Saraki shuts Senate again for CCT trial

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGX4MKGnTC83wDGLi361lpka6gA3wf3BHDX-BiiWV10BHoXPLgCei6dqYkeK91zNq0Z5FTMc4jOb8q_t-lT39J9Bpqm2NYJ_D2X-bvIrbFrXghOqwslwrOXgnhclfutbwyzxfmQNRuiR72/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGX4MKGnTC83wDGLi361lpka6gA3wf3BHDX-BiiWV10BHoXPLgCei6dqYkeK91zNq0Z5FTMc4jOb8q_t-lT39J9Bpqm2NYJ_D2X-bvIrbFrXghOqwslwrOXgnhclfutbwyzxfmQNRuiR72/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The Senate chamber was in an uproar on Wednesday when senators of the All Progressives Party and those of the Peoples Democratic Party disagreed on the payment of N5,000 stipend to each jobless Nigerian.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> A Peoples Democratic Party senator representing the Federal Capital Territory, Philip Aduda, had raised a prayer urging the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government to fulfil one of its campaign promises of paying N5,000 to unemployed youths monthly nationwide.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Aduda said this prayer was raised in order to cushion the effect of economic hardship on the unemployed in the country.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Before Aduda raised the prayer, a PDP senator from Cross River-East senatorial district, Bassey Akpan, had sponsored a motion titled, “Urgent need to curb the soaring rate of unemployment in Nigeria.”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> While contributing to the motion sponsored by Akpan, the senator from Osun-East senatorial district, Babajide Omoworare, demanded the probe of the way the Goodluck Jonathan administration handled the Subsidy Re-investment and Empowerment Programme, among other poverty alleviation programmes.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Aduda, who is the senate minority whip said, “The Federal Government should immediately commence the payment of the N5,000 monthly stipend it promised during the pre-election campaign.”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, seconded Aduda’s additional prayer.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> But Omoworare immediately raised the Senate Standing Order 53(6) to oppose the additional prayer.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> This led to a sharp disagreement between the senators of the ruling APC and those of the opposition PDP.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, however, intervened after about 22 minutes by bringing the rancorous session to an end.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He first asked Aduda to repeat his additional prayer, which the lawmaker did.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> However, when Saraki put the additional prayer to voice vote, the ayes obviously had the loudest voice – in support of the payment of the stipend but the Senate President banged his gavel in support of the nay voice vote coming from the APC senators.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Saraki, thereafter, gave Omoworare the privilege of raising another additional prayer.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The Osun senator said, “I want to move that the immediate past government be made to account for every penny spent on SURE-P and other poverty alleviation programmes, and I so move, Mr. President.”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> When Saraki put the question to voice vote, the ayes response came from the APC senators, but the PDP senators kept quiet.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Saraki told the session that the issue of unemployment transcended party lines.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He said, “Unemployment affects all of us. We should stay above party line. We all agree that the Federal Government alone cannot do it. It is the private sector that can do it but an enabling environment must be provided.”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Moving his motion earlier, Akpan observed that the latest figures of Nigeria’s soaring unemployment situation by the National Bureau of Statistics had increased to 8.2 per cent in the second quarter of 2015 from 7.5 per cent in the first quarter of 2015 and 6.4 per cent in the last quarter of 2014.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He said, “The latest statistics as released by the bureau reveal that economically active population or working age comprising Nigerians within the age range of 15 to 64, is now 103.5 million, increasing from 102.8 million in the last quarter of 2015 while the unemployed labour force now stands at 74 million Nigerian youths.”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He expressed concern that about N2tn had been spent on intervention funds by the Federal Government to boost the productivity of various sectors of the economy in the last five years without any commensurate impact on employment generation.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He said, “With a projected population growth of 200m by 2020, we project an unemployed population of about 100m Nigerians or more. Where lies the economic future of this country?</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “If the unemployed youths of this country are effectively engaged in gainful employment, terrorism, kidnapping, armed robbery and other socio-economic and cultural vices will be drastically reduced. As the saying goes, ‘an idle mind is the devil’s workshop’,” he said.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> In their various contributions, the senators overwhelmingly supported the motion.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- Aba Dailies 8 --> <br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-slot="9503932789" style="display: block;"></ins><script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></div>

Saraki shuts Senate again for CCT trial

The Senate chamber was in an uproar on Wednesday when senators of the All Progressives Party and those of the Peoples Democratic Party...

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Robbers dare Ambode, rob Lagos motorists again

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- mixloaded 7 --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-slot="7468906787" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglaKwXa7eRF-1xh8l2Zf2Vho2KdANjnqE1F7gW0TmQbHXy6UhwmPazmKHSul6a6wKo4C5TiOmvg2yCOjThS1Qv2G2RO3vPZ3mPfRRSmKR8m7fnD7UKDkZ1Hkw1b03kghUMNmblrN_w0hyC/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglaKwXa7eRF-1xh8l2Zf2Vho2KdANjnqE1F7gW0TmQbHXy6UhwmPazmKHSul6a6wKo4C5TiOmvg2yCOjThS1Qv2G2RO3vPZ3mPfRRSmKR8m7fnD7UKDkZ1Hkw1b03kghUMNmblrN_w0hyC/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Armed robbers on Wednesday attacked motorists along the ever-busy Awolowo Road and Onikan areas of Ikoyi, Lagos, making away with valuables such as mobile phones, handbags, wristwatches and money.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <em>News Men </em>learnt that the robbery took place shortly after Governor Akinwunmi Ambode said on his official Twitter handle that he had ordered the police to increase its presence on busy roads in the state.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The Lagos State Government on its official Facebook page, subsequently posted a picture of the governor leading a team of policemen and aides on an inspection of some black spots, particularly the Awolowo Road, Ikoyi.</div> <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- mixloaded 8 --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-slot="1422373180" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Also, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, had after the State Security Council meeting which was also attended by the governor on Tuesday, read the Riot Act to robbers in the state and claimed that the police had increased its presence on busy roads.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> However, it was learnt that around 6.30am on Wednesday, a gang of robbers attacked several motorists trapped in the gridlock.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> A victim, who is also a reader of Linda Ikeji’s blog, said her car window was shattered by the robbers while her phone was stolen.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The report, which had a photo of the vandalised vehicle, stated, “Three guys attacked the owner of this car as she descended the bridge to enter the Island (Muson Centre area) on her way to work. They broke the driver and passenger’s side windows, took her phone and her chain. Fortunately, she said she kept her bag in the boot because of similar stories she had read online.”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Another reader, who identified himself as Rowland Adimoha, said he witnessed the Wednesday morning traffic robbery.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He said, “I was at same location this morning at about 6.15am when those boys attacked the woman. She wasn’t the only one robbed at that point this morning. Some vehicles noticed the menace and diverted towards Marina.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “The miscreants ran across the highway towards the Obalende side. Imagine the trauma people go through every day!”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Meanwhile, the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Christian Olakpe, who resumed duties at the Oshodi headquarters of the agency, has given marching orders to officers to arrest the traffic situation.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He said the officers of LASTMA must brace up for the task of removing traffic gridlock and ending insecurity on the roads.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> In a statement on Wednesday by the Public Relations Officer of LASTMA, Mamud Hassan, Olakpe said the officers must desist from extorting money from motorists, adding that officers caught would be sanctioned.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He said, “I am in LASTMA as part of the ongoing efforts to revamp, refocus and improve performance and relations with the public. Every LASTMA official is a public relations officer and must now perform the duty of enforcing traffic law within the ambit of the law.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “Officers must henceforth exhibit a high level of discipline, commitment and dedication to duty, because gone are the days when officers engaged in extortion.”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The retired Assistant Inspector General of Police sought the support and cooperation of motorists and members of the public to move the agency forward.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The General Manager of LATMA, Mr. Braimah Bashir assured him of the support and cooperation of the members of staff.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- Aba Dailies 8 --> <br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-slot="9503932789" style="display: block;"></ins><script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></div>

Robbers dare Ambode, rob Lagos motorists again

Armed robbers on Wednesday attacked motorists along the ever-busy Awolowo Road and Onikan areas of Ikoyi, Lagos, making away with...

