Imo: More Troubles for Okorocha; Speaker May be Impeached

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April 27, 2019

By Gideon Njoku

If the scene which played out at the Plenary Session of the Imo State House of Assembly, IMHA, on Tuesday, April 22, 2019 is anything to go by, then, Governor Rochas Okorocha’s problems are bound to worsen.

Seeing that he has become a lame-duck governor, the sleeping members have suddenly woken up, and are asking questions, questions they refused to ask for almost eight years. They are asking about the financial status of the state. They are also interrogating his government. And, for the first time in almost eight years, they are disagreeing with their disgustingly Okorocha-compliant Speaker, Hon. Acho Ihim.

The state is poised for an exciting time.

**Dr Acho Ihim, Speaker, Imo State House of Assembly**

Flowing from the above, Ihim may be impeached. And if that happens, there may be no stopping an attempt at impeaching the governor.

At the session, a couple of hitherto untouchable areas were touched. To stave off a discussion on them, which may lead to his impeachment, Speaker Ihim did the most absurd. He ordered that the power generating set in the complex be switched off. It plunged it into darkness. But the members were unrelenting. They switched on their mobile phone flash lights, forcing the Speaker to ask that the genset be switched on again.

It started when Hon. Chika Madumere, Nkwere LGA, raised issues about the 2019 state budget. The budget presented by the governor was hurriedly passed on January 31, 2019 without a quorum. Not upto eight members of the 27 members were present. But nobody minded. Nobody said a word. And as far as Okorocha’s government is concerned, the budget has been passed, even when no committee sat on it.

But things have changed. And the illegality that was the passage of the budget has surfaced. At the plenary last Tuesday, therefore, Madumere asked about the budget, and why it has not been brought up for discussion. Taken aback, Speaker Ihim tried to give the impression that the budget had been done with. But he met a stiff resistance from the members who insisted that the Budget had not been discussed. Meaning: Whatever budget the governor is working with, and implementing, is illegal.

The trouble was compounded when another member, Hon Kennedy Ibe, Obowo LGA, moved a motion to the effect that the financial status of the state be investigated. He said the investigation should include how the bailout and, the Paris refund, funds were spent.

At the inception of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, he had released funds to the tune of hundreds of millions of Naira to states to enable them clear the salaries owed civil servants. The Paris Club refund also came in handy. But for Imo state and a number of other states, both financial interventions seem not to have helped much. Salaries, allowances and pensions are still being owed.

The financial status of Imo state, since Okorocha, has always been mired in controversy. The strong allegation is that the state is indebted to banks and other creditors to the tune of billions of Naira. And the future of the state has been completely mortgaged. But Okorocha, as boastful and mesmerizing as ever, insists the state is not indebted to any institution. That is the question to which answers members of the IMHA are looking for.

Is the state owing or not? If so, to which creditors? And, how much? If not, how much is the state worth? To what use were both the bailout and Paris Club funds put to? How were the funds deployed?

To get to the root, the members unanimously agreed to invite the Accountant General of the state, and the Commissioner for Finance, to appear before it the next day, Wednesday, April 23.

The sudden seeming tough stand of the members has got many Imolites guessing. Their thinking has gone into an over-drive. What are the IMHA members upto? Why are they suddenly asking questions?

Dubbed the most cowardly and the most subservient House of Assembly since Nigeria’s democracy, not many people take the members seriously. They only rubber-stamp. And, if the governor asked them to jump, led by the most ineffective Speaker to hold an office, they would ask: How high?

Not a few people insist that by asking questions now, some of the members want to redeem their soiled image. Seeing that the governor has become lame-duck, they want to show him their true colours. And they want to do that by insisting that the Speaker can no longer push them around, or ride roughshod over them. And they are intent on dangling an impeachment stick before him.

For that, Ihim is allegedly fidgety. And bringing out every arsenal in his bag to stave off any such action. Asking that the power-generating set be switched off last Tuesday, was one of such actions.

A source, however, told this magazine that while many members are disgusted with Speaker Ihim, their main target is the governor. They are not averse to disgracing him out of office through an impeachment. Said a member who pleaded anonymity “Okorocha is a master of impeachment. Paying him back in his own coin won’t be a bad idea. In fact, it is attractive to many of us, and we might as well do it.”

But not a few people differ. They say the members are only trying to line themselves up for a soft landing when the new administration takes off. They are afraid. Many illegalities were carried out in the House. Opposition members were suspended brazenly for asking questions. At least, two Deputy Governors were illegally impeached. Court orders were alarmingly disobeyed.

