A civil society group, Organized Crimes and Corruption Interception Project (OCCIP) has challenged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to as a matter of urgency probe the N829 million fraud allegation against the Managing Director, Nigeria Ports Authority, Mohammed Bello-Koko.

 

According to the group, nothing has been heard about the fraud allegation against Bello-Koko as exposed by EFCC early in 2022.

In a statement signed by the group’s chairman, Iteveh Nurudeen, dated June 19, 2022, and obtained by SaharaReporters, the group stated that not much has been heard about the allegation of N829 million fraud against Bello-Koko.

 

The group also urged all civil society organisations across the country as well as anti-graft agencies to beam their searchlight on the activities of the NPA.

It said, "It is rather sad that the Nigerian Ports Authority which was supposed to be a viable organ of government for revenue generation and development of the maritime sector now has its mandate twisted. From the time of Bode George to Hadiza Bala and Mohammed Bello-Koko, the NPA has become a constant corruption topic in our media across the country.

"It is an aberration which we as a civil society must continue to frown on. While Mr Bello Koko is busy tooting his horn, the OCCIP has intercepted more details and documents on the financial escapades of the NPA management under his leadership which have been sorted for the appropriate quarters. We urge CSOs to join hands with OCCIP to see to it that the NPA leadership are held accountable.”

 

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The Deputy National Chairman (South) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Emma Eneukwu, has confirmed the earlier reports and speculations that the aspirants of various positions for the 2023 general elections under the party spent a lot of money, some running into billions of naira to clinch the tickets.

 

Chief Eneukwu said that monetisation and materialism destroyed people’s hope that the ruling party would zone its presidential ticket to the Southeast region of Nigeria for the sake of equity and justice.

Daily Trust reports that Eneukwu made the revelation during a lunch organised by friends of the former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, at the weekend in Abuja.

 

The chieftain of the ruling party said that the monetisation process of the party’s tickets, particularly the presidential ticket, was responsible for the loss of aspirants who were not willing or able to spend billions of naira.

There were reports that apart from the party’s exorbitant N100 million presidential nomination and expression of interest forms, many of the aspirants paid the delegates between $10,000 and $25,000 to buy their votes.

 

Speaking about Onu who had also contested the presidential ticket but had zero votes during the party’s special convention held at Eagle Square, Abuja from June 7 to 8, Eneukwu said, “He (Onu) is not ready to buy that position when he is going to serve because some people spent their millions and billions to get there. If they have something to give to society, they will not pay to get there.

 

“He genuinely wanted to be president so that he can change society, and that was what he wanted Nigerians to buy into.

 

“But because Nigerians are so materialistic and hungry, they couldn’t see the treasure that God positioned to change this country. One day the truth will manifest; justice can only be delayed but not denied.”

 

Expressing disappointment in the outcome of the ruling party’s presidential primary election, the former Governor of Enugu State, Okwesilieze Nwodo, and his Anambra State counterpart, Chukwuemeka Ezeife, in separate remarks expressed disappointment with the failure of the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party to have Southeasterners as their presidential candidates.

Onu had during the convention described the party’s failure to zone the presidential ticket to the Southeast as injustice, asking, “Where is justice? Where is equity?

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The Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos has adjourned the trial of Ismaila Mustapha, popularly known as Mompha, till Wednesday, June 22 due to his absence.

This was disclosed by the Nigerian anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Monday via its verified Twitter handle.

According to EFCC, Justice Mojisola Dada said the trial could not proceed without Mompha's presence on Thursday, June 16, 2022. Hence, it was adjourned till Wednesday, June 22.

SaharaReporters earlier reported that the anti-graft agency had informed an Ikeja Special Offences Court that social media celebrity Ismaila Mustapha (alias Mompha) disobeyed a court order by travelling to Dubai, the United Arab Emirates with a new passport.

Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, EFCC counsel, also told the court that the parties did not have a resolution due to the absence of the defendant in the country.

 

Also, according to Oyedepo, the defendant, Mompha, used a new passport to travel to Dubai, contrary to the order of the court, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

 

He said, “My lord granted bail to the defendant and ordered him to submit his international passport.

“The commission is not the only one on this matter and we heard from good authority that the defendant has a passport with No. D50084304, which was issued in Abuja on July 2021 and is to expire on June 30, 2031.

 

“From the information by our partner, the defendant had on April 11 hired an Emirate (airline) and flew from Ghana to Dubai. That passport is not the one submitted to this honourable court, my lord.

 

 

“The defendant did not travel through Nigeria. The issue now is that the defendant has a new passport at hand which he travelled with after my lord restricted him from travelling," he had added.

 

But the defence counsel, Mr Gboyega Oyewole, SAN, objected to EFCC's claim and urged the anti-graft agency to verify its claim from the Nigeria Immigration Service.

 

Oyewole said, “I have spoken with the prosecution concerning this my lord. When he called, I told him that there was a particular person who was our surety that was supposed to pay the N25 million.

 

“His account was frozen when the money got into his account. The man called the defendant and for the defendant’s safety, he told the man that he had travelled. But the man has a connection and concluded that the defendant has defiled the court order.

 

“My lord, the EFCC should write to Immigration to ascertain if my client really travelled out of the country or not.

 

 

“This is a superior court of record sir and I suggest that an application be brought concerning this because there is a lot of confusion here. We should have it on record, my lord.

 

 

“Let Immigration respond if another passport exists. The residency visa that he has to live in Dubai is already submitted in court so there is no way he can enter the country.”

