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WHY WE DON’T TRUST INEC, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT- LAGOS APC CHAIRMAN, OTUNBA AJOMALE

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Many Nigerians had prepared mind and body for the 2015 general elections which was originally scheduled to start on Saturday, February 14th, 2015 until the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) shocked the country and indeed international observers with a rescheduling, although, we saw it coming.
 
The announcements of new dates for the elections has since brewed many controversies including whether or not the Peoples Democratic Party being the ruling party was hiding under the authority of the federal government to gain INEC’s favour. There were also talks of plans to sack the INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega for refusing to bend a little.
 
In this exclusive interview with Sahara weekly magazine, Otunba Henry Oladele Ajomale reacts to these stories making the rounds. He also talks about why it is difficult for the APC to trust INEC and why he feels Obasanjo was right to tear his PDP membership card.
 
 
Can we meet you?
 
My name is Oladele Ajomale. I am the chairman of APC, Lagos state.
 
What is your take about the rescheduling of the election? Now, there is even an insinuation that there is a grand plan to scuttle it and sack the INEC chairman, Attahiru Jega, what are your positions on these?
 
All the stories I’ve heard are rumour but again, it is becoming an issue generating so much controversies not only in Nigeria but also outside the country. Perhaps, there is an iota of truth in everything said because the reasons given for the postponement of the election is not tenable. First, we have been having a war in these local governments and in the states over 5 years and that war has not spread more than these same 14 local governments in the North east. It has not gone to the North West or North central.
 
Therefore, I believe the military must have curtailed the Boko Haram activities. So, that shouldn’t be the reason for the stoppage of the election in 32 states including Abuja because there was relative peace in these states we are talking about. Secondly, why should it be the security officers that should write a letter to INEC advising them to shift election? If INEC refuses to shift that election and anything happens, it will be on INEC. So, head or tail, INEC will be blamed if they didn’t postpone the election. However, it doesn’t mean that it should be postponed by 6 weeks. Are they going to finish the prosecution of Boko Haram in 6 weeks? INEC said 73% of PVCs have been collected in totality. If you are looking for 100%, you are wasting your time. If majority of those who are voting have their PVC, I don’t see any reason for the postponement except there is something behind it. So, the two reasons given, to us are not tenable because it has been proved that it is not sufficient enough to postpone the election except they have an agenda which has not been known. Some people identified that they purposely did it in order to perpetrate certain things. I pray the war ends in 6weeks so that we will have peace everywhere in Nigeria. There will not be anybody to say I lost the election because of this, again, when the election is not done when it is supposed to, you are violating the constitution but we have agreed to wait for 6weeks and that doesn’t stop us from doing our rally. We will still continue it; they won’t catch us except they have a plan which we don’t know. Like what happened in Ekiti that is now been revealed. Everyone is on the watch out, whatever they want to do, they will see. Whether they want to rig it, the whole world is watching, we are also watching. We are not going to sleep until this election is over
 
The APC has been accused severally of heating up the polity. How would you react to this sir?
 
If that is the way they want to view it, then it is okay. We trusted the federal government, we trusted INEC during the Ekiti elections but, we have learnt a very good lesson that they cannot be trusted. We can tell that the military, INEC and the federal government were all involved in the rigging of the Ekiti elections. Thus, if we don’t shout out before the elections, when do we want to cry out?
 
Recently here in Lagos, we signed a peace agreement where the two gladiators, other parties and stakeholders were present. Same night we signed the agreement, they started tearing all our posters on 3rd Mainland Bridge claiming that it is a federal road. Is it the PDP that owns the federal government or the federal roads?
 
Recently, former President of Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo renounced his membership of the PDP and went ahead to tear is membership card of the party. Many believe that the attitude is unbecoming of an elder statesman. Do you also share same sentiments?
 
I am a Yoruba man, I don’t insult my elders. I believe what he did is a reaction to what has been done to him and the country. After all, he is not coming to our party. so I believe they are all same in same.
 
Right from time, we have known President Obasanjo to be an emotional person. He is used to reacting exactly the way he feels. So, if that is the way he felt at that time, then it is okay to express it.
 
So, what is your expectation from the 2015 elections?
 
