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Why I saved money – Obi

By
The Source
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Peter Obi

Following some criticisms against Peter Obi, the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, for saving money while he was a two-term Governor of Anambra State, Obi has offered the reasons why.

Following are his answers to the questions and criticisms.

“I saved N48,629,473,469 in local currency some of which we  tied to  specific  projects like  payment of 2-year salary of civil servants we employed for him ( his successor) not to be encumbered, Agulu and Onitsha Hotels, Awka and Nnewi Malls and some critical roads like the completion of the dualization of the Dual carriage road over which we had got permission to do so and be paid back by the Federal Government. We also left some for him to continue what we were doing aggressively”.

On the US$156 million (about N27 billion at that time and about N75 billion today when the  yields are added),  Peter Obi explained the purpose thus: “After our study of the Chinese phenomenal achievements as we were coming to the end of MDGs, we learned that the Chinese Regional governments were able to attract a number of investments because of the ability to contribute or partner with the investors in setting up productive facilities within their regions.

“For example, some of them effectively made equity contributions of 10-20%, which they were able to achieve due to their robust saving.

“So, our calculation was that if the state would be able to save a particular amount (US$18-20 million) as we did in eight years, up until 2030 at the average interest rate of a little over 6%, we would be able to achieve about a billion Dollars in savings and earnings. We would then use about 50% of this amount to attract investments, considering that the average Chinese Small and Medium Scale Enterprise(SME), for example, was set up with about two million dollars.

“Our goal was that if we would be able to invest 25% in each enterprise, which is $500,000, we would be able to achieve 1000 SMEs facilities scattered all over AnambraState, which would jump-start aggressive economic growth within the State, especially as income from oil is coming to an end”.

As Gov Akeredolu’s Mother Burial Rites Begin, Cleric Charges Children To Emulate Virtues

By
Ayodele Oni
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Akeredolu's Mother Burial Rites

By Ayodele Oni

Commendation Service for the late Lady Evangelist Grace Bosede Akeredolu (JP) was on Friday held at the Diocese of Ibadan (Anglican Communion), St Anne’s Church, Molete, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON, led siblings and other family members to the well-attended Commendation Service.

He was joined by his wife, Chief Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu; members of the State Executive Council led by the Secretary to the State Government, Princess Oladunni Odu; and several other dignitaries.

The Church auditorium of St Anne’s, Molete, Ibadan, was filled to the brim as friends, political associates, colleagues and other dignitaries joined the Akeredolu family for the service.

Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Richard Olatunde said the remains of the late Lady Evangelist Grace Bosede Akeredolu (JP) arrived at the Church premises before 9am.

In his sermon,The Lord Bishop of Ibadan Diocese, the Most Rev (Dr)Joseph Akinfenwa, who led several other Bishops at the service, expressed joy that the deceased lived a fulfilled Christian life till the end.

In his sermon titled “Which is Your Choice”, he particularly congratulated the Governor and his siblings for surviving their aged mother.

The Bishop equally extolled the virtues of their late father, Jacob Akeredolu, who also served as Reverend in the church.

Bishop Akinfenwa told Governor Akeredolu and his siblings that their father and mother have passed the baton of faith to them, adding that they must be ready to take over from where their parents stopped.

Noting that the late lady Evangelist Grace Akeredolu had chosen the appropriate time to go, the Bishop said the nonagenarian succeeded in raising successful children.

He described both Rev Jacob and Lady Evangelist Grace Akeredolu as a man and woman of good characters who loved, feared and served the Lord and humanity in their lifetime.

“She was a Lady Evangelist and that means a lot. She served the Lord to the end,” the Bishop stressed.

He also admonished the children of the departed to continue in the good ways of their father and mother.

The Burial arrangements continue  with Service of Songs at St Andrew’s Anglican Church, Imola Street, Owo and burial on Saturday.

Nnamdi Kanu To IPOB Members: “Do These While We Await Supreme Court Ruling”

By
The Source
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0

Leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, has directed IPOB members on the seven rules they must keep while he awaits the ruling of the Supreme Court on his case.

The seven things were disclosed by Ifeanyi Ejiofor, one of Kanu’s Counsels, after a visit to him, on Thursday, at his Department of State Services’ detention facility.

Kanu is in the custody of the DSS on the orders of a Federal High Court, Abuja, which has been trying him for sundry issues bordering on treasonable felony and terrorism brought against him by the Federal Government.

But a couple of weeks ago, the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, discharged and acquitted Kanu of all charges, based on the fact that it declared his extraordinary rendition from Kenya, in June, 2021, illegal, which it said renders any other charges against him null and void.

