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Finally, Catholic Church Bans Mbaka, Converts Adoration Ministry To Chaplaincy

By
Adesina Soyooye
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Rev Fr Ejike Mbaka

By Adesina Soyooye

For Rev. Fr Ejike Mbaka, the saying, “pride goes before a fall”,  has come true.

The Catholic Church seems to have, finally, dealt with its wayward  child. He has had his long  tail cut short.

Mbaka has been banned from talking Politics in the Church. He has, also, been banned from prophesies on who would win, or fail, in an election. And as a final seal, the Adoration Ministry has been converted to a Chaplaincy.

These were contained in a letter to the Priest signed by the Bishop of Enugu Diocese, His Lordship, Bishop Callistus Onaga.

The letter was dated, June 3, 2021.

Here is the implications of converting the Adoration Ministry to a Chaplaincy:

*Mbaka will no longer be solely in charge of its activities. Until now, as the Spiritual Director of the Adoration Ministry which he founded, he reported to nobody. No longer, as his activities are now under the supervision of the Bishop, who he reports to.

*Even though he is still in charge of the Chaplaincy, he could be transferred out of it.

*Any other Priest could be sent to be in charge of the Chaplaincy.

These decisions are fatal blows to Mbaka.

He made his name by talking politics from the Pulpit which, atimes, many saw as bordering on blackmail. He made Political prophesies, a couple of which had come true. The most remarkable was his prophesy that Senator Hope Uzodimma would be the Governor of Imo State, even though the Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha had been sworn-in as the Governor, and won at both the Election Tribunal and the Court of Appeal. He, also, predicted President Muhammadu Buhari’s victory in 2015 and 2019.

But his prophesy on the former Governor of Enugu State, Dr Chimaroke Nnamani, was off the point.

He had said he would remove his Cassock if Nnamani was elected for a second term in office. Nnamani won, convincingly, but Mbaka never kept his words to remove his Cassock.

These prophesies, however, made Mbaka’s Adoration Ministry a must for politicians. They flocked there, and made him and his Church, rich.

He established a chain of businesses, and is reportedly, richer than the Enugu Diocese. But his wealth and prophetic tendencies also put him at cross-purposes with the Church. He felt he had become untouchable and played that role to the hilt.

When he was transferred from Enugu to Emene, he put it down to persecution and envy. He told Buhari that he was being persecuted because of his love and support for the President.

When the Vice Presidential Candidate of the PDP, Peter Obi, went to worship with him, he humiliated Obi because of Buhari, and confirmed it before the congregation and those who had come to represent Buhari, including Uzodimma and the Kano State Governor, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje.

Mbaka’s immediate problems began when he suddenly turned against both Buhari and Uzodimma, and literally laid curses on them. He accused Uzodimma of not coming back to his Church to say thank you after his prophesy on him came true.

On Buhari, he suddenly found out that he was no longer a good President, and asked him to resign, failing which Mbaka called for his impeachment by the National Assembly.

While Uzodimma kept a dignified silence, the Presidency gave it back to him. Using the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the Presidency said Mbaka’s beef stemmed from the fact that he was denied Contracts which he asked for. Garba called him a Contractor-Priest.

Mbaka did not deny. He claimed he took three foreigners there to help the Country in its fight against insecurity.

When Bishop Onaga wanted to discipline him, and asked him to keep off Adoration Ministry for a month, and go into prayers, he refused. When he went to see the Bishop, and did not appear for one day, his adherents turned violent. They invaded the Bishop’s Court and the Cathedral, destroying everything in sight.

When he eventually came out, he did not condemn the sacrilegious action, instead, he blamed the Bishop, and thanked his congregation for saving him.

He also told them that he was asked to go to Rome, but that he refused, seeing it was a ploy to take away the Adoration Ministry from him, something he swore he would never allow.

For the sacrilegious action of his people, the Catholic Diocese of Enugu declared a – seven day fasting period.

Later, a contrite Mbaka was forced to apologise to both the Church and the Bishop. He, also, shut down the Adoration Ministry for 30 days, so as to have a quiet time and pray.

Now, the chicken has come home to roost.

Mbaka has been humbled. In the letter,  the Bishop said he can appoint “any Ministerial officer to assist the chaplains to oversee the Pastoral activities of the ministry.”

