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Tag: Onitiri

  • 2023 Elections: Onitiri quits PDP, joins Labour party in Lagos

    2023 Elections: Onitiri quits PDP, joins Labour party in Lagos

     

    A former Chieftain of the  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Adesunbo Onitiri, has dumped the party to pitch his tent for Labour Party (LP),in order to contest for Lagos Central senatorial poll in next year’s general election in the country.

    In a statement in Lagos,  renowned activist and critic, said he left PDP for lack of internal democracy and to heed Pa Ayo Adebanjo’s call to support Mr Peter Obi’s presidential bid.

    Recall that Onitiri was a strong member of the Lagos PDP where he contested against Senator Remi Tinubu in 2019.

    Onitiri added that  he was quitting PDP with his supporters, admirers and friends and in Lagos Central to ensure victory for Labour Party in next year’s general elections.

    Onitiri, therefore, urged Nigerians to vote with conscience and wisely, saying: “Enough is enough. Vote out poverty, insecurity, diseases, corruption and bad governance. This is certainly not the type of democracy we fought for in 1993.”

    He declared: “I am imploring Lagosians support and vote for Labour Party to salvage our ‘wrecked’ country from destruction

  • Presidential candidates must undergo serious capacity, ability tests – Onitiri

    Emerged presidential candidates must undergo serious capacity, health, and ability tests before the 2023 general elections, to avoid future disaster, calamity, and health challenges.

    This suggestion was contained in a press statement issued in Lagos yesterday, by renowned socio-political activist and critic, Chief Adesunbo Onitiri.

    He warned: “If we must salvage our country from total collapse and looming disaster, Nigeria needs a world-class administrator and visionary leader now, more than before.

    “We earnestly need a good, agile, and heathy president that can rescue us from imminent calamity.

    “Therefore our next prospective leader to take over from President Muhammadu Buhari next year should first and foremost undergo DRUG TEST to be conducted by our NDLEA to ascertain he is mentally fit and capable to manage the bad affairs we already found ourselves,” Onitiri emphasised.

    He also recommended that Nigeria’s next president should undergo medical fitness to ascertain his ability, physical capable to withstand the rigours, mental alertness, and enormous stress the job entails.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission should conduct a diligent integrity test on our incoming President, governors, national and states legislators to ensure we do not vote in fantastically corrupt individuals, so as not to worsen our already deplorable economic situation, Onitiri stated.

    Nigeria eagerly needs a selfless, de-tribalised, non-nepotic, non-religious fanatic, and not a greedy undertaker and looter as president, he pleaded.

    According to Onitiri, our incoming leaders should address us in their manifestos and how they intend to salvage our country from imminent calamity. Above all, they must sign indemnity with the people of Nigeria to be loyal and to protect the lives and property of citizens within a year of ascension to power,  failing which a referendum should be conducted to remove them from power.

    Other suggestions by Onitiri include: signing a pact with Nigerians by the incoming president to discard within two years, what he alleged the “obnoxious 1999 constitution”, and inaugurate the 2014 constitutional review reports. Alternatively, he should take us back to the 1964 regional structure.

    Onitiri called for restructuring of the  country, in view of the “lopsidedness of the present warped constitution that could not guarantee justice, equity, and fairplay to the various tribes that make up Nigeria, causing the loud agitations and clamour for self-determination.

    “We desperately need a proper,  urgent RESTRUCTURING of the country where every member will have a sense of belonging to develop at their own pace.

    “With the above conditions and others, our incoming president and governors must sign a pact with Nigerians. Its no longer business as usual where politicians feel politics is about self-enrichment and money-making venture.

    “The year 2023 elections must be absolutely for service to the nation. We must get it right this time around, as we cannot afford to fail our heroes past and our children yet unborn. We have no country we can call our own.

    “No more politics of stomach infrastructure.  We urge all Nigerians to carefully select their leaders in 2023. No more  money politics. Our mumu don do. O to o ge! We must eradicate poverty in our land”, Onitiri counselled.

    He appealed to all Nigerians not to sell their votes for whatever reason. He also urged them to procure their PVCs to enable them participate in the incoming elections.

