Niger Delta Youths Demand Akpabio’s Sack As Minister |The Source

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August 10, 2020

By Ola Samuel

Godswill Akpabio, the Minister of Niger Delta has no respite yet from calls, to President Muhammadu Buhari by many Nigerians to sack him over alleged corruption in the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.

Akpabio, a former governor of Akwa Ibom state supervises the NDDC and has been fingered in the alleged multi-billion naira sleaze rocking the interventionist agency.

The minister has denied the allegation, notwithstanding he has faced trenchant criticisms from Nigerians who have called on the president to remove him from office.

The latest of such is the Urhobo Youth Assembly, UYA, a group in Delta state who has demanded his sack by President Muhammadu within seven days.

In a letter to the President dated August 7, 2020, signed by Jude Akpore and Frank Onogagamue, President and Secretary respectively, UYA said what is happening in the NDDC has embarrassed the minister and the federal government.

The Urhobo youths said “The entire leadership and members of the Urhobo Youth Assembly drawn from the 24 Kingdoms spread across the eight Urhobo speaking Local Government Councils of Delta Central and our Urhobo brothers in Warri South, Bomadi and Patani rose from a crucial emergency national meeting in Ughelli over the weekend.

The meeting was called principally to review the state of the nation via the high powered corruption that has bedevilled the regional interventionist agency, The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) under the supervision of Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio as minister.

With over 350 youth leaders in attendance, the National President of the UYA, Comrade Jude Akpore briefed the house of the imperatives of ensuring that the Urhobo people with their huge petro-dollar oil and gas resources are not relegated to the back seat when issues that concern the Niger Delta Development are being discussed both at the state and national level.

The Urhobo nation with over 21 flow stations and cumulative production capacity of over six hundred thousand bpd and host to the largest gas plant in Sub-Sahara Africa, the Otorogu gas plant cannot play second fiddle in the nation’s oil and gas politics and developmental stride.”

The youths threw their weight behind President Buhari’s quest to rid the Commission of corruption, because “Generally, the Urhobo Youths with over 700,000 votes have constantly supported your administration anti-corruption drive and we, therefore, cannot see reason why the current happenings at the NDDC where over N81billion have either be stolen or pocketed by some few individuals under the three members kangaroo Interim Management Committee (IMC) should be allowed to continued,” UYA said.

They urged the president to “within the next seven days sack the controversial Minister of Niger Delta Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio, and initiate a thorough process of arresting and prosecuting all those who have looted and diverted funds meant for the development of the oil and gas producing communities of the Niger Delta Region.”

August 22 Local Govt Election In Ondo Fraudulent, PDP to Boycott |The Source

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The Source

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August 10, 2020

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By Ayodele Oni, Akure

Many stakeholders in the politics of Ondo state are raising questions about the insistence of the State Independent Electoral Commission, (ODSIEC) to conduct local government election now.

The Commission had fixed August 22, less than two weeks from now, for the conduct of the election, which has been postponed twice, since the inception of the present administration in 2016.

Coming less than two months to the October 10 governorship election in the state, according to them, it is ill timed and an attempt by the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC) to cause confusion.

They also described it as an attempt by the ruling All Progressives Congress, in the state to use the elected Chairmen and cmCouncilors to influence the forthcoming October 10 governorship election.

A time table released by the ODSIEC indicates that preparations for the local government will commence on Tuesday, August, 28, with training of ad hoc staff to be followed by submission of names of party agents.

The Chairman of the Commission, Yomi Dinakin, disclosed that the last day for campaign is Thursday, 20th August, while the election will hold on Saturday, 22nd August.

But, the State Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP), Mr Fatai Adams, said the party will boycott the election, describing it as a rigging plan by APC ahead of October 10 governorship election.

According to him, participating in such an election will be a futile exercise and waste of time when a bigger one is less than two months.

The Chairman pointed out that the PDP does not believe in the credibility of the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission, saddled with the responsibility of conducting such election, since members are employees of state government.

“The process will just be an appointment not election where all the ruling APC candidates in the state will be declared winners for all the positions,” he added.

