Anti-corruption and Good Governance Society has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over the alleged involvement of the Director of Finance, National Universities Commission, Samuel Marcel Onazi in a money-laundering scheme. 
The group alleged that Onazi had amassed wealth from the commission despite the lingering strike by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities which is a result of government failure to meet the demands of the union, part of which is poor funding. 

According to the petition, Onazi laundered at least N1.4 billion which is distributed across several bank accounts operated by the Director in Polaris, Fidelity banks among others. 
Also, the group highlighted the different properties owned by the Director funded by money laundered from the Commission. 
The petition dated June 10 and signed by Ogori Attah called on the anti-graft agency to launch an investigation into the allegation levelled against Onazi. 
It reads, ”I wish to bring to your notice and necessary action of money laundry and corrupt enrichment of the Director of finance NUC- Mr. Samuel Marcel Onazi. 
”The Nigeria universities lecturers, ASUU have been on strike due to poor funding of the universities yet a Director of finance in NUC has amassed stupendous wealth from the commission, such as follows:
“His Bank Accounts with BVN: 22236584835, Total Bank Balance N1.4 Billion Such;
a. Polaris Bank Account Number: 1762146440, balance as at 1 June 2022 N301,000,000. (Three hundred and one Million naira only).
b. Polaris Bank Account Number: 1767665296, balance as at 7 June 2022, $13,301.05 
c. Fidelity Bank Account Number: 1014205105, balance as at 1 June 2022, N900,000,000. (Nine hundred million naira only).
d. Other Bank Accounts Number are still numerous
”3. His Buildings/Houses:
a. Abuja - A duplex located at Brains & Hammers Estate Galadimawa cost N75,000,000. (Seventy-five million naira only)
b. A duplex on number 3 Langtang close area 3 Garki Abuja cost 60, 000,000. (Sixty million naira only) 
c. Two blocks of uncompleted duplex, opposite Ochacho plaza Otukpo are estimated at N80,000,000. (Eighty million naira only)
d. A plot of land located opposite police Barrack G.RA Otukpo worth N35,000,000. (thirty-five million naira only) 
e. Block of flats opposite Asa by prison cost #65,000,000. (Sixty-five million naira only).
”4. It will give this administration further credibility for fighting corruption if this officer is investigated like the Accountant General of the Federation and brought to justice."

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The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and Head of Judicial Arm, Tanko Muhammad, has reacted to a protest memo addressed to him by 14 Justices of the Supreme Court complaining of poor welfare conditions and the deplorable state of the court.
The CJN gave his response in a statement issued on Tuesday by his spokesperson, Ahuraka Isah.

SaharaReporters earlier reported that Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria protested in a memo to the CJN Tanko over poor welfare packages which they claimed had hindered their jobs.
The main issues put forward by the Justices in their letter through a welfare committee were; non-replacement of poor vehicles; accommodation problem; lack of drugs at the Supreme Court clinic; epileptic electricity supply to the Supreme Court; increase in electricity tariff; no increase in the allowances for diesel; lack of internet services to residences and chambers.
Others are; internal problems including non-signing of amended Rules of Court for almost three years; sudden stoppage of two to three foreign workshops and training per annum for Justices; and no provision of qualified legal assistants.
In the CJN’s reaction, the spokesperson, Isah mentioned that the apex court was equally affected by the economic and socio-political climate prevailing in the country.
Isah said, “The accusation so far, in summary is that more or all ought to have been done and not that nothing has been done; which is utopian in the contemporary condition of our country.
“Before eight new Justices were appointed in 2020 onto the Apex Court bench, there was no additional budget to provide new chambers with equipped library, legal assistance, residential accommodations and logistics for them. The Apex Court has to make do with the resources at its disposal to meet their needs over time.
“All the Justices of this Court have at least a legal assistance, except some may opt for more. One of the CJN’s legal assistance (now Justice Aina) was appointed to Abuja FCT High Court last month, while another (Barr Ramatu) died three months back. Generally the Judiciary is looking up to recruitment of more legal assistance and other supporting staff this year.
“Besides, two Supreme Court Justices died within the period under consideration. Both the four retirees and the two departed cost the court some funds in the forms of gratuities and allowances.
“Two weeks ago, eight Supreme Court Justices were nominated for a workshop in London as the court cannot take all of them there at once otherwise the job would suffer. They would be going in batches. Accommodations are being gradually provided for the few that are yet to get. There is none of the Apex Court Justices without SUV and back up cars. If any of them were purchased but refurbished, the external and internal auditors are here in the court to take those that bought them up over it.
“The high cost of electricity tariff and diesel are national problem. The Chief Registrar might have budgeted for N300 per litre but diesel is now selling for over N700 per litre and therefore has to find a way around it without even bringing it to the attention of the CJN. But there is no way the generator would be put off if the Court is sitting.
“The amendment of court rules is on the process, it has to be critically reviewed to avoid conflict with the constitution and other extant laws. Not all the CJN has reviewed the rules in the past. Within the three years his brother Justices mentioned came the pandemic and the judiciary workers’ strike.
“The internet services have been restored to Justices’ residences and chambers, just as some allowances have been paid to them. The CJN held a meeting with his brother Justices last Thursday and another one is due to hold this week.
“The general public should be rest assured that there’s no hostility or adverse feelings amongst the Justices of the Supreme Court, as everyone is going about his normal duty.”

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The senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Phillip Aduda is now the new Senate Minority Leader.
Similarly, Senator Chukwuka Utazi, of Enugu North, has emerged the new Minority Whip in the upper legislative chamber.

Appointments of both principal officers followed their nominations by the PDP forwarded in a letter signed by the party's National Secretary, Senator Sam Anyanwu and addressed to the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan.
The Senate President read both letters during plenary on Tuesday.

