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IPOB Sues Simon Ekpa, As Ndigbo Fight Back

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The Source
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By Charles Igbo

In an ironic twist, the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, has sued Mr Simon Ekpa over his activities in Igboland, and the turn the sit-at-home order has taken.

Ekpa, a self proclaimed disciple of IPOB Leader, Nnamdi Kanu, and an estranged member of IPOB, has been working at cross-purposed with the Group, and issuing a counter order to any order given by Kanu and IPOB.

For instance, while IPOB has since cancelled and/or restricted the sit-at-home order to only the days Kanu would appear in Court, Ekpa has continued to encourage the every-Monday sit-at-home order with all the violence that accompanies it. There are also other areas of disagreement.

While IPOB says it will not stop South-easterners from collecting their Permanent Voters Card, PVC, and has no business preventing the 2023 General elections in the South-east, Ekpa asked people not to dare, and declared there will be no election in the Zone in 2023.

Ekpa, Finland-based, was unknown until the Nigerian Government renditioned Kanu from Kenya, put him in custody, and began his prosecution at a Federal High Court Abuja on sundry allegations, including terrorism and treasonable felony. That was when Ekpa surfaced and introduced himself as Kanu’s disciple. He was soon to fall out with the IPOB leadership because he was behaving and talking as if he had become Kanu’s successor.

IPOB initiated the sit-at-home order to protest the prosecution, continued detention of Kanu, and to pressurise the Federal Government to release him unconditionally. At the beginning, the order was against every Monday, and the days Kanu would appear in Court. It was violently enforced with its attendant blood letting, loss of lives and destruction of people’s businesses and livelihood.

A combination of condemnation and pressure forced IPOB to review it, especially, as its leadership began to appreciate the pains the people they said they are protecting were going through.

But Ekpa refused to accept the review and since then, Ekpa’s boys have, according to IPOB, been on rampage in a bid to enforce the order. And innocent blood of the Igbo flows.

IPOB has continued to condemn Ekpa, and distance itself from his activities.

A few days ago, Ekpa’s new order pushed the Igbo to rise in anger. He had declared a five-day sit-at-home order, beginning from December 9, to coincide with the dates the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, mapped out for the final collection of PVCs. The order was to stop the Igbo from collecting their PVCs.

The order stung millions of Ndigbo who felt they have had enough of the disruption of their lives by the continous orders from Ekpa.

IPOB was the first to denounce Ekpa’s order. They asked Ndigbo to ignore it as it neither came from them nor authorised by Kanu.

Thousands of people began to attack Ekpa on all platforms. They asked who gave him the power to run their lives. They asked the Federal Government to go after him, through the Finland Government, and extradite him to Nigeria for prosecution.

In a statement, on Monday December 12, after series of fatal attacks across the South-east by gunmen, Ohanaeze Ndigbo asked for Ekpa’s arrest and prosecution wherever he is.

The statement signed by Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the Secretary General of the  unrecognised faction of Ohanaeze reads in part:

NDI IGBO CALLS FOR THE IMMEDIATE ARREST AND REPATRIATION OF SIMON EKPA TO NIGERIA

“Ndigbo has identified Simon Ekpa as the overseas provocateur and instigator for the current killings in Imo state, the destruction of public properties in Enugu State, and disturbance of public peace and sporadic shootings in Ebonyi State.

Ndigbo calls for the immediate arrest, and repatriation of Simon Ekpa, to Nigeria, he’s a trickery man and criminal hiding behind Finis citizenship and Biafra agitation to wreak havoc, extort monies from Nigerians abroad, and influence the insecurity challenges against Ndigbo.”

Kanu, from detention, lamented the violence and loss of lives which followed Kanu’s current order.

On Tuesday, December 13, IPOB took a legal step to stop Ekpa’s activities in Igboland. It sued him.

IPOB Counsel, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, filed a suit at the Federal High Court, Abuja, against Ekpa. In the suit, Ejiofor accused Ekpa of issuing “violent, disturbing and false declarations  about South-east sit-at-home”

In a Facebook post, Ejiofor said: ” I, also, want to assure Simon Ekpa and his cohorts affected by this compelling legal action, that no matter the Country you people believe to be hiding under its sovereign protection, the full arms of the law shall certainly catch up with you all in the legal onslaught already commenced. This is just one in the long line of compelling civil and criminal  litigation coming your way.”

