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Post Date : August 16, 2021

Otedola Recounts How IBB Asked Jonathan To Sit On Yar’Adua’s Chair

Billionaire businessman Femi Otedola has joined Nigerians in felicitating with former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, who marks his 80th birthday on Tuesday, August 17. Wishing him more rewarding years, Otedola on Sunday thanked the Retired General who is fondly called IBB for the role he played during the political logjam caused by the prolonged sickness of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in 2010. In his forthcoming book on business lessons – scheduled for release in November, Otedola revealed that General Babangida sent a message through him to the then-Vice President Goodluck Jonathan, to sit on the empty seat of President Yar’Adua in the next Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting. With Yar’Adua failing to formally transfer power to his VP when he was flown abroad for medical treatment, there was tension across the nation as a result of the power vacuum, which led to public protests. “Worried by the tension and uncertainty, I decided to do something on my own,” he wrote. “In the first week of February 2010, I went to Minna, Niger State, along with Hajia Bola Shagaya, to commiserate with General Ibrahim Babangida over the death of his wife, Maryam. “At his Hilltop residence, we spoke on a wide range of issues, but I told him I needed to discuss an urgent and vital issue. He took me to his study, where the two of us were alone. I told him that the state of the nation had been agitating my mind.” Otedola said he asked Babangida how the country could get out of the political logjam, emphasising that the political heat at the time was “too much”. He said a “calm and resolute” IBB replied: ‘Femi, advise your friend that when he gets to the Council Chambers next week for the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, he should go and sit on the President’s chair.’ “I found that fascinating and assured him I would pass the message across,” Otedola wrote, adding, “I travelled back to Abuja by road in the evening and went straight to have dinner with Dr Jonathan. I did not waste time in delivering General Babangida’s message to him. “He nodded and asked me, ‘What do you think?’ “I laughed and said, ‘Be a man, Your Excellency. Go and sit on that chair!’ “He looked at me for some time and responded that he would think about it. “A week later, on Tuesday, February 9, the National Assembly adopted the famous ‘Doctrine of Necessity’ to make Dr Jonathan the Acting President pending the return of President Yar’Adua from his medical leave. Behind-the-scene moves by prominent Nigerians preceded this decision. The legislative resolution was unprecedented, but the nation had been tensed up. The fault lines were so stoked that an unusual solution was needed to address the unique situation. “With Jonathan now legally empowered to act as President, there remained the critical optics: would he stand-in for the President confidently and authoritatively? Or would he try to maintain a subdued outlook? The following day was the FEC meeting. As Dr Jonathan entered the council chamber, he was made to sit on the chair of the Vice President—his usual seat. “As the protocol officer pulled out the VP’s chair, Dr Jonathan marched towards the seat reserved for the President. And he sat on it! That was the moment Dr Goodluck Jonathan took control of power. By that act, he sent a strong signal to all Nigerians that he was now in charge. The same day, Jonathan even reshuffled the cabinet.” Yar’Adua died on May 5, 2010, and Jonathan was sworn in as his replacement, going on to win the 2011 presidential elections and serving one term in office. Writing on the need for entrepreneurs to engage with political authorities in one of the chapters of his book, Otedola maintained that such a relationship will benefit the country. According to him, entrepreneurs’ outreach and dialogue with political leaders, among many positives, will ensure stability and social coherence, guaranteeing economic progress. He wrote: “While many may see political engagement for entrepreneurs as one-sided—in the sense that only the entrepreneur benefits—the reality is that it could work both ways. “I tapped into my political connections to contribute my little quota to resolving a power crisis that almost set the country on fire. This example is one of the several instances in which I used my access to the seat of power and political heavyweights to contribute to nation-building and national development. Entrepreneurs need to appreciate the fact that peace for the country is peace for their businesses, too. We need a stable and peaceful country first and foremost.”

