Keyamo Playing A Script, Romancing Unrest, Bloodshed

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Keyamo Playing A Script, Romancing Unrest, Bloodshed

The Minister of State, Labour and Employment and spokesperson of All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo (SAN) may have initiated an ugly and potentially evil dance against a drumbeat that may lead to the eventual truncation of democracy in Nigeria.

This development comes against what many in Nigeria believe to be unwarranted exercise of Ministerial power in his petitioning of the State Security Services (SSS) demanding the arrest and prosecution of the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi and his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, for alleged incitation of Nigerians over the outcome of the recently held presidential election.

The petition dated March 23, 2023 and addressed to the Director General [DG] of the SSS claimed that the duo of Peter Obi and Datti Baba-Ahmed were heating up the polity against the spirit of an earlier statement issued by Bola Tinubu pleading for reconciliation for the sake of peace and national cohesion.

Festus Keyamo urged the DG of SSS to arrest Peter Obi and Datti Ahmed.

As expected, Keyamo’s letter sparked suspicions within political circles – with some believing he may be up to mischief while some believing he is playing a prewritten script. “Keyamo does not want a smooth handover from Buhari to Tinubu” said one the sources who noted that Keyamo’s call for the arrest of the Labour party presidential candidates will ignite polity into bloody unrest. “Keyamo may be working for another interest that is different from that of Tinubu. The last thing Tinubu needs at the moment is bloody unrest”.

The source who expressed shock when the petition was submitted to the SSS stated “it will ignite instead of douse tension”. Keyamo remains an aide to President Muhammadu Buhari and according to the source, may share the same sentiment as his principal. The source did not elaborate on what he meant by “may share the same sentiment as his principal”.

Meanwhile, following the issuance of the Certificate of Return to Bola Tinubu by the electoral umpire, the duo of Peter Obi and Datti Ahmed called for calm, stating that the matter will be settled at the election tribunal.

However, the cry against the mismanagement of the elections of February 25 and March 18, 2023 continues to grow and spread across the regions of Nigeria, across different continents. Spontaneous protests in Nasarawa, Abuja, Kaduna, Kano, Lagos, Delta and other sections of Nigeria continues to gain steam while protests in the USA and UK are building and holding.

Interestingly, the SSS, shortly after receiving the Keyamo’s petition, reacted quickly.

The SSS was quick to issue statement demanding for caution on the part of political leaders, warning for the tone in utterances to be checkmated not to heat the polity further.  A few days later, the SSS released another strongly worded statement.  The statement alluded to the eminent threat of an interim government being hatched by politicians to halt the smooth transfer of power from Buhari to Tinubu.

As expected, the petitions generated numerous reactions.

One of the notable leaders who openly criticized the statement was the leader of Afenefere, Pa Ayo Adebanjo. He said, “I am ashamed of the DSS. I suspect they have an agenda to raise political tension and arrest opposition leaders. Has the DSS arrested the people behind Boko Haram or electoral violence? The DSS is clearly inefficient & needs further training.”

Pa Ayo Adebanjo

247ureports.com reached out to the Minister of State, Hon. Festus Keyamo on his request to the SSS to arrest Peter Obi and Datti Ahmed – inquiring of him whether the arrest would not result in a sure path to bloody unrest. He did not respond. The same question was posed to the SSS through the spokesperson of the SSS, Peter Afunaya. He did not respond.

Rep Abdulraheem joins race for Speaker

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Rep Abdulraheem joins race for Speaker
Rep. Abdulraheem Olawuyi (APC-Kwara) has joined the race for the Speaker of the House of Representatives for the 10th National Assembly.
Olawuyi, who is representing Ekiti, Isin, Irepodun and Oke-ero Federal Constituency of Kwara, confirmed that he would officially declare his intention on April 4, in Abuja.
Olawuyi, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness, said this in a statement he personally issued to newsmen in Abuja on Saturday.
The lawmaker said he has consulted widely on his intention to contest the position and expressed delight at the feedback.
Olawuyi, a third termer and ranking member in the House of Reps, said he believed he possed the needed experience to make the office of the speaker better, if elected by his colleagues.
He said other lawmakers, serving and newly elected members of the House of Reps would be in attendance at his official declaration.
“I assure you that, if elected, I will strive to promote policies that will benefit all Nigerians from various backgrounds and will work with all parties to unite the country.
“I am genuinely looking forward to meet fellow lawmakers, share my vision with them, and listen to their ideas on how to improve the lots of the people, if elected as the speaker,” Olawuyi stated.

Kano Governor-elect cautions lenders to state govt.

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Kano Governor-elect cautions lenders to state govt.

