The member representing Musawa/Matazu Federal Constituency of Katsina State, Abdullahi, Ahmed has given a N35 million grant to 70 constituents with viable business plans to enable them to venture into business.

Speaking at the event held in Musawa on Sunday, the lawmaker said the initiative was geared towards offering business financial support and relief to individuals amidst the current economic downturn, to enable them to invest and generate a decent livelihood for necessities of life.

According to him, each of the 70 beneficiaries with viable business plans, selected from across the 21 political wards of the constituency, will receive N500,000 each as a non-refundable business grant to make them self-reliant and financially independent.

In a statement signed by Sardauna Francis, his spokesman, the lawmaker also distributed 100 tricycle-wheelchairs to persons living with disabilities and 2,500 bags of fertiliser to farmers in the constituency.

He said the gestures further underscore his commitment to supporting his constituents and driving inclusive socio-economic growth and development.

The lawmaker expressed confidence that the empowerment fund, wheelchairs, and fertiliser would help the beneficiaries to realise their full potential, contribute to the local economy, and create a brighter future for themselves and their families.

Ahmed, who is the Chairman of the House Committee on Interior, said: “These empowerment initiatives aim to cushion the current economic hardships and drive small-scale entrepreneurship as well as improved farming activities and assuage the sufferings of persons living with disabilities in the constituency.

“This is time for real. Our people have given us the mandate in March, and this is the time to bring meaningful development to Musawa/Matazu Federal Constituency through quality representation and sustainable dividends of democracy.”

The APC lawmaker pledged to remain committed to sustaining multi-sectoral interventions in agriculture, education, and road and health sectors of the economy for the betterment of his constituency.

He, however, added that he will continue to optimise his seat to propose bills, and motions and deploy other legislative instruments to enhance the standard of his constituents and the state at large.

The state acting governor, Faruk Lawal, while distributing the cash and other items to the beneficiaries, applauded the legislator for delivering pro-masses projects and urged other lawmakers in the state to emulate him.

He described Ahmed as an accomplished lawmaker and astute politician whose impact on his constituency and the state is worthy of commendation.

“Let me add that all these initiatives by the federal lawmaker are in line with the developmental agenda of Dikko Umaru Radda’s forward-thinking government of Katsina state,” he said.

Earlier in his address, the All Progressives Congress (APC) vice chairman in the state, Bala Abu, assured of the provision of a supervisory measure to ensure proper utilisation of the fund to multiply them into thousand folds within a short period.

He stated that the lawmaker has also donated 1,000 security lights to be installed across the constituency to improve the security of the area, and a donation of N50,000 each to all the traditional leaders that graced the occasion.

The APC stalwart averred that in the area of road infrastructure, Ahmed has awarded a new contract for the construction of a six-kilometre road in the constituency, and had virtually rehabilitated all the major roads in the area.

What a difference a debate can make! It just made a big difference in the United States in the lead up to that country’s November 5, 2024 general elections. For months, the White House fended off insinuations that President Biden at 81, had become too old for the job, and that the Democrats should look in another direction. In the course of the primaries, Biden mispronounced names, committed so many gaffes, the miscues and slips were just too many, too obvious. On March 19, 2021, Biden stumbled three times as he tried to climb Air Force One to board a flight to Atlanta. In June 2023, Biden called British Prime Minister President Rishi Sunak and ended up joking; “I just promoted you”. In the same month, he said “Putin is clearly losing the war in Iraq”, whereas he meant Ukraine. In February 2024, he said Mitterrand was from Germany. He meant France. He was referring to Emmanuel Macron not Mitterrand who left office in 1995. This same year, President Biden mixed up Egypt and Mexico. He forgets names and events. He freezes in the middle of speeches. Between January and April 2024, alone, a total of 148 gaffes were recorded against him! And yet in spite of that, his medical doctors reported positively on his health claiming that he was strong enough. In the Democratic primaries over 4, 000 delegates voted for him to become the presumptive candidate of the Democratic Party. 

