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Post Date : July 11, 2022

2023: Be strict on certificates submitted by candidates, HEDA tells INEC

  An anti-corruption and human rights organization, Human and Environmental Development Agenda, HEDA, Sunday, called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to be strict with authencity of certificates submitted by candidates of political parties. This was contained in a letter addressed to the Chairman of INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, by the Chairman of HEDA, Mr. Olanrewaju Suraju, where he pointed that INEC should adhere strictly to the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and its Guidelines due to recent controversies surrounding the availability and validity of some certificates submitted to INEC. He urged Prof Yakubu not to be intimidated by politicians whose certificates are doubtful as most of them fall short of the requirements and provisions of the Electoral Act. HEDA’s boss pointed that Nigeria’s political class are fond of duplicitous and deceptive rhetorics when they want to contest in elections, and goes all out to scheme their way through by all crook means to achieve their desperate ambition. The letter reads in part, “We are not unaware of every crooked game plan and shenanigans by some Politicians regarding their eligibility or otherwise to run for different positions. We have seen different unfounded moonlight tales by either elected or appointed persons about the whereabouts of their credentials and how the court adjudicated those matters. “As a leading Anti-Corruption Organization and Non-partisan Human Rights and Development league with the mandate to protect and promote universally recognized human rights, public accountability, transparency and environmental justice in Nigeria and Africa, in accordance with International best standards, we call on INEC to be guided by the provisions of Electoral Act 2022 and its guidelines. “We have been keenly following the developments around submission of candidates’ names and credentials list for the 2023 general elections by political parties, and the most recent news of candidates claiming their school certificates are missing. Nigerians cannot be cowed by malicious and mendacious claims emanating from the political class. “We believe that the Commission’s guidelines towards preparation for the 2023 general election to political parties and the public are clear enough on presentation of certificates. “We kindly refer Section 115(1)(c) of the Electoral Act to the Commission which provide thus: “A person who – (c) delivers to an electoral officer any nomination paper or result from knowing it to be forged – commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a maximum term of imprisonment for two years.” However, he (Suraju) advised INEC boss to reject submission of affidavits in place of certificates by candidates due to the several controversies around swearing to affidavit. He noted that an affidavit cannot replace an institution’s certificate, hence; an affidavit only contains facts believed by the deponent to be true which cannot stand in place of primary evidence. He stressed that it is general knowledge that anyone who claims to have misplaced his/her certificate could always apply to the awarding institution for the issuance of another copy or Certified True Copy of the certificate or his transcript. He added that no candidate is above the laws of the land irrespective of his or her status, and expected to strictly comply with provisions of the law. “We demand that your Commission communicate the invalidity of affidavits as submitted by some candidates in the forthcoming elections to all affected candidates and their parties. “Failure to undertake this statutory responsibility will leave our organisation with no other option than to approach a competent court of jurisdiction for an order restraining your Commission from recognising such candidates”, he demand. However, he commended the Commission for listening to public outcries regarding extension of registration of new voters, which is a demonstration of the Commission’s resolve to a free and fair election wherein the largest number of eligible voters are freely allowed to exercise their franchise. “We commend the INEC and re-iterate our commitment to ensuring good governance in Nigeria and assure the Commission of our unflagging support in ensuring a free and fair election in Nigeria”, he added.

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Post Date : July 11, 2022

APC: Opposition dazed over Tinubu’s choice of running mate

  Murtala Yakubu Ajaka, deputy national publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says opposition parties have been thrown off balance by Bola Tinubu’s choice of running mate. Tinubu, APC presidential candidate, unveiled Kashim Shettima, former governor of Borno state, as his running mate on Sunday. In a statement on Monday, Ajaka said Tinubu and Shettima are not religious fundamentalists. “The sterling qualities of our vice presidential candidate, in the person of Senator Kashim Shettima, has once again thrown the opposition parties off balance,” the deputy spokesman said.   “They would have preferred our presidential candidate to settle for less so as to make it easy for them to win the election but the choice of the trusted and trustworthy Shettima must have disorganised their evil plans, we understand in the APC. “While we sympathise with the opposition parties, we appeal to Nigerians, who will eventually be the beneficiaries of good governance under Tinubu-Shettima presidency, to see beyond the sentiments of religion and tribe. “Both Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima are not religious fundamentalists or ultra Muslims, their records in public offices are testimonies to rely on.   “As a two-term governor in Borno state, Shettima enjoyed the support of the Christian community throughout his tenure. In fact, the Borno chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) testified that ‘In the history of Borno state, there is no Governor that has been fair to the Christian Community as much as Governor Kashim Shettima’.” Ajaka said Shettima has respect for the Christian faith and sponsored many Christians for pilgrimage during his tenure as governor. “If Borno state has the largest votes in the north-east where Kashim Shettima has been governor for 8 years and now a senator and still politically relevant,” he said. “If APC has enjoyed massive support from this state and the entire north-east and the emergence of Shettima as our vice presidential candidate will deny the candidate of the PDP the smooth ride in the zone, I think APC and our presidential candidate are politically correct because our main goal for now is to emerge victorious in the coming elections, not forgetting competence which Senator Kashim Shettima represents.”

