Politics

Abuja Pastors Endorse Tinubu, CAN Kicks

Published

3 years ago

November 7, 2022

A delegation of Abuja-based pastors and bishops on Sunday threw their weight behind the Presidential Candidate of All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who they described as having the right frame of mind to rule the country.

But hours after the endorsement, the Christians Association of Nigeria kicked against the move, saying CAN is standing on its earlier stance of “No to same-faith ticket”.

The endorsement of the former Lagos State Governor by clerics under the aegis of the Nigerian Coalition of Pastors for Good Leadership took place after a town hall with some party chieftains of Tinubu’s support group, City Boy Movement.

In a statement jointly signed by the coalition president, Apostle Babatunde Oguntimehin, and secretary, Revd Friday Obi, the ministers disclosed that it would be unfair for Nigerians to sacrifice the capacity of the APC candidate on the altar of the contentious Muslim-Muslim ticket.

The group noted that as advocates of power shift, they were left with the option of Tinubu and the Labour Party’s candidate, Peter Obi, before they settled for the former because of his antecedents.

The statement read, “It is with a deep sense of duty that we members of Nigerian Coalition of Pastors for Good Leadership decide this morning to make known our position on the coming national election, especially as it concerns the vexed issue of Muslim-Muslim ticket as adopted by the ruling APC.

“Our primary responsibility will be less arduous with a functional nation and a working system. It is in view of this that we have not only considered it a civil responsibility, but also a noble cause to support and promote the candidates that can best serve the interest of our nation toward realising her dreams.

“For a start, we are fully in support of the power shift to South after President Muhammadu Buhari, a northerner, would have ruled for eight years. This is for equity and fairness as well as in the spirit of the existing unwritten rule to have power rotate between North and South.

“We were left to choose between His Excellencies Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Peter Gregory Obi, who are the frontline candidates from the South. After consideration of so many critical factors and wide consultation, we have decided to settle for the candidacy of Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kashim Shettima.”

Oguntimehin said the pastors hinged their decision to endorse Tinubu on a number of factors.

Continuing, the coalition president described Nigeria as a complex nation that could only be governed by someone with demonstrable experience, capacity, ability and capability, which were evident in the Tinubu/Shettima ticket.

He added that the APC national leader had remained loyal to the cause of Nigeria, which was demonstrated through his involvement in NADECO activities that brought the military to its knees and ushered in the current democracy in 1999.

“We have since noted that making religion or faith the top factor in choosing a candidate for the nation has never helped and will never help this nation. We cannot therefore sacrifice quality leadership on the altar of religion or tribe.

“It is therefore with sadness that we note the unnecessary controversies that have trailed the partnership of Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kashim Shettima both of whom are Muslims.

“It would be pretentious and preposterous of the NCPGL to be dismissive of the concerns from some quarter over the Muslim-Muslim ticket. But it is important to urge Nigerians to look beyond religion in choosing the leadership of the nation,” he said.

His position was also corroborated by Head of Mobilisation for the City Boy Movement, Francis Shoga, who said Nigerians should look beyond religion and ethnicity to choose its leaders.

He stated, “Our interaction here today has shown that politics goes beyond religion. We must look at capacity and who can get the job done in today’s Nigeria. We must focus on capacity and professionalism. The moment we start introducing ethnic and religious sentiments, it wouldn’t give us the needed transparency to run good governance.

“Asiwaju has shown us that he has the capacity to do the job, especially with what he has done as governor in Lagos. We are hopeful he has the experience to leave Nigeria a better country for our children.”

CAN reacts

But Luminous Jannamike, Special Assistant on Media to the CAN President, Most Rev. Daniel Okoh, kicked against the endorsement, saying the group of clerics is a faceless one.

Jannamike disclosed that inasmuch as the body could not prevent individuals and self-acclaimed ministers from carrying out their activities, they could not be seen joining issues with religious blocs not affiliated with CAN.

He said, “The message is very simple and clear. We still stand on our earlier stance of ‘No to same-faith ticket.’ As far as we are concerned, they are a faceless group. We can’t really be seen joining issues with them. They are free to do what they want to do.

