Politics

Oyo’s improved IGR, a result of hard work – Makinde

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The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has attributed the improved Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in the state to hard work and the government’s pragmatic approach.

Makinde, who stated this in a statement issued on Sunday by his Chief Press Secretary, Taiwo Adisa, was reacting to the IGR Index released by the National Bureau of Statistics for the first two quarters of 2021.

He said the leap in the IGR was the manifestation of his “administration’s pragmatic approach to governance since May 2019.”

The governor noted that going by the NBS’s half-year report on states’ IGR, Oyo State with N25.19billion was placed in the seventh position.

Lagos State topped the chart with N267.23billion followed by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) (N69.07billion) and Rivers State (N57.32billion).

Makinde said: “The government will continue to be bullish in its approach to expanding the state’s economy as that this was in line with the administration’s commitment in the Roadmap for Accelerated Development of Oyo State, 2019-2023.”

Politics

Anambra APC sacks publicity secretary for congratulating Soludo

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra State on Sunday sacked its Publicity Secretary, Okelo Madukaife, for congratulating the state governor-elect, Prof. Charles Soludo.

Soludo was declared winner of last week’s governorship election in Anambra by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The APC Chairman in the state, Basil Ejidike, who disclosed this at a media briefing in Awka, said Okelo had no right to speak for the party as he had earlier been suspended for anti-party activities.

He said the publicity secretary was suspended in June for allegedly dragging the APC into disrepute, adding that he has no reason to parade himself as an official of the party in the state.

Ejidike said: “Okelo was suspended in June this year. Someone who was suspended from the party went on air claiming to be making statements on behalf of the party and we feel disturbed. We feel that such a situation should not be allowed.

“If you are not with the party, you are not with it. You cannot be out of the party and still be speaking for the party.

“Since June 2021, Okelo has been raining abuses on APC and its leadership and to put the records straight, he has not been attending meetings and activities of the party.

“His suspension followed his indictment for involvement in anti-party activities.

“He has since then been replaced by the State Assistant Publicity Secretary, Mr. Nonso Chinwuba, in line with the constitution of the party.

“The party, therefore, enjoins the general public and the media in particular to desist from dealing with him as agent of APC. As it stands, Okelo Madukaife does not belong to APC.

“We wish to state categorically that as far as the Anambra governorship poll is concerned, we have not congratulated anybody as the party is still studying the situation with a view to approaching the court to challenge the poll.”

Politics

‘Your allegation on terrorism sponsorship a needless distraction,’ Nigerian govt replies US-based group, GATE

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The Federal Government on Sunday described the allegation by a United States-based non-profit organisation, Global Advocates for Terrorism Eradication (GATE) that its officials were behind terrorism in the country as a needless and disgusting distraction.

GATE had in a petition to the US Secretary of State, Antony J. Blinke, asked Washington to designate some Nigerian government officials as sponsors of terrorism.

The group described the killings, abductions, and other violent crimes in Nigeria as “state-sponsored terrorism.”

However, in a statement issued by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, the government said the GATE allegation was orchestrated by those seeking to weaken the ongoing massive onslaught against terrorists and bandits in the country.

He also branded the organisation “as a pesky irritant that should be ignored because it is confused and irresponsible.”

The minister said: “This organisation called GATE is not even worth the ink with which its name is written.

“How can a serious organisation accuse a government that is tackling the twin evil of terrorism and banditry with an uncommon determination of sponsoring terrorism?

”Is it not curious that this organisation has chosen this particular time, when terrorists are either surrendering in droves or running helter-skelter, as a result of a renewed offensive against them by the military, to orchestrate a distraction?

“What could be GATE’s motive if not to weaken the fight against terror and banditry?

”GATE and its sponsors should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves and should quit trying to distract our gallant troops who are doing everything possible, including making the supreme sacrifice, to keep our country safe.”

Mohammed said the fact that GATE relied on the words of a former Nigerian Navy intelligence officer to make the allegation has shown the hollowness of its claim.

He added: “In the fight against terrorism, Nigeria has availed itself creditably by tackling home-grown terrorists with links to global terrorist organizations.

“We make bold to say that no administration in Nigeria has risen to the challenge of terrorism like the Buhari administration has done.

The acquisition of a myriad of platforms, the boost to the morale of our fighting forces, and the leadership provided by President Muhammadu Buhari have combined to put our gallant troops in good stead.

“These have also helped the troops to frontally confront and put on the run the terrorists. Fittingly, Nigeria’s efforts at tackling terrorism have been hailed globally.

“What our gallant men and women need at this time is the support, encouragement, and prayers of all, not the distracting antics of a relevance-seeking, feckless organisation masquerading as a terrorism eradication advocate.”

Politics

Group urges US to designate Buhari, Tinubu, El-Rufai terrorism sponsors

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A United States-based non-profit organisation, Global Advocates for Terrorism Eradication (GATE), on Friday urged President Joe Biden to designate President Muhammadu Buhari, former Lagos State Governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai and some officials of the Nigerian government as sponsors of terrorism in the country.

Also listed in the petition are former Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, the Director-General of Department of State Services, Yusuf Magaji Bichi, former Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, his Information and Culture counterpart, Lai Mohammed and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.

In a 26-page petition signed by GATE’s Principal Advocate, Robert Berry, and addressed to the US Secretary of State, Anthony J. Blinken, the group described the killings in several parts of the country as state-sponsored terrorism.”

It also alleged that the Nigerian government officials were “sponsoring terrorism by carrying out terrorist activities including training, funding, financing, and recruitment of terrorists using their offices as a safe haven, transit and operational base for terrorists.”

The petition read: “The Nigerian government officials have deployed the instrumentality of power and are using the veil of sovereignty in knowingly consenting and with malicious intent allowing and promoting the use of Nigeria as a breeding ground and recruitment nursery for international terrorism activities contrary to foreign relations authorizations act fiscal years 1988 and 1989 (P.L.100 to 204:22 U.S.C 2656f), as amended.

“The current Nigerian Government led by President Muhammadu Buhari is executing a global Jihadist agenda that is comparable, if not more insidious, than that of the Taliban’s of Afghanistan.

“It is even more dangerous because it is mixed with genocidal tendencies. It is in the best interest of the United States and all the democratic countries of the world to identify this threat early and address it now.

“This is to prevent the further spread of the global jihadist agenda of the Buhari government and to arrest an imminent ethnic and religious genocide.”

The group also gave Washington a two-month notice to act on its petition, saying it would be forced to head to the US Federal Court to apply for a Writ of Mandamus to compel Biden and Blinken to issue the designation in line with the provisions of law.”

Politics

Ortom decries police handling of Vanguard reporter’s death, demands probe of incident

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Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, on Saturday knocked the Nigeria Police over the handling of the death of Vanguard Newspaper reporter, Henry Tordue Salem, whose body was discovered last Thursday, three weeks after he was declared missing.

The police had in a statement issued on Friday by the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, said Salem was killed by a hit-and-run driver in the Mabushi area of the Federal Capital Territory.

The reporter’s body, according to the police, was discovered at the Wuse General Hospital mortuary after a painstaking investigation.

But in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Nat Ikyur, the governor slammed the police for parading the suspected killer of the Benue-born Salem.

He said the discovery of the reporter’s remains was “suspicious” and demanded a thorough investigation of the incident by a competent body.

Ortom also appealed to the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba Alkali, the Director-General of the Department of State Service (DSS) and other sister agencies to do everything possible to unravel the mystery surrounding the gruesome murder of the journalist.

He expressed regret that a Benue son would suddenly disappear only to be found dead by unidentified persons in an undisclosed location in Abuja.

The statement read: “He (Ortom) says such a mysterious recovery of the body of the deceased reporter was suspicious and deserves to be thoroughly investigated.

“The governor appeals to the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Service (DSS) and other sister agencies to do everything possible to unravel the mystery surrounding the gruesome murder of the Benue-born journalist.

Governor Ortom reiterates that the Benue State Government is always committed to the safety of all her citizens both at home and in the diaspora and will not rest on its oars until the perpetrators of this heinous act do not go unpunished.”

Politics

Nigeria will fulfill its climate change commitments –Osinbajo

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Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said on Friday the Federal Government would fulfill its climate change commitments in the interest of Nigerians.

Osinbajo, according to a statement issued by its Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, made the pledge when he received the World Bank delegation at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The delegation was led by its Managing Director of Development Policy and Partnerships, Dr. Mari Pangestu, and its Country Director in Nigeria, Shubham Chaudhuri.

The Vice President also interacted with officials of the International Monetary Fund on the IMF Article IV bilateral consultations.

Osinbajo has been pushing for a just transition to global net-zero emissions.

He had particularly called on multilateral agencies, and Western countries to stop the planned defunding of fossil fuels/gas projects in developing countries as part of the energy transition plan towards the global net-zero target by 2050.

At both meetings with the World Bank managing director and IMF officials, Osinbajo said Nigeria remained committed to a reduction in global greenhouse emissions.

He said: “I think it is very important, at least this is what we are trying to do, to keep our sights on what would work for the majority of our people.

“The truth, of course, is that we have fossil fuel resources, we have all of that, but we have energy issues, distribution, and quality of access to energy, as well as clean energy.

“So, those are the issues, access to energy and education, then renewable energy, and how to be able to move quickly enough in terms of putting renewable energy in place.”

Politics

Akpabio denies abandoning task of constituting NDDC board

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The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, said on Friday that he did not leave the responsibility for the constitution of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) board for someone else.

Akpabio, who made the denial in a statement, noted that reports that he left the constitution of the NDDC board was a mere fabrication of sponsored writers in the media.

The statement reads: “My attention has been drawn to sponsored write ups in the media, claiming that I passed the buck on my responsibility for the constitution of the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

“The write ups, deliberately published while I was outside the country on national duty, reportedly quoted my media aide, Jackson Udom, claiming that I have denied responsibility for the constitution of the board of the commission. I have checked with Mr Udom and he has clearly said he was misquoted.

While I am not shocked by the mischief inherent in the publication, I am alarmed at the extent of falsehood the writers went in pushing their anti-Niger Delta agenda to scuttle the due consideration of the report of the Forensic Audit by stampeding the government. More alarming is the attempt to drag the hallowed name of our president into this plot.

“For the avoidance of doubt, President Muhammadu Buhari has set out to reposition the NDDC after 19 years of rot, saw to the undermining of the dreams of the fathers of the region, to fast track its development through the setting up of an interventionist agency.

Part of the strategy was a forensic audit to understand what went wrong, despite the resources committed to the commission over the years.

“The report of that audit has just been submitted to the President, who is studying it to come up with a formula for a commission fit for purpose. That formula is what the board being put together will work with.

“It is not in the interest of the region to stampede the government into aborting the reform process. The President has demonstrated immense love for the Niger Delta and its people. This is reflected in the support he has given to the NDDC to complete some of the projects abandoned over the years, like the headquarters complex in Port Harcourt, the Students’ Hostel at Uyo and the electrification project in Ondo State.

“The President wants to give to the region an interventionist agency that will realize the dreams of our fathers for our people and generations yet unborn. The greatest disservice we can do to the region is to attempt to stampede him, through ingeniously crafted media campaigns.

“I am irrevocably committed to assisting the president to leave behind a legacy for the Niger Delta people, particularly, saving the NDDC from dying like past developmental agencies put together for the region since 1958.”

Politics

Nigerians are competitive abroad due to good education they get in Nigeria before leaving – Buhari

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President Muhammadu Buhari has said the competitiveness which Nigerians display abroad is a result of the good education they acquired in the country before travelling out.

According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the president made the comment when he met with the Minister of State Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, Shaikh Shakboot Alnahyan, at the sidelines of the Paris Peace Forum on Friday.

Buhari was quoted as saying; “Nigerians are all over the place, very competitive. And the competitiveness starts from home, where they have acquired good education, gone into businesses, and then take all that abroad.”

He also encouraged Nigerians in Diaspora to “subject themselves to the rules and standards of the country in which they live either as working class, or doing businesses.”

The presideny welcomed the offer by UAE to partner with Nigeria in the areas of renewable energy, agriculture, infrastructure logistics, and provision of vaccines to further control the COVID-19 pandemic.

Alnahyan, on his part, said his country thinks very highly of President Buhari’s leadership, noting that he was striving to “build a better future for generations to come.”

He said there were lots of Nigerians in his country who add much value.

On proposed investments in Nigeria, Alnahyan said it would be a win-win situation, “which would bring hope and opportunities for people in both countries. We want to come and add quality and value.”

Politics

French citizens seeking greener pastures are welcome to Nigeria – Buhari

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President Muhammadu Buhari says French citizens who wish to leave France and seek greener pastures in Nigeria would be welcomed with open arms.

Buhari stated this in an published in Paris Daily L’Opinion on Friday, Peoples Gazette reports.

The president who is attending the Paris Peace Forum in France, said Nigeria’s growing population is a huge market for France to take advantage of.

He said; “Those who come from France seeking opportunities in Nigeria are today welcomed with open arms.

“This expansion only augurs more, given Nigeria’s population is projected to grow by 2050 to the same size as the European Union, and further to become the second-largest in the world by the close of the century. This great market is France’s opportunity.”

Politics

Buhari govt to borrow N25.5bn for solar power at NASS complex

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Despite criticism by stakeholders over the country’s huge debt profile, the Federal Government is set to borrow N25.5bn ($62.1m) for the construction and installation of a 17MW hybrid solar power infrastructure for the National Assembly.

This was disclosed on Thursday by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts, Senator Clifford Ordia.

According to Ordia, the loan was part of President Muhammadu Buhari’s N7.6 trillion external borrowing request approved by the Senate on Wednesday.

The lawmaker also noted that his panel found that of the $22.8 billion approved by the National Assembly under the 2016-2018 External Borrowing Plan, only $2.8 billion, representing 10 percent, had been disbursed to Nigeria.

The committee, in its report, listed various proposed projects to be financed by the loans.

The $62.1m loan earmarked for construction of solar power plant in the National Assembly would be sourced from SINOCURE/Standard Chartered Bank.

The contract, according to the report, was awarded at a total value of $60.1 million.

However, the report was silent on what the balance of $2 million would be used for.

Politics

Nigeria heading for final implosion, extinction —Dogara

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Former Speaker of the House of Reps, Yakubu Dogara has declared that it was obvious that unless Nigerians rise at different levels of leadership to halt the present trajectory, Nigeria will no doubt head for final implosion and eventual extinction.

Yakubu Dogara who delivered a keynote address with the theme: ‘Peace And Development In Nigeria: The Pragmatic Approach’, at a two-day Peace And Development Submit organized by Sultan Maccido Institute For Peace And Development Studies Of The University Of Abuja recently, said that, “As is it, we don’t have to do anything for this to happen. All we need is not to do anything at all” .

The former Speaker who is presently representing Bogoro/Dass/Tafawa Balewa Federal Constituency at the House of Reps added that, “Our hope must be rooted in the story of China, Rwanda, UAE, Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia, etc, which all prove the point that we can turn our ashes into glory and that nothing is impossible. If we don’t give in or give up, something must give in” .

He stressed that, “The stories of those countries are a validation of the saying that every problem comes with its own solution, but it takes only those looking for the solution to find it” .

According to him, “No doubt, it will take leadership for us to replicate those stories and I am happy that so many of us here are stepping up to provide that leadership. The hosting of this submit is a positive indicator that we are prepared, in line with our civic duties, to be up in arms against problems stultifying our development and advancement as a nation”.

Yakubu Dogara stressed that, “It will take the kind of leadership that recognizes that compassion is not tossing a coin at a beggar, it is pulling down the system that produces beggars; leadership that knows that the real problem is what we demand and what we do not demand; Leadership that believes history does not just happen to us, we make history happen; Leadership that knows that not everything that is faced can be changed but nothing can be changed until it is faced”.

He further said that, “I had warned before that in tackling unbridled violence, we must realize that guns do not kill and killing the violent does not necessarily bring peace except the peace of the graveyard.

“We kill with our minds and peace settles first in the mind before it is expressed. So the battle to build a peaceful Nigeria must be a battle for the minds of our people”, he declared.

Yakubu Dogara then advised that, “We must start doing something and speaking up. They may not listen to us but just because they won’t listen to us is no enough reason to quit. We cannot continue to remain mum and aloof and hope that somehow, someday, these radical events and voices will miraculously quieten and not grow louder. Our silence is no longer golden”.

He emphasized that, “Every generation in history have had its moment to fight. This is our own moment. This is our Pharaoh and our Red Sea. The odds are stacked against us but we are born and raised for such a time as this. It is our time. Let us stop crying and go to work. We may lose some privileges but we will win history: for fortune itself favours only the brave”.

According to him, “Today, Nigeria is faced with unprecedented crisis so much so that nothing in our history prepares us for such a time as this. We seem to have accepted killings and mass murder as our new normal and so many cold blooded murder of our brothers and sisters do no longer make the headlines in the media.

“As students, lecturers and political leaders, some of us are complicit while the few who have dared to speak up are already outrage – fatigued and have surrendered to fatalism- a feeling that nothing matters anymore. It is like Nigeria seems to be suffering from some kind of God ordained ineluctable fate”, he retorted.

He enthused that, “What we have done before doesn’t matter, all that matters is our present station. As long as we are not actively engaged in seeking for solutions to these intractable issues we are actually, wittingly or unwittingly, actively promoting it”.

Politics

Wike slams Nigerian govt for alleged intimidation of judiciary in wake of raid on Justice Odili’s home

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Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has criticised the Federal Government over the events which culminated in the invasion of the Abuja residence of Justice Mary Odili of the Supreme Court by men believed to be security operatives.

According to Wike, these are subtle moves by the Federal government to browbeat the judiciary to its bidding ahead of the 2023 elections.

The Governor made this assertion on Thursday during a special court session to mark the opening of the 2021/2022 Legal Year of the Rivers State Judiciary in Port Harcourt.

According to him, the Federal Government wants to continue to ride roughshod unchecked over the rule of law and the sanctity of the country’s electoral system, hence, the renewed attack on judicial officers.

Wike said, “Although it is still early morning in our democratic match towards 2023, the attack on Justice Mary Odili is a prelude to many more and even worse political maneuverings we should be prepared to experience from the APC-led Federal Government, which having lost relevance and popular support is becoming more and more desperate over its dwindling political fortunes by the day.

“While cases with political undertones, including the constitutional validity of certain sections of the recent amendments to the 2010 Electoral Act, if assented to by Mr President, would necessarily come before our courts; what is important is the duty and capacity of our judiciary to save our democracy and the country.”

He also noted that the current administration has been quick to ridicule the entire institution and subject judges to trauma for its own self-interest.

“We all witnessed the infamous midnight raids on judicial residences and the subjection of some judges, to illegal raids, arrests, and detentions by agents of the Federal Government purportedly carrying out a baseless sting operation back in 2016.

Since then the intimidation of judges whose judgments, intellectual or moral disposition they are not comfortable with has continued unrelenting with the latest attack on a peaceful mother, wife of a former Governor and Justice of the Supreme Court, our own highly revered Hon. Justice Mary Odili

“It is important to emphasize that we allow these intimidations to become acceptable standards of behaviour and even become complicit in their unholy design to undermine the administration of justice when we all opt to keep quite in the face of these assaults,” Governor Wike added.

He challenged the Federal Government to come clean with the names, identities, and affiliations of those allegedly arrested for their roles in the attack.

Politics

Nigerians can look after themselves when infrastructure is in place – President Buhari

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President Muhammadu Buhari, has said that Nigerians would be able to cater for themselves when infrastructure is in place.

A statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina said Buhari made the statement on Thursday while meeting with the President of Islamic Development Bank, Mohammed Al-Jasser, on the sidelines of the Paris Peace Forum in France.

According to the statement titled, ‘When Infrastructure is in Place, Our People can Look after Themselves, President Buhari Tells IDB President,’ the Nigerian leader stated that his administration was committed to an infrastructure renaissance for Nigeria due to sustainability.

“We are struggling very hard on infrastructure because there can’t be sustainable development without it,” the President was quoted as saying.

“Considering the vastness of our country, we need roads, rail, power, airports, housing, and that is what we have engaged ourselves with in the past six years. And our people are seeing the new developments. Relative to the resources available to us, we have not done badly. When infrastructure is in place, our people can look after themselves,” he added.

Thanking the IDB president, Buhari said; “What we are so dependent on (crude oil) has lost a lot of energy. It is coming back gradually, and we are breathing a bit more with some confidence. But we expect greater cooperation from you.”

In response, Al-Jasser told Buhari; “I am impressed by your policies on infrastructure, which will give opportunities to youths, and encourage the private sector. Nigeria is a pivotal country to us, and it deserves all the help it can get.”

