Former Borno State Governor, Ali Modu Sheriff, has alleged that the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi, wants to divide Nigeria.

Sheriff made this allegation on Monday when he appeared as a guest in an interview on ‘Politics Today’, a programme on Channels Television.

He was reacting to the Obi’s call that President Bola Tinubu should resign over security and economic situations facing the country.

According to him: “Peter Obi, up to this moment, is pursuing the division of Nigeria because he believes in Biafra.

“He never condemns Biafra or IPOB, as he wants to divide Nigeria. He should come out and say if he doesn’t believe in the division of the country.

“Anybody aspiring to lead Nigeria must be someone who stands for Nigeria, not for any section.”

The Nigerian Democratic Congress, NDC, has criticized the Delta State House of Assembly, led by the All Progressive Congress, APC, for declaring vacant the seat of Honourable Collins Egbetanah, who represents Udu Constituency.

Additionally, the House also labeled the lawmaker a persona non grata due to his defection from the APC to the NDC.

The NDC condemned the.Assembly’s action as politically abhorrent and unacceptable, characterizing it as an instance of vindictive politics and selective justice being enacted by the Delta State House of Assembly.

Honourable Egbetanah was elected on the APC platform and served as a minority member of the House until the Governor of Delta State and several members of the Assembly defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to join him in the APC.

However, those who switched allegiance as loyalists of the governor began to perceive Honourable Egbetanah as a threat, given his status as an original APC member and his steadfast loyalty to the former Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege.

As a result, the Delta State House of Assembly has withheld Honourable Egbetanah’s salaries and entitlements for several months.

“We, at the NDC, consider this action to be politically abhorrent and unacceptable. The process by which his seat was declared vacant is unconstitutional and infringes upon Egbetanah’s rights to free assembly and association,” stated a release signed by Osa Director Esq, the National Publicity Secretary of the NDC.

“We are calling on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reject this act of illegality and political intimidation by the Delta State House of Assembly.

“As we take every legal step to resolve this matter we urge the Delta state house of Assembly to allow Hon. Egbetanah performed his constitutional duties for which he was elected to do by his people.

“The NDC as a party is committed to the people of Udu Constituency receiving the benefits and dividends of democracy through the effective representation by Hon Egbetanah. Our commitment to service to the people cannot be abridged by any form of legislative rascality.”

A former chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr. Jackson Lekan Ojo, has said the controversy over the disowned “Presidential Investment Agency” has turned Nigeria into “a laughing stock” in the global community.

Ojo called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately suspend top government officials linked to the scandal pending investigation.

Ojo, a security expert and global affairs analyst, made the call in a statement issued Monday in Abuja.

The ex-APC chieftain listed those who should be sent on administrative leave to include the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume; the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila; Minister of Finance; Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria; Head of Service of the Federation; and the Director-General of the Budget Office.

“I hereby make the following recommendations: that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation should go on administrative leave until after the investigations; the Chief of Staff should go on administrative leave; the Governor of Central Bank, the Head of Service of the Federation, the Head of Budget Office and some Directors should also go on administrative leave until after investigation.

“There are lots of other persons that should go because these are complicit and they must not be allowed to use their offices to cover up the investigation,” he said.

Ojo recalled that former ministers of Humanitarian Affairs, and Science & Technology were sacked over allegations of financial impropriety and forgery, insisting the current issue involving the President’s Chief of Staff should not be an exception.

He said President Tinubu and his administration would “woefully fail the integrity test” if Gbajabiamila is not suspended pending conclusion of investigation into allegations levelled against him by Prince Matthew Adeyemi, the self-styled Director-General of the purported agency.

The Presidency has since dismissed Adeyemi as an impostor.

The security expert faulted the Presidency’s quick dismissal, saying critical questions remain unanswered.

“It is so disheartening and disappointing that the presidency is taking Nigeria for granted and treating all of us as morons,” he said.

“How did a fake man get an office space at the Federal Secretariat? How did a fake man get his budget passed from the presidency to the National Assembly?

“How possible was it for an impostor to play host to ambassadors from different countries and other dignitaries, including the Chairman of EFCC? Also, how did a fake man get approval for the recruitment of 300 staff?”

Ojo urged the President to act decisively to protect Nigeria’s image.

“President Tinubu should please save Nigeria from further embarrassment and be courageous enough to suspend Femi Gbajabiamila immediately, pending the completion of thorough investigation over the issue.

“Mr. President should allow the SGF, CoS, Head of Service, Budget Office, Governor of Central Bank, Minister of Finance, etc to be thoroughly questioned and possibly suspended till investigation is concluded.

“Handling this issue with levity and unnecessary political sympathy will further damage Nigeria’s image globally,” he stated.

He warned: “If only one person could penetrate through the office of the Chief of Staff, to the Budget Office, to the Accountant General, to the Head of Service, to the National Assembly and to the Governor of Central Bank with fake documents and succeed, that is to say nothing is safe in this country.”