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Citizenship: Atiku Knows Fate February

By
Uche Mbah
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0

By Uche Mbah

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, will deliver judgement February 21, 2022, in a suit seeking to prevent former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, from contesting for Presidency in 2023.

This was disclosed

Monday by the presiding Judge, Justice Inyang Ekpo, in a suit challenging Atiku’s eligibility to contest the 2023 presidential elections.

Although the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, zoned the Chairmanship of the party to the North, they left open the zoning of the Office of the President.

A group, under the eagis of the Incorporated Trustees of Egalitarian Mission for Africa, had approached the Court to interpret whether section 25 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), “is the sole authority that spells out ways by which a person can become a Nigerian citizen by birth”.

Their argument is that Atiku is not a Nigerian and, therefore, not eligible to contest.

The group asked the Court to declare whether by the provisions of section 131(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), only a Nigeria citizen by birth can contest for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Whether by the combined interpretation of section 25(1) & (2) and 131(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), and giving the circumstances surrounding the birth of the 1st Defendant (Atiku), he can be cleared by the 2nd and 3rd Defendants to contest for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria?.

The Plaintiff applied for a declaration that by the provisions of the Constitution, “only a Nigerian citizen by birth can contest for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.” and that he cannot be cleared by either PDP or the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to vie for Presidency.

The group is a none governmental Organisation.

In a 12-paragraphed affidavit, the group noted that Atiku was born on December 25, 1946, and that he is from Jedda, Adamawa state.

“Jada used to be in Ganye Local Government Area in Adamawa. That Ganye is regarded as the mother of the whole Chamba tribe.

“That Ganye, however, was never part of Nigeria legally as at the date of birth of the 1st Defendant. That the area had been entrusted to Britain by a League of Nations mandate in 1919 and later as Trust Territory by the United Nations in 1946.

“That the defeat of Germany in World War 1, Cameroon became a League of Nations mandate territory and was split into French Cameroons and British Cameroons in 1919.

“That while France integrated the economy of their part of Cameroon with that of France, the British, administered theirs from neighboring Nigeria, making 1st Defendant’s Jada a British franchise.

“That a plebiscite was held in British Cameroons to determine whether the people preferred to stay in Cameroon or align with Nigeria.

“That while Northern Cameroon preferred a union with Nigeria, Southern Cameroon chose alignment with the mother country.

“That on June 1, 1961, Northern Cameroon became part of Nigeria, and on October 1, 1961, the Southern territory dissolved into Cameroon.

“That Ganye, which incorporates the 1st Defendant’s birthplace of Jada was the headquarters of British Cameroons, but it joined Nigeria following the plebiscite.

“That when the 1st Defendant was on November 25, 1946, born to a Fulani trader and farmer, Garba Abubakar, Jada village and other parts of Chamba land in the then Northern Cameroon, were still known as British Cameroon.

“That none of the 1st Defendant’s parents or grandparents was born in Nigeria. That the 1st Defendant’s father died a citizen of Northern Cameroon in 1957 prior the referendum of June 1, 1961, that made Northern Cameroon became part of Nigeria.

“That the 1st Defendant’s ancestral origin is deeply rooted in the then Northern Cameroon. That the 1st Defendant is not a Nigerian citizen by birth.

“That the 1st Defendant is not qualified to be elected into the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”, the Plaintiff added.

The group joined PDP, INEC, Attorney-General of the Federation, and the Attorney-General of Adamawa State on the suit.

The case got an interesting twist when the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, Abubakar Malami,  claimed that Atiku is not constitutionally eligible to vie for Presidency.

According to him, Atiku violated the provisions of Sections 25(1) &(2) and 131(a) of the constitution, Section 118(1)(k) of the Electoral Act by putting himself forward as a presidential candidate.

“The first Defendant (Atiku) is not a fit and proper person to be a candidate for election to the office of president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The first Defendant was born on the 25th of November, 1946 at Jada, at the time in Northern Cameroon. By the plebiscite of 1961, the town of Jada was incorporated into Nigeria.

“The first defendant is a Nigerian by virtue of the 1961 plebiscite, but not a Nigerian by birth. The first defendant’s parents died before the 1961 plebiscite”, Malami argued in support of a suit.

