NASTOGRN, Fire Service and the Need for Beneficial Partnership

By Edwin Emeka

There is no doubt that deregulation is at the front burner of the Federal Government's reform agenda.

The deregulation policy has allowed many players to gain various level of authority and improved activities in the sector.

From the activities of the International Oil Companies (IOC'S) to Dangote Refinery and the National Association of the Surface Tank Oil and Gas Retailers of Nigeria (NASTOGRN), the story is the same.

However, as the headline suggested, the focus of this article is about incorporating the services of the Federal Fire Service (FFS) in to the sensitisation programme of NASTOGRN for optimal service delivery to Nigerians.

This idea is the brainchild of the Chairman, Board of Trustees of NASTOGRN, Dr. Marcus Okotete during one of his sensitisation tours in the south east region.

Dr. Okotete emphasized the need for a beneficial partnership between the Federal Fire Service, a principal agency of the Federal Government saddled with the responsibility of mitigating, preventing and extinguishing fire outbreaks and other emergency incidences across the country and the National Association of Surface Tank Oil and Gas Retailers of Nigeria (NASTOGRN).

NASTOGRN is a registered organization endorsed by the Federal Government to engage in the surface tank aspects of marketing and distribution of petroleum products like the PMS (Premium Motor Spirit) AGO (Automobile Gas Oil) DPK (Dual Purpose Keresone) LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) among others in Nigeria especially in the rural and the suburb areas of the country.

Since inception, the organization has been on top of it's mandate as it has rallied various players and stakeholders in the industry to supporting the activities of surface tank dealers in Nigeria who before now had no voice.

Accordingly, the association recently launched a nationwide sensitisation programme to enlighten Nigerians on the need to take advantage of the deregulation policy and mainstream their activities in accordance with the legal frameworks supporting their operations while also showing them especially the unemployed youth the inherent opportunities they can explore with little capital as everything about the oil and gas sector is not about millions and billions.

With the launch of the programme in Abakaliki in July this year and with the sensitisation train of the organization stopping at Enugu on September 20, 2024, there is the need for the Federal Fire Service to get involved in line with the public enlightenment aspect of the law establishing it.

Federal Fire Service provides service of necessity to Nigerians and not service of choice.

Now that the public sensitisation platform has been provided by the leadership of NASTOGRN, it is expected that the management of the Federal Fire Service will enter into a partnership agreement with the association to use it's platform to enlighten Nigerians especially the small scale player of the sector on the need for safety measures especially as we are about entering the dry season.

Such initiative would not only benefit NASTOGRN and it's members but the generality of Nigerians who always get trapped in the web of unforseen fire incidents during cry seasons.

Mr. Edwin Emeka writes from Abuja.

Press Release

Appeal Court Judgement: APC Group Warns Akpabio, Wike to Stay-off Kalu's Case

A leading support group of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC League of Professionals has warned the Senate President, Senator God's will Akpabio and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barrister Nyesom Wike to stay clear from the case of Senator Orji Kalu before the Court of Appeal.

Reacting to the allegations made by Senator Elisha Abbo and Bashir Lamido on the secret plots by the Senate President and the Minister of FCT to influence the judiciary in the case involving the Senate Committee Chairman on Privatization and Commercialization, Senator Orji Kalu, the group warned that both men should desist from carrying out such dirty assignments and concentrate on delivering on the renewed hope agenda of the Tinubu administration.

Noting that, President Bola Tinubu and Senator Orji Kalu were among the leading figures in Nigeria who stood firm against the third term agenda of the past and are still ready to defend the cause of democracy if trampled upon by anti-democratic forces.

In particular, the group said President Tinubu only brought Wike to help him in delivering dividends of democracy to Nigerians and not to destroy his party while promoting the interest of his own party, the PDP with APC resources and goodwill.

They urged Senator Akpabio to exhibit spirit of sportsmanships in victory and stop behaving like a malevolent dictator over nothing.

The group urged the National Judicial Council to investigate the allegations made against some of it's members and punish anyone found culpable.

