The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • I’m dying on hospital bed, says ex-NUPENG scribe Frank Kokori

    I’m dying on hospital bed, says ex-NUPENG scribe Frank Kokori

    Elder statesman and former General Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Chief Frank Kokori, has cried out that he is dying in a hospital bed.

    The former labour activist renowned for his struggle for the actualization of the June 12, 1993 presidential mandate of the late Bashorun MKO Abiola during the Sani Abacha-led military regime, said life was fast ebbing out of him where he is receiving treatment for kidney-related ailment.

    Kokori, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State, said in a voice laden with excruciating pains, that he is “dead and risen.”

    He lamented how NUPENG had abandoned him in the hospital where the air conditioner was switched off by the hospital management possibly owing to shortage of diesel.

    The Ovu-born fiery labour leader complained about being abandoned in a hospital he described as “third class” in Warri by those who should cater for his wellbeing.

    He said: “Tell the world that Kokori is dead and risen. The only man in Warri who can handle kidney problems is Horeb Hospital Warri.

    “But I’m facing other challenges. The air condition is not working. And AC can keep alive till morning. What a country!

    “Mobilise yourselves. I have something to tell this country, please. Please, do your best.

    “Tell them that I can pay any amount. But let them switch on the AC for me because I’m dying.

    “The AC went off. Please do your best. Flash it.

    “I can come alive again. But I just want the world to know that if I survive, I’ll shame the leaders of this country.

    Read Also: Afenifere disowns Adebanjo over Supreme Court judgment on Tinubu’s victory

    “Shame on them. How can Kokori be in a third-class hospital? The People are trying their best-o  because I know it’s a diesel issue.

    “The AC is off. Two of my foster children are here with me. I’ve sent one to meet the hospital management that they should do everything to see that the AC is switched on; that when I’m out, I’ll pay. That I’m dying.

    “I’ve called on NUPENG that this is what they’ve done to their leaders. That NUPENG could not even take care of me. It’s sad. God bless everybody.”

    The septuagenarian is said to have been in the hospital for some time before his distress call came in the wee hours of Thursday.

    Recall that Chief Kokori was at the forefront of the struggle to reclaim the mandate of the late winner of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola, which was annulled by the then President Badamosi Babangida and sustained by his successor, the late General Sani Abacha.

  • Tinubu mourns death of Nigeria’s first female General at 84

    Tinubu mourns death of Nigeria’s first female General at 84

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is mourning the death of Nigeria’s first female Army General, Aderonke Kale, has died at the age of 84.

    A statement issued by former army spokesperson, S.K. Usman, revealed the late Kale died of an unspecified ailment in London on Wednesday.

    Reacting to her death in a statement yesterday, President Tinubu sympathised with the Kale family, the Nigerian Army, and the society of medical practitioners in Nigeria.

    The late Kale was widely acknowledged not only as the first female Major-General in the Nigerian Army but also the first female Commander of the Nigerian Army Medical Corps.

    She retired from the Nigerian Army in 1997.

    The President described the late Kale as a pace-setter, describing her death as a painful loss to the country.

    “Major-General Aderonke Kale was a pioneer in her field. She embodied the courage, professionalism, capacity and resilience of the Nigerian woman.

    “She thrived and conquered where many feared to tread. She was a towering figure; an inimitable role model,” the President said.

    He prayed for the repose of the soul of the late officer and encouraged her beloved family to take solace in the “peerless legacy” she left behind.

    Major-General Kale was a recipient of many awards for her contributions to the field of Medicine. She was also a philanthropist who positively impacted many lives. 

    Her death was confirmed by the President of the Alumni Association of the National Institute (AANI), E. O. Okafor, in a statement on Thursday.

    Read Also: Kogi 2023: Police bar security escort for VIPs at polling units

    Okafor described her passing as an “irreparable loss”, saying that the public should look forward to burial arrangements to be announced by her family.

    Describing her person, a statement issued by former army spokesperson, S.K. Usman, said Kale was a trailblazer in the medical and military history of the country.

    “AANI and indeed the nation will continue to remember the remarkable legacy of the iconic Major General Aderonke Kale (rtd), mni, who had been a trailblazer in Nigeria’s medical and military history.

    “May her gentle soul continue to rest in peace, Amen,” the statement said.

    Kale trained as a medical doctor at the University College, which later became the University of Ibadan, and specialised in psychiatry at the University of London.

    Kale, who was born on 31 July, 1939, worked briefly in Britain before returning to Nigeria in 1971.

