ABUJA COURT ISSUES CRIMINAL SUMMONS AGAINST FORMER CBN GOV/FACTIONAL APGA GUBER CANDIDATE CHUKWUMA SOLUDO OVER CASE OF PERJURY, CORRUPTION ,FALSE ASSETS DECLARATION
...SOLUDO RISK PRISON SENTENCE IF CONVICTED.
..NOMINATION AS APGA CANDIDATE UNCERTAIN
… SOLUDO BOUGHT A HOUSE IN LONDON WHILE SERVING AS CBN GOVERNOR AND FAILED TO DECLARE IT.
The Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Abuja few hours ago issued a direct criminal summons against factional APGA Governorship candidate and former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo over serial abuse of office and breach of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers while he held office as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) between 29th May, 2004 – 29th May, 2009.
In a Direct Criminal Complaint brought pursuant to Sections 88 and 89 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 by one Oliver Bitrus complaining that between the period Prof Soludo held office as a Public Officer he flagrantly breached the Code of Conduct for Public Officer by buying or acquiring interest in a property known and described as No. 50 Brondesbury Park, London, NW6 7AT, United Kingdom. The property is covered by File Plan of Tile No. MX362301. Mr. Oliver claimed that this property, was bought or acquired using a proxy and/or nominee company known as Universal Energy Company Limited, and which investigation revealed was incorporated in the Isle of Man; and now used to round-trip public funds for the purchase. As a matter fact, purchase price of £2,150, 000 was paid on 20th October, 2006 in a single tranche, which sum was not fairly attributable to his income as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria at the material time.
Further investigation also disclosed that presently, the property is being occupied by defendant, his spouse and children and used as their personal and official addresses for all their companies and other business undertaking.
The Complainant listed companies owned and operated by the Soludo’s and domiciled at the said property to include i. ZINORA LIMITED: A private company owned by Mrs. Nonye Soludo (spouse of Chukwuma Charles Soludo). This is company limited by shares which was registered on 29th January, 2013 with Company N: 8379214 and also has its registered office at No. 50 Brondesbury Park, London, NW6 7AT, United Kingdom.
(ii) THE SOLUDO FOUNDATION: Registered on 24th July, 2014 as a private company limited by guarantee with its registered office at No. 50 Brondesbury Park, London, NW6 7AT, United Kingdom. It also has the Company No: 9145134. The company has the following persons as members or directors – Nonye Frances Soludo, Chukwuma Soludo, Ozonna Tochukwu Soludo, Ifeatu Adaora Nnenna Soludo etal with having the above mentioned property as their address.
(iii) ALLSTERS INVESTMENT LIMITED: Registered on 2nd September, 2015 as a private company limited by shares with Company No: 9757553. It has its registered address at the same No. 50 Brondesbury Park, London, NW6 7AT, United Kingdom and also has the following persons as Directors – Mrs. Nonye F. Soludo, Miss Ifeatu Adaora Nnenna Soludo, Mr. Ozonna Tochukwu Soludo and Mr. Chinua Belolisa Naeto Soludo with all the directors having the property in issue as the address.
The Claimant further claims that a sequential trail of evidence has revealed that while holding public office as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the defendant abused his office and breached the Code of Conduct for Public Officers by using a proxy, nominee or trustee company - Universal Energy Company Limited, incorporated in the Isle of Man for syndication of fund, to acquire the property and deliberately failed to declare the said property or his obvious interest therein in his Assets Declaration Form submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau. As a result, he flagrantly violated Article 11 of the Part 1, 5th Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as Amended) and thereby liable to the penal sanction of disqualification from holding any other public office for a period of 10 years and forfeiture of the illicit property to the Federal Government of Nigeria pursuant to Article 18(2) of the Law.
The Magistrate Mr. _______________ in issuing the Summons has directed that Prof. Soludo appear in person before the Court on ___ day of _____ 2021 to answer the charges.
It is expected however that he will come along with surety who will take him on bail as it is a bailable offence.
A coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs), as well as an election observer group have called for the arrest of Lauretta Onochie, who was nominated by President Muhammadu Buhari as a National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Chairman, Steering Committee of the Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA), Dr Chima Amadi while addressing journalists in Abuja said Mrs Lauretta lied on oath when she claimed that she is no longer into partisan politics.
He also asked President Buhari to withdraw her nomination, saying INEC is too critical to be subjected to such partisan nomination.
Dr Amadi said the footprints of Lauretta's partisanship are all over the digital space and her nomination subjects the Commission to a credibility crises.
He said, "her partisan footprints are all over the digital space which even makes it curious that she was in the first place considered for nomination."
Also speaking, Salisu Ahmed, national coordinator of Youths for Good Governance (YGG) said Mrs Lauretta also lied when she claimed that the present National Commissioner from the South South, Barrister May Agbamuche-Mbu, was nominated to represent Cross River State and not Delta State.
He said checks at the National Assembly and INEC revealed that Agbamuche-Mbu was nominated by President Buhari in 2016 for appointment in INEC from Delta State.
According to him, "Her curriculum vitae submitted to the Senate by the President clearly indicates that she is from Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State. Although born in Kano and married to a husband from Cross River State, she has maintained Delta as her State of origin and was indeed nominated, screened, confirmed and sworn-in to represent Delta State in INEC.
"The unanimous report of the Abubakar Kyari-led Committee on INEC which screened the nominees in October 2016 was signed by Kyari and nine Senators. They are Sola Adeyeye (Vice Chairman), James Manager, Gilbert Nnaji, Hope Uzodinma, Abdullahi Gumel, Ali Wakili, Shehu Sani, Ovie Omo-Agege and Mao Ohuabunwa.
"In fact, two Senators from Delta State, James Manager and Ovie Omo-Agege, who are still serving Senators, endorsed Mrs Agbamuche-Mbu's nomination as their daughter and nominee for Delta State.
"The report is in the record of the Senate. Therefore no one should mislead the Kabiru-Gaya Committee to endorse the nomination of two Commissioners to represent one State out of the six States from the South South zone."
Meanwhile, a source in INEC also confirmed to iVotesNG that Agbamuche-Mbu is representing Delta State as clearly indicated in the profile of National commissioners on the Commission's website.
The source told our reporter that each geo-political zone is represented by two National Commissioners drawn from different States. They also supervise the States within the zone. However, as a matter of policy, no Commissioner supervises his own State of origin. The source further added that being from Delta, Mrs May Agbamuche-Mbu does not supervise the State. She supervises Rivers, Bayelsa and Cross River State.
Evidence from our reporters also shows that among the documents submitted by the Presidency to facilitate Mrs May Agbamuche-Mbu's screening were her CV, clearance from DSS and the Police as indicated in para 3.0 of the Committee's report. All these confirm that Mrs Agbamuche-Mbu is from, and was nominated to represent, Delta State. This situation puts Mrs Onochie’s nomination into jeopardy as two Commissioners from same state are not allowed to serve on the Commission as per the Constitution. It is yet to be seen if the president will withdraw her nomination following growing condemnation of same across party lines.
24hrs to deadline for submission of candidate for Anambra 2021 election.
