Barrister Julius Abure, the national chairman of the Labour Party has admonished the former Kano State governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, that its in his best interest to accept to deputise their presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi.
Kwankwaso, the presidential candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP, haf said northerners won’t vote for the candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Peter Obi due to the succession agitation in South-East Nigeria.
During his appearance on ChannelsTv on Sunday, Kwankwaso said the only option left for Obi to get votes in the North is to accept to become his running mate.
What I am telling you is that if anybody from the South-East now, under this circumstance, becomes the presidential candidate of our party or any other party, the implication is that because of the activities and other issues that are really on the ground, northern voters will certainly go for their northern candidate and another party.
But Abure in a statement post on Labour Party’s official twitter page said Obi has the credentials, currently the man of the moment and the most popular presidential candidate.
The truth of the matter is that it is in the interest of Kwankwaso to take the Vice Presidency.
“Peter Obi is the man of the moment, He has the credentials and he is the most popular presidential candidate as we speak today.”
The visit of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, to the Labour House last Tuesday has been described as a major shift in Nigeria’s political landscape.
According to the national secretary, Peter Obi Volunteers Electioneering Team (POVET), Echezona Asuzu, the coming of Peter Obi to Labour House established the fact that the Obi’s presidential candidature was a pan-Nigerian project.
“Coming of Mr. Peter Obi to the Labour House signifies the understanding that it is the Nigerian workers, the youth and the long-oppressed people of Nigeria that will make all the difference in the 2023 general election,” he said.
He noted that the intent was already manifest in the recent unprecedented surge by millions of Nigerians all over the country to get their permanent voter’s card (PVC).
He said the ongoing PVC revolution signalled that the ballot pendulum would swing ‘OBIdiently’ to usher in a new Nigeria of the people’s dreams.
He said, “Our commitment in POVET is to add value to the collective aspiration of the new Nigeria of our dreams by mobilizing at least one million volunteers who would canvass at the grassroots in every nook and cranny of Nigeria for the election of Mr. Peter Obi as the 16th President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria come 29th May, 2023.
“We, therefore, call on all Nigerians to endeavor to register for their PVCs, collect their PVCs, safeguard their PVCs and use their PVCs very ‘OBIdiently’ on election day!”
The POVET scribe reasoned that this is equally the first time that organised labour in Nigeria is throwing its weight behind a presidential candidate in the run-up to a general election in Nigeria. He said the resolve by the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to support Peter Obi’s candidature is in tandem with the long-term drive by Nigeria’s labour movement to be more visible in the political space in Nigeria.
“Given the chronic failure of successive governments in Nigeria to meet basic governance aspirations of citizens especially since the restoration of democratic rule in 1999, Nigerian workers have decided to move from street activism to electoral activism as a way of actualizing many of the industrial, economic and social demands they have been making on government,” he said.
Asuzu said Organized Labour being the most prominent and enduring pan Nigerian organization remains the most consistent emblem of national unity, solidarity and development, hence this makes the statement that Mr. Peter Obi is a symbol of national unity, solidarity and development.
He stated, “When Peter Obi talks about moving the country from Sharing to Production formula, he is talking about one of the things that unify us – DECENT JOBS. When Peter Obi asks Nigerians to identify with the Social Democracy ideology of the Labour Party, it is about the critical foundations that unite every Nigerian – effective investment in public schools; public healthcare; and social protection for all. When Peter Obi talks about upgrading our physical infrastructure, he is talking about electricity, roads, waterways and railways that we all use. Nigerians understand that any other form of “national unity” is an agenda in deceit, divide-and-rule and plundering the commonwealth.”
He added that Obi’s visit to the Labour House likewise resonates with the desire by most Nigerians for a New Nigeria where there is law and order, where every Nigerian feels secure, where there are equal opportunities for all and where life is in abundance.
This dream Nigeria, POVET Secretary stressed has been the pursuit of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the reason the NLC has for decades been in the forefront of the struggle against incessant increase in petrol price, insecurity, electoral brigandage, economic deprivation, slave wages, hunger, and oppressive industrial cum social policies.