His campaign team was looking forward to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August where he was expected to be formally adopted by the Democrats as their Presidential candidate in the November 5 election. But everything came unstuck on June 27, at the first Biden debate with Donald Trump then the presumptive Republican candidate. Biden was confused, inaudible, he performed so poorly his party members were thoroughly embarrassed. His co-debater, Trump, is 78, only three years younger but he was much smarter even if he told many lies throughout the interview. Biden did not have enough presence of mind to check-mate him. Even his own supporters were so shocked that what they were dealing with was not ageism, but the fact that out of a choice between two old men, the Republican was the sprightly one, with the fire in his belly still burning. Democratic party members soon began to call for Biden to withdraw, and not bother to attend the second debate scheduled for September.  The President resisted all the entreaties to step aside, insisting only the Lord Almighty could tell him to get out of the race. “I’m not going anywhere”, he announced. But the debate had exposed the frailty that his handlers and doctors had always tried to hide. Americans and the whole world could tell that age had finally caught up with the oldest American President in history. 

In the midst of it all, on July 11, President Biden committed the additional gaffe of calling Vice President Harris, Vice President Trump. America, through that June 27 debate has shown the value of the electorate seeing their leading candidates in flesh and blood and having the opportunity to compare and contrast. In Nigeria here, Presidential candidates often refuse to attend Presidential debates and they get away with their snobbery. They even insist on who they would rather appear with. Nigerian political campaigns are not driven by ideas, robbing the electorate of the much-needed opportunity of getting to know what the candidate has in store with regard to key issues be it inflation, unemployment, manufacturing or national security.  In 2014/2015, General Muhammadu Buhari refused to participate in any Presidential debate.  Nobody knew exactly what he wanted to do or how other than the general three-pronged promise to fix insecurity, the economy and fight corruption. Within four years, he had failed on each of the promises. He ran for a second term in 2019 and won on the basis of the assumption that he had unfinished business to accomplish. By the time he left office in 2023, he had not finished any business. He left Nigeria worse than he met it. Nigerians were not even sure he knew what he promised the people. He once famously disowned some of the promises in his own manifesto! Perhaps if Buhari had taken to the podium to have a debate, Nigerians would have been able to assess him more dispassionately away from the blinkered propaganda and deception of hungry public relations experts, brand consultants and APC politicians. In 2023, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, now President, also dodged Presidential debates. We must reach a point in this country, when Presidential debates must become compulsory. If at the time, the minimum qualification is still a school certificate attempt or a miserable certificate of attendance at a seminar, the aspirants should be allowed to speak in any local language of their choice and have their thoughts translated. Leadership in Nigeria should be about competence and ability not geography and quota. 

The unexpected sometimes happens in politics as it did in the United States when on July 13, an assassin, Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, tried, in a crooked manner, to kill President Trump while he was campaigning at Butler County, in Pennsylvania. A rally attendee, fire chief Corey Comperatore was killed. Two persons were seriously injured. President Trump survived with the bullet grazing his ear, and he still had enough presence of mind to tell his supporters: “Fight. Fight. Fight” as blood trickled down his right cheek. Republicans have milked this to project Trump as a symbol of strength and defiance. “It was God that saved me”, he boasted. “I did it for democracy”, he said. His ratings shot up. His campaign immediately capitalized on the incident, including production of Trump materials: campaign mementoes, high sneakers for sale. President Biden had a televised broadcast condemning violence. He placed a call to Trump. Republicans blamed the Democrats for the rhetoric that made Biden a target. Democrats in general denounced the politics of violence and harped on unity.  But this X-factor only ended up propelling Trump to the top in the polls. Trump-mania, MAGA-mania were both afoot, cemented by the announcement of Senator J D. Vance, 39, (R-Ohio) as Trump’s Vice-Presidential candidate, further cemented with Trump’s formal acceptance of the Republican nomination on July 18, at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. “I am not supposed to be here”, he told the crowd, many of them with bandaged ears. “Yes, you are!”, the crowd chorused in response.  The Trump trade machine was on a roll. It looked unstoppable.