*...Jostle and lobbying for Umeoji's running mate intensify* ...two renowned female professors, two former UN diplomat, one House of Assembly members and two ex-Reps shortlisted
.. *Odds favouring a female professor, Dean of one of the Federal universities and an award winning international writer*
The deadline given by the Independent National Electoral Commission for all registered political parties interested in participating in the November 2021 Anambra State governorship election elapses in less than 24 hours.
The development has therefore heightened last minute scheming and jostling within the ranks of the Jude Okeke-led leadership of the All Progressives Grand Alliance and its candidate in the election, Right Honourable Chuma Umeoji.
It will be recalled that according to the election timetable released by INEC, political parties are required to submit the personal particulars and names/list of nominated candidates between July 2 and July 9, 2021.
With the development, APGA leadership and Umeoji, who is a current member of the House of Representatives have come under intense pressure and lobbying over the choice of who becomes the governorship candidate's running mate in the election.
Those who have been mounting the pressure are critical stakeholders in the state, including elder statesmen, party stalwarts, the clergy and some members of the traditional institution among others.
Those who have been shortlisted as possible deputy governorship candidate to run with Umeoji include two renowned female professors, two former United Nations diplomats, one House of Assembly member and two former members of the House of Representatives.
Prominent among those being put forward for the job however is a renowned Professor and Dean of one of the Federal Universities.
She is an award-winning writer with over 14 years of research work.
Many concerned stakeholders and key leaders of APGA including Umeoji's numerous followers and supporters are favourably disposed to picking a woman as his running mate.
They are on the same page on their position that a female running mate with unblemished and high sounding academic achievements will go a long way in helping the incoming government to have all the needed capacity to keep the APGA agenda working and renewed further in the state. The need for women inclusiveness and closing of the gap between the old and new generation is been considered as crucial to the incoming APGA govt .
The stakeholders are also of the view that with a woman and a professional as a running mate for Umeoji, this will prevent distraction.
After emerging victorious in the election, they are arguing that with the choice of the woman, Umeoji will focus on piloting the affairs of the state without being weighed down by unnecessary rivalry and clashes between governors and deputies.
If the wishes of APGA stakeholders sail through as planned, the party will be fielding a young vibrant and academic giant as deputy governor.
This will no doubt redeem the image of the party which recently nosedived with the nomination of a native doctor by the suspended Oye/Soludo camp.
When the late Umaru Musa Yar’adua administration first presented the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) to the National Assembly in 2008, the feeling among people of the host communities was that of reprieve for decades of negligence and sufferings. That explains their eagerness for the bill to come to reality.
On Thursday, the wait was over but disappointedly, it fell short of expectations. The PIB as passed by the National Assembly turned out to be a stunningly bad deal for the people of the host communities and here is why.
In the version of the bill passed by the Senate, a 3% annual operating expenditure of oil companies will go to the Host Communities Trust Fund, and in the House of Representatives, they settled for a 5%. Sorry to say, this isn’t what people bet their hopes on for 13 years to address the unfair treatment they had endured for decades.
Crude Oil in most parts of the world is mostly seen as a gift of God for the people but for host communities in the Niger Delta area, the story is entirely different. Instead of it helping fund schools, hospitals, roadways and even get thousands of able people in host communities meaningfully engaged, what they have gotten over the years is neglect, disease, and poverty.
The percentage being provided for host communities in the PIB seriously questions the sense of justice of the National Assembly. It is a gross misunderstanding of the pains and hopelessness that pervades the host communities as a result of years of neglect and how much is needed to make things right for them.
Compared to many other parts of the country, lives in the Niger Delta area have literally fallen into traps of abject poverty and hopelessness. Make no mistake, the unfavourable situation many people are facing in the Nigeria delta is not necessarily their fault but the impact of oil exploration and related activities in these areas.
Fishermen are daily finding it hard to survive because the oil effect on the land is driving away fish from them. Farmlands are polluted with particles from crude oil and make cultivation on them almost impossible. Sources of water are exposed to oil spills and as such, limit access to clean water for drinking, cooking, or other everyday needs.
All these are a preview of the terrible situations that host communities are forced to bear and should have appealed to the conscience of the federal legislature to do something better for them. But here we’re, and they came up with a deal that will most certainly not make much difference for the people of host communities.
That outlook fiercely contradicts pretentious claims of fairness, and that those in Abuja are not really serious about giving host communities the kind of deal that suits their needs. Otherwise, why would the Senate think 3% will be enough for host communities but a staggering 30% of NNPC’s oil and gas profit to ‘Frontier’ States that are likely to be situated in the Northern part of the country.
Why give so little to people who are already facing the effect of oil activities and focus very big on the search for oil in places that you may hardly find them? That can never be fair. Host communities are in short of good health infrastructures to handle serious ailments that come from exposure to chemicals and other hazardous materials from oil activities. They do not have good water to drink or bathe.
A lot of challenges for host communities that the 3% reached by the Senate cannot definitely take care of. So, the National Assembly will need to have a rethink and review upward the amount that should go to the host communities trust fund. At the least, the National Assembly as an institution can resolve to go with the 5% put forward by the House of Representatives. That, too, will not be enough, but at least, a good start to show host communities they are serious about them.
By Oke Umurhohwo, a Political Analyst and public affairs commentator. He tweets via @OkeStalyf and can be reached on oke.umu@gmail.com
On the 28th of June, northern lawmakers gathered at the Zuma Resort, just on the outskirt of the Federal Capital Territory, and the agenda was to deliberate on the PIB.
The chairman of the caucus, Sarkin Adar from Sokoto State is the chairman of the lower chamber committee on petroleum (upstream). The event was well attended.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, the minister of petroleum, Mele Kyari, the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Mohammed Bello, the Governor of Nasarawa State, Abdulahi Sule, the chairman of Arewa Consultative Forum, Audu Ogbeh, Ango Abdulahi, Boss Mustapha, Simon Lalong all attended the meeting.
Speaking at the event, the Sultan said the PIB must support the exploration of oil in the frontier basins.
“We continue to talk about poverty, unemployment and the attendant insecurity while we are sitting on billions of barrels of Hydrocarbon from Sokoto Basin to Chad Basin, and from Gongola to Bida and Benue Trouh Basins untapped.
“We should have a PlB that will encourage massive hydrocarbon exploration in those Frontier Basins.”
The frontier basins refer to potential oil fields outside the Niger Delta basin. The PIB is proposing the establishment of a frontier basin exploration fund.
The original bill proposed 10% of the prospective mining licences fees for the fund. The committee of the House on the other hand recommended 30% of the profit of the NNPC limited and 10% prospective mining licence. A major win for the north, where most of the basins are located.
The south on the other is interested in the host community trust fund. Section 240 of the bill makes provision for the host communities trust fund.
The House committee recommended 5 per cent for the host communities, which oil companies are to contribute to communities where they are operating.
The House passed that version, however, in the Senate, the host community fund proposal was amended.
Sen Sani Kaita, moved an amendment for it to be reduced to 3%, a move that caused mild disagreement.
Now, two-chamber has passed two different versions.
Aside from that, the north also got another win, as revealed that Mohammed Monguno, the chairman ad hoc committee on PIB, said it’s not only oil producing communities, but any community that pipeline passes through. Which means many communities in manys part of the country will benefit.
The following day, lawmakers from the south met at transcorp hilton in Abuja to discuss further on the matter
BREAKING: APGA Guber Primary: Hon Chukwuma Umeoji emerges Winner of APGA governorship primary held in Awka today.