  • Chinese national jailed for illegal export of donkey’s genitals

    Chinese national jailed for illegal export of donkey’s genitals

    The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has convicted and sentenced a Chinese national, Zheng Di, to two years imprisonment for unlawful storage and attempted illegal export of donkey’s genitals.

    Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa handed down the verdict following Di’s guilty plea.

    Di, also known as Andi, was arraigned by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS).

    Prosecution counsel, Michael Osong, told the court that Di committed the offence on August 2, 2023 at the SAHCOL Export Warehouse of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.

    Osong named one Famakinwa Samson Funmi and other unnamed Nigerians as Di’s alleged accomplices, adding that they were on the run.

    The court heard that Di claimed in a waybill number 0714869 2070 and other declaration documents, that the animal parts he warehoused preparatory to export were cow penises and not donkey genitals which were prohibited.

    Read Also: Afenifere disowns Adebanjo over Supreme Court judgment on Tinubu’s victory

    But his claim was found to be untrue.

    The offence contravened sections 516 of the Criminal Code Act, 2004 and sections 150(1)(b)(i) and 150(2)(c) of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.

    Di pleaded guilty and, through his lawyer, pleaded for mercy.

    He prayed the court to consider a sentence of a fine or other non-custodial sentence, saying he was a first-time offender.

    Upholding his prayer, Justice Lewis-Allagoa said the plea for leniency and other aggravating factors tilted towards Di.

    The judge sentenced him to two years imprisonment but with an option to pay N500,000 in lieu of a jail term.

  • Yiaga Africa predicts low turnout in Imo, Kogi, Bayelsa elections

    Yiaga Africa predicts low turnout in Imo, Kogi, Bayelsa elections

    An election observer group, Yiaga Africa has predicted low voter turnout for Imo, Bayelsa and Kogi governorship elections despite a high collection rate of permanent voters card.

    The organisation based the prediction on the “pre-election violence, a deep sense of citizens’ distrust, apparent fear of intimidation, voter fatigue and loss of faith in elections as a means to achieving democratic leadership.”

    To avoid the situation, Yiaga Africa advocated for eleventh-hour confidence-building voter education to improve voter turnout.

    A Member of the Board of Yiaga Africa, Ezenwa Nwagwu, stated this during a pre – election press conference yesterday in Abuja.

    The organisation would be deploying 659 duly trained and accredited stationary and roving observers to observe the conduct of the governorship election in the three states.

    Read Also: Kogi 2023: Police bar security escort for VIPs at polling units

    According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the number of Permanent Voters Cards (PVC) collected in Bayelsa was 1,017,613, Imo, 2,318,919 and 1,833,160 in Kogi state.

    “Despite these high collection rates, Yiaga Africa projects low voter turnout in the respective states owing to the spate of pre-election violence, a deep sense of citizens’ distrust, apparent fear of intimidation, voter fatigue and loss of faith in elections as a means to achieving democratic leadership. Yiaga Africa advocates for eleventh-hour confidence-building voter education to improve voter turnout,” Nwagwu said.

    He said at the end of the polls, Yiaga Africa observers would be deployed to all LGAs and State’s results collation centres to observe and report the results collation process.

    Nwagwu said: “This will involve deploying 600 stationary observers to a representative randomly selected sample of 300 polling units for each of these 2 states. In addition to the PRVT methodology, Yiaga Africa will deploy 9 observers in Bayelsa State to observe the process and LGA results collation.”

  • Nigeria crude oil production dips to 1.562,072mb/d

    Nigeria crude oil production dips to 1.562,072mb/d

    …fails to meet OPEC quota

    For the 10th successive month in 2023, Nigeria again failed to meet its 1.8 million barrels per day (mb/d) crude oil production quota from Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) as its production dipped from 1,572,315 mb/d in September 2023 to 1,562,072mb/d in October 2023.

    The Nigerian Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) in its “October 2023 Crude Oil Production,” said 1,350,573mb/d crude oil was produced in the period under review.

    It added that 48,461 b/d blended condensate was produced while the country also recorded 163,038 unblended condensate output totalling 1,562,072mb/d in the month under review.

    Meanwhile, the production has dipped when the country needs crude oil most amid challenges of insecurity in the Niger Delta and crude oil theft.

    If the statement the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited issued on Thursday morning is anything to go by, the country’s oil industry is facing a hard time.

    The NNPC said the Russian/Ukraine lingering conflict was affecting the inflow in the international oil market.

