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Christians in the country are facing an “existential threat” – Says Trump

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Mixed reactions have continued to trail United States President, Donald Trump’s threat of military intervention in Nigeria.

Trump had, on Friday, designated Nigeria as Country of Particular Concerns, CPC, saying that Christians in the country are facing an “existential threat”.

The US President called on American lawmakers to investigate the “mass slaughter” of Christians.

A few hours after Nigeria was designated, Trump threatened to send US forces into Nigeria with “guns-a-blazing”, stating that if Africa’s most populous country does not stem what he described as the killing of Christians by Islamists extremists, the US intervenes.

While Trump’s move triggered panic among a cross section of Nigerians, others seemed elated by the development.

Government officials, Islamic scholars and supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, are vehemently denying the genocide claims, insisting that the deteriorating security situation does not target a particular religion.

To them, President Trump’s move has ulterior motives as they alleged that the decision is beyond just protecting Christians in Nigeria.

However, some stakeholders, particularly Christians, welcomed Trump’s move to take out the perpetrators of the alleged Christian massacre.

Meanwhile, as of the time of filing this report, major national opposition leaders, especially those plotting President Bola Tinubu’s removal in 2027, are yet to comment on the matter.

DAILY POST observed that the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi and his Peoples Democratic Party, PDP counterpart, Atiku Abubakar, have maintained silence on the matter.

Similarly, the former governors of Kaduna and Rivers States, Nasir El-rufai and Rotimi Amaechi, who have been previously vocal on national issues, have decided to sit on the fence.

In a chat with DAILY POST, a public affairs analyst, Moses Jibila attributed their silence to 2027 ambitions.

He said, “They are being careful because this is a very sensitive matter. They know the truth but because of their selfish interests, they won’t say anything.

“Someone like Atiku would prefer not to talk because he is going to be in trouble if he takes a stand on the issue.

“For example, Atiku cannot say there is no Christian genocide in Nigeria, if he does that, the Christians will come for him and they will punish him through the ballots.

“And if he backs Trump, his Muslim brothers will come for him.

“The same way Obi and others are feeling. It is all about their selfish interests”.

Nigeria as CPC

This is the second time President Trump is designating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern.

Prior to his exit from the White House in 2020, Nigeria was designated as CPC but the Joe Biden administration later reversed the policy.

The “Country of Particular Concern” status is an official classification under the US International Religious Freedom Act, IRFA of 1998.

The law applies to nations found to be engaging in or tolerating “systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom.”

Other countries designated as CPC

Nigeria seems not alone as the United States government had previously designated at least 14 other countries.

Some of the nations labeled as CPCs include China, Iran, Russia, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Eritrea.

Others are Burma, Cuba, Nicaragua, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

According to reports, the designated countries have been cited for long-term, state-sanctioned restrictions on religious practice or persecution of minority faiths.

Tinubu to meet Trump

President Bola Tinubu is expected to meet his United States, US, counterpart, Donald Trump “in the coming days” to address the situation.

Daniel Bwala, Tinubu’s Special Adviser on policy communication, who disclosed this on Sunday, said the meeting will hold “either in the State House or White House.”

Bwala expressed optimism that the genocide claims “would be discussed and resolved by the two leaders” when they meet.

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POLITICS: Wike-led PDP Faction Takes Over Party Secretariat In Oyo

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Members of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, loyal to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, have taken over the secretariat of the party in Oyo State.

The secretariat, located in the Molete area of Ibadan, was in the custody of the faction loyal to Governor Seyi Makinde of the state until Thursday when the members loyal to Wike took over the premises.

DAILY POST gathered that the PDP members stormed the secretariat on Thursday and occupied the premises with hundreds of members of the party in attendance.

PDP chairman in the state, Professor Abdulrahman Akinoso, confirmed the development to DAILY POST.

Akinoso in a telephone conversation with DAILY POST on Thursday, insisted that the real owners have taken over the premises.

He said, “It is true. It is not faction. It is PDP. We have taken over the premises. It was in the morning. We were there in the morning. We just left the premises. We are now in control. We have taken over the premises.” .…For more, Complete your reading.

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POLITICS: Foreign Recognition Won’t Secure Re-election – ADC Tells Tinubu

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The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has told President Bola Tinubu that foreign recognition will not secure him another term in office, insisting that Nigerians will judge his administration by its performance, not by diplomatic gestures from other world leaders.

In a statement issued on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party reacted to the Presidency’s celebration of a purported letter from United States President Donald Trump to Tinubu.

The ADC said presenting the letter as an endorsement of Tinubu’s administration was misleading, stressing that diplomatic correspondence between world leaders is a normal part of international relations.

“The Presidency’s attempt to present President Donald Trump’s letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as though it were a referendum on the state of the nation is not correct,” the party said.

According to the ADC, countries cooperate, leaders exchange views and letters regularly, adding that such communication does not amount to an endorsement of a government’s performance.

The party accused the Tinubu administration of being desperate for international validation instead of focusing on solving Nigeria’s challenges.

“It is apparent that this administration is desperate to seize upon any gesture of international recognition as proof of success at home,” the statement said.

The ADC maintained that “a letter from a foreign president, however well-intentioned, cannot substitute for the verdict of the Nigerian people.”

It added that the true measure of any government is not what foreign leaders say about it, but what citizens experience daily.

The opposition party argued that Trump’s letter had not changed the reality facing millions of Nigerians, especially those affected by insecurity.

“For the millions of Nigerians still living with the consequences of this government’s failures, President Trump’s communication changes nothing. It did not say that insecurity has been overcome or that Nigerians can once again travel freely, farm safely and sleep without fear,” the party stated.

The ADC also pointed to the continued captivity of hundreds of women and children in parts of Borno State and Kaiama in Kwara State, while many communities in Benue and other parts of the country still live in constant fear because of insecurity.

The party further noted that, despite the Presidency’s celebration of the letter, the United States Department of State has not changed its travel advisory for Nigeria.

According to the ADC, several Nigerian states remain under Level 3 and Level 4 travel advisories, with American citizens still being urged to reconsider or avoid travel because of crime, terrorism, kidnapping and civil unrest.

“We therefore wonder how correspondence from a government that designates several Nigerian states as ‘Do Not Travel’ areas can be regarded as an endorsement,” the party said.

It argued that the travel advisory shows the international assessment of Nigeria’s security situation remains different from the image the Presidency is trying to project.

The ADC said Nigerians are more concerned about their safety than diplomatic exchanges between presidents.

“The daily reality of Nigerians is shaped not by diplomatic correspondence, but by the guarantee that they can go about their lives without falling victim to violent crime or terrorism,” it said.

The party stressed that Trump’s letter was simply communication between two presidents and “does not amount to an endorsement of this government’s overall performance.”

It urged the Tinubu administration to focus less on celebrating diplomatic courtesies and more on delivering measurable improvements in the lives of Nigerians.

“Ultimately, Nigerians will not judge this government by the letters it receives from foreign capitals. They will judge it by whether .…For more, Complete your reading.

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