Home Blog Page 2512

PDP Crisis: Group Calls For Resignation Of NWC; Rejects Lauretta Onochie As INEC Commissioner

By
Akinwale Kasali
-
0

By Akinwale Kasali

The National Chairman of the opposition Party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,  Uche Secondus and the National Working Committee are in the eye of the storm.

There have been brewing crisis in the Party, largely from the South West  and the North Central parts of the country. This has, now, led to the call for the immediate resignation of the National Chairman and the NWC.

In the South West, it is power tussle between Governor Seyi Makinde and former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Peter Fayose, over who controls the Party structure in the Region.

In the North Central, mostly in Niger State, a Group in the PDP, under the aegis of Concerned PDP League, demanded the resignation of Secondus, the NWC and Chairman of its Board of Trustees Chairman, Sen. Walid Jibrin, due to the alleged failure of the PDP National leaders to provide the desired proactive and strong opposition Party yearning by alleged patriotic Party members and Nigerians to rescue the country from the shackles of the Party at the center, the All Progresssives Congress, APC.

At a press conference in Abuja, the leader of the Group, Warmate Daboikiabo, said it was constrained to make the resignation ademand because their leaders have failed and qperformed woefully I’m wrestling power and meeting the demands of Nigerians.

He said the demand also became necessary going by the increase in the party internal crises, court cases, and defection of some PDP leaders at states and local government chapters has become worrisome, as the party continue to lose its relevance and strength as the day goes by.

Daboikiabo cited a situation where the PDP Niger State Chapter was being run for close to a year by a Caretaker Committee, which is against the party Constitution.

The Group added that the PDP Board of Trustees Chairman has also done nothing to call Secondus and his team to order in line with the Party constitution, rather, they have been frolicking around doing things alien to the Party’s Constitution.

“In consonance with our great party constitution as amended 2017, as party patriots, we have expressed our concerns, grievances, and demands via the avenues provided in form of petition and request letter to meet with some of our leaders, but all these channels had proved abortive,” he said.

Daboikiabo also alleged that their petitions and letters were ignored by the PDP leadership, bring to fore the call by the Group for those concerned to resign Immediately.

He said the league was concerned that the hope and believes in PDP as the party to rescue Nigerians is beginning to come under threat of extinction from the minds of Nigerians.

“If care is not taken now, the way things are going, we may remain as opposition party again at the center and more states for another eight years.

“In all, we at the bottom of the party’s ranking pyramid suffered the most whenever our great party loses elections.”

He said that the league members and Nigerians were tired of economic, insecurity, and other challenges in the country.

“It is expected of the PDP leaders to use the non-passage and signing of the Electoral Bill as well as other present challenges of the country to promote the party, rather the party leadership have failed to give Nigerians a people’s oriented strong opposition.

“They should lead one million man protest against the daily killings, hunger, increase in food price, insecurity, delay in the passage and signing of the Electoral Act,” he said.

Daboikiabo also called on the Secondus-led NWC to stand by the Niger state congress appeal panel reports and conduct a free and fair congress for the state on or before June 30.

“The party leadership should uphold the suspension of the former Niger State Governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu.

“The party should commence work at the PDP National permanent secretariat.

“The party should pay the house allowance of the disengaged staffs as worked out by the then caretaker Committee Chairman, Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, as approved by the NEC, to put an end to a court case over the matter.”

Daboikiabo called on the Senate and its Committee on INEC to reject the nomination of Lauretta Onochie as a National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

“Her nomination is inconsistent with any and every electoral law in Nigeria most especially; Section 153 subsection 3 and item F, paragraph 14(2)(c) of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

“The keyword and phrase are partisan and unquestionable integrity, respectively.”

Crude Oil Prices: Kyari Alerts Nigerians On Possible Hike In Petrol Prices

By
Bayo Bernard
-
0
By James Orji
Rising crude oil prices in the international market will create more problems for Nigeria, the Group Managing Director, GMD Mele Kyari has said. 
The price of crude has risen to over $70 as at the end of Thursday with possibility of rising further, beyond $58 which Kyari said is the comfort zone set by the government run oil company.
 
