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2023: Kumuiyi Says Muslim/Muslim, Christian/Christian Ticket Threat To National Unity

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Pastor William Kumuiyi

By Akinwale Kasali

Pastor William Kumuiyi, the General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, has urged Political Parties whose Candidates are vying for electoral positions in the forthcoming 2023 General Election to consult widely and conduct research before concluding the issue of Muslim-Muslim or Christian-Christian tickets, especially for the 2023 Presidential election.

The revered Televangelist gave this admonition while speaking with Journalists in Ilorin, Kwara State, Wednesday, June 22, 2022, after meeting with Governor Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq.

Kumuiyi said that the Presidential standard-bearers should look at the heartbeat of the country and the desires of the people before making their decisions, as their decisions could heat up the polity and cause crisis in the country.

“Muslim-Muslim or Christian-Christan ticket is a difficult and slippery area. So, what I will say is that the political office holders should look at the heartbeat of the country as well as the desires of the people.

“They should know that they are not there for themselves. They are there for all of us. They should ask and make their research about what the country wants, what the people want and if they listen to the people, we will be confident that they will listen to us when they get there”, he said.

Kumuiyi delved into the prevailing security challenges bedeviling the nation, and thanked the security agents for doing their best, but needed to do more to bring an end to the menace.

“By the grace of God, I believe that the security agents are doing their best. We can always improve. In every area of life, I will say there’s room for improvement. I want to credit the officers who are putting their lives on the line to secure the whole country. We should be praying for them that God will give them more wisdom and visible victory in the security of the country.”

The Cleric, who said that his mission in Kwara State was meant to be a blessing to the State, under special supernatural deliverance for everyone through Christ, added that “I’ll be praying for everyone at the end of every ministration for their desires, aspiration and blessings.”

“God is our Creator, whether we are, Muslims or Christians or whatever religion you belong to. We are creatures of God. God is interested in blessing everyone. I’m here to be a blessing to everyone. There will be an empowerment programme for all youth across religious divides as it is meant to redirect the focus of the youth for positive future endeavours.”

In his remarks, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq said that the empowerment programme of the Church is a welcome development, adding that it is in line with the administration’s youth-focused agenda.

The Governor said the State Government set up a probe panel at the end of the #EndSARS protest, and added that one of the recommendations of the panel was to pay more attention to the demands of the youth.

Wike, Obi In Closed Door Meeting; Defection Speculations Persist

By
Adesina Soyooye
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Nyesom Wike and Peter Obi

By Adesina Soyooye

His recent political misfortunes in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, notwithstanding, the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike is the go-to in the South-east and South-south politics.

Wike, to his shock, had lost the Presidential Primary of the PDP to former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, coming a respectable second. His hope was, again, dashed when he was denied the Vice Presidential candidate in favour of Delta State Governor, Senator  Ifeanyi Okowa.

Wike has, uncharacteristically, been quiet since his loss of the VP slot but this magazine learnt that both the PDP and  the Atiku camp are making frantic efforts to appease him and bring him back, fully to the fold.

But Wike has remained very relevant in the PDP, especially because of his war chest and his aggressive manner of campaign. PDP cannot afford to lose Rivers State.

They may because other political parties are also after Wike. They want him.

On Saturday the All Progressives Congress, APC, Governor of Ebonyi State, another failed Presidential aspirant, Dave Umahi, visited Wike in Porthacourt. The two have not always been in good terms. They have had spats a couple of times. But, on Saturday, they had a three-hour closed door discussion. None of them made public what they discussed.

On Wednesday, June 22, 2022, it was the turn of Peter Obi, the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party. Obi, the darling of millions of Nigerian Youths, was also in a closed door meeting with Wike. Both were Presidential aspirants under the PDP before Obi suddenly dumped the Party and defected to the LP.

There are speculations that Wike is  plotting to dump the PDP. But he has vehemently denied such speculations  insisting he is PDP for life.

Obi is, also, in serious discussion with the New Nigerian Peoples Party’s (NNPP) Presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso.

Obi and Kwankwaso, both two time Governors of Anambra and Kano States, admit their discussions are going on smoothly. Not a few people say it could change the political architecture in the country if it works. Both the APC and PDP are nervous about it.

Nigeria’s Accountant General, Nwabuoku On His Way Out

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed,minister of finance

By Tosin Olatokunbo

Anamekwe Chukwunyere Nwabuoku, the Acting Accountant General of the Federation, AGoF may be on his way out barely a month after President Muhammadu Buhari appointed him into that office.

