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Zenith Bank’s Tech Fair Holds Tomorrow

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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Adaora Umeoji - Zenith Bank Female GMD

The Fourth Edition of the Zenith Bank Tech Fair, tagged “Future Forward 4.0: Embedded Finance, Cybersecurity & Growth Imperatives – The Impact of AI”, is set to hold on Thursday, November 21, 2024, at the Eko Convention Centre, Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, from 8.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m.

The fair will showcase leading technological innovations that cut across Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Risk Management, Compliance, Financial Intelligence, Cloud Computing, and Communication Technologies, among others. The event will also feature a Start-up Pitch Competition – Zecathon – to identify innovative startups, panel discussions, masterclasses and exhibitions.

Among the rich lineup of activities, the event will feature opening remarks by Jim Ovia, CFR, Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank and a welcome address by Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji, OON, Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank Plc. There will also be a goodwill message to be delivered by the Vice President of Nigeria, His Excellency, Sen. Kashim Shettima and the Governor of Lagos State, His Excellency, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-olu. The keynote address, “Banking Transformation in a Digital World “, will be delivered by Robin Speculand, a renowned Strategy & Digital Implementation Specialist. Other prominent IT practitioners who represent top global brands will make presentations. These include; Danillo McGarry, Global Expert in Digital Transformation & AI; Jania Okwechime, Partner, Africa, AI & Data, Deloitte and Rupert Nicolay, Director, Microsoft Worldwide Financial Services, amongst others.

The panel discussion which has Wole Odeyele, Client Technology Lead for Microsoft Inc. as its host, will feature six discussants including Ada Jabaru, Founder & Director, Nistad Limited; Funke Opeke, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, MainOne; Guy Futi, Chief Executive Officer, Orda; Dr Auwal Adam Sa’ad, Founder, ZamzamPay; Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and Engr. Bisoye Coker-Odusote, Director General/Chief Executive Officer, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

The masterclass will be divided into seven (7) different classes, and facilitated by key industry players that cut across renowned tech giants such as: Microsoft, Oracle, CyberSoc, IBM, Google, Huawei & Amazon Web Services.
To register and participate, visit www.zenithbank.com/techfair. The fair will be live on Zoom and streamed on the bank’s social media pages

Tinubu’s Reforms Are Working; Obi, Atiku Have No Good Plans For Nigeria

By
James Orji
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Doyin Okupe

Doyin Okupe, former Director General of the Labour Party has disclosed that the party and its presidential candidate in the 2023 election had no clear direction on how to govern Nigeria.

Okupe, who stepped down in 2022 as the Director General of Obi-Datti Campaign Organisation insist that Obi had no policy document on how to run the affairs of the country if he was elected.

The former Presidential spokesman made this known on Monday, according to the news agency of Nigeria, NAN, which quoted him as saying that President Bola Ahmed  Tinubu’s reforms policy is working for the country.

According to him, Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, plans on how to run the country cannot be appropriate considering the current situation,  Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda “ is the most credible,” he said.

“The Renewed Hope Agenda he (Tinubu) brought is one that can address, and is addressing, the country’s current challenges,” he stated.

Adding,“Tinubu has a better policy document than any of his two rivals during the 2023 presidential election,” said Mr Okupe, who acknowledged that Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is an “experienced, knowledgeable and thorough-bred politician.”

“I know that for a fact that he also came with a testament that would have been binding on him and Nigerians. But when you put the testament side-by-side with the current reality on ground, it is not applicable.

He said further, “So the premise Atiku placed his testament on was sinking, and it can’t work,” he said. “As for Peter Obi of the Labour Party, he did not give any document to Nigerians that he was going to work on.”

“In the Labour Party, we didn’t have a document that we could adopt as a policy document for what was going on. All we were saying was that we wanted to take Nigeria from consumption to production; good rhetorics, but it was not grounded either in policy development or principle application.”

Upon his ascendance to power in May 29, 2023 President Tinubu announced as one of his cardinal policies the removal of fuel subsidy.

The administration also floated the naira as part of his reform agenda to transform the country.

Tinubu’s critics, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo however slammed the policies for being too hasty and unilateral, because according to them, the president did not consult widely before taking the very critical decisions.

