₦airaland Forum

Garba Shehu, senior special to the president on media and publicity, says Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo will run on the same ticket with President Muhammadu Buhari.

Shehu said this while fielding questions from state house correspondents on Monday.

He was reacting to the string of victories recorded by the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) during the weekend’s bye elections in the country.

“Decisive victories in senatorial and state assembly elections in Katsina, Bauchi, Kogi and states were an indication that the Buhari/Osinbajo presidential ticket that won the 2015 election will ensure an encore in 2019,” he said.

The presidential media said the victory in those states shows that the ruling party is still popular and that Nigerians have just endorsed Buhari/Osinbajo joint ticket.

“I like to speak to you about the fabulous shows of the APC in Katsina, Bauchi and Kogi, and even to some extent in Cross River States. All of these coming against the background of Ekiti state,” he said.

“It is clear that from election after election, Nigerians are reposing confidence in the Buhari/Osinbajo presidency. Each of these election victories is considered to be epic in nature because none of these elections was an ordinary election. We are happy that we have won and on behalf of the president and the acting president, we like to say thank you to Nigerians who continue to repose their confidence in the leadership of the APC administration.

“We also want to thank the leadership of the party at the national level, but equally important, to thank all the party’s apparatchiks deployed to all the campaigns and ensured that all the elections were won handsomely by APC.

“So, we are expressing our gratitude to everyone for these that had happened and to say that with this increasing confidence reposed in the president and the acting president, who are determined more than ever before to leave no stone unturned in order to bring the promised change to Nigerians.

“For a quick review, maybe one, two, three or four lessons can be taken from the victories that the party has been recording.

“First of all is to say that these decisive victories are indications that clearly, Nigerians have spoken that President Buhari maintains his momentum. That these victories place Buhari/Osinbajo presidency in very good stead for next year’s election.

“It is a statement of the fact that the APC will go into election next year with every confidence that the elections will be won and that Nigerians by this statement, will also say that they no longer have time for politics of insult and diversion, mudslinging and ‘monkey dey work, baboon dey chop’ politics of the PDP, and equally important is that these election victories are a clear message to the national assembly that all that Nigerians are interested in is that the business of government should go on.”

Nigeria’s first generation bank, First Bank Plc headed by Dr. Adesola Adeduntan is headed for trouble waters as five community chiefs have approached a Federal High Court with a request to wind up the bank following its failure to pay a N17billion judgment debt.

The five chiefs of Ejama-Ebubu community in Eleme Local Government Area, Rivers State filed the fresh application at the Federal High Court in Lagos, asking the court to wind up First Bank Plc.

The chiefs are Isaac Osaro Ogbara, Victor Obari, John Oguru, Joseph Ogusu, George Osaro, and Adanta Obelle.

They filed the application through their lawyers, Lucius Nwosu (SAN) and R. A. Lawal-Rabana (SAN).

They are praying the court to wind-up First Bank for claiming that it does not have money to pay the N17billion which the court ordered in favour of the community in 2010.

The Ejama community had dragged Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Netherlands, Royal Dutch Shell Plc, United Kingdom, and Shell Petroleum Development Corporation (SPDC) before the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt for alleged oil spills that occurred when Shell operated in the community.

After listening to the submissions of the parties, the presiding judge, Justice Ibrahim Buba awarded N17 billion in favour of the representatives of the Ogoni people in 2010

The court equally granted the Ogoni chiefs 25 per cent interest charge on the principal sum of about N17 billion.

SPDC then appealed against the judgment and applied for a stay of execution of the judgment pending the appeal.

As a condition for granting a stay of execution, the court directed Shell’s bankers, First Bank to provide a guarantee of the judgment sum should they lose at the Court of Appeal.

This condition was complied with, but Shell’s appeal failed at the Appeal Court on technical grounds, ostensibly because it filed its processes out of time and without regularising them.

Since then, the Ogoni has mounted a lot of legal pressure on the bank to redeem the undertaking it signed to no avail.

But the bank claimed that it had appealed the case at the Supreme Court, which the community said, was not part of the agreement.

In the latest petition before the Federal High Court in Lagos, the Ogoni chiefs are asking the court to wind up the bank for its insolvency.

In some of the document cited at the court, the community chiefs are praying the court for an order granting them leave to advertise the wind-up of the bank.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenges the Buhari Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to end its silence and speak out on their evident complicity in the corrupt amassing of the N21bn, guns and thousands of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) allegedly found in the residence of President Muhammadu Buhari’s ally, the sacked Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Daura.

The party said the discovery has not only exposed the shameless hypocrisy of the Buhari Presidency, but also stripped it of all integrity and brought its deceptive saintly posturing to a disgraceful end.

The world can now see that the PDP has not been raising a false alarm when it alerts that the Buhari Presidency has been using its much hyped fight against corruption and sustained harassment of opposition as a cover to divert public attention from the humongous stealing going on under President Buhari’s official cover.

Nigerians have now seen that while the Buhari Presidency and the APC have been hounding and harassing opposition members with trumped-up corruption charges to create an impression of integrity and fight against corruption, their agents have been busy frittering away, and warehousing trillions of naira, ostensibly for their 2019 re-election and service their wasteful lifestyles, while millions of compatriots wallow in abject poverty across the nation.

Today, the sneaky ways of this Presidency have further been exposed and it must not in any way seek to disown the sacked DSS DG as Nigerians already know that he was merely one out of the numerous agents being used by the APC and Presidency cabal in their nefarious activities, including warehousing money, fake PVCs and weapons to be unleashed during the 2019 elections.

What the APC and the Buhari Presidency should note is the eternal reality that though the truth may be suppressed for a while, it always has a way of showing itself to light at the end.

Nigerians are already aware of the leaked memo detailing alleged underhand oil contracts to the tune of N9 trillion at the NNPC and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, which are under the direct supervision of Mr. President.

They are already aware of the alleged stealing of over N25 billion, meant for the health needs of the people, from the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and how Mr. President recalled the indicted and suspended Executive Secretary.

They are aware of the alleged diversion of crude oil worth N1.1tr, using 18 unregistered companies; the diversion of N18 billion Internally Displaced Person (IDP) funds and billions of unremitted revenue from sale of crude for which there have been deadlock at the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC), all of which are being swept under the carpet by the Buhari Presidency.

The time is ripe for the Buhari Presidency and its disintegrating APC to tell the nation how these corruption acts were allegedly perpetrated under an administration that lay claim to integrity.

Former Governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, the incumbent governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Senator representing Delta North and former Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Peter Nwaoboshi, Senator Ighoyota Amori, Chief Strategist to the Delta State Government, Chief Paulinus Akpeki and other PDP leaders in the state, especially members of the Ibori political family, have unanimously asked the former governor of the state, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, to stop his supposed arrangement to leave the party for the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Celebration stopped midstream APC, which recently snatched the ex governor of Akwa Ibom state and former Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, from the PDP, was already clinking glasses in advance for Uduaghan’s entry into the party when Ibori, Governor Okowa and party chieftains in the state moved in to terminate the festivity.

An APC leader, who spoke to Saturday Vanguard, about four weeks ago, asserted: “It is a foregone conclusion, I can tell you that it is just matter of days, Uduaghan is with us. Our Delta South senatorial ticket is for him. We have also restored his security paraphernalia, which they withdrew from him. He is coming from the national, not state level, so I do not think there is anything that can stop him.”

“Since they are maltreating him in the party he joined to build, we know the havoc he can do to them if he is on our side and APC wants to take over Delta state. With him, we would know how to chase out PDP; after all, he won election two times as governor of the state. He knows the ins and outs, you cannot tell me that with somebody like him, we cannot win Delta,” he ecstatically said.

Contacted after what seemed to be a confirmation from Uduaghan in a national newspaper on Thursday, that Ibori and Okowa were holding him back in PDP, the APC chieftain said: “I am surprised because Uduaghan was practically in APC, he has played high-profile roles in the party already. I cannot explain how PDP snatched him back from us. It is going to affect our plan in Delta. But I do not want to believe that it is over yet. The APC is going to reach out to him.”

Cause of disagreement

Sources familiar with the issues that nearly threw spanner in the work, hinted that Uduaghan was basically gnashing his teeth over the mind-set of his successor, Okowa, towards him since he handed over to him in 2015, largely on the subject of his political ambition and necessary entitlements.

It was gathered that Okowa was still bitter with Uduaghan over his choice for a different candidate in the primaries that he (Okowa) finally won. Despite Uduaghan’s latter support for him, he did not bother to accept his handover notes and there was a cold war between them for nearly two years. “Uduaghan threw everything in for Okowa to win but Okowa was still bitter that Uduaghan did not support him before the primaries.

Uduaghan was financially emasculated as his entitlements were not paid and he was basically reduced to a minion in the new dispensation under Okowa, where he could not even hold sway in his local government area, Warri North, let alone get the governor’s ears for his senatorial ambition.

Alarm bell

A reliable source informed Saturday Vanguard that Uduaghan was for the most part disregarded by Okowa, who felt that he was also maltreated by the former. Evidently pushed to the wall, the former governor decided open his doors to APC and go for the kill against the PDP in the state.

At first, PDP leaders in the state thought it was a shaggy dog chronicle until Chief Ibori got hint of the political masterstrokes that would have been deployed against the PDP. In fact, some APC leaders, who Uduaghan fine-tuned his exit strategies with thought Ibori was coming with him too.

The elaborate plan by Uduaghan jolted Ibori, who, all the while, just thought that the animosity between Uduaghan and Okowa would soon fizzle out.

In the words of a top PDP chieftain: “It was then that he (Ibori) woke up from his slumber and decided to call Okowa to order before things would go out of hand.”

It was like a battle cry, as those who matter in Delta PDP, knowing what it would result to if Uduaghan dumped the party were enlisted to stop him at all cost. His phones continued buzzing until the time they were sure he had simmered down.

Flurry of meetings: Ibori summons Uduaghan, Okowa

Reports said that Ibori convened series of meetings between him, Uduaghan and Okowa, while Okowa and Uduaghan also held a private meeting. The Ibori political family also met over the matter severally.

Meetings were held at Oghara, Asaba, Lagos and other places in the country with a caveat that Uduaghan must not be allowed to go. But some of the intercessors also took side with Okowa, saying that he was only paying Uduaghan back in his own coin.

However, the former governor, who evidently managed more elections than many of his peers during his time and was tagged an election expert by APC at a time, was so furious in one of the meetings that he warned that it was unwise to undermine anybody’s capacity to wreak havoc to the PDP, alter and mutilate the political picture in the state.

“That was when they saw that he meant business and they started begging one to reconsider his stand,” our dependable source added.

Overwhelming pressure

His words: “What I know is that suffocating pressure was mounted on Uduaghan to change his mind, as they reminded him that all his political friends and associates are in PDP and if he leaves for APC, these persons could automatically become his political enemies or opponents.”

“I do not know what they agreed concerning his senatorial ambition, but I was informed that they have not concluded on that. However, it is conspicuous that Uduaghan cannot be denied the Delta South senatorial ticket. It was agreed that Ibori should handle that himself by talking to any person, who wants to pose a stumbling block.”

“From what I gathered, I do not think that Hon Michal Diden, aka Ejele, was considered a threat to Uduaghan, people are going to mount pressure on him as they did on Uduaghan to step aside. The only problem is Senator James Manager, who is a member of the family, but because he would be completely four straight tenures, which is 16 years as a Senator by 2019, he cannot morally hold on to the position.

“But the issue is that before you push a big masquerade like Senator Manager out of the dance arena, you must also figure out his interest. Otherwise, he will create another trouble for the family by refusing to listen to appeal to back out.

Senator Manager was said to have indicated interest to come in as Deputy Governor in 2019 with Okowa, but the governor seemed not disposed to the idea, as soon after the idea was mooted, he quickly announced that he would be running with his deputy, Deacon Kingsley Otuaro.

