₦airaland Forum

Speaker House of Representatives,  Rt.Hon Femi Gbajabiamila on Monday afternoon paid an unscheduled visit to Senate Chief Whip and former Governor of Abia state ,   Senator Orji Uzor Kalu in his Abuja residence 

The Speaker who arrived Kalu’s residence at exactly 2:45 PM unannounced spent nearly two hours with Kalu’s family. 

Thenigeriadaily.com  recalls that Kalu had last month visited South East and spent more than three weeks in his countryhome. 

Kalu’s homecoming was greeted with tumultuous welcome as he triumphantly rode from Sam Mbakwe airport Owerri to the cheers of thousands of supporters and fans

thenigeriadaily.com gathered that Gbajabiamila whose relationship with Kalu dates years back  visited Kalu following his successful return from his countryhome.

Meanwhile, other details of the visit as the time of publishing this report was yet to be disclosed .

https://thenigeriadaily.com/2020/08/17/rep-speaker-gbajabiamila-pays-unscheduled-visit-to-orji-kalu/

Why present candidates that cant even win councillorship elections in their wards. Truth be told none of these people are known in the North and without the Nothern support its waste of time.

There only two people who are well known in the North, they are Kalu and Okorocha.

Kenneth Udeh, Umuahia

Former National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and immediate past Senator representing Anambra central senatorial zone , Senator Victor Umeh on Friday, said Nigeria needs a courageous man like Chief Whip of the Senate and former governor of Abia State , Senator Orji Uzor Kalu to lead Nigeria

He revealed that he had told Senator Kalu that his dream is to see an Igbo man become president of Nigeria.

Senator Umeh made the statement at Arochukwu , the countryhome of former Managing Director of defunct Diamond Bank and Abia state gubernatorial candidate under APGA, Dr Alex Otti

He also said the Igbos have contributed immensely to the development of Nigeria, adding that Nigerian Nation is not for the faint hearted.

His words " Orji Kalu is a man who loves Igbos so dearly . Political hurdles in Nigeria are not meant for the faint hearted. Anyone who will represent the Igbos shouldn't be one who is fearful but for the courageous who can withstand any obstacle or challenge.

"I was so pained when he was incarcerated because I know he is someone who knows and understands Nigerian political terrain.
He is someone who knows how to win his contests that was why he was made the Chief Whip in his first tenure as a Senator,

"I urge all Igbos to get wiser . Nigeria is a nation where you clamour for resources to be distributed equitably. You need to speak up or else you will be cheated .This is the time for Ndigbo to take their rightful position, in my recent interview I said it that now is the right time for an Igbo man to become the President of Nigeria. " He said

Further speaking , he said " Senator Orji Kalu is a man with a big heart ,who bears the thoughts of the betterment of our land that is why the relationship between me and him has remained for over 20 years.
I have always stood by Alex Otti all through his political journey, now he is chosen a new path to align with Senator Orji Uzor Kalu in the APC , and he has my full consent.

Presenting Alex Otti, who formally declared his intention to join the APC to Kalu , Senator Umeh said, "I want you Senator Orji Kalu to take Alex Otti as your younger brother, I want you to give him all the support he needs to excel politically. We only seek the betterment of all Southerners and Nigerians at large.

"I have told Senator Orji Uzor Kalu that my dream is to see an Igbo man become the President of Nigeria, and this is not about party affiliation, I will give my full support to any party that gives its 2023 party ticket to an Igbo man.

" I will be fully involved in the campaign activities of such party, politics, we need people who are courageous like Orji Uzor Kalu. I urge all Igbos to remain United in our quest for the emergence of an Igbo man to become a Nigerian President." He said.

https://thenigeriadaily.com/2020/08/07/2023-we-need-a-courageous-man-like-orji-kalu-to-lead-nigeria-victor-umeh/

Kenneth Udeh, Umuahia


Former Governor of Imo state and Senator representing Imo West Senatorial zone , Senator Rochas Okorocha on Thursday said Igbo leadership and responsibilities has fallen on the Senate Chief Whip and former Governor of Abia state, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and himself (Okorocha )


The former Imo governor made the statement on Thursday in Abia at the home of First Vice National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) South East, Dr Julius Anyim Nyerere


Okorocha whose meeting with Kalu was coincidental spoke strongly for the reunification of Igbo elites, adding that himself and Kalu have decided to work together. He also suggested they need to dramatize their love and peace so that subsequent generations can key in to it.


According to him , ” Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu is late , politicians like Jim Nwobodo, Arthur Nzeribe and many others are no longer active as they use to be . Many other great leaders are no more and that vacuum must be filled up .So the responsibilities have fallen on other people’s shoulders, and that shoulder is that of Dr Orji Uzor Kalu and myself. So it is important that we gather as brothers and discuss issues that will help the entire Igbo people. Because if a child knows what killed his father, he wouldn’t allow himself to die same way . ”


Speaking further he said , ” I am using this opportunity to tell my brother, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu that the dance we are dancing now is not for ourselves but to entertain the public and know if they will be happy. If I dance for you to give me money , that means something is wrong . So the dance now is not for us but to see if there will be a better future for Igbo people. We have decided to work together. We are learning on the job on how to work together. We have to make a shift from the normalcy.


“The political ideology inherited from our predecessors and political fore fathers are not really the best . We were taught to maintain political enemies for the rest of your life. That is why the likes of Jim Nwobodo and Alex Ekwueme never agreed until death , Mbakwe and Arthur Nzeribe never agreed until death and so we must carve out a niche so we don’t transfer this to subsequent generation of “Ndigbo”, that is why people like Orji Uzor Kalu and myself must profess love amongst ourselves and not only within us but within our enclave.


