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I Will Expose Atiku; BOT Chairman’s Resignation, A Distraction, Not Enough, Ayu Must Go – Wike

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The Source
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Nyesom Wike

By Gideon Njoku

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike on Thursday, September 9, said the resignation of Senator Walid  Jibrin as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, BOT, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is a distraction. He dismissed it as a non-issue, empty, and meant to deceive and hoodwink the people

Jibrin resigned on Thursday during the Party’s 97th meeting of the National Executive Council, NEC, at the Party’s Headquarters in Abuja. On his resignation, a former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara, was appointed the Acting BOT Chairman.

Many had thought that the resignation was meant to appease Wike and his Camp, which includes four State Governors, and a number of other stakeholders in the Party who lament that the structure of the Party as it is, has completely excluded the South. They insist that it is against the constitution of the Party for both the Presidential candidate and its National Chairman  come from the same Zone. The National Chairman of the Party,  they insist must come from different Zones. Since the candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar comes from the North, Wike and Camp are demanding for the resignation of Dr Iyorchia Ayu as the Party’s Chairman so as to make way for a Southerner.

It was in a bid to appease them that Senator Jibrin resigned for the emergence of Wabara as Acting BOT Chairman.

But in reaction to Jibrin’s resignation, Wike dismissed it as an insult to the South. He said Atiku must fulfill the promise he made to him, Wike; which is: that Ayu would step down as the National Chairman since he, Atiku, emerged as the Presidential candidate.

Explaining, Wike revealed that Atiku visited him a day after the Presidential Primary, and assured him that Ayu must step down as the National Chairman, since he, Atiku, emerged as the Candidate. Wike dared Atiku to deny, and threatened he would reveal the other things Atiku told him if he dared deny.

Wike spoke in Ahoada at the inauguration of  the Ahoada Campus and Staff Quarters of the Rivers State University which was performed by the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde.

Wike: “When we finished our convention on Sunday, the candidate of the Party came to see me in my house in Abuja on Monday around 10.30am. The candidate told me that ‘I want us to work together’ and then he said ‘look, Ayu must go.’

“I said ‘Why?’ He (Atiku) said because when a candidate comes from the North, the Chairman will come from the South.

“And I’m saying: implement what you told me. What offence have I committed. It is nothing to do with Wike. It has to do with integrity. This is what he told me.

“I challenge the Presidential candidate to deny this. If he denies it, I will go further to say so many things to Nigerians because enough is enough. We can’t continue  this way.

Wike also  confirmed that Ayu had said he would resign if the Presidential candidate emerge from the North.

Wike: “Ayu said if the Presidential candidate comes from the North, he will resign after the convention of our Party, and that the Chairman of our Party will come from the South.

“When the North Central leaders met in the house of the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, he (Ayu) said so there.

“When he met the Caucus of the Senate, he told them that.”

Wike said he is fighting because given the current hierarchy of the Party, the South has been cheated. Nobody would protect the interests of the South when decisions will be taken.

He said he would continue to fight until the right thing is done.

Mamu To Be Charged To Court – DSS; Uncovers Military Items; Large Sums Of Money

By
Adesina Soyooye
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Tukur Mamu - Bandits Negotiator

By Adesina Soyooye

The Department of State Services, DSS, has said that the raid on the Kaduna residence and office of Tukur Mamu, the self-appointed Abuja-Kaduna Train attack negotiator,  yielded “dividends”.

Confirming the raid which was carried out in the early hours of Thursday, September 9, 2022,  DSS Spokesperson, Dr Peter Afunanya, in a statement said the search yielded, large sums  of different currencies and denominations, as well as Military accoutrements. He also said Mamu will be charged to Court.

Said the DSS: “So far, appropriate Security Agencies have executed valid search warrants on Mamu’s residence and office. During the processes, incriminating materials, including Military accoutrements were recovered.

“Other items include large amount of different currencies and denominations as well as financial transaction instruments.

“While further investigations continue, Mamu will surely have a day in Court.”

Mamu, Publisher of the Desert Herald, is also the Media Consultant to Islamic Cleric, Sheikh Abubakar Gumi. He became popular and entered the National consciousness when he introduced himself as the  negotiator between the Terrorists who carried out the embarrassing attack on the Abuja-Kaduna bound Train and the families of abducted victims. They killed eight people and abducted 68 others.

They have, for about four months and counting, been releasing the hostages in batches. Mamu was always the first to announce the releases and the status of both the Terrorists and the remaining victims.