“We need to be conscious of the fact that people have right to congregate under any platform they want and say whatever they want. These people are not affiliated to CAN and we don’t even know them. They (Abuja pastors) are individuals who chose to endorse Tinubu. Good luck to them!

“Had it been that it was the Catholic Church, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria or any of CAN blocs that did this, the association will be in a position to give a response. The truth is we don’t even know them.

“You claimed they are appealing to the body but I am not sure they wrote the CAN president. Perhaps they merely made the appeal through the press.

“We have spoken and CAN is not changing its stance, even though it was made by our predecessor. Besides, the CAN president has announced that ‘where my predecessor left is where I will continue.’”
PUNCH

Politics

Tinubu Under Fire Over Presidential Pardon For Drug Offenders

Published

12 hours ago

October 13, 2025

Editor

Opposition parties and political figures, including the African Democratic Congress and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, have condemned President Bola Tinubu’s recent decision to grant presidential pardons to dozens of convicted criminals, including drug traffickers, describing the move as a grave setback to Nigeria’s anti-drug campaign and a dangerous affront to justice and morality.

The Presidency on Saturday released a detailed list of 175 individuals granted the 2025 presidential pardon, among them the late nationalist Herbert Macaulay, the late Major General Mamman Vatsa, and Maryam Sanda, who was sentenced to death for killing her husband.

The pardon, which also included presidential clemency, covered more than 30 convicted drug offenders and several others jailed for crimes such as homicide, fraud, and illegal mining. The development has sparked widespread criticism and debate across the country.

In a statement on Sunday, ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, described the move as “pathetic and a national disgrace,” arguing that it undermines the nation’s war against drugs, encourages criminality, and damages Nigeria’s international reputation.

“The African Democratic Congress finds as pathetic and an act of immense national disgrace the recent presidential pardon and clemency granted to several convicted criminals by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” the statement read.

“It amounts to a most irresponsible abuse of the presidential power of prerogative of mercy to grant express pardon to dozens of convicts held for drug trafficking, smuggling, and related offences—especially when most of these convicts have barely served two years in jail for crimes that attract life imprisonment.”

The party said the decision sends a disturbing message that remorse and token rehabilitation are now sufficient grounds for freedom, even for serious crimes.

“According to official statements, it appears that all it takes to get presidential clemency for even the worst of crimes in Nigeria—including drug trafficking, gun running, and murder—is to show remorse and learn skills,” ADC said.

It added that the purpose of pardon and clemency is to correct miscarriages of justice and reintegrate those who have genuinely paid their debt to society, not to excuse dangerous offenders.

“We wonder what Nigeria stands to gain from this act of clemency to convicts serving life sentences who have barely served two years.

“For years, NDLEA officers have risked life and limb to combat this problem,” the party said. “Granting clemency to individuals convicted under such laws makes a mockery of their sacrifice and gives the world the impression that Nigeria, under President Tinubu, is sympathetic to drug dealers and a safe haven for traffickers.”

Also, Atiku said the pardon had “rightly sparked nationwide outrage.”

Atiku said while the presidential power of mercy is intended to balance justice with compassion, its misuse weakens confidence in the rule of law.

“Regrettably, the latest pardon issued by the Tinubu administration has done the very opposite,” Atiku said. “Extending clemency to individuals convicted of grave crimes such as drug trafficking, kidnapping, murder, and corruption diminishes the sanctity of justice and sends a dangerous signal to both the public and the international community.”

He described the decision as “shocking and indefensible” at a time when Nigeria is grappling with insecurity, moral decay, and a surge in drug-related crimes.

“Particularly worrisome,” he added, “is the revelation that 29.2 per cent of those pardoned were convicted for drug-related offences, even as our youth are being destroyed by narcotics and our nation continues to battle the global stigma of drug offences.”

In a pointed criticism, Atiku said the pardon raises “moral irony” given the lingering questions about Tinubu’s past in relation to a U.S. drug-related forfeiture case, noting that “it is therefore no surprise that this administration continues to show tolerance for individuals associated with criminal enterprise.”

