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PDP Crisis: APC Carpets Melaye For Alleging APC’s Involvement

By
Akinwale Kasali
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By Akinwale Kasali

Senator Dino Melaye, a chieftain in the opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has come under strong criticism over his allegations that the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, is behind his party’s recent travails, which led to legal battle between the embattled National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus and the party.

Melaye had made this remark on National Television, while making an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

Melaye had said, “PDP is not in a dilemma. My party is solid. There is no fear, no agitation. The agitation is rather from the APC, which is part of those orchestrating what we are saying.

“I want to tell you that we are not perturbed.” he said. “There is calmness in the PDP, all our programs and preparation towards the convention is ongoing.”

However, APC Stalwart,  Hon. Olu Ogunbanjo, has criticized Melaye, saying he is a rabble rouser, that wants to be noticed.

The former lawmaker in the House of Representatives said Melaye may have forgotten that the PDP’s Conflict Resolution Mechanism has broken down since Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike  assumed the opposition leader of the PDP.

He said the APC shouldn’t be dragged into the PDP crisis, because they are the architect of their problems and they should address their issues and stop apportioning blame.

Melaye, a former member of the APC, that cross carpeted to the PDP also said he had no plans of returning to the ruling party.

“No reasonable human being will go back to his vomit,” he said. “The APC is a disaster. For every human being, there is a journey of life. You will definitely pass through your Egypt to the land of Canaan. So I pass through Egypt, and that is APC; but I am in Canaan and I am comfortable and enjoying my stay.”

2023: Buhari Debunks Third Term Rumour, Swears By The Quran

By
Bayo Bernard
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President Muhammadu Buhari

By James Orji

President Muhammadu Buhari has disclosed that he will not embark on a futile exercise of a Third Term in office, also known as tenure elongation.

Buhari, who swept to power in 2015 is only allowed by the Constitution to serve a two term of four years which will end by May 29, 2023.

In spite of this legal provision, there are suggestions in some quarters that the army General-turned-politician is nursing a third term.

In 2019, Charles Enya, a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC in Ebonyi state, filed a suit, seeking the amendment of the constitution to allow Buhari get another term in office.

Enya, who served as organising secretary to Buhari during the 2019 general election, filed the suit (FHC/AI/CS/90/19) before a federal high court in Abakiliki, the state capital. seeking to compel Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, as well as the national assembly, to remove constitutional clauses hindering elected presidents and governors from seeking a third term in office., describing the two-term tenure limit for presidents and governors as “discriminator”.

But the president has warned those that may want to embark on such exercise to desist as he’s not poised to remain in office beyond 2023.

Buhari spoke at a meeting in Makkah with a select group of Nigerians resident in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia where he just ended a visit.

According to him, “I swore by the Holy Qur’an that I will serve in accordance with the constitution and leave when my time is up. No “Tazarce’’ (tenure extension). I don’t want anybody to start talking about and campaigning for unconstitutional extension. I will not accept that.”

Meanwhile, President Buhari has thrown his weight behind the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to conduct election electronically, noting that the introduction of the card reader and electronic register was a saving grace for him, after he unsuccessfully took a shot at the presidency, three times before he eventually won in 2015.

“After the third so-called defeat, I said, ‘God Dey’. My opponents laughed at me but God answered my prayers by bringing in technology. At that point, nobody can steal their votes or buy them,” he said..

President Buhari, who ended his visit to the Kingdom with the Friday Prayers at the Grand Mosque in Makkah said he will continue to abide by the constitution in all its ramifications and he will at all times supervise and deal with his ministers on same basis, saying that “eighteen months or so of my time left, whatever I can do to improve the life of Nigerians, I will do it for the country.”

Judges Harassment: Police Raids Abuja Home Of Supreme Court Justice, Mary odili

By
Bayo Bernard
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Justice Mary Odili attack on her Abuja residence

By James Orji

There appears no end to the harassment of judges in the country under the President Muhamamdu Buhari administration, following the raid on Friday, on the Abuja home of Honourable Justice Mary Odili, a justice of the Supreme Court, by security operatives led by officials of the Nigerian Police Force, NPF  Odili is the wife of a former Governor of Rivers state, Peter Odili

The former governor has been on the watchlist of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and recently had his international passport returned to him by the Nigerian Immigration Service, NIM following a court order to that effect.

