Headlines
You’ll Lose Election If You Field Northern Presidential Candidate, Akeredolu Warns
The Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, has reiterated that the next president of the country must come from the South.
Akeredolu, who is also the governor of Ondo State, warned that any political party that fields presidential candidate from the North would lose the presidential election because such candidate would not have the support of the southern governors.
The governor spoke in his office in Akure during a courtesy visit by members of a group, the Power Rotation Movement, led by Dr Pogu Bitrus.
According to him, those pushing against power rotation in the country are toying with the existence of Nigeria.
He said, “In about two or three meetings, we (governors) have come out and declared that power must move to the south.
“Only a party that is determined to lose will field a northern candidate. You are now a movement of members of political parties coming together. What we stand for is fair and equitable power rotation. The only fair thing is that after eight years in the North, Presidency should come to the south.
“Some of us believe in one Nigeria that is fair and equitable. We have a reason for it and it can be defended. Some people have argued that the Presidency should be based on competence. Are they saying there are no competent ones in the south?
“My brother governors from the south, all of us are determined. Whosoever we pick, for as long as it is south, we will support him. We are saying the President must come from the south. There are people who merit it in the South-South, South- East, and the South-West.”
Bitrus, who is also the Chairman, Middle- Belt Forum, explained that the movement is passionate about power rotation to the South.
“We are passionate believers that power should rotate in this country and should move from the north to the south. We launched the 40 million ballot movement. That’s the sensitization of the youths. We launched it for our youths to key in.
“Leaders in the south and middle belt met in Abuja and agreed that power should rotate to the south, that the middle belt and the south should move against any party that fields any candidate outside the southern part of the country,” he said.
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.”