Signed:

Ade Adeyinka,
Southwest Coordinator,
APC League of Professionals

Alchemy528:
Abi na

Truth

How Police and Nnamani, House of Reps Member are Fighting Tinubu's Effort to Reform Judiciary

Despite cries by Nigerians to reform the nation's judicial arm of government, it has unfortunately been observed that they are still certain elements who prefer the old system with it's attendant consequences on quality of justice delivery.

This is the case of a member of the 10th House of Representatives, member for Aba North and South Federal Constituency, Mr. Emeka Sunny Nnamani whom the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Umuahia sacked over falsification of academic certificates but is still in the Green Chamber boasting of filling an appeal even when he has no locus standi to do so based on pre-existing court judgements.

Recall that Mr. Emeka Nnamani was sacked for presenting forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC for 2023 House of Representatives election despite an existing court order which barred him from contesting any election in Nigeria.

The Election Petition Tribunal in Abia State and a Court of Appeal in Owerri in Imo State had in 2015 barred the House of Representatives Member from contesting any election in the country following the submission of forged certificates to INEC in the 2015 State Assembly election in Abia State.

However, in a bid to circumvent justice, Mr. Nnamani surreptitiously procured a kangaroo police report which he used in deceiving the State High Court at Umunneochi to absorb him of already established case of forgery against him without knowing that the Supreme Court had already decided on the matter in a case between Saleh Vs Abah where the apex court held that; anybody disqualified by a Tribunal or a Court for presentation of forged documents to INEC is barred in perpetuity from contesting any future elections in the country.

That such disqualification is not limited only to one election but to every election in one's lifetime.

However, since no court of competent jurisdiction has lifted the ban slammed on Mr. Nnamani over certificate forgery, it is therefore an aberration for him to criminally collaborate with the police to deceive the Abia State High Court at Umunneochi in to absorbing him of the ban when the Supreme Court had in a case between Umana V Obong Victor Attah & ORS held that a state High Court has no jurisdiction to question the decision of Election Petition Tribunal or the Court of Appeal.

Hence, in total disregard to the court order which barred him from contesting any election, the sacked House of Representatives member still presented himself for election in 2023 which the Tribunal has done the needful by removing him because once a forger is always a forger.

But the question is, will Emeka Nnamani continue to walk around free when he should have been in jail for forging and presenting a fake certificate to INEC? Nnamani even lied under oath in his 2023 INEC form that he has never presented a forged document to INEC.

Shouldn't the IGP order for the investigation of the police division that forged the police report in which Mr. Nnamani used in deceiving the Abia State High Court at Umunneochi?

Should Nnamani's attempt to use the court to authenticate fraud go unpunished?

To be generous, the honourable thing Mr. Emeka Nnamani should do, is to bow out of the Green Chambers quietly like Salisu Buhari instead of continuing denting the image of the judiciary and the National Assembly over his selfish interest.


Mr. Jonas Chukwu writes from Aba, Abia State

Press Release

Adopt Orji Kalu as Sole Candidate for Senate Presidency - Group Tells Southeast Senators

As the battle for Senate Presidency hits up, a frontline socio-political organisation known as Democracy Coalition has advised Senators-elect from the Southeast region to rally round Senator Orji Uzor Kalu because Senator Kalu is the only ranking Senator of APC extraction from the zone who meets the Senate Standing Rules for the election of principal officers for the 10th National Assembly.

In a statement released to newsmen in Lagos on Tuesday by the National Coordinator of the group, Mr. Michael Ehineta, the group said, the current approach where every Tom, Dick and Harry from the zone is battling for the position instead of adopting a candidate with requisite experience and knowledge of the workings of the National Assembly would only make the Igbo race to lose more political relevance in Nigeria.

Noting that a situation where first time Senators-elect are campaigning for the position when they know that Senate Standing Rules on election of principal officers has made their ambition dead on arrival only leave bitter taste in the mouth.

The group advised Igbo Senators-elect to reflect on how the race is balkanizing the South East politically because of the thoughtless, selfish and transactional type of politics some politicians from the zone have adopted recently.

