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APC Lawmaker Defends ‘I Know Whom We Know’ Comment

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A member of the House of Representatives, Yusuf Gagdi, has explained his controversial statement, “I know whom we know.”

Gagdi defended his comment during a live appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday.

A day ago, the House of Representatives member in a public gathering said, “At the Supreme Court, we will know who they know and they will know who we know.”

The lawmaker’s comment drew criticisms from various quarters, with calls emerging for a public apology.

Addressing the meaning behind the controversial phrase, he said that it has been a consistent part of his political messaging since the inception of his political journey.

He stated, “From the day of my political journey, my slogan has always been ‘we know whom they know, but they don’t know whom we know.’”

“From the day of my political journey, my slogan has always been ‘we know whom they know, but they don’t know whom we know,” he said.

“I can give a video reference of this statement I have meted when I was campaigning for the position of Plateau State House of Assembly.”

The 43-year-old cited video evidence of him using this statement during his campaigns for the Plateau State House of Assembly and the National Assembly in his first and second tenures.

“I can equally show you the video of those statements I made when I was campaigning for the National Assembly in my first tenure and I can show you the video of what I have said when I am campaigning for my second tenure,” he said.

According to the lawmaker, the statement was never a point of contention when he campaigned for the House of Assembly or his initial term in the House of Representatives.

“Why was that not a problem to them when I was campaigning for the House of Assembly and my first tenure as a member of the House of Representatives?” he asked.

“When I always say ‘we know whom’ I don’t say, ‘who we know’ they should listen carefully.”

Gagdi mentioned that when he says ‘we know whom,’ he means ‘we know God.’ He stated that his opponents may be underestimating the power of faith, asserting, “Maybe I am confronting someone who thinks his power can give him what God cannot give him.”

“Therefore, the need for me to always, with strength, tell my opponents that ‘we know whom you know but you don’t know whom we know’.

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Atiku Envious Of Tinubu’s Position, Misconstrues Nigeria’s Realities – Presidency

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The Presidency says former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, is envious of President Bola Tinubu’s position, an office the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the 2023 election has unsuccessfully sought six times.

The ex-VP was criticised by the Presidency for proposing economic reforms and anti-corruption measures in a recent tweet titled, “What We Would Have Done Differently.”

A State House release on Sunday signed by the presidential Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, claimed that since Atiku’s loss to Tinubu, he has “shown more interest in undermining President Bola Ahmed Tinubu than in addressing his party’s internal crises. We suspect he is envious of Tinubu’s position—an office he has unsuccessfully sought six times.

The statement partly read, “It is perplexing that he would elevate his untested, hypothetical proposal, which Nigerians soundly rejected during the 2023 presidential election, as a superior alternative to the multi-faceted reform programmes implemented by the Tinubu administration. If his plan lacked popular appeal, he must accept that repackaging it will not address the social and economic challenges his People’s Democratic Party (PDP) left after 16 years in power.”

The statement further noted that Atiku’s economic analysis demonstrated a significant misunderstanding of Nigeria’s current realities, saying “His narrative, ‘What We Would Have Done Differently’, indicates a lack of awareness of the pressing economic needs, which are now being addressed through President Tinubu’s leadership.

“What reforms would Atiku propose in his hypothetical presidency? While he suggests a consultation period upon assuming office, the Nigerian economy requires immediate, decisive action. A leader must be ready to tackle challenges from Day One, as President Tinubu has done.

“Atiku went further to accuse President Tinubu of ‘stealing his presidency,’ which exposes his sense of entitlement and disconnect from the electorate. Tinubu rightfully won the presidency, a position Atiku was unqualified for due to his arrogance, insensitivity to Nigeria’s diversity, and his disregard for his party’s power rotation arrangement between North and South after eight years of President Muhammadu Buhari.”

According to the Presidency, Atiku’s idea of a consultation period upon entering office shows a troubling lack of awareness regarding the state of the economy, which was in dire need of urgent action.

It hailed Tinubu’s administration for a firm action plan to address the shortcomings that persisted during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s time when Atiku was vice president.

“Atiku’s idea of a consultation period upon entering office shows a troubling lack of awareness regarding the state of the economy, which was in dire need of urgent action. The Tinubu administration came prepared with a firm action plan to address the shortcomings that persisted during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s time when Atiku was vice president.

“We can only speculate what detrimental impact Atiku’s proposed lengthy town hall and Village Square meetings would have had on Nigeria’s economy if he had been elected president and taken such an approach. The country needed a proactive leader such as Tinubu, who immediately set to work on addressing economic challenges rather than one who would have squandered precious time on consultations and a questionable privatisation agenda.

