₦airaland Forum

President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor in 2023 should not be determined by ethnicity, a former governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha has said. Okorocha, now representing Imo West Senatorial District in the Senate, was fielding questions from journalists in Abuja. He said ethnicity or religion should not be a determining factor in politics as poverty knows no tribe or religion.

“I believe that power must be given to someone that has the vision irrespective of where he comes from because tribe cannot put food on the table of the common man or guarantee security. “As you see the politics of today, everybody looks up to the North because it has the large chunk of votes to determine who becomes the president of Nigeria. “One good thing I know of the North, especially the Islamic world, is that a good Muslim is a man of conscience who believes in equity, justice and unity. “That is the only hope for anybody who wants to contest from the southern region.

The North can say for the purpose of equity and not tribal or religious differences, the North having served as president, let somebody from the South be the president,” he said. Okorocha said other regions required the backing of the North if power must shift. “The Igbo alone cannot make themselves president. The quicker they come together and start shoring up support from the North and other parts of the country the better for it to realise the dream.

“I know we shall come to that point one day, when who becomes the president would not be based on tribe or religion. For as long we keep promoting tribal and religious sentiments, we are not getting it right. “We need somebody who can move this country forward. What Nigeria needs now is that man who would emerge as president and continue with unity of Nigerians just as we see ourselves during football matches, that will create jobs and guarantee security,” he said.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/ethnicity-shouldnt-determine-buharis-successor-okorocha.html

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Wednesday said it intercepted 13 Jerry cans of 25 litres and six Jerry cans of 10 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) concealed in two caskets. A statement signed today by Abdullahi Maiwada, NCS spokesman, Ogun 1 Area Command, noted that the items were conveyed by a smuggler with the intention of smuggling them across the border to a neighbouring country in a Mazda 626 with Lagos registration number LSD 617 CW.

The statement read: “In continuation of the fight against smuggling, a Joint Special Taskforce comprising of Officers and Men, of Ogun I Command, Federal Operation Unit Zone “A” and CGC’s Strike Force intercepted 13 Jerry cans of 25 litres and six Jerry cans of 10 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) concealed clandestinely in two caskets. “The said items were conveyed by a daredevil smuggler with the intention of smuggling the items across the border to a neighbouring country in a Mazda 626 with Lagos registration number LSD 617 CW.

“To this end, the Command wishes to reiterate its stand that there is no retreat on the fight against smuggling in whatever disguise. “We therefore appeal to the general public to embrace legitimate means of livelihood and to avoid smuggling in all its ramifications. “The eagle eye is all around Ogun state to halt new techniques initiated by economic saboteurs to perpetuate their illicit acts.”

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/customs-intercept-19-jerry-cans-of-petrol-hidden-in-two-caskets-at-nigerian-border-photos.html

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National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Adams Oshiomhole has expressed deep concern over the wanton killings, thuggery and harassment associated with Nigerian politics, saying the crimes have continued to fester because of poor or lack of law enforcement. He was speaking when he led other party executives on a courtesy visit to the Nigerian Embassy in Beijing, China.

Reacting to the murder of the woman leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi, Mrs. Salome Acheju Abuh, who was burnt alive in her home by suspected political thugs, Oshiomhole said it would be the shame of the Nigeria Police and of the security agencies if anybody pretended that the perpetrators could not be found. “And if they find the person, they should bring him to justice. Our laws are clear.

There’s no state in Nigeria where murder does not result to death penalty. If those involved in that crime are to be properly and diligently prosecuted, convicted and sentenced to death and the governor signs the death warrant and they are executed, things will change for the better. “We have serious problems with law enforcement. And until we get our law enforcement right, Nigeria has a problem,” he said. On the party, Oshiomhole said it was considering establishing an institute for progressive studies to better educate the people on how its leadership style, values and approach to governance and to public service delivery were different from others.

He said that was necessary in a country where “dysfunctional primordial sentiments”, rather than politics of ideas, informed voters’ choice during elections. “As a result of the confusion even among the political elite, the Nigerian voter can hardly tell why he prefers one party to the other. “Rather than lamenting, we think that we should make conscious effort to put ideas on the table so that we can agree or disagree on the basis of ideas that are shared, and we form caucus or factions on the basis of ideas, as opposed to ethnic, regional or religious sentiments,” he said.

Earlier in his remark, Nigeria’s Ambassador to China, Baba Ahmad Jidda, said though Nigeria is China’s biggest trade partner in Africa, there is a huge gap in favour of Beijing. “Nigeria’s exports to China stood at $1.6 billion, while China exported $12.5 billion worth of goods to Nigeria,” he said, adding “what remains to be done is to bridge the trade gap.” The envoy, meanwhile, appealed for interventions to be released to Nigerian foreign missions without delay.

“We must say that we’re not the complaining type. We’re doing our best with the available resources,” he added. Meanwhile, the party has mocked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying the leading opposition party has become “disillusioned” by its victories. Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu, the APC National Publicity Secretary, in a release issued yesterday, said the PDP had shown “crass and shocking” incapacity to perform the role of opposition. Issa-Onilu said the APC, which believes in democracy and progressive politics, was worried by the “obvious vacuum” that the PDP had created.

The APC said the PDP had failed to provide “rigorous and intelligent interrogation” of the current administration’s policies and programmes apart from engaging in idle chatter, propagation of fake news, post-election delusions and other unpatriotic conducts, stating such move was dangerous for our democracy.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/why-thuggery-election-violence-persist-oshiomhole.html

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John Cardinal Onaiyekan on Tuesday in Abuja formally handed over as the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja to the new Archbishop, Ignatius Ayau Kaigama. Kaigama would on Thursday be formally inaugurated in Abuja.

