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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the reported naming of President Muhammed Buhari as African Union (AU) anti-corruption champion as laughable, derisory and eminently qualified as Africa’s joke of the year.

The party said it was clear that leaders of the African Union were not well briefed on happenings in Nigeria, including the heavy sleazes going on around the Buhari presidency and was misled by the APC Federal Government, which plans to use the naming as face-saving stunt for the administration.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement on Monday, said it was embarrassing that the Presidency, in its desperation to launder its irredeemably battered image, would resort to exporting its deceptive proclivities to the international arena.

The party said the AU would not have honoured President Buhari if it knew that what obtains in Nigeria is direct persecution of opposition under the guise of war against corruption, while officials of his government swim head deep in corruption under the overt protection of the Presidency.

“As we speak, those receiving accolades as champions of anti corruption have not yet cleared the air on the leaked memo detailing underhand oil contracts to the tune of N9 trillion ($25billion dollars) at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources which are under President Buhari’s direct supervision as minister.

“They are yet to offer any explanation on series of reported fraud in the oil sector including allegation of the use of 18 unregistered companies to lift and divert N1.1trillion worth of crude oil in the last one year to service APC interests.

“This is a government which has provided cover for its corrupt officials including former state governors, who were indicted of looting funds belonging to their states to sponsor their presidential election in 2015 as well as cronies openly indicted for other various sharp practices, including padding of federal budget, secret oil subsidy deals and stealing of funds meant for fight against insurgency and rehabilitation of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

“Perhaps AU leaders need to know that the Presidency has virtually failed to do anything regarding the heinous diversion of N5 billion meant for the IDPs under the Presidential Initiative on the Northeast for which the Senate mounted a stiff investigation, only because officials of APC government was indicted.

“They might also need to be shown the motion by Senator Baba Kaka Garba from Borno Central, who exposed how some individuals, known to have connections with the APC, fraudulently cornered N1.2 billion from the Federal Government under the guise of supplying items to IDPs, only for the money to be diverted for other purposes which are related to APC interests.

“Furthermore, the AU might need to know that the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), who was openly indicted by the Senate for stealing funds meant for IDP activities, was only arrested after a public outcry but was quickly released with a pat on the wrist, while opposition members facing similar charges are being detained and persecuted with spurious charges in various courts.

“The truth lies bare that the Buhari administration is not engaging in any fight against corruption but political witch-hunt of opposition, while his government reeks with corruption,” the PDP submitted.

BIG STORY

NNPP Factional Chairman Agbo Major Defends Lagos Convention, Says Kwankwaso’s Expulsion Stands

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Agbo Major, the factional national chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), has defended the party’s recent convention in Lagos, calling it legal and legitimate.

Major was on Tuesday elected as the national chairman of the NNPP at a convention held at the RockView Hotel in Apapa, Lagos state. The event was attended by delegates and party officers at both national and state levels.

However, notable party figures, including Abba Yusuf, the governor of Kano state, and Rabiu Kwankwaso, the ex-presidential candidate of the NNPP, were absent from the convention.

In response, Ajuji Ahmed, another factional national chairman, criticized the convention, declaring it “illegal” and asserting that the NNPP remains under his leadership.

At a press conference in Abuja on Saturday, Major explained that the convention provided an opportunity to ratify key decisions, including the expulsion of the Kwankwassiya group. He also stated that the convention ratified the expulsion of Kwankwaso and rejected the purported new logo of the party.

“The recent judgement of the Abia High Court dated 1st November 2024 unequivocally compelled INEC to hand our party to its board of trustees led by Dr Boniface Okechukwu Aniebonam pending the resolution of all issues in courts,” Major said.

“You also recall that the same judgement mandated the BOT to activate all other organs of the party as contained in the party’s constitution (2022 as amended) to enable it to run seamlessly.

“In total compliance with this court judgement, all necessary correspondences were made with INEC and on the 13th of January 2024, the congresses commenced with Wards nationwide. It continued days after with the local government and states as well as the zones.

“However, the national convention which was to be held on 22nd January 2025, was temporarily halted due to an interim order of an FCT High Court.

“It was, however, concluded on the 4th of February 2025 at the Rockview Hotel in Apapa Lagos after the lifespan of the interim order elapsed.”

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BIG STORY

Lagos Assembly May Write President Tinubu Over Obasa — GAC Members

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Lawmakers at the Lagos State House of Assembly are considering writing to President Bola Tinubu regarding the removal of Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker.

