that the figure is different from what was approved by the revenue mobilisation and fiscal allocation commission (RMFAC) whose duty it is to fix the remuneration package of legislators. Although the commission fixed recess allowance at about N200,000 per annum, senators last week reportedly got N2million each as token/prayer for one recess break less than 2months of their inauguration. Apart from the unacceptable high figure, it has been difficult to understand the nature of the workload of legislators who are entitled to several intervals of one-month recess. 

In a democracy, the legislature is crucial because governance cannot be premised on the rule of law where the law-making organ does not exist. The implication of this is that Nigeria cannot do without the legislature. It is perhaps this idea of indispensability that has translated our legislators to problems rather than solution to the task of nation building. At the same time, we can also not do with timid or house-boy legislators such as exist at state level where the functions of the executive and the legislature are under the control of governors. The way forward therefore is for civil society groups to begin to interrogate the nature of the legislature that can best serve the nation. Here, several options are available. 

To start with, Nigerians can vigorously agitate for a one-chamber federal legislature as is currently the practice in the states. This option will drastically reduce the huge expenditure on the legislature. In addition, Nigeria can opt for part-time legislators which is what we have in practice now that our legislators are spending more time on recess than law-making.  It is therefore time for Nigerian legislators to engage in introspection before they lose every iota of public respect. 

We worked hard, took many bullets and took great risks to put this Government in place and we not only have a big stake in it but we must also ensure that it succeeds.

Apart from our unalloyed loyalty and unflinching support and our commitment to assist him in weathering every storm and stabilising the country there is only one thing we owe the President and that is to always tell him the plain truth.

Today that truth is that the pending attack on Niger Republic is unpopular at home and, if unleashed, would be a monumental error.

If ECOWAS must go into Niger in the name of wanting to restore constitutional order so be it but let them do so without any Nigerian troops.

Let the French and their Franco-phone allies in our sub-region, with American intelligence and logistical support, do the job on their own and leave us out of it.

It is only if our nation is attacked or our sovereignty violated that we should get into the fray.

Outside of that and until then we should use only diplomatic means to setttle the issue and not allow ourselves to be drawn into an unecessary and bloody regional war the end of which no-one knows.

To the Ivory Coast's President Alhassan Outarra, who has said that this is not a Nigeria versus Niger conflict but rather an ECOWAS versus Niger one, I respectfully ask the following questions: who will contribute 90% of the troops and foot almost all the bills of this force? Is it not Nigeria?

Whose military hardware and assets will be deployed, mobilised and utilised more than any other? Is it not Nigeria?

Who shares her Northern border with Niger and whose northern civilian population are bound to suffer the most hardship, the greatest degree of collateral damage, the highest number of casualties and accommodate the highest number of displaced people and refugees? Is it not Nigeria?

We have trod this path before and we know where it ended. We cannot be fooled again.

If any force is deployed and Nigeria opts to participate we will pay more than all the other ECOWAS nations put together in terms of the loss of civilian and military lives and in blood and treasure.

Apart from that the ECOWAS force and their military capability is nothing without Nigeria and our troops.

To say that this would be an ECOWAS versus Niger war as opposed to a de facto Nigeria versus Niger one is misleading and disingenuous.

Such a war would be fought, prosecuted and won by primarily Nigerian forces even though there may be a sprinkling of a few others just for show and for the record.

All the French and Cote D'ivorien sophistry, propaganda and delusion in the world cannot change that.

If and when the whole thing goes down and we get involved militarily, you can bet your bottom dollar that it won't just be a Nigeria versus Niger war but it would also end up being a Nigeria versus Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso and Wagner one.

Worse still involvement in such a military conflict may tear our country apart along ethnic, regional and religious lines. This must be avoided at all costs.

To add to this complex mix the wife of General Abdourahman Tiani, the head of the military junta in Niger, is actually a Nigerian from Kangiwa in Kebbi state whilst his Emir, the Emir of Dosso in Niger, owes allegience and pays homage to the Emir of Argungu in Nigeria.

That is how connected our two countries are.

The truth is that there is hardly any family in the core north that does not have relatives from and in Niger.

Can they be expected to sit by idly and applaud us whilst we kill their brothers and sisters across the border for no just cause even when our nation has not been attacked and our territorial integrity has not been violated? Methinks not!

As I wrote elsewhere, outside of any diplomatic initiatives, let the French clean up their own self-inflicted mess and fight for their hegemonist and parasitic neo-colonial interests and uranium supplies in Niger and let us stay out of our poor and beleaguered neighbour's internal affairs.