But analysts said Kyari is just trying to warn Nigerians that the current pump price of petrol is not sustainable under the rising crude oil prices, as the NNPC will not be able to subsidize consumption if crude prices continue to rise beyond this level.
The Muhammadu Buhari administration has been engaging with labour unions and civil society groups on the possibility of increasing the price of the commodity from N160 to at least, N350 per litre.
Critics of the administration insist that increase in petrol price will further impoverish more Nigerians who are already below poverty level set by the World Bank. Government, however, said that subsidy on petrol is benefitting the rich who can afford to pay more for the commodity.
But while speaking on Thursday at the virtual Citizens Energy Congress, tagged “Securing a Sustainable Future Energy System through Strategy, Collaboration and Innovation,” Kyari, said further increase in crude prices will portend more problems for Nigerians,contrary to suggestions that upward swings in the price of the commodity will increase government revenue, and further improve the welfare of Nigerians as more capital will be freed up for capital projects that touches the lives of many Nigerians.
 He described the current spike in crude prices as “chicken and egg” situation,  adding that oil prices had started exiting the comfort zone set by the NNPC, and becoming a burden.
The forum was organised by DMG Events, a London-based Public Relations company, which said the occasion was to provide an opportunity for players to reset the energy agenda post- COVID-19 and connect the divergent and polarising perspectives.
Kyari put the comfort zone globally at $58-$60, saying that for the NNPC, anything above $70-$80 will create major distortions in the projections of the corporation and add more problems to the company.
Brent crude, Nigeria’s oil benchmark, is currently selling for over $74 and is likely to increase further in the coming days as the NNPC continues to battle the dilemma of shouldering the payment of petrol subsidy, which has made it unable to contribute to the Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) on two occasions.
The NNPC boss said as the commodity prices rise, buyers of Nigeria’s crude may be compelled to accelerate their investment in renewable sources of energy, thereby leaving the industry in a quagmire.
He said “In a resource-dependent nation like Nigeria when it gets too high, it creates a big problem because your consumers shut down their demand. Demand will go down and obviously even as the prices go up, you will have less volume to sell.
“So, it’s a chicken and egg story and that’s why in the industry when people make estimates for the future, they always make it about $50 to $60. Nobody puts it beyond $60.
“But for us as a country, as prices go up, the burden of providing cheap fuel also increases and that’s a challenge for us but on a net basis, you know, the high prices, as long as it doesn’t exceed $70 to $80, it’s okay for us.”
According to him, Nigeria will have no problems supporting the restoration of about 5.8 million barrels a day that the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) still has offline since the pandemic, due to the curbs in production quota imposed by the oil cartel.
He said adding that number to demand will stabilise and probably bring oil prices down to about $60 level or a little below $60, stressing that that’s a comfort zone for every producing company or country.
“I don’t see them (Nigeria) having any difficulty agreeing to add additional volume to cushion the effect of these high prices for this period,” he said.
He stated that Nigeria is already producing well below its capacity, because in early 2020, the country actually produced up to 2.4 million barrels of oil per day for both oil and condensates.
With declining investments in the oil sector, Kyari stated that in a short time, most likely the next five years, the world may experience an energy crisis if the current situation is not properly managed.
“But we know that a number of things are going on in the transition journey at renewables. Many oil companies are transiting to renewables in the future. And that means that emphasis will be on gas and I see a very turbulent next five years and potentially some stability in the next 10 years,” he said.
He described the transition to renewables as a reality, adding that for Nigeria, what is clear is that the country is deficient in infrastructure and, therefore, needs resources from oil to exit poverty.
He stated that for Nigeria, to transit means to go for a low-carbon option and move towards more gas development than the liquids, adding that in the long term, the country needs to find a way out of dependence on oil.
“Renewables are real and we are making efforts to go in that direction, but obviously, our first step is to develop our gas resources.
“In this industry, you can’t do anything except you have the financing and financing is now clearly constrained both in terms of available resources and the decision of some of the shareholders of some of the lending institutions,” he said.
He added that although everyone seems to be talking about peak oil, there is no reference to gas, which contains lower carbon.
Kyari said “Everybody is saying that in the next 10 years, we will get to peak oil. But nobody has said peak gas. And it’s very difficult to distinguish the two because as you get peak oil, in many cases, you know, oil is produced alongside gas.
“Yes, it’s possible, it can be in 10 years time but you also know that what we are doing today in the industry is also curtailing investment and meeting the transition target in 2050.
“What that means is that in five years’ time, you could be in a situation of shock and this shock will mean that people will have to put more money into producing the liquids and that means that it will defer the date for liquid oil and potentially pushing it by 20 to 30 years,” Kyari said