This could, finally, spell the unravelling of Simon Ekpa

2023 Presidency: “We Are Waiting For Governor Wike’s Directive; We Vote For Whom He Directs” – Rivers Elders Council

By
Adesina Soyooye
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Chief Ferdinand Alabraba and Wike

By Adesina Soyooye

Members of the Rivers State Elders Council say they are waiting for Governor Nyesom Wike to tell them who to vote for in the Presidential election of 2023.

The Chairman of the Council, Chief Ferdinand Alabraba,  said this when Wike hosted them to a party at his private residence in Porthacourt to mark his ( Wike’s) 55th birthday.

In response to a speech by the Governor, Alabraba promised the Governor that they will deliver all the  Candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 2023, but said they were still  waiting on him to tell them who to vote for in the 2023 Presidential race.

Alabraba’s words: “Since after the Primaries and all the matters arising, a lot of people have been wondering, ‘where are we going to vote? What are we doing?’

“But I assure you, the belief we have in you and your leadership, whenever you decide to say where we are going, that is where all of us will go. We are not in a hurry.

“We will deliver Fubara (Sim) as our Governor, deliver all Reps, Senate and all State Assembly Candidates. But for the other one (Presidency), we are waiting for whenever you decide, that is where all of us will go.

“Your Excellency, we thank God that you have the capacity to carry along a number of your colleagues known as G-5.

“Those are the most popular Governors in this Country today. And, we are not pressuring you.

“Whatever the group comes up with, whichever decision you take, be rest assured that your followers hope will key into it and support you to the last.”

Wike has been at loggerheads with the National Leadership of the Party and the Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, since after the Primaries where he lost to Atiku Abubakar and also lost the Vice Presidential slot to his Delta State counterpart, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa.

In words and actions, he and members of the G5 which he leads have been de-marketing the Party. They have been boycotting the Presidential Campaign Rally. And have made it, clear, almost, that they will not vote Atiku at the Presidential election in February, 2023.

The other Governor -members of the G-5 are Samuel Ortom, Benue, Okezie Ikpeazu, Abia, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Enugu and, Seyi Makinde, Oyo.

Finally, Wike Explains Why His Allies In Rivers State Parted Ways With Him

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The Source
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By Adesina Soyooye

“Austin (Opara) said he wanted to run for Governorship, and I called him and said to him, my brother, it will not work. You will be a hard sell after Amaechi and I” – Wike

Nyesom Wike, Rivers  State Governor, has, finally, publicly, explained why he and his allies in the State parted ways.

During Wike’s first term in office, the months running to it, and the greater part of his second term, the Governor was very close to a number of high profile members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. They campaigned with him. He worked with them. When he won, they stuck to him like glue. They went everywhere with him. They attended all his functions. Then, suddenly, everything went awry.

The high profile members included, but not limited to: Senator Lee Maeba, a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Sir Austin Opara, former Transportation Minister Dr. Abiye Sekibo, and a former, but sacked, Governor of the State, Sir Celestine Omehia.

Most people, especially, in Rivers State, and within the PDP,  were shocked at how they parted ways. It was bitter. It bordered on hatred. Wike, using his executive power, as he would put it,  “peppered them” . He stripped them of all positions they held both in the Party and his Government. He stopped all patronages.  A couple of them, the businesses of their relatives and friends were affected.

The most hit was Omehia.

Omehia was sacked as the Governor of the State by the Supreme Court, in favour of his cousin, the immediate Minister for Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi. For the eight years Amaechi was Governor, he did not recognise Omehia as Governor. But when Wike became the Governor, apparently, on his instruction, the House of Assembly recognized Omehia as a former Governor and gave him all the rights and privileges due to a former Governor. On the part of Wike, he gave him a State award reserved for only former Governors of the State – Grand Service Star of Rivers State, GSSRS.

But as soon as he and Wike disagreed, he was not only stripped of all the privileges and the State award, GSSRS, he was asked to refund the hundreds of millions of Naira he had received so far in pension and gratuity.

Now, Wike has, finally, told the story of his bitter parting with his allies. He spoke to the Council of Rivers Elders when he hosted them at his private residence in Porthacourt to mark his 55th birthday.

He said his parting with them stemmed from the offices they wanted to occupy in 2023 to which he told them it was unfair, and wouldn’t work.