On a final note permit me to share the following exchange.

On hearing of my stiff opposition to deploying our troops into Niger my dear friend Umaru Farouk offered the following rationalisation to me.

He wrote, "the decision to place the troops on standby force is to force the junta to comply with the charter of demands from the regional and other international institutions via diplomatic channels. Also to actionably deploy the troops in case of any future coup attempt anywhere in the territory of ECOWAS".

My response to him was as follows.

"You and I know that this threat of the use of force will not work and that it will not result in their stepping down.

It will rather harden their hearts and eventually lead to a military conflict.

You do not place your armed forces on alert unless you intend to deploy. It is only a question of time.

Methinks that it is a very bad step, it is ill-timed and it is ill-advised.

It is bad for our country, bad for our people and bad for our Government.

Finally as regards your suggestion that the force can be used and deployed in case of any future coup anywhere in ECOWAS I ask, why should Nigeria be the policeman of the West African sub-region?

Why should we be used to protect oftentimes corrupt, dictatorial and illegitimate civilian sit-tight rulers and puppet regimes in other parts of West Africa?

Out of all the leaders in the15 countries that make up the ECOWAS sub-region I can only vouch for the legitimacy, integrity and democratic credentials of the Presidents of Nigeria, Ghana, Benin, Senegal, Sierra Leonne and Liberia.

I cannot vouch for ANY of the others and I have little respect for them.

In any case don't we have enough problems of our own?

Let others deal with their internal issues and let us deal with ours.

Nigerian blood must never be spilt or shed for the sake of some of these Frano-phone rulers who have sold their souls to the devil and their people to France and who have been turned into errand boys abd grovelling slaves by their former colonial masters.

For example is it President Paul Biya of the Cameroons, who has been in power in that country for the last 41 years, that our soldiers should protect and die for?

Is it President Faure Eyadema of Togo who, in classic North Korean-style, is operating and nurturing a system of dynastic rule in his nation and who, between him and his late father Gnassibe Eyadema, have ruled their country for the past 61 years?

Is it President Alhassan Outarra of La Cote D'Ivoure who is prepared to do ANYTHING for the French, who suppresses and persecutes his opponents and who had his predecessor in office President Laurant Gbabo bundled off to the International Court at the Hague at the behest of their former colonial masters simply because he dared to question the legitimacy and sought to break the yoke of French domination and bondage and restore the self-respect and dignity of his people by coming up with the noble and patriotic concept of "Ivoritie" (meaning "Ivorians first").

If anyone really wants to know what the French do to their Franco-phone subjects through the auspices of their pliant and servile local "democratically-elected" African leaders they should listen to the explosive and utterly outstanding speech, delivered just over a year ago, by the beautiful, passionate and fiery Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, who lambasted President Emmanuel Macron of France and the French people for enslaving, persecuting and cruelly exploiting the people of Africa.

Are these the sort of leaders we should protect and vouch for and are we supposed to send our soldiers to die in order to perpetuate French hegemony in these nation's? Surely not!

Unless our country is attacked I do not see any sense in using our military for anything outside our shores other than for peace-keeping".

May God open our eyes and guide our leaders before it is too late.

Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s federal government of Nigeria is rearing to go to war in Niger Republic.  Is history  repeating itself ?  Twelve years ago, in 2011, Nigeria was similarly bullish about going to war in Ivory Coast over the presidential election dispute in that country.  That time, President Goodluck Jonathan was the chairman of Economic Community of West African States ( ECOWAS ), just as President Bola Tinubu is ECOWAS chairman today. There had been a presidential election in Ivory Coast on October 31, 2010 with many candidates in which President Laurent Gbagbo led with 38 percent of the vote, while Alassane Quattara  was runner up with 32 percent vote. Because no candidate scored up to 50 percent of the vote, the two leading candidates – Gbagbo and Quattara – had a run off election on November 28, 2010.  On December 2, 2010, the country’s Independent Electoral Commission declared Quattara winner of the run off election with 54 percent of the vote but on December 3, 2010, the Constitutional Court,  which has the mandate to certify/review the election result , declared President Gbagbo re-elected with 51 percent of the vote.

