News
Buhari under a ‘spell’, being manipulated by nephew – Mustapha Jokolo
Former Emir of Gwandu and ex-ADC to President Muhammadu during his military days has lashed at the President, saying he was under a spell and being controlled by his nephew, Mamman Daura.
In a piece he wrote, he stressed that President Buhari cannot exonerate himself from woes, the nation was undergoing, noting that he allowed himself to be criticised on every side.
He insisted that Buhari’s nephew, Mamman Daura was manipulating him, adding that Mamman Daura should be asked to relocate from the villa to Kaduna so that Mr President could have a breathing space to do what is right and.just.
He wondered how President Buhari would ignore wise counsel without knowing, if something wasn’t wrong somewhere.
The ex-Soldier told Buhari to dissolve his cabinet for a rejig, while he listed those he should give attention, once they advise him.
“As for President Muhammadu Buhari, though I personally believe he is under spell and total control of the cabal led by his nephew, Malam Mamman Daura, he cannot exonerate himself from the atrocities happening in Nigeria.
“Everyone, high and low have offered wise counsel which he is turning deaf ears to. He will not only answer to the Nigerians but worse, he will answer to the divine and Supreme Judge, Almighty Allah SWT here on earth and the hereafter.
“The way he came in supported by majority of Nigerians no other leader in the past had it (17 out of 19 States in the North; 5 out of 6 States in the South West; Edo State in the South South and Imo State in the South East).
“He should kindly listen to the advices given him by such notables like Dr Junaidu Muhammad, Hajiya Najaatu Muhammad, Major General Ishola Williams, Col Abubakar Dangiwa Umar, Simeon Kolawole, Chief Duro Onabule, Dr Ahmad Gummi (when he is not too personal ) Sheik Dahiru Bauchi, Sheik Sherif Saleh, Engineer Daura, Alhaji Tijjani Zangon Daura, Sheik Yahaya Jingir and scores of others too numerous to mention.
“He should send Mamman Daura back to Kaduna, drop two thirds of his ministers, change his Security Chiefs (except DG DSS), change his Personal Staff. All Boards of Parastatals that need change should be changed.
Jokolo launched tirade against former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the former Chief of Defence Staff, Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, describing the elder statemen as “rotten eggs”, for consistently the present administration.
“Recently, President Obasanjo has been relentless in his personal attacks on President Buhari even predicting that Nigeria will soon go to war.
“Recall that in 1983 these same Generals denigrated President Shagari which resulted in the 1983 Coup de tat. We have not forgotten their atrocities in Odi and Zaki Biam. Now they have Bishop Mathiew Kukah and Dr Ahmad Gummi in their sustained call to arms preaching against President Buhari.
“We will not expose their plans and treacherous ploys if they had been honourable, sincere and patriotic. But the whole plots are only self serving and not in the interest of Nigeria!
“Which rulers committed more atrocities in the history of Nigeria like the duo of Olusegun Obasanjo and T.Y Danjuma? We are tired of these rotten eggs continuously messing us up.
“While making new appointments, he should reflect Federal Character as enshrined in the Constitution of Nigeria.
“He should also initiate a Constitutional Review to reduce the preponderance of the National Assembly Members to one Senator per State and one Representative per Senatorial District.
“He should also ensure the compliance of his Executive Order whereby the State Governors should hands off Local Government and State Judiciary Funds. No State Governor should leave his State except on very dire circumstances.
“All State Governors’ Lodges must be sold & funds returned to the State Treasury. Abolish State INEC to allow people choose their representatives without the control of the Governors.
“Monitor the Judiciary and Lawyers at all levels closely and get rid of the bad eggs. Encourage InterFaith Relationship by strengthening NIREC.
“Establish a National Traditonal Rulers Council with State Council of Chiefs Chairmen as members.
“Also have a Commission to discipline the Traditional Rulers like the National Judicial Council is rather than the State Governors . Establish Zonal Presidential Liaison Offices to monitor the Federal and State Activities, to avoid embarrassments like the State Governors hoarding Palliatives, unknown to the Federal Government.
“There should also be Committees at Federal, State and Local Governments Levels charged with moral discipline and prayers for Almighty God’s Salvation and Divine Intervention. May Almighty God defend, protect, guide Nigeria and Nigerians, amen.”
Member representing Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives and Minority Leader of the House, Honourable Kingsley Chinda said, the Tax Reform Bills would serve the interest of citizens of Nigeria.