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Post Date : August 16, 2021

Toll Gates: Stop inflicting hardship on Nigerians PDP tells APC

The Peoples Democratic Party has asked the All Progressives Congress to stop inflicting additional hardship on Nigerians with its plans to re-introduce toll gates. This appeal was contained in a statement titled, ‘Toll Gates: Stop Imposing More Hardship on Nigerians, PDP Tells APC’, signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in Abuja, on Sunday. The opposition party described the move by the APC-led government to mount toll gates on major Nigerian roads as “a downright act of wickedness against the suffering masses.” Ologbondiyan said, “Our party, after an extensive consideration, insists that the move to return the toll gates to allow APC interests to further fleece already impoverished Nigerians, is offensive, vexatious, inflammatory and as such should not be contemplated under any guise whatsoever. “The party invites Nigerians to recall that the PDP administration dismantled the toll gates 18 years ago in order to ease the burden on the people as well as end the corrupt regime of operators.” While rejecting the move, the PDP further said, “APC’s decision to impose levies on the highway, even after it had increased the pump price of fuel to an extortionate N165 per liter, further confirms that APC is a heartless party that is out to fleece and impose hardship on the people to benefit its leaders.” The party noted that with the huge financial resources at the disposal of the APC, there was no justification for inflicting more pain on Nigerians under the guise of tolls. This, the PDP said, is especially as the administration has not been able to account for the over N1.4trn allocated for works in addition to over N120 billion collected from Nigerians as motor vehicle license in the last six years. It also noted that “the Buhari Presidency has not taken any step to recover the over N25 trillion reportedly stolen by APC leaders in various revenue generating agencies including the NNPC, NEMA, NPA, FIRS, NIMASA, NDDC, NHIS among others, where culprits are merely ‘eased out’ instead of being prosecuted.” In response, a former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Yekini Nabena said, “The PDP should go back and study how to play opposition politics because they will remain in opposition for a long time. “The decision to re-introduce toll gates is an economic decision. In most developed and developing countries of the world there are toll gates. Money generated from them is used to maintain the roads. We all know what Covid-19 has done to economies around the world.”

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Post Date : August 16, 2021

Five Killed, Houses Burnt As Gunmen Attack Kaduna Community

At least five people have been killed and nine houses burnt as gunmen attacked Madamai village in Kagoro Chiefdom, Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State. Three vehicles were also burnt while one was vandalised during the attack which occurred on Sunday. Deputy Governor of Kaduna state, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, has condemned the resurgence of gruesome violence in the area, and sent her condolences to the families of the victims. She also appealed to residents to remain calm and directed security agencies to conduct thorough investigations into the incident.

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Post Date : August 16, 2021

‘Taliban have won’ — Afghan president says he fled country to ‘avoid bloodshed

President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan says he fled the country to avoid bloodshed, as Taliban fighters entered the presidential palace in the capital city of Kabul. In a Facebook post on Sunday, Ghani said he believed “countless patriots would be martyred and the city of Kabul would be destroyed”, if he had stayed behind. “Today, I came across a hard choice; I should stand to face the armed Taliban who wanted to enter the palace or leave the dear country that I dedicated my life to protecting and protecting the past twenty years,” the post reads. “If there were still countless countrymen martyred and they would face the destruction and destruction of Kabul city, the result would have been a big human disaster in this six million city. “The Taliban have made it to remove me, they are here to attack all Kabul and the people of Kabul. In order to avoid the bleeding flood, I thought it was best to get out. “Taliban have won the judgement of sword and guns and now they are responsible for protecting the countrymen’s honor, wealth and self-esteem. Didn’t they win the legitimacy of hearts. “Never in history has dry power given legitimacy to anyone and won’t give it to them. They are now facing a new historical test; either they will protect the name and honor of Afghanistan or they will prioritize other places and networks. “Many people and many Aqshar are in fear and are unreliable in the future. It is necessary for Taliban to assure all the people, nations, different sectors, sisters and women of Afghanistan to win the legitimacy and the hearts of the people. Make a clear plan to do and share it with the public.” He added that he would always continue to serve the nation. Although Ghani did not disclose his current location, there are reports that he fled to Tajikistan. Abdullah Abdullah, chairman of the high council for national reconciliation in Afghanistan, had accused Ghani of “leaving the country in a difficult situation”, describing him as the “former president”. Advertisement Taliban fighters had earlier, on Sunday, invaded the outskirts of Kabul, demanding transfer of power.