According to The Punch, it was gathered that Obasa may be allowed to return to the House and voluntarily resign as Speaker.

This follows a lengthy meeting held by members of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) at the Governor’s Lodge in Marina, Lagos, on Monday, where the decision was made alongside the lawmakers.

GAC members, who spoke with our correspondent, mentioned that the meeting continued on Tuesday, with continued arguments claiming that Obasa’s removal on January 13, 2025, was “illegal” and a disrespect to the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos.

The lawmakers were reportedly directed to write a letter to the party’s national leader, Tinubu, to communicate their positions.

The GAC is the highest decision-making body of the APC in the state, and party members hold the majority of positions in both the Lagos State Government and the state assembly.

During the GAC meeting on Monday, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat were in attendance, alongside the leadership of the House and other lawmakers.

A GAC member, Chief Muraina Taiwo, stated that the council communicated the “mind of the party” to the lawmakers, but the lawmakers had already made up their minds to retain Mojisola Meranda as the Speaker of the House of Assembly.

Meranda, a former deputy speaker, was unanimously elected Speaker following Obasa’s removal.

Chief Taiwo, who recently criticized Obasa’s removal, told The PUNCH in a telephone interview on Tuesday that it was crucial for the lawmakers to allow Obasa to return to the House, where he may consider resigning on his own.

He said, “I’m aware that the GAC told them the mind of the party and the honorable members said they had made up their mind and they stand by it. They decided that they would write all their grievances and send them to Abuja (to the President).”

“Let us wait and see between now and tomorrow (today) or thereafter maybe by the time they come back from Abuja, we know the way forward,” he added.

Furthermore, he emphasized that the lawmakers should not force Obasa to resign, stating, “My stand is that they (the lawmakers) should obey the directive of the leadership (of the party) and allow the speaker to resume work and cooperate with him. To resign, that is his (Obasa’s) own decision, not that they will force him to resign.”

When asked about the directive of the GAC, Taiwo explained, “The directive of the leadership is that they should allow him to continue his work because the leadership has considered that if he has committed any visible offence, we would have known, and they have not reported him before. What they did is not right politically and constitutionally.”

He further stated that it was appropriate for the lawmakers to inform Tinubu of their decisions, saying, “We believe Tinubu is our leader and will continue to be our leader forever.”

Another GAC member, who wished to remain anonymous, confirmed that the lawmakers were indeed instructed to write to Tinubu.

When asked if the lawmakers would apologize to the President for not consulting him before making their decision, as speculated, the GAC member replied, “Yes, yes. They did more than that. They agreed he should resign and reverse the removal, that’s all.”

Earlier reports suggested that Tinubu was opposed to Obasa’s removal and had insisted that it be reversed. Consequently, GAC directed the lawmakers to send two apology letters to the President.

The first letter was to acknowledge their failure to consult party leaders before removing Obasa and to propose that his removal be changed to a voluntary resignation. The second letter, reportedly signed by 17 out of 20 lawmakers from Lagos West, supported Meranda as Speaker despite zoning concerns, and agreed she should serve out her term.

Meanwhile, GAC chairman Chief Tajudeen Olusi, when contacted by The PUNCH on Tuesday, stated that GAC would issue an official position when the time was right. He said, “At the appropriate time, we shall talk.”

When asked if GAC had indeed given the lawmakers directives, Olusi responded, “Have you ever seen a statement issued by the appropriate authority of GAC stating this order?”

“GAC is an organ created by our party and the government for internal assistance to governance in our state so if it is necessary for us to issue a statement, we will do that, so as long as we have not issued any statement authorised by our secretariat, forget about any such information as being official,” Olusi added.

The Lagos State House of Assembly has not responded to inquiries regarding the situation. The House spokesperson, Hon. Ogundipe Olukayode, has not answered calls or text messages as of Tuesday night.

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BIG STORY

Fake News! Asiwaju, First Lady Never Asked Obasa To Return

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  • Ex-Speaker Clutching At Last Straws

 

Since the emergence of Rt. Hon Mojisola Lasbat Meranda as the first female speaker of the Lagos House of Assembly and consequently resumption in office on Monday, January 27, 2025, the Lagos polity had witnessed various activities.

At the inception of her emergence, many had wondered if the impeachment of ex-speaker Mudashiru Obasa would hold water as a result of his absence but the lawmakers that spearheaded the impeachment and the election of Meranda insisted that the process was done to uphold the sanctity and integrity of the House.

