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AFCON 2022: A Long Walk Ahead For Super Eagles

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Super Eagles - Qatar 2022 Qualifiers

Weeks after the sack of former Coach of the Super Eagles, Gernot Rohr, the Interim Coach, Augustine Eguavoen, and his Coaching Crew are yet to come out with a footprint for the National Team as the  African Cup of Nations 2022 championships draws closer

By Akinwale Kasali

Mixed feelings had greeted the appointment of interim coach, Augustine Eguavoen. Some hailed the decision of allowing an indigenous Coach to lead the team to the continental showpiece, while some faulted the decision to appoint Eguavoen who had not had a successful coaching career.

He led the Super Eagles to a Bronze medal finish at the 2006 AFCON tournament in Egypt, and also made a cameo appearance in the coaching department for few matches, but his performances in the domestic league with Enyimba in the Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL, ended in disaster.

With the National side struggling in its matches, the need for it to be strengthened was necessary. This led to the sack of the Franco-German tactician.

However, since after the sack of Rohr, there has not been any development and footprint for soccer enthusiasts, fans and analysts can point at to show that the three-time AFCON winners would add to its medal haul.

Eguavoen had earlier said that he was inviting 40 players, whose bulk will be those who had been playing for the National side with just five new players to make up the 40.

This move has led to series of questions been posed by analysts and enthusiasts.

Why would you invite 40 players and you intend picking only 23? Why the waste of resources in inviting such large number of players? There is limited time for you to do thorough screening for the invited players?

These and more are questions begging for answers.

Olalekan Ologbon, a sport analysts and General Manager, Kosach Football Academy, faulted the move by Eguavoen saying how on earth a coach would invite so much players with just weeks to the tournament.

“I don’t know the rationale behind the choice of Eguavoen, but his moves and decision will affect the performance of the team.

“The players Rohr used to prosecute the AFCON and World Cup qualifiers are superb, their usage on the pitch and the poor interpretation of matches led to his sack. All Eguavoen needed is to stick with these players and add two to three players, not naming over 40 players and you will still drop 17. That is wasteful and unrealistic for a coach that wants to succeed”.

Babatunde Balogun, a soccer enthusiast, said the sack of Rohr was wrong. Though, he didn’t say he shouldn’t be sacked, but not weeks before a major tournament.

“The appointment of Eguavoen in my own opinion is not the right choice, because he has been off the radar and he doesn’t have a blueprint for the National team.

“Inviting 40 players shows that he has no plan, no direction and no blue print.

“It will be a miracle if he would repeat the AFCON 2006 Bronze medal winning. I don’t see us going far in the tournament”.

Nigeria is grouped alongside seven-time AFCON Champion, Egypt, Sudan and Guinea Bissau.

Nigerian Boys Scout To Enact New Laws To Prepare Youths For Leadership Role

By
Ayodele Oni
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Prince Olusoga Atibioke

By Ayodele Oni

The Pro-President of Ondo State Scout Council, Prince Olusoga Atibioke, has reteriated the roles of Scouting in building a viable Society describing the organization as the greatest asset in the country.

Prince Atibioke, while addressing the 2021 Annual General Meeting organized by Ondo State Scout Council in Akure stated that the body was formed to promote unity and mental co-existence, which are critical to the survival, growth and development of the nation.

“I believe strongly that the Scouts are the bedrock of societal development and if a scout is educated, trained and empowered, he or she is built; and if you build the Scouts, you build a nation.”

Atibioke stressed that the organization is set to develop new curricular towards the development of the Youths as future Leaders of Nigeria.

“Scouting started in 1907 with just 20 boys on the Brown Sea Island, and today, it has become the biggest single voluntary organization Worldwide with over 57 Million members.

“The Vision of Scouting is to attain 100 Million membership by 2023.

“However, in order to attain this number, as the Leader of Scouting in Ondo State, l am challenging the team towards setting a target of One Million members in Ondo State within the next two years.

“And to achieve this goal, our focus would be to engage our youths from cradle of being Eaglet Scouts to being Adult Scouts, by educating them in the act of good citizenship, and Leadership programmes.

“We plan to engage and align with the Ondo State House of Assembly to re enact the Scout Association of Nigeria Law into the Law of the Ondo State Government.