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Post Date : August 16, 2021

Zambia’s ‘cattle boy’ Hakainde Hichilema wins presidential vote at sixth bid

Hakainde Hichilema, Zambia’s veteran opposition politician and a business tycoon, tried six times for the country’s presidency before finally landing the top job on Monday. With more than 2.8 million votes, he secured a landslide against his long-time rival President Edgar Lungu, who garnered just over 1.8 million of the ballots cast on August 12. Hichilema, who has described himself as just an ordinary “cattle boy”, has contested and lost every election held in the southern African country since 2006, though he has been buoyed each time by an increased share of the vote. In 2016, he unsuccessfully challenged the result of the presidential election, which he said was stolen from him after he narrowly lost by 100,000 votes. This time around, the 59-year-old opposition leader latched onto widespread dissatisfaction with Lungu’s running of the economy, campaigning under the slogan “faka pressure” — meaning “put pressure” for change. Hichilema is no stranger to controversy in the copper-rich nation, having run afoul of the authorities numerous times. He regularly mentions that he has been arrested 15 times since getting into politics Most recently after the 2016 election, he faced treason charges for allegedly failing to give way to the presidential motorcade. He spent four months in a maximum-security jail before the charges were dropped. As president, Hichilema will inherit a troubled economy after years of Lunga’s infrastructure spending spree in a country where more than half the population lived below the poverty line before the pandemic. Last year, Zambia became the first African nation to default on its debt in the coronavirus era. At his final campaign speech in the capital Lusaka last week, Hichilema said his political drive came from “the wish to see a better life”. “It hurts to see citizens go to bed without food in such a country,” he explained, deploring the underutilised potential of natural resources in Zambia, Africa’s second copper producer. “Assets worth billions of dollars are yielding nothing… to better our lives,” he said. – ‘Grit and determination’ – Hichilema has worked hard to shed his image as an elitist who lacks the common touch. “I’m just a cattle boy… it’s a childhood love,” he told AFP in an interview in May, describing himself as “an ordinary citizen, an ordinary African”. He was born to a poor family in the southern district of Monze, but says his “grit and determination” at school won him a scholarship to the University of Zambia. He graduated with a degree in economics and business administration before getting an MBA degree at Britain’s University of Birmingham. By the age of 26, he was CEO of the Zambian branch of a large international accountancy firm, according to his party. He worked his way up to become one of the country’s wealthiest men, with business interests spanning finance, ranching, property, healthcare and tourism. Critics view him as a political outsider, an economic jargon-touting corporate leader who was catapulted into politics following the 2006 death of Anderson Mazoka, former leader of the UPND, a party Hichilema bankrolled then. But recently, “he has tried to blend with the ordinary (people) much more, swapping tailored business suits with casual fatigues or jeans, spinning messages which fly with the ordinary people,” according to analyst O’Brien Kaaba. He “represents the future of Zambia,” according to Mmusi Maimane, a former opposition leader in South Africa and Hichilema’s friend. “Despite the challenges in his nation and threats to his life, he has fought an incredible effort for democracy, freedom and change in his nation,” Maimane told AFP. A Christian from the Tonga ethnic group, Hichilema is married and has three children. (AFP)

