Politics, World News

Don’t vote Muslim-Muslim ticket – Northern APC Christians.

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Northern Christian leaders in the All Progressives Congress on Friday called on Nigerians not to vote for any ticket that was not mixed between Christians and Muslims during the 2023 elections.

According to them, since the Muslim-Muslim ticket for the presidency was divisive, it must be rejected by all patriotic Nigerians.

They bared their minds during the APC Northern Christian Leaders Summit, with a declaration that the insinuation that Northern Muslims would not support a Christian running made was untrue and divisive.

Among the leaders who spoke during the event were a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal; former Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; former Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung; Senator Ishaku Abbo (Adamawa North) and several other Christian leaders in Northern Nigeria.

Lawal, who was also the chairman of the occasion, said colleagues within and outside the APC expressed shock over their reaction to the APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket in the 2023 general election, saying it was a grand conspiracy against the Northern Christians.

The former SGF said, “Our opposition has some historical basis. There were times in the past when Christians produced the Deputy Governors in Kebbi, Niger and Kaduna states. Now, it is wholly Muslim-Muslim tickets.

“It is worth noting that all these are happening in the APC-controlled states. They are threatening to do likewise in Gombe, Kogi and Adamawa states.

“It is also now a recurring practice in the North whereby any Christian traditional ruler that dies is replaced with a Muslim Prince, albeit from the ruling family even if the most qualified and preferred prince is a Christian. The recent case of Billiri Chiefdom in Gombe State is still fresh in our minds.

“Proof of its anti-Christian agenda is that our party itself has completely eliminated Northern Christians from its NWC (National Working Committee) and NEC (National Executive Committee). All our protestations as party members have been completely ignored by the party leadership.

“But as members of the APC, we have the right to continue to express our indignation at these happenings and will not give up until we secure the justice that is due us.

“The main purpose of this historical narrative is to let you know that for the APC, a Muslim-Muslim ticket has been a long-term political strategy and not a one-off decision. Thus, all this talk of competence as the reason for the choice of the Muslim VP are balderdash and diversionary. This is a calculated anti-Christian exclusion agenda that is being implemented.

“We see this ticket as an assent to the current and continuing educational, economic and political marginalisation of the Northern Nigerian Christians.

“Christians all over the country see this MM ticket as a deliberate and premeditated attempt to introduce and firmly entrench religion into the politics of this country. This, of course, will lead to further disharmony in the hitherto fragile coexistence of the Nigerian society, disrupt peace and hamper both social and economic development of the country.

“Christians, and indeed most enlightened Nigerians are at a loss as to why people that intend to govern a country with our kind of diversity would choose this path to power. This is very divisive and must be rejected by all patriotic Nigerians.

“Implied in this ticket is the insinuation that Northern Muslims are not willing to vote for a ticket that has a Christian on it and on which they are not represented. It is our belief that northern Muslims would have seen the justice in a Muslim-Christian ticket and would have given it their overwhelming support had the party been inclined to do so.

“A corollary to this mindset is that Christians should also not vote for a ticket in which they are not accommodated. Unfortunately, this is the message we get loud and clear from this MM ticket. This is truly a wake-up call for all Nigerian Christians. We didn’t start this religious politics, the APC and its candidates did; so, all of us should take note and act as appropriate.”

While advising his APC colleagues to spare them the sanctimonious lectures on “competence” and the cliché “religion of the candidates does not matter”, Lawal added that, “The truth is that the 2023 presidential election will be all about religion, and sadly, you started it; religion does matter in this context; so be ready for the consequences”.

Lawal said, “It is important to reiterate that we Nigerian Christians want to live in peace and harmony with all practitioners of other religions. We want to enjoy social and economic developments like other parts of the world but without peace, justice and religious harmony, this is not possible.

“On our part, we neither seek to oppress nor dominate anyone or any religion. But we will also resist anyone trying to discriminate against us and our religion. We were not the ones that started this fight. The APC started it and must be ready to carry the cross it has created. Blaming Christians and heaping insults on CAN will take them nowhere.

