₦airaland Forum

Akinyemi Samuel Adedoyin is wanted by the EFCC.
Please report his whereabout to the nearest EFCC Command or the nearest Police Station.

You are advised to surrender yourself because there is definitely no hiding place for you.

Fayose endorses Eleka for Ekiti South Senatorial seat

Former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose has declared his support for former Deputy Governor of the State and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the 2018 election, Prof Kolapo Kolade-Eleka for the Ekiti South Senatorial seat.

Fayose, who made this declaration during a town hall meeting with PDP stakeholders in Ise/Orun Local Government today, said his endorsement of Prof Olusola-Eleka will however not prevent other members of the party from contesting the primary election.

He said “The endorsement of Eleka is in the interest of the PDP and it will not shut the door against anyone.

“It is our position that Ikere Ekiti, being the second largest town in the State, cannot be left bare in the scheme of things.

“Therefore, Senator Biodun Olujimi, the present occupier of the seat should see this decision beyond the personal ambition of any individual. More so that she has benefitted immensely from the party by going to the House of Representatives and Senate for two terms.”

Today, I joined the former Governor of Ekiti State, Gov. Ayodele Fayose, incoming governor hopeful, Hon. Bisi Kolawole, and other PDP stalwarts at PDP Stakeholders’ meeting at Ikere Ekiti, my home state today. We are committed to winning the coming general election in Ekiti and to restore good governance.

Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has officially joined the 2023 Presidential race.

Bello officially declared his decision to run for the Presidency on Saturday in Abuja.

His declaration lays to rest speculations surrounding him running for the Presidency in 2023.

The occasion was witnessed by some eminent Nigerians like Senator Jonathan Zwingina, Femi Fani-Kayode, among others.

Speaking, Zwingina described the Presidential aspirant as a detribalized Nigerian, who governs Kogi with appointees from other states.

Stressing that Nigeria needs Bello as a President, Zwingina noted that the “governor uprooted insecurity from Kogi, the state would have been a breeding ground for kidnapping and banditry, but for his leadership skills.”

A Competition and Consumer Protection (CCP) Tribunal sitting in Abuja has restrained Multichoice Nigeria Limited from increasing its tariffs and cost of products and services scheduled to begin on April 1.

The three-member tribunal presided over by Thomas Okosun, gave the order following an ex-parte motion moved by Festus Onifade, a legal practitioner, on behalf of himself and the Coalition of Nigeria Consumers.

Other members of the tribunal include Sola Salako Ajulo and Ibrahim EL-Yakubu.

NAN reports that in the suit marked: CCPT/OP/1/2022, Multi-Choice Nigeria Limited and Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) are 1st and 2nd respondents respectively.

The motion ex-parte filed by the applicants on March 29 was brought pursuant to Section 39 (1) & (2) of FCCPC Act 2018; Order 26, Rule 5 (2), (3) & 26 Rule 6 (1) & (2) Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2019 and Section 47(a), (b), (c),(d), of Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018.

The applicants had prayed for “an order of interim injunction restraining the 1st defendants/respondents, either by itself, agents, representatives, officers or privies, howsoever described, from carrying out the impending increase in tariffs and cost of its products and services intended to take effect from 1st April 2022, until the hearing and determination of the motion on notice already filed before this tribunal.

“An order of the Honourable Tribunal mandating the 1st defendant/respondents to maintain status quo pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

“And for such further order or other orders as this Honourable Tribunal may deem fit to make in the circumstance.”

In the ruling, the tribunal ordered Multi-Choice Nigeria Limited to stop the planned hike in tariffs and cost of its products and services pending the hearing and determination of the motion.

“The 1st defendant/respondent is hereby restrained, either by itself, agents, representatives, officers or privies, howsoever described, from carrying out the impending increase in tariffs and cost of its products and services intended to take effect from 1st April, 2022 until the hearing and determination of the motion on notice already filed before this Honourable Tribunal.

“The 1st defendant/respondent is hereby mandated to maintain status quo pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice,” the tribunal ruled.

The matter was adjourned until April 11 for the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

“All parties in this suit are to appear before this Honourable Tribunal on the 11th day of April, 2022,” it ruled.