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Post Date : August 16, 2021

Plateau killings escalate, death toll rises to 32

THE number of those killed in Plateau State has increased to 32 following Sunday morning reprisals in some parts of Jos, the state capital, resulting in the state government declaring a 24-hour curfew. It will be recalled that 25 commuters on transit to Ikare in Ondo State were killed, while many others sustained injuries on Saturday when the vehicles they were travelling in ran into a procession of mourners on Rukuba Road in Jos North Local Government Area of the state. Nigerian Tribune gathered that the incident escalated in the early hours of Sunday when some youths barricaded roads within Jos metropolis, precisely Bauchi road, Masalachi Jumat area, Angwan Rukuba and many other places to avenge the death of those killed on Saturday. ‌ The situation caused tension within the state capital, which made many Christian worshipers stay indoors to avoid being attacked, while those who ran into the youth were stabbed with knives. A source close to the Plateau State Specialist Hospital said four corpses were brought to the hospital in the early hours of Sunday, while another three were deposited at Our Lady of Apostles Hospital. Efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, ASP Gabriel Ogaba, on phone proved abortive. The governor, Simon Lalong, in a statement signed by his Director of Press Affairs, Dr Makut Simon Macham, said the 24-hour curfew would come into effect from Sunday in Jos North Local Government Area, adding that the step was necessitated by security reports which indicate rising threats to the safety of lives and properties within the council area. Governor Lalong, while giving a report on Saturday’s attack, said 23 people among those attacked lost their lives, while 23 others sustained injuries and are currently receiving treatment. He added that 26 others were rescued unhurt, while 20 suspects were arrested and under investigations to get to the bottom of the matter. He said: “Having reviewed the reports and monitored the unfolding scenario, government is concerned about the persisting tensions and reported attempts by some persons to take laws into their hands by threatening to attack individuals and private facilities, as well as public property. “In order to avoid further deterioration of the situation and to protect lives and properties of citizens, I have directed the imposition of curfew on Jos North, Bassa and Jos South local governments commencing 6:00 p.m. to 6 a.m. from today, August 14, 2021. “The curfew shall remain in place subject to further review by the State Security Council.” Governor Lalong, therefore, urged citizens to abide by the curfew and remain indoors to allow security agencies maintain law and order and deal with those bent on causing chaos in the state. However, hours after announcing a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the three local government areas, the governor directed the imposition of a 24-hour curfew in Jos North to contain further security threats. Also, the Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Major Ishaku Takwa, said its troops rescued 36 victims of the attack, adding that they were in stable condition, while those hospitalised are responding to treatment. It added that troops had also dominated Jos metropolis with robust patrols and surveillance, adding that security checkpoints had been beefed up to enforce the curfew imposed on Jos North, Jos South and Bassa local government areas. In the same vein, the authorities of the University of Jos have suspended the second-semester examination. According to a statement signed by the university’s Deputy Registrar, Information and Publication, Abdullahi Abdullahi, all examinations earlier scheduled between Monday, August 16 and Saturday, August 21, have been suspended until further notice. The university, therefore, advised students residing in various hostels, both within and out the campuses to remain within their hostels of residence and avoid unnecessary movements. In another development, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Usman Alkali Baba on Sunday ordered the immediate deployment of Police Intervention Team to the state. This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Sunday by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Frank Mba. According to the statement, the Police Intervention Team, being led by DIG Sanusi N. Lemu, the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Finance and Administration, who is also the coordinating DIG, North-Central geo-political zone, “is to carry out onthe-spot assessment and ensure enhanced, coordinated response to protect the community and boost public confidence in the affected areas of the state.” The statement explained that team “comprises personnel of Police Tactical Units – the Police Mobile Force (PMF), Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Police Special Forces, investigators and covert operatives from the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID) and the Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB) respectively.” It added that operatives were to protect the communities, prevent further attacks and bring the perpetrators to justice and as well to provide additional investigative, intelligence and forensic support to the state police command in the ongoing investigations and rescue operations. The statement further disclosed that the IGP, while condemning the incident, called for calm and assured victims and relatives of the attack that the police were working with the military, other security forces and the state government to ensure that all perpetrators of the incident were brought to book. This came just as it said the IGP had confirmed the arrest of 20 suspects in connection with the attack, while 33 victims have been rescued. Meanwhile, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Plateau State has condemned the killing of commuters on Rukuba road in Jos North Local Government Area of the state. In a statement on Sunday in Jos, CAN chairman in the state, Reverend Father Polycarp Lubo, urged security agencies to fish out the perpetrators. Lubo also condemned ongoing killings in Bassa, Riyom, Jos South and Barkin Ladi local government areas. The body said: “We wish to express deep pain over the recent attacks in Riyom, Jos North, Barakin Ladi and Bassa, leading to loss of lives and property. “The leadership of