As at today, Senator Manager has not told anybody that he is not going to run for a fifth tenure in 2019, but unquestionably bolstered by the recent compromises and assurances from the governor, Uduaghan is set to rev his senatorial machinery.

What we did to stop Uduaghan- Amori Chief Amori, Political Adviser to the National Chairman of PDP, who was involved in the negotiations that saw Uduaghan rescind his step, told our reporter: “As a foundation member of the Ibori political family, he has served in different capacities as commissioner, secretary to the state government and governor. That is where he has his political associates and friends. So, if for any reason, we come to hear that he was contemplating leaving the party to join APC, of course, we all, from Ibori to the governor and others, called his attention and of course, we intervened.”

“We have held several meetings, both in Asaba and Oghara, and of course, Lagos where he (Uduaghan) has actually expressed some of the things that make him want to leave the party for APC.

“And we have appealed to him to have a rethink because all his political associates are still in PDP. That is where he belongs. It is the PDP that brought him up to the political limelight he is enjoying today. He cannot for one reason or the other jump ship to another party.

“There is no issue that cannot be addressed. These are the situations we find ourselves every time as politicians. Even when he was governor, similar things happened and we rose to the occasion. So it was during Ibori’s time. Something like this happened; it is bound to happen in politics.

…We‘ve our reason for stopping him

“What we should do is sit down and sort it out, and so we appealed to him. But I can assure you that his political family and friends are talking to him, of course, that is the best thing we will do, not to allow him to go. He has his reason, we also have our reason we would not want him to go,” Amori said.

Okowa, associates already addressing grievances

On the issues raised by Uduaghan, he asserted: “What I want to say is that the issues he raised are being addressed by the governor and those of us, who are his associates.”

Does he think Uduaghan will still not dump the party, Amori replied: “I think he is giving our plea a very positive consideration. I think he is listening, if not, he would have left the party long ago.”

Questioned on if Governor Okowa was open to Uduaghan not abandoning the party, he said: “Yes the governor was involved in all the discussions. And some of the issues Uduaghan raised had to do with him (the governor) and with the party.”

“I can tell you that the governor has even started implementing some of the decisions we reached at some of our meetings. Yes, he has started implementing them,” he added.

Okowa, Uduaghan held one-one one meeting

He confirmed that Uduaghan held a one-one meeting with Okowa besides the meeting between him, Ibori and Okowa in the bid to resolve the matter.

Amori asserted: “The caucus also met and there have been meetings down the line. Former Secretary to the State Government, Comrade Ovuozorie Macaulay, former Commissioner, Mr. Funkekeme Solomon, Raymos Guanah and a whole lot of others that are close to Uduaghan have been talking to him.”

“Of course, Chief Paulinus Akpeki,who is the Chief Strategist to the Delta State Government has been involved in it. So, there is no problem, our leader, Ibori is on top of it all.”

Ibori, Okowa also suffered in the party

“We have told him (Uduaghan) that he cannot live outside his political family. If he goes away, these people become his political opponents and it is not healthy for us. And we have been together for over 20 years, since the Grassroots Democratic Movement, GDM days, so how can he leave the party that he helped to build from the very beginning,” he said.

His words: “If it is suffering, people have suffered in the party, Ibori went to jail for all of us, or have I (Amori) not suffered in the party? I have. Even Okowa himself has suffered one thing or the other in the party. We did not jump ship despite the sufferings. I believe he is listening to our numerous advices.”

Nobody, including Uduaghan’s wife wants him to leave PDP

Amori said: “I can tell you that everybody around Uduaghan does not support him leaving the party, no one, I cannot see anyone, including his own biological family, up to his wife and children. No one is in support of his leaving. That is the truth. His brothers, friends, sisters, no one and of course, myself, we are not in support. “

“Whatever issues are involved, they can be discussed and attended to by the leadership of the family and that is exactly what we are doing,” he stated. But investigations showed that this is not true. There were many who wanted him to join APC. They are still pushing and very hopeful that if he joins the APC he would not only get the ticket for the senatorial election, he would also tremendously help APC in dislodging PDP in Delta.

Some Uduaghan loyalists not happy with new stand

Findings, however, indicate that many core Uduaghan loyalists, still maintain that the best thing for boss to do was to quit PDP. One of them, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “Uduaghan should defect to APC; he should forget Ibori, Okowa and all those asking him to stay back. He can never be respected by Okowa, I do not see him getting his honor back in PDP, and they will only succeed in making him irrelevant in 2019. He should defect to APC because they only buckled when they found out that you want to fight back, they do not love you in PDP.”

The stalwart warned: “Your political empire will crumble if you remain in PDP. This government in the state does not wish you well, they want to end your political career, which will be brighter in APC. Most of us, who are your men, are being fought today by the same government because of you, so you should not team up with them. You cannot trust them. They have been humiliating you and now that APC wants you to operate at national level they are holding you back. We are very disappointed that you are even considering remaining in PDP. PDP in Delta state is no longer the way it was in Ibori’s time and your time as governor.”

Subscribers of StarTimes, the Chinese-owned Pay TV service provider, have described the content broadcast on the platform as below standard and called for an upgrade of its content offerings. The subscribers took to StarTimes’ official Twitter handle, @StarTimes_Ng, to ventilate their dissatisfaction with what the Pay TV provider offers on its bouquets.

They were responding to a series of tweets through which the company announced a reduction of subscription rates on its packages. The tweets, posted on Monday, read: “We aware of the recent price hike in subscription by D other pay TV network and sincerely think that Nigerians deserve better.

“This price increment is highly insensitive to the current economic hardship most Nigerians, who also happen to be pay TV subscribers, are faced with.

“Since their price increment took effect last week, we have received tons of DMs, mentions and enquiries about our pricing, products and services by defecting customers.

“In view of this, we are happy to inform everyone that our highest bouquet (Classic bouquet) price will be reduced from N2, 600 to N1,900-with the inclusion of Ebony Life TV, ST Nollywood Plus & Fox.

“We hope that everyone who seeks quality entertainment at pocket-friendly rates jumps on this opportunity to do so.”

But rather than applause, subscribers expressed dissatisfaction. Tweeting from the handle, @getzgive_ng, a respondent posted: “This is more like paying less for nothing. What exactly are you bringing to the table in terms of content? Do what the other pay TV is doing and be competitive…you are still not a match even with your price reduction.”

Enomfom Ukpong, tweeting from the handle, @EnoTips, wrote: “I doubt if you have what it takes to compete with the other pay TV network.”

A woman, Hanne Dowole (@Ehi_Hanne), complained about StarTimes’ loss of the rights to the Italian Serie A. “My husband is a die-hard supporter of your platform. Of recent, he’s been worried that you might have lost the right to TIM Serie A games. Do you still have the rights? Answer pls,” she wrote. She got no answer from StarTimes.

But a respondent, Lulu, who tweeted as @iamAlub, helped her out by tweeting: “The other company has bought rights to Serie A”. The loss of Serie A rights seems to rankle a lot, with a subscriber tweeting from @doriaboy to ask: “Is there no way you can bring Serie A TIM? When will you air Coppa Italia games? Both are Italian football though.” He got no response. Similarly, one Anumorigba, tweeting as@evra_tee, asked: “Is it that you will not air Serie A anymore? Cos you didn’t mention it?” Like those who asked before, he got no response.

A particularly disaffected subscriber, Ebenezer Anokwah (@eanokwah), wrote: Please, Never compare yourself with@DStvNg@DStv_Ghana@SuperSp ortTV because they offer quality and the world’s best and lucrative leagues and live sporty than you. They spend over $1.5 billion to acquire sports broadcasting rights for EPL, UCL, La Liga etc. U?

One Pastor Edward Daniel (@edward_pastor), wrote: “Dear StarTimes, in this business, content is king. People pay for your success in getting what they want, not the other way round.”

Another Twitter user, @MuzikalJaydon, wrote that he does not mind paying a higher sum for better content. “If you can get the English Premier League, UEFA Champions League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, La Liga and other more interesting football tournaments, not many people will mind paying 5k sef.”

Football, however, is not the only cause of dissatisfaction, as evidenced by the response of Xeeno Miller (@Greenyzeeny). She wrote: “Do you have Telemundo and Zeeworld? If you do, trust me, you’d have a high influx of customers in less than a week. Even grandmothers in the village watch both channels.”

Another Twitter user, Freshy Adeyemi (@Adefreshy), complained about the visual quality. In his response to StarTimes, he wrote: “Even the quality of your visual content is poor compared to D other pay TV network. Y’all need to roll up your sleeves for great competition if you mean biz.”

Despite efforts made by past and present administrations in Nigeria to stamp out corruption, incidents of illegalities seem to be on the rise especially in Nigeria’s health sector as investigations by this online news medium reveals that corruption, greed and ego has eaten very deep into the fabrics of the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) and National Agency for the Control of Aids (NACA).

This is as the Nigeria Aids Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS), a national household survey that determines the distribution of HIV, Hepatitis B and C and also estimates the prevalence of HIV-related risk behaviour in the 36 states of the federation and the federal capital territory FCT presently ongoing in the country has been purportedly hijacked by the minister and his cohorts.

The survey which will impact positively on the lives of Nigerians was revelaed to last for the duration of six months starting from mid-June to December 2018 with the pilot phase coming to a successful end while waiting for the commencement of the main survey.

Sadly, we discovered that the Nigeria factor is beginning to set in as the Minister of Health in the person of Prof. Isaac Adewole and his cohorts in NACA under the supervision of Dr. Sani Aliyu have decided to hamper the progress of the survey by seeking a bribe from the sponsor; Maryland Global Initiative and playing the nepotism card by asking that the sponsors displace the people they engaged with the work and allow them to bring in their people.

The survey is sponsored by the University of Maryland, Baltimore, U.S.A, and funded by U.S Center for Disease Control and Prevention through the President’s Emergency Planning for Aids Relief In collaboration with the government of Nigeria under the leadership of the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) and the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA). Insider sources confided in our reporter that there are contradicting figures in the remuneration of field workers as against the initially stated 15,000 Naira per day that the field workers were supposed to be paid rather a conflicting figure of 10,000 Naira was released.

It is alleged that N25,000, N7000 and N5000 were supposed to be paid for accommodation, feeding and transportation respectively per day but the Minister of Health and his cohorts connived and summed it to be paid at the end of the month as N70,000 and diverted the difference on each of the staff allowances in display of his initial disagreement with the amount stipulated to be paid the workers.

A survey that is supposed to serve Nigerians, to improve the health indices of the country, they have decided to sabotage it for their selfish gains narrated our source. Also according to our reliable source, these greedy people have so frustrated the survey even to the extent that the sponsor threatened to pull out, leaving many Nigerian to lose out of the benefits and opportunity.

Surprisingly, Isaac Adewole and his cohorts are requesting that the sponsors cut off the money of those who have so far been engaged in carrying out the survey.

Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, in Lagos, has arrested unscrupulous importers of Tramadol and other restricted drugs into the country, also a bus containing 39 sacks and 1,220 parcels of Cannabis Sativa popularly known as Indian Hemp.

The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has stepped up its offensive against the unauthorized importation, distribution, sales and use of this category of medicines, as the Service has resorted to also picking up the classified items in bits and pieces, and other various ingenuous means of concealments.

The items, concealed inside fresh tomatoes, pepper, and vegetables, were impounded along Olorunda axis of Ogun state on Friday last week, the agency said.

Mohammed Uba, the Controller of the unit, said the vehicle, a Ford with engine registration number: XL23452L, was impounded alongside the driver after a tip-off from members of the public.

“In the spirit of inter-agency relationship, the seized substance will be handed over to NDLEA for further investigation,” he added.

Other items seized by the agency two weeks after the last seizure are one MAN Diesel Truck with registration number XB 286 BEN along Afromedia Estate by Egbeda Junction beside Alaba International market carrying 2,748 cartons of DSP Codeine Cough Syrup 100mg (100 per carton) and 95 cartons of Chaka Pain Xtra, a pain-killer, based on a tip-off.