    “You cannot afford to stay aloof in 2023; we are all stakeholders in the Nigerian project. This country, Nigeria belongs to us all”, he added.

  • 2023: We can’t afford to have another ailing president, drop your presidential bid – Onitiri advises Tinubu

    2023: We can’t afford to have another ailing president, drop your presidential bid – Onitiri advises Tinubu

    Apparently disturbed by the alleged deteriorating health of National leader of the All-Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Chief Adesunbo Onitiri has advised him to drop his 2023 presidential ambition.

    The Lagos-based socio-political activist and critic, Onitiri gave this advice in a statement he personally signed.

    The critic stated in the statement that :”With what Nigerians are going through in the hands of APC government at the moment, we Democrats strongly advise Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to back down on his Presidential election.

    “Nigeria cannot afford another ailing and old president. This is a genuine and honest advice.”

    He berated the Federal Government over what he called “the government’s empathy on the suffering of Nigerians.”

    Onitiri said this suffering must stop and the government must live to expectation and do the right things to alleviate the sufferings of the entire masses of this country who are now wallowing in abject poverty and wants in the midst of plenty.

    He expressed over the frequent travelling abroad of our President, Muhammadu Buhari when there were urgent selient national issues and concerns that warranted his urgent attention.

    Stressing that the president should have attended to the issues of fuel scarcity, the ASUU strike, grave insecurity challenges, bad economy, unemployment, and many other daunting problems confronting the nation before travelling abroad.

    Although the issue of personal health is important, it should not look like a proverb that “Ciserio is partying when Rome is on fire”, Onitiri stated.

    According to him, the recent fuel scarcity in the country is totally unacceptableas this has almost crippled the economy and further impoverished our citizens.

    “Not only that, there is imminent world war knocking at our doors and thousands of our youths and other citizens are stranded in the Russia -Ukraine war zone.

    “Ironically, some of them are refusing to come home. They prefer to die in Ukraine. This is the time Nigerians need the president to give us , succour and direction,” he stressed.

    Onitiri warned Nigerians to choose their leaders with caution. Nigerians should shine their eyes. The type of leadership APC gave Nigerians since 2015 should be a big lesson to Nigerians to be wary of their leaders; by choosing their leaders wisely come 2023.

    “The elections are around the corner, come 2023. Nigerians should carefully select those they will vote for. Vote for those who have good health, agile, highly cerebral and well educated. We need leaders that love his people and fear God,”.

  • APC government has woefully failed Nigerians in all parameters – Onitiri

    APC government has woefully failed Nigerians in all parameters – Onitiri

    The APC-controlled Federal Government has been urged to, as a matter of urgency, declare a state of emergency on the Northern states to preserve the lives and property of the people and stop the carnage in that part of the country.

    This solution was proffered by renowned socio-political activist and critic, Chief Adesunbo Onitiri in a Press statement in Lagos yesterday.

    He said Nigerians were tired of the wanton killings of innocent people by Boko Haram, AK-47 riffle-weilding herdsmen, kidnappers, and all other terrorists groups ravaging the north unabated.

    Chief Onitiri lampooned the National Assembly for abdicating its responsibilities to check the Executive arm of the government to do the right things and deal decisively with these enemies of the nation, despite the humongous money allocated for security in the last six years.

    The social critic noted: “Its no gainsaying the fact that the APC government has woefully failed this nation in all parameters of governance, particularly its three cardinal programmes vis: the dwindling economy, insecurity and anti-corruption battle.”

    “The APC administration in 2015 promised the nation to fix the economy, battle insecurity and eliminate corruption in governance. Based on these promises, Nigerians voted overwhelmingly for the party.

    “Regrettably, the APC had failed the people woefully, while the security of the nation is at the lowest ebb. Nigerians can no longer sleep with their eyes closed.

    “Terrorists and bandits have taken over the entire country, even our military formations are no longer safe. Nobody is safe in Nigeria any longer.

    “The situation is now so bad that Northern Governors were calling on the Presidency to declare a state of Emergency on the Northern states because the bandits have taken over most parts of the area.

