Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, stormed Rivers State yesterday with a warning to his political opponents that their illegal acts stand no chance of success in the ongoing crisis in the state.

Wike, the immediate past governor of the state, is currently locked in a stand-off with his successor and estranged godson, Siminalayi Fubara.

Speaking on the heels of the injunction obtained on Friday by the three pro-Fubara members of the State House of Assembly barring the 25 pro-Wike legislators from sitting, the minister said no injunctions obtained at 2am or 4am would stop the law and due process from taking its course.

And from the governor’s camp yesterday came a statement that nobody should underrate him.

His Chief of Staff, Edison Ehie, declared that the governor has what it takes to teach his opponents political lessons.

“If they like, they can go to anybody by 2am or 4am to get injunction. The law will take its course. We must follow due process”, Wike said at a civic reception for Chief George Thompson Sekibo at Ogu-Bolo in celebration of his 36 years in public service.

He also said, in response to a recent statement by Fubara, that he has not asked anyone to worship him.

The Governor had said he was not prepared to worship anyone.

Wike said: “It is not easy to be a public officer and the people decide to honour you. Let me thank the Ogu council of chiefs and the entire community who insisted that their son should be honoured.

“You have refused politics to divide you. It shows that you have the interest of your community in mind. I came because I respect people who appreciate what God has used people to do for them.

"God uses people to help others. So when you have been helped, you appreciate them. God will know you have appreciated him. Nobody can worship man. All of us believe that it is only God we will worship.

“As politicians, we appreciate people who have helped us. When I came to ask you to support me, you supported me. Did I worship you? Did I ask you to worship me?

“If you had not supported me, I would not have been where I am. Did you tell me to worship you? So where does the issue of worship come from?”

The FCT Minister admitted that he made a mistake in his judgment of Fubara and asked the people of the LGA and his political family to forgive him about it.

He promised to correct the mistake at the appropriate time.

Wike vowed to keep making his detractors angry so they would continue to make mistakes.

His words: “I want to say this clearly: in life, we make mistakes.

“I have made a mistake. I own it up and I say God forgive me. I have said all of you forgive me. But we will correct it at the appropriate time.

“I am human. I am bound to make mistakes. So forgive me for making a wrong judgment. So nobody should kill.”

Wike told his supporters in the state assembly not to succumb to intimidation, saying: “Don’t be afraid. Nobody will remove you as lawmakers.

“Most of you don’t understand. This is our work. Our business is to make them to fear. That is what I am doing.

“We will make them to be angry every day and they will continue to make mistakes.”

The former governor said he would continue to maintain peace in the state and called on his supporters to pursue peace.

He said: “So don’t worry yourselves. We won’t give money to anybody to go and buy arms to kill anybody. I have maintained peace and I want to beg all of you to continue to maintain peace.

“Nobody will tell me that I can’t live in my house or not go to my house. But all of you should maintain the peace. Follow law and due process. We will get to the end.

“As you see me, I stand straight. I think well. I came with Senator Magnus Abe. I work with people that have brains.

Suspected Fulani herdsmen have reportedly hijacked and abducted some students returning from Calabar, Cross Rivers State, in a Sienna within the Ewreni junction axis along the East-West Road in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.

The incident occurred on Friday, DAILY POST can report.

The suspected herdsmen are demanding N10 million.

Delta State Police Command Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, is yet to pick up phone calls or reply to text messages sent to him for confirmation of the report.

A former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, standing trial for an alleged N7.2bn fraud, said he was ready to go to prison just like the prophets.

Sirika, his daughter, and three others were arraigned at a Federal Capital Territory High Court on Thursday on a six-count amended criminal charge before Justice Sylvanus Oriji.

A video of the ex-minister speaking in court with his lawyers surfaced on social media on Thursday.

In the video, Sirika, dressed in cream Babariga, could be heard saying, “It’s okay. Fatima, it’s okay,” while comforting his daughter.

He continued, “Even prophets have gone (to prison). Those that went, haven’t they finished theirs already?…whatever Allah says”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had accused the ex-minister, his daughter, son-in-law and Al-Duraq Investment Limited, of fraud in connection with the botched Nigerian Air project.

Meanwhile, the court granted each of the defendants bail in the sum of N100m with two sureties each.

Before the trial judge, Justice Sylvanus Orji granted the bail request of the defendants, they pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against them after it was read out to them.

The prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs SAN, had informed the court of an amended charge by the EFCC dated May 7, and filed on May 8, which was not opposed by the counsel for the defendants.

Sirika’s lead counsel, Kanu Agabi (SAN), informed the court of his client’s bail application dated May 6.

The other defendants similarly, moved their bail applications and prayed the court to be liberal in the bail conditions.