“Atiku’s critiques of Tinubu’s presidency are mere harebrained propositions devoid of realistic alternatives. He must reckon with the decades of mismanaged economy inherited by the current administration, including exorbitant subsidy expenditures far exceeding government earnings from crude oil.

“As of mid-2023, the landing cost of fuel was between N500 and N600, while it was sold nationwide at an average of N200. The 2023 budget allocated N3.36 trillion for fuel subsidies until June 2023 against a projected N2.23 trillion in oil revenue for the year. The Nigerian state was on life support.”

It added that instead of conjuring imaginary scenarios, the former vice president should engage with these urgent realities.

The statement further read, “The estimated N5.4 trillion savings from subsidy removal in 2024 are being actively directed toward infrastructure development and social intervention programmes, initiatives that will benefit all tiers of government and enhance Nigerians’ quality of life.

“We expect Atiku to commend what the Tinubu administration has done concerning revenue generation for the Federation. Without factoring in oil sales, revenue proceeds generated by the Federal Inland Revenue Service almost doubled in the first half of 2024, compared with the level Tinubu met in 2023. The states and councils are more prosperous because of it, as many states have increased the minimum wage for their workers to between N70,000 and N85,000.

“Atiku’s proposal to privatise the four government-owned refineries, which collectively can only meet a fraction of the nation’s daily fuel consumption when activated, lacks originality.

“In 2007, investors were only willing to offer $160 million for 51% equity in the Port Harcourt Refinery, while the Kaduna Refinery had an offer of $102 million. According to industry experts and the late President Umar Musa Yar’Adua, Nigeria’s Head of State at the time, who cancelled the sale of the refineries by the Obasanjo-Atiku government, the offered bids were considered scrap value.

“As vice president, Atiku oversaw the sale of the nation’s assets to private individuals and cronies at low prices. Today, most public enterprises Atiku sold have been stripped and become dead assets.

“The model of farming the completely rehabilitated refineries to private sector managers at an agreed-upon rate of return to the government, as adopted by Tinubu’s government, is more practical and value-laden than selling our national patrimony to some private interests that are not technically capable of operating the refineries. The Tinubu administration focuses on revitalising these refineries while supporting modular refineries and the Dangote Refinery, which has greater capacity.

“This approach will guarantee domestic production and stabilise retail prices by reducing foreign exchange challenges. It includes selling crude oil to the refineries in Naira, enabling potential cost reductions that could reflect in retail prices.

“Regarding Atiku’s allegations of corruption within the NNPC, the fuel subsidy has historically been the leading corruption enabler in the state-owned oil company. President Tinubu’s removal of this subsidy eliminated the most significant incentive for corruption within the NNPC. During his eight-year tenure as Vice President, Atiku and his boss had an opportunity to address this issue but failed to make any significant reforms in the oil sector.

“In any case, is it not ironic that an Atiku, who was entangled in corruption allegations, including one in which his wife was indicted and his business associate, former US Congressman William Jefferson, was jailed for 13 years, is now talking about corruption matters?

“The suggestion of phased-out subsidy removal is an outdated approach that has historically led to fiscal challenges for countries like Indonesia, which Atiku references. Nigeria has gradually phased out subsidies since 1978, with numerous adjustments made. Fuel prices were adjusted 22 times between 1978 and 2020. Rather than pushing for unrealistic timelines, Atiku should recognise the necessity of President Tinubu’s bold reforms.

“Notably, while Atiku peddles his economic fantasies, he has yet to denounce President Tinubu’s removal of the fuel subsidy because he knows that the reform was necessary and correct. We can only urge him to purge himself of the petty, derisive politics of a sore loser.

“To alleviate the effect of the fuel subsidy removal on the very poor and vulnerable, the Tinubu administration has embarked on an active social intervention campaign involving cash transfers and the distribution of palliatives. So far, 20 million Nigerians are being targeted for direct cash transfers, an established social protection mechanism described as economically transformative by the World Bank and many development partners. The Tinubu administration has designed well-targeted social inclusion programmes, including student loans, consumer credits, and the Presidential CNG Initiative, all initiated within the first 12 months.

“In his foreign exchange management proposal, Atiku declared that a fixed exchange rate system was out of the question. Yet his managed float proposal, another gradualist approach, is still the same as the old fixed exchange rate system, which stagnated the national economy by subsidising forex up to $1.5 billion monthly to a privileged few.

