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Will Federal High Court Sack President Buhari On Monday?

By
Akinwale Kasali
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By Akinwale Kasali

An Abuja Federal High Court, will deliver a landmark judgement Monday, January 30th, 2023, in a suit seeking the removal of the President Muhammadu Buhari from office over alleged illegalities in the 2019 presidential election.

Justice Inyang Ekwo is to deliver judgement that would also resolve a request seeking to stop the conduct of the 2023 Presidential election scheduled for February 25.

A notice for the judgment delivery just sighted on Friday by journalists at the Federal Ministry of Justice in Abuja indicated that the verdict would be handed down by 9.00 am by Justice Ekwo.

The notice was directly served on the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) as the Chief Law Officer of the Federation for President Buhari.

Ambrose Owuru, Hope Democratic Party, HDP, Presidential Candidate in the 2019 Presidential Election had instituted legal action against Buhari and the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The Rivers State born Owuru Owuru, a British-trained constitutional lawyer, called to the Nigerian Bar in 1984 however asked the Federal High Court to declare him as the winner of the poll.

Among other reliefs, he had asked the Court to determine the legality or otherwise of the decision by INEC in 2019 during which it postponed the election from February 16 to March 23.

He claimed that INEC acted against the constitution in illegal and unlawful ways and manners the presidential poll was shifted and the declaration of Muhammadu Buhari as the winner of the unlawful act should be declared null and void and of no effect.

The ground of his claim was predicated on the fact that the petition he lodged against Buhari had not been adjudicated upon by the Supreme Court as required by law.

The politician claimed that his petition at the Supreme Court was unjustly dismissed following his absence from the Apex Court due to discrepancies in the hearing dates conveyed to him.

He, therefore, prayed the court removes Buhari and declares him (Owuru) the authentic President and that Buhari should be compelled to refund all monies he collected as salaries, emoluments and security votes.

The HDP presidential candidate also asked the court to order his inauguration for a four-year tenure of office upon removal of Buhari from office and that the Federal High Court should stop INEC from conducting the 2023 presidential election.

While claiming that his tenure had been usurped by President Buhari, the plaintiff prayed that the court should compel Buhari to refund all monies he collected as salaries, emoluments and security votes.

Justice Ekwo had on November 4 last year fixed January 30 as the judgment date following the adoption of final addresses by Buhari, the AGF, INEC and the plaintiff.

“Who Will Obi Withdraw For, Who?” – Dismisses it As “Ridiculous”

By
The Source
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Peter Obi

The Obi-Datti Campaign Media office has dismissed the strong insinuation that its Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi, plans to step down for another Presidential Candidate.

In a release, the Media Office said  “it finds it so ludicrous as to be amusing the counterfeit  news item suggesting that the Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Mr. Peter Obi is considering stepping down for somebody.

“Nothing can be more absurd than the fact that 18 persons are in a marathon to pick a trophy and somebody is suggesting that the front runner in the race who is already sighting the trophy wants to step down for somebody behind.

“The fact that other parties contesting for the President have been cloning the LP candidate in their corruptly induced gift items like bags of rice, posters and bill boards speak volume of who is the man to beat in this race.

“Since June 2022 when Obi emerged as the flag bearer of the Labour Party alongside other Presidential contestants, the Labour Party and it’s presidential campaign have increased in leaps and bounds attracting both local and global attention. The truth is that Peter Obi’s performance is now the standard by which other contestants and their parties are being measured.

“The fact that the other parties  struggle to associate their own candidates with Obi even without his consent says it all who should be associated with withdrawing or discontinuing in the race.

“In an ideal clime where respect is accorded to merit and other audacious   qualifications, other presidential candidates should have honourably thrown in the towel.

What those flying the unreasonable and ridiculous kite are trying to achieve which appeared dead on arrival, is firstly to give themselves the fake hope that they are in the race to win; secondly to distract and remove our candidate’s  eye from the ball where it’s already glued to and thirdly, to inject confusion in the mind of the public.

“After being confirmed to be ahead by four scientifically conducted opinion polls, it would be laughable to suggest even as a joke that Obi is considering stepping down, for who,  for God’s sake.

“But we understand their handicap of living in the past and refusing to buy into the raging idea whose time has come that the most vibrant and vigorous arm of the country’s populace, the youths are resolute and already charged to take back their country and that they have found in the LP standard bearer, Obi the right man for this journey whose destination is already known.

