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China’s arms sales rise as it vies with US for influence on the world stage

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THE rivalry between America and China has seen both sides step up international arms sales and transfers as they seek to strengthen military ties with key allies, according to a report published on Monday.

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The study by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), which examined the volume of international transfers of major weapons between 2008 and 2017, showed China’s arms exports represented 5.7 per cent of the world’s share of arms exports between 2013-17 – up by more than a third from the 4.6 per cent recorded between 2008-12.

The report was published a week after China unveiled an 8.1 per cent increase in military spending over a three-year period, although China’s state media defended the rise as proportionate and low, adding that it would not lead to an arms race with the United States.

The administration of US President Donald Trump has dubbed China as a “rival”, and the latest SIPRI report shows how the US has used arms transfers as a foreign policy tool to offset Beijing’s growing influence.

For example, US arms deliveries to India grew by 557 per cent between 2008 and 2017, the year China and India became embroiled in a protracted border dispute over the Doklam region in the Himalayas.

“This development is part of the growing strategic partnership between the two countries under which the USA has begun to supply India with advanced military equipment,” the report said.

The US has also started to increase its security cooperation with Vietnam, which is embroiled in a dispute with Beijing over the South China Sea.

In 2017 it delivered one patrol ship, the USS Morgenthau, to Vietnam – the first major US arms transfer to that country.

Tensions between China and Japan in the East China Sea also saw Japan moving closer to the US, the report said.

It said Tokyo turned to the US for several types of advanced weapons between 2013 and 2017, including the first batches of a total of 42 combat aircraft.

Japan also ordered advanced air and missile defence systems from the US in the same period.

But in cases where US relations with other countries had deteriorated the result was a fall in arms transfers.

For example, the report said that Venezuela, which once relied on the US as its main arms supplier,

had rebuilt its armed forces with weapons from China and Russia after ties with Washington soured following the Hugo Chavez’s election as president in 1999.

As China became increasingly capable of producing its own advanced weapons, its arms exports increased by 38 per cent and its arms imports decreased by 19 per cent in 2013-2017 compared with 2008-2012.

The report showed China delivered major arms to 48 countries in the past five years, with Pakistan topping the list, followed by Bangladesh and Algeria.

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“China was the largest arms supplier to Pakistan in 2008–12 and 2013–17. Although the volume of China’s arms exports to Pakistan remained roughly the same in both periods, its share of Pakistan’s arms imports rose from 45 per cent in 2008–12 to 70 per cent in 2013–17 due to the overall decrease in Pakistan’s arms imports between those periods,” the report stated.

The report also said China’s arms exports to Africa rose by 55 per cent over the period.

Military expert Collin Koh, from the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, said higher value military items like warships and fighter jets were the major reason for the rise in China’s arms exports.

“This is most notable in naval sales. For example, submarines to Pakistan and Thailand, and corvettes to Bangladesh and Algeria. Even with land-based systems, China has also made inroads in higher value sales, such as its long-range rocket artillery,” he said.

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Presidency to EFCC, DSS, Police: Expose insiders behind fake presidential agency

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The Presidency on Friday directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force to identify and prosecute officials who allegedly collaborated with Adeyemi Adeniyi Matthew in operating the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, a body it described as non-existent.

It also accused the suspect of attempting to drag the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, into what it described as a criminal enterprise through a sustained smear campaign.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, disclosed this in a statement posted on his verified X handle on Friday.

According to Ajayi, investigations must go beyond Adeniyi to uncover those within government institutions who allegedly facilitated his activities.

He said, “What is not in doubt is that internal collaborators enabled Adeniyi to get this far. That is precisely what investigators from the DSS, the Police and the EFCC must now unravel.

“The criminal network within the affected institutions must be dismantled, and everyone found to have played a role should be arrested and prosecuted.”

The presidential spokesman described Adeniyi as “an irredeemable con artist,” accusing him of exploiting public perception about corruption to divert attention from the allegations against him.

He said, “In Nigeria, the easiest and most believable allegation anyone can throw at a public officer is corruption. Once that accusation is thrown into the mix, the water is polluted, the lines are blurred, and everyone is kept busy arguing over distractions rather than the real issues.

“Matthew Adeniyi understands Nigerian public psychology, and he is exploiting it expertly to shield himself. He is an irredeemable con artist who is attempting to drag the name of the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, into his criminal enterprise. The Chief of Staff is simply his last straw.”

Ajayi further alleged that investigators must establish how Adeniyi allegedly forged presidential appointment letters, operated 34 bank accounts in the names of fictitious government agencies, hosted foreign ambassadors and opened a Central Bank account while allegedly parading himself as the Director-General of the non-existent Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.

He maintained that exposing those who aided the suspect was crucial to dismantling what he described as a criminal network operating within public institutions.

As of the time of filing this report, Adeniyi had yet to publicly respond to the latest allegations by the Presidency.

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Oseni distributes agric inputs to 7,000 farmers, says Tinubu deserves second term

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Thousands of farmers across Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency of Oyo State received a major boost on Monday as the member representing the constituency in the House of Representatives, Engr. Aderemi Oseni, distributed agrochemicals, farm tools and other agricultural inputs to no fewer than 7,000 beneficiaries.

The intervention, aimed at boosting food production and cushioning the impact of rising production costs on farmers, is the latest in a series of agricultural support initiatives facilitated by the federal lawmaker to strengthen farming activities across the constituency.