The Court ordered his immediate release from custody. The charges quashed by the Court of Appeal were eight, as the Federal High Court had already quashed seven out of the 15-count charges against him.

But an appeal against Kanu’s release, filed by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister for Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, for stay of execution of Kanu’s release, was granted by the same Court of Appeal.

Kanu appealed the ruling to the Supreme Court. It is the ruling of the SC that he is, now, waiting for. And while he does that, he has appealed to IPOB members to keep, strictly, to the following directives, according to Ejiofor.

“1. That this critical time calls for the greatest circumspect among his followers because the enemies are relentlessly exploiting the vulnerable, to sustain their status quo, and further blackmail the IPOB, ably led by Nnamdi Kanu, which is a peaceful self-determination movement.

“2. He has a hard stance in the condemnation of crimes and dissidents and reiterated that he has never condoned nor supported criminality of any form. Hence, the criminal elements who are involved in making lives unbearable to our people should be immediately fished out and dealt with as such. They have no place in IPOB’s peaceful self-determination movement.

“3. That the general public and indeed his people should be notified in unmistaken terms that nobody is receiving any instruction from him for the purpose of encouraging dissidents’ behaviours and accordingly, disassociates himself from any person(s) who is mischievously feeding the public with such blatant falsehood. Kanu stressed that he has since made his stance public, which position is clearly contained in a viral short clip, recorded during one of his appearances in Court.

“4. Kanu reiterated his call for total calmness in the entire South-East region and particularly queried the mental state of those who are relentlessly waging war against his people, the very people he had sworn to protect and make life better for.

“5. Kanu’s movement was founded on a peaceful bedrock, in consonance with the universally recognized rights of indigenous people to self-determination, as clearly encapsulated under the extant laws.

“6. That the activities of the dissidents/marauders who engage in criminal activities have further emboldened the Nigerian security agents, to unleash terror on innocent people of the South-East region. The court rulings in his favour might not go down well with the Federal government, thus asking his supporters to be peaceful and calm to avoid being blackmailed.

  1. “In conclusion, Kanu reminds Umu Chineke to note that the successive landmark victories he recently recorded in various Courts of competent jurisdictions against the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), may not have gone down well with his traducers, including the FGN. Hence, he insists that all hands must be on deck to enable saner minds to identify the real enemies in our midst, and those being used by the establishment to try to implicate and/or blackmail him.”

He added: “From every indication, it is very likely that a date will soon be assigned at the Supreme Court of Nigeria for the hearing of Kanu’s Appeal against the Order staying the execution of his judgment. We will not hesitate to inform Umu Chineke, through the approved channel once a date is given.”

PVCs Lost In Osun, Ogun Inferno To Be Replaced, As INEC Says Incident Will Not Affect 2023 Polls

By
Ayodele Oni
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By Ayodele Oni

Against backdrop of attacks on offices of Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) the electoral umpire has insisted that there is no going back on next year’s general elections.

The Chairman of the Commission, Mahmood Yakubu, said the incident will not deter the Commission from conducting transparent and credible elections in 2023.

Mahmood spoke against the background of Thursday’s attacks on the commission’s offices in Ogun and Osun States.

Speaking during an emergency  meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security on Friday, Yakubu expressed worry, noting that if no urgent and decisive steps were taken, the attacks would intensify as we approach the election date.

“As we all know, a peaceful campaign heralds a peaceful election. We need to take decisive steps to stem the ugly trend.

“Nigerians expect a decisive action from ICCES. It is important that we move swiftly to apprehend perpetrators, prosecute them as required by law, and reinforce security around election officials and electoral infrastructure around the country.

“As we have stated on several occasions, an election is a multi-stakeholder activity involving not just INEC and the security agencies.

“The political class plays perhaps the most critical role in ensuring peaceful elections. We must all rise to the occasion. Nigerians are watching us. The world is watching us. We must never disappoint them.

“The Commission wishes to reassure Nigerians that we remain committed to delivering credible elections in spite of the challenges.

“The attempt to sabotage or weaken our resolve will not deter us from conducting transparent elections in which only the votes cast by Nigerians on Election Day will determine winners of elections.

“The Commission is taking urgent steps to repair the damage to the building and replace the facilities in the Ede South Local Government Area so that the office becomes functional again immediately.

“For Abeokuta South Local Government Area office, the destruction was total.

“Consequently, the Commission is relocating our staff to the old State office (also known as INEC Office Annex) in Oke-Ilewo area of Abeokuta.

