Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Friday 1st October 2021
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 01/10/21
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EXCLUSIVE: Buhari Bows To Chief Of Staff, Gambari, Attorney-General Malami, Re-approves Payment Of $418million Suspicious Paris Club Debts
President Muhammadu Buhari has re-approved the payment of a controversial $418million in Paris Club refund-related judgment debts to six creditors after being manipulated by his Chief of Staff, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami.
Multiple presidential sources told SaharaReporters that the Debt Management Office (DMO) has issued promissory notes to the creditors, the means of payment approved by Buhari on Thursday.
The development is against the Nigerian Governors Forum’s protest and calls for a forensic audit into the suspicious claims of the creditors.
The governors had recently queried the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, for issuing promissory notes in favour of the creditors.
The governors claimed that President Buhari approved the payment of the $418million Paris Club judgment debt despite pending court cases.
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EXCLUSIVE Buhari’s Chief Of Staff, Gambari, Attorney-General Malami Fume At Finance Minister, Plot Sack For Stopping $418million Paris Club Payment To Consultants
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Buhari, however, in early September directed the Finance Ministry to ask the DMO which was supposed to pay in form of promissory notes, to stay action “until all the cases are exhausted”.
Sources told SaharaReporters that the promissory notes were issued to the creditors on Thursday in-spite of the fraudulent claims by the creditors.
“In spite of the clear evidence of fraud being perpetrated against the Nigerian nation, President Buhari has released a $418million promissory note for jobs not done. This is a government of integrity indeed. God help Nigeria,” a source told SaharaReporters.
“He was manipulated by his Chief of Staff, Gambari, and the Attorney-General who were both promised 40 percent of the money by these creditors. Everything was done during the UN General Assembly in New York, it’s so sad that we have a president who can be easily manipulated.
“Even the Director-General of the DMO, Patience Oniha, was reluctant to issue the promissory notes to them. She was sad about the development.”
SaharaReporters had in a series of reports exposed exposed wide-ranging legitimacy issues, including non-execution of agreed contracts and backdoor deals raised against the indebtedness from various quarters.
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REVEALED: How Chief Of Staff, Gambari, Attorney-General Malami Tricked Buhari To Fraudulently Pay N90.6billion To Controversial Paris Club Lawyer
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One of the beneficiaries is one Dr Ted Iseghahi Edwards who was indicted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Documents seen by SaharaReporters showed that Edwards did not represent Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) as claimed.
A letter dated August 1, 2018 by former EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, to the Ministry of Justice/Attorney General Office indicted him of an attempt to defraud the Nigerian government.
It said, “The suspects had filed applications in court to be joined as one of the judgement creditors during the garnishee proceedings and the applications were refused by the Federal High Court. The judge in a ruling delivered on the 27th of June 2016 frowned at Dr Ted Edward for brandishing a judgment purportedly delivered by the Federal Capital Territory on 30th October, 2015 and in fact took a swipe at it.
“By the Motion Ex parte filed on the 30th of March, 2015, the judgement creditors applied for a Garnishee Order Nisi which was granted on 1st April, 2015 and fixed the return date for 16th April for the Garnishee to show cause why the Order Nisi should not be made absolute.”
“The Honorable Judge in his ruling stated unequivocally that “let me state right away that the substantive matter was commenced by me until I entered judgement on the 3rd of December, 2013. I have searched my records up to the date of I entered judgement. I could not find the name of Dr Ted Iseghahi Edwards as representing the judgement creditors even for one day nor did I find any process filed by his law firm. How then was that judgement prosecuted.
“Another point to highlight is the fact that according to the purported letter of engagement being bandied by Dr Ted Edwards, he was engaged on September 15, 2011 long before the matter was filed in court quoting the exact judgment sum.
“What this throws up is the fact that the said letter of engagement was done after 3rd December, 2013 and backdated to make it look as if the suspect had been engaged before the case started. There is no evidence to prove that the suspect did any work in relation to the recovery process.
“A careful look at the memorandum of settlement Dr Ted Iseghohi Edwards and Hon Odunayo Ategbero betrays the conspiracy and an attempt to defraud the Federal Government by the suspects.
“Pending Actions; Invitation and/or Arrest of the suspect, Dr Ted Iseghahi Edwards with a view of confronting him with all the issues raised in the evaluation above.
