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Prelate Uche: Army Worried About N100m Paid Ransom; Says Prelate’s Allegations Serious

By
Adesina Soyooye
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Samuel Kanu Uche

By Adesina Soyooye

The Nigerian Army says it takes the weighty allegations made against it by the Prelate of the Methodist Church in Nigeria, His Eminence Samuel Kanu Uche seriously.

The Prelate was abducted Sunday afternoon, May 30, 2022,  at Umunneochi, along the Enugu-Porthacourt Expressway on his way to the Enugu Airport, after he attended a Church Service at Isuochi. Abducted along with him were the Bishop of Owerri Diocese, His Lordship, the Rt. Rev. Dennis Mark, and the Prelate’s Chaplain.

Ironically, Prelate Uche is a native of the area he was kidnapped.

Stung by his abduction, the Umunneochi youths, on Wednesday, blocked both sides of the Expressway, demanding for the relocation of the Military Barracks in the area, accusing the Army of being behind the incessant abductions in the area. They also demanded for the relocation of the Cattle Market at Lokpanta.

Their demands stem from the press interview granted by Uche after they were released on payment of a N100 million ransome.

In the interview, the Prelate said the eight hoodlums who abducted them are of the Fulani stock.

But more damaging is the Prelate’s insistence that troops of the Nigerian Army in the area are working hand in hand with  the kidnappers. He also alleged that the soldiers, all of the Fulani stock, usually look elsewhere and give protection to the hoodlums.

Embarrassed by the allegation, the Army has not only denied it, it is asking for proof. More worrisome to the Army is that a whopping  sum of N100m was paid to the hoodlums in less than 24 hours.

In a statement, Army Spokesperson, Brigadier- General Onyema Nwachukwu asked for an explanation. He vehemently denied the involvement of the Army in the atrocious business, and asked if the N100m was delivered to the soldiers. He also said that nobody reported any such incident to the Army stationed around the area.

Nwachukwu said the Army, because it sees the allegations as very weighty and takes it serious, would want to debrief the Prelate.

Nwachukwu: “The Nigerian Army (NA) has been notified of the insinuation making the rounds on social media, alleging complicity of troops of the Nigerian Army in the kidnap incident of the Methodist Prelate in Abia state recently.

“While the Nigerian Army expresses concern and sympathy for the victim of this heinous crime and shares in his pains, the insinuation that troops are complicit in the kidnap incident is not entirely premised on any findings of investigations and, therefore, cannot be swallowed hook line and sinker.

“This allegation, therefore, raises some pertinent questions which are still unanswered. Given the spate of insecurity in the region, the questions would be:  Was the issue reported to the unit covering the area? Did the Methodist Church take the NA into confidence while negotiating the ransom with the kidnappers? No formal complaint has been received by the unit.

“More worrisome is the fact that it was alleged that the ransom was paid in less than 24 hours. Was the ransom paid to troops?

“These are questions that beg for answers. Moreso, the NA unit has not received any debrief from the Prelate or the Methodist Church.

“It is, therefore, important to state that troops are deployed at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Okigwe and in front of the Abia State University, Uturu and no information was made available to them or to 14 Brigade or any other formation, except the information making the rounds in the social media.

“It must be clarified that troops’ deployment in the Nigerian Army is not done with considerations for ethnic affiliation, hence the deployment of troops of Fulani ethnic extraction who, as alleged by the Prelate, carried out the dastardly act, is not our practice or modus operandi in the NA.

“Given our professional disposition and zero tolerance for any misconduct in the Nigerian Army, we will take this weighty allegation seriously and approach the Prelate and the Methodist church to unravel the basis for the allegation.”

OPINION: Presidential Power-Rotation And Osita Chidoka’s Groundless Vitupuration Against South-east Delegates

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The Source
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By Sylvester Udemezue

I’ve just read Osita Chidoka’s piece titled “Igbo Delegates and future of Zoning” With due respect, it’s thoughtless to blame the southeast delegates for anything over the just concluded PDP convention and 2023 Presidential primaries.

Mr. Osita Chidoka’s is a myopic, parochial, write-up. How did Mr. Chidoka expect the southeast delegates to go on a national stage and vote only a southeast candidate? That’d tribalism, for which the southeast is not known!

Dear Mr Chidoka, I tell you for free: a southeast aspirant cannot win the presidential primaries of the any of the two major political parties (PDP and APC) without support of leaders and delegates from outside southeast.

