The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on Tuesday said millions of mobile telephone lines barred by telecom operators will not be unblocked until their owners’ National Identity Numbers (NINs) are linked.

Over 72.77 million active telecommunication subscribers had recently barred from making calls on their SIMs, following a directive from the Federal Government to telecommunication companies.

However, NCC on Tuesday said the information had become necessary in view of a viral untrue web link being circulated on social media and on some websites.

“The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) wishes to officially inform telecoms consumers, whose Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards are barred from making calls, that affected SIMs will not be unbarred by the service providers until they are linked with the National Identification Numbers (NINs) of the SIM holders,” the statement said.

According to the commission, the link and the accompanying narrative represented patent misinformation and disinformation certainly designed to mislead the general public about the SIM cards barred from making calls, due to non-linkage with NIN at the set deadline.

“The misleading, viral message mischievously displays NCC logo and ostensibly promises members of the public that by clicking the web link and following further instructions in that regard, subscribers with barred SIM cards can unbar such SIMs across mobile networks without a valid NIN.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the NCC wishes to state categorically that it never issued such statement, directing subscribers or indicating that subscribers can unbar their SIM without a NIN. As such, the originators and peddlers of the spurious message were out to mischievously mislead unsuspecting members of the public and should therefore be disregarded in its entirety.”

Meanwhile, NCC has said for subscribers that have not registered for their NINs, what to do is to get their SIM registered at accredited centres across the country and then link the NIN with their SIM cards through channels provided by their service providers.

“The NCC, therefore, uses this opportunity to reiterate its commitment to the Federal Government’s directive on the NIN-SIM link to among others, strengthen security situation in the country, assist in other socio-economic planning activities of the government as well as to always advance the course of consumer protection from falling victim to the antics of cyber fraudsters,” It added.

 

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The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami in 2018 tricked President Muhammadu Buhari to approve $350 million out of the total sum to some consultants, despite repeated warnings on the genuineness of the $478 million judgment debts said to be owed by the states and their local governments with respect to the Paris Club refunds.

Disregarding the warnings including a report by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), against the legitimacy of the debts, Malami in a letter to the President dated 9th October, 2018 and obtained by SaharaReporters said his office had worked out “disbursement ratio of this amount to the appropriate beneficiaries.”

The controversial debt arose from various court judgments ordering that some “contractors” and “consultants” be paid for certain services and projects executed for the various states and the 774 local governments.

Some of the claimants were said to be consultants who helped the states and local governments to secure recovery of funds over-deducted from their allocations between 1995 and 2002 to service then London and Paris Club loans.

“Your Excellency kindly recall my previous correspondence addressed to the Chief of Staff to the President dated 11th July, 2018 and 1st August, 2018 copies of which are attached herewith a ANNEXURE IA & IB on the need to settle 3rd party claims in respect of the above subject matter,” part of the letter written by Malami to the President read.

“Your Excellency subsequently approved the recommendation for the settlement of this 3rd party via letter dated 29th August, 2018 with Ref. No. SH/COS/08/B/848 addressed to the Hon. Minister of Finance, a copy of which is attached herewith as ANNEXURE II. Consequent upon the approval the Hon. Minister via letter dated 14th September 2018 with Ref. No. FMF/HMF/CBN/PC/FINAL/1/2018 directed f the he Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria to set aside the sum of US$350 million for settlement of Legal,Consultancy Fees, etc. A copy of this letter is attached herewith as ANNEXURE III.

“I wish to draw Your Excellency’s attention to the fact that in the initial refund made to the State, the Hon. Minister of Finance directly instructed CBN to pay the sum of $86,546,526.65 as consultancy fees and N19,439,225,871.11 as legal fees to NGF accounts. The relevant letters are attached herewith as ANNEXURE VII(A) & VII(B). The above payment resulted in EFCC investigations/prosecutions and forfeiture actions. Please see attached media report in ANNEXURE IV. ALGON/LGAs did not benefit from the above sums.

 

“It is also instructive to relate that the instant presidential approval is premised solely on the need to settle outstanding court judgments/orders arising from the Paris Club refund in respect of LGAs to avoid future judgment debit liability on FGN. I wish to buttress the above by making references to Paragraph 10(ix) of the letter of the Hon. Minster of Finance addressed to Your Excellencyand dated 5th July, 2018 with Ref. No. FMP/HMF/SH/PRES/FINAL/2018 which clearly state a court order has been secured with regards to Local Government refunds. A copy of this letter is attached to ANNEXURE II.

“I wish to further make references from the Chief of Staff to the President dated 28th June, 2018 with Ref. No. SH/COS/08/B/782 addressed to the HON. Minister of Finance, copied to me (attached herewith as ANNEXURE V, whose paragraph 1(f) stated the President’s directive to me as follows: directed that - in relationship to court case instituted by the 235 Local Government Council against the Federal Government- the Attorney General provides a legal opinion as to the constitutionally and sovereign implications of any 3rd party consultant, such as Linas International Ltd, being eligible for 20% if judgments sum as payments which are to be deducted at sources.

“This above also shows beyond doubt that the 3rd party claim for which presidential approval was sought is in relation to the judgment obtained in the case instituted by LGCs and not States.

“Your Excellency is respectfully invited to note that: (i) Presidential approval was granted for the sum of US$350 million for settlement of Legal Consultancy Fees, etc based on recommendation made by the FGN Legal Team. (ii) My office has worked out disbursement ratio of this amount to the appropriate beneficiaries. (iii) In the initiate refunds made to the States, NGF was paid the sum of $86,546,526.65 consultancy fees and N19,439,225,871.11 as legal fees while ALGON Legal and Consultancy Fees remain unsettled.

“(iv) Both NGF and ALGON had previously issued letters of no objection to direct payment. ALGON Legal and Consultancy Fees to Linas international Ltd (copies attached ANNEXURE VI(A-C). (v) All beneficiaries are to submit appropriate letters of understanding accepting the payment as final settlement of their claims. (vi) EFFC is better being directed to initiate criminal action against Riok Nigeria Ltd (Prince Nichola Ukachukwu) and Ted Edwards based on the report of its earlier investigation for the extradition of Ted Edwards.

“NOTATION: 8. In view of the foregoing Mr. President is respectfully invited to: (i) Note that the Hon Minister of Finance, Accountant General of the Federation and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria are to effect disbursement of the approved sum of US$350 million in accordance with disbursement mandate to be issued by the Hon. Attorney General of the Federation.”

SaharaReporters had in a series of reports exposed wide-ranging legitimacy issues, including non-execution of agreed contracts and backdoor deals raised against the indebtedness from various quarters.

One of the beneficiaries is one Dr Ted Iseghahi Edwards, who was indicted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Documents seen by SaharaReporters showed that Edwards did not represent the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) as claimed.

A letter dated August 1, 2018, by former EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, to the Ministry of Justice/Attorney General Office, indicted him of an attempt to defraud the Nigerian government.

It said, “The suspects had filed applications in court to be joined as one of the judgement creditors during the garnishee proceedings and the applications were refused by the Federal High Court. The judge in a ruling delivered on the 27th of June 2016 frowned at Dr Ted Edward for brandishing a judgment purportedly delivered by the Federal Capital Territory on 30th October, 2015 and in fact took a swipe at it.