However, many discerning people insist the members are playing games. They say they are acting a prepared script. That they were neither serious in their decisions, nor in their summons of the Accountant General or the Finance Commissioner.

Proof: On the appointed day, the members disappeared after holding a valedictory session for one of them who passed on.

The next day, the invited government officials merely sent a letter, stating they were out of town, and asked for another date to appear.

Case, closed? Perhaps not. They have been asked to appear first week in May.

Whatever, as from June 11, when the new IMHA will be inaugurated, things will never be the same. Imolites are already looking forward to a more vibrant, responsible, Assembly, which members will work for the good of the people, and not for an individual.

Ekiti: Fayemi Sets To Obey Supreme Court On LG Relocation

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Bayo Bernard

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April 25, 2019

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Ayodele Oni, Ado Ekiti

More than four months after the Supreme Court ordered the Ekiti state government to relocate the headquarters of Ilejemeje local government back to Eda Oniyo, Governor Kayode Fayemi has set machinery in motion to implement the judgment.

The state helmsman had in January constituted a committee, to study the judgment and advise the state government on what to do.

The committee, headed by the deputy governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, was given three months to report back to government. The three months elapsed on March 29.

Investigations revealed that the committee was initially meant to buy time and in a way coerce the Eda Oniyo people to vote for Dr Fayemi’s party, the All Progressive Congress, (APC) during the just concluded general election.

The party won landslide and Governor Fayemi, watchers of the state’s politics say has no option than to implement the judgment.

Ilejemeje local government is among councils created in 1996 by the late Head of State, Gen Sanni Abacha with its statutory headquarter in Eda Oniyo.

However, three months after its take off, the then military administrator of Ekiti state, Col Inuwa Bawa announced through radio that the headquarter has been taken from Eda Oniyo to Iye due to what he described as administrative convenience.

The Eleda of Eda Oniyo, Oba Julius Awolola challenged the decision in court.

The lower court gave him judgment which was appealed against by the people of Iye.

The Appeal court in Ilorin, Kwara state upturned the judgment of the lower court, which prompted Oba Awolola to proceed to supreme.

Almost 21 years after, the supreme court delivered its judgment on December 14, 2018 ordering Ekiti state government to relocate the headquarters back to Eda Oniyo since there was no statute backing its relocation to Iye.

Since the judgment, Ekiti state government has been dilly-dallying on the issue

It was learnt that the committee did not meet for once for the three months it was due to report back to government.

The joy of the people of Eda Oniyo, however knew no bounds on April 15 when the committee saddled with the responsibility of implementing the apex court judgment visited the community.

The committee, headed by the deputy governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi inspected facilities on ground to be used as temporary buildings for the take-off of the council.

To register their happiness over the visit, the people trooped out and carried various placards eulogising the present administration as well as urging it to expedite action on the implementation of the supreme court judgment.

The president of Eda Oniyo Progressive Union, Dr Rufus Ajayi, who conducted members of the committee round, pleaded for immediate action adding that the people had waited for 22 years to seek redress over the illegal relocation of the council headquarter to Iye.

Going down memory lane, Dr Ajayi, a former commissioner in the state, explained that Eda Oniyo community single-handedly worked for the creation of Ilejemeje local government while other communities were canvassing for the creation of new Ero local council.

A memo dated December 15, 1995 where all Obas and community leaders endorsed the creation of Ilejemeje local government with Eda Oniyo as its headquarters was made available to The Source.

Part of the memo reads “our prayer, in view of the foregoing, is for the creation of Ilejemeje local government with the headquarters at Eda Oniyo.”

According to him, other towns including Iye did not believe that a ward then under Mona local government could be made a local government.

“EDA Oniyo single handedly funded the project; we only got moral support from other towns, while Iye was busy pressing for a new Ero local government,” he added.

Dr Ajayi assure d Ekiti state government of continued peaceful coexistent among the seven communities that made up the council stressing, that when it was relocated with military dispatch, nobody raised a whimper and now that the supreme court has ordered its return to the original owners, heaven will not fall.

Oba Awolola in his passionate appeal to the committee, pleaded for accelerated action on the relocation saying for over 20 years the headquarters was at Iye, indigenes of his community were deprived of amenities and appointments.

The deputy governor, Otunba Egbeyemi who led the committee said it would report back to the governor who had the final say will on the relocation.

He urged the people to continue to be law abiding, assuring that the apex court judgment would definitely be implemented.