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The Nigeria Police Force, Federal Capital Territory Command, Abuja has detained a Twitter user, Ameerah Sufyan, who said via her Twitter handle that she and 16 other residents of the FCT were kidnapped by gunmen in police uniform.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that Ameerah disclosed that the gunmen were six in number – four Yoruba and two Fulani. She had claimed that among the abductees were three pregnant women and two children.

Her tweets had generated a lot of tension nationwide and among citizens who urged the authorities to investigate the matter and ensure her safety.
However the FCT command said her allegation was not true. The police maintained that there was no kidnapping incident as alleged by Ameerah.
Daily Post reports that the FCT command detained Ameerah for raising false alarms amid the insecurity ravaging the nation.
When contacted, the Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Oduniyi Omotayo confirmed that Ameerah was still in custody.
He said, “She is in police custody, currently undergoing medical examinations; while the investigation continues, please."

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One of the opposition parties, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has insisted that the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Prof Kayode Adebowale, cannot serve as a returning officer in the forthcoming governorship election in Osun State.
The party, while rejecting the appointment of Adebowale as the returning officer for the July 16 gubernatorial election in the state by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), alleged that the academia was affiliated to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The PDP said that the VC's sincerity in the election is hence not assured.
The Chairman of the Legal Committee of the Senator Ademola Adeleke Campaign Organisation, Niyi Owolade, argued that Adebowale was an APC appointee under the John Oyegun-led Council.
Owolade further alleged that Adebowale had been “part of Ekiti APC campaign on more than five occasions.”
According to Owolade, “It would therefore be unfair to the mantra of free and fair election for such a figure with close affinity to the APC to be appointed State Returning Officer for the July 16 elections.
“Prof Adebowale is not just an appointee of Oyegun-led Council, he is clearly a member of the inner circles of APC going by his recent activities. It is particularly troubling that the Vice Chancellor was part of Ekiti APC campaign on more than five occasions. He was specifically very close to the family of the Ekiti Governor-elect before and during the campaigns.
“We therefore call on the National Chairman of INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu to urgently withdraw the appointment of Prof Adebowale and appoint a new neutral Returning Officer for the Osun poll. We warn that we will not allow an APC sympathiser to superintend over the Osun election as was the case in 2018.”
But responding to the PDP’s claims, the APC Chairman in Osun, Gboyega Famoodun, described the allegations as baseless, saying that the general public should disregard the claims.
According to a statement by Famoodun’s Aide, “The PDP’s position is not new. They are used to it. It is an indication that they are not prepared for the governorship election in Osun State as any serious political organisation won’t object to that kind of arrangement. It is like a sinking person desperately looking for a straw to hold on to.
“They should better engage in ventures that will portray them as a serious entity.
“Also in 2018, the same PDP kicked against the then REC, Mr Segun Agbaje to the extent that the INEC commissioner vowed that he would quit if the then Osun elections were found to be fraudulent. At the end of the day, the Supreme Court vindicated us.”

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Upcoming singer, Habeeb Okikiola, aka Portable, has been sighted in a viral video where he ordered some youths to beat up a young man at a location in Ogun State.
Portable who was accompanied by no fewer than seven young men ordered the victim to sit on bare floor, as he boasted of his achievements.

This had attracted the outrage of Nigerians who called for his arrest.
The Ogun State Police command subsequently ordered the musician to report himself at the nearest police station over the video clip.
In a statement issued by the Command’s spokesperson, Abimbola Oyeyemi, on Monday, the police said that the incident happened somewhere within the state about two days ago.
Oyeyemi explained that the young man was inflicted with bodily injury as a result of the beating.
The PPRO described the act as barbaric, unruly, and unbecoming of Okikiola, who was supposed to be a role model for the youths.
The statement had read, “The attention of Ogun State Police Command has been drawn to a video clip circulating on social media where a popular hip-hop musician, Habeeb Okikiola a.k.a Portable, the Zazu crooner was seen organising some youths to beat up a young man and inflict bodily injury on him.
“The incident was said to have taken place somewhere within Ogun State about two days ago. Such unruly and violent behaviour is not only barbaric but unbecoming of somebody who is supposed to be a role model for the youths and therefore should not be tolerated.
“In view of this, the Command is using this medium to advise Okikiola Habeeb a.k.a Portable to report himself at the nearest police station in Ogun State, failure of which his arrest will be ordered.
“The flagrant display of impunity by ‘Portable’ in the viral video is condemnable and if not checked, it will send a wrong signal to the youths who are looking up to him as a role model.
“Jungle justice has no place in our laws and whoever embarked on it must be made to feel the weight of the law, no matter the status of such person.”
 

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Terrorists, locally dubbed as bandits, on Monday attacked the convoy of the intending pilgrims in Sokoto State from the Isa Local Government Area preparing to travel for Hajj on Tuesday (today).
The pilgrims were said to be converging in Sokoto to set off to the Holy Land on Tuesday by 7:30am for the 2022 hajj pilgrimage when they were attacked by the terrorists.

The bandits, according to Daily Trust, were said to have attacked the pilgrims’ convoy along Gundumi forest but there was no casualty reported yet as their security escorts reportedly repelled the attackers.
A resident of Isa town, Malam Sirajo, who confirmed the incident, said the intending pilgrims escaped but some of them were taken back to the palace of Sarkin Gobir Isa.
Sirajo said, “They attacked their convoy, which was being escorted by security operatives who were said to have engaged the bandits for some minutes. We learnt that some of the operatives sustained injuries, which I cannot verify.”
Also, the Permanent Secretary, Sokoto State Scholarship Board, Shehu Muhammad Dange, confirmed the incident but said he was not sure if there was any case of abduction.
He said, “We have 21 intending pilgrims from Isa. But we are yet to ascertain their condition.”
Meanwhile, the acting Public Relations Officer of Sokoto State Police Command, ASP Ahmad Rufa’i, said he was not aware of the attack.