Continuing he said, “We should never allow division among ourselves. We must distinguish ourselves in character and at the same time know when to extend our hands of fellowship to our brothers who are not on the same political stand with us . This will help us to know when political war will end and when brotherhood will start . Because in life you need to know when to start and when to stop. We need to come together to make sure that Igbo people are no longer used as political spare tyres . I saw a protest yesterday in Abuja and Lagos and that protest is a pointer . We need to dramatize our love and peace so that subsequent generations can key in to it .” Okorocha said.


In his response, Kalu said he wants peace to return to the APC political family in the South East .


He noted that what he needs in life at the moment are limited , adding that he will be very happy to see the current governor of Imo state, Hope Uzodimma and Rochas Okorocha on the same page.


Kalu’s words: ” I am happy because Owelle has spoken so well, I want peace to return to APC in the Southeast, I am the highest politically elected office holder the Southeast by virtue of my office as the Chief Whip.


“In the Senate I am ranked number four and I have never taken it for granted. The only problem I am facing is resolve the issue between the Governor of Imo State (Hope Uzodinma) and the former Governor (Rochas Okorocha) ; for them to be on the same page , I will be fulfilled politically anyday both of them decide to work together. My dream is to have roundtable discussion with Governor Uzodimma, Yourself ( Okorocha), Senator Ken Nnamani , Hon Minister Ogbonnaya Onu, Senator Chris Ngige and Minister Geoffrey Onyeama and others. Once we achieve that, the sky will be our starting point. If we are unable to resolve the political issues in Imo State it will be difficult for us to move forward. ” He said


Kalu noted he is very courageous and not scared of speaking the truth, adding that he also want to see a larger Nigeria where every citizen will be comfortable and living in unity.

"I want to see a larger Nigeria where every citizen will be comfortable , where Igbos will be reintegrate into the socio economic and political fabric of our nation, where our people will be more respected".


Kalu emphasised the importance of democracy he said "There two basic factors in democracy; the software and the hardware of democracy but people are always focused on the hardware and pay less attention to the software , the software talks about strict compliance to the rule of law governing the society"


People think democracy is only about building infrastructure but it is also about managing people I am talking about participatory democracy, where we create room for dialogue."


Kalu also advised Southeast Governors and other political stakeholders to desist from public criticism of one another noting that issues should be resolved internally .


https://newsdiaryonline.com/igbo-responsibilities-have-fallen-on-orji-kalu-myself-okorocha/

Its good sef! That convention should have been banned by the Government long time ago.

Chief Whip of the Senate and former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu on Monday said the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has not paid any dime to the contractors who built the roads he facilitated.

Kalu was reacting to the communique written by Senator Godswill Akpabio, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, where he reportedly mentioned ex governors Emmanuel Uduaghan, James Ibori , Senator Ifeanyi Ararume , Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and others to the several contracts allotted by the NDDC

In a statement signed by Barrister Emeka Nwala of office of the Senate Chief Whip and made available to THE NIGERIA DAILY , Kalu said he believes the issues at stake in the NDDC has to do with missing funds and not works done , adding that he is becoming worried over his name being used indiscriminately to sell newspapers without verifications .

According to the Chief Whip , the road projects mentioned by the Honourable Minister are the interventions he facilitated for the communities as a private citizen before he became a Senator.

Kalu revealed his name is mentioned because he used his letter headed paper to write a sympathetic letter to the NDDC in 2016 requesting and pleading with the body to rescue roads in Abia.

He also noted his relationship with Senator Akpabio dates years back and long before he (Kalu) became a govenor , adding that he would still request for more road interventions from Akpabio

His words, ” I was Governor of Abia State between 1999-2007 and never held any public office until June 11, 2019 when I was sworn in as a Senator. Between 2016- 2018 during my tour to several communities; leaders and welfare unions of most communities pleaded for urgent intervention on some dilapidated roads . I wrote to the NDDC informing the body of the conditions of these roads and the need for their attention since Abia is an NDDC state .

“The NDDC in their consideration which I am very grateful to, awarded the roads to companies that duly tendered for the projects and not myself. Whatever link I have with the projects is because it was considered due to my intervention” He said

The Senate Chief Whip also noted that the NDDC that awarded these projects were not any of the interim management in controversy but the fully constituted body of NDDC with its board.

Clarifying further, he said “the roads I requested for intervention as mentioned by the Honourable Minister were repairs of Ezere-Acha-Ndiokoukwu Road ;Amaubiri-Eluama-Uru Ring Road, Lokpaukwu, Umuchieze ; Ndi Oji Abam-Atan Road ; the Okafia-Ozuitem-Bende road and Ozu-Amuru-Abam Road .

“The contractors have completed and delivered these roads long time ago except Abam-Atani road which I learnt from the contractors was slowed down due to rain but still ongoing.

“Meanwhile, it would interest Nigerians to know that the contractors who built these roads have not been paid any dime . It has not been easy with the contractors but because it’s a community project they have but only kept their hope alive on the NDDC.

Further speaking, he said ” I am so much concerned about roads because I understand the economic importance of good roads , that’s why I built several roads when I was Governor. Even as a Senator, it would interest you to know that my major constituency projects are road constructions, reconstructions and rehabilitations . We have put in plans to finish 19 roads in Abia North before the end of 2021.

