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Imo: “I suffered Moral Burden Attacking  Uzodinma’s Government” –  Opurozor, Former PDP Spokesman

By
The Source
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Hope Uzodimma and Collins Opurozor

By Charles Igbo

“While in office as Imo PDP Spokesman, I was confronted with the moral burden of defending a system that I knew was unjust, decayed, and dysfunctional, and, by far,  worse than the system which I ought to oppose”

The immediate past Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State, Collins Opurozor, has revealed the moral burden he carried defending his former Party and attacking the Government of Governor Hope Uzodinma. The moral burden, he said, stemmed from the fact that he knew very well that the Government which he was attacking, was better than the system he was defending and speaking for.

Opurozor: …”while in office as Imo PDP Spokesman, I was confronted with the moral burden of defending a system that I knew was unjust, decayed and dysfunctional, and, by far, worse than the system which I ought to oppose. Pretence is not an index of integrity, but sincerity is.”

Opurozor and six members of the State Working Committee of the Imo PDP, including the Deputy Chairman, Secretary, Women Leader, Youth Leader, Treasurer, resigned from their positions in the Party on Sunday, June 18, 2023, and dumped it. They said they left the Party, among other reasons, because of the good work the Governor is doing in tye State.

On Monday, June 19, they announced their defection to the All Progressives Congress, APC, with a courtesy call on Governor Uzodinma in his office.

He disclosed the battle he fought with his conscience in a statement he issued in Owerri on Sunday, June 25, 2023, in response to the alleged pressure being put on him to return to the PDP, and the barrage of attacks coming his way and those of his six colleagues from the PDP since they dumped it.

To the alleged pressure on him to return to the PDP, his response was that his departure is “irreversible”. He dismissed such talks of ever returning to the Party as “idle talks.”

He said: “I totally dissociate myself from such idle talks. If there were actually persons championing such an impossible task, the task remains impossible, and their motive remains known to them alone.

“To be clear, my decision to exit the PDP is unyielding and irreversible.”

He, also, revealed that “over ninety percent of PDP members in the State are getting set to sabotage their party at the polls in November. There is no leadership, and Senator Samuel Anyanwu has no capacity to provide one.”

Opurozor mocked Anyanwu, the PDP Governorship Candidate, for still believing he could sustain his Campaign after the departure of seven members of the SWC.

His words: “It is curious that precisely seven days after seven key members of the State Working Committee of Imo PDP resigned, Senator Anyanwu still believes that he can sustain his campaign through raw propaganda.”

Part of his statement  reads:

“There is no cohesion. There is no more political party in the real sense. And the situation cannot be remedied, because everyone knows that Senator Anyanwu is the greatest kingpin of party sabotage and brazen anti-party activities.

“I totally dissociate myself from such idle talks. If there were actually persons championing such an impossible task, the task remains impossible and their motive remains known to themselves alone.

“To be clear, my decision to exit the PDP is unyielding and irreversible. It was reached after a dispassionate analysis of the situation in Imo PDP and the state at large. And far from being driven by immediate personal gains, the ultimate goal is to contribute to building the Imo of my dreams through direct participation in the process of governance.

“Moreover, while in office as Imo PDP Spokesman, I was confronted with the moral burden of defending a system that I knew was unjust, decayed, and dysfunctional, and by far worse than the system which I ought to oppose. Pretence is not an index of integrity, but sincerity is. I had to walk away. And I am glad I did.

“Today, over ninety percent of PDP members in Imo State are getting set to sabotage their party at the polls in November. There is no leadership, and Senator Samuel Anyanwu has no capacity to provide one.

“Preliminary report of the party’s reconciliation committee has shown that the internal contradictions within the party are irreconcilable and that the law of sowing and reaping is still effective in the affairs of men.

“It is curious that precisely seven days after seven key members of the State Working Committee of Imo PDP resigned, Senator Anyanwu still believes that he can sustain his campaign through raw propaganda.