“This will abolish the old Western Nigeria Boys Scout Association of Nigeria Law that has been obsolete, and concentrate efforts alone on the Boys, without minding the Gender Sensitivity within our Society.

“Upon the enactment of this law, we shall partner with the State Executive council through His Excellency, the Governor and his Deputy, to get them on board as the State Patron and State Deputy Patron of Scouts, and then interface with the Ministry of Education and Youth, to take Scouting back to Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Schools in Ondo State.

“Our Educational Method will focus on developing Good Citizenship and Leadership, since Scouting is about Leadership, we would be ready to offer ourselves for service to Train Leadership in Public and Private Organizations.

Other things that we are planning to embark upon, are programmes on Diversity and Inclusion, Social Impacts, training youths to be agents of positive changes within our communities without any discrimination to gender, color or where you are from.”

During the annual general meeting, Elections of New Officers of the State Scouts Committee took place.

The Former State Scout Commissioner, Prince Simple Mohammed Abdullahi, gave report of his tenure after which the Committee was dissolved and elections were conducted for the post of State Scout Treasurer and State Scout Commissioner.

Reverend Ajibola was re elected as the State Scout Treasurer and Ambassador Taiwo Jeremiah Oladeji was elected as the New State Scout Commissioner for itfor the next three years.

In attendance at the AGM were representatives of the Commissioners for Youths and Sports in Ondo State, Mr. Kolawole Abiodun, and the National Youth Council Chairman, Ondo State Chapter, Comrade Fadile.

Representatives of the District and Divisional Councils with over 67 members of the Ondo State Scout Council were also in attendance.

Ekiti 2022: Wole Olanipekun Says It’s Wrong To Deny Southern Zone Governorship

By
Ayodele Oni
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By Ayodele Oni

Legal icon, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, has thrown his weight in support of the agitation for the South Senatorial District of Ekiti State to produce a successor to Governor Kayode Fayemi.

He, however, blamed politicians from the zone for the seeming abandonement saying most of them prefer to play the second fiddle to their counterparts from other zones.

Chief Olanipekun, an Indigenes of Ikere Ekiti from the zone, spoke during an annual Christmas feast he sponsored for notable Indigenes.

The former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, (NBA) pointed out that political marginalisation and misadventures of the zone in the State’s governance structure were caused by politicians.

“Political leaders of southern extraction are architects of their political misfortunes, they are too timid to speak out for the zone in its quest to produce a governor.

“Disunity among the ranks and files of politicians that are working at cross purposes, has made the struggle to produce governor impossible.

“Some of our prominent politicians in the south are midgets, they betray the zone’s cause to mount the governorship seat in exchange for political tokenism.

“They are willing tools in doing the dictates and biddings of those from the North and Central zones solely for their parochial and selfish interests.

“I pity those who say they are politicians from the Ekiti South. They want to play second fiddle because they think they are inferior.

“That is the way I see it. But if you say I want to be deputy governor and I want to play a second fiddle, then, they will treat you as a second fiddler.

“To me, I don’t blame the people from the North, if you so-called politicians from the South feel inferior and they give them political tokenism and they will accept it.

“They see themselves as nugget and see those from the North and Central as the giants. And they behave like zombies.”

He was not happy that the zone has been relegated to the background in the State’s convoluted political equations despite its humongous electoral weight in terms of population, the calibre of political actors and the number of Local Government Areas.

According to him, the District, which was reputed for being an anchorage of giants in all spheres of endeavours has become a laughing stock in the politics of Ekiti and victim of political chicaneries since the beginning of the state’s democratic journey.

Chief Olanipekun insisted that fairness, equity and justice demanded the plum position should be the turn of Ekiti South in the next political dispensation, adding that the marginalisation must stop to foster the indivisibility and homogeneity of the state.

“I am a lawyer and I thank God for what He has done for me but assuming Obasanjo did not become the president for two-term of eight years how would we, the Southwest feel.

“Look at what happened in 1999, when the two leading parties yielded the tickets to Obasanjo and Falae both from the Southwest.

“To me, whether you are APC, PDP, APGA or YPP they should say this time around the Ekiti South should produce the next governor come June 18, 2022.

“You see I hate cheating and God doesn’t even like it. When you look at your Bible after the people of God entered the promised Land and Moses was trying to share the land, he started with all the tribes.

“So, what are we talking about the power shift to the South come 2023, if we can’t practice what we are agitating against right from our home.

