The Elder statesman, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai has backed the decision of the Presidential candidate of All Progressive Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmad Tinubu on the choice of Kashim Shettima (another Muslim) saying the Muslim-Muslim ticket can win election.
Yakasai made this known on Sunday while reacting to the political development in the country.
He described the decision as a right decision and well calculated.
According to him, “We have had it before, MKO Abiola and Kingibe, and they won the election. It’s just that the military canceled the election, but they won. Muslim-Muslim ticket can win election in Nigeria.
“Do you think it will be right for Tinubu, a Muslim who is a minority in the South to pick a Christian who are minority in the north as his running mate and you expect him to win the election? You cannot,” Yakasai.
The Elder statesman, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai has backed the decision of the Presidential candidate of All Progressive Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmad Tinubu on the choice of Kashim Shettima (another Muslim) saying the Muslim-Muslim ticket can win election.
Yakasai made this known on Sunday while reacting to the political development in the country.
He described the decision as a right decision and well calculated.
The elder statesman however allays fear nursed by some nigerians that the Muslim-Muslim ticket is threat to the collective well being and unity of Nigeria.
The presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has advised the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential flag bearer, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to take things easy with the race for the presidency in 2023.
Kwankwaso, a former Defence Minister and two-time governor of Kano State, while speaking during an interview on Arise News Television on Sunday monitored by ABN TV, said Tinubu should rather pay attention to his health, warning that the 2023 campaigns will be rigorous.
“If you see my friend, Bola, tell him to take it easy, take good care of his health… because I love him so much, he is my friend.
“This campaign is very rigorous, it requires a lot of effort and so on and so forth. I hope he will take it easy so that we can continue the struggle to ensure one solid and prosperous Nigeria,” Kwankwaso advised.
The Indigenous People of Biafra has said it is not oblivious of an alleged plot to attack its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, by men of the Department of States Services.
This was as the group blamed the United Kingdom for the perpetual incarceration of the IPOB leader, saying the aim was to scuttle the actualisation of the liberation of Biafra.
The IPOB’s Director of Media and Publicity, Emma Powerful, stated this in a statement yesterday.
The group said it was worried by the spates of jailbreaks in the country under the watch of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, retd, saying the ugly trends is a signpost of a failed nation.
The group claimed the information was revealed by its Intelligence arm, the M-Branch.
The statement partly read, “We, the global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra, under the command and leadership of our great leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, wish to reiterate our earlier emphasis on the intended make-believe plan to attack the DSS facility in Abuja by already drawn-up stunt actors (the DSS agents) at the very location where our leader, Mazi Nnamdi, is incarcerated having successfully tested such plans with Kuje Prisons without consequences.
“The plan was hatched by the Nigerian Government with strategic and tactical input of the UK Government. The reason for the UK and Nigeria’s alliance in such cowardice and evil plan is due to their disdain for allowing indigenous people across the world to enjoy freedom such as the British is enjoying Brexit from the European Union.
“This alliance perceives Mazi Nnamdi Kanu as a stumbling block for their modern-day oppressive tendencies and, therefore, wants him dead, having tried several unsuccessful attempts in Afaraukwu, London, USA, Kenya, and even in Abuja for which Chukwu Okike Abiama had always proven himself. The IPOB intelligence unit, the M. Branch, intercepted this purported plan by Britain and Nigeria to stop Biafra agitation and freedom from Nigeria, and Nigeria and its allies have decided to replicate what they did in 1967-1970 and are still on the way to do it again against the innocent citizens of Biafra. The world should take note.
“The world should take note because if anything untoward happens to our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in the DSS custody, nobody should blame IPOB for inevitable and uncontrollable boundless calamitous consequences that would befall anyone. Know that your silence hardens our conscience towards the pursuit of this great nation called Biafra. IPOB needs an unconditional release of our leader because there is no prison in the south that is safe for him. Therefore, we still need him released unconditionally to avoid dangerous terms IPOB may take against Nigeria.”
It added, “There are many jailbreaks in Nigeria since Buhari and his APC party took over power and nothing was done.The number of prison breaks was so alarming, no country in the world experienced these kind of jailbreaks in history.
“Records of) jailbreaks (so far) are, (1): September 3, 2015, in Sokoto Remand Home,13 inmates escaped; (2) October, 2017, Enugu Maximum Prison, 2 inmates escaped; (3) December 27, 2017, Ikot Ekpene Prison attacked, 47 inmates escaped; (4) June 4, 2018, Minna Maximum Security Prison, 240 inmates escaped; (5) October 19, 2020, Oko Prison in Edo attacked and many escaped; (6) October 21, 2020, Benin Prison break, 1,993 inmates escaped from the two facilities; (7) October 22, 2020, Okitipupa Prison break, 58 inmates released; (8) April 4, 2021, Owerri prison break, 1,844 inmates escaped; (9) September 13, 2021, Kabba prison break, Kogi, 240 inmates freed; (10) October 22, 2021, Abolongo Prison, Oyo, 837 inmates escaped; (11) July 19, 2021, Jos Maximum Security Prison attacked and inmates escaped; (12) November 28, 2021 – Jos Medium Security Prison attacked, 262 inmates released, 10 killed; (13) Jan 2, 2022, Mandala Prison Ilorin, three inmates escaped (14) May 13, 2022 – Agbor Prison, Delta State, fence collapsed, three inmates escaped; (15) July 4, 2022, Kuje Prison, Abuja, attacked, 856 escaped.
“All these prison breaks and Buhari and his government never found out the reasons or brought the attackers or perpetrators to face the law. Therefore, we want them to release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally because his life in the DSS custody is not safe and they will attack there and blame it on bandits and terrorists.
“We urge the British Government to jettison pretense and direct the Nigerian Government to release Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally or send him back to the UK where he lives, or for him to return to Amechi Mbazuluike or Professor George Obiozor, for his safety.
Member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia federal constituency of Abia State, Rep Sam Onuigbo has congratulated the Muslim ummah at the occasion of Eid-El-Kabir, calling for unity and peaceful co-existence.
In a felicitation message on Saturday, the lawmaker congratulated particularly Muslim faithful within Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency, urging them to be at peace with their host communities while carrying out their legitimate businesses. موقع وليام هيل للمراهنات
He said, “I wish all the Muslims in the country and especially within Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency a happy Eid el Kabir.
“As we celebrate today, may we remember that at the crux of every religion is love, peaceful coexistence and tolerance. كازينو البحرين ”
The Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 9, Umuahia AIG Isaac O. Akinmoyede, has warned hoodlums to stay away from the zone, stating that the zone will deal decisively with any individual or group caught in the act of lawlessness.
In a felicitation message to Muslim ummah in the zone, the police boss in a statement signed by the PPRO of the zone, SP Yisrael Ini-Obong Jack-Rabin charged police Commissioners in the zone comprising Abia, Ebonyi, and Imo State Commands to put adequate security measures to proactively contain act of lawlessness or terrorism during and after the festival.
The statement read in part, “In his Sallah message to the faithful and entire residents within the Zone, AIG Akinmoyede noted that the zone would do all it could to ensure a peaceful celebration of Eid El Kabir in the zone.
“He warned hoodlums to stay away from the zone stating that the Police and other law enforcement agencies were committed to dealing decisively with anyone caught in any act of violence.
“The AIG also used the period of Eid El Kabir to congratulate the Muslim ummah for the peaceful and successful celebrations.”
Mr Osita Okechukwu, the Director-General, Voice of Nigeria (VON) has applauded Asiwaju Bola Tinubu for picking Sen. Kashim Shettima as his All Progressives Congress (APC) running mate for 2023 presidential poll.
Okechukwu, also a foundation member of the APC said this in a statement in Abuja on Sunday.
“On the choice of Distinguished Sen. Kissim Shettima as Vice Presidential Candidate; methinks it is an excellent joint ticket.
“An excellent joint ticket because Shettima is transparent, man of action and capable as Asiwaju pointed out.
“He did well as governor of Borno and did a good pick as a successor in the person of Prof. Umara Zulum.
“On the issue of Muslim-Muslim ticket, as a Christian one would had preferred Muslim-Christian ticket; however there was the likely input of Northern Governors who are staunch supporters of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.
Okechukwu added: And as a veteran politician Asiwaju must had weighed all the options among which is competence, capability and reliability and sterling qualities must had guided his choice.
“The good news is that both are moderate Muslims, not ultra Muslims.”
The Medical Director of Federal Medical Centre Umuahia, Abia State, Prof. Azubuike Onyebuchi has lost his dad, Chief Sir Micah Onyebuchi, ABN TV reports.
A family source said Sir Onyebuchi who would have clocked 90 in October passed on in the early hours of Saturday.
Chief Sir Micah Onyebuchi is a former Chairman of the Abia State Universal Basic Education (ASUBEB).
