The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control, on Thursday, sealed a facility of imported contraband tomato paste distribution warehouse in Rivers. Mr. Adeniran Kazeem, the NAFDAC Assistant Chief Regulatory Officer, Apapa Lagos, made this known to newsmen in Port Harcourt. Kazeem said this after the arrest of Mr Obiora John, the Managing Director of Integrated Wholesales Services Limited in Trans-Amadi Layout who allegedly imported and distributed contraband tomato paste which is on the federal government’s list of contraband importation products in the country. Kazeem also said that Obiora John allegedly removed the seal placed on his facility by the agency in November 2022. “Upon our interrogation, we noticed that the company removed the agency seal placed at the facility in November 2022 without the agency’s approval. “The company’s accountant told us that the company had stopped the importation and distribution of contraband tomato paste since 2020, but we found out that the imported tomato paste seen at the facility was manufactured in 2022. “We also found out from the company’s records that there have been importation and distribution of the products to date,” he explained.   Kazeem said that the agency’s aim of raiding and sealing contraband drinks and food distribution companies in the country was to promote, encourage and create an enabling environment for local manufacturers. He advised members of the public to stop patronising the distributors of imported contraband products in the stores and open the market. According to him, the suspect has been arrested, and the agency will further investigate and prosecute him, am also advising the importers of contraband drinks, foods, and other products to desist from the act or face the consequences. He assured that the agency would curb the importation of illicit and contraband products into the country to save the economy. Mr Obiora John, the Managing Director of Integrated Wholesales Services Limited, at Trans-Amadi industrial layout, said that the company is operating a sketchy business to hold their clients till the company starts production at the newly built production factory. John said that he removed the seal placed on his facility by the agency because he thought that he could remove the seal after payment through remittance to the agency. (NAN)

  A Federal High Court sitting in Kano, presided over by Justice M N Yunusa has nullified the candidature of the Abia State Governor-elect Dr Alex Otti. According to EverydayNews, all the candidates of the Labour Party in Abia and Kano States are also affected by the ruling of the court. The court ruled that their emergence was not in compliance with the provisions of the 2022 electoral act. A copy of the judgement delivered by the court was obtained Friday morning. The Court in Suit No FHC/KN/CS/107/2023 filed by Mr Ibrahim Haruna Ibrahim against the Labour Party and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, ruled that the failure of the Labour Party to submit its membership register to the INEC within 30 days before their primaries renders the process invalid. “The party that has not complied with the provisions of the electoral act cannot be said to have candidate in an election and cannot be declared winner of an election; this being so, the votes credited to the 1st defendant is a wasted vote,” the Judge ruled.

  Friday 19 May 2023 Seun Kuti: Court extends detention by 4 days 10th NASS Inauguration: Opposition parties worry over bid to alter rules Gunmen kidnap corps members returning from camp in Rivers FG concessions Abuja, Kano airports Tackle me with facts, EFCC boss replies Matawalle Pension assets hit N15.58tn — PenCom Prudent resources’ mgt responsible for N55bn remittance — JAMB Tinubu’s inauguration: Programmes begin Thursday, FG invites over 65 world leaders Robbers on the rampage as Lagos collapsed bridge causes gridlock Federal allocation drops again as FG, states share N655bn Man in court for abducting, raping daughter’s friend NAFDAC seals contraband tomato paste distribution outlet, arrests one 511 Boko Haram Terrorists Surrender, Troops Rescue Chibok Girl – DHQ Queen Elizabeth II’s Funeral, Related Events Cost £162m – UK Govt Police Arrest Two Suspects Over Attack On US Embassy Staff In Anambra Tribunal Hears Atiku’s Petition, INEC, APC, Tinubu Reject Televised Proceedings Apapa Against Nigerians’ Interest, At Tribunal To Cause Drama — LP Buhari To Handover Transition Documents To Tinubu On May 25 NPC: We’ve spent N200bn for 2023 census preparation Ahead Inauguration, Naira Falls To 760/$ Security Agents Dodging Bandits, Mocking Victims – Sultan We Don’t Know Chibok Girls’ Whereabouts – Military Visit a newspaper stand this morning, buy and read a copy for yourself…

  Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State says he has no apology for the demolition of a Bayelsa state government property in Port Harcourt. The governor… Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State says he has no apology for the demolition of a Bayelsa state government property in Port Harcourt. The governor blamed Bayelsa for the circumstances that led to the demolition of the property located at Akasa Street in Old Government Residential Area of Port Harcourt. Briefing journalists at the Port Harcourt International Airport on his arrival from Europe on Thursday, Wike explained that in line with the Rivers State government urban renewal programme, a formal letter was written to the Bayelsa State government in August 2021, over its dilapidated property inherited from the Old Rivers State. “It is most unfortunate, when you have leadership failure that is what you get. I have never seen a hostile government against Rivers State government like that of Bayelsa. It’s most unfortunate. When I was away, I read from the media the rantings of the Bayelsa State government through the Commissioner for Lands.   “In August 2021, we wrote to the Bayelsa State government that with urban renewal policy and with the money we have spent, that it will be unfair to us if we allow such property belonging to them to remain there without any, maybe, a new development.” Wike said he had met severally with his Bayelsa counterpart, and enjoined him to either renovate or build a benefitting edifice on the parcel of land because the formal existing structure contravened the Rivers State Urban Renewal Policy. “I spoke to the governor of Bayelsa State, Douyi Diri, severally. I said look, ‘it is better you renovate, bring down or build a new thing for your State’. I am not claiming that the property belongs to us, but we have a right to talk about development in our State. No State can determine the level of development that should occur in another State. “So, in 2021 August, not only did I write a letter to him, in all our meetings then, I told him, ‘if you cannot develop it, you can sell the property back to Rivers State government, we are willing to develop it, but we cannot allow that property to be the way it is’.” He stated that Diri had acknowledged that it was unacceptable for the property to remain in its dilapidated state, adding that he made the statement in the presence of the governors of Oyo and Adamawa States. Diri had assured him that the Bayelsa State government would reconstruct the property, but to no avail. “Ask the governor of Oyo State, ask the governor of Adamawa State, we are colleagues. He (Diri) had promised me that in the next three months, everything will be done. I took him seriously that he meant well for my State and I believed as a colleague, he will not deceive me. “I’ve said to anybody who cares, the failure of this country is the inability of leadership to take a decision. In one of my routine inspections, I went round and I saw the property. In fact, as I speak to you, no human being worth his salt will allow such structure to be there.” Wike narrated that even when the Rivers wrote a reminder to Bayelsa, they still failed to act, leaving them with no other option but to demolish the property. “You cannot have property in this prime area and you don’t develop it, and then criminals use it to torment, terrorise and harass innocent people. And tomorrow, you will tell me Rivers State is not safe. “Go to Akasa street, you can see what is going on there. If you are a serious government, you cannot allow that. We have no apology. As far as we are concerned, the place has been brought down, we are building judges quarters there.” The Rivers State governor said it was disingenuous for the Bayelsa State government to claim that the demolition of its property was politically motivated because the State did not support his presidential bid. He wondered why the Bayelsa State government has always been antagonistic to anything that concerns Rivers State. “I have never seen a government so hostile to Rivers State like Bayelsa; let the truth be told. Every time politics will come in. Vendetta for what? Bayelsa has been the clog in the wheel of progress of Rivers State government. “We had a joint property where Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) took over. NEW engineering works in Trans Amadi, AMCON took over the property and advertised for sale, Rivers State government, said look you can’t do it. “We are ready to buy it. Bayelsa State knew about it. When Rivers State government purchased it from AMCON, Bayelsa State government went to court against Rivers State government. So, it is unfortunate.”

  The International Monetary Fund (IMF’s) executive board has approved a three-year extended credit facility (ECF) arrangement of $3 billion for Ghana. In a statement on Wednesday, the IMF said the West African country will receive an immediate disbursement of about $600 million. The Bretton Woods institution said the 36-month facility will support a comprehensive reform programme by the Ghanaian government which aims to restore macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability. The IMF said the programme will help Ghana to overcome immediate policy and financing challenges, mobilise external financing from development partners and provide a framework for the successful completion of the ongoing debt restructuring.   Ghana sought help from the IMF in July 2022 after its citizens took to the streets to protest over spiralling inflation, currency depreciation, and other economic woes. The country had previously refused to seek IMF support. Following the executive board discussion on Ghana, Kristalina Georgieva, IMF managing director, said the combination of large external shocks and preexisting fiscal and debt vulnerabilities precipitated a deep economic and financial crisis in Ghana. “In response, the authorities have launched a comprehensive reform program, to be supported by the ECF-arrangement. It is focused on restoring macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability as well as implementing wide-ranging reforms to build resilience and lay the foundation for stronger and more inclusive growth,” the IMF boss said. “Capacity development and continued support by development partners would be critical for the successful implementation of the authorities’ program. “Fiscal consolidation is a core element of the program. A substantial and front-loaded fiscal adjustment has started with the 2023 budget. “Enhanced revenue and streamlined expenditure will be combined with policies to protect vulnerable households and create room for higher social and development spending in the medium term. “With a view to fostering lasting fiscal discipline, the authorities are also advancing reforms to enhance domestic revenue mobilization, strengthen public financial management, and tackle the deep challenges in the energy and cocoa sectors. “The government has also launched a comprehensive debt restructuring, including both domestic and external debt, to place debt on a sustainable path. Effective collaboration by all parties involved would be critical. “Preserving financial sector stability is critical for the success of the program. Given the adverse impact of the domestic debt restructuring on balance sheets of financial institutions, the authorities will devise and implement a comprehensive strategy to rapidly rebuild financial institutions’ buffers and exit from temporary regulatory forbearance measures. “Monetary and exchange rate policies under the program will focus on reining in inflation and rebuilding foreign reserve buffers. The Bank of Ghana will continue tightening monetary policy until inflation is on a firmly declining path and will eliminate monetary financing of the budget. The central bank will also enhance exchange rate flexibility and limit foreign exchange interventions to rebuild external buffers. “An ambitious structural reform agenda is being put in place to reinvigorate private sector-led growth by improving the business environment, governance, and productivity.”