He later led committee members to inspect facilities on ground on Eda Oniyo. The committee had earlier visited Iye during which the people were equally advised to be law abiding

2023 Linked to Gov. Umahi’s Romance with APC

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The Source

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April 23, 2019

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By Chidiebere Onyemaizu

Multiple sources are alleging that barring a last minute change of mind, Ebonyi state governor, Dave Umahi, PDP, will soon be APC’s newest governor. This Magazine was informed that the governor has, allegedly, wrapped up his defection plans to the ruling party.

Governor Umahi, an Engineer, is credited with turning Abakaliki, the state capital, from a glorified town to a sprawling modern city. His supporters say Umahi has re- invented the state by saturating it with several signature infrastructural projects since assuming office four years ago.

**Buhari: Umahi maintains robust relationship with him.**

Speculations about his impending exit from the PDP trended thickly last year with many swearing that Umahi was going to contest his second election on the platform of the APC. However, to the surprise of many, the governor picked his PDP’s return ticket, contested and won re-election on the party’s platform.

It has, however, been gathered that the reason he stayed back in the PDP was the certainty of massive defeat that awaited him at the polls had he contested as an APC candidate.

Umahi has used every fora to lash out at those associating him with possible defection to the APC, denying ever nursing such ambition. But one of our sources alleges that Umahi has all along been marking time in the PDP.

“He is body and soul APC and he barely hides it. Forget his feeble presence at PDP events. His half-hearted campaign for the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar was very glaring. What drives his APC inclination is linked to 2023.Certain promises have been made to him by the Northern establishment and he believes the promises would be fulfilled”, the source said.

**General Buratai: Honoured by Governor Umahi**

This Magazine was told that a South East billionaire businessman who has the ears of the Northern oligarchy, including President Muhammadu Buhari, is behind the alleged Umahi 2023 permutations. The businessman who is also Umahi’s friend, was said to have spoken elegantly of the Ebonyi state governor to his Northern friends, suggesting to them that in the event that APC decides to zone its 2023 presidential ticket to the South East, the governor would be the party’s best choice.

The businessman reportedly assured the Northern power brokers that with Umahi as President, the region can sleep with its two eyes closed as the governor would protect its economic and political interests to the fullest.

However, should the North insist on keeping power beyond 2023, the multi-billionaire businessman, is also making a case for Umahi as VP under an APC presidential ticket in 2023.

Governor Umahi’s chummy relationship with President Buhari, it’s alleged, has its locale in the above projections. Though an opposition governor, Umahi has routinely spoken eloquently about the President. In 2017, the Ebonyi state number one citizen emerged from a visit to President Buhari in the Presidential villa to endorse him for second term. He has also frequently joined the President on his foreign trips. He has often said he will never criticize the President.

In the height of collation of the 2019 presidential election results, Umahi was said to have easily yielded to pressure from the Aso Rock hardliners, mostly Northern elements in President Buhari’s government, bent on returning the President to office for second term at all cost. The outcome was the President’s 1/3 feat in Ebonyi state in the Presidential election. Two other South East governors- Rochas Okorocha and Victor Okezie Ikpeazu of Imo and Abia respectively, also allegedly yielded to the pressure.

Umahi would later justify the President’s good outing in his state at the polls, saying it was to correct the impression that the South East hated Buhari.

Last week, Umahi named an Institute in the Ebonyi state University after the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, a move his critics described as upping the ante of his pro-APC/ North posturing.

Chinese Prisoners Work As Expatriates and Prostitutes in Nigeria

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Uche Mbah

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April 23, 2019

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Nigeria has joined the long list of countries-mostly African and Caribbean-where slave labor in the name of prisoners are used as expatriate workers in construction companies. This has been reported as Chinese labor policy to get cheap unpaid labor for their construction firms.

A house of Representatives member representing Gumel, Gagarawa, Maigatari, and Sule Tankarkar constituency in Jigawa state, Sanni Zorro, who doubles as chairman House committee on internally displaced persons has recently raised the alarm in a press briefing at his home in Kano.

According to him, Lee Gee company, a Chinese firm, is known to be importing prisoners to work in its textile firms with imported prisoners without proper documentations. These prisoners work at their Kano plastic factories.

Nigerian textile firms are begging for life support, and are being choked to death by government policies.

“My concern about the inversion of farmlands in my constituency by the Source was informed that the Chinese company was basically due to continued non nonchalant attitude of Northern Governments to take prompt action. About 20,000 hectares of land was unlawfully acquired without compensation”, he said.

