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Your Performance Will Determine Your Fate – Gov Akeredolu Tells APC Aspirants

By
Ayodele Oni
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By Ayodele Oni

Ondo State Governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, has told elected officials that have failed to perform not to bother themselves to recontest.

The Governor specifically warned serving lawmakers who have not performed in their Constituencies and Senatorial Districts to reassess themselves before contesting for the party’s tickets again.

“Self assessment is key. Go and assess yourselves. I have come here to appeal to all of you that we don’t all have to run into this election with a huge number.

“I know people have resigned. I am not filling those positions until after the election. Don’t close any option. Leave all options open. The party has a stake.”

Governor Akeredolu, at a meeting in Akure with aspirants on the ticket of the All Progressives Party, (APC) pointed out that the party in the State is presently sailing smoothly, and urged the aspirants not to heat up the polity.

Of recent, there have been some members of the state House of Assembly that were chased out of their Constituencies by the people for non performance.

A third term Senator in the state is equally being accused by his Constituent that he has failed to deliver dividend of democracy to the people.

Governor Akeredoku declared that “I can assure you that we will give a level playing field. But assess yourselves.

“Sit down and think. What have you attracted to your Constituency or Senatorial District as a Senator or House of Representatives member? If you have not attracted anything, the people will be your judge.”

Although, Ondo State is not due for Governorship election until 2025, the Senate, House of Representatives and House of Assembly elections will be held in 2023.

Governor Akeredolu, who met with the aspirants at the Cocoa Conference Hall of the Governor’s office, assured the aspirants of a level-playing ground.

He harped on the need to promote unity within the party, calling on the aspirants to allow the leadership of the party to drive the process.

Chairman of the APC in the State, Ade Adetimehin, told the aspirants that the Party is guided by principles and discipline.

“This Party believes in leadership and we will not joke with the tickets of the APC. No individual can win the election without the contribution of the party. I want to appeal that we must take it easy. Allow the leadership to drive this Party.”

2023 Presidency: Uzor-Kalu Makes U-turn

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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By Tosin Olatokunbo

Senate Chief Whip Orji Uzor-Kalu has rejoined the presidential race barely 24 hours after he said he would no longer run for the highest office in the country.

Uzor-Kalu, a former Governor of Abia state had on Tuesday disclosed that he has dropped out from contesting for president, citing the refusal of the APC and PDP to zone the presidency to the south east.

His critics had cited Kalu’s case with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC as a major reason which pushed him out of the presidential race.

The two major political parties are still dilly-dallying on whether to chose their presidential candidates from the zone which has not produced the president for the country since the return to democracy in 1999.

He said the North will determine who emerges president in 2023 as the single highest political block in the country, insisting that the office must be zoned to the south east.

The senator said in statement that, “The situation in Nigeria is that without the support of other regions, it would amount to a shadow chase for a South Easterner to be President.

“This is the reason I have been in the frontline of the call that the two major political parties, the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party should zone their presidential tickets to the South East as they did for the South West in 1999.

“In the absence of this zoning, I shall return to the Senate and stay away from the presidential contest. The reality is that the North is more advantageous to win elections in this democratic setting.

“I am even shocked with the number of aspirants coming from the South West and the South South. It is embarrassing that these aspirants (APC and PDP) have no single respect and concern for the South East. I had thought they would think about the South East; I thought they would support us.”

He added, “The two regions that are yet to produce a President are South East and North East. If this means anything to Nigerians, the APC and PDP should be fair enough to prioritize these regions. If power should come to the South and not the South East or North and not the North East, the essence for which the six geopolitical zones were created is long dead.”

But in what many have described as double speak, the Senator said he’s still in the contest. He said he was quoted out of contest, insisting that “my stand is very clear, I didn’t drop my presidential ambition and I will never drop it.”

According to him, “I only urged our brothers from the South-South and South-West geo-political zones who came out en masse to contest for the office of the president to drop their ambition and support us because of equity.

“If we are talking about equity, the presidential ticket should be zoned to the South-East being the only zone that has not tested power since 1999.We can’t have people from South- South and South-West running when we are talking about equity.

“Former president Goodluck Jonathan, was vice, and later president for six years. Former president Olusegun Obasanjo was president for eight years and Prof Yemi Osibanjo is going to be vice president for eight years again.

“So if there is anything called equity and justice, it should be support for the South-East and unless that support is given to us, every other zone in the country should contest for presidency in 2023 including people from Buhari’s village.

“We are negotiating for them to support us, because I know there’s no single aspirant that the president, Buhari, has told to run for presidency. I know him and his antecedent, Buhari can never tell anybody that he would make him president.

