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It Is Either Regional Govt Or Biafra-ADF Invites You………

By
bvichannel1
-

 

Date: – July 28. 2018
Venue:- Bon Sunshine Hotel
Presidential Road Enugu
Time:- 10.00 AM

 

In an invitation letter extended to the members of the public and personally signed by Alaigbo Development Foundation( ADF) President – Prof Uzodinma Nwala,BVI Channel 1 Online can authoritatively confirm that the intelligentsia in the former eastern Nigeria are gathering to determine their continuous existence in Nigeria as Indigenous People.The event will come in three folds as explained below :

1 Book Presentation.
The book, captioned THE NIGERIAN JANUARY 15, 1966 COUP AND BIAFRA: MYTHS AND REALITIES, is meant to help dissolve the yoke of IGBO COUP spurned out of that Coup and used to stigmatize Umuigbo in order to isolate and make them very vulnerable in the affairs of the Federation. It is our own story and an unbiased account of the truth of those events.
2. A Reaffirmstion of the Igbo Position, especially given that  Buhari has dismissed all previous Declarations including the one Ohanaeze did at the Ekwueme Square as PERSONAL AGENDA. It is now very imperative. If we take our destiny serious to reaffirm our position on our our future and the future of this Federation. ADF has produced a draft of this reaffirmation position. It is being circulated to Stakeholders and pan-Igbo organizations for their input and endorsement. What finally comes out of this process shall constitute the RE-AFFIRMATION DECLARATION.
3. Homeland Security.
Given the war now raging in the Federation and the grim determination of the Fulani regime to complete the conquest of the entire territory of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, we are faced with the choice of surrender or resistance. Given our vulnerability militarily, we should begin to consider what options are left to us as under-dogs.
Since the strategy currently being deployed for this total conquest is the movement of the Fulani Insurgents, in the guise of the movement of cattle and the herdsmen, if we devise legal/constitutional means of resistance and arouse the traditional resistant spirit of our people and couple this with DISTRESS CALL to the International Community, we may have a lifeline from all these and other measures.
ADF had since several months sent draft bill to the seven states of Alaigbo. Luckily Abia House has passed the bill and most of the SE  Governors have collectively rejected the ploy of the Federal Givernment to seize our land, we should stand by the Governors and the State legislators to pass the anti-Open Grazing Bill.
Once this is done, all of us in our town unions, churches,and various organizations will stand to defend the law, our land, our women and children.
ADF shall propose other relevant measures for our Homeland Security but such strategic discussion is for an appropriate platform.
Signed
Prof. Uzodinma Nwala
ADF President
Prof. Nath Aniekwu
ADF Secretary

The Future of Ndigbo In Nigeria-ADF

By
bvichannel1
-

Alaigbo Development Foundation(ADF) is fast becoming a household name within the Igbo speaking communities in Nigeria and across the globe.The Foundation came into existence after a widely publicized International Colloquium on The Igbo Question in Nigeria,Before,During and After Biafra.The Colloquium was conceived by a body of Igbo Intelligentsia,Clergy,Elders,Patriots ,Women and Youth in the light of the persistent crisis -ridden socio-political situation in the Nigeria Federation and the debate over her future and in the light of the enormous challenges facing Alaigbo both in Nigeria and in the contemporary world.The Promoters of ADF ,unlike any other Igbo Organisation, have courageously and fearlessly in an unambiguous terms stated exactly what majority of Ndigbo forced into the present highly skewed Nigeria Federal system want .BVI Channel 1 Online was fortunate to run into the President of ADF-Prof Uzodinma Nwala who furnished our Reporters with the draft of Igbo Position in Nigeria as presented below:

Please read and assist to share for the sake of our children generation;

Prof Uzodinma Nwala

 

1. We speak on behalf of Alaigbo: The Igbo-Speaking Peoples in Nigeria and elsewhere in the World, particularly those in the main Igboland, Anioma and Ikwerre and any other areas.

