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Allege Coup Plot: DSS Invites Fani-Kayode for Questioning

Published

1 year ago

February 13, 2023

Eric

The Department of State Services has invited a spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, Femi Fani-Kayode, over allegations of a coup plot ahead of the February election.

Fani-Kayode, a former minister under the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, and Director of Special Projects and New Media of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, confirmed the invitation in a statement on Monday.

He added that he would honour the invitation.

The news made the rounds last week that Fani-Kayode, in a tweet, alleged that some top army personnel met with some politicians, including the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, in a bid to scuttle the February 25 general election.

He added that the meeting might be part of an agenda to provoke a coup and establish a new and unconstitutional order in the country.

But, in a statement on Saturday, February 12, 2023, the Acting Director of Defence Information, Brig.-Gen. Tukur Gusau, advised Nigerians to disregard Fani-Kayode’s tweets, stressing the Armed Forces’ loyalty to the constitution.

Gusau also expressed dismay that even politically exposed persons had denigrated themselves by joining agents of destabilisation.

He said: “It needs to be stated that the Armed Forces of Nigeria is a professional military that is loyal to the Constitution of the Federal Republic and will never be part of any evil plot against our democracy. Besides, the military remains apolitical and neutral in the current political process and will not engage in the alleged shenanigans.

“The Armed Forces of Nigeria will never be part of any ignoble plot to truncate our hard-earned democracy.”

In his reaction, Atiku, in a statement by his Special Assistant, Public Communications, Mr Phrank Shaibu, asked the DSS and other security agencies to invite Fani-Kayode to explain his insinuations of a coup d’etat by top army generals and himself.

He wrote, “Ordinarily, we wouldn’t have bothered responding to Fani-Kayode who has over the years built a reputation of being an inveterate liar so much so that he was even publicly blacklisted by the Nigeria Union of Journalists after his disgraceful outburst at a journalist.

“However, allegations and insinuations of a coup should not be taken lightly given the fact that it is treason, an offence that carries the death penalty.

“While commending the Nigerian military for effectively rubbishing Fani-Kayode’s barefaced lie, we call on security agencies to invite him to shed more light on the allegations.”

Meanwhile, following the statement by the Defence Headquarters through Gusau, the former minister, in a tweet commended the army for clearing the air on the alleged meeting between army officials and Atiku.

He wrote, “Happy that the newspaper report I referred to has proved to be FALSE. As I said, “if true”, it would have been troubling. I commend the Military for their commitment to democracy.

“The fact that they can respond so quickly when we raise concerns is encouraging and proves that they are not only responsive and responsible but that we are also on the same page when it comes to civic duties, the rule of law, civilian rule, an open society and democracy.”

He also denied accusing the military of planning to scuttle the election and provoke a coup plot, insisting he had only raised “questions about some rogue officers who, according to media reports, allegedly met with Atiku.”

He added, “Thankfully, those reports have been debunked and proved to be unfounded. There is no gain saying that I have implicit confidence in the military and its High Command as an institution and I trust in their commitment to democracy which has been confirmed and proved over the last 24 years since the return of civilian rule in 1999. I would encourage them to continue to be watchful and alert and to continue their good work by supporting, protecting, and sustaining our democracy.”

But Atiku’s spokesman, Shuaib, rejected Fani-Kayode’s attempt at a recant, describing it as belated.

The Punch

Featured

Stay Away from CBT Centres, JAMB Warns Parents, Threatens Arrest

Published

18 hours ago

April 18, 2024

Eric

As this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) begins on Friday, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has vowed to arrest parents found near any Computer-Based Test (CBT) centre during the 2024 UTME exercise.

The directive was issued at the final briefing of the CBT centre owners, which was held virtually on Wednesday, 17th April, 2024.

The spokesman for JAMB, Fabian Benjamin, said this directive became necessary following the intrusive disposition of some parents during the Board’s previous exercises.

Benjamin, who quoted JAMB Registrar Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, said any parent, who disobeys the order would not only be arrested but his ward would also be disqualified from sitting for the examination.

Oloyede explained that this measure became necessary as it has been discovered over time that many of these intruding parents are facilitators of examination infractions while others have, by their actions, disrupted the Board’s examinations in the past.

He added that some miscreants also disguise as parents to infiltrate the centres to perpetrate all forms of infractions.

“The Board’s helmsman noted that going by the extant national policy on education, a candidate for the examination must have attained the age of 17 years.

“Therefore, it is evident that these parents had not allowed their wards to pass through the classes as defined in the document, hence the desperation to follow their wards to the examination venue with the aim of compromising examination officials.

“At any rate, it is clear to any discerning observer that these parents deserve to be sanctioned as they had obviously ‘smuggled’ underage children into the ranks of those scheduled to sit the examination,” the Board note through a statement.

Furthermore, the Registrar said all arrangements have been concluded for the conduct of the 2024 UTME, which will be held in over 700 CBT centres across the nation.

He disclosed that the Board expects a seamless exercise but it has nevertheless made adequate provision to tackle any technical glitch that might occur in the course of the examination.

He, however, warned that if a session experienced any technical challenge, candidates in subsequent sessions would be allowed to sit their examination as scheduled while the candidates in the challenged session would be rescheduled for the last session for the day or the following day or even further depending on the centre schedules.

Featured

Oyo Govt Demolishes Operational Base of Yoruba Nation Agitators

Published

18 hours ago

April 18, 2024

Eric

The Oyo State government, on Wednesday, demolished a building serving as the operational base of the Yoruba Nation agitators led by Modupe Onitiri-Abiola, in Ibadan.

Onitiri-Abiola, one of the widows of late Bashorun M.KO Abiola, had declared the creation of the so-called Yoruba Nation in a video posted online, which has been widely condemned.

Last Saturday, some armed men in military uniforms invaded the Oyo State Secretariat, with the motive to forcefully take over the State House of Assembly, before they were dislodged by the combined efforts of police and troops for the Nigeria Army 2 Division..

Mr. Fatai Owoseni, Special Adviser on Security Matters to Governor Seyi Makinde, confirmed the demolition of the house located at Toye Oyesola Street in Ibadan South West Local Government Area.

Already, no fewer than 29 suspects – including a lecturer – arrested in connection with the foiled armed invasion were on Wednesday arraigned by the police before a Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan.

In a case with charge number Mi/520c/2024 between the Commissioner of Police and the 29 suspects, they were accused of a seven-count charge of treasonable felony, unlawful society, illegal possession of firearms, and conduct likely to cause breach of peace.

Inspector Bakare Rasaq, the Investigative Police Officer (IPO) at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Iyaganku, Ibadan, said the offence contravenes, and is punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.

Featured

PDP BoT Queries Damagum, Anyanwu’s Continued Stay in Office

Published

18 hours ago

April 18, 2024

Eric

The Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party has queried the continued stay in office of the party’s acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, and National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu.

Recently, many party members have raised concerns about the ongoing tenure of Damagum and Anywanwu in their respective positions.

Previously serving as the PDP National Deputy Chairman (North), Damagum assumed the role of acting National Chairman following the court’s suspension of the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, in March of the preceding year.

With the National Secretary being selected as the PDP candidate for the Imo State 2023 governorship election, the South zone has been grappling with nominating a replacement. Despite this, he, along with other party leaders, contested and retained the position of party secretary after losing to Governor Hope Uzodinnma.

The Punch