OPINION: Nigeria’s Unity And All The Iberiberism

By
The Source
-
0

By Femi Adesina

Which one is Iberiberism again o? What kind of English shall we not hear in this country?

Well, the word is not regular English language, neither is it my creation. The copyright belongs to former Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, who created something being fast accepted in English from the Igbo word, Iberibe, meaning foolery, trickery, or stupidity. It is the act of being deceitful or untrue.

Okorocha engaged in neologism when he created the word Iberiberism, and used it to describe political foolery and trickery or stupidity.

Let’s divert a bit. There was another Imo man, who was a master neologist. His name was Chief Ozuomba Mbadiwe, man of timber and caliber, pillar and caterpillar, the political juggernaut. He would tell us that “come would soon come to become,” and other such ticklish expressions.

I once interviewed Chief Greg Iheanacho Mbadiwe, who regaled me with his father’s ability to create words. He said as a boy, he was struggling with another young boy in his father’s compound, not knowing that the father was watching with keen interest from upstairs.

When the tussle became too long, Chief Ozuomba Mbadiwe bellowed: “Iheanachooooo. Will you slap that boy, and let him be seconsaimabalism.”

Holy Moses! What does the word mean? You will search all the dictionaries in the world, including the ones that have not been compiled, and you will never find the word seconsaimabalism. It’s a creation of Chief Mbadiwe, just as Okorocha created Iberiberism.

Now, back to the main issue. The sabre-rattling about Nigeria’s unity and the possibility of disintegration has got to the point of Iberiberism. Some people have no other business than doomsday predictions of a crumbled, collapsed Nigeria, as if they actually fast and pray for that eventuality.

When Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was President between 1999 and 2007, they predicted that he was going to be the last President of a united Nigeria. It didn’t happen. When Umaru Yar’Adua came, they said he was too sick to hold Nigeria together. The country stood. Under Goodluck Jonathan, they said the man was too weak, and different components of the country would soon say, ‘to your tents oh Israel.’ Nigeria survived. And for six years under Muhammadu Buhari, they have not changed their songs. The Somaliasation of Nigeria was on the way. The Fulanisation of the country would be the final death knell. But Nigeria lives. It trudges on from day to day, month to month, and will surely survive.

Veno Marioghae (by the way, where is she?) got it right in her hit song of the 1980s, when she said:

If them thief our oil o

Even if them burn the oil o

(Nigeria go survive)

I say if them drink the oil o

No matter how them try o

(Nigeria go survive)

Our roots them strong for ground o

Ancestors no go gree ooo (Nigeria go survive)

The god of thunder and lightning

United shield Nigeria

(Nigeria go survive)

Nigeria go survive

Africa go survive

My people go survive o

Nigeria go survive.

Yes, sing it from Abeokuta to Kaura Namoda, from Isokoland to Brass, from Orlu to Nsukka, Nigeria will survive. To, therefore, continue to wail about disintegration is now bordering on Iberiberism. We need to change our tongue, and our song. Nigeria go survive.

Why do some people always dwell on the negative? They have been seeing nothing but negative for decades, but Nigeria remains sturdy and steady. Yes, countries do fail, collapse, crumble, but Nigeria will survive. Let them change from malediction to benediction. It will be well with this country.

Some fathers of the land will not fold their hands and see Nigeria go down. Fortunately, we have one of them as President now. The young Muhammadu Buhari spent 30 months in the frontlines as a young army officer, fighting the war of unity. And he has said it: we will not be around and watch Nigeria go down. Never. We will rather speak to insurrectionists in the language they understand.

