The court case between Nigeria government and Mazì Nnamdi Israel Okwu Kanu will be coming up on the 24th Oct 2022 at the supreme Court, Abuja, Nigeria.

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 Senate South East Caucus Appeal for Nnamdi Kanu's Release, Urge FG Not to Appeal Appellate Court Ruling 

The South East Caucus in the Senate on Thursday urged the Federal Government to obey the Appeal Court ruling, which ordered the immediate release of leader of Indigenous  People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

The Caucus in a statement released in Abuja also advised FG against appealing the ruling at the Supreme Court, but rather asked the Presidency to utilise the opportunity presented by the Appeal Court ruling and consider political solution to solve the lingering problem in the interest of the country's unity and peaceful coexistence of Nigerians.

The Caucus cautioned that resorting to the Supreme Court would ignite varied interpretations, which to all intents is injurious to the unity and corporate existence of the country. 

"We should be mindful of our diversity and the strengths we as a country derive there from. This is the time to show magnanimity and statesmanship. The Appeal Court has provided the leeway for the authorities to walk the talk as ones desirous of preserving Nigerias unity and respect for her diversity.

"Not appealing the matter and resorting to political solution will in no way question the enormous powers of the federal government,  rather it would enhance its prestige as a government in love with all segments of the Nigerian society. 

"Accordingly, we as a Caucus and stakeholders in the Nigeria project appeal to Mr President, to remember the promise he made to a delegation of elders of Igboland sometime ago and release Nnamdi Kanu, especially now that the Appeal Court by that ruling removed the burden of interference from him.  Going on Appeal would ultimately negate that kind gesture ", the Caucus said.

Signed:

Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (Majority Whip)

Senator Chukwuka Utazi (Minority Whip)

Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe

Senator Uche Ekwunife (Iyom)

Senator Stella Oduah

Senator Sam Egwu

Senator Obinna Ogba 

Senator T A Orji (Ochendo)

Senator Chimaroke Nnamani

Senator Micheal Nnachi

Senator Onyewuchi Ezenwa

Senator Rochas Okorocha

Senator Frank Ibezim

Senator Patrick Ifeanyi Uba

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said that democracy remains the best system of establishing governments because it guarantees respect for the fundamental rights of individuals to choose their leaders.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this today in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, where he chaired a roundtable discussion, which was held in honour of the late governor of the State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, and in commemoration of his posthumous 72nd birthday.

Speaking on the theme of the Roundtable, Election Security and Good Governance in Nigeria, the VP noted that democracy as a “system of governance guarantees the accountability of the elected to the electorate. As the electorate determine in every electoral cycle by their free choice whether the mandate given was properly utilized.”

Referencing the timeless quote by the late US President Abraham Lincoln in his Gettysburg Address in 1863, Prof. Osinbajo submitted that “man has not yet developed a fairer and more just system of establishing governments than that the government be a government of the people by the people for the people.”

“This right of choice of leaders as given by democracy is not just a fundamental civil and political right, but it also separates man from animals for whom might confers the right to leadership,” he added.

According to him “the major issue, therefore, is how to ensure that the right of free choice is not defeated or corrupted. Once that right of free choice is violated, the basis of democracy and its product, good governance, is undermined.”

“I am sure some of the conversation today will look at this fundamental point…how can we protect the vote, how do we ensure that every vote counts; how do we protect the government of the people, by the people, and for the people; and ensure, as Lincoln famously prayed at Gettysburg, that it does not perish from the earth?”

Prof. Osinbajo described the late governor Ajimobi as “an exceptional communicator and a natural bridge builder, who attained early success in the oil and gas industry, and then emerged as an astute politician, Senator of the Federal Republic, and two-term governor of Oyo State.”

The VP added that the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi was “a remarkable human being, an extraordinarily gifted man, astute politician, accomplished public intellectual and administrator in his own right.”

