Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Thursday 28th January 2021
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 28/01/21
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E2%80%93-makinde Why I Went To Meet President Buhari In Aso Villa – Makinde
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State on Wednesday met with President Muhammadu Buhari to discuss the security situation in the state, declaring that his administration would continue to take the fight against bandits, hoodlums, armed robbers and kidnappers seriously.
He said; “The tension will definitely go down if a lot of our youths are gainfully employed. So, I briefed the President on what we are doing in that regard.”
Makinde, who addressed State House correspondents in Abuja, identified the real enemies of the state as criminal elements.
He equally sought greater synergy between the state and the federal security agencies, noting that collaborations are required for the state’s security plans to work effectively.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, indicated that Makinde told the newsmen that he was in Abuja to brief the President on the security situation in Oyo.
The governor said: “I came to brief the President on the security situation in Oyo State. There has been a lot of fake news all around and I wanted to be sure that the President clearly has first-hand information from me, which I did.
“We also exchanged ideas about what we need to do better; some of the programmes we have put in place to ensure that this security issue is tackled. So, that’s basically why I came here.
“The issue that I discussed with Mr. President is the fact that Oyo State landmass is quite big. Oyo State is close to 29,000 square kilometres. And the state right now only has two Mobile Police Squadrons.
“So, I requested for more Mobile Police Squadrons to be deployed to Oyo State and also asked for support for the joint security outfit because the underlying issue here also has to do with limited opportunities. The tension will definitely go down if a lot of our youths are gainfully employed. So, I briefed the President on what we are doing in that regard.
“We have a history of living together peacefully among all the ethnic groups that are present in Oyo State. For instance, what triggered all of these was that Dr. Aborode was brutally murdered; that is criminal. But on the other hand, the Seriki, Alhaji (Saliu) Kabir, has been staying in that same place for 40 years. So, quite frankly, the people we are after are criminals – they are the bandits, hoodlums, armed robbers, kidnappers. Those are the true enemies of the state and those are the people we will go after.
“The Constitution of Nigeria guarantees that you can live in any part of Nigeria. You just have to be law-abiding and obey the local laws in such areas. That is what we are pushing for and will continue to push for as a government.”
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Scores Of Shops Destroyed As Fire Guts Trailer Park In Ibadan
Several shops have been razed in a fire incident at a trailer park in Akinyele community in Ibadan, Oyo State.
It was gathered that the incident happened around 4am on Wednesday.
The Director of Operations, Oyo State Fire and Safety Services, Adeleke Ismail, said, “Our men attended to the fire incident in record time after being alerted. Our people were called and we responded.
“The fire started from one of the dilapidated shops and spread to other shops. We cannot determine the number of shops that were gutted by fire. Only the containers and structures built with iron or blocks can be counted.
“We cannot assess the affected items. They were dealing with eatable items and materials such as electronics and wears. As you know, it is a place where trailers park and commercial vehicles also load. There are food vendors and there are brothels there.”
Speaking with journalists in Ibadan, Fagbemi Segun, media aide to the Caretaker Chairman of Akinyele Local Government Area, Taoreed Adedigba, said, “Early this morning, the chairman received a distress call about a fire incident at the trailer park of Akinyele Local Government Area.
“The total number of shops that were razed by fire has yet to be known but we learnt that the fire outbreak started around 4am this morning. For now, nobody can ascertain the source of the fire.
“The chairman immediately rushed to the point of the incident to assess the situation after contacting all the necessary security personnel, including the fire service, the police and the Amotekun corps.”
Items reportedly destroyed in the inferno include food and provision, household wares, spare parts, kegs of diesel and other articles of trade.
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Don’t Expect Dramatic Change From New Service Chiefs, Northern Elders Warn
Northern Elders’ Forum has warned Nigerians not to expect any dramatic change in the security situation in the country with the appointment of new security chiefs.
The Northern elders said their performance will be largely determined by the Commander-in-Chief.
The Director, Publicity and Advocacy for the forum, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja, urged the President to hold service chiefs and senior commanders accountable for successes and failures.
Baba-Ahmed also urged the new service chiefs to live up to the expectations of Nigerians in tackling the security challenges ravaging the country so as not to dash their hopes.
It read, “In our current circumstances where the nation is being swamped by old and new security challenges, a change of leadership in our Armed Forces should be a signal that President Muhammadu Buhari accepts the need to effect major changes in his disposition to security issues and improvements in the nation’s capacities to deal with security and public safety.