Gunmen Murder Governor Obiano’s SSA on Security |The Source

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The Source

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August 9, 2020

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By Gideon Njoku

Gunmen, suspected to be assassins, have murdered the Senior Special Assistant on Security, to Governor Willy Obiano of Anambra State.

43-year old Azubuike Ekwegbalu was murdered in a most horrendous manner, using a Kitchen knife, at his residence, Sunday morning.

Ekwegbalu lived in the upscale Commissioners’ Quarters, for top Government Officials, thought to be safe, security-wise.

The deceased, who hailed from Ogbunike was, reportedly, a younger brother to the Governor’s wife.

Confirming the tragic incident, Spokesperson for the Anambra Police Command, Haruna Mohammed, an SP, said one person has been arrested.

According to Mohammed, “On August 9, at about 1.30am, there was a report of alleged murder of one Ekwegbalu, aged 43 years, native of Ogbunike in Oyi LGA, but resident at the Commissioners Quarters, Awka.

“Following the report Police detectives attached to ‘B’ Division, Awka, led by the DPO, CSP Emma Ogbuanya, visited the scene and rushed the victim, who was found in a pool of blood to COOUTH Awka, for medical attention.”

He said he was certified dead by the medical personnel, and his body deposited at the hospital mortuary for autopsy.

A close look at his body, Mohammed said, showed that he was stabbed to death, and the kitchen knife allegedly used, has been recovered.

He, also, confirmed that one suspect, found within the premesis, has been arrested.

Tinubu Unites With Buruji Kashamu, Calls Him A Great Man |The Source

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Bayo Bernard

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August 9, 2020

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By Fola James

Senator Buruji kashamu was a political foe of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his life time, but the death, on Friday, of the Ogun state born politician has somehow brought them together.

They worked for different Presidential candidates in the 2015 elections which APC Muhammadu Buhari won.

Goodluck Jonathan lost the election to the incumbent.

The former Senator representing Ogun East in Nigeria’s Senate died on Friday of COVID 19, buried on Sunday and prominent Nigerians have been commenting on his death.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo had in a letter slammed the late senator, saying he used money to escape justice from being prosecuted for drug related allegations but could not beat death when it came.

Obasanjo said “Senator Esho Jinadu (Buruji Kashmu) in his lifetime used the maneuver of law and politics to escape from facing justice on alleged criminal offence in Nigeria and outside Nigeria,” the letter read.

But no legal, political, cultural, social or even medical maneuver could stop the cold hand of death when the Creator of all of us decides that the time is up.

May Allah forgive his sin and accept his soul into Aljanah, and may God grant his family and friends fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”

Obasanjo and Kashamu were arch political rivals in the PDP before the former retired from party politics in 2015.

Bola Tinubu — Tinubu: Eulogises Late Senator

But in his tribute to the demised lawmaker, the APC National Leader described Kashamu as a devoted, loyal party man and “a notable leader in the country and a true grassroots politician”.

According to the former Lagos Governor “Senator Kashamu was also a good party man. He was unwavering in his support for his party, PDP, through all the twists and turns of his political life. His passing is a big loss to the larger political family in Nigeria.

He worked assiduously to advance the political and economic fortunes of his state. Kashamu represented, with merit, Ogun East in the 8th National Assembly and worked well for his constituents. He was a kind and generous man, a philanthropist in his own right and an astute businessman.”

In spite of his failings Tinubu said Senator Kashamu was worthy of emulation, urging his family to accept his death as the will of God.

He said “I admire his political doggedness and sagacity, and his steadfastness in pursuing whatever he believes in, though we were never in the same political party.

Again, Kashamu’s sudden death has demonstrated the transience of human life and rekindles the fact that death is inevitable for every mortal. As such, it behooves on us to be kind to the dead.

I mourn with his family, particularly his wives, children and grandchildren. May Almighty Allah lay His hands of protection on them at this moment.”

Recall that Ayodele Fayose, a former governor of Ekiti condemned Obasanjo for making an uncomplimentary comment against Senator Kahamu, in a letter he sent to his family after his death.