“All activities involving the 15 Registration Areas (Wards) and 445 Polling Units in Abeokuta South Local Government Area will henceforth be coordinated from the new location in Oke-Ilewo.

“Similarly, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Ogun State has been directed to compile the Voter Identification Numbers of all the 65,699 Permanent Voters Cards lost in the attack from our database and submit the record for immediate reprint.

“We want to assure affected registered voters in Abeokuta South that no one will be disenfranchised as a result of this dastardly act.”

Obi To Nigerians: We Are Not Here To Make False Promises

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Peter Obi

By Akinwale Kasali

Labour Party, LP, Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi says for the nation to achieve its potentials, it needs to undergo a rebuilding process.

The former Anambra State Governor, therefore, urged Nigerians to trust him and his Party in resolving, restoring and rebuilding the country.

He assured that under his watch, if elected president, Nigeria would change for the better.

Speaking in Aba, Abia State during the flag-off campaign of the governorship candidate of the party in the state, Alex Otti, Obi lamented that major industries that made up the centre of local production of goods in Aba and other major cities in Nigeria, were dying because of adverse business policies in Nigeria.

We are determined to rebuild Nigeria. We want to secure Nigeria and stop insecurity.

“We have visited the power Geometric Company in Aba and assured them that Aba will have constant light if we are voted into power. We will fix the roads such that a journey from Aba to Port Harcourt will be 30 minutes only.

“We are not here to make fake promises. I urge Abians to read the manifesto of our governorship candidate in Abia State, Chief Alex Otti, I can assure you that he will keep to all the promises made in that document.”

In the same vein, Otti in his speech urged Abians to insist on character, capacity and competency as factors that will determine their choice of candidates to vote for in the 2023 general election.

Otti implored the electorates to come out enmasse to exercise their franchise, stressing that Do not shun voting because every factor that encourages rigging of election has been expunged from the lexicon of the Independent National Electoral Commission. Cast your votes and insist that the results are uploaded to server before leaving your voting centre,” he added.

Nasarawa: Magistrates Protest Punitive Transfer, Calls For Reversal

By
Ayodele Oni
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Magistrate

By Ayodele Oni

Magistrates in Nasarawa state are set for war over what they described as interference in their duties by the state government.

The Magistrates Association of Nigeria (M.A.N) State Branch expressed its displeasure with the punitive transfer of a Magistrate, Aisha Abdullahi.

Abdullahi was reported to have  issued a bench warrant against the state commissioner of Works, Housing and Transport, Engr. Idris Mohammed.

This was contained in a statement in Lafia, after an emergency meeting of the association.

The statement which was signed by Mairiga Abdullahi, and Emmanuel  Gabi, the Chairman and Secretary states  “Sequel to the recent development in the judiciary particularly with regards to the Magistracy, the entire Magistrates and it executive frown at the recent transfer of one of its members (Aisha Abdullahi) whilst a subsisting bench warrant was issued against a Defendant.”

According to the statement, “the Magistracy and its executive are aware that transfer is a routine exercise in the judiciary, however, it notes that in this case, it has the tendency of dampening the morale of the judiciary.

“The recent transfer of Aisha Abdullahi is capable of dampening the morale of Magistrates and litigants when handling high profile matters.”

“The Magistrates are calling on the authorities to, in the interest of fair hearing, Justice, and harmonious co-existence, reconsider and reverse the recent posting of Aisha Abdullahi.

“Doing so will restore the confidence of Magistrates, litigants and the image of the judiciary at large.”

Flashback: Soludo Nigeria’s Worst CBN Governor – Okonjo-Iweala

By
The Source
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Charles Soludo and Okonjo Iweala

The Minister, in a statement by her Special Adviser on Media, Paul Nwabuikwu, said Soludo singlehandedly mismanaged the banking sector between May 2004 and May 2009 and plunged the country into  accumulation of liabilities that would cost tax payers about N5.67 trillion.

Soludo recently criticised management of the Nigerian economy under President Goodluck Jonathan, ranking the administration “F” on economic management.

Daily Trust reports that both Soludo and Okonjo-Iweala served under former president Obasanjo as members of his economic team.

Soludo said while Jonathan lacks achievements to point to, or clear future plans as he seeks re-election, his main challenger, the APC’s presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, also lacks specific plans on how to salvage Nigeria’s economy should he win election’s next month.

But the finance minister said in her reaction that Soludo had pandered to so many past leaders “that Nigerians are asking one more time – what position is Soludo gunning for now?”.

