News
Tinubu to Governors: We’ve Joint Responsibility to Ensure Nation’s Peace, Stability
President Bola Tinubu says the federal and sub-national governments of Nigeria have the mutual responsibility of ensuring the country’s peace and stability.
Speaking during a meeting with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) at his residence in Lagos on Tuesday, the President reiterated his condemnation of the latest killings in Plateau State.
Addressing the governors, the President issued a stern directive to security agencies to halt the carnage in Plateau State and intensify the pursuit of those responsible for the recent tragic events in Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi Local Government Areas.
Condoling with the victims, President Tinubu emphasized the sanctity of human life and called for a paradigm shift among those with contrary beliefs, cautioning them about the inevitable consequences of their actions.
“Nigeria needs peace and stability to move forward. Nigeria belongs to all of us, and we have to take care of it,” he said.
President Tinubu acknowledged the presence of Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State at the meeting, commending him for his efforts to peacefully resolve the political challenges in the state.
“I thank you for your statesmanship. I listened to your broadcast and your emphasis on peace. It is only with peace that effective governance can thrive, and governance has commenced in earnest under my watch,” he said.
On the 2024 Budget proposals before the National Assembly, the President informed the governors that he had a review meeting earlier in the day on certain elements in the Appropriation Bill, with the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, and the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Sen. Atiku Bagudu.
He emphasized the need for joint responsibility and closer collaboration between the federal and sub-national governments to foster rapid infrastructural development in every part of the nation.
“I want us to discard federal, state, or rural road classifications. We must regard development as a joint responsibility. Let us prioritize our children. The school feeding programme must return quickly, beginning from the local government to the state and federal governments.
“We must be ready to protect our children and prepare them for the future,” the President firmly stated.
Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and Kwara State Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq expressed solidarity with the government and the people of Plateau State.
“May God be with the souls of the departed and bring peace to Plateau State. The Governor of Plateau State, we are with you; stay strong,” the NGF Chairman said.
Governor Abdulrazaq reaffirmed state governments’ support for the bold decisions and reforms initiated by President Tinubu’s administration.
“These are challenging times. It is not a walk in the park. Removing fuel subsidies had a great structural effect on the economy of the states. But we are confident that we will overcome these challenges and bounce back better,” he said.
The leader of the UK’s Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has described her experience with the Nigerian police as unforgettable.
In an interview with The Free Press, she recounted how officers of the Nigeria Police Force allegedly stole her brother’s watch and shoes.
Badenoch has received severe backlash from several Nigerians, including Vice-President Kashim Shettima, who criticized her negative remarks about Nigeria.
Badenoch stated, “Giving people a gun is just a licence to intimidate,” referring to the Nigerian police.
She emphasized that her experience with the Nigerian police was very negative, contrasting it with a positive encounter with the British police when she moved to the UK.
She recalled, “The police in Nigeria will rob us,” and pointed out the challenges faced in a country where people often resort to theft.
When people say I have this bad experience with the police because I’m Black, I say, well… I remember the police stole my brother’s shoes and his watch.”
In contrast, she praised the British police for their helpfulness during her own burglary incident in 2004, stating, “They were helpful before they eventually caught the person.”
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said a report that it has invited former President Goodluck Jonathan to vie for the 2027 presidency under its platform is not true.
Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Ibrahim Abdullahi made the clarification in an interview with BBC Hausa.
The PDP deputy spokesman said a previous interview he granted about Jonathan’s eligibility for presidency was misconstrued.
“The report that PDP has issued its presidential ticket to former President Goodluck Jonathan or invited him to contest the 2027 presidential election is not true.
“What happened is this: I had an interview with a journalist where we discussed some issues. But in the course of the interview, he mentioned President Jonathan, asking about our opinion of him, because there are reports that he is being urged to run for the presidency.
“I responded by saying that he (Jonathan) is eligible to contest the election, because he is a Nigerian and has the right to do that by the provision of the law, and he still has one more term left. So, there is nothing wrong about him contesting the presidential election because he is eligible in the face of the law,” he said.
Abdullahi said Jonathan is just one of many prominent people, including 12 sitting governors, in the party who are eligible to seek the party’s presidential ticket.
He maintained that PDP would not need to woo Jonathan as the party has done enough for him.
Daily Sun
A political activist, Aisha Yesufu, has urged prominent British-Nigerian politician, Kemi Badenoch to move on from her fixation on Nigeria.
Badenoch has sharply divided Nigerians with some of her recent comments about the country, with Vice President Kashim Shettima accusing her of denigrating Nigeria.
In a fresh incident, the Leader of the UK Conservative Party was asked by a British journalist if she trusted the British police.
Responding, Badenoch said, “I do. My experience with the Nigeria Police was very negative. Coming to the UK, my experience with the British Police was very positive.”
She claimed men of the Nigeria Police Force stole her brother’s shoe and watch but did not elaborate on the incident.
Yesufu, who reposted a short clip of the interview on X, chided Badenoch for making her response about Nigeria when the question did not warrant it.
“Kemi Badenoch @KemiBadenoch should grow up and move on! Context is everything! She was asked if she trust the British police? How is what happened with Nigerian police a reason for her to know if she will trust her British police or not? What also brought in our poverty?” Yesufu queried.
She added, “If UK doesn’t give enabling environment for people to loot Nigeria’s wealth and take it there, poor and Nigeria will not be in the same sentence.
“So because the bar is low in Nigeria, it doesn’t mean that she should lower the bar for their police there! She should not use her Nigerian poverty mentality to lower the bar there!”
Yesufu also charged the Nigeria Police Force to improve on its performance.
“@PoliceNG , you see your life? Always disgracing us up and down!” she said.
Daily Sun
Police are robbers, stole my brother’s shoe – Kemi Badenoch
2027: PDP denies inviting Jonathan to contest presidency
Kemi Badenoch should move on – Aisha Yesufu
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