“He will always tell people who go to him to consult with their people. I have not told him that I want to run for presidency because it has not been zoned to the South East,” the former governor said.

Meanwhile, the APC on Tuesday commenced the sale of nomination and expression of interest forms. The presidential form will be purchased for N100 million, the ruling party said last week.

 

 

 

CBN’s Cashless Policy Suffers As Cash In Economy Rises Above N3trn

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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By Tsoin Olatoknbo

Nigeria’s currency in circulation rose to N3.25 trillion in March 2022, representing the highest since December 2021.Currency in circulation, CIC is the amount of cash in paper notes or coins issued by the apex bank to conduct transactions.

The development came barely one month after the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN increased CIC by N418 billion. The apex bank said in March that increase in CIC is due to Nigerians preference for cash in settling transactions, adding that higher denominations have dominated currency in circulation.

The CBN said in its report on currency operations that, “the growth in CIC reflected the continued dominance of cash in the economy. Analysis of the CIC shows that a greater proportion was in higher denomination banknotes (N100, N200, N500 and N1000). The higher denomination banknotes together accounted for 63.47 per cent and 98.08 per cent of the total CIC, in terms of volume and value, respectively.

“The volume of lower denomination banknotes (N5, N10, N20, N50) accounted for 28.43 per cent of the total CIC and 1.92 per cent, in terms of value as at end-December 2020.”

The Cable reports that the latest data from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN indicates that the figure rose by 16 per cent from N2.79 trillion in April 2021 to N3.25 trillion in March 2022.

In May 2021, currency in circulation stood at N2.79 trillion, N2.74 trillion in June and up to N2.81 trillion in July.

In August, September and October 2021, it was N2.78 trillion, N2.84 trillion, and N2.97 trillion, respectively.

Currency in circulation hits the historical N3trillion mark in November 2021 as banks customers withdraw physical cash amid the festive period.

In November, it crossed the N3 trillion mark ahead of the festive season in December. By December, it peaked at a record N3.33 trillion.

In 2022, it amounted to N3.29 trillion in January and N3.25 trillion in February.

Last year, the apex bank said its clean note policy and banknote fitness guidelines provide that every newly printed and existing banknote should measure up to predefined standards before circulation and re-circulation in the economy.

The CBN said it used the “accounting/statistical/withdrawals and deposits approach” to compute the currency in circulation in the country.

It said this approach involved tracking the fluctuations in currency in circulation on a transaction-by-transaction basis.

According to the CBN, for every withdrawal made by a deposit money bank, DMB at any CBN branch, an increase in currency in circulation, CIC is recorded; and for every deposit made by a DMB at one of CBN’s branches, a decrease in CIC is recorded.

The transactions are all recorded in the CBN’s CIC account, and the balance on the account at any point in time represented the country’s currency in circulation.

Zenith Bank Retains Position As Nigeria’s Best Bank For Third Time In Global Finance Awards

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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By Tosin Olatokunbo

Zenith Bank Plc has emerged as the Best Bank in Nigeria in the Global Finance Magazine’s Best Banks Awards 2022, retaining the award for a third consecutive year. The Bank was among other banks from 36 countries in Africa recognised as the prestigious Global Finance announced its 29th Annual Best Bank Awards Winners.

The editors of Global Finance made the selections after extensive consultations with corporate financial executives, bankers and banking consultants, and analysts worldwide. Global Finance considered factors that ranged from the quantitative objective to the informed subjective in selecting the top banks.

Objective criteria considered included: growth in assets, profitability, geographic reach, strategic relationships, new business development and innovation in products. Subjective criteria included the opinions of equity analysts, credit rating analysts, banking consultants and others involved in the industry.

Commenting on the award, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive of Zenith Bank, Ebenezer Onyeagwu said: “This award is a testament to our tenacity despite a very challenging macroeconomic environment. Indeed, being recognised, for the third consecutive year, is an acknowledgement of the resilience of the Zenith brand as the leading financial institution in Nigeria.”

He lauded the contributions and efforts of the Bank’s key stakeholders – the Founder and Chairman, Jim Ovia, CON, for his pioneering role in building the structures and laying the foundation for an enduring and successful institution, the Board for the outstanding leadership they provide, the staff for their commitment and dedication as well as the Bank’s customers for their unwavering loyalty and support.

Global Finance’s “Best Banks Awards” are recognised amongst the world’s most influential banking/finance and corporate professionals as the most coveted and credible awards in the banking industry, with winners chosen in 150 countries and territories across Africa, AsiaPacific, the Caribbean, Central America, Central & Eastern Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, North America and Western Europe.

