Controversial Islamic scholar, Ahmad Gumi, has lamented the spate of insecurity and economic distress bedevilling Nigerian households.

Gumi, in an interview with Daily Post, acknowledged that Nigerians are suffering and are unable to feed themselves as prices of products continue to skyrocket in the market.

Speaking on the recent attacks on the Abuja-Kaduna train, the Islamic cleric prayed for the immediate release of those in the custody of the bandits.

He further enjoined Nigerians to remain united as the 2023 general elections draw near, to establish a government capable of alleviating the hardship imposed on Nigerians by the current government.

“I can say most Nigerians are in one form or the other in serious economic distress; nevertheless, we should not forget those under the mercy of kidnappers and the downtrodden.

“We pray for their immediate release and hope Nigerians will unite to usher in a new government that will address these difficulties,” he added.

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Olusegun Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday said Nigeria needed men and women of integrity to make things better.

He said he believed that because of men and women of such virtues in Nigeria, God would open his eyes and have mercy on this country.

Olusegun Obasanjo

Obasanjo made this known while speaking at a global crusade of the Deeper Life Bible Church in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

According to him, Nigeria and the entire world required God’s visitation and urged everyone to seek divine intervention.

“If you consider what is going on in our states, our country, West Africa, our continent and indeed our globe, our world requires a crusade of this nature,” he said.

Obasanjo, also former Head of State, said Noah stood out, as well as Job, whom God described as men of great integrity.

“Nigeria needs such men of integrity at this present moment. I believe that because of men and women of such virtue in Nigeria, God will open his eyes and have mercy on this country. Despite the situation in Nigeria, all will be well.”

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Former Vice-President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, is planning to retain Peter Obi as his running mate if he clinches the presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), sources have said.

The duo clinched the PDP presidential ticket in the 2019 general elections although they lost to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) which fielded President Muhammadu Buhari as its flag bearer.

According to Daily Independent, moves by Atiku to select Peter Obi as his running mate are however facing stiff resistance from PDP Southern governors who want him to pick one of them as his running mate.

It was learnt that some of the governors are picking the presidential forms of the PDP which they plan to use as negotiation for the VP slot.

Meanwhile, Peter Obi also picked the PDP presidential form and has been screened to participate in the primaries.

However, an associate of Atiku revealed that the Waziri of Adamawa had expressed his interest in retaining the 2019 team with Peter Obi as Vice-President if he wins the PDP ticket.

When asked why Peter Obi is running, he said it is because the PDP will throw the presidential ticket open as recommended by the zoning committee of the party.

“Peter Obi is running because the party did not zone the ticket to any region; they will certainly throw the ticket open. Every qualified aspirant will contest and the best will emerge as the candidate of the party. We can’t ask him not to contest since the ticket is not zoned to any particular region.

“What if he wins? If Obi is lucky enough to get the majority of the delegates and becomes the presidential candidate, Atiku and all of us will give him maximum support,” he said.

A former member of the party’s National Working Committee who also confirmed the development said while Atiku prefers Obi, he may pander to the wishes of the governors as they are the major power brokers in the party.

“Wike is contesting for the presidency because he believes that if the party zones the position to the South, he would win. But now that the party will throw the ticket open, he has his eyes on the VP slot.

“Another governor interested in the VP slot is Akwa Ibom State governor, Udom Emmanuel. He is also contesting for the presidency but his motive is just to join the race since Wike from Rivers is also there.

“There is this age-long rivalry between Akwa Ibom and Rivers and so they believe if a man from Rivers wants to become president, why can’t a man from Akwa Ibom also do it?”

“The primary is yet to be conducted but there is this belief in the party that with President Buhari out of the equation in 2023, only Atiku has a national appeal that can win the presidential election for PDP.

“The real stakeholders know that the likes of Pius Anyim, Aminu Tambuwal, Nyesom Wike are going nowhere.

“In fact, Bala Mohammed of Bauchi said he is contesting for president but he has secretly obtained a nomination form for the governorship election. Is that a serious presidential candidate? So right now, they are already working towards the emergence of one of their own as running mate to Atiku.

“They also know that Atiku prefers Obi because they have a close working relationship. In fact, that was why Obi attended Atiku’s declaration in Abuja.”

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Billionaire entrepreneur, Elon Musk said Twitter Inc might charge a “slight” fee for commercial and government users.

The development is said to be part of the billionaire’s push to grow revenue which has lagged behind larger rivals like Meta Platforms Inc's (FB.O) Facebook.

Twitter had earlier confirmed the selling of the platform to Musk in a deal valued at $44 billion, which dramatic shift for the board, that had originally maneuvered to block Musk from taking the social media network private.

“Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated,” Musk said in a joint statement announcing the takeover.

However, Musk in a tweet in the early hours of Wednesday, said commercial and government users will pay for the platform.

He, however, said the micro-blogging site would “always” remain free for casual users.

Justifying his move to commercialise the platform for commercial and government users in a series of tweets, the billionaire entrepreneur said free services led to the downfall of great businesses.

He wrote, “Twitter will always be free for casual users, but maybe a slight cost for commercial/government users.”

The entrepreneur in a reply to a tweet added, “Some revenue is better than none!”

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At least three people have been killed by the Islamic State of West Africa province in Kautikari ward of Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State.

The terrorists struck on Tuesday.

The attack occurred almost the same time as the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, was visiting Borno State for an on-the-spot assessment of the level of damage done by the Boko Haram insurgency.

A villager said the attack started around 6pm and it got all the villagers deserting for safety in the nearby Sambisa Forest where the terrorists camped.

“The attack started at 6:20pm this evening (Tuesday). They came on their motorcycles and started to shoot randomly from all angles.

“The villagers ran to the bush for safety but the bush is Sambisa forest and that is where the Boko Haram insurgents are living. That village has been attacked more than ten times this year alone,” Adamson, a handicapped from Chibok said.

