Connect with us

Politics

PDP Berates Tinubu’s GCON Conferment on IPM

Published

on

Nigeria major opposition party the Peoples Democratic Party on Sunday lambasted President Bola Tinubu for decorating the visiting Indian Prime Minister (IPM), Narendra Modi, with the Nigerian second highest national honour of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger.

Speaking with newsmen on Sunday, the Deputy National Youth Leader of the PDP, Timothy Osadolor, described the President’s action as misplaced priority.

But the Deputy National Organising Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Nze Chidi Duru, kicked, arguing that the President didn’t do anything unprecedented.

The PDP’s criticism comes a few hours after Tinubu conferred Modi with the highest honour in the land during the Nigeria/India Bilateral meeting held at the Presidential, Abuja.

The President said the award was bestowed on the Indian Prime Minister as a show of appreciation for their partnership and bilateral relationship.

He said, “Nigeria values its excellent relationship with India. We work to deepen and broaden the same to the mutual benefit of our two friendly countries. You have been doing a good job historically. Winning three consecutive elections in a complex society is a feat that we respect so much.

“I will confer on you today, the Prime Minister of India, Nigeria’s national honour, the Grand Commander of the Order of Niger. This to signify Nigerian appreciation and commitment to India as a partner,” Tinubu said.

On his part, Modi commiserated with Nigeria over the recent floods that ravaged several cities across the country, including Maiduguri, Borno State.

The Indian Prime Minister promised to support Nigeria with 20 tonnes of relief materials.

”We had a very productive discussion with President Tinubu. We talked about adding momentum to our strategic partnership. There is immense scope for ties to flourish even further in sectors like defence, energy, technology, trade, health, education and more,” Modi said.

However, the PDP expressed displeasure in Tinubu, wondering why he chose to gift the second highest national honour in the land on the basis of mere friendship.

The member of PDP National Working Committee emphasised that though the President has the right and prerogative to confer a national honour on anybody, there must be criteria to show why they deserve it.

“It is not something you dish out for the sake of friendship and all of that. I don’t know what the Indian Prime Minister has done to have warranted such an honour. But this is the second highest honour in the land. It is a misplacement of priorities.

“I would have thought that the President should have asked the Indian Prime Minister how the Indian economy has been able to move away from being the poverty capital of the world to being one of the fastest growing economies in the world now. The biggest tech moguls across the globe at the moment are all Indians.

“Just look at Microsoft, the Silicon Valley in America and startups. They are all being run and set up by Indians. I would have thought that Tinubu, in a bid to shore up the lacuna his cabinet lacks, would have been humble enough to ask the Prime Minister to offer him a clue as to how to help his government and Nigerians. Not dishing out unnecessary awards that the man doesn’t need other than for pictures and commentary,” he said.

The PDP chieftain took a further swipe at the current administration, saying it wouldn’t stop playing to the gallery with some of its alleged theatrics.

Osadolor also wondered if the President took the liberty of asking the visiting PM and his delegation the right questions on investments and how Nigeria can borrow a leaf from the Indians to move the country out of the woods.

He said, “Tinubu is not serious. He should leave out frivolities for bigger issues. Now that the Indian Prime Minister has taken it upon himself to visit Africa, yes, we have a significant and sizeable Indian community in Nigeria. But to what end can we maximize and leverage these businesses?

“Are we asking the right questions, seeking the right investments and pushing for the right policies? But the distraction from this administration is becoming one too many. I think President Tinubu should wake up from these media gimmicks and focus on the real issues.

“Nigerians are hungry and dying. The technologies the Indians are currently deploying globally will help a great deal to solve most of these basic challenges.”

However, the APC Deputy National Organising Secretary, Duru, raised concerns that the PDP was not playing its role as a responsible opposition.

He said, “I think the question to ask is, whether there is a precedent in this. Then the next question is if it is within the confines of the power of Mr President to confer such an award. If it is, is the process approved? Once all these questions are answered in the affirmative, it then becomes the discretion of Mr President to confer such honorary award on whom he pleases.

“Having said that, it is also important to underscore the fact that we will need to go beyond the politics of emotions to begin to address the issue. So, the PDP is more than welcome to continue to play the role of opposition, which is admirable.

“However, we like to see a situation whereby what they put on the table is, with respect, how we can make Nigeria a lot better and more improved that will address the issues facing us as a country. I am talking about things like how do we put food on the table, create a better environment for business to thrive and create a better level playing field. These are things that should worry any of us than to chase shadow.” He added.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Politics

Address Grievances with Tinubu Privately, Bwala Urges El-Rufai 

Published

on

By

By Gabriella Ogbu

Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu, has advised former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai to resolve his grievances with Tinubu privately rather than airing them publicly.

El-Rufai recently criticized the APC, accusing it of lacking internal democracy and betraying Tinubu.

Bwala responded, urging El-Rufai to engage directly with the president, noting that his comments seemed more like dissatisfaction than opposition.

Bwala, who has a close personal rapport with El-Rufai, emphasized that airing grievances in public was unproductive and suggested a private conversation with Tinubu as the best course of action.

Continue Reading

Politics

Bwala, Arise TV’s Oseni Clash in Heated Interview

Published

on

By

By Gabriella Ogbu

A live interview between Arise TV anchor Rufai Oseni and presidential aide Daniel Bwala turned heated on Tuesday after Oseni questioned Bwala about his decision to serve in the Tinubu administration despite past criticisms of the president.

When pressed on whether his appointment was politically convenient, Bwala fired back, “Don’t ask me questions like I’m a secondary student.”

He defended his decision, stating that his service was based on national interest, not personal gain.

The exchange quickly went viral on social media, drawing mixed reactions.

While some praised Oseni’s tough questioning, others criticized Bwala for his dismissive tone.

X (Twitter) users debated the integrity of political allegiances and the role of journalists in holding public officials accountable.

Continue Reading

Politics

Ondo PDP Demands Finance Commissioner’s Removal 

Published

on

By

By Abaire Olanlesi

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Ondo State has demanded the removal of Finance Commissioner Omowumi Isaac over alleged budget padding in the 2025 Appropriation Bill.

The party cited discrepancies, including an N11.5 billion security vote, N250 million for honorariums, and a N230 million Toyota Prado SUV for Isaac’s office.

PDP’s Publicity Secretary, Kennedy Peretei, accused Isaac of financial misconduct and questioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), for not investigating the matter.

In response, the All Progressives Congress (APC), dismissed the allegations, with its Director of Media and Publicity, Steve Otaloro, stating that Isaac had no direct role in budget formulation.

The APC maintained that the contested provisions were essential for security and public welfare.

Continue Reading

Trending