Politics

Court clears ex-Nigerian President, Jonathan to run for 2023 election. But will he dare it?

Published

3 years ago

May 27, 2022

In Nigeria, the Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa, capital of Bayelsa state has ruled that former President Goodluck Jonathan is eligible to contest the 2023 presidential election.

There have been uncertainty arround the eligibility of the ex-Nigerian president to run for the office again having been sworn in as Nigeria’s president twice.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana in April stated that the former president is not allowed by the constitution to contest in the upcoming 2023 presidential election.

Mr Jonathan became the President of Nigeria in 2010 following the sudden death of President Umaru Yar’adua, Yaradua and later contested and won the 2011 presidential election.

Mr Jonathan spent five years in office as President which would make it nine years in office if he contests and wins again, Mr Falana said.

Beyond the legal angle to ex-president Jonathan contesting in the 2023 presidential election, there is also a growing question of morality and value of Dr. Jonathan running on the platform of Nigeria’s ruling party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) which is the party that ousted him in 2015.

Besides that, it is still not clear if Dr Jonathan is a member of the APC or not. However, recall that a group under the aegis of ‘Fulani group’ purchased the N100 million nominations and expression of interest form for him to contest to be Nigeria’s next president under the APC.

The presidential primary elections for Nigeria’s two major political parties is scheduled to hold this weekend and eyes will be on Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city hosting the primaries to see who and who are likely to be the parties’ flag bearers for the Nigerian top job in next year’s election.

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Politics

Burkina Faso releases 4 French spies after Moroccan intervention

Published

3 days ago

December 20, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

In a diplomatic spat over their imprisonment, France and Morocco announced Thursday that four French nationals detained in Burkina Faso for a year had been freed after mediation from Morocco.

They were spies, according to a prior statement made by the director of France’s foreign intelligence organisation, the DGSE.

A request for comment was not answered by the DGSE or a representative of the French military, which is in charge of the agency.

Since December 2023, they have been held in Ouagadougou.

President Emmanuel Macron hailed King Mohammed of Morocco on Wednesday for his intervention, “which made possible the liberation of our four countrymen who had been held in Burkina Faso for a year,” according to a statement from the French administration.

King Mohammed and President Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso were also commended by Morocco’s foreign ministry, which stated that “this humanitarian act” was made possible by their positive bilateral ties.

In October, France made peace with Morocco, one of its former protectorates, after three years of hostilities between Paris and Rabat stoked by immigration concerns and the disputed Western Sahara region.

Morocco offers Burkina Faso and other military-ruled Sahel republics Atlantic trade.

However, France’s relations with former West and Central African colonies, such as Burkina Faso, remain difficult. In Ouagadougou, French troops and diplomats were ejected, the defence attache and ambassador were asked to depart, and certain French media were suspended.

The military junta that took control in 2022 in Burkina Faso has been criticized by international rights groups for cracking down on free expression and harassing dissidents to handle a security crisis precipitated by Al Qaeda and Islamic State extremists.

Politics

Ghana: President-elect Mahama appoints anti-corruption team

Published

4 days ago

December 19, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

According to a statement released by his transition team on Wednesday, Ghana’s President-elect, John Dramani Mahama, has designated an anti-corruption committee to investigate allegations of wrongdoing.

When he takes office next month, Mahama, the leading opposition candidate in the presidential election held on December 7 and who received almost 56% of the vote, has pledged to reclaim the proceeds of corruption and hold those responsible for it accountable.

In anticipation, an anti-graft squad has been established. The parliament’s Committee on Assurances, which has previously raised suspicions of governmental corruption, is chaired by MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwah.

An investigative journalist, a private attorney, a former auditor general, and a former police officer with experience in high-profile robbery cases make up the other three members.

After looking into alleged financial irregularities that took place during the previous administration, Daniel Dumelovo, the former auditor general, was fired.

Recovering lost assets and fighting corruption were two of Mahama’s main campaign pledges.

“He intends to hit the ground running on these commitments,” the statement said.

Eight years after leaving office, former President Mahama is back to head the West African country. Despite not being personally contaminated, he faced criticism during his 2012–2016 administration due to claims of political corruption.