“Nigerians will hope that these changes, even if belated, are intended as a response to the persistent demands for changes at leadership levels as part of the requirements to improve professionalism, morale and integrity of command structures of our Armed Forces.
“The Forum warns the nation not to be misled into thinking that these changes will dramatically change the nation’s fortunes in its fight against multiple security threats.
“The new service chiefs will be a lot more effective if they are inspired by a Commander-In-Chief who adopts an involved and active interest in their conduct, records and performances.
“President Buhari must therefore reduce his distance from defence and security matters, and hold service chiefs and senior commanders accountable for successes and failures.
“The new service chiefs have been part of the military that has been severely challenged in the fight against a decade-old insurgency and many other threats. The only way they can retain the confidence of Nigerians is to substantially improve on the records of their predecessors.
“The Forum believes that the priorities of the new service chiefs should include real improvements in professional standards and morale of fighting men and women as well as fighting corruption within the Armed Forces.
“They will be aware that our frustrations regarding access to vital weapons and criticisms from foreign and domestic monitors of the war are related to the manner our Armed Forces execute the war, and it will be important for them to lead a military which will operate with higher standards of respect for rules of engagement.
“The Forum invites the nation’s attention to the need to rise in support of leaders to reduce tension and other threats to our security. Events unfolding in the South-West, particularly inflammatory comments and threats by groups and individuals represent existential threats to the whole nation.
“All Nigerians must eschew the temptation to tamper with sensitive matters in pursuit of narrow goals. The Forum repeats its call on President Buhari to summon a meeting of governors, leadership of security and intelligent services and other Nigerians with capacities to advise and assist in de-escalating tensions in the South-West.”
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Police Shoot Another Shiite Member In Abuja
Hassan Mohammad, a member of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), popularly known as Shiites, was shot by the police during a peaceful protest in Abuja on Wednesday.
This comes barely 24 hours after another member of the group was shot dead during a clash between anti-riot policemen and protesting members of the group on Tuesday.
The protest kicked off at Banex Plaza, with members of the group chanting anti-government songs to demand the release of their leader, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, and his wife, Zeenat, from the Kaduna Correctional Centre.
The protest came to an abrupt end at Plaza junction shortly after which police arrived at the scene and opened fire on members who were already boarding their vehicles to leave the premises.
Mohammad, an indigene of Pandogari village in Niger State, was reportedly shot in the stomach twice and had been receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital.
The Secretary, Academic Forum of the Movement, Abdullahi Musa, told SaharaReporters that the police opened fire at members of the group when they had concluded the protest and were about to leave for their various destinations.
He said, “We wanted to hold the protest around NITEL junction but we saw about 20 vehicles of policemen and soldiers and other security personnel ready to attack us. So, we moved to Banex Plaza and started the protest there and we terminated it at Banex junction.
“Our members were about to enter their vehicles and leave for their various houses but the police arrived and fired at us and the bullets hit the man right inside the vehicle two times.”
On Tuesday, one person was reportedly shot dead during a clash between anti-riot policemen and protesting members of the group.
Tuesday’s protest kicked off at the National Human Rights Commission junction in the Maitama area of Abuja, with members of the group also demanding the release of El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenat.
It was learnt that a detachment of armed policemen, upon sighting the crowd near Transcorp Hilton junction, fired teargas canisters and live bullets to disperse them.
One of the protesters was said to have been shot in the stomach while some others sustained injuries.
Musa confirmed that the member of the group shot on Tuesday died as a result of the gunshot injury he sustained in his stomach.
The situation was said to have caused pandemonium in the area as motorists and passersby ran in different directions to avoid being caught in the melee.
One person was also shot in the hand on Monday when the police swooped on the sect at the Federal Secretariat, Abuja, during a similar procession.
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E2%80%93-falana-led-coalition Appointment Of New Service Chiefs Illegal, Unconstitutional – Falana-led Coalition
Femi Falana, SAN.
The Alliance for the Survival of COVID- 19 and Beyond (ASCAB), on Wednesday said the appointments of service chiefs on Tuesday by President Muhammadu Buhari without National Assembly’s approval did not conform to Section 18 (1) and (2) of the Armed Forces Act, Cap. A20, Laws of the Federation.
President Buhari had on Tuesday removed service chiefs and appointed a new set of officers to replace them.
Femi Falana, SAN.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, in a statement titled, ‘President Buhari appoints new service chiefs,’ named officers who would head the nation’s armed forces.