Before the latest distribution, Oseni had supplied no fewer than six trailers of fertiliser to farmers in Ibarapa East and Ido Local Government Areas to improve crop yields, enhance productivity and support increased agricultural output.

Speaking during the distribution programme held in Ibadan, the All Progressives Congress chieftain said the initiative aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly its commitment to tackling hunger, enhancing food security and improving the livelihoods of Nigerians through increased agricultural production.

‎According to him, the intervention is designed to encourage more people to embrace farming, expand cultivation and contribute meaningfully to national food production.

‎”About 7,000 people are benefiting from today’s empowerment programme. The essence is to continue encouraging farmers within the federal constituency by providing them with the necessary support to improve their productivity,” Oseni said.

‎He stressed that sustained investment in agriculture remained critical to addressing food shortages, reducing the cost of food and strengthening the nation’s economy, noting that agriculture continues to be one of the most viable pathways to sustainable economic growth and national development.

‎The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) explained that the earlier distribution of six trailers of fertiliser, the current supply of agricultural inputs and the rehabilitation of rural roads were all part of a comprehensive strategy to improve farming activities and ensure that farmers had the resources and infrastructure required to maximise production during the farming season.

‎He noted that improving access to quality farm inputs, alongside better rural road networks, would enable farmers to cultivate larger portions of land, transport their produce more easily and ultimately increase food availability across the country.

Oseni also expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu would secure a second term in office in the 2027 presidential election.

According to him, the economic reforms and policy decisions introduced by the Tinubu administration have laid a solid foundation for economic recovery, infrastructure development and improved governance, making the President the preferred choice of many Nigerians ahead of the next general election.

‎”No opposition can stop Nigerians from re-electing President Bola Tinubu. Nigerians need a God-fearing leader like him to continue the work of rebuilding the country.

‎”Since President Tinubu assumed office, fuel scarcity has become a thing of the past. States that previously struggled to pay workers’ salaries now do so more conveniently. Our tax system has been reformed, while road infrastructure and other development projects are expanding across the country,” he said.

‎The lawmaker further pledged to mobilise widespread grassroots support for the President through the Remi Oseni Committee of Friends (ROCOF), expressing confidence that the group would deliver one million votes for Tinubu in Oyo State during the 2027 presidential election.

‎He urged traditional rulers, community leaders, party faithful and other critical stakeholders to rally behind the President’s re-election bid, insisting that one term would not be sufficient to consolidate the reforms already initiated by the current administration.

Oseni also appealed to eligible Nigerians who were yet to register or collect their Permanent Voter Cards to do so ahead of the 2027 general election.

‎He encouraged citizens to participate actively in the electoral process and support President Tinubu and candidates of the All Progressives Congress, saying continued support for the administration would ensure the consolidation of ongoing reforms and accelerate national development.

Earlier in his remarks, the Onido of Ido, Oba Gbolagade Babalola, commended the lawmaker for the initiative, describing it as a timely intervention that would significantly support farmers and boost agricultural production in the constituency.

The monarch urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the farm inputs to maximise their productivity and improve their livelihoods.

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Ajimobi’s Legacy Still Guides Us, Oladele Urges Oyo APC Unity

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A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Oyo State and aspirant for the Irepo/Oorelope/Olorunsogo Federal Constituency seat in the 2027 general elections, Hon. Bosun Oladele, has called on members of the party and the wider progressive family in the state to embrace unity in order to preserve and advance the legacy of the late former Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi.

Oladele made the appeal on Thursday as political associates, loyalists and admirers marked the remembrance of the former governor, whose administration was widely associated with the popular slogan, “Koseleri.”

In a statement he personally issued,  the federal lawmaker hopeful described Ajimobi as a visionary leader whose passion for development transformed Oyo State and left an enduring footprint in its political history.

According to him, the annual remembrance of the late governor offers an opportunity for progressives to reflect on the ideals, discipline and commitment that defined Ajimobi’s leadership.

“It is that time of the year to remember the passion that once drove the developmental strides of the Pace Setter State, the centre of politics in Nigeria and a state renowned for many firsts,” Oladele said.

He noted that although the former governor had departed, his contributions to governance and public service remain fresh in the minds of many residents and party faithful.

“Oyo State still misses his sharp mind, problem-solving abilities, oratory prowess, focused leadership and developmental initiatives. His style of governance inspired confidence and demonstrated what purposeful leadership could achieve,” he stated.

Oladele stressed that Ajimobi’s legacy should continue to serve as a source of inspiration for members of the APC, urging them to close ranks and work towards a common goal.

“Even though he is gone, his legacy gives the progressive family in Oyo State hope that the future he envisioned for our dear state remains achievable through oneness and unity of purpose.

“I therefore call on all members of the APC and the progressive family at large to join hands, put aside differences and work together towards winning future elections as part of efforts to actualise the developmental aspirations our departed leader had for Oyo State,” he added.

The APC stalwart also prayed for the repose of Ajimobi’s soul and sought divine strength for his family, particularly his widow, Ambassador Florence Ajimobi, as she continues to shoulder public and private responsibilities.

He expressed optimism that Oyo State would once again witness progressive governance driven by visionary leadership, inclusiveness and a shared commitment to the welfare of the people.

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