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Imo PDP In Shock As Ogubundu Dumps Party, Joins APC, Visits Uzodinma

By
The Source
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Ogubundu Nwadike

By Charles Igbo

For the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Imo State, it was like a bad dream, a nightmare. In deed, it was, and worse.

Nobody had an inkling of the coming bomb. Except the guy. He played it close to his chest. Very close.

Until September 14 when he delivered his letter of resignation from the Imo PDP, he was of  the Party’s faces. He was a hardliner against the  Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma, and his Government. His pen was very lethal. And he is a prolific writer. Nothing the Governor did or said was good. The good are negatively twisted. And the bad grossly exaggerated.

But on September 14, all that came crashing. It was like war.

Ogubundu Nwadike, the Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Imo, quit from both office and party. He not only did, he decamped to the ruling APC. And to rub it in, same day, he was at the APC Secretariat sitting down and gisting with them.

The cut couldn’t be deeper than that.

In a terse letter titled Resignation As State Publicity Secretary addressed to the Chairman Peoples Democratic Party, Imo State, and signed by himself, Ogubundu wrote:

Ogubundu Nwadike
Ogubundu Nwadike

“The above-stated subject refers. This is to formally inform you of my decision to resign from my position as the State Publicity Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State. My Resignation takes effect from the date of this letter.

“The decision to resign is purely on personal reasons, after due considerations and consultations with my family and mentors. My resignation is in good faith as I confirm that there is no altercation of any sort between me and the Party.

“I thank the PDP for giving me the opportunity to serve the Party. Thank you Sir.”

Ogubundu’s resignation has, at once, been greeted with disbelief and shock and outrage within the PDP circle.

He is the second bitter critic of Uzodinma’s Government to quit the opposition and join him. First, it was Ambrose Nwaogwugwu, the former Head of the Imo PDP New Media. When he quit, and joined Uzodinma, he was attacked by his former compatriots to hell and back. Ogubundu is likely to face same attacks.

In deed, not a few people alleged that Nwaogwugwu’s mother who was cruelly and brutally matcheted to death paid the price for his son’s political activities.

In the case of Ogubundu now, many people are asking the PDP to look inwards. Is the Party over-doing things? Is their method of opposition becoming suffocating and is it putting a number of their members off? Is it time for them to commend when they should, and condemn when they should? Is it time to stop giving the impression that, especially, the insecurity in the state should be celebrated instead of roundly condemned? Is it time for them to stop seeing it as a PDP Vs.APC fight? Is it time to stop seeing it as “A personal fight against Uzodinma”? Is it time to put the State and the people first and embark on constructive criticism? Or are the resignations for stomach infrastructure as many in the PDP are alleging?

Time will tell, as there are rumors that more shocking resignations are in the offing.

Presidency Has Made No Decision Yet On Magu, Says Police Minister

By
Uche Mbah
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Ibrahim Magu

By Uche Mbah

Ibrahim Magu, the former Acting Chairman of EFCC, who was relieved of his duties and arrested over alleged corruption charges, is still receiving his salaries as a serving Police Officer.

This was disclosed by Muhammed Dingyadi, the Minister of Police Affairs while being interviewed on Channels Television Wednesday.

Magu was the acting Chairman of the EFCC between 2015 and 2020.

Abubakar Malami, Attorney General of the Federation, had sent a petition to the Presidency, accusing the former EFCC boss of alleged corruption and insubordination.

An investigative Panel, led by Ayo Salami, a retired President of the Court of Appeal, was empowered to probe the allegations. The report was later submitted to the President, months ago. Nobody has heard anything again from it.

The Panel allegedly recommended strict disciplinary measures.

Last July, the Police Service Commission officially removed his name from among those due for promotion.

Speaking on Channels Television, Dingyagi said that since the report was submitted to the Presidency, there has been no reply as to the next step to take.

“The matter, like you said, is investigated. The man is still in the service; he is still in the force headquarters, and I don’t want to expatiate at this material time as to what is happening to the report of the committee.”

“What I know is that the matter has been submitted to Mr. President and as far as I know, no communication has yet been submitted to the Ministry or Police force on this matter.

“So we are waiting for the outcome to be made public.

“Of course, he is still a pPolice Officer even though he is under suspension. So what you know is that he used to be the Chairman of the EFCC, but he is no longer one.

