Opinion: Leave Men Of God Alone, Mazi Onyema embarking on mission impossible

THIS IS A JOKE TAKEN TOO FAR.

This Mazi Chukwudiaso Onyema, his agents and whoever is with him are enemies of this nation who are bent on destroying the nation by bringing issue that are not of concern right now and again trying to go against people who are ready to bring solutions by their actions, speakings and decrees to silence and close them forever.

The young man is trying to bring up narrative and discussion which are contrary to situation in the land that needed urgent National attention.


I know in a strained and depressed society such as ours, this kind of foolhardiness will elicit sympathy for a scoundrel like him.


Having regained your senses you said, try and answer the following questions begging for answers:

READ ALSO: Prayers Of The Church Have Kept Me – Ortom

1. Were you coerced or forced at gunpoint into paying tithes in church, and how? Was the tithe freely, willingly and voluntarily given or fraudulently extorted from you?


2. You said you were brainwashed, how? What was your level of sanity when you gave the tithe? Can you attest with backing documents to the fact that you were mentally deranged or an underage person when you gave the tithes?

3. Under what agreement did you give the tithe? What was the nature of the contractual agreement and with whom? You call it an investment, what was the agreed rate of return?


4. Come to think of it, even if you had a genuine case to settle with the church, don’t you know the way to the church where you were allegedly a member for years?

Why the sensational display on media?

If you are sure of what you are saying, go to the church and demand the liquidation of your cursed “investment”.

It is obvious you are not a member, and have never been a member, let alone paying tithes in the church.

You printed those papers you displayed for the purpose of your fraudulent intent.

It is also obvious you have been hired by some devious elements in society to blackmail the church, having sold your soul to the devil. And mind you, you don’t need to die or go to hell to experience hell; hell is already in you, and you are already in it, enjoy it.


The church does not need your wretched and miserable purse.


Your entire life, and the lifetime earnings of both you and your entire generation cannot make any difference in the church.

YOUR LIFE NEVER COUNTED OR MATTERED IN THE FIRST PLACE. WHAT A GOOD RIDDANCE TO A DOOMED CLOWN!

You said everything has failed in Nigeria, and you left the government that caused the failure and your suffering to attack the church and a man of God who is speaking against the same failure and those who caused it.

How sure are we that you are not a hireling of some callous, depraved and soulless knaves in our society?

This is nothing but a cheap and poorly scripted blackmail plot characterised by a jarring display of dubiety and falsehood.

Wonder shall never end indeed Mr cheap blackmailer.

Michael Isaac (Snr), Public affairs analyst and commentator writes

THIS IS A JOKE TAKEN TOO FAR.

This Mazi Chukwudiaso Onyema, his agents and whoever is with him are enemies of this nation who are bent on destroying the nation by bringing issue that are not of concern right now and again trying to go against people who are ready to bring solutions by their actions, speakings and decrees to silence and close them forever.

The young man is trying to bring up narrative and discussion which are contrary to situation in the land that needed urgent National attention.


I know in a strained and depressed society such as ours, this kind of foolhardiness will elicit sympathy for a scoundrel like him.


Having regained your senses you said, try and answer the following questions begging for answers:

READ ALSO: Prayers Of The Church Have Kept Me – Ortom

1. Were you coerced or forced at gunpoint into paying tithes in church, and how? Was the tithe freely, willingly and voluntarily given or fraudulently extorted from you?


2. You said you were brainwashed, how? What was your level of sanity when you gave the tithe? Can you attest with backing documents to the fact that you were mentally deranged or an underage person when you gave the tithes?

3. Under what agreement did you give the tithe? What was the nature of the contractual agreement and with whom? You call it an investment, what was the agreed rate of return?


4. Come to think of it, even if you had a genuine case to settle with the church, don’t you know the way to the church where you were allegedly a member for years?

Why the sensational display on media?

If you are sure of what you are saying, go to the church and demand the liquidation of your cursed “investment”.

It is obvious you are not a member, and have never been a member, let alone paying tithes in the church.

You printed those papers you displayed for the purpose of your fraudulent intent.

It is also obvious you have been hired by some devious elements in society to blackmail the church, having sold your soul to the devil. And mind you, you don’t need to die or go to hell to experience hell; hell is already in you, and you are already in it, enjoy it.


The church does not need your wretched and miserable purse.


Your entire life, and the lifetime earnings of both you and your entire generation cannot make any difference in the church.

YOUR LIFE NEVER COUNTED OR MATTERED IN THE FIRST PLACE. WHAT A GOOD RIDDANCE TO A DOOMED CLOWN!

You said everything has failed in Nigeria, and you left the government that caused the failure and your suffering to attack the church and a man of God who is speaking against the same failure and those who caused it.

How sure are we that you are not a hireling of some callous, depraved and soulless knaves in our society?

This is nothing but a cheap and poorly scripted blackmail plot characterised by a jarring display of dubiety and falsehood.

Wonder shall never end indeed Mr cheap blackmailer.

Michael Isaac (Snr), Public affairs analyst and commentator writes

A Korean Acupuncture Center is preparing to assist Nigerians in boosting their immune systems.

In statement issued by Muhammad Mahmood Media Adviser Acupuncture Therapy and Spa noted that an acupuncture center opened by Koreans in Abuja is set to bring more succor to Nigerians by addressing all complications of stroke, muscle fatigue, and stimulating their immune systems.

One of the doctors at the center, Kim Yun Hak, is an expert in acupuncture therapy. and has been practicing all aspects of muscle stretching for over a decade in his field as a specialist.

Dr. Hak always said that acupuncture is seamlessly blending with contemporary technology and has regained its popularity. He mentioned that there is even an acupuncture school at one of the world’s most prestigious universities in Asia and Europe, where experts attend and learn to practice in their respective dialets.

Coming to Nigeria, the Koreans feel that the center is going to help most people suffering from stroke and muscle-related problems. And, despite the fact that they do not speak fluent English, they are able to understand and diagnose all of the ailments that people suffer in their bodies, as well as treat them.

Most modern acupuncturists use disposable stainless steel needles of fine diameter (0.007 to 0.020 in (0.18 to 0.51 mm)), sterilized with ethylene oxide or by autoclave. These needles are far smaller in diameter (and therefore less painful) than hypodermic injection needles since they do not have to be hollow for purposes of injection, the doctor says.

From all indications, huge numbers of Nigerians who before now traveled to some parts of the world like India, China, and the UK in search of these centers and hospitals may find it easier to settle at home and get treated.

Statistics show that between 2021 and 2022 alone, more than 47 percent of all visas to India and the UK from Nigeria were for medical tourism, and Nigerians spent over $400 million on medical expenses out there. So, with this development by Koreans in Nigeria, people will find it easier to visit the center and be treated.

Such involvement from foreign experts and specialists in Nigeria’s healthcare delivery is gradually increasing for the betterment of Nigerians.

Endeavor, the global entrepreneurship network, has announced that its Nigeria Board of Directors has announced the appointment of Ireayomide Oladunjoye as Managing Director & CEO of Endeavor Nigeria, effective 6th February 2023.

In a press statement issued by Ms Joy Mabia, Marketing and Communications, Endeavor Nigeria she noted that Ireayomide takes over from Tosin Faniro-Dada, who has led the organizaton’s operations for two years.

“Leading the Endeavor Nigeria team for the past two years has been one the most incredible journey of personal and professional growth, and it’s all thanks to Linda Rottenberg’s 25-year vision of transforming economies, one entrepreneur at a time.

I’m delighted that I had the opportunity to be a part of this wonderful team that supports 33 high impact entrepreneurs leading 16 high growth companies.

I’m happy to hand the wheel to Ireayomide Oladunjoye, who is impact-driven and committed to the future of high-impact entrepreneurship in Nigeria.

I’m grateful to the Board of Endeavor Nigeria, under the leadership of Atedo N.A.Peterside (CON), for their support and look forward to Endeavor Nigeria’s my continued success,” said the outgoing Managing Director & CEO, Tosin Faniro-Dada.

Before joining Endeavor, Ireayomide was Head, Startups at Lagos Innovates.

She was responsible for developing and implementing Government- ed programs to support an enabling environment for Tech Startups and Innovation Drven Enterprises to thrive in Lagos State.

“I’m excited to join the Endeavor Nigeria network as Managing Director and CEO.

READ ALSO: Founders Of Metro Africa Xpress, Selected To Join Endeavor’s Global Network Of High Entrepreneurs

I have been a huge fan of Endeavor’s mission and team for many years; hopefully, together with the Endeavor team, mentors and supporters, we can help uncover the next group of Nigerian unicorns, outliers, multipliers, and high-impact Endeavor Entrepreneurs!

l’m looking forward to building on Endeavor’s great platform, selecting more high-growth companies, supporting existing Endeavor Entrepreneurs and the next generation of founders and innovators,” said incoming Managng Director & CEO Ireayomide Oladunjoye.