“There is no other village around there except the Sambisa Forest and the people living there have never left their homes despite the attacks.

“According to what I was told by a relative who is presently hiding in the bush, the terrorists shot one man dead in his car and then set the car ablaze with the dead body inside the vehicle.

“They also killed two others while also burning down several houses. But we cannot determine the level of damage or destruction now until in the morning when they are all back in their villages,” Adamson said.

The UN Chief who visited Gubio camp immediately when he arrived in Maiduguri told Zulum that he was happy with the condition he met the IDPs and pledged to offer all necessary assistance to ensure the safe return of IDPs to their ancestral homes in line with the state government’s resettlement plan.

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There are debates now whether former President of Nigeria, President Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan can run or contest the 2023 presidential elections in Nigeria.These debates are not new. This is because on the 4th of September 2013, I had raised the question of the qualification and or eligibility of President Jonathan to contest the 2015 general elections. This view was published in the Nation Newspapers of Tuesday, 10th of September 2013 at page 34 thereof. 

 

This is what I said then .”There has been debates and arguments that president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, is or is not qualified to seek reelection in 2015. Understandingly some people from the South South Zone of Nigeria, where our dear president comes from have been at the forefront of the agitation that the president must run in 2015. They argued forcefully that their dear son must be allowed to do two terms of eight years , perhaps like President Obansajo. Others have argued that the president is not qualified to run in 2015 on so many variables principal amongst which is the constitution. Because I come from a minority like Mr President I would have love to support arguments that Mr president be allowed to run or that Mr president should run for election in 2015, if God spares him as I pray he does. But can president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan run in 2015 presidential elections. My humble view is that he cannot and he will be constitutionally barred,unless of course,the 1999 constitution is further amended to accommodate that ambition if he has the ambition. There is no doubt that by the provision of the 1999 constitution as amended, Nigerian president can only spend a maximum of eight years in office. That is why section 137 (1) (b) of the 1999 Constitution as amended provides that a person elected to the office of the president at any time for two previous elections shall not be qualified for subsequent election as president of Nigeria. There is no dispute that in 2007, president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was elected as Vice president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the joint ticket with late president Umaru Musa Ya,Adua. Upon the death of President Umaru Musa Ya'Adua, president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was sworn in as president. My humble view is that the election of 2007 was the first election of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, because even though elected as Vice President, he was elected as president because in the absence of the president, he becomes the president on the basis of the election that brought him and the late president to the office. See S.146(1) of the Constitution. That the president Jonathan contested the election of 2007 and won into the office of vice president and who was in the same shoes with the president is not in dispute. See section 142(1) of the 1999 constitution as amended. It is clear from the provisions of section 142(1) and (2) of the said constitution that no person can be duly nominated to the office of the president unless he nominates a person who is qualified to be president like him. The implication is clear. A person contesting the office of vice president is by implication contesting the office of the president. He automatically becomes the president if any of the factors set out in the constitution in section 146 of the constitution occurs. This point was underscored by the Supreme Court in PDP vs INEC (1999) 7SCNJ 297. The facts of that case was that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar stood election to the office of the Governor of Adamawa State. He nominated Mr Bonnie Haruna as his running mate. They won the election as governor and deputy governor respectively. Before they could be sworn in, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar became vice presidential candidate to General Obansajo. INEC held the view that since they were not sworn in the Deputy Governor elect could not been sworn in as Governor of Adamawa State. The Supreme Court held otherwise and Mr Bonnie Haruna was subsequently sworn in as Governor of Adamawa State. Section 137(1) ( b) of the Constitution, is impari materia with S.182(1) (b) of the same constitution interpreted by the Supreme Court in Marwa vs Nyako & ors, (2012) 6 NWLR (pt.1296) 200 at 310-311, judgment/decision in consolidated appeals delivered on the 27th January 2012, where the Supreme Court held that:

"a person first elected as governor of a state shall vacate his office at the expiration of a period of four years commencing from the date when he took the oath of allegiance and oath of office though he could be re-elected for another term of four years giving him a maximum of two tenures of eight years"

In the same case the Supreme Court held at 286 that : time fixed by the constitution for doing anything cannot be extended. It is immutable,fixed like the rock of Gilbratar. It cannot be extended,elongated,expanded or stretched beyond what it states".

There is doubt that President Jonathan spent two years in office as president following his election in 2007 as vice president cum the president of Nigeria as a result of the death of the then president. He was also elected president in 2011 and sworn in. Mr President has thus been elected to the office of the president on two previous elections and has taken two oaths of office and allegiance as president of Nigeria. The intention of the makers of our constitution is that we should not have any person however eminently qualified to serve in the office of president or governor for more than two terms of 8years. The Supreme court spoke so in Marwa vs Nyako supra. The question then is if Mr president makes himself available for the 2015 election and he wins and there is no doubt he will using power of incumbency and Nigerian factors in winning election, will he step down after two years. If not he would have spent 10 years in office under the 1999 constitution contrary to the provisions that provide for 8years maximum. The argument that Mr president is doing well is beside the point. The Constitution is the grundnorm. Any ambition that will violate Nigerian constitution must be discouraged by all. Those who speak in favour of Mr President running are no doubt doing so because our constitution has given every one the freedom of expression, but in the exercise of that freedom we must do so within the parameter of constitutionality. To argue that the two years spent by Mr President is not his term but the tenure of late President Musa Yar'Adua is an argument that flies in the face of logic and constitution. There is the principle of constitutional construction and it is this that the primary purpose of constitutional interpretation is to find out the purpose for which the framers of the constitution sought to achieve by the provisions in the constitution. The intention of the Framers of our constitution is that no one Nigerian however eminent qualified should be in the office of the president or governor for more than 8years maximum. The framers also know that the president or governor may die and can die in office and the vice president and deputy governor as the case may be has to take over. I hold the view that if the draftsmen of our constitution had intended that the reminder of the tenure being completed by the vice president now president or deputy governor as the case may be should not be part of the tenure of 8 years when they win elections on their own, the constitution would have said so. In order words it is my submission that in the circumstances of this case there is no amount of political gymnastics that can make it constitutional for President Jonathan to run for 2015, even if he has performed creditably well, which is outside the purview of this discourse. Dahiru Musdapher JSC as he then was summed it up beautifully in this way when he was contributing in judgment on the purpose of 8years tenure in our constitution. This is what the learned jurist said: if I may briefly explain supposing like Dr Chris Ngige a person elected as governor holds office for 3years before the election is nullified, he contests the rerun election and wins it and resumes office for another two years, when the electoral tribunal again nullified the election and again ordered a fresh election which he wins again, it would mean that the person would have spent 3,2 plus another 4 years thus making it 9 or take it a step further it may mean he could continue ad infinitum. Clearly this is not the situation the constitution has intended. It has only created a tenure of 4 years and no more. See Marwa vs Nyako supra at 294.

