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Tricycle Rider Kills His Own Mother, Severs His Son’s Private Part In Suspected Ritual Attack
AFOLABI
In the Umudosi community of Obingwa Local Government Area in Abia State, a tricycle rider named Amadi Alozie attacked and killed his mother while she was trying to save her grandson from a suspected ritual assault by his father.
According to Vanguard, community sources said that trouble started for the late woman about 10p.m. when she made an effort to rescue her grandson from his father, who severed his private part in a suspected ritual attack.
It was gathered that the tricycle rider had attacked his son, and severed his private part which made the boy give a loud shout which attracted his grandmother.
Angered that his plan had been foiled by his mother, the tricycle rider attacked the mother and macheted her to death before neighbours could respond to the attack.
A resident of the community told Vanguard that nemesis later caught up with the tricycle rider as he fell into a pit in his bid to escape from the incident.
However, the neighbours were able to rescue the injured son, who lost his private part and is now battling for survival at an undisclosed hospital in the area.
The University of Minnesota is offering significant financial support to international students including Nigerians through its prestigious Undergraduate Scholarship, also known as the Global Excellence Scholarship.
This initiative, as reported by Scholarship Region, aims to attract top talent from around the world, providing up to $60,000 in funding to help cover educational expenses for deserving students.
Details provide that international students who apply before 15 November 2024, will be automatically considered for the scholarship.
Scholarships AF reported that “this scholarship offers substance support to outstanding international first-year students and transfer students. The GES awards are also highly competitive and based on academic merit.”
The scholarship, as reported, is available to international students applying for undergraduate programmes at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities.
The university is reputed for its broad range of academic disciplines and its comprehensive approach to education.
“We are committed to fostering new knowledge and preparing our students to tackle global challenges,” a university spokesperson said.
For its eligibility, applicants must be an international student seeking admission into an undergraduate degree programme with full-time enrollment in the honours programme.
Prospective beneficiaries are also expected to have exceptional personal skills and academic merit; obtain a high school transcript and/or GCSE results and if the transcript is not in English, also require a certified translation.
Applicants are also required to have obtained a high school certificate or equivalent, hold an offer for a full-time programme at the university and for English Language requirements, applicants are mandated to provide evidence of meeting the University of Minnesota’s minimum English language proficiency requirements.
The institution said that they accept results from English Proficiency Tests including TOEFL, with a test score of 79, IELTS, with a test score of 6.5 in Writing, Pearson Test of Academic English, with a test score of 59, Cambridge Assessment English (CAE), with a test score of 180, and Duolingo, with a test score of 110.
To qualify, interested students are urged to apply for admission into the University of Minnesota’s undergraduate programmes.
Then upon submission of their application, they will be automatically considered for the scholarship based on an overall assessment.
Candidates are also to maintain their F-1 immigration status to remain eligible for the scholarship, noting that no separate application is required for the scholarship itself.
Operatives of the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested 56 persons suspected to be internet fraudsters in Ilorin, Kwara State.
The arrests were carried out between September 3 and 4, 2024, at different locations following credible intelligence on the activities of the suspected fraudsters that have thrown unsuspected citizens into tears through their dishonest operations.
A statement signed by the EFCC’s head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale listed items recovered from the suspects to include 18 different brands of exotic cars, laptops, expensive smartphones, and charms.
Oyewale added that suspects would be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of the ongoing investigations.
In a tragic turn of events, a 300-level student from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Christiana Idowu, who was kidnapped between Ikorodu and Yaba in Lagos State, has reportedly been killed by her abductor.
Christiana left her home in the Itaoluwo area of Ikorodu to travel to the University of Lagos in Yaba, where she was undergoing her industrial training when she was abducted by kidnappers.
The suspect has since been arrested after combined efforts from security agencies.
In a now-viral post on X, a user named @letter_to_jack shared that intelligence agents were able to track down the abductor using the BVN and bank account information associated with the ransom payments made by the family.
The tweet read, “On the 19th of August 2024, Christiannah Idowu was declared missing after her parents were contacted by her abductors using her own WhatsApp contact.
“The first contact with the parent was established around 8:49pm after which they sent photos of the victim in captivity to them using the WhatsApp ‘view once’ feature.