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Civil servants want Jonathan’s illegal appointments reversed

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- mixloaded 8 --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-slot="1422373180" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgESktYaG2vtlEKzKDUuqgXuzbko1EfZ1m6seMycO4Om_zSQSeut5QawDT8G2vjqycqvB8jBbnfk0nylps1jmU39Ka8QRVLp0zBVou1NnwMBEmkFEvvyXPfb1_K-yV4xQ5SO6pFyGD5siwx/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgESktYaG2vtlEKzKDUuqgXuzbko1EfZ1m6seMycO4Om_zSQSeut5QawDT8G2vjqycqvB8jBbnfk0nylps1jmU39Ka8QRVLp0zBVou1NnwMBEmkFEvvyXPfb1_K-yV4xQ5SO6pFyGD5siwx/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Public workers under the aegis of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to reverse all the alleged illegal recruitments conducted during the administration of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan or risk trade union dispute.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> They also demanded an increase in their salaries, in line with what they described as “the declining value of the naira.”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <em>The PUNCH</em> had on June 22, 2015 exclusively reported that the crisis in the federal civil service appeared to have worsened with career civil servants protesting against the absorption of Jonathan’s 530 aides and cronies into the civil service in the last days of his administration.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The new recruits into the service were said to have been deployed to senior officers’ positions, starting from assistant directors upward.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The President of ASCSN, Mr. Bobboi Bala Kaigama, according to a statement issued on Wednesday by its Secretary-General, Mr. Alade Lawal, made these demands at its National Executive Council meeting in Kaduna.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> According to him, the upsurge in arbitrariness and bias in the way and manner the Federal Civil Service Commission carried out its oversight functions in the name of recruitment was becoming worrisome.​</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Kaigama said while cases of illegal recruitments into the service had continued to rise, the FCSC had allegedly destroyed the recruitment process into the civil service on the flimsy excuse of acting on the directive from higher quarters to grant waivers to some states.</div> <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- mixloaded 7 --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-slot="7468906787" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He said, “Our take is that the commission cannot continue to hide under the guise of spurious waivers for some disadvantaged states to import and impose unqualified and incompetent persons into the federal public service over and above qualified serving officers.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “Cases abound in the service of some officers who were appointed to positions without the requisite qualifications, as provided for in the scheme of service, FCSC guidelines on appointment, promotion and discipline, public service rules and establishment circulars. Graduates with eight to 12 years post-graduation experience are being appointed as directors. It is as bad as that.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “We have made our case known to the commission and the Presidency on this vexed issue and we are still waiting for a reversal of all illegal recruitments made in the past five years in order to return sanity into the system. We make bold to say that if the reversal is not effected as being demanded, the ASCSN will have no alternative than to adopt other trade union measures to seek redress.”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Speaking on the demand by civil servants for pay increase, the ASCSN President said that although no amount had been fixed, the organised labour movement, including the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria and the Nigeria Labour Congress, had set up two committees to determine the percentage.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> According to him, the upward review of workers’ salaries was necessary going by the current economic realities vis-à-vis the poor salary being paid to civil servants in Nigeria.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “What we collect as salaries can no longer take us to the bus stop, let alone take us home. We have endured for so long and it is time for the government to look into our direction.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “We are therefore calling on the Federal Government to enter into negotiation with labour with a view to creating a new salary regime that will be realistic enough to improve the quality of lives of workers and at the same time bridge the salary gap between the core civil service and other sub-sectors of the federal public service,” Kaigama stated.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The TUC, he said, had not resolved on the amount, but had been receiving submissions on it from its affiliated unions.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He said, “The TUC will collect theirs and the NLC will collect theirs. We will then come together and harmonise our positions and come up with one demand that we will present to the government because the salaries review are long overdue. It is supposed to be after five years; we are in the sixth year.”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- Aba Dailies 8 --> <br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-slot="9503932789" style="display: block;"></ins><script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></div>

Civil servants want Jonathan’s illegal appointments reversed

Public workers under the aegis of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria have called on President Muhammadu Buhari t...

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Edo moves to recover $31m from Igbinedion

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- mixloaded 7 --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-slot="7468906787" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrRpt2p8Lz6yT_Auqr7F5GNrczjYFLrXUF9fEMo8LJIb5Eo38kc3kv58gE4cARGfYf026B1y2k7IivrNGr-BodviAtf2yXBAr2wGGsITt-AZP-LfqSQTyLq-joDyQU8pWkIdPi7_szF42r/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrRpt2p8Lz6yT_Auqr7F5GNrczjYFLrXUF9fEMo8LJIb5Eo38kc3kv58gE4cARGfYf026B1y2k7IivrNGr-BodviAtf2yXBAr2wGGsITt-AZP-LfqSQTyLq-joDyQU8pWkIdPi7_szF42r/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The Edo State Government on Wednesday said that it had begun moves to recover $31m which it said was allegedly “fraudulently taken” from the government coffers, during the administration of former Governor Lucky Igbinedion.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> According to a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Adams Oshiomhole, Peter Okhiria, on Wednesday, the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Louis Odion, disclosed this at the end of the State Executive Council meeting.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He also said that the state government would commence a legal action against the former governor’s administration, in order to recover what had been taken from the government coffers.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The commissioner said, “There is the issue of a fraud that was discovered while looking into our books. We found that $31m was fraudulently taken from the state coffers under the administration of Chief Lucky Igbinedion. The comrade governor has directed the Attorney-General to commence a legal action in that direction.</div> <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- mixloaded 8 --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-slot="1422373180" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “So, in the coming days, the state government will take a legal action to ensure that what was stolen from the Edo State Government is recovered. When you convert $31m to naira, it fetches you a whooping N7bn. You can imagine what N7bn will do in improving the human condition in Edo State.”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The commissioner praised some landlords and companies in the state for their compliance with the payment of the land use charge.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Also speaking, the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Abdul Oroh, alleged that the $31m was allegedly used to fund a cement firm in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of the state.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Oroh said, “As the money was withdrawn, the construction of the company started and all the major structures were in place, 90 per cent completed, machines were installed but there was no other contribution from any other source for the construction and procurement of these equipment. So, everything invested in that company came from the Edo State Government.”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He also accused the Igbinedion administration of allegedly privatising the state fruit juice processing company at a “giveaway” price.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “The fruit juice processing company in Ehor was established in 2001 by the Lucky Igbinedion’s administration. The cost of establishing that company was N368,458,195 invested in this company by the Edo State Government. The company was owned 100 per cent by the Edo State Government. The materials for the company were imported from England from a company at a sum of £310,000,” he said.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Oroh added, “The company was now sold including the land and the three hectares pineapple farm which was also developed by the Ministry of Agriculture for N283.8m. The company was completed and there was a test-run. There was no reason to privatise it and it was sold out at a giveaway price which only could have been influenced by criminal intentions.’’</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Efforts to get the comments of the former governor failed but a source close to him said Igbinedion would react to the allegations later.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- Aba Dailies 8 --> <br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-slot="9503932789" style="display: block;"></ins><script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></div>

Edo moves to recover $31m from Igbinedion

The Edo State Government on Wednesday said that it had begun moves to recover $31m which it said was allegedly “fraudulently taken...

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Attah, ex-Akwa Ibom gov, quits politics

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- ads3 --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-slot="2033089187" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUHw5oTGa5u80mnmWUpj4MWAgipb94An_cbA4hqYrfGjtj2GiBw9TdDyJ4rJ-DJOmsSOPpZIZHVHxTfK8XAcLV8CZEjG9rCRO0H3Du7dEyeEJhxbpNqlYLFI5JYu7zuBU4ogYhBhJoqpnq/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUHw5oTGa5u80mnmWUpj4MWAgipb94An_cbA4hqYrfGjtj2GiBw9TdDyJ4rJ-DJOmsSOPpZIZHVHxTfK8XAcLV8CZEjG9rCRO0H3Du7dEyeEJhxbpNqlYLFI5JYu7zuBU4ogYhBhJoqpnq/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> Former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Victor Attah has announced his immediate retirement from partisan politics, but warned that his action should not be misconstrued to mean his joining the All Progressives Congress (APC).<br /> Attah, who announced his decision at a press conference organised in his honour by Akwa Ibom Liberation Coalition on Tuesday, at Darty Hotel, Uyo, based his reason for quitting partisan politics on age, which at 77 years on November 20, has graduated him into the elder statesman’s class.<br /> He said at that age, he could still serve Nigeria and the society as others in that class have been doing without necessarily carrying the card of any political party; but stressed that he has always been a committed professional in politics and not a professional or career politician.<br /> “So, I can formally state that I have quit partisan politics to play the role of an elder statesman and to continue to serve this country with love, strength, and faith with integrity to the best of my ability.<br /> “Let nobody take this to mean that I want to remain in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) or therefore, jump to the opposite conclusion that I am going over to APC or any other party for that matter,” he said.<br /> He blamed the PDP’s political woes on its lack of internal democracy, warning that for the party to bounce back as its current leaders claim, the party should return to the ideals of the party as propounded by the founding fathers. <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- Aba Dailies 8 --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-slot="9503932789" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> </div>

Attah, ex-Akwa Ibom gov, quits politics

Former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Victor Attah has announced his immediate retirement from partisan politics, but warned that hi...

