The South east has lost a prominent son from the Nwodo family of Nsukka Enugu State.
Joe Nwodo, a former Presidential candidate under the defunct National Republican Party, NRC, has died. He died on March 10, 2021, aged 77, in the United kingdom, after a protracted illness.
He was an elder brother to the immediate past Ohaneze Nd’Igbo President, Chief Nnia Nwodo.
A brilliant politician, he was primed to be the Governor of Enugu State but was disqualified from contesting. He stepped down, and handed over the baton to his younger brother, Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, who won and became the Governor.
Announcing his passing, on behalf of the family, his son, Emeka Agunechibe Nwodo, in a statement said:
“With profound sadness but total submission to God’s will, the family of Igwe J. U. Nwodo, regrets to announce the passing away of their Patriarch, husband, father, grandfather and brother, Dr Joseph Nnabuchi Nwodo, the Agadagbachiriuzo1 of Ukehe aged 77 years.
“Dr Nwodo completed his earthly race on the 10th of March, 2021, at a hospital in the United Kingdom after a protracted illness which he battled indefatigably.
“He lived a very fulfilled life. Was one of the most notable politicians to emanate from Nsukka cultural zone also known as Enugu North Senatorial zones, and indeed Nigeria.
“Was once a Presidential aspirant of the defunct National Republican Convention, NRC, when he showcased a political style and flair that was second to none.
“He was a social phenomenon. A man who wrote the most brilliant and sesquipedalian speeches. Gigantesque in size and in intellect. Many referred to his intellectual and literary ability as “a gift,” inborn”, “a knack”, “a talent”.
“One thing was certain, Joe Nwodo operated on a literary frequency higher than most, one that could only be compared to a supernatural being, “god-like”. He was indeed a rare breed. A mastermind, and genius of our time.
“He was a lover of the poor. “Ochendo umu-ogbenyi”. His love and ambitions for the great people of Nsukka was unfathomable as it was immeasurable.
“He is survived by his wife, children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, and the great people of Nsukka who remained embedded deeply in his heart, mind and lips even at the point of death.”
History may just be about to repeat itself. Or, has the kettle called the pot black?
Whatever.
Another Arms purchase scandal is about to explode, this time, under the President Muhammadu Buhari Government.
The urbane National Security Adviser, NSA, Rtd Major General Babagana Monguno, PhD, has opened a pandora box.
Monguno is not talkative. Just like the Director General of the Directorate of State Services, Mr Yusuf Bichi, both men are not frivolous.
When any of them talks, one is bound to pause and listen.
They talk sparingly, only when it is necessary. They prefer to do their work quietly, without being in anybody’s face.
But Monguno has just detonated de bomb
In the middle of the growing insecurity in the land, Monguno has more than hinted that the newly appointed Service Chiefs are handicapped.
Why?
In fairness to the Muhammadu Buhari Government, it has spent tons of money on Security – for weapons. Yet, complaints persist, even from the frontlines, that our soldiers, are ill-equipped; that insurgents are better equipped than them; that they are usually out-gunned because the insurgents carry superior weapons.
The NSA has just tried to tell Nigerians why. Monguno said some funds released for the purchase of weapons for our gallant soldiers got missing under the watch of the immediate past Service Chiefs. The Ex- Service Chiefs are: Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olanisakin, Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe-Ibas, and the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, all retired.
Speaking in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service, the NSA said: “No one knows what happened to the money, but by God’s grace, the President will investigate to find out whether the money was spent, and where the arms went”
He revealed that the new Service Chiefs have not seen any of the arms that the funds were supposed to be used to procure. Neither the arms nor the money can be traced.
Meaning that the immediate past Service Chiefs have questions to answer.
Interestingly, the Ex-Service Chiefs have just been appointed non-career Ambassadors by President Buhari, and confirmed by the Senate. They are waiting for postings.
Recall that these were the same allegations made against the the NSA under the Goodluck Jonathan Government, Col. Sambo Dasuki, for which he is being prosecuted.
The Buhari Government had alleged that money meant to buy arms to fight insurgents, about 2.1billion US Dollars, was allegedly used for something else, under Jonathan an allegation those that were mentioned have kept denying, insisting that weapons were purchased. But till date, the Buhari Government has kept referring to that allegation.