Update: Magu To Know Fate Soon As Presidential Panel Prepares To Submit Report |The Source

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The Source

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August 9, 2020

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By Charles Igbo

Suspended Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, CP Ibrahim Magu, is likely to know his fate soon. And that includes whether he would go back to his high profile office or not.

Still under investigation by the Presidential Panel set-up by President Muhammadu Buhari, the Panel may submit its report next week if it keeps to the time given it for the investigation.

Sources say the seven-man Panel, Chaired by a retired President of the Court of Appeal, Hon. Justice Ayo Salami, was given 45 days to submit its findings. Not many people knew when it started sitting, but it became public only when Magu was arrested.

Trouble started for Magu when the Attorney General of the Federation & Minister for Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, wrote a petition against him to the President, detailing 22 allegations against him, including corruption and insubordination.

Based on that, the President set up the Investigative Panel.

Magu was arrested on July the 6th on his way to the Force Headquarters for a meeting, and taken before the Panel.

He was detained for nine days and suspended from office. The Director Operations, of the EFCC was appointed the Acting Chairman.

If the period of time given to the Panel is anything to go by, then, it could be submitting its report as early as next week, unless it gets an extension due to the volume of work.

Magu denied all allegations, dismissing them as lies from the pit of hell, insisting that his problem is because he stepped on powerful toes.

He also attributed what that what he is going through to a determination by some people to tarnish his image and that of the EFCC.

Magu is the first EFCC boss to act for five years without confirmation. He is the first to be arrested, first to be detained, first to be suspended from office, and first to appear before a Presidential Investigation Panel.

The 8th Senate rejected his confirmation twice, based on a damning report on him by the DSS, under its former Director General, Lawal Daura.

Ministers, Service Chiefs Fret As Buhari Mulls Shake Up |The Source

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Bayo Bernard

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August 9, 2020

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By Tosin Olatokunbo

President Muhammadu Buhari has a close relationship with Dave Umahi, the governor of Ebonyi state, but whether the president will listen to his advice not to sack the four Service Chiefs, who have been under trenchant criticisms from Nigerians over the worsening state of insecurity in the country, is another ball game entirely.

Feelers from Aso Villa, Abuja, indicate that the President is mauling a major shakeup of his cabinet and the military to “invigorate the government for performance” a Presidency source told the magazine on Saturday.

Other sources say the cabinet reshuffle will affect many ministers, as some of them will lose their portfolios, while some will still be allowed to remain in their current positions.

Those that have been mentioned in the changes that President Buhari will announce anytime from now, the sources said, are ministers who are either controversial and have been mentioned in corruption scandals lately.

“President Buhari is not happy that some of his close ministers have been fingered in alleged corruption and his close aides have advised him to do something for the sake of credibility of his government,” a source said.

Some ministers that have been mentioned in graft allegations include, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN; Chris Ngige, Labour and Productivity, Godswill Akpabio, Niger Delta Ministry.

But “The president will decide the fate of the ministers and since these are just mere allegations, the said ministers remained innocent until proven guilty. There are many reasons for the president to consider on the imminent cabinet reshuffle not necessarily the corruption allegation against the ministers. Whatever President Buhari is going to do will not be based on emotion,” the source said.

If President Buhari went ahead with the planned changes in his government, it will be the first time since he was re-elected last year.

Recall that Governor Umahi had dismissed the call for the removal of security chiefs, insisting that doing so will worsening insecurity in the country.

Umahi had urged Nigerians to assist the military chiefs by providing them with reliable intelligence to track down criminals.

Umahi said “It is difficult for people to do anything without information and at this stage of our security situation, whosoever that is coming to replace them will start ‘learning the ropes,” he said.

This is not what we need at this crucial time of our security challenges as every decision taken by the present service chiefs are not taken by them alone, but with other senior officers.”

The Ebonyi helmsman’s comment came on the crest of attack on the Governor of Borno state, Professor Zulum in Baga by suspected Boko Haram insurgents two weeks ago.

