After Man-U Loss, Police Commence Investigation Over Alleged Assault Against Ronaldo

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April 10, 2022

Have Mercy On Nnamdi Kanu, Ohanaeze Begs Buhari

President-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Prof. George Obiozor has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to use his prerogative of mercy on Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and other Igbo youths in detention across the country.

Speaking at an event organised in his honour by Hope Uzodimma, Imo governor, in Owerri on Saturday, Obiozor said the federal and state governments should engage “restive” Igbo youths in a dialogue to resolve the crisis in the south-east peacefully.

Kanu is standing trial on an amended 15-count charge bordering on treasonable felony.

On Friday, the court struck out eight of the 15-count charge.

“We highly recommend that the federal as well as state governments engage the restive Igbo youths in some form of dialogue towards the peaceful resolution of the present crisis,” the president-general said.

“In this context, we equally appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari to exercise his prerogative of mercy for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and other Igbo youths in detention in various places.”

Obiozor asked IPOB to embrace peace and end its sit-at-home order, adding that the people in the south-east region are suffering as a result of it.

“We equally urge them to lift the sit-at-home order to restore normalcy in the south-east,” he said.

“The brunt of sit at home order is borne by the millions of Ndigbo families, who depend on their daily income for survival. Sit-at-home is not a favour to Ndigbo but condemnation of these countless millions of daily income earners to untold hardship.”

Osinbajo In Crucial Meeting With Governors Over Presidential Bid

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April 10, 2022

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is hosting members of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), to Iftar at his official residence, Akinola Aguda House in the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Sources close to the office of the Vice President hinted Osinbajo would use the occasion to consult with the Governors on his rumoured presidential ambition.

As at 6:45pm, not less than six Governors, including Mallam Nasir El-Rufa’i (Kaduna) and Dapo Abiodun (Ogun) were already within the premises.

Other APC Governors seen driven in before the 7pm scheduled time for the gathering were: Hope Uzodinma (Imo); Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos) and Gboyega Oyetola (Osun).

A source told our correspondent that Oyetola is in far away Makkah, Saudi Arabia, for the lesser Hajj (Umrah), fuelling speculations the Governor’s car might have conveyed his Deputy Benedict Alabi.

The meeting, which seemed exclusive to only the invited Governors and some of their aides, did not admit journalists in the premises of the Vice President’s residence.

Details Shortly…

Court Stops Malami From Frustrating Hearing On Appeal Stopping Him From Deleting Section 84 Of Amended Electoral Act

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April 10, 2022

Abubakar Malami Speaks On Rumoured Hospitalization — Abubakar Malami

Court Stops Malami From Frustrating Hearing On Appeal Stopping Him From Deleting Section 84 Of Amended Electoral Act — Abubakar Malami

The Court of Appeal has restrained the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami and others from taking steps to frustrate the hearing of an appeal against a judgment mandating the AGF to delete Section 84 (12) from the amended Electoral Act.

A three-member panel of the court, led by Justice Rita Nosakhare Pemu, in a ruling, granted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) permission to appeal, as an interested party, against the March 18, 2022 judgment by Justice Justice Evelyn Anyadike of the Federal High Court in Umuahia.

The Appeal Court, in the ruling delivered by Owerri division on April 7, 2022, an enrolled copy of which ABN TV sighted in Abuja on Sunday, also granted accelerated hearing in the appeal.

The ruling was on a motion marked: CA/OW/87m/2022 filed by the PDP, with Chief Nduka Edede (plaintiff in the suit decided by Justice Anyadike) and the AGF as respondents.

It reads: ”Leave is hereby granted the applicant (PDP) to appeal as person interested in this appeal – CA/OW/87/2022.

“Due to the exigencies of this appeal and its constitutional colourisation, there is need to hear this matter expeditiously.

“Accordingly, the appellant is hereby given up to Tuesday 12th of April, 2022 to file its notice of appeal and the parties are to file their respective briefs of arguments within three days from the date of service of the notice and record of appeal on the respondents.

“There shall be a further three days given to the appellant to file a reply.

“Parties should desist from taking any step to frustrate the hearing of the appeal.

“The matter is adjourned to the 4th of May, 2022, for the hearing of the appeal.