It’s often intriguing to hear eminent and well appointed Nigerians talk about disintegration, destabilization and outright war, as if it’s a picnic.
War? Not a tea party, and not something you should wish even upon your enemy.
Nigeria fought a war before, in which about two million people died. There was sorrow, tears and blood, till good sense prevailed, and we said there was no victor, no vanquished.
The scars of that internecine conflict are still very evident in some parts of the land.
I have seen enough to make me conclude that the greatest problem of Nigeria are Nigerians themselves. They seem to hate their country. There was that atheist who said on his death bed. “I hate everybody. I hate God. I even hate myself.” That seems to be the experience of a good number of Nigerians.
Nigeria is not perfect
What am I saying?
Is Nigeria in a perfect state, nirvana, a Utopia? By no means. We all see things that exasperate us about our country. So, is cutting off the head the cure for headache? Is death wish for the country through the constant craving for war the way out, couched as warnings by some interest groups? For really, that is what they would wish to see, if only to have the morbid satisfaction of saying: we warned, they didn’t listen.
We have our grouses with Nigeria. The President often talks of missed opportunities, and yes, this country has missed many, over the decades. But he adds that those of them who have fought to keep this country together would never open their eyes and see Nigeria dismembered. Loving the unloveable. That is what Nigerians need, if we would eventually get the country we desire.
William Cowper, English writer, who lived between 1731 and 1800, said: “England, with all thy faults, I love thee still-my country.”
That is one thing we find lacking. We have not got to the point that we can say, Nigeria, with all thy faults, I love thee still-my country.
The Good Book says love covers a multitude of sins. And it does. But does it happen in respect of our country? Don’t Nigerians carry around giant-sized grudges against themselves, against their leaders, against the next ethnic group, and against their own very land… They seem to hate their country.
Many reasons to love Nigeria
The need of the hour is love for Nigeria, warts and all. Yes, there are many reasons not to love this land. But it’s the only one we have. We would be second class citizens anywhere else. Nigeria we hail thee. Our own dear native land.
The fault lines are many: ethnicity, suspicion of domination, religious differences, language, centrifugal forces. But, Nigeria, with all thy faults, I love thee still-my country.
Do you know that some Nigerians actually gloat when things go wrong in the country? They rejoice at wanton killings, massive insecurity, prostrate economy, decrepit inter-ethnic relationships, and the like. They want things to fall apart in the ‘zoo.’ But Nigeria will survive. The singer, Veno Marioghae, said it long ago. Nigeria is like the testicles of a ram. It may sway from side to side as the ram runs, but it will never fall off.
It’s time we began to have a Nigerian agenda, instead of sectional agenda. It’s time we began to see the big picture, and wish our country well. Enough of wars and rumours of war. Can we cavil less about our country? Can we emphasize less on things not done, and focus more on things being achieved? And I tell you, the Buhari government has stories to tell. Of rice pyramids, roads, rail, bridges, airports, massive infrastructure everywhere.
Just on Thursday, the 13 Floor, Twin Tower ultra-modern Headquarters Building of the Niger Delta Development Commission was commissioned, about 26 years after it was conceived. And many of such projects abound. Let’s wail less, and appreciate more. Nigeria, with all thy faults, I love thee still-my country.
Adesina is the Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media & Publicity
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has commenced the probe of former Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, boss, Babatunde Fowler, alongside other Directors.
The probe of the tenure of Fowler as Chairman, FIRS, was as a result of alleged N4.5 Billion fraud perpetrated by the Chairman alongside Directors of the board during the tenure of Fowler in the saddle.
In 2019, it was reported that President Muhammadu Buhari queried Fowler for poor revenue collections between 2015 and 2018.
The query signed by the late Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, was titled “RE: Budgeted FIRS Collections and actual collections”.
The EFCC arraigned Peter Hena, ex-FIRS Coordinating Director and eight others before Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of a Federal High Court in Abuja.
