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2023: Gov Ortom Endorses Peter Obi

By
The Source
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Peter Obi and Samuel Ortom

The Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has received one of his biggest endorsements and testimonial on his journey to Aso Rock. It came  from Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state, who declared Obi the finest man for the job.

Obi, who was in Benue State to meet with the two topmost traditional rulers in the State, the Tor Tiv and Orchi Idoma paid a courtesy call on Governor Ortom who prayed that God who crowns  do it for Obi if it’s His will.

Governor Ortom noted that this is the first time a Presidential candidate is meeting their two paramount rulers and commended Obi for his ability to reach out.

The Governor who quoted from the Holy book of John 3:23 to buttress the fact that only God crowns, however noted that, “If Nigerians were given to make a choice, you are one of the finest candidates that we have in this country”

According to Ortom, the LP candidate fits the bill in terms of education, in terms of character, in terms of performance, in terms of reaching out, in terms of accommodation , in terms of being a pan-Nigerian and in terms of passion to ensure that our country is liberated from where we are from insecurity to security and out of the economic woes to economic vibrancy and out of lack of adequate social life. You have the capacity to make things work.”

The Governor reiterated his earlier position that political party should not be the consideration in this election.

“Let me say this again, where we are in our country Nigeria today, we should not be looking at party or where someone comes from but we should be looking at the capacity of the personality that will be able to deliver us from the mess we are in Nigeria today”

He said that Obi from his antecedents, has the capacity and commitment to the well being of our people, noting that, “If I were God, but am not one, I would have said…but am not God but I admire your courage, your capacity to deliver to our people.

“All I can say is that the God that sees the heart let him bless you. The God that blesses and crowns if it’s His will let Him crown you.”

He said that he is a living example of how no man can stop the crown God has destined for somebody. “I am a living example of the fact that God crowns and when He decides to do it nothing can stop it. How I became Governor in 2015 and 2019 is known to all”

The Governor, finally advised Obi to reach out to his colleagues in the presidential race  to solicit their support to be their servant if God crowns him so that you all work together . We need everybody to work together for the good of this country.

The LP presidential  candidate commended the Governor for his commitment to his people particularly caring for their security and welfare. Obi said that his heart bleeds that Nigerians are in IDP camps in a country that is not in any war.

Ahead 2023: PDP Drags APC Candidates, Chairman, NWC Members To Court

By
Ayodele Oni
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By Ayodele Oni

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is exploring an alternative legal path aside election to see its candidates during next year’s general election to victory.

In a fresh suit, the PDP has approached a Federal High Court in Abuja to sack the Abdullahi Adamu led National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progresives Congress (APC) on account of illegality in the process that produced the party’s national officers and candidates.

PDP in the suit demanded that all candidates produced by APC for the 2023 general elections be disqualified from the race having been allegedly produced in breach and gross violation of the 1999 Constitution and Electoral Act 2022.

A Federal High Court in Abuja had earlier declared as illegal and unconstitutional the emergence of Osun state Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola as a candidate during the APC primary election, citing similar issues.

The matter is still before the Court of Appeal.

The suit filed by Mr Ayo Kamaldeen Ajibade, SAN on behalf of PDP, is predicated on a judgment of the Federal High Court delivered on September 30, 2022 which declared as ilegal, unlawful and unconstitutional, all actions and activities of Governor Mai Mala Buni as Chairman, Extraordinary Convention Committee of the APC.

The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho has assigned the new suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1864/2022 to Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo for determination.

Justice Ekwo has fixed November 22 for mention of the suit with an order that all the 53 persons listed by PDP in the suit as defendants be served with hearing notices in their respective locations.

The Presidential candidate of the APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his running mate, Kashim Shetima, all Governorship candidates and their deputies are listed in the request for disqualification from 2023 election on the ground that their nominations are in breach of the Constitution and Electoral laws.

Also listed are the Senatorial and House of Representatives candidates of the party for the same reasons.

Kano: Controversial House Of Reps Leader, Doguwa Assaults APC Candidate

By
James Orji
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The Majority Leader of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Al Hassan Doguwa has allegedly thrown a tea cup at the APC governorship candidate in next year’s election, Mallam Sule Garo during an argument.

