The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP says it is yet to fix a date for the National Executive Committee (NEC) to deliberate on the issue of zoning for the 2023 presidential ticket.
On March 24, the party set up a 37-member zoning committee, led by Samuel Ortom, Benue governor, to decide on whether or not to adopt zoning.
The panel has its recommendation to the national executive council (NEC) of the party for further action.
Ortom had also dispelled rumours that the panel advised the party to throw open the presidential ticket.
The party had also indicated that only the NEC would have the last decision on the contentious issue of zoning after debating the outcome of the committee’s report.
Reports on Sunday suggested that the NEC has decided to meet on Thursday to decide on the report of the panel.
But Debo Ologunagba, PDP spokesperson, said: “No date has been fixed. When the date is fixed, it will be announced as appropriate.”
On Saturday, the party adjusted its timetable and schedule of activities for the 2023 general elections.
It extended the last day for the purchase of all forms to Tuesday, April 19, 2022, and extended the submission of already completed forms to Wednesday, April 20, 2022.
The leadership of All Progressives Congress APC has extended invitation to Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu for its first post-convention meeting where the party is expected to consider its timetable and schedule of activities for primaries ahead of the 2023 general election.
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu
Sen. Kalu’s invitation is contained in a letter dated April 12th and signed by the National Secretary of APC, Sen. Iyiola Omisore.
The meeting scheduled to hold at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja, would also consider the nomination of candidates for the 2023 general elections and other relevant business of the party.
“In pursuant to Article 25.2.ii of the Constitution of the APC, the National Working Committee (NWC) has called the maiden post-National Convention meeting of the NEC to be held on Wednesday, April 20th, 2022.
“All members of NEC are by this invitation to take notice of the meeting in accordance with Article 12.3 of the APC Constitution,” Mr Felix Morka, National Publicity Secretary of the party announced earlier.
The OUK movement, Abia’s largest socio-political ideological group, on Sunday appointed Hon. Ojisi Iro Ogbaja as the State chairman of the organisation to pilot the affairs of the group.
The appointment of Hon. Ojisi popularly known as “Abacha” was officially ratified at a special leadership meeting presided over by the Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu at the conference room hall ,camp Neya country home of the former Governor. The meeting comprised the attendance of the State executive council of the group, Local Government Chairmen and their secretaries.
Prior to the announcement of its New State Chairman ,the leadership of the organisation had initially held a closed door meeting to deliberate on a number of issues where it was agreed to appoint Hon. Ojisi as the state’s new leader.
Following the agreement, Leader of the organisation Senator Orji Kalu made the announcement during the formal commencement of the leadership meeting at 1:35 PM. Shortly after his introductory remarks Orji Kalu thanked the Acting Chairman, Barr. Sam Ogbonna from for steering the affairs of the group pending the emergence of a substantive State Chairman. Leaders present in a unanimous agreement gave their votes of support for Ojisi’s appointment. After Which Kalu asked the new chairman to mount the podium and address leadership and to formally take his seat.
Others present at the meeting include; Hon Perfect Okorie, APC State woman Leader Mrs. Ezinne Udo Uduma; Abia State House of Assembly Minority Leader,Hon. Chijioke Chukwu; Chief Daniel Eke; OUK Movement state Secretary, Emezue N. Ugonne; OUK movement women leader, Hon Ijeoma Okorie among others.
Hon. Iro Ogbaja is a former Local Government Council, prior to his appointment he was the state publicity secretary of the group and he hails from Nkporo, Ohafia LGA, Abia North in Abia state.
Recall the former state coordinator of the group Engr. Agu Ndukwe Orji, had departed from the group as result of his political defection.
The OUK movement, which stands for Orji Uzor Kalu Movement, is the official national support group of the former Abia State governor.
As Christians in Nigeria join other faithful worldwide to celebrate Easter Sunday, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), has assured Nigerians of the restoration of peace and a more prosperous future for all regardless of current challenges.
Prof. Osinbajo stated this on Sunday in a chat with journalists shortly after the Easter Sunday service at the State House Chapel, Aso Villa, Abuja.
“My message is really a prayer. The resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ is a defining moment for us Christians. And one of the most important things to bear in mind is the resuscitation of hope,” the VP was quoted as saying in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity, Laolu Akande.
“Where there is despair, I pray that hope would be restored, where there is fear, I pray that there is courage and confidence. Where there is deprivation, I pray that there is prosperity, and there is abundance.”
The Vice President added that “there may be things that appear dead but the power of the resurrection is one that assures us that life will come after death, so we are completely confident especially for our country that everywhere we suffer deprivation, there will be restoration, and that is the promise of the resurrection.”
Easter Sunday is celebrated worldwide by Christians to mark the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Joining the VP and his wife, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo at the Aso Villa Chapel for the service were Sen. Emmanuel Bwacha and Hon. Danjuma Shiddi both from Taraba State, and other senior officials in the presidency.
The Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Sokoto, Matthew Kukah, has heavily criticised President Muhammadu Buhari over insecurity, corruption and division in Nigeria.
Kukah made his complaints known in his Easter Message on Sunday titled, ‘To mend a broken nation: The Easter metaphor’.
According to the bishop, every aspect of life in Nigeria has been destroyed while corruption is enthroned.
He said, “Our dear country, Nigeria, still totters and wobbles as we screech towards a dangerous and avoidable canyon of dry bones.
“One would be tempted to ask, what is there to say about our tragic situation today that has not been said? Who is there to speak that has not spoken? Like the friends of Job, we stare at an imponderable tragedy as the nation unravels from all sides. The government has slid into hibernation mode.
“It is hard to know whether the problem is that those in power do not hear, see, feel, know, or just don’t care. Either way, from this crossroad, we must make a choice, to go forward, turn left or right or return home. None of these choices is easy, yet, guided by the light of the risen Christ, we can reclaim our country from its impending slide to anarchy.
“The challenge of fixing this broken nation is enormous and, as I have said, requires joint efforts. With everything literally broken down, our country has become one big emergency national hospital with full occupancy. Our individual hearts are broken. Our family dreams are broken. Homes are broken. Churches, Mosques, and infrastructure are broken. Our educational system is broken. Our children’s lives and future are broken. Our politics is broken. Our economy is broken. Our energy system is broken. Our security system is broken. Our Roads and Rails are broken. Only corruption is alive and well.
“The greatest challenge for Nigeria is not even the 2023 elections. It is the prospect for the reconciliation of our people. Here, the Buhari administration sadly has divided our people on the basis of ethnicity, religion, and region, in a way that we have never witnessed in our history. This carefully choreographed agenda has made Nigerians vulnerable and ignited the most divisive form of identity consciousness among our people. Years of friendships, cultural exchange, and collaboration built over time have now come under serious pressure from stereotyping.”
He also faulted amnesty granted to terrorists and former governors of Plateau State, Senator Joshua Dariye; and Taraba State, Rev Jolly Nyame.
Kukah said, “We need to start thinking of a Nigeria beyond banditry and kidnapping and the endless circles of violence that have engulfed our communities and nation. We cannot continue to pretend that there are no religious undertones to the violence in the name of God that has given our religions a bad name.
“The way out is for the state to enforce the secular status of the Nigerian state so as to give citizens the necessary freedoms from the shackles of semi-feudal confusion over the status of religion and the state in a plural Democracy. We must be ready to embrace modernity and work out how to preserve our religions and cultures without turning religion into a tool for tyranny, exclusion, and oppression.
“I cannot be against a repentant sinner or criminals changing their ways. After all, the doors of forgiveness must always remain open. However, in this case, Nigerians have very little information as to the entire rehabilitation process. Have these terrorists felt the heat or have they seen the light or, is their repentance a mere strategic and tactical repositioning? So far, we have no evidence that these terrorists have been able to confront their victims not to talk of seeking forgiveness from them. Something is wrong.
“We see these terrorists adorned in our national colours in their green and white kaftans, trousers, and looking like heroes of the state! Are we to assume that they have become acknowledged models for Nigerian youth? Perhaps the next graduating set might be treated to Presidential handshakes, receptions at the villa with full national colours
Member representing Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State, Hon. Benjamin Kalu has congratulated Nigerians and the Christian faithful in particular at the celebration of Easter which marks the death and resurrection of Christ, the pillar of Christian faith.
In a felicitation message on Sunday, the spokesperson of the House of Representatives urged Nigerians to stay hopeful for peace and progress of the country.
While noting that it is a time to reflect on Christ’s selfless sacrifice and endless love on the cross for the atonement of man’s sins, he admonished that Nigerians should uphold patriotism in faith.
It reads in part, “As we celebrate this season, I urge us to stay hopeful for peace and progress in our country, Nigeria. I encourage us to uphold the spirit of patriotism in faith that the resurrection power will be evident in all areas of our Nation.
“May the miracle of Easter bring us perfect peace and may the significance of this season renew every facet of our lives. Wishing you a joyful celebration.”
The National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, yesterday, said that Nigerians are tired of excuses and lamentations of the past, which include insecurity, and epileptic power supply, banditry and a comatose an economy. He, however, assured us that a united and bandit-free Nigeria is possible.
Tinubu spoke at a grand rally by over 40, 000 youths under the aegis of the Progressive Youth of South-Wet to declare their support for his presidential aspiration at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos.
The youths who are from Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Ekiti, Ondo and Oyo states had converged on Lagos in large numbers to drum up support for the aspiration of the party’s national leader.
Tinubu, while addressing the teeming youths, urged them to team up with him to change the story of Nigeria.
He stated: “All you need is courage, determination and perseverance. If YouTube alone has 2.9 billion people following it, including all of you standing here, then Nigeria can excel. We can do it, you must develop a can-do attitude; you must believe that this country is yours and you want to change the story. You must change the story of potential, the story of banditry; you must change the story of tribalism.