According to him, they include Chief of Defence Staff, Major-General Lucky Irabor; Chief of Army Staff, Major-General I. Attahiru; Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral A. Z. Gambo, and the Chief of Air Staff, Air-Vice Marshal Isiaka Amao.
In a statement on Wednesday, ASCAB chairman, Femi Falana (SAN), said the appointment was not in compliance with the relevant provisions of the Constitution and the Armed Forces Act.
He said, “Yesterday, President Buhari was reported to have appointed new service chiefs for the armed forces. Upon a critical review of the law on the subject matter, the members of the Alliance on Surviving Covid-19 and Beyond (ASCAB) have found that the appointments remain inchoate as President Muhammadu Buhari has not forwarded the names of the proposed service chiefs to the National Assembly for approval in strict compliance with the relevant provisions of the Constitution and the Armed Forces Act.
“The appointments of service chiefs without the concurrence of the National Assembly which had been the practice since 1999 was challenged in the Federal High Court sometime in 2008 by Mr. Festus Keyamo SAN (the current Minister of State in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity) in the case of Keyamo v President Goodluck Jonathan (unreported Suit No FHC/ABJ/ CS/611/2008).
“In his landmark judgment delivered on July 2, 2013, Adamu Bello J. (as he then was) held that it was illegal and unconstitutional, null and void for the President to singlehandedly appoint service chiefs without the approval of the National Assembly having regards to the combined effect of section 218 of the Constitution and section 18 (1) & (3) of the Armed Forces Act.
“Because it was acknowledged that the judgment was sound and unimpeachable, the Federal Government did not challenge any aspect of it at the Court of Appeal. To that extent, the judgment is binding on all authorities and persons in Nigeria in accordance with the provisions of section 287of the Constitution.
“ASCAB is therefore compelled to call on President Muhammadu Buhari to forward the names of the proposed service chiefs to both houses of the National Assembly for confirmation forthwith. Otherwise, the said appointments are liable to be set aside on the basis of the valid and subsisting judgment of the Federal High Court.”
Section 18 (1) and (2) of the Armed Forces Act, Cap. A20, Laws of the Federation as seen by SaharaReporters read, “The President, may , after consultation with the Chief of Defence Staff and subject to confirmation by the National Assembly, appoint such officers (in this Act referred to as ‘the Service Chiefs’) as he thinks fit, in whom the command of the Army, Navy and Air Force, as the case may be, and their reserves shall be vested; (2) The Service Chiefs shall be known (a) in the case of the Army, as the Chief of Army Staff; (b) in the case of the Navy, as the Chief of Naval Staff; and (c) in the case of the Air Force, as the Chief of Air Staff.”
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E2%80%93-igangan-residents How Seriki Fulani, Son Helped Arrested Fulani Herders Evade Justice – Igangan Residents
Residents of Igangan in the Ibarapa Local Government Area of Oyo State have narrated how Ibrahim Saliu, son of the Seriki Fulani of Igangan, Saliu Abdulkadir, freed herdsmen arrested for committing crimes in the area.
President, Igangan Development Advocates, Wale Oladokun, disclosed this in a statement titled, ‘What actually happened between Sunday Igboho, Seriki Fulani and Ibarapa residents.’
SaharaReporters had earlier reported how the Seriki Fulani of Igangan, Abdulkadir, dismissed a claim that the Fulani working with him were some of the kidnappers and murderers terrorising the area.
Also, Yoruba freedom fighter, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has consistently blamed Fulani herdsmen in the area for the killings and kidnappings in the region.
On Wednesday, the IDA president said the Seriki Fulani, who had lived in the town for several years before his eviction last week, served as the “protective shield and supreme defender of vicious Fulani herders for several years throughout Ibarapaland”.
Oladokun said, “He (Seriki) would send his children, prominent among whom was Ibrahim Saliu, to serve as the mouthpiece for arrested vicious herders even for grievous offences that ought to be charged to court.
“Once the Seriki Saliu or children stepped into any case involving the Fulani, no matter how grievous, the case would be swept under the carpet as the scale of justice would be tipped (in their favour).
“This heightened the impunity with which these herders unleashed terror on the Ibarapa people. They became so emboldened that they started killing and maiming indigenes with glee. And before long, kidnapping too was added as their weapon of subjugation cum business venture.”
Oladokun said the people of Ibarapa were the ones who effected the ejection of the Seriki while Sunday Igbobo only combed the remote forests serving as hideouts to the bandits to ensure the security of the land.
The IDA President also accused the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, of abandoning the people of the area for long despite their cries for help against the oppression of the Seriki and the Fulani herdsmen.
