I Never Vowed to Oppress Non-APGA Legislators in Anambra —Soludo

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I Never Vowed to Oppress Non-APGA Legislators in Anambra —Soludo

By Izunna Okafor, Awka

Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo has denied vowing to oppress and suppress members of the State House of Assembly who do not belong to the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA)

Governor Soludo disclosed this while reacting to a video currently trending on the social media, which features him as vowing to oppress state legislators who will emerge from other political parties other than APGA, and ensure that they only go home with their salaries and nothing more. The video also quoted the Governor as saying he won’t give non-APGA legislators listening ears or grant any request or appeal tabled by them.

The Governor, who reacted through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Christian Aburime, dismissed the video as heavily-doctored, and which, he said, the opposition cooked up to incite ndị Anambra against the Governor Soludo and APGA and to score some cheap political points, especially in the heat of the forthcoming House of Assembly election in the state, which is just few days away.

While advising members of the public to disregard the video, the Press Secretary said Governor Soludo is a Democrat and does not discriminate.

“Soludo is a Democrat, and is very ready to work with every House member, irrespective of the political parties they belong to, provided they are duly elected by ndị Anambra,” he said.

Similarly, the Governor’s Spokesman dismissed another trending video, where a former Commissioner in the state made some anti-APGA comments.

According to Aburime, the video is an old video, which some mischief makers recently exhumed and started circulating on the social media, to ruin the Party’s integrity. He said the video was shot when the Commissioner in question felt he was treated unfairly and left APGA; but also explained that the Commissioner has since returned to APGA, while mischief makers have just recently begun to trend the video.

It was also gathered that the Commissioner himself, Dr. Christian Madubuko has issued a similar reaction on the video, in which he described it as old; while also calling on ndị Anambra to massively support APGA in the March 18 gubernatorial and House of Assembly election

He said: “Ndi Anambra, the trending video of myself, Dr. Christian Madubuko is an old video. It was borne out of maltreatment meted to me. However, the present Government has done justice to the matter. I am now fully back to the APGA family.

“I urge our people to disregard whatever that may have led to making the video and join hands in rebuilding our state. We have no other State to call our own except Anambra. I equally urge our people to support the Government and vote massively for all APGA House of Assembly candidates in the coming national election slated for 18 March 2023.

“I am optimistic that the Government will do better and improve more on infrastructural development across the State if APGA wins majority seats in the House of Assembly Elections. I solicit that we forget the past, let us together make history in the coming election.”

Abuja monarch slumps, dies in palace

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Abuja monarch slumps, dies in palace

BY SULE TAHIR

The traditional ruler of Yaba, Abaji area council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu, is dead.

According to reports, the FCT monarch died on Thursday evening, March 9, 2023, while on his way to observe Magrib (the Islamic sunset prayer), within his palace.

A member of the deceased family, Shuaibu Abdullahi said the monarch, 62, suddenly slumped and his aides rushed him to Abaji General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

“Immediately he slumped, and they moved him inside the car to the hospital. But unfortunately, on arrival at the hospital, doctors confirmed him dead,” he said.

It was gathered that the corpse of the monarch had been taken from the hospital to Yaba, where he was buried around 9 am on Friday, in accordance with Islamic rites.

 

10 political parties collapse structure for PDP in C’River

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10 political parties collapse structure for PDP in C’River

No fewer than 10 political parties have collapsed their structure in support of the governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River, Sen. Sandy Onor.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the statement to that effect was issued after the meeting of the political parties, under the aegis of Coalition of Opposition Political Parties (COPPs), in Calabar on Friday.

Chairman of COPPs, Mr Ntami Esege, who issued the statement, said that the decision to team up with the PDP governorship candidate was to support him to take the state to an enviable height.

He stated that the decision to support Onor was arrived at after a careful assessment of all the candidates, with focus on competence, capacity and character.

