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FG Replies Obasanjo, Says Comments on Boko Haram Divisive, Depressing
The Federal Government has asked former President Olusegun Obasanjo to withdraw his recent divisive comments, imputing ethno-religious motive to Boko Haram, ISWAP, and as well apologise to Nigerians.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said , such “indiscreet, deeply offensive and patently divisive comments are far below the status of an elder statesman”.
“It is particularly tragic that a man who fought to keep Nigeria one is the same one seeking to exploit the country’s fault lines to divide it in the twilight of his life”.
The minister said Boko Haram and ISWAP are terrorist organisations pure and simple, adding that they care little about ethnicity or religion when perpetrating their senseless killings and destruction.
”Since the Boko Haram crisis, which has been simmering under the watch of Obasanjo, boiled over in 2009, the terrorist organisation has killed more Muslims than adherents of any other religion.
“The terrorist group blown up more mosques than any other houses of worship and is not known to have
spared any victim on the basis of their ethnicity.
“It is therefore absurd to say that Boko Haram and its ISWAP variant have as their goal the ‘Fulanisation and Islamisation’ of Nigeria, West Africa or Africa,” he said.
The minister said President Muhammadu Buhari put to rest the mis-characterization of Boko Haram as an Islamic organisation when he said, in his inaugural speech in 2015, that ”Boko Haram is a mindless, godless group who are as far away from Islam as one can think of”.
He reiterated that Obasanjo’s comments were, therefore, “as insensitive and mischievous as they are as offensive and divisive in a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country like Nigeria”
“It is wondering whether there is no limit to how far the former President will go in throwing poisonous darts at his perceived political enemies.
The minister noted that Obasanjo’s prescriptions for ending the Boko Haram/ISWAP crisis, which include seeking assistance outside the shores of Nigeria, are coming several years late.
He said President Buhari had done that and more since assuming office, “hence, the phenomenal success he
has recorded in tackling the terrorists”.
”Shortly after assuming office in 2015, President Buhari’s first trips outside the country were to rally the support of Nigeria’s neighbours – Benin, Cameroon, Chad and Niger – for the efforts to battle the terrorists.
“The President also rallied the support of the international community, starting with the G7, and then the US, France
and the UN.
”That explains the massive degrading of Boko Haram, which has since lost its capacity to carry out the kind of spectacular attacks for which it became infamous, and the recovery of every inch of captured Nigerian territory from the terrorists,” he said.
He also noted that Obasanjo’s call for wide consultations with various groups as part of the efforts to tackle the Boko Haram crisis has been neutralised by his ill-advised comments which have served more to alienate a large number of Nigerians, who are offended by his tactless and distasteful postulation.
The Minister called on the former President, whom he said took bullets
for Nigeria’s unity, not to allow personal animosity to override his love for a united Nigeria.
NAN
Former Minister of Interior and National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has predicted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would be defeated in the 2027 General Elections based on the analysis he has done.
The former governor of Osun State and one of the key players of the African Democratic Congress ADC spoke yesterday in Ilorin after the commissioning of the party’s state secretariat.
He stated, “If the APC is truly confident in its strength, it wouldn’t need to aggressively hunt down the opposition. Their actions across Nigeria suggest otherwise, as they are intimidating our members everywhere, from Lagos to Kebbi to Kaduna.
“How can we interpret what APC is doing all over Nigeria to us? They are harassing and intimidating everyone of our members, not just our leaders but nationwide, be it Lagos, Kebbi, Kaduna.
“If they genuinely believe in their popularity, they would remain calm, but the opposite is true. They know they are not well-liked, and the ADC will benefit from this unpopularity.
By the grace of God, the ADC will take over leadership in Nigeria and many states.” He also claimed, “The governors joining the APC are known enemies of the people, and their presence is unwanted.”
The former Interior Minister also accused the ruling All Progressives Congress of being intolerant of opposition voices and using state power to silence dissent.
Aregbesola said the APC had failed Nigerians through greed and incompetence, which, according to him, had plunged the country into hunger, insecurity, and infrastructural collapse.
“Under the current administration, hunger has taken over the land. Governance has been reduced to personal enrichment and political intimidation. Nigerians are suffering because of the failure of leadership at all levels under the APC,” he said.
He alleged that the ruling party had become oppressive towards opposition figures, describing its conduct as undemocratic.
He described the ADC as a “party of conscience and service,” saying it represented the only credible alternative for Nigerians ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Also speaking, the immediate past governor of Kwara State, who dumped PDP to join ADC, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, said that his party is prepared to take over mantle of leadership in the country.
“This is the beginning of a new direction in our political experience. The ADC is poised to entrench a party that reflects the true aspirations of Kwarans,” Ahmed said.
On his part, the ADC National Publicity Secretary and former Minister of Youth and Sports, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, described the Peoples Democratic Party as a “dead party awaiting its obituary,” insisting that only the ADC now stands as a viable opposition to the APC.
He said, “The question is no longer whether Kwarans want the APC; that question has been answered. They don’t. The question now is whether we can convince them that ADC is the only alternative and that’s exactly what we’ll do in the coming elections.”
