CAF has today announced that Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, Nigeria will host 2021/22 TotalEnergies Confederation Cup final.
The final is scheduled for Friday, May 20, 2022.
CAF will confirm the kick-off time in due course.
This is the first intercontinental major cup final to be hosted in Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo. Uyo is the capital of Akwa Ibom State – the home of Nigeria’s Premier League side Akwa United.
Last year (2021), the TotalEnergiesConfederation Cup was hosted in Cotonou, Benin where Morocco’s Raja Club Athletic beat Algerian side, JS Kabylie 2-1.
Four teams remain in the race to win 2021/22 TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup. In the first match of the first leg of the semi-finals, DR Congo’s TP Mazembe scored a late goal to secure 1-0 victory over RS Berkane of Morocco.
In the second semi-final, the first leg between Libya’s Al Ahli Tripoli and Orlando Pirates from South Africa saw Orlando Pirates take a 2-0 advantage to the second leg.
The second leg of the semi-finals will be played on Sunday, 15 May 2022.
CAF announced on Monday, that Rabat, Morocco will host the final of the Champions League.
After two hours of meeting with leaders and members of Fulani community, who procured the N100 million presidential nomination forms for him, former President Goodluck Jonathan, is considering running on the ticket of the All Progressives Congress, ABN TV learned.
The former president reportedly met with the Fulani pastoralists between 11p.m on Monday and 1a.m on Tuesday to sort out issues regarding their purchase of the presidential nomination forms without his consent, a development, which made him to reject the offer and denounce those involved in the action.
“We wish to categorically state that Dr. Jonathan was not aware of this bid and did not authorise it,” Jonathan had said in a statement by his media aid, Ikechukwu Eze.
However, it was learned that at the meeting with the Fulani community in Abuja, the leader of the team that procured the form for him, Dr. Ibrahim Abdullahi, apologised to the former president and pleaded with him to pardon their indiscretion and accept the offer to run.
The pastoralists are reported to have told Jonathan that they bought the form for him as a demonstration of their appreciation for the N60 billion investments he made for the Almajiris during his tenure in the form of schools and investment opportunities.
A source at the meeting pointed out that after listening to the Fulani community, Jonathan reluctantly accepted their plea to consider running for the APC ticket as suggested by them and promised to give them a feedback as soon as possible but did not, however, give a specific date.
The former president also asked the Fulani community never to embark on any political assignment on his behalf without first clearing with him given his position in Nigeria and the international community.
Jonathan is said to have also told the Fulani delegation that he was uncomfortable to hear about the purchase of the nomination form for him just like any other person, an action, which he considered insulting to his status as a former president of Nigeria.
ABN TV learned that majority of the inner caucus of the former president’s loyalists, who had vehemently opposed his running on the APC platform, had gradually withdrawn their opposition to the idea and had given him the nod to go ahead.
As a result, some of the key loyalists are reported to have joined with the Fulani community in completing the APC presidential nomination form for Jonathan so as to meet the deadline for the return of the document to the party secretariat in Abuja.
“I can tell you that Jonathan’s loyalists cut across party lines and majority of them have really been encouraging him to run. That is why some of them are helping with the completion of the nomination form for the former president,” a reliable source said.
“The Fulani Group of 10 led by Dr. Ibrahim Abdullahi said they purchased the form out of the gladness of their hearts as a way of paying back former president Jonathan for being kind to them while in office.
“The Fulani community recalled that Jonathan built hundreds of Almajiri schools during his tenure and also allocated the pastoralists cattle seed funds,” the source said.
It will be recalled that Jonathan had on Monday rejected the nomination form presented to him by the Fulani community and upbraided them for insulting him with their action.
He, however, later met with the National Chairman of the APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, in a move seen as an acceptance of the offer to run for the ticket of the party, if given the chance.
On a day that the APC scheduled the screening of aspirants to begin on Friday after raking in N2.63 bn from sale of presidential nomination forms, former President Jonathan’s moves elicited mixed reactions in the polity.
