Coast Now Cleared For APC Convention On March 26, As Court Vacates Earlier Judgment

March 18, 2022

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) can now hold its national convention on March 26 as scheduled as an Abuja High Court in Kubwa vacated an interlocutory injunction earlier granted, stopping the Convention from holding.

Justice Bello Kawu vacated the interlocutory order made on Nov. 18, following the defence counsel, Shuaibu Aruwa’s application for the court to set it aside.

Justice Kawu said that in vacating the order, he relyied on the recent Supreme Court decision which held that a party member does not have the right to take the party to court.

He however adjourned the case until March 30 for hearing of the substantive suit.

Aruwa (SAN) had moved a motion seeking the setting aside of the interlocutory order and striking out the suit for want of jurisdiction.

He said that the application was supported by a five paragraph affidavit and a written address and adopted all the processes, praying the court to grant them in the interest of justice.

The defence counsel added that the claimant counsel, Mike Enaharo-Ebah did not file any process to counter his application.

In response, Enaharo-Ebah said that Aruwa served him on March 11 and his seven days had not relapsed, adding that his right to respond in line with the rules of the court had been shut out.

He asked the court to reconsider an application to adjourn in other for him to file counter affidavits.

Aruwa in response said that he served the claimant since March 9 through the former claimant counsel, F.O. Ekpa, adding that the seven days elapsed on March 16.

Malam Salisu Umoru had dragged APC, the Chairman of the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Gov. Mai Mala Buni and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to the court challenging the planned convention.

Why I Slapped Obiano’s Wife, Bianca Ojukwu Narrates

Greenbarge Reporters

March 18, 2022

Bianca Ojukwu, wife of the late Igbo leader, Odumegwu Ojukwu has narrated her own side of the reason on the physical assault she and Mrs. Ebele Obiano, wife of the immediate past Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano launched on each other yesterday, March 17 in Awka.
In a statement today, March 18 titled: “My Own Story” Bianca said that Mrs. Obiano actually came to the swearing-in ceremony of Professor Chukwuma Soludo as the new Governor of Anambra State heavily drunk.
She continued thus:
As the inaugural ceremonies for Professor Charles Soludo and his deputy began and all guests were seated, the Former First Lady of Anambra State, Mrs. Ebele Obiano, was noticeabley absent. She then arrived some one-and-a-half hours later while the ceremony was on. I didn’t pay any particular attention to her arrival. Surprisingly, she then walked towards me and I thought she was coming to greet me. Instead, when she got to where I was seated, she verbally attacked me with her voiced raised, taunting me and asking me what I was there to do and using unprintable vile language.
She asked if I had come to celebrate their last day in office. But I ignored her completely. Then, she kept aggressively putting her hands on my shoulders and shouting. While I ignored her verbal onslaught, as advised by those sitting around me, I requested twice that she refrained from touching me with her hands. She proceeded to do so yet again and went further to grab at my headtie, which she attempted unsuccessfully to remove remove .
This very act is considered a sacrilege to a titled matriarch such as myself in Igbo culture. It was at this point that I stood up to defend myself and gave her a dirty slap to stop her from attacking me. As she made towards me, I then pulled away her wig. She held on to her wig with her two hands and tried to take the wig away from me.
The former APGA chairman, Umeh, told her to leave me and told engaged APGA members that had gathered at the spot to lead her away , which they did and took her to the seat next to her husband Chief Willie Obiano who sat through the entire episode completely speechless. What struck me through the whole episode was the fact that she was clearly intoxicated.
I was stunned by the stench of whisky in her breath at such an early hour of the day. How could a first lady be so drunk and proceeded to turn up in that state at an Inauguration ceremony that began at 9am? It is unfortunate that she threw all caution to the wind and imported this kind of melodrama to a state ceremony.
This was highly embarrassing to the Governor who left the venue almost immediately, taking her along with him.
Luckily, this did not disrupt the proceedings and I stayed back to witness the ceremony to the end after which we were treated to a sumptuous reception at the Government House.
– Ambassador Bianca Odimegwu- Ojukwu, former Nigerian Ambassador to Spain and APGA BOT member.