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Post Date : August 16, 2021

BBNaija: Arin, Princess, evicted

On Sunday, two housemates Arinola Olowoporoku, known as Arin and Francis Princess, were evicted from the 2021 BBnaija reality TV show ‘Shine Ya Eyes’. They were the fourth and fifth housemates to be evicted, bringing the housemates to 21. As usual, the eviction was hosted by the media personality Ebuka Obi-Uchendu. Arin, Emanuel, Nini, Princess, Saskay and Tega were within the week nominated for eviction. Three housemates were evicted on August 8, and the organisers introduced four new housemates. Immediately Arin was evicted, she told the organisers that she would now focus on her fashion brand and host more art shows. The 27-year-old fashion designer from Lagos said, “I know I am very outspoken but could not change it even if I tried.” It had been two weeks characterised by fun, tasks, parties and a bit of romance. Various groups and individuals have been calling for the suspension of the show, arguing that the housemates’ actions do not portray moral values. (NAN)

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Post Date : August 16, 2021

Mother accuses husband of using child for ritual

Command to unravel the cause of death of her six-year old daughter, Esther Ajijolaoluwa, whom the father claimed died earlier in the month. Adebori, in a petition to the Commissioner of Police, said she suspected her daughter must have been used for ritual purposes, if actually she is dead as claimed by the father, Mr. Raphael Ajijolaoluwa. The petitioner, who separated from her husband last year, said there are indications that the child must either be kidnapped or used for ritual purposes. She claimed that the girl is not dead as claimed by the father. She also urged the police in the petition written on her behalf by her lawyer, Mr. Mufutau Adegboye, to exhume the remains of the girl if actually she is dead as claimed by the father. According to her, the girl was hale and hearty as of the time she saw her in her school earlier and wondered what could have happened to her without her knowing about it. “Sometime in 2019, our client approached customary court for dissolution of their association of eleven years due to belligerent behaviour and atrocities exhibited and committed by Mr. Ajijolaoluwa Raphael. “The court ordered, among others, that the custody of the three children should be with Ajijolaoluwa Raphael while our client should be permitted to visit except at night. “But surprisingly in deviating from the order of the court, Mr Ajijolaoluwa Raphael did not give our client access to her children despite the fact that both of them are living in the same town. “Surprisingly on Friday, August 6, 2021, information got to our client that the last born, Esther Ajijolaoluwa, died on Tuesday, August 3, and was buried without the knowledge of our client,” the petition partly read. The counsel said: “Our client reported the matter at Ore Divisional Police Station. It was when Mr. Ajijolaoluwa Raphael reported at the station that he confirmed to our client that truly Ajijolaoluwa Esther had died and had since been buried without the knowledge of our client.” The bereaved mother said the circumstances surrounding the death of the girl were suspicious, stressing that the police must exhume the remains to confirm if the girl actually died or was kept for other purposes. But the estranged husband, Ajijolaoluwa, dispelled the allegations, stressing that he informed the former wife’s family about the death of the girl before she was buried. According to him, the court gave him custody of the children because the estranged wife said she was too busy to stay back at home to cater for the child when she was sick. He accused the wife of causing the child’s ill-health before they got separated and added that he had spent a fortune to ensure the child stayed alive. “It was my wife that took the child to Onitsha, where she had convulsion and she was given injection. Since then, she has not been growing well and could not do anything herself. If you see the child you will pity me,” he added. Reacting to the incident, the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mrs. Funmilayo Odunlami, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said the police would investigate the matter. She said once the petition is submitted to the command, the police would work on it by investigating the matter. “Although, I will confirm from the appropriate department where the petition you are talking about has been submitted. But once it is submitted, I can assure you that we will get to the root of the matter,” the PPRO said.

