Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said in televised remarks that consultations were “ongoing” on a potential roadmap to peace, but added that a sticking point remains the number of countries that would act as security guarantors for Ukraine.
“Consultations on what legal obligations need to be made, how it will be in terms of a multilateral treaty are ongoing now,” he said in televised remarks.
Podolyak added: “We have to understand that the Russians categorically do not want to increase the number of countries that can be guarantors of security. It is important for us to have as many of those countries as possible.”
Some background: At a recent meeting in Istanbul between Ukrainian and Russian teams, negotiators hammered out very preliminary agreements about the possibility of neutral status for Ukraine, but protected by international security guarantees.
Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this week described that negotiating process as being at a “dead end,” but Podolyak said work has continued.
The General Officer Commanding, 81 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Umar Musa, has confirmed the arrest of 12 suspects impersonating military officers to commit crimes in Lagos and Ogun states.
A statement by the division’s spokesperson, Major Olaniyi Osoba, on Wednesday, said the suspects were paraded for the offence.
Osoba said Musa, while briefing the press during the parade, said not all persons in Army uniform were military personnel.
The statement read, “The 81 Division, Nigerian Army, has arrested 12 suspected imposters fully dressed in military camouflage portraying the Nigerian Army in a bad light during Operation Checkmate within Lagos and Ogun states.
“The General Officer Commanding, 81 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Umar Musa, in a press briefing, dispelled the unfounded narrative that all illicit acts committed by persons dressed in military uniforms are always by military personnel.
“He noted that persons displaying military banners and accoutrements, such as belts and stickers on vehicles and driving commercial vehicles in military uniform as well as driving civilian vehicles painted in army colours are most often not personnel of the Nigerian Army.
“He said in an effort to curtail the ugly trend, the division had heightened the activities of Operation Checkmate to ensure regular arrest of imposters and offenders within the division’s area of responsibility. The GOC disclosed that over 150 impostors were arrested from January last year till date.”
During the parade, Musa was quoted as saying preliminary investigation revealed that some of the suspects specialised in mounting roadblocks along the Ajah Road to extort money from motorists, as well as indulging in other illegal duties while dressed in the Nigerian Army uniform.
“Similarly, the GOC said some arrested suspects fully dressed in military uniform were caught along the Ilaro border area of Ogun State, where they smuggled rice and other contraband.
“The GOC said the arrested impostors would be handed over to the police for further action. He, therefore, urged members of the public to desist from wearing military uniform and T-shirts, displaying military banners, belts and stickers on vehicles as well as driving civilian vehicles painted in army colours,” he added.
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has said he will never be party to a consensus candidate in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as being promoted by four northern presidential aspirants.
Wike spoke in Calabar when he went to consult the party for his presidential aspiration.
Four presidential aspirants, including a former Senate President Bukola Saraki, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, have been consulting across the country to promote consensus.
Governor Wike condemned those asking for consensus, saying the party must not condescend to accept a consensus candidate.
“I am not for that rubbish called consensus. They came to me, and I have told them bluntly that I am not party to it.”
Wike also maintained that he is emphatically running for the office of president and will not negotiate for even the office of vice president with anybody.
“I am going round all the states in Nigeria to confirm that I will run for president of Nigeria. I am not going to negotiate for vice president but to win the PDP ticket and win the election.
“People have pressurised me to rather buy ticket for Senate. But I said I am quite fit and ready for the race. I am ready to demonstrate power and power to win the election, nothing more. I have more energy to dissipate,” he said.
Meanwhile, another presidential aspirant of the party, Peter Obi, has said he believes in any arrangement of the party to pick its flag bearer provided it is fair, equitable and inclusive.
Dr. Obi said this in Benin yesterday while trying to woo PDP members, delegates at the party secretariat.
“For me, whatever arrangement you do, as long as it is fair, equitable, respect for every zone, show love and is inclusive, I stand by it. I believe in inclusiveness,” he said.