“The partnership between Mr. Peter Obi and labour especially as midwifed under the illustrious leadership of Comrade Ayuba Wabba, his TUC counterpart and the current national leadership of the Labour Party led by Barr. Julius Abure represents a very strong statement in the collective desire to reclaim Nigeria and recover her destiny as the lighthouse of the black race,” he stated.
A former Governor of Kano State and presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, has stated that the electorate in the North won’t vote for the candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, should the latter be the candidate of the proposed NNPP-LP alliance for the 2023 general elections.
Kwankwaso also disclosed that the alleged closeness of Obi, a former Governor of Anambra State, to a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, is frustrating the negotiations of the NNPP and the LP alliance.
Kwankwaso made this known on Sunday while featuring on Sunday Politics, a current affairs programme on Channels Television.
When asked if the former Minister of Defence had agreed with Obi on joining forces to defeat the two dominant parties – opposition PDP and ruling All Progressives Congress, he said the NNPP is discussing with “so many people, individuals, groups and parties,” believing that at the end of the day, it would win elections at all levels.
While Kwankwaso noted that he had yet to meet with Obi for negotiations, a committee set up to negotiate the alliance had met with the ex-Anambra governor and “I believe that it is highly likely that we are going to meet and discuss the issue of coming together as a family.”
On the likelihood of the alliance to happen, the NNPP candidate said, “Yes, I believe that it will happen but we believe also that there are some challenges that we are having especially from the side of the Labour Party itself, because there are so many influences – some on their side, negative and even the positive side. We have a situation today where there are some people who are in other parties, who are also influencing the decision of that party (LP). I believe it is not good for the party.
When asked if he was willing to be Obi’s running mate, Kwankwaso stated, “What I’m telling you is that if anybody from the South-East now, under this circumstance, becomes the presidential candidate of our party or any other party, the implications is that because of the activities and other issues that are really on the ground, northern voters will certainly go for their northern candidate and another party. So, the thinking is not whether I like it or I don’t, the fact remains that everybody will lose. He will lose and I will lose.”
Meanwhile, the National Chairman of LP, Julius Abure, in an interview with The PUNCH, said, “The truth of the matter is that it is in his (Kwankwaso’s) own interest for him to take the Vice Presidency. Peter Obi is the man of the moment, he has the credentials and he is the most popular as we speak and not Kwankwaso.
“When you look at fairness and equity, it doesn’t favour Kwankwaso, the mood of the country as it stands does not favour Kwankwaso. The late President Musa Yar’adua was from the North West, the current President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), is from the North West, Nigerians will not accept another person from the North West.
“These are factors that come to play and I don’t think we should be arrogant about it.”
A Political support group, under the aegis of Obi Campaign Mobilisation Team, on Sunday drummed support for Peter Obi, Labour Party’s Presidential candidate ahead of 2023 general elections.
The group also called on eligible voters to take advantage of the ongoing voters registration to get registered to enable them to exercise their voting rights during the elections.
Mr Patrick Ochioni, the Convener of the group, while speaking at the event in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa state, said the group was solely formed to mobilise and canvass support for Obi’s presidential bid.
Ochioni, who is also a Labour Party candidate for Karu – Gitata constituency, Nasarawa state, said the group had confidence in Obi’s capacity and competence to entrench good governance in Nigeria.
According to him, Nigerians have suffered enough in the hands of their leaders, especially under the Peoples Democratic Party and All Progressives Congress, noting that it was high time people realised this and vote for a better Nigeria.
Ochioni disclosed that Obi mobilisation campaign team had covered the 13 Local Government Areas of Nasarawa state and spread to 17 states of the federation.
We need a better Nigeria, the only way we can get a better Nigeria is to go to the streets, markets, mosques and churches to tell our people; and the only way we can have a better Nigeria is by voting Peter Obi.