The ‘ International Community ‘ stepped in , with the United Nations Representative in Ivory Coast issuing a certification of the Quattara victory !!!  Yes, a UN Representative became or arrogated to himself the role of the certifying authority of a presidential election in an African country !   However, President Gbagbo, supported by the Ivorian military and civil service  was sworn in for a second term while Quattara , holed up at the Golf hotel in Abidjan, protected by UN Peacekeeping troops, declared himself president.  There was stalemate, with two claimants to the Ivorian presidency.  Enter President Goodluck Jonathan, ECOWAS chairman,  not as a mediator  but rather a hell-raising , combative warmonger rearing to topple President Gbagbo, who had been tagged a sit tight president who did not want to relinquish power. Jonathan backed the position of the UN Representative.  Like President Jonathan, President Bola Tinubu entered the political fray in Niger Republic, not as a mediator, but projecting as  a combative democracy warrior leading ECOWAS  on a mission to teach coupists a lesson for daring to sack an elected president. Whatever local circumstances which might have prompted the coup were of no consideration to the new ECOWAS chairman, who is also  barely two months in office as president of Nigeria,  and whose victory in the election is still being challenged in court.   President Tinubu has shown no clue on how to tackle Boko haram insurgency, widespread banditry and kidnapping in Nigeria yet he is consumed about restoring democracy in Niger Republic, following the ouster of President Mohammed Bazoum from power in coup on July 26, 2023 led by the commander of the presidential guard, Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani .  At its  Sunday, July 30, 2023 first extraordinary summit  on the Niger crisis,  ECOWAS  had  imposed several sanctions on the coupists and handed them one week ultimatum to reinstate Bazoum or face military action.  At its second extraordinary summit on Thursday, August 10, 2023 ECOWAS activated a Standby Force to actualize its ultimatum .

I had written an article on the Ivorian political crisis dated January 30, 2011 and published in many newspapers including The Guardian  ( February 17, 2011 )  titled : ‘ Nigeria’s  war drums on Ivory Coast ‘.  One can apply that title to the current situation as :  Tinubu’s war drums on Niger Republic. The African Union had initially opted for dialogue on the Ivorian crisis but eventually towed ECOWAS line as the primary authority in West Africa.

I will quote extensively from that my 2011 write-up to highlight the similarity to Tinubu’s warmongering on Niger Republic. I had noted  : ‘’ The ECOWAS has a responsibility to diffuse the volatile situation , but the mediator is now becoming a rabid partisan, eager to deploy the military to dislodge President Gbagbo’’.  In fact, Jonathan had on January 24, 2011, in a letter, lobbied the UN Security Council for a resolution authorizing ECOWAS to deploy the military in Ivory Coast ! The letter was delivered by Jonathan’s Foreign Affairs minister, Odein Ajumogobia (SAN) I had observed  : ‘’ What is most unsettling about the letter is its undue belligerence , with a touch of braggadocio’’, as Jonathan thundered :  ‘’ Gbagbo must be made to understand that there is a very real prospect of overwhelming military capability bearing down on him and his cohorts’’.  Tinubu is exhibiting similar macho on the Niger crisis. In the article, I had posed the question : Why is Nigeria so gung-ho about war in Ivory Coast ?  That question is worth repeating today : Why is Tinubu so gung-ho about leading ECOWAS  to war in Niger Republic ?  Unlike Jonathan, the Tinubu –led ECOWAS has dispensed with UN Security Council resolution on the threatened war against Niger republic, apparently  to establish Tinubu as the new Sheriff in West Africa with a smoking gun !  At the end, Jonathan got UN Security Council resolution for military intervention in Ivory Coast but he and ECOWAS were sidelined in the military operation, in spite of their gra-gra about war. It was essentially UN Peacekeeping soldiers and French forces which captured President Gbagbo at the presidential palace on April 11, 2011 and eventually installed Quattara as president on May 21, 2011.  President Gbagbo was sent to trial at the International Criminal Court at The Hague where he languished for 10 years in detention. President Jonathan and ECOWAS  became pawns of the ‘ International Community ‘ to perpetuate French economic stranglehold on Ivory Coast, a vice grip that President Gbagbo was trying to dismantle.  Similarly, Tinubu  and ECOWAS may be suckered into a proxy war in Niger Republic on behalf of France and the U.S. to sustain the West’s economic exploitation of that country.  But he, apparently, deludes himself as a Big Boy playing in the Big League !

Perhaps, Tinubu and his Aso Rock advisers are both ignorant of history and naïve in international geopolitics. Just like Jonathan’s outing in Ivory Coast, Tinubu is turning out as lacking depth in policy decisions  and precipitate in action – shooting before aiming !!.  The seemingly over-hyped Lagos political tactician and ‘magician’ may be unraveling before our eyes .  What is his understanding of the underlying local factors which triggered  the coup in Niger Republic ?  Can ECOWAS realistically dismiss the support for Niger Republic by Burkina Faso and Mali, both ruled by military juntas ?