“This is the second time in a row the unit is intercepting this substance since the Federal Government banned the importation of cough syrup that contains codeine. The substance is valued 1,175,200,000,” Mr Uba said.

“The driver of the truck on sighting our officers abandoned the truck and fled. Also, 49 cartons of tramadol capsules 100mg were evacuated from a warehouse in Ajao Estate based on information. The drugs will be handed over to NAFDAC for further investigation.”

Mr Uba, who has just been transferred to head the Customs Command at Seme, said his officers had evacuated 21 sacks of pangolin scales weighing 1,031kg and four pieces of elephant tusk weighing 29.35kg from a shop in a market in Victoria Island based on information by the Warehouse Operations team led by Mutalib Sule, a customs officer.

“The occupant of the shop fled and still at large but investigation is already ongoing towards getting the culprit arrested and prosecuted,” said Mr Uba.

“Among the detained vehicles include seven Toyota Land Cruiser Jeeps (2015-2018), 4 Toyota Hiace Bus (2017), two Toyota Coaster Bus (2017), and four Toyota Camry (2014). These 17 Exotic Vehicles have a duty paid value of N384,291,251.94.

“While four of the vehicles were intercepted along Ijebu Ode Expressway, 13 were evacuated from House Plot 1 Akintailor Close, Allen Avenue, Ikeja, based on credible information.

“Eight suspects were arrested in connection with these 25 seizures.”

The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki has, Wednesday, held a press conference where he condemned Tuesday’s invasion of the National Assembly by armed operatives of the Department of State Services,

The conference which also has the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and many other Senators and members of the House of representatives, as well as many other distinguished guests in attendance, saw the Senate President narrate how the DSS operatives blocked NASS from carrying out its constituted duties.

Below is Saraki’s full speech:

It is a matter of record that yesterday, lawmakers and staff of the National Assembly were prevented from entering the National Assembly Complex by heavily armed security agents of the Department of State Services (DSS). All entries to the Complex were blocked. The National Assembly, the seat of democracy in Nigeria, was under lockdown. Senators and Members of the House of Representatives were prevented from gaining access.

2. The ensuring standoff was a show of shame that played itself out over several hours in full view of the country. In no circumstances should this have happened. And we as a nation reaped the bitter fruits instantaneously, as evident in media images relayed around the world, images that shame us as a democratic nation. The siege was also an act of cowardice by those seeking to carry out an illegal impeachment of the leadership of the Senate in flagrant disregard of the law. People who seek control at all costs, by whatever means, never minding the injury to democratic norms.

3. I have to say that this is not about me – Abubakar Bukola Saraki as an individual. It is not about Ike Ekweremadu, nor is it about Yakubu Dogara. I am speaking for my colleagues when I say that this is about the soul of Nigeria, what we represent as a country, and our standing in the comity of nations. This is a country where so much is expected of us, so many rungs of the ladder that we are supposed to have ascended as a nation. Instead we are wallowing in impunity and illegal show of force, all of which retard our progress.

4. This is most disheartening. I don’t get any joy in saying: I said so. I don’t. However, some of you may recall that about two years ago, I stated that there was a government within this government, to a purpose that was not in the interest of what the people voted for. I said it then, and now we are beginning to see the manifestations of that government within a government. It beats one’s imagination how the head of an agency could have authorized the brazen assault on the legislature that we saw yesterday. Despite the threat to our lives, we shall continue to fight impunity and injustice in this country.

5. Happily, by the actions that Nigerians took yesterday, they demonstrated our strong resolve as a nation not to give ground to oppression. The legislature, more than any other institution in this country, more than any other arm of government, represents the will of the people. We are elected by the people, and an assault on the legislature is an assault on the people of Nigeria. The forcible shutdown of the legislature was an unconscionable assault on a national institution, and thanks to all your efforts, the aggressors have been put to shame.

6. The resistance mounted by staff of the National Assembly, my colleagues in both chambers and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) who refused to leave the entrance of this Complex until the siege was broken, strengthens my faith in the people of this country. The rain fell, the sun rose, but Nigerians stood their ground in defence of democracy. With the strength of will demonstrated by everyone against unwarranted and unconstitutional militaristic might, the siege could not stand.

7. By this, we have shown that Nigerians can resist government within government in whatever guise, and this is humbling for me. Those who sought to attack the National Assembly under my leadership for their selfish ends have only affirmed my belief in this country. They attempted to execute an illegal impeachment of the leadership of the Senate without the backing of the law, but they faltered. I am confident that, together, we shall always defeat acts of unconstitutionality. The rule of law shall always prevail.

8. I want to thank Nigerians, Senators, Members of the House of Representatives and National Assembly Staff, for standing up to be counted for democracy during yesterday’s siege. I thank the thousands who monitored the situation on radio, television and social media, voicing their outrage at the siege, thereby sending a clear message to those that hatched the plot that the Nigerian public would not buy this act of gangsterism using instruments of state such as the DSS.

9. I also thank the international community – particularly the European Union – and the international press, for their prompt reactions to the invasion of the National Assembly. CSOs and Socio-cultural groups were emphatic in their statements during the crisis, and we very much appreciate their vigilance.

10. Among the many that come up for special mention, I believe that Honourable Boma Goodhead, a member of the House of Representatives, stands out. She looked a masked security operative in the eye and dared him to shoot. She let it be known that Nigerians would not stand for the barricade at the National Assembly, that we would not be cowed. It was another pointer to what is possible in this country when women take their place in leadership.

11. I applaud all who kicked against the atrocity and who stood firm until sanity prevailed. I am proud of how everyone conducted themselves in what was no doubt a tense standoff. The principled stance and defiant reactions to the ugly incident, proved crucial to the failure of the plot. This is what we have been saying about the power of the people. The role of the people in defending democracy is paramount.

12. I thank the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, for his handling of the situation we were all confronted with yesterday. His decisive action went a long way towards restoring confidence. It sent a powerful message – that the DSS cannot be recklessly deployed against institutions of our democracy. The path of leadership is not by party, and we must commend it wherever it is found. Mr. Acting President did the right thing. However, the damage control so far does not address the question of how this atrocity happened in the first place.

13. This is an incident concerning which we have it on good authority that it has been in the planning for months, and yet it was allowed to happen. How is it that such an atrocity was not prevented? How is it that the masterminds were not deterred? Very serious questions remain that can only be answered by a full investigation. We call for an investigation, and we demand that all perpetrators are brought to book. We owe it to ourselves to ensure that such a situation never occurs again. Many agencies have abused their powers and acted outside the ambit of the law on occasion. Where abuses occur, similar actions must be taken immediately and full investigation instituted.

14. I must say that when we fought for Change, we could not have envisaged a scenario such as unfolded yesterday – an atmosphere where people cannot tolerate dissent, or mere differences of opinion as to the future of our dear country. This is not the Change we fought for. We did not fight for instruments of state to be used to oppress Nigerians and their lawmakers. I know that I, certainly, did not fight just so the legislature could be undermined and subjected to this onslaught.

15. There are many lessons to be drawn from the ugly incident we all witnessed yesterday. For one, government must ensure that security agencies remain neutral and act in line with the position of the constitution as well as their enabling laws. Heads of Agencies should be accountable, and those who step out of line must be held responsible for their actions. Enough with impunity. Enough with the reckless and senseless deployment of militaristic force. Enough.

16. In this dark cloud, we can see the silver lining, and that silver lining is the commitment of Nigerians to defending their hard-won democracy. I am more than encouraged by the strength, the determination and the resolve of ordinary Nigerians to see to it that democracy survives and thrives in this country. I am also strengthened by the determination of the media to report and analyse the truth as they see it.

17. I want to reassure Nigerians that, on our part, we remain committed to working for a country governed by the rule of law. Our desire is to have a society where there will be equity and justice, not oppression. We stand committed to doing our utmost as lawmakers to ensure that the responsibility and functionality of governance are met. Although we are on annual break, we are daily reviewing the situation and are alive to the responsibility to take action as necessary. Unfortunately, yesterday’s shutdown prevented us from meeting with INEC, as scheduled, to address funding concerns. We will continue to look into the matter. In the spirit of that, we also appeal to Mr. President to sign the 2018 Electoral Act Amendment Bill which has been sent for his assent.

18. I remain confident in the support of my colleagues and their focus on the job at hand, which is to serve the Nigerian people. My confidence is unshaken. I remain committed to the success of the historic 8th National Assembly, and to the continued progress of our country.

The federal government says the gale of defection in the nation’s party politics will not shield any corrupt politician from investigation and prosecution.

Lai Mohammed, minister of information, gave the assurance when he paid an official visit to the Abuja office of The Authority Newspaper.

Fielding questions from members of the editorial board of the paper, the minister said that defection, even to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) would not immune politicians who had looted the nation’s economy from being prosecuted.

“Nigerians should be rest assured that the fact that some persons are moving from one party to another does not mean that they will escape prosecution,” he said.

“Nobody will escape investigation and prosecution on the ground that he or she has moved to APC. We have shown that with a former governor and a member of our party that was convicted. We will never terminate anybody’s prosecution on the ground of decamping.

“However, it is not for the executive to do the work of the judiciary.”

The minister, however, said many of the defections being witnessed were not premised on the allegation of escaping justice.

He said some defected for “political calculation and personal reasons’’.

He also took a swipe at Senate President Bukola Saraki, saying: “I have never seen in history, where a leader of parliament will announce the defection of 15 members from his party.

“The proper thing is, if you are loyal to your party, you put stumbling blocks on such defection.”

Mohammed said Kwara, his state and that of Saraki which is the epicentre of the defection, remained solidly behind APC and Buhari.

A staff of Access Bank Plc, Kolawole Agboola has been arraigned at the Tinubu Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos Island on a three-count charge of conspiracy, fraud and theft.

Agboola allegedly stole about N13.6 million from the accounts of two customers of the Access Bank Plc.

He however pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Idimu, Lagos-based 29-year old banker, according to the prosecutor, Sergeant Hafsat Ajibode, committed the offences between October 2017 and March 2018.

The offences contravened Sections 287 (7), 325 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 with Section 287 (7) stipulating seven years imprisonment for offenders.

Ajibode said that the accused withdrew the money from the unnamed Access Bank customers’ accounts by issuing a forged investment certificate to them to conceal his fraudulent activities.

The Chief Magistrate, Mr Tajudeen Elias, granted bail to the accused in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.

He said one of the sureties must be a relative of the accused and the other, a civil servant, while he adjourned the case until August 16, 2018 for hearing.

Amidst the carpet-crossing drama in the National Assembly, Primate Elijah Ayodele of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Oke Afa, Isolo, Lagos, has predicted tougher times for the country and, in particular, the ruling All Progressives Congress in the coming year.

In his book, Warning To The Nations, which is a compendium of his prophesies covering the 2018/2019 period, the Primate said President Muhammadu Buhari will not find it easy in his bid for a second term.

He said: “Neither the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) nor the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) can take Nigeria to the next level.

“President Buhari’s attempt to return will meet very stiff resistance from the opposition and if he tries to force his way, then there will be trouble in the country.

“I have five names of people who can take Nigeria to the next level, but it is not yet time to announce them. You know the way we are in this country. Should I announce those names, they would tell me that I have been bribed,” the Primate said.

He said prior to the 2015 elections he prophesied the defeat of President Goodluck Jonathan by a new party which, after taking over power, would break up. This, he said, was manifesting as recent events in the ruling party show. “It is going to be tough for the APC as a new party will give them a run for their money at the 2019 polls,” he said.

Ayodele said for the main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party, to record any meaningful result in the 2019 presidential race, the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, who returned to the party a week ago, has to be given the ticket to run. “I do not know Saraki neither do we have any link, politically or otherwise. But he is the only man who can win anything for PDP,” the Primate said emphatically.

