Politics
80-year-old Joe Biden announces 2024 re-election bid
President Joe Biden announced Tuesday he is running for re-election in 2024, plunging at the record age of 80 into a ferocious new White House campaign “to finish the job.”
“Every generation has a moment where they have had to stand up for democracy. To stand up for their fundamental freedoms,” Biden wrote on Twitter, along with a video.
“I believe this is ours. That’s why I’m running for re-election as president of the United States. Join us. Let’s finish the job.”
After a series of big legislative wins and momentous foreign policy struggles in his first two years in office, Biden has no real challenger from within the Democratic Party.
But in a campaign that may result in a rematch of the 2020 election against Donald Trump, he is expected to face constant and fierce scrutiny over his age.
The veteran Democrat would be 86 by the end of a second term. Even if a medical exam in February found him “fit” to execute the duties of the presidency, many including in his own voter base believe he is too old.
An NBC News poll released over the weekend found that 70 percent of Americans, including 51 percent of Democrats, believe he should not run.
Sixty-nine percent of all respondents who said he shouldn’t run cited concerns over his age as a major or minor reason.
Biden likes to answer those concerns by saying, “watch me” — meaning that voters should focus on his policy wins at home and his marshaling of an unprecedented Western alliance to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia’s invasion.
Over the next year and a half, Biden will have all the advantages of incumbency, backed by a united party, while Republicans are only just starting a messy primary season.
Trump, despite becoming the first former or serving president to be criminally indicted — and facing probes into his attempt to overturn his loss to Biden in the 2020 election — is the overwhelming Republican frontrunner.
On Monday, Trump was quick to pitch in his own criticism of the man who defeated him last time around.
“With such a calamitous and failed presidency, it is almost inconceivable that Biden would even think of running for reelection,” he said in a statement.
The most likely Republican challenger to the 76-year-old Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, presents a similarly right-wing figure, though starkly younger at 44.
– ‘Rebuilding the middle class’ –
Biden will underline his foreign policy credentials Tuesday when he meets with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is starting a state visit to the White House.
Like in 2020, Biden’s video message framed his election bid as a fight to save American democracy from Trump and increasingly far-right Republicans. However, he also stressed his message of restoring an economy with heavy focus on the manufacturing base and jobs for the middle class.
Later Tuesday he was scheduled to deliver an economic address to a union conference being held in Washington.
While not a campaign event, the scheduled theme — “how his investing in America agenda is bringing manufacturing back, rebuilding the middle class, and creating good-paying union jobs” — was set to be at the heart of the Democrat’s 2024 message.
– Bland but comforting? –
Biden’s approval ratings have not topped 50 percent for more than a year and a half.
However, he has consistently over-delivered when it matters. Supporters say the Democratic Party’s surprisingly strong performance in 2022 midterm congressional elections validated the Biden brand.
And while Biden may seem bland in comparison to Trump, he would bank on his moderate, old fashioned image being the secret weapon needed in an increasingly extreme era.
“My dad had an expression,” Biden often says. “‘Joey, don’t compare me to the Almighty. Compare me to the alternative.’”
Engr. Aderemi Oseni, representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency of Oyo State in the House of Representatives, has paid tribute to former Senate Leader, Senator Teslim Folarin, on his 61st birthday, celebrating his decades of dedicated service and contributions to Oyo State and Nigeria at large.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, in Ibadan, Oseni, who also serves as Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), lauded Folarin’s unwavering commitment to leadership and the well-being of the people.
Highlighting the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial nominee in the 2023 elections for three terms in the Senate, the lawmaker noted that Folarin’s legacy of service continues to be a guiding light for emerging leaders and a source of inspiration for countless individuals across the state.
“Senator Folarin has built an admirable legacy through years of selfless public service, consistently advocating for progress and unity,” remarked Oseni.
Reflecting on Folarin’s role as the Ikolaba Olubadan of Ibadanland, the lawmaker commended his leadership approach, which has bridged divides, fostered coalitions, and promoted initiatives aimed at stabilising democracy.
“Senator Folarin’s career is an example of visionary leadership,” he added, “and his commitment to public service will leave a lasting legacy for generations to come.”
