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2023: APC Explains Absence Of Stakeholders At Presidential  Campaign Rallies

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Osinbajo Declares

By Akinwale Kasali

The All Progressives Congress, APC, Presidential Campaign Council, PCC, has  explained the absence of Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo and a  number of stakeholders at the Presidential Campaign rallies of the Party.

Since the APC began its Presidential Campaign for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice Presidential Candidate, Kashim Shettima,  major stakeholders in the Party have not been involved raising speculation about the unity among the Party chieftains.

Osinbajo, who contested against Tinubu at the APC Presidential Primary has been seen attending other social activities, including the recently held centenary celebration of the Baptist Boys High School in Abeokuta, but has been silent on Tinubu’s campaign since he lost at the party’s primary election.

Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment, disclosed he won’t campaign for Tinubu, having explained that he could not campaign against any of the four frontrunner because they are his friends.

Reacting to the absences, APC Presidential Campaign Council spokesman, Festus Keyamo, said, the Vice President was acting on the directive of the President Muhammadu Buhari to concentrate on governance.

He said, “Rotimi Amaechi (former Minister of Transportation) was there in Adamawa State and Jos recently; he has been going to the rallies but he has picked the ones he wants to attend.

“For the Vice President, it was a directive for him to face governance, and you can see Mr President has been going round campaigning. Also, Ngige is not campaigning against our party, he just said he will remain neutral for his own reasons and that is just one minister out of 43.

“We have an absolutely strong coalition in the APC unlike the PDP that has virtually collapsed.”

The Rich Walk Away After Stealing Billions, Vulcaniser To Die By Hanging For Stealing N57,000

By
The Source
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Lillian Okenwa

By Lillian Okenwa

When President Muhammadu Buhari granted a state pardon in April 2022 to Joshua Dariye and Jolly Nyame, former governors of Plateau and Taraba states, who had been convicted for stealing N1.16 billion and N1.6 billion respectively from their state treasuries while they were in office between 1999 and 2007, rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to free all prisoners who have been jailed for stealing.

Falana contended that by Section 17 of the 1999 Constitution, citizens were entitled to equal rights and opportunities in which case state pardon should be extended to all prisoners who are serving jail terms for stealing.

On January 28, 2013, an Abuja High Court aroused a battery of tasteless jokes when it sentenced John Yakubu Yusufu, standing trial on charges of stealing N32.8 billion in the Police Pension scam to two years imprisonment on each of three charges, and then offered him an option of N250,000 fine on each count.

The former Assistant Director in the Police Pension Office simply paid the N750,000 fine and walked away. But the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) went on appeal.

Delivering judgment in the appeal, Hon. Justice Emmanuel Agim, JCA as he then was, made some observations:

“Without the judgment expectedly stating so, the choice of punishment of two years imprisonment with the option to pay N250,000.00 fine for each count of offence, an amount obviously very disproportionate to the humongous amount of over 24 billion naira stolen or converted by the convict, appear to have been influenced by the consideration of tampering justice with mercy and being lenient to the convict, than consideration of correcting the convict and deterring other persons.

“The sentence does not show that it was influenced by considerations of the impact of the crime on the society or consideration of the nature of the crime… The offence committed by the respondent, by its nature, involves a grave breach of public trust, erodes public confidence in public governance, and caused retired police officers hardship and suffering…

“The hopeless, helpless and dehumanizing condition the retired officers have been put into by this offence that has become habitual and widespread amongst government officials in pensions departments of government whose duties are to custody pension funds and process the payment of gratuities, monthly pensions and other retirement benefits to retired public servants is obvious…

“The ridiculously low monetary sentence as against the mind-blowing and massive amount of over 24 billion naira stolen helps the convict to effortlessly pay the fine and avoid the pain of punishment for his crime while retaining the proceeds of his crime…”

And while the rich thieves continually get slapped on the wrist, bewildered Nigerians read days ago about the mind-boggling death sentence passed on a 32-year-old vulcaniser by an Ikeja Special Offences Court presided over by Justice Mojisola Dada for stealing N57,000.