 

 

It was gathered that a photocopy of the passport was shown to the defendant and he denied the signature on it.

 

 

EFCC counsel thereafter urged the court to stand down the case for 10 minutes so as to discuss it with the defence counsel.

 

The defence counsel, thereafter, urged the court to grant him one week to verify the claim of the prosecution.

 

 

“In the interest of justice, we have agreed with the prosecution to give me one week to verify the truth. I need to verify the truth, my lord,” Oyewole said.

 

 

The prosecution did not object to the submission of the defence counsel.

 

 

On June 2, the court fixed June 10 to take a final report on the plea bargain of the defendant.

 

 

The prosecution had informed the court on April 6 that both parties were in the process of arriving at a plea bargain, and prayed the court for adequate time.

 

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There is tension in Kubwa, a suburb of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja as residents on Monday found the butchered body of a yet-to-be-identified lady by a river in PW area, near Deeper Life Church.

It was believed to have been dumped there by suspected ritualists

The incident attracted a large crowd as residents thronged the location to catch a glimpse of the butchered and decapitated body of the lady.

When SaharaReporters visited the scene, a beheaded corpse of a naked woman packed inside two bags was seen beside the river.

The body parts were cut into pieces with blood stains on the bags.

 

An eyewitness who spoke on condition of anonymity told our correspondent that the corpse was discovered early Monday morning following the stench coming from the spot.

 

He said the body might have been dumped by suspected ritualists in the night.

 

He said, "We saw the body this morning because of the odour that was coming from the river and when people moved closer, they found two bags with the body parts cut into pieces. We don't know who dumped the body there but this looks like a ritual killing. 

“One of the ritualists may have dumped her here in the night and zoomed off."

 

At the time of filing this report, some policemen from Kubwa Divisional Police station were sighted at the scene taking photographs of the corpse while the crowd lamented the tragedy.

 

Efforts to reach the FCT police spokesperson, Josephine Adeh for a reaction were not successful.

 

Meanwhile, the river which is located in the centre of Kubwa where the incident occurred, is being used as a refuse dump for trash movers, popularly known as Bolar, thereby making it difficult for the residents to identify the perpetrators.

 

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The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has lambasted Nigerian politicians, describing some of them as lunatics that have taken over the asylum.

 

Obi spoke on Sunday at the Men of Valour conference with the theme: “Navigating the corridors of power, the church, and the politics,” organised by the Revival House of International Church (RHOGIC), Abuja.

According to Obi, most of the nation's politicians have no reason to be in the corridors of power.

 

The Anambra former Governor said: “We can’t allow this gangsterism to continue, Nigerians should take back their country. 70 percent of those who are in politics today should not have any reason to be there. I have said it, politics in Nigeria is a case where lunatics have taken over the asylum.

 

“This is the only country where the worst is leading. I was a trader and gradually entered into politics. When you take far more than you need, you are sick.

 

“How do you explain that one person took N80 billion, it is not greed, it is sickness. When you take one billion that is greed, but when you take N80 billion that is sickness. Mad people have taken over our politics. If we get young people with the competence and capacity to be there, things will change.”

 

Obi, while speaking on whether a third force could take power from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said the people will decide.

 

Regarding the 2023 general elections, Obi said prayers alone could not salvage the country.

 

“We have prayed enough; it is time to act. With these people in power? You can pray from now until any time, they won’t go until you chase them out. So, it is time to act, not just pray. It is time for us to close the church and deal with these people,” he said.

 

Obi also urged the youths not to make a profession out of politics.

 

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Ukrainian lawmakers have passed two bills banning certain Russian books and music from Ukraine.

According to the Washington Examiner, the Ukraine Culture Minister Oleksandr Tkachenko on Telegram on Sunday said the war has proved it’s high time the country switched to Ukrainian-language content.

He said "I am pleased to welcome the legal ban on Russian content — songs, performances by Russian artists and the distribution of Russian books," he said.

"Unfortunately, the war proved that it was high time to switch to Ukrainian-language content. And this must be enshrined in law. Thank you to everyone who supported such decisions. We must replace Russian content with Ukrainian at all levels, from music to libraries.”

According to the reports, the laws passed by Ukraine's Parliament ban the printing of books by Russian citizens, unless the author gives up their Russian passport and becomes a Ukrainian citizen.

The ban only applies to people who held Russian citizenship after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union. The commercial import of books printed in Russia, Belarus, and occupied Ukrainian territory, is also banned under the new laws, which require special permission for the import of books in Russian from any other country.

The playing of music by post-1991 Russian citizens on media and public transportation is also prohibited under the new measures, which will increase quotas on Ukrainian-language speech and music in TV and radio broadcasts.

 

The laws will take effect after they are signed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has not indicated any opposition to them, according to a report.

Ukraine has embarked on a series of "derussification" measures since Russia's February 24 invasion.

The former Soviet state has banned political parties with ties to Russia, torn down statues erected during Soviet rule, and renamed several streets associated with Russia since the start of the war.

 

 

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Nigerian soldiers and their family members at Mambilla Barracks Extension, Asokoro, Abuja have been forced to endure terrible living conditions over the past two months after a rainstorm destroyed the CBA Blocks of military facilities.

 

As a result of this situation, some of the affected soldiers told SaharaReporters that they are now homeless as they are yet to find any stable place to stay.

They also knocked the army authorities for failing to repair the military facility despite the many letters written to the Chief of Army Staff.