“Fresh hearing notice to be issued on the 2nd to the 12th respondents.”

The National Assembly has also indicated its intention to formally appeal the judgment by Justice Anyadike.

Justice Anyadike had, in the March 18 judgment in the suit by Edede, marked: FHC/UM/CS/26/2022 held that Section 18(12) of th amended Electoral Act is unconstitutional and should be struck down.

The judge noted that sections 66(1)(f), 107(1)(f), 137(1)(f) and 182(1)(f) of the 1999 Constitution already stipulated that government appointees seeking to contest elections are only to resign at least 30 days before the election.

She held that any other law that mandates such appointees to resign or leave office at any time before the 30 days provided in the Constitution was unconstitutional and void to the extent of its inconsistency with the clear provisions of the Constitution.

Justice Anyadike then ordered the AGF to delete the said Section 18(12) from the amended Electoral Act.

Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act provides: “No political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the convention or congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election.”

The PDP has already filed a separate suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja in which it is challenging among others, President Muhammadu Bujari’s request that the National Assembly alters the provision of Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act.

The case marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/247/2022, now before Justice Inyang Ekwo has been adjourned till April 28 for hearing.

Man City, Liverpool Settle For Draw In Title Decider

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April 10, 2022

Man City, Liverpool Settle For Draw In Title Decider

Manchester City and Liverpool played out a 2-2 draw on Sunday evening in a match dubbed the title decider.

Manchester City drew the first blood through De Burnye in the first half before Jota cancelled out the lead minutes later.

Gabriel Jesus restored the lead shortly before second half before Sadio Mane equalized again in the 46th minutes.

A goal by Manchester City’s Sterling was cancelled out for offside by VAR while Mahred lost what would have been a title winner with only the goalkeeper to beat.

Manchester City remain the table topper with one point.

Details Shortly…

Gunmen Kill Miyetti Allah Chairman, 4 Others In Abuja

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April 10, 2022

Gunmen Kill Miyetti Allah Chairman, 4 Others In Abuja — File Photo

Gunmen on Thursday killed the chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders’ Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in Gwagwalada Area Council of Abuja, Adamu Aliyu.

Aliyu was said to have been killed alongside four others near Daku village in Dobi ward of the council on Thursday.

The Nation learnt three persons were abducted while three others who sustained gunshot wounds.

Confirming the incident to our correspondent, MACBAN secretary, Mohammed Usman said the late MACBAN chairman with six others were returning from Izom market in Niger State when he was attacked by gunmen.

According to him, the bandits shattered the windscreen of the truck conveying the late MACBAN and some passengers.

He said Aliyu and four others including Saleh, Aliyu, Muhammadu and Saidu, have been buried according to Islamic rites.

He said: “The incident happened last Thursday, around 5 pm when the late MACBAN chairman alongside others, were returning from Izom market in Niger state in a Dyna truck, when the bandits suddenly emerged from the bush and opened fire on the truck”.

When contacted, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Josephine Adeh said she was not aware of the incident as of the time of filing this report.

2023: Pastor Tunde Bakare Joins Presidential Race

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April 10, 2022

Eminent cleric Tunde Bakare has signalled his interest to run for President in 2023.

In a speech delivered at a virtual meeting on Saturday, Bakare positioned himself as the best person to lead the nation from 2023.

“Against the backdrop of the prevailing state of the nation, we need a leader who can reconcile grievous historical and current differences, reintegrate the various ethnic and religious constituent parts into true nationhood, and rebuild the broken walls of federalism while maximising Nigeria’s diverse geo-economic potential,” he said.

“This brings me to the brand, PTB. PTB is currently an acronym for Pastor ‘Tunde Bakare. The PTB brand is the rallying point for ‘Project 16.’

“Nevertheless, Project 16 is not just about me. It is not about the presidential ambition of any man. In any case, I do not have a self-generated ambition. What I do have is a vision of a New Nigeria that was birthed in me from childhood and an honest aspiration to serve as the sixteenth president of my beloved nation, Nigeria.”

Bakare was running mate of President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2011 presidential elections under the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).

