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Chibuike Amaechi’s Close Ally,  His Former Commissioner, Semenitari, Decamps To PDP

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The Source
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Ibim Semenitari and Rotimi Amaechi

By Charles Igbo

A former Ag. Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Ibim Semenitari, has defected to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Semenitari a close political ally of the immediate past Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, was  Amaechi’s Commissioner for Information when he was Governor. It was, also, Amaechi who influenced her appointment to the high profile NDDC top job. She had, during the crisis that engulfed the PDP in the months leading to the 2015 General elections, decamped to the All Progressives Congress, APC, with Amaechi.

But on July, 10, 2022, after Amaechi lost the APC Presidential ticket to Bola Tinubu, Semenitari resigned from the APC alongside a couple of other Amaechi’s allies.

She had been off the radar since her resignation from the Party. But on Saturday, November 5, 2022, the former NDDC boss took the bold step, decamped to the PDP, and pledged loyalty to the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike.

Asked why PDP, Semenitari whose father, Gabriel Tobby, was the Deputy Governor of the State under then Governor Peter Odili, PDP, said she only returned to base.She reminded that her first political step was in the PDP, and that she only followed her former boss to the APC when the PDP structure was taken away from him during the Goodluck Jonathan Presidency.

She was received to the party in her Okrika Local Government Area by the Council Chairman, Akuro Tobin, a former Commissioner in the State, and other PDP chieftains.

Semenitari: “My first political home was the PDP. I moved with my former boss (Amaechi) who was the leader of the PDP in Rivers State when the structure was taken away from him.

“Every politics must benefit the people. I left the APC for personal reasons. I could not provide for my teeming supporters and those who saw reason to belong to the APC because of me.

“Now that an Opobo son (Sim Fubara) is contesting for the Governor of Rivers State on the platform of the PDP, we all must support him to win the election in 2023.

“We all must place ourselves in a position to speak for our people. I need to find a position to speak for my teeming supporters and the good people of Opobo Kingdom.

“This is my only attraction to the PDP and nothing more.”

Her former boss, Amaechi, has been quiet since after Tinubu roundly beat him to the APC Presidential ticket. He is one of the high profile APC members whose names were dropped from the Party’s Presidential Campaign Council.

Enugu: Governor Ugwuanyi Commits Ekweremadu To God; PDP Gov. Candidate, Mba, Expresses Concern

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The Source
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By Charles Igbo

From Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, were prayers to God on behalf of Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

Ekweremadu, a son of the State, a  serving Senator, and a former Deputy Senate President is embattled.

He was arrested at the Heathrow Airport, London, alongside his wife, Nwanneka, June 21, 2022, on allegations bordering on organ trafficking.

They allegedly sponsored a minor(?) from Nigeria to London, for the sole purpose  of harvesting his kidney to save the life of their daughter, Sonia, who is suffering from a rare kidney disease. Sonia schooled and lives in London.

Ike Ekweremadu
Ike Ekweremadu

The ‘trafficked’ teenager, allegedly, reported them to the Metropolitan Police, claiming he was not told he was brought to London to have his kidney harvested. Unsuspecting, when the couple flew in from Turkey to London, it was into the waiting hands of the Metropolitan Police.

They were clamped into Police custody, and arraigned in court the next day. About two months later, Mrs Ekweremadu was granted bail from prison custody, but the Magistrate  refused to grant bail to Senator Ekweremadu while prosecution continues.

In an emotional statement where she appealed that her life be saved by any kind donor, Sonia revealed that her father, the Senator, has also fallen victim to a serious kidney disease in Prison custody.

And, in a classic case of  hitting a man who is already down, a Federal High Court

which sat in Abuja, Nigeria, granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, its request to take over 40 properties scattered in Abuja, Enugu, Dubai, London and the United States of America which, allegedly, owned by Ekweremadu.

In a ruling on Thursday, Justice Inyang Ekwo, ordered a temporary forfeiture of the properties to the Federal Government.

But while receiving leaders and members of Oganiru Enugu, a political structure promoted by Ekweremadu, who came to announce the collapse of its structure into that of the Governorship candidate of the PDP, in the State, Peter Mba, the Governor who hosted them, asked for prayers to remember Ekweremadu, and commit him to the hands of God.

