The Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Gregory Onwubuasi Obi, will on Thursday, meet with various OBIdients Support Groups on Zoom.
Mr. Obi, who disclosed this on his Twitter handle on Wednesday, said the meeting will hold on the 3rd of November.
“I’ll be interfacing with the global community of OBIdients Support Groups on Zoom. I need to and I am ready to listen and hear from you directly,” he tweeted.
Time of the zoom meeting is yet to be communicated to the public.
In what appears to be a premeditated clamp down on groups supporting the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, and his running mate, Dr Yusuf Datti, the federal government of Nigeria has blocked the Keystone bank account of Take Back Naija: a socio-political movement supporting the presidential bid of the former governor.
Though, at the time of filing this report, no excuse has been given for the sanction but the spokesman of Take Back Naija, Danjuma Garba Musa in a statement, described the action as an act of political persecution, suppression and intimidation from the powers that be.
Garba while noting that Peter Obi and Yusu Datti are the most credible and competent candidates in the 2023 election, added that it is the constitutional right of the group to support any candidate of their choice.
He however, stated that the latest action by the government will not stop the group from supporting Peter Obi and his running mate, Dr Yusuf Datti in 2023 election.
Part of the statement reads, “TBN Global has been notified that it’s bank account with Keystone bank has been unjustifiably blocked by a government order. We see this development as an act of political persecution, suppression and intimidation from the powers that be to stop the youth driven grassroots movement from carrying out activities protected by the constitution.
“TBN is a socio-political movement and a non-governmental organization made up of well meaning patriotic Nigerians, actively engaged in promoting good governance and democratic ideals in Nigeria. It is our core value support competent and credible candidates during elections leveraging the energy of youths who will determine electoral outcomes at all levels irrespective of the political party. Against the 2023 general elections, TBN Global Leadership had endorsed Mr Peter Obi and his running mate Dr Yusuf Datti Baba Ahmed of the Labour Party as the most credible and competent candidates.
TBN has publicly solicited and equally received donations for the sole purpose of funding grassroots activities to support the Obi-Datti presidential campaign activities. We categorically state that blocking our account or any manner of repression will in no way stop us from supporting the Obi-Datti 2023 mandate.
“It is our constitutional right as citizens of Nigeria to support and promote the candidate(s) of our choice. Therefore, we appeal to the relevant authorities to reconsider this sanctions.
“We also urge members of the public especially our donors to bear with us while we seek redress to unlock our account.”
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested the Kogi State House of Assembly candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, Ismaila Atumeyi, with N326 million and $140,500 cash.
Atumeyi who is seeking to represent Ankpa 11 Constituency in the Kogi State House of Assembly was arrested on Sunday, October 30, 2022, alongside one Joshua Dominic, an alleged serial fraudster, in a sting operation at Macedonia Street, Queens Estate, Karsana, Gwarinpa, Abuja.
Also arrested in connection with the fraud is Abdumalik Femi, a former bank employee, who allegedly supplied the inside information that facilitated the attack on the bank by the syndicate.
The EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed to The Punch that Femi was picked up today (Tuesday), November 1, 2022 at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Lagos.
“Following his arrest, a search was conducted on his home in Morgan Estate, Ojodu where a total of $470,000 USD was recovered.
“The arrest of the suspects followed months of investigation into the hacking of one of the commercial banks by a syndicate of fraudsters who pulled off a heist of N1.4billion,” he said.
The syndicate allegedly moved N887 million into the account of Fav Oil and Gas limited, from where the monies were paid to several Bureau de Change operators and some auto dealers for exchange into United States dollars and purchase of high-end cars.
Dominic, who has severally been arrested for fraud, allegedly helped Atumeyi perfect the hacking plan through Abdumalik. Dominic, a self-styled investment expert and Managing Director of Brisk Capital Limited was arrested in May 2021 by the Special Fraud Unit of the Nigeria Police for alleged N2 billion investment scam. He allegedly defrauded over 500 persons in a phony investment scheme.
Two Range Rover Luxury SUVs were also recovered from the two suspects arrested in Abuja.
Uwujaren noted that the suspects would be charged to court as soon as the investigation was concluded.
Meanwhile, the commission expresses concern about the rising spate of cyber-attacks on banks and the reluctance of the institutions to report such breaches to law enforcement.
