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Imo: Emma Ojinire Dies of COVID-19, Akwa Ibom APC Chair Too |The Source

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The Source
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Chief Emma Ojinere

By Charles Igbo

The political environment in Imo State was set on fire, Tuesday, when the news of the passing of Chief Emma Ojinere, was broken.

An astute politician, who at one time or the other was a member of the PDP and APC, under which he contested for various positions, including a Senatorial seat to represent Owerri zone, he reportedly died of complications connected to COVID-19. He had also aspired to become the Governor.

Until his death, Ojinere, a native of Ahuazu, Mbaise,  held the chieftaincy title of Aka ji Ugo 1 of Mbaise.

APC State Chairman Dies Too

In another development, the State Chairman of the APC, Akwa Ibom State chapter, Udo Ekpenyong, reportedly died of COVID-19 on Tuesday.

Ekpenyong was a Special Adviser to a former Governor of the State, Obong Victor Attah, on Local Government and Chieftaincy  Affairs.

Lagos Lawyer Accuses LASG Of Insensitivity, Encouraging Lawlessness |The Source

By
Adesina Soyooye
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Kunle Uthman

By Adesina Soyooye

An angry Lagos based Lawyer, and a Member of the Body of Benchers, ‘Kunle Uthman, has written to the Lagos State Government, accusing it of insensitivity, and doing nothing while Lagos has descended to a state of lawlessness and cheap deaths

In a letter to the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State, Mr Moyo Onigbanjo, Uthman decried what he termed the unwillingness of the Lagos State Government to enforce compliance with COVID-19 pandemic protocols.

He bemoaned the number of deaths in the state, and regretted that despite the situation, it is still business as usual in the state.

He said:”There isn’t any indecipherable commitment by the LASG to checkmate and reduce this historical disaster.”

Following, the full text of the letter.

Mr. Moyo Onigbanjo Esq, SAN.

Hon. Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Lagos State.

Dear Mr. Onigbanjo.

RE: COMMUNAL SPREAD OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN LAGOS STATE AND INCAPACITY AND UNWILLINGNESS OF THE LASG TO ENFORCE COMPLIANCE WITH COVID-19 PANDEMIC PROTOCOLS.

Above subject matter refers, sir.

Apparently day-by-day, Lagos State is degenerating to a state of lawlessness and disregard for sanctity of human lives. Competitive killings by cultists (14 deaths recorded in Ikorodu Town alone within 3days); armed robbery attacks; and numerous sudden deaths through COVID-19 pandemic are ravaging the State (it was reported that 50% of Lagos State civil servants are already infected) like bush fire.

Lagos State has earned, since April 2020 and consistently maintained the unenviable status of the State with the highest number of infected persons and deaths through COVID-19 in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Despite this scary and fearful state of affairs, it is still “business-as-usual” and there isn’t any decipherable commitment by the LASG to checkmate and reduce this historical disaster.

One classical case of failure of government to be humane and proactive is the funeral outing party of Alhaji Nelson held with grandiose fanfare without social distancing and failure to enforce the wearing of face masks, at the prestigious Eko Club Arcade Hall, Surulere that has the capacity in excess of 2,500 persons at a rental rate in excess of more than N1.6m per event.

The referenced event shows the extent to which the LASG has failed in enforcement of the COVID-19 pandemic protocols, considering the fact that this event was held in Surulere and not a remote part of the State.

It is a fact that the number of persons published as victims of this pandemic in Lagos State have been grossly underestimated and underreported.

As it is, day-by-day, these large parties are being organised and attended by even highly placed LASG officials.

Is there an effective and efficient government in Lagos State?

Recall that His Excellency, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Hon. Commissioner of Health of Lagos State were infected with COVID-19 and went into isolation.

What is the way forward if the LASG is unable (through its numerous agencies) to enforce the protocols regarding number of persons to attend parties?

Please consider banning parties or whosoever must hold parties (if at all) must necessarily inform and obtain clearance from relevant government agencies.

Prosecution should necessarily be the concomitant consequence of a  breach, including psychiatric evaluation of suicidal persons, who do not desire to die alone by hosting this appallingly lavish parties, but take along “irresponsible deviant persons” as themselves in the suicide mission.

This is “Save Our Soul” –  SOS. “A stitch in time saves nine”.

