Headlines
International Community Has Rejected Buhari, Says PDP
The Peoples Democratic Party on Sunday said the international community has rejected President Muhammadu Buhari.
It stated that the claim was confirmed by the perceived disgraceful outing and poor attention allegedly given to Buhari by world leaders and investors at the 7th Tokyo International Conference on African Development.
The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement said the lack of attention given to Buhari in Tokyo confirmed his alleged rejection by the international community.
He said Buhari only came home with an empty basket and pocket full of promissory notes.
Ologbondiyan said, “The conference has shown that no world leader or international investors want to do any real business with Nigeria under President Buhari, mainly because of the legitimacy burden of his presidency arising from the rigging of the February 23 presidential election, as well as overt impunity, corruption, treasury looting and recklessness that pervade his administration.
“It is lamentable that while President Buhari and his party, the All Progressives Congress are celebrating a mere pledge of $300,000 (N108m) from the Japanese Prime Minister and a promissory note for E50m from an EU commissioner, his Ghanaian counterpart, Nana Akufo-Ado, sealed a deal with automobile giant, Toyota, to immediately establish a Toyota and Suzuki manufacturing plant in Ghana with a determined timeline of August 2020 for production.
“The multinational had also signed a deal to establish a similar plant in neighbouring Ivory Coast with a Memorandum of Understanding to that effect already signed last Thursday.”
According to him, Toyota preferred Ghana because of the favourable economic climate prevailing in the country; a climate, which, he stated, had taken flight from Nigeria under Buhari.
In another statement, Ologbodiyan said Buhari had abdicated his responsibilities as the President of Nigeria.
He said, “The PDP notes with dismay that the Buhari presidency only stops at issuing condemnations, publishing commiserations and embarking on condolence visits with empty assurances, but takes no definite steps to address the situation and bring culprits to book.
“This complete failure of leadership and abdication of the statutory duties of the President indicates that the Buhari presidency has no solutions towards ensuring the security of lives and property in our nation.”
The Punch
The National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (NWC) has suspended the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade; National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu; Deputy Legal Adviser, Okechukwu Osuoha; and National Organizing Secretary, Umaru Bature for one month.
The suspension comes on the heels of the judgement of the Federal High Court On Friday, which stopped the party’s planned national convention.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba, told journalists in Abuja on Saturday, that the decision followed an emergency meeting of the national working committee, which was held in Abuja.
President Donald Trump of the United States on Friday designated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), in response to allegations of widespread persecution and genocide against Christians.
Writing on his Truth Social account, Trump stated that Christianity faces a serious threat in Nigeria.
The US leader also added Nigeria to a State Department watch list.
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter,” Trump wrote.
According to the US president, he was placing Nigeria, Africa’s top oil producer and most populous nation, on a “Countries of Particular Concern” list of nations the US deems to have engaged in religious freedom violations.
According to the State Department’s website, the list includes China, Myanmar, North Korea, Russia, and Pakistan, among others.
Trump said he had asked US Representatives Riley Moore and Tom Cole, as well as the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee, to look into the matter and report back to him.
A Federal High Court in Abuja has removed Hon. Abubakar Gummi from the House of Representatives after he left the Peoples Democratic Party for the All Progressives Congress.
The lawmaker represented the Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency in Zamfara State.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu delivered the ruling, holding that Gummi’s defection breached the Constitution.
The court said the seat does not belong to any politician but to the political party that sponsored the election.
According to the judgment, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, is barred from recognising Gummi “as a member representing Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency.”
The judge also instructed the Independent National Electoral Commission to “conduct a fresh election” for the vacant seat within 30 days.
The case was instituted by the PDP and its Zamfara chairman, who insisted that Gummi’s move to the APC had no legal justification. They argued that there was no division in the PDP to support his defection, as required by Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution.
Gummi, through his counsel, claimed he left the PDP due to internal crises which he said made it “impossible” to serve his constituents effectively. The judge, however, dismissed his arguments and granted all the reliefs requested by the plaintiffs.
Justice Egwuatu, in a firm comment, warned politicians against what he described as reckless party hopping.
“Political prostitution must not be rewarded,” he declared, adding that lawmakers must not transfer votes won on one party’s platform to another party.
The court also ordered Gummi to refund all salaries and allowances received from October 30, 2024, until the date of judgment. He is also barred from earning any further benefits as a member of the House.
Additionally, the judge imposed a N500,000 cost against the defendants in favour of the PDP.
