Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, today November 8, made his first appearance after his palace was vandalized by hoodlums who hijacked the #EndSARS protest on Wednesday, October 21.
The monarch is pictured at a Peace Dialogue organized by leaders of thought in the South West to address the issues that led to the recent nationwide protest, which ended in violence that shook the region to its foundation.
See another photo below
The Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, on Monday confirmed that six citizens of the country, have been convicted in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), for wiring $782,000 to insurgent group Boko Haram.
Dabiri-Erewa in a tweet thread named the suspects involved and their jail terms.
She said the convicts could approach the Supreme if they wished.
However, Dabiri-Erewa warned Nigerians all around the world, to desist from crime and criminality.
“6 Nigerians convicted in the UAE for wiring $782,000 to Boko Haram.
“Abubakar Muhammad and Saleh Yusuf Adamu got life imprisonment, while Ibrahim Ali Alhassan, AbdurRahman Ado Musa, Bashir Ali Yusuf and Muhammad Ibrahim Isa got 10 years.
“They lost their appeal.
“They can approach the Supreme Court if they so desire, as we continue to appeal to Nigerians all over the world to desist from crime and criminality
“The case had been in court since 2015,” Dabiri-Erewa tweeted.
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Tracking the life story of Oba Olufemi Ogunleye, the 76-year old traditional ruler of Akinale, an Egba community, near Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, is a story radiating the beauty of ambition.
Oba Olufemi Ogunleye, Towulade of Akinale after his Master’s Graduation ceremony
For him, reading, schooling and education generally, are lifelong pleasurable activities, for which many people, the world over, particularly youths of today, can learn copious lessons.
According to the Oxford English Bible, the word, AMBITION, is defined as “a strong desire to do or achieve something” Elucidating further, Oxford sees ambition as desire and determination to achieve success.
There are words that can fit as Synonyms for ambition. These are; aspiration, intention, goal, aim, objective, object, purpose, intent, plan, scheme, mission, calling, vocation, desire, wish, design, target, end, dream, hope.
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In the light of the foregoing, having an ambition in life is the idea that one has something he or she really wants to go after. This could be one’s dream(s) or goal(s) in life .
Ambition is something you really want to achieve. It’s often something that means something to you in a way that is hard to define in words.
Any progressive-minded individual ought to have life goals which simply translate to the things the individual in question targets to accomplish in life. Life goals are the big things to work for and accomplish.
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To many people, whether it is ambition or goal, there is only a thin line of difference. Both represent a strong desire.
Goal is viewed as the target set by a person, while ambition is a desire to reach that goal with personal satisfaction. A goal is something that is reachable and should be achieved. An ambition is something viewed more difficult to achieve. Yet, it is a desire that one looks forward to and work for to achieve it.
With only four years to attain the Octogenarian age status, Oba Ogunleye, the Towulade of Akinale, in Ewekoro Local Government Area of the state, has his gaze and focus firmly on his goals and ambition.
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Oba Ogunleye with his former Boss, Chief Segun Osoba, former Daily Times MD
From his early childhood, the young Femi Ogunleye was not so privileged. He had little formal education. Even, when he had chance to go further from the initial primary education, somehow, it was at a late hour.
Significantly, his school life has been through rigours, combined with work all through. At some point in life, he had learnt apprenticeship as a battery charger and has also been a typist and shorthand reporter.
However, courtesy of continuous education, schooling and learning, Oba Ogunleye, today, is difficult to categorise into just one line of career.
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Born on September 23, 1944, he is a veteran journalist of the defunct Daily Times fame, when he was a celebrated Aviation Reporter in the 70’s. He also was Public Relations Manager of the defunct Nigeria Airways and later became General Manager, Corporate Affairs in that Airline. He also established his own private firm and tried his hands in a few other things, before kingship came calling for him in 2003.
Between then and this present moment, the traditional ruler who is an Owu by Egba classification and also a cousin to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, now has an avalanche of certificates in his kitty.
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Oba Ogunleye… Playing golf
Sometime during his working career, he had studied Mass Communication at the University of Lagos where he bagged a B.Sc.
The hunger for continuous learning made him to Enrol for a Diploma in Law at the Crescent University, Abeokuta, a course which he graduated with an Upper Credit.