And what of Olusegun Obasanjo, a civil war hero. Despite all that he has contributed to the current upheavals by his actions and inactions, words and bile, he says it is idiotic to wish Nigeria disintegration now. Good. But let us put our money where our mouth is. Let Baba mind his thoughts, and his language.

Last Saturday, as Nigeria celebrated Democracy Day, some people wanted to stoke protests, riots and destruction. Did the system allow it? Not at all. Should it have been allowed? Not when there is still law and order in the land. Only anarchists would set the country on fire in the name of Democracy Day protests. And it was sad, tragic, to hear some so-called activists asking the police to apologize to Nigerians, for not folding their arms, and allowing the country to go into a tailspin. Anarchists masquerading as activists. And they would be the first to show a clean pair of heels when things go awry, leaving innocent people to suffer. Kudos to our law enforcement agents for being professional. It’s the way to go.

There cannot be development without peace. Nigeria, despite severe security challenges, is taking giant strides in development, particularly infrastructure. President Buhari was in Lagos last week to commission Lagos-Ibadan rail project, a maritime security project, Deep Blue, costing millions of dollars, and to handover massive security equipment to the Nigeria Police. This week, he has been in Maiduguri, Borno State, to also commission landmark projects. Nigeria is making progress, despite all the odds.

Next year, the last full year of the current administration in power, the country, by the grace of God, will witness the commissioning of legacy projects. Roads, bridges, gas projects, many others. Why then would anybody wish the country death? That would be Iberiberism at its height, and such people should stop it. They should begin to speak peace, rather than discord, they should begin to speak the language of God, rather than that of the accuser of the brethren. Nigeria will survive.

Some weeks back, when I wrote that Nigeria was like the testicles of a ram, which only sways from side to side as the animal runs, and would never fall off, some idle hateful hearts deliberately attempted to turn what I said upside down, and were ‘dragging’ themselves on the now rusticated Twitter. One simply ignored them. And to show that I stand by what I wrote, I repeat it again: “This country is like the testicles of a ram, which gyrates from side to side, as the animal runs. However fast the speed of the ram, have you ever seen the testicles fall off? Or when a woman runs, and holds her breasts, is it for fear that those tender parts will fall off? It never happens.”

Nigeria will survive. The polity will endure. And the component parts will live together in amity and brotherhood. Any other option is Iberiberism.

Adesina is Special Adviser to President Buhari on Media and Publicity

OPINION: The Minister’s Code

By
The Source
-
0
Azu Ishiekwene

By Azu Ishiekwene

There’s a growing feeling in high political circles that the Media is too free for its own good, and maybe also, for the good of the country. As a result, there are attempts on multiple fronts to save the Media from what, for lack of a better description, may be called diarrhea of freedom.

Those worried about this “excessive” Media freedom make no distinction between the media as an institution and citizens vigorously – and yes, sometimes, despicably – expressing themselves on social media.

They are also not concerned about the Constitutional provision that requires the press to hold the government to account. They’re simply consumed by an obsession to wield the axe.

In spite of all the rigmarole, the Twitter ban, the prescription by the Government to register and regulate over the top services and criminalise social media are depictions of the current official mood of intolerance.

But it doesn’t end there.

There’s much else happening, under the radar, apart from the Twitter tantrums, the obsession to control social media, and the rash of fines imposed by the Government on private broadcasters.

This week, at the behest of the Executive branch, the House of Representatives commenced hearings on a number of Media bills, among them, a bill to amend the National Broadcasting Commission Act; and another one to amend the Nigerian Press Council law.

It is being done so quietly not a sheet of paper has so far rustled among the pile of satanic scrolls sneaked into the House of Representatives meeting room 024 where the hearing has been taking place.

The exercise is a cynical ambush in the night from which even thieves might learn a few lessons.

To press home the message that this Government was not playing when it banned Twitter, the Executive is piling on the National Assembly to amend the powers of the NBC to include licensing, registration and regulation of social media and OTT. The Government is borrowing the worst example from India, a country that has its own social media tools and, on the whole, sails by its wind.

It is a move designed to cure the government’s recent embarrassing decision to put the cart before the horse when it announced that violators of the Twitter ban would be prosecuted without an existing law; a classic case of improvising the law to fit the offence.

