Politics
Afenifere To Buhari: Restructure Nigeria Before 2023 Elections
The Pan-Yoruba Socio-Political organisation, Afenifere has restated its call on President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently restructure Nigeria before the 2023 general elections.
The group, in a communique issued at the end of its meeting in Ijebu Ode on Tuesday said it took notice of President Muhammadu Buhari’s address at the United Nations, especially where he called for the Reform of the world body and his recommendation of dialogue to resolve Palestinian/Israeli issues.
It enjoined the president to key into restructuring that it (Afenifere) has been advocating as restructuring is similar to the Reform that the President wants to see at the UN.
“In the same vein, the Dialogue our President recommended for Israel and Palestine is not different from the meeting with ethnic nationalities and other stakeholders in Nigeria that we have been advocating for. With the President stating his positions on these issues on the global arena, it is hoped that he would give a nod for them to be immediately effected in Nigeria.
“Afenifere again reiterated its position that Restructuring remains the panacea to solve the multi various problems bedevilling the country now. And we insist that this Restructuring should be done before the next elections in the country.
“In the meantime, every community must be at alert to realise that they must defend themselves from bandits who seem to have declared war on Nigeria,” it said.
The group also noted with serious concern the security problems that are festering in the country.
“The meeting therefore, for the umpteenth time, called on the Federal Government and security agencies to buckle up and be more decisive in the way they tackle security issues that have have made living in Nigeria painful, short and brutish.
“We call on the government and security agencies to stop the kid glove treatment with which terrorists and kidnappers are being handled.
“Afenifere believes that terrorism and related vices including kidnapping are on the increase in part because of the double standard being played by the government and security agencies on this matter,”it said.
The communique signed by Comrade Jare Ajayi, National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, added that “it is a known fact that Afenifere strongly stands by the Southern Governors in their resolution on anti grazing laws, on Value Added Tax and on a person of Southern extraction becoming the President of Nigeria in 2023.
“We note with delight, the court judgment that empowers the states to collect VAT. We urge states governments to further explore more areas to deepen democracy and enhance the frontier of true federalism in Nigeria.
“We commend the steps taken by governors of the South West on the establishment of security networks like Amotekun and that of the South East on Ebube Agu. We urge the national authorities to let these security networks be transformed into states police forces. We strongly believe that doing so will arrest the pace at which Nigeria is fast descending into a state of anomie.”
Daniel Bwala, a spokesperson for President Bola Tinubu, has accused Arise Television of exhibiting preferential treatment for the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Mr Peter Obi.
Bwala, in a post on his X handle on Monday, said the station’s presenters often express strong opinions about other political candidates but adopt.a different approach when discussing Obi.
He claimed that the tone of discussions about the former Anambra State governor appeared like advisers offering counsel to their principal.
“Is anyone watching Arise News morning show gossip trending? They have strong opinion on all the candidates, but when it came to Peter Obi, what they have is advice,” Bwala wrote.
“Even the tone of their voices when talking about Peter Obi is like surrogates advising their principal.”
The presidential spokesman further alleged that the television station had not aired any trending reports considered adverse to Obi since he became a presidential candidate.
“I dare to say that they never had any so-called stories trending adverse to Peter Obi since Obi has been on the ballot,” he added.
The African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, on Sunday declared that President Donald Trump of the United States, US, is backing his proposed policy on the restoration of fuel subsidy.
Atiku had pledged to return the subsidy on fuel if elected as the President of Nigeria in 2027.
He made this known in a statement by his spokesman, Phrank Shaibu tagged, ‘Atiku boasts of stakeholders, Trump support on fuel subsidy’.
Parts of the statement read: “This is why my Production Subsidy is about putting money back into people’s pockets. Support what we produce and refine here, increase supply, monitor the price and make sure Nigerians feel the benefit at the pump.
“CORAN is saying support domestic production. America understands the importance of supporting strategic energy production.
“Yet Tinubu attacks relief for ordinary Nigerians while his government understands perfectly well how to grant waivers, incentives and concessions to multinational oil companies and businesses close to his administration.
“So why does intervention suddenly become bad economics when ordinary Nigerians are meant to benefit?”
The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, has said he is fully aware of the shortcomings of President Bola Tinubu’s administration but would not blame the incumbent if he succeeds him as president in 2027.
Adebayo said he understood the challenges confronting the country and the policies of the Tinubu administration that he considered wrong, insisting that whoever takes over government must accept both its achievements and liabilities.
He made the remarks during an interview on TVC’s Politics On Sunday.
“When I become president by God’s grace, I’m not going to blame President Tinubu. Once I take the oath of office, I am now inheriting everything that the president before me has done,” Adebayo said.
According to him, assuming responsibility for the country’s existing infrastructure and institutions also means accepting the problems inherited from the previous administration.
“Because if I’m going to go and enter a state house that wasn’t built by me, drive on a road that wasn’t built by me, and go and do convocation in universities that were not established by me, it means that the incumbent before me left some assets and if he left some liabilities also, I have to know,” he said.
Adebayo said even though he understands the condition of the Nigerian economy and the challenges facing the country, he’s ready to contest for president.
“Right now, I know the perilous state of the economy. I know the troubled state of affairs in Nigeria,” he said.
He also claimed to understand most of the areas where he believes the Tinubu administration had gone wrong.
“I know 99% of what President Tinubu is doing wrong. I know them, and I’m still hellbent on running for the office,” Adebayo said.
The SDP candidate said his approach to governance would be based on continuity rather than spending time assigning blame to his predecessor.
“So I don’t get in there and start blaming him after that. I know everything that is wrong with the government, and there’s a system of handover. So there’s a continuity in government,” he said.
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