News
Trump to US judge: You’re Democrat’s stooge, you can’t stop me
There seemed no letup in the interpretation Donald Trump, former President of the United State (POTUS), currently making a comeback bid to the White House is giving to his ongoing trial at court in New York, one of the several he is presently facing since he left government about three years ago, following his defeat by incumbent, Joe Biden.
Trump, who is sure to emerge the candidate of the Republican Party in next year’s presidential election, all but accused Arthur Engoron the New York judge handling his civil fraud case of fronting for the Democratic Party to stop him from returning as President, by “issuing fraudulent rulings,” in the same manner he equally took on Letitia James, New York State Attorney General (AG), who instituted the case as a “political hack.”
But both Engoron and James promptly pushed back by brushing the allegation, demanding that the former President was playing to the gallery and address the matter in question, insisting that the facts of the matter in issue spoke for themselves and therefore could not be ensconced in theatrics.
Reports say that though Trump, the first President in more than 100 years to stand a court trial, since the appearance of Theodore Roosevelt, in a 1915 libel suit, might not be going to prison, he and his sons, could lose control over the family’s vast business empire as the case in question centred on them cooking the books to raise the profile of the company to obtain bank loans.
“He called me a fraud and he did not know anything about me. This is political witchhunt,” Trump was quoted as saying of Engoron during the trial, with the judge, in reply, asking him to address the matter directed at him by simply answering the questions, adding: “This is not a political rally. Please, just answer the questions, no speeches.”
Engoron, even cautioned Christopher Kise, lawyer to the former President, who had an American flag on the lapel of his dark-blue suit to control him, as he continued in his confrontational attitude, as he called the trial “very unfair and crazy” adding that it was brought by Democrats “coming after me from 15 different sides,” reports say.
Regarding the trial itself, where his Don Jr. his eldest son and Eric and other executives of the Trump Organisation are being accused of exaggerating the value of their real estate assets by billions of dollars to obtain more favorable bank loans and insurance terms, the former POTUS pooh-poohed the allegation describing company’s claims in the financial statement as very conservative.
“They were not really documents that the banks paid much attention to. The value of the Trump brand was not taken into account in the valuations of my assets. I became President because of my brand,” Trump told Kevin Wallace, a lawyer for the New York Attorney General’s office, who was interrogating him under oath.
Trump said to have repeatedly attacked James, as “racist,” also referred to Engoron, as “unhinged” and a “Trump-hating radical left, Democrat operative,” comments, said to have earned $15,000 in fines from Engoron for violating a partial gag order imposed after he bashed the judge’s clerk on social media.
On his part, James, who seemed to have preempted the former President’s combatic posture, was quoted as telling reporters that he had “consistently misrepresented and inflated the value of his assets,” adding: “Before he takes the stand, I am certain that he will engage in name-calling and taunts and race-baiting and call this a witch hunt. But at the end of the day, the only thing that matters are the facts and the numbers. And numbers, my friends, don’t lie.”
The current case is one in the many of legal battles the former POTUS, who has been impeached twice by the US congress, but whose career was saved from the final death-knell by the skin of his teeth has maintained that they are all efforts by the Democrats led by Biden, to stop him from reclaiming the presidency, which he believed was fraudulently snatched from him in the 2020 election, he insists he won.
From the seat of the Presidency, came what indicates a clear and open support for the camp in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) fighting David Mark, National Secretary and Rauf Aregbesola, National Secretary, respectively.
The signal came from Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff (CoS) to President Bola Tinubu, who practically threw his weight behind Leke Abejide, one of the arrowheads wedging the war that could see the main opposition party in Nigeria not presenting a candidate for next year’s presidential election.
Against the backdrop of allegations that Aso Rock has been fuelling the various crises in the major political parties, Gbajabiamila, former Speaker of the House of Representatives and a key ally of President Bola Tinubu, all but clearly stoked the fire by egging the Kogi lawmaker on to launch a fiercer onslaught against the Mark leadership.
Urging Abejide, who had sworn that he would do everything to ensure Tinubu’s re-election not to leave the ADC, through which he won his election to the National Assembly in 2023, but to stay back and fight rather than exiting the party, the ex-Speaker praised him for his resilience so far.
Abejide, who on his own, has thrown his weight behind Nafiu Bala, former Deputy National Chairman of the ADC, now laying claims to Mark’s position was one of those sacked at the convention organised by the Mark group last week.
