Soldiers in Burkina Faso announced over state television Monday that they had seized power in the West African nation and dissolved its government and parliament.
They also said they had closed the country’s borders and promised a “return to constitutional order” within a “reasonable time”.
Details later…
The owner of DAAR Communication, and the Chairman Technical Committee for Abubakar Atiku Presidential project, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, has denied saying that nobody from South East could be President in 2023.
Dokpesi who made the denial Monday in Umuahia, while addressing the leaders of the People Democratic Party, PDP, in Abia State, said his opponents fabricated and peddled such “bloody lie” to pitch him against the Igbo.
He said most of his associates come from the South East, and that he had used his personal resources to defend Igbo cause.
Dokpesi said that he never granted any interview but only held a private chat with a friend but regretted that an eavesdropper quoted him out of context to blackmail him.
”I don’t have anything against the South East. I never said nobody from the South East can be President. Bloody lie! I never said so.
”I used my platforms – AIT and Ray Power Radio to cover the lifetime of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Chukwuemeka Ezeife, and other Igbo sons, at no cost but my own cost. I gave them free airtime that runs in millions of Naira.
”In 2014 National Conference I stood and defended the South East for the creation of additional two states. All the meetings held in my house before we went for consensus at the floor of the Conference. My best friends and associates come from the South East.
READ ALSO: “I Created A Platform For IPOB To Defend Itself” – Raymond Dokpesi
”I have my greatest respect for the South East. I believe there are many qualified and capable South Easterners who are qualified to lead this country.”
Dokpesi also said he had provided opportunity for the Biafra agitation movement to defend itself, contenting that the struggle was due to prevailing injustice against Ndigbo.
”Often I have created a platform for IPOB to defend itself.
”I belong to the school of thought that believes that IPOB is not doing anything wrong. Their actions were borne out of injustice, out of neglect, and out of the incapacity of the present President; his absolute failure which started since 1985.
”He has neglected the South East and those wrongs have to be corrected at the right time.”
Dokpesi later took the All Progressive Congress APC- Government of President Muhamnadu Buhari to the cleaners, saying Nigeria is bleeding as a result of Buhari’s maladministration and incompetence.
”Buhari is a big failure. He is incompetent and incapable; he is low visionary and doesn’t understand the sensitivities of this country.
”That is why the country is at the verge of collapse. NIGERIA is so divided now than never. Did they not say that by the end of this year our debt will be about N50 trillion?
”Nigeria is bleeding and at the brinks of collapse. As PDP we owe this nation, ourselves, and the future the responsibily to rescue this country.
”We have to come together as one people. We must not allow the evil forces to totally ruin the future of our children.
”I will not sleep well in my grave if I fold my hands and fail to act now. Don’t leave me alone in the struggle. Let’s support Atiku Abubakar to rescue Nigeria”.
Dokpesi who stormed Abia with other members of the Atiku Presidential project team said that the former Vice President “is well educated and prepared” to re-fix Nigeria if given the opportunity in 2023.
Responding, PDP Chairman, Abia State, Rt. Asiforo Okere, welcomed the team, and expressed hope that come 2023 God would redeem Nigeria from misrule.
He described Atiku as a great man who had played key role in the development of democracy in Nigeria.
Adding his voice, former Chairman of PDP in the state, Dr. Ndidi Okereke, said Abia was open to all aspirants from anywhere , promising that the party elders would later take a decision after due consultations.
Other party chieftains including former Deputy Speaker, Hon. Emeka Stanley; former State Chairman, Benson Ezem, and former PDP State Women Leader, Nnenna Obewu; said the leaders of the party would discuss and take a position on the matter at the proper time.
The Personal Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Digital and New Media, Bashir Ahmad, on Monday, reacted to reports Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Shamsuna Ahmad, has resigned.
Bashir, in a tweet via his official Twitter page, said the rumour making the rounds is untrue.
He said the minister’s aide confirmed to him that the rumour was false.
“There is a rumour going around that Honorable Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Shamsuna Ahmad has resigned.
READ ALSO: “I Created A Platform For IPOB To Defend Itself” – Raymond Dokpesi
“The rumour is completely not true, one of the minister’s closest aides told me on phone,” he said.
Media entrepreneur, Raymond Dokpesi says he had provided an opportunity for the Biafra agitation movement, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to defend itself, contending that the outlawed’s group’s struggle was due to prevailing injustice against Ndigbo.