Hon. Chukwum Michael Umeoji, a sitting member of the House of Representatives, representing Aguata Federal Constituency has been declared winner of the All Progressives Grand Alliance Primaries conducted today, the 1st of July 2021 and held in Awka the Anambra State Capital.
He defeated Nweke Chinyere Elizabeth to secure the victory. At the end of the exercise, the chairman electoral committee of Anambra State Primary election for APGA Okoli Christopher, disclosed that Honorable Umeoji had 904 votes, while Nweke Chinyere Elizabeth got 73 votes.
3-man adhoc delegates were drawn from each of the 326 wards, which came to a total of 978 delegates, number of statutory delegates stood at 160, while total number of delegates were 1138.
Number of accredited were 1007, total vote cast stood at 986, with 9 invalid votes.
Hon Umeoji was thereafter presented with a certificate of return.
The APGA Gubernatorial candidate in his remarks promised to bring all warring parties together in one accord. Umeoji in his acceptance speech said that he has got all it takes to move Anambra forward and when elected he would build on the legacies of the Governor, Willie Obiano and surpass the expectation of his people.
Chinyere Elizabeth a contestant in the primaries conceded defeat to Honorable Umeoji, promising to work with him.
With about 4 months to the Governorship poll in Anambra, the exercise demonstrated here shows that the Jude Okeke led APGA has fulfilled the conditions in the electoral process as Anambra people await their next number one citizen.
Meanwhile, the Delta State High Court where Oye secured an injunction against today's primary presided over by Justice Joe Egwu made a u-turn and vacated the injunction and gave a go ahead order for jude okeke to proceed with today's primary .Its a major set back to Victor oye’s camp.
Anambra guber election: Delta Court Okays Jude Okeke's governorship primaries, vacates Victor Oye's faction injunction earlier issued against Okeke.
...Jubilation hits venue of APGA primary in Awka as Victor Oye’s faction plot to stop Jude Okeke's governorship primary is foiled by Court.
...Court where Oye secured exparte injunction against Jude Okeke turns against Oye, vacates order stopping APGA primary.
...Court decision today has cleared all legal hurdles towards emergence of an authentic governorship candidate for APGA today.
...Over 11 members of Anambra House of Assembly, several appointees of Governor Obiano, party chieftains, thousands of APGA supporters from the 21 LGA, etc storm venue of Jude Okeke led APGA Primaries in solidarity with popular Hon. Chuma Umeoji (Member House of Reps) likely to defeat his closest challenger Iron Lady Elizabeth to win today's exercise .
.Delta State High Court sitting in Orerokpe on Thursday 1st July, 2021 has transferred *Suit No. HOR/25/2021: between Ogbueshi Anthony O. Eboka & APGA VS. Chief Jude Okey & 2 Ors* to the Chief Judge for re-assignment to another Judge.
The effort of the Oye faction to move the motion to extend the life of the interim order earlier obtained suffered a setback in view of the Motion challenging the territorial and subject matter jurisdiction of the Court to hear the matter.
The Judge in transferring the matter to the Chief Judge for personal reasons, ruled that the by virtue of _Order 39(7)(3) of the Delta State High Court Rules_, the earlier Exparte Order he granted had lapsed.
The Jude Okeke led leadership of the All Progressives Grand Alliance APGA, have screened and cleared two aspirants for the July 1 gubernatorial primaries billed to hold tomorrow in Awka the Anambra State Capital
One of the contestants is member House of Representatives, Hon. Chukwuma Umeoji, representing Aguata Federal constituency in the 9th National Assembly, was cleared ahead of the primaries.
The Chairman of the Screening panel, Mazi Daniel Iloabanafo Ikeh who is also APGA Deputy National Chairman (South), who conducted the exercise described Umeoji as a shinning light whose clearance was based on his unquestionable records of loyalty and commitment to the ideals of APGA, having the grassroots capacity and financial will power to lead APGA to victory in the November 2021 poll.
Other members of the screening committee include, Alhaji Dauda Abdullahi, Ambassador Saduma Henry and Dr Aminu Jibril.
Being one of the strongest financiers of the party, Hon Umeoji has done well contributing to the growth of the party.
The lawmaker explained that his greatest motivation for joining the Governorship race, is that the party has done well, considering performance of Dr Willie Obiano, who is the leader of the party.
Umeoji who expressed confidence that he would win the number one seat in Anambra, plans to among other things take up the challenge of making Anambra more secured in the wake of recent escalation of violence in the south East region. Not forgetting that Anambra is one of the safest states in Nigeria.
Former APGA National Chairman, Chief Victor Umeh caught on Camera mocking Prof Soludo during the just concluded APGA primaries. 🤣🤣🤣 Wahala be like what again? pic.twitter.com/ZjmxL3xNGF
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2. Watch Tons of Tutorials
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As a graphic designer when you’re first starting out, if you’re not directly employed you definitely need to do some work for as many people as you can to grow your income or work on as many projects as you can and because design is very subjective, you have to live with the fact that well you might not be good enough but that’s okay. If you can and I think you should, when you’re starting out, you’ll want to make a bunch of free designs or lower-paid projects you can learn from but you have to make sure it’s meeting the needs of the patronizing party aka the client. Don’t take any feedback personal, you have to accept that you’re just starting out.
4. Join Freelance Websites
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What are your tips for growing your income as a graphic designer in Nigeria? Comment below
APGA NWC SUSPENDS SOLUDO, 3 OTHERS. … APPLAUDS SUCCESSFUL DELEGATES CONGRESS IN ANAMBRA
… NEC MEETS, RATIFIES DELEGATES LIST
The Jude Okeke led National Working Committee of APGA has suspended former Governor of the Central Bank and Governorship aspirant, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo from the Party for anti-party activities.
The decision was taken late yesterday at the NWC meeting of the Party which also applauded the peaceful and successful Special Delegate Ward Congresses where 3-man Ward Delegates were elected for the July 1, Governorship primaries.
In a statement by the Ag. National Publicity Secretary of the Party Comrade Ikechukwu Chukwunyere, the party resolved to suspend Prof. Soludo and three other members due to their unrelenting effort at ensuring that the Party is not united to focus on winning the Governorship election, anti party activities, administration of oath on party officials, bribery of party officials, sabotage, promotion of division etc .
The NWC also applauded the members of the party in Anambra State who thronged to the Ward offices across the 326 Wards in the state to elect the 3 man Ward delegates who would elect the Governorship candidate of the Party on 1st July, 2021 in line with the provisions of the Party Constitution, INEC Guidelines and the Electoral Act.
The Party is ready for the July 1 primary election and the winner will lead APGA to victory at the November 6th, 2021 Governorship election.
The statement described the purported Governorship primary election being held in Awka as a sham and effort in futility maintaining that in due time, the courts will declare it as invalid, unconstitutional, null, void and of no effect whatsoever.
“The National Executive Committee of our Party has just finished meeting and has ratified the Delegates list for onward submission to INEC in line with the INEC Guidelines” the statement concludes.
The designer of the Nigeria's national flag, Pa.Taiwo Akinkunmi will once again achieve a great fet by hosting the world's largest flag which is large enough to cover a football field. History will be made as the flag will be hosted tomorrow the 24th of June 2021.
