Peter Obi joins Nigeria Democratic Congress in major political shake-up

Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, who finished third and fourth respectively in the 2023 presidential race, have both joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), raising the prospect of a joint ticket to challenge President Bola Tinubu.

They were previously in the African Democratic Congress (ADC), along with former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, who came second in the last election.

While this could be seen as a fragmentation of the opposition, supporters of Obi and Kwankwaso say it will give their alliance greater focus.

Both men are former governors and command significant grassroots followings.

Obi is hugely popular among young voters across the south, while Kwankwaso wields considerable influence in the north.

The move comes just nine months after Obi, Kwankwaso and Abubakar joined the ADC but that alliance quickly became mired in legal battles over party leadership - something Obi blamed on the government.

"The same Nigerian state and its agents that created unnecessary crises and hostility within the Labour Party that forced me to leave now appear to be finding their way into the ADC," Obi said on Sunday.

He was the Labour Party candidate in the 2023 election.

Allies of President Tinubu have denied that they have been trying to sabotage opposition parties.

Obi, 64, and Kwankwaso, 69, were formally received at the NDC's national headquarters in Abuja by the party's national leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, on Sunday.

Speaking afterwards, both men called for national unity, greater opportunities for young people, and an end to the infighting that has plagued Nigeria's opposition.

However, their decision risks upsetting allies within the coalition built around the ADC, which had been positioning itself as the main vehicle for opposition unity.

Some figures within the bloc have privately expressed a sense of betrayal, raising fresh doubts about whether Nigeria's fragmented opposition can sustain a coordinated challenge against President Tinubu, 74.

In a statement, the Nigerian presidency played down the significance of the defections, suggesting they reflected "the normal fluidity of democratic politics" rather than any fundamental shift.

A presidential spokesperson said the government remained focused on governance.

"Political alliances will come and go," the spokesperson said. "But our priority is delivering economic reforms, improving security and ensuring stability for all Nigerians."

Political analyst Bala Yusuf told the BBC the move could reshape Nigeria's electoral landscape.

"If the NDC fields Obi as its presidential candidate and Kwankwaso as vice-president, they will definitely give the ruling APC a run for their money at the polls," he said.

They have not yet said who the presidential candidate will be - an issue that has broken up several previous Nigerian political alliances.

Elections are scheduled for early January next year - they will be the country’s eighth since the end of military rule in 1999.

By Mansur Abubakar and Chris Ewokor, BBC

President Tinubu Begins Three-Nation Tour With France Visit

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is in France on the first leg of his three-nation tour, aimed at advancing Nigeria’s economic diplomacy and strengthening strategic international partnerships.

The President departed Abuja at about 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, accompanied to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, alongside other top government officials.

The visit marks the commencement of engagements across France, Kenya, and Rwanda, where the Nigerian leader is expected to champion his administration’s reform agenda on global platforms.

Deepening Cooperation

A statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, stated that the tour underscores Nigeria’s commitment to deepening cooperation with key international partners, particularly the French Republic and African nations, in areas of economic growth, innovation, and investment.

From France, President Tinubu will proceed to Nairobi for the Africa-France Summit scheduled for May 11 to 12, co-chaired by Emmanuel Macron and William Ruto.

The summit, themed “Africa Forward: Africa-France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth,” will focus on critical areas including energy transition, green industrialisation, digital transformation, global financing reforms, and climate action.

The summit will bring together African and French leaders to deliberate on key development priorities such as infrastructure, youth empowerment, peace-building, and economic transformation, providing a platform for enhanced bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

Thereafter, the President will head to Kigali, Rwanda, to participate in the Africa CEO Forum from May 14 to 15.

Explore Strategies

The forum, organised in partnership with the International Finance Corporation, is expected to attract over 2,000 business leaders, investors, and policymakers to explore strategies for economic transformation, regional integration, and cross-border investment under the theme “Scale or Fail.”

At both summits, President Tinubu is expected to deliver keynote statements highlighting his administration’s reforms and positioning Nigeria as a prime destination for investment and sustainable growth, while also holding high-level meetings with global and African business leaders.

The President is accompanied on the trip by selected ministers and senior aides and is expected to return to Nigeria after concluding engagements in Rwanda.

By Temitope Mustapha, VON

Nigeria summons South Africa envoy over xenophobic incidents

Nigeria has summoned South Africa's acting high commissioner to a meeting at the foreign ministry on Monday, citing growing anti-African migrant protests.

The move comes just over a week after Ghana's foreign ministry held talks with South Africa's acting high commissioner in Accra to protest several alleged "xenophobic incidents" involving Ghanaians.

Meanwhile, news outlet City Press reports that South African trucks and citizens could be prevented from entering neighboring Mozambique on Monday, as protests were expected at Ressano Garcia in retaliation for xenophobic marches, statements and attacks against immigrants in South Africa.

The developments come only days after South Africa's police ministry vowed to crack down on anyone carrying out xenophobic attacks against Ghanaians and other foreign nationals, or found participating in or inciting xenophobic acts.

Xenophobia not new in South Africa

Xenophobia has long been an issue in South Africa, and in recent months more anti-migrant protests have been reported, some of which included violence against foreign shopkeepers.

The focus of the anti-migrant incidents has been Black Africans, with more than two thirds of South Africa's estimated three million foreign residents coming from neighboring Southern African countries.

With an unemployment rate of more than 30%, campaigners for migrant rights say migrants have been scapegoated in South Africa for the country's economic woes.

Ferial Haffajee, the associate editor of South Africa's Daily Maverick, wrote that "political entrepreneurs" had been abusing the situation.