INEC Decides On Ebonyi Judgment About Gov Umahi, Others Next Week

Greenbarge Reporters

March 18, 2022

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has the final decision on the judgment in respect of the Ebonyi State Governor and his deputy as well as some members of the State House of Assembly.
The resolution to postpone the date for the final decision to be taken next week was made today, March 17, at a meeting of the stakeholders.
A statement yesterday, March 17 by the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, said that the Commission was briefed by its Litigation and Prosecution Department, including an update on litigations, showing that in the last three months, the Commission has been joined in seventy-one new cases in various Courts across the country.
“Most of these cases, including the widely discussed one on Ebonyi State, involve either intra-party issues or litigants seeking for various reliefs from the Courts that entail consequential orders that are binding on the Commission.”
The statement said that the judgment in the case of Ebonyi State was about the defection of the Governor and Deputy-Governor and sixteen members of the State House of Assembly from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“The Commission has been served with nine separate Orders and Motions from various Courts on this matter. “Just as the Commission was about to commence deliberation on them, its attention was drawn to additional Court processes served today in respect of the matter.
“Consequently, the Commission decided to defer its deliberation on the Ebonyi cases and stepped down the listed Memorandum to enable its Legal Services and Clearance Committee to study the new processes in the light of the previously served ones and advise the Commission comprehensively.
“The Commission will meet again next week to deliberate on the matter and thereafter make its decision public.”

Obiano Falls Into EFCC Trap Hours After Hand Over As Anambra Governor

Greenbarge Reporters

March 18, 2022

Willie Obiano was picked up yesterday, March 17 by officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos a few hours after handing over as governor to Chkuwuma Soludo.
Obiano, who completed the maximum two terms of eight years in office was picked up about 8.30 pm at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
He was billed to fly to Houston Texas in the United States of America.
The former governor had been on EFCC watchlist since November 2021.
In a letter to the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) dated November 15, 2021, EFCC requested the NIS to place the governor on watchlist and inform it anytime he was travelling out of the country from any of the International airports and other points of entry and exit.
It was not clear why the anti-graft agency placed the former governor on watchlist.
But knowledgeable sources said the move then was an indication that the agency might have been discreetly investigating the governor and possibly had intelligence that he planned to travel after handing over power to his successor, Charles Soludo.
But Obiano who was holidaying then in Houston took exception to the Commission’s move which he said was politically motivated.
He accused the EFCC of becoming a tool in the hands of desperados who failed to install one of their own as governor of Anambra State.
Obiano, in the statement by his then Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, C.Don Adinuba, said the EFCC went a new low when it provided no details of how Obiano had been placed on its watch list.
The statement said besides a reference to a letter it purportedly wrote on November 15, 2021, to the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) asking it to inform the anti-graft agency anytime the governor was travelling out of the country, there was nothing to show how Obiano became a target of the EFCC.
The statement read in part. “Everything that can be wrong with politically motivated statements like this one is obviously wrong with this statement. The EFCC knows full well that it is acting inelegantly in this instance, and so has tried as much as possible not to make an official public statement on the alleged placing of Chief Obiano on the watch list. It furtively gave a section of the media the news report it wrote based on ostensibly its letter to the NIS on November 15.
“Governor Obiano is out of the country currently. And he travelled through one of the country’s international airports. He did not disguise himself, but rather left the country with his identity fully disclosed at the necessary immigration point.
“The EFCC sounded more inelegant when it claimed in the sponsored press report that it received intelligence reports that the governor plans to “flee” from Nigeria once he hands over power next March 17 to the newly elected Anambra State governor, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo. Chief Obiano has never left any persons in doubt that he will relocate to his base in the United States once he finishes his tenure.
“As early as Wednesday, March 4, 2020, he announced his decision to a meeting of the Anambra State Council of Elders, comprising such personages as the erstwhile Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku; the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe who is also the chairman of both the Anambra State Council of Traditional Rulers and the Southeast Council of Traditional Rulers; a former Anambra State governor, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife; an ex-Minister of Women Affairs, Iyom Josephine Anenih, mni; the founding Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Professor Elochukwu Amucheazi; the Archbishop Emeritus of the Anglican Church in Anambra State, The Most Reverend Dr Maxwell Anikwenwa; and the Catholic Bishop of the Awka Diocese, Rev Dr Paulinus Ezeokafor.
“Governor Obiano has a whole four months to remain in office as the Anambra State chief executive. Nobody in Nigeria can circumscribe his constitutionally conferred immunity which shields him from both criminal and civil prosecution. The EFCC went too far to announce in November that it is observing him. We are not aware of any state governor who had up to four months to be in office and the EFCC went on to sponsor media reports that he was being investigated.
“It is, indeed strange that the EFCC is making a show that it is investigating a high public officer. Anti-corruption agencies, like intelligence services, conduct their investigations discreetly, and not on pages of newspapers. Media trial has never benefitted the EFCC.
“The whole nation knows those behind all the present histrionics about Obiano. They are those who didn’t want the November 6 election to hold. They are those in high places who unsuccessfully canvassed for emergency rule in Anambra supposedly on security grounds. They are those who masterminded the Birnin Kudu High Court charade in Jigawa State over the APGA leadership and, more importantly, the authentic APGA candidate in the November gubernatorial election in Anambra State.
“They are those responsible for the sacrilege of a customary court in Abuja issuing criminal summons to Professor Soludo, a former Central Bank of Nigeria governor. These people are still fighting the gubernatorial battle on behalf of their badly defeated friends and political associates in the Anambra vote. They will fail badly, as they have done in the recent past.
“The EFCC should not allow itself to be used by politicians who are mere birds of passage. Its ongoing Anambra drama is in bad taste. It did not serve Governor Obiano any notice. Nor did it invite him to answer questions about his service record. It just went to the press. Yet, the governor is willing to answer any questions about his years in office. After all, he has received a prestigious award from the United Nations Development Programme for social service integrity.”

