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Recently, there have been reported moves by Northern political heavyweights to form an alliance against Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Sani issued the warning while speaking on an Arise TV programme on Thursday, June 27, 2024. According to observers, the schemers have identified former President Muhammadu Buhari as a rallying point to execute their plans. Though the duo said they visited the former President to pay Sallah homage, there have been rumours of a purported discussion about the 2027 election. Also this week, El-Rufai met with former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso , raising suspicions of a possible realignment ahead of the next election. Atiku Abubakar pays surprise visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari in Daura [Twitter:@atiku] Meanwhile, Sani has warned that the seeming gang-up of Northern politicians against Tinubu may spark a similar movement in the southern part of the country, which may lead to the desecration of Nigeria. “There is evidence of rallying of forces. Regrouping of forces — political forces from the North — trying to use former President Buhari as a rallying point to evict the government of Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu. “And they hope to resurrect his political chance in the house of the masses and portray the government as one that has been undermining the North and one that has not been living up to its campaign promises to the region being that it has its highest votes from there. “And I must warn that attempts to do that can create a serious problem for our country. “Buhari was in power for eight years and there has never been any serious southerner that challenged his own government in terms of trying to remove him from office. “And secondly, we should know that before you think of power, we should think of the whole country. We should be thinking of a united country, a peaceful country. Nigeria is still a fragile nation. “What will happen if southern politicians decide to also form the idea of uniting themselves and making a position that this is their stand? There will be no Nigeria. “So, they should, in the interest of the unity of the country and the future of the country, sacrifice their personal ambition at least for 2027. “And the North will have the moral right to ask for power after the second term of this administration. “This desperation for power will not go well for the region, for the unity and collective peace of our country as a nation,”the former senator said.

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Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf has declared the deposed Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, a private citizen following recent court rulings. This announcement was made by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Sanusi Bature, on Wednesday. According to Bature, the Kano State High Court’s decisions uphold the Kano State Assembly’s move to repeal the 2019 Kano Emirate law, effectively stripping Ado Bayero of his royal title. “The decision of the Kano State Assembly has been reaffirmed by the court Ado Bayero is now a normal citizen, and whatever happened is based on the repealed 2024 law, which invalidated the 2019 Emirate laws that divided the Kano Emirate into five,” Bature said. Speaking on Arise TV’s Morning Show, Bature confirmed that the court’s rulings validate the State Assembly’s actions, recognizing Sanusi as the Emir of Kano until further court decisions. Bature explained that even if Emir Sanusi had not been reinstated, the State Assembly’s decision to repeal the law would still stand, reverting to pre-2019 circumstances where Emir Sanusi remains the sole Emir of a unified Kano State. “Based on the court’s decision, actions taken under the repealed law were brought to the governor by the Speaker of the State Assembly. He assented and announced the reinstatement of Emir Sanusi at 5:10 PM on May 23, 2024. “By virtue of the High Court declaring the law as valid, it confirms the deposition of former Emir Ado Bayero, and he remains a private citizen like every other resident of Kano. He should not be seen occupying any government property. That government property is defective; it’s a mud house where he has forcefully stayed for over a month now,” Bature added. It can be recalled that Governor Yusuf in May reinstated Muhammad Sanusi as the 15th Emir of Kano, a decision made possible by the enactment of the 2024 Kano Emirate law, which repealed the previous law.