Just like the world's tallest national flag at the city centre in Jeddah, Pa. Taiwo would host the world's largest flag in the acienct city of Ibadan tomorrow.
The Power of a Dream – The Unveiling of the Largest Flag in the World
After more that six decades of Pa. Taiwo Akinwunmi is set to fulfil yet another dream.
In 1958, Pa. Taiwo Akinkunmi had a dream to win Nigeria’s national flag design competition. “My dream was to create the best representation of Nigeria’s greatness; its people. A Wealthy, United and Peaceful Nation.” – Pa. Taiwo Akinkunmi
APGA now out of Anambra Governorship contest over INEC confirmation of Victor Oye’s APGA faction delegate list as invalid over non issuance of 21 days mandatory notice for ward delegate congress* .
... INEC letter renders APGA Wednesday Guber primary an exercise in futility as the use of invalid delegate list will exclude APGA from ballot.
…Jude Okeke-led APGA accuses suspended Oye of deliberate refusal to submit 21 days notice for his faction after collecting $2m and sealing a Senatorial ticket deal with enemies of the party with a promise to help use technicalities to exclude APGA from the ballot.
… *Jude Okeke faction, now the only option and hope for APGA to have a candidate in Anambra since he dully submitted all the notices* .
The All Progresives Grand Alliance (APGA) may not be able to take part in the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra State.
This development is hinged on the position of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that a faction of the party led by Victor Oye did not duly notify it of the plan to hold ward congresses ahead of the governorship poll within the 21 days recommended by its regulations and Section 85 of the Electoral Act.
INEC has communicated its position on the matter to the faction in two separate letters.
In one of the letters, the commission addressed his position to the principal counsel of a law firm, Omas and Partners, who had earlier written and asked for the information while relying on the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act.
The letter dated June 18, 2021 read, "This is to inform you that the commission did not receive the statutory 21 days' notice for the nomination of APGA Anambra State governorship candidate from Victor Oye led APGA.
"Accordingly, the commission did not monitor the said ward congress and as such, there is no monitoring report of the Commission."
The second letter which was addressed to the National Chairman of APGA also read, "Please refer to your letter dated June 16, 2021 forwarding the list of delegates for the nomination of APGA’s Governorship Candidate in the forthcoming Anambra State Governorship Election.
"This is to notify you that the records of the Commission indicates that APGA did not duly notify the Commission of the date of the Congress where the ad hoc delegates were elected as required by Section 85 of the Electoral Act 2010 (As Amended)
"Accordingly the Commission is unable to confirm if the Ad hoc Delegates list submitted by your party is the outcome of a democratic process as required by Section 87(7) of the Electoral Act 2010 (As Amended).
"The Commission wishes to emphasize the need for full compliance with all legal requirements for the conduct of Party Primaries as earlier communicated in the Commissions letter to your Party dated 37 June 2021 (REF: INEC/DEPM/UPPM/119/1/37)."
The two letters by INEC have therefore rendered APGA's Wednesday governorship primary an exercise in futility as the use of invalid delegate list will exclude the party from the election.
Meanwhile, the Jude Okeke-led APGA has accused suspended Oye of deliberate refusal to submit 21 days' notice for his faction to tje commission after allegedly collecting $2m.
Oye was further accused of sealing a Senatorial ticket deal with those described as enemies of the party with a promise to help use technicalities to exclude APGA from the ballot.
The Publicity Secretary of the Okeke faction, Ikechukwu Chukwunyere, in his reaction, said the faction remains the only option and hope for APGA to have a candidate in Anambra since he dully submitted all the notices.
Chukwunyere said, "We are aware of the position of INEC on this matter.
"As disheartening as it is, there is still hope for the party.
"Although the Oye faction had missed the issuance of statutory notice, all hope is not lost if the party backs the Okeke faction.
"This is because the Okeke faction has served all valid notices for the APGA primary in Anambra.
"It is important to join hands with the factiom now if the party must take part in the election."
PAN Nigeria Limited has recently hosted participants of the Air Force War College at its plant in Kaduna. The visit to Nigeria’s foremost automobile manufacturing plant was part of the Institution’s training programs on national security, defense architecture and inter-agency cooperation.
The program, which involved tours to institutions of strategic relevance to the nation, was led by Air Vice Marshall I.T. Ali, the Commandant of the College.
A statement by the Group Head, Corporate Services, PAN Nigeria Limited, Abdulkadir Yinusa[b], said PAN Nigeria was selected as one of the key institutions to be studied due to the importance of its industry to national development and employment. [/b] In her welcome address to the participants, the Acting Managing Director of PAN, Ms Taiwo Oluleye, FCIS stated that despite various challenges confronting manufacturers in the country, such as rising foreign exchange rates and shortages, Insecurity and contracting purchasing power, that the Management of PAN has continued to invest in critical areas that mean much to users of the Company’s product range as a way of sustaining its operations. The areas include deepening customers service and aftersales support.
In his remarks, the Commandant, Air vice Marshal I.T Ali acknowledged the role PAN has played over the years in rolling out products that meets local and international quality standards. He further mentioned that the College is readily available to collaborate with PAN in areas of technology, especially in knowledge sharing. In his final words, the Commandant urged PAN Nigeria to ensure product quality sustainability while assuring the Company of support and patronage.
The event was wrapped up by a guided tour of the PAN Learning Centre facility and the Industrial Assembly plants.
PAN Nigeria Limited, assemblers of Higer buses and ambulances, Chery vehicles as well as Peugeot cars.
(Photo Caption) L-R Mr. Husseini Abubakar (DDG PAN Learning Centre), Mr. Bawo Omagbitse (G.M Planning and Strategy, PAN) Air Vice Marshal I.T Ali (Commandant, Air Force College), Ms. Taiwo Oluleye, FCIS (Acting M.D PAN Nigeria Limited), Mr. Abdulkadir Yinusa (Group Head, Corporate Services PAN), Mr. Oladapo Ojo (Head of Industrial Operations) during the Air Force War College visit to PAN Nigeria.
In December 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari made a chilling promise. He assured Nigerians that he will be leaving a legacy of free and fair elections.
“I promise Nigerians to work very hard on free and fair elections,” Buhari was quoted to have said when officials in his government presented a birthday card to celebrate his 77th birthday at the Presidential Villa. But the president didn’t stop there and went on to prepare the minds of those intending to participate in future elections, particularly in 2023 that he will ensure that “elections are free and fair, that nobody uses his office or his resources to force himself on his constituency.”
For any close observer of the happenings in the country, that assurance from Buhari was the perfect answer to the growing question on the integrity of elections in Nigeria. But that promise, as with many others made by the president, will most certainly go unfulfilled. How sure am I? The answer is right in an October 2020 letter sent to the Nigerian Senate by the president.
In that letter, Buhari put forward five names to the upper legislative chamber for considerations as Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Commissioner. Of the names on the list, one stood out. It was that of Lauretta Onochie, a staunch promoter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and an aide to the president.
Clear enough, it was a blight on the impartiality of the electoral umpire and expectedly, triggered a wave of protest to Onochie’s getting involved in the conduct of elections in the country. Having Onochie at INEC is simply throwing away the impartiality of the electoral body and projecting it as an appendage of the APC.