”What is even absurd is that the pretender-in-chief has now derailed completely, and now believes that sponsoring his attack dogs against some of us can help him salvage the situation. Just like a man that is jinxed, Senator Anyanwu got the governorship ticket and lost the party.

”He has abandoned the governorship election to pursue a few individuals. He will soon abandon everything to seek to protect his office as National Secretary. And at last, he will lose the ticket and his office before the election.”

Opuruozor is the third PDP Media Person with acidic pens to dump the Party for the APC after they had heaped unsubstantiated damaging libelous attacks on Uzodinma. The others were Ambrose Nwaogwugwu and Ogubundu M.A. The three, literally, went back to their vomit and embraced the Governor.

The Imo State Governorship election is slated for 11th November, 2023.

Ogene Felicitates Gbajabiamila At 61

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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– Urges him to ensure even developments across ethnic and geo-political divides.

Member representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Afam Victor Ogene, has felicitated the Chief-of-Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, as he turns 61, on Sunday.

In a statement in Abuja, Ogene, who is the Labour Party caucus leader in the House, also congratulated the former Speaker on his recent appointment as the Chief-of-Staff, describing him as an important representative of the legislature in the executive arm of the government, whose wealth of experience would potentially add value to democratic engagements between the two arms, for the overall good of Nigeria.

He said further: “I rejoice with you on this special day, as you become 61 years wiser, in good health and a sound mind, ready to invest more of your energy and intellect, in contribution to the development of Nigeria and advancement of our democracy.

“It is important, my Speaker, to also remind you, that your new age and important office, come with higher expectations and scrutiny from the people, including your immediate past constituency, the legislature.

“On your shoulders lie the critical art and responsibilities of robust engagements and balancing between the executive and the legislature, which would either nurture or stifle people-oriented governance and democratic ideals, which Nigerians yearn for.

“I implore you, therefore, to offer your services, experience and knowledge of democratic principles, in your new position, as a veritable oil that will continually grease the wheels of effective, responsible and responsive governance, that would embrace every sector and diversities of the nation as a unified unit deserving of equitable attention, especially as it concerns even developments across ethnic and geo-political divides.

“I wish you God’s special blessings and direction, today and always.”

Aka Ikenga Tasks DIG Mba On South-east Security, Rues Number Of Police Checkpoints In Zone, Congratulates Him

By
The Source
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Frank Mbah

Prominent Igbo Global Think Tank, Aka Ikenga has congratulated to the recently promoted Frank Mba on his promotion to the rank of Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG. In that position, Mba will be incharge of the South-east.

In a release sigbed by the Director of Communications of the Think Tank, Mr Collins Steve Ugwu, the Executive Committee of Aka Ikenga led by its President, Agbalanze Chike Madueke appreciated the  process that saw “his attaining this height in public service on account of exemplary professionalism and commitment to duty.”

It continued:

“We are happy not just because it happened deservedly, but moreso, for the critical implications of his assigned duty as the supervising officer for South East policing on security, law, and order.

“The grave challenges of insecurities to lives and businesses in your area of primary supervision, the South East, is one that will surely put you to test, to put them at rest, we clearly point out.

“As you settle down to the burden of this responsibility, we charge you to draw deeply from your extensive competences that mark your elevation, an urgent call for more work. We are confident that with your service resume and career traction, your knowledge of the environment will stand you firm to bring the invasive criminal mutations in the South East, with vicious disruptions to their social and economic activities to a decisive end. We emphasize that at no time than now, does this region famed for commerce and industry, deserve secured peace to focus on the challenges of development and livelihoods in their homeland.

“We draw your attention too, to the dimensions of multiple checkpoints  curiously peculiar to that region, and hope that a definite reset by extant service discipline, will leverage it for better security, than  unedifying resentments for opportunism.

“We believe the tireless synergy between you and an Inspector General of Police with the zeal of a lion will restore safety in our homestead, and assure you our collaborative supports   to make it happen with other pertinent stakeholders, because South East should come back as the region of reference in security for low criminality.”

