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Presidential elections: Atiku mocks APC for ‘begging’ Joe Biden to congratulate Tinubu
Atiku Abubakar has mocked the Presidential Campaign Organisation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for “seeking endorsements” after the February 25 election in Nigeria.
The presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) accused the APC of begging United States President Joe Biden to congratulate Bola Tinubu.
The APC PCC Director of New Media, Femi Fani-Kayode, said though the U.S. State Department had greeted Tinubu, there was a need for Biden to do the same.
“It’s time for Joe (Biden) to pick up the phone and add his voice. We are a big nation, we deserve no less,” Fani-Kayode tweeted.
In a statement on Thursday, Atiku’s Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu said the former Minister’s remarks were “evidence of desperation”.
Shaibu described FFK’s action as “appalling”, advising even Tinubu and his team to “stop forcing foreign countries to recognise the sham election conducted by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)”.
The aide said after being “the beneficiary of the worst and most fraudulent election in the history of Nigeria, Tinubu and his ilk are now running from pillar to post, begging Western powers to recognise him”.
Shaibu recalled the days of Sani Abacha days “where the maximum ruler tried to ingratiate himself with the West after refusing to recognise M.K.O. Abiola as the winner of June 12 election”.
He noted that the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard stated expressly that the country’s general poll was below the expectation of Nigerians.
“Several credible media houses locally and internationally, as well as EU observers, have all questioned the credibility of this election. Yet, Tinubu and his ilk want a stamp of approval on it? What a joke!,” the statement added.
Former lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, has described the planned increase in electricity and telecom tariffs as unconscionable.
The statement comes after the telecoms regulator last week approved the increase in mobile tariffs.
The federal government also recently said that plans were ongoing to increase electricity tariffs “over the next few months.”
However, Sani, who said the government’s plan is unreasonable, insisted that it should be halted.
The ex-lawmaker also expressed his support for the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over the scheduled protest against the government’s proposal, calling it a welcome development.
“The planned increase in electricity tariffs in the midst of poor power supply and the proposal to increase telecom tariffs is unconscionable and should be halted. The scheduled labour union protest is a welcome development,” he posted on X.
The United States President, Donald Trump, has revealed his decision to cut off all future funding to South Africa, citing poor treatment of “certain classes of people.”
Trump made this known on Sunday in a post on Truth Social, his social media platform.
According to Trump, South Africa was seizing land and mistreating some citizens without concern for the violations of their rights.
“South Africa is confiscating land and treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY.
“I will be cutting off all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation of this situation has been completed!” Trump wrote.
Reports suggest that the American leader may be defending White South Africans, some of whom have alleged that the South African policy is unfair to them.
There are indications that the federal government will on Monday meet with the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, to stop the planned Tuesday nationwide protest against the 50 percent telecommunications tariff hike.
A reliable source familiar with the matter, who preferred anonymity, disclosed this on Monday morning, noting that the meeting between the NLC leadership and the federal government is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Monday.
The source said the meeting was a “dialogue on matters of national interest as it affects Nigerian workers.”
According to the source, it will be an inter-ministerial meeting with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), purposely to resolve issues raised by the NLC concerning the federal government’s approved upward adjustment to telecommunications tariffs, which the NLC, its allies, and others are vehemently opposing.
This comes as the NLC is already mobilizing workers for a mass protest tomorrow (February 4) against the 50 percent tariff hike approval.
On Thursday last week, in a letter to affiliate unions and state councils, NLC General Secretary Emma Ugboaja urged them to mobilize other Nigerians to send a serious message to the government.
The planned protest follows the 50 percent telecom tariff approval by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on January 20, 2025.
The approval had sparked widespread rejection among telecom subscribers.
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