The Acting AGOF was appointed on May 22, 2022 following the suspension of Ahmed Idris for allegedly stealing over N80 billion by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

“Mr. Anamekwe Chukwunyere Nwabuoku has been appointed to oversee the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, pending the outcome of the EFCC investigation of the suspended AGF, Ahmad Idris,” Bashir Ahmed, Buhari’s former aide said last month on Nwabuoku’s  appointment.

But,  it appears his tenure will be shortlived following the administration’s decision not to confirm him as the substantive AGOF.

The government has commenced the process of replacing him amidst report that he’s also under Investigation of the Anti-graft agency. The magazine has been unable to confirm his graft status with EFCC, neither has it been able to find out whether the decision to replace him is based on his alleged probe by the anti-graft commission.

In a memo sent by President Buhari to the Head of Service of the Federation, Folashade Yemi-Esan, the president directed that the post be advertised for qualified civil servants to apply.

The circular, with reference number HCSF/PS/CMO/193/03, directed all Accountants in the mainstream Federal Civil Service in the pool of Accountant General of the Federation who have attained the position of Substantive Director (Salary Grade 17) on or before 1st January 2020 and are not retiring from the service earlier than 31st December 2024, to apply.

Nwabuoku: On his way out
Nwabuoku On His Way Out?

The circular, however, stated that Officers undergoing disciplinary proceedings are excluded from the exercise.
Sources told the magazine that the current AGOF will not apply due to his alleged problem with the EFCC. “If he does, he will not be interviewed until he clears his name with EFCC for alleged corruption. The government does not want the new AGOF to be associated with any baggage following the experience with Idris. We are trying to start on a clean slate” a presidential source said on Wednesday.

According to the circular, “Following the approval of Mr. President. the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation is commencing the process of the appointment of a substantive Accountant General of the Federation from eligible Directors (Accountant) in the pool of Accountant General of the Federation.

“Consequently, all Accountants in the mainstream Federal Civil Service in the pool of Accountant General of the Federation who have attained the position of Substantive Director (Salary Grade 17) on or before 1* January 2020 and are not retiring from the service earlier than 31st December 2024 are eligible to participate in the exercise.

“Officers undergoing disciplinary proceedings are however excluded from the exercise. Permanent Secretaries are therefore requested to forward the following to facilitate the process: List of eligible Directors on SGL. 17; confidential and personal files of all eligible Directors; five copies of Curriculum Vital of each of the eligible Directors; brief on each of the eligible Directors in the attached format to be produced in Microsoft Word and in both Hard (5 copies} and soft copies.”
Meanwhile, the president directed in the circular that all the required documents must get to the office of the Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office (CMO), Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation on or before 4:00pm on Wednesday July 6, 2022.

Ekiti Gov Election: Rights Groups React To Vote Buying

By
Ayodele Oni
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Ekiti Election 2022

By Ayodele Oni

Nigerian Human Rights Community, (NHRC) and the Civil Society Coalition for Mandate Protection, (CSC-MAP) that witnessed the June 18 Governorship election in Ekiti state have noted that incident of vote buying did not start on that day.

The groups pointed out that “On vote buying, the Nigerian Human Rights Community, (NHRC) said it received information of vote buying by some of the participants which appears not restricted to a particular political party.

“The groups said why there have been outcries; this immoral attribute is not new. It noted that prior the Ekiti elections, the same cash-for-vote was associated with the two mainstream political parties during their primary.

“In Ekiti State, it is also not a new phenomenon. For instance, vote buying was once institutionalized in Ekiti State under a former State Governor when bank accounts of voters were collected and credited with state funds before the election.

“That some voters took money to vote for their candidates should be seen within the broad context of the moral decline of individuals and the state across Nigeria which reflects the dramatic change in human orientation and sociology of Nigerians.

“It reflects the weak institutions that manage the country and the almost impotent is the mechanism for the enforcement of law and order.”

In the report signed by Messrs Fred Ojinika and Samuel Omotoyinbo, the groups noted that the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) and security agents performed well during the Ekiti poll.

“The election materials arrived early enough in almost all the 2,445 polling units across the 16 Local Governments and 19 Local Council Development Areas, (LCDAs).

“In all the 2,445 polling booths, there were reports of non availability of ink in only three of them, as observed by NHRC, which the INEC officials and ad hoc staff improvised by using ink from pen.

“This did not in any way affect the ability of voters to choose their candidates on the ballots.

