News / politics

Seven APC presidential aspirants reject Governors’ shortlist

Seven of the presidential aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress have dissociated themselves from the shortlist presented to President Muhammadu Buhari by Northern Governors to choose a consensus candidate from.

Their position was contained in a letter on Tuesday to President Muhammadu Buhari, hours to the APC primaries.

In the statement by one of them and a former Minister for Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, the aggrieved aspirants said the position of the Governors was meant to sideline others, especially from the South East and South South.

The statement said: “In the past few hours we have been bombarded with calls and messages from my supporters and concerned Nigerians on a list of five Presidential aspirants submitted to President Buhari to choose from. “As long as we are concerned no list has been submitted to Mr. President, the move by the Governors is considered a joke taken to the extreme with the aim of playing with the intellect of Nigerians particularly us from the South-East.

“Mr. President’s directive is very simple, that all Presidential aspirants including those from the North should meet and harmonise inorder to produce a single candidate.  As it stands we have not been consulted or attended a meeting where it was agreed that such names be sent to Mr. President.

“In the so-called list out of the five names only one was selected from the South-East and we are talking about fairness and justice to the South. What the Governors have done is a mere picnic in the park.  These are the same Governors talking about Equity, justice and fairness yet in a clandestine manner purportedly sidelined the South East.

“In the absence of any harmonised agreement no list has been submitted to Mr. President, what they have done is just nothing but a charade which is bound to fail.
“We also have it on good authority that the majority of these Governors have been promised and also given various forms of gratifications in order to thwart the process in favour of …

News / politics / Security

DSS rescues kidnapped mother of Kano senatorial candidate in Jigawa

Barely 24 hours after Hajia Laure Mai-Kunu, the aged mother of the Kano Central Senatorial District candidate, A. A Zaura was kidnapped, operatives of the Department of State Services, on Tuesday, rescued her in far-away Jigawa State.

An unspecified number of unknown gunmen invaded Zaura town in Ungogo Local Government area of Kano State and kidnapped the mother of the All Progressive Congress senatorial candidate, on Monday.

The Chairman, Ungogo Local Government Area, Abdullahi Ramat, confirmed on Tuesday that she had been rescued in Jigawa State.

Also, a top DSS operative, who declined his name in print, confirmed that their operatives rescued Laure and another aged woman, who was abducted for about 10 days.…

News / politics / Religion / Security

Owo attack: Akeredolu directs flags to fly at half-mast for seven days

Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has directed that flags should be flown at half-mast in all public buildings, facilities and official residences for seven days in honor of the victims of the Owo terror attack on Sunday.

This is contained in a statement issued by Akeredolu’s Chief Press Secretary, Richard Olatunde on Monday  in Akure.

”In honor of the victims of this unfortunate attack, I hereby direct that all flags be flown at half-mast for seven days, starting from Monday to June 12.

”It is a collective loss to the people of our dear state. ”The attack on innocent worshipers at the St Francis Catholic Church, Owa-luwa Street,Owo is a deliberate and calculated assault on the people of the state.

”Those who unleashed this unprovoked terror attack on our people have tested our collective resolves.

”We will not be deterred in responding appropriately to this dastardly act,” he said.…

News / politics

I’ll step down if APC says so — Pastor Bakare at screening venue

A presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has said he will step down from the 2023 race if his party so demands.

Bakare spoke on Monday with newsmen in Abuja at the venue of the screening of presidential aspirants of the APC.

On Monday, the screening committee, headed by former National Chairman of the party, John Odigie-Oyegun, screened former Lagos State Governor and National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; former Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun; former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi; Jigawa State Governor, Abubakar Badaru; and former Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba. Others also screened were Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi; Felix Nicholas; Senator Ajayi Borroffice; former Senate President, Ken Nnamani; Uju Ken-Ohaneye; and former Governor of Zamfara State, Sani Yerima. Bakare told newsmen: “The party supremacy is the utmost essence.

“You cannot force your way through a party’s structure.

“The party has the final say.

“And when we get to that bridge, we will know how to cross it.

“The screening exercise is to check who is guilty and who is not.

“And it depends on the people, who are doing the screening.

“By God’s grace, we have complied with everything demanded for.

“We have supplied every information.

“And every information given is accurate and there is no miscommunication anywhere.

“Therefore, we will listen to what they have to say to us.

“And we trust God for accurate answers and deserving answers to all questions.”

On her part, the only female aspirant, Ken-Ohaneye, also said she would step down if the party asked her to do so, provided the party would be willing to carry on with her economic blueprints.