“It’s either that the purveyors of this ignoble news are incomprehensible and unintelligible about the developing political dynamics in the country or that they are clear agents of mischief hoping to inject confusion in the polity.

“Finally, given what is in the political space around the leading Presidential candidates since the electioneering, it’s crystal clear that the obviously established filthy  and disgustingly dirty candidates should be the ones who should be bowing out to give way for the revolution whose time has come.”

SS2 Student Donates N100k To Obi, As Candidate Says Private Sector Critical To Government Business

By
The Source
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Peter Obi and SS2 Student that donated money

The Labour Party Presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi has said that organized private sector is critical to any government business hoping to make impact.

Speaking in Port Harcourt, Rivers state Saturday night at the South South Business Summit, Obi said for any government to succeed it must partner with the organized private sector and must also create an enabling environment for domestic and foreign investors.

Obi told egg heads of the business community in the oil city that he and his Vice Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmad are coming from the private sector and understand clearly what is needed to drive private sector activities.

He noted that previous governments failed in the country because they ignored the components of business in governance and end up in sharing without production.

The former Anambra state Governor who identifies himself as a trader told his audience that the consumption to production mantra of his campaign is real as it’s the only way to drive the economy and attract foreign exchange for the country through exports.

It’s also through production that the people can be pulled out of poverty as youths in their productive age will be dutifully engaged and this will also impact on the social sector because crimes and criminalities will reduce.

He assured the captains of industry at the summit that if elected he will create a conducive environment for investors to come and help in tapping the country’s rich natural potentials.

Obi also assured that he and his deputy see education as investment and will invest heavily in education and health because these two sectors differentiate the rich and poor countries.

The Presidential candidate did not forget to remind his audience that the coming election is existential one that requires that people vote for characters they can trust, characters that have antecedents and the verifiable background to rely on. He reiterated that the election is about competence and capacity not on sentiments of tribe or religion.

The highlight of the night was the emotion that engulfed the summit venue when an SS2 Secondary school girl, Chizzy Ebube Balogun,  after listening to the LP Presidential candidate talk about creating a new and better Nigeria donated the sum of N100, 000 as her own contribution to him for a better Nigeria.

Breaking: President Buhari Appoints Yusha’u Ahmed  New NYSC DG

By
Akinwale Kasali
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0

By Akinwale Kasali

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Brig. Gen. Y.D Ahmed as the New Director General of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC.

He would be taking over the saddle on Monday, January 30, from Christy Uba who piloted the affairs of the NYSC for about three months.

Uba, the most senior Director, was appointed by the President in an acting capacity, on November 22, 2022,following the removal of Brig. Gen. Mohammed Fadah over alleged incompetence and poor performance.

Uba made history as the first woman to head the NYSC since its establishment about 50 years ago.

The NYSC Director of Press and Public Relations, Eddy Megwa, in a statement then said:

“The most senior Director in the scheme has taken over the leadership of the corps in the capacity of overseer, pending the appointment of a substantive Director General by Mr President,” Megwa said.

About 48 hours after her appointment, Uba promised to restore the status of the organisation to make it more visible.

She however said there was nothing new to be excited about having been in the organisation for a long time.

Uba who was the Director Overseeing the NYSC, stated this in an interview with Journalists on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the 2022 combined press and public relations, protocol officers and Freedom of Information desk officers workshop with the theme, ‘Enhancing the corporate image of NYSC: Quintessential role of Public Relations officers.’

She said, “I expect more efficiency, diligence, commitment and they should do their job more professionally and begin to hit the ground running more than ever before.

“I think it is as usual because this is the job we do on daily basis and have been in the scheme for this long, I think there is nothing new that I should be excited about.

“This time I’m poised to make sure that we begin to do our job the way we have been doing it and also to let the public know that NYSC is still working and we pray that as a team we have all agreed to work and make the scheme more visible than ever before.

“We want to restore the confidence of the staff and the corps members so that they know nothing has changed at NYSC. We still remain the scheme that has remained visible for some time now, nothing has changed.”

Tinubu/Shetima Campaign Council Accuses Atiku Of Floating Fake News Sites To Discredit Candidate

By
Ayodele Oni
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0

By Ayodele Oni

Tinubu/Shetima Campaign Organization claimed on Sunday that Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has floated some news platform aimed at dishing out fake report about its candidate and party.