“Before he became governor of Anambra, he was already a successful business man, he set a record that nobody was able to beat uptill date when he led the state for 8 years.
“We need somebody who has good managerial skills, competent, intelligent, knowledge of economy; somebody who will make Nigeria a producing nation but not a consuming nation that is known for,” he said.
He called on people to vote their conscience but not to mortgage their future by selling their votes to money-bag politicians, adding that a vote for Obi is for employment, security, education, functional health care, infrastructure development.
Also, High Chief Jerome Agbo said Nigerians were worried, given what was happening in the country, noting that Nigerian youths and women looked up to Obi to unify the country, settle insecurity and end university strikes so that children could return to school.
The following three things occurred in the past one week:
(1) Ekweremadu and his wife appeared again in court (yesterday). They appeared separately. They are not in the same prison. They have not seen or spoken with each other since their arraignment on 23rd June. The wife requested to appear with her husband, and the magistrate turned that request down. Why keep them unable to communicate? It must be so that they will not rehearse and coordinate their stories.
(2) The court again failed to grant Ekweremadu bail. It is reported that no bail application has been filed. There must have been an oral application that the court turned down earlier. Whether a formal bail application is filed or not, on arraignment, a criminal court must make a decision as to whether to release an accused person on bail or to remand him. This court decided to remand them.
(3) A Federal High Court in Nigeria has ordered the relevant Nigerian agencies to release the identity records of David Ukpo to show he is 21, instead of 15. But this is not necessary. The British already saw his passport stating that he is 21. They simply did not trust Nigerian immigration department. They believe that the age on the passport might not be accurate. So, sending them the same information they already saw on the passport does not help.
If Ekweremadu is tried in the UK over this matter, he will most likely be convicted and sentenced to years in prison.
The only way Ekweremadu can escape is based on the fact that the conspiracy in question occurred in Nigeria. Or that a substantial part of it occurred in Nigeria. It was in Nigeria that the offense originated. When a crime is committed partly outside the UK, the UK government may decline to prosecute the accused. But that may require Nigeria pledging to prosecute Ekweremadu in Nigeria. In this regard, the diplomatic initiative from Nigeria is to persuade the British Government to return Ekweremadu to Niger to face justice in Nigeria.
For this case to go forward, the Attorney General of the UK must give her approval. It is very likely that she would decline to give suh approval and that means that Ekweremadu and his wife will be deported back to their country to stand trial in Nigeria. Diplomatic option will likely prevail.
But remember that Britain may remind Nigeria that on two previous high profile cases, Nigerian Government begged Britian to try Nigerians in the UK, instead of sending them back to NIgeria. The first of such case that comes to memory is the case of Diepreye Alamieyeseigha. In that case, the accused begged to be returned to Nigeria. NIgerian Attorney General flew to London to beg the British court not to return him to Nigeria. He told the British court that the Nigerian courts were too corrupt. Also, in the case of Ibori, Nigerian Government went to London and begged for Ibori not to be tried in Nigeria. So, if Nigeria comes now to ask for Ekweremadu to be returned to Nigeria, the British may use the previous argument against them.
The society you abused today will Tomorrow take a revenge on you.
The hospital Ekweremadu had all opportunities to build in his Homeland but he refused , is today dragging him to prison in another man’s land !
WHERE IS THE BEST AND SAFEST PLACE TO OBTAIN AN ORGAN FOR EKWEREMADU’S CHILD?
(By Emeka Ugwuonye, Esquire)
As I thought more about the case of Ekweremadu and the need to find a kidney for his sick child, something came to my mind. The David Ukpos of this world are the wrong places to source such organ.
In the whole of the discussions over the case of Ekweremadu, one word seems to stand out as the most important word. That word is “exploitation”. Unfortunately, many people do not understand why that word dominates the debate. There was a reason why the lawmakers all over the world insisted that donation of human body parts must be free and without any commercial motive. He who donates his organ must do it free of charge as an act of charity. Also, he who receives organ must not pay for it.