“We are delighted to welcome Ireayomide as Managing Director. We believe her perspective and expertise will add immense value to Endeavor and the high-impact entrepreneurs we support as we continue to scale as an organization,” said Endeavor Nigeria Board Chairman Atedo N.A.Peterside (CON).

Endeavor was Established in 1997, Endeavors mission-driven, global organization leading the high-impact entrepreneurship movement.

Endeavor was founded on the belief that job creation, innovation, and overall prosperity flourish where there is robust support for high-impact entrepreneurs.

Endeavor has screened more than 60,000 individuals and selected more than 2,388 founders leading over 1,477+

scale-up companies. With support from Endeavor’s world wide mentor network, Endeavor Entrepreneurs have created over 3.4million jobs, generated more than $28 billion in revenue each year, and inspired future generations to innovate and take risks, building strong entrepreneurship ecosystems in growth markets.

Headquartered in New York City, Endeavor currently operates in 41 growth markets throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America.

Endeavor launched its Nigeria office in 2018 to seect and support the best founders of companies at the scale up and growth stage who recognise a responsibilty to pay it forward and multiply their impacting Nigera’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.

In Nigeria, we aim to select 4-6 companies a year, and today there are 33 Endeavor Entrepreneurs leading 16 companies in the portfolio.

It is with so much passion and to set the record straight that we wish to state that our spar center has never been shut down because of any report purported by a news website, as carried by some online reports a few days ago.

According to this report, the Lilu specialist hospital has been closed. It also demonstrates that the hospital was run illegally in Nigeria by a North Korean named Jongsu Kim, who claimed to be Chinese for four years in Abuja. In the report, the author also claimed that some highly placed Nigerians, including presidency officials and senior advocates, were patronizing the hospital.

According to the above misinformed report, Muhammad Mahmood, Media Adviser Acupuncture Therapy and Spa hereby state that the report creates a great deal of misunderstanding among readers by giving the impression that the hospital was shut down and that they were operating an illegal venture.

To remove this confusion created by the false information in this piece, we are stating that the facility was not forced by any authorities to shut down its activities as claimed, but they are attending some functions approved by the Korean Embassy since they are not operating a full-time organization.

Secondly, the reports online show that the expatriates were operating a hospital by the name of LILU. This is to inform the general public that the Korean has never operated under Lilu Hospital, it is just a mere speculation, but they only operate an Acupuncture as an alternative therapy for body muscle straightening, and a Spa.

Furthermore, in all of the reports, the author kept mentioning the name Jongsu Kim, but it was false; out of desperation, they report went further at mentioning a name that never exist in the facility. Perhaps, the name of properietor/supervisor in the facility, close to what was obtainable in the report is KIM YUN HAK as against Jongsu Kim. This further exhibit the desperation of the desperados to tarnish the image of the facility.

The reports also show that the operators of the facility are Koreans who claim to be Chinese, which is also false based on the purported investigation conducted by the authors of the report.

One interesting fact to note is that Mr. Hak and his team were advised to take further measures to ensure full registration of their center with all relevant authorities in Nigeria, and as law-abiding members of the diplomatic corps, they have already taken measures to ensure they do their best to support the Nigerian government’s policies.

More information is available about this false report intended to tarnish the image of innocent people. We shall stand firm in promoting an avenue for providing meaningful and relevant information to the public in order to enlighten the general audience with analysis and depth, and not a vendetta!

It is on black and white that whoever is behind the report is only interested in creating mischief to the personalities of staff and the facility in general.

We therefore call on the general public to kindly disregard this mischief.

Oriri Peter

The Benue Youth Forum has cautioned the Resident Electoral Commission and the All Progressive Congress Benue State Chapter to desist from primary election. The youth group noted with great concern over the persistent illegalities being perpetrated by the party in the state and its tendency to plunge the state into crisis as it affects everyone and the youths in particular.

In a Press statement issued by the President of the Forum, Comrade Terrence Kunaum, he noted that the APC in Benue state conducted a governorship primary that was said to be in gross non-compliance with the electoral act and other extant laws, a situation which made the appeal court to nullify the primaries and call for a rerun in eleven local governments of the state.

When the party was on the way to shooting itself on the foot, we drew their attention to the pit ahead of them and called for caution. But they rather called us names, including tagging us as politicians. And when the party eventually held the questionable primaries and it started generating resentment among their governorship aspirants who claimed they were not aware of any primaries, we suggested that they reverse the process and do the right thing as specified by the law especially as they were still within the INEC time frame for conduct of party primaries which elapsed on 9th June, 2022. Rather than commendations we received spikes from the APC only for our stand to be vindicated when the court nullified the process.

Now that the nomination of Mr. Hyacinth Alia has been nullified by the appeal court, the APC has moved on to another leg of illegality by proposing to conduct a rerun on the 1st and 2nd of February. This move of the APC is against 2 backdrops – first and foremost being that the INEC calendar for conduct of party primaries has elapsed since the 9th June, 2022 and secondly, Prof. Terhemba Shija has activated a process of appeal to the Supreme Court which requires maintanance of status quo ante bellum until the Apex Court delivers a final decision on the dispute and between the disputants.
The APC must also be made aware that Section 82 of the Electoral Act, 2022 specifies that political parties must serve a notice of primaries to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC at least 21 days before the conduct of a primary election. More so, Section 29 of the Electoral Act is explicit that the names of duly nominated candidates must be conveyed to INEC at least 180 days before election.

As it stands, the APC is clearly warming up to again, flout the electoral act and other extant laws of the country. This is because the election is less than 60 days away and the planned rerun which is in itself another illegality is coming barely a week after the appeal court ruling which is now been further appealed to the Supreme Court.

INEC regulations on political party primaries also makes it mandatory that upon a request, aspirants are entitled to have certified true copies of the register of party members to be used as mode of accreditation in a direct primary. We are aware that in spite of evidence of such request, the party has refused to make such bulky certified true copies available to the aspirants. This is a recipe for chaos as every Tom, Dick and Harry is capable of infiltrating the process and claiming to be eligible to vote.

Stemming from the above, our main concern is that majority of the followers of the APC in Benue are youths and we can’t fold our hands and watch the party continually derail them and expose them to acts capable of causing breach of public peace, law, order and due process and causing rancour in the polity just because of the desperation of some unpopular politicians who have penchant for disobeying laws and regulations.

We therefore reiterate our call on the APC not to cause any crisis in the state, especially as the matter is now at the Supreme Court and the windows for primaries are already closed by INEC, except in the event of death or voluntary withdrawal of a candidate like the case in Abia, where a primary shall be conducted due to the demise of a governorship candidate.

We also want the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Benue not to be dragged into the mud like his predecessor who midwifed the process now dubbed “yahoo yahoo” primaries of the APC in Benue state. We say that because the immediate past REC in spite of our repeated warnings allowed himself to be cajoled into enabling the APC to sit the law on its head, and they are now paying for the indiscretion of a KM 4 failed politician who has made the state chapter of their party his personal estate.

We believe in the ability and professionalism of the current REC to stay faithful to extant laws governing our electoral processes. In this wise we therefore expect him to guide the APC properly. We also expect the national headquarters of the INEC in Abuja which was served with relevant appeal processes respecting the proposed rerun to maintain adherence to the rule of law and fidelity with its own INEC calendar which mandates that party primaries must be conducted on or before 9th June, 2022. We urge it to resist pressure or temptation to be caught up in the murky waters of the APC’s internal malfeasance. The best thing to do is to allow the appeal process initiated by Prof. Terhemba Shija to run its full course rather than indulge the APC in more shenanigans.

It is also imperative to warn Benue youths across the state to shun the antics of greedy and desperate politicians who would want to use them negatively for their political gains as the APC is planing to do.

We enjoin the security agencies and the National Headquarters of INEC to ensure that the APC members in Benue don’t take the law into their own hands by doing that which the laws forbid.

For the people of Benue, we advise them to avoid any unlawful gathering organised by the APC in the name of rerun primaries to prevent any unforseen situation that may be potentially harmful, as we are aware of the tendency for the planned charade to become violent.

We once again, say it loud and clear that the APC are responsible for their ordeal in Benue state and should desist from further illegalities and acts capable of causing a breach of public peace and order as that would be portraying us all state as a state of people given to lawlessness.

