The Nigerian Youths for Atiku (NYFA) has urged Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso, the 2023 President Candidate of the New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP) to stop attacking the reputation of  former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

The Director of Communications of NYFA (Nigeria & Diaspora), Mr Dare Dada, made the call  in a statement on Friday in Lagos.

Dada spoke against the background of a recent  media interview granted by Kwankwaso, in which he  accused Abubakar, the 2023 Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), of peddling lies at 80 years of age.

Kwankwaso,in the interview,had  claimed that  Abubakar’s camp had falsely told some Northern elders that the ex-VP  had reached  an agreement with him  and  the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi, to take turns at the presidency from 2027.

Dada , who described the   claim  as untrue, said that the former vice president was not a problem to Kwankwaso’s presidential ambition.

“It is so sad that someone of Kwankwanso calibre will make frantic efforts to denigrate the person of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, a former Vice President of Nigeria, just to score some cheap political points.

“The former Vice- President needs no validation from him to be relevant politically as far as the Nigerian political space is concerned.

“Engaging in such level of falsehood just to make a point is not only ridiculous but demeaning,” Dada said.

He said that such attacks on opposition figures were not good at this time when opposition leaders were supposed to be strategising on an alliance to give Nigerians a better deal in 2027.

Dada said that opposition leaders must shun divisive tendencies and rhetorics, capable of undermining the unity and progress needed in the nation.

The youth leader urged Kwankwaso to rather dissipate energy on issues confronting the Northern Nigeria and speak up.

He added: “The youth of this nation are determined to stand for integrity and ensure that politics of deceit and manipulation are relegated to the past.

“It is our collective belief that politics of honesty and integrity will always triumph over self-serving lies.

“The NYFA remains committed to supporting visionary leaders like Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who prioritise national development and the well-being of all Nigerians over personal ambition.” (NAN)

A former Governor of Abia, Sen. Orji Kalu, has expressed appreciation to Gov. Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi for endorsing the second term in office of Chief Stanley Okoro-Emegha as Chairman of (APC) in the state.

Kalu stated this on Thursday at Ekoli, Edda Local Government Area of Ebonyi during his New Year visit to Okoro-Emegha whom he described as his political son.

“The endorsement is a good development, as Okoro-Emegha is a hardworking person.

“I did not make the endorsement but the governor, who is working with Okoro-Emegha, did,” Kalu, who is representing Abia North Senatorial District in the National Assembly, said.

He said that his visit to the APC chairman was an annual event, which showed the level of affinity between them.

“I promised him that as long as God gives me the life, I will be visiting him every new year,” Kalu said.

Okoro-Emegha, in his response, thanked the former governor for the visit, stating that the bond between them would continue to wax stronger.

“I cannot assess myself, while the governor could not have endorsed me if the press, party faithful and the entire citizens didn’t assess me rightly.

“APC has never had it so good because there is no problem within it,” he said.

The party chairman said that he would not relent in his efforts at ensuring that all the political gladiators in the opposition joined APC.

“I will be visiting the members representing Ohaoazara/Onicha/Ivo and Afikpo North/Edda Federal Constituencies in the House of Representatives.

“I will urge them to join APC and let them know the benefits for all us being under one roof.

“They have roles to play in complementing the governor’s efforts to uplift the state,” he said.

Okoro-Emegha urged the people of the state to continue supporting the governor and hope for a better 2025.

“2024 was tough but we will reap all we have sown in 2025. We should know that one person cannot run a government; he needs our collective efforts,” he said.

Daily Asset recalls that Okoro-Emegha was Kalu’s aide when he was governor of Abia from 1999 to 2007.  (NAN)

The Senate Leader, Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele, has listed the consideration of the N49.7 trillion 2025 budget and the Tax Reform Bills as two of the items topping National Assembly’s agenda in the new year.

Bamidele said this in his new year message to Nigerians made available to newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday.

Report says that Opeyemi’s message was entitled: “Another Year of Limitless Opportunities”.

He said that the next few weeks would be devoted to the scrutiny of the 2025 Appropriation Bill, Tax Reform Bills, 2024 and investigation of economic sabotage in the petroleum industry, among others.

Bamidele said that key economic reform initiatives which had been in the pipeline to open up Nigeria for real businesses that would throw up limitless opportunities would also be deliberated upon.

He further stated that the constructive collaboration which the national assembly had being having with the executive since June 2023 was already yielding results.

“It is also repositioning the nation’s economy for the benefit of Nigeria and Nigerians,” he said.

The majority leader cited the multi-tiered interventions by the presidency and national assembly, particularly the commencement of operation by Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals within the 2024 fiscal year as an instance.

Another one, he said, was the Port Harcourt Refining Company and Warri Refining and Petrochemicals Company which was now back in operation after almost two decades of inaction.

Bamidele assured that the national assembly would sustain the President Bola Tinubu-led government’s drive to deepen global best practices in the country’s petroleum industry.

“This is the rationale behind the Senate Ad-hoc Committee to investigate alleged economic sabotage in the Nigerian petroleum industry.

“Considering the significance of the Committee, the National Assembly has initiated the process to constitute a joint committee of the Senate and House of Representatives.

“This is to look more decisively and incisively into diverse issues spurring infraction and sabotage in the petroleum industry,” he said. (NAN)