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Electoral Bill: Nigerian Governors’ Forum Tasks Reps To Include Consensus Option

The Nigerian Governors’ Forum on Thursday commended the Nigerian Senate for re-amending the Electoral Act Amendment Bill and providing room for direct, indirect, and consensus options for nominating candidates for the various political parties in the country.

In a communique issued after the meeting and signed by the Chairman of the forum, Mr Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, they commended the Senate for amending clause 84 regarding the mode of candidate selection in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill and urged the House of Representatives to do the same by adding the consensus clause.

According to the communique, the governors also discussed issues regarding the nation’s security challenges, health, food security, among others.

Concerning fuel subsidy removal, the Forum “concluded to engage the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress on how best to address this issue without causing any disaffection or with the view to savaging the Nigerian economy for the Nigerian people at the end of the day.

“So, we shall be engaging the Nigerian Labour Congress as sub-national leaders with the view to ensuring that the outcome of our engagement will also be fed into the national discuss,” the statement said.

The governors “Also discussed the health update particularly in relation to COVID-19 infections and expressed happiness that the current Omicron variant has been declining progressively. However, we also noted that there is the need for States led by us to ramp up the COVID-19 vaccination exercise.

“On Nutrition which remains a priority of the Government, Governors concluded that there is need to increase our support in terms of budgetary provisions for nutrition.”

Governors at the meeting include the NGF Chairman and Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi; Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje; Nasarawa Governor Abdullahi Sule; Anambra Governor Willie Obiano; Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and Osun State Governor Gboyeba Oyetola.

Also at the meeting are Deputy Governors of Gombe; Yobe; Enugu; Bauchi; Lagos; Ondo; Benue; Katsina; Rivers; and Kogi.

It is the first meeting of the forum in the year 2022.

I Escaped Attempt To Bomb Me Near Kawo Bridge – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday in Kaduna said he narrowly escaped being bombed near the Kawo bridge, while travelling to Katsina State in July 2014.

Buhari is on a state visit to Kaduna State.

Speaking at the newly constructed Kawo bridge executed by the Governor Nasir El-Rufai administration, Buhari recalled, “There was an attempt to bomb me here…there was a market nearby….” adding that his security escorts were vigilant.

As part of the visit to Kaduna, President Muhammadu Buhari commissioned the ultra-modern sports and shopping complex at Murtala Square Kaduna.

The president reiterated the likelihood of making Kaduna his home after leaving office.

The president’s entourage was led by El-Rufai, and he would commission other projects in Zaria, the northern part of the state.

Buhari has, however, always used Kaduna as his home state before winning election in 2015. This is the first official visit to the state to commission public projects since his election.

TROOPS DISLODGE IPOB/ESN STRONGHOLD AT LILU FOREST IN ANAMBRA STATE

Troops of the Nigerian Army(NA) in a joint operations conducted with other security agencies have dislodged a notorious stronghold of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra ( IPOB) and its armed affiliate, Eastern Security Network (ESN) at Lilu Forest in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State. Lilu is a border town between Imo and Anambra States, which was hitherto known to be used as an operational base of the dissidents.

The operations, which was conducted in the early hours of Monday 17 January 2022, led to the neutralization of some gunmen in a fire fight that ensued.

After dislodging the dissidents from their fortress, the dogged troops recovered 10 Pump Action Shotguns, two locally fabricated guns, One Revolver pistol, rounds of 7.62 mm special, live cartridges, machettes and IPOB flags. Other items recovered are mobile phones, laptops amongst other dangerous weapons.

The operation was jointly conducted by troops of 82 Division, Nigerian Navy, 211 Quick Response Group of the Nigerian Air Force, Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police. It was a well coordinated dawn attack on the fortress, where plans were been perfected to violently enforce the illegitimate sit-at-home declaration by the irredentist groups.

ONYEMA NWACHUKWU
Brigadier General
Director Army Public Relations
18 January 2022

NIGERIAN ARMY TAKES GENDER ADVOCACY TO SOKOTO

The Nigerian Army(NA) in collaboration with British Defence Section, West Africa has taken its advocacy on Gender Mainstreaming to 8 Division Area of Responsibility, Sokoto. The workshop tagged “Gender mainstreaming for enhanced professionalism in the NA”, organised by the Department of Civil-Military Affairs will be conducted from 16 -18 January 2022.