The push to amend the Press Council Act is even curiouser. While the world was asleep, on Tuesday night, the Executive exhumed a bill that was interred 12 years ago, cleaned it up and rushed it to the House of Representatives apparently with the sole aim of cornering the mainstream print media.

The bill was listed with three other media bills for hearing on Wednesday, but was later stepped down for hearing the next day. An earlier version of the law required, among other things, registration and licensing of journalists, prescriptions under which anyone who works in a media organisation might qualify as an editor.

Even in its current form, five of the nine Board members of the Council are Government appointees; the President and the Minister have exclusive prerogative on the composition of the Board and the Code that is supposed to govern journalistic practice is a handout from the Ministry of Information.

The bill is not all bad. For example, it also provides a framework for research and training, both of which the profession could use.

But this bright spot can hardly redeem the bill from the evil and malicious intent of its sponsors. In what amounts to shaving a man’s head behind his back, none of the major stakeholders knew that the bill had been exhumed, much less being discussed for amendment.

Media owners were neither informed nor invited by the House of Representatives. The Nigerian Guild of Editors knew nothing about the bill that is supposed to regulate their practice nor did the Nigeria Union of Journalists.

It was as a matter of “happenstance”, as Kabiru Yusuf, President of the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) said in a press statement. The association got to know, after the fact, that the House of Representatives was loading the gun of a media bill aimed at the head of the profession and all practitioners were supposed to do, was just to pull the trigger.

The 8th National Assembly toyed with the idea, but common sense prevailed when the attention of the principal officers was called to the fact that the travesty of a bill was already being challenged in court.

The matter is still in the Supreme Court. But it seems that this 9th National Assembly which obviously loves journalists more than they love themselves cannot wait for the court to dispose of the matter.

Under the radar, another media-business-related travesty is stirring. It’s the review of the Advertising Code of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON). It’s not a code in the sense of a coherent body of ethical guide. The plain name for this law, regardless of its elegant title, is the Minister’s Code.

That may seem harsh, but that’s what it is. No review, no matter the window dressing or circumlocution, can re-make the essential character of this code: It’s the Minister’s Code. And by the Minister, I do not necessarily refer to the current Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, who is doing an extraordinary job of hosting this renewed assault.

The point is that the Code predates Mohammed and has been amended twice – in 1992 and 1993 – under the parochial watch of the military. But like most things done under the military, the preservation of tight-fisted control rather than robust civic engagement, was the overriding consideration.

Every executive of the newspaper owners’ association in the past three decades has clashed with government over the obtuseness of the Advertising Code.

The most remarkable fallout has been the NPAN under the Chairman Emeritus of PUNCH, Chief Ajibola Ogunshola, whose executive dragged APCON to court over the combined tyranny of government and big business against the newspaper industry.

Unfortunately, a number of Media owners at time were their own worst enemies!

The stalemate has remained, even mutated, and the current review of the Code – and indeed all the media laws – instigated under Mohammed will, at best, be just another layer of window dressing and at worst, another capricious attempt to muzzle the press.

The reason is simple. No media law, including the Code – that subordinates freedom of the press or the ease of doing business to the discretion of a minister or his agents will work. Other than inseminating the minister’s ego, it’s a waste of time.

The Code, like the other bills currently under the consideration of the House of Representatives, is fatally flawed by the malicious intent of a government that thinks that less, not more freedom of expression, is the solution to the country’s problems. No minister should bring the country to his level.

What is more, best practices from the UK and even South Africa, which share a lot in common with Nigeria’s jurisprudence, show that independent, self-regulation, by journalists, advertisers and practitioners, is the gold standard of professional practice.

The Independent Press Standards Organisation and the Committee of Advertising Practice in the UK; the Press Council of South Africa and that country’s Advertising Regulatory Board, are models worth emulating. Not our Minister’s Code.

In case we forget, official positions are temporary. The same laws we make today could be the rope we lend our successors to hang us tomorrow.

General Sani Abacha did not invent the decree under which he tried former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 1995; he tried and jailed Obasanjo for 30 years under the same law which the latter made as military head of state.

As he wrestles with the temptation to use iron fist in the Government’s dealings with the Media, nothing recommends caution more to Minister Lai Mohammed than the mythology of the King of Otolu.

