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PDP Now Being Controlled By Miscreants In South West; Fayose Responsible For Woes – Olujimi |The Source

By
Ayodele Oni
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Senator Biodun Olujimi

By Ayodele Oni

Miscreants and political hijackers have taken over the opposition People’s Democratic Party, (PDP), a National Assembly member from Ekiti state, has cried out.

Senator Biodun Olujimi, representing Ekiti South Senatorial District accused former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, of being the brain behind the misfortune of the PDP, especially in the south west.

According to the two time senator, the former governor has been frustrating the efforts made by Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, to end the crisis rocking the party in Ekiti State.

Affirming Governor Makinde as the Party’s leader in the South-West geo-political zone, she appealed to Makinde to discountenance moves against him, and continue with his quest “to reposition, galvanise and salvage the party from the brink of collapse”.

Fayose had, on Wednesday, warned the Governor Makinde not to meddle in the affairs of PDP or even attempt to come to Ekiti State.

Both Olujimi and Fayose had held separate state Congresses of the PDP last week with each faction having its own executive.

Olujinmi, while addressing her faction of the party in Ado Ekiti  described Fayose, and his collaborators as ‘political jobbers’ and asked Makinde to ignore their threats.

“Makinde is the symbol of the party in the South-West. So, anything that must come from the zone must come through him.

“Fayose and his conspirators’ visit to Uche Secondus was nothing but a recreational. I can take anybody to the National Secretariat of the party and we take pictures.

“We stand by Makinde because nobody can rubbish him and wish him away. This is the best time South-West Zone needs the Governor most when ‘hijackers’ are trying to undermine the party’s structure through egregious conspiracy.”

Makinde is PDP’s lone Governor in the South-west. The Party would have made it a double, with Osun State, but I’m a much discredited re-run in a couple of wards, APC was awarded a discredited victory.

Senator Olujimi is the Party’s highest office holder in Ekiti State, but has had a running battle with over leadership with former Governor Fayose.

In Europe, What You Call Ethnic Groups In Nigeria Are Called Nations |The Source

By
The Source
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Professor George Obiozor

By George Obiozor.

Most of the Diasporans here live in Europe; Can you show me one multi-ethnic state in Europe where one group is positioned to dominate the rest that hasn’t broken up?

For those who may not know, what you call ethnic groups in Nigeria are called nations in Europe.

There’s nowhere in the world where the white man accepts domination from another white man in perpetuity.

It used to be so under the Roman empire and the like. Not anymore. The Communists tried it, dividing society into capitalists and proletariats, deluding themselves that ethnicity is effectively swept under the carpet, but what followed? The Communist edifices in Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia,  and the big brother, USSR, all collapsed, while the two Germans that are ethnically the same but split by communism vs capitalism were reunited. Such is the power of ethnic nationalism.

Czechoslovakia was made up of two ethnic groups,  the Czechs and the Slovakians. Both separated peacefully on 1st January 1993. The former is today 10.6 million people and the latter 5.4 million. Added together,  they’re not up to Lagos. Yet, they split for peace. Two masters can’t be in the same house.

Yugoslavia in 1991 was 23.2 million, barely more than Lagos population. It broke into six countries same year – all along ethnic lines, namely: Bosnia and Herzegovina,  Croatia,

Macedonia,  Montenegro, Serbia , and Slovenia.

Then the big brother, USSR. It had, at least, the following ethnic groups identified by their languages:

Regional languages:

*Ukrainian

*Belarusian

*Uzbek

*Kazakh

*Georgian

*Azerbaijani

*Lithuanian

*Moldavian

*Latvian

*Kyrgyz

*Tajik

*Armenian

*Turkmen

*Estonian

Minority languages:

*Abkhaz

*Bashkir

*Buryat

*Chechen

*Finnish

*Volga German

*Korean

*Ossetian

*Tatar

&

*various others.

Today, your fingers will not be enough to count the number of countries that have emerged from the USSR.