“By the Motion Ex parte filed on the 30th of March, 2015, the judgement creditors applied for a Garnishee Order Nisi which was granted on 1st April, 2015 and fixed the return date for 16th April for the Garnishee to show cause why the Order Nisi should not be made absolute.

“The Honorable Judge in his ruling stated unequivocally that let me state right away that the substantive matter was commenced by me until I entered judgement on the 3rd of December, 2013. I have searched my records up to the date of I entered judgement. I could not find the name of Dr Ted Iseghahi Edwards as representing the judgement creditors even for one day nor did I find any process filed by his law firm. How then was that judgement prosecuted?

“Another point to highlight is the fact that according to the purported letter of engagement being bandied by Dr Ted Edwards, he was engaged on September 15, 2011, long before the matter was filed in court quoting the exact judgment sum.

“What this throws up is the fact that the said letter of engagement was done after 3rd December, 2013 and backdated to make it look as if the suspect had been engaged before the case started. There is no evidence to prove that the suspect did any work in relation to the recovery process.

“A careful look at the memorandum of settlement Dr Ted Iseghohi Edwards and Hon Odunayo Ategbero betrays the conspiracy and an attempt to defraud the Federal Government by the suspects.

“Pending Actions; Invitation and/or Arrest of the suspect, Dr Ted Iseghahi Edwards with a view of confronting him with all the issues raised in the evaluation above. Tracing and filing interim forfeiture order on any property or asset acquired with proceeds of fraud by Dr. Ted Iseghahi Edwards.”

SaharaReporters gathered that despite the report, Malami persuaded Buhari to approve $159million as legal fees to Edward.

They also directed the DMO and the Ministry of Finance to release the promissory notes to Edward and others so that they could take their shares, a source had said.

“Edward was the Secretary-General of ALGON when the Paris Club refund case FHC/ABJ/CS/130/2013 was done by Joe Agi (SAN) and his colleagues before Justice Ademola. It is clear that he was not the lawyer to ALGON and this much ALGON has said in writing to Malami and the Chief of Staff, Gambari,” the source had told SaharaReporters.

“The EFCC in its report to Malami and (Ibrahim) Gambari also established that Ted Edward did not represent ALGON and that Ted Edward in his own handwriting admitted that Joe Agi was the lead counsel for ALGON. He went to one Judge, Baba Yusuf and procured a judgement that he was the lawyer to ALGON in the Paris Club refund case.

“Yet Malami who knows this is recommending that Ted Edward be paid $159,000,000 as fees from ALGON instead of the actual lawyer. Will this not amount to double payment whenever Mr Joe Agi demands to be paid? From my investigation, Mr Joe Agi, ALGON and the Nigerian Governors’ Forum have all gone back to court to challenge the payment of the $418 million including that of Edward through promissory notes.

How Attorney-General Malami Manipulated Buhari to Approve Payment of $350million to Ned Nwoko, Other Paris... by Sahara Reporters on Scribd

 

“Should Malami not take a second look at the suit and see if really there is any fraud as being widely alleged? Instead, he and the Chief of Staff tricked the President and subsequently directed the Debt Management Office and the Finance Office to release the promissory notes to Edward and others so that they can take their shares.

“The total sum of $418 million promissory note suggested by Malami to be paid is just a tip of the iceberg of what is coming unless he is stopped. Nigeria will become bankrupt before President Buhari leaves office. The anti-corruption war of Buhari has been effectively clipped by Malami and Gambari using their powerful offices to trick the President who really trusted them.

“All (that is) needed to be done is to allow independent people to go through the whole cases concocted on the advice of Malami and the truth will be seen and Nigeria saved of all these massive stealing.

 

“Why is Malami not challenging any of these court judgements? If I may ask; in most of all these claims, the EFCC had investigated, taken statements and established that none of the contracts was executed. The report was submitted to Malami and former Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun by Magu-led EFCC suggested the arrest and interrogation of Ted Edward and one Prince Nicolas Ukachukwu but he and Gambari suppressed the report.

“The same man suggested to be arrested is who Malami said should be given $159,000,000. ALGON had written several letters to him and (Kayode) Fayemi, who is the Chairman of Nigerian Governors’ Forum that all the jobs executed by Edward and others were fake, not executed. Yet Malami in the face of this clear case of fraud tricked the President in a memo and said judgement was given against them.

“He also negotiated the debt to 50 percent and convinced the President to pay to avoid more damages. It’s high time President Buhari save his anti-corruption war by causing a thorough investigation of his appointees involved in this massive fraud.”

Other beneficiaries include Nwoko, who is laying claim to $142,028,941 via a consent judgment he obtained from the Federal High Court in Abuja in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/148/2017.

Three beneficiaries laying claim to $143,463,577.76 via a judgment of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in the suit marked FCT/HC/CV/2129/2014 are: Riok Nigeria Ltd, Orji Nwafor Orizu, and Olaitan Bello.

 From the total money, Riok Nigeria Limited has a share of $142,028,941.95 (about N54 billion), Mr Nwafor is entitled to $1,219,440.45 and Mr Bello has a share of $215,159.36.

A firm, Panic Alert Security System Limited, owned by George Uboh, is also laying claim to $47,831,920 based on another “consent judgment” it obtained in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/123/2018, which was filed as recently as 2018.

 

Scandal News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 

Elected councillors in Benue State have threatened to embark on a one-week protest in Makurdi, the state capital, against the nonpayment of their furniture allowance.

 

The ex-councillors, under the aegis of “Benue State Councillor’s Forum 2020,” disclosed this in a letter to the Commissioner of Police in the state.

In the letter signed by BSCF Chairman, Matthew Akosu and Secretary, Okita Robinson, the association said the nonpayment of their allowance violated the provisions of the operation guidelines for elected councillors of local governments in the state as revived in June 2020. 

 

“This has become necessary due to nonpayment of furniture allowance to councillors of Benue State since inauguration in June 2020, in violation of the provisions of the operation guidelines for elected councillors of local governments in Benue State, as revived in June 2020.

 

“The situation is further frustrating in view of several appeals by the leadership of councillors in the State to the Bureau of Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs, which has not yielded the desired result.”

LABOR/WORKERS' RIGHTS News AddThis :  Original Author :  Saharareporters, New York Disable advertisements : 

File photo used to illustrate story.

The Federal Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige says the principals at the Ministry of Education are less concerned about the ongoing strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

“The bosses in the Federal Ministry of Education do not feel the strike. There are things that are above me. I am not (the) Minister of Education. I cannot go to the education minister (Adamu Adamu) and dictate to him how to run his place,” he said on Monday during a meeting with members of the government side of the 2009 federal government/university-based unions agreement renegotiation committee led by its chairman, Nimi Briggs.

File photo used to illustrate story.

This is even as the strike by the Union entered into its 57th day today.

Recall that ASUU embarked on a one-month warning strike on February 14 and extended it to another two months at the expiration of the warning strike over the alleged failure of the government to address their demands.

In a statement by Patience Onuobia, the minister said he had been pushing to see that everything contained in the 2020 memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by Buhari’s regime and the union was carried out, including implementing the renegotiated positions, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

He recalled that the renegotiation commenced in 2017 when the regime inaugurated a committee headed by Wale Babalakin, later replaced by Munzali Jibril.

