₦airaland Forum

The Nigeria Police Force has debunked reports that suspended Deputy-commissioner of Police Abba Kyari has been recalled to resume work.

Spokesperson for the police, Commissioner Frank Mba dismissed the report.

“How can the police recall an officer suspended by the Police Service Commission?, he said.

Kyari who was formerly OC SARS and commander of the Inspector-General of police Intelligence Response Team (IGP-IRT) had been under investigation after being indicted in a scam case involving Abbas Ramon, commonly known as Hushpuppi.

The FBI alleged that Kyari connived with Hushpuppi to defraud a Qatari businessman of $1.1m.

Giving an update on DCP Kyari’s case on Thursday, the IGP said the embattled officer had been queried and that the police were working with the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Attorney -General of the Federation for appropriate sanction on Kyari.

He also explained that the panel constituted to investigate the case had submitted its report to the SGF, Boss Mustapha, for vetting and advice on the findings.

The IGP said they recently got feedback from the SGF and were contemplating their next step.

He also said he has not received any extradition request for the suspended DCP.

EndSARS memorial protests to mark a year some Nigerian youths protesting police brutality were allegedly killed by soldiers at the Lekki tollgate in Lagos have commenced in Osogbo.

The youths, who were protesting against extrajudicial killing and bad governance at Lekki tollgate, were allegedly gunned down on October 20, 2020.

The protest commenced at the Ita-Olookan area around 11:30 am.

The protest, according to the organiser, was in remembrance of Alimi Hamed and Mutiu Lawal, who allegedly died during the End SARS protest last year.

The protesters are also demanding justice for those who died as well as an end to insecurity in Nigeria.

The crisis rocking the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress took a fresh twist on Tuesday as the Senator Magnus Abe-led faction inaugurated a parallel executive.

The inauguration was held at the Freedom House, a campaign secretariat set up by Abe located in the GRA, Port Harcourt in 2019.

The officials inaugurated were, Golden Chioma, state chairman; Mike Amakiri, deputy chairman; Inye Jack, secretary; Joy Woko, state woman leader among others.

Briefing newsmen after the inauguration, Chioma said their faction held the ward, local and state congresses that produced leaders at the various levels in the state, even as he called on Governor Nyesom Wike to prepare his handover note in 2023.

Senior aides of the Anambra Deputy Governor, Dr Nkem Okeke, who recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) have refused to join him.

The aides restated their loyalty to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the state governor, Chief Willie Obiano.

Dr Okeke had on Wednesday defected to the APC after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja.

The senior aides who spoke to journalists at the office of the Chief of Staff to the governor, Mr Primus Odili, expressed shock over the defection of their boss, saying they only heard of it on social media.

The aides consist of Senior Special Assistant on General Duties, Dr Charles Nwufo, Special Assistant on Media, Mrs Stella Igboka, Special Assistants on Legal, Barrister Bath Okafor and Senior Special Assistant on Political Matters, Captain Chizor Obierika.

Nwufo said: “The Deputy Governor, Dr Okeke never discussed or mentioned the move to his aides. I wonder why someone who has benefited so much from Governor Willie Obiano will defect to a political party that is struggling to have a ground in the state and pledged his continuous support to the APGA leadership.”

On her part, Igboka said, “The successes and achievements recorded by Governor Willie Obiano are immeasurable and I vow to finish with APGA which shared the vision and hope of Ndị Igbo.”

Okafor and Obierika summarised the move as selfish and spite to them as it clearly showed that they were never valued and carried along, which they would have strongly disapproved.

They assured that they would continue to propagate the ideals and mission of the accomplished administration of Obiano in making sure that the governor is succeeded by a responsive and visionary leader like Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo.

Policemen believed to be from the Ogun State Police Command and officers of the Department of the State Security Services, DSS, Saturday, took over the Ake Palace Ground in Ake, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, the venue of a parallel State congress of All Progressives Congress, APC, in the State.

The Police who were seen at the venue of the parallel congress loyal to former Governor Ibikunle Amosun, locked up the gate to the Palace preventing party faithful from gaining access.

Many people believed to have been mobilised for the parallel congress were seen loitering around the Palace, unable to enter the venue.

Independent confirmed that the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba (Dr) Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo was inside the Palace when the gate was locked on both APC members and the Palace inhabitants.

The Monarch was planning to Install one Chief Toyin Amuzu as the Asiwaju Leragun Egba at the Palace.

It was however gathered, from a reliable source, that the police, led by the Abeokuta Area Commander, later vacated the place about an hour to the commencement of the congress.

The Source who craved anonymity alleged that the police were mobilised on the order of Governor Dapo Abiodun but vacated the Palace on the order of the Inspector General of Police.

The Spokesperson of Ogun State Police Command, Abimbola Oyeyemi, could not be reached for comment at the time of filing this report.

Calls put across to all his mobile numbers were not picked while text messages sent to him were not replied to at the time of filing this report.

The Ogun State Chapter of APC had set for parallel Congresses, with both factions announcing different venues.

While the group loyal to Abiodun has started gathering at the MKO Abiola International Stadium as the venue of the Congress, the other group loyal to Amosun was also converging around Ake Palace ground for the congress.

The Chairman of the State Congress, Wale Ohu had, Thursday, through a statement released by the Chief Press Secretary, announced MKO Abiola Stadium as the congress venue.

Ohu assured that the congress would be monitored by officials of the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC and security agents.

But on Friday, the group loyal to Amosun also released a statement quoting Gbenga Opaleye from Oyo State as the leader of the team assigned to conduct the congress at Ake Palace.

Independent gathered that Opaleye is also a member of the congress committee sent to Ogun State from the national headquarters of the Party.

In a related development, both Amosun and Abiodun groups have inaugurated factional local government exco of the party, the same way factional wards excos were inaugurated at different venues and times.

While the group loyal to the Governor inaugurated its exco on Friday at the party’s Secretariat in Iyana Mortuary, Abeokuta, Amosun’s group was planning to inaugurate theirs at Ake Palace ground, their congress venue.

A Danish man who is in custody in Norway suspected of a bow-and-arrow attack on a small town that killed five people and wounded two others is a Muslim convert who had previously been flagged as having being radicalized, police said Thursday.

“There earlier had been worries of the man having been radicalized,” Police chief Ole B. Saeverud told a news conference.

The victims were four women and one man between the ages of 50 and 70, Saeverud said.

The man is suspected of having shot at people in a number of locations in the town of Kongsberg on Wednesday evening. Several of the victims were in a supermarket, police said.

Norwegian news agency NTB cited police as saying the suspect also used other weapons.

There was “a confrontation” between officers and the assailant in connection with the arrest, police said but gave no details.

