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Makarfi PDP faction as the real terror group

Published

9 years ago

May 9, 2017

By: Richard Murphy

It takes morbid callousness or an unrivalled level of ignorance or a combination of both to attempt the stunt by a faction of the troubled People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in its reaction to the release of 82 of the abducted Chibok girls.

A statement credited to the spokesperson for the Ahmed Makarfi PDP faction, Dayo Adeyeye, apparently has issues with the swapping of the some Boko Haram prisoners for the girls.

Assessed on the template of beer parlour debate, the PDP faction has some points going for it. It contended that it is against the international principle of never negotiating with terrorists, would embolden Boko Haram to extract more concessions from the Federal Government and would encourage the terrorists to carry out more abductions. It is also worried that the released prisoners would be back in terrorists camps to possibly stage more attacks or worse still they would be free to roam the streets and recruit more fighters. Added to these, the faction of PDP somehow developed the empathy to articulate how the release of these 82 girls would affect the families whose members are still in captivity.

These arguments however fall flat once taken away from the realm of drinking joints where the average right thinking person is able to humanly and humanely look at issues without the benefit of confounding fumes. The situation at hand requires the clearest of thinking to appreciate what has happened with the benefit of foresight and hindsight and not just responding out of reflex.

That is what is expected of all rational Nigerians at this moment as only such appreciation would have made the greatest critics of the Nigerian Federal Government to commend the release of the girls without bothering about the cost at which their freedom was secured.

The Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) Group, which has been at the forefront of demanding action from the government on the girls’ release was ecstatic at the news that 82 girls have been freed. The group was elated six months ago when the first batch of 21 girls were released and judging from its reaction its appreciation was four-folds for the second batch of 82 girls.

Even the usually antagonistic Amnesty International (AI) which saw nothing good about the monumental efforts of our gallant troops to redeem the country from terrorists, had positive things to say about the release of the girls. Where the safety and freedom of the abducted girls is concerned, swapping ten terrorists in detention for one girl is justifiable as the country would have saved one person from a harsh fate by so doing. That said, the claim of this factional PDP must be addressed so that it does not continue to have the misplaced impression that it can ride on a wave of populism to worm its way back into public acceptance on the wrong premise.

Unfortunately, the PDP was trying to create unnecessary fear over the tendency for terrorists’ to re-offend upon being freed, recidivism. The faction however failed to point out that terrorists that re-offend are most likely to get killed when they return to a life of crime. This is not counting the fact that those likely to succumb to recidivism constitute a fraction of those that regain freedom. Re-offending is also not limited to terrorists, other criminals re-offend too. And now that the PDP has drawn our attention to it, another chance to this gang of politicians will see them re-offend by again looting the country and providing inept leadership.

Suddenly the PDP, which committed its years in power to creating the hydra-headed Boko Haram is now aware of international principles. It is now enlightened to the point of knowing that it is not globally acceptable to negotiate with terrorists.

The claim in this regard is ridiculous because it was the PDP, in the era of Alex Badeh as Chief of Defence Staff, that was busy declaring ceasefires each time it was supposed to strike a final blow against the terrorists. It was the PDP that employed the tired cliché of order from above to free the earliest Boko Haram suspects at a time when there were no civilian hostages to be freed. It was the PDP that paid huge amounts to terrorists for failed ceasefires only for Boko Haram to use the funds to procure sophisticated weapons. Someone must therefore tell the PDP that this swap is not the same as the charade that went on in their own time.

It is exceedingly naïve to tout the concept of not negotiating with terrorists without recognizing the trade-offs. Countries that do not negotiate with terrorists tend to exterminate the captives with their captors. The PDP wants the government to pulverize the abducted girls with the Boko Haram captors! The girls were taken under PDP’s watch and they never thought to murder them at that time but they now want another government to have the blood of the innocent on its hands.

These desperadoes must ask themselves probing questions and answer sincerely. They should ask if the APC government has not demonstrated that governance is about the people no matter how mad they chose to be in a democracy? How many Nigerians initially held hostage by the terrorists from the PDP era have been freed today? The latter question has to do with deliberate omission by the PDP in its statement to recognize that there are other hostages that do not have the Chibok Girls’ celebrity status, who have been freed through government intervention.

As for the families that will be traumatized seeing other girls returned when theirs are still in captivity, the PDP faction should have seen this as another opportunity at great reflection at the damage they inflicted, not just on the grieving families but on the entire nation. Their years of misrule and kleptocracy was the catalyst for the poverty that became the precursor for the growth of extremism and subsequently terrorism. The faction should visit these families and apologize for everything it failed to do while in power and the one it did wrong.

