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Total Shutdown Looms; NLC, Electricity Workers Begin Strike Tomorrow

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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NLC Protest

Nigeria’s electricity workers on Sunday placed the Nigerian government on notice of its planned solidarity protest with the Nigeria Labour Congress/Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

ASUU has been on strike for more than five months over unpaid salaries and emolument. The strike by the universities teachers has grounded academic activities in the nation’s ivory towers to a halt.

President Muhammadu Buhari, had last week directed the ministers of Education and Labour/ Employment, Adamu Adamu and Chris Ngige to meet with ASUU with the aim of ending the strike.

Not a few think that the president’s intervention should have come long time ago, when the labour dispute was still at the teething stage.

Keen watchers of the dispute say there are more complications now that other unions have decided to join their counterparts in the university in their protest against the government.

Recall that the NLC, the umbrella body has warned that its members will join the strike this week if ASUU’s issue is not resolved by the Buhari’s administration.

The power sector workers in a letter issued by the General Secretary, NUEE, Joe Ajaero, to the vice presidents of states and administrative councils chapter secretaries of the union, said they are prepared to join the strike.

The letter with reference, NUEE/NS/2022/008, titled, “Nigeria Labour Congress/ASUU Solidarity Protest,” is dated July 22, 2022.

“In line with the NLC’s directive and our position which was made known at the Central Working Committee and National Executive Council meeting of Congress,” the letter read in part.

“All members of the union are enjoined to massively mobilise and actively participate in the NLC/ASUU solidarity protest against the continued closure of the nation’s tertiary institutions, schedule for July 26/27, 2022.

“You are encouraged to work with the leadership of State Executi Councils of the congress in your various states with a view having a successful outing. Aluta Continua!”

If the electricity workers make good their threat, Nigerians may yet witness another round of blackouts beginning from Tuesday.

The development may further worsen the electricity situation in the country which has been recently hampered by recurrent national grid collapse.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN has just restored power after many days of national blackout due to the recent collapse of the national grid. The grid had collapsed for a record six times this year, with businesses being seriously hit.

Meanwhile, the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) under the aegis of the Joint Action Committee (JAC), has warned the federal government that salary adjustment for only university lecturers is a recipe for crisis in the nation’s higher institution

NASU and SSANU vowed to reject any salary increment in the university system that would further widen the gulf between teaching and non-teaching staff.

“Let it be stated clearly, that SSANU and NASU reject any salary recommendation that would cause a further disparity in the university system.

“There is an already existing disparity in the system, which we had always closed our eyes to. To further expand that disparity would be an invitation to the greatest level of anarchy and industrial unrest ever witnessed in the university system,” Peters Adeyemi who spoke on behalf of the unions said in Abuja.

Our  Problem With Rescuing Train Hostages – Buhari

By
The Source
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Muhammadu Buhari

By Gideon Njoku

Less than 24 hours after the terrorists who abducted passengers on an Abuja-Kaduna Train Service about five months ago released a heartbreaking video where they were whipping  their hostages like slaves of old and/or animals, the Presidency  has explained its difficulties in rescuing them.

The very traumatic video emerged on Sunday. It showed the hapless and helpless hostages, being flogged as they wept. Children were amongst them.

The terrorists did more than that. They threatened and boasted that they would abduct President Muhammadu Buhari and the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, take them to the forest and slaughter them.

For the records, terrorists, during the recent Sallah, when President Buhari went to his home town, Daura, Katsina State, to spend the Sallah holidays, ambushed the President’s advance team in Katsina. During an exchange of gunfire, two Security personnel on the President’s team were injured.

Nigerians have been outraged over the ordeal of the Train Hostages for five months and counting. Only a few of them have been released in batches.

Apparently reacting to the outrage over the video, the Presidency, in a statement signed by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, said Mr President has done everything, even more than expected of a Commander-in-Chief for the Military to do its job.

The statement expressed the Government’s difficulties in rescuing the Hostages. It said far from being clueless, the Military is capable of wiping the abductors out by bombing the location, but is conscious of the collateral damages. The lives of the hostages are of paramount importance as they committed no crime other than boarding a train, it  said.

The statement titled, “Latest version of terror propaganda and military readiness,” reads:

“Terrorist activity using propaganda and the use of violence to force Government to accept, or submit to political demands is not new all over world.

“The country’s security and defense forces are not clueless or helpless. They have their plans and ways of doing things which they will not display in the media.

“The dilemmas in dealing with the specific case of train terrorists are manifold: punitive action like the popular call for carpet bombing of the known locations may assuage the desire of an angry public for revenge, but what about the hostages?