Former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, has restated his position that the South-East should be allowed to produce Nigeria’s President in 2023, insisting that it would ensure peace, justice, fairness and sustainable national development in the country.
Similarly, former secretary to the Government of the Federation, Olu Falae, also threw his weight behind a South-East presidency, noting that it is the only zone that has not produced the president in recent times.
Obasanjo, who addressed members of Political Action Committee, PAC, of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, who visited him at his Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, to solicit his support for the quest for a Nigerian President of South-East extraction, said the minimum Nigerians would accept is that the next president should come from the South.
Ime Obi Ohanaeze Ndigbo, at its meeting, last week, mandated its president general and the secretary to constitute a political committee to go around the country to solicit support for a president from the South-East.
The Ohanaeze team consists of Ambassador George Obiozor, the President General; Ambassador Okey Emuchay, the Secretary-General; former president generals of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Nnia Nwodo, and Gary Igariwey.
Others are Professor Anya Anya, former Chairman, Police Service Commission, Simon Okeke, and Dr. Chiedozie Ogbonnia, the National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
“The next president of Nigeria must come from the South East. The least acceptable minimum is a president from the Southern part of Nigeria”, Obasanjo was quoted by Ohanaeze Ndigbo’s spokesman, Alex Ogbonnia, as saying.
The former President, who commended Ohanaeze Ndigbo for demanding their rights, told the delegation that what he “owes Nigeria is sincerity, objectivity and guidance.”
He maintained the need for morality, equity and justice in a multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural country like Nigeria, warning that “it is inconceivable to have peace and progress in a country that is rooted in injustice.”
Obasanjo said: “Federal character, rotation of power and such other measures are meant to help our nation-building process and more sure-footedly, move Nigeria forward” and warned that “riding over these measures rudely, shoddily and roughly cannot augur well for our nation-building process and progress.”
In his remarks, Obiozor commended the former president for his unwavering commitment to peace and unity of Nigeria, saying that Obasanjo remains one of the strongest voices in Nigeria and one of the most respected Nigerians in the world because of his track records of accomplishments while his tenure lasted as the President of Nigeria.
He commended him for his courage, sincerity, steadfastness and passion for justice, especially as it affects the Igbo and the future of Nigeria.
A former head of the Intelligence Response Team, IRT, of the police, Abba Kyari has alleged a threat to his life in the Kuje correctional facility.
Kyari lamented that he is not safe sharing the same correctional facility with criminals.
The suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, disclosed this while urging an Abuja Federal High Court to review his bail application initially rejected.
Kyari’s remark was contained in a document presented to the Abuja Federal High Court by his lawyer, Nureini Jimoh.
The document reads partly: “At the centre, the applicants who were head and deputy head of the Intelligence Response Team of the Nigeria Police Force met stiff resistance, attack and open threats to the lives of the applicants by series head (sic) of criminal gang that they had busted.
“There is no correctional centre that the criminals that have been arrested by the IRT under the headship of the applicant in furtherance of their constitutional and statutory duties as police officers cannot be found and there is a high likelihood of threat to the lives of the applicants.”
In March, the court had ordered that Kyari be remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre pending the conclusion of his trial.
He was arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on February 12 and was arraigned on March 7 over allegations of drug trafficking.
The Court of Appeal has set aside the judgment of the Federal High Court in Umuahia which voided the provision of Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022.
In a judgment on Wednesday in Abuja, a three-member panel of the court headed by Justice Hamma Akawu Barka held that the Federal High Court Umuahia had no jurisdiction to have entertained the case because the plaintiff, Nduka Edede, lacked the locus standi to have filed the suit in the first place.
The appellate court added that Edede did not establish any cause of action to have warranted his approaching the court on the issue because he did not establish that he was directly affected by the provision.
The Court of Appeal struck out the suit marked: FHC/UM/CS/26/2022 which Edede filed before the Umuahia court.
