Home Blog Page 1716

CNPP Accuses INEC Of Deliberately Frustrating Advancement Of Nigeria’s Democracy, Buhari’s Only Legacy

By
The Source
-
0
Chief Willy Ezugwu

Conference Of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has lamented that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has “deliberately frustrated the deepening of the country’s democratic advancement as well as the only legacy President Muhammadu Buhari may have intended to leave after signing into law the amended Electoral Act 2022, which cleared the coast for the deployment of technology in Nigeria’s elections.”

In a terse statement signed by its Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu, in reaction to the controversy surrounding the Adamawa State governorship election, the CNPP said that “in saner clime, all the INEC and non-INEC official fingered in the viral allegation of bribery and falsification of election results in Adamawa State should be in jail.

“This is not the case because INEC is either acting a script by the enemies of Nigeria’s democracy or some selfish political elites who wish to get the country engulfed in politically motivated anarchy for yet-to-be known personal benefits.

“The unwarranted palpable tension in Adamawa State since on Sunday when the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Hudu Yunusa-Ari, announced Aisha ‘Binani’ Dahiru, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner of the gubernatorial election is not different from illegalities the commission, in collaboration with politicians, allegedly in the February 25 presidential election in many parts of the country.

“The conduct of the Adamawa State governorship election, which obviously did not go down well with many residents, points clearly to the 2023 sham elections in many states.

“For the CNPP, all the damage control mechanism deployed by INEC in trying to make Nigerians believe that it meant well in Adamawa State or other parts of the country amounts to mere film trick.

“The INEC leadership, particularly the Chairman of the commission, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, had assured Nigerians of real-time transmission of 2023 polls results but deliberately failed to make its innovative biometric devices work and resorted to manually transmitted results collation, which opened up the planned electronically controlled electoral processes to all kinds of manipulation.

“Sadly, INEC under the current leadership presents itself as a cash-and-carry Commission where the highest bidder is declared the winner against the wishes of the electorates and urged to go to court.

“Unfortunately, in the eyes of many Nigerians, the judiciary is yet to prove its readiness to deliver judgment on electoral matters based on the merit of the cases rather than relying on technicalities to deny litigants justice in election petitions.

“So many Nigerians have expressed reservations over the preparedness of the judiciary to be firm in delivering justice in many pre-election matters brought before the courts in 2023, particularly at the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

“The actions and inactions of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are obviously aimed at intentionally derailing the legal preparations put in place by President Muhammadu Buhari ahead this year’s elections.

“The result is the now clearly doomed legacy of free, fair, and credible 2023 general elections which President Buhari would have left behind on May 29 as his outstanding legacy in eight years, but the Adamawa State governorship election has brought to a woeful climax the unpleasant tale of INEC supervised electoral impunity”, the CNPP said.

NDLEA Intercepts Drug Consignments In Winter Jackets, Body Lotion At Lagos Airport

By
The Source
-
0
NDLEA Arrest Pregnant Woman2

NDLEA intercepts drug consignments in winter jackets, body lotion at Lagos airport

Arrests Lekki businessman over illicit cargo from US; pregnant woman, cripple in Edo; female undergraduate in Ogun

Consignments of Tramadol, Rohypnol, Ecstasy (Designer drug) and Cannabis concealed in winter jackets and bottles of body cream have been intercepted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos.

A statement signed by Femi Babafemi, Director, Media and Advocac, said that

the psychoactive substances were recovered at the new terminal of the airport on Friday 14th April following the arrest of a passenger, Joshia Sunday who was traveling on a Qatar Airline flight via Doha to Oman, Middle East.

A thorough search of the suspect’s two black bags led to the discovery of 4.80 kilograms of cannabis concealed in three winter jackets and various quantities of Tramadol, Rohypnol, Ecstasy (Designer drug) hidden in bottles of body lotion. Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect came into Nigeria from Oman on April 7, and was returning exactly a week after.

In the same vein, a Lekki Lagos based businessman, Cyril Chidiebere was on Friday 14th April arrested along with two of his freight agents: Mejabi Peter Sunday and Oyeyinka Babatunde over their involvement in the importation of twelve (12) parcels of Loud, a strain of cannabis, weighing 6.50kg, which was part of a consolidated cargo brought in from the United States of America.