    “The bandits now move about openly with their Ak 47 rifles unchallenged and with impunity. This is unacceptable to Nigerians,” he stated.

    Chief Onitiri called on President Muhammadu Buhari to do everything within his executive power to tackle the insecurity in the country, so that Nigerians could live peacefully.

    “On behalf of the Patriots Nigerians and all lovers of democracy, call on the President to declare the killer fulani herdsmen and bandits Terrorist Group immediately. Besides, he enforce the arrest and prosecution of all herdsmen with Ak 47 rifles.

    “We demand that the present lopsided appointments of the nation’s security architecture be disbanded and every stakeholder be carried along in the new security formation.,” he stressed.

    Onitiri advised the Federal Government to dialogue with Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB leader, Sunday igboho and all agitators with the aim of finding lasting peace in the country.

     

    The Presidency should also discard the archaic open grazing and grazing routes idea and embrace ranching and total ban on open grazing in the country. This is the only panacea to peace in our dear nation.

  • Our grazing reserves order wrong- Onitiri tells Buhari

    Our grazing reserves order wrong- Onitiri tells Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari has been advised not to give order that will polarize the country in the interest of peace, unity and stability of Nigeria.

     

    This advice was given by a renowned socio-political activist and critic, Chief Adesunbo Onitiri in a Press statement in Lagos yesterday.

    According to Chief Onitiri, this order would would cause a clash between the President and the state governors which is avoidable.

     

     

    “I beg to disagree with the recent Grazing Reserve Order of Mr President when considered alongside with the plea of Mr President with the Service chiefs not to make him fail in his governance.

     

    “Any sane mind will find this two conflicting stand point very absurd. The Land Use Act which is part of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and which President Buhari swore to uphold firmly placed administration of land in the purview of state Governors.

     

     

    “The state Governors have already taken a stand point to ban open grazing in their respective states. The federal government has no constitutional authority to impose order on state lands.

     

     

    “Why then is President Buhari giving an order to impose any land policy on any state to create grazing reserves for ranches which are for private businesses. Its clearly unconstitutional which our President clearly vowed to uphold,” Chief Onitiri declared.

     

     

    He asked: “What’s this Grazing Reserve order of President Buhari meant to achieve? This order is meant to make Buhari administration fail woefully.

     

    Chief Onitiri warned Mr President “We don’t want our country turned into Afghanistan. We are all living witnesses to the lawlessness, killing and maiming of people by the Taliban terrorists.”

     

     

    He implored the state Governors to speedily sign the anti grazing bills into law and repeal the archaic open grazing route and centres.

     

     

    He also called on President Buhari to immediately go into discussions with the state Governors with aim of finding permanent solution to the Herders and farmers problems.

     

     

    “We urgently need to find solutions to this Fulani herders problem. It has become a national problem and can lead to serious inflammation in future.

     

     

    “We urge President Buhari to try and unite this country and not further divide it. There is strength in our diversity. We have no other country we can call our own. We all have equal rights and stakes in this country, Nigeria”,Chief Onitiri added.

  • Lagos Council polls, a sham, disgraceful -Onitiri

    Lagos Council polls, a sham, disgraceful -Onitiri

    Renowned Lagos-based socio-political activist and critic, Chief Adesunbo Onitiri, has faulted as disgraceful and a sham, the last Saturday’s Lagos council polls, held all over the state. ln a press statement obtained by TheNewsGuru, Chief Onitiri said the election was not free and fair, but an assault to our fledgling democracy.

    “It was neither free nor fair. It failed all ingredients of a credible election,” he alleged.

     

     

    According to him, “Lagosians failed to turn out for the elections as they already knew their votes would not count.

     

     

    “So many Lagosians that phoned on a popular radio programme on Thursday, few days to the elections, vowed never to come out for the elections as they all believed that the results of the election had already been determined a week before.”

     

     

    The social critic noted that the election was generally peaceful as most Lagosians boycotted the polls. There was a total election apathy. Of the over 25million resident voters, less than one percent came out to vote. What a pity.

     

    He alleged that the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) was not independent after all. A supposedly unbiased umpire did not do a good job.