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Oba Ogunleye with other Law School students on internship and Mrs Akinlawon(SAN) at a Court session
Thereafter, in 2011, the monarch pushed further and enrolled for a degree programme in Law and graduated in 2017, following which he proceeded to the Nigerian Law School.
After qualifying as a Barrister, he was not done yet as his ambition kept firing him on. He wasted no time to pursue an LL.M at Babcock University, Ilishan in Ogun State.
Meanwhile, the royal father was also, at the same time, running a second Master’s Degree in Mass Communication at Crescent University, Abeokuta, the purpose being to be able to qualify as a lecturer in any Law Faculty later in life.
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Interviewed recently, Oba Ogunleye told this Reporter: “I have recently completed my Master’s Degree programme in Babcock University and I am delighted to let you know that I have commenced my Doctorate programme in Babcock University.”
The monarch went further: “we are just seven in number as PhD students , one practising lawyer, three lecturers and one High Court Judge. The seven of us have resolved to resume PhD classes immediately and we shall all do that, God willing.
“I can tell you what I learn in this academic part of Law programme has sufficiently equipped me now to know how to handle issues the people may bring before me, most especially in the area of Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution.”
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Oba Ogunleye was asked how long it would take him to become a Doctor of Law vis-à-vis the challenges being faced.
His response was swift. Hear him: “This course is for a minimum of three years, and I will strife to complete it within this period.
“There are plenty challenges here, particularly with inconsistencies of network in participating in virtual classes. Besides, the study in PhD is deeper than in the Master’s level and that of Law School scenarios.
“What we do here are Advanced Research Methodologies, etc But with seriousness of mind, dedication and focus, one will scale through”
Oba Ogunleye who will be 15 years on the throne next year, is always quick to share his success tips so that others can learn.
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Oba Ogunleye presenting COVID materials to NSCDC Commandant
This is the way he captures his life lessons: “Age has nothing to do with life. Age is just a matter of calendar. On the occasion of my 70th birthday some years ago, I told people that 70 is a number. The bottom line is that I love to read and write. I don’t go to bed until 9pm and I wake at 1am to resume at the study room.
“My attitude when I get to school is this. I do not go to school as a monarch. I am in school as student. The crown is in the palace, and the traditional ruler is in the palace. There is difference between Femi Ogunleye as traditional ruler and Femi Ogunleye as a student. I am in the school as Femi Ogunleye and not traditional ruler.
“By this, I have thrown a challenge to the youths and to all senior citizens that there is no age barrier to educational advancement.”
In a few hours, much of the United States of America will be awake to begin to watch another battle unleashed as President Donald Trump begins to fight in court what he lost on the political turf: the Presidency of the acclaimed world power.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?guci=2.2.0.0.2.2.0.0&client=ca-pub-1103034130049335&output=html&h=60&slotname=9114618322&adk=1742951136&adf=2589558187&pi=t.ma~as.9114618322&w=468&lmt=1604951341&rafmt=12&psa=1&format=468×60&url=https%3A%2F%2Feveryday.ng%2Ftrump-begins-court-war-after-loss-as-joe-biden-now-president-elect-declares-it-is-time-to-heal-in-america%2F&flash=0&wgl=1&tt_state=W3siaXNzdWVyT3JpZ2luIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9hZHNlcnZpY2UuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbSIsInN0YXRlIjowfSx7Imlzc3Vlck9yaWdpbiI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXR0ZXN0YXRpb24uYW5kcm9pZC5jb20iLCJzdGF0ZSI6MH1d&dt=1604951325943&bpp=116&bdt=6722&idt=15337&shv=r20201104&cbv=r20190131&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3D198b1f531000c808-223466e961a6002e%3AT%3D1604304380%3ART%3D1604304380%3AS%3DALNI_Ma7gbACYFpLKbFrIe_gD0oCtihsfw&prev_fmts=0x0%2C468x60&nras=1&correlator=5346669789544&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=1224109608.1604304380&ga_sid=1604951341&ga_hid=314571129&ga_fc=0&iag=0&icsg=615720786329599&dssz=46&mdo=0&mso=0&u_tz=60&u_his=1&u_java=0&u_h=1280&u_w=800&u_ah=1280&u_aw=800&u_cd=24&u_nplug=0&u_nmime=0&adx=166&ady=946&biw=800&bih=1160&scr_x=0&scr_y=0&eid=21067981%2C21066819%2C21066973&oid=3&pvsid=2114478989574011&pem=290&rx=0&eae=0&fc=1920&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C800%2C0%2C800%2C1160%2C800%2C1160&vis=1&rsz=%7C%7CeE%7C&abl=CS&pfx=0&fu=8448&bc=31&ifi=2&uci=a!2&fsb=1&xpc=iewXnw82C3&p=https%3A//everyday.ng&dtd=15376
Trump had promised to go to court by today (Monday) to fight a loss he described as a fraud.