For robbing a nurse of N57,000 Justice Mojisola Dada sentenced Chidozie Onyinchiz, to death by hanging. Why are politicians and public servants who over the years impoverished and literally snuffed life out of Nigerians allowed to walk free?

Justice Dada said the convict’s attempt to wriggle out of the charges was futile. This, she said was because he had earlier confirmed to the police at Igando, Lagos, that his victim, Veronica Uwayzor sighted him and they both recognised each other at the time of the offence.

According to Justice Dada: “The defendant had stated that the complainant pointed at him as one of the boys armed with a pair of scissors and forcefully snatched her bag containing N57,000 at Akesan Bus Stop. The complainant had stated that neither the defendant nor his accomplice, Ediri Endurance, (still at large) wore masks which made it possible for her to easily recognise Onyinchiz a few hours after the robbery.

The first statement of the defendant which he made at Igando Police Station confirmed that he and Ediri went to Akesan Bus Stop on the day of the robbery…

“The totality of the evidence before the court is compelling and I find the defendant guilty of the charges preferred against him. He is hereby sentenced to death by hanging and may God have mercy on his soul.”

And so the thieving vulcanizer faces a violent death by hanging while those that have impoverished Nigerians, enriched themselves through outright looting of public funds and brazenly weaponized poverty are celebrated.

Daily, people are randomly arrested and hauled into overflowing prisons for ridiculous reasons while known criminals are left alone. For instance, Lawyer Alert said its data show that between April 2021 and September 2021, 700 wandering and loitering cases representing 16 percent of petty offences cases tracked nationwide were recorded.

The group said young males are more regularly held for “the offences” and in the process “forced to unlock their phones for proof that they are not rogues or vagabonds.” Notably, another 10 percent of the recorded cases involved hawking, and seven percent of the cases involved commercial sex workers.

This group of persons constitutes the most number of Awaiting Trial Inmates (ATIs) across the country.

Some public affairs analysts maintain that most Nigerians appear to have been wired to afflict the poor and defenceless at the least opportunity while the affluent are showered with encomiums no matter how obtuse they are. Ola a panel beater who recently regained his liberty after eight years in prison for failing to stop suspected criminals being pursued by military men in Lagos is one of those unfortunate Nigerians. In a number of tweets, Headfort Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), that took up his case and eventually got him out of prison told an interesting story.

Ola the panel beater who at the time was working at Alaba in Lagos State was going home on this remarkable day in May 2014. As he was walking home, some people ran past him. Not long after, some soldiers whizzed past him in hot pursuit of those persons. Almost in a blink of an eye, the soldiers who had turned back from their pursuit menacingly approached and queried why he didn’t stop the people who ran past him.

The stunned Ola’s explanation to the soldiers that he didn’t know the runaways, what was happening, and could not just have stopped them from running fell on deaf ears.

First, they took him to their base and later to a police station where they reported that he did prevent the escape of persons they were chasing.

The Orile Police Station cops moved him and other suspects to SARS Office in Ikeja. When he could not meet up with his bail demands, they charged him to Court for the offence of armed robbery. Ola got lucky when Headfort Foundation stepped into his matter.

In late 2022, eight years after awaiting trial he was released by the Court, and the armed robbery charges against him struck out.

Back to the issue of high-profile crime; in August 2021, an anti-corruption watchdog, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) filed an action at Federal High Court in Abuja to challenge the failure of Anti-graft Agencies to effectively check massive corruption in government which according to them has hampered government’s ability to meet the needs of citizens.

It was SERAP’s contention that had the anti-graft agencies recovered the “missing” funds, the money would have helped the government to invest in public goods and services, and improve the living condition of citizens. SERAP argued that recovering the alleged missing public funds would reduce the pressure on the Federal Government to borrow more money to fund the budget, enable the authorities to meet the country’s constitutional and international obligations, and reduce the growing level of public debts.