“Tracing and filing interim forfeiture order on any property or asset acquired with proceeds of fraud by Dr. Ted Iseghahi Edwards.”
SaharaReporters gathered that despite the report, Malami and Gambari persuaded Buhari to approve $159million as legal fees to Edward.
They also directed the DMO and the Ministry of Finance to release the promissory notes to Edward and others so that they could take their shares, a source had said.
“Edward was the Secretary General of ALGON when the Paris Club refund case FHC/ABJ/CS/130/2013 was done by Joe Agi (SAN) and his colleagues before Justice Ademola. It is clear that he was not the lawyer to ALGON and this much ALGON has said in writing to Malami and the Chief of Staff, Gambari,” the source had told SaharaReporters.
“The EFCC in its report to Malami and Gambari also established that TED EDWARD did not represent ALGON and that Ted Edward in his own handwriting admitted that Joe Agi was the lead counsel for ALGON. He went to one Judge, Baba Yusuf and procured a judgement that he was the lawyer to ALGON in the Paris Club refund case.
“Yet, Malami who knows this is recommending that Ted Edward be paid $159,000,000 as fees from ALGON instead of the actual lawyer. Will this not amount to double payment whenever Mr Joe Agi demands to be paid? From my investigation, Mr Joe Agi, ALGON and The Nigerian Governor Forum have all gone back to court to challenge the payment of the $418million including that of Edward through promissory notes.
“Should Malami not take a second look at the suit and see if really there is any fraud as being widely alleged? Instead he and the Chief of Staff tricked the President and subsequently directed the Debt Management Office and the Finance Office to release the promissory notes to Edward and others so that they can take their shares.
“The total sum of $418million promissory note suggested by Malami to be paid is just a tip of iceberg of what is coming unless he is stopped. Nigeria will become bankrupt before President Buhari leaves office. The anti-corruption war of Buhari has been effectively clipped by Malami and Gambari using their powerful offices to trick the President who really trusted them.
“All needed to be done is to allow an independent people to go through the whole cases concocted on the advice of Malami and the truth will be seen and Nigeria saved of all these massive stealing.
“Why is Malami not challenging any of these court judgements? If I may ask; in most of all these claims, the EFCC had investigated, took statements and established that none of the contacts were executed. The report was submitted to Malami and former Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun by Magu-led EFCC suggested the arrest and interrogation of Ted Edward and one Prince Nicolas Ukachukwu but he and Gambari suppressed the report.
“The same man suggested to be arrested is who Malami said should be given $159,000,000. ALGON had written several letters to him and Fayemi, who is the Chairman of Nigerian Governor Forum that all the jobs executed by Edward and others were fake, not executed. Yet Malami in the face of this clear case of fraud tricked the President in a memo and said judgement was given against them.
“He also negotiated the debt to 50 percent and convinced the President to pay to avoid more damages. It’s high time President Buhari save his anti-corruption war by causing a thorough investigation of his appointees involved in this massive fraud.”
Other beneficiaries include a former member of the House of Representatives, Ned Nwoko, who is laying claim to $142,028,941 via a consent judgment he obtained from the Federal High Court in Abuja in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/148/2017.
Three beneficiaries laying claim to $143,463,577.76 via a judgment of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in the suit marked FCT/HC/CV/2129/2014 are: Riok Nigeria Ltd, Orji Nwafor Orizu, and Olaitan Bello.
From the total money, Riok Nigeria Limited has a share of $142,028,941.95 (about N54 billion), Mr Nwafor is entitled to $1,219,440.45 and Mr Bello has a share of $215,159.36.
A firm, Panic Alert Security System Limited, owned by George Uboh, is also laying claim to $47,831,920 based on another “consent judgment” it obtained in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/123/2018, which was filed as recently as 2018.
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Independence Day Demonstrations: TakeItBack Movement Warns Security Agencies To Respect Protesting Nigerians
Human rights and pro-democracy group, TakeItBack Movement, has urged security operatives to respect the fundamental human rights of the Nigerian people that will protest against the evils of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led regime on October 1.
The group also warned that the nation’s security agents should not attack peaceful protesters, as they flood the streets on October 1 Independence Day, adding that the 1999 Nigerian Constitution has protected them.
Recall that some groups in the country have vowed to stage demonstrations to register their displeasure against insecurity, poor economy, lawlessness, and other deficiencies that have characterised the Buhari-led administration.