Apabakura Dan-Makaranta, a 34-year-old bandit leader in Niger State, has revealed that the government paid a ransom before Muhammed Sanni Idris, the state Commissioner for Information, was released.

Idris was abducted in his home in Baban Tunga, Tafa Local Government Area of Niger State, on August 9, 2021. A few hours after his abduction, the terrorists demanded N500 million from his family. It was later reduced to N180 million.

Dan-Makaranta said although the exact amount paid was unknown as three bandit groups were involved, his own group received N67 million from the state government.

“Your government lied to you because it wanted to bury its shame,” he told FIJ.

“Of course, the government paid. They paid more than N67 million. We were three groups involved in the commissioner’s abduction, and when he would be released, N67 million was paid to our group. I can’t say what they paid the leaders of the other groups.

“The people who brought the money told us in a forest around Kagara that it was from the state governor, but they begged us to keep it a secret.”

Dan-Makaranta also dismissed a rumour that his group had killed Abdulhameed Ibrahim, the district head of Yakila, Kagara, Rafi Local Government Area of the state, kidnapped over a year ago.

After spending four days with his abductors, Idris was released on August 12. Abubakar Sani Bello, the governor of the state, had rejected the ransom option during several meetings held on the commissioner’s abduction, following its abolishment during heated negotiations to rescue kidnapped students of Government Science College, Kagara, Niger State, in 2021.

‘YAKILA DISTRICT HEAD STILL ALIVE‘

Abdulhameed Ibrahim, the district head of Yakila village, was kidnapped on December 10, 2020, when the Dan-Makaranta bandit faction struck his hometown.

A family source told FIJ the district head had alerted his subjects upon hearing that the terrorists were wreaking havoc in Garin Gabas, a neighbouring village. Unfortunately, he became a victim.

He was kidnapped alongside a health worker identified as Halima, her child, as well as Ilyasu Mukhtar, an All Progressives Congress (APC) youth leader in Garin Gabas.

“Seven million naira was negotiated as the ransom for him and other kidnapped victims from Garin Gabas,” the source said, “N3 million for the district head, N3 million for the health worker and her child, and N1 million for the youth leader.”

The victims’ relatives gathered the ransom within a week, and the money was delivered to the bandits in their den by a few delegates.

“The hope of the delegates was to return home with the kidnapped victims, but it wasn’t the case,” he said. “Only the health worker and her child were released. They withheld the district held and the APC Youth leader with the intention of conveying them to Zamfara.”

As luck would work for him, Mukhtar, the APC youth leader, escaped. “The youth leader was lucky to have an escape route the second day when the terrorists were asleep,” he said. “The district head was brutally tortured and incapacitated.”

Since then, no one has heard from him, said the family source. “Only God knows if he is still alive or dead as the bandits no longer reach out to the family.”

‘RANSOM PAID TO THE WRONG GROUP‘

In a conversation with our reporter on Tuesday, Dan-Makaranta said the district head is still alive, contrary to a rumour that he had died. He has not been released because his ransom was paid to a bandit faction not responsible for his abduction, he said.

“In Niger, we have about nine bandit groups operating,” he told FIJ. “The family of the district head paid his ransom to the wrong group, not mine.”

He did not give further details about the other groups in the state.

When FIJ told Dan-Makaranta that the district head’s family revealed that his group received the ransom, and that the delegates who went to pay the ransom saw the abductees with them, he said, “The family instead got our negotiation wrong. Alhaji Ibrahim Ye na nan da lafiyan shi (Alhaji Ibrahim is here hale and healthy).”

ALIVE BUT FORGOTTEN?

While a few of Ibrahim’s subjects hope he is still alive, tens of them, judging from a similar case, believe he has been killed.

On December 20, 2020, bandits raided Madaka community in Rafi LGA, kidnapped Zakari Ya’u Idris, the village head, and killed him a week after his abduction, following the inability of his family to pay a ransom of N800,000.

