Opinion

APC’s inaugural rally on the Plateau and scuffle for next speaker

Published

4 years ago

November 21, 2022

vicky

Aside from the poor crowd control at the flag-off of the APC presidential campaign in Jos, Plateau State on Tuesday, personally I will adjudge the rally a huge success. This is more so given the fact that Plateau State is not a stronghold of the party, despite being the governing party in the State.

The common perception among the people of the Plateau is that the APC government failed them on security and they would not reward failure. If this information is anything to go by, then the ruling party might just leave out the State as part of its possible catch both for the governorship and presidential elections in 2023.

Be that as it may, the rally was hugely successful as the turnout was massive. I can confirm that the crowd you saw on your television sets represents about 60 percent of the attendees. The remaining 40 percent of attendance was off the cameras outside the venue. While some made failed attempts to gain entrance into the stadium until the event was over, others were comfortable outside the venue as they were there for a different motive of promoting the political interests of some party candidates. There were non-partisan people who also came around for their brisk businesses.

Different support groups were noticed in their numbers declaring support for the APC presidential candidate and at the same time suggesting their interest in other political positions, if and when the APC forms government in 2023.

The most prominent among these groups were the supporters of the chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, Muktar Aliyu Betara, and supporters of the majority leader of the House, Alhassan Ado Doguwa.

While Betara’s supporters conspicuously dominated the crowd both inside and outside the campaign premises, with an uninterrupted display of energy to ensure that their presence was felt, the Doguwa’s group was more noticed by their big buses and posters. The few people around the buses decorated with Doguwa’s posters were probably too tired to display their talent or wait till the end of the event to start their business.

Nevertheless, the statement from the APC campaign rally was that Hon. Betara, who represents Biu/Bayo/Shani Federal Constituency of Borno State and Hon. Doguwa, who is from Doguwa/Tudunwada federal constituency of Kano State, is in the race to clinch the position of speaker when the 10th Assembly is formed next year.

Although the APC is yet to announce its zoning arrangement for the National Assembly positions come June 2023 when the 10th Assembly would be inaugurated, it is becoming clearer that irrespective of the zoning arrangement, the duo of Betara and Doguwa may defy the party arrangement, if it does not favor them individually, to try their luck.

Doguwa, who was first elected to the House in 1992 under the platform of the defunct SDP, is the most senior serving member of the House. He succeeded in returning to the House of Representatives in 2007 and has since been representing his constituents in that capacity since then. Doguwa, who is fighting the fiercest political battle of his life to return to the House, would have been elected into the green chamber for the 6th term and 5th consecutive term since 2007 if he wins the 2023 election.

Just like Doguwa, Betara has been elected to the House for four consecutive terms since 2007 and the 2023 election, which is almost a done deal for him, will make his election the 5th.

Quite strangely, the deputy speaker of the House, Ahmed Idris Wase, who is also an equal match for the duo of Doguwa and Betara, did not record a large crowd of supporters in his home state of Plateau. This, however, does not suggest that Wase is unpopular at home. He is a smooth and silent operator who can not be underrated in any race.

I have it on good authority that Wase will always win elections in his Wase federal constituency, but the case may not be the same if he were to take a shot at senatorial or governorship positions, due to the political demography of Plateau State.

Whether or not the APC makes a clear majority in the green chamber after the February 2023 elections, the three men mentioned above (if re-elected) will most certainly pull their weight when it is time to slug it out for the speakership position in the House, the Jos rally has given us a clue what to expect in 2023.

News

Presidency Replies Cardinal Onaiyekan, Says Remarks Were Political, Not Representative of All Christians

Published

4 days ago

August 3, 2026

Preport

The Presidency has dismissed comments by Cardinal John Onaiyekan criticising President Bola Tinubu’s administration, describing the cleric’s remarks as personal and political rather than representative of the entire Christian community in Nigeria.

The President’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, made the remarks in a post on his X account on Saturday, August 1, while responding to Onaiyekan’s criticism following the recent visit of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) to the President.

Cardinal Onaiyekan had accused the Tinubu administration of being more focused on winning political contests than addressing the country’s pressing challenges.

Responding, Bwala argued that the cardinal was expressing the views of the Catholic Church and not speaking on behalf of all Christians in Nigeria. He also claimed that the Catholic institution largely supported Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi during the 2023 presidential election.

According to Bwala, the cardinal’s comments were political rather than spiritual and did not reflect the opinions of all Catholic faithful.

“Cardinal Onaiyekan wasn’t speaking for Christians; he was speaking for Catholics, the very institutions rooting for Peter Obi. In fact, likely the institution where Peter Obi also said in 2022, ‘Take back your country.’ Therefore, the Cardinal is more political than spiritual. And not all Catholic members are supporting Peter Obi,” he wrote.

Bwala also defended President Tinubu’s response to the Catholic bishops’ assessment of the nation’s economy, arguing that the President was entitled to disagree based on available economic data.

“The President was well within his right to disagree with their assertion regarding Nigeria’s economy based purely on facts, statistics and numbers considered within the proper context,” he stated.

He further accused the cleric of applying a different standard to members of the church, suggesting that religious leaders often encourage worshippers to make positive declarations despite difficult circumstances.

“Ironically, the same priest would rebuke their members if they said, ‘We are suffering’ or ‘We are poor.’ They would instead tell them to declare, ‘We are doing great’ or ‘We are rich,’ even when they are facing hardship,” Bwala added.

The presidential aide maintained that there is a broader Christian body comprising various denominations, including the Catholic Church and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, and argued that such organisations should remain politically neutral.

“There is a body comprising all Christians, including the Catholics and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, and that body’s position is neutral and should remain so; otherwise, it becomes political,” he said.

The exchange follows renewed public debate over the role of religious leaders in commenting on governance and national affairs.

News

‘Security operatives connive with local militias to kill our people’ – Fulani youth leader alleges

Published

4 days ago

August 3, 2026

Preport

A Fulani youth leader in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, Umar Yusuf, has accused security operatives of conniving with local militia gangs to kill herders, steal their cows and extort money from them to release the livestock.

Yusuf, who made the allegations during a town hall meeting convened by the Kautal Pulaaku Fulbe Association of Nigeria, KPFAN, on Saturday, said operatives of security agencies in the council go on raids alongside local Irigwe youths where they attack innocent herders, kill them and rustle their cattle.

While speaking during the meeting, Yusuf said the practice has been going on for years and has gotten worse in recent times.

“What has been happening in Bassa and other parts of Plateau State is a very worrisome situation.

“You will be surprised to hear that security personnel connive with local Irigwe militants to attack Fulani herdsmen during raids on Fulani communities,” he said.

He further alleged that during such raids, some of which end up with casualties, cows are seized from the communities while the owners are later made to pay huge amounts of money to get them back.

“Our cattle are seized and stolen from us and taken to a military camp for days, weeks and sometimes months without an iota of reason for farm encroachment whatsoever.

“We will then have to pay huge sums of money to get them back from the security people. We, the Fulani herders, face severe economic backwardness as a result of this. We deserve protection as much as others,” Yusuf said.

He further alleged that on July 30th, some Fulani herders were attacked by armed Irigwe youths along with some security personnel, during which six cows were killed and others severely injured in an unprovoked attack at Ancha village in the LGA, while a herdsman identified as Muhammadu Rebo was killed while grazing peacefully without encroaching on any farmland.