Biafra
New SGF is Babachir Lawal’s Cousin, Buhari famous for Nepotism – Junaid Muhammed
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| Dr Junaid Muhammed |
Following the sack of Babachir Lawal as Secretary General of the Federation and the appointment of Boss Mustapha as Secretary to the Government of the Federation, a member of the House of Representatives during the Second Republic, Dr Junaid Muhammed, has revealed that Boss Mustapha is Babachir Lawal’s cousin.
Juniad told Punch’s correspondent;
“Before you begin to celebrate the appointment of Boss Mustapha as the new SGF, do you know that he is in fact, Babachir Lawal’s first cousin? This is a continuation of the cronyism and nepotism the Buhari-led administration has become infamous for”.
However APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, has risen to defend Buhari after Nigerians dragged him for failing to direct further actions on the sacked officials.
“Few days ago, when the President directed the dismissal of Abdulrasheed Maina, some people said that was right but what about the suspended SGF, BD Lawal? But we as a party said look, the President is the only person who has all the information. All of us can only have one side of the story or the other.
“But the President by the virtue of the position he occupies is the only one who has all the information and he would do what is necessary at the right time, now we have been vindicated and it shows that the President has not in any way waived his commitment not to tolerate corruption at any level no matter who is involved.”
Similarly, the Arewa Consultative Forum applauded President Muhammadu Buhari for sacking Lawal and Oke. In its reaction to the development, the ACF through the National Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim Biu, said, “The action taken by President Buhari on the report submitted by the Osinbajo Committee that investigated the suspended SGF and the DG NIA is appropriate and timely” Bolaji said.
When Obasanjo was campaigning in 1999, he said he was going to scrap the Petroleum (Special) Trust Fund (PTF) set up by Sani Abacha — because it was a parallel government.
PTF was established in 1994 after an increase in the fuel prices. The body was allocated N5 on every litre of fuel sold to build or rebuild infrastructure across the country, especially roads, schools, water and medical facilities.
With transition to democracy on the horizon and many believing that Buhari had too much money under his control, Obasanjo said he would abolish PTF. Buhari jumped before he was pushed, resigning abruptly as executive chairman of the extra-ministerial body.
With word going round that Buhari was going to challenge Obasanjo in the 2003 election on the platform of the opposition party — All Peoples Party (APP, later rebranded All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP) — many suspected a political motive when Obasanjo set up the interim management committee to probe the PTF in 2000.
Mustapha was on that committee.
Other members: Haroun Adamu (chairman), Abdu Abdurrahim, Achana Gaius Yaro, Edward Eguavoen, Andrew Adegboro and Baba Goni Machina.
The report of the probe was never made public by Obasanjo.
BABACHIR LAWAL’S ‘KITH AND KIN’
In some weird way, Mustapha and his predecessor as SGF, Babachir David Lawal, are so similar it reads like reincarnation.
Mustapha is of the Kilba ethnic stock, like Lawal. He is from Hong local government, Adamawa state, like Lawal. Both men studied at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Both graduated in 1979. While Lawal studied engineering, Mustapha did law.
What’s more, Mustapha is a Christian, like Lawal. While Lawal is a theologian, Mustapha is the national vice president of the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International, Nigeria.
Many Nigerians will hope that the similarities end there — for Lawal was removed from office over corruption allegations.
ATIKU’S ANTAGONIST
Contrary to the impression that Mustapha is a political ally of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, TheCable can report that the two men no longer see eye-to-eye. They were political associates at some point, but it did not last.
In fact, Mustapha openly opposed Atiku at the presidential primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) which produced Buhari as the party’s candidate in Lagos in December 2014. Along with Lawal, the sacked SGF, Mustapha worked for Buhari at the primary, one of the reasons Atiku unexpectedly came behind Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso in the final scores. Buhari came first.
“The appointment, like that of Lawal before him, is a slap on the face on Atiku. You cannot describe Mustapha as Atiku’s associate,” an APC insider told TheCable, suggesting that this might be an indirect attack on the presidential ambition of the former vice-president, who is also from Adamawa state.