Also, the International Monetary Fund, IMF, has criticized the administration’s major policy thrusts.

They insist that the not-well-thought-out policies have plunged the country into a serious economic crisis with the attendant hardship being currently faced by not a few Nigerians.

Lagos 2027: Youth Group Picks Seyi Tinubu; Those In The Race

By
James Orji
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Some youths from all the six geo-political zones of the country are clamouring for the son of the President, Seyi Tinubu to be the next governor of Lagos state.

Under the aegis of the Coalition of Nigerian Youth Leaders, CONYL, the youths made their position known in a statement issued by its leaders in Owerri, the Imo state capital on Tuesday.

The leaders of the group include Goodluck Ibem, the Secretary Comrade Junard Abubakar,  Public Relations Officer, Comrade Iniobong Sampson and the Publicity Secretary Comrade Adeyemo Adewale.

According to the youth body, they are clamouring for Seyi because he has the capacity to replicate what his father, Bola Ahmed Tinubu did in Lagos state while he was the governor of the state of Excellence as Lagos is widely known.

The youths insist that the state, considering its pivotal role in the country requires somebody like the president’s son to run its affairs, considering his trajectory of performance, apart from the fact that he’s the scion of the man that changed the fortune of the state, adding that he will consolidate on his father’s achievements.

“Nigerians youths came to this conclusion because Lagos State has been a home for all Nigerians and who becomes the governor of the state is pivotal given the role the state has played since the inception of the country,” the youths said.

The magazine reports that the incumbent Governor Babajide is set to leave office in 2027 at the expiration of his two years maximum term, and efforts are being made by some political leaders in the state to ensure that the president’s son succeeds him.

Apart from Seyi, those eyeing Sanwoolu’s job include, the Deputy Governor of the state Obafemi Hamzat, Femi Gbajabiamila, the president’s Chief of Staff,  the Speaker of the state House of the Assembly, Mudasiru Obasa amongts others.

Even though none of them has openly declared their ambitions, the magazine learned form some All Progressives Congress, APC, leaders in the state that President Tinubu will have the last say over the matter of who become the next governor considering his role as the Godfather of the state’s politics.

Seyi Tinubu is a successful entrepreneur and quiet humanitarian and sports enthusiast.

“We Have Resisted Temptation To Borrow” – Soludo,   As He Presented N607b 2025 Budget

By
Suleiman Anyalewechi
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Charles Soludo
Governor Charles Soludo

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Anambra State Governor is to spend over N606 billion in the 2025 fiscal year.

This is even as the State Governor insisted that his administration has never explored borrowing in its financing of the budgets since coming on board three years ago.

The appropriation estimate which represents about 48 percent increase on the little over N410 billion for the outgoing year 2024, was presented to  the State House of  Assembly on Tuesday, November 19, 2024 by Governor  Charles Soludo.

The Governor explained that a total of N467.5 billion, representing 77% of the budget estimate will be for capital expenditure, while N139.5 billion representing 23 percent of the appropriation package  will be for  recurrent    matters l.

Infrastructure, and economic transformation as well as human capital development received the highest sectoral allocation of about 70% of the total budget estimate.

According to Governor Soludo, the budget deficit of N148 .3b, just as in the case of the outgoing 2024 fiscal year, is expected to be funded through revenue growth  or borrowing from financial institutions.

“So far, in both 2023 and 2024, we did not borrow to finance the budget deficits. Depending on the execution in 2025, we may still not borrow to fund the deficit.

Relative to 2024, several key sectors are seeing significant increases: the administrative sector by 45.5%: the Economic sector by 40.1% ; the judiciary sector by 51.3%; the social sector by 82.7% ; Education by 101.4 % ; Health by 57 .1% and infrastructure investment by 38.9.%”, Governor Soludo noted.

The Governor stated that in the 2025 estimate, the State will be building upon its iconic projects, initiated in 2024 while at the same introducing new ones.

Infrastructure and economic transformation, as well as human capital development, he informed, remain the kernel of the administration.

To this end ,about 70 percent of the entire budget estimate has been cumulatively allocated to the sectors, he stated.

Governor Soludo noted further that in the 2025 fiscal year, the State will be progressing the development of three new cities,namely Awka 2.0 ,Onitsha 2.0.and new Industrial City .

