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Why I still believe in Tinubu to rescue Nigeria – Comedian Gbenga Adeyinka

Published

4 weeks ago

September 8, 2024

Veteran comedian, Gbenga Adeyinka

Why I still believe in Tinubu to rescue Nigeria – Comedian Gbenga Adeyinka

Veteran comedian, Gbenga Adeyinka has expressed his support for President Bola Tinubu, calling him the right person to steer the country towards prosperity.

Speaking on the Our 2 Kobo Podcast, Adeyinka highlighted Tinubu’s track record during his tenure as governor of Lagos state as proof of his capacity to address Nigeria’s economic challenges.

Adeyinka, who revealed that he is a card-carrying member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said he campaigned for Tinubu because he believes the president can fix the country’s problems. He stressed that if Tinubu is unable to resolve Nigeria’s issues, the nation may be in deeper trouble given his ‘’capacity and experience.”

The comedian praised some of the policies implemented by the Tinubu administration, such as subsidy removal and local government autonomy, but noted that the government needs to be more frugal. Adeyinka also called for patience, saying Tinubu should be given at least two more years as the economic challenges facing Nigeria are not unique but global.

Adeyinka further stated that he previously campaigned for former President Muhammadu Buhari, believing that his military background would help transform the country, but he turned out as someone who “doesn’t know anything”.

He said;

“If I’m passionate about you, I’m passionate about you. That’s my problem. And I believe that, and please take this to the bank, if Asiwaju (Tinubu) cannot set Nigeria right, then we’re in trouble. With his capacity, with what he knows, with the fact that he has nothing to gain or lose anymore, if he cannot set Nigeria right, then we’re in trouble. I’m scared for Nigeria.

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“Even before the election, people were taking sides. Am I happy with the policies of the government? I suffer too. People should not forget that I’m a Nigerian too. Now, am I happy with the policies of Asiwaju? Some yes, some no.

“The man explained something. He said, we have two options. We go the way we are going. I’ll be attacked for this one, but I’ll say my mind. We go the way we have always gone. We keep borrowing money. We keep using our crude, for instance, I’m told has been used to borrow money. We can change that and have a better tomorrow. Or, we continue this way and everybody is happy, and your children suffer.

“Do I believe he should have ended subsidy, although he was not even the one that ended the fuel subsidy thing. I support fuel subsidy removal totally because of the amount of corruption that was in it.

“Do I think they’ve done a good job by tightening their belts when we need to tighten our belts? No. I believe that those cars that were bought for members of the national assembly was an unnecessary oppression of the people, of the people who are suffering. What else have they done? I see a lot of restructuring taking place.

“Local governments are to get their money directly. If you have a vibrant local government, you can build the country from bottom up, which is the way they do it abroad. Will governors allow the money get to the local government? Some governors have said no, nine or so.

“If you get the local government right, it’s like getting a family right. Society will be better. Should people have gone on the streets to protest? There’s a fundamental right of protest. Should they have said the summit should be cancelled? No.

“Those are constitutional issues that should be dealt with constitutionally. I think what should have been done is to ask for a constitutional review. You can’t use illegality to remove someone legally elected.

“There are some people who are professional politicians. That is their job. You now wake up and say you want to come and… they will not even give you ticket. With our current structure, it takes the grace of men for you to become president.

“That’s why when I see them Sowore, saying they want to be president, Fela Durotoye wants to be president, Peter Obi wants to be president, and there’s one very intelligent guy, Moghalu wants to be president… I think we need to get these young people into the house of reps, into the senate, to rewrite our laws.

“If Peter Obi becomes president of Nigeria with the same structure we have in place, there’s nothing he’s going to do. Give Asiwaju two more years, that guy is a financial wizard. What is currently happening in Nigeria is universal.”

Why I still believe in Tinubu to rescue Nigeria – Comedian Gbenga Adeyinka

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Atiku proposes six-year single tenure rotational presidency

Published

3 hours ago

October 3, 2024

Trends Admin

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar

Atiku proposes six-year single tenure rotational presidency

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has recommended a single-term of six years for future Nigeria’s President, which should be rotational among the six geopolitical zones of the federation.

Atiku’s proposals, addressed to the Deputy President of the Senate and Chairman, Senate Committee on Constitution Review, Senator Barau Jibrin, and dated August 30, 2024, also contained recommendations such as procedures for the educational qualification of candidate(s) in elections, internal democracy in political parties and rotation of presidential position among the six geo-political zones of the country.

In a document obtained, the former vice president said Section 135(2) of the Nigerian Constitution should be amended to read: “Subject to the provisions of the subsection (1), the President shall vacate his office at the expiration of a period of six years commencing from the date.

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In the explanatory note covering the proposals, Atiku said the amendments sought in the review of the constitution were aimed at seeking to raise the standard of the educational qualification of political office seekers, and an end to violent takeover of political parties, thereby strengthening the internal structure of political parties.

Others are to reduce the tendencies of political parties to breach the constitution, the Electoral Act, rules and guidelines made thereunder, and the constitution of the political party.

He said: “The implication of the above is that political parties are allowed very wide latitude to breach the perimeter of laws on elections.