Both the hospitalized victims are in intensive care. They include an off-duty police officer who was inside the store. Their condition was not immediately known.

The National Coordinator, Buhari/Osinbajo Support Group, Ebunola Martins, has said that the next Nigerian President to succeed Muhammadu Buhari in 2023 should come from the South-East region.

He also urged the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, to relinquish his presidential ambition and give his support to the southeastern politicians to contest for the election in 2023.

Martins disclosed this during The Morning Show of Arise TV on Tuesday as he spoke on issues ahead the 2023 Presidential election.

According to Martins, the two major political in the country should produce their candidates from Igboland as it was done in 1999 when the South-West fielded former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Chief Olu Falae of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Peoples Party (APP) respectively.

The BOSG leader argued that even the South-South had brought former President Goodluck Jonathan, and it will be fair for the next country’s leader to emerge from the South-East.

Martins said, “Come 2023, number one, we as Yorubas, I cannot betray fellow Yoruba men. I love Yoruba, because I’m first a Yoruba man before I become a Nigerian. So, I believe in the Yoruba people and I believe in our tradition.

“But, what I mean is that in this 2023 election, if we want to be fair and we want to talk of zoning, the unwritten zoning because as you know people have said it is not constitutional, I agree with that. It is true, it is not constitutional. Some people have said zoning will not give you the best, I agree.

“But for fear of justice and fair play, that’s why I’m saying that even my big brother, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, if I were him, I will not run for the election, I will encourage my brothers from the East. We are friends, we are the same, and we are from the south. We have had our own shot, South-South has had their own shot, and I will encourage the Easterners to do so.”

“This is what I will have done. Even both political parties should bring their candidates from the South-East. Just like we did in 1999 that we brought both Obasanjo and Falae just to give the South-West that comfort, that you are part of us even if the election was annulled (in 1993).

“We don’t hate your region. The two major political parties brought out these people. And, I think that’s what we should do for the Southeasterners. I believe so, even without saying anything, my vote will go to the South-East. It doesn’t matter how we do it, but as a person I believe that we should give them that grace and that opportunity to be able to do that,” Martins added.

The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu, is likely to return to Nigeria on Sunday to a “grand welcome” already being planned by his political associates, SaharaReporters has learnt.

SaharaReporters gathered that despite Tinubu’s challenging health condition, the return is being planned to make people think the APC leader is healthy and fit for the much talked about 2023 presidency.

Top sources revealed that after his planned return on Sunday, Tinubu will return abroad to have more surgeries – proof that all is not yet well with the former Lagos governor.

“Tinubu is planning a choreographed return to Nigeria on Sunday. Baba (Tinubu) will return for more surgeries shortly after. A grand welcome is being arranged at the Nigeria Police College in Ikeja, Lagos.

“That’s if everything goes as planned and his health permits him to take the gruesome trip – because the trip is also going to tell on his recuperation,” one of the sources revealed.

SaharaReporters had last week reported that Tinubu confirmed that he went through a challenging health crisis, saying his “physiotherapy was gruesome.”

Tinubu said this while addressing members of the House of Representatives northern caucus who visited him in London last Friday.

The former governor, who has been in the United Kingdom for the last three months since undergoing knee surgery, told the gathering, “Because of God and people like you, I am well. It is just the physio (physiotherapy) that is gruesome.”

Since his departure, Tinubu’s London home has become a mecca of sorts as he has been visited by President Muhammadu Buhari, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; Governors Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), and Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti).

SaharaReporters had also reported that Fayemi confirmed that Tinubu had surgery recently and he (Fayemi) was in London to show solidarity with him.

The governor had said, “He (Akeredolu) and I were in London together to see our leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, but it had absolutely nothing to do with 2023 presidential plans whatsoever. That’s not the reason why we went there.

“Asiwaju had just surgery; it is simply proper etiquette or behaviour both in the part of the country where I come from but also generally that when a friend and elder is undergoing health challenges, it would be improper on your part not to show solidarity and support.”

Tinubu’s health has been a subject of controversy of late.

President Muhammadu Buhari also made a surprise visit to Tinubu in London where he was seen leaning on a walking stick.

SaharaReporters had reported that Tinubu underwent knee surgery at the John Hopkins University Hospital in Maryland, US.

The APC chieftain, it was learnt, left the US for the United Kingdom on crutches, a few days after the surgery.

Sources close to Tinubu told SaharaReporters that he wanted the surgery in Paris, France but changed his plan after rumours of his death spread in Nigeria.

“Tinubu had his second surgery at John Hopkins University in Maryland recently. He was accompanied by a popular Nigerian doctor in Chicago. He had wanted the surgery in Paris but when rumour was rife about his death, he hurriedly left for Nigeria and went to John Hopkins,” one of the sources had said.

"He left the US for the UK on crutches," another source revealed.

SaharaReporters had on July 31 reported that Tinubu, who has had several medical trips this year alone, had surgery about two weeks earlier and could be billed for another one.

The APC National Leader has been off official and party functions in the country for a while, amidst talks that he is being positioned for the 2023 presidency to succeed the incumbent repressive regime of Buhari.

“Tinubu is hospitalised in Maryland, US. His health is failing. He couldn’t participate in launching his Arewa library, and he couldn’t participate in the Local Government Area elections last week. He could not attend today’s APC congress due to health reasons.

“He had a surgery last week,” an authoritative source had disclosed.

A few days after the story, photographs of Tinubu hosting Sanwo-Olu in London surfaced where the duo were seen together in a room.

Reports had it that the meeting was held to put an end to speculations surrounding the APC National Leader’s health status.

In January 2021, Tinubu was also reported to be ill and hospitalised in Paris, France.

Tinubu had earlier complained of exhaustion and travelled out to rest before the news of his collapse went viral.

He was flown to Paris for medical attention in the first week of January.

SaharaReporters had on June 15 reported that Tinubu was also in Paris, battling with some old-age ailment.

“Tinubu is in Paris, France for a medical checkup. His health is deteriorating. Old age and other stuff, but he still wants to be president. This could mean another medical tourism presidency for our country,” a top source had revealed at that time.

President Muhammadu Buhari has stated that he was impressed with the level of development in Imo State and promised to assist the Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma, deal with infrastructural deficits of the state.

President Buhari disclosed this while speaking at the Commissioning of the Egbeada-Onitsha bypass road in Owerri, the Imo State capital, assuring that he would wield his power as the president to deal with security breaches in the state.

“I have gone round and I am impressed with what I saw. A society without security and infrastructure will not progress and lucky this is where my vision has tallied with the governor of Imo state.

“I will use my power as enshrined by the constitution to make the governor achieve more,” he said.