 

Saharareporters learnt that many of the displaced soldiers are currently taking refuge inside a mosque in the barracks while their wives and children seek shelter and protection in apartments spared by the rainstorm.

 

“On that particular night, we watched helplessly as the rainstorm blew off our rooftops allowing heavy water to flow into our flats,” a soldier told SaharaReporters.

 

“All my properties have been destroyed, we have written several letters to the Army headquarters and till now the repair has not happened.

 

“The army has decided to leave us – soldiers and our family members – to suffer immensely for the past two months.

 

“My children and wife are yet to find any stable place to settle.”

 

Another displaced soldier said, “All this happened two months ago and the military has not done anything to help us. We are homeless now and this is happening here in Abuja close to the Villa.

 

“Please help us to expose the corruption in the military sir. It was a rainfall that destroyed those flats for over two months and till now, the repair has not happened. Yesterday’s rain still fell on some of us and our properties.”

 

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A young woman at the centre of the brawl between security operatives attached to popular afrobeat singer, Damini Ogulu, alias Burna Boy and some fun seekers at Club Cubana on Victoria Island, Lagos, has said she is still traumatised by the incident.

 

SaharaReporters earlier reported that five policemen attached to Burna Boy had been detained by the Lagos police command for the attempted murder of the persons identified as Irebami Lawrence and Tolu.

The unrest started when the singer and five police escorts visited the nightclub around 4 am on June 8.

 

It was stated that four policemen were outside while one of the policemen, identified as Inspector Ibrahim, who was in mufti, accompanied the Grammy-Award-winning artiste into the club.

 

According to eyewitness accounts, Burna Boy was in the VIP section with three women when he spotted another woman among a group of fun-seekers.

 

He was said to have instructed Ibrahim to invite the woman to join him. However, the lady’s husband lambasted the singer for making a move on his wife.

 

A few minutes later, Burna Boy approached the woman and this reportedly enraged her husband further and his friends who had gathered at the club.

 

Angered, Ibrahim pulled a pistol and shot at two members of the group. Burna Boy was allegedly laughing while the incident occurred and immediately left for Spain.

 

In a post on her Instagram story on Sunday, the woman in question, nemebriella_ said she is still traumatised by the incident.

 

While narrating all that happened, she said they had come to Nigeria from America and London, UK to attend a friend's wedding and were having the after-party at the club.

 

She said efforts to calm the situation proved abortive as the musician kept signalling his officers to shoot.

 

According to her, the officers kept shooting at other people who were scampering to safety.

 

She said when she eventually got outside, the officer who had earlier approached her, mocked her and made an attempt to pull out a gun but she was saved by her friends.

 

@nemabrielle_  condemned efforts by the club management to sweep the matter under the carpet, noting that there is no CCTV footage from the club nor is there any statement to address the issue.

 

She wrote, “After taking time out to heal and process the events that occurred between my partner, my best friend & her husband and @burnaboygram at @cubanagroup @cubanalagos night club in Victoria Island Lagos

 

“We were visiting Nigeria from America and London for our childhood friend’s wedding.

 

“On the 8th of June 2022, @burnaboygram & his friends opened fire at us in @cubanalagos. My partner and his friend were shot, with both needing urgent medical care.

 

“A bullet grazed my partner’s head and our friend was shot in the thigh, leaving him hospitalised and needing an emergency surgery in NIGERIA.

 

“Around 3 am, I went to the Cubana club with some of my friends. We were there for a couple of hours celebrating the newly weds, we were about twenty at the club and we were having a nice time in the VIP section.

 

“We were laughing, drinking and having a good time.

 

"Burna Boy and his friends came in. We were still there, having fun. As the night progressed, one of Burna Boy's friends walked to talk to me, his request was for Burna Boy to talk to me.

 

"On that first attempt, I told him I wasn't interested in talking to Burna Boy and I am married to my partner. He came again the second time and was met with the same response, he came the third time and that caused a few of our friends to flare up as they asked why he kept coming to disturb me. There were words back and forth and one of Burna Boy's friends attacked one of our friends, and as they attacked him the situation degenerated into a fight.

 

"As the first fight started the security at Cubana stepped in and were able to calm the situation, as that happened everybody was slowly going back to their section when two of burna boys friends another fight started and the security at Cubana jumped in again.

 

"As they were fighting, Burna boy's friends started shooting after what looked like a signal from Burna boy. At this point the club was in chaos, everyone was screaming and trying to vacate the premises.

 

"At this point I couldn't find my partner or My best friend. I was screaming for help after being lifted and thrown so hard on the floor by one of Burna's friends and I hurt my left shoulder.

 

"All our private police officers were not allowed into the club, so it was left to us to fight for our lives.

 

"One of our friends @theflowolf was trying to get Burna boy to calm the situation but he only laughed at him and proceeded to get in his car whilst being protected by his security.

 

"The shootings happened twice at different times. His friends were also shooting at people trying to evacuate the club through the main entrance. They were out to kill and didn't care who got hit.

 

"My partner's head was bleeding profusely and his friend lost so much blood he needed a donor As soon as he got to the hospital. @burnaboygram left @cubanalagos without a scratch and flew out to Spain the next Morning. @obi_cubana only reached out to us 4 DAYS after the event claiming he had no idea and would do everything to get us justice for attempted murder.

 

"11 days later, there has been no CCTV footage released by the club OR even a statement to address the incident publicly. Business has carried on as usual for him.