The Benue Youth Forum (BYF) is saddened by the unfortunate press conference addressed by some clowns in the Benue State chapter of the All Progressives Congress APC in which they made some mudslinging and senseless allegations in addition to spitting on the graves of Benue people killed by Fulani herdsmen.

In a statement issued on Thursday by its National President, Mr. Terrence Kunaum noted that there was no need to respond to such a shameless outing by the APC; But become imperative the fact that the APC veered off the lane of politics into justifying, once again the killing of innocent people in Benue communities by the marauding Fulani militia, we deem it necessary to put the records straight.

We are aware that the APC in Benue state has at various times justified the killings in Benue communities and openly declared their support for the killer-hersmen perpetrating the attacks. The leader of the party in the state, Senator George Akume has been in the forefront of urinating on the graves of slain Benue people by mockingly saying they were killing themselves. So we are not surprised at their renewed zeal to take their insensitivity a notch higher by accusing the State Community Volunteer Guards and Livestock Guards of cow rustling and causing the recent killings in Makurdi, Guma and Gwer-West local governments.

Mr. Kunaum noted that the Benue Youth Forum takes exception to those unguarded and inciting utterances by the APC which has all along been making frantic efforts to frustrate the efforts to end the invasion of Benue communities and massacre of people in their sleep by those merchantsof death.

The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom and other well meaning stakeholders including the Benue Youths have been unrelenting in ensuring that peace returns to the state, but the desperation of the APC to thwart the move for political gains have been the major clog in the wheel of progress in that direction.

It is sad that while people of good conscience from all parts of the country and beyond are speaking up against the incessant bloodshed in Benue, some failed and frustrated politicians from the area are bent on justifying the mayhem just to gain political relevance which has left them long ago.

We want to put it on record that the Fulani Socio-cultiral group called Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, an affiliate of the APC had threatened to violently resist the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law of the Benue State government and they have made good their vow by unleashing terror on the people since the law came into effect in November 2017.

Curiously, the APC in Benue has never come out to condemn the Fulani terrorists who have killed – and are still killing – thousands of people, displacing others and creating a huge humanitarian crisis in the area. Even the APC-led Federal Government has done little or nothing to curb the ethnic cleansing in Benue. Instead, President Muhammadu Buhari ignored the real issue on ground and once told Benue people to learn to live in peace with their neighbours, implying that the Benue people were being killed for their refusal to accommodate tbose who live with them. That is indeed unfortunate.

That the APC in the state has shamelessly accused Governor Ortom of raising and encouraging cattle rustlers is the height of assault on the sensitivity of those who have lost loved ones due to the dastardly acts of Fulani herdsmen who enjoy the endorsement of the APC.

We know that the APC in Benue are out to distract attention from the ruling of the Appeal Court sitting in Makurdi which nullified their questionable governorship primaries which was dubbed a “yahoo yahoo” process even by an appeal panel set up by the party’s national leadership. But it is foolhardy to embark on that using the lives of Benue people to play politics.

When the APC violated the electoral law in conducting their “yahoo yahoo” governorship primaries in the state, the Benue Youth Forum called for a reverse of the undemocratic move. But they wouldn’t listen. Now that the appeal court has cancelled the shenanigan, they prefer to go to the market naked and dance on the graves of innocent people.

We once again advise the APC to channel their self-inflicted frustration elsewhere and stop playing dirty politics with the unfortunate security situation in the state.

The Forum calls on the good people of Benue to utterly reject the party which has no value for their lives and has resorted to mocking those killed by Fulani terrorists. We reiterate our support for the Benue State Community Volunteer Guards and the Livestock Guards in the discharge of their duties.

We urge them to ignore those elements of darkness who are bent on discouraging them by painting them black and falsely accusing them of cattle rustling.

The peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Independent Grassroots Presidential campaign council for Atiku/Okowa 2023 has appealed to the electorate to support the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, saying its position was influenced by the experience, business background and investment of the PDP candidate.

The group also stated that it has engaged people of the federal capital territory and Nasarawa State to a townhall meeting where they were enjoined to vote for the PDP Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar come February 25, 2023.

The Chairman of the campaign council, Ambassador Fatima Mohammed Goni assisted by her deputy Barrister Hellen Effiom said this in the townhall meeting with party leaders and the electorate in Abuja on Saturday.

According to Fatima, "The message is simple, vote for the PDP Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar in the February 25 Presidential election.

Also, the PDP Vice chairman, Karu local government area of Nasarawa state, Mustapha Sani, who spoke on behalf of other executive members restated commitment to the realization of the Atiku/Okowa ticket.

He said "All PDP candidates in the election will be adequately supported towards a victorious outing.

"The choice of Ambassador Fatima Mohammed Goni whom they called mama Atiku as chairperson of the PDP Grassroots Independent campaign Council for Atiku/Okowa 2023 by the party's Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar they emphasized is a square peg in a square hole."

Meanwhile, the campaign council also identified with the less privileged through donation of some food items to alleviate their sufferings.

Participation in elections is an important aspect of our civil responsibility especially citizens who are eligible to vote and be voted for.

While the results of General Elections determine the composition of a government and the policies that will be implemented thereafter, many countries including Nigeria's General Elections are considered a cornerstone of democracy, as they allow citizens to have a say in the governance of their country.

But before this, there is need to set measures and actions to prevent and mitigate the occurrences of violence during after election. These strategies Includes: Voter Education, Security awareness, Planning, Conflict Resolution and Mediation, Media and Communication Strategy, Monitoring and Reporting and Post-election Reconciliation among others.

With this in view, the Center for Peace Advocacy and Sustainable Development and Nonviolent Peaceforce with support from Non-violenceXXI and Canadian Friends Service Committee have organized a three days capacity building training to strengthen the resilience of youth on Electoral Violence Prevention ahead of 2023 General Elections in Nigeria slated to hold in February and March respectively.

The Executive Director of the Center for Peace Advocacy and Sustainable Development Mr. Igweshi Augustine urged Nigerian Youths across the 36 states and FCT to use the knowledge and skills acquired in the Three Days Training to prevent electoral violence and ensure peaceful elections at the 2023 General Elections.

The capacity building training which started on January 18th and came to a close on Friday 20th January was facilitated by National Coordinator of Canadian Friends Service Committee in Burudu Madam Pastaur, The Executive Director Center for Peace Advocacy and Sustainable Development Mr. Igweshi Augustine and the training Coordinator of Nonviolent Peaceforce Ms. Marion Girard.

Participants were taken through Unarmed Civilian Protection Principles, Unarmed Civilian Protection Strategies to Prevent Electoral Violence, Unarmed Civilian Protection Activities that can be used to prevent Electoral Violence, Empathy Exercise, Crossing the River Exercise, conflict prevention, misinformation and disinformation, group discussion and contribution from the participants on preventing Electoral Violence ahead of the General Elections.

Also a Town Hall Meeting was held as part of the activities to strengthen the resilience of youth to prevent Electoral Violence

Guest Speakers at the Town Hall Meeting includes the Director General, Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution Represented by Dr. Barr. Ukem, Executive Director CLEEN FOUNDATION, Mr. Gad Peter, represented by the Program Manager, Mrs Chigozirim Odinkalu and the Country Director Global Peace Foundation who also is the CAN president Kadunna Chapter, Rev John Joseph Hayab

They Urged the youths to use the skills and knowledge acquired in the training to advocate against electoral violence and transfer the knowledge to other young people in their respective communities as well as be advocate for peaceful elections.

The Benue Youth Forum, BYF is saddened by the renewed attacks on Benue communities by Fulani herdsmen, the latest of which was the gruesome killing of thirteen people including six members of one family at Abagena, a community which has the burden of accommodating thousands of Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs in Makurdi Local Government Area of the state.

Further disheartening is the killing of some IDPs who have been in the camp located within the community that came under attack on Thursday night.

In a statement issued on Saturday by the President of Benue Youth Forum, Comrade Terrance Kuanum condemns the mindless act which has become a recurring incident perpetrated by marauding Fulani herdsmen.

We are concerned that despite the killing of hundreds of innocent Benue people and displacement of over two million others thereby creating a humanitarian crisis in the state, the Fulani terrorists are bent on not relenting.

It is obvious that the merchants of death have become more vicious owing to the utterances of some of their kinsmen who have at different times rationalized the killings in Benue state, as well as the fact that the relevant authorities especially at the centre have not shown much commitment to ending the carnage in the Benue Valley.

We therefore call on security agents to go after those behind the killings in Abagena and other parts of the state to arrest and bring them to book as well as work towards ending the havoc by elements of darkness in the state.