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The Nigeria Police Force, Lagos State command, has arrested two police officers who extorted N400,000 from a resident in the Antony area of the state.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, said this via his Twitter handle, apologising on behalf of the Force for the wrongs committed by his colleagues.

On Monday, a Twitter user, identified only as Ken, had alleged that officers of Nigerian police extorted N400,000 from him at Antony area in Lagos State.
Ken said that the policemen forcefully logged into his Bank mobile app and dragged him to a POS centre for a possible withdrawal.

I sincerely apologize on behalf of the Force for their corrupt practice 🙏🏻. It doesn’t stop there. Disciplinary action has commenced. https://t.co/WAzH9YGQob pic.twitter.com/hpIEaX9jEh

— SP Benjamin Hundeyin (@BenHundeyin) June 20, 2022
He tweeted, "@Princemoye1 sir please help me, policemen are extorting me of 400k right now in Lagos please help. Men at Antony in Lagos, they logged into my app and directed me to a pos for no reason. Please help sir.”

Send your phone number via DM.

— SP Benjamin Hundeyin (@BenHundeyin) June 20, 2022
In his reaction, Nigerian Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Command, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, assured that he was already on the matter.

I have spoken with the complainant. I am on this.

— SP Benjamin Hundeyin (@BenHundeyin) June 20, 2022
"I have spoken with the complainant. I am on this," Benjamin said. “I sincerely apologise on behalf of the Force for their corrupt practice. It doesn’t stop there. Disciplinary action has commenced.”

 

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The Nigeria Police Force, Lagos State command, has arrested two police officers who extorted N400,000 from a resident in the Antony area of the state.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, said this via his Twitter handle, apologising on behalf of the Force for the wrongs committed by his colleagues.

On Monday, a Twitter user, identified only as Ken, had alleged that officers of Nigerian police extorted N400,000 from him at Antony area in Lagos State.
Ken said that the policemen forcefully logged into his Bank mobile app and dragged him to a POS centre for a possible withdrawal.
He tweeted, "@Princemoye1 sir please help me, policemen are extorting me of 400k right now in Lagos please help. Men at Antony in Lagos, logged into my app and directed me to a pos for no reason. Please help sir.”

I have spoken with the complainant. I am on this.

— SP Benjamin Hundeyin (@BenHundeyin) June 20, 2022
In his reaction, Nigerian Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Command, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, assured that he was already on the matter.

Send your phone number via DM.

— SP Benjamin Hundeyin (@BenHundeyin) June 20, 2022
"I have spoken with the complainant. I am on this," Benjamin said. “I sincerely apologise on behalf of the Force for their corrupt practice. It doesn’t stop there. Disciplinary action has commenced.”

I sincerely apologize on behalf of the Force for their corrupt practice 🙏🏻. It doesn’t stop there. Disciplinary action has commenced. https://t.co/WAzH9YGQob pic.twitter.com/hpIEaX9jEh

— SP Benjamin Hundeyin (@BenHundeyin) June 20, 2022
 

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The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, has scolded Yoruba Nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho, for criticising the conferment of chieftaincy titles on Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, and his wife, Prof. Hafsat Ganduje.
Igboho had been seen in a video advising the monarch not to join the Yoruba rulers conferring chieftaincy titles on people that did not merit them and that Olugbon should advise his colleague Obas to desist from such.

Daily Trust reports that while responding on behalf of Olubadan to Igboho’s comments, the palace spokesperson, Oladele Ogunsola, explained that even though there was no particular mention of either the name or title of Olubadan in the said video, it was obvious Igboho was referring to the Saturday occasion.
“It must be placed on record that the present Olubadan is too refined to be seeking for who to honour with Chieftaincy title for whatever purpose. Here is a man (Governor Ganduje) said to have been compassionate to the Yoruba people in his domain. Presently, Dr. Ganduje is undertaking an auditorium project at the Premier University, the University of Ibadan where he bagged his doctorate degree,” the statement added.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that Igboho had insisted that despite his travails, he was not backing down from the struggles for the independence of the Yoruba Nation.
He stated this on Sunday in a video released to wish Oba Francis Olusola Alao, the Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, a happy birthday.
Igboho called on the Olugbon to speak to other Yoruba monarchs to desist from appointing “unqualified persons” to positions of authority, saying the menace of insecurity was affecting every part of the South-West region.
He also warned that things might go sour if Yoruba people get angry over the appointment of “unqualified persons.”
He advised the monarchs in the region to convene a meeting and discuss the security situation in the South-West.
He also debunked reports from some quarters that he was no longer interested in the struggle for the Yoruba Nation.

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Xavier Alexander Musk, son of the Chief Executive Officer of Tesla Motors, Elon Musk, has filed to change his paternal and gender identities and separate himself completely from his father.
The 18-year-old Xavier who has a twin named Griffin and turned 18 in April this year, filed a petition with the courthouse to change his gender to female and name to Vivian almost immediately after his birthday.

According to a medium, The Blast, which obtained the documents from the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles County, Xavier's hearing is scheduled for Friday, June 24.
Xavier filed on April 18 this year, requesting to change his name to Vivian Jenna Wilson.
He further asked the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles County to recognise his gender as a female.
According to him, he no longer wants to be associated with his biological father, Elon Musk.
"Gender Identity and the fact that I no longer live with or wish to be related to my biological father in any way, shape or form," part of the documents read.
Recall that Elon Musk got married to the Canadian author, Justine Wilson in January 2000 and their marriage produced twin sons - Griffin and Xavier in 2004, but four years later, in 2008, they filed for a divorce, though they still share custody of their five children.

