Politics

2023: Don’t Repeat What Rivers Did To Igbos After Biafra War, Group Warns Jonathan

Published

4 years ago

May 5, 2022

Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has warned former President Goodluck Jonathan to shelve the plans of entering the race for the 2023 presidency.

There are growing rumours that the former President has yet to declare his interest because he was yet to receive the assurance from the All Progressives Congress, APC, that he would run as the party’s consensus candidate.

Other rumours say that Goodluck Jonathan is seeking the blessing or approval of President Muhammadu Buhari to join the APC and grab the party’s sole ticket uncontested.

Addressing his supporters in Abuja a few weeks ago, Jonathan did not deny nursing the intention to run for the 2023 presidency as he told them to watch out.

Jonathan stated categorically that the political process regarding his decision to contest for president in 2023 was ongoing.

Many Nigerians believe that Jonathan was being used as a tool by Northern APC chieftains, to reduce the number of years the South will stay in power, having served four years as an elected Southern president already.

Jonathan became the first victim of the merger of some political parties and political bigwigs under the umbrella of the APC in 2014, as he, in 2015, became the first democratically elected President of Nigeria to be defeated in an election and removed from office by a new administration.

With the current administration having allegedly failed in all areas of governance and left the country almost in a state of beyond repair, it is understood that some Northern APC chieftains see Jonathan as the best candidate to sell to Nigerians, who they would welcome with a warm embrace.

But HURIWA is warning the Old Rivers-State-born politician to avoid such a move, adding that contesting the election would be seen as reversing what happened to the Igbo in River State after the Nigerian-Biafra war.

DAILY POST quoted the group as saying: “Our parents who had houses in the State lost all houses during the war. But my father had so many houses in the North, but they were all taken care of by a Northerner,” HURIWA’s Emmanuel Onwubiko said in a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday.

“After the 30-month-old war, my father came back and collected the old rent and he got all his houses back. But River State took all the housing assets belonging to Igbo people in Rivers.

“So, Goodluck Jonathan should not replay that hatred that they showed to the Igbo after the war because if he accepts to be candidate of APC and become the president, it means he has short-changed the Igbo who gave him their all.

“If he does that, the South-South and the South-East will never have peace or trust each other for life. Because what happened to us after the war in the 60s, when we lost so many housing assets, they have not been forgotten.

“So, if he tried a second betrayer by accepting APC’s enticement to become President for only four years, he is doing it because he wants to short-change the Igbos,” he said.

Related Topics:2023 presidency Goodluck Jonathan HURIWA

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Politics

PDP Crisis: INEC Rejects Turaki-led NWC

Published

6 days ago

December 23, 2025

Editor

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has said it will not recognise the Kabiru Turaki-led National Working Committee, NWC, of the Peoples Democratic Party, citing existing court judgments and unresolved legal processes.

This was as contained in a letter dated December 22, 2025, signed by INEC Secretary, Dr Rose Oriaran-Anthony.

The Commission stated that it could not act on demands to acknowledge or upload on its website the list of national officers said to have been elected at the National Convention held on November 15 and 16, 2025, in Ibadan.

According to INEC, its position was guided by subsisting court decisions and pending litigation relating to the leadership crisis within the PDP.

The electoral body further noted that it would be improper to recognise any factional officers while the matter remains before the courts.

Politics

Govt That Fails To Protect Its Citizens Has No Business Remaining In Office – Kwankwaso

Published

6 days ago

December 23, 2025

Editor

Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement and 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), has accused the Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of lacking the political will to tackle Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.

Kwankwaso spoke on Tuesday in Kano while unveiling 2,000 operatives of the Kano State Neighbourhood Security Network.

He urged President Tinubu to “rise to the occasion and truly act as the Commander-in-Chief” in addressing banditry and other security challenges.

According to him, Nigeria’s military “remains one of the most gallant in the world,” having served in international peacekeeping missions in Darfur, Liberia, and other conflict zones.

However, he said the armed forces are not being adequately supported to perform optimally.

“Today, many innocent Nigerians are being killed, while the perpetrators walk freely as if nothing happened. The government must apologise to Nigerians for its laxity in the fight against insecurity,” he said.

Kwankwaso, who once served as Minister of Defence, added: “When I was Defence Minister, I knew the capability of the Nigerian military. They are courageous and professional but need clear direction, support, and political will to do the needful.”

He stressed that Nigeria’s armed forces had historically ranked among the best globally and urged the government to equip them properly to change the current security situation.

Kwankwaso also said that if elected president in 2027, he would recruit over one million additional military personnel to strengthen national security.

“Any government that fails to protect the lives and property of its citizens has failed woefully and has no business remaining in office,” he declared.

He further called on the Federal Government to integrate community-based security initiatives, like the Kano Neighbourhood Security Network, into the national security system to boost morale and improve intelligence-driven operations against criminals.

Politics

ADC Announces Temporary Closure Of Secretariat

Published

6 days ago

December 23, 2025

Editor

The African Democratic Congress, ADC , says it has temporarily closed its National Secretariat as part of the end-of-year break.

A statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said full operations are scheduled to resume in the New Year.

According to the statement, the secretariat will close on December 23, 2025, and reopen on January 5, 2026.

The party, however, said essential skeletal services will remain available throughout the period, while all other official activities at the National Secretariat will be suspended to allow staff and party officials observe the Christmas and New Year holidays.

“This is to inform the public that the African Democratic Congress National Secretariat will close for the year on 23rd December 2025 and will resume full operations on 5th January 2026.

“During this period, only skeletal services will be available, while all other official activities at the Secretariat will be temporarily suspended,” the statement said.

The party thanked its members, partners and supporters for their continued loyalty and cooperation throughout the year, noting that their support remains critical to the growth and stability of the party.

The ADC also said it is committed to its ideals and to democratic engagement as it prepares for activities in the coming year.