The TakeItBack Movement said it will resist any form of brutality, attack or arrest that the Nigerian Police and other security operatives may be scheming against protesting citizens.
This was in a release issued by the Legal Adviser, TakeItBack Movement, Festus Ogun, which was made available to SaharaReporters on Thursday, and titled, ‘October 1st Nationwide Protest Is A Fundamental Right: Security Agencies Must Be Well Guided.’
The statement reads, “As Nigeria clocks 61, patriotic and well-meaning Nigerians will storm the streets of major cities in protest against bad governance, acute insecurity, poverty, hunger, unemployment, gross disrespect for human rights and dignity and the crude wickedness of the Buhari administration.
“Typical of the Nigerian authorities, chances are high that a clampdown will greet tomorrow’s historical protest. It is in view of this that we, at the TakeItBack Movement, remind all security agencies that tomorrow’s October 1st Protest remains a fundamental right enshrined under our extant laws in this country and no form of attack will be tolerated.
“By the combined effect of Sections 39, 40 and 41 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as altered, the right to protest is safeguarded and guaranteed as a human right that shall be enjoyed by all citizens without arbitrary restraint. Articles 6, 9, 10, 11 and 12 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Right equally protect the right to protest. Additionally, Articles 18-21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948 fully protect the constitutional liberty to protest.
“Emphasising the sacred nature of the right to protest in a constitutional democracy, the Court of Appeal in the case of IGP V. ANPP (2008) 12 WRN 65 held that “certainly in a democracy, it is the right of citizens to conduct peaceful processions, rallies or demonstrations without seeking and obtaining permission from anybody. It is a right guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution and any law that attempt to curtail such right is null and void and of no effect whatsoever”.
“Knowing fully well that Nigeria is still in the bondage of the political elites and neo-colonialism, we are compelled to remind the authorities of the need to observe all civil rules during our demonstrations tomorrow. While they can grace the historical protest, it is important to remind them that they have a duty to protect us and not arrest or assault us.
“We shall not condone any form of harassment, intimidation, brutalization or arrest. We shall resist any attempt to encroach on our constitutionally guaranteed rights. The police and other security agencies are hereby put on notice and they should be guided accordingly.
“Nothing, no one can stop an idea whose time has come. Aluta continua.”
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E2%80%93-anti-graft-group-enetsud How Kwara Government Spent N6.2billion In 2020 Without Receipts – Anti-graft Group, ENetSuD Reveals
An anti-corruption civil society organisation, the Elites Network for Sustainable Development, (ENetSuD), has frowned at the spending of N6,265,010, 819.98 by the Kwara State Government in the year 2020 without relevant expenditure receipts.
In the 2020 Citizens’ Accountability Report published by the Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Finance, Folorunsho Abdulrazaq, ten (10) Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) were listed as the top queried public fund spenders with no expenditure receipts.
A statement signed by Saeed Tijjani, ENetSuD’s Press Secretary noted that a total of five hundred and ninety-two (592) audit queries amounting to N6,265,010,819.98 were raised by the state’s Auditor General in the 2020 Financial year.
The Coordinator of the CSO, Abdullateef Alagbonsi, expressed shock that the office of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq is the top culprit having spent N2,054,211,929.13 without having relevant expenditure receipt.
In 2020, the Governor’s office reportedly received a total of 166 audit queries from the Office of the Auditor General of the state.
The statement reads partly, “The next to the Governor’s Office in the rank of spending public fund without receipt is the Government House that received 95 audit queries for spending N1,500,327,577.70 also without a relevant expenditure receipt.
“Other MDAs that spent without a receipt are Ministry of Works and Transport (N1,296,239, 007.94), Ministry of Environment (N62,378,218.04), Ministry of Finance and Planning (N262, 387,983.97), Ministry of Youths and Sports (N156,732,009.84).
“The list also includes the Office of the Head of Service (N293, 248, 899.16), Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development (N75, 795, 000), Ministry of Energy (N153, 764, 042.83), and Ministry of Water Resources (N409, 926, 151.37).
“ENetSuD charged the Kwara State House of Assembly to, as a matter of urgency and in the public interest, carry out its constitutional duty by carrying out robust, extensive and thorough investigation on how the KWSG spent the money.