“But that does not mean he is not within the payroll of the FG. He is still a civil servant, he is still a Police Officer so until the final decision is taken on the matter. I don’t think I should say more than what I have said on this matter.”

Oyetola Joins the Bandwagon, Signs Anti Grazing Routes Bill

By
Uche Mbah
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By Uche Mbah

Osun State Governor, . Adegboyega Oyetola has become the latest Governor in the South to sign the Anti-grazing Bill into law.

He joins his counterparts in Ondo, Rivers, Lagos,  and Enugu  who already have signed the Bill.

The Bill was passed on August 12 by the Osun state House of Assembly and transmitted to the governor.

It is titled  “Bill to Regulate Animal Grazing and Establishments of Cattle Ranches and Other Related Matters”.

Addressing journalists Wednesday, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Ismail Omipidan, said Governor Oyetola said that a mechanism has been put in place to enforce the law.

“Yes, the Governor has assented to the bill, it has become a law.”

“Mechanism to enforce the law is already in place and the state will not allow anyone to abuse it.

“Osun is one of the most peaceful states in the country, this is largely due to our proactive steps in nipping issues, especially farmers-herders related, in the bud before it escalates.

“This is done through the state Committee on Peaceful Co-existence Between Fulani/Bororo and Crop Farmers.

“We have also educated Fulani herdsmen in the state on the importance of the bill and we believe we will enjoy their cooperation”, he said.

UNIBEN Rescinds Decision On Charges, Closure Of University, VC Apologizes To Students

By
Ayodele Oni
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By Ayodele Oni

Few hours after announcing closure of the University of Benin, the decision has been reversed.

Also reversed is the extra payment of N6,000 fine imposed on students that fail to meet deadline on the payment of N14,000 school fees.

In a statement signed by the Registrar of the University, Mr Ademola Bobola,  Prof. Lilian Salami, Vice Chancellor, has tendered unreserved apology to students of the Institution over the purported hike of late payment of school fees.

The statement, which was made available to newsmen reads:

“After due consultation, and in the overall interest of the general students’ body, the Vice Chancellor has, on behalf of Senate, apologized to our dear Students.

“The earlier closure is based on security reports from the Department of State Security (DSS) to avoid the students’ action being hijacked by hoodlums; and thereby prevent any form of breakdown of law and order within and outside the campuses of the University.

“Accordingly, Students are to login into their Kofa page as the extra charges has be reversed.”

Southern Governors Meet Thursday In Enugu

By
Ayodele Oni
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By Ayodele Oni

Another round of the meeting of 17 Governors of Southern Nigeria will hold on Thursday, in Enugu State.

The meeting will be their third meeting this year.  Delta state hosted the first, followed by Lagos State.

The meeting, to be hosted by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, holds at the Government House, Enugu.

The meeting is expected to review steps taken by each of the Governors on the anti- open grazing law among other issues.

Few among the Southern States have signed into Law the Bill banning open grazing with Ondo, Lagos, Enugu and Osun states blazing the trail.

The first and second meetings of the Southern Governors, deliberated on Regional and National issues among which was their insistence that the next President of the country should come from the South.

It was learnt that at the Lagos meeting, the Governors had set September deadline for the implementation of open grazing ban.

Previous resolutions of the Southern Governors had drawn mixed reactions from the Federal Government and their counterparts from the North.

UNIBEN Closed Down, Students Ordered To Vacate Campus Immediately

By
Ayodele Oni
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UNIBEN Students Protests

By Ayodele Oni

The University of Benin has been closed down with immediate effect.

The closure was sequel to the protest by the students, which started on Monday over imposition of charges on students that fail to pay their school fees on time.

Authority of the school had imposed an extra N6,000 on students that who had not paid their school fees before the stipulated time.

The official school fees payable is N14,000 and those that could not meet the deadline for payment were asked to pay N20,000, which the students described as arbitrary.

The protesting students claimed that it was quite difficult to cough out the required N14, 000, but the University Management went ahead to add an extra N6, 000 to it.

The Management of UNIBEN had earlier announced that students who did not pay school fees within the stipulated time will have to pay extra charges and may likely have their studentship withdrawn.

The increment is for late payment only, it said. But according to the students, late payment is supposed to commence during the second semester and not the first semester.

In a statement titled ‘Closure of the University’ the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Lilian Salami  announced the immediate closure of the University.