2. We are a Nation, a land of free peoples and any Union with any other nation must be based on free choice, namely, on the hallowed principle of Self-determination.
3. We did not become part of the Federal Republic of Nigeria initially out of choice, but by force, due to the determination of a foreign power that led to the Amalgamation of 1914.
4. After 104 years, the Federal Republic of Nigeria has not stabilised as a country and as a union of free peoples; several political conferences to determine the best form of union that will guarantee peaceful, just, progressive and stable nation, a union of free peoples; has not worked; rather it is now a Golgotha, a place where human lives (especially the lives of Igbos and Christians) are daily wasted.
5. Therefore, time has come when the Igbo race in Nigeria has to make the ultimate decision, namely, to be or not to be, that is to say decide whether –
i. To remain as part of a Federal Union of free peoples or to remain as slaves in Nigeria.
ii. To remain as slaves in Nigeria or to Reject slavery and opt out and establish our own Independent Republic -The Republic of Alaigbo, or whatever name we may freely chose to call our independent Republic.
6. As a nation of free peoples, we declare on behalf of our people: –
We Shall Remain In The Federal Republic Of Nigeria Only As Free Peoples, Governing Ourselves, In Full Control Of Our Lives, Our Land, Our Resources, Our Security, Freely Relating To The World, But Collectively Agreeing On A Federal Union With Our Neighbours, Or All Those Willing To Live Under The Principle Of Self-Determination, I.E, Ndigbo Want To Have Their Territory Recognized As An Autonomous Region. In that case if Alaigbo is to remain in Nigeria, Nigeria becomes a Union of Autonomous Regions.
The following shall be the character of the Federal Union, the Autonomous Regions and the States within the Autonomous Regions.
A. FEDERAL UNION OF AUTONOMOUS REGIONS.
1. Principles of Association.
i. The Union shall be held together by the hallowed principle of Self-Determination, making Nigeria a Country in which all the Nationalities have freely chosen to live together. In other words, Nigeria is not a Federal Union created by Conquest or Annexation.
It is our conviction, knowing our people for what they are, that Ndigbo would rather die than be slaves to any other nation or nation!
ii. Ndigbo shall constitute themselves into one Autonomous Region and will be willing to admit any other nationality that may choose to stay in the same Autonomous Region with Ndigbo, provided that such choice is born out self-determination of the peoples of the nationality concerned.
iii. The principles of Consensus, Power-sharing, Union Character and Rotation shall govern the relationship of the Autonomous Regions and the conduct of the affairs of the Federal Union.
iiii. Any member Autonomous Region shall be free to opt out of the Federal Union, if it so wishes.
2. Federal Union Government
i. There shall be A Federal Union Government which is the Central Authority of the Federal Union consisting of
a. A Federal Union Executive Council.
b. A Federal Union uni-camera Legislature – The Union Congress.
c. A Federal Defense Council
d. A Federal Supreme Court (Responsible for Constitutional issues)
e. Institutions in charge of Common Services of the Federal Union
3. Powers of the Union Government.
There powers of the Federal Union shall be as agreed and collectively ceded to it by the Autonomous Regions, provided that they shall be confined principally to the following-
i. Defence – The Federal Union Army that shall be jointly controlled by the Autonomous Regions and shall not be used for any internal operations.
ii. The Military shall not be committed to any operation without the decision of the Defence Council and that such decision receives unanimous agreement of all the Autonomous Unions.
iii. Foreign Affairs as limited by the powers of the Autonomous Regions to establish Consulates, seek and attract foreign investment for the development of the respective Region.
iiii. Currency and Central Bank.
v. Citizenship.
vi. There shall be Common Services Agencies as may be agreed by all the Autonomous Regions.
vii. The Management, staffing and operations of the Common Services Agencies shall reflect the Union Character, in terms of equitable representation.
4. The Federal Union Executive Council
i. The Federal Union Government shall have a President and such number of Vice-Presidents as there are Autonomous Regions.
ii. The President shall be Chairman of the Federal Executive Council
iii. The Vice President from the Presidents Autonomous Region shall be the Deputy Vice President of the Federal Union.
iiii. The office of the President shall rotate among the Autonomous Regions every five years in such a manner that no Autonomous Region shall produce a President a second time until all the other Autonomous Regions have produced a President.
v. Ministers shall be appointed from the Autonomous Regions with portfolios assigned to them by the President and the Vice Presidents, provided that each Autonomous Region has a Minister of Cabinet rank.
5. The Federal Union Legislature.
i. There shall be a uni-camera Union Legislature otherwise known as The Union Congress, responsible for law-making.
ii. The Union Legislature shall be composed of such number of representatives of the Autonomous Regions according to their respective population.
6. The Armed Forces of the Federal Union
i. There shall be The Armed Forces of the Federal Union responsible for External Defence.
ii. There shall be a Union Defence Council made up of
a. The President as Chairman and the Vice Presidents.
b. The Prime Ministers of the various Autonomous Regions
c. Union Defence Minister,
d. The Chiefs of the Union Defence Council.
e. The Defence Ministers of all the Autonomous Regions.
iii. Military installations, defence establishments, appointment and promotions within the armed forces shall reflect the Union Character.
7. Security
i. Each Autonomous Region shall set up and have control over its Regional Guard, Police, Para-military, Prisons and other Security Agencies.
ii. All Autonomous Regions shall enter into a national treaty to defend the Country in the case of External Aggression.
iii. The military shall not be used to settle internal disputes within the Union.