On the agitations today in the country, particularly in the southeast, he said: “Nnamdi Kanu has taken the wrong step in his fight for Biafra. He cannot actualise it.

“But the government must dialogue with him because his agitation will cause pandemonium. There will be a lot of factions within the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB). Some people would penetrate the group in order to cause issues.

“Besides, I see a major referendum in the nearest future; it is not now. No government can stop the disintegration of Nigeria. Only God can stop it.

“Note my words: only God can stop Nigeria’s disintegration, but it is not yet time. By 2035, Nigeria will be no more. Five nations will come out of the country. Two will be greater than three,” he explains.

Sahara Energy boss, Tonye Cole’s daughter, Vennessa Cole, has come of age.
When she stepped out recently, the 20 something-year-old occasioned many double takes and inspired lustful gawks and inadvertent drool.
She is gradually coming into her own and making guys swallow a cascade of spittle in quick succession.
Like her mother, Vennessa is smart as a whip and as beautiful and fashionable as they come.
By Jove, the young lady also inherited her dad’s smile-wide grin and sharp intellect that has seen him conquer the otherwise difficult Nigerian oil terrain in two decades of his entry. But wait a minute, Vennessa has become a Turn-up Queen.
Besides fashion and style, Vennessa consumes liquor like a fish gulps brackish water.
So pitiful is her weakness for Shisha that she takes it everytime she is out for clubbing.
Despite her father’s wealth the dark-hued girl seems insatiable as she craves the wild and extreme side of life.
Otherwise known as Turn up Queen on the photo-sharing site, Instagram. Indeed, she lives large as can be seen on her IG page.

A former minister of works, Tony Anenih, has said he will not be celebrating his 85th birthday with pomp as a result of the poor state of affairs of the nation.

Mr Anenih, a former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, said in a statement on Monday that he was putting off the celebration initially scheduled to hold on August 4.

“There is no doubt that attaining a milestone of 85 years on earth is a privilege enjoyed by a few; and, it is, therefore, an occasion worth celebrating with loved ones and friends,” Mr Anenih said.

“On reflections, however, whilst I remain grateful to God for His unfailing love and sustenance that have kept me all through the years, I am, sadly, unable to fulfill this earnest desire to celebrate the milestone because of the unfortunate recent losses that befell my family in quick succession, the condition of my health and the sad state of the nation that has witnessed so much losses, bloodshed and apprehension.

“Nonetheless, I sincerely appreciate the effort being made by government and some influential Nigerians to restore peace.

“I believe that with prayers and faith in God, there is hope for restoration of peace and good neighbourliness in Nigeria soon and in the years ahead.”

Mr Anenih urged all well-meaning Nigerians both at home and in the Diaspora to be united in purpose and join in prayers for God’s intervention in the affairs of our nation.

“Indeed, members of my immediate family have decided to respect my decision and they have already cancelled initial arrangements to celebrate my 85th birthday with pomp,” said Mr Anenih, who is also titled as the Iyasele of Esanland.

“While I pray to the Almighty God to perfect my health and give me the grace to witness many more years on earth, I believe that the future holds a great promise of wonderful times to get together for birthday celebrations and other festivities.”

FBN Holdings Plc (FBNHoldings) says its profit margin increased by 13.7 percent year on year (y-o-y) for the half year ended June 2018, “despite high inflationary environment”.

This is contained in the group’s unaudited results, which were largely positive for the period under review.

According to the results, profit after tax rose to N33.5 billion, up from N29.5 billion recorded in June 2017.

As a group, gross earnings stood at N293.3 billion, up 1.6% y-o-y, compared to N288.8 billion recorded in June 2017.

The group’s commercial banking operations accounted for the largest contribution to gross earnings and profit before tax at 90.2 percent and 84.0 percent respectively.

Commenting on the results, UK Eke, group managing director, FBNHoldings said: “FBNHoldings continues to make steady progress towards delivering on its strategic targets. This has been demonstrated with a 13.7% y-o-y increase in profit after tax, 21.4% y-o-y growth in non-interest and 15.4% y-o-y decline in impairment charge.”

Clearly, the group is on its way to delivering its promises on asset quality, enhancing revenue generating capacity through non-interest income and driving further efficiencies.”

Highlighting key figures from the result, Adesola Adeduntan, managing director of FirstBank, said performance was “relatively strong despite high inflationary environment.”

“The Commercial Banking Group reported a relatively strong set of results and I am pleased to report consistent improvement towards our strategic objectives,” he said.

“This is reflected in a strong 28.5% y-o-y increase in non-interest income, 15.5% y-o-y reduction in the impairment charge and a marginal increase of 0.9% y-o-y in operating expenses, despite the high inflationary environment.

“It is clear that our efforts to enhance our revenue generating capabilities, strengthen the risk management and control environment as well as to optimise efficiencies within our business are paying off.”

The Deputy Governor of Imo State, Eze Madumere, has been impeached, Channels Television reports.

He was impeached by 19 of the 37 members of the Imo House of Assembly, the station reports.

The Assembly had earlier received a report by a panel set up by the state chief judge which allegedly indicted Mr Madumere of gross misconduct.

Mr Madumere has been having a running political battle with Governor Rochas Okorocha over the latter’s successor in 2019.

While Mr Madumere seeks to succeed Mr Okorocha, the governor reportedly supports his son-in-law.

The crisis worsened during the APC local and state congresses in the state with Mr Okorocha and his deputy supporting separate factions.

Although the APC faction supported by Mr Madumere and a senator, Osita Izunaso, was initially recognised by the national leadership of the party, its election was upturned by the court.

Mr Madumere could not be reached on phone at the time of this report. Repeated calls to his number were unanswered.

Nigeria’s Oto “Joe Boy” Joseph, on Sunday night, retained his African Boxing Union (ABU) lightweight title by defeating Ghana’s Nathaniel Nukpe.

The encounter was the headline bout at GOtv Boxing Night 15, which held at the Indoor Sports Hall of the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan.

Also on the night, Ridwan “Scorpion” Oyekola, a product of GOtv Boxing NextGen Search, won N1million for emerging the best boxer of the night. Oyekola, who was voted second best boxer at GOtv Boxing Night 13 last December, defeated Prince “Lion” Nwoye in a thrilling lightweight challenge bout.

He was wildly cheered by the capacity crowd.

Another GOtv NextGen Search graduate, Michael “Lion Heart” Godwin knocked out Idowu “ID Cabasa” Okusote in a cruiserweight contest. Ibadan’s cult boxing hero, Akeem “Dodo” Sadiku, knocked out Franc Houanevgbe of the Republic of Benin in a middleweight duel.

Olaide “Fijaborn” Fijabi, ABU light welterweight champion, defeated Kazeem “Iberu” Ariyo in a national challenge contest.

Daniel “Big Shark” Emeka defeated Sulaimon “Olags” Adeosun in the light heavyweight division. The light welterweight duel between Vincent “Dada” Essien and Segun “Show Boy” Olalehin was declared a no-contest.

Among dignitaries at the event were the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III; Mr. Wale Oke,Oyo State Sports Commissioner who represented Governor Abiola Ajimobi; and Mr. Toys Arulogun, Oyo State Information Commissioner.

Elder Statesman and former Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa has again fired a broadside against President Muhammadu Buhari asking him to tell Nigerians why he is unable to curb the incessant killings across the country.

Speaking with Sunday Telegraph, the former governor said that with all the resources and power at the disposal of Mr President he had no reason not to have ended the insecurity across the country.

Musa also disclosed that the recent gale of defections across the country shows that political parties in the country cannot be trusted to deepen the country’s democracy.

According to Musa: “I think the solution with the killings lies with the President, clearly the president must solve this problem. He is the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria. He is the chief security officer of Nigeria. He commands all the resources of the country and he has legitimate authority, having been elected by the people.

“So when you combine all these you can see that he has the power to stop all the killings. The issue is what is he doing to stop them?

“Nigerians need to find out from the president why he is finding it difficult to stop the killing. I believe anything anyone says is speculation. Let him tell us why, in spite of all the resources at his disposal?

“It is time the president should explain to Nigerians because he has all it takes to stop this. In terms of power; which individual or even institution in Nigeria has the power he controls? Why can’t he exercise his powers to stop the killings? We should not continue beating about the bush; let us say the truth,” he said.

Speaking on the N242billion requested by the President for the 2019 general elections, Musa said: “The first guarantee we want is to know if INEC can give us a free, fair and transparent election leading to a legitimate government? INEC should tell us what is required for credible free and fair elections.

“For me the money should be based on what they will deliver, can they deliver a transparent election which they have not done before? How much will they need to deliver proper election?

On the gale of defections across the country, Musa said: “It shows the confusion in the polity, it shows that political parties cannot even be relied upon and it is a terrible situation. The leading parties, that is the party in power and the main opposition party are in disarray.

“The problem is that it is not good for democracy. Because you cannot rely on the political parties and we cannot have the democracy we require without political parties, because it is significant.”

On the way forward he said “I don’t know how we can come out of the situation with the legislators and the executive at each other’s throats, they are now fighting to the finish. It will be difficult to have a legal arrangement for free and fair elections and these are the two arms of government that can give us this.

“For now the way out is a fundamental constitutional change and that is difficult now that we have fight to the finish between these two fundamental arms of government.”

*Says more APC bigwigs expected to defect soon

A chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party and former Secretary of the Caretaker Committee of the party, Senator Ben Obi has attributed the current mass defection of members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to other political parties on the failure of the ruling party to address the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians.

Obi, a former Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Inter-Party Affairs, said that the game was up for the APC as more bigwigs from the ruling party would soon migrate to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2019 general elections.

In a chat, Obi recalled that four years ago there was a mass defection from the PDP, a situation that the APC capitalised upon to snatch victory in 2015.

Obi said the tide has changed and a mass movement back to the PDP has commenced due to the failure of APC to fulfill its campaign promises

He said that having lost power to an opposition party after being in government for sixteen years, the PDP had conducted an objective appraisal of its operations, processes and experiences and has repositioned itself to recapture power and do better.

According to him, the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) has not been able to find its bearing since it came to power in 2015.

“We have not seen positive results from the promises of this government, which was predicated on a tripod of the anti- corruption crusade, insecurity and the economy.

“I do not know how many of these promises they have been able to fulfill successfully.

“Ever since they came into government, they have continued to operate as if they were an opposition party. Governance became almost impossible to achieve and a lot of their members felt hurt. It has also been on the jugular of its members and perceived opponents. It couldn’t even conduct congresses because it has problems in virtually all the states in the country. There was nobody to manage the crisis and it has exploded.

“Those of them who joined as nPDP, felt they were being hounded. They also found some allies among those who were members of the APC abinitio. It was a combination of these two groups that founded what is now known as Reformed APC.

Even when it was obvious the party was heading for a major crisis, they did not seem to understand the handwriting on the wall.

It was not properly handled by the leaders of the party. They were using very angry and harsh words on their members and this did not help matters.

“So it was easy for those who were our members and those who have seen that PDP has found its bearing to turn around and engage the PDP in a discussion which has seen them coming back to the fold of the party,” he said.

Obi acknowledged that with the defection of Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State the bug of defection had moved from the chambers of the National Assembly to State Executive Council Chambers. He said he was not sure who would decamp next but confirmed that more were being expected.

“We’re very happy to have them back and we’re looking forward to receiving more and more members of the APC who have seen the vision that that change which was their mantra has to be changed in the interest of this country.

I don’t have the numbers but I believe that in a couple of days; between now and the next seventy two hours a lot of those who are being expected will come. We are definitely expecting some more governors from the APC to come over to the party,” Obi said.

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State yesterday, amid jubilation inaugurated the ultra modern civic centre in Enugu-Echi Ihe, Awgu Local Government Area, constructed with the first tranche of N5 million each recently released to the 450 autonomous communities in the state to execute development project of their choice.

