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Ekiti: SDP Slams Fayemi, Calls Him Reckless For Disparaging Judiciary

By
Ayodele Oni
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By Ayodele Oni

The Social Democratic Party, (SDP) in Ekiti State has taken a swipe at Governor Kayode Fayemi for Disparaging the judiciary.

SDP said as one of beneficiaries of judiciary in his political career, Governor Fayemi should hold the judiciary in high esteem.

SDP statement in Ado Ekiti on Monday quoted Dr Fayemi of saying that the cases instituted against the Governor elect, Biodun Oyebanji  against his victory at the June 18 gubernatorial election both at the tribunal and the conventional courts are mere entertainment.

It described the statement  as “reckless, a show of desperation and rascality from a frustrated mind.”

Public Relation Officer SDP, Gani Salau who signed the statement, added that for the non performing outgoing Governor to have uttered such comment on the nation”s judiciary is tasteless and worthy to be condemned in its entirety.

“How can a person who went through the rigour of the judiciary in three and half years pursuing his mandate before he could be declared as the Governor of Ekiti State in 2010 by the Court of Appeal, Ilorin division could come to a conclusion that he has judiciary in his pocket and that is what he knows best to do?

“This is a denigration of the respected third arm of government which is believed to be an arbiter and the hope of common man in the discharge of its duties as enshrined in the nation’s constitution.

“This is a Governor that made empty boasts and promises immediately he was sworn in 2010 that he would clear the backlog of the pension and salary areas within six months of his administration and he is leaving these promises without fulfilling them.”

The party’s image maker called on the relevant authorities and the stakeholders in Ekiti project to be on the watch on the recklessness and rascality of the outgoing Governor, who is educated enough to have known that such a reckless and empty assumption and statement is not expected at this material time since the victory of Oyebanji is being challenged at the courts.

“Fayemi and the APC are jittery on the ongoing tribunal case based on the grounds of what we presented and requested before the tribunal ranging from certificate forgery of his running mate and their nominations for the June 18 gubernatorial election by the former national Chairman of the APC and the Governor of Yobe state, Maimala Buni.

“This has been declared illegal by the supreme court earlier in Akeredolu vs Jegede and the recent Federal High Court declaration of the candidature of the governor of Osun state, Oyetola as illegal, further makes Fayemi and his co-travellers  sleepless night.”

Salau added that the enormous and weighty evidences before the tribunal as adjudicated on earlier as precedences before the tribunal are enough to give the Social Democratic Party and the gubernatorial candidate in the June 18 election , Chief Segun Oni a resounding victory as the next Governor of Ekiti State.

“It is on this note that we are calling on the security agents and other stakeholders to keep watching the covert and overt activities of the outgoing Governor on his despiration as the ongoing tribunal case resumes its sitting this week and other substituent cases unfold.

2023: Adebutu Says It Is Atiku’s Turn To Be President And Not Yorubas

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Oladipupo Adebutu

By Akinwale Kasali

Oladipupo Adebutu, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Ogun State Governorship Candidate, has said that it is not the time for the Yoruba to become the President of the nation in 2023 as being canvassed from different quarters. Rather, he said, it is the turn of Atiku Abubakar, the PDP Presidential Candidate to take over the saddle.

Adebutu asked  the Yoruba people  not to be selfish but to support Atiku’s presidential aspiration in the 2023 general elections.

Adebutu spoke on Monday in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, during a campaign to garner support ahead of the 2023 polls.

According to him, former President Olusegun Obasanjo and interim Head of State Ernest Shonekan from the South-West geopolitical zone have been Nigerian leaders at separate times whilst nobody from the North-East has been the first citizen.

Adebutu, who code-mixed the Yoruba with the English language, said, “What I want to talk about today is the coexistence of the Yoruba people with others in Nigeria.

“Earlier, I told some people to support Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the next president for the peace of Nigeria but some people turned deaf ears; they insisted that it is the turn of the Yoruba people but the Yoruba people have been in power for a number of times.

“Our father Olusegun Obasanjo was in power. Our father (Ernest) Shonekan was also there. Let’s not be selfish. Is it only Yoruba that exists? The truth must be said.”

Adebutu also claimed some persons have lost their integrity because of a pot of porridge.

“We cannot take Yorubaland out of the mainstream of Nigeria. Yorubaland must remain in the mainstream of Nigeria,” he noted whilst reacting to secession calls by some groups.

The 75-year-old Atiku is jostling for the nation’s top job in 2023 alongside All Progressives Congress, APC, Presidential Candidate, Adekanye Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is from the South-West,  as well as Peter Obi of the Labour Party (from Anambra State in the South-East), amongst other contenders.