“As a community leader, I do not intend to stop my interventions on roads in NDDC states because all the states need good roads. Good roads help to drive the economy. Therefore, I believe the NDDC forensic audit should focus on the missing funds and not works done . They should focus on paying contractors that delivered their jobs and not using my name indiscriminately to sell newspapers. The Honourable Minister, Senator Godswill Akpabio is my good old friend. We have been friends even before I became a governor. I hope he doesn’t expect me to stop seeking for road interventions in our communities . It is his civic responsibility to support the communities and I am very confident he will oblige our future requests especially in areas of good roads.” Kalu said.

A man accused of committing blasphemy under a controversial Pakistani law has been killed while standing trial. It is the latest in a series of such extrajudicial killings in the country.
A Pakistani man was arrested on Wednesday after he entered a courtroom in the northwestern city of Peshawar and shot and killed another man who was standing trial for blasphemy.

The man on trial was facing charges of having insulted the Muslim Prophet Muhammad, an offense that carries the maximum sentence of death under the country's blasphemy laws.

The suspect told police that he had been ordered to carry out the killing by Muhammad because the accused had belonged to the Ahmadiyya faith, a minority that Pakistan declared non-Muslim in 1974 for regarding its founder, Ghulam Ahmad, as a prophet. In orthodox Islam, there can be no prophets after Muhammad.

The group, which numbers some 4 million members, has faced persecution for decades.

One police officer, Azmat Khan, told the Associated Press that the accused had himself claimed to be Islam's prophet and had been arrested on blasphemy charges two years ago.

Welcome pretext

Human rights groups have said Pakistan's blasphemy laws, introduced by former military ruler Ziaul Haq in the 1980s, are often used to settle personal scores, with a mere accusation often sufficing to cause riots or killings.

Although Pakistani authorities have yet to put someone to death for the offense, crowds and individuals often take the law into their own hands. More than 50 people have been victims of extrajudicial killings before their court trials had even finished.

In one prominent case, a governor in Punjab province was murdered by his own guard after he defended a Christian woman, Asia Bibi, who faced blasphemy charges. Bibi herself was acquitted after spending eight-year on death row and emigrated to Canada last year after death threats from Islamic extremists.



https://thenigeriadaily.com/2020/07/29/pakistan-man-accused-of-insulting-muslim-prophet-muhammadshot-dead-at-court-trial/

A mild drama ensued at the Sam Mbakwe Airport, Owerri as the Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Uzor Kalu was held hostage by supporters who insisted he must declare his readiness to run for President in 2023 before leaving the airport.

The Chief Whip of the Senate and former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu made his first entrance to the South-East, almost two months after his release from the Kuje custodial centre.


Senator Orji Uzor Kalu arrived the Domestic Wing of the Sam Mbakwe Airport, Owerri at exactly, 1:32 pm via a private jet and was making his way out of the arrival when he was accosted by thousands of supporters. The visibly elated crowd made it nearly impossible for the former Governor to access his vehicle as they insisted he must declare his interest before they allow him leave.


The Senator, however waved at his supporters and asked them to in his words “Only thank God for me” before he was whisked into a waiting vehicle.

The office of the Chief Whip of the Senate had earlier issued a directive appealing to well-wishers and supporters to respect the COVID-19 regulations and avoid gatherings to celebrate his homecoming, a directive which they clearly were not ready to adhere to.

The drama continued as his convoy arrived Abia state as thousands of his supporters defied the rain to welcome him.

Shouts of “OUK our President” rent the air while his convoy made its way through the streets.

Meanwhile, All Progressives Congress (APC) Abia state chapter, in a statement signed by the publicity secretary Comrade Benedict Godson has welcomed the former Governor to the state.

The statement reads as follows “Today, our leader makes a triumphant entry into Abia, as a journey towards reclaiming our state begins In our part of the world. Today, after the much-failed efforts made to curse a man whom God has already blessed, that man is coming in to take his rightful place as our leader. He’s the APC leader in the South East of Nigeria, he’s Abia State political leader no matter the party you belong and he’s the man whom everybody gives the respect as Abia Original leader.

In Another statement released by the Movement for the Emancipation of Igbo People and signed by its National Coordinator Kelechi Okoye, the organization declared that “For those who sent Senator Orji Uzor Kalu to jail because of 2023, we shall use the same man to teach them a lesson about the resilience of the Igbo man.

We shall make sure he declares and runs for President come 2023 and we shall put them to eternal shame. In the coming months the whole nation will hear the voice of the Igbo people and it will be loud, clear and deafening”

The Senator is yet to make a statement to confirm or deny if he he will be joining the Presidential race in 2023, insisting he is still having a sober reflection on the events of the past months.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rohVIfYVx00

https://corenews247.com/news/2023-presidency-igbos-insist-kalu-must-run-as-he-returns-home/

Minority leader of the Abia State House of Assembly under the All Progressive Congress (APC) Honorable Chijioke Chukwu on Monday led members of the Abia State House of Assembly, to welcome the Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu to Abia State.

Hon. Chijioke who represents Bende North State Constituency, led the members welcome and pay due respect to Senator Kalu , who has been away from the state for 9 Months due to his unjust incarceration at the Kuje Custodial centre.

From left: Hon. Chijioke Chukwu, Hon. Chibuzor Okogbuo, Hon.Barr. Emeka Okoroafor and Hon. Michael Ukoha.

Hon. Chijioke speaking to newsmen described Senator Orji Kalu as the political leader in not just Abia State; but the Southeast. He said that the return of Senator Orji Kalu had rekindled the Hope of the Igbos in Nigeria.