The arrest and seizure followed a three-day intelligence led operation. Following the arrival of the cargo at the NAHCO import shed of the MMIA, its movement out of the airport was closely monitored in a sting operation until the actual importer, Cyril Chidiebere, was arrested in his house at Abraham Adesanya estate, Ajah, Lekki area of Lagos. Both Mejabi and Chidiebere have made useful statements to confirm that the latter has been involved in dealing on illicit drugs in the past.

Meanwhile, a pregnant woman, Rabetu Abdulrasak, 24, and a cripple, Shehu Adams have been arrested by NDLEA operatives in Agbede, Etsako West LGA, Edo state while over 14 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs including cannabis, methamphetamine, tramadol and swinol were recovered from them on Saturday 15th April.

A 22-year-old HND 1 female student of Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Ogun state, Isoyo Iveren Susan was on Saturday 15th April arrested opposite 2nd Gate of the institution for dealing in illicit drugs. Recovered from her include 1,100ML of codeine-based cough syrup and 283grams of cannabis. This is just as operatives in Lagos arrested two suspects: Nonso Peter, 21, and Bright Chibike, 23, with 43.4kg cannabis at Ile-Epo, Abule Egba area of the state on Friday 14th April.

In Katsina state, no less than 1,730 bottles of codeine-based syrup were seized from a suspect, Bishir Sa’adu in Katsina metropolis on Sunday 9th April just as Muhamadu Yusuf was equally arrested same day with 8,000 capsules of tramadol inside a commercial bus along Kano – Katsina road. In the same vein, NDLEA operatives in Kaduna on Thursday 13th April raided a clandestine laboratory where mist potassium citrate was being produced in a residential apartment at 16 Sabon Gari, Zaria. The owner of the lab, Christopher Agodi was arrested and 102 cartons containing 2,448 bottles of the substance recovered.

While a suspect, Salisu Abdullahi, 25, was arrested along Abuja-Kaduna road with 11.7kg cannabis concealed in two jerrycans, which he was moving from Port Harcourt to Kano, operatives also on Saturday 15th April nabbed one Atiku Abubakar, 22, on the same road with 50 blocks of cannabis weighing 28kg while travelling from Lagos to Shinkafi in Zamfara state in a commercial bus.

Similarly, anti-narcotic officers acting on a tip-off, arrested two suspects: Aminu Saudi, 45 and Abdullahi Sani, 35, at Ogbese, Ondo state, with 11 jumbo bags containing 211kg of cannabis concealed in rice chaffs. This was closely followed by the destruction of six hectares of cannabis farm in Uso forest in the state on Thursday 13th April.

Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) has commended the officers and men of the MMIA, Edo, Ogun, Lagos, Katsina, Kaduna and Ondo Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week. He urged them and their compatriots across the country to remain focused and continue the current drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts simultaneously.

Adamawa Poll: INEC Suspends Resident Commissioner

By
Ayodele Oni
-
0
Mallam Hudu Yunusa Ari-Letter

By Ayodele Oni

In a move to save face and protect its image, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has ordered the immediate suspension of its Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Adamawa, Malam Hudu Yunusa-Ari.

He has been directed to immediately stay away from the State office until further notice.

INEC gave the directive in a letter dated April 17, 2023, signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Mrs Rose Oriaran-Anthony.

The Commission in the letter entitled “Commission’s Directive to Stay Away from INEC, Adamawa State,” also directed the State Administrative Secretary to take charge of the State office immediately.

The letter reads: “I hereby convey the Commission’s decision that you ( Hudu Yunusa-Ari), Resident Electoral Commissioner, Adamawa State, should stay away from the Commission’s office in Adamawa State immediately until further notice.

“The Administrative Secretary has been directed to take full charge of INEC, Adamawa State with immediate effect.

“Please, accept the warm assurances of the commission.”

Yunusa-Ari on Sunday declared the Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Aishatu Dahiru Binani, winner of the Adamawa State governorship election while the process of results collation from Local Governments were yet to be concluded.

The INEC headquarters, however, declared his action null and void, suspended the result collation process; and directed him and all involved in the action to report to Abuja.

The INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Festus Okoye confirmed the directive in Abuja on Monday.

LP Sacks PDP From  Enugu House Of Assembly

By
The Source
-
0

By Charles Igbo

The administration of Enugu  State, beginning from June 2023, on the inauguration of the State House of Assembly, will be shared between the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the Labour Party, LP.