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Two Nigerian soldiers fighting against insurgency in Borno State, on Monday, died during an operation to retrieve their weapons abandoned by the Boko Haram terrorists, SaharaReporters learnt.
An army source explained that the death of the soldiers, attached to 14 Battalion, 5 Brigade, Borno State, resulted from a wrong order given by the Commanding officer while two other soldiers sustained serious injuries.

According to the source, the officer ordered the victims to enter into a vehicle already laden with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) by the terrorists when the explosion occurred resulting in the death of two officers. 
He said soldiers of 145 battalion were currently unhappy with the situation particularly as their death was as a result of negligence on the part of the commander.
The source said the two deceased soldiers were already due for rotation from the frontlines in Borno but remained there as a result of the failure of the Nigerian Army to do the needful.
He explained, “The combined team went yesterday for patrol, the combined team of 145 Battalion and 5 brigade, they went to retrieve the weapons that the enemies abandoned.
“The journey was successful, but there was confusion; the commander who led the operation gave another order to these soldiers to go to where they were not supposed to go and this mistake cost two lives and one vehicle lost.
“They entered into a vehicle with IEDs; that's how the thing exploded, two soldiers died immediately and two others got injured. It was a very painful one. The commander who was disobedient to a particular order has caused loss of equipment, loss of lives and injury to soldiers, we are not happy about the situation.
“It was the negligence of the leading officer that cost the lives of these people. Those who died are already due for rotation but army cannot keep to its promise.
“Among the two soldiers who died, one of them spent five years here without the hope of going anywhere, the other one had spent two years, this was his second time of coming to Maiduguri. He was trusting in God for a rotation but this is what lack of good leadership has caused."

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Members of the Association of Technology-Inclined Visually Impaired Persons of Nigeria have accused security personnel attached to the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), Abuja, of brutalising them during a peaceful protest.
Pictures and videos obtained showed the moment the protesters were dragged by the guards and beaten, according to a PUNCH report.

The members of the group were said to have been holding demonstrations to persuade the commission to hear and implement their request for employment.
The President of the association, Tolulope Aluko, said they had been seeking employment from the commission since 2020 but there was no single person the commission gave a job.
He said the group also approached the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, which wrote a letter to the Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission on their behalf.
He said, “We visited the commission in July last year and we were told to come back. We came back again on April 11, but they didn’t answer us.
“When we came today (Tuesday), they said we should come back, but we refused to leave. We started protesting peacefully. The press came, but immediately they left, the security guards started beating us and destroyed our things.”
Aluko noted that among their members seeking employment were first degrees, masters, and even doctorate degree holders.
A victim, Akinyemi Akinola, said they only wanted the government to help them due to their condition.
“We can’t drive commercial vehicles. What we can do is to get educated and see how we can contribute to the country. That’s what we came here to do; only for them to wreak havoc on us. Some of us have been hospitalised. Our phones were smashed and taken away so we couldn’t record,” he added.
He said the security men shot three times into the air to scare them before picking the shells to erase any evidence.
“The operatives said they acted on the instruction given by the permanent secretary of the commission and the chairman. There was reinforcement, but when they saw that we were unarmed, they withdrew,” he added.
A university graduate, Daniel Showumi, who claimed to have also been brutalised, said they were hoping the commission would respond to them before the guards came.
He said, “We thought if they saw us with our condition, they would help us. Some who started this journey with us in 2020 have died because of hunger. So, we decided to come there today (Tuesday).
“The security came to drag me from where I stood and started hitting me against the floor until blood was coming from my head. I escaped and he followed me. They destroyed all our things, including the food we brought.”
It was however, observed that the Commission had in a press release dated April 13, 2022, pledged five per cent of the jobs in the civil service to people living with disabilities.
Contacted for a reaction, the commission’s Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations, Alaba Balogun, said he did not have the authority to speak on the matter.
He said, “It is only the authorities that can speak on this matter.”

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The political parties have submitted the names of their presidential candidates and their running mates to INEC, with little surprises. For the PDP, it is Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, for the APC it is Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu and Alhaji Kabir Masari, for the Labour Party it is Mr. Peter Obi and Dr. Doyin Okupe, while Comrade Omoyele Sowore is holding sway at African Action Congress. In my very humble view, the PDP has shown tremendous organizational skill in relation to its presidential primary election and the choice of candidates whereas the APC gives the impression of a political party that is not ready, is not organized or that is simply playing on Nigerians. In relation to our topic however, two political parties seem to be daring the people of Nigeria in the area of power rotation, that is the APC and the Labour Party. The APC has chosen a Muslim-Muslim ticket whilst the LP has chosen a Christian-Christian Southern ticket, as if both organisations live in space and are totally oblivious of the trend of things in Nigeria. Sadly enough, it was the same day that the APC announced its religiously imbalanced ticket that the people of Nigeria were in a mournful mood for the mass burial of those massacred by suspected Islamic extremists, who are said not to be genuine practitioners of Islam and are not true followers of Allah. But the APC should not have shoved it in our faces with such reckless disregard. Has the APC become an extension of the Miyeti Allah group with its Muslim/Muslim contraption? What exactly is the message that this renegade party is seeking to pass to the good people of Nigeria? Having defrauded us all with its crafty Manifesto since 2015 and run the economy of Nigeria aground, this monstrous entity is now seeking to play upon the fault lines of the Nigerian people to trigger the sensibilities of our fragile nation with its bigoted ticket.
And what do we say about His Excellency, Mr. Peter Obi, who claims to be leading a revolution but seeks to take Nigeria back decades in time? Is he contesting the election as Pope of the Roman Catholic Church or President of the Christian Association of Nigeria? In what way will his tribal alliance with Dr. Doyin Okupe advance the course of unity of Nigeria or even douse the religious tension that the Buhari administration has foisted upon us since 2015? Is he not aware that the entire Northern region of Nigeria hosts a large population of Muslims or does he intend to expel them from his own Nigeria if at all he wins the election? What about the Islamic adherents from their home States of Anambra and Ogun and indeed all over the Southern part of Nigeria? Are they all to be ostracized from the LP administration? If he cannot by now secure a trusted Muslim from the Northern part of Nigeria to balance his ticket, should that not be enough message to Obi that his time is not ripe, notwithstanding the so-called alliance being trumpeted without substance?