The VC, explained that the measure was taken to avoid a break down of law and order from the protesting students,

According to her, all students are to vacate the school hostels not later than 12 noon on Wednesday 15th, September 2021.

“After due consultation, and in the overall interest of the general students’ body, the Vice-Chancellor has, on behalf of the Senate, approved the closure of the University with immediate effect.

“This is based on security reports to avoid the students’ action being hijacked by hoodlums, and thereby prevent any form of breakdown of law and order within and outside the campuses of the University.

“Accordingly, all students are to vacate the hostels and the University premises not later than 12 noon on Wednesday 15th, September 2021.”

COVID-19: Edo Begins Enforcement Of No Vaccine Card, No Access To Government Facilities

By
Akinwale Kasali
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By Akinwale Kasali

Beginning September 15th, 2021, Governor Godwin Obaseki’s Government in Edo State begins the enforcement of its no vaccination card, no entry into any State Government owned facilities.

The Edo State Government said it is a means of curbing the spread of the  Coronavirus pandemic in the state.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Osamwonyi Irowa, who disclosed this at the daily press briefing on the virus, said that anybody who wanted access into any state government offices, must have his or her card to show the enforcers.

“If you have to enter the state Secretariat, you must have your vaccination card, we are going to implement this in all the key areas to ensure that we don’t have persons being infected because the other person is being difficult.

“The first phase is targeted at State Government facilities. As for tomorrow the first set of enforcement areas are Government locations across the State.

“Those that cannot provide their COVID-19 vaccination card may have to excuse us and be working from home pending when a decision will be reached. As a state, we are doing everything possible to make sure people don’t get infected.

“We are appealing to our people to get vaccinated because that is the most suitable way of preventing the severity of the disease when you have it and also avoiding death. The Enforcement Team will commence work tomorrow as a way to help us reduce the number of cases and deaths we are recording daily, he said.

In his contribution, the Head of the COVID-19 Enforcement Team, Yusuf Haruna, said that the State Government had trained 20 special teams that would be spread across the State to commence enforcement of no vaccination no entry into government owned facilities.

“As we all know, Government has the responsibility of protecting lives and properties of its citizens, in view of this, we have trained 20 special teams that will be spread across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state.

“They will commence this enforcement from the 15th of September, 2021, what we expect our people to do is that while going to work they should go with their vaccination cards, government is not forcing anybody but government has the responsibility to tell you not to spread the virus.

“What we are going to do tomorrow is to grant those who have the authentic vaccination card access to their working places and those without can go back and work from home and Government will know how to deal with all of that.

“These 20 special teams will be saddled with the responsibility of scanning and confirming the authenticity of these vaccination cards and also diligently asking those who don’t have it to go and work from home, this is the directive of the state Government and this will be enforced to the letter, he said.

Earlier, the Head of the State’s Coronavirus Case Management, Dr Ebomwonyi Osagie, said that the State had recorded a total of three deaths within the last 24 hours.

“So far, a total of 467 samples were collected, with a total of 1,034 confirmed cases, 638 active cases and 31 new cases, he said.

It would be recalled that A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has restrained the Edo State Government and its Governor from forcing residents of the state to take COVID-19 vaccine.

Obaseki has remained defiant, saying that Edo residents would be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination before they would be allowed into public places like Churches, Mosques, and Malls.

The Court in a suit, dated August 30, 2021, ordered the Governor, the Edo State Government, and three other respondents, “to maintain status quo pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice, for the enforcement of the applicant’s fundamental human rights and for the leave of court to serve the respondents by publishing the Court’s processes.

The suit was filed on behalf of the applicant, by Echezona Etiaba, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, according to the report.

Shock As Emir Of Bungudu Abducted

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Alhaji Hassan Attahiru

By Akinwale Kasali

The unbelievable happened on Tuesday when the powerful Alhaji Hassan Attahiru, the Emir of Bungudu, was kidnapped by gunmen. The First Class Emir met his fate along the Kaduna-Abuja highway.

According to reports the abduction  occurred on Tuesday at 3:10pm near Olam Factory, few kilometers to the city of Kaduna.

The abductors were said to have opened fire on the convoy and successfully demobilized some of the vehicles, leading to the abduction.

The kidnappers hid in the shelterbelt of eucalyptus trees along the road in batches.Those at the middle first opened the fire on the convoy, before those in the front started firing sporadically,” joined by those at the back.

