Weekly Catch-Up On Naija’s Political Drama: December 12th: APC Asks Arise TV To Sack Its Journalists Who Criticised Them; Peter Obi At Shiloh 2022 (Video); Atiku Explains Why He Deleted His Post Of Deborah’s Murder

Atiku Abubakar Reveals Why He Deleted His Post About Deborah Samuel (Video).

Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, has claimed that the tweet he deleted earlier this year, condemning the killing of Deborah Samuel, a student who was murdered for supposed blasphemy, was posted without his permission.

Shehu Shagari College of Education Sokoto student, Deborah Samuel, a Christian student in her 200-level study, was murdered by other students in May after reportedly blaspheming the Prophet Muhammad.

After the incident, a post was made on Atiku’s social media accounts, condemning the killing of Deborah.

The post read: “There cannot be a justification for such gruesome murder. Deborah Yakubu was murdered, and all those behind her death must be brought to justice. My condolences to her family and friends.”

After a while, Atiku took down the post, stating that it was made without his permission.

He wrote in Hausa, “This evening I received information that a post was made that doesn’t agree with my orders. I use this to announce that any post without A. A. is not from me. May God protect us.”

Recently, the presidential candidate was asked, during a Channels Television town hall meeting on Sunday, why he took down the post denouncing the incident.

He said, “I asked the tweet to be deleted because I normally approve every tweet and since I did not approve the tweet, I asked them to delete it. If you read my subsequent statement on that murder, I condemned it.”

See the video of the town hall below…

APC Asks Arise TV To Sack Rufai Oseni And Shaka Momodu.

The Board of Editors of ThisDay Newspaper and Arise Television announced on December 12, that it had received two distinct requests to fire two news reporters from senior members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign council.

The APC Presidential Campaign Council asked the television station to fire the employees over their claimed insults against the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in a statement attributed to the party’s spokesperson Bayo Onanuga.

The Board of Editors of ThisDay Newspaper and Arise Television, however, criticized the ruling party for making such a request in a statement that was released on Monday, December 12.

The party was requesting the firing of Rufai Oseni, co-host of The Morning Show on Arise News, and ThisDay Editor Shaka Momodu.

The pair had to be fired, according to the ruling party, in order to stop the attacks or face a future Tinubu presidency.

Responding to APC’s request, Arise TV said in a statement, “We also note that two senior APC campaign officials had separately requested that we move THISDAY Editor and columnist, Shaka Momodu, and The Morning Show co-host on ARISE News, Rufai Oseni, from their current positions to stop the attacks or get a reprieve from a future Tinubu presidency.

“The Boards of Editors of This Day Newspapers and the Arise News Channel would like to state without equivocation that we do not fire journalists because of their views.

“Facts are sacred and opinions free is the age-old dictum to which all free-thinking men subscribe.

“We allow our editors the freedom to air their opinions unfettered and have created The Office of the Ombudsman to take any complaints and discipline any abuse of office by any of our staff members.”

Peter Obi Attends Shiloh 2022 (Video).

Peter Obi, the presidential candidate for the Labour Party (LP), attended the annual Living Faith Church program ‘Shiloh’ at the church’s administrative center in Ota, Ogun State, on Thursday.

The moment Pastor Abioye, vice president of Living Faith, announced Obi’s presence, the congregation erupted in wild applause.

Bishop David Oyedepo spoke so after, stating that Nigeria, in its current state, needs a deliverer and not a leader.

Bishop Oyedepo, who did not point out a presidential candidate to support said “We welcome all of them and God’s choice will give us rest.”