Today’s Hamster Kombat Daily Combo

The chairman of the ruling New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in Kano State, Hashim Dungurawa, has alleged that President Bola Tinubu is destabilizing the state by trying to impose the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, on the Emirate because they both share the same Yoruba background....Click Here To Continue Reading>>

He made this statement on Sunday while addressing journalists in Kano about the achievements of the ruling NNPP in the state over the last year.

Dungurawa argued that there is no justification for giving Emir Bayero special protection by the Nigerian Army, Police, DSS, and other security agencies against the interests of the state government.

He warned that President Tinubu’s alleged interference in the Kano Emirate tussle would backfire against the President in the 2027 elections.

“Your perceived stance on the ongoing Kano Emirate Tussle will surely work against you in 2027 because if you think you can use it to gain ground in Kano, you will realize your mistakes when the chips are down. If the President thinks he will use a few of his kinsmen in Kano and the alleged Bayero’s Yoruba lineage to continue to keep the deposed Emir Aminu Ado Bayero in the State, let him wait for 2027. We will show him that those people will not help him,” Dungurawa warned.

He then urged the President to consider resolving the Kano Emirate issue by ensuring the deposed Emir is removed from Kano.

The NNPP State chairman reiterated that his party would field the national leader of the party, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, as its presidential candidate in the 2027 election cycle, assuring that Kwankwaso would be the next president of Nigeria.

Dungurawa further called for a review of the 2019 election outcomes, insisting that the immediate-past governor of Kano State and APC national chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, did not win the second-term election as Kano State governor. ...Click Here To Continue Reading>>

Today’s Hamster Kombat Daily Combo

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has requested INTERPOL to watch-list former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello in three North African countries: Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria....Click Here To Continue Reading>>

The move, according to EFCC sources, is based on credible intelligence, and also extends to Egypt, Libya, and Sudan.

Sources within the anti-graft agency revealed to The Nation that various strategies are being considered to address the situation, including the possibility of storming the Kogi State Government House in Lokoja, where Bello is believed to be hiding.

According to them, the watch-listing was activated in anticipation of Bello’s expected court appearance on July 17th before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Bello faces a 19-count charge, including allegations of money laundering, breach of trust, and misappropriation of public funds amounting to about N80.2 billion.

Despite denying the allegations, he has repeatedly failed to appear before Justice Emeka Nwite on scheduled dates in June.

An EFCC source stated, “Ahead of the next hearing of the case, EFCC has activated many options, including taking concrete action to watch-list Bello in North Africa. We are aware of a botched exit to Morocco via Cameroon and are determined to prevent him from fleeing into exile.”

The EFCC’s Executive Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, was recently in Tunisia, where he met with Heads of INTERPOL in North Africa to request Bello’s placement on a Red Alert. The request was accepted, and the watch listing took immediate effect.

“We took this step because we suspect that Bello has been biding his time to avoid arraignment. We expect him to appear in court to prove his innocence. The EFCC must do its job to prevent setting a bad precedent,” the source added. ...Click Here To Continue Reading>>

Today’s Hamster Kombat Daily Combo

German media, citing the German Defense Ministry, reported that the German armed forces will surrender their airbase in Niger, which served as a military transport hub, by August 31 due to the failure of the sides to extend the agreement concerning the base....Click Here To Continue Reading>>

The talks broke down after the new Nigerien authorities refused to grant German soldiers immunity from prosecution, the NTV news outlet reported, citing a document the ministry had presented to the parliament.

Germany expects to withdraw its troops from the country by the end of August.

Since 2013, the German military has used the base in Niger’s capital, Niamey, as a supply center for its armed forces stationed in neighboring Mali as part of a UN peacekeeping mission.

Nigerien authorities have also terminated military agreements with France and the United States, which led to the French and US forces’ withdrawal from the country. ...Click Here To Continue Reading>>

Today’s Hamster Kombat Daily Combo

Nigerian politicians have begun to debate the 2027 general elections, with each working tirelessly to secure their space in the future. However, some governors who are in their first term may lose out in the scheme of the 2027 permutations as time goes by....Click Here To Continue Reading>>

This is due to the fact that many of these first-time governors began their first year in office with battles rather than building alliances and structures for their political careers. Some of the battles these governors are fighting have existing structures that determine election outcomes in their state.
A careful analysis of the development showed that some governors began their first year in office fighting their godfathers without them having any political structure to fall back on, while others fought first-class monarchs, which may eventually turn the people against them.

Some of the governors in this category are Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, Siminalayi Fubara, Uba Sani, Hyacinth Alia, and Abba Kabir Yusuf, to mention a few. Below are the reasons the above-mentioned governors may not have their way to the governor’s offices in their states.

The governor of Sokoto state is one of the first-term governors in Nigeria who may not win in 2027 if tries to contest for the second term. Barely one year in office, the governor deposed about 15 emirs in the state for different offences, a development that may cost him his second-term aspiration.

A few months later, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) raised the alarm that the governor was plotting to depose the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar. Though the government denied the allegation, a bill in the State House of Assembly passed the second reading.

If the bill is passed into law , the Sultan would be stripped of some power, including the appointments of kingmakers and district heads, without the governor’s input. While this move may be considered constitutional because of the legislation it passed through, it can

cost the governor his second term because Sokoto state and the position of the Sultan are religious sensitives.

The Punchalso reported that a political source in the state disclosed that the governor and his supporters never hid the impression of deposing the Sultan from their campaigns. The source stated that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) campaigned with a “new government, new sultan.”

In an interview with Legit.ng, Okanlawon Gaffar, a public commentator, called for respect for traditional stools in the country. He lamented:

“We can’t say this is fair or not, the principle that has been exhibited is also the fact that our traditional system is now a mockery of its glory. This does not mean that our traditional system should be above the law principle.