Doguwa is one of the most influential APC stalwarts in the country by virtue of his position in the National Assembly. He recently said his plan is to become the Speaker of the House after next year’s election.

His alleged attack on a fellow APC member has questioned his temperament and ability to control himself as a public leader, those watching the politician said.

Narrating what happened Garo said the incident occurred at his home on Monday, during a meeting among some APC leaders in the state.

He said trouble started after Doguwa accused him of not inviting him to the meeting despite his position as one of the party’s leaders in the state.

The Majority Leader, Garo explained, felt undermined that a meeting of such importance was held without him being invited.

Garo said: “When he invaded the meeting, he started disagreeing that he was not involved in the meeting because it was a time of sharing money but when it comes to the difficult task of the party he will be invited,” BBC quoted Garo as saying.

“Mr Doguwa accused me of destroying his banners which I denied, he grabbed a teacup in front of the deputy governor and threw it at me.”

The controversial lawmaker who once demanded a polling unit to be created in his house for his large family to vote during the election has denied the allegation in an interview with BBC Hausa.  “Contrary to what people are saying, I did not throw a teacup at him”, he said.

Doguwa currently has many wives and 28 children and has vowed to have more.

Tinubu: Afenifere Strips Adebanjo Of Acting Head, Returns Meetings To Akure

By
Ayodele Oni
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By Ayodele Oni

The current bickering among Chieftains of Afenifere, a Yoruba socio cultural group over who to support among arrays of candidates jostling to become Nigeria’s president come 2023, may have cost Chief Ayo Adebanjo his position.

Chief Adebanjo was named about two years ago as acting leader of Afenifere, following old age and I’ll health of Pa Reuben Fasoranti, who has been leader of the group since demise of pa Abraham Adesanya.

Apart from acting as a leader, meetings of the group is being held at Ile Ogbo or Lagos home of Chief Adebanjo as against Akure, country home of Fasoranti.

Chief  Fasoranti, has now announced that henceforth, the meeting of the socio-political group has now been returned to in Akure, the Ondo State capital, where he is resident.

Speaking during a live television programme, IATV, a You Tube channel, Chief Fasoranti said he remains the national leader of Afenifere.

The decision is aftermath of the visit of the presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress, (APC) Bola Tinubu to Akure on Sunday during which he received prayer from Chief Fasoranti.

Reacting to the visit, Chief Adebanjo alleged that the APC candidate might have bribed Chief Fasoranti and that the support from Fasoranti and other Chieftains at the reception was a ploy to divide Afenifere.

Chief Adebanjo has been at the forefront of support for the candidate of Labour Party, (LP) Peter Obi, saying the next president must come form south east.

According to the leader of the socio-political group, the meetings of the group will no longer hold in Ogbo, Ijebuland in Ogun State, the home of its Acting Leader, Pa Ayo Adebanjo.

He said this was a collective decision of the leadership and membership of the body.

Fasoranti said the issue that led to the movement of the meeting to Ogbo was a misinterpretation of the state of his health.

“Afenifere meetings will come back to Akure: Yes, I dictate the pace. It will come back.

“The reason the meeting was shifted was a misunderstanding, misinterpretation and misconception of some people that I was going senile as I cannot comprehend.

“When I heard that, I reacted. And the person who said that regretted saying so. So, no problem.”

On the perceived interregnum in leadership, Pa Fasoranti said: “Nothing has happened. No shaking.”

He also said that most of the leaders and members of the body have said they would not be going for meetings in Adebanjo’s home henceforth.

Speaking on the claim that he backed Tinubu for the presidency because he was monetarily induced, Fasoranti, who first burst into laughter, said: “Those who know me will say no.

“I didn’t take any money. I stand by principles.”

Speaking further in Yoruba language, he added that the group did not back the presidential candidate of the Labour Party for the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, but Tinubu, who he referred to by his traditional title from Borgu in Niger State, Jagaban.

“Reuben Fasoranti is the head of Afenifere at this period. No two positions on it. If you ask the members of our group, they won’t name someone else.