The letter continued: “There shall be no partisan politics either by way of active engagement, or by prophetic naming of candidates for position of power.”

The letter to Mbaka with the riot acts, came just at the end of his retreat when he is billed to resume, publicly, Church activities.

What is not known, for now, is how the new arrangement would affect Mbaka’s congregation and his many businesses, including his charity Foundation.

He had boasted, in his reply to the Presidency, that 23,000 people were under his employ, not to talk of the several students, home and abroad, whose tuition and welfare remain his responsibility.

Time will tell if Mbaka would remain in the Catholic Church, or convert the Adoration Ministry, Enugu, Nigeria, AMEN, into a separate Church -with him as the Founder and General Overseer.

Breaking: Gov. Uzodimma Sacks His Special Advisers & Special Assistants

By
The Source
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Hope Uzodimma

By Charles Igbo

Imo State Governor, Friday afternoon, June 4, 2021, sacked all his Aides.

Affected were his Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants, and Special Assistants.

The Commissioner for Information & Strategy,  Declan Emelumba, announced the dissolution the sack to Reporters during a Media briefing.

Earlier, the Governor had set up a Committee to evaluate the performance of his Aides. The Committee was expected to tell him:

*Those who, actually, embraced his Government’s policies, and are working hard to implement them.

*Those who are not proud of the Government they are working for.

*Those who are holding the positions just to feather their political  nest and,

*Those who have under-performed.

It was based on the submission of the Committee’s report that he sacked them.

It is not known if he would eventually re-appoint some of them, adjudged to have done well, but Commissioner Emelumba said the Secretary to the State Government, Cosmas Iwu,  would convey such decisions, accordingly, to those affected.

Recall that Uzodimma had, a couple of weeks back, sacked 20 members of his Cabinet. He left only seven of them, and is yet to reconstitute a new cabinet.

Imo Is Bleeding; The People Are Hiding

By
The Source
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His Grace, Anthony Obinna

By Anthony Obinna

“On behalf of the already killed and  even more, on behalf of the living now threatened daily with brutal death, I charge Governor Hope Uzodimma, as the Chief Security Officer for Imo people, to step up and stop the killings by whoever is responsible for them

Last year, exactly about this time, I charged Governor Hope Uzodimma and other Igbo Leaders to protect our  people and defend our lands. That charge was provoked by threats and acts of invasion on our farmlands by  Fulani Herdsmen.

Now, our very lives are at stake as killings of Imo People are taking place in broad daylight and

at nights by both officially and unofficially armed men.

Imo people are on the run from known and unknown  gunmen. There is scare in the air and anxiety on the ground. Imo people are hiding, living in fear.

Reports of  indiscriminate arrests for no clear reason, and killings as a show of power or, in, alleged, retaliation continue to  spread.

On Wednesday, the 26th May 2021, I personally went to the Federal Correctional Centre, Owerri, to see the one  hundred and six young men arrested from various locations, accused and charged to Court, jointly,  for planning to  commit “a treasonable felony”. They are yet to be released.

On Thursday, the 3rd, June 2021,  I visited the Owerri Federal Medical Centre, Mortuary. As I painfully surveyed the  thirty-ve corpses, stark naked, on the bare floor, stealthily dumped there within the last few days, victims of runaway killers, military, police and unknown gunmen, with no identifcation on them, I thought of many others who  have been kidnapped, taken to unknown locations, killed and even butchered, as we continue to hear. Imo is  bleeding!

On behalf of the already killed and even more, on behalf of the living now threatened daily with brutal death, I  charge Governor Hope Uzodimma, as the Chief Security Officer for Imo People, to step up and stop the killings by  whoever is responsible for them. I equally charge all users and abusers of guns and deadly weapons to stop the  killings, to renounce violence and to denounce any show of pride in killing fellow human beings.

I urge the Governor to convoke a Ceasere Meeting of all Imo Stakeholders, no matter their disposition or  leaning, for a concerted approach to quench the bloody fire already ravaging Imo People, and destroying Imo  State.

Save Imo People – Save Imo State!!!

“Into your hands O Lord we commend Imo State.”

“O Mary, Mother of Sorrows and Mother of Mercy, intercede for your children”.