Questions for Osita Chidoka.
Who told you that it’s regional support that makes one the president in Nigeria?

▪️Did the southwest Yorubas vote for Obasanjo in 1999?

▪️Did other NIGERIANS not support Obasanjo from the southwest Yoruba to win in 1999?

▪️Did Odumegwu-Ojukwu not contest in 2003?

▪️Did the Igbo southeast not ignore Odumegwu-Ojukwu to give their votes to OBJ from southWest in 1999?

▪️Did Hausa/Fulani not Ignore Muhammadu Buhari to vote in GEJ in 2011?

▪️Did an Igbo man (Ojukwu) not contest in 2007? Who did the igbos support?

▪️Did Musa Yar’ardua of northern Fulani, not win in all of the entire Southeast?

▪️Did the North not ignore Atiku and Muhammadu Buhari, to support GEJ in 2011?

▪️Recall that in 2015, all of the igbos voted for GoodLuck Jonathan, an Ijaw man from South-South!▪️In 2019, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar won in all igbos/southeast States?

▪️ Have igbos not shown sufficient support, altruism, corporation, accommodation, understanding, and inclusiveness to both PDP and Nigeria, since 1999?

▪️Why shouldn’t Nigeria support an Igbo man the exact same way Nigeria had supported ▪️Yoruba of the southwest in 1999 to produce Obasanjo,

▪️the Hausa/Fulani of the north in 2007 to install Yar’adua, ▪️Ijaw Of the South-South in 2011 to elect GoodLuck Jonathan, and ▪️Fulani of the North in 2015 to enthrone Buhari?

Dear Mr Osita Chidoka, from your reasoning/analysis, you perhaps think that only Igbo/southeast can crown an Igbo man the president of Nigeria! What an absurd, shallow and lackluster way to approach the injustice being meted out to the southeast by NIGERIA!

I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS FOR YOU: Assuming all the 95 delegates of southeast origin had voted for, say, Senator Pius Ayim in the just-concluded PDP convention, would Senator Pius Anyim have won?

▪️Is it this funny story you’re telling here, that made PDP that had been practicing Power-Rotation since 1999 to now throw the contest open in 2022 when it was their turn to reciprocate the faithfulness and loyalty of the Igbo to that party since 1999?

I shall find time to do a detailed riposte to this beside-the-point, wishy-washy argument you have put forward to spite southeast delegates.
In the meantime, note these:

1️⃣The Igbo cannot be the president of Nigeria unless other Nigerians support the Igbo for that purposes. It was clear that other Nigerians didn’t support the Igbo in 2022. Hence, the southeast delegates knew Igbo wouldn’t win.

2️⃣No other geopolitical zone in Nigeria has shown more loyalty, commitment, faithfulness and good faith to PDP, since 1999, than the southeast.

3️⃣ Unfortunately, PDP has turned its back against the southeast, telling the southeast that the southeast means nothing to PDP.

4️⃣The southeast delegates knew this. Hence, the 95 southeast delegates who went for the just concluded PDP convention, had gone there to vote a candidate of their choice, knowing full well that PDP had already chosen to turn its back against the Igbo.

5️⃣The only way the southeast would have expressed their displeasure against the ill-treatment they had got from PDP when PDP unjustly and mischievously threw the contest open, was to have boycotted the convention. In this way, they would have made a bold statement against PDP’s jettisoning of Zoning at the very moment when fairness and equity demanded that the party should zone its Presidency to the southeast. However, this choice, the southeast delegates didn’t consider or adopt. And I am happy they didn’t boycott the convention. On the contrary, the southeast delegates demonstrated that they were true, broad-minded and altruistic Nigerians by going out there in Abuja to vote candidates of their choice even though the party had wounded the southeast.

Ironically, unfortunately and ridiculously, here you’re, blaming the southeast delegates as if they’d done anything wrong.

I personally salute southeast delegates for demonstrating the Igbo spirit: the true Igbo spirit is federal character, broad-mindedness, inclusiveness, altruism and objectiveness.
I shall return to discuss these issues in detail. Meanwhile, please see my earlier piece on power rotation: Rotational Presidency Is A Mandatory Requirement Of The Nigerian Constitution And A Necessary Pre-condition For Stability And National Integration.

4 October 2021. (The Nigerian Voice). You may also read Olusegun Obasanjo’s words on power rotation: “Why we must not toy with power rotation, federal character – Obasanjo; Says no region has monopoly of leaders”

*[email protected].