She said: “I want you to know that we are a family politically, and if I am asked by the party to step down, I will not challenge the party, because, like they say, charity begins at home.

“I will never see it as a problem to my party, because I am going to …

News / politics

After a call by Peter Obi, Reno Omokri apologises to him for criticism

Reno Omokri, a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, has apologised to a former Governor of Anambra State and presidential candidate of the Labour Party for the 2023 elections, Peter Obi.

Omokri’s apology followed his criticism of the two-term Governor on Arise TV over his decision to join Labour Party.

Obi had dumped the Peoples Democratic Party for Labour Party last week.

He then emerged the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in Asaba, Delta State on Monday. Omokri has on Arise TV described Obi as opportunistic.

However, he has retracted his criticism.

Writing on his Twitter handle on Sunday, Omokri tweeted: “I have just spoken to @PeterObi.

“I apologise for my comments on AriseTV, and Peter told me to inform the public that certain persons on Twitter and other social media, who have alienated him from so many, do not speak for him or his campaign.

“He will also be tweeting a statement.

“Actually, @PeterObi called me.

“I did not call him.

“I am tagging him.

“I apologised.

“He publicly took the advise I gave and made a PUBLIC appeal to you, his followers, to desist from alienating him from his friends.

“Please allow this issue rest.

“God bless you.”…

News / politics

Most of those around Atiku have no political value — Wike

The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has said most of those surrounding the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, have no political value.

So also did Wike complain that there was an agenda to turn some Nigerians into second class citizens in their country.

Wike said these and more, according to a statement by his Media Aide, Kelvin Ebri, at a reception for him on his return to Rivers State after the presidential primaries of the PDP, which he lost to Atiku by 237 votes to 371 votes.

He said he was disappointed that some Southern governors acted contrary to their agreement before the primaries. He said it was the agreement of the governors of southern Nigeria that the presidency should come to the South, and he did not betray that agreement.

He described as shameful the inability of some of those who were part of the agreement to stick to the agreement when it mattered.

He said at the reception in Port Harcourt, the state capital: “I contested in an election (primary) based on the principle and agreement with all southern governors and leaders of the South that presidency should go to the South this period.

“We have done our part. We never betrayed anybody because it is not in our blood to betray. But it is a shame to those people, some of the governors from the South, they are the people that were used to sabotage our course.

“Look at a region ganged up, then you, your region cannot gang up. You became tools to be used against the interest of your people, and you think you have won, you have lost.

“You will continue to be perpetual slaves. Rivers people, you don’t need to bother yourselves. The PDP needs us. If they say they don’t need us, they should wait.

“The winner (of the ticket) also saw it. They underrated us, but now, they will not underrate us again. We have all it takes to do whatever we want to do.

“It …

News / politics

48 hours to APC presidential primary: Another shift likely over absence of screening, convention committee

Uncertainty trailing conduct of the special convention of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to nominate its presidential candidate for the 2023 general election is giving party members anxious moments as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) deadline draws nearer.

The Guardian gathered yesterday that there are strong indications that the party may further alter the convention date, which is originally scheduled for May 29 to 30. This came to the fore as the Senator Abdullahi Adamu-led National Working Committee (NWC) is yet to constitute convention planning committees as at 5p.m. yesterday, as it was the case, in both 2014 and 2018 where Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State headed both conventions that produced President Buhari as the party’s candidate.

Also, about 72 hours to the exercise, the ruling party is yet to screen its presidential aspirants, who have purchased and returned their expression of interest and nomination forms.

The development may not be unconnected with the party’s inability to settle for either the direct, indirect or consensus modes of selecting its standard bearer.

As at Thursday, President Muhammadu Buhari, members of the Governor Atiku Bagudu-led Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF) and the NWC have yet to come up with a definite position on how to resolve the issue relating to the selection of a presidential candidate.

Besides, the decision by the party to reschedule the conduct of its governorship, House of Assemblies, Senate and House of Representatives primaries between Thursday and Saturday after several postponements may have been responsible for the delay.

President Buhari had, earlier in the week, met behind closed door with APC governors, National Assembly leadership and the party’s NWC to arrive at a decision concerning the primary. While details of the meeting remained sketchy, it was hinted that the meeting dwelt on exploring the possibility for a consensus presidential candidate for the party before the date for screening would be fixed.