A source  added said that other commercial and private vehicles were also seen by the roadside, signifying multiple abductions of travelers.

A statement issued by the Spokesman of the Police command, Mohammad Jalige at 12 midnight Wednesday morning, it  said a police officer who was among a team despatched to confront the bandits, was killed.

He added that two other people sustained varying degrees of injuries and were receiving medical treatment.

The Police said four vehicles, apparently on the Emirs convoy were recovered at the scene of the incident.

The statement reads: “Today 14th September, 2021 at about 1510hrs, the Kaduna Police Command received a tragic report of an attack and kidnapping incident around Dutse Village along Kaduna-Abuja road where an unspecified number of people were suspected to have been kidnapped while two others sustained varying degree of injuries and currently receiving medical treatment.

“The information has it that the commuters were intercepted by the bandits who shot berserkly resulting in the aforesaid circumstance.

“However Operatives of the Command were dispatched to restore normalcy in the area of which an officer paid the supreme price.

“During the course of preliminary investigation of the scene, four vehicles were recovered from the scene while the exact number of persons kidnapped is yet to be ascertained.

“Equally, available information indicates that the Emir of Bungudu, Zamfara state His Royal Highness (HRH) Alhaji Hassan Atto, is among the people abducted to an unknown destination.

“Meanwhile reinforcement team have since been dispatched while coordinated effort is being carried out with a view to rescuing the victims unhurt.

“The Kaduna-Abuja road has been safe lately if not for this unfortunate incident.

“Thus, the Commissioner of Police Kaduna Command, CP Mudassiru Abdullahi psc (+) is calling on the citizens plying the road not be deterred by this setback as the Command is rejigging the security deployment to strengthen the existing structure aimed at forestalling reoccurrence.”

Nigerians Sorrow As Buhari Borrows More; Debt Rises To N35trn

By
Bayo Bernard
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By Bayo Bernard, Business Editor

Latest Borrowing Pushes Total Debt Stocks to N35 trn

Lagos To Borrow N25bn Too

The time worn anecdote that he goes borrowing, goes sorrowing appears to explain the response of many Nigerians of plans by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to borrow over $4 billion to fund “emergency needs.”

Buhari, on Tuesday, wrote a letter to the National Assembly seeking its approval to borrow over $4 billion and €710 million loan from bilateral and multilateral organisations to fund the deficit in the 2021 budget.

The president’s request, which was read on the floor of the Senate by Ahmad Lawan, Senate President, also coincided with a plan by the Lagos State Government to borrow N25 billion. The Centre of Excellence, as the state is widely known, is the biggest sub-national debtor in the country with debt totaling N218 billion.

The president, in a letter to the Senate, said the loan request is an addendum to the 2018-2020 borrowing plan, adding that the loan will be used for “critical projects.”

Buhari said in the letter that “I write on the above subject and submit the attached addendum to the proposed 2018-2020 external rolling borrowing plan for the consideration and concurrent approval of the senate for the same to become effective.

“The distinguished senate president may recall that u submitted a request on 2018-2020 borrowing plan for the approval of the senate in May 2021.

“However, in view of other emerging needs and to ensure that all critical projects approved by FEC as of June 2021 are incorporated, I hereby forward an addendum to the proposed borrowing plan.

The president gives details of where the loan is expected to come from.

“The projects listed in the external borrowing plan are to be financed through sovereign loans from the World Bank, French Development Agency, EXIM Bank and IFAD in the total sum of $4,054,476,863 and €710 million and grant components of $125 million,” Buhari said.

His explanation seems not to have assuaged the feelings of many Nigerians who said borrowing under his administration has become too high.

This assertion may not be far from the truth considering that the administration has borrowed more that N20 trillion since Buhari took power from Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.

If the National Assembly goes ahead to approve the new loan request the nation’s total debt stock would have risen to N35 trillion, the highest in 10 years.

This is definitely not a cheery news for many Nigerians, including the Centre for Social Justice, CSJ which said government borrowing has not met fiscal discipline and transparency. The CJS said the fact that the nation’s debt has ballooned under the administration is very worrisome.

Eze Onyekpere, CSJ Director while relying on figures from the Debt Management Office, DMO said the nation’s debt by the time Buhari came to office stood at N12,603 trillion in 2015.

