A socio-political activist, Reno Omokri, says his life has come under threat from the members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, because of his comments against the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
In a post on his official Facebook page, Omokri asserted that there is no difference between the secessionist group and the supporters of Peter Obi.
Omokri who vowed that IPOB cannot silence him, said they have disguised themselves as ‘Obidients’.
He wrote, “I criticized Peter Obi, the next day IPOB’s official lawyer blasted me? Then I started receiving threats left, right and centre?
“Who do you think you are kidding? Me? At night, in their covens, there is absolutely NO DIFFERENCE between IPOB and the core Obidients!. You can just imagine these IPOB people disguised as Obidients thinking they can silence me.
“Are you guys okay? Me? The vast majority of those who are enjoying the social media cruise with you may not know who you guys truly are, but I do!
“If you, the IPOB team at the core of this Obedient movement want to allow yourself to be deceived by these people who are only jumping on your train because they want to trend, that is your headache.
“But if you come after me, make sure you kill me. Because if I survive”.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday, failed to persuade the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to transfer the money laundering case it initiated against the former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, to Lagos for retrial.
The court, in a judgement that was delivered by Justice Inyang Ekwo, held that the request by the anti-graft agency, lacked merit.
Justice Ekwo held that EFCC’s application amounted to an abuse of the judicial process, stressing that the Abuja Division of the court has the requisite jurisdiction to handle the case.
More so, the trial judge noted that the case file was moved from Lagos to Abuja based on a valid and subsisting directive of the Chief Judge.
While berating the prosecution counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs(SAN), for insisting on transferring the trial to Lagos, the court ordered him to, within seven days, show cause why he should not be disqualified from the matter.
Besides, the court, which adjourned the matter till October 21, maintained that it was bound to abide by judgement of the Supreme Court, which it said only ordered the retrial of Kalu’s co-defendant, Mr. Jones Udeogu.
It held that the anti-graft agency was at liberty to re-approach the apex court for a review of the order that remitted the case-file back for retrial.
It will be recalled that Kalu, who piloted affairs of Abia State from 1999 to 2007, was earlier found guilty and handed a 12-year jail term by the Lagos Division of the court.
The trial court convicted him alongside his firm, Slok Nigeria Limited and a former Director of Finance in Abia State, Udeogu, for allegedly stealing about N7.1 billion from the state treasury.
However, the Supreme Court, in its judgement on May 8, 2020, quashed the conviction and ordered retrial of the defendants by the EFCC.
A seven-man panel of Justices of the apex court, in a unanimous decision, nullified the entire proceedings that led to conviction of the defendants, stressing that the then trial judge, Justice Mohammed Idris, was already elevated to the Court of Appeal at the time he sat and delivered judgement against the defendants.
It noted that Justice Idris was no longer a judge of the Federal High Court as at December 5, 2019, the day the former governor and his co-defendants were found guilty of the money laundering charge against them.
According to the Supreme Court, Justice Idris, having been elevated to the Court of Appeal before then, lacked the powers to return to sit as a High Court Judge.
It, therefore, ordered that the charge in suit No. FHC/ABJ/CR/26/2017, which EFCC entered against Kalu and his co-defendants, be remitted back to Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for re-assignment to any other judge for the trial to commence de-novo (afresh).
Though the initial trial took place in Lagos, CJ of the High Court however transferred the case file to Abuja for retrial.
Dissatisfied with the action, the EFCC, in two separate letters it wrote to CJ of the court, demanded that the case be transferred back to Lagos.
Meanwhile, the new trial judge in the matter, Justice Ekwo, had in a judgement he delivered on September 29, barred the Federal Government from further prosecuting Kalu and his firm, based on the money laundering charge EFCC preferred against them.
He held that the Supreme Court had in its judgement, only ordered the retrial of Kalu’s co-defendant, Udeogu.
Justice Ekwo held that the Supreme Court could not have ordered Kalu’s retrial, since it was Udeogu that lodged an appeal before it.
He maintained that allowing the EFCC to retry Kalu who is currently the Chief Whip of the Senate, and his firm, would amount to violation of section 36(9) and (10) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, as well as section 283 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has threatened the Federal Government in response to the Nigeria Labour Congress’s (NLC) planned protest.
SERAP has threatened to take the Buhari administration to court if it tries to prevent the planned protest from taking place.
The body stated that a solidarity protest in support of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, should be permitted.
SERAP explained in a tweet that protesting is a fundamental right of Nigerians.
“BREAKING: The Buhari administration should allow the Nigeria Labour Congress to go ahead with its protest over the prolonged strike of the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
“Protest is a fundamental right. We’ll see in court if the administration attempts to stop the protest,” SERAP tweeted.