Adding that Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, M. I. Okpara, Akanu Ibiam, Mbazulike Amechi and other notable politicians who gave voice to the region at independence would not be happy if the zone loses the number three position because of selfish interest.

The group therefore enjoined Igbo leaders of thoughts to rise up to the occasion by mobilizing support for Senator Orji Uzor Kalu to become the 10th Senate President of Nigeria in June.


Signed:

Mr. Michael Ehineta
National Coordinator,
Democracy Coalition.

Press Release

Don't Deny Southeast Senate Presidency - Pressure Group Urges APC Leadership

Ahead of the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly in June this year, a group known as Coalition of Ethnic Nationalities for Better Nigeria (CENBN) has advised the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress not to over flog the Southeast geopolitical zone on the account of the party's poor performance in region.

In a statement released to newsmen after it's executive meeting in Jos on Wednesday, the group said the President-elect should show political maturity by embracing all parts of the country irrespective of their political inclinations in the last elections.

Adding that it would amount to clear injustice and persecution of the zone if the Senate Presidency is denied the region.

It was understandable that the region did not meet the standing rules of the Senate to produce Senate President in 2015 and 2019 because there was no high ranking Senator of APC extraction from the zone but the reality has changed this time around because the region not only produced APC senators but also a high ranking Senator like Senator Orji Kalu with requisite experience and exposure to lead the 10th Senate later in the year.

Noting that the last time a Southwest man was elected president of Nigeria, a Northeast man was his deputy while Southeast men where elected Senate Presidents.

Accordingly, history has repeated itself with the emergence of Southwest and Northeast persons as President and Vice President-elect.

Therefore, it is apt that the leadership of APC should not deny the Southeast region the opportunity on account of political differences for the sake of national integration and solidarity among ethnic nationalities.

The party should remember the roles played by men and women of the region in Nigeria's independence struggles as well as the fight against third-term agenda of some persons in past.

Therefore, we appeal to the conscience of the leaders of APC to elevate national integration above partisan affiliation for the overall interest of our dear nation.


Signed:

Dr. Yusuf Umaru,
Director of Media and Strategy,
Coalition of Ethnic Nationalities for Better Nigeria.

Following the selection of Kashim Shetima as running mate to Tinubu, the Enugu State Chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress has concluded arrangements to pass a vote of no confidence on Bola Tinubu for choosing fellow Muslim as his running mate.

According to the reliable source, the state chairman of the party, Ugo Agballa is ideologically opposed to the selection and have vowed to reject the move to islamise the nation.

Accordingly, the state working committee of the party has finished drafting the Communique to be released to the media rejecting the Muslim-Muslim Ticket.

However, barring last minute change of mind, the statement would be out in the public domain by 11: PM according to the source.

Stay tuned for update.

Foolishbuhari:


He quoted some lines of a Punch editorial without referencing the journalist. Instead, he made it look like his work and put his name as the author.

Also, the Punch editorial didn’t engage in some dirty tales of ₦450 million naira and the other garbage the wannabe wrote on that badly convoluted piece.

He did all that, then put a link to a Punch editorial as if that was the authentic link to the garbage he wrote as an article, with intent to deceive, because he knows Nigerians don't investigate links. They just feed on the title and drama, see the link and ASSUME it's indeed from Punch!

You are right.

You are only person that that things among commenters.

Foolishbuhari:
First, this whole thing you wrote are jargons. Then you attempted to pass it off as a punch editorial by quoting a link that says an entirely different thing altogether; although satire, with a different writer.

Be careful OP... Be very careful. By the way, it's time you took off your mask disguising as an Ijaw. I expect the moderators to kill this useless deceptive thread already.

Even though, I'm not the author, I think you didn't read the Punch Newspaper write up. You would have seen where the writer quoted Punch journalist

toobusy:
Attorney general of lies and deceit

How

Night of a thousand laughs

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami, has refuted an allegation that he distributed expensive vehicles to officials of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kebbi State.