We are all aware that the Fulanis have vowed to resist the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law of the state in their quest to cleanse the people and take over their land. But they are on a vain mission to nowhere, and they would fail as they did in 1804.

As law abiding citizens who reason like human beings should do, we will continue to use legal and constitutional means to express our grievances over the clear injustice being meted on us by the Fulanis and the loud silence by those who should condemn the incessant killings and call for the arrest of the perpetrators.

We also call on Governor Samuel Ortom not to succumb to the pressure by enemies of the state who have been clamouring for the repeal of the law prohibiting open grazing in the state.

The BYF again calls on President Muhammadu Buhari to grant the request by Governor Ortom to arm the Benue State Community Volunteer Guards with sophisticated weapons for effective security of the state in collaboration with conventional security agencies.

We urge Benue people to set aside their political, tribal and religious differences and speak with one voice over the planned, sponsored, systematic and well orchestrated massacre of innocent people in Benue communities.

Lastly, we wish to make it abundantly clear that the 2023 elections are about the survival of our people. With our votes, we in Benue State will vehemently reject candidates who have taken sides with our enemies! Anyone who has pitched tent with our aggressors and oppressors (Fulani herdsmen) has lost the election even before the ballot is cast. Our land is our heritage! Whoever is not for us is against us!

The Benue Youth Forum, BYF is saddened by the renewed attacks on Benue communities by Fulani herdsmen, the latest of which was the gruesome killing of thirteen people including six members of one family at Abagena, a community which has the burden of accommodating thousands of Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs in Makurdi Local Government Area of the state.

Further disheartening is the killing of some IDPs who have been in the camp located within the community that came under attack on Thursday night.

In a statement issued on Saturday by the President of Benue Youth Forum, Comrade Terrance Kuanum condemns the mindless act which has become a recurring incident perpetrated by marauding Fulani herdsmen.

We are concerned that despite the killing of hundreds of innocent Benue people and displacement of over two million others thereby creating a humanitarian crisis in the state, the Fulani terrorists are bent on not relenting.

It is obvious that the merchants of death have become more vicious owing to the utterances of some of their kinsmen who have at different times rationalized the killings in Benue state, as well as the fact that the relevant authorities especially at the centre have not shown much commitment to ending the carnage in the Benue Valley.

We therefore call on security agents to go after those behind the killings in Abagena and other parts of the state to arrest and bring them to book as well as work towards ending the havoc by elements of darkness in the state.

We are all aware that the Fulanis have vowed to resist the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law of the state in their quest to cleanse the people and take over their land. But they are on a vain mission to nowhere, and they would fail as they did in 1804.

As law abiding citizens who reason like human beings should do, we will continue to use legal and constitutional means to express our grievances over the clear injustice being meted on us by the Fulanis and the loud silence by those who should condemn the incessant killings and call for the arrest of the perpetrators.

We also call on Governor Samuel Ortom not to succumb to the pressure by enemies of the state who have been clamouring for the repeal of the law prohibiting open grazing in the state.

The BYF again calls on President Muhammadu Buhari to grant the request by Governor Ortom to arm the Benue State Community Volunteer Guards with sophisticated weapons for effective security of the state in collaboration with conventional security agencies.

We urge Benue people to set aside their political, tribal and religious differences and speak with one voice over the planned, sponsored, systematic and well orchestrated massacre of innocent people in Benue communities.

Lastly, we wish to make it abundantly clear that the 2023 elections are about the survival of our people. With our votes, we in Benue State will vehemently reject candidates who have taken sides with our enemies! Anyone who has pitched tent with our aggressors and oppressors (Fulani herdsmen) has lost the election even before the ballot is cast. Our land is our heritage! Whoever is not for us is against us!

The Managing Director of Jos Electricity Distribution Plc, Engr Abdu Bello Mohammed has commended the staff of the company for achieving a new revenue generation milestone of N3.3 Billion.

Engr Mohammed also reiterated his determination to sustain quality and sufficient energy delivery to the people of Bauchi, Benue, Gombe and Plateau States to serve as an elixir to the customers.


The Managing Director/CEO made this disclosure in an interview with media men in his office last Monday.


The Chief Executive Officer who was elated by the amount of revenue generated in December said that the only way to appreciate customers was to continue with the delivery of quality energy.

He said that the company has put in place a mechanism to expeditiously address faults adding that the company plans to establish workshops in the four states to prevent delays associated with the repairs of faulty transformers on its network.


According to the Managing Director, “We intend to establish maintenance workshops in all our states of operation so that we can expeditiously attend to faults on our network. We don’t want our customers to be out of supply for any reason”.

Engr Mohammed however stated that for the company to be able to achieve the above feat, customers should endeavour to live up to their responsibility of paying for their consumed energy.


The Managing Director who decried the current situation where customers were hugely indebted to the company to the tune of over a hundred billion nairas said that it was in realisation of this that the company’s Management under his leadership decided to introduce the debt discount promo.

He explained that under this policy which was supposed to elapse by the end of the month, customers wishing to defrost the totality of their debts would be entitled to a 30% of discount.

The Managing Director, therefore, urged customers to take advantage of this invention to thaw their debts.

By Oriri Peter

It is saddening that the politics of Africa is yet to transcend mendacities. It is equally reprehensible that the Enone Federal Constituency is being dragged into this low by the inordinate ambition of a few individuals.

These individuals, rather than state what they plan to achieve in the unlikely event that they win, have chosen to engage in mudslinging.

To them, since defeat is staring at their faces, their only consolation is the trophy for winning a mud fight. They shall take this trophy, unopposed, while we get the certificate of return to be issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Unperturbed by their vituperations, Hon. Barr Aida Nath Ogwuche is coasting to victory. Indeed, for a political striker like Aida, such diatribe is not unexpected as she has whittled down the supposed influence and braggadocio of certain individuals who thought they could lord over the constituency. In all of these, her drive is just one: to provide dividends of democracy to the Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo people upon her victory and consequent inauguration in June.

As an experienced public servant, this Amazon will bring her experience to bare in providing effective representation to the constituency. She has already developed, in her portfolio, a list of bills and motions to sponsor, upon her swearing-in, for the development of her constituency.

Furthermore, there is a list of projects she has itemized to ensure they get the attention of State, Federal Government and International Organisations.

She is loved by all and sundry due to her humanitarian outing and human capital development and the development of her constituency.

In her personal capacity, she had previously being awarding scholarships to deserving students, constructed houses for the poor and had been a pillar of support for the downtrodden, she has also previously
handled probono cases, visits to prisons in abuja to clear up fines for people wrongly imprisoned or imprisoned for little or no fault of theirs.

It is, indeed, not out of place to say that for one who has used her personal finances for the upliftment of the poor, using legislative powers to attract development to her constituency will not be a tall order.

Those who love to see the development of the Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo federal constituency have just one choice in Aida Nath. If she can do it in her private capacity, she can even do better when thrusted with public authority.

There is therefore the urgent need for electorates of all demographic compositions - youth, women, the aged - to queue behind Barr. Nath as she falls in the category of the first two strata and has been of significant impact to the aged.

Comrade Oriri Peter is the Director, Strategic Communication (Spokesman), Aida Nath Campaign Organization.

By Oriri Peter

The Benue Youth Forum, BYF gathers on good authority that some Benue sons and daughters have presented themselves to be used by the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar to lure some gullible and unsuspecting Benue people to vote for him against their wishes.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by Mr. Terrence Kuanum, President, of the forum noted that the BYF is aware that Alhaji Atiku who has always looked the other way while his kinsmen unleash terror on Benue people is now distributing money to some sellouts to help him get the votes of the people.


We had demanded a public apology from Atiku for his failure to condemn the dastardly acts of Fulani herdsmen in Benue and a commitment that he would prioritise the security of lives and property of Benue people if elected. But he has refused to heed our advice, meaning he care less about the massacre in the Benue Valley and is not willing to end it even if he becomes the president.

The BYF therefore feels that those who are queuing behind Atiku inspite of his nonchalance towards the ethnic cleansing in the state by his kinsmen are truly the real enemies of Benue and its law abiding people.

We however, call on those who have made themselves available to be used to deceive the people into voting Atiku to have a rethink or risk being judged now and in the future as the enemies within who are out to sell their people for a pot of porridge.

The Benue Youth Forum also cautions the citizens against accepting the poisoned chalice being presented to them as peanuts by those traitors to cajole them into going astray as collecting money from those not interested in their security is tantamount to mortgaging their own blood and those of their kinsmen who have been slained by Fulani terrorists.

The BYF also stresses the need for the people to blacklist all those who come to them with cursed money to buy their conscience and talk them into signing their death warrants in the name of voting a man who sees nothing wrong with the incessant invasion of Benue communities and killing the dwellers by armed Fulani militia.

We commend Governor Samuel Ortom for standing firm in defence of the people and reiterate our call on the people to stand by the governor on his resolve to ensure that justice, equity and fairness are the watchwords in handling national issues, especially those that affect Benue people.

BYF equally wants Benue people, particularly those from the North-West Senatorial district to give Governor Ortom the mandate to serve them in the Senate as he has proven to be the voice of the voiceless and the conscience of the nation.

....says Atiku recovery Nigeria mission

Former Cross River deputy governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Barrister Helen Boco Effiom has formally defected to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

While appreciating the defection, the chairperson of the independent Grassroots campaign Council for Atiku/Okowa 2023 of the peoples democratic party Ambassador Dr. Fatima Mohammed Goni lauded the initiative of Hellen Effiom who is also the campaign Council's deputy national Chairman.

Ambassador Fatima Mohammed Goni assured the PDP Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar that they would together join hands with other supporters of the party to deliver him as the country’s next president come February 25, 2023.

Barrister Hellen Effiom was running mate to the former Niger Delta Affairs Minister, Dr Usani Uguru Usani, in the 2019 governorship election and contested for the position of APC national women leader in the last party national convention held in Abuja.

....says Atiku recovery Nigeria mission

Former Cross River deputy governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Barrister Helen Boco Effiom has formally defected to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Welcoming the development, the chairperson of the independent Grassroots campaign Council for Atiku/Okowa 2023 of the peoples democratic party Ambassador Dr. Fatima Mohammed Goni lauded the initiative of Hellen Effiom is also the campaign Council's deputy national Chairman.

Ambassador Fatima Mohammed Goni assured the PDP Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar that they would together join hands with other supporters of the party to deliver him as the country’s next president come February 25, 2023.

Barrister Hellen Effiom was running mate to the former Niger Delta Affairs Minister, Dr Usani Uguru Usani, in the 2019 governorship election and contested for the position of APC national women leader in the last party national convention held in Abuja.

By Oriri Peter

The Bauchi Regional Office of the Jos Electricity Distribution Plc has embarked on sensitization of customers to create awareness of the Debt Discount Promo introduced by the Management.

In a statement released to media organizations on Thursday evening and signed by the Head, Corporate Communications Dr. Adakole Friday Elijah he noted that the programme was aimed at encouraging indebted customers to defrost the totality of their debt at once and benefit from a discount of 30%.

To draw customers' attention to the promo, the Management of Bauchi embarked on a road walk. The road walk would last for three days consecutively.

In the course of the exercise, some staff were seen distributing flyers and persuading customers to key into the promo.

A novelty football match would be played on Saturday to herald the activity relating to the promo as well as foster effective community relationships.

The programme is expected to climax on Monday next week with an award night where some hardworking staff and customers would be certificated in appreciation for their contributions to the growth of the region.

It will be recalled that the Management of Jos Electricity Distribution Plc last December introduced a 30% debt discount for all indebted customers who are desiring to defrost their debt at once.

The Managing Director, Engr Abdu Bello Mohammed who explained that the debt discount would only apply to customers who are willing to pay the entirety of their indebtedness to the company at once urged customers to take advantage of the promo which he said would be in force till the end of January 2023 to offset their debts.

By Oriri Peter 

The Forum of Presidents of Youth Organizations in the Middle Belt region have aligned their voices with that of elder statesman President Olusegun Obasanjo and other patriotic Nigerians who have endorsed Peter Obi of the Labour Party as the right man for the country's presidency ahead of February 25th. 

The Forum's position is in consonance with the stand of former president Obasanjo, PANDEF leader, Edwin Clerk, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state and many other Nigerians who are upbeat that Mr. Obi is more positioned to clean the mess that the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC have turned Nigeria into.

Recalled that the Forum of Presidents of Youths Organisations in the Middle-Belt was among the first groups to come out openly last year to stress the call for a Southern presidency for equity, justice and fairness.

We have all along known that Mr. Obi is the best option for Nigeria, if the wounded nation must be on the way to economic, political and social recovery after being battered by the APC.

The Forum in a statement on Wednesday by its National President, Comrade Terrence Kuanum therefore wants all other leaders and groups in the Middle- Belt to emulate those forthright and responsible Nigerians by throwing their weight behind Mr. Obi to enable him get the mandate of the people and change the sad story of Nigeria.

The group reminds Nigerians from all walks of life, different social backgrounds, religious affiliations, political leanings and ethnic roots to reflect on what they are going through today and avoid the mistakes that took them here.

We commend Governor Samuel Ortom for always standing tall whenever the issue of justice, fairness and equity for the growth and progress of Nigeria are at the front-burner.

It reiterated the need for the Benue people, especially those in the north-east senatorial district to reward Governor Ortom with the senatorial seat to enable him to continue to serve them effectively.

The Director General of the national Commission for the coordination and control of the proliferation of small arms and light Weapons, NATCOM, Dr. Baba Mohammed has felicitated with Nigerians on the occasion of new Year.

A statement by the Director General said the year 2023 is a defining moment for our great country Nigeria especially going into the 2023 general elections.

Dr. Mohammed is optimistic that the compelling need to tackle the nation's challenges in security, economy and employment deficits will be drastically suppressed when NATCOM comes into operations.

He urged Nigerians to support the noble cause towards the actualization of NATCOM as demonstrated by President Muhammadu Buhari, the leadership and members of the national Assembly, the national security adviser and other critical stakeholders.

While wishing Nigerians a happy and prosperous New Year , a quick Presidential assent to the NATCOM bill will be great news to Nigerians in 2023, the Director General emphasized.

The Presidential candidate of the peoples democratic party and former Vice president of Nigeria Atiku Abubakar has constituted an independent Grassroots campaign Council for Atiku/Okowa 2023 Presidential campaigns.

A statement personally signed by the Presidential candidate appointed Ambassador Fatima Mohammed Goni from Borno State as chairperson of the council.

The statement added that Helen Effiom, a legal practitioner from Cross River state is deputy national Chairman while Jemila Muhammed Kashim from Kogi state serves as Secretary.

It enjoined the Council members to deploy their nationwide socio-political networks and influence towards ensuring the victory of of PDP in the forthcoming presidential election.

The Director General of the National Commission for the coordination and control of the proliferation of small arms and light Weapons, NATCOM Dr Baba Mohammed has extended felicitations to all Christian Brothers and Sisters on this joyous season of Christmas.

While praying the good Lord to grant all unlimited joy and sustained happiness, the NATCOM boss is hopeful that God's Divine intervention will grant our dear country Nigeria Tranquility, Peace and Prosperity.

He enjoined the citizenry to remain steadfast in prayers for a quick Presidential assent to the NATCOM bill, Expressing optimism that Nigeria's security challenges will be greatly surmounted with the coming on board of NATCOM operations.

Provision of gainful employment to the teeming youth as well as enthronement of a robust economy are added benefits to accrue when NATCOM comes into operations.

The eventual realization and take off of NATCOM is believed by many Nigerians to be among the great legacies to be left behind by the president Buhari administration.

Dr Mohammed therefore, called for fervent prayers from faithful for quick take-off of NATCOM which he described as a shining example for the present and future generations.

In an interview with newsmen in Abuja,The President, Nigeria Coalition of Pastors for Good Leaders recently disclosed that, any attack on the person of the presidential candidate of the APC Bola Ahmed Tinubu will attract the wrath of God;

Can you introduce yourself or can we meet you ?

My name is Apostle Babatunde Oguntimehin, president Nigerian coalition of pastor for good governance.

Tell us why we are here ?

We are here because i received a message from the throne of grace and for me to tell Nigerians and the world that; Tinubu is the most qualified Nigerian to be president in 2023 and any attack on him will attract the wrath of God.

There are speculations that Nigeria Coalition of Pastors for Good Leaders is planing a national summit in Abuja, give us more update and details about it ?

Yes as the president of the coalition, I can authoritatively say, we are organizing a national summit here in Abuja where we will have all the state executives, excos and members in attendance before the general elections and the purpose is to mobilize and galvanize more support and votes to the person of Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

We have our executives all over the (36) states of the federation. We have a database for that. In every state, we have a nine-man executive committee. Even at the town hall meetings we organised where we declared our support for (the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola) Tinubu, we had no fewer than 630 pastors and that is just for Abuja.

We have more than 1,500 pastors who are members in Abuja. We are planning towards our summit in Abuja where 4,000 pastors have been penciled down to attend.

