Ahead of the November 6th governorship election in Anambra state, the fortunes of the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA in the state is dwindling by the day as six of her lawmakers dumped the party for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The recent defection has brightened the fortune of the APC in the state.
The six lawmakers are: Hon. Nonso Okafor representing Nnewi North; Hon. Timothy Ifedioramma representing Njikoka 1; Hon. Cater D. N Umeoduagu representing Aguata 1; Hon. Lawrence Ezeudu representing Dumekofia; Hon. Arthur Chiekwu representing Idemmih North and Hon. Edward Ibuzo, representing Onisha North 2.
Receiving the defectors at a brief event on Tuesday evening in Abuja, Chairman APC Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) Governor Mai Mala Buni restated the party’s determination to win the Anambra governorship election, which informed the zeal in engaging critical stakeholders in Anambra State.
Buni said: “Mere looking at what is happening, especially now that so prominent and serving state lawmakers have started joining, the grassroots is moving and Anambra people are moving to the APC.”
The Chairman later presented the lawmakers with the APC flag at the end of a strategic meeting held behind closed doors.
The defectors described the APC as the preferred party and promised to mobilise support towards victory in the November 6 governorship polls.
Imo Governor and Chairman APC Anambra Governorship Election Council, Senator Hope Uzodinma, said the Southeast people have woken up and the region is committed to national politics and be part and parcel of Nigeria.
He also expressed confidence that APC is set to win the Anambra governorship election.
The brief ceremony held at Imo State Governors’s Lodge was attended by Governors of Lagos, Osun and Kogi as well as top members of the party in Anambra State.
Just last week, JOURNALIST101 reported that the Senator representing Anambra North Senatorial Zone, Princess Stella Oduah dumped the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP for the APC as well.
The former minister of aviation Is a grassroot politician in her zone and her defection to the APC is already giving the party traction in the zone.
Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, will today sign the Anti-open Grazing Bill into Law, just as the state government has suspended all activities in the state forest reserves including free areas and flitches with immediate effect.
Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Donald Ojogo, said the suspension was part of the far-reaching decisions made at the state executive council meeting on Monday.
According to him, the State Security Network codenamed Amotekun has been directed to enforce the council decision, adding that anyone found engaging in any activities at the state forest reserves will be made to face the full extent of the law.
Ojogo explained that the Head of Service had been directed to restructure the Ministry of Natural Resources so as to make it work in tandem with the expectation of the government and serve the interest of the people.
“The council has directed the Head of Service to embark on administrative overall at the Ministry of Natural Resources. We observed that some interested persons have turned the reserves into their private resources. Government has suspended all activities in the forest. There are no more free areas. Amotekun has been mandated to carry out to the fullest the issue of enforcement,” he said.
The spokesman said the state government would soon set up a committee to deal with the issue of the activities in the forest reserves.
The information commissioner said the council has also decided that all residents of the state must be vaccinated against the Covid-19 pandemic, stressing that the decision was made in view of the ongoing efforts of the state government to contain the spread of the Delta variant of the virus.
He said the council also approved that residents are giving two weeks ultimatum for vaccination after which evidence of vaccination will be criteria to access Churches, Mosques, Hospitals and other public places including government offices.
“Aside all existing protocols, all residents in the state must be vaccinated with effect from two weeks from now. After the expiration of this two weeks, evidence of vaccination will be the condition to access public places, churches, mosques. The Head of Service has been mandated to drive this process in the public service,” Ojogo stressed.
Meanwhile, Special Adviser to the Governor on Entrepreneurship Development, Summy Smart Francis, said the council also decided to deploy brand new swam boggy to the three senatorial districts of the state to address the issue of flooding witnessed in the past few weeks.
The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Sir Charles Titiloye, stated that the council has approved that a memo for the establishment of Competition and Consumer Protection Agency be sent to the House of Assembly.
The Spiritual Director, Adoration Ministry Enugu Nigeria, AMEN, Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka, has said that the attack on the Nigerian Defence Academy was just the beginning of what will befall Nigeria if the regime of President, Major General Muhammad Buhari (retd.) did not change and God did not intervened in the current situation in the country.
Mbaka, while reiterated his calls for the release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, said his detention would not stop agitation.
The cleric, who spoke Sunday during homily, lamented the level of insecurity in the country, while queried whether Nnamdi Kanu was responsible for the attack on Nigeria Defence Academy.
He warned that the attack on the NDA was still an elementary compared to what would happen if something drastic was not done urgently to avert it.