This seriously put to question the integrity of future elections as it will be unreasonable to expect Onochie to be neutral in a contest that APC will be on the ballot. It is this understanding that has persuaded a flood of views that has impressed on the Nigerian Senate to block the path of Onochie to INEC by turning down her confirmation.
From a legal point of view, Onochie’s nomination as INEC Commissioner run foul of the provisions of Section 14(2a) of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) that “A member of the commission shall be non-partisan and a person of unquestionable integrity.” In addition to this fundamental flaw is the outright disregard for Section 152 of the Electoral Act that provides that “No person holding an elective office to which this act relates or a registered member of a Political Party shall be eligible for or be appointed to carry out duties of a returning officer, an electoral officer, a presiding officer or Poll Clerk.”
Public trust in our electoral system is incredibly low as manipulations and violence heavily weigh against the principle of a free and fair poll. And with Onochie joining the electoral umpire, it is safe to conclude that the electoral system is broken and credible election a mirage. It will erode confidence in the country’s electoral process because votes would no longer matter.
Some supporters of the APC across the country have tried to play down this reality and contended that Buhari did no wrong in presenting Onochie for the INEC job. However, their arguments are not only deeply wrong, but it also exposes poor understandings on the sensitivity of INEC and the implication of reducing it to partisan ground.
Democracy would mean nothing without a credible poll, and to have an election that would be acceptable as ‘free and fair’, then an Onochie, known to have a political bias, have no business in INEC. That is why no one interested in the sustenance of our fragile democracy will be at home with this systematic attempt to ruin our electoral institution.
By Oke Umurhohwo, a political analyst and strategist. He tweets via @OkeStalyf and can be reached on oke.umu@gmail.com
It’s not a little known fact that Nigeria’s 30,000 Naira minimum wage sits at less than $100 (50,000 Naira) per month. Acccording to Nairametrics, it was revealed that due to the global pandemic, many many Nigerians have no emergency savings. The savings Deposit rate has dropped from 4% to 1.6% in the span of a few years. 40.1 percent of population in Nigeria lives in poverty. 4 out of every 10 people in Nigeria live in poverty (less than $1 (500 Naira) per day) and that’s roughly around 85 million people. This statistics was even before the global pandemic and things have become worse. Narrowed down by states, we have Sokoto and Taraba as the highest rate of poor people in the country where it’s almost at 90% or 9 out of 10 people in poverty there…but I could go on and on and on. This video seeks to help shine the light on already existing principles and how to use them in day to day life and save while keeping costs down. I think you might find value in this. Here are some tips mentioned in the video:
1 - Cut Back on Unnecessary Spending
Adjusting your relationship to money and stop spending frivolously can really help. It really pays to be frugal and it doesn’t mean that you’ll deprive yourself of something valuable. Think of it like you’re paying your future self. You’re not looking to spend tomorrow’s money today because you can’t work forever. There’s a reason why we retire and that’s because we can’t keep doing the same thing till we’re 50, so it’s better to take advantage of that now and when it comes to the time where you can’t work anymore.
2 - Budgeting and Expense Tracking
Budgeting and expense tracking can reveal serious holes and leakages in people’s earnings. For many people, it’s difficult to account for their monthly income. Expense tracking at the end of the month right after you receive your account statement can be highly effective in helping you discover the things that you’re unnecessarily spending on and that you can cut back on.
3 - Saving in a High-Interest Savings Account
One way to stay happy with your finances is to save a very significant portion of your income. Most high savers save as high as 50% of their salary, for some, 30% is tolerable. However, saving can really help people out of a rut and have people set up for emergency purposes or even better, retirement in the long term.
4 - Investing in the Stock Market / Securities
A more advanced way of saving while growing one's money is investing in the stock market or buying shares of publicly traded companies. It can be highly risky but value investing has proven to yield successful results over the long run. This is a great way to hedge against inflation and also make passive income with consistency.
5 - Hack your Rent and Transportation
One of the advantages and also disadvantages of living in Nigeria is the fact that we have to pay the rent yearly, instead of monthly. It’s good because now you don’t have to worry about a monthly bill coming your way for where you live, you only need to worry about things like electricity and charges for services. You don’t have to worry about someone kicking you out. However, that’s also another very bad thing because it’s become so expensive now. You have to cough up almost 500,000 to millions of Naira all at once because you want to rent somewhere. This kind of makes the barrier to living by yourself high.
Anyway, another way to even save way more is by living with a roommate or housemate. If you’re living on your own you should consider a smaller real estate if you need more space, consider living with someone you can trust.
Transportation too is another thing. If you can, you should carpool with your friends on your way to work or school and split uber fares. Again, if you’re young no one cares with your mode of transportation is. As far as you can get to where you’re going, that’s really what matters.
6 - Investing in yourself
It doesn’t directly correlate to saving money but investing money in things that would build up your knowledge base and your skill is unrivalled in creating true wealth.
What are your tips for saving, growing and investing money as a Nigerian?
It is. Important that you use the facts. Hima stole this money in 2014 under President Jonathan and it was part of the $1 billion arms money reportedly shared By Dasuki
Abuja - The claims read like the plot of a best-selling thriller, with secretive arms dealers and a corruption-riddled government fighting jihadists.
The weapons deal collapses in acrimony but instead of a shoot-out, the embittered parties fight it out in court.
In this real life saga, Ara Dolarian is the US arms dealer, Hima Aboubakar the weapons contractor and the foreign government Nigeria, which has been locked in a battle with Boko Haram since 2009.
The $246m order at the height of the jihadists' insurgency in 2014 was for weapons and equipment, including helicopters, bombs and ammunition.
It could have given over-stretched and under-resourced Nigerian troops a boost, as the better-armed rebels captured territory across northeast Nigeria, often without a fight.
But the deal collapsed in 2015 and the arms never arrived. Aboubakar sued Dolarian for fraud in California.
Aboubakar, a national of Niger, claimed the US arms dealer failed to ship $8.6m worth of bombs and rockets, damaging his reputation as "a trusted arms supplier to the Nigerian military".
Dolarian alleges in court documents that he was unwittingly caught up in a "money laundering scheme" and that Aboubakar's arms money was "stolen from the Nigerian government".
Rare glimpse Campaign group Transparency International described corruption in the defence procurement sector as "the new diesel for Nigeria's kleptocrats".
It estimated that more than $15bn has been stolen, "leaving the military without vital equipment, insufficiently trained, low in morale and under-resourced".
"This has crippled the Nigerian military," it added in a new report published on Thursday, which defence spokesperson John Enenche rejected and described as "a sweeping allegation".
The defence ministry now did "government-to-government" deals and no longer used contractors, he added.
The court battle between Dalorian and Aboubakar some 12 500km from Abuja offers a rare glimpse into the shadowy world of the arms trade.
It could also shed light on how an alleged multi-billion-dollar fraud in the office of former national security advisor Sambo Dasuki might have taken place.
Pieter Wezeman, a researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, said Dolarian's deal with Aboubakar and his company Societe d'Equipments Internationaux (SEI) "rings alarm bells".
Court documents show SEI signed off on the purchase of six Mi-24 and Mi-35 helicopters from Dolarian for $25m each, which Wezeman said was far above their normal value of $5m each.