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Reactions as Nigerian Senator publicly confesses engaging in vote-buying during last general elections Angry reaction has trailed Deputy Minority Senate Leader, Olalere Oyewumi’s confession that he used his personal money for vote buying purposes during the 2023 General Election. Oyewumi according to the Nation made the confession in a video which has now gone viral. The lawmaker in the video explained how he sent his aide on errand on the eve of the election with his personal money for vote buying but was rejected by strong supporters of the All Progressives Congress(APC). The Minority Leader, who is representing Osun West District, while receiving defectors into PDP, said “I tried all the tricks I knew to win at Onilu House (Ile Onilu) polling unit but these people didn’t allow me. “After exhausting money for the election, I gave my personal money to Ten-Ten to give to people at night to buy votes on the eve of the election, Ten-Ten came back with my money, saying the people rejected it. I was surprised. “That was why I reached out to these people because I cannot be a Senator and continue to fail there. I was the one who called Ayandosu from Abuja to join me in the PDP. I told him he has talent and that the party he was serving then (APC) would not allow him to grow.” The leadership of APC through its chairman, Tajudeen Lawal in a statement noted that the confession of the PDP Senator has vindicated them that Osun State guber election was not free and fair, urging security operatives to commence his prosecution. He said, “The confessional statement of Senator Oyewumi was a confirmation of the fact that the last series of the elections in the state which secured victory for all the PDP candidates including Governor Ademola Adeleke, were brazenly rigged. “The self-confession of Senator Oyewumi was an indication that he is a desperate politician who could go to any length to illegally corner opportunities regardless of what such portends to the right-thinking members of the society. “In a civilized clime, Senator Oyewumi has no iota of reason to remain a minute longer in the Senate where he has been the Minority Leader based on his self-confession that he engaged in vote-buying during the election that secured a fraudulent victory for him.” “By now, Senator Oyewumi should be a guest of the statutory law enforcement agency constitutionally saddled with the responsibility of investigating such political crime involving a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

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The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a two-week ultimatum to the Federal Government to address its demands for improved welfare and administrative conditions in public universities, warning of an impending nationwide strike. The announcement was made during a press conference at Abia State University (ABSU), Uturu, on Friday, where Mrs. Happiness Uduk, ASUU’s Zonal Coordinator for the Calabar Zone, emphasized the urgency of meeting these demands. Uduk stated that the government’s failure to fulfil commitments under the 2009 FG-ASUU agreement, led to stagnant salary scales and minimal welfare improvements over the past 15 years. She stated, “ASUU members have been on the same salary scale for 15 years without any change. We urge the government to complete the negotiations initiated over 13 years ago, under different teams, and take into account current economic realities such as inflation and exchange rates.” Key issues ASUU is pressing for include the renegotiation of terms related to the revitalization fund for public universities, payment of academic allowances, withheld salaries, high taxation, and alleged victimization of ASUU members. Uduk also reiterated ASUU’s demand for the removal of its members from the Integrated Personnel Payroll System (IPPIS), advocating for the use of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) or similar platforms developed internally by universities. She called on the Abia Government to promptly settle the 11-month salary arrears owed to ABSU lecturers and criticized the use of the Treasury Single Account for salary payments. She also brought to liight grievances at Ebonyi State University, where some members have allegedly been suspended without pay for over two years, calling for their immediate reinstatement. Uduk further proposed replacing the Federal Government’s student loan scheme with grants to ease financial burdens on students and enhance academic pursuits. She called for a halt to the proliferation of universities and advocated for increased funding to improve standards in existing institutions. The ASUU coordinator concluded by stressing that ongoing engagement with stakeholders is aimed at urging the government to act swiftly. ”If the issues remain unresolved, ASUU plans to commence a nationwide strike in two weeks,” she declared.