“The Anambra Mixed-Use Industrial City Master Plan and the railway master plan/feasibility study have been completed.

“Afreximbank and AFDB remain committed to supporting the development of the Industrial City .We will continue to enhance the Ease of Doing Business in Anambra to ensure the state becomes the preferred destination for investors”, he stated .

The Governor, however, lamented that the harsh economic situation in the country impacted negatively on the overall performance of the 2024 budget.

But despite the obvious challenges, he informed that the State under his watch has so far resisted the urge to try the borrowing option .

” As you are aware, the general macro-economic conditions under which we had to implement the 2024 budget have been challenging, especially with the immediate consequences of the courageous removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of the exchange rates .

“Inflation has continued in double digits, with significant pressures on costs of living and costs of governance. Our IGR has been grossly underperforming and as of October, 2024, budget performance stood at about 50% pro rata, and we still have resisted the temptation to borrow”, Soludo asserted.

Architect Egbuonu: A Murder So Painful

By
The Source
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Asomba Andrew Egbuonu

By Gideon Njoku

Asomba Andrew Egbuonu, an accomplished Architect, has just died. Egbuonu, a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Architects, FNIA, was also the Chairman of the Architectural Exhibitions and Competitions Committee of the Institute.

A former Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of the NIA, he died in a most painful manner. He died in a manner unbearable and unthinkable to members of his family.

They are confused, and still wondering why. A Knight of St John’s, KSJ, Egbuonu was murdered by hoodlums as he was preparing to bury his mother, a task any good son would perform.

He had left his base in Rivers State, and was headed home to his State Anambra, and community, Nnewi, to prepare for his mother’s funeral.

Her funeral was scheduled for  Thursday, November 21 2024. So, he needed to be home for the preparations.

But on his way home, indeed, he was already near Nnewi, he was attacked by gunmen. Thereafter, he was rushed to the hospital where he courageously battled for his life. He fought bravely to be alive and give his mother the befitting funeral she deserved.

But on Sunday, November 17, his brave heart stopped.  He died. And, instead of giving his mother a befitting burial, he joined her in the mortuary. So, the Egbuonu family has two corpses in the mortuary – mother and son. Anambra’s soul has been taken over by the devil itself!

To think that he drove all the  way, safely from Rivers State, but was killed in his own State, perhaps, by his own Igbo brothers who should have protected him from harm.

Egbonu’s heartbroken colleague, who is the Honorary General Secretary, NIA, Arc. Chike Chamberlain Ibeanu, FNIA, broke the sad news to their other colleagues thus:

“Distinguished Colleague, it is with a painful and heavy heart that I announce the death of our brother, Arc. Asomba Andrew Egbuonu FNIA, KSJ.

“He died yesterday, Sunday, 17th November, 2024, following complications occasioned by gunshot wounds he sustained after being attacked by yet-to-be identified gunmen near our hometown town of Nnewi.

“He was heading home to conclude arrangements for his mother’s burial on Thursday 21st November, 2024.

“Until his death, Arc. Asomba Andrew Egbuonu FNIA was the Chair, Architectural Exhibitions and Competitions Committee of the Institute and Past Chair, NIA Rivers State Chapter.

“Kindly say a word of prayers for the gentle repose of his soul and God’s strength and comfort for the entire family in this most trying of times.

“Arc. Chike Chamberlain Ibeanu FNIA

Honorary General Secretary”

To that prayer, one can only, helplessly, say AMEN.

President Tinubu Seeks NASS’ Approval For N1.767 Trillion Foreign Loan

By
Ayodele Oni
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President Bola Tinubu

By Ayodele Oni

Amidst the growing hardship occasioned by harsh economic reforms, President Bola Tinubu has sought the approval of the National Assembly for a fresh N1.767 trillion external borrowing.

This is to part-finance the  deficit of N9.7 trillion for the 2024 budget.

The president’s request was read by the speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas during plenary on Tuesday.

Nigeria’s growing foreign debt obligations have been of concern lately, and this has been exacerbated by the liberalization of exchange rates, making loan repayment more expensive.

According to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Federal Government spent $3.58 billion servicing the country’s foreign debt in the first nine months of 2024.

This represents a 39.77 percent increase from the $2.56 billion spent during the same period in 2023.