Esege said that Onor’s antecedent had placed him above every other candidate for the job of leading the state for the next four years.

“Conscious of what the state has gone through in the last eight years, we unanimously resolved to support a man with the right credentials to take the state to an enviable height,” he stated.

NAN reports that some of the political parties that agreed to team up with the PDP governorship candidate included: ADC, ZLP, AA, APGA, ADP and Accord.

NAN also recalls that Onor had secured the endorsement of notable religious and socio-political groups within the last few days.

Notable amongst them were Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) and a Catholic Church group.

Attacks On Igbos In Lagos: Fani-Kayode, Others Must Be Arrested – Ohanaeze

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Attacks On Igbos In Lagos: Fani-Kayode, Others Must Be Arrested – Ohanaeze

By Abdulateef Bamgbose

Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide has described the continuous attacks on the Igbos residing in Lagos State as unacceptable.

The Igbo group was reacting to the arson on Akere market, dominated by Igbo traders. A security guard was killed during the incident carried out by suspected political thugs, with over 200 shops burnt.

Ohanaeze youths, in a statement on Friday by its National President, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike said some personalities, including Femi Fani-Kayode should be arrested for making inciting statements earlier before the attack.

The APC chieftain had accused the Labour Party governorship candidate in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of playing Igbo cards.

Reacting to the developments, Ohanaeze youths said the burning of the spare parts market was a case of “a witch crying in the night and a baby dying in the morning.”

The apex Igbo group said: “Fani-Kayode and his ilks prepared the ground for the mayhem being unleashed on the Igbo people in Lagos. Apart from the market fire, many Igbo people have been attacked in different parts of Lagos.

“There are also reports of some Igbo traders being chased away from their shops. This is totally uncalled for, unacceptable and should end forthwith.

“Ndigbo have suffered enough injustice in this country and it should not be allowed to continue. It is incomprehensible that Fani-Kayode should brand the LP candidate as an IPOB apologist. What it means is that Fani-Kayode’s children from his estranged wife Chinwendu are all IPOB members.

“We know Fani-Kayode as a man without character; he says one thing in the morning and another in the afternoon, changes again in the night once food is dangled before him.

“However, he should let Ndigbo be and not drag us into his inconsistent personality. His claims of supporters of Tinubu being killed in the South-East during the presidential election is just one of those his moonlight tales and should be discountenanced.

“Both local and international observers were in the South-East during the polls and attested to the fact that the people of the South-East disappointed bookmakers, including Fani-Kayode who prepared the zone for a bloodbath. He is angry that Ndigbo came out to vote.

“Having said this, we urge the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government and Governor Sanwo-Olu to ensure the protection of Igbo people in Lagos.

“Nobody is above the law; this is why Fani-Kayode and his paymasters should be held responsible for all the atrocities against Ndigbo in Lagos. He must surely be held liable.

“Nobody, I repeat nobody can intimidate Ndigbo in this country; any other further attack on Igbos in Lagos will be resisted, no matter those behind the peperators

“Ndigbo should go out on March 18 and cast their votes for the candidate of their choice.

“May we remind Fani-Kayode and his ethnic jingoists that a Fulani man from Sifawa in Sokoto Caliphate – Mallam Umaru Altine, in 1952, became elected as the first Mayor of the City of Enugu, the heart land and heartbeat of the Igbo Nation. He was in office till 1958.

“This goes on to show that the Igbo are never the problem of this country but are rather more accommodating than anyone else. We should not be pushed any further,” Okwu warned.

“I Did Not Support Obi Because Nobody Discussed Igbo Presidency With Me” – Wike

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“I Did Not Support Obi Because Nobody Discussed Igbo Presidency With Me” – Wike

Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers says he did not support the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi overtly at the Feb. 25 election because nobody discussed Igbo presidency with him..