At a point, he said he had withdrawn from his self-appointed role because he was not getting any support or encouragement from the Federal Government.

Nonetheless, each one of the victims released, usually went to thank Mamu for the role he played. It is alleged that each victim paid the sum of N100m before release. Speculation is rife that the ransom monies, allegedly, pass through Mamu to the Terrorists.

Recently, he alerted the Nation that a 22 year-old female Christian victim was about to be forced into marrying one of the top Commanders of the Terrorists. About 23 of the victims remaining in captivity.

Mamu was intercepted on September 6, 2022, at an Airport in Cairo, Egypt, on his way to Saudi Arabia. He was in the company of his two wives and one order when he was arrested by INTERPOL. After interrogation at the Airport, he was flown back to Nigeria where he was picked up on arrival at the Kano International Airport by  DSS operatives on Wednesday, September 7.

Currently, he is in the custody of the Service.

Finally, Prince Charles Is King Of England, Takes Over Throne

By
Adesina Soyooye
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Prince Charles and Queen Elizabeth

By Adesina Soyooye

It was long expected. It took so long. But finally, the Prince of Wales, Charles, who is the first child of Queen Elizabeth II and her late husband the Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh has officially become the King of Britain. Many had expected the Queen to step down for Charles due to old age.

She never did. She was strong, even though in the past several years, Prince Charles was representing her in a number of official duties.

But on Thursday, September  9, 2022, Queen Elizabeth passed on in the afternoon. She was aged 96 years and reigned as Queen for 70 years.

Charles is to be known as King Charles the III. 

Earlier on Thursday, the new Prime Minister of Britain, Liz Truss, had expressed fears over the health of the Queen. Buckingham Palace also issued a statement.

The Queen’s last official duty was two days earlier when she received Truss in audience, and asked her to form the Government.

The Queen incidentally did not die at the Buckingham Palace.  She passed on in Scotland at the  Balmoral Castle. By her death bed were the new King Charles III, his  wife Camilla and his first son, Prince William who will one day become the King.

Britain has declared a 10-day mourning period and thousands of people have trooped out towards the Winsor Castle and the Buckingham Palace to mourn.

The young Elizabeth was crowned Queen at the age of 25 years on the premature death of her father, the king, who was in his 50s.

The new King is 73 years old. He was first married to the hugely popular Princess Diana with whom he had two sons, Princes William and Harry. He and Diana divorced and he later married Camilla.

Diana died in a ghastly lone vehicle accident 25 years ago.

Queen Elizabeth ll Dies At 96

By
James Orji
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queen-elizabeth-ii-

Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-serving monarch in British history and an icon instantly recognisable to billions of people around the world, died on Thursday. She was 96.

Buckingham Palace announced her death in a short statement, triggering 10 days of national mourning and an outpouring of tributes to her long life and record-breaking reign.

“The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement at 6:30 pm (1730 GMT).

“The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”

The eldest of her four children, Charles, Prince of Wales, who at 73 is the oldest heir apparent in British history, becomes king immediately.

The queen’s death came after the palace announced on Thursday that doctors were “concerned” for her health and recommended she stayed under medical supervision.

All her children — Charles, Princess Anne, 72, Prince Andrew, 62, and Prince Edward, 58, flocked to her Scottish Highland retreat, Balmoral.

They were joined by Charles’s sons, Prince William, and his estranged brother Prince Harry.

Two days earlier the queen appointed Liz Truss as the 15th prime minister of her reign and was seen smiling in photographs but looking frail and using a walking stick.

One photograph of the meeting sparked alarm, showing a deep purple bruise on the monarch’s right hand.

Queen Elizabeth II came to the throne aged just 25 in 1952 in the aftermath of World War II, joining a world stage dominated by political figures from China’s Mao Zedong to Soviet leader Joseph Stalin and US president Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Her 70-year reign straddled two centuries of seismic social, political and technological upheaval.

The last vestiges of Britain’s vast empire crumbled. At home, Brexit shook the foundations of her kingdom, and her family endured a series of scandals.

But throughout, she remained consistently popular and was queen and head of state not just of the United Kingdom but 14 former British colonies, including Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

She was also head of the 56-nation Commonwealth, which takes in a quarter of humanity, and supreme governor of the Church of England, the mother church of the worldwide Anglican communion.

But questions will be asked about whether the golden age of the British monarchy has now passed, how an ancient institution can remain viable in the modern era and whether Charles will command the same respect or reign in his mother’s shadow.