The highest monthly debt servicing payment in 2024 occurred in May, amounting to $854.37 million.

How President Tinubu Pulled The Rug From Under Bwala’s Feet

By
The Source
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Bwala Meets Tinubu

By Gideon Njoku

It wasn’t really the fault of Daniel Bwala, the newly appointed Media Aide to President Bola Tinubu.  But, may be, he should have waited just a bit before introducing himself to the State House Press Corp on Monday,  and hours later to Nigerians in an interview with Channel Television’s Seun Okinbaloye.

Bwala, against the grain of expectations, given how much dirty water he poured on President Bola Tinubu when he, Bwala, defected from the APC to the PDP, and became the Spokesperson for the PDP Presidential Campaign Committee before he recently made an about-turn, was a couple of days ago, appointed as a Media Aide to the President.

The President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, while announcing Bwala’s appointment said  his designation was Special Adviser on Media and Publicity.

So, on Monday, Bwala’s first day in office, and first time of meeting the State House Press Corp, he confidently announced himself as the replacement for Ajuru Ngelale, the first occupant of the office under Tinubu, but who suddenly stepped aside to, according to him, take care of health-related issue in the family. Later in the day on Channels Television, Bwala, again, announced himself as Ngelale’s replacement.

But hours later, that office and designation were ”nicely” taken away from him. The rug was quietly pulled from under his feet.

A statement signed by Onanuga informed that President Tinubu has re-designed the positions of two of his new appointees. The two affected were Sunday Dare and Bwala.

Dare had earlier been appointed Special Adviser on Public Communication and National Orientation to the President, in the office of the Minister for Information and National Orientation.

However, in Onanuga’s statement, Bwala’s earlier designation – Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication to the President – was given to Dare while Bwala was re-designated as Special Adviser, Policy Communication.

Titled “PRESIDENT TINUBU APPROVES RESTRUCTURING OF MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION S TEAM”, the statement reads:

“President Bola Tinubu has re-designated the positions of two recently appointed officials in the State House media and communications team to enhance efficiency within the government’s communications machinery.

“The restructuring is as follows:

1.Mr Sunday Dare – hitherto Special Adviser on Public Communications and National Orientation is now Special Adviser, Media and Public Communication.

2.Mr. Daniel Bwala – announced last week as Special Adviser, Media and Public Communications, is now  Special Adviser Public Communications.

“These appointments, along with the existing role of Special Adviser, Information and Strategy, underscore that there is no single individual spokesperson for the Presidency.

“Instead all the three Special Advisers will, collectively serve as spokespersons for the Government.

“This approach aims to ensure effective and consistent communication of government policies, decisions and engagements.”

Already, not a few people, unhappy with Bwala’s appointment are happy that his office has been re-designated.

Demola Olarewaju, Atiku Abubakar’s Special Assistant on Digital Media, immediately mocked Bwala that Onanuga has demoted him.

In a post on X, he said ” Egbon Onanuga didn’t wait till morning or later to issue that press release re-designating Bwala’s position. Man dropped it ‘as e day hot’ at 11.28 in the night”.

To some others, it was the outrage  from Tinubu supporters  over Bwala’s appointment which triggered the re-designation.

As one of them put it: “It will be difficult for the Media to believe anything from Bwala in the earlier position given him. The President knows.”

Group Warns: “Don’t Bring Or Bury Ifeanyi Ubah’s Body In Igboland

By
Akinwale Kasali
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IPOB Eze and Ifeanyi Ubah

By Akinwale Kasali

“There will be tragic consequences if you do, Group insists”

In a viral video on WhatsApp, a middle aged man who did not identify himself, but signed off as “IPOB Eze” has warned against bringing the body of late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah to  his community, Nnewi, or any other part of Igboland for  burial.

The spokesman of the Group identified himself with Simon Ekpa, the Finland-based self proclaimed Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s disciple but who has since been estranged from the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, a Group led by Kanu. Kanu, the IPOB Leader, has been in the captive of the Federal Government since 2021. The FG is prosecuting him for sundry issues including Treasonable felony, a charge the Court of Appeal has since discharged him of.