Gov. Ugwuanyi’s administration recently launched a grassroots development programme tagged “one community, one project”, which earmarked N10 million for each community in the state to carry out a project of their choice according to their peculiar needs to ensure that there is government presence in all the communities in Enugu State.

The ultra modern civic centre in Ihe was constructed with the first tranche of N5 million of the N10m.

Presenting the civic centre to the governor for inauguration, the traditional ruler of Ihe community, HRH Igwe Godwin Ekoh said the project is “the first of its kind” and “a vista to the avalanche of both realized and realizable development that the good government of His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has engendered in Enugu State since its inception”.

Igwe Ekoh added that the people of Enugu-echi Ihe prior to the the construction of the civic centre lacked a place of gathering and hosting of community activities, expressing delight that the “priority project” has provided solution to the need of the people.

“It is a symbol of real and appreciable infrastructure that sprout and span the length and breadth of the state since Gov. Ugwuanyi took over the helm of affairs of Enugu State. It is a perfect example of promise fulfilled by a responsible and responsive government,” Igwe Ekoh said.

The monarch also commended Gov. Ugwuanyi for his administration’s grassroots development initiatives aimed at opening up the rural areas for all round economic growth as well as providing the basic needs of the dwellers.

According to him, “When His Excellency made the promise to make available N10m (in two tranches) to the 450 autonomous communities in Enugu State for developmental projects, it sounded too good to be true. Today, we are witnesses to the fulfillment of this promise which has translated into tangible projects across Enugu State”.

Expressing gratitude to Gov. Ugwuanyi for the “milestone” feat, Igwe Ekoh noted that the governor has not only advanced development in the rural areas but has also accelerated his dynamics and prospects for urbanization.

He said: “We are therefore overjoyed to receive the man of the moment. The man behind the accelerated development of Awgu, the brain behind the peace in the state and the architect of the transformation of Enugu State and the incoming governor come 2019, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi”.

Inaugurating the project, Gov. Ugwuanyi thanked the Royal Father and his subjects for the vision in constructing the event centre with the first tranche of N5 million recently released to them and reassured of more development projects that would address their peculiar needs.

…siblings, mother still missing three years after

Ebonyi State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development in collaboration with the National Agency for Prohibition and Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), has recovered a 13-year-old boy Daniel Nweze from Umezeoka, Ezza North Local Government Area, of the state, who was sold and resold in Imo State.

Nweze was 10 years old in 2015, when a man from his community, Amaechi Ukwa simply identified as Friday took him to Imo State with his mother, Ngozi and two siblings, Elochukwu and Wisdom.

Daniel is the oldest child of the family. His father died in 1999 and things became tough for the family.

Ukwa capitalised on the bad condition of the family and hoodwinked Ngozi, Daniel’s mother into taking them away. He took Ngozi and the children to Imo State where they were disposed of.

In Owerri, the Imo State capital, one woman, identified as Madam Pepe, was already waiting to buy one of the children.

She bought Daniel and then resold him to a man identified simply as Solo, who needed a male child. Solo bought Daniel for N340,000.

They organised a party and renamed the boy, Jah Bu Ike.

But Daniel reportedly rejected the name and told them that he would not bear that name, he continued to answer his real name.

Solo then raised the alarm and started calling Madam Pepe, who sold Daniel to him, asking why she should sell an “old man” to him.

Solo told Madam Pepe to come immediately and take the boy, that he would not take such a mature boy. This happened in the night after the party was over.

Then very early in the morning, the woman arrived and she and Solo entered into a heated argument over the money he paid for the boy. Solo insisted that the woman must refund him the full amount.

Daniel, who heard the argument, then took to his heels and ran into a police patrol team very close to the place where he narrated the matter to them.

The police team went there, met Sola and madam Pepe still arguing over the refund of the N340, 000. The police team arrested them and released them after one week. After their release, Solo escaped from Imo to Cotonou.

Narrating his ordeal, at the Ministry of Women Affairs at the weekend, Daniel said: “My mother took me from Ebonyi to Imo State. She gave me and my siblings to one woman and since that day, we have not seen her again. The woman took us to another man and said I am the man’s child. One day, he called me Jah Bu Ike and I told him that wasn’t my name, that I remain Daniel Nweze.

“In Imo, he enrolled me into a school and took good care of me. He had girls and I was the only male child. I didn’t know that I was sold to him. I am currently in Primary four. The name of my school is Great Time Nursery and Primary School located in Oji, Okigwe,” he said.

In an interview, Daniel’s uncle, Ven. Silas Nweze said the boy, his two siblings and mother were taken away from the village on June 15, 2015 and that since then he has been restless as he has not heard from them except once when Amaechi Ukwa, who took them to Imo without his consent, told him on phone when he called and said he would not return to the village throughout his lifetime.

“It was in July 2015 that I got a message that policemen from Imo State came to our family home with Daniel. I rushed to Imo State to find out what happened. When I got there I saw Daniel in police custody.

“On inquiring, I was told that somebody had sold him. The police told me that a man from a compound close to our house took Daniel, his two brothers and their mother on one Eke day to Imo State and then sold them. He sold Daniel to one Solo from Mbaise (in Imo State) who took Daniel and then resold him to one Madam Pepe for N340,000.

“I reported the matter to a family law centre in 2016, Rev. Fr. Abraham Nwali who is in- charge of Welfare and I ran to the state Commissioner for Women’s Affairs, Mrs. Rebecca Ogbuewu. Since then, we have never heard anything about Daniel’s mother.”

Receiving Daniel, the Imo State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Rebecca Ogbuewu said the journey to the recovery of the boy was hectic and thanked God for the successful recovery.

She disclosed since Daniel’s uncle, Ven. Nweze reported the matter to her office; she had been battling to ensure that he was released.

ONWUASOANYA FCC JONES

Bad mechanics do not own workshops, they are mostly on the roadside, looking for one unfortunate car owner whom they will swindle and destroy their cars or some stranded car owners who may not be able to reach their preferred mechanics. They do not specialize in any area of auto-mechanics, but would claim expertise in electrical, mechanics and even body works for the car. They are equally desperate in marketing themselves to you.

Good mechanics stay in their workshops and even reject jobs brought to them because they are mostly too busy attending to jobs brought to them. They do not go about begging for jobs, but stay in their shops and people who had tested them in the past or others working on recommendation, visit them. For instance, Ugwumba Uche Nwosu stays in his house and people beg him to come out and contest for governorship, but Ikedi Ohakim now sleeps on social media, sneaks from one radio station to the other, selling lies.

Apart from being a very bad mechanic, Ohakim is also suffering from inferiority complex. He sneaks from one place to the other seeking validation, he even engages in altercations with just about anybody, just because he wants to sell himself as what he isn’t.

If you own a car, you must have had encounters with such bad and toutish mechanics. Some of them are even criminals, who may either vandalize your car or even kill you in order to make away with your car or some other belongings you may have.

In 2011, I was driving a Camry Car I helped a friend buy from Lagos to Owerri. Unfortunately, the car developed some faults and started overheating. I managed the car till I got to Benin and pulled over somewhere along the road. Along came a man dressed in full overall of a mechanic, with a tool box in his rickety 504 Salon Car. He said he had been following me from some kilometers away, and noticed that my car was overheating. He offered to help me fix it, there and then.

Confused, I asked him how he knew what exactly was wrong with the car. His response was that he has been a mechanic for long enough to diagnose a car even by just hearing its sound. Before I could say; ‘Don’t touch’, the obviously desperate criminal had opened my bonnet, but the engine was too hot for him to proceed with anything. After a while, he told me that I would have to drive the car or get it towed to his workshop off town.

He told me that if I should drive the car further without fixing the problem, I was definitely going to get the engine knocked. That was when my hunch told me I was in for something risky. It is either he was right and I was going to knock the engine of that car or he was a criminal looking for a way to lure me into his den and take the car away from me and even possibly murder me. It was about 4pm already and I knew I had to take a very quick decision. I locked the car, crossed over to the other side of the road to get some refreshments and also make inquiries.

I took a bottle of beer in a bar across the road. I weighed the people sitting there and picked about two guys that looked more decent than the rest and shared their table with them. I didn’t need to waste time before knocking up a chat with them. I told them what was happening to me and how someone has offered to help by taking me to his workshop. They didn’t let me finish the story before they told me to run for my dear life. They told me such men are mostly kidnappers, armed robbers or even ritualists.

They didn’t have any doubt that the man is either of them and was planning to lure me into their den. They advised that I manage the car however I could and run as fast as I could out of the guy’s sight. I thanked them, gulped my beer, got a bag of ‘pure’ water, refilled my radiator and drove off without even talking to the guy who has been waiting for me there, all the while.

Some five minutes drive later and I had to pull over again. Guess what! This man actually followed me. He pulled over, too. He told me how I was about destroying this new car, that I shouldn’t drive further. He showed me his tools, and it was filled with the right tools. He told me he was just trying to help, that he liked it that a young boy like me already owned a car and he wouldn’t want me to lose the car. He went on about how he is equally a father, about how he also made money early, about he admired young men work hard enough. I listened, with my mind already made up. I made him think I was going to follow him, so he didn’t need to call for reenforcement. I bought time, so that the engine could get a little more cold, because I knew how fast I wanted to drive till I got out of Benin.

Well, I got to Owerri safely and that car still serves my friend till date. I was just lucky to have escaped that fake, toutish and criminal mechanic and his gang. Many people couldn’t have.

Yesterday, Ikedi Ohakim continued in his new experiment of wanting to transmute to a comedian and the stage was Kanu Nwankwo Indoor Sports stadium. To be fair to him, he knew that Imolites can never take him seriously, hence, his choice of a less than 2000 capacity event center. For over one month, he sponsored radio, television and social media advertisements, inviting people to that comedy show, yet, he could only get less than 1000 people to attend, and I am hearing that he paid each of those that attended, 10,000 Naira each.

Dancing ‘huga-mugally’, the obviously disappointed Okohia Chief and political gambler tried to sell himself as a mechanic who was coming to repair a car that its engine is knocked. However, like every impersonator, Chief Ohakim couldn’t even get his dressing right and a number who came there, saw through the badly packaged comedy, like one of those who attended said; “a fraudster is always a fraudster, but he will always leave a hole open”. People found it difficult to determine if his dressing was that of an auto-mechanic or a retired soldier. Even one of his frontline social media aides mistook his dressing to be that of a legionnaire and addressed him as such. Like most people who see every situation as an opportunity to defraud, Ohakim couldn’t even bring himself to study the basic dress code of mechanical engineers.

A bad mechanic will pick up a car that is in good condition and ground it, due to inexperience, insincerity and desperation. A bad mechanic would tell you that your car has knocked engine, when your plug is disconnected, because he doesn’t know the job and he wants to rip you off. That is exactly the kind of person Ohakim has recently projected himself as. For instance, no good mechanic would advise you to keep wasting money on a car whose engine is knocked, the most professional advice would be for you to change the engine completely. Even by his own illustration, Ohakim has failed woefully in convincing any logical mind that he knows what he wants and how to go about it.

If Ohakim had done any little thing well from 2007 to 2011, Imolites would not have thrown him out of Government House, the way they did in 2011. If Imolites have forgiven him, he wouldn’t have been going from Enugu to Agulu up to Abuja, seeking to hijack a Party ticket.

My earnest prayer however is for him to succeed in buying off the APGA ticket as that would mean that APGA has no governorship candidate.

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested owner of the truck conveying the 33,000 fuel tanker that exploded last month on Otedola bridge in Lagos.

Recall that nine persons were burnt to death and several vehicles burnt.

Since the incident occurred, the Police have been on the trail of owner of the truck until he was apprehended by detectives of the Homicide section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, SCIID, Yaba.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Chile Oti, a Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP who confirmed the arrest, said “Homicide detectives from SCIID, assigned to investigate the multi fatal motor accident that occurred on June 28, 2018, along Lagos/Ibadan expressway by Otedola bridge, inward Ibadan, have arrested the truck owner, identified as Hassan Yusuf Maiwake.”