ASUU has been on strike for about six months over a disagreement with the Federal Government.
While the Federal Government wants the use of IPPIS, the body insists on the use of UTAS for payment of university lecturers.
Barcelona have congratulated their Nigerian star Asisat Oshoala who was named 2022 CAF women’s Player of the Year.
It is a record breaking fifth award for Oshoala who has now surpassed compatriot Perpetual Nkwocha.
She retained the award which she also won in 2019.
The award ceremony which took place in Rabat, Morocco, saw newly signed Bayern Munich Senegalese forward Sadio Mane also retain the men’s best player award.
Barcelona wrote on their website: ”Asisat Oshoala has been chosen as the Best African Player of 2022. This is the fifth time that the 27-year-old Barça striker has won this annual award, which is a record.
“The gala was held this Thursday night in Rabat (Morocco) and has also recognized, among others, Sadio Mané (Bayern Munich) as the Best Player of the Year and Senegal as the Best Team on the continent.
“In this way, Oshoala repeats the award she had already won in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2019.“
Oshoala was ruled out of the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after suffering an injury in the Falcons’ opening game against South Africa.
Super Falcons of Nigeria striker Assist Oshoala and Sadio Mane of Senegal have retained their CAF Player of the Year awards, reports says.
Both players were named 2022 CAF Player of the Year in the men and women categories, at the ceremony held in Rabat, Morocco on Thursday.
Mane, who clinched his second award after first winning it in 2019 – the last time the award was held – beat off competition from former Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah and compatriot Edourd Mendy.
For Oshoala who also won it in 2019, it is a record fifth title as she now surpasses former Falcons striker Perpetual Nkwocha.
The Barcelona star finished ahead of Ajara Nchout Njoya of Cameroon and Inter Milan and Zambia’s Grace Chanda who plays for BIIK Kazygurt.
Other winners at the award include Pape Matar Sarr of Senegal and Tottenham Hotspur named Young Player of the Year for men, Evelyn Badu of Ghana and Sekondi Hasaacas Ladies/Alvaldsnes for the women’s Young Player of the Year, Senegal’s Aliou Cisse won Coach of the Year for men and Banyana Banyana of South Africa coach Desiree Ellis won the award in the women’s category.
Teranga Lions of Senegal won the National Team of the Year for men, Wydad AC picked up the men’s Club of the Year, Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies won the women’s Club of the Year, the Interclub Player of the Year awards for men and women went to Mohamed El Shenawy (Egypt and Al Ahly) and Ghana’s Badu respectively.
And the Goal of the Year award went to Pape Ousmane Sakho of Senegal and Simba.
Meanwhile, National Team of the Year for women will be announced on 23 July 2022 during the final match of the Women’s AFCON.
List of winners at 2022 CAF Awards:
Player of the Year (Men)
Sadio Mane (Senegal & Bayern Munich)
Player of the Year (Women)
Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria & Barcelona)
Young Player of the Year (Men)
Pape Matar Sarr (Senegal & Tottenham Hotspur)
Young Player of the Year (Women)
Evelyn Badu (Ghana & Sekondi Hasaacas Ladies/Alvaldsnes)
Coach of the Year (Men)
Aliou Cisse (Senegal)
Coach of the Year (Women)
Desiree Ellis (South Africa)
Interclub Player of the Year (Women)
Evelyn Badu (Ghana & Sekondi Hasaacas Ladies/Alvaldsnes)
Interclub Player of the Year (Men)
Mohamed El Shenawy (Egypt & Al Ahly)
Club of the Year (Women)
Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
Club of the Year (Men)
Wydad Athletic Club (Morocco)
National Team of the Year (Men)
Senegal
Goal of the Year
Pape Ousmane Sakho (Senegal & Simba)
Army soldiers stand guard outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo after removing protesters, July 22, 2022.
Army soldiers stand guard outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo after removing protesters, July 22, 2022.
Sri Lanka’s police and military troops forcibly removed anti-government protesters camped outside the presidential office in Colombo in a pre-dawn raid on Friday on the order of the country’s new President.
Social media posts showed officers dressed in riot gear pulling down protest tents and arresting demonstrators outside the presidential offices at Galle Face, two days after the crisis-hit country swore in a new leader.
Former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was officially sworn in as the country’s President on Wednesday and issued a “Gazette Extraordinary” calling on the armed forces to maintain public order.
Police Spokesperson SSP Nihal Thalduwa confirmed nine men were arrested and will appear in court on Friday.
Protesters have been camped outside the Presidential office for months, demanding the resignation of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who fled the country in the early hours of July 13, and Wickremesinghe, a key Rajapksa ally.
Both men presided over an economic crisis that has left the country’s 22 million people struggling to buy fuel, food and basic necessities.