Mustapha and Atiku have had a cat-and-mouse relationship in recent years, TheCable can report, because of the local politics of Adamawa. Mustapha wanted to contest for governorship in 2015 but Atiku did not support him, leading to a break in their ranks.
A POLITICAL VETERAN
Mustapha has been in politics for nearly three decades, but the latest appointment is yet the biggest in his career. He was a member of the Constituent Assembly, the body that drafted the 1989 constitution that was partially used in running the third republic.
In 1989, he went fully into partisan politics. He was the state chairman of the Peoples Solidarity Party (PSP), one of the associations that sought registration as political parties in the third republic. PSP was led by Olu Falae, former minister of finance and secretary to the military government.
Atiku was in the People’s Front (PF) under the leadership of Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, the retired major general who was deputy to Olusegun Obasanjo as military head of state from 1976 to 1979. PF was made up of prominent young politicians at the time — Babagana Kingibe, Farouk Abdulazeez, Atiku Abubakar, Bola Tinubu, Ango Abdullahi, Ahmadu Rufa’i, Yahaya Kwande, Babalola Borishade and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
With the military government failing to register any of the political associations because they failed its “litmus test”, PF later merged with PSP and Nigerian Labour Party (NLP) to collapse into the Social Democratic Party (SDP), one of the two parties formed in 1989 by the Ibrahim Babangida administration to create a “new order”. The second was the National Republican Convention (NRC).
Mustapha was Adamawa state chairman of the SDP from 1990 to 1991, and then ran for governorship of the state in 1991 and lost to NRC’s Saleh Michika. Not much was known of his political career after the collapse of the third republic. He was better known in the legal circles, but he joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 1998.
‘WHEN WE WERE FRIENDS’
As Atiku fell out of favour with Obasanjo and could not pursue his presidential ambition on the platform of PDP, he and his associates left the party for the Action Congress in 2006. One of them was Mustapha. He was the deputy director-general of the Atiku’s presidential campaign organisation in 2007, although the bid failed.
However, their association came to an end in 2010 when Atiku returned to the PDP. Mustapha remained behind in AC (later renamed Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN), and became the deputy national chairman. He served in that position till 2013 when ACN teamed up with other parties to form APC.
Mustapha served in the APC presidential campaign organisation in the historic 2015 election and was a member of the APC transition committee. He is currently a member of the APC board of trustees.
MARRIED TO A YORUBA WOMAN
Mustapha is one of those Nigerians with a heritage of cross-cultural marriage. In southern Nigeria, it is not uncommon these days, but north-south handshake is still a scarce commodity.
The new SGF is married to Funmilayo, a Yoruba woman. They have children.
He enjoys golf, lawn tennis, travelling, documentary films, charity work and meeting people, according to his profile on the website of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), of which he was appointed managing director by Buhari in 2016.
To NIWA staff, he was quoted as saying: “Just call me Boss, there is no need calling me Manager. I don’t have nicknames.”
Biafra
Tinubu Refused To Honour Our Agreement To Release Nnamdi Kanu After Election– Kanu’s Brother
Disclosing that the meeting had the blessing of the president, Emmanuel, however, lamented that Tinubu has refused to honour the pact by releasing his elder brother and the IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from the DSS dungeon in Abuja, Nigeria.
Emmanuel Kanu, younger brother of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, has said they had an agreement with President Bola Tinubu for the release of his elder brother, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Emmanuel disclosed that he had the pact with Tinubu’s son, Seyi, in Abuja before the 2023 presidential election.
Disclosing that the meeting had the blessing of the president, Emmanuel, however, lamented that Tinubu has refused to honour the pact by releasing his elder brother and the IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from the DSS dungeon in Abuja, Nigeria.
According to him, it was agreed that IPOB would not bycott the polls on the condition that Tinubu would release Kanu if elected President.