“ENetSuD reminds the KWHA that failure to do its duty and report its findings to the public whose taxes are being spent without due process will not go well with Kwara citizens that they represent in the hallowed chamber.”
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Civil Societies Allege Fresh Plot By National Assembly To Frustrate Electoral Bill
A coalition of civil societies has said it uncovered a fresh plot by some lawmakers in the National Assembly to frustrate the Electoral Bill and foist a cul-de-sac version of the bill on Nigerians ahead of the 2023 general elections.
The group called on Nigerians, political parties, civil societies, the media, market women and Nigerian students to stop the lawmakers from carrying out the conspiracy.
The group disclosed these on Thursday in Abuja at a press conference themed, “CUL-DE-SAC? The plot to trap the Electoral Bill in the mines of delay.”
The CSOs include; the Center For Liberty, Raising New Voices Initiative, Ready-to-Lead Africa, Speak out Africa, Project Vote Initiative, The Nigerian Alliance, The Art and Civics Center, CDNDC, Adopt-A-Goal Initiative and Free Nigeria Movement.
Speaking on behalf of the coalition, Dare Ariyo-Atoye, said the fallout of the Section 52 (2) of the Senate version of the Electoral Bill on Electronic Transmission of Results was to trigger an executive veto and cause the bill to be returned to the National Assembly, by which time the National Assembly would be busy attending to the Appropriation Act.
He added that the elements behind the plan were to ensure the insertion of a clause that is in clear violation of the 1999 Constitution and to prevail on the Attorney General of the Federation to impress it on the President not to sign the bill because it contravenes the constitution.
Atoye explained that the aim of their conspiracy was to create an executive-legislative fiasco in the first phase, and then from next year, throw the electoral reform matter into the murky water of politics including making it an object of North-South divide.
Atoye said, “Since the Independent National Electoral Commission and the overriding legal opinions have confirmed the Senate version of Section 52 (2) of the Electoral Bill passed is in clear violation of the 1999 Constitution (FRN-aa), why is the Senate, at this crucial juncture, not avoiding clauses and provisions that could trigger an executive veto or create a constitutional crisis?
“A joint committee of the National Assembly had agreed to a bill that in Section 52 (2) gave INEC the exclusive power to transmit results as at when practicable. But like a thief in the night, the Senate version was doctored ahead of presentation and clause by clause adoption, and the country is yet to recover from this unpatriotic conduct.
“One of the CSOs partners, Adopt A Goal for Development Initiative, had through their legal representative issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) to retract the statement its agents made to the House of Representatives which downplayed Nigeria’s capacity to transmit election results electronically. But curiously in their reply, the NCC said, “We are currently investigating your allegations and we shall respond in due time.”
“Unfortunately, this is the same NCC that Senate is constitutionally mandated to clear INEC before results can be transmitted electronically. Also, recall that the Senate did not deem it fit to invite the NCC and INEC and had progressed into this legal error a day before the NCC was invited by the House.
“Why is the Senate insisting on taking the path of illegality when INEC has said it has the capacity to transmit elections results? Why will an NCC representative make false claims in the House of Representatives when the INEC and NCC Joint Technical committee on Electronic Transmission of Result had found that mobile network adequately covered 93% of polling units? Why is the Senate ignoring data and interested in sticking to an unconstitutional proposal?”
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Governor Abiodun Signs Anti-open Grazing Law In Ogun
Governor Dapo Abiodun
The governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, has signed into law, the anti-open grazing bill in the state.
On Thursday, the governor assented to the bill during a Security Council meeting at the state secretariat at Oke Mosan, Abeokuta.
Governor Dapo Abiodun
The law, titled HB No. 045/OG/2021, is – Law to Regulate Animal Grazing, Establishment of Cattles Ranches in Designated Grazing Areas of Ogun State and for other matters incidental thereto and connected therewith.
He called on the security agencies to swing immediately into action and enforce provisions of the law.
According to him, the subject matter has been discussed along the length and breadth of the country stating that southern governors have also discussed and endorsed it.
Cattle owners, according to Abiodun, have a six-month period of grace before it becomes illegal in Ogun State for herders to occupy unapproved public areas and private land with their livestock for grazing.
The law also prohibits the act of moving cattle around public places by herders.
Part of the law prescribed a jail term of not less than three years without the option of fine, including the forfeiture of the herds of cattle or livestock under his/her control to the State Government for anyone who rears, herd or graze any livestock in any part of the state.