He said the insecurity, economic and other crises in the country today are the cumulative effect of the leadership failure over the years, noting that there is no country in the world that goes the way of Nigeria that would not have problems.
Also, the Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, urged the party to embrace justice, fairness and equity in the selection of its flag bearer in the forthcoming 2023 general elections.
Obaseki, who stated this when he hosted Obi, said “Edo will not be part of any arrangement that is not inclusive and equitable as the state is interested in achieving a united and progressive Nigeria.”
But a former Senate president, Anyim Pius Anyim, has warned the party leadership not to jettison zoning.
Addressing members of the National Working Committee (NWC) after submitting his presidential nomination and expression of interest forms, at the PDP secretariat, Anyim said as a true party man he would abide by the decision of the party.
He said democracy thrives on three certainties, “Certainty of tenure, Certainty of structure Certainty of process. At any time any of these ‘certainties’ is no longer guaranteed, democracy will corrupt justice and enthrone inequity.”
He also said: “My appeal is that zoning being a fundamental principle of our party, should not be jettisoned. Democracy, being a system of rules and order, depends on strong institutions for its sustenance and success.
“When a system can no longer defend its rules, it will enthrone the reign of might as against the rule of law.”
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admits he must do his homework for the Champions League semi-final against Villarreal.
The Reds reached the stage on Wednesday night after beating Benfica 6-4 on aggregate.
Next they face Villarreal and their manager Unai Emery, who has masterminded victories over Bayern Munich and Juventus on the way to the final four.
“If I could do an analysis of Villarreal right now that would be very strange,” Klopp Said.
“I saw the results, the game was very impressive. I only picked up pieces but to beat Juventus and Bayern Munich they deserve to be in the Champions League semi-finals.
“Unai Emery is the king of the cups, it is unbelievable what he is doing. But give me a bit of time to prepare it properly.”
A group, Abia North Development Vanguard, ANDV has concluded arrangements to purchase the Senate nomination and expression of interest forms for the Senator representing Abia North, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu with an advise on the PDP aspirant, Sen. Mao Ohuabunwa to tear his into shreds, promising to donate him a shredding machine for that purpose.
ANDV says Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu, Chief Whip of the Senate has in the past two years and six months done the people proud with a responsible representation.
This resolution was reached on Wednesday after a meeting of the Vanguard which took place in Ohafia, Ohafia L.G.A of Abia State.
The group consists of Abia North businessmen from Lagos, Kano, Abuja, Enugu, Anambra, Port Harcourt, and abroad.
ANDV led by Chief Nwosu K. Okoro in a chat with newsmen said Sen. Kalu spent six months out of his three years in Senate in the prison, adding that his short period is better than Mao Ohuabunwa’s eight years in same Senate.
He said despite Sen. Kalu’s presidential ambition, the group wants him to continue to affect their lives in the Senate, maintaining that Abia North has received an accelerated development since Kalu was sworn-in in the Senate.
According to Chief Okoro, there is a massive road network in the Senatorial District, school renovation and purchase of study materials for pupils which has made teaching and learning more interesting, parents and guardians proud because of the conducive atmosphere where their children and wards learn, stating that the entire Abia North cannot be thrown to the dark days of Sen. Mao Ohuabunwa.
According to the leader of ANDV, Sen. Kalu has corresponded his developmental projects with responsible legislative inputs, adding that the former Abia governor has through lobby ensured the enactment of laws to affect Nigerians and the people of Abia North particularly.
Founder and Senior Pastor, Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Dr. Pastor Paul Enenche, has broken his silence over the death of his church member and gospel singer, Osinachi Nwanchukwu, saying both husband and wife came to see him with complains of chest pain and respiratory distress.
In a video posted on his official Facebook page, Enenche said that if there was domestic violence that led to or coincided with those symptoms that she came with two and half months to three months ago, there is no way he would know.