The former Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Professor Attahiru Jega, was the lead speaker, among other distinguished panels of discussants.

The Vice President also commissioned the Senator Abiola Ajimobi Resource Center built by the Senator Abiola Ajimobi Foundation at the Institute for Peace and Strategic Studies (IPSS), University of Ibadan, Oyo State.

Dignitaries at the event hosted by the late Senator Ajimobi’s wife, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi included the Deputy Governors of Oyo and Osun States: Rauf Olaniyan and Benedict Gboyega Alabi; Minister of Sports and Youth Development Sunday Dare, traditional rulers and top government officials.

Ohio police ask for help finding thieves who stole entire bridge.

Someone first stole the deck boards and then came back for the rest of the structure, leaving police baffled

•The Cuyahoga river in Ohio. The pedestrian bridge used to span the river in a park in Akron.

Police in Akron, Ohio, are hunting brazen thieves who have stolen an entire 58ft-long bridge.

The pedestrian bridge used to span the Cuyahoga River in a park in the city, but had been removed as part of a wetlands restoration project and stored in a nearby field.

Unfortunately, while there, it caught the eye of someone who first stole its deck boards and then came back for the rest of the structure, leaving police baffled as to why anyone would steal an entire bridge – and what they would do with it.

“It could be used for a variety of different things, to include as simple as landscaping or they could use it for some other engineering project, some other large scale project,” police officer Lt Mike Miller told a local TV station.

Police have appealed to the local community for help.

The Federal Government should go after the sponsors of the several killings in Nigeria and stop pointing accusing fingers at the youths, a political organisation under the aegis of North-East Youth Initiative for Development has said.

While advising the government to engage the youths in nation-building and governance, YEYID said recent developments have confirmed that the country has “turned to something else.”

The Executive Director of NEYID, Dauda Gombe, stated these in an interview with journalists in Abuja during an inaugural national youth dialogue and workshop to facilitate the sharing of knowledge and ideas to change the narrative that youths have been responsible for the killings and insecurity in Nigeria.

According to him, all the statistics being given about the serial killings especially in the North East were imaginary figures.

The event which was organised by NEYID in conjunction with an international human rights organization, Plan International Nigeria, was attended by over 60 youths from the North-East, North-West and North-Central, and other areas experiencing the grips of banditry, Boko Haram and ISWAP to pave way for peace.

At the event, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, who spoke virtually, expressed happiness over the commitment of the youths to tackling security challenges saying that it had confirmed that he was not alone in it.

He said, “I will always avail myself for the youths. I am happy to see that you’re part of the struggle and security is at the centre of the struggle. We will continue to appeal to our conscience.”

Gombe said the time had come to change the narrative above youths and killings in Nigeria.

He said, “The country has turned to something else; we believe that we have the solution, we have to prove that we are not responsible for the killings.

“Who is responsible? They are pointing accusing fingers at youths; therefore, we have come together to change the narrative to tell the world who actually we are and our contribution in finding a lasting solution to the security challenges affecting this nation.
The problems are not the youths but the sponsors.

“The government, especially politicians should provide the enabling environment for young people to be in governance.

“We are going to issue a communique to send the right message to the government to inject the right people in the right places because most of the time the government will tell you they are engaging the youths. But the issue is that they are not engaging the right people, everything has been politicized in this nation.”

Gombe also faulted the official statistics of casualties of the security challenges in the country, saying they are untrue.

He said, “Any statistics you get is just an assumption, the number of people killed or being killed every day in this country is beyond thinking and nobody can give you the accurate figure.

“Even the government is just trying, but nobody can give you the accurate figure because some the places that these things are happening nobody know; they are not even accessible, the bushes don’t even have network, water, and security. We are just using manageable figures being released by the government or others who feel they have a reasonable number. But the truth is that nobody has the accurate figure and the figure is beyond thinking.”