Bayo Onanuga, Director, Media & Publicity APC Presidential Campaign Council, in a statement, this was aimed at defaming the APC candidate, Tinubu and the party as part of moves to curry favour of Nigerians.

The statement “We want to alert Nigerians to the sinister moves and orchestrated plans of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party to unleash a wave of fake news especially in Hausa language to malign, defame and delegitimise Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the APC  before Nigerians.

“This scurrilous campaign by the PDP has already been perfected with a dedicated team working day and night  from the PDP national headquarters at Wadata House, Abuja.

“The party has also recruited many social media actors to carry out the campaign of calumny by proxy.

“We uncovered this evil plot targeted to manipulate Nigerians and most especially Northerners to see Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in bad light as the only way for PDP and its failing presidential campaign to have a chance at the February 25 presidential election.

“We consider it necessary at this point to advert the mind of Nigerians to this evil plan capable of causing disharmony, ill-will and needless crisis with attendant security implications in the country.

“PDP and their hired social media influencers have already started pushing their nefarious contents by spoofing and using parody social media accounts of popular newspapers and blogs to disseminate fake news with the sole aim of hoodwinking gullible Nigerians.

“Many parody social media accounts such as ‘Vanguard Hausa’, ‘DailyTrust Hausa’ have been created and also being used to circulate fake news on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp and other digital platforms.

“On Facebook, we found that Daily Trust Hausa was first created as K.R.K Media on 9 August 2021. It changed its name to Daily Trust Media on 7 December 2022 and has a fake website address daily.com.

“A second Daily Trust Hausa Facebook account was created 13 August 2022 as Facos News Hausa, with the objective of publishing posts on Musicians. It changed its name on 29  December 2022, just 22 days after its other clone.

“Vanguard Hausa was created 21 December 2021. Its website failed to open

“All these parody Facebook accounts were used by the PDP on Saturday to publish malicious fake news that trucks carrying old Naira notes, belonging to Tinubu  were arrested in Lagos.

“For clarification, Daily Trust does publish a Hausa paper called Aminiya, which is also on Facebook with the same name. We are not aware that Vanguard has a similar publication.

“We implore the two newspapers, Daily Trust and Vanguard to inform Facebook and Meta that they have been cloned by fake news merchants, for political offensives, masterminded by PDP.

“Part of the PDP’s evil machinations will be to make false claims and allegations against President Muhammadu Buhari, Asiwaju Tinubu, his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima and other APC National, Regional, Zonal and State leaders in manipulated videos, doctored voice overs, photoshop images and other means all in a bid to win election by hook or crook.

“PDP and its Presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar know they can’t win this coming election. They also know Nigerians will never vote for PDP to take over the leadership of Nigeria after inflicting 16 years of misery on Nigerians.

“The legacies the party left behind were insecurity, badly managed economy, looted treasury, derelict national infrastructure in roads, power, ports, rail, pipelines among many others.

“The Buhari administration is still struggling to unmake the massive damage done to our country by the party.

“Because Atiku’s Presidential Campaign is heading to a crash, PDP futilely hopes to avoid the impending electoral defeat by  sponsoring a coordinated fake news assault on APC, our presidential candidate and even against the government.

“We use this medium to urge Nigerians and most especially our compatriots in Northern Nigeria not to allow themselves to be deceived.

“Atiku and PDP have nothing good to offer Nigerians other than his rabid ambition to enrich himself, family members and cronies as revealed in audio and video leaks by  Atiku’s former Media Aide, Mike Achimugu.

“The APC administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is working very hard to solve many of Nigeria’s decades-long problems across sectors and it is only another APC administration of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima that can continue, sustain and improve on the trajectory of good governance that began from 2015.”

21-Year Old Nigerian, Samaye, Honoured By US State Of Georgia, As Emerging Future Leader

By
Akinwale Kasali
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0
Obamide Emilolorun Samaye

By Akinwale Kasali

The Governor of the State of Georgia, Brian Kemp, has bestowed an honour on a Nigerian-American,  Obamide Emilolorun Samaye.

The 21-year-old Nigerian-American student of the University of Georgia. was recognised by the State of Georgia, as an emerging future leader of his generation.

Governor Kemp in his address attended by members of both legislative chambers acknowledged Samaye as one of the new generation students and a meritorious beneficiary of a legacy of scholarship and service.

According to Governor Kemp, “The State of Georgia would be delighted to see Obamide Samaye; a Zell Miller Scholarship Recipient excellent success in his future endeavours”.