Abdullahi also lamented rising insecurity across Kwara communities, saying the menace had crippled farming and disrupted rural livelihoods.
“Our people can no longer farm safely. The government must do more to restore peace and ensure that the lives of citizens are protected,” he said.
The Senate, on Thursday, approved the nomination of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The confirmation of Amupitan followed a screening session by lawmakers in the Senate Chamber during a Committee of the Whole.
Lawmakers asked many questions during the session, which Amupitan responded to.
After the screening exercise, the nominee was permitted to take a bow and exited the Senate chambers with a promise that the decision of the lawmakers would be conveyed to him.
After the exit of the INEC Chairman-designate and entourage, the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, moved a motion to restore all floor privileges earlier suspended.
The motion was seconded by the Minority Leader and approved by the lawmakers when it was put to voice vote.
Thereafter, Senate President Akpabio approved nomination of Amupitan for appointment as the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) when it was put to voice vote.
“The nomination of Joash Ojo Amupitan for appointment as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission is hereby confirmed,” Akpabio said.
During the screening session, Amupitan promised: “No voter will be left behind,” adding: “We will invest in logistics and technology — and where necessary, deploy drones with adequate safeguards — to ensure election materials and personnel reach every part of Nigeria safely and on time.”
Amupitan, a Professor of Law and former university administrator, said he is determined to modernise operational framework to ensure inclusivity and efficiency.
He assured lawmakers that his administration would work closely with the Joint Committee on Election Security to address threats that hinder smooth electoral operations, particularly in hard-to-reach or conflict-prone areas.
Beyond technology, Amupitan emphasised voter and civic education as the cornerstone of credible elections. He said INEC under his watch would embark on an extensive national enlightenment campaign to improve understanding of democratic processes among citizens.
“We will embark on aggressive civic and voter education across the country,” he said. “INEC will build the capacity not only of its staff but also of all election stakeholders — including political parties, their members, civil society organisations, and the electorate.”
He said the Commission would perform this role as mandated by Section 2 of the Electoral Act, which assigns INEC the responsibility of educating citizens on electoral procedures and democracy.
According to him, strengthening stakeholder knowledge would help reduce election-day irregularities and foster citizens’ confidence in the process.
“When people understand the process, they are less likely to be manipulated or discouraged. Our goal is to build an informed electorate that participates fully and freely,” he noted.
Amupitan also reaffirmed his commitment to transparency, integrity, and accountability, adding that INEC would strictly comply with existing financial and procurement laws to ensure judicious use of public funds.
“We will enforce all financial laws to the letter,” he said. “Every kobo released to the Commission will be used for the purpose for which it is appropriated.”
Kenyan opposition leader, Raila Odinga, has died at the age of 80 during a health visit to India, local police said Wednesday — a political earthquake that could transform politics in the East African nation.
Odinga was the perennial opposition figure of Kenyan politics, running unsuccessfully for the presidency on five occasions, most recently in 2022.
He remained a dominant force, able to rally huge numbers, particularly from his native western Kenya.
Indian police told AFP he was walking with his sister, daughter, and a personal doctor “when he suddenly collapsed”.
“An Indian police security officer and a Kenyan security officer were also with them at the time. He was rushed to a nearby private hospital, but was declared dead,” the police source said.
Odinga’s death was also confirmed to AFP by a member of his political team, but they requested anonymity while awaiting an official announcement from the party.
Born on January 7, 1945, Odinga spent his early years in politics either in jail or in exile, fighting for democracy during the autocratic rule of President Daniel arap Moi.
A member of the Luo tribe, he entered parliament in 1992 and ran unsuccessfully for the presidency in 1997, 2007, 2013, 2017, and 2022, claiming to have been cheated of victory in the last four elections.
He cast himself as an anti-establishment firebrand despite belonging to one of Kenya’s top political dynasties — his father serving as the country’s first vice president after independence in 1963.
His death leaves a leadership vacuum within the opposition, and it is far from clear if anyone will have the same ability to mobilise opposition forces as the country heads into a potentially volatile campaign period ahead of elections in 2027.
Kenya’s former chief justice, and current presidential candidate, David Maraga, said he was “shocked” by news of the death.
Odinga was “a patriot, a pan-Africanist, a democrat and a leader who made significant contributions to democracy in Kenya and in Africa,” Maraga wrote on X.
“Kenya has lost one of its most formidable leaders who shaped the trajectory of our beloved country. Africa has lost a leading voice in pushing for peace, security, and development. The world has lost a great leader,” he added.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was among the first to react, posting on X:
“On behalf of the Government of Ethiopia, I extend my sincere condolences on the passing of former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga. May he Rest In Peace.”
A spokesman for the Sreedhareeyam Ayurvedic Eye Hospital and Research Centre in Kerala, India, also confirmed the death.
“He experienced some breathing difficulties and collapsed. He was provided CPR on the spot, and having seen some sign of recovery, he was rushed to the nearest modern hospital. Despite repeated efforts by the medics, his condition deteriorated and the doctors were unable to save him,” the spokesman said.
AFP