They are Mohammed Bello Auta (Director of Finance), Amina Sidi (Finance and Account department), Umar Aliyu Aduka (Internal Audit), Mbura Mustapha (Deputy Manager), Obi Okeke Malachy (Services Group), Obaje Napoleon Adofu (Head of Budget), Udo-Inyang Effiong Alfred (Officer II) and Benjamin Jiya (Assistant Director) .
Two years ago, Hena and Auta were arrested but later released by the EFCC, over a multi-billion naira scandal.
The officials were grilled for allegedly diverting about N6billion tax funds that should have gone to the Nigerian government.
On Friday, March 12, the EFCC docked them on a 42- count charge bordering on corruption, fraud and criminal misappropriation of funds to the tune of N4,558,160,676.
One of the charges said between January, 2017 and December 2018, the defendants and some other FIRS staff conspired to conceal funds which are proceeds of an unlawful activities to wit: Corruption, Fraud and Criminal Misappropriation of Funds.
“You thereby committed an offence contrary to section 18 and punishable under section 15(2) (a) and (3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 ( as amended by Act No. 1 of 2021)”, it read.
The defendants pleaded “not guilty” when the charges were read to them.
Prosecuting counsel, Ekele Iheanacho asked the court for a date to commence trial. The defendants, through their counsel, prayed the court to grant them bail.
Justice Ojukwu granted bail in the sum of N100million each and sureties in like sum.
The sureties must be Nigerians residing in Abuja, have a landed property within the jurisdiction of the court and provide evidence of Tax Clearance.
The defendants must deposit their travelling documents with the court and to must seek permission before travelling out of the country.
The matter was adjourned until June 14, 15, 23, 24, 28, 29, 2021 for commencement of trial.
Troops of the Nigerian Army, fought back Friday morning and rescued a number of students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization in Kaduna who were abducted by Gunmen Thursday night.
180 of the students were rescued, while many of them are still missing. The soldiers had gone in hot pursuit of the bandits as soon as they were alerted of the incident
The bandits struck at about 11.30am on Thursday, abductiing staff and students.
Samuel Aruwan, the State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, said that: “The armed bandits broke into the institution by breaching a perimeter fence. They then encroached about 600 meters to attack the first facility
A breakdown of those rescued is as follows: 130 male students, 42 female students, and eight members of staff.
About 30 students, made up of both females and males are still missing.
For the fourth time in less than two months, gunmen suspected to be bandits have struck again.
This time, they kidnapped some students of the Federal College of Forestry in Kaduna. They stormed the school about 3 a.m. on Friday.
Mohammed Jalige, spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command confirmed the attack and abduction.
He told Channels TV that the attackers invaded the College located at Mando area, not far from the Nigerian Defence Academy.
Jalige could not confirm the exact number of students abducted. He said security operatives were mobilised to the College upon hearing about the attack. According to him, the security men were able to secure the remaining students.
Bandits operating in the North west part of Nigeria have turned schools into their playground, kidnapping hapless students.
The last mass kidnapping of students was in Jangebe, Zamfara state. An estimated 275 schoolgirls were abducted. They were released few days after some negotiation. .
President Buhari had vowed then that the Jangebe kidnap would be the last under his watch. Sadly, the new abduction of students in Kaduna further raises doubt about the seriousness in the words of the President.
The Niger State Governor, Sani Bello, whose State had also suffered the same fate lamented that his Government was deceived by bandits who collected money from it, and used the money to buy arms.
It would be recalled that a Pan Yoruba Group had raised fears that there are plans by bandits to storm Schools in the South west to abduct students in Ondo, Osun and Ekiti States.
These abductions are coming less than five weeks the new Service Chiefs came on board.
Governors elected on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) have resolved not to leave the party for now or in future.
The PDP Governors who rose from their meeting in Abuja, stated in a communique that “no member of the PDP Governors’ Forum is contemplating leaving the party.
“Nigerians should ignore rumour mongers and mischief makers trying to sow seeds of disunity in the party. The party is one and there is no division in its ranks.
“The PDP Governors are concentrating on delivering democracy benefits to Nigerian people who elected them in various states.
“We have equally set up a peer review mechanism to monitor and benchmark the laudable achievements of PDP Governors in their various states.
“Projects and services relevant to the lives, livelihoods and wellbeing of our people are our major pre-occupation at this time.”