“Afenifere did not back Obi. We put forward Jagaban to be voted for.”

Sterling Bank Agric Loans Hit N100bn

By
James Orji
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The managing director/ chief executive of Sterling Bank Plc, Abubakar Suleman has disclosed that the commercial bank invested more than N100 billion in Nigeria’s agricultural sector.

The figure, Suleman said represents about 15 percent of the bank’s total loans portfolio, he said.

The bank’s chief executive stated this in his closing remarks at the Agriculture Summit Africa, ASA 2022 with the theme: “Engineering a Trillion Dollar Agricultural Economy,” which held recently both physically and virtually with more than 10,000 attendees from across the world.

Agriculture is one of the five sectors of the economy that the bank has focused its investments on since 2018 as part of its HEART of Sterling strategy. The others are health, education, transportation, and renewable energy.

Suleiman observed that the bank is the biggest promoter of the sector apart from the Bank of Agriculture.

“When we started the journey about five years ago, we were very clear in our minds that we did not just want to make it a talk show and we have been changing the focus of the conversation from moving away from identifying problems to providing solutions and now we are bringing stakeholders together in a bid to effectively move the conversation forward with action.

“We started it because we wanted to focus on agricultural financing where there was a significant gap. Every time we meet a stakeholder or a regulator, we noticed a different perspective of what the problem was and therefore it became clear to us that if we do not bring all the stakeholders together to harmonise their views and understanding, we will continue to remain in the dark,” he said.

The CEO noted that the summit became imperative as part of the global conversation on food security due to the consequences of global trade which was so obvious during the COVID-19 pandemic when there was a global disruption in the supply chain.

“So, this conversation about food security in Africa is one that we will continue to sponsor because of its existential purpose which is about leveraging our competitive advantage,” he said.

The Agriculture Summit Africa, ASA, is one of the continent’s leading, privately funded platforms dedicated to increasing the value of the agribusiness value chain by creating a convergence of private and public sector interests, development finance institutions, agribusiness investors, and players.

Task Force To Dispose Pre Election Suits

By
Ayodele Oni
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Federal HIgh Court Abuja

By Ayodele Oni

Worried by high number of pre election suits before it, the Federal High Court of Nigeria has constituted a special task force of Judges to swiftly hear and determine such cases before it.

The information was contained in a circular letter issued on Wednesday in Abuja by the Chief Judge of the Court, Justice John Terhemba Tsoho.

There have been instances when litigants do not get favourable judgement due to late filing or late disposal of pre election suits thus giving opponents undue victory.

The circular explained that the task force became necessary to designate a team of Judges following the large volume of pre-election suits that have flooded the court.

According to the circular, Judges who are members of the Task Force will suspend all regular cases in their respective courts, due to the urgency of the electoral cases, which are time-bound.

“In view of the large volume of pre-election cases filed so far; with the imminent attendant risk of lapsing, it has become necessary to constitute a Task Force to speedily dispose off the matters, particularly in those Judicial Divisions with a glut of them.”

A statement by the Assistant Director of Information of the Court,  Dr Catherine Oby Christopher indicated that Justice Tsoho further stated that the Judges will have four weeks within which to dispose of the pre-election cases.

NIMASA Focused On Making Maritime Sector Attractive-DG

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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Bashir Jamoh

As part of efforts to review performance and strategize to achieve its mandate the Management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA has organized a 3-day Management strategic session.

Speaking during the opening of the session, the Agency’s Director General, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, OFR, noted that continuous internal stakeholders’ engagement is a key component of the current administration to achieve a successful implementation of her tripod mandate of ensuring Maritime Safety, Maritime Security and Shipping Development for the Nigerian Maritime industry.

Dr. Jamoh disclosed that in order to achieve the mandate of the Agency, it requires collective efforts from all stakeholders, which will in turn help drive investors’ confidence in engaging in businesses in the Nigerian maritime sector.