The IDB president then assured that the bank will continue to support Nigeria, as its main role was to promote development among its stakeholders.

Politics

Under Buhari, bandits, terrorists now on the run – Femi Adesina

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The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Femi Adesina, on Thursday gave his principal a pass mark in the ongoing efforts to rid the country of its security challenges.

In an article titled: “They said nothing was happening…How about these?” the presidential aide said the Boko Haram insurgents and bandits pillaging communities in the Northern part of the country have been put on the back foot by troops through relentless assaults on their hideouts in the region.

He stressed that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was on the right path to achieving multi-sectoral progress.

The government, according to him, has re-assessed and updated the national security strategy, which has contributed to success in fighting insurgents and terrorists and also countering violent extremism.

Adesina said: “Has security not been jigged up in a way that bandits, terrorists, insurgents have been put on the back foot? Are evildoers not being daily sent to God to answer for their crimes? Is the country not being cleaned up, and it is just a matter of time before the sanitation is completed?”

Politics

Gbajabiamila advocates common passport, currency for Africa

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The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Thursday called for full African integration through common passport, market, and monetary union.

The speaker, according to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Lanre Lasisi, made the call in his opening address at the opening Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), Africa Region Conference in Abuja.

He stressed that the CPA would not relent in its efforts at developing democracy in Africa.

According to him, the forum had offered an opportunity for parliamentarians across Africa to learn about their common challenges and ways to overcome them.

The speaker said there was the need for Africa to agree on the instruments of trade and common markets that would set it on the path of progress.

Gbajabiamila said: Let us commit ourselves to use the tools of parliamentary diplomacy and authority to enable the achievement of a common Passport, a common market, and a single customs and monetary union that will make full African integration possible.

“Let us agree to use the instruments of trade and common markets to set us irreversibly on the path to a future of honourable peace, abiding prosperity, and brotherhood amongst the nations of Africa.”

Politics

IPOB orders arrest of persons enforcing sit-at-home in South-East

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The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Thursday ordered the arrest of anyone enforcing the weekly sit-at-home directive in any part of the South-East.

In a statement issued by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, the group wondered why some people would continue to enforce an order that had been cancelled in the region.

IPOB had ordered a sit-at-home every Monday in the South-East in a bid to force the Federal Government to release its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

However, the group’s leadership after consultations with South-East leaders called off the directive last week.

Following the continued enforcement of the directive by some individuals, IPOB asked the community and religious leaders in the region to devise ways to arrest the people still enforcing the directive and hand them over to its members in the localities.

The statement read: “We wish to reiterate once again that IPOB has cancelled Monday sit-at-home order and anybody or group enforcing the relaxed order is neither from IPOB nor from IPOB volunteer group.

We are advising our people to ignore anybody enforcing non-existent Monday sit-at-home order and go about their normal business because such person(s) are working for our enemies and their intention is to blackmail IPOB and set the movement against the people but they won’t succeed.

Anyone caught adding to the pain of our people in the name of enforcing Monday sit-at-home order will be treated as the enemy that he or she is.

“We, therefore, warn these agents of darkness using the name of IPOB to enforce a non-existent sit-at-home to desist because if we lay hold on them they will eternally regret their evil actions.

“Why should such unpatriotic elements be inflicting pain on our people and dragging our image to the mud? IPOB remains a non-violent movement and our peaceful approach for Biafra restoration has not changed.

“We hereby direct community leaders, market leaders, church leaders, and other institutions of authority in Biafra land to arrest any hoodlum trying to enforce any sit-at-home on Mondays and hand them over to IPOB. Such criminal elements must be treated in a language they understand.”

Politics

Buhari advocates equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines at Paris conference

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President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday charged world leaders and global health institutions on the equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines.

He warned that sidelining less privileged countries in the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines would undermine the efforts to safe mankind from the virus that had killed 5.07 million people and infected 251 million others across the world.

The President, according to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, made the call in a keynote address at the Paris Peace Forum in France.

He, however, welcomed the pledges by industrialized countries to share the vaccines.

Buhari said: “Resolving supply-chain constraints would require better coordination within the manufacturing process; and between manufacturers and end-users.

There is a clear need for the expansion of vaccine production capacity in Africa. In this regard, African countries already have a roadmap: the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plan for Africa (PMPA) developed in 2007 by the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) on the basis of an African Union Summit decision taken in 2005.

“Licensing agreements should be reached with pharmaceutical companies for the transfer of intellectual property and technology to support the production of vaccines in Africa.

“If global vaccination is the only way to end the COVID-19 pandemic, then all stakeholders must act in a coordinated manner to plug the vaccine supply gap in Africa.

The state of vaccine delivery across the world leaves much to be desired has got to a stage where some countries are giving booster third doses for their citizens when millions across the world, especially in the developing world, are yet to receive a single dose.

“Let us compare vaccination rates to give an idea of the dimension of the problem. According to recent data released as of November 4, 2021. 91.3 doses of vaccine had been given for every 100 persons across the world. On the same date, however, only 14.7 doses of vaccine per 100 persons had been administered in Africa – a clear case of lopsidedness.

“According to Bloomberg, countries with the highest incomes are getting vaccinated 10 times faster than those with the lowest income.

“As of 5th November 2021, Africa had fully vaccinated 77 million persons, amounting to just 6 percent of the continent’s population. By comparison, 60 percent of the European Union population had been fully vaccinated by September 2021.

This massive gap between vaccine requirements in Africa and vaccine availability is undermining the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic on the continent. Even if Africa were to receive the 600 million doses of vaccine expected to be delivered to the continent by the end of 2021 under the COVAX arrangement there would still be a considerable shortfall when compared to the population of the continent which currently stands at 1.383 billion.”

Politics

EFCC reportedly grills ex-gov Igbinedion for alleged diversion of N1.6bn

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) reportedly grilled a former governor of Edo State, Lucky Igbinedion, for alleged diversion of N1.6 billion on Thursday.

Sources told journalists the ex-governor arrived at the commission’s office in Jabi, Abuja, at about 2:00 p.m. and was immediately ushered to one of the rooms where he was quizzed for several hours by detectives for alleged diversion of the funds during his tenure as Edo governor from 1999 to 2007.

Igbinedion has been on the EFCC’s watchlist for alleged corruption since he left office 14 years ago.

The EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the development.

He, however, declined further comment on the matter.

Politics

Aisha Yesufu seeks APGA, IPOB alliance

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Aisha Yesufu, the co-convener of BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) has advocated for a political alliance between the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Yesufu made this call on Thursday via a series of tweets in the wake of APGA’s victory in the just-concluded Anambra governorship elections.

The activist noted that this alliance would be beneficial to the South-East in order to have a strong negotiating power regarding the presidential elections and other sundry matters.

She wrote: “Imagine if IPOB works with APGA to control the political power in the South East? Bring the best candidates to be nominated. Show the rest of us how people with competence, character and capacity in leadership positions can change a region. Use the power to negotiate at the Federal level.

An APGA/IPOB alliance can bring the South East together politically. Instead of IPOB wasting its goodwill on giving sit-at-home orders, they can make it ‘nominate and vote credible candidates’ order.

“With that power, you can negotiate with any party wanting to win presidential elections and give the terms for your alliance. Any party interested in winning the region must be ready to meet your terms. That way, no party takes the region for granted.”

“Everyone knows that South East is for PDP at the presidential level. It shouldn’t be so. South East should be for whichever party is ready to give the southeast the best deal!

“Use your political might to negotiate. Let PDP sweat for it too.”

Politics

Omokri slams Minister, Lai, over real reason behind Lagos-Benin border closure

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A former presidential aide, Reno Omokri has slammed the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed over the reasons behind the closure of the country’s land borders with the Benin Republic.

According to Omokri, this decision was made by the Federal Government in order to railroad Benin Republic into handing over the Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Igboho for prosecution.

In a series of tweets on Thursday, he also stated that the reports that the FG closed the borders in order to redress the menace of smuggling is a lie.

Omokri wrote: “Buhari claims he closed the Benin Republic-Nigeria border because of banditry.

“That is a lie from the mouth of Lai Mohammed. The real reason behind the closure is to pressure the Beninese government to hand over Igboho to him.”

Igboho was arrested with his wife in Benin Republic and is currently undergoing trial while.gis wife has been released.

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