“They have committed no offense. All they did was to board a train.

“It suffices to say that the security forces are not relenting. They are acutely aware of their duties, responsibilities and what the nation expects of them. Whenever they embark upon those actions, they expect that the public should provide them with the needed support.

“Terrorism is a global scourge that must be fought by all actors – the military, the civilian population and the communication service providers. This is the only way safe havens of terrorists are eliminated in every part of the world.

“To help the nation against ongoing situation, the media must increase their support for the fight against the exploitation of the internet and social media for terrorist purposes.

“The Presidency, in the meantime wishes to reassure the public that the President has done all, and even more than what is expected of him as Commander-in-Chief by way of morale, material and equipment support to the military and expects nothing short of good results in the immediate.”

The terrorists had ringed the Railway line, close to Kaduna with explosives. As the attacked train screeched to a sudden halt, they boarded it, killed  eight people and abducted a good number of the passengers.

Be Careful With Social Media Reports, Uzodinma Urges The Church; Shocked At Imo Leaders’ Conspiracy Of Silence

By
The Source
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Hope Uzodimma

Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has appealed to the Church, in particular, and members of the public at large, not to swallow hook, line and sinker any information on social media without taking the pains to crosscheck their authenticity.

Governor Uzodimma spoke at the St. John  Beloved Catholic Church at Umuna Ahu Uratta, Owerri on Sunday during a Thanksgiving Service to mark one year of the death of Chief (Sir) Patrick Chukwuemeka Chikeka, husband of the Chief Judge of Imo State, Justice Theresa Chikeka.

The Governor specifically charged the leadership of the Church not to be deceived by misinformation flying around over the recent incident at Awo Omamma involving security operatives and some bad boys.

Governor Uzodimma who said that the Church must partner with the  Government to restore confidence in our larger society, further challenged the Church leadership to take seriously the activities of some desperate politicians in Imo State who work  to destabilise the government, using false information on social media as tool of blackmail.

“When you see any story on the social media, please try and investigate it properly. Go further to do more investigation before criticising the security agencies so that they do not abandon us in the hands of non state actors.”

Throwing more light on the Awo Omamma incident, the Governor said those who died were victims of a shootout with security operatives (DSS) who acted on intelligence that the deceased were heading for a meeting at their Camp in Awo Omamma where they usually plan on how to enforce the Monday sit-at-home order in that part of Imo State.

His words: “My administration will never be part of the killing of my people.”

Governor Uzodimma who told the audience that he loaths blood letting as a true Catholic, said he had had to drop all strategies that would have made insecurity a thing of the past in Imo State, but for the “collateral damage” and consequently, blood shed that would follow the implementation.

He regretted that leaders in Imo State, among them – former Governors, Deputy Governors, Senators, Secretary to Government, et al – have continued to keep mum over the insecurity challenge in Imo, leaving no one in doubt that either they are enjoying  or sponsoring it.

He said, for instance,  that he expected them to condemn the attack on his country home, the attack on the country home of the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Prof. George Obiozor, as well as the attacks on the homes of other Government officials but they never did.

Besides, he said while such so-called leaders in Imo State have not seen the need to speak up on generous kidnapping activities, beheading of Imo citizens, killing of Traditional Rulers and the act of cannibalism associated with most of our youths involved in banditry, they are quick to embark on condolence visit at Awo Omamma without even making efforts to ascertain the true position of things.

The Governor regretfully recalled the harrowing experience the Auxiliary Bishop Chikwe went through in the hands of the bandits when they kidnapped him last year and took him to Oguta before he was released,  noting that what happened to the Bishop  is not what one ought to experience.

Governor Uzodinma reiterated that the primary reason government exists is the protection of lives and property of the citizenry, and that the worse thing that can happen to a society is if government abandons her responsibility to non state actors.

He explained: “There is no responsible Government that would want to take life because the reason for Government is to protect lives and property. There is also no responsible Government that would encourage any act that would take human life, particularly innocent lives.”

The Governor who urged the Church leadership to be painstaking in finding out the true position of things before taking a position said that through his actions and performance in the past two and half years, it is not in doubt that he has come to serve Imo people.

He challenged his opponents to point to what, where and how he has taken anything belonging to Imo people since assuming office, noting that “it is because they don’t have anything against me that they have decided to focus on my wrist watch as if they didn’t know who Hope Uzodimma was before he came into office.”