Malami’s, lawyers were led by Oladipo Okpeseyi, SAN.

He argued that Atiku, contesting for Vice Presidency before now, violated Section 118(1)(k) of the Electoral Act.

“(The plebiscite) qualified all those born before the 1961 plebiscIte as citizens of Nigeria, but not Nigerian citizen by birth. Consequently, only citizens born after the 1961 plebiscite are citizens of Nigeria by birth”, Malami added.

According to him, Atiku cannot claim citizenship of Nigeria by birth.

“This is even more so where his parents do not belong to any tribe indigenous to Nigeria until their death. The facts of his (Atiku’s) birth on the Cameroonian territory to Cameroonian parents remain unchallenged.

“At best, the first defendant can only acquire Nigerian citizenship by the 1961 plebiscite. The citizenship qualifications under Section 26 and 27 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999), by implication, has limited the first defendant’s privileges or rights and cannot be equal or proportional to the privileges of other citizens who acquire their citizenship status by birth.

“This would include the legal preclusion of the first defendant from contesting for the office of the President of Nigeria”.

He added that another way would have been if either his parents had become Nigerian citizen by virtue of Section 25(1) of the 1999 Constitution, which must be in compliance with Sections 26 and 27of the same constitution.

“With no concrete proof of compliance, we submit that the first defendant cannot contest election to the office of the Nigerian President”, Malami added.

However, Atiku, maintained that he is “a bonafide citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

He told the court that he served as Vice President from 1999 to 2007, held many public/private offices in Nigeria, and served as Governor of Adamawa State and as a Comissioned Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service.

“I know as a fact that this suit as filed by the Trustees of the Plaintiff is aimed at maligning the person and integrity of the 1st Defendant”, Atiku’s lawyer, Chief Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, argued.

After hearing all arguments Justice Ekpo adjourned to February 21, 2022 a for ruling.

2023: Ebonyi Queues Behind Anyim

By
The Source
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0
Anyim Pius Anyim

The aspiration of former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim to the Presidential seat in 2023, got a boost when the People’s Democratic  Party, PDP, Ebonyi state chapter resolved to back him to the hilt in his quest for the exalted office.

Speaking after the State Working Committee’s meeting of the Party at Abakaliki, Nwoba Chika Nwoba, the State Publicity Secretary of PDP, said that the leadership of  the party resolved that the choice of Anyim as Presidential candidate of the party is non negotiable.

According to Mr. Tochuku Okorie, the Chairman of the party in the State, Ebonyi is  lucky and proud to have Anyim as a citizen of the State, or else, he said, “Anyim is one Nigerian who is eminently qualified on his own irrespective of his State of origin” to steer what he described as “the current rudderless ship of Nigeria” into a successful anchor.

Okorie stated that the resolution of the Working Committee of the party to stand with Anyim is not just because he is from Ebonyi but because his pedigree is unassailable stating that “his past is an elegant testimony of what his future holds for Nigeria.”

The Chairman re-echoed the fact that anytime Nigeria was in a perilous condition the way it is right now, “God always sent His own to the rescue”. According to him, marketing Anyim to Nigerians is very easy because he had rescued Nigeria in the past when the country was faced with similar challenges. He quickly recalled the prominent roles Anyim played to stabilise the national Assembly when its Senate wing was messed up with what was commonly described then as the banana peels.

He again called to memory the valuable roles Anyim played when he led eminent Nigerians to persuade the National Assembly to adopt the famous Doctrine of Necessity that resolved the then political logjam in the country. He described Anyim as a natural stabilizer who he said Nigerians should ordinarily repose their hopes on to stabilize the current wobbling state of the nation.

The Chairman further reiterated that the executive of PDP had decided to reach out to other States Executives of the party throughout the federation to woo and persuade them in order to draw more support for Anyim. The party he said also resolved to appeal and persuade the National Working Committee and National Executive Committee of the party to consider seriously the zoning of its Presidency to South East.