But the Borno Governor has accused the military of orchestrating the attack on his convoy, thus raising credibility on the fight against insurgency by the military, and more pressure on President Buhari to replace the four Military Chiefs: Chief of Defense Staff, Abayomi Olonisakin, Chief of Army Stafff, Tukur Buratai, Chief of Naval Staff, Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, and Chief of Air Staff, Sadique Abubakar.

Major General Babagana Mungonu (rtd.), the National Security Adviser, NSA had while briefing journalists after a meeting President Buhari had with the service chiefs, stated that the president was not happy with the spate of killings by Boko Haram and armed bandits in some parts of the North.

The president warned his commanders to sit up.

And Kashamu Escaped Jail! |The Source

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The Source

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August 9, 2020

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By Eyo Akpan

If Nigeria must make any progress, we as a people must shed the weight of our foolishness.

We must purge ourselves of the correctness in showing respect for the dead, who while alive were people that deserved none.

I really would not have bothered about making any comment on the death of Kashamu Buruji, an individual I find not deserving of one, except for the pathetic show by Reuben Abati on Channels TV, shedding tears in respect for a man who at best, should be happy death was better than serving time in a US jail.

Just last week, I questioned the tributes and honour given to Ismaila Funtua, only to have a worse example of celebrating the dead pop up in Buruji, a man of questionable character and whose extradition was filed by the US in 2018 over drug trafficking charges.

Buruji as I will continue to call him, because he does not earn my respect to call him Senator, has no immunity, but has fought his extradition to go clear his name.

Like most Nigerian “Tokunbo Criminals” who are elected officers today, he claimed it was a case of mistaken identity.

But isn’t going over to America to answer to the charges, the best way of clearing the issue and name?

Buruji fought to make that opportunity impossible and while living under the cloud of being a drug baron, the society celebrated him.

The National Association of Nigerian Students, honoured him with its Man of the Year Award and he served out a full term in the Senate.

You would have thought that with his past, he should have been left to live out his life in the shame of being a wanted man, but no, not in a society like ours where we must give opportunity to revere criminals and immortalize their criminality in flowery tribute.

Honestly, if not for Reuben Abati, I would have let it go, but to see him shed tears for Buruji and call him “mentor” really stuck in my craw.

So Buruji is now the measure of who and what we should aspire to be?

I can understand NANS seeing Buruji as a role model , after all a lot of them aspire to being drug barons or whatever else it takes as long as “kin sa ti l’owo”, but my heart sank hearing the words uttered by Reuben Abati.

It was doubly numbing because it evidently was not a simple matter of correctness, in not speaking ill of the dead, but he really meant it.

Thank God, people like Reuben are not Him, because if they were, Buruji would not only have escaped jail, but would have cheated death too.

My Wife Didn’t Die Of COVID-19 – Pastor Ituah Ighodalo |The Source

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August 9, 2020

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By Adesina Soyooye

Former Beauty Queen, business woman, philanthropist, high profile event handler, and Pastor, Mrs Ibidunni, did not die of the pandemic COVID-19.

Her heartbroken husband, and Senior Pastor of Trinity House, Ituah Ighodalo, revealed this in an interview with the Sunday Punch.

Ibidunni’s sudden death on 20th June, of alleged cardiac arrest, in a Port Harcourt Hotel, shocked Nigerians.

She was in PH where he was engaged in setting-up Isolation Centres in the city, and Yenogoa, Bayelsa state, for victims of COVID-19, when she suddenly died at about 2.00am.

The muted, but strong, speculation was that she died of the Virus. But her husband has debunked that line of thought.

Speaking briefly on the lives and times of his wife, and how he has coped with their two children, a daughter and a son, aged eight and two and a half years, since her passing, Pastor Ighodalo said he feels that half of him died with his wife, adding that she died in active service, doing what she loved, and serving humanity.

He said: “My wife died in active service amid COVID-19. She was setting up Isolation Centres all over the country when this unfortunate incident happened.

“She didn’t die of COVID-19, but she died serving the country, to provide help and succour for people. It was a risky thing for her to do, but that was Ibidunni for you. She went out of her way to take risks and to help other people.”

Ibidunni who was, also, the founder of the Ibidunni Ighodalo Foundation, died at the age of 39 years.