He also explained that it is to the credit of his regime that property belonging to Imo people which previous administration forcefully collected from them had been returned just as roads which a particular government that spent seven months and never bothered to deal with,  are today wearing new looks.

Governor Uzodimma said though he is Chief Security Officer of Imo, he does not have total control of the security agencies working in the State to help government contain insecurity and restore peace in Imo.

Hear him: “I am not completely in charge of the security agencies in the State. I am only the Chief Security Officer by mouth, without a barrack.”

He then urged the Church leadership and all those relying on reports on social media to antagonize and blackmail security agencies working in Imo State to be wary of their actions because the people and the State may not be better off with non state actors if the conventional security operatives are withdrawn.

Earlier in his homily, the Auxiliary Bishop of Owerri Catholic Ecclesiastical Province, Most Rev Dr Moses Chikwe urged the congregation to be prayerful and to devote their time to praying for the Governor and his government so that God will use them for the good of the society.

Bishop Chikwe thanked Governor Uzodinma for honouring the Chikekas and St. John Beloved Catholic Church with his presence and that of his top government officials.

St. John Beloved Catholic Church used the opportunity to solicit financial assistance from the guests for the completion of their Church building with Governor Uzodimma making a personal donation of N10 million while the Secretary to the State Government, Chief Cosmas Iwu gave N3 million on behalf of the Imo State Government.

The Deputy Governor, Prof Placid Njoku, the Speaker of Imo State  House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Kennedy Ibe, the Secretary to the State Government, Chief Cosmas Iwu, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Barr Nnamdi Anyaehie, among other top officials from the federal and state governments attended the event.

When Tinubu Was After Me

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The Source
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Val Obienyem and Bola Tinubu

By Val Obienyem

My first remote encounter with BAT was in the 90s. As a student of Lagos State University, LASU, I wrote an article entitled “Lest LASU be Forgotten.” At that time,  Dr. Okey Ikechukwu was the Chairman of the Editorial Board of Comet newspaper (now The Nation). It was Dr. Ikechukwu,  a dutiful mentor,  that requested I write on the topic as part of his painstaking mentorship.

If there is one person I would ever remain grateful to, he is Dr. Okey Ikechukwu.  In spite of protests from the Editorial Board, he insisted I would be published every week even when I was not a columnist. He did almost the same thing for Mr. Sola Fasure when other members of the Editorial Board had questioned his qualification for membership, being too young, and according to some of them, inexperienced. Ikechukwu settled the argument by pointing to the quality of our contributions which always enhanced national discourse. In the case of Sola, he reminded them that part of doing the job well was also grooming successors. Indeed, Sola later became the boss.

Not ready to see Tinubu play ping pong with his mentee, Ikechukwu said to me: “Finally, Tinubu is after you”, he told me in his usual calm voice always mirroring the mellow metaphysics of personified wisdom. After telling me the details and the drama that played out at “Comet“ over the article, I asked, like a young Oriental seeking wisdom from his Yogi teacher: What do I do?

Flowing from the interaction, I wrote another article entitled “Still on LASU.” Thereafter, I returned to LASU comforted by Ikechukwu’s words: “Should your school try to be funny with you, just let me know.”

At LASU, my name was on the notice board all over the Faculty of Law, directing me to see the Faculty Dean immediately. Students flocked around me trying to figure out what the problem was. They guessed one of my weekly, probing articles usually published on the notice board must have irked the Dean.

The fatherly Prof. Olusegun Yerokun received me affectionately and tried to stifle me with his embrace: I was re-assured that I was safe. Seated, the Dean brought out the two articles and said, smiling: “Do you know the problem you have caused for the VC? Even when the dust raised by the first article was yet to settle, you wrote another one.”

The Dean was surprisingly happy with me. Now relaxing over a bottle of malt drink which he insisted I must take, he started reading the article again and made further observations: “Val, you write so lucidly and so serenely. However, get your peace of mind, avoid writing about LASU and about Tinubu.” I suspect he was enamoured by the fact that the subject of the write-ups were about lecturers strike at LASU, where I castigated Gov. Tinubu and supported the lecturers.

Seriously interested in my progress, the Dean took time to ask about my grades, my other involvements in LASU. When I told him I was the editor of the Faculty’s Magazine, he said he would make sure I handled that till I left LASU.

The Dean told me how the then Gov. Tinubu  requested the VC to warn me over the article under reference because I always signed off my articles thus: “ Mr. Obienyem is of the Faculty of Law, Lagos State University.” The perplexed Tinubu thought I was a lecturer.