While warning that such reticence would only embolden the criminals, the EFCC appeals to financial institutions to collaborate with it to secure the financial sector from threats of cyber-attacks.
The EFCC had in the wake of the recent announcement by the Central Bank Nigeria of plans to redesign and re-issue higher denominations of the naira, warned Bureau de Change operators to be wary of currency hoarders who would attempt to seize the opportunity to offload the currencies they had illegally stashed away.
Nigeria’s first Aviation Minister and prominent member of the Zikist Movement, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi is dead.
He died this morning in his home town of Ukpor in Anambra State, aged 93.
The statesman who was popularly known as The Boy Is Good, recently led a delegation of prominent Igbo leaders to Aso Rock where he made a case for the detained leader of the Indegenous People of Biafra IPOB, Nnamdi KANU
Barring any change of orders, Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo of Anambra state has ordered the immediate arrest of some prominent citizens of Anambra state over flying revenue windows in their control if they refuse to appear before the Chairman, flying revenue committee, Anambra State and Deputy Governor of Anambra state by Wednesday this week.
reports that the order to arrest some of these prominent citizens including Chief Ngozika Nwokpagu and Mr Akai Egwuonwu came about following government suspicion that they allegedly divert revenue accruals to the state government over the last 8 years.
The government is worried over tax diversion in some quarters in the last 8 years and wished to unravel some of the mysteries, hence the decision to go after the untouchables in the state.
Sources close to Governor Soludo informed us that the Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Dr OnyekaChukwu Ibezim who doubles as the Chairman of the committee on flying revenue has been briefed to invite all those managing flying revenue windows in Anambra assumed as untouchables on Wednesday November 2nd,2022 at the Deputy Governor’s conference hall , Government House Awka.
For Akai Egwuonwu, who is the MD Zara stores Awka, and proponent of Anambra Rice, Soludo wants to know why ‘Anambra rice ‘concept and branding has been personalized and discover if he pays any taxes and revenue to the state for such branding and business.
Chief Ngozika Nwokpagu on his part is being summoned to explain why he is operating a park at Onitsha south, Fegge. He is expected to show evidence of payment to Anambra state Internally generated revenue for his businesses in the last 8 years.
So many others are also being invited for interview on flying revenue windows in the state.
Traditional rulers in Idemili North and South Local Government Areas of Anambra State, Monday, denied media reports that they endorsed the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2023 polls, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
The monarchs, in a statement issued by Chairman of their forum, Igwe Chuma Agbala, and the vice-chairman, Igwe Nick Obi, added that they have no intention of endorsing any candidate for the election because of their position as royal fathers of all.
According to them, the trending media reports was a twisted account of what transpired during their quarterly meetings held at Ogidi, Nnewi North, which was attended by their son and Chairman of United Nigerian Airline, Chief Obiora Okonkwo.
The publication or information circulating in the news media of the purported endorsement of a PDP Presidential candidate is not true. The fact is that the Idemili North and South Traditional Rulers Forum held its quarterly meeting at the Idemili North Local Government Headquarters, Ogidi where Chief Obiora Okonkwo came and said that he was appointed as one of the PDP Anambra State coordinators.
“That was it, and there was nothing like the endorsement of any political party or her flag bearer. We, the traditional Rulers of Idemili North and South, do not indulge in partisan politics and as such would not dump or endorse or move to endorse any political party’s candidate. We are royal fathers and hence are fathers to all,” the statement added.
Traditional Medicine Practitioners in Anambra State in collaboration with Anambra State Traditional Medicine Board members and ex-officials of the Board have raised alarm over alleged extortion of about N200 million from its licensed members by an alleged fake medical practitioner, Daniel Ejie.
They alleged that Daniel Ejie co-formed an illegal agency called Indigenous Medicine and Herbal Practice to extort money from members.
They alleged that Ejie is neither a medical doctor nor a traditional medicine practitioner contrary to his claims but that he operates from the office of former SA on Indigenous Medicine and Herbal Practice to the immediate past governor.
Addressing journalists at a press conference in Awka, at the weekend, Chairman Peace and Conflict Resolution, Anambra State Traditional Medicine practitioners, Abada Benson and Secretary of the association, Chief Patrick Ihionu, alleged that Ejie has collected about N200 million from practitioners without providing account to the government or even to the Traditional Medicine Board.