Jurisprudence is the theory and philosophy of law. There are always some deeply embedded philosophical value to every aspect of the law. It is only when you understand that philosophical or moral value behind each aspect of the law that you can consider yourself knowledgeable in the law. So, why is it that the relevant British law governing organ donation made it a crime for a person to obtain organ with money, and why did the law insist that it must be done in non-exploitative manner? It is actually very simple to answer these questions.
First, there is a serious moral question at stake here. We do not want human body parts (organs) to become tradeable like motor spare parts. We must continue to value human lives and we must continue to uphold the sanctity of human life. For the moralists and people of the faiths, the human body part is part of what God put in human beings during creation. If you remember the argument over stem cells and the continued arguments over abortion, it is all based on our view of human life. Once you leave organ harvesting up to people to buy and sell, you will return us to the era when human beings could be traded, albeit now in bits and pieces, (as parts instead of a whole human being.
Another moral concern over trading in human body parts is that the poor will be the ones to sell their organs and the rich will be the ones to buy. In other words, trading in human organs will definitely result in a situation where the poor will be dying in order for the rich to live. (It is the fact that such is already happening that many consider our world unfair and unjust. Why do more of it by allowing exploitation of the poor by the rich to extend to the rich harvesting the organs of the poor?).
If care is not taken over this matter, we may come to a situation where the rich and the powerful will start breeding human beings for the purpose of having a steady supply of human organs for their own needs. Also, consider the fact that free trade in human organs will result in criminal gangs springing up to kidnap people and harvest their organs for sale. Furthermore, it may result in the powerful nations of the world coming to Africa to buy human body parts for the good life of their people. This will be a reenactment of a worse version of slave trade.
Now, to my question: Why did Ekweremadu try to buy organ from David Ukpo? Why didn’t he get an organ from the children of his fellow Senators or from the friends of his daughter? The reason is obvious. Only the poor would agree to sell their organs. Looking at the whole case, the safest source of organ for Sonia Ekweremadu should have been the Ekweremadu family itself. Why didn’t Senator Ekweremadu or his wife done their own kidney to their child? Ekweremadu has other children that are adults: why didn’t he persuade any of his other children to donate one kidney to their sister? The reason is that they are too rich to lose an organ. The life of every person in Ekweremadu’s family is worth more than the life of David Ukpo. David does not deserve to have two kidney: he must sell one to sustain the life of the rich, who cannot afford to die while the Davids of this world live their worthless lives.
To see the exploitative nature of the arrangement, once the organ of David was found not to be a match, the Ekweremadu had no further use of David. They wouldn’t even want to see him hanging around their space. So, they asked him to go back to Nigeria. When David realized that he really meant nothing to the Ekweremadus, that their interest in him was limited to obtaining his organ, he felt so low and betrayed.
Anybody telling you that the intentions of the Ekweremadu toward David were not exploitative is grossly mistaken. They used the boy. The British can see that very easily. That is why I believe that unless there is a successful diplomatic intervention from the Nigerian Government, Senator Ekweremadu and his wife are likely to be convicted and sentenced.
Senator Ike Ekweremadu Spent Over 20yrs At The Senate , And He Couldn’t Build A Standard Hospital In His Senatorial Zone , Even As A Deputy Senate President, He Was In charge Of Budget Approval.
Prof Chukwuma Soludo has on thursday, July 1, 2022 mobilized 31 contractors on waste evacuation across all the 21 Local Government Areas in the state.
Speaking to news men on the new development, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Anambra Waste Management Agency, ASWAMA, Chief Ifeanyi Ozoemena, Nzeakonobi, assured of improved waste evacuation process across all the communities in the 21 local government of the state.
Chief Ozoemena, explained that “the state government mobilized 31 contractors on 1st of July and they have all commenced work simultaneously, therefore we are expecting improved waste evacuation in all the litter points henceforth.” He further assured that there will be no backlog anywhere going forward.