For instance, he said he told  Austin Opara that it would be unfair for another Ikwerre man to be Governor after 16 years of Amaechi and him, Wike.

His words: “I called Austin (Opara), he sat here, and I said, ‘look my brother, leave it, it will not work. I don’t want to cause crisis in our system. Amaechi finished eight years as Governor, I am going to finish eight years as Governor too.’

“It will be difficult to sell another Ikwerre person as Governor for another eight years.

“Omehia said he wanted to go to the Senate, I said ‘leave it, Ikwerre has gone, Ogu has gone, leave Etche to go.’

“You people said I should go to the Senate. I said, I won’t.

Allwell (Onyesoh) could not have stopped me.

“Yes, today, we are majority, you don’t know what tomorrow will be. I never did anything to undermine anybody. We must understand that.”

The Governor denied that he imposed the PDP Governorship Candidate, Sim Fubara, on them, and said it was a collective choice. He said there was an agreement, and promised to make it public. “When O.C.J. Okocha comes back, we will publish the agreement signed by all.”

On fears that the crisis could deny the Party of victory in 2023, the Governor laughed it off, and said: “We will win. I am not running for election, but I am running an election. My name is not on the ballot but I am running an election.

“You will hear what is going to happen. Everybody don’t panic. It is something God has given to us.”

His estranged political allies are all working for Atiku, a situation that angers the Governor no end.

“I Would Have Won PDP Presidential Primary If They Had Allowed It To Be What It Is Supposed To Be” – Governor Wike

By
Adesina Soyooye
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Nyesom Wike

By Adesina Soyooye

“What is the interest of Rivers, South-South, and the South, in an Atiku Presidency? –  Wike”

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, says he would have won the Peoples Democratic Party’s Presidential Primary “if  they had allowed it to be what it is supposed to be.”

The Governor did not explain what was not allowed to happen the way it should have happened at the Primary. But long  before now, Wike had said the National Chairman of the Party, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, corrupted the exercise in favour of Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential candidate.

Wike spoke at his private residence in Porthacourt when he hosted the State’s Council of Elders in celebration of his 55th birthday.

Wike has been at loggerheads with the PDP National Leadership and Atiku since he lost the Presidential ticket to the Candidate, and also lost the Vice Presidential slot to his Delta State counterpart, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa. Along with four other Governors and a number of their allies, they formed the G-5, later renamed  Integrity Group, which Wike leads. The Group has since distanced itself from all PDP activities, including the Presidential Campaign. Instead, they have made it clear, in both actions and utterances, that while they would work for the 2023 success of the Party at the State level, they would not raise a finger at the Presidential election.

Members who are Governors are: Wike, Rivers, Samuel Ortom, Benue, Okezie Ikpeazu, Abia, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Enugu and Seyi Makinde, Oyo. Chief Bode George, Professor Jerry Gana, Donald Duke, Olusegun Mimiko, Ayo Fayose, and some more are also members.

They are asking that Ayu  step down as the Chairman of the Party for a Southerner. They say it is unfair for the National Chairman and the Candidate to come from same Zone – North.

Wike told the Council of Elders that while he had nothing personal against Atiku, “Ayu must go.” He, also, said he had no regrets that he ran for the office of the President.

Wike: “I don’t regret I ran for the Presidency. In the name of God, I am happy to make Rivers proud as far as I am concerned.

“If they had allowed it to be what it is supposed to be, I would have won the election. But, it’s okay. It has happened.

“People said it’s because (his problem with PDP) I lost election. It doesn’t matter. I didn’t lose election.

“This is my first time of trying to run for the Presidency of  Nigeria, and we made impact. If it is easy, let them go ahead. Are they not the ones begging.

“I have no problem with the Presidential candidate. All I am saying is: what is the interest of Rivers people? What is the interest of the South-south, and the South?”

While efforts are still frantically on to resolve the issues, the Party has  moved on with its Presidential Campaign.

2023: Bode George Slams Tinubu, Says He Is Not One Of His Kinsmen

By
Akinwale Kasali
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By Akinwale Kasali

Former Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Deputy National Chairman, Olabode George has slammed the All Progressives Congress, APC, Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Spokesmen for his Presidential Campaign Council, PCC, Bayo Onanuga and Dele Alake for failing to answer fundamental questions as regards the educational background and where their Principal comes from, rather than trying to silence free press.

George stressed that the move by Tinubu and his propagandists is an attack on free speech; that they have failed to answer the questions posed by Nigerians, who want to know the person they want to entrust the affairs of the nation in its hands for the next four years.

George said that Tinubu has been claiming to be a Lagosian, but he has failed to name the School he went to in Lagos, his classmates, where he lived in Lagos, those he mingled with.

George made these assertions in an interview on Arise TV where he dissected some questions about the crisis in the PDP and correct the notion that Tinubu is one of his kinsmen in Lagos State.

“Tinubu is not from Lagos State. You can quote me. If he says he grew up in Isale-Eko, which school did you attend? I grew up on Evans Street in Lagos. 35 Evans Street was my grandfather’s house. I went to the community school. I played football at the local stadium at Isale-Eko. That’s how people knew me.”

“I have been to Tinubu’s State, his town and I know some people he attended School with. He is not from Lagos State and he can never be from here’. He should be bold to answer questions about his origin and his educational background. The electorate needs to know, because we cannot entrust our future into the hands of liars.

“We  need leaders that have integrity, that are truthful, respected, and have what it takes to rule a complex country like Nigeria”.

There has been insinuation that contrary to the claim of the former Lagos State Governor, Tinubu, that he hails from Lagos State, it is alleged that he is actually  from Iragbiji, Osun State.

His former Deputy while he was Governor of Lagos State during his first term, Bucknor-Akerele, also alluded to this claim.

Delving into the crisis rocking the PDP which has polarised the party, George said that the reconciliation process in the Party would only happen if the party’s hierarchy “gives unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar.”

He further stated that since the formation of the party almost 25 years ago, the North-Central, which currently holds the position of the national chairman, had predominantly occupied the position of the party’s leadership.

He added, “It is not a solution that cannot be handled. All we are saying is give what belongs to Caesar what belongs to Caesar. Give us what belongs to us. Turn by Turn Nigeria Limited. Take for example, what I am angry about is this, the first chairman was late Papa Solomon from North-Central. The second chairman, North-Central. The third chairman, Audu Ogbe, North-Central. The fourth chairman, my oga, Dr Amadu Ali, North-Central; Baraje, from Kwara, was also North-Central. Now you have Ayu, also North-Central.

“The South-West has never enjoyed this position since the party started almost 25 years ago. What is our crime? If you are telling us you want to rule this country, you have to weave all the tribes and all the people together. That is the major problem, and unless that is resolved, I will not vote for our own candidate.”

Insecurity: ‘Stop Feigning Ignorance, Boko Haram Started With PDP’, Lai Mohammed Replies Atiku

By
Akinwale Kasali
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0
Lai Mohammed and Atiku Abubakar

By Akinwale Kasali

Accusation and counter accusation between the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar and the Minister of Information and Culture are yet to abate.

Atiku had accused the President Muhammadu Buhari led All Progressives Congress, APC, during a town hall meeting recently of not doing the needful in addressing the Boko HAram Insurgency rocking the nation.

Atiku had claimed that he did not understand the Boko Haram phenomenon, lamenting that despite the efforts of the Nigerian Army, the insurgency had not been eliminated.

He said, “I still cannot understand why we should have Boko Haram. You see, I served in Borno State in the North-East and as a customs officer I was patrolling the entire North-East, so I am very conversant with the vegetation and with the border areas. I still cannot find a place in the Borno areas where anybody can hide and cannot be seen. I cannot understand honestly, the Boko Haram phenomenon.”

Responding to Atiku’s statement, Mohammed slammed the former Vice President for claiming not to understand the Boko Haram phenomenon, a situation which Mohammed said was nurtured by his party.

The Minister added that Atiku should not feign ignorance as it was under his party’s watch the Boko Haram insurgency started in 2009.

Speaking further, the former Kwara State Governorship candidate under the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, said that the former Vice President does not need to go far to understand what happened, asking him to discuss with the hierarchy of the party why it allowed Boko Haram to operate freely, bombing cities, motor parks, schools and other soft targets.

He said, “Well, he does not need to go far to get answers to his questions, he should ask his party, the Peoples Democratic Party under whose watch the Boko Haram insurgency started in 2009.

“For six years, until 2015, when our administration assumed office and inherited Boko Haram, the PDP more or less nurtured the insurgents into the monster they later became. Alhaji Atiku should ask his party why it allowed Boko Haram to operate freely, bombing cities, motor parks, schools and other soft targets.

“Alhaji Atiku who was then residing in Abuja, before porting to his new abode in Dubai, should ask his party, the PDP, why it allowed Boko Haram to bomb the police headquarters, the UN complex, a shopping mall and motor parks in Abuja, with such ease.”

The Minister added that the Presidential candidate should instead thank patriotic troops for creating a peaceful environment for economic activities to thrive in the North-East region.

“His Excellency will want to know that today, thanks to our patriotic troops, military objectives have been achieved in the North-East, the home region of Boko Haram thereby creating conditions for stabilisation operations to take place.

“Boko Haram terrorists have been cleared from most of their strongholds, where remnants are being stuck in Lake Chad area that are difficult to access.

“While on the campaign trail, and throwing political japs, we advise His Excellency Atiku Abubakar to note the popular idiom that people who live in glass houses should not throw stones,” he concluded.

Ogene Faults Exclusion Of Host Communities From Oil Development Committee In Anambra

By
The Source
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Victor Ogene

Hon. Victor Afam Ogene,  former House of Representatives member, for Ogbaru Federal Constituency, has faulted the exclusion of the main oil producing communities in Ogbaru, Anambra State, from the proposed Anambra State Oil and Gas Development Committee.

He went further to call the attention of Governor  Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, to the “unfair and unlawful exclusion”, which he said negates the objective of the Petroleum Industry Act.

He listed the main  producing communities as Ogwuaniocha and Ogwuikpele, both in Ogbaru Local Government Area and pointed out that out of the 11 Oil wells that qualified Anambra as an Oil Producing state, eight are sited in both communities; yet nobody from the communities was found worthy of inclusion in the committee.

According to government announcement, Governor Soludo would on Tuesday, December 13, inaugurate the members of the Anambra State Oil and Gas Development Committe.

But Ogene,  who is also the 2023 House of Representatives candidate of the Labour Party, in Ogbaru, in a statement on Monday said that:”While that’ll be considered a great news for our dear State, Anambra – that is gradually taking it’s place in the comity of oil producing states in Nigeria – the obvious exclusion of the main host communities, Ogwuaniocha and Ogwuikpele, both in Ogbaru Local Government Area, remains a disrespectful anomaly that runs contrary to the recently signed Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), that prioritises oil host community engagement and inclusion.

“The PIA describes host communities as communities ‘situated in or appurtenant to the area of operation of a settlor and any other community as a settlor may determine.”

He said that although “there are three Ogbaru sons in the Committee, the Commissioner for Information and one other, the non-inclusion of anyone from the twin communities of Ogwuaniocha and Ogwuikpele, is not only unjust but a development that might give oxygen to future bickering and rancour which Anambra doesn’t need at this period.

The Petroleum Industry Act, 2021 (PIA or “the Act”) was signed into law in August 2021. The PIA introduces significant changes to the legal and governance framework, administrative processes, regulatory and fiscal terms, and host community engagements in the oil and gas industry, in order to ensure transparency and enabling environment for oil producing operations.

Hon. Ogene therefore called on Governor Soludo to urgently look into the anomalous exclusion, with a view to ensure that both Ogwuaniocha and Ogwuikpele are properly represented in the Committee for the overall interest of the state and mutual goodwill.

International News Agency, Reuters, Indicts Nigerian Army Of Massacre; FG Debunk News, Says It Is Fake

By
Akinwale Kasali
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0
Lai Mohammed

By Akinwale Kasali

The Federal Government has debunked the news by International News Agency, Reuters, which alleged that the Nigerian Army carried out a massacre of children during the ongoing war against terrorism.

Reuters had, days ago, in its report alleged that the Nigeria Army is running a secret abortion programme on female victims of terrorists, adding that no fewer than 10, 000 pregnancies had been terminated since least 2013.

That prompted the United Nations, UN, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, to call on the Nigerian authorities to investigate allegations against the service.

Debunking the report by Reuters, and also showcasing the scorecard of the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation under the administration in Abuja on Monday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, accused Reuters of making such an allegation without a piece of evidence.

He said, “The News Agency made this grave allegation without a scintilla of evidence, citing only anonymous sources and the reported review of phantom ‘documents’. The agency claimed that its investigation was based on interviews with 33 women and girls, interview with 33 women and girls to arrive at the bogus claim of 10,000 abortions! And in a further indication that the figure of abortions quoted was arbitrary or possibly conjured, the agency first put the figure at 12,000 before settling for 10,000.

“The Federal Government hereby categorically states that there is no ‘secret, systematic and illegal abortion programme’ being run by our military in the Northeast or anywhere across the country. We also hereby reject the accusation of running an abortion programme levelled against our military. We state categorically that this story is a scary instance of fake news and disinformation combined. The writers deserve an award in fiction writing.

Mohammed described the report as a ploy to demoralise and distract the Military as well as cut Nigeria off the support the country was receiving in the fight against terrorism.

“ Is it a strategy to set the world against Nigeria and cut off the support that is critical to crushing terrorists? Only the news agency can answer these questions. But we stand by our military, which has served meritoriously at home and regional and global peacekeeping operations from 1960 to date,” he added.

In another report by Reuters, released on Monday, December 12, 2022, it insisted on its allegation.

It stated that said the report was based on the revelations of more than 40 soldiers and civilians who claimed to have witnessed the Nigerian military kill children or seen children’s corpses after a military operation.

According to the report, the estimates of children killed by the Army were in the thousands, adding that it investigated six of the incidents in which at least 60 died.

The report read, “The massacre, previously unreported, is just one instance in which the Nigerian Army and allied security forces have slaughtered children during their gruelling 13-year war against Islamist extremists in the country’s northeast, a Reuters investigation found.

“Soldiers and armed guards employed by the government told Reuters that Army commanders repeatedly ordered them to ‘delete’ children because the children were assumed to be collaborating with militants in Boko Haram or its Islamic State offshoot or to have inherited the tainted blood of insurgent fathers.

“More than 40 sources said they saw the Nigerian military target and kill children or saw the dead bodies of children after a military operation. These sources included both parents and other civilian witnesses, as well as soldiers who said they participated in dozens of military operations in which children were slaughtered”.

N40 Million Fraud: Labour Party Exonerates National Chairman, Julius Abure

By
Akinwale Kasali
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0
Julius Abure - Labour Party National Chairman

By Akinwale Kasali

The crisis rocking the Labour Party, LP,  has been resolved following the exoneration of its National Chairman, Julius Abure, of an alleged N40 Million fraud, that polarized the Party.

The National Working Committee, NWC, of the Party, having carried out a thorough investigation over allegations the National Chairman of diverted the Party’s N40 Million into personal coffers has declared him innocent of the charges.

The corruption allegation was raised in a petition addressed to the LP National Executive Committee and Presidential flag bearer, Peter Obi, by the axed National Publicity Secretary of LP, Abayomi Arabambi.

The petition written by the sacked Arabambi lawyers, Kaiser Oghenetejire & Co.,  claimed that he was illegally removed through a coup orchestrated by Abure and the National Secretary, Umar Farouk. He stated that the Chairman grossly violated the provisions of the party Constitution by enriching himself fraudulently and denying candidates their tickets.

His petition partly read, “Julius Abure, the National Chairman of Labour Party diverted over N40,000,000 from sales of party nomination forms into his private transport company account with Access Bank Plc as payments thereby grossly violating the provisions of the Labour Party constitution 2019 as amended by enriching himself fraudulently and thereafter denied the candidates tickets after collecting their monies.”

Arabambi alleged that Abure had on different occasions defrauded aspirants and candidates on the platform of the party and called on the party to investigate the allegations.

He cited the case of a candidate for Lagos West Senatorial seat, George Gabriel Chiadikaobi, who paid N2.5m into the party’s account in Lagos and another N2.5m into Abure’s business account in August and another Lagos-based House of Representatives candidate, Umeadi Emmanuel Azubike, who paid N3m and N1m respectively on July 6.

According to him, Abure brought in four thugs with improvised arms or pistols who he initially thought were members of the Department of State Services to harass him when he came to present the evidence of the Chairman’s fraudulent activities during Thursday’s NWC meeting at Barcelona Hotel Wuse 2 Abuja.

“Julius Abure’s actions constituted a coup d’etat that amounted to suspending the Labour Party’s constitution for the implementation of draconian decrees rather than the party’s constitutional provisions as regards his illegal suspension and removal as the National Publicity Secretary and also the Ogun State Executive Council.

“Abure pleaded with me to conceal the details of how he embezzled N40 million which belongs to the Labour Party but I refused to do so. That was why I was illegally removed.