iiii. There shall be a Federal Guard responsible for internal Security outside the zones under the jurisdiction of the Autonomous Union Guard.
8. Judicial System
i. There shall be Federal Union Supreme Court responsible for Federal Constitutional matters only.
ii. There shall be Regional Courts, Courts of Appeal and Supreme Courts handling all cases within each Autonomous Region.
B. AUTONOMOUS REGIONS.
i. An Autonomous Region is defined as a geo-political territory made up of one ethnic nationality or a number of ethnic nationalities that have, in accordance with the principle of Self-determination, agreed to stay together as one Autonomous Region.
ii. Each Autonomous Region to answer whatever name the people wish to adopt.
iii. The choice of membership of any Autonomous Region by any nationality shall be determined by the principle of Self-determination provided that members of each nationality shall be encouraged to stay in the same Autonomous Region.
iiii. All territorial claims shall be settled by Plebiscite.
v. Each Autonomous Region to have its own Constitution, Anthem and Flag.
vi. Control over her internal affairs, land and its resources,
vii. Control of her Security, Police, Regional Guard, para-military Prisons and other Intelligence agencies.
viii. To establish Consulates, seek and attract foreign investment for the development of the respective Region Each.
ix. Autonomous Region shall have the freedom to democratically re-order its constituent internal structures which shall be reflected in its Constitution.
x. The Autonomous Region shall have a Prime Minister as Head of Government of the Autonomous Region. There shall also be a Deputy Prime Minister.
xi. There shall be a Council of Ministers for the management of the affairs of the Autonomous Region.
xii. There shall be a unicameral Regional Legislative Council.
xiii. Both the Executive and the Legislature shall have a tenure of five years
3. STATES IN AN AUTONOMOUS REGION.
i. There shall be State Governments provided that the States as presently composed shall be guaranteed their identity and governmental structures.
ii. New States shall be created by the Autonomous Regions provided that no State shall be created unless through a Plebiscite.
iii. There shall be an Executive Governor, Deputy Governor and Commissioners as members of the State Executive Council.
iiii. There shall be a unicameral State Legislature responsible for Law-making within the State.
v. There shall be a State Judiciary made up of-
a. Customary Courts and Customary Courts of Appeal.
b. State Courts and State Courts of Appeal.
c. Appeal from the Customary Courts of Appeal shall go to
d. The Regional Supreme Court.
e. Appeals from the State Courts of Appeal shall go to the Regional Supreme Court.
vi. Each State shall be responsible for the creation of Local Governments within its territory and defining their constitutional status and responsibilities.
4. Resource Control.
i. Each Autonomous Region shall be in charge of the natural and mineral resources, including VAT and other forms of taxation generated within its geo-political space.
ii. Each Autonomous Region to be Self-governing as far as control of its Security and Resources are concerned
iii. The Continental Shelf of an Autonomous Region shall be deemed as part of the Autonomous Region. This is consistent with international law which defines the Continental shelf as a seaward extension of the land of the coastal state.
iiii. The income and resources generated in each Autonomous Region shall be shared as follow: –
a,​The Union Government ​​​​20%
b.​The Autonomous Region​​​​30%
c.​The State ​​​​​​50%​​​
v.​Each Autonomous Region shall guarantee the protection of ​legitimately acquired individual and collective property in each ​Region by citizens of the Federal Union.
5.​Census
Any attempt at restructuring or reconstituting the Federal Republic of Nigeria must involve the conduct a fresh Census to determine the population of the Federal Union. This should be followed by legislative action to determine the exact boundaries of the Union.
​
Given the history of Nigeria and the failures of previous attempts to conduct a non-controversial census, the Union Government in collaboration with the Governments of the Autonomous Regions shall seek the assistance of the United Nations to ​conduct fresh census in order to resolve any controversies regarding the population of Nigeria and its component Autonomous Regions. The Census data shall contain vital population parameters including characteristics of the ethnic composition of both country and all the Autonomous Regions
7. In the Light of the above,
i. Ndigbo reject the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or any Amendments based on it,
ii. Ndigbo call for a National Political Conference to negotiate the Future of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the light of this Declaration of the Igbo Nation.
iii. The Political Conference shall deal with such fundamental issues the powers to be ceded to the Government of the Federal Union, the Form of Government, Collective Defence and Security, Relation of the Autonomous Regions, External Affairs, Judiciary and other allied matters.
iiii. The Result of the Political Conference shall be subjected to a Referendum, and subsequently embodied in the Constitution of the new Federal Union of Autonomous Regions of Nigeria.
8. If the present Federal Government is not restructured along these fundamental lines
i. The Alternative Option for Ndigbo is Opting out of Nigeria and establishing THE REPUBLIC OF ALAIGBO or whatever name we chose to name our independent Republic.
ii.  For Alaigbo, this is the Option of Self-Determination and Freedom, guaranteed by our Creator and enshrined in the United Nation’s Charter of Peoples Rights.
9. If indeed we find ourselves in this situation, we finally declare on behalf of our people that
WE, in Alaigbo Shall Do All That Is In Our Power, OUR GOD Willing, To Establish Our Own Independent Republic, Namely, The Republic Of Alaigbo Or Whatever Name Shall Call Our Independent Republic.
We Make This Declaration For Ourselves, The Living, As Well As For Our Children Including The Unborn Igbo Children.
It Is Our Answer To The Sacred Question They May Ask, Namely – What Choice Did Our Parents Make For Us?
ADF SECRETARIAT
ABUJA
MAY 15, 2018