  The Imo state leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Thursday, raised an alarm that the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state has embarked on an illegal harvest of details of Permanent Voters Card, PVC, of the electorate in Imo. The PDP, state Publicity Secretary, Collins Opurozor, made this known to newsmen in Owerri while commenting on Governor Hope Uzodimma’s plan for the Imo Social Benefit Number, an ongoing registration exercise in the state. They said that the APC Imo Social Benefit Number was to manipulate the November 2023 gubernatorial elections in the state. He added that “We have prepared a formal complaint to INEC, to take action. We are also considering legal action and we may hit the streets any moment from now. “Two days ago, Imo people woke up to hear that Senator Uzodinma had dispatched appointees and agents of his government to all the polling units in the State to commence the illegal harvest of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) of eligible Imo voters. To hoodwink Imo people into releasing their PVCs, these agents of the rejected regime came up with a phoney scheme of issuing what they termed the “Imo State Social Benefit Number” to the people. “According to their deceit, the Social Benefit Number would give the people a better life and save them from poverty and disease. With this barefaced lie, many people in Imo have now surrendered their PVCs and become victims of voter identity theft designed for the cloning of the PVCs and front-loading of the BVAS ahead of the forthcoming governorship election in the State. “It is important to highlight that this latest anti-democratic onslaught launched by the APC regime in Imo State to indulge in the treasonable compromise of the BVAS was brought about by the recent Supreme Court judgment on the Osun State governorship election, which upheld the BVAS as the primary source of voter accreditation data. “Apart from taking hold of their Voter Identification Number (VIN), Imo people are further beguiled to submit their Bank Verification Number (BVN) and National Identity Number (NIN) to the agents of this infamous regime. With these highly sensitive details, the desperate regime of Senator Uzodinma can track the location of anyone in Imo State for arrest, harassment, intimidation, and possible elimination. Also, monies in their bank accounts have become completely unsafe. “Gentlemen of the Press, the salient point to note is that the regime of Senator Uzodinma, which is the chief creator of rural poverty in Imo State, has at last weaponized and deployed poverty as an instrument for electoral fraud. Imo people are now promised food and medicine on the condition that they yield to electoral fraud by submitting their PVCs, their only tool for political emancipation.   “To bring home the situation in Imo State, an authoritative economic intelligence watchdog called “Classified” just last month, ranked Imo FIRST in the prevalence of rural poverty in the Southeast Region, and FIRST in Nigeria’s misery index. This is a result of the catastrophic failure of governance in the State and also a direct consequence of the willful and cruel diversion of the total of N206 Billion belonging to the local government system by the regime of Senator Uzodinma in the last forty months.” “Imo PDP is deeply troubled by the Federal Government’s silence over Senator Uzodinma’s continued use of Imo State as a guinea pig for all anti-democratic and fascist experimentations. The enablers of Senator Uzodinma in Abuja should realize that the plot to deny the Imo people the right to choose their governor on November 11, 2023, will be an invitation to anarchy. To be clear, Imo under Senator Uzodinma has become a theatre of bloodshed and human rights abuses, and this must never be allowed to continue. Never again! “Our Party, therefore, calls on the Inspector General of Police and Director General of the State Security Service to investigate the activities of Senator Uzodinma and to immediately apprehend and prosecute his appointees and agents who are involved in this massive harvest of PVCs, voter identity theft and plot to compromise the BVAS,” he said.