When the VC reached the Dean, he told him there was no such lecturer. He mandated him to find out and send whoever it would turn out to be to come and see him.  “I am very close to the VC, I shall meet him on your behalf and tell him that you need encouragement and not harassment. I am sure he would know how to dribble the Governor,” were the comforting words of the Dean to me. This was the origin of my friendship with Prof. Yerokun, such that when he wrote a book on Insurance Law, I reviewed it in the newspaper.

From the encounter as recalled, would you say that Tinubu is a tolerant man?

Imo: APC Accuses Opposition Of Supporting Non-State Actors To Destabilize State

By
The Source
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APC Secretariat in Imo State

By Charles Igbo

The All Progressives Congress, APC. Imo State Chapter, has accused the opposition in the State of supporting non State actors in a bid to destabilize the State.

The APC, particularly, accused the main opposition Party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, of not only supporting non-state actors, but alleged that it was sponsoring the violence and blood shed in Imo, and knew  more than it is giving out.

These allegations were contained in a Press statement issued by Cajetan Duke, the Party’s State Publicity Secretary. It is a consequence of the controversy and uproar which have  dogged the killing of  some youths in Otulu in the Awommama area of the State penultimate Sunday.

While the Directorate of State Services, DSS,  say the youths were killed during an operation in a bandits’ camp in the area where they had assembled to plan an attack and enforcement of sit-at-home the next day, the popular version in the opposition camp in the State is that they were innocent youths, killed on their way back from a traditional wedding of one of them.

This version was given wings by the alleged groom and alleged eye witnesses who insist that there was no operation by the DSS. Instead, they allege, the youths were killed by operatives of Ebubeagu, a State-backed security outfit which, also, operates in other States in the South-east, it’s establishment having been approved by the South-east Governors, and operates just like the Amotekun in the South-west.

Since then, nothing has remained the same in Imo State. The opposition is riding on the incident, and has accused the State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, of sending Ebubeagu operatives to kill innocent youths. They have dubbed the Governor a murderer, and described him in all sorts of unflattering colors, including blood-dripping emojis.

Not a few people are worried over the dimension the incident hS taken. Some Youths have taken to blocking the Awommama-Owerri road, they have banned Ebubeagu   from operating in the area, and declared the Head of the outfit wanted. Not a few people also worry that the incident has been politicized, and think it’s politicization is deliberate to  destroy the Governor’s image and destabilize the State. The APC agrees, and is asking questions.

In the statement the APC said: ” It is rather ridiculous that the PDP, unfortunately, portrays itself as number one sponsors of insecurity in Imo State by their overt and covert support and sympathy for bandits terrorizing Communities in Imo State.”

The party wondered why the PDP has discarded the statement by the DSS, and instead, remain hell bent on putting the rope on Governor Uzodinma’s neck.

Said the statement: “The PDP has not only refused to believe the DSS report, it has continued to manufacture and spread its own report. And, we ask: What does the PDP know that we don’t know? What does the PDP know that the DSS does not know? Does the PDP mean that it is privy to the activities of bandits in the State, and know them one by one? Is it true that the PDP houses many people who are either members of the outlawed IPOB or, that it is in league with the bandits? Could PDP have raised a militia arm of its youth wing under the cover of Unknown Gun Men?”

Following is the full text of the statement by the APC.

POLITICAL BANDITRY IN IMO AHEAD OF 2023 ELECTIONS BY OPPOSITION PARTIES SHALL FAIL

“The attention of the Hon. McDonald Ebere-led All Progressives Congress, APC, in Imo State has been drawn to a troubling discovery that opposition political parties in the State have adopted political banditry ahead of the 2023 general elections. This is betrayed by their renewed,  sponsored media hostilities against the people oriented administration of His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, targeted at undermining the unprecedented, historical milestones of the Government, and by lending support to non state actors against the wishes of the generality of Imo people.

“It is regrettable that in spite of concerted and appreciable efforts of the Uzodimma led APC Government to rid our State of criminality and insecurity occasioned by the unfortunate politics of banditry adopted by opposition political parties, particularly the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, the deliberate attempt by the opposition PDP, to institutionalize terror and insecurity as instruments for the advancement of their selfish, diabolic political ambitions, is not only despicable but also ungodly.