Driver Escapes As NDLEA Demobilizes Truck With Drug

By
Ayodele Oni
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By Ayodele Oni

A driver of a truck conveying bags of substance suspected to be drugs jumped out and escaped along with others after the vehicle was intercepted by officials of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA).

The incident happened along Epe – Lekki corridor at Alfa beach, in Lagos state.

A statement on Sunday by the NDLEA said its Operatives intercepted two imported consignments of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis, with a combined weight of 5,344.1 kilograms along the Epe-Lekki corridor and at the Alfa beach, Lekki area of Lagos state.

The statement signed by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi,  revealed that the first interception was based on credible intelligence, adding that NDLEA operatives laid ambush for a white truck conveying 50 jumbo bags of the illicit substance weighing 2,434.1 kilogrammes along the Epe-Lekki expressway in the early hours of last Monday.

It explained that based on credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives ambushed  a white truck conveying 50 jumbo bags of the illicit substance weighing 2, 434.1kg along the Epe-Lekki expressway in the early hours of Monday 19th June.

The truck driver, however, jumped out of the vehicle and escaped in a security hilux van escorting the truck, after the anti-narcotics officers successfully demobilized the truck conveying the drug exhibits.

Babafemi said, in the second interception around Alfa Beach in Lekki, officers of the Marine Command of the Agency, last Tuesday, acting on intelligence, intercepted a boat loaded with the same imported substance weighing 2,910 kilogrammes upon arrival from Ghana.

Two Ghanaians, Monday Saba, 30, and Hakeem Kwana, 27, found with the consignments were promptly arrested.

VCs, JAMB Agree On Admission Requirements For 2023

By
Ayodele Oni
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Ishaq Oloyede

By Ayodele Oni

Barring last minutes changes, Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities have agreed that 140 is the minimum benchmark for the admissions of 2023/2024 academic session.

The VCs took the decision at the 2023 policy meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, (JAMB).

However, universities are at liberty to decide individual cut-off marks, but no university will be allowed to admit any candidate who scores below the 140 benchmark.

JAMB registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, who spoke during the 2023 policy meeting ongoing in Abuja, explained that the board has determined that the minimum cut-off marks for Polytechnics and Colleges of Education will be 100 points.

These decisions were made during the 2023 Policy Meeting on Admissions to Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria, held at the National Judicial Institute, Abuja.

Oloyede explained that the aforementioned points were the minimum, but that does not mean that institutions must comply with it.

JAMB also proposed the use of mobile phone for 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Andrew Adejoh, said, “We have heard the voices of the majority. Most of the universities have agreed and the decision stands that 140 is the minimum benchmark for university admissions.”

For the polytechnics, the minimum benchmark score was 100 for admissions, while Colleges of Education adopted the benchmark of 100 for admissions.

Ondo Govt Withholds Grants To Judiciary Over Unfavourable Judgement

By
Ayodele Oni
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Law and Court

By Ayodele Oni

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, (SAN),  Chief Wale Omotosho has expressed surprise over Ondo State Government’s stoppage of running grant to the judiciary following an order by one of the Courts.

Omotosho told newsmen in Akure that: “Judiciary in the State is being punished because one of the Courts ordered a temporary order against the Government account.

“Because of that issuance of temporary order against the Government account, the Court now said that it had been called upon by the Chief Judge that because of the garnishee issue their running grants have been stopped.

“If subject of the litigations is now subject of discussion outside the Court, between Judges and Attorney General, then we should call it bye bye to the judiciary in this country.

“If the Judges’ grants, allowances can be stopped because they are having a matter in their court then bye bye to the independent judiciary.”

He accused the Ondo State judiciary of compromising the course of justice because of the intimidation from the executive arm of government.

Omotosho, who had filed a suit to freeze the account of the State Government, and was struck out by Justice David Kolawole observed that the Judiciary in the State cannot be trusted to dispense justice because of intimidation.