The laughable aspect  of the Tinubu ECOWAS Ensemble is touting Alassane Quattara and  President Faure Gnassingbe of Togo as defenders of democracy.  This is Quattara , installed by France in 2011 who in 2016 changed the country’s constitution that allowed him to run for a third term of five years in 2020, winning 94.27 percent of the vote, and giving him a cumulative 15 years by 2025.  President Gnassingbe, in 2005,  succeeded his late father, President Gnassingbe Eyadema who ruled Togo for 38 years .  After resisting term limitations for  14 years, he got his party-dominated National Assembly to pass a constitutional amendment in May 2019  that now included  a two term limit for the president but without retroactive clause. The amendment gave him a fresh two terms that allowed him to run in the 2020 presidential election and the option to also run in 2025, potentially allowing him to remain president till 2030, a reign of  25 years !! These are the Tinubu Apostles of Democracy  on Evangelism mission to Niger Republic  !!!  What a joke !   Quattara, the French-installed lackey in Ivory Coast, fronting for his benefactors in urging Tinubu to war, had after the August 10, 2023 ECOWAS Summit in Abuja sought to deflect Nigerians’ criticism of Tinubu’s warmongering by stating that it is an ECOWAS  collective decision.  Who is deceived ?    

As in Ivory Coast, the ‘ International Community ‘ , a euphemism for U.S. and NATO, could possibly aid a lightening victory for Tinubu-led ECOWAS military invasion of Niger Republic if France and the U.S. provide carpet bombing air cover for the ground troops. That could be the pledge emboldening Tinubu to throw caution to the wind.  But then, Tinubu  would have only been railroaded into a fratricidal war  with Niger republic  for the economic interests  of the West in their continuing exploitation of African countries.  Except for the nebulous claim of promoting democracy, no one has articulated the specific benefits accruing to Nigeria or ECOWAS  from an invasion of Niger Republic to reinstate the ousted president, Mohammed Bazoum.     

Virtually all stakeholders in Nigeria have opposed military invasion of Niger Republic by Tinubu-led ECOWAS. But does the Lagos City Boy care. ?  It appears Tinubu does not give a damn, for as long as he can flaunt the anticipated success of his Audacity of Warmongering in Niger Republic !!!  

Emmanuel Udende, the Senator representing Benue Northeast, has commended the zealous Davido fan, Emmanuel Myam, aka Emmiwuks.

The senator commended Emmiwuks, who embarked on a road trip from Benue State to Lagos on his bicycle to meet the singer.

Recall that Davido had ordered the fan to “turn around” that he wasn’t presently in the country but when the fan insisted on continuing his journey, he asked him to send his account number for a token and also pledged to meet him when he returns.

Reacting via his official Facebook page, Senator Udende commended the young fan for his resilience.

He promised to support Emmiwuks’ music career and also host him at his office in the National Assembly when lawmakers are back from recess.

He said, “In the past few days, I have seen a lot of updates on social media platforms concerning the passion and desire of a young man who wishes to meet and present a gift to his music Idol and Afrobeat star David Adeleke (Davido).

“I wish to applaud the resilience of Master Emmanuel Myam with the stage name Emmiwuks, who is my constituent from Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State, for embarking on this journey from Benue to Lagos on a bicycle to meet Davido, the Afrobeat superstar.

“As it has been my policy to encourage young people to pursue their dreams, I wish to encourage Master Emmanuel in his chosen career which I have been told is Music.

“I will also host him in my office at the National Assembly when he returns from Lagos and we are also back from recess so that we can look at the areas I can intervene to make him excel in his chosen career.

“Ensure you are a proud ambassador of Our constituency and Benue state at large when you meet the Music icon.”

Godwin Obaseki, the Governor of Edo state has spoken up about how he found out that his deputy, Philip Shaibu, was “working against him”.

According to Obaseki, Shaibu has become so desperate to succeed him, ahead of the Edo governorship election in 2024.

He spoke at a gathering with stakeholders in the state.

The governor said: “He (Shaibu) went to Abuja and was boasting that he has connections in Abuja, that he has people in the national assembly, that they are all with the president now, that they will take care of him. That if he cannot get the ticket in PDP, he knows what to do.