“We must not allow Ekiti state to become a state of landlord and tenant that some people are tenants and others landlords. Everyone is equal.”

“It’s Either The Presidency or Nothing Else” – Anyim

By
The Source
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Anyim Pius Anyim

Anyim Pius Anyim, a major contender to the office of the Nigerian President, under the auspices of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, has once more reaffirmed his determination to pursue his ambition of becoming the President of Nigeria in 2023 to the end.

Responding to the pleas not to back down nor play a second fiddle, independently made by a delegation from Southern Kaduna and a Coalition of Niger Delta group, Anyim assured them of his resolve to fight the battle to the end.

The groups, led by Professor Dogara Mato and Joseph Opuma respectively, had paid him a courtesy visit in his office, pledging to swim and sink with him, only if he assures them that he would remain resolute till the end.

Boosting their confidence, Anyim assured, “I’m only contesting for the office of the President and nothing else.”

He told the delegations that his confidence is buoyed by the enormous strides, his party, the PDP had made in the institution of Democracy in Nigeria.

He reminded the Niger Delta group that his party, the PDP, established the Niger Delta Amnesty program and ensured that it was nurtured to a very successful end.

According to him, majority of the Ex-Militants today from Niger Delta are successful doctors, Engineers, politicians etc.

Anyim informed the group that he gave his best not only to ensure the success of the exercise under Goodluck Jonathan regime but also that he committed himself to the over all successes of Jonathan administration.

Anyim told his excited audience that the humane approach of leadership adopted by PDP which yielded a huge result in the Niger Delta experiment will be replicated under his regime. According to him, “Whenever you take your citizens as citizens and give them reasons to be resourceful, I am convinced they will surely become patriotic.”

Meanwhile, the Professor Dogara group from Kaduna State had earlier told Anyim that they have not only come to pledge loyalty to him but to ask that they be incorporated into his campaign team. Dogara, a former Deputy Speaker of the Kaduna state House of Assembly, told Anyim that his pedigree has endeared him not just to the group but to the heart of many Nigerians.

Recalling Anyim’s unifying roles in the National Assembly, Dogara reminded Anyim that Nigeria presently is in dire need of his type of leadership begging him to, “please step forward fast to come and unite us,”  Dogara pleaded. Anyim however assured them that their support and that of the many others have emboldened him to sustain the struggle for the exalted office. He reminded them too that in addition to their hopes, that the resolutions of the Southern governors that presidency must go to the South has added another impetus to his struggle.

Anyim re-echoed his earlier assertions that Nigeria and Nigerians under his leadership will be United, proud, happy and with plenty of hopes for themselves and their country. Once more, he promised, “my  regime will harness the diversities of the country , in an inclusive governance, give everyone a sense of belonging and weld the divergent interests together into a huge asset”, Anyim assured.

Pope Appoints Nwachukwu As Vatican Rep To UN

By
Bayo Bernard
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By James Orji

The head of the Vatican, Pope Francis has appointed Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu, as the new Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations Office and Specialized Institutions in Geneva.

Nwachukwu role also include Permanent Observer to the World Trade Organization, WTO and the Representative of the Holy See to the International Organization for Migration,IOM.

The 61-year-old Nwachukwu replaces Bishop Ivan Jurkovic, previously appointed nuncio in Canada.

The appointment was contained in a press release from the Office of the Secretariat of the Episcopal Conference of the Antilles dated Friday, December 17, 2021, where Archbishop Nwachukwu is currently serving as Nuncio.

According to the statement, “the Holy Father has appointed Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu, titular of Acquaviva and until now apostolic nuncio in Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Jamaica, Grenada, the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Santa Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Suriname, and apostolic delegate in the Antilles; and Holy See Plenipotentiary Representative at the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), as Holy See Permanent Observer to the United Nations and Specialised Institutions in Geneva and at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and Holy See Representative at the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

“He sincerely appreciates your support during his mission in this region and requests that you accompany him with your prayers and friendship as he prepares to assume the new responsibilities.”

Archbishop Nwachukwu has previously been assigned as Apostolic Nuncio to Saint Lucia, Grenada, and the Bahamas on 27 February 2018; and Apostolic Nuncio to Suriname on 9 March 2018; and Apostolic Nuncio to Belize on 8 September 2018.

