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Showing posts from February, 2019

Governorship Poll: PDP Cautions Against Militarisation of South-South

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday raised the alarm over  what it described as the illegal occupation and provocative siege  of PDP states in the South-south, including Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta, Akwa-Ibom and Cross River States by the military ahead of the March 9  governorship and state assembly elections. The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, while addressing a press conference on Thursday, alleged that it was clear that after using the military to unleash violence, fabricate 25 per cent ballot for President Muhammadu Buhari across the South-South states and other PDP strongholds, the All Progressives Congress ( APC) now wants to use the military to fight its governors, suppress its members and forcefully take over the states. According to him, “This illegal operation is to further militarise the South-South zone, use soldiers to suppress voters and re-enact the massive rigging of polls for the All Progressives Congress

PDP Mocks Oshiomhole for Losing His State

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday mocked the National Chairman of the  All Progressive Congress (APC) for his failure to deliver his state, Edo to his party in last Saturday’s presidential election.  Despite President Muhammadu Buhari winning the election, the presidential candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, defeated him in Edo State. Reacting to a statement credited to Oshiomole, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, at a press conference in Abuja said Oshiomhile was not in the position to tell Nigerians who is electable or not.   Oshiomhole had claimed during a press conference in Abuja that Atiku lost the election because he was not electable. But  Ologbodiyan stated categorically that Oshiomole was not someone his party could be proud of given the way he had run the ruling party, adding that neither Nigerians nor the opposition party took the APC’s boss or his utterances seriously.  He stated:

Crisis Looms on Plateau over Alleged Manipulation of Election Results …CAN, PDP task INEC on transparency

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As palpable tension continues to mount in Plateau State following allegations that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) connived with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to manipulate last Saturday National Assembly elections in the state, the commission has continued to hold unto the results, refusing to declare it for fear that there might be a breakdown of law. Youths from one of the trouble spots, the Plateau North zone, have threatened to crackdown on INEC should they announce any result different from the popular choice of the people. The polls for the three senatorial seats and a House of Assembly in the state were allegedly won by the PDP candidates going by the results declared at the ward level. But the commission which cited some regularity declared one inconclusive and held on to the rest since last Saturday. There are insinuations that the All Progressives Congress (APC) government in the state has mounted pressure on

Money Laundering: Court Sentences Air Chief To 7yrs Imprisonment

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Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Thursday sentenced a former Air Vice Marshall, Tony Omeyi (rtd) to a seven years imprisonment on money laundering charges. Justice Dimgba who gave the sentence in a judgment delivered yesterday, held that the money received by Omenyi amounted to criminal liability and that the defendant failed to prove otherwise. He accordingly sentenced the defendant to 7 years imprisonment on each of the three count charge preferred against him. The sentences however are to run concurrently. Justice Dimgba also ordered that the sum of N62m already recovered from the convict by the EFCC be forfeited to the Federal government. He also ordered a compulsory winding up of the said company which was listed as 2nd defendant in the suit, having been a vehicle of corruption. The defendant, is also a former Managing Director of the Aeronautical Engineering and Technical Services Ltd, AETSL. Omenyi, was arraig

ECOWAS Court Orders FG to Investigate 2016 Agatu Killings

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The ECOWAS Court of Justice sitting in Abuja has ordered the federal government to investigate the 2016 mass killings and destruction of properties in the Agatu community of Benue State, identify and prosecute the perpetrators as well as redress the victims. Delivering judgment in a suit brought by a Catholic priest, Rev. Father Solomon Mfa ,and eleven others on Thursday, a three-member panel of the court found the government in ‘violation of their obligation to protect the human rights of the Agatu Community and prevent its violation.’ Other plaintiffs in the suit no: ECW/CCJ/APP/11/16, are, Reverend Joseph Dooga, Dr. Sam Abah, Dr.David Iordaah, Hon. Ochepo Yakubu, Hon. Terse Tange, Favour Adah Paul, Samuel Msonter Ijoho, Iorbee Bajah, Ashi Bajah, Terseer Iorbee Bajah and Movement Against Fulani Occupation(MAFO), while the President of Nigeria, the Inspector General of Police, the Chief of Army Staff and the Minister of Internal Affairs are 1st to 4th defendants respectively

Election: Returning Officer Denies Declaring Ubah Winner under Duress

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  The returning Officer for Anambra South senatorial election in last Saturday poll, Prof Meshach Umenweke, on Thursday denied publication by some national dailies that he declared the candidate of the Young Progressives Party(YPP), Ifeanyi Ubah, winner to save his life. Umenweke in a letter addressed to the Anambra State Resident Electoral Commissioner(REC) of Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC), Dr. Nkwachukwu Orji, said the publication by the national dailies were untrue. He said: “I never at any point said I announced the result of the Anambra South senatorial election under duress nor in the mode that is implied (by the newspapers). “No gun or knife was pointed at me at the material time of the election result announcement. The election tribunal remains the constitutionally recognised means for any aggrieved party,” he said. Umenweke had last Sunday announced Ubah of the YPP as winner of the Anambra South senatorial election a

Father of Five Kills Wife over Sex in Niger

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  A father of five has been arrested by the police in Niger State for allegedly killing his wife. 35-year-old Mohammed Manu was nabbed by the police in Barusa village in New Bussa, Borgu Local Government Area of the state last Wednesday after reportedly hitting his wife Hassana Bulous with a pestle on the head. Hassana was said to have died instantly. According to the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Muhammad Abubakar, the suspect said he was angered by his frequent denial of sex by the deceased. The police said Manu narrated that every time he wanted to have sex with the deceased, she would deny him, adding that after being frustrated, he used a pestle he picked from the kitchen to hit Hassana on the head resulting in her death. The suspect, when paraded before journalists, did not deny the allegation, but said he was pushed to the wall by his late wife who constantly denied him of sex. He wondered why a house wife would be

Police Disrupt Free-Lagos Movement News Conference Against Tinubu …Teargas conference participants, invited leaders

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  A team of armed police officers from Area ‘F’ Police Command on Thursday disrupted a world press conference organised by the ‘Free Lagos Orange Movement’ to end the political dynasty of the national leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu.    Just before the conference started at about 11:30 a.m. yesterday, the police officers arrived at the Airport Hotel Ikeja in six patrol vehicles and one Black Maria van and blocked the entrance for two hours, a situation that kept customers from coming into and going out of the hotel. Also, the police officers blocked the gate that led to the Oranmiyan Hall, the venue of the news conference, where a sizable number of Tinubu’s critics had already gathered for the formal inauguration of the movement, a resemblance of political campaign that foiled the re-election of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, in Kwara State.   The police action prevented the conveners of the movement, including for

US Military to Support Offensive against ISWAP, Boko Haram

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In a renewed bid to rout terrorists in the North-east, the United States Army said it would provide support for the ongoing military offensive against Islamic State West Africa (ISWAP) and  Boko Haram by countries of Lake Chad Basin Commission. Member-countries of the Lake Chad Basin Commission, notably Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger Republic, are presently engaged  in a military offensive tagged: 'Operation Yacin Tafki' to rid the Lake Chad fringes of terrorists. The Commander,  Special Operations  United States Africa Command (US AFRICOM), Major General Marcus Hicks,  made the disclosure during a recent visit to the Tactical Headquarters of the Multinational Joint Task Force in Diffa, Republic of Niger. Addressing officers of the MNJTF, Major General  Hicks noted that the aim of the visit was to share intelligence and build confidence between the two organisations towards the achievement of operational objectives. Earlier, the Deputy Force Commander of the MNJTF, Brig

2019 Election Worst In 30 Years, Says Atiku

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The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the just concluded 2019 presidential election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has described it as the worst held Nigeria in the last 30 years. He condemned the election while addressing party supporters on Wednesday in Abuja, the nation’s capital. Atiku, who rejected the outcome of the poll, said even the military government conducted a better election than the one conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on February 23, 2019. “As I have always said, this year is my three decades in Nigeria’s struggle for democracy; but this is the worst election in those 30 years,” he said. “And I told that to General Abdulsalami (Abubakar) two nights ago, when he called me. I said not even the military has conducted such a worst election.” The PDP candidate alleged that there were a lot of irregularities in the election which saw President Muhammadu Buhari extend his stay in the Aso Villa by another four years.