My humble view therefore is that if president Jonathan seeks re-election in 2015, and he wins as he is likely to,he would have been elected into that office more than two terms of four years. I humbly submit that president Jonathan is constitutionally barred from contesting the 2015 election unless the constitution is deliberately amended to accommodate him”.

 

This was the view I held in 2013.I have no reason to depart from it. Rather, I like my leaned brother silk, Femi Falana, SAN and many other legal minds hold this view very strongly on the basis of constitutional provisions and binding pronouncements of the Supreme Court.When I expressed this view in 2013, the party of Mr President then, PDP did not take my view and the then president was fielded as presidential candidate, contested and lost the 2015 presidential elections. There was no reason to test the constitutionality of his participation in that election. 

 

Of recent, however, my learned friend of the Inner Bar, Femi Falana, SAN, was a guest on National Television where the learned silk shared his view and concluded that former President Goodluck Jonathan is not qualified to run for president in 2023. This view was countered in a write up by Chief Mike Ozekhome SAN. According to Chief Ozekhome SAN, the case of Jonathan running had been challenged and settled in NJOKU VS JONATHAN (2015) LPELR-244496 (CA). In that case, the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, held that President Goodluck Jonathan had only taken the oath of office once and therefore upheld his eligibility to contest the then Nigeria’s presidential election slated for March 28, 2015. There was no further appeal to the Supreme Court. My learned brother silk, Chief Ozekhome SAN quoted copiously the decision of the Court of Appeal in the above case and the forth Alteration Act to contend that President Goodluck Jonathan should run in 2023 if he wishes to do so.

 

With due respect to Chief Ozekhome, SAN, he missed the points canvassed by my humble self and Femi Falana SAN and other patriotic legal minds that President Goodluck Jonathan is not qualified to run for Nigerian President again under the 1999 Constitution. The case of NJOKU vs Jonathan cited by Chief Ozekhome SAN is not helpful on many fronts and on the point that president Jonathan if was allowed to run for Presidential election again under the 1999 constitution and he wins, he will be spending more than the required 8 years maximum as president of Nigeria under said constitution. 

 

First the forth Alteration Act did not introduce new constitution. It amended the 1999 Constitution.Secondly the issues that weighed heavily on the minds of their lordships of the Court of Appeal in the Njoku vs Jonathan case were questions of the locus standi of the Appellant, Mr Njoku in that case and the fact that there was no cause of action or reasonable cause of action. On the question of locus at page 21 of the report, the Court of Appeal made the point that: The law is that a plaintiff who seeks a declaratory relief relating to the Constitution as in this case, must establish a constitutional right or interest in relation to which the declaration can be made, as Courts will not decide hypothetical questions.The right or interest must be substantial, tangible and not vague, intangible or caricature. The appellant has failed in this regard. See INAKOJU VS. ADELEKE (2007) 4 NWLR (Pt. 1025) 427, 602.

 

On the question that Appellant’s case did not disclose any cause of action the Court of Appeal agreed and held in that case that: After reviewing the evidence and the law, the trial Court held that the appellant's case did not disclose any cause of action. We cannot fault this conclusion. There was nothing to show that the 3rd respondent had given notice of the poll and that the 2nd respondent had commenced the process of nomination pursuant to Section 87 (1) of the Electoral Act. The appellant was not shown to have taken out any form to show or declare his intention to contest. Even now there is nothing put before us to show that the appellant took out any form to show his intention.

 

It is true that the Court of Appeal attempted, with due respect albeit wrongly to make some distinctions between the facts of the case before it and the facts in Marwa’s case. This is what their lordships said in Njoku’s case: It is clear to me, that the facts in MARWA VS. NYAKO (SUPRA), are different from these in the instant appeal. The five governors in MARWA'S case were, after a process of voting, elected as governors of their respective States and took the Oaths of Allegiance and office on 29th May, 2007. When the elections were nullified, they all stood for the re-run elections and they were again declared elected after voting. They took the Oaths of Allegiance and Office again. The Supreme Court held that their tenure of office commenced on the 29th of May, 2007 when they first took the Oaths. So that case, was essentially about determining when their four years tenure commenced. It was not about qualification or disqualification to stand election. Again, the same persons who stood for election as Governors and won and were sworn in, were the same persons who stood for the re-run elections and won and were sworn in. See PP. 43-46, paras. F-B.

 

It is submitted with respect that the distinction drawn by their lordships of the Court of Appeal upon which Chief Ozekhome SAN premised his arguments did not take into account the position that a person contesting the office of vice president is by implication contesting the office of the president. He automatically becomes the president if any of the factors set out in the constitution in section 146 of the constitution occurs. This point was underscored by the Supreme Court in PDP vs INEC (supra)

 

Secondly there is no dispute that President Jonathan became Vice President and President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under the 1999 constitution. The intention of law makers is that no one person in Nigeria should hold the office of the President of Nigeria for more than 8 years maximum. There is no provision in the constitution that says the two years he spent in the office as president of Nigeria before he won election in 2011 should not and cannot count as parts of 8 years he will be spending in office as Nigerian President should he wins the 2023 general election if he allows himself to be fielded as candidate of any political party. 