It was learnt that the security operatives involved in the operation came with a search warrant and were made up of soldiers and officers of the Nigeria Police Force, NPF

The Source magazine has yet to ascertain why the search was conducted as Justice Odili has not been accused of any offence, neither is she under the investigation of  anti-graft agencies. But, sources said the search may not be unconnected with the problem that her husband is having with the EFCC.

But the EFCC said in a statement that it did not carry out the operation.

“The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has been drawn to claims in a section of the media that operatives of the Commission today, October 29, 2021 stormed the Maitama, Abuja home of a Judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Mary Odili, purportedly to execute a search,” Wilson Uwujaren, EFCC spokesman, said in a statement.

“The Commission by this statement wishes to inform the public that the report is false as it did not carry out any operation at the home of Justice Odili.

“If there was any such operation as claimed by the media, it was not carried out by the EFCC. The Commission enjoins the public to discountenance the report,” the anti-graft agency said.

This is not the first time security operatives have ransacked home of judges since President Buhari came to power in 2015.

In 2017, the Department of State Service, DSS conducted multiple raids on residences of judges in Abuja, Port Harcourt, Gombe, Kano, Enugu and Sokoto.

Judges whose homes were raided at the time include Adeniyi Ademola, and Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court in Abuja as well as Sylvester Ngwuta and John Okoro of the Supreme Court.

Also, the Kano home of a high court judge, Kabiru Auta, was raided along with another residence in Enugu belonging to the Chief Judge of the state, A. I. Umezulike.

‘Impunity Must Be Resisted, Am Appealing The Ruling’ – Secondus

By
The Source
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Uche Secondus

The suspended National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Uche Secondus has reacted to the ruling of which dismissed his suit seeking an injunction to stop the PDP National Convention scheduled for October 30 and 31 in Abuja.

He called it impunity, saying such impunity must stop.

He, also, said he would appeal the ruling.

Secondus had gone on appeal to stop the Convention based on the fact that his tenure as Chairman would expire in December. But threeHigh Courts, two in Rivers State, and one in Cross River State, suspended him from office.

He insists he is the only one, as the legal Chairman, empowered by the PDP constitution to conduct the Convention which will usher in a new Executive.

The Court of Appeal Port Harcourt Division, however, knocked him off. The Court refused to grant him any such injunction.

In a statement signed on his behalf by his Media Adviser, Ike Abonyi, Secondus said: ” The issue is not about Secondus but about the sanctity of our party conduct and core Democratic principles of justice and rule of law not only in PDP but in our democracy. No impunity must be condoned.”

Following is the full text of the statement.

“I have just been briefed of the ruling of the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt dismissing my motion to halt the National Convention of the party. I respect the position of the court even though I disagree totally with it.

“Even as the substantive case is still  pending at the Court of Appeal, I have instructed my lawyers to study the ruling with a view to appealing it immediately as no abuse of the constitution of our dear party should be allowed to stand.

“The issue is not about Prince Uche Secondus but about the sanctity of our party constitution and core democratic principles of justice and rule of law not only in PDP but in our democracy. No impunity must be condoned.

“I will, therefore, wish to emphasis the fact that I did not take the party to court and would not have done that. As a foundation member of this party who has served at various levels, State Chairman, Chairman of state Chairmen, National Organizing Secretary, Deputy National Chairman, Acting National Chairman and now National Chairman, am very much abreast with the workings of the party.

“I have been a witness to how much harm litigations have done to our party in the past and as a result I have been a strong advocate against settling issues in courts.

“This was why I resisted and rejected entreaties of those who wanted me to go to court  to halt these forces when it was obvious that they were determined to disrupt my leadership and truncate my tenure in office with the sole objective of hijacking the party for their selfish ulterior motives.

“To allow this travesty to stand is to reduce our beloved party to a level where anybody can wake up over night and remove officers against the proscribed  constitutional process and the National Chairman for that matter. And purporting to use the judiciary through an experte order to legitimize same.