     

     

    He also alleged that the LASIEC showed open baias in the conduct of the election. This is a serious indictment on the part of the commission as at today, there is no election result transmitted on the website of LASIEC.

     

    “One wonders what will play out in the general elections of 2023.This is a total failure of our electoral processes. With the feelers coming out of Lagos and Ogun states’ electoral commission, the ruling party will win all the chairmanship and councillorship seats 100%.

     

     

    “Who does that? Definitely, is surely no election. This is a big shame and very disgraceful!”, he asserted.

     

     

    Chief Onitiri pointed out that in spite of our advice to the Governor of Lagos state that he should at least try to make the elections have a semblance of a credible poll, it was not free and fair and credible.

     

     

    “One shudders to predict what might happen in 2023. The APC party may win all the states Governoship, NASS and Presidential elections landslide as opposed to what happened in 2015 when PDP handed over victory to APC before the conclusion of the polls.”

     

    Onitiri however commended the few Lagosians that came out for the elections for their peaceful conduct and the parties that participated in the elections for their show of maturity. The election does not deserve the blood of any Lagosian.

     

     

    “By voting against the electronic transmission of election results in the new electoral bill by theNational Assembly legislators, the APC party has shown themselves as “enemies of Democracy and the people,” he concluded.

     

     

    He advised all our elections umpires to always live to expectation in the discharge of their responsibilities and build up Nigerians’ confidence in our electoral processes in order to enhance the country’s fledgling democracy.

     

  • Cancel tolls on Lekki Express Way, Ikoyi Link Bridge, Onitiri tells FG

    Cancel tolls on Lekki Express Way, Ikoyi Link Bridge, Onitiri tells FG

    The Lagos State Government has been advised to cancel erection of Tolls on Lekki Express way and Ikoyi link bridge to avoid another blood letting.

    Some youths have indicated their plan to hold another protest on Lekki TolI plaza on February 13, in reaction to the ruling of the Judicial Panel, probing the ENDSARS shooting which ordered the reopening of the plaza.

    In a strongly-worded Press statement in Lagos yesterday, Chief Adesunbo Onitiri, socio-political activist and critic, said the advice became expedient to avoid another youths/police confrontation that could lead to loss of life in Lagos state.

    Chief Onitiri said he was passionately imploring “our dynamic young governor of Lagos state, Babajide SanwoOlu, to cancel any reintroduction of tolls on Lekki toll gate and ikoyi link bridge to avert another blood bath in our dear state.

    “We are calling for the cancellation of the tolls in the interest of peace and progress of our state.”

    He explained that as stakeholders and elders in the state, they could not fold their hands and close their eyes to the imbroglio about to explode in the state as some groups are planning another peaceful protests in the state which can lead to bloody clashes.

    Said Chief Onitiri, “The state is enjoying relative calm at the moment. There are so many unemployed youths daily roaming our streets for any mayhem to happen.

    “An idle hand is a devil’s workshop. A hungry man is also an angry man. Our youths are angry and we cannot afford to dare them.

    “Besides, with the removal of the tolls, there is now free flow of traffic. There is no more traffic gridlock caused by the tollgate along Lekki Expressway. Please, let the sleeping dogs lie.

    “We were made to believe that the Lekki Concession Company (LCC) has long realised the money spent for the construction of the road.

    “It is also unfair to thousands of residents in Lekki neighbourhood to always pay tolls for commuting to and from their residents. Other Lagosians don’t pay tolls for commuting to and from their estates,” Chief Onitiri stated.

    Examining the economic and social situation in the country, Chief Onitiri pleaded with the state government to let Lagosians enjoy a bit of divdends of democracy.

    “No good roads, no health facilities, no potable water to drink, no electricity, no security of lives and property, no employment opportunities for our teeming youths et cetera.”

    The government must create an enabling environment for the common people to survive, he stressed, adding “Words of elders are words of wisdom.”

  • Onitiri tackles National Assembly over Ganduje’s suggestion on herdsmen

    Onitiri tackles National Assembly over Ganduje’s suggestion on herdsmen

    Lagos-based renowned socio-political activist and critic, Chief Adesunbo Onitiri has expressed disappointment over the National Assembly’s rejection of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje’s suggestion that cattle movement from the North to the southern part of the country be banned forthwith.