He also noted that if there had been perennial domestic violence, there was no way he would have known.
He explained that things they were hearing after her passing were things that were strange to him.
His words: “We are in a season that calls for sober reflection in the light of the passing of our beloved sister, Osinachi Nwanchukwu who is a kingdom and generation asset to this generation. In the light of so much misinformation and misconstruction of events, I decided to set straight what I know concerning the situation.
‘Chest pains and tour of hospitals’
“Over two and half months to three months ago, she came to see me with her husband with complains of chest pain, respiratory distress. I prayed for her and prayed and prayed again.
“And when the symptoms did not abate, I counselled that they go to the hospital to help us to know exactly what we were dealing with.
“They asked if I could help them facilitate that process. I called our head of medical team, Dr Osang who is a consultant pediatrician with the Federal Medical Centre, Keffi to assist handle their situation.
“And he called the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, he called colleagues there where they attended to them.
“On seeing her, he ordered some investigations after examinations and that included CT Scan (Computed Tomography Scan).
“That was done, and from what the Doctor saw, they said there was need for further investigations either at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital or the National Hospital in Abuja.
“I called the doctor, consultant, a pulmonologist Respiratory Physician at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Dr Akor Alexander, I told him the situation and he asked they come to see him immediately. And they went to the Gwagwalada Teaching Hospital.
“After they have examined her there and saw the situation, they felt there was a need for histology and biopsy of the Lung Tissue and they asked she went to the National Hospital to get that done.
“I again called Dr Jubrin who is the head of pathology and consultant, histopathologist of the National Hospital in Abuja and reported the issue to him and to help us go ahead with the investigation and find out what exactly happened.
“I am calling names and calling places because the people are available and alive and they are all verifiable. And then, they continued the management.
“The histology was done from what I saw at that time. The picture was much milder than what the CT Scan earlier on showed and so we felt very happy that at least, there was relief. She called me literally daily and prayed with her.
“She reported progress. A point came where she needed no oxygen anymore according to what she said to me one night. And that they checked her oxygen perfusion and it was 100% and we were very very excited at that progress.
“That was the point it was before we went over to the Crusade in Cameroon. It was in Cameroon the second night that I got to know of the unfortunate incidence of her passing.
“Now, if there was domestic violence that led to or coincided with those symptoms that she came with two and half months to three months ago, there is no way I would know and if there had been perennial domestic violence, there was no way I would have known.
“The things we are hearing after her passing were things that were very very strange to my hearing. Then I began to ask questions.
Conspiracy of silence
“First, I asked the twin sister, are you are aware that your sister passed through all these things? She said yes that she knew some of them. That the majority of them she was hearing from those she confided in.
“I asked her, I said if you knew, why didn’t you let us know? And the twin sister said, she always begged her, please don’t let the Church know, don’t tell the pastor, please the man will change, just pray for us. That the man will change. And that continued to happen.
“I asked the first son yesterday, I said was this real? And the son told other stories. And I said so, why didn’t you tell me because typically they will run to me after service and I will pray for them.
“Lay hands on them. I said, why didn’t you tell about what was going on in the home? And the young man said, they couldn’t tell me because the father would always asked them after they left me and said, what did you tell the pastor? Did you tell him anything? And so on and so forth.
“Other members in the Choir who were privy to these some of the things that were going on.
“I asked one of them when we paid a visit to the house of the deceased yesterday. What happened, why were we not aware of all these things?
“The same story that she could always go on her knees and asked them please, don’t don’t, just pray, don’t, we are trusting God for him to change.
‘She knelt to beg for her husband’
“The last one that touched me so much was the music producer, who came to see me in the office two days ago to tell me his own experience how he witnessed that the man slapped the wife in his music studio.
“And I said to him, you saw a man slap a woman in your presence and you left the man alone and you are a man yourself.