Television and radio stations interrupted regular programming to broadcast the news, with long-rehearsed special schedules set in place to remember her long life and reign.

The national anthem, “God Save the Queen”, was played. Flags were lowered and church bells tolled to remember a woman once described as the “last global monarch”.

The national mourning period will culminate in a final public farewell at Westminster Abbey in central London.

Charles’ coronation, an elaborate ritual steeped in tradition and history, will take place in the same historic surroundings, as it has for centuries, on a date to be fixed

Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was for most of her subjects the only monarch they have ever known — an immutable figurehead on stamps, banknotes and coins.

Diminutive in stature yet an icon of popular culture, she was instantly recognisable in her brightly coloured suits and matching hat, with pearls, gloves and a handbag.

During her reign, the royals went from stiff, remote figures to tabloid fodder and were then popularised anew in television dramas such as “The Crown,” watched by tens of millions worldwide.

Her time on the throne spanned an era of remarkable change, from the Cold War to the 9/11 attacks, from climate change to coronavirus, “snail mail” and steam ships to email and space exploration.

She became seen as the living embodiment of post-war Britain and a link between the modern era and a bygone age.

The mother of one of the most famous families in the world, she retained huge public support throughout, surviving even a backlash in the wake of the death of Charles’ first wife, Diana, in 1997.

More recently, the royal family was rocked by claims from Prince Harry and his mixed-race wife Meghan of racism in the royal family.

She also endured a scandal involving her second son Prince Andrew, whose friendship with convicted sex offenders Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell saw him settle a civil claim for sexual assault in the United States.

Britons were jolted into recognising the beginning of the end of her reign when in April 2021 she lost her beloved husband of 73 years, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

Yet the palace had long recognised her mortality and the transition to Charles was already well under way.

He, his eldest son Prince William, who now becomes heir, and his wife, Catherine, began to assume more of the queen’s official roles.

The coronavirus pandemic and her advanced years forced her into the splendid isolation of Windsor Castle, west of London.

But from behind its stately walls, she remained a reassuring presence, popping up on video calls with members of the public.

In a rare, televised address during the first lockdown, she recalled the “Blitz spirit” of Britain under siege during World War II that defined her generation.

“We will meet again,” she said.

She cast off the shroud of Philip’s death and her enforced confinement to resume public duties, but age and ill-health forced her slow down.

After a unscheduled night in hospital in October 2021 following undisclosed health tests, her appearances became rarer.

“None of us will live forever,” she told world leaders attending a UN climate change summit soon afterwards, urging them to leave a legacy for generations to come.

One of her last decisive acts was to settle an unanswered question for the succession, giving her blessing for Charles’ second wife, Camilla, to be called “queen consort”.

CHANNELS

Fayemi Appreciates Ekiti Elders, To Deliver Resort Centre Next Month

By
Ayodele Oni
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By Ayodele Oni

Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi has assured members of Ekiti Council of Elders that the Resort Centre being built for them by his administration will be ready for use by next month.

Stressing that the welfare of the elders will always be accorded  priority, Governor Fayemi announced that the Resort Centre, being built in Ado Ekiti will be commissioned next month by President Mohamadu Buhari.

Dr Fayemi, who gave the assurance while hosting members of Ekiti Council of Elders led by its Vice President, Chief Deji Fasuan in his office, said he was glad that the resort centre was completed by his administration.

He said he decided to build the resort as a payback for the elders who have spent the better parts of their lives serving the people both within and outside the state and for supporting his administration over the years.

The Governor, who commended some of the elders for their roles in the actualization of the creation of Ekiti State, reiterated his commitment towards ensuring that the construction of Ado-Akure becomes a reality, adding that he has also initiated negotiation with the NNPC to assist in the construction of the road.

He however added that his government has opened an alternative road from Ado-Ekiti through Ilawe to Akure and making efforts to finish and commission for use the Ado-Ekiti Airport before he lives office.

On security, Dr Fayemi used the opportunity to warn criminals and miscreants to steer clear of Ekiti state as the state already installed monitoring devices in several parts  thereby leaving no hiding place for criminals.

Governor Fayemi said government was quietly going after criminal elements in the state, especially kidnappers, adding that a good number have been apprehended and would soon be charged to court.

“Let me thank my father for his very kind words on the efforts of the government in various aspects of development in the state.

“We would do our best and pass the baton to the next Governor to continue to do that which will be in the best interest of our people.