2023: PDP Sells Its Presidential Form For N40 Million, Govs N21 M, Senate N3.5 M

Editorial staff

March 16, 2022

The main Nigerian opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will begin the sales of forms for various elective positions starting from tomorrow, March 17.

This was even as it has set up a 37-Member Committee on zoning controversy.

A statement this evening, March 16 said that presidential forms will go for N40 million while the Governorship goes for N21 million and Senate goes for N3.5 million.

The statement said that for the House of Representatives, the form would be sold at N2.5 million even as the form for House of Assembly goes for N600,000.

The statement said that the decision on the sales of the forms was contained in the party’s communique issued at the end its 95th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.

The party approved a 50% reduction in nomination fees for youths aged 25 to 30 years for various elective positions.

The party’s NEC also approved the establishment of a 37-member Zoning Committee to make recommendations for the zoning of various elective positions for the 2023 general elections.

Details later…

Prolonged Crisis In Fuel Supply: Buhari Apologizes To Nigerians

Editorial staff

March 16, 2022

President Muhammadu Buhari, who doubles as minster of Petroleum resources, has apologized to Nigerians over the prolonged fuel crisis that has caused them a lot of inconveniences.

The President reminded Nigerians that his government had, for seven years it has been in power, successfully averted such crisis in fuel supply and shortage of petroleum products.

“The administration knows the fuel shortage has placed a strain on Nigerian citizens and businesses, but relief is on the way. I especially apologize to all sections of society for this.

“The government is working round the clock to attend to this issue. An action plan agreed upon earlier this month is being implemented to address the scarcity. Working together with the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) and the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), this plan is now bearing fruit. Sufficient fuel supply has returned to a handful of states, with the queues at stations falling. In the coming days, we expect this to be the case across the rest of the country.

“Looking to the longer term, funds are being targeted toward keeping fuel availability affordable for the country. The international energy markets have surged drastically in recent months, the government will however ensure that consumers are protected against these price spikes.”

President Buhari said that he has received information that some people who are not behaving properly at the depots and among owners of petrol stations and in this regard, he has directed the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the NNPC and the entire security apparatus of the nation to take strong action against those responsible.