It will be recalled that on assumption of office on 17th March, 2022, the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, suspended contract of all the contractors handling waste evacuation in the state in other for the new government to review their activities and come up with new modalities that will serve the state better on waste evacuation and management.
Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo has tasked the International community, particularly the United Nations system on active participatory roles to assist the country and Anambra State.
Governor Soludo was speaking when the United Nations delegation led by the Resident and Humanitarian Cordinator in Nigeria, Mr. Marthias Schmale, paid him a courtesy visit at the Governor’s Lodge, Amawbia.
According to the Governor, the visit is significant in the history of the state, pointing out that for many years, the United Nations was without an office in the South East, until his administration came on board.
Speaking on his administration’s huge and ambitious agenda for Anambra in the areas of security, law and order, economic transformation, human capital, governance, rule of law and value system and the environment, Professor Soludo emphasized that his government wants to benchmark with the rest of the world in transforming Anambra State into a liveable and prosperous homeland.
While saying that more than half of the indigenous population of Ndi Anambra live outside the state, the Governor announced that his administration will soon inaugurate the Anambra Education council, to further engender qualitative and accessible education, as well as establishing the Strategy Execution and Evaluation, ‘SEE’ Office.
In his response, Mr. Schmale said their visit was to familiarise with the South East and erase the perception that they are only interested in the North East. He emphasised that though they may not be able to make input in terms of financial assistance, but could assist in areas of technical assistance
He explained that one of their targets is to identify where things are working, learn on it and make sure other countries capitalize on it.
Secretary to the State Government, Professor Solo Chukwulobelu, Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Ernest Ezeajughi, Chief of Protocol and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Glamour Nwoye, Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mrs Chiamaka Nnake among other senior government officials were present at the event.
Popular Social Media Influencer Invited By Police Over Alleged Cyber-stalking, Conspiracy Shorty After Declaring Support For Peter Obi
Influential social media personality, Abdul Mahmud, popularly known as The Great Oracle, has been invited by the FCT police command over allegations of conspiracy, cyber-stalking and willfully making a false statement.
The lawyer was asked to report to a police superintendent at one of its stations in the Wuse District of the federal capital.
The police also accused the lawyer of defamation, emotional, verbal and psychological abuse and willfully placing a person in fear of physical injury.
The accusations were contained in an invitation letter dated June 24 and sent to Mr Mahmud’s office in Abuja.
In the letter signed by Ahmed Musa, the deputy police commissioner in charge of Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Mr Mahmud was asked to report to a police superintendent at one of its offices in Wuse District of the federal capital.
Reacting to the invitation on his Facebook page, Mr Mahmud said the invitation was sent to him shortly after declaring his support for Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party.
“A few hours after the Great Oracle publicly endorsed his candidate, an invitation letter from the police, ostensibly backdated surfaces. Nonsense.
“The Great Oracle cannot be intimidated.
“He’ll use the opportunity availed by the invitation letter to push for the rights of citizens to know their accusers and the specific details of accusations/allegations against them, including the right to be served petitions, for their lawyers to prepare an adequate defence.
“It is a right guaranteed by the Constitution 1999 and the Great Oracle will not be intimidated. He has asked the police to do the lawful thing, otherwise, he won’t honour its invitation! We move,” he wrote on his Facebook page.
Similarly, his lawyer, Rodney Adzuanaga, in a letter, said his client won’t be honouring the invitation and asked the police to state the substance of the complaint and the name of the complainant before his client could honour their invitation.
He said the social media personality would not honour the invitation until the required information was provided.
“We noticed that the said letter does not disclose the name of the complainant, the substance of the petition, how our client is for clarification: just as the petition is not attached to the letter.
“The absence of these germane and fundamental ingredients in any inquiry of a criminal nature violates the express provisions of Section 36 (6) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999.
“In light of the foregoing, our client will be unable to honour your invitation. He will however be available to honour the same if the necessary ingredients are provided and adequate time availed him to prepare for the invitation.