His Grace, Anthony Obinna, is the revered Catholic Archbishop of Owerri Ecclesiastical Province

Breaking: Angry Buhari Suspends Twitter

By
Bayo Bernard
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Twitter Logo

By The Source

The federal government has suspended, indefinitely, the operations of the microblogging and social networking service, Twitter, in Nigeria.

The suspension is considered a retaliation after the USA based micro-blogging service removed Buhari’s video and comment, threatening to re-enact the civil war treatment against secessionists elements in the country.

The federal government had after the sanction accused Twitter of bias and trying to destroy the country.

The ministerof information and culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, announced the suspension in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday, citing the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence.

More to come……

I Suddenly Remembered Why I Fell In Love With The President

By
The Source
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By Femi Adesina

“Buhari, the man we fell in love with, is of iron and steel, one ready and willing to knock sense into contumacious heads, whipping everyone into line”

President Muhammadu Buhari spoke on Tuesday, warning troublemakers in the country that the picnic was over, and the next day, I saw this comment online from a Buharist, as lovers and admirers of the President are known:

“I just finished watching the President on TV reading the riot act to troublemakers, and I couldn’t be prouder of the President. I suddenly remembered why I fell in love with the President.”

That respondent sure spoke the minds of millions of Buharists in Nigeria and the Diaspora. The man we fell in love with is of iron and steel, one ready and willing to knock sense into contumacious heads, whipping everyone into line. And being kind to us in the process. A kind bully, if you like the oxymoron.

How did things unfold that Tuesday afternoon, that led President Buhari to make the speech that is, perhaps, the most epochal in recent times?

Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, had led top guns of the electoral body into the meeting room with the President, shortly before the scheduled time of 3 pm.

Like clockwork, President Buhari came in at the dot of the appointed time. He never misses it. And Prof Yakubu began his briefing.

What were the main points?

*The spate of attacks on INEC’s offices and facilities nationwide has grave implications for elections and electoral activities in Nigeria.

*So far, there have been 42 of such attacks across the country since the 2019 General Election. The incidents occurred in 14 states for a variety of reasons, including bandit attack, 1, Boko Haram, 1, EndSARS protest, 18, post-election violence, 4, thuggery during elections, 6, unknown gunmen and hoodlums, 12.

*Thirty out of the 42 or 71% of the attacks happened in the last 7 months. They appear to be targeted at future elections, with the intention to incapacitate INEC, undermine democracy, and precipitate a national crisis.

The INEC Chairman enumerated the immediate implications of the development, unfolded actions taken by the Commission, and asked for the intervention of Mr President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

Confronted by such graphic display of anarchy, what should a President do? Throw up his hands in surrender, acquiesce, and tell everyone to go home in defeat and capitulation?

Remember how we started this piece. President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) was once General Muhammadu Buhari (GMB), the army commander who gave Chadian forces who made incursion into Nigerian territory a bloody nose.

He dealt with Maitatsine religious fanatics. He gave a red card to hard drug traffickers, who were executed by firing squad. He introduced War Against Indiscipline, and generally attempted to make us prim and proper.

He was succeeding, before hidden, hostile hands terminated the regime. Thirty years later, Nigerians yearned for that GMB, and massively voted him back to power.

The response of the President to INEC elicited different kinds of reactions from different people and groups. What did he say?

*Those behind the attacks on National assets want the Administration to fail, and enough is enough. Soon, they will receive the shock of their lives.

*Many of those misbehaving today were too young to know the destruction that attended our Civil War (1967-1970), but those of us that were in the fields, fighting to keep the country together, won’t just fold our arms. We’ll rather speak to them in a language they would understand.

*I lead the country according to our Constitution, and anyone who wants to destroy the country would answer for it.

*We are expending resources to build infrastructure, and we won’t allow anyone destroy them. We will be harder on troublemakers.

*We have changed the Service Chiefs and Inspector General of Police. We will give them all the resources they need, and then demand security from them.

*We will give INEC all the resources required to conduct elections, so that no one would accuse us of not wanting to leave office, or that we want a 3rd term.

In reaction to what the President said, I also saw this comment online: “His followers are reinvigorated. They are buzzing.”

True. What our country needs at this time is iron and steel. An alchemy of GMB and PMB. We are in a democracy, yes, but democracy is no byword for lawlessness. If anybody misbehaves in any part, repeat, ANY PART, of the country, they need to be whipped into line.