"Populist political entrepreneurs who leverage social media and the social harm of widespread unemployment and inequality to drive campaigns that build their followings. This can later be parsed into political leadership positions and a high life," she wrote.

Some mainstream South African political parties, including Action SA and Inkatha Freedom Party, have also joined demonstrations, which they say were to protest undocumented migrants.

International concern over anti-migrant violence

Nigeria and Ghana are not the only countries to raise concern about the trend.

On April 27, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement released by his spokesman that he was "deeply concerned by reports of xenophobic attacks and acts of harassment and intimidation against migrants and foreign nationals."

"Violence, vigilantism and all forms of incitement to hatred have no place in an inclusive, democratic society governed by the rule of law and respect for human rights," he said.

South Africa's foreign affairs minister, Ronald Lamola, last month told a meeting of government officials that violence against migrants was a threat to South Africa's constitutional order.

"Acts of lawlessness, intimidation and violence against migrant communities have no place in our constitutional democracy," he said.

The country's police minister, Firoz Cachalia, said, "acts of xenophobia, violence, looting, or intimidation will not be tolerated under any circumstances."

By Louis Oelofse, DW

Related story: Nigeria plans to repatriate nationals willing to leave South Africa after attacks

Nigeria plans to repatriate nationals willing to leave South Africa after attacks

Nigeria is planning to repatriate its nationals in South Africa willing to return home voluntarily, amid growing fears that recent attacks on foreigners there could escalate.

Foreign Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu said 130 applicants had already registered for the exercise, adding that the number was expected to rise.

She expressed President Bola Tinubu's concern about the attacks in the southern African nation, and condemned the violence against foreign nationals and demonstrations characterised by "xenophobic rhetoric, hate speeches and incendiary anti-migrant statements".

Nigeria has summoned South Africa's acting High Commissioner over the issue.

Nigeria will formally convey its "profound concern" at a meeting later on Monday over the incidents in South Africa, saying they could affect existing relations between the countries, according to a foreign ministry statement.

The meeting will focus on recent marches held by anti-immigrant groups and "documented instances of mistreatment of Nigerian citizens and attacks on their businesses", it said.

On Sunday, Nigeria's foreign minister said: "Nigerian lives and businesses in South Africa must not continue to be put at risk, and we remain committed to working to explore with South Africa ways to put an end to this."

She cited the killing of two Nigerians in separate incidents involving local security personnel, insisting that her government was demanding justice.

She said the Nigerian president's priority was for the safety of citizens and "consequently, arrangements are currently under way to collate details of Nigerians in South Africa for voluntary repatriation flights for those seeking assistance to return home".

Four Ethiopian nationals have also been killed in recent weeks, local media reported, while there have been attacks on citizens of other African countries.

As Africa's most industrialised country, people from elsewhere in the continent have long travelled to South Africa to seek work.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned the attacks but also cautioned foreigners to respect local laws.

He used his Freedom Day address last week - marking the country's first democratic elections in 1994 - to remind South Africans of the support other African nations had given in the struggle against the racist system of apartheid.

But some South Africans accuse foreigners of being in the county illegally, taking jobs from locals and having links to crime, especially drugs trafficking.

Anti-immigrant groups have been stopping people outside hospitals and schools demanding to see their identity papers.

During a march by one such group in the capital, Pretoria, last week, foreign-owned businesses were urged to close in case of violence.

At the time, one Nigerian man told BBC Pidgin: "It is not okay because we are blacks, we are brothers... everybody comes here just to survive."

A security guard, who was unable to go to work because of the protest, told the BBC: "It's not what we expected as fellow Africans."

"It's just making us scared - imagine if we're scared in our own African continent - what if we go to Europe?" he asked.

Last month, Ghana summoned South Africa's top envoy after a video was widely shared showing a Ghanaian man being challenged to prove he had the correct immigration papers.

Anti-immigrant sentiment rose earlier this year after reports that the head of the Nigerian community in the port city of KuGompo (formerly East London) had been installed in a traditional role that can be translated as "king". Some South Africans in the local area saw this as an attempt to grab political power.

South Africa is home to about 2.4 million migrants, just less than 4% of the population, according to official figures. However, many more are thought to be in the country unofficially.

Most come from neighbouring countries such as Lesotho, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, which have a history of providing migrant labour to their wealthy neighbour. A smaller number come from Nigeria.

By Paul Njieand Joseph Winter, BBC

Amnesty urges Nigeria to investigate deaths in army-run camp, military says report baseless

Amnesty International called on Nigeria to ​investigate reports that at least 150 people, ‌most of them children, had died in an army-run camp in north-central Kwara state - though the military ​said the reports were baseless.

The victims were ​reported to be among about 1,500 members of ⁠the Fulani community who were moved to the ​camp in Yikpata after facing escalating attacks by ​armed groups, Amnesty said on Thursday.

"Instead of finding safety, they face overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, restrictions on their ​movements, acute malnutrition and disease," Amnesty said ​in a statement.

The military dismissed the report of deaths. "There is ‌no ⁠verifiable evidence to support such an allegation," Major General Michael Onoja, Director of Defence Media Operations, told Reuters.
"I doubt its veracity. Nothing like ​this has happened," ​he ⁠added.

Amnesty said its researchers who visited the camp in April spoke to ​survivors who said starvation and disease ​were widespread, ⁠with multiple bodies buried in single graves.

Communities have come under increasing pressure as Islamist militants from ⁠the ​north push into the ​region, security analysts have said.

By Ahmed Kingimi, Reuters