“We look forward to your favourable response and assure you and your office of our client’s very high regard,” the letter partly read.
Says gun men terrorising Anambra are just doing business
Anambra State governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has said that those that are killing people in Anambra State are only doing business and not agitating for anything.
The former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, spoke at the governor’s lodge Amawbia yesterday to mark his 100 days instead office.
According to him, “criminals invaded us and they are mostly not from Anambra’ State because money is involved.
“Anybody that tells you that he is agitating for anything, it’s false, but because they are doing whatever because of lucrative criminal enterprise.
“The last 100 days has been very bumpy and challenging. It has been a case of so far, so bumpy, but so good.
“Every day, we work 24 hours to ensure that we do not disappoint you. We have resolved that we must do that to make you happy and proud.”
Speaking on the security challenges in the state, Soludo said: “I remind everyone who wants to commiserate with me that I duly applied for this job
Soludo said that the innocent people gruesomely murdered by hoodlums called gunmen terrorising Anambra State would not die in vain.
He said the state government under his watch would ensure justice for the dead to please their families.
He noted that the criminal gunmen and their sponsors had being exposed and assured that every promise he made to the people of the state would be actualised.
“I am not a fan of marking 100 days in office. I prefer to give you annual report, and we look forward to the first one in March next year.
“We have launched a campaign to restore our homeland. Most people can attest that the grave insecurity is gradually being contained and we remain undaunted.
“Even as I speak to you now, something is going on in various communities in Anambra State.”
As he was broadcasting to the state on Saturday, the gunmen engaged security operatives in a shootout at Ukpor, Nnewi South Local Government Area of the state
We gathered that many people were killed on both sides in a shooting that lasted the entire day
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Ikenga Tochukwu, did not return the calls made to his phone.
But a senior police officer, who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent that people were killed while many were injured. He, however, would not disclose the number of casualties.
The Anambra State Government says that one out of the two suspected cases of monkeypox reported in the state has been confirmed positive.
Dr Afam Obidike, the state’s Commissioner for Health, made the disclosure at a news conference in Awka on Thursday.
Mr Obidike said that the state had been on alert mode following the report of the disease early this year across some states in the country.
According to him, the state emergency preparedness and response team put all the relevant surveillance measures in place toward ending the spread of the outbreak.
“Few weeks ago, two suspected cases of monkeypox were reported in Anambra East, Onitsha and Oyi Local Government Areas (LGAs), out of which the case from Anambra East LGA was confirmed positive.
“The case is currently at the isolation centre of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, where he is receiving treatment and recovering.
“In light of the above, Gov. Charles Soludo immediately declared the incident an outbreak and an emergency preparedness and response committee meeting was convened on Wednesday.
“The meeting was attended by relevant stakeholders including the World Health Organisation (WHO) team and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF). They are providing necessary assistance to the state.
“Planning for immediate response to the outbreak and surveillance, laboratory, case management, risk communication and community engagement, infection prevention and control and safe burial pillars, were activated,” he said.
Mr Obidike said that the state government had commenced the training of health personnel and response officers on enhanced active case search, sample collections and monkeypox management as well as intensify public awareness.
He urged residents not to panic and report to the hospital for proper examination whenever they notice rashes on their skin.
“Once it is established at the hospital, the patient will be taken to our isolation centres for treatment. We have activated all our Isolation centres in the state,” he said
Also speaking, Dr Adamu Abdulnasir, Anambra state Coordinator, WHO, said the organisation would support the state in terms of outbreak response and surveillance and capacity building.
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“Since we heard about the two suspected cases, WHO has supported in the areas of sample collection and taking the sample to the laboratory.
“When the results came out, we carried out contact tracing as well as case and risk management.
“In Nigeria so far, we have recorded 41 cases of monkeypox with one death. The government is taking proactive measures to bring this outbreak to a stop and sensitise people on how to prevent and protect themselves,” he said.
Monkeypox is an uncommon disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus, which belongs to the orthopoxvirus genus in the poxviridae family.