Well, my expectation is to see that the best man wins the election. Nigeria has been under a cabal for a while now and we need a new direction. With all the resources we are blessed with as a nation, there has been nothing to show for it.
 
My expectation is to have a Nigeria with uninterrupted power supply, reduced unemployment rate, to see corruption significantly minimized and to have good governance….
 
(Cuts-in) Your expectation for the election sir…
 
Well, my wish is for the best man to win and to have a peaceful free and fair election without rigging.
 
But people believe that all politicians are the same?
 
No, that is not true; politicians are not all the same. There are still politicians who are passionate about Nigeria. There are politicians who travel abroad and when they are there they are well behaved but, they come back and behave with so much impunity. See, this country is founded on law and the law must be obeyed. The culture of impunity must stop.
 
There are still politicians who believe in obeying the laws of the country, politicians who are passionate about the development of Nigeria.
 
Finally, this is about Lagos, the Alliance for Democracy gubernatorial candidate in the state believes that on his party has the experience to rule Lagos effectively. According to him, the AD ruled for 8 years, AC 4 years, ACN 2 years and the APC just 2 years. What is your reaction to this?
 
What exactly does he mean by saying that? I am so disappointed! Is it not same people who have progressed from AD to APC? I have been there, Asiwaju has been there, BRF has been there so who are the people now in AD?
 
In fact, there party is operating without a certificate. There are to factions of the AD; one has a certificate and the other does not so, I think they should just go and sort out their problems.
 
 

 

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Crisis Looms in APC ….As Elected National Deputies demands for equity, justice and sense of belonging…

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Crisis Looms in APC

….As Elected National Deputies demands for equity, justice and sense of belonging…

 

All seems not to be well in the ruling party, Apc at the National level due to alleged injustice melted out to some elected National deputies of the Party.

Recently some NWC and NEC members were offered appiontment in some Parastals, to the utmost suprise of everybody some of the elected Deputies were left out.

According to a reliable source, this injustice has been on going since they were elected, they were not giving housing or car allowances like thier colleagues, Most Affected are the following

-Deputy National Legal adviser
-Deputy National Youth Leader
-Deputy National Treasurer
-Deputy National Auditor
-Deputy National Welfare officer are not also members of the NWC,
while some National Deputies are members.

The following elected National Officers were also left out in the last appointments announced.
The National Ex-Officio South-West
National Ex-Officio South+South
National Ex-Officio North-Central
National Ex-Officio South-East
National Ex-Officio North- West
National Ex-Officio North East

Worst of it all happened During the last Christmas and new year celebrations,were NWC members shared 20 bags each to themselves without even giving the Non NWC National Officers any. They weren’t given other items that were shared like their colleagues got. They see it as greed on the part of their colleagues in NWC.
They also did not benefit from the Housing and vehicle allowances their fellow colleagues in NWC gave themselves.

If not for the respect they have for Mr president by now they would have Been protests,.

A reliable source informed us that the Non NWC Deputies together with the Ex officio are planning for a Show-down next week if their demands are not met promptly.

They claim they all worked for the emergence of Mr President and were also elected the same day as their colleagues who got appointments as Chairman of Federal Government agencies and wondered why the National Chairman of their party APC did not forward their names to Mr President for Federal appointments.

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Goma Under Siege: M23 Rebels Tighten Grip Amid Ceasefire Uncertainty

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Goma Under Siege: M23 Rebels Tighten Grip Amid Ceasefire Uncertainty

Goma Under Siege: M23 Rebels Tighten Grip Amid Ceasefire Uncertainty

More than 900 people have been killed in the past two weeks amid intense fighting between M23 rebels and government forces in Goma, a city in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The escalating violence has also left approximately 2,880 individuals injured and admitted to various health facilities in Goma since January 26, according to a statement released late Monday by the World Health Organization (WHO).

 

Last week, the M23 armed group, backed by Rwandan troops, seized control of Goma’s airport as its fighters swept through the regional capital of North Kivu, forcing tens of thousands to flee their homes. The rebels have since intensified their attacks in eastern DRC, establishing checkpoints and significantly restricting humanitarian access.