In attendance at the rally on Monday include Adebutu’s running mate, Adekunle Akinlade; former Kano State Governor, Ibrahim Shekarau; and his Niger State counterpart, Babangida Aliyu; amongst others.

How NDLEA Bursted Billionaire Drug Dealer In His Lekki Mansion

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Ugochukwu Nsofor Chukwukadibia Arrested by NDLEA

By Akinwale Kasali

An obscenely rich Nigerian has been arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.

Ugochukwu Nsofor Chukwukadibia lived large, and was the envy of many in the high brow Lekki, Lagos area where he has a couple of mansions. Not many suspected his line of business as an alleged Drug  Baron until NDLEA Operatives struck. When they struck, they  uncovered  an unprecedented 13 million Tramadol Pills in his sprawling mansion which he had turned into a warehouse.

The worth of the Tramadol, according to NDLEA’s Spokesman, Femi Babafemi, is  over N8.8 billion.

A statement by the NDLEA, said the pills recovered from the mansion were no less than 13,451,466.

Chukwukadibia has been arrested and presently in the custody of the NDLEA.

The statemt read in part: “The arrest of Ugochukwu, who is the Chairman of Autonation Motors Ltd, is coming barely two months after NDLEA uncovered at least 258.7kg of crystal methamphetamine in a clandestine laboratory in the residence of another drug kingpin in the estate, Chris Emeka Nzewi, who was arrested alongside a chemist, Sunday Ukah, who cooked the illicit drug for him, on September 30.

“Following credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives on Friday 30th September stormed the Plot A45 Road 2 home of the 52-year-old billionaire drug kingpin. A search of the expansive mansion led to the discovery of 443 cartons of Tramadol Hydrochloride 225mg, which contains 13, 451, 466 pills of the drug while some cartons were already burnt in a fire incident in the house same day.

“Before his arrest, Ugochukwu who hails from Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra state has been on the Agency’s watch list as one of those behind the tramadol drug cartel in Nigeria.

“Preliminary investigation shows that he has about six mansions within the VGC, one of which he uses to warehouse the tramadol consignment, while he lives in the one at Plot Z-130 Road 67 and another as his office.

“Five exotic vehicles have also been located in two of his mansions, out of which two SUVs including a bullet jeep have been successfully removed to the Agencys facility.

“Reacting to the latest drug haul, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.) commended the officers and men involved in the operation for their diligence while also appreciating Nigerians for supporting the Agency in its arduous task of ridding the country of the menace of drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking.”

Fr. Mbaka’s Punishment Continues; Posted To  Monastery; Followers Rebel, Chase Successor Away

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Ejike Mbaka Fr

By Akinwale Kasali

The disciplinary action against Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka continued with his removal as the Director of the Adoration Ministry Enugu Nigeria, AMEN on Sunday.

He  was posted to a  Monastery by the Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Most Rev. Callistus Onaga.

Mbaka’s removal came three days after the Bishop reopened Adoration Ground which he ordered closed about three months ago over Mbaka’s dabbling into politics and his continous unprovoked attack against Peter Obi, the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP.

Mbaka had told his congregation that nobody should vote for Obi because “he is a stingy man.” Quite a number of people reacted to Mbaka’s inexplicable attack, and called on the Catholic Church to discipline the Priest because he had, on a number of times, spoke and behaved in an unfriendly manner, and was becoming a burden on the Church.

Embarrassed, the Bishop suspended him, ordered AMEN closed and stopped every Priest from going there.

But four days ago, Mbaka, in a tweet announced the reopening of AMEN by the Bishop and invited all “Adorers” to a 10 am Mass on Sunday October 2, 2022.

It was at the Mass that Mbaka also announced his removal, posting to the Monastery and his replacement by  Rev. Fr. Anthony Amadi as the new boss of the Adoration Ministry.

His announcement  caused an uproar. His followers rejrctedthe  Fr. Amadi, and reportedly chased him out.

When he closed the Adoration Ministry on 3rd June, 2022, Onaga had said, “In the light of the happenings in the Catholic Adoration Ministry Chaplaincy Enugu, capable of undermining the Catholic faith and teachings, and after several fraternal corrections and admonitions to Fr. Camillus Ejike Mbaka, the Chaplain of the Ministry; and after having given him pastoral directives and guidelines for the Ministry Chaplaincy, which he persistently violated.