“The abductors requested for a ransom fee of N1,500,000. Christiannah’s parents raised N350,000 immediately. The abductor then requested that the money be sent to a bet account through a bank deposit channel. (Info reserved for now)
“After receiving the money, on the 22nd of August, the abductor requested that bank statement of the sender be forwarded to his email (withheld).
“On the 23rd of August, family complied. Immediately after that, the abductor stopped communicating with the parents.
“Meanwhile, on the 22nd of August, some amount was sent to the GTB account of Christiannah and the amount was then withdrawn into the wema bank account belonging to the main suspect ( Name withheld for now).
“Investigation by intelligence operatives began on the 26th to unravel details of the account number.
“By the 29th, intelligence operatives had confirmation from the bank that the BVN linked to the masked Betting account allegedly belonged to the account owner (name withheld for now) who also operates the Wema Bank (account no withheld for now).
“Further investigation revealed that he was able to withdraw the sum of 100,000 from the betting account before agents got the bet company to lock the account.
“Armed by these information, operatives began investigation into the suspect whom they observed to have a mutual relationship with Christiannah Idowu, especially judging by Instagram posts as they both commented on each other’s pages.
“The crazy thing is: the same account number used to launder some amount directly from Christiannah’s account has been posted on Twitter once to “beg for a give away free money.
“With all these information at hand, the operatives began to track down his cell phone activities and text messages. The cell phone tracking led them to his parent’s house, somewhere in IKORODU.
“Operatives then got confirmation of his presence in the building through active tracking of his mobile device. Immediately, gallant personnel of the Nigerian army 174bn swooped in on the suspect to conduct arrest.
“After the arrest, damning evidences were seen with the suspect and this includes the victim blue ITEL A56 with IMEI:35230.
“Also, in his phones are details of the money moved and also details confirming he owns the Betting account that was locked. It was registered with his phone number.
“On his phone, they found an interaction between his personal email and the email address that has been interacting with the family of the deceased.
“After reviewing the evidence, the suspect was then taken into custody to enable the operatives conduct further investigations. Upon reviewing this evidence, suspect was successful taken into custody for necessary action.
“On September 3, the suspect reportedly confessed to the father and the soldiers that he killed the girl and buried her in their house.
“There is also a new story awaiting further confirmation that in 2018, the suspect’s ex-girlfriend was killed in same manner. Also that in 2020, the suspect’s own biological sister met the same fate, and the same thing has happened to Christiannah in 2024.”
The horrifying incident has ignited widespread outrage across Nigeria, especially on social media. Many Nigerians have taken to Twitter to demand justice for Christiana, with the hashtag #JusticeForChristianah trending.
Dangote Refinery has announced that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), is yet to lift Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol from its refinery.
It also added that the refinery is yet to announce any price for the sale of petrol from its refinery to members of the public.
The Chief Branding and Communications Officer of Dangote Group, Anthony Chiejina, made the clarification in a statement on Thursday where the company reacted to a report which claimed the NNPC has lifted fuel from Dangote refinery and is selling it at ₦897 per litre.
Dangote said it is yet to finalize contractual agreements with the NNPC nor announce a price for its products, hence members of the public should disregard any misleading information on the subject matter.
The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to a headline “NNPC lifts Dangote Petrol, sells at ₦897 per litre” published in the BusinessDay Newspapers of Wednesday, 4 September 2024.
“We would like to state that NNPC has not commenced lifting of refined Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, from our Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
“Therefore, the issue of fixing the price of petrol lifted from our refinery does not arise, as we are yet to finalize our contract with NNPC.
“The PMS market is strictly regulated, which is known to all oil marketers and stakeholders in the sector, hence we can not determine, fix, or influence the product price, which falls under the purview of relevant government authorities.
“We urge the public to disregard the headline as it is misleading and does not represent the true position in this matter.
“We are guaranteeing Nigerians of exceptionally high quality petroleum products that will be readily available all over the country.”
The Executive Vice President (Downstream) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Adedapo Segun, has urged Nigerians to brace for more fuel scarcity.
This warning follows a recent surge in fuel prices, which has significantly impacted citizens nationwide.
Naija News recalls that the NNPC, on Tuesday, adjusted the pump price per litre of petrol to ₦855 across its filling stations.
Segun, while speaking on Thursday on Arise Television’s Morning Show, emphasized the importance of establishing a competitive market to stabilize fuel prices and ensure a steady supply.
“The pump price today is not market reflective. NNPCL is the sole importer of PMS in the country, which is abnormal. We should be moving towards a situation where the free market determines prices,” Segun emphasized, highlighting that pricing should be dictated by competitive forces rather than a single entity.
Segun elaborated that NNPCL’s position as the exclusive importer of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) was not by design, but rather a reaction to shifting market dynamics. He made it clear that the company did not intend to monopolize the market.
“Let me put it in the proper context. NNPCL is not a regulator. We didn’t choose to be the sole importer. We don’t determine who plays in the market. We stepped in when others reduced their participation. It’s not about wanting to be monopolists,” Segun clarified, underscoring that the company’s role emerged due to a lack of participation from other market players.
Additionally, Segun pointed out that for fuel prices to stabilize, there must be ideal market conditions, especially concerning foreign exchange availability.
“Market conditions need to be perfect, and there must be FX liquidity,” he remarked, implying that resolving the pricing issue would likely involve broader economic reforms to improve liquidity and competition in the market.
The scarcity, already visible across the country, is linked to NNPCL’s challenges in managing fuel imports and debts to suppliers.
Additionally, experts have called for more strategic borrowing by the NNPCL to address supply issues and prevent further disruptions in fuel availability.
This spike in fuel costs has further strained the pockets of Nigerian citizens, many of whom are already grappling with the high cost of living.
The situation has also sparked concerns about the potential impact on transportation costs and the prices of goods and services, which are likely to rise as a result.
Burkina Faso has officially removed the logo of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) from its new biometric passports, a move that underscores the country’s decision to withdraw from the 15-member regional bloc.
This development follows the decision of Burkina Faso, along with Niger and Mali, to sever ties with ECOWAS after the organization imposed sanctions on them in response to military coups.
The bloc has consistently called for the return to constitutional order as a condition for lifting the sanctions.
During a press briefing on Tuesday, Mahamadou Sana, Burkina Faso’s Minister of Security, confirmed the move, stating: “On this passport, there’s no ECOWAS logo, and no mention of ECOWAS either. Since January, Burkina Faso has decided to withdraw from this body, and this is just a realisation of the action already taken by Burkina Faso.”
Burkina Faso’s decision to omit ECOWAS from its passports further signals the country’s growing estrangement from the regional organization.
All three nations — Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger — have accused ECOWAS of prioritizing selfish interests over the spirit of pan-Africanism.
ECOWAS has warned that the withdrawal of these countries could negatively impact the bloc’s common market and the freedom of movement for the 400 million people living within the region.
Despite these tensions, President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria, who serves as the current ECOWAS chairman, and his team continue to seek diplomatic avenues to bring Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali back into the fold.
Tinubu emphasized that the bloc remains open and friendly to the nations despite the current situation.
According to the Henley Passport Index, Burkina Faso’s passport ranks 78th globally, with access to 60 visa-free destinations, including many ECOWAS member states.
Whether this change will affect Burkina Faso’s visa agreements within the bloc remains to be seen.
One of the travellers kidnapped on Saturday along the Emure-Eporo Road in Emure, Ekiti State, has been killed, PUNCH gathered on Wednesday.
The victim, identified as Shile Ogunmolasuyi, a recent secondary school graduate, was abducted alongside her mother, Mrs Yemi Ogunmolasuyi.
The kidnappers later released Yemi and another woman, Caroline Taiwo, whose husband, Oluwole Taiwo, was killed during the abduction last week Wednesday.
According to family members, who spoke with our correspondent on Wednesday, the victims were released after a N10m ransom was paid.
A community leader in Emure, who spoke with one of the victims, said Shile was killed after being repeatedly raped, which left her unable to walk.
“The kidnappers made them walk for 24 hours nonstop without food or water. Shile, who had been raped several times, became too weak to continue and was subsequently killed by the kidnappers,” the community leader said.
The victims were abducted around 5:30 PM on Saturday near Oyimo River, along the Emure-Eporo Road.
The kidnappers shot and killed Taiwo Oluwole, who was driving the car transporting the victims to Akure after an event in Emure.
Sources revealed that the kidnappers initially demanded a N30m ransom around 8 PM on Sunday.
However, the families were able to raise N10m, which was delivered at a spot on the Owo-Ikare-Benin Road in Owo, Ondo State.
The captives were later released around 1:30 AM on Wednesday in Owo.
“Efforts are reportedly underway to locate Shile’s body and recover her remains”, said one of the family members.
The Secretary of Emure Progressives Association, Niyi Awopetu, confirmed the release of the victims, stating, “Two people were released at midnight, but a girl among them was killed. I learnt the kidnappers collected N10m ransom.”
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, did not respond to calls or messages from our correspondent seeking his reaction to the development.
PUNCH Metro reported that some pupils and teachers of Apostolic Faith Children School were kidnapped at the same spot on January 29.
Five pupils, three female teachers and a driver of the school bus were kidnapped.
Mrs Atinuke, wife of a retiree, Albert Adanikin, was also kidnapped on July 13 around the same area.
China’s President Xi Jinping has committed $50 billion in financial support and promised increased military cooperation to Africa over the next three years.
Speaking at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing, Xi outlined his vision for strengthening ties with the continent, which he declared is experiencing its most favorable period in history.
In his 10-minute speech, Xi outlined ten key areas for future cooperation, including infrastructure connectivity, trade, security, and green development.
The focus on green technology aligns with China’s broader goal to expand its export of green technologies, reflecting its evolving strategic interests. Xi proposed elevating diplomatic relations with all African nations to a strategic partnership level, a move he believes will mark the apex of China-Africa relations CNN first reported.
Some context
The substantial $50 billion pledge includes a mix of credit funds, assistance, and private investment from Chinese firms.
This new commitment surpasses the $30 billion pledged three years ago and, while lower than the $60 billion pledged in 2015 and 2018, it aims to reaffirm China’s dedication to the continent. In addition, Xi announced another $280 million in aid, split evenly between military and food assistance.
The $140 million allocated for military aid is the largest sum earmarked for this purpose at the Forum to date, signaling a heightened focus on security in the bilateral relationship.
The Forum, which includes leaders such as South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa, Kenya’s William Ruto, and Nigeria’s Bola Tinubu, comes at a critical juncture. The event highlights China’s ongoing strategic interest in Africa amid increasing competition from the US and Europe. Xi’s speech and pledges are seen as part of China’s effort to counter Western influence and secure its position as a rising global power.
What to know
Xi also stressed the importance of China and Africa working together to address global challenges such as conflict, climate change, and the geopolitical rivalry over critical minerals. South Africa’s Ramaphosa praised China’s “solidarity” with Africa, emphasizing the continent’s hope and opportunity amidst these global challenges. “These challenges affect all nations but are more often severely felt on the African continent,” he said.
However, there are concerns about how Xi’s pledges will align with the expectations of African leaders and the practicalities of implementing these promises. Analysts have pointed out difficulties in tracking the fulfillment of past commitments, which could complicate the assessment of this new pledge. Beijing’s extensive past investments, particularly under the Belt and Road Initiative, have faced criticism for contributing to debt burdens in several African nations. While Xi did not address these debt issues directly, the current pledge is seen as a strategic maneuver to underscore China’s continued commitment amid growing global competition.
Xi’s emphasis on security cooperation, including a promise to train 6,000 military personnel and 1,000 law enforcement officers, reflects Beijing’s broader ambitions in Africa. This push for greater security ties comes as China seeks to expand its strategic partnerships in a region that has become increasingly important to its geopolitical and economic goals.
[Nairametrics]
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said President Bola Tinubu must keep his promise during the last negotiation on minimum wage that fuel prices will not be increased.
The NLC Head of Information Department, Benson Upah, said the organized labour knew that ₦70,000 minimum wage was not ideal, but they wanted to avoid fuel price rising to ₦2,000 per litre.
“We knew ₦70,000 was not ideal for the average Nigerian, but we had to make a deal, expecting President Tinubu to keep his word,” Upah said.
In an interview, on Wednesday, with Arise TV, NLC advised Nigerians to give labour time to process decisions that would come from its different organs.
He said, “Well, we have not said we are going on strike. I would want you to read our statement carefully. We said the appropriate organs of the Congress will need to take appropriate decisions, and those decisions will be made public. So I would want you to be patient to see whether a strike will be one of them.
“But let’s assume that a strike is an option. Our strike is the least harmful, as effective as a strike can be. Our strikes are essentially to wake the government up and point in the right direction. When other Nigerians strike, the difference is always clear. You remember Endsars? You remember the last strike? I mean, the end hunger protests. You remember that?
“But I tell you this, what we are sensitizing government to is the possible consequences of a people outrage, the outrage of Nigerians, because they have had it up to neck. And government must realize this fact. You see, it is wanting to talk about extreme right-wing market policies. It is another thing to implement them and diligently too.”
Benson Upah explained that President Tinubu chose an extreme right-wing market policy approach, but failed to adopt social security measures that go along with extreme right-wing market approach.
He decried that Nigerians pay for everything that government should provide and the government has shown no interest in living up to its social welfare responsibility.
“For the entities that implement extreme right-market policies, the way Mr. President is doing, they carry something on the left hand. They mitigate the harsh effects of those right-wing policies. You have social protection policies dealing with job losses, dealing with health insurance, dealing with energy, dealing with particularly other aspects of life. And this manages resentment, dissolution and uprising.
“But here we have a country where you do not have anything called social protection. Everybody is on their own. Even right-wing issue providing light and security, you are on your own. And government is carrying on as if it does not owe us an obligation. It is deceiving itself,” Upah added.
[NaijaNews]
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With today, September 5, 2024 being the deadline given by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) for banking agents, known as Point of Sale(POS) operators to register their activities or face prosecution, the Association of Mobile Money and Bank Agents in Nigeria (AMMBAN) has challenged the directive in court.
Recall that the federal government through the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) had issued a two-month registration deadline for POS companies, to register their agents, merchants, and individuals with the commission in line with legal requirements and the directives of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
This new directive came against the backdrop of frequent fraud incidents involving POS terminals and plans to stop trading in cryptocurrency or any virtual currency by the CBN.
According to a report by the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) Plc, POS terminals accounted for 26.37 per cent of fraud incidents in 2023, according to fraud. CAC said the move would curb fraud in the system, kidnapping and payment of ransoms.
The national general secretary, AMMBAN, Oluwasegun Elegbede, in an interview with LEADERSHIP, argued that the registration requirements imposed by CAC, violated the provision of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, which “explicitly states that the commission has no jurisdiction over individuals not operating as a company.
“According to section 863(1) of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2004, the order to enforce CAC directive on individual PoS agents operating under their name is wrong and will be challenged, as it contravenes the Companies and Allied Matters Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, which explicitly states that CAC has no jurisdiction over individuals not operating as a company.
“The matter is already in court and the court has scheduled this September for hearing. The court will have to intervene in the interpretation of the quoted section of the CAMA if individuals operating as a sub-agent (likened to a bank branch) must register with CAC,” Elegbede added.
Speaking on the concerns raised by CAC, Elegbede said, fighting crime is beyond the jurisdiction of CAC, adding that AMMBAN, in collaboration with law enforcement agencies, is curbing the prevalence of fraud in the industry.
“Every POS operator has a BVN/NIN, so they are all traceable. We can trace them through NIBSS, as no operator can have a POS without NIBSS knowing. We can trace them with their SIM cards.
We can also trace them to the company/bank that issued the POS machine to them. So, there is no hiding place for operators, if they default,” he added.
The national general secretary emphasised the critical role that mobile money agents play in driving financial inclusion across Nigeria, particularly in rural areas where traditional banking services are scarce.
Speaking on the impact of the registration on members, he averred that CAC registration cost nothing less than N35,000, adding that, some of their members do not even have that figure as capital. “These are young people trying to make a living for themselves. Imposing N35,000 on them could potentially cripple the operations of many small-scale agents across the country.
“While we understand the need for regulation, it is essential that such measures do not stifle the growth of the sector or place undue burdens on small business owners. We are confident that the court will recognize the merit in our case,” he stated.