On the issue of electricity blackouts being experienced across the nation, President Buhari said: “the blackouts seen in the national grid are also being addressed.

“A dip in hydroelectric generation due to seasonal pressures has coincided with technical and supply problems at thermal stations. On this, the government is also working tirelessly to resolve the issues at the latter to guarantee sufficient power flows into the national grid.”

As part of emergency measures put in place following a meeting convened with key stakeholders to address the low power generation in the country, the main challenge was identified as being one of low gas power generation as a result of sabotage of gas pipelines leading to the shutdown of power plants coupled with ongoing routine maintenance on other gas power plants.

To recover over 1000MW, actions were agreed upon between the players in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) and also NNPC. The actions targeted the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) plants, (Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) and power plants run under NNPC Joint Ventures, Agip and Shell (NAOC and SPDC) and progress on the key actions have already ensured the restoration to the grid of 375MW after the pipeline from “Okpai 1” was repaired.

To also ramp up the underutilised capacity of the NDPHC capacity, a USD 50 Million Gas Supply agreement is being finalized to secure the sustainability of up to 800MW of underutilized NIPP assets.

The President assured that government’s attention to these problems will bear fruits very soon.

Power Collapse: We’re Battling With Gas, Other Challenges, Minister Opens Up

Editorial staff

March 16, 2022

The Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu, has said that lack of gas, the maintenance that some of the generators are undergoing have been the factors causing the current power collapse across the country.

“The more reason we are facing the situation now is as a result of the shortage of gas and some of the generators that have to go into maintenance.”

The minister, who briefed newsmen today, March 16 shortly after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential villa, Abuja, said that he had summoned all the stakeholders’ meeting with a view to finding urgent solution to the problem.

“I challenged all of them; I said this is like a war situation; we need to find solutions. We need to come out with answers—quick ones, emergency solutions because the power on the grid has dropped due to those things that affected it— lack of gas, the maintenance that some of the generators are undergoing.”

Abubakar Aliyu emphasized that the drop in the supply as a result of the collapse of the grid has triggered some responses, adding that some have started to trip down and caused the whole system to go down.

“We had, the day before yesterday, recovered it. We are on top of it. We have recovered it now. The grid is back. We are trying to get more megawatts to push on to the grid through the aforementioned meeting.

Abubakar Aliyu said that committees have been set up, all geared towards getting more mega watts to put on the grid as basically, stressing that there is need to have gas contract between generating companies and gas supplies.

He said that all the variables were being looked into and some solutions have been proffered which would come into fruition soon.

“We have capacity of 8,000 mega watts – the one on the grid, embedded and captive. If you combine all of them, what is happening now is as a result of all these problems that we are encountering and we are on top of it. Very soon, we will come out of it.’’

The minister said that his ministry had received an approval of N5 billion from FEC for compensation to project affected persons in the expansion of the Lagos/Ogun line with six sub-stations.

APC Caucus In House Of Reps Endorse Asiwaju Tinubu For 2023 Presidency

Editorial staff

March 16, 2022

The All Progressives Congress (APC) caucus in the House of Representatives have collectively endorsed the party’s National Leader, Asíwájú Bola Tinubu for the 2023 presidential election.

The endorsement followed the visit today, March 16, by Tinubu to the National Assembly to address the APC caucus in the Senate and House of Representatives in continuation of his engagement and consultations with critical stakeholders on his 2023 aspiration.

House Leader, Alhassan Doguwa, who led the lawmakers in the endorsement, spoke of Asiwaju’s track record as Senator and governor, as a democrat helping to build and strengthen Nigeria’s democracy, and as a party loyalist who did more than any other to create and sustain the APC.

He said that the APC leader has all it takes to aspire to the presidency and has physical and mental capacity to run the affairs of the country.

Doguwa then put the question to his colleagues, asking whether it was their wish to endorse Tinubu for the 2023 race to which they all answered in the affirmative without any dissenting voice.

Earlier, while addressing them, the APC leader described the National Assembly as a vital arm of government that had made important contributions to the unity and stability of the country as well as sustenance of its democracy as the most direct representatives of the individual constituencies at the Federal level.

