Headlines
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar claims he did not run against his Principal Obasanjo in 2003 in order to’maintain Zoning Policy.’

By Derrick Bangura
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, a former Vice President and presidential candidate, said on Tuesday that he did not run against his principal’s re-election, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in 2003 because he wanted to maintain the then-ruling Peoples Democratic Party’s zoning policy (PDP)
Atiku, who spoke before the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), also stated that he refused to make Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos, his running mate in the 2007 election while still a member of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), because he did not want the Southeast to claim that they were being marginalised.
Atiku also said the south had ruled Nigeria more times than the north since the country returned to democracy. The former Vice President was probably referring to eight years each for former President Olusegun Obasanjo and President Muhammadu Buhari respectively; five years for former President Goodluck Jonathan and three years for late former president Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
But analysts have drawn the attention of the former vice president to the fact that the argument for power shift by those from Southern Nigeria was firstly, based on the rotation principle that power must go between North and South and that one region cannot have it for 16 years continuously because the other region would be marginalised. Secondly, on balance, the fact is that the North has had more leaders since 1960 than the South.
However, continuing, Atiku told the BoT members that: “Many of you were members of our government, when all the PDP governors came in 2003 and said I should run and I say no. We have a creed that power should remain in the Southwest, why should I?
“Some of those governors then that supported me, some of them went to jail, some of them were kicked out of their offices; we made sure that we kept the policy.
“So, therefore, you cannot come and try to imply that the PDP has not been following the zoning policy. The many years of PDP government eight years and six years all of them were from the south. So, we should not be stampeded by the opposition party. They have a moral obligation which is inescapable.”Atiku told the BoT members.
On the 2007 issue, he said, rather than pick Tinubu, he picked Senator Ben Obi, to ensure a sense of belonging and inclusiveness for the southeast.
It was because of this, he also claimed to have chosen a former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, in 2019, when they ran on the PDP platform.
His words: “When I joined the CAN, which my friend Bola set up, he gave me a set of condition for giving me the ticket; that I should make him vice president. I said no, I’m not going to make you Vice President, instead, I took Senator Ben Obi.
“When I got the ticket again to run, I took another Obi coincidentally. So, there is absolutely no reason why they should say that there is deliberate attempts to exclude the South East in political participation or power sharing.
“So, I thought I should disabuse your mind and ,of course, as an enlightened political class, I don’t think that for me, as far as this party is concerned, as far as we’re concerned, I don’t think there’s any deliberate policy to exclude anybody in this country.
“Yes, people have not stopped talking about power rotation and zoning, or whatever it is. For sure, in the party, we invented and formulated this zoning policy simply, because we wanted every part of this country to have a sense of belonging and I personally have paid my dues on the issue of zoning.”
On why the PDP should give him another chance, Atiku said, “Now, I wish to call on you to please give me another opportunity to advance all these ideas of our party, well-beautiful ideas, so that we will come further to consolidate democracy, unity and development for our country.
“What I’m saying is based on facts. Take any aspect of our growth whether, it is economy, whether it is healthcare, whether it is agriculture, whether it is education, the landmark achievements we made in 1999 to 2007, have not been matched by any subsequent administration.
“We are now at a crucial moment in this country. Many of you here, it is either we retire together or we move on together. Somebody said we recorded 12 million votes during the last election. Those are not only my votes, those were our votes. In achieving or recording those 11 million votes, it was all of us and I believe if we work together again, we can surpass those votes.
“As one of the speakers said, I am worried and you should be worried too that, if we do not win, it means we will be in opposition again for the next eight years. By the next eight years, I don’t know how many of you would be left in politics and it may even ultimately lead to the death of the party, because people gravitate, particularly in developing countries, towards governments.
“Ordinary people naturally gravitate towards government. So, this is a very, very crucial and historical moment in history. For our survival, I want you to think about it,” he said, explaining why he should be given the ticket.
On his vision, Atiku explained that, “My vision is building bridges across the country. Please join me in building bridges across this country so that every part of this country will have a sense of belonging.
Headlines
NITDA Hosts Tanzanian Command and Staff College on Study Tour