 

The Supreme Court was emphatic on the points in Marwa’s case. This is what his Lordship Onneghen JSC as he then was later CJN said at PP. 27-33, paras. E-B of the report that: Guided by the above principles and many others not stated herein, can it be said that Section 180(2) supra admits of no unbroken tenure of four years? In the case of Inakoju vs Adeleke (2007) 4 NWLR (Pt. 1025) 423, this Court held that the impeachment and removal from office of Governor Ladoja of Oyo State was unconstitutional, null and void. Prior to that decision Ladoja was out of office by way of impeachment for almost a year. He subsequently instituted an action in which he sought to, regain the lost period of his four years tenure as guaranteed under Section 180(2) supra, in the case of Ladoja vs INEC (2007) 12 NWLR (Pt. 1025) but this Court held that his tenure cannot be extended to accommodate the period of time he lost through the impeachment. Governor Ladoja's tenure was broken by the impeachment saga in Oyo State; but he was asked to continue his tenure from when he returned to office. It is the case of the respondents that since their elections in 2007, where nullified it meant that in law the said election never took place and as such the Oaths of Allegiance and of Office they took on 29th May, 2007, became non-existent and that the Oaths of Allegiance and of Office which is valid and relevant to the determination of the four years tenure is that which they took at various dates in 2008. I had earlier found and held that the provisions of Section 180 of the 1999 Constitution do not envisage a re-run election let alone a re-run election won by the same person who took the earlier Oaths of Allegiance and of Office. I have also found and held that from the totality of the relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution including Section 180(1)(2)&(3) and 182(1)(b), a person first elected as governor of a state shall vacate his office at the expiration of a period of four years commencing from the date he took the Oath of Allegiance and Oath of Office though he could be re-elected for another term of four years giving him a maxim two tenures of eight years. It is very clear from the relevant provisions that no person elected under the 1999 Constitution can remain in that office for a day longer than as provided otherwise the intention of the framers of the constitution would be defeated. If the interpretation favoured by the respondents is adopted and the four years tenure is to be calculated from the second oaths taken in 2008, while in fact and law the 1st respondents took Oaths of Allegiance and of Office on 29th May, 2007 and remained and functioned in office as governors of their various states would their period not exceed the constitutionally provided tenure of four years? The answer is clearly in the positive hence the argument on the principles of null and void acts. In assigning four years to the tenure of State Governors - and the President too - did the 1999 Constitution envisage a nullified election affecting the four years tenure assigned by it. I think not. The argument that following the nullification of their elections the said elections were in the eyes of the law nonexistent as they are regarded not to have taken place as well as the subsequent oaths they took to enable them function in the office of Governors of their States is brilliant though it does not deny the fact that there was an election conducted and winners declared thereafter in accordance with existing laws and regulations; that the winners of that election subsequently took their Oaths of Allegiance and of Office as required by the constitution and did function in that office for about one year effectively exercising the executive powers of the state such as signing Bills into law including appropriation Bills; appointing commissioners and numerous Advisers, awarding contracts, etc. The proponents of this contention agree that the acts performed by the affected governors remain valid and subsisting after the nullification of the elections but the oaths they took to function in that office went with the nullification of their election! It is not in doubt that the lower Court was the final Court on governorship election petition matters and that its decision on such matters bind the election tribunals and courts below it in the hierarchy of Courts. The above notwithstanding this Court, the Supreme Court of Nigeria, is not bound by decisions of the lower Court in matters, where that Court is the final Court of appeal as this court is the highest Court in the land whose decisions are binding on all and sundry. It is with the above in mind that I consider the wide nature of the decision of the lower Court as to the voidity of the elections that resulted in the swearing in of 29th May, 2007. Generally speaking, a void act is void and nothing can be put on it. However, when you consider the nature and consequences of an election which produced a winner who was sworn in on the presumption that the election that produced him was regular and legally valid then when that election is set aside or nullified, the nullification is only limited to the election and does not affect acts done while the person occupied that office. In effect, what it all means is that the election that was later nullified was only voidable, not void, because if it is to be taken literally as void ab initio as is being contended by some of the parties, it means the country would be plunged into chaos as all acts done by the governors must of necessity be null and void and of no effect whatsoever. So, when we have a situation where the acts of the governor whose election is nullified are saved, then the only legal explanation or meaning to be attached to the use of the words "null and void" in describing the said election by the Court, is "voidable", ab initio. It is therefore my considered view that what the lower Court meant by saying that the elections were null and void is simply that they were voidable as a result of which they proceeded to annul same. I hold the considered view that since the acts performed during the period prior to the nullification of the election remains valid and subsisting and the same person contested and won the re-run election thereby taking another set of oaths and since what was nullified was the election, the oaths they took on 29th May, 2007, remains valid and the starting point in calculating their four years tenure of office as governors of their respective states particularly as the 1999 Constitution does not envisage a tenure exceeding four years by the same person who took the first oaths following the election which kick started the tenure.

 

Clearly, it is submitted that even though the Forth Alteration Act, cannot have retrospective effect, there is no dispute that the 1999 constitution was the constitution under which President Jonathan was in office as president of Nigeria for six or five years. The arguments about retrospective effect is begging the question. Was President Jonathan, President for six or five years under the 1999 constitution or not. The argument that no-one can be declared elected under the 4th Alteration Act unless he or she goes through the stages of election, with due respect fails to take into account the special provision dealing with Deputy Governor or Vice President taking over in the event of death or any of the circumstances provided in the constitution.The 4th Alteration Act brought out clearly the intention of the law makers as espoused by the Supreme Court that the maximum you can be in office as Nigerian President shall be 8 years. 