British High Commissioner To Hand Over Stolen Bronze To Benin Monarch

By
Ayodele Oni
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0
Oba of Benin Palace

By Ayodele Oni

The Federal Government is set to return some of the stolen Artefacts from Benin to its original owners.

An event has been slated for next week in Benin city, Edo state, during which recovered Artefacts from Britain will be handed over to their original owners.

The process of recovering and returning the Artefacts has been thorny issue between Governor Godwin Obaseki and the Oba of Benin, Ewuare 11.

Governor Obaseki was reported to have hired a private consultant to take charge of the processes, an action which the monarch kicked against.

In a letter dated 3rd December, 2021, and signed by the secretary to the Oba of Benin, Mr  Frank Irabor disclosed that President Mohamadu Buhari has approved the return of some of the Artefacts directly to Benin monarch.

The letter, which reference BTCA40/volLVV/38, stated that two Bronzes already returned by two foreign institutions are to be handed over to the Benin monarch.

“In the name of God and Royal ancestors, the Benin Traditional Council on behalf of His Royal Majesty, Omo N’oba Uku Akpolokpolo Ewuare 11, Oba of Benin, wishes to inform the general public that His Excellency, President Mohamadu Buhari has graciously directed Nigeria High Commissioner to Britain to commence the return of the Artefacts looted from the palace of Oba of Benin in 1897 by the British government.

“The British High Commissioner will personally return the two Benin Bronzes recently handed over by Jesus College, Cambridge in Britain and University of Aberdeen in Scotland to His Royal Majesty, the Oba of Benin.

“This very unique auspicious occassion would take place on Monday, 13th December, 2021, at 11 am in Oba of Benin palace.

“Furthermore, this very traditional and royal event will also be an occassion to mark the celebration of the fifth coronation anniversary of the Oba which should have come up earlier in October, but postponed.

“The general public is hereby invited to join the Oba in receiving the Benin Bronze cast of Okpa Cockerel and Benin Bronze burst of an Oba.

“The Oba of Benin and good people of Edo state thank Mr President for this directive.

“This further shows that the federal government is the only constitutional authority to receive in custody Benin Bronzes and other Artefacts before being sent to their original owners, the Oba of Benin.”

EKSU Speaks On How Students Were Defrauded By Scammers

By
Ayodele Oni
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0
Ekiti State University

By Ayodele Oni

Ekiti State University (EKSU) Ado Ekiti, has for the first time, admitted that fraudsters ripped off some of its students while trying to make payments through the University’s portal.

Report of how some staff of the University defrauded the students when they successfully hacked into the University’s payment portal went viral last year, but Management kept mute.

Workers’ Unions at the University had, early this year, given the Management an ultimatum to discipline some of the staff fingered and arrested by the police in connection with the scam.

However, a statement by the University on Monday blamed some of the affected students, accusing them of flouting its directive on the mode of payment of fees.

The University’s Head, Directorate of Information and Corporate Affairs, Mr Bode Olofinmuagun, who signed the statement, explained that the clarification became necessary in order not to mislead and misinform parents and the public on the issue.

He also said that it was in reaction to a recent publication on the fees fraud captioned, “EKSU students cry out as Varsity voids over N10 million school fees.”

Mr Olofinmuagun stated that the affected students disregarded the University’s policy on procedure for payment of fees and charges.

According to him, the institution had put in place the implementation of e-collection policy for the payment of all fees and charges and that the policy was part of control measures to check fraud and other irregularities.

“In line with the policy, the procedure for payment of fees and charges was uploaded on the University’s portal and website.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the procedure includes the use of username and personal password associated with each student.

“It was clearly stated that the release of username and password to a third party or external person is at the student’s risk.

“However, in spite of the above warning and after thorough investigation, it was discovered that the defrauded students disregarded the policy on procedure for payment and on their own volition, decided to pay their fees for the 2018/2019 academic session into the personal accounts of the fraudsters, rather than the University’s designated and profiled bank accounts.

“During investigation, some of the defrauded students made confessional statements, while some of them, after realising their mistakes, have made correct and genuine payments into the University’s designated accounts.

“It is equally important to let the general public know that the perpetrators of the scam were arrested by a law enforcement agency and later released on bail.