The nation needs not go into a tailspin because some people bear giant sized grudges in their hearts. By the way, is there any part of the country that does not have one grievance or the other? Is the next option then to capsize the boat of the country?

Any leader that has sworn to uphold the Constitution would not open his eyes, and see it happen.

Leaders must do whatever they should do to maintain peace and tranquility in their countries.

Their intentions will always be misinterpreted and misrepresented. No matter. The good of the larger majority must be considered at all times. North, South, East, West, anarchy should never be condoned, no matter what some people may say.

I like how Moyosore Oyetunji, a passionate Buharist on Facebook summarized latest developments:

“When he pleaded with you to eschew violence, you accused him of becoming a motivational speaker, instead of the General that he is. Now he has decided to be it, you are crying. Please, what exactly do you want from him?”

President Buhari is not genocidal, and can’t ever be accused of such intentions. But a leader worth his salt cannot look on, and watch law and order break down irretrievably. It is not about a people, or region. It is about the country he took an oath to keep together.

Every region has one grouse or the other against the state of our union. But murder and mayhem should never be an option in resolving matters. That is the message of President Buhari, and it should be the message of every good Nigerian.

Adesina is Special Adviser to President Buhari on Media and Publicity.

Ekiti Govt, Workers, Agree To Reduce Cost Of Governance

By
The Source
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By Ayodele Oni

At last, Labour Unions in Ekiti state have agreed to the introduction of some austerity measures in view of dwindling resources, prompting the  government role out its actions with effect from last month.

Earlier  in the week, the Labour Unions had rejected a move by the State Government to be paying workers salaries in percentages.

However, a memo dated  1st June. 2021, and signed by the Commissioner for Finance, Mr Akintunde Oyebode, to the Chief Medical Director of Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, one of the Institutions receiving monthly subventions, informed about decision to slash allocation from May.

Part of the letter reads: “Please be informed that consequent upon the shortfall in the Federal allocation, Ekiti state Government now has an expenditure deficit of N759 million per month.

“Due to this shortfall, the State Government is constrained to take immediate, but temporary actions, to prevent a short down of Government activities.

“Consequently, the following temporary actions will take effect from May 2021 with a review of the prevailing revenue condition in August, 2021.

“A temporary suspension of the consequential adjustment on salaries of grade level 07 to 12; a 25 Percent cut in the salaries of top government functionaries.”

It was gathered that top Government functionaries to be affected include all Political Office holders, Permanent Secretaries and the Head of Service.

Others measures include  “temporary suspension of the monthly running grants to MDAs and fifty percent cut in the Subventions to tertiary institutions.”

The letter states further that:  “Based on the above, please take this as a formal communication of the state government’s decision to reduce by fifty percent, the Subventions of your institution for the next three months, subject to a review in August, 2021.”

There was, however, a twist on Thursday after the Labour leaders met with workers in the state during which they resolved to agree with Government’s measures rather than retrenchment of workers and payment of percentage salaries.

The Labour leaders, thereafter, signed a  Memorandum of Understanding with the Government on the new salary regime.

The  Head of Service, Mrs Peju Babafemi , the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Labour Matters, Chief Oluyemi Esan and the Permanent Secretary, Office of Establishment and Service Matters, Mr. Bayo  Opeyemi represented Government.

On the Labour side were Chairmen, Nigerian Labour Congress, Kolapo Olatunde, his counterpart in the Trade Union Congress, Sola Adigun and that of the Joint Negotiating Council Kayode Fatomiluyi as well as their Secretaries.

The pact, apart from those listed in the letter, also included that the release of the running grant for the running of government office be reduced, while monthly meeting of the Economic Review Committee was mandated to convene five days after the meeting of the Federal Account Allocation Committee to keep the workers abreast of the state’s financial position.

“That 10 percent internally generated revenue of the state being the state responsibility to Joint  Account Allocation Committee be released to the local governments henceforth.”

The Head of Service, while addressing the Labour leaders, said Governor Kayode Fayemi had during a recent State of the State Finance  programme presented the financial  report of the state, where it was evident that the two sides must shift grounds as a response to the economic realities.

“The revenue generating committee has been saddled with the responsibility of ensuring that the state work hard and rakes in more monies to finance the State.