A native of Umuokoo, Amuzukwu Ibeku, Umuahia North LGA, Abia State, he was former deputy chairman Umuahia North LGA and a former member of the Civil service commission.
He is survived by his lovely wife and 5 children, including Prof. Onyebuchi who is the first son.
The Kogi State Police Command has confirmed the second kidnapping of the owner of Always Petroleum, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, in Okene.
DSP William Aya told confirmed the development on Sunday in Lokoja.
He said Idris was whisked away by the kidnappers despite spirited efforts by neighbors to resist the abduction.
The latest development is the second time in less than two years the businessman would be kidnapped.
He was kidnapped in 2019 and only regained his short-lived freedom before Saturday’s incident.
A family source, who craved anonymity, had earlier told newsmen that gunmen with sophisticated weapons stormed the businessman’s residence and whisked him away to an unknown destination.
The family source said the kidnappers beat and tied Idris before taking him away.
Idris is the chairman of the North-Central Table Tennis Association.
However, police said he had no information as to whether any contact had been made to the family but said that efforts had begun to rescue him.
The Concerned Nigerians for the Protection of Human Rights and Rule of Law Initiative has condemned petitions by supporters of Peter Obi, the Labour Party, LP, and the presidential candidate to ban dissenting voices against their preferred candidate.
The group said the call to ban socio-political commentators like Reno Omokri, Omoyele Sowore, Deji Adeyanju, and Sega Awosanya from Twitter for opposing Obi’s ambition should be condemned.
The Adeyanju-led group said Obi’s supporters are trying to stifle freedom of speech under a democratic dispensation.
A statement signed by the group’s spokesperson, Theophilus Abu Agada, said Obi’s supporters should stop threatening those with dissenting voices.
He said: “It is the duty of Big Tech companies to moderate content that could lead to violence or illegal activity and not individuals writing petitions against opposition voices they consider as threats to their political agenda.
“The attempt by Obi’s supporters to stifle free speech is anti-democratic and should be condemned by all and sundry. Free speech is one of the building blocks of every democratic society and as a group, we call on Obi’s supporters to stop threatening people who are indifferent about their candidacy of Obi.
Concerned Nigerians stressed that the country’s constitution protects the right to free speech and freedom of association, hence Obi’s supporters would be trying to take Nigeria “back to the dark days of military regimes where free speech was criminalised and freedom of association was subject to the whims and caprice of the military dictator.”
“May that day never return where dissenting voices will be de-platformed simply for having dissenting opinions.”
The group charged those inciting violence and agitating for an “ethnic and religious agenda to desist forthwith.”
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has raised the alarm over a secret plot by terrorists who attacked Kuje custodial centre to eliminate its leader in the Department of State Service (DSS).
According to a statement by spokesperson of the group, Emma Powerful, the Kuje prison was just a prelude plan by the terrorists group to orchestrate its plan to kill Kanu in his detention.
The group has therefore warned the Federal Government of the grave danger of allowing its leader to be killed in detention, and added that it should be oblivious of the fact that Kanu has over 75 million supporters in the southeast.
However, to avoid the looming danger, IPOB has advised that Kanu be handed over to the British government where he belonged or released unconditionally to the President General of Ohanaeze, professor George Obiozor or better still to the trusted hands of the elder statesman, chief Mbazuluike Amaechi.
“The world should take note because if anything untoward happens to our leader Mazi Nnamdi (The leader of over 75 Million of fanatical lovers of Biafra freedom), in DSS custody nobody should blame IPOB for inevitable and uncontrollable boundless calamitous consequences that would befall to whom it may not concern.
“Know it that your silence or accomplices hardens our conscience towards the pursuit of this great nation called Biafra. IPOB need unconditional release of our Leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu because there is no prison in the South that is safe for him, therefore we still need him released unconditionally to avoid dangerous terms IPOB may take against Nigeria.
“There are many jailbreaks in Nigeria since Buhari and his APC party took over power and nothing was done or checked out the cause of these prison breaks, the number of prison breaks was so alarming and therefore no country in the world experienced the kind of jailbreaks in the history.
“Therefore, we want them release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally because his life in the DSS custody is not safe and they will attack there and blame it on bandits and terrorists.
“We urge the British Government to jettison pretense and direct Nigeria Government and to Release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally or send back to UK where he lives, let him be returned back to Amaechi Mbazuruike or professor George Obiozor for his safety.” Powerful stated.
Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has reaffirmed his resolve to retire completely from active politics after completing his tenure as Governor, dismissing speculations about...