    NNPCL said consequently, there was a dip in the demand from the once -dependable Asian market at the onset of hostilities in the Eastern bloc.

    But only last week,  on the other hand, the commission confirmed that the 650,000b/d Dangote Refinery requested feedstock for production.

    Besides, the NUPRC had in the penultimate week insisted that the crude oil producers must meet their Domestic Crude Oil Supply Obligation or face some sanctions.

     According to a statement which Head, Public Affairs and Corporate Communications, Mrs. Olaide Shonola issued recently, more local refineries are to commence production soon.

    NUPRC said pre-emptive steps are being taken because it would send wrong and unbecoming signals to the international business community if operators of domestic refineries in one of the world’s largest crude oil-producing countries start importing feedstock for their production.

    Read Also: Afenifere disowns Adebanjo over Supreme Court judgment on Tinubu’s victory

    It was in contemplation of this that Section 109 of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 introduced the Domestic Crude Supply Obligation (DCSO) to Nigeria’s oil industry in a bid to ensure that domestic refineries are not starved of crude oil supply for their operation.

    The Commission has already taken some steps in furtherance of this goal by developing and signing the Production Curtailment and Domestic Crude Oil Supply Obligation (PC&DCSO) Regulation 2023, in line with the provisions of Section 109(2) of the PIA 2021, preparing for approval and implementation of the DCSO framework and procedure guide, processing of application for refinery feedstock approval, requesting all oil producing companies to provide information on their planned crude oil off-take and existing sales purchase agreement, and advising the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to furnish it with the domestic crude oil requirement of refineries in operation.

    The Commission reiterated its determination to apply all required penalties for default and has emphasised that a company that fails to respond to the Request for Quotation (RFQ) within the specified period is liable to pay an administrative fine of USD10,000, while a company that has not complied with its DCSO, where willing buyer(s) exist will not be granted an export permit. A company that fails to comply with the DCSO would be made to pay a penalty of 50% of the Fiscal Price per barrel not delivered.

  • Appeal Court rejects case seeking Sylva’s exclusion from poll

    Appeal Court rejects case seeking Sylva’s exclusion from poll

    • Imposes N1m fine on appellant

    The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed an appeal seeking to prevent former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva from participating in today’s  governorship election in Bayelsa State.

     In a judgement on Thursday evening, a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal held that the appeal brought by Hon Isikima Ogbomade Johnson was without merit.

    In the judgement read by Justice Binta Zubar, the court held that the subject matter of the case was non-justiceable, adding that the case was brought in bad faith.

    The court upheld Sylva’s argument that it cannot be said that he took the oath of office as a governor twice because his first election as governor of Bayelsa State was voided by courts which informed why another election was conducted,and he won.

     The Court of Appeal, in the judgment on the appeal marked CA/ABJ/CV/1052/2023, rejected the appellant’s claim that the primary election conducted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) on April 14 which produced Sylva as the party’s candidate, was held without compliance with relevant laws.

    The appellate court held that the overwhelming evidence presented by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the APC showed that no legal provision was violated  in the conduct of the primary.

    Read Also: Kogi 2023: Police bar security escort for VIPs at polling units

    It added that with the undisputed evidence coupled with the monitoring report produced by INEC, the allegations by the appellant that Sylva emerged from a flawed  primary election was unfounded.

    The court said: “From the uncontroverted independent report of INEC, it was clear beyond any doubt that a valid primary election was conducted by APC and monitored by the electoral umpire as required by law.”

    It also held that the case of the appellant was statute barred having been instituted outside the 14 days allowed by law as a pre- election matter.

    The Court of Appeal proceeded to uphold the judgment of a Federal High Court in Abuja delivered by Justice Inyang Ekwo which on September 26 dismissed  the suit by Mrs. Johnson for lacking in merit and substance.

    The Court of Appeal also imposed a cost of N1million against the appellant.

    Mrs. Johnson had, by an originating summons, sued the APC, INEC and Sylva before the Federal High Court, praying for an order to disqualify Sylva from today’s governorship election on the grounds that he had been elected into governorship office twice and took the oath of office and oath of allegiance twice.

    She also claimed that the April 14 primary election that produced Sylva was illegal and unlawful, having been allegedly done in contravention with APC’s guidelines.

  • Suspected herdsmen attack Enugu school bus, kill student

    Suspected herdsmen attack Enugu school bus, kill student

    Bandits suspected to be Fulani herdsmen have attacked a coaster school bus belonging to a Catholic school, St Paul’s College, Eke, in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State, killing a female student.

