Former Governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu Muazu, has expressed optimism that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and presidential candidate will win the 2023 election.
Babangida said Atiku should win the February election because Nigeria needs him.
He spoke at the inauguration of the Central Planning Committee (CPC) of the PDP Ward 2, Ward 2022 National Conference, in Abuja, yesterday.
The former governor cautioned the committee against distraction, stressing that they should remain focused.
He urged the committee to look away from money as they campaign for Atiku’s victory.
The former governor said members of the committee should go to the grassroots and campaign for Atiku.
According to Babangida: “I appreciate the W2W for the work you are doing. You are so far the grassroots pillar and support group of the party and we are very proud of you.
“The goal of this campaign is for Atiku to win the election come February next year. موقع بيت 365 لكرة القدم
“We want Atiku to win, but we have a lot to do to ensure that.
“This nation needs Atiku. Go to your polling units and deliver the message of hope. كيف تربح في لعبة الروليت
“Don’t be bothered by the few irritants here and there. Don’t be distracted but remain focused.”
Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu has credited the sum of N450m into a treasury single account created for receiving income in favour of Abia State Polytechnic Aba, ABN TV reports.
This follows compliance with the opening of the account which allegedly delayed before now because of activities linked to the school bursar.
Barr Eze Chikamnayo, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy who announced this in a statement on Wednesday said this payment will signal the beginning in the process of offsetting all salary arrears owed to Abia Polytechnic staff.
He said, “This is to inform our Dear Citizens and Stakeholders that having complied with the directive of Government to open a Treasury Single Account, the Abia State Government has credited the 450 million Naira approved by the Governor to the Account of the Abia State Polytechnic, Aba .
“It will be recalled that opening of a TSA inflow account with a reputable Bank was the precondition for the release of the 450 million Naira which Government has approved to kick-start the process of offsetting all salary arrears owed to it’s staff.
“The benefit of a Treasury Single Account is to ensure transparency and accountability in expenditure and help to minimize revenue leakages that have been a major challenge to the growth and development of the Abia State Polytechnic, Aba.
“Government is desirous and determined to entrench a new era of transparency and efficiency in the management of Abia State Polytechnic and will not relent in taking all necessary action to this effect.”
Recall that the NBTE had recently withdrawn the accreditation of the tertiary institution, citing non payment of salaries to the tune of 30 months.
It is expected that the funds released by the state government will assist in offsetting four months salaries for the indebted Polytechnic staff.
President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday in Abuja said Nigeria has gone through all troubles from January 15,1966, to date which resulted in the killing of a million of the citizenry in order to keep the country together.
He also urged political leaders to stay focused and uphold the ultimate objective of promoting interest of the country, saying “we are Nigerians, God willing, we remain Nigerians, and Nigeria shall remain one.’’
Speaking when he received former state chairmen of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, at State House, Buhari noted that the passion and zeal to improve the livelihood of Nigerians, which culminated in creation of the political party, had not dwindled, calling for more steadfastness as Nigerians.
He said the self-centeredness that led to the loss of about a million lives between 1967 and1970 must not be allowed to repeat itself.
While noting that the CPC was founded on the bedrock of patriotism and loyalty to the unity of Nigeria, the President said: “Our main objective is the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We are human beings. We have our weaknesses, but I can assure you that the patriotism in us is hard earned.
”We have gone through all the troubles from 15th of January 1966 to date. You know what I mean by this, we have killed a million of ourselves in order to keep this country together.
“I don’t think there can be any practical experience more than that. We are Nigerians, God willing we remain Nigerians and Nigeria will remain one.”
He urged all members of defunct CPC and political leaders to always be mindful of the larger picture by working towards preserving the unity, peace and integrity of the nation.
The President thanked former chairmen of the political party, which was merged to form the governing All Progressives Congress, APC, for always highlighting the achievements of the government, admitting that some areas will surely get more attention.
“I am delighted to welcome the forum of State Chairmen of the former Congress for Progressives’ Change to State House today. I accord great significance to this visit as it demonstrates a determination and commitment to identify with our administration.
“This visit recalls the solidarity with the successes that we have recorded in critical areas of our society. The visit also affords us the opportunity to discuss other issues of interest to the forum.