Other notable members of the Abia State House of Assembly include: Hon. Michael Ukoha, Minority Whip (Arochukwu), Hon.Barr. Emeka Okoroafor (Isuikwuato), Hon. Chibuzor Okogbuo former member (Bende South) amongst others.

Hon. Chijioke Chukwu Minority Leader Abia House of Assembly.Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and Members of the Abia State House of Assembly.

Senator Kalu who is visiting the South East for the first time since he was released from Kuje custodial centre on June 2nd, arrived Sam Mbakwe Airport Owerri in a private jet at exactly 1:32pm.

Accompanied by his retinue of aides, friends and associates, Kalu was warmly welcomed at the airport by a number of supporters numbering about 3,000.

The Chief Whip of the Senate in a dramatic move to avoid the crowd headed straight to his country home where he was given an unprecedented welcome.

Orji Uzor Kalu, ex-Governor of Abia State and current Senator representing Abia North district in the Red Chamber, has stated that the six months he was incarcerated in Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja, has rather spurred his desire to work for the people of Abia North in particular and Abia State in general.

Kalu, who is also the Majority Chief Whip of Nigeria Senate, stated this on his first visit to his country home after his jail experience, reiterated that rather than diminish his quest to serve his people, his incarceration serves as a source of motivation to take his constituency to greater heights.

That man must have been very very notorious as a student...

Im very sure Ned Nwoko would have penciled this one down. Afterall Regina Daniel is now an evening news paper...

By Dr. Johnson Greg

Time is said to be the greatest arbiter of truth and justice. In the fullness of time, the truth shall be laid bare. This truism seems to have been demonstrated amply by the narrative rendered by Mohammed Lawal, Office Assistant to Ibrahim Magu, the recently suspended Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). It is better to present unadulterated the narrative of Mr. Lawal, which reveals the conspiracy that led to the sudden conviction of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu by Justice Idris of the Nigerian Court of Appeals, (an appellate judge that usurped the position of a trial judge just to convict a marked man).

Many Nigerians understood that there was more to the conviction of Senator Kalu than was shown on the pages of the newspapers and screens of social media platforms. But the whole truth is emerging now only when a witness to the plot has chosen to speak out.

THE MEN BEHIND THE PLOT TO TAKE ORJI UZOR KALU OUT OF THE GAME (By Mohammed Lawal)

My name is Mohammed Lawal, Special Assistant to the former Acting Chairman of EFCC, C.P. Ibrahim Magu. I worked with him directly and I traveled with him within Nigeria most of the time.

I am familiar with the details of my boss' involvement in the case of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu. I first noticed that the Vice President Osinbajo was actively interested in the case of Senator Kalu when I accompanied my boss to the office of the Vice President on the matter. Though I was not in the meetings between my boss and the Vice President, I knew the meetings were about Senator Kalu because we went to the meetings with only one file and it was Senator Kalu's file. Also, on many occasions, I overheard phone conversations between my boss and various people in connection with the case of Orji Uzor Kalu, then pending at the Federal High Court, Lagos.

Basically, my boss was following the request or directives of the Vice President and Governor Ahmed Tinubu. My boss had no personal interest in Orji Uzor Kalu. But my boss is very close to Tinubu and the Vice President, as they have been his greatest supporters, especially after the Senate failed to confirm him. The Vice President was his pillar of support in making sure that he remained the Acting Chairman of the EFCC irrespective of the fact that the Senate refused to confirm him as the substantive Chairman. My boss became very very close to the Vice President. The loyalty of my boss to Tinubu was also connected with his understanding that Senator Saraki blocked his confirmation and he believed that Tinubu and Saraki hated each other.

My understanding is that a group of strange bedfellows were working together to get Orji Uzor Kalu out of the way, and their best option was to work with the EFCC and judge handling the case pending against the Senator. The people working together against Kalu were Tinubu, the Vice President Osinbajo, Senator Ken Nnamani, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, and Chief Emeka Offor, who is a business partner with Ken Nnamani. These people have different motives but for some reason, they felt they needed each order. Senator Ken Nnamani tries to position himself as a leader of the APC in Igbo land. It is all a game of influence within the APC in the South East. With access to the party leadership, Nnamani and Emeka Offor cornered a chunk of government contracts going to the South East. Their company, the Enugu power distribution company, has been a vital interest that needed government protection. The company has not performed despite the huge public funds pumped into it. The men needed continued closeness to Federal Government in order for the government not to raise issues about the non-performance of that company and similar interests.

So, it is all about who could be said to lead the APC in the South East. The speedy rise of Orji Uzor Kalu within the APC is perceived as a threat to the interest of Senator Nnamani and Chief Emeka Offor. That is the foundation of their opposition and rivalry toward Senator Orji Uzor Kalu. Nnamani, aware that Kalu's name had been often mentioned by key stakeholders as a potential presidential candidate in 2023, approached Tinubu for mutual support against Kalu. They made the case to Tinubu that Senator Kalu was an obstacle to be addressed ahead of time.

Everybody understood that Tinubu had an ambition for the presidency. Tunubu understood that Orji Uzor Kalu was a potential rival. There was a common interest between Tinubu and Ken Nnamani/Emeka Offor in neutralizing Orji Uzor Kalu. With Kalu out of the way, Nnamani and Offor would have no serious rival as the leader of APC in the South East and Tinubu would have one potential rival for the presidency out of the way.