The truck with registration number NSR 888 YQ, driven by a yet to be identified suspect, laden with petroleum product, lost control, spilling its content and went up in flame, burning 56 vehicles and killing 9 unidentified persons.

Meanwhile, the owner of the truck, Hassan Maikwe of 16 Hotoro Limawa, Kano state, was arrested yesterday, (July 26, 2018) in Kano and he is now helping the police in its effort to locate the driver of the ill-fated truck.

“The CP assures that the Command will do all it can to help families who lost their beloved ones in the accident, find a closure by ensuring that anyone found culpable is brought to book.

“DNA test to ascertain the true identities of the charred remains of the victims is ongoing. Further development will be communicated to Lagosians”.

By Henry Ojelu
Few years before the Nigerian Biafran war, a child was delivered to the family of Mr. & Mrs Ubi Ubani of Awomukwu Village in Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State. Though born in Olodi Apapa, Lagos, the celebrations in Awomukwu was ecstatic as elders both in diaspora and at home knew that his birth will bring honour, glory and blessing to the Awomukwu Village and by extension Ikwuano Town. On this day, July 27, Monday Onyekachi Ubani was born.
Just after his birth, in the heat of the ensuing Nigeria-Biafra war, the Ubanis’ ran to the East with their crawling son and his elder sister. Monday Ubani became the only child after his parents lost their eldest child, a daughter few years ago to the cold hands of death.
Ubani was brought up in a strict and disciplined environment. He had his primary school education in Awomukwu Primary School where he made credit in his Primary School Leaving Certificate examination.
Ubani later relocated to Lagos where he attended a Secondary Commercial College and obtained his General Certificate of Education commonly known as GCE with 8 credits.
In 1983, Ubani was admitted into the University of Nigeria, Nssuka to study Political Science. His motivating factor then, was the political flamboyancy of politicians like Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Late Dr Nnamdi Azikwe. He was swayed by their oratory prowess because they spoke extempore and were politically very colourful. Ubani’s dream of becoming a Political Scientist cum politician however waned as a result of the political adventurism and incursion of the Nigerian Military into Politics in the period of years referred to as ‘’military era’’
He particularly saw the military push of the then General Mohammadu Buhari that led to the overthrow of the Constitutional Government of President Shehu Shagari as an aberration in the practice of politics. He felt he will not realize his political ambition, as a lot of politicians became jobless due to the incursion of the military into the Nigerian Political terrain.
This made him to have a rethink as he decided to study law in the University of Nigeria. He saw in his new found love (law) the opportunity to stand up in defense of the oppressed masses. He saw the activities of the likes of Late Gani Fawehinmi and Femi Falana as a credible example to emulate. He was emboldened because of these Human Right Lawyers and Activists who gave up a greater percentage of their lives for the defense of the oppressed masses of the society.
Ubani’s humble background which made him to see himself as part of the poor oppressed masses got his zeal fired up and was emotional connected to these activists.
After his graduation, from the University of Nigeria, Nssuka in 1989, the young and vibrant Ubani having been armed with LLB Degree with second class upper proceeded to the Nigerian Law School where he also came out with second class upper. He was called to bar in 1990. Mr Ubani is also a Masters Degree holder in Law (LLM) from the prestigeous University of Lagos.
Fondly referred to as MOU by friends and well wishers, Ubani has come a long way both in his chosen profession and in his role as an opinion moulder and a respected voice on national issues in the country.
Not only has he excelled in law practice, he has become a known philanthropist and and advocate of human and peoples’ rights in Nigeria and beyond.
In 2012 he contested and won the chairmanship position in the ever vibrant Nigerian Bar Association, Ikeja Branch and took the branch to the level that no previous or those after him had reached.
His leadership quality and friendship revived the divided branch and made it a very united branch that its voice was feared and respected nationally during his tenure. It was therefore very easy for him when he aspired to the position of the vice presidency at the national level.
He was adopted by the Eastern Bar Forum of lawyers in which he is a member and returned unopposed at the national election of the association that took place in 2016 and became elected with the highest votes even more than that of the president of the Association, an indication of his popularity within the legal circle.
His act of philanthropy includes the saving of the life of Baby Somaya who had a successful heart surgery in India and came back to Nigeria to the waiting arm of MTN and Praise, a musician who collaborated with MTN to donate the sum of 10 million Naira to the baby. The baby is today a landlady and living a normal life.
He also brought to limelight a lady who worked at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos as a cleaner and returned the sum of 12 million lost money to the owner. That singular act of honesty attracted Mr Ubani popularly known as MOU and his Foundation, Onyekachi Ubani Foundation and they swung into action and got the lady introduced to Nigeria as the face of a true and honest Nigerian through the mainstream and social media.
The reward to the lady came in torrents: awards, money gifts, employment opportunities and handshakes with the high and mighty in Nigeria. In fact that promotion of her virtue brought her a husband last year. She is happily married to her heartthrob.
Mr Ubani whose tenure as the 2nd Vice President of NBA will end this August will return to concentrate to his private practice where he hopes to attain the highest distinction in his chosen profession and possibly aspire for other national or professional office to exhibit higher leadership quality that he has learnt and imbibed over the eyes.
The plethora of awards that adorn the walls of Ubani’s office and home are true attestation that the labour of this indefatigable humanitarian has not escape the watchful attention of many credible local and international organizations.
Ubani is married to Lady Faurstina of Okwelle IMO State and is blessed with four lovely children, one of whom is a law graduate waiting for his Law school education in Nigeria.
As this man who have become a voice for the voiceless and oppressed celebrate yet another milestone, I join millions of Nigerians to wish him a happy birthday.
Happy Birthday Mr. Ubani!

Jimoh Moshood, public relations officer of the Nigeria police force, says Senate President Bukola Saraki still has a case to answer on his alleged link with suspects arrested over robbery in Offa, Kwara state.

Moshood said this in response to a letter dated June 23, 2018, where Mohammed U.E, director, public prosecution of the federation, wrote to Ibrahim Idris, inspector-general of police (IGP), saying no evidence linking Saraki to the suspects.

But Moshood said the prosecution director did not absolve Saraki of the allegations, it only called for further investigations.

“The DPP advice did not exonerate the Senate President, it only called for further investigations into the matter,” he said in a statement.

“It is in the course of further investigations into the case that a letter of invitation dated 23rd July, 2018 was sent to the senate president to appear on 24th July, 2018 at 8am before the investigation team at intelligence response team office, Guzape junction, Abuja.

“Consequently, the force is hereby re-affirming that the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki has case to answer by virtue of the facts that the statements submitted by the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki earlier to the investigation team was not explicit and detailed enough, and was discovered to require further clarifications and interrogation, and coupled with the fact the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki in his statement, claimed that the full text of the statement of the suspects who indicted him in their confessional statements to the police was not shown to him.”

He said it is imperative for the senate president to report to the police to make further statement after sighting the full text of the statement of the suspects.

“Furthermore, the Force wishes to inform the media and the public that investigation is still ongoing on the Offa bank robbery and the indictment against the Senate President from the confessions of some the arrested principal suspects, and that, there is no political influence or consideration in the matter.”

Saraki, however, had asked the IGP to send officers investigating the matter to his office.

At least, 31 persons were killed in the robbery on April 5, 2018.

Davido’s girlfriend, Chioma has reacted to reports that she abandoned her education to be with the OBO crooner.

Earlier on Wednesday, the social media was agog with reports that Chioma abandoned her education in Babcock University.

The report claimed that her father is unhappy with her refusal to focus on education and become a graduate before getting married.

According to the viral report, Chioma is expected to have graduated since 2016 after she gained admission to study Economics in 2012. However, she is still in her third year.

Responding to the reports, the Chef shared a post on her Instagram page.

In her Post, Chioma advised people to keep shut if they don’t know the truth.

“If you are unsure about any news, Shut up,” she wrote.

Governor Isiaka Ajibola Ajimobi of Oyo State and the Alaafin Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi 111, are among dignitaries expected to grace GOtv Boxing Night 15, which holds at the Indoor Sports Hall of the Obafemi Awolowo (formerly Liberty) Stadium in Ibadan on Sunday.

Governor Ajimobi is expected to be the special guest, while the Alaafin, a famous boxing enthusiast, is expected to be father of the day at the event. Also expected are authority figures in Nigerian boxing and sports in general.

Speaking on the event, Jenkins Alumona, Managing Director of Flykite Promotions, organisers of the event, noted that Ibadan has a rich association with boxing. The city hosted the first world boxing title fight in Africa when Nigeria’s Dick Tiger defeated Gene Fullmer to win the world middleweight boxing title at the Liberty Stadium in 1962.

“Ibadan is one of Nigeria’s sporting cities. We have been there before with GOtv Boxing Night and we are happy to return to the iconic Liberty Stadium. We are happy to receive the governor and the royal father, who is a former boxer and remains a big supporter of the sport,” said Alumona.

GOtv Boxing Night 15 will feature seven fights, including the African Boxing Union (ABU), lightweight title bout between incumbent champion, Oto “Joe Boy” Joseph of Nigeria and Ghana’s Nathaniel Nukpe. The fight line-up also includes an international light middleweight challenge between Akeem “Dodo” Sadiku of Nigeria and Franc Houanvoegbe of Benin Republic, a national challenge bout between ABU welterweight champion, Olaide “Fijaborn” Fijabi and Kazeem “Iberu” Ariyo; as well as a national cruiserweight clash between Michael “Lion Heart” Godwin and Idowu “ID Cabasa” Okusote,

Prince “Lion” Nwoye will square up against Ridwan “Scorpion” Oyekola in a national lightweight duel; Vincent “Dada” Essien and Segun “Showboy” Olalehin will trade punches a national light welterweight contest; while Daniel “Big Shark” Emeka and Sulaimon “Olags” Adeosun will slug it out in a national light heavyweight clash.

The event, sponsored by GOtv and Bet King, will be beamed live on SuperSport in 47 African countries. The best boxer at the event will go home with a cash prize of N1 million alongside the Mojisola Ogunsanya Memorial Trophy.

Taking advantage of Africans’ humorous streak, and incredible storytelling abilities, Cartoon Network Africa is proud to announce the launch of their brand new initiative, Cartoon Network Africa Creative Lab, an African venture designed to bring innovative, local short form content to the channel, and its digital platforms, while reinforcing the local relevance of the brand.

In this ground-breaking move, the leading network in the kids’ entertainment industry, Cartoon Network is taking another bold step in addressing the gap in locally relevant content which offers a viewing experience that resonates with its African audience.

The initiative will encourage African talents, creators, writers, graphic artists, animation students and anyone who loves kids’ content, to explore their creative, animation and production skills and stand the chance to produce a short-form animated comedy to make Cartoon Network viewers across Africa laugh out loud!

Entries for the Cartoon Network Africa Creative Lab will be open from 7th June until 31st August 2018. Applicants must be 18 and over, African-based companies and can submit their one-minute to three-minute creative short project which must be in the genre of comedy and fit with Cartoon Network’s values of funny, random, irreverent, smart and contemporary humour.

According to Ariane Suveg, Head of programming and acquisition Turner kids Africa, “We are honoured to be supporting local African animation talent through the Cartoon Network Africa Creative Lab. We look forward to seeing the entries and hope to see the winners flourish in their career as content creators, following the footsteps of some of Cartoon Network’s greatest talents. There is a need to invest in local content and our commitment to further mentoring talent in the African animation industry.”

Ten projects will be short-listed in September, and the local creators will get the opportunity to pitch their work to Cartoon Network Africa’s content programming team. The winner and two runners-up will then be revealed at DISCOP Johannesburg at the end of the year.

The winner and runners-up will be given the opportunity to get their project produced as a pilot with Cartoon Network Africa which will then premiere on Cartoon Network Africa and its digital platforms in 2019.