But since then, the screening has remained a subject of speculation with pundits insinuating plans to have aspirants withdraw from the race for the yet-to-be

…
News / politics

Sanwo-Olu, Abiodun, Zulum, others pick APC second term ticket

It was the turn of All Progressives Congress (APC), delegates yesterday, to exercise their mandate of choosing governorship candidates across the country, a day after the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) conducted theirs.

In Lagos State, delegates defied the rain at the Onikan Stadium (Mobolaji Johnson Arena) to elect Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu as their candidate for next year’s election.

Even though there were three aspirants for the primary, including Mr Wale Oluwo and Mustapha Olorunfemi, only the governor attended the exercise.

According to sources, the other two were not allowed into the venue because they were not cleared at the national level.

Sanwo-Olu arrived at 12:50 p.m. and thereafter, accreditation and voting commenced. In attendance were the Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat; Speaker House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; Lagos APC chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi and state executive council members, among others.

The total number of delegates announced by the chairman of the Lagos APC gubernatorial electoral committee, Adamu Shettima Yuguda, was 1,225 from 245 wards across 20 local councils. The total number of accredited delegates was 1,198.

At the end of the primary, Sanwo-Olu scored 1,170 votes, though he was unopposed while 12 votes were invalidated.

While declaring Sanwo-Olu as the winner, Yuguda thanked the delegates for their patience. He also reiterated that out of the three aspirants that collected forms, only one was cleared while two were disqualified from Abuja.

In his address, Sanwo-Olu said: “As God answered us today, it is going to happen to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu between Sunday and Monday.”

Oluwo, after the exercise, alleged fraud in the Lagos APC delegates list.

According to Oluwo, the delegates were those handpicked by one of the APC factions in the state through a sham delegates congress purportedly held in the 245 wards on May 18 and 19.

He said: “We note that the screening committee, which was inaugurated by the APC National Headquarters to screen all governorship aspirants in Lagos, has refused to publish the results of the exercise as at the time of this press release. The approved Election …

News / politics

Osinachi: FG files 23-count charges against her husband

The Federal Government has filed 23-count charges against Peter Nwachukwu, the husband of late popular gospel artist, Osinachi.

Recall that the “Ekwueme” crooner died on April 8, 2023 after her husband allegedly assaulted her several times.

Nwachukwu was charged under sections 104 and 379 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, by the Attorney-General of the Federation.

The defendant was charged with culpable homicide contrary to section 221 of the Penal Code, which is punishable with death. The case, with charge number: CR/199/2022, was filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on May 20, 2022 by the Head, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, Department of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Ministry of Justice, Yewande Gbola-Awopetun.

The 42-year-old musician died after spending days at an undisclosed hospital in Abuja.

Nwachukwu was consequently arrested by the police after colleagues of Osinachi, who was a lead singer at the Dunamis International Headquarters, Abuja, accused him of beating her.

Count one reads: “That you Peter Nwachukwu, 56, male, on the 8th of April, 2022 at Aco Estate, opposite police station, Lugbe, Abuja, FCT, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, did commit an offence to with: culpable homicide punishable with death in that you caused the death of Mrs Osinachi Nwachukwu by your various acts of violence and aggravated assault with the knowledge that her death would be the probable consequence of your acts.”

Count two reads: “Statement of offence: Wilfully placing a person in fear of physical injury contrary to section 4(1) of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same section of the Act.”…

News / politics

Jonathan to APC, PDP: Your ongoing primaries a mess

Nigeria’s former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, has castigated the country’s political parties for the mess they have made of their ongoing primaries for the 2023 elections.

The Peoples Democratic Party and All Progressives Congress are among the parties conducting their primaries now.

Jonathan, who spoke on Thursday in Abuja at the launch of a book titled: “Political Party Governance,” authored by Dr. Mohammed Wakil, a former Minister of State for Power, said: “These whole primaries going on across the country is a mess. “This is not a standard practice. “The process has failed.

“We cannot use the process to elect president, governors, senators and House of Representatives members and others.

“The process is already failed, which is not good for the country.

“But we will manage and move on.

“We pray that good people should come.

“I hope that what happened this year, 2022, will not happen again in this country.”…

News / politics

Abacha’s son wins Kano PDP governorship primaries

Alhaji Muhammad Abacha, son of former military leader, late General Sani Abacha, has emerged the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for the 2023 general election in Kano State.

He polled 736 votes to defeat Jafar Sani-Bello, who scored 710 votes in the primaries, on Wednesday in Kano State.