He noted, “I started pushing to see that things were done. What the Munzali committee came up with is a proposal. Both Munzali and ASUU did not sign. At our last meeting in February, before ASUU proceeded on strike, we said everyone should go back to his principal.

”I asked (the) education (ministry) several times what they had done with the document. We later got information on areas of disagreement. There is nothing wrong with that. It is bound to happen. I told ASUU to put up a committee; they said (the) Munzali committee had expired.”

As a conciliator, the minister said he had to use the labour instruments at his disposal.

He suggested picketing the education ministry.

“Picketing means that you can stay in the corridor, clapping or singing. Workers are permitted to do so. But every time there is a disagreement, it is strike,” lamented Ngige.

“I have my children in public universities, including those on my foundation’s scholarship and sponsorship. So, I am a parent. I feel it. I didn’t send my children to Igbinedion or Afe Babalola or Cambridge.”

He stressed he was proud to be a product of the Nigerian university system.

“Why won’t I support if ASUU and their unions now want a renegotiation of their conditions of service, which is the main thing in the proposal by (the) previous Munzali committee?” added the minister.

Education News AddThis :  Original Author :  Saharareporters, New York Disable advertisements : 

UNILAG entrance.

The management of the University of Lagos has raised alarm over the body of an unidentified person found floating on the shore of the University of Lagos Lagoon Front.

This was contained in a series of tweet posted Monday night by the school management, affirming that a body was spotted floating after the heavy downpour on Saturday, April 9.

UNILAG entrance.

The school noted that the Marine Police, a Unit of the Lagos State Police Command has been immediately notified for its action.

It enjoined anyone who had any information that might be relevant to the incident to inform the police.

The tweet reads; “Important Notice The body of an unidentified individual was spotted floating on the shore of the University of Lagos Lagoon Front after the heavy rains of the morning of Saturday, April 9, 2022.

“The Marine Police, a Unit of the Lagos State Police Command, was immediately notified for its action. Anyone who has any information that may be relevant to this incident are enjoined to inform the Police.

“The University of Lagos Management wishes to assure members of the University community and the public that the security of life and property of all students, staff and other members of its community are priority and the University will spare no efforts in safeguarding these.”

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An Islamic group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has reacted to the declaration of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo to contest for the 2023 presidential election.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Muslim group said Osinbajo’s presidential declaration was not only unethical but was also evangelical in appearance.

The statement was signed by its founder and Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

The statement reads, “The Vice President of Nigeria, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday declared his intention to run for the post of president in the coming 2023 general elections. This declaration, to our mind, will not pass any ethical screening. It is purely evangelical.

“But MURIC cannot keep quiet after Osinbajo’s declaration because it is not in consonance with our agenda for the South West. We have never hidden this agenda from public view as it was made public as far back as February 2021 when we declared our preference for a Yoruba Muslim president.”

MURIC reiterated its call for a Yoruba Muslim President in 2023.

He added: “We anchored our cassus belli for this preference on the persecution of Yoruba Muslims by their Christian neighbours and we rationalised that we need a Yoruba Muslim as president of Nigeria in order to liberate Yoruba Muslims from decades of marginalisation, impoverishment, oppression, persecution, tyranny and injustice. This is a struggle we cannot abandon at this crucial stage.

“The Yoruba people and the political parties should also consider another interesting angle in this matter, namely, the preponderance of Ogun State indigenes among those Yorubas who have been in Aso Rock. All four are from one state (Ogun State). Three were from Abeokuta to be precise. Osinbajo is from Ikenne. Why must all Yoruba rulers of Nigeria come from Ogun State alone? What happened to spread? What happened to balancing? Where is inclusivity (sic) in the monopoly of leadership by one state?

“MURIC is not worried by this but we think Osinbajo should mellow down and give someone from another state the chance to rule. We are resolved not to vote for the rallying point of our oppressors.”

 

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My dear brethren,
 
I send you all Calvary greetings and love from my daddy’s office. As we get ready for Easter, I have a recurring vision about death and resurrection that I want to share with all the over five million members of my daddy’s church. As you all know, our beloved Daddy G O has surpassed the three scores and ten years that God promised us. For all practical purposes, that he is still on the field playing is all thanks to injury time. We may need an urgent transition to new leadership in our ministry any time from now.
 
As Daddy’s most beloved son and his most senior special assistant, with whom he is well pleased, I need to address you about this inevitable transition in our church.
 
We cannot afford to leave things hanging the way primitive and local churches like the Cherubim and Seraphim and the Celestial Churches did. Ours is an international church with branches in over 196 countries. If we do not have a solid transition plan, we may find ourselves entangled in the type of embarrassing fights that made those poverty-ridden churches like Cherubim and Seraphim and Celestial the laughing stocks of the world when their founders died.
 
Having looked at the capacity of the current leadership of our church, having gone through their personnel files, I can authoritatively tell you that none of the people in those positions have what it takes to take our church to the next level. Apart from my late brother, Dare, all the other people out there in London, New York, South Africa, and Abuja, parading themselves as potential replacements of our beloved Daddy GO are nincompoops. They do not have the grandeur, the gravitas, and the sophistication we need in this jet-setting Bitcoin age to take the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) to a place that the Catholic Church did not dream of.
 
In our future church, it will not be enough to get an average of $1 for every 5 million of us each Sunday. We need to position daddy’s church where we can raise our membership to 10 million people in the next ten years and get $10 for every member. My daddy wants to put a church “within five minutes walking distance in developing cities and five minutes driving distance in developed cities.” I want anyone, anywhere who looks out of a window to see the shining light of a Redeemed Christian Church of God. For every African member of our church, I want two non-African members, preferably from countries with hard currencies. Never again will we depend on Nigerians who are abroad as our main source of cash flow. Now, that will be a church that I will be proud to say deserves my ingenuity.
 
Therefore, I, Leke, having studied the Christian movement from the medieval age to this modern age, having watched our beloved Daddy GO travel around the world like a colossus, having been the power behind some of the most consequential decisions our Daddy’s church has made in recent time, I can tell you that nobody is more prepared than me to ascend the throne.
 
I may be younger than most of the pretenders to the throne, but I have the Wisdom of Solomon. I have been in the thick of things, and I am not carried away by sentiments; neither do things of the world wow me. I have seen it all. I have the maturity to knock knucklehead pastors in line. Years of service by these errant pastors do not move me. I will do what is best for the bottom line of our church. This has become necessary as we face this stiff challenge from Winner’s Chapel and their one-man operation led by Bishop David Oyedepo and sons. We must not let them outshine us. It is a real danger that we will face in the next ten years as the new generation of leaders takes over across the Pentecostal churches in Nigeria. As long as I am alive, I will not let Daddy’s lifelong investment go the way of Bishop Benson Idahosa. Iro! I am the only one very well equipped not only to give them a run for their money but to maintain our RCCG as the premiere church out of Africa for the next 100 years.
 
During my reign, I want my daddy’s church to top the list of churches with the highest weekly attendance in the world. I want our church to beat South Korea’s Yoido Full Gospel Church and India’s Calvary Temple with 480,000 and 350,000 weekly attendances, respectively. I know we can do it. I have studied what those churches are doing, and I assure you that I will replicate it at our Prayer City right here at our Lagos-Ibadan Expressway headquarters. I have noticed that the ragtag Deeper Life Church is ranked higher than us in weekly attendance. That is an absolute insult.
 