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Rivers: Wike loses again

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- ads3 --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-slot="2033089187" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuVRbVSe9no_A9fIrLoACRlfLEzpFsWjgM0FvP9RlywRIHW43deDilLPaHJFB_bnFZTq6WkFuKIfrfPvl4_XZh2H_TWRO4nvPBP9Be4dwHYN_me8g3EskK9HdTW4PEqzEQ4juCgrzW_fUc/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuVRbVSe9no_A9fIrLoACRlfLEzpFsWjgM0FvP9RlywRIHW43deDilLPaHJFB_bnFZTq6WkFuKIfrfPvl4_XZh2H_TWRO4nvPBP9Be4dwHYN_me8g3EskK9HdTW4PEqzEQ4juCgrzW_fUc/s320/1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <strong>… Supreme Court dismisses suit challenging tribunal’s jurisdiction</strong><br /> <strong>• I was not sacked –Speaker</strong><br /> <br />The Supreme Court yesterday ruled that the Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has territorial jurisdiction to sit in Abuja following perceived security challenges in the state.<br /> The tribunal on Monday dismissed a preliminary objection raised by Governor Nyesom Wike on its territorial jurisdiction  and the failure of the President of the Court of Appeal to consult the Rivers State Chief Judge and President of the Customary Court of Appeal before constituting the tribunals. Dissatisfied, Wike approached the appellate court.<br /> In a lead judgment read by Justice Sanusi  (JSC), yesterday the Supreme Court held that the president of the Court of Appeal had the powers to transfer the sitting of the tribunal to Abuja to safeguard the lives of the judges and their staff.<br /> The Supreme Court also ruled that in view of the fact that Rivers State had no Chief Judge or Customary Court of Appeal, there was no possibility for the president to have consulted them before the constitution of the tribunals.<br /> In his reaction, Wike described the judgments of the Rivers State Election Tribunals, sitting in Abuja, which nullified his election and those of some state lawmakers, and that of Supreme Court, as ‘judicial terrorism against him’.<br /> Wike, who spoke through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Opunabo Inko-Tariah said: “What is going on right now, can best be described as judicial gang-up against Wike, nay, the people of Rivers State. It is an affront on democracy and a blight disregard for the will of the people, as evinced in the April 11 general elections.”<br /> Meanwhile, Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday hailed the Supreme Court’s verdict on Governor Nyesom Wike’.<br /> Mr. Chris FineBone, Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, said in a statement in Port Harcourt that the apex court affirmed that the tribunal’s sitting was moved to Abuja because of insecurity.<br /> “As a party, the APC is grateful that all seven eminent jurists of the Supreme Court unanimously agreed that there was sufficient violence before, during and after the elections to justify the relocation of the tribunal to Abuja.’’<br /> It also commended the reason for the relocation of the tribunal to Abuja, which was to safeguard the lives of the tribunal chairman, members and witnesses.<br /> However, Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani, has stated that the Elections Petitions Tribunal sacked neither him, nor any member of the Assembly on Monday.<br /> Ibani’s statement yesterday, was on the heels of the judgment of the tribunal, which nullified his election and that of 20 lawmakers of the state Assembly.<br /> <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- Aba Dailies 8 --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-slot="9503932789" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> </div>

Rivers: Wike loses again

… Supreme Court dismisses suit challenging tribunal’s jurisdiction • I was not sacked –Speaker The Supreme Court yesterday ruled ...

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Akwa Ibom/Rivers guber: Judgments of controversies