“A presidential pardon should symbolise restitution and moral reform. Instead, what we have witnessed is a mockery of the criminal justice system, an affront to victims, and a demoralization of law enforcement.

“Clemency must never be confused with complicity. When a government begins to absolve offenders of the very crimes it claims to be fighting, it erodes moral authority and emboldens lawlessness.”

Atiku called for a review of the clemency process to ensure transparency, fairness, and respect for public interest, insisting that “Nigeria needs leaders who defend justice, not those who undermine it.”

Politics

Umahi Fires Back At Makinde Over Lagos-Calabar Highway Cost

Published

2 days ago

October 11, 2025

Editor

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has fired back at Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, over his recent comments questioning the cost per kilometre of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, insisting that the governor misunderstood the technical details of road construction and cost evaluation.

Speaking during an inspection tour of the Keffi Bridge and the Nasarawa–Toto Road projects, alongside the state governor, Abdullahi Sule, on Saturday, Umahi said the cost of the highway had been carefully computed in line with global engineering standards and should not be reduced to “political soundbites.”

Governor Makinde had queried the minister’s estimated figures on the cost per kilometre of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, which is one of the signature infrastructure projects of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Makinde, who spoke at an event in a viral video on Friday, said there was no need for the Minister of Works, David Umahi, to be “dancing around the cost” of the project.

He said, “These are elementary questions. And it makes no sense (sic). A process is ongoing, payment has been made, and you are saying, ‘How has this money been utilised?. The money is meant for the project, and it will be paid according to the work done.

Responding to the inspection tour, the former Ebonyi governor described Makinde as “a brother and friend” but said it was improper for him to publicly accuse him of “dancing around” figures.

“I heard that my brother and friend, Governor Makinde of Oyo state, said something about the cost per kilometre. I don’t want to join issues with him. I think he is an engineer, I think he is an electrician, they call it ‘elect-elect’. But this road construction matter, ‘elect-elect no reach there’,” Umahi said.

He continued, “I am his senior both in governance and in engineering practice. So, anything he doesn’t understand, he should call me and ask. I have great respect for him as my friend and brother, but he should withdraw the statement that I’m dancing around. I never danced around. If he insists, he should come for a debate, which is very important.”

Defending the project further, Umahi explained that there was no ambiguity in determining the cost per kilometre, stressing that it must be understood in both estimated and average terms.

“There is no ambiguity in cost per kilometre,” he said. “I am teaching them that cost per kilometre can be divided into estimated cost, which has elements of variance, and average cost, which is definitive. The average cost of a definitive project and the estimated cost are probable elements.”

He explained that the estimated cost includes allowances for contingencies and variation of price, which may not eventually be utilised.

“When the project is completed, and you remove what you didn’t use, such as contingencies and VOP, then you have your actual cost,” he added.

Umahi expressed amusement that some critics had resorted to asking Artificial Intelligence to explain the difference between estimated and average cost, only for the AI’s response to align with his explanation.

“When somebody who is dangling without knowledge goes to ask AI what the difference is between cost per kilometre and average cost, I’m happy that AI told him exactly what I said,” the minister quipped.

He also cited the National Universities Commission’s clarification on who qualifies as a professor, noting that practical experience in the field also counts as expertise.

“I’m happy that the NUC programme on who is a professor also made me right. You can become a professor by the reason of your practice. And I think God has made me one when it comes to practical, field engineering programmes, that’s what it is; you can’t take it back,” Umahi said.

Politics

Enugu Gov Mbah Set to Dump PDP

Published

3 days ago

October 10, 2025

Editor

Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah is set to dump the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, next week.

National Chairman and Deputy National Chairman, South-East, of the APC, Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda and Emma Eneukwu, respectively, broke the news in Abuja on Friday.

The APC national leadership revealed Mbah’s imminent defection to the ruling party while swearing in the newly inaugurated members of the Enugu State caretaker committee, led by former state chairman, Ben Nwoye, at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja.

The governor is expected to announce his defection at an event schedule to hold in the state next week.

Chairman of the newly inaugurated caretaker committee, Nwoye, who confirmed the development, said the governor will join the ruling party alongside all his appointees.

There are speculations that Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas, is also set to join APC.