Upon the return of Obasa, the ex-speaker, who has refused to leave the official residence of the Speaker of Lagos Assembly, claimed his impeachment and emergence of Meranda were illegal.

However, lawmakers including Hon. Ogundipe Stephen Olukayode and Hon. Abiodun Tobun backed the process of Obasa’s impeachment and the emergence of Meranda with Chapter 5, Section 92 of the Nigerian Constitution, which says a Speaker of House of Assembly or Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly shall vacate the office if he/she ceases to be a member of the House of Assembly otherwise than by reason of the dissolution of the House; When the House first sits after any dissolution of House; or if he/she is removed from office by a resolution of House of Assembly by the votes of not less than two-third majority of the members of the House.

In another twist, the men of the Lagos Command of the Department of State Services (DSS) detained some Lagos lawmakers over the impeachment process. Determined not to renege on their resolutions, members of the Lagos State House of Assembly visited the Shangisha office of the DSS to reaffirm that the removal of the former Speaker was in line with constitutional provisions.

The latest ploy is to use the media in distorting the real issues and spreading false narratives to cause unrest to the Assembly and the new leadership.

Earlier on Sunday, February 2, 2025, there were false reports claiming President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who also doubles as the leader of the All Progressive Congress, has instructed the current leadership of the House of Assembly led by Rt. Hon Meranda to resign for Obasa to return and be reinstated. The report even falsely linked the distinguished First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, to the fake tale noting that she spoke to the president on behalf of Obasa to ensure Meranda and other principal officers resign. This, the report noted, was to avoid political issues ahead of the next elections.

“When it seemed ploys and tactics from the ex-speaker are not yielding expected results, those behind the plots have resorted to sponsoring wild rumours and dropping names,” an inside political source revealed. “The president is the leader of our party and it’s quick to drop his name around in the media to make Obasa seem like one who has a strong backing. All the antics from Obasa that you are seeing are all the ex-speaker clutching to the last straws of what remains of his political career.”

Another source close to the presidency waved off the report as not only a joke but a figment of the writer’s imagination or possibly sponsored by the Obasa camp.

“The people claiming the president wasn’t aware of the removal of Obasa are insulting the president and the security architecture of his administration. How can something like that take place and the DSS and other people handling intelligence will not know. These are ordinary civilian politicians, not military officers who can hold clandestine meetings. So, something of that magnitude happened in Asiwaju’s Lagos and he didn’t know?” the source asked rhetorically.

Continuing, the source revealed that the narrative that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who also serves as the leader of the All Progressive Congress and linking the distinguished first lady, Oluremi Tinubu to the mix is pure lies.

“How can anyone think he wasn’t aware and so he is unhappy with the lawmakers? He had received them in the villa after they were all elected, the same way the governor had received them. If Asiwaju didn’t want it to happen, he would have nipped the plan in the bud and stopped them in their tracks. I insist, something of that political magnitude could not have happened and he would be in the dark.”

Meanwhile, Rt. Hon. Mojisola Lasbat Meranda has resumed office and received dignitaries and association including the executives of National Association of Nigerian Students, representatives from the 1st Assembly to the 9th Assembly of the Lagos State House of Assembly, amongst others while presiding over the plenary sessions in the house without issues.

The facts of the emergence of Rt. Hon. Mojisola Lasbat Meranda is one that is open to the general public.

Rt. Hon. Meranda’s emergence is coming from a place of worth and competence. As one, who never had issues with the former speaker while she held the position of the Deputy Speaker nor contested for the position after the speaker was impeached, it becomes worrisome to many how she emerged.

Some argued that her emergence was influenced by the powers that be but investigation has proven that despite being the immediate younger sister to the Oniru of Iru land, Meranda has achieved popularity and deposited confidence in the consciousness of other lawmakers with her smart, intelligent and brilliant mien. Her elder brother has repeatedly noted that he has no business with the activities in the state assembly as he’s busy with the development of Iru land, hence he has no hand in either her emergence nor her running of the house of assembly activities since her emergence in January 2025.

Meanwhile, Rt. Hon. Meranda has enjoyed unwavering support and backing from the female folks across the state. Aside from her dedication to women, widows, children and youths’ causes, her emergence as the first female speaker in the Lagos Assembly since the inauguration of the first assembly in 1979 has ignited a united front from various women oriented civil and labour organisations across the state.

Meranda, who is a wife, mother, and politician with an impressive resume, is an easy going person, who was voted by the members of the assembly as a result of her worth and the confidence they have in her.

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