He stated “look at how our country is going. Instead of us looking for solution to our problem, we were busy going to destroy the solution God has given us. At this time we should encourage the charismatic renewal and whoever that can pray in the spirit, not to rest, not to sleep until the Lord redeem this country.
“Did you not heard that bandits entered into our most secured place in this country? Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), the impenetrable place in Nigeria and killed some Nigerian military officers.
“And people are still talking of father Mbaka and Adoration. And some Catholic are still attacking the worship of blessed sacrament through adoration – what are they going there to do? The country is sinking just as I told them last time.”
He added, “The arrest of Nnamdi Kanu will it solve any problem? Will it stop any agitation? Now the attack in the NDA is it Nnamdi Kanu now? Is it not better he is released.
“Since he is still under their custody and NDA could be perforated, violated and mesmerized what is the hope of this country if it can happen in Nigeria Defence Academy? Where else is safe?
“As I told you people last two months that what you are seeing is just the beginning of the trouble, that the main trouble is coming. This one that they did (NDA attack) is just the elementary part of it. The secondary part of it is still coming.
“Elijah started digging around the alter, he didn’t follow any method, God is not a Methodist. I am only asking God to intervene because what is happening in Afghanistan right now if God is not ready to help us, Nigeria situation will be worse in the future.
“You are free to attack Father Mbaka and criticize me, that one is your problem I am doing my prophetic work, and I don’t need apology or affirmation or support or approval from anybody apart from the Holy Spirit who sent me on this risky assignment. Even if I wants to stop it I can’t even stop it.”
He retorted, “If I ask you to release somebody and you don’t want to release, is why you should begin to attack me?
“As for, two people were arrested in the foreign countries, Sunday Igboho was arrested, Nnamdi Kanu was arrested, Sunday was held down there, Nnamdi Kanu was brought to Nigeria. Now let me ask you question, are you not imagining the velocity of what is going to happen in this country if the entire men of God, prophets of God – real prophets will not stand with Elijah to give assignments to the prophets of Baal, if the prophets of Baal did not experience the power of Elohim, if they didn’t experience the action of the Adonai they will kill Elijah; but they saw that there is God who resides on his altar.
“Look at it, during the Niger Delta attacks many of them were arrested and giving amnesty but the nature of the amnesty was that they were trained in several jobs and giving money. Federal government was giving them money which is so wonderful, God will bless them but then, none of them was put into the army. When the Boko Haram people were arrested, many of them were arrested and they were giving amnesty and put into Nigerian Army. They are in the army right now, the same Government that says she is fighting insecurity.
“How I wish that those who should encourage me should not join to attack me and allow the secret of what God has hidden in me to come out because the more they cow me down in the name of obey the church I will be silent. And if I will say anything that will save this country, and they force me to keep quiet, when the country will collapse the same people will not be saved.
“If they could enter into the NDA is it difficult for them to enter into the cathedrals? Is it difficult for them to enter into the Government Houses? Do you know what it means Nigeria Defence Academy? Father Mbaka is not a problem, Mbaka is a solution.”
Rt. Rev Ndubisi Obi, Bishop, Diocese of Nnewi Anglican Communion, Anambra State, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari’s government to vigorously pursue the kidnap of pupils, students by bandits rather than tackling the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its vigilante’s arm, Eastern Security Network (ESN), Igbere TV reports.
Bishop Ndubisi spoke during a press briefing at the Bishop’s Court as he addresses national issues and announced the 9th session of Diocese of Nnewi Anglican Communion synod, Anambra State scheduled to kick off on September 2 at St. James Church, Ichi, Ekwusigo Council Area.
He blamed people at the corridors of power for creating more problems in the country than providing solutions to resolve national issues.
The Bishop expressed displeasure at the dissipation of energy by the Federal Government by deploying soldiers to Imo State in pursuit of members of the IPOB and ESN leaving bandits and armed herdsmen to ravage in the North as well as other parts of the country, killing, maiming and kidnapping for ransom.
“When you talk about agitation, what leads to that is when the government of the day is not sensitive to what the people are passing through. Instead of doing the right thing, they do the wrong one.
“So, the Church cannot but advise on what government should do to stop what brings about the agitation.
“Just look at the way they are handling security issues in this country. I continue to ask myself why the government should send the military to pursue the IPOB and its ESN in Imo State when bandits in Northern Nigeria kidnap school children and students of higher institutions at will. Sometimes they will be more than 100 and are herded into the forest for ransom. And the bandits do these things and go scot-free but every effort is channelled towards the pursuit of agitators,” the Bishop said.