It is insulting enough that the APC and LP should even dare to announce their unholy combos in this fashion but it is more distasteful to term them as holding or placement options. If that were to be the case, then Obi should have just announced any Muslim from the North as his running mate and Tinubu should have announced any Christian from the North as well, since they would eventually be changed in any case. To announce a Muslim/Muslim or Christian/Christian pairing at all is a sign of the danger ahead of us for 2023. In other words, both political parties intend to keep the voters in some kind of guesswork, to enable them to indulge in clandestine manipulations, such as has happened in the Yobe North Senatorial District, where the APC supplanted the will of the people to smuggle in the name of Dr. Ahmed Lawan who was dusted at the presidential primary election. From all indications, we are back to the 2015 era of forced dilemma, where there is no viable option to rescue Nigeria, from what the politicians have submitted to us as their choices. If you vote for the APC Muslim/Muslim ticket, it is a continuation of the terror upon other faiths, whilst if you vote for the PDP, it will be a confirmation of the long-held notion that political power resides in the North. And Peter Obi, who should have proved the best option, is going about it as if he is not prepared for the race at all. He seems too much of a lone ranger, banking upon the disenchantment of the people with the status quo (which he is undeniably part of) to garner sympathy and support for a national election in which he is contending with political giants as they are called. This was part of the reason for the clamouring for restructuring ahead of the 2023 elections, if we are to save the nation Nigeria.
Now let me share with you the thoughts of some friends and patriots on this matter:
 Gani Muhammed Ajowa:
I am not surprised at this post Comrade, you once led agitation for a Christian Governor in Lagos too.
Kunle Odusola-Stevenson:
Gani Muhammed Ajowa go and sleep. Everywhere in the world including America, religion is a big issue at election time, ask Joe Biden. Or you can't remember the 2nd Catholic President narrative and how it was used? Even Kamala and the issue of minorities was a narrative. Okay, tell Gov Sanwo Olu of Lagos to replace his Deputy Hamzat with a Christian deputy right away. You keep posting insensitive narratives when it's convenient or favours you all the time. Sentiment apart, he is making sense with what he is saying.
Albert Oladapo Ogunwusi:
There was a section of the 1979 constitution that expressly forbade such a ticket. The 1989 constitution however did not have such a component. In fact I was connected with MKO's effort to disqualify Kingibe on that ground. Kingibe was not Abiola's choice. It was the governors led by Segun Osoba who insisted on Kingibe. Paschal Bafyau, Abiola's preferred choice, was run down in a way that I will rather not narrate the specifics. I recall that we sought the involvement of my friend, Barr. Akinjide Sadiq to try and search for such a rule. It did not exist! Now the problem is much worse because the present Constitution does not mention demographics in such an event. Section10 only talks about avoiding the adoption of state religion. I don't see how that could be stretched to imply the result intended in this article. It is political suicide okay. But I would love to see it played out legally.
Victor Umana:
In a society/country where civil advocacy and grassroots conscientization is weak, the elites exploit primordial sentiments to weaponize their selfish agenda hiding behind religion and ethnicity.
Adeola Samuel Opeyemi:
They are looking for competency and capacity which Christians all over didn't possess noni. Only Muslim candidate has electoral value.
Yahaya Jaji Abdullahi:
The problem is that most of the people talking against Muslim-Muslim Ticket are either PDP members or apologists. The reason why PDP fielded Atiku against Southern aspirants even when they know Buhari is about to spend eight years in power is the same reason that might warrant APC's fielding two Muslims in their ticket. The central thing is about winning elections not appealing to the emotion of anyone. Majority of the population of Northern Xtians don't believe in APC hence the party cannot gamble its trust to people that refused to accept them against those that believe and trust them and will massively support them..... It is just simple politics!!!
Lawrence Oko Peter:
Yahaya Jaji Abdullahi, Why would a Northern Christian vote in APC, with the carnage done in Southern Kaduna by the indifferent Jihadist El –Rufai? Why would Northern Christians vote APC, with the senseless killings in Sokoto, Abuja and elsewhere over claims of blasphemy and religious intolerance? The Northern Muslims see and classify other faiths as infidel even Muslims of other regions in Nigeria are infidels....
Akinladey MO'valiant Kennyllionaire:
Sir, Nigeria is operating a multi-party system not APC party alone. APC is a party out of many in Nigeria. If we don't like the combination from APC, we should vote elsewhere. Democracy is a game of numbers not of religion. If the Constitution didn't say APC can't flag people of the same faiths, so be it, as long as we are not forced to vote for them. If Muslim-Muslim propagates superiority of faith, don't you think if Atiku in PDP wins, it will propagate superiority of the North, when the current president is from North? Is there no superiority of faith in Ondo and Ekiti where both governors and their deputies are of Christianity faith? Or are there no Muslims in those states? Zoning and same faith are not issues in our Constitution. Many Nigerians voted in 1993 for people of the same faiths. And a minority voted against it. If APC presents people of the same faith, it's your constitutional right to vote for or against. The winner will indicate if you are with the majority or the minority. It will become history in the end. Democracy solves many problems, not all problems.
Elder Peter Bassey:
Akinladey MO'valiant Kennyllionaire tomorrow posterity will judge you when a Christian South will choose a Christian North, I hope you won't cry injustice. Where in the Constitution must the position of the President and Vice-President be shared north and south if not for justice and equity fairness to all, must everything be a game of numbers?
Josef Ameh:
I stand with you on this. It is unthinkable, not in this present Nigeria. No religion or tribes that are devoid of competency and capacity. If they try it, we shall mobilize the church to vote against such a party! It matters. If it doesn't matter, a brain like Adegboruwa wouldn't be fighting against it. Sadly enough same Muslim-Muslim will not provide us with good governance, if it is certain for good governance we wouldn't be convulsing.
Gogonte Obediah
So if they give Vee Pee to someone like Yakubu Dogara, Boss Mustapha, Babachir Lawal, Gov. Lalong and a host of other credible Northerners, we will not have a deliverable government, until we give to El Rufai or Kashim Shetima or Ganduje who could not deliver their states? You guys always fall flat to the antics of Fulani Muslims. They don't want to stay off power for one day, so they want to give you reasons why it must be them. If not, between Yakubu Dogara, the only PDP man to have survived the Buhari tsunami in 2015 and El-Rufai who has turned Kaduna into the cemetery of living death, who is better?
Lucas Adetula:
Let everybody be prettier that Muslim-Muslim ticket is normal the same ticket that was not normal even to Tinubu in 2015 because he wants to fulfill a life AMBITION now we can justify it even if other people involved are not okay with it. Why win elections and start solving avoidable fracas?
Obinna Iheonu:
Since APC and PDP do not believe in equity, justice and fairness any more, based on the last primaries, they can as well pick Muslim-Muslim or Christian-Christian ticket from anywhere, so that people supporting such evil will come to realize that allowing evil has the consequences of hunting the supporters of such evil.