A 65-year-old man, Gilbert Nnagi, has been allegedly raped to coma by two men in Ondo Town, headquarters of Ondo West Local Government of Ondo State.

With one of the suspects on the run and the other detained at Yaba Police Division, Ondo town, they accused of allegedly performed sodomy on the victim who is a farmer.

The suspect was said to have apprehended by the police from Yaba Division after the suspects’ neighbour raised an alarm over the development.

According to sources, the victim had informed his wife that he was going to somewhere at Ajilo area but did not return home until Saturday evening when he was seen lying half dead at the suspect’s house.

One of the sources said that the victim who could not talk was immediately rushed to a hospital.

According to the victim’s daughter, Alaba Nnagi, “Police came to arrest my mother accusing her of leaving her husband drunk. But my mother told them that her husband doesn’t drink but only take snuff and that we have been looking for him since on Friday.

“The police said they picked him from one house where he was locked up. They said it was the neighbour who lives in the house who came to report the case. The neighbours told us that they raped him through his anus and two of the suspects have been arrested, but one ran away.”

Meanwhile, investigation was said to have began into the case towards unraveling the development.

A crisis is brewing at the headquarters of the Nigeria Correctional Services (NCoS), Abuja, following the alleged premature retirement of seven top ranking officers of the service by the newly appointed Comptroller- General, Haliru Nababa.

Until his appointment, Nababa was head of the Directorate of Finance and Accounts in the organisation.

It would be recalled that the retired officials of the rank of Assistant Comptroller Generals (ACGs) had taken part in the screening and examination as candidates in the selection process that later produced the current Controller General.

Before their retirement, the officers were allegedly summoned from various stations outside Abuja to the National Headquarters of the service, purportedly for a meeting with the new CG, but were handed letters of voluntary retire ment with effect from June 9, 2021.

The retirement letter, signed by Aisha A. Rufai of CDCFIB reads: “In view of the convention on seniority in the military and paramilitary services in respect to the newly appointed Controller-General, and in addition to other antecedents, you are hereby advised to proceed on voluntary retirement from the service with effect from 9th June 2021.”

A source, who is conversant with the workings of the service, told New Telegraph that none of the retired officers was senior to the new CG, as evident in the staff nominal roll and all of them have more than two years to go before reaching their retirement age.

“For instance, there are three DCGs who were promoted with effect from January 1, 2019 and 2020, and by that are senior to the CGC, whose date of appointment is April 2021.

Surprisingly, the DCGs were left in the service, while the seven ACGs, whose dates of promotional appointment are 1st January, 2018, were asked to retire. “It is also curious that the letter of the retirement cited tradition in the Military and Paramilitary.

There had never been such antecedents in NCoS. “In 1996 when Alhaji Ibrahim Jarma, who was an ACG, was appointed CGP, he worked together with all his superiors and contemporaries. Again, in 2002 when Abraham Akpe was appointed, he worked with all his contemporaries.

“Also, in 2006 when Olusola Ogundipe was picked from among the ACGs, he worked with his hitherto superiors. “In 2012 when Zakari Ibrahim (DCG) was appointed, he did the same, as did Dr. Peter Ekpendu in 2014.Similarly, when the immediate past substantive CGP was appointed, he worked with his superior and contemporaries.

“The only senior officer to him, by name Alhaji Aminu Sulley, who wanted to retire, took the matter to court and it was decided in his favour,” our source said.

New Telegraph learnt that the current crisis was due to the refusal of the new helmsman to follow laid down procedures of compensation packages for retiring officers at the level of ACGs and DCGs.

In one of the letters written to the ACGs by the Service and signed by Yusufu Sambo on behalf of the Comptroller-General, the officers were directed to “handover over all government property in your possession including official car, uniforms….

You are also to liaise with the Arms Squad Commander for reissuance of your service pistol”.

“The retired officers were further directed to contact their Pension Fund Administrators in line with the Pension Reform Act 2014, for the processing and payment of any retirement benefits accruable “as a result of your decision”, to retire voluntarily from Service.

Apart from disputing the claims of voluntary retirement, the affected officers said the letter is contrary to the procedure of compensation package as laid down in the Nigeria Correctional Service Gazetted Scheme of Service: Ref No. 56, Vol. 102, pages 313-352 that clearly spelt out the severance package of a retiring ACG.

On page 348 of the Official Gazette, a retiring ACG is entitled to a cook on CONPASS 05, one steward, Gardner, driver and orderly.

Other compensation packages include a jeep, a salon car to be replaced every four years, 24hours security by two armed men in the residence, one pistol as personal weapon and lastly, medical treatment within or outside Nigeria not exceeding $3000.

But the Spokesperson for the Service, CC Francis Enobore denied knowledge of the crisis rocking the top hierarchy of the service. “To be honest with you, I’m not aware,” he told New Telegraph.

The crisis in the All Progressives Congress (APC) deepened on Saturday as the local government congresses were characterised by protests and the election of parallel executives by different factions of the ruling party in many states.

Some of the affected states include Lagos, Adamawa, Sokoto, Rivers, Oyo, Enugu, Bayelsa, Abia, Ekiti, Ogun, Kwara, Niger, Imo, Akwa Ibom, among others.

Despite an order of a Delta State High Court restraining the party from organising the LG congresses in the state, a faction of the party led by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, organised the exercise which the deputy senate president described as peaceful.

Two factions of the APC also held parallel congresses in some local government areas in Oyo State.

The LG congresses did not hold in Anambra, Kaduna and Zamfara.

The national leadership of the APC had exempted the Anambra State chapter of the party from the congresses to allow the party to prepare very well for the forthcoming governorship election, billed to hold on November 6.

Kaduna State did not hold the congresses because of the LG elections that took place in the state.

The internal crisis within the party and insecurity prevented Saturday’s exercise in Zamfara State

A Delta State High Court sitting in Asaba had on Wednesday restrained the National Chairman of the Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the APC and Governor of Yobe State, Mr. Mai Mala Buni, from conducting the LG congresses in the state.

While the faction of the party in the state led by Omo-Agege, insisted that the congresses took place yesterday, the other faction of the party, which parades APC chieftains like Chief Great Ogboru, Hon Festus Keyamo, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, Chief Victor Ochei, and Mrs. Mariam Alli insisted that the congresses did not hold because of the subsisting court order.

However, a statement by the Chairman, Delta State Local Government Congress Committee, Mr. Matthew Omegara, said that the party was aware of the court ruling, but that the court order only barred the State Chairman of the party, Prophet Jones Erue, from conducting the congresses and not the party officials from the national headquarters.

Meanwhile, Omo-Agege last night hailed the conduct of the party’s local government congresses in the state, saying they were peaceful and satisfactory.