“I am confident that Governor Kayode Fayemi will surely bring his ingenuity and wealth of experience to bear and we shall navigate out of this difficult situation soon . We thank the labour leaders for their understanding and show of solidarity”.

JNC Chairman, Mr Fatomiluyi, said it is a known fact that Nigerians and especially  workers are passing through hard  economic situation that had disproportionately  affected every state of the Federation.

“The Government must adhere strictly to this agreement , because it is a painful one, but we call it a Doctrine of Necessity. We have to abide by it in the interest of our dear state and colleagues in the service.

“No Labour leader would want his workers disengaged directly or indirectly and we thank the government for not thinking in this direction. That is the direction we want our colleagues to look at it.”

VC Condemns Rape, Murder Of UNILORIN Student

By
The Source
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Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem

By  Ayodele Oni

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem, has condemned the reported rape and murder of a 300 Level student of the institution, Miss Blessing Omowumi Olajide, at a location outside the University campus.

Prof. Abdulkareem’s reaction was contained in a statement by the University’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mr. Kunle Akogun.

According to the statement, the University Management received the report of the incident with a heavy heart, saying that the incident was not only ugly, but also absolutely unacceptable and must be condemned by people of good conscience.

While sympathising with relations, friends and colleagues of the deceased, the Vice-Chancellor assured that the University would work with Security Agencies to get to the root of the matter and expose the perpetrators of the heinous crime.

Prof. Abdulkareem urged students of the University to always be vigilant and conscious of their environment.

He also admonished the students to be wary of the kind of friends they keep, places they visit, and ensure they report strange faces or irregular movements in their areas to the school authorities or security agencies in order to preserve their dignity, integrity and safety.

The VC restated the commitment of the University management to ensure the general safety of the students and staff both within and outside the school.

NDDC Board: Akpabio In Dilemma, Tougue-lashed, Stakeholders Stand By Tompolo’s Ultimatum

By
The Source
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By Akinwale Kasali

By Saturday June 5, 2021, the Seven-Days Ultimatum given to the President Muhammadu Buhari administration and the Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Obot Akpabio for the reconstitution of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, board will elapse.

Former Niger Delta Militant and Warlord, Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, had urged the Federal Government to reconstitute the NDDC board within seven-days, or the safety of Oil workers in the Region will not be  guaranteed.

Tompolo and many  others are agitating against the appointment of a Sole Administrator to run the affairs of the Commission instead of a Board.

A move made to  Tompolo made by  Akpabio on a  trip to the Niger Delta region  to appeal to Tompolo and stakeholders to soft-pedal on the agitations  for a Board went awry.

The trip to Oporoza, Headquarters of Gbaramstu Kingdom, was unsuccessful.

It would be recalled that Tompolo called on President Buhari, members of the National Assembly and Security Agencies to work towards the constitution of the substantive board of the NDDC within a seven days to avert a total breakdown of law and order that will equally affect crude oil exploration and exploitation activities in the region, prompting the visit of Akpabio to persuade Tompolo to withdraw his seven-day ultimatum and also meet critical Delta State ethnic nationalities stakeholders who were also hurriedly invited for the meeting.

However, the Minister’s overture reportedly received a cold response from Tompolo and other stakeholders in the region who tongue-lashed him instead.

It was gathered that at the Palace of paramount ruler of Gbaramatu, where a meeting was held, Akpabio was said to have been tongue lashed,  and insulted following a heated argument, as he attempted to stage a walkout at a stage.

The Stakeholders said that Akpabio was running the NDDC as his own private enterprise, taking decisions unilaterally without consultations.

At the meeting at the Palace of Paramount Ruler of Gbaramatu, Tompolo was reported to have snubbed the meeting with Akpabio,  but sent a message to him, asking him to go back to Abuja and inaugurate the NDDC board without further delay.

Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor of Delta State who was represented by his Deputy, Kingsley Otuaro, stated the  position of Delta State Government.

He stressed that the right thing should be done regarding the NDDC Board in accordance with the Act that established the commission.

President of Isoko National Youth Assembly, INYA,  Amos Ogbokor-Etaluku, Ijaw National Congress, INC, Prof Benjamin Okaba separately expressed dismay that Akpabio was running NDDC with a sole administrator in contravention of the Act that established the commission.