Giving reasons for why Ubah’s body must not be buried anywhere in Igboland, the person who spoke on the viral video alleged that it was Ubah that sold Nnamdi Kanu out to the Federal Government.

At the time of Kanu’s rendition from Nairobi in 2021, rumours were strong that Ubah not only sold him out, but that Ubah’s private jet was used to bring Kanu back to Nigeria.

However, it is an allegation since debunked by Ubah. He said he had no hands in Kanu’s fate and the aircraft used was not his. He said the false allegations were made against him by political enemies to ruin him before the Igbo.

Proof: Months before Ubah passed away, Mazi Kanu’s wife had acknowledged and appreciated Ubah for facilitating her visit to her to see her husband at his detention centre, a request she emphasized, denied her  until Ubah weighed in.

But that effort by Ubah cut no ice with those who propagate the allegations against him. That belief certainly triggered the warning, allegedly by Ekpa’s Group that Ubah committed a sacrilege and must never be buried in Igboland.

The speaker warned that if Ubah’s body is brought back  to Nnewi for burial, then, Nnewi will be reduced to something “worse than Orlu and Somali” security-wise. He also warned that if buried in Nnewi, his body would be exhumed and re-buried in an evil forest. He also warned Governor Chukwuma Soludo against burying Ubah’s body in Nnewi, and suggested that he be buried in the North or South-west part of the Country.

Following is the full text of the video.

“If Senator Ifeanyi Ubah is buried in Nnewi, Anambra State, Somali, Orlu in Imo state will be better than Nnewi.

“The Biafra Liberation Army will come after you all, and all of you will abandon your businesses in Nnewi, and Biafra will dig the grave of Ifeanyi Ubah and we take his body away and go and bury him in the evil forest, because he committed evil.

“He can never kidnap Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and you want to bury him in Biafra Land.

“His Excellency, Simon Ekpa, will do everything possible to destroy Nnewi. Biafra Liberation Army will do everything possible to destroy Nnewi.

“Let him be buried in the North or West,  at least we are one Nigeria, we don’t want him in Biafra land.

“Share this voice message. I am not happy, am saying these things with anger; respect  yourselves Nnewi people. Do your business in peace. Nobody is looking for your trouble, don’t look for the trouble of Biafra Liberation Army. Don’t look for the trouble of Biafra Government in exile.

“You are warned. Am one of Biafra Government. We don’t want Ifeanyi Ubah to be buried in Nnewi, because he destroyed Biafrans, he killed a lot. You committed a lot of atrocities not only in Nnewi, but also to Coscharis. He wanted to kill him, his own brother.  He has committeed a lot of atrocities. He needs to answer it.

“Wherever he is buried, he must be chained for life.

“Nobody should bury Ifeanyi Ubah in Nnewi. Governor Soludo should be warned, he should be severely warned.”

However, not a few people have dismissed the threat as “scaremongering”, and wondered how Ubah’s body would be so disrespected and buried outside Igboland.

They pointed out that Ubah brought quite some development to Nnewi. A known philanthropist while alive, he provided financial succour to a number of the underprivileged, and especially, widows. He, also, provided employment and empowerment to the youths, and fought insecurity in his native Nnewi. Ubah, also owned a football club which kept the Youths busy.

Months before his death, Senator Ubah had escaped an assassination attack around  Enugukwu when his convoy was ambushed by gunmen, in the afternoon,  and at least, seven people, including his staff and security personnel lost their  lives. His life was saved by the bullet proof SUV which he rode in.

Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, businessman, entrepreneur, was the founder of Capital Oil. He was the Senator for Anambra South, where he, effectively, performed well.

Ubah passed in London on July 27, 2024 of alleged cardiac arrest. He was aged 52 years when he died, and was seriously preparing to contest for the Anambra Governorship election under the All Progressives Congress, APC, in 2025.

FCT Workers To Get N70,000 Minimum Wage, Three Months Arrears

By
Ayodele Oni
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Nyesom Wike - FCT Minister

By Ayodele Oni

Civil servants in the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT) are to receive N70,000 as minimum wage in addition to three months arrears.

With this approval, the organized labour at the FCT may have to shelve the proposed strike, scheduled to commence in December over non implementation of the new minimum wage.