As many celebrate the victory of former Vice President Joe Biden, and others lick the wound of defeat and egg on Trump’s bid to reclaim his seat, the sharply divided country totters as the world waits to see a drama of monumental proportions unravel.
Some sober persons are waxing philosophical and calling for prayers, while others recall past prophecies of doom on this particular election.
Even an American-based Nigerian pastor, Ladi Thompson, posted an ominous message on social media. It reads: “Those who love America need to remind them that there is a great difference between things born of the spirit and those born of the flesh …. Like the wave of fear that followed 9/11 this anger and hatred trailing the 2020 elections is a spiritual thing. Joe Biden cannot handle it no matter how hard he tries … The anger and hatred was transmitted spiritually and can only be cast out in the name of the Lord. If this is not done the transition will be bathed with innocent blood “
https://everyday.ng/viral-video-is-this-frightening-message-for-the-whole-world-or-america/embed/#?secret=YrKRH7DdUX
Nonetheless, in his first speech as president-elect on Saturday, Joe Biden said he hoped to unify the nation after an especially bitter campaign with President Trump, who has so far refused to concede defeat in the race.
“Folks, the people of this nation have spoken,” Biden said on an outdoor stage at the Chase Center in Wilmington, Del., as a crowd, with many people watching from inside their cars, honked and cheered approval. “They’ve delivered us a clear victory, a convincing victory, a victory for we the people. We won with the most votes ever cast on a presidential ticket in the history of the nation, 74 million!”
The former vice president repeatedly sought to reinforce his message during the campaign that he would seek to be a president for all Americans, regardless of whether they had voted for him.
“I pledge to be a president who seeks not to divide, but unify. Who doesn’t see red states and blue states, only sees the United States,” Biden said.
“All those of you who voted for President Trump, I understand the disappointment tonight. … But now, let’s give each other a chance. We need to stop treating our opponents as our enemies,” Biden told the crowd. “They’re not our enemies. They’re Americans. This is the time to heal in America.”
Biden was declared the victor in the particularly bruising race against President Trump on a date that holds personal significance for the Democrat: It was 48 years to the day that he was first elected to the United States Senate in his home state of Delaware.
Biden ran two failed campaigns for president — one in 1988 and the other in 2008. He served eight years as vice president under President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2017, and then, on his third try, he crossed the finish line.
As several major news networks called the race in Biden’s favor late Saturday morning, Trump was playing golf at his club in Sterling, Va. The president vented his frustration on Twitter, continuing his attempt to discredit Biden’s victory by arguing that voting irregularities had robbed him of the presidency.
“THE OBSERVERS WERE NOT ALLOWED INTO THE COUNTING ROOMS. I WON THE ELECTION, GOT 71,000,000 LEGAL VOTES. BAD THINGS HAPPENED WHICH OUR OBSERVERS WERE NOT ALLOWED TO SEE. NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. MILLIONS OF MAIL-IN BALLOTS WERE SENT TO PEOPLE WHO NEVER ASKED FOR THEM!” Trump said in a tweet that Twitter quickly labeled as containing information about “election fraud that has been disputed.”
Sen. Kamala Harris of California, Biden’s running mate and the first woman of color to be elected vice president, introduced the president-elect.
“When our very democracy was on the ballot in this election, the very soul of America at stake, and the world watching, you ushered in a new day for America,” said Harris, who wore all white, in a nod to the women who fought to give women the right to vote in the U.S.