The spiritual head of Catholic faithful all worldwide had three weeks ago, appointed another Nigerian Bishop Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo as a member to the Vatican Dicastery for Communications.

Badejo was Bishop of Oyo Diocese before his appointment to the Vatican top position.

The Dicastery of Communications is the administrative department of the Holy See through which the Pope directs affairs that pertain to Social Communications in the Roman Catholic Church.

Electoral Bill: NASS Bows To Buhari, Won’t Override President

By
Bayo Bernard
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By James Orji

Those expecting a rowdy session in the National Assembly this week over the refusal of President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the amended Electoral Bill will be disappointed. There are reports many lawmakers are spoiling for war and may attempt to override the president on the bill.

But the magazine has learnt, that senators and House of Representatives will rather find an amicable solution to the issue than set out on a confrontation with the president.

The 30 days window provided by the Constitution for the president to sign the electoral bill expired on Sunday, December 19. The bill which polarized the Assembly and governors elected on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC was transmitted to President Buhari on November 19 for his assent.

The new provision in the amended Electoral Act 2021 is expected to replace the old law where political parties were allowed to determine the mode of choosing candidates for elective positions.

Indirect primaries, where delegates are picked to elect party candidates had been adopted in the past by political parties. The process, many contend is not transparent and mostly hijacked by governors who force their candidate on the parties.

Many APC governors are not happy with the new provision where candidates expected to fly the parties’ flag will be elected directly by registered members of such political parties.

The governors were said to have exerted pressure on the president not to sign the bill, to the anger of many lawmakers who reports said will try to override the president by passing the bill into law.

The Constitution provides for 30 for the president to sign a bill sent to him by the NASS or return same to the assembly in case he refused his assent.

Even though the president had yet to return the bill to the assembly, sources in the Presidency told the magazine on Monday, that the bill will be returned to the lawmakers this week by Senator Babajide Omoworare, the Senior Special Assistant, SSA to the president on National Assembly Matters.

Ahead of its return, the magazine learnt that some senators and house of Reps members are already holding meetings on how to resolve the debacle. Some are poised to override the president while many lawmakers said the issue will be resolve amicable “in such a way that will further polarise the ruling APC. There must be a consensus on the matter because our party is already facing series of problem that threatens its foundation, therefore, the Electoral Bill issue is likely to add more fuel to the divisions in the party if not well handled,”a ranking senator from Nasarrawa state told the magazine.

Many APC lawmakers are not ready to go to war with the president on the issue despite the extreme position adopted by some of their colleagues that they must override the president on the issue.

Opeyemi Bamidele, a senator representing Ekiti had last week warned of serious consequence for the nation’s electoral process if the president failed to sign the bill into law.

The Chairman, Southern Senators’ Forum, who also chairs the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, said The Electoral Act at the end of the day is not about the National Assembly, “it is not about the President or any individual or institution. It is about the people of Nigeria, our democracy, the survival of same and growth of same. It is about moving Nigeria forward.

“Those who felt strongly about the idea of putting a clause in our proposed electoral bill to guarantee direct primaries as a method of choosing candidates of political parties meant well for the country. Some of those who are trying to oppose it also have logical arguments.”

In spite of the restiveness in both chambers over the president’s decision to reject the bill, the magazine learnt that some top aides in the presidency and National Assembly leaders will meet on the issue before the end of the week.

“The meeting will involve the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila and leaders of the party. The meeting will take place before the bill is returned, so as to douse tension. The leaders of the Assembly will also in due course meet with the president formally to address the matter amicably in the party way,” a source in the presidency said on Monday.

Despite the massive support for the bill among opposition parties, international community and civil societies organisations, CSO who said it has the potential of turning around the nation’s election process, Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to the President On Media and Publicity had on December 6 said no ramifications for Buhari’s presidency if he failed to sign the bill into law.

Buhari’s “reputation as somebody who wants to leave clean elections for Nigeria has already been made whether the electoral act is signed or not. It doesn’t distract from that reputation,” Adesina said.

FG Disburses N100bn To MSMEs In 5 Years

By
Bayo Bernard
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0

By Fola James

The federal government has disbursed over N100 billion for the promotion of small and medium scale businesses in the country since President Muhammadu Buhari came to power, the Minister of state for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo has said.