“For, how do they expect Christians to keep silent when a northern state governor publicly states that they pressured (Bola) Tinubu to get a northern Muslim VP because they did not believe him to be a good Muslim? Is the VP going to be the National Deputy Imam? How do they expect us to keep silent when another northern state governor goes to Osun State and urges them to vote for someone just because he is a Muslim? Was he there for the election campaign or “dawah”? What can be a better example of religion in politics than demonstrated by these governors?

“Clearly, there is an agenda to politically, religiously, and economically suppress and oppress the Northern Christian. But we are up to the task. We will protect ourselves. The PVC and our prayers will be our weapons of choice and we will massively deploy them in 2023.

“But while we are ready to battle this politics of exclusion and oppression, we are open to discussions with any one who wants to engage with us in good faith.”

Dogara, on his part, said with the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the APC, Nigeria was going the way of the Nazi Germany.

The former Speaker of the House of Representatives, who said the APC wanted to disintegrate Nigeria like USSR and Yugoslavia, added that the party looked like a “janjaweed” party.

According to him, Nigeria of 2022 is not the Nigeria of 1993 adding that the presidential candidate of the APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has made a fatal error of judgment.

Dogara also supported the position of other Christian leaders on the Muslim-Muslim ticket, with a call on Christians to seek for an alternative platform in the 2023 elections.

“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. Truth must be told that anyone who is not bringing us together is consciously tearing us apart”, Dogara added.

Senator Abbo said no Northerner would fight his brother because he is a Muslim, adding that they were fighting injustice.

He called on Nigerians to reject every divisive tendency of individuals to divide the people.

Politics, World News

Peter Obi group seeks voter registration deadline extension.

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The Peter Obi Support Network on Friday called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to extend the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration exercise until at least, November 2022.

The POSN said that it might “be left with no other option than to seek redress in court since all entreaties to INEC to continue the CVR have fallen on deaf ears.”

The POSN Director (Legal/Election Monitoring), Modupe Olufemi-Akodu, issued the threat in a statement in Abuja.

She said, “We have made several appeals to INEC to stick to the Electoral Law which stipulates that voter registration should stop 90 days before the general elections. But all our entreaties seem to have fallen on deaf ears as INEC is going ahead with its plans to suspend the exercise on July 31.

“This is suspected to be a trick to disenfranchise millions of young potential voters who have not been able to register or transfer their cards within this period.”

Olufemi-Akodu raised the alarm that INEC’s action amounts to voter suppression, which it hopes will favour a particular political party against the other.

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Atiku lied during interview, says Wike.

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The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, on Friday, claimed that the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, allegedly made false statements during his recent interview on Arise TV.

This is as he also confirmed that contrary to reports, the former Vice president was yet to begin a reconciliation move despite claims on pages of newspapers that a committee had been set up to meet with him.

Wike stated this while briefing journalists at the Port Harcourt International Airport.

“He (Atiku) appeared on Arise Television, see the statement he made. So many lies were told and you said I should not react to some of those issues. That would not be fair,” Wike claimed.

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Katsina REC blames low voters registration on insecurity and network suspension.

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Alhaji Jibril Zarewa, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in President Muhammadu Buhari’s home state, Katsina, has blamed the low number of registered voters in Katsina State on the suspension of telecommunications services in 17 Local Government Areas (LGAs) due to insecurity.

Addressing journalists at the state’s INEC office, Zarewa disclosed that the decision to shutdown telecommunication services was part of moves by security operatives to clampdown on bandits in the state following the incessant attacks recorded in the area.

He said; 

“Like some other sister states, Niger, Kaduna, Zamfara, and sokoto, we (Katsina) had our own share of security challenges, particularly, in the frontline LGAs and some more.

“The state government at a time found it necessary to suspend telecommunication network. Therefore we had to suspend voters registration for the duration of that suspension.

“That’s why we suspended the registration of voters in those 17 LGAs out of 34, which means at a time, we were not doing registration for half of the state, made up of the Local Governments of Jibia, Batsari, Kurfi, Dutsinma, Danmusa, Safana, Matazu, Musawa Kafur Malumfashi, Danja, Bakori, Sabuwa, Funtua, Dandume, Faskari and Kankara. These mentioned areas are in the outskirts of Rugu forest where most of the bandits are alleged to be hiding.