Kind Regards.

(Sgd)

‘Kunle Uthman, Esq. [Legal Practitioner (Member, Body of Benchers)]. Lagos.

NB: Please oblige a copy to HE, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Executive Governor, Lagos State.  Cc.

Imo: Administrative Chief Magistrate Loses Car To Mysterious Fire |The Source

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The Source
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INEC Office

By Okey  Alozie

The Administrative Chief Magistrate in Owerri, Mrs Stella Kadurumba, on Tuesday lost her official car to a mysterious fire.

The incident took place at the Chief Magistrate Court Owerri, near the Government House.

It was observed that the burnt Corolla  vehicle with registration number (IMSJ 101) burnt completely in the fire which started around 11:00 am.  The Chief Magistrate was on duty inside her Court when it happened.

According to an eye withness report, the engine of the vehicle was off when the fire started.

Our reporter observed that the official car of the female Magistrate was at her official  car park, but it was like a surprise package to those close to the car when they saw it was on fire. notice that it is on fire.

The driver  raised an alarm for  help. By  the time the  Fire Service personnel received distressed call, and rushed to the  court premises the car had damaged been burnt.

The driver, Mr Chidi Ofoma,  who spoke to journalists in tears revealed that the vehicle was in order before the fire started, and wondered how a vehicle which engine was not on for more than 3hrs would suddenly catch fire.

Ifeoma Nzeukwu, Personal Assistant to the Chief Magistrate, expressed surprise on the fire issue.

Mba Joy who serve as clerk to the Chief Magistrate also expressed surprise, but submitted that the vehicle was not a new one.

Chief Magistrate Kadurumba was dumbfounded and shocked to hear that her official vehicle got burnt  when she cannot afford another one to come to work with.

“She is in pains now, actually, but the obvious fact remains that she has another official car.

Okorocha Says He Is Leaving APC |The Source

By
Akinwale Kasali
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By Akinwale Kasali

He did not quite put it that way, but from his actions and utterances, former  Governor of Imo State, and now a Senator, Rochas Okorocha, seems all set to defect from his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC.

He has not said to which party he is heading to, since he has, at one time or the other, been a member of, almost, all the known parties, but speculations are that he is likely headed to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

in the past couple of weeks, he has bad-mouthing his party, the APC.

Okorocha was a member of APGA, the party under which he became a Governor. But mid-way, he dumped APGA, along with a faction of it, and became a foundation member of the APC. Before APGA, he had been a member of the AD, and ANPP and the PDP.

His problem in the APC started when the party stopped him from foisting his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, on Imo State, as his successor. The party preferred Senator Hope Uzodinma to him, forcing him, Nwosu,  After an initial hiccup which saw The Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha as Governor for seven months after INEC declared him Governor, the Supreme Court overturned him, and declared Uzodinma Governor.

Okorocha, of course, still prefered his son-in-law as his successor, especially, after the bitter campaign primary with Uzodinma, but he had to grudgingly accept Uzodinma.

But a snag.

When Ihedioha was Governor, he had set-up a couple of Judicial Commissions  of Inquiry and Panels to look into the activities of Okorocha’s Government. With Uzodinma’s entry, Okorocha wanted them disbanded. Uzodinma wouldn’t budge. He also wanted his choice as the Chairman of the Party, and the retention of the Chairmen and Councillors of LGAs who he installed in the twilght of his administration. Ihedioha sacked them, and Uzodinma refused to bring them back. He wouldn’t also consult Okorocha on any issues.

They parted ways, and since then, Okorocha has remained like an outsider in the party in the State.

He has also resorted to attacking the APC at all levels, including calling out an amalgamation of strange fellows, and a party which would die after President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure.

The other day, he was a guest of Rivers State Governor, and PDP engine room, Nyesom Wike to commission a road project. Speaking, he broached the idea of a new political party before 2023 for good men from both the PDP and the  APC. He said even though both parties had very bad people as members, the good ones should get together, form a Party, and rescue Nigeria.  He then ominously added: “You can imagine me working with Wike. Something will happen.”

On Monday, January 18, he again took the APC to the cleaners, anf  called once again on Nigerian progressives across political parties to come together to create a new political order.

Okorocha who is also the Senator representing Imo West said the country needs political re-engineering, insisting that Nigerians cannot be fooled again by mischievous politicians in 2023.