Abduction Of Prelate: Youths Block Enugu-PH Road; Say Army Guilty: Demand Relocation Of Barracks, Cattle Market

By
The Source
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Samuel Kanu Uche

By Charles Igbo

In response to the sacrilegious abduction of the Prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, His Eminence Samuel Kanu Uche, hundreds of youths have blocked the Porthacourt-Enugu Expressway.

His Eminence was abducted Sunday afternoon, May 30, 2022, on his way out of Umunneochi along the Porthacourt-Enugu Expressway. Kidnapped with him were the Bishop of Owerri Diocese, His Lordship, the Rt. Rev. Dennis Mark, and the Prelates Chaplain.

They were released Monday  evening after a ransom money of a whopping N100m was paid on their heads for teir release.

Anger and shock rose to high heavens when the Prelate, who is from the area the abduction took place, addressed  the Press in Lagos on Tuesday, and made frightening disclosures.

He said their abductors, eight in number, were Fulani. He said they had about 200 Cattle kept somewhere. He said they are Cattle rearers during the day, and deadly kidnappers at night. He said where they were was close to a Military check-point, and that the soldiers looked elsewhere. He said he strongly believes they were carrying out the atrocities in connivance with, and/or, to the knowledge of the soldiers. He talked about their plan to over-run the South-east and the whole of the South.

The Prelate’s words:

“These people came out from the bush. They divided themselves into three places. Some people fired at us and there was another group in front to make sure that we didn’t run away. They fired shots at our vehicle and eventually, they abducted three of us.

“The Communication man of the Church was able to escape, the driver was able to escape; they abducted me, the Bishop of Owerri and my Chaplain, and they took us to the bush and were torturing us.

“It was in the process of that torture that I hit my right eye on a tree. Even when blood was flowing, and I was soaking my eyes with a handkerchief, they didn’t feel like anything happened.

“All they said was that we should follow them; that they were not actually against Nigerian citizens, but against the Government, that the Government is a bad Government.

“They are Fulani boys; all the eight are Fulani; they said the day they will see the President or any of his representatives they will chew him raw; that he is their brother but he has disappointed them and has disappointed Nigeria.

”I said  I am not  part of Government, I am a Church man. I am not a government official.  They said okay, that is what have saved you, we would have killed you out-rightly without asking for any ransom but now that you are a Church man, let’s go inside the bush.

“I trekked up-to 15 kilometers but I knew that we were rigmaroling, going up going down and eventually, at 11pm, they said okay, now we can negotiate. Each of us will pay N50million and we are going to pay N150million. I thought it was a joke.

“I said we were going to pay N10 million and they said: what? Don’t say that; they lifted up their knife to cut me,I said please hold on.”

“The leader of the group is about 35 years while the others are about 18.

“The abductors came down to N100million ransom, warning that if they negotiate, they would be killed.

“I said okay. We will pay you N100 million. After some time, they said where is the money, and I said this is Sunday night, how can we get money this night and you know that there is this sit -at -home in Igbo land. We can’t afford the money now be patient till morning, we will make contacts.”

“They lost patience, laid Bishop Dennis Mark down, raised a knife to cut him, while another pointed a gun at me to show that they were serious,

“I told them we will raise the money for you. But the irony of it, where they were situated, the soldiers all of Fulani extraction, Nigerian soldiers, they were there at Lomara junction and this boys were going  behind them. Meanwhile they kept their cows somewhere, numbering about 200.

“Some people were taking care of the cows while the abductors were parading them around the bush until they settled at a place,

“They said when are you bringing the money? I said by 12 noon, I will call the people I have contacted whether the money had been raised and I called them, they said that they are gathering the money,  and they heard it because they said I will use my phone to talk, they can’t use their phone, they don’t want to be tracked

“Their leader was born in igbo land but his parents have died. He said he was born around Umuahia Amuzukwu and his father was a cow dealer, the boy understood igbo”

“The leader threatened to kill us if we inform security operatives when they had raised N100million.

“The leader asked them to buy five Ghana must go bags and put N20million in each bag. They left to pick the ransom while four others waited with guns.

“Around 5.30pm, the youngest boy who I think is a younger brother to their commander  said ‘oga congratulations you are free, you can go now. We have got our money, you can go. Let me show you the road.’

“They took us to old road, where they wrote welcome to Imo’ and ‘goodbye from Abia”.