 

Publicity Secretary of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Dr Alex Ogbonnia stated on Friday in Enugu that Wike made the declaration at a meeting the socio-political group had with him in Port Harcourt on Thursday

 

Ogbonnia stated that at the meeting, Ohaneze Ndigbo confronted Wike over his alleged role against Obi during the presidential election.

 

He stated that Gov. Wike expressed surprise that Ohanaeze was on a fact-finding mission and would explain his role at the presidential election.

 

According to Ogbonnia, the Rivers governor explained that the Southern Governors Forum first met at Asaba and agreed that power must shift to the South after President Muhammadu Buhari.

 

He explained also that the governors later met in Enugu in September 2021 to reaffirm their position for power to shift to the South.

 

He stated that throughout the meetings, “the issue of presidency to the Southeast was never on the table.’’

 

Wike also explained that throughout his political adventure, he tried as much as possible to maintain the position of the Southern governors.

 

Wike expressed disgust that during the PDP presidential primary election, several well-known people of the Southeast betrayed him and sabotaged the Southern interest by voting for a candidate from the northern parts.

 

He added that his unalloyed commitment to the South motivated him “to provide logistics for Obi when he was in Rivers for the presidential campaign’’.

 

Wike noted that conversely, he refused to provide even a campaign ground for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of his own Peoples Democratic Party.

 

The governor further stated that “what is circulating in the social media is the handiwork of Wike adversaries.’’

 

“For instance, the `Full Audio of Governor Wike Caught on Tape Arranging Bribe for INEC Officials’ and published by an online medium, has been on YouTube since Dec. 16, 2016,’’ Wike told Ohaneze.

 

He explained that “some mischief makers were using some doctored and false audio and visual materials on the internet to dent Wike’s image.’’

 

The governor in admitting that all the decisions he took with respect to the 2023 presidential elections were based on his personal convictions, queried if Ohanaeze Ndigbo ever requested him to support Obi.

 

“I am a man with the courage of my convictions and have no reasons to tell lies or to owe apology to anyone.

 

“I am always ready to defend my actions any day and at any time and I did not rig the presidential election against Obi,’’ Ogbonnia quoted Wike as having said.

 

The Ohaneze publicity secretary stated also that its delegation led by Dr Kingsley Chidozie, the Vice President-General (Abia) nominated Barr Peter Aneke to speak on its behalf at the meeting.

 

Aneke thanked Gov. Wike for the cordial relationship the Igbo community enjoyed in Rivers.

 

He highlighted the cordial relationship between the people of the Southeast of Nigeria and those of Rivers and wondered how an Ikwerre man would, in good conscience, work against the Igbo presidency.

 

He told Wike that the Igbo all over the world were aggrieved with him, especially as the alleged rigging was circulating on the Internet.

 

Aneke also told Gov. Wike that the Ohanaeze considered it a duty to confront him over the alleged widespread electoral malpractice in Rivers against Obi.

 

He expressed deep sadness that Obi could win in metropolitan Lagos, Abuja, and several other places in the northern parts of Nigeria, only to record low votes in Rivers.

 

Aneke added that the delegation was on a fact-finding mission and that both the Igbo elders and youths were eager to know why Wike went the extra mile to pull Obi down in Rivers.

 

He enjoined Wike to imagine what would have been the outcome of the election if the Rivers governor had supported Obi at the election.

FCT residents decry steady rise in food prices amidst fuel, naira crises

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FCT residents decry steady rise in food prices amidst fuel, naira crises

Prices of food items have continued to rise in Bwari, FCT, amidst the fuel and naira scarcity, leaving residents groaning under intense hardships.

A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who spoke with the residents on Friday, gathered that prices of foodstuff have continued to rise unabated as against the drop in prices in states and rural areas.

Mrs Talatu Danjuma, a tomato seller at the Bwari market, said that the price of the commodity had gone higher within a short period.

“A basket now sells for N16,000 as against N5000 and N6000.

Danjuma attributed the hike to the high cost of transporting goods from the farms, as a result of the fuel scarcity.