 

With Goma under their control, M23 rebels advanced toward Bukavu, another major city in eastern DRC. Previously, the group had declared its intention to push further across the country toward the national capital, Kinshasa. However, in a recent statement, M23 rebels denied any plans to capture Bukavu.

 

“It must be made clear that we have no intention of capturing Bukavu or other areas. However, we reiterate our commitment to protecting and defending the civilian population and our positions,” said M23 spokesman Lawrence Kanyuka.

Meanwhile, Rwanda-backed forces in eastern DRC announced on Tuesday that they would pause their advance for humanitarian reasons. The Alliance Fleuve Congo rebel coalition declared a unilateral ceasefire starting February 4, 2025, citing growing humanitarian concerns.

A statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) by the rebel group read: “The Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC/M23) informs the public that, in response to the humanitarian crisis caused by the regime in Kinshasa, it declares a ceasefire starting February 4, 2025, for humanitarian reasons.”

Despite the ceasefire declaration, there has been no immediate response from the DRC government in Kinshasa, and it remains unclear whether the Congolese military will honor the truce. Over the past three years, multiple ceasefires and truces have been declared, only to be systematically broken.

Before the ceasefire announcement, the International Committee of the Red Cross reported treating over 600 wounded individuals since the start of January, nearly half of whom were civilians, including women and children. Humanitarian organizations, including the WHO, have also warned of an increased risk of disease outbreaks, including mpox, cholera, and measles, as displaced populations struggle to access medical care amid the ongoing crisis.

 

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Historic Shift or Political Turmoil? Lagos Assembly in Crisis After Speaker’s Impeachment

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Tinubu Intensifies Lobbying Efforts Amid Northern Opposition to Tax Reform Bills

Historic Shift or Political Turmoil? Lagos Assembly in Crisis After Speaker’s Impeachment

Lagos, Nigeria – Political tensions in Lagos State have reached a fever pitch following the impeachment of former Speaker Mudashiru Obasa and the historic appointment of Rt. Hon. Mojisola Lasbat Meranda as the first female Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly. Meranda officially assumed office on Monday, January 27, 2025, amid controversy, with a two-thirds majority of the House voting to remove Obasa.

Historic Shift or Political Turmoil? Lagos Assembly in Crisis After Speaker's Impeachment

Citing Chapter 5, Section 92 of the Nigerian Constitution, lawmakers defended their decision, stating that Obasa’s impeachment was carried out in accordance with legal provisions. However, the political landscape has since been rocked by unexpected developments, including the detention of several lawmakers involved in the impeachment by operatives of the Lagos Command of the Department of State Services (DSS).

 

In a show of defiance, members of the Assembly visited the DSS office in Shangisha to reaffirm the legitimacy of their decision and condemned the detentions as intimidation tactics.

 

The crisis deepened on Sunday, February 2, 2025, when reports surfaced alleging that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), had instructed Meranda and other principal officers to step down in order to reinstate Obasa. The reports further claimed that First Lady Oluremi Tinubu had intervened on Obasa’s behalf, pressuring the President to act to prevent potential political instability ahead of the next elections.

Sanwo-olu Distances Self from #IgboMustGo" Protest

However, a political insider dismissed these allegations as false, asserting that they were fabrications designed to sway public opinion in Obasa’s favor. The source, speaking to PMExpress, stated, “When it seemed ploys and tactics from the ex-speaker were not yielding expected results, those behind the plots resorted to sponsoring wild rumors and dropping influential names.”

Another source close to the presidency dismissed the speculation as baseless, asserting that it was inconceivable for President Tinubu to be unaware of such a significant political shift in Lagos, his stronghold. The source noted, “How can something of this magnitude happen, and the DSS and other intelligence agencies be unaware? These are civilian politicians, not military officers who can hold clandestine meetings. If the President had any objections, he would have stopped it before it even began.”

The unfolding crisis has left Lagosians watching closely, as the political power struggle continues to play out. With Meranda now at the helm, the next moves of both her allies and Obasa’s supporters will determine the future of the Lagos State House of Assembly and its leadership. Whether this marks a new era of progressive leadership or a prolonged period of political instability remains to be seen.

 

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