It’s a Yoruba proverb about the king’s missing trumpet. After ordering the beheading of 17 palace workers at the Ogun shrine on the suspicion that they were responsible for his missing trumpet, the king later found that the trumpet had, in fact, been stolen by his younger son who wanted to supplant the heir apparent.

Muzzling the media, under any guise, is playing with fire.

Ishiekwene is the Editor-in-Chief of LEADERSHIP

Imo Inaugurates COVID-19 Action and Economic Stimulus Programme Steering Committee

By
The Source
-
0
Hope Uzodimma

Governor Hope Uzodimma has inaugurated the Imo State version of the Steering Committee on Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES)

The NG-CARES is an initiative of the Federal Government of Nigeria with assistance from the World Bank to mitigate the effect of COVID- 19 on the rural economy using CSDP, Fadama and Bank of Industry platforms. 

The programme is aimed at restoring the livelihoods of the poor and vulnerable, maintaining food security and facilitating the recovery of Small and mMedium Enterprises (SME’s).

This Federal Government programme implemented across the 36 states of the federation, with states encouraged to domesticate it.

On Tuesday Governor Uzodimma inaugurated the Committee with members drawn from critical ministries and agencies of Government to drive the programme.

The Commissioner for Finance and Coordinating Economy, Dr. Doris Uzoka Anite  serves as the State Focal Person and Chairman of the State Steering Committee.

During the inauguration, Governor Uzodimma admonished the members to work in synergy to ensure the realisation of the set goals for the programme.

He harped on the need to keep to the rules of partnership on global interventions, warning that government will not tolerate unnecessary interference and lack of proper coordination.


The members of the steering committee are drawn from:

1. Ministry of finance
2. Ministry of Budget, Economic Planning and Statistics
3. Ministry of Gender and Vulnerable Groups
4. Ministry of Commerce & Industry
5. Ministry of Works
6. Ministry of Information
7. Ministry of Transport
8. Ministry of Agriculture & Natural Resources
9. Ministry of Livestock Development
10. Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs
11. D.G Bureau for the coordination of Donor Assisted Projects
12. Ministry of Water Resources
13. Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisition
14. Ministry of Sanitation & Hygiene
15. The Technical Head, IMO STATE NG – 

#EndSARS: Imo To Pay ₦771m In Compensation; Chairman Says Report A Tip Of The Iceberg

By
The Source
-
0
Hope Uzodimma

The Judicial Commission of Inquiry on Police Brutality And Related Matters, in Imo State has ordered the State Government to pay over 700 Million Naira in compensation to victims of Police Brutality. Even then, the Commission says the complainants it handled were just a tip of the iceberg.

It submitted its findings to Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State.

Uzodimma had inaugurated the Panel on November 3, 2020 following directive of the Federal Executive Council to the States  to do so as part of measures to  assuage the feelings of Nigerians following the #EndSARS Protests across the country.

Members were drawn from different segments of the society including from the youth, Church, Civil Society Organisations, Judiciary, Security Agencies among others.

Submitting  the report to Governor Uzodimma at the New Executive Council Chambers,  Government House, Owerri on Wednesday, Chairman of Commission, Justice Florence Duruoha-Igwe (Rtd), said members recommended that a total sum of N770,985,80O be paid as compensation to petitioners by Government.

Justice Duruoha-Igwe (Rtd) informed that their report is in three volumes: Volume I is the main report embodying the findings and recommendations, Volume II (a) contains Petitions from Petition No: JCIP/1/2020 to JCIP/77/2020, Volume II (b) contains Petitions and Memoranda from Petition No. JCI/78/2020 to JCIP/154/2020.

Volume III (a) contains Record of Proceedings from 3/11/2020 to 8/2/2021, Volume III (b) contains Record of Proceedings from 9/2/2021, 29/3/2021 and 4/5/2021.

She said the report shows that some of the cases reported to them were just a tip of the iceberg “which means that many people are living in self-denial as with the possibility of their missing relatives are still alive even after many years of missing, hoping that they may come back from police detention some day.”