  The Police Command In Anambra State has said that two suspects have been arrested in connection with Tuesday’s attack on the US Consulate Convoy in Ogbaru Local Government Area. Preliminary investigations conducted by the police revealed that seven persons were killed in the assault. Of the seven, three were US Consulate officials and four were Mobile Police escorts. Speaking on the development on Thursday, Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Echeng Echeng said a Joint Security Task Force comprising of police tactical teams and troops of the Nigerian Army and Navy, raided the suspects’ hideout at Ugwuaneocha community within Ogbaru LGA.   According to him, the security operatives upon arrival, met a deserted camp. And while the camp was razed down, the Commissioner disclosed that two persons of interest have been arrested and they are under interrogations by the police. During the press briefing at the State Police Command headquarters, Amawbia, the Commissioner also stated that the victims, five male officials of the US Embassy and four armed police escorts from Lagos were on a mission to assess the impact of erosion in Ogbaru. They were in a convoy of two vehicles when the attack occurred. The police chief said further investigations are underway and findings will be shared with the public in due time.

  A Sabo-Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State on Thursday granted an application for an extension of remand of afrobeat singer, Seun Kuti, for additional four days. The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Adeola Olatubosun, extended Kuti’s remand until May 22. Mr Simon Lough (SAN), who led a police legal team to the court, had moved the application. According to him, the extension is to allow further investigation into the case. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Kuti is charged with assaulting a police officer. He allegedly committed the offence on May 13 on the Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos State. The police charged him with slapping an inspector after driving dangerously on the bridge and deliberately blocking a moving police vehicle. Kuti was arraigned on Tuesday during which the chief magistrate ordered his remand for 48 hours. She, however, held that the defendant should be admitted to bail in the sum of one million Naira with two sureties in like sum, at the end of the 48-hour remand. She said that one of the sureties must be a landlord within the jurisdiction of the court. She had adjourned the case until May 22 for mention and directed the prosecutor to duplicate the case file and forward a copy to the state director of public prosecutions for advice. NAN

  …says ex-power minister, Mamman still in custody The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has revealed that the Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, is being investigated over allegations of corruption, award of phantom contracts and diversion of over N70 billion. The EFCC said it was making the development known following the recent attempt by the outgoing governor to cast aspersion on the integrity of the agency’s fight against corruption by making what the agency described as ‘farcical allegations’ of corruption in assets disposal and plea bargain procedure, among others. The Director, Media and Public Affairs, EFCC, Osita Nwajah, who spoke on behalf of the Chairman of the agency, Abdulrasheed Bawa, made this disclosure on Thursday while addressing journalists at the Commission’s headquarters in Jabi, Abuja. The anti-graft agency also confirmed that a former Minister of Power, Sale Mamman, who was recently arrested by its operatives over alleged N22bn fraud, is still in detention. Going philosophical, Nwajah said, “It is intriguing that Matawalle would want to take on the role of a supervisor, who tells the EFCC whom to investigate. Is this a case of a ‘thief’ saying he must not be touched until other ‘thieves’ are caught? “Unfortunately, it is not within Matawalle’s remit to dictate to the EFCC whom to arrest, when, and where. Suspects in the custody of the Commission cut across all sectors and social class. “The qualification to get a space in the Commission’s detention facility is to commit a crime. It does not matter whether you are a priest, Imam, governor or minister. “Currently, a former minister of power is in the custody of the EFCC over a N22 billion corruption allegation. That conveniently did not attract Matawalle’s attention,” the EFCC remarked. The anti-graft agency noted further that the outgoing governor of Zamfara State is being investigated for allegedly diverting money sourced as a loan from an old generation bank purportedly for the execution of projects across the local government areas of the state. Nwajah added, “But the real issue with Matawalle is that he is being investigated by the EFCC, over allegations of monumental corruption, award of phantom contracts and diversion of over N70 billion. “The money which was sourced as a loan from an old generation bank purportedly for the execution of projects across the local government areas of the state, was allegedly diverted by the governor through proxies and contractors who received payment for contracts that were not executed. “The Commission’s investigations so far reveal that more than 100 companies have received payments from the funds, with no evidence of service rendered to the state. Some of the contractors who had been invited and quizzed by the Commission made startling revelations on how they were allegedly compelled by the governor to return the funds received from the state coffers back to him through his aides after converting the same to United States Dollars. “They confirmed that they did not render any service to Zamafara State but were allegedly directed to convert the monies paid to them into United States Dollars and return to the state governor through some of his commissioners, notably the commissioners in charge of Finance and Local Government Affairs,” Nwajah disclosed.