“The University Management wishes to assure that it would cooperate with the relevant law enforcement agencies to ensure that those defrauded get their monies refunded.’”

Group Demands Control Of Ebube Agu, Kanu’s Release

By
Uche Mbah
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0
Damian Okafor

By Uche Mbah

The umbrella body of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youths Worldwide, has urged South- east Governors to ensure youths take over the Government-approved security outfit, Ebube Agu.

They also urged  President Muhammadu Buhari to release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and 19 others under detention for treason.

The Governors jointly established an outfit, Ebube Agu, to counter-balance the activities of the Eastern Security network, ESN, an outfit established by the IPOB. Besides, there are the unknown gunmen who Government insists are part of the ESN, but who IPOB claims are fifth columnists working for Government to produce false flags.

The OIYW, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mazi Chika Adiele, advised Buhari to re-evaluate the whole security architecture.

“We are alarmed that since the advent of our nascent democracy, successive leaders has learnt no useful lessons from our malady”, he said

“Though nation-building and nation branding policies are in principle available to all countries, we assert that the opportunities and potential benefits of such strategies strongly depend on countries’ historical, demographic, cultural, and socioeconomic conditions.

“Nigeria (is burdened) with colonial legacies, and a profoundly heterogeneous society, and weak economic foundations. It is pertinent to identify a home grown solution in halting this drift.

“Nigeria, is unfortunately at the precipice; citizens are now at the mercy of economic buccaneers whose sole purpose is to engineer clash and divert our attention from the realities of our time.

“The Igbo youths under the leadership of Engr Damian Okafor rightly feels alienated and bewildered over the lack of clarity of vision demands that President Mohammadu Buhari, rejig his administration’s security architecture to protect the lives and properties of Nigerians, and also bridge the gap between the leaders and the led.

“That the Federal Government should, immediately, declare a state of emergency to deplorable South-east roads, which have turned death traps.

“That Ndigbo Youth, should be given a level playing field, and empowered economically like their counterparts in other part of the country so as to enable us discharge our civic duties, and expedite action on the release of 19 Igbo youths who are being persecuted on trumped up charges.

“That the illegal detention of our brother and son Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, be revisited and subsequently released with immediate effect,” The Group demanded.

LG Election: Rights Group Commends Ekiti Electorate, Highlights Area Of Improvement

By
Akinwale Kasali
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NHRC

By Akinwale Kasali

The people of Ekiti State have been commended for the peaceful Local Government elections held on Saturday.

In a statement issued on Monday, December, 6th, 2021, from its preliminary reports of the election monitoring, the Nigerian Human Rights Community, NHRC, said the conduct of the election by the Ekiti State Independent Electoral Commission, EKSIEC, without any incidence of violence, disruption or snatching of ballot papers remains one of the strengths and opportunities associated with election and democracy in Nigeria.

“Despite the challenges Nigerians face, their preference is for democracy” the group said.

The NHRC which deployed observers and monitors in many of the  177 wards and over 140 towns and villages said there was no incident of violence adding that it was commendable that armed personnel including Amotekun were not deployed across the State to man the polling units during the elections compared with what has been seen in other States of the Federation.

“It is commendable that the State Security organ, Amotekun was not dragged into local politics in this context’, the group said

According to the NHRC ‘We observe that voters exercised their rights without threats, violence or authority bully. There were no reports of violence, killings or snatching of ballot papers. Despite the security situation across the country, the election was hitch free, SEIC staff who moved from some communities to the other were not attacked  while there were no noticeable cases of vote buying in any of the polling units monitored”

The group said the capacity of States to determine their political future is not in doubt, where there are doubts, such do not suggest that the Federal Government is better placed to conduct a superior Local Government elections, the coalition said.

The NHRC had deployed 254 monitors across 177 wards in the 16 Local Government and Local Government Development Areas, (LCDAs)

The group said the peaceful atmosphere of the election reflects the confidence of the people in democracy as the best alternative and also an expression of public confidence in the state’s electoral body.

The group commended the early arrival of voting materials and SEIC officials in majority of the polling units, the ability of SEIC to provide enough voting materials in all the units and the efficiency with which the SEIC personnel rendered their obligations adding that many states in Nigeria have a lot to learn from Ekiti State.