“They told us that after buying enough weapons, they are going to bring all those people that were driven away from Zamfara, Katsina, Sambisa forest that they are all coming to locate themselves in Igbo land and deal with us.

“He said do you know Ibadan expressway? We are in all the bush there, we are also in the South-south. We are waiting for the slightest signal  we will finish you people and take over this land. They claimed that Nigeria belong to Fulani.

“Military personnel of Fulani extraction were aiding the kidnappers who disguise as herders in the daytime but are kidnappers at night.

He called on the government to take a decisive action ‘other wise what is happening in the north will be a child’s play”It is based on these serious allegations that Umunneochi youths, on Wednesday, blocked both sides of the Porthacourt-Enugu Expressway, in protest, and made their demands.

*They asked for the immediate removal of the Military Barracks at Isuochi,  Lomara Junction.

*They accused the Army of being responsible for the kidnappings in Umunneochi and Isikwuato Local Government Areas.

One of the youths said he suddenly became an orphan when both his parents were kidnapped. Apparently, they were killed. The Prelate said their abductors showed them a ditch where seven people they killed were dumped.

*The youths also demanded for the immediate relocation of the Cattle Market at Lokpanta.

They asked, too, for the opening of the Expressway usually blocked by the Military for easy movement of traffic.

The Enugu-Porthacourt Expressway, has become one of the most dangerous routes in the South-east.

OPINION: Igbo Delegates And The Future Of Zoning

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The Source
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0

By Osita Chidoka

“The lack of Ieadership in Igbo land is disturbing and could lead to grave and lasting consequences in our homeland. From the ashes of this PDP painful outing, Ndigbo need to rise and re-engage the country more positively. This effort must start with a focus on electing credible and vocal Igbo Governors in 2023. Anambra did well. The other four States must do likewise”

No other group did more damage to the idea of zoning than the 80 out of 95 Igbo delegates to the last Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) convention who cast their votes against Igbo aspirants. The 80 delegates and their sponsors, in a tragic display of lack of group consciousness and primacy of personal interest, sent the country a clear and loud message: zoning is not an issue dear to Ndigbo. Igbo PDP delegates told Nigerians that a President from the Southeast is not a priority and not an issue of justice and fairness. The country heard them.

Two years ago, I approached Gov. Peter Obi, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, and Sen. Pius Anyim and spoke on the phone with Gov. Dave Umahi with a single message – run for the Presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Gov. Peter Obi, at two meetings, told me he would not like to run against Atiku Abubakar and would consider a run if the party zoned the presidency to the Southeast. Sen Ekweremadu expressed his preference for the Governorship of Enugu State. Sen Anyim said he was watching the terrain, especially the zoning arrangement and would feed me back. Gov. Umahi was non-committal. I continued the engagement as I believed that these men had sufficient name recognition and networks that would aid a competitive run.

As time progressed, I started the campaign on zoning, calling on the country to respect a national agreement and convention. The campaign gathered steam as I traversed TV stations, online media, and radio stations, pushing the logic and rationale for zoning. I was a member of the PDP zoning committee for Party Offices and used the platform to argue strongly for zoning the Chairmanship to the North. We achieved it but fell into a trap. We agreed to defer the decision on zoning elective offices.

After the zoning of the Chairmanship to the North, Sen Anyim contacted me and confirmed that he would run.  I was happy, and we went to work. I provided advice, went with him to solicit the support of some key stakeholders, and joined him in submitting his form at the PDP. When I read online that Gov. Peter Obi had declared, I reached out to him and provided him with some data about his standing across the regions from an opinion poll. I kept reaching out to him. Mazi Sam Ohiabunwa visited with me and we discussed at length. I encouraged Sen. Anyim to convene the meeting of Igbo Aspirants to create a platform that will ultimately help produce a consensus Igbo candidate.

Throughout the Primary campaigns, I did not visit or attend any campaign event of Alhaji Atiku, Dr Saraki, Gov. Tambuwal or Gov Bala save for when they came to speak to the Former Ministers Forum. On principle and at personal pain, I stayed away from people who had continually shown me friendship because I believe that our nation must be built on foundations of justice and equity.

Two nights before the Primaries, I joined an online meeting of select Igbo leaders. I passionately pleaded with them to endorse Sen. Anyim or Sam Ohuabunwa and make it public while reaching out to the Igbo PDP Governors and delegates to vote in one direction as a message to the country that Ndigbo are serious about zoning and fairness.