Abada Benson alleged that Ejie inaugurated a false board of Traditional Medicine which only the governor has the right to inaugurate based on Anambra State Traditional Medicine Board Edict No 2 1994.
According to him, other allegations include issuance of a false ID Card and form without the authority of Anambra State Traditional Medicine Board which is not in line with Anambra State Traditional Medicine Board Edict; establishment of a board without involving the Pharmaceutical Department under the State Ministry of Health which is not in line with Anambra State Traditional Medicine Board Edict”.
He further alleged that Ejie with his team are extorting money from the Traditional Medicine Practitioners, without issuing them receipts and that the money is supposed to be paid into Anambra State Government Account.
He also alleged that Ejie took away the budget head of Traditional Medicine from the State Ministry of Health under the Pharmaceutical Department.
“All the budget money for Traditional Medicine is always embezzled by Mr. Daniel Ejie and his team” He commended Governor Chukwuma Soludo for his good performance in the state especially in the area of security, and promised to work with Anambra State Government through the State Ministry of Health.
“Therefore, we are using this medium to inform our able Governor to call Mr. Daniel Ejie to order and also we want to inform the Governor and the general public that Mr. Daniel Ejie is neither a medical doctor nor a traditional medicine practitioner which he claims to be, …we the Traditional Medicine Practitioners will not work with his false agency, come rain, come sun” he said.
Commenting further, Abada who also is the Chairman, Traditional Medicine Practitioners, Njikoka branch, explained that they collaborate with staff of Anambra State Ministry of Health which issues members with license after registration, lamenting that the Indigenous Medicine and Herbal Practice have now imposed and collect with threat the sum of N11,000 from each member of the Traditional Medicine Practitioners across the state.
“The indigenous medicine and Herbal Practice task force invade our members homes or offices, harass, intimidate and extort money from them. We are aggrieved and that’s why we are protesting. We don’t know this indigenous medicine and Herbal Practice/task force.
We urge the state government to stop this task force disrupting our activities and humanitarian duties to the public”, he noted.
Abada however said they have complained about the development to the state government through the office of Chief of Staff and are expecting the governors’ intervention in the matter.
Secretary of the Association, Chief Patrick Ihionu said further: “We are ready for him and we shall challenge him in the court of law. Moreso, we hereby call on the Inspector General of Police to arrest him for his atrocities against the Traditional Medicine Practitioners.
We call on our able Governor to set up a committee that will investigate Mr. Daniel Ejie concerning the money he extorted from the practitioners and also to investigate budget money they embezzled for years and they used the office of the former SA on Indigenous Medicine and Herbal Practice to the immediate past Governor.
“We ask our Governor to inaugurate Traditional Medicine Board to enable us stop the quacks and to fight those that use Traditional Medicine to commit atrocities in Anambra State”.
However, some members of Traditional Medicine Practitioners, including Paul Obanikolo, from Nimo presented a receipt of N10,000, being ‘membership form’ with heading: Anambra State Indigenous Medicine and Herbal Practice among others.
We made spirited efforts to speak to Daniel Ejie on the issue but his phone number was either switched off or not responding neither did he respond to text messages.
“Indeed, is there any way anyone could look at the Obi candidacy and fault it? If it’s by turn, he comes from a place that has a genuine claim to the presidency. If it is by competence, he is miles ahead of all his co-candidates. And if it’s by transparency, he is a great saint compared to them.” The full piece
What gives the most pain to any individual is when they are not given their deserved respect, when they are treated as though they do not matter, even when they do. In Nigeria, the Igbo Nation has ever since the unfortunate civil war been treated as if it is not part of Nigeria and this is despite the humongous contributions of Ndigbo to the development of the Nigerian Nation.
This is despite the great value Igbos bring to the table. This neglect has happened and happened over time that it is becoming as if it is the tradition in this country. And now, just as the Nigerian Nation gears up for the election of its next president, this age-old disrespect has come up again as some people who think the country belongs to them are once more attempting to usurp what clearly belongs to the Igbo Nation.
But thank God for a certain Peter Obi who is not only proving a true son of his father but more than proving a match to ”them”.