“That was why at a time, we were moving with states that has lesser population or lesser number of registered voters. Because if you check, Katsina State is number 4 by population in Nigeria; after Kano, Lagos, Kaduna, then is Katsina. It was also number 4 for voters registration after Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina.

“Then later another reason, people were rarely coming out after the suspension was lifted.”

Zarewa however noted that the state has been witnessing a surge in PVC registration lately. 

He added; 

“I want to say and put on record that the Katsina Emirate Council last week did something very robustly, by engaging the relevant stakeholders and putting more impetus with district and village ward heads to go round and mobilize people to come out for registration.

“As a result, from Friday last week and even this week, we have seen the jump over what we use to experience in the past. We have seen a lot of people turning out for the registration.

“If you look at the review of the records of registration done within the week, you can see that Katsina is now number 23 in registration. So we believe that we will do better these few days that remains before closing.”

Politics, World News

Delta: Ijaw communities protest schoolteachers’ shortage

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The Ijaw communities in Delta State have protested the shortage of teachers in their community schools, calling on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to as a matter of urgency absorb community teachers.

The protesters who carried placards of different inscriptions barricaded the Government House’s gate and urged the government to incorporate the community teachers into the state workforce

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, the President of Ijaw Elite Forum, Mr  Ganagana Francis, stated that the reason for the peaceful demonstration was to set the educational standards in riverine communities.

Ganagana decried the dearth of teaching staff in riverine communities, saying that in most schools in urban areas there were over 130 teachers in a school but only a principal and a teacher could be seen in riverine areas.

He called on the government to employ the community teachers that were being paid by the PTA in order to improve the standard of education in the areas.

Other representatives of the various concerned riverine communities who spoke at the protest said many schools in the riverine areas do not have more than two or three teachers who were employed by the state government.

The representatives include; chairman of Tamigbe community, Mr. Stephen Akameyai; the chairman of Esanma community in the Bomadi Local Government Area, Barr. Theophilus Omoro and their counterpart in charge of Bulu-Elebiri community, Patani LGA, Derek Edih.

“We are calling on the state government to consider our community teachers and ensure they are incorporated into the state workforce.

“For the state government to impact positively on the children of riverine communities in the area of driving its educational policy, government needed to employ the community teachers, since they understood the terrain much better,” the representatives said.

Addressing the protesters, the state Chairman of Post-Primary Education Board, Mrs. Christiana Etaluku, said she had already informed the State Governor on the importance of considering community teachers in the recruitment exercise.

She assured the community that the board would intensify monitoring of teachers in riverine areas as part of strategy to ensure that teachers in the areas took their job seriously.

Politics, World News

Ebonyi debunks alleged killing of woman by herdsmen.

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Ebonyi State Government, on Thursday, debunked allegations on social media that herdsmen were involved in the killing of a young lady in the Onicha Local Government Area of the state.

The body of the young lady, said to hail from Amaporo village, was found along a bush path between Agbebor, Isu and Onicha-Igboeze communities on Wednesday.

The situation caused tension in the area as the youths raised a search party to hunt for the killers.

However, their efforts were not successful as the killers were said to have allegedly escaped.

Pictures of the slain lady soon flooded the social media with unconfirmed allegations that herdsmen were responsible for the attacks.

In the pictures, the victim could be seen lying lifeless on a pile of firewood with her throat slit.

However, the state government in a statement by the Commissioner for Information, Uchenna Orji said there was no evidence so far to link the murder to herdsmen adding that there were no herdsmen residing in the area.

He said the victim was believed to have been attacked by criminal elements in the area while she was returning from a neighbouring village.

Orji said, “Our attention has been drawn to a trending social media post over a young girl found dead in a village in Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State and the impressions created over the circumstances of her death.

“While the state government condemns the ugly incident as unacceptable brutal murder of an innocent citizen by heartless criminals, it is imperative to note that contrary to the claims circulating in social media that Fulani herders were responsible for her gruesome murder, the community has not seen anything linking her death with the Fulani herdsmen, moreso there is no herders’ camp in the area”

“The unfortunate incident is the handiwork of yet-to-be-identified criminals who attacked and killed the deceased on her way, through a track road, back from where she went to process cassava at Agbegbor village in Isu community, Onicha Local Government Area.

“The community together with the security agencies has declared manhunt on the perpetrators. The State Government sends its condolences to the victim’s family and assures them that government will not leave any stone unturned in unmasking the killers of the young girl,” the commissioner said.

Meanwhile, the Ebonyi Command of the Nigeria Police Force, on Thursday, confirmed the incident.

According to the Command’s spokesperson, SP Chris Anyanwu, the lady’s underwear was missing raising suspicion by the villagers that she was raped before being killed.

“We have commenced investigation into the incident. People are alleging that she was raped because they couldn’t find her underwear”

“But only a forensic analysis can reveal if anything like that happened,” he said.

Politics, World News

Tinubu’s youth group congratulates new CAN President.

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A political group, Tinubu Youth Disciples, has commended the emergence of Most Rev. Daniel Okoh as the new President of the Christian Association of Nigeria.

The National Coordinator of TYD, Prince Koyoyo Uhrorho, said this in a congratulatory message issued and addressed to the new CAN President on Thursday in Abuja.

“We the Tinubu Youth Disciples are delighted to hear the news of your emergence as the new chairman of the highest Christian body in Nigeria, the Christian Association of Nigeria.

“We are confident of your capability to steer the wheels of the great Christian body and lead the entire Christiandom as the Lord Jesus Christ admonish.

“We pray that the Almighty God gives you the grace and the enablement to discharge your new assignment,’’ Uhrorho said.

It would be recalled that the association’s General Secretary, Mr Joseph Daramola, announced the emergence of Most Rev. Okoh as the new CAN President in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday.

Okoh is the General Superintendent of Christ Holy Church, also known as Nation Builders (Odozi-Obodo).

CAN is made up of five blocs: Christian Council of Nigeria, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria and Christian Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria/Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria.

Others are Organisation of African Instituted Churches, TEKAN and ECWA Fellowship.

NAN

Politics, World News

Tinubu is my In-law. He’s 86 and not qualified to become president – Veteran Singer, Tee Mac.

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Renowned flutist Tee Mac has garnered attention on Facebook by sharing his thought on the Presidential Candidate for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Tee Mac Omatshola Iseli, a former President of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), said he and Remi Tinubu are cousins and this makes her husband Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu his in-law but he stopped supporting Tinubu and stopped visiting the family.

He made this known while responding to a Facebook user, Yemi Olakitan, who declared his support for the APC Presidential flag bearer.

Tee Mac also said that Tinubu is 86 years old and not 70.

He wrote: “Dear Yemi. Any body can choose any candidate, but an intelligent person will ask himself the question: do I choose rightly! Is the man qualified! Is he honest! Does he tell us the truth about his age, background and how he made his money! Is this man healthy enough at 86 to take up the task of a totally run down country?

“You see Tinubu is my in-law. His wife Remi is my cousin. Her Itsekiri mother and my Itsekiri mother are sisters. I have know Tinubu since the mid 80s personally and even arranged for him to stay in my stepfather’s house ( Sir Mobolaji Bank-Anthony) in London when he went into exile.

“I stopped supporting him and stop family visits etc when he sold that Buhari to the nation in 2015. My advise to the nation is that this man is absolutely not qualified to become our next president. Respectfully Tee Mac Omatshola Iseli.”

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Governor Umahi’s brother declines approval of his appointment by President Buhari as RMAFC Secretary.

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Augustine Umahi, younger brother of Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi state has declined his appointment as the secretary of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

Augustine declined the appointment just after President Buhari approved the appointment alongside two others on Wednesday July 27. 

Mr Umahi was appointed to serve as the secretary of RMAFC for an initial term of four years with effect from July 6.

Conveying his decision to decline the appointment in a statement on Thursday July 28, Augustine said; 

“I am honestly humbled by this show of love but regret to inform you that I declined the appointment.

“This is because it is best for job seekers, retired civil servants or anyone who loves the job.

“I am also convinced that at my age and work experience, it is not in doubt that I know what I want in life.

“Anyone interested in the position should not hesitate to approach our indefatigable governor to do the needful. This is because to my knowledge, the position is still vacant.”

Politics, World News

N109bn fraud: Court grants suspended Accountant-General Ahmed Idris bail.

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Former Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris has been granted bail by an Abuja High Court sitting at Maitama on Thursday July 28. 

Idris Ahmed and his co-defendants were granted bail upon terms and condition given by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Delivering ruling, Justice Adeyemi Ajayi ordered that the defendants shall not leave the Federal Capital Territory, and should they want to, they would have to seek clearance from the court or have their bail revoked.

The defendants will also sign an undertaking that they will abide by the bail conditions by the EFCC.

The defendants should not have and shall not procure alternate passports until the case is done with, having deposited their original passports to the commission.

Ajayi added; 

“In line with the due process and supremacy of the law, the defendants are still entitled to bail, irrespective of the enormity of the allegations against them.

“The EFCC did not in any of its processes, stated that the defendants misbehaved while on administrative bail.”

Trial commenced immediately after the ruling on bail application.

This is coming barely a week after the court remanded the former AGF in prison. The court had last week Friday ordered that Idris and his co-defendants be kept in Kuje Correctional facility pending the hearing of their bail applications.

Other defendants are Godfrey Olusegun Akindele, Mohammed Kudu Usman and Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Ltd.

The defendants are being prosecuted on a 14-count charge of stealing and criminal breach of trust to the tune of N109, 485,572,691.9.

Politics, World News

Impeachment of Buhari is belated – Shehu Sani

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Senator Shehu Sani has stated that the impeachment of President Muhammad Buhari is long overdue .


Sani made the statement after opposition lawmakers on Wednesday, July 27, stated that they would commence impeachment proceedings against Buhari over the declining security in the country.

 “impeachment of the President is belated, it should have started months ago, NASS has the constitutional right to summon the President” Sani told Arise TV


He said that the opposition “may not be able to get required number to impeach Buhari, because members of the ruling party are hiding their faces from such actions.”


“The opposition is on a moral high ground. Nigerians may see them as their voice and representative of the plights of the Nigerian people.” He added 

Sani then added that security challenges are not about money as INEC and defence agencies are well-funded.


 “in the last 7 years, over N4.2 trillion was appropriated and funded, but this has not translated to security”, adding “It is clear to us that either the funding has not been used for the purchase of hardwares or we are buying the wrong hardware for the situation on the ground.” he said

 “This protest should continue and we believe if the govt is sensitive to the yearnings of Nigerians, it should solve this issue.”


 “Their protest is a struggle to save public education, to save the future of Nigeria and to save the futures of the youth who cannot afford private universities or to go abroad.”

 “We have a budget of N16 trillion, if the government can fund subsidy with N7 trillion, they can allocate more of the budget for education.”

 “ASUU have articulated their demands to reactivate and upgrade Nigeria’s university system; refusing to address these issues will come with a lot of repercussions for the whole country.”

Politics, World News

Shame! – Oby Ezekwesili lampoons House of Reps Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, for posting photos from his class in Harvard.

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Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has lampooned the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, for sharing photos of himself receiving lectures at the John F Kennedy School of Government at the Harvard Business School.

Gbajabimila posted photos of himself receiving lectures at the university on Tuesday, July 26, the same day members of the Labour union where engaging in a solidarity rally in support of the strike members of the Academic Staff Union of University ASUU.

Reacting to the photos, Ezekwesili described it as a ”shame”

See her tweets below;

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Lawyer Inibehe Effiong alleges that a judge sentenced him to one month in prison after he asked that armed policemen in the court room be sent out because he didn’t feel safe.

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Popular lawyer and activist, Inibehe Effiong has alleged that a judge sentenced him to one month in prison.

The lawyer said this occurred after he asked that the armed policemen in the court room be sent out because he didn’t feel safe.

Effiong said Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Justice Ekaette Obot sentenced him to one month in prison while defending one Leo Ekpenyong in the libel suit filed by Governor Udom Emmanuel, even though he allegedly didn’t do anything.