Founded in 1987, Global Finance regularly selects the top performers among banks and other financial services providers, and the awards have become a trusted standard of excellence for the global financial community. Joseph D. Giarraputo, publisher and editorial director of Global Finance, said: “With the financial world in a state of turmoil from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, corporate leaders face a new set of challenges concerning the choice of their banking relationships.” According to him, “following on the enormous difficulties wrought by the pandemic, these changes demand increased attention to global commercial relationships. Our awards support decision-makers in selecting the best financial partners.”

Zenith Bank’s track record of excellent performance has earned the brand numerous awards, including being voted as Best Commercial Bank in Nigeria in the World Finance Banking Awards 2021, Best Bank in Nigeria in the Global Finance World’s Best Banks Awards 2020 and 2021, Bank of the Year (Nigeria) in The Banker’s Bank of the Year Awards 2020, and Best in Corporate Governance ‘Financial Services’ Africa 2020 and 2021 by the Ethical Boardroom.

Also, the Bank emerged as the Most Valuable Banking Brand in Nigeria in the Banker Magazine Top 500 Banking Brands 2020 and 2021, Number One Bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 Capital in the “2021 Top 1000 World Banks” Ranking by The Banker Magazine and the Retail Bank of the year at the BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BOFI) Awards 2020 and 2021.

Similarly, Zenith Bank was honoured as Bank of the Decade (People’s Choice) at the ThisDay Awards 2020 and emerged winner in four categories at the Sustainability, Enterprise, and Responsibility (SERAS) Awards 2021, 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.

2023 Presidency: Special Islamic Prayers To Hold In Mecca For Tinubu

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Bola Tinubu in Mecca Prayer

By Akinwale Kasali

Political associates of frontline President Aspirant of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will all converge at the Islamic Holy Land, Mecca, Saudi Arabia for a Special Tawaf ahead of the 2023 election.

The Special Islamic Prayer, Tawaf, is to be held on Thursday, April 28, for the APC National Leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to seek God’s intervention for the former Lagos State Governor to triumph in the 2023 election.

The Prayer is Tagged ‘Special Tawaf for Asiwaju’, The session is to commence by 12 noon and would be conducted around Kaabah at the centre of Islam’s most important mosque, the Masjid al-Haram.

Participants are to wear the ihram attire and congregate at the King Abdulaziz Gate.

The Tawaf is expected to be attended by some Islamic scholars and political leaders from Nigeria, including the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt.Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, who said the event was also to thank Allah for the former Governor of Lagos ahead of the Presidential election.

According to Obasa, all those expected to partake in the Tawaf have the faith that Allah would ensure a peaceful electioneering and victory for Tinubu.

“We have come to seek the favour of Allah and His blessings for Asiwaju in the coming election. We are not testing Allah’s will and power but soliciting for His blessings, support and anointing because Allah is sufficient for us.

“We are doing this in support of Asiwaju’s Presidential ambition.

“Having consulted widely and across the country, we strongly believe that every other thing required for the success of the election and victory for Asiwaju are in the hand of Almighty Allah,” the Speaker said while urging other Muslims and well-meaning Nigerians to join the session.

2023: Governor Abiodun Dashes Tinubu’s Hope

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Dapo Abiodun and Yemi Osinbajo

By Akinwale Kasali

The hope of All Progressives Congress, APC, National Leader and frontline Presidential Aspirant, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to get the support of all the South-west delegates during the APC Presidential Primary, is not likely to materialise.

He is not likely to get Ogun State. This follows the open endorsement of,  and support for the Presidential aspiration of  Vice President Yemi Osinbajo by Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun.

Abiodun publicly supported the Presidential ambition of the former Lagos State Attorney General, saying that Osinbajo becoming the President of the Nation will enable him continue with some of the laudable projects of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.

At a stakeholders meeting in which Traditional Rulers in the State were present, Abiodun said Osinbajo, in the last seven years, has contributed to the many successes recorded by the Federal Government, noting “he is eminently qualified to lead the country”.

The  position of Governor Abiodun,  political observers say, could see him face the wrath of Tinubu for publicly pledging the support of the state APC delegates to Vice President Osinbajo.

“The Vice President, present here, is home-coming. We are pleased with his decision to run for the office of the President. He is competent and committed to lead the country in a higher capacity.

“Your steadfastness, integrity and character are all well known. You have been serving this country and the president meritoriously in the last seven years as the Vice President. We have no doubt that you will do well as the President and we will support you”, Abiodun stated.