 

No one can reasonably argued that the time President Jonathan spent in office after the death of President Ya’Adua be not counted as parts of the years or the tenure he spent in office as president of Nigeria.That will be historical fallacy and factual inaccuracies. It will be constitutional deceit. His official acts as president cannot logically and legally be said to be the acts of the late President Ya’Adua. I am in complete agreement with Femi Falana, SAN, that President Jonathan cannot contest again for another 4 years as President under the 1999 Constitution. 

 

To allow him to do so will be a gross violation of the 1999 constitution. But as his name implies, he may have the goodluck, get fielded, wins the election and spend another four years and then go into the history book as the only president that spent either 10 years or 9 years as president of Nigeria under the 1999 constitution contrary to the provisions of the 1999 constitution that allows him maximum of 8 years. This is Nigeria. Nothing is impossible in Nigeria.  

               

                 

 

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Hoodlums believed to be armed herdsmen have killed a farmer, Musa Monsuro, in the Ibarapa Central Local Government Area of Oyo State.

Monsuro was reportedly slaughtered on his cashew farm at Araromi village, Igboora, around 5pm on Monday, Punch reports.

While the reason he was killed could not be ascertained, there were reports that those behind the act were herdsmen.

Some residents explained on Tuesday that security agents were alerted and they went to the farm to pick the corpse, which was taken to a mortuary.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Adewale Osifeso, confirmed the incident to our correspondent in a text message.

He said, “The case is undergoing investigation. You will be updated accordingly.”

The killing is coming after a break of some months in killings by suspected herdsmen.

Ibarapa had been ravaged by criminal herdsmen who allegedly killed, maimed, raped residents and destroyed farmlands before Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Igboho, visited the area to warn against such acts.

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President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday received former Lagos State Governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu in a private visit at his official residence at the State House.

It is not yet clear what the duo discussed.

Tinubu is vying to fly the flag of the ruling All Progressives Congress in next year’s presidential elections.

SaharaReporters on Saturday reported that Tinubu returned to the country after his trip to Saudi Arabia.

Tinubu had been seen on Saturday posing with the N100milion nomination and expression of interest forms of the ruling party bought for him to pursue the 2023 presidential contest which he described as his “lifelong ambition.”

Tinubu arrived after completing his lesser hajj in Mecca.

Emeka Nwajiuba, Minister of State of Education; Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State; Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, are among aspirants who picked the forms ahead of Tinubu.

Although the ruling party has not zoned its presidency, most of those in the race are from the South.

The decision of the ruling party to swap its national offices between the North and the South led to the emergence of Senator Abdullahi Adamu from the North Central as the national chairman.

Before the convention, Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State had said though the APC had not decided on zoning the presidential ticket, the swapping of national offices was an indication of where its presidential candidate would come from.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed June 3 as deadline for political parties to submit the names of the candidates.

The five South West aspirants are expected to battle other presidential aspirants from other zones for the party’s ticket at the primary slated May 30/June 1.

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See Also Scandal Nigeria's Attorney-General Abubakar Malami Under Fire For Distributing Multi-billion Naira Vehicles To Ruling APC Supporters 0 Comments 1 Week Ago

 

See Also Scandal Nigeria's Attorney-General Abubakar Malami Under Fire For Distributing Multi-billion Naira Vehicles To Ruling APC Supporters 0 Comments 1 Week Ago

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No fewer than 800 officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have petitioned the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami over the refusal of the agency to promote them since they joined the agency 12 years ago.

 

The officers who were enlisted into the agency as NA 2011 intakes said they got direct appointments to narcotic agent rank (Level 5) in the second cadre of the agency's ranking structure on July 1, 2011, having fulfilled all the requirements as provided by the NDLEA condition of service chapter 2, no 10.

The officers in a petition dated April 30, 2022, called for the intervention of the minister to prevail on the leadership of the agency and promote them to their next ranks.

 

The aggrieved officers noted that NDLEA had conducted three promotion exercises since they were enlisted but deliberately excluded them without any given reason.

 

The petition read in part, "The efficacy of this is that our immediate juniors are now our mates while our immediate seniors are two ranks above us, making us lose seniority and (become) objects of caricature in our working environments all over Nigeria.

 

"The NDLEA’s condition of service designated three cadres which are the Narcotics Superintendent Cadre, the Narcotics Agent Cadre, and the Narcotics Assistant Cadre. The service number index of the NA2011 intakes was first changed from 2011/NA/to 2011/NASS/ suggesting that they were employed as Narcotics Assistants in 2011 literally pushing them down to the last cadre being the Narcotics Assistant cadre.

 

"This was done to change the identity of the NA2011 intakes and further debase the children of this great nation.

 

"This singular act contravenes the provisions of the NDLEA condition of service, chapter 2 no 3 which states that ‘no employee shall, on being appointed be placed above or below the provision of the scheme of service for the post’.

 

"Your Lordship, we pray you use your good office empowered by the provision of sections 174 and 211 of the Nigerian constitution to address this injustice stated above and direct the agency to immediately promote the NA2011 intakes to the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Narcotics 2."

 

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The Nigeria-Biafra War veterans, under the umbrella, ‘First Intake Able Voluntary Retired Or Discharged Ten Or More Years In Military Service’ on Tuesday asked the Nigerian government to pay their entitlements before they all died in poverty.
 
The National Coordinator of the group, Pa Babawande Philips, who stated this at a press conference in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, said many of their members had died of poverty recently.
 
Babawande said since the government discharged them about 44 years ago, its members have not received their entitlements.
 
According to him, the Nigerian government has compensated the Biafran soldiers who fought against them while fighters, mainly from the North, South-West and South-South, who fought for Nigeria, are struggling to survive.
 
