News
Certificate Saga: Buhari Must Vacate Office Now, PDP Insists
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, charged President Muhammadu Buhari to save the Judiciary and the nation further troubles by immediately throwing in the towel and vacating the presidential seat.
The PDP gave the call while responding to remark by Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, that Buhari does not know the whereabouts of his WAEC certificate, contrary to his claims and disposition before the law.
A statement by PDP’s spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, said: “Our party mocks the Buhari Presidency for pushing out the video wherein the minister pleaded with Nigerians to pardon President Buhari over his false WAEC certificate claims.
“We note the deliberate ploy of Alhaji Lai Mohammed to appeal to sentiments, seeing that Mr. President had failed to defend himself before the presidential petition tribunal.”
The party berated the Buhari Presidency for “believing that in pushing the video into the public space, it could influence the mind of the tribunal to bend the law after solid evidence has been presented before it against President Buhari.
“PDP holds that the pronouncement and appeal for pardon issued by the government’s spokesperson, who is also a lawyer, is a direct guilty plea, which cannot save President Buhari from the course of justice in this matter.
“From the official pronouncement by the minister on a national television, it is no longer in dispute before all Nigerians that President Buhari does not possess the educational certificate he claimed in the affidavit he deposed to in his presidential nomination form.
“In this latest shenanigan, President Buhari and his handlers ought to have known that the law, which the Judiciary is bound to uphold, is a respecter of no man.”
The PDP reminded President Buhari of how his “Presidency vehemently applied the law in similar circumstance to remove a head of an arm of government; a situation, which renders his plea for pardon a complete nullity before the law.”
The statement added: “PDP holds that if President Buhari indeed seeks for pardon from Nigerians, he should do the needful by toeing the path of honour and vacating the presidential seat without further delay.
“It is disheartening that President Buhari and his All Progressives Congress (APC) would put our nation through the troubles of legal hassles when they knew all the while that they were building something on nothing.”
PDP urged the Judiciary to “consider the evidence before it and rescue our nation by expediting its verdict to point to nothing other than the justice of the matter in the presidential election petition.”
Meanwhile, a former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has dismissed what he described as fake news being circulated by the APC to portray President Muhammadu Buhari as having a West African School Certificate (WASC).
Frank was reacting to a media report, which he alleged was aimed at deceiving Nigerians and also swaying the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal to rule in favour of Buhari.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has tasked troops of Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD to dominate the battlespace and intensify offensive operations against kidnappers, bandits and other criminal elements in the North Central region.
Shaibu gave the directive yesterday during his maiden operational visit to the Headquarters, Joint Task Force North Central (JTF-NC), at Sobi Barracks, Ilorin.
This is contained in a statement by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Appolonia Anele, in Abuja, yesterday.
Shaibu said the Nigerian Army would remain resolute in its constitutional responsibility of safeguarding lives and property, stressing that troops must sustain pressure to decisively deny criminal elements freedom of action.
He assured personnel of continued deployment of combat enablers and operational resources to enhance clearance operations and dismantle criminal hideouts across Kwara and Niger states.
The COAS reaffirmed his commitment to troop welfare, noting that improved welfare remained critical to sustaining morale, operational effectiveness and combat readiness.
He urged the troops to remain disciplined, professional and loyal to the Constitution and the democratically elected government.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander, JTF-NC Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD, Maj.-Gen. Yakubu Yahaya, commended the COAS for his strategic leadership and support.
Yahaya assured that troops would remain committed and steadfast in restoring peace and stability in the region.
The Nigerian Navy says it is expanding training and infrastructure to address emerging security threats and strengthen operational efficiency across formations and units nationwide.
The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Idi Abbas, spoke during the inauguration of projects at the Nigerian Navy Basic Training School (NNBTS) in Onne, Rivers as part of activities marking the Nigerian Navy’s 70th anniversary.
Abbas, represented by the Flag Officer Commanding, Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC), Rear Adm. Ebiobowei Zipele, said the projects reflected significant progress made by the navy since its establishment in 1956 from the British Royal Navy.
“Training and infrastructure have improved significantly to meet contemporary security challenges and fulfil the navy’s constitutional responsibilities.”
According to him, the anniversary provides the navy an opportunity to reflect on its achievements and contributions over the past seven decades.
Projects inaugurated included a remodelled female trainees’ hostel accommodating more than 500 occupants and an expanded golf course upgraded from one to nine holes.
Others were the NNBTS fuel dump, Chief Boatswain’s Mate House, renovated pharmacy department and a new theatre block at the Naval Medical Centre, Onne.
Abbas described the new theatre as a major milestone for the navy’s medical services.
“Previously, injured personnel requiring surgeries were referred outside the facility.
“With this theatre, surgeries can now be conducted within the base.’’
He added that a 30KVA inverter had also been installed to guarantee uninterrupted electricity supply at the training school.
The naval chief assured officers, ratings and trainees that the navy leadership remained committed to their welfare and wellbeing.
“These infrastructure upgrades show the commitment of the Chief of Naval Staff to addressing operational and welfare challenges promptly,” he said.
In addition, NAVTRAC distributed educational materials to pupils of Community Primary Schools One and Two, Ogale, in Ebubu-Eleme area of Rivers.
Items distributed included exercise books, school bags and other writing materials as part of the navy’s civil-military engagement initiative.
Zipele said the outreach was designed to strengthen relations between the navy and host communities while supporting children’s education.
“Education remains critical to national growth and youth empowerment. Some of these pupils may eventually serve in the Nigerian Navy,” he said.
He noted that the initiative demonstrated the navy’s commitment to educational development, peace, security and sustainable community relations.
Zipele urged the pupils to remain disciplined, focused and committed to their studies while embracing patriotism, integrity and hard work.
He thanked the Ebubu community for its continued support for the naval training command headquarters and the navy.
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