Samaye attended Fieldwood Elementary School, Renaissance Middle School, Westake High School all in Atlanta Georgia before proceeding to The University of Geogia.

He is born to a Nigerian father,  Bishop Olusesan Samaye, a retired US Navy veteran, and a Nigerian mother, Ouwatoyin, a Doctor of Chiropractor.

Obamide is currently studying Economics (Minor in Public Policy and Management) at The University of Georgia.

Like his father who was a student union leader and prodemocracy activist who actively participated in the crusade against military rule in Nigeria, Obamide is currently the Vice President of the Student Union at University of Georgia following series of active campus and community engagements.

Samaye is a budding scholar with keen interest in global politics. He was selected as 1 of 20 Orientation Leaders from 200+ applicants for the University of Georgias most esteemed student positions on campus.

He featured as the Black Student Convocation Guest Speaker in April 2022. Obamide Semaye has received the following awards: Black Male Leadership Society Outstanding Leadership Award (2022); UGA NAACP Image Award Outstanding Campus Leader (2022); Resident Assistant Motivator Award (2022); GAAME Impact Award (2021); UGA Terry College of Business Deans List (3.5+ semester GPA) (2020, 2021, 2022).

Samaye  impressive records in the academics and public engagements has endeared him to the government of The State of Georgia. Governor Brian Kemp while acknowledging his contributions expressed the optimism that Obamide would, upon graduation, work with The State of Georgia towards contributing to scholarship as well as public and humanitarian services.

Proposed Sale Of Ondo Chocolate Factory To Follow Due Process –  Akeredolu’s Aide

By
Ayodele Oni
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0
Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State
Rotimi Akeredolu

By Ayodele Oni

Controversy surrounding the Chocolate factory, located at Idanre, Ondo state continues, just as the state government clarifies its stand on the issue.

Senator representing Ondo central,  Ayo Akinyelure had raised an alarm over plan by some aides of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to sell off the factory for a peanut.

The Senior Special Assistant, (SSA) to the Ondo State Governor on Agriculture, who is at the centre of the secret sale, Akin Olotu has however described as untrue an allegation by the lawmaker.

Akinyelure had last week disclosed in Abuja that, “I want to urge the Speaker, Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Bamidele Oleyeloyun to use his legislative power to stop the Ondo State Government and or his SSA on Agriculture, Pastor Akin Olotu from selling the Industry.

“If at all the State Government wants to sell the industry, due process and procedure must be followed.”

Reacting,  Olotu, “It is clear that Akinyelure imminent loss of political relevance is inducing these mischievous outbursts. In any case, there are facts on the Chocolate Factory.

“The factory was an uncompleted project inherited from the immediate past administration. It was completed by this administration using the same consultant we inherited.

“The contract the State (government) had with the consultant gave him “right of first refusal” in the privatization and running of the factory.

“This administration complied with that provision by entering into agreement with him. He was to roll out chocolate from the factory on April 2nd, 2020, unfortunately he couldn’t return to the country because of COVID-19 outbreak.

“When the pandemic subsided, we continued to discuss with him on the need for him to return. However, he put up another proposal with a humonguous financial implication, demanding for another set of equipment including bringing in of many other workers from the United States.

“The position of the State government was that he should begin operation with what is on ground as the procurement and setting up were 100% done by him.

“When he insisted, he was told to source for the fund using his company being a shareholder because the factory was 100% funded by the State Government but Akinyelure declined.

“Some Nigerians were put together to run the factory, they did exceedingly well technically, but were not having the needed fund to take it over.

“The leader on ground, Mr Robo Aduze, in the factory died last year and the State Government decided to advertise the factory for Outright sales or partnership, in national and state newspapers, calling for tenders as statutorily required. This was done by the investrment Agency of the State (ONDIPA)”.

“The State Asset Disposing Committee was constituted as statutorily required by the Public Procurement Law of the State with representatives of the following Ministries and Agencies: Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Budget and Planning, Cabinet Office, Ministry of Lands, Infrastructure and Works, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Cocoa Revolution Agency, Bureau of Public Procurement, Ondo State Development Investment Promotion Agency.”

Olotu further stated that he was invited by ONDIPA by virtue of his position as SSA on Agric and Agribusiness, adding that his interest is to see the place running profitably, and for job opportunities for Ondo State young ones. All the meetings and processes were co-ordinated by ONDIP and not him.