According to him, “the movement for a new Nigeria has begun and we must come together, I mean progressive Nigerians to make the country work.

When asked about similar comments made when the APC was formed prior to 2015 general elections, Okorocha, retorted that the APC was hurriedly formed to take power from the PDP without much emphasis on the character of those championing the course.

He said, “APC was a hurried arrangement, it was hurriedly formed to take power when the then government was drifting. APC would have been better until people who were not members of the party; people who came for congratulatory message, hijacked the party and became Lords.”

Okorocha, who gave a veiled confirmation of his 2023 Presidential ambition, however noted that, “The issue is not about APC or PDP, it is beyond political parties, we are talking about the character of the politicians.

“Political parties in Nigerian don’t have any ideology; it is just a vehicle to come to power. So what we have is not the ideal thing, we have so many people who are not interested in working for the nation. Take for instance if President Muhammadu Buhari had surrounded himself with good people, the story will not be the same today.”

The PDP has, however, asked Okorocha to jettison the idea of a new political party, and rejoin his former party, the PDP. Its spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan: “Our advice to people like Okorocha is for him to avoid making the same mistake twice, any party hurriedly put together like the APC because elections are bound to fall into the same errors.

“He should rather come over  to the PDP, a very structured party with a pedigree of performance. We’ve made a few mistakes in the past, and we’ve learnt from them.

The Imo APC had, recently, alleged that Okorocha’s plan is to destroy the party and defect to the PDP with his supporters.

Considering the sour relationship between Okorocha and the PDP in the state, that will be the day.

Owerri Catholic Archdiocese Loses Msgr Madu To COVID-19 |The Source

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The Source
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Ralph Madu

By Okey Alozie

Msgr. Ralph Madu the  immediate past Secretary General of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Abuja,  and a Priest from Owerri Arch diocese, has passed on.

He, reportedly, died of complications from COVID-19 at the Isolation Centre of the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, after he was transferred to there from the Holy Rosary Hospital, Emekuku.

Reports say the Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, is devastated as Madu was the Government House Chaplain. And so is the Catholic Archbishop, His Grace Anthony Obinna, as Madu was at a time, the Editor of the Catholic Weekly Newspaper, The Leader.

Born in Lagos he was ordained a Priest of the Catholic Church on July 9, 1983,  for the Archdiocese of Owerri.

Governor Uzodinma had, a few days ago, expressed worry over the spread of the Virus in Imo, and put in place, strict COVID-19 protocols, including penalty for those who fail to wear their masks.

Ondo Gov Election Free And Fair, INEC Insists |The Source

By
Ayodele Oni
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Independent National Electoral Commission

By Ayodele Oni

The Independent National Electoral Commission,(INEC) insisted on Tuesday that the October 10 Governorship election in Ondo state was free and fair.

The confirmation was coming as the Director  of Operations of INEC Tope Aina, testified before the Election Petition Tribunal, hearing the petition filed by the candidate of People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) Eyitayo Jegede, against the victory of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu in the poll.

Under cross examination by Mr Akin Olujimi, Counsel to Governor Akeredolu, the INEC official pointed out that there was no way the PDP candidate could have won the election with his 195, 791 total votes scored.

Mr Aina also confirmed that PDP In 2016 had a Caretaker Committee under Alhaji Ahmed Markafi that nominated the petitioner as the governorship candidate, but could not recall whether Makarfi was a serving governor at that time.

Jegede’s Counsel, Onyechi Ikpeazu, was, however, furious that the INEC official, with his 30 years experience, could not fully recall an issue which happened just five years ago.

Aina pointed out that there was nothing wrong with a registered political party appointing a Caretaker Committee in accordance with its constitution to run its affairs when circumstances make it necessary in as much it is in line with the constitution.

The PDP and its candidate, Mr Eyitayo Jegede, had, last week Wednesday, closed their case without calling their 399 witnesses listed.

Counsel to INEC, Charles Edosomwan, had led the Commission’s Director of Operations, Mr Tope Aina, to a witness box, and adopted his statement on oath.

After all parties agreed to it, the Tribunal adjourned to Wednesday, 20th of January 2020.

