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PDP Presidential Aspirant Withdraws; Says Ticket Skewed Towards Particular Outcome

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The Source
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Ike C Ibe

By Charles Igbo

Not a few people found it amusing when Imo State- born Ike C. Ibe, declared he was running for the office of the President of Nigeria.

Not many people took him seriously. Nor did anybody think he took himself seriously.

The chorus was: Ike who? Outside Imo State, many opined, he did not have name-recognition. But in fairness to him, he had tried, unsuccessfully, to run for the Governorship seat of Imo State a couple of times.

Most people who raised eyebrows when he declared interest in the office of the President knew he was not going to last in the race. What they didn’t know, however, is that it was going to end so soon. That he would not even get to the stage of purchasing the Presidential form

His tall ambition came to an abrupt end on Wednesday, April 6 when he quit the race. In a letter addressed  to his friends, he admitted that many were skeptical about his ambition but that they later realised he was serious. However, he said he was full of disappointments over the happenings in the party. He said he had since been suspicious “about the machinations in our party.”

But that things had become a lot worse than he thought within the past couple of weeks.

He said: “I have come to realise that the Primary and ticket process have been ‘skilfully’ skewed towards a particular outcome.” He noted that they had rapidly worsened in the past 24 hours.

He said: “It became more certain in the last 24 hours with the unprecedented news that the Party is throwing open ( the ticket) to all sections of the country, against expected wisdom.”

He, therefore, withdrew from the race, saying it would be irresponsible of him to continue in the race. He promised to return all funds so far donated to his aborted project.

Following is his letter of withdrawal, personally signed by him.

“My dear friends, for several months we have been here together in pursuit of my presidential ambition through our party PDP. A lot has happened and still happening. When we started, few were skeptical about this project. But with what we have done so far and the consultations we have undertaken, those who were initially skeptical must have become convinced of our seriousness. Events in the last few weeks have really made me suspicious about the machinations in our party.

“I have come to realize that the primary and ticket process has been ‘skillfully’ skewed towards a particular outcome. It became more certain in the last 24 hours with the unprecedented news that the party is throwing the primary open to all sections of the country against expected wisdom and in clear and total violation of Article 7 (2) (c) of the 2009 constitution of the party that says “in pursuance of the principles of equity, justice and fairness, the party shall adhere to the principle of rotation and zoning in party positions and elective public offices, and it shall be enforced by the appropriate executive committee at all levels”. The action the party has decided to take in jettisoning rotation and zoning in the presidential race is a complete betrayal of the unity which is the bedrock of the party and in practice since and as applied few months ago when national party positions were directly zoned.

“This is indeed disheartening and capable of destroying the very fabric of our party and indeed country. This will destabilize even other established zoning arrangements of the party throughout the entire 36 states and Abuja. This will mean total chaos in the party. We all trusted that the party would do the right thing and continue with the constitutional practice but it failed to do so.

“Our confidence in the party leadership is shaken and the actions taken so far are both suspicious and unjust and probably fraudulent. In view of these, I’m saddened to state that continuing in the primary process is unrealistic and irresponsible.

“I’m therefore suspending my participation in the PDP presidential process for now while I weigh all options going forward. I am going ahead to return all the donations made by our supporters towards our planned trip to purchase nomination forms on Friday the 8th.

“From the young kid that sent 111 naira, to my friend and agemate who donated a million Naira etc, we seek to return all as a mark of responsibility since they will no longer be used as intended.

“I urge the donors I do not know personally to please inbox me your account details for the return. God who brought us all together here and started this process will continue to keep us here going forward.

“I sincerely hope you understand this my position in our quest to challenge the status quo and seek to change our national narrative for the better.

“Please stay tuned for further information as we continue to seek God’s face. Blessings to us all.”

Ike C. Ibe

HURIWA Slams EFCC Arrest Of Igbo Sons As Ethnic Profiling

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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Obi Cubana

By Tosin Olatokunbo

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has been accused of ethnic profiling against Igbo. The allegation was raised by a human rights body, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA on Wednesday which said the anti-graft agency has targeted more Igbo notable individuals in the last few months.

“The idea that whenever Igbo youths, may be, due to exuberance, are shown on videos to appear to be spraying humongous amount of cash at social or religious functions such as funeral rites or weddings, the next day, the principal characters seen in the videos who are Igbo are profiled and arrested at the airport or just somewhere and the next day, the newspapers are awash with propaganda demonising the arrested citizens of South East origin.