He noted that the advertisement was equally placed in the website of Ondo State Bureau of Public Procurement as the official website of the State Government. “This will enable people in the diaspora with interest to equally apply.”

He further opined that evaluation assessment was carried out by the appropriate ministry (Ministry of Lands, Infrastructure and Works) to determine the value.

“At the expiration of the period in the advert and all other needed due diligence, the two bids were opened in the presence of all committee members drawn from all the MDA’s mentioned above and also the two companies that bid.

“Extension was given to one of the companies to address the omission in his bid and was advised to visit the factory for on the spot assessment.

“The report was collated by ONDIPA and forwarded to the Bureau of Public Procurement for further benchmarking.

“This is where we are to the best of my knowledge and my findings.  It is after the benchmarking which is still on-going that the report will go to the State Executive Council for consideration, approval or otherwise.

“At this junction, it is crucial for me to mention that N10OM or even N200M was never in consideration as none of the tender was below N300M.”

After An Attack On Buhari In Katsina, CBN Extends Deadline For Naira Swap

By
Uche Mbah
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Godwin-Emefiele New

By Uche Mbah

A couple of days after President Muhammadu Buhari came under attack in his Katsina State home, the  Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Governor, Godwin Emefiele, extended the deadline for old Naira notes swap to the redesigned ones to February 10.

On his visit to Katsina the President came under attack by protesters who rained vehicles with stones and clubs. They were protesting the January 31 deadline for Naira swap, insisting the Buhari Government is deliberately making them to lose their money, and so, pauperising them.

It is also speculated that the Governor of Kano State, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, appealed to the President to shelve a visit to Kano in order to avoid the Kano treatment.

Recall that a few days ago both Buhari and Emefiele had vowed there will be no extension on the deadline for the Naira swap.

Controversy had followed CBN’s insistence on January 31 deadline for the exchange, which involves the old naira notes of N200, N500 and N1000.

Emefiele gave a seven-day grace period, starting from February 10 to February 17, 2023, to enable Nigerians to deposit old notes at the CBN.

Briefing journalists after the meeting, Emefiele said 75 per cent of the N2.7 trillion held outside the banking system has been recovered.

“We are happy that so far, the exercise has achieved a success rate of over 75 per cent of the N2.7 trillion held outside the banking system. Nigerians in the rural areas, villages, the aged and the vulnerable have had the opportunity to swap their old notes; leveraging the Agent Naira Swap initiative as well as the CBN Senior staff nationwide sensitization team exercise.

“Aside from those holding illicit/stolen Naira in their homes for speculative purposes, we do aim to give all Nigerians that have Naira legitimately earned and trapped, the opportunity to deposit their legitimately trapped monies at the CBN for exchange.

“Based on the foregoing, we have sought and obtained Mr President’s approval for the following:

“10-day extension of the deadline from January 31, 2023, to February 10, 2023; to legitimately held by Nigerians and achieve more success in cash swap in our rural communities after which all old notes outside the CBN lose their Legal tender Status.

“Our CBN staff currently on mass mobilization and monitoring together with officials of the EFCC and ICPC will work together to achieve these objectives.

“A 7-day grace period, beginning on February 10 to February 17, 2023, in

compliance with Sections 20(3) and 22 of the CBN Act allowing Nigerians to deposit their old notes at the CBN after the February deadline when the old currency would have lost its Legal Tender status.

“We, therefore, appeal to all Nigerians to work with the Central Bank of Nigeria to ensure a hitch-free implementation of this very important process for the program”, he said.

Alleged Negligence: Unical Students Protest Death of Colleague 

By
The Source
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0

By Stanley Ekpenyong (South-south, Bureau Chief)

Protest erupted Saturday at the University of Calabar (UNICAL) after an ailing student died due to alleged negligence by health personnel in the school’s hospital.

The protesting students insist that their colleague, a 300-level student UNICAL, Agidi, identified as Precious Mhenuter would not have if the school’s medical authorities had attended to her promptly without insisting she made available the hospital card which cost only N200.

It was gathered that the 22-year-old fell ill at her hostel on Saturday morning, January 28, and was rushed to the school’s medical centre for treatment.

Professor  Florence Banku Obi
Professor  Florence Banku Obi

However, she was allegedly left unattended for hours until she eventually gave up the ghost.

According to an eyewitness, “Precious got sick this morning by 4 am and we rushed her to our school’s medical centre.