The FCT Chapters of the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress had also threatened to shut down activities on November 30, 2024, following directives from the national arms of the labour unions to embark on a nationwide strike over the implementation of the minimum wage in some states, including the FCT.

The unions had also alleged the failure of the Wike-led administration to meet with the labour unions since his inauguration in August 2023.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has given approved for the immediate payment of N70,000, the new minimum wage for all administration staff.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Press Secretary to the Head of the Civil Service of the FCT, Anthony Odeh, and made available to journalists on Tuesday.

According to the statement, however, Wike approved the payment of the minimum wage on Monday, November 18, 2024, “in a bid to ameliorate the plight of workers under the employ of Federal Capital Territory Administration.”

The Acting Head of Civil Service of FCT, Mrs Grace Adayilo, disclosed that the minister also approved for payment of three months’ arrears for all staff of the administration with effect from November 2024.

The Head of Service said, “This gesture will further spur the entire administration staff to support the minister in continuing to deliver on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.”

The statement added that the move was part of the minister’s commitment to the welfare and well-being of the staff.

Ondo: PDP Gov Candidate, Ajayi, Rejects Result, Heads To Tribunal

By
Ayodele Oni
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Agboola Ajayi

By Ayodele Oni

After three days of silence on the outcome of Saturday, November 16, Governorship election in Ondo State, Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Agboola Ajayi,  has declared his intention to challenge the results at the Election Tribunal.

Ajayi, came a distant second in the election. He  scored a total of 117,835 votes while the winner, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), scored 366781 votes.

The election has been adjudged to be credible with Civil Societies Organizations (CSO) noting that the outcome complied with the wish of the people.

But in a statement on Tuesday, spokesman of PDP Governorship Campaign, Ayo Fadaka, declared: “We reject the results of the November 16th election and will take legal actions to reverse the debauchery.

“That is the option available to us and we are hopeful that man and God who is the ultimate will give us justice. It is time we began to eschew criminality from our electoral process.

“We particularly call on the Judiciary to brace up and perform the sacred and onerous responsibilities to guarantee the portability of justice to people and institutions that seek it, the nation and people will appreciate that.

“While not divulging the nature and extent of the results of our investigations for now, our only prayer is that those who possess the privileges to determine the fate of people and nation should begin to live up to expectations and fear God.

“This is in the interest of our nation, it’s wellness,  peace and tranquility,  else they be reduced to same level of criminals and bandits who continuously lay landmines that undermine the progress of our nation.

“Nigeria is currently described as a failed state, it is our prayers that it is revived, rebirthed and resounding again as a nation that will not only hold promises of a better day for its people, but actually deliver on same.

“Thus, honesty must propel institutions and government, else revolt will one day dictate unwholesome developments that will portent dire consequences.

“Since the conclusion of voting on Saturday 16th November, we have kept mute and put in process an investigation of the contents of criminality prosecuted by both APC and the INEC.

“In view of the foregoing, we have uncovered lots of actions undertaken to compromise the electoral desires of the people and sadly conclude that democracy can not thrive in an environment where unabated criminality is perpetually perpetrated in the prosecution of an election by the agency(INEC) saddled with the onerous and sacred responsibility to protect our franchise and deliver its mandate at the end of every election.

“November 16th election, like every other election conducted by INEC since APC assumed power in 2015 continues in the tradition of hijacking the process and delivering results that are diametrically in contrast with expressed electoral desires, thus resulting in promoting voters apathy and total disenchantment with the electoral process.

“Please, recall that consistently, we demanded the removal of the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ondo State, Toyin Babalola on account of her closeness and association with the APC and its candidate in that election,  Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

“Emerging results of our investigation continues to affirm that our fears were not misplaced as criminal actions prosecuted in that election are being unearthed.

“It is a shame that people bereft of honour and required pedigree now manage sensitive institutions saddled with sacred responsibilities.”

Governor Aiyedatiwa won in all the 23 Local Government Areas in the State. He dedicated his victory to the late Governor of the State, Rotimi Akeredolu, whose Deputy he was, and whose shoes he stepped into on his (Akeredolu’s) passing.

President Bola Tinubu has since congratulated Aiyedatiwa, and advised anybody and/or group dissatisfied with the outcome of the election to go to Court and seek redress.

Both the PDP and its Candidate has decided to toe that path.

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