He tweeted; 

I have just been sent to Uyo prison by the Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Justice Ekaette Obot, for one month for defending Leo Ekpenyong in the libel suit filed by Governor Udom Emmanuel.

The Chief Judge of Akwa Akwa Ibom ordered a Premium Times reporter to leave the court. I said my lord, we were thinking that since the proceeding is public, that members of the public should be allowed to observe the proceeding. My Lord asked me to proceed with cross examination.

I obeyed. I informed the court that I was not feeling comfortable and safe having two armed mobile policemen seated inside the courtroom, that it was strange and that I felt unsafe. I applied for the judge to excuse the armed policemen from the courtroom.

The Hon. Chief Judge then ordered me to step out of the Bar, that she was sending me to prison. She then ordered the policemen to take me to Uyo prison. And that I should be in jail for one month. I am waiting inside the courtroom for them to bring the conviction warrant.

I will be going to the Uyo Correctional Centre now. I have not done anything. I wasn’t even opportunity to say anything before the “conviction”. Two lawyers in court appealed to the Hon. Chief Judge but my Lord insisted that I must be jailed.

I will be going to the Uyo Correctional Centre now. I have not done anything. I wasn’t even opportunity to say anything before the “conviction”. Two lawyers in court appealed to the Hon. Chief Judge but my Lord insisted that I must be jailed.

Meanwhile, there is already a pending application for recusal asking the Hon. Chief Judge, Justice Ekaette Obot, to recuse Himself. We filed it since 23rd June, 2022. The motion is still pending.

Politics, World News

ASUU strike: NLC, others intensify protest in Abuja

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The Nigeria Labour Congress and its affiliate unions on Wednesday in Abuja continued their solidarity protest in support of the five-month strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

The NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, and the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, among others are currently leading the Day 2 protest in solidarity with ASUU in Abuja.

The PUNCH had reported the unions defied warnings by the Federal Government and took to the streets of major cities in the country on Tuesday to protest against the failure of the Federal Government to resolve the five-month strike by ASUU

Specifically, the NLC said the money the two major political parties – the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party – generated from the sale

The university lecturers had shut down public institutions on February 14 over the inability of the Federal Government to implement the agreements it made with ASUU in 2009 as well as the refusal of the current administration to exempt lecturers from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System.

ASUU had also asked the government to increase funding of tertiary institutions and pay outstanding allowances.

On Wednesday, the protesters converged at the Unity Fountain and continued with the two-day protest in Abuja over the prolonged strike by university workers across the country.

This comes a day after a similar demonstration was held in various states of the Federation, except for the Federal Capital Territory.

The protest began at about 9:30 am after members of the NLC leadership and leaders of various affiliated unions, as well as members converged on the Unity Fountain in the nation’s capital.

Among those physically present were Wabba, Sowore, ASUU President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, and the immediate past President of ASUU, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi, among others.

PUNCH Metro observed a heavy security presence at the venue of the protest comprising officers of the Nigeria Police, DSS, NSCDC, among others.

Our correspondent gathered that the protesters planned to march down to the National Assembly where the NLC president would deliver a message from the labour unions to lawmakers.

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FG must address insecurity before 2023 – Anglican bishop

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The bishop of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Owo Diocese, Stephen Fagbemi, has called on the Federal Government to address the issue of security challenges and other issues threatening the existence of the country before the 2023 general elections.

The cleric warned that failure to resolve the issues may not augur well for the country.

Fagbemi gave the warning while reading the Bishop’s Charge at the first session of the 14th Synod of Diocese of Owo Anglican Communion, held at the St. Paul’s Church, Ifon, headquarters of the Ose Local Government. The synod was themed “Chosen to proclaim”.

According to him, Nigeria has found itself in a most unfortunate state, to the extent that some were beginning to suggest that it is becoming a failed state as a result of the inability of the government to address the country’s problems.

He called on churches and individuals to commence a process of self-defense mechanism in the face of the present security threat to the country, adding that if urgent action is not taken by the government, the country may explode.

He said, “What we heard from those who have been released from kidnappers’ den is that a particular ethnic group of this country is responsible and they have a plan to take over every part of the country. We have heard this line of claim several times. A responsible government ought to have investigated this by now and come up with a clear strategy for dealing with this trend.”