“I commend members of this forum and all members of the legacy party-CPC, for their continued dedication to the ideals of democratic governance that we all believed in.
“The doggedness with which we pursued our vision and goals that culminated into the success we recorded remain like bright stars in the history of our dear nation,’’ he added.
He said he was particularly grateful for the unalterable belief members of CPC and, by extension, the Nigerian electorate, had and still had in him as demonstrated in their unalloyed support for his electoral struggles which reflected in the results he consistently recorded at the polls over the years.’
Describing the President as the patriarch of the CPC’, the Chairman of Forum of State Chairmen of the defunct CPC and former chairman of the party in Niger State, Umar Shuaibu, said the party had maintained all its structures across the country, assuring President Buhari of their loyalty, especially in the forthcoming elections.
Shuaibu commended the President for providing strong leadership over the years, particularly in remaining balanced, fair and above board on electoral issues.
“Before you, the opposition was arrested and maltreated, but it is no longer so. You did not deny them what they denied you when they were in power,” he said.
The governorship candidate of African Democratic Congress, ADC in Abia State, Bishop Sunday Onuoha has said the state is on a life support machine and deserves rescue.
Bishop Onuoha said if elected as the next governor of the state, he will end non payment of salaries, ensure massive infrastructure and development in the state.
“Abia is on a life support. Enough of unpaid salaries. The things that others have not tried is what I want to bring to the table and change the narrative,” he said at the inauguration of new interim leadership on Monday.
He charged members to rise to the challenge and work together for the victory of the party in the State.
The new interim state executive which is led by Hon Obioma Onwukaike replaces Chief Don Norman Obinna, whose interim leadership was recently dissolved.
Speaking at the inauguration, the party’s zonal chairman and BOT member, Godson Okoye, said the “minor adjustment in the configuration of the state executive” was neccesitated by the need to reposition the party ahead of the 2023 general elections.
He explained that the party must work hard to establish presence in the 17 local government areas and 184 wards of the state to be able to take over the reigns of government in the State in order to end the dearth of infrastructural and service provision in government institutions.
In his acceptance speech, the new interim chairman, Obioma Onwukaike, promised not to disappoint them called on members to “join hands to build the Abia of our dream.
Amid the worsening insecurity across the country, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor has assured Nigerians that the 2023 general elections will hold.
There have been serious concerns by Nigerians as to whether the polls will be conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) across the country as terrorists and bandits keep having a field day despite repeated assurances by the Federal Government to tackle insecurity.
But speaking during a media parley on Tuesday at the defence headquarters in Abuja, General Irabor said the military will do everything possible to ensure that nothing stops the poll from holding.
The Defence Chief also reiterated the commitment of the military to protecting the democratic ideals in Africa’s most populous nation.
According to him, the military has made a covenant to protect Nigeria’s democracy and it has not changed its position.
The parley is meant to solicit the support of the media organisations towards tackling the security challenges in the country.
It is the second in the series of engagements between the chief of defence staff and executives and editors of media organisations in Nigeria.
He also used the opportunity of the briefing to reveal that the assailants linked to a suspected terror attack on the Saint Francis Catholic Church in Owo two months ago have been arrested.
Though he did not reveal the number of arrested suspects, Irabor stated that the attackers were arrested during joint operations involving the Armed Forces, the Department of Security Services (DSS) and the police.
About 40 people were killed when the gunmen stormed the church on June 5, opened fire on the congregation, and also detonated explosives as the worshippers scampered for safety.
Governor Okezie IkpeazuThe Special Adviser on New Media & Publicity to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Ubani Newman Ubani has resigned his appointment.
Mr Newman Ubani
This is contained in a two – paragraph letter addressed to the Governor, date 8 Aug, 2022.
He said, “This is to formally notify you that I am resigning my appointment as Special Adviser to the Governor on New Media and Publicity.
“I thank you for the opportunity to work for you and wish you success as your tenure tilt towards impending end.”
Newman, is the Editor and publish of ABIA ONLINE.
Though no reason was given for his resignation, sources told our correspondent that Mr. Ubani was not accorded the needed recognition as an aide of the governor.
The source said his jobs were not appreciated.
He has since wished he governor well as “his tenure tilt towards impending end.”
Professor Uche Uko Uche, a foremost lawyer and legal scholar is dead.