The Vice President had been working to support Tinubu's ambition. He and Tinubu were happy to use the two well-known Igbo figures to neutralize Orji Uzor Kalu. So, Senator Nnamani's and Emeka Offor's quest for unrivaled influence in the South East and Senator Abaribe's personal grudge against Orji Uzor Kalu became very useful to Tinubu. And these men worked together to achieve the common goal of taking Orji Uzor Kalu down by any means possible, provided they would not be seen to have been the ones behind that outcome.

My boss, Magu, came into the picture because Tinubu and the Vice President saw our (EFCC) case against Senator Kalu as the perfect opportunity to get Kalu. We (EFCC) had a good relationship with Justice Idris then of the Federal High Court, Lagos. Also, both Tinubu and the Vice President have considerable influence with the judge. My boss met with Justice Idris many times over Orji Uzor Kalu's case. I remember vividly one meeting in Tinubu's house in Lagos, which was attended by my boss, the Vice President and the judge. My boss went into that meeting with only one file and that was the file of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu.

I am also aware of certain information in the file, that was manufactured and manipulated and used against Kalu. For instance, the total amount of the cheques covering the money Orji Uzor Kalu was accused of embezzling was actually 2.1 billion naira, not the 7.6 billion that we made it out to be. And the cheques in question were drawn against the security votes account. I know what was done to turn things around and make the figures to become 7.6 billion, and present it as if taken from the state treasury instead of the security votes account. Senator Orji Uzor Kalu's conviction was carefully arranged and it worked out as planned, at least initially.

Three factors led me to disclose the truth of what happened here. Firstly, the conviction of Senator Kalu was quashed, making nonsense of the plot to put him away. And his popularity within the party leadership remained high throughout the time he was in prison. Secondly, my boss has been so unfairly treated in the manner he was publicly humiliated and ridiculed out of office. The Vice President and Tinubu did not do enough to protect him, despite that he was loyal to them. And thirdly, Chief Fani-Kayode, former Minister of Aviation, recently published an article disclosing that my boss was working for Tinubu and the Vice President, and that they used him. If he knew that much, it shows that I am not the only one that knew about the role these men played to get Orji Uzor Kalu jailed. I have no incentive to keep quiet about what happened to my boss.

https://abntv.ng/2020/07/the-conspiracy-against-orji-uzor-kalu-finally-exposed/

Edozie Udeojo,Abuja

• As security agencies lay ambush,seal off CNA’s office

The lingering crisis over the tenure elongation of National Assembly staff took a new dimension, as the National Assembly Commission Thursday,issued a query to Mohammed Sani-Omolori, the clerk, over his refusal to proceed on retirement.

The commission had approved the retirement of Sani-Omolori on the basis that he had spent 35 years but the clerk refused, saying that the eighth assembly had approved his tenure extension.

The commission a query with Reference No: NASC/CHO/1/2 dated July 16th 2020 which signed by the NASC Executive Chairman, Engr Ahmed Kadi Amshi accused the embattled Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), Mohammed Ataba Sani-Omolori of “gross insubordination.”

The query was received by one Kumo in the registry of the CNA.

It reads: “The attention of the National Assembly Service Commission was drawn to a press release titled: ‘Retirement age for Staff of the National Assembly is 40 years of service or 64 years of age whichever comes first’ dated July 15th 2020 and signed by M.A Sani-Omolori, Clerk to the National Assembly.

“As you are very much aware, the Clerk to the National Assembly is an employee of the National Assembly Service Commission, video Section 6 (1)b of the National Assembly Act, 2014 (as amended).

“The Clerk to the National Assembly has no authority whatsoever to dictate anything to the Commission.

“Your press release is considered by the Commission as gross insubordination to a constituted authority.

“You are, by this letter requested to explain to the Commission within twenty-four (24) hours as to why disciplinary action will not be taken against you as per provision of Section 6(2)b of the National Assembly Service Act, 2014 (as amended) for this gross insubordination,” the query read.


The sources also noted that the security agencies are currently laying ambush for the embattled CNA who was directed by the Commission to proceed immediately on retirement as he has attained the retirement age as provided in the National Assembly’s Condition of Service.

In the counter-press release issued on Wednesday evening, Sani-Omolori had challenged the Commission’s authority on the resolution on the Condition of Service passed by the 8th Assembly.

Sani-Omolori’s statement read in part “the National Assembly Service Commission does NOT have the powers to set aside the Revised Conditions of Service as passed by the 8th National Assembly.

“The Management had maintained a studied silence in deference to the leadership of the 9th National Assembly who is looking into the position being canvassed by the Commission,” the press release read.

Meanwhile, the Commission had in its earlier press release directed all the Staff who have attained 35 years of service or 60 years old to proceed on retirement immediately.

“Pursuant to its mandate as provided in the National Assembly Service Act, 2014(as amended), the National Assembly Service Commission at its 497th meeting held on Wednesday, July 15th 2020 has approved the retirement age of the staff of the National Assembly Service as 35 years of service or 60 years of age whichever comes first.

“To this effect, the Commission has approved the immediate retirement of staff of the National Assembly Service who have already attained the retirement age of 35 years of service or 60 years of age.

“Retirement letters would be issued to the affected staff accordingly,” the NASC Executive Chairman said in the press release.


https://thenigeriadaily.com/2020/07/16/just-in-nassembly-commission-queries-clerk-for-refusing-to-retire/

Why won't she come out as the best, I know that secondary very well , its one the richest private Schools in Nigeria.
Louisville Girls High School Ijebu-Itele in Ogun State is a school that foreigners attend and it is strictly boarding .

What about Tinubu ?? Mtchewww!!!

