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Russia bans imports of agro-products from Kazakhstan after refusal to join BRICS

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Putin and Tokayev at the SCO summit in Astana, July 2024 © Gavriil Grigorov/Sputnik

On the eve of the BRICS summit, Kazakhstan said that the country is still “watching the evolution” of the community with interest, and despite the proposals received by President Kasym-Jomart Tokayev, the question of joining the association is not yet on the table. President Kasym-Jomart Tokayev said that in the current circumstances there was no alternative to the UN.

Immediately afterwards it became known that Russia is restricting the import of agricultural products from Kazakhstan, including cut flowers.

The Russian agency in charge offered as an explanation: “Kazakhstan re-exports most flowers from the Netherlands, Poland and Belgium. However, the competent agencies of these countries do not provide the appropriate level of control over the safety of products. The decision was taken in order to preserve the phytosanitary well-being of Russia and the volume of exported goods, as well as in view of the numerous cases (43 cases) of detection in 2023 and 2024 in flower products of the object quarantine for member countries of the Eurasian Economic Union – western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande), which is a polyphagous. Potential economic damage from the penetration and spread of western flower thrips is more than 11.5 billion rubles,” the agency said in a statement.

Growing pressure on Kazakhstan

Kuat Dombai, director of the C+5 Centre for Central Asian Studies, commented on the dynamics of Russia-Kazakhstan relations for Euronews.

“Restrictions and bans on imports of crop products and wheat between Kazakhstan and Russia undoubtedly reflect growing pressure on Kazakhstan, although it is not the first time they have occurred. Previously, Russia repeatedly banned the transit of Kazakh oil through the Novorossiysk seaport under various pretexts of technical failures at the terminal, which coincided with some pressing issues in bilateral relations. More than 80% of Kazakh oil is exported to Europe through it.”

What guides Astana’s position on possible BRICS membership?

“Kazakhstan has repeatedly stated that it does not intend to violate or to some extent bypass the sanctions measures imposed against Russia in connection with the war in Ukraine, which is in practical terms a very difficult task, given that the country is sharing the world’s largest land border of 7,500 kilometres and is in a single customs space with Russia within the EAEU,” explains Kuat Dombai.

The BRICS meeting is taking place in Kazan while Russian troops are destroying Ukrainian towns and villages. How does Russian military aggression affect relations between Russia and Kazakhstan?

“Kazakhstan has undoubtedly found itself in a very difficult economic situation, falling under the threat of secondary sanctions, traditional logistical chains have been destroyed, and Kazakh society is logically and soberingly aware of the threat of possible territorial claims around the corner. Given that after the collapse of the USSR it was two countries – Kazakhstan and Ukraine – that were signatories of the Budapest Memorandum with guarantees from the West in exchange for giving up nuclear weapons,” the analyst explains.

Kremlin: BRICS “is not an alliance against anyone”

Many Western observers believe that amid international sanctions and ongoing military aggression against Ukraine, Russia is trying to show that plans to isolate Vladimir Putin have failed.

The Kremlin says more than 30 countries have applied to join BRICS, but the exact list of countries has not been disclosed.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interviewwith Russian media that “BRICS does not force anyone to sacrifice anything.” According to Lavrov, “this association is not against anyone.” The head of Russian diplomacy also noted that with regard to Kazakhstan’s statements about the UN, “it is necessary to clarify this position.”

“Kazakhstan is a member of many other organisations – the OSCE, CIS, CSTO, SCO and an active member of the Organisation of Turkic States, which, at the initiative of Turkey, is now strengthening ties and is on the rise. The organisation pays great attention to the representatives of our Central Asian allies and strategic partners. None of this prevents either Kazakhstan or other Central Asian countries from actively participating in the United Nations, which is a universal structure but which is now in crisis through no fault of our own. It seems to me that in the long run our southern neighbours, our allies in the CSTO and the EAEU, first of all, will see the direct benefits of rapprochement with the BRICS. It is not necessary to join, but to co-operate in the implementation of specific projects – there is no doubt. This is in the interests of all of us,” Lavrov said.

Politics

PDP to screen Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday as its sole Presidential aspirant For 2027 race

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Tanimu Turaki, SAN, has scheduled to screen former president Goodluck Jonathan tomorrow, Tuesday, aMay 19, as the lone presidential candidate of party.

According to a statement from the PDP faction backed by the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, Former Vice-President Namadi Sambo, former governor of Plateau State, Jona Jang and a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tom Ikimi have been listed among a committee of 14 members to screen Jonathan described as a lone candidate by the party.

Other members of the committee were Chief Olabode George, Babangida Aliyu, Maryam ciroma, Zainab Maina, Josephine Anenin, Dr. Abdul Bulama, Dr. Esther Uduehi, Edo State PDP chairman, Tony Aziegbemi, Dr. Sunday Solarium and Chief Anicho Okoro, who would serve as administrative secretary of the committee.

Last week, the national Publicity Secretary of the faction, Ini Ememobong, disclosed that former president Jonathan has successfully registered as a member of the party in the fresh digital registration exercise directed by INEC.