“There is definitely an issue of character with Prof. Charles Soludo and his desperate search for power and relevance in Nigeria. Nigerians should therefore beware of so-called intellectuals without character and wisdom because this combination is fatal,” she added.

“In fact, the banking sector was brought to its knees and required a massive bailout by Nigerian tax payers. This bailout was done by his successor (Sanusi) who cleaned up all the bad debts and transferred them to the newly-established AMCON, from where they are managed today”, she said.

According to her, after consolidation, the regulatory functions of the Soludo-led CBN were very poorly exercised. As governor, she argued, Soludo failed to adequately supervise and regulate the now larger banks – an anomaly in financial sector supervision.

“In fact, as every Nigerian knows, in his time there was very little separation between the regulators and the regulated which is a violation of a key requirement of central banking success. This led to infractions in corporate governance in many banks as loans and other credit instruments running to hundreds of billions of naira were extended to clients without following due process, and several of these loans could not be paid back. This massive accumulation of bad debts or non-performing loans as they are called in the banking sector meant that our banks were ill-positioned to deal with the global financial crisis when it hit,” she added.

Dr Okonjo-Iweala is, currently, the Director General of the World Trade Organisation

Lagos/ Ibadan Expressway: Gani Adams Wades In, Says Police Has Failed

By
James Orji
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Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land, Iba Gani Abiodun Ige Adams has urged Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo state, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun state and Babajide Sanwoolu of Lagos states to allow the newly inaugurated Oodua People’s Congress, OPC, dependable and the South West Security Stakeholders Group, SSSG to flush kidnappers out of their hideouts along Lagos-Ibadan Express Way.

Kidnappers have stepped up their criminal activities along the express road in recent weeks, as Nigerians demand action from the governments of the three states.

The source magazine reported the kidnap of motorists, including a former vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan last month.

Also this week, suspected Fulani criminals attacked a commercial coastal bus with passengers, injuring many occupants of the vehicle.

Some of the victims later ascribed their escape to the grace of God.

Others Nigerians who spoke vowed not to travel on the ever busy expressway, until the criminals are cleared from the sorrounding bushes and forests.

Adam, by his position as the generalissimo of Yorubaland said his men are now ready to rid the express of criminal elements.

In a statement made available to the magazine signed by his Special Assistant on Media Kehinde Aderemi, the Aare Onakakanfo concern over the incessant attacks on travellers plying the road.

He said since the police had failed to honour the earlier arrangements to provide effective security along the road,it is pertinent to ask the governors to allow the OPC,and Amotekun and other security groups like the Hunters, Vigilante, Agbekoya, COMSAIC, Isokan Oodua under the auspices of  the SSSG to get rid of terrorists from the bushes.

Expressing worry at the increasing spate of insecurity along the road, Iba Adams stated further that the only way out of the quagmire is to allow the OPC to face the battle for the restoration of peace along the road.

“There has been an abnormal surge in cases of kidnapping along the Lagos-Ibadan Express Way.

The information at my disposal indicates the surge in the numbers of terrorists and kidnappers hiding at Sapade,a 62. km town to Ibadan.

“Kidnappers are now having a field  day, even as it is obvious that the police couldn’t help the prevailing situation.

“The situation is getting out of hand and I believe it is now  time for the three governors of Oyo,Ogun and Lagos to allow us flush the bandits out of their hiding place.

“The road is the most strategic road in the south west,we would not allow terrorists to set our region ablaze through constant attacks.

“I want to assure the governors that we will flush out the terrorists from their hideouts within three weeks.

“We can  also work with Amotekun to salvage the situation and secure the road and other  roads in the south west.

 Warning terrorists and bandits to stay away from southwest region,  he insists that the Lagos-Ibadan Express Way is a strategic road in the region and he would not fold his arms to see such facility to be taken over by terrorists that have been attacking travellers.

“Lagos-Ibadan Express Way is not Kano-Kaduna or Abuja road that have become havens for terrorists. So,the governors should allow us to rid them of this road”,he said.

ASUU: Govs Intervene, Ndume Demand Full Payment Of Lecturers’ Salary

By
James Orji
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0

Efforts are ongoing between state governors and federal government to pay the salary of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Governor Mohammed Badaru of Jigawa state has said.

Badaru, a governor of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC made this revelation during a meeting with the executive of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANs in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

The university lecturers resumed last month from an eight-month-old strike following a deal brokered by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila.

But the decision by the federal government not to pay them for the period they were on strike, in line with its no-work-no-pay policy has threatened the truce reached by the two parties.

But hope may be on the horizon for the lecturers if the comment of the Jigawa governor is anything to go by.