A source in Kagara Emirate told FIJ three persons have been appointed to fill the position of the district head since his abduction. “Shehu Ibrahim (now holding a chieftaincy title in the emirate) was nominated early last year, before the death of Salihu Tanko, the former Emir of Kagara, on March 2, 2021,” said the source.

Shehu would be replaced by Ibrahim Mohammed when the new Emir Ahmad Garba Gunna was installed around April 2021. Mohammed was among the council members of the kidnapped district head. He would later slump and die during a meeting with stakeholders of Hydro Power Producing Areas Development Commission in Minna, the state capital. He was succeeded by Chindo Yakila a few months after his death.

“It is more than six months now since the family’s last call to ask about him,” Dan-Makaranta told FIJ. “Perhaps they have forgotten he is still with us.”

“I am willing to release him should the family reach out, and I will not collect much money from them. It would not be up to or more than a million.”

When contacted, Shehu Ibrahim Kagara, a traditional title holder in Kagara (Walin Kagara), said he would get in touch with one of the persons negotiating with the district head’s abductors.

On January 4, 2021, Abubakar Sani Bello, the Governor of Niger State, with his entourage, including Ahmed Mohammed Ketso, the Deputy Governor, and Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, the Secretary to the Niger State Government (SSG), visited Yakila village, to sympathise with the villagers over the kidnapping of their district head.


During his visit, the governor told the villagers he would do anything in his power to rescue their leader unhurt.

Matane, the SSG, did not respond to FIJ’s calls. He, however, acknowledged a text message sent to him. “Acknowledged with appreciation,” he wrote with no further comments.

DAN-MAKRANTA, AN EDUCATED BANDIT WITH A DIPLOMA FROM ABU?

The 34-year-old bandit leader told FIJ he graduated from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) in 2009 with a diploma in mechanical engineering.

Dan-Makaranta, a Fulani man, said he joined the cattle rustling terror group led by one Tsohon Buhari in Zamfara. “I became a bandit around 2010, when my father and my brother were murdered by some vigilantes from Birnin Gwari, with the support of the military,” he recalled.

“Their offence was being Fulani. That was the time farmer-herders crisis was lingering.”

He said he was disappointed the Kaduna State Government broke its promise to investigate the matter. “When justice would not be served, I decided to join the bandit group in Zamfara. I would be away from home for over a year before I could return.”

He embarked on a vengeance mission to Kaduna after forming his team in 2015. “Since that time, we have been in a fierce battle with the vigilantes,” he said.

The General Coordinator for the Super Eagles/Black Stars world Cup ay off Kabeli Bosilong has said that Dr Joseph Kabungo’s death was not related to the violence that occurred at the Stadium.

According to the general coordinator for the match, Dr Kabungo who was the doping officer for the match was not at any point beaten by the angry fans or molested but died of cardiac arrest, as he slumped while walking towards the dressing room.

“I was the GC for the mentioned match and yes it’s true, our beloved Doctor is with us no more,” said Bosilong.

“Contrary to reports, the Doctor had a cardiac arrest when he was walking towards the team dressing rooms and he collapsed on the floor.

“Both team doctors (from Nigeria and Ghana) and other medical personnel administered Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) on him but after a while he was taken to hospital and that’s when the terrible news was confirmed.

“We are all still in shock at what happened last night and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.”

Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, says the tedious process in procuring surveillance systems was why the federal government was unable to prevent the attack by bandits on the Kaduna-Abuja rail track.

Had “the processes of procuring security surveillance for the train were shortened, we would have saved lives,” the minister added.

Mr Amaechi’s comment comes 24 hours after the bandits bombed the train that was on its way to Abuja from Kaduna.

As at Tuesday, the Kaduna government said eight people were killed and 26 injured in the Monday train attack.
Peoples Gazzette on Tuesday reported how armed bandits ambushed another passenger train along the beleaguered Abuja-Kaduna track.

The incident occurred near Gidan Station as the train was returning to Abuja from Kaduna.

I am devastated and I honestly don't know what to tell Nigerians anymore; the process of procuring the integrated security surveillance and monitoring solution has been tedious, if the processes were shortened, we would have saved lives.