Opinion AddThis :  Original Author :  Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa Disable advertisements : 

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) on Monday asked marketers across the country to begin dispensing petrol at N180 per litre and above.
The union gave this directive because it claimed it was no longer possible to sell at the government’s cap of N165 per litre.

This was disclosed by the Lagos Zonal Chairman of IPMAN, Akin Akinrinade, in an interview with Channels TV.
He explained the reasons behind the fuel scarcity, stating that the situation across the state was as a result of the operating environment which had become hostile to their businesses.
He mentioned that the petroleum marketers were not on strike as circulated but had found it difficult to operate considering the dependence on diesel whose price has skyrocketed.
He said, “Members of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria IPMAN have shut down their stations, not because we are striking; we are not on strike.
“Rather, the business environment has been very hostile to us such that we can no longer do business under this condition. For you to load a litre of petrol, you pay in N162 per litre.”
He however disassociated the situation with the removal of subsidy or deregulation of the petroleum sector.
He listed the high cost of buying petrol at the depots, the high cost of diesel for running their station, and the increased cost of freight as the major factors responsible.
Akinrinade stressed that it was no longer feasible to sell the product at the recommended price of N165 to a litre, adding that the landing cost of petrol was between N175 to N178 naira to the litre.
“You now have to add the cost of transportation which is between N6 to N8, depending on the distance within Lagos,” he explained. “If it is outside Lagos, it is much more than that. So, if you add N8 to N162, you already have N170 and the government which is the regulator wants us to sell at N165; we have not even added the charges at the depot and the running cost at our stations.”

News AddThis :  Original Author :  saharareporters, new york Disable advertisements : 

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, has been alleged to be junketing abroad for workshops with his wife, children and backroom staff while blocking other justices of the Supreme Court from overseas training.
In a protest memo sent to the CJN by the angry Supreme Court judges, the justices demanded to know what had happened to their legitimate entitlements under Tanko.

The justices of the apex court in Nigeria said their annual foreign training, meant to enhance capacity building for the country’s judicial process, had been blocked by Tanko.
SaharaReporters had on June 14 reported that the judges also protested over poor welfare packages which they claimed had hindered their jobs.
The apex court, they said, has been receiving N110 billion yearly since 2018 despite the increase in its size and responsibilities.
In their letter, the main issues put forward by the justices in their letter through a welfare committee were; non-replacement of poor vehicles; accommodation problem; lack of drugs at the Supreme Court clinic; epileptic electricity supply to the Supreme Court; increase in electricity tariff; no increase in the allowances for diesel; lack of internet services to residences and chambers.
Others are; internal problems including non-signing of amended Rules of Court for almost three years; sudden stoppage of two to three foreign workshops and training per annum for Justices; and no provision of qualified legal assistants.
In the same memo, fresh details emerged where the judges accused the CJN, Tanko of junketing abroad with his wife, children, and cronies while denying them (justices) from doing the same.
According to Peoples Gazette, the memo read, “In the past, justices were nominated to attend two to three foreign workshops or training per annum with accompanying persons for reasons of age. Since your Lordship’s assumption of office, Justices only attend two workshops in Dubai and Zanzibar. They were not accorded the privilege of travelling with accompanying persons as was the practice.”
The justices added, “Your Lordship totally ignored this demand and yet travelled with your spouse, children, and personal staff. We demand to know what has become our training funds, have they been diverted, or it’s a plain denial.”
While demanding to know what had happened to their entitlement, they complained that their welfare under the leadership of Tanko was appalling.
According to them, in the past, justices of the Supreme Court were nominated to attend more than two workshops per annum abroad with an accompanying person for reasons of age conditions.
But since the assumption of office of Tanko, the aggrieved justices said they had only attended training twice in Dubai and Zanzibar.
They added that even with the two trainings, the few justices allowed to travel, the CJN blocked them from travelling with their families.
“Your Lordship may also remember that the National Assembly has increased the budgetary allocation of the judiciary. We find it strange that in spite of the upward review of budgetary allocation, the court cannot cater for our legitimate entitlement. This is unacceptable,” added the aggrieved justices in the letter.
The justices berated Tanko further, saying his weak leadership had drastically deteriorated the standards known with the nation’s highest court.