THE ICC IN THE MURKY WATERS OF NIGERIA’S POLITICS -RUSSEL BLUEJACK

By
bvichannel1
-

The visit of the Nigeria-born Mr.  Chile Osuji-Eboe to Abuja after his election as President of the ICC has attracted millions of eyes to the ICC.  As President of the ICC,  an international criminal court battling with superpower acceptance, the new President ought to have known better than to mingle with someone like President Buhari – a man that still walks freely because of diplomatic immunity as a sitting President.

The ICC has always had one weakness: recognition by the US,  the world Superpower today,  but this political move by the current President does not bid well for the International Criminal  Court.  As if that had not done enough damage to its credibility, the court under Osuji-Eboe’s watch extended invitation to the same Buhari to speak at its 20th Legal Forum – a clear case of romance with someone the world sees as the mastermind of numerous killings in his country.

How could a supposed international criminal court give  its platform to a Buhari whose tenure is dotted by numerous deaths caused by dreaded Fulani herdsmen in Benue, Taraba, Plateau, Adamawa, and Sokoto?  How could the ICC condescend to the level of rubbing shoulders with the same Buhari whose body language and appointments have manifested the intent to Islamise Nigeria and materialise the demonic dreams of Usman Dan Fodio? Mr.  Osuji-Eboe cannot deny that just few months ago scores of lives were lost in Umuahia because of the unlawful invasion of the homestead of Nnamdi Kanu by men of the Nigerian Army.  How can the culprit in this inhuman acts be the same person visited and invited by the new President of the ICC?

Buhari should be the quintessence of leaders that have used their power to oppress the people.  For instance,  a situation where no terrorising Fulani herdsmen has been prosecuted by a government that is always quick to go for  members of the opposition and detain perceived enemies for years without due trial bespeaks complicity in the killings.  Are the ICC,  UN,  EU, AU,  and ECOWAS aware that killings by Fulani herdsmen, Boko Haram, and the Fulanised Nigerian Army have increased since 2015? Buhari has become a tyrant in civvies and under his watch Nigerians have lost their voice. Those who manage to speak out are crushed like stones before a mallet.  The media has lost it voice and has become an appendage of the militarised democracy.

People can see the emptiness of these international bodies in the face of these disturbing happenings in Nigeria.  Unarmed and peaceful agitators were all found in the pool of their blood on numerous occasions, with the criminal graveyard silence of these international bodies. The silence of the international community is even a worse harm to the oppressed in Nigeria  than the atrocities coming from Buhari and his Fulani people. The UN,  EU,  AU,  and ECOWAS have all become vestigial bodies which only concern is about what they stand to gain from sovereign States rather than on the welfare of citizens. It is all about business for these bodies.

Buhari continues to visit the US and ICC like a saint to our chagrin.  Scores of unarmed protesters that were celebrating Trump’s inauguration ceremony were killed by the Nigerian Armed Forces in Port Harcourt, Rivers State,  under the directive of this same Buhari. Trump’s reaction to this massacre was to invite Buhari for a business treaty that would displace China.  It is now clear that these nations are not interested in the Biafra question.  I think we should work hard to unite our tribes and various agitating groups and force our way out of Nigeria for good.  Seeing that there is a serious international collusion against the call for freedom,  we must forgive ourselves and come together to get it right.  It is time to speak with one voice in the Eastern Region.  Political, cultural, and traditional stakeholders and the people must begin to work together for the liberation of the region. It takes a formidable people to get it right.  Unity and coalition are indispensable now.  United we shall stand.  God bless us all.

Russell Idatoru Sunju BluejacK

Ekiti election falls below global standards – Observers

By
bvichannel1
-

 

“The July election 14 was full of human rights violations, political party agents arrest, disruption of polls leading to cancellation of polls results… It scared some voters away and is a clear case of violation of humans rights which disenfranchised voters as those who voted were either induced or forced to vote a certain party and made the poll to fall short of global standards.” – Yemisi Ige, Patriotic Women Foundation

A coalition of domestic and international election observers accredited to observe the July 14 governorship poll in Ekiti State have declared that the exercise fell below global standards.

The observers addressed newsmen at Pathfinders Hotel in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, yesterday, where they insisted that last Saturday’s governorship election, which produced DR. Kayode Fayemi, of the All Progressive Congress (APC) as governor-elect, falls short of global best practices and electoral standards as a result of lapses in the way a section of the large deployment of security agents conducted themselves, among other electoral related challenges.

The observers comprised representatives from over 50 domestic organisations, human rights groups and international election observing bodies, some of which are Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awareness, (Nigeria), Justice and Equity Organisation, (Nigeria), International Republican Institute (South Africa), and Patriotic Women Foundation, (Abuja) as well as the other bodies from the European Union, among others.