Unlike some of the pretenders to daddy’s throne, I have spent long hours 30,000 feet up in the air, in my daddy’s private jet thinking about stuff like this. If we fail to move in and dominate our domain and even beyond, some of the edifices that we are building today will be desolate in the next 50 years, left for rats to occupy or be converted into a nightclub. I bet you, some of the people angling to take over from my daddy will not be around in 50 years. How do you expect such goats to think about where to position our church in 50 years' time? I will be around, and I have a vivid dream of where our church will be then.
 
For those of you who do not know, I have a master's degree in Aerospace Technology and Engineering from the University of Hertfordshire, England. I could have been a very successful engineer anywhere in the world. But I humbled myself and subjected myself to an eight-hour interview to be a personal assistant to Daddy GO. In that interview, I wore a suit and tie when I went in and came out eight hours later wearing only a singlet and boxers. It was torture. Only Jesus, who suffered on the cross, can fathom what I went through in that interview. All for what? All for the lowest paying job in my daddy’s ministry. Am I humble or what?
 
While Daddy GO loves to fish and watch James Bond films, I am more like Buhari’s son, Yusuf. I have a flair for hot bikes. That means that I will bring speed and excitement as your General Overseer. You don’t have to worry about how I will sustain myself. My hot wife is the CEO of OASIS Suya Eatery and Shawarma and Mimi’s confectionary. I may be the last son, but I am the first in line in terms of astuteness and preparation.
 
For those who cannot wrap their minds around my logic, I will use a canal example to illustrate what I mean. Daddy GO is like the beloved Queen of England, Elizabeth 11. Everybody agrees that what would be great for the United Kingdom is to have the crown skip Prince Charles and go straight to Prince William. Our beloved Redeemed Christian Church of God is facing a similar dilemma. The good news is that, unlike the British Crown, where the Imperial Majesty must follow the signed and documented ancient ascension plan, ours has no such encumbrance. It is my daddy’s and my daddy’s alone. And like the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, I do not have to wait around to assume power. I do not have to go to any parliament or in front of a committee or a team of kingmakers to transform myself from the presumptive leader to the substantive leader. So, let this letter serve as an introduction of my humble self to all our brethren and as a warning to all those who may want to be on my way.
 
Even though I have the three cutesiest children in the world with my hot wife, I know some of you traditionalists may have difficulty calling me Daddy GO at this young age. I do understand. To accommodate you all, I am willing to answer Baby GO until such a time when I am older than the median age of our church members.
 
Let me stop here. I have to catch a flight. My daddy’s private jet has been waiting for me for the last two hours on the tarmac. Please file this under your top-secret files. Don’t let those leeches on social media get their hands on it. It is just a draft that shows a man ready to accept and ascend the leadership of our great church at a minute's notice.
 
May God bless you all.
 
Yours truly,
Leke Adeboye
Baby GO.


Rudolf Ogoo Okonkwo teaches Post-Colonial African History at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. He is also the host of Dr. Damages Show. His books include “This American Life Sef”, “Children of a Retired God,” among others.

Opinion AddThis :  Featured Image :  Original Author :  Rudolf Ogoo Okonkwo Disable advertisements : 

My dear brethren,

 

 

 

I send you all Calvary greetings and love from my daddy’s office. As we get ready for Easter, I have a recurring vision about death and resurrection that I want to share with all the over five million members of my daddy’s church. As you all know, our beloved Daddy G O has surpassed the three scores and ten years that God promised us. For all practical purposes, that he is still on the field playing is all thanks to injury time. We may need an urgent transition to new leadership in our ministry any time from now.

 

 

 

As Daddy’s most beloved son and his most senior special assistant, with whom he is well pleased, I need to address you about this inevitable transition in our church.

 

 

 

We cannot afford to leave things hanging the way primitive and local churches like the Cherubim and Seraphim and the Celestial Churches did. Ours is an international church with branches in over 196 countries. If we do not have a solid transition plan, we may find ourselves entangled in the type of embarrassing fights that made those poverty-ridden churches like Cherubim and Seraphim and Celestial the laughing stocks of the world when their founders died.

 

 

 

Having looked at the capacity of the current leadership of our church, having gone through their personnel files, I can authoritatively tell you that none of the people in those positions have what it takes to take our church to the next level. Apart from my late brother, Dare, all the other people out there in London, New York, South Africa, and Abuja, parading themselves as potential replacements of our beloved Daddy GO are nincompoops. They do not have the grandeur, the gravitas, and the sophistication we need in this jet-setting Bitcoin age to take the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) to a place that the Catholic Church did not dream of.

 

 

 

In our future church, it will not be enough to get an average of $1 for every 5 million of us each Sunday. We need to position daddy’s church where we can raise our membership to 10 million people in the next ten years and get $10 for every member. My daddy wants to put a church “within five minutes walking distance in developing cities and five minutes driving distance in developed cities.” I want anyone, anywhere who looks out of a window to see the shining light of a Redeemed Christian Church of God. For every African member of our church, I want two non-African members, preferably from countries with hard currencies. Never again will we depend on Nigerians who are abroad as our main source of cash flow. Now, that will be a church that I will be proud to say deserves my ingenuity.

 

 

 

Therefore, I, Leke, having studied the Christian movement from the medieval age to this modern age, having watched our beloved Daddy GO travel around the world like a colossus, having been the power behind some of the most consequential decisions our Daddy’s church has made in recent time, I can tell you that nobody is more prepared than me to ascend the throne.

 

 

 

I may be younger than most of the pretenders to the throne, but I have the Wisdom of Solomon. I have been in the thick of things, and I am not carried away by sentiments; neither do things of the world wow me. I have seen it all. I have the maturity to knock knucklehead pastors in line. Years of service by these errant pastors do not move me. I will do what is best for the bottom line of our church. This has become necessary as we face this stiff challenge from Winner’s Chapel and their one-man operation led by Bishop David Oyedepo and sons. We must not let them outshine us. It is a real danger that we will face in the next ten years as the new generation of leaders takes over across the Pentecostal churches in Nigeria. As long as I am alive, I will not let Daddy’s lifelong investment go the way of Bishop Benson Idahosa. Iro! I am the only one very well equipped not only to give them a run for their money but to maintain our RCCG as the premiere church out of Africa for the next 100 years.

 

 

 

During my reign, I want my daddy’s church to top the list of churches with the highest weekly attendance in the world. I want our church to beat South Korea’s Yoido Full Gospel Church and India’s Calvary Temple with 480,000 and 350,000 weekly attendances, respectively. I know we can do it. I have studied what those churches are doing, and I assure you that I will replicate it at our Prayer City right here at our Lagos-Ibadan Expressway headquarters. I have noticed that the ragtag Deeper Life Church is ranked higher than us in weekly attendance. That is an absolute insult.

 

 

 

Unlike some of the pretenders to daddy’s throne, I have spent long hours 30,000 feet up in the air, in my daddy’s private jet thinking about stuff like this. If we fail to move in and dominate our domain and even beyond, some of the edifices that we are building today will be desolate in the next 50 years, left for rats to occupy or be converted into a nightclub. I bet you, some of the people angling to take over from my daddy will not be around in 50 years. How do you expect such goats to think about where to position our church in 50 years' time? I will be around, and I have a vivid dream of where our church will be then.