The minister disclosed this in a statement, on Sunday, noting that the fund was disbursed through the Development Bank of Nigeria, DBN. The period of disbursement, Keyamo said is between 2017 and 2021, adding that the federal government is poised to eradicating unemployment caused by corruption and other social problems.

According to him, “even though the Federal Government is working hard at check terrorism and all other forms of criminality and violent crimes, it is equally prosecuting the war against mass unemployment.

“I am proud that the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), whose board I am privileged to chair and also directly supervise, is effectively leading that war against mass unemployment. Let me inform you all that the Federal Government has put all plans in place to ensure that businesses succeed in Nigeria.

He said the Buhari government have addressed many unemployment problems since it came to power in 2015, adding that efforts targeted at lifting women and youths from proverty.

Keyamo said, “the present administration has launched a series of funding and capacity development initiatives designed to support Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

“Since 2017, the Development Bank of Nigeria has disbursed a total of N100 billion through the bank’s 27 participating financial institutions (PFIs), thereby impacting more than 100,000 MSMEs. It is heartwarming to note that 52 percent of loans disbursed in 2019 and 2020 were to youths and women-owned businesses.

“Our goal is to provide them with quick income-generating opportunities because of their roles in providing family support and sound social stability at the very foundation of society,” he said. I am proud to inform you that the Women Employment Branch (WEB) of the Small Scale Enterprises Department of the NDE is responsible for driving initiatives aimed at providing ample opportunities for women with the entire framework of our employment creation processes.

“Our objective in empowering women is clear. We create employment for women to improve their socio-economic status, reduce poverty, create wealth and boost their leadership qualities, so that they can have a say in their immediate community in relevant decision-making processes,” the minister said.

Soldier/Corper Saga: Fear of Dismissal As Officer’s Fate Hangs

By
Bayo Bernard
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0

By James Orji

The  Nigerian Army has responded to the detention of Hannah Sofiat, a female soldier who was involved in an amorous relationship with a male  member of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC in Kwara state. A video clip went viral last week where the soldier kissed the Corps member after he proposed to her. Sofiat has since been detained by the Army authority.
Some human rights activists, including the publisher of Sahara Reporter Omoyele Sowore have demand the immediate release of the soldier.

In a Facebook post on Sunday, Sowore said no law prevents anyone from accepting a marriage proposal in military uniform.

He said, “#FreeSofiat HQ Nigerian Army is illegally holding Army Private Hannah Sofiat A, her offence was accepting a marriage proposal from her National Youth Corps Service lover at a Mammy Market in Ilorin. There is no law that prevents anyone from accepting a marriage proposal in military uniform but as it is typical of the pre-civilization Nigerian military, she was clamped into detention at Sobi Military Cantonment in Ilorin, Kwara State.

“The Nigerian military must release Sofiat asap and apologise to her for illegal detention. #RevolutionNow.”

But reacting to the issue, the Director of Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, told The PUNCH that  the female officer violated military laws by getting involved in a public display of amorous relationship with a paramilitary trainee – a corps member.

The Army spokesman, however, did not say whether the female soldier will be dismissed  from the military over the act.

Nwachukwu said the female soldier violated the Nigerian Army’s rules and regulations guiding the codes of conduct of military personnel when deployed for duty, noting that the soldier’s  action amounted to taking advantage of her trainee. The female soldier, the Army spokesman said, displayed indiscipline  which is frowned at in the military.

According to him, “the female soldier in question violated the following rules of the NA: fraternisation while on official duty at the NYSC camp. That is, indulging in an amorous relationship with a trainee.

“Personnel must have served for three years before he/she can qualify for marriage. She disobeyed the Armed Forces of Nigeria standing guidelines and directives for the use of Social Media. Indulging in romance while in uniform.

“Her conduct was prejudicial to good order and military discipline. All the above, if proven are in violation of extant laws with attendant disciplinary and penal implications.

“As a personnel, her task was to train the Youth Corps members and not to indulge in amorous relationship with any of them. These rules were put in place for the purpose of proper administration and discipline in the Army.  If I may ask, what if the soldier was a male? How would the public have perceived his action? Definitely, it would have been perceived as taking advantage of a female Corper, a trainee, put in his care for training.”

He said officers are bound by the military rules which they have sworn to obey

“the Nigerian Military like all others, has its disciplinary codes, distinct from that of the general society. All personnel have voluntarily undertaken to be bound by this code.