It rose to N17.360 trillion in 2016, and N21.725 trillion in 2017. In 2018, 2019 and 2020, public debt stood at N24.387 trillion, N27.401 trillion, and N32.915 trillion, respectively, Onyekpere said.

In June, the Peoples Democratic Party Governors Forum, PDPGF said after its in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, that the government has borrowed more without more to show in terms of infrastructure and development. Condemning the rising debt profile of the country, the opposition party said 80 per cent of the loans are being used to service debts.

The Forum had also slammed the administration for borrowing huge sums from the CBN through the Ways and Means window.

A communiqué signed by its Chairman, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state said the administration is mortgaging the future of the country, and as such “The PDP frowns at the rising and seemingly uncontrollable debt profile of Nigeria with over 80 per cent of normal Appropriation spent on debt servicing.

“All the gains of the PDP government under Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, where Nigeria exited its foreign debt obligations have been destroyed. Borrowing for the NTA (Nigeria Television Authority) is scandalous.

“Money should only be borrowed for productive purposes as Nigeria’s current debt of over N36tn is becoming clearly unsustainable relative to our earnings and GDP.

“We should not saddle the incoming generation with an undue debt burden. The borrowing spree of the APC administration, if unchecked, will certainly lead Nigeria to avoidable bankruptcy

“A situation where the CBN creates money, decides how much of it will spend, on what to spend it without any form of control or supervision, is patently subversive of our constitutional order,” the communique said.

The government, in its response to the complaints, said the only way to augment revenue shortfalls is to borrow.

“Our assessment is that we need to borrow to build our major infrastructure. We just need to make sure that when we borrow, we are applying the borrowing to specific major infrastructure that will enhance the business environment in this country”, Zainab Ahmed, the Minister of Finance and Planning said recently.

Buhari’s request for a fresh loan comes barely two months after the National Assembly approved his earlier request to borrow $8.3 billion and €490 million loans contained in the initial 2018-2020 borrowing plan.

CBN’s N15trn Infrastructure Funds Takes Off Soon, Mulls International Finance Centre

By
Bayo Bernard
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0

By Tosin Olatokunbo

Ahead the take off the N15 trillion infrastructure Fund, the Godwin Emefiele, Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN has disclosed that plan is in the offing to establish the Nigerian version of International Financial Centre,IFC.

The CBN had in July, after its monthly MPC meeting, said it has secured approval from the federal government to establish the fund which will now take off next month.

The apex bank said in a communique that “the committee also commended the federal government for the approval to establish a CBN-led Infrastructure Development Company, which will leverage local and international funds for the rebuilding of critical infrastructure across the country,” the communique read.

“This entity, which will be wholly focused on Nigeria and Nigerians alone will be co-owned by the CBN, the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), but exclusively managed by an independent infrastructure fund manager (IIFM) that will mobilize local and foreign capital to support the federal government in building the transport infrastructure required to move agriculture and other products to processors, raw materials to factories, and finished goods to markets.

“The sum of N15 trillion is projected over five years for the initial run. The committee noted with satisfaction the CBN’s immediate work on the updates and timelines for the establishment of this much-needed entity.

The center, the apex bank Governor said will take off in the next 12 month, modelled after those in London, New York, and Singapore. The centre, Emefiele said will complement the bank’s efforts to promote investment in the country.

The CBN Governor made the announcement at the opening of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, CIBN, on Tuesday in Abuja, the nation’s capital. He is the Chief Host of the event.

According to him “to consolidate on the growth and resilience of Nigerian banks in the last decade, your excellency, your Central Bank, will, in the next 12 months, be establishing The Nigerian International Financial Centre, NIFC.

“The NIFC will act as an international gateway for Capital and investments, driven by technology and payment system infrastructure.

“This new financial hub, will curate local and international banks to make them global champions. The NIFC will be a 24/7 financial centre that will complement London, New York and Singapore financial centres. It will enable an acceleration of our home grown initiatives such as the Infracorp Plc, the N15 trillion infrastructure fund which we will be launching in October.

“The NIFC will also complement our initiatives on the Nigerian Commodity Exchange, NCE.”

He also said the new financial hub would bring together local and foreign banks to create global champions.

“The NIFC will take advantage of our existing laws such as the BOFIA 2020, NEPZA and other CBN regulations to create a fully global investment and a financial hub where monies, ideas, and technology will move freely without hindrance,” Emefiele said..

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