Indeed, any Nigerian who says the next president of Nigeria should not come from the Southeast is either a pretender, if the person is from outside Igbo Land, or a traitor, if from Igbo Land. Yes, power is taken, not pleaded for, but then in Nigeria, one cannot deny the fact that any time it was perceived that it was the turn of the Fulani/Hausa North, they had always produced the president. This is same whenever it had been perceived to be the turn of the Yoruba West.
Need we be reminded what happened after Moshood Abiola was denied the presidency? Wasn’t Olusegun Obasanjo even taken out from the prison to be made president? Before then, wasn’t one Ernest Shonekan from the West made the interim president just to appease the Yoruba Nation for denying them their chance through Abiola?
Even though others from other zones had contested each of those times, everyone knew they were only making up the numbers.
Now, 52 long years after the civil war, the Southeast remains the only major zone denied the chance of producing the president of the country and it has not been because of a lack of quality people from the zone. In fact, if there is a geographic zone in Nigeria where you have top quality, that zone is the Southeast.
Their quality and class can even compare with the very best in the whole wide world. But in Nigeria, these people are being treated like second class citizens but funnily enough, the country is paying for it. How?
The Igbos are some of the most industrious people anywhere in the world. They can thrive under some of the most difficult conditions as everybody saw during the civil war. Despite all sorts of economic blockade, they sustained their war effort for nearly three years.
They manufactured their own war tanks, refined their own oil, manufactured local bombs and built airstrips. After that war, rather than integrate those behind those feats to transfer their skills to Nigeria, they were thrown aside so that the Igbos would not receive any credit. Today the country cannot produce a pin and is reliant on foreign countries for most of their needs. So who fooled who?
Coming to those who have been ruling the country, how well has the country fared under their rulership? I’m talking about the North. In the country’s 62 years of existence the North has ruled for 47 years and in those 47 years only the Northern elite have benefited to the detriment of the masses over there.
Let’s look at these statistics:
In 47 years of Northern rule, the North has the highest number of out of school children; highest number of poverty; highest case of insurgency; highest number of maternal death at child birth; and highest case of infant mortality.
So what has the North got to show to even their people for all the years of staying in the power corridors? Nothing!
Conversely, the zone which was nearly destroyed during the civil war, the Southeast, has the least poverty index, highest number of children in school, lowest rate of maternal death during child birth, and all of the others.
The people from here are also not only found in all parts of the country, they regard those places as their home and invest heavily there. They have proved to be the greatest believers of the One Nigeria mantra. Yet, they are seen as people not fit to produce the president of the country.
That is why now that every fowl and goat in Nigeria knows it is the turn of the Southeast, some of the people who have held the country down are queuing to take the turn of the Southeast. And they may well have gotten away with it without a whimper from the Southeast if not for a certain Peter Obi.
In the beginning, all sorts of people from the Southeast in the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, came out to contest for the presidency but we all saw how it all panned out. They turned out to be more of pretenders than contenders. And it was looking as though the fate of the Southeast was sealed when Obi roared in.
Today, the greatest headache of the oppressors of Nigeria is Peter Obi. Obi has remained several jumps ahead of them, leaving them to play follow up. What Obi is doing today has brought pride to the Igbo Nation.
Indeed, is there any way anyone could look at the Obi candidacy and fault it? If it’s by turn, he comes from a place that has a genuine claim to the presidency. If it is by competence, he is miles ahead of all his co-candidates. And if it’s by transparency, he is a great saint compared to them.
What about knowledge of the economy? That’s his strongest forte. So why wouldn’t anyone support Obi? This represents the last chance for Nigerians who have been at the receiving end of bad leadership to reclaim their country.
Obi is the most popular Nigerian now and that is saying something. They have seen that the Igbos are no pushovers and it’s all because of the man called Peter Obi. We are indeed grateful to him for standing up and fighting like a man. Oburugodu so nkea.
Once Upon a Time, Once Upon a Country, Once upon a Buhari
A time was when Nigeria was a sweet place to live in. Going to the North then was pleasurable as those people were some of the best to relate with and live among. Although later, religion and politics creeped in to cause confusion and enmity between them and the rest of Nigerians, it is only under Buhari that the final cord holding us together was broken. Buhari made Nigerians to mistrust one another and even hate one another, as the case may be. This makes one wonder when and how we lost it, especially after the way we lived before.