The Biden machine was slowly grinding to a pause. Democratic Super PACs and donors began to stop their donations. Bundlers who mobilize funds for the campaign reported that donors were no longer picking their calls. Party members and supporters like former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and film stars such as George Clooney and Robert de Niro also added their voices. Senate Majority Leader, Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader, Hakeem Jeffries were also said to have met with President Biden to point out the damage that may be done to the party and other candidates in battleground and swing states if Biden insisted that he would remain in the race. President Barack Obama, Biden’s former boss, was also said to have intervened. More than 30 Democratic party representatives in parliament reportedly joined the clamour for Biden to step aside. Still, Biden dug in. But then again, something else happened when it was disclosed that the President had tested positive for COVID. On July 17, he retired to his home in Delaware to self-isolate. He left word that if his doctors report a worsening of his medical condition, he would have to withdraw. Age is a factor in American politics. Health is even more so. In Nigeria, politicians lie about their age. They hide their health status. In a country where records are poorly kept and superstition is at the heart of everything, disclosing one’s health status is a taboo. President Buhari spent about an entire year out of a four-year term between 2015 and 2019 on medical vacation. Targeting election into public office as an avenue for treating one’s personal health problems is part of the culture in Nigeria.

As of Saturday, July 20, President Biden was still insisting that he would remain in the race. But by 1.30 ET on Sunday, July 21, he had announced his withdrawal from the race, blindsiding in the process, his senior campaign aides. What happened? Did he jump? Or was he pushed? Was it for health reasons? About 41 Democrat-lawmakers had joined the pressure chorus asking Biden to stand aside. It was a seismic decision and a historic one as well. Biden, by that action, became the first sitting American President to withdraw from the Presidential race since 1968 when Lydon Baines Johnson did the same due to pressures inflicted by America’s role in the Vietnam War.  He joins also a long list of sitting Presidents who took similar step in American history including Harry S Truman (1952), John Tyler (1844), Millard Filmore (1852), Franklin Pierce (1856), Andrew Johnson (1868), Chester Arthur (1884) and George Washington (1796).   President Biden said while it has been the greatest honour of his life to serve as President, and while it has been his intention to seek re-election, he has chosen to stand down in “the best interest of my party and the country” and “to focus on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term”. He has six more months in office as the 46^th President of the United States.  He would 30 minutes later, in a post on X endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as the person to replace him as the Democratic Party nominee. Biden’s reference to his party and country shows leadership and patriotism. He has acted in a statesman-like manner placing his country and party above personal interest. He has done an even more honourable thing by endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as his preferred Democratic candidate. 

This gesture does not make Harris automatically the candidate but it places her on a glide path to the Democratic nomination, and it is noteworthy that Jamie Harrison, chair of the Democratic National Committee has said that the party “will move forward governed by established rules and procedures of the party.” There are questions: will everybody that supported Biden support Harris? Not necessarily. Biden had the support of more than 4, 000 delegates. They will have to now make up their minds afresh. Harris needs 1, 986 Democratic delegates to secure the party’s nomination at its convention starting August 19 in Chicago. By yesterday she had received the support of delegates from Tennessee, Florida, New Hampshire, Louisiana, North Dakota and South Dakota (531 delegates). She will have to work hard to secure the support of more delegates especially now that the names of possible alternatives to her are being mentioned: the Governors of Pennsylvania – Josh Shapiro, Kentucky – Andy Beshear; North Carolina _ Roy Cooper; Illinois – J.B. Pritzker; Michigan – Gretchen Whitmer, Transportation Secretary, Pete Buttigieg; and Arizona Senator - Mark Kelly. But would any of these persons challenge her endorsement by Biden? Will she inherit Biden’s funding?  This is already happening. Her campaign has brought fresh energy to the Democratic campaign. Within seven hours yesterday, she had raked in about $52 million from grassroots donations. But is America ready for a black woman as President? Kamala Harris is a daughter of immigrants from India and Jamaica - black and South Asian. This remains to be seen, but if she wins the nomination there is no doubt that she and her team will put up a big fight. She is young – 59, and now that she has been anointed by her boss, we are likely to see a different Harris emerging from the shadows. Trump has been characteristically arrogant. He thinks Harris is “crazy”. He is actually the crazy one in the eyes of many, especially President Biden who believes, and he does not hide his disdain, that “Trump poses an existential threat to American democracy.”  