“But the same EFCC officials are never seen arresting or profiling northern youths similarly captured during high profile social or religious functions like the weddings of sons of prominent northern politicians who obviously are treated like sacred cows.
“In as much as we condemn advanced fee fraud, we condemn any activity of the EFCC that is deemed inimical to constitutional democracy and norms and principles of rule of law and due process,” HURIWA said in a statement signed by Emmanuel Onwubiko Onwubiko Wednesday.

HURIWA’ s claim comes few days after night club enterpreneur Pascal Okechukwu popular as Cubana Chief Priest was released by the EFCC after spending days in detention. The businessman detained by the commission on allegation of money laundry and tax evasion.
Recall also that another Igbo businessman Obinna Iyeigbu aka Obi Cubana was last year arrested by the EFCC on the same allegation of money laundry, and was later released after spending days in EFCC detention centre in Abuja.

The group also mentioned former Anambra State governor, Willie Obiano among other prominent sons of Ndigbo locked up on unproven allegations of tax fraud and money laundering, claiming that the EFCC looks away from suspects of northern extraction, and treated suspects from the area who have allegedly stolen public funds with more dignity.

The development appears not to go down well with HURIWA which criticised EFCC for concentrating its operations more in the south. The commission has totally left out the north in its operational dragnet, HURIWA said.

The rights body said the EFCC must adopt transparency and accountability in its operation by arresting anyone that flouts the law, irrespective of the part of the country they hail from. Religion or ethnicity must not form the basis for arresting people, it said in a statement, signed by its National Co-ordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko.

Onwubiko also urged the Federal Government to probe the operations of the commission as it has become an oppresive instrument against innocent Nigerians. He condemned the anti-graft agency for illegally arresting people from their homes like kidnappers.

Covid-19 Vaccination: We Need Help – Governor Uzodimma

By
The Source
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Hope Uzodinma

Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma has appealed to Imo leaders, particularly the Church and traditional rulers, to be part of efforts by government and her development partners to ensure that the citizens get vaccinated against Covid-19.

He has also challenged them to organise town hall meetings aimed at getting their subjects and parishioners to buy into the ongoing campaign on vaccination against Covid-19.

Addressing Imo State Covid-19 Stakeholders Engagement Meeting at the Sam Mbakwe Chamber, Government House Owerri, Wednesday, the Governor explained that Covid-19 vaccination has been tested all over the world and that most prominent and important persons, leaders of nations and states, have “successfully taken the vaccine, proving that it is safe and to our advantage.”

Governor Uzodimma told the participants to help appeal to the people to come out and be vaccinated so as to “save their lives, that of their family, community, State and Nation at large.”

The Governor who said himself, the wife and members of the Executive Council of Imo State have all been vaccinated, appealed to Church leaders to provide a place for the health workers every Sunday to vaccinate their congregation.

In the same vein, he enjoined the traditional rulers to make available their Civic Centre and other gathering places in their Communities for their people to be vaccinated by the health workers who are currently in the field for the assignment, emphasizing that “it is the responsibility of all to collaborate, mobilize and sensitize our people to come forward to be vaccinated.”

The Governor said: “We need the help of the religious and traditional rulers, the Caritas Foundation, the Civil Society Organizations, Civil Servants and the Media to achieve a reasonable percentage of the population vaccination against Covid-19.”

The Governor appealed to the media to bring to bear their role of Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR) by writing positive reports about the Covid-19 vaccine that will encourage the people to voluntarily submit to the vaccination exercise.

“We are begging you to choose to be alive, be protected by being vaccinated.”

The Governor thanked the partners,  especially the United States of America,  who have been at the fore front of the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic for coming to rescue Africa, Nigeria and Imo State in particular from the clutches of the pandemic.

He added that the only way to encourage the development partners and the donor nations to do more is by appreciating their gesture by turning up to be vaccinated so that their efforts will not  be in vein.

He charged the Medical Team and others involved in the vaccination to discharge their responsibility to the people by owning the programme and to see it as part of their contribution to humanity.

Addressing the Stakeholders, the United States Deputy Chief of Mission in Nigeria, Mrs. Kathleen FitzGibbon said they were in Imo State in continuation of the work of mobilization and sensitization of the people towards Covid-19 vaccination programme.