At age 30 , I did a job and got paid the sum of 200k.

Governor Abubakar Sani Bello, in this interview with Daily Sun's Kenneth Udeh admits that Niger State’s major challenges are bandits and coping with Coronavirus infections.

Five years since he was elected in 2015, governor Bello said a lot still needs to be done in the state, just as he outlined major achievements that his administration and it''s positive impact on the wellbeing of the people.Excerpt:

Lately, Niger State was in the news over the activities of bandits in the state. Is this not going to affect farming and the food chain in the state?

Well, in the last one year, we have had two challenges, one is banditry. I am very disturbed about banditry. My worry is that it appears that the activities of the bandits would stop farmers from going to their farms, and if farmers don’t go to farms, there is a looming danger of outbreak of famine. So, we have been fighting bandits for one year, we are making progress; unfortunately, this is a war that has to be fought jointly with neighbouring states, because the bandits operate from neighbouring states. They have made life very uncomfortable for our people over here. On several occasions we have to take care of IDPs, that is quite a lot of resources which we don’t have. It has cost us a lot of money that we should use for other areas, instead it is used to address security challenges. Addressing insecurity is extremely expensive, to finance security operations, considering the size of the state. We find ourselves moving from one part of the state to the other on a daily basis and that requires a lot of resources, from movement of equipment and personnel. Also, you have to provide allowances for the personnel because most of the times they are in the forest and a lot of logistics are needed. So, it requires a lot of money which ordinarily we would have used in education, infrastructure, water and so on. So that has been giving us a lot of sleepless nights. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic that came in suddenly also made life extremely difficult because we have to divert again substantial parts of our resources towards addressing issues on COVID-19. So far, the main challenges we have are banditry activities and the Coronavirus pandemic. Every other thing with time will take place. People have to be patient. I know there a lot of things that still need to be done in education, roads, water resources, agriculture and so on, but we have to prioritize and as at the moment our priority is security and Coronavirus pandemic. Going forward, we need to pay a lot of attention to agriculture, especially youth empowerment. We are trying to engage a lot of our youths into agriculture, we have many graduates seeking for jobs, unfortunately, the size of the government is already too big, the alternative is to encourage our youths to embark on agriculture or anything that has to do with skills. We have to work closely with our youths to understand that even though you have a degree there is the need to engage them more and see how government can support them. We are ready to support them if only we can understand how they need our support. In some cases, we had cause to train the youths and provide them with what we call starter packs. We trained them in tailoring and so many things. So, I hope now since this COVID-19 has changed the dynamics of everything in Nigeria at the moment and this is a very good opportunity to bounce back from being a consumer nation to a productive nation and also increase our skills capacity.

Forget your degree and get skills as skills is the key and you will do well. Agriculture is very good, people make a lot of money out of Agriculture, but of course, government has to set up the enabling environment to support the youths because even clearing of farm is an issue to them. So, government will work with the ministry of youths to see how it can support this effort.

Read more https://www.sunnewsonline.com/banditry-giving-me-sleepless-nights-gov-bello/

This is why I didn't bother to read the initial nonsense fake news from the Nation newspaper...

https://www.nairaland.com/5938420/edo-primary-apc-writes-igp/3#90869861

I wanted to read it but the moment I saw the "Nation Newspapers" I just knew it was nothing but fake news . It's so sad that Tinubu's 2023 ambition has rendered that media useless... even tissue paper is worth more that that nonsense.

He's Gay son you mean ??

Edozie Udeojo,Abuja

...AS USAID IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE STATE GOVERNMENT COMMISSIONS EMERGENCY OPERATION AND COMMUNICATION CENTRE (EOC)

The fight against the novel Coronavirus in Niger State has received a boost as an Emergency Operation and Communication Centre (EOC) has been virtually commissioned to upgrade the Public Health centre in the state.

The establishment of the EOC is in partnership with the state government and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

The virtual commissionig led by the United States Ambassador to Nigeria Mary Beth Leonard was between the State Governor Abubakar Sani Bello and the USAID representative

In his address, Governor Abubakar Sani Bello explained that the State Government recognizes the scale and complexity of COVID –19 pandemic and the need to have the state-of-the-art operational facilities aimed at fighting the deadly virus head-on.

The Governor said the rising cases of COVID-19 and the fast-moving and changing situation necessitated the establishment of the centre for the over all benefits of the citizenry.

He maintained that hitherto, a lot of resources have been mobilized to contain the spread of Coronavirus in the state, noting that even though recorded cases are on the increase, the state government will continue to develop new strategies to meet up with the evolving situation.

The Governor said, so far the state has recorded 59 cases of COVID-19, 28 fully recovered, discharged and re-united with their families.

While appreciating the USAID for the partnership in upgrading the PHEOC, the Governor assured that this will further improve his response to COVID -19 pandemic and mitigate future outbreak of diseases as well as enhance data collection for informed decision making.

He also pledged to continue to provide enabling environment for partnership that will impart meaningfully on the people of the state.

https://thenigeriadaily.com/2020/06/16/covid-19-niger-state-gov-intensifies-fight-secures-usaid-support/

It's not even up to the faculty of Agriculture in OAU ...

The day you join cult is the very day you died ... unfortunately, when you belong there is a demon that is invoked into such people . The demon thirsts for blood and more blood.

The guy is a member of and from the video , he initially mistook them to be his members maybe he was now misled into following them as you can see he wasn't dragged.

The guy knew he was going to die , he was already going down unfortunately there is no 2nd chance. A life just wasted like that.

