Headlines
I’m Not Moved by Threats of Resignation, Won’t Resign – Iyorchia Ayu
The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Iyorchia Ayu, has said that he is not worried about the calls for his resignation, saying the proponents of such moves are youngsters who do not have a grasp of the goals of the party when it was formed.
Ayu said he would not allow anyone to destabilise the party, noting that PDP members and stakeholders elected him based on the laid down rules of the main opposition party. In an interview with the BBC Hausa Service, the national chairman pointed out that even if there would be another election, those calling for his resignation would not be replacing him.
The camp of the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has been calling for the resignation of Ayu as a condition to mend the fractured relationship between the governor and the PDP’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
The relationship between Atiku and Wike worsened a few months ago after the PDP presidential primary, which was won by the former Vice-President.
Ayu said, “I was voted as PDP Chairman for four-year tenure and I’m yet to complete a year. Atiku’s victory doesn’t affect the chairman’s position. I won my election based on our party’s constitution.
“I didn’t commit any offence; I’m only reforming the party so I’m not bothered with all the noises. I know I’m doing my work and I didn’t steal any money so I see no reason for all these talks.
“When we started PDP, these children were not around. They are children who do not know why we formed the party. We will not allow any individual to destabilise our party.”
Reacting, a PDP chieftain and former member of the House of Representatives, Ogbonna Nwuke, said Ayu is not looking at “the bigger picture.’’
Speaking to The PUNCH in Port Harcourt, Nwuke, who represented Etche/Omuma Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, said, “I think Ayu is not looking at the bigger picture. First, let’s even look at his euphemism of children, according to him. I am certain that Ayu knows that anyone who has gone above the age of 18 is an adult in this country. Our constitution says so.
“And then men are holding responsibilities, men are performing in their offices. Men are holding strong in the interest of this nation. And the best Ayu can do is to refer to them as children. I think it is very unfortunate. Even his own son who is beyond 23, 30 years as the case may be; Ayu cannot speak to him like that, because such a person is an adult and is accountable to himself.”
Meanwhile, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, admonished the party leaders and stakeholders to ignore the crisis and “focus on the big picture rather than the little picture.”
A socio-political group, the One Nigeria Movement, has described Ayu’s remark as the height of arrogance.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by the group’s Convener-General, Ahmed Sodiq-Mugoro; and Secretary, Babatunde Aliyu, on Wednesday.
The group also berated Ayu, whom it said abandoned the PDP for the Action Congress in 2007 and worked against the PDP as yet still referred to himself as a founding father of the party.
The Punch
The first hostages freed from Gaza under a long-awaited ceasefire agreement are back in Israel. The news sparked jubilant scenes in Tel Aviv where large crowds gathered ahead of their release.
The three freed Israeli hostages – the first of 33 to be released over the next six weeks – are Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari. They are said to be in good health and are receiving treatment at a medical center in Tel Aviv.
In exchange, 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees are set to be released by Israel from Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank.
The Israeli military withdrew from several locations in southern and northern Gaza after the truce began earlier on Sunday, an Israeli military official told CNN.
Displaced Gazans have started returning to their homes, while the aid trucks laden with much-needed supplies have crossed into Gaza. Here’s what we know about how the ceasefire deal will work.
Hamas, despite suffering devastating losses, is framing the Gaza ceasefire agreement as a victory for itself, and a failure for Israel.
One of Hamas’ main goals for taking some 250 people during its brazen October 7, 2023, attack on Israel was to secure the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. As Israel pounded Gaza in response, Hamas vowed not to return the hostages until Israel withdrew its forces from the enclave, permanently ended the war, and allowed for rebuilding.
Source: CNN
The leader of UK’s Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has said she doesn’t want Britain to be like Nigeria that is plagued by “terrible governments.”
Speaking on Thursday at an event organised by Onward, a British think tank producing research on economic and social issues, Badenoch expressed fears that Britain may become like Nigeria if the system is not reformed.
“And why does this matter so much to me? It’s because I know what it is like to have something and then to lose it,” Badenoch told the audience.
“I don’t want Britain to lose what it has.
“I grew up in a poor country and watched my relatively wealthy family become poorer and poorer, despite working harder and harder as their money disappeared with inflation.
“I came back to the UK aged 16 with my father’s last £100 in the hope of a better life.
“So I have lived with the consequences of terrible governments that destroy lives, and I never, ever want it to happen here.”
Badenoch has been in the news of late after she dissociated herself from Nigeria, saying she has nothing to do with the Islamic northern region.
She also accused the Nigeria Police of robbing citizens instead of protecting them.
She said: “My experience with the Nigeria Police was very negative. Coming to the UK, my experience with the British Police was very positive.
“The police in Nigeria will rob us (laughter). When people say I have this bad experience with the police because I’m black, I say well…I remember the police stole my brother’s shoe and his watch.”