Inflated prices open the door to graft, he added. "This is really a ridiculous price," he said.
Endemic corruption Current President Muhammadu Buhari's predecessor Goodluck Jonathan and his administration were forced to take Boko Haram seriously after the kidnapping of more than 200 schoolgirls from the remote town of Chibok.
The mass abduction in April 2014 drew the world's attention to the conflict, sending the government on a shopping spree for weapons.
Buhari, a former military head of state, honed in on the notoriously rotten defence procurement sector after coming to power on an anti-corruption platform in 2015.
Dasuki has been accused of orchestrating a sprawling embezzlement scheme that saw "phantom contracts" awarded for personal and political gain.
Shocking scale The scale of the alleged scam and how officials apparently exploited the insurgency shocked even Nigerians wearily familiar with corruption scandals.
Dasuki and scores of other defence officials were arrested and put on trial. Buhari's government then went after procurement firms.
Last year, a committee set up by Buhari said SEI played a "major" role in the alleged scam after being awarded nearly $1bn worth of contracts "characterised by irregularity and fraud".
SEI deals appear in many ongoing corruption cases in Nigeria.
Two top air force officials are charged with bribery for accepting cash and a Range Rover from the company.
Aboubakar has not been charged and told AFP: "We continue to work with the Nigerian army. Forget about what the people say, they lie."
'Excessive secrecy' Repeated adjournments have become a feature of the separate trials linked to the Dasuki "arms scam".
As time goes by without a big name conviction, there are doubts about whether a significant dent will be made in Nigeria's culture of corruption.
Buhari himself - the driving force of the anti-graft campaign - is wrestling with ill health.
Nigeria specialist Matthew Page said Buhari was not reforming a system of embezzlement "codified" by former military rulers such as Sani Abacha.
Habits that saw many senior officers get rich over decades of military rule persist, despite the return to democracy in 1999, he said.
Nearly two decades later, the defence sector is still secretive, with little or no oversight and transparency, and arms procurement still requires ad hoc approvals from the executive.
"Buhari is a dyed-in-the-wool military guy," said Page, a former US State Department official.
"All these issues, excessive secrecy and the notion that the military operates by different rules, these are principles that Buhari prescribes to pretty closely."
….Fixes July 1st for Guber primary, cancels Oye/Njoku 23rd /25th June Primary
The National Executive Committee of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA has sacked the two factional Chairmen of the Party and appointed a new Ag. National Chairman Chief Jude Okeke.
Briefing newsmen after rising from its 114th NEC meeting in the Abuja, the National Publicity Secretary of the Party said six other members of the Party were also sacked including Chinedu Obidigwe, Barr. Hamman Buba Ghide, Barr. Sylvester Ezeokenwa, Adamu Danjuma Musa, Chief Uchenna Okogbuo, Barr. Ifeanyi Mbaeri who are suspended indefinitely from the party for anti-party activities, gross misconduct and conduct capable of bringing the party’s image to disrepute among others.
Furthermore, the party NEC also resolved to nullify the disqualification of 5 aspirants for the Governorship election in Anambra who were disqualified by the Victor Oye led faction declaring that no person had been dsqualified and that any purported disqualification was done without the authority of the Party. The disqualified aspirants include Nze Sullivan Akachukwu Nwankpo, Hon. Okafor Nonso Smart, Hon Chukwuma Michael Umeoji, Ozoka Odera Ifeanyi and Umeoduagu Nnamdi Dike
The Party also extended the sale of its Governorship forms to the 25th of June, 2021, rescheduled the primary election for July 1, 2021 while cancelling the earlier fixed dates of 23rd June and 25th June while warning aspirants who had picked the forms to keep away from those dates. The Party also resolved to apologize to its members in Imo State who were defrauded by the Party and denied opportunity to participate in the primary election of the Party.
In his acceptance speech, Chief Jude Okeke who was sworn in at the event said it seemed over the years; APGA was comfortable with having only Anambra as our only State but that the fortunes of the party would grow under his leadership.
It would be recalled that APGA had been enmeshed in leadership tussle ahead of the Anambra Guber polls.
New Delhi (CNN Business)Twitter is under siege in two countries that are critical for its global growth plans.
The social media giant has been ensnared in a battle with the Indian government for months over free speech and other issues, and is contending with restrictive new rules pushed by New Delhi. If that wasn't enough, even more dramatic events are unfolding thousands of miles away along Africa's Western coast. Nigeria last week "indefinitely" blocked Twitter (TWTR) after the company deleted a post from President Muhammadu Buhari that threatened a brutal clampdown on unrest in Africa's most populous nation. The Nigerian government also ordered federal prosecutors to arrest users of the app.
The restrictions in India and the ban in Nigeria are troublesome for Twitter. While the company does not break down user data for these countries, independent research suggests India is among its top five markets. Asia's third-largest economy — with its 700 million internet users and many more yet to come online — is also Twitter's top growth market. Meanwhile, nearly 20% of Nigeria's population of 200 million have Twitter accounts, according to NOI Polls. Now that Nigeria has shown it isn't afraid to ban Twitter, some worry India might be next if the tussle between New Delhi and the company can't be resolved. "If this continues, the Indian government's China Envy will become Nigeria Envy," tweeted internet activist Nikhil Pahwa, the Delhi-based founder of tech website MediaNama.
"You may see more calls for banning Twitter in India, if it continues to defy the government," Pahwa told CNN Business. The Silicon Valley-based company's response to political pressure in these countries will decide its trajectory in fast-growing economies that are critical to any global expansion strategy. Successfully navigating the tensions could give other American technology firms a roadmap for dealing with governments that have increasingly authoritarian tendencies. New challenges abroad coincide with strains at home, where Washington has shown a willingness to rein in American tech giants. And it doesn't help that former US President Donald Trump — who is currently banned from Twitter and Facebook (FB) — has urged other countries to follow Nigeria's example
'Undermining' Nigeria Months of tensions have led to Twitter's problems in both Nigeria and India. Nigerians felt snubbed by Twitter when the company decided earlier this year to set up its first Africa base in Ghana, instead of the continent's largest economy. Even though almost 40 million Nigerians have a Twitter account — more than the entire population of Ghana — there are some geopolitical considerations that might have influenced Twitter's decision. Ghana ranked 13 places higher than Nigeria in 2019 on the World Bank's "Ease of Doing Business Index." When announcing the decision in April, Twitter described Ghana "as a champion for democracy, a supporter of free speech, online freedom, and the Open Internet." Tensions escalated this month when Twitter deleted the post by Buhari for violating its policies on abusive behavior.
