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  • Nigeria’s economy slipping under Buhari, says Secondus

    Nigeria’s economy slipping under Buhari, says Secondus

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Monday, tackled President Muhammadu Buhari-led government, saying “Nigeria’s economy is slipping under his watch”.

    Uche Secondus, national chairman of the party, who stated this in Akure, the Ondo State capital, said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) government at the federal level, has also failed Nigerians.

    He spoke while receiving Ondo State Deputy Governor, Mr. Agboola Ajayi and some of his supporters into the opposition party at its Secretariat in Akure.

    Secondus condemned the increasing cases of attacks, banditry and kidnapping in the country noting that the economy was in comatose.

    He also berated President Buhari over his inability to curb the issue of insecurity in the last five years of his administration, arguing that he has performed woefully.

    “The APC has fooled this nation for the past five years and they have even performed woefully.

    “The APC under Buhari had damaged this country and destroyed the economy and there is no longer security anywhere.

    “As we can see, our country is slipping and sliding under his watch, if they cannot see it, we can see it clearly,” Secondus said.

    He warned that it is time for President Buhari to concentrate on the country’s economy than playing the politics of APC with the people.

    While welcoming the Ondo Deputy Governor to the PDP, Secondus described his exit from the APC as an act of God which will boast the chances of the main opposition party in the state.

    The PDP Chairman also noted that Ajayi’s defection is like a “tsunami” that has hit the APC-led government in the state ahead of the October 10 election.

    “The deputy governor has said that he is not coming to ulter the rules or seek for any favour from our party.

    “So, we know that with him and others joining the party we can reclaim Ondo State in this coming governorship election”.

    He, however, added that the each of the aspirants would be giving a free level playing field to contest the party’s ticket.

    “So, our coming here is not to endorse a particular aspirant but for the generality of the people,” Secondus added.

    Speaking on why he left the ruling party, Mr. Ajayi said his political sojourn in APC ended because “the party has become a poisoned space.”

    His words: “It is a house divided against itself and in Ondo State in particular, the party is having breathing difficulties because one man is kneeling on its neck.”

    Ajayi said he chose PDP because it is a larger house, which he had helped to build and a place which is not under the chokehold of one man or a clique.

    “At the moment in Ondo State, democracy and wide participation by the people have given way to unsolicited and illegitimate outsourcing of power, familitocracy, nepotism, clannishness and primitive accumulation of illegal wealth under state cover.”

    He said his new party would return power to the people of Ondo State. Ajayi was, however, silent on whether he would pick the governorship election form under the party.

  • Oby Ezekwesili loses Mother to cancer

    Oby Ezekwesili loses Mother to cancer

    The mother of former Education minister, Oby Ezekwesili is dead.

    Ezekwesili announced the demise of her mother, Mrs. Cecilia Nwayiaka Ujubuonu in a statement on Monday, through her spokesman, Ozioma Ubabukoh.

    Madam Ujubuonu, born April 18, 1942, died in the late hours of Sunday, June 21, 2020 at the age of 78.

    According to the statement, Ujubuonu was a native of Ndodolu Village, Umunuko, Ukpor, in Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State and lost her husband Benjamin Ujubuonu, in 1988.

    “The retired businesswoman devoted her life to her children, grandchildren, the church and service to humanity.

    “She died in the arms and home of her daughter, Ezekwesili, in Abuja on Sunday night from cancer,” the statement said, adding that until her death, she was a member of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

  • Defection: APC urges Ondo deputy governor to resign

    Defection: APC urges Ondo deputy governor to resign

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged the Ondo State Deputy Governor, Mr Agboola Ajayi to resign honourably having defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    This was contained in a statement by Mr Alex Kalejaiye, the state Publicity Secretary of the party, on Monday in Akure.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ajayi officially decamped to PDP on Sunday.

    “The State Working Committee of APC is taken aback by a reported statement credited to Ajayi that he would remain the deputy governor as long as his people have not asked him to quit.

    “This statement is vexatious, ” Kalajaiye said.

    He added:” It is imperative to remind him that he ran on an APC ticket given to Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, and both were sponsored by the party.

    “Ondo State APC wishes him and his followers a safe trip to the PDP.”

    He noted that the APC was willing to reabsorb the deputy governor and his supporters whenever they opted to retrace their steps to the party.