Prince Emmanuel expressed disappointment that nearly two years after the emergence of Tinubu as President, his brother (Kanu), has continued to languish in detention despite the fact that the presiding Judge, Justice Binta Nyako, had since recused herself from the matter.
He said it was disappointing that those who claimed to be honourable, failed to keep their words.
The statement read:”Before the last election, I received a message from an ex-governor that Seyi the son of President Tinubu wanted to see me. I agreed to meet with him on the condition that the overriding priority and hence the fulcrum of our discussion will be the release of my brother. The meeting was held in Abuja in the presence of another individual whom I asked along to witness the deliberations and if need be provide independent verification should the need arise.
“Seyi confirmed to me that his father sanctioned the meeting and that I should consider any agreement we reach as binding on the then candidate Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
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“In good faith we agreed that I shall relay the outcome to my brother to reinforce the long held tradition of IPOB not interfering with the conduct of elections, either through boycott or any other form of civil disobedience. This understanding was duly communicated to my brother and he reaffirmed his commitment not to stop the elections or order any boycott.
“When President Tinubu as a candidate visited Owerri during his campaign, he too reiterated his commitment to facilitate the release of my brother if elected. We took his public statement as a tacit reaffirmation of the understanding I reached with his son Seyi.
“At the end, IPOB did not call for election boycott despite having the capacity to do so. IPOB also made sure that discordant voices urging election boycott were overcome because election boycotts would not reflect well on the reputation of a global movement that prides itself on adherence to democratic tenets.
“It therefore, defies logic that nearly two years after President Tinubu assumed the mantle of leadership in Nigeria, my brother is still in detention despite not having any charge against him. It’s been over three months now that Justice Binta Nyako recused herself from the case yet no new judge has been assigned the case.
“This is on top of the fact that Appeal Court had earlier discharged him of the sham charges and ordered his release which the previous regime of Buhari declined to obey.
“Supreme Court determination that his bail ought not to have been revoked has been ignored by the courts and the government. The latest insult is that Abuja courts of all persuasion are no longer willing to determine the case of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu on merit but are rather relying on ludicrous and inapplicable technicalities to stall the timely determination of his cases.
“The truth is that Nigerian courts cannot, will not and do not have both the substantive and procedural jurisdiction to try him. His detention is without the backing of any known law in Nigeria or elsewhere in the world.”
The recent 90th birthday tributes to the Nigeria’s Former Head of State, who led Nigeria to war in defence of its unity against the young Biafra Republic between 1967-1970, General Yakubu Gowon, have attracted various reactions, condemnations and affirmations across the country.
The Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 presidential election, Mr. Gregory Peter Obi, was among other Nigerians who wrote glowing tributes to the Former Nigeria’s Head of State who presided over what is adjudged as the second worst genocide in world’s history, after the Hitler’s Holocaust against the Jews in Nazi Germany.
Below is the full read of Mr. Peter Obi’s tribute:
“I am privileged to join other Nigerians of goodwill to celebrate a highly respected leader and former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, on his 90th birthday anniversary.
“In a time of hate, you stood for love. At a time of strife, you stood for peace. At a time of division, you stood for unity.
“Your life of service to our great nation, Nigeria, stand as one of sacrifice, leadership, and unity.
“Your steadfast commitment to preserving the peace and sovereignty of Nigeria during a challenging period in our history will forever be remembered and revered.
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“Your exemplary leadership and statesmanship remain an inspiration to younger and many generations of Nigerians.
“As we celebrate this milestone, I pray that God continues to grant you good health, wisdom, and the grace of true fruitfulness.
“May your legacy continue to guide us as we strive to build a more united, prosperous, and just Nigeria.
“Happy 90th birthday, Sir. -PO”
However, BARR Malcolm OMIRHOBO reacted in contrast to the glowing tributes accolades given to the Former military ruler, blaming the war of aggression led by Gowon against Biafra on his “poor and weak leadership style, youthful exuberance and immaturity.”