The war veterans who insisted that they worked directly under the supervision of Muhammadu Buhari during the civil war, urged the president to wade into the matter and ensure they are enlisted in the Nigerian Military Pensions Board.
 
Babawande said, "Gentlemen, we are suffering. Many of us who defended Nigeria nation during the civil war cannot boast of a house. We laid out lives to defend Nigeria but see how they are paying us back. We have all the documents which qualify us to be on the pensions board. If all our people died in poverty, God won't forgive Nigerian leaders.
 
"We have done many biometric screenings but not fruitful. Are they waiting until we all die? At this age, the federal government is sending us up and down. I was in Abuja last month. But as we speak, we are at a crossroads. We are staging a protest to register our displeasure over the inability of the federal government to give us our entitlements. The protest is slated for the 11th of this month and we want every one of you to come around for coverage."

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President Muhammadu Buhari will pay a two-day working visit to Ebonyi State from Wednesday.
The state governor, David Umahi, in a statement on Tuesday said the President will inaugurate some projects during his visit.

The projects include Uburu-Mpu dualised Concrete Road, President Muhammadu Buhari 4-way Light Tunnel, State Shopping Mall, new Government House, new Governor’s Office and new State Executive Council Chambers.
 
He said, “We acknowledge with the deepest appreciation, your fatherly love and support to Ebonyi State like you do extend to other states irrespective of their party affiliations and which has made our modest achievements possible.
 
“As we welcome you and your entourage to the Salt of the Nation, please accept always, the assurances of the best regards of the Government and people of Ebonyi State.”

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The claims by the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Three-Man Ward Congress Electoral Committee for Enugu State, Prince Vincent Yandev Amaabai, that the exercise was peaceful, are far from the truth, SaharaReporters has learnt.
Amaabai, after monitoring the exercise at Umunevo Ward 02, Ogui Nike, had said the congress was free, fair, and transparent.

SaharaReporters learnt that the exercise was overwhelmingly marred by parallel congresses, manipulations, palpable breaches of guidelines, and violence.
Most notable was the non-availability of the result sheets in all the 260 wards of the state, leading to the recording of results in sheets of paper.
This, it was learnt, fuelled the allegation that the Abuja panel was working with state authorities to submit to the party’s national headquarters doctored results rather than the outcome of the exercise in the fields.
According to the party’s directive and guidelines, the congress was scheduled to take place at 260 ward collation centres in the state at noon with candidates recognised and accredited by the presentation of their forms.
 
The party members would then vote, using the Option A4 system, with the aspirants with the top three highest scores, one of which must be a woman, declared the winners.
 
The result in each ward was to be recorded in the presence of all, signed by the officers and an official of the Independent National Electoral Commission, who was also supposed to receive a copy of the results.
 
But there have been reports that the results of the exercise were compiled by the state officials in a hotel behind the Enugu State Government House in connivance with the Abuja panel, hence the absence of results sheets at the designated venues.
 
It was however gathered that loyalists of one of the major governorship contenders, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, went ahead to conduct the congress in the 260 wards.
 
Although the party officials recorded and signed the results on sheets of paper, with the INEC observer signing also, in many cases, the party officials declined to record or sign the results.
 
“We had no choice but to follow the party’s guidelines to elect the three ad-hoc delegates. Unlike them, our candidates came to the venue with their forms duly identified.
 
“PDP members voted by queuing behind them. Even where the people sponsored by the other people came out, they were clearly trounced as was the case in Okpanku, the hometown of the Chairman of Aninri LGA, Hon. Benneth Ajah.”
 
It was, however, gathered that the exercise was marred by violence in some places.
 
In Awgu, for instance, the Council Chairman, Hon. Pedro allegedly invaded the venue with thugs, who broke the cameras used in recording the exercise and also beat up many party faithful, including the PDP Chairman in Awgu LGA, Hon. Okey Udeh, whose phones were taken away.
Udeh’s phone was however said to have been returned to the Awgu Divisional Police Station, on the condition that it could only be released to him after deleting footage of the ugly incident captured with the phone.
 
It was gathered that a petition has been formally lodged with the police over the incident.
 
In Oduma Ward 4, a lawyer and candidate for the three-man ad-hoc delegate, Mr. Ejike Ekpete was attacked by suspected cultists allegedly led by the Deputy Ward Chairman, Mr. Boniface Egwu.
 
“I had set up the canopies and chairs and was putting finishing touches to the arrangement for the exercise at Oduma Ward 4 when one Boniface Egwu, aka Egwueji led a gang of thugs and cultists to tell me that they had come to deliver an ‘order from above’ that I should leave the venue.
 
“I told them that I bought a form to contest for the delegate’s position and if they had candidates, they should field them and let the people queue behind the candidates to decide in line with the PDP guidelines.
 
“They descended on me with dangerous weapons, including machetes and started shooting sporadically in the air. People scampered to safety as the cultists and thugs who were acting on the instruction of the Aninri Local Government Council Chairman, Hon. Benneth Ajah, dismantled the canopies because they were not prepared for any congress. They believed in the one being compiled somewhere in Enugu.
 
“They also attacked me with one of the canopy poles and as I was struggling to find my way to my car to escape, they gave me a deep machete cut and I lost a lot of blood. I was not the only one wounded or they wanted to kill.
 
“Thank God I escaped alive, but I am not giving up. We thought Sullivan Chime ended the reign of thuggery, cultism, and political violence, but Enugu appears to have fully returned to the hands of thugs and cultists,” he stated.
 
Some thugs had allegedly attacked Ekweremadu's supporters during the April 2022 monthly meeting of the PDP.
 
Many were left with broken heads and cuts on the head among other serious injuries, leaving many, including the member representing Aninri in the Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Chinedu Okwu (Otaka) hospitalised.
 
Meanwhile, at Agba Umana Ward, Ezeagu LGA, a House of Assembly aspirant, said to be working for a top government official, who is also aspiring to the House of Representatives, was seen freely wielding a pump-action rifle ahead of a congress to be held after Ekweremadu’s loyalists and the ward had conducted a congress in line with the time appointed by the party.
 