Last month, the Nigerian Navy detained, for several days, comedian Abdulgafar Ahmad, aka Cute Abiola, for posting a video of himself in military uniform on social media. He has since been released.

Cross River 2023: Zoning Rumble in PDP, APC

By
The Source
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Governor Ben Ayade

By Stanley Ekpenyong, Calabar

The two main political parties – Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and All Progressives Congress, APC, are currently caught in a rotational Governorship debacle in Cross River state.

Chieftains of both parties from the Southern Senatorial District of the State, citing an unwritten charter of equity by the three Senatorial Districts –  North, Central and South- insist its the zone’s turn to produce the next Governor when the incumbent, Professor Ben Ayade’s two-term elapses on May 29, 2023.

However, some interests in both parties hold a different view. According to them, going by the rotational principle, the three zones have had their turns with the election of South’s Governor Donald Duke in 1999, Governor Imoke (Central) in 2007 and Ayade (North) in 2015.

Iyorcha Ayu
Iyorchia Ayu, PDP National Chairman: How will he resolve the Cross River guber impasse?

In their view, the next Governor could come from any of the zones the Governorship having gone round the three zones.

In the PDP for instance, it is increasingly becoming clear that zoning is not on the party’s 2023 menu list.

Already, the Senator representing Cross River Central in the Senate, Professor Sandy Onor, has declared his Guber ambition and from the look of things, it appears he has the backing of the State’s chapter of the party, the reason perhaps, Cross River Chairman of the opposition party, Barrister Vena Ikem was present at the declaration.

Senator Onor’s Guber ambition, watchers of Cross River politics say, is a frontal assault on Senator Gershom Bassey’s ambition to succeed Ayade.

Senator Bassey, who represents Cross River South in the Senate has long hoped to fly the PDP flag in the 2023 governorship election in the state.

A former Chairman of Etung Local Government Area of the State, Senator Onor is allegedly being bankrolled and egged on by Governor Nyesom Wike of River state who was also a former Local Government Chairman.

Both men were said to have struck friendship in the course of their activities at the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) where they held important positions.

Senator Onor’s Guber insistence on the PDP ticket may, however, be the party’s greatest undoing as reliable sources told this magazine that several PDP eggheads from the Southern senatorial district, including Senator Bassey, will decamp to the APC should the PDP deny the zone the ticket.

Multiple APC and PDP sources swore that the APC is already dangling its guber ticket before Senator Bassey. “He is under pressure from the APC to cross over and effortlessly grab its ticket. Senator Bassey is, however, still weighing his options”, one of the sources informed.

Another PDP stalwart from the Senatorial District who pleaded anonymity told The Source:  “Watch out, the PDP will bleed if its Guber ticket does not come South. Many of us are waiting to see how things pan out but one thing is clear, any party that short- changes the South will be buried in the South”

The “burying” may have started in earnest. Last week, three PDP bigwigs from Cross River South- Architect Bassey Ndem Eyo, an industrialist and a former Commissioner for Lands in the state, Barrister Edem Ekong, a former Commissioner for Lands under former Governor Liyel Imoke and a former member of the State House of Assembly, Orok Duke- renounced their membership of the party and joined the APC.

The three ex PDP members emphatically declared at the defection rally attended by Governor Ayade that they left their former party because it was not ready to cede its 2023 guber ticket to their Senatorial zone.

However, Cross River South may be in for a shocker if it thinks the APC ticket is for its own for the asking.

Governor Ayade’s pro-zoning speech at the defection rally will not likely dissuade APC’s governorship candidate in the 2019 election, Senator Owan Eno, from reactivating his ambition.

Senator Eno who represented Cross River Central in the Senate between 2015 and 2019, this magazine reliably gathered, will formally declare interest in the 2023 contest in January or February next year.

Ayade at the defection rally: “I will keep to my words. 2023 is a harbinger of peace, equity and justice so that every one of us will have a sense of equity and a sense of balance to maintain and sustain our politics. This will enable everybody to know his turn at every given time”

Though the Governor spoke in response to defectors who unambiguously said they were defecting to work for rotation of the Governorship seat to Cross South, some APC chieftains from Cross River Central insist there was nothing in the speech that indicated Governor Ayade endorsed power shift to Southern Cross River.