Abiodun extolled the VP’s academic exploit, recalled how he stood behind his gubernatorial election, and described him as a man who is interested in fairness, justice, equity, and the rule of law.

In his speech, the VP said he was not in the state to campaign, but to inform his people of his intention to run for the office of the president.

He added that he had consulted widely across all sections of the society, including with President Muhammadu Buhari before he threw his hat into the ring to succeed his boss.

Recounting his contributions to the Federal Government, Osinbajo said he was actively involved in  Judiciary reforms and its repositioning to work optimally and ensure that Judges are adequately enumerated.

He said his working with President Buhari has exposed him to governance at the highest levels and placed him in a position to tackle serious issues concerning the economy, and security, among others.

“The Vice President’s position is an opportunity to serve and I have served with utmost loyalty. I put everything into my work. I am a candidate who will hit the ground running when I am elected.

“I have the requisite knowledge to do the job and build on what others have put in place. My Presidency will bring peace, unity, and development to the country”, the VP said.

“After all, I have learned if called upon to serve the nation, should I say no? I have decided that I will run for the office.  I have sworn an oath to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.  It is an oath to our people,  our children, and the future of Nigeria.  I owe nobody else any allegiance outside the oath”, he added.

Osinbajo commended the Abiodun-led administration for the giant strides it has recorded in the last three years, expressing the hope that his quest to lead the country would be fruitful.

The Paramount Ruler of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, in his remarks, posited that the Vice President was competent with the required qualification to lead the nation, observing his performance as the Acting President is there for all to see.

Speaking on the ambition of the Vice President, the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, attested to the competence of Osinbajo, saying: “the Vice President has paid his dues and is eminently qualified to succeed as President.

“I want to pray that you will come back to this Palace as a President and Nigeria will gain tremendously under your watch”, Alake said.

Simon Ekpa To Lockdown South-east For Three Consecutive Days In May

By
The Source
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By Charles Igbo

Trouble looms in the South-east of Nigeria in the month of May.

For three consecutive days, the Zone will be on lockdown. People will be forced to sit at home. It will be like a ghost zone, that is if the order prevails.

Beginning from May 16, 2022, to May 18 when it will end, nothing would work in the Zone. If anything, violence could reign. There could be a confrontation between State actors and non-State actors.

And, this time, it is not on the orders of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu-led Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB or its Directorate of Services, DOS. It is from Simon Ekpa, who Kanu’s IPOB has denounced and declared a criminal.

Finland based, Ekpa fell out with IPOB’s DOS, and since then, he has been on a solo mission, working at counter purposes with IPOB.

For instance, IPOB has since suspended the weekly sit-at-home order which it instituted to pressurise the Federal Government into releasing Kanu who has been in its custody since June, 2021. Seeing that it has failed to achieve its aim, and that the Federal Government couldn’t be bothered, and that it amounted to only the suffering of its own people who IPOB said it is protecting, IPOB suspended the exercise.

But since then, Ekpa and his group, identified by IPOB as Autopilot, has carried on with enforcing the sit-at-home order every Monday. The violence has continued and IPOB says Ekpa and his Autopilot are responsible for it.

Now, Ekpa has given a long notice for a three-day lockdown of the Region. In a post, he said it will be historic. “Get ready for a historic lockdown of Biafraland in the month of May. It will go down in the history of Biafra liberation that we lockdown (sic) our territory for three days demanding for the release of MNK.”

The Governors in the South-east, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Elders, Clerics have all decided to put a stop to the sit-at-home order which has spilled so much blood in the Zone, crippled the economy, and brought so much hardship and suffering to the people.

So, will Ekpa have his way in May? Will he have a change of mind? Will something finally give? Time will tell.

My Presidency Will Return Nigeria To Your Glorious Era, Obi Assures Adebanjo, Others

By
The Source
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Peter Obi

The frontline Presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Mr Peter Obi on Monday in Abuja assured surviving Nigeria nationalists that his Presidency will return Nigeria to the glorious era.

Responding to the lamentation of the 94 years old Afenifere leader Ayo Adebanjo who had bemoaned the state of Nigeria compared to his era as Zikist and later Awoist in the first and second republic, Obi said that those days Nigeria was producing but now they are sharing what other nations produced.

Obi assured Adebanjo and other Nigerians of his age that his Presidency will be returning Nigeria to producing rather than sharing economy.

The former Anambra state Governor also noted that the country is in bad shape and requires person with requisite experience and knowledge to save it hence his decision to join the race.

