Again, Unknown Gunmen Burn Down INEC Office In Enugu, Kill Police Officer

January 16, 2023

Unknown gunmen have burned down the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Enugu South Local Government Area, Southeast of the country.
A statement today, January 16, by the INEC’s National Commissioner & Chairman,
Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, said that the incident occurred around 9.12pm yesterday, Sunday 15th January 2023.
The statement said that report of the incidence was made by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Enugu State, Dr. Chukwuemeka J. Chukwu.
The statement said that during the attack, the security gatehouse was razed, but that the attackers could not gain access to the main building as a result of the rapid response from the Police and Army personnel from 82 Division.
“The State Commissioner of Police and the REC were personally at the scene immediately they received information about the attack.
“Of the two Policemen deployed to protect the facility, one of them lost his life while the other sustained injuries and is receiving treatment.
“The Commission prays for the repose of the soul of the deceased policeman and the speedy recovery of the injured.”
The statement said that the attack is being investigated by the security agencies and that a meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) in Enugu State co-chaired by the REC and the Commissioner of Police has been convened to discuss the latest incident and design additional strategies of fortifying the offices and protecting the personnel and materials.
“Meanwhile, the destroyed gatehouse will be rebuilt, and the Commission is proceeding with its preparations for the 2023 General Election in Enugu State and the entire country as scheduled.”

They Say I’m Weak, But I’m Campaigning More Than Them – Tinubu

Editorial staff

January 16, 2023

Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said that so far, he has been campaigning more vigorously across the country than his opponents who are saying that he is weak.

He said: “they call me weak but I am canvassing back and forth and, in every corner, and space of the nation. My opponents are not.

“I am outworking them because this election is a great mission for me, much more than my personal ambition.”

Asiwaju Tinubu, who spoke today, January 15, at a meeting he had with governorship and National Assembly candidates of the party ahead of the upcoming general election, asked them to ensure that they do not disappoint members of the party who elected them to fly the party’s flags at the polls.

He said that with the many unproductive years of the former Peoples Democratic Party’s government, Nigerians and members of the APC are expecting a new lease of life from the candidates.

“I am pleased to meet with you today because in you I see our party’s hope and path to success. In you I see the hope of historic national progress as well.

“As so often in life, victory is not a cause for rest or celebration. It is a call to a greater challenge and harder toil. Thus, you all have won the primaries but now must climb the higher mountain called the general elections.

“We formed the APC, not just to be another political party. We formed it as a champion of the people to rescue democracy from the ravages of the PDP who boasted of ruling the nation for 60 years.

“We formed this party to rescue the people and their collective prosperity from the avarice and greed of an elite that will devour the nation’s God-given endowment if we allow such people back into power. As those flying our party’s flag, we carry a heavy burden on our shoulders.

“We have the mandate to deliver the party to victory so that we may protect Nigeria from those who would devour all of its fruits.

“The party has placed its trust in us. Democratic victory in the coming elections is a task we must accomplish.”

The presidential candidate advised the party’s candidates to go to the polls starting from the presidential and national assembly elections on February 25 to the governorship and state assembly elections on March 11 with a united front.

According to him, everyone must collectively work for the party’s victory in all elections to ensure that the party’s project of growth and development for the nation is assured.

He promised to continue to work for every one of them even as he also desires to become Nigeria’s president.

“But winning takes us working as a united force. We have to act like the broom, the symbol of our party. A stick cannot clean any dirt but coming together under the band as one, we can sweep aside all the bad and wrong things that impede our nation’s growth and development.

“As individuals we must strive to win our respective elections. But that is not enough. We have to work together to deliver everyone contesting in our party. The presidential election, for example, is not solely about Bola Ahmed Tinubu. It is your project as well. Your election is equally my project.

“We need each other. Whatever position you are contesting, you need me as much as I need you. If I work for you, I am helping myself; if you mobilize for me, you are working for yourself at the same time. Our individual and collective fates are one.

“Let us win and rise together. This is as it should be.

Gov Soludo Begs Buhari To Release Kanu To Him, To End Insecurity In South East

Editorial staff

January 15, 2023

Anambra State governor, Charles Soludo, has appealed for the “unconditional” release of the leader of a proscribed group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nmandi Kanu, by the Federal government, saying he would stand as a surety for him.

