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Presidency Accuses PDP Caucus of Mischief over Osinbajo’s 2015 Tweet on Security
The Special Adviser on Political Matters to the President, Office of the Vice President, Babafemi Ojudu, has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of twisting a 2015 tweet by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
Mr Ojudu, in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, also described the call by PDP Caucus’ of the House of Representatives for commencement of impeachment proceedings against President Muhammadu Buhari as mischief.
“Equally suspect is the PDP Caucus’ disingenuous attempt to misrepresent a 2015 tweet by the Vice President and completely but deliberately change its import and meaning.
“The vice presidential candidate of the APC tweeted at a time when Nigeria was facing one of its darkest periods due to incessant terrorist attacks in some parts of the country, including the FCT.
“In fact at the time the tweet was done on February 8, 2015, the then Federal Government had said it could not guarantee the security in parts of the country for the election to hold and actually elections were postponed because of that stance of the Jonathan Presidency.’’
He said, however, that opposition elements had disingenuously twisted it out of context even insinuating as though it was a recent tweet.
Mr Ojudu said that the vice president never said such in relation to President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said Mr Buhari had never said that he had lost the capacity to guarantee the security of lives and property of Nigerians.
“On the contrary, he remains fully committed to the welfare and protection of all Nigerians across the country.
“As the president noted concerning the senseless murder of hardworking farmers in November by terrorists in Zabarmari community in Jere Local Government of Borno State, the Nigerian Armed Forces will continue to be given all the needed support to take all necessary steps to protect the country’s population and its territory.
“Nigerians should ignore the misrepresentation and misleading narrative by the PDP House of Representative Caucus, which is an obvious attempt at mischief and causing disaffection.
“The security and welfare of Nigerians remains one of the cardinal purposes of the Buhari administration and it will continue to take proactive steps to tackle the country’s security challenges,’’ he said.
NAN
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.
