UNICEF Nigeria Names Cobhams Asuquo as National Ambassador

 

As Nigeria celebrates Nigerian Children’s Day, UNICEF Nigeria has revealed the appointment of internationally acclaimed, award-winning Nigerian musician, producer and songwriter, Cobhams Emmanuel Asuquo, as its National Ambassador.

The appointment makes this celebrated artist UNICEF Nigeria’s first National Ambassador in 15 years.

According to a statement issued by the Communications Manager of UNICEF Nigeria, Nidhi Joshi, and made available to journalists on Tuesday, “It’s a huge honour to become a UNICEF Nigeria Ambassador,” Cobhams said.

He added: “I am passionate about children’s rights, and I am passionate about Nigeria as well as securing it’s future. The only way we can truly do that is through ensuring that every child can fulfill their potential.

“I am thrilled to join the very impressive list of UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors around the world, who are supporting the protection and promotion of children’s rights globally, and I am looking forward to making my contribution to the improvement of the lives of Nigerian children and young people.”

Cobhams, a trained lawyer, is a well-known singer and musician who shot to fame when he produced the debut album of Nigerian soul sensation, Asa, including the hit singles, ‘Fire on the Mountain’ and ‘Jailer’.

As UNICEF a National Ambassador, he will help raise awareness of children’s rights concerns and solutions, including issues such as birth registration, immunisation, education, and protection from violence.

Group Wants Abia North Seat Declared Vacant over Kalu's Long Absence

The President of Senate, Dr. Ahmed Lawan, has been urged to declare the Abia North senatorial seat vacant following the long absence of the Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu, who is currently serving a 12-year jail term for fraud.

Youths under the aegis of Abia North Youths Vanguard (ANYN) made the call in a statement issued in Umuahia o Tuesday, saying that the Senate Chief Whip has been away for more than 1/3 legislative days since the inauguration of the ninth Senate.

Kalu began his long absence from the Senate on December 5, 2019, after he was convicted and jailed by a federal high court in Lagos on fraud charges to the tune of N7.2 billion committed when he was the governor of Abia State.

In the statement signed by the President and Secretary-General, Sunday Kalu and Uchechuku Orji respectively, the ANYV insisted that Kalu had already over shot the constitutional requirement of legislative absenteeism for his seat to be declared vacant.

The group pointed out that  by his long absence, Kalu has breached Section 68 (f)  of the 1999 Constitution which stipulates that the seat of a lawmaker be declared vacant if he or she is absent from sitting for more than one third of the legislative days in a year.

By its calculation, the youth group said Kalu has been absence from the Senate for more than 90 days which is over  a third of legislative days in a year.

It lamented that the people of Abia North senatorial district were being denied representation in the Senate because of Kalu's absence hence the urgent need to end the injustice.

Kalu is currently at the Supreme Court seeking to be freed from jail after he discovered to his disappointment that he could not benefit from the apex court ruling that freed Jones Udeogu, who was convicted with him.

But the Abia North youths group argued that it would be unfair for the entire senatorial district to be held to ransom because of Kalu, saying this has "brought more retrogression than progress to the zone."

It added: "While he was governor, he converted the state into his private estate, now that he went to the Senate, he has sent Abia North 15 years backwards as he has spent more time in jail than in the red chamber."

It explained that its call for Kalu's seat to be declared vacant was devoid of any political undertone, adding that the interest of the entire Abia North supersedes any political interest.

Traders Count Losses as Okowa Visits Burnt Ogbeogonogo Market

Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has commiserated with victims of the fire incident that gutted a section of the popular Ogbeogonogo Modern Market in Asaba metropolis yesterday.

Traders were still wailing about their huge losses when the governor visited the market to ascertain the extent of the damage caused by the morning fire, promising that the state government will look into ways of assisting the traders who were affected by the fire to get back to their businesses.

The cause of the fire at the market located on the ever-busy Nnebisi Road, which is the biggest market in the state capital, could not be ascertained as at the time of filing this report, but no life was reportedly lost in the infeno.

The fire, which reportedly started at about 7a.m., consumed a section of the market, including the livestock and tailoring materials sections.

Chickens, goats and other livestock were roasted while sewing machines, tailoring items and other goods worth millions of naira, were lost to the raging fire on a day the market is officially closed on account of the COVID-19.

Attention of members of the public was drawn the burning section of the market following social media posts of videos and pictures of the huge flames billowing from the market, a situation that apparently attracted sympathisers and fire fighters to the scene, even as drivers made detours from the Ogbeogonogo Market area.

However, before the fire incident, there was a pending three-month order from the state government, through the Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency, for the traders to vacate the ill-fated portion and secure vacant spaces inside the main market.

However, the Director-General of the agency, Mrs. Amaechi Mrakpor, was said to be one of the early callers while the fire was still raging, sympathising with affected traders.

You Are Not Welcomed in PDP, Fayose Tells Oni

The former Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayo Fayose, has stated that former Governor of the state, Mr. Segun Oni, is not welcome to the Ekiti State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), “because he is a paperweight.”

Fayose stated this on Tuesday while reacting to a declaration letter dated May 24, 2020, which was addressed to the PDP Caretaker Committee by Oni, who is a former deputy national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), indicating his interest to return to the PDP.

Extract from the nine-page letter Oni wrote said: "At our consultative meeting on March 15, 2020, we took a decision to leave the APC for PDP. Our purpose of writing this letter is to inform you formally that we have since directed our members to join the PDP at their respective wards, and that as soon as the COVID-19 restrictions permit, we would like to mark our declaration with a rally in Ado Ekiti. This will be in full consultation and agreement with you."

But, Oni's decision to return to the PDP seems to have reawakened the longtime rift between the two former governors, Fayose and Oni respectively, as Fayose flagrantly discarded the Oni's intentions owing to “his political irrelevance.”

Describing Oni and his group as paperweights, Fayose, who forwarded the Oni's letter to the official PDP WhatsApp platform, said Oni and his group are not welcomed in PDP.

Fayose said: "Majority of these Oni’s fellow returnees is nothing but known or no ‘weight’, whose names are simply to fill the gaps in desperation for recognition. They are not welcome."

Meanwhile, Oni's intentions to return to PDP has been described as a welcome development by majority of the party members, especially those in Senator Biodun Olujimi's camp, stressing that Oni's political clout is needed to further compliment the progressive efforts of Olujimi and other leaders who are poised to reposition the party.

IPOB Cancels Biafra Day Sit-at-home, Declares Prayers against COVID-19

The leadership of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Tuesday canceled this year's annual ‘sit-at-home’ event, which is usually held in remembrance of those who died during the Nigeria civil war.

A statement issued by the Media and Publicity Secretary of the group, Emma Powerful, noted that because of the number of days that the people have stayed at home this year, it would not be wise to ask them to do same again.

Powerful in the statement said instead of staying at home as a sign of protest, the group has decided to declare a three-day prayer against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The statement read: "After much consideration and deliberations, IPOB high command, therefore, urges Biafrans both at home and in the diaspora to observe this year's remembrance day with fasting and prayers.

"The programme for this year's event will last for three days from May 27 to 30, 2020.

"This year's episode and event will start with prayers and end with prayers. There will also be candle processions at every state, local government area, ward and  church in our land."

It stated that: "There won't be  any sit-at-home or indoor protest or remembrance because our people have stayed much at home during the coronavirus lockdown. IPOB wouldn't like to bother the people with another lockdown in form of sit-at-home."

Powerful said IPOB families and Biafrans across the world are encouraged to use this year's anniversary to pray for all fallen heroes, including all those who were killed by the Nigeria security personnel in the course of the renewed quest to restore Biafra.

PDP Felicitates With Chief Edwin Clark At 93 ...Condoles with Ikpeazu over commissioner's death

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday congratulated elder statesman and former Federal Commissioner of Information, Chief Edwin Clark, as he marks his 93rd birthday.

In a felicitation message signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP commended him for his dedication, commitment and sacrifices towards the unity, stability and progress of the country, especially his unrelenting effort towards the engraining of democratic ethos in Nigeria.

The party said Clark has continued to demonstrate an extra-ordinary zeal in championing for accountability, strict adherence to the demands of rule of law and the tenets of federalism, particularly the constitutional provisions for the rights, liberty and aspirations of Nigerians at every tier of his national life.

The PDP further said it  is thankful to God for keeping Clark in good health so that Nigeria can continue to draw from his statesmanship, humility, honesty, courage and forthrightness on national issues.

The party joined his  family members, friends and well-wishers in celebrating the eminent Nigerian, and prayed to God to grant him more years in good health to continue in his selfless service to his fatherland and humanity in general.

Meanwhile, PDP also commiserated with Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, over the death of the state Commissioner for Environment and the governor’s best friend, Mr. Solomon Ogunji.

The party comforted Ikpeazu, who had been thrown into deep mourning over the loss of his most trusted ally and associate, who exhibited uncommon commitment towards the success of the administration through his dedication to all assignments given to him.

According to the statement issued by the PDP spokesperson, “Ogunji was indeed a hard working official and very loyal compatriot, whose roles in the infrastructural development of the state, especially in execution of landmark road projects in strategic parts of the state, testify to his commitment towards the success of the PDP-led government in the state and the wellbeing of the people.”

 It commiserated with the governor and prayed to God to grant the Ogunji family, the government and people of Abia state and the PDP family in the state the fortitude to bear the huge loss.

Suspended Ekiti Kingmakers Threaten to Sue Fayemi

The suspended kingmakers of Orin Ekiti in Ido/Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State have threatened to take legal action against the state Governor, Kayode Fayemi, if their suspension is not reversed.

The embattled kingmakers perceived their suspension, which led to the appointment of warrant chiefs saddled with the task of selecting a new Olorin, as a desecration of the tradition of the town.

The selection of a new Olorin has been dogged with crisis caused by insistence of a section of the town and chiefs that the town has only two ruling houses, Olubunmo and Famokiti, and rejected the third one called Ajibewa created by the government.

The suspended chiefs passed a vote of no confidence in the appointed warrant chiefs, describing them as political tools to destabilise the town.

The position became vacant following the demise of Oba Oluwole Olubunmo in 2015.

Addressing journalists in Ado Ekiti on Monday, the Onikare of Orin Ekiti, Chief Bamidele Fasuyi, and the Eletin, Chief Francis Falua, alleged that  they only heard about their suspension on radio, which they described as Illegal, null and void in the face of the law.

Fasuyi, who spoke on behalf of the chiefs,  accused the state government of acting like a ‘Mafia’ in the handling of the obaship tussle in the town, “by allegedly sidelining those that matter and pivotal to the selection of Oba.

"Soldiers and policemen just invaded our town, particularly the palace and Apelua hall, where we revered as sacred places. They forcefully went there and took away some of the paraphernalia relating to the installation of Oba in Orin.

"In fact, just take a look at the calibre of warrant chiefs they brought, they were nonentities.

"At the demise of the Olorin in 2015, the local government authority wrote to us and requested that  we select  someone from Ajibewa ruling house, basing it on a gazette generated in 1998 under Navy Capt Atanda Yusuf reign.

"But we replied on behalf of the town that the twe only knew of Olubunmo and Famokiti royal dynasties, and that Ajibewa was a product of illegality. The gazette they relied on was fake.

"The government should leave Orin alone. The Morgan commission of enquiry of 1978 established two ruling houses, so we didn't know where they got the 1998 gazette that overrode the Morgan’s report.

"We want our suspension reversed with immediate effect, and if they fail to act accordingly, we will have no other option than to go to court to seek redress.”

Fasuyi urged the state government to make public the recommendations of the Justice Jide Aladejana Judicial Commission of enquiry on chieftaincy issues.

NDDC House Cttee Chair Decries Allegation of Inflation of Budget

The Chairman of the House of Representative Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Hon. Olubumi Tunji-Ojo, has decried allegations that his committee vandalised and inflated the 2019 budget as submitted by the commission to the National Assembly.

NDDC Executive Chairman, Dr. Cairo Ojuigoh, had at an interview on the Morning Show, a breakfast programme on Arise TV channel, a sister broadcast arm of THISDAY, alleged that both NDDC committees in the National Assembly vandalised and raised their budget as well as removed all the regional projects of President Muhammadu Buhari.

But in a telephone conversation on Monday,, the lawmaker debunked the allegations, describing it as a sheer blackmail.

He explained that in the 2019 budget that was submitted by the commission, they overstated their revenue profile and they had to trim it down to the available funds.

According to Tunji-Ojo, “It’s just a sheer blackmail. In the 2019 budget that was brought by NDDC, they overstated their revenue profile, they brought a budget of over N400 billion, and they over stated their revenue. For example, statutory transfer from the federal government which is based on the 2019 Appropriation Act was N100 billion, but they used N125 billion instead of N100 billion.

''So you can’t spend money that you don’t have. What we did was to trim down the budget to the reality of available fund which is about three hundred and forty something billion naira. It is on record that we didn’t remove a single project from the budget, and again don’t forget that the power of appropriation by our constitution lies in the National Assembly. So the issue of vandalisation of 2019 budget it’s not true.”

He added: “On the issue that we sat on the 2020 budget, it is on record that immediately we passed the 2019 budget, we wrote to the NDDC to submit the performance report of the 2019 budget, without the budget performance report you cannot do a budget, and you cannot appropriate money without having a performance report because you won’t know how much you stated for which project. We wrote to them immediately we passed the 2019 budget, they didn’t respond, so we wrote another reminder which they responded and their response was that they cannot access the office because of COVID-19, so how do you expect the National Assembly to pass the budget when you didn’t give us performance report which we needed to do the budget?

“As far we are concerned, we are a responsible parliament, and we are responsible to the people of the Niger Delta, so we cannot hold NDDC budget, but a thorough job must be done.”

South-west APC Directs Members to Withdraw Court Cases

The South-west All Progressives Congress (APC) has directed its members having any court case against the party across the six states of the region to withdraw it with immediate effect.

Also, the party South-west leaders lauded a factional party Chairman in Ondo State, Mr. Idowu Otetubi, for withdrawing a case he instituted against the Ade Adetimehin-led State Working Committee.

This was contained in a statement signed by the South-west Publicity Secretary, Karounwi Oladapo, on Monday.

According to the statement, "The attention of the APC South-west caucus and leaders has been drawn to the withdrawal of the case with suit no: FHC /AK/CS/10/2019 instituted by Hon Idowu Otetubi, who is the factional state Chairman of Ondo State, against the APC state executive committee led by Ade Adetimehin.

"The South-west APC leaders commended Otetubi for his patriotic decision and steps taken to unify the party.

"The party assures him that such loyalty and commitment to the party has not gone unnoticed."

Karounwi further reiterated that APC places high premium on elevating the collective interests of the party above individual interests.

Therefore, the party ordered all factions in APC, wherever they exist in other states of the Southwest, to follow the good example set by Otetubi in the overall interest of the party.

Karounwi further emphasised that "there are consequences for good behaviour as well as bad behavior.

"The party commends Otetubi's action and advise other members of APC who have axe to grind with the party in Ondo State to follow suit and reconcile themselves in the overall interest of the party.”

Ethiopian Airlines Denies Deal with Canada on Evacuation of Nigerians

Ethiopian Airlines on Monday denied any deal with Canada High Commission to evacuate Nigerians from Canada.

This is despite the earlier instruction by the Canada High Commission directing evacuees to buy Ethiopian Airlines ticket at the cost of $2,500 for economy class, but the East African carrier said it was not contacted to evacuate Nigerians from the North American country.

A statement signed by the General Manager of Ethiopian Airlines in Nigeria, Firihewot Mekonnen, noted that the evacuation exercise is the responsibility of the Nigerian Government.

The statement explained further that Ethiopian Airlines evacuated 187 Canadians and Resident Permit holders from Nigeria on May 21, 2020, from Lagos airport on Boeing B787 to Addis Ababa for onward transfer to Canada.

“Ethiopian Airlines evacuated 187 Canadians and resident permit holders from Nigeria on May 21 from Lagos airport on B787 to Addis Ababa for onward transfer to Canada. Ethiopian Airlines has been operating regular flights between Addis Ababa and Toronto in Canada for ymany ears.

“More Canadians will be evacuated as arrangements are ongoing. Ethiopian Airlines is ready to operate any flight for evacuation when requested by the respective government and agencies. As at now, the airline has already operated such flights and is having an on-going discussion to evacuate Canadians and Canada resident permit holders from Nigeria.

“Ethiopian Airlines is not yet contracted to evacuate Nigerians from Canada. That is the responsibility of the Nigerian Government and its agencies to choose partners for such evacuation,” the statement said.

Two persons were killed in an inferno at an internally displaced persons (IDPs) camp in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, the Chairperson of the state Emergency Management Agency (BOSEMA), Hajiya Yabawa Kolo, has said.

Kolo, made the revelation on Monday while receiving food and non-food items from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to relieve the victims of the fire incident.

She also lamented that the fire incident which occurred last Saturday night equally destroyed 1,613 makeshift shelters at the Muna IDPs camp at the outskirts of Maiduguri.

Kolo also decried that the fire incident which occurred at the eve of the Eid-el-Fitri also destroyed food and other means of livelihood at the camp.

It was gathered that the inferno, which was traced to an accident at the cooking points, left 1,613 households and 9,678 people affected.

The inferno could not be put out, as the makeshift shelters were clustered with a windstorm that fueled the spread of inferno to other IDPs’ houses.

It destroyed all the two sources of water at the camp leaving NEMA to temporarily commence distribution of water through water tankers.

The acting Zonal Coordinator of NEMA, North East, Mr. Ishaya Chinoko, who represented the Director-General, AVM Mohammed Mohammed (rtd) at the presentation, said the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar-Farouk, instructed that relief items be distributed to the fire incident.

Among the items distributed were condiments, food items, clothing and building materials.

Delta LG Evicts Herdsmen from Bushes

In a bid to check the growing insecurity in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, the Chairman of the council area, Mr. Louis Ndukwe, on Monday issued an executive order authorising the eviction of herdsmen from the bushes within the council area.

The executive order by Ndukwe has directed those residing in the bushes to vacate their camps within seven days or have their structures demolished.

Growing criminal activities, including kidnappings, killings, armed robberies and rapes, in many parts of the state have been blamed on criminal elements that have infiltrated the ranks of nomadic herdsmen who often defy local laws by setting up illegal camps in the bushes and grazing on farmlands armed with automatic weapons.

Oshimili North, Aniocha North and Aniocha South LGAs, all of which border Asaba, the state capital, Ika South, Ika North-East, Ndokwa East, Ndokwa West, Ughelli North, Ethiope East and Ethiope West LGAs are among the local government areas where attacks by suspected herdsmen have led to many deaths, kidnappings and destruction of properties in the state recently.

Nevertheless, Ndukwe said the order had become necessary in the light of recent security challenges, including the alarming rate of kidnappings, killings, rape and maiming of residents in Oshimili North LGA believed to be masterminded by criminal elements who take refuge in hamlets or camps built by herders in the bushes.

Meanwhile, nomadic Fulani and Hausa residents in the locality yesterday protested the eviction order, denying the culpability of nomadic Fulani herdsmen in the increasing levels of crime in the area.

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, the Public Relations Officer of Muslim Lawyers Association of Nigeria, Delta State branch, Mr. Idris Abubakar, described the Oshimili council quit notice as draconian, null-and-void and likely to worsen the problem it was meant to solve if implemented.

The lawyer further claimed that the Hausa-Fulani residents "are lawful tenants and we have been paying rent, and we have documents to prove that."

Reacting yesterday to the protest, the local government area chairman said the executive order was not aimed at antagonising anybody within the locality, but only to clear the bushes where heinous crimes were being committed.

"We have not asked them to leave the local government area but to come out of the bushes and live socially and economically with us in the towns and villages. Our government is people-friendly, and the people of Anioma (Delta North) are very friendly too," Ndukwe explained.

At the initial stage, when the Fulani residents opted to live in the bushes, there were no problems, he observed, noting however that recently heinous crimes "are being committed in the bushes; people are being killed, kidnapped for ransom, and our women are being raped in the bushes.”

I've Lost My Best Friend of 40 Years, Ikpeazu Laments

Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has expressed deep pains following the death of his Commissioner for Environment and closest confidant, Dr. Solomon Ogunji, saying his death "is definitely very hard for me to swallow."

"I didn't just lose a commissioner, I lost my best friend of over 40 years," he lamented, adding that Ogunji's demise was "a deeply profound personal loss."

Ogunji passed away on May 23, 2020, at the Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH), Aba, after a brief illness linked to high blood pressure.

The governor, who was emotionally distraught for losing a longstanding friend, said his friendship with late Ogunji started when the deceased was 13 and it had blossomed ever since.

According to him, their friendship grew and solidified to the extent that no one else has come closer to him in terms of personal relationships other than the late environment commissioner.

In his poetic elegy, the mournful Ikpeazu recounted with fond memories his long span relationship with Ogunji.

According to him, "We grew up together; attended the same secondary school where we were classmates. I cannot remember any other person that shares with me the kind of relationship I had with Solo.

"Many years ago, we both lost our fathers and incidentally, the two burials were fixed for the same day. While the funeral service for his father was still on before the burial proper, he left his village at Ohambele Ndoki and joined me at Umuobiakwa.

"He got to my village while we were getting set for the funeral service of my late father. I asked him why, and he told me that he had two elder brothers who could take charge at home while I was not just the first son but the first child, and so needed all the psychological support I could get.

“He stayed with me till the next day before returning to his village to join his family. That is the kind of friend Solo was to me. It went beyond mere friendship."

The governor further stated that "as young boys, we shared dreams of our future at a time when no one knew that we would find ourselves at the top echelon of public service."

The late Ogunji, who was a senatorial aspirant for Abia South in 2015, played important roles in Ikpeazu's government, serving as special adviser and commissioner as well as heading special task forces.

Military: COVID-19 Has Changed Military Operations in North-east, Troubled Spots

As Nigeria grapples with the spiraling COVID-19 pandemic, the military high command said on Thursday the disease had changed battle plans and the entire military operations in the North-east region and other troubled spots in the country.

This is coming as it recovered 18,000 barrels of stolen crude oil and 224,000 litres of diesel in the Niger Delta region, even as its naval component rescued a Chinese vessel, MV Hailufang II, earlier attacked and hijacked by pirates.

The Directorate of Defence Media Operations (DDMO) said the pandemic had affected battlefield operations as related to troops and the handling of captured and surrendered terrorists and bandits.

Speaking at a briefing Abuja, the Coordinator of the Directorate of Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche, said the military had ordered personnel protective equipment (PPE) for troops at the frontlines.

He said captured or surrendered insurgents were quarantined and given face masks while also observing social distance rules.

Enenche stated that 21 medical centres were established in military formations across the country as isolation and treatment centres, while 80 medical personnel were concentrated in Abuja and trained on COVID-19 case management and Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), who were thereafter deployed to different geo-political zones in the country, including Abuja.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way everything will be done.

"We have ordered for PPE for troops at the frontlines," he said.

On insurgents, he said: "The moment they are captured, they are quarantined and given face masks while observing social distancing too.

"Captured or surrendered enemies are treated in line with the Geneva Convention. COVID-19 has changed the way things are done at the frontlines and in barracks."

On operations in the Niger Delta region under operation Delta Safe, Enenche said the Nigerian Navy ship, Delta, conducted anti-illegal bunkering/crude oil theft (COT) operations around Ugbodede, Uwakeno, Opumami and Banga communities and Escravos general area in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State.

"During the operations, the team located and dismantled illegal refining sites and a wooden boat with three coolers, 136 dugout pits, 201 surface metal storage tanks and 174 ovens laden with about 14,434 barrels of suspected stolen crude oil as well as 1,385,000 litres of product suspected to be illegally refined diesel. The storage facilities were dismantled," he said.