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The North always supports Yoruba Presidency – OPF replies OPC
Moved by the recent threat to the North by the Oodu’a Peoples Congress (OPC) on the issue of contesting the National Assembly leadership sharing formula announced by the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress, the Oodu’a Peoples Frontiers (OPF) said, time immemorial, the North has always supported Yoruba Presidency.
In a statement issued to the media signed by the convener, OPF, Comrade Moses Oluwasegun Odewale said, the threat by the OPC, is in no way representative of the views of the decent Yoruba nation and should not be seen as such.
The statement said, “If anything, the threats, though empty and unsolicited, are embarrassing, shameful and only expose the inconsistencies of the OPC and other groups like the Afenifere that pose as representatives of the entire Yoruba nation.
“Whether OPC, Afenifere or any other group from any region wants to believe it or not, available facts and figures prove that the North is majorly responsible for the emergence of the Asiwaju as APC flag bearer and to his eventual victory at the polls.
“We cannot forget so quickly that eleven APC governors of Northern Nigerian states stood firmly against all odds and ensured that power moved to the South and to the Southwest in particular which paved the way for Tinubu’s emergence.
“And there is no disputing the fact that Tinubu’s final victory at the polls was secured by the northern votes which made up 60 percent of the total votes he got, far and above what he got in the Southwest.”
Odewale, reminded that, facts of history have shown how the North had been consistent with its support for a Yoruba presidency even at the expense of candidates from the North.
“During the 1993 elections, Bashorun Abiola contested on the platform of the Social Democratic Party, partly due to the influence of a northern force presented by the late General Shehu Yar’Adua.
“And at the polls, the Northern votes comprehensively went to Abiola to ensure his success over their own son, Alhaji Bashir Tofa, a prominent, respected personality.
“Record shows that of the 6.6 million votes that had been announced before the annulment, Tofa had received 2.3 million and Abiola 4.3 million of which more than half came from the North.
“Abiola won all the states of the south-west; three of the seven states in the south-east; five of the nine northern states including Kano, Tofa’s state; and four out of the seven states in the central middle belt.”
He further revealed that the gesture was replicated when Olusegun Obasanjo was released from prison by the northern establishment, made a candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party by the northern elite and voted for the presidency by the northern voters in 1999.
“On all these three occasions such self-professed Yoruba protection groups as the Afenifere and OPC were nowhere visible, in fact they only surfaced after the June 12 annulment to bask in the glory of what they did participate in.
“Also in 1999, Afenifere and the OPC led the Yoruba nation to favour Olu Falae while the North worked for Obasanjo’s victory against their son.
“And this time around, Afenifere openly declared opposition to Tinubu, OPC was missing in the field while the North did all the work.”
From its viewpoint, the OPF believes that by making it look like the OPC are protecting their son, the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, it has ended up exposing him in particular and the South-west several political vulnerabilities in the future.
“It is therefore the peak of insanity, shamelessness and ingratitude for the OPC or any Southwest group to reward the North with threats in the false presence of defending their son whom they rejected earlier.”
OPF, therefore, emphatically dissociates the decent Yoruba nation from these threats to the North in particular and to any other section of the country while condemning with all might the uncivilized action of OPC that threatens the long standing political friendship that exists between the North and the Southwest.
OPF further called on the President-elect not to fall for the dirty game of the OPC and Afenifere which only aims to pitch him against his most reliable traditional political allies.
“Asiwaju should as much as possible distance himself from agents of destabilisation operating in various guises and instead concentrate on governance and the task of nation-building with justice and equity to all.”
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has vowed to appeal the judgement of the governorship election tribunal which nullified his election and declared the APC candidate, Nasiru Yusuf Gawauna as the winner.
KANO FOCUS reports that Yusuf made the declaration on Wednesday night, while making a broadcast to the people of the state.
He said his legal team had been directed to appeal the judgement at the court of appeal in order to reclaim the mandate given to him by the people of the State.
He, therefore, Called on the good people of the state to remain calm and continue to be law abiding as security agents have been directed to ensure the safety of lives and property of the citizens.
