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Aisha Buhari, APC Loyalists Force Lawan to Drop Adedayo as Spokesperson
The Wife of the President, Aisha Buhari, among other All Progressives Congress (APC) members, were the forces that forced the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan to eventually drop Festus Adedayo as Senate President’s spokesperson.
Mrs Buhari threw her support behind the calls for the removal of Festus Adedayo through her tweet.
Writing on Twitter, Buhari, who recently decided to wear the garb of the First Lady said, “You cannot drive an agenda with people who don’t believe in that agenda.” Her comment was in response to a video showing a protest against the appointment.
The call for Mr Adedayo’s removal was spearheaded by a horde of pro-APC loyalists on social media. They cited the columnist’s history of anti-government rhetoric, a disposition they said was inconsistent with the ideals of the ruling party.
Mr Lawan, who was elected Senate president last week, bowed to pressure late Thursday and rescinded the appointment of Mr Adedayo. He had earlier named him on Wednesday alongside other media aides in his first set of appointments.
But APC social media personalities immediately grouped to fault Mr Lawan for not being sensitive with his choices, saying those so far named, especially Mr Adedayo, had long criticised the party and worked against its interest at the general elections.
Mr Lawan initially dug his heels in on the appointment, but it became too difficult to ignore after a protest was staged by APC loyalists at the party’s campaign office in Abuja on Thursday morning.
Mr Lawan has “decided to rescind its decision on the appointment,” of Mr Adebayo, a statement from the Senate President’s office said Thursday afternoon. Other media aides named alongside Mr Adebayo would, however, be retained, the statement added.
Those who led the campaign included Ayo Oyalowo and Ayo Akanji, two of the most vocal APC voices on social media. A video that circulated online showed more than a dozen APC social media commentators took part in the demonstration.
Mr Oyalowo, 46, said during the protest that Mr Adedayo and other controversial appointments by Mr Lawan went against the party’s “agenda.”
Mrs Buhari on Thursday reacted on Twitter to the video of the protest against Mr Adedayo’s appointment, shortly before the announcement that Mr Adedayo had been dropped.
“You cannot drive an agenda with people who don’t believe in that agenda…how will you achieve your purpose if you bring in people who fought against your agenda,” Mrs Buhari said.
Social media commentators said Mrs Buhari’s eagerness to take sides in the partisan protest could further worsen political polarisation in the country’s social media space, where pro and anti-government bickering has intensified following the general elections.
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Abiola Cannot Be Recognised As Former President; He Was Never Sworn-in – Gen Ishola Williams
By Eric Elezuo
One of the prime actors of the June 12, 1993 incidents, General Ishola Williams, has said that much as Chief MKO Abiola wrong was created having won the election, and denied victory, he cannot be recognized as a former President of Nigeria.
Gen Williams made his revelation while speaking as a guest on Channels television socio-political programme, Inside Source.
He maintained that only those who were sworn in that recognised as former presidents, and Abiola was never sworn in.
“Abiola cannot be recognised as former president because he was never sworn in.
The General, who said that he resigned from the army as a result of the wholesome reception given to General Sani Abacha, when he overthrew Chief Ernest Shonekan-led Interim National Government, contrary to expectation, also picked flaws in the narratives given by former Military President Ibrahim Babangida, in his recently launched book, A Journey In Service.
Williams rose in the army to become the Commandant of Army Signals, Commander of Training and Doctrine (TRADOC) and Chief of Defence Training and Planning, from where he resigned.
Headlines
Breaking: Supreme Court Recognises Martin Amaewhule As Rivers Assembly Speaker, Orders CBN to Stop Releasing Funds to State
By Eric Elezuo
The Supreme Court of Nigeria has in its ruling on Friday recognised Hon Martins Amaewhule as the authentic speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, mandating him to urgently resume sitting with elected members of the assembly.
The apex court also ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria to stop releasing to the Rivers State government until a proper assembly is constituted.
Details soon…
Tension escalated at the Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday as impeached Speaker Mudashiru Obasa made a dramatic return to reclaim his position.
Accompanied by heavily armed men, Obasa stormed the Assembly complex in a bold move that has thrown the State’s legislature into turmoil.
In a stunning turn of events, security details assigned to the substantive Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mojisola Meranda, were abruptly withdrawn on Thursday morning, clearing the path for Obasa’s controversial comeback.
Sources revealed that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) ordered the withdrawal of all security operatives attached to Meranda, leaving her exposed in the midst of an intensifying power struggle.
The Speaker’s Special Adviser on Information, Mr. Victor Ganzallo, expressed concern over the security vacuum created by the withdrawal of personnel.
“In the early hours of Thursday, we woke up to the startling news that all security details assigned to Madam Speaker, Mojisola Meranda, had been withdrawn.
This includes the police and DSS officers, leaving her exposed to threats amid the ongoing speakership crisis,” Ganzallo stated.
He further called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, as the State’s Chief Security Officer, to intervene urgently to prevent a complete breakdown of law and order within the Assembly.
“The withdrawal of security personnel has left the Assembly naked and vulnerable at a critical time. Urgent action is needed to restore order,” he pleaded.
With the speakership battle taking a dramatic new turn, political watchers are keenly observing how the crisis will unfold in the coming days.
