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Obasanjo Knelt Down For Atiku In 2003 -Wole Soyinka

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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo knelt down for then Vice President Atiku Abubakar in his desperate bid to secure the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2003 poll, according to Professor Wole Soyinka.

The revelation came yesterday as the Nobel laureate gave a rare insight into the high-stake lobbying and negotiations that preceded the PDP’s presidential primaries in which Atiku was highly favoured to win at the expense of his then boss Obasanjo.

Besides, Soyinka spoke on how genuine efforts by Chief Bola Ige to reposition the energy sector as Power Minister between 1999 and 2000 were sabotaged by Obasanjo.

Soyinka was replying a question at a special reading session to mark the presentation of his latest book, “Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes?: Gani’s Unfinished Business”, at the Freedom Park, Lagos.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Louis Odion, one-time Edo State Information Commissioner and The Nation columnist, asked the literary giant whether he believed a sensational claim last year by Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose of witnessing Obasanjo going down on his knees in Tripoli before the late President Muamar Ghaddafi in his desperate bid to secure the Libyan strongman’s support for an extension of his chairmanship of the African Union (AU), since the former Nigerian President has neither denied nor confirmed the account.

Fayose’s account was published by an Abuja-based monthly magazine, The Interview.

Ghaddafi was younger than Obasanjo. Libya is smaller in size and population compared to Nigeria.

Responding, Soyinka said he had no cause to doubt Fayose, given his knowledge of how Obasanjo did the “unthinkable” when his aspiration for a second term in office was similarly threatened in 2003.

Said he: “Before the PDP primaries in January 2003, Obasanjo got everyone he knew could reach me on the surface on the earth including Yemi Ogunbiyi and my son, to get me to help him intercede when it was clear that (Abubakar) Atiku was in a position to take his job. He knew Atiku had a lot of regard for me and calls me ‘Uncle’.”

In the now famous BBC interview few days to PDP’s 2003 primaries, Atiku had declared that he was under tremendous pressure from his supporters to contest the ticket against Obasanjo but was yet to make up his mind in what triggered panic in Obasanjo’s camp.

“The pressure was intense,” the literary giant recounted. “Of course, I could not have knelt before Atiku not to embark on a course of action that would lead to his boss’ disgrace. But I can confirm to you that Obasanjo as President knelt down before Atiku so that he would not lose his job.

“But I warned Atiku that for making Obasanjo to kneel down for you, be sure you would have to pay heavily for that. I guess my warning came to pass if you remember Atiku’s dramatic change of fortune once Obasanjo was sworn in for a second term of office.”

As expected, yesterday’s book reading turned out a day of reminiscences of many bizarre dramas and unsavory episodes that characterised Obasanjo’s reign as two-term president betweeen 1999 and 2007. The panel of disscussants included frontline rights activist-lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) and Mr. Sam Omatseye, author and Chairman of “The Nation” Editorial Board, and was moderated by Mr. Kunle Ajibade, award-winning author and Executive Director of “TheNews/Tempo”.

The roll-call at the event included literary colossus Prof. J. P. Clark, Colonel Tony Nyiam (retd) and Mr. Jahman Anikulapo.

Dispelling the notion that the long-running disagreement he has with Obasanjo is personal, Soyinka said his motivation is the desire that those he described as cause of the nation’s problems do not continue to recycle themselves as the solution.

He also dismissed Obasanjo as a hypocrite for denying that he did not have a hand in the third term agenda in 2006.

Said the playwright: “I remember I was invited to a conference in Germany around the time the third term game was unfolding in Nigeria. Then, I received thi

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Nigerian Army Lacks Equipment to Combat Boko Haram – Governor Zulum

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Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has raised concerns over the Nigerian Army’s insufficient equipment in the fight against Boko Haram insurgents. According to him, the insurgents are now leveraging advanced technology, putting Nigerian soldiers at a disadvantage.

“Recently, I met with the Chief of Army Staff who revealed that the Army needs 32 drones to effectively combat the insurgency,” Zulum said. “Each drone costs about $5.5 million. We must pool resources to acquire them and prioritize national security.”

The governor also stressed the importance of transparent procurement processes. “We need to focus on direct, government-to-government procurement of military equipment, both hardware and software, to ensure value for money,” he said. “Contractors often fail to deliver when funds are handed over to them.”

Zulum called for unity and cooperation between the federal and state governments. “If we are truly committed, this insurgency can be ended in six months. We must not politicize security issues. The Federal Government must listen and act.”

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Tinubu’s Reforms Have Significantly Reduced Poverty in Northern Nigeria — Governor Uba Sani

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Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as transformative efforts that have led to a significant reduction in poverty across Northern Nigeria, particularly in the North-West region.

Speaking on the impact of federal government interventions under the current administration, Governor Sani noted that prior to President Tinubu’s tenure, poverty levels in the region were alarmingly high, with estimates ranging between 65 and 70 percent.

“Over the last two years, President Tinubu has initiated key reforms and strategic interventions that go far beyond short-term relief measures,” the governor stated. “We are not merely referring to palliatives — we are talking about deep, structural support that addresses the root causes of poverty.”

Governor Sani emphasized that no administration in recent memory has committed as robustly to agricultural development as that of President Tinubu. He highlighted various initiatives, including extensive fertilizer distribution, financial assistance to smallholder farmers, and large-scale monetary support allocated without political bias.

“These initiatives have not only boosted agricultural productivity but have also contributed to job creation, improved rural infrastructure, and the overall reduction of poverty in many communities,” he added.

The governor concluded by asserting that these targeted interventions are laying the groundwork for sustainable economic growth and social inclusion, especially in underserved and rural areas.

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Wike Urges PDP to Clarify Zoning Arrangement Ahead of 2027 Presidential Election

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Former Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has called on the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to be transparent with Nigerians regarding the zoning of its presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking on the party’s internal crisis and past decisions, Wike criticized the PDP for allegedly abandoning its established tradition of power rotation between the North and South. He recalled that in 2023, despite the understanding that once a particular region produces the party chairman, the other should produce the presidential candidate, some leaders chose to manipulate the process for selfish reasons.

“They refused to zone the presidency and allowed aspirants from the same region to emerge as both party chairman and presidential candidate,” he said. “We warned them then that ignoring zoning would have consequences, but they dismissed it with arrogance.”

Wike further questioned the party’s current stance as it heads into its national convention. He alleged that there are attempts to zone the party chairmanship to the South again, which, he believes, would be a strategic move to deny the South the presidential ticket in 2027.

“Why not come out now and declare that the South will produce the 2027 presidential candidate, especially since the South currently holds the national presidency?” he queried. “This continued game of political trickery will only lead to another disaster for the party.”

He urged PDP leaders to abandon what he described as political “smartness” and embrace openness and fairness. “Let Nigerians know where the party stands now. Don’t wait until it backfires again and start pointing fingers. I’m saying it clearly — I won’t support this kind of manipulation,” Wike warned.

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