Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Friday 3rd June 2022
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 03/06/22
Read also
APC Primary: Vice President Osinbajo, National Chairman, Five Governors In Secret Meeting
Yemi Osinbajo
Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, is currently meeting with All Progressives Congress National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, and five state governors.
According to Punch, the meeting comes a few days after President Muhammadu Buhari met with the governors at the Council Chambers of the State House on Tuesday before leaving for Madrid, Spain.
Yemi Osinbajo
Although the identities of the governors are still unknown, it was confirmed that the meeting is taking place at the vice president’s office.
Osinbajo is one of the 2023 presidential aspirants.
Recall that APC postponed its presidential primary to June 6 to 8.
The primary was initially scheduled to hold between May 29 and 30.
“Following the Independent National Electoral Commission’s extension of deadline for the submission of list of candidates by political parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) hereby postpones its Special Convention for Presidential Primary from Sunday, 29th – Monday, 30th of May, 2022 to Monday, 6th – Wednesday, 8th of June, 2022,” APC spokesperson Felix Morka had said in a statement on Sunday.
Politics
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
Another Civic Group To Drag Central Bank Governor, Emefiele To Court Over Membership Of Ruling APC
CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele
A civil society organisation, Leadership and Accountability Initiative, is about to sue the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, for allegedly being a card carrying member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Emefiele, directly and through proxies, had sought to contest the 2023 presidential election under the platform of APC but met a brick wall as Nigerians mounted opposition and demanded for his removal as the Governor of the nation’s apex bank.
CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele
So many organisations have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to remove him.
Meanwhile, some civil society organisations have already dragged Mr Emefiele to court asking the court for his removal.
On Thursday, the group, Leadership and Accountability Initiative, announced on Twitter that it was ready to sue Emefiele.
The group in its Twitter handle @transparency_ng tweeted “We shall be suing the Central Bank of Nigeria @cenbank, Mr. Godwin Emefiele @GodwinIEmefiele and the Federal Government on the eligibility of Mr. Emefiele to continue as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria having registered as a member of a Political Party.”
The tweet had so far attracted over 892 retweets and 31Quote tweets.We shall be suing the Central Bank of Nigeria @cenbank, Mr. Godwin Emefiele @GodwinIEmefiele and the Federal Government on the eligibility of Mr. Emefiele to continue as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria having registered as a member of a Political Party.— Leadership & Accountability Initiative (@transparency_ng) June 2, 2022
Meanwhile, Twitter users have reacted, while some are in support; some are against.
@globalspeed7 tweeted thus: “I feel it’s better you wait till this government change oooo. Cos they will do every thing possible to mess it up. That’s why Peter Obi comes in to play here. Let’s turn this online to real line”I feel it’s better you wait till this government change oooo. Cos they will do every thing possible to mess it up. That’s why Peter Obi comes in to play here. Let’s turn this online to real line— Itopsy (@globalspeed7) June 2, 2022
@EfiGreat tweeted” Why do most Africans not resign from public office?? They rather die in office than leave in the midst of bad performance or unethical behaviour.”
Politics
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
Saharareporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
Fulani From 16 Countries Converge In Abuja To Discuss Rising Insecurity
Fulani from 16 West African countries gathered in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, on Thursday to discuss issues relating to insecurity.
The meeting was part of the ongoing two-day First Interactive Policy Dialogue and Cultural Festival organised by the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, a Fulani socio-cultural association.
Nigerian Tribune reports that the festival with the theme, “The Future of Fulani Pastoralists in Nigeria” took place at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.
The event had Fulani from 16 West African countries as delegates
Alhaji Bello Abdullahi Bodejo, the National President of the association, in his opening remarks at the event, said the gathering “was meant to find lasting solutions to issues of insecurity confronting Nigeria, with a view to having a meeting with Fulani in 16 neighbouring countries, to know whether the insecurity situation in Nigeria is also affecting them.”
