Today’s Headlines: I’m Under Pressure Over Niger Junta -Tinubu; Wagner Boss Made Mistakes -Putin

I’m Under Pressure Over Niger Junta_Tinubu

Photo Credit:The Nation Newspapers

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is under pressure to deploy force in Niger Republic, he said yesterday.

He added that his belief in the peaceful resolution is driving his approach to the issue as chairman of the Authority of Heads of States and Government of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Tinubu stated this while hosting top Islamic clerics (Ulama) led by Sheikh Bala Lau at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

It was the second time the clerics were visiting the President. The first time they visited August 9, they were granted permission to travel to Niamey and hold talks with the junta.

The President yesterday okayed the Ulama’s request to continue the talks with the coup leaders. He requested them to expedite action because time is of essence.

Wagner Boss Made Mistakes_ Putin

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Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin made serious mistakes, Russian President Vladimir Putin, said in a condolence message to the deceased family yesterday.

The Wagner chief and nine others died when a plane conveying them crashed near Moscow on Wednesday.

Vladimir Putin broke his silence over the horrific plane crash believed to have killed Prigozhin and Wagner’s co-founder Dmirty Utkin, as western forces debate the possible causes of the incident.

It remained unclear exactly what happened to the jet that fell from the sky.

Earlier yesterday, anonymous United States (U.S.) officials said they believed it had been caused by a surface-to-air missile.

But a statement evening from the Pentagon ruled that possibility out.

The U.S. Department of Defence said there was currently no information to suggest that a surface-to-air missile took down the plane presumed to be carrying the Russian mercenary leader (Prigozhin).

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Don’t Underate APC, Diri Tells Bayelsa PDP

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Ahead of the November 11 governorship election, Bayelsa State Governor and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Duoye Diri, has called on party leaders and members not to ignore the threats posed by the opposition, particularly the All Progressives Congress.

The governor stated this on Thursday at the PDP national secretariat, Abuja was during the inaugural meeting of the party’s national campaign council for the governorship election.

According to Diri, while his stewardship in the past four years had impacted positively on the people; it would be wrong for the PDP faithful to think that the election was already in the bag of the PDP.

He said, “One thing I would like to point out is that the election we are going into is an election, like everyone has said, we believe that we have won. But there is a popular saying in my place that when a blind man tells you that he is going to stone you, it means that he is standing on top of a stone. So let us not take our opponents, especially the APC, for granted. In Bayelsa, I would like to let you know that this election is across party lines. So, we are not going there to deride APC.

Amnesty for ex-agitators Brought stability to Niger Delta – Clark

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Ijaw leader and elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, said the Presidential Amnesty Programme brought about stability to the Niger Delta region, describing the current status as a boost for the nation’s economy.

Clark said this in a communique signed by the Pan Niger Delta Forum Board of Trustees Secretary, Godknows Igali and made available to journalists on Thursday.

The communique was jointly adopted by Clark; PAP Interim Administrator, Major General Barry Ndiomu (retd); representatives of PANDEF; Ijaw National Congress; ex-agitators and other prominent stakeholders of the Niger Delta region.

“The Presidential Amnesty Programme has brought relative and sustainable peace for oil and gas activities to thrive, a situation which is in the overall well-being of the national economy. It has remained a major booster to the critical oil and gas industry, from which the country earns most of its revenue,” he said.

Clark reaffirmed that the PAP, which was instituted by late ex-President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in 2009, has played a major role in bringing peace, security and stability to the Niger Delta region, which at the time was challenged by an upsurge of militant activities.