He spoke in defence of the passage of the recent tax reform bill, describing it as a product of diligent legislative work aimed at serving Nigerians’ interests.
Speaking to journalists at the National Assembly on Wednesday, Hon. Chinda emphasized that effective opposition does not require public confrontations but strategic engagement. He noted that the tax reform bill, initially flawed, was subjected to thorough scrutiny and stakeholder consultations before passage.
“We saw that the bill was not good enough for Nigerians, so we pushed for reforms,” Chinda stated. “We engaged the National Assembly leadership, consulted governors, state parliaments, and civil society groups to ensure the final version better served the people.”
While acknowledging that no law is perfect, he maintained that the revised bill represents significant progress, balancing public interest and economic needs.
On the PDP’s internal crisis, Chinda expressed disappointment over conflicting interpretations of the Supreme Court’s judgment affirming Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the party’s national secretary. He dismissed claims by some members still recognizing Chief Ndubuisi Okoye, describing such actions as misleading.
“The Supreme Court’s ruling was clear—Anyanwu was never lawfully removed and remains our national secretary,” Chinda said. He criticized the party’s National Organizing Secretary for causing confusion and urged members to seek clarification from the Peoples Democratic Party’s legal adviser instead of spreading misinformation.
Chinda, who is a leading opposition voice in the House, called for unity, cautioning against public disputes that damage the party’s image. “We must avoid washing our dirty linen in public. The judgment is final, and we should focus on strengthening the party ahead of future elections,” he advised.
Despite the Peoples Democratic Party’s challenges, Chinda expressed optimism about the party’s resurgence after its upcoming congresses and national convention. He urged members to prioritize Nigeria’s interests over personal ambitions, emphasizing that internal disagreements would not diminish the PDP’s role as a viable opposition.
On concerns about Nigeria drifting toward a one-party system, Chinda dismissed fears, stating that the PDP’s revival depends on strategic repositioning rather than the ruling All Progressives Congress’ actions. “We must go back to the drawing board, put the country first, and rebuild,” he concluded.
The Minority Leader’s remarks underscored his commitment to legislative diligence and party discipline, even as the PDP navigates its current turbulence.
HaAN OPEN LETTER TO ALHAJI ATIKU ABUBAKAR: THE CASE OF GOING TO EQUITY WITHOUT CLEAN HANDS
My attention as a Public Affairs Commentator and Citizen of Wukari in Taraba State has been invited to various invectives of unprecedented dimension directed at His Excellency, Senator Godswill Akpabio, GCON by my brother, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar ostensibly to give oxygen to resurrect his endless political odyssey and sordid presidential ambition. I am weighing into this public narrative to interrogate various disruptions triggered by some notable politicians like Atiku Abubakar in our national life.
It is hardly possible to build anything out of frustration and bitterness. This is sadly the predicament of a one-time Vice President, Atiku Abubakar who is on course to being enlisted in the Guinness Book of Records, as the only person globally, who has unsuccessfully contested for President for six times spanning 33 years.
These bitterness and frustration have beclouded his reasoning. Atiku Abubakar, who is shamefully a dominant mention in every page of the corruption history in Nigeria, an insipid and serial sodomist, could have rather used the Ramadan period to seek for the atonement of his many mortal and monumental sins from the Almighty Allah, but his engagement in chicanery and unbridled umbrage in the most malicious and defamatory manner is the sad characterization of a man reputed for low family values and child abuse.
The series of pernicious lies peddled by Atiku deserve response in this era of positive and innovative Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, which has invited collective actions for the growth and prosperity of Nigeria. Atiku Abubakar’s putrid and repulsive corrupt practices have made Nigerians to reject him for a record six times. A master of failure indeed!
It is an established fact that Atiku Abubakar is the most corrupt Nigerian, having been associated with every high-profile corruption allegation in the country across the private and public sectors. In 1996, the then Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha seized control of the NICOTES shares belonging to him and renamed it Integrated Logistics Services Inc.
In 2006, Atiku was indicted by the EFCC and the Federal Government Administrative Panel of Inquiry after a Special Audit /Forensic Investigation of PTDF from 1999 to May 31, 2006.
Internationally, he is known as a super conman. Atiku’s association with American Congressman William Jefferson, who was jailed for 13 years in 2009 over bribery and other charges is well known to millions of Nigerians.
For those who don’t know, Atiku was the subject of a probe about 15 years ago by the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs chaired by Senator Carl Levin. He was indicted for using offshore companies to siphon about 40 million dollars from Nigeria between 2000 and 2008 to his fourth wife in the United States, Jennifer Iwenjiora Douglas Abubakar (now divorced).