“I kept quiet and said I thought we were together. But what struck me, and I have never said this to anybody, is that after I proclaimed the house of assembly, we were now going to elect officers.

“He was in Abuja, he came back that day. I am the chief security officer of this state. I get any information I need. But I have that responsibility to keep quiet and use the information properly.

“My deputy called the leader in APC, telling that leader that during the elections on the next day, particularly speaker of the house of assembly, that he has five members who are loyal to him and that he would like the seven members of APC to work with his five members of PDP to produce the next speaker.

“As far as I am concerned, that was not working in our common interest. Why would the deputy governor seek to have another speakership candidate outside of what the governor wants? Are we working together?

“That was when I knew we had a problem. That the deputy governor has become so desperate to take over that he would do anything, including carrying out a coup, against his governor. How can you say you are loyal and you will do such a thing?”

Meanwhile, Shaibu has dismissed speculations of joining the All Progressives Congress (APC), following his rift with Obaseki.

The deputy governor said this in response to speculations that he would be received in Abuja next week by the APC National Working Committee (NWC).

Shaibu, in a statement by his chief press secretary, Musa Ebomhiana, described the rumour as the handwork of mischief makers who are bent on destabilizing Edo state.

“Mischief makers bent on destabilizing our dear Edo State are still at work. They will stop at nothing to widen the gulf between Mr Governor, His Excellency, Governor Godwin Obaseki and his Deputy, Comrade Philip Shaibu.

“They have generated more lies from the pit of hell, saying that Shaibu has perfected plans to rejoin the APC next week. There is no iota of truth in this. The mischief makers claim that the APC NWC is set to receive me in Abuja. Is it the NWC of a party that receives a decampee into the party?.

“In view of this, I plead with these characters bent on driving a wedge between Comrade Shaibu and his boss, to put the Edo project and the people far above their own selfish interest,” the statement read in part.

The Military High Command says there are plots from different quarters to instigate members of Armed Forces of Nigeria to overthrow the present democratic administration being led by President Bola Tinubu.

It, however, said the attempt will fail, insisting that the military is happy and better under democracy, and as such it will not get involved in any act to sabotage the hard-earned democracy of Nigeria.

The Director, Defence Information, Tukur Gusau, a Brigadier-General, who stated this in an early message sent to Daily Trust on Saturday morning, described the development as “unpatriotic and wicked”.

According to him, the military would continue to perform its constitutional duties rather than plotting any coup against the present democratic administration, saying the armed forces of Nigeria would not be distracted.

Gusau’s reaction came on the heels of calls by some Nigerians that the military should step into the country’s leadership position owing to the perceived failure of democratic governments.

But in his message, the senior military officer said the armed forces of Nigeria under the leadership of Gen. Christopher Musa, the Chief of Defence Staff, would not for any reason involve in any form of insubordination.

“The reports calling on the military to interfere in our democracy is highly unpatriotic, wicked, and an attempt to distract the Armed Forces of Nigeria from performing its constitutional responsibilities,” the senior military said.

He also dismissed insinuations in some quarters that the troops of the Nigerian military were not well taken care of, noting that it would not allow any individual or group of individuals to instigate military officers against the present government.

Gusau added, “The Defence headquarters frowns at a report being circulated online about welfare issues in the Armed Forces of Nigeria. We wish to state unequivocally that the military is happy and better under democracy and will not get involved in any act to sabotage the hard-earned democracy in our country.

“While the leadership of the AFN gives priority to welfare of its personnel however, we detest any attempt by any individual or group to instigate the law-abiding Armed Forces of Nigeria to embark on any unconstitutional change of government in our country.

“The AFN under the leadership of the Chief of Defence Staff, General CG Musa is determined to ensure complete subordination of the Armed Forces to constitutional authority under His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and will not be distracted from its roles that are well defined in the 1999 constitution (as amended).”

It was a dramatic day for the co-hosts of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, Australia, as they escaped France’s battle in the quarter-finals to qualify for their first semi-final in the history of the tournament.

After a goalless 120 minutes of action, France and Australia who the Super Falcons of Nigeria beat 3-2 in the tournament’s group stage, settled for a thrilling penalty shootout.

The quarter-final clash at the Brisbane Stadium recorded a massive 12 goals from the two teams via the penalty shootout.

Australia won 7-6 in the shootout that exceeded expectations with its dramatic turns. Cortnee Vine scored the game-winning penalty kick after Vicki Becho had hit the post for France.

