Prominent Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has sharply criticized Burkina Faso’s military leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, following his decision to reject the implementation of Sharia law in the Muslim-majority West African nation.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

In a statement posted on his official Facebook page on Saturday, Gumi questioned the 38-year-old leader’s grasp of social dynamics and international geopolitics, warning that his secular stance could inadvertently strengthen extremist recruitment in the Sahel.

“He Has Armed the Extremists” — Gumi’s Critique

Sheikh Gumi argued that Traoré’s military background leaves him ill-prepared to handle sensitive religious and governance debates. According to the cleric, banning Sharia law hands a powerful propaganda tool to insurgent groups:

“Capt. Ibrahim Traoré, with his anti-Shariah stance at the age of 38 and with nothing but military training on his resume, is too naïve to understand the complexity of the society he is ruling under the gun, let alone contemporary geopolitics.

He has given the extremists the exact weapon they need to conscript more foot soldiers against his secular regime.”

Burkina Faso Leader Defends Secular State

The backlash follows a national address by Captain Traoré, in which he firmly reaffirmed Burkina Faso’s commitment to remaining a secular state where all citizens enjoy freedom of religion.

Key points from Traoré’s address include:

• No Islamic Legal System: Despite Burkina Faso having a Muslim-majority population, Sharia law will not be integrated into the national legal framework.

• Critique of Religious Studies Abroad: Traoré questioned citizens who travel to Saudi Arabia to study Sharia, suggesting the nation needs expertise in technology and science rather than religious law to spur development.

• Entry Ban for Sharia Scholars: The military ruler warned that students traveling abroad for Sharia studies would be barred from returning to the country after completing their education.

Former Kano State Governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) vice-presidential candidate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has voiced strong confidence that the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, will honor his commitment to serve a single four-year term if elected.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Speaking during an interview on News Central’s 60 Minutes with Mr Kay, Kwankwaso dismissed doubts surrounding the coalition’s power-sharing arrangement.

“Obi Is a Gentleman” — Kwankwaso Reassures Alliance

Kwankwaso emphasized that the alliance within the NDC is rooted in mutual trust, public declarations, and regional fairness.

• Public Commitment: Kwankwaso noted that because Obi made his single-term pledge publicly, there is no reason to question his integrity.

• Regional Balance: He explained that the agreement allows the Southern region to complete an eight-year tenure, ensuring a smooth and equitable political transition.

• Mutual Respect: Kwankwaso stated firmly that he expects all coalition leaders to stand by their word rather than reneging on shared promises.

“I personally believe Peter Obi is a gentleman and I have every reason to trust him… Nobody should have any reason to doubt him. We believe the southern part of the country should complete its second term, and I don’t believe any gentleman would want to renege.”

Governance Beyond Personal Ambitions

Highlighting the broader vision of the alliance, Kwankwaso revealed that the NDC has established comprehensive short-, medium-, and long-term development roadmaps for Nigeria.

He stressed that policy continuity remains the top priority, regardless of whether leadership comes from the Obidient movement, the Kwankwasiyya movement, or another faction within the coalition.

“More importantly, we have collectively gotten a short-term, medium-term and long-term plan for this country… We will ensure that whoever comes, whether it’s Peter, myself, or anyone else, sticks strictly to that governance program.”

The Presidency has launched a scathing attack on former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, describing him as a “pitiable figure” who is actively destroying his own political legacy.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The reaction follows reports that Atiku hired a United States lobbying firm in Washington for $1.2 million to push petitions against President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“An Affront to Nigeria’s Sovereignty”

In an official statement signed by Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Aso Rock accused Atiku of outsourcing political warfare to foreign powers and undermining the nation’s democratic systems.

Key highlights from the Presidency’s reaction include:

• Insult to Democratic Institutions: Paying a US lobbyist to influence Nigerian politics is a direct vote of no confidence in local democratic processes.

• Slight to Nigerian Intellectuals: The move disparages Nigerian journalists, academics, and political analysts who have dedicated decades to shaping the nation’s political landscape.

• Driven by Unchecked Ambition: Atiku was described as a politician whose overwhelming ambition has clouded his judgment, programming him for political self-destruction.

“He Must Travel That Path Alone”

Sunday Dare emphasized that Atiku’s actions will not drag the nation down, asserting that the former Vice President must face the consequences of his actions by himself:

“The Atiku Abubakar of today cuts a pitiable figure, a grotesque portrait of what a politician becomes when ambition overwhelms judgment… No, Atiku cannot take Nigeria down that path with him. He must travel it alone.”

“Charity begins at home, not in Washington. Nigerians deserve to know whether the man who presents himself as a democrat is, in reality, a politician of many colors who has built a throne on sand and bayonets.”