Politics

Buhari Snubs Calls To Visit North, Jets Out To Turkey With Wife, Seven Ministers

Published

4 years ago

December 17, 2021

Editor

President Muhammadu Buhari has snubbed calls to visit northern Nigeria amid the rising insecurity in the region.

Rather, the President on Thursday travelled with his wife, Aisha, and seven ministers to Istanbul to attend the third Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit.

Buhari had come under attack in recent times due to the rising insecurity in the region with youths campaigning with the #SecureNorth and #NorthisBleeding.

As of Thursday evening, over 32,000 people had signed a petition on Change.Org, calling on the President to declare a state of emergency in parts of Kaduna, Zamfara, Sokoto and Katsina due to the insecurity even as the President had refused to visit victims.

During protests on Wednesday, the demonstrators said the President should personally visit communities attacked bandits rather than sending delegates there.

Some northern groups faulted the President’s decision to visit Lagos for the book launch of All Progressives Congress chieftain, Bisi Akande, barely two days after a bus load of passengers were burnt alive by bandits in Sokoto State.

Defending the President on Monday, the Minister of Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi, said it was impossible for the President to pay condolence visits to victims, adding that sending a delegation was proper.

“These attacks are happening almost on a daily basis and it is not possible for the president to visit all the places for condolences. And if you send a delegation, it is as if you were there, is all the same,” he said.

However, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said in a statement on Thursday that the President had travelled to Turkey for a summit, themed, ‘Enhanced Partnership for Common Development and Prosperity,’ which will be hosted by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of the Republic of Turkey.

According to the organisers, the summit will review the cooperation between African countries and Turkey since the last summit in 2014.

Shehu said, “The third Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit is coming on the heels of President Erdogan’s recent State Visit to Nigeria during which several agreements in the fields of energy, defence industry, mining and hydrocarbons were signed to expand existing bilateral ties.

“The Turkish leader had, during the visit to Nigeria, affirmed his commitment to immediately expand the volume of trade between the two countries to $5bn and the Nigerian delegation will seize the opportunity of the gathering in Istanbul to enhance cooperation with other partners for more trade and investment opportunities in the country.”

Shehu added that Buhari would be accompanied on the trip by his wife, Aisha Buhari; the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; Defence, Bashir Magashi; FCT, Mohammed Bello; Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire; Agriculture, Mohammed Abubakar; Industry, Trade and Investment, Adeniyi Adebayo; the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno; and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Amb. Ahmed Abubakar.

The President is expected back in Abuja on Sunday, December 19.

Istanbul will be the 9th city the President has visited in the past 13 weeks. Within this period, he has visited Dubai, Durban, Paris, Scotland, New York, Riyadh and Mecca.

President’s failure to visit victims shows he does not care about Nigerians – Coordinator, NAM

Meanwhile, the coordinator, Northern Alliance Movement, Yahuza Getso said the President’s decision to snub even his home state where a commissioner was killed on Wednesday and traveled out of the country showed that he does not care about Nigerians.

He said, “We find it very disheartening and disappointed that at a time when people are being killed, when a lawmaker was killed in the president’s state, this is apart from the killings and kidnappings in the Northern parts of the country, he ( president) could leave the country, this has brought to the fore his lack of concern. It is a bad attitude that we never expected from our president. The President is an absolute failure to Nigerians. “

Buhari will leave the country on fire, only God holding Nigeria – SOKAPU youth leader

The Youth President of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, Isaac John, in an interview with The PUNCH said he was not surprised by the action of the President.

According to him, only God has been holding the country.

He said, “I am not surprised and I do not expect anyone to be. It is the same old story. He would leave even if the entire country is on fire. Let me say at this point that it is only God that is holding the country.”

Meanwhile, Human Rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has demanded the immediate release of protesters arrested in the Federal Capital Territory and other parts of the Northern region.

The PUNCH had reported that some northern youths who were protesting against the rising insecurity in the region were arrested and subsequently detained by the operatives of the FCT police command.

However, in a statement on Thursday signed by Falana, he accused the police of breaching the fundamental rights of the protesters by disrupting their demonstration and arresting some of them.

The statement was titled, “Release detained protesters against insecurity”.

It read, “On Thursday some young people participated in a peaceful protest against increasing insecurity in the northern part of Nigeria. In utter breach of the fundamental right of the protesters the Nigeria Police Force violently disrupted the rally and arrested some of the participants.

“In stopping the peaceful rally the police violated the fundamental right of the unarmed protesters and others who were earlier arrested in Kano, Kaduna and Sokoto by the police and the State Security Service.

“By abruptly stopping the protests, the security forces breached section 83 (4) of the Police Establishment Act which requires the police to provide adequate security for citizens who participate in peaceful meetings and rallies.”

Falana reminded the police authorities that on November 20, 2014 the leaders of the All Progressive Congress led by Buhari took part in a protest against insecurity under President Goodluck Jonathan without any harassment whatsoever.

(DAILY POST)

Politics

BREAKING: 17 ADC Reps Follow Join NDC

Published

5 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Editor

About 17 African Democratic Congress, ADC, lawmakers in the House of Representatives have defected to the Nigerian Democratic Congress, NDC.