The workshop was declared opened by the General Officer Commanding 8 Division, Nigerian Army, Maj Gen Uwem Bassey, who was represented at the event by Brigadier General Mohammed Abdullahi, Chief of Staff, Headquarters 8 Division.
The workshop, he said, seeks to build the requisite capacity of officers and men of the NA, particularly as assigned missions within the joint environment are becoming complex, increasingly expanding and dynamic in the areas of gender mainstreaming, lnternational Humanitarian Law and Fundamentals Human Rights.

The first phase of the workshop was conducted in some selected formations across the NA. The second phase has been approved with Sokoto as the focal start point.

Participants were drawn from security and para-military agencies, Civil Society Organisations, Humanitarian Agencies and other critical stakeholders.

ONYEMA NWACHUKWU
Brigadier General
Director Army Public Relations

AFCON: Goodluck Jonathan Reacts As Super Eagles Qualifies For Knockout Stages

Former President of Nigerian, Goodluck Jonathan, has commended the Super Eagles for qualifying for the knockout stages in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.
The former leader in a post on his Twitter account stated that the Super Eagles have a resilient spirit in the tournament.

Jonathan charged the Nigeria football team to sustain their momentum at the tournament as they aim for the ultimate prize.

The former President wrote, “Well done @NGSuperEagles for advancing to the knockout stage of #AFCON2021.

“This is a clear demonstration of the Nigerian resilient spirit. I wish them more victories in the games ahead and urge them to sustain this momentum as we aim for the ultimate prize. -GEJ”

The Super Eagles qualified for the knockout stages of the tournament after winning all matches in Group D.

They defeated Egypt, Sudan, and Guinea-Bissau to qualify for the next round of the competition.

JUST IN: ‘’Super Eagles Coach, Austin Eguavoen not entitled to salary yet’’ – NFF Declares

Interim coach Austin Eguavoen will be entitled to only win bonuses as the Super Eagles gaffer at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Cameroon, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Eguavoen was appointed on a short-term deal after the Nigeria Football Federation sacked Gernot Rohr in December.

Rohr was Nigeria’s longest-serving manager after taking charge in August 2016, but had his contract terminated after leading the Eagles to the 2022 World Cup qualifying play-offs and sealing a spot at the Nations Cup in Cameroon.

The Franco-German also led Nigeria to the 2018 World Cup and guided the team to third-place at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

“Eguavoen is on the payroll of the NFF and he won’t be entitled to salary for the role he is playing as an interim coach of the team,” President of the NFF Amaju Pinnick stated recently on Arise TV.

“He will be entitled to the winning bonuses as the team progress at the tournament.”

Eguavoen has already won his opening two group games at the tournament which has sealed their place in the round of 16 in the competition

2023: Consider Adopting Osinbajo As Consensus Candidate – Group Tells Buhari, APC

A group canvassing for Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to consider adopting the vice president as the party’s presidential candidate in the forthcoming 2023 general elections.

The group, The Progressive Project (TPP), made the call in a six-point declaration during a press conference at its campaign office in Abuja on Wednesday.

They held that the Vice President was one of the very few Nigerian political aspirants who will not turn electoral victory into an opportunity for wealth accumulation and Nigerian women will give him resolute backing for the 2003 presidential elections.

The women wing of the group, National Coalition of Women for Osinbajo, led by their chairperson, Hajia Rabi Dauda, also declared support for the vice president stressing that the 2023 general election will be a decisive turning point for APC and the entire nation.

The coalition strongly affirmed “Nigerian women’s utmost confidence in the candidature of Professor Yemi Osinbajo as a people-focused leader with the right intellectual capacity and innate leadership qualities to move Nigeria forward, with an emphatic attention to women progress and development.”

According to the women’s coalition, various parameters of assessing genuine leadership puts Osinbajo ahead of other presidential aspirants.