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The Deputy Minority Leader of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Lere Oyewumi, has revealed that he involved in vote buying and selling that characterised the 2023 general elections. Oyewumi, who represents Osun West Senatorial District at the red chamber, in a viral video, said he gave out money to influence people to vote for him at a particular polling unit in his hometown of Ikire, Irewole local government area of Osun State. The Senator stated this while welcoming Mr. Tunde Ayandosu, a former member of the All Progressives Congress to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Irewole local government. Ayandosu, who was the Chairman of APC in Ward 4, Irewole Local Government decamped to the PDP alongside his people in Ikire. Oyewumi noted that he wooed Ayandosu due to his capacity as an opposition member, adding that all efforts to influence the electorate to vote for him at Ayandosu’s polling unit proved abortive. He said, “I tried all the tricks I knew to win at Onilu’s house (Ile Onilu) polling unit but Ayandosu and his people didn’t allow me. “After exhausting money for the election, I gave my personal money to Ten-Ten to give to people at night to influence them but on the eve of the election, Ten-Ten came back with my money, saying the people rejected it. “That was why I reached out to Ayandosu because I cannot be a Senator and continue to fail there. “I was the one who called Ayandosu from Abuja to join me in the PDP. I told him he has talent and that the party he was serving then (APC) would not allow him to grow.” Meanwhile the State APC has called on Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun to invite the lawmaker over murder of one of its members, Saheed Oyegunju during the elections. In a statement on Friday, the State APC Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal explained that it would be necessary for the police to invite Senator Oyewumi with a view to getting to the root of the heinous crime. “though we are not saying it was the senator who was responsible for the killing but it is desirable for the police to invite him as the suspected killers are being fingered as his die-hard loyalists and political thugs”. In the words of the state APC chairman: “It is disheartening that one year after the murder of Oyegunju, his killers are still moving freely in Ikire boasting that they are above the law of the land. “The only way that justice can be procured for the deceased is for the Inspector-General of Police to urgently swing into action by investigating and arraigning those who might be remotely or directly linked with the gruesome murder of one of the illustrious members of our party who was the Ward 9 treasurer in Ikire until his murder.” But Oyewumi’s media aide, Mr. Temilehin Popoola, said the Senator’s statement was quoted out of context, saying he was referring to the campaign period, and not on the election day. Popoola said: “If you watch the video and listen carefully, you will know that the senator didn’t say he paid people to vote for him. He was just recalling his efforts during campaign period preceding the election. “He said when he was looking for votes then, he reached out to these people and even sent money to them. We decided not to react to the APC and other’s comments on it. The senator didn’t pay people to buy votes.”

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Governor Chukwuma Soludo has signed into law, the Anambra State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, ANSOPADEC Bill. The commission is saddled with the responsibility of seeing to the development of host communities according to their needs assessment. The Commissioner for Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Barrister Anthony Ifeanya, announced this during a two-day Capacity Building workshop for leaders of Oil and Gas Producing Host Communities in the Niger Delta on Strategic Leadership Skills and Host Communities Provision in the Petroleum Industrial Act, PIA. The workshop, organized in Awka, had in attendance, participants from Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross Rivers, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers States. In his welcome address, Barrister Ifeanya charged the forum to also deliberate, the establishment of Management Committee for host communities in Ogbaru Council Area, which should have been established thirty days after the establishment of Host Communities Trust Fund by SIPPCO as well as Advisory Committee by Management Committee, thirty days after their establishment. Commissioner Ifeanya, who disclosed that all these are registered by Corporate Affairs Commission and supervised by Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulations Commission, NUPRC and backed by law to arrest restiveness and crisis, frowned that bunkering has started rearing its ugly head in Anambra despite Governor Soludo’s commitment to making host communities, model communities. He however stressed the urgent need for confidence building between operators, state and host communities since a total of four states are involved in the derivation computation of OML one hundred and forty-three due to the surface closure of the reservoir. The workshop was targeted at fostering collaboration and partnership among leaders, IOCs, and other stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the Host Communities Provision in the PIA and enhance the capacity of leaders to facilitate inclusive and sustainable development in their communities through effective leadership and stakeholder engagement, among others.

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The Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya, has suspended the village head of Garin Majidadi in Akko Local Government Area, Mohammed Majidadi, and the Councillor representing Kumo East Ward, Abdullahi M. Panda, over alleged theft. Naija News reports that the Secretary to the State Government, Ibrahim Njodi, announced in a statement on Friday that Governor Yahaya had approved the immediate suspension of the affected persons. He said the Governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to upholding the rule of law, expressing confidence that justice will prevail and that the law will take its course, not only against Majidadi and Panda but also against any other individuals found to be complicit in the theft. The statement read, “The suspensions come in the wake of recent developments involving the two officials, who were paraded by the Gombe State police command, and currently facing trial over allegations of conspiracy in the theft and subsequent sale of a community electricity transformer at Garin Majidadi. “The suspension of both officials is a preventive measure to ensure that there is no interference in the legal process.” Tribunal Fixes Date For Hearing On Gombe LGA Election Case Meanwhile, the Gombe State Local Government Election Petition Tribunal has set July 9 as the date for the continuation of the hearing on petitions submitted over the election in the Billiri Local Government Area of the state. Naija News understands that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had approached the court to challenge the outcomes of the local government elections that took place on April 27, 2024. The PDP lodged a petition contesting the triumph of Gombe Local Government chairman Sani Haruna and his deputy, Muhammad Adamu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as well as the Gombe State Independent Electoral Commission (GSIEC). Furthermore, the PDP candidate in Billiri Local Government initiated legal action against the announced victor, Egla Idris. The PDP’s petition, which was shared with the press, requests various remedies, including a declaration that the election conducted by GSIEC on April 27, 2024, was null and void due to corrupt practices, irregularities, and legal violations.