She noted that the United States Government had given 25 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine to Nigeria, insisting that ‘’the more people are vaccinated the more Covid-19 gets behind us.”

“We need to be vaccinated, to be protected against the pandemic.”

She thanked Governor  Uzodimma for his concerted efforts in the fight against Covi-19 pandemic in the State and also  commended the State Ministry of Health, the Primary Health Care Agency and development partners for the harmony that exists among them “which has resulted in the successes so far recorded.”

She appealed to them to keep up the efforts and good works towards mobilization and sensitization of the people in the areas of the vaccine being safe when taken.

She also called on the traditional rulers, Christian and Muslim leaders in the State to do more work on their followers to accept the vaccine as a safe guard against Covid-19 pandemic, adding,  “do more on those who are hesitant.”

In his welcome address,  the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Prosper Success thanked the participants, and especially the Governor, the U. S. officials and development partners for providing an enabling environment and necessary resources to his team, that has made it possible for them to record a some successes.

He emphasized the need to take the Covid-19 vaccination more seriously.

In a presentation, the Executive Secretary Imo State Primary Healthcare,  Rev. Sr. Dr. Maria-Joannes Uzoma said that “with the launching of the community vaccination healthcare programme the State has been able to record a higher percentage of the Covid-19 vaccination in the 27 Local Government of the State.”

She however enumerated challenges her team is facing in some Local Governments to include security, hesitancy and traditional belief.

In their different messages, a representative of the Church, Bishop Enyinnaya Okoroafor; a Traditional Ruler, Eze Clinton Ugwuegbulem and the Country Representative World Health Organization (WHO),  Dr. Bassey Uwazinga, thanked the Governor for his dexterity and swift approach towards the fight agaist Covid-19 in Imo State that made the State to record the least cases in the Federation.

They promised that they will continue to collaborate and do the needful in convincing their people to accept vaccination as a way out of the negative consequences of Covid-19.

Imo Government Moves Against Illegal Oil Bunkering

By
The Source
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Hope Uzodimma

The Imo State Government has directed the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to put in place measures that would deter illegal oil bunkering in any part of the State.

Rising from its regular State Executive Council (EXCO) meeting Wednesday, April 6, 2022 presided over by Governor Hope Uzodimma, the Government, also, disclosed that approval had been given for the award of contract for the construction of more roads in different parts of the State.

Briefing newsmen on decisions reached by the Exco, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Hon. Declan Emelumba, said Council also empowered the Petroleum Ministry to forward a Bill to the House of Assembly for the Creation of Local Content Management Agency with a view that it would help to generate revenue for the State.

The Commissioner said the Council also  frowned at reports that at some ongoing construction sites in the State, hoodlums have continued to disrupt activities and therefore called on the leaders of those areas to wade in by  controlling, cautioning and calling their youths to order and to educate them on the need to cooperate with those who are bringing development to their area.

Emelumba informed that the Council expressed delight that Imo State took the first position in the States Category of the recently concluded Technology and Innovation Expo 2022 organized by the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology between 14th and 18th of March 2022.

He said the Governor has already received the plaque and letter of award from the Commissioner for Science and Technology, Prof Boniface Nworgu during the Exco Meeting and urged all the ministries to prove the stuff the State is made of.

Furthermore, Emelumba noted that the Council received commendable reports of appreciation from Communities that reside along the areas where construction of the Government’s ongoing flagship roads – Owerri/Okigwe and Owerri/Orlu roads are located because of their quality and speed of execution.

Accompanied by the Commissioner for Science and Technology, Prof. Boniface Nworgu; Commissioner for Transport, Barr. Rex Anunobi; Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mrs. Ruby Emele; Commissioner for Petroleum Resources, Rt. Hon. Goodluck Opiah and the Chief Press Secretary/Media Adviser to the Governor, Oguwike Nwachuku, Emelumba explained that the Council noted with delight the completion of work on 10 roads earlier awarded by the Government which are awaiting commissioning soon.

It was also an opportunity for the Commissioner to explain to the media how excited the Council was over  the nomination of Governor Uzodimma as the Governor of the Year, 2021, by the Sun Newspapers in recognition of his sterling performance in road and other infrastructural development programmes in Imo.