“Shipping is crucial to the survival of the global economy, as was exemplified during the COVID-19 pandemic, where virtually all sectors of the global economy were grounded, except the shipping industry. For us at NIMASA, we are focused on driving the Agenda of the Federal Government in making the Nigerian maritime sector attractive for investors, while we keep building the capacity of our people to make them compete favourably with their counterparts in the comity of maritime nations”.  ​

On his part, the Director General of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) ’Laoye Jaiyeolawho hinged his presentation on providing leadership in uncertain times, noted that the maritime industry is capable of playing a leading role in reshaping the Nigerian economy.

He used the opportunity to enjoin the Management of the Agency to move with the trend in order to meet up with modern day realities in ensuring the Nigerian maritime sector is in tandem with its counterpart in other maritime climes.

“With the global uncertainty due largely to the Ukraine-Russian war and adapting to the new normal brought unto humanity by COVID-19 which has led to weakening global stability, Blue Economy is the future. Leaders should embrace the use of technology in the maritime sector and acquire new skills in-demand. This is the only way Nigeria can provide leadership in the maritime sector”, he said.

Buhari Rejects Plot To Remove INEC Boss

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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President Muhammadu Buhari has dismissed suggestions that he’s planning to remove Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman, of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

The president spoke following insinuations that some elements in the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC are not happy with some reforms being made by the commission in order to make the 2023 election free, fair, and credible.

What riled these hawks the most in the present INEC leadership, it was learned is its decision to use the Bimodal Voter Registration System, BVAS in next year’s general election as a way of eliminating voter fraud and rigging.

But Osita Okechukwu, the Director General of the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN and a staunch member of the APC recently described the technology as a “vaccine to vote rigging”.

In spite of this, pressure is being mounted on the president to fire Prof. Yakubu less than four months into the critical election, according to sources in the presidency.

Reacting, the president said on Tuesday that he has no such intention.

Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, who spoke at the 2022 International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, IDEI in Abuja on Tuesday said there are no plans to replace the INEC boss or stop the use of BVAS in the 2023 general elections.

The president who acknowledges the role of INEC in ensuring that the 2023 elections go ahead as planned, said the use of technology cannot be underestimated.

Adesina said, “Recently, there was one group that said the chairman of INEC was going to be removed because maybe they didn’t want BVAS.

“How many times has the president spoken about the role of technology in getting him into office?

“He has spoken about it locally and internationally that three times he contested, three times he ended at the Supreme Court because the government of the day would just write results.

“Technology came and there are permanent voter cards, so it is difficult to write results.

“So, how and why can the same person have issues with BVAS? I saw that group on television, alleging that there was a plan to remove the INEC chairman and the media gave them that opportunity.

“Such things should be treated with contradictions because they don’t make sense, at least not under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari,” the presidential spokesman said.

Recall that Ugo Chinyere, the spokesman of the Conference of United Political Party, CUPP had last month alleged plot to remove Prof. Yakubu.

Afenifere: Who’s Yoruba Leader ?

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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Pa Fasoranti

Chief Reuben Fasoranti says he has not relinquished his position as the leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere.

The nonagenarian Yoruba leader spoke in light of the controversy trailing the endorsement of Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP by Ayo Adebanjo, the interim leader of the group.

Adebanjo had hinged his decision to support Obi on fairness and justice to the south east which he said has never produced the president and commander in chief for the country.

Obi is one of the leading presidential candidates for next year’s presidential election apart from Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar of the APC and PDP, respectively.

Fasoranti, had last week, in what looked like a division in the group, endorsed Tinubu for the 2023 presidential election in an elaborate ceremony in Ondo state attended by some top Yoruba leaders and politicians.

But speaking on the endorsement of Obi on Tuesday, Fasoranti said the authority still lies with him as the leader of Afenifere, and that he has not ceded his position to Adebanjo, saying “I’m still the leader of Afenifere.”
he said further that “Afenifere has not endorsed Obi, we are endorsing Jagaban (Bola Tinubu) for the presidency.

“As you can see, the trend, the approval and the acceptability. You could see what happened when Tinubu came to meet me in Akure. Media carried the whole thing. Adebanjo does not have the capacity to warn me not to welcome Tinubu. Can he do that successfully?

“What happened was that Adebanjo took a stand and I took a stand. I didn’t call him and he didn’t call me. We never spoke about the (Tinubu’s) visit. As you can see, Jagaban is accepted and we approve of him. Obi has no stand in our mind at all.”

Adebanjo had earlier claimed that he was now the leader of the group after Fasoranti handed over to him as the interim leader.

In March last year, the 95-year-old Fasoranti said at a meeting held by the members of the group that he was retiring after leading the group for 13 years, adding that he needed to yield the position to a new leader.

He, thereafter, named Adebanjo as the Acting National Leader, while the former Financial Secretary, Oba Oladipo Olaitan, became the new deputy leader.

Speaking after the endorsement of Adebanjo by Fasoranti, the Secretary General of Yoruba Council of Elders, Dr. Kunle Olajide, who was in the meeting said: “It was commendable of the immediate past leader of Afenifere to name Adebanjo, who is also one of the right-hand men of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo as his successor.

“Fasoranti needed someone younger and energetic that can add to the political template of Nigeria. To support Adebanjo, we appointed Chief Olaitan as acting deputy leader.”

Meanwhile, the magazine learned that some APC governors in the south west were the ones that put pressure on Fasoranti to endorse Tinubu.

“The governors’ reason is hinged on the fact that Tinubu is the only Yoruba candidate in the 2023 presidential election, and it will be wrong for us to support another candidate from another region. Posterity will not forgive us if we lose this chance”, a source close to the Governor of Ondo state, Rotimi Akeredolu told the magazine on Wednesday.

PDP Appeals To Commercial Bus Drivers To Rescind Decision Over Ongoing Strike; Consider Commuters Plight

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Commuters Standed in Lagos

By Akinwale Kasali

Opposition Party in Lagos State, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has appealed to the striking members of the Joint Drivers Welfare Association of Nigeria, JDWAN, to rescind the decision on its ongoing strike and consider the plight of commuters who have been going through hell since the strike commenced Monday.

It would be recalled that JDWAN had threatened to commence a seven-day strike over alleged extortion and harassment by  motor park management and thugs popularly known as Agberos in Lagos State.  This kicked off on Monday, 31st October, 2022.

Hundreds of Commuters are left stranded in different Bus Stations in the state following the withdrawal of operations by many commercial drivers.

The strike has seen Lagos, literally, at a standstill. And so grounded the socio-economic activities in the State.

Hakeem Amode, the  Lagos State PDP Publicity Secretary, in a statement on Tuesday, urged the aggrieved transport workers to dialogue with the All Progressive Congress-led Government to end the suffering of commuters.

“The continued fleecing of the commuters and transport operators in Lagos State which has resulted in the members of the sector declaring strike, calls for the attention of everyone living, commuting, and working in the state of excellence.

“We sympathise with the Lagos State transport operators on their strike and urge them to consider the plight of ordinary commuters in Lagos who also bear the brunt of their agitation through the exorbitant transport fares which have eaten deep into their salary.

“We urge them to come up with an acceptable condition of operation and dialogue with the APC government to find a mutually beneficial position that would not put the people of the state in more agony,” Amode said.

The PDP also added that the transition of the National Union of Road Transport Workers to the Lagos State Parks Management Authority was the major cause of the problem, which degenerated into this present situation.

It stressed that the failure of successive administrations to invest in the productive development of the youth had increased the menace of motor park touts in the state.

“The government’s failure in education and youth development sectors had driven a lot of our youth to scavenge for daily collection of fares from transport operators.

“The recent promulgation of the State Parks Management Authority bill gives credence and legitimacy to this act,” he said.

PDP sympathised with the transport operators in the state, said that some drivers paid daily between N7,500 and N2,500 which caused them loss of profits.

It said that the daily injuries they suffered from motor park touts while enforcing collection of levies was also a matter of serious concern.

The statement said that the PDP administration, if elected in 2023 general elections, would reduce the burdens on transport operators.

The spokesman said that the PDP Government under its governorship candidate, Dr Abdul-Azeez Adediran and his running mate, Funke Akindele, would “do everything possible to ensure that the era of multiple taxation and collection of illegal dues on the road become a thing of the past.”

He said that the focus of the PDP government would be targeted at channeling the energy of the youth to education, sports, technology and community services.

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