    The publicity secretary said that the APC received his defection with mixed feelings.

    According to him, APC in the state views the development as worrisome and unfortunate that the journey commenced in one accord a few years back could go awry soon.

  • Ize-Iyamu emerges Edo APC 2020 governorship candidate

    Ize-Iyamu emerges Edo APC 2020 governorship candidate

    Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu on Monday emerged the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the September 19, Edo Governorship Election.

    In the party’s primaries conducted across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state, Ize-Iyamu, defected two other aspirants to clinch the APC ticket.

    He scored 27,838 votes to beat the state former deputy governor, Dr Pius Odubu and Mr Osaro Obaze, who scored 3,776 and 2,324 votes respectively to emerge second and third in the primaries.

    The results were announced by Sen. Hope Uzodinma, governor of Imo, in the presence of Resident Electoral Commissioner for Edo, Dr Johnson Alalibo, State Director of DSS, Mr Waziri Mohammed and State Commissioner of Police, Mr Johnson Kokumo.

    Announcing results submitted by the 18 local government areas returning officers, Uzodinma described the exercise as peaceful and transparent.

    The committee chairman of the Edo APC governorship primary said with the results submitted, Ize-Iyamu was now the candidate of APC for the Edo governorship election.

    According to him, Ize-Iyamu haven scored the highest number of votes cast, is hereby returned as the candidate of APC in the Edo primary election.

    He noted that the result was the outcome of results collated from the various wards and local government areas by the returning officers.

    Uzodinma also noted that three aspirants were cleared to contest the primaries, adding that before the exercise, words got to the committee that two of the aspirants had withdrawn.

    “But in line with the Electoral Act as amended, we decided to go on with the primary election,” he said.

    The Imo governor commended security agencies for providing adequate security for those who participated in the exercise, which in his words “so far remains one of the most transparent and credible exercises since the present democracy.”

    Ize-Iyamu, who was the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2016 election had defected to the APC in the heat of the tussle between Gov. Godwin Obaseki and Adams Oshiomhole, the suspended national chairman.

  • NSA, governors meeting over security

    NSA, governors meeting over security

    He explained that the governors are going to work even closer with security forces in intelligence gathering and sharing.

     

  • Buhari, APC Governors meet over party crisis

    Buhari, APC Governors meet over party crisis

    Governors of the All Progressives Congress have met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in a bid to contain the leadership crisis currently besetting the Party.

    At the meeting were the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum and Governor of Kebbi state, Atiku Bagudu; Chairman of Northern Governors Forum and Governor of Plateau state, Simon Lalong and Governor of Jigawa state, Abubakar Badaru.

    The meeting took place behind closed doors after which Governor Bagudu told Statehouse Correspondents that the President was stepping in to find a way to resolve contending issues.

  • Obaseki alerts security agencies, says APC importing thugs for September election

    Obaseki alerts security agencies, says APC importing thugs for September election

    The federal government and its security agencies have been alerted of the importation of thugs by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the coming governorship election in Edo State slated for September this year.

    Edo state Governor Godwin Obaseki who raised the alarm  said that while other political parties conducting primary elections in Edo State have notified the government of their readiness to comply with the state COVID-19 guidelines, the APC was yet to do.

    This was contained in a statement on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Media and Communication Strategy, Crusoe Osagie.

    According to a statement by the government, the Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie said -“The Edo State Government is calling on all political parties holding primary elections to restrict themselves to conducting their activities within the protocols and regulations provided for in the Edo State Coronavirus Quarantine Regulations and the Government’s Gazette on political gatherings during this pandemic.

    “These guidelines were issued in fulfillment of the government’s statutory duty to ensure the protection of lives and property in the state, in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.

    “However, we note with concern that all the political parties conducting primary elections in Edo State have notified the government of their readiness to comply with the extant laws and COVID-19 regulations, except the All Progressives Congress.

    “The APC appears resolved to carry on with the conduct of their primary election in violation of the Edo State COVID-19 Quarantine Regulations and the state Government’s Gazette on political gatherings in a pandemic.”

    “We also have it on good authority that these persons have imported thugs into the state to actualise this illegality, further threatening the peace and security of our dear state.