The country countered Twitter's decision by banning the platform for allowing the use of "activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria's corporate existence," according to Nigeria's Ministry of Information and Culture. In an interview with news agency AFP, the ministry said it would reinstate Twitter if it "registers as a company in Nigeria." The company, meanwhile, has said it "will work to restore access for all those in Nigeria who rely on Twitter to communicate and connect with the world." "The Nigeria ban will definitely get many other emerging economies thinking about how to also get the attention of platforms," Gbenga Sesan, executive director of Paradigm Initiative, which works on digital inclusion and rights in Africa, told CNN Business. He added that if Twitter meets Nigeria's new registration requirements, "then such countries could try the same approach in order to get tax revenues." Threats to free speech in India
In India, tensions were ignited in February as protesters used Twitter to voice their opinions against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's new agriculture laws. The company clashed with the government over an order to take down accounts at the IT Ministry's behest, ultimately complying in part but refusing to take action against journalists, activists or politicians. In May, police turned up at Twitter's office in New Delhi after the company decided to label a tweet from a spokesperson for Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party as "manipulated media." Police said the visit was "part of a routine process" to get Twitter to cooperate with its investigation. The social media company blasted the move as "intimidation tactics" and said that it was "concerned" about the safety its employees in the country. India's new rules for social media have only intensified the chill. They include demands that companies create special roles in India to keep them in compliance with local law, and for firms to stay in contact with law enforcement 24/7. There are also requirements that services remove some types of content, including posts that feature "full or partial nudity." Twitter has said it has concerns about "core elements of the new IT Rules," and the "potential threat to freedom of speech" in the country. But Modi's government says the company is trying to "undermine India's legal system" by its "deliberate defiance" of the rules.
"Twitter needs to stop beating around the bush and comply with the laws of the land," the government said in a statement in May. "Law making and policy formulations is the sole prerogative of the sovereign and Twitter is just a social media platform and it has no [place] in dictating what ... India's legal policy framework should be." For many in India, the debate around social media usage in the country is not so much about freedom of speech but rather about a foreign company challenging the might of the Indian government, Pahwa told CNN Business. He added that the ban in Nigeria "adds more fuel to that fire." Hire locally, grow locally In order to survive and thrive in these emerging economies, companies like Twitter may have to invest more in local teams and understanding local laws, experts said.
And government pressure may already be weakening Twitter's resolve. After signaling its reservations with the new social media rules last month, the company has now said it remains "deeply committed" to India, which is among its largest markets in the world. "We have assured the Government of India that Twitter is making every effort to comply with the new guidelines, and an overview on our progress has been duly shared," the company said in a statement this week. "We will continue our constructive dialogue with the Indian government." For Vivan Sharan, partner at Delhi-based tech policy consulting firm Koan Advisory Group, the Nigeria shutdown and the debate in India may be a "wake-up call" for western social media companies to "grow local capacity to moderate content, and devolve decision making to country offices." "This is of course a tall order for new-age companies that are used to global scale and presence, without commensurately large investments on the ground," he said
"Most social media majors spend the largest share of their operational bandwidth on developed markets. This paradigm is untenable and is now beginning to shift," he added. "Companies that don't double down on localization in emerging markets, may find themselves on the wrong side of the splinternet." — Stephanie Busari in Lagos contributed to this report.
UNFPA Report: Kaduna To Prioritise Women, Girls Protection- Sani Dattijo
UNFPA Report: Kaduna To Prioritise Women, Girls Protection- Sani Dattijo
Kaduna state government is set to prioritise the protection of women and girls under existing laws in order to curb the spate of indiscriminate violations of their bodies, a senior official of Governor Nasir El-Rufai said at the launch of the 2021 State of the World Population Report a flagship of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The report, which has been published since 1978, brings to the public domain, deep research on topical issues that are affecting population and development across the world. The chief of staff to the governor, Mr Muhammad Sani Dattijo on Wednesday described the report as “timely” noting that this year’s theme calls the attention of global leaders, policy makers, parliaments and all stakeholders to the infringement of body rights of half of the world’s population made up of women and girls. “In matters related to reproduction and sexuality, bodily autonomy means women and girls determine their lives and their future and should have the information and means to do so, free from discrimination, coercion and violence,” Sani said. He said that the findings were based on the current General Households Survey conducted by the Kaduna State Bureau of Statistics, and currently being validated by relevant stakeholders. According to him, the survey also shows that over 30 percent of girls in Kubau and Kudan LGAs were also married off before they turn 15 years. “There are of course cultural and religious sensitivities that are contained within this report – it is a global report that also carries the consent of other countries and what they term as important. But it is up to us to really prioritise what we feel are the most important development and population issues in Kaduna state, areas that do not go against existing laws of our country,” he said. He disclosed that immediate action will be taken by relevant agencies in close collaboration with the planning and budget commission to study the report side by side, with emerging data and provide the government through council a clear path, towards the implementation of the areas that are particularly important to the people of Kaduna state. “You can see that when we talk about these issues, it is not one size fits all - it is my belief that policy makers, lawmakers and all duty bearers will provide the needed support to implement key recommendations in the report,” he said. Issues of major concern contained in the General Household Survey by Kaduna Bureau of Statistics bordered on child marriages, genital mutilation and domestic violence. According to the report, over 38 percent of girls in Soba Local Government Area of the state get married before the age of 15, while over 30 percent of girls in Kubau and Kudan LGAs were also married off before they turn 15 years.
At the zonal level, over 32 percent of girls are married off before age 15 in Kaduna North Senatorial Zone, 15 per cent in Kaduna Central and 17 per cent in Kaduna South.
The survey equally shows 49 per cent prevalence of female genital mutilation in Makarfi LGA and 34 per cent in Giwa LGA. In the area of domestic violence, 73 per cent of women in Birnin Gwari LGA and 0.4 per cent in Zaria LGA felt it was normal for a man to beat a woman. Sani assured that relevant ministries, departments and agencies, particularly the Ministry of Health, Human Services and Social Development and PBC will study the report closely and provide a clear implementation plan for some of the recommendations. He further urged traditional and religious leaders, as well as influential groups in various communities to champion the conversation on achieving bodily autonomy.
Atala Marginal Field: Allegations against Dickson false, laughable – Bayelsa West Youth Congress
A youth group in Bayelsa state, Bayelsa West Youth Congress, has described as false and laughable, allegation that the the former Governor of the state, Sen Henry Seriake Dickson, wants to revoke the license of the Atala Marginal Fields (OML 46).
In a statement jointly signed by Ebide Brown and Moses Hitler, the group’s Chairman and Spokesperson respectively, it said Sen Henry Seriake Dickson who is the current senator representing Bayelsa West constituency, is neither the serving governor nor the minister of petroleum who have the power to revoke licenses. They said the allegations are particularly laughable and clearly shows that they are only sponsored in a futile attempt to discredit the huge developmental projects which the senator executed in the state while he was Governor.
According to the group, the general public should disregard the allegations as they are purely false.
The statement reads thus:
“Our attention has been drawn to the latest, mindless vituperations and propaganda continually waged by a man who we know is used by some people in his local government and senatorial district, currently and serving, to propagate outright falsehoods and incite people of Bayelsa against Former Governor Dickson as a result of his intimidating achievements in office and his profile in Bayelsa and beyond – achievements that continue to haunt them for their own failures.
This mindless propaganda began as a prelude to the 2019 Gubernatorial elections. While one can excuse the behavior then as campaign gimmicks, it is surprising that long after the elections, this propaganda has continued.
The latest propaganda relates to the Atala Marginal Fields (OML 46) which was acquired by the Bayelsa State Government, perfected by the administration of then-Governor Goodluck Jonathan and spearheaded by Dickson when he was the Attorney general.
Concerning the ownership of Atala Marginal Fields, the statement by the so-called group, should be completely disregarded and discarded as the statement is completely false and does not make any sense at all.