Speaking to the university students leaders, the governors said the intervention is necessary in order to resolve the crisis once and for all, adding that the government will use legal means to end the problems in the nation’s ivory towers.

Meanwhile, Senator Ali Ndume has urged the federal government to cut the salaries and allowance of members of the National Assembly to raise funds to pay ASUU.

The Chairman Senate Committee on Army said there is an urgent need to find a lasting solution to the ASUU problem, adding that it was wrong not to pay the lecturers full salary because they embarked on strike.

According to him, “Even if it means that the National Assembly will reduce sitting allowances or be paid on casual allowances basis whenever they sit at the Lower and Upper chambers, by cutting the recurrent expenditure in the budget of the federal lawmakers to settle the ASUU arrears, let it be

“We only assemble twice or so in a week and get paid as such.”

“So why will the federal government cut university lecturers’ salaries because they went on legitimate strike? Constitutionally, they’re fighting for their rights and privileges.

“As a matter of priority and as a public servant in the legislative chambers, we do not work, so why don’t you just give us half salaries and then pay ASUU,” Ndume said.

I Have No Connection With Aggrieved PDP Governors; They Are Not Loyal To Me – Jonathan

By
The Source
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0

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, has dismissed as wicked and mischievous, the story that the five  PDP Governors who are at loggerheads with the leadership of the Party and the Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubarkar, have his backing, and are fighting his battle.

In a statement from his Media Office signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Ike Eze, Jonathan described the reports as bizarre.

The statement reads in full:

Our attention has been drawn to news media and social media reports linking former President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s name to the current troubles in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with a false claim that the aggrieved PDP governors are demonstrating their loyalty to him. We would have ignored the strange tale since it is obviously baseless. However, we are offering this clarification because we have been reached by many Nigerians who are concerned that such fabrication with a vague and suspicious attribution could be given undeserved prominence on the FrontPage of some national dailies.

We are also not unmindful of the fact that, this being an electioneering season, bizarre tales are often contrived, propagated and weaponized to either smear others or deliver cheap political advantage to the purveyors.

Any Atiku Supporter Is An Enemy – Governor Ortom
The Five Governors at loggerhead with Atiku Abubakar.

First, we would like to make the point that it is not out of place if there were crises in a political party like the PDP and a former President who served under the party platform is called upon to intervene. That being the case, we initially did not see anything wrong with the headlines in some papers, indicating that the former President was being persuaded to help resolve the issues in the party.

However, we are dismayed that the seemingly purpose-minded headlines were only cast to mask the mischief of the sponsors of the story and hoodwink the unsuspecting populace. Our attention was called to provocative and insulting statements in separate but similar versions of the story in different news media, either claiming that “the whole thing we are seeing in the PDP … is orchestrated for President Jonathan,” or that “he (Jonathan) is encouraging Governors Nyesom Wike, Makinde, Ikpeazu, Ugwuanyi and Ortom to behave the way they are doing”, knowing that  “these five governors are fighting his cause.”

We believe that such duplicitous statements could not have emanated from the camps of those who truly wish the party well. It simply shows that the so called ‘sources’ of the story are not disposed to the peace and unity they pretend to be seeking in the PDP.

How could anybody turn around in 2022 to accuse Jonathan of bearing a grudge against the PDP when the former President had campaigned vigorously for the party and its Presidential candidate during the 2019 elections?

Those who insinuate that Dr. Jonathan is not happy with the PDP’s Presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, because of whatever roles he played ahead of the 2015 elections forget that the former President actively campaigned for Atiku in 2019, attending the flag off of his campaigns in Sokoto and subsequently participating in the campaigns in some states like Rivers and Bayelsa.

The fact that Dr. Jonathan stood out as an exemplary politician who, throughout his political career, abhorred treachery and mean-mindedness, and played politics without bitterness, needs no gainsay.  Unlike many of his detractors, the former President has, out of office, progressed to a higher level of statesmanship, faithfully applying himself to causes that promote peace, love, unity and progress, across the entire west African sub-region.

It is Dr. Jonathan’s wish that the PDP is able to resolve its internal crisis, unite all members and have a good showing in the forthcoming 2023 elections. We wish to however point out that it will be difficult to achieve this aspiration if some forces in the party continue to engage in mudslinging, disinformation and manifest tendencies that negate the values that are dear to loyal party members.

Former President Jonathan had served this country meritoriously at both the state and federal levels. He has now been out of office for almost eight years and Nigerians have come to trust and love him for who he is. While in office, he had no enemies to fight. He still has no enemies to fight, now that he has become a private citizen.

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