NHRC said the voting was orderly and organised in a way that is above the national average

The NHRC however listed some fault lines which included the following:

Distribution of polling units in Ekiti State does not meet the needs of many rural communities where voting units were sparsely stationed denying many voters  in rural areas easy access to polling units. The group said the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) should increase the number of polling units in Ekiti North, Ekiti East and Ekiti Central especially in local communities and farm settlements in the senatorial districts before the next National Elections. It urged the affected communities, SEIC and all stakeholders in the state to lead the campaign for more polling units in Ekiti State before the next elections.

NHRC also said the turn out was low, though above the national average. The group said not a single factor is responsible for the low turnout citing among others historic lack of voters’ interests in community governance, low funding of Local Governments by the Federal Authority leading to minimal impact on the political economy by local administrators which affects public interests in Local Government and also lack of community structures and effective presence of many of the registered political  parties who appear to  focus mainly on National Elections.

The NHRC said in the build up to the Ekiti Local Government election, while the ruling party engaged in aggressive campaigns, the other political parties appeared not to make any attempt to either campaign or mobilise their supporters to participate in the election.

The group said such resignation to fate is self defeatist and should not be encouraged by the opposition.

The coalition said the vigorous campaign of the ruling party suggested that the party did not assume easy victory at the poll ab initio.

NHRC said the boycott of the election by the main opposition, the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) may have affected greater engagement in the electoral process adding that the opposition is advised to constructively engage the electoral process instead of outright boycott of future elections.

Zenith Bank Boss Named CEO Of The Year At SERAS CSR Africa Awards

By
Bayo Bernard
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0

By Fola James

Zenith Bank’s Group Managing Director/ chief executive officer, Ebenezer Onyeagwu, has emerged CEO of the Year for a second consecutive year at the Sustainability, Enterprise and Responsibility, SERAS CSR Africa Awards held at the weekend in Lagos. According to the judges, he was selected for a number of reasons, including engendering a culture that promotes the continued investment in social initiatives in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs. Under his leadership, the Zenith Bank’s social investments totaled NGN3.285 billion in 2020, representing nearly two per cent of the Bank’s profit after tax.

The judges found him worthy for his commitment to promoting sustainability and responsible business practices in Nigeria, by his frontal leadership of sustainability in Zenith Bank, thereby enabling best industry practices in the banking sector, and for his passion for reducing carbon emissions in the Bank’s operations.

The bank also emerged winner in four other categories at the SERAS CSR Africa Awards, carting home the awards for “Best Company in Reporting and Transparency”, “Best Company in Infrastructure Development”, “Best Company in Gender Equality and Women Empowerment”, and the coveted “Most Responsible Organisation in Africa”.

Zenith Bank was adjudged the Most Responsible Organisation in Africa, winning the overall best sustainability award, for its continued commitment to the tenets of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility, within its immediate community and in the society at large.

The commercial Bank also emerged as the winner in the category for Reporting and Transparency for its consistency in disclosing and communicating its sustainability journey and progress annually vis-a-vis environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals, in line with the guidelines and protocols set by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Nigeria Sustainable Banking Principles (NSBP), NigerianExchange (NGX), United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), and United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI). The Bank also ensures the assurance of its sustainability report by reputable independent third parties. In 2021, the Bank’s 2020 sustainability report was assured by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and disseminated through the Bank’s website for the public and sent to all relevant stakeholders, including the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC).

In the infrastructure development category, the Bank was voted winner for its nation-building initiatives and investments, including supporting efforts towards establishing basic services and functional security, governance, and economic and infrastructure systems, especially in Nigeria. As a testament to this and in demonstration of its commitment to the development (often referred to as reform, restructuring and rebuilding) of the Nigeria Police Force for the preservation of law and order, protection of life and property, and law enforcement in Nigeria, the Bank supported the Lagos State Security Trust Fund with N500,000,000.00 for the provision of security-enhancing facilities and infrastructure. This is in addition to contributions to other state security trust funds.