Our members are more than that; if not for financial constraints we will have more than that number. We are doing this on our own. The intention is for these pastors to talk to their members. So, if I say today that I can give Tinubu 10 million votes, I know what I am saying.

Recently, some people have been attacking the person Bola Ahmed Tinubu, what do you to say about the attacks on him ?

I am warning that any further attack on Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Candidate, would attract the wrath of God.

It is being speculated that, you have been heavily paid to endorse the APC candidate, is this true or not ?

Let me say it clearly now, We have not received any money from the person or candidate of the APC Bola Ahmed Tinubu, our support for Ahmed Tinubu is because of his track records, indisputable capability to effectively manage human, material resources and visible progress stood him out as the most qualified Nigerian to be president in 2023.

And you are not doing this in anticipation of political appointment, contracts or favours or recognition ?

I was once a Special Assistant to a minister under the last administration and I have not founded this group then. We are doing this to support the aspiration of our preferred candidate to become the president and ensure that Nigerians enjoy the dividends of democracy.

Tell us exactly the kind of person or leader, Nigeria really needs in the forth coming elections ?

In 2023, the country needs a capable leader with progressive ideas to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari and to build on the progress recorded by the current administration and that person is Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

What do you have to say about the umbrella body of christians in Nigeria based on their stance ?

Let me state this clearly; "Our support for Bola Ahmed Tinubu is political and not spiritual. Recently, about four days ago in our prayer the Holy Spirit revealed to me that any further attack on Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the person or people will see the wrath of God because his candidature is the making of God to this country now, God has a hand on his candidature".

If you study what is happening in the political circles, you have to be very careful and look back at what is happening to Christians in the country. Ethnicity is ticker than religion in the country. God does not bother if you are a Christian or a Muslim. Today, I am a Christian, and tomorrow I can be a Muslim but I am a Yoruba man today, there is no way I can stop being one. We can restrict our political demand to ethnicity, that is why we support a candidate from the South. We do not focus our support on religion; that is the message we are passing. We must understand something, it is their turn today; tomorrow it could be a Christian-Christian ticket. What we are doing will be a pointer in case of any opposition.

 Is the Nigeria Coalition of Pastors for Good Leaders, a registered group in Nigeria?

Yes we are duly registered with the neccesary and relevant authorities.

We first operated under the Nigerian League of Pastors for Good Governance; we just changed the name.I have been the leader of the group since 2018.

What do you have to say to other presidential political aspirants ?

My counsel to them is for them to stop turning this election into a religious affairs between the christians and the muslims particularly to Peter Obi who has been moving from one church to the other.

Also, Atiku Abubakar married several wives and change the names of the Christians among and gave them muslim names but as you can see and observe Bola Ahmed Tinubu has never done that, even as it stands now some members of his family are still Christians hence, he has proven beyond every reasonable doubt that, he is never a religious bigot and is the most suitable for the position of president in Nigeria come 2023.

What are your final or parting words ?

Let me restate this again, our support for Bola Ahmed Tinubu is purely political, not spiritual.

And in 2023, the country needs a capable, visionary leader, peoples builder and a nation transformer in a short time with progressive ideas to succeed the current administration seamlessly and that person is Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Tinubu’s practicable ideas in governance make him the most qualified successor and saleable choice for the job. Haters should not sabotage the effort of Bola Ahmed Tinubu. No human being should sabotage it,”

In an interview with newsmen in Abuja,The President, Nigeria Coalition of Pastors for Good Leaders recently disclosed that, any attack on the person of the presidential candidate of the APC Bola Ahmed Tinubu will attract the wrath of God;

Can you introduce yourself or can we meet you ?

My name is Apostle Babatunde Oguntimehin, president Nigerian coalition of pastor for good governance.

Tell us why we are here ?

We are here because i received a message from the throne of grace and for me to tell Nigerians and the world that; Tinubu is the most qualified Nigerian to be president in 2023 and any attack on him will attract the wrath of God.

How large is the membership of the Nigeria Coalition of Pastors for Good Leaders that you head?

We have our executives all over the (36) states of the federation. We have a database for that. In every state, we have a nine-man executive committee. We can produce the name and address of the church for anyone who wishes to verify. We are not a faceless group. At the town hall meetings where we declared our support for (the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola) Tinubu, we had no fewer than 630 pastors and that is just for Abuja. We have more than 1,500 pastors who are members in Abuja. We are planning towards our summit in Abuja where 4,000 pastors have been penciled down to attend. Our members are more than that; if not for financial constraints we will have more than that number. We are doing this on our own. The intention is for these pastors to talk to their members. So, if I say today that I can give Tinubu 10 million votes, I know what I am saying.

Recently, some people have been attacking the person Bola Ahmed Tinubu, what do you to say about the attacks on him ?

I am warning that any further attack on Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Candidate, would attract the wrath of God.

It is being speculated that, you have been heavily paid to endorse the APC candidate, is this true or not ?

Let me say it clearly now, We have not received any money from the person or candidate of the APC Bola Ahmed Tinubu, our support for Ahmed Tinubu is because of his track records, indisputable capability to effectively manage human, material resources and visible progress stood him out as the most qualified Nigerian to be president in 2023.

And you are not doing this in anticipation of political appointment, contracts or favours or recognition ?

I was once a Special Assistant to a minister under Jonathan and I have not founded this group then. We are doing this to support the aspiration of our preferred candidate to become the president and ensure that Nigerians enjoy the dividends of democracy.

Tell us exactly the kind of person or leader, Nigeria really needs in the forth coming elections ?

In 2023, the country needs a capable leader with progressive ideas to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari and to build on the progress recorded by the current administration and that person is Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

What do you have to say about the umbrella body of christians in Nigeria based on their stance ?

Let me state this clearly; "Our support for Bola Ahmed Tinubu is political and not spiritual. Recently, about four days ago in our prayer the Holy Spirit revealed to me that any further attack on Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the person or people will see the wrath of God because his candidature is the making of God to this country now, God has a hand on his candidature".

If you study what is happening in the political circles, you have to be very careful and look back at what is happening to Christians in the country. Ethnicity is ticker than religion in the country. God does not bother if you are a Christian or a Muslim. Today, I am a Christian, and tomorrow I can be a Muslim but I am a Yoruba man today, there is no way I can stop being one. We can restrict our political demand to ethnicity, that is why we support a candidate from the South. We do not focus our support on religion; that is the message we are passing. We must understand something, it is their turn today; tomorrow it could be a Christian-Christian ticket. What we are doing will be a pointer in case of any opposition.

Is the Nigeria Coalition of Pastors for Good Leaders, a registered group in Nigeria ?

Of course, we are. We first operated under the Nigerian League of Pastors for Good Governance; we just changed the name.I have been the leader of the group since 2018.

What are your final or parting words ?

Let me restate this again, our support for Bola Ahmed Tinubu is purely political, not spiritual.

And in 2023, the country needs a capable, visionary leader, peoples builder and a nation transformer in a short time with progressive ideas to succeed the current administration seamlessly and that person is Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Tinubu’s practicable ideas in governance make him the most qualified successor and saleable choice for the job. Haters should not sabotage the effort of Bola Ahmed Tinubu. No human being should sabotage it,”

The Management of Jos Electricity Distribution Plc has embarked on aggressive sensitization of customers on band upgrades of some feeders in its franchise states.

The sensitization which commences in Gombe State last Wednesday was equally replicated in Bauchi State.

Speaking separately during the awareness campaign, the Regional Manager, Gombe, Dr Babajada Awaulu and his Bauchi Counterpart, Engr Hafiz Saleh who stood in for the Managing Director, Engr Abdu Bello Mohammed said it has become imperative to educate the people on the workability of the band system before its implementation.

The duo explained that the distribution company desired to supply uninterrupted quality electricity to its customers in all its areas of operation saying, "to the best of my knowledge, Jos Disco is doing extremely well in this regard".

Both Babajada and Hafiz listed the number of feeders upgraded to bands A and B from their previous status saying those in Band 'A' were enjoying not less than 20 hours of minimum supply of electricity while those in Band 'B' were to enjoy a minimum of 16 hours of supply.

The Regional Managers who said that the company was poised to serve its customers better than before disclosed that the technical staff of the company have been placed on alert to expeditiously attend to faults that may occur at any given time.

In his contributions, the Head, Customer Care, Mr Lucky Akpobi who graphically illustrated the operationality of the Band system explained that those desiring band upgrades should understand that their billing will also go up from what they were hitherto being billed.

Akpobi said "to whom much is given, much is expected", and said in conformity with that maxim, customers who have been migrated to band 'A' or 'B' should be ready to pay more for their energy consumption.

