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PDP to military: don’t obey order on ballot box snatching

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The presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar and PDP national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, have urged the military and other security agencies not to obey the presidential order asking them to deal ruthlessly with would-be ballot box snatchers.

The party chieftains described the order as unlawful, insisting that there are enough provisions in the nation’s laws for the arrest and prosecution of ballot box snatching and other electoral offences.

Speaking at a national caucus meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja on Monday, President Buhari had said: “Anybody who decides to snatch boxes or lead thugs to disturb the election, may be that would be the last unlawful action you would take.

“I have given the military and police the order to be ruthless. I am going to warn anybody who thinks he would lead a body of thugs in his locality to snatch boxes or to disturb the voting system; he would do it at the expense of his/her own life”.

But speaking Wednesday in Abuja, at the 84th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the PDP, the two opposition chieftains cautioned President Buhari not to let loose anarchy in the country during the upcoming elections.

Atiku said it’s shocking for any head of state to utter such words in a democracy and that Nigerians should not accept it from President Buhari, adding “We have fought more ruthless dictators than himself”.

According to him, Buhari’s actions and utterances since he mounted the saddle in 2015 have been painful reminders of the era of military dictatorship.

“General Buhari has consistently violated the constitution; he failed to uphold the rule of law. Recent instances include the unconstitutional suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria a day before he was supposed to inaugurate the committee for the election tribunals that will decided any appeals or whether our elections were subject to manipulation, thereby crossing the immutable line that divides the executive from the judiciary.

“When you people are talking about democracy, I have always said that Gen. Muhammadu Buhari is not a democrat, he has never been a democrat. We started the fight to drive the military, he was never there, he never participated.

“You can see that he just wore the garb of democracy so that he can come back to power and do whatever he is doing. So Gen Buhari is not a democrat, he doesn’t believe in democracy, he is a lip service, he is more of a power monger than a democrat.

“A precondition for free, fair and credible election is that the people are able to freely vote the candidate of their choice. You owe it to the people to let them give their verdict in the same way that you were elected. If you do so and if you win, then the people will commend you for it. Otherwise, history will condemn you for it. But before history does that, we will condemn you for it,” Atiku added.

Secondus said Nigerians were still in shock as a result of the order, stressing that the same President who has been “off duty” since the needless bloodletting in various parts of the country over the years, could give what amounted to shoot-on-sight orders against ballot snatching.

Secondus said, “By that directive, ordering soldiers to kill our citizens without recourse to the law and with impunity, the President has unwittingly given license to APC leaders to carry military personnel on Saturday.

“The agenda of that directive is clear; to scare away voters and agents, that we have directed to defend their votes, so as to give way to a military protected political thugs to come into the polling booths, and implement their result replacement strategy.

“The President’s body language alongside that of his party hierarchy appeared remorseless for the damage done to our democracy or the huge private and public resources wasted by the inability of APC hawks acting as contractors and consultants to allow INEC to operate.

“I can indeed make the conclusion, that from inception, President Buhari, was not ready for free and fair elections, otherwise he would easily have signed the amended Electoral Act, which would have enabled peaceful and hitch free elections in 2019.

“President Buhari’s disregard for institutions of states, which started with the attempt of the Executive to hijack the Legislature, has continued unabated, with the illegal suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Walter Onnoghen, and the swearing in of an acting CJN”.

The party chair insisted on non-deployment of military or paramilitary units to electoral duties, as, according to him, elections are civil activities, which the police are best trained to handle.

He also sought assurances from the Federal Government that all communication assets – fixed and mobile, including the Internet, will not be interrupted or compromised during the elections.

The party chair similarly urged adherence to steps taken by the government to safeguard the conduct of the elections, including restriction of movements and closure of the nation’s borders with the Republics of Chad and Niger.

The meeting, which lasted several hours, was attended by key party stakeholders, including governors, federal lawmakers, former cabinet Ministers and members of the Board of Trustees.

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Araraume Felicitates President Tinubu on his birthday. Hails his Reform Agenda and National Milestones

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Senator Ifeanyi Araraume has congratulated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the occasion of his birthday, praising the President’s leadership style and the series of reforms that have shaped the direction of the country since he assumed office.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Araraume described President Tinubu as “a courageous reformer whose decisions continue to redefine Nigeria’s economic and governance landscape.” He noted that the President’s first year in office has been marked by bold policy choices aimed at stabilizing the economy and laying the groundwork for long term national development.

Araraume highlighted the removal of the petrol subsidy as one of the most significant economic decisions in recent decades, saying it demonstrated the President’s willingness to confront long‑standing structural challenges. According to him, the policy, though demanding, has redirected national resources toward infrastructure, social investment, and other critical sectors.

He also commended the administration’s unification of the foreign exchange market, describing it as a major step toward restoring investor confidence and strengthening Nigeria’s global competitiveness. The senator noted that the reforms have attracted renewed interest from international partners and signaled a commitment to transparent economic management.