This is except within the permitted ranches or anyone who rears cattle or livestock outside the permitted ranches after the commencement of the law.
A committee headed by the State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Adeola Odedina, had been set up to oversee the implementation and enforcement of the new law.
The signing of the anti-open grazing law by the governor followed the decision of the Southern Governors’ Forum last August, setting the September deadline to pass the law across member states.
The governor said, “By implication, in six months, it will become unlawful to openly graze cattle or other livestock in the state”
The Ogun State House of Assembly had passed the bill on July 8, 2021.
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Gunmen Attack Convoy Of Anambra Lawmaker After Dumping Ruling Party, APGA, Kill Driver
Unknown gunmen have attacked the convoy of the member representing Nnewi North, Nnewi South and Ekwusigo in the House of Representatives, Chris Azubogo, killing his driver.
SaharaReporters, however, gathered that Azubogo, who defected to the All Progressives Congress from the ruling party in the state, the All Progressives Grand Alliance, was not in the car when the attack happened.
A source stated that the lawmaker was in Abuja when the attack happened.
The incident, it was learnt, happened in Nnobi in the Idemili South Local Government Area of the state.
“His driver was killed but he was not in the car. He is in Abuja, not in the state. He was said to have defected to the APC today from the APGA,” a source said.
Also, a trending video showed the car splattered with the blood of the victims.
This is coming a few days after Dr Chike Akunyili, husband to the late Dora Akunyili, a former minister of Information and Communication was killed by gunmen at Umuoji in the Idemili North LGA of the state.
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E2%80%93-chike Dad Had Bullet Sustained During Nigerian Civil War In His Body Before He Was Killed – Chike Akunyili’s Children Pay Tributes
Late Dr John Chike Akunyili’s children have disclosed that their father had in his skull a bullet sustained from the Nigerian Civil War before the gunshots in Anambra State on Tuesday ended his life.
They revealed that the bullet was embedded in the skull as a result of the gunshot injuries he sustained during the war between 1967 and January 1970.
The six children recounted how Chike Akunyili fought in the war, noting that after his experience of violence and death, he went on to become a doctor, saving thousands of lives.
“As a young man, he fought as a soldier in the Biafra war – a war that earned him a bullet that stayed lodged in his skull ever since.
“From this experience of violence and death, he went on to become a doctor saving thousands of lives — a powerful testament to his journey through life”, the children said.
They noted that he started his healing journey in the north where he built and ran a mobile clinic, stressing perhaps the whole life injury informed his passion for medicine.
“He was a healer. A passionate surgeon, Dr. Chike was the Medical Director at St. Leo’s Hospital in Enugu. For decades he served countless people, many of whom he cared for and healed at no cost. His one request was always that they paid it forward.
“For many months, he lived and worked among the people, studying and becoming fluent in Hausa to better serve his patients. His commitment to providing healthcare to that community earned him the National Youth Service Merit Award,” the children added in the tribute.
The tribute was signed by; Dr. Ijeoma Akunyili, Dr. Somto Asuzu, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Chidiogo Akunyili-Parr and Obumneme Akunyili.
LAST MOMENTS: Onlookers Watch Late Dora Akunyili’s Husband Struggle For Life After He Was Shot | Sahara Reporters pic.twitter.com/fpgvbmhwma— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) September 29, 2021
The last child, Obumneme that saw his father alive, and works as the director-general of Anambra State Project Management and Monitoring Office, told BBC Pidgin that his dad was shot in the face by gunmen who opened fire on his vehicle at Nkpor, Anambra State.
“His driver and a policeman assigned to him also died in the shooting. A cousin survived and is being treated in hospital,” Obumneme added.
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E2%80%94-officials Okonjo-Iweala Frustrated, May Quit World Trade Organisation Job — Officials
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, may consider quitting her job at the organisation if no headway can be found on critical issues, trade officials at the organisation have suggested.
According to a report by Bloomberg, she began the year with a plan to score quick negotiating victories that she said would help reboot the dysfunctional Geneva-based trade body.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
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The officials, who pleaded anonymity, stated that barely seven months into her four-and-a-half term, Okonjo-Iweala had grasped the frustrating reality of the WTO’s historical inertia, and was even floating the idea of resigning.