Noting the impact that the coronavirus pandemic has had on the country, Harris thanked all the officials and volunteers who made sure the election went forward.
“To the poll workers and election officials across our country who have worked tirelessly to make sure that every vote is counted, our nation owes you a debt of gratitude. You have protected the integrity of our democracy,” Harris said.
In her history-making speech, Harris, the daughter of an Indian-American mother and a Jamaican father, drew on her own background, saying she was reflecting on the life of her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, who died of cancer in 2009.
“I am thinking about her and about the generations of women — Black women, Asian, white, Latina, Native American, who throughout our nations history have paved the way for this moment tonight,” Harris said.
The announcement that Biden had won the election set off mass celebrations in many of the heavily Democratic cities that Trump had spent weeks attacking on the campaign trail. Crowds numbering in the thousands gathered in Washington, D.C., New York, Portland, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Denver, Atlanta, Chicago and Austin, among others. Smaller crowds of Trump supporters also assembled to show their support for the president, like those that greeted him as he left his Virginia golf course.
“We’re so elated that Donald Trump is almost out of the White House,” a man standing outside the White House who gave his first name as Darryl told Yahoo News
Celebratory crowds also gathered outside the Naval Observatory, the official residence of Vice President Mike Pence.
▪︎ Additional reports by YahooNews
A former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Mike Aondoakaa (SAN), has denied being briefed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to specifically freeze accounts of #EndSARS promoters.
An online platform, Sahara Reporters had in a report, which went viral claimed that some lawyers representing the CBN, led by Aondoakaa, had allegedly obtained the Court order freezing the accounts of 20 #EndSARS promoters for 90 days.
The order was said to have been obtained pursuant to a motion ex- parte filed by the CBN before a Federal High Court in Abuja.
But a statement at the weekend by Aondoakaa’s Head of Chambers, Abdul Ter Kohol Esq, said the CBN did not brief the former AGF to specifically freeze the accounts of #EndSARS members as published by Sahara Reporters.
“He (Aondoakaa) is not in a position to know the membership of #EndSARS because he never received any instructions from CBN relating to #EndSARS members.https://galleria.com.ng/pushgalleriaads?q=201&i=56&ho=dailyasset.ngAll the Documents filed at Federal High Court Abuja in respect of the case are public documents, which can be verified or obtained. CBN cannot engage Aondoakaa verbally,” the statement said.
The statement challenged the online publication that accused Aondoakaa of being hired by the CBN to freeze the #EndSARS supporters’ accounts to produce a copy of such instruction by the CBN, adding, “launching such unfair attack on the person of Chief Michael Aondoakaa appears to be pursuing long perceived personal vendetta and blackmail.”
In an exclusive chat with DAILY ASSET yesterday to shed light on the issue, Aondoakaa alleged that the online medium had for long held him in contempt and had published reports he claimed were not only misleading against him but also targeted at denting his reputation.
“In 2010, the same news medium reported exclusively that they have uncovered a $44million bank account opened by me in South Africa. I denied the story and reported to both the Metropolitan Police, UK and the Nigeria Police to investigate.The investigation was carried out but nothing was found against me.
“Since I was born till now, I have not visited South Africa in both my official and private engagement,” he said about his earlier encounter with the medium.
In the instant case, Aondoakaa explained that he had been offering legal services to the CBN on a wide variety of issues adding, the latest brief was in line with CBN’s statutory and routine activities.
He said there was nothing in the brief to suggest that it was targeted at the promoters of #EndSAR protests, which rocked the country recently, saying he was carrying his professional duties as a lawayer.
“In Law, even an alleged Murderer is entitled to legal representation, no matter what offence you are accused of, you are still entitled to enjoy services of a Lawyer,” he explained.
The said suit to freeze the accounts listed the 20 defendants as Bolatito Oduala, Chima Ibebunjoh, Mary Kpengwa, Gatefield Nigeria Limited, Saadat Bibi, Bassey Israel, Wisdom Obi, Nicholas Osazele, Ebere Idibie, Akintomide Yusuf, Uhuo Promise, Mosopefoluwa Odeseye and Adegoke Emmanuel.