The Head of Customer Care thereafter rolled out the tariff rate for each of the bands to enable the customers to understand what they were to be billed after the upgrade.

Mr Akpobi also used the occasion to urge the customers to pay for their consumed energy decrying the degree of customers' indebtedness to the company.

He said it was unhealthy for customers to refuse to pay for the energy they had consumed saying, " Jos Disco is now a private enterprise. It is no more government-owned. We buy this energy and must pay for it. If we don't pay, how do we remain in this business? It is ungodly not to pay for what you consumed.

Akpobi who told the indebted customers to endeavour to liquidate their debts urged them to embrace the debt discount promo currently in force.

He explained that any customer desiring to offset his debt in totality would be given a 30% discount from his total debts.

Also, Speaking, the Head, Safety, Mr Alvinmax Cyprian Yenkwo who gave several safety tips urged customers to be safety conscious in their relationship with electricity.

The Management of Jos Electricity Distribution Plc has formulated a business model that will aid the company’s collection efficiency.

Under the NERC-approved distribution business franchising model, the company is expected to mutually collaborate with some clusters in Gombe State in the delivery of energy and 100% revenue collection efficiency.

In a statement by Dr. Friday Adakole Elijah, Head Corporate Communications, this was made known by the Managing Director, Engr Abdu Bello Mohammed in Gombe last weekend when he visited the Rice and Groundnuts Millers Association.


Engr Mohammed who promised that JED Plc would supply stable and regular electricity to the millers said that the company would be implementing the idea of collaborating with customers in some clusters to achieve 100% cash collection.


He disclosed that under the proposed arrangement, both the Rice and Groundnuts Miller Associations would be engaged to take responsibility for revenue collection from their members on a commission basis.


Consequently, Engr Mohammed set up a high-powered committee to work out the modalities that would be mutually acceptable to all the parties and the agreement shall be executed.

The Managing Director who urged the millers to pay for their consumed energy also enlightened them on the operations of the Discos saying, “We buy this product ( electricity) from the NBET and it is transported to us via Transmission Company of Nigeria – TCN, and sell to customers and we are expected to pay for the energy we took to the bulk trader 100%”, adding, ” we, therefore, expect you to pay for the energy you consumed 100%.

On the complaints by the leadership of the miller’s Associations about two faulty transformers, the Managing Director directed the Regional Manager, Gombe, Alhaji Babajada Auwalu to ensure that the transformers were repaired within one week.

He, therefore, disclosed that Jos Electricity Distribution Plc would soon be metering all its transformers for energy accountability.

In their separate remarks, Alhaji Lawan Yusuf, Chairman of the Rice Millers Association and his groundnut counterparts, Alhaji Sani Ya’u thanked the Managing Director for the visit and promised to support the company.

In commemoration of the International Human Rights Day, Hauwa Atiku-Uwais Foundation has commended all women and girls around the world for their active participation in the 16 days of activism against Gender based violence.

The Foundation said the theme "Orange the world: End Violence against Women" could not have come at a better time than now as there is great surge in cases of abuse and violence against women.

In a press statement signed by the Founder/CEO of the Foundation, Hauwa Atiku Uwais said regardless of culture, education, social status, religion; there is no gain saying as every one has the right to life.

She empathised with all women and female children who have been victims of abuse and violence; together we shall overcome.

"We encourage all who are victims that the way out is to "speak out"; this is the first step towards healing.

"You can be rest assured that our doors will always be open and our ears to attend to all.

Hauwa further said, "Let's all bear in mind that as fathers, husbands, brothers, religious leaders and leaders in all spheres of life; its our duty to protect the sanctity of womanhood as I believe that "together we Can."

In commemoration of the International Human Rights Day, Hauwa Atiku-Uwais Foundation has commended all women and girls around the world for their active participation in the 16 days of activism against Gender based violence.

The Foundation said the theme "Orange the world: End Violence against Women" could not have come at a better time than now as there is great surge in cases of abuse and violence against women.

In a press statement signed by the Founder/CEO of the Foundation, Hauwa Atiku Uwais said regardless of culture, education, social status, religion; there is no gain saying as every one has the right to life.

She empathised with all women and female children who have been victims of abuse and violence; together we shall overcome.

"We encourage all who are victims that the way out is to "speak out"; this is the first step towards healing.

"You can be rest assured that our doors will always be open and our ears to attend to all.

Hauwa further said, "Let's all bear in mind that as fathers, husbands, brothers, religious leaders and leaders in all spheres of life; its our duty to protect the sanctity of womanhood as I believe that "together we Can."

The Forum of Presidents of Youth Organizations in the Middle Belt region met in Abuja on Friday 9th -10th December , 2022 to look at common challenges facing the people of the region and the state of the nation in general and also elect new leadership of the Forum. At the end of the two day meeting, the Forum hereby issues a communique with the following resolutions:

1. The meeting did a comprehensive review of the security and economic situation of the Middle Belt states and came to the conclusion that the region has been badly affected by unfavorable policies of successive federal administrations in the country which have left the region grossly marginalized in terms of youth employment, empowerment for young people and general development. The Middle Belt is currently rated as the region with the highest rate of youth unemployment in the country.

2. The Forum is deeply saddened by the spate of insecurity in parts of the Middle Belt region which has left thousands of people dead and rendered many others homeless with thousands of widows and orphans.

3. The Forum sympathizes with families of victims of attacks carried out by herdsmen, bandits and other terrorists operating in the Middle Belt.

4. The Forum equally sympathizes with families of security personnel who have lost their lives in the course of defending the people of the region and other parts of the country.

5. The Forum expresses deep concern over the sustained impunity that has reduced the Middle Belt region to a mere plantation where the bulk of the country’s food is produced to feed the nation, leaving the people of the region poorer and without anything to show for their sweat and contributions to the economic growth of the nation.

6. The Forum has resolved to step up advocacy through conventional means and on social media for the emancipation of the Middle Belt people from the shackles of oppression, intimidation and suppression.

7. The Forum calls on President Muhammadu Buhari, as the Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, to urgently convene a National Dialogue to address the worsening security situation across the country and to also address the agitations and concerns being expressed by Nigerians. This should be followed by the National Council of State meeting to find workable solutions to the spate of killings in different states of the federation.

8. The Forum endorses the use of vigilante groups and neighbourhood watches to safe guard our communities since the conventional security agencies have been overwhelmed by terrorists such as armed herdsmen who are operating within the region.

9. The Forum calls on all Middle Belt states which are yet to ban open grazing of cattle to do so urgently and to embrace ranching as the global best practice of animal husbandry. The Forum charges the rest of the region to enact anti-open grazing laws to give legal backing to the ban on open grazing and commends Benue State for being the pathfinder in the ranching revolution.

10. It is the considered stand of the Forum that Nigeria is ripe for the implementation of a Policy on ranching as captured in the National Livestock Transformation Plan that was adopted by the National Economic Council (NEC). This Forum believes that the policy will not only protect farming communities from attacks and herdsmen from cattle rustling but also lead to environmental protection, security of lives and property as well as guarantee food security.

11. The Forum calls on the Federal Government to publicly condemn the atrocities perpetrated by armed herdsmen, arrest and prosecute the leadership of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore and other Fulani Socio-cultural groups who have consistently admitted to the wanton killings and destruction of communities across the country.
 
12. Similarly, the Forum urges the Federal Government to proscribe all militant Fulani groups as was done in the case of the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB), given that the Global Terrorism Index has repeatedly ranked Fulani militia as the fourth deadliest terrorist group in the world. Similarly, other extremist groups should be proscribed.

13. The Forum urges the Federal Government to increase the funding and equipping of security agencies, and to recruit additional police personnel and improve on their training to enable them confront criminals.

14. The Forum calls on Mr. President to uphold his Oath of Office as President of all Nigerians and to lead in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.  He must be seen to be the President ‘for everybody and for nobody’.

15. The Forum appeals to President Buhari to respect the Federal Character Principle in appointments into key positions and siting of projects. The Middle Belt region has been badly treated in the past six years in the area of appointments at the federal level.

16. The Forum advocates for allocation of more funds to states and local governments from the Federation Account with the recommendation that local governments should take 23 percent of the Federal Allocation, states should get 42 percent while the Federal Government takes 35 percent.

17. The Forum equally calls on states to step up their efforts in improving internally generated revenue to tackle development challenges and make life more meaningful for their people.

18. The Forum berates the Governor of Kaduna State over his handling of the security situation in his state, particularly the terrorist attacks taking place in Southern Kaduna where hundreds are killed on daily basis. The meeting also condemns the sacking of thousands of civil servants by the Kaduna State Governor, a decision that was apparently targeted at the people of the southern part of the state.