     

    Ganduje has, while on a visit to President Muhammadu Buhari at Aso Rock,Abuja, explained that if the ban was supported by a federal law, this would put a final stop to incessant herders/farmers clashes .

     

    The governor had revealed that they were already building Ruga settlement in Samsosua Forest, a border area with Katsina state. He had also explained that they were building many houses, constructing dam, cattle artificial insemination centers and veterinary clinics et cetera for the herders. But replying Governor Ganduje, the National Assembly said banning the herders’ movements was unconstutional. In a Press statement in Lagos yesterday, Chief Onitiri tackled the law makers for that statement that could give support to the herdsmen to continue to violate farmers and others’ fundamental human rights by entering and destroying their farmlands and crops because the National Assembly said they could not be restricted by law.

     

    According to Onitiri, it appears that the law makers were not aware of all the atrocities such as killing, maiming, robbing, raping and destruction of farmers crops being committed by the armed herdsmen.

     

    “The insurgency, kidnapping, banditry and maiming of innocent Nigerians by the armed herders are becoming unacceptable, unbearable and criminal”, he said.

     

    “These fulani-turned terrorists commit crimes on our highways and forests with total impunity, as if they are above the laws, while our security agencies look the other way,” he alleged.

     

    Chief Onitiri said if Ganduje’s suggestion was accepted, there would be genuine peace, tranquility and progress in the country. The farmers would be free on their farmlands to produce food crops to feed the teaming population and earn better money from their labour and no fear of killer herdsmen attacking them on their farms.

     

    He said this is why the government has to take a decisive and ruthless action against any Nigerian masquerading as bandits either as cultists, herdsmen, robbers et cetera, without fear or favour.

     

    Chief Onitiri re-emphasised the need for the National Assembly to enact a law to check-mate all criminal elements bearing sophisticated weapons in our forests and on the highways. It is illegal and criminal.

     

    Besides, the National Assembly should ban open grazing in the country. In the advanced nations, cows were not seen on the streets anymore. They should adopt modern farming traditions.

     

    The social critic pointed out that with the security situation in the country, it is evidently clear that Nigeria is under the siege of kidnappers, robbers, cultists, ritualistic, and killer herdsmen and nobody is safe anymore.

     

    He emphasised the need for the government should live to expectation, to ensure that every Nigerian is safe wherever he or she lives.

     

    The paramount responsibility of any government is to secure lives and property of its citizens, he stressed.

     

    Chief Onitiri said the southerners were not against Fulanis, but those using their cows deliberately to destroy farmers crops, as well as engaging in all forms of criminality such as banditry, kidnapping, raping, killing and maiming of innocent people.

    He explained that the objective of some killer herdsmen engaging in banditry and other criminality was to destroy our education, cause famine and another civil war amongst the ethnic groups in the country. The government should preempt this disaster by banning movement of herdsmen from the north to the southern part of the country as suggested by the Kano state governor, Abdullahi Ganduje. Also Nigerians need to embrace urgently, modern farming traditions, Chief Onitiri added.

  • Declare killer herdsmen terrorists group now-Onitiri to Buhari

    Declare killer herdsmen terrorists group now-Onitiri to Buhari

    Lagos-based socio-political activist and critic, Chief Adesunbo Onitiri has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly to declare killer herdsmen as terrorists group now to ensure peace and progress in the country.

    In a Press statement issued by his team in Lagos yesterday, Chief Onitiri pointed out that the killer herdsmen are not representing the true and genuine Fulanis going about with their life lawfully.

     

    According to him, it’s time to show seriousness in the handling of the ravaging insecurity in the country by declaring all the rampaging fulani killer herdsmen ‘terrorist group’.

     

    “The insurgency, kidnapping, banditry and maiming of innocent Nigerians are becoming unacceptable, unbearable and criminal.

     

    “These fulani-turned terrorists commit crimes on our highways and forests with total impunity, as if they are above the laws.