Others include Umoh Ekanem, Babatunde Segun, Mulu Teghenan, Mary Oshifowora, Winifred Jacob, Victor Solomon, and Idunu Williams.
This is the full list of prominent Nigerians and organisations the Police high command has withdrawn all police officers attached to them according to the directive of the IGP.
They include Femi Fani Kayode, several politicians , clergy men and organisations
Meanwhile ,the Inspector-General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu, NPM, mni has ordered the deployment of all legitimate force to protect lives and property of citizens including police officers and personnel of other law enforcement agencies and their families, and to prevent attacks on private/public assets from any violent person(s) or group(s) operating under any guise.
The IGP restates that Command Commissioners of Police and their supervisory Assistant Inspectors-General of Police should resist all riotous elements forthwith and checkmate any form of violent/riotous protests in line with Section 33 (1) & (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) which among other things provides for the use of such force as is reasonably necessary –
(a) For the defence of any person from unlawful violence or for the defence of property;
(b) In order to effect a lawful arrest or to prevent the escape of a person lawfully detained; or
(c) For the purpose of suppressing a riot, insurrection or mutiny.
The IGP affirms that the Force will not tolerate a repeat of the horrendous attacks and killings, arson and wanton destruction, and looting of public and private assets witnessed during the recent violent protests in some parts of the country. He warns that the Force shall deploy the full weight of the law and legitimate force (if necessary) in preventing a reoccurrence.
Recall that in the wake of the ENDSARS protests and the violence that emanated therefrom, a total of fifty-one (51) civilian fatalities and thirty-seven (37) civilian injuries were recorded, while a total of twenty-two (22) policemen were gruesomely murdered and twenty-six (26) others injured by the protesters. Two hundred and five (205) police stations, corporate facilities and private property were attacked, burnt or vandalized.
The IGP assures law abiding citizens across the country of the Force’s renewed and unwavering commitment to their safety and security especially as we approach the yuletide. He calls for the collaboration and support of citizens in the ongoing reforms of the Force
President Donald Trump’s motorcade was just pulling into the Trump National Golf Club in suburban Virginia on Saturday morning when news organizations ended days of waiting and declared that he had lost the presidency to Joe Biden.
Aides called Trump to let him know that their predictions over the past several days had come true: Every major news outlet had projected Biden to be the winner. But the president, who an hour earlier had said on Twitter that “I WON THIS ELECTION, BY A LOT!,” was not surprised, they said. And he did not change his plans to go ahead with legal challenges to the election results that several of his own advisers warned him were long shots at best, or to play golf.
The aides said Trump had no plans to immediately deliver the kind of concession speech that has become traditional in past presidential elections, and his campaign vowed to continue waging the legal battle across the country. In a statement issued while he was still on the golf course, Trump said Biden was trying to “falsely pose” as the winner.
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“The simple fact is this election is far from over,” the president said, “Beginning Monday, our campaign will start prosecuting our case in court to ensure election laws are fully upheld and the rightful winner is seated.”
Trump’s advisers said the president has refused to acknowledge that he has lost, maintaining his baseless accusation that Democrats had stolen the election.
But they do not believe he will try in any way to block Biden from taking office, and said that if he has not delivered a formal concession speech by the time he departs, pressure may mount on his Republican allies, family members and friends to convince him that he must give in to the inevitable and let the American people know that he accepts their judgment.
Even some of Trump’s oldest advisers, like former Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey, have said publicly that he needed to have actual evidence to make the claims he has been making about the election.
“This kind of thing, all it does is inflame without informing. And we cannot permit inflammation without information,” Christie said on ABC News on Thursday night.
Now that Biden has been declared the winner, White House advisers must confront the reality that Trump will be a lame-duck president for the next 2 1/2 months.
Since early Wednesday morning, when Trump angrily declared the election to be a “fraud” on the public, he has split his time between the Oval Office and the presidential residence, watching television coverage and brooding.
Besides his children, he has spoken by phone and at the White House with a coterie of advisers, including former White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, his campaign manager, Bill Stepien, his deputy campaign manager, Justin Clark, his adviser Hope Hicks, and Ronna McDaniel, chair of the Republican National Committee.