Ugwuanyi, who asked Sir Ralph Onovo, to pray for God’s intervention in Ekweremadu’s case, also requested that Mass be booked every week on  behalf of Ekweremadu and his family. The Governor asked them to have faith because, “this too shall pass away.”

Also speaking, Mba the Governorship candidate,  expressed concern for the travails of Ekweremadu. He said that the prayers and thoughts of the PDP family are with Senator Ekweremadu and his family.   Mbah: “With faith, we pray that in no distant time, he is going to join us in the Party.”

Before he went to the Senate, Ekweremadu was the Chief of Staff to a former Governor of Enugu State, who is, also, now a Senator, Dr Chimaroke Nnamani.

Ekweremadu’s seat as the Senator representing Enugu West has been empty since his arrest. The leadership of the Senate has not declared it vacant.

Why FG Paid Varsity Lecturers Half Salary In October – Chris Ngige

By
Ayodele Oni
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Chris Ngige
Chris Ngige

By Ayodele Oni

The Federal Government has clarified that members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, (ASUU) were paid for numbers of days they worked in the month of October.

ASUU had announced suspension of eight months old strike and directed members to resume work on 14th of last month.

Shedding light on half salary paid to the lecturers, government explained that they were paid pro-rata.

In a statement by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment on Saturday, the government noted that members of ASUU were paid  because they cannot be paid for work not done.

Payment of the lecturers salaries during the period of strike was among issues that caused delay in resumption by the lecturers.

The statement further clarified that the  Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, never directed the Accountant General of the Federation to pay the university lecturers half salaries.

According to the statement,  “Following the ruling of the Court of Appeal, which upheld the order of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, asking ASUU to go back to work, the leadership of the union wrote to the Minister, informing him that they have suspended the strike.

“The Federal Ministry of Education wrote to him in a similar vein and our labour inspectors in various states also confirmed that they have resumed work.

“So, the Minister wrote to the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and Planning, directing that their salaries should be restored.

“They were paid in pro-rata for the number of days that they worked in October, counting from the day that they suspended their industrial action. Pro-rata was done because you cannot pay them for work not done. Everybody’s hands are tied.”

The ministry equally faulted a statement by the Chairperson of ASUU, Usman Danfodiyo University Sokoto branch, Muhammad N. Al-Mustapha, accusing the Minister of Labour and Employment,  Chris Ngige, of biased payment of salaries to selected professional members of the union.

“Those obviously being referred to by the UDUS ASUU chairperson were members of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association who abstained from the eight-month strike of ASUU because they abhorred the incessant strikes by the union and its grave effects on medical education in Nigeria and production of more medical doctors.

“Accusing the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, of biased payment of salaries to selected professional members of ASUU, is a barefaced distortion of facts.

“Mustapha said he received information that a segment of the staff in the College of Health Sciences has been paid seven months of their withheld salaries from March to September, due to a letter written to the Minister of Finance, instructing the exemption of the under-listed staff on the application of ‘No Work, No Pay’ rule.

“To set the records straight, the medical lecturers who are being referred to by the Chairperson of the ASUU UDUS branch, abstained from the eight-month strike of ASUU.

“This has been corroborated in a press statement by the Chairman, MDCAN UdUS, Dr B. Jubrin and Secretary, Dr I. G Ango, on Friday, November 4, 2022.”

Quoting from Dr Jubrin’s press statement, “Realising the emergency situation in the sub-region worsened by emerging public health threats, the medical and dental lecturers in UDUS decided to continue the academic activities during the ASUU strike to save our healthcare from total collapse.

“To this end, the UDUS medical lecturers agreed to conduct lectures and examinations during the period of the strike.

“In line with the provisions of the Labour Act, we wrote and sought the intervention of the Minister of Labour and Employment, to ensure payment of our salaries.

“The Minister, having carefully reviewed our submission and that of the university management, obliged. This is not an act of favouritism as alleged by ASUU, UDUS branch leadership in their press statement.

“ASUU, UDUS branch, as an association, is expected to protect the interest of all her members and appreciate the differences or peculiarities of medical education.