While the PDP, which candidate, Dr Peter Mbah, won the Governorship election, as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC,    will control the Executive Arm of the Government, the Labour Party, LP, will control the Legislative Arm.

The LP. after the supplementary poll on Saturday, 15 April, 2023, now has a firm control of the Legislative Arm.

The victory of its candidate, Osita Eze, over the PDP Candidate, at the Oji River State Constituency, gave  the LP  control of the 24-member Assembly. It won 14 out of the 24 State Constituencies. Meaning that the LP will produce the Speaker and most Principal Officers of the Assembly.

This arrangement will sustain unless the Courts decide otherwise, especially, in the Governorship election.

The candidate of the LP, Barrister Chijioke Edeoga, has dragged Governor-elect, Dr. Mbah to the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, asking to be declared the winner of the election, claiming he won it.

Since 1999, this will be the first time an opposition political party will not only win such number of seats in the Enugu State House of Assembly, but be in the majority.

The PDP had always controlled the State House of Assembly.

Protest In Adamawa As PDP Chieftains, Supporters Calls For Stoppage Of Results Collation

By
Akinwale Kasali
-
0
PDP Protest in Adamawa

By Akinwale Kasali

There is a wild protest in Yola, Adamawa State by chieftains and supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its Governorship Candidate, Ahmadu Fintiri, who are demanding that the Independent National Electoral Commission continues with the collation of supplementary election results,and conclude the process without any further delay.

The protesting crowd marched from the Party’s office located at Police Roundabout overhead bridge to the INEC Headquarters, singing and chanting carrying different inscriptions on placards calling on INEC to continue collation of the Supplementary Poll.

It took the intervention of the Party’s Chieftains to restrain the aggrieved protesters from destroying the Billboards of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The Deputy Director-General of the PDP Presidential and Governorship Campaign Council, Felix Tangwami, who was one of the leading protesters, called for restraint from supporters.

He said the exercise would maintain a high level of decorum since the protest was not a one day affair but one which will continue until INEC yields to their demand to conclude the collation process and declare Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, the winner.

Tangwami said, “Be peaceful and civil, we would lay siege to INEC office until the Commisison listens to us, resume collation and make a return. Because Adamawa people are not happy, because what has happened is treasonable, illegal and we take our call to the streets to demand Justice is done with our protest for as long as it takes. Please exercise restraints and decorum.”

INEC Headquarters had, on Sunday, suspended the Collation of results following  the confusion caused by the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, in the State, who unconstitutionally, usurped the job of the Returning Officer, and announced the Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Aishatu Dahiru Binani, as the winner when collation  was still ongoing, and Fintiri was clearly leading.

Aviation Workers Begin Two-day Warning Strike; Grounds Airports

By
Ayodele Oni
-
0
Airport

By Ayodele Oni

True to their threat to commence a two- day warning strike from Monday, Nigeria’s aviation workers, demanding for better conditions of service, have grounded both local and international flights.

Apart from better service conditions, the Unions are also prevailing on the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika over his planned move to demolish the Lagos office of aviation agencies headquarters to pave way for an Aerotropolis (Airport City).

Series of meetings held by the Minister with the Unions on the issues failed to come out with way forward prompting the workers to opt for a total warning strike.

The unions had on Thursday, last week, declared the warning strike for  Monday and Tuesday following the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum earlier issued to the federal government through the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika.

The unions include the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN); the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) and the Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP).

In a joint statement by the unions and signed by Ocheme Aba (General Secretary of NUATE); Frances Akinjole (ATSSSAN); Abdulrazaq Saidu (ANAP) and Unoh Ofonime (NAAPE), they said,  “The ultimatum has since expired and nothing tangible has been yielded from our efforts and that of the Ministry of Aviation.”

There are, however, indications that some airlines may be caught unawares by the flight disruption as some of the officials claim that they were unaware while the unions claimed that they had notified all the airlines.

To make the warning strike effective, the Unions issued an internal notice to their members which states that “You all can see that the die is cast. Our backs are to the wall, and we can no longer move back. We have to now charge forward. But we must do so in unison.

“We expect nothing less than total shutdown of all airports in Nigeria. No outward operations of any kind. Though planes are allowed to land, such planes must be denied all offloading services. No take off at all.