Read on:

https://guardian.ng/news/malami-refutes-allegation-of-distributing-vehicles-to-apc-officials/

Untold Story of What Transpired Between EFCC and Obi Cubana

By Ebiowei Dickson

The last may not have been heard of what transpired between the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and a popular socialite and business man, Mr. Obinna Iyiegbu widely known as Obi Cubana.

Recall that late last year, the socialite was arrested by the anti-graft agency for alleged crimes bothering on tax fraud, currency abuse and money laundering.

After spending about three nights in the custody of the commission, the business man was released and nothing has been heard of his case or the nature of crimes committed.

However, after some months of digging and investigating scoops emanating from the story, this reporter can now tell Nigerians what actually transpired between the socialite and the anti-graft agency.

Before his arrest, the United States Government had alerted the nation's anti-graft agency, EFCC about some large sums of money found in bank accounts linked to Obi Cubana.

Unknown to Mr. Cubana, the America's Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has been trailing his financial transactions for months but it assumed a different dimension when Nigerians started raising eyebrows concerning his source of wealth.

When the US agency shared the intelligence with it's Nigeria's counterpart, the EFCC, the agency immediately swung in to action by inviting the businessman for interrogation in November last year.

But instead of staying true to it's name as a leading anti-graft agency, some corrupt officials decided to monetize the whole thing by asking Mr. Cubana to pay N450 million to have the case against him swept under the carpet.

After four days and three nights in EFCC custody, Mr. Cubana agreed and instantly paid the sum of N50 million before he was released on the 4th of November, 2021.

Nevertheless, the commission went and made mockery of itself by taking group pictures with the celebrity which the commission later denied following a backlash from the public.

It is however unclear whether the remaining balance of N400 million was later paid to the commission but following the silence and inaction of the agency concerning Obi Cuban's case, your guess is as good as mine.

In his first interview with popular broadcast journalist, Mr. Daddy Freeze, here is what Cubana said after his release.

"I was in detention for four days and three nights. I didn’t feel bad because I knew the agency would do a thorough job and if I am cleared, I’d be let go (sic). There was no witch-hunt, nobody was after me."

In similar vein, haven been frustrated by the EFCC, the American Government decided to engage the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to continue with the investigation.

That was why the NDLEA invited Mr. Cubana for interrogation January this year.

In an article entitled: "Obi Cubana and the Drug Pushers," published in the Punch Newspaper of January 17, 2022 by Tunde Odesola, he said "the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency quizzed 46-year-old internet celebrity, Obinna Iyiegbu, aka Obi Cubana, over the payment of THREE different tranches of money by drug pushers convicted in New Delhi, India; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and Lagos, Nigeria, into his various bank accounts."

"From my findings over the weekend, Cubana came under the radar of security agencies when foreign intelligence services, in partnership with their Nigerian counterparts, established that three drug convicts separately paid various sums of money into his accounts."

"A highly placed security source disclosed to me that, “He (Cubana) has been under secret investigations for months based on what our foreign partners shared with us concerning the details of payments into his accounts by convicted drug pushers.

“Coincidentally, the NDLEA was the agency that arrested one of the drug pushers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, in 2016, securing conviction against the drug pusher in 2017."

Cubana inherited no fortune from his parents, just like his trusted 40-year-old second-in-command, Pascal Chibuike Okechukwu, aka Cubana Chief Priest, who was a shoemaker in Aba, Abia State, with his father, a few years ago.

However, Cubana may be claiming innocent, but his association with the likes of Afam Emmanuel Mallinson Ukatu, a drug baron with 103 bank accounts who was recently napped by the NDLEA haven been on it's wanted list for months is a source of concern as many young people across the country are looking up to Obi Cubana for mentoring.

If Mr. Cubana is allowed to move in to politics with many uncleared allegations hanging around his neck, what message would that send to our foreign partners about the country's commitment to the fight against crimes, money laundering and corruption?

Even if they are to sweep the case under the carpet, it should not be this particular one that emanated from the United States Government with much international attention.