In recent times, China has become emboldened by government and immigration non nonchalance to treat Nigeria as a conquered territory. News has been awash of exclusive restaurants in Lagos where only Chinese are allowed, reminiscent of the Apartheid era in south Africa. Tet according to an anonymous immigration officer, dealing with them is complicated because of connections to “the powers that be”.

Fears are that China is taking advantage of the current government addiction with loans to foist Neo-colonialsm on Nigeria.

Besides, there are allegations of prostitution rings in Lagos and even Abuja, where it was alleged that female prisoners are being used as prostitutes. “Their handlers go with police escorts. You can see them at Emina Crescent, off Toyin street at Ikeja, for example”, a source told this magazine.

This magazine can confirm that Immigration once raided Emina Crescent and made some arrests, but after some time, it became business as usual again. Chinese girls now compete with the local girls in night clubs and in Allen and Opebi areas of Lagos.

Allegations of China using prisoners as cheap labor in countries overseas is not new. It is known that other African countries suffer the same treatment. The German paper, Der Spiegel, once reported, based on the claim of the German opposition party, that 80,000 former prisoners from China were working in Zambia. An interview with immigration consultant by a consulting firm claims that an immigration consultant was able to process thousands of papers for Chinese prisoners. In Nigeria, it is alleged that they collude with corrupt officials to get their way.

Imo: Okorocha, Stop The Looting, Shame The Devils

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The Source

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April 19, 2019

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By Comfort Obi

The seeming confirmation of the story was not sweet to the ears – the story of the alleged massive looting going on in Imo state. The confirmation, by a reliable source, came on a wrong day, a day the people had dubbed the real beginning of the end of their nearly eight years in the wilderness. The story was a kill-joy.

The governor-elect, The Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, was inaugurating members of his Inaugural Committee. And, even though only the appointed members were expected to be allowed into the venue, after registration and screening, hundreds of the uninvited managed to descend on the Rockview Hotel, Owerri.

They came glowing; many dressed in their Sunday best. The joy was unmistakable.

Don’t blame them. With the announcement that the committee would be inaugurated, came the feeling of a new dawn. There was that feeling of: “Finally, we are taking our state back from the claws of Governor Rochas Okorocha.”

So, they grinned from ear to ear. And walked like they had springs on their heels.

It was, also, Ihedioha’s day of glory. There he was, after two or three failed attempts, seated, comfortably, as governor-elect. There he was, being honoured by eminent Imolites, including two former governors, Chiefs Achike Udenwa and Ikedi Ohakim. It has never been so since Okorocha. The former governors and two deputy governors had been alienated by the government of the day. Governor Okorocha said he had retired them from politics. To him, they were failures while in office. No wonder their faces beamed with smiles.

For Ohakim, in particular, it was a day of sweet revenge. Okorocha was the man who denied him a second term in office. And, worsened it by alleging all kinds of misconduct against him. No wonder he spoke with so much gusto at this event. “I cancelled a trip to be at the inauguration of this committee”, he told the cheering audience.

Ohakim had contested the governorship election against Ihedioha. He failed. But it was without bitterness. A couple of days after his loss, he wrote a congratulatory letter to Ihedioha. And, at the ceremony, asked all aggrieved contestants to drop their cases against the Governor-elect. And people clapped some more.

And Udenwa? He was like a land owner recovering his long lost prime land, years after losing it to a prodigal son. He dismissed the fast-ending Okorocha years as years of political rascality, never been seen in the state before. And everybody agreed, and beamed with smiles. But not for long.

For, it was in the middle of all that excitement, and self-importance that the depressing news of the alleged unprecedented looting in the state, witnessed that morning by some people, came strongly.

Indeed, the story of the massive looting of the state, which, allegedly, began a few days after Ihedioha’s victory, had been making the rounds for some time. When I first heard of it, I dismissed it. Not even the video recording, put on Whatsaap, could convince me. Okorocha is too big for that, I insisted. The uncontrolled era of the social media has thought one to be cautious with such stories and video clips. Nigerians are very creative. Many make up stories. They so fabricate and cobble things together, that one is sucked in. But be careful. In the world of the social media, two plus two are not always four. It could be 40, or zero.

Check this out.

This other day, there was a fire outbreak at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, popular as Imo Airport. And, mercifully, not one person died, or was hurt. But for the social media to be set on fire, it needed to have a bad or tragic ending. And, Nigerians, we like to run ourselves, and our country down. So, the next day, a heart wrenching video appeared on Whatsapp. It was that of a bus carrying about a dozen, terribly wounded people. They were scarred and bleeding and tattered. The caption: “Victims of Imo Airport fire outbreak.” The mischievous, wicked act went viral. And, all hell was let lose.