“The 2023 general election will be a very decisive juncture in the history of Nigeria and our great party, APC, has an epoch-making responsibility to move the nation forward by deepening democracy, considering affirmative action for 35 percent representation for women and accelerating general development.

“Without any iota of doubt, we believe that the emergence of Prof Yemi Osinbajo as the 2023 presidential flag-bearer of the APC will give Nigeria the opportunity to realize these lofty collective progressive aspirations.

“It is important that Nigerians make a clear decision by choosing a leader known to be ready to work for the development of the future and the betterment of the country rather than joining those politicians who have tendencies to exploit public office as an opportunity to fill their pockets.

“Nigerian women believe in the candidature of Prof Yemi Osinbajo, a man whose credibility, objectivity and intellectual capacity has been proven over time.

“Seriously, there is need for effective steps to be taken to ensure that those who engaged in plundering state and federal coffers in the past are not allowed back into governance roles where trust and integrity really matters.

“Along with government, our party leaders and other stakeholders in our great country Nigeria, we must all contribute to deepen democracy, encourage productive dialogue, mobilize women and youth for optimal participation in our democratic processes and ensure free and fair election,” the coalition’s leader, Hajia Rabi Dauda added.

JUST IN: Fire guts Ladipo Plaza in Lagos

A spare parts’ building – CETECH- in the Ladipo area of Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria, was on Wednesday afternoon gutted by fire.

Societygazette reports that although no life was lost, several items and valuables worth millions of Naira were destroyed.

The fire started around 4 pm. While its cause is yet to be ascertained, some residents linked it to electrical faults.

Emergency responders including National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and security agencies are at the scene of the incident battling to put out the fire as of the time of publishing this report.

Scores of residents, workers gathered at the entrance of the affected building, counting their losses and lamenting the disaster.

Others joined the firefighters to battle with the inferno while offloading goods in the building.

Media reports indicate that between 2019 and 2021, Nigeria experienced severe fire incidents, leading to 79 deaths out of 68 fires recorded in 18 months. Thirty-one of these were market fires and the losses are still being counted.

Electoral Bill: Lawan, Gbajabiamila Lack Courage To Override Buhari – Shehu Sani

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Shehu Sani, says Senate President, Ahmad Lawan and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, lack the courage to override President Muhammadu Buhari and pass the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.

In an interview on Channels Television on Tuesday night, Sani said the right thing for the National Assembly to do is to override the president and approve the bill.

The former Kaduna Central Senator said the current administration will be tagged a failure if it fails to approve the electoral bill.

He said: “From what I can see from the statement of Lawan and Gbajabiamila, I think they lack the courage to do what is right. The courage to do what is right is to override the president and approve the bill.
“First of all, when they (referring to the national assembly) passed that bill, the comment that came from them was that they have taken power back to Nigerians and then the president rejected this bill and then they just don’t know what to do.

“They have no concrete plan on what to do. Nigerians need a credible electoral process and already they have a bill that Nigerians were happy with. So, if Nigerians accepted the bill, why should the president oppose it?

“If the president opposes it, the next thing Gbajabiamila and Lawan should do — let them have the courage to override him and approve that bill.
“For me, I believe they should know — both the national assembly and the president. If there is any legacy that they will leave behind for this country, it is to let us have a new electoral act that will make the 2023 election better than 2019. If they fail in this, they fail in everything.”

Nnamdi kanu pleads not guilty as FG presents documentary evidence

Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Wednesday pleaded not guilty to the 15 Count Charges bordering on Terrorism, POLITICS NIGERIA reports.

This was as the federal government brought documentary evidence to court.

The electronic devices were inspected by the lead counsel to the Federal Government of Nigeria, Shuaib Labaran.

Kanu was first arrested in 2015 but disappeared while on bail in April 2017.

His social media posts during his absence and his Radio Biafra broadcasts outraged the government, which said they encouraged attacks on security forces.

Security agents first produced him in court in Abuja on June 29, 2021 after detaining him in an undisclosed country.

His lawyer alleged he was detained and mistreated in Kenya, though Kenya has denied involvement. He has since that time appeared in court severally.

Kanu’s IPOB is agitating for the seccession and sovereignty of Eastern Nigeria. It accuse the federal government of marginalisation.