“And he said before he could respond to the man, the woman again, in tears on her knees, begged him not to do anything. To leave him alone. And not to do anything at all. And so on and so forth. So, we have had these stories and these are all the things we got to know after she had passed.
“As a person and as a Church, everyone, who knows us, knows that we have zero degree tolerance for domestic abuse and wife battering of any sort.
The Church’s position
“If you ever listen to any of our relationship messages, there is a principle, policy and a rule we have and that is; it is better to be alive without a marriage than to die because of marriage.
“We’ve said that over and over. I am sure that some of us might have listened to the clips of those messages.
“Now this kind of time is the time where people heap all manner of blames on the Church and that is typical because whatever goes wrong, the first point of call is the Church.
“I have seen people asked questions, why should a wife abuser be a member of the Church or how can somebody be so brutal and he is a member of the Church? That is not a question that people who know Scriptures should ask.
“You know the Ark of Noah, the same Ark that carried good animals also had evil beast inside the same Ark. You know Jesus Christ had a followership of what the Bible called the multitudes.
“And for me, multitudes means multiple attitudes; people with multiple inclinations; people with multiple tendencies; people with multiple behaviours. Infact, one of those that followed Jesus Christ was a thief who also sold him to death; he was called Judas Iscariot.
“Question is, how could somebody followed Jesus Christ as perfect as Jesus was; as instructive as he was; as impactful as he was and still be a thief and a murderer? That question is left for everybody to answer.
“And I can tell you the worst of it all; There was personality called lucifer who was in Heaven and became satan the devil under the nose of God in Heaven; a place where there was no sin and could have been no sin at all. This guy became the inventor and the originator of sin.
“How is it possible for somebody to become a devil from being an Archangel right inside Heaven? That is how possible it is for anybody to be anything while inside the Church. Even the best of pastors, teachers, preachers in the world cannot change any man or woman who is unwilling to be changed.
“In case you feel frustrated at anything and you are airing your frustration here and there, or a transfer of aggression or frustration, the Church is not your place for transferring frustration and aggression.
“We are willing to help you if you have so much bitterness, so much frustration and so much distraction in your life and you don’t know where to vent it but in situations like this, we can help you.
“I want to let you know that we love you and Jesus loves you. It is well with you and it is well with your loved ones.
“For the family of the deceased, we pray for strength and help and for the Body of Christ generally, it is well with you in Jesus’ Name.”
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday, ordered the removal of Mr Tochukwu Okorie as the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ebonyi State.
The court, in a judgement that was delivered by Justice Ahmed Mohammed, held that Okorie was not validly nominated to contest the election for the position of Chairman of the PDP in Ebonyi State.
The court said that evidence before it established that Okorie submitted his form, three days outside the deadline that was set by the party.
According to the judge, “It is the finding of this court that the 2nd defendant (Okorie) who submitted his nomination form on October 4, 2021, instead of October 1, 2021, contrary to the guidelines of the conduct of congresses, is not validly nominated.
“It is the opinion of this court that the 2nd defendant, who was indolent in submitting his nomination form as provided in the guidelines issued by the PDP, who in spite of this failure, was still declared and returned elected, cannot be allowed to benefit from his wrongdoing”.
Justice Mohammed, consequently, directed the PDP to hold that only Onu was lawfully nominated to participate in the election of October 16, 2021, and to issue him a certificate of return declaring him as the duly elected Chairman of PDP, Ebonyi Chapter.
The judge also granted the prayer asking for a declaration that Okorie was not qualified to participate in the election organized and held by the PDP for failing and refusing to submit his nomination form on or before the fixed deadline of October 1, 2021.
He also granted the prayer asking for a declaration that the 2nd defendant’s participation in the said election was contrary to the clear and unambiguous schedule for the conduct of state congresses, therefore rendering such participation null and void.
The court ordered PDP to recognise Mr Silas Onu as the sole candidate for the Chairmanship position of the party in the state.