“The youths of Ibarapa cried to Governor Seyi Makinde in a protest led by Igangan Development Advocates shortly after the murder of Dr. Fatai Aborode. But the deaths of many Ibarapa indigenes occasioned by Fulani bandits never attracted the attention of Mr. Governor.
“But now, Mr. Governor suddenly woke up and saw the need to visit the hotspot in company with the Inspector General’s representatives and Council of Obas. The question is: ‘where were they since?’
“Mr. Governor should be advised to deal with this crisis in his hands very cautiously and carefully so as not to reignite the fire he claimed he was trying to put out. Arresting Mr. Sunday Adeyemo (Igboho), for instance, would not solve the problem but escalate it. A word should be enough for the wise.”
There has been tension in the Ibarapa area of Oyo State as a result of worsening cases of kidnapping and killing. The tension escalated when Igboho gave Fulani herdsmen a seven-day ultimatum to vacate the area.
He also accused the Seriki Fulani of Igangan of colluding with the suspected killer herdsmen and taking shares from the ransoms they get from families of their abducted victims.
Some days after he gave the ultimatum, the residence and cars of the Seriki Fulani were burnt and the Fulani leader and his family had to flee for their lives.
Similarly, one of Igboho’s houses in Ibadan was also burnt on Tuesday, sparking speculations that the arson might be a retaliation by Fulani herdsmen for the burning of the Seriki Fulani of Igangan’s house.
Also, on Tuesday, operatives of Amotekun in the state intercepted a truck loaded with gunmen suspected to be herdsmen heading to Igangan community in the recently troubled Ibarapa.
The truck, with registration number TUR30ZY, is registered with Kebbi State and the Amotekun officials found 25 guns and 10 dogs in the truck alongside the suspects.
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E2%80%99-syndicate-sends-false-records-nysc ABU Management Shields Fake Certificates’ Syndicate, Sends False Records To NYSC
The authorities of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, have refused to investigate a syndicate which was reported to be issuing fake certificates in the institution, workers confirmed to SaharaReporters on Wednesday.
The syndicate allegedly issued one of such fake certificates to one Shafaatu Abdullahi, a female student who was given a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics, Second Class Upper result, but when it was brought to the attention of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Kabir Bala, he allegedly ignored it.
SaharaReporters gathered that the student’s records had already been sent by the institution to the National Youth Service Corps for mobilisation and she is participating in the NYSC Batch B orientation with fake results.
SaharaReporters had done a report in December 2020 about how some ABU staff members revealed that a syndicate in the university had been issuing fake university certificates to fraudulent students.
It had been reported that one of the aggrieved workers, attached to the Directorate of Academic Planning, Monitoring and Registry, wrote an anonymous letter to the ABU Vice-Chancellor, asking him to investigate the syndicate which was soiling the reputation of the university.
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Syndicate In ABU Issuing Fake Certificates To Students, Workers tell VC
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In the letter obtained by SaharaReporters, the workers explained that one of such instances was a Bachelor of Science in Physics, Second Class Upper Division certificate, issued to a female student who had already been withdrawn from the school since 2015.
The said female student was withdrawn for poor performance, but the syndicate helped her to secure the ABU certificate.
SaharaReporters was informed on Wednesday that the VC dismissed the matter and the said female student had been cleared already to participate in the one-year mandatory NYSC programme.
The source said, “Recall your publication on the student who was issued a fake ABU Zaria, our VC simply dismissed the matter without investigating the student whose records, including phone number, residential address, etc. could be traced in the Department of Physics where she was withdrawn since 2015.
ABU Result slip.pdf
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“Due to this inaction from the VC of ABU Zaria, the said expelled student is now mobilised in the NYSC Scheme Batch B; 2020, with the same ABU fake results. We have the call-up letter of the withdrawn student, who despite our warning of an impending ploy to get her enrolled in the NYSC scheme, was not taken seriously by the VC. Could this expelled student be a daughter of a very important person?”
“We, the staff of the Registry and Academic Planning and Monitoring Unit, have confirmed that this student, with Registration Number, U15/PY/2014, was fraudulently assisted and has registered and obtained the NYSC call-up letter. The NYSC should know about this fraud. We attached the fake results,” another source added.
NYSC Mobilisation II.pdf
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The letter exposing the syndicate and written to the VC was also sent to the Registrar, Director, Academic Planning, the Academic Staff Union of Universities and the Non-Academic Staff of Universities, but no action had yet to be taken.