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I strongly remain with my people in PDP
The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Monday, rose from its 80th meeting and took several far-reaching decisions ahead of the 2019 general elections in its bid to take power at the centre including changing its name and the expulsion of some of its key members including Senator Buruji Kashamu.

The National Publicity of the Party, Hon Kola Ologbondiyan, who addressed the newsmen after the NEC meeting, gave the names of other expelled former members of the party who were all from the Ogun State Chapter of the Hon Semiu Sodipo, Engr Dayo Adedayo, and Hon Segun Seriki.

He said that the NEC in session expelled the former Party members over confirmed romancing with a named opposition Political Party and for other anti Party activities.

According to him, “the NEC in session also considered the diffusion of the R- APC with the PDP and a committee to this effect was set up while the NEC also approved the template to be used in the diffusion process in the each of the Federation.

“The ‎NEC also considered the proposal for the change of the name of the party in line with its ongoing rebranding processes ahead of the 2019 General elections And a committed to carrying out the assignment was also put in place”.

On the just concluded governorship election in Ekiti State, he said that the NEC took a critical look at the conduct of the election and resolved to go to the Tribunal to challenge the outcome the election While a legal Committee under the leadership of the National Legal Adviser of the Party, Hon Emmanuel Enoidem raised to that effect.

He said that the Party also sent a strong warning to the security agencies that they should perform their constitutional roles according to the law of the land and that it would never be allowed the repeat of what happened during the Ekiti State governorship election anywhere in the country.
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The NPS also revealed that the NEC in session discussed and approved the 2019 general elections timetable.

Kashamu: My purported expulsion cannot stand

Meanwhile, Senator Buruji Kashamu has said his expulsion by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) cannot stand.

In a statement issued on Monday night, Kashamu said: “My attention has been drawn to the purported decision taken by the National Executive Committee (NEC) allegedly expelling me and the other chieftains of the Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the party.

“It is clear from the ill-advised decision that the Prince Uche Secondus-led National Working Committee is lawless and undemocratic. No due process was followed as enshrined in the constitution of the party. Since the initial 30-day suspension lapsed on the 9th of January, 2018, they do not have any right to take any disciplinary action against me. This decision cannot stand because Article 57 (6) of the PDP Constitution says ‘Any decision taken against a member who has not been informed of the charges against him or has not been given any opportunity of defending himself shall be null and void’”.

Senator Kashamu: “Besides, there are no less than two suits challenging my initial suspension. The first is Suit No. FHC/L/ABJ/CS/1254/2017 between Senator Buruji Kashamu Vs. PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, the National Secretary and INEC before the Honourable Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

“PDP should not forget that it also instituted a case against me and other leaders of the party in the South West at the High Court of the Federal Territory in Suit No. FCT/HC/CV/0303/2017 as per the Honourable Justice Valentine Ashi in which the court made an order nullifying and setting aside my purported suspension on the 9th of January, 2018. The court also ordered parties, including PDP ‘to maintain status quo’.

There are also counter-claims in the said suit at the FCT High Court praying the court for ‘an order restraining the plaintiffs (PDP) by themselves, their agents, servants and privies from taking any disciplinary action against the 1st – 4th defendants (with me and the authentic Ogun State PDP Chairman, Engr. Adebayo Dayo as the 1st and 4th defendants) on account of any actions and/or conduct or steps taken by them individually and jointly to make the plaintiff abide by its constitution and observe democratic principles in all its dealings with the 1st – 4th defendants.’”

The Senator said in spite of all these the NEC took a decision to expel him.

He said: “The expulsion cannot stand. It does not have anything to do with me or any of my associates. It is instructive that the Federal High Court as per the Honourable Justice I.N. Buba on the 24th June, 2016, granted an order which stopped the PDP from impeding the functions of the Engr. Adebayo Dayo-led Ogun State PDP Exco ‘until the four years tenure to which they have been elected is spent’ (i.e. the State Exco is to remain in office until 2020).

“Therefore, the purported expulsion cannot stand in the face of the Rule of Law. It is null and void. I and my associates are fully in the PDP whether anybody likes it or not. We will continue to operate with the law as PDP members, senator and exco.”

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has stated that the invitation to him by the Police to report to a station in Guzape over the Offa robbery investigation is a mere afterthought which is designed to achieve political purpose.
Saraki in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, stated that he has it on good authority that the Police had already decided on the suspects to arraign in court in Ilorin, Kwara State on Wednesday based on the advice of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Mohammed U.E. and that the turn around to invite him was a ploy aimed at scoring cheap political points.
“I have been reliably informed that the police invitation was planned by IG as a ploy to stop an alleged plan by some Senators and House of Representatives members from defecting from the All Progressives Congress (APC). It was also said that if I was detained between Tuesday and Wednesday, that will abort the so-called defection plan.
“While I continue to maintain that the issue of my position on the 2019 elections is not a personal decision for me alone to make, it should be noted that all these concoctions and evil plot cannot deter me. Those behind this fresh assault will fail as I have nothing to do with the robbery incident or any criminal matter for that matter.
“I am aware that following a request made by the Police on June 13, 2018 to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) of the Fedeation had written a legal advice dated June 22, 2018, in which he stated on page 5, paragraph (f) that “For the Senate President and the Kwara State Governor, this office is unable to establish from the evidence in the interim report a nexus between the alleged office and the suspects”.
“The Police have obviously corrupted and politicized their investigations into the Offa robbery incident. They have turned it into an instrument for the party in power to suppress perceived opponents, witchunt issue for blackmailing people from freely choosing which platform on which they want to pursue their ambition and a matter for harassing the people whose exit from APC would harm the chances of the party in the forthcoming elections.
“I want to make it apparent that I have no hand in either the robbery incident or any criminal activity. The Police in their haste to embarrass me sent the invitation to me at 8pm and requested that I report to the station by 8am tomorrow morning. This obviously demonstrated their desperation as I do not see why they are now in a hurry.
“They also stated in today’s letter that because in my response of June 7, 2018 to their own letter written on June 4, 2018, I stated that I was responding simply to the contents of the letter and that the full text of the statement made by the arrested suspects which they claimed indicted me was not made available to me, they were now including the suspects statements in the current letter. Yet, instead of including the suspects’ statements, they only attached two copies of my own letter to the invitation. No suspects statement was made available.
“This plot aimed at compelling me and my associates to stay in a party where members are criminalised without just cause, where injustice is perpetrated at the highest level and where there is no respect for constitutionalism is an exercise in futility and it will fail.
“Once again, my confidence in God and our judicial system remains intact and unshaken. The truth shall also prevail in this case,” he stated.