Mrs Blessing Yohanna, a yam seller, on the other hand, expressed worry that the naira scarcity was affecting her business as most of the transactions were now cashless, and traders in the rural areas would not accept electronic transfers.

“About N30,000 of my money is still hanging due to network issues surrounding transfers.

“Five tubers of yams which we used to sell for N2,500, now goes for N3000 because we have to include POS (Point of Sale) charges,”  Yohanna said.

Another resident, Mr Philip Abang, condemned the exorbitant charges by the POS operators, describing it as “outrageous”.

“Queues are on the increase daily in banks and filling stations, situations that are seriously affecting businesses.

“I thought the Supreme Court’s pronouncement on the return of the old notes of N500 and N1,000 was going to alleviate our plight this country.

“It is unfortunate that people are still rejecting the old notes and the new money is not in circulation up till now,” Abang said.

He therefore, appealed to the Federal Government, to take urgent steps aimed at tackling the challenges, with a view to saving the masses.

“I have to be at the bank by 4: 00 a.m., to pick a number, in order to get cash, it is that bad,” Abang said.

A survey by NAN also revealed that the prices of foodstuff generally have gone a little higher or remain static, as a bottle of palm oil which sold for N100, now sells for N1200.

A bag of rice however, still sells for between N37,000, and N45,000 depending on the brand, or if it is local or foreign.

A cup of egusi (melon), now sells for N400 instead of N300, and a crate of eggs is now N2500 as against N2200, and a kilo of beef now goes for as much as N3500.

Former IGP urges Journalists to document electoral fraud

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Former IGP urges Journalists to document electoral fraud

BY SULE TAHIR.

Former Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mike Mbama Okiro, has urged journalists covering the 2023 general elections, to ensure they document electoral frauds taking place at the polling units for easy verification by concerned authorities.

Okiro, who spoke with a crop of journalists in Ikeja, Lagos State, also charged the current IGP, Alkali Usman Baba, and the service chiefs to take responsibility for any violent act that erupts in polling units across the country during the next Gubernatorial and States House of Assembly elections slated March 18.

The former Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), said it has become expedient to speak on the last elections, which were marred by irregularities as posterity will judge him as former security chief if he fails to speak.Okiro seized the opportunity to call on Baba to deal decisively with any policeman who stands aloof watching thugs perpetrating evil in polling units.

According to him, policemen are not posted to the polling units to watch hoodlums perpetrating crimes, but to take action against criminals.

Okiro advised journalists covering the elections, if reporting on the snatching of ballot boxes, destruction of ballot papers, or policemen compromising, should indicate the date and location in their reports, for easy verification.

His words: “Having closely monitored with keen interest the goings on before, and during the 2023 general elections which kicked off with the Presidential and National Assembly polls on February 25, 2023, it has become expedient for me to publicly air my views concerning the polls.

“This is in recognition of the fact that Nigerians, and indeed, the international community are equally watching with profound interest how open, free, and fair or the contrary the conduct of the election is turning out.

“Many critics, including international observers that monitored the February 25, 2023, Presidential and National Assembly elections, described the process as flawed and a travesty of democracy. Some of the areas fingered pointedly were that the elections were compromised and rigged and that the poll results were doctored or falsified.”

The former police chief stated that while the election was peaceful in some areas, it was marred by widespread violence, intimidation and forcefully preventing voters one way or the other from casting their ballots for the candidates of their choice.

“What strikes me the most in all of this, and which I considered objectionable is the election violence and voter intimidation, especially the use of gunmen and thugs to harass, and scare away voters and election officials, as well as the snatching of ballot boxes,” said Okiro.

He continued: “Sadly, some policemen were accused of watching helplessly while the violence was orchestrated. In some domains, certain persons were strongly accused of dishing out threats to voters to vote for certain candidates against their conscience or face dire consequences, like being driven away from the parts of the country they chose to live and do their business.