“Atiku should remember that a managed float is also known as a dirty float because of its inherent flaws. The system combines elements of fixed and floating exchange rates. The CBN will still have to set the exchange rate and make it available to people and businesses. Access is not guaranteed to all, as it is now.

“In conclusion, Atiku’s economic proposals fail to present a viable alternative to Tinubu’s decisive reforms. We encourage him to reassess his approach and repair his reputation as a statesman. The rejection of his proposals in the 2023 election indicates that Nigerians will be reluctant to entertain his future political ambitions.

“President Tinubu remains focused on leading Nigeria toward a prosperous future and addressing our nation’s real challenges. Atiku Abubakar should abandon his politics of distraction and fantasies and focus on constructive discourse.”

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Ondo Guber: IGP Egbetokun Bans Amotekun, Vigilante Corps From Poll

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The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has said the police will not require the assistance of Amotekun, the South-West security outfit, in the November 16 Ondo governorship election.

He stated that comprehensive plans have been made to ensure a peaceful gubernatorial poll in the state.

Force spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a statement issued on Sunday, said the IGP has ordered the strategic deployment of adequate personnel, resources, and state-of-the-art equipment for the election.


Adejobi noted that officers from various specialized units, including the Special Intervention Squad, Police Mobile Force (PMF), Counter-Terrorism Unit (CTU), Special Protection Unit (SPU), Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit, K-9 Unit, Federal Investigation and Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT), and Federal Intelligence and Security Task Force (FID-STS), are working with other security agencies to ensure orderliness during the vote.

According to him, officers will adhere strictly to the guidelines of the Electoral Act 2022 to ensure fairness and transparency.

“In addition to ground personnel, aerial patrols will be conducted with police helicopters, while gunboats will patrol the state’s waterways and riverine areas to ensure security across all terrains.

“These comprehensive measures will serve as a deterrent to any attempt to disrupt the electoral process and will enhance the overall stability of the elections.

“The IGP has also issued a stern warning to political thugs and any individuals or groups who may contemplate acts of violence or disruption before, during, or after the election: they will face the full force of the law.

“The message is clear — those who attempt to jeopardize the peace and security of the state will not go unpunished,” he said.

The Force image maker added that the IGP reaffirmed the established guidelines governing election security management in Nigeria, stressing that no quasi-security organization, including state-backed groups like Vigilante Corps or Amotekun, will be permitted to participate in the election process.

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Obaseki’s Whereabouts Unknown 72 Hours Before Handover, Okpebholo Alleges

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By Augustine Akhilomen

…Says Outgoing Gov Wants To Frustrate Transition Of Power 

Edo State Governor-elect, Senator Monday Okpebholo has alleged that the whereabout of outgoing governor Godwin Obaseki is unknown before his official departure from office.

In a statement issued and signed by Godspower Inegbe on Sunday, Okpebholo alleged that Obaseki hired a bus and disguised while escaping from Edo State.

He noted that Obaseki is making the false claims to shift attention away from his sinister plans to leave the country through the land borders.

Okpebholo said Edo people are worried by Obaseki’s reckless statements and urged him to evaluate his state of mind.

Obaseki had earlier claimed that Okpebholo failed to invite him to the upcoming inauguration.

Responding to this, Okpebholo dismissed the claim as “laughable and absurd,” stating that Obaseki had made no effort to facilitate a peaceful power transfer or extend an invitation for a meeting.

“Since I was declared the winner, Obaseki has done everything possible to frustrate the transition process. He has neither invited me for discussions nor offered a tour of the Government House. Has he even called to congratulate me?” Okpebholo queried.

The Governor-elect reiterated that he won the September 21st election convincingly and was confident the tribunal would uphold his victory.

“Obaseki is still licking his wounds of defeat and is yet to accept the reality. Edo people, through the ballot, rejected the planned continuation of Obaseki’s satanic government through his glorified stooge, Asue Ighodalo,” he mocked Obaseki.

He also warned Obaseki of potential legal repercussions once his immunity lapses.

“Although I am a man of peace, I will not stand by while he continues to distort the truth. When his immunity ends, Obaseki will be held accountable for his statements in court,” Okpebholo stated firmly.

Addressing Obaseki’s tenure, Okpebholo urged the people of Edo State to look forward to a new chapter of development.

“Obaseki should face the reality of his administration’s failures, account for the funds misappropriated, and apologize for the stagnation of progress over the past eight years. It’s time for Edo to move forward,” he concluded.

Okpebholo called on Edo citizens to disregard Obaseki’s “irresponsible” statements and rally behind the incoming administration to foster positive change and growth in the state.

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