“The State Council Chairperson and his/her EXCO are in charge of activities at every airport, working under guidance of National Officers where available.”

General Secretary of ANAP, Comrade Rasaq Saidu stressed that there is no going back on the strike, adding no form of intervention from any quarters can stop the unions as they have exhausted all avenues of dialogue.

Tinubu’s Dual Citizenship Is Not Unconstitutional-Fashola

By
James Orji
-
0

Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s possession of a dual citizenship is not enough to disqualify him as the next president of the country.

Babatunde Raji Fashola, the Minister of Works and Housing disclosed this on Sunday on a Channels Television programme, Politics Today.

Fashola, a former governor of Lagos state, said his predecessor who he also served as Chief of Staff, has not broken the law by holding a dual nationality.

The minister spoke after revelation that Tinubu, who was declared winner of the February 25 presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC holds a Guinean Diplomatic passport.

The revelation has made some Nigerians to call for the cancellation of his election as president-elect.

The two presidential candidates who lost to Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and Peter Obi of the Labour Party, LP, are challenging the outcome of the keenly contested election, and Tinubu’s dual citizenship is believed to be one of the issues being raised at the election petition tribunal.

Section 137 (1)(a) of the Nigerian Constitution says a person will not be qualified to be president if “he has voluntarily acquired the citizenship of a country other than Nigeria.”

Fashola said he did not believe that this is enough to declare Tinubu’s election void.

 According to the minister ” I know he carries a Nigerian passport. I don’t know about dual citizenship. I know he resided abroad when he went into exile.

“I don’t know if they gave him American citizenship. What does that have to do with the results of the election? The last time I checked, I think the Nigerian constitution allows you to have dual citizenship. Doesn’t it?”

Meanwhile, not a few analysts insist that all petitions regarding the presidential election should be dispensed with by the courts before the May 29 hand over date, to ensure that the right candidate is sworn -in as the country’s next president.

GTCO: Agbaje Harps On Innovation As Group Records N214.2 bn PBT

By
James Orji
-
0

The Group Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, GTCO, Segun Agbaje says innovation and excellence will be the group’s driving force in sustaining its vision as a leading financial service provider in Africa.

The GTCO boss spoke on the back of the release of the group’s 2022 Audited Consolidated and Separate Financial Statements to the Nigerian Exchange, NGX, and the London Stock Exchange, LSE.

The financial service provider said in the statement to NGX that it recorded a profit before tax, PBT of over ₦214 billion compared to the N221. 5 billion it recorded in the corresponding year 2021.

He said the group has done well in spite of the challenges experienced in the financial sector in the year ending December 31, 22.

“Our ability to successfully navigate the peculiar challenges in the different markets where we operate underscores our strong business fundamentals and unwavering commitment to sound business strategies. Despite the varying challenges and headwinds that weighed on growth in 2022, we were determined to deliver a decent performance and scale effectively to strengthen our competitive edge and drive long-term growth,” Agbaje said while commenting on the results.

“As an organisation, 2022 was quite significant for us being the first year after our corporate restructuring into a financial holding company in August 2021. Today, across our Banking, Payment, Funds Management, and Pension businesses, we have successfully built a robust ecosystem with immense potential to deepen our addressable market and create more value for all our stakeholders.

“We will continue to prioritise innovation, service excellence, and execute seamlessly towards achieving our vision of leading financial services in Africa,” he said.

According to the details provided in the statement, the Group’s loan book increased by 4.6 percent from ₦1.80 trillion as at December 2021 to ₦1.89trillion in December 2022, while deposit liabilities grew by 11.6 percent from ₦4.13trillion to ₦4.61trillion during the same period.

Instructively, the balance sheet remains well-structured and resilient with total assets and shareholders’ funds closing at ₦6.45trillion and ₦931.1billion, respectively.
Capital Adequacy Ratio, CAR, remained very strong, closing at 24.1 percent. Similarly, asset quality was sustained as IFRS 9 Stage 3 Loans ratio, NPLs, improved to 5.2 percent in December 2022 from six percent in December 2021, however, Cost of Risk, COR. inched up marginally to 0.6 percent in FY-2022 from 0.5 percent in December 2021 due to the impact of worsened macros on PDs

Kaduna: Over 30 Persons Killed By Bandits Get Mass Burial

By
James Orji
-
0

Francis Sani, the chairman of Runji village in Zango Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna state attacked by bandits on Saturday has disclosed that those killed have been given mass burial.