 

In some other areas, the properties of Nigerians are being wilfully destroyed ostensibly to cow them to vote for candidates that are not their choice. Should such conducts still be trailing Nigeria in the 21st Century? The answer is no!

“Indeed, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights unanimously adopted by the United Nations Organisation in 1948, and which Nigeria is a signatory to, recognizes the crucial role free, open and fair elections play in giving effect to the fundamental right of citizens of any nation to participate in government.

For, article 21 of the Declaration states that the will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government and that this ‘will’ shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret ballot or equivalent free voting procedures.

“And whereas Chapter IV of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution (as amended), which spells out the fundamental human rights of citizens consciously or unconsciously left out voting rights, those rights are, nonetheless, implicit in Section 77 of the same Constitution and all the nation’s electoral laws till date. The Constitution guarantees the freedom of movement, as well as the freedom of any Nigerian to reside in any part of the country without molestation.

It stipulates the freedom to vote and be voted for in any part of the country. Nigeria belongs to all Nigerians and any Nigerian has the right to contest elections in any part of the country once such a citizen is qualified to stand for the election. Citizens should not be forced or cowed to vote for or pander to the dictates of any candidate other than the candidate of their choice.

“Therefore, as the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections hold on Saturday, March 18, 2023, I implore the social media to be very vigilant and aggressive in capturing video clips of any form of election violence involving armed gangs and thugs hired by their principals to disrupt the polls. Persons, no matter how highly or lowly placed, threatening or forcing Nigerians to vote for candidates that are not their choice are not exempted, including policemen who helplessly watch such irregularities and violence being perpetrated.

“Such social media reports should be explicit with the state, local government, ward, polling unit, or specific domain where such incidents are witnessed. The report should also be personally signed or bear the name tag of the reporter so that it will not be dismissed as fake news by investigators that may be detailed to probe further into the matter.”

Tinubu’s victory won’t be cancelled like June 12

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Tinubu’s victory won’t be cancelled like June 12

BY SULE TAHIR

President Muhammadu Buhari’s government has restated that the victory of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the recently concluded presidential election stands and cannot be annulled.The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, disclosed this in a piece chronicling key takeaways from the President’s recently-concluded trip to Doha, Qatar, for the 5th United Nations summit on Least Developed Countries.

According to the statement, regardless of alleged irregularities and harsh criticism of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, the results of the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections stand until otherwise proven in court.

It ruled out any possibility of annulling the presidential elections as was done on June 12, 1993; advising aggrieved candidates of the opposition parties to pursue redress in court instead.

Shehu said President Muhammadu Buhari remained reticent about INEC’s criticism by “wishful thinkers” because he had long decided not to take any decision that would undermine the electoral process.

Kano prominent business mogul SDY dies at 68

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Kano prominent business mogul SDY dies at 68

BY SULE TAHIR.

A KANO based business mogul, and contractor, Alhaji Sani Dahiru Yakasai popularly known as SDY is dead.

The reports of his death was made known to Newsmen through a family source.

It added that, the deceased died in his office on Thursday after a prolonged illness.

According to the source, SDY died at the age of 68 and his funeral (jana’iza) will take place at the Emir’s Palace, Kofar Kudu by 8am today’s morning Friday, and he will be buried at the Tarauni cemetary.

The deceased was survived by wives, children and grandchildren.

Buhari Reacts To Horrific Lagos Train/Bus Accident

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Buhari Reacts To Horrific Lagos Train/Bus Accident

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed sympathy over the accident involving a train and Lagos State BRT staff bus Thursday in Shogunle area of Ikeja.

In a reaction to the incident, President Buhari said:

“The accident at the level crossing involving the train and the BRT staff bus is distressing and extremely sad. I pray for the souls of the deceased and quick recovery of the many who were injured.”

The President commended the Lagos State authorities and Federal Government agencies for promptly getting involved in relief work.

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