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Post Date : August 16, 2021

Nigerian Army disobeys court, refuses to release Enugu gov’s aide

Nearly a week after a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, ordered the Nigerian Army to release unconditionally, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Security matters to the Enugu State Governor, Tochukwu Okeke, the military authorities have yet to obey. Mr Okeke’s lawyer, Chinedum Agwaramgbo, had filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit for the release of his client imprisoned by the 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Enugu. The Nigerian Army, the Chief of Army Staff, Farouk Yahaya, and the General Officer Commanding ( GOC) 82 Mechanised Division Enugu, Taoreek Lagbaja, are the 1st and the 3rd respondents in the suit. The court had on July 29, 2021, ordered the Army to produce Mr Okeke and show cause why the detainee should not be released on bail. The court had on July 29, 2021, ordered the Army to produce Mr Okeke and show cause why the detainee should not be released on bail. However, the respondents ignored the court’s order as they neither filed any response nor put up a legal representation, necessitating the judge, Stephen Pam, to make an interlocutory order for the unconditional release of Mr Okeke. READ ALSO: Police confirm bomb explosion in Port Harcourt “It is hereby ordered as follows: That the 1st to 3rd respondents is ordered to unconditionally release the applicant Mr Tochukwu Cornelius Okeke from the cell of the 1st to the 3rd respondents,” Mr Pam said in a ruling on an ex-parte application filed by the applicant’s counsel on August 10, 2021. In a certified true copy of the order, seen by our correspondent, the judge adjourned the suit marked, FHC/PH/FHR/203/2021, till August 17, 2021, for hearing. Mr Okeke has been detained without charge since July 5 making Sunday his 41st day of his incarceration. Backstory According to the supporting affidavit attached to the motion, Mr Okeke was arrested by officers of the respondents for allegedly belonging to the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its Eastern Security Network(ESN). Anih Nkem, a family lawyer, who deposed to the affidavit, stated that he made frantic but futile efforts to secure the release of Mr Okeke. Mr Nkem told the court that the last time he set his eyes on him was on July 22, 2021 and he was looking “disheveled, disoriented, emanciated and sickly.” He noted that the detainee was having difficulty recognising his loved ones, while complaining of lack of good food, water, adding that the military authorities had refused him access to his personal physician. According to the court document seen by our correspondent, Mr Okeke, who had been in the military’s custody since July 5, has been reportedly denied access to his phone, despite his failing health. Mr Okeke, who was whisked away from the Akanu Ibiam International Airport by military men on his way home, in his testimony before the court, informed that the military interrogated him and tortured him despite not having any evidence against him, even after conducting numerous searches in his apartment. The court documents further noted that the applicant, despite referral from the Military hospital, has been refused a CT brain scan. Our correspondent put several calls to the mobile phones of the spokesperson of the Nigerian Army, Onyema Nwachukwu, and the GOC of the 18 Mechanised Division of the Nigerian Army in Enugu, Mr Lagbaja, to ascertain the rationale for keeping Mr Okeke in custody. But the phone calls were unanswered at the time of filing this report Sunday evening.

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Post Date : August 16, 2021

COVID-19: Buhari, Others Isolate After UK Trip

President Muhammadu Buhari as well as members of his delegation have gone into isolation after a two-week trip to London, UK. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu confirmed this to Channels Television on Sunday. He explained that the move was in accordance with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) guidelines for international travel. The Nigerian High Commission in London has since been shut down to observe the mandatory ten days isolation of those who were in contact with the affected officials. Members of the President’s delegation to the UK included the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba; Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Ahmed Rufai Abubakar and the National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Munguno (retired). President Buhari had on July 26 travelled to London, United Kingdom to participate in the Global Education Summit on Financing Global Partnership for Education (GPE) 2021-2025 and see his doctors. At the summit, he pledged to increase the budget for the education sector by as much as 50 per cent over the next two years. During the visit, the Nigerian leader also met and played host to various dignitaries including the UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson. The Prime Minister during the meeting assured Buhari that the UK is available to assist Nigeria in its war against terrorism. After 19 days abroad, President Buhari returned to the country.

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