Vice President Atiku scored 371 votes which is three times more than the Northeast votes at 112 votes and more than 298 the combined votes of the Northeast and Northwest. Gov. Wike scored 237, which was almost twice the vote from the South-South. Saraki’s 70 votes indicate a strength beyond Kwara state, same for Gov. Udom’s 38 votes.

Sen Anyim got 14 votes 13 clearly came from Ebonyi, and Sam Ohuabunwa got one vote. Fifteen votes from 95 delegates? The Igbo zone had no strategic interest in this election? No strategic objective? I feel bad. I feel humiliated not against Nigeria but against a group that could not come together in a rare moment of group consciousness to make a statement. Sad.

Nobody in the country thought the Igbo quest for Presidency was serious by the voting pattern at the convention. None of the Igbo candidates could win a vote from outside of Igboland.

Last year when I lamented about the absence of a show of strength by Igbo presidential aspirants at the PDP convention, many took offence. Many Ndigbo disagreed with me when I said that the three most influential politicians in Nigeria were Goodluck Jonathan, Yemi Osinbajo and Atiku Abubakar. The evidence is playing out.

One can only become President of Nigeria through a national platform. President Buhari learnt that lesson and built a national coalition in 2015. Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Mallam Aminu Kano, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Alhaji Waziri Ibrahim all experienced it and tried to form a Progressive national alliance.

In 1979, the National Party of Nigeria, a national platform, delivered a largely unknown Alhaji Shehu Shagari as President.  Similarly, in 1993, the Social Democratic Party, a national platform, delivered Chief MKO Abiola. Furthermore, in 1999, the People’s Democratic Party a national platform produced Chief Obasanjo despite lacking support from his region.

The same portends for Dr Goodluck Jonathan, from the smallest state in Nigeria. No politician will be elected President in Nigeria without a national platform. PDP is in danger of its national platform suffering serious erosion with Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwanso on the ballot. Who will profit from this erosion? I will deal with that soon.

From the ashes of this painful PDP outing, Ndigbo need to rise and re-engage the country more positively.  This effort must start with a focus on electing credible and vocal Igbo Governors in 2023. Anambra did well. The other four states must do likewise.  The lack of leadership in Igboland is disturbing and could lead to grave and lasting consequences in our homeland.

To the country, I ask that this should not be a triumphalism moment. An emasculated Igbo political elite is a recipe for the continued growth of anti-nationalist and nativist politics amongst young Igbos, who view the political class as treacherous and devoid of redeeming features. The further spread of this brand of politics across the South is not in the interest of the Nigerian state.

The country’s main political parties, APC and PDP should clearly state their zoning arrangement for subsequent elections and stick to it. Pushing the country back to ethnic parties or politics of winner-takes-all will lead to predictable outcomes that will not augur well for our march to nationhood.

Will Alhaji Atiku Abubakar keep his promise of a single term and consider rebuilding the PDP platform by aligning with Peter Obi and Kwankwaso? In 1999, Alliance for Democracy and All Peoples Party presented a President and Vice from the two parties. A loss of Igbo votes and a weak outing in the Kano/Jigawa axis will deal a major blow to the traditional PDP base.

The reality is that the southeast will need the traditional PDP voting block to attain the Presidency. This is the time for brinkmanship, hard-nosed negotiations and political sagacity. Grandstanding will not help.

As for the APC, I pray they will find one of our Igbo sons worthy of their nomination. An action that will widen their base in the south. The country needs to confront its demons. The Igbo political class should stop sending mixed signals to the country, it is confusing.

Chidoka is a former Minister for Aviation

Ekiti Gov Election: Royal Fathers Annoint APC Gov Candidate, Oyebanji, Promises Inclusive Government

By
Ayodele Oni
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Ekit Mornach with Oyebanji

By Ayodele Oni

The Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in June 18 election in Ekiti State, Mr Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji (BAO), has said traditional rulers played vital role in the creation of the state in 1996.

He has therefore assured monarchs in the state that if elected Governor, he will  reposition the state, as well as join hands with the traditional institution to better the lots of Ekiti people.

Oyebanji, when he met with the monarchs at their chamber in Ado Ekiti, spoke brilliantly about how Ekiti Obas laboured and sacrificed their comfort, in the quest to actualize the creation of the State in 1996.