But Gbajabiamila, who used the Kogi lawmaker’s birthday celebration on Monday to announce his support publicly, while hailing his political trajectory and resilience, including winning his election under the ADC – a relatively less-fancied platform in 2023.
His words: “For a man to contest in a place like Kogi, under a relatively unknown party, and win back-to-back elections, it tells you who that man is. You did not only secure re-election but also helped expand the party’s influence by bringing in other candidates. You’re a committed party man and a fighter.
“My charge to you is to stay in that same party. Fight them. Scatter them. Hold on to your party. Do not abandon them. We like what you are doing. Hold on to your party. Do not abandon it. Continue what you are doing. Win your election there. Nobody can take your party away from you.”
After the hammer from the Mark group, alongside Kingsley Temitope, Obinna Norman, Kennedy Odiong, and Stella Chukwuma, over the allegation of anti-party activities, Abejide dismissed his sack as null and void, coming from a “suya convention.”
President Bola Tinubu and others interested in the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will have to cough out a whopping N100million as fee for the nomination form of the ruling party.
This is coming as the party released details of its scheduled presidential primary election billed for May 15 and 16, 2026, as part of preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Sulaiman Argungu, National Organising Secretary, who released the details of the activities of the party ahead of the nomination for the 2027 polls on its official X handle, including the sale of forms, screening of aspirants, appeals, and primary elections across all elective positions, said informed that the forms go on sale from April 25 to May 2, while the submission deadline was fixed for May 4.
The statement said screening of aspirants would commence on May 6 and end on May 8, with the publication of results slated for May 11 and appeals scheduled for May 12 to 13.
The primaries for the House of Representatives will be held on May 18, the Senate on May 20, State Houses of Assembly on May 21, and the governorship on May 23.
The party pegged the total cost of forms for presidential aspirants at ₦100 million, comprising ₦30 million for the expression of interest and ₦70 million for nomination.
Governorship aspirants are to pay ₦50 million, while fees for the Senate, House of Representatives, and State Assembly vary.
“Female aspirants, youth and physically challenged aspirants are to pay for the expression of interest and 50 per cent of the prescribed nomination fees for each position,” it added.
In the statement, the APC said the timetable was issued in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Act 2026, and the guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The party reaffirmed its commitment to conducting “credible and transparent primary elections” to strengthen internal democracy.
As of the time for filing this report, no member of the APC has formally declared interest in contesting the presidency.
Some APC leaders and key affiliations of the party have, however, endorsed President Bola Tinubu for re-election.
Although Tinubu has not publicly or officially declared his intention to run for a second term, he had last week dismissed the speculation that he was scared of the opposition ahead of the elections.
“The safety of our citizens rests on our shoulders. You must remain resolute and go after these criminals until they are eliminated. We must make Nigeria safe at all cost,” were the words with which Olufemi Oluyede Chief of Defence Staff, read the riot act for the umpteenth time against insurgents terrorising many parts of Nigeria.
Against the backdrop of renewed attacks in parts of the country days after the killing of Oseni Omoh Braimah a Brigadier General and I.A. Muhammed, a Colonel, each commanding troops in Borno State, one of the hotbeds of the nearly two decades onslaught in separate outbreaks, the CDS told troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA to intensify ongoing operations against the terrorists and other criminal elements in the North-West region, stressing the need to ensure security across the country.
At an operational visit to the Headquarters Theatre Command, Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA (OPFY), in Gusau, Zamfara State, the military boss who said the visit was aimed at assessing operational readiness, addressing challenges confronting troops, and boosting morale in the ongoing campaign to restore peace and security in the region, commended their resilience, courage, and sacrifices in defence of the nation.
Urging the troops to remain disciplined, professional, and relentless in the fight against banditry and terrorism, the CDS, whose encounter was conveyed by Samaila Uba, a Major General and spokesman, at the Defence headquarters was said to have assured the troops of continued support in the areas of welfare, training, and provision of necessary operational equipment to enable them to discharge their duties effectively.
Uba, Director of Defence Information, quoted his boss as reaffirming the commitment of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to sustaining pressure on criminal groups until lasting peace is restored across the North West and the entire nation, acknowledging the importance of air support in ongoing operations.
The Defence Chief, while noting that efforts were underway to enhance operational capabilities through additional platforms and improved coordination across theatres of operations, was said to have paid a courtesy call on the Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, appreciating him for his continued support of Operation FANSAN YAMMA and the military.
ADC: Fight, scatter them! *Presidency goads Kogi lawmaker on Mark’s leadership
Presidency: Tinubu, others to pay N100million for APC nominations
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