“I am also glad that we completed the elders resort centre, there are still one or two things, we would definitely finish them before I live office, the road that you mentioned, we would do that, we would also equip the Centre.

“It is likely that the President is coming towards the end of the month or early October, he may commission the building.

“It is important that we do this because this is a monument to all the efforts of our elders in the council and all the supports we receive from you over the years and the interest you continue to show in the progress and development of Ekiti.

“We are not giving up on Ado-Akure road, before the end of the year, the new attempt we are making to get NNPC to help us with the road would come to fruition, but that is definitely one sour point that I am also not happy about and that we should do all to get it going. In the alternative, the positive is that the airport would be ready for use very soon.

“On security, it’s a major concern, we are doing quite a lot that the public may not be aware of, as a matter of fact we are making very many arrests of the people involved in kidnapping.

“We are involving some of our own local people and the other elements from outside the state who perpetrate these horrific kidnapping in the state.”

Speaking further, Governor Fayemi said he was happy that he would be handling over to Mr Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, who had worked with the elders some years ago during the agitation for the state creation, and who he believes possesses the require knowledge about the state as well as the aspirations of the people, both young and old.

The vice president of the council, Chief Deji Fasuan commended Governor Fayemi on his performance as Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and as the first Governor in the state that focused on projects abandoned by previous government and completed them especially the Secretariat complex which has become a beauty to behold.

Chief Fasuan also expressed the appreciation of Ekiti elders to the governor for taking the issue of security serious in the state and urged him to address the completion of Ado-Ifaki road as well as revisit the construction of Ado-Akure road with the federal government.

Osun Police Command Sheds Light On Status Of Protesting Constables; Says Service Voluntary, Not Paying

By
Ayodele Oni
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Police Special Constables Protesting

By Ayodele Oni

Osun State Police Command has explained that the Special Constabulary scheme is voluntary service and meant for gainfully employed individuals.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Opalola Yemisi, made the clarification while reacting to the protest by constabulary officers.

The constabularies protested on Wednesday against unpaid 18 months stipends in the State capital, Osogbo .

Some of them, with placards stated that non payment of their allowances has made them to lose their wives to Okada riders.

 But the police image maker said that “The Community Policing Constabulary Scheme of the Force is a purely voluntary service which is Federal Government initiative to improve security at the grassroots.

“This is done through training and therafter incorporating individuals with prior paid employment, who desire to spend their spare time assisting the police in its simple police tasks within their various communities.”

She pointed out that the scheme was to promote community partnership in crime control via the presence of respected members of the public, with sources of livelihood, partnering with the Force under the scheme to render voluntary service for better and improved policing within their communities.

The Commissioner of Police, Osun State Command, CP Olawale Olokode, re-emphasized that, the scheme was voluntary and no payments were agreed with the individuals under the scheme neither were paid terms of appointment discussed prior to its commencement.

“However, the State Government, or Local Government where they are serving may decide to give stipends to the members of the special Constabularies recruited by them for this assignment in their State, which does not interfere or change the constitution of the scheme.”

He held meeting with some of the members of the Scheme at the State Command Headquarters not minding the fact that, there was no basis for their action of embarking on the street protest for “non payment of salaries” which was not part of the agreement in Principle.

In response, the protesters appreciated the CP for his fatherly roles and they all promised to abide by the rules of engagement.

Breaking: Problem As Nigeria’s Crude Production Falls To 900,000 bpd

By
James Orji
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Nigeria’s crude oil production hit a record low of less than one million barrel per day in the month of August, according to TheCable.

This comes on the back of a contract signed by the federal government with repentant militant, Government Ekpumopolo aka Tompolo, to stop crude oil theft in the country. The contract is worth N4 billion monthly, those privy to the deal said.

Over 400,000 barrels of crude oil are believed to be stolen daily from the country, a situation experts say has drastically reduced the country’s OPEC production quota drastically.

The situation has also led to huge loss of revenue to the federal government, according to those watching the oil theft trajectory in the country.

The online newspaper report that oil output averaged 972,394 barrels per day (bpd) for the month, hitting an all-time low.

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC disclosed this in its latest crude oil and condensate production data for August 2022.

According to the report, the drop is more than 10 percent compared to July 2022 production at 1.08 million barrels a day and lower than the 1.8 million bpd production quota set by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC.

With condensate, production averaged 1.18 million barrels a per day for the month.