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EFCC Finds N1.76billion With Ex-President Jonathan Minister’s Brother Who Earned N33,000 Monthly
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission revealed on Wednesday that its operatives found a credit entry of N1.76 billion in the account of one Abdullahi Maigwandu Bagudu, whose monthly salary was N33,000, noting that it immediately suspected money laundering.
The EFCC noted that Bagudu was a brother of Tanimu Turaki, a former Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs under President Goodluck Jonathan.
The commission said that after it did its cash work analysis, network analysis and realised “that Bagudu cannot be the owner of the account”, it was found that the account was actually managed by the former minister.
The trial of Turaki continued on Wednesday before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, with the 12th prosecution witness, Bello Hamma’Adama, narrating to the court how funds earmarked for the sensitisation of Muslim youths were redirected to the account of Turaki’s wife.
Bello, an operative attached to the Chairman’s Monitoring Unit of the EFCC, while being led in evidence by M. S. Abubakar, told the court that sometime in 2017, the EFCC received intelligence on the activities of the first defendant, Kabiru Turaki, a minister between 2013 and 2015 during which he also doubled as Chairman, Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North.
He told the court that the first defendant was profiled, leading to the discovery of the activities of the other defendants. Consequently, letters of investigation activities were written to relevant authorities, while documents received were analysed.
According to a release from the EFCC, Bello told the court that N359,104,000 was paid into the account of the Ministry of Special duties for the sensitisation of Muslims to the achievements of Jonathan but the money was disbursed suspiciously, which led the EFCC to follow the trail.
“Bello further revealed to the court that the balance of N159,104,000 from the account of the Ministry of Special Duties was transferred to different individuals with the narration – Sensitisation, including one Abdullahi Maigwandu Bagudu who got N45 million, another Abdulrahman Yusuf got N50 million, Samson Okpetu the second defendant got N20 million while another got N30 million.
“The witness further told the court that Maigwandu, who earned a monthly salary of N33,000, had a credit entry of N1.76 billion in his account and the transactions came in tranches of N10 million or N5 million, adding that ‘we suspected money laundering, so we did cash work analysis, network analysis and realised that he cannot be the owner of the account. Every transaction in the account belonged to the first defendant who happens to be his brother,’” the EFCC said.
Bello also told the court that Maigwandu transferred the sum of N20 million to the wife of the first defendant, Halima Kabiru Turaki; another N20 million to a company and another N5 million was withdrawn in China through an ATM to purchase furniture.
The witness told the court that the wife of the first defendant, when she was invited, told the EFCC on the record that “she is only a house wife and has never done any contract or carried out any sensitisation exercise for the Special Duties Ministry.”
The trial has been adjourned till February 9 and 10, 2021, for continuation of hearing.
Turaki, his special assistant, Sampson Okpetu, and two companies – Samtee Essentials Limited and Pasco Investment Limited – are standing trial on 16 counts of fraud amounting to N714,670, 014.87.
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Buhari Signs Bill Making Use Of Face Masks In Public Compulsory
Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari, has signed the Coronavirus Disease Health Protection Bill 2021 making the use of face masks in public places mandatory, among other measures to curtail the further spread of COVID-19.
The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, disclosed this while addressing journalists on Wednesday.
He said the President signed the document in the exercise of the powers conferred on him by Section 4 of the Quarantine Act, Cap. Q2 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2010.
Part 1 of regulation, which deals with restrictions on gatherings, stipulates that at all gatherings, a physical distance of at least two metres shall be maintained at all times between persons.
It added, “No gathering of more than 50 persons shall hold in an enclosed space, except for religious purposes, in which case the gathering shall not exceed 50 per cent capacity of the space.
“All persons in public gatherings, whether in enclosed or open spaces, shall adhere to the provisions of Part 2 of these Regulations.
“The provisions of these regulations may be varied by Guidelines and Protocols as may be issued, from time to time, by the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 on the recommendation of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.”
In the same vein, Part 2 of the regulation stipulates that no person shall be allowed within the premises of a market, mall, supermarket, shop, restaurants, hotels, event centres, gardens, leisure parks, recreation centres, motor parks, fitness centre or any other similar establishment.
It, however, stated that an exemption is when the person “is wearing a face covering that covers the nose and mouth, he washes his hands or cleaned the hands using hand sanitiser approved by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, and his body temperature has been checked. Any person found to have a body temperature above 38 degrees Celsius shall be denied entry and advised to immediately seek medical attention.”