ABN TV reports that Dokpesi who said this on Monday in Umuahia, Abia State, while addressing the leaders of the People Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, said President Muhammadu Buhari has “neglected” the Southeast region.
“Often, I have created a platform for IPOB to defend itself (seemingly referring to his media platforms). I belong to the school of thought that believes that IPOB is not doing anything wrong. Their actions were borne out of injustice, out of neglect, and out of the incapacity of the present President; his absolute failure started in 1985.
“He (Buhari) has neglected the South East and those wrongs have to be corrected at the right time,” Dokpesi said.
READ ALSO: NAFDAC Bans Alcoholic Drinks In Sachets, Small Volume PET
IPOB is a separatist organization in Nigeria. Its main aim is to restore an independent state of Biafra in the Old Eastern Region of Nigeria, comprising mainly today’s South-East region of Nigeria through an independence referendum. The group was founded in 2012 by Nnamdi Kanu, a British-Nigerian political activist known for his prominent advocacy of the contemporary Biafran independence movement. It was deemed a terrorist organization in 2017 under Nigerian Terrorism Act.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has stopped the registration of alcohol in Sachet and Small volume PET and Glass bottles below 200ml amidst other stringent regulatory measures in a decisive move to reduce availability and curb abuse of alcohol in the country.
Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye who dropped the hint in Abuja said registration of new alcoholic drinks in Sachet and Small volume PET and Glass bottles above 30% ABV (alcohol by volume) has been banned by NAFDAC following the recommendation of a high powered Committee of the Federal Ministry of Health and NAFDAC on one hand, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and Industry represented by Association of Food, Beverages and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE), Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN) in December 2018.
Adeyeye said the Agency will ensure that the validity of renewal of already registered alcoholic products in the affected category will not exceed the year 2024.
Read Also: Osun, FG Spent ₦5 Billion On Social Interventions – Gov Oyetola
The Director-General, however, explained that Manufacturers of low volume alcohol beverages (200ml) with satisfactory Laboratory reports, which were already submitted to NAFDAC for registration before this decision, have been directed to reformulate their products to stipulated standards free of charge.
According to her, DIBAN was also given a matching order to embark on intensive nationwide sensitization campaigns against underage consumption of alcohol by adolescents below the age of 18 years in the bid to stem the tide of alcohol abuse in the country.
She explained that the Producers of Alcohol in Sachets and Small volume agreed to reduce production by 50% with effect from January 31st 2020 while ensuring the products are completely phased out in the country by 31st January 2024.
Even as we grapple with the containment of the COVID-19 pandemic, NAFDAC is resolutely committed to the strict implementation of the regulations and regulatory measures towards safeguarding the Health of Nigerians particularly the vulnerable youths against the dangers of reckless consumption of Alcohol, Prof. Adeyeye reiterated.
The Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, has said his administration, in collaboration with the Federal Government, has facilitated and disbursed social intervention funds of about N5bn to residents of the state.
Oyetola disclosed this at a rural community engagement organised by the state’s Civic Engagement Office at Akola Village in Oriade Local Government Area of the state.
Represented by his Special Adviser on Civic Engagement, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, he said social intervention initiatives of his administration were being used to lift people out of poverty.
He said his administration also established a monthly food support scheme and rehabilitated health infrastructure across the state, as part of efforts of his government to impact positively lives of residents.
Oyetola said, “The current administration working with the Federal Government has executed and facilitated nothing less than N5bn intervention funds disbursed to thousands of people who engage in micro, small and medium enterprises, among other industrial activities, in a bid to boost their businesses and, by extension, commercial and economic activities in the state.
Read Also: Son Stabs Mother Severally For Rituals in Imo (Photos)
“The vulnerable cluster including the aged and the physically challenged are being catered for with monthly allowances and food, while a special platform is being provided for the physically challenged to acquire skills under our administration’s special needs framework.
“As a matter of fact, several youths are benefiting and achieving their potentials through different social intervention schemes like Youth Empowerment Scheme, Youths Employment and Social Support Operation, rejuvenation of sporting activities, as well as O’meal catering for our school pupils.”
A statement by Oyintiloye on Sunday said the Baale of Akola, Chief Adegbangbe Salami while speaking at the meeting, commended Oyetola for the social intervention programmes of his administration.
A woman identified as Eziada Chika Mbachu has escaped from her son, who stabbed her with a knife severally to allegedly use the mother for ritual.
Vanguard gathered the incident happened early hours of Monday, between 7 am and 8 am at Heroes apartment opposite Concord hotel in Owerri.
