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The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has sworn in Justice Olukayode Ariwoola as the substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria.
The swearing-in took place at the State House on Wednesday before the start of the Federal Executive Council meeting.
President Buhari has once again reassured Nigerians that he would hand over a Nigeria free of insecurity to the next set of leaders in 2023.
The President gave the assurance while speaking at the 2022 National Honours Award Investiture held at the International Conference Centre in Abuja on Tuesday, October 11.
Buhari said his administration would root out all forms of banditry, criminality, terrorism and insurgency before leaving office in May 2023.
“We will continue to root out all forms of banditry, criminality, terrorism and insurgency in the land.
As I stated earlier in my in- dependence address to the nation, I will hand over a Nigeria that is free from insecurity to the next generation of leaders” President Buhari said
According to the president, the national honours were not mere decoration but a reminder of citizens’ responsibility, saying that, “we must always endeavour to do our best for our country.”
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has filed a four-count money laundering charge against a former Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Olasupo Shasore, SAN, accusing him of inducing one Olufolakemi Adetore to accept cash payment without going through a financial institution.
Shasore was the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice during Mr Babatunde Fashola-led government.
Vanguard reports that according to the charge sheet filed by the EFCC at the Federal High Court in Lagos on August 12, 2022, the former attorney-general was alleged to have made a cash payment of $100,000 to Olufolakemi Adelore through Auwalu Habu and Wole Aboderin.
He was alleged to have committed the offences on or about November 18, 2014.
The charge also added that the former Lagos State’s Attorney-General made a cash payment of $100,000 to one Ikechukwu Oguine without going through a financial institution.
The offences contravened sections 78(c); 1(a) and 16(1)(d) and 18(c) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and were punishable under section 16(6) and 16 (2)(b) of the same Act.
The arraignment of Shasore has been fixed for October 20.
Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Yakubu Mahmood has revealed that 2.7 million double registrations were weeded out of the last Continuous Voters Registration exercise conducted by the commission.
Speaking on Tuesday October 11, at a National Endowment for Democracy event in Washington DC in the United States, Yakubu also said the new Permanent Voter Cards will be made available by November.
He also revealed that about 50% of the new PVCs are ready but yet to be distributed to collection centres.
As the world celebrates the International Girl Child day, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and singer, Teni have been conferred with national honours.
While Okonjo-Iweala and Amina were presented with the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) award at the National Honors Award held on Tuesday October 11, at the International Conference Centre in Abuja, Teni was awarded the Member of the Order of the Niger (MON).
The Osun State Police Command has disclosed that Chief Oladepo Asaolu, who was abducted and killed in the state was sold to kidnappers by his tenant.
Late Asaolu was the Babaloja of Ora-Igbomina in Ifedayo Local Government Area of Osun State.
The decomposing body of Asaolu was recovered from Akisa forest in Ora-Igbomina four days after he was abducted.
Asaolu was said to have been declared missing on October 5, 2022 after a motorcyclist came to his house in Ora-Igbomina around 5am and took him to an unknown place.
The deceased was said to have informed neighbours that the unknown bike man was taking him to his farm.
Spokesperson of the command, Yemisi Opalola, said four suspects have been arrested in connection with the murder.
The PPRO told Channels Television that one of Asaolu’s tenants allegedly sold him to some kidnappers for N1 million.
“It is true that the man’s decomposing corpse was found in the bush on Sunday.
I gathered that his tenant, an indigene of Osan community, close to Ora-Igbomina, sold him to kidnappers at the rate of N1 million.
Meanwhile, his abductors have been arrested. Four of them are presently at the police net.” the police spokesperson said.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that political parties can no longer substitute the candidates whose names have been published on its final list.
The commission which disclosed that the window for the withdrawal and substitution of candidates has closed, added that only dead candidates and those whose nominations are voided by the courts can be substituted.
The Nation reported that INEC also revealed that only the New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP) had approached it to replace Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau who defected to the Peoples Democratic Party PDP.
Shekaru was nominated as NNPP’s senatorial candidate for Kano Central before he dumped the party, forcing the NNPP to approach INEC for substitution. INEC rejected NNPP’s request because it was made after the window for substitution had elapsed.
Confirming the development, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye said;
“The period for the withdrawal and substitution of candidates has elapsed and the Commission has published the final list of candidates standing nominated for national and state elections.
“At this point in time, a candidate can only get on the list if the duly and validly nominated candidate dies. Any form of withdrawal on grounds of voluntary withdrawal or incapacitation can no longer take place.
“Yes, the Commission is aware of some pending litigations. At the end of the day, the Commission will comply with valid court orders based on constitutional dictates. We urge political parties to focus on their campaigns and rallies as the next big thing in the electoral process.