Mixed Feeling Hits Parts of Kaduna over Buhari’s Victory, as Residents Jubilate

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  It was a mixed feeling   in Kaduna metropolis as President Muhammadu Buhari was declared winner of the presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). In the Muslim-dominated northern part of Kaduna metropolis, it was celebration galore as residents of the area, mainly supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC), took to the streets in jubilation as soon as Buhari was declared winner. A resident of Kurmin Mashi, who identified herself simply as Ummi, said the celebrations started by 1:00a.m. yesterday. She said the area was agog with celebration which lasted till dawn. She said; “We did not sleep at all with the celebration of Buhari’s victory. These people were going from house to house, disturbing people and knocking on our gates in the name of celebration. They didn’t allow us to sleep.” The situation was said to have been the same in areas like Angwan Sarki, Tudun Wada, Rigassa, Angwan Dosa, Kawo among

Appeal Court Reserves Judgment on Onnoghen's Appeal

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The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Wednesday reserved judgment to a date to   be communicated to parties in the appeals filed by the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen against the decision of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT). A three-man panel of the court led by Justice Stephen Adah, made the announcement after counsel in the matters adopted their briefs of argument in the four appeals filed before the court. In the first appeal, Onnoghen is challenging the jurisdiction of the CCT to hear the charge against him, being a serving judicial officer. In the second appeal, he is challenging the decision of the Tribunal to hear all pending applications together, including his application challenging the jurisdiction of the tribunal to entertain the suit. In the third appeal, the suspended CJN is challenging the veracity of the ex-parte order directing him to vacate office as CJN and for President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint an acting CJN

Buhari's Mandate Illegitimate, Says CUPP

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The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has described the election that gave victory to President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in last Saturday's  as the worst in the history, claiming the mandate is illegitimate. At a press conference in Abuja, the spokesperson of CUPP, Ikenga Ugochinyere, alleged that President Buhari insulted Nigerians' sensibilities and raped her electoral decency.  The opposition coalition noted that in a bid to hang on to power with alleged crooks under him, the president murdered democracy.  "Only a person who lacks understanding will congratulate a man who set out to burn down our electoral system. We ask, how do you accept this madness? Accepting this without as much as stiff resistance and exposing the fraud that was committed by President Buhari and the APC in this election is the recipe for future stealing of votes and massive voter apathy since voters will not have confidence in the system a

Don’t Go To Election Tribunal – Agbakoba Advises Atiku

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A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Olisa Agbakoba, has advised the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in last Saturday’s election, Atiku Abubakar, not to approach the court because of his loss. Atiku lost the presidential election to incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and has rejected the presidential election outcome on Wednesday, saying he would challenge it in court because it was not free or fair, and that it was full of many irregularities. But in a piece titled: ‘2019 Presidential Election: Ethnic Consideration vs Governance Consideration,’ written by Agbakoba on Wednesday, the legal practitioner advised Atiku against approaching the court, but to accept the outcome in faith. “I understand the PDP is aggrieved at the outcome of the election and alleged massive irregularities. I urge former Vice President Atiku Abubakar not to approach the Election Petition Tribunal. “He might have (been) moved bac

Presidential Election: 10,000 Imo Women Protest Military, Police Misconduct …Accuse Okorocha, INEC of fraud

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Over ten thousand women in Imo State on Wednesday took to the streets of the state capital, Owerri, to protest against alleged misconduct by the military and other security agencies in last Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections. The women, adorned in black, stormed the headquarters of the 34 field Artillery Brigade in Obinze, calling on the army high command to caution the soldiers to stay away from politics. Presenting a petition to the representative of the Commanding Officer (CO), leaders of the group, Mrs. Uju Ihejiagwa and Nwando Anyasinti, lamented what they described as day-light robbery of the people of the state. They described the announcement of Governor Rochas Okorocha as senator-elect for Orlu zone as fraudulent. According to them, “Okorocha committed electoral fraud by using the military, Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and thugs to intimidate, harass and maim unsuspecting and unprotected Imo voters. “He connived with some