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Post Date : July 11, 2022

Fuel seller sets ablaze Akwa Ibom varsity student

  There was tension in Udo Idiong Junction in Obio Okpa campus of the Akwa Ibom State University, OrukAnam local government area of the state, as a roadside petrol dealer on Sunday set ablaze one Enwongo Akpan, a 200-level philosophy student of the institution, over a minor disagreement. It was gathered that trouble started when the student unknowingly bought adulterated fuel of N500 only from the dealer who is now on the run. The victim returned the adulterated fuel to the dealer after he emptied the content into his generating set tank but the engine did not ignite. An eyewitness, Idongesit Akpan, told newsmen on Monday that in the ensuing argument, the dealer made for the petrol gallon and poured it content on his victim and struck a match on him before he caught fire while others scampered for safety . Akpan further stated that the victim was rescued by the villagers and students who alerted the Vice Chancellor of the University Prof Nse Essien who ordered that the victim be rushed to Mercy Hospital in Abak, where he received treatment before being transferred to another hospital in Uyo, the state capital. Akpan said, “The incident attracted attention of community leaders such as former Chairman of OrukAnam, Prince Ubong Idiong, who prevailed on students to forestall reprisal action by students of the University . “The victim was later transferred to another hospital in Uyo for better treatment.” The Police Public Relations Officer of the Akwa Ibom State Police command, Odiko Macdon, who confirmed the incident said the Commissioner of Police, Olatoye Dorusinmi, has ordered investigation into the matter, adding that the suspect would soon be arrested. He said, “Yes, we are aware of the incident. But the suspect escaped from the scene. Police are trailing the suspect now and he will soon be brought to book.”

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Post Date : July 11, 2022

One Arrested Over Kidnap Of Zoo General Manager’s Wife After Church Service In Imo

  Imo Police command has arrested one suspect after gunmen abducted the wife of Imo State Zoo General Manager, Mrs. Bola Abioye, after Sunday service at the First Baptist Church Nekede in Imo State It was gathered that the gunmen who operated on a Sienna Ash-coloured-tinted glass were dressed in police vest. Our correspondent gathered that Mrs. Bola Abioye was kidnapped immediately after she left the Sunday Service at about 1:30pm. Narrating the ugly development, a worshiper , who gave her name as Dr Blessing, said the church had just concluded thanksgiving while members were heading to the car park to drive out to the venue of merriment when the gunmen struck. She said, “The church had just dismissed so everyone was heading to the car park with the intention to go to the home of the member only for an Ash-coloured Sienna vehicle to drive in shooting sporadically. According to her,” The abductors who wore police vests were shooting right there at the car park. They first dragged a woman but after some seconds, one of them shouted it’s not this one. “Before they went to drag Mrs Abioye shooting directly to scare people away. Though she tried to resist, there was so much commotion. And within minutes, they drove off still shooting.” When contacted, Imo State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Michael Abattam confirmed the incident. Abattam equally said that one suspect has been arrested in connection to the incident. He said, “Yes, the incident is true and we have arrested one person in connection to the incident, who is assisting us to get to others. However the Imo Police PRO refuted trending reports that gunmen Invaded First Baptist church on Sunday.