The Former Governor of Bayelsa and now Senator Henry Seriake Dickson is not a known businessman and does not know of any oil company or have any interest in such company. As a senator from Bayelsa and a champion of the Ijaw struggle, he is naturally opposed to the revocation of that license.
Senator Henry Seriake Dickson is currently a Senator representing Bayelsa West at the Senate. He is not a Governor, he is not the petroleum minister, he is not the head of DPR or even a member of any petroleum committee in the Senate. How can he have the power to take over the Atala Marginal Field?
The persons who are responsible and accountable for the current status of the oil fields are the Minister, Timipre Sylva who has revoked the license through DPR, and the current Governor of Bayelsa state, Senator Douye Diri who is to protect the state’s interest and not Senator Dickson.
This outright blackmail and propaganda against Senator Dickson is pointless and should stop now.
The achievements of former Governor Dickson which will continue to stand the test of time are there in Bayelsa in all sectors for all to see and use. Several roads and several bridges, schools, hospitals, and tertiary institutions, the state secretariates, the best Governor’s office in the country, the golf course, the Dappa Biriye conference center, the ecumenical Centre, the Oxbow Lake Pavilion, and many other legacy projects, especially the Bayelsa International airport.
This continuous spreading of falsehood is because they are scared of their failures, they are scared of the people’s appreciation of Senator Dickson’s efforts as Governor.
This mindless propaganda should be disregarded and discarded. Our silence and patience have been taken for granted for too long.”
The Coalition for Leadership, Accountability and good governance in Bayelsa has lampooned the former Governor of Bayelsa state and current Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva for landing at the Bayelsa International Airport he allegedly claimed never existed during the build up to the Bayelsa Gubernatorial elections in 2019.
The group, while reacting to pictures of Chief Timipre Sylvia posted online by his aide while landing at the Bayelsa State International Airport to attend the 1st African Local Content Roundtable Conference happening at the NCDMB Nigerian Content Tower, Yenagoa, said it is hypocritical of the Petroleum minister to use the airport he claimed was a white elephant project by senator Seriake Dickson who was then Governor of the state.
In a statement signed by the group’s conveners, it said although it found no wrong in Chief Sylva using the airport, however, that the minister’s action is rather hypocritical.
“Our attention has been drawn to images posted on the internet by an aide to current minister of petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva who landed at the Bayelsa International Airport to attend the 1st African Local Content Roundtable Conference holding at the NCDMB Nigerian Content Tower, Yenagoa.
“While there is absolutely no problem with Chief Timipre Sylva using the Bayelsa International Airport, it is however hypocritical of the former governor of our dear state to use the airport he claimed never existed.
“We have always warned our leaders to never play politics with issues of governance. It is morally repugnant for the minister to land his private jet at the airport he and his other party chieftains in the last governorship election mischievously condemned and claimed was a white elephant project.
“Some persons were envious of the past administration for conceiving and executing the Bayelsa International airport. As the minister of Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva is using the Bayelsa Airport but we Bayelsans and Ijaws have not forgotten how he did everything to scuttle the effort of Senator Seriake Dickson who wanted our people to have their own airport. Bayelsa International Airport is the first Airport in Ijaw land”, part of the statement read.
You people need to stop fake news. Multiple people and actual students have confirmed that the news of soldiers arresting students in the hostels is fake and lies that rose from people who don't want to write exams.
Please lets stop this nonsense before people get hurt on campus for real
The entourage moved to the Senator’s country home in Toru-Orua where a reception was hosted by Senator Dickson to appreciate his constituents, elders, party leaders and members for their support of his elections and their organisation of the senatorial district.
Senator Dickson announced that more programs would be set up by the Senatorial District to further engage the youths and women of the district.Former Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Seriake Dickson has opened a constituency office in Sagbama Local Government area of the state to allow his constituents direct access to him.
According to the senator, the new office became necessary to curb the trend where constituents become alienated to their representatives due to distance of going to Abuja where some representatives normally camp, making access to them very difficult for their constituents.
In a grand reception where he was received by a mammoth crowd from both Ekeremor, Sagbama Local governments and well wishers from across the state and beyond, Former Governor, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson landed at the Bayelsa International Airport, his legacy in grand style.
From a colorful reception at the airport to Sagbama town, where he was received by the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Ewhrudjakpor Lawrence who represented the Governor, Senator Douye Diri at the building that would now serve as the constituency office of Senator Henry Seriake Dickson’s bridge to the people of Bayelsa West Senatorial District.
Before giving the Deputy Governor, the honor to commission the office, Senator Dickson pronounced that the office would serve as a direct window to him and would ensure that all benefits that were due to his senatorial district and the Ijaw nation at large including government based recruitments, his own scholarship and JAMB scheme would pass through that office without the need of his constituents going to Abuja. He also stated that representatives from both Ekeremor and Sagbama have been employed by his office in Abuja to work in the Sagbama office. This office would serve as a link between him and his constituents.
The entourage moved to the Senator’s country home in Toru-Orua where a reception was hosted by Senator Dickson to appreciate his constituents, elders, party leaders and members for their support of his elections and their organisation of the senatorial district.
Senator Dickson announced that more programs would be set up by the Senatorial District to further engage the youths and women of the district.
PAN Nigeria Limited has been awarded the best new auto entrant in the commercial vehicle category.
A statement by Abdulkadir Yinusa, the Group Head, Corporate Services of the company, noted that the Award ceremony was part of the activities that marked Transport Day’s 8th Nigeria Annual Transport lecture, exhibition, and award themed: “Improving Nigeria Transportation systems, the way forward” which held at the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos State.
The award was received by the General Manager, Planning and Strategy, Mr Bawo Omagbitse on behalf of the Acting Managing Director, Ms Taiwo Oluleye, FCIS.
According to the statement, PAN Nigeria Limited in strategic partnership with China’s Higer Bus Company Limited commenced the local production of two models of the Higer Buses in its plant in Kaduna.
“PAN Nigeria is the country’s foremost multi-brand automobile manufacturer and assemblers with Higer Bus Company established in 1998 is China’s leading exporter of buses and coaches, whose vehicles are available in more than 100 countries in Asia, Middle East, Africa, Europe, and America.
“The models produced in Nigeria are Higer H5C 16-seats, Higer H6C 19-seats and Higer Ambulance. The vehicles which are used for mass transit, transportation of school children, and ambulance services rolled off the company’s assembly lines in Kaduna in December 2019.
“The Higer Bus comes with features such as Charging ports for all passengers, park- assist, rear camera, DVD/15’ LCD Display for passengers as well as spacious leg and head room.
“In addition, the Higer Ambulance is fitted with state-of-the-art medical equipment such as suction catheters, stretcher belts and anatomical mattress, silicon resuscitators with
mask, pulse oximeter, digital thermometer, 2kg fire extinguisher, automatic loading stretcher, scoop stretcher, AC/DC electronic suction machine, oxygen regulator, among others.
In her message on the award, the Acting Managing Director, Ms Taiwo Oluleye, expressed her appreciation for the award from the reputable Transport Publishers. She further stated that “This award is an affirmation of PAN Nigeria’s commitment to the delivery of reliable vehicles that surpass customer’s expectation”.
PAN Nigeria, today, has sufficient capacity to meet the country’s need for ambulances, school buses and mass transit vehicles.
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