Jonathan’s Convoy In Fatal Crash; Two Police Officers Die, Former President Mourns

By
The Source
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Jonathan Auto Crash

Former President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has expressed  deep sadness over the unfortunate tragic death of two police officers attached to him, in a road crash Tuesday, at the vicinity of the Abuja airport, while on his way out of the airport.

It was a lone accident. The last on the convoy, the vehicle skidded off the road, and hit a culvert. The impact was fatal.

The former President who described the incident as painful and heart-rending stated that the sudden death of the two security details has thrown him into deep mourning.

Dr. Jonathan noted with sadness that the deceased, Inspectors Ibrahim Abazi and Yakubu Toma, were fine officers who were dedicated to their duties and service to the nation.

Two other officers sustained injuries in the accident which involved a car conveying the security men. They were rushed to a hospital in Abuja where they are responding to treatment.

The office of the former President has offered condolences to the families of the bereaved and the Police High Command. Dr. Jonathan prayed God to grant the souls of the departed eternal rest and bless their families and the nation with the fortitude to bear the loss.

Why APGA Lost National Secretary To PDP

By
Adesina Soyooye
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Labran Maku

By Adesina Soyooye

After a fruitless journey to the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, former Minister for Information, Labran Maku, has dumped the Party.

Maku, who was the National Secretary of APGA, returned to the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, where he made his name in politics.

Under the PDP, Maku became the Deputy Governor in his State, Nasarawa. He, thereafter, became the Minister for Information.

A former Journalist, Maku surprised not a few people when he dumped the PDP in 2015, after an unsuccessful  bid to the Governorship of Nasarawa State, for APGA, a Party which was, and still is, relatively unknown in his State. He sort to be the Governor under APGA, and failed. He tried again in 2019, and failed. Maku made do with the office of the National Secretary of APGA, a position many thought he made little or no impact, seeing that APGA revolved around the immediate past Governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano.

Political analysts are of the view that given that APGA has remained a one-State Party, and that Maku was doing little or nothing as National Secretary, he had no choice but to return to the PDP.

But speaking in Nasarawa on Wednesday on why he returned to the PDP, Maku said he did so based on the yearnings of his people.

What Terrorists Said To Ali-Hassan, MD/CEO, Bank Of Agric On Release; Confirm Many In Custody

By
Adesina Soyooye
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Alwan Ali-Hassan

By Adesina Soyooye

Alwan Ali-Hassan, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria’s Bank of Agriculture, has been released by Terrorists who abducted him.

He was set free Wednesday evening after his family’s long negotiation with the terrorists. Even though it cannot be confirmed how much was paid in ransom money to the terrorists to secure his release, this magazine gathered that it ran into millions of Naira.

Before his release, four heavily armed, and well-kitted terrorists flanked the obviously tired-looking and still frightened Ali-Hassan, who wore a white “up and down” and a cap, apparently what he wore on the day of his abduction.They proudly made a speech.

The one who spoke on behalf of the terrorists confirmed they bombed the train. He confirmed many passengers are still in their custody. He said they decided to release Hassan out of compassion, on health grounds. He did not say what it cost to secure his release. He confirmed they would release other hostages only when the Federal Government fulfils their demands. He did not say what the demands were, but said they have been passed unto the relevant authorities.

Hassan was one of the 162  abducted/ missing passengers on the train which was  bombed on March 28, 2022, on its way from Abuja to Kaduna. There were eight fatalities, and 25 injured passengers. 182 others were safely evacuated and reunited with  their families.

2023: “Mark It, I Will Quash Every Gang-up Against Me” – Wike

By
Adesina Soyooye
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Nyesom Wike

By Adesina Soyooye

Presidential aspirant and Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, says he would quash every gang-up against his aspiration. “Watch me today, Mark my words, I will quash them.

Wike is aspiring to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari under the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Addressing some Party delegates in the run-up to the PDP Presidential Primary on March 28, 2022, scheduled to  hold at the Eagle Square, Abuja, Wike asked the delegates to follow him.

“Follow me. Let’s go to the Eagle Square on March 28. Everything is Wike. As they give you the ballot, it is  Wike. If anybody touches you ask: Are you Wike? Don’t touch me if you are not Wike. Do you understand what I am saying? Wike! What did I say? Wike! Do you here me? Wike!”

He told them to watch him and mark his words. “I will quash them”, he boasted. “They think there is no God.”