Our compatriots in the Diaspora, especially, those of Imo state origin, hit the roof. In their embarrassment, they asked genuine questions. How come there were no ambulances at the airport? How come there were no medical personnel? How dared they evacuate the wounded in such an uncivilized and primitive manner? One was outraged that they were being evacuated using left hands. One of them insisted that there was not even one fire service truck at the airport. And that people were putting out the fire with sand and buckets of water. But, what’s the truth?

It is that the viral video was fake. It is that there are medical personnel at Imo airport. It is that there are ambulances at the airport. It is that there are fire trucks at the airport. And it is that nobody put out the fire with sand and buckets of water. We may not be as efficient as the more civilized world during an emergency, but we are not as stupid and/or uncivilized as we are, many times, presented before the civilized world, especially, since the era of the social media in Nigeria. But, I digress.

I was talking about the alleged massive looting going on in Imo state and how it killed the people’s joy.

So, as the people rejoiced over the inauguration of the inaugural committee which they saw as the beginning of a new era, a stakeholder nobody could ignore walked in. His face was not bright. He had a troubling story to tell. Angry, eyes red, he said he needed to narrate what he saw. Expectant eyes glued on him.

On his way to the venue, he began, along the Port Harcourt – Obinze road, specifically at the Avu junction, he ran into some people, dismantling and carting away electricity polls and their fittings. They came in trailers. As they were dismantling, they were loading, and making away with them.

He stopped and confronted them. As he did so, a crowd of angry Imolites gathered, and stopped them from making away with their loot. He ran to the Police to report.

His story, immediately, opened a pandora box. That same morning, another man narrated, with a video recording to authenticate it, policemen, along the Owerri-Aba road, intercepted a convoy of Hilux vehicles, over 20 of them, being surreptitiously (?) driven out of the state to God knows where.

A couple of days later, a video recording of some more trailers surfaced. They were being loaded with rods, bought with state funds. The looters came in the night. But were intercepted by vigilant Imolites. They alleged that a number of trailer loads had left already. One of the trailer drivers was caught, and was almost lynched. He couldn’t speak Igbo. And was unable to answer the many angry questions hurled at him by the angry crowd.

Not a few people insist that all the executive chairs at the Imo International Conference Centre, IICC, have been looted. In their place are now cheap plastic chairs. The same fate, it is alleged, has befallen the Imo Heroes Square. It has been stripped. Both the IICC and the Heroes Square are two of the legacy structures which the out-going governor can point at. Now, stripped of the executive chairs, both have been reduced to empty sepulchers.

The questions are: Who are these people carting away our collective patrimony? Why are they stripping the state bare? And, on whose authority are they doing that? Surely, somebody sent them? If the allegations are true, surely somebody is deliberately looting the state blind.

Out-going governor Rochas Okorocha should worry.

And here are why:

It is his legacies that are being desecrated. What will be left for the in-coming government? Empty shells. Empty halls. Empty vehicle garages?

How will anybody explain the brazen stealing, nicely called looting, allegedly, going on in the state? I don’t believe it but, accusing fingers are pointing at his government’s direction. In a video that went viral, one of those who intercepted one of the trailer drivers carting away iron rods specifically mentioned the name of the governor’s younger brother as being present. “I saw Okorocha’s brother. He ran away as he saw us coming”, he kept repeating.

True or false, Governor Okorocha owes the state an explanation. He is the Chief Security Officer. He cannot feign deaf and dumb over the looting allegation. Surprisingly, neither him, nor his government, has said a word. He needs to speak up.

This silence is not golden. It is not good to allow such degrading allegations fly around him a few weeks to his exit.

Again, here are why.

His reputation is at stake. In 2011 when he swept into office, he was one of the most loved governors in Nigeria. No longer. He is leaving office as one of the most despised by Imolites.

In his almost eight years in office, all kinds of allegations have been heaped against him. Many of them do not bear repeating here. But the chorus is that he ran the most disorderly, disorganised, selfish, greedy and wasteful government since the creation of the state. It is debatable. But he will be doing himself a great injustice if he allows the looting allegations to stick.

Of course such allegations are not exclusive to him or his government.

Nigerians are used to out-going governors looting a couple of things – cars, buses, bed sheets, air conditioners, even cutleries – but not on the scale, allegedly, going on in Imo state. They are also are used to last minute appointments and other approvals by them.