Announcing the results, the Returning Officer, Hajiya Amina Garba, declared Abacha as the winner of the primaries having scored 736 votes.

The Chairman the Electoral Committee, Alhaji Mohammed Jamu, said the primaries were legally conducted with validly-elected delegates and supervised by the Independent National Electoral Commission, police and Department of State Services operatives.…

Foreign / Movies / News / politics / War

Actor Morgan Freeman has been banned from Russia

Although many people around the world consider him to have the voice of God, with a booming baritone that may save or damn a movie, this did not stop the Russians from naming Freeman in a list released by the Russian government of more than 900 Americans who have been banned from entering the country for being “anti-Russian.”

The un-Free man when it comes to visiting Russia, was blacklisted (ironically on a list full of whites) due to his role in the creation of a video slamming the Russian government’s involvement in the United States’ 2016 presidential election.

The Stand by Me star directed and narrated the video, which was released in 2017, and also features fellow actor Rob Reiner.

Reiner, naturally, was also on the ban list.

President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, former U.S. Secretary of State and First Lady Hillary Clinton, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg along with three deceased U.S. Senators, including John McCain, were on the list.

Regarding the McCain and the other deceased senators, this could be Russian President Vladmir Putin’s way of ensuring that, in this world or the next, he will find you like Liam Neeson promised in the movie Taken.

“In the context of responding to the constantly imposed anti-Russian sanctions by the United States and in connection with incoming requests about the personal composition of our national ‘stop list,’ the Russian Foreign Ministry publishes a list of American citizens who are permanently banned from entering the Russian Federation,” the list reads.

“We emphasize that the hostile actions taken by Washington, which boomerang against the United States itself, will continue to receive a proper rebuff. Russian counter-sanctions are forced and aimed at forcing the ruling American regime, which is trying to impose a neo-colonial “rules-based world order” on the rest of the world, to change its behavior, recognising new geopolitical realities.”

Freeman will soon be starring in a movie called “A Good Person”, which Putin would probably rename “A Good Person to be on the Ban List”, but

…
News / politics

Osinbajo, Lawan, Umahi consult APC delegates in Imo

Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, and Gov. Dave Umahi of Ebonyi have consulted with delegates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo.

The trio consulted with the delegates in separate meetings in Owerri, the Imo capital, on Tuesday, ahead of the APC’s presidential primaries slated for May 29.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Osinbajo met with delegates from Abia and Ebonyi states in a closed-door session. Lawan, who consulted with the delegates at the party’s secretariat in Owerri, pledged to fully accommodate the interests of the South-East geo-political zone, if elected president. He thanked Gov. Hope Uzodimma for his “excellent leadership skills” in Imo and the South-East, promising not to let Nigerians down.

Also speaking in the course of his consultation, Gov. Umahi pledged to make Nigeria proud if elected president of the nation in 2023.

He assured that his developmental strides in Ebonyi were only a glimpse of his planned developmental initiatives for Nigeria.

“It is with a deep sense of responsibility and humility that I inform you of my intention to contest for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the platform of the All Progressives Congress come 2023.

“If elected President, we shall run a participatory government and, together, develop policy frameworks that will enhance the physical and social environment and tackle corruption and insecurity.

“I will make you proud as president of Nigeria come 2023. The transformation you see in Ebonyi is a microcosm of the macrocosm of Nigeria’s attainment come 2023.

“We shall address squarely, the problems that deter the growth of our economy, especially through the creation of critical infrastructure and manpower development,” he said.…

Law / News / politics

Falana to Minister of Finance: You lack powers to suspend AGF

Human Rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has told the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, that she lacks the power to suspend the Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, over allegations of fraud.

Falana spoke amid allegations Idris was under probe for N80 billion fraud by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

He said it was only President Muhammadu Buhari that has such powers to suspend the AGF.

He said: “In exercise of his powers under section 171 of the Constitution, President Buhari appointed Ahmed Idris as the Accountant-General of the Federation on June 25, 2015. Upon the expiration of 4-year tenure, Mr Idris was reappointed as the Accountant-General of the Federation by the President on June 19, 2019. “It is submitted that by the combined effect of section 320 of the Constitution and section 11 of the Interpretation Act, it is the exclusive constitutional responsibility of President Buhari to suspend Mr Idris as the Accountant-General of the Federation.

“Specifically, section 11(1) (b) of the Interpretation Act provides that ‘Where an enactment confers a power to appoint a person either to an office or to exercise any functions, whether for a specified period or not, the power includes the power to remove or suspend him.’