The contempt is, however, mutual. Whereas world leaders have praised President Biden as a “great man” (Canada’s Justin Trudeau), “a man who believes in the interests of the United States” (Australia’s Anthony Albanese), who has “dedicated his life to public service” (New Zealand’s Christopher Luxon), “has shown unwavering support for Ukraine” (Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky); “a true ally of the Jewish people” (Israel’s Isaac Herzog), “a proud American with an Irish soul (Ireland’s Simon Harris) and so on and so forth in that tone, Trump dismisses Biden as the “worst President in American history” who should never have been there in the first place.. he should have been in the basement.”  

Trump’s assessment is outrightly partisan and biased, it is not what the world knows of Biden. He may have pulled out of the race 107 days to November 5, but he is recommended for the history pages by his record of distinguished public service in a career spanning over 50 years in Washington DC. Politician, lawyer and author, he started his political career in New Castle County Council in 1970, and arrived in Washington DC in January 1973, as a Senator representing Delaware. He would remain in that Senate till 2009. He would later serve for two terms as Vice President under President Barack Obama (2009 – 2017). He returned as President under the Democratic ticket in January 2021. He is the oldest man to have served as President of the United States. Washington Post writes that “triumph (and), tragedy define his 50-year political career, one of America’s longest serving politicians” but certainly when his public service record is properly assessed, he would end up on the more positive side of history and on a much higher ground than Trump has imagined. The 2024 American Presidential race is at this point, very much an uncharted territory especially for Kamala Harris. A more critical realization is the growing global anxiety about the seemingly inevitable, possibility of the return of Donald J. Trump as US President, accompanied by an even more extreme right-winger, and member of the Trump MAGA party, J.D. Vance.

The Group Chief Commercial Officer at Dangote Industries Limited, Rabiu Umar has said the Nigerian government neglected Dangote Refinery to export crude oil to Indonesia and import finished products from the same country.

Umar disclosed this in an interview with Channels Television on Monday monitored by DAILY POST.

He stated this is coming despite the 650,000 barrels per day Dangote refinery’s inability to get adequate crude oil supply in Nigeria.

“Whilst we are going to import cargoes abroad. Most of the cargo from Nigeria is sold to Indonesia. So the question is, does it make sense to take cargo from Nigeria to sell to Indonesia and then you are also importing the same finished product to Nigeria? It does not make sense to me”, he said.

He added, “We expect to see an improved supply of crude oil to domestic refineries”.

He, however, reiterated that Dangote Refinery will commence the domestic supply of fuel in August 2024.

The development comes amid the recent impasse between the Dangote Refinery and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority over substandard products.

Recall that last week, Farouk Ahmed, the Chief Executive Officer of NMDPRA stated that Dangote products were inferior.

Meanwhile, Rabiu clarified that Dangote Refinery products are not substandard but rather among the best in the World.

Earlier, Aliko Dangote, the owner of Dangote Refinery had also dismissed Ahmed’s statement that its products were inferior.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on President Bola Tinubu to invite the leaders of a planned nationwide protest over hardship in the country, asking him to also address the challenges facing the citizens. 

“As the date for the widely reported national protest looms, the Nigeria Labour Congress urges President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to invite the leadership of the protest movement for discussions on their grievances,” the NLC said in a Monday statement by its president Joe Ajaero.

The NLC chief said with inflation hitting 34.19  per cent coupled with the hike in food and electricity tariffs among others, there is a need for President Tinubu to address these challenges.