 

"Even after leaving the club to safety outside, or at least I thought I was safe. The same man that initially approached me on behalf of Burna boy saw me and said 'oh you're the one that was doing shakara Abi', then reached into his bottoms to get something resembling a gun. Luckily at this point, my friends found me and pulled me away just in time. He retracted and got into a car and left.

 

"To sum things up I'M TRAUMATISED. I've broken down everyday since then. The random flashbacks and nightmares. Especially after seeing @burnaboygram response. The lack of remorse or accountability is beyond me. At least 2 people could've died that night."

 

DOCUMENT : Burna Boy Sent Someone to Me 3 Times, I Rejected His Advances Before My Partner and Friend Were... by Sahara Reporters on Scribd

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Members of the ruling All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party in Imo North Senatorial zone of Imo State have collapsed their structures into the Labour Party.

 

They also pledged their loyalty and support for its presidential candidate and former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi.

Over two thousand members of the two political parties reportedly joined the Labour Party in a ceremony at Umuaro community in the Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of the state.

 

Former Deputy Chief of Staff to a former governor of the state, Chikwem Onuoha, who spoke at the ceremony, on Sunday, said the decision was to ensure that Nigeria is rescued from its misrule which has put untold hardship on its citizens.

 

Onuoha said APC and PDP had misruled Nigeria for the past 23 years, and "we need someone to rescue it if we must progress as a nation."

 

The APC chieftain said, “Today, APC and PDP are dead in Okigwe zone. We have resolved to collapse our structures in the zone into the Labour Party and to work for the victory of Peter Obi. Peter Obi symbolises the hope of the ordinary people of Nigeria.

 

“Peter Obi is tested and trusted and he has the support of the people who vote during the election. Apart from Obi, we will vote LP all through. The Labour Party is for a mass movement. We are wiser and we want to take back our country.”

 

The President General of the Okigwe North Youth Progressives Forum, Chidinma Onyenagubo, said that his group was mobilising people to obtain Permanent Voter Cards to vote for LP in 2023.

 

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Former military Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.) has reportedly flown abroad over his deteriorating health condition.

 

The retired Army General, according to ThisDay, may have suffered a partial stroke.

According to the report, he was taken abroad about three weeks ago for medical treatment.

 

He was first flown to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) but is now at a hospital in the United Kingdom (UK).

 

Abubakar was accompanied by his wife and former First Lady, Justice Fati Abubakar.

 

His in-law and Niger Governor, Abubakar Bello left the country after the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary to visit him.

 

Meanwhile, the National Peace Committee (NPC) Chairman, according to the report, is in a stable condition as doctors continue to monitor him.

 

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The Rivers State Government has filed a suit against Rotimi Amaechi, a former governor of the state, over alleged fraud.

 

Others listed as co-defendants in the suit marked PHC/1818/CR/2022 filed on June 7 are the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the state, Tonye Cole; Dr. Chamberlain Peterside; Sir Augustine Wokocha; Sahara Energy Resources Limited; NG Power-HpS Limited and Cenpropsaroten Management Limited.

Governor Nyesom Wike had in 2015 set up a seven-man panel to probe Amaechi over an alleged withdrawal of N96 billion from the state’s treasury during the latter’s tenure as governor.

 

The panel, headed by Justice George Omekeji, had also investigated issues surrounding the “sale of assets” by the former governor.

 

The listed valuable assets are Omoku Gas Turbine, Afam Gas Turbine, Trans Amadi Gas Turbine, Eleme Gas Turbine, Olympia Hotel, and the contract award for the execution of Mono Rail Project.

 

The panel submitted its report in 2015, but Amaechi has insisted that he is not guilty of fraud.

 

However, on May 27, 2022, the Supreme Court dismissed an application by Amaechi, challenging the probe.

 

Weeks after the judgment, Wike directed the state Attorney-General, Zaccheus Adangor, to file criminal charges against the former governor, as well as Sahara Energy, a firm indicted in the deals, The Nigeria Law reports.

 

The firm is co-founded by Tonye Cole, a businessman and governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers state.

 

“Sometime between 2011 and 2012 at Port Harcourt within the Port Harcourt Division of the High Court of Rivers State did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to steal the sum of $274,563,599.59,” count one of the charges read.

 

In count two, the state alleged that Amaechi and his co-defendants within the same period “stole the same amount of money being proceeds from the sale of 70 per cent equity belonging to her in the power generation assets at Omoku, Trans-Amadi, Eleme and Afam Gas turbines.”

 

The state further in count five alleged that Amaechi, Sahara Energy, Cenpropsaroten Hotel Management Limited and Cole within the same period “did conspire by fraudulent means to affect the market price of Olympia Hotel Port Harcourt by offering the said Olympia Hotel Port Harcourt for concession exclusively to Sahara Energy Resources Limited and Cenpropsaroten Hotel Management Limited (a subsidiary of Sahara Energy) and Cole (Director) instead of by means of open competitive bidding prescribed under section 60 (1) of Rivers State Public Private Participation in Infrastructure Development Law, number 5 of 2009”.

 

In count six, the government claimed that Amaechi, Sahara Energy, Cenpropsaroten and Cole conspired among themselves to commit a felony by stealing $ 1 million being the concession fee the defending companies paid to the Rivers State Government for the concession of the Olympia Hotel for a period of 40 years.

 

The state in count eight alleged that Amaechi and Sahara Energy about December 1, 2014 conspired among themselves to commit felony by stealing the sum of $53,095,602.05 from Rivers Government dollar account number 0064809429 with Access Bank, Bank Road Branch, Port Harcourt.