The Kano State Governor-elect, Malam Abba Yusuf, has issued a Public Advisory to all subsisting and prospective lenders to the current Kano State Government.

The advisory is contained in a statement issued on Friday in Kano by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor-elec, Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa.

It warned that from March 18 to May 29, no lender, domestic or international, should grant any loan facility to the incumbent Kano State Government without the expressed consent of the incoming administration.

“Any such loan facility approved and issued to the Kano State Government between the date of election and the date of swearing-in without the explicit knowledge and consent of the incoming administration will not be honoured by the new administration.

“All subsisting lenders to the Kano State Government shall take notice that all terms and conditions for all existing loan facilities shall be renegotiated by the new administration guided by the utilisation audit/review of each loan facility,“ the statement said.

Jigawa govt to recruit the services of 60 Doctors

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Jigawa govt to recruit the services of 60 Doctors

BY SULE TAHIR.
Governor Muhammad Badaru Abubakar of jigawa state has directed for the immediate employment of 32 medical students who recently passed their Medical and Dental Examinations.

The Governor gave the directive while the students visited his office to extend their appreciation for the support and opportunity he give them based on merits.

The 32 students were among the 60 students sponsored by the state government to study medicine in China six years ago and now came back to Jigawa state after graduation.

While shading more light on the recruitment, the Permanent Secretary, Jigawa State Ministry of Health, Dr. Salisu Muazu Sa’id, the 32 students are now doing their housemanship training at Rashid Shekoni teaching hospital and Federal medical center Birninkudu of the state.

He noted that the remaining 28 graduates will also join the training after passing their Medical and Dental Council Examination.

He added that the doctors are already on the state government allowance according to the bond they signed with the state government.

On his side, the State Commissioner for Information Youth Sport and Culture, Hon Bala Ibrahim stated that besides the sixty students who graduated this year, the state government had also sponsored 160 students to study various medical courses in Sudan last year, out of which 100 were females.

According to him, the policy was aimed at producing manpower that will manage the newly constructed and upgrade primary and tertiary health facilities in the state for making basic healthcare services accessible and affordable for all.

In their response, through Dr. Abdul Rahman Wada Jahun the students have promised to reciprocate the gesture by serving the state to the best of their ability.

Jigawa Governor elect, Mal. Umar Namadi

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Jigawa Governor elect, Mal. Umar Namadi

BY SULE TAHIR

INEC National Commissioner in Charge of Kano, Katsina and Jigawa, Prof. Abdullahi Zuru Adam has presented a certificate of return to jigawa state governor-elect and his deputy, Engineer Aminu Usman Gumel while INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Prof. Muhammad Lawal presented the certificate to twenty-seven state Assembly members.

He, however, thanked all stakeholders for their cooperation in the successful conduct of the elections in the state.

While speaking after receiving the certificate the governor-elect, Malam Umar Namadi promised to do his best to keep all the promises he made during his campaign.

“We thank you for finding us worthy to steer the affairs of the state in the next four years to come, I assure you that we will do our best to ensure that we fulfil all of our campaign promises”

“I want to tell you that we’ve accepted the mandate you gave to us, however, I want to urge you to be watchful over us by encouraging us where we do right and drawing our attention where we go astray,” Namadi said.

Malam Umar Namadi, was declared winner of the 18th March, gubernatorial elections in Jigawa, havingd defeated three other contenders of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, Mustapha Sule Lamido,and the New Nigeria Peoples Party NNPP candidate’s, Mal. Aminu Ringim.

The mammoth gathering was presented at the INEC headquarters in Dutse, the state capital and as graced by prominent personalities including APC Chieftains, business community, the civil servants among other politicians,witnessed mass gatherings from the party’s stakeholders, among Other’s.

Elections: APC-USA knocks planned protest at White House

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Elections: APC-USA knocks planned protest at White House

BY SULE TAHIR

The United States chapter of the All Progressives Congress on Thursday condemned the proposed political demonstration that would be held by some Nigerians in front of the White House on Monday.
The condemnation is coming a day after authorities in the United States granted permission to supporters of Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to use its park on April 3 to protest the outcome of the 2023 presidential election in Nigeria.
The permit, allows only a hundred protesters to converge at the iconic Lafayette Park in Washington D.C. for just four hours.
There was a clear warning on the permit that the participants must “comply with all of the conditions of this permit and with all reasonable directions of the United States Park Police.”
The demonstration would be led by a group in diaspora under the aegis of Nigerian American Coalition for Justice and Democracy Inc., under the leadership of Franklin Ekechukwu.
Ekechukwu had disclosed in a memo that the demonstration was their own way of protesting INEC refusal to “follow their guidelines and rule of law in accordance to democratic principles.”
It further read, “We in the diaspora are demonstrating to call the attention of the US government and Biden administration to not recognise the projected winner.”
The All Progressives Congress candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, was declared as the winner of the contentious February 25 presidential election.
Tinubu polled 8,794,726 votes to defeat the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and the LP candidate, Obi, who got 6,984,520 and 6,101,533 votes respectively.
But Atiku and Obi rejected the results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, with each claiming at separate press conferences that the election was allegedly fraught with violence and massive rigging.
Both politicians have since petitioned the presidential election tribunal to register their displeasure over the outcome of the poll.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Chairman of the United States chapter of the APC, Prof. Tai Balofin, disclosed that many Nigerians in Diaspora were unperturbed by the proposed protest because they knew the presidential poll was free and fair.