According to an eyewitness who spoke to Vanguard said the young man was the one who invited the mum and the early hours of Monday attacked the mother and inflicted on her several knife attacks on the mother.
On how the woman escaped, he said: “The mother was shouting and calling for help with blood stains and wounds on her body. The neighbours heard of it and started rushing to help her. They rescued her. When the son saw many people coming he stopped attacking the mother.
“It was that time that the mother fell and started crying and the neighbours rescued her and separated her from the son.
Read Also: Dangote’s Refinery Is Game-Changer For Nigeria, Africa – Akinwumi Adesina
“As I am talking to you the woman has been rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, hospital for treatment so that treatment can commence on her immediately because of the knife cuts. The police have arrested the boy and taken him to the station.”
Reacting, the mother of the Victim, Mrs Mbachu, is believed to be a parishioner at Holy Trinity Catholic Parish at World bank in Owerri.
She thanked God saying: “I thank God for rescuing me. I thank God for rescuing me. I thank my neighbours for rescuing me. I thank everybody who came to my rescue. I thank my neighbours. God in heaven I say honour to your name.”
When Vanguard called the State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Micheal Abbattam, he said he has not been briefed and promised to call the DPO of the area where the incident happened.”
President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Akinwumi Adesina has described the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Plant projects as a “game-changing initiative” that will spur development and deepen regional integration.
Adesina said this after a tour of the crude oil refinery and petrochemical production plant owned by Dangote Industries Limited on Saturday.
“I was very impressed with Dangote’s refinery and petrochemical industrial zone. A $16 billion investment. The largest single-train refinery in the world. It shows Africa’s power to industrialise. A game-changer for Nigeria & Africa. Well done @AlikoDangote! I am proud of you,” he said.
The AfDB boss who is also Nigeria’s ex-Minister of Agriculture lauded the employment created by Dangote through the refinery.
“Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Industrial Zone employ 38,000 people: 11,000 expatriates and 27,000 Nigerians. The impact of industrialization is massive. It delivers quality jobs for the youth. Let’s do more to drive industrialization in Africa!,” he added.
Read Also: JAMB Announces Date For 2022 UTME/DE Registration
He described Dangote as “an inspirational and visionary business leader. For anybody to have done what I have seen here, I think that person deserves world-class kudos for that… I see a company that I will proudly call Africa’s growth accelerator company.”
Adesina said AfDB would continue to work with the Dangote Group to do more for Africa. He said the bank’s industrialisation strategy included identifying and backing “African regional champions” like the Dangote Group.
He added that the African Bank was willing to assist the Dangote Group in such areas as agriculture including rice and dairy products as well as cement expansion into other countries.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) have announced the date registration for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and the Direct Entry examination.
The examination body in its weekly bulletin disclosed that the examination will commence by February 12, 2022.
The board made this known in its weekly bulletin released by its Director of Public Relations, Dr Fabia
In the timeline of events attached to the bulletin, the board announced that the “UTME/DE registration starts 12th February 2022 and ends 19th March 2022. Mock examination holds on 20th April 2022. UTME holds from 20th to 30th April 2022”.
JAMB in a statement earlier this year attributed the delay in the commencement of the registration to forces beyond its control.
The Federal Government has revealed plans to make additional provisions for fuel subsidy in the 2022 budget, Mrs Zainab Ahmed has said.
Ahmed, who is the Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning, disclosed this on Monday at a meeting with the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.
Senator Lawan had convened the meeting, also attended by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, and representatives of oil companies, amid the controversy over the removal of fuel subsidy by the government.
In her remarks, the finance minister explained that the government had to reconsider its decision on the planned removal of fuel subsidy after the 2022 budget was passed by the National Assembly.
She stated that fuel subsidy was provided for in the 2022 budget to run from January till June, but after consultations with stakeholders and in view of the high inflation and economic hardship, additional provisions would be made beyond the initial period.
Read Also: 2023: Stakeholders Demands Guber Power Shift To Abia North
According to Ahmed, it has become clear that the timing for the removal of fuel subsidies will be problematic as the country still experiences high inflation.
She admitted that removing fuel subsidies at this period would ultimately worsen the condition of Nigerians, especially those struggling to make ends meet.
Sylva, on his part, aligned himself with the position of the finance minister, stressing that removing fuel subsidy this period was bad timing, politically and economically.
In his response, the Senate President appealed to the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to shelve their planned industrial action over subsidy removal as it has become unnecessary.