Similar thing happened in Russia when Mikhail Khodorkovsky who was alleged to have made his money through some inexplicable means but wanted to bring the slush fund in to Russian politics, the Kremlin reacted by convicting and sentencing him to jail before he ran away from the country.

He has been living in London on exile for many years and not been able to control or have any direct influence on Russian politics.

The task is now up to the various anti-graft agencies to redeem their image as their action in the case of Obi Cubana has undoubtedly raised the red flag on their commitment to President Muhammadu Buhari's fight against corruption and how foreign governments would now start seeing the APC-led Federal Government sincerity in it's war against corruption.

Already, the United States Government has expressed concern on Nigeria's anti-graft war agencies, saying there were not doing enough to stop corruption and were driven by a climate of impunity and selective prosecution.

According to its annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, most high-profile cases being prosecuted by the agencies remain pending before the courts due to administrative or procedural delays.

If justice is not served in Mr. Cubana's case, Nigeria may be on it's way to proving to the world that it's indeed, one of the fantastically corrupt nations on earth.

Ebiowei Dickson is an investigative reporter with Pan-African News Agency.

https://punchng.com/obi-cubana-and-the-drug-pushers/?amp

Moronic

ekineme:
Wahala no dey finish?

Okrimosho

Jimoh Ibrahim In Trouble Over N69.4billion Debt Owed AMCON

‘...Court Of Appeal Orders Stay Of Contempt Proceedings He Initiated Against AMCON’

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja in Appeal No. CA/ABJ/CV/269/2022 in the case between the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) vs Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim has ruled that all proceedings including the contempt proceedings initiated by Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim and co at the trial court should be stayed pending the hearing, and determination of the substantive appeal.

The application for stay was argued on behalf of AMCON by their defence counsel A.U. Mustapha SAN & Co on March 30, 2022, and after listening to the arguments, the Court of Appeal delivered its ruling on Friday April 22, 2022. With that ruling, Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim and Co have been again neutralized from executing the said contempt proceedings order, which he obtained under questionable circumstances.

Recall that Jimoh Ibrahim, NICON Investment Limited, NICON Insurance Limited, Nigerian Reinsurance Corporation owe the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) a whopping N69.4billion with no intention whatsoever to pay. AMCON over the years had tried all reasonable and peaceful resolution strategies to recover the debt from Jimoh Ibrahim to no avail.

As a responsible debt recovery agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria, AMCON approached the Federal High Court (FHC) in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/760/2021 to seek justice, and accordingly received an order of the trial court to take over the businesses of Jimoh Ibrahim. AMCON further received the backing of the trial court to appoint a Receiver/Manager to oversee the businesses on behalf of AMCON.

Following the trial court’s ruling, Jimoh Ibrahim, claimed that he was directed by the court on March 9, 2022, to commence contempt proceedings against the Executive Management of AMCON, which led AMCON to challenge the said ruling by filling Notice of Appeal before the Court of Appeal on March 14, 2022.

The matter between Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim and AMCON has been interminable since the loan was purchased by the government debt recovery agency during the first phase of Eligible Bank Assets (EBA) purchases from Union Bank in the early days of AMCON. AMCON is however not deterred to recover the outstanding N69.4billion debt owed it by Barrister Ibrahim and his companies in the interest of the Nigerian economy and the public in general.

PeaceNexus:
Pathetic Op.

Go get yourself a job

Really?

Fidinno:
stupid writeup from a lousy clown

Lousy Clown?

slivertongue:
Hatchet write-up

Just like that?

Great article indeed

Yes, I quite agree with you that politics should not be left in the hands baby charlatans like the Cubana brands.

2023, Obi Cubana and the Unasked Questions

By Brown Justice

"Man's capacity for justice makes democracy possible, but man's inclination to injustice makes democracy a laughing stock" - Reinhold Niebuhr

Since the release of the electoral timetables for 2023 political activities by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the nation has witnessed all manner of declaration of interest for various elective positions next year by political contenders and pretenders.