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Post Date : July 11, 2022

I have spent N100b in two years on road project – Uzodimma says

  Hope Uzodimma, governor of Imo State has disclosed that his administration has spent over N100billion in two years on road infrastructure. Uzodimma who disclosed this when he held a meeting with all the traditional rulers from the 27 local government areas of Imo state at the weekend, explained that Imo state government has spent over N100 billion on road infrastructure in the past two years of his administration which even his government does not have in its account. However, the governor emphasised that this is made possible because the government in Imo state and that at the national are of the same party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). Most importantly, he said, is his relationship with President Muhammadu Buhari who he said has given him the guarantee to do the roads. The meeting with the traditional rulers was held at the Eze Imo palace at Mbari Owerri Imo state. Uzodimma thanked the monarchs for their contributions so far towards peace, security and development in Imo State and regretted that in the process of their efforts for a better Imo society they have suffered humiliations and even deaths. The governor reiterated that he has come to serve the people and to repair all the sectors that were rotten and damaged by past administrations in the areas of politics, civil service, education, health, roads, water supply among others. He informed the monarchs that the rot in Imo state is nauseating, citing example of how government has been paying the salary to 6,500 secondary school teachers’ salaries every month whereas in the bio-data exercise carried out on July 7, 2022 government was only able to record 3,000 secondary school teachers. Responding on behalf of the monarchs, the Chairman Imo State Council of Traditional Ruler, His Royal Majesty, Eze (Dr.) Emmanuel Okeke, thanked the governor for finding time to address them and promised to work in tandem with his government to flush out the criminals in Imo communities.

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Post Date : July 11, 2022

Uzodimma selling my properties – Okorocha cries out

  Senator Rochas Okorocha, the former of Imo State has on Sunday accused the current Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma of auctioning his personal cars, those of his aides and Rochas Foundation College. Okorocha said the vehicles were impounded when his wife’s Royal Palm Hotel was sealed by the state government in 2021. He called on Inspector-General of Police Alkali Usman to direct the Imo State Police Commissioner, Mohammed Barde, to recover the vehicles and documents in them. But the state government described Okorocha’s allegation as untrue. The Senator, a former governor of the state, said in a statement by his Special Adviser(Media), Sam Onwuemeodo, that he was surprised that the impounded vehicles were not taken to state Police Command headquarters but to the Government House where four have already been auctioned for N4 million. The statement reads in part: ” The government has gone ahead to auction the private cars of the former governor of the state, those of his security personnel, those of his aides, political associates, those of Rochas Foundation College and so on , who were with him on the day the attack at Royal Palm Hotel took place. In doing that, they had thrown caution to the wind. “ln all the cases involving Okorocha and lmo State Government, including the one decided by Justice Njemanze (retd), which is now at the Appeal Court, the government never mentioned Okorocha’s personal cars and those of his aides, associates, his security details, Rochas Foundation College, et al. “There are also valuable materials and documents in some of the vehicles, including international passports. One had expected that the Police would have taken all those items or materials and documents into their custody. “We call on the Inspector-General of Police to get the Commissioner of Police in lmo State to release the vehicles taken away from the Royal Palm Hotel on February 21, 2021. Other important documents in some of the cars should also be retrieved. The Police have some explanations to make.” But the state’s Information and Strategy Commissioner, Declan Emelumba, told the Nation that Okorocha was raising a false alarm. He said that Royal Palm Hotel which has yet to be unsealed is now government property. The commissioner said:. The place is still been sealed. You can see that he(Okoroch) is not telling the truth.,. ” At any case, the government has seized that place and it does not belong to Okorocha again. It is government property so how can government sell its own property. The truth of the matter is that he is raising a false alarm. Police are still there.”

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Post Date : July 11, 2022

Kwankwaso to Tinubu: Take care of your health… 2023 campaign is very rigorous

  Rabiu Kwankwaso, presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), has advised Bola Tinubu, standard-bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to take things easy. Since the former governor of Lagos state declared his intention to run for president, concerns have been raised about his health. But that has not prevented him from going around the country to consult with leaders at different levels about his presidential bid. Speaking during an interview on Arise Television on Sunday, Kwankwaso said Tinubu should pay attention to his health. “If you see my friend, Bola, tell him to take it easy, take good care of his health and make sure that… because I love him so much, he is my friend,” he said. “This campaign is very rigorous, it requires a lot of effort and so on and so forth. I hope he will take it easy so that we can continue the struggle to ensure one solid and prosperous Nigeria.” Tinubu had earlier announced Kashim Shettima, former Borno governor, as his running mate. Asked if he is threatened by Tinubu’s choice, the former Kano governor said he likes the combination, but he does not know what they would do differently from the current administration. “My only worry is the platform. This platform I don’t know. I know he is a strategist, Bola Tinubu, he is a good man. I had reasons to sit with him uncountable number of times from 1992 to date,” he said. “I wish I will see him to ask him what he will tell Nigerians what he will do differently from what Muhammadu Buhari is doing today. “That is my serious concern for him. Ordinarily, if I cannot get it, I can recommend him but it’s going to be like building something on zero. “When I see him, I wish him well or when you see him before me, tell him I wish him well — but let’s take it easy.”

