Headlines
Coup: FG Shuts Nigeria-Niger Border
The Federal Government has closed the country’s border with the Republic of Niger following the recent military takeover in the West African country.
This was as President Bola Tinubu on Friday wrote to the Senate seeking its support for military intervention against the junta in the Niger Republic.
The Nigeria Customs Service acting Comptroller, Bashir Adewale, had on Friday in Magamar-Jibia, Nigeria’s` border with the Niger Republic, officially announced the closure of all Nigeria’s land borders with the neighbouring country as a result of the current political development there.
The NCS boss said the closure of land borders order was issued by President Tinubu in line with the decision arrived at by ECOWAS.
Recall that Tinubu, Nigeria’s President and the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States, had on Sunday met with some fellow ECOWAS leaders to discuss appropriate ways to restore democracy in Niger.
The leaders of the West African regional bloc met to discuss sanctions to be placed against the military personnel who toppled Mohamed Bazoum on July 26, 2023.
The leader of the junta, General Abdourahmane Tchiani-led was said to be considering recalling the Nigerien Ambassador to Nigeria after failing to come to terms with ECOWAS and Nigerian delegations on the need to return democracy to Niger.
Speaking on the closure of the Nigerian border with Niger, Adewale declared that there would be no movement of goods from Nigeria to Niger and vice versa until further notice.
The Custom’s boss said, “My being in Magamar-Jibia, Nigeria border with the Niger Republic this afternoon is to announce the total blockade of movements of goods to the Niger Republic through all Nigeria land borders.
“The NCS, workings in synergy with other sister agencies will enforce the blockade order as given by President Bola Tinubu who is also the current Chairman of ECOWAS.
“The ECOWAS leaders collectively took the decision against the Niger Republic to kick against the military putsch in the Niger Republic.”
Adewale also met some of the stakeholders at Magamar-Jibia and pleaded for their understanding and cooperation with the NCS to see to the full implementation of the blockade order.
Meanwhile, President Tinubu, in his letter to the Senate, sought the backing of the legislature on the cutting off of electricity to the country.
The President’s letter read, “Following the unfortunate political situation in Niger Republic culminating in the overthrow of its President, ECOWAS under my leadership condemned the coup in its entirety and resolved to seek the return of the democratically elected govt in a bid to restore peace, ECOWAS convened a meeting and came out with a communiqué.”
The President further sought support for, “military build-up and deployment of personnel for military intervention to enforce compliance of the military junta in Niger should they remain recalcitrant.
“Closure and monitoring of all land borders with the Niger Republic and reactivating of the border drilling exercise, cutting off electricity supply to the Niger Republic, mobilising international support for the implementation of the provisions of the ECOWAS communique.”
The letter further read, “Preventing the operation of commercial and special flights into and from Niger Republic; blockade of goods in transit to Niger especially from Lagos and eastern seaports.”
Tinubu also told the Senate that the country was embarking on the sensitisation of Nigerians and Nigeriens to the imperative of these actions, particularly via social media.
By Eric Elezuo
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has been declared winner of the presidential primary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The declaration was made at the Trascorp Hilton Hotel, where the final collation of results was made.
The former Vice President polled a total of 1, 846, 370 votes to defeat his closest rival, former Governor of Rivers State, Hon Rotimi Amaechi, who scored just over 500 thousand votes. Alhaji Muhammed Hayatu-Deen came third.
Headlines
ADC Presidential Primary: Hayatu-Deen Alleges Rigging, Withdraws from Results Announcement
One of the presidential aspirants of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, says he will not attend the announcement of the party’s presidential primary election results, citing allegations of widespread vote rigging.
In a statement on his X handle on Tuesday, Hayatu-Deen expressed concern over reports of electoral irregularities from across the country.
The ADC aspirant noted that he witnessed some of the incidents.
“I will not be attending the announcement of the ADC Presidential Election Results today. I am concerned by reports from across the country of widespread vote rigging, some of which I myself observed, and will therefore be taking advice on my next steps,” the statement read.
The development comes amid keen competition for the ADC presidential ticket involving former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Minister of Transportation and former Governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, and Hayatu-Deen.
The ADC presidential primary election collation exercise will take place in Abuja. Results are expected from across the nation.
Ahead of the nationwide presidential primary held on Monday, the ADC had urged aspirants, party leaders, delegates, and members to conduct themselves peacefully and uphold party unity.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, described the exercise as a defining moment for both the ADC and Nigerians seeking a credible political alternative.
According to him, the party remained committed to internal democracy and a transparent leadership selection process.
“The ADC remains proud to stand today as the only truly democratic party in Nigeria because it is the only political party whose choice of presidential candidate is determined through open primaries,” Abdullahi stated.
The party also stressed that the conduct of aspirants and party members during the exercise would reflect the leadership culture the ADC seeks to promote.
Headlines
You’re Not Different from APC, INEC, Amaechi Slams ADC, Rejects Presidential Primary Results
A former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has rejected the results of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential primaries, alleging widespread voter disenfranchisement and electoral malpractice.
Amaechi, in a statement posted on his X handle on Tuesday, described the outcome of the exercise as “concocted results.”
He said he had earlier made it clear that he would only accept the outcome of the primaries if the process was free, fair and transparent.
“I will not accept results from a process that does not reflect the values that the ADC had pledged to uphold,” he said.
Amaechi alleged that about 80 percent of party members across the country were prevented from voting during the exercise.
“There’s no way that about eighty percent of members of the party were not allowed to vote, and you expect me to accept such results,” he stated.
The former Governor of Rivers State accused the party of engaging in practices it had previously condemned in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to him, the ADC cannot criticize vote buying, rigging and manipulation of election results by others while allegedly engaging in similar acts during its own primary.
Amaechi added that the development was unacceptable and contrary to the ideals upon which the party was founded.