The organisation, therefore, blamed President Buhari “over his failure to probe allegations that N106 billion of public funds are missing from 149 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), and to ensure the prosecution of those suspected to be responsible, and the recovery of any missing public funds.”

Likewise, the Senate at the time, also uncovered an illegal collection of N76 billion by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Nigerian Army, Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), and others.

The funds were said to be drawn by the Agencies from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation but were never repaid.

In December 2022, Anti-corruption group, the Human and Environmental Development Agenda, (HEDA Resource Centre), threatened to sue the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria over its failure to investigate and sanction the suspended Accountant General of the Federation, Idris Ahmed, who is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over the allegation of N80 billion fraud.

The EFCC accused Idris of creating an avenue for stealing public funds by allegedly compromising the integrity of key Nigerian government’s public financial platforms like the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and the Integrated Payroll and Personnel information system (IPPIS).

The Commission added that Idris and his co-defendants (Godfrey Olusegun Akindele and Mohammed Kudu Usman, and a firm — Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited) were indicted on a 14-count charge of stealing and criminal breach of trust to the tune of N109.5 billion.

Nigerians await the conclusion of the matter and many more. In the meantime, small-time thieves are being shown the way out of our world with some of their compatriots swelling up the prisons.

Okenwa is a journalist, lawyer and Publisher of Law & Society Magazine. She could be reached on [email protected]

How Akwa Ibom State Governor, Emmanuel, Was Disgraced At PDP Rally

By
The Source
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0

By Charles Igbo

Governor Emmanuel Udom,  PDP, of Akwa Ibom State should assemble those who hired the mammoth crowd he addressed at a PDP rally  and give them the acidic side of his tongue.

The Governor was thoroughly embarrassed by the slap on the face which greeted him at the Campaign Rally. It is a surprise he was not frozen in shock, or collapsed by the disgrace.

It is either the crowd was made up of a bunch of illiterates who hardly understood what the Governor was asking them, or they deliberately wanted to embarrass the Governor.

Whatever, it was a hostile crowd.

Dressed in his full PDP ”regalia”, and a cowboy hat to boot, the Governor reeled out the usual – what the Party has done for them, and what the Party plans to do for them, and why they should vote PDP from top to bottom.

Nobody knows what pushed him to ask the questions he asked. But, having had their attention for about 15 minutes, and feeling comfortable, he wanted to end the rally on a high note.

Big mistake.

He had the wrong crowd. The mammoth crowd did not boo at him. Perhaps that would have been better. The thousands of people gathered decided to tell him, with one voice,  that he just wasted his time speaking to them. And they did so in an unmistakable manner.

As Emmanuel finished speaking, he asked them questions to which he expected  positive answers.

He asked them to raise their PVCs if they had them on them. A few raised theirs.

Then, Emmanuel: “Will you vote for Atiku( the PDP Presidential Candidate)?

In response, the crowd roared “No.”

Perhaps, he thought they did not hear him. So, he asked again: “Will you vote for PDP?” Again a resounding “No”

“Will you vote for prosperity”, again “No”

“Will you vote for Health?” Same answer.  And it was the same answer they gave to three more questions the Governor asked them, including if they would vote for security.

It has been established that Party stalwarts, especially, Local Government and/or Chairmen  hire crowds to such events.

If that was the case here, PDP should ask those given the money to return every kobo of the millions of Naira. The embarrassment was too much. “They can’t be paid”, noted a Party stalwart, “for embarrassing the Governor.”

PDP Suspends Chimaroke Nnamani, Fayose; Dissolves Ekiti Chapter’s State Working Committee

By
Adesina Soyooye
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0
Chimaroke Nnamani

By Adesina Soyooye

Having been rendered “partyless”, there are fears over Nnamani’s third term ambition to the Senate.

After months of dilly-dallying and enduring obvious anti-party activities, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has suspended Senator Chimaroke Nnamani from its fold.

Also, suspended, is John Fayose, a son of former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose.