“The ASUU can legitimately fight for its lawful rights without tramping on the rights of others who are also university staff. We hope that this response will put issues in proper perspective.”

Ekweremadu: Ohaneze Ndigbo Flays Hurried Court Ruling

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Ayodele Oni
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By Ayodele Oni

Ohaneze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation,  has said ruling by a Federal High Court ordering forfeiture of some landed properties belonging to former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu was too hasty.

The organization condemned the temporary forfeiture  order on 40 landed properties of the former Deputy Senate President, due to a suit by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court on Friday, gave the order in an exparte motion filed by the EFCC to that effect.

According to the statement by Ohanaeze spokesperson, Dr Alex Ogbonnia on Saturday, Ekweremadu who is in the custody of the law enforcement agencies in London, the United Kingdom over his alleged attempt at organ harvesting of a minor was not given the opportunity to defend himself before the court of law, while EFCC served a hasty ex-parte motion.

Attached to the ex-parte application marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1242/2022, which was moved by a prosecutor at the EFCC, Ibrahim Buba, was an affidavit that identified the properties as the subject of an ongoing investigation.

EFCC told the court that the landed properties, 10 of which are located in Enugu, three in the United States of America, USA, two in the United Kingdom, UK, one in Lagos, nine in Dubai, and 15 located in the Federal Capital Territory, are suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of crime.

Reacting, the supreme Igbo group said the senator is undergoing travails in the UK and called on all Nigeria’s lawyers with good conscience to help him.

The statement reads, “The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide condemns the hasty judgment passed by Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court to the effect that Sen. Prof. Ike Ekweremadu should forfeit his 40 landed properties.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo stands on a moral probity to state that a hasty exparte motion filed by the EFCC on a man who is undergoing some travails in the United Kingdom falls short of ethical standards and natural justice.

“We maintain that Sen. Ike Ekweremadu should be given the opportunity to defend himself on his properties; and if found wanting should surely face the consequences.

“We are aware that there are several allegations of corruption cases pending in the EFCC, but the urgency and selective judgment in the case of Ekweremadu is not only curious but indeed true to type.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo calls on all the Nigerian legal luminaries of goodwill to intervene against gradual steps towards totalitarianism.”

2023: Why Mr Macaroni Shunned Tinubu And Backed Obi;  Say: “You Cannot Kill All Of Us”

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The Source
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Mr Macaroni Shunned Tinubu And Backed Obi

By Adesina Soyooye

In a week that the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu, secured endorsements from a faction of Afenifere and Nollywood Actors of the Yoruba Genre, a popular Comedian, Actor and human rights  activist, Adebowale Adedayo, has shunned the APC candidate.

Popular as Mr Macaroni, Adedayo ran against the grain, and said he would vote for the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi.

Obi is the most accepted candidate of Nigerian youths, nationwide, most of whom have taken his campaign personal.

In a post on his twitter handle in response to the APC Youth Leader, Dayo Israel, who said whether Nigerians liked it or not, Tinubu would be the President in 2023, Mr Macaroni wrote

“I do not,  and will not campaign for politicians. I cannot force or beg any Nigerian to vote for a particular candidate, but come 2023, the person that I will cast my vote for is Peter Obi!! And that is final on thus matter!! Enough is enough!!!

He then tackled the APC Youth leader. He said; “The effrontery the APC Youth Leader has to come and  tell Nigerians that they do not have a choice in elections? What sort of arrogant stupidity is that? Is this the plan of APC

“You cannot kill all of us. The people reject tyrany.”

Macaroni was one of the leaders of the #EndSARS protest which rocked the Nation in 2020. Inexplicably, a good number of the youths hold Tinubu responsible for the alleged death of some of the protesting youths.

“I Will Nominate Obasanjo For Nobel Peace Prize” – Atiku

By
Adesina Soyooye
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Atiku Abubakar and Olusegun Obasanjo

By Adesina Soyooye

Presidential candidate of the  Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, says he will nominate former Nigeria’s President, Olusegun Obasanjo for the high profile Nobel Peace Prize.

Atiku’s decision stems from the peace which Obasanjo, a few days ago, brokered between waring Ethiopian factions thus bringing calm to the, otherwise, boiling African country.