“From the foregoing, it is undoubtedly clear that it is only the President who appointed Mr Idris as the Accountant-General of the Federation and reappointed him to the office that is constitutionally empowered to suspend him or interdict him pending his investigation and prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

“I believe that the Minister of Finance knows or ought to know that she lacks the power to suspend Mr Idris from duty since did not appoint or reappoint him as the Accountant-General of the Federation.

It is hoped that the Federal Government has not deliberately played into the hands of Mr Idris to provide a legal escape route for him as he may soon challenge his suspension in the National Industrial Court. Since the action of the Minister is illegal …

News / politics

Osinbajo group to Tinubu: VP won’t step down for you

The umbrella organization of all pro-Yemi Osinbajo support groups, The Progressive Project, has said that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will not step down for the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress in the race for the 2023 presidential ticket.

The TPP Director of Operations, Alhaji Usman Aliyu Usman, stated this amid suggestion Osinbajo will step down for Tinubu ahead of the party’s primaries.

Usman said in a statement on Sunday that “some paid agents and other supporters who feel threatened by the candidature of Professor Osinbajo seem determined for a gutter fight which Osinbajo supporters cannot join”.

He said: “One of our visible supporters, Professor Olusola Adeyeye, a two-term Senator who represented Osun Central Senatorial District between 2011 to 2019 made some weighty statements about the APC presidential primaries on Saturday and by Sunday, really baseless and mischievous anti-Osinbajo statements began circulating. “Unfortunately, one of these came from Mr. Daniel Bwala, an aide to Deputy Senate President, Senator (Ovie) Omo-Agege who currently appears to moonlight as spokesman for the Bola Tinubu campaign.

“Specifically, without any proof, Mr. Bwala started circulating a video clip with claims that Professor Yemi Osinbajo is ‘allegedly planning to step down for Asiwaju’; Mr. Bwala had no evidence and he ought to know better than going to town with such.

“Without doubt, Professor Yemi Osinbajo is still riding high in the race and our decision not to interfere in some camps’ deliberate spread of illusion and untruths is only motivated by our genuine confidence in our candidate’s prospects.

“As stated long ago, no group linked to TPP will join any individual or group in playing gutter politics or smearing others but we need to unequivocally state that Professor Yemi Osinbajo is not contemplating any measure of capitulation to any candidate.

“While we are sworn to total allegiance to the Constitution, patriotic values and the spirit of good sportsmanship, we denounce the misleading information and unbecoming tricks that some supporters in other presidential candidates’ camps embrace so eagerly.

“We denounce too, the baseless ad unhelpful information …

News / politics

APC primaries: I have reserved hotels with food for over 7,000 delegates — Osinbajo

The Prof. Yemi Osinbajo Campaign Organisation on Wednesday said that it would provide hotel accommodation for more than 7,000 All Progressives Congress delegates across the country during the party’s presidential primary election.

Senator Babafemi Ojudu, Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari, Office of the Vice-President, disclosed this.

Ojudu announced this to delegates in Minna, while wooing them to vote for Osinbajo during the party’s primaries.

He said: “Before you leave Minna to the national delegates conference, your hotel accommodations and other things will be provided for you to enable you to feel at home through out the delegates conference. “We have provided hotel accommodations for the more than 7,000 APC delegates to the presidential primary election.

“We don’t want a situation where more than one person will stay in a room.

“We want all of you to feel comfortable during the primary election.”

Ojudu said that there would be vehicles to convey the delegates to and fro the venue from their hotels and also a desk officer in each hotel to attend to the needs of the delegates.

“At the hotel, food will be provided and there will be a desk officer to attend to all your needs,” he said.

Ojudu said that the campaign organization would do everything possible to reward the delegates if Osinbajo is elected as the party’s candidate and by the grace of God emerges the president in the 2023 general election.

He said: “In the past our delegates have not been rewarded.

“Rather other people who did not contribute were rewarded with appointments and jobs.

“If Osinbajo is elected as promised, we are going to reward all of you with jobs and appointments.”

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that while Ojudu was briefing the delegates and newsmen, Osinbajo was having a closed door meeting with the state Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello.

NAN also reports that after the meeting with Bello, Osinbajo met the delegates in a closed door before leaving Minna.…

Law / News / politics

Just In: Osun poll: Court affirms Adeleke as PDP candidate

A Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, Osun State has affirmed Ademola Adeleke as Peoples Democratic Party candidate for the July 16th governorship election in Osun State.