Nnamani, a PDP two-time Governor of Enugu State, and a ranking PDP Senator, has brazenly been campaigning for the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC,  Bola Tinubu, to the detriment of his Party’s Candidate, Atiku Abubakar. In a series of published articles, he extolled Tinubu’s leadership attributes, and dubbed him the best of all the Presidential candidates.

His name, also, appeared as a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, but was later dropped after a review and outrage by some members of the PDP.

On Friday, January 20, 2023, the PDP put an end to Nnamani’s wayward activities, and suspended him.

The Party also, dissolved the Party’s State Executive Council, SEC, Ekiti State, ostensibly to clip the wings of former Governor Ayo Fayose  who, they allege, has  been an obstacle to the Party’s progress, and a destabilisation factor.

The National Working Committee, NWC, of the  PDP, took these weighty decisions on Friday, at the end of its meeting in Abuja.

Suspended along with Nnamani are eight others, including Chief Chris Ogbu of the PDP, Imo State Chapter and Ayeni Funsho of the Ekiti PDP.

In a statement after the meeting, signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the PDP said:

“The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has after a very extensive review and consideration of the affairs of our Party in the country, pursuant to the provisions of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017) approved the suspension of Senator Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu State) and Chief Chris Ogbu (Imo State) with effect from today, Friday, January 20, 2023, over allegations of anti-party activities.

“In the same vein, the NWC has approved the suspension of the underlisted Party members in Ekiti State also with effect from today, Friday, January 20, 2023, over allegations of anti-party activities.

“The suspended members in Ekiti State are;

  1. Ayeni Funso -(Ekiti North)
  2. Ajijola Lateef Oladimeji -(Ekiti Central).

“Others are;

  1. Emiola Adenike Jennifer -(Ekiti South II)
  2. Ajayi Babatunde Samuel -(Ekiti North II)
  3. Olayinka James Olalere -(Ekiti Central)
  4. Akerele Oluyinka -(Ekiti North I)
  5. Fayose Oluwajomiloju John -(Ekiti Central I)

“The PDP urges all leaders, critical stakeholders and teeming members of our Party across the country to remain united and focused on the mission of our Party to Rescue, Rebuild and Redirect our nation from misrule”

Dissolves Ekiti State Executive Council; Sets Up Caretaker Committee

The Party, also, after the dissolution of the Ekiti State Executive Committee, set up a Caretaker Committee.

A statement signed by Ologunagba which made public the sacking of the SWC Stated:

“Following the recent developments in the Ekiti State Chapter of our great Party, the National Working Committee (NWC), after careful deliberations and extensive consultations, on behalf of the National Executive Committee (NEC) and pursuant to Sections 29(2)(b) and 31(2)(e) of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017), has dissolved the PDP Ekiti State Executive Committee with immediate effect.

“In its place the NWC, on behalf of NEC has approved the appointment of Ekiti State Caretaker Committee to run the affairs of the Party in the State for a period of three (3) months effective from today Friday, January 20, 2023 and to function pursuant to Section 24(2) of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017).

“The NWC also approved the appointment of Arch. Sadiq Obanoyen as Chairman of the PDP Ekiti State Caretaker Committee.

“The PDP urges all leaders, critical stakeholders and teeming members of our Party in Ekiti State to remain united and focused on the task ahead.”

Nnamani’s Fate

It is not known how the suspension of Senator Nnamani from the Party will affect his third term ambition to the Senate under the PDP

Having been suspended from the Party,  many are of the opinion that he has become “partyless”, and may not have a platform  to contest.

However, Dr Nnamani, the Medical Doctor-turbed politician, and  his Ebeano political structure, literally controls the PDP in Enugu State. Almost all the political stakeholders in the State were at one time or the other, members of Ebeano. They include the incumbent Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, and the Governorship Candidate, Peter Mbah. It also includes  former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, now of the APC, embattled former Deputy Senate President, Dr Ike Ekweremadu, immediate past Governor of the State, Sullivan Chime, now of the PDP, and former Information Minister under President Obasanjo, Frank Nweke, now the Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA.