“And in fulfilment of my pastoral duties as the Chief Shepherd with the obligation to promote and safeguard the Catholic faith and morals in Enugu Diocese, I hereby prohibit all Catholics (clergy, religious and lay faithful) henceforth from attending all religious and liturgical activities of the Catholic Adoration Ministry until the due canonical process initiated by the Diocese is concluded.

“My decision is based on the fact that some of the teachings and utterances of Fr. Camillus Ejike Mbaka at the Catholic Adoration Ministry are not consistent with the teachings and faith of the Catholic Church.”

Mbaka’s transfer, as he told his followers, is  with immediate effect.

The Church has not reacted to the reaction of his congregation over his reposting to the Monastery.

The Director, Catholic Communication, Rev Fr. Benjamin Achi, is yet to comment on behalf of the Church.

Polaris Bank: CBN, Falana Biker Over Reported Sale

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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Godwin Emefiele

The CBN has failed to give details on whether it has decided to sell Polaris Bank. The magazine had earlier reported the alleged secret sale of the commercial bank to a businessman related to President Muhammadu Buhari by the Godwin Emefiele-led apex bank.

Even though the management of Polaris Bank dismissed the report, Femi Falana, a human rights lawyer in a letter dated August 25, 2022, demanded that the CBN make a public pronouncement on the issue.

Failure to do that, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, said he will drag the CBN to court.

Part of Falana’s letter reads: “We commend the Central Bank of Nigeria for bailing out Polaris Bank Nigeria Limited with the sum of N1.2 trillion,” the letter reads.

“We have however read in the People’s Gazette online medium that the Central Bank has concluded arrangements to sell the Polaris Bank at a ridiculous sum of N40 billion.

“In view of the foregoing, kindly furnish us with detailed information on the proposed sale of the Polaris Bank Nigeria Limited including the name of the lucky buyer.

“As this request is made pursuant to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2011, you are required to accede to our request within 7 days of the receipt of this letter.”

“Take notice that if you fail or refuse to furnish us with the requested information we shall not to pray the Federal High Court to compel you to accede to our request.”

Responding to Falana’s letter, the CBN said in a letter signed by Aminu Mohammed, for Director/ Secretary to the Board, that it will only make information on the issue available at the appropriate time.

“We write to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated the 25th of August 2022 and received on the 1st of September 2022 on the above subject and wish to inform you that the information being sought, where available, will be communicated to you in due course,” the apex bank responded,” the bank said in the letter dated September 21, 2022.

Polaris Bank had on August 6 denied that the bank has been sold, describing the report as a figment of the imagination of those peddling the rumour.

The bank said, “Our attention has been drawn to an online report on the purported sale of Polaris Bank Limited. This publication is speculative, deliberately intended to create panic and should be disregarded by the banking public.

“Stakeholders may recall the regulatory intervention in the erstwhile Skye Bank by the CBN and the subsequent injection of capital via the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria through a bridge bank process, which birthed Polaris Bank in 2018.

“The bank has since stabilised its operations following the intervention; improving its balance sheet, customer base and profitability.”

“Whilst the intention has always been to return the bank to private ownership, such a sale will occur following regulatory approvals with formal notification to all relevant stakeholders.’’

Since the take-over of the former Skye Bank now Polaris Bank by the Asset Management Company of Nigeria, AMCON in 2019, over N1.2 trillion has been spent by the CBN to stabilize it.

Not a few Nigerians were however shocked when it was reported that the CBN has sold the bank for a paltry N40 billion.

Oil Theft: Falana Says N17bn Allocation To Protect Oil Assets Missing

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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The federal government has failed to account for the N17 billion allocation to prevent oil theft in the country, Femi Falana, a human rights activist, has said.

The incidences of crude oil theft cost the country at least $7 million, with over 700,000 barrels of crude stolen daily from the creeks in the Niger Delta, according to the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

The country has now lost its prime position as Africa’s top crude oil producer to Angola due to its failure to meet Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, quota, with revenue from oil export hard hit.

As a way out of the problem, the Buhari administration recently awarded a N44 billion pipeline protection contract to repentant militant Government Ekpumoplo also known as Tompolo.

Not a few Nigerians have condemned the government’s decision to award the multi-billion-naira contract to the former warlord, saying, security agencies and not non-state actors should protect national assets.

Speaking at an event organized by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Projects, SERAP at the weekend, Falana, “we must take advantage of this forum to expose the government for the claim that they do not know those who are stealing oil in the Niger Delta. I hope the government people are going to listen well. For the first time in 50 years, we are unable to meet our oil quota in a very shameful manner. Our quota is 1.8 million barrels of crude oil per day.

“Today, the government claims we are producing only 900,000 barrels. What that means is that at 100 dollars per barrel, it’s about 99 million dollars per day.