Vice President Mike Pence spent part of Friday in the Oval Office with Trump, but the president’s chief of staff, Mark Meadows, who tested positive for the coronavirus the day after the election, has been working remotely on the campaign’s current legal challenges.
Trump’s advisers did succeed in persuading Rudy Giuliani, his personal lawyer, to stand down from some of his public allegations about fraud. But Giuliani appealed to Trump, and the president signed off on his holding a news conference in Philadelphia that started just after news outlets called the presidential race for Biden.
Some aides were candid with Trump that there was not much of a path forward, even though they said they would continue on. Only a few had doubted that Biden was likely to win, among them the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, people who spoke with Trump said.
As he played golf Saturday, aides said, Trump was surprisingly calm, given the news he had received when he arrived at the club.
But that was before he watched television coverage of Biden’s victory. Nearly two hours after an uneventful return to the White House, Trump again began posting angry, and false, tweets insisting that he had won the election and complaining that “MILLIONS OF MAIL-IN BALLOTS WERE SENT TO PEOPLE WHO NEVER ASKED FOR THEM!”
Several Trump advisers said that while they now wanted to give the president space to process the loss, they were exhausted after four years of tumult, and were eager for clarity about what would come next.
Some aides began to focus on what they believed Trump could cite as accomplishments even in defeat, including the fact that he received the second-most votes in American history and that he drew a new batch of voters into the Republican Party.
Confined almost entirely to the White House since Election Day, Trump is eager to get out of Washington, and after musing about holding a rally this week, aides said he was likely to travel to his private club, Mar-a-Lago, in Palm Beach, Florida, instead. But the president has no intention of ending the boisterous demonstrations of support that he has held throughout his presidency and that always seem to energize him.
It was unclear whether Trump would follow tradition and invite Biden to the White House for a symbolic meeting like the one he had with President Barack Obama during his own transition four years ago. It is also tradition for the departing president to attend the inauguration of his successor, but Trump has ignored many of the norms of the office.
Biden, as a former vice president, does not require the tour of the White House that Trump did. Such a meeting would send a signal that could help reduce the anger of the president’s supporters over his defeat — but it would be a gesture strikingly out of character for a president who has so often sought to inflame passions.
Democrats are concerned that an array of steps traditionally involved in a presidential transition could be ignored or disrupted by Trump administration officials. But the initial stages of the transition have begun without any disruptions.
A top White House adviser, Chris Liddell, has been leading transition planning for the Trump administration, but Trump has not been involved, one White House official said, in part because of his superstitions about planning before an election, and in part because officials feared he would try to meddle with them.
As Trump’s motorcade arrived back at the White House Saturday afternoon, passing crowds of Biden supporters applauding the president’s ouster, Trump’s aides were still in varying degrees of shock about the outcome of a race that many had believed he would win.
Some of those aides had already started to leave in anticipation of a loss. Ja’Ron Smith, the most senior Black official in the West Wing and a deputy assistant to the president, sent an email to colleagues Friday saying that he was departing. One of his colleagues said it had been long planned, but others saw it as the beginning of a slow exodus as Inauguration Day draws closer.
Trump, for his part, showed no sign of ending his hunt for allegations of fraud that could lend credence to lawsuits he wants filed in a number of states. A campaign official said that Stepien and Kushner had David Bossie, the head of the conservative group Citizens United and a longtime Trump ally, to lead efforts to contest vote counts in several states.
Some of the president’s allies in the Senate said they understood why he felt entrenched.
“I don’t blame him one bit for fighting for every single vote,” said Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D.
Some of the president’s campaign donors disagreed. “President Trump should go against his nature and call off the legal dogs,” said Dan Eberhart, a Trump supporter and donor, who called Biden’s victory “unfortunate.”
But even before he leaves the White House, one of Trump’s most powerful forms of communication has been diminished. Twitter has grown increasingly aggressive about flagging the president’s false statements about “illegal ballots” and demands that local state election officials stop counting ballots prematurely.
A spokesperson for Twitter, Nick Pacilio, said in a statement that the company had flagged the president’s tweets “for making potentially misleading claims about an election.
“This action is in line with our civic integrity policy,” the statement continued, “and as is standard with this warning, we will significantly restrict engagements on these tweets.”