Governor Soludo, who spoke at the kickoff of the campaigns of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), for this year’s general elections at Alex Ekwueme Square in Awka, the Anambra State capital, said that South East needs the detained IPOB leader at the table, for a “comprehensive, heart-to-heart conversation” about the future, security, and prosperity of the geopolitical zone.

“I now want to appeal, and demand of the Federal Government and our able president, led by President Buhari, that a critical person [is] required around that table for that conversation to be complete and for us to have an all-round approach to dealing with the issue of insecurity and discussing the future of the South-East.

“That person, and we need him urgently around the table, please release him to us – and that is Nnamdi Kanu. I’m calling on the Federal Government to please release Nnamdi Kanu,” he said.

“No one should be left behind; everybody should be there. If we cannot release him unconditionally as requested by the court judgements and so on, I now offer to be the surety. Release him to me. I will keep him. Release Nnamdi Kanu to me.

“I will keep him. I will provide him shelter and anytime that you need him, we will bring him to you. Give him to me; we will house him here in Awka. Let us release him and let us bring this insecurity in the South-East to an end,” the governor pleaded

Recall that Nnamdi Kanu had previously jumped bail before his extradition to Nigeria from Kenya.

He has been in the custody of the Department of State Service (DSS), since 2021 and is facing trial over alleged treasonable felony.

I’m Not Dead, Thank You – ‘Papa Ajasco’

Editorial staff

January 15, 2023

Veteran actor, Richard Abiodun Ayoyinka has refuted death rumours currently making the rounds in social media.

“I have just been reliably informed that the ethnomusicologist, former Music Instructor with the National Troupe of Nigeria and one time stand in for the ‘Papa Ajasco’ character on the popular WAP Comic Series ‘Papa Ajasco’ Mr. Femi Ogunrombi is DEAD!”

Reacting to the news about his death and the confusion it generated, Ayoyinka said that contrary to the rumor, he is very much alive and kicking.

He thanked his fans and well wishers who showed concern and raised alarm over the mixture of personality.

Earlier, an online mediums had reported the death of Femi Ogunrombi, who stood in as ‘Papa Ajasco’ at a time in the life of the popular longest running series by Wale Adenuga Production, used Richard Abiodun, the other Papa Ajasco’s image.

Ogunrombi was famous for his role in the comedy series, a character he took when Abiodun Ayoyinka pulled out of the show.

Richard Ayoyinka played the role for eight years while the deceased took on the part for two years.

Ogunrombi’s death was announced in a Facebook post on Saturday night by journalist and lecturer, Dr. Shaibu Husseini.

Tinubu Appoints Jega Into His Campaign Media Team

Editorial staff

January 15, 2023

The Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, has appointed the former Deputy Editor-In-Chief of Daily Trust newspaper into his campaign team. Also appointed is Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, also a former Daily Trust Editor.

Jega was appointed as Special Adviser, Public Affairs, while Abdulaziz, was appointed as Special Assistant on Media and Publicity.

Tinubu’s spokesman, Tunde Rahman, in a statement today, January 15, said that the two appointees would deploy their expertise and deep understanding of political issues across the country, particularly the North, in shoring up the activities of the APC presidential candidate’s media team.

Jega served as Managing Editor, Editor, Deputy Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board Chairman of Daily Trust Newspapers before he stepped aside.

He has also served as Editor, New Nigerian Newspapers, Editor of The Sentinel magazine, Kaduna, and Assistant Editor, Citizen magazine.

Abdulaziz was an Editor at Premium Times before he joined Daily Trust. Until his appointment, he was the Deputy General Editor of Daily Trust Newspapers and also anchored a morning show for the Trust TV, an arm of the Media Trust Group.

199 Ghosts Posing As Medical Doctors, In Zamfara Govt Payroll

Editorial staff

January 15, 2023

No fewer than 199 ghosts posing as medical doctors have been drawing their monthly salaries from the government of Zamfara State for a long time.

The discovery was made yesterday, January 14, by the State Governor, Bello Matawalle himself. But he did not say the amount of money that has been sank into the ghost doctors’ salary payment and for how long.

Governor Matawalle, who spoke in a chat with news men at Maradun Local Government Area of the State., said that the ghost doctors were discovered during the recent workers’ verification exercise for the implementation of the N30,0000 new national minimum wage.