“As a major practitioner in our democracy, I am duty bound to protect and defend the sanctity of the provisions of our constitution of which am the custodian.

I wish to, therefore  at this juncture thank and appreciate leaders and other stakeholders of our party who have called in to express their concerns on this matter and appeal for the understanding of all.

“If those who orchestrated and fostered this avoidable crisis had listened to wise counsel of party leaders and elders who advised the withdrawal of  cases, this situation would have been avoidable. I wish the party well as always.

“Thanks and God bless.”

Our Sit At Home Order Not Targeted At Anambra Election – IPOB

By
Ayodele Oni
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By Ayodele Oni

Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has said its position on lockdown of the Southeast for five days beginning from November 5 to 10 has nothing to do with the Governorship election in Anambra state. However, not many people believe its claim. Most people insist it is targeted at the election as everybody, including the leadership of IPOB knows that what they are asking for is not possible.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) has fixed the Anambra election for November 6.

IPOB, in a statement pointed out that its directive was to pressurize  the Federal Government to release its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, on or before the date.

The statement signed by the Publicity secretary, Emma Powerful insisted that IPOB has not come out with any position as regards the election.

“The global movement and family of the IPOB, ably led by our great and indefatigable leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, wish to clarify that contrary to speculations and blackmail, IPOB has never made any official statement or called for the boycott of Anambra State governorship election, coming up on November 6, 2021.

“It will, therefore, be wrong for people to speculate or peddle falsehood against us when there is no basis for such.

“For the sake of clarity, what we said was that the entire Biafra land would be locked down from November 5 to November 10, 2021, if by November 4 the Federal Government fails to release our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, unconditionally. Our position has nothing to do with Anambra election.

“All we need is the release of our leader who committed no crime to be held perpetually in custody.

“We have gathered, through intelligence, the plot by Nigerian Government to keep our leader in detention perpetually through frivolous court adjournments.

“We knew their evil plans when they were killing their fellow politicians and blaming it on IPOB. They should leave us alone.

“Using the social media to link IPOB to Anambra election shows most of them are not informed about plots by the Nigerian Government and her security operatives to hijack this election and give it to whom they feel to perfect establishment of RUGA in Anambra State.

“But that won’t work for them, because IPOB is ahead of their game plan. We urge media houses to be objective in their reportage and crosscheck their facts.

“IPOB has never, at any time, called for boycott of Anambra election. Media houses should stop publishing lies against us.”

Most people and organisation, including Ohanaeze Ndigbo, have condemned the IPOB threat, and asked that it be rescinded.

Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Reopens November 5

By
Ayodele Oni
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0

By Ayodele Oni

The Management of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, Osun state, has announced the reopening the University, which was shut down in the wake of the students protests early this month.

This was contained in a statement  the Public Relations Officer of the University, Abiodun Olarewaju, made available on Friday.

According to the statement,  the decision to reopen the University was taken at an Emergency Meeting of the Senate, held on Friday, 29th October, 2022.

The release explained that  students would come to residence on Friday, 5th November, 2021 and continue with their examinations on Saturday, 6th of November, 2021 in tandem with what was previously on ground.

“Parents and guardians are hereby advised to inform their children and wards, particularly those who have already finished their examinations to stay at home so that none of them would use the excuse of the reopening of the University to do something untoward.

“Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Eyitope Ogunbodede, then charged the Students to be law abiding and not to engage in anything that could further elongate the session.”

The students had been writing their examinations on the 2nd October, 2021 before they embarked on protests over the death of one of them, which they blamed on carelessness of workers at the university’s health centre.

Breaking: Appeal Court Dashes Secondus Hope, Says PDP Convention Should Hold

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Uche Secondus

By Akinwale Kasali

One could possibly say this is the end of the road for Prince Uche Secondus, embattled Chairman of the opposition Party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, following the verdict of the Court of Appeal Ruling in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, that ordered that the PDP Convention scheduled for October 30 and 31st 2021, should go ahead.

The three-man Appeal Court cleared the PDP to proceed with its national convention, however, dismissing the motion for Interim order of injunction brought by Secondus, seeking the suspension of the party’s convention.