“We cannot be producing oil for thieves. No resourceful government in the world today can say we don’t know why thieves tamper with computers because technology has gone beyond this level. We have 36 oil terminals; only 20 have meters.

“So, for the remaining 16 deliberately, we don’t know how much oil is produced. We don’t know how much oil is taken out of those areas. So, we must insist that the government, as a matter of urgency, acquire metres for all the oil terminals.”

Ex-Gov Receives Knocks For Comparing Tinubu With Azikiwe, Awolowo

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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Former Governor Tanko Almakura of Nasarawa state has compared Bola Ahmed Tinubu with Nigeria’s founding fathers such as the late Sage and former Premier of defunct Western Region, Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello, and Nnamdi Azikiwe.

Azikiwe was Nigeria’s first president and commander-in-chief, while Bello was the premier of the Northern Republic during the First Republic.

After their death, the three leaders are still admired across the country due to the impacts they made on their people and polity.

Many national monuments have also been named after them to appreciate their contributions to the nation’s development.

Present Nigerian leaders are struggling to earn respect from their people due to their selfishness and inability to lead from the front, many say.

Tinubu who is aspiring to become president next year has received knocks from not a few who accused him of corruption.

His health status has also come under close scrutiny from other people who insist that the former Lagos Governor is not fit enough to run for the highest office in the country.

Speaking on Tinubu, Senator Al-Makura said the APC presidential hopeful is in the same category with the three statesmen.

Speaking with NAN on Monday, Al-Makura said none of the presidential candidates can match the competence and achievements of the APC standard bearer for the 2023 election.

He said Tinubu is the most qualified among those running for president in 2023, adding that he has a strong record of performance while he was Lagos State governor.

Referring to other presidential candidates, Al-Makura said Tinubu and his running mate, Kassim Shettima cannot be compared to them: “Take them one by one and compare with any of the two pairs in other parties, you won’t go far before you realise that it is not a contest,” he said.

“Take Tinubu and what he has done in Lagos state and the country physically, politically, socially, culturally and economically, I do not see any presidential candidate that can match his competence, achievements, and vision.

“In the course of trying to defend Nigeria’s democracy, Tinubu had to flee the country. Tinubu and others stood their guns to ensure that democracy was rooted in the country.

“How many brave Nigerians could do what Tinubu has done to this country way back in 1993? He sacrificed his time and comfort for the sake of democracy.

“For that alone, he has no equal among the presidential candidates. Take infrastructural development and transformation of Lagos,” the senator said.

Meanwhile, close watchers of politics in the country said Tinubu is not on the same pedestal as the former leaders, who they insist have a good record of integrity and love for their people.

For instance, they point to Azikiwe who spent his entire life promoting national unity; Ahmadu Bello fought for his people to ensure that they were not relegated by other nationalities, while Awolowo promoted free education at all levels during his tenure as the leader of the Western Region, a feat that remained unbeaten by past and present governments in the region.

National Honours Award Nominees List Fake – FG; Nigerians Say FG Is Lying

By
Akinwale Kasali
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0
Buhari-independence Day

By Akinwale Kasali

The Federal Government has debunked the list of National Award Nominees that  has been viral for days.

The FG described the purported list of nominees for deserving national honours as fake, and never emanated from the Government.

Over the weekend, the conventional and social media were awash with a list of names on the list of Nigerians to be conferred with the national awards.

But not a few Nigerians say the Federal Government’s denial of the list of nominees is an after thought.

The list had generated criticisms, especially over the caliber of people nominated for awards.

But in a statement signed by the Director Press, Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Julie Jacobs, the Federal Government debunked the list saying it will publish the authentic list at the appropriate time and medium.

Jacobs advised members of the public to disregard the list as it is an attempt by overzealous reporters whose aim is to break news even when such news is fake.

The statement reads: “The attention of the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs has been drawn to a purported list of nominees for National Honours being circulated by some online media organisations.

“While it is true that President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, will be conferring National Honours on deserving Nigerians and friends of Nigeria on 11th October, 2022, the authentic list of nominees is yet to be released to the public. The Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs will publish the list at the appropriate time and medium.

“Members of the public are hereby enjoined to discountenance the list in circulation as it is an attempt by overzealous reporters whose aim is to break news even when such news is fake.”

However, a number of Nigerians say the Federal Government is denying the list because of the strong criticisms against some of the nominees and the absence of the names of some deserving people.