In a series of tweets on Saturday, Atiku celebrated Obasanjo and commended what he called the former President’s “extraordinary prowess.” Atiku  also, recommended to the Nigerian Government to put Obasanjo’s photograph on one of the three  denominations of  Naira notes – N200, N500, N1000 – billed for redesigning.

Celebrating Obasanjo’s  Ethiopian fit, Atiku said:

” I am not surprised. I know my boss. He did the same thing in Liberia and Sao Tome and Principe during our time in office.

“If for nothing else, he is most deserving of a  Nobel Peace Prize, and I will nominate him when enteries are open for nominations.

“Africa is blessed to have a statesman of such impeccable democratic credentials as Chief Obasanjo. A man whose image ought to be in the redesigned Naira note to inspire future generations of Nigerians to sacrifice for their Nation and Continent.”

Atiku was Obasanjo’s Vice President under the PDP Government between 1999 and 2007. Their second term in office was not smooth. Both of them fell out over allegations and counter-allegations against each other.

While Obasanjo accused Atiku of corruption and made a couple of fruitless efforts to remove him from office, Atiku accused Obasanjo of anti-democratic tendencies, and led the battle to abort Obasanjo’s third term aspiration.

However, in 2019, Obasanjo backed Atiku against President Muhammadu Buhari who he had backed in 2015. Atiku lost.

Against 2023, Obasanjo has not made public who he is backing. But his body language points to Peter Obi, the candidate of the Labour Party.

Presidential Amnesty Programme Stays, As FG Shelves Planned Scrapping

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Ayodele Oni
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Presidential Amnesty Programme Stays, As FG Shelves Planned Scrapping

By Ayodele Oni

Hope of the people of the Niger Delta area of the country has been rekindled, following federal government’s decision to continue the implementation of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, (PAP).

PAP, which was introduced in the wake of unrest in the Niger Delta area, where Nigeria’s oil is being explored, has benefitted several indigenes of the area through education abroad and other empowerment programme.

A new interim administrator, Major Gen, Barry Ndiomu, who was appointed about two months ago, had announced that his mission was to wind down PAP as federal government is no longer interested in its implementation.

The interim administrator, in a statement at the weekend, however, confirmed that the federal government has shelved plan to close PAP.

The statement, signed by media consultant, Donu Kogbara, expressed gratitude to the federal government for listening, when it was made clear that critical stakeholders in the region were opposed to winding down of PAP.

Ndiomu added that all responsible stakeholders nevertheless, support change and share view that the programme needs to be totally refocused and restructured.

He stated that government weighed the argument presented to it on merit and decided to suspend the planned shutdown.

According to him, the federal government’s willingness to retrace its step demonstrated the sensitivity of President Mohammadu Buhari’s led administration to issues affecting Niger Delta people.

” The federal government has heard the concerns of the Niger Delta people and with our best interest at heart, has decided  to shelve an earlier unwanted termination agenda and transform PAP into a more sanitized entity.

“The decision was taken after the feelings of stakeholders and people of the region were communicated to the government and proves that Buhari’s administration will not do anything to jeopardize the peace in Niger Delta.

“We call on Stakeholders to sustain the peace in the region and help the new administration reform, refocuss and reposition the programme for optimum performance.”

Jigawa: Farmers Lament Loses To Flooding, Demand Compensation From River Basin Authority

By
Ayodele Oni
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Jigawa Floods

By Ayodele Oni

Farmers in Jigawa state have blamed the management of the Hadejia Jama’are River Basin Development Authority (HJRBDA) for the huge loss suffered as a result of this year’s flooding.

The group of farmers demanded an immediate assessment of the damages caused by the flood and pay them compensation to sustain their production.

Speaking on behalf of the farmers, the Special Adviser to Governor Badaru Abubakar on Media, Malam Habibu Ringim said, the excess water released by the authority contributed in worsening the flooding around Hadejia river, which led to unprecedented loss of farm lands and houses in 11 local government areas of the state.

According to him, in a letter signed by the  Managing Director, Hadejia Jamare Mamun  and addressed to the Secretary Jigawa State Government on 9th August 2022, alerted the government and the public on  plan to release excess water from Tiga Dam.