Omegara also agreed with Omo-Agege that the exercise was peaceful, adding that INEC and armed security personnel witnessed the exercise.

In Akwa Ibom State, supporters of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and the National Secretary, APC Caretaker Committee, Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, held parallel congresses in the 31 LGAs of the state.

Akpanudoedehe controls the state chapter of the party.

Some members of the party who spoke to journalists on the condition of anonymity said materials for the congresses were hijacked and taken to unknown places where the elections congresses allegedly took place.

The spokesperson of APC in the state, Nkereuwem Enyongekere, said the congress was generally peaceful across the state.

In Sokoto State, THISDAY gathered that two LG executives emerged from the parallel congresses held.

A leader of one faction and member of the House of Representatives representing Gwadabawa/Illela Federal Constituency, Hon. Balarabe Salame told THISDAY that the faction followed the party’s guidelines by obtaining the forms and electing its executives at wards and local governments’ levels.

He further disclosed that “the other faction just stayed in somebody’s room and write the names of their executives.”

“As I’m telling you, what they did in the other faction is undemocratic; you can’t deny people of their right to express their franchise,” he added.

Salame and the Speaker of the state house of assembly, Hon. Muhammad Aminu Achida, belongs to one faction, while the former governor of the state, Senator Aliyu Wamakko, and the Minister of Police Affairs, Mr. Maigari Dingyadi belong to another faction led by Wamakko.

Addressing the delegates and members of the party in Bodinga, the headquarters of Bodinga Local Government Area of the state, the police minister said the party in the state in its wisdom adopted consensus.

The APC congresses were marred by the crisis in Adamawa State as aggrieved party members from Yola North and Yola South LGAs faulted the distribution of election materials to members who were not supposed to handle the materials.

Chairman of the Congress Committee, Professor Umar Katsayal, and his committee members narrowly escaped an attack by irate youths when they were about to leave the party’s secretariat.

The youths stormed the party’s secretariat in their numbers demanding election materials for their zones.

The senator representing Adamawa Central, Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani also stormed the party secretariat to kick against the process.

THISDAY gathered that journalists (cameramen) were forced to delete the visuals of the fracas at the party secretariat.

In Mubi North and other local governments in the state, some APC stakeholders organised their own separate local government congress in their preferred venues.

The crisis in the Ogun State chapter of the party deepened Saturday as the group loyal to Governor Dapo Abiodun and a faction of the party led by Senator Ibikunle Amosun held parallel congresses across the 20 local government areas of the state.

Before Saturday’s congresses, the two factions of the APC had sworn in the elected executives that emerged from the parallel ward congresses they held in July.

On the eve of yesterday’s congresses, the seven-man congress committee led by Mr. Wale Ohu had cautioned the APC members in the state against holding parallel congresses.

Addressing journalists after the conduct of the congresses, Ohu emphasised that any congress held outside the supervision of the committee was null and void.

While a faction of the party in Ekiti State called Southwest Agenda for Tinubu 2023 presidential poll (SWAGA) had challenged the previous ward congresses, the Ekiti State APC insisted that the local government congresses were undertaken without violating the constitution of the party and the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The Secretary of the Ekiti State APC Congress Committee, Mr. Job Femi Akindeke, said the unconfirmed report that SWAGA went to court to challenge the ward congress did not vitiate the outcome of the local government congresses.

“Let me tell you that there wasn’t any legal encumbrance to our local government congress. We followed the due process of the law,” he said.

“We appeal to our people to exhaust internal mechanisms before resorting to court. The process is still ongoing and the party has not received any court order stopping us from doing what the party is constitutionally empowered to do,” he explained.

The Rivers State chapter of the APC led by the Minister of Transportation also yesterday held what it described as peaceful local government congresses across the 23 LGAs of the state.

The congresses were boycotted by the supporters of a former Senator representing Rivers East, Senator Magnus Abe.

However, the spokesman of the caretaker committee of the party in the state, Chief Ogbonna Nwuke, told THISDAY that the election was peaceful and smooth, adding that the party was now positioned to take over power in the state.

But a leader of Abe’s faction, who spoke off record, said they boycotted the exercise because it did not follow due process. The faction had rejected the ward congresses of APC held in the state.

The faction had also submitted a petition to the national secretariat of the party on the development.

In Niger State, the consensus option adopted by the APC to choose its local government officials hit the rocks in some parts of the state following the insistence by aspirants for election to be held.

The consensus arrangement was challenged in Chanchaga, Paikoro, Bida Lapai Agaie, among other LGAs.

Despite the emergence of two factions of the party in Enugu State, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama has hailed what he described as the peaceful conduct of the local government congresses in the state.

Onyeama disclosed this in the Udi Local Government Area of the state while briefing journalists on the outcome of the exercise in his council.

The minister described the process as democracy-in-action, adding that the people were allowed to willingly choose their leaders.

However, supporters of the Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr. Osita Okechukwu, did not participate in the exercise held by Onyeama’s faction.

Meanwhile, former Senate President, Dr. Ken Nnamani, has described as fake, a letter purportedly issued by the national leadership of the party, recognising Mr. Ben Nwoye as the state party chairman.

Nnamani spoke during the congress in Nkanu West Local Government Area of the state.

He said that the letter which was circulating in the social media and purportedly issued by the Secretary, APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Senator John Akpanudoedehe was forged.

In Imo State, the congresses were conducted by supporters of Governor Hope Uzodimma without the participation of Senator Rochas Okorocha and Senator Ifeanyi Araraume’s camps.

Imo State Chairman of the APC loyal to Governor Uzodimma, Chief Marcillinus Nlemigbo, said the exercise was free and fair.

The two APC factions in Lagos State also held parallel local government congresses across the 245 wards of the 20 local government areas of the state.

The two congresses were held without any violence as the factions comprising the Tunde Balogun-led group and the Lagos4Lagos group held their separate local government congresses in different venues.

On the side of the Balogun-led faction, a former member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Ahmed Ipoola Omisore said the Lagos chapter is returning the party to the people at the grassroots.

In Agege Local Government Area, the Vice-Chairman, Apex Committee, Lagos4Lagos, Hon. Prince Sunday Ajayi said his group remains the only faction of the Lagos APC that upholds the party’s constitution in the conduct of the congresses.

“We are two factions in Lagos but Lagos4Lagos is the only faction of the APC that conducted the ward congress. The other side only paraded appointed candidates but we own the population of the party.

“For instance, they held local government election; Lagos APC registered 2.5 million members but less than 500,000 members voted as a result of our boycotting the election. We have over 2 million members in Lagos state and that is why the national body cannot close its eyes to us,” he added.

Two factions of the party in Osun State led by Governor Gboyega Oyetola and the Minister of Interior, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, also battled each other in the state.