Sit down there and be preaching unity in Nigeria as if you’re the kindest gentleman on earth while you have no solution to the genocide in Southern Kaduna, the illegal but officially condoned arms in the hands of killer herdsmen roaming the country, and be condemning those better informed about the fact that the country is undergoing the strains of a forced union and should be peacefully restructured or let people go their separate ways.

In Europe, the two best examples of fairly stable multi-ethnic states are the UK and the Switzerland.  The former is led by reasonable men who permitted regional autonomy to the Irish, the Scots and the Welsh, while the English dominate Westminster. That’s something some of us are asking for, but you’re fighting against it in your own country wracked by ethnic crisis. Your own people are better off under oppression of fellow black men because your people have bad leaders who can’t do better than their new internal colonisers.

The latter country, Switzerland, has four ethnic groups. Each of them rotates the presidency through seven cantons that constitute the federating units. All the four languages of the four ethnic groups are recognized as official languages and school languages to boot, namely, German, French, Italian, and Romansch that has just a few thousand speakers!

There’s nowhere in the world where the Caucasians allow the domination of their group by another.

In Canada, Quebec is the only full French-speaking province, aside a little section of New Brunswick.  The other seven provinces are English-speaking.  Yet, Canada is bilingual for the sake of Quebec! And each of the provinces is largely self-governing.

Here we are in Nigeria,  you have people arguing vehemently that a decrepit,  structurally-flawed, and crisis-prone artificial contraption badly configured by the British only needs good people to survive. Why not centralise the powers of the British regions to London and see what happens?.

Professor Obiozor, a world-acclaimed Diplomat, was Nigeria’s  Ambassador  to the USA

Lai Mohammed Under Fire; PDP Says Nigerians Will Start Committing Suicide, Turn To Slaves Abroad |The Source

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Alhaji Lai Mohammed

By Akinwale Kasali

Minister for Information and National Oriention, Lai Mohammed, has  come under fire over his comments that the cost of fuel and electricity is still very cheap in Nigeria when compared to the cost in other countries.

Mohammed, in the heat of the National outrage over the increase in the  tariffs, said despite that, Nigerians are still paying less, saying the prices are still the lowest in Central and West Africa.

Reacting to this claim, the main opposition Party, PDP,  warned that the increase could push more Nigerians into committing suicide, and force many more to travel abroad where they would become slaves.

The party, also, warned President Muhammadu Buhari of the dire consequences of the increase at this trying COVID-19 pandemic period.

According to the PDP, price of petrol may increase the rate of suicide among Nigerians, and  that the increment may lead to Nigerians resorting to slavery abroad.

It also lambasted Minister Mohammed for making such statements at  a time  the citizens are striving to  make ends meet.

Kola Ologbodiyan, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, described Mohammed’s assertion as irrational, wicked and outrageous.

He also stressed that the hike was insensitive.

In a statement he issued, Ologbondiyan said: “We remind President Buhari that this hike will worsen the scary situation in the last five years, where compatriots are resorting to suicide, slavery mission abroad as well as selling of their children as options.

“PDP, therefore, rejects the highly irrational argument by the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, that fuel price is higher in most West African countries, without presenting the contradictory economic settings in those countries and ours”

The sudden increase in the tariffs of fuel and electricity had sparked outrage nationwide. In some states, many people have taken to the streets in protest. Some went to the office of the NLC and the TUC, to ask what the Unions were doing to protest the hike.

The request is for a reversal, but the Federal Government says there is no going back on the increase.

In Tuesday, the  PPPRA, said it has hands-off the fixing of the pump price of petrol, and had left it to market forces, as fuel is an international product.

Said the FG “The era of fuel subsidy is gone forever.” The Presidency has also hailed the President, saying he is the only person, with enough courage to take the bull by the horn.

At the onset of the Goodluck Jonathan Government, he had tried to cut down on the subsidy by raising the price of fuel, but he was met by an unprecedented sponsored protest in Lagos. Most of those commending and upholding the increase now we’re in the forefront of the protest and condemnation of Jonathan.