Soludo’ flags off operation desilting of blocked drainages in Oniitsha

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Soludo’ flags off operation desilting of blocked drainages in Oniitsha
By Chuks Eke
Perturbed by the blockage of drainages by sands and refuse bins, Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State, yesterday at Ochanja market Roundabout, Onitsha, flagged off the desilting of blocked drainages for easy flow of flood and to help maintain environmental cleanliness.
Speaking at the occasion, Governor Soludo, who was flanked by his Deputy, Onyekachukwu Ibezim, said that the 21 Local Government Areas of the State, would follow suit by flagging off theirs as soon as possible, adding that communities and individual are expected to flag off theirs at their respective homes and villages after the local governments must have finished theirs.
He said that trees should be planted by the side of the roads to save the environment and prevent erosion menace that has caused loss of lives and properties, during rainy seasons.
Also speaking, the chairman of Ochanja Central market which hosted the ceremony, Chief Bonaventure Muo, said that the flag off by the Governor was a welcome development as many containers have fallen on Iweka road as they headed to Onitsha Main market.
 He exonerated the market from flooding the entire environment with refuse adding that the refuse comes from those outside the market where he is not in control of.
“Outside the market we are not in control and the touts only operate in the environment and not within our market. Governor has said it that a taskforce should be set up immediately to arrest the touts who collect illegal revenues,” he affirmed.
Reacting, the President-General of Anambra State Amalgamated Traders’ Association, ASMATA, Chief Humphrey Anuna, expressed satisfaction with the flag off of the desilting of drainages by Governor Soludo’, adding that the Governor has come to better the welfare of the people.
“He has come to better the condition of the people especially on health issues. The refuse is being evacuated as I directed the traders before the Governor now flagged off the desilting of the drainages,” he hinted.
Also on tree planting he said it would help as trees produce oxygen for us coupled with the fact that it helps to checkmate erosion menace.
On illegal erection of shops especially on drainages he said his taskforce, Make-way team, would monitor the illegal structures and make necessary report to Government.
Speaking, the Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Felix Odumegwu, stressed the need for a clean Anambra State recalling that recently there was flooding following the recent rainfall.
“Sometimes there are loss of lives and properties that are  unquantifiable. We have to stop them from occurring. There are some drainages that have not been desilted for years and that is what we are doing, to desilt them for free flow of flood.
“We also ban trading along the roads because most of their wastes later found their ways back to the drainages after they were desilted.
Those who ignore the directive should be taken to court,” he vowed.
He regretted that some people deliberately disobeyed the law saying that nothing would happen pointing out that Ministry of Environment will not take that from them
He stressed the need to restore the lost glory of Onitsha and advised those who used concrete culverts  as bridges across the gutters to their shops to remove them, warning that they should be made to pay for such removal if it is done by the government.
In his own contribution, the Managing Director, MD, Anambra State Waste Management Authority, Chief Mike Ozoemena, stressed that cleanliness of the environment is priority to avoid sickness.
“The first thing you give people is security and cleanliness and without cleanliness people will not be healthy as health is wealth . If you go round you see illegal buildings people are putting up. People give bribe and they build anything.
“If you see all the blocked drainages, you will see people putting up shops on them, what I ask is if there is any epidemic here before you get to Awka, where we are, it would have killed a lot of people, but we don’t want that,” he prayed.
Earlier, the chairman of Onitsha North Local Government Area, Hon. Onochie Ozoma, stated that Governor Soludo’ was doing the needful adding that his priority is to clean Anambra State.
He said that with the flag off of desilting the drainages, “there will no longer be indiscriminate dumping of refuse in Onitsha. Vehicles should have their little dustbins for passengers to put their refuse.,” he said.
“There should not be any more trading on the roads, building on top of culverts and throwing refuse inside the drainages. Maybe because of population people are no longer interested in hygiene,” he stated.