“It is rather ridiculous that the PDP unfortunately portrays itself as number one sponsors of insecurity in Imo State by their overt and covert support and sympathy for bandits terrorizing communities in Imo State. We find it disturbing that a reputable security agency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria like the Department of State Security, DSS, issued a statement that it carried out a security operation last Sunday leading to the arrest and death of the bandits, yet the PDP does not believe the credible report of the DSS. The PDP has not only refused to believe the DSS report, it has continued to manufacture and spread its own report. And we ask, what does the PDP know that the we don’t know? What does the PDP know that the DSS does not know? Does the PDP mean that it is privy to the activities of bandits in the state and know them one by one? Is it true that the PDP houses many people who are either members of the outlawed IPOB or that it is in league with the bandits? Could PDP have raised a militia arm of its youth wing under the cover of Unknown Gun Men?

“The position of the PDP on the Otulu incident leaves much to be desired. And it should be telling the DSS and Nigerians at large what it knows that others don’t know.

“The Imo State PDP has outlived its usefulness and that is why Imo people rejected it since 2011, but the party wants to return to power riding on banditry. Imo people are intelligent people and they cannot allow this to happen. The PDP remains rejected and no amount of support to or  allegiance with non state actors will bring them back to Douglas House.

“The PDP is now a stinking stench to the Imo public.  It is now an enemy of the people. Its present stand on the Otulu killings is laughable and has exposed their underbelly.

“Igbo people have value for human lives and playing politics with insecurity and people’s lives is not only blasphemous, it is an act Igbo people cannot condone. The PDP knows this for a fact. The party knows the position in the  state that it cannot win elections anymore. No amount of banditry will change the people’s verdict.

“Therefore, we are surprised that  PDP is using a character like Hon. Uche Onyeagucha as its lynchpin to whitewash it’s rotten name. For those  who may not know, Onyeagucha was the man that in the processes of the March 9, 2019 governorship election, rushed to the INEC table, grabbed the result sheets and tore them to shreds. He was arrested, detained and prosecuted. He was also the man that PDP used to stage illegal and violent protests against the judgement of the Supreme Court court of Nigeria. No wonder he was compensated with a dead on arrival senatorial ticket of PDP. Today, the same man is the one leading the campaign of calumny against the State Government, but he too, like his party, shall fail.

“While we are confident that the  blackmail and propaganda against the APC led government in Imo State by the uninspiring, disorganized and disoriented opposition, PDP, we are also confident that no amount of falsehood can eclipse the monumental infrastructural strides of the shared prosperity administration of governor Uzodimma.

“Furthermore, as the Government continues in its primary responsibility to make the state safe for our people, devoid of intimidation and harassment of any sort, Imo APC, reiteartes its commitment to a peaceful, harmonious and economic prosperous state.”

Presidential Hopeful, Sowore Opens Up On Assets

By
Ayodele Oni
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By Ayodele Oni

In tandem with what he preaches, Human rights activist and the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress,(AAC) Omoyele Sowore, said his worth is not more than that of an average Nigerian.

Sowore, who publicly declared his assets ahead of the 2023 general elections in compliance with an advocacy organisation, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), made the remark in his social media handle.

SERAP had in a tweet challenged Sowore to publish details of his assets and to publicly commit to rejecting vote-buying and electoral bribery before and during the elections.

SERAP wrote “Dear ‪@YeleSowore Ahead of the February 2023 presidential election, we’re again calling on you to show leadership by urgently publishing details of your assets and publicly rejecting vote-buying and electoral bribery before and during the elections.”

Replying to the tweet, the AAC presidential candidate said he had two cars, and a house in his hometown in Ondo State worth N5 million among other assets.

The activist explained that he had never operated an offshore account(s) or worked with a tax haven to hide any asset, adding that he rejects vote-buying on or before 2023 election date.

“I have two used cars: a Toyota Camry & Lexus RX 350, a home in my village worth may be N5m, three iPhones, a Galaxy Note 10 Lite (if you could call those assets), SaharaReporters Media Group (don’t know the worth as of today), a four-bedroom bungalow in New Jersey & nothing more.

“The Federal government of Nigeria froze my bank accounts since 2019 after I was arrested over ‪#RevolutionNow protest on August 3rd 2019.

“A ‪@gtbank account I operated in Nigeria had N4,800 left in before my arrest, I managed to open a ‪ @kudabankhelp with N463.00 as of this evening.

“I reject vote-buying on or before the 2023 election date. I also recently opened a ‪@capitalone US bank account that has in it about $300.

“I have a ‪@ZenithBank campaign account for the ‪#Sowore2023 Presidential account. I have nothing more besides financial support that I occasionally get from friends and family (if those count as assets).

“I have never operated any offshore account(s) or worked with a tax haven to hide my assets. These are the assets I have in my entire life.”

