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Nigerians have lost confidence in this administration – Senator Rufai Hanga

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6 years ago

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Rufai Hanga is the founding national chairman the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), President Muhammadu Buhari’s former party which later merged to form the All Progressives Congress (APC).  But as the second tenure of President Buhari begins on May 29, 2019, Hanga, a former lawmaker and chieftain of the APC, speaks exclusively to Daily Sun, saying there was nothing to suggest that Buhari’s next administration will be better than his previous one.

The first tenure of President Buhari is winding down and he will begin his second tenure on May 29. In what areas do you think the president has done well and what are the issues you would love to see him tackle as this administration enters into its next phase?

There are multifaceted issues and as someone who cares about this country, it will be difficult for me to start pinpointing the most important. The fact is that everything is wrong with Nigeria now. The security situation, especially in the North is worse than it has ever been in the history of this country because now people are being abducted on a daily basis. Before, insecurity was limited to the North East, but now, it has spread to all parts of the country. We have never had it this bad since the inception of Nigeria.

Present and past administrations have spent billions on security, but the killings and abductions seem not to have abated. Recently, Gen. Buratai said the army needs more billions to tackle insecurity. Why do you think the country has not seen the effect of the amount spent in that sector?

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The problem is that this administration lacks capacity all round. There has never been a time in the history of this country that we spent the kind of money we have spent on security in this administration, yet there is no significant improvement. It is this lack of capacity that makes this aministration not to embrace change. If you try a method and it does not work, you do not need to try it again. Try another method. You do not apply the same method and keep getting the same results without changing course.

Do you think a new set of security chiefs can get the job done?

It is that lack of capacity that has made President Buhari not to change the security chiefs till date. He should have changed them but he cannot because he lacks the capacity to do it. Even if you are not doing your job properly, the president would never see anything wrong with what you are doing. He will not think that you should be changed for lack of competence. He has never changed anybody but if he had the capacity, he should have known that you change members of your team who do not have competence. It is unfortunate that we were the ones who discovered Buhari and made him to believe in himself that he can be the president. But many of us who were with him from the beginning are disappointed in his performance. He has dashed all our hopes and my worry is that he will go down in history as a non-performer which will be very unfortunate.

You complain that the insecurity in the North has worsened, but in the recently conducted elections we saw the North delivering more votes for the president than it had ever had. Is this not a contradiction?

Who brought the votes? I was in the field and I can tell you for a fact that it was the military, Police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that produced the votes and not actual voters.

Are you insinuating that the votes he got from the North are not a true reflection of the current situation?

No, they are not. You want naked facts right? I am saying the truth and I am saying what I know. Let me tell you that there is someone who told me personally that no matter what Buhari does, he will follow him to the last. He believes that Buhari doesn’t have the capacity to govern but he is manipulating him because of his personal ambition.

Who is this person you are referring to and did the individual personally tell you this? What are the president’s advisers doing?

The person I am referring to is Bola Tinubu and he personally told me that he will follow Buhari to the end. We spoke one-on-one and he personally told me this. Unfortunately, Buhari does not know that he is being manipulated. Tinubu is using the APC machinery to manipulate things. There are many things happening that I cannot reveal now but it will definitely be revealed later. He is controlling things through the national leadership of the APC. He is the one that brought in Adams Oshiomhole, so whatever you hear Oshiomhole say is what Tinubu wants him to say. He is the one pulling the strings. Tinubu is now delving into things that do not concern him in the North. You cannot control things in Lagos and also want to control things in Kano. We will not allow it to happen and we will see who will succeed between him and us.

You talked about the president having advisers; but who are those advisers? They are busy making money for themselves. There was never a time in the history of this country that people came from nowhere and made the kind of unbelievable amount of money those around Buhari are currently making. I cannot say this publicly without facts to defend myself. I am an accountant and I have been in the system so I know what I am saying and it is factually correct.

We have the records. Those around the president have become billionaires. They do not care about the country. They are not there to help the president realise his vision, they are more concerned about themselves so they will never advise the president on something that would not benefit them. They are not there to help anyone, they are doing for themselves. These are people who could not buy air tickets from Kano to Abuja in the past, but now, they can buy aircraft.