“However, it represents a different kind of leadership, where who gets to be in that position has been determined by culture and tradition.”

With the growing trend, removing the Sultan could anger the majority of voters in the state, and the governor may not have the grace to win the next governorship election.

Governor Fubara of Rivers state is one of the first-time governors who may not secure re-election come 2027 due to his rift with his political godfather, Nyesom Wike, who is now the minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

Fubara’s rift with Wike started barely three months into the beginning of his administration as Rivers governor, which was not considered fair enough by many political observers.

However, there are insinuations that President Tinubu is supporting Fubara, which was why he appeared to have an edge above Wike.

Aisha Yesufu, a public commentator, in a tweet , posited that Tinubu would rather ensure that the FCT minister was stripped of his power in Rivers state so that he could become a proper errand boy at his disposal.

But Tinubu once publicly promised Wike that he would not let him down at the commissioning of a project in Abuja. Thus, with federal and presidential backing, Wike may defeat Fubara or plot his removal before the end of his tenure.

Also, an analyst, Okanlawon Gaffar, in an exclusive interview with Legit.ng, posited that Wike is more experienced. Based on his antecedent as governor of Rivers state, he knew how to win as a political godfather and how he could be defeated as one.

Gaffar said:

“Wike’s position as a godfather, especially in the sense that he has passed through this before. He fought his godfather too to become the governor of Rivers state, so he understands how this game is played. I also believe that he understands how it can be lost and how it can be won.”

Another factor that should not be overlooked is Wike’s astuteness in politics. He has been active in politics since 1999. His membership in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and retention of a ministerial position in the All Progressives Congress (APC) government are testaments to his astuteness.

Though Governor Fubara recently hinted at leaving the PDP , saying the party has failed him, Wike currently appears to have the hold of the PDP and APC in Rivers. It is not yet certain if Fubara has the strong political structure to form his political party or join a small party and believe he can defeat Wike in an election.

Yusuf of Kano is another first-time governor who may not secure his second term via popular votes if the controversy surrounding the removal of the Kano emir is not resolved as soon as possible.

Although his predecessor and current national chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, was widely faulted for deposing Muhammadu Sanusi, he (Yusuf) was also being blamed for correcting Ganduje’s wrong with another wrong.

Come 2027, the people of the state may be looking for a governor who will stabilise the emirship, especially now that it is being considered the reason why other governors have resorted to removing first-class traditional rulers, particularly the Sultan of Sokoto.

Uba Sani is another first-time governor currently fighting his predecessor, Nasir El-Rufai, through the state House of Assembly. Unlike Fubara, Sani has a political structure as a former senator and appears to have the majority of the assembly members on his side.

However, the immediate past governor of the state appeared to be gaining the people’s sympathy, and this may grow beyond expectation to orchestrate his removal.

There are indications that El-Rufai would also work to clear his name, and the first step was his dragging the state assembly

to court over lack of fair hearing in the N432 billion corruption allegation levelled against him and his administration by the lawmakers.

If El-Rufai wins at the Kaduna State High Court, it will boost his efforts to prevent the governor from securing a second-term victory in the state.

The governor of Benue state, Hyacinth Alia, may also not return to office come 2023 if he cannot secure the support of the secretary to the government of the federation, George Akume, who currently has the party structure under his control.

Alia did not have any political structure before his emergence as the APC governorship candidate in the 2023 election. Though he may use his position to build bridges and form structures ahead of 2027, the support and structure of Akure should not be overlooked.

Hijrah, also known as the Islamic New Year, marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar. It commemorates the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) migration (peace be upon him) from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE, considered a significant event in Islamic history. The Hijrah calendar is based on the lunar cycle, with each month beginning on the new moon. ...Click Here To Continue Reading>>

Today’s Hamster Kombat Daily Combo

Today’s Hamster Kombat Daily Combo

Today’s Hamster Kombat Daily Combo

Today’s Hamster Kombat Daily Combo

Today’s Hamster Kombat Daily Combo

Today’s Hamster Kombat Daily Combo

William Ruto, the President of Kenya, has announced the country’s National Treasury will cut spending to make room for key commitments after anti-government protests....Click Here To Continue Reading>>

In a live address from the state house, Ruto said the government will present a proposal to the national assembly to approve massive expenditure cuts after the withdrawal of the 2024 finance bill.

“Over the last few days, our treasury team has been assessing the adverse impact of either reducing the budget by the entire Sh346 billion or borrowing the full amount,” he stated on Friday.

“We have since struck a middle ground and will be proposing to the National Assembly a budget cut of Sh177 billion and borrow the difference. The additional borrowing will increase our fiscal deficit from 3.3 per cent to 4.6 per cent and will be used to protect the funding of critical government services,” President Ruto stated.

President Ruto listed several critical government initiatives that will receive continued funding, including the hiring of medical interns, support for dairy farmers, road infrastructure projects, fertilizer subsidies, and settlements of debts owed to farmers in various sectors.

In addition to the financial adjustments, President Ruto also removed budgets for the offices of the first lady, and the second lady.

Dissolution of 47 State Corporations to eliminate overlapping functions and reduce operational costs.

Suspension of filling Chief Administrative Secretaries positions.

50 per cent reduction in government advisors within the public service.

Removal of budget lines for offices of First Lady, spouses of Deputy President, and Prime Cabinet Secretary.

Suspension of non-essential travel and participation in public contributions by state and public officers.

“These measures are part of our commitment to enhance efficiency and transparency in serving the people of Kenya,” President Ruto affirmed.

“We are determined to improve the quality of services and ensure maximum value for the resources entrusted to us.” ...Click Here To Continue Reading>>