The Chairman appealed to the Governor not to sweep their report and recommendations under the carpet, but urged the Government to do its best to “ensure that all their recommendations will be implemented urgently in other to restore the confidence of the people in believing that Government will correct the anomalies of the past.”

The Commission however urged the Government to embark on mass sensitization of its citizenry on their rights and privileges as it concerns the operations/functions of Police and call out any infringement of their rights.

Receiving the report, Governor Uzodimma said “setting up of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Police Brutality and their subsequent sittings and receiving of memoranda from the public were able to calm the tempo of tension created by #EndSARS protest.:

He noted that #EndSARS protest was “an innocent protest by young men and women which was later hijacked by hoodlums and bandits which they used to cause mayhem on the citizens.”

“The Federal Government asked States to set up Commission of Inquiries to look into the causes or what led to the decision of the young men and women to embark on the protest,” the Governor explained.

He expressed happiness that with the report Government will have the idea of what caused the protest and the mismanagement and the level of damages to lives and property by the protesters.

The Governor thanked the Chairman and her members for doing a thorough job considering the intricacies of their assignment, stressing that they rendered a selfless service to the people.

He assured the Chairman and her members that Government will definitely implement the recommendations,  noting that he has no doubt in his mind that “guided by the documents submitted; the Government action will be very popular and acceptable by the people.”

Present at the submission were the Deputy Governor of Imo State, Prof. Placid Njoku, Chief of Staff Government House,  Barr. Nnamdi Anyaehie and other senior government functionaries.

Jonathan Pays Tribute To Late Kenneth Kaunda

By
The Source
-
0

Former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, has paid tribute to the former Zambian President, Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, who died on Thursday at the age of 97.

In a condolence message to his family and the Government of Zambia, the former Nigerian President described Kaunda as a foremost Pan-Africanist who was of great significance to the continent’s struggle for liberation.

Dr. Jonathan also described his relationship with the late sage as very cordial, adding that he visited him in Yenagoa during his time as the Governor of Bayelsa state.

Below is the full text of the statement:

“I am deeply saddened by the passing on of former Zambian President and foremost Pan-Africanist, Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, who died today at the age of 97 years.

“Not only was he of very great significance to Africa’s struggle for liberation, he was also quite significant to me.

“I met him as a much younger politician and I am glad to have maintained a close relationship with the great sage.

“Kaunda was a specimen of the highest level of patriotism. He was also a strong promoter of Pan-Africanism, an idea that has reached maturity with the African Continental Free Trade Area, which itself was a product of the vision of men and women like Mr. Kaunda.

“His life was a pattern of good works, and his post Presidential work in providing relief for HIV/AIDS patients, as well as promoting practices and measures to curb the spread of the virus are remembered.

“During my time as the Governor of Bayelsa State in 2006, Pa Kaunda visited and spent two days with us in Yenagoa, because of our shared interest in the protection of our peoples against the scourge of HIV/AIDS.

“I recall with relish the impressive pace displayed by Kaunda, then aged 82 years, at the symbolic Three Arms Walk for HIV/AIDS on the streets of Yenagoa.

“He visited me a couple of times when I was in office as President of Nigeria. We last saw each other in 2016 when I visited him while I was in Zambia as Head of the African Union (AU) Election Observation Mission.

“He will be greatly missed and fondly remembered across the entire continent.

“On behalf of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation and my family, I condole with the Government  and people of the Republic of Zambia on the passing of their foremost founding father.”

DSS Assures Uzodimma Of Critical Intelligence In Imo State

By
The Source
-
0

Operatives of the Directorate of State Services (DSS) in Imo State have assured Governor Hope Uzodimma that they are poised to provide critical intelligence that will help secure the State.

They made the promise on Thursday when Governor Uzodimma paid a working/familiarisation visit to the Headquarters of the DSS in Owerri.

The Director of State Services in Imo State, Dr. Wilcox Idaminabo, who received the Governor  and his entourage  maintained that they will double their efforts to provide critical intelligence as a way of reciprocating the Governor’s gesture of supporting the Service in all areas.

According to the Chief Press Secretary/ Special Adviser, Media to the Governor, Oguwike Nwachuku in a Press Release, Dr. Idaminabo said that Governor Uzodimma was the first Chief  Executive of the State  to visit their office since it was relocated from Shell Camp.

