President Muhammadu Buhari struck a chord of humour on Wednesday at the State House in Abuja while responding to a flowery speech by Senator Kashim Shettima, the running mate and vice presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 elections, saying, “I will respond to your speech when I am handing over to you and your boss. God willing, you are going to win.”

President Buhari, who received the VP candidate shortly after he was unveiled by the leadership of the party and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, said he was very happy with the choice of the former governor of Borno State as running mate to the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

In a statement by presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, Buhari said: “I wish you the best. Your consistency in the party is very respectful. You served your two terms as Governor and finished well. You have kept touch with your base. At every important occasion or event, you are maintaining support for the one who succeeded you. This is commendable.”

The President expressed strong optimism that the APC presidential ticket will emerge victorious in 2023.

In his remarks, the Vice Presidential Candidate thanked the President for his “empathy, support and positive role,” leading to his emergence as running mate to the APC presidential candidate

He praised the President for having “a special place in your heart for Borno and Northeast,” adding, “I can cite 20-30 instances of support you have rendered, for which you will be remembered.”

He mentioned the establishment of the North East Development Commission (NEDC), and the Independent Power Plant for Maiduguri by the NNPC, “after many years of darkness,” saying that “words cannot describe our appreciation of your support. We will remain eternally grateful.”

The former governor of Borno State and incumbent Borno Central Senator requested the President to appreciate his successor, Governor Babagana Zulum, who was in his company, along with the Minister of State, Agriculture, Mustapha Baba Shehuri, for spurning “recurring mention” of him and pressure from his governor colleagues to bid for the Vice Presidential ticket.

The Candidate pledged to remain “loyal and devoted” to the President, promising that his Vice-Presidency will not be for the “troika of Hausa, Fulani and Kanuri,” but for all Nigeria, irrespective of ethnicity, religion or geographical place of origin.

The suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, Abba Kyari, who is facing drug trafficking charge, has said he should be granted bail because he refused to escape with other inmates on the night terrorists attacked Kuje Prison in Abuja.

Kyari, on Wednesday, through his counsel, Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) told the court to release him and his colleagues on bail, pending the resolve of the charge by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), preferred against them.

Terrorists launched an attack on Kuje Prison on July 5, which led to the escape of about 879 inmates, including all 68 imprisoned Boko Haram members.

The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters later claimed responsibility for the assault.

Kyari, popularly branded ‘Supercop’, told the court that he and his imprisoned members of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) hid like rats on that deadly night.

He argued that the prison attack established “a special and exceptional circumstance” that should warrant the court to release him and his men on bail.

Ikpeazu, addressing the court on behalf of his client, Kyari, said: “My lord, every living soul in this country will agree that there was not just a breach, but that there was a grand terrorist attack by an organisation that not only successfully invaded the Kuje Prison, but took control of it for over three hours.

“However, the applicant, being a law-abiding citizen, refused to take off.

“If there is anything to establish that the defendants will not jump bail, it was that circumstance. The gates of the prison were left open for over three hours.

“In fact, the defendant hid like a rat, because the organisation that conducted the attack went from cell to cell, saying they want to take him and the others to the desert.

“I don’t know where else in the world, where certified crime fighters that have endangered their lives and abandoned their families to serve the country, are kept in the same cubicle, with same criminals they made their arrest possible, with some of them facing death penalty.

“These people have suffered. They are traumatised by the events of that night. You can imagine what it felt like, witnessing the attackers planting explosives everywhere in the prison.”

The Redeemed Christian Church of God has issued a disclaimer debunking a purported meeting between its General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, and the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu.

Several news platforms except MAIDAWAAREWA had reported that the revered cleric met with Tinubu on Sunday at the Redemption Camp in Ogun State.

Debunking the claim, the church’s Public Relations Office, in a statement on Tuesday, noted that such a meeting did not hold.

The statement read, “It has come to our notice that some news outlets are reporting that a meeting Between Pastor E.A. Adeboye, The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God Worldwide, and the former Governor of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was held a few days back at the Redemption Camp where our esteemed father in the Lord was said to have supported the preferred candidature of the party the former governor is a member of.

“This is to inform the general public that Pastor E.A. Adeboye is under the authority of God, the Christian Association of Nigeria, and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, and as such, will not speak on behalf of Christians on issues regarding policies.”

“Pastor E.A.Adeboye and the RCCG have not and will not endorse any candidate for the 2023 General elections in Nigeria.”

Noting that the news of the meeting was false, the church warned, “News outlets should desist from spreading false information about Pastor E.A. Adeboye and the RCCG as it defeats the code and ethics of journalism and the full weight of the law will be employed if such happens in future.”

On its official Instagram page, the church added, “The General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor E. A. Adeboye, did not hold any closed-door meeting with Mr. Bola Tinubu for support of any sort.”

The Christian Association Nigeria, Youth Wing, has said there was no way it would allow its members to vote for a Muslim-Muslim ticket in the 2023 presidential election.

The Chairman, North-central zone of the body, Owoyemi Alfred Olushola, who briefed journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, said the Christian youths had resolved never to support the idea.

He said, “We are all aware that in the past weeks, the Nigerian mainstream media and the general public have been occupied with the discussions on the Muslim-Muslim ticket by the All Progressive Congress (APC), one of the political parties in the build-up to the 2023 general elections.

“We clearly want to emphasize that this is not healthy for the highly diversified Nigerian space, especially in the face of the growing and alarming insecurity in our nation at the moment. Any well meaning presidential candidate will focus the all inclusive Federal Character.

“Consequently, the Nigerian Christian youth are not unaware of division and tension currently overheating an heated polity in Nigeria and, therefore, will not support or encourage any action or decision capable of further dividing and setting this nation on fire.

“Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket insults the sensitivity of Nigerians and the Christian youths are saying a big NO!

“While we appreciate and recognize that candidates of political parties have the right to present their choice candidates, for national interest, the parties should be sensitive and do everything humanly possible not to create or endorse any perception that could create fear and division amongst Nigerians.

“Accordingly, the YOWICAN calls on all peace-loving Christian youths and their counterparts in other faiths not to allow themselves to be bought over or cajoled into accepting arons and decisions that are not for the unity and progress of Nigeria for peanuts.

“Besides, every youth is called upon to register and get their PVCs and mobilize peers to be ready to come out en mass to vote against divisive combinations of any party, to enthrone a government which unites the country and restore s peaceful coexistence.”