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Yahoo.com
Prominent leaders in northern Nigeria have said the region would not succumb to any blackmail or threat of restructuring or breakup of the country.
They made this known to Daily Trust while reacting to agitations for breakup and the #EndSARS protest, seen as a plot to bring down the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
At the end of a high-powered emergency meeting of northern governors in Kaduna last Monday, they described the #EndSARS protest as a plot to effect a regime change in the country.
Senate President Ahmed Lawan, Deputy Speaker Idris Maje; Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari, ministers, Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Adamu and traditional rulers also attended the meeting.
Some of the leaders told Daily Trust exclusively that the clamour for restructuring and breakup by some southerners was part of the plot to box the North into a corner, adding that “enough is enough.’’
In an interview with our correspondents, a former governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, said the North was being taken for granted in the Nigerian project.
“This is our government and we see some machinations against northern interest in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We must stand up and call this bluff off, for heaven’s sake. Whatever you hear me say, I say so because I do not want the solidarity, loyalty and state of patriotism that drive us northerners to be lost. This is because once we lose it, Nigeria goes. I believe that very strongly.
“We are a necessary principal holder and partner of the Nigerian federation and we must not be ashamed of saying it
“One of us is the president today. And you will never see this kind of nonsense when a non-northerner is there. I am sorry and regret to say this, but that is the reality and the truth.
“We are very liberal, once a person gets to the office, we show our respect irrespective of where the person comes from. But this seems not to be the case with them. They think they are smarter, more educated and radical than we are, so they throw any garbage at us and we take it because we want the stability of Nigeria more than they do, for whatever reason,’’ he said.
An elder statesman, Tanko Yakasai, also said the #EndSARS protest was conceived with the aim of ensuring the disbandment of Nigeria as a country.
In an exclusive interview with Daily Trust in Kano, Yakasai said that after their Monday meeting in Kaduna, the northern leaders were being diplomatic with their words by positing that the EndSARS protest was hijacked by separatists.
“They did not hijack the protest; they initiated it, but to their disappointment, even the boys were not talking about restructuring. They knew that palliatives were kept in some places and directed their attention there. They forgot about the political foundation of the protest and directed themselves to where they would get something to eat,’’ he said.
He said that even if they did not discuss much about insecurity in the North during the meeting, “it was a good thing that they could bring themselves together to advise the Federal Government on what to do to deal with that situation (the EndSARS protest).
On Afenifere’s allegation that the North is fixated on ruling the country; hence their insistence that Nigeria is indivisible, Yakasai said, “I know Afenifere and I have never heard anything good from them for the country. Their concern is that they want to rule Nigeria. But we are in a democracy where you need votes, and the majority of votes in Nigeria are concentrated in the North.”
Right from the beginning, their leaders tried to get votes from the North, but unfortunately, they adopted wrong approaches, and as a result of that, they could not get the support of the majority of the people. So I know what Afenifere means. They took advantage of the military regime of the late General Sani Abacha to agitate, not only against the regime but engaged in anti-North propaganda, which is what is still playing out.
At the age of 95, I am experienced enough to know that forever, this piece of land will be here; it will not be taken to London or Saudi Arabia. The sooner the people of Nigeria, particularly the Afenifere, agree to live in peace with all Nigerians so that they can work together and create a synergy for the development of the country, the better. But if they think that brewing trouble is the solution, one day they will find out the result.”
He said the 2023 elections, like others conducted in Nigeria, had nothing to do with restructuring as being posited by some groups. He said those groups calling for Nigeria to be restructured before the next elections should “say how they want it. But according to him, every Nigerian has the same right, so nobody will dictate to others. Let them articulate their position and present it to Nigerians, but they must know that they cannot compel anybody to go with their position.’’
‘Regime change only possible through the ballot box’
Also, Anthony Sani, a former secretary-general of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), faulted the claim of the Afenifere that the North is fixated on ruling the country. He said he did not understand the basis of such allegation, considering that Nigeria practices a multiparty democracy, which thrives on majority rule. And the president of Nigeria is elected only when he garners both majority votes and 25 per cent of votes in each of the two thirds of the 36 states.
“That means the North cannot produce a president without the support of the South, considering that they have only 19 states, which do not constitute two thirds of 36 states. It is the same with the South with only 17 states.