On the forthcoming general elections, the cleric said Nigerians need leaders with the necessary aptitude and courage to lead the country out of its quagmire.

He also noted that until the country recognises the rights of every Nigerian to practice the faith of their choice without any intimidation and discrimination, peace, progress and justice will continue to elude the country.

“Going for the 2023 elections without defining these issues and many others that threaten our collective existence is to defer the evil day. I appeal to all civil, religious, and political leaders of this country to abandon all selfish interests and deal with these urgent national issues,” he charged.

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U.S. Department of Justice investigating Trump’s actions surrounding January 6 as part of criminal probe into his bid to overturn the election.

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The U.S. Department of Justice is reportedly investigating former President Donald Trump’s actions as part of its criminal probe on the January 6 Capitol attack,

According to The Washington Post, federal prosecutors have interviewed witnesses before a grand jury and asked them about conversations between Trump, his lawyers and members of his inner circle regarding a plot to replace Electoral College members with pro-Trump alternate electors in states President Joe Biden won. 

They are also examining the actions surrounding Jan. 6, when thousands of Trump supporters, many armed, overran the Capitol on the day that Congress was to count the electoral ballots and affirm Biden’s victory in the 2020. 

Sources told the publication that prosecutors have asked detailed questions about meetings Trump held in December 2020 and January 2021, gathering information on his campaign to pressure Vice President Mike Pence to overturn the election results, and what instructions – if any – Trump gave his team about the fake electors scheme.

That scheme was led by Trump’s election lawyers Rudy Giuliani and John Eastman, but prosecutors wanted to know the extent of the now ex-president’s involvement, The Post said. 

They want to know what Trump told his allies to do as he sought to overturn the 2020 election result.  

The Post also reported that investigators received the phone records of Trump’s former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. 

Two subpoenas obtained by The Post issued to two Arizona state lawmakers who posed as fake electors asked for communications with ‘any member, employee, or agent of Donald J. Trump or any organization advocating in favor of the 2020 re-election of Donald J. Trump, including “Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.”‘ 

On Monday, ABC News reported that Pence’s former Chief of Staff Marc Short was spotted leaving D.C. District Court on Friday, alongside his lawyer. 

Sources told the network that Short testified before a grand jury, compelled by a subpoena, as part of the DOJ’s probe. 

Additionally, Pence lawyer Greg Jacob also appeared before a grand jury, The Post said. 

In an interview that aired Tuesday, Attorney General Merrick Garland did not rule out prosecuting Trump. 

‘We intend to hold everyone, anyone who was criminally responsible for the events surrounding January 6, for any attempt to interfere with the lawful transfer of power from one administration to another, accountable,’ Garland told NBC’s Lester Holt. ‘That’s what we do.’ 

The DOJ probe is separate from the investigation being conducted by the January 6 House select committee – which may make criminal referals to the Justice Department as well, the top Republican on the panel, Rep. Liz Cheney, said in an interview last month. 

‘The Justice Department has been doing the most wide-ranging investigation in its history and the committee is doing an enormously wide-ranging investigation as well,’ Garland said on NBC’s Nightly News. 

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Bomb scare in Kogi as loud explosion rocks Lokoja.

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A loud explosion rocked the ever-busy post office area of Lokoja, the Kogi state capital today July 26.

Daily Trust reports that the said explosion actually took place around the premises of the office of the Secretary to Kogi State Government, Ministry of Women Affairs and Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs. The explosion which made workers and many residents scamper for safety happened around 8.30 am when workers were resuming in their various offices and shop owners were out to open their shops for daily business.

Eyewitnesses say an object like a bomb was sighted around the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs which has in its opposite and adjacent, offices of the secretary to the state government and Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs, including the newly completed Muhammadu Buhari event centre that is awaiting Commission at the far opposite.

Confirming the incident, the state commissioner of police, CP Edward Egbuka, said;

“Yes, what happened was, we were informed of a package that looked like a bomb, left on the premises and I immediately, deployed the bomb disposal unit there to assess the object.

The object was immediately blown up, the explosion you heard was the handwork of our bomb disposing unit brought about by their efforts to blow up the object.”