He recounted that in1994, when, as a young university teacher, he submitted a proposal on the creation of Ekiti State and the roles the Obas could play to the leadership of Ekiti Obas at the Palace of Ewi of Ado Ekiti.

The APC candidate pointed out that early encounter with the Obas and their approval of his proposal, led to his appointment, first, as Assistant Secretary and later as Secretary to the Committee for the Creation of Ekiti State.

While acknowledging the importance of traditional institution in modern governance, Oyebanji emphasized that perhaps there wouldn’t have been anything like Ekiti State today that provides a platform for various contests and developments if the traditional rulers were not there to give their support during the struggle for the state creation.

In the light of this, Oyebanji assured traditional rulers in the state that he would accord them the necessary respect and make sure their interest and wellbeing are well protected if he becomes Governor of Ekiti State.

“I hold Ekiti Obas in high esteem because I had worked with them as a young University teacher and can vouch for their steadfast, commitment and love for our dear state.

“I can beat my chest anywhere that Ekiti can boast of progressive and committed traditional rulers because their sacrifices and commitment gave us what we have today as Ekiti State.

“I remember how they travelled by road on several occasions to Abuja, I know how they committed their time and resources and I was a witness to how, through love and maturity, they resolved the debate over choice of state capital, without any rancour in the interest of Ekiti State.

“For all these, it is difficult and impossible for me as an individual not to regard and reference our traditional institution.”

Oyebanji further disclosed that the APC intentionally tarried a while before commencing on its governorship campaign because he insisted on meeting the traditional rulers for their blessings before embarking on the campaign exercise.

Earlier, Chairman of the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers and the Onisan of Isan-Ekiti, Oba Ayodele Adejuwon had described Oyebanji as a thoroughbred and homegrown Ekiti man with a lot of experiences, garnered within and outside the government, which are needed to govern Ekiti.

The traditional ruler then announced to his colleagues that the main reason the governorship candidate came to meet them was to receive their blessings.

Owa Ooye of Okemesi-Ekiti, HRM, Oba Michael Gbadebo Adedeji, who led the  royal blessings for Oyebanji also corroborated the position of Onisan that the candidate was a true Ekiti son, who had demonstrated high sense of responsibilities and impacted the state and the people positively in various ways and manner.

The royal father prayed for his victory at the polls on June 18 and advised politicians, especially people following BAO to be truthful and passionate in their resolve to lift Ekiti state, without undermining the traditional institution.

He also urged Oyebanji to strive when he assumes office, to keep to his campaign promises.

2023: Simon Ekpa To Lockdown South-east For Two Weeks Against Elections

By
The Source
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0
Simeon Ekpa and his Twitee

By Charles Igbo

If Simon Ekpa, the self-proclaimed disciple of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the Leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, has his way, there will be no General Elections in the South-east in 2023.

Ekpa, Finland based, who has since been disowned by both the leadership of IPOB and Kanu’s family over what they term his unwholesome behavior, says there will be no Elections in the South-east in 2023 to elect anybody into office. “Nigeria  can never conduct their fraudulent election in our land until referendum”, Ekpa said in a post dated May 28, 2022.

To achieve this, Ekpa said the South-east would be locked down for two weeks within the period of the General Elections. There will be  “civil disobedience” he said.

Ekpa’s full text reads:

“Before 2023 election, we will declare 2 weeks sit at home civil disobedience against election in Biafraland. Nigeria can never conduct their fraudulent election in our land until referendum.

“I am Ekpa Simon Njoku, Nnamdi Kanu’s Disciple & spiritual son of Biafra Liberation.”

IPOB has since cancelled the weekly  lockdown of the South-east which it initially introduced to protest the detention and prosecution of Kanu by the Federal Government and to pressurise the FG for his unconditional release.

But seeing that the situation was bringing hardship and tears and agony to the people of the Zone, IPOB’s leadership cancelled it, and restricted its observance to only the days Kanu would appear in Court.

However, Ekpa has always given a counter- order, insisting on the observance of the sit-at-home order every Monday.

International Friendly: Litmus Test For Peseiro As Super Eagles Face Ecuador

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Super Eagles

By Akinwale Kasali

In the early hours of Thursday June 2, 2022, the Super Eagles of Nigeria will file out against South American side, Ecuador, in an international friendly at the AT&T Stadium in Miami, United States of America.

The encounter which will be the first game between both countries at the Senior stage is in preparation for the Super Eagles 2023 African Cup of Nations qualifiers against São Tomé and Principe and Liberia.