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- ads3 --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-slot="2033089187" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9OI84XxDVLdfIm7OIy7jSayB-9j_rQ9vNCp1IxWZd11HcVo3awwU4QvF09YRClkEboTviINg2X5LBizpqQmfxcWW8ide5XpEYFAuLGHPz9piKme9u6QotnTrMOf4R2kD9QW0s0mjgPTrq/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9OI84XxDVLdfIm7OIy7jSayB-9j_rQ9vNCp1IxWZd11HcVo3awwU4QvF09YRClkEboTviINg2X5LBizpqQmfxcWW8ide5XpEYFAuLGHPz9piKme9u6QotnTrMOf4R2kD9QW0s0mjgPTrq/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> The Judgments of the Akwa Ibom and Rivers States governorship election tribunal have generated controversy and confusion in both the affected states and the political and legal landscape . In the case of Akwa Ibom the tribunal nullified election in 18 Local Government Areas while the Rivers State tribunal  nullified the entire election and orders a rerun of the  election that produced the incumbent Governor, Nyesom Wike. The tribunal also sent 20 House of Assembly members in Rivers packng .It insisted that both governorship and state assembly elections were  riddled with irregularities.<br /> While delivering judgment in the petition by the All Progressives Congress, and its candidate, Umana Umana, challenging the election of Mr. Emmanuel of the Peoples Democratic Party, the tribunal cancelled election in 18 LGAs of Nsit Ubium, Nsit Ibom, Ibiono Ibom, Uyo, Etinan, Udung Uko, Oruk Anam, Etim Ekpo, Ikoono, Ini, Ibesikpo-Asutan, Nsit Atai, Eket, Ikot Abasi, Ibeno, Uruan and Onna after holding election was not properly conducted in the affected areas.<br /> The three-member tribunal, led by Justice Sadiq Umar, consequently, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct re-run election in the affected 18 local government areas. However, the judgment created more confusion as there was no categorical pronouncement on whether Governor Udom Emmanuel should leave office.<br /> In addition, the judgment did not also spell out the time frame for the conduct of the rerun election in the affected local governments. This development has indeed thrown many Nigerians into confusion culminating into mixed reactions.<br /> Even among legal minds, the judgment of the tribunal has left them rather confused. For instance, a constitutional lawyer and author, Sabastine Hon [SAN] said thejudgment is confounding .<br /> The senior member of the Bar contended that even if it had nullified election in half of the local government areas in the state, the tribunal ought to have removed the governor and called for a rerun.<br /> He said, “I think an error of judgment has been committed, by nullifying election in 18 local government areas, it means the governor was not validly elected and should not continue in office.<br /> “However, under the Electoral Act, even if a governor is removed, he cannot vacate the seat until the time appeal is exhausted.<br /> <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- ads3 --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-slot="2033089187" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> “But it was the duty of the tribunal to have made that pronouncement as a consequential order. It is an order that flows naturally from the judgment.”<br /> He, however, advised INEC to conduct rerun election in the affected local governments within one month or at the expiration of the appeal window so the people of Akwa Ibom state would know who their real governor is.<br /> Another legal practitioner, Emmanuel Gbanfa, equally expressed surprised at the judgment saying the judgment left some gaps which were difficult to understand.<br /> According to him, by cancelling election and ordering rerun in 18 out of the 31 local government areas in the state,  the tribunal has left some questions unanswered.<br /> He said “For instance, we know that the governor of Akwa Ibom State cannot be deemed to have been elected on the basis of 13 local government areas given the fact that the state has 31 local government areas”.<br /> He continued“The governor could only be validly elected if he had scored at least 25 per cent of the votes in 24 local government areas of the state.<br /> “By upholding election in 13 local government areas effectively means that the present governor was not validly elected. But because the tribunal did not expressly say so at the end of the day, gives room to confusion.”<br /> Again, Mr. Gbanfa faulted the tribunal for calling for rerun in the 18 affected local government areas without indicating a definite time frame within which INEC should conduct the election.<br /> He insisted a lacuna could be created where all the parties fail to appeal the judgment of the tribunal.<br /> He said, “I believe the tribunal could have said since election has been cancelled in the 18 local government areas and therefore the present governor was not validly elected, they should be a rerun within three months or a specified time frame.<br /> “In that case, if any of the parties goes on appeal, the court would either uphold the ruling or change it.”<br /> The confusion is not resricated to the lawyers alone .Leaders of some  political parties  believe the judgment is vague.<br /> Reacting to the ruling, the PDP Chairman in Akwa Ibom state, Paul Ekpo, said the judgment was confusing.Mr. Ekpo said the only good thing about the judgment was that the governor, Mr. Emmanuel, remained in office.<br /> “The judgment is very confusing except that my governor, who had won the election overwhelmingly still remains the governor,” Mr. Ekpo said.<br /> <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- ads3 --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-slot="2033089187" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> At the national level, the PDP through its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh described as unacceptable and bizarre the election tribunal verdicts in both Rivers and Akwa Ibom. PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, in a statementon Saturdaysaid “indications to this spurious judgment had months ago been hinted to the PDP, which in turn, alerted the nation and the international community of the heinous plot by the APC government, to use the judiciary and various security agencies to reverse the victory of the PDP in Rivers, Delta, Akwa-Ibom, Taraba and Abia states.<br /> “We invite Nigerians and the international community to recall various reprehensible steps taken by the APC government that culminated in this ruling as well as the ridiculousWednesday’sverdict of the Akwa-Ibom state governorship election tribunal, also sitting in Abuja.”<br /> Metu listed reasons for his party’s objection to the rulings thus   “The curious and controversial relocation of the elections tribunals from their states to Abuja without any justification.<br /> “ The constant juggling of judicial officers and members of governorship elections tribunal in PDP states, especially, Rivers and Akwa-Ibom states.<br /> “Constant harassment of judicial and electoral officers involved in the governorship election cases in these state, using agencies of government, particularly, the Directorate of State Services (DSS) under the direct command of a known APC member, Alhaji Lawal Daura.<br /> “ Constant threats, intimidation and coercing of witnesses against the PDP in the tribunals.<br /> “The recent mass transfer of security operatives, especially the DSS and police personnel that actually participated in the conduct of the elections in Rivers and Akwa-Ibom, ostensibly to frustrate the course of genuine evidences in the process.”<br /> The statement added “The bias in the judgment against the PDP in Rivers as well as Akwa-Ibom is evidenced in the contradictions inherent in the trial process of the two cases and the verdicts therein, whereby the tribunals clearly disregarded standing legal norm that a petitioner must establish prove of claims.<br /> “Also curious is the fact that after both the petitioner and respondent agreed before the tribunal that both card reader and manual accreditations were used for the election, the tribunal still went ahead to base its decision on issues of card reader.”<br /> It further said “While it is convenient to them to use legal technicalities to deny PDP victory in Imo, Lagos, Ogun and Yobe states, the same rules are misapplied to wickedly favour APC petitioners in Rivers and Akwa-Ibom states.<br /> “It is therefore evinced that these contradictions are direct fall-out of compromises as well as boasts by the APC of being in direct and remote control of the tribunals. If not, how can one explain the fact that while governorship elections are being upturned in PDP states, in APC states, where similar claims and facts are in contention, elections are being upheld.<br /> “Further proof of bias by the Rivers tribunal is the fact that less than 24 hours after various counsels submitted nine written addresses and documents, the tribunal rushed its notice of judgment, an action ostensibly aimed at ambushing the pending Supreme Court action on the issue of jurisdiction regarding the relocation of the tribunal outside River state, which was due to be deliveredon Tuesday.<br /> “This is not withstanding the fact that the tribunal has up to seven days after of receipt of addresses, to deliver its judgment, but chose instead, to rush to deliver this spurious verdict even on aSaturday, a development eliciting suspicion that the judgment may have since been predetermined and written even before the commencement of the case.<br /> “The PDP calls on all Nigerians and the international community to note this growing manipulation of the judiciary by the APC government, a factor which portends great danger to our democracy and the stability of our country.<br /> “Nigerians would want to recall that under the PDP-led government with former President Goodluck Jonathan’s commitment to the tenets of democracy as encapsulated in the safeguard of ‘one man one vote’ and the independence of the judiciary, the PDP conceded electoral defeat in Edo, Anambra, and Imo states without attempting to collect victory through executive manipulation of the judicial process.<br /> “The PDP restates unequivocally that this judgments must not stand in view of the prevailing inherent contradictions, in addition to the huge threat they portend to our democracy and national stability.<br /> “Finally, the PDP charges all lovers<br /> APC VOWS TO APPEAL AKWA IBOM JUDGMENT<br /> In his response, the APC chairman in Akwa Ibom  State, Dr. Amadu Atai said his party will not leave any stone unturned in redressing the judgment saying the party would have won the election but for the irregularities.  He insisted that the party would also proceed to the Supreme Court after the appeal to pursue the issue of removing the governor before the re-run election.<br /> Atai said the party was expecting outright cancellation of the governorship election since it nullified the elections in 18 out of the 31 local government areas.<br /> He said “The tribunal has cancelled the governorship elections in 18 local government areas and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct elections in the affected areas.<br /> “But we are going to file an appeal because we expected cancellation in more local government areas where discrepancies were pervasive,” he said.<br /> Another APC chieftain  who spoke on the issue but refused to be named for security reasons said “The issue of Governor Emmanuel Udom still remaining in office after the judgment of the tribunal is also causing considerable argument in the state as many are of the opinion that there will never be a free and fair rerun without the governor vacating his position.<br /> “As long as a sitting governor remains in power while a rerun is conducted there will never be a free and fair contest. So what is the essence of the rerun. The governor and hs deputy should be made to step aside for the Speaker of the State House of Assembly to take over until after the rerun. This will create room for a level playing field for the candidates and their political parties.<br /> <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- ads3 --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-slot="2033089187" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> Arguments for and against Rivers tribunal ruling<br /> In a swift reaction,to the judgment nullifying his election  Governor Wike expressed dissatisfaction with the judgment and vowed  to challenge the verdict  at the Court of Appeal.<br /> His Counsel, Chief Chris Uche [SAN] who spoke on behalf of the respondents said they will surely test the popularity of the judgement at the Court of Appeal and even to the Supreme Court.<br /> Questioning why the tribunal hastily delivered its judgment in less than 48 hours after the adoption of final address by parties in the suit, Uche said it was wrong of the tribunal to have heavily relied on the use of card reader when INEC itself admitted that both card reader and manual can be used where the card reader malfunctioned<br /> The senior lawyer accused the tribunal of trying to pre-empt the judgment of the Supreme Court challenging the jurisdiction of the tribunal which has been fixed for Tuesday next week.<br /> After reviewing the arguments and submissions of counsel to parties to the petition, the tribunal said it agreed with the petitioners, All Progressives Congress [APC] and its governorship candidate, dr. Dakuku Peterside that the April 11, 2015 election was characterized by intimidation, harassment, snatching of ballot boxes, diversion of electoral materials, ballot stuffing and allocation of figures in favour of the PDP candidate.<br /> It further held that the failure to use Card Reader Machine as was instructed by the INEC robbed the election of its credibility and made the outcome of the poll a sham and a mockery of democracy.<br /> Besides, the tribunal held that the petitioners had through their witnesses established allegations of non-compliance to the Electoral Act and that the petitioners adduced credible evidence backed by documents to prove that Governor Wike was wrongly declared winner of the election.<br /> The discordant of tune that trailed the ruling was not surprising . thetwo sides had,  prior to the judment plied different legal roads in arguing their positions.  Whereas the petitioners, through their counsel, Chief Akinolu Olujimi, SAN, urged the tribunal to sack Governor Wike and order the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct fresh governorship poll in Rivers State, all the respondents, sought the dismissal of the petition for want of merit.<br /> While adopting their final written argument dated October 19, counsel to the petitioners, Olujimi, SAN, urged the tribunal to hold that “no governorship election known to any law in Nigeria, took place in Rivers State on April 11, 2015. My lords, the central issue in this petition is about the pleadings of the parties.<br /> “It is the nature of the pleading that defines the issue in dispute between the parties. It is the case of the petitioners that there was no election conducted in Rivers State known to the law.  The 2nd  respondent (Wike) has the burden to justify the over 1 million votes that were allotted to him by INEC. What we are simply asking for is the nullification of the election.”<br /> On his part, Wike, through his lawyer, Mr. Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, relied on the provision of section 85(1) of the Electoral Act to insist that Dr. Peterside was not validly nominated by the APC to contest the governorship election.<br /> Wike argued that instead of the 21 days provided by the Electoral Act, APC, only gave INEC 16 days notice before it conducted the primary election that produced Peterside as its governorship flag-bearer in the state.<br /> “My lords, this goes to the issue of qualification. The Appeal Court had in its decision in Labour Party vs. Wike, held that the 21 days notice is mandatory. There is, therefore, no locus standi in the petitioner before this court.”<br /> On the issue of whether or not Wike secured the lawfully cast votes to warrant his declaration as winner of the April 11 governorship poll in the state, Ukala relied on the decided case-law in Buhari vs Obasanjo and contended that the petitioners failed to effectively discharge the burden of proof placed on them by the law.<br /> “What they were expected to do was to call all officers who conducted the election, as well as tender all the electoral forms that were used. So far, aside calling only 56 witnesses, the petitioners only tendered 3,157 copies of the Forms EC8A, whereas from their own calculation, there were supposed to have tendered 5,792 copies. It is, therefore, our position that the petitioners did not meet the standard of proof set by the law,” Ukala added.<br /> Besides, Wike also relied on the case of Ngige vs INEC, 2015, 1-NWLR, part 1440, and argued that the burden of establishing that the election was conducted in substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act, rested on the petitioners.<br /> Similarly, INEC, through its lawyer, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition and affirm the governorship election result it declared in Rivers State.<br /> INEC relied on the case of Gundirin vs Nyako, and argued that APC and Peterside ought to have proved that the election was flawed, by calling witnesses from each of the polling units in the state.<br /> “We pray this tribunal to dismiss the evidence of the PW-40. Assuming that the issue of irregularity was brought to the attention of the INEC and it looked into it and took the decision to declare the result, it means that INEC did not accept the opinion expressed by the PW-40. It also means that INEC rejected those reports, it can therefore never amount to admission against the election,” INEC lawyer submitted.<br /> Earlier, lead counsel to the PDP, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, also prayed the tribunal to dismiss the petition and uphold governor Wike’s election. After listening to all the parties the tribunal reserved its judgement for today on the matter.<br /> The tribunal had while reviewing the case in its judgment stated that Peterside/APC called 56 witnesses and of the respondents: INEC-16; Wike-24; PDP-none. The panel states that the petitioners submitted three issues for determination.<br /> INEC had argued that the petitioners failed to prove their case polling unit by polling unit in line with Supreme Court earlier decisions.   The Tribunal thereafter reviewed Mr. Wike’s second major argument. Governor Wike’s first major argument is that most of the petitioners’ witnesses gave hearsay evidence, while the other major arguments, include: Petitioners are required to prove polling unit by polling unit but they only called few polling unit agents; non-usage of card reader cannot be grounds for nullifying election.<br /> Mr. Wike also argued that the election was free and fair and he was duly returned governor. He asked the tribunal to strike out the petition. The tribunal states that PDP’s final address was on October 16.<br /> The PDP argued that the Petitioners leveled allegations of crime against the military which was not joined as a party and that such should be expunged from the record of the court.<br /> In addition, PDP also argued that non-usage of card reader cannot be grounds of nullification of election. PDP thus argued that the petitioners failed to prove their case and case should be struck out.<br /> The petitioner, Mr. Peterside, argued that the card reader machine was made mandatory by INEC’s guideline and has the backing of the Electoral Act.<br /> In its judgment, the tribunal adopted only one issue for determination – whether or not the petitioners have proved their case after dismissing the preliminary issues concerning the competence of the tribunal raised by the respondents.<br /> The tribunal restated the petitioners’ allegations including poll being marred by intimidation of voters, non-availability of result sheets, snatching of electoral materials, non-collation of results at wards and LG levels and held that the evidence of the petitioners’ witnesses is relevant and reliable in this regard.<br /> The tribunal stated that INEC has the power to insist on card readers and it therefore is not open to anybody to act otherwise. According to the tribunal, Exhibit A9 presented by the petitioners, which is a report by head of election monitoring team of INEC office in Rivers State, Charles Okoye, confirmed the allegations of the petitioners.<br /> The tribunal stressed that card readers were introduced by INEC to ensure credibility and transparency of the election, adding that “We don’t see any conflict between the introduction of card readers and the provisions of the Electoral Act.” <!-- Aba Dailies 8 --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-slot="9503932789" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> </div>

Akwa Ibom/Rivers guber: Judgments of controversies

The Judgments of the Akwa Ibom and Rivers States governorship election tribunal have generated controversy and confusion in both t...