Barr. Malcolm accused Gen. Yakubu Gowon of “refusal, failure or negligence to stop the senseless killings of Igbos and their look alike throughout Nigeria, especially in the North, by civilians and members of the armed forces.”
The outspoken lawyer also accused Gen. Gowon of refusing the Aburi Accord without any good reason.
Full read of his reaction:
“It is not true that South-East desire to secede that led to the Nigeria/Biafra War but rather it was Gowon’s poor and weak leadership style, colonial mentality, youthful exuberance and immaturity that led to the Nigerian /Biafran war.
“Gowon refused , failed and/or neglected to stop the senseless killing of the Igbos and their look alikes through out Nigeria especially in the North by civilians and members of the armed forces .
“He refused to provide funds to the Eastern Region Government to cater for the injured and displaced Igbos that ran to their home land for safety from all parts of Nigeria .
*Gowon without any good reason refused the Aburi Accord .
“For the records the Igbo fought in self defence.”
In response to Mr. Peter Obi’s tribute to General Yakubu Gowon, DR. MO (MOSES PAUL) wrote this:
“As usual, I called Mr. Peter Obi after seeing some of the responses to the tweet on Daddy Gowon, and I said, “Some people are not happy, Sir.”
“Mr. @PeterObi responded, “Mo, I have always told you, never to dwell on yesterday, to agonize over it, or remain unforgiving. We cannot be trapped by the events of the past. Instead, we must be grateful to God for today and look forward to tomorrow with hope.”
“I understand the negative comments, and I deeply regret the painful history that took place over 50 years ago, though I know little firsthand, only what I have been told. It is a sad chapter for many, including my own family. My father, unfortunately, lost his thriving business during that period and passed away, which remains a deep personal loss for me.”
“My comment today, however, was about General Gowon’s removal from office and the grace with which he has handled those difficult events. It wasn’t about the war itself. The focus was on the life he has led since his removal, and his remarkable ability to remain prayerful and steadfast in his commitment to Nigeria.”
“When I was governor, he visited my state, and we spoke as father and son. He even led a national prayer for Nigeria in my state. Our discussions were never about the war—we spoke about the future of Nigeria, and his concern was always for the country’s progress, not his past or the people who removed him from office.”
“PO Mr @PeterObi has always shared with me his deep respect and personal closeness to ‘Ikemba’ Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu. He regarded Ojukwu as a true hero, someone whose leadership and vision he admired greatly. @PeterObi’s loyalty to Ojukwu was resolute until his last days, and he took it upon himself to ensure that Ojukwu received a befitting burial, one that remains unmatched to this day, honoring his legacy with the dignity it deserved.”
“Mr. @PeterObi’s commitment goes beyond personal ties; he is determined to see a future that works for everyone. His vision for Nigeria is one of unity and progress, where the mistakes of the past do not hold us back or divide us. Instead, he believes in learning from history and building a better and greater future for generations to come.”
“Mo, tell me, is there any nation today that hasn’t faced civil war? From America to Great Britain, many have painful histories of war, yet they are not trapped by the past. Instead, they have forgiven, not forgotten, and used that healing to build successful futures.”
“People need to be closer to PO to truly understand how forgiving and loving he is. He is always looking ahead, desperately focused on building a better and greater future for all Nigerians irespective or tribe and religion and most importantly for the generations to come.”
-DrMo
Biafra
Uchechi Okwu-Kanu Showers Praises On Herself, Reveals What She Told Her Husband
“I constantly told my husband that anyone who spews hate on your children and wife hates you. Period!”
The wife of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mrs. Uchechi Okwu-Kanu, has showered praises on herself, expressing her qualities as she wrote on Facebook, highlighting challenges and what she told her husband, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Uchechi, who was referencing a post made by someone “about protecting ‘me'” (her), stated that she doesn’t blow her trumpets “even in competition.”
Her choice of words and written expressions reveals deeper sense of hurt in the heart, outright self validation and defense, hopes of victory and taunting of the perceived foes of her family amongst others.