I keep saying it that only a coward will join cultism.

By George Samuel, Abuja

The Nigerian Law Reform Commission ( NLRC ) has thrown its weight behind the Supreme Court Judgement quashing 12 – year jail term slammed on Senator Orji Uzor Kalu by Justice Mohammed Idris on the 5th of December 2019 .

The Acting Chairman of the Commission , Professor Jummai Audi declared to the Senate Committee on Judiciary Human Rights and Legal Matters that the Judgement of the lower court against Orji Uzor Kalu was an absurdity on account of the Justice who completed hearing and ruled on the case.

Professor Audi who made the declaration during her screening for the substantive Chairmanship position of the Commission on Wednesday , said : “On the Orji Uzor Kalu’s case, I think it is an absurdity.

” The administration of criminal justice has to be amended because you can not say that a Judge, who by law has been appointed to a higher level should step down in order to decide a case and then caterpault himself up again to his normal position.

“We can read a lot of intention to that which is unconstitutional, undemocratic and unacceptable. Because it is not acceptable, the decision taken by that arrangement cannot stand” .

She added that since provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act ( ACJA) , relied upon for the judgement , cannot override that of the 1999 Constitution , it will have to be amended .

Virtually all the members of the committee like Senators James Manager ( PDP Delta South), Peter Nwaoboshi ( PDP Delta North) , Chukwuka Utazi ( PDP Enugu North) , Gabriel Suswam ( PDP Benue North East ) and Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia ( APC Jigawa North) , supported the submission by chorusing ” you are well guided”.

Recalled that in its reaction to the Supreme Court Judgement , the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption, Prof Itse Sagay, SAN, expressed his displeasure over Apex Court’s judgment nullifying the trial of Kalu, and others…

He said : “No section of the constitution prevented a judge, who was promoted to a higher court, from continuing to hear pending cases in the lower court.

“(But if) the National Assembly then passes a law that grants the authority to that judge, I think the Supreme Court doesn’t have the power to insist on its own interpretation by referring to the constitution, which has no such provisions”.

https://thenigeriadaily.com/2020/05/21/breaking-senators-nlrc-backs-supreme-court-judgement-on-orji-kalu/

Who Offered $20M Bribe To Poison COVID-19 Cure??

Seriously I wish I had an idea on who offered such amount.

This is very terrible, they don't eat monkeys for God's sake... it's forbidden on my home town ... This looks like a child it's like eating a human being.

Tinubu is a Hypocrite: Gambari Should ‘ve been Confined to Late Abacha Inglorious Past

By Dr Chris O. Maduka

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his confessed Disciples of the late Chief MKO Abiola are the biggest Hypocrites that have ever lived or walked on the face of the Earth.

Yesterday they cried about Abiola and June 12th. They raised the biggest statue in Nigeria right by Ojota bypass entrance to Lagos where all can see it. They celebrated the unveiling of the statue as if the Late amiable Chief and winner of June 12th election resurrected. Among the celebrants were some of the people that connived and conspired to deny Abiola the Presidency.

They took the living legend and gave them the statue and holidays and they actually celebrated again in their usual foolish euphoria.

Today the same Bola Tinubu who has made his career riding on the tailcoat of Late Chief Abiola is now Praising the newly Appointed Chief of Staff to the President Ambassador Ibrahim Gambari, the man who helped to kill June 12th and Buried Abiola, Tinubu is praising the high heavens. He came short of saying thank you for Killing June 12th. Perhaps he thought that some of us may have forgotten the event and the role Gambari played.

I was not told, I watched the same Ibrahim Gambari defend and justify the annulment of June 12 elections conducted by one of the best and courageous political gurus that this country has ever seen. Professor, Mazi Humphrey Nwosu who introduced the option A4 open ballot voting that produced the most transparent, free and fair elections that this country has ever seen, yet when the military in their ambition to hold unto power and keep it in the North annulled it, It was the same Amb. Gambari who went all over the places telling the world that the election was flawed. That it was full of malpractices. He alleged all manners of evil to justify the evil and disservice that was to the Nigerian people and the Late MKO Abiola. Little wonder the country has failed to get it right ever since.

Then fast forward to when Ken Sarowiwa and others were murdered by the Abacha regime, it was once again, Amb. Gambari who used his diplomatic clout to blunt and undermine the gathering international resolve to deal with the Abacha regime which had the likes of same Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the run, hiding in foxholes and disguising like Jankara women to escape from the border to avoid being liquidated.

Yes, Amb. Gambari was and has always been in the bad gang against the Nigerian people. He serves one god at a time (his Boss). Regardless of how the Nigerian people feel, and regardless of whatsoever whosoever his boss unleashes on the people he will still remain loyal and dance to the tune of whoever pays him the Piper determines the tune he will play.

He has interestingly indicated that he will do same with his Current appointment. He’s a good laundry man. Watch as he’ll attempt to use his receding and waning diplomatic contacts to launder and justify the indefensible actions of this administration. But thank God the thinking in Washington, the realities and the key players are different from the Clintonian and Obama school of thoughts.

People have flaunted and showcased his academic brilliance to justify his inept and deeply flawed personal character and failings. Can any of those who sang his praises to the high heavens tell ordinary Nigerians the diplomatic achievements of this career diplomat that have impacted ordinary Nigerians positively? Perhaps that may help to justify their unwarranted and unmerited praises they are pouring on him.