For those who may think that the era when we lived cordially and truly as one Nigerians was a farce, I refer them to this compilation below which I found on social media recently. It is quite interesting as it reminds us of the Paradise we lost due to bad and wicked leadership.
In 1950 in a place called Lagos, Olorunimbe was the first Mayor of Lagos with Mazi Mbonu Ojike as his Deputy.
In 1952 a man from Ogwashi Ukwu, by the name of Chief Ekwuiyasi represented Benin West in the Western House of Assembly.
In 1956 there was a country… whose first Mayor in a place called Enugu was a Fulani man by the name of Mallam Umaru Altine. He was not appointed but elected TWICE as Mayor.
In 1957 there was a country which had a City called Kano, one Felix Okonkwo was a special member of the Northern House of Chiefs.
In 1959 there was a country, a country where when its Eastern House of Chiefs was constituted, a man named Mallam Umaru Yushau, the Sarkin Hausawa or Chief of the Hausas in Onitsha, was elected a member of the Eastern House of Chiefs.
In 1961, the people of Aba voted Margaret Ekpo to represent them and Abakaliki voted Chief Eyo Bassey (father of AK APC Publicity Secretary) both non-Igbos into Parliament.
Alh. Ibrahim Abubakar Imam from Maiduguri represented Tiv Land, Gboko, in the House of Representatives.
There was a country which had a place called Port Harcourt. The people of Port Harcourt elected a man called Chief John Umolu (from Etsako in today’s Edo State) to represent its municipality in the Eastern Region House of Assembly.
Before all these, Obafemi Awolowo led the campaign for Ernest Ikoli, an Ijaw man, who defeated Chief Akinsanya in an election in Lagos. Nnamdi Azikiwe led the NCNC to a clean sweep of legislative seats in Lagos.
A Ghanaian barrister called Atta Munu, practicing in Calabar, represented his town of residence in the first legislature in this country elected by universal adult suffrage.
To the young people who have always imagined that Nigeria has always been a jungle where lawlessness and tribalism reign, this was the way it really was and the way we were.
Merit, character and patriotism held sway and the country kept pace with the world.
That was our Great Country, Nigeria before the vultures took over!
Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has said that Iyorchia Ayu, the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has refused to resign his position in order to continue overseeing the finances of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Mr Wike and his allies in the PDP have been at the forefront insisting Mr Ayu must step down as a precondition of supporting the party’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar, from ousting the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) during the 2023 general election from power at the center.
The demand began after the emergence of the PDP candidate in May with the embattled chairman allegedly campaigning and using the instrument of the party to favour the former vice president in securing its ticket.
Stating why he is requesting the ousting of the opposition chief, the governor alleged corruption, revealing that the national chairman received various sums of money unknown to the party hierarchy, some of which he has refuted.
At a media parley in Port Harcourt on Sunday, Mr Wike reiterated his request, saying Mr Ayu refused to go so as to continue overseeing the funds of the party.
The governor also said the national chairman lacked the power to stop aspirants of the party as the latter boasted of recently.
“Why does he not want to resign?” the governor queried. “He is hoping that Nigerians will donate money to the party so he will superintendent over that money.
“He has already finished the one of N11 billion from the party’s primaries. Account for it, he says it is in the account. Show the public the account. Print out the statement of account of PDP and let the world see how the N11 billion was expended.
“And this is the party that all of us have laboured to take over power from the ruling party that we said has done badly. And then the national chairman will open his mouth to talk about stopping contestants.
Ayu shouldn’t say so. He tried it in Rivers state. He came to manipulate and try to put some gubernatorial aspirants, but he saw the result. We dealt with him.”
President Muhammadu Buhari is set to jet out to London, the United Kingdom (UK), for a routine medical check-up.
The President is embarking on the foreign trip shortly after presiding over an emergency meeting with security chiefs at the State House, Abuja.
The meeting followed alerts issued by the United States, the UK and some other foreign countries to warn of likely terrorist attacks in Nigeria, particularly in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
According to a tweet by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, Buhari will depart Abuja on Monday, October 31, and is expected back in the country in the second week of November.
The President had canceled the planned inauguration of the new Technology and Innovation Complex of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) to preside over an emergency meeting of the National Security Council.
However, he traveled to Owerri, Imo State capital, to flag off the Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers before departing for London on Monday.