“Such indiscipline by political parties and infidelity to the electoral parameters yield chaos in the system. The above amendments will enthrone the discipline that is needed in a democracy.”
He said that the recommendations he has put forth to the National Assembly for amendments in the country’s election laws were areas where there were pitfalls in the subsisting laws regulating elections in Nigeria.

Atiku proposes six-year single tenure rotational presidency

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Hire military contractors to wipe out Boko Haram, Ndume tells Tinubu

Published

4 hours ago

October 3, 2024

Trends Admin

Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume

Hire military contractors to wipe out Boko Haram, Ndume tells Tinubu

Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, representing Borno South, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider hiring military contractors to eliminate Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State.

While praising the military and the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) ‘s efforts, Ndume emphasized that they lack the equipment necessary to fully defeat the remaining terrorists.

“Governments worldwide use military contractors in specific operations,” Ndume said. He suggested that these contractors, working alongside the military and CJTF, could swiftly wipe out Boko Haram.

He also mentioned their potential use in the fight against bandits in the North West.

Ndume proposed this as a short-term solution, stating that the federal government could focus on recruiting up to a million young Nigerians into the military over time. For now, he believes hiring contractors is crucial.

His call followed a recent Boko Haram attack in Ngoshe, Gwoza Local Government Area, where six farmers were killed, and five others, including women, were kidnapped.

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Filibus Yakubu, a local councillor, confirmed the attack and noted that many villagers were still missing. He added that despite their efforts, the military and CJTF could not repel the attackers, and among the casualties was a CJTF commander, Jubril Dada Zarana.

The attack came weeks after another Boko Haram bombing, which claimed the lives of several civilians and injured many more. According to Yakubu, the terrorists targeted farmers while they were working in their fields.

He said, “The Army and CJTF did their best, but they couldn’t hold the attackers for long.”

Three women released by Boko Haram provided information on the recent events. The released captives said that the terrorists were still holding other victims. On Independence Day, a time typically associated with celebration, Yakubu described the situation as one of “sorrow, despair, and helplessness.”

He expressed the dire conditions in Ngoshe and surrounding villages, where residents face a lack of essential supplies. Despite this, they remain in their homeland, bound by their deep love for the region. Local farming, their primary means of survival, has become increasingly dangerous due to Boko Haram’s activities.

Yakubu concluded by appealing for aid, saying, “Only God can save the people of Ngoshe and nearby villages like Gava, Amuda, Chinene, and others.”

Hire military contractors to wipe out Boko Haram, Ndume tells Tinubu

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Rivers govt declares Thursday, Friday public holidays for LG poll

Published

4 hours ago

October 3, 2024

Trends Admin

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara

Rivers govt declares Thursday, Friday public holidays for LG poll

Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has declared Thursday and Friday as public holidays to enable residents of the state to travel to their various communities ahead of the Saturday local government elections.

The governor also announced restriction of vehicular movement from midnight on Friday, October 4 to 5pm on the election day.

Governor Fubara made the declaration in a statewide broadcast from Government House, Port Harcourt, on Wednesday.

He said following the expiration of the three-year tenure of the chairmen and councilors of the 23 local government councils on June 17, 2023, he lawfully instituted caretaker committees to temporarily administer the councils pending when the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) would conduct the LG election in the state.

The governor said as a move to entrench sustainable democracy and good governance in the country’s local government system, “the Supreme Court by its judgement in SC/CV/343/2024: A-G Federation v A-G Abia State and 35 Ors delivered on 11th July 2024 effectively outlawed the administration of our local government councils with unelected officers and made several orders including the immediate stoppage of statutory allocations to Local Government Councils without democratically elected local government councils.”

He said following Mr President’s intervention, the period for compliance with the Supreme Court’s judgment was graciously extended by three months, which will expire on October 31, 2024.

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He said, “On the strength of these positive developments, I directed the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to take definite steps to conduct local government elections for the 23 local government councils of Rivers State.

“Acting per this directive the RSIEC has since fixed and concluded all arrangements to conduct the local government council elections on Saturday, 5th October 2024.

“The legal impetus of RSIEC to conduct the local government elections was further strengthened by the judgment of the Rivers State High Court in Suit No: PHC/2696/CS/2024 delivered on the 4th of September 2024, which positively directed the Governor of Rivers State, the Government of Rivers State and the RSIEC to conduct the scheduled local government elections on the 5th of October, 2025 using the 2023 Independent National Electoral Commission’s Voters Register already in the custody of RSIEC.

“As of today, RVSIEC has expressed and demonstrated concrete and verifiable capacity and readiness to conduct the 2024 Rivers State Local Government Elections on the 5th of October 2024.

“As of today, 17 out of 18 registered political parties, including the All Progressives Congress, have expressly and actively demonstrated their willingness to participate by filling candidates with RSIEC for the election.

“….To this end, I hereby declare Thursday and Friday, the 3rd and 4th of October 2024 as public holidays for citizens to travel to their communities and participate in the election.

“Furthermore, I hereby place a total restriction on vehicular and human movements into, within, and out of the State, and the Local Government Areas, from midnight of Friday 4th October 2024 to 5.00 p.m. on Saturday 5th October 2024, except for persons and vehicles valid identifications who are on election and other essential duties.

“The police and other security agencies have clear directives from the State’s Security Council to arrest and prosecute any person or group who attempts to violate the restriction on human and vehicular movements on election day.”