ABN TV gathered that Uche died in London where he had gone for medical treatment some weeks ago.
He passed on at the age of 88.
Born on November 9, 1934 in Ohafia, Abia State, he was almost 60 years at the Bar, having been admitted to the English Bar, Gray’s Inn, London in 1963.
Uche is touted as perhaps the first Black lecturer at the University of London where he rose to the position of Professor of Law. He was also a visiting lecturer at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA).
The senior lawyer had his early education at Aggrey Memorial College, Arochukwu between 1948 and 1952 before gaining admission to Teachers’ Training College, Uyo (1954-1955). He proceeded to the University of Ghana, Accra (1958-1961) and was subsequently admitted to the University of Oxford, England for his Master of Laws and PhD degrees (1962-1965).
He was engaged in private legal practice at Messrs A. K. Uche Chambers, Aba between 1965 and 1966. He returned to England and became a Lecturer in African Law at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London between 1965 and 1976.
A Queen’s Counsel at Messrs Dingle Foot and Desmond Ackner between 1967 and 1972, Uche was appointed Professor of Public Law at the University of Nairobi, Kenya. He became a Consultant at Waruhiu and Waruhiu in Nairobi, Kenya between 1972 and 1977 and established a partnership with Professor Sundstorm in Nordic Law and a Consultancy with Common Market Practice in Brussels, Stockholm and Geneva between 1973 and 1982.
According to BLERF’S Who is Who in Nigeria, Uche has been the Managing Partner of U. U. Uche and Associates, Lagos since 1978 aside from his role as a Senior Legal Consultant for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). He was the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Centre for African Family Studies, Nairobi, Kenya and a member of the Board of Directors of Development Law and Policy Programme, Centre for Population and Family Health, Columbia University, New York, USA (1981). Uche was also the Chairman of the Board of Directors of African Continental Bank (ACB), Lagos and a member of the British Institute of International and Comparative Law (BIICL).
A prolific text writer and former President of Otu Oka Iwu (Law Society), Uche holds the traditional title of Ugwumba of Isiama, Ohafia, Imo State. His publications include Contractual Obligations in Ghana and Nigeria (Cass, 1971); Law and Population Growth in Kenya (1974); Law and Population Change in Africa (East African Literature Bureau, 1976), and Civil Procedure in Anglophone Africa (East African Publishing Bureau, 1976). His hobbies included lawn tennis and golf.
Speaking on his return to Nigeria, Uche told a national daily that “Before I finished my Masters programme and register for my PhD in the University of London. I was appointed a lecturer at the University teaching law at the School of Oriental and African studies which was one of the five colleges of the University of London.
“As a staff, I got seconded to the University of Nairobi, Kenya as Dean of Law originally for two years and after two years they wanted a second helping for four years and four years, they wanted some more helping for six years but I said no that I have to go back to London.
“I went back to London but the pressure to come back to Nigeria was strong because my uncle who was then the first Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos told me he was in bad health and that I should come back to Nigeria. I was visiting professor at the Institute of International Affairs for one year and in 1978 started a law practice.”
Uche got married to Gladys Adaibe Nwuke, a former Director of National Library of Nigeria in 1964. They had two sons and three daughters, including Mrs. Ijeoma Onyeator of CHANNELS Television.
The Ekiti State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has paraded two male suspects for stealing, obtaining assets under false pretence, impersonation, and fraud.
According to a statement made available to journalists by CD PRO Tolu Afláb, the suspects, Ademiluyi Ayodeji, 36, and Innocent Ekpo, were apprehended in separate locations.
Ademiluyi was accused of impersonating a medical doctor in order to defraud POS operators by sending fake alerts and collecting cash.
One of the tricks of the suspect is to use bank applications to make false transactions after which he would receive a fake call from his fake hospital that a patient needs his urgent attention. The POS operator will then consider his status and allow him to go only for the POS operator to later discover that he or she has been duped.
“He has been doing this within Ado Ekiti metropolis defrauding over 25 POS operators before men of the counter-terrorism unit launched a manhunt for him with their dragnet which paid of when he was arrested yesterday. Preliminary investigation showed that he is not a doctor but an okada rider,” the statement read in part.
Another suspect, Innocent Ekpako, 26; was arrested in Ikom in Cross River State. He was alleged to have run away with a huge sum of money, belonging to his master in Ado Ekiti.