Breaking! Tension in Mortuary, As Man Refuses to Enter Coffin on His Burial Day

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Breaking! Tension in Mortuary, As Man Refuses to Enter Coffin on His Burial Day

 

By Izunna Okafor, Awka

It was dramatic, on Friday morning, as an unidentified man refused to enter mortuary, after all was set for his burial.

According to an eyewitness, you have just been played April Fool.

Happy new month jare!

You too like breaking news.
Why ??

 

 

Imo: How Ihedioha Purchased LP Governorship Form By Proxy ~ Source

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Imo: How Ihedioha Purchased LP Governorship Form By Proxy ~ Source

By Joshua Chibuzo Andrew, Owerri

A very prominent source has revealed how Emeka Ihedioha purchased the labour party expression of interest and nomination form by proxy to participate in the forthcoming Imo guber race.

Honourable Ihedioha who is one time Deputy speaker in the National Assembly and Govenor of Imo State who was sacked by the Supreme Court Of Nigeria on January of 2020.

Recall that Ihedioha had on Monday last week tendered his withdrawal letter in a letter addressed to the national chairman of his party from contesting PDP Governorship primary with the Senator Samuel Anyanwu who is currently the national secretary of the party.

However, there is a serious allegation the former governor, Emeka Ihedioha is currently contesting for Imo Governorship by “proxy” of Barr. Sam Amadi who recently purchased labour party Governorship form few days ago.

In his words: “Ihedioha resorted to purchasing the nomination form by fronting Sam Amadi in order to avoid backlash from the LP Obidient’s supporters following his inflammatory remarks against the Igbos and Peter Obi.

“Ihedioha had described any Igbo person supporting or voting for the Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Mr Peter Obi as saboteur, and vowed to deliver the Presidential Candidate of PDP, Atiku Abubakar.

“Former aide of Dr Goodluck Jonathan and Ex- Chairman of National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Dr Sam Amadi who recently purchased the LP governorship nomination form is said to have swapped his nomination form with Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha.”

247Ureports gathered that there is uneasy calm in the LP party with the recent development as party supporters were threatening to dump the party if Ihedioha is allowed to emerge as candidate.

Information has it that since the news, core Obidients are spoiling for war threatening to shut down Secretariat of the party should Ihedioha’s completed nomination form is received and cleared to participate in the forthcoming Governorship primaries of the party after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) guidelines for purchase of nomination forms and screening of aspirants had ended.

Meanwhile, All efforts to reach the spokesperson for Labour Party in Imo State proved abortive as at the time of filing this report as a result of the dissolution of the state executive committee by the NWC of the party.

“Get Out, You’re Not Allowed Here” INEC Tells Anambra Journalists at CoR Presentation Venue

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“Get Out, You’re Not Allowed Here” INEC Tells Anambra Journalists at CoR Presentation Venue

 

By Izunna Okafor, Awka

The Resident Electoral Commission (REC) in Anambra State, Mrs. Elizabeth Agwu, on Friday ordered journalists out of the venue of presentation of certificate of return to the winners of the House of Assembly elections in the just-concluded 2023 general election in the state.

The journalists, who were at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday morning, were turned black and barred from covering the event, on the order of REC.

The acting Public Relations Officer of INEC, Dr Kingsley Agu, while speaking to the journalists, hinted that the REC would not want to see any journalist around the venue, let alone inside the venue.

According to him, the REC had instructed him not allow journalists into the premises during the presentation.

All calls put to the REC and PRO by the Chairman of Anambra State correspondent chapel, Chief Chuks Ilozue, were rejected.

Reacting to the incident, Chairman of Anambra State Union of journalists, Dr. Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, described the action as highly condemnable.

According to him, INEC is a public institution that must be opened for journalists to cover.

He said, “Let me believe that the REC is not aware about what happened; and if she was aware about the action, it is highly condemnable. I am sorry for INEC because it does not know what it is doing. Journalists are meant to cover public events. And presentation of certificate of return to house members is one of the public events that journalists should be allowed to report for the public to know what happened during the presentation.

“Today has been earmarked for presentation of certificate to those who won election at the just concluded House of Assembly election. Why should journalists be barred, is there anything personal in the presentation that they don’t want the public to know?

“Handing over certificate of return to winners should be an open event that journalists should be allowed to cover. It is condemnable and immature on the part of INEC Anambra state. How could they turn back journalists in an event that is media even when they went with NUJ branded vehicle?

“REC should be able to know what is happening around her office. If she is not aware there is no way the police could turn back journalists who had come to do their legal jobs. The journalists are fourth estate of the realm, who should be respected. Constitutionally, the law allows the journalists to hold the public officers accountable. If the REC barred journalists, it means there is something wrong they want to do at the presentation.”

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