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Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, the running mate of the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has chastised the Labour Party’s flagbearer, Mr Peter Obi, for his church visits.

Okowa told reporters in Kano State on Wednesday that he does not believe in dragging the church into partisan politics, emphasising that politics is not the church’s calling.

He lamented that, in their desperation to win the February 2022 election, some presidential candidates are now reaching out to anyone, even at the expense of their faith.

“Now you begin to look at what is going on; the Peter Obi factor is as if he is trying to go through the church and make it look as if he is driving the Christians into politics. I do not believe that the church should actively go into politics because that is not their calling.

“But people are just hanging to anything they can reach out to even to the detriment of their fate. I don’t believe that’s the right part to go,” he said.
It was reported that Peter Obi had on several occasions appeared in different church programmes.

Recall that video of the former Anambra Governor, who was given an unusual ovation when he appeared at the Glory Dome, Abuja, had trended on all social media platforms.

Mudashiru Obasa, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, has advised Nigerians not to be divided over the All Progressives Congress’ Muslim-Muslim presidential candidate (APC).

Obasa told Nigerians that a number of Asian leaders are not religious but have led their countries to great heights.

The Speaker spoke at the Assembly’s 14th Annual Hijrah Lecture on Wednesday.

He emphasised that religion has never been a determinant in the development of many successful countries.

“Good governance is seen all around them in countries like India, Singapore, China, most of the democratic states in Asia, and some other parts of the world where neither Islam nor Christianity is practised,” he said.

Obasa noted that even in Africa, before the advent of both Islam and Christianity, there was good and steady democratic setting with traditional beliefs.

“It is now worrisome, however, that we allow religion to dictate to us how democracy should be practised,” he said.

The Speaker argued that the spiritual core of democratic governance is the obligation to serve the people with godly principles and noble objectives.

He told citizens to focus on whoever will be fair, just, visionary and can identify good people to work with in order to achieve success, not religion.

Obasa urged religious bodies to deploy their spiritual energies in not only undermining the negative forces of nepotism, but in positively enhancing the development of Nigeria.

“Whether the political party contesting is running on Muslim-Muslim ticket or Christian-Christian ticket and otherwise, our focus should be the good intentions of the contestants,” he added.

The Speaker charged the people not to allow anyone to bamboozle them with religion as they make their choice early next year at the polls.

The Speaker added that as enshrined in the Constitution of Nigeria being a secular state, there is no provision for the elevation of a particular form of religion over another.

The APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu and his running mate, Kashim Shettima are Muslims, a situation opposed by the Christian community in the country.

Some chieftains of the ruling party, including ex-House of Representatives Speaker, Yakubu Dogara and ex-Secretary to the Federal Government, Babachir Lawal had voiced their displeasure.

Dele Alake, Director of Strategic Communication for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council, has stated that he will not apologise to supporters of Peter Obi, former Anambra state governor and Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, for recent comments he made about Obi ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Alake, who was a guest on News Central TV, was asked if he would retract some of his statements against Obi because his supporters, known as Obidients, are dissatisfied with him.
Responding, Alake said he will not retract any of the things he said as his statements about Obi are based on empirical evidence and verifiable facts.
He said “I said so many things about Peter Obi and I cannot take anything back because everything I said is the truth. I speak with conviction and I’m not a propagandist. I’m a publicist. There is a wide difference between propaganda and publicity. Publicity is anchored on the action, verifiable facts, and empiricism. Now propaganda can be vacuous, amorphous, nebulous, actually neither here nor there”.

Read Also: PDP Crisis: Wike reveals next line of action, says retired generals are threatening him

“So, whatever I say about Tinubu is anchored on empiricism and verifiable facts. I cannot take anything back about Obi. I said Obi said he wants to move Nigeria back from consumption to production and I said that is not true. He cannot do it because his own business survives on consumption. Is that a lie? He has been an importer and I said he deals with cash and carry economics; container economics, imports”.
“All the goods that can be produced in Nigeria, Obi imports them in his supermarkets. That is consumption economics. That kind of person cannot tell you that he is moving you from consumption to production. He will then be committing self-economic suicide and Obi will not do that to himself”.
“So, Obi is deceiving everybody and I can’t take that back because that is true.

“What I said about Asiwaju, I gave examples of his vision, knowledge and courage. There is none about Obi. You can’t point to any enduring legacy of Obi in his eight years as governor of Anambra”.

