Police operatives in Taraba State have apprehended a man said to be manufacturing bombs and ammunition for Boko Haram terrorists.
The suspect who reportedly hails from Zamfara State is said to also belong to a Boko Haram faction responsible for three bomb explosions recorded in the state this year.
Naija News understands that the suspect was arrested in his house which he uses as a factory in Tella town within the Gassol Local Government Area of the state.
Photos that were taken during his apprehension show a series of firearms, ammunition, explosives, and devices for manufacturing bombs.
The Taraba Police Command said it discovered upon further investigation that the suspect is also a member of a kidnapping syndicate terrorizing, Niger, Kogi and Taraba states for more than a year now.
It could be recalled that two separate explosions rocked Tabara this year. One happened on April 19th and the other was recorded on the 22nd of the same month.
No fewer than 10 persons died in the two separate attacks which happened both at drink joints, Naija News recalls.
Not long after, another explosion occurred at the headquarters of six brigade Nigeria army located in the state capital. Acting on credible intelligence, the police swung into action leading to the arrest of the bomb manufacturer.
Parading the 37-year-old native, the state’s Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Sokoya assured that the force have sprayed their dragnet and soon operatives will capture two other suspects who are currently at large even as investigations continue.
The Kaduna State Command of the Nigeria Police Force has apprehended a woman allegedly supplying firearms to terrorists in the state.
The suspect, Naija News understands was captured by the operatives of the Special Tactical Squad Force Headquarters, Abuja (STS) in a recent raid where it worked alongside Operation Yaki of the Kaduna State Command.
The police command in a statement on Thursday evening said it was on a trail of suspected armed bandits on June 15 when the operatives encountered the targets along Saminaka–Jos expressway in a Sharon vehicle.
The Kaduna State Police Command’s spokesman, DSP Muhammad Jalige who gave updates on the development said the suspects on sensing an unavoidable danger “posed in their way to deliver some dangerous weapons to their cohorts engaged the operatives, firing sporadically. However, the operatives with tactical precision were able to terminally injure four suspects.”
Jalige explained that the injured suspects were immediately evacuated to Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital Kaduna where they were pronounced dead by a medical doctor.
The encounter according to him lasted about 30 minutes as the firepower of the Police forced them to retreat into the forest with bullet wounds.
He added: “When a search was conducted in the vehicle and around the vicinity, the following exhibits were recovered: one AK-$9 rifle loaded with six rounds of live ammunition, AK-47 rifle, one empty magazine, 134 rounds of different calibre of live ammunition and operational motor vehicle.
“The operation led to the arrest of a female accomplice, who during the investigation, confessed to supplying arms and ammunition to bandits within Kaduna State.”
The camp of the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike has condemned the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar for picking the Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate.
Naija News had earlier reported that the former Vice President on Thursday announced Okowa as his running mate at the National Secretariat of the party.
The loyalists of Governor Wike who stated that it was the right of Atiku to pick his running, condemned him for not following the decision of a committee set up to pick the party’s Vice Presidential candidate.
The Chairman of the Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, Samuel Nwanosike in an interview with Punch said, “There is a local proverb in my village that says nobody will tell a man that eats yam to go and drink water.
“If you are eating yam, you must look for water to drink because if you eat yam without drinking water, it will choke you.”
“If he kept to his words like he said to go with the party’s overwhelming choice, then he would have respected the decision of the panel, the party’s national chairman and his team set up.”
According to Nwanosike, the Rivers State Governor was nominated by all stakeholders of the party as Atiku’s running mate.
Nwanosike when asked if the decision of Atiku would not affect his presidential ambition, he said, “He has made his calculations. And since he has made his calculations, he (Atiku) will live with the result. He will see out of his calculations. It is not the first time he has been the candidate of the party.
“He was the candidate of the party in 2019. He knows what the result was. Now he has made a decision. So let’s keep our fingers crossed and wait for the decision of the electorate. Right now, it is no longer in the hands of Dr Iyorcha Ayu and his team. It is now in the hands of the electorate.”
A former member of the House of Representatives representing Etche-Omuma Constituency, Ogbonna Nwuke on his part said Governor Wike would speak at the appropriate time.
Nwuke further stated that Atiku did not reject Wike, but he rejected Rivers State.
Nwuke said, “I believe that our leader will speak at the appropriate time. We are members and whatever decision he makes will be okay by us because he is the one wearing the shoe now. I think it is not Governor Wike that Atiku rejected; it is Rivers State he rejected.”