Controversy surronds where the PDP will zone the Presidential ticket. While there is a strong clamor for it to be zoned to the South, there is a strong speculation that the Committee set up by the Party to look into the Zoning of offices and make recommendations, has thrown open the Presidential seat. The Committee was headed by Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom.

Meanwhile, a number of the Presidential aspirants under the PDP, have been meeting in a bid to reach a consensus. It has not yet worked as all of them are scrambling for votes from delegates.

UBA, Others Get CBN’s Hammer Over Secret Crypto Deals

By
James Orji
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0

By James orji

The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN has wielded the big stick on the United Bank for Africa, UBA and other two commercial banks for failure to comply with its regulations on transacting in cryptocurrencies.

Apart from UBA, the other two banks sanctioned by the apex bank are Access Bank and Stanbic IBTC, according to a Bloomberg report. The three erring banks have now been fined N800 million by the Godwin Emefiele-led CBN.

In its circular to banks on February 5, 2021 the apex banks warned commercial banks in the country that aiding customers to trade in crypto currency will attract severe sanctions. It had directed the banks to close accounts of persons or entities involved in cryptocurrency transactions within their systems.

The circular signed by Bello Hassan, Director, banking Supervision and Musa Jimoh, CBN’s Director, Payment System Management Department, said “Further to earlier regulatory directives on the subject, the bank hereby wishes to remind regulated institutions that dealing in cryptocurrencies or facilitating payments for cryptocurrency exchanges is prohibited

“Accordingly, all DMBs, NBFIs and OFIs are directed to identify persons and/or entities transacting in or operating cryptocurrency exchanges within their systems and ensure that such accounts are closed immediately.”

Bloomberg said the CBN has the capacity to detect cryptocurrency transactions by commercial banks with appropriate sanctions on erring ones.

The management of UBA has yet to make any comment on the issue though a source in the bank said “efforts are ongoing to collate an appropriate response” on the matter.

This, however, is not the first time that the Kennedy Uzoka-led UBA Plc has ignored federal government’s monetary regulations.

In 2016, UBA shunned President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive that all funds belonging to the federal government should be paid into the Treasury Single Account, TSA.

While the president directed that all funds belonging to the federal government be paid into the designated account, it was discovered that UBA concealed a whopping N58.8 billion belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC.

The bank was later fined N2.9 billion by CBN as a punishment for the act.

The bank is also one of the serial violators of the Cash Reserve Requirement Ratio, CRR, a monetary instrument by CBN to control inflation in the country, experts said.

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer of Stanbic IBTC, Wole Adeniyi, in his response to the cryptocurrency sanction by CBN said at a forum in Lagos that the bank has not violated CBN’s directed over the issue. He claimed that the transactions for which the bank was sanctioned passed through its system undetected.

Adeniyi said the CBN relied on advanced capacity, not available to commercial banks to detect the relevant transactions.

He explained that the CBN is “now sharing intelligence” with banks to be able to discover such transactions.

Banditry: Zamfara Gov Splashes Car Gifts On Emirs

By
James Orji
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Zamfara cars

By James Orji

Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara state has distributed 260 state of the art cars to first class traditional rulers and emirs in the state. The magazine learnt that the gesture is to secure the cooperation of the traditional rulers in the war against criminality, particularly banditry in the state.

The state is one of the epicenters of banditry in the country. And the governor’s awards of cars to emirs comes barely four days after suspected armed bandits invaded Tsafe town, the council headquarters of Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, killing many people.

According to report, the latest attack claimed the life of the state’s commissioner for security affairs, Mamman Tsafe.

A close aide of one of the traditional rulers who received the car gift told the magazine that “the village leaders have been working to ensure security pervades the entire state. This is necessary to support the government’s efforts to wipe off criminality,” he said.

Speaking on the car gift, Zailani Bappa, the governors’ Special Adviser on Media, said in a statement that the state government recognized the prime position of traditional rulers in the state.

He said the distribution of cars was performed by Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto, at the government house in Gusau, on Wednesday.

According to the statement, Matawalle said the gesture was done in recognition of the status of the traditional institutions as “the custodians of our religion and culture and vehicle of cohesion and peace in our societies”.

“It is in view of the high esteem with which my administration regards our traditional leaders and institutions that we decided to procure brand new cars — Cadillac 2019 model for 17 emirs, 13 senior district heads and 230 district heads across the state,” the governor said.

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