  News AddThis :  Original Author :  saharareporters, new york Disable advertisements : 

The Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, is still meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari and the party leadership on the choice of running mate despite submitting the name of a former National Welfare Secretary of the APC, Kabiru Ibrahim Masari, to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Tinubu’s media aide, Tunde Rahman, confirmed this on Monday in an interview on ARISE TV.

He stated that Masari could choose to step down within a stipulated time, and would not have breached any known laws, rules or regulations, if he so wished.
He therefore disclosed that consultations with President Muhammadu Buhari and other stakeholders of the ruling APC were still ongoing regarding the issue.
This is coming a day after the electoral body, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), issued a warning to politicians, noting their new invention – the use of placeholder – to sidestep its deadline was not only unknown to law, but alien to democratic practice.
INEC said that there were no rooms for Place Holders, stating categorically that as far as it was concerned, the parties fielding candidates for next year’s presidential election, had submitted the names of their running mates as at the July 17 deadline as contained in the schedule of activities by the commission.
Tinubu’s aide Rahman, while reaching to INEC's stand on placeholder, that Masari was his principal’s choice of vice-presidential candidate for 2023 general election and the situation remained so, despite ongoing consultations.
He said, “Without taking issues with the INEC National Commissioner, I just like to state the situation as it relates to the presidential candidate of the APC, Tinubu. And it is that Tinubu has duly completed his nomination forms, including giving the particulars of his running mate. He has returned the completed nomination forms to INEC. He even returned the forms two days ahead of schedule.
“I don’t know about a placeholder. This is the coinage of the media. I know he has picked a running mate.
“I must add, however, that there are ongoing consultations involving President Buhari, the party’s governors and the APC leadership with Tinubu and his running mate. If following these consultations, the running mate decides, for instance, that he wants to stand down in the interest of the party and the country, I think it’s only fair and appropriate to allow him deal with that as long as it is done within the spheres of the electoral law and the timeframe for that, given by INEC.
"I think it’s within the prerogative of the running mate to take his own decision and to say, for instance, that he would like to stand down because he feels doing so will serve the candidate and the party better than he remaining on the ticket. And that this is done in line with the provision of the law and INEC guidelines and timetable. This is the way it is.”

  Politics News AddThis :  Original Author :  saharareporters, new york Disable advertisements : 

Monday's defection of a Delta State chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), and former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe, to the All Progressive Congress, (APC), has rattled the PDP and the Governor Ifeanyi Okowa-led state government, SaharaReporters has gathered.
Orubebe’s defection is coming barely five days after Okowa was picked as a running mate to the PDP’s presidential flag bearer in the forthcoming 2023 general elections, Atiku Abubakar.

Orubebe, in his letter addressed to the party's national chairman, Senator lyorchia Ayu, stated that he took the decision because he saw that the party was not ready to regain power from the ruling APC in the 2023 general elections.
"I write to formally inform you of my resignation from the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP). This has been communicated to the Chairman of Burutu Ward 3, Burutu Local Government Area, Delta State, effective 20th June 2022. Consequently, I am by this letter intimating you of my total withdrawal from all activities at the Ward, Local, State and National levels of the People's Democratic Party, (PDP).
"I am highly honoured and privileged to have been part of a political party that successfully transformed a pariah nation to one that commanded respect in the comity of nations. When we lost the Presidential election in 2015 in bewildered (sic) circumstances to say the least, it was my belief that the party would use the opposition period to re-strategize with the aim of taking back power at the earliest opportunity.
"However, the present situation in the party does not inspire confidence that the party is ready to regain power in 2023. Against the mood of the nation and in complete disregard to (sic) the provisions of the party's constitution, the party, threw the zoning of the Presidency open, which created a situation that led to the emergence of a Northerner as the party's Presidential flag bearer, thus making the two topmost positions in the party, after your emergence as the National Chairman, to be occupied by Northerners, contrary to section 7.3(c) of the party's constitution.", the letter read.
SaharaReporters had in February 2022 exclusively reported that Orubebe and a former Director of Finance in the defunct President Goodluck Jonathan's Campaign Organisation, Ngozi Olejeme, secretly dumped the PDP for the APC, but Orubebe had then debunked the story when contacted.
Meanwhile, the defection of the former minister, SaharaReporters reliably gathered, has rattled and thrown off balance the PDP and Governor Okowa even as the governor made several futile efforts to reach out to Orubebe on phone and have a word with him.
SaharaReporters reliably gathered that series of meetings as of Monday took place to find a way to woo the defecting former minister and save the party from further cracks.
Okowa is still battling his rejection as the PDP’s vice presidential candidate by elder statesmen, Edwin Clark, leader of Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF; Ayo Adebanjo, leader, Afenifere; Dru Bitrus, President-General, Middle Belt Forum; and Ambassador George Obiozor, President-General, Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide.
They had accused Okowa of betraying the Southern region by accepting the VP slot.
Confiding in SaharaReporters, a political ally of Orubebe, disclosed that barely few hours that Orubebe's letter was dropped at the party's National Headquarters in Abuja, the Delta State governor started calling Orubebe on phone and “kept calling for a number of times.” 
"I was right there with Orubebe when all the calls from Okowa were coming in and Orubebe rebuffed all the calls. As the governor's calls were coming in, Orubebe was asking; when last it was that Governor Okowa called him and whether it was now he (Okowa) knew someone like Orubebe existed in the PDP,” the source revealed.