Over 30 persons were believed to have been killed in the LGA at the weekend, which has experienced sporadic attacks from bandits in the last few weeks.

Recall that the council had in March imposed a 24-hour curfew after no fewer than 17 persons were killed by the bandits, who had earlier killed eight persons after they attacked Atak’ Njei.

The state government has yet to give details on the number of casualties in the latest attack.

Speaking after the attack, the state Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said the government is still awaiting a report from security agencies in order to be able to give an accurate number of those killed.

Aruwan said: “Several lives were lost and an unspecified number of houses burnt down. The military has informed the Kaduna State government of an attack in Runji village, Zangon Kataf LGA, in which several lives were lost on Saturday night.

“The preliminary report further informed the government that the attack also left some residents injured and an unspecified number of houses burnt down in the community.

“According to the report, troops had a fierce encounter with the attackers and are still in the general area.

“While waiting for a detailed report, Governor Nasir el-Rufai, who received the preliminary report in the early hours of yesterday has condemned the killings as unacceptable and unjustifiable.

“The governor condoled the families that lost their loved ones and prayed for the repose of the victims’ souls. He also prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.”

Governorship: Imo Elders Say It’s Owerri’s Turn In 2027; Adopt Charter Of Equity For Political Offices, Endorse Uzodinma For 2nd Tenure

By
The Source
-
0
Hope Uzodimma

In a historic move to engender peace and stability in Imo, the State’s Elders’ Council has adopted a Charter of Equity for the rotation of key political offices among the three Senatorial zones.

Notable among these offices are those of the Governor, Deputy Governor and Speaker of the House of Assembly.

Consequently, the Council has endorsed Governor Hope Uzodimma for a second tenure, saying that apart from the fact that he has performed creditably, his zone , Orlu should be allowed to complete its term of eight years.

In a communique issued at the end of its quarterly meeting, the Council noted that since it is a creation of law and desirous to bring stability to the polity, it decided to adopt the Imo Charter of Equity as recommended by by its Strategic Committee headed by Chief (Barr) Dan Nwanyanwu .

In the communique signed by HRH Eze Dr Cletus Ilomuanya, the Chairman and Rt Hon Maxwell Duru, the Secretary, the Council noted that upon a motion by Prof Maurice Iwu, it adopted in its entirety the Imo Charter of Equity.

According to the Charter, the governorship of the State will rotate among the three Senatorial zones of Orlu, Okigwe, and Owerri for eight years each.

It noted that since Senator Hope Uzodimma from Orlu zone is already the governor, the next zone to hold the office will be Owerri after which it will move to Okigwe Zone.

The Charter of Equity also decrees that both the governor and the deputy governor cannot come from the same zone, just like the governor and the speaker cannot come from the zone.

Accordingly, the Council urged other aspirants to the governorship position in the November 2023 election to allow Uzodimma to complete Orlu zone”s eight years tenure after which Owerri zone will take over.

The Council thereafter, upon a motion by Archbishop David Onuoha, resolved to hold an interdenominational service to present the resolutions to God and seek his blessings for the charter.

“We resolved that the leadership of the political parties in the State, the traditional rulers, the academia and religious leaders as well as captains of industries and Imo people should congregate in an interdenominational service to seek the face of God in order to avert any subterrenian move by anybody or group of persons to truncate the Charter of Equity,” it submitted.

The Council argued that the Charter of Equity was designed and adopted to ensure a just, equitable and seamless transfer of power from one zone to the other.

The Council, however, commended the State Governor for all his developmental efforts since his assumption of office and urged him to set aside a day in the nearest possible time to brief members of the council on the activities of his Government.

In other resolutions, the Council condemned the violence visited on Igbo in Lagos by some political miscreants, and urged all Nigerians to work together for the progress and growth of the nation.

For the records, this is not the first time this Charter of equity has come up in Imo State, but it has never been adhered to.

Orlu Zone has been in power since 1999, except for a break for one term only, 2007 – 2011, when Okigwe took office. Owerri Zone has never taken a turn.

1...1,7151,7161,717...3,015Page 1,716 of 3,015