Past Governors, Deputies And Retirees In Ondo To Get N11 Billion In 2021 |The Source

By
Ayodele Oni
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Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State
Rotimi Akeredolu

By Ayodele Oni

Ondo State Government is not contemplating to stop payment of pensions and gratuities to former governors of the state and their deputies.

To this end, a total sum of N10.916 billion has already been earmarked in this year’s budget for the payment of pensions, gratuity of pensioners, as well as payment of benefits to past Governors and their Deputies.

Reason for retention of benefits to past governors, according to the Commissioner  for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr Emmanuel Igbasan, is because it was backed by the law.

Explaining the rationale behind this year’s budget to newsmen in Akure, on Tuesday, the Commissioner  pointed out that any future move to do so would have to get legal backing.

Only Dr Olusegun Mimiko, is a surviving past Governor, while ex-Deputy  Governors include Omolade Oluwateru, Ali Olanusi and Lasisi Oluboyo.

“As of now in Ondo state, payment of this stipends to them is a creation of Law, and until that law is reviewed, we just have to make a token provision for them and comply with the provision of extant laws.

“But essentially, the bulk of that money would go into the payment of gratuities and retirement benefits of our retirees.”

Lagos and Kwara states had, last year, announced the stoppage of pension to former governors and their deputies, citing economic realities occasioned by Covid 19 pandemic.

Threat To Life: Soyinka Backs Bishop Kukah, Slams Critics |The Source

By
Akinwale Kasali
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By Akinwale Kasali

Nobel Laurette, Professor Wole Soyinka, has come to the defence of Bishop Matthew  Kukah of the Sokoto Diocese over his statement on Christmas Day against President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, which has been termed by Islamic Bodies as derogatory statements against Islam.

Reacting to the threat issued by Islamic Bodies, calling on Bishop Kukah to leave Sokoto or apologize, Soyinka said the threats Kukah has been receiving are “diversionary” and “nationally unhealthy”, saying that he studied the transcript of the cleric’s message and found nothing in it that denigrated Islam.

The Nobel Laureate who noted that it should not come as a surprise that a section of Nigeria’s Islamic community found offence in Kukah’s r address, stressed that it is worrisome they threatened to storm his ‘Capitol’ and eject him.

According to him, “On a personal note, I have studied the transcript as reported in the media and found nothing in it that denigrates Islam but then, I must confess, I am not among the most religion besotted inhabitants of the globe.

“That, I have been told, disqualifies me from even commenting on the subject and, quite frankly, I wish that were indeed the case. Life would far less complicated. However, the reverse position does not seem to be adopted by such religionists in a spirit of equity. They do not hesitate to intervene; indeed some consider themselves divinely empowered to intervene, even dictate in secular life.

“One of the ironic features of religionists is, one is forced to conclude, a need to be offended. It is as if religion cannot exist unless it is nourished with the broth of offence.

“This may be due to an inbuilt insecurity, a fear that even the ascribed absolutes of faith may be founded on nothing more than idealistic human projections, not grounded in anything durable or immutable. Hence the over prickliness, aggressiveness, sometimes even bullying tendencies and imperious posturing.

“This leads to finding enemies where there are none. In certain social climates, it degenerates into inventing enmities in order to entrench theocratic power.”

Soyinka also made reference to the defeat of Donald Trump in the United States, despite the line up of prophesies about his victory.

“Let no one be in any doubt that some of the most extreme of the violent forces that recently assaulted her governance citadel are sprung from religious and quasi-religious affirmations, a condition that still enables many of them to be brainwashed into accepting literally, and uncritically, indeed as gospel truth, any pronouncement, however outrageous and improbable, that emerges from their leadership.

“As usual, we have not lacked, within our own distanced environment, advocates who, even till recently, claimed to have seen in their vision, the triumph of God’s own anointed in the electoral contest of that same United States. They have been specific in their prophesy that what was denied at the ballot box would be restored in the law courts.

“And to set a divine seal on the matter, were not our streets in a part of this nation actually inundated by religious processions in support of the candidacy of their supposed Messiah, named Donald Trump? They had conferred on him the mantle of upholder of Christian values, endangered by satanic practices in, of all places, a nation designated as – God’s own Country!