He added that an investigation has commenced to ascertain the character of the object to measure the motive behind its presence in the areas

Politics, World News

Terrorists assembling weapons to attack Buhari’s state – NSCDC

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The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has raised the alarm over a planned attack on the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari’s (retd.) state, Katsina, as well as Lagos, Federal Capital Territory, among others.

The NSCDC stated that Boko Haram and Islamic State for West Africa Province terrorists, from the intelligence it gathered, have mobilised their fighters and had equipped themselves with dangerous weapons like Anti-aircraft guns, general purpose machine guns, among others, in preparation for the attack on the state which the president of the country hails from.

These were contained in a leaked report addressed to all commands dated July 25 and sighted by our correspondent on Tuesday.

The report titled, “Re: Heightened plots by terrorists to stage coordinated attacks in parts of the country” was signed by the Deputy Commandant General Controller in charge of Operations, DD Mungadi.

It read, “We have received credible intelligence that Boko-Haram and the ISWAP terrorist groups have mobilised fighters and high calibre weapons particularly Rocket-propelled Grenade launchers, Anti-Aircraft guns, and General Purpose Machine Guns which they intend to deploy for the offensive in Katsina State.”

The report also hinted at other attacks by bandits groups in Lagos, Federal Capital Territory, Kaduna, and Zamfara states.

It added that the Commandant General had directed the state Commandants to put up measures to avert the attacks.

“In another development, two separate bandits groups are plotting coordinated attacks on North-West, North Central and South West (Katsina, Zamfara, Kaduna, Kogi, FCT and Lagos respectively).

“Consequently, the Commandant General has directed you to scale up deployment in all strategic places including Schools, Worship Centres, and Critical National Assets in your respective states, to checkmate any possible threats by these criminal elements. Please treat as urgent,” the report added.

When contacted for reactions, the spokesperson of the NSDC, Shola Odumosu, promised to get back to our correspondent but he was yet to do so at the time of filing this report.

The PUNCH reports that the president’s state has not been spared by the bloodthirsty terrorists who have attacked the state. Recently, his advanced team was attacked, and two policemen were killed.

Politics, World News

ASUU: Expect nationwide strike, NLC tells FG.

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The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba, has said that the workers’ union will embark on a three-day nationwide strike if the Federal Government fails to accede to the demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities after the ongoing two-day warning protest organised by the NLC.

Wabba, who spoke in an interview with Channels TV ‘Sunrise Daily’, also stated that the workers’ union embarked on a two-day protest against the ongoing ASUU strike not just as a show of solidarity, but because the strike directly affected the NLC.

He said, “The two-day warning strike is to call for attention for the issues to be resolved promptly. The next level is a three-day national warning strike if nothing has happened after the protest, to show our grievances.

“We are not on a solidarity action, we are affected directly.”

The NLC had organised the two-day protest after a series of failed negotiations between the FG and ASUU to resolve the strike action.

Wabba, who stated that the ongoing protest was a democratic norm which was constitutional and supported by the international charters, added that it was not illegal to carry out such demonstration on the streets.

He said, “These are democratic norms everywhere in the world. Even as an individual, you have the right to air your grievances.

“It is within the provision of our law. It is backed by the United Nations charter for human and peoples rights, African charter for human and peoples rights, and it is there in our constitution — sections 39 and 40.”

Since plans for the ongoing protest was announced by the NLC, the Minister for Information, Lai Mohammed, had alleged that the protest was illegal and would create anarchy in the country.

The Minister for Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, had also taunted the workers’ union, claiming erroneously that the protest was against international labour practices.

The Nigeria Police Force had also in its bid to defend the regime, demanded that the NLC should get a permit from the Force before embarking on the two-day warning-protest.

Responding to the claims by the authorities, Wabba said the court of law had pronounced that citizens did not need permission from the police or any authority to carry out protests.

He said, “Even the court has pronounced that you don’t require any permission. It is legal and within your fundamental human rights to protest issues.

“When people say it’s illegal, I think people should remember that no condition is permanent. We have had some of our current politicians join the NLC to press for similar actions in the past.”

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