A former Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Ogundeji Iroju, had through Omotosho filed an injunction on the account of the government for failure to pay judgement debt incurred over the purported impeachment of the former lawmaker.

The State High Court had earlier granted an order to reinstate Iroju as the Deputy Speaker and that his entitlements since the purported impeachment should be paid. The court also granted N10 million as damages to the former lawmaker

Six months after the court order, the judgement has not been implemented, making the former lawmaker through his counsel to file a default order against the account of the government.

The Court presided over by Justice  Kolawole however said the order had affected not only the executive arm of government but the judiciary hence the need to strike out the garnishee order.

Infuriated by the order of the court Omotosho, said it was unfortunate that the judiciary could succumb to the intimidation of the executive arm of government instead of upholding the rule of the law.

Zamfara: Organized Labour Excited Over Payment Of Outstanding Salaries, Knocks Past Administration

By
Ayodele Oni
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0
Dauda Lawal - Zamfra State Governor
Governor Dauda Lawal

By Ayodele Oni

Organized Labour Unions in Zamfara State have accused the immediate past administration in the State of deliberately inflicting hardship on workers due to non payment of their salary for four months.

Report indicate that Zamfara State Civil servants received salary for April and May, 2023 after waiting for three months without any pay.

The workers who have not received salaries since March 2023, were paid for only April and May 2023 while March remains pending.

A worker who received the alert today (Friday night) groaned saying “I don’t even know where to start, am I to settle debts or buy food for my children or prepare for Sallah” he lamented while viewing his bank alert.

The State Governor, Dauda Lawal, during an interview with BBC Hausa Service lamented that he inherited almost zero account in the State treasury, hence incapacitated to pay the backlog salaries.

However, the Governor pledged to diversify means to source money by borrowing to settle the workers salaries.

The Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC) and Trade Union Congress, (TUC) in a statement on Saturday, stated that “On behalf of the Zamfara state civil servants, the two labour centers (NLC and TUC) in the state wish to express their appreciation and gratitude to Zamfara State Government under the able leadership of Governor Dauda Lawal for the payment of April and May salaries.

“The State Civil Servants and Pensioners were subjected to all kinds of hardships as a result of non-payment of their 3 months salaries and pension, which created untold hardships, hunger and uncertainty among them and their families.

“In what can be termed as responsible leadership, in less than a month of taking the affairs of the state, the present administration of Dr Dauda Lawal has salvage the workers by paying the backlog salaries.

“However, the NLC/TUC Leadership of the organized labour in the state urged the state government to also extend the same action to the remaining workers of some ministries that are yet to receive their March Salary.

“We also wish to call on the state government to  ensure timely payment of workers Salary as well as pensions and other welfare packages for effective service delivery.”

President Tinubu Leaves France For United Kingdom

By
Ayodele Oni
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0

By Ayodele Oni

With the curtain drawn on the summit for ‘A New Global Financing Pact,’ in Paris, France, President Bola Tinubu  has left for the United Kingdom.

Special Adviser, Communications & Strategy, Dele Alake, in a statement, on Saturday stated that the “President on Friday concluded his official trip to Paris, France, during which he had an outstanding participation in a Summit for ‘A New Global Financing Pact’ hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.

“Aside participating in the Summit where he represented Nigeria well, President Tinubu also held high-profile sideline meetings with fellow Heads of State and Government, Global Business Leaders and Chief Executives of leading multilateral and development finance institutions from around the world.

“The Summit afforded the President the opportunity of projecting, on a global stage, his advocacy for widening the fiscal space, economic justice for Africa as the world accelerates the pace of energy transition, and the urgency of addressing the pressing issues of poverty and climate change.

“President Tinubu, who was initially scheduled to be back in Abuja on Saturday, will now proceed to London, United Kingdom, for a short private visit.

“The President will be back in the country in time for the upcoming Eid-el-Kabir festival.”