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The Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State, Abraham Amah, has condemned the Labour Party-led government, particularly its handling of public servants and infrastructure projects. Expressing deep concern over the situation, Amah said that the LP presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, should be ashamed. The PDP chieftain fumed over the government’s decision to relieve the permanent secretaries in the state of their duties without a public inquiry. Last year, a circular dated August 30, 2023, and signed on August 31 by the state Head of Service, Joy Maduka, read, “Following the ongoing reorganisation in the Abia State Public Service and in line with the provision of the Abia State Public Service Rules Nos. 02801 and 02803, I write to inform you that His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Abia State has directed the disengagement of all staff employed into the Abia State Public Service from January, 2023 to date.” However, speaking with Punch, Amah said, “I am profoundly ashamed of what is happening in Abia State. If Abia State is a miniature of the governance Peter Obi promises for Nigeria, then it spells total failure.” Amah also lamented the inadequate support for education, healthcare, energy, and security sectors, all of which he argued were critical for improving citizens’ welfare. He said, “This is a government that came on board and suspended all the permanent secretaries, suspended everybody. One year later, they sacked them, without any public inquiry or anything, without giving anything to the public. “So, what is the basis? Why do you think that tomorrow, those 15,000 workers who lost their jobs will want to vote for the Labour Party? Even Peter Obi should be ashamed of what is happening in Abia State. “It’s very embarrassing; I am very ashamed of what is happening in Abia State, because if Abia State is a sample of the kind of government people expect Peter Obi to bring in Nigeria, then they are a total failure. “So what is good about the government? This is a government that has already sacked about 15,000 workers, under the guise that they did not merit their jobs. “They have done nothing to create jobs; they do nothing to support and improve businesses and the standard of living of the people, to improve the education sector, health sector, energy, security, and care for the vulnerable.”

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Shettima also dismissed insinuations about Tinubu’s health, saying his principal is a man full of ideas. Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has asked Nigerians to be “fair to this poor man” referring to President Bola Tinubu, saying no economy globally is not experiencing difficulties. Shettima also dismissed insinuations about Tinubu’s health, saying his principal is a man full of ideas. President Tinubu had during the Democracy Day celebration last month missed his steps, an incident that elicited conversations about the former Lagos State governor’s health status to lead the country. But at a town hall meeting by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) held at the Banquet Hall of the State House in Abuja on Friday, Shettima faulted comments about Tinubu’s health status. “We are not asking you not to question the eligibility of your president’s condition. But there is this mischievous vexation about the president’s health status,” Shettima said at the event, calling on Nigerians to support Tinubu’s administration. “We are not preparing for the Olympics, but an institution that builds on the superiority of ideas. But I dare to put it to you. The hallmark of true leadership is not the ability to lift a bag of cement, but the capacity to come up with robust ideas to solve a nation’s problems. So, this is a man that we need to all rally around, we need to support.” He said, “Yes, our economy is going through turbulence but is it confined to Nigeria alone? Let’s take a broadband picture. Is any economy immune from the challenges of the times? So, I urge you to be fair to this poor man.” “We have never had it so good in terms of leadership. The President means well for the nation and most importantly, imbued with the skill set to drive change and progress in this country,” Shettima said. “I can tell you with all sense of confidence that the President we have now is a man of ideas who is robustly imbued with the capacity. Leadership is about competence.”