NEWS
Kwara govt reacts to fake video on AbdulRazaq, calls it ‘throwback to Kwara’s dark age’
Kwara State government has reacted to a trending video where some people disrupted an event Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq attended in 2018 when he was not a governor but which was posted as a recent occurrence.
A statement issued by Alhaji Bashir Adigun who is Special Adviser to the governor alleged that loyalists of former Senate President, Bukola Saraki were behind the video. But in a quick reaction, the spokesman of Saraki, Yusuf Olaniyan said that the former Senate President ‘would not want to be dragged into their local politics,’ saying that it was wrong to allege that the mischief came from them. ‘Anybody could have done that, even within their party, it’s possible,’ Olaniyan said, adding that the Saraki group had been victims of such mischief in the past. ‘We don’t want to be involved as we don’t know anything about it,’ he said with some finality. The statement from Bashir Adigun read thus:
”Yesterday afternoon, August 7, 2022, some opposition figures sought to trend a video in which thugs and supporters of former Senate President Bukola Saraki threw caution to the wind and disrupted an event held on 26th December 2018 by the Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU) at the Emir of Ilorins Palace. This video showed the Saraki crowd, known in those years for intimidating people, heckling the then governorship candidate of APC AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as he gave his remarks at the community event in the presence of the Emir and dignitaries from the Emirate.
Attached to the video (they tried to trend now) is a caption that the Governor was booed at Kwara State Polytechnic. It is false. No event took place in Kwara Polytechnic yesterday, August 7, 2022, to warrant the Governor being there. The video was taken in 2018 at the annual event organised by Ilorin Emirate’s apex sociocultural body, the IEDPU. The Governor who was a candidate then, attended the event as a special guest of his home community association. It is well known that this riotous and disrespectful action by Saraki supporters and thugs was the last straw that caused the Saraki’s loss of every single elective seat in Kwara at the 2019 General Elections.
Those who trended the video desperately meant to send the signal that an incumbent Governor was being booed. That probably misled the wrong audience. For the Kwara audience, however, the video did the opposite. It reminded them of the terrible old days when anyone who held different views was treated with contempt and harassed with thugs loyal to the deposed dynasty. The video reminds them of the dreaded dark days when respected Royalty and elders of the community were humiliated for daring to differ. The video brought back memories of when opposition leaders were denied access to public places.
READ ALSO: Nigerian Army neutralises bandits, apprehend notorious kidnappers, robbers
But the fake video came at a wrong moment in history. Over the last three years of the AbdulRazaq Administration, Kwara has enjoyed unprecedented peace and security. Scheduled flights to the city of Ilorin have quadrupled. Less than a month ago, this conducive environment allowed all Ilorin sons and daughters and residents of the capital city to enjoy a very peaceful Eid as well as a joyous Durbar at which the Governor and other dignitaries rode on horseback along with the Emir amidst a cheering tumultuous crowd. Such events were never held peacefully in those dark years.
It was a video that retold the story of the horrors of those years, in contrast with the convivial atmosphere that the same man they harassed in the old video has now created in Kwara State. It is a rude awakening of Kwarans to the ugly past administrations and a time call for them to exercise their imminent civic duty of voting to permanently bury the bad old days and its ruthless rulers.
While the Governor represents a bright new dawn of free speech, those behind the video are purveyors of fake news reminiscent of the old order.
Certainly, no reasonable Kwaran wishes a return of those years where to hold a contrary view earns you jeers, indignation and violence.
Members of the public are kindly urged to ignore the old video clip which is clearly one propaganda gone awry.”
Asma al-Assad, the wife of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who bravely battled breast cancer in 2019, has been struck with another health challenge.
The president’s office revealed in a statement on Tuesday that she has been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia.
The statement said, “First Lady Asma al-Assad has been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia.”