“Of course, not all such tendencies represent the true face of any professed religion, we need only remark that all religions are plagued by a lunatic fringe. In this nation we have learnt the painful way what such inbred loonies are capable of. Thus, extreme care, and historic awareness, should be taken in imputing any act or pronouncement as an attack on faith. At base, competitors for recognition as first line defenders of the ramparts of religiosity are often motivated by non-religious agenda, which is yet another reason for the exercise of restraint and collective responsibility.”

Dogara In Trouble, As PDP Asks Court To Declare His Seat Vacant |The Source

By
Akinwale Kasali
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By Akinwale Kasali

Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara is in troubled waters. His former Party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is asking the Court to declare his Seat in the House of Representatives vacant.

The party is calling for the sack of the former Speaker for defecting to the All Progressives Congress, APC, while still keeping the mandate of the party.

At the resumed hearing of the suit on Monday, the lawyer to the plaintiffs, Jibril Jibril, urged the court to abridge the time for the hearing of the suit owing to the fact that Dogara is already enjoying legislative privileges as a member of the House of Representatives.

Justice Okon Abang, after listening to the lawyers to the defendants who did not oppose the application to abridge time fixed February 14, 2021, for hearing.

Dogara, who is representing Dass, Tafawa Balewa, and Bogoro Federal Constituency of Bauchi State, defected from the APC to the PDP before the last General election and won re-election to the house on the platform of the PDP.

The PDP and its Bauchi State  Chairman, Hamza Koshe Akuyam, listed as plaintiffs in the suit, are contending, among others, that by virtue of section 68(1)(g) of the constitution,  Dogara ought to vacate the seat for defecting from the party that sponsored him to the ninth national assembly before the expiration of his tenure.

The plaintiffs claim that the former Speaker was no longer qualified to partake in the activities of the House of Representatives while still using his former party’s ticket.

Dogara was Speaker under the PDP Government. He defected to the APC, but defected again to the PDP just before the 2019 General election, and won his seat. But, a few months ago, he inexplicably defected again to the APC. It is the seat that the PDP wants back.

Osinbajo; Dare; To Lead Symposium On Future Of Nigeria’s Youth |The Source

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Yemi Osinbajo

By Akinwale Kasali

Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, would lead prominent personalities to speak at the leadership symposium of the Lead Generation Initiative, LGI, holding on January 21st 2021 at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.

The symposium tagged, “The Future of Leadership: The Role of the Youth”, is part of the activities to mark the one year anniversary of the LGI, a non-governmental, non-political and non-profit organization committed to galvanizing, training and empowering young Nigerians across the country to get involved and take responsibility in community development and nation building right from their immediate localities.

Also expected to speak at the symposium, which will be 80 per cent virtual, and in compliance with COVID-19 protocols, is the Honourable Minister for Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello and his counterpart from Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde.

Other dignitaries include;  Dr. Taiwo Afolabi, Hon. Shina Peller, famous Nollywood actress, Kate Henshaw among others.

The would-be panelists to speak on the topic, “Why the Leaders of Tomorrow Must Start Leading Today”, are Samson Itodo, popular Hip Hop Artiste, Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, known as Wizkid by his teeming fans, Japhet Omojuwa, Hon. Akin Alabi, and another high profile Music artiste, Olanrewaju Fasasi, popularly known as Sound Sultan and others.

Through its numerous laudable programmes such as: Get Involved Leadership Training (GILT), Get Involved Regional Leadership Summits, Emerging Leaders Conference, Women Leadership Development Programme, Creative Open Crafts, National Entrepreneurial Competition, among others, LGI develops interest of the youth in governance, social inclusion, and participation in the democratic and political processes in Nigeria.

The National Secretary of the Lead Generation Initiative, Ekpa Stanley Ekpa, revealed that through GILT, Lead Generation Initiative, in partnership with YIAGA Africa, had successfully trained 1300 young Nigerians in four states namely Oyo, Osun, Bauchi and Gombe on effective leadership skills, strategic communication, community development, active citizenship and nation building. Each of the 1300 beneficiaries has in turn trained 20 people each at the local government level.

GILT, which is designed to hold in all the 36 states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is a train-the-trainer leadership workshop, where participants, having been trained at the state level, return to their various local governments to replicate the training for the larger participants at the local government and ward level.

The LGI’s leadership symposium is designed to accommodate 25 participants at the venue, while numerous participants across the 36 states including the FCT will take part virtually.

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