“Let me assure you that the this government would continue to work for the development of the people of the state as the judgement will never dampen our spirit or discourage us from the good work we have started.” he said.
The Governor, who thanked the people of the state for their continued support and cooperation, urged them to go about with normal activities.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), on Tuesday, said that Kano State has recorded 5,800 suspected cases of Diphtheria from January to date.
KANO FOCUS reports that the Head, UNICEF Field Office, Kano, Mr Rahama Mohammned-Farah, stated this in Kano during a one-day media orientation on Diphtheria outbreak.
The UN Agency said the cases were recorded in 39 local government areas of the state.
According to him, Kano State has the highest number of recorded cases in the country, adding that Diphtheria was a highly contagious and infectious disease that could cause death.
Mohammned-Farah stressed that proactive measures were necessary to stem the outbreak.
“Recently, we have seen a surge in the number of reported Diphtheria cases in Nigeria, and Nigeria is currently facing an outbreak that needs to be stopped and prevented.
“As of July, Diphtheria cases have been on the rise. As of last week, over 400 suspected cases with 11 deaths have been reported in Kano.
“Out of the 39 LGAs affected, eight are the most affected, including Ungogo with 2,651 cases; Dala 989, Fagge 943, Gwale 714, Kumbotso 713, Nasarawa 538, Kano Municipal 506 and Tarauni 269,” he said.
He said that 60.8 per cent of the suspected cases had been reported in children not vaccinated, which reinforced the critical need to address the issue of zero doses, especially in Kano State.
“UNICEF delivered 1.2 million vaccines to the Kano State Government in our continuing support to the government response to Diphtheria outbreak.
“Diphtheria outbreak is a threat to child survival, health and the wellbeing of children. UNICEF is collaborating with government and partners to respond to the emergency to save the lives of children affected.
“In Kano state, UNICEF supported Tetanus-Diphtheria reactive vaccination campaigns in February, April and August, vaccinating 23,200 children in round one.
“While 277,796 children vaccinated in round two and 29,500 others in round-3 of the exercise.
“We engaged 150 traditional leaders on Diphtheria outbreak and distribution of Diphtheria IEC materials, and deployed 1,500 VCMs to the worst affected LGAs to conduct house-to-house sensitisations and referral of suspected cases to health facilities.
“Media has a key role to play particularly in infection prevention, and risk communication and community engagement,” he said.
Also speaking, Dr Muhammad Nasir-Mahmoud, the Director-General, Kano State Primary Healthcare Management Board, said the state government had adopted drastic measures to curtail spread of the disease.
“We are committed towards educating the public about what is happening and the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) has promised that Kano will be accorded priority in terms of vaccine distribution,” he said.
While describing the media as partners in the fight against Diphtheria, Nasir-Mahmoud urged them to support the campaign against the disease.
Mukhtar Yahya Usman
The Interparty Advisory Council of Nigeria (IPAC) has urged the judges of the Kano election petition tribunal court to discharge its duties with utmost integrity and impartiality.
KANO FOCUS reports that this was contained in a statement issued by the organization secretary Kano chapter Nuhu Idris on Tuesday.
IPAC also called upon the tribunal to consider each case diligently and ensure that all the parties involved are given equal opportunities to present their argument and evidence.
It could be recalled that the election tribunal has fixed Wednesday 20th September 2023 to deliver judgment on APC’s petition against Abba Kabir Yusuf.
A hearing notice issued by the Secretary of the election petition tribunal on Monday said the judgment would be delivered at 9.00 a.m., at the High Court of Miller Road in Kano.
Mr Idris said the organization has acknowledged the importance of the electoral process in a democratic society, where the voice and choice of the people are paramount.
He said the ongoing legal proceedings before the tribunal are a testament to the vibrancy of democracy and the resolve of citizens to seek redress through legal means.
“IPAC firmly believes that justice must not only be done but must also be seen to be done.
“We, Therefore, implore the tribunal to maintain transparency in its proceedings allowing the public and all concerned parties to have confidence in the outcome of the legal process, the statement said.
He added that it is essential that the tribunal’s decisions are guided by the rule of law and the facts presented, rather than any external influence.
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