The suit was filed by Prince Dotun Babayemi.

The court consequently affirmed Senator Ademola Adeleke as the validly elected PDP candidate for the poll.

In his judgement which took over one hour, 30 minutes, Justice Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel held that the primary election conducted at the WOCDIF Centre, Osogbo, on March 8, 2022, which produced Babayemi was null and void. Details later……

Education / News / politics

Lagos First Lady holds parenting seminar on boy child

The Lagos State First Lady, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, has renewed the call on the United Nations to fully recognize May 16 as the International Day of the Boy Child in order to deepen initiatives and interventions targeted at promoting the interest, welfare and wellbeing of the Boy Child globally.

The First Lady spoke at the inaugural Parenting Seminar as part of the Boy Child Initiative of her office held on Monday.

The seminar took place at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, with the theme: “Parenting The 21st Century Boy Child: A Pathway To Transformation.”

The seminar for parents is the third leg of the Boy Child Initiative to commemorate the international celebration and it was well attended by stakeholders drawn from various groups including wives of government officials, government functionaries, traditional and community leaders, market associations, religious and professional bodies, security agencies, youth voluntary groups, orphanages, correctional facilities and people living with disabilities, among others. According to the First Lady, the seminar was aimed at ensuring that parents have an in-depth understanding of the nitty-gritty of effective approaches to the upbringing of the boy child in order to address the social vices such as rape, drug abuse, cultism, bullying and others.

Sanwo-Olu said having earlier organised an advocacy walk, formal launch and a three-day residential workshop for boys selected from across the state to extensively address topics of interest to boys, her office decided to follow up the interventions with a seminar on how effective parenting can lay the foundation for promoting family values and civic responsibility.

She said: “Our Boy Child Interventions are aimed at making a positive difference.

“It is gratifying that it is already catching the fancy of the International Community, and I must say we are open to partnerships to scale up our programs to support the boy child and secure their future.

“Parents have a lot to do to address the plight of the boy child.

“The issue of the boy child is a burning one that parents must pay special attention to because if …

News / politics

Breaking: 2023: Buhari meets with the aspiring Ministers

President Muhammadu Buhari is currently meeting with some of his Ministers vying for various elective offices in the forthcoming 2023 general elections.

The roll call of the Ministers in attendance includes: Rotimi Amaechi (Transportation); Chris Ngige (Labour and Employment); Goodwill Akpabio (Niger Delta Affairs); Abubakar Malami (Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation).

Other Ministers in attendance are that of the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry, Ogbonnaya Onu; Women Affairs, Paullen Tallen; Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva and Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs Tayo Alasoadura.

Recall that President Buhari, had in a circular, signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, officially written Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefelie, and heads of agencies like the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, among others seeking to contest the 2023 general elections to resign on or before Monday, May 16, 2022. Similarly, Buhari had after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) through the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed directed all his aspiring Ministers to in line with the amended Electoral Act resign their appointment on or before Monday, May 16, 2022. As of Wednesday, only Akpabio, Nwajinuba and Onu had tendered their resignation letters.…

News / politics

Nnamdi Kanu’s release now rests with Ohanaeze Ndigbo — Umahi

The Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, has said the release of the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, now rests with the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

The Governor said this on Tuesday when he spoke with newsmen after a visit to President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja.

Umahi, who spoke with State House Correspondents after presenting a thank you letter to the President for visiting the state on May 5 and 6, 2022, dismissed the insinuation that the people of the South East were no longer interested in the “Nigeria Project”.

According to him, the people of the South East are not in support of any form of agitation or plans to secede from Nigeria. He said: “I had many months back met with the President, where we had very detailed and frank discussion on that particular matter.

“South East people are tired and I have always said that we are not totally in support of agitation to secede from the Nigerian nation.

“We want to belong to the Nigerian nation and as the Chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum, I have publicly said it, I have defended it, I don’t care about the attacks and those who have taken to the politics of that matter in our place.

“So, the President graciously granted my request for political solution, but you see, when the President repeatedly said the matter is in court, we must appreciate his pedigree and integrity.

“He cannot just as a President say he is going to destroy the matter in court.

“But there is always room for dialogue and out of court settlement and that is what we are looking for.

“He has said: ‘Your cultural leadership should be able to initiate that with Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyer.’

“But this is over six months and we have been begging the President of Ohanaeze to take up that responsibility.

“So, that is the position and we are waiting for the President of Ohanaeze to kick-start this political dialogue.

“I met with the Attorney-General …