Jacobs, on his part, told the court that all the defendants were on administrative bail and asked the court to grant bail on the condition that would make them appear for their trials.

Apart from the N100m bail, Justice Osuji added that one of the sureties must own a landed property with valid land titles in like sum within the Federal Capital Territory.

The judge also held that the sureties must depose to an affidavit of means while he barred the defendants from travelling outside the country without its permission.

He added that failure to fulfil the bail conditions would earn the defendants a stay in a correctional facility.

The House of Representatives Thursday asked the Central Bank of Nigeria to withdraw the circular directing all banks to commence charging a 0.5 per cent cybersecurity levy on all electronic transactions within the country, The Nation reports.

The motion on the urgent need to halt and modify the implementation of the cybersecurity levy was moved by the member representing the Obio/Akpor Constituency, Kingsley Chinda.

The House urged the CBN to withdraw the circular and “issue a more understandable one,” as Chinda had drawn the attention of the House to multiple interpretations of the CBN directive against the specifications in the Cybersecurity Act.

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has decried the newly introduced Cyber security Levy by the President Bola Tinubu-led Nigerian government.

Obi said the taxes the current administration of Tinubu had imposed on Nigerians are too many and aimed at milking a dying economy.

SaharaReporters reported on May 7, that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed deposit money banks in the country to start charging 0.5% cybersecurity levy on transactions.

The apex bank gave the directive in a circular dated May 6, 2024 addressed to all commercial, merchant, non-interest and payment service banks as well as mobile money operators and payment service providers.

“Following the enactment of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) (amendment) Act 2024 and pursuant to the provision of Section 44 (2) (a) of the Act, ‘a levy of 0.5% (0.005) equivalent to a half percent of all electronic transactions value by the business specified in the Second Schedule of the Act’, is to be remitted to the National Cybersecurity Fund (NCF), which shall be administered by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA),” the circular partly read.

CBN, however, noted that the implementation of the levy would start two weeks from the date of the circular.

“The levy shall be applied at the point of electronic transfer origination, then deducted and remitted by the financial institution. The deducted amount shall be reflected in the customer’s account with the narration, ‘Cybersecurity Levy’.

However, reacting to the new tax imposition on Nigerians, on his official social media page, the former Anambra State Governor, said instead of nurturing the recovery and growth of the economy, the government by its multiple taxation is more interested in heaping more burden on the people who are already suffering severe economic stress.

Obi wrote: "The introduction of yet another tax, in the form of Cybersecurity Levy, on Nigerians who are already suffering severe economic distress is further proof that the government is more interested in milking a dying economy instead of nurturing it to recovery and growth.

"This does not only amount to multiple taxation on banking transactions, which are already subject to various other taxes including stamp duties but negates the Government’s avowed commitment to reduce the number of taxes and streamline the tax system.

"The imposition of a Cybersecurity Levy on bank transactions is particularly sad given that the tax is on the trading capital of businesses and not on their profit hence will further erode whatever is left of their remaining capital, after the impact of the Naira devaluation high inflation rate. It is inconceivable to expect the suffering citizens of Nigeria to separately fund all activities of the government.

"Policies such as this not only impoverish the citizens but make the country’s economic environment less competitive.

"At a time when the government should be reducing taxes to curb inflation, the government is instead introducing new taxes. And when did the office of the NSA become a revenue-collecting center?

"And why should that purely national security office receive returns on a specific tax as stated in the new cybersecurity law?"

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is set to arraign former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, his daughter, Fatimah, and two other suspects in court on Thursday.

The suspects are facing charges over alleged N2.7 billion contract fraud uncovered in the Aviation Ministry under Sirika.

The embattled former Minister would be arraigned for trial for the first time, before Justice Sylvanus Oriji of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday.

Sirika is billed to appear in court with his three co-defendants, his daughter, Fatima; one Jalal Hamma, and Al-Duraq Investment Ltd, on charges of abusing their positions to launder over N2.7 billion.

The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare Tunji Alausa says President Bola Tinubu’s absence from the country is not due to medical reasons.

Tinubu is yet to return to Nigeria days after the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Saudi Arabia, prompting concerns about his whereabouts.

But Alausa said contrary to speculations, Tinubu is not away from Nigeria on medical grounds.

“Let me tell you, we are developing a healthcare system for Nigerians not for the President. We have 220 million Nigerians and that’s what Mr President wants,” the minister said on Tuesday’s edition of Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.

“We have a president that is well, that is healthy and leading the country in the right direction,” he said.

The minister said, “The president is getting some of his care in Nigeria”.

The ousted ex-Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu. recently discussed his impeachment, the political landscape of the state, the influence of godfathers, and the controversial matter of campaign vehicles allocated during his tenure.