According to them, she had repeatedly told ambassadors and staff that she could easily walk away from the job and reminded them that she had not bought any furniture for her temporary home in Geneva.
An early departure of the WTO’s top trade official would add yet another layer of chaos to an organisation suffering from an existential crisis that may lead governments to conclude the WTO was not a credible forum for addressing their shared challenges.
Last year, Okonjo-Iweala’s predecessor – Roberto Azevedo – cited the lack of progress at the WTO as his primary reason for resigning from the organisation a year before his tenure was scheduled to end.
Some Geneva trade officials told Bloomberg that they suspect Okonjo-Iweala wants to run in the 2023 presidential election in her native country of Nigeria.
She has however refuted claims of running for the presidency while she didn’t comment about her threats to resign.
She described such speculation as “utterly ridiculous and not true” in a statement to Bloomberg News.
“I just got here. I am enjoying what I’m doing,” she told Bloomberg News in a television interview. “It is a very exciting job and I am trying to have some successes here,” she was quoted as saying.
Okonjo-Iweala arrived with the qualifications of a political heavyweight. With her background as a former developmental economist, a high-ranking World Bank alumnus and the former director of vaccine alliance GAVI — she is among the most qualified people to lead the organization’s effort to address the Covid-19 vaccine crisis.
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E2%80%93 Politicians Behind Anambra Killings, Already Wrote November 6 Election Results – Intersociety Reveals
A civil organization, the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, has stated that some politicians are behind wanton killings of innocent citizens in the South-East to create panic among people.
The group revealed that the killing spree was to also scare away eligible voters from casting their votes in the Anambra State governorship election slated for November 6, 2021.
According to the group, the results of the election scheduled for early next month have been completed and stored by rigger politicians.
The group, also known as Intersociety, said its investigation revealed this.
These were contained in a statement signed by Emeka Umeagbalasi, Obianuju Igboeli and Chidimma Udegbunam and obtained by SaharaReporters on Thursday.
The statement read in part, “It is investigative finding and strong position of the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law that rigger-politicians have strong questions to answer with regard to the new wave and maddening rate of killing of defenseless citizens and infliction of fears, panics and apprehensions on the general citizens of Anambra State.
“These latest dastardly acts are geared towards scaring and chasing independent voters away so as to scientifically rig the November 6 Governorship Poll. As was the case in the November 2017 Governorship Election, the rigging, this time, is also perpetrated through ‘massive procurement and uploading of PVCs (as “valid votes cast”) as well as widespread vote buying on Election Day”.
“By our recent investigation, the results of the November 6 Governorship Election are already perfected and stored in secret safe custody and the more number of independent voters scared away from voting, the chances of the million tag ‘dead votes’ seeing the light of the day and the more number of independent voters who are able or willing to vote, the slim chances for the survival of the ‘dead votes’.”
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E2%80%93-sheikh-gumi Bandits Cannot Kidnap Me Because We, Preachers, Listen To Them – Sheikh Gumi
Sheik Gumi with bandits
Controversial Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has said bandits terrorising the country love those who show them respect and understanding.
According to People’s Gazette, Gumi said this while fielding questions from students during a lecture at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria on Wednesday.
Sheik Gumi with bandits
The cleric who has been visiting the gunmen in the forest in an attempt to negotiate a peace deal with them says his interaction with them have been easy because he always “goes through the door.”
“I go through the door, not the window. If you go through the door, you will go in and come back safely,” he said.
Gumi said if the bandits were given a listening ear, their resolve would be softened and would become more amenable to abandoning their violent ways.
When asked why the bandits had not kidnapped him despite his numerous visits to their den, Gumi said, “When we meet them, we don’t speak, we give them the microphone to speak even for one hour. When we first approached them, we saw that they were holding their warrant, ready to fire. By the time we finish our meeting, they will hand in their weapons and we will be taking pictures.
“So this is the power of human interaction which is what we are here to study as social scientists. That is the approach.”
The preacher said he had been able to gain the bandits’ sympathy because he “treats them as human beings and respects them.”
“That is the respect I give them. I say come, come and sit with me. Come and sit down. I want to hear from you. With that respect, the Fulani man, you can get him.
“So don’t be surprised, if you are nice to him, if you are ready to listen to him, if you are trying to understand his problem, if you put your legs in his own shoes, he will listen to you, you will go to the forest and return safely insha Allahu,” Gumi assured.
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