APC Muslim/Muslim Ticket, Political Strategy To Win Election – Fayemi

By
Ayodele Oni
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0

By Ayodele Oni

Chairman, Nigeria Governors Forum, (NGF) and Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi has counselled the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on what members will do before next year’s election to be relevant politically.

He advised that CAN should engage the leadership of the political parties and lay members demands before them ahead of the 2023.

The governor also noted that rather than overflogging  the issue of religion, Christians should evolve a charter of demands  from the parties.

Dr Fayemi  gave this admonition inAdo Ekiti, while receiving the new executives of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ekiti State Chapter led by its Chairman, Dr Emmanuel Aribasoye.

He  allayed the fears of Christians in the country over the raging issue of Muslim-Muslim ticket of the APC,  saying it was not done to undermine their influence or relevance, but simply a calculated political strategy by the party to win the Presidential election.

According  to him, the choice of a Muslim running mate for the APC Presidential candidate was not because there were no competent Christian politicians from the North as being erroneously peddled in some quarters.

“The Christian leadership should use this current challenge as an opportunity to present a charter of demands to all political candidates, especially our party (APC), outlining the irreducible minimum conditions acceptable to Christians in the next political dispensation.

“A charter of demands that would represent those values you preach to us in church highlighting our concerns, stressing the place of Christendom in the Nigeria project and then placing our demands before the political leaders.

“I want the Church to organise debates around issues of concerns among all the candidates.”

According to him, this would bring out some advantages for the Christians in the current arrangement, rather than flogging the issue of Muslim-Muslim ticket.

“While it is desirous to see one of us on either side of the presidential ticket, I think it is important for us to look beyond the religious profession of the gladiators or even their ethnic or geopolitical origin.”

He urged Christian leaders to eschew what he called “the theology of disengagement” and embrace politics by converting the current challenge to an opportunity to present a charter of demands to all political candidates based on irreducible minimum conditions acceptable to Christendom.

“Many Christians see politics as a dirty game, and for this reason are disengaged from the political process. It’s time for us to realize that there are compelling reasons for Christians to participate in politics.

“In my own opinion, whatever makes us good Christians makes us good citizens.

“You raised a matter that is agitating the minds of many Christians particularly Christians who are not in politics but I can tell you that Christians who are in politics are equally concerned about the matter you have raised about the Muslim-Muslim ticket.

“Not so much because of faith but because of fair representation and representation in a multi ethnic, multi religious, multi- cultural setting is always going to be an issue of concern.

“But I have also had cause to discuss this with our political associates and our fathers in the Lord.

“But where we are now, my plea with Christians is to do that which is expected of us. Yes, the agitation must continue and on my part as a Christian, I have been talking to both the Presidential candidate and other leaders of the party that we need to take quick steps that we should have taken earlier by approaching the leadership in Christendom and explain the context of the selection that was about to happen.

“Even if they don’t agree with our choice, they would have seen the sincerity of purpose and understood that the decision was not on ground of competence because we have competent Christians all over Nigeria, but on grounds of strategic political moves, which is what we do in politics.

“We have to look at scenarios and calculate where the votes would come from, it is a game of numbers.

“I think it is time for Christians to move away from the theology of disengagement – the notion that politics is dirty and that it is not for a child of God.

“When serious Christians committed to the ideals of social justice and the common good turn away from politics, they open the door for unprincipled opportunists to take power.

“Fortunately, not all of us can or will be in elective office. Not all of us have to. What matters is for each of us to find our place in the move to build our nation and be faithful to the demands of that task.”

Earlier, the new Chairman of CAN in the state, Dr Aribasoye who  commended the Governor’s generosity to CAN in Ekiti and his spirit of sportsmanship  in stepping down for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the APC Convention, said the church was not in any way comfortable with the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the ruling party, describing it as a “cause for concern”

Dr Aribasoye  highlighted some of the achievements of the administration to include prompt payment of workers’ salaries, construction of International Cargo Airport and peaceful conduct of Governorship election in the state.

He used the occasion to invite the Governor to the National Convention of CAN taking place at the end of the month.

Atiku Ridicules Tinubu; Asks Him To Present Himself To An Hour Long TV Interview

By
The Source
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0

The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, says his counterpart in the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, is  not capable of granting an hour-long interview.

Atiku, in a statement signed on his behalf by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, said Tinubu will not be “as articulate and mentally stable as Atiku.”

Atiku’s response followed a reaction by Tinubu to the interview Atiku granted the ARISE TV on Friday.