They praised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for proper conduct of the poll, in line with global and constitutional dictates and standards, but faulted the deployment of 30,000 security agents, insisting that such development and conduct of some of the security operatives largely marred the electoral process.

They insisted that the unwholesome practice of voting-buying tagged ‘see and buy’ in local parlance, where voters surreptitiously showed which party they voted for to party agents who would then ‘settle them,’ ballot box snatching, sporadic shootings and sending away of some party agents as well as intimidation, oppression and forceful influence of electorates’ free will, among others, were among anomalies which characterised the poll.

The observers concluded that the July 14 poll cannot be recommended as a template for the forthcoming 2019 general election as it falls short of global standards and spells doom for the nation if the lapses noted are not addressed and a re-orientation, across board, is put in place.

Addressing newsmen on behalf of domestic observers, Gabriel Nwambu, (PhD), of the Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awareness, Abuja, said: “Modern democracy guarantees the freedom of the electorate to determine who to vote. Anything against this is an usurpation. Polls should also comply with globally accepted standards hence, the observers’ job is to access the level of compliance of the electoral umpire to constitutional regulations which serve as a way to give direction for future exercise.

“Reports of observers remain a potential tool for election tribunals and other monitoring and relevant bodies for post election activities.

“Fifty-one reputable domestic observer groups were on ground in all the 177 wards, 16 Local Government Areas and all the polling units in the state, to monitor the poll.

“Ekiti has a record of being a serial politically volatile state in Nigeria and this became manifest before during and after the poll.

“On July 14, domestic observers witnessed large turnout of the electorate from 6:30am, earlier than the stipulated 8:00am. The exercise witnessed a high level of unprecedented electoral related challenges and as such, abuse will remain contentious until justice prevails, especially in the areas of cash inducement, arrests of political stalwarts by security agents and snatching of electoral materials by political thugs among other abuses.”

The observer cited some units and wards in Aramoko, Ekiti West Local Government Area and Efon Alaaye, Erungbua settlement, Efon Local Government Area where there were large numbers of accredited voters. He added that while many electorate, including pregnant women, Persons Living with Disabilities and aged people trooped out to vote, card readers were slow, while voting-buying and cash inducement held sway.

“Finger biometric capture was slow. Party stewards were indicating to voters where to thumb print. Poll was delayed due to slow pace of machines.

“Party agents had huge cash and were close to voting points. Security agents were indifferent to cash inducement of voters.

“The whole process falls short of the compliance with international best standards.”

Speaking in the same vein, one of the International observers, Mrs. Virginia Marumoa-Gae, of the International Republican Institute (IRIS) in South Africa, noted that accreditation and voting began simultaneously as early as 6:00am, with large numbers of voters who arrived earlier than scheduled 8:00am.

She said trouble began at 11:00am when “see and buy” started and this caused chaos across all the wards and polling units.

Citing several anomalies in the poll, she said: “Voters showed their ballot papers to party agents to collect money; thugs disrupted voting process by shooting, but the police and other attaching security agents did well by establishing their presence at the polling units as stipulated by the constitution. We also noted that the INEC has improved on card readers this time,” she submitted

Continuing, Marumoa-Gae, said Ekiti people largely conducted themselves in a peaceful way but noted that, in other areas, there were vote-buying, use of illiterate as party agents, psychologically conditioning of the electorate that election is do or die and proper education of participants should be addressed ahead of the 2019 poll to avoid democratic disaster.

Also, Mrs. Yemisi Ige, of the Patriotic Women Foundation, a human rights organisation based in Abuja, noted that while INEC did its best within the framework of electoral regulations, conspicuous lapses in security caused many of the anomalies that greeted the poll.

She said: “The July 14 election was full of human rights violations, political party agents arrest, disruption of polls leading to cancellation of polls results,” and added that the deployment of 30, 000 policemen was unwarranted as “it scared some voters away and is a clear case of violation of humans rights which disenfranchised voters as those who voted were either induced or forced to vote a certain party and made the poll to fall short of global standards.

SOURCE : SUN

Reverend Father To The Church-Help The Poor!