“We, as a nation, can conveniently feed ourselves by being creative, visionary and committed. Anybody who says we cannot, they can get out, because it is voluntary. We cannot continue the lamentation of the past, we cannot continue with excuses of power failure. No nation made rapid development without electricity. Give us light and if we cannot be successful then you can abuse us; you cannot give us erratic light that is undependable and then blame us that we are lazy.
“Nigerians, it is about time, we have enough gas to fire up electricity and supply the rest of Europe to make money. You know it. We don’t want to bore you with it. When I started, we used to pick dead bodies on the streets, but today Lagos is one of the cleanest, most progressive states in the country.’
Tinubu urged the youths to revalidate their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) and be ready to vote in the forthcoming 2023 general elections.
In his keynote address, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who appreciated the grand support for Tinubu, noted that youths would continue to be identified as critical stakeholders, just as he enjoined all delegates to the APC primary to exercise their franchise wisely.
The South-West youth leaders at the event took their turns to speak on why they were promoting Tinubu to become the next president of Nigeria, come 2023.
Speaking, Dr. Muritala Seriki, Dayo Israel, Muhammed Sulaiman, among others applauded the achievements of Tinubu in infrastructure, education, and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), while he was governor of the state, saying some of them were his products having brought them to the level they had attained presently.
This was just as they described the APC national leader as a detribalized Nigerian, who would take the country to greater heights, come 2023 if voted as president.
Seriki, in his speech, itemised the achievements of the former Lagos State governor including an increase in the state’s IGR that brought about growth and development in all sectors of the economy, describing him as a detribalized Nigerian who would replicate his achievements in Lagos at the national level if elected the country’s next president.
Israel, who also spoke in the same vein, charged the youth to go for their voter cards and be prepared to vote in the coming general elections, saying that they should be prepared to speak with their votes by electing Tinubu as the next president of the country.
Sulaimon, who also paid tributes to the APC national leader’s leadership quality as well as his closeness to the youth, assured that all the youths in the North-Central were behind Tinubu on his ambition to become Nigeria’s president in 2023, even as he prayed for the fulfilment of his dream.
The support for Tinubu’s presidential election was not limited to the youth as South-West state assemblies also threw their support at the event.
A member of Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Desmond Elliot, representing Surulere Constituency 1, said the state assemblies in the zone were unanimous in their support for Tinubu’s presidential ambition.
In another fresh attack, bandits, yesterday, stormed Agban Kagoro Community, Kaura Local Council, killing two persons and injuring several other residents.
A resident, Jonathan Musa, told journalists that the terrorists came in large numbers, shooting sporadically into the community and in the process not less than two persons got killed with many others wounded.
Confirming the incident, the former Chairman, Kaura Local Council, Kumai Badu, said those injured had been taken to the hospital.
Kaduna residents have been under constant attacks for some time now, with high casualties.
It would be recalled that terrorists recently attacked the Kaduna International Airport, killing a security man, aside from attacking the Kaduna-Abuja train, killing eight and kidnapping scores.
When contacted for his reaction to the latest attack, Kaduna Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Mohammed Jalige, did not pick up his calls.
The governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has asked all political appointees contesting elective offices in the forthcoming 2023 general election to resign from their respective positions.
The governor said that the directive was to comply with Section 84 (12) of the newly amended Electoral Act.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Abba Anwar, on Sunday, Mr. Ganduje said the appointees were given between now and Monday, April 18 to tender their resignation.
It was gathered that some commissioners, special advisers and even the Secretary to the State Government were all running for one elective position or the other.
The Kano State Commissioner for Water Resources, Sadiq Wali, had tendered his resignation to pursue his political ambition.
Reports had it that Ganduje had, however, rejected the resignation of the Managing Director of Kano Road Transport Agency, Baffa Dan’agundi.
A House of Assembly aspirant for Arochukwu constituency, Abia State Mr. Ifeanyi Ogbonna, better known as IGNES has congratulated the people of the constituency, Abians and the Christian community in general at the occasion of 2022 Easter celebration, calling on citizens to abide by the teachings of Christ the pillar of the faith by fostering unity and living a sacrificial life.
The lawmaker hopeful said the period offers the people ample opportunity to reflect on their life journey and chart a new developmental course for a more engaging and profitable future.
In a felicitation message on Saturday, the entrepreneur and philanthropist urged the people of Arochukwu state constituency to be more tactical in making a decision about their future especially as the opportunity of the 2023 general elections calls, noting that the people should no more remain backward in the scheme of affairs in the state.
He called on Abians to shun inflammatory utterances that can stoke the embers of hate but live in unity and make sacrifices that will bring hope and happiness to fellow citizens.
He also prayed God to rain the blessings of Easter on all Abians at home and abroad to cause a supernatural prosperity in their lives.
The people of Ebem Ohafia Ancient Kingdom have rolled out warm tributes to Hon. Chief Ibe Okwara Osonwa, Member representing Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency in...