When he left Government the price of fuel was N87 per litre. Now, it is N162.

The Private Sector has, however, hailed the end of  the era of fuel subsidy, and the increase in electricity tariff.

Fraud: Nollywood Actress, Funmi Lawal, Remanded In Police Custody |The Source

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Funm Lawal

By Akinwale Kasali

A Nollywood Actress has been remanded in Police Custody.

Funmi Lawal is a known face in the make-believe industry, popularly known as Nollywood.

Sadly, the thespian is enmeshed in crisis, and presently cooling off at the State Criminal Investigative Department, Alagbon, Lagos.

She had accused the General Overseer of the Celestial Church of Christ, Genesis Model Parish, Prophet Israel Oladele Ogundipe, of duping her of the sum of N2 Million.

The Actress was to appear  at the Igbosere Magistrate Court yesterday, on the 9th of September, 2020, after her arrest, with Pastor Ogundipe, who is bent on taking legal action against her for defaming him, but the case couldn’t hold due to unforeseen circumstances, prompting it to be adjourned till next week Monday, 14th September, 2020.

Prior to her appearance in Court, the sultry actress had, during interrogation at Alagbon SCID, confessed that the popular Celestial Church Pastor did not collect any money her, but she was only out to blackmail him.

She made this statement to the police at Alagbon Police having been arrested and accused of defamation of character of Pastor Ogundipe.

The media was awash with the actress’ story on Social Media, accusing Pastor Ogundipe of defrauding her of the sum of two million naira under the pretense of getting her a landed property.

The issue was reported to police and the thespian was arrested. It was during interrogation that she confessed it was all blackmail that Ogundipe did not collect any money from her.

The magazine gathered that Pastor Ogundipe claimed he has never met the actress in his life and it was confusing when the news filtered out and a quick measure was taken by inviting the police to look into the case.

It would be recalled that of recent, Ogundipe has suffered different accusations and this was what prompted him to seek legal means to fight to save his integrity.

Funmi Lawal claimed during interrogation that she was paid by Bukky Jesse, a United Kingdom based lady to blackmail him.

Pastor Ogundipe has been enmeshed in series of controversies over the years, bothering on fraud and womanizing, which led to his arrest some years back.

The Genesis Global Pastor is, however, following the footstep of Port Harcourt based Founder of Salvation Ministries Church, Pastor David Ibieyomie, who also caused  the detention of popular Blogger, Kemi Olunloyo, for defaming him.

Southern Kaduna: Group Says Gov. El-Rufai Must Apologise; Explains Boycott Of Talks |The Source

By
Akinwale Kasali
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0

By Akinwale Kasali

The Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, SOKAPU, has alleged that Governor Nasir El-Rufai is just paying lip service to peace talk on the ongoing killings and crisis is Southern Kaduna.

The Group’s spokesman, Luka Binniyat, stated this while explaining the reason the union boycotted the peace summit organised to resolve the crisis in Southern Kaduna.

He stated that until the Governor tenders apology to Southern Kaduna people and the elders over his derogatory comments against them, it will be taken that the peace process of the government is a ruse.

He said : “He had called our leaders names, and openly supported the Fulani herdsmen against our people in Southern Kaduna.

“We are not against the peace summit. But what is happening in Southern Kaduna is strange. What is happening under the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari is that our rural communities are being taken over by Fulani militia who are killing our people. They have waged relentless war against Christian communities. So, what the United States President, Donald Trump told him is true.”

Buhari had disclosed, for the first time, on Tuesday,  that America’s President, Donald Trump, had looked him in the eye, at the Oval office, and asked him: “Why are you killing Christians?” Buhari said his response was that the crisis in Southern Kaduna was neither on ethnic not religious basis but something that has been on from time immemorial”

The Group, however,  claimed that since 2015, the attacks have been targeted at Christian communities, adding that Buhari and el-Rufai were not saying the truth, but  basically being economical with it.