He further explained that the flooding that occurred between August and September may not be unconnected to the release of the excess water by the Authority.

Malam Ringim pointed out that, the damaged caused by the flooding was  huge and farmers cannot bear the loss alone.

He added that there is need for the management of the River Basin Development Authority to pay compensation to the victims.

He also called on people of the state, including civil societies, to join hands in demanding from the HDJRBDA to look into the predicament of the farmers and pay compensation for their loss.

The Governor’s aide however expressed dismay on the nonchalant attitude exhibited by the management of the authority in managing the river, dams and other irrigation facilities.

He noted that the management for reasons best known to them, deny farmers enough water during the dry season farming, which sabotaged the federal government’s food policy, while discharging  excess water during raining season.

Ringim called on President Muhammadu Buhari to reconstitute the management of HJRBDA by bringing competent hands who can manage it effectively.

Jigawa is one of the states that is worst hit by flood this year, with over 140 reported deaths, 100,000 people displaced, hundreds hectares of farm lands destroyed and many public infrastructures.

Internet Fraudster, Hushpuppi, Not Sentenced Yet By USA Court; Date Is 7th November

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Ramoni Igbalode, popularly known Hushpuppi

By Akinwale Kasali

International internet fraudster, and Social Media Celebrity, Ramon Abass, popular as Hushpuppi, is set to be sentenced by a United States of America Court on Monday 7th November, 2022.

On Friday, 4th November, the media was agog with a rumoured sentencing of Hushpuppi to 11 years in prison in the United States. But according to the British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC, the report is fake.

Hushpuppi is a Nigerian internet fraudster arrested in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in June 2020 and was extradited to the United States on July 3.

He was arrested for defrauding over 1.9 million people, majority of them,  Americans.

The 37 years old pleaded guilty to the charges filed against him.

An earlier statement by the acting United States Attorney Tracy Wilkinson revealed that Hushpuppi and his accomplice faked the financing of a school by playing the roles of bank officials and creating a bogus website. He was also alleged to have bribed foreign officials to keep the elaborate pretence.

In October, 2022, the trial Judge, Otis Wright, of the US Central District Court in California postponed the sentencing to Monday, November 7, 2022.

“Counsels are notified, the sentencing is continued to November 7, 2022 at 11.30 am. as to Defendant Ramon Olorunwa Abbas,” the court announcement shifting the sentencing read.

2023: APC Crisis: Majority Leader, Ado Doguwa Skeptical About APC Winning Kano State

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Ado Doguwa Skeptical About APC Winning Kano State

By Akinwale Kasali

The crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in Kano State may mar the Party from winning the State as the 2023 Presidential Election draws closer, Alhassan Ado Doguwa has warned.

Ado Doguwa, Majority Leader at the House of Representatives, warned the Party to put its house in order so as not to lose one of  most populous State in the country to opposition.

At a Press Briefing, the APC Chieftain said that Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has left the structure of the Party in the State to those who are fanning the ember of hatred, thereby disorganizing the Party in the State.

The Lawmaker representing Doguwa/Tudun Wada Federal Constituency of Kano State, questioned the loyalty of a former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and Deputy Governorship candidate of the APC, Murtala Garo, an in-law to the Presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, stressing that Governor Ganduje has governed the state well administratively, but those he left to manage the party have frustrated loyal members out of it.

He said, “It is my hope and it is the hope of the APC people in Nigeria that Bola (Tinubu) can be able (sic) to discharge his duties; that Bola can be able (sic) to consolidate the gains earlier laid down by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“I want to say today without any fear of contradiction; without any fear of intimidation; without any fear of any quarter or any authority anywhere that there is fire on the mountain as far as the APC is concerned in Kano State. There is fire on the mountain – I repeat, there is fire on the mountain. This is the right time to say it because we have been going through a silent crisis especially in the area of party administration and politicking with a lot of intrigues and exclusion of members.

“Management and administration of the party is being done exclusively by a few members of the party who are, by all standing, not supposed to handle what they are handling in the APC. I want to say for the purpose of clarification that I am talking about party politics in Kano; in our party, the APC”.

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