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, whom Atiku served for 8 years as Vice President, in his book ’MY WATCH’, in the chapter, titled “Atiku and US Justice Entanglement”, gave a vivid account of “corrupt involvement” of Atiku with a company called iGATE and William Jefferson. Obasanjo equally linked Atiku to the embezzlement of $20 million, funds that were to be utilized by the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), and another $125 million to fund PTDF during 2003 fiscal year.
The immediate past governor of Kaduna state, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has also spoken eloquently about Atiku’s corrupt adventure. In his book, ’The Accidental Public Servant’, El-Rufai gave a detailed account of Atiku’s corrupt involvement in Ericsson’s deals, the PTDF scandal, Abuja Water Treatment Plant contract and his obsession with marabouts – these marabouts that have been deceiving him since 1991 that he will be president.
A serial women abuser, Atiku has divorced two of his wives since 1971 (Ladi and Jennifer). In the case of Jennifer, even after the divorce, he threatened and bullied her out of Nigeria. Jennifer had to sell her law chambers in Nigeria and relocated to the UK.
He has been after the woman in an attempt to dispossess her of her assets and properties.
A certified child abuser, Atiku’s exploits with hapless boys and young men are well known. No wonder, in his eight years as vice president and many years as wealthy man (though filthy), Atiku could not boast of a school that could cater for the educational needs of the less privileged, especially boys (Almajiri’s), but now runs the exotic ABTI University and a host of other businesses that are out of the reach of the common man.
In the contrary, unlike Atiku Abubakar, Senator Godswill Akpabio, GCON has for over two decades, conducted himself with integrity and transparency. His accomplishments in Akwa Ibom State, in particular, and Nigeria in general, are symbolized in the countless legacies of infrastructure, human capacity development and tourists’ hub.
Just yesterday (Tuesday), the Super Eagles of Nigeria hosted The Warriors of Zimbabwe in a World Cup qualifier at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo. The stadium, which is the only FIFA approved facility in Nigeria, was built by Akpabio as governor of the state. What did Atiku do for Adamawa state and Nigeria?
The Zimbabwean delegation also flew Ibom Air and landed at the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo- all legacies of the Uncommon Transformer. But where are Atiku’s legacies for the people? He can only lay claim to a chain of businesses, which are products of pillaging and corrupt investments.
In all of these, it is crystal clear that Akpabio’s unflinching support for President Tinubu, who blocked Atiku’s emergence as the presidential candidate of the APC in 2015 and frustrated his return bid in 2019 and yet floored him in the 2023 general elections is the reason for Atiku’s hostile charge against the Senate President.
But using Akpabio as a ladder to get to the president cannot do Atiku any good. Both Tinubu and Akpabio are united by the resolve to rejig and reset the nation and give Nigerians dividends of democracy, which Atiku as vice president worked tirelessly to undermine for personal aggrandizement.
It is also axiomatic that Atiku has started preparation for the 2027 general elections. As for Akpabio and Tinubu, they are preoccupied with state and governance issues and would not swim with the former vice president in his quest to distract the duo from delivering good governance to Nigerians. When 2027 comes, Nigerians will, for the umpteenth time give, Atiku a black eye and vote the best candidate.
DANJUMA ISAIAH writes from
Wukari in Taraba State
The Honourable Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubaka mini visited the Executive Governor of Katsina State, Mallam Umar Dikko Umaru Radda, at the Government House in Katsina to express condolences following the passing of his beloved mother, Hajiya Safara’u Umar Bare-Bari Radda.
During the visit, Minister Abubakar, on behalf of himself, his family, the Minister of State for Defence H.E. Dr. Bello Matawalle MON and the entire staff of the Ministry of Defence, conveyed heartfelt condolences to Governor Radda, his family, and the people of Katsina State during this difficult time.
In his remarks, he prayed for Almighty Allah to forgive the deceased, grant her mercy, and bestow upon her a place in Jannatul Firdaus. He also offered prayers for the Governor and his family, asking for strength and fortitude to bear this profound loss.
The Minister was accompanied by Hon. Idris Garba Jahun, former Speaker of the Jigawa State House of Assembly, along with Hon. Abubakar Sadiq Jallo and Hon. Mas’ud A. Naruwa, members of the Katsina State House of Assembly representing Hadejia and Babura, respectively.
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