More to follow…………
Bandits launched an attack on Zurak village in the Bashar District of Wase local government area, Plateau State, on Monday at around 5 p.m., resulting in the death of over 40 individuals, including local vigilantes.
According to report, the assault took place while people were engaged in their daily routines.
Residents reported that they were unable to immediately report the incident due to poor communication networks in the area.
Sahpi’i Sambo, a local youth leader, confirmed the incident to Daily Trust, stating that the bandits arrived on motorcycles—two per bike—armed with sophisticated weapons, and began shooting indiscriminately.
He said “More than 40 people were killed while many injured. Residents of the village have fled to neighbouring communities for cover. As of yesterday, security personnel had not yet arrived at the community. It was deadly. ”
As of the time this report was filed, the spokesperson for the state police command, DSP Alabo Alfred, had not responded to inquiries.
A 61-year-old male Nigerian, with physical challenges, who has resided in the UK for 38 years, has deportation by the Home Office, staring him in the face.
Media reports indicate that Anthony Olubunmi George, migrated to the UK from Nigeria at the age of 24 back in 1986.
According to the Guardian UK, George has been law abiding throughout his unbroken stay in the UK, with a clean record, no criminal convictions.
However, in 2019, he experienced two strokes that had a significant impact on his ability to speak and move.
On his part, George maintains that he no longer has any immediate relatives residing in Nigeria.
His health challenge has exposed to several episodes of homelessness, which left him at the mercy of friends for shelter over the years.
George said, “I don’t know how many different sofas I’ve slept on – too many to count. I don’t have my life, living the way I’m living now. My health problems since I had my stroke are my biggest worry.
“All I’m asking for is some kindness from the Home Office.”
In this regard, George had made multiple applications for leave to remain in the UK, all of which have been denied by the Home Office, with the most recent rejection occurring on May 7, 2024.
In 2005, his previous solicitors submitted a falsified entry stamp in his passport which has since been reported to the police and the legal regulatory bodies.
The Guardian UK cites George as claiming to completely unaware of the passport stamp until several years later.
His present legal representatives trace George’s trauma to previous poor legal representation.
According to his current lawyer, Naga Kandiah of MTC Solicitors, George’s difficulties can be attributed to his poor past legal representation.
In their latest rejection, officials from the Home Office stated that the situation was not deemed to be an exceptional circumstance.
Counting the failure of his previous applications being on the shoulders of his lawyers, Kandiah has filed an appeal challenging the most recent denial.
Kandiah said, “My client has been living in limbo for 38 years, with no family, has suffered two strokes and has no family left in Nigeria.
“His situation is not just because of Home Office policies but also because of poor representation by previous solicitors who failed to uphold professional integrity and ethical standards.”
The Guardian UK cites a spokesperson for the Home Office, thus, “applications have to be considered on their merits in accordance with the immigration rules with the responsibility on applicants to demonstrate they meet these rules.”
George might not be alone in this, as the Guardian UK also reported the story of Nelson Shardey, a 74-year-old newsagent from Merseyside.
Shardey has been living in the UK since 1977 and was recently denied indefinite leave to remain by the Home Office, despite having spent the majority of his adult life in the country.
JUST IN: Leukemia Strikes Syrian First Lady
Carnage In Plateau State As Bandit Raid Leaves 40 Dead
UK To Deport 61-Yr-Old Disabled Nigerian After 38 Years Of Residence
Student Loan Programme To Benefit 1.2m Federal Tertiary Students
NWFL Super 6: Bayelsa, Rivers Bag 1st Wins, Confluence Bounce Back
I Won’t Marry Man Who Can’t Afford A Cook, Cleaner – BBNaija’s Doyin
Sahara’s Tonye Cole resigns from GPHCDA
Oando opens ultra-modern petrol station in Lagos
Niger Delta Avengers: President Buhari Reads riot Act …considers the carrot and stick option
Adeosun: We are investing in infrastructure to grow the private sector
Shell launches Nigeria campaign on energy efficiency