The highlights of the conference which featured key Presidential aspirants from the South East was the crowd shouting of ‘Obi is our best’, Okwute is our choice as he was called to speak.

2023: South East Group Calls For Consensus Igbo Presidential Candidate

By
The Source
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Chief Willy Ezugwu

Pan-Igbo sociopolitical pressure organisation, the South East Revival Group (SERG), has called for consensus Igbo presidential candidate for the South East region, insisting that for Nigeria to overcome her numerous economic woes and the ongoing security challenges, the 2023 presidential candidates of all political parties in the country should be Igbos.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by its President and National Coordinator, Chief Willy Ezugwu, the SERG said “we understand that the preference of certain political interest is a President of South East extraction but the Igbos are one people, no matter where they are found, including the South-South and the Middle Belt regions.

“We know that Igbos are nationalists by nature but we must also not forget that ancient Igbo slogan ‘Onye aghala nwanne ya’ (Be your brother’s keeper) which is the true Igbo spirit. It’s time for Ndigbo to unite irrespective of their current geographical location in the spirit of one brotherhood by which Igbos are known for”, the group observed.

The SERG then noted that “the heartbeat of most Nigerians ahead of 2023 presidential election is to come out of it a more united country and bring to an end the decades of marginalisation and abandonment of the South East region.

“We called on all Igbo sons and daughters to come together in each of the existing political parties to produce a concensus presidential candidate ahead of their party primaries.”

The group warned that “the cost of rejecting rotational Presidency in the country will be grave as it will end up destabilising the country owing to the imminent ethnic minority domination and the crisis it is capable of brewing in the nearest future.

“Political watchers can see that even the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) that has never believed in zoning has started to implement power rotation within its political equity system.

“Therefore, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other political parties that have adopted and clearly implemented zoning arrangements at their respective conventions but want to jettission power rotation at their presidential primaries because it is the turn of Igbos are the real haters of Nigeria’s unity.

“No country can survive in atmosphere of perceived or real injustices and palpable fear of ethnic domination.

“For us, a president of Nigeria of Igbo extraction with a vice president of North East extraction will lay a solid foundation for true inter-ethnic healing in the country.

“We are afraid that the ongoing attempts to change the goal posts in the middle of the game won’t be in the best interest of security of lives and property, national prosperity and even development of the country in the long run.

“We all can hear and must not ignore the salient voices of reason from the East, West, North and South, calling for equity and for a President of Nigeria of Igbo extraction in 2023 as panacea for a truly federal Republic of Nigeria”, the SERG stated.

Jonathan Mourns Graham-Douglas, Victims Of Imo Illegal Refinery Fire

By
The Source
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Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan
Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan

Former President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has condoled with the family of Opu-Alabo Tonye Graham-Douglas, the government and people of Rivers State over the passing of the former Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture who died on Monday at the age of 82 years.

Similarly, Dr. Jonathan also extended his commiserations to the government and people of Imo State, family members and loved ones of victims of the deadly illegal refinery fire in the State that claimed several lives.

The former President described the late Graham-Douglas as an elder statesman who diligently served his country and the people of Rivers state to the best of his abilities.

In a condolence letter to the Graham-Douglas family, Dr. Jonathan stated: “He was a successful entrepreneur, principled politician and democrat who made considerable contributions to the deepening of our democracy and the development of our nation.

“His records in the ministries of Aviation, Tourism and Labour and Productivity as well as Youth, Sports and Culture where he served variously as minister are eloquent testimonies of his patriotism and commitment to our national goals.

“Late Graham-Douglas was also an accomplished crusader for equity, justice and fairness and a dependable voice for the rights of the minorities, especially people of the Niger Delta.”

The former President also commiserated with Governor Hope Uzodimma and the people of Imo State over the explosion that killed scores of people at an illegal refinery site in the state.

The National Emergency Management Agency in the state on Monday confirmed that 110 bodies had been recovered from the site of the illegal refinery located in a forest in Abaezi community in the Ohaji Egbema Local Government Area of the state.

In a letter of condolence to Governor Uzodimma, Dr. Jonathan expressed sadness over the deadly explosion, describing it as a monumental tragedy. “I am deeply distressed by this extremely sad event which claimed the lives of scores of our fellow citizens.

My heart goes out to the injured and the members of the families of the deceased.“The authorities concerned should take proactive measures to ensure that such avoidable tragedies do not reoccur in any part of the country.”The former President appealed to those engaged in illegal oil refining operations to stop, stressing that such unpatriotic acts pose great danger to lives, the environment and the economy.

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