In his response, Governor Uzodimma described the DSS as dependable partners and a “radar for us to navigate.”

He lauded the Operatives for rising to the ocassion of their statutory role despite the paucity of resources to function.

Governor Uzodimma who said he was at their office on familiarisation visit added that Government appreciates all the sacrifices and efforts  of the operatives, and that Government’s relationship with them is that of partners in progress.

Governor Uzodimma urged the DSS to always count on the support of his government as they discharge their responsibility to the state.

Invitational Tourney: Super Falcons Bow Out Of Tournament In Defeat To USA

By
Akinwale Kasali
-
0
Super Falcons arrive USA

By Akinwale Kasali

The Super Falcons of Nigeria ended their Invitational Tourney Series in Miami, United States of America with a loss to female football powerhouse, USA by 2-0.

Coach Randy Waldrum side failed to record any win at the Four-Nation tournament, losing to Reggae Girls of Jamaica 1-0, played a 3-3 draw with Portugal and lost again in their last match to USA.

Captain of the side and Striker of  Barcelona Female Football Club of Spain, Asisat Oshoala failed to lift the Nigeria ladies to victory just the way she led the team to the Antalya Cup tournament triumph in Turkey earlier in the year.

The Super Falcons are gearing up for the CAF African Women Championship, AWCON, qualifiers against the Black Queens of Ghana scheduled for July 2021.

There will be a two legged match against both Countries to determine who qualify for the Continental Showpiece, which serves as the Qualifiers for the 2023 FIFA Women World Cup.

The tournament availed Coach Waldrum to test new legs that joined the team, making their debut in the tournament.

USA are winners of the Four-Nation tournament, winning all its three matches to solidify its position as the Number one Female team in the World.

Kaunda: Zambia Declares a-21 Day Mourning Period; Africa Mourns

By
Akinwale Kasali
-
0
Kenneth Kaunda

By Akinwale Kasali

Like most African Presidents, he refused to leave office when the ovation was highest. He stepped down as President when he was defeated by a coalition in 1991

The Zambian Government has declared a-21 day mourning period for its former President and father of the Nation, Dr Kenneth Kaunda. Within the period, the National Flag will fly at half mast across the country. And a seal put on all social activities.

Kaunda, regarded as the father of the Nation, died Thursday at the age of 97.

He was one  of Africa’s legends for his role in the fight against colonialism. One of his books, Zambia Shall Be Free was a heat.

The former President was admitted to a military hospital in the capital, Lusaka, on Monday, suffering from pneumonia, which eventually led to his death.

The history of Zambia as a Nation cannot be written without the name of Kaunda been mentioned.

In the 1950s, Kaunda was a key figure in what was then Northern Rhodesia’s independence movement from Britain.

After gaining Independence for his nation in 1964, he became President.

As head of the left-leaning United National Independence Party (UNIP), Kaunda  led the country through decades of one-party rule.

Like most African Presidents, he refused to give way when the ovation was highest. He stepped down after losing multi-party elections in 1991.

Taking to his Facebook page on Social Media to announce the death of his Father, his son, Kambarage Kaunda wrote; “I am sad to inform Zambians that we have lost Mzee,” using a term of respect. “Let’s pray for him.”

Reacting to the death of Kaunda, Zambian President Edgar Lungu said the nation has lost a true African Icon.

“I learnt of your passing this afternoon with great sadness,” he wrote on his Facebook page. “On behalf of the entire nation and on my own behalf I pray that the entire Kaunda family is comforted as we mourn our first president and true African icon.”

The Nelson Mandela Foundation said Kaunda’s contribution to the struggle against colonialism and apartheid would not be forgotten.

Former Zambian Football National team captain and legend, Kalusha Bwalya, who paid tribute to the late Kaunda said he had made “an immense impact in Zambia and in Africa.

Former Nigerian President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, in a condolence message to the Kaunda family and Zambia, on behalf of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation and his family, paid tribute to a colossus who he said he had a close, cordial, relationship with.

1...2,5112,5122,513...3,079Page 2,512 of 3,079