“The reason for such provisions is to prevent a situation where sectional leaders would emerge as national leaders. More so, in the current democratic dispensation, the South has ruled more than the North. That is to say President Obasanjo ruled for 8 years and attempted a third term bid and President Jonathan ruled for five years. President Yar’adua ruled for less than three years and President Buhari has ruled for less than six years,’’ he explained.
Asked if he believed that separatists hijacked the #EndSARS protest to effect regime change as claimed by northern leaders after the meeting, Sani said, “It may be true that some vested interests hijacked the EndSARS for their own agenda, which may include making the current regime unpopular.
“I am not sure the separatists thought they could effect a regime change through protests and looting. This is because they know Nigeria practises democracy and regime change is possible only through the ballot box.”
According to him, Nigerians must also exercise patience and count the blessings of the country.
Presidency must return to South – Afenifere chieftain
A former deputy governor of Lagos State and chieftain of Afenifere, the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Chief (Mrs) Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele, has expressed disappointment over the recent meeting of northern governors and emirs, saying the #EndSARS protest, contrary to the thinking in the North, was not aimed at hijacking power from President Muhammadu Buhari.
Speaking with Daily Trust, Bucknor-Akerele also said the South was more concerned about restructuring the country than the 2023 presidential election.
“As you saw from the statement by the southern and Middle Belt leaders, the South is now uniting. What we are more concerned with is how to restructure so that we would have a more equitable country. We are not interested in 2023 at the moment. If some people are interested, the vast majority of southerners want the country to be restructured,” she said.
She said the #EndSARS protest was not an attempt to effect regime change.
“The #EndSARS protesters were against injustice, arbitrary arrest and killings. It was a protest against a government that doesn’t see that its agents are not adhering to the rule of law.
“The protesters made their aims clear. They didn’t say they wanted regime change. They wanted a change in the way we are being policed,” she added.
Bucknor-Akerele reiterated that power must return to the South to respect the rotational arrangement between the South and North, adding that to retain power in the North beyond 2023 would be tantamount to breaking up the country.
“The presidency of this country has always been rotated between the North and South. If one group thinks they can dominate the rest of us forever, they are only asking for this country to break up because people are going to resist it,” she added. (Daily Trust)
*Absence of youth representatives stalls Lagos Judicial Panel proceedings
Controversies have trailed the ex parte order obtained by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to freeze the accounts of 20 individuals and an organisation linked to the #EndSARS campaign.
Many Nigerians especially youths have taken to social media to condemn the move by the apex bank.
Also, youth representatives at the Lagos judicial panel, who had expressed outrage decided to boycott their participation at the sitting on Saturday.
Rinu Oduala, a member of the panel is said to have been affected. The Lagos Judicial Panel adjourned its sitting till November 14th because members could not form a quorum.
TheNigerialawyer had earlier reported that a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja authorised the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to freeze the accounts of 20 #EndSARS promoters with immediate effect.
The accounts are domiciled in Access Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank, Fidelity Bank, First Bank, United Bank for Africa, and Zenith Bank.
According to details of the order obtained, the request, filed by the apex bank on October 20, was granted by Justice Ahmed Mohammed.
Amongst those affected are Bolatito Racheal Oduala, Chima David Ibebunjoh, Mary Doose Kpengwa, Saadat Temitope Bibi, Bassey Victor Israel, Wisdom Busaosowo Obi, Nicholas Ikhalea Osazele, Ebere Idibie, Akintomide Lanre Yusuf, Uhuo Ezenwanyi Promise and Mosopefoluwa Odeseye.
One of the EndSARS promoters whose account got frozen, Adegoke Pamilerin said, “My account has been frozen for over 2 weeks. Apparently CBN froze my account before they got a court order. Nigeria My Country, where the big and mighty do as they wish”
TheNigerialawyer learnt that the court directed the banks to freeze forthwith all transactions on the 20 accounts on the list annexed to the CBN’s application as Exhibit A and all other bank accounts of the defendants and respondents for a period of 90 days pending the outcome of investigation and inquiry currently being conducted by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Many have condemned the move, describing it as an attempt to incite a second wave of #EndSARS protests across the country.
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