Kashamu: Fayose Slams Obasanjo, Says OBJ Collaborated With Late Senator |The Source

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The Source

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August 9, 2020

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By Ayodele Oni

Former Governor of Ekiti state, Mr Ayo Fayose has berated former President Olusegun Obasanjo for his comment on the death of Senator Buruji Kashamu saying it is unbecoming of a national leader.

The Senator from Ogun state died on Saturday from complications from Covid 19.

Obasanjo, who, in a letter of condolence to Ogun State Governor, Pince Dapo Abiodun, described Kashamu’s death as a great loss, however, lamented that “Kashamu, in his lifetime, used the manoeuvre of law and politics to escape from facing justice on alleged criminal offence in Nigeria and outside Nigeria.”

Reacting to Obasanjo’s statement, Fayose, berated Obasanjo, saying Nigerians are waiting for his end.

The former governor said it was unsavoury for former President Obasanjo to make such comment when Kashamu could not defend himself, and asked the former President to honestly say he did not collaborate with Kashamu at some point.

Fayose wrote on Twitter:

“I commiserate with the family of Senator Buruji Kashamu for this irreparable loss and pray for the repose of his soul. The Almighty God will console those he left behind.

“I also condemn the statement made by former President Obasanjo on his (Kashamu) death.

“Can Obasanjo say in good conscience that he did not, at some point, collaborate with Kashamu, and that most of the things he (Kashamu) did politically, were not with his collaboration?

“Nigerians will watch out for Obasanjo’s own end. He should stop forming Saint because he is not. He should also remember that his own end will come too, and nobody knows how the end will be.”

There is no love lost between Obasanjo and Fayose. Fayose holds Obasanjo responsible for his impeachment during his first term as a Governor. Since then, he has spared no opportunity to slam Obasanjo.

In Death, OBJ Chides Late Senator Kashamu; Says He Evaded Justice, But Could Not Evade Death |The Source

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August 9, 2020

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By Adesina Soyooye

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, like many people, do not quite subscribe to the injunction in the Holy Bible, which admonishes that we speak no ill of the dead.

In death, he reminded Senator Buruji Kashamu, who died Saturday afternoon, of COVID-19, of his( Kashamu’s) evasion from the long arm of the law, using every legal means. But added, that the Senator could not evade death.

Both men hail from Ogun State.

In a rather speedy condolence letter to the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Kashamu, on confirming Kashamu’s death, Obasanjo said that the Senator’s death has lessons for the living. “The life and history of the departed have lessons for those of us on this side of the veil.”, the former President wrote.

Identifying Kashamu as Senator Esho Jinadu, he said the Senator, employed law and politics to escape facing justice on alleged criminal offences, but that he could not use those to escape death.

The former President in the letter to the Governor:

“I received the sad news of the demise of Senator Esho Jinadu (Buruji Kashamu) a significant citizen of Ogun State.

“Please accept my condolence and that of my family on this irreparable loss.

“The life and history of the departed have lessons for those of all us on this side of the veil.

“Senator Esho Jinadu (Buruji Kashamu) in his lifetime used the maneuver of law and politics to escape from facing justice on alleged criminal offence in Nigeria and outside Nigeria. But no legal, political, cultural, social or even medical maneuver could stop the cold hand of death when the Creator of all of us decides that the time is up.”

The late Senator was one of the reasons Obasanjo quit the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 2015, and supported the rival APC. That move helped sack the PDP from Government, and ushered in the President Buhari-led APC Government.

Accused of alleged drug-running by the US Government, Obasanjo was shocked that the PDP did not only embrace him, but handed over the party in Ogun state to him.

The US Government wanted him extradited to the US to face allegations of drug running, for which he had been indicted. And, even though a competent court in Nigeria had, at a time, endorsed his extradition, he kept fighting it, using legal means till death.

He had vehemently denied he was involved in the crime, pushing it to his late younger brother who, he said, looked exactly like him. Not many people quite believed him.

The Senator will be buried in his Ijebu-Igbo residence Sunday afternoon according to Muslim rites, and COVID-19 protocols.