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APC: Buhari, Tinubu In Game Of Wits
Loyalists of President Muhammadu Buhari, those of Senate President Bukola Saraki and the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator Bola Tinubu are locked in a game of wits over the control of the ruling party.
National chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, is at the centre of the intrigues, which have left party faithful in confusion so far.
Party nsiders, who confided to newsmen, are however, wondering whether President Buhari would allow Tinubu get the better of the national chairman, whom they believe offended the former Lagos governor by switching to the side of the President shortly after the former backed him to emerge as chairman.
Some of them are also curious about the position of the President on unfolding drama involving the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the affairs of the party, with which is alleged to have the fingerprints of the former Lagos governor over it.
Equally, some party faithful are asking whether the president will allow the incumbent National Working Committee (NWC) which has supported him go without having a hand on the next occupants of top party seats.
Though President Buhari had asked Tinubu to reconcile the warring factions in the party, sources had confirmed long before now that the president and Saraki are aware Tinubu does not hide his key ambition of seeing Odigie-Oyegun removed as chairman.
Indeed, a source had claimed that Tinubu’s main motivation for taking over the reconciliation job was because of the opportunity he could see Odigie-Oyegun out of the national chairman’s post.
Investigations by our source confirmed that Tinubu had told the NWC to start preparing its hand over notes and set the stage for congresses and convention.
At the very first interaction he had with the NWC, Tinubu was quoted as telling the Oyegun-led NWC that extension of tenure is not written in the party’s constitution.
Even at that, there were no visible plans on the ground to suggest the NWC, whose tenure lapses in April, had commenced plans for a national convention.
It was gathered that the EFCC, which was acting on a petition against the chairman and members of the NWC, had visited the party secretariat twice in the last one week and also invited the party’s Chief Accountant for questioning.
Sources said the plan of those who invited the EFCC into the unfolding saga was to force out Odigie-Oyegun, using the report of the anti-graft agency, which they believed would be “damaging.”
Sources hinted that the EFCC had already questioned the payment of the sum of N600 million to the account of a member of the NWC besides other discoveries.
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.