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APGA faults tribunal rulings on election petitions

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- ads3 --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-slot="2033089187" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjDAaOyWpRAoaWqWtvSZf70seefuqD2N4O9sBX2BfhkOwRp0TQbAPcvxHvbMooO1rVuyrCoV_D0S5IILnX9_FKSXF3UDguz0MdGy1M-DVPAfff7FIOsPjUlkdD9_fQYuhQnyzdmwf64Enq/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjDAaOyWpRAoaWqWtvSZf70seefuqD2N4O9sBX2BfhkOwRp0TQbAPcvxHvbMooO1rVuyrCoV_D0S5IILnX9_FKSXF3UDguz0MdGy1M-DVPAfff7FIOsPjUlkdD9_fQYuhQnyzdmwf64Enq/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> The All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) has condemned in totality, the judgments the party got at the various election tribunals across the country, insisting that the rationality and propriety of the rulings have been called to question.<br /> Speaking during a press conference in Abuja yesterday, the chairman of the party, Dr Victor Ikechukwu, claimed that there was an orchestrated plan to sabotage its efforts to contribute to building an egalitarian society in which generations unborn will live in peace and tranquillity.<br /> His words: “The first key national issues we want to address is about the election tribunal. Some of the outcomes of the judgments from the tribunals have not been too pleasant. It is not in our character to question the integrity of the judiciary.<br /> “The judiciary is doing its best to ensure that it discharges its statutory responsibilities as fairly as it can, but the present development has put a question mark on that.<br /> <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- ads3 --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-slot="2033089187" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> “In Abia State for instance, where it was very glaring from day one that APGA won almost all the elections in that state, our candidate was shortchanged but we decided not to take the laws into our hands as law-abiding citizens of this country. We put the national interest above our own parochial interest.  “We sort relief in court, we went to the tribunal believing that we will get justice from the tribunal but what we got was far from what expected. This has aroused some sense of uncertainty around us that we are pushed to begin to question the rationality and propriety of some of the judgments that have been delivered.<br /> “It was the same situation in Anambra State where after going through some of the judgments, I was ashamed to be a part of the system. We have to build a nation devoid of unnecessary partisanship and parochialism. They gave flimsy excuses for dismissing cases they knew quite well went through the whole hug of legal scrutiny but at the end, they threw it into the abyss.<br /> “We know that there are technicalities but the Appeal court said that the tribunals also should not base their judgments on technicalities. In one of the cases that went through a 174-day scrutiny, but the judgment read said that the case was dismissed for lack of merit yet they allowed the case to run for that long.<br /> “I found out that there are injustice inside injustice. Our party consists of men and women of integrity. We love this country and that is why we are working very hard to build an egalitarian society in which generations of the born will leave in peace and tranquillity.<br /> “We will sit back and watch some people turn our vision of contributing to national development. Time has come for this country to rejig and see how we can review the laws to make them more human and attuned to our societal needs.<br /> “We  don’t want a situation that can hold people hostage and excoriate to people who come to seek justice. We are really worried and something must be urgently done to drastically review the  electoral act 2010 as amended.<br /> “The provisions of that law is too draconian, inhuman and uncivilized to be used to judge people in the modern society. We call a drastic review of that law to make it more amenable to our environmental needs.<br /> “We can no longer sit down and watch the unnecessary chastisement of our members across the country. We are going to seek any redress statutorily permissible to reclaim our mandates,” he said. <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- Aba Dailies 8 --> <br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-slot="9503932789" style="display: block;"></ins><script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></div>

APGA faults tribunal rulings on election petitions

The All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) has condemned in totality, the judgments the party got at the various election tribunals...

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Ban Eze Ndigbo title outside Igboland —Igbokwe

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- ads3 --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-slot="2033089187" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_H7y-syyAT8PPsmL-Da5_XAMEOL3qLj9JVpI0afhTEhmm2tx8loEeg8MoeMLFErnGflj-h9EPz-GBDpinqcie9wKP9_orXwqPI_ismsg441Ei7PBPV5jmtCkALGgHddkry_Kn7K6psr6/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_H7y-syyAT8PPsmL-Da5_XAMEOL3qLj9JVpI0afhTEhmm2tx8loEeg8MoeMLFErnGflj-h9EPz-GBDpinqcie9wKP9_orXwqPI_ismsg441Ei7PBPV5jmtCkALGgHddkry_Kn7K6psr6/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> The Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos State, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, has called for the abolition of the Eze Ndigbo title outside Igbo land.<br /> He said the craze for title by the Igbo indigenes outside their states of origin was making a mockery of the Igbo tradition and culture.<br /> Igbokwe, who said this in an article titled, ‘Eze Ndigbo title outside Igboland: A needless distraction’, on Sunday, advised the Ohaneze Ndigbo to end the embarrassment caused by the Ndigbo title by issuing a policy paper that compels the Igbo to abide by it.<br /> He said it was unfortunate that politicians outside Igbo land exploit the Eze Ndigbo to their own advantage, especially to win elections.<br /> He said, “A situation where drug kingpins, armed robbers, kidnappers, failed businessmen hide under the Eze Ndigbo title to continue to embarrass us calls for immediate attention and concrete actions. We cannot continue to pretend that all is well when these pretenders sow seeds of discord between our people and the host communities.<br /> “We need to have the courage to do away with this dangerous trend which tends to cause disaffection between us and the host communities across Nigeria. Let us abolish this Eze Ndigbo title outside Igboland for peace to reign.”<br /> It will be recalled that the Deji of Akure, Oba Kole Aladetoyinbo, recently banned the Eze Ndigbo title in Akure after a disagreement with the Eze Ndigbo of Akure, Gregory Iloehike.<br /> According to Igbokwe, the Deji of Akure and other Yoruba rulers see the holders of the Eze Ndigbo title as a threat to their sovereignty due to the way they “carry themselves about with noise and arrogance.”<br /> Igbokwe said most of the Eze Ndigbo title holders were common traders who needed political power to raise their status both at home and outside Igbo land.<br /> He also said some of them were failed businessmen seeking to earn a living and political and economic patronage.<br /> He said, “I suggest that Igbo leaders, especially the Ohaneze Ndigbo, move into action now and stop this nonsense forever. We must produce a paper on it and compel our people to abide by it.<br /> “We must do the needful before it gets out of hand. Our people must care about the feelings of other Nigerians outside Igbo land where they do businesses and must be told in the strongest terms to respect the rules of engagement and rules of business anywhere they are.<br /> <em>“This craze for titles outside Igbo land is making a mockery of our tradition, culture and cherished ideals.</em><br /> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- Aba Dailies 8 --> <br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-slot="9503932789" style="display: block;"></ins><script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></div>

Ban Eze Ndigbo title outside Igboland —Igbokwe

The Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos State, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, has called for the abolition of the Eze N...

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Igbo’s endless struggle for presidency