“If they aren’t affected, why is it that Nigeria is passing through this? We will also go to the Niger Republic. We would also go to the forests to meet and find out what is actually happening.
“There are 16 delegates from 16 neighbouring countries. After this summit, we will come out with a paper on the way forward,” he added.
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
Saharareporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
E2%80%93-tinubu Buhari Would Have Lost Presidential Election Fourth Time In 2015 If Not For Me – Tinubu
One of the presidential aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu, says he led a political struggle that produced President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.
Tinubu also categorically said he nominated Prof Yemi Osinbajo as Buhari’s running mate.
He spoke at presidential lodge in Abeokuta, the state capital, while addressing the APC delegates ahead of the party’s primaries.
Speaking on Buhari’s emergence, he said “If not me that led the war front, Buhari wouldn’t have emerged. He contested first, second and third times, but lost. He even said on television that he won’t contest again.
“But I went to his home in Katsina. I told him you would contest and win, but you won’t joke with the matters of the Yoruba. Since he has emerged I have not been appointed minister. I didn’t get contract.
“This time, it’s Yoruba turn and in Yorubaland, it’s my tenure.”
In his remarks, Abiodun who had earlier declared his support for Osinbajo’s candidature, refused to endorse Tinubu.
He told Tinubu that delegates from the state would do “the right thing” at the convention.
Abiodun described Tinubu as a political warrior, serial winner and strategist.
Politics
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
Saharareporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
E2%80%93-boastful-tinubu-knocks-dapo-abiodun-backing-osinbajo I Made You Ogun Governor – Boastful Tinubu Knocks Dapo Abiodun For Backing Osinbajo
A presidential aspirant and national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, has claimed that he made Dapo Abiodun the governor of Ogun State.
Tinubu disclosed this on Thursday in Abeokuta during a meeting to woo APC delegates ahead of the forthcoming presidential primary, fixed for 6th June this year.
“It’s over 34 years now that I have been serving them, this one sitting behind me (pointing at the governor), can he say it that he would have become the governor if not for me,” the former Lagos governor said boastfully in Yoruba.
Abiodun had in April 2022 declared that he would support Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo’s presidential bid.
Both Osinbajo and Tinubu were said to be instrumental to his victory when he battled former Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s anointed candidate, Abdulkabir Akinlade, in the last election.
According to Abiodun, Osinbajo’s academic qualifications as well as his pedigree serving as vice-president make him the best candidate for the presidency.
“If becoming president is by qualification, you’ve earned it. You are in office today as the vice-president of Nigeria. You’ve been in office for seven years. You’ve served your boss meritoriously. You are mature in this office. You’ve demonstrated capacity and capability,” he had told the Vice President who was in the state in April to consult APC stakeholders.
“If presidency is by way of an award, we will just gather here today and will award it to you. However, it isn’t an award; it’s a contest. We do not have a doubt in our minds that with your pedigree, the Lord Almighty that we all serve and that you also serve, will grant you the desires of your heart.
“As we stand here today, I make bold to say that your state is the industrial capital of this country; we are the religious capital of this country. God answers our prayers quickly in Ogun state. The Almighty God has answered your prayer. We will be with you, stand by you, and give you that support.”
Politics
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
Saharareporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
Nigerian Electricity Workers Kick Against Newly Constituted Board Of Power Agency, TCN
Electricity workers under the Transmission Company of Nigeria have kicked against the recently inaugurated board of the company alleging lack of representation and robust composition.
The workers made their position known in a statement issued by Joe Ajaero, the General Secretary of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE).
According to the NUEE members, the newly constituted board of the TCN lacked representation from the workers and does not enjoy robust composition required to bring about the positive changes in the sector.
The workers complained that the Minister of Power who would supervise the board had not met with their representatives so as to intimate him with the challenges facing the sector and proffering solution to the crisis.
The statement reads, “Our attention has been drawn to the recently inaugurated Board of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
“The Board as currently constituted lacks representation from the Workers and does not enjoy robust composition required to bring about desired positive changes in the Transmission Sector.