While determining the appeal on the merit, the appellate court however held that the provision is unconstitutional because it violates Section 42 (1)(a) of the Constitution and denied a class of Nigerian citizens their right to participate in election.
The judgment was on the appeal marked: CA/OW/87/2022 filed by the PDP.
Ahead of the 2023 Presidential election, a group under the aegis of National Stability Project has hailed the Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, All Progressives Congress, APC, Abia North for withdrawing from the Presidential race and supporting the Presidential aspiration of the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan.
In a statement on Tuesday by the National Stability Project, a foremost political pressure group while commending the former Abia State Governor for withdrawing from the Presidential race and throwing his weight behind Lawan, said that with the action, Senator Kalu has distinguished him as a patriotic and selfless personality.
Recall that Senator Kalu who recently withdrew from the Presidential race said on Monday that he was backing the President of the Senate for the actualization of his aspiration to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023, just as he cited the lack of support from other Southern regions for South East.
The National Stability Project urged other Nigerians from all the regions, nooks, and crannies of the country to support Senator Lawan in his bid to rescue and rebuild the nation.
Recall that after weeks of suspense, political intrigues, and permutations, the President of the Senate on Monday finally joined the growing list of Presidential aspirants on the platform of the ruling APC to succeed the incumbent, President Muhammadu Buhari come 2023.
A group of his friends, political associates under the aegis of the National Stability Project led by Chief Sam Nkire who is a member of the National Caucus of the party as well as Pioneer Caucus Leader, Abia APC, and 15 other Senators, among others, purchased the form for Lawan who presently represents Yobe North in the Senate at the International Conference Centre, ICC, Abuja.
Soon after the purchase of the forms, members of the group drove straight to the Maitama Guest House of the President of the Senate to present the form to him.
Member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia federal constituency, Honourable Sam Onuigbo has stated that he has the support of the people of his constituency to represent them at the Senate in 2023 because of his sterling performance at the House of Representatives where he has been a member since 2015.
He revealed this recently in an interview with newsmen in Abuja.
According to the Federal lawmaker, he has redefined represent with his own adopted style which has seen massive developments in his constituency, a feat he said he will also repeat if he emerges a Senator.
Onuigbo had recently declared his intention to represent the people of Abia Central in 2023 in Umuahia where he reiterated that the highest office belongs to the citizens who use the power of their thumb to elevate leaders to positions of trust.
He said, “And of course, I failed to inform you that I promised them that I will attempt to redefine representation so that representation is moved away from the prism of he has skyscrapers, he has a long convoy of cars, to, how you have used the powers given to you through the thumbs of your constituents to impact positively and meaningfully on their wellbeing.
“From there, they are showing tremendous support and encouragement for me to continue to represent them in any capacity they choose, whether in the House of Representatives or in the Senate.”
While stating that attracting basic infrastructure is not the function of the executive, Hon. Onuigbo said such has become important for Nigeria that is a developing nation so that the constituents will feel the impact of governance.
He also reeled out some of his achievements since he came to the House of Representatives. “Then, in terms of infrastructural developments, yes, it is not a legislative function but this is a developing economy and therefore as a developing country, you have to do those things that have the potentials to help your constituents to have a new feel, a better feel of life otherwise if you restrict yourself just to legislation alone, they would be probably be wondering why you went to Abuja. So, I have been able to facilitate major erosion control works one at Amankwo ezeleke in Umuopara clan of Umuahia south.
“Another one at Okwe, between Okwe and Obohio, that is in Ikwuano and these two major erosion control works were successfully executed and commissioned by ministers that represented Mr President. The one at Amankwo ezeleke was commissioned by Senator Heineken Lokpobiri when he was the minister for state for agriculture. And the one at Okwe was commissioned by Prof. Eta when he was minister of state for Niger Delta development.
“So, these were major erosion control works and I am still working on other ones that I have managed to pay for the survey plan, engineering works well because you know my federal constituency has well over 43 active erosion sites as we speak today.