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E2%80%99s-mop Fresh Political Realignment As NYDG Merges With Seun Kuti’s MOP
After months of negotiation, the Nigerian Youths Democratic Group (NYDG) on Wednesday merged with the Movement of the People (MOP).
According to a statement jointly signed by Seun Kuti, Protem Chairperson of MOP and Kamal Adekola of the NYDG, the need for a formidable party to wrest power out of the hands of the Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress is more urgent than ever.
The group alleged that the APC government has failed Nigerians in all sectors.
The statement read, “It is a great day today as we formally announce the merger of the Nigerian Youths Democratic Group (NYDG) with the Movement of the People (MOP). This is after a series of discussions spanning about three months, and bordering on various ideological issues from the neo-colonial capitalist nature of Nigeria and Africa, to the question of socialist alternative to the question of building a mass revolutionary political party of the oppressed and toiling masses and youth.
“The NYDG was one of the political organisations that developed during the October days of the #EndSARS struggle and was sincerely oriented towards the problematic Nigerian Youths Democratic Party (NYDP) until they too confirmed its shortcomings and opted out, and set out to seek like minds.
“The implication of this development is that the struggle towards concretely building a revolutionary political organisation of the masses and youth capable of taking political power from the rotten hands Nigerian plundering ruling elite ganged up in the APC and Peoples Democratic Party, just got reinforced.
“The NYDG joining the MOP alliance is another major morale booster in the struggle towards registering the MOP in the consciousness of the Nigerian masses and youth and also seeking formal registration with Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
“On INEC, we have no illusions that the body is committed to the content of its name. It is now thirteen days since we wrote them to formally request for the registration requirements of a political party in Nigeria and they have yet to reply. In spite of this, we are proceeding with the tasks of meeting their requirements and we have no illusions about what their response would be, because it is clear that the Nigerian ruling class are desperate to make politics an exclusive reserve of the super-rich capitalists alone.
“We are in no way surprised about the collapse of security around the country (North and South) nor are we surprised by the increase in deadly ethnic–religious tensions in Nigeria. These events of the past days only confirm our perspective that the Nigerian ruling capitalist elite (who are stooges of imperialism) are rotten to the bone and nothing progressive can be expected from them. Rather, they are bound to plunge the society into another insane carnage that could make the civil war in the 1960s look like child’s play, if care is not taken.
“From Katsina State to Igangan, Oyo State, to Orlu, Imo State, the scenario of insecurity and impunity crudely plays out. The responsibility of this barbarism rests solely in the heads of the Buhari – APC regime and the heads of the entire Nigerian ruling class in general.
“There is banditry in the North, as there is banditry in the South. Nigerians know that the government in power is a government of bandits not different from the past ruinous PDP. There are mass protests, actions against killings and insecurity in the North, as there are mass actions against the situation in the South too. It is now 99 days since the military massacred peaceful protesters in cold blood, and now the killing theatre has moved to Orlu.
“Our clarion call remains for the Nigerian masses and youth to unite – South and North – against the ruling class and not to fall for the divide and rule tricks of the ruling class. The crises facing humanity in Nigeria and Africa can only be solved when a unity front of the toiling and oppressed masses and youth is achieved. There are no shortcuts! We stand against any attempt to pitch masses, bloodily, against themselves.
“The Buhari – APC regime and Nigerian ruling class have failed to provide basic security. They are actually the invisible hands behind banditry. They have failed to develop the economy and lift people out of poverty. They have rather intensified economic attacks on the masses on all fronts. Right now, electricity tariffs are going up again, there is no serious response to the ongoing global Covid-19 pandemic, etc. Their economic mispolicies continue to create monstrous levels of poverty in the land.
“All these confirm more dangers ahead and the need to get organised. The Movement of the People (MOP) would continue to agitate on the unity of the people to defeat the forces of backwardness and barbarism the Nigerian ruling class wants to plunge the society into.”
The Movement of the People was originally formed as a political party by the late iconic singer, Fela Kuti, in 1979.
According to Fela, the party was created in order to “clean up society like a mop”. Under the party’s ticket, Fela ran for the presidency of Nigeria but his candidacy was rejected.
In November 2020, Seun revived the party in a press conference broadcast live on social media.
He said the party would stay true to its founder’s original intention.
“The idea is that we liberate the Nigerian people, they might be on this table, but I want to guarantee you that this movement will be the movement to cultivate those minds, those ideas. The pan Africanist and socialist foundation,” Kuti said.
“The movement cannot survive without the Nigerian professionals and the middle class. We have to do the work now to begin to engage those of us in society that have been completely left behind and that have been overlooked.”
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