Specifically, Ogbokor-Etaluku said that the entire youths of the Niger Delta region had aligned themselves with the ultimatum proclaimed by Tompolo, warning that the safety of oil workers would not be guaranteed in the coming days.

Spokesman of Gbaramatu Traditional Council, Chief Godspower Gbenekeme expressly told the Minister; “The people seated here are not IYC executives that you can just call to Abuja, the presence of soldiers in our region is not the reason for peace, it is because of our resolve, we want that board to be constituted, the ultimatum stands, after the ultimatum and nothing is done, don’t blame anybody”, he said.

Making his comments, Akpabio said that it was necessary for the youths to give peace a chance going by the fragile nature of the Niger Delta region,  saying “It is only someone who has not seen a war that would be talking of war.

“When others are having their issues and they want to take it to the Federal Government, we are saying this region should not join them. I am saying this because the last time a lot of their young ones were killed, as a young man I saw where mothers threw their kids in the pit toilet so that soldiers don’t locate them with the cry of the baby. I saw people sleep in the open field of  primary schools. I saw where somebody will be walking on the road and the next thing you hear is ‘gbo’ and you see blood gushing out and he doesn’t even know he has been shot so we must not allow our region to boil, we must support the federal government, particularly this present government”, Akpabio added.

He said that his visit was primarily to consult the people on the way forward and also to appeal for peace.

According to him, his consultative meetings with stakeholders would be extended to other Kingdoms within the Niger Delta region.

APC Primaries: Mass Defection Looms, As Imposition Of Candidates Rocks APC

By
Akinwale Kasali
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By Akinwale Kasali

A repeat of the last Lagos State Chairmanship Election primaries of the All Progresssives Congress, APC, where Imposition of Candidates was the order of the day by, allegedly, the National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and stalwarts of the Party in the State, has  played out.

After days of protests over the electoral process during the Primaries, and the unfortunate incidents that happened at the different Wards, urging the APC leadership not to impose any Candidate,  the APC leadership has announced winners in the 20 LGA’s and 37 LCDAs that would hoist the Party’s flag at the Chairmanship Election.

The Primaries which were marred by violent protests and disparities had left the Party in crisis as some elections were declared inconclusive while some were proposed to be completely repeated.

The exercise at Somolu Local Government Area,  was greeted by days of brutal attacks on perceived opponents, destruction of property and arson allegedly perpetrated by hoodlums loyal to a popular candidate, Bowale Sosanmi, the incumbent Vice chairman who lost to the incumbent Chairman, Hon. Abdul Hamed Salawu popularly known as Dullar.

Apart from numerous cases of assaults and grievous body injuries, properties worth millions of Naira, including houses and cars were vandalised by angry youths who were unhappy with the election results.

The result of the Ojodu LCDA which has been at the front burner of massive protest because of the circumstances leading to the alleged imposition of Segun Odunmbaku, son of Cardinal Odumbaku, a strong APC loyalist and stalwart, has been announced as the APC Candidate in the LCDA. The Party denies any imposition.

Kafayat Funmilayo Layeni, KFL, a strong contender who received massive support from Hon. Abiodun James Faleke, Member House of Representatives, representing Ikeja Federal Constituency, who was KFLs financier, Youths, Market Women, Women and Artisans saw her hope dashed, despite winning her Ward convincingly.

Her Ward was the only place the primary election took place out of the six wards in the area, but sadly, she was denied the ticket as a result of, alleged, imposition and Political power play.

APC Primary Result

With this development, many people think  a mass defection is looming in the Lagos State APC, as the Candidates denied the tickets are set to join another political parties to challenge the APC Candidate.

Rafiu Ponle, the Assistant Youth Leader in Ojodu LCDA,   said the mandate of the people has been stolen in broad day light and there isn’t any need staying in a Party that lacks transparency, and is undemocratic.

Also Femi Adeniran, an APC member said that the APC leadership is toying with members’ intelligence.

“When you know you are selecting Candidates why then did you tell us to go for Primaries. It is disheartening. This is not democracy. We the youths in APC will leave the Party for them to run. Their time is Up’, he said.

Meschach Irele, lending his  voice said, “APC leadership in Lagos State usually call itself a true Democrat, but it baffles one what would be the basis of picking a winner when there was zero Election in all polling units allegedly.