Shaibu acknowledged having the vehicles but introduced a fresh perspective on why he might not relinquish them, characterizing those requesting their return as lacking compassion.

He said, “The vehicles they are referring to are the two Prado SUVs used by Lucky Imasuen as the deputy governor. The other Hilux was the one (Dr Pius) Odubu’s wife used, and the Land Cruiser was the one Odubu used.

“I took all those vehicles to the mechanic who changed their engine and refurbished them. Those are the vehicles that they are telling me to return.

“So, you can see how heartless men can be. I got only one new vehicle in almost eight years that I served as the deputy governor of the state.”

Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina State has defended the northern governors’ trip to the US, saying it was to find lasting solutions to the insecurity ravaging the region.

The governors had come under fire over the recent trip to the US. But Radda said the visit was part of moves to tackle security in the north, explaining that they were invited to the meeting.

“Ten governors were in the United States, Washington D.C and we had a symposium with the United States Institute of Peace so that we can bring about ideas that will end insecurity that is worrying our people and is a major problem to the subnationals and they carefully chose the governors of the places affected by banditry and kidnapping,” he said on Friday’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today.

“All of us sat for three days and we were able to cross-fertilise ideas and interact with all stakeholders that are involved in bringing about lasting peace and security globally,” the governor said.

Despite criticism over the meeting with many questioning why it was held in the US and not in Nigeria, Radda has defended the trip.

“The meeting was not at the instance of the selected governors of northern states but it was at the instance of the United States Institute of Peace. They were the people who invited us; they hosted us for the meeting. We were invited to sit with them so that we could bring about lasting solutions to the problems that are affecting our people,” he said.

According to Radda, the US trip afforded the governors fresh insights into the security challenges riddling the northern region.

The northern region has in recent years been battling banditry, kidnapping, and a range of security issues.

Hundreds have been abducted and killed over the years since the security challenge heightened.

Several reasons have been attributed to the rising spate of insecurity in the north but Radda has ruled out political undertones.

”The issue of the hypothesis behind political motive as responsible for banditry is not true,” the Katsina State governor said, highlighting injustice and poverty as the root causes of insecurity in the north.

A Civil Society Organisation (CSO), Peers Advocacy and Advancement Centre (PAACA), has called for an end to carpet crossing by politicians in the country in order not destroy the role of opposition in democratic governance.

The Executive Director, PAACA, Mr Ezenwa Nwagwu, gave this advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja.

He said politicians have outsourced opposition to media and civil society groups but would rather cross carpet to a different political party when they did not succeed with their political ambitions.

"Nigerian politicians have no interest in opposition, their opposition is in writing statements.

“The work of the civil society and the media is not to oppose the government but to clap when the government does well and criticise when they should. But they now want us to play their own role.

"And that is why we need to do something about this movement from one political party to another.

“They are outsourcing the opposition.

That is why when they see us, they say you people are not talking enough, forgetting that the only reason civil societies talked under military rule in the past was because there were no political parties then,” he said.

Ezenwa said that opposition political parties were meant to be shadow governments, through policy differentiation.

"The Republican Party and the Democratic Party of the United States of America do not speak the same language; when they want to speak the same language, they come into a conference.

"The Labour Party and the Conservative Party of the United kingdom do not speak the same language.

“Opposition is a policy; what is your policy in agriculture, in education and health? So, if I compare with the PDP or the APC, then I can make a choice.

“The only difference here is the style of accomplishing those tasks. Opposition is not fashionable to the Nigerian politician.

"Where does it leave the Nigerian people? They are being deceived and aided by a very uninformed populace that do not take the time to differentiate between what is concrete and what is not,” Nwagwu said.

He therefore, said it was necessary to do something to discourage or kill cross carpeting, to ensure Nigeria’s democracy and Nigerians enjoy viable opposition.

Goodlady:

You dey smoke Igbo, no wonder.
Receive healings!

Winnin009:



Even a child can tell that you’re so impressed with the terms; “ballistic; cruise”. 😂😂😂😂

Do you even know the meaning? 😂😂😂😂

E say na research. 😂😂😂😂

Why should I name it for you? It’s not my job to educate you na. Shey bi you’ve done your research.

Bask in your research. Enjoy your day.

blueAgent:


Story.

Leave this crap story for market women.

Winnin009:



Where did you copy and paste this from?

Dem suppose seize your phone. 😂😂😂😂😂

Winnin009:


Ogbeni, shut up joor. 😂😂😂😂

So because NK has a few bombs, what now happened?!

If that’s the case; by your analogy, Russia is also afraid of NK na.