The exercise was marred by the crisis in Ede North LGA as armed political hoodlums reportedly attacked members of the party who were holding their congress in the area.

The thugs, according to eyewitnesses, stormed Film House, NITEL area, beside Pere Police Station, Ede, with guns, cutlasses, and other weapons with which they attacked members of the APC.

A former Chairman of Ede North Local Council Development Area, Mukaila Uthman, confirmed the attack, saying that he was a witness.

Officers of the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS), and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) witnessed the congress which was held at Oduduwa College Ile-Ife in Ife Central LGA.

The majority of the APC members that participated in the exercise were members of The Osun Progressives (TOP), loyal to Aregbesola

The state Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mrs. Funke Egbemode, however, stated that the crisis rocking the state chapter of APC is an internal affair that will soon be settled amicably.

In Kwara State, the APC faction, which is loyal to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq adopted consensus for its local government congresses of the party.

The faction loyal to the Minister of Information and Culture, Mr. Lai Mohammed was not part of the arrangement.

In Bayelsa State, a faction of the party held congresses despite a court order that restrained the party from holding congresses in the state.

While the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, was reportedly absent due to official commitment out the country, the Vice Chairman, South-south Zone of the APC Caretaker/Extra ordinary Convention Planning Committee, Chief David Lyon, was seen at party secretariat in Yenagoa at the end of the exercise.

However, Sunday Frank-Oputu, a chieftain of the APC and member of the faction led by Hon. Ebierien Fala, faulted the conduct of the congress, describing it as a violation of a subsisting court order before the State High Court and Court of Appeal, sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Frank-Oputu called on the party leadership to sanction Sylva and the caretaker State Secretary of the party, Alabo Martins over conduct of the congresses against subsisting court order.

In Abia State, two factions loyal to the state Chairman of the party, Chief Donatus Nwankpa, and Chief Ikechi Emenike, held parallel congresses but the Local Government Congress Committee led by Hon. Israel Goli only supervised the congress conducted by the faction loyal to Emenike.

Buhari is more incompetent than the 2 ministers he sacked. All he does is sleep in Aso Rock while the country burns, eat free food and waste tax payers’ money on hospital bills in London. Most clueless Nigerian president ever.

The Frenchman returns to Atleti on a one-year loan with an option to extend for a further year, renewable by either party, after our club reached an agreement with FC Barcelona.

Antoine Griezmann returns to Atlético de Madrid after our club and FC Barcelona reached an agreement over a one-year loan with an option to extend for a further year, renewable by either party.

The Frenchman first joined Atleti ahead of the 2014/15 season, and made his debut on Aug. 10, 2014 during the Spanish Super Cup, which we won. The Frenchman’s first goal came just over a month later, in a Champions League clash against Olympiakos.

Griezmann is our club’s all-time fifth top scorer with 133 goals in 257 matches. He also provided 50 assists. Some of his memorable goals include the first ever at the Wanda Metropolitano against Málaga, his two strikes against Olympique Marseille in the 2018 Europa League final, his hat-tricks against Athletic Club and Sevilla, and his four goals against Leganés on Feb. 28, 2018.

During his 257 Atleti matches, Griezmann won one Spanish Super Cup, one Europa League and one UEFA Super Cup. He also came in third in the 2018 Ballon d’Or - the same year he won the World Cup with France.

Welcome back, Griezmann!

The 23-year-old made 35 appearances for Fulham in the Premier League last term, during a season-long loan spell, and has played for England at Under-19, Under-20 and Under-21 level.

Speaking to LCFC TV, he said: “I’m delighted to be here. It’s a great honour to be at such a big and amazing club with such a huge history and a quality group of players.

“The facilities are incredible. It’s pretty mind-blowing and I just can’t wait to get to work here. I think environment is very important for a player, so this is the right environment for me to work hard every single day and to help my craft be even better.”

Born in Wandsworth, in south-west London, Lookman signed for Charlton Athletic’s academy in 2014 and made a rapid ascent through the ranks to make his debut for the first team in November 2015.

Over two seasons, he went on to feature 49 times in all competitions for the Addicks, scoring 12 goals, before signing for Everton on a four-and-a-half-year-deal in January 2017.

He scored on his debut for the Toffees in a 4-0 win against Manchester City and made 48 appearances for them in total, finding the net four times.

Lookman enjoyed a brief loan spell with Bundesliga side RB Leipzig in 2017/18 and decided to make the move permanent in July 2019, signing a five-year-deal.

During his first season with the German outfit, he played 13 times, before joining then-Premier League side Fulham on loan for the 2020/21 campaign.

He made 35 appearances for the Cottagers in all competitions, scoring four goals, with his first coming against Sheffield United in October.

The England Under-21 international will now link up with his Leicester City team-mates as they prepare to welcome Manchester City to King Power Stadium after the international break.

With just six days to the September 1, 2021 target set by the 17 southern governors for states in the region to enact anti-open grazing legislation, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has become the first governor from the region to go against the agreement reached with his colleagues.

The governor on Wednesday declared that there is no law forbidding open grazing by cattle rearers in the state.

Uzodinma, who spoke with newsmen on Wednesday after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja, argued that though there is presently no anti-grazing law in the state, his government was trying to regulate grazing activities through collaboration between the farmers and herders.

The 17 governors of the southern states had in a meeting held in Lagos on July 5, 2021, urged states in the region to ensure that the legislation against open grazing of cattle was put in place on or before September 1.

Following the governors’ resolution, Delta, Osun, Ondo, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, and Enugu state governments had moved to enact anti-open grazing laws. But before the resolution of the governors, the anti-open grazing law was already operational in Ogun, Abia, Oyo, Ekiti, and Ebonyi states.

But in sharp contrast with the agreement reached by the southern governors, Uzodimma said: “I don’t have any law in Imo State for anti-grazing. But what we have done is that we are regulating grazing activities in Imo State under a partnership between our farmers and herders. They have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in my office and agreed to work together. And both parties are going about their businesses without interfering or causing any grievance or anger to each other.”

He also said the recent sit-at-home order given by the Independent People Of Biafra (IPOB) was not carried out in the state, saying people went about their normal businesses.

He further disclosed that the Igbo people are now ready to play national politics by belonging to the party at the centre, saying this would play out with the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Anambra State.

Commenting on the sit-at-home order, he said: “To the extent of what I know on the sit-at-home order, even the people on their own called off the sit-at-home order. In Imo State, it is not being observed. People are doing their businesses.

“Most people in Imo are businessmen and women who depend on their daily activities and income to feed their families. So, they cannot afford to sit at home idle and allow hunger to ravage the state.”

Uzodinma stressed that there is only one government in the state headed by him and that at no time did he ask people not to go about their businesses.