“The Commission is now focused on making the Permanent Voters Cards available for collection by legally registered persons.
The Commission is also focussed at making sure that voters are equitably distributed to the various polling units.“The Commission will not be distracted with belated requests for withdrawals and substitution of candidates.
All the registered political parties have a copy of the Timetable and Schedule of Activities released on the February 26, 2022 and the schedule and timelines are clearly delineated.”
Unknown gunmen on Monday, October 10, invaded the Ezza North local government area headquarters and set a section of the building ablaze, destroying valuable items and documents worth millions.
Confirming the incident to newsmen, the chairman of the local government, Chief Ogodo Ali Nomeh, said that the arsonists numbering over 20 persons stormed the area around 1:30 am in the morning and proceeded to set ablaze the store of the local government.
He said the arsonists were however resisted by the police who succeeded in inflicting bullet wounds on some of them before their escape.
“The fire destroyed new air conditioners bought for the renovation of the council, some documents and a generating sets and some furniture”, he explained.
The chairman said efforts are being made to apprehend the hoodlums.
Former secretary of the PDP, Reno Omokri has asked the Peoples Democratic Party to issue a disclaimer against former presidential aide, Reno Omokri’s posts.
Metuh made the call while quoting Reno Omokri’s post targeted against supporters of Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Omokri had written;
You rage against Tinubu. You insult his ethnicity (who are the most accommodating people in Nigeria and perhaps Africa). You accuse him of using MC Oluomo. You say Obi is far better than Tinubu. You say Obi will turn Nigeria into paradise. Yet, you remain in Lagos and refuse to leave Lagos for the paradise that Obi created in Anambra! The only reason I am against Tinubu is because as a drug lord, he can be blackmailed by foreign intelligence services. Otherwise, he performed as Lagos Governor. If you maintain that Obi did better than Tinubu, prove it by packing your kaya and relocate to Anambra!
Reacting to this, Metuh stated that while Omokri is not a member of the Presidential Campaign team, his closeness to PDP’s Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar and his open support for the party may mislead people to believe his posts represents the views of the Party.
He also said that while the former presidential aide had agreed on issue-based campaign, he is reneging on the promise he made.
Metuh wrote;
The time has come for the Peoples Democratic Party to issue a disclaimer to Reno Omokri’s posts.
Whilst he is not a member of the Presidential Campaign team, his closeness to the Presidential candidate and his open support for the party may mislead people to believe his posts as representating the views of the Party.
There is no way any responsible or respectable democrat can condone such insensitivity. We did not join politics to mock or disparage any set of individuals, least of all a whole tribe.
The founding fathers of the PDP had noble ideals and its ideals and values should not be desecrated by any individual, on the altar of a false strategy to engineer hatred against any tribe or stroke an ethnic contest.
I spoke with Reno yesterday morning and he agreed on issue based campaign only, this is a complete negation of that promise.We all should insist on an issue based campaign.
Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has taken to his Twitter handle to mock civil society group, SERAP, over their recent lawsuit against President Buhari.
In a tweet posted on its handle, SERAP said it is going to file a lawsuit against President Buhari over the recent discovery of a pipeline used to steal petroleum products.
”BREAKING: We’re suing the Buhari administration over the discovery of illegal oil pipelines, to compel it to name those responsible for the plundering of the country’s oil wealth, bring them to justice, and recover the proceeds of crime.”
Reacting to the tweet, Gov El-Rufai wrote;”
@SERAPNigeria PMB should have given you guys the first-in-history national honor of GCBBFR – Grand Clowns and Body-Bodies of the Federal Republic!! Your thoughtless words and ineffective actions have earned the recognition!!”
The Osun State Police Command has debunked claim of the convoy of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, being attacked in the state.
The command’s spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola said the video was actually recorded during the October 17, 2020, attack on Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola’s convoy during End Sars protest in Osogbo.
The police spokesperson asked residents of the state to disregard the information and go about their legitimate businesses without entertaining fear of insecurity
The statement read;
“The attention of Osun State Police Command has been drawn to the news making the rounds and video trending on social media that; Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s convoy was attacked by Osun Youths on the 8th of October 2022.
“The Osun State Police Command wishes to inform the members of the public that, the news/trending video on social media was the attack on the Osun State Governor, His Excellency Oyetola Adegboyega’s convoy by EndSars protesters about 2 years ago, 17th of October 2020 and not the 8th of October 2022, as being mischievously circulated.
“To put the record straight, I wish to inform you that Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu did not come to Osun State for any program of late at all.
The Commissioner of Police, therefore, enjoins the good people of the State to disregard the information and go about their legitimate businesses without entertaining fear of insecurity.”
