By Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA – The National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David Mark, has said that the Nigerian judiciary, rather than the ADC, is currently on trial over the controversy surrounding the deregistration of the party and four others.

The Federal High Court recently ordered the deregistration of the ADC and four other political parties, sparking strong reactions from the affected parties and renewed debate about judicial independence and the state of Nigeria’s democracy.

Speaking at the ADC Strategic Communications Retreat in Abuja on Tuesday, the former Senate President criticised Justice Peter Lifu’s handling of matters involving the party, describing recent judicial actions as unprecedented.

According to Mark, contrary to public perception, the ADC is not the institution under scrutiny.

“The ADC is not on trial. Rather, it is the judiciary that is on trial and the nation is waiting to see how the National Judicial Council (NJC) is going to handle this precarious situation,” he said.

He expressed concern over what he described as unusual judicial conduct, saying it was inconceivable that Justice Lifu, or any judge for that matter, would allow himself to be used for what he termed a “hatchet job”, including, he alleged, disregarding an order of the Court of Appeal staying proceedings in the case.

Mark also faulted what he described as contradictory judicial orders, alleging that Justice Lifu directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to pronounce the ADC dead and then, less than 24 hours later, presided over proceedings involving the same party in the Nafiu Gombe case.

“It is strange that a judge can order the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to pronounce a party dead and in less than 24 hours put the same party on trial,” he said.

The ADC chairman, however, urged party members not to be discouraged by the development, which he attributed to alleged machinations by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Like I have said previously, our members should not worry about the shenanigans of the ruling party. We will go through all these turbulence because we are up to the task. By the time we are through all these, ADC will come out stronger,” he stated.

He also accused the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of attempting to distract the opposition, claiming the APC-led government was “sinking”.

Addressing participants at the retreat, the former Senate President charged the party’s communication strategists to develop messages capable of persuading members of the APC, including President Bola Tinubu himself, to support the ADC.

The remarks were contained in a statement signed by Kola Ologbondiyan, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the ADC National Chairman.

The post Deregistration: Judiciary, not ADC on trial over — David Mark appeared first on Vanguard News.

www.vanguardngr.com

By Enitan Abdultawab

The presidential candidate of Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has said Nigeria’s challenges can be addressed through deliberate policies, investments in human capital and inclusive governance, insisting that effective governance is “not rocket science.”

Obi made the remarks during an interview on the Nevon HQ podcast hosted by broadcaster Rufai Oseni, where he outlined how he would tackle poverty, unemployment and economic stagnation if given the opportunity to lead the country.

According to him, national transformation must begin with fostering unity and a sense of belonging among citizens.

“I will start transformation by uniting this country, bringing it together to be a country everybody will be proud of.

“These things are not rocket science. Countries across the world have done this. What they did is simple. I will deliver good governance to people,” he said

He added that his administration would focus on social inclusion and poverty reduction through strategic investments in key sectors of the economy.

“I will ensure social inclusion and reduce the level of poverty. To do this, we will invest in critical areas of development such as education,” he stated.

Obi argued that countries around the world have demonstrated that development is achievable when governments prioritize the right policies and sectors.

The former Anambra State governor also stressed the need to equip young Nigerians with practical skills, saying technical and vocational training would be a major component of his development agenda.

“We must ensure that people go through technical training,” he said.

Drawing lessons from Indonesia, Obi noted that small businesses remain the backbone of many successful economies and deserve greater attention from policymakers.

“In Indonesia, for instance, there are ministries of micro, small and medium businesses. Ninety per cent of individuals come from this level,” he said, emphasizing the importance of supporting entrepreneurs and small-scale enterprises.

The former Labour Party presidential candiate also said his policy proposals would be clearly outlined in his party’s manifesto, which he disclosed would be released soon.

“You will see our manifesto; the party will soon release it,” he said.

Obi also revisited the contentious issue of fuel subsidy removal, maintaining that while he would have ended the subsidy regime, he would have approached the process differently.

“I would have removed subsidy, but in an organized manner. I would not have announced it on inauguration day. I would have sat down with experts before I made the decision,” he said.

The former presidential candidate questioned the impact of the Federal Government’s economic reforms on ordinary Nigerians, arguing that policy decisions should ultimately improve citizens’ living conditions.

“Now that he (President Tinubu) has removed subsidy and deregulated the naira, what is the impact on average Nigerians?” Obi asked.

He maintained that Nigeria’s economic and social challenges require practical solutions rather than complex theories, insisting that good governance, investment in education, skills development and support for small businesses remain the keys to national development.

The post Governance not rocket science — Peter Obi faults Tinubu’s policies appeared first on Vanguard News.

www.vanguardngr.com

dailypost.ng