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- ads3 --> <br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-slot="2033089187" style="display: block;"></ins><script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikjRtSm_dnCxwjCl0CvnhMpYQ8uQJt-QQs1hamukqB7oRNRPlG36c_1NFvTbkh6_hazWFn1oWyCY7Sile0ISIxZkHtBiHHQcmheYis056mLvKVj__wPPbR3blmmyXrebL2vpZfSdNEgEIN/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikjRtSm_dnCxwjCl0CvnhMpYQ8uQJt-QQs1hamukqB7oRNRPlG36c_1NFvTbkh6_hazWFn1oWyCY7Sile0ISIxZkHtBiHHQcmheYis056mLvKVj__wPPbR3blmmyXrebL2vpZfSdNEgEIN/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr> <tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i><b>Late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu</b></i></td></tr> </tbody></table> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <i>In this piece, </i>ENIOLA AKINKUOTU<i> looks at the struggle by the South-East to rule the country</i></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> When in December 2002, the leader of the defunct Biafra Republic, the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, declared that the South-East would produce the President of Nigeria in 2003, the Igbo nation rejoiced based on the hope that Nigerians would put the civil war behind them and vote for an Igbo president.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “It is time for an Igbo presidency, we have been cheated long enough, whoever says the Igbo nation will not rule the country in the forthcoming general election is making a great mistake,” Ojukwu had said.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> To this end, a former Vice-President of Nigeria, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, joined the presidential race on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party but was roundly defeated by the then incumbent President Olusegun Obasanjo, who was gunning for a second term in office.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Months later, Ojukwu founded the All Progressive Grand Alliance and joined the presidential race but only got 1.48 per cent of the total votes cast. In 2007, Ojukwu contested again but got only 0.44 per cent of votes. In both elections, Ojukwu’s votes only came from the South-East. In fact, in Bayelsa State, he got only three votes.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Interestingly, in both elections, Ojukwu did not defeat the ruling PDP in the South-East, his area of strength.</div> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- ads3 --> <br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-slot="2033089187" style="display: block;"></ins><script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <div style="text-align: justify;"> But in 2014, the Igbo endorsed former President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP during the last general election and supported him through and through. Jonathan, who is from the Ijaw ethnic group in Bayelsa State, got more than 75 per cent of the total votes cast in the South-East.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> With Jonathan’s ultimate defeat in the more populated North and the South-West, Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress emerged the winner of the presidential race and the Igbo lost out in the national scheme of things since the PDP became the minority in the National Assembly as well.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> For this reason, the top four positions in the country have gone to other geopolitical zones. The Igbo have also received the least number of federal appointments under Buhari.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The South-East is the smallest geopolitical zone in the country in terms of land mass and number of states. Geographically, the entire South-East, which is made up of five states, is half the size of Borno State.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Because the national strength of a geopolitical zone is determined by the number of states, the Igbo have the lowest number of seats in the Senate, the House of Representatives and the Federal Executive Council while the North-West, with seven states, has the biggest political advantage in the country.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Sadly for the Igbo, their fortunes might not change anytime soon since the presidency might continue to elude them till 2023. The reason is not far-fetched. The two major parties in Nigeria, the APC and the PDP, are most likely to present northerners as their presidential candidates in 2019</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Already, the PDP has zoned its presidency to the North. At its National Executive Committee meeting in Abuja, the PDP endorsed a report submitted by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who was also the head of the post-election review committee.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> According to the report, the North should produce the next presidential candidate of the PDP as this was the only way the APC could be defeated. Ironically, Ekweremadu, who headed the committee, is also from the South-East.</div> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- ads3 --> <br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-slot="2033089187" style="display: block;"></ins><script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Reacting to this development, the Deputy National Organising Secretary of APGA, Campbell Umeh-Nzekwe, said 2019 presents the best opportunity for the South-East to produce the President.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Umeh-Nzekwe, who is also the leader of APGA in Lagos State, said since both the PDP and the APC had zoned the Presidency to the North, the votes in the North would be divided.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He, therefore, said this was the time for APGA to consolidate its hold on the South-East.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Umeh-Nzekwe said it was unfortunate that the Igbo only gave bloc votes to politicians from other geopolitical zones but continued to shun their own people. He, however, argued that the Igbo elements in the PDP would awake from their slumber and join hands with APGA in 2019 to ensure that their kinsman is made President.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He said, “The PDP has zoned its presidency to the North while the national chairman slot has been zoned to the South-West. APGA has thus zoned the presidency to the South-East. Hence, the PDP will be buried in the South-East in 2019.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “Those Igbo who used the PDP to destabilise the Igbo race will naturally rejoin their brothers and sisters in APGA to work towards claiming the presidency.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “Since we helped a Yoruba man, Olusegun Obasanjo, to become President; a Fulani man, Umaru Yar’Adua, to become President; and an Ijaw man, Goodluck Jonathan, to also become President, no self-respecting Igbo man will deny his fellow Igbo the opportunity of becoming President in 2019.”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The Lagos State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Joe Igbokwe, who is also from the South-East, however, said that for the Igbo to rule Nigeria, they must master the art of opposition politics for the next 10 years.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He said one of the reasons that the Igbo never won presidential elections was because they were always making deals and forming alliances with the government in power. He said the Igbo never built solid political structures but continued to rely on the power base of other geopolitical zones.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He noted that this was the case in the First Republic, Second Republic, Third Republic and the first 16 years of the Fourth Republic. He said this development made it difficult for the Igbo to carve a niche for themselves and become a force to be reckoned with.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Igbokwe said, “I want the Igbo nation, where I come from, to play opposition politics in Nigeria at least for the next 10 years so that the world will take them serious once again in matters of Nigerian politics. In the First Republic, the Igbo-dominated the NCNC (National Conference of Nigerian Citizens) formed an alliance with the northern-based (Northern Peoples Congress) to form a government at the centre.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “In the Second Republic, the Igbo-dominated NPP (Nigerian Peoples Party) again teamed up with the NPN (National Party of Nigeria) to form the national government in the centre.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “In the Third Republic, during the Northern Republican Convention/Social Democratic Party era, MKO Abiola won the election fair and square on the platform of the SDP but the majority of the Igbo, led by the late Odumegwu Ojukwu, the late Evan Enwerem, and Okwesilieze Nwodo, teamed up with some other prominent Igbo leaders and even some prominent Yoruba leaders to support Ibrahim Babangida, Ernest Shonekan, and Sani Abacha in sustaining the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election. Again, for 16 years, the PDP was in power in Nigeria, and the Igbo were with the PDP.”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The APC spokesperson said the Igbo did not have sacrificial leaders like MKO Abiola who died protecting his mandate and refused to be bought.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Igbokwe further noted that the absence of a unifying leader in the South-East is also affecting the politics of the zone. He said for instance, the Yoruba interest was being propelled by the National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He said there is the need for the Igbo to shun money politics.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> A member of the PDP Board of Trustees, who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said the Igbo must have ‘unity of purpose’. He said the Igbo were not known for making sacrifices.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He said, “In 2008, we zoned the office of the PDP national chairman to the South-East. However, when we asked the South-East caucus to present a candidate, 20 people signified interest. Some of those who signified interest were Rochas Okorocha, Senator Pius Anyim and a former Governor of Ebonyi State, Sam Egwu.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “They all refused to step down for one another until we intervened and held a series of meetings. It was after such an intervention that Prince Vincent Ogbulafor emerged the chairman. The moment we zone the presidency to the South-East, be sure that several candidates will emerge. The Igbo need to be more united if they will ever get the presidency.”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> A former Governor of the old Kaduna State, Balarabe Musa, told our correspondent on the telephone that it would be unfair not to allow the Igbo to produce the next President. Musa said although he would prefer the next President emerging on the basis of competence rather than tribe, Nigeria’s diversity must be respected.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He said, “The development is unhealthy. If we accept this idea of rotation, then we must apply it faithfully. And I think the South-East qualifies to benefit from this rotation. It would save Nigeria from a political crisis.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “Normally, it should be based on merit but there is the need to give every Nigerian a sense of belonging. The rotation is, therefore, justified and I think it is time that someone emerged from the South-East.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “The South-East must bring one person forward who is credible and can compete with any other candidate from any other part of Nigeria. If the North presents a candidate that is more competent than the South-East, then the South-East could easily lose.”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <i>It’s been 13 years since Ojukwu prophesied that the South-East would rule Nigeria. When the prophecy will come to pass still remains unknown.</i></div> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- Aba Dailies 8 --> <br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-slot="9503932789" style="display: block;"></ins><script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></div>

Igbo’s endless struggle for presidency

Late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu In this piece, ENIOLA AKINKUOTU looks at the struggle by the South-East to rule the country...

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Jonathan’s defeat affected Lagos PDP’s rigging plan – APC

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- ads3 --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-slot="2033089187" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidwhv-Glc7ez1RiqOCHkaPI8g9vLsZfG-IK8Ix58Sc5oiQHjMY71xsLKINA8hSQ4qSIJTAbyimpxyiQpz4VIqYk_9WY5B4Dxl9FxfzOCeRmpkcteEaubH0me3-81dXy16OFOwWWyVaJIWs/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidwhv-Glc7ez1RiqOCHkaPI8g9vLsZfG-IK8Ix58Sc5oiQHjMY71xsLKINA8hSQ4qSIJTAbyimpxyiQpz4VIqYk_9WY5B4Dxl9FxfzOCeRmpkcteEaubH0me3-81dXy16OFOwWWyVaJIWs/s320/1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress says   the loss of the presidential election by the Peoples Democratic Party on March 28, 2015 frustrated its plans to take over Lagos State by force.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The APC, while reflecting on the victory of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode at the Supreme Court last week, said the PDP would have deployed security agencies and ethnic groups to remove the APC government in Lagos if Nigerians had re-elected former President Goodluck Jonathan.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> In a statement issued by the APC spokesman, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, on Sunday, the party commended the resilience of Nigerians during the presidential poll to free themselves from 16 years of oppression of the PDP.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The APC said, “Had the PDP succeeded in stealing the presidency on March 28, 2015, it would have used the army, the police, the Department of State Service to ‘steal’ Lagos by force.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The Supreme Court verdict has proved beyond reasonable doubt that Ambode won the governorship election fair and square, defeating Mr. Jimi Agbaje of the PDP with more than 160, 000 votes.”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> While assuring Lagosians that the APC government in Lagos would not lower the bar of leadership, the group said Lagos would continue to be a pacesetter.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The APC said the Supreme Court verdict was another call to duty , adding that Governor Ambode possesses the required skills, training, experience, to consolidate on the gains of the past 16 years.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The statement read, “As a bean counter, he has hit the ground running, restructuring and repositioning critical institutions in Lagos. He has been busy embarking on reforms. The resounding victory at the apex court tells us in no uncertain terms that Lagosians have not forgotten how AD (Alliance for Democracy), AC (Action Congress), ACN (Action Congress of Nigeria) and now APC, transformed Lagos in the last 16 years and made the city the fastest growing cosmopolitan city state in Africa, with a Gross Domestic Product of more than $135 bn.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “Lagosians have not forgotten that the progressive party cleaned up Lagos and made it a habitable city. They have not forgotten how our party made Lagos a haven for business activities to thrive. They have not forgotten how we built the most formidable security architecture in Lagos to protect lives and property of more than 18 million Nigerians residing in the city of Lagos.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “The apex court ruling has put paid to the controversy surrounding the April 11 poll. The victory would spur the Ambode-led administration to implement the party’s people-oriented policies and programmes.”</div> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- Aba Dailies 8 --> <br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-slot="9503932789" style="display: block;"></ins><script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></div>

Jonathan’s defeat affected Lagos PDP’s rigging plan – APC

The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress says   the loss of the presidential election by the Peoples Democratic P...

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Obasanjo, an overgrown child of circumstance – Soyinka

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- ads3 --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-slot="2033089187" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgRxr3PiMCV3dQsSBfK5hR3z2t8gd7ZUuXz5nmhzFfx5PD23Pnd-ipKF0l7Ubw8YndeT-qHjPLmd6HWAciRtX3nt0FaQ5JNcRyrBNn1fNYYpXfFVbSQsIqt_VzCDCsVjWVuoaoEBBpPEs9/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgRxr3PiMCV3dQsSBfK5hR3z2t8gd7ZUuXz5nmhzFfx5PD23Pnd-ipKF0l7Ubw8YndeT-qHjPLmd6HWAciRtX3nt0FaQ5JNcRyrBNn1fNYYpXfFVbSQsIqt_VzCDCsVjWVuoaoEBBpPEs9/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> The Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has described former President Olusegun Obasanjo as an overgrown child of circumstance.<br /> Soyinka sharply criticised Obasanjo in his (Nobel laureate’s) new book, titled InterInterventions: Between Defective Memory and the Public Lie – A Personal Odyssey in the Republic of Liars, presented in Abeokuta, Ogun State on Saturday.<br /> Although Soyinka conceded that he used to be friendly with Obasanjo and admitted in the book that some stakeholders were making efforts to reconcile them, he said he owed it a responsibility to fundamentally respond to lies that Obasanjo allegedly told against him in his latest biography, titled, My Watch, described in InterInterventions as Three-Carat Watch.<br /> Soyinka, who in the book also critically takes on the likes of former Osun State Governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola; and veteran critic, Prof. Chinweizu, wrote, quoting a Yoruba proverb, “The child that swears his mother will not sleep must also prepare for a prolonged, sleepless infancy. So, let it be with Okikiola, the overgrown child of circumstance.<br /> ”I brainstormed with him over meals both when he was military Head of State – in Dodan Barracks and in his home, Ota – for some time after he left office and early in Aso Rock at his ‘second coming.’ Today, it is a different situation. If he offered to host me, I would wait until he had first swallowed a morsel from the same dish.<br /> “I had fully attuned myself to the fact that our Owu retiree soldier and prolific author is an infliction that those of us who share the same era and nation space must learn to endure. However, it does appear to me that there is no end to this individual’s capacity for infantile mischief, and for needless, mind-boggling provocations, such as his recent ‘literary’ intrusion on my peace.<br /> He added that part of the intervention the elders made was a ‘cordial’ conversation he had with Obasanjo recently.<br /> According to the Nobel laureate, he, during the conversation, commended Obasanjo for the creative way he had developed the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, which Soyinka, however, described as a Presidential Laundromat and a product of executive extortion.<br /> He added that he discussed the possibility of a collaboration with the facility.<br /> But Soyinka, who chronicled the various places his path had met with that of Obasanjo since childhood, insisted that the lies in which the former President allegedly thrived were so unthinkable that he and some other people had started working on another book solely focusing on Obasanjo.<br /> He questioned the godliness to which Obasanjo professed and claimed that the former President indulged in identity theft.<br /> “Our author invokes God tirelessly, without provocation, without necessity and without justification, perhaps preemptively, but does he really believe in such an entity? Does our home-bred Double-O-Seven believe in anything outside his own Omnipotence? Could he possibly have mistaken the Christian exhortation – ‘Watch and Pray’ – for his own private inclination to ‘Watch and Prey? This is a seasoned predator on others’ achievements. He preys on their names, their characters, their motivations, their true lives; preys on gossip and preys on contributions to collective undertakings – even preys on their identities, substituting his own where possible.”<br /> In the book, Soyinka also commented on the controversy over the ownership and leadership of the board of the Centre for Culture and International Understanding, over which he and Oyinlola recently exchanged words.<br /> He and a former Corpa Marshal and Chief Executive of the Federal Road Safety Commission, Dr. Olu Agunloye, also challenged Major Rasaki Salawu (retd.), who recently claimed that it was he – and not Soyinka – that formed the commission.<br /> At the public presentation of the book, Soyinka said that he was poised to draw blood with it.<br /> The inauguration of the Soyinka Foundation, held at the MKO Abiola Cultural Centre, Kuto, attracted dignitaries that included the Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun; his Edo State counterpart, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, who came in company with his wife, Lara; former governors of Ekiti, Rivers and Cross River states, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi and Mr. Donald Duke<br /> While the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, also graced the occasion, at the the programme that featured readings and performances were scholars/writers such Profs JP Clark, Biodun Jeyifo and Remi Raji; Odia Ofeimun and Kunle Ajibade.<br /> Amosun commended Soyinka and the organisers of the event for the initiative and promised to support it.<br /> Efforts to get Obasanjo’s reaction failed as one of his aides said the former President had travelled to Ivory Coast to monitor elections.<br /> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- Aba Dailies 8 --> <br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-slot="9503932789" style="display: block;"></ins><script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></div>

Obasanjo, an overgrown child of circumstance – Soyinka

The Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has described former President Olusegun Obasanjo as an overgrown child of circumstance. So...

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Don’t negotiate with B’Haram, experts warn FG

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- ads3 --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-slot="2033089187" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnK3ykqCxTjkKw2V5jERUFSXeo_LCEA_8BG-RamldgmbRr_vkLWBEMcL_W8sfZanjiaKLQTNFRwm2HcEBFyO2Abj6Hhsrs_OMv4tcafL0G6MCQBEWfZr6UUhXld519RGLYin3OqMsRsaqt/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnK3ykqCxTjkKw2V5jERUFSXeo_LCEA_8BG-RamldgmbRr_vkLWBEMcL_W8sfZanjiaKLQTNFRwm2HcEBFyO2Abj6Hhsrs_OMv4tcafL0G6MCQBEWfZr6UUhXld519RGLYin3OqMsRsaqt/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> Two leading UK experts on terrorism, Dr. Afzal Ashraf and Richard Barrett, have advised the Federal Government to be cautious in holding talks with the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram.<br /> The duo made this known in separate email exchanges with our correspondent.<br /> The President Muhammadu Buhari administration has not ruled out negotiation with the terror group.<br /> Ashraf, a consultant fellow at the Royal United Services Institute for Defence, said it was not advisable to negotiate with ideological terrorists.<br /> He said, ‘‘As a general rule, it is not advisable to negotiate with ideological terrorists. Non-ideological terrorists do respond positively to negotiations.<br /> “For example, the IRA in the UK gave up violence only after long secret negotiations with the British government. Boko Haram is not really ideological, even though it claims to follow Al-Qaeda and now ISIS. Its leadership is anti-intellectual given its name. They do not have even the pseudo-Islamic scholars that Al-Qaeda had in the form of Ayman Al Zawahiri and Abu Yayah Al Libbi. Therefore, they are not likely to respond to pragmatic political negotiations.”<br /> Also, Barrett, a Director of the Qatar International Academy for Security Studies in Doha, stated that though it was wrong to negotiate with terrorists, the Federal Government should try to rescue those abducted by Boko Haram, especially the Chibok schoolgirls.<br /> According to Barrett, it may be difficult for the Nigerian government to believe any promise made by the violent group.<br /> Barrett noted, ‘‘It is always wrong to negotiate with terrorists, but everything should be done to free all those kidnapped by Boko Haram, including the Chibok girls. The government will find it hard to trust any agreement made by Boko Haram, and it will need to ensure that any negotiation does not provide the group with the means to get more weapons and continue its rampage of terrorism, for example, by giving it money. A deal should be more in line with an offer of reduced prison sentences for those responsible if the captives are returned safely to their families.’’<br /> Barrett also lauded the ongoing military operations against insurgency in the North, adding that the Nigerian population would need a long-term protection and government support to withstand Boko Haram intimidation.<br /> ‘‘The young men would also need jobs to support themselves and their families. Boko Haram certainly takes advantage of the social, political and economic marginalisation of many of the communities in the North-East. Also, of course, it will be necessary for the Nigerian Army to work in concert with its counterparts in Chad, Niger and Cameroon, and for those governments to support their vulnerable communities in the same way,’’ said Barrett, who served as the coordinator of the Al-Qaeda and Taliban Monitoring Team at the United Nations.<br /> On his part, Ashraf, who also served in the UK Armed Forces, explained that negotiations with Boko Haram should only be considered in the light of the kidnapped Chibok girls and their families going through unbearable heartache.<br /> While identifying one of the strengths of the Buhari administration as its stance against graft, Ashraf added that the long-term fight against terrorism would be won after removing corruption from the nation’s economy, especially in the judiciary and security sectors.<br /> He said, ‘‘So, while the army operations and negotiations with Boko Haram are necessary at this time, any victory will be short-lived if the government does not check corruption and divert investment into the development of the northern region.<script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- Aba Dailies 8 --> <br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-slot="9503932789" style="display: block;"></ins><script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></div>

Don’t negotiate with B’Haram, experts warn FG

Two leading UK experts on terrorism, Dr. Afzal Ashraf and Richard Barrett, have advised the Federal Government to be cautious in ho...