Human rights activist and critic of of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, Deji Adeyanju has described the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC as a terrorist organization.
Adeyanju who was reacting to comparison of PDP and APC said though the former “is beyond useless but APC is a terrorist organisation.”
The convener of Concerned Citizens who made the comment via his Twitter account on Monday also criticized President Muhammadu Buhari’s handling of opposing voices.
“To those saying APC & PDP are the same, why not let us try another #BringBackOurGirls under Buhari if soldiers will not kill everyone at Unity Fountain like they did at Lekki Tollgate. Yes, PDP is beyond useless but APC is a terrorist organization. PDP are saints compared to APC.”
“After all, we have witnessed more than 60 abductions like Chibok under Buhari, why is everyone afraid to give him the kind of treatment we all gave GEJ?”
All of a sudden, everyone love their lives under Buhari. Nobody is patriotic anymore including journalists. Was this how we were pampering GEJ? No Govt since 1999 has been this useless and evil, yet everyone is afraid to oppose the Govt.”, he tweeted.
An Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan on Monday extended an interim order restraining the Department of State Services, and the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), from arresting, killing, or harassing Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, also known as Sunday Igboho.
The court presided over by Justice Ladiran Akintola also extended the order stopping the DSS and AGF from freezing the accounts of the embattled activist facing trial in Cotonou, Benin Republic.
Lead counsel for Igboho, Yomi Aliyu (SAN), confirmed the development to The PUNCH on Monday after the ruling.
He said, “The judge said the interim order of injunction should continue until September 7 when we will go back to court.”
The PUNCH had earlier reported that that Justice Akintola had on August 4, 2021, ordered the secret police and the AGF not to arrest Igboho or freeze his bank accounts.
Counsel for the AGF, E. Simeon, had appealed the court to vacate its earlier restraining judgement but Aliyu said he had filed for an extension of the order on August 26, 2021, therefore, the new application should not be granted.
Simeon consequently sought another adjournment for him to reply to the application as the time frame of seven days had not elapsed.
On his part, the DSS lawyer, T. Nurudeen, said he had not been served with the new processes, urging the court to adjourn the case.
Justice Akintola subsequently adjourned the case till September 7, 2021, for hearing.
Igboho had through his counsel approached the court and filed an originating summon alongside an application praying the court to stop the DSS and the AGF from arresting him.
He is also seeking N5bn damages for the destruction of his house and cars.
Igboho, wanted by the DSS, has been in detention in Cotonou, Benin Republic, since July 19, 2021, when he was arrested at an airport as he tried to board a Germany-bound flight.
The DSS had raided his Ibadan residence on July 1, 2021, killed two of his associates and arrested 12 others.
Igboho and the leader of the umbrella body of the Yoruba self-determination group known as Ilana Omo Oodua, Banji Akintoye, have been seen together at press conferences and rallies championing the cause to secede from the Nigerian state and establish a Yoruba Nation despite the Federal Government’s insistence of a united and indissoluble Nigeria.
Akintoye, 86, said he relocated to Benin Republic to ensure the release of 48-year-old Igboho.
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has revealed that he has a document to support his assertion that there’s an agenda by the Fulani herdsmen in Nigeria wants to conquer the entire nation.
The Governor made this claim while speaking with BBC pidgin at the weekend.
According to him, the Fulani Nationality Movement who claimed responsibility for his recent attack, said that Nigeria is their only country.
He said, “Fulani Nationality Movement, FUNAM were the people who attempted to kill me recently. They said Nigeria is the only country that belongs to them. It is written and I have the document.
“I have sent copy of the document to the president, police, DSS. The FUNAM said they wanted this revolution in 1800 but could not achieve it through Usman Danfodio.
They claimed that they have the power, money and all it takes to achieve it”.
Ortom, who has been in a face-off with the presidency over his criticism of President Muhammadu Buhari’s inability to tackle the security challenges facing the nation, lamented that terrorism is beginning to takeover the country like Afghanistan and other waring countries in the world.
The terrorism that we used to hear in far away countries like Afghanistan Iraq and other warring countries has surfaced in Nigeria.
“And as it is, it seems the presidency is in support of what is happening because it is not saying anything.
“Like I always say, if the Federal Government has the power to stop secessionists like Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Igboho then the should have the power to stop banditry in the country too.
“They call the attackers unknown gunmen but for me, I know that they are Fulani people coming to kill us. And the presidency is involved in this agenda.
“The Fulani people have claimed that they want to capture the entire country”, he added.