“My village alone has 6. So, we will continue to do all these things and move them forward. Then, the road from Umuahia to Ikot-Ekpene, that is Umuahia-Ukwani-Ikot-Ekpene federal road, I have started working on that road. I moved the motion on this road far back May 21, 2016 and from then till now, I have been pursuing that road. But I am happy to say that fortunately after the road was awarded the first time but paucity of fund stalled it.
“I was able to work with the ministry of works and the road was eventually transferred to the NNPC road task credit scheme and the contractors have gone back to site and they are working now, that is 50km road and it is going to cost the federal government 13.2billion naira to execute. I have also been able to do major skills acquisition centres, one at Apumiri Ubakala and it is costing over 120million naira and it is at the completion stage.
“Then, I have done blocks of classrooms that I facilitated both at Umuajata Olokoro, Umujoto Olkoro, Nsirimo Ubalaka, Adanma Girls Secondary School at Ohuhu, Afugiri Ohuhu clan. That school in Ekemedi touches my heart because after it was constructed 72 years ago, I was the only person that came there and did something. I am also doing another one at Amaba and then we have another school that I facilitated at Umulu, Abamaisi also in Oboro, Ekemedi is in Oboro, Umulu is in Ibere.
“Then I have also done hospitals. I did one in Obohio Ibere. I did another one from foundation, the one in Obohio Ibere was restoration, the one in Oloku is from foundation to completion. And by the grace of God, I have also done or facilitated major electricity projects in places like Oponikpa in Ariama Usaka, Noro in also in Oboro, another one in Obohio Ibere, Udoru Oboro, Abama Olokoro, Amaeke Ibeku, Amake junction in Ibeku, that is around Okata. And another also in Umuagu Ngolori, and then, another one at world bar, another one at Isi Court. So, many things like that.
“By the grace of God, I am also the one who facilitated old Umuahia road going to Amakama in Olokoro, that one is nearing completion. It is about 80% completed and so many other things. Then, in terms of empowerment, I was able to do empowerment in different areas but particular one now that is really making everybody happy is the one I did in poultry where we provided galvanized cages, gave them N30,000, chicks at the point of lay, and then feed. The good news is that today, most of the people who got that, I did that twice, they are now self employed.”
A presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Ayoola Falola, on Tuesday, approached the Federal High Court in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, seeking to nullify the processes of the party’s primary elections ahead of the 2023 general elections.
The suit is challenging the party for charging N40m for its expression of interest and nomination forms in the forthcoming presidential election.
Falola joined the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, in the suit.
In his prayers, a copy which was obtained by our correspondent, Falola deposed that the party lacked the power to issue guidelines requesting for payment of nomination and expression of interest forms from the claimant or any other member aspiring to contest for a public office in the forthcoming general elections.
Citing Section 84(3) of the Electoral Act 2022 and Sections 65, 66,106, 107, 131, 137, 177, 187, 224, 224 and 15(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the plaintiff prayed that the court should declare the process null and void.
He further declared that INEC had the power to monitor the operations of the PDP with regards to imposition in its constitution, guidelines or rules and additional nomination qualification or disqualification criteria.
Conference of Speakers and Heads of African Parliaments (CoSAP)on Tuesday agreed to pursue debt forgiveness for the continent from creditor-nations.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, disclosed this in Abuja while briefing reporters on the sidelines of a two-day conference which held in the nation’s capital.
“We talked about debt cancellation and debt forgiveness. We felt parliament should be involved and speak as one voice and speak to our creditors and make a case as to why we needed debt forgiveness,” he said.
“We also agreed that in doing so, we are going to push for a tripartite agreement between the creditors, the executive other governments and the legislators, reason being that even if your debt is forgiven and funds are freed up to be diverted in other areas like health, education, your creditors will need to assured that the institution that is responsible for appropriation is involved and that is the case we are making.