There are strong speculations that Ugwuanyi, like Nnamani, may support the Presidential candidate of the APC, Tinubu. It is, also, speculated that Nnamani may finally end up in the APC. Josef Onoh, Tinubu’s Spokesperson in the South-east confirmed the Governor is in their camp, a few days ago. He, also thanked Nnamani for being a progressive.

Recently, when Tinubu went to Ebonyi State for his Presidential Campaign Rally, the Speaker of the  Enugu State House of Assembly, Edward Ubosi, was present and made a speech.

Speculation is that he went to represent Governor Ugwuanyi. The Governor is a member of the PDP G-5 Governors, who are at loggerheads with the PDP National Leadership, as represented by National Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, and Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar. They vowed not to take part in any PDP activities, including the Presidential Campaign unless Ayu steps down from the Chairmanship of the Party for a Southerner. According to them, both the National Chairman and the Presidential candidate cannot come from the same region – the North.

The fight began when their leader, Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, lost the Presidential ticket to Atiku. They hold Ayu responsible for that, alleging he corrupted the process. Other members of the G-5 are Samuel Ortom, Benue, Okezie Ikpeazu, Abia, and Seyi Makinde, Oyo.

“The Only Allegation Against Me Is Stinginess; Nigeria Needs A Leader That’ll Stop Wastages, Rebuild Country” –  Obi

By
The Source
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Peter Obi

Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, landed on the Plateau on Friday declaring that what is needed in this country going forward is a leader that will stop wastages and begin the rebuilding of a new Nigeria that the people will be loyal and faithful to, not to their various political parties.

Obi noted that the only accusation against him is stinginess, but remarked that Nigeria needs a stingy person to safeguard its resources and deploy them appropriately.

Obi told the Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Gyang Buba when he paid him homage in his palace that saving is a character formation, noting that while other candidates accused themselves of stealing government money, the only accusation against him was stinginess, adding that it is time for Nigerian leaders to stop wastages in government.

The Labour Party flag bearer said that the Obidient movement does not necessarily represent a political party but a people of different formations desirous of building a new Nigeria.

Obi who addressed a mammoth, jubilant, crowd at a campaign rally in Rwang Pam stadium, Jos, called on the people to observe a minute silence for members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Plateau State who died in road accident while returning from a campaign rally.

The former Anambra state Governor stated that even though those who died in the auto mishap were not LP members, the life of every Nigerian is important, adding that the party suspended campaign in Plateau State for some days to mourn the dead.

In addition to the rally, Obi’s other engagement to address the National Obidient Students at a town hall meeting held at Landfill Event Centre.

Obi stated that he has vowed with his running mate, Dr. Yusuf Datti-Baba Ahmed to protect every Nigerian.

“We want to save the life of every Nigerian. We will secure and unite Nigeria. We are not contesting the election based on tribe.

“We want to build a new Nigeria, a new Nigeria is possible. It is the turn of Nigerians to take back their country.

“That is why we said we will move Nigeria from consumption to production. We want to create jobs; we want to secure  Nigeria.

“Our youths are hard working; they are very productive, we want to make them compete with others in the world.

“Saving is a character formation,” he said.

The Candidate noted that next month’s election is about character, stating that he and his running mate have not stolen any public fund.

“We are wealth creators. This is the opportunity for us to recover Nigeria and make it work,” he stated.

Obi stated that his campaign promises is recorded and that the people should hold him responsible for that.

“Give me the opportunity to secure the country; give me the opportunity to recover Nigeria and stop the blame game.

“We don’t want aid, what we want is the opportunity to take back the country,” he added.

The LP candidate restated at the town hall meeting with that his

government would be youth and women driven.

He promised to make Plateau State tourism centre, and assured that there would be no youth unemployment.

The LP National Chairman, Julius Abure said Nigeria is not working because of bad leadership.

He urged them not to reelect the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the PDP because they put the country in this sorry state.

Abure said that the LP has given them an alternative. “Before, you have only PDP and APC, but now you have an alternative, that alternative is Peter Obi.

“We have played our part, it is now your turn to play your own part,” he added.