19. The Forum has resolved to embark on enlightenment of Middle Belt people about the fictitious and deceitful agricultural policies of the Federal Government which are aimed at grabbing the people’s lands for herdsmen and their animals.

20. The Forum acknowledges and unanimously commends His Excellency Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State for championing the cause of equity, fairness and justice as the leading voice for the voiceless in the country. The forum encourages Governor Ortom and the G5 Governors to remain steadfast and not be discouraged by the campaign of blackmail launched against them and them and their struggle by enemies of peace.

21. The Forum highly commends Governor Ortom for his bold step of identifying with EndSARS protesters in his state last year and his prompt decision to organize the Benue Youth Summit to address the challenges facing the young people of Benue State.

22. The Forum sympathizes with Benue, Plateau, Taraba, Nasarawa, Niger and other states which have millions of internally displaced people living in IDP camps. The Forum urges the Federal Government to fulfill its promise of assisting the states facing humanitarian crisis to facilitate the resettlement of the IDPs to the ancestral homes.

23. The Forum adopts ranching as the most viable solution to the farmer/herder crisis within the Middle Belt region.

24. The Fourm calls on the National Assembly to enact a law confering the status of a state on the Federal Capital Territory.

25. The Forum salutes the statesmanship and patriotism of some noted sons of the Middle Belt like Governor Samuel Ortom, General Theophilus Danjuma, Air Commodore Dan Suleiman and His Eminence Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah who have chosen to stand on the side of truth and justice and have taken it upon themselves to stand up for our people even when it was not fashionable to do so.

26. The Middle Belt youths call for the resignation of Governor Simon Lalong as Chairman of Northern Governors Forum for failing to coordinate his colleagues to bring a solution to the security challenges in the North and give way for a competent person to lead the forum.

27. The Forum returned the entire exco to run for a second term

28. The Forum mandates the re-elected exco to work for a southern Presidency to emerge in the 2023 general elections

29. The Forum mandates the re-elected exco to liase with the G5 Governors to fight for fairness,equity and justice for all Nigerians.


30. Finally, the Forum appreciates Nigerians in other parts of the country for sympathizing with people of the Middle Belt in their time of anguish in the face of wanton killings and other devilish acts of terrorism.

Thank you and God bless you all.

In attendance are:

1.Terrence Kuanum
President
Benue Youth Forum
Coordinator

2.Daniel Bichi
President youth Wing
Gombe south peoples Assembly
Secretary

3.Frank Olu
President
Kwara youth vanguard

4Amando Saka
President
Kogi youth Forum

5.Bibianne Danjuma
President
Taraba youth assembly

6.Darren Kuba
President
Nasarawa youth movement for good governance

7.Alfred Shimbi
President
Bauchi youth Forum

8.Friday Egan
President
Niger youth Forum

9.Maryamu Dauda
President
Plateau youth movement for good governance

10.Chechat Joseph
President
Southern Kaduna youth Assembly

11.Sanda Eijo
President
Adamawa South youth Assembly

12.George Oro
President
FCT indigenous youth movement

13.Shima Atokaa
Secretary
Benue Youth Forum.

*INSTITUTES AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMED REGION*

To enhance corporate performance, the Management of Jos Electricity Distribution Plc has introduced a 30% debt discount for all indebted customers who are desiring to defrost their debts at once.

This was made known by the Dr Friday Adakole Elijah, Head, Corporate Communications of the company.


Adakole noted that company has also promised to promote the best Regional Manager in terms of cash collection every month.


The Managing Director, Engr Abdu Bello Mohammed made this disclosure last Thursday in Gombe during an interactive session with staff of the Region.

The Managing Director who explained that the debt discount would only apply to customers who are willing to pay the entirety of their indebtedness to the company at once urged customers to take advantage of the promo which he said would be in force till the end of January 2023 to neutralize their debts.


On the other hand, Engr Mohammed who was optimistic that the staff could change the negative financial histories of the company to positivity promised to reward the region that comes top in every collection circle.


The Chief Executive Officer, therefore, urged the staff to endeavour to improve the company’s revenue collection stressing that the company under his watch would be focusing greatly on staff welfare saying, “soon after I assumed duty, about 121 staff who were left unconfirmed were confirmed. We intend to look into staff promotion soon. I understand that some staff have stagnated for up to ten years in one position. This is not good. We can not operate like this. But for us to achieve what we intend to achieve, we must have to increase our collection efficiency in terms of naira yield”.

“Please, let us improve the company’s performance and you will see what I will do. Our current collection performance is about 50%. We buy this energy from the Gencos and we can’t collect the cost of the energy. You collect goods on credit to sell and return the money but after selling, you are only able to collect about half of the total worth of the goods, how are you going to make up for the balance?, asked the Managing Director.


Engr Mohammed, therefore, charged staff to stem the tide of poor revenue collection explaining that, ” your inability to perform could be catastrophic as I can not tell what will happen to you if the trend continues”.

He urged staff to take ownership of the company saying, “this is where you work. This is where you feed from. Your family depends on this. Your relations depend on this. Even the society where you live to some extent depends on you because you are working. We should therefore put in our best to enable the company to grow. When the company grows, we will all be better off”.

In his words, “We must move the company forward. We must salvage the situation. I can see the very intelligent and energetic staff here. All you need to do is the push and determination to change the narratives”.


The Managing Director who decried corruption in all ramifications called for attitudinal change from the staff stressing that, ” you must abide by ethical conduct. I will not tolerate any bad act from anyone of you. While we will not tolerate any bad acts from you, we are ready to support you to do your job diligently”.

In his remarks, the Regional Manager, Alhaji Babajada Awaulu, who promised to work assiduously for the growth of the company disclosed that the region has been progressing steadily in terms of revenue collection since he assumed duty in Gombe.

The Managing Director was accompanied on the working visit to Gombe by the Chief Operating Officer, Alhaji Mammanlafia Umar, the Chief Commercial Officer, Engr Muniir Abubakar, the Head, Regional Operations, Engr John Emeruwa, the Chief Security Officer, Mallam Musa Abdullahi as well as Head of Corporate Planning and Strategy, Alhaji Nafiu Bello.

By Oriri Peter

The Benue Youths Forum, through a statement signed by its President, Mr. Terrence Kuanum, has reacted to the statement credited to o one faceless body under the pseudonym, Benue Coalition on Human Rights calling for the abolition of the Benue Sate Community Volunteer Guards, BCVGs.

In the statement signed by two individuals of questionable characters, Solomon Semaka and Okwori Onaji who claimed to be the President and Secretary, the faceless group alleged that the Benue State security outfit was being used to molest political opponents.

We want to make it clear to those enemies of Benue state that the BSCVG is a creation of the law which came into existence through a legislation that was made with input from various stakeholders across different segments of the state and can’t be abolished by mere allegations that can not be substantiated in the first place.

That the group is calling on President Muhammadu Buhari, the Inspector General of Police and the National Security Adviser who have shown little or no interest in ending insecurity in the state to orchestrate the scrapping of the body is a clear indication that those making those calls are tools in the hands of those behind the incessant killings and destruction of property in Benue state.

The creation of the BSCVGs to compliment the conventional security agencies is probably yielding results, hence the desperation of those perpetrating violence in the state to see it disbanded.

The Benue Youth Forum also wonders why a group that openly supports the creation of local security outfits and arming them with weapons in other parts of the country, will turn around to be highly against a similar outfit which has been denied the permission to bear arms by the Federal Government for obvious reasons.

Also curious is the fact be that the said Solomon Semaka who has openly declared support for the killings in Benue state and has a close tie with the leadership of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore who have taken responsibility for most of the killings in the state is a signatory to that nauseating statement.

While we call on any individual or groups to report any acts of misdemeanour committed by any member of the BSCVGs, we totally condemn the action of those sellouts who are out to discredit the outfit for peanuts.

It is worthy to note that the BSCVGs are not immune to the law and are operating under strict supervision of the conventional security agencies and would be sanctioned appropriately if they are found wanton in the discharge of their responsibilities.

We also want to reiterate that anyone who has any unsavory experience with the any member of the volunteer guards should go through legal channels to express his grievances, rather than embarking on a futile voyage to painting all the operatives with one brush.

The BYF once again commend Governor Samuel Ortom for observing due diligence and obeying the rule of law to create the BSCVGs which is also contributing to tackling insecurity in the state.

We equally renew our call on members of the security outfit to be law abiding and committed to the task of protecting the state legally.

We once again declare our support for the BSCVGs and urged the Benue State government not to be deterred by misguided elements, sponsored by political desperados to distract the Ortom-led administration.