 

 

 

For those of you who do not know, I have a master's degree in Aerospace Technology and Engineering from the University of Hertfordshire, England. I could have been a very successful engineer anywhere in the world. But I humbled myself and subjected myself to an eight-hour interview to be a personal assistant to Daddy GO. In that interview, I wore a suit and tie when I went in and came out eight hours later wearing only a singlet and boxers. It was torture. Only Jesus, who suffered on the cross, can fathom what I went through in that interview. All for what? All for the lowest paying job in my daddy’s ministry. Am I humble or what?

 

 

 

While Daddy GO loves to fish and watch James Bond films, I am more like Buhari’s son, Yusuf. I have a flair for hot bikes. That means that I will bring speed and excitement as your General Overseer. You don’t have to worry about how I will sustain myself. My hot wife is the CEO of OASIS Suya Eatery and Shawarma and Mimi’s confectionary. I may be the last son, but I am the first in line in terms of astuteness and preparation.

 

 

 

For those who cannot wrap their minds around my logic, I will use a canal example to illustrate what I mean. Daddy GO is like the beloved Queen of England, Elizabeth 11. Everybody agrees that what would be great for the United Kingdom is to have the crown skip Prince Charles and go straight to Prince William. Our beloved Redeemed Christian Church of God is facing a similar dilemma. The good news is that, unlike the British Crown, where the Imperial Majesty must follow the signed and documented ancient ascension plan, ours has no such encumbrance. It is my daddy’s and my daddy’s alone. And like the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, I do not have to wait around to assume power. I do not have to go to any parliament or in front of a committee or a team of kingmakers to transform myself from the presumptive leader to the substantive leader. So, let this letter serve as an introduction of my humble self to all our brethren and as a warning to all those who may want to be on my way.

 

 

 

Even though I have the three cutesiest children in the world with my hot wife, I know some of you traditionalists may have difficulty calling me Daddy GO at this young age. I do understand. To accommodate you all, I am willing to answer Baby GO until such a time when I am older than the median age of our church members.

 

 

 

Let me stop here. I have to catch a flight. My daddy’s private jet has been waiting for me for the last two hours on the tarmac. Please file this under your top-secret files. Don’t let those leeches on social media get their hands on it. It is just a draft that shows a man ready to accept and ascend the leadership of our great church at a minute's notice.

 

 

 

May God bless you all.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

 

Leke Adeboye

 

Baby GO.

 

 

 

Rudolf Ogoo Okonkwo teaches Post-Colonial African History at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. He is also the host of Dr. Damages Show. His books include “This American Life Sef”, “Children of a Retired God,” among others.

 

 

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The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command of the Nigeria Police Force has said it would charge Peter Nwachukwu, the husband to popular gospel singer, Osinachi to court for culpable homicide over the death of his wife.

On Monday, the arrest of Nwachukwu by operatives of the FCT Police Command was made public. He has however been transferred to the homicide department for further investigation.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, said Nwachukwu would be charged to court as soon as the investigation into the matter was concluded.

Nwachukwu, who is currently being detained at the Lugbe Police Station in the FCT, was arrested after the younger brother of the deceased reported the matter at the police station.

A source said following the transfer of the case to the homicide department, the police had made a certain revelation that would aid their investigation.

It said the police already had a voice recording where the late singer narrated her ordeal while on admission at the hospital. In the said voice recording, she was said to have narrated how her husband must be held responsible if anything happened to her.

The source said the voice message was a clear indication that the late singer was not going to come out of her ordeal alive.

SaharaReporters had on Monday reported that the Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, also assured that Federal Government would ensure that justice was served in the matter of the gospel artist.

Osinachi’s death was announced on Friday night after battling reported cancer.

Minutes later, it was learnt that the singer died in the hospital after suffering domestic violence from her husband.

Singer, Frank Edwards, also disclosed that an “unreasonable human” put an end to her life.

There are reports that Osinachi refused to leave the marriage despite domestic violence because of her commitment to the church.

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The National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN, has accused the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, of “publicly dancing” on the graves of the Abuja-Kaduna train victims by declaring his intention to run for the office of the President in 2023.

The group which made this known in a communiqué issued by its President, Solomon Adodo, after an emergency meeting held on Monday in Abuja, gave a 48-hour ultimatum to the minister to resign or the President, Muhammadu Buhari, should sack him.

According to NYCN, it had nothing against Amaechi’s aspiration to become President of Nigeria but frowned on the minister’s actions in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital where he made his declaration.

“Sadly, however, the event of Saturday April 9, 2022, in Port Harcourt points unequivocally in that direction as far as his true character is concerned. Since the only important thing in this country to him is his aspiration for the Presidency, he should, therefore, vacate the Ministry of Transportation before worse disasters hit us.

“Amaechi should resign within the next 48 hours or President Muhammadu Buhari should sack him as a mark of respect for the dead, who he deliberately or unwittingly desecrated.

"Running around the Port Harcourt Stadium alone was tantamount to dancing on the graves of the victims of the Abuja-Kaduna train attack, and celebrating the pains of the abducted and the wounded," the group added.

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Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu

There is uncertainty in the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the second term bid of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, as his political godfather, Bola Tinubu, appears to be considering “other options” for the 2023 governorship race.

Findings by Daily Trust revealed that contrary to reports that Sanwo-Olu had been endorsed by the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), the highest decision making organ of the APC, the governor is still awaiting its nod.

Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu

This is why the governor has not made his intention known to seek a second term, it was learnt, amidst fears in some quarters that he might be denied.

SaharaReporters had on March 19 reported that there was anxiety in Sanwo-Olu’s camp as Tinubu, also National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, appears not to be interested in his (Sanwo-Olu’s) second term bid.

SaharaReporters had learnt that Sanwo-Olu and his camp are presently worried about Tinubu’s indifference and much more after the state government is “heavily funding” Tinubu’s 2023 presidential ambition.

“Tinubu is yet to endorse Jide Sanwo-Olu as governorship candidate. This is causing panic. The governor is worried. He is telling people that despite funding Tinubu’s candidacy, he’s yet to hear from him.

“N1.7billion monthly is siphoned through the Office of the Speaker (of the State House of Assembly) alone to fund Tinubu’s campaign. The EFCC has transferred all the officers handling the Speaker’s case,” a top source had said.

Meanwhile, on Monday, Daily Trust learnt that the GAC is yet to meet on the second term of Sanwo-Olu and until it takes a final decision on the matter, the fate of Sanwo-Olu is unclear.

There has been widespread speculation that Sanwo-Olu might not get a second term ticket paving way for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to offer its ticket to him.

The APC immediately kicked and rejected what it called a Greek gift, saying the platform that offered him the ticket in 2019 is still very much available.

The speculation followed a report alleging that another member of the ruling oligarchy in the state might have been anointed.

But findings indicated that there is uncertainty in Lagos over the fate of Sanwo-Olu.

“I can tell you this is what is responsible for the lull in the party. Aspirants have been coming out for other positions but not the governorship. Aspirants are reading the lips of the GAC before indicating interest, especially in the governorship. Definitely, people will still come out to contest the position. It is not automatic,” the source said.

A prominent GAC member who spoke on Monday confirmed that they are yet to meet on the issue of the second term for Sanwo-Olu.