The factional PDP disagreement with negotiating to secure the release of the abducted girl is noted but should be taken with a pinch of salt. One must however wonder if this stance would be the case had the girls languishing in Boko Haram captivity were the children of those in that faction. It is one thing to reject an option; in this case negotiating the girls’ freedom, it is another thing to come up with viable alternatives to what is being rejected.

Since negotiating or swapping Boko Haram prisoners is not acceptable, what other options is the PDP giving us? It has none. This is sad. Could the be so bereft of ideas to this extent?

By trying to blackmail the government to leave the Chibok Girls in Boko Haram’s camps the Makarfi PDP faction has proven it is desirous of continuing to terrorize Nigerians. It is the only incentive it could have for trying to keep the girls imprisoned. In the last part of its 16 years of misrule, the then President Goodluck Jonathan admitted that Boko Haram were part of his cabinet, which also means they are in his political party, the PDP. Now that the end game for the terror group is near, its political face is manifesting in the form of the Markafi PDP faction. It is the real terror group.

Murphy is a security expert and contributed this piece from

Cotbus, Germany.

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2027: ALGON Backs Kwara Speaker’s Guber Bid, Reaffirms AbdulRazaq’s Leadership

Published

19 hours ago

June 16, 2026

Our Reporter

Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Kwara State Chapter, has reiterated that the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state remains united, peaceful, and firmly aligned with the leadership of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

ALGON made the clarification following reactions to a recent press conference by some individuals, stressing that the views expressed did not represent the position of the 16 local government areas in the state.

A statement by the spokesman of the State ALGON, Hadji Abdulrasheed Femi Yusuf, said: “The individuals who spoke at the press conference did so in their personal capacity and did not represent any local government council or its leadership in Kwara State.

“The gathering in question was not in consultation with the recognised elders’ caucuses across the 16 local government areas, and as such does not reflect any formal or collective decision of party structures.”

ALGON has, therefore, restated that the APC primary election held on Friday, 22nd May 2026 was duly conducted in line with party guidelines, with members freely participating in the process, adding that the exercise produced Rt. Hon. Salihu Yakubu Danladi, Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, as the duly emerged candidate, and the association urged all stakeholders to respect the outcome.

The association maintained that there is no crisis within the Kwara APC, adding that the party remains stable, focused, and committed to the continued development agenda of the AbdulRazaq-led administration.

It further noted that APC remains a united family where internal democracy produces both winners and those who may not emerge successful, stressing that all members are ultimately working towards a common goal of party success and good governance in Kwara State.

According to ALGON, the APC in Kwara State has continued to grow stronger under Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s leadership, due to the discipline, loyalty, and commitment of party members to collective interest over personal ambitions.

The association therefore urged party faithful and members of the public to disregard narratives capable of causing division, and instead focus on strengthening unity and consolidating the developmental achievements already recorded across the state.

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Court Convicts Female Arms Courier to Death in Katsina.

Published

19 hours ago

June 16, 2026

Our Reporter

A Federal High Court in Katsina State has sentenced a female arms courier to death by hanging after the Department of State Services (DSS) successfully prosecuted her for conspiracy to commit, aid and abet terrorism, the second death sentence secured by the DSS in the month of June.

The convict, Hauwa’u Mukhtar, was arrested by the DSS on September 16, 2023, at Jibia Motor Park, Katsina State, while attempting to transport 438 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition to one Ado, a notorious bandit kingpin operating in Dunburum Forest, Zamfara State.

On 3rd June, a Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced four men arrested by the DSS to death by hanging for their roles in the June 5, 2022, terror attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, which claimed over 40 lives.

Security sources revealed that, in Katsina, the DSS filed a two-count charge against Hauwa’u Mukhtar
before High Court No. 3, Katsina, presided over by Justice A. B. Bawale.

After evaluating the totality of evidence, witness testimonies, tendered exhibits, and final addresses of both prosecution and defence counsel, the court held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, finding Mukhtar guilty on both counts.

The judge subsequently sentenced the convict to death by hanging in accordance with the provisions of the Penal Code Law of Katsina State, 2021.

“The successful prosecution is a significant milestone for the DSS, demonstrating its capacity to not only intercept criminal actors but to follow through with decisive legal action that results in landmark convictions.’, stated the source.