“It is, therefore, condescending and dismissive to describe the daily brutish ordeal that Nigerians are going through as a sponsored political dissent. Even if it is so, it is still within the confines of citizens’ rights to protest on political grounds. Just that the current unease in the country does not need political motivation to spark and splurge,” Ajaero said.

“All that the hurting citizens demand from their government is a listening ear and an empathetic heart. Maybe, that is what the organisers of the protest are looking for given their continued notices on different social media platforms.”

‘Dire Times’

It faulted what it described as the “hostility” of the Nigerian government toward the planned protest, saying it does not “offer any tangible remedy either to the pain endured by the populace or the frustrations of having so little in a country where a few privileged persons are living in obscene luxury, especially at the expense of the majority. These are dire times. Nigerians are angry”.

“The times require the government to ‘jaw-jaw’ and not ‘war war’ with Nigerians. The truth is that you cannot smack a child and at the same time ask the child not to cry,” he said.

Nigerian workers under the aegis of All Workers Convergence (AWC) have declared that anyone who is kicking against the planned protest against hunger in the country is an enemy of the people.

AWC made this declaration via a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Andrew Emelieze and made available to DAILY POST on Monday.

DAILY POST reports that a planned protest across the country has been fixed to start on 1st August.

Some individuals and groups have been kicking against the planned protest.

The AWC, in its reaction, described protest against bad governance, hunger and insecurity as a legitimate right of the people.

The workers’ group maintained that anyone who is kicking against the planned protest is an enemy of the people.

According to the group, the protest became necessary in view of the challenges Nigerians are currently passing through at this period.

It noted that the protest is a revolt against hunger and a rebellion against hardship.

The statement read, “We have been calling for protest and we shall continue to call for protest until the system works for the public good. We are in full support of calls by Nigerians for massive protest inorder to end hunger, hardship and bad governance in Nigeria.

“In a situation like ours in Nigeria, protest becomes a collective duty. It is however, antisocial not to participate in protest.

“Our people have lost hope in the system. All our able-bodied citizens are either leaving or planning to leave the country. Our people are being daily strangled by bad governance. Our government keep telling us the same old story.

“While the mass majority of our people pass through hardship, our rulers and a very few are immersed in unimaginable wealth and wastage of national resources.

“We will not sit down and continue to see things get worse by the day. Our leaders have been making mockery of governance and certainly we cannot continue like this.

“Governance under Tinubu has brought untold hardship to our people. Everything is now upside down. It appears governance under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has collapsed.

“We the Nigerian workers support the call for national protest against hunger and bad governance. Protest everywhere is a fundamental human rights. Protest everywhere is lawful. Protest is not a crime. Protest is a duty of all citizens. We shall protest, no going back. We salute the courage of our people as we all continue to mobilise for actions towards the the day.

“This protest is a revolt against hunger and a rebellion against hardship. Our people are only trying to resist deprivation. This is a revolution towards the genuine transformation of Nigeria.

“Our people have suffered enough. Our people have made up their minds to arrest the situation. We are going ahead with the planned protest.

“Anybody against this call for protest is an enemy of the people. It is time to emancipate Nigeria from corruption, bad governance and exploitation. We call for synergy among all the organisers of this protest. We shall overcome. No retreat no surrender.”

[DAILYPOST]

Maverick singer, Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, has vowed to divorce his wife of 47 years if United States Vice President, Kamala Harris, doesn’t win the upcoming presidential election.
DAILY POST reports that President Joe Biden stepped down as the Democratic Party candidate on Sunday and endorsed his vice, Kamala Harris, as the party’s flagbearer.

Reacting via his X handle, Charly Boy said after the first Black male President in the person of Barack Obama, America deserves the first Black Female President.

He vowed to divorce his wife if Kamala Harris, who he described as his “crush” doesn’t win the election.

He wrote in Pidgin: “If dis my crush, Kamala Harris no win the USA presidential election, I swear, I go divorce my wife of 47yrs.