The All Progressives Congress Northern Christian leaders will be adopting a consensus candidate to defeat the All Progressives Congress’ Muslim-Muslim ticket.
The group led by Yakubu Dogara, a former speaker of the house of representatives, and Babachir Lawal, a former secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), had earlier expressed their disappointment over the decision of the APC to field a same-faith ticket.
A communique issued after their meeting this past weekend read;
“That we have agreed to work together with a view to fostering unity, peace and national cohesion.
“To work together and jointly adopt a pan-Nigerian political platform that will engender unity, inclusiveness and a sense of belonging among the Nigerian citizenry.
“Conscious of multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural configuration of Nigeria we believe that a same faith ticket and voting along religious lines may trigger dangerous dimensions of negative consequences among our disparate peoples in ways that will hamper nation building.
“Consequently, we have agreed to channel our energies on matters that unite us more as a people instead of encouraging attacks on sensitive issues bothering on religion in the name of politics.
“In view of the above, we have agreed to set up a committee with the mandate to fashion out strategies for advancing the objectives set forth in this resolution.”
Dr Ibrahim Aminu Kurami, the lawmaker representing Bakori LGA in Katsina State House of Assembly is dead.
He died in Saudi Arabia where he went to perform Umrah.
A family source told Daily Trust that he died around 2am today, after a brief illness in Madinah.
Kurami, who was elected into Katsina State House of Assembly in a by-election conducted on October 31, 2020, following the death of his predecessor, Hon. Abdurrazak Ismail Tsiga, left behind two wives, 11 children and three grandchildren.
The Osun State Police Cmmand has confirmed the the kidnap and murder of Chief Oladepo Asaolu, the Babaloja of Ora-Igbomina, Oke-Ila Local Government Area of the state.
Spokesperson of the command, Yemisi Opalola, who disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, October 9, said four suspects have been arrested in connection with the murder.
“At about 2230hrs one Oladepo Olasunkanmi ‘M’ of Kereja Area Ora-Igbomina under the Oke-Ika Police Division reported that his father Chief Oladepo Asaolu left his house at Kereja Ora-Igbomina at about 0500hrs of 05/10/2022 with an unknown commercial motorcyclist and yet to return home after four (4) days,” the statement read.
“Upon intelligence-led investigation, the arrest of the motorcyclist was made. He revealed the forest where the victim was killed and dumped.
“The DPO led a team of policemen and some vigilante men in search of the victim in Akisa forest Ora-Igbomina where the victim has a farm, together with Sunday Johnson (motorcyclist), the suspect to where the victim was found already decomposing,”
The statement revealed that the arrest of Sunday Johnson has led to the arrest of three other suspects who have already confessed to being involved in the kidnap and killing of the victim.
The PPRO said the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for investigation.
He added that arrangements were in progress to move the decomposing body of Chief Asaolu to the nearest morgue.
The chairman of Lagos State Parks and Garages management committee, Musiliu Akinsanya popularly known as MC Oluomo and other supporters of the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu are holding a rally in Lagos State on Sunday.
The march commenced at the Teslim Balogun Stadium and will terminate at Oshodi.
A former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, is dead.
Ogbulafor, according to an undisclosed source, died peacefully on Thursday night in Canada at the age of 73.
A former National Secretary, Ogbulafor became National Chairman of the PDP after Umaru Yar’ Adua won the 2007 Presidential election.
An indigene of Olokoro in Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State, his stewardship courted controversy with statements credited to him, considered uncomplimentary.
He was quoted as saying that he didn’t give a damn if Nigeria became a one-party state even as he boasted that the PDP would govern Nigeria for at least 60 years.
That dream was, however, aborted when the party lost power in 2015 to the All Progressives Congress.
A top official of the Abia State Government who spoke to The PUNCH, on Saturday morning, on the condition of anonymity confirmed the death when asked. “Yes, he’s dead. He died in Canada,” he said.
President Muhammadu Buhari has arrived at the national assembly to present the 2023 appropriation bill.
The budget presentation, which is the last before he hands over to his successor, is taking place at the improvised House of Representatives chamber.
While he would be presenting an appropriation bill of N19.76 trillion, the national assembly had already approved the medium-term expenditure framework (MTEF) and fiscal strategy paper (FSP) parameters on which the 2023 budget will be framed.
There was jubilation in the camp of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on Thursday when he returned to the country.
While he was aware, reports were suggesting that Tinubu was ill and could be receiving medical attention in London.
The situation forced the candidate and his handlers to release a series of photographs and videos to dispel the rumour of his ill health.
Elated party chiefs and loyalists were at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Thursday to receive Tinubu.