The 2022/23 Premier League fixtures have been released and the dates of all 380 matches revealed.
See complete fixtures list below:
Friday 5 August
20:00 Crystal Palace v Arsenal
Saturday 6 August
12:30 Fulham v Liverpool
AFC Bournemouth v Aston Villa
Leeds v Wolves
Leicester v Brentford
Newcastle v Nottingham Forest
Spurs v Southampton
17:30 Everton v Chelsea
Sunday 7 August
14:00 Man Utd v Brighton
16:30 West Ham v Man City
Saturday 13 August
Arsenal v Leicester
Aston Villa v Everton
Brentford v Man Utd
Brighton v Newcastle
Chelsea v Spurs
Liverpool v Crystal Palace
Man City v AFC Bournemouth
Nottingham Forest v West Ham
Southampton v Leeds
Wolves v Fulham
Saturday 20 August
AFC Bournemouth v Arsenal
Crystal Palace v Aston Villa
Everton v Nottingham Forest
Fulham v Brentford
Leeds v Chelsea
Leicester v Southampton
Man Utd v Liverpool
Newcastle v Man City
Spurs v Wolves
West Ham v Brighton
Saturday 27 August
Arsenal v Fulham
Aston Villa v West Ham
Brentford v Everton
Brighton v Leeds
Chelsea v Leicester
Liverpool v AFC Bournemouth
Man City v Crystal Palace
Nottingham Forest v Spurs
Southampton v Man Utd
Wolves v Newcastle
Tuesday 30 August
19:45 AFC Bournemouth v Wolves
19:45 Arsenal v Aston Villa
19:45 Fulham v Brighton
19:45 Leeds v Everton
19:45 Leicester v Man Utd
19:45 West Ham v Spurs
20:00 Crystal Palace v Brentford
Wednesday 31 August
19:45 Southampton v Chelsea
20:00 Liverpool v Newcastle
20:00 Man City v Nottingham Forest
Saturday 3 September
Aston Villa v Man City
Brentford v Leeds
Brighton v Leicester
Chelsea v West Ham
Everton v Liverpool
Man Utd v Arsenal
Newcastle v Crystal Palace
Nottingham Forest v AFC Bournemouth
Spurs v Fulham
Wolves v Southampton
Saturday 10 September
AFC Bournemouth v Brighton
Arsenal v Everton
Crystal Palace v Man Utd
Fulham v Chelsea
Leeds v Nottingham Forest
Leicester v Aston Villa
Liverpool v Wolves
Man City v Spurs
Southampton v Brentford
West Ham v Newcastle
Saturday 17 September
Aston Villa v Southampton
Brentford v Arsenal
Brighton v Crystal Palace
Chelsea v Liverpool
Everton v West Ham
Man Utd v Leeds
Newcastle v AFC Bournemouth
Nottingham Forest v Fulham
Spurs v Leicester
Wolves v Man City
Saturday 1 October
AFC Bournemouth v Brentford
Arsenal v Spurs
Crystal Palace v Chelsea
Fulham v Newcastle
Leeds v Aston Villa
Leicester v Nottingham Forest
Liverpool v Brighton
Man City v Man Utd
Southampton v Everton
West Ham v Wolves
Saturday 8 October
AFC Bournemouth v Leicester
Arsenal v Liverpool
Brighton v Spurs
Chelsea v Wolves
Crystal Palace v Leeds
Everton v Man Utd
Man City v Southampton
Newcastle v Brentford
Nottingham Forest v Aston Villa
West Ham v Fulham
Saturday 15 October
Aston Villa v Chelsea
Brentford v Brighton
Fulham v AFC Bournemouth
Leeds v Arsenal
Leicester v Crystal Palace
Liverpool v Man City
Man Utd v Newcastle
Southampton v West Ham
Spurs v Everton
Wolves v Nottingham Forest
Tuesday 18 October
19:45 AFC Bournemouth v Southampton
19:45 Arsenal v Man City
19:45 Brentford v Chelsea
19:45 Brighton v Nottingham Forest
19:45 Fulham v Aston Villa
19:45 Leicester v Leeds
20:00 Crystal Palace v Wolves
Wednesday 19 October
19:45 Newcastle v Everton
20:00 Liverpool v West Ham
20:00 Man Utd v Spurs
Saturday 22 October
Aston Villa v Brentford
Chelsea v Man Utd
Everton v Crystal Palace
Leeds v Fulham
Man City v Brighton
Nottingham Forest v Liverpool
Southampton v Arsenal
Spurs v Newcastle
West Ham v AFC Bournemouth
Wolves v Leicester
Saturday 29 October
