By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

A former CIA director and US defence secretary Leon Panetta, Donald Trump would offer Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “blank cheque” in the Middle East once he takes office, potentially paving the door for a full-scale conflict between Israel and Iran.

He said that Israel would receive his approval for every action taken by the president-elect, who defeated Democratic candidate Kamala Harris to win the presidency this week and will return to office in January

“With regards to the Middle East, I think he’s basically going to give Netanyahu a blank check,” he said via the Guardian, UK.”

Whatever you do, whatever you want to do, whoever you want to go after, you have my blessing.’ I mean, he basically said that [before the election].”

Since Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel last year, Netanyahu has presided over attacks on Iran and its assets as part of an expanding conflict.

During the US election campaign, he reportedly spoke with the US president-elect.

Following Trump’s triumph over Kamala Harris on Wednesday, Netanyahu praised him.

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf has denied having any form of rift between him and his political leader, Rafiu Kwankwaso.

Responding to the rising tensions within the party, the NNPP’s state leadership recently suspended Abdullahi Baffa Bichi, Secretary to the State Government, and Muhammad Diggol, Commissioner of Transportation, accusing them of involvement in the “Abba Tsaya da Kafarka” campaign. Both officials have denied these allegations.

As support for this faction grows, other prominent members of the Kwankwasiyya movement, including House representatives Aliyu Sani Madakin Gini and Alhassan Rurum, have publicly distanced themselves from Kwankwaso, encouraging Yusuf to assert his independence.

Governor Yusuf, however, stood firm in his loyalty.

“It’s as if people do not understand the role Kwankwaso has played. Where were these critics when he was laying the foundation for what we are doing now?” he questioned.

Yusuf also expressed frustration with media reports suggesting that he had ignored multiple calls from Kwankwaso. “They said Kwankwaso called me more than 30 times, and I refused to answer. Where did they get this from?” Yusuf asked. “If not for my respect for journalists, I would have taken the person who wrote that to court. But I know, and Kwankwaso knows, that it’s all lies. There is no rift.”

Finally, he appealed to his supporters to reject divisive slogans, urging respect and unity within the party. “As of today, I don’t want to hear ‘stand on your own’ in Kano State or anywhere in Nigeria,” he said. “We were raised to respect elders, not to insult them.”

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State had declared that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) would do everything within its power to fix the Party and Nigeria, while assuring that the Party would prevent the All Progressives Congress (APC) rigging the forth-coming gubernatorial election in Ondo State.

Governor Makinde said this, on Thursday, in Abuja, at the inauguration of the Board of Governors and the unveiling of the Roadmap for Peoples Democratic Institute (PDI).

PDI is the research arm of PDP established in 2,000 to promote a new democratic culture in Nigeria and Africa through the provision of value-added education, training, capacity building, research, and documentation programmes.

Governor Makinde said that PDP could fix Nigeria, adding that “we will fix PDP and then PDP will fix Nigeria, which will be the basis of real hope for the people of Nigeria.

“As we approach 2027, it is clear that the PDP has to provide real hope for Nigeria. By revitalising the PDI that real hope is being provided for our people.

“Our country needs direction. Nigerians are looking up to the PDP to provide an ideological foundation,” he said.
The governor said that with the inauguration of the board, PDP was moving a step closer to defining the ideology it stood for.
He advised politicians and leaders who were given opportunity to serve to always ask themselves what they want to be remembered for.

The governor also pledged his commitment to strengthening of the country’s democracy and PDP.

He continued, “From 2019, I’ve been benefitting from PDP. So, I want to say thank you to our great party, and all the stakeholders gathered here today, for giving me the opportunity to get not one, but two mandates, back to back, under this umbrella.

“The only thing I can promise you, is that, since I fetched water from that well, and I have been drinking since 1999, I will not pollute the well when it is time for me to exit that office,” he said.

Governor Makinde also urged PDP leaders, members and stakeholders to go into the November 16 Ondo governorship election united and resist any attempt to truncate the election.

He said that the PDP needed true reconciliation and unity to wrest power from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo. “Our great party, the PDP, will not allow the All Progressives Congress (APC) to rig the election. Our chances are bright”.

In his remarks, former Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki, emphasised the need to jointly build the PDP, saying parties were built on ideas, philosophies and policies.

He urged PDP members to move away from building ideas on self or on ambition, as Nigeria move towards 2027.

“We cannot have an ambition if we don’t have a party. We cannot have a party if we don’t have ideas. This is where it starts from. This is the foundation that is important.

“Let us desist from talking about who is running for councillors, or who is running for governor, or who is running for president in 2027.

“Let us talk about what is PDP. What does PDP represent? These are the issues and policies that we must take into account,” Saraki said.

In his acceptance speech, the Chairman of PDI Board of Governors, Taofeek Arapaja, pledged the governing board members’ commitment to the mission, and vision of PDI, and to the guiding principles of the PDP.

Arapaja, who is the PDP Deputy National Chairman (South), commended the party leadership and Makinde’s efforts at revamping PDI, said that the board would advance the principles of PDI to enrich Nigeria’s democracy.

“As we embark on this journey, we pledge that we will live with innovations, transparency and inclusivity.

“We are passionate about equipping the next generation of leaders and ensuring that the PDI becomes a true engine of progressive thoughts, skills, building and intellectual discourse within our party and beyond.

“We envision a PDI that is not just a research institute, but a vibrant, inclusive hub for the youths, women and all party members,” Arapaja said.

The Director General of PDI, Dr Edward Adie, acknowledging the support of Makinde for revamping of the institute, seek support from all in terms of funding, personnel among others.

He said that research institute such as PDI was critical for party electoral success, funding substance of power and needed training for political leaders.