By
bvichannel1
-
A PASSIONATE APPEAL TO NIGERIAN CATHOLIC PRIESTS AND RELIGIOUS  IN THESE HARD TIMES
By Fr Angelo Unegbu
My dear fellow priests and religious, we are all witnesses to the day to day horrors in Nigeria these days. Who would have believed it few years ago that our country will become a hopeless and suicidal dungeon? Who  would have believed that leadership could create this level of poverty, misery and pain?
Who would have believed that a time would come when parents will become afraid of the rising sun because there is no food for the children, no money for school fees, no money for house rent, no job anywhere, no payments for those who have one?
No one would have believed that there would come a time when kidnapping, armed robbery, bribery would no longer occupy the front pages of our newspapers  because they have become lesser evils. Prostitution? That one is no longer frowned at.
Day after day, we watch the core values that made us who we are melting and  eroding away. We are not even worried about that because the stinking graves of the victims of daily massacres, the unquenchable smoke of burnt down villages, the circulating pictures of butchered kids and slain innocent men and women, the immunity enjoyed by the  killers, the fears in the air and so on have made the eroding values irrelevant in our eyes.
In all these, there seems to be no remedy in view. The darkness thickens and the tear widens. Those who are killed by the swords of the invisible herdsmen are nothing compared to the lives wasted by the poor economic policies of our democratic monarchs.
In the face of these, the political elites are only concerned with 2019 elections.
The  Catholic priests and religious  in Nigeria being  the most stable, organised, networked, interconnected and people-oriented group  remain the only hope.
If we, priests and religious, would take some time to reflect over the evils of our time we would hear the subtle voice of the Lord telling us: “Do not send them away. You give them something to eat”, “Whatever you do to the least of my brethren…”, “feed my sheep if you love me”, “cast your net on the right side of the boat …”, “do not be afraid”.
Now my humble suggestions/appeal to fellow priests and religious:
1) Let us in our various dioceses and congregations meet as soon as possible  in order to  find out how we can help the people in our dioceses or regions in these trying times.
2) Let us please channel a greater part of our  diocesan and congregations’ resources and attention to fighting the menace of hunger, joblessness and disease. If possible all other church projects should be suspended for at least one year.
3) This is not a time to make unnecessary expences or hoarding of food or having fat bank accounts. Let us take what we need and share what remains among the needy.
4) If anybody comes to you for help, and you sincerely know you  can’t help, before you send him or her away make sure you have exhausted all possible avenues.
5) Let us limit the number of collections at mass at least for one year or if they must be maintained let it be for helping the poor directly. Too many collections at this time could back fire.
6) Let us admonish our Church members to look around and help those they can irrespective of their denominational or religious affiliations.
7) People are dying like flies because so many sick people have no money for treatment. I know so many in this situation. Let us not send them away to go and die when they visit our hospitals. We could appeal for funds for their sake.
8) Let us make sure that no politician is allowed to use the pulpit for political campaigns. They are the cause of our problems. Make sure that none of them is given any award of any Kind. 2019 elections is around the corner, let us not fall into their traps. People are watching and making their judgements.
9) In as much as we teach the people to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them, let us also remind them that self-defence is not just a fundamental human right but a duty towards oneself, the society and God.
10) Use every means available to expose to the world the atrocities of these times and their perpetrators. However, remember that any single case of false allegation can undermine all our efforts. Be sure of the facts before you talk.
11) Discourage your Church members from selling their votes, from being used as political thugs, election riggers and ballot box snatchers.
12) We have all it takes to feed this nation and to be at the fore front of socio-economic revitalisation of the country. Let every parish, diocese, congregation go into food  production by owning at least a cattle, piggery, or poultry farm or any other kind of animal husbandry or plantations.
13) No other organisation or group is in a better position than us to pull Nigerians out of the thrash of hunger and poverty. Let us concentrate now in training our youths to learn handwork. Every diocese, congregation or even parishes should  establish and equip their own vocational institutes.
14) Parishes that have Water (borehole) should this time allow people fetch free of charge. By so doing the people will know that we feel with them.
15) Hitherto in many parishes that I know parishioners are made to pay through their noses before they could bury their dead, get married in the Church, get confirmed, receive First Holy Communion or baptise their kids. In the spirit of the time let us do what Jesus would have done.
16) It is natural that people turn more to God in times of hardship. When you see the Church attendance increase do not think that it is because of your golden mouth, praying prowess or hard work. No. It is because of the hard times. Our people are hungry, hopeless and shattered. Please let us  console them. Let us see how we can help them and not to take undue advantage of their situation.
17)Those of us who live abroad should please not only be supporting members of their families at this time. Let us remember others. There is fire on the mounting.
If only the Catholic priests and religious (Irish missionaries) were able to feed the Biafrans for 3 years during the war, we as indigenous priests and religious can do more for our people today. They are our  people, our flock. This is the time to show them how much we love them.
Fr Angelo Unegbu

EKITI ELECTION; BEYOND THE SURFACE By Charles Ogbu

By
bvichannel1
-

Fayose To Buhari: I Dont Lose Battle!

By
bvichannel1
-

 

Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose has asked the presidency not to rejoice yet, as he will have the last laugh over last Saturday’s governorship election in the state.

Governor Fayose in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi and released today July 16, asked President Buhari to bury his head in shame for using the police, army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and INEC to snatch the mandate given to Olusola and deliver it to Fayemi “whom Ekiti people rejected.”
According to Governor Fayose, President Buhari had demonstrated truly that he was not a democrat, but a dictator and fascist per excellence.
“I am Peter Ayodele Fayose , I hold with my head high . I can never be suppressed. I don ’ t lose battles and I will not lose this . I will laugh last. The President should note what the Bible says which applies to him. He that wears the armour should not boast as he that removes it. It is only Buhari that will pride himself with the security shooting sporadically at polling centres , scaring people to pave the way for the APC thugs to snatch ballot boxes .” he said
Governor Fayose said what President Buhari had won as referendum from Ekiti people , Nigerians, and international community “is shame .”
He added , “If APC has truly won, why is it that there is no jubilation in Ekiti ? The victory of Kayode Fayemi is pyrrhic. We will reclaim the stolen mandate in the court by the power of God. ”
Source : lindaikeji blog

Clark, Nwodo, Adebanjo, others stopped from flying to Makurdi summit

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bvichannel1
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The Southern and Middle Belt Forum (southern flank) led by Chief Edwin Clark, said they were stopped from traveling to Makurdi yesterday, to attend the Middle Belt summit on restructuring.