Niger Delta Group Gives Conditions For Support Of Presidential Candidate

By
Ayodele Oni
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0
Niger Dela Group

By Ayodele Oni

Niger Delta coastline Vanguards (NDCV), one of the militant Groups in the oil rich region of the country has said its preference for any of the presidential hopefuls during next year’s election, will be decided by certain conditions.

Coming at a time the federal government is contemplating on scrapping the Amnesty Programme, under which the ex militants receive empowerments, the Group maintained that any candidate that will receive members’ nod should be ready to protect their interest.

Convener of the Group, Chief Omotuwa Job, insisted that the group will consult very well to know who among the leading Presidential candidates will be supported.

He spoke at a programme tagged “a walk by Niger Delta Coastline Vanguards in support of Democracy in Nigeria and Emancipation of Niger Delta Region from Neglect” held at Ogo-Oluwayo community in llaje local government area of Ondo State.

Niger Delta Coastline Vanguards is a  conglomeration of all the agitators in the states within the coastline of Nigeria.

The programme was organized by ex-militants and agitators from Ondo, Lagos, Delta, Bayelsa, Edo, Rivers, Cross Rivers and Akwa Ibom states.

In an address by Olarotimi Omomuwasan  on behalf of the group, the agitators said, “we will support any Presidential Candidate in the forthcoming general elections, who is ready to protect the interest of the members and attend to the agitations of the group.

“Through our findings, we recognize three major Presidential Candidates – Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Of APC, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of PDP and Peter Obi of LP, and by so doing, one out of these three candidates will be supported by our group in the forthcoming 2023 general elections, and we will only support whoever listen to our agitations.

“The devasting condition of the region as a result of oil exploration and exploitation is grossly incalculable to the degree that the traditional means of survival, such as fishing, farming and other means of survival have gone into extinction without superb government’s intervention for alternative means of survival by the people in the region.

“It would be recalled that we fought against the government and oil companies operating in our territory some years back to do the needful by ameliorating our condition.

“However, our actions and acts did not only cause huge loss to the government but to the oil companies and some other corporate bodies.

“As a result of these huge damages, the Federal Government sought our understanding by calling several meetings through the Ondo State Government in November, 2017 that we should take the path of peace in other for the Government to look critically into our yearnings and agitations.

“Without any further delay, we agreed to the terms and conditions of the government by dropping our arms and ammunitions for grant of amnesty on the part of the Government by a way of skill acquisition programme, free education and other means of empowerment.

“Surprisingly, Government is yet to fulfill her part with the terms agreed upon since 2017 we had been disarmed.

“Government is continuum and another opportunity to usher in another set of leaders who are to pilot the affairs of the country is far approaching and we have decided not to take a back seat but a front seat by causing our presence to be felt so that our agitations or yearnings against neglect would be timeoulsy attended to.

“The ex-militants and agitators under the leadership of  Omotuwa Job, are basically agitating that the hens that lay the golden eggs should be given what is due for it.”

Dispute Between Edo, Delta Over Boundary Rages, Edo Assures Early Settlement

By
Ayodele Oni
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0

By Ayodele Oni

Almost over 30 years of its balkanization to two states of Edo and Delta from old Bendel State, the two states are still engulfed in border disputes.

The ragging disputes, according to findings, stems from discovery of crude oil from some of the border communities between the two states.

However, Edo State Commissioner of Mining and Energy, Engineer Osaze Uzamere has expressed optimism that the issue of the age long boundary dispute between the two neighbouring states of Edo and Delta States will be resolved before the end of the year.

Uzamere, who spoke in Benin confirmed that there are about three or four oil and gas communities in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State where there are boundary disputes between them and some communities in Delta State.

The commissioner said that the state government is in conversation with the National Boundary Commission (NBC) to settle the matter and determine the actual length of the boundary between the two states, which used to be part of Bendel State, before it was split into Edo and Delta States by former military President Gen. Ibrahim Babangida in 1991.

He said that the dispute started in 1996 during the military era, decades before the return to  democracy in 1999.

Uzamere, the former Chief of Staff to Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki assured that each of the oil and gas rich communities will get what rightly belongs to it.

“The federal government is in control of those oil and gas fields because oil and gas belong exclusively to it. The federal government gives each state its own share of what it rightly deserves.”

“We have to follow the law and due process in all that we do. We are aware that over the years, there have been boundary dispute between the two neighbouring states. It’s not even over oil and gas but about the whole space.”

On conflict between host communities in Egbokor, Orhionmwon Local Government Area, the site of a modular refinery and the investors, Uzamere commended the youths for keeping the peace instead of resorting to violence.

He added that the government, like an umpire, will have to protect the citizens and create an enabling business environment so that people get their just dues.

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