Meanwhile, LEADERSHIP findings show that many of the operators have been complying with the directive.
This is even as the association of PoS Operators say they are still awaiting the outcome of the court case on the matter.
Findings showed that many POS operators had registered as some of the financial service providers had created a way to make it easier to make registration with CAC.
A POS operator, Akeem, who uses a terminal provided by Opay said he had been able to register through the financial service provider.
He explained that he had been able to register online with the help of area coordinators sent by Opay at a sum of N19,000.
The same procedure had applied for POS operators who are using the Moniepoint terminals.
A poultry products retailer in Lagos, Kemisola, while speaking to LEADERSHIP said her financial services provider had blocked the terminal with her business name because she had not registered it with the CAC. However, she continues to use the terminal that is attached to her personal account.
“I use my personal account now. How much do I make from the sales that the government is requiring that I register. I got the POS because of the issues we faced last year during the cash scarcity and to make it easier for my customers to make payment without cash. I still pay charges on this POS and customers don’t want to pay the extra charges.
“If they block one of my personal accounts, I will just revert to collecting cash only because even transfers are not that reliable. There is a fake alert and sometimes payment reverses when the transfer is done.” she explained
many POS operators had registered as some of the financial service providers had created a way to make it easier to register with the CAC.
According to a POS operator, Akeem who uses a terminal provided by Opay, said he had been able to register through the financial service provider.
He explained that he had been able to register online with the help of area coordinators sent by OPAY at a sum of N19,000. The same procedure had applied for POS operators who are using the Moniepoint terminals.
[Leadership]
- Caretaker to conduct election in party offices within 90 days
The crisis rocking the Labour Party (LP) escalated yesterday, despite a strident attempt to resolve it.
National Chairman, Julius Abure, rejected the 29-member interim committee headed by Senator Esther Nnenadi Usman, former Minister of State for Finance, describing it as illegal.
The committee was set up during the extended stakeholders’ meeting of the party convened by the Abia State Governor Alex Otti and the national leader of the party, Mr. Peter Obi.
Otti is the only governor elected on the platform of the party.
Nnenadi, who accepted to lead the party, promised to embark on a rescue mission.
However, the National Working Committee(NWC), led by Abure, a lawyer, described the committee as unconstitutional.
Although Abure was contacted about the meeting by the convener, he did not show up.
The caretaker committee is made up of three representatives from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), three representatives of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), three Senators, four House of Representatives members, three House of Assembly members, representatives from six geo-political zones, and four former governorship candidates.
The committee’s term of reference is the conduct of party congresses and the national convention within 90 days.
Otti, who hosted the meeting at the Banquet Hall of the Government House in Umuahia, said there was an urgent need to save the party from an impending danger that may lead to its extinction.
The governor, who clarified that he was not interested in whoever becomes the national chairman, said if the party was not rescued, it may jeopardize its participation in future elections.
Otti said while the Abure-led leadership has the right to challenge the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the court, it is better for LP to avoid any action that may render its actions illegal in the future.
Obi, who described LP as the third largest party in the country, called for unity and support for the caretaker committee.
The NLC National Vice President, Salamatu Aliu, who witnessed the meeting, said the rule of law should be followed in setting up a transition committee.
He said the leadership should be put to rest, adding that previous mistakes should also be avoided.
In a communiqué read by the 2023 deputy governorship candidate of the party in Plateau State, Edward Pwajok, the stakeholders called on party members in court to withdraw the cases.
They also affirmed their confidence in Obi as the national leader while hailing the setting up of the caretaker committee to fill the leadership vacuum in the party.
The stakeholders commended Otti for his effort to deliver the democratic dividend to the people of Abia State.
Nnenadi Usman, who promised to unite the party, assured that her committee will deliver on the assignment within 90 days.
She said LP should go into future elections as a united front, adding that the party can produce the next president in 2027.
A chieftain, Senator Victor Umeh, said those calling for the resignation of Obi as the national leader are on a white goose chase.
At the meeting were Kelvin Chukwu, Okey Ezea, Victor Lar, Nneji Achonu, Yusuf Datti, Ikechukwu Emetu, Obi Aguocha, Senator Neda Imasuen, Barr. Sunday Umeha, Deputy Speaker, Abia House of Assembly, Austin Okezie Meregini, some LP-NWC members, NEC members; NLC, TUC and other statutory members, former governorship candidates from the six geopolitical zones and Prof. Kenneth Kalu, Secretary to Abia State Government.
Abure rejects caretaker committee
The Julius Abure-led NWC rejected the caretaker committee, describing it as illegal and unconstitutional.
He said in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, that he remained the legitimate national chairman.
It described the meeting in Umuahia as a “charade, a waste of time and resources of Abia People.”
The statement reads: “As clearly stated in our previous statement, the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, and all others who have converged on Umuahia have no power within the Party Constitution, the Electoral Act and even within the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to convene any meeting of the Party.
“The combined reading of the two provisions show clearly that the so called meeting in Umuahia is a charade, a waste of time and resources of Abia People.
“The premise on which Governor Alex Otti called the meeting is not only faulty but mischievous. Government business is not transacted verbally but through official communication and correspondences which are done in writing.
“As we speak, there is no communication whatsoever from INEC to the Party as regards any objection to the conduct of the National Convention.
“We challenge Alex Otti to produce the official letter addressed to him from INEC on the subject matter. There is no vacuum in the leadership of the Party.
“Consequently, the so-called caretaker committee set up by the Governor of Abia State is not known to the constitution of the Party and can best be described as a department in Abia State Government House.
“We are shocked to note that the so-called chairman of the caretaker committee is not a registered member of the Party. She surfaced during the Peter Obi Presidential Campaign to assist Peter Obi in his campaign.”
[TheNation]
It was a carnival-like event as the wife of the Governorship Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Edo State chapter, Mrs Ifeyinwa Ighodalo, took to major streets in Benin City like Mission Road, New Benin area and other streets to canvass votes for her husband, Asue Ighodalo ahead of the September 21 governorship election.
The roadshow had thousands of women clad in branded fez caps, t-shirts, clothes and other paraphernalia dancing to Asue Ighodalo’s jingles, which were played repeatedly.
Addressing people in Igbo, Esan languages
Addressing those who left their wares to listen to her, she introduced herself as the wife of the governorship candidate of the PDP and spoke in the Igbo language, the area being dominated by Igbo traders and intermittently greeted the people in Esan, her husband’s language.
She told the women that she was one of them and appealed to them to vote for her husband.
Mrs Ighodalo, who showed her dancing skills while on the motorcade, said: “This is the time you need to support a woman like you. With your support for my husband, we, together, will make our state work. Governor Obaseki has done very well but there is a need to continue from where he will stop and my husband is the right man for the job. We need your support.”
[Vanguard]
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has attributed Nigeria’s current challenges to a lack of effective leadership, asserting that the country is not inherently difficult to govern.
Obasanjo made this observation during the inaugural memorial lecture in honor of the late Akintola Williams, titled “Leadership Dynamics: Current Realities And Way Forward.”
The event was organized by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) in Lagos.
While acknowledging the country’s complexities, Obasanjo emphasized that strong leadership is crucial for national progress.
“I always say Nigeria is a complex country, you must understand that but Nigeria is not a difficult country to manage. You have to be honest with yourself, Nigeria and your God,” he said.
Reflecting on his presidency, Obasanjo claimed that he managed the nation’s resources effectively, leading to notable economic improvements.
“When I was there, I did everything I should do for Nigeria and I can beat my chest and say that.
“I took over as the affairs of Nigeria as elected President with ₦3.7b in reserves and we were spending ₦3.5b to service debt, so I decided we must debt relief and I went out from it even though we were fifth country in all exporting in the world and we got debt relief.
“Not only did we not get relief from a quantum debt of ₦3.36b we came to a quantum debt of N3.6bn and I left with over ₦25b in what we call excess crude that is the money we saved from the budget and what we actually received and we had a reserve of over ₦45b,” he said
He praised Akintola Williams as a visionary who contributed significantly in various sectors.
“He deserves every honor that we can confer posthumously not for what he did for this country but what he did politically, socially and economically,” Obasanjo remarked.