Nigeria had been struggling to meet over 1.8 million barrels per day production quota of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) occasioned by oil theft and pipeline vandalism.

It also affected the country’s earnings, resulting in a significant drop in monthly allocation to the federation account.

On Wednesday, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN said its members would withdraw services if there is no traceable progress in tackling oil theft.

Oil producers in Nigeria had also asked the federal government to tackle the menace of illegal oil bunkers, especially in the Niger Delta.

They said oil thieves are raking in ‘petrodollars’ while the country is bedevilled by low production.

Breaking: Wabara Becomes PDP BOT Chair As Jibrin Resigns.

By
James Orji
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A former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara is now the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The development comes on the heels of the resignation of Walid Jibrin on Thursday.

Jibrin had earlier disclosed his readiness to resign from the position on Wednesday.

His reason is that all the key positions in the party are currently occupied by Northerners. He said his resignation will bring peace to the embattled party.

Close watchers of the party are however skeptical about whether this will be enough to assuage the feelings of those calling on the National Chairman of the party, Iyorcha Ayu to step down from his position.

More details later…….

DSS Raids Mamu’s Residence, Office

By
Adesina Soyooye
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Tukur Mamu - Bandits Negotiator

By Adesina Soyooye

Operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, have reportedly raided both the residence and office of Tukur Mamu.

The raid, according to reports, was carried out early Thursday morning.

Tukur, the self-appointed negotiator between the terrorists who attacked the Abuja-Kaduna bound Train and the families of the victims, was intercepted and arrested by the INTERPOL on Tuesday, 6th September, 2022, at the Cairo, Egypt, Airport, while he was on his way to Saudi Arabia. In the company of his two wives at the time of his arrest, he was put on another flight back to Nigeria.

On arrival at the Kano International Airport, he was arrested by the DSS on Wednesday, 7th September. He is currently in the custody of the Service.

In a statement signed on Wednesday, September 7, 2022,  by the DSS Spokesman, Dr Peter Afunanya, the Service said it arrested Mamu on the request of the Nigerian Military and other Law Enforcement Agencies which declared Mamu a person of interest in their investigations of security related matters.

Mamu always claimed to be responsible for the release of the victims. His relationship with the Terrorists is not  known, but the victims, on regaining their freedom, always went to see Mamu to thank him. Each of them, allegedly, paid the sum of N100m for freedom.

It is being speculated that Mamu’s arrest may not be unconnected with the allegation that the ransom monies pass through him to the terrorists.

Mamu is the Publisher of the Desert Herald as as Media Consultant to Islamic  Cleric, Sheik Abubakar Gumi.

PDP Chieftain Calls On Atiku To Support Ayu’s Sack

By
James Orji
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Iyorchia Ayu and Atiku Abubakar

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP is not opposed to the calls on the National Chairman of the party Iyorcha Ayu to resign, a chieftain of the party Katch Ononnuju, has said, adding that Ayu has become a problem for the party.

Ayu’s resignation is one of the preconditions demanded by a group led by the Governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike for peace to return to the party.

The Rivers helmsman and his supporters are angry with the party as a result of the fallout of the party presidential primary held in June which Atiku won, and the PDP presidential candidate’s decision to pick Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state as his running mate has further riled Wike who has recently been fraternizing with opposition leaders in the country, fueling rumour of his defection from the PDP.

On Wednesday, the Chairman Board of Trustees of the party said he will resign from his position if that will ensure that peace returns.

The PDP chairman has insisted that he will not resign. His insistence to remain in office is believe to have the backing of key Atiku supporters.

But speaking on the issue, Ononnuju said Atiku is not averse to the call on Ayu to resign.

According to him, “The candidate wants Mr Ayu to leave so that he could have a peaceful party to go to the election,” he said.  Ononuju who spoke on Thursday on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme, said Ayu must not be constitute a clog in the wheel of the party to move forward, adding that Ayu will not be the first chairman to be sacked before the end of his tenure.

He said, “If Atiku keeps saying he is a unifier, let him now unify the party by taking decisions and also acting to aid the southerners in this issue of inclusion.

“If he (Ayu)  stays, he divides the party; if he stays, the party could lose. If he stays, the party implodes with the staying put.”

“If he (Ayu) goes, we have mechanisms, we’ve had chairmen who have left without completing their four-year term. The person (Uche Secondus) he replaced didn’t complete his four-year term.

““He should understand the way he came is also the door he will go through. He should understand that our party is that way.”

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