The communiqué, signed by Governor Aminu Tambuwal, of Sokoto state and chairman of the forum, also agreed “to strengthen the party to play its appropriate role as the bulwark for betterment of the lives of Nigerians.
“To this end, the meeting further reviewed how to make PDP more efficient and effective and ensure fraud-free primaries, so that the will of party members should always prevail in nomination of candidates, congresses and conventions.
“It resolved to support the electronic registration and update of the membership register of PDP nationwide.”
Other decisions reached, at the meeting attended by members of the national working committee are on the economic situation in the country and noted the recent increase in crude oil prices.
It urged the Federal Government to use this opportunity to further diversify the economy and provide the enabling environment for Nigerians to thrive in all sectors.
It promised to continue to collaborate with the Federal Government to fight the scourge of insecurity bedeviling the country and urged the Government to take necessary steps to engage all major stakeholders.
“States that bear the major brunt of the security challenges should be supported more by the Federal Government to secure the country.”
Their vow to remain in the party is heartwarming for the Party’s members as there have been fears over a couple of their Governors, including those of Zamfara, Bauchi and Cross River States.
Former Governor Joshua Dariye will serve his 10 year prison sentence, the Supreme Court has ruled in a judgement delivered on Friday.
A five-man panel of the court, led by Justice Mary Odili, in a unanimous judgment on Friday, upheld the 2018 Appeal Court judgement that convicted the ex-governor. It also quashed the one-year sentence imposed on him by the Court of Appeal for misappropriation of public funds.
Apart from Justice Odili, other members of the panel include Justices Ejembi Eko Helen Ogunwumiju, Lawal Garba, Samuel Oseji and Tijani Abubakar.
The apex Court upheld Dariye’s concurrent conviction and sentence by the trial court and the Court of Appeal on the offence of criminal breach of trust.
It also quashed his conviction and sentence in relation to the offence of criminal misappropriation.
Dariye had, in his appeal, prayed the Supreme Court to upturn the November 16, 2018 judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, which convicted him and sentenced him to 10 years for diverting public funds estimated at N1.162billion while he was the Governor.
On June 12, 2018 a three-man panel of the Court of Appeal, led by Justice Stephen Adah upheld the judgement by Justice Adebukola Banjoko of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT) which convicted the former governor.
The trial court convicted Dariye on 15 counts relating to the offences of criminal breach of trust and criminal misappropriation contained in the 23-count charge on which he was tried by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
In upholding Dariye’s conviction, the Court of Appeal agreed with Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, the proseccution counsel that Dariye breached public trust.
But the Appeal Court faulted the lower court for convicting Dariye on counts 12 and 23, which it said the prosecution did not prove.
The court also reduced the 14-year sentence for the offence of criminal breach of trust to 10 years, which the Supreme court has now upheld.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has disclosed that petrol depot price has not changed, at least for the month of March . The clarification comes amidst public fears that marketers will begin to sell the product for N212 per litre, after the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA announced on Thursday that the landing cost of the product has gone up.
According to the PPPRA, based on the average cost for the period, February 1st to 28th 2021, and an average FMDQ Importer and Exporter (I&E) Naira/US Dollar Exchange Rate of N403.80, the expected retail price of PMS for March 2021, stands at N209.61 per litre and N212.61 per litre, being the lower and upper band respectively.
Following the public backlash the PPPRA has now deleted the new price template from its website.
The immediate past Governor of Imo State, The Rt Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, has dismissed, as a lie from the pit of hell, that he met with, and held a meeting with Hon. Uche Ogbuagu, the recently removed Majority Leader of the Imo State House of Assembly in London, or anywhere.
Ogbuagu, you would recall, defected from the PDP to the APC, as soon as the Supreme Court removed Ihedioha as Governor, and declared Senator Hope Uzodinma Governor.
Ogbuagu’s defection shocked not a few people in the State, especially, the PDP family, as he was seen as one of Ihedioha’s close allies. The closeness did not stop him, however, from defecting along with many others, including then Speaker of the Imo House of Assembly, Hon. Chiji Collins
Incidentally, it was alleged that Collins and Ogbuagu were the anchors of the defection by most Assembly members from the PDP, where they were in absolute majority, to the APC.