This was disclosed by Speaker Abass Tajudeen on the floor of the House on Tuesday.

Tajudeen also announced the defection of Leke Abejide from the ADC to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Lawmakers who defected to the NDC include Yusuf Datti, Uchenna Okonkwo, Adamu Wakili, Thaddeus Attah, George Ozodinobi, Lilian Orogbu, Oluwaseyi Sowunmi, Peter Aniekwe, Mukhtar Zakari, George Oluwande and Munachim Umezuruike.

Others are Emeka Idu, Jesse Onuakalusi, Ifeanyi Uzokwe, Afam Ogene and Abdulhakeem Ado.

This comes barely a day after former presidential candidates Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso defected from the ADC to the NDC.

Obi and Kwankwaso have pledged to continue their pursuit for a better Nigeria in the NDC.

Politics

JUST IN: Why I left ADC For NDC With Kwankwaso – Peter Obi Opens Up

Published

1 day ago

May 4, 2026

Editor

A former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has given reasons why he resigned from the African Democratic Congress, ADC, to join the Nigerian Democratic Congress, NDC, alongside a former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso.

In a long post on X on Monday, Obi insisted it was not out of anger or ambition.

Rather, he said the move is a continuation of the quest to build a new Nigeria.

Obi wrote: “Yesterday, I formally joined the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), alongside my dear brother, Engr. Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, with one clear purpose: to continue the struggle for a new Nigeria built on justice, competence, accountability, and compassion for the ordinary Nigerian.

“As I stated yesterday, this decision was not made out of anger, personal ambition, or convenience. It came after deep reflection on the present condition of our nation and the urgent need to rescue Nigeria from the dangerous path it is currently heading.

“Over the years, I have remained steadfast in my conviction that politics should never be about individuals, positions, or personal gain. It must be about the people, especially the millions of Nigerians who today can no longer afford necessities, whose businesses are collapsing, whose children are losing hope, and whose future is becoming increasingly uncertain.

“I left the ADC for the same reason I left the Labour Party: the severe, orchestrated litigation and internal crises deliberately designed to ensure that I, alongside many other notable individuals, do not effectively participate in the electoral process. I sincerely appreciate and remain deeply grateful to the Leadership of ADC for the opportunity to work together in pursuit of a better Nigeria. I am particularly grateful to ADC Chairman Senator David Mark for his exceptional Leadership. I also deeply appreciate my Leader and elder brother YE, Atiku Abubakar, as well as other respected leaders within the party.

“As we join the NDC, I sincerely appeal to the Nigerian Government against the encouragement of unresolved litigations and the infusion of crises within political parties. Democracy must never become a weapon against the people. A healthy democracy thrives on strong institutions, credible alternatives, and the freedom of citizens to make choices without intimidation, manipulation, or fear. Opposition parties must not be weakened or destroyed, because when democracy loses balance, the people ultimately suffer.

“Nigeria today is passing through one of the most difficult periods in its history. Poverty is rising. Hunger is widespread. Insecurity continues to threaten lives and livelihoods. Businesses are shutting down daily. Our young people are becoming discouraged, and many citizens have lost faith in the system. At a time like this, leadership must be driven not by propaganda or division, but by competence, capacity, character, and compassion.

“Our decision to join the NDC is therefore not an abandonment of values, but a continuation of the same mission we have always stood for: building a Nigeria where leadership is about service, where public resources are managed responsibly, where institutions function independently, and where every Nigerian, regardless of tribe, religion, region, or social status, can live with dignity, security, and hope.

“I remain committed to working with all Nigerians of goodwill across political, ethnic, and religious lines. The task before us is bigger than any individual or political party. It is about the future of our children and the survival of our dear nation.

“I thank Nigerians, especially our youths and women, for remaining peaceful, resilient, and hopeful despite the enormous challenges confronting the country. I urge you not to lose faith in Nigeria. Nations do not change because people surrender to hopelessness; they change because people continue to believe, continue to sacrifice, and continue to stand for what is right.”

Politics

Peter Obi, Kwankwaso Formally Join NDC, Warn Members Against Litigation

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2026

Editor

Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has warned party members to steer clear of any form of litigation that can plunge the party into chaos ahead of the 2027 elections.

Speaking in Abuja on Sunday after he was formally joined the party alongside the former governor of Kano State,

Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso , the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party(LP), urged members to embrace dialogue in the interest of the party

“Please let there be no litigation. Party members, please don’t go to court. We want to build a party, we are not lawyers,” he pleaded.

The two political figures were received into the opposition party on Sunday at its national secretariat in Abuja.

Earlier, Obi had announced his exit from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), while Kwankwaso had indicated he was engaged in “wide-ranging consultations” with the NDC.

The National Chairman of the party, Cleopas Moses Zuwoghe, presented membership cards to both leaders at the event.

Speaking afterwards, Kwankwaso said their engagement with NDC stakeholders was driven by a shared vision and ideological alignment.

“We came to discuss with stakeholders of the party and found that our ideologies and beliefs are largely the same,” he said.

He urged Nigerians to register with the NDC ahead of the deadline for party membership registration, stressing the need for broader participation in the political process.