No fewer than seven persons are feared dead, following terrorists’ bomb attack on an Abuja-Ibadan route train.

Sources close to the Rigasa Train Station in Kaduna said that seven passengers were killed during the attack, with some missing, while the attackers left with many.

Relevant authorities were, however, liaising with the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) to ascertain the identity of the passengers from manifest, for efficient tracking.

The Managing Director/CEO of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Mr. Fidet Okhiria, had earlier confirmed the attack but did not give details.

A passenger who survived the attack, told journalists on phone that while in transit, “we heard a loud bang. A bomb exploded.”

He recalled that “the earth shook and within the twinkle of an eye, it was gun shots everywhere.”

IMO POLICE COMMAND
PRESS RELEASE...... 28 /3/ 2022

IMO POLICE FOILED ATTACK ON OBOWO POLICE DIVISION

On the 28th day of March, 2022 at about 0200 hours, armed men suspected to be members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra ( IPOB )/ Eastern Security Network ( ESN ), its militia wing came in their numbers from the rear of the division, which is an ungoverned forest, threw petrol bombs and Improvised Explosive Devices(IED) that fell on the transit camp and a vehicle, shooting sporadically.

The police operatives of the division and some of the Command’s Tactical Teams responded swiftly, engaging the hoodlums in a fierce gun duel preventing them from gaining entrance to the station and in the process forced the hoodlums into retreating and they escaped back into the forest with various degrees of bullet wounds.

The police operatives gave them a hot chase and while combing the bush the following items were recovered on the spot: three(3) undetonated Explosives, four(4) expended AK 47 RIFLES ammunition, five(5) live cartridges, thirty three(33) expended cartridges, two mask, one pump action gun and a motor saw machine.

Meanwhile, apart from the minimal damage on the transit camp and a vehicle, no life was lost. However, the police operative who sustained minor gun shot injury has been treated.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police incharge of Operation/Acting Commissioner of Police, Imo Command, DCP MAMAN B. GIWA, psc, who visited the station for an on the spot assessment of the situation, commended the officers and men for thier gallantry advised them not to relent in their efforts in combating violent crimes in the state, until all criminal elements and their partners are apprehended and made to face the full wrath of the law. He then, appealed to Imolites for their continuous support and collaboration by giving security agencies, especially the Police, credible and timely information and to report any person seen treating bullet wounds or hiding within the community to the nearest police station for prompt action.

CSP MICHAEL ABATTAM
POLICE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
FOR: COMMISSIONER OF POLICE
IMO STATE COMMAND.

POLICE RESCUE TWO FROM ROBBERS, RECOVER THREE GUNS, MACHETES

Men of Lagos Rapid Response Squad (RRS)on early hours of Thursday rescued a tanker driver and his assistance from the captive of gun – wielding robbers on Lekki – Epe Expressway, while they also recovered three guns, 11 live cartridges and machetes from robber’s vehicle.

Other items recovered from the robbers were: a tipper with the registration number: BDJ 271 XB, a chisel, back pack, hand gloves and a face mask.

The robbers, numbering about seven had around 1:00 a.m. used a blue colour tipper to block a truck loaded with 45,000 litres of premium motor spirit (pms) at Berger Bridge inward Epe, Lagos. The fuel tanker was heading to Oyo State.

The four occupants of the tipper ordered the truck driver and his assistant out of the vehicle. They drove away the 45,000 tanker while three others robbers who were hiding in the bush held hostage the truck driver and his assistance, identified as Falana Abiodun and Fatai Opeyemi, before leading them into the bush.

They were emerging from the bush around 4:00 a.m. with their hostages when patrolling Rapid Response Squad (RRS) team saw them and gave them a chase.

The robbers abandoned their vehicle, guns and machetes before escaping into the bush.

The 45,000-litre tanker was later found empty through the assistance of NUPENG members in Epe.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Abiodun Alabi has directed the Commander, Rapid Response Squad (RRS), CSP Yinka Egbeyemi to transfer the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba for further investigations.

CP Alabi further assured that all the suspects involved in the hijacking of the 45,000-litre tanker would be made to face justice.