    The bandits, suspected to be the brains behind kidnapping activities in the area, also left several other students with severe bullet wounds.

    The Nation learned that many of the victims with bullet wounds are currently battling for survival in an undisclosed hospital.

    It was further gathered that the gunmen had shot at the school bus in an attempt to stop the vehicle and abduct the students.

    But the driver braved it without stopping.

    The kidnappers, however, abducted a traditional ruler from nearby Affa along Eke-Egede-Affa Road while he was returning from a security meeting with the chairman of Udi Local Government.

    A viral video sighted by our correspondent displayed the lifeless body of the victim, as well as some of the survivors of the attack.

    A voice in the video narrated thus: “Herdsmen attacked our students, they were going home after school; one of them was shot dead; four students were shot, one died instantly; they have done enough.

    “See the corpse of the little student they have murdered; this one is unconscious, (pointing at another victim) we are praying that God will sustain her; she sustained four bullet wounds.

    “This was done by the herdsmen operating at Eke-Egede Road; these are the ones that survived; the government should come to our rescue. Our place is now a death zone.”

    The principal of the school, Rev. Fr. Frank, in a phone interview with newsmen, confirmed the attack.

    “It is true; we closed by 3:30 pm yesterday, as the students were going home, the bus they were in was attacked by gunmen; some of them received bullet wounds, of which one later died in the hospital.

    “That was between 4:30-5 pm; the gunmen just opened fire on them.

    “We feel so saddened to lose such a promising young girl in this circumstance.”

    Read Also: Afenifere disowns Adebanjo over Supreme Court judgment on Tinubu’s victory

    Meanwhile, other community sources told our correspondent that the area had been a den of kidnappers for years with security agencies unable to stop the activities of the ravaging herdsmen.

    A community leader, who spoke under anonymity, said many victims of kidnap in Udi and Ezeagu areas are kept within the same location until ransom is paid.

    He said those who could not meet up with the ransom demand were usually killed after a few days.

    He said the forest spanning about 15 kilometres, called ‘Ofia-Akwu’, had remained a death zone, with several lives lost in the past in the hands of the herdsmen who were into kidnapping.

    “The security agencies know that they have been occupying that location for several years now, committing all manner of crimes.

    “We don’t know why it is difficult to flush them out from that location.

    “Many lives have been lost to their murderous activities on that Eke-Egede Road,” he lamented.

    Similarly, a famous traditional ruler was also reportedly abducted by the same gang after the attack on the school bus.

    A message made available to our correspondent said the monarch from Affa “was kidnapped along Eke-Egede-Affa Road after a security meeting with chairman of Udi Local Government and men of our high profile neighbourhood watch.

    “We pray for his safe rescue and return in Jesus name. Oh! God, our efforts shall not be in vain,” said Offorkansi Hyginus, PRO, Affa security committee.

    Meanwhile, attempts to obtain a reaction from the Police Public Relations Officer, Enugu State Command, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, but he requested that a text message be sent to him.

    He had yet to respond to the message as of the time of filing this report.

  • Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway bridge ready in 10 days

    Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway bridge ready in 10 days

    The reconstruction of the collapsed Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway will be completed in 10 days’ time.

    This was disclosed to the journalists by the Enugu State governor, Peter Mbah.

    According to Mbah, the reconstruction began with palliative work on one lane of the bridge still standing to ensure it was ready for use within the next 10 days.

    Mbah disclosed this when he and Works Minister David Umahi paid a pre-reconstruction visit to the site on Thursday.

    “I thank Mr. President and the minister of works for the interest and the speed at which they have attended to this challenge that is before us.

     “As we know, the minister was here to inspect and to identify areas of quick intervention the last time we came here, and I am happy now to announce that the minister has come to inform us again that work is going to start here on Friday.”

    Mbah added, “There is going to be the repair of the existing lane, and hopefully, within the next 10 days, our people should be able to use one of the lanes. Effectively around the middle of next month, the full work on the bridges on both lanes will start.”

    The Works Minister promised that “This week, we are going to do palliative work on the bridge.”

    Read Also: Kogi 2023: Police bar security escort for VIPs at polling units

    The minister revealed that President Bola Tinubu released money for the palliative work in the 2023 Supplementary Budget. I know the governor is very eager to build the federal Enugu-Abakaliki Road. He has concluded the design and work will start in earnest. While he is doing that, we will be doing the flyover at the depot (Eke Emene) to complement it. Therefore, it is a partnership, and it is a healthy one,” Umahi explained.