In the past couple of weeks, Okorocha has inaugurated Boards of parastatals and commissions. He has upgraded the Imo Polytechnic to a University, and no jokes, established six new universities. All within a week. These are aimed at crippling the in-coming Ihedioha administration. No problems. The in-coming government will take care of those at the appropriate time. But this alleged massive looting, if true, is scandalous. And I urge the Governor to address it.

Has he heard of it? Is he aware? If so, what has he done about it?

Coming into office, Okorocha was not a poor man. He was comfortable. Time was when he wanted to buy the defunct Progress Bank. And, according to his spokesman, he has the most number of landed properties in Nigeria than anybody else. They stretch from Abuja, Jos, Lagos, Kano, Ibadan, Kaduna to Owerri, and more. The President of the International Red Cross, Okorocha was a well known philanthropist, taking care of a number of underprivileged children, and offering them free education. He is still doing that, using his Foundation.

He, therefore, does not need a looting scandal on his neck. He has had it all. He still has it all. As a governor, he has acquired even more wealth. And he is so overwhelmingly rich his family has been made forever.

So, I take it that some people are trying to paint him in colours that are not his. They want to present him worse than people think he is. They want to rubbish and shame him.

He should not allow them. He should not give them the room to do that. He should turn the table against them, and shame them.

So, an unsolicited advice from me.

Issue a press statement and denounce the alleged looting. Do so in very strong terms. Ask the Police to immediately begin an investigation into it. Get hold of everything, allegedly, looted – cars, trucks, executive chairs, rods, iron bars, electrical fittings, television sets, etc, and return them to base.

And, finally, order the prosecution of those who are allegedly looting in your name. Only then can Imolites find a place in their hearts to uphold you in future. They may even consider erecting a statue in the state in your honour. You know, like that of South Africa’s former President, Jacob Zuma, which you erected in Owerri to the embarrassment of Imolites. It will be a fitting memory of your era as a governor. True.

Obi is the Editor-in-Chief/CEO of The Source (Magazine), https://thesourceng.com. Email: [email protected], [email protected]

Ekiti: Police, Community Differ Over Herdsmen Attack

By

Bayo Bernard

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April 18, 2019

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Ayodele Oni, Ado Ekiti

Few days after Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state had a meeting with leaders of herdsmen in the state on how to curb incessant attacks on farmers, two persons were reported killed in Iyemero raising more questions of the capacity of the police to contain killings by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

Thus following the attack, the Ekiti state police command has received a haul of condemnation for not doing its job to protect the life of the citizenry and dishing out false information.

The Iyemero community and the police had differed over Monday attack even as watchers of events in the state insist that suspected herds men have terrorized the northern axis of Ekiti state to no end.

The community also disagreed with the police on the number of casualties recorded in the latest incident, barely few days after Governor Fayemi met with the leadership of herdsmen operating in the state.

While the Olu of Iyemero, Oba Ebenezer Ogungbemi insists that two persons were killed in the attack allegedly carried out by suspected Fulani herdsmen in a farmstead in the town, the police claimed that nobody died and that it was a robbery incident.

The traditional ruler dismissed the claim by the Commissioner of Police, Asuquo Amba, that preliminary report indicated that nobody died during the attack.

Some suspected Fulani herders on Monday invaded a farmstead called Eda in Iyemero in Ikole local government and shot a seven year old boy during a raid and a couple, the husband later died in the hospital.

The police, in a statement by Amba on Tuesday, dismissed the claim that two people were killed, describing it as mere hearsay.

But the monarch told the delegation sent by Governor Fayemi to commiserate with the town that two persons died, when the governor emissary visited the traditional ruler.

Oba Ogungbemi said the victims confirmed to him that Fulani herders who had been having a running battle with the farmers perpetrated the dastardly act.

“They invaded the community at midnight and shot a seven year old boy and scattered his head.

They also shot a couple in the other house and the husband has died after they were rushed him to Ikole General hospital and the bullets could not be extracted from his body early enough.”

The traditional ruler said further that “They have removed the bullets from the body of the wife and she had been referred to Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti for treatment.

What we know is that, the robbers used to escape through Ikole-Itapaji-Iyemero-Eruku route to Kwara state after robbing banks in Ado Ekiti, it is a fact that we have a porous border.

My people should be on alert and we are already mobilising the local hunters to work with the security agencies to tame the perpetrators.”

Oba Ogungbemi said security should be beefed up in the town to stem the tide of herdsmen regular attacks.