As Senator Folarin marks this milestone, Oseni extended warm wishes for his continued health and success, expressing hope that his exemplary life of service will keep inspiring positive change across the nation.
In a historic ruling, a Ugandan court on Friday sentenced former Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) commander Thomas Kwoyelo to 40 years in prison.
This landmark decision, marking the first time a member of the notorious LRA has faced trial for war crimes in a Ugandan court, follows the group’s brutal two-decade insurgency against the Ugandan government.
Kwoyelo, who was convicted in August on 44 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, faced charges including murder, rape, torture, pillaging, abduction, and the destruction of settlements for internally displaced people.
(FILES) Thomas Kwoyelo a commander of the Lord’s Resistance Army rebellion blamed for brutal civilian murders during a 20-year war in the north of the country is brought into a courthouse in the northern Ugandan town of Gulu on July 25, 2011. – A Ugandan court on October 25, 2024 sentenced former Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) commander Thomas Kwoyelo to 40 years in prison after a landmark war crimes trial over his role in the group’s two-decade reign of terror. The sentence against Kwoyelo, who was convicted on 44 counts of crimes against humanity in August, was announced by Michael Elubu, the lead judge in the case at the court in the northern city of Gulu. (Photo by MICHELE SIBOLINI / AFP)
Michael Elubu, lead judge of the case at the International Crimes Division (ICD) of Uganda’s High Court, delivered the sentence in the northern city of Gulu, underscoring a rare moment of accountability in the decades-long history of the LRA’s violence.
Judge Elubu stated that Kwoyelo retains the right to appeal both his conviction and sentence within 14 days.
Kwoyelo, who was abducted by the LRA at the age of 12 and later rose to a low-level command position within the organization, denied all charges brought against him.
(FILES) Suspected LRA (Lords Resistance Army) member Thomas Kwoyelo is pictured during a pre-trial session at the High Court in Kampala on Februay 1, 2017. – A Ugandan court on October 25, 2024 sentenced former Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) commander Thomas Kwoyelo to 40 years in prison after a landmark war crimes trial over his role in the group’s two-decade reign of terror. The sentence against Kwoyelo, who was convicted on 44 counts of crimes against humanity in August, was announced by Michael Elubu, the lead judge in the case at the court in the northern city of Gulu. (Photo by GAEL GRILHOT / AFP)
The Lord’s Resistance Army, founded by Joseph Kony in the 1980s, sought to establish a regime based on the Ten Commandments. Under Kony’s leadership, the group unleashed widespread terror across Uganda and neighboring regions, resulting in over 100,000 deaths and the abduction of 60,000 children.
The violence eventually spread to Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and the Central African Republic.
Politics
“A Perfect Fit”: Rep Oseni Applauds Sunday Dare’s Appointment as Presidential Adviser on Public Communications
The Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Engr. Aderemi Oseni has hailed the appointment of Chief Sunday Dare, Agbaakin of Ogbomosoland and former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, as Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Public Communication and National Orientation, describing it a “perfect fit.”
In a statement released Thursday by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, in Ibadan, Oseni praised Chief Dare’s extensive background in journalism and public service, adding that his vast experience will significantly enhance national communications and orientation efforts.
“Chief Dare’s illustrious career, from his pioneering role in Nigerian journalism as a founding member of The News and Tempo magazines to his strategic leadership as Minister of Youth and Sports Development under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, speaks volumes about his commitment to national development,” he remarked.
Oseni, who also represents the Ibarapa East/Ido federal constituency of Oyo state, noted that Chief Dare’s new role comes at a critical time when fostering national unity and effective public engagement is crucial, stressing that his deep understanding of media, both locally and internationally, will strengthen public trust in government communications.
“As an accomplished journalist and public servant, Chief Dare is uniquely positioned to reshape the national narrative and bolster public confidence in government communication efforts,” the lawmaker said.
He expressed confidence that Dare’s appointment will not only advance the ideals of democracy and transparency but also serve as a point of pride for Ogbomosoland and Oyo State.
The APC chieftain wished Chief Dare success in his new role, pledging his unwavering support in ensuring the objectives of the office are fully achieved.
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