In Ugbaike, Enugu Ezike, Igboeze North LGA, one Bertrand Ugwu simply identified as an Ekweremadu supporter, sustained deep machete cuts on his head as he was attacked by some suspected personnel of the Enugu State Government Neighbourhood Watch.
 
He is said to be hospitalised at an undisclosed location.
Some members of the party have alleged that governors have hijacked the PDP with the help of Senator Iyorchia Ayu-led PDP National Working Committee.
 
Many party chieftains have also expressed worry that the party may witness its worst downfall if the 2023 process is not democratised and made transparent in line with the party’s founding ideals.
 
Meanwhile, efforts to get the reaction of the state PDP Chairman, Hon Augustine Nnamani, were unsuccessful as he did not answer calls to his mobile line.

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Insurgents from the Islamic State-backed faction of Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province formerly known as Jamā'at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da'wah wa'l-Jihād, are currently attacking Kautikari village of Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State.
 
SaharaReporters gathered that the insurgents invaded the town on Tuesday, shooting sporadically as residents of the community fled into the forest for safety.

Soldiers stationed at a military forward operation base (FOB) in Kada, just 2km away from Kautukari, were also dislodged by the insurgents.
“My community is under attack, this is the fourth attack this year alone, please pray for us,” a resident told SaharaReporters.
In December 2021 and January 2022, Kautikari was experienced attacks by insurgents who abducted many women and children.
 
Also, a church in the community was razed by the insurgents during the attacks.
 
Attacks in Chibok areas and particularly the recent one in January 2022 made the Borno State governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, visit the area to encourage the people as well as the security operatives stationed in the local government to remain strong.
 
During his visit, the governor met with the families of 22 women and two men abducted by the insurgents and asked them to continue to trust in God through prayers.
 
Since the death of JAS leader, Abubakar Shekau, ISWAP has been consolidating its grip in locations around Lake Chad.
 
The sect’s membership has swollen with the defection of hundreds of Boko Haram fighters under Shekau.
 
The Nigerian Army has repeatedly claimed that the insurgency has been largely defeated and frequently underplays any losses.
 
The terror group has caused the death of thousands of Nigerians and the displacement of millions of others, mainly in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.

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Askia Ogieh, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aspirant for Isoko Federal Constituency in the 2023 general elections and his entourage have been attacked by armed youths, SaharaReporters has gathered.

 

Ogieh is also a former Managing Director of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC).

 

SaharaReporters learnt that Ogieh and his entourage earlier on Tuesday paid a consultation visit to the Isoko North PDP chairman, Godwin Ogorugba, at Otor-Igho community but were attacked by armed political thugs allegedly working for Jonathan Ukodhiko, a fellow aspirant of the same party and Godwin Ogoruba, a PDP chieftain.

 

Ukodhiko is the immediate past state Commissioner for Energy.

 

SaharaReporters learnt that two mobile police officers attached to the former DESOPADEC MD and members of his entourage were severely wounded while their vehicles were damaged during the attack.

 

The wounded mobile policemen and other persons, it was gathered, were rushed to the hospital where they were treated and discharged.

 

A source who witnessed the attack told our correspondent that Ogieh and some of his supporters and party members were able to escape from the scene when the thugs went on a rampage.

 

Condemning the attack while addressing members of Ogieh's entourage in his compound in Oleh, Chairman of Isoko South PDP,  Godspower Obaro, said, "We from Isoko South have never and will never attack any aspirant from the Isoko North or anywhere across the state and Nigeria because we are very peace-loving people and I wonder why we from Isoko South should be attacked in Isoko North right inside the compound of the party."

 

Efforts to reach Ogieh on his mobile phone were not successful.

 

Reacting to the attack, the Isoko North PDP chairman, Godwin Ogorugba, denied his involvement in the attack against Ogieh by political thugs in his compound.

 

He said, "I was very angry, I learnt it was some boys from Emevor, Owhelogbo and Ozoro that were stoning him because they said he didn't give them money.

 

“My attention was drawn to the attack when I got to Warri, I was told they were saying when the immediate past Commissioner for Energy and Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) aspirant for the Isoko federal constituency in the 2023 general elections, Jonathan Ukodhiko came to Isoko South, he gave youths money so why should Ogieh refuse to give youths money when he came to Isoko North. I am not really aware of the attack and Askia didn't call me either to inform me about it even till this moment I am speaking to you."

Also condemning the attack, an executive member of the Isoko North PDP who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged that the arrangement for the drafting of armed political thugs was handled by the Isoko North council chairman, Christian Iteire.

 

"What happened today has never happened and must be condemned by every reasonable person in the land. I was actually privy to the whole arrangement and I warned against it. The arrangement was carried out by the chairman of Isoko North council, Christian Iteire who paid the thugs N1,000 each," he said.

The Isoko North council chairman, Christian Iteire did not answer calls to his mobile phone line and also did not reply to a text message sent to him as of the time of filing this report.

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The National President of Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC) Igboayaka O. Igboayaka has denied ever supporting the presidential ambition of Bola Tinubu, the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to Igboayaka, nothing can make the Igbo race jeopardise her project as regards the 2023 South-East presidency.

Tinubu, a former Lagos governor from South-West Nigeria, is running for President in 2023. Meanwhile, many southeasterners and some voices in the other regions have canvassed that the presidency should be zoned to the South-East.   
However, a statement by the OYC on Tuesday said its position is contrary to the recent report by some “unscrupulous element and self-acclaimed leader of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council, one Miracle Nwosu, over a purported endorsement of Bola Tinubu, the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, by Ohanaeze Ndigbo, in his quest for the 2023 presidential race”.
 