“After the first Black Male President, America deserves the first Black Female President.

“Sorry rednecks. Dats how we Roll.”

Kamala Harris is yet to be officially nominated as the Democratic Party’s candidate despite Biden’s endorsement.

According to The Hill, she has secured over a quarter of the delegates needed to win the Democratic Presidential nomination so far.

The house of representatives joint committee on petroleum resources (downstream and midstream) has launched a probe into claims that local refineries, including the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, produce inferior products.

The committee is also investigating the allegations that the international oil companies (IOCs) in Nigeria are frustrating the survival of the Dangote refinery.

At the inaugural sitting on Monday, Ikenga Ugochinyere, chair of petroleum resources downstream committee, said a “thorough and transparent” probe would be carried out on the claims, including detailed laboratory investigations at all local refineries, marketers and importers facilities, and regulatory agencies.

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and Dangote refinery have been embroiled in a dispute that began recently.

On July 18, Farouk Ahmed, the chief executive officer of NMDPRA had said local refineries, including the Dangote refinery, were producing inferior products compared to the ones imported into the country.

The oil regulator also accused the Dangote of monopoly.

Aliko Dangote, CEO of the Dangote Group, has denied both claims.

Ugochinyere said the committee would further investigate the “indiscriminate” issuance of licences and importation of refined petroleum products, return of PMS price intervention, allegation of product unavailability to marketers from NNPC retail, and endless shifting of timelines for refinery rehabilitation and the nefarious activities at petrol depots.

“The committee will also conduct a legislative forensic investigation into the presence of middlemen in crude trading, alleged unavailability of international standard laboratories to check adulterated products, influx of contaminated products into the country, the allegation of non-domestication of profits realized from crude marketing sales in local banks, abuse of the PFI regime, importation of products already being produced in Nigeria and use of international trading companies to resell fuel stock to local refineries at high mark up prices,” Ugochinyere said.

“The two committees were also mandated to carry out a legislative forensic investigation into the allegation of importation of substandard products and high-sulphur diesel into Nigeria, the alleged production of substandard diesel and other petroleum products by some domestic producers.”

He said the panels will also probe the alleged anomalies in the importation and distribution of PMS by the state oil company, the economic viability of the alleged sale of petroleum products below fair market value and its impact on downstream and local refineries and revenue generation as well as the source of funds for such price interventions, quantity imported, the amount spent and why the products are still high in the retailing market.

In addition, the lawmaker said the committee will investigate the alleged failure of some of the regulators to enforce compliance on standards, the lack of support to local crude refiners, and the issuance of import licences, despite local production.

“Following the investigative order given to the committee by the 10th people’s house, today we are going to officially commence the comprehensive forensic legislative investigation into several critical issues that threaten the stability and trust in our petroleum industry,” he said.

‘WE’LL CONDUCT THOROUGH PROBE’

The lawmaker said the probe will start with addressing allegations concerning the importation of substandard petroleum products and the non-availability of crude oil to domestic refineries, which has raised serious concerns about the quality and safety of fuel in our market.

He said the panel will take a closer look at the integrity of the testing processes for petroleum products in the country, particularly focusing on the capacity and credibility of all the testing labs of all stakeholders in the downstream and midstream value chain, local middlemen and the laboratories they employ.

Ugochinyere said to ensure a thorough and transparent investigation, the committee would undertake detailed laboratory investigations at all local refineries, marketers’ and importers’ facilities, regulatory agencies, state oil companies, and other players in the sector.

“We will visit various filling stations, depots, and tank farms to take samples in line with intl standards, verify the quality of imported products and asses the testing capacities of all refineries and all refined product handling outfits,” he said.

“The collection of samples will be done transparently and in line with global best practices and would be in 4 specimens for independent testing in a different standard, accredited Laboratory including that of all stakeholders involved in refining and importation of refined petroleum products.