     

    “While they commit these crimes, our security agencies look the other way,” he alleged.

     

    Chief Onitiri noted that up till now, no killer herdsmen have been arrested and prosecuted. Nigerians now wonder if Buhari administration is behind these criminals.

     

     

    He said this is why the government has to take a decisive and ruthless action against any Nigerian masquerading as bandits without fear or favour.

     

     

    Chief Onitiri emphasised the need for the National Assembly to enact a law to check- mate all criminal elements bearing sophisticated weapons in our forests and on the highways. It is illegal and criminal.

     

    Besides, the National Assembly should ban open grazing in the country. In the advanced nations, cows were not seen on the streets anymore. They should adopt modern farming traditions.

     

    The social critic pointed out that with the security situation in the country, it is evidently clear that Nigeria is under the siege of kidnappers, robbers, cultists, ritualistic, and killer herdsmen and nobody is safe anymore.

     

     

    Nobody can travel safely on our highways. Nigerians have never had it so bad, he said.

     

    Chief Onitiri also added that Nigeria is very insecure.

     

    It is one of the most insecure countries in the world to live. It is most irresponsible and reckless of any government official to say Nigeria is secured today than 2015.

     

     

    The paramount responsibility of any government is to secure lives and property of its citizens. Any government that cannot protect its citizens should resign honourably, he said

     

     

  • Don’t gag the press, muzzle social –Onitiri tells Buhari

    Don’t gag the press, muzzle social –Onitiri tells Buhari

    The Federal Government has been urged not to gag the Nigerian Press or muzzle the social media in the country.

    In a Press statement in Lagos yesterday, Chief Adesunbo Onitiri, renowned socio-political activist and critic, stressed that this does not urgur well and healthy for the survival of a democratic nation.

    He condemned with all vehemence the recent fine imposed on some media houses by the Nigerian Broadcasting corporation NBC.

    The fine he pointed out, is inimical to dissemination of free information to the Nigerian populace.

    “Nigerians are entitled to free access to unfettered information and no government should distort or hamper the access. This is a fundamental human rights of Nigerians as guaranteed under our constitution.

     

    Chief Onitiri pointed out that the social media is already regulated under our extant laws. Any attempt to further regulate it will be seen as government trying to gag the people. The Nigerian people already know their rights and no government can close their mouths.

     

     

    According to the social critic, any attempt to deny the people free expression may lead to unpleasant consequences. “We are aware that the government is jittery at the aftermath of the ENDSARS PEACEFUL PROTEST.

     

     

    “It behoves on the government to genuinely address the demands of our youths. The youths have spoken loud and clear. We cannot afford not to harken to their demands which are purely GOOD GOVERNANCE, JUSTICE AND EQUALITY.

    Chief Onitiri berated the APC government, describing it as the worst regime that foisted nepotism, and tribalism on the nation.

    “We are now in a new Nigeria. We should do away with the old style of governance and embrace the true Federalism,” he said.

    Chief Onitiri observed with dismay that President Muhammadu Buhari has not visited Lagos and some states affected by the wanton destruction of life and the property by hoodlums.

     

    “We call on the federal government to help Lagos state and indeed the states mostly affected by this destruction to rebuild their states .

     

    “Also the government should help private businesses to start all over again. Besides, the federal government should probe independently the killings and maiming of harmless youths at the Lekki toll gate by the Nigerian Army and any culprits should face justice.

     

    “Nigeria is not a Banana Republic where soldiers should open live ammunition on defenceless protesters . It is absurd and totally unacceptable in a civilised world.

     

     

    “This country belongs to us all and we will not fold our arms and let a group of greedy politicians who forced themselves on the majority bastardise it for us, he stated.

     

     

     

    Commenting on the recent meeting of the 19 Northern state governors and their leaders, Chief Onitiri stressed that our leader all over the country should say and do what will unite us all the time.

     

    “No region should claim superiority or supremacy over others in the federation. Henceforth we should see ourselves as equals in the federating units.

     

     

    “This democracy has come to stay and we will defend it with all our powers. Nigeria is greater than anyone and we shall continue to defend its unity,” Onitiri added.