It could be recalled that, about a month ago, a Federal High Court in Abuja convicted and sentenced one Halima Haliru Umar to 20 years imprisonment for unlawful possession of 302 rounds of AK-47 live ammunition and attempting to provide support for acts of terrorism marking the second conviction of a female arms courier secured by the DSS this year.

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2027: APC Elders Back Kwara Guber Candidate Danladi

Published

2 days ago

June 15, 2026

Our Reporter

*Assures Tinubu of landslide victory

Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

Members of the Elders Caucus of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Kwara State have thrown their weight behind the candidacy of the party’s gubernatorial candidate, Engr. Yakubu Danladi- Salihu.

The APC elders, at a crowded press conference on Monday in Ilorin, the state capital, assured President Bola Tinubu and the national leadership of the APC that Danladi- Salihu enjoyed the popular support of the people of the State, especially the youths.

The forum was reacting to the earlier press conference held by the Chief James Bamisaiye- led APC Elders Caucus where they condemned the choice of Danladi-Salihu as the party’s gubernatorial candidate.

They said that the APC candidate does not represent the strongest political option available to the party to win the next year gubernatorial race.

The elders warned that unless President Bola Tinubu and the national leadership of the party wade into the raging crisis that had emerged from the Danladi- Salihu’s candidacy, the party may lose Kwara State to the opposition.

But, the APC Elders Caucus at a press conference addressed by the State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Agenda Ambassadors, Hon. AbdulLateef Gidado Alakawa said: “To Say the least, those who addressed that conference are interlopers who are not recognised by the APC structure in the State.

“We shouldn’t have dignified the claims of these interlopers who called themselves elders of our great party, the APC by this response, but there’s is the need to put a lie to their fathom claims.

“The general public is aware of the fact that our party held its primaries for all the elective offices, including the governorship ticket in a peaceful atmosphere. The results of the governorship primary was announced by the Chairman of the panel that was sent from Abuja to conduct the exercise, Hon. Musiliu Obanikoro in the presence of all loyal party members at the Banquet Hall along Ahmadu Bello Way, Ilorin.

“The governorship primary that was held on 22nd May 2026 produced the incumbent speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Yakubu DanladiSalihu as winner. Since that time, none of the other gubernatorial aspirant has raised a complaint on the outcome of the exercise. And as a team player, the APC gubernatorial candidate has since extended the hands of fellowship to his cocontestants.

“Not only this, Hon. Danladi has embarked on a tour of the residences of key stakeholders in the affairs of our dear state, including our traditional rulers, who have all blessed him, assured him of their support and prayed for his victory at the poll come 2027.

“The credentials of Danladi – Salihu are in public domain. Apart from being an engineer, he has garnered enough political experience as the state’s number three citizen in the last seven years. Our candidate is also a youth who enjoys the support of mammoth youths population.

“On the so-called elders disparaging comments on our leader, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, we want to clarify that the governor did not imose any gubernatorial candidates on the party. The governor allowed a free contest in the gubernatorial primary while he was not also directly in charge of the conduct of the exercise. He as a democrat only accepted the outcome of the exercise which was adjudged peaceful, free and fair by those that supervised it.

“Declaring the result of the gubernatorial primary, the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Supervisory Committee of Kwara State Governorship Primary, Senator Musliu Obanikoro said DanladiSalihu scored 94,990 votes to beat other cight aspirants that participated in the exercise.

“We recall that key contenders, including Amb. Yahaya Seriki, had earlier mobiiised support for DanladiSalihu in a show of solidarity. All the five local government areas in the North returned more than 90% of their votes in favour of the DanladiSalihu, while he also led comfortably across the two other senatorial districts. In Southern District, Offa, Oyun, Irepodun, Ekiti, Isin, Oke Ero, and Ifelodun stood firmly behind the choice of the Speaker, underscoring his strong support base across the state.

“The above illustration showed that Danladi – Salihu won the gubernatorial primary convincingly. What we expected of the socalled elders is to join hands with our governor and other stakeholders to ensure the victory of our governorship candidate and all other candidates of the APC at the poll.
“The conduct of these elders have shown that their not patriotic member of the APC and do not mean well for our dear Kwara State. We hold the opinion that every well meaning party man will pray for a successor who will continue the good work of the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. “

“We want to assure His Excellency, President Ahmed Bola Tinubu that Kwara is APC state and in shaa Allahu, the governor and all other genuine stakeholders will deliver the state, once again to the APC come 2027. “

Alakawa was flanked by the Coordinator of the Kwara Central APC Elders Caucus, Alhaji Razaq Lawal and a chieftain of the party, Alhaji Usman Bibire Ajape, amongst others.