An Appeal Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, has dismissed the suit filed by Uche Secondus to challenge the forthcoming convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

All the three judges led by Justice Haruna Tsammani affirmed the ruling without any dissenting voice.

Secondus, in an appeal marked CA/PH/ 339, had asked the court to restrain PDP from conducting its national convention slated for October 30 and 31, 2021, after been edged out following his feud with Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.

Secondus had through his Lawyer, Tayo Oyetubo, prayed the court to suspend the convention and grant him the right to preside over the exercise.

But on Friday, the court set aside Secondus Appeal.

The main suit is, however, still in Court. Secondus is arguing that his tenure expires in December, and his suspension, illegal.

Already, 3,600 delegates are in Abuja for the Convention.

Jonathan Leaves for Kenya to Attend AU High-Level Retreat on Mediation

By
The Source
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Goodluck Jonathan

Former President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, according to a statement signed by his Media Adviser, Ike Eze, will depart Abuja on Saturday  for Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, to attend the 12th African Union (AU) High-Level Retreat on the promotion of peace, security and stability in Africa.

Dr. Jonathan who is the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Special Envoy for Mali and also Chairman of ECOWAS Council of the Wise will be attending the three-day event which is designed for High Representatives, Special Envoys and Special Representatives of the Chairperson of the Commission (SRCC) to brainstorm on ways of  improving the impact of ongoing mediation efforts across the continent.

AU’s Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, who signed the invitation letter, stated that the retreat which theme is ‘Improved Coordination and Harmonization for Impactful Mediation’ would bring together Chairperson of the Commission, senior Kenyan government officials, as well as representatives of AU member states, regional organisations, international agencies and AU organs.

He said: “It will also provide participants an opportunity to reflect, take stock and review ongoing mediation efforts in the evolving conflict context on the continent, towards better coherence for more sustained Impact. The retreat would in addition offer insights and exchanges by mediation practitioners on emerging policy and practice as it relates to inclusivity, particularly on women, youth and civil society.”

Background information provided by AU described the annual High Level Retreat on the Promotion of Peace, Security and Stability as one of the key continental body’s initiatives for improving impact in addressing conflict contexts in Africa.

“Established in 2010 during the Africa Year of Peace and Security, the High-Level Retreat has become the leading forum for the Special Envoys, High Representatives and Special Representatives of the Chairperson of the Commission (SRCCs), and Mediators working in Africa to share experiences and best practices in the areas of conflict prevention, peacebuilding and peacemaking”, it said.

Over the years the Retreat has strategically engaged with timely, contextual and challenging issues, with a particular emphasis of strengthening mediation capacity and collaboration on the continent. Most recently, in 2020 under the theme, ‘The future of mediation in Africa: Towards silencing the Guns-Lessons and Opportunities from the Covid-19 Pandemic”, the High- Level Retreat focused on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the African continent and the implications for peacemaking and peacebuilding.”

Lagos-Abeokuta Road: Abiodun Chides Protesters, Says Governance No Joke

By
Akinwale Kasali
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0

By Akinwale Kasali

…As NLC Stages Massive Protest After Expiration Of 21-Day Ultimatum

Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has sternly warned protesters at the Lagos-Abeokuta Road and Ado Odo Ota Local Council Development Area of the State to stop embarrassing and presenting the State in bad light to the world.

Residents and members of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, had taken to the streets to protest the deplorable State of the road, that has often led to gridlocks, accidents, stalling  businesses within the area.

Governor Abiodun stated that the roads are Federal Government roads and due to paucity of funds of his administration, he cannot embark on such project.

Expressing his disappointment over the conduct of the protesters, the Governor said it was a deliberate attempt by some individuals to soil his name and that of his Government

He described the protests as “unfortunate”, while giving his position on the issue in a virtual meeting with representatives of Ogun East Senatorial District on the 2022 budget held at the Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta,

He berated the demonstrators for trying to paint Ogun in “colours that do not represent the State”.

“The attempted demonstration in Sango-Ota is most unfortunate. Some people take delight in painting our State in a colour that does not represent our State.

“Ota is very important to us. The first set of roads by this administration was in that local government. The most expensive road, that is the Atan-Agbara road, is in the Local Government.