The Tanzanian Command and Staff College Course 39/24 on Tuesday visited the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) as part of a study tour aimed at fostering knowledge exchange and comparative analysis between Tanzania and Nigeria in the area of digital technology and national security.
The delegation, led by the Commandant of the College, Major General Stephen Mnkande, was received by the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, who was represented by Barr. Emmanuel Edet.
Welcoming the delegation, the NITDA boss underscored the agency’s evolving mandate, highlighting its role in integrating digital technologies across various sectors, including defence.
“NITDA was established in 2007 as a government vehicle to promote the integration of information technology into different sectors of Nigeria’s economy, including the defence sector. Our vision has since evolved to using digital technologies as a tool for economic development, which we refer to as the digital economy,” he stated.
He emphasized the agency’s role in ensuring that digital activities in the country are carried out in a safe and trustworthy manner, which directly intersects with national security.
“Even though we are not a law enforcement or security agency, we understand the strong relationship between digital technologies, defence, and national security,” he added.
In his remarks, Maj. Gen. Mnkande expressed appreciation for the opportunity to visit NITDA, describing it as a crucial institution for learning and experience sharing.
“This is the right place for us to come and learn, as well as exchange experiences from Tanzania. We are here to conduct a comparative analysis and allow our students to gain firsthand experience,” he noted.
Following the meeting, the delegation was taken on a tour of the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), where they were introduced to various technological innovations and research initiatives aimed at advancing Nigeria’s digital and security architecture.
Headlines
Tinubu congratulates Arowolo at 80

President Bola Tinubu on Friday congratulated Mr Ifejola Arowolo, an administrator and public health icon, on his 80th birthday.
“The President joins family, friends, and well-wishers in celebrating the life of a respected pharmacist whose career has spanned the public and private health sectors in Nigeria and the United States,” Mr Bayo Onanuga, his spokesman, said in a statement.
The President commended Arowolo’s service as the pioneer Chairman of the National Drug Abuse Committee in Ondo State and former Director of Pharmaceutical services in the state.
Tinubu lauded Arowolo for his relentless fight against counterfeit drugs, legacy of hard work, integrity and accountability in public service and for instilling these values in his children, including Mrs Olu Verheijen, the President’s Special Adviser on Energy.
Arowolo was recognised for pioneering efforts to integrate indigenous Nigerian medicine with Western practices, making healthcare more accessible and affordable for the average Nigerian.
Tinubu described Arowolo as an advocate for education as a fundamental tool for poverty alleviation.
He said the pharmacist’s unwavering commitment to civic duty and adherence to principled governance, rooted in his faith-based academic background, had earned him widespread admiration as a forthright and disciplined leader.
The President wished the octogenarian continued health, happiness, and fulfilment as he marked the significant milestone.
Headlines
Police arrest 6 for vandalism, receipt of stolen items in Jigawa

The Police Command in Jigawa, has arrested six suspected vandals in the Kazaure Local Government Area of the state.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Lawan Shiisu, confirmed the arrest in a statement in Dutse on Monday.
Shiisu said that five of the suspects, aged between 28 and 53, were arrested for vandalism, while the sixth suspect, a 30-year-old, was apprehended for allegedly receiving stolen items.
He explained that two of the suspects were arrested on Feb. 26 after allegedly vandalising streetlight, armoured cable wires and individual conduit service wires in the Bandutsi area of the LGA.
He added that three more suspects were arrested on Feb. 28 after allegedly conspiring to vandalise approximately 2,000 meters of high-tension wire in the Faru and Daba villages of the same LGA.
According to him, during interrogation, the suspects identified Musa Yahaya, a 30-year-old from the Wajen Gabas area in Kazaure town, as an accomplice and the receiver of the stolen items.
The command’s spokesperson alleged that Yahaya was aware that the cable wires belonged to the government and were stolen items.
He added that the suspects, who had allegedly confessed to the crime, had since been charged to court.
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