“They are only trying to save face under intense criticism of the genocide and atrocities.

Kidnapping of Christians in Chikun and Kajuru gulped N400 million as ransom to the Fulani kidnappers. There is no week this year that Pastors have not been kidnapped or killed,” the group stated.

Binniyat argued that under a genuine peace process, the organisers should have called those directly affected by the crisis and the perpetrators of the violence for discussion to arrive at a true peace accord.

“The people who are displaced are still living under sub-human conditions. There are no representatives of the victims. Those who perpetrated the violence are not there. They only brought the intellectuals, government officials and their party men. They talk against victims. The murderers and villains are not there at the peace table. We don’t know if they included them. Who is talking on their behalf?

“So, there is need to know them. They are inviting communities as observers, instead as participants. That is not how to bring about enduring peace. If you are talking about a genuine peace process, you have to bring the victims and those who perpetrated the atrocities together. How can there be peace if the more than 50,000 people displaced cannot go back to their homes and communities. How can there be peace if the invaders are still occupying the communities,” he said.

SW PDP Crisis: Fayose Lambasts Gov. Makinde, Says He Lacks Respect For Leaders |The Source

By
Akinwale Kasali
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By Akinwale Kasali

Former Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has taken a swipe at Oyo State’s Governor Seyi Makinde over allegation that Governor Makinde is meddling in every local politics.

Fayose warned Governor Makinde to desist from interfering in the affairs of the Party in the state.

This was stated by the ex-governor at a meeting of the party’s south-west stalwarts in Abeokuta, Ogun State, capital on Wednesday.

Fayose said he would challenge Makinde if he tinkers with the leadership structure of the PDP in the state.

Delegates at the meeting were all PDP Chairmen at state level, including; Deji Doherty (Lagos), Sunday Olatunde Akanfe (Osun), and Bisi Kolawole (Ekiti).

The former governor said being a Governor and a Zonal leader do not give Makinde powers to unilaterally tweak the party structure without recourse to the contributions of  local leaders.

He said the chapter of the party in each state should be governed by its local leaders as they deem fit.

According to Fayose, the Oyo State Governor ordered the sack of PDP zonal executives in the South-west, and replaced them with a caretaker committee, adding that an attempt to change the leadership in Ekiti will be resisted.

“There has been a reasonable cold war of who and who become the Executive of the Zone. Governor Makinde has demanded that the Zonal Executives be sacked, and a caretaker be fostered on the zone which the party did.

“But, since the Caretaker Committee came into being, he has not allowed them to function because he produced the Chairman .

“Beyond that, the fact that there is a sitting governor does not say I should go to another man’s state. Nobody should come to my state; if you come to my state, I will face you squarely. I will continue to respect him because he is my brother. I love him so much and I was part of his emergence.”

A communique was issued by the party Chairmen in Osun, Ekiti, Lagos, as well as Sikirullahi Ogundele, PDP Chairman in Ogun.

A consensus was reached that local politics should be encouraged and decisions made at the level should be respected.

The leaders said the current template for selecting zonal executives in South-west should be maintained, adding that a new formula will not be accepted.

“It must also be noted that the leadership of His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde is not in question,” the communique read.

“It must be noted that each state has its own leaders as politics is local and its leadership structure must be respected, but no state is ruled or governed by another.

Fayose, however, warned Makinde that  it has been established, and a decision is taken that the existing zoning formula in the zone for the Zonal executives of the party should not be tampered with.

“Our position is that any other formulae for the zone in the South West will not be acceptable to us.

“We seize this opportunity to let the National Working Committee know that it is nothing but free, fair, transparent and no violent congress is what is acceptable to us and we are ready to comply with all legitimate processes to determine the outcome of the zonal congress.

“The Eddy Olafeso-led zonal executives only spent two years from November 2017 till date, they should be allowed to complete the very credible job they’ve commenced in the South-West. The team must be allowed to complete its tenure.