Gbong Gwom Gyang Buba, said every Nigerian has a role to play in securing the country, and appealed to politicians to conduct their campaigns with decorum.

Ex-APC Spokesperson, Nabena, Says G-5 Governors Are A Confused Bunch; Can’t Influence Result

By
Akinwale Kasali
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0
Any Atiku Supporter Is An Enemy – Governor Ortom

By Akinwale Kasali

The aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Governors, popular as G-5 have been described as a bunch of confused leaders, incapable of determining who wins next month’s Presidential election.

Yekini Nabena, a former All Progressives Congress, APC, Deputy National Publicity Secretary said that the Governors are confused and don’t know what they want and the direction they ought to follow as the 2023 General Elections draws closer.

Nabena added that the leadership of the PDP should desist forthwith from interfacing with the aggrieved Governors.

Speaking at a brief interactive session on Friday in Abuja, the former APC spokesman noted that apart from Wike, the other four Governors lack the electoral mileage to determine the direction of the election.

The aggrieved PDP Governors include Nyesom Wike, Samuel Ortom, Seyi Makinde, Okezie Ikpeazu and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Rivers, Benue, Oyo, Abia and Enugu states respectively.

Nabena furthermore stressed that  the electoral reforms introduced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, will make it impossible for any Governor to manipulate election outcomes in favour of any candidate.

“The G-5 governors are confused and handicapped whether as PDP men or as supporters of any opposition party.

“We have been hearing all manner of things. Today they are with Asiwaju (Bola Tinubu), tomorrow they are with Peter Obi and the next day, they may work for Atiku Abubakar. Which one do we believe?

“If they support our party and we win in the February presidential election, our members won’t see the G5 governors as allies to be trusted. Again if they change their minds and work for Atiku, and (God forbid) PDP wins after all they have told Nigerians; they will still be treated like pariahs. The same treatment will befall them in Labour Party. Therefore, give or take, these Governors are losers in waiting.

He urged Nigerians to ignore the “noise-making Governors ”, stressing that “The new electoral law has reduced dramatically, the influence of sitting governors to do magic during election unless the electoral umpire decides to handover the process to them. The less-performing governors are the worst for it because the electorate won’t listen to them on election day.

“Again, the new innovations as introduced by INEC, if religiously followed, is another challenge for those who think they can sway the votes. The Bimodal Verification Accreditation System is not anybody’s mate. People will decide and not governors any longer.

“I will advise those who are still waiting on the G5 governors to shift their attention to the real voters because these governors won’t be at the polling unit on election day,” Nabena added.

National Census Holds Between March 29  nd April 2, 2023 – NPC

By
Akinwale Kasali
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0

By Akinwale Kasali

The National Population Council, NPC, has announced that the 2023 Population and Housing Census will hold between March 29th and April 1, 2023.

The Chairman of the National Population Council NPC, Nasir Kwarra, disclosed this on Friday shortly after an audience with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.

“By March 29 to April 2, our staff will be in the field enumerating people,” said Kwarra.

According to him, the technological tools to be deployed will be able to code buildings and landmass, detailing information such as location, landscapes, etc.

This, he said, will ensure a credible exercise.

He also noted that non-Nigerians will be counted so long as they are in the country at the time of the exercise.

In the 2023 Appropriation Act, the Federal Government earmarked N40bn for the National Population.

A total of N10m was allocated for the national population and housing census, while the national population data bank, Nigerian population database management system geo-portal hosting of population website and web portal got N50 million.

According to the document, the conduct of census in schools and the training of advocates staff for data collection and interviewing techniques will gulp N60m

More so, the expansion of registration centres, registration of birth and death, and Adhoc registration took N350m.

The sum of N25m was allocated for census research, documentation, and archiving (i.e., research on historical events, special population e.g. herdsmen, fishermen, homeless persons, migrant farmers.)

Census publicity and advocacy (I.e. publicity, information, communication, DNA enlightenment for population programmes, through print electronic media.) will gulp N120m.