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Post Date : July 11, 2022

REPORT: Families Paid N800m To Secure Release Of 7 Kaduna Train Captives

  Eight hundred million naira was paid to the terrorists holding captives seized from the AK9 train service attacked on the Abuja–Kaduna route before the additional seven victims were released on Saturday, some families of the victims and other sources knowledgeable of the deal told Daily Trust exclusively on Sunday. The released victims were among the dozens of passengers abducted on March 28 by gunmen who derailed the moving train. working in cahoots with members of the Darul Salam, another group mostly populated by Fulani youths dislodged from Niger and Nasarawa States at different times. Some however attributed the attack to the Islamic State West Africa (ISWAP) though, atypical of the group, they have not publicly laid claim to it. The release of the seven victims came amid heightened fears that the terrorists would kill all those in their custody over the alleged failure of the federal government to respond to their demands. On Tuesday, Daily Trust reported that the captors of the train passengers had sent an audio clip to victims’ families threatening to kill the captives if the families were unwilling to strike a deal with them. It was reliably gathered that families of each of the six Nigerian victims paid N100 million while the captors pegged the ransom for the Pakistani at N200 million which was also paid. Our sources said the terrorists collected the ransom in naira and US dollars. “Only N200 million was collected in naira, the remaining N600 million was paid in the equivalent of US dollars,” one of our sources said. Those released were identified as Muhammad Daiyabu Paki, Bosede Olurotimi, Abubakar Zubairu, Alhassan Sule, Sadiq Ango Abdullahi, Aliyu Usman and Muhammad Abuzar Afzal, the Pakistani. “All the families of the victims felt abandoned by the federal government and therefore had to pay for the release of their loved ones,” another source close to one of the released “The truth is that the FG is indifferent to our plight…Those in power don’t care if the captives are all killed. “That is why we sold our property and raised the money. It is the same for the families of all those released. We all paid through our nose but Alhamdulillah, it is worth it,” he said. Daily Trust reports that the lead negotiator for the release of the victims, Kaduna-based newspaper publisher, Tukur Mamu, had on Saturday announced that he secured the release of the seven abductees through mediation as he was silent on any ransom paid. Mamu, a media consultant to Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, had last week announced his withdrawal from negotiating with the terrorists due to the alleged government’s nonchalant attitude to the plight of the train abductees. He, however, said he had to continue with the mediation because of immense pressure and appeal by the relations and loved ones of the victims. Previously, the abductors had released three batches of the captives, including managing director of the Bank of Agriculture, Alwan Hassan, a group of eleven victims and a pregnant woman released alone. A security source told one of our correspondents that the federal government rarely secures the release of any captive. “Government is not amenable to releasing terrorists in their custody because of some international convention. “It is however sad that in Nigeria, while we don’t agree to prisoner swap most of the time, the terrorists always have their way as evident in the recent attack on Kuje Prison where many high profile terrorists were released. “We don’t have the capacity to protect our prison facilities and we don’t have the capacity to protect the citizens. Hundreds of terrorists have been set free in various prisons…It is unfortunate,” he said. How B/Haram members partnered bandits for train attack One of the released captors had, at the weekend, painted sordid details of their journey to the terrorists’ den and life under the insurgents. According to him, the attack on the train was a collaborative operation between the B/Haram elements who held them and some bandits familiar with the train. “They entered into an alliance with the bandits so as to benefit from their numbers and their familiarity with the train. In fact, even the location where we were held in the forests around Birnin Gwari they told us it was not their territory, they got permission from some bandits to keep us there,” he said. The source, who craved anonymity, said the location where they were held was an open forest with only three huts within the vicinity. “The men shared two huts while the women and kids used the other one. There were 20 of us in the hut I stayed in as of the time of our release on Saturday. They treated us fairly well without maltreating anyone, other than that first time they lashed us up when their leader called Malam Baffa came to see us immediately after we arrived. “On some days they would slaughter a cow for us. The latest was the one they killed to celebrate the Sallah. They also preached to us every time either by themselves or through playing recorded preaching including by some prominent clerics,” he said. ‘Captors behind Kuje jailbreak, they jubilated on return’ The source also confirmed that the kidnappers of the travellers were the ones behind the jailbreak at Kuje Medium Security Correctional Centre on the outskirts of Abuja. He said there was wild jubilation after the Tuesday night jailbreak when those who participated in the attack returned to their enclave with some of the freed prisoners. The attack on the correctional centre led to the escape of hundreds of prisoners held in the facility, including at least 69 Boko Haram suspects, according to officials. A day after the attack ISWAP claimed responsibility and released a 33-second video showing its men in action during the siege on the facility. I saw hell in kidnappers’ den – FCT UBEB chair FCT Director of the Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB), Dr Hassan Suleiman, who was among those released from the