In the interview, Atiku said, among other things, that one of the fundamental disagreements he had with Tinubu, as far back as 2007 when Tinubu demanded to be his running mate under the now defunct ACN, was the issue of a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

Irked by that, Tinubu had, in a statement signed on his behalf by the Director, Media and Communication of his Campaign Organisation, Bayo Onanuga, said Atiku was not one to be trusted. He dismissed Atiku’s performance in the interview  as embarrassing and said he mixed up facts.

But Atiku has reacted by asking Tinubu to come forward and take the hot seat for an hour. “Mr Tinubu has not sat down to do any prolonged interview for obvious reasons. Nigerians have seen him talk in public and can themselves gauge the reason why he is mortified to do so.”

Following is the full text of the Press Statement.

We Challenge Bola Tinubu To Take The Hot Seat

“We were rather amused to read the knee jerk response from the Tinubu Campaign Organisation to the wave making interview granted by Waziri Atiku Abubakar to Arise TV on Thursday, July 21, 2022.

“Amusement, because we expected this. Mr. Tinubu has not sat down to do any prolonged interview for obvious reasons. Nigerians have seen him talk in public and can themselves gauge the reason why he is mortified to do so.

“Nevertheless, I will now take the issues in their statement one after the other.

* “The Tinubu campaign exposed its gross desperation and vacuousness by citing the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) 1999, to declare Waziri Atiku Abubakar’s stance on engaging in a side business while he was a young custom officer as a breach of the law. It is pertinent to educate the Tinubu campaign organisation that Nigeria is not under a military regime and our Constitutions are not retroactive in nature.

*”Again, the Tinubu campaign betrayed either dishonesty or lack of attention to detail by claiming that Atiku Abubakar said oil contributed 20% of Nigeria’s GDP. That is a lie. What the Waziri said is as follows:

‘Oil only maybe accounts for about 20% of our GDP’.

* “The use of the word maybe by the Waziri was in reflection to the different figures given. While the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics states a figure close to 10%, other multilateral organisations have given a much higher figure of between 15-20%. So, while the jury is still out, it is right to qualify the contribution of oil and gas as a maybe. However, we do like to point out that Waziri Atiku Abubakar mentioned both the PDP and the APC during the interview and did not forget the name of his own party.

* “It seems the Tinubu campaign organisation (can a disorganised body be called an organisation?) does not know the meaning of rotation of power and micro zoning. So, we will gladly educate them. Rotation of power refers to a constitutional provision where power is zoned between North and South. Micro-zoning refers to a non constitutional idea, where power is zoned not between North and South, but amongst geo-political zones. We hope this cures the political illiteracy of the authors of that document.

” The rude response also accuses Waziri Atiku Abubakar of having ‘limited education’. *Atiku Abubakar has an earned Masters degree from Anglia Ruskin University. We challenge any of the present Presidential candidates to present an equal or higher degree. Moreover, his university attendance is a matter of verified record. Can we say the same about some other persons?

*” On President Lincoln, we are afraid the poor student of history is the Tinubu campaign disorganisation. Yes, it is true that Lincoln ran for President with his name on the ballot twice. But he ran at other times, and failed to get his name on the ballot.

* “In conclusion, we would like to challenge Bola Tinubu to subject himself to an hour long interview, like the Waziri did, and if he is able to be as articulate and mentally present as our candidate, then he can talk. Until then, we will only want to remind him and his yes men that they are not in a position to point fingers when they have not sat on the hot seat.”

The Presidential election is in February 2023.

Wike Says He Will Reply Atiku, Expose Happenings In The PDP

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The Source
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By Gideon Njoku

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is on edge. This is a consequence of the threat by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, to talk about the Party’s Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and expose the recent happenings in the Party.

Governor Wike’s threat came on Saturday following the interview granted to ARISE TV by Atiku on Friday.

During the interview, Atiku was asked why he overlooked Wike, and picked Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate.

Wike, a Presidential aspirant, had come a respectable second to Atiku during the Primary. Following Atiku’s victory, the candidate and the Party set up a Committee to shortlist a possible running mate to Atiku. The Committee, made up of 17 members was chaired by Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom.

Three people were shortlist – Wike, Okowa and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel. According to Ortom, Wike came first. 14 out of the 17 members voted for him.

The expectation was that Wike already carried the day.  But Atiku, instead, picked Okowa to the disappointment and shock of Wike’s camp.

Since then, Wike has kept his distance from Party activities. And has said no word. But he has been playing host to all cadres of Politicians from other Political Parties, including the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Asked why he shunned Wike for Okowa, Atiku said he wanted a President-in-waiting, somebody he could work with amicably, and somebody who understands how bad things are in Nigeria.