 

The offences were said to be contrary to Sections 421, 422, 516A, and 383 of the Criminal Code Law, Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria, 1999.

 

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A non-partisan intellectual hub, Abuja School of Social and Political Thought has written to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reject the names of candidates who did not win their party's primary election but submitted by their party regardless. 
This was stated in a statement released on Saturday by the Director of the group, Dr. Sam Amadi, titled, 'Abuja School Calls on INEC to Reject Fraudulent and False Submission of Candidates by the Parties'. 

The group urged the electoral commission to withhold the true principle of the newly enacted Electoral Act, particularly cases of the President of the Senate and the former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, who contested the APC presidential primaries and lost but are making frantic efforts to regain Senate seats from the winners of the primaries.
The group also commended INEC for its oversight functions during the conduct of political parties primaries. 

The statement reads: "With the conclusion of the elective primaries of the parties and the close of the deadline for submission of the candidates for federal elections based on the guidelines issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the process for the 2023 General Elections in Nigeria has commenced in earnest. 

"The Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts has watched the process of the elective primaries of the parties and is satisfied with the considerable compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022. We want to commend INEC for exercising its oversight functions in a manner that forced the parties to comply with the requirement of democratically electing candidates for elective offices in the 2023 General Elections. Without INEC oversight, many of the parties would have continued the tradition of violating the norms of democracy in the choice of their candidates.
 
"As an intellectual and policy thinktank committed to providing insights and evidence-based analyses to assist state institutions to deliver on their mandates, the Abuja School is alarmed at the efforts of some politicians and party leaders to undermine the provisions of the electoral law as regards submission of nominated candidates to INEC. 

"It is being reported that some high-profile politicians who did not win INEC- monitored primaries of their parties are being submitted by their party leaders, in clear violation of the provisions of the electoral law. Two notable cases are those of the President of the Senate and the former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, who contested for the APC Presidential Primary and lost but are making frantic efforts to regain Senate seats from the winners of the primaries. The winners of the duly conducted primaries have refused to give up their tickets. Notwithstanding, the party reportedly has uploaded the Senate President and the Minister of Niger Delta as senatorial candidates, although they did not participate in a valid primary.

"Submitting names of persons who did not win duly conducted primaries on INEC portals is contrary to the electoral law. The electoral law requires that only persons who won duly conducted primaries should be submitted as candidates. It is INEC that determines what is a duly conducted primary, based on its guidelines and the electoral law. The practice in the past where INEC allowed parties to make wrong and fraudulent entries and hoped that the courts will reverse them has gone with the new Electoral Act which now empowers INEC to reverse such fraudulent and wrong actions by the parties. 

"Section 84 (1) of the Electoral Act, 2022 provides that “A political party seeking to nominate candidates for elections under this Act shall hold primaries for the aspirants to all elective positions which shall be monitored by the Commission”. Section 84 (13) of the Act further provides that “Where a political party fails to comply with the provisions of this Act in the conduct of its primary, its candidates for election shall not be included in elections for the particular position in issue”. 
"These provisions and others in the Electoral Act aim to ensure that only candidates who win duly conducted primaries are presented for elections. Unlike in previous electoral law, the new law authorizes INEC to disqualify candidates who did not emerge from a duly conducted primary which INEC monitored. 
"In the context of the new electoral law and the wrong submissions the parties are making in these notable instances, the questions Nigerians ask are (1) whether INEC will gamble with its integrity by accepting from political parties names of persons that did not emerge from valid primary monitored by INEC, (2) whether INEC will compromise and ignore the report of its monitoring team about those candidates that emerged from validly conducted primaries across the 36 states; (3) whether INEC will act like a real regulator and exercise its power to sanction parties that violate the electoral law and reject fraudulent and false submissions from the parties; and (4) whether INEC will succumb and accept high profile persons who did not emerge from validly conducted primaries. 

"We call on INEC to discharge its regulatory obligation by rejecting every submission of names of persons who did not emerge from valid primary elections as candidates for elective offices in the 2023 General Elections. INEC should realize that the new electoral law has imposed an obligation on it to review all filings and submissions by the parties and disallow fraudulent and false fillings or submissions, in line with the Electoral Act, 2022 and the 1999 Constitution. The Commission should note that any legal advice to it to abandon its regulatory duty and await when aggrieved persons go to court for judicial redress is wrong and shows deep ignorance of the changes in the regulatory framework of elections in Nigeria. 
"Building from the errors of the past that undermined the credibility of our electoral democracy, the legislature has imposed the obligation of legality on the party and the responsibility of regulatory oversight on the Commission. Therefore, it will be a gross betrayal of the legislative intent in the new electoral law if the regulator, INEC, fails to take action to protect free, fair, and credible elections in 2023 by accepting fraudulent and false submissions by any party."
 
"As scholars and policy professionals committed to the integrity of democracy in Nigeria, we are concerned that INEC may fail this important test of its readiness to uphold strict compliance with the rules and norms of electoral democracy as captured in the new electoral law. We encourage INEC to rise to its responsibility to regulate political parties in order to protect electoral democracy. We assure INEC that we will continue to support the Commission in its commitment to ensuring free, fair, and credible elections in Nigeria. We also assure the Commission of our determination to ensure that it effectively discharges its regulatory duties under the electoral law," the statement added. 
 

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File photo used to illustrate story.

Yahya Saleh Abubakar, Zira village head and his son, Habibu Saleh have been abducted by gunmen in the Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

 

It was learnt that the gunmen attacked the village around 2 am on Saturday night.