The Eighth Commandment, “Thou Shall Not Steal” is far from being observed by temple robbers, who are committed to stealing from worshippers, church offerings and tithes. While true congregants gather for weekly activities, they strike, even as the Scripture says “Let him that stole, steal no more, but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needs”
It was a peaceful night when the children of God had gathered for a vigil, that the children of darkness congregated too, to do their father’s behest. No wonder the Bible said “where the children of light are gathered; the children of darkness will be there also.”
Mrs. Tricia Ibeh of Vision of God Bible Church, Festac Town, Lagos, will not, in a hurry, forget her husband’s encounter with some night marauders, who invaded the church premises during one of its vigils and locked the worshippers up, dispossessed them of their valuables and had her husband mercilessly beaten.
It was already a few minutes past 11pm that fateful night, while night clubbers were still strolling down the streets of Festac in search of suitable clubs to attend, that three temple robbers entered the church on the lonely part of First Avenue, locked up worshippers and collected their valuables.
The three criminals, who came into the church on a commercial motor bike, initially parked beside the generation house and defecated on the green grass thereof, which attracted one of the church’s ushers, Mr. Anthony Ibeh, who made futile effort to stop him from defecating there.
Perhaps, this was the action that turned one of the criminals into the church to ‘scan’ through the church to discover what phones and other valuables worshippers came to vigil with.
When he was done with his survey, he stepped out, and soon after, he returned with one other person bearing a pistol, while the third man mounted guard on the bike parked outside. Meanwhile, the engine of the bike was never turned off in readiness to take off swiftly.
The pistol-wielding robber demanded to see the usher who had tried to stop him from defecating. It was then, that Tricia’s husband, Anthony, came out and they descended on him with serious beatings, calling him a ‘wise man’.
While the beating was going on, the other one was busy collecting worshippers’ cell phones, ipads, handbags, laptops and money. They didn’t stop there, as they demanded offerings and tithe money.
With this merciless beating, Ibeh’s wife started begging and rolling on the floor, appealing to the criminals not to kill her husband but this didn’t stop them as the beating continued.
She narrates: “I will never forget that night when armed robbers almost killed my husband. We had gathered for a vigil and three armed robbers came into our church and beat up my husband to the point of death. I was crying, begging them not to kill him. I thought my husband would die.
“One of them came in while we were sleeping and waiting for 12 midnight to start prayers. I wouldn’t know what happened earlier but I saw two armed robbers in the church. One was collecting people’s phones while the other was beating my husband. They locked the door so that nobody could go out or come in.
“They collected all the phones they saw, including my pastor’s wife’s iPhone seven, ipad, handbags, laptops and others. They asked my pastor’s wife to provide the offering but she told them that she didn’t have access to the offering. They beat my husband because he tried to stop one of them from defecating beside the church.
“Usually, people charge their phones, power banks, ipads, torchlights and musical laptops in the church during vigil. So, one of the criminals came in first and went round the church. I am sure it was what he saw that he told others before one followed him in.
“Since then, I have been very careful at vigils and I try to discourage my husband from going out during vigils. One of us was so unfortunate that while the robbers were going, he came in with a bag and they collected it from him.”
According to her, when the pastor came out in anger, he called one of his church members who took him to the Festac Police Station to make a report, where the police listed the items collected from worshippers and their monetary value, but the church is yet to hear any favourable news from the police.
She noted that after sometime, the police instructed churches in Festac to put vigils on hold as it wasn’t safe, saying that the churches in Festac will be doing that at their own peril.
This is the persecution the Church of Christ is facing at the moment in the country. Of course, churches, like hospitals, are a converging point of both the sick and healthy. Both insane and sane go to church for different purposes. People of different characters are welcomed in the house of God with hope to get them transformed in the Lord.
While the parishioners are consumed in the act of worshiping God, the thieves and armed robbers are also committed to stealing from them.
Today, the temple robbers have found churches the best place to steal. They steal during Sunday services; special programmes and conventions; vigils; major summits, celebrations, harvest and bazaar. Thus, stealing in the church has become common place in the society.
In the big churches, it’s more because one does not know his neighbour, whether a true worshipper or a committed robber. While in small churches, it’s easier to spot strange faces in the church and beam the security searchlight on them.
In the same church, Elder (Mrs.) Jane Nwaoye, will not forget how her new Samsung phone got missing while service was on. Unknown to her, a bag-carrying young man by her side was a thief. The moment she stood from her chair, dancing and praising God, the thief picked her phone and left.
Those who saw him wouldn’t suspect that such a well-dressed young man was a thief until supposed worshipper disappeared with an over a hundred thousand naira phone.
“I saw him but there was no way I would have suspected him. He sat close to me, carrying a schoolbag. It’s obvious that is what he does. Who knows the next church he is going to,” she said in deep sorrow.
Again, Pastor Obiora Okafor recalled how thieves stole an outdoor air conditioner fixed in his office. They cut wires and AC pipe connected to it. Nobody knew what had happened until he switched on the AC and there was no response. He was forced to go out, and he discovered that they have removed the AC’s outdoor.
He said: “They also cut our expensive armour cable that supplies light to the church. Some of them come in and turn the offering and tithe boxes up-side-down and use sticks to bring out money from the tiny hole put on the top of the box from where the worshippers put in their offerings and tithes.
“Unfortunately for one of them, he was caught doing same in another church and he confessed that he and his gang were responsible for most of the stealing taking place in my church after he had received serious beating. He was eventually taken to the police station.
The thief identified as Lekan, said he and his gang usually monitor the churches on First Avenue from across the road, to know when the worshippers have gone in order to operate.
He said: “Most people you see in that place are our members. When everybody has gone, we follow the other plot and enter the church to steal from offering boxes. We come to church vigils early and pick people’s phones, bags and money while they are sleeping.
“During the service, because people are carried away, they never believe that there will be thieves in the church so they are free minded. We used the opportunity to steal from them. Church is the best place because people are carried away. If they catch anybody, they will not kill him because they are Christians.”
Churches pay security operatives for protection during vigils
Sequel to these happenings in the society, churches in Lagos and across the country, now pay security operatives for protection during vigils. There is now altar police in churches in addition to ushers and other protocols.
In Akure, the capital of Ondo State, for instance, fear is heightened following the invasion of their churches during vigils by robbers. Those churches, which insist on maintaining the church calendar of regular vigils, now pay security operatives for protection. Vigilante groups have equally profited from the situation.
Mr. Isaac Aderoboye, a member of one of the victim churches located at Leo Junction, Akure, recounted his experience while on his way home after a vigil.
“After we had finished vigil at about 3am on Saturday, some of us were going home when some armed men met us on the road. They told us they were members of a vigilante group and asked us to go back to the church as it wasn’t safe for us to go home at that time.
“We didn’t suspect that they were armed robbers. They escorted us back to the church and entered the church with us. It was when one of them closed and locked the door from inside and another brought out a pistol and ordered us to lie face down that we knew we were in trouble.
“They ordered us to drop our phones, wrist watches and laptops. In the rowdy situation, I heard one of them ask for the offering collected. They collected everything on us, especially phone money and the offering, which was their target,” he said.
According to Aderoboye, the robbers fled through the window when they heard police siren around the area.
Moji Aladegun, a regular worshipper of one of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) parishes, was however, not lucky in her escapade as she was caught on CCTV stealing worshippers’ bags. While everyone at the Praise Palace parish, New Oko Oba, Agege, Lagos State, were praying and praising God, Moji was busy stealing from the worshippers.
She was said to have stolen two handbags of church members and was making away with them when she was caught by security guards. Once she couldn’t provide satisfactory answers on ownership of the bags, policemen were invited.
Initially, while being held by a policewoman, she claimed the bags belonged to her, but after checking through the bags and there was nothing to identify her as the owner of the bags, she confessed to the crime.
Speaking on why she chose to steal in the house of God, Moji who blamed the act on the ‘devil’, said, it’s usually difficult to catch church robbers because when suspicion arose, she can easily claim that she found a missing item and tried to return it to ushers; they will believe you.
“It’s usually difficult to catch one and when they do, they can easily forgive you when you ask for forgiveness. But you will not do this in the market because they will burn the person alive. I regret my action,” she said.
However, instances of church robbery and stealing abound in Nigerian churches. Even in Winners’ Shiloh, MFM and RCCG conventions among others, stealing of handbags, bibles and cash characterise the programmes and this is why most churches are embracing security operatives, putting CCTV in churches. Head usher in one of the big churches was suspended for missing offering recently.
In July 2016, a 26-year-old man, Friday Johnson, was sentenced to one-month imprisonment by an Abuja Grade 1 Area Court, sitting in Karimo, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), for stealing from a branch of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministry in the Utako area of the FCT.
Johnson, who resides at 28, NTA Road, Area 11, Garki, was said to have broken into the church and stolen money from its offering box and at the time he was arrested, the sum of N15, 000 was recovered from him.
Recently, four security guards of a church in Lagos State, Amos Danjuma, 20, Taiwo Akintola, 39, Bright Innocent, 28 and Tajudeen Shoni, 64, have been arraigned before a Tinubu Magistrates’ Court sitting in the state, for allegedly stealing the sum of N500, 000 from a tithe box in the church.
The police prosecutor, Inspector Richard Odigie, told the court that the men who were arraigned on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing, committed the offences on January 25, at about 4amwhen they conspired to steal the N500, 000 from the tithe box belonging to Ascension Anglican Church at Alasia bus stop, Badore Road, Eti-Osa, Lagos.
Also, two teenagers, Bello Hassan and Friday Baba, both of Dutse Baupma, in the Bwari Area Council of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, were sentenced to six months imprisonment for stealing items worth N1.3 million from two branches of the RCCG in the area.
The sentence was handed down to the teenager by an Abuja Grade 1 Area court, presided by Justice Mohammed Marafa, after they were found guilty of conspiracy, church break and theft, offences which contravened Sections 97, 349 and 288 of the Penal Code.
The prosecuting officer, Kelechi Echendu, told the court that Pastor Damilola Daniels of RCCG House of Mercy, Dutse Alhaji, and Pastor Daramola Kayode of RCCG, God’s Heritage Parish, Dutse Baupma, had both reported earlier that the accused burgled their respective churches.
The convicts allegedly stole two medium generators, one big generator, two big 5000AV stabilizers, a bag containing women’s headgears and jewelery, curtains, two air-conditioners, two cooking stoves, one Nokia phone, loud speakers, one Samsung camera, eight new pairs of pastoral suits, 10 new shirts, wrist watches and other items valued at N1, 360, 000.
Again, a 28-year-old electrician, Charles Edward was sentenced to one month imprisonment by an Abuja Magistrate Court for stealing offering money totaling N6, 440, and other valuable items including one ‘32’ LG TV, one speaker, one decoder, one dish, and two control remotes.
Edward, according to the prosecutor, Kelechi Echendu, had broken into the church located at Dutse Makaranta, Bwari Area Council of the FCT, by damaging a slide window and stolen the items.
Reacting to the menace, Bishop of Ijebu Diocese, Rt. Revd Ayodele Awosoga, who traced the origin of stealing to the fall of man, resulting in lust of the flesh, said stealing is the product of envy and desire for what belongs to another person.
He noted that such acts mentioned above leads to robbing someone of his rights, property, position, peace and life, warning that the Eighth Commandment forbids us to rob one another of what we have, by sinful spending, or of the use and comfort of it, by sinful sparing, and to rob others by invading our neighbours’ rights, taking his goods, or house or field, forcibly or clandestinely, overreaching in bargains, not restoring what is borrowed or found, withholding just debts, rents or wages and worst of all, to rob the public in revenue or that which is dedicated to the service of religion.
Corroborating him, the Rector, Ibru International Ecumenical Centre, Agbarha-Otor, Delta State, Ven. Ernest Onuoha, said the Church of Nigeria is worried by the volume of stealing, robbery, corruption, embezzlement and misappropriation of God’s resources in both Church and government, saying such must stop in order not to incur God’s wrath.
Quoting Ephesians 4:28, he said: “Let him that stole, steal no more, but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needs.”
He urged the government and other employers to be prompt in payment of workers’ salaries and pensions in order to discourage cutting corners and ensure that the wages of the citizenry are not compromised.

Following the startling discovery of a whopping N1.2bn fraud, allegedly committed by one Olayinka Sanni, a former staff of Access Bank, through illegal siphoning of customers’ money, the bank has now taken the bold step to prosecute the said former staff, through the anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC,) after intensive investigations confirmed Sanni’s culpability in the alleged fraud.

An employee of Access Bank, one Arthur Ezindu, narrated how Olayinka Sanni, then an Account General Manager, AGM, of several plum accounts, severally stole a sizeable amount of money to the tune of N1.2billion from several accounts belonging to customers of the bank.

Some of these customers’ accounts include: the Falana & Falana Chambers; Babington Junior Seminary; Viju Industries; Mechano Nigeria, PWU Nigeria; Elizade Nigeria; Murhi International Group, to mention a few. Sanni was reportedly arraigned alongside one Oyebode Oteyebi by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on an eight-count charge bordering on stealing, forgery and altering of forged documents. Ezindu, who gave his office address as Block 99C Damole, off Adeola Odeku, testified as a prosecution witness before an Ikeja High Court, Lagos.

While being led in evidence by the EFCC Lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, Ezindu said that Sanni withdrew the said huge sum of money from different customers’ accounts without their consent and thereafter issued them forged documents of confirmation which he purportedly claimed, emanated from the bank.

In the course of interrogation, Arthur Ezindu told the Special Offences Court that, Olayinka, who was his boss at the time of the incident, was a regional Executive, Lagos Mainland North at Intercontinental bank, now Access Bank. According to him, “The bank received several complaints from several customers whose accounts were debited without their consent.

However, during the preliminary investigation, we noticed that all the complaints were centered on our staff, Olayinka Sanni. We then invited him to the head office for questioning, but he claimed that everything was under control. He told us not to bother investigating the matter on the ground, that there was more behind what was happening.

So since he was our senior officer, being the AGM at that time, we decided to petition his case to the EFCC for proper investigation. When asked how much was involved as at the time the bank petitioned for EFCC, Ezindu replied, the total sum was about N1.2billion.

The prosecution thereafter tendered the petition dated September 2011 in evidence. Meanwhile, the two defendants were also arraigned alongside a company, Sidaw Ventures Limited, which was allegedly used to transfer and cash out the stolen funds.

The employee further said that during the preliminary investigation, the bank discovered that the company, Sidaw had Adamu as its signatory, while Sanni indirectly managed the account. Some of the handwriting on the cheques belonged to Sanni. He was the one indirectly signing and filling the cheques for Adamu. But in the wake of this unfolding scenario that is creeping into the good image of Access Bank, it was found out that the sleaze by Sanni was actually committed when he was still a staff of now defunct Intercontinental Bank, before it was acquire by Access Bank, thus with its assets and liabilities, as normally done in cases of acquisition.

Upon acquisition, Access Bank began a fresh look into the books and records of Intercontinental Bank; that was when the Olayimka Sanni’s lead was broken, as many atrocities and malfeasances were discovered, all pointing in the direction of Sanni, who by this time had resigned from Access Bank, apparently due to the fact, that it would not take long before his misdeed will be found, and he would go in for it. Subsequently, he was invited by the bank and handed over to EFCC for further investigation, which now led to his present prosecution at the Ikeja High Court (Special Offences Unit.)

The case was adjourned to a later date for further hearing, while the accused was refused bail, and still in the detention of EFCC.

The deduction from the case is that the implication being created is that the fraud was committed by Sanni as a staff of Access Bank, but the truth of the matter is that the fraud was committed by Sanni while he was a top official of defunct Intercontinental Bank, until it was eventually acquired by Access Bank with all its assets and liabilities, which now, in a fresh bid to regularize the acquisition, found out the sleaze committed by Sanni.

Ademola Adeleke, the Osun West senator renowned for his dance moves, has won the governorship primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State by the slimmest of margins.

Adeleke, who became senator after winning a by-election occasioned by the death of his brother in April 2017, won Saturday’s primary by polling 1, 569 votes.

His closest challenger, Akin Ogunbiyi, polled a total of 1,562 votes, meaning Adeleke won the primary by the slim margin of seven votes.

Fatai Akingbade placed third with 52 votes, while Nathaniel Oke made up the rear with three votes.

The primary election held at the GMT Hotel and Event Centre along Ring Road in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.

Seriake Dickson, Governor Bayelsa State, who chaired the committee overseeing the electoral process, announced the results.

As of press time, Dickson had not revealed the total number of accredited votes for the primary election.

Eleven aspirants were originally scheduled to contest the primary, but seven of them — Adeola Durotoye, Adejare Rafiu Bello, Ayoade Adewepo, Jide Ezekiel Adeniji, Senator Ogunwale Felix Kola, Akogune Lere Oyewumi, Senator Olasunkami Akanbi Abdulrasheed — withdrew in the morning, leaving the quarter of Adeleke, Ogunbiyi, Akingbade and Oke.

Some aggrieved delegates had also in the morning alleged that the voting exercise was manipulated to favour a particular aspirant.

Adeleke would now go head-to-head with Gboyega Oyetola, who emerged candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday.