There is a rift among the leaders of Yoruba Socio-Political Group, Afenifere, over the endorsement of All Progressives Congress, APC, Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu by the Pa Reuben Fasoranti led Afenifere Group, as against the Ayo Adebanjo faction of Afenifere that has thrown its weight behind the Labour Party, LP, Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi.
The allegation from different angles is that Tinubu is the cause of the rift and has polarized the Group.
But this has been debunked by the spokesperson for the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, SAN, who said it will be unfair for anybody to link the visit of Tinubu to Pa Fasoranti as the reason for the crisis currently rocking the leadership of Pan-Yoruba group.
Tinubu had visited the elder statesman, who endorsed his ambition, which didn’t go down well with the Afenifere Acting Leader, Adebanjo.
Speaking on “Politics Today” on Channels Television, Adebanjo said the move by Tinubu to visit Fasoranti was a move targeted at splitting Afenifere to which he will not be a party. It is a sort of conspiracy among those who want to see Afenifere divided, he alleged.
“They have been on this plan for over a month and my members came to me to alert me about it and I said, ‘Don’t talk about it. It would be a diversion’. All we want now is an election on issues.”
Keyamo has however said that his principal’s visit was not the reason for the group’s crisis, stressing that there was no iota of truth in the report.
“The real reason for Afenifere’s wrangling is Pa Adebanjo who rushed to endorse a candidate without proper consultation in the organisation to which he belongs.
“The fact that you are made deputy leader does not make you a dictator. I had listened to him in one of his interviews saying ‘That’s not how we do it’. How do they do it? That one person sits and takes a profound decision like that without talking to anyone or your fellow elders within the same organisation?
“Pa Adebanjo should tell the entire Nigeria who and who he spoke with within Afenifere that gave him the go-ahead to endorse Obi. It is down to just bias and sheer hatred for Asiwaju. That’s all. That was exactly what pushed him to make mistake.”
The stage is set for the flag off of the presidential campaign of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) as Jos, Plateau state capital is wearing new look for the event.
The Presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu and National Chairman of the APC Senator Abdullahi Adamu, met with President Mohammadu Buhari at Aso Rock villa late Sunday few hours of his return from United Kingdom to fine tune arrangement for the event.
A statement by, Dr. Makut Simon Macham, Director of Press and Public Affairs to the Governor of Plateau State stated that Governor Simon Bako Lalong who is Director General of APC Presidential Campaign Council and host of the flag off, on Monday inspected venue of the event.
He boasted that Plateau State will sustain its track record of hosting National party Conventions and Presidential campaigns that produced Nigerian Presidents.
Lalong, who inspected the Rwang Pam Township Stadium, Jos, billed to host the flag-off of the APC Presidential Campaign in Tuesday 15th November 2022 said all is set for a hitch-free and colourful event.
He said already the city of Jos and Plateau State is agog as APC faithful and the citizens prepare to receive Chairman of the PCC President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Governors, APC Presidential Candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his running mate Senator Kashim Shettima, Senate President Ahmad Lawan, APC National Chairman Senator Abdullahi Adamu among other leaders and members of the party across the nation.
The Director General said the Local Organizing Committee led by Deputy Speaker House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Idris Wase and Deputy Governor Prof. Sonni Tyoden has done a lot of work to ensure that the campaign flag-off holds successfully.
“The history is very clear and God is writing this history himself. Anybody who is declared here goes on to win the Presidential elections.
“We know of Abiola and Obasanjo. Asiwaju is also going the same way because we have been blessed. I am very impressed with the show of hospitality and excitement among the citizens who are ready to receive the victory of the APC.”
Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Idris Wase also told journalists that the LOC has been working with relevant Committees of the PCC to ensure that all planned activities are executed with excellence and effectiveness.
He said security has been considered among other things to ensure that no incident is recorded before, during and after the flag-off.
Wase thanked Governor Lalong and Director General of the PCC for his support and confidence in the LOC to deliver on the assignment.
The Governor also inspected the Tinubu/Shettima Campaign Office in Jos which is expected to be commissioned.
Emerging picture of the voting pattern among Cross River electorates indicates they will vote individual candidates on conviction and not along party lines in the Presidential election.
Consequently, while tenaciously still supporting their preferred governorship and National Assembly candidates in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and the All Progressives Congressive APC, a broad spectrum of supporters of the two parties in the state are fanatically rooting for Peter Obi, the Presidentisl candidate of the Labour Party in next year’s presidential election.
The “OO” Concept- Otu For Governor, Obi For President
A hybrid sort of informal campaign, even among the appointees of government and APC stalwart, is now the order of the day in Cross River.
It is not unusual to see or hear party stalwarts and government official profess undying support for the APC governorship candidate Prince( Senator ) Bassey Edet Otu and at the same time proclaim Peter Obi as their choice presidential candidate.
Recently at a busy night sit out along the popular Marian Road, Calabar, amid a plate of barbecued chicken and a bottle of chilled beer, a government official who pleaded anonymity told the magazine: “Here we do the OO Concept; that is, Otu for Governor, Obi for President. We are not playing anti-party, we simply want the best for our state and country. We will vote Sweet Prince for Governor and Obi for President; this coming election is not about party but about salvaging this country and looking at the pack, Peter Obi stands out”
Notedly, a campaign banner bearing Obi and Senator Otu’s pictures with Labour party and APC Logos recently mounted by an APC/ Otu support group at Calabar Municipality aptly sums up the prevailing political mood in the state.
Obi, a Pain in Our Necks- PDP, APC
Several members of the State Executives of PDP and APC who pleaded anonymity for the fear of being accused of anti-party activities admitted to the magazine separately that the Obi fever is is a rapidly catching many people in the state and that it is a source of worry to them.
“Even among our ranks, there are “Obidients” ( as Obi supporters call themselves).Some of them no longer hide it.
“While our chieftains and supporters across the state are irrevocably committed to victories of our governorship candidate Professor ( Senator) Sandy Onor and our National/ State Assembly candidates, many of them have openly stated that Obi is their candidate for the presidency.
“It is a very tricky situation here, Obi is a pain in our neck” says a member of the state executive of the PDP”
For his APC counterpart, “the truth of the matter is that we are worried by the upsurge in support for Obi in this state, particularly among our members.
“Many of them no longer care about their open preference for Obi and we are constrained about invoking the anti-party penalty to avoid exposing our cracked walls.
“I admit that APC as a ruling party in Cross River is worried about Obi’s popularity here. We are even more worried that many of our members across the state are openly supporting him”
How Obi Sentiment Almost Ruined Tinubu/ Shettima Gathering
Members of a Tinubu/ Shettima support group could could not believe their eyes last week when an event they organised at Mayne Avenue, Calabar South local government area to seek support for their candidate almost become a rally for Obi.
No sooner had the event kicked off than the shout of “We are Obidients” rented the air.
Bewildered by the suden turn of events, the compere tried to calm the situation by chanting “on Asiwaju’s mandate we stand” but this elicited a louder “We are Obidients”.
At end of the event, one of the organisers were heard complaining bitterly about the “growing influence and support base of these Obidients in Calabar”
Grouse Against Tinubu, Atiku
Virtually all the people in Cross River rooting for Obi and kicking against Tinubu accuse the APC presidential candidate of being part and parcel of the catastrophic Buhari’s government.
They also insist that Tinubu is evidently in a fragile health and lacks the mental and physical ability to steer the ship of a complex country like Nigeria as President.
Atiku: It is immoral to contest. Tinubu: Asked to step down for Obi.
According to Syvester Effiom, a Calabar- Bakassi bus operator at IBB Way by Etta Agbor Roundabout, “Tinubu was the major engineer of the Buhari Presidency and now we all suffering the catastrophy that Buhari and his government have become.
“Tinubu was part and parcel of the failed APC promises; in 2015 and 2019 he marketed Buhari and APC so vigorously as if his life depended on the two, so, he is responsible for the suffering Nigerians are now experiencing, the 29 years old graduate of University of Calabar who took to bus driving after fruitless search for job said amid frowning.
For 35 old Faith (surname withheld) a staff of the state’s civil service, “Tinubu is hiding his real age and his health status but you can’t hide a pregnancy.
“Looking at Tinubu, it’s obvious that he is being ravaged by sicknesses associated with old age.
I can’t vote for a sick old man who, if elected, will turn western hospitals his abode while his proxies call the shots.
“The Yar’Adua and Buhari experiences are still fresh in our minds. Obi is preferable, he is the fresh breath and fresh air Nigeria needs at this time, so Tinubu and Atiku should step down for him”
And as far as Emma Adie, a resident of Ogoja in Northern Cross River, is concerned, it would be immoral for another Northerner and Fulani to replace Buhari.
“How can another Northerner and another Fulani become president after Buhari’s eight years as President? It is immoral for Atiku to contest; the Presidency must come to the South, so between Tinubu and Obi, I choose Obi, he is the lesser evil; almost every one here in Northern Cross River is Obidient, Adie who claims to be a former banker but now operates Tricycle, said.
Mathias Bisong, a native of Boki in the Central Senatorial district of the state shares Adie’s sentiment.
According to Mathias, a small-scale business owner in Ikom, “all we want is Peter Obi. Atiku should go and rest. Buhari has done the turn of the North.
“Obasanjo has done the turn of the Southwest, so Tinubu is not supposed to contest. Jonathan has done our South-south turn, so it is the turn of South East and Obi is our choice”
Nigerian Carrier, Air Peace has suspended flights to the United Arab Emirates till further notice following the non-issuance of Visa to Nigerians by the Middle East country.
Emirate Airline, a UAE Carrier, had cancelled its operations in Nigeria alleging its inability to repatriate ticket funds in addition to the reduced number passengers on the route.
In a statement Monday, the Nigerian Carrier said it would be suspending operations with effect from Tuesday, November 22, 2022, ‘till further notice.’
“This is consequent upon the persisting non-issuance of visas to Nigerian travelers by the Government of the United Arab Emirates and the accompanying inconveniences.
“Air Peace has been operating into the UAE even with the country’s recent travel restrictions, but given the heightening hurdles Nigerian travellers are facing in accessing the country, it has become imperative that we halt our operations to that destination. We shall provide further updates as the situation progresses.
“Passengers whose flights are affected by this development can mail our Call Centre to attend to their concerns.”
It would be recalled that the UAE authorities had placed a Visa ban, placing all applications on-hold until issues between the UAE Government and the Nigerian Government were resolved.
Labour Party, LP, Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi, is under litigation for allegedly involving a toddler in his Presidential Campaign Rally held recently in Lagos.
Wale Ojo-Lanre, a Child Rights Activist sued the former Anambra State Governor for involving the underage. He is demanding the sum of N50 Million as damages.
The activist had on October 27th, 2022, filed the originating motion on notice before a family court in Ikeja High Court, suing the respondent as a “Concerned Nigerian and litigation friend” of the toddler.
The suit case marked suit marked ID/6332GCM/2022 included: the Labour Party, Queen (mother of the underage), Federal Republic of Nigeria and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN).
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, the petitioner is seeking an award of N50m damages against the first, second and third respondents for the violation of the child’s rights of the underage girl-child.
“It is illegal, misleading, unlawful, exploitative and abusive for the presidential candidate to post the picture and video of the toddler via his Twitter handle dated October 2 to refer to her as “a poster child.”
“The first defendant allowed participation and usage of a toddler in an adult political rally, which took place on the street of Lagos on October 1.
“This is contrary to Sections 29 and 33 of the Child Rights Act of Lagos State and Article 36 of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of Children, 1981.
“We seek an order for the first and second respondents to delete their respective tweets and several other posts on their social media accounts in reference to the underage girl-child.
“We also seek an order mandating the fourth and fifth respondents to withdraw the toddler from the care and custody of the third respondent.
“We are seeking court order to foster the child to any welfare home under the accreditation and supervision of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs or other appropriate authorities for proper care, education, protection and upbringing until she turns 18 years.
“In addition, we seek an order to disqualify the second respondent from participating in the 2023 presidential election for condoning, adopting, encouraging and allowing the usage of the toddler for his rally.”
The activist urged the court to prevent the first, second and third respondents from posting, circulating and printing the picture of the toddler, while he further submitted that the fourth and fifth respondents should initiate criminal complainant, arrest and prosecution of the first, second and third respondents for alleged exploitation and flagrant violation of the right of the toddler.
The Governor of Imo State, Sen. Hope Uzodimma has approved the appointment of Sir Prince Eleazar Onyewuchi Ogbonna as the Chairman of Imo State Sports Commission.
Prince Ogbonna’s appointment is effective, November 9, 2022.
Prince Ogbonna, a well known sports enthusiast is passionate about using sports for youth development.
As an ambassador of the South East Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON) and patron of ex-footballers, Prince Ogbonna has on several occasion championed the course of using football to discover the hidden talents in many youths.
He is an unrepentant advocate of youths interested in pursuing career in football, learning from the experiences of the ex-footballers.
Governor Uzodimma has congratulated Prince Ogbonna on his appointment and urged him to bring to bear his wealth of experience in the Commission in line with government’s programmes in the Sports sector of Imo State.
The Defence Headquarters has given Nigerians an opportunity to make easy money. It will give out a whopping N95 million just for information.
Here’s how.
The Military leadership has declared 19 Terrorists wanted. On each of them, it said it will give out the sum of N5m to anybody with information that could lead to an arrest.
This tempting offer by the Nigerian Military, in the face of terrible hardship, was contained in banners located at strategic places across the country.
And its message is simple.
Just give information that would lead to the arrest of any of them and pick N5m.
The message for the offer, which gave the names and States of origin, for clarity purposes, is written in both the English and Hausa languages. There are, also, dedicated phone numbers.
The 19 wanted terrorists are
Sani Dangote, Dogo Nahali, Ali Kachala, Mamudu Tainange, Bello Turji Gudda Isiya Kwashen Garwa, Baleri, Sani Gurgu, Alhaji Ado Aliero, Gwaska Dankarami, Nagona, Umaru Dan Nigeria,
Monore, Halilu Sububu, Abu Radde, Nagala, Leko, Nasanda and Dan Da.
Absolute confidentiality is guaranteed informants.
On the heels of the controversy surrounding the ongoing presidential debates in Nigeria ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Conference Of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has called on the National Assembly (NASS) to take steps to enact a law to make participation in presidential and governorship debates mandatory part of Nigerian electoral process.
The CNPP in a statement signed by its Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu, recalled that “in the history of election debates in the country, it is either that some candidates deliberately refused to attend the debates or they were excluded by the organisers based on their prejudices.”
According to the CNPP, “legalising the presidential and governorship debates will go a long way in helping the electorates to make informed decisions on the choice of the Chief Executive Officer of a state or the federal Republic of Nigeria or even the choice of a lawmaker to represent his or her constituency.”
The CNPP added that “In advanced democracies, like the United States where Nigeria borrowed her presidential system from, candidate debates are not constitutionally mandated but they are considered an intrinsic part of the American electoral process such that no serious contender in the United States presidential race can afford to stay away from any scheduled candidates’ debates.
“While Nigeria has been holding presidential and governorship debates, they have been everything but organised and mandatory for candidates to appear.
“In Nigeria, media organisations and nongovernmental bodies have attempted to set up platforms for presidential and governorship debates but participations remained at the discretion of the candidates or that of the organisers.
“So, over the years, organisers selected preferred candidates they considered to be top contenders and unjustly excluded the rest of the contestants, thereby failing to provide a level playing field for all candidates to participate.
“The CNPP believes that in order for election debates by candidates to achieve the intended purposes, there is need to make governorship and presidential debates mandatory for all candidates and their political parties to participate.
“Candidates debates should be consciously made a veritable platform for the general public to screen persons seeking to represent them at any level in government through elections and as an avenue to increase political participation in the country.
“The CNPP therefore calls on the National Assembly to immediately set up modalities for making it customary for the candidates to engage in a debate as part of Nigeria’s electioneering process, especially at the presidential and governorship levels in the first instance.
“This can be achieved by enacting a law for the establishment of a National Commission on Election Debates (CED), with a mandate to organise debates for candidates in Nigeria.
“The commission should be empowered to appropriately sanction candidates that fails to participate, including imposing severe penalties in form of fines, among others.
“If it takes Nigeria a constitution ammendment to achieve this, it will be a legacy achievement worth leaving by any administration as the overall gains of establishing such a Commission for the purposes of developing and deepening the Nigerian democracy cannot be quantified in monetary terms.
“Mandatory candidate debates will, therefore, serve as an enlightenment platform and an avenue for engagement of candidates, giving the electorates the opportunity to interface with their would-be leaders for proper assessment to determine their levels of preparedness for leadership, their commitment to good governance and their readiness to be held accountable by the electorates after winning elections”, the CNPP stated.
Some eminent Nigerians including former Lagos State Governor and Minister of Works, Babatunde Raji Fashola and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi are to be honoured with the Fellowship Awards of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, (FEDPOLY).
The Polytechnic’s Rector, Dr. Hephzibah Oladebeye, announced this during a pre- convocation press conference commemorating the 18th convocation and 45th anniversary of the polytechnic.
According to him, an aggregate of 279 out of the 13,677 graduates of the institution will bag distinction at its combined 18th convocation ceremonies slated for November 19,2022.
Oladebeye added that other dignitaries that will receive honours include; Mrs Modupe Babalola, the wife of a Legal Icon and university founder, Chief Afe Babalola(SAN), two alumnus of the institution, Surv S.A. Fakologbon and Dr. Rotimi Ibidapo.
On honour bestowed on its former students the Rector stated that “Their recognition is to appreciate them for their contributions to national development and humanity.
“This will also be a source of encouragement to the graduands and students, for them to know that they too can aspire to whatever height they aim at.”
Giving the breakdown of the graduation list, the Rector, said the graduands include those who successfully completed their ordinary national diploma and higher diploma courses in periods spanning 2018/2019, 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 academic sessions.
Oladebeye, whose tenure will expire in four months time, said the institution now has a total of 15,000 OND and HND undergraduates, and 2,000 personnel, across academic and non academic strata that are contributing to the upliftment of the polytechnic.
The Rector explained that his administration has executed over 20 landmark projects to shore up the polytechnic’s physical infrastructures, besides ensuring regular training, retraining and development of staff and timely payment of some of their emoluments.
He was enthralled over the granting of approval to the institution by National Board for Technical Education( NBTE) and professional bodies, for the running of 14 new courses at the Diploma and Higher Diploma cadres, saying this will bolster the institution’s ranking nationally and globally.
“With this NBTE’s accreditation, our polytechnic now has 36 departments running various courses. This confirms that we are developing fast and well positioned to offer qualitative education to Nigerians.”
He said the polytechnic is collaborating with the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, for the running of degree courses in 11 academic areas, while also having affiliation with the Federal University of Technology, Minna, for degree programmes in some certain specialties.
The Rector pointed out that the institution has established a radio station, Adopoly FM, to transmit news that will add value to the host community and the state, as well as generating employment and revenue for the citizens and the Polytechnic.
Oladebeye described funding as the major challenge constituting clog in the wheel of progress, calling on spirited individuals to partner in building the Polytechnic, bearing in mind that government can’t solely fund any tertiary institution.
A Federal High Court in Abuja, was on Monday, November 14, told by the Counsel to the Department of State Services, DSS, Idowu Awo, that the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, refused to appear in Court for the hearing of his case.
When the case was called up, the Counsel to the Federal Government, M.B. Abubakar told the Honourable Justice Binta Nyako that the defendant was not in Court. He said he didn’t know why and that only Awo, the DSS Counsel, could explain why.
On the orders of the Honourable Court, Kanu has been in the custody of the DSS since he was forcefully brought back to Nigeria from Kenya in June 2021. But a Court of Appeal in Abuja had on October 13, declared the process through which Kanu was brought back illegal.
Explaining Kanu’s absence, Awo told the Court that the IPOB leader refused to appear in Court. He said: “When I called the office, they said the defendant declined to come to Court and all entreaties to make him come were unsuccessful.”
But, the defendant’s Counsel, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, expressed surprise, and said the defendant had always been willing to be in Court.
However, Nyako adjourned the case indefinitely pending the appeal filed by both the Government and the defendant at the Supreme Court.
The Federal Government had filed an appeal at the Supreme Court against the judgment of the Court of Appeal on October 13, which discharged and acquitted Kanu of all charges and asked that he be freed from custody and quashed any further prosecution of him.
However, the Federal Government went back to the Court and asked for a stay of execution which was granted. They also appealed to the Supreme Court against the judgment which discharged and acquitted Kanu of all offences.
Kanu’s Lawyers, led by Ozekhome have since filed a case, also, at the Supreme Court, for the immediate release of Kanu as ordered by the Court of Appeal.
It is because of the two pending cases at the Supreme Court that Nyako adjourned the case before her Court indefinitely.
