Obi Flays Tinubu Over Rivers Emergency Rule

Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, has faulted the six-month emergency rule imposed on Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu, describing it as a “constitutional misstep that should never have happened.”

Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, stated this in a post on his X handle on Thursday, noting that the suspension of democratic structures in the state dealt a heavy blow to the nation’s democratic process.

“The restoration of democracy in Rivers State after six months of needless disruption remains a sour side of our democracy today. It was a constitutional breach that will hurt our democracy for a long time,” Obi said.

He expressed hope that all political actors involved in the Rivers crisis had learnt lessons from the episode, warning that the real danger would be failing to learn anything from the disruption.

“I just hope that some lessons were learned by all the gladiators in the Rivers State impasse. The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing,” Obi added.

While congratulating the people of Rivers for their resilience, Obi urged Governor Siminalayi Fubara, members of the state House of Assembly and other stakeholders to embrace peace and move forward.

“A true leader is the one who admits his or her mistakes, is smart enough to learn from them, and is strong enough to correct them,” he said.

Obi assured Nigerians that despite the setback, the vision of a new Nigeria remained “possible and inevitable.”

France Summons US Ambassador Over Allegations of Rising Antisemitism 

France has said it will summon the United States Ambassador to Paris, Charles Kushner, following remarks the diplomat made accusing French authorities of failing to address a surge in antisemitism linked to the Gaza war.

In a strongly worded statement on Sunday, the French foreign ministry described Kushner’s comments as “unacceptable” and a breach of diplomatic convention, stressing that the envoy would appear before officials on Monday.

Kushner, who is Jewish and the father-in-law of US President Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka, made the claims in an open letter to President Emmanuel Macron published in the Wall Street Journal.

He alleged that Jews in France faced “daily assaults,” vandalism of synagogues, schools, and businesses, and warned of a “long-standing scar” of antisemitism in French society.

The ambassador also urged Macron to tone down his criticism of Israel while offering to collaborate on what he described as a “serious plan” to confront the menace.

Paris swiftly dismissed the accusations, noting that France has stepped up security around Jewish institutions and categorically rejecting the notion that it tolerates antisemitism.

“France firmly refutes these latest allegations,” the foreign ministry said. “Since the 1961 Vienna Convention, ambassadors are not permitted to interfere in the internal affairs of the host country.”

Kushner’s intervention comes on the heels of a letter from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who accused Macron of fuelling antisemitism by pushing for international recognition of a Palestinian state.

France has announced plans to formally recognise Palestine in September, with Macron insisting that “there is no alternative” to a two-state solution that guarantees Israel’s security and Palestine’s viability.

The exchange underscores growing tensions between Paris, Washington, and Tel Aviv over the Gaza war, which erupted after Hamas attacked southern Israel on 7 October 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostage.

Israel’s military response has since left over 60,000 dead in Gaza, according to the enclave’s Hamas-run health ministry, with famine recently declared in parts of the territory.

Despite these humanitarian concerns, Israel continues to deny claims of starvation in Gaza, branding a UN-backed report on food insecurity an “outright lie.”

For France, however, the diplomatic row with Washington threatens to overshadow its domestic efforts to tackle antisemitism while balancing a firm stance on the Middle East peace process.

Trump’s Tax Bill Splits New York as Lawler Goes on Offensive

In a bold political gamble, Republican Congressman Mike Lawler has become the first House GOP member to publicly campaign on President Donald Trump’s sweeping tax-and-spend law, rolling out five new ads that frame the controversial legislation as a win for ordinary Americans.

Lawler, who represents a suburban New York swing district and faces a tough re-election battle next year, is leaning heavily on provisions of the law tied to Medicaid, tax cuts and affordability measures.

His campaign strategy is seen as high-risk but potentially trendsetting for Republicans seeking to defend the law in the face of fierce Democratic attacks.

The commercials — to run on digital platforms like YouTube — promote the law for strengthening Medicaid through work requirements for adult recipients, while barring undocumented immigrants from exploiting state resources.

Other ads highlight expanded child tax credits, higher state and local tax deduction caps, and the elimination of Social Security taxes for many retirees. One spot frames the law as “investing in Main Street, not Wall Street.”

“The reason why Democrats are messaging the way that they are is because they’re trying to frame this as class warfare,” Lawler told reporters.

“It’s important to explain it in a way voters can understand. You have to be on the offensive.”

But Democrats are not holding back. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) has launched its own ads, accusing Lawler of “gutting Medicaid” and putting hospitals at risk.

“Mike Lawler is a liar who doesn’t care about New Yorkers,” said DCCC spokesperson Nebeyatt Betre, alleging the law benefits billionaires at the expense of working families.

Critics argue the law’s cuts to Medicaid and federal nutrition programmes could devastate New York’s health system.

Governor Kathy Hochul has warned the measure could eliminate 34,000 hospital jobs and strip $14.3 billion from the state’s economy.

A Siena University poll showed 69 percent of New Yorkers fear rural hospitals will be hardest hit.

Despite the backlash, Lawler’s allies say the campaign is smart timing. “Too often we find ourselves in a defensive posture,” said GOP strategist Dave Catalfamo.

“It’s smart to shape the narrative now.”

Lawler, who dropped a bid for New York governor earlier this year, is banking on a war chest of $2.2 million to defend his seat.

At least seven Democrats have already declared interest in challenging him, underscoring the high stakes.

For the GOP, Lawler’s move could prove a litmus test: whether Republicans can successfully sell Trump’s unpopular legislation in purple districts — or whether it becomes a political albatross come Election Day.