“We discovered that in payroll, we have 280 medical doctors receiving salary monthly, but only 81 were genuine doctors while all the remaining 199 were ghost workers.

“This was among the major challenges that affected the full implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage for the workers in the state which commenced in Nov. 2022 under my administration.

“We are working with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and other stakeholders to address the problem,” Matawalle said.

He said that his administration was ready to ensure the smooth payment of workers’ salary as well as general improvement of workers’ welfare in the state.

“As I am speaking to you, I built 450 houses for the civil servants in the state and I will hand over the houses to the workers very soon.

Governor Matawalle said that the state government is not owing civil servants’ salary, saying: “I have paid all salaries of government workers in the state for the months of November and December 2022.”

Imo Gov, Uzodimma Challenges Special Investigations Panel To End Oil Theft In Nigeria

Greenbarge Reporters

January 14, 2023

The Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma has challenged members of the Special Investigations Panel on Oil theft/losses in Nigeria to be courageous in finding ways of ending oil theft in the country.

The Governor, who described the place of crude oil in the economy of Nigeria as ‘’the brain of the country,’’ wondered why the life wire of Nigeria should be left in the hands of few individuals to “open the body and remove the brain.”

The Governor spoke when he received in audience, the Chairman and members of the Special Investigation Panel on Oil Theft/ Losses in Nigeria, on a courtesy visit to him at the Government House Owerri. The Panel members were led by the Chairman, retired Major General Barry T. Ndiomu.

Governor Uzodimma commended the wisdom of the Federal Government in setting up the Panel for the purpose of “reducing the dangerous crime of oil thieves who are determined to cripple the economy of the Nation.”

He said that the Nigerian Governor’s Forum and other well-meaning persons had long suggested that a special committee be set-up to unravel the crude oil theft in Nigeria and expressed happiness that the body has eventually been established.

He expressed joy that in recent times, the crude oil production level has increased and expressed confidence over the calibre of members of the committee who he described as “men and women of impeccable pedigree.”

He charged them to “find the courage to do the work and expose the thieves and even prosecute them.”

Governor Uzodimma said that two factors have contributed to the successes of oil theft in the country – internal and external security.

Internally, the said, the security appears compromised, not properly mobilized and equipped to fight the malady, while externally, the security needs to be properly coordinated or synergised.

He told the Panel that in Imo State, his administration is doing its best, in conjunction with the security agencies, to check oil theft, and that “the result is that now things are getting better than the situation we met in 2020 when we assumed office.”

To achieve better result in taming oil theft in the country, Governor Uzodimma recommended that the fight must involve the local communities/vigilantes, the State and Federal Government security agencies.

He assured the Panel of his administration’s support to salvage the Nigerian economy and improve the overall well-being of the people, expressing confidence that members of the panel will do the job assigned to them creditably despite the enormous responsibility that comes with it.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Panel had said that they were in Imo State to engage and have frank discussion with the Governor on finding lasting solution to oil theft in Nigeria, knowing that Imo State is one of the oil producing States badly affected by the menace of oil theft/losses.

He assured the Governor that going by the seriousness attached to the Committee’s work, the final submission of its report will count and in a very short while the problem will be solved.

Ndiomu said that they came to tap from the technological know-how of the Governor which, he said, they hope to apply in their investigation to unravel the problem of pipeline vandalism.

On behalf of the panel, he requested for the Governor’s support as they work to stop oil theft for the benefit of the Nigerian economy and people.

The Chairman said that his Panel will not be afraid to identify and expose those involved in the dastardly act and promised to work with the Imo State Government to, not only identify, but prosecute the culprits.

He assured that members of the Panel are working towards submitting their report by the end of February 2023.

Deputy Governor of Imo State, Professor Placid Njoku, the Secretary to the State Government, Chief Cosmas Iwu, the Chief of Staff, Barr. Nnamdi Anyaehie, members of the Imo State Expanded Executive Council and the Service Chiefs in Imo State attended the event.

Young Lady Becomes Landlady In Yobe, Gets House For Winning At Qur’anic Recitation Competition

Greenbarge Reporters

January 14, 2023

A young lady, Aisha AbdulMutalib, has been given a house and 2023 Hajj seat along with her husband to Saudi Arabi, after emerging the overall national winner of the National Qur’anic recitation competition with tafsir (interpretation of the words of the Holy Qur’an) in Sokoto.

Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, who announced the gift of a house and Hajj seat to Aisha at the end of the competition, also appointed Aisha, from Potiskum Local Government Area, as a liaison officer on Quranic recitation and awarded her a scholarship to further her studies.

Similarly, the governor approved hajj seats for officials who accompanied her to the competition in Sokoto.

Governor Buni expressed delight with the performance of Aisha, saying that she had done the state proud.

He stressed the commitment of his government to provide quality lslamic and Western education across the state.

The governor said that Yobe State, as part of the old Ngazargamo Empire, was known for Islamic knowledge and would uphold the legacy of the empire.

The Governor renamed the Nguru International Modern Market after a renowned Islamic cleric, Sheik Ngibirma.

Kogi Governorship: It’s Our Turn, Okun People Agitate

Greenbarge Reporters

January 14, 2023

The people of Okunland in the Western Senatorial District of Kogi State have started campaign for the governorship of the state in the November 2023 governorship election.

The people, under the aegis of Okun4Governor Strategy Committee, said at a news conference in Abuja, said the agitation that has since begun, is based on the spirit of equity and fairness which were virtues to be promoted to deepen democracy and promote inclusiveness.

Professor Mike Ikupolati, who read the press statement said that the right to rule is a combination of attitudes and abilities that lead people to set goals for themselves and to take the initiative to reach these goals.

“The quest for an Okun person to become governor has become the strongest wish of Okun people in recent times.

“It is, therefore, pertinent to inform the good people of Kogi that we are designing and putting in place effective strategies to actualise this goal.

“We shall remain resolute on this agitation until our quest receives the attention it richly deserves, especially by leaders of the state from all persuasions – political, religious, community and opinion leaders.

“It is imperative to put into perspective that the Igalas of the Eastern flank of Kogi have held on to power for about 16 years with Late Prince Abubakar Audi, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris (Ibro) and Capt. Idris Wada as governors of the state while Alhaji Yahaya Bello is presently occupying Lugard House in his second term.”

He said that the Kogi East has had 16 years of rule and while the Central had so far has eight years whereas the West has never appeared as Governor at the Lugard House in Lokoja.

“We hereby bring to the attention of all and sundry that Late Alhaji Adamu Attah from Kogi Central, was also governor from 1979 to 1983, making it 12 years of rule by the Central zone of Kogi.

“If equity and fairness are virtues to be promoted to deepen our democracy and promote inclusiveness, it will be natural for an Okun person to be the next governor of Kogi.

“Unfortunately, politics and political reasoning are encapsulated in the saying that; ‘power is not given but taken’

“We are, therefore, determined as good people of Okunland to demand power. We will take whatever steps that are necessary to ensure the realisation of this objective.

”With God and Providence on our side, we shall take it.”

The statement was jointly signed by Committee Chairman, Clarence Olafemi; Co-Chairman, Amb. Sola Enikanolaiye; and Secretary, Barr. Tunde Bello.

Source: NAN.

PDP BoT Member, Nwosu, Resigns In Protest Against Violation Of Rotation

Editorial staff

January 13, 2023

A member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and former Nigerian Health Minister, Professor Alphonsus Nwosu, has resigned from the party.

In a letter addressed to the National Chairman of the party, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu and the Acting BoT Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, Professor Nwosu said that he is displeased with the internal wrangling in the party, resulting from what he called lack of respect for the agreement reached on political positions in the country.

According to him, the inability of the party to adhere to the rotational or zoning provision of the party’s constitution formed the basis for his resignation.

Professor Nwosu said in the letter: “I hereby resign my membership of the Peoples Democratic Party and its Board of Trustees with effect from today Thursday 12th January, 2023.

“This resignation for me is a matter of conscience and principle because of the Party’s inability to adhere to the rotation provision in its (PDP) constitution.

“The journey to rotational presidency between the North and South of Nigeria has been a long and arduous one and I have been involved.

“We must learn to respect the provisions in the constitution and the agreement reached by members of the party.

“Nigeria and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) must learn to keep to an agreement reached by a Constituent Assembly (1995), and enshrined in the Party’s (PDP) Constitution (1998).

Source: Persecondnews.

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