Though there is no law that forbids any eligible person from declaring his interest to lead the people in any capacity but there are moral questions surrounding some of these declarations.

Sadly enough, Nigerians are carried away by the frenzies of these declarations without pondering to digg deep in to the lifestyles, source of wealth and the pedigrees of some of these fellows.

Leadership and governance are too serious to be left in the hands of shenanigans and money bags who believe that the electorates are goods that can be purchased with money.

To these folks, they believe that what money cannot do, more money can do.

However, the reason behind the sudden display of questionable wealth by Obinna Iyiegbu popularly known as Obi Cubana came to limelight recently when his immediate elder brother, Ikenna Iyiegbu declared his intention to run for the House of Representatives seat of Idemili North and South Federal Constituency of Anambra State under the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Immediately the announcement was made, Obi Cubana, the money bag quickly reacted by saying he was thrilled.

His words: "Yesterday, my immediate elder brother @ike_cubana Mr Ikenna Iyiegbu (Onyechimeleze) came and briefed me on his intention to represent our local government constituencies, Idemmili North and Idemmili South local government areas, at the Green Chamber of the National assembly in the 2023 General Elections, under the great APGA Party... We are solidly behind you on this!"

According to inside sources, Obi Cubana is the architect of the whole plot and his main goal is to dominate the politics of Anambra State and the South East in general using Idemili North and South as a launch pad.

Personally, I don't have qualms against such ambition but for a man whose source of wealth is opaque and questionable, I think it's high time the various anti-graft agencies began intensive interrogation of this man's source of wealth before it becomes too late.

This call has become urgent because Obi Cubana is fast becoming a bad influence on our youths and allowing such character to dominate the politics of Nigeria at a time the nation is in search of role models for some of our misguided youths, I think the menace of Boko Haram would be a child's play in the years ahead.

Already, the rate of ritual killings for money in the Southeast region and across the federation have skyrocketed because most youths are alleging that Obi Cubana made his money through rituals.

Though, there is no official statistics yet but the rate at which young men and women are missing these days because of ritual killings are alarming.

There is no single day that passes by without reports of boyfriend killing girlfriend or similar killings for money rituals gracing headlines in our print media and the social media; because every young man now believes that if Obi Cubana could go free for his alleged involvement in money rituals, then nothing stops them from engaging in it.

In Nigeria today, no body wants to serve again because every young man wants to hammer like Obi Cubana.

If you establish a small business and entrust it to a young man to run, the next thing he would be thinking is how to liquidate the business and run away with your money.

So, the Obi Cubana effects must be curtailed with proper investigations before it becomes a pain in a black man's ass.

Remember, this was how Mohammed Yusuf started with his Boko Haram organisation until the group became robot out of control.

All attempts by various governments to contain the organization since the death of it's founder and leader, Mohammed Yusuf has been very difficult because you can't decapitate a movement and incapacitate it's activities.

Unfortunately, the activities of Boko Haram has taken large chunks of the nation's annual budget since 2009 but this is something that could have been stopped at it's initial stage.

Obi Cubana may not be as violent as Mohammed Yusuf but if early warning advises are not headed to, "Saul may be on his way to Damascus." After all, history may not repeat itself, but sometimes it rhymes.

Apart from the security agencies doing their best to curtail the rate of crimes, psychological victory must be attained first.

In this case, comprehensive investigation of Obi Cuban's sudden display of wealth must be conducted and brought to the public to aid the ongoing fight against crimes.

Otherwise, there would be no end to the alarming rate of ritual killings across the country.

Again, Donald Trump effects should not be repeated in Nigeria. Recall that America's democracy was brought to it's knee simply because they allowed a political outsider and billionaire business man, Donald Trump to run for president.

Even when Donald Trump lost his re-election bid, he instigated Americans to go berserk against the American democracy and it's institutions to the extent that the Almighty White House was desecrated by pro-Trump protesters on January 6, 2021.

Therefore, to prevent the repeat of history in a negative way, Obi Cubana and his surrogates should be stopped from acquiring political power and relevance because that would be a recipe for disaster and bitter taste in the mouth of everyone in the years ahead.

The Nigerian Anti-graft agencies should act now and thank me later because wisdom is profitable to any nation that sees things before there happen.

Brown Justice is a social crusader. He writes from Awka, Anambra State.

good dor apc

Very good.

God bless Mr. President, we love you!

Karmaisme:
Zamfara V2.0 loading.

Back to sender

APC Blasts INEC, Says Commission Cannot Decide Who Becomes It's Acting Chairman

Press Release

APC Blasts INEC, Says Commission Cannot Decide Who Becomes It's Acting Chairman

A frontline support group of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC Alliance Network for Democracy has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, of interfering with the internal affairs of it's party against the independent status of the commission.

The group said, the insistence of the commission that the Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni remains the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the party is like a referee whose duty is to officiate a football match dabbling into the internal matters of a football team by insisting that a particular person should be made the coach of the team instead of cooperating with whoever the team presents as it's coach for the match.

In a statement released to newsmen in Abuja by the Director-General of the alliance, the group accused INEC of working hand in gloves with the opposition People's Democratic Party, PDP, saying the commission was silent when Uche Secondus was removed and another person was appointed to preside over the party's convention last year; questioning why should the commission be changing it's goal post at will?

It noted that INEC should be independent as the law establishing it requires and not to be displaying characters that gives credence to insinuations in some quarters that INEC has become PDP's INEC instead of serving the interest of Nigerians.

Accordingly, we wish to remind the commission that the Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello was not appointed outside the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee but has been a member of the body.

That his new status does not in anyway make him the substantive chairman of party but an acting chairman until a substantive national chairman is elected during the upcoming convention.

That his new position does not affect any correspondence the committee might have entered in to with the commission as that is still part and parcel of the committees mandate.

That his nomination enjoys the endorsement of critical stakeholders of the party; including the leader of the party, His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari.

That Governor Bello's mandate is to conduct the national convention of the party which the former Caretaker Chairman never wanted to conduct.

Since the same Caretaker Committee is still in place, INEC ought to have known that all correspondences between it and the caretaker committee remains valid.

Therefore, we urge the commission to be truly independent and neutral instead of acting like a bull in a China shop.

SIGNED:

HON. JOE OZURUMBA,
DIRECTOR-GENERAL,
APC ALLIANCE NETWORK FOR DEMOCRACY.

Press Release

APC Congratulates New Party Chairman, Says His Emergence An Act of God

The leadership and management of APC Alliance Network For Democracy has congratulated the new Chairman, Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of the ruling party and Governor of Niger State, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello on his emergence as the new party Chairman, saying his emergence is an act of God.

In a statement released to newsmen in APC Secretariat today in Abuja by the Director-General of the alliance, Hon. Joe Ozurumba, the group commended the President for throwing his weight behind the new leadership, saying his emergence will surely save the party from further cataclysm, public shame and embarrassment the out gone leadership had subjected the party to.

The group however advised the new leadership to ensure that the coming convention of the party remains sacrosanct and one that will send shivers down the spines of the opposition parties.

While promising to work with the new leadership, the group advised the Sani Bello-led Committee to embrace all party members without showing disdain for anybody on account of what transpired in the past.

SIGNED;

HON. JOE OZURUMBA,
DIRECTOR-GENERAL,
APC ALLIANCE NETWORK FOR DEMOCRACY

New APC Chairman, Bello Dissolves Convention Planning Committee Members, Promise to Constitute New One

In what seemed to be his first official duty in office today, the new Chairman of the ruling party All Progressives Congress and Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello has dissolved the 1526 Convention Planning Committee Members constituted by the former Caretaker Committee Chairman of the party and Governor of Yobe Mala Buni.

Details of the dissolution will come later in the day

Imo Governor, Hope Uzodinma Congratulates New APC

Following the successful removal of the Yobe State Governor,Mallam Mai Mala Buni as Chairman of the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC and the successful takeover of the office by Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello on the order of the leader of the party, President Muhammadu Buhari, the Imo State Governor, Gov. Hope Uzodinma has Congratulated the new chairman while advising his former friend Mala Buni to step down as a mark of respect for Mr. President.