For the Ecuadorians, it will be a test match for their preparation for the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup slated for November 8th to December 12, 2022.

This would be the second match the Portuguese handler of the Super Eagles, Jose Peseiro, will lead the three-time African Cup of Nations Champion, having lost his first match against Mexico 2-1.

After the loss to the North America country, Peseiro said the youthful Super Eagles team still has a lot in stock as it is still  learning, promising that their second match against Ecuador will be different.

He was, however, optimistic that the friendlies was in preparation for the AFCON Qualifiers matches coming up in a week’s time.

Speaking further, Peseiro said that his target is to qualify and win the 2023 AFCON to be hosted by Côte d’ Ivoire in the summer of 2023.

APC Ticket: Senate President Attacks Tinubu, Amaechi

By
James Orji
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0

Senate President and Presidential hopeful under the APC, Ahmad Lawan, has launched a veiled attack on other aspirants in the ruling party, including Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a former Lagos State Governor, and Rotimi Amaechi, the immediate past Minister of Transportation and former Governor of Rivers state.

Lawan had, in a letter to APC delegates soliciting their support for him to emerge as the party’s flag bearer in the 2023 presidential election, warned the delegates not to vote for aspirants with heavy ‘baggage’.

APC will hold its Presidential Primary this weekend in Abuja, the nation’s capital and corruption, many say , is one of the factors being considered by the party which is curenttly screening its presidential candidates, to disqualify any aspirant.

Both Tinubu and Amaechi had already been screened by the John Oyegun Screening Committee ,and appear set to participate in the shadow election taking place in few days.

Apart from Tinubu and Amaechi other APC presidential hopefuls  are Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Emeka Nwajiuba, the immediate  past Minister of State for Education, Governors Dave Umahi, Ben Ayade and Kayode Fayemi of Ebonyi, Ekiti and Cross Rivers states, respectively, amongst others.

Before he left for Spain on Tuesday, President Muhammadu Buhari had a meeting with APC Governors where he asked for their support to chose his successor. It, however, remains unclear whether either the former Lagos state governor and APC National Leader or Amaechi, is the President’s choice as a successor.  Speculations are, however, very strong that the President is leaning towards his Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo.

Buhari’s tenure ends next year and he’s required to hand over to a new government on May 29, 2023.

Sources in the Presidency told the magazine that Buhari is not likely to support any presidential aspirant in the party that has been accused of corruption.

Recently, the Supreme Court ruled that former Governor Amaechi must face the Rivers state Investigative panel on alleged corruption against him when he was governor for eight years in the oil-rich State. The Governor Nyesom Wike-led government has accused him of flinging some State- owned concerns and  misappropriation funds belonging to the state.

Tinubu on his part has been accused of corruption while he was Governor of the State of Excellence, as Lagos is well known, while he was on the saddle between 1999 and 2007. His critics have particularly accused him of cornering Lagos funds, through the Alpha Beta Consulting, a tax collecting firm owned by the APC stalwart.

Tinubu has denied the allegations, and has also been set free by the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT where he was dragged to, few years ago to explain the source of his wealth.

In spite of this, some Nigerians have often described the former Lagos helmsman as one of the most corrupt politicians in the country that does not deserve to become President.

Some say, the Senate President is trying to play on public perceptions of Tinubu and Amaechi to clinch the APC presidential ticket, after rumour spread that the Yobe born politician could be picked as the party’s consensus presidential candidate this weekend.

Speaking on the upcoming shadow poll, Lawan said the party stands the chance of winning the presidency if it elects him as its candidate because he has “absolutely no-baggage”.

“Permit me to write to you through this medium. As we converge at this great time, in this great party to begin the journey of determining the future of this great nation, we must be cognizant of the fact that the fate of Nigeria fluctuates,” Lawan said.

His letter to APC delegates reads further: “To all delegates across Nigeria, I beseech you to put pecuniary and monetary incentives aside and seriously consider what is ‘in the greater good.’ As you make your decision in picking the flag bearer of our party, I urge you to seek for a leader and not a politician.

“I ask you to choose a person that will lead and not rule Nigerians; one that will be understanding, tolerant, fair, honest, and progressive. A leader that comes with absolutely ‘No-Baggage.’

“A vital component of any logical, efficient and authentic evaluation of a person involves assessing past behavior. The key here is that one’s best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. If one has always done something a certain way, they are likely to do that same thing in the same manner in the future.