“The committee will select different locations, including filling stations, depots and even currently discharging ships. Samples shall be taken in the presence of representatives of NMDPRA, refinery representatives, marketers/importers and the committee.

“After collection, the samples will be tested jointly and also independently by the committee and the stakeholders to ascertain the contents. Component to be tested for as listed as follows: sulfur content, density, distillation, flash point, octane number for gasoline and cetane number for diesel.”

‘STAKEHOLDERS WILL BE INVITED’

Ugochinyere said zonal interaction committees would be set up to ensure “swift movement” to different parts of the country to interact with stakeholders and take samples from stakeholders’ facilities for immediate laboratory analysis.

He said invitations would be dispatched on Monday (today) for submissions of relevant documents and appearances to key stakeholders, regulatory bodies, state oil companies, petroleum products refining companies, IPMAN, PETROAN, independent oil producers, IOCs, importers, marketers, depot owners and other stakeholders too numerous to mention.

“We are committed to transparency, thoroughness, and accountability throughout this process that will help us to identify and resolve the underlying issues plaguing Nigeria’s petroleum sector,” Ugochinyere said.

Therefore, he said the committee resolved that parties in the raging argument — Dangote refinery, other refining companies, NMDPRA, marketers and relevant stakeholders — “should henceforth cease further allegations and counter-allegations pending the conclusion and outcome of the investigation”.

A renowned political economist, Pat Utomi, on Monday, threatened to sue the special adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, Bayo Onanuga.

Recall that Onanuga, in a post on X Platform, formerly (Twitter), accused the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, his supporters and Obidients of planning to stage nationwide protests against hunger, naira devaluation and economic hardship in the country.

In his post he said, “Obi should be held responsible for anarchy. Don’t be fooled: the malcontents planning to stage nationwide protests are supporters of Peter Obi, the failed presidential candidate of the Labour Party. And he should be held responsible for whatever crisis emanates from the action.

“The protest planners are also the same people who were instigated by IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu to launch the destructive ENDSARS protest in Nigeria in October 2020.

“ENDSARS began as a genuine protest by youths against the Police Special Anti-Robbery Squad, notorious for its high-handedness.

“IPOB members planning to extricate the South East region from Nigeria infiltrated the protest and hijacked it for their own agenda.

“Lagos still bears the scar of the malicious destruction by IPOB elements until today. Two years after ENDSARS, the IPOB and the gullible innocents joined the Labour Party in 2022 to support Peter Obi, a sympathiser of their cause. They are the people spreading the hashtags ‘EndBadGovernance’, ‘Tinubu Must Go,’ and ‘Revolution2024’.

“They are not democrats but anarchists. They are attempting to call out our people via propaganda because their Messiah, Peter Obi, failed to win the Presidency in the 2023 election.

“As bad losers, they don’t have the patience to wait for another election in 2027; they would rather destabilise Nigeria by staging a civilian coup against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“If they understand the meaning of their hashtags, they will realise they are clarion calls for treason. Wanting to end an elected government is high treason.

“Wanting revolution is a call for a coup d’etat, which is also high treason. I have been on the trail of one of the protest planners, who is nameless but claims to have an internet radio station, PTM100.88 Abuja.”

Utomi, in his reaction to the allegation against Obi and his supporters, advised Onanuga to withdraw his statement or provide evidence of his claims.

He warned that he would sue Onanuga and claim ₦500bn if he fails to provide sophisticated evident.

The full statement reads, “My attention has been drawn to a statement by Mr. Bayo Onauga, a spokesman for the presidency alleging that I have been a key player in demonstrations viewed as insurrection.

“Let me state first and foremost that I have no problem with protests. They are legitimate sources of feedback in a democracy. I have participated in several during military rule alongside some of those now in government. My reaction to Onanuga’s statement has therefore nothing to do with the legitimacy of the demonstrations but with the deliberate and outright falsehood of the statement.

“First, I have been living in the United States for several months now and was actually unaware of threats of demonstrations so I could not have been part of something I did not know was in the works.