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Post Date : July 11, 2022

Zulum: Tinubu made the wisest choice by picking Shettima as running mate

  Babagana Zulum, Borno governor, says Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, made the “wisest choice” by choosing Kashim Shettima as his running mate. Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of the party for the 2023 election, on Sunday announced Shettima as his VP pick. Shettima is a serving senator and a former two-term governor of Borno state. Zulum described Shettima as a politician with a “very deep understanding of our country and its complexities”. “For me, and I am sure for many leaders and members of the APC, Tinubu’s choice of HE Kashim Shettima is the wisest choice at this point in time,” he said. “Shettima’s choice is very personal to me and together with our leaders and all stakeholders and members of the APC, we shall campaign vigorously, work day and night, to collectively secure overwhelming victory for the APC in 2023, insha’Allah. “Without the slightest doubt, HE Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has chosen a leader who has very deep understanding of our country and its complexities. There is hardly any tribe in any of Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT that Senator Kashim Shettima cannot knowledgeably speak about. He knows the social, cultural, religious, economic and political structure of virtually all the 36 States and the FCT. “Shettima is extremely patriotic. He believes so much in the unity of this country and he has proved it on a number of occasions.” Zulum said Shettima spent over N30 billion on agricultural machinery during his administration following his prediction of a potential fall in the value of naira. “As far back as 2012, Shettima had on many occasions predicted the likelihood of fall in revenue from oil just as he predicted potential fall in the value of naira to dollar, which was why he imported agricultural products worth over N30 billion which today are worth far more, making Borno one of the richest in agricultural machinery,” he said. The announcement of Shettima as the APC vice-presidential candidate came shortly after Ibrahim Masari stepped down as the “placeholder” running mate of Tinubu. Masari was in June selected as Tinubu’s running mate — but only in a temporary capacity.

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Post Date : July 11, 2022

Insecurity: FG has failed Nigerians —Catholic priests

  Catholic priests in the country have said that the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari, has failed in its primary duty of protecting the lives and property of Nigerians, adding that the president should proffer solution to the increasing spate of killings and kidnappings across the country or step down. Meanwhile, worried by the growing level of insecurity in the state with the recent kidnapping and killing of a Reverend Father and a hunter, the acting Governor of Edo State, Mr. Philip Shaibu, has given marching orders to all traditional rulers across the state to engage local hunters and vigilantes to flush out criminal Fulani herdsmen in all the forests in the state. Shaibu, weekend, led other top government functionaries to pay last respect to late Rev. Fr. Christopher Odia, who was murdered by suspected kidnappers. Odia, a Catholic priest, was murdered by his kidnappers in Ikabigbo, Etsako West LGA of Edo State. At the funeral mass and interment held for the priest at the Priests’ Cemetery, Immaculate Conception Seminary, Ivianokpodi-Agenebode in Etsako East LGA, National President of the Nigeria Catholic Diocesan Priests Association, NCDPA, Very Rev. Fr. Johnbosco Ezehi, charged President Buhari to take urgent steps to guarantee the safety and security of Nigerians. Ezehi said: “We condemn the increasing attacks by suspected herdsmen, who have turned the country into a massive graveyard. If the president cannot keep our country safe, then he automatically loses the trust of the citizens. He should no longer continue to preside over the killing field and mass graveyard that our country has become. “Nigerians call on the president to take drastic and urgent steps to reverse the ugly tragedy that threatens the foundation of our collective existence and unity as a nation. It’s clear to the nation that the president has failed in his primary duty of protecting the lives of Nigerians.” On his part, Shaibu said: “I must agree with our cleric that the government has failed in its responsibility of securing lives and property. If the issue of security was tackled earlier enough, we would not get to where we are today. We must turn to God to help us now as our land is troubled and only God will heal our land. “As a state government, we have decided to take our destinies into our hands and not push the blame. We are collaborating with security agencies and stakeholders in securing our state. “We have involved religious leaders and vigilante groups, among others and have adequately equipped them to strengthen our security architecture. We want to secure the property and lives of our people.” Also, Catholic Bishop of Auchi Diocese, Most. Rev. Gabriel Dunia, said: “I appeal to the federal, state and local governments, as the Lord has entrusted the leadership and security of Nigeria into their hands, to do the needful by protecting the lives and property of the people which is their primary responsibility.”

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