If according to you, Tinubu wants to be president; do you not think he has a right to contest, knowing that the party will zone the 2023 presidency to the South West?

He is doing it because he wants to be president but he will get a shocker because there are many people who surround the president who do not want him. They prefer Osinbajo. Osinbajo and Tinubu are one and the same but they will soon separate them because we are talking about power. We are also waiting to see if the South Easterners are not Nigerians.

The South East is one of the major shareholders in Nigeria but throughout Buhari’s tenure they were not represented. I am not speaking for them but I am saying the truth. Now Tinubu wants the House of Representatives speaker to come from the South West and he has anointed his boy, Ahmed Lawan to be Senate President. These are some of the schemes he is making in order to achieve the presidency in 2023.

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Everybody knows that Tinubu is in control of the party at the national level because all the principal officers of the party are his boys. We are in the same party and I know what is happening. He is controlling the party and now he wants to also control the legislature and I doubt if he will succeed. I seriously doubt if the party can impose candidates on the National Assembly.

The legislature is a branch of government and they should maintain their dignity but Oshiomhole is a unionist and not a politician; he is better at shouting and talking. He speaks to the legislators as if they are school children.

Do you think the incoming legislators especially the new ones will have the courage to go against the party’s decision?

Those who did not have the courage before did so because of Buhari. But he is now like a lame duck and he’s not coming back again and it may even be the end of APC this time around. If I were in the leadership, I will tread softly so we can succeed. Up till today, I am still a member of APC but I may not be there for much longer because I do not see the point of being in the party.

I am not looking for anything; otherwise I would have left Buhari. I supported him from inception but I am now disappointed. I am angry because the success we hoped this administration will achieve did not happen and may not even happen at all.

If you are given the opportunity to serve in the president’s next tenure, will you take up the offer?

I do not know because I have not been called yet. I know I will not be called because there are people in the presidency who would not want to see my face there. My going there is a threat because I know too much about them so they would not want me there. But if I have audience with the president, I will advise him honestly because I am not a sycophant. The president knows me inside out and knows I will always speak the truth to him.

What is your advice to the president on the economy?

What do you mean? In the early period of his first tenure when the president was being criticised on the lack of economic policies, did he respond like someone that knows what the economy is about? He simply told his critics that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was the head of the economic team. It showed that he didn’t even know what people were talking about. We need a financial expert to head the economic team and not a lawyer.

Lawyers have said it will be extremely difficult for Atiku Abubakar to prove rigging in court, so if the Supreme Court rules against Atiku, there will not be a change of government in the next four years and according to you, Nigerians should not expect any positive change. What then is the way out?

I also believe that Buhari will win in court because our system is broken. A sitting president has never been removed through the courts in Nigeria because he will use the same system he used in winning the election to win in court. I believe that Buhari will continue and that is why my heart bleeds with the way the country is going.

My heart also bleeds because of how history will remember Buhari. He is surrounded by people without capacity yet he is afraid to change them. He is surrounded by people who never believed in him and they cannot fight his cause because they were not part of those that discovered him and brought him to limelight.

Those are people who would have shared his vision but he left them and surrounded himself with people that are more concerned with enriching themselves. Even his anti corruption fight is not being done properly because the bigger thieves are the civil servants and not even the politicians. The directors and permanent secretaries in ministries own two thirds of Abuja; it is a fact. We cannot keep quiet anymore because things are degenerating.

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Global Affairs

Iran–Israel War Escalates: Today’s Attacks, Trump’s Warning & Biblical Insights

The Iran–Israel conflict has surged into a full-fledged air war with growing humanitarian tolls. Trump’s evacuation call adds urgency and affects global stability.