According to him: “I know in Imo State, there is only one Governor and only the governor can order, working with other members of the government, that people should sit at home and it will be obeyed. I don’t want to sit here and recognise that there is any order outside the government of Imo State because there is a government.

“IPOB is not a government in Imo State. Imo State government has not authorised anything at all. Workers are going to work and normal business activities are ongoing. And for now, I told you that Imo State is relatively calm.”

Speaking as Chairman of the APC campaign Committee for the November 6, 2021 gubernatorial election, Uzodinma stated that the Igbos would the election to confirm their readiness to play national politics and be part of the government at the center.

He said: “You know our President. You know him (Mr. President), he will only encourage you. He doesn’t interfere. We are in charge of the campaign. I’m the Chairman of the Council. And the good news is that the political leadership in Igbo land has resolved to be part of the federal government, to participate at the national level, to leave the provincial championship to national championship.

“So, what we have decided to do is to ensure that we embrace the ruling party, the APC. And we are taking the message to Anambra. And by the grace of God, Anambra people will buy the message and Igbo land will be recovered”.

The governor also disclosed that the President has intervened in some ecological problems facing the state as three contracts for the control of erosion would soon be awarded.

#AnambraDecides2021

NATIONAL CAMPAIGN COUNCIL

ANAMBRA STATE 2021 GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION

The National Working Committee (NWC) of our Great Party, The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), hereby approves the appointment of the underlisted Members of our Party as members of The Anambra State National Campaign Council for the 2021 Governorship Elections in Anambra State.

Two mobile policemen and one civilian have been shot dead by gunmen suspected to be armed robbers in a bullion van attack in Ondo State.

The attack occurred on Wednesday evening in the Costain axis within the commercial town of Ore in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State.

The attack was coming barely two weeks after a bullion van was also attacked in the Emure-Ile axis of the state by robbers.

According to sources, the dare-devil armed robbers opened fire on the bullion van and the escort van while on motion.

One of the sources said the bullion van was conveying an undisclosed amount of money to Rubber Estate, Araromi Obu, Odigbo Local Government when they ran into the robbers.

The robbers were said to have carted an unspecified amount of money after the attack.

With the attack being the third within the space of six weeks, a total of four policemen have so far been killed in the attacks.

Confirming the incident, the Spokesperson of the state Police Command, DSP Funmilayo Odunlami, said a policeman and the driver of the bullion van were killed in the attack.

While stating that investigation had begun, the PPRO said police were already on the trail of the robbers towards apprehending them.

The PPRO added that the remains of the deceased persons had been deposited at the morgue while those injured were already getting medical attention.

August 24, 2021

Press Statement

Terrorism: Nigerians Have Lost Hope in Buhari, APC

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says the decision by some state governments to evacuate their citizens from violence and terror ridden states, including Plateau state, further confirms that Nigerians have lost faith in the capacity of President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration to secure the nation.

The party laments that the insecurity situation has so deteriorated under President Buhari and the APC's incompetent and compromising watch that suspected bandits now have the temerity to attack military formations, including the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna, where they killed two officers and abducted another senior officer.

Bandits and terrorists are now freely ravaging our communities in Kano, Kaduna, Kogi, Benue, Zamfara, Adamwa, Taraba, Borno, Yobe, Imo and other states of the federation, including Mr. President’s home state, Katsina, where the governor, Aminu Bello Masari, has now asked victims of terror attacks to defend themselves.

It is distressing that having lost hope in the capacity and commitment of the President Buhari-led APC administration to protect their citizens, state governments are now sending vehicles to the University of Jos, Plateau state, to evacuate their citizens.

This shows their complete loss of confidence in the APC administration and the empty promises by the Buhari Presidency.

It is even more disheartening that while our nation is under turmoil and while hundreds of helpless Nigerians, including innocent students, are languishing in kidnappers’ den, President Buhari and APC leaders are more interested in their lavish funfair with state owned resources and facilities.

Our party notes that violence and acts of terrorism had escalated across the country due to the incompetence and compromises of the Buhari administration as well as its refusal to heed wise counsel from well-meaning Nigerians, including the PDP on how to secure and stabilize the nation.

Moreover, the APC has failed to account for the hoodlums, thugs and terrorist elements they imported from neighboring countries as “political mercenaries” to unleash violence on Nigerians and muzzle the 2019 general elections.

Our party charges Nigerians to hold the APC directly responsible for the escalated acts of terrorism in our country as history will continue to mark this administration for its mass failure in governance and for plunging our nation into the worst form of hardship and suffering ever.

Signed:

Kola Ologbondiyan
National Publicity Secretary

BUSTED!!!

Dear @ICPC_PE & @officialEFCC

This is Ohanmi Road in Owan East LGA, Edo State.

Millions of Naira was allocated for the construction of the road by @NigeriaGov

Two months after completion this is the current state of the road.

Kindly help do the NEEDFUL

The Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday, August 20, 2021, arrested 37 suspected internet fraudsters.

The suspects were arrested at Ibadan and Oyo town, Oyo State following intelligence on their alleged involvement in internet fraud.

The suspects include Kehinde Emmanuel Ayoola, Adewale Adeparosi Samson, Adeniran Tijesunmi Ayobami, Abiodun Olamide, Olaoye Afolabi Bolarinwa, Ajibade Sodiq Ayodeji, Babalola Opeyemi David, Fatunbi Gboluwaga Oludotun, Abdusalam Mojeeb Ololade, Taiwo Emmanuel Olaoluwa and Oyewole Oyewunmi Fred.

Others are Akinboade Fatai Jimmy, Oyewole Samod. Others are: Ishola Akinyemi Labayo, Ayinde Oluwasegun Ridwan, Oladokun Abdulkadri Akolade, Adebayo Dare Basit, Adebayo Tola Kudus, , Oladeji Joseph Popoola Samuel Ayomide, Oladoja Oluwaseun Peter, Olakunbi Feranmi Ayodeji, Khalid Mohammed, Salimon Sodiq and Oparemi Ayomide James.

The suspects will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

A Nigerian National residing in Indianapolis, Ismaila Fafunmi, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison on Friday, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, for charges related to a money laundering operation, which laundered the proceeds of romance fraud and grant fraud schemes targeting senior citizens.

According to Court records, Fafunmi was involved in a network that was comprised of several layers. The initial layer consisted of scammers using computers in Nigeria who preyed on elderly citizens of the United States by impersonating romantic companions eager to make lasting relationships on dating websites or by offering fake federal grants to senior citizens. For his part, Fafunmi admitted in his Plea Agreement that, beginning in June 2018, he and his co-conspirators would set up fake profiles on dating websites profiling American men, often military members. The purpose of the scams was to defraud United States-based victims of their money.

If the victims sent money by bank deposit, Fafunmi and his co-conspirators would create bank accounts in various names to retrieve the fraudulent funds. Victims also sent money in the form of cash and postal money orders to addresses belonging to Fafunmi and his co-conspirators. Fafunmi and his co-conspirators would retain a portion of the victims’ funds, and then convert the remainder to wire transfers, to be sent back to co-conspirators in Nigeria.

Two victims of the scheme lived in Kentucky. One sent more than $200,000 in funds, gift cards, and electronic devices, to a person she believed to be her boyfriend. Another sent over $170,000, for what she believed to be fees associated with a federal grant. Fafunmi received portions of these funds, kept some of the money, and sent the remainder abroad.

Fafunmi pleaded guilty in August 2020.

Under federal law, Fafunmi must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years.

Carlton S. Shier, IV, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Edward J. Gray, Acting Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office, jointly announced the sentence.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Anderson.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s efforts to identify and prosecute those persons who facilitate elder financial exploitation. The Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Mission, being carried out through the Kentucky Elder Justice Task Force, is to seek justice for victims of elder financial exploitation. Anyone who knows someone who may be a victim of an elder financial exploitation, is encouraged to contact law enforcement.

A referee pulled out a gun to restore order during an amateur football match in Honduras after upsetting fans with a controversial penalty call, strolling around the centre circle with the weapon.

The extraordinary moment the match official strolled around the centre circle with the weapon in his hand was filmed by fans who kept a safe distance amid the confusion.

The tense scene occurred during an amateur match in the western Honduran town of La Jigua.

Local reports said the unnamed ref brandished the pistol to protect himself from angry supporters who thought he should have awarded their side a penalty.

A relative is said to have handed him the weapon at the end of the match as he was jeered by the furious fans.

Shots could be heard during the home-made video, although it was unclear where they had come from.

One supporter was overheard insulting the ref by calling him a son of a b****, although he appeared to make a wise decision by staying in the stands.

There were no reports of any injuries as a result of the standoff.

The match official has not been identified and it is not yet clear if he will face any disciplinary action over his radical decision.

Earlier this month three people were killed and one injured during a firefight at a football match in the Mexican state of Guanajuato.

The shocking incident occurred during the second half of an amateur match between Santa Ana del Conde and Zona Piel.

A lone gunman armed with an AK-47 rifle, who fled the scene in a white car and is still being hunted by police, is said to have responsible.

The reason behind the shooting has not been revealed.

The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu has undergone another knee surgery at the John Hopkins University Hospital in Maryland, the United States, SaharaReporters has gathered.

The APC chieftain, it was learnt, left the US for the United Kingdom on crutches, a few days after the surgery.

Sources close to Tinubu told SaharaReporters that he wanted the surgery in Paris, France but changed his plan over rumour of his death.

“Tinubu had his second surgery at John Hopkins University in Maryland recently. He was accompanied by a popular Nigerian doctor in Chicago. He had wanted the surgery in Paris but when rumour was rife about his death, he hurriedly left for Nigeria and went to John Hopkins,” one of the sources said.

"He left the US for the UK on crutches," another source revealed.

SaharaReporters had on July 31 reported that Tinubu, who has had several medical trips this year alone, had a surgery about two weeks earlier and could be billed for another one.

The APC National Leader has been off official and party functions in the country for a while, amidst talks that he is being positioned for the 2023 presidency to succeed the incumbent repressive regime of Muhammadu Buhari.

“Tinubu is hospitalised in Maryland, US. His health is failing. He couldn’t participate in launching his Arewa library, and he couldn’t participate in the Local Government Area elections last week. He could not attend today’s APC congress due to health reasons.

“He had a surgery last week,” an authoritative source had disclosed.

A few days after the story, photographs of Tinubu hosting Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos state in London surfaced where the duo were seen together in a room.

Reports have it that the meeting was held to put an end to speculations surrounding the APC National Leader’s health status.

In January 2021, Tinubu was also reported sick and hospitalised in Paris, France.

Tinubu had earlier complained of exhaustion and travelled out to rest before the news of his collapse went viral.

He was flown to Paris for medical attention in the first week of January.

SaharaReporters had on June 15 reported that Tinubu was also in Paris, battling some old age ailment.

“Tinubu is in Paris, France for a medical checkup. His health is deteriorating. Old age and other stuff, but he still wants to be president. This could mean another medical tourism presidency for our country,” a top source had at that time revealed.

SaharaReporters had reported the conspicuous absence of Tinubu during the one-day working visit of President Buhari to inaugurate various projects in Lagos State.

Earlier, the President’s spokesman, Garba Shehu, had tried to downplay the obvious rift between the two leaders and their camps, saying the interview the President granted to Arise Interview where he mentioned Lagos was not about Buhari.

“You cannot sit there in Lagos, for instance, and decide on the fate of APC on zoning,” Buhari had said while responding to a question during the interview.

“The hope of this administration is to see APC last beyond it. Therefore we should allow the party to decide. The restructuring of the party has begun from the bottom to the top with the membership card registration. Every member of the party must be involved. We will soon conduct our convention. No single member of the party will be allowed to go against the wish of the party.”

Shehu had maintained that there was no rift between the two leaders and the reference to Lagos was not to Tinubu.

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Kalu Agu, on Friday asked a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the APC from going ahead with its planned Ward congress scheduled for Saturday July 31 as well as subsequent Local Government, State, Zonal Congresses as well as the party’s National Convention.

Agu in the suit marked CV/1812/2021, dated July 29 and filed July 30, 2021 is also asking the court to declare as null and void any of the APC’s Congresses and convention held under the current acting National Chairman of the APC’s Caretaker Committee.

The suit filed by his lawyer, Ukpai Ukairo, has the APC and Mai Mala Buni as first and second defendants respectively.

The plaintiff by the suit is claiming that the second defendant was never elected at any congress to run the affairs of the APC, adding that the party’s Constitution does not allow any person who holds an executive position to occupy any position in any of its organs.

In a 38 paragraph affidavit deposed to in support of the suit, the plaintiff, stated that Buni “Is being sued solely in his capacity as henchman of the usurpers of the functions of the organs and elected officers of the first defendant and as representing the other usurpers of the functions of the organs and elected officers of the first defendant”.

Agu, who disclosed that he intends to contest for the position of National Legal Adviser of the APC during the party’s next convention said his interest would “be affected by a coñduct of a congress superintended by the second defendant who is a sitting Governor of Yobe State and also discharging the functions of the elected National Chairman and the National Working Committee of the first defendant”.