“The same goes for how one navigates or pillages in leadership. Thus, as you, the delegates, are determining the APC party presidential flag bearer, it is important to look at past behavior to elicit what behaviors, avarice and rapacity candidates have exhibited in the past. It is important for you to access all candidates along this parameter,” the Senate President said.

For the records, Tinubu and Lawan are (were) close friends and associates. Lawan, a PhD holder, was Tinubu’s pick for the office of the Senate President in 2015 before Dr Bukola Saraki pulled the rug from under their feet.

Governor Uzodimma Had No Stroke, Not Rushed To India, Hearty – Imo Govt.

By
The Source
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0
Hope Uzodimma

The Imo State Government has dismissed as unfounded, wicked and mindless fabrication, a recorded voice message making the rounds in the social media, claiming that Governor Hope Uzodimma is down with stroke and has been rushed to India.

The satanic message even claimed that he could not make it to India.

Reacting to the voice message in Owerri Wednesday, the Imo State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, in a statement assured the people that Uzodimma is not only hale and hearty but has been energetically attending to all his scheduled activities in the nation’s capital, Abuja.

He said those behind the satanic rumours are descendants of Lucifer who are vainly wishing evil on the governor.

According to him, Uzodinma is not afflicted with any challenge that would have led to a stroke.

“His Excellency attended a meeting with the President alongside other APC governors Tuesday morning. As I speak, he has entered another Party meeting with other stakeholders ahead of APC’s convention. So I don’t really know what those concocting this rumour want to achieve,” Emelumba said.

The Commissioner warned the purveyors of the rumours to desist forthwith before they suffer unmitigated disaster.

According to him, it was clear that those who do not wish the governor well have been fantasizing about a phantom illness saying,  however, that they will continue to be disappointed as Uzodimma is enjoying robust health and attending to state duties.

Emelumba urged the people of the state and indeed Nigerians to disregard “this fabrication from mentally deranged elements seeking attention over nothing.”

He also assured that the matter has been handed over to the relevant security agencies to unravel those behind the satanic audio recording.

Titan Trust Bank Set To Rebrand Union Bank

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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0

By Tosin Olatokunbo

Fate Of Union Bank Workers Unknown

Tunde Lemo-led Titan Bank Limited has finally taken over Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, one of Nigeria’s oldest bank after both parties settled for a deal worth N191 billion. The acquisition capital , the magazine learnt, has now been fully  paid, paving the way for TTB to bring UBN under its total control.

The magazine learnt that, how to handle the workers inherited from UBN Plc and rebranding of the old entities in line with the vision of the new owners,  formed the thorny points of negotiations between the parties in the last seven months. It is not yet clear whether the parties have now resolved to rebrand UBN branches to TTB.

“All the major issues have been resolve, including how to move on with the staff of UBN that have been inherited. The new management  is working presently to handle the rebranding issue,”  a source privy to the deal told The Source on Tuesday. Sources however failed to confirm rumour that the TTB management has agreed to lay off workers from UBN in lined with the Bank’s quest for a trimmed work force.

Approximately, UBN Plc has over 2,700 employees and a network of over 320 across the country.

Last December, the parties agreed for Titan Bank, a barely three year old commercial bank in the country, with Lemo as the major promoter, to take over UBN plc by acquiring 89 per cent of its shares.

Industry watchers had described the acquisition as one the major upsets in the banking sector in recent times, similar to the acquisition of Intercontinental Bank Plc and Diamond Bank by Aceess Bank Plc, Nigeria’s biggest bank.

Lemo, a former Managing Director of Wema Bank Plc described the aquisition as “a unique opportunity to combine Union Bank’s longstanding and leading banking franchise with TTB’s innovation-led model which promises to enhance the product and service offering for our combined valued customers. ”

About Titan Bank

The bank has seven directors with Tunde Lemo as Chairman; Mudassir Amray Managing Director/ chief executive office, Andy Ojei (Non-Executive Director), Abubakar Mohammed (Independent non-Executitive Director), Mackombo Chukwudi Lawrence Omoile (Independent non-Executive Director), and Dr. Adaeze Udensi (Executive Director).

The management comprises of Amray, Dr. Udensi, Ademola Ajayi (Head of Compliance). Stella Nwihim (Head of Human Resources), Mark Oguh (Chief Financial Officer). Chineyeoke Uga (Chief Risk Officer), Uche Ugboh (Treasurer)a and Dr. Adaeze.

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