“We reject any style of leadership that does not respect democratic norms. Everybody must be carried along for the same of equity and fairness. “All we are saying is that we must give peace a chance and allow the South-West take its rightful position in the PDP and Nigeria”, Fayose concluded.

Fayose , and his former Deputy during his first term as Governor, Biodun Olujimi, now a two-time Senator, have been at daggers-drawn over the leadership of the party in Ekiti State.

As a result, there were two parallel State Congresses, and two Executives instituted – One loyal to Fayose, and the other loyal to Senator  Olujimi.

ACF: Oseni, Mantu Break Northern Umbrella Body, Form New Group |The Source

By
Bayo Bernard
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By Fola James

The Behemoth Northern social political association, Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF has been hit with balkanization as another group North Central Peoples Forum, NCPF has now been formed by prominent politicians and leaders from mainly the North Central geo-political zone, who are not happy with the spate of insecurity ravaging the region.

The ACF has recently elected Audu Ogbeh, a former Minister of Agriculture and former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP from North Central as its chairman. Ogbeh is from Benue state.

But the NCPF which boasts of some prominent leaders from the zone including former Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Senator Jerry Useni, Former Minister of State for Health, Gabriel Aduku who is the interim Chairman of the forum and former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu said at a meeting on Wednesday, that the zone must rise up to defend its interests.

The group said it has now joined Afenifere, a Yoruba social political group, Ohaneze from the south east and others agitating for the common goal of their people.

According to Jeremiah Oseni the chairman Board of Trustees of NCPF, the new group will seek to harness the human and natural resources of the Zone for the good of its people, apart from ensuring that peace and stability is established and sustained within the zone.

Oseni a former Minister of the FCT said “the Forum is also aimed at ensuring cooperation and support the good policies and administration of the six governors of the zone irrespective of our political, religious and ethnic differences; support and cooperate fully with the Federal Government for full and complete implementation of infrastructures, development projects situated in the zone and involvement of the people of the zone in the National affairs of the country and promote, defend and strengthen North Central unity and interest of its people in the context of one indivisible Nigeria and to contribute in safeguarding her territorial integrity

“Consequently, every zone now have a common socio-political platform where they meet to discuss their strength and weakness with the view to propounding and promoting progress and development of the zone. It is therefore in this context that the South-South People’s Assembly and the South-South Elder’s Forum were formed to champion the common cause of the South-South people and draw Federal Government attention to the perceived problems facing the people of their zone

“It is in similar vein that the South-West Zone of Nigeria established the Afenifere Group, a Yoruba socio-political organization that is constantly being used to draw Federal Government attention to their common challenges. The South-East people of Nigeria have the Ohanaeze Indigbo as their own socio-political platform for mobilizing their people to actualize political and economic objectives that may attract positive development to their zone

“Recently, the people of North-East floated a body called the North- East Elder’s Forum for the attainment of similar objectives who succeeded in getting the North-East Commission approved by the Federal Government. It is in the light of the foregoing that it becomes imperative and pertinent for us as a zone to rise to the challenges and launch our own geo-political platform from where we can draw the attention of relevant authorities on the need to address various socio-economic, political and securities challenges ravaging our zone.”

The Interim Chairman of the Forum and former Minister of State for Health, Gabriel Aduku said the zone which has more than 25 million people has suffered untold hardship due to lack of good representation.

According to him, the zone has been used and dumped by selfish politicians: “the socio-cultural, political and economic diversities of the Zone simulate it as a microcosm of the macrocosm known as Nigeria. It’s extremely rich human and mineral resources make this Zone a unique divine arrangement for immense prosperity, development and leadership within the Nigeria Federation

“Its immense human resource capital has undoubtedly announced the citizens of the zone for excellence and impact. Sadly, however, in-spite of its enormous solid, liquid minerals and natural endowments, commercial fishing, farming and agro-allied activities, as well as the massive intellectual human resources, the Zone has become a sleeping giant, good enough only for political exploitation and exploration by its “patrons” and vote seekers.