Indeed, for the PDP family, it was a betrayal, especially on the part of Collins who was anointed Speaker during the Ihedioha Government, a couple of days after he decamped from APGA to the PDP. He was allegedly sponsored to the House by Senator Ifeanyi Ararume, a perennial Imo Governorship aspirant/candidate. On defection, Collins remained the Speaker
However, both Collins and Ogbuagu have since fallen by the way side in their new party, the APC. After months, ridden by crisis, Collins was sacked as the Speaker of the House. His colleagues gave him the boot by impeaching him. On impeachment, he was suspended from the Assembly, but the suspension was lifted a few days later.
This order day, Ogbuagu was surprisingly sacked as the Majority Leader of the Assembly, a position he was said to have been given as compensation for his alleged role in the mass defection of PDP members to the APC.
His sack as the Majority Leader shocked him, as it did many watchers of the Assembly. Owner of two Private Radio Stations, not a few people thought he would be indispensable to both the Assembly and the Government because of his ownership of the two media outfits.
It is not known, yet, why he fell out of favour, but speculations were high that he fell on the wrong side of the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Amara Chyna Iwuanyanwu, a man regarded as the most powerful member of the Assembly based on his relationship with the Governor.
Ogbuagu was not even present when he was removed. His first reaction confirmed it. He said he was on his way to the House of Assembly when he heard of his purported removal, a removal that was well celebrated by his former party members in the PDP. Serves him right, many of them proclaimed.
Uche Ogbuagu
Thereafter, he made public a letter of resignation which he claimed to have officially submitted before his sack. In the letter, he said he was voluntarily given up the office, and now preferred being a floor member.
But not a few people dismissed the letter as an after-thought, asking why he did not make it public earlier than he did.
Why wait until he was officially sacked?, people asked.
However, in the past couple of days, a couple of rumours have been making the rounds that Ogbuagu could face a suspension from the party. Another is that a number of them, including Ogbuagu and Collins, plan to re-defect to the PDP. The third rumour is that Ogbuagu and Ihedioha met in London where both of them held a meeting. That, the rumour said, was why he was sacked as the Majority Leader.
While neither Ogbuagu nor Collins has denied the rumour of regretting decamping to the APC, and planning to re-decamp to the PDP, Ihedioha, has strongly rubbished the purported meeting between him and Ogbuagu. He described it as fake.
In a statement, Ihedioha’s Media Aide, Chibuike Onyeukwu, said there was no such meeting.
Proof: His Principal, he said, has not travelled out of the country, since the era of COVID-19 in 2020.
He said the story of the alleged meeting as carried by an Online medium and other social media outlets, was a lie from the pit of hell.
Many think that whoever fed the medium with the false story wanted to achieve two things.
One: Cause a little panic within the APC that it is about to lose a member. That could raise, again, Ogbuagu’s political profile which seems a little low since after his sack as Majority leader.
Two: Give the impression that he was persecuted because he was being wooed back to the PDP by no less a person than Ihedioha, just so if, and when he does that, it would be said that “Ihedioha asked him back and he was sacked because he met with him.”
Either way, Ihedioha’s reaction through Media Aide, Onyeukwu, has pulled the rug from under the feet of such thoughts.
Following, the full text of Ihedioha’s reaction, signed on his behalf by Onyeukwu.
PURPORTED LONDON MEETING OF RT. HON. IHEDIOHA AND UCHE OGBUAGU, FAKE NEWS, MISLEADING
“Our attention has been drawn to a fake news syndicated in the social media through elombah.com, an online news platform.
“We wish to state clearly that the purported report, captioned: “Exposed: Alleged London Meeting with Ihedioha, Reason, for Uche Ogbuagu’s Removal as A majority Leader’ is fake news, misleading and a handiwork of blackmailers.
“It is noteworthy to state that His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha CON, has not been out of the country since the Covid pandemic started in early 2020, and its attendant effect on global travel. The purported meeting therefore could not have happened and so its a figment of the writer’s imagination.
“The purveyors of this unfounded report should settle thier political scores and leave His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha CON out of it.
“The public is enjoined to disregard the falsehood in its entirety.”