She described herself as a “one-man squad, “Virgo” a “Full Moon Virgo” and “one of the most powerful “Empaths you will ever encounter.”
Uchechi, whose husband, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, is still being incarcerated in the DSS Headquarters in Abuja following his extra-ordinary rendition from Kenya to Nigeria in June 2021, said that she is a “warrior” despite the fact that her husband is not “helping out in the family front.”
She pointed out that she had constantly told her husband (Mazi Nnamdi Kanu) that “those who spew hate on his children and wife” hates him.
Mrs. Okwu-Kanu emphatically said that she warned her husband of “these workers of iniquity but hey, we are where we are now.”
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Below is the full read:
“I just saw a post yesterday about protecting me but it eluded me before I could re-post it.
I am not vain, I do not blow my trumpets even in competitions!
“I just move in my aura of grace.
I am a #Virgo, a #FullMoonVirgo, and one of the powerful #Empaths you will ever encounter. I am that woman who walks into a room and every unconscious mind becomes conscious.
“The unconscious morons should study on the above hashtags first. Then I will go ahead to outline what my ‘personalities’ are about and who I am. They will write a full book on just one personality.
“My academic background and what I have achieved in my career journey over the years is not for show off.
“The things I do in my day to day life despite the challenges of not having my husband helping out in the family front, is what makes me a #Warrior.
“I work hard so I can look after widows and helpless children. I run an educational charity in the Sub-Sahara Africa for pupils from Nursery 1 – Primary 6 from my light-weight personal purse.
Everyday, I lift one or two people out from a place of pain, oppression, darkness and confusion through coaching and guidance. People learn consciousness and #ArtofLiving from me, everyday.
“Thank you my brother for that post and thank you all for standing by me. That’s the love you have for #NnamdiKanu.
“All my life, I’ve always fought for the oppressed & for myself.
“I am what ‘you know as one man squad’ – physically, psychologically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
“I fight for the oppressed women, men, and children especially. And all my life, no individual has ever fought me without gathering a group.
“Some would bring their cousins, their ancestors, even their own enemies to fight me yet, Uchechigeme Anyanwụụtụtụ Okwu-Kanu has always stood tall in the presence of her enemies!
Ọkara mádu , ọkara nmuo! She who is of the waters, the Earth, the Sun and feeds off the Air. She who understands the rythym of the spirit dance called Sụrụgedé; she who understands the connotations of the 4 cardinal points of the earth, firmed within the 4 elements of the universe and the 4 market days of her Indigenous existence!
“I warned my husband of all these workers of iniquities but hey, we are where we are now!
But one thing they must understand is that their tittle-tattle is the absolute projection of their inadequacies, what they truly are and represent.
“I have a pending topic on the spiritual, psychological and emotional damage/impact of a mother’s adultery on their children and individual life of promiscuity – the reason these muppets are these damaged!
“I constantly told my husband that anyone who spews hate on your children and wife hates you. Period!
“I have never written about myself as this phase is not about me. At least, not yet.
“Those who sounded just like them in 2014 – 2017 eventually returned to the gutters where they came from. Some went into TV productions and talk shows. Ndị uchu!
“I am busy, fighting for the release of my husband #FreeNnamdiKanu and have no time to pay mind to these imbeciles who came from the lowest strata of the gutters. The lowest of the lows.
“People who are lower than the belly of a snake!
I am an Eagle, I soar high above mediocrity, pugnacity, impetuosity, impertinence and carnality. That is why none of you can keep your pained frustrations to yourselves.
“But like the snake you are, I will never come down to your harmattan taunted postern. I can never play in the mud with pigs because I abhor dirt.
“Rather, I will swoop down like the Eagle and take you to my realm. Swirl you 7 times and release you from the Air.
“My name is, Aha m bụ – Uchechigeme Anyanwụụtụtụ Okwu-Kanu.
“I speak ‘consciousness’, for that, is the #ArtofLiving.
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