The Big 5: It’s an insult to criticise Buhari over his certificate – Former Defence Chief; PDP cautions INEC against yielding to pressure | More stories

These are the stories that drove the conversation today:

Elder statesman and former Minister of Works and Housing, Chief Tony Anenih on Sunday died at an Abuja hospital where he was receiving treatment for an undisclosed ailment at the age of 85.

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed his condolences to the Anenih family on the death of its patriarch, to the government and people of Edo State, and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), where he was a former Chairman, Board of Trustees.

The President who extolled the late politician as a front line figure on the country’s political landscape; prayed the Almighty God to grant his soul eternal rest, comfort his family, friends, political associates and all who mourn him.


Senator representing Yobe East, Bukar Abba Ibrahim has said that President Muhammadu Buhari cannot win in the six states in the Northeast in the 2019 presidential election.

70-year-old Ibrahim, who spoke at his book launch over the weekend stressed that Nigerians are worse off under the Buhari administration in the last three and half years than they were throughout the 16 years reign of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“Simply put, things have not changed and many things are getting worse and the people are bitter. We should not assume that we can win even with massive rigging,” he said.


A former Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. General Ipoola Akinrinade, has described the criticism of President Muhammadu Buhari over his claim that his West African School Certificate (WASC), was with the Military authorities, as most annoying and an insult to the Nigerian Army.

According to a statement by Presidential Media aide, Femi Adesina, on Sunday, Akinrinade insisting that if the President did not have a School Certificate, he couldn’t have applied to join the Army, stressed that at the time Buhari joined the Armed forces ‘there were no cutting corners.’

“How many years ago ?… 50 years. And Nigeria with our (poor) record keeping and filing things into an archive. If we have an archive at all; an archive inhabited by rats and cockroaches. I think it’s an insult. I take it as a personal insult,” he said.


The Opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has cautioned the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, against yielding to pressure to manipulate the electoral process for President Muhammadu Buhari.

Spokesman of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, who issued the warning in a statement in Abuja on Sunday, against the backdrop of an alleged secret meeting between the Chief of Staff to the President and the INEC Chairman at the Presidential Villa, said it was wrong for the commission to have listed President Buhari as a Presidential candidate despite his inability to provide his educational qualification certificate.

Criticizing the statement of the INEC boss that Nigerians should go to court over the certificate saga, the PDP said: “His statement betrays an electoral umpire who is under threats and heavy pressure to abdicate his statutory duty of enforcing constitutional requirements for elections.


The Nigerian Army on Sunday confirmed the death of three members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) on Saturday following a clash between the sect and troops at Zuba in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Commander of Army Headquarters Garrison, Abuja, Maj.-Gen. James Myam, who confirmed the development in a statement, said the sect who were supposedly in a procession, established an illegal road block attacked troops of the garrison with stones and other dangerous items at 3 p.m. at Zuba bridge as they escorted ammunition and missiles from Abuja to Army Central Ammunition Depot in Kaduna, adding that two solders sustained injuries.

“They smashed military and civilian vehicles’ windscreens and windows. They also attempted to overrun the escorts to cart away the ammunition and missiles the troops were escorting. This led to the troops opening fire to extricate themselves,” Myam said.


And stories from around the world:

The Saudi public prosecutor heading the investigation into the killing of Jamal Khashoggi arrived in Istanbul overnight, the state-owned Anadolu news agency said on Monday, ahead of expected talks with the Istanbul chief prosecutor. (Reuters)


English football club Leicester City has said Thai owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha was among five people who died when a helicopter crashed next to its stadium. (Al Jazeera)


Far-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro has won a sweeping victory in Brazil’s presidential election.

Bolsonaro won 55.2% of the votes cast against 44.8% for Fernando Haddad from the left-wing Workers’ Party, the Brazilian electoral authority reported. (BBC)


An Indonesian Lion Air plane carrying 188 passengers and crew crashed into the sea Monday, officials said, moments after it had asked to be allowed to return to Jakarta. (AFP)


U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Sunday that the United States was in consultation with its European allies on an arms control treaty, as NATO members urge Washington to try to bring Russia back into compliance with the pact rather than quit it. (Reuters)

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