Atiku: “Governor Wike was nor rejected. Nobody was rejected in the Party. But you must understand that it is the prerogative of the candidate to pick his running mate – a running mate he believes he can work with amicably, and then, also deliver the policies of the Party, and also try to unify the Country.”

He said he found all those qualities in Okowa.

Obviously angered by Atiku’s response, Wike has promised to talk.

In a statement issued in Porthacourt on Saturday by his Media Aide, Kelvin Ebri, Wike said he would speak and let Nigerians know the truth about the PDP and the recent events surrounding it. He, also said he would speak on Atiku.

Wike: “On Atiku I will speak soon and Nigerians will know the actual truth of all that has transpired in the PDP in recent times.”

In the ARISE TV interview, Atiku said the Party was talking to Wike  and that issues would be sorted out.

Ebonyi South Senatorial Ticket: Twist In Ann Agom-Eze’s Candidacy; Withdrew Voluntarily; Could Lose Ticket

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The Source
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Princess Ann Agom-Eze

By Charles Igbo

Documents available to this medium show that Princess Ann Agom-Eze, the woman who floored Engr. Dave Umahi, Governor of Ebonyi State, at the Federal High Court, Abakaliki, to claim the All Progressives Congress, APC, Senatorial ticket of the Zone, withdew from the race.

Her letter of withdrawal shows that she did so voluntarily.

If confirmed, she could lose the ticket, and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC would be saddled with the task of supervising another Senatorial Primary election for the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Otherwise, the APC in the State stands to face the embarrassment of not fielding a candidate for the Zone.

A Federal High Court which gave judgement on the contentious ticket had sacked Governor Umahi as the Senatorial candidate on Friday. The Court, also, disqualified his younger brother, Austin Umahi, who apparently was a place-holder for him, from the race. The Judge, the Honourable Justice Riman, instead, gave the ticket to Princess Agom-Eze who, allegedly, came second during the Senatorial Primary which was monitored by INEC.

In disqualifying Governor Umahi from the race, the Judge said he had participated in the Presidential Primary of his Party, and that section 115 of the Electoral Act forbids a person who had taken part in a Primary for an office to take part in another Primary for a different office same year, same General Elections.

The first Primary was won by the Governor’s younger brother, Austin. The allegation is that a couple of aspirants were arm-twisted to step down. But apparently, the victory was for his elder brother, the Governor. As soon as the senior Umahi lost in the Presidential Primary, his younger brother wrote a letter to the National Chairman of the Party,  withdrawing from the race. That provided the Ebonyi APC an opportunity to organise another Primary which the Governor easily won.

In, also, disqualifying Austin Umahi,  Justice Riman said he voluntarily withdrew from the race.

Trouble started when INEC did not publish Governor Umahi’s name as a Senatorial candidate. INEC said it does not recognize the second Primary which gave the Governor the ticket. The Commission described it as illegal.

In reaction, Governor Umahi approached the Federal High Court to compel INEC to publish his name. Agom-Eze applied to be joined in the suit. She eventually carried the day.

However a twist has appeared. The same thing that happened to Umahi jnr. could happen to Agom-Eze if the document seen by this medium is anything to go by. Like Austin Umahi, she, also, withdrew from the race.

In a letter dated 9th June, 2022, and addressed to the National Chairman of the APC, titled Letter of Withdrawal, Agom-Eze said she had withdrawn from the race.

It reads: “I, Princess Ann Agom-Eze, having contested for the Senatorial Seat of Ebonyi South Senatorial Zone, and having come second in the contest, hereby, for the interest of our Party,  the All Progressives Congress (APC), withdraws.

“Mr Chairman Sir, I wish to assure you that the unity and interest of the party,  supersedes any other interest. I wish our great party well, and will always make myself available to serve the party in any other capacity.

“Thanks for all your support and that of the members of the National Working Committee of our great party, the All Progressives Congress.”

Agom-Eze had also filled out and signed another form of “Voluntary Withdrawal.”

The questions are: Why did she, after coming second, still write a letter of withdrawal from a race she had already been defeated?

Was she arm-twisted to write the letter? Does she have evidence of the arm-twisting? If she voluntarily withdrew, why did she apply to the Federal High Court to be joined in the suit? Will what is good for the goose, in this case, Austin Umahi, be good for the gander, in this case, Agom-Eze? Will both be, eventually, disqualified?

This hard nut will be cracked between the Courts, if Governor Umahi goes on an appeal, and INEC.

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