This follows the Pope’s acceptance of the retirement of Cardinal Onaiyekan who clocked the retirement age of 75 on January 29, 2019.
Archbishop Kaigama on March 11 earlier this year was announced by the Pope, who was represented by Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria, Archbishop Antonio Guido Filipazzi, in Abuja during the opening ceremony of the first plenary meeting of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN).

Filipazzi then named Kaigama as the Coadjutor archbishop of Abuja and administrator of Jos archdiocese, where he served as its chief Shepherd in the last 19 years. Speaking during the handover ceremony, Onaiyekan assured Nigerians that he will not retire from speaking against all forms of oppression in the country until social justice is achieved for all citizens. Onaiyekan, who finally retires from his role as the episcopal leader of the Catholic Church in FCT, Kogi, Nasarawa, and Benue states after 25 years, urged political leaders to prioritize social justice and equity, if the nation must make progress and should not be afraid of retiring. “I am confident in the abilities of my successor to lead the Archdiocese to the next level of development.

There were no elections to determine who will succeed me. There were no campaigning and lobbying. His (Kaigama) appointment was simply in line church practice,” he said. On his part, the incoming Archbishop of Abuja province, Most Revd Ignatius Kaigama, noted that many things had gone wrong in Nigeria but vowed to wage serious war against the social ills and vices impeding the development of the country. “We are the hope of Nigeria. So many things have gone wrong but we cannot just sit and say prayers. We have to go beyond prayers because faith and action go together.

We have to mobilise our people to be integrated and work genuinely for the progress of Nigeria and the happiness of our people. “I am not going to be hunting for problems but when they come, I will do my best to tackle them with my priestly character and identity. I will not be idle. I will always be doing something for church and country; attacking ills, social vices, and anything that will not be helpful to the development of Nigeria,” Kaigama said.

He also lamented that despite the government’s promise to tackle graft among public office holders, the menace has failed to give way for probity and accountability, saying “if there wasn’t corruption, there would have been an equitable distribution of resources and our people will be living well above the poverty line.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/onaiyekan-bows-out-as-abuja-catholic-archbishop-hands-over-to-kaigama.html

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The Niger state correspondent of Channels Television, Mr Emperor Simon, has been assaulted by men of the Niger state Police command. Also the TV station’s cameraman attached to the Niger state office was also assaulted and wishked away by the police on Tuesday.

According to Mr Simon, the Channels TV’s team where in Tafa local government for a follow-up story on the disappearance of the Returning Officer for the local government in last Saturday’s council election when the incident happened. He said the team ran into a protest by youths who were expressing their misgivings over the cancellation of the outcome of the poll over the alleged disappearance of the Returning Officer and was caught in the commotion.

“No sooner had the protesters started blocking the Kaduna – Abuja highway than the policemen at the Tafa local government Secretariat started shooting sporadically into the air to disperse the crowd ” he explained.

He noted that the police use “canister, live ammunition” to disperse protesters, adding that “they also beat up myself with stick and gun butts and have taken the Cameraman,” he lamented. Mr Simon explained that his cameraman is been held at the Divisional headquarters in Sabon Wuse.

The state chapter of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) condemned the “harassment” and “intimidation” of its members who were on the lawful duties. In a statement by its chairman, Alhaji Abdul Isah and Secretary, Abu Nmodu, the union said the assault coming a few days after its national officers who were on duty tour of the state adjudged Niger as one of the journalists-friendly state, was “distasteful and unacceptable”.

The union called on police authority to rein in its officers and men, warning that it would no longer tolerate assault on its members henceforth. Also, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state has also condemned the police for assaulting its members who are on peaceful protest and the journalists.

Speaking with newsmen on phone, the state secretary of the party, Barrister Suleiman Zhigun, said the party sensed foul-play when the announcement of poll result which from polling units collation indicated it won, was delayed only for SIEC to come out later that the Returning Officer has disappeared and the election cancelled.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/police-assault-channels-tv-reporter-cameraman-in-niger.html

President Muhammadu Buhari says the country’s domestic fuel consumption has dropped by more than 30 per cent, following the closure of land borders. President Buhari, who said this yesterday at his country home in Daura, while receiving a delegation of Katsina State Elders Forum, also said he had not given any date for the reopening of the land borders.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said in a statement issued yesterday that two months into the closure of Nigeria’s land borders to curb smuggling activities, especially rice, President Buhari’s administration was betting on same measure to rekindle the agriculture sector.

The statement said the government’s directive would save the country billions of naira on import bills. The president, while speaking, hailed the actions taken by the President of Niger Republic, Muhammadou Youssoufou, including the dismissal of officials and a ban on use of the country as a dumping ground for Nigeria-bound smuggled goods.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/no-date-yet-to-re-open-land-borders-buhari.html

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Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi has said opponents of the Hate Speech Bill are ignorant of the dangers that loom if the bill is not passed into law. In a statement he signed Sunday, Senator Abdullahi said the opponents were only pretending to protect ‘Freedom of Speech’ by misinforming Nigerians on the intent of the legislation before the National Assembly.

The lawmaker, therefore, warned Nigerians to beware of “false information being spilled out by some persons and groups parading themselves as serving the interest of the nation”. Citing a report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) on ‘Overcoming Dangerous Speech and Endemic Religious Divides in Central Nigeria’, Senator Sabi Abdullahi said persons with strong bias capable of escalating ethnic and religious violence are infiltrating the media. According to him, such persons and groups are opposed to the passage of a Hate Speech law by the National Assembly as same would put an end to their trade that depends on using ethnic and religious bias for the realization of self-serving interests.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/dangers-loom-without-hate-speech-bill-senator-sabi-abdullahi.html

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I learned he will proceed to tribunal....I wish him well

God please free this man....he will sin no more.