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Edo PDP, APC clash over FG bailout

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- ads3 --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-slot="2033089187" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrXKmMJvQF1gJRyLCrweVtCb5JdvShGJemqYtdHbwevzabQZ2cryFsAuuQxDglExAd0-9sFzDW488XZd5KJixaQgGRyCo16PvsqyKHD7NaiF4maFK7zNaoD_NDQQr5G5cAC9VC2w7REeGU/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrXKmMJvQF1gJRyLCrweVtCb5JdvShGJemqYtdHbwevzabQZ2cryFsAuuQxDglExAd0-9sFzDW488XZd5KJixaQgGRyCo16PvsqyKHD7NaiF4maFK7zNaoD_NDQQr5G5cAC9VC2w7REeGU/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr> <tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i><b>Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole</b></i></td></tr> </tbody></table> The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party and its All Progressives Congress counterpart in Edo State have disagreed over the recent bailout loan received by the state government from the Federal Government to cushion the effects of dwindling oil revenue. <div style="text-align: justify;"> Edo, being part of the beneficiaries of the bailout, had received the sum of N3.1bn to enable it to meet up with its financial obligation to local governments’ workers.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> But the state Chairman of the PDP, Chief Dan Orbih, said that the move by the Federal Government would “encourage corruption” and “monumental mismanagement” of local governments’ allocations in Edo and other states.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Orbih, who spoke on Saturday during the official opening of the party’s new state secretariat located on First East Circular Road in Benin, therefore, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to discontinue any further disbursement to the states.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Also in attendance were serving and former National Assembly members from the party, including Senator Matthew Urhoghide (Edo South), Senator Ehigie Uzamere and Senator Odion Ugbesia, as well as leaders of the PDP in the state.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> However, the chairman, who said that Oredo council allegedly received only N102m, out of its statutory allocation of N1.067bn between January and September, 2015, urged the President to probe the allocation of council funds by the Edo State Government.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He also called for the immediate reinstatement of the suspended council chairmen, which he described as politically- motivated and not based on accountability.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Orbih said, “There is, no doubt, that there is monumental mismanagement of local government allocation in Edo State under Adams Oshiomhole. That is why on this very occasion of the official opening of the PDP headquarters in Benin City, I want to call on President Buhari to stop the present practice of payment of financial bailout.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “Financial bailout by Buhari is a way of encouraging corruption in Nigeria. They (governors) have enough allocation for the local governments; so, the question the President should ask is: what is responsible for this government not being able to meet its financial obligations to the people in various local governments?”</div> <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- Aba Dailies 8 --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-slot="9503932789" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script>

Edo PDP, APC clash over FG bailout

Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party and its All Progressives Congress counterpart...

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Outcry as erosion sacks Abia community

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- Aba Dailies 8 --> <br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-slot="9503932789" style="display: block;"></ins><script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqyEjGvaMncoogBEz97hYJJ2uxgBhcAvoRmHjWggLJ_JyIxXIDuGu5zSd8wOAQZDXyq0DUVZAfbVUETOKVbGByBAqJNMvFrR1Xw3oI0GZfZuUyLwmkW9WSuHyjH1j92Rka-ZgeKr3qFPXr/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqyEjGvaMncoogBEz97hYJJ2uxgBhcAvoRmHjWggLJ_JyIxXIDuGu5zSd8wOAQZDXyq0DUVZAfbVUETOKVbGByBAqJNMvFrR1Xw3oI0GZfZuUyLwmkW9WSuHyjH1j92Rka-ZgeKr3qFPXr/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> THE people of Ndi Uduma Awoke autonomous community in Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State, have asked the federal and Abia State governments to tackle the erosion menace threatening their community.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The erosion, it was gathered, had swept away at least 10 houses in the community, making residents of the community to live in fear.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The President General of the community development union, Mr. Eme Uche, who conducted journalists round the erosion site, said residents had been subjected to hardship caused by the erosion.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He regretted that efforts by the people to draw the attention of governments to their plight had not got the expected response.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “We have reported this menace in writing to the ecological fund office at the Presidency in Abuja and to the Abia State Government for years. Yet there has not been any action,” he lamented.</div> <center class="ebz_native_center" style="display: block; height: 0px; margin: auto; overflow: hidden; width: auto;"> <div style="color: #888888; font-size: 10px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-top: 10px; text-align: center;"> ADVERTISEMENT</div> </center> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Uche said unless quick action was taken to save the situation, the entire community stood the risk of being swept away, especially with the increase in rainfall.</div> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- Aba Dailies 8 --> <br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-slot="9503932789" style="display: block;"></ins><script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He said that the menace had damaged a primary school and farm farmlands.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “Already, the school has been cut off and children find it difficult to go to school. Some areas in the community have been cut off from the rest of the people such that they go to farm with great difficulty.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “For now 10 families in the community have been sacked by the erosion and if nothing is done urgently, the entire community would be swept away. We pay taxes to government and should be treated like patriotic citizens; the neglect is beyond imagination.”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He appealed to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to extend his infrastructural transformation to the community and save them from extinction.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> It was also discovered that the erosion menace in the community posed a serious threat to the Arochukwu-Ohafia federal highway which passed through the community.</div> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- Aba Dailies 8 --> <br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-slot="9503932789" style="display: block;"></ins><script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></div>

Outcry as erosion sacks Abia community

THE people of Ndi Uduma Awoke autonomous community in Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State, have asked the federal and Abia ...

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C’River to transfer 10 kidnap suspects to Abia

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU9dJ0ayehhU1MOkgb4gpYBXAuCRCObsH03BWkAo3lW4dVtedGNWPmPfLFRm0fk5143fr6IfHZD724q6ozqubqq8ZQHWG-z6b7brZUWNZkvRACkybisp16q_XvxEwPjwVwHKgQ1zCdvkwb/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU9dJ0ayehhU1MOkgb4gpYBXAuCRCObsH03BWkAo3lW4dVtedGNWPmPfLFRm0fk5143fr6IfHZD724q6ozqubqq8ZQHWG-z6b7brZUWNZkvRACkybisp16q_XvxEwPjwVwHKgQ1zCdvkwb/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr> <tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i><b>Cross River State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Henry Fadairo</b></i></td></tr> </tbody></table> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Following an order from the Magistrate court in Calabar, the Cross River State Command of the Nigeria Police on Monday said arrangements were being fine-tuned to transfer 10 kidnap suspects in its custody to Abia State for prosecution.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> This came just as the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Hogan Bassey, said it was not true that policemen collected money from parents of stolen children to facilitate investigations.</div> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- Naijaribs 1 --> <br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-slot="1470363589" style="display: block;"></ins><script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <br /> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Ten suspects were last Friday arraigned by the Criminal Investigation Department of the state police headquarters before the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Calabar in connection with the series of child kidnap in the state.</div> <center class="ebz_native_center" style="display: block; height: 0px; margin: auto; overflow: hidden; width: auto;"> <div style="color: #888888; font-size: 10px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-top: 10px; text-align: center;"> ADVERTISEMENT</div> </center> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Majority of the suspects were apprehended in Aba, Abia State, where the stolen children were allegedly sold, while the kids were themselves abducted from Calabar and environ in Cross River State.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> In a letter dated September 18, 2015 and signed by the Chief Magistrate, Mr. E.O Ekokem, and made available to Southern City News, the list of those to be prosecuted in Abia State included Samuel Obu, a Cross River State indigene; Emma Obu (Cross River); Victor Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom); Mba Anthony (Cross River); Abraham Anthony (Akwa Ibom) and John Nyong (Akwa Ibom.</div> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- Naijaribs 1 --> <br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-slot="1470363589" style="display: block;"></ins><script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <br /> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Others were Oluchi Ndukwe (a nurse from Abia State); Ijeoma Alozie (another nurse from Abia State); Ugochi Okorie (Abia State) and Benedict Ndubuisi, alias Mama Aba (Abia State).</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The PPRO said arrangements were being made to transfer the suspects to Abia as directed by the court for prosecution.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “We have charged all the suspects in our custody to court since the judicial workers just called of their eight months old strike. This 10 kidnap suspects have been ordered to be taken back to Abia State for prosecution. We shall comply,” he stressed.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Speaking on the claims by parents of missing kids, that they paid money to facilitate arrests in Aba, Bassey said it was not true, stressing that the state CID had continuously made logistic provisions for officers investigating cases of child kidnap within and outside Cross River.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He said, “The CID has consistently facilitated logistics for officers going on external operations. These men have gone to Aba, Port Harcourt and Lagos at various times to get suspects arrested. They sometimes stay for as long as five days.”</div> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- Aba Dailies 8 --> <br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8376079553520515" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-slot="9503932789" style="display: block;"></ins><script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></div>

C’River to transfer 10 kidnap suspects to Abia

Cross River State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Henry Fadairo Following an order from the Magistrate court in Calabar, the Cross River ...

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