“We got there by 5 am and they asked us to go and buy a card for N200 but we couldn’t get the card because the people at record weren’t around. So they didn’t attend to her. They left her even as she was in pain.

She eventually died at 7 am, two hours after we got there. And they took her to the mortuary at about 8 am without even contacting her parents.”

The unfortunate incident angered students who took to the streets within the campus to demand justice for their colleagues.

Meanwhile the Vice Chancellor of the University of Professor  Florence Banku Obi, has directed the Medical Board of the institution to urgently conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances leading to the death of Miss Mhenuter who was a student of the Department of Library and Information Science before her demise.

The Registrar of the institution, Gabriel Egbe in a release, said the Vice Chancellor, as well as the entire institution, values the lives of her students and is devastated by the painful loss reported at the Medical Centre.

According to the release, the Medical Board is to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deceased admission at the University Medical Centre, determine if the death could have been prevented, and examine the roles played by the individual staff of the Medical Centre in managing the patient.

The Board is also expected to establish the veracity or otherwise of allegations of carelessness or negligence of duty among the staff of the hospital in handling the patient and advise management on how to avoid a reoccurrence of similar situations in the future.

The report of the Board is expected to reach the Vice-Chancellor on or before Thursday, February 2, 2023.

“Ayade Collected Fake Certificates” – Donald Duke; Says The Governor  Presents “Obtuse, Stupid Budgets”

By
The Source
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0
Donald Duke and Ben Ayade

By Charles Igbo

A former Governor of Cross Rivers State, Donald Duke, has alleged that the incumbent Governor of the State, Professor Ben Ayade, parades fake certificates.

Duke, a two-term Governor of the State, accused Ayade of regressing the State by over 30 years.

Both men were in same Political Party – Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, before Ayade dumped the Party for the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Speaking at a Town Hall Meeting in Calabar,  Capital Cross of the State, a couple of days ago, Duke described the Governor as “an acquaintance that amuses me when I an bored.” He said they, in the PDP, made a grievous mistake in 2015 when they “brought him from nowhere” and made him a Governor. He, also, questioned Ayade’s Professorship and said the Governor was collecting fake degrees. “You can stay here and say this is a Professor. Professor of what?”, Duke fired.

Usually calm and collected, Duke did not quite say why he was this angry with the Governor. But he mentioned that Ayade had the temerity to send to him a text message which he dismissed as “nonsense.”

He also dismissed Ayade’s yearly State Budget as “Obtuse and stupid.” He called it “crazy”

Duke: ” I see him (Ayade) as an acquaintance who amuses me when I am bored.

“When we started this journey over 24 years ago, he was somewhere acquiring his fake degrees, fake. You can stand here and say this is a Professor. Professor of what? What has he published?

“You know, we admit something. We made a mistake in 2015, we made a grievous mistake by bringing somebody from nowhere to Governor House, Calabar, and we are paying dearly for it.

“He has regressed this State over 30 years. It is worse than I met it in ’99 (1999). And, he had the temerity to send me a text, telling me such nonsense.

“He is the most cowardly person that has occupied Government House. You know, when you are Governor, you are the Chief Security Officer of the State.

When #EndSARS struck,  he was nowhere to be found. His ADC did not know where he was.

“He says why he is the object of this campaign. Why not? You are going to campaign on your own records. It is a good thing and a blessing that he left PDP and went to where he is.

“They say water finds its level, and Ayade has found his level – the level of non-entity. That’s where he is.

“It is not in my place to interrogate anybody, but I find that  man has ridiculed our State to this level, with obtuse and stupid budgets.

“You don’t raise more than N100 billion, you say you are budgeting N1.3 trillion. Are you crazy? Then, you give it all kinds of fanciful names. Then, you have the temerity to talk to me because of politics.”

It is not known why Duke said Ayade “was collecting fake certificates.” A Google search shows that Governor  Ayade is well read, a scholar. He earned a B.Sc.(Honours)  (1984-1998), an M.Sc in Microbiology (1989-1990) and a PhD in Environmental Microbiology, (1990-1994), all from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. He won the best Doctoral Dissertation Award in Environmental Microbiology.

Ayade, also, has an MBA(2000-2002) from Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, and a degree in Law – LLB. He was a lecturer at the Delta State University where he was appointed a Professor.

The Governor, also, invented a Sewage Treatment Plant powered by Solar Energy from his work in Ground Water Remediation In Nigeria.

Before he was elected Governor in 2015, Professor Ben Ayade was a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

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