“The Honourable Minister of Power who is supposed to supervise the Board; since his appointment has not had any interface with Workers representatives with a view to appreciating the challenges facing the Sector and proffering solution to these perennial crises.
”In inaugurating a Board for TCN and the need to revamp the ailing Power Sector, it is pertinent to enquire what the terms of reference issued to them are several failed/uncompleted projects in the past, one of which is that of Siemens; despite the alarm raised by the Union has remained one that did not yield positive impact till date, notwithstanding the enormous resources thrown into it.
“This brings to bare numerous questions begging for answers concerning the composition of the TCN Board. Is this a Professional Service Board or Political Reward? Can they deliver in terms of investment attractiveness, economy of scale, and effectiveness? Is there any academia with specialisation in Electronic movement design on this Board?
“The Power Sector has to be salvaged and in doing so, we must square pegs in square holes.”
LABOR/WORKERS’ RIGHTS
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
Saharareporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
Senate President, Lawan Picks South-East Senators To Coordinate Presidential Campaign Team
Senate President Ahmad Lawan
Few days to the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential convention, Senate President and presidential aspirant, Senator Ahmed Lawan, has announced former Abia State Governor, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, and other South-East senators as members of his campaign team.
The South-East region has been agitating for presidency to come to the region.
Senate President Ahmad Lawan
According to a statement made available to newsmen, Kalu will lead the eight-man Committee of the Ahmad Lawan Central campaign organisation.
Senator Auwal Lawan is the Chairman of the Finance and Budget Committee with Senator representing Niger East, Sani Musa as Co-chairman.
Others are; Senators Ikechukwu Obiora and Betty Apiafi as Chairman and Deputy Chairman Strategy and Planning while Senators Barau Jibrin and Peter Nwaoboshi lead Contact and Mobilisation.
The chief whip of the senate is expected to strengthen the campaign organisation and build a stronger cohesion that would deliver the APC ticket to the Senate President during the presidential primaries, and ultimately lead him to victory in the general election.
Politics
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
E2%80%93-islamic-cleric-sheikh-gumi Our Children Killing, Kidnapping People Only Want Dialogue – Islamic Cleric, Sheikh Gumi Tells Nigerian Government
Islamic scholar, Sheik Ahmad Gumi, has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to appease the Fulani race before leaving office by May 2023.
Gumi spoke, on Thursday, as a resource person at the ongoing two-day First Interactive Policy Dialogue and Cultural Festival organised by the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore Socio-Cultural Festival with the theme, “The Future of Fulani Pastoralists in Nigeria.”
The controversial cleric claimed that the Fulani had been wrongly demonised and felt alienated.
He maintained that with dialogue and genuine commitment to peace, those who engaged in kidnapping and banditry which had complicated security situations in both the North-West and North-East part of the country would surrender their arms.
The Islamic scholar particularly tasked the Muhammadu Buhari administration to create the Ministry of Nomadic Affairs to reduce herders-farmers clashes and requested adequate funds, in trillions to match the appeasement of Niger Delta militants with the creation of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs be done for the bandits.
“The children that were killing and kidnapping people opened their doors freely to us when we visited because they heard we were there to preach the gospel; all they want is to dialogue. Send them people that they respect to dialogue with them and they will listen by the grace of God and this problem will be resolved,” he said.
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
Saharareporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
Celebrity, Mompha Ready To Strike Deal With Anti-graft Agency, EFCC In N6billion Fraud Trial
A special offences court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos State on Thursday adjourned the money laundering trial of internet celebrity, Ismaila Mustapha, also known as Mompha to June 10 for plea bargain agreement with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
By June 10, 2022, it is expected that both the EFCC and Mompha would have reached a final agreement in the proposed plea bargain over alleged N6billion money laundering charge against the suspect.
Justice Mojisola Dada fixed in anticipation of the final agreement between the prosecution and the defence team, a statement by the anti-graft agency on Thursday read.