File photo used to illustrate story.

Confirming the incident to Daily Trust, the spokesperson for the state police command, SP Mohammed Ahmed Wakil, said the Commissioner of Police, Umar Mamman Sanda, had directed the divisional police officer (DPO) in the area to rescue the abducted victims unhurt.

 

 “The command has since dispatched a team of detectives and other police officers to rescue the victims and presently our men are combing the bush in search of the abducted victims. We assure residents that the abducted persons shall soon be rescued.

 

"The public should remain calm and go about their normal business and report any suspicious characters as police were doing everything possible to rescue the victims," he said.

 

However, the District Head of Lame, Alhaji Aliyu Yakubu Lame, said the abductors had yet to contact the family.

 

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The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Archdiocese, Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, has warned that the Church will not tolerate any personality cult in the name of adoration.

Kaigama, who stated this in his Sunday homily was referring to the development in the Enugu Catholic Diocese, where its Bishop, Callistus Onaga issued a pastoral injunction banning all activities of the Adoration Ministry.

The ban imposed on Adoration Ministry followed the recent utterances of the Spiritual Director, Adoration Ministry Enugu Nigeria (AMEN), Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, in which he accused the presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi, of being “stingy”. 

According to Mbaka, hence Obi won’t win the 2023 presidential election.

Archbishop Kaigama, in his Sunday homily at St. Aloysius Catholic Church, Mpape, Abuja, warned that Catholic Church in Nigeria will resist any attempt by any of its priests to engage in such “personality cult” in the name of adoration.

He urged Catholic priests to take advantage of the loyalty and respect they command among the faithful to strengthen unity, peace and love among the people and communities instead of otherwise.

He said, “Priests should not allow the Mass to become an occasion for drama, exaggerated inculturation or utterances that are purely political or mundane. People come to Jesus at Mass to get spiritually nourished by the word and the bread of life, and refreshed for the long, rough and tough journey to heaven.

“To this end, approved Catholic ‘adoration centres’ in Nigeria should really be for adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, not where to intimidate, manipulate and extort people or where a priest attempts to create a personality cult by careless and insensitive utterances and drama.

“The Eucharist is a sacrament of healing. It’s expected of us to pray and wait patiently and expectantly, but do not time God or expect instant and dramatic results. Other than physical healing, there is also a very great need for inner healing.

“A sad chapter in our history as a nation which calls for the healing of memory is the unfortunate civil war which still fills many with very sad memories that are a challenge to social cohesion in the country. After over 55 years, the Hausas, Ibos, Yorubas and others need healing and purification of memory."

He added, “We must all admit that the war was wrong and immoral and should have never been fought. We must transcend prejudices, stereotypes and barriers to build bridges of love and peace. Our major preoccupation during this season of politics should be to search and elect only credible and capable political leaders who can unite us beyond the narrow confines of tribe and religion.

“By believing in the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, our pathological fear of witches and evil spirits should diminish. When confronted with sickness, childlessness or material deprivation, we should not rush to soothsayers or even to some so-called men of God who may not be any different from deceptive fetish agents.

“Let us show in our actions that the Eucharist has made a difference in the way we see, do or say things. Let us become what we receive.” 

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Bola Tinubu, a former Lagos Governor on Sunday returned to the state for the first time after clinching the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress earlier in June in Abuja. 

Tinubu was welcome by various groups, cultural troupes and musical bands. 

The APC presidential candidate and his entourage visited the palace of Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu. 

SaharaReporters on Sunday reported that his convoy was attacked. Two journalists in the press crew of the state governor,  Babajide Sanwo-Olu, were injured during the attack. 

Tinubu at the Oba of Lagos Palace said his victory at the APC presidential primaries did not come easy, noting that he fought a hard battle to clinch the ticket, a statement by Gboyega Akosile, the Chief Press Secretary to Sanwo-Olu on Sunday said. 

Tinubu was quoted as saying: “There is no Lagos indigene that has had the opportunity to become President of Nigeria, despite the contribution of the State to the national stability and progress. The highest position attained by any Lagosian in national leadership is the position of Chief Judge of the Federation.

“I took up the fight to break this jinx. The battle to secure the APC ticket was hard. When I was almost fed up, I resorted to prayers. I also poured out my mind when I felt there was a gang up against my person. Thank God that I have brought home the presidential ticket.

"The task ahead is to galvanise our people to get their voter cards and vote to enable us realise this ambition. Getting our people to vote is the most important task before all of us. We need to take this message to our people across communities and sensitise them on the need to vote in the general elections.”

At 3:40 pm, Governor Sanwo-Olu, in company with his Deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, received Tinubu and his entourage, which included the Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, Senator Kashim Ibrahim, former APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, and Kashim Ibrahim-Imam.

Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, Senator Solomon Adeola, Senator Tokunbo Abiru, Lagos APC chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, and members of Lagos Executive Council were some of those who received the APC presidential candidate at the airport. 

Akiolu, who described Tinubu as his “stubborn son”, said it was time for political leaders in the Southwest region to close ranks and work for the victory of Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election. 

The monarch said: “Your emergence as presidential candidate of your party is the beginning of another journey in your political career. All Yoruba ancestors shall be with you on this journey to make our fatherland a better place.”

Tinubu left the palace to his house on Bourdillon Road in Ikoyi, where some APC governors, led by Chairman of Progressives Governors Forum, Atiku Bagudu, were waiting to receive him.