On Friday, Wickremesinghe swore in Dinesh Gunawardena, another Rajapaksa ally, as prime minister. Wickremesinghe and Gunawardena were classmates at Colombo’s elite Royal College.
A CNN team in the capital confirmed the situation on the streets was calm following the morning raid, but a heavy military and police presence remained in and around the main protest site.
All roads and lanes leading to the area had been cordoned off and were manned by security forces.
Armed forces now guard the entrance to the Presidential Secretariat and appear to have full control of the building. Banners that were hung from top of the secretariat have also been removed.
Some observers have raised concerns about the level of force used in the raid.
The Bar Association of Sri Lanka also said in a statement that it “strongly and unreservedly” condemns “the use of force and violence” by the authorities “in attacking protesters.”
The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka also condemned the raid, calling it a “brutal and despicable attack on peaceful protesters” and a “total violation of the fundamental rights of the people.”
US and British diplomats also expressed concern.
“We urge restraint by authorities and immediate access to medical attention for those injured,” US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Julie Chung tweeted.
The British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Sarah Hulton she was “very concerned” about reports of a clampdown at the protest site. “We have made clear the importance of the right to peaceful protest,” she added.
Droupadi Murmu collected more than 50% of the vote after a third round of counting
National Democratic Alliance candidate Droupadi Murmu became the 15th president of India on Thursday.
NDTV reported, citing election officials, that vote counting is still ongoing but Murmu already collected more than 50% of the vote after a third round of counting.
Joint opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha, who represents the All India Trinamool Congress, lags far behind. العاب تربح مال حقيقي
The Russian government has expanded its list of “unfriendly foreign states,” adding Greece, Denmark, Slovenia, Croatia and Slovakia, a decree signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and published on the official website said.
The Russian authorities consider “unfriendly countries” states that “commit unfriendly actions” against Russia. The list previously included the Czech Republic and the US.
In accordance with the decree on unfriendly countries signed by President Vladimir Putin last April, these countries are limited in their ability to hire workers located in the territory of Russia for embassies, consulates and representative offices of state bodies.
Greece has a limit of hiring 34 people, Denmark of 20, and Slovakia of 16, the decree added. Slovenia and Croatia will not be able to hire employees for their diplomatic missions and consular offices, as was the case with the US.
Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Abubakar Atiku has asked Nigerians not to expect a miracle to happen on the basis that Peter Obi joined the Labour Party to contest the presidency in 2023.
Atiku, who spoke in an interview with Arise TV on Friday, said he does not expect the Labour Party to take a smash vote from the PDP as people are suggesting.
He noted that this could have been demonstrated at the just-concluded governorship election in Osun State.
“What is the performance of the Labour Party? This is a party that does not have a governor; doesn’t have members of the national assembly; doesn’t have state assembly members.
“Politics in this country depends on the structures you have at these various levels – at the local government level; at the state level; and at the national level. So, it is very very difficult to expect a miracle to happen simply because Peter Obi is in the Labour Party,” he said.
“After all, they were saying through social media they have more than 1 million votes in Osun State. But how many people turned out to vote for the Labour Party,” he added.
Atiku, however, said 90 percent of the Northern people are not into the social media.
The Federal Government has so far released the sum of 4. 7 trillion naira to finance expenditure in the 2022 budget.
This is according to the Minister of Finance, Budget and National planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed.
The minister disclosed this on Thursday at a consultative forum on the 2023-2025 Medium Term Fiscal Framework in Abuja.
The 17 trillion naira 2022 budget was signed into law on December 31 last year by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The breakdown of the budget include 869 billion naira for statutory allocation, 3. 8 trillion naira for debt servicing, 6.9 trillion naira and 5. 4 trillion naira for recurrent and capital expenditure respectively.
Speaking at event, the minister further explained that out of the 4.7 trillion naira spending, the government released a total of 1. 9 trillion naira for debt service while personnel costs and pensions gulped the sum of 1. 2 trillion naira.
She said the balance of N773.63bn was spent by the federal government on capital projects.
On revenue performance, the minister said that between January and April , the federal government generated the sum of 1. 6 trillion naira with 285 billion naira being contributions from oil revenues and 632 billion from the non oil sector.
The minister also explained that the transition of the NNPC to a limited liability company means that the company will no longer make contributions to the federations account but will make payments on only taxes and royalties as well as continue with the task of paying for fuel subsidies just as it has been the case in the past eight months.
She asserted that a decision will soon be announced as to how the payment on taxes and royalties will be made, either on a monthly or quarterly basis.
The Abia State Government has announced the cancellation of the Monthly Environmental Sanitation Exercise earlier scheduled to hold on Saturday, December 20, 2025.
The announcement,...