Titanic: How Nigeria’s Billionaire, Nwoko, Cheated Death

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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0

Ned Nwoko, a Nigerian billionaire has explained how he cheated death by refusing to be part of the Titanic expedition that disappeared recently with all five passengers now dead.

Five crew members, according to the U.S. Coast Guard and the company that operated the submersible, OceanGate Expeditions, were on board the submersible that went missing on June 17, while on an expedition to explore the wreckage of the Titanic in the North Atlantic.

Three businessmen Hamish Harding, Stockton Rush, Shahzada Dawood, his son Suleman and Paul-Henri Nargeolet, a French adventurer and a Titanic expert, who led six expeditions to the ship’s wreckage site have now been certified dead by the US authorities.

Speaking on the disaster that shocked the entire world, Nwoko, the senator representing Delta North, said he was invited to join the expedition by Harding, a long-time friend but had to stay away due to national duties.

His decision not to embark on the trip, he explained, saved him from being among those that died in the ill-fated expedition.

The senator who wrote on his verified Twitter handle said he had once embarked on a similar expedition with Harding, who he described as a lover of adventure to Antarctica.

Nwoko said,  “I have lost a very dear friend and business partner, Captain Hermish Harding. We both went on a very dangerous expedition to Southpole Antarctica a few years back. He was a Gulfstream pilot who flew across the world in a record-breaking expedition by the Guinness world record for circumnavigation of the Earth some years ago.

“He descended into the Mariana. He also invited me on his space shuttle last year and this very Titan ill-fated adventure but I was tied down with national duties. Above all, he was a partner on the various research into eradication of malaria in Africa project. He was very enthusiastic about it and always gave his support at every given opportunity.

“His last message to me was this last Sunday when he told me they were ready to dive into the Titanic if the weather permits. He loved adventure and challenges. My heart bleeds for his dear wife and kids who have become family friends over the years. We will surely miss his wealth of experience.”

Meanwhile, James Cameron, Director of the epic Titanic movie, on Friday, blamed the carbon fiber composite construction hull of the doomed OceanGate submersible for its tragic implosion.

He said, “You don’t use composites for vessels that are seeing external pressure. They’re great for internal pressure vessels like scuba tanks, for example, but they’re terrible for external pressure.”

Bank Customers To Submit Facebook, Twitter Handles Under CBN Anti-Money Laundry, Terrorism Regulations

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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0

Commercial bank customers in the country are required to submit their social media handles and emails to their banks according to the new Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, due diligence regulations to deepen the identification process in the banking sector.

Under the regulations, the bank customers are also mandated to submit their telephone numbers, and residential addresses, to their banks.

According to those who spoke on the guidelines, customers will be expected to intimate their banks with their Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Telegram, and other social media handles.

Analysts insist that this is part of the efforts by the apex bank to deepen the CBN Know Your Customer, KYC, framework released last year.

The apex bank disclosed this in its newly released ‘Central Bank of Nigeria (Customer Due Diligence) Regulations, 2023’ document.

The CBN said the regulation is necessary, “To provide additional customer due diligence measures for financial institutions under the regulatory purview of the Central Bank of Nigeria to further their compliance with relevant provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act (MLPPA), 2022, Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act (TPPA), 2022, Central Bank of Nigeria (Anti-Money Laundering, Combating the Financing of Terrorism and Countering Proliferation Financing of Weapons of Mass Destruction in Financial Institutions) Regulations, 2022 (CBN AML, CFT and CPF Regulations) and international best practices.

“And enable the CBN to enforce compliance with customer due diligence measures in line with the CBN AML, CFT, and CPF Regulations.”

Under the CBN KYC regulations commercial banks are mandated to use technology to monitor customers’ transactions with a view to preventing financial-related crimes.

“……financial institutions are required to have robust, effective, and efficient AML/CFT solutions with screening tools in place that will monitor the various thresholds. All accounts, no matter how low the transactions or the risks, must be subjected to continuous suspicious transaction monitoring by financial institutions which will determine when incremental KYC requirements need to be provided by the customers,” the CBN said

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