    “In the light of this, we want to state unequivocally that the Edo State Government will spare no expense in upholding the law and protecting the lives of our people. We will ensure we identify and prosecute anyone who engages in this illegality and their collaborators, should they proceed with this unlawful conduct,” he said

  • FG urged to enforce stringent laws to check rising rape cases

    FG urged to enforce stringent laws to check rising rape cases

    A female musician, Doyinsola Olatunji, on Monday called on the Federal Government to strengthen and enforce stringent laws that would curb the incessant rape cases recorded in the country.
    Olatunji told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Ibadan that rapists ought to be treated like criminals.
    “We need the government to put up the right law and order to punish offenders like the criminals they are. Rape is a serious crime and should be treated as such. Let us not wait till it gets out of control, because already it is getting too much.
    “ I think rape needs to be treated as a more serious crime because really it is a huge crime. Sometimes we hear rapists are granted bail, some of them even walk away freely.
    “Rapists should be treated like the criminals that they are, so it can at least dissuade perpetrators from committing such crime and feeling like they can get away with it.
    “This, I think is where the government comes in. We need standard law against rape,” she said.
    The entertainer also noted that education and enlightenment is also very crucial to tackling the menace.
    “I also think we should educate ourselves more on how to defend ourselves, how not to put ourselves in compromising situations. Educating the kids and letting them know what they should know.
    “That they can be molested by even families and relatives. Hence the need to speak up and be more vigilant as parents,” she said.
    She, however, urged everyone to stop blaming victims when they speak up.
    “Firstly, we should not start by blaming the victim. Already they have been abused, they are mentally and psychological disturbed. The last thing they need is for them to be blamed.
    “ Listen to them, talk to them, help them to heal, get them a therapist, encourage them to speak up and report the case to the appropriate authorities to get help
    “Please let us stop the stigmatisation. Let us stop blaming victims of rape too. It’s already hard for them and doing all these will not encourage other people to speak up.
    “Let us show them support. Together we can put an end to this menace,” she said. (NAN)

  • Businesswoman in court over alleged N750,000 visa fraud

    Businesswoman in court over alleged N750,000 visa fraud

    A businesswoman, Catherine Yat, on Monday appeared in a Wuse Zone Six Chief Magistrates’ Court, Abuja, for allegedly obtaining N750,000 under the guise of procuring an Oman visa for a client.

    The police charged Yat with cheating.

    The Prosecution Counsel, Peter Ejike, told the court that the complainant, Ume Alozie, who resides in Wuse Zone Three, Abuja reported the matter at the Wuse Zone Three Divisional Police Headquarters, Abuja, sometime in June, 2019.

    Ejike alleged that the defendant obtained N750,000 from the complainant, under the pretext of securing the traveling document for his son.

    The prosecution alleged that Yat converted the money to her personal use.

    According to Ejike, during police investigation, the defendant wrote an understanding to refund the money since she failed to secure the visa.

    He said however, instead of refunding the money, she went into hiding.

    Ejike further said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 322 of the Penal Code Law.

    The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    The Magistrate Ahmed Ndajiwo admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.

    Ndajiwo ordered that the sureties must reside within the jurisdiction of the court with verifiable addresses, one of which must be a civil servant of any Grade Level, with a valid ID card.

    He adjourned the case until Aug. 5, for hearing. (NAN)

  • APC thugs attack Gov. Akeredolu and supporters

    APC thugs attack Gov. Akeredolu and supporters

    The Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, and his supporters were on Sunday attacked by some thugs said to be members of a faction of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). Many were said to have sustained injuries while campaign vehicles were damaged.

    An online media group, ondoevents.com, reported that thugs allegedly loyal to one of the Governorship Aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former deputy clerk of the National Assembly, Mr. Olayide Adelami were responsible for the attack.

    It said that the incident occurred on Sunday during a party meeting around Igboroko in Owo, Owo local government area of the state, adding that trouble started when APC members under the Owo Youths Redemption Group (OYRG) led by one Olamide Olayemi, declared support for the re-election of the state Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN.

    Olamide said; “At about 2 pm around Igboroko here, we were holding our meeting as a group to declare our total support for the re-election of Governor Akeredolu when these thugs brandishing sophisticated weapons such as guns, axes and cutlasses arrived at the theatre of crime in two vans and a white pick up belonging to Eni Omosule.”

    “The thugs fired gunshots sporadically in the open and destroyed Aketi’s campaign bus packed along the street. People scampered for their dear lives while the melee lasted for about an hour.”