“I am surprised to read a report that GAC has endorsed Sanwo-Olu for a second term. There is absolutely nothing like that. GAC has not met for some time now on the issue of the second term,” he said on the condition of anonymity.

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Founded in August, 1998, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, used to pride itself as the largest political party in Africa, in the times that seem to have faded in our memories. It was founded by eminent citizens like Chief Solomon Lar, Dr. Alex Ekwueme and many others. Broadly speaking, the PDP represents a centre right political entity, adopting a neoliberal economic status dressed in ultra conservatism, thus favouring free market policies which support economic liberalism. It easily won the February 1999 election, fielding retired former military leader, General Olusegun Obasanjo to pair with a retired customs officer, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. It would later win the 2003 election through Alhaji Umaru Yar’adua, and the 2007 election through a retired teacher, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. It managed to retain a majority in the States and the legislative assemblies, through these periods, mostly under very questionable circumstances. Having tasted power, the PDP did everything underneath the sun to retain power, which it held on to for so long a period from 1999 to 2015, until its fortunes changed.

 

Whilst it held sway, the PDP virtually became a monster in power, trampling upon the rights of its own members and thriving in impunity and brazen violation of its own constitution, which led to the imposition of very unpopular candidates through electoral malpractices and manipulations. It was indeed a thriving moment for the party that once boasted its motto as: Power To the People, whereas only a few gathered themselves together to determine its fate and fortunes. So it was that the party became seemingly impregnable and even invincible, to some extent. All efforts made by the rival political parties to wrestle power from the PDP were always thwarted and contained, viciously. Nigeria was becoming more of a one party state at the time, until the opposition gathered its act together to form a major political alliance under the All Progressive Congress, in 2015. Even at that, it took the rebellious efforts of disgruntled members of the PDP, to completely decimate the umbrella party, through the newPDP.

 

Under the PDP, Nigerians got used to ballot box snatching during elections, massive rigging and manipulation of election results, intimidation of opposition candidates and their parties with security agencies, in some atmosphere of benevolent dictatorship. It was purely a matter of the end justifying the means; just win the elections, at all costs. This was mixed with very scandalous cases of corruption and open stealing, by public officers and political leaders, who all simply walked into the public treasury to trade. We were all told on national broadcast that stealing is not corruption. Simply put, we became trapped under the PDP, with no clear direction for the true economic prosperity of Nigeria. So that by the time the general elections came in 2015, most people (like Professor Wole Soyinka) just wanted anything but PDP, not bothering to properly read through the main opposition party, the APC, which itself has since proven to be worse. 

 

Upon conclusion of the elections, the incumbent president and PDP presidential nominee, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, was defeated by General Muhammadu Buhari of the APC, by 55% to 45%, losing by 2.6 million votes, out of 28.6 million votes cast. Out of the 36 States, the APC won 21 states whilst the PDP won 15 states and the Federal Capital Territory, forcing the latter to slip into the main opposition party. Behold, the largest party in Africa became fish out of water. The effect was devastating, as the PDP fell into some irreversible trauma, rendering staccato voices of total discord here and there and running around like chicken drenched by a heavy downpour. Having lost power at the center, mini gods soon emerged in the States where the PDP held sway, and things began to fall apart. The APC became totally ruthless in power, hounding prominent PDP members into jail or temporary custody, whilst most of them battled to save their names and fortunes. It wasn’t long before the PDP became hit with internal implosion, through the mindless power tussle between the Ali Modu Sheriff faction and that of Ahmed Markafi, until it was rescued by the judiciary, though a little too late to salvage the now perforated umbrella. The PDP did its best to rescue its sinking ship during the 2019 general elections, but the APC would not allow such daring incursion into Aso Villa, as it dug deeper into the drenched PDP, even snatching some of its governors in the unending political conquest.

 

Now in the opposition, the PDP has since lost its bearing, not knowing how to proceed in the business of social agitation, of media propaganda and political activism. It was just following the APC, which was now playing the role of ruling party and the opposition. By all standards, democracy is people’s government, and you cannot operate it without mass involvement, which the PDP lacks, having oppressed and suppressed the masses for all of its life. In any democracy, the opposition has a major role to play, especially in the developing economies. This is why in the legislature, a crucial post is reserved for a member of the opposition as minority leader. His role is to constantly raise vital issues of national importance, with the government, when it has ceased to do the will of the people. Holding its measuring rod, the opposition will analyse every and all programmes and policies of the government, vis a vis the manifesto of the ruling party and the promises made during its campaigns. The opposition is expected to criticize the government in case the latter ignores its promises or conceals vital facts and would at times resort to protestations in the assemblies or mass action through the people.

 

In a democracy, the opposition is the platform to raise awareness among the people over specific issues of national importance and to raise levels of political consciousness among them. It must constantly provide credible and objective alternatives to government programmes and policies and not just criticizing for the sake of being heard or bringing the government down. The opposition serves as the watchdog of the system and in some cases, it would proceed to form a shadow cabinet to exercise vigil over the performance of the government.

 

But what do we now have with PDP as the opposition party? Empty noise all over, rendering discordant tunes of political disarray, which in turn has turned the APC into a monster of sorts. The PDP dwells mostly in utter frivolities and cannot even drive and muster viable opposition, of critically engaging government agencies and parastatals on glaring inefficiencies and wastages. It is not gathering any political intelligence, for mass action and it is not familiar with or even engaging labour and civil society groups, nor partnering with the all powerful Lagos-Ibadan axis of the media. Labour has declared one or two strikes in the life of this regime without any whimper from the PDP, university teachers have been on strike for weeks now without a single collaborative action from the PDP and individual activists and analysts have become soft targets of the ruthless APC regime without any form of solidarity from the PDP. Is that an opposition party? Your guess is as good as mine!

 

What is the value of an opposition that has no single bite at all? Of what use is an opposition that does not even understand its own vital role in democracy? If the government is all too powerful to crush the opposition, the latter should be potent enough to cause a stir, either in the parliament, in the courts or on the streets, against the government and force it to adjust or exit, through mass movement and agitation. How can you effectively play the role of opposition in the luxury of your offices and mansions, and expect to be taken seriously? There will be no democratic warfare at all? And yet you want to wrestle power? 

 

The ruling APC has the Buhari Support Organisation, the Buhari Media Center, the Buhari Campaign Organisation, etc, all well established and effectively manned by tested and experienced practitioners. In this world of social media, how can an opposition party be lacking in robust media engagements, beyond the comical and theatrical appearances of its spokespersons? Close to a major election year, there are no viable platforms of mass engagements, there are no major scoops from the PDP, to tackle a ruling government that is riddled with scandals upon scandals. Just exactly how did APC wrestle power from the PDP, in 2015? Has the PDP forgotten Alhaji Lai Mohammed in such a short time? Or even Mallam Nasir El-Rufai? It has gotten so bad that the PDP cannot even uphold its own constitution, proffering the lame excuse of loss of power as the reason for the backward proposal for it to jettison zoning. If while in the opposition a political party is so treacherous to abandon its own constitution, what will it do with the Nigerian Constitution if entrusted with power?

 

Let the owners and handlers of the PDP wake up from their tiring slumber and take up the task of credible and viable opposition. That is what democracy is all about. We are now sick and tired of the same narrative from the ruling party. Let us hear the other side, and imbibe the golden words of Plato that:

 

“The punishment of wise men who refuse to take part in the affairs of the government, is to live under the government of the unwise men.”

