National
Oodua integrity Group acknowledges COPAN calls for calm and suspension of protests
A known Southwest base socio cultural organisation,the Oodua integrity group has endorsed the recent call by the conference of patriotic Nigerians for Nigerians to give Tinubu time to fix Nigeria and as well suspend the nationwide protests for national interest. OIG head of Human rights,Wole Olaosebikan made this call in Saki Oyo state after going round the town to calm youths down.
He emphasised that Sudan became what it is today through violent protest even though the fight of two generals also contributed to it.
Quoting from the late Ayinde barrister precaution album,Wole said it is when you have not experienced the devastating aspect of crisis and war that you beat the drums of war the way the late Mr Fuji sang it in Yoruba language.
It is only mutual understanding,patience,perseverance and commitment to nation building that can get us there. We therefore call for the immediate suspension of the nationwide protests as it will only create chaos and anarchy. Similarly,the Arewa Renaissance group through it spokesperson Zainab Armayau in Sokoto commended the conference of patriotic Nigerians call for patience and understanding among Nigerians on the current economic situation as the Tinubu administration inherited it.
Zainab emphasised that she as a mother and woman would have been more disposed to this protests were it to be genuine but intelligence reports before them indicted the organisers as being political and partisan particularly getting funds and sponsorship from foreign antagonists and their domestic detractors.
Agreed that the removal of fuel subsidy aggregated the current economic hardship but what about the insecurity in the north,are they not also worthy of protests but no one is talking about that which exposed the sentiments of the protesters.
I want to call on all northerners to go back to their homes and suspend all protests.
Look at the shameful lootings in Kano,Sokoto,Nasarawa,Niger,Yobe and Maiduguri are they genuine ways of protesting? No! Some disgruntled and undesirable elements were even hailing the Army and calling for takeover against democracy.
This is wrong in all ramifications. Above all,the north lost alot from looting of Saad stores in Kano to Rufaidah Yoghurt still in Kano.
Vandalisation of NCC Kano office was not also left out same way some police personnel were also killed. It is unfortunate and we as a formidable group immediately call for withdrawal of our people from protests across the north.
General Christopher Musa, the Chief of Defence Staff, has assured that all security challenges facing the nation will be effectively addressed by the year’s end.
This statement was made during the launch of attack drones and the demonstration of locally produced bombs, developed by a homegrown technology firm.
The event was attended by security specialists and senior government officials, as General Musa showcased the indigenous Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to the audience.
Accompanied by Ajao Adewale, the Federal Capital Territory Commissioner of Police, and Caleb Mutfwang, the Governor of Plateau State, General Musa emphasized the ongoing bureaucratic obstacles in acquiring military equipment from abroad.
Governor Mutfwang stressed the urgency for decisive measures against insecurity, calling on leaders to prevent any entity within the nation from possessing military capabilities.
The operational features of the UAVs were also demonstrated, with General Musa expressing satisfaction with this advancement, labeling it a pivotal step in combating insecurity in the country.
The Supreme Court has set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Abuja recognising Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP).
In a unanimous judgment on Friday, a five-member panel of the apex court held that the Court of Appeal lacked the jurisdiction to have pronounced Abure National Chairman of the LP having earlier found that the substance of the case was about the party’s leadership.
It held that issue of leadership was internal affair of a party over which courts lacked jurisdiction.
The court allowed the appeal filed by Senator Ester Nenadi Usman and one other and held that it was meritorious.
It proceeded to dismiss the cross-appeal filed by the Abure faction of the LP got being unmeritorious.
Details shortly…
Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, special adviser on political matters to Vice-President Kashim Shettima, has resigned from his position, According to Daily Trust.
The newspaper quoted sources as saying that the former spokesperson of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) resigned two weeks ago.
President Bola Tinubu appointed Baba-Ahmed as special adviser on political matters to Shettima in September 2023.
Baba-Ahmed is the elder sibling of Datti Baba-Ahmed, vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election.
Baba-Ahmed served as chief of staff to Bukola Saraki, former senate president, from 2017-2019.
CONFRONTATION WITH MATAWALLE OVER NEF
In April 2024, Bello Matawalle, minister of state for defence, described the NEF as a “political paperweight” after the group stated that the north made a mistake voting Tinubu in 2023.
In his reaction to Matawalle’s remarks, Baba-Ahmed said it would have served the Tinubu administration better if Matawalle had listed his achievements as minister — and the achievements of the other northern appointees — instead of attacking NEF.
“Scathing criticism of NEF by a junior minister of defence, Matawalle, is ill-advised. He could have done a better job for this admin if he identified contributions of especially northern ministers and other appointees like me to improving security and reducing poverty in the North,” Baba-Ahmed said.
In a riposte, the minister said any appointee must defend and promote the administration they work for.
“Dr. Baba-Ahmed’s relationship and affinity with Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) is well-known,” Matawalle said.
“The fact now is that he is an appointee of the administration as Special Adviser and it is incumbent on him to work for the success of the government he is part of, protect and defend the government against unjust and vicious attacks from those who hide under ethnic and other primordial interests to heat up the polity for myopic reasons.
“It is pertinent to state that every appointee of President Tinubu including Dr. Baba-Ahmed owes the government a copious duty to promote, elucidate and advance the good works and commendable efforts of the government across all sectors.”
He added that northern appointees must defend the government or take their exit.
Matawalle is a native of Zamfara while Baba-Ahmed hails from Kaduna.