Some of those who received Tinubu at his Bourdillon home included Jigawa State Governor, Muhammed Abubakar Badaru, Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, and former Ogun Governor, Gbenga Daniel.

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A young man said to have escaped during a jailbreak in Imo State has reportedly stabbed a pregnant woman to death in Umuejechi, Nekede, in the Owerri Local Government Area of the state.

The fugitive identified as Justice Anukam, was said to have stabbed the victim on Sunday when she refused to give him money.

The suspect had reportedly demanded money from the victim at a bus stop where she was waiting for a cab but she refused to part with any money. 

Angered by her refusal to give him money, he allegedly brought out a knife and stabbed her. 

She reportedly bled to death before she could get help. 

Daily Sun reported that the identity of the victim was yet to be identified as of Sunday evening, however, sources said the deceased was a tenant in the area and hailed from Ohaji/Egbema Council Area of Imo.

An eyewitness, Mr Kelechi Osuagwu said the suspect since his escape from prison in April 2021 had been terrorising residents of the area.

He said, "The victim was a pregnant woman who came out at the popular Ama-Ato junction while going to church. The suspect accosted her and demanded money from her and when she refused, he stabbed her with a sharp knife and ran away while the pregnant woman bled to death."

Another source who spoke on condition of anonymity said some youths in the area chased the fugitive and apprehended him after he had made several attempts to also stab them.

Meanwhile, it took the intervention of police officers from the Ihiagwa Police Division to save the suspect from being lynched by a mob after he was handed over to vigilantes in the community. 

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The Spiritual Director of the Adoration Ministry Enugu Nigeria (AMEN) Rev Father Ejike Mbaka has dissociated himself from the protest embarked upon by his followers on Sunday. 

The protest on the Adoration Ground was against the ban imposed on Mbaka's ministry by Enugu Diocesan Bishop, Most Rev Callistus Onaga.

SaharaReporters had reported that Mbaka's admirers thronged the Adoration Ground on Sunday in disobedience to the Bishop's ban and protested against the ban, calling Onaga names.

But Mbaka in a statement signed him, dissociated himself from the protest and charged those who love him to submit themselves to the directives of his Bishop.

The statement partly reads, “My attention has been drawn to activities that took place in the Adoration Ground on Sunday. I am not in any way involved in such activity.

“We received with obedience the directive issued by my Bishop, His Excellency, Most Rev CVV Onaga on June 17, 2022

“May I therefore appeal to the faithful, in particular members of Adoration Ministry Enugu, Nigeria, to remain calm and united with the body of Christ in the Diocese and also refrain from any measure of violence either in action or by abusive utterances.

“Those who take to attacking or insulting my dear Bishop should desist from such.

“The Bishop is the Shepherd of the Church in the Diocese and we remain his flock who in every way and at all times is expected to be respectful, obedient and willing to respond favourably to his apostolic directives.

“May I also remind you that all Adoration activities have been suspended till further notice.

“Adoration Ministry is ever submissive to the mother Church. I enjoin all adorers to know this and remain constantly in prayers for the manifestation of the will of God in the life of the Ministry."

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Kaduna State Governor Nasiru Ahmed El-Rufai

The Kaduna State Government has dismissed 2,357 teachers who failed or did not take the recently-conducted competency test. 

This was disclosed in a statement on Sunday in Kaduna by the spokesperson for the State Universal Basic Education Board, Hauwa Mohammed, stating that the board conducted a competency test for over 30,000 teachers in December 2021.

Kaduna State Governor Nasiru Ahmed El-Rufai
She said further that 2,192 primary school teachers including the National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Mr Audu Amba, were sacked for refusing to take the competency test. 

She said 165 of the 27,662 teachers that sat the competency test were sacked for failing it. 

“Following the state government’s resolution for continued assessment of teachers to ensure better delivery of learning outcomes for pupils, KADSUBEB conducted another competency test for the teachers in December 2021.

“The services of teachers who scored below 40 per cent are no longer required and their appointments have been terminated from the Public Service for their poor performances.

"Teachers who scored 75 per cent and above were recognised as those who passed the test and qualified for attending courses in leadership and school management," she said in the statement.

She also explained that qualified teachers will be included in Teacher Professional Development programmes to enhance their teaching capabilities. 

Mohammed said teachers who scored between 40 and 74 per cent did not meet up with the minimum pass mark, adding that they would be given a second chance to improve their capacities.

The Kaduna government had sacked 21,780 teachers who failed a competency test and replaced them with 25,000 others recruited through vigorous processes in 2018. 

It sacked another 233 teachers over alleged possession of fake certificates in December 2021. 

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The people of Amofia/Amagu Autonomous Community in Enugu State have berated a Nollywood actress, Tana Egbo-Adelana for referring to her late father, Chief Patrick Okoro Egbo as Igwe. 

They also expressed anger that she referred to her late father as the Ezeoha 1 of Amofia/ Amagu Nara Unateze, Nkanu East LGA, Enugu State. 

The community in a statement "The True Story of The Happenings In Amofia/Amagu Autonomous Community, Nkanu East LGA Enugu State," warned the actress and her siblings to desist from making further reference to their father as Igwe, saying that Patrick Okoro Egbo was never a legitimate traditional ruler of the community. 

They said the late Chief Patrick Okoro Egbo and his fellow contender, Chief Thomas Okeke Egbo lost their Igwe titles in 2012 following a court judgement that nullified the different processes that gave them the titles. 