“Our Governor made a general comment about zoning or rotation. He didn’t say A or B will produce the next governor. Of course, rotation is starting afresh in 2023 and it can start from any of the three senatorial districts. It was in that sense that Governor Ayade spoke”, he said.

Killings: PDP Calls Out APC, Buhari, Demands President Visits Troubled Areas

By
The Source
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0
President Muhammadu Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari

Stunned by the rivers of blood flowing unabated in the country, especially, in some Northern States,  opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has expressed shock at what it described as the insensitivity of President Muhammadu Buhari and the  ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to the frightening situation.

In a very strongly worded statement on Sunday, December 19, signed by its National Publicity Secretary,  Debo Ologunagba, the PDP said it was horrified that in the midst of the horrifying situation, especially the “escalated killings, the APC Ieadership found it appropriate to proceed to Katsina for the turbaning of Yusuf, President Buhari’s son, as a District Head.

Said the statement: “Is it not unpardonable that while the APC had failed to show empathy on the gruesome murder of scores of travelers who were burnt alive in Sokoto State, the massacre of over 15 worshipers in Niger State,  other compatriots felled in Kaduna, Katsina and other parts of the country in the last few days, its leaders and officials in Government had the time to attend the turbaning ceremony of President Muhammadu Buhari’s son in the same troubled Katsina State.”

The party said it was both provocative and vexatious that “the APC leaders would party while the Nation burns.”

It accused the APC of complicity in the worsening insecurity in the country.

“The manifest numbness of the leaders to bloodletting as well as the failure of the APC, as a party, to proffer any tangible solution or forcefully take its government to task on security, validate apprehensions on APC’s reported complicity in the worsened insecurity in our nation in the last six years”

The PDP  urged President Buhari to demonstrate empathy and leadership by visiting the affected States “in line with his campaign promise to lead the fight against terrorism from the front instead of always pushing his responsibilities to others.”

Following is the full text of the statement.

“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) vehemently condemns the indefensible insensitivity of the All Progressives Congress (APC), a party in power, to the escalated killings in Sokoto, Niger, Katsina, Kaduna, Plateau states and other parts of the country by terrorists.

“The manifest numbness of the APC leaders to bloodletting as well as the failure of the APC, as a party, to proffer any tangible solution or forcefully take its government to task on security, validate apprehensions on APC’s reported complicity in the worsened insecurity in our nation in the last six years.

“Is it not unpardonable that while the APC had failed to show empathy on the gruesome murder of scores of travelers who were burnt alive in Sokoto state, the massacre of over 15 worshippers in Niger state, other compatriots felled in Kaduna, Katsina and other parts of the country in the last few days, its leaders and officials in government had the time to attend the turbaning ceremony of President Muhammadu Buhari’s son in the same troubled Katsina state?

“Is it also not provocative, vexatious and indeed the height of heartlessness that APC and its leaders party while Nigeria burns?

“Such callous assault on the sensibility of Nigerians which amounts to dancing on the graves of the victims of the attacks further exposes the APC as a party that is completely unfeeling to killings, attaches no value to lives and has no commitment towards the fight against terrorism in our country.

“The PDP, standing in solidarity with Nigerians, calls out the APC to come clean on its alleged connection to killings, the benefit it derives from violence and bloodletting and why it attaches no value to human lives.

“Nigerians can recall that despite demands by the PDP, the APC and its leaders have failed to account for the “political mercenaries” they reportedly imported from neighboring countries as thugs, gangsters and hoodlums to unleash violence on Nigerians during the 2019 elections. The APC has also not explained the continued presence of a self-confessed terrorism apologist in its government.

“The least Nigerians expect of the APC is to forcefully give its government a marching order to develop wholesome strategy to proactively tackle insecurity, including targeting the source of fund to terrorists, many of which were revealed by a foreign government, yet the APC government refused to take action.

“Unfortunately, the APC as a party of selfish and blood thirsty “political bandits” does not have the commitment,APC readiness or capacity to do so.

“Furthermore, the PDP charges President Muhammadu Buhari to demonstrate leadership and empathy by personally visiting the troubled states in line with his campaign promise to lead the fight against terrorism from the front instead of always pushing his responsibilities to others.

“The PDP again commiserates with victims of the horrific attacks. We also urge Nigerians not to resign to despondency but continue to support one another and remain focused as we scale up our collective efforts to rescue and rebuild our nation from misrule.”

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