“We the youth will leave the Party enmasse and leave the so called leaders and their children to vote. It is so annoying and wicked. They don’t even respect us. Haba”.

We Cannot Afford To Waste More Lives

By
The Source
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0
Ikedi Ohakim
Ikedi Ohakim

By Ikedi Ohakim

“For my brothers and sisters, Ndi Imo, I would like us to realize that the killing of Gulak on our soil is Aru, (Abomination; Sacrilege), a complete negation of what we stand for, and are known as a people. Imolites, nay, Ndigbo, love strangers, and go out of our way to protect them.”

There has been, quite understandably, so much out pouring of grief and angst over the gruesome murder of my friend, Alhaji Ahmed Gulak, last Sunday, in Imo state, but that can never sufficiently situate the gravity of that sordid event. While I join millions of other Nigerians in total condemnation of that dastardly act, I am of the firm belief that the sordid incident offers every well meaning Nigerian an opportunity for sober reflection.

Gulak’s murder in Imo state, several hours of journey from his native home state, Adamawa, if not properly and patriotically handled, may lead to untoward consequences, given the volatile situation our dear Nation is currently in.

While I commiserate with his family, the Government and people of Imo state and, indeed, the entire people of Adamawa state, I join several other fellow compatriots across the country in appealing to the relevant authorities to leave no stone unturned in the search for the masterminds of this unconscionable act.

Although Alhaji Gulak will never return to be with us, investigations into his murder must be thorough, transparent and such that will leave every Nigerian with no iota of doubt.

For my brothers and sisters Ndi Imo, I would like us to realize that the killing of Gulak on our soil is Aru, a complete negation of what we stand for, and are known for, as a people. Imolites, nay, Ndigbo, love strangers and go out of their way to protect them in the event of danger.

Therefore, I expect every adult indigene of the state, irrespective of political leaning or partisan interest, to see this incident as a challenge to our collective integrity as an accommodating and peace-loving people, and a call by humanity to assist and cooperate with the relevant authorities both in sourcing and providing the necessary intelligence in the search for the culprits. The time is now to say a final “Enough Is Enough” to the recent spate of violence in our state.

Gulak’s murder was against the backdrop of the death of our own brothers and sisters, either in the hands of criminals or operatives of state agencies. My heart bleeds over this needless loss of lives, most of them youths. But the question we must find answer to immediately is: Can we afford to have more lives wasted under any guise; either in the process of expressing our dissatisfaction over the state of affairs in the country or through the nefarious acts of criminals who are taking advantage of our agitation for a better country?

If the answer is “NO”, as I expect it would, the question then is, what plans, what strategies do we have, as a people, to make sure that the situation does not further deteriorate? While I extend my heartfelt sympathy to the families of all those who have died, either in the hands of criminals or security agents, I call on every Imolite to resolve that not a single life shall be lost again in our state in the same circumstances as we have witnessed of recent.

I call on heads of the security agencies to take extra steps to restrain their field operatives from seeing their fellow human beings as instruments for achieving professional competence or advancement. I enjoin fellow political leaders to eschew all partisan differences or personal animosity so that we can come together in search of lasting peace.

I call on the youths to resolve to ensure both their individual and collective survival by distancing themselves from every demeanor that is capable of endangering their lives or make them vulnerable to the conduct of either criminals or ill tempered security operatives.

The challenge for the youths today is to resolve to be alive, not only to contribute to the process that will lead to the inevitable change that is about to happen, but to also be among those that will superintend over the new order.

But it is neither by grand standing, nor by joining non state actors in a mission of violence; as that can only elongate the coming of the new era we all expect and deserve. Rather, I appeal to Imo youths, and, indeed, the entire youths of Igboland, to be ready for dialogue which the current crop of political actors must embrace – whether they like it or not.

Already, there is an ongoing move to amend the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which nearly every knowledgeable Nigerian believes is the root cause of the current national crisis.

Even though some also fault the exercise as inadequate, it is an indication that the current political leaders are ready to take the necessary steps to tackle the problem from its root.

The needless and uncountable deaths of Nigerians either in the hands of criminals or unscrupulous state actors poses an existential question to every Nigerian; and the answer must be found NOW.

It shall be well with our dear Nation, Nigeria.

H.E. Ohakim, is a former Governor of Imo State.

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