NDLEA Intercepts 101 Parcels Of Cocaine In Children Duvets In Lagos, Arrests Suspect

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April 10, 2022

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted 101 parcels of cocaine concealed in children’s duvets at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, who confirmed the seizure via a statement on Sunday, said the illicit drug was brought into the country by a 52-year-old Brazilian returnee, Akudirinwa Hilary Uchenna, who hails from Oru East Local Government Area of Imo State.

Uchenna was arrested on Saturday at the D-Arrival Hall of the Lagos airport upon his return from Sao Paulo, Brazil via Doha aboard a Qatar Airline flight, while the 101 parcels of the class A drug with a gross weight of 13.2 kilograms were recovered from his only check-in bag.

“During a preliminary interview, Uchenna, who claimed to be a carpenter, confessed that he was to be paid N5 million for trafficking the drug after successfully delivering the consignment in Lagos,” the NDLEA spokesman said.

Similarly, NDLEA operatives seized big pellets of skunk concealed in detergent containers at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, AIIA, Enugu.

According to the agency, a 37-year-old South African returnee, Ezekwesili Afamefune, brought in the consignment weighing 730grams aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Johannesburg, South Africa via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Ezekwesili is from Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State.

In Edo State, the anti-narcotics agency nabbed a 24-year-old drug dealer, Christian John in Egbeta, Ovia North East LGA for selling assorted illicit drugs which include sachets of drugged Milo beverage, cannabis Sativa, swinol, and Tramadol tablets In Zamfara State, one 30-year-old Chibuzor Uba, was arrested on Friday with 1,955 ampules of pentazocine at Kaura Namoda area of the state.

“A cross-border drug trafficker, Stanley Chibuzor, 21, was on Friday 8th April arrested by officers of the Marine Unit of NDLEA stationed at Oron beach, Oron, Akwa Ibom state. The suspect, who hails from Ihiala, Anambra State was nabbed with 11,190 tablets of Tramadol during the outward clearance of passengers traveling to Cameroon.

“In Ondo State, a drug dealer who produces and sells skuchies, Oluwaseun Agboola, 25, was arrested on Thursday 7th April, at his Igoba, Second Gate, Akure residence where 73 bottles of skuchies weighing 77kg stocked in his kitchen were recovered. Skuchies are usually a mixture of Tramadol, Cannabis sativa, Codeine, Black Currant (popularly called Zobo) and water,” the NDLEA spokesman added.

Back in Lagos, NDLEA operatives seized 746.25 kilograms of cannabis during an early morning raid in the notorious Akala, Mushin area of the state on Saturday.

While reacting to the several seizures and arrests, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended officers and men of the MMIA, AIIA, Edo, Zamfara, Akwa Ibom, Lagos, and Ondo state commands of the agency for their efforts.

He also charged them and their colleagues across the country to remain focused and abstain from acts capable of compromising or jeopardising the collective goal of ridding Nigeria of drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking.

Buhari Greets Dangote At 65, Says His Footprints In All Sectors Of Nigerian Economy

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April 10, 2022

President Muhammadu Buhari has eulogized Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, on his 65th birthday, affirming that as a consummate businessman, his footprints are in key sectors of the economy.

The President in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Chief Femi Adesina in Abuja, Sunday, also noted with delight Dangote’s remarkable results achieved in production and supply of food items, making him a household name.

While rejoicing with the business mogul, he said he joined family members, friends and associates to celebrate the milestone with the business magnate.

According to the statement, “The President shares the memorable occasion with the Dangote Group, which includes management and members of staff, and the many visionary leaders that daily redefine the livelihood of Nigerians for the better, and drive competitiveness in the economy with clear ranking of excellence in provision of goods and services.

“As Alhaji Dangote turns 65, President Buhari affirms the footprints of the consummate businessman in key sectors of the economy, and the remarkable results achieved in production and supply of food items, making him a household name.

“More recently, his dynamism in buoying the economy through heavy investments in building Africa’s largest refinery, fertiliser manufacturing company, and cement factories.”

The President further said he appreciated the patriotism, simplicity and wisdom that Dangote has consistently displayed, making Nigeria and Nigerians his first priority, while setting example for many that charity truly begins from home.

President Buhari wished him greater service to God, country, and humanity.

PDP Grants Chief Amobi Ogah Waiver To Seek Election As Reps Member [Document Attached]

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April 10, 2022