Aduku disclosed that his group has set out to liberate the people of the area and harness the enormous mineral resources for the development of the zone.

He said “Within this giant, painfully lie its great potentials, including several dormant projects, factories, industries and untapped natural and human resources; within this, also lie sleeping great voices and docile interests and aspirations. This irony of the absurd should not be allowed to thrive any longer. The North Central Peoples’ Forum has chosen to rise to the occasion and the challenges

“It has come to ensure the effective aggregation, promotion and actualization of dormant and latent interests and potentials of the zone. It has come to give momentum and expression to voices of giants of the zone that have become silent, weak and inaudible

“The Zone hosts strategic industries, such as the Ajaokuta steel plant, the Iron Ore Processing Plant at Itakpe, the Obajana and Benue Cement facilities, the Bacita Sugar Processing Plant and Jebba Paper Mill and several others, all of which have become challenged.

“Apart from being a solid mineral belt, with a network or inland ports at Baro, Lokoja, Ajaokuta and Idah, the Rivers Niger and Benue have also put the Zone at a strategic These rivers have been neglected, abused, ignored and serving independent Nigeria as it did for the Royal Niger Company (RNC) of Pre-independent Nigeria.

“Unfortunately and painfully, budgetary arrangements for dredging these rivers in order to make them fulfill their expected, commercial and developmental strategic roles have met frustrations and failures.”

Those that also attended the meeting include former Col. David Bamigboye (rtd), a former Military Administrator (MILAD) of Kwara state, former Deputy Chief of staff to the President, Chief Olusola Akomode, Publisher of Leadership Newspaper Sam Nda-Isaiah, Chief Stephen Lawani among others

 

NESG, Others Demand Opening Of Land Borders |The Source

By
Bayo Bernard
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0
Muhammadu Buhari

By Tosin Olatokunbo

The Nigerian Economic Summit Group, NESG has joined groups demanding the opening of the countries land borders.

The Buhari administration had last August shut all land borders across the country for economic and security reasons, leading to stoppage food and commodities importation.

Earlier in June, ministers from the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS sub-region have recommended the gradual re-opening of the borders of member states in the first half of July, to ease the movement of goods and persons among member countries.

But the administration is yet to accede to demands from business communities, some heads of states from neighbouring countries, such as President Addo of Ghana who visited President Muhammadu Buhari early this year in Aso Rock Villa, to re-open the land borders.

The NESG has therefore urged the federal government to speed up plans of reopening closed land borders, as pressure piles on the president to ease the land lock.

The group in a statement titled “Matters of Urgency” said the embargo should be removed to ease the negative impacts on trade and employment.

NESG said “It must be noted that our work in ECOWAS should not be limited to security and diplomacy, but must also effectively harness trade opportunities within the sub-region.

“We also call on the government to ratify the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), so that we can move to full membership status and take our rightful place in subsequent negotiation rounds.”

President Muhammadu Buhari ordered the closure of Nigeria’s land borders last August 2019 to curb smuggling, and had since directed that imports be channeled through the country’s seaports.

Nigeria’s Debt Hits $100 bn, DMO Warns FG, States |The Source

By
Bayo Bernard
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0
Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed,minister of finance

By Fola James

Nigeria’s total debt stock could rise to as much as over $100 billion before the end of the year according to latest figures provided by the Debt Management Office, DMO.

The office, yesterday disclosed that the total debt of federal, 36 states governments in the country and FCT has risen to over $85 billion by the end of June this year.

This is exclusive of another $25 billion loan yet to be accessed by the federal government.

Recall that the Minister of Finance, Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed recently disclosed that the federal government has yet to access the $25 billion loan approved by the National Assembly early this year, from China and other development partners such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, IMF.

Giving the breakdown on Wednesday, the DMO said a whopping N2.38 trillion was borrowed in the last three months.

The Debt Management Office on Wednesday released Nigeria’s total public debt stock as of June 30, 2020, and put the country’s entire debt at N31trillion, indicating an increase of N2.38trn within a space of three months.