At the proceeding on Thursday, Kolawole Salami who held brief for Gboyega Oyewole (SAN) informed the court that discussions were ongoing on plea bargain with EFCC.
The counsel prayed the court for extension of time for both parties to reach a conclusion.
He added that a meeting was held at prosecution’s office at 4:00 p.m. to discuss the terms of the proposal.
This position was confirmed by the EFCC counsel, Mr S.I. Suleiman on the position of defence, and also prayed for an adjournment.
Justice Dada gave the date after defence and prosecution counsels prayed for extension of time.
It will be recalled that Mompha and his company Ismalob Global Investment Limited was arrested on January 10, 2022 by EFCC, and arraigned him on a 8-count charge bordering on the offences of conspiracy and money laundering to the tune of over N6billion, along with his company, Ismalob Global Investment Limited.
The counts include conspiracy to launder money obtained through unlawful activities, and laundering of money obtained through unlawful activities.
He was also charged for retention of proceeds of criminal conduct, use of property derived from unlawful act, possession of document containing false pretences and failure to disclose assets.
Legal
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
Saharareporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
Southern Hypocrisy Will Help Atiku To Succeed Buhari By Azu Ishiekwene
After last weekend’s primary by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which produced former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s candidate for next year’s presidential election, political leaders in the South have been hurling abuses at the North for betrayal. According to pro-zoning interest groups in the South, it’s not supposed to be this way. After over two decades of an internal zoning arrangement in the PDP that has produced presidents from two other zones and sprung Atiku as the candidate in the last general election, the groups are upset that the system is once again rigged to produce a Northern candidate who could potentially succeed President Muhammadu Buhari.
“The scale was skewed,” the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) said, reacting to how delegates for the primary were chosen. “They had one delegate from each of the 774 local government areas of the country. And, of course, we know that there are more local governments in the North than in the South.” In a similar tone, the Middle Belt Forum, which also had one aspirant in the race, said, “We have made it clear that we will not support any party that fields a Northerner as its presidential candidate during the 2023 election. The PDP has lost our support by fielding former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as its flag bearer.” It’s hard to figure out what the support of any of these groups is really worth or if their tantrum amounts to anything beyond taking up acres of newspaper space. How can PANDEF, hardly taken seriously outside the South-South – not to mention its declining influence even in matters affecting the region – hope to get anyone to pay attention to it? Or how can the Middle Belt Forum ever so confused and polarised about its own identity pretend to have suddenly found its voice now? Let’s be clear about something: I’m opposed to a system that despises its constituent parts as despicably as Nigeria has despised the South East. I have said, without mincing my words, that the sudden awakening among anti-zoning elements that there is no better time than now for merit to prevail – as if any section of the country has a monopoly of it – is nothing but sheer hypocrisy. For the sake of fairness and equity, the arrangement within the political parties that produced Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Yar’Adua and Buhari ought to have applied not just to the South, but particularly to the South East, the epicentre of Nigeria’s political crime scene. However, instead of directing their anger at Governor Aminu Tambuwal or the North, PANDEF, the Middle Belt Forum and other political groups that are aggrieved by the outcome of last weekend’s PDP presidential primary should face the traitors in their own midst – the governors and party leaders in the South, who rather than put their money where their mouth is, decided to settle, yet again, for the crumbs from the North’s table. We saw that in 2007. After the Southern Forum, led by Governors Peter Odili, Chimaraoke Nnamani and Victor Attah, swore publicly, tongues sticking out, that it was time for Southern governors to close ranks for a Southern candidate to succeed Obasanjo, Odili wrote in his book, “Conscience and history”, that it was indeed Southern governors that worked the hardest to frustrate that aspiration, paving the way for Umaru Yar’Adua’s presidency. It happened back then as comedy, but now it’s playing out again as farce. At least twice in the last one year, governors under the auspices of the Southern Governors’ Forum, which comprises the two major political parties and APGA, held meetings from Asaba in Delta to Enugu in Enugu State, at which they pledged to ensure that