According to a source in Imo State Government House, the governor has directed his media aid to issue a statement in that regard.

Details later

Press Release

Leave Professor Olayemi Alone, Buhari Group Warns Mischief Makers

A leading support group of the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration has advised mischief makers in the Federal University Lokoja to stop their campaign of calumny against the erudite Professor of history and the university he leads.

In a statement released to newsmen in Abuja by the North Central Coordinator of the Buhari for Better Tomorrow Movement (BFBTM), Mallam Abubakar Shaibu, the group accused some ethnic bigots working in collaboration with some vested interests within the university environment of manufacturing the lies, unsubstantiable claims and hallucinations against the renowned Professor.

We are aware that the university has been a dumping ground for some of the low class and non-performing staff over the years but that poor rating of the university changed within one year of Mr. President's appointment of Professor Olayemi Durotimi Akinwumi; a feat we cherish for adding colour to the successes of the Buhari administration

Is it not ludicrous that a day after the news of the excellent scoring of the university's performance in the last one year was unveiled to Nigerians by a team of erudite professors who went to the University's College of Health sciences for Resource Verification, that some disgruntled irredentists went to sponsor their concocted lies against the Professor and the University in the media?

We are not against anyone who want to use legitimate means to get promotion or grant for further studies, but allowing such selfish desire to grow to the level of trying to tarnish the reputation of Professor Olayemi and the Buhari administration is what we will not take for granted anymore.

Therefore, we in Buhari for Better Movement are very proud of Professor Olayemi for bringing glory to our government and would not fail to recommend him for National Honour's Award when the time comes.

Signed:

Mallam Abubakar Shaibu,
North Central Coordinator,
Buhari for Better Tomorrow Movement

Ume Kalu: A Dysfunctional Personality Desperately Looking For Political Rehabilitation

By Mohammed Kerimu

I read the malicious letter written by one Ume Kalu, the former Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General in Abia State where he made some uncomplimentary remarks against the Governor, Speaker and the government of Abia State.

As a reporter who has covered Abia State for years, I have first hand information about Mr. Kalu who is the direct definition of the things he is accusing others of doing simply because a better candidate who is smarter and more intelligent than himself was chosen as Deputy to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu in 2019.

As Commissioner in Abia State for 10 years without anything to show, Mr. Kalu ought to have known that he who once lived in a glass house does not throw stones especially when there are many illegalities traceable to him.

Otherwise, how can a kettle be calling pot black? Can Mr. Kalu in all honesty and sincerity tell the world the real owner of properties like Shoprite in Umuahia which he claimed belonged to the Ochendo family?

Also, can Mr. Kalu tell the world how he made away with more than six official vehicles purchased by the state government and converted them to personal use without any modicum of decency to leave them behind for his successor? Yet, he is preaching probity!

Has Mr. Kalu forgotten that Abia State government would spend money to replace those vehicles when government could have made do with the available ones if he had not carted them away? Yet, he is the one shamelessly preaching prudence in governance.

Currently, Mr. Kalu is Abuja lobbying APC leadership so as to give him their ticket to run for Governor in 2023 but the question is, what record does he have to even conceive such idea in the first place?

How many people has he imparted their lives positively besides sending innocent people to jail during his stint as Attorney General in the state?

'As a man in office for 10 years, can Mr. Kalu tell Abians how many youths he was able to empower and how many families he was able to help to be on their feet today except to oppress them?

How many schools was he able to renovate and how many students from his community was he able to place on scholarship despite spending 10 years in office as Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General?

Mr. Kalu should know who to pick fight against and not attacking perceived enemies who he thinks has more clouts and popularity than himself.

Finally, if Mr. Kalu is looking for popularity, he should continue with his publicity stunt with the Nigerian Army and not the established politicians in Abia State who are at home with their people.

Mohammed Kerimu files this report from Aba, Abia State.