    Last month, the Senate urged the Federal Ministry of Works to immediately begin the reconstruction of the collapsed bridge at the Enugu end of Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway.

    The Senate’s directive was sequel to the adoption of a motion at plenary on Wednesday.

    The motion, treated under ‘urgent matter of public importance’, was sponsored by Sen. Osita Ngwu (PDP-Enugu) and co-sponsored by Sen. Victor Umeh (LP- Anambra), Sen.Kelvin Chukwu (LP-Enugu) and Sen.Okechukwu Ezea (LP- Enugu).

    Ngwu, who in his lead debate, recalled the September 25 tragic collapse of part of the Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway flyover, however, noted that there was no human casualty.

    According to him, the bridge which serves as a major link between the Enugu- Port Harcourt expressway for commuters from Port Harcourt, Aba, Umuahia, and Abakaliki, also provides access to vehicular movement from Onitsha-Enugu Expressway.

  • Arodiogbu calls on labour unions not to drag Imo government, NPF into unions’ internal wrangling

    Arodiogbu calls on labour unions not to drag Imo government, NPF into unions’ internal wrangling

    • Wants ban on flights to Owerri lifted

    The South East National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Dr. Ijeomah Arodiogbu has expressed dismay over the cancellation of all flights bided for Owerri, the Imo State capital, by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), and the Aviation Unions as a wildly taken decision.

    According to a statement which he personally signed, and made available to journalists, he attributed this action as not only unruly, but out of place behavior by the Labour unions for dragging the Imo State Government and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), into what he termed a Labour union internal affair.

    Reacting to the latest development where the Abuja Airport routes were barricaded by the workforce and demanded that all flights to Owerri be cancelled across the Nigerian Airports, Arodiogbu explained that the Labour was blowing the matter out of proportion.

    He added that attacking the Imo State Government and the NPF was a misplaced fight as neither the Government nor the NPF committed any crime against any Labour official.

    Read Also: Afenifere disowns Adebanjo over Supreme Court judgment on Tinubu’s victory

    Regrettably, Arodiogbu hinted that at first, Labour leadership in its wisdom shouldn’t have embarked on such a disruptive exercise which is currently truncating people’s free movements and businesses which was a result of the squabbles they (Labour Unions) can amicably resolve within themselves.

    He added that the crux of the matter was a misunderstanding that ensued among the Chapters of the Labour unions in Imo State and the NLC President, Mr. Joe Ajaero, which the police only waded in to avert more harm and restore peace at the said moment Ajaero was reportedly assaulted by yet to be identified persons.

    Arodiogbu, expressing displeasure, was of the opinion that neither the Imo State Government nor the governor was seen at the spot where Ajaero was attacked.

    “The regrettable physical attack on him cannot be ascertained to have been caused by the police or by the Imo State Government.

    However, the NLC was challenged to decide if it still wanted to remain as a political party or as a Union that wanted to represent the whole Nigerian workers, stressing that the essence of this was to guard them against a clash of interests.

    He was of the opinion that if the Labour union felt violated, it should seek redress rather than take laws into its own hands.

  • ‘Obi, Atiku’s petitions pedestrian’

    ‘Obi, Atiku’s petitions pedestrian’

    The candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), in the last presidential election, Prince Adewole Adebayo has described as pedestrian the petitions filed by the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Governor of Anambra State Mr. Peter Obi, candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) in the last presidential elections respectively.

    He noted that they actually had genuine complaints about the conduct of the elections but stressed that their petitions were a mess. “As a lawyer, Atiku and Obi’s petitions made no sense. There was less than zero chance of succeeding. As a lawyer, the petitions were pedestrian and pediatric. Nobody would have listened to them. In actual fact, they had real complaints, but the petitions were a mess,” he said.

    Read Also: Kogi 2023: Police bar security escort for VIPs at polling units

    He suggested that going forward, the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and not the petitioners should be the ones to prove that elections were credibly valid because it is the agency that conducted the elections and knows what happened. “It is INEC’s responsibility to convince the court. If we get to that stage, then it will be better than how we are doing it now.

    “Presently, the burden is on the petitioners. But, if it is the other way round, it is easier because the petitioners won’t have to prove anything.

    It is closer to justice if the court actually gets to know how the winner became the winner because the errors of the petitioners are enough to throw the petitions away,” he submitted.