“Ogun and Lagos Governments have made attempts to get the Federal Government release funds for the Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta road to us for reconstruction, but no response. I have called on several occasions to Federal Government to give attention to the road. That road did not just get bad in the last two years”, he stated.

The Governor said some set of individuals are merely playing politics with issue affecting the lives of the people.

He disclosed that a sum of N75b would be needed to rebuild the road, declaring that the State does not have such money.

“Please be responsible, don’t play to the gallery. Governance is not a joke”, Gov. Abiodun warned.

The NLC had warned the State and FG that it would engage in a week long protest starting from the 27th October 2021 against the deplorable State of the road if the Government fails to take responsibility and fix the road.

It would be recalled that Minister of Works and Housing, Raji Fashola, had promised residents that the roads will be fixed soonest.

But residents are perturbed that despite the promise by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, nothing has been done, instead the roads  continued to be in pathetic state.

The NLC Ogun State Chapter Chairman, Emmanuel Bankole said they decided to storm the streets to protest after the expiration of 21 days ultimatum given to the State and FG on the repair of the Sango-Ota section of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.

Bankole described Fashola as a liar, who thinks he can fool the people.

The workers and residents carried placards with various inscriptions such as “Enough of bad governance”, “Dapo Abiodun, let us enjoy the dividends of democracy in Ogun”, “Dapo, this suffering is too much”, “Hear our cries, Ogun people are suffering”, “Dapo repair our roads, it is our right,” and others, which stalled vehicular movement.

Bankole added that Ogun workers had declared Fashola a “persona non grata”, saying, “we don’t want to see him, he lied to us, he fooled us.”

Bankole said, “21 days ago, we were here. We gave an ultimatum to the government that we are not pleased with the state of the roads; particularly the Minister of Works coming here to promise that palliative works will commence immediately and several weeks after nothing was done. That was why the 21 days ultimatum was given.

“Interestingly, a few days ago, they started some works. We can see some loads of granites by the State Government. But this is not yet what we asked for. The Minister was here and he promised to commence immediate palliative, which is yet to happen.

“As such, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, for coming to lie to the citizens of Ogun State, he is being declared ‘persona non grata’ in Ogun State. We are declaring him an enemy of Ogun State. We don’t want to see him in Ogun State for coming to fool and deceive us that palliative works will commence and nothing was done.

“We saw what is in the ground which is the effort of the State Government. The Federal Government cannot be collecting all the money and be inflicting pain on us. That’s why we are here to make the statement loud and clear that Babatunde Raji Fashola, the Ministry of Works and also the FERMA in Ogun State are being declared persona non grata.

“When we leave this place, we are going to the FERMA’s office in Abeokuta and also Ministry of Works to send message to their headquarter in Abuja that we are not pleased with what they are doing.”

2023: CAN Cautions Against Christian/Christian, Muslim/Muslim Ticket

By
Akinwale Kasali
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0

By Akinwale Kasali

Just like the case of Social Democratic Party, SDP, in the 1993 Presidential election that fielded Two Muslims, Late Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola and Bashir Tofa in the annulled election, the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has strongly opposed a Christian/Christian and Muslim/Muslim ticket in the 2023 election.

The Religious organization made this assertion through its President, Samson Ayokunle, when the CAN leadership visited the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege at the National Assembly in Abuja, Nigeria’s Capital.

Ayokunle said political parties should bury the thought of Christian/Christian tickets or Muslim/Muslim Presidential tickets in 2023, because this will heat up the polity, leading to crisis.

CAN also cautioned politicians not to heat up the polity with utterances as campaigns commence.

It, however, advised politicians to always remember there is already tension across Nigeria due to insecurity

“We urge that a balance of both religious practitioners be considered. We don’t want Christian/Christian ticket nor Muslim/Muslim ticket”, he said.

Ayokunle expressed disappointment with the economic downturn and its consequences on the people.

The CAN President called for quick actions and policies that will cushion the effect. Enabling environment, CAN said, should be created for investments and incentives or tax exceptions given to local manufacturers on some goods”, Ayokunle added.

“Unemployment is at an unimaginable level. While we appreciate the efforts of the legislature in calling the attention of the executive, more robust and daring efforts are required.”

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