The PDP faction also announced that it was set to screen 748 house of representatives aspirants, 198 senatorial aspirants, and 112 governorship aspirants.

The screening committee would screen 2122 states houses of assembly aspirants. The exercise will commence tomorrow, Tuesday in different states.

According to the statement, the screening exercise would take place nationwide on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.

The statement said the Interim National Working Committee (iNWC) has also released the names of members to serve on the Screening Committees and Screening Appeal Panels.

It added that the publication of the screening details “is in accordance with the party’s guidelines and timetable for the conduct of the 2027 general elections.”

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Oshiomhole wins Edo APC senatorial primaries unopposed

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A former governor and incumbent Senator, Adams Oshiomhole, along with his counterpart Senator Joe Ikpea, sailed through the All Progressives Congress senatorial primary in Edo unopposed, and securing their tickets without a single vote cast against them.

Also Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama emerged the winner in the APC primary for the Edo South senatorial district.

Ogbeide-Ihama won in the seven local government areas of Edo South in the results announced by the Chairman of APC National Assembly Primary Election, Muhammed Ajana at the Urokpota Hall, Benin.

He polled 27,154 votes while his opponents, Senator Neda Imasuen, got 13,580, and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu got 6785.

The elections were hitch-free in Edo North and Edo Central, where there was no contest against the incumbents, Senators Oshiomhole of Edo North and Ikpea of Edo Central, respectively.

Ajana at the Urokpota Hall said the collation arose from votes cast in the seven local government areas made up of 77 wards where elections were conducted by members of the committee.

He said, “There are seven local governments that make up the Edo South Senatorial District. We have heard from the Returning officers from the seven local government areas. From the collation, the cumulative result we have for Edo South Senatorial District is this; Ogbeide-Ihama with 27,154 votes, Imasuen with 13,580 votes and Ize-Iyamu with 6, 785.

“This is the total reflection of what has transpired from the ward level to the local government and the Edo South senatorial district collation centre. With this we await further directives from the National Secretariat, we have done our best by collating the results which is our mandate, to collate the results and send them to the National Secretariat.”

However, it was gathered that Ize-Iyamu emerged as the APC candidate for Edo South Senatorial race. He claimed to have clinched the party’s ticket after defeating Ogbeide-Ihama and Imasuen.

It was claimed that the Chief Returning Officer, Abubakar Muhammad Kabiru, officially declared Ize-Iyamu the winner after securing the highest number of votes cast.

On his part, the senator representing the district condemned the exercise describing it as a sham allegedly designed to favour a preferred aspirant.

Imasuen spoke while reacting to events at his polling unit in Umagbae North Ward 5, Urhokuosa where he said he was denied the opportunity to vote following what he described as a chaotic and manipulated process.

The lawmaker accused leaders of the party of openly adopting a preferred candidate ahead of the exercise and intimidating members into supporting that aspirant.

He said, “There is nothing satisfactory about this sham of election they did today and it is very unfortunate because as a loyal party member, I expected something better than this.”

He said the warning signs emerged days before the primary when some ward chairmen allegedly informed him that they had been directed not to receive him during consultations.

Imasuen claimed that some ward leaders openly told him the party had already adopted a preferred aspirant, identified as Hon. Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, making further consultations unnecessary.

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Ajuloopin Suffers Setback as Home Ward Rejects Third Term Return Bid in Kwara APC Primary

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The re-election bid of the member representing Ekiti/Isin/Irepodun/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency, Hon. Raheem Tunji Olawuyi, popularly known as Ajuloopin, suffered a major setback on Friday after party members in his home ward, Omu-Aran Ward 1, boycotted the All Progressives Congress APC House of Representatives primary.

According to party stakeholders and observers present at the exercise, no valid election took place in the ward after members refused to participate in protest against what they described as the lawmaker’s poor performance after three consecutive terms in the House of Representatives.

Sources in the ward said efforts by some political figures and loyalists to persuade members to back Ajuloopin’s ambition failed, with party faithful insisting they would not endorse what they termed an attempt to impose his candidacy again.

The boycott led to a breakdown of the electoral process in Omu-Aran Ward 1, with many members staying away from the polls entirely. Stakeholders have called on the APC Electoral Committee to disregard any result purportedly presented from the ward, arguing that no credible primary was conducted there.

Political observers in the constituency described the development as a significant blow to Ajuloopin, noting that the rejection came from his own ward and among constituents most familiar with his record.

Preliminary reports from other parts of Irepodun, Isin and Oke-Ero local government areas, where voting proceeded, also indicated weak support for the incumbent. Many party members were said to have voted for alternative aspirants.

APC stakeholders have urged the party leadership to review reports from affected wards and accept only authentic and verifiable results to preserve the credibility of the primaries. They stressed that internal democracy was critical to the party’s prospects in the constituency and warned against imposing unpopular candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.

With tension rising across the federal constituency, party faithful said the leadership must listen to grassroots members and allow delegates and supporters to determine the outcome of the primaries.

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