“I called for a financial Audit investigation of all the labour party’s accounts to be conducted immediately to ascertain the extent of financial malfeasance and impropriety perpetrated through illegal transactions from sales of party nomination forms and expression of interest,” he said.

Arabambi has vowed to fight his removal as the image maker of the Party by approaching a Competent Court for justice.

However, Umar Farouk, the LP National Secretary said that Arabambi is only ranting and like other enemies of the Party, he is just wasting his time as the Party has moved on.

Farouk stressed that there was no where in the petition that Abure was indicted and found guilty of the allegations leveled against him.

He dismissed the allegation as watery and an attempt to distract the Labour Party from winning the 2023 elections.

He said, “In politics, one cannot run away from various allegations from people who are not really in tune with the progress of the party. But I can tell you categorically that the NWC has passed a vote of confidence on the leadership of the National Chairman.

“Every part of that allegation has been reviewed and we have seen nothing financially wrong in what the allegation claims. It is just watery. I can assure you that the party will also challenge the action from the appropriate court of jurisdiction.

“In the said allegation, nowhere was the name of our chairman mentioned except in the heading. All the subsequent narration in the report was just watery and mere allegation.

“We are not going to be distracted. People are feeling that we are not strong but this action we are taking is making us stronger. We are not afraid to take decisions as long as it is in line with the Constitution of the party and the candidate.

“We are also not unaware of people coming into the party to cause chaos. Some miscreants will go and say things that are not really happening at the party. Things like money being shared or stolen by certain people. If you have proof of such a report, come out and tell us you are a member, this is your membership card and what actually transpired.

“So many people are being sponsored in the party to cause issues that are not there. We are moving forward as our slogan says. Forward ever, backward never.

“For now, the National Chairman, Barrister Julius Abure, has the backing of the entire NWC and NEC members.”

Gov Adeleke Ignorant Of Mining Law – Osun APC

By
Ayodele Oni
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0
Ademola Adeleke

By Ayodele Oni

The  Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that the state Governor,  Ademola Adeleke, lacks  understanding of statecraft and governance.

Acting State Chairman of APC, Sooko Tajudeen Lawal,  in response to what it called the governor’s embarrassing broadcast on the mining sector, said the claims of Governor Adeleke that the state governments in the last 25 years have either mismanaged returns on mining or have failed to recover derivation due to the state were fraught with ignorance.

“The claims made by Governor Ademola Adeleke during the  inauguration of the Revenue Committee and Solid Minerals Committee set up by his government, are ones made out of ignorance and mischief designed to embarrass previous governors of the state.

“It is worrisome that a state government which should have access to quality expert advice from the relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies would issue an official statement to advertise its administrative unawareness and unseriousness about 13% derivation on mining.

“Contrary to Governor Adeleke’s claim that Segilola Company and other operating companies in the state are expected to pay Osun State 13 per cent derivation on the value of gold and other minerals resources produced in the last 25 years in the state, the correct information is that miners don’t pay derivation to state.

“The miners pay royalty, ranging from three per cent to five per cent of every ounce of gold or solid minerals extracted in the state, to the Federal Government because Mining is under the Exclusive List or authority of the Federal Government.”

He explained that it is from the royalty paid to the Federal Government that the 13 per cent derivation  is calculated and handed to the state.

Sooko maintained that it was alarming that no expert in the team of Adeleke could extend to the governor the needed information on this sensitive matter.

He said that it was outright misrepresentation of fact the Osun state governor’s allegation that  the previous governments had failed to account for derivation due to the state in the last 25 years.

“It is preposterous for the new government to demand 25 years derivation from Segilola Company.

“Is the company 25 years old in the state? Are the current government handlers aware that Segilola Company only began commercial operation in the state last year (2021); so from where did the idea of 25 years derivation arrears come?

“Matter-of-factly, the company is on a three-year tax holiday. The implication is that the company, during the administration of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, did not pay any royalty to the Federal Government that Osun State would have laid claim to any 13 per cent derivation.

“If there was anything the state government benefited from the company, it was the usual PAYE tax on its employees or perhaps Land Use Tax.”

The APC Chairman admonished the Governor to redeem himself of political pettiness and get decent and truthful professionals that would save his government from the current doldrum that has become a huge embarrassment to the people of the state.

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