Other outstanding/miscellaneous activities for the 2023 population and housing census will take N30bn.

Again, Gov Soludo Doubts Peter Obi’s Capacity To Win Presidential Election

By
The Source
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0

By Charles Igbo

For, at least, the third time, Anambra State Governor, Professor Charles Soludo, has doubted the ability of Peter Obi, the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, LP, to win the 2023 Presidential election.

Soludo is of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, which has a Presidential Candidate, who has largely remained unknown, Rtd Justice Peter Umeadi, it is not a secret that he is working for the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu, as was, recently, confirmed by Tinubu’s Spokesperson in   the South-east, Josef  Onoh.

Obi is from Anambra State and its former two-term Governor.

Soludo, who spoke on Thursday, in an interview with Channels Television, admitted, reluctantly, that Obi “may win” the Presidential election in Anambra State, waved aside   the LP candidate’s ability to win the Presidency overall.

Soludo: “I wish Peter Obi the best of luck. Let him go and compete as others.

“We (APGA) are also competing in the same race. We have our own candidate (Peter Umeadi), who is also son of the soil, coincidentally from Anambra State as well, and he will do his own bit, get his own votes.

“In the piece,(he wrote in November, 2022) I even considered that Peter Obi might win in Anambra State. I did mention that.” But just like his Channels Television interview, he also said Obi will not win to become Nigeria’s President.

Soludo also claimed that he had given Obi all the support a State Government can offer to a former governor like Obi. He said he has been fair to all parties campaigning in the state and has not denied them state facilities to use for rallies. But he was quick to add that Obi, as a Governor, denied the LP, which candidate he is now, a venue to hold its campaign.

In an earlier release, Soludo had struggled to defend his Government’s alleged pulling down of Obi’s Campaign posters and banners in the State. He said  they may not have paid for the advert. However, a group of youths in the State has asked Soludo to put back Obi’s Campaign posters, or have their members to account to.

The Presidential election holds on February 25, 2023.

Obasanjo: “Only Wicked, Unpatriotic Bad Citizens Will Vote For Atiku, Tinubu”

By
The Source
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0

By Gideon Njoku

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has slammed Nigerians who would vote for the Presidential Candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar or that of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu, in the oncoming Presidential election.

Standing on his earlier endorsement of the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, Obasanjo said that at his age, God would punish him if he sees evil and ignores it.

The only Nigerians who would vote Atiku or Tinubu, the former President said, are wicked, unpatriotic and bad citizens.

He reiterated his reason for supporting Obi. He said the LP candidate “possesses good character, which his fellow contestants lack.”

Obasanjo who in a January 1, 2023, letter to Nigerians, with an emphasis on the youths,  endorsed Obi, spoke on Thursday at an interactive session organised by the Experiential Leadership in Africa (TEL-Africa) in Abeokuta.

Obasanjo:  “I will be punished by God if I know what is right and I did not put it where it should be.

“I take character, I take track record, I take vision and I take what you see in this man as a child of God.”

He said he knows the major candidates,  and can say a bit about them.

Obasanjo: “Why should you, as a Nigerian, vote for somebody with the character, the reputation, the life of which you do not want your own children to be?

“It is either you are wicked, you are unpatriotic or you are really, really a bad citizen of this country and then if this is who you are, what do you want God to do with you, and that is the way I see it.”

The Presidential election will be held of February 25, 2023.

Breaking: Supreme Court Affirms Akpabio As Candidate For Senate

By
Uche Mbah
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0

By Uche Mbah

The Supreme Court has upheld the election of the immediate past Minister for Niger Delta, Godswill Akpabio,  as the rightful candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC),  Akwa Ibom North-west Senatorial District.

The All Progressives Congress, APC, had challenged the ruling of the Court of Appeal which ruled against Akpabio as the rightful Candidate for the February 35 Senatorial elections, and upheld the candidacy of retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, Udom Ekpoudom, as the rightful candidate.

A five-member Panel of Justices, led by Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, ruled on the issue.

Details, later.

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