The suspect was a former employee of a store in Ado Ekiti where he worked as a sales representative before he was sent on an errand with some money which he did not return.
He disappeared into thin air until he was tracked, traced, and arrested in Cross River State. The two suspects have confessed to the crime.
The state Commandant, Mr. John Olatunde Fayemi, has warned POS operators and shop owners in the state to be careful of their workers and customers as the state command has been inundated with complaints bordering on POS fraud and stealing which is not too good for the state.
The commandant read a riot act to criminal elements in the state to either vacate the state or change from their evil ways as the command and her crime fighters’ units are ever ready to trace, track and arrest culprits wherever they are for the law to punish them accordingly.
He vowed that the suspects will be charged to court as soon as the command concluded investigations on the matter.
Air Peace has disclosed that it will suspend flight operations to Johannesburg from August 22, 2022.
This was contained in a statement released on Monday by the airline.
According to the airline, flights to the South African city will be halted till October 8, 2022.
According to the airline, the decision became inevitable due to delays experienced in the issuance of South African visas to travelers, which has led to a drop in its passenger load.
“We hereby inform the flying public that effective from August 22, 2022, our Johannesburg flight operations will be suspended till October 8, 2022,” Air Peace said.
“This development is regretted but has become inevitable due to the delayed issuance of South African visas to travelers, worsening forex crunch, and the increasing cost of aviation fuel as well as its scarcity.
“However, having informed the South African high commission in Lagos of the effects of the difficulty in getting SA visas by Nigerians, which consequence is the abysmally low passenger loads on our flights to and from Johannesburg, we believe that the situation will have improved within the next 60 days. Hence, our willingness to resume operations on October 8, 2022.”
Air Peace further said passengers whose flights are affected have the option of rescheduling to fly before August 22, 2022, or from October 9, 2022.
It added that passengers can also request a refund via call center @flyairpeace.
“We apologize for the inconveniences caused and will keep the public updated while we hope the situation improves,” Air Peace said.
Nigeria’s aviation sector is dealing with numerous challenges including the pang of aviation fuel hikes, and worsening FX scarcity, which is negatively affecting operations, and increasing costs for airlines.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday said the Federal Government has disbursed a total of N100 billion to indigenous pharmaceutical manufacturers and healthcare investors as loans.
Buhari said the loan was to expand the capital base of pharmaceutical manufacturers and boost local production of medicines and medical consumables.
Buhari disclosed this in Abuja while receiving the new Executive Members of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).
The President explained that the loan was extended through the Central Bank of Nigeria’s support to the private pharmaceutical sector.
He added that the Health Sector Reform Committee chaired by Vice-President Professor Yemi Osinbajo is currently exploring models for revitalizing the nation’s healthcare system that would improve the quality of care and the benefits package to care providers.
On brain drain in the health sector, the President said he had directed the Honourable Minister of Health to look into ways of turning “brain drain” to “brain gain” by engaging top Nigerian medical experts in the diaspora in knowledge and skills repatriation.
He urged the Association and other stakeholders in the health sector to support initiatives by the Federal Government and work with the Committees set up to chart a fast track to a health system that best meets the needs of Nigerians in the 21st Century.
The President also commended the Association, which is the umbrella body of all Medical Practitioners in Nigeria, for consistently choosing the peaceful resolution of differences on matters pertinent to the National health system.
“I commend our medical professionals for their contribution to Nigeria’s exemplary management of the COVID-19 pandemic, the control of malaria, HIV and Tuberculosis, and other feats also achieved by Nigerian doctors in the diaspora.
“Our response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been praised internationally and your members are key parts of this success.
“I recall that in the last quarter of 2021, the immediate past NMA Executives visited me and presented recommendations for the health sector, which included, the review and amendment of NHIS Act; upgrading and equipping existing health institutions; loans to fund hospital equipment; the repeal and re-enactment of the Medical and Dental Practitioners’ Act; and Appeal for more funding for the four (4) newly established Universities of Medical Sciences.
“I am pleased to inform you that most of these recommendations have been addressed, whilst further action is being taken to study those involving cross-cutting administrative processes with legal implications.”
Abia State governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Mascot Uzor Kalu, has expressed concern over what he described...
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