“As a student of the State in post-Colonial Africa. I am horrified that agents of the State can fabricate deliberate falsehood.

“As I know phones are bugged there should at least be evidence of some contact between me and these ostensible demonstration planners. They do not even need to produce the conversation to show evidence but just a thread of contacts.

“If no evidence of Mr. Onanuga’s false assertion is shown I will assume it reasonable that the object is to water the ground for false treasonable felony charges that can result in the claim of one’s life. I intend to therefore proceed to the international criminal and other human rights courts if a reasonable explanation is not forth coming.

“I will also have no choice but to institute a claim of ₦500 Billon for of fake news, hate speech and intent to procure State murder of an innocent citizen. If judicial capture makes justice problematic in Nigeria I expect that I can trust extra-national institutions and global human solidarity.

“As one who survived two assassination attempts under Abacha of which there is public court records when some of those now in power were my colleague freedom advocates I am clear they know the consequence of their plotting.

“I have in a reaction on X already indicated that I meant to ignore the false assertion but I have been advised of a more sinister motive of State terror that should not be allowed to go unchallenged. In the plan apparently being instigated by Mr. Onanuga.”

Former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, has raised concern over the lingering economic crisis in Nigeria, recalling that Nigeria had the biggest economy in Africa as of 2014.

Naija News recalls that Nigeria, as of 2014, was being led by former President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

A year later, in a surprising turn of events, Jonathan, an incumbent president, lost a re-election bid to the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Muhammadu Buhari.

Recall that Obi was a former member of the PDP before defecting to the Labour Party in 2023 to pursue his presidential ambition.

Taking to his official account on X on Monday, Peter Obi, a candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 presidential election, said the country’s economy soon began to drop in 2015.

In his message, Obi drew attention to the stark difference between Nigeria’s economic achievements during its early post-democracy years and its current economic condition.

According to him, upon returning to democratic rule in 1999, Nigeria saw an average GDP growth rate of approximately 6.72% over 16 years, 1999-2014.

However, he highlighted a decline in this momentum, with GDP growth dropping to 2.79% in 2015, leading to an economic downturn in 2016.

Obi said: “In 2014, just before the inception of a new administration a year later, Nigeria had the biggest economy in Africa with a Gross Domestic Product of $568.5 billion and a GDP Per Capita of about $3,200.”

On the other hand, he observed that by 2023, Nigeria had dropped to the 4th position in terms of the largest economies in Africa, boasting a GDP of $375 billion and an average income per person of $1700.

He noted that subsequently, the economic situation deteriorated in 2024, with the GDP expected to fall even further to around $253 billion and the average income per person to decrease to $1087.

This information, according to him, is based on data collected from StatiSense, a company that uses artificial intelligence for analyzing financial reports, examining bank statements, and providing services through AI chatbots.

Subsequently, the former governor expressed alarm at the current state of affairs, saying, “Today, poverty is pervasive and on the increase. Unemployment is rising. Food inflation has skyrocketed to over 43%. Foreign and local investors are losing faith in the future growth of our economy and are leaving in large numbers. Businesses are shutting down.”

Obi urged for immediate measures to stop more economic downturns and shift it from spending to creating as he criticized the present leadership.

He said, “Urgent actions need to be taken to salvage the nation from further economic collapse and move it from consumption to production.

“However, instead of concerning ourselves with all these challenges threatening our collective existence and finding ways to recreate an inclusive and sustainable economy, pull millions of people out of poverty, and return our nearly 20 million out-of-school children to schools, our leaders are more concerned with funding their selfish luxuries and individual lavishness while throwing blames at others who are only committed to solving the nation’s problems.

“In the face of all these challenges, we the leaders, should commit to inclusive and sustainable growth to end the hardship which has continued to burden our fellow Nigerians. Only through that can we achieve a peaceful and secure society.”

Recently, Naija News reported that Nigeria’s headline inflation rate reached 34.19 per cent in June, even as the food inflation was over 40 per cent.