They alleged that the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was gradually descending into military dictatorship.

Speaking for the group, the Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, John Nwodo, at a press conference in Abuja, after they were stopped from flying, said even though they had secured a chapter aircraft, which was ready to fly to Makurdi, they were told that for security reasons, they needed clearance to land at the airport.

Nwodo said the elders spent about five hours at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, trying to obtain clearance to make the journey, but were refused by the Commandant of the Makurdi Airport, whose name was given as Lt. Commander A. Audu.

“We arrived in time for our flight today (yesterday) at 12:00 noon, but the airport commandant disallowed us from flying and said we needed to get permission to land in Makurdi.

“We consider this fundamental infringement on our democratic right of freedom of movement and freedom of association. There is nothing in our law precluding us from moving to wherever we like, and holding an opinion, insofar as we do not breach any law in Nigeria.

“What has happened to us today expresses a lot of doom for fundamental human rights in our country, for the free exchange of ideas as unavoidable instruments of achieving growth and development of our polity.

“We deprecate the treatment that we were given today, which treatment prevented us from physically joining our brethren in the Middle Belt, in a common view which we all hold, a very patriotic view, which we think will be the only way to guarantee the future of our country.”

Nwodo, who joined other southern leaders to watch the live transmission of the conference in Chief Clark’s residence, said they wanted to show solidarity with the Middle Belt people, who, he said, had supported the forum.

He urged the media: “Please publicise this for many reasons. One, the teeming crowd that you saw on television in the Middle Belt are our brethren, who showed us solidarity in other zonal summits. The fact that we were barred from showing them solidarity is bound to hurt them. Through this press conference, we want to express our solidarity with them. We want them to know we are one and the same in our views of the restructuring of the federation

“Secondly, to deprecate this new tendency. Not too long ago, the president signed into law an Executive order, which gives him the right to seize people’s assets. This is almost like a military government. And, we think this is an intrusion into the principles of separation of powers in our country.

“It is the responsibility of the legislature to make law, of the executive to implement the law and the judiciary to interpret the law. I do not think Section 5 of the Constitution gives the President such Executive authority to make laws.

“The right to property is a fundamental right in a democracy. It cannot be expropriated here without decision of the court. What has happened to us today shows a continuing tendency to slide into a dictatorship in a democratic government. That is condemnable.”

On whether they saw it as an attempt to sabotage their participation at the summit, a member of the forum, Yinka Odumakin, said: “The first jet that was to take us started this funny game of saying that there was a bad weather to Makurdi and that they could not fly until we got to other airlines, and I asked what’s bad about the weather. They said they were ready to take us.

“As we were about to make payments, they now said there was landing permit issues. They called the commandant in Makurdi, who said they should send application.

“The Chief of Staff to the Benue State Governor said we should fax the application to him and to the commandant.

“We waited at the airport for hours. Eventually, the Chief of Staff had to contact the commandant in Makurdi and was told that the landing permit requested by the first airline was still on their table. At that stage, General C. Ariyo Niege, a veteran ex-soldier, who was head of Nigerian military forces in Sudan, went to the commandant in Abuja.”

Narrating what happened Ariyo, who was present at the press briefing said: “I pleaded with him (Commandant) that we were having issues with flying to Makurdi for the summit, and he told me for security reasons civilian aircraft are no longer allowed to fly into Makurdi airport.”

Others at the briefing hosted by Chief Clark, were Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Dr. Chukwueka Ezeife, and Col. Tony Nyam.

Clark, Adebanjo and Ezeife later gave goodwill messages to the Makurdi summit through the telephone that was broadcast on live television.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Air Force said it was not aware of any move to prevent any commercial or charter aircraft from landing in its air field in Makurdi Benue State.

The Spokesman for the Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya, who denied allegations that the force prevented a commercial charter airplane from landing at its airfield, said the standard procedure was for the airplane to apply for permission in writing and obtain same in writing from the NAF Headquarters, before it could be allowed to take off from its destination to Makurdi.

He told Daily Sun on telephone that the only airport in Makurdi is the airfield, which belongs to the Nigerian Air Force, and there is need for any aircraft which wants to use the facility to obtain permission in writing.