The statement added that the late Patrick Okoro Egbo never participated in the subsequent election process ordered by the court after the nullification except for Igwe Thomas Okeke Egbo who was the unopposed winner of the exercise.  
The community pointed out that until his death, Patrick Egbo was not in possession of any of government documents, staff of office or certificate of merit from the town union, giving him the title of Igwe of his community. 

SaharaReporters gathered that the actress had referred to her father as Ezeoha 1 of Amofia/Amagu, Nara Unateze in a 
Notice of Death, invitation and poster on her social media platforms, which the community described as a deliberate sacrilegious attempt by his surviving wife and children to mislead the public and bury the deceased as a      traditional ruler. 

The community insisted that the late Patrick Okoro Egbo was never a traditional ruler until his death. 

The initial process of electing a traditional ruler commenced in the community after the inauguration of a screening committee headed by the late Chief Hyacinth O. Ani with Mr. Emmanuel Ede as Secretary, the community said. 

It said the committee called for applications from interested candidates and four persons declared interest comprising the late Chief Patrick Okoro Egbo, Chief Thomas Okeke Egbo (now Igwe), the late Chief Stephen Eze and Mr. Samuel Ede. They all went through screening and only Chief Thomas Okeke Egbo was cleared based on the requirements set out for the screening exercise, the community said. 

The late Chief Patrick Okoro Egbo and the late Chief Stephen Eze were said to have been disqualified because they did not have school certificates or their equivalent while Mr. Samuel Ede was disqualified because he had not obtained the “Igbanafia” traditional title. 

According to the community, Chief Thomas Okeke Egbo was only the one who qualified after the exercise and the town union adopted and declared him as the Igwe-elect of their community on October 29, 2006, authorising him to set up a cabinet and further complete the process of 'Igweship'.

The initial process was however reportedly nullified by the state high court which ordered a fresh process and Chief Thomas Okeke Egbo (Okpube Igbo 1 of Nara Unateze) was the sole contender. 

He was said to have been declared the Igwe-elect after passing the process of screening. Igwe Thomas Okeke Egbo was subsequently issued a certificate of recognition and staff of office on May 6, 2015, by the then governor of the state, Sullivan Chime. 

The community said it had alerted Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi 
to the matter and urged him to caution the actress and his siblings in the interest of peace. 

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Members of the NSCDC

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), has debunked reports that its personnel snatched money meant to be distributed to voters who voted for the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the just concluded Ekiti State governorship election.

There were reports on Saturday of how operatives of the Corps stormed Polling Unit 9 of Ward 10 Ilupeju along Ikere-Ado Expressway in Ikere Ekiti, Ikere Local Government Area of the state and hijacked some amount of money from some politicians in the unit. 

Members of the NSCDC

The money was allegedly meant for vote-buying and selling. 
However, reacting to the reports on Sunday, the NSCDC National Headquarters Director of Public Relations, DCC Olusola Odumosu, in a statement on the Corps’ verified Facebook page distanced the Corps from the reports and warned against dragging its image in the mud. 

The NSCDC stated that its personnel arrested one 36-year-old Tope Aderibigbe popularly known as "Say War", in connection with thuggery and one other 42-year-old Mrs Oguntoyinbo Bilikisu for vote-buying during the election at polling in the Ado Local Government Area as against Ikere-Ekiti Local Government Area as reported.

Parts of the statement read, “The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), has distanced itself from a news story alleging that the agency snatched party money meant for vote-buying in the Ekiti State Gubernatorial election held yesterday.

“The Corps wishes to state in clear terms that its operatives who were on election duty on Saturday, June 18, arrested two persons namely, Tope Aderibigbe A.k.a "Say War" aged 36, in connection with thuggery and one 42 years old Mrs Oguntoyinbo Bilikisu for vote-buying.

“They were both accosted at a polling unit in Ado Local Government Area and not Ikere-Ekiti Local Government as alleged in the report.

“It is instructive to point out that the Corps, through its personnel performed its legitimate duties in collaboration with other security agencies and critical stakeholders in line with clearly spelt electoral guidelines without violating any of them.

“The two suspects were apprehended, after the attention of NSCDC election monitoring team was drawn by the people, mostly, party agents, to a chaotic situation created by some individuals allegedly attempting to disrupt the peaceful conduct of the election through vote-buying and attack on voters by rented thugs.

“The timely intervention of the Corps restored normalcy to the polling units. However, only a sum of six thousand thousand, seven hundred and twenty naira (N6,720) was found on the suspected vote buyer after a thorough search was conducted on her.

“In spite of that, a preliminary investigation has commenced on the suspects, who were later released in order not to disenfranchise them after being accredited to vote as no incriminating materials were found on them.

“To this end, the Corps wishes to state categorically, that there was no collection or hijacking of any money belonging to any political party, their agents or any individual at Ikere-Ekiti Local Government.

“The report is false, frivolous and perhaps a figment of the imagination of the writer in an attempt to cast aspersion on the image and credibility of the Corps.

“The Corps has worked assiduously in conjunction with other security agencies in ensuring a free, fair and credible governorship election in Ekiti State, which was conducted in a peaceful atmosphere devoid of violence and rancour.

“Members of the public are therefore urged to disregard and ignore such a mischievous report.

“The NSCDC stated that in an attempt to avoid such allegations and curb vote-buying at polling units, the Corps headed by Acting Deputy Commandant-General Operations, Haruna Lawal Muhammed alongside other top officers embarked on election patrol.

“On patrol, the team received reports of vote-buying at wards within Ado-Ekiti and Ikire and was able to disperse such crowd.”

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