Consumers and sellers of the dreaded killer hard drug, methamphetamine chloride (crystal meth) called ‘Mkpuru mmiri,’ in Obodo Amaimo Autonomous Community in Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State have been issued a 48-hour notice to quit the community.

The decision was taken at the cabinet meeting of the Eze-in-council led by the traditional ruler of Obodo Amaimo Autonomous Community, Eze Victor Achionye, on Thursday at the palace of the monarch. Cleaning Services In Nigeria

The council members, during the meeting, directed the President General, Mr Placid Ugoji, to flush out the consumers of the drug from the community within 48 hours.

The council further said if nothing is done to checkmate the menace, the life and future of the youth will be history.

They said, “After taking a critical look at the issue, we, therefore, directed the PG to fish out anyone involved in the business of selling and consuming it or involved in any other criminal acts in the area.

“Such a person or persons should be handed over to the security agencies and his or her property destroyed in the community.”

The council promised to give the President-General all the necessary assistance in handling the enormous assignment.

The council also directed all the landlords in the community to submit the names and occupations of tenants living in their houses to the office of the President General within one month of this notice to enable the community to have an adequate census of all the people living in the area and their professions.

 Oyinlola Tackles Akande Over Allegations In His Autobiography

Former Osun State governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, on Thursday, reacted to various allegations concerning him which were made in the recently released autobiography of his predecessor in office, Chief Bisi Akande.

Text of the statement reads:

“I have just read a part of the recently released autobiography of my predecessor as governor of Osun State, Chief Bisi Akande, which concerns me. He levelled some allegations against me and also made certain allusions and insinuations. My forthcoming autobiography has already taken care of all the issues.

“Notwithstanding that, however, I have the following preliminary replies to some of the issues he raised where he mentioned my name. This is for the benefit of Nigerians who may be interested in hearing my own immediate side of the story.

Bola Ige House contract
Chief Akande said I wrongly accused him of corruption in the construction of the Governor’s Office (Bola Ige House). I did not level any false charges against him. I came into office in May 2003 and discovered that the Governor’s Office complex which Akande commissioned for use after he lost the election was really not completed. The state government asked the contractor to come back to site and complete the works, more so when evidence in government accounts showed that he had been paid.

“But the project consultant shocked everyone with his claim that part of the payment was taken back to finance the 2003 re-election bid of Chief Akande. The consultant said the contractor could not go back to work unless he was paid his full dues. One of Akande’s own appointees confessed collecting money from this contractor for Akande’s re-election. I consulted Chief Akande on this.

“He denied having any deal with the contractor and the consultant. Some people were subsequently taken to court on a seven-count criminal charge. Stakeholders in the state and Alhaji Arisekola Alao later intervened. I have the details of who collected how much in my forthcoming book.

Chief Akande brought into his narrative some names including that of General Alani Akinrinade whom he quoted as calling me on the content of a Government file which Akande confessed was stolen by his people and brought to him in Ibadan. I state that General Akinrinade could not have called me “Lagun” which Akande inserted in his book. General Akinrinade and everyone in the military called (and calls) me Ola or Oyin. In any case, I have records of every document I appended my signature to in my years in Government.

Akande’s full advance payment of N800million on new Govt House
Chief Akande wrote on the Government House that he wanted to build on a site on Ilesa road in Osogbo which I stopped. I found it strange that Chief Akande who boasted that he was prudent and honest as Governor, awarded the construction of a Government House in his last days in office, after he lost the election, and in advance, paid the contractors the entire contract sum of N800million.

“Chief Akande confirmed this strange payment on page 393 of his book. This was a man who said there was no money to pay workers and pensioners but he had enough to pay a contractor in advance for a government house after losing his re-election. In any case, the State already had an ongoing Government House started by the Military Government which Akande refused to complete. I completed the project and added chalets plus a presidential lodge.

“Everything was completed and commissioned within my first year in office. The state has continued to use the structures till date.
Akande, in his book, condemned my decision to opt for that project instead of his own idea. Further details on this are in my forthcoming book.