The APC leader said that he was in the National Assembly to seek the lawmakers’ counsel, collaboration and support for his ambition.

Tinubu told the legislators that he had informed President Buhari of his aspiration, adding that he wanted to step into the president’s shoes without stepping on his toes.

House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila expressed surprise that many of those claiming to be in the race are sitting at home and not interfacing with Nigerians.

“I don’t think it’s good that Nigerians are still waiting six weeks to the primaries to know those in the race. It’s not fair on Nigerians,” he said.

He described Tinubu as one man who had indicated he would not take Nigerians for granted and would consult widely and talk to anyone who cared to listen.

Kogi Tops In Food Inflation, As Nigeria’s Inflation Rises To 15.7 Per Cent – NBS

Editorial staff

March 16, 2022

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has said that Kogi State is leading the other 35 States of Nigeria, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in food inflation with 21.04 per cent, even as it announced that Nigeria recorded an inflation rate of 15.70 per cent in February 2022.

The Statistician-General of the Federation, Simon Harry, who spoke at a news conference to announce foreign trade statistics for fourth-quarter 2021 and Consumer Price Index (CPI) for February 2022, said that the Nigeria’s inflation is a 0.10 per cent increase from the 15.60 per cent recorded in January 2022.

“The nation recorded an inflation rate of 15.70 per cent in February 2022 on a year-on-year basis, which is 0.10 per cent points higher than the 15.60 per cent recorded in January 2022.

“On a month-on-month basis, the Headline index increased by 1.63 per cent in February 2022. This was 0.16 per cent points higher than the rate recorded in January 2022,” he said.

Harry said that the composite food index rose by 17.11 per cent, recording a decrease of 4.68 per cent points in February 2022, compared to 21.79 per cent recorded in February 2021.

He said that rise in the food index was caused by increases in prices of bread and cereals, food products such as potatoes, yam and other tubers, oils and fats and fruits.

On a state-wise basis, Harry said that food inflation on a year-on-year basis was highest in Kogi with 21.04 per cent, followed by Enugu with 20.31 per cent and Kwara 20.03 per cent. He said that Sokoto had the lowest with 13.89 per cent in February.

The statistician-general said: “all items less farm produce” or Core inflation, which excludes the prices of volatile agricultural produce, increased by 14.01 per cent in February.

He said that this was higher than the 12.38 per cent recorded in February 2021.

According to him, on a month-on-month basis, the core sub-index increased by 1.33 per cent in February 2022.

This, according to him, is higher when compared to 1.25 per cent recorded in January 2022.

The statistician-general said the urban inflation rate increased by 16.25 per cent (year-on-year) in February 2022 from 17.92 per cent recorded in February 2021.

Source: NAN.

2023: Atiku Declares To Run, Warns Against Zoning, Says PDP’ll Die In 2023 If…

Editorial staff

March 16, 2022

Former Nigerian Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar has formally declared his intention to run for the 2023 Presidency, warning that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under which he wants to run cannot survive another eight years as opposition party.

Atiku, who also warned against zoning the presidential ticket, added: “I am making this call because I’m afraid that if we do not win in 2023, it means we will be in opposition again for the next eight years.

“By the next eight years, I don’t know how many of us will be left in politics and it may even ultimately lead to the death of the party because people gravitate, particularly in developing countries like Nigeria.”

Atiku, who was the PDP Presidential candidate in 2019, made the declaration to stage a come-back in 2023 at a meeting with members of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) in Abuja today, March 15. He asked the party elders to work with him in the quest to secure the PDP presidential ticket.

He claimed that former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, under which he served as Vice President, remains Nigeria’s best since the country returned to democratic rule in 1999.

“The PDP government in which I served as Vice President from 1999 to 2007 is the best since Nigeria returned to democratic rule 23 years ago. Many of you were part of the success story of that government. No administration since then has made as much achievement as our administration.

“All these are based on facts. I challenge everybody to take any aspect of our growth whether it is economy, whether it is healthcare, whether it is agriculture, whether it is education, the landmark achievements we made in 1999 to 2007 have not been matched by any subsequent administration.”

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