They were led by his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima; and a former APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, among others.
It was learnt that Tinubu will immediately engage in a series of political consultations.
The former Lagos State governor is expected to host members of his Presidential Campaign Council, Progressive Governors Forum and the National Working Committee of the APC in separate meetings to discuss the contentious campaign list.
A former Minister of Communications and Director General of the Asiwaju Tinubu-Shettima Coalition for Good Governance, Adebayo Shittu, told The PUNCH that the wild jubilation that greeted Tinubu’s arrival was enough to make some people cover their faces in shame.
“They probably thought he won’t return to the country. I told you earlier he is coming today, didn’t I?
“Let us even assume he went for medical treatment abroad, should that be an issue? His fitness video and the eventual return have put an end to all their speculations,” he said.
The Director of Media and Publicity for the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Bayo Onanuga, had earlier told The PUNCH that the previous October 10 selected as the date for the launch of the campaign was no longer feasible.
He said,
“Oct 10 date is not certain for the launch of our campaign. It was the date we chose before. It is tentative and not cast in stone.”
When asked about his itinerary, Onanuga said though Tinubu would be busy after his return from London, he is not aware of any nocturnal meeting his principal might be having last night.
Another member of the PCC media team, Biodun Ajiboye, told our correspondent that he didn’t understand what the euphoria and fixation that greeted the candidate’s arrival were about. “Are they expecting Asiwaju won’t return before?” he asked.
He however acknowledged that being the workaholic that he is, Tinubu would hit the ground running.“He is going to start his usual busy schedule from this night.
Naturally, as the presidential candidate of Africa’s largest political party, he should be busy. What do you think? “He has missed a few days of work that he is eager to recover. So I don’t think it is anything to worry about,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has promised that Tinubu will tackle the challenges faced by youths, women and other vulnerable people in society.
The governor stated this on Thursday during an event organised by the Asiwaju Grassroots Talk in Oregun, Lagos.
Sanwo-Olu said his endorsement of the AGT advocacy project stemmed from the proven ability of the group to influence and mobilise real voters, noting that AGT had a strong presence across communities in the state.
He said,
“We are ready to take the gospel out to the electorate and canvass for their support for the Tinubu presidency. Asiwaju has verifiable track records in good governance and service delivery, which canvassers can use to engage and win the support of potential voters.
“We must talk about the transformative leadership, progressive ideals, and vision possessed by Asiwaju to take this country to another level of meaningful development.
“Tinubu is coming to bring hope, bring about change that will translate to real prosperity.” He is coming to address the challenges facing the youth, women, and the vulnerable in our country.
“His programmes will touch the lives of traders, artisans, and those in search of legitimate means of livelihood.
It is because of our strong belief in Asiwaju’s leadership that we are all coming together to endorse this grassroots movement to ensure Lagos is delivered for APC.”
A motion to derecognise Celestine Omehia, as a former Governor of Rivers State has been passed by Rivers State House of Assembly.
Leader of the House, Martin Amaewmule moved the motion to reverse an earlier resolution of the 8th Assembly on June 30, 2015 which compelled the Executive Arm, headed by Governor Nyesom Wike to recognise Omehia as a former Governor and according him all entitlements, privileges and benefits.
He noted that recognition of Omehia in that capacity will be a bridge of the Supreme Court judgement which removed Celestine Omehia as a Governor in 2007 for not being the duly elected candidate in that year’s election.
Asides submitting a copy of the Nigerian Weekly Law Report that contains the landmark judgement which removed Omehia from office and declared Rotimi Amaechi as the duly elected candidate of the PDP at the time and the right person to occupy the office of the Governor, the lawmaker also moved a motion to reverse the earlier resolution because the 9th Assembly has a better knowledge and particulars on the said Supreme Court Judgement.
After lawmakers at the house of assembly debated on the motion, they all voted to reverse the earlier resolution because the 9th Assembly has a better knowledge and particulars on the said Supreme Court Judgement.
Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani noted that while the house was right in taking the decision, no law is absolute.
The spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, says the female orderly of former Vice President and PDP Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar’s wife, Titi, will be sanctioned for carrying her bag at an event.
A Twitter user had shared a photo of the orderly holding Mrs Atiku’s bag at an event on Wednesday, October 5, with the caption;
”When a private citizen can turn our uniform force member into her maid, why won’t the police forget their primary duty and only dance to the tune of the elites? @BenHundeyin is this how it’s supposed to be?”
Responding, Adejobi wrote;
”This is not acceptable. We have commenced necessary action on this. We will fish her out and get across to the principal.
The AIG Special Protection Unit has been contacted to assist us get the woman police. Gradually, we will sanitise the system.”