He said: “If it is our own base that is being referred to, you know it is only NAF aircraft that is allowed to land there. Any other aircraft, either of another military or another registration that will land there would have to obtain permission from the Nigerian Air Force and when the NAF discovers that the aircraft will not constitute a security risk, they will give authority to the base in Makurdi to allow the aircraft land.”

He said that what is obtainable worldwide in the aviation industry is that, if the Nigerian Air Force plane wants to travel to Sierra Leone, for instance, it would first obtain landing rights from the Airport in Freetown before taking off from Nigeria.

AVM Adesanya explained that the practice is the standard world wide.

source :sun

Gov. Ortom dumps APC

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bvichannel1
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Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom at the banquet hall of the Government House in Makurdi on Monday announced that he is no longer with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ortom stated this while swearing in the newly appointed Special Adviser on Local Government and Cheftaincy Affairs, Jerome Torshimbe, disclosing that the APC had given him ‘red card’ to quit party.

Confirming this development on Monday, the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, quoted the governor as saying that, “As for party, I’ve been given the red card and I’m now outside the pitch. So, if I have been given the red card and I’m standing outside, that means I’m a free man.”

The Governor is yet to disclose his new found political party, but has, however, noted that as soon as he makes up his mind in that regard, he would make it known to the Benue people.

“I don’t know what will happen next, but I’m waiting. If others approach me, then I will tell the Benue people that I’m joining another football club.”

He, therefore, called on the people of the state to remain united and not to allow party or ethnicity cause diversion among them, stressing that God who helped him to win in 2015 is well able to see him through in the coming general elections.

“Let party or ethnicity not divide us. I’m a child of destiny and it’s only God that will decide what I will be. These challenges that we see today, we shall see them no more. All that we are required to do is not to begin to be wayward in our conduct but to move to the righteous side of God. Once we do that, things will work out for our good.”

Ekiti: Group takes case to Trump

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bvichannel1
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…says there might not be Nigeria after 2019 elections

The Leadership and Accountability Initiative, a non governmental organization, has petitioned United States (US) President Donald Trump over political developments in the country, particularly in Ekiti state.
The group which converged at the United States Embassy in Abuja, displayed banners with inscriptions such as ‘Save Nigeria’s Democracy,’ ‘Democracy Under Threat,’ and ‘General Buhari Respect the Rule of Law! Let the Will of the People Prevail.’
The petition was received by an official of the United States Embassy who did not disclose his name nor speak with the media.
Efforts by Daily Sun to ascertain the identity of the US official did not yield positive result at the time of filing this report.

Grievances against the Nigerian government listed in the letter titled ‘Saving Nigeria’s Democracy from Total Collapse’ revolved around the violation of citizens’ rights.

Examples cited by the group include the raiding of Akwa Ibom Governor’s Lodge in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State; the incarceration of late Gordon Obuah, former Chief Security Officer to former President Goodluck Jonathan by the Department of State Services (DSS) and the raiding of the Abuja home of ex-Governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa.

Others were the detention of former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki and Leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), Sheik Ibrahim El Zakzaky; supervision of a systemic ethnic cleansing of Christian minorities in northern Nigeria by terrorist herdsmen in Southern Kaduna, Benue, Plateau, Taraba, Zamfara, Sokoto, and Adamawa States.

The group also listed the Boko Haram continuous threat to the Nigerian people and the Nigerian government’s placing of a total media blackout on the activities; the beaten, teargas and public dehumanisation of the Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, amongst others.

Addressing the United States official on their mission to the embassy, the Head of Mission, Leadership and Accountability Initiative, Nwazuruahu Shield, said “We are worried that if nothing is said or done and urgently too, there might not be Nigeria after 2019 elections.
“We are worried that the world is keeping quiet while we get killed everyday. There is a cleansing in Benue and nobody is speaking. We are worried that the world is looking at us. It is looking at us! This is supposed to be a democracy. Is it until we become Somalia before the world would intervene?” Nwazuruahu asked.

He further said they were at the embassy with a letter of passionate appeal to Trump from people who see the United States as a bastion of democracy and a nation that teaches others how democratic rules should be.

According to Nwazuruahu, “We are here, we are appealing. US is a different entity on its own and we are a different country of our own. But we know that there is what is called international community concern where there are little, little threats that can threaten peace and security anywhere in the world.

“We have highlighted many of the grievances that we have; many things that have been done by this government that are against the constitution. Everything done here, we have pictures, we have examples, we have date and time.

“We have articulated the failings of this government and what we are doing today is that tomorrow, if anything happens, the world will not say we kept quiet.”

The group further said they were going to take their displeasure with the Nigerian government to the United Nations, the European Union and all embassies and missions in the country to continue pleading until someone speaks to Aso Rock.

Nwazuruahu added: “This is not how democracy is run. We saw what happened in Ekiti two days ago (Saturday). That is not democracy. How can men on uniform be supervising the snatching of ballot boxes? You cannot take the only power that the citizens have which is the power of the PVC. You cannot assault a sitting governor. We are still in a democracy,” he said.

source : Sun

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