6 APC Chairmanship Aspirants step down for Senator Abdullahi Adamu.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) may be getting close to having a consensus candidate for the position of National Chairman at the ongoing National Convention of the party in Abuja.

Six aspirants have agreed to step down for President Muhammadu Buhari’s choice, a former governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Adamu.

Up till few hours ago, efforts to avoid an actual contest at the convention seemed impossible as some of the aspirants insisted on going out to the field, even if they failed.

The situation made having a unity list of officials for the national executive of the party difficult

However, reports have it that those who have agreed to bow to the wishes of the party to allow the President’s preferred candidate emerge are former Nasarawa State Governor, Tanko Al-Makura, former Benue State Governor George Akume, and former Zamfara State Governor Abdul’aziz Yari.

Others are Kwara State politician, Saliu Mustapha, Niger State Senator Sani Musa, and Muhammed Etsu

Ratification of other positions is expected to commence shortly.

Officials of Lagos Rapid Response Squad (RRS) early today recovered a Toyota Highlander, a locally made cut to size double barrel gun with three live cartridges, a dog (American Eskimo breed) and jewelry from fleeing armed robbers in Alagbado area.

Also found in the vehicle with the registration number AGL 276 AQ, were: two HP laptops, one NEC laptop, one LG TV, one iphone 12 Pro max, one Elepac generator, two kitchen knives.

The robbers who were heading into Lagos around 2:20 a.m. from Abeokuta were accosted by Rapid Response Squad (RRS) officials on patrol at Adura Bus Stop, Alagbado. The four occupants abandoned the vehicle and fled in different directions.

The robbers, preliminary investigations have revealed were coming from Abeokuta where they engaged in a house – to – house robbery. It was discovered that they collected the vehicle of one of their victims to convey their loot from the scenes.

The vehicle was brought to RRS headquarters in Ikeja, where the Commander, RRS, CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi directed the Decoy team of the squad to commence investigation into the case with a view to unravelling the owner of the vehicle and the suspects.

The owner of the vehicle has been contacted in Abeokuta, Ogun State. Police are presently gathering more information that would assist in the arrest of the fleeing suspects.

During a meeting with governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday, President Muhammadu Buhari named Abdullahi Adamu, former Nasarawa State Governor and senator representing Nasarawa West Senatorial District, as his preferred candidate for the party’s chairmanship position.

This followed the president’s statement that he would prefer that the party’s national chairman come from the north-central.

The 75-year-old former governor, who has been a serving senator since 2011, was at the centre of controversies bordering on financial mismanagement at different times.

In February 2010, Adamu was arrested by men of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly embezzling $100 million meant for public projects while he was governor between 1999 and 2007.

The most recent controversy however was his removal as chairman, Northern Senators’ Forum, in 2018, over allegations of financial mismanagement.

Adamu reportedly claimed that N70 million belonging to the forum had been carted away by monkeys in a farm house belonging to him.

“There are some things some of my colleagues will not say but I’m not used to holding back,” Premium Times quoted Shehu Sani, the then senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, to have said.

“When we assumed office, Senator Ahmed Lawan tendered the sum of N70 million to the 8th Senate. That N70 million was money gathered from the 7th Senate. It was handed over to northern senators of the 8th Senate.

“The rumours going round, which I don’t know whether it’s true but I believe other senators know, is the fact that there were allegations that some monkeys raided the farm house of some of the executives of the northern senators forum and carted away some of these money.

“I think, this country is becoming a huge joke. First of all, it was the rodents that drove away the president and then we now have snakes consuming about N36 million and now we have monkeys raiding farm house. So, they don’t want this to be said but I believe that we should be very clear.”

Adamu declined to speak on the allegation all through the period. He told journalists he would speak at an appropriate time but never did.

Last-minute scheming for the All Progressive Congress national convention saw a good number of governors from the party meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday.

They have, however, pledged to align with any candidate of Buhari’s choice, especially for the chairmanship position which will be keenly contested this weekend.

Recall that despite initial scepticism that greeted plans for the convention, the party stakeholders are finalising logistic arrangements for the convention which holds this March 26th.