  Exclusive News AddThis :  Original Author :  Saharareporters, new York Disable advertisements : 

Senate President Ahmad Lawan

Embattled Nigerian Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, and some other legislative candidates of the All Progressives Congress are in big trouble as the ruling party failed to meet the deadline to upload their names on the portal of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

 

SaharaReporters learnt on Monday evening that the APC could not upload its National Assembly candidates on the portal before Friday, June 17 deadline. As a result, it is now relying on using the “back door” to pressurise the electoral body to extend the deadline.

Senate President Ahmad Lawan

SaharaReporters was further told that APC leaders would meet with INEC officials on Tuesday to “secretly resolve” the ruling party’s inability to upload the names before the deadline.

 

“The APC could not upload its NASS candidates before the deadline. They are trying to use the back door to do it. INEC must not give them an extension.

 

“They are trying to meet with INEC tomorrow (Tuesday) to see how they can resolve it quietly,” a top source revealed.

 

SaharaReporters learnt that the inability of the ruling party to meet the deadline was a sequel to the controversies surrounding the party’s plot to manipulate and replace the names of some of the candidates who won the National Assembly primaries with the names of favoured individuals, some of whom did not even participate in the primaries.

Chief among those in the centre of such controversies is the Senate President, Lawan, who is hell-bent on making the list despite not participating in the Senatorial primary election in his state – Yobe State. 

 

SaharaReporters on Saturday reported that the APC Yobe North Senatorial District candidate in the 2023 general elections, Bashir Sheriff Machina, said he would go to court to seek legal redress if the party failed to remove the name of the Senate President, Lawan, which was penned down to be submitted to INEC.

 

The ruling APC had submitted Lawan as its candidate to INEC despite his (Lawan) non-participation in the senatorial primary – an action Machina on Friday described as illegal and inhuman.

 

Addressing a press conference last Friday, Machina, who was declared the winner of the primary election conducted for Yobe North, had said he remained the candidate of the APC in the senatorial district.

 

Machina had said, “I remain the candidate of the APC Yobe North senatorial zone as duly elected. I did not withdraw for anybody and I will not withdraw because as a matter of fact, it is a mandate given to me by members of our great party, the delegates. So surreptitiously removing my name, I consider (it) as very undemocratic, illegal and of course inhuman.

 

“I will take measures by first appealing to my party that if this action was truly done, it should be corrected, possibly if it was erroneously done. And it was deliberately done, we are actually seeking redress from the National Working Committee of our party under the leadership of Senator Abdullahi Adamu. I remain the candidate.

 

“I remain the candidate and it remains so. I hope our leadership will take the necessary measures. We will work hard to exploit and explore all the necessary channels as provided by our guidelines. In the event of the contrary, as Nigerian citizens and as law-abiding citizens, the constitution of our country being the overall law above every aspect of our lives as Nigerians, I would have no choice but to resort to court (legal) action.”

 

SaharaReporters earlier reported that Machina raised the alarm that his life was in danger because he refused to step down for Lawan in his pursuit of a senatorial mandate.

 

This was disclosed by Machina’s campaign organisation in a statement obtained on Friday.

 

According to the campaign organisation, some hoodlums are after the life of Machina.

 

It, therefore, urged security agencies to take necessary measures to protect the Yobe APC senatorial candidate.

 

The statement had read, “Information at the disposal of Bashir Machina Campaign Organisation is that there is a security threat to the senatorial candidate of APC for Yobe North, Hon. Bashir Sheriff Machina, especially in relation to his refusal to relinquish his legally acquired ticket.

 

“Credible sources confirmed that some people want him arrested or at worst eliminated. They have resorted to employing diabolical means over unlawful means, in pressurising him to step down.

 

“We use this opportunity to notify the security agencies of this threat or likely breach of security around our senatorial candidate, we believe the security agencies will rise up to the occasion and take the threat seriously.

 

"As Campaign Organisation, we warned that the people behind his ordeal in the last four days should be held responsible if any mishap happens to him. By this notice, we are putting everybody on red alert.”

 

SaharaReporters had reported that Lawan was on the verge of suffering two losses within a week after the winner of the Yobe North APC senatorial primary, Machina, refused to step down for him.

 

Lawan had instead of contesting for the Yobe North Senatorial ticket challenged for the presidential ticket of the party but lost to a former Lagos governor, Bola Tinubu.

 

Politics Exclusive News AddThis :  Original Author :  Saharareporters, new York Disable advertisements : 

Omoyele Sowore

The convener of #RevolutionNow and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, has called on Nigerians to rise against the challenges bedevilling the country, orchestrated by years of bad governance.
Sowore, who reminded Nigerians that they all had one life to live, noted that the one life did not have to be filled with hardship caused by deceptive leaders.

Omoyele Sowore BBC

The AAC presidential candidate stated these on his Twitter on Monday, ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Nigerians! You've got one life to live, it didn't have to be this hard! We've come to you without sugarcoating it, your life could be better. We've never partaken in stealing your resources, never partook in deception, never stood in four corners at the same time! pic.twitter.com/IOrDovlbVx

— Omoyele Sowore (@YeleSowore) June 20, 2022
He said, “Nigerians! You’ve got one life to live; it didn't have to be this hard! We have come to you without sugarcoating it, your life could be better. We have never partaken in stealing your resources, never partook in deception, never stood in four corners at the same time!”
Sowore further maintained that as long the people from any part of Nigeria were persecuted, he was likewise persecuted.
“As long as Igbo men are persecuted, I’m persecuted. As long as Yoruba people are persecuted, I’m persecuted. As long as Kano people are persecuted, I’m persecuted. You cannot tell me that I don’t have a case in court when we all have a case in court.”
According to him, time has come to vote for the future as there is no better time than now to retire failure.
“It is about the future of this country. That is what we are fighting for; in the cell or any office. We can’t continue like this. The fact that you have the opportunity now to send your children somewhere else does not mean you should lose your sense.”

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