The Office stated that “The data shows that in naira terms, the total public debt stock which comprises the debt stock of the Federal Government, the 36 state governments and the FCT stood at N31.009trn or $85.897bn. The corresponding figures for March 31, 2020, were N28.628trn or $79.303bn.”

It warned further that national debt could rise further as both states and federal government apply for more loans locally and from foreign bodies. This has become necessary as authorities will look for funds to refuel the economy after the damage caused by COVID 19.

The DMO said it “expects the public debt stock to grow as the balance of the new domestic borrowing is raised and expected disbursements are made by the World Bank, African Development Bank and the Islamic Development Bank which were arranged to finance the 2020 Budget.

“Recall that the 2020 Appropriation Act had to be revised in the face of the adverse and severe impact of COVID-19 on government’s revenues and increased expenditure needs on health and economic stimulus, among others.”

Meanwhile, experts have blamed the Buhari administration for bowing to pressure from IMF to remove subsidy from essential services.

The government has recently increased the pump price of petrol and electricity to the chagrin of many Nigerians. But the administration has rebuffed the outbursts on the premise that subsidy funds needed to be channeled to critical sectors where they are badly needed.

Killing of Gana:Gov. Ortom Shocked, Asks Military For Explanation; Calls For Calm |The Source

By
Adesina Soyooye
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0

By Adesina Soyooye

The killing of Benue’s most wanted criminal, Terwase  Akwaza, aka, Gana, by the Army on Tuesday has attracted both condemnations and commendations, even as what led to it is still shrouded in controversy.

Gana was killed along the Gbese-Gboko-Makurdi Road by Soldiers who were mobilised to roadblocks, according to their Commander, on getting intelligence report on Gana’s movement.

Gana was on his way to the Government House Makurdi, to take advantage of the amnesty granted to him, his gang members and other criminals in the state. He left his hideout on the invitation of the amnesty council and Governor, Samuel Ortom who had granted the amnesty. Gana had recently repented, and agreed to put down his arms and embrace peace.

Government vehicles were sent to pick him and members of his gang. Sadly, their movement went awry when they were intercepted by Soldiers at a roadblock.  He was killed during what the Army said was “an exchange of gun fire.”

The other gang members were arrested, but four of them have been released and allowed to continue their journey to Makurdi.

Reacting to Gana’s killing, Governor Ortom expressed shock, and wondered why he was killed when he was on his way to surrender to the Government.

He said that on hearing of his killing, he called the Commander  Major General Moundhey Ali, who said he would come to Makurdi to brief him. He regretted that the Commander had still not come to brief him as at the time he was briefing the press.

Ortom told Journalists on Tuesday: “Shortly after we left yesterday (Monday) night, there was a press statement issued by the Special Force, that is, Operation Ayema Kpatema, in Doma, Nasarawa.

“I reached out to the Commander of the Force, and told him that I was surprised and needed an explanation.

“He assured me that he would come and brief me, but I must say that I am shocked at what happened. I do not want to join issues with the Military, but I have a duty to protect the lives of the people.

“I want Benue people, especially, Sankera people to remain calm.”

But many people doubt that there was a shoot-out, and question what they see as Gana’s extra-judicial murder. He was in the same official vehicle of the Chairman of a Local Government Council who was taking him to Makurdi, in a Government convoy. About 200 of them were being expected, but less than 45 arrived.

Many think Gana’s murder will have a negative effect on the Government’s amnesty program, agreed upon with security agencies and traditional rulers.

Yet, there are others who believe that given Gana’s reputation, he deserved what he got.

Said a discussant on a television programme Wednesday evening:”The military should be commended. Gana was merciless and brutal. He killed and kidnapped many people. He deserved no amnesty.”

For now, the Benue State Government is still waiting for an explanation from the Military so as to understand how a Government convoy was intercepted, their occupants arrested, one of them, the most wanted, killed, and Government vehicle impounded.

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