3. Chief Akande said the 2003 governorship election in Osun State was rigged in my favour. Chief Akande has repeatedly told this lie. The truth is known to everybody in the state that Akande lost the state shortly after he took over in 1999 and started fighting everyone in the state. He sacked thousands of workers and did not pay their entitlements. In some instances, the retrenched persons included husband, wife and children. He owed those who were not sacked months of unpaid salaries which I inherited and paid. He deducted 20 per cent of workers salaries to fund his projects.

“He fought obas, chiefs and religious groups and leaders. He sacked the press from Government activities, blocked the only access road to NTA Osogbo and locked the gate of the Government House against even Press correspondents in the state. He had no word of succour for his victims.

“These were the ingredients that cooked his defeat in 2003. But it is convenient for him to blame his defeat on everyone else apart from himself. I defeated him comprehensively in all Local Governments in the State apart from his home council area. Again, the details are in my forthcoming book.

4. I am happy Chief Akande described me in his book as his younger brother. I also hold him in very high esteem. That was why I counselled him at the beginning of his administration when he came to my house in Okuku, around June 1999, that the easiest way to destroy a state government was to draw a wedge between a governor and his deputy. I told him to watch out and prevent this from happening. He told me anyone dreaming of coming between him and his deputy, Otunba Iyiola Omisore, would be wasting their time. The rest is history.

Finally, I take responsibility for every action I took as Governor. Chief Akande said I apologised to him for my actions as Governor. That is not true. As Governor, I feared only God and was nobody’s errand boy. I say so because I noticed that Chief Akande repeatedly blamed President Olusegun Obasanjo for the steps I took which he didn’t like.

” Ironically, Chief Akande was President Obasanjo’s favourite and the president always said this to those of us in his Party. The saying that came to my mind when I read Chief Akande’s attacks on Obasanjo is “Eni a fe l’a mo, a o mo eni to fe ni (We only know those we love, we do not know those who love us).”

December 16, 2021

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state has hailed the selfless sacrifices made by officers and men of the Armed Forces to keep Nigeria one and said the country would not be divided.

Obaseki stated this on Thursday in Benin at the launching of the 2022 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Emblem.

According to him, most Nigerians have benefited from the selfless sacrifices of members of the armed forces “from the first world War through our civil war till this day, where we are still losing patriots”.

He said that it was imperative to remember and appreciate the fallen heroes and the enormous courage of serving gallant soldiers.

“As a state and a country, we remain very optimistic that despite the threats of insecurity and banditry which we face as a country and a state, that we will overcome.

“We are hopeful that we will continue to secure our state and our country, because we have courageous people like you, who are ready to serve and sacrifice for the country.

“That is why we take event like this very seriously and to encourage the younger ones what sacrifices to the country means and also to encourage those of you who are in service that your efforts will not be in vain.

“This occasion also reminds us of the need to jealousy guard the unity of our country.

“We should not encourage the kind of rhetoric that we have been parading in this country today about the unity of our great country. Nigeria has come to stay, and Nigeria cannot and will not be divided.

“It has to be so, because people have paid a supreme sacrifice to keep this country together, and it will not be right or fair to do anything to make it look as if those people who fought for this country did not know what they were doing.”

The governor launched the Emblem with N10 million, pledged to replace the legion’s Hilux van and include the legion as part of the state’s security architecture.

“We need your services, we need people like you to help us improve the work being done by our local vigilantes across the various ward and local governments,’’ Obaseki said.

In his comments, the Speaker, Edo House of Assembly, Mr Marcus Onobun pledged 50 per cent of his salary to the legion while the state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr Tony Aziegbemi, donated N1 million.

In his remarks, the state Chairman of the Nigerian Legion, Mr Ignatius Enabulele, pledged their support to tackle insecurity in the state.

(NAN)

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