People that have never been involved in a conflict outside their region is who you’re talking about?! 😂😂😂

wiseoneking:
You guys have come again with North Korea shiiiiT. That’s how you ruffle the ego of Iran and they are now mourning after spending the billions of dollars nuclear head for nothing against the Israel of God. Iran and North Korea are on thesame level and they can never do any stuff

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has declared that no human can give power, except God Almighty.

Atiku’s declaration came on the heels of the ongoing controversy trailing the outcome of the 98th National Executive Committee meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party held in Abuja on Thursday.

The 2023 PDP presidential standard-bearer’s position was contained in a WhatsApp group chat with some of his supporters in the country on Friday.

According to the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the party, among its intra-party resolutions made on Thursday, had approved the reconstitution of its Disciplinary and Reconciliation Committees to further ensure its stability.

Among the key decisions made at the NEC meeting, the party also appointed former Akwa-Ibom State governor, Emmanuel Udom, as the head of its Disciplinary Committee, while former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, remains the head of its Reconciliation committee.

But Atiku told his supporters in the Whatsapp group after the NEC meeting that only God gives power.

His reaction follows insinuations by his supporters that he has been betrayed by some elements within the party.

The former vice president, who had contested six different times to become Nigeria’s president, but failed, said, “There is God. It is God that gives power, not anybody.”

Responding, one of his supporters on the social media group, said, “This is very true, Sir and this same God will answer your heart desires and ours too.

"When the day comes, we shall all be alive to celebrate together as one big family of good faith.

“All our hand work will not go to waste, there is always light at the end of the tunnel. We shall all walk and work together to witness the night. Victory shall be ours. It is well with you, Sir.”

Meanwhile, the Deputy National Chairman (South) of the party, Taofeek Arapaja, has addressed the growing calls for the suspension of former Rivers State governor and current Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesome Wike, and other members of the defunct G5 governors within the PDP over alleged anti-party activities.

He disclosed in an interview with Saturday PUNCH on Friday in reaction to the resolutions reached at Thursday’s NEC meeting of the party and its North Central Zone leadership meeting held on Wednesday night.

Ahead of the two meetings, some top chieftains of the party, including former PDP governorship candidate in Kogi State, Senator Dino Melaye, had boasted that every top chieftain of the party accused of anti-party activities would get serious sanctions from the party’s NEC on Thursday.

On Thursday, the PDP NEC, however, failed to comment on the alleged anti-party issues and further retained the party’s former Vice Chairman (North), Umar Damagum as the party’s acting national chairman till its next NEC meeting.

Reacting in an interview with Saturday PUNCH on Friday, the PDP National Vice Chairman (South-West) said both Wike and Ortom cannot be suspended by the party’s NEC because it is not the duty of the NEC to do so.

He said, “I think that is not part of the activities of the NEC. We have different committees like the reconciliation committee and the disciplinary committee. So we have internal mechanisms to deal with things like that. And then, they have never been accused; they have never been charged and they haven’t presented themselves for the disciplinary committee or anything. So, I don’t think that is for NEC to do.

"Whoever is alleging them of committing anti-party should forward their complaints to the disciplinary committee. That is just it. There are lots of mechanisms and processes that need to take place and things like that are not the duty of the NEC.”

Damagum survives ouster plot

In the meantime, Saturday PUNCH has gathered that the acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Umar Damagum, survived a plot to oust him because governors elected on the party’s platform salvaged the situation.

Leading up to the PDP 98 National Executive Committee meeting which held on Thursday, a crucial topic of debate among party officials over the past two weeks centered on whether Damagum should retain his position or be replaced.

The campaign organisation of Labour Party presidential flag bearer in 2023 election, Peter Obi, on Friday, faulted media speculations that his frequent visits to churches and mosques were an act of religious politics deployed to boost his political profile ahead of the 2027 election.

The former Anambra State governor came under heavy criticism last month during the Ramadan season where he was spotted visiting some mosques to celebrate Iftar with the Muslim faithful.

Iftar is the meal eaten after sunset during Ramadan to break the day’s fast.

But in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday, the chief spokesman of Obi’s presidential campaign organisation, Yunusa Tanko, noted that Obi’s acts of philanthropy and altruism transcend the complex institution of politics and religion.

He also condemned the ‘malicious and unsubstantiated allegation’, saying it is being orchestrated to blackmail the LP presidential candidate.

He said, “Obi’s visit to churches and mosques is purely prompted by his urge to help the less privileged and has nothing to do with political campaigns. In these places, Obi had given messages of hope to lift the spirit of the downtrodden. He hastily and never talked about politics, abused anybody, or indulged in name-calling.

"For instance, during the Ramadan period, Obi visited some praying centres in the North and South breaking fast with Muslim faithful, donating some items to help ameliorate their sufferings and further providing basic amenities such as potable water in some communities.”