He said “The correct information now is that, two people had died. People can’t go to their camp, because they are afraid.

About 60 of them have been displaced and they were here in my palace till today(Wednesday) before they left.”

Condoling with the monarch, Fayemi, represented by the Information commissioner, Muyiwa Olumilua, said government would take every necessary step to nab the killers and bring them to justice.

Governor Fayemi added that his government would pay the hospital bill of the victims in order to relieve them of the burden.

“We sympathise with you, because lives of Ekiti people are precious to us in this government.

As part of the ways to arrest this situation, the governor has begun the construction of a police post in Iyemero.

We are assuring you that something like this won’t happen again,” the governor said.

On the controversy over the number of persons killed in the attack, Fayemi stated that he “knew there was loss of lives and that was why we are to commiserate with the town.

But in spite of this provocative attack, they should remain calm and be law abiding, particularly the farmers.”

Court Case: Atiku’s Server Evidence Brings International Dimension To His Case

By

Uche Mbah

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April 18, 2019

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Reports that the Peoples Democratic Party flag bearer, Atiku Abubakar may invite Microsoft, IBM and Oracle experts to prove that he actually got the result from the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC,, server may have opened a new vista in a case that has already proved to be controversial.

Recall that Atiku has released results that he claimed were the authentic 2019 presidential results from the official server of INEC. In the result posted, Atiku claimed he won the election by 1.6 million votes, even without the result from Rivers state.

Rivers is said to be a PDP stronghold.

But in Court, he has questioned the sworn affidavit submitted by president Buhari, citing discrepancies in the the dates that Buhari claimed he was in such schools and the foundation dates of such schools. This is apart from the deposition about the election proper.

But the defense, instead of going into the points raised by Atiku, submitted that Atiku is a non Nigerian, an allegation that raised the bar against Atiku. Atiku rose to the position of a senior Customs officer before his retirement from the government agency, and was a Vice president in the country.

Though the tribunal was said to have ruled that Atiku is a Nigerian, it raised further issues of the real Identity of the Presidency. They defense said that the Prosecution lawyer, who is a former attorney general and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, is not qualified to practice law in Nigeria.

Nnamdi Kanu, the renegade Nigerian that has been agitating for the actualization of Biafra, was the first person to make an allegation that Atiku is not a Nigerian but a Cameroonian. But he recanted recently, rather advising Atiku that the only thing he needed to do was to demand for a DNA test for “the Man Occupying Aso Rock”, insisting that he will give up his agitation for Biafra if he is found to be the original Buhari. His lieutenants were reported to have said that the embattled ex president of Sudan, A Bashir’s overthrow may have thrown a scare into the presidency. They cited the absence of vice president Yemi Osinbajo from Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council meeting to the fact that they want those in the inner caucus to discuss the Al Bashir development. Only 21 ministers attended the FEC meeting.

While this allegation may be regarded as rabble rousing and dismissed in certain quarters, it has brought a new dimension to a case that has garnered increasing public interest, from skepticism to high interests.

But one of the respondents, INEC, had denied that they had any results in their server, referring to Atiku’s paraded results as fake. But in a Freudian admission, Buhari’s Campaign spokesperson, Festus Keyamo, had written to the DSS to arrest Atiku for hacking into INEC server, thereby giving credence that what was brought out came from INEC server. This has resulted in the proposed invitation of the Internet providers and administrators to confirm that the server was indeed INEC’s.

It should be noted that everything that was ever written on a site is stored permanently in the server even if it is deleted and the hard drive removed. The cloud technology, which has been employed by PDP in INEC data storage, ensures this.

The PDP had earlier insisted that there was no hacking of INEC server, that it was a whistle-blower within INEC that released the results to them. In this administrations, whistle-blowers are protected by law from prosecution.

Edo: Okada Leaders Battle Chief Igbinedion Over Land

By

Bayo Bernard

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April 17, 2019

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By Walid Ogunseri- Benin City

The end to the age long land dispute between Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin Kingdom and his community Okada appears not in sight if recent development is anything to go by.

Some elders of the community has recently demanded stringent conditions to end the dispute, but close watchers of events in the state say this will further polarize the feuding parties.

According to a document issued by the community outlining 14 conditions to end the protracted dispute, which was signed by the Odionwere of Okada village, Pa Napoleon Emuze, Pa Oghogho Oviawe and Pa Agbonavbare Erhabor, all senior members of Okada Elders’ Council, they demanded that Chief Igbinedion refute claim by Lucky Igbinedion, a former governor of the state that Okada belongs to his father.