Rivers State Governor Nyelsom Wike accused some unnamed retired generals of threatening him with the Central Intelligence Agency, CIA, if he did not do their biddings.

Governor Wike, who did not name the ex-generals or the demands they made on him, vowed that he would not do anyone’s bidding except what would benefit the majority of Nigerians.

This came as he charged some former generals with redirecting their CIA goodwill to fighting insurgency in Nigeria rather than threatening him and his supporters with the American security outfit.
He said it was most unfortunate that the unnamed retired Generals would turn their “contacts” with the CIA to fight an individual rather than use same to confront the issue of insecurity bedevilling the country.

Wike made the disclosure while flagging off the construction work of Igwuruta internal roads in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state, which was performed by Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, the governor of Abia State.
“Some people threatened that they are former generals, they are close to the CIA in America and they can deal with us. I said listen, no problem. If you are close to the American CIA, why don’t you use it to solve the Boko Haram problem? Is it on my body (me) that you’ll use it? Nigeria has a serious problem and you are close to the CIA, you know them as former generals, so why not use that contact and solve Nigeria’s problem?

“You want to use it to threaten me. Who are you that I should come and do your own biddings? I say no to that. I will do the biddings of Nigerians not the biddings of a few people who believe that if they are not there, it should be their children,” Wike stated.

He pointed out that if President Muhammadu Buhari does not renege on his pledge not to interfere with the conduct of the 2023 general elections, the All Progressives Congress will be doomed noting that such resolve means that President Buhari is serious about leaving an enduring legacy of conducting a free and fair election.

“I thank Mr President that he wants to leave a legacy of conducting a free and fair election.

“Thank God Mr President for saying that you will not interfere or intimidate anybody. That means your party has no way to win.”
He expressed doubt concerning the public promise made by the Independent National Electoral Commission( INEC) to deliver a better election to Nigerians saying “my problem is INEC, whether they will do what they said they will do. They are making promises now. I don’t know whether they will keep to it. If INEC will keep to the promises that Nigeria will get a better election, I will be so happy. Everybody will see with their eyes, that Abuja does not vote. It is the people here that will vote.”

Wike went on to stress the need for those seeking votes from Rivers electorate to courageously tell them what they will eventually benefit from such electoral support.

He said; “So, if you have given to Adamawa, you have given to Benue, you have given to Delta, would you not give Rivers? Is it just to collect our votes?”

Wike disassociated himself from such people who he said can do anything as agents set against their own people. He emphasised that no matter the enticement, he will never betray his or mortgage the interest of Rivers State.

The Nigerian Academy of International Affairs has chastised political leaders for meeting outside the country ahead of the 2023 elections.

In August, presidential candidates, governors, and party officials met in Dubai, France, and the United Kingdom.

Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), and the governors of Abia (Okezie Ikpeazu), Oyo (Seyi Makinde), and Rivers (Nyesom Wike) are among them.

On Tuesday, Academy President Bolaji Akinyemi condemned the politicians’ “ill-advised and unwitting jamboree of shame.”

According to his statement, their trip demonstrated once again that the Nigerian environment they polluted is “not conducive to their vainglorious self-importance and unearned esteem.”

Akinyemi noted that they prefer a savoury Western atmosphere “because of their Neo-colonial mentality”

The group said the implication of meetings abroad was an exposure of Nigeria directly or indirectly to unwarranted Western influence.

Akinyemi said the unnecessary trips show the insensitivity and disregard for the plights of workers and pensioners whose salaries and pensions have not been paid for a long time.

The statement added that it was the kind of neo-colonialist behaviour that caused Nigeria’s absence from the global scene.

“Nigeria is not invited to G20, Brics or any significant meetings. Countries that watch our leaders’ pattern of behaviour such as the obnoxious conclaves in London/Paris/Dubai will have no respect for Nigeria.

“No wonder South Africa has eclipsed Nigeria on the global scene. The solution to Nigeria’s problems lies within Nigeria and among Nigerians,” he said.

The Academy insisted it would be more cost-effective and appropriate to brainstorm in Nigeria, adding that leaders should stop going abroad in search of the magic wand.

Ex-Director General, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Prof. Bola Akinterinwa is the body’s Secretary.

Members include Lt. General Martin Luther Agwai, Prof. Joy Ogwu, Odein Ajumogobia (SAN), Prof. Akin Oyebode, Prof. Jide Osuntokun, Prof. Alaba Ogunsanwo, Amb. Godknows Igali, Director General of NIIA, Prof. Eghosa Osagie, among others.