“In previous elections, the NHRC and the CSC-MAP said Ekiti had dominated national discourse for the wrong reason adding that since 2007, elections in Ekiti have been characterized by violence.

“In 2007, some people were either killed or maimed. In 2014, the then incumbent State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi was nearly killed when a civilian not too far from him was shot by a police officer sent from Abuja by the then Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) controlled Federal Government.

“In 2019, Senator Bamidele Opeyemi also of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) was shot and wounded.”

“The group said the 2022 June 18 election was a complete departure from the ugly past.

“There was no single incidence of violence and bloodletting, abduction, ballot snatching or killing on the day of the election.

“There was however the murder of a citizen few days before the election, an act allegedly traced to the Civil Defense Official protecting a chieftain of the Social Democratic Party, (SDP).

“The group said the Ekiti State Government also did not deploy Amotekun to be involved in the electoral process which remains a significant step by keeping the state security outfit from the platform of internal politics.

“Generally, the atmosphere before, during and after the election was peaceful. The security officials, the Police, Soldiers and Civil Defense were less visible on the election day.

“While few of the soldiers mounted the highways, the armed police men kept a distant, polite watch on the polling units.

“There were no reports of violent human rights violations by state or non state actors unlike in the previous years.”

The group commended the stakeholders the Ekiti State Government, INEC and other party leaders for their conducts during the election saying that there were no acts of aggression, intimidation or terror associated with the State Government or any of its officials.

“This is commendable. The June 18 election was the most peaceful election in Ekiti recent memory.”

WAFU Under-17: Golden Eaglets Qualifies For Continental Championship In Algeria; Books Final Spot

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Golden Eaglets

By Akinwale Kasali

Just like the Flying Eagles of Nigerian that qualified for the Under-20 African Championship courtesy of its triumph in the West African Football Union, WAFU, tournament weeks ago, Nigeria has once again underscored its stature in youth football on the African continent as five-time world champions, Golden Eaglets reached the finals of the 2023 Africa U17 Cup of Nations in style.

Two goals by deadball expert Emmanuel Michael and a glancing header by Abubakar Idris Abdullahi condemned the U17 boys of Cote d’Ivoire to a 1-3 defeat in the first semi final of the ongoing WAFU B U17 Championship in Cape Coast, Ghana.

Yet, the Eaglets uncharacteristically conceded first when Yan Diomande scored from the penalty spot in the very first minute after a foul in the Nigerian box.

The Nigerian boys launched onslaught after onslaught and were rewarded on the half-hour mark when Emmanuel Michael, who scored a spectacular goal from a 22-yard free-kick in the opening match against hosts Ghana, found the range off another free-kick from the right wing.

Thirteen minutes later, Nigeria was ahead for the first time in the encounter when Michael, again from a free kick at the edge of the box, blindsided goalkeeper Mohamed Cisse with an intelligent attempt that swept past the static wall.

The Ivorians came into the second half determined to browbeat the Eaglets with their size and stoutness, but they were pegged further back on the hour mark when Abubakar Idris Abdullahi found the net with a glancing header.

Four minutes later, the Ivorians were down to 10 men after Makhete Moustapha N’diaye was shown the red card.

Another free-kick by Emmanuel Michael in the 77th minute missed target narrowly, and Precious Tonye Williams came very close with four minutes left after a brilliant team move set him up with a clear chance.

In Friday’s final, the Eaglets will take on the winner of the second semi final between hosts Ghana and Burkina Faso. However, victory over the Ivorians means they will be one of the eight participating teams at next year’s Africa Under-17 Cup of Nations in Algeria in few months.

Defender and deadball prodigy Emmanuel Michael was presented with the Man-of-the-Match award, for the third consecutive match.

2023: ‘Youth Vote Count Initiative’ Train Moves To Abuja; As Youths Defy Rain To Get PVC

By
Akinwale Kasali
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INEC Youth Vote Count Initiative

By Akinwale Kasali

After a successful outing in Lagos, the ‘Youth Vote Count Initiative’ by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in partnership with European Union, Yiaga Africa and other Civil Society Organizations, CSOs has moved its train to the Eagle Square in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory to enable Youths participate enmasse in the ongoing Voters Registration Exercise.

The initiative which is targeted at encouraging youths to troop out in large numbers and register for the Permanent Voters Cards, PVC, in order to exercise their franchise as the 2023 Election gathers momentum.

According to the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Abuja, Yahaya Bello, INEC has made available over 50 Machines for Voters’ Registration at the Eagles Square, Abuja, with over 150 Personnels for those who want to register newly for their PVCs, those seeking transfer to another State and those that have damaged or lost their PVCs.

Interestingly, INEC revealed that the turnout has been encouraging as Youths in the FCT defied torrential rainfall to register for voter cards at the open air Continuous Voters Registration (CVR).

Laolu Olawunmi, Programme Manager, European Union, said that INEC commitment to inclusiveness and  transparency has made the EU to collaborate with the Commission, and that the Youth Vote Count Initiative is a non partisan campaign for youths to participate in the electoral process.

Olawunmi stressed that there is need for Nigerian youths to get involved in the policy making of the nation and choose the leaders they want to rule them by getting their PVCs and bring an end to the voters apathy the nation has been witnessing in previous elections.

She added that she is optimistic that the exercise will achieve its purpose, as the EU is expecting a large turnout of Youths more than that of Lagos weeks ago.

Yiaga Africa Executive Director, Stanley Itodo, said Youths need to come out in large numbers to get their PVCs and decide their future, rather than sitting back and complaining.

He said the Mega Concert will see the likes of MI Abaga, Kiss Daniel, 2Face Idibia, Teni, Omawunmi, Pasuma, Small Doctor, Mayokun and a lot of Nollywood Stars coming to sensitize the youths on the need of having their PVCs and to have fun to the senerous lyrics of their idols.

The open air Permanent Voter Cards registration is expected to run from June 20-June 25, with the “Youth Vote Count 2.0 Mega Concert’’ to hold on June 25 at the Old Parade Ground, Abuja.

Some of the Participants at the ongoing exercise who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, said that the initiative is commendable, while some complained that the process is hectic.

Rosemary Okereke, a youth, commended the initiative.

“What actually brought me here is to transfer my PVC from my state to Abuja to enable me to vote.

“The organisers really tried; they did their best; it is just that the crowd outnumbered them initially.

“Most of us got the information on Twitter, so my advice for other people out there is that this is real.

Also, Sor Orduen, a youth, complained that the process is rigorous and hectic.

“It is worth the effort, so what I am telling youths is to get the voter card.

“I am very sure with this, we can change the government to the one that will favour us,’’ he said.

Sandra Edeh, a Youth Corps member commended the organisers for the initiative to help youths to collect the PVCs

Fayose Tackles Ikimi Over Comments On Ekiti Poll

By
Ayodele Oni
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Ayodele Fayose and Tom Ikimi

By Ayodele Oni

Former Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has taken up a chieftain of People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) in Edo state, Chief Tom Ikimi, describing him as a serial loser.

Fayose while reacting to comments by Ikimi on the outcome of Ekiti poll, threw away decorum and came down heavily on the former chairman of the defunct National Republican Convention, (NRC) and former Foreign Affairs Minister during the General Sani Abacha Regime.

The former Ekiti Governor said: “Age, they say comes with decorum and maturity not only grey hair.

“However, it appears that the reverse is the case with Chief Tom Ikimi, who is ranting on matters of Ekiti. Apart from being the Chairman of NRC, a Party he led to electoral defeat in 1993, has he ever contested or won any State election before?

“If this latest vituperation of Ikimi is a fallout of my support for Gov Wike during the PDP Presidential primary, then he should match his age with numbers and recall that this same Fayose gave PDP 16/0 over APC in 2014 and defeated Niyi Adebayo, an incumbent Governor in 2003.

“He should also be reasonable enough to understand that the same PDP that lost election in Ekiti on Saturday to various factors had, in the past, won elections and will still win elections in future.

“To this end, if Ikimi is seeking relevance with Atiku, he should do same more decently. He should allow the sleeping dog to lie and save the PDP from unnecessary shootouts and fireworks at this time as we approach the general elections.”

Ikimi had, at a Stakeholders meeting of the PDP, held Fayose responsible for the poor performance of the PDP in the just concluded Ekiti Governorship election.

CBN: Emefiele Gets Buhari’s Full Backing Despite Calls For His Sack

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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By Tosin Olatokunbo

President Muhammadu Buhari has stated that he is not prepared to sack Godwin Emefiele, Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN as long as the Apex Bank Boss did not veer away from the vision of his Government.

So far, President Buhari said, the CBN boss has performed and does not deserved to be sacked as being clamoured by some critics.

Prominent Nigerians and groups had called on Emefiele to resign or be sacked by the President for allegation ranging from his alleged mismanagement of the economy, and involvement in parsisan politics.

The CBN Governor was among aspirants who purchased the APC presidential nomination form for a whopping N100 million to contest the recently concluded Presidential primary.

He dropped out of the race after outbursts from many Nigerians who contested his eligibility.

Speaking on Emefiele’s Presidential ambition, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State and Chairman, South West Governors Forum, had asked the President to sack him if he failed to resign for allegedly abusing his office.

“We admonish Mr Emefiele to leave the office, immediately, for him to pursue his interest.
“He cannot combine partisan politics with the very delicate assignment of his office. Should he refuse to quit, it becomes incumbent on the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to remove him forthwith,” Akeredolu said in a statement last month.

Akeredolu is a member of the ruling APC.

The opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP had also demanded Emefiele’s removal from office for abusing his position.

By involving himself in partisan politics, the PDP said “Mr. Emefiele has become a clear and present danger to the health, integrity and reputation of the CBN and our nation’s financial sector. His continued stay as CBN Governor will further destroy investors’ confidence in the integrity of our nation’s financial regulatory Institution.

“Mr. Emefiele’s involvement in partisan politics while still holding office as CBN Governor underpins the impunity, lawlessness and recklessness of the Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration. It further confirms that the CBN under Emefiele has all along been the finance department of the APC.

“It is now evident that the summersault of the economy under Mr. Emefiele as CBN Governor has been influenced by a personal partisan interest for which the CBN under his watch allegedly allowed multiple leakages in our financial regulations through discriminatory exchange rate policies and nebulous subsidies to funnel billions of naira to political lackeys to fund a presidential ambition,” Debo Ologunagba, PDP National Publicity Secretary, told journalists in Abuja last month.

Despite all the allegations, Buhari said those calling for Emefiele’s sack are only angry because he did not follow the normal process of handling the nation’s monetary policies. Emefiele has adopted unorthodox means to tackle economic issues to the anger of many critics, Buhari said.

According to him, “The CBN governor is appointed by the President. But this appointment is subject to confirmation by the Nigerian Senate. Ultimately, it will be for the CBN’s board of directors to determine whether a CBN governor’s actions have fallen foul of the laws in place to ensure he can most effectively carry out his duties.

“But there is a subtext to the accusations. Because the governor follows a model outside of the economic orthodoxy, he is labelled political. But the orthodoxy has proved wrong time and again.

“Instead, the Governor is following an alternative economic model that puts people at the heart of policy. Nigeria should be free to choose its development model and how to construct our economy, so it functions for Nigerians.”

In 2019, President Buhari reappointed Emefiele’s as CBN Governor despite public disapproval. He’s the first Nigerian apex bank head to be so re-appointed into that position.

Meanwhile, those close to the Presidency told the magazine that Emefiele has been able to survive the onslaughts against him due to the good relationship he enjoys with the President’s close family, as well as some power Presidential aides.

OPINION: Trouble In The Supreme Court

By
The Source
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By J.S Okutepa, SAN

A few days ago, 14 serving Justices of the Supreme Court wrote a letter to the Honourable  Chief Justice of Nigeria.

In the letter their Lordships lamented the excruciating pains and experiences they go through to dispense justice in the Apex Court.

Their Lordships, I believe, decided to document their complaints to the CJN, to demonstrate the degree of seriousness the matter has assumed.

I will not repeat what they said here. My main worry here is how these noble men and women of advanced age can be subjected to the agony they demonstrated in their letter and then we expect them to deliver justice in judgments.

Goats, said my dad do not bite unless pushed to extreme provocation and against the wall.

I think their Lordships have been pushed to the wall beyond the limit of elasticity of endurance.

Currently S. T. Hon,  SAN is in court to fight, for the relevant authorities to do their work by increasing the salaries and allowances of our Judicial officers across board.

Many of us Senior Advocates of Nigeria have joined him to fight this noble cause.

There is no dispute that Nigerian Judiciary is not being fairly treated not only by the other arms of Government but by some of those who have the privilege to lead that Arm of Government. There is more we need to do as Lawyers and Nigerians to see that the lots of Nigerian Judiciary and Judicial Officers are bettered than we have now.

These Judges,in the first place, are human beings. If you don’t want he-goats to fornicate, then you must train the she-goats to learn to cover her nakedness.

These Judges take merger salaries but they try causes and cases that involve billions of Dollars and Naira.

They are prone to temptations in a bid to do their work. We want corrupt free Judiciary but we are not prepared to do what will insulate the Judiciary from corruption.

Judges have no good cars. When State Governments acquired some substandard cars for these Judiciary officers, they go to town to advertise it as achievements. Nigerian Judiciary still writes in long hands. No good working environment. Some Judges still climb bikes in some places. Some cars of these Judges are so- rickety that they are like dead traps.

The letter by all the Justices of the Supreme Court to the Hon. the Chief Justice of Nigeria should worry us as leaders of the Bar. I just hope the Body of Senior Advocates and the leadership of NBA will not look at the letter as one of the usual things with Nigeria.

When my Lord Eko JSC, as he then was, in his valedictory speech at the Special Court session marking his retirement from the Supreme Court Bench, made some revelations and called that EFCC and ICPC should look into the ways and manner Heads of Court were managing money allocated to the Judiciary, he was speaking as an insider.

He spoke the minds of many oppressed Judges and Judicial officers. He spoke the minds of all reasonable users of seat of justice in Nigeria. He was frank and blunt as anyone with reasoning faculty can appreciate.

The efforts by S. T. Hon, SAN and some of us in the court is good, but we need to do more. Truth needs to be told and those who have denied the Judicial Officers of even the meagre they ought to get and they are not getting should be dealt with according to law. We cannot pretend that all is well with our Judiciary.

Judiciary in Nigeria is sick. It is on life sport. It is lacking financial oxygen. Judicial officers are under serious and excruciating environmental unhygiene. That Itself has polluted the stream of justice. No man who is hungry can select the meals to eat. I have not seen the leadership of the legal profession doing what it ought to do.

The just concluded primaries of political parties showed that there is money in Nigeria. The mumbo- jumbo salaries and allowances by other Arms of Government should be extended to the Judiciary. Judiciary must be well equipped to delivery justice to Nigerian people.

We have starved the Judiciary to the points that their Lordships can no longer bear it. They have spoken and I believe the 14 wisemen of the Supreme Court spoke for the entire Judiciary.

In some States Judges are just treated by their Chief Judges as if they the Chief Judges are superior in knowledge and learning than their brother Judges. That should not be.

The Bar and the Bench must come together now to fight for liberation of the Judiciary from the slavery status it has been put by those within and outside the Judiciary. Unless we do so, we may return to the state of nature where people will no longer use the Judiciary to settle their disputes. God forbids that this happened.

Okutepa, SAN wrote this on Tuesday, June 21, in reaction to the “crisis” in the Supreme Court

2023: Governor Obaseki Alarmed Over Peter Obi; Says Nigerians Rooting For Him; Rejecting APC, PDP

By
Adesina Soyooye
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0

By Adesina Soyooye

A shocked and worried Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has raised an alarm over the impact Peter Obi, the candidate of the Labour Party, LP, is making on the road to the Presidential election in 2023.

The Governor is alarmed that Nigerians are rejecting both the All Progressives Congress, APC and his Party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, dropping both Political Parties like hot potato, in favour of a Peter Obi Presidency.

Addressing PDP chieftains in the face of the Party’s poor performance in the just concluded Ekiti State Governorship election, Obaseki said: “PDP couldn’t win the election in Ekiti State. Not even number two. So, you can see that there is something wrong going on. And, we don’t want this trend to continue. The future of our Politics in this country is changing. I don’t  know if you are closely watching what is going on.”

The Governor stared that Nigerians have started rejecting both the APC and the PDP, and are quickly supporting Peter Obi. Anybody, one asks, the Governor said, is “OBIdient.”

Obaseki: “The level of disenchantment with the existing Parties. I am sure in all our homes here, we have so many people now who call themselves ‘OBIdients’.

“I don’t know whether you have them in your houses. Ask them which Party they are, they say ‘OBIdient.’

They don’t want us. They are not looking for APC or PDP.  They want alternatives. And, they are much, much more. You see all of them going for PVCs now. They are not looking the direction of APC or PDP.

“If we don’t curb this, if we don’t make our party attractive, I don’t know what will happen in the next elections.

Obi, a former Presidential aspirant under the PDP, suddenly dumped the Party a few days before its Presidential Primary, and declared for the Labour Party. Since then, nothing has remained the same. It is like a wild fire in a hamattan season.

Obi has stolen the hearts of millions of youths across the Country, who have taken over his campaign. He has sparked an unprecedented interest, and number in the registration of Voter’s for PVCs.

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