Mackenzie Arnold of Australia made a total of four saves in the shootout, including two against Kenza Dali after the latter moved off the line for the first stop and necessitated a retake.

After Eve Perisset’s save, Arnold herself had an opportunity to give Australia the victory with a penalty kick as the fifth shooter, but she missed the post as the roughly 50,000 Australians in attendance felt every emotion imaginable.

Eventually, the hosts managed to push themselves through to their first-ever semifinal of a Women’s World Cup after the thrilling penalty shootout.

In the semi-finals on August 16, at 11:00, the co-hosts will take on either England or Colombia at Sydney’s Stadium Australia.

Indications have emerged that Nigerian Senators reportedly shared N218 million as a “holiday” allowance.

Naija News understands that each of the 109 senators was paid N2 million before the red chamber went on its seven weeks recess.

Recall that the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, had on Tuesday during plenary when he mistakenly revealed that tokens had been sent to senators to ‘enjoy’ their recess.

A video clip showing Akpabio making the blunder had gone viral on social media.

The incident reportedly happened on Monday after the senators concluded the screening and confirmation of President Bola Tinubu’s ministerial nominees.

“In order to enable all of us to enjoy our holidays, a token has been sent to our various accounts by the Clerk of the National Assembly,” Akpabio said.

He later withdrew his earlier comment saying, “I withdraw that statement. In order to allow you to enjoy your holiday, the senate president has sent prayers to your mailboxes to assist you to go on a safe journey and return.”

A source who pleaded anonymity told Premium Times that bank alerts were received by the senators on 8 August, just before Akpabio announced it.

The source, however, did not clarify if presiding officers also got N2 million each but confirmed that all 109 senators were paid the allowance for the holidays, which commenced on Monday and will end on 26 September.

Attesting to this fact, Naija News reported earlier that a lawmaker representing Bauchi Central senatorial district, Abdul Ningi revealed how much lawmakers got as a recess ‘token.’

According to Ningi, some lawmakers have gotten N2 million as recess allowance. However, he claimed not to have received his own.

Senator Ningi speaking on the development days after Akpabio’s statement confirmed that some lawmakers had gotten an allowance as earlier hinted.

Speaking with Channels TV, he said, “Nothing has come to my account yet. I heard that some people got N2m but for me, nothing yet. Hopefully [I would get] when they tidy up things.

“Some of these things, if they happen, you don’t broadcast it the way he (Akoabio) did.

“I think it is a huge embarrassment to the Senate President as a person and to the institution of the National Assembly. The Senate President should have gone further to say what the allowances are for. How did he come about the allowances? Who gave the allowances? Is it part of the remuneration?

“I don’t know what N2m would do for a holiday. I find it very difficult to understand what this money is for.”

This platform, however, gathered that the N2 million allowance given to the senators is illegal as no such provision is made in the remuneration package approved by Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), a body authorised by law to prepare salaries and allowances for public servants.

According to the commission, what lawmakers are entitled to as a “recess” allowance is 10 per cent of the annual basic salary of each legislator, which is paid once a year.

The commission states that in a package prepared by RMAFC, a senator earns N2,026,400 and therefore gets N202,240 as a recess allowance per annum.

The basic salary of the senate president per annum is N2,483,242, and therefore receives N248,424 as recess allowance, while that of his deputy is N2,309,166, and his recess allowance is N230,916.

Deji Adeyanju, a public affairs analyst, made fun of Nasir El-Rufai after it was announced that he had withdrawn his name from consideration for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ministerial nomination.

According to Anaedoonline.ng, the Senate deferred El-Rufai’s and two other nominees’ confirmations after receiving security concerns from the Department of State Services.

El-Rufai allegedly told President Tinubu of his decision to resign from his ministerial position as a result, along with a suggestion for a replacement.

Adeyanju Reveals Where Tinubu Should Be Instead of Running For Presidency

Adeyanju responded by stating that it would make sense for El-Rufai to run for office in 2027 by joining Peter Obi’s Labour Party.

He suggested that the former FCT Minister run alongside Obi, claiming that their combined ticket would be like a match made in heaven.

According to him, he would meet fellow religious bigots the moment he defects to the Labour Party.

“But it will make a lot of sense if elRufai joins Labour Party. He will meet his fellow religious bigot there, and they can both run as presidential and VP candidates in 2027. They will fight their religious war together.

“Peter/El-Rufai 2027 ticket will be a strong one. A union made in Heaven. They both have bigotry and betrayal running in their DNA,” he tweeted on Friday.