President-General of the Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Prof. George Obiozor, has said that the status of Ndigbo in Nigeria will be determined largely by where the 2023 president emerges from. “Wherever the country picks its president from in 2023 will send a strong message to Ndigbo,” Obiozor said in a statement he issued in Owerri on Monday. He said to avoid the potholes of the past and to secure the future and preserve national unity the Nigerian political elites must avoid the prevailing political myopia and contrived amnesia surrounding Nigerian political history over the imperative of North-South rotation. Obiozor said, “I understand clearly the dilemma faced by these leaders but Nigerian politics is at a point of no return where national destiny is at stake and where patriotism and political wisdom must supercede personal ambition.” The Ohanaeze Ndigbo President-General, therefore pleaded with the nation’s political class to drop all fears and prejudices against Ndigbo and forge a common front to move the nation forward. He noted that Ndigbo as an ethnic nationality is blessed with a large number of capable, Nigerian patriots and credible personalities who are eminently qualified to govern the country and meet the expectations of the citizenry through equity, justice and fairness. “Indeed he or she will bring into the office, an amazing sense of peace and harmony to the country, ensure imperative of national unity and commitment to good governance with dedication, decency and decorum.” He said that since 1960, Igbos have been campaigning for their rights to leadership in Nigeria, adding, “So anybody who says that we have not campaigned enough about the ‘2023 Igbo President’ is guilty of historical fallacy because many of us know how often those rights and opportunities have been denied or ignored with impunity. “How can one be accused of making noise over marginalization or discrimination in critical areas of Nigerian Politics and at the same time accused of not making enough political campaign for the 2023 Presidency,” he asked. Obiozor said Ndigbo have campaigned for any relevant National political office since the end of the war. Most Nigerians with conscience and patriotic as well as friends of Nigeria inside and outside the country know this to be the truth. He pleaded with all Nigerian political elites to set aside all fears, prejudices against Ndigbo and forge a common front to heal the nation. Ndigbo needs justice, equity and fairness and not blame game.

  Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has approved the appointment of Senator Lekan Balogun as the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland. The approval follows a recommendation by the Olubadan-in-Council, according to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa. The statement quoted the governor as wishing the newly confirmed Olubadan a peaceful and eventful reign. The governor said, “I am pleased to announce the appointment of the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, High Chief Lekan Balogun as the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland. “The appointment is in line with the Olubadan of Ibadan Chieftaincy Declaration, as well as the unique and time-tested tradition of our people. “On behalf of the government and good people of Oyo State, I wish the newly confirmed Olubadan a successful reign blessed with peace and unprecedented progress.” Amended Ibadan Chieftaincy Declaration revoked Makinde has also approved the revocation of the amended Ibadan Chieftaincy Declaration regulating the selection to the Olubadan of Ibadan chieftaincy stool. The statement noted that the governor made the revocation order, dated February 11, 2022, in line with the powers conferred on him by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), in view of the Judgements of the Oyo State High Court on February 1 and 10 as well as Sections 7, 20,26 and 30 of the Chiefs Law of Oyo State 2000. The four separate laws/White Papers approved for revocation were made public by the immediate past administration between 2017 and 2018. The statement listed the laws/white papers to include the amended declaration regulating the selection to the Olubadan Chieftaincy stool, published in August 2017; the implementation of the White Paper on the review of the existing Olubadan of Ibadan Chieftaincy Declaration and other chieftaincies in Ibadan, Published in August 2017; the approval of the appointment of beaded crows for the Olubadan in Council published March 2018 and the appointment of Beaded crowns and Coronet Wearing Obas published in March 2018.

  Akwa Ibom Governor Udom Emmanuel has said his choice of Pastor Umo Eno as his preferred successor has not created any division within the People’s Democratic Party(PDP) in the State. Emmanuel said this at the weekend during the 10th Series of “ThegovernorSpeaks” programme aired live on state-owned and private radio stations operating in the state, monitored by the Nation in Uyo. The Governor rechoed his admonition against those who desire power by violence, adding he would not be distracted. His words: “As a leader I am entitled to only one vote during the party primaries and the general elections. And that my vote is not for violence, it is not for the man that will go and carry gun and point on your head to grab power. “Whoever grabs power by violence will rule by violence. So I am telling you that my vote is for peace, it is for progress, it is for economic prosperity, for infrastructural development, unity and I can keep counting. “So our party the PDP is not divided anything. Those social media things we read is not helping us in any matter. I don’t follow those things, I must get focused; I don’t need those distractions” On his promise to complete all ongoing projects before handing over, the Governor assured that his administration was doing everything humanly possible to achieve that. He thanked God the administration has been able to complete some of the capital projects it started despite the recession and the negative effect of COVID-19 on the global economy. He explained that the execution of those projects across the State even created job opportunities for youths at the sites. According to him: “These are things that stimulates the economy anywhere in the world. Anytime a country is in recession and you want to come out of the recession, spend more money on infrastructural development, spend more on capital expenditure. “People hear about COVID-19 but they don’t know the negative impact on the economy around the world. Thank God we have just completed our Smart building.”

  A pro-Bola Tinubu coalition, the Support Groups Management Council, says the viral photograph of the All Progressives Congress leader pictured in a wet dress is the work of mischief-makers. In a statement on Sunday, the coalition said the viral photo was manipulated, noting that Tinubu is healthy and physically fit to be Nigeria’s President in 2023, contrary to claims by propagandists. Tinubu had on Saturday visited some top traditional rulers in Ogun State including the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, to seek royal blessing on his presidential ambition. Photo of Tinubu wet around his lower region had surfaced online with many saying the APC leader is suffering from a urinary condition. But in its statement signed by its Director of Media and Publicity, Biodun Ajiboye, the pro-Tinubu group described the claim as false. The statement was titled, ‘Evildoers, destroyers of destiny are at it again’. It partly read, “The success Asiwaju Tinubu recorded at these high-level visitations to top traditional rulers had again led enemies of progress, the brewers of hate, discord and disharmony to script a dirty tale to discredit this awesome outing. This time it is that he wetted his dress! “Assuming without conceding that is the case, so is it the back of his knees that would be wet and not the bum area? So if he wetted his babariga, he would not cover it and would still move to be flat to greet the Awujale of Ijebuland in the full glare of everyone present? It was the usual photoshop manipulations and shallow mental agility that pushed them to dispense a feeble narrative that made no iota of sense. “Yet as their video showed, it was after their wetting incident that he went ahead and prostrated to Kabiyesi. —Tinubu “This is another distraction, no amount of distractions or attempts to discredit Asiwaju will work to remove the wall from his political wind. “Asiwaju Tinubu has declared his interest in the presidential race. He has his legs on the throttle. There is no going back. “We appeal to Nigerian to ignore the evil-minded machinations and assure Nigerians that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is healthy and strong enough to undertake the responsibilities involved in the expected rigours of campaigns and politicking when the time comes.” Tinubu had stayed in the United Kingdom for over three months in 2021 when he underwent surgery and therapy for knee injury. He, however, returned to the country in October of the same year and travelled to some parts of the country to meet political juggernauts and stakeholders ahead of next election. The health condition of the 69-year-old APC leader has constantly become a subject of controversy but many of his staunch supporters have argued that Tinubu is fit to become Nigeria’s President, adding that he is not older than the current President of the United States, Joe Biden, 79; and his predecessor, Donald Trump, 75.