the Presidency returns to the South. In what amounted to the military equivalent of a mutiny, the Chairman of the Forum, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, said after a meeting in Enugu in September, that, “The next president of Nigeria must come from the Southern part of Nigeria in line with the politics of equity, justice and fairness.” He added, for good measure and in spite of significant opposition from Northern governors at the time, that the Forum would not back down on its demand and praised his colleagues who were already implementing regional security outfits and anti-grazing laws, all tokens of a Southern resurgence. On Saturday, the South – specifically the South-South – which has the largest number and concentration of PDP governors, had the opportunity to show that it could, at least, stand up for what it believes in. Sadly, it was, yet again, the South’s meltdown moment. Even if the party’s decision to select one delegate per local government area meant that the South had 357 delegates to the North’s 419, the treacherous attitude of Southern governors and political leaders guaranteed a Northern victory. I don’t understand why Southern groups are crying a river, attacking Tambuwal and making empty threats to block Atiku. If their own governors could not shelve their personal ambitions and come together to back the region’s strongest candidate, why did they expect that Tambuwal, a serial political philanderer, will do it for them? Governor Nyesom Wike has complained that Tambuwal broke the party’s guidelines by speaking twice and campaigning after the campaign had closed. But that was not where the treachery started. It began with the hypocrisy of Southern governors and political leaders who talk an elephant knowing full well they won’t deliver a cricket. While Atiku was busy mobilising traditional rulers and religious leaders, calling in favours and laying mines to trip even candidates from the region who might stand in his way, with the full backing of Northern elders, political groups in the South were waging their campaign for the presidency through press statements on social media. The chickens have come home to roost. It’s true that Nigeria’s abhorrent political maths leaves the South East with the fewest states and fewest local governments as well. But see how the region which has justifiably felt cheated out of the country’s top job treated its own aspirants, sharing a miserable 15 votes out of 91, between two of them, and leaving the third aspirant with zero votes. The remaining votes were obviously invested in currency trafficking. I laugh at the suggestion that what is left of the South’s misery would be saved by the presidential primary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) next week. There is an anecdote that helps to explain why that will not happen. In the wee hours of Monday after the PDP primary, I got an unusual message. It was from a confidante who though not a politician, has exceptional instincts from his training as a mathematician and over six decades of observation and experience of Nigeria’s politics. “2023”, he wrote: “The jigsaw puzzle is falling in place.” He was referring to an earlier conversation we had after the two major parties scrapped zoning – a convenient political arrangement that served and seduced them – and declared they had finally discovered political orgasm in merit. Once the pretence collapsed and President Muhammadu Buhari said tongue-in-cheek that the party chairman’s zone need not deter any presidential aspirants, my confidante said it was very likely that the two major parties would field Northern candidates. Atiku Abubakar is the first piece of that puzzle. It’s not outside the realm of probability that as the APC conducts its primary next week that Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, could be the second, final piece that completes the shame of Southern hypocrisy. And it would be justified, by Southerners no less, that the North East and the North Central are just as marginalised as the South East! Like Deng Xiaoping said in his famous parable of white cat and black cat, APC insiders have said the party’s main preoccupation now, is how to stop Atiku; that that is the reason why they attempted to drag former President Goodluck Jonathan into the race, to secure the South-South/South East, and pair him with Justice Minister and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, to corner the country’s largest vote bank in the North West. The additional unspoken attraction, of course, was Jonathan’s single four-year term. Let’s wait and see. If I were a betting man, I would wager that as things stand today, whoever emerges as APC’s candidate would hardly be a match for Atiku Abubakar in next year’s presidential election. And Buhari, who would then be obliged to pretend that he is handing over with a heavy heart, would have nothing to lose. Like it was in 2015, it would be yet another gift from the South. Ishiekwene is Editor-In-Chief of LEADERSHIP
Opinion
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
Azu Ishiekwene
Disable advertisements
:
Read also
You can also check