“CoSAP as an institution has made commitments, even signed commitments within ourselves and ready to commit to the creditors that we would follow the money.”
The session was chaired by the Speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa, Rt. Hon. Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula.
Participants at the session, backing Gbajabiamila’s position, spoke on the need for parliaments to step up their oversight duties in tracking how the Executive spent the loans taken on behalf of countries, which ended as debt burdens or traps.
Some argued that in countries that secured debt reliefs, the parliaments must interrogate how the money returned to them was spent.
They pointed out that the creditor-nations, in considering the appeals for debt cancellation or relief, would look at several factors, including accounting for how the loans were utilised and the compliance of countries to agreements signed at the inception of the loan requests.
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has nullified the Asset Tracing, Recovery and Management Regulations, 2019, created by the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, Abubakar Malami, SAN, for being an invalid statutory instrument.
The court also nullified all sales and disposals of assets made by the AGF under the Asset Tracing, Recovery and Management Regulations, 2019.
It held that the provisions of the Asset Tracing, Recovery and Management Regulations, 2019, were “ultra vires the office and powers” of the AGF.
The AGF had on November 9, 2020, inaugurated the Inter-Ministerial Committee on the Disposal of Assets forfeited to the Federal Government, allegedly in accordance with the president’s directive in October 2018, following recommendations of the Presidential Audit Committee on Recovery and Management of Stolen Assets and a need for efficient management of the assets.
But Human and Environmental Development Agenda, HEDA through its counsel, Omotayo Olatubosun, challenged the AGF’s power to set up the committee.
Trial judge, Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa made the order in a suit by Incorporated Trustees of HEDA Resource Centre, against the AGF as the sole defendant.
It argued that the Regulations conflicted with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Act; Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administrative Act, 2015; National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Act, 2004 and Independent Corrupt Practices Commission Act, ICPC, 2000, among others, on the matter of disposal of final forfeited assets.
In its judgment, the court dismissed the AGF’s preliminary objection argued by its counsel, Tolu Mokunolu, and granted all of HEDA’s reliefs as prayed.
Justice Lewis-Allagoa held: “I am entirely in agreement with the submission of counsel to the plaintiff that the Asset Tracing, Recovery and Management Regulations, 2019 are contrary to the statutory provisions of the EFCC Act, Trafficking in Persons Cohabitation Enforcement and Administration Act, NDLEA Act and Immigration Act.
“A careful perusal of the above statutory provisions will show the provisions for the AGF to make regulations for the agencies for disposal of assets under the various enactments listed above.
“The above statutory enactments are, therefore, the enabling source of the AGF to the regulations.
“Consequently, the administrative powers to be exercised by the AGF must flow from the enabling statutes.”
“It is pertinent to state that the powers of the AGF do not override the provisions of the enabling statutes stabilising the powers of the law enforcement agencies and anti-corruption agencies and consequently the powers referred to in the commencement clause of the regulations merely are to be exercised in accordance with the Acts not to usurp the mandatory powers vested in the law enforcement agencies and the anti-corruption agencies.
“I am, therefore, in agreement with counsel for the plaintiff that the executive orders or any other forms of definition can be issued pursuant to session 315 of the Constitution; however, they are limited to enactments predating the 1999 Constitution.
“The Acts under consideration in this instant suit were enacted after the 1999 Constitution and do not fall within the ambit of session 315 of the 1999 Constitution.
“In all and for the reasons hereinbefore given in this judgment, the questions put for determination in the originating summons are answered in favour of the plaintiff and all the reliefs sought are granted as prayed. This is the judgment of the court read in the open court.”
The plaintiff’s reliefs granted by the judge include a declaration that by the ICPC Act, the Asset Tracing, Recovery and Management Regulations, 2019 “is an invalid statutory instrument the former having conferred no power arrogated by the Defendant to himself in the latter regulations.
Ruben Amorim, Manchester United coach, has said no player can leave in the January transfer window if no replacements come in.
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