Beyond economic restructuring, Araraume pointed to ongoing infrastructure expansion as evidence of the administration’s focus on national development. He cited the acceleration of key road projects, renewed efforts to expand rail connectivity, and the push to improve power generation and distribution as initiatives that reflect the President’s long term vision for a more productive Nigeria.

The senator further acknowledged the government’s interventions in agriculture, including support for mechanization and targeted programs aimed at boosting food security. He said these efforts are essential to reducing dependence on imports and strengthening local production.

On the diplomatic front, Araraume praised President Tinubu’s engagements across Africa and beyond, noting his role in strengthening regional cooperation within ECOWAS and advancing Nigeria’s interests on the global stage.

“As we celebrate this milestone, it is important to recognize the resilience and determination with which President Tinubu has approached the task of nation building,” Araraume said. “His commitment to reforms, economic stability, and democratic governance continues to inspire confidence in Nigeria’s future.”

He wished the President good health, renewed strength, and continued wisdom as he leads the country through what he described as “a defining period in Nigeria’s history.”

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Araraume Salutes Tinubu’s Vision, Lists Key Achievements on Birthday

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Senator Ifeanyi Araraume has congratulated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the occasion of his birthday, praising his leadership style and the series of reforms that have shaped the country’s direction since he assumed office.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Araraume described the President as “a courageous reformer whose decisions continue to redefine Nigeria’s economic and governance landscape.” He noted that Tinubu’s first year in office has been marked by bold policy choices aimed at stabilizing the economy and laying the groundwork for long-term national development.

Araraume highlighted the removal of the petrol subsidy as one of the most significant economic decisions in recent decades, saying it demonstrated the President’s willingness to confront long-standing structural challenges. According to him, the policy, though demanding, has redirected national resources toward infrastructure, social investment, and other critical sectors.

He also commended the administration’s unification of the foreign exchange market, describing it as a major step toward restoring investor confidence and strengthening Nigeria’s global competitiveness. The senator noted that the reforms have attracted renewed interest from international partners and signaled a commitment to transparent economic management.

Beyond economic restructuring, Araraume pointed to ongoing infrastructure expansion as evidence of the administration’s focus on national development. He cited the acceleration of key road projects, renewed efforts to expand rail connectivity, and the push to improve power generation and distribution as initiatives that reflect the President’s long-term vision for a more productive Nigeria.

The senator further acknowledged the government’s interventions in agriculture, including support for mechanization and targeted programmes aimed at boosting food security. He said these efforts are essential to reducing dependence on imports and strengthening local production.

On the diplomatic front, Araraume praised Tinubu’s engagements across Africa and beyond, noting his role in strengthening regional cooperation within ECOWAS and advancing Nigeria’s interests on the global stage.

“As we celebrate this milestone, it is important to recognise the resilience and determination with which President Tinubu has approached the task of nation-building,” Araraume said. “His commitment to reforms, economic stability, and democratic governance continues to inspire confidence in Nigeria’s future.”

He wished the President good health, renewed strength, and continued wisdom as he leads the country through what he described as “a defining period in Nigeria’s history.”

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APC Convention: Party Eyes Consensus for National Leadership Selection

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The All Progressives Congress has confirmed that it plans to adopt a consensus approach for selecting its national leadership during the party’s convention scheduled for March 27–28, 2026, in Abuja.

The Assistant Secretary for Media and Publicity for the APC National Convention 2026, Mary Ikoku, disclosed the plan during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday.

On the issue of elective positions during primaries, Ikoku said the party had not yet decided how these would be handled, noting that decisions may vary depending on local political dynamics.

She explained, “APC, for this convention, I am aware and can say that the party is adopting consensus for this convention. As to whether they are adopting consensus for elective positions, I do not have an answer to that because politics is local.

“So, I believe that, at the end of the day, when it comes to the issue of elective positions, the persons who would emerge aren’t often what you would want to make consensus in every space.”

Ikoku also addressed the Electoral Act’s provisions, which require political parties to register members online within a specified timeframe and outline acceptable methods for candidate selection.

She said these requirements posed challenges for some parties but reflected preparedness—or the lack thereof.

“We have an electoral law that defines the models for these elections. Direct primaries and consensus have been allowed, while indirect primaries have been taken out.

“That is the current law of the nation, passed and assented to. Now, why do you think other political parties will have issues with that?” she asked.

“That would be to say there are levels of unpreparedness of these political parties. Any political party that is worth its salt should not wait till election season to start preparing for the run for office and all of these congresses.

“It is something they would have planned ahead of time. So, when you are not proactive as a party, these kinds of situations can challenge you deeply,” she added.

Ahead of the convention, the party began screening aspirants for key positions in its National Working Committee , including National Chairman aspirant Nentawe Yilwatda and National Secretary hopeful Ajibola Basiru.

Other NWC members seeking to retain their posts include National Youth Leader Dayo Israel, Deputy National Chairman (North) Ali Bukar Dalori, National Legal Adviser Abdulkarim Abubakar Kana, National Woman Leader Mary Alile Idele, and National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka, among others.

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