The lender was adjudged winner in the category for the Best Company in Promotion of Gender Equality and Women Empowerment for its Z-Woman initiative, which offers credit facilities to women-owned businesses at a single-digit interest rate and for a gender-balanced workforce (Women make up about 50 per cent of employees). During the reporting period, the number of women and women enterprises supported by the Bank, through the Z-Woman initiative, grew by 88.7 per cent, from 391 in 2019 to 738 in 2020.

SERAS is an initiative of TruCSR which celebrates and promotes investments by corporate organisations in the society through CSR and sustainability initiatives. It made its debut in 2007, and participation was opened to other countries of Africa in 2016.

The 2021 awards featured 387 projects by 97 organisations across Africa. The SERAS Jury Board consists of global thought and best-practices leaders from around the world such as Maria Sillanpaa (Finland); Nyasha Gwatidzo (Zimbabwe); Adesuwa Onyenokwe (Nigeria); Amjed Achour (Morocco); Charles Ojei (Nigeria); Ellen Gunning (Ireland); Gina Din-Kariuki (Kenya); Indira Kartallozi (England); Lampe Omoyele (Nigeria); Paul Kapelus (South Africa); and Scott Walker (England).

FG Acquires $29m Vaccines Amid Omicron Surge

By
Bayo Bernard
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0
Covid-19 Drug

By James Orji

Amidst the surge of Omicron, the new covid 19 variant in Nigeria the federal government has dislosed that it has procured the johnson and Johnson vaccine for $29 million. This was revaled by the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire. The development also comes on the back of suggestions by health experts that many Nigerians are not prepared to take the vaccine.

Vice president Yemi Osinbajo recently said barely four per cent Nigerians will have taken the vaccine by the end of the year despite the various covid vaccines donation received from friendly nations and development partners such as the World Bank, EU US and the World Health Organisation, WHO.

“Although we have received some help from friendly nations and the Covax alliance, less than four per cent of our eligible population will have been vaccinated by the end of the year. There is no question that we cannot afford not to have our own vaccine production facilities,” Osinbajo said.

Worried by the attitudes of many Nigerians to the vaccines, the fedreal  government  recently enforced the no-vaccine jab no -work for federal civil servants by preventing un-jabbed workers from entering their offices.

Speaking on a Channels Television programme on Sunday, the minister said 40 million doses of the vaccine has been procured by the federal government, noting that the vaccines will be received in batches.

The mnister said “the 40 million doses will come in stages. We have not requested that they be brought in bulk because we are going to be receiving them as we are dispensing them. In addition to that, we have received doses from partners, friends, and other countries all going through the Covax facility and the Covax facility collates all vaccines that other countries want to give to us.”

He allayed fears over the surge of Omicron across the world, adding that the government will require the cooperation of all Nigerians to tackle the virus, saying there is no fatality yet in the country, though he expressed sadness imposed on Nigeria and many African countries by the United Kingdom, UK following the rising number of Omicron across the continent.

The UK secretary of health, Said Javid in a tweet at the weekend said, the  imposition of a travel restriction on citizens of Nigeria following is as a result of an increase in the number of cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 across the world.

He tweeted, “In light of the most recent data, we are taking further action to slow the incursion of the Omicron variant. From 4am on Monday, only UK/Irish citizens and residents travelling from Nigeria will be allowed entry and must isolate in a managed quarantine facility.

“And from 4am on Tuesday, anyone travelling to the UK from countries not on the Red List will be required to take a pre-departure test, regardless of their vaccination status.Vaccines remain our first line of defence— the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones. Please get vaccinated or #GetBoosted as soon as you can.”

The travel restrictions  took effect from 4 am on Monday December 6

Lagos 2023, Why I Dumped APC – Jandor; APC Calls Him A Mole

By
Akinwale Kasali
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0

By Akinwale Kasali

It was no  surprise that Leader of Lagos4Lagos Group, Olajide Adediran, popular as Jandor, defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to opposition Party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

For months,  there has been  disenchantment in the Lagos APC, over the running of the affairs of the Lagos State APC. The Jandor group had, especially, complained about the stranglehold of the National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on the party. Tinubu’s leadership style did not augur well with the grass root politician and mobilizer. Thus, Jandor was persuaded to join the PDP train.