Let me remind all, that during Saddam Hussein reign there were equally other brilliant men with compelling credentials and experience that served under Saddam, just like Ibrahim Gambari served under Gen. Abacha and other dictators. We still remember the foreign minister Tariq Aziz and few others. But when that regime went down, they all went down with it. It was like a deck of cards. It collapsed and never to be resurrected again.

The likes of Amb. Gambari and others who used their brilliance and credentials to serve the regime disapproved by the world in its entirety should’ve gone down with that regime and never to be heard from again.

Perhaps that’s the problem with the Nigeria people. We continue to resurrect people who are parts of axis of evil. Those who are co-conspirators and facilitators in the gradual destruction of Nigeria to come back and lead or fix Nigeria with the same mindset that did not work when things were less complicated and challenging as they are now.

Already Bola Ahmed Tinubu the lead singer that leads the Yoruba nation has reburied Abiola his Oga, as he embraced those who ganged up and saw to his destruction and early grave.

Little wonder little or no progress has been made and will not be made even if you bring a hundred more Ibrahim Gambaris.

https://premiumreportersonline.com/2020/05/15/tinubu-is-a-hypocrite-gambari-should-ve-been-confined-to-late-abacha-inglorious-past/

Mgbeke will always be mbgeke!!

Twitter has disclosed it will allow employees to work from home for as long as they want.

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey told his employees Tuesday that many of them will be allowed to work from home in perpetuity, even after the coronavirus pandemic ends, according to a company spokesperson.

“Opening offices will be our decision,” the spokesperson said. “When and if our employees come back, will be theirs.”

In an email, recently obtained , Dorsey said it was unlikely that Twitter would open its offices before September and that all in-person events would be canceled for the remainder of the year.

The company will assess its plans for 2021 events later this year.

“We were uniquely positioned to respond quickly and allow folks to work from home given our emphasis on decentralization and supporting a distributed workforce capable of working from anywhere,” the spokesperson said.

“The past few months have proven we can make that work,” she said. “So if our employees are in a role and situation that enables them to work from home and they want to continue to do so forever, we will make that happen. If not, our offices will be their warm and welcoming selves, with some additional precautions, when we feel it’s safe to return.”

Twitter’s new policy comes as businesses across the nation are struggling to adapt to social distancing guidelines and rethinking how they will operate in a post-pandemic world.

Major tech companies such as Facebook, Google and Microsoft were early to move to a work-from-home model and have also been the most cautious in planning for moving employees back into the office.

Google has told employees that the vast majority of them will work from home until 2021, though some will return in the early summer. Facebook will similarly start to reopen offices after the July 4 weekend but will let employees who are able to work from home do so until next year.

The long-term work-from-home policies of these companies stand in stark contrast to much of the rest of the country, where states are slowly easing lockdown restrictions. Governors in several states, including California, where Twitter, Facebook and Google are based, have already started a phased reopening of their economies.

https://premiumreportersonline.com/2020/05/13/twitter-twitter-ceo-says-hes-employees-can-work-from-home-forever/

A 27-year-old man has been crushed to death by a vehicle conveying two policemen in Eziorsu community in Oguta council of Imo State.

The policemen were said to be hurriedly getting away from the scene of a breached pipeline when their vehicle ran over the deceased identified as Chinedu Nwedu.

The incident happened last weekend.

The two men, led by one Sergeant Ikiira Sunday, came from Mopol 29, Awka, Anambra State, it was learnt.

After a successful operation at the pipeline, the men were accosted by military men at Egbema as well as community youths.

They reportedly engaged the soldiers in a gun battle in order to make good their escape.

But being overpowered by the military men, the policemen zoomed off in their vehicle, hitting Chinedu as they fled.

The two policemen have been taken into police custody.

Police spokesman Orlando Ikeokwu confirmed the incident, but said it was an accident.

https://premiumreportersonline.com/2020/05/13/fleeing-policemen-crush-man-to-death-in-imo/

Lagos

A 22-year-old lady, Funmilola Adisa, has confessed to drowning her one year and six months old baby because it stood in her way to become a lawyer.

According to Adisa she drowned the baby in a bucket of water, in her apartment, located at the Gowon Estate, Lagos State.

She said: “I killed my baby because she deprived me of realising my dream of becoming a lawyer. I drowned her inside a bucket filled with water on Monday. Thereafter, I reported myself at the Gowon Estate Police Station. The police did not come immediately but when they did, they found the dead baby inside the bucket.”

Adisa, who is now in police custody, explained that she was impregnated by a boy who attended the same Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) classes with her. When she told him that she was pregnant for him, he asked her to go for an abortion, but her father wouldn’t have any of that.

She said: “I passed my JAMB and was offered admission to study Law at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, but I had to defer the admission because of the baby. I wanted to take her to the orphanage home at first, when it became difficult to take care of her. I live with my sister who has no job and I am also not working. I felt there was no use keeping her since I could not take care of her. I killed her because I was frustrated but most importantly, because she stood in the way of actualising my dream of becoming a lawyer.”

The suspect was taken to the Lagos State Police Command headquarters, Ikeja, yesterday, from where the Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, directed that she should be transferred to the State Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Panti, Yaba.

Adisa’s elder sister, who did not want her name mentioned, said she was shocked to hear that her younger sister committed such an act.

She added: “I suspected she was gradually developing a mental problem. Our mother had the same mental problem before she died. We live in the same apartment but have our separate bedrooms. I didn’t know when she drowned the baby, until the police arrived.”

https://premiumreportersonline.com/2020/05/13/i-killed-my-baby-because-it-stopped-me-from-becoming-a-lawyer-says-22-year-old-lady/