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Abuja Minister, clergyman disagree on cause of violence at Building Materials market

May 19, 2022

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▪︎ Nigerians may soon resort to self-help, Vicar warns

The violence that engulfed the Dei-Dei Building Materials market in Abuja on Wednesday, 18th May, 2022, was not motivated by ethnicity or religion but was the action of criminal elements who started the violence in order to carry out their criminal intentions.

But his position differs from that of the Vicar of the St. Bartholomew Cathedral, Ven. Barr. Tunde Oyesina,
who read sectional reasons to the violence that claimed four lives. He warned that if government did not check the activities of persons from a part of the country, Nigerians may resort to self-help.

The clergyman, whose members lost their source of income to the carnage from commercial motorcyclists and hoodlums mainly from the Hausa community of the country, in a public letter to his church members promised help to them.

FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello who visited the market in the evening following the incident earlier on Wednesday, to ascertain for himself the cause and extent of the violence which also led to the razing of shops and vehicles within the market.

Accompanied by the Chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council, Mr Abdullahi Adamu Candido, FCT Commissioner of Police Mr Sunday Babaji and other top security and senior officials of the FCTA, the Minister met with the various market and community leaders and took an assessment tour of damage in the market.

Speaking passionately after the tour, the Minister said “After an emergency security meeting with the relevant security agencies including the Commissioner of Police and the Director of the DSS and senior management officials of the FCT, we decided come here.

“And we came here specifically because on the social media, all kinds of stories are being circulated saying there is an inter-ethnic crisis in Abuja with one tribe fighting against the other.

“I have come here and met the leadership of the market, I have met the leadership of the communities and met the political leadership as represented by the Chairman and vice chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council, and what really came out very clearly was that this was an accident that occurred when a lady on a commercial motorcycle fell off and a vehicle ran over her and unfortunately, she passed on.

“As a result of this incident tension rose and hoodlums took over and like they do everywhere in the world, their target is economic assets and they burnt down a substantial part of the timber market and other markets around here and they burnt many vehicles.

“There was no communal clash here and I appeal to all residents of Abuja to continue to live here as we have always lived in peace as the center of unity.

But the vicar of the church stated in his letter: “With the deepest sympathy, the Dean of the Cathedral , the Rt. Rev. Dr. Duke T. Akamisoko , Cathedral Archdeacon, Ven. Barr. Tunde Oyesina , the Pastoral team , Cathedral Standing Committee and the entire St. Bartholomew Cathedral identify with you at this most trying period when , shops, investments and source of income, most especially at the Timber Shed came under a heavy attack by a section of the country.

The sight of the destruction can only be condemned by only those who know the worth of living and existence.

“As reliably informed , some of our brethren were affected by this dastard act of people who took laws into their hands to destroy people’s property.

“We hereby express our deepest sympathy to our affected brothers.

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Politics

2027: NDC fixes October 20 for Campaign Council inauguration, Presentation of Certificates of Return

by Myke Uzendu

October 10, 2026

By Myke Uzendu, Abuja The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has fixed October 20, 2026, for the inauguration of its Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), presentation of Certificates of Return to its candidates for the 2027 general elections and a strategic dinner for candidates contesting various elective positions. The party also disclosed that its presidential and vice-presidential candidates, Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, respectively, would participate in consultations to determine key appointments in the campaign council. National Chairman of the NDC, Senator Moses Cleopas Zuwoghe, announced this on Saturday at a press conference at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja. He said the campaign council’s organisational structure and timetable had been ready since the end of August, but its inauguration was being delayed to allow Obi and Kwankwaso to conclude consultations and recommend nominees for strategic positions. According to him, the activities scheduled for October 20 would follow a meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), where key decisions concerning preparations for the 2027 elections are expected to be considered and ratified. Cleopas said the delay did not indicate inactivity or internal division, explaining that the party was committed to establishing a properly constituted campaign structure capable of coordinating its nationwide electoral activities. He added that appointments would reflect national spread, competence, capacity and the ability of nominees to contribute meaningfully to the campaign. The NDC chairman disclosed that Obi and Kwankwaso were expected to recommend nominees for several strategic positions in the Presidential Campaign Council, including Director-General, Deputy Director-General, campaign spokesperson, Director of Social Media and Financial Controller. The candidates are also expected to nominate two additional officers who, alongside the party’s National Treasurer, will oversee the campaign council’s separate and dedicated bank account. Cleopas said the arrangement was intended to ensure that the presidential and vice-presidential candidates were actively involved in decisions affecting the organisation, financing and direction of their campaign. He maintained that the party leadership, the candidates and the National Leader, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, were united in their preparations for the 2027 elections. The chairman said the campaign council would be formally announced after the national leadership received the candidates’ nominations and recommendations. He argued that constituting the council without the active participation of the presidential candidate and his running mate would be inappropriate, given their central roles in the presidential contest. Cleopas also dismissed reports suggesting that the party was divided or struggling to organise itself ahead of the 2027 elections. He said the press conference was partly convened to address concerns raised by party members, supporters and Nigerians over the apparent delay in establishing the presidential campaign structure. The chairman maintained that the National Working Committee (NWC), NEC, National Leader and party structures at the state, local government and ward levels remained committed to the party’s candidates. He equally rejected suggestions that Dickson was working with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to undermine the NDC presidential ticket. Questioning the basis of the allegation, Cleopas said it would have been easier for Dickson to join the APC than to undertake the more demanding process of establishing and registering a political party if his objective had been to work for the ruling party. He urged journalists to exercise caution in reporting political allegations and speculation, warning that misinformation could create unnecessary distrust and mislead the electorate. ...