The Jandor Group, a faction of the APC in Lagos State formally joined the PDP over the weekend. They were received by former President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki.

According to Jandor, he left APC because the leadership was not ready to be focused unlike PDP.

“Everybody knew the events that led to our defection. We have seen that they (APC leadership) are not ready for anything. And for us, we have a vision and we are focused on it.

“We all saw what the PDP did during their congresses. They held a rancour free congress from the ward, local government, state and as well as the national levels.

“We are focused and we have the numbers. We have weighed other options and we believe it is better we move our structure to a political party that equally has a structure. You know structure wins an election.

“I am sure you know that our going into the PDP is to join forces with the opposing camp who has been longing to wrestle power from the ruling APC in Lagos State.”

Reacting to Jandor’s defection, the Lagos State APC spokesman, Seye Oladejo, said Jandor has been a mole planted in the party by the opposition party.

“I congratulate him (Jandor) for finally converting from the opposition within to the real opposition. He has always been an opposition within the Lagos APC. He has always been regarded as a mole planted in our party. We knew he has been fraternising with the PDP.

“He has failed woefully in his mission to destroy the Lagos APC. So we are not losing any sleep at all with his defection. And now he has moved to his natural habitat amongst people who have never known what structure is like in Lagos politics.

“His movement has also shown that it’s all about his ambition and not about doing well for the good people of Lagos State. We wish him well in his new party where we hope he manages to be their flag bearer. He is blindfolded by ambition and clearly in a desperate mode.”

2023: Adebanjo Says Tinubu Will Compound Nigeria’s Woes, Misery

By
Akinwale Kasali
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0

By Akinwale Kasali

Pa Ayo Adebanjo, Leader of the Yoruba socio-cultural Group, Afenifere, has cleared the air over the Group’s visit to the Bourdillion House, Ikoyi, Lagos of the All Progressives Congress, APC, National Chairman, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently. Many people were stunned when Adebanjo, a bitter critic of Tinubu, led his group to visit Tinubu on his return from the United Kingdom where he was for months on medical grounds. Not a few people thought they visited Tinubu in support of his strongly speculated 2023 Presidential ambition. But Adebanjo said perish the thought. He said their visit was on humanitarian grounds.

The Afenifere leader spoke in an interview with the New Telegraph.

Adebanjo: “The visit to Tinubu was purely on humanitarian ground after he came back from abroad. Some people went to London to visit him; I cannot afford to go to London. I disagree with Tinubu, but I don’t wish him to die. I am the one God used to make him the Governor, I thank God for that.

“So, when he came back from abroad, I went to greet him and we thanked God for his life. We went there purely on humanitarian ground, which is typical of Yoruba people. Even if we are fighting we should not wish the person to die.

“Our visit was purely to wish him well. I told him that he is not doing the right thing. He has been very liberal to me, but that is not the question. But is he doing the right thing for the country or not? When I criticise him, it’s not because I hate him. The Bible says God does not want a sinner to die, but to repent. I will continue to criticise him until he does the right thing.”

Adebanjo blames Tinubu for the problems Nigeria is going through. Tinubu is an enabler of the bad things happening in the country.

The elder statesman said although he wishes Tinubu no harm, he will however, not forgive him for the damages he did to Nigeria by bringing President Muhammadu Buhari to power in 2015. Tinubu has to change his ways, Adebanjo said.

On the Presidential aspiration of Tinubu in 2023, Adebanjo said that the APC National Leader will compound the woes and misery of Nigerians if elected President, stressing that claims that Tinubu is still relevant many years after he left office as Governor and that he is the most qualified for the office of the president from the South West now is deceitful and a plot to further enslave Nigerians.

“Don’t come and campaign to me about Tinubu. You cannot change my mind on that.

“People have asked me if I have forgiven him, how can we be talking of that,when he is not doing the right thing? I have been condemning him for being in alliance with Buhari. He is the cause of all the problems we have in this country. If he did not have an alliance with Buhari, we will not be in this situtation.”

He added that those tired of living would support and vote Tinubu in 2023.

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