The rebuttal, the Elders said must be published in a national newspaper.

Other demands by the community includes “That Igbinedion University’s claim of 134.324 hectares as her land was also false.

Chief Igbinedion Should hands off the land earmarked for International Golf Course opposite his hospital.

He should hands off the land earmarked for the government proposed 500 unit of low cost housing estate (by Okha/Usen Junction).

He should hands off the village land earmarked for the building of Airport – Land space to Ezenekhi

Chief Igbinedion should hands off 1,100 feet land behind the NYSC Orientation Camp.

He should handover the certificate of Registration of Okada cooperative Association in his possession to the village.”

Other conditions include that Chief Igbinedion to “handover the World Bank borehole project to Okada village which is currently being used by Esama alone to Okada

The Fish Pond project by UNDP for Okada Village converted by Esama to his personal use to be handed over to Okada.

That he should remove the fence in the backyard of all the houses from Iyaro to the end of the city which makes it impossible for the owners to build toilets or kitchens while some toilets and kitchens were fenced within his yard.

That Chief Igbinedion should replace the building and sawmill, cash crops (cocoa, palm trees, orange trees, pear, cassava) he maliciously destroyed in Okada).”

The Elders are also demanding the “handover of the control of Banks (First Bank, Zenith Bank, Sterling and Access Bank), Network providers (Glo, MTN, 9mobile) which pay Royalty annually to him alone, to Okada village.

That he should remove his University away from Okada village land entirely and he should henceforth stop his harassment and intimidation of anybody building or carrying out any development in the village with police or any other security agency.”

Meanwhile, keen watchers of the timeworn dispute told the magazine that it would be difficult for the Esama to meet the demands of the angry Elders.

Ondo: Owo Mourn As Oba Olateru Olagbegi Passes On

By

Bayo Bernard

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April 17, 2019

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By Ayodele Oni, Akure

The death of Olowo of Owo in ondo state, Oba Folagbade Olateru Olagbegi, cfr has shocked many Nigerians, particularly in the south west who knew the monarch to be well respected and peace loving traditional ruler.

The senior Advocate passed on this morning in the ancient town of Owo.

When the magazine visited this morning, the gate to the palace was locked, while commercial activities have been suspended at the community’s major market adjacent to the palace.

Oba Olagbegi was 77 when he joined his ancestors.

He succeeded his late father, Sir Olateru Olagbegi, who was sent on an exile by the defunct Western state government.

The deceased monarch was given staff of office by late Governor Olusegun Agagu on December 11 2003. He reigned for 19 years.

He was appointed chancellor of university of Benin in 2005 and later chancellor university of Abuja.

Until his death, he was the chancellor of university of Jos and former chairman of the ondo council of obas.

He was married to Olori Ololade Olateru Olagbegi and the family was blessed with children and grandchildren.

His demise has not been announced by Ondo state government as the Commissioner for Information, Yemi Olowolabi said this was purely the responsibility of the Owo traditional council.

Some residents who spoke with the magazine said Oba Olagbegi will be sorely missed by all.

FCMB Organises Free Training, Urges SMEs To Drive Economic Growth

By

Bayo Bernard

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April 17, 2019

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On Saturday, April 13, 2019, First City Monument Bank (FCMB) hosted the fifth in its series of free capacity building programmes, tagged ‘’Business Enterprises and Sustainability Training (BEST)’’ organised for existing and start-up SMEs in Lagos. This followed the success of the previous editions of the training last year across the country.

The initiative covered various topical areas such as identifying business opportunities, surviving in a harsh business environment, improving productivity, raising capital, optimizing sales, cost and revenue management, among others.

The Bank urged small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) to take the lead in driving the diversification and growth of the Nigerian economy. This is due to the catalytic role they play in the lives of people and the society. SMEs over the years, have stimulated national and economic development in the areas of production, exports, employment and income generation.

Speaking on the BEST initiative, the Executive Director, Business Development of FCMB, Mrs. Bukola Smith, said the Bank recognises the increasing role and impact of SMEs.

According to her, ’the BEST initiative is one of the innovative ways we support the growth of our SME customers because without effective training and exposure, resounding success could be quite difficult to achieve. In FCMB, we are passionate about helping our customers thrive in a sustainable manner. We believe this comprehensive training programme will go a long way to impact positively on the SME operators who have participated in our training. It will propel them to further develop themselves”.

The participants at the capacity training expressed gratitude to FCMB for living up to its core values of Execution, Professionalism, Innovation and Customer-focus (EPIC)