Published

1 day ago

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June 17, 2025

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Iran–Israel War Escalates in today’s Attacks

Latest Developments

  • Israel’s Operation Rising Lion launched coordinated airstrikes targeting Iran’s nuclear sites (Natanz, Isfahan, Fordow), key IRGC commanders, and missile infrastructure—including in Tehran—claiming “total air superiority” (theguardian.com).
  • Iran retaliated with over 300 missiles and drones, landing in Tel Aviv, Haifa, and other regions (apnews.com).

Current Casualties & Damage

  • Iran: Health Ministry reports 224 killed, ~1,277 injured; independent sources suggest up to 400+ deaths, many civilians, with extensive damage to city infrastructures—water, power, hospitals (theguardian.com).
  • Israel: Official sources confirm 24 civilian deaths, ~60–500 injured from Iranian strikes (apnews.com).

Official Statements

President Donald Trump

  • Urged all Tehran residents to vacate right away; left G7 early to address crisis (reuters.com).
  • Pushed for a “real deal” nuclear agreement with Iran, denying ceasefire claims (reuters.com).

Israeli Government (PM & IDF)

  • PM Netanyahu stated the operation will persist “as many days as needed to neutralize the threat”—emphasizing hits on nuclear/scientific and missile facilities (understandingwar.org).
  • The military claims destruction of 120 missile launchers (~1/3 of Iran’s stockpile) and “total air superiority” over Tehran (theguardian.com).

Iranian Response

Humanitarian Impact & Civilian Exodus

  • Over 100,000 Tehran residents have fled northwards to Mazandaran, Gilan, and Alborz provinces (en.wikipedia.org).
  • Reports of fuel shortages, hospital strain, internet blackouts, and psychological distress are emerging (en.wikipedia.org).

🔮 What’s Next?

  1. Further military escalation — Iran may strike U.S. or allies if intervention continues (understandingwar.org).
  2. Nuclear diplomacy in limbo — Iran paused talks pending Israeli ceasefire; Trump supports negotiation .
  3. Broader regional ripple effects — Proxy groups, including Hezbollah, Houthis, and Iraqi militias, could escalate (en.wikipedia.org).
  4. Global economic disruptions — Oil prices spiked after Tehran warnings; airlines diverted flights (en.wikipedia.org).

Biblical Perspective

  • Operation Rising Lion invokes Isaiah 31:4 (“As a lion… roars!”), reinforcing Israel’s belief in its God-given resolve (newarab.com).
  • Some Christian prophecy scholars see this as part of eschatological build-up (Ezekiel 38, Isaiah 17)—though cautioned by others to avoid hasty conclusions (forums.crosswalk.com).
  • Biblical themes abound: calls for justice, divine defense, and the lament over cities under siege echo Psalms and prophets (e.g., Lamentations 2:1; Joel 3:2). Prayer for peace and wisdom is urged.

Key Takeaways

  • The Iran–Israel conflict has surged into a full-fledged air war with growing humanitarian tolls.
  • Trump’s evacuation call adds urgency and affects global stability.
  • Expect continued conflict, potential negotiations, and regional escalation.
  • Many believers are interpreting the events through biblical lenses—prayers for peace are critical.
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Global Affairs

Israel-Iran Conflict: History, Latest Impact & Solutions–Trackingtimes

This opposition has led to covert operations and battlefield skirmishes across Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen.

Published

2 days ago

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June 16, 2025

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Trackingtimes News & Politics

Historical Background

Since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, tensions with Israel have grown over Iran’s nuclear ambitions and support for proxy militias like Hezbollah. Israel has consistently opposed any perceived existential threat. This opposition has led to covert operations and battlefield skirmishes across Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen. These conflicts are mostly orchestrated from the shadows. This rivalry has rarely escalated into full-scale war.

Most Recent Updates & Casualties

🛑 Israeli “Operation Rising Lion” (Started June 13)

  • Targets hit: Over 100 Iranian sites—including Natanz and Isfahan nuclear facilities, IRGC bases, missile production plants, Tehran’s Ministry of Defense HQ, and oil/fuel depots near Tehran (english.mathrubhumi.com, theguardian.com, en.wikipedia.org, wsj.com).
  • Casualties in Iran: At least 78–224 killed (including 20+ senior commanders such as Maj Gen Mohammad Bagheri, Gen Hossein Salami, Gen Gholam Ali Rashid, Gen Amir Ali Hajizadeh); 6–14 nuclear scientists killed; hundreds wounded; many civilians among victims (theguardian.com).
  • Notable death: Brigadier Gen Mehdi Rabbani and his family were killed in one strike (en.wikipedia.org).

🇮🇷 Iranian Retaliation

  • Missile & drone attacks: Waves launched at Tel Aviv and Haifa; 65 ballistic missiles and scores of drones fired (theguardian.com).
  • Casualties in Israel: At least 14–24 killed and ~390 injured; critical infrastructure—including a power plant and U.S. Embassy wing—was damaged (theguardian.com).

Official Statements

Iran – Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei

“Israel opened its wicked and blood‑stained hand… will receive a bitter and painful fate… severe punishment awaits.” (thedailyguardian.com)

Israel – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

“We acted pre‑emptively to prevent Iran’s nuclear bomb… we’ll do what we need to do. Regime change is possible.” (ft.com)

USA – President Donald Trump

“We were aware of the impending Israeli operation… working behind the scenes on a deal… vetoed Israeli plan to kill Iran’s Supreme Leader… unprecedented retaliation if Iran targets the U.S.” (theguardian.com)

🌍 Regional & Global Impacts

Middle East

  • New proxy wars erupt across Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen.
  • Oil markets surged, then stabilized—global energy remains vulnerable .
  • Gulf and NATO countries deploy military to deter escalation amid high tensions (theguardian.com).

USA

  • Supports Israel’s missile defenses and may deploy naval vessels.
  • Oil price fluctuations could worsen inflation.
  • Diplomatic pressure mounts with vetoes and summit-level interventions .

Africa

  • Rising oil prices strain developing economies.
  • Cargo and shipping risks impact African trade.
  • Diaspora populations in Africa may intensify local debates or protests via spiritual and cultural channels.

📖 Historical & Biblical Lens

  • Biblical parallels: Books like Ezekiel (chapters 38–39) discuss invasions from the North targeting Israel. Some interpret modern Iranian threats through this prophetic narrative.
  • Spiritual implications: Maxwell Nnawuihe’s teachings on justice, fearlessness, and faith echo strongly amid this crisis.
  • Economic ties: Faith & Fortune Finance’s messages on biblical stewardship and fiscal resilience are directly relevant as nations and individuals face uncertainty.

🕊️ Pathways to Peace

  1. U.N.-mediated ceasefire with verified arms monitoring to halt further strikes.
  2. Inclusive regional security framework involving Gulf states, Iraq, and Syria to reduce proxy aggression.
  3. Faith-driven diplomacy: Interfaith councils (Christian-Muslim-Jewish) promoting reconciliation, trust-building, and shared economic ventures.
  4. Economic resilience programs: Channel resources into reconstruction and economic stability—aligning with themes from Faith & Fortune Finance’s “Kingdom Wealth” strategy.
  • Faith & Fortune Finance’s content tied to economic resilience:
  • “Biblical Wealth Under Crisis”
  • “Kingdom Finances When Markets Shake”

Maxwell Nnawuihe’s video on prophetic motivation and fearless leadership:

“Courageous Voices Precede Peace”

Conclusion

This Israel–Iran conflict marks a historic escalation, with devastating strikes, high-profile casualties, and global political impact. Blending historical, biblical, and economic insight provides deeper understanding—and grounds your YouTube channels in relevance.

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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.

Published

6 months ago

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January 3, 2025

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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.

READ ALSO: BREAKING: Justice Binta Nyako Steps Down From Nnamdi Kanu’s Trial, As He Fearlessly Scolds Her For Disobeying Supreme Court’s Judgment

Biafra: Justice Binta Nyako Directs Tinubu-led Fed. Govt. And Nnamdi Kanu To Pursue Reconciliation

Nnamdi Kanu Facing The Most Violation Of Fundamental Human Rights In The World- Ohanaeze Youth Council.

“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.”

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