AFC Bournemouth v Spurs
Arsenal v Nottingham Forest
Brentford v Wolves
Brighton v Chelsea
Crystal Palace v Southampton
Fulham v Everton
Leicester v Man City
Liverpool v Leeds
Man Utd v West Ham
Newcastle v Aston Villa
Saturday 5 November
Aston Villa v Man Utd
Chelsea v Arsenal
Everton v Leicester
Leeds v AFC Bournemouth
Man City v Fulham
Nottingham Forest v Brentford
Southampton v Newcastle
Spurs v Liverpool
West Ham v Crystal Palace
Wolves v Brighton
Saturday 12 November
AFC Bournemouth v Everton
Brighton v Aston Villa
Fulham v Man Utd
Liverpool v Southampton
Man City v Brentford
Newcastle v Chelsea
Nottingham Forest v Crystal Palace
Spurs v Leeds
West Ham v Leicester
Wolves v Arsenal
Monday 26 December
Arsenal v West Ham
Aston Villa v Liverpool
Brentford v Spurs
Chelsea v AFC Bournemouth
Crystal Palace v Fulham
Everton v Wolves
Leeds v Man City
Leicester v Newcastle
Man Utd v Nottingham Forest
Southampton v Brighton
Saturday 31 December
AFC Bournemouth v Crystal Palace
Brighton v Arsenal
Fulham v Southampton
Liverpool v Leicester
Man City v Everton
Newcastle v Leeds
Nottingham Forest v Chelsea
Spurs v Aston Villa
West Ham v Brentford
Wolves v Man Utd
Monday 2 January
Arsenal v Newcastle
Aston Villa v Wolves
Brentford v Liverpool
Chelsea v Man City
Crystal Palace v Spurs
Everton v Brighton
Leeds v West Ham
Leicester v Fulham
Man Utd v AFC Bournemouth
Southampton v Nottingham Forest
Saturday 14 January
Aston Villa v Leeds
Brentford v AFC Bournemouth
Brighton v Liverpool
Chelsea v Crystal Palace
Everton v Southampton
Man Utd v Man City
Newcastle v Fulham
Nottingham Forest v Leicester
Spurs v Arsenal
Wolves v West Ham
Saturday 21 January
AFC Bournemouth v Nottingham Forest
Arsenal v Man Utd
Crystal Palace v Newcastle
Fulham v Spurs
Leeds v Brentford
Leicester v Brighton
Liverpool v Chelsea
Man City v Wolves
Southampton v Aston Villa
West Ham v Everton
Saturday 4 February
Aston Villa v Leicester
Brentford v Southampton
Brighton v AFC Bournemouth
Chelsea v Fulham
Everton v Arsenal
Man Utd v Crystal Palace
Newcastle v West Ham
Nottingham Forest v Leeds
Spurs v Man City
Wolves v Liverpool
Saturday 11 February
AFC Bournemouth v Newcastle
Arsenal v Brentford
Crystal Palace v Brighton
Fulham v Nottingham Forest
Leeds v Man Utd
Leicester v Spurs
Liverpool v Everton
Man City v Aston Villa
Southampton v Wolves
West Ham v Chelsea
Saturday 18 February
Aston Villa v Arsenal
Brentford v Crystal Palace
Brighton v Fulham
Chelsea v Southampton
Everton v Leeds
Man Utd v Leicester
Newcastle v Liverpool
Nottingham Forest v Man City
Spurs v West Ham
Wolves v AFC Bournemouth
Saturday 25 February
AFC Bournemouth v Man City
Crystal Palace v Liverpool
Everton v Aston Villa
Fulham v Wolves
Leeds v Southampton
Leicester v Arsenal
Man Utd v Brentford
Newcastle v Brighton
Spurs v Chelsea
West Ham v Nottingham Forest
Saturday 4 March
Arsenal v AFC Bournemouth
Aston Villa v Crystal Palace
Brentford v Fulham
Brighton v West Ham
Chelsea v Leeds
Liverpool v Man Utd
Man City v Newcastle
Nottingham Forest v Everton
Southampton v Leicester
Wolves v Spurs
Saturday 11 March
AFC Bournemouth v Liverpool
Crystal Palace v Man City
Everton v Brentford
Fulham v Arsenal
Leeds v Brighton
Leicester v Chelsea
Man Utd v Southampton
Newcastle v Wolves
Spurs v Nottingham Forest
West Ham v Aston Villa
Saturday 18 March
Arsenal v Crystal Palace
Aston Villa v AFC Bournemouth
Brentford v Leicester
Brighton v Man Utd
Chelsea v Everton
Liverpool v Fulham