 

Let the PDP hear this loud and clear, that opposition does not start and end with losing or winning elections. Let the game begin, unless the PDP is still paying for its sins of the past.

 

 

Life without Christ is Crisis

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At least 68 persons are with the terrorist group that abducted travellers from the scene of the March 28 Abuja-Kaduna train bombing.

The gunmen had bombed the rail track, forcing the train to derail after which they opened fire on passengers.

Before the arrival of security operatives, some of the passengers were killed while others were abducted.

In its update a week after the attack, the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) had said it could not account for 146 passengers.

But the Managing Director of the Bank of Agriculture (BOA), Mr Alwan Hassan, who was released by the group last Wednesday provided the figures of the captives while recounting his ordeal.

Hassan provided details of the abductees and his own ordeal in the hands of the kidnappers in separate briefings to family members, the Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, and relatives of other abductees.

But a family member of one of the abducted persons said the BOA managing director told them that the victims were made to trek for five days, resting intermittently in transit camps, before they arrived at the main camp of the attackers around Shiroro Local Government Area in Niger State.

He was said to have identified many of the captives by name from the pictures presented by their families, saying however some of the abductees suffered gunshot wounds.

Hassan assured the visiting family members that all the captives were doing fine as all the wounded were treated by medics brought by the attackers.

 

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Victims of the Sunday morning attacks by terrorists, locally dubbed as bandits, on four villages in Plateau State were on Monday given mass burial by their communities.

Residents said over 100 bodies had been recovered and buried but there has been no official figure from the police and the state government. 

The bandits at about 11am invaded the villages of Kukawa, Gyanbahu, Dungur and Keram where many people were killed and many others injured.

The bandits also set over 100 houses ablaze and destroyed the telecom mast to make it difficult for the people to call for help.

More corpses of those trying to flee their assailants were recovered from nearby bushes on Monday.

The Plateau State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Ubah Gabriel, said more policemen had been drafted in the area but stopped short of giving casualty figures.

“I am yet to get detailed information about the number of those killed and houses burnt. I will update the press as soon as I get it,” he said. However, Alh Dayyabu Garga, the Chairman of Dangi Local Government Area under which the villages fall, confirmed to Daily Trust that over 100 people had been buried.

“My self and other people have visited the affected villages. We buried over 100 together with the people of the area. But security has been deployed to restore order. This is the first time we are experiencing this kind of atrocity in Kanam.”

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The scourge of Lassa fever is silently claiming the lives of Nigerians under the watch of the Muhammadu Buhari-led government.

The Minister of State for Health, Olorunnimbe Mamora, says Lassa fever outbreak has claimed 132 lives since the beginning of the year.

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He said 3,746 suspected cases and 691 confirmed cases had also been recorded in 23 states of the country.

Speaking yesterday during the ministry’s bi-weekly COVID-19 update in Abuja, he said Lassa fever cases were on the rise with a case fatality rate of 19.1 percent.

He also said there was an increase in COVID-19 cases in Lagos State while a decline in cases was being witnessed in the Federal Capital Territory.

He said there was stability in cases in Kaduna, Kwara and Rivers States; while that of other states could not be ascertained.

While saying that the government planned sequencing the virus by the end of April, he said data from the National Primary Health Care Development Agency showed that 60 percent of those who received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine returned to take the second dose.

The Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Ifedayo Adetifa, said, contrary to media reports, Nigeria was not witnessing increase in COVID-19 cases.

He said the agency was strengthening its national laboratory network, and that eight states could now test about 1000 samples per week.

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Riot on Monday broke out at the Port Harcourt Maximum Security Custodial Centre, Rivers State where several inmates were injured.
It was learnt that the riot broke out on Monday following the death of an inmate.

Many inmates were said to have sustained injuries through gunshots fired by security operatives, who tried to prevent some inmates to use the opportunity of the chaos to escape from the facility.
According to Leadership, the deceased inmate, whose identity could not be ascertained as at the time of filing this report, had died due to torture in the hands of his fellow inmates.
It was further gathered that riot broke out inside the correctional facility when friends of the deceased challenged the action of those that tortured him to death.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Rivers State Command, Julie Ofoni, confirming the incident said those that were injured had been transferred to a hospital for medical attention.
“There was a fight among the inmates of Port Harcourt Maximum Security Custodial Center in the early hours of today, Monday 11th April 2022, this emanated from an attempt by some of the inmates to discipline one of their erring colleagues.
“Unfortunately the inmate died thus triggering violent reaction from friends of the deceased inmate. The situation which almost degenerated into a riot, was quickly brought under effective control by the armed personnel of the Nigerian Correctional Service with the assistance of sister agencies invited to provide peripheral support to prevent unscrupulous elements taking undue advantage of the situation.
“Meanwhile, those that sustained injuries in the fracas have been taken to the hospital for medical attention. The state Controller, Alex Oditah, has constituted a panel of inquiry to immediately investigate the incident He assures the safety of all inmates under his command, noting that anyone found culpable will be dealt with according to the provisions of the law.”

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The Court of Appeal has ordered Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, and others to suspend the execution of the judgment of the Federal High Court which struck down section 84 (12) of the newly amended Electoral Act.
Malami, had shortly after the Federal High Court in Umuahia, Abia State, delivered the judgement on March 22, foreclosed possible appeals by vowing to promptly enforce the verdict.

But the Owerri Division of the Court of Appeal has now issued an order putting the execution of the High Court’s decision on hold.
According to The Nation, a three-member panel of the appellate court led by Rita Pemu, made the order in a ruling granting a request by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to be joined as a party to the appeal challenging the March 18, 2022 judgement of the Federal High Court.
The appellate court, in its ruling, ordered parties to refrain from taking steps capable of frustrating pending appeal against the contested judgement.
“Upon reading the application herein filed on 23-3-2022 with an affidavit in support sworn to by John Eronini on the same date and after hearing DC Denwigwe SAN for the applicant and Chief Emeka Ozoani SAN for the 1st respondent, order is hereby granted as follows;
“Leave is hereby granted the applicant (PDP) to appeal as person interested in this appeal CA/OW/87/2022. Due to the exigencies of this appeal and its Constitutional colorization, there is need to hear this matter expeditiously.
“Accordingly, the Appellant is hereby given up to Tuesday 12th of April, 2022 to file its notice of Appeal and the parties are to file their respective briefs of arguments within three days from the date of service of the notice and record of Appeal on the respondents. There shall be a further three days given to the appellant to file a reply.
“Parties should desist from taking any step to frustrate the hearing of the appeal. The matter is adjourned to the 4th of May, 2022, for the hearing of the appeal. Fresh hearing notice to be issued on the 2nd to the 12th respondents.”
Apart from the PDP, the National Assembly had also vowed to appeal against the verdict.
Another suit on the matter is still pending at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The judge, Inyang Ekwo, fixed April 28 for hearing in the case.
The division of the federal court in Umuahia, Abia State, had on March 18, nullified Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act — a decision that sits well with President Muhammadu Buhari’s earlier protest against the controversial legal provision.
The novel statutory provision had prohibited political appointees from voting as delegates in party conventions or congresses for the election or nomination of candidates.
In her verdict, the judge, Evelyn Anyadike, held that the section was “unconstitutional, invalid, illegal, null, void and of no effect whatsoever” and ordered the AGF who was the sole defendant in the suit, to “forthwith delete the said Subsection 12 of Section 84 from the body of the Electoral Act, 2022.”