Reacting to a recent statement made by Miracle Nwosu, Igboayaka in the statement said, "The Ohanaeze Youth Council remains the apex youth organization of Ndigbo in the world that is championing the Nigeria president of South-East extraction 2023, and that there is nothing on earth that can make Igbo youths to jeopardize this project via 2023.”
The statement also said, “If Mr. Miracle Nwosu is a man, let him identify who he is, tell us where he's living, tell us his village if he is a man.  We are using this opportunity to warn any politician that wants to use Ohanaeze Youth Council’s name to cajole Ohanaeze Youth Council in the name of endorsing any political presidential aspirants in 2023 that is not from South East Zone."
Igboayaka also warned Bola Tinubu and his presidential team "to stop this unnecessary media hype or trying to find some street boys they would entice with money, thus using them as a tool to write this type of trash on media”.
“It's better that Tinubu keeps his money because his money cannot change the minds of the Igbo youths thereby compromising this project.
“Mr. Bola Tinubu should be very careful; we are warning Ahmed Bola Tinubu and his presidential team to be very very careful in trying to do anything that will malign the interest of Southeast in the 2023 presidential project.
"The Ohanaeze Youth Council, under the leadership of Comrade Igboayaka O. Igboayaka is 100% determined to actualize the Nigerian president of Southeast extraction by 2023. This project is timely and cannot be equated, sub-changed, or changed with anything, either it is South East presidency 2023 or Southeast ceases to be part of Nigeria," Igboayaka added.

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Nigerians in large numbers on Tuesday welcomed human rights activist and presidential hopeful of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, as he paid a visit to his home state, Ondo.
The supporters, mostly young natives of the town, trooped after his vehicle to show solidarity with a man they had adored and loved over the years for his unflinching support for equity, justice and rule of law.

Sowore, who paid a visit to Ondo Lake, said to him personally, that the lake was like home as it brought back pleasant memories of the past. 
The activist playfully plunged into the lake alongside his supporters, describing it as one of the most beautiful places in the world. 

He further emphasised the importance of tourism of any economy, stating that had the industry been promoted in Nigeria, the Ondo Lake would have been receiving visitors from all over the world.
Tourists can lodge in its various chalets, he said. 

He, however, identified the problem with the lake as oil pollution, which makes it impossible for people to consume the water. 
He said: “This is where we go fishing and farming in our part of the world. It is one of the most beautiful places you can be in the country and even in the world. 
“This is the reason why we keep talking about tourism, imagine in this lake, there are chalets, places where people can come and visit and stay for weeks. 
“They can also fish, every fish here is natural. The only problem is oil pollution from the Niger Delta Area and people can no longer drink the water here. Everything you see here is natural. 
“This is how it has always been and this is a perfect ecosystem, it is an environment that suits the dream of environmentalists, we also have farmlands around the river. 
“This lake goes all the way to the Niger Delta region. This is a lovely place to be and anytime I come around, I always love to be here because this is for me, a home. 
“I heard the governor of Ondo State, in one of their jamborees was saying they want to create a fish pond inside the lake, they don't have sense.”

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that one of its offices in the Kaura Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara was gutted by fire.
 
SaharaReporters had earlier reported that the office was razed by fire.
 
According to local sources, the fire started at about 9 pm on Monday and razed almost the entire building.
 
However, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for the state, Professor Sa'idu Babura Ahmed, who confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Tuesday, said the tragic incident occurred around 11.00 pm on Monday, May 2, 2022.
 
The statement signed by the National Commissioner & Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, stressed that no casualties were reported while critical materials such as Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and registration machines for the ongoing Continuous Voter Register (CVR) exercise stored fireproof cabinets were saved.
 
"The building was extensively damaged. A number of fixed and movable office furniture were destroyed in spite of the best effort of the Zamfara State Fire Service and the spirited efforts of good Samaritans to contain the inferno.
 
"The attention of the Nigeria Police has been drawn to this incident. Together with the Fire Service, they have commenced investigation to ascertain the cause of the fire and advise the Commission for further action," the statement noted.
 
 
 
 
 

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File photo used to illustrate story.

Gunmen on Tuesday killed a yet-to-be-identified police officer in Imo State, in Nigeria’s South-East region.
He was killed in Agwa, Oguta Local Government Area.

File photo used to illustrate story.
Attacks by gunmen have increased in the South-East in recent times.
The attacks often target security agencies and government facilities.
The Nigerian government has accused the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) of being responsible for the deadly attacks in the South-East, but the group has repeatedly denied their involvement in the attacks.
IPOB, a secessionist group, is leading the agitation for an independent state of Biafra to be carved out of Nigeria.
The leader of the proscribed group, Nnamdi Kanu, is currently being detained in Abuja where he is facing trial for alleged treason.

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The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has arrived in Nigeria on a two-day official visit, his first visit to Nigeria since his appointment.

 

The United Nations information centre in Nigeria said Guterres is expected to meet with Borno State governor, Babagana Zulum in Maiduguri, the state capital.

He is also expected to embark on a field mission where he will meet with families affected by terrorism.

 

Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists have been wreaking havoc in Nigeria, particularly in the Northeastern states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa. The terrorism war has gone on for over 12 years during which hundreds of thousands of people have been killed or kidnapped and many more displaced.

 

 

 

Guterres, who has proceeded to Borno, is also expected to evaluate the impact of climate change on vulnerable communities and assess progress made as well as the challenges to the COVID-19 recovery.

 

He is also scheduled to visit Abuja to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice-President Yemi Osibanjo and other top cabinet officials.

 

 

 

Before leaving Abuja, Guterres will officiate a wreath-laying ceremony for the victims of the 2011 bombing at the U.N. house.

 

The 2011 Abuja bombing was a car bomb explosion on Friday, August 26, 2011, Abuja's UN building that killed 23 UN employees and wounded 60.

 

Guterres will also meet with Nigerian youths, women, religious leaders, journalists and diplomatic communities.

 

 

 

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