Meanwhile, irked by the judgement, Okorie, yesterday, also approached the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, asking it to set aside and stop the execution of the judgement.
In six grounds of appeal he filed through his team of lawyers led by Mr Ugochukwu Ezekiel, Okorie, maintained that Justice Mohammed erred in law and occasioned a miscarriage of justice against him.
Insisting that his form was submitted within the stipulated timeframe, Okorie, argued that Onu did not exhaust the internal dispute resolution mechanism before he went to court.
Besides, he contended that the high court was wrong when it held that Onu’s suit was properly commenced by way of an Originating Summon.
He, therefore, urged the appellate court to set aside the judgement and okay his continued stay in office.
Women Affairs Minister, Dame Pauline Tallen, disclosed on Wednesday that the husband of popular gospel artist Pastor Peter Nwachukwu threatened and warned their four children not to ever disclosed how he beat/maltreated their mother to anybody before he was arrested by Police operatives following allegations of domestic violence against him.
Noting that she battled with tears when the children of the late popular gospel artiste, Osinachi narrated their late mother’s ordeal during an NTA Television programme in Abuja, the minister said Pastor Peter Nwachukwu, brutalised his late wife and her four kids and made sure Osinachi had no bank account of her own with all her proceeds being paid into her husband’s account.
Disclosing that she visited the Abuja home of the deceased on Tuesday to identify with the traumatized children, the Women Affairs minister said, “It is so traumatizing, so heartbreaking, the death of Osinachi.
“When I came into the compound, I saw the children, four beautiful children; three boys, one girl. He (Peter) had told the children that they should not speak about the things that have been happening in the house.
“I came in with all the directors in the ministry. When I was asking questions, I saw that the children were not forthcoming. I excused everyone and said I wanted to have a one-on-one with the children.
“I first spoke with the first son. I asked him, ‘Do you love your mother?’ He said, ‘Yes’. ‘Has your mummy taught you to tell lies?’ He said, ‘Yes’. I asked him if she is still alive and he said she is dead.
I asked him, “Do you know that she is now your angel and she is now watching you?’ He said, ‘Yes’. ‘So, it will be very sad if you tell lies’.
“I introduced myself and I told him the President is concerned, every Nigerian is concerned, we all join them to mourn Osinachi’s death but what we want from him is the truth.
“Then he opened up. He said that their dad used to beat their mom and their mom was always sad. He would beat her and flog her. He said their father would gather them in the room and be beating them and if the mom comes into the room to stop him, he would turn back on her and beat her up. And that has always been the case.
“The children said it was their mom that runs around on her gospel music, comes back with her money. In fact, if the money is paid through (a) bank account, it was paid into his account.
“She has no account of her own, any money she has, he collects it and gives her just peanut for feeding and when she cooks, he started shouting and beating her. And their mom was living in fear and was always sad.
“It was such a horrible story from a young boy that is said to be just 12. I asked him what class he is and he said Class Five. At the age of 12? I said, ‘Why?’ And he said he can’t even read. So, mentally, this child is already destroyed.
“I was battling with tears and when he finished, I called on the second son.
”I was battling with tears and when he finished, I called on the second son.
“The second son repeated the same horrible situation as well as the third son.
Prof. ACB Agbazuere, Chief of Staff to Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has resigned his appointment, ABN TV reports.
Prof. ACB Agbazuere
Subsequently, the governor has also appointed Chief Okey Ahiwe as his new Chief of Staff.
This is contained in a statement on Wednesday signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Barr. Chris Ezem.
“Following formal resignation of appointment by the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Prof. ACB Agbazuere, the Governor of Abia State Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu has approved the appointment of Chief Okey Ahiwe as the new Chief of Staff to the Governor.
“This appointment is effective from April 11, 2022” he said.
Earlier, the governor had advised his appointees intending to run for any political position in 2023 to resign from Monday, April 11, 2022.
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...