While claiming that APC does not have an elected ward congress and that Buni is not also elected, the deponent added that” some persons not known to the ware are determined to come together and appoint themselves as ward executive committee thereby excluding him from the process of contesting for the said position.

Among the issues he wants the court to determine are; whether the APC can conduct a ward congress when there is no elected ward executive committee of the APC.

He further wants the court to determine whether the APC can lawfully conduct a ward congress, local government congress, state congress, zonal congress, national convention for the election of officers into the various levels of the structure of the APC established by the constitution of the APC for its administration when it has usurpers of the functions of the organs and elected officers of the APC who are not elected in accordance with the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act and the APC’s Constitution.

He argued that if the answers to the questions are in the negative whether the defendants can be restrained by the court from proceeding with the process of electing any officer of the APC or whether the court can set aside any decision, action, steps or notification taken by the APC for the actualization of the ward, Local Government, State and Zonal Congresses and National Convention for the election of officers of the APC.

While he wants the court to declare, “that the Ward Congress fixed by the Defendants to hold on Saturday, the 31st day of July, 2021, the subsequent Local Government Congress, State Congress, Zonal Congress and National Convention for the purposes of electing ward, Local Government, State, Zonal and National Executive Committee Members of the first Defendant are null and invalid arising from one or a combination of the above:

(1)By the Constitution of the 1st Defendant only a Ward Executive Committee can summon a Ward Congress and presently, the 1st Defendant has no Ward Executive Committee in any of the Wards across Nigeria,

(2) The 1st Defendant ia presently being administered by an unelected USURPERS in which the 2nd Defendant is their henchman.

(3) The 2nd Defendant is the Governor of Yobe State and by Section 183 of the 1999 Constitution cannot hold an Executive position in addition to the position of Executive Chairman of any other body.

He sought AN ORDER of mandatory injunction setting aside any decision, act, steps, notifications taken or made out for the purpose of holding any ward, Local Government, State, Zonal Congresses or National Convention of the 18 Defendant directed at the election of officers of the 1s! Defendant at any level of the political structure in Nigeria created by the Constitution of the 1st Defendant.

No date however has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

The Effect of the Supreme Court ruling on Ondo State Governorship tussle between Jide Jegede, People’s Democratic Party, PDP, candidate at the last state election, and Governor Rotimi Akeredolu SAN, reverberated in Ilorin, on Thursday after a group within the Kwara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by deposed chairman, Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa (BOB) accused the national leadership of the ruling party of complicity in the conflicts in the state chapter of the party.

Though Akeredolu won, the apex court ruling by a very narrow margin against Jegede, the Supreme Court justices were unanimous that the Mai Mala Buni-led the caretaker committee in the ruling party is untenable in the face of the law.

“It is difficult to absolve the current National leadership of our party of complicity in the crisis rocking APC in Kwara State today. They have tried all the tricks in the book to pervert the cause of justice on issues, but our God is a God of justice,” explained Barr. Ladi Mustapha, Caretaker Legal Adviser, Kwara State APC, in a press conference at the party secretariat in Ilorin.

The chieftain further used the opportunity to affirm BOB as the authentic party chairman in Kwara state.

“We have remained undaunted, resolute and focused on the ideals and philosophy of our party.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Supreme Court ruling on Jegede Vs. Rotimi Akeredolu Governorship election should be bold enough on the wall of justice that Hon. Bashir Ọmọlaja Bolarinwa’s chairmanship is as solid, in law, as the Rock of Gibraltar.

“Therefore, it is advisable for the political masquerades to step back to the shrine and allow peace to reign in the party,” he stated.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested a former Governor of Nasarawa State and serving senator, Tanko Al-Makura, and his wife, Mairo.

The couples are currently being grilled by operatives of the anti-graft agency at its headquarters in Abuja, sources in the anti-graft agency told PREMIUM TIMES.

Although details of the allegation against the ex-governor and his wife were sketchy as of press time, the sources said their arrest relates to an alleged breach of trust and misappropriation of funds allegedly perpetrated during the former governor’s eight-year administration as Nasarawa State governor.

Mr Al-Makura served as Governor of Nasarawa State between 2011 and 2019 before he was elected into the National Assembly as Senator representing Nasarawa South Senatorial District.

When contacted, the spokesman of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren said he was yet to be briefed on the development.

When contacted for his comment, the ex-governor’s spokesperson, Danjuma Joseph, said he was not aware of the arrest.

“His Excellency left Lafia (Nasarawa State capital) for Abuja this morning. I am not aware of such arrest,” Mr Joseph said.

The former governor, until Wednesday, has never been known to be facing EFCC probe.

The EFCC had, in fact, been helpful to the ex-governor’s family when a suspected fake investigator allegedly tried to defraud the then sitting governor in 2018.

The suspect, Mohammed Momoh, was said to have while posing as a “private investigator from the villa” approached Mr Al-Makura’s wife with a proposition to help stop a purported investigation of two accounts belonging to the governor.

Mr Momoh, who was arraigned before an FCT High Court, reportedly claimed that he came across information regarding the two accounts that had been under investigation since 2011 and also intercepted mails of an investigation report purportedly sent to First Bank by the EFCC.

Journalists and supporters of Sunday Adeyemo, the Yoruba Nation activist popularly known Sunday Igboho, have been barred from witnessing his hearing.

Igboho’s supporters have been in court as early as 7:30am on Monday, anticipating the arrival of the Yoruba youth leader, who has been in detention since Thursday.

There was, however, no sign of Igboho. Many detainees were brought to court for hearing in minibuses, but none of those buses had Igboho in them.

His trial was scheduled for 10am on Monday.

A source within the courts, however, told TheCable that Igboho had been brought to court earlier than anyone else to avoid the possibility of any drama or clash.

The court staff added that Igboho was now at the “phase of law enforcement” in the court, and was currently indoors with the prosecutor in charge.

Idris Oladejo, Igboho’s cleric, also confirmed to TheCable that his friend, whom he “had been fasting and praying for, is in court”.

Beninese monarch who came to court to support Igboho has also been sitting outside the courtroom.

Police officers, Igboho’s supporters, other detainees and journalists are outside anticipating information from the prosecutor’s office.

Igboho’s lawyer has also been seen going in and out of the chamber.

Igboho and his wife, Ropo, were arrested at an airport in Cotonou last week, and detained at the request of the Nigerian government.


His lawyers requested the release of his wife on the grounds that she had committed no offence against the Nigerian state.

On Thursday, the court answered the prayers and ordered her release and a return of her passport.

Igboho was taken to detention, where he has been up until Monday.

The charges against the Yoruba Nation activist border on arms smuggling, inciting violence and calling for a secession of the Yoruba from the Nigerian state.

Igboho and his lawyers have denied all allegations levelled against him.