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President Muhammadu Buhari's regime spends N12billion on the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programmes (NHGSFP) monthly under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development (MHADMSD).
This was made known by Dr Umar Bindir, the National Coordinator of the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP), of the Ministry, on Monday, at a two-day stakeholder's consultative workshop on the development of a national policy for NHGSFP in Abuja.

He said the school feeding programme is very expensive as over 10 million children are fed at the rate of N100 meal per child as approved by President Buhari, NAN reports.
He said that the programme was a continuation of deliberate strategies of the NSIP to institutionalise the clusters.
“Today we are focusing on the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme with the support of the World Food Programme (WFP) to develop an inclusive policy for NHGSFP.
“This is to ensure that it is sustainable, measurable and highly impactful as directed by Mr President.
“As we speak we are feeding an average of 10 million children with the potential of that number increasing to 12 million probably in the next few weeks or months.
“Based on the impact of the programme – attracting children to school, ensuring the children are healthy, the children of the poor and vulnerable attending school longer it is necessary that the programme is sustained,” he said.
Also speaking, one of the participants, Onallo Akpa, Director–General, Poultry Association of Nigeria, said that the essence of the programme was to ensure that the children have a nutritious meal.

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Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has ended all speculations, by formally declaring his intention to run for the President of Nigeria, come next year, 2023. In giving notice of this intention today, monday,11/04/2022, the Vice President said, “In the past seven years, I have served as Vice President under a true Nigerian patriot, a servant of the nation in war and peace, and a man of integrity, President Muhammadu Buhari. I am today, with utmost humility, formally declaring my intention to run for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the platform of our great party, the All Progressives Congress,”
The phrase, “a man of integrity, President Muhammadu Buhari,” aroused my enthusiasm, as a consequence of which, I was encouraged to write this article.
The dictionary gives integrity as the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. People of integrity are expected to be honest, upright and righteous, with high moral rectitude. Integrity therefore, goes hand in hand with honour, or the quality of knowing and doing what is right. This is morality.
Vice President Osinbajo is a lawyer, a law professor and a Senior Advocate, whose major preoccupation should be in the direction of promoting the cause of justice. So he is very much aware of the legal implications of actions. This is legality.

But Vice President Osinbajo is also a Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, whose preoccupation is to provide spiritual leadership to members, including sermons and preaching, through the interpretation of the biblical scripture. So he is very much aware of the moral implications of actions.
I am not a lawyer, but I know the Nigerian constitution has given every person who is entitled to vote or be voted for at an election, the right to vote or be voted for in that election, including the election to the office of the President. This is legal, and as a Nigerian, and one with the requisite credentials, Osinbajo is legally right to contest.
But as a pastor, with knowledge and experience in the provision of spiritual leadership, God has placed him in a position to juxtapose legality against morality, I think. And this article intends to awaken his moral conscience, as it affects the virtue of loyalty.
This is so because he talked about integrity, the integrity of his boss, President Muhammadu Buhari. But before Buhari became his boss, he was bossed, or even built, by another boss, Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu, commonly referred to as Asiwaju, the Jagaba of Borgu.
Prior to Osinbajo’s declaration of today, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu had long made the same declaration, which he referred to as, his lifelong ambition. And he said, he had informed President Muhammadu Buhari of his ambition to contest the 2023 presidential election. If he had informed the President, and there is one Presidency, it goes without saying, that he had informed the Vice President. So there is a clash of interest here, between Tinubu and Osinbajo, and one that would highlight the clash between legality and morality.
It is imperative to have an overview on the political trajectory of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and in doing that, I would paraphrase an old article taken from the Guardian, which goes thus:
“The emergence and relevance of Osinbajo today in the national arena was powered by the political machinery of Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He is the enigmatic former governor of Lagos state who has built an empire in a scale and magnitude that many before him never achieved as governors of the state by the Lagoon. The empire has political and economic roots in Lagos but with several flourishing branches that have provided and are still providing financial fruits in many parts of the South-west, and other regions of the country. One of these branches is the person of Prof. Osinbajo. Osinbajo emerged in the political scene in 1999, when he was appointed as Lagos State Attorney General & Commissioner for Justice by Tinubu. Tinubu also, single handedly recommended and ensured the adoption of Osinbajo as the running mate of Buhari. So the relationship between Tinubu and Osinbajo should be that of a mentor and a mentee. A benefactor and a beneficiary. A leader and a follower. A relationship that was akin to apprenticeship built on the expectation that one man’s duel will be the cause of the other. No doubt that Prof Osinbajo was a top academic but what he learnt working with Asiwaju, cannot be found in any educational facility with the rich curriculum to have provided him those syllabi and the knowledge garnered in those years of close association, hand holding and mentoring.”
Truly, Vice President Osinbajo is free to contest against any adversary. But from the foregone, if integrity matters, if honour matters, if virtue matters, if humility matters, and if there is respect for correct behaviour, should that adversary be Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu, under whose wings he prospered? To contest against the lifelong ambition of your benefactor?
Like the Julius Caesar's remark, when he was about to cross the Rubicon, the die is certainly cast. Osinbajo had made a decision with evident irreversible consequences. And that decision is to promote the infidelity of integrity.

Opinion AddThis :  Original Author :  Bala Ibrahim Disable advertisements : 

Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Governor Aminu Tambuw

According to him, the interests of Nigeria superceded their individual ambitions and that was why they embarked on the mission to consult the Bayelsa governor and other critical stakeholders on how to reach a consensus candidate in the next year’s presidential election.

Describing the PDP as the only hope to rebuild and reposition the country, the former Senate President noted that Nigeria was in a bad shape and needed to be salvaged from the bad governance of the APC.
He said despite the propaganda by the ruling party, Nigerians were going through difficult times under the APC and that the only solution is for the PDP to retake power at the centre.
Saraki said, “We are here to intimate the governor on our efforts to have a consensus candidate.  As you all know, three of us have indicated interest to run on the platform of the PDP. We have been going around talking to the leaders of our party.

"The governor of Bayelsa is not only a leader but a key stakeholder who has a role to play in the 2023 election. The country, despite the propaganda of the APC, is in a very bad shape. It is only the PDP that can rebuild it and give it the direction that it needs. To do that, we talk about the country not being united. You cannot lead the country when you are not united.
"We all have individual ambitions but what we have come to accept and believe in is that the interest of Nigeria is far bigger than individual interests. That is why in the last three weeks we have been moving round the country, letting our leaders know that a consensus approach should be used to pick any of us.
"Our appeal to Nigerians is that we feel your pains, the hardship and insecurity. That is why our ambition is to return this country to PDP and make your lives better.
"We have come to seek your support as we approach 2023. We have spoken very well and feel encouraged by the governor’s words.  Let us start now in building those blocks that will ensure that PDP makes Nigeria a better place."
In his remarks, the Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, urged the PDP to forge a united front if the party wanted to win the forthcoming election.

Politics News AddThis :  Original Author :  SAHARAREPORTERS, NEW YORK Disable advertisements :