Man City v West Ham
Nottingham Forest v Newcastle
Southampton v Spurs
Wolves v Leeds
Saturday 1 April
AFC Bournemouth v Fulham
Arsenal v Leeds
Brighton v Brentford
Chelsea v Aston Villa
Crystal Palace v Leicester
Everton v Spurs
Man City v Liverpool
Newcastle v Man Utd
Nottingham Forest v Wolves
West Ham v Southampton
Saturday 8 April
Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest
Brentford v Newcastle
Fulham v West Ham
Leeds v Crystal Palace
Leicester v AFC Bournemouth
Liverpool v Arsenal
Man Utd v Everton
Southampton v Man City
Spurs v Brighton
Wolves v Chelsea
Saturday 15 April
Aston Villa v Newcastle
Chelsea v Brighton
Everton v Fulham
Leeds v Liverpool
Man City v Leicester
Nottingham Forest v Man Utd
Southampton v Crystal Palace
Spurs v AFC Bournemouth
West Ham v Arsenal
Wolves v Brentford
Saturday 22 April
AFC Bournemouth v West Ham
Arsenal v Southampton
Brentford v Aston Villa
Brighton v Man City
Crystal Palace v Everton
Fulham v Leeds
Leicester v Wolves
Liverpool v Nottingham Forest
Man Utd v Chelsea
Newcastle v Spurs
Tuesday 25 April
19:45 Everton v Newcastle
19:45 Leeds v Leicester
19:45 Nottingham Forest v Brighton
19:45 Spurs v Man Utd
19:45 West Ham v Liverpool
19:45 Wolves v Crystal Palace
20:00 Aston Villa v Fulham
Wednesday 26 April
19:45 Chelsea v Brentford
19:45 Southampton v AFC Bournemouth
20:00 Man City v Arsenal
Saturday 29 April
AFC Bournemouth v Leeds
Arsenal v Chelsea
Brentford v Nottingham Forest
Brighton v Wolves
Crystal Palace v West Ham
Fulham v Man City
Leicester v Everton
Liverpool v Spurs
Man Utd v Aston Villa
Newcastle v Southampton
Saturday 6 May
AFC Bournemouth v Chelsea
Brighton v Everton
Fulham v Leicester
Liverpool v Brentford
Man City v Leeds
Newcastle v Arsenal
Nottingham Forest v Southampton
Spurs v Crystal Palace
West Ham v Man Utd
Wolves v Aston Villa
Saturday 13 May
Arsenal v Brighton
Aston Villa v Spurs
Brentford v West Ham
Chelsea v Nottingham Forest
Crystal Palace v AFC Bournemouth
Everton v Man City
Leeds v Newcastle
Leicester v Liverpool
Man Utd v Wolves
Southampton v Fulham
Saturday 20 May
AFC Bournemouth v Man Utd
Brighton v Southampton
Fulham v Crystal Palace
Liverpool v Aston Villa
Man City v Chelsea
Newcastle v Leicester
Nottingham Forest v Arsenal
Spurs v Brentford
West Ham v Leeds
Wolves v Everton
Sunday 28 May
16:00 Arsenal v Wolves
16:00 Aston Villa v Brighton
16:00 Brentford v Man City
16:00 Chelsea v Newcastle
16:00 Crystal Palace v Nottingham Forest
16:00 Everton v AFC Bournemouth
16:00 Leeds v Spurs
16:00 Leicester v West Ham
16:00 Man Utd v Fulham
16:00 Southampton v Liverpool
The Lagos State Government has inaugurated an anti-Okada squad to enforce the ban on commercial motorcycles in six LGAs and nine Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).
The squad will join the police to maintain the ban in line with the Transport Sector Reform Law (TSRL) 2018.
The ban on Okada in the affected LGAs and LCDAS took effect on June 1, 2022. The affected LGAs are Ikeja, Surulere, Eti-Osa, Lagos Mainland, Lagos Island and Apapa.
The Commissioner for Transportation, Dr Frederic Oladeinde, explained that the anti-Okada squad would report to the police, and urged Lagosians to collaborate with the state government to combat the Okada menace across the state.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Mr Kamar Olowoshago, also urged the anti-Okada personnel to be diligent and honest in the discharge of their duties.
Priest and founder of Adoration Ministry of the Enugu Catholic Archdiocese, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, has unleashed fresh attacks on the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, describing him as “a stingy man that will never be president.”
Mbaka’s preaching was released by the BBC Igbo, showing his relentless attack on Obi, denoting that he’s busy spreading poverty while stashing billions of his money in foreign land.
The fiery Catholic priest questions Obi’s thought processes in a renewed unprecedented attacks coming against the backdrop of the rising profile of the former Anambra State Governor, since his defection from the People’s Democratic Party, PDP.
Mbaka warned those supporting Obi to stop wasting their money as the man is not prepared to be president going by the life austere life he lives.
He lamented that Obi is not concerned about the plight of the people around him, declaring that he’s under a curse and only an apology can undo the curse.
Mbaka said, “A stingy man, that cannot give people his money, with this hunger ravaging the land, and you are saying he is the one you want. Do you want to die of hunger? Are you people insane? Where is the Holy Spirit?
“It is now that Atiku is seriously contesting for President; now that he is contesting without Peter Obi; it is now that he is serious? We want somebody that is serious. Unless Peter comes here to kneel, if he becomes President, he will close down this ministry. What we are doing is spiritual,” he said.
Mbaka who once delivered scathing attacks on Obi in the run up to the 2019 presidential election, when Obi was Atiku’s running mate, further declared, “Listen, a good old man is better than a young wicked man; Peter Obi is going nowhere as far as God lives. If Igbos want a representative, it is not someone like Peter Obi.
“I should not have talked but I saw my video going around everywhere as if Fr. Mbaka wholeheartedly came out and apologized. No, I didn’t apologize wholeheartedly, it was out of duress. I had to obey my Bishop, in obedience I had to, it is not of my volition. I did it because I am a Catholic Priest, my Bishop said, do it, my own is ‘Yes my Lord’.
“I did not say he is a bad man; I said he is a stingy man. A hungry man wants someone that is generous; the man has so much money, but he is ‘I, me, myself’. But that money will not be useful to him. I am very happy now that I have spoken out. That apology is a poisonous curse against Peter Obi,” he added.
Warning Obi, he said, “If he is wise, he should have come here after that apology to say he is sorry but he waited. Anybody supporting him is wasting his money, he is going nowhere.
“He is my friend. When he was chased out of Government House, he knew the role I played to bring him back, but how did he pay me back? Night meetings we attended to bring him back, ask him, ask Eselu Uga, ask Archbishop Anikwenwa, they know where and how we did it and he was brought back,” he pointed out.
He challenged people to, “Ask Peter since then what he used to reward Adoration. If you like Peter Obi, tell him to come and ask for forgiveness. Let him come and redo what he did. There is an altar of God he blasphemed; he defiled an altar of God, the Holy Spirit.
“I called Atiku after that apology, he was in Dubai, I told him that there is a revelation on your presidential election; that you are going to be the President of Nigeria on one condition, that Peter Obi is not going to be your running mate. Peter Obi has incurred a curse to himself, which means that he is carrying a curse; if you want to be President, change him.
“Atiku responded that I cannot, Peter must be my running mate, we must win. You saw what happened. Atiku is still alive. That is why I said it is now that Atiku is preparing to be President.
“Just like Jonathan, I called him, God has shown that you are going to win this election but on one condition; Jega should be changed. If you change Jega you will win Buhari, but if you don’t, Buhari will win you. Goodluck told me, ‘Fr. I will not remove Jega, we will still win’. He held on to Jega and failed.”
The latest attack which video is making the rounds will bring back fresh memory of the pre-2019 presidential election episode, when Obi refused to make donations to the Adoration Ministry despite repeated entreaties and pleas from Mbaka, forcing the fearless yet controversial priest to declare his endorsement for Buhari/Osinabjo ticket.
He later declared Atiku/Obi will be defeated, which put him into troubled waters with the Catholic authority.
Obi is in far away Egypt in a trip he said he embarked on to understudy Egyptian electricity sector.
But he has come under heavy criticisms for it with emerging news that he lied about the purpose of the trip to score cheap political game.
A bill seeking the establishment of a Federal University of Education (Technical) in Bichi, Kano State was read the second time yesterday on the floor of the Senate.
Naija News understands that the bill was instituted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator representing Kano North, Jibrin Barau.
At the plenary yesterday, the lawmaker maintained that there was a need to have a strong system in the educational sector with the establishment of more institutions for the training of teachers.
Narrating the objectives of the proposed Federal University of Education in Bichi, Barau said it was to encourage the advancement of learning to all persons without distinction of race, creed, sex or political conviction.
He added: “To develop and offer academic, technical, and professional programmes leading to the award of certificates, first degrees, post-graduate research, diploma, and higher degrees with emphasis on planning, developmental and adaptive skills in Education.
“To produce socially mature educational men and women with capabilities not to only understand the educational and technological needs of Nigeria as a nation, but also to exploit existing Educational infrastructure and improve on them to develop new ones, and;
“To bring quality change in Technical Education by focusing on teacher education, through teaching and learning innovations.”
Barau again charged the Red Chamber members to consider the bill, noting that its enactment will go a long way in transforming the decayed educational infrastructure in Nigeria and change the educational fortunes of the country for the better.
“It will also provide a balanced educational development in Kano State and indeed, the entire country,” he said.
Naija News understands that lawmakers responded positively to the bill and gave it overwhelming passage for the second reading when put to voice votes by the Senate Ahmad Lawan.
It was sent to Senate Committee on Tertiary Education and TETFUND for more legislative input.
Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has reportedly been chosen as the running mate of the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Naija News reports that this was made known in a statement to newsmen issued by the Director-General of Ganduje’s Support Group, Suleiman Magaji.
According to the statement, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC picked Ganduje to run alongside Tinubu in the 2023 general election based on his loyalty to the ruling party, commitment and infrastructural development of his state.
The group admitted that the issue of religion was extensively discussed during the selection.
However, they stated that Nigerians are more interested in developmental stride rather than religious affairs.
Ganduje’s support group praised the APC NWC for picking the Kano State Governor for the vice-presidential ticket.
They urged APC members both in Nigeria and in diaspora to support the Tinubu/Ganduje ticket to emerge victorious in 2023.
“It is time we close ranks to ensure victory for all our candidates from the ward levels to the presidency,” Daily Post quoted group as saying.
The People’s Democratic Party, PDP, has distanced itself from reports that Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has been chosen to be Atiku’s running mate.
The party insisted that robust discussion among stakeholders will continue until the right person is chosen to create a winning ticket.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, was refuting reports of Wike’s emergence on Wednesday in Abuja while speaking on Arise News.
Ologunagbe said, “We have a process as a party, because we are organic. We follow through the processes. We recognize the importance of participatory democracy, ensuring that every stakeholder and organ of the party is involved in our decision-making process,”
He explained that, “This is the beginning of the process, consideration and advisory body need to get to the level where, in consultation with the presidential candidate, they will deliberate on who is most suitable.
“That process is ongoing, so any report of a particular candidate at this point is probably premature,” he said.
According to him, the National Working Committee of the party will be meeting today (Wednesday) at 11 am, to provide further input.
He said, “We do our things in processes, the process doesn’t just come like you press a computer and get an answer. We follow the process, because human elements are involved, with interests and concerns. We have considered all interests of the country, particularly in terms of unity and capacity,” he said.
On Tuesday, various reports emerged that Wike had been chosen from the committee set up by the party and scored 13 out of 17 to emerge as the running mate.
This was as the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, had said the party’s running mate would be announced by Thursday, a day ahead of the closing date as set by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Presidential flagbearer of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has defended his trip to Egypt, stating that the 3-day tour was already planned before the presidential primaries for political parties began.
He said it was good to learn firsthand about how an African country like Egygt boosted its electricity generation capacity within 4 years.
Obi’s reaction on Wednesday through Doyin Okupe, Director General of his Campaign Organisation, is against the backdrop of reactions to his trip when it was announced on Tuesday.
Obi had tweeted, “I just departed for Egypt on a 3-day visit as part of my detailed study of comparable countries to Nigeria. In Egypt, I am expected to understudy, among others, the Egyptian Power Sector, Education, Planning and Finance Sectors. –PO”
But presidential aspirant, Omoyele Sowore, activist Aisha Yesufu, among others, have criticized the trip.
They tweeted that Obi’s trip was insensitive and proof that he is unprepared to govern the country whose general election is few months close.
But Okupe insisted on Wednesday that Obi’s tour was a good one for the country’s energy sector.
He stated via his Facebook page : “Peter Obi’s trip has been scheduled previously, even before primaries. His mission principally is to see the plants installed by Siemens, which doubled the generating capacity of Egypt in 4years. To hold talks directly with the company on what will be feasible for Nigeria and at what cost?”