The governors were led to the meeting by the Chairman of the Interim Committee of the party and Governor of Yobe State, Mai Bala Buni.

The chairman of Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) and Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, said they will support any process that would lead to a consensus.

Recall Buhari had last month said he was in favour of the consensus model for selecting candidates for the party’s national positions.

He had urged the governors to explore the option of consensus.

A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, fixed April 11 for judgment in suit seeking for the declaration of the seat of Rep Yakubu Dogara vacant on account of his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Justice Donatus Okorowo, who fixed the date, said though the judgment was earlier scheduled for today, it was not ready.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had asked the court to remove the former Speaker, House of Representatives, Dogara, as member representing Dass, Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro Federal Constituency of Bauchi State, over his defection to APC.

While the PDP and its Bauchi State Chairman, Hamza Akuyam, are the plaintiffs, Dogara, the speaker of the House of Representatives, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the APC are 1st to 5th defendants respectively in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1060/2020.

Dogara had, on July 24, 2020, defected from the PDP to the APC when he submitted a resignation letter to the chairman of the Bogoro ‘C’ Ward in the state.

The plaintiffs, through their counsel, Jubrin Jubrin, said by virtue of Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution, Dogara by defecting from the party that sponsored him to the ninth National Assembly before the expiration of his tenure, ought to vacate the seat as he was no longer qualified to partake in the activities of the lower house.

NAN reports that Justice Inyang Ekwo had, on March 8, sacked Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi and his deputy, Kelechi Igwe, alongside other lawmakers who dumped the PDP for APC, describing their action as unlawful.

In a related development, Justice Taiwo Taiwo had also, on Monday, ordered the 20 lawmakers from Cross River to vacate their seats following their defection from the PDP to APC.

The lawmakers comprises two House of Representatives members and 18 state’s House of Assembly members.

A Federal High Court, Abuja, will on Friday, deliver judgment in a suit filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River.

The PDP, through its counsel Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, had filed the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/975/2021 before Justice Taiwo Taiwo to seek for an order sacking the governor and his deputy over their defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC), among others.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Tuesday, gathered from Court 7, where Justice Taiwo presides that the judgment in suit number: FHC/ABJ/CS/975/2021 filed by the PDP against Cross River governor and his deputy will come up on Friday, March 25.NAN reports that Taiwo had, on Monday, ordered two House of Representatives members representing Cross River and 18 lawmakers from the state’s House of Assembly to vacate their seats over their defection to APC.

The judge gave the order following a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/971/2021 filed on Aug. 27, 2021, by the PDP to challenge the 20 lawmakers’ defection to APC, alongside the governor on May 20, 2021.

Justice Taiwo, in the judgment, dismissed the defence argument that the PDP (plaintiff) had no locus standi (legal rights) to institute the case.

He also dismissed other preliminary objections raised by the sacked lawmakers.

Taiwo ruled that the argument of the lawmakers that there was rancour in the PDP which necessitated their defection to APC was a ploy to mislead the court.

The judge, who granted all the reliefs sought by the PDP, held that it was disheartening that politicians in the country treat citizens as if they do not matter once they get into office.“A day must surely come when elected officials, must either resign from their office or ask the people who voted for them before defecting to other political parties, instead of defecting to another party without recourse to the law and the citizens, ” he said.

According to him, we cannot continue in sin and expect grace to abound.

The affected two members of the House of Representatives from the state are Michael Etaba and Legor Idagbor.

The 18 state’s lawmakers include the Speaker, House of Assembly, Eteng Williams; Mich Etaba, Legor Idagbor, Joseph Bassey, Odey Agbe and Okon Ephraim.

Others are: Regina Anyogo, Matthew Olory, Ekpo Bassey, Ogbor Udop, Ekpe Okon, Hillary Bisong, Francis Asuquo, Elvert Ayambem, Davis Etta, Sunday Achunekan, Cynthia Nkasi, Edward Ajang, Chris Ogar and Maria Akwaji.

While Mr Etaba represents Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency of Cross River, Mr Idagbor represents Obudu/Obaliku/Bekwarra Federal Constituency of the state.