Author: The Nation

Olona Joseph Oluwapelumi, a 300-level student of the Federal University of Technology, Akure in the Department of Industrial Design,.has committed suicide.

Oluwapelumi, popularly known as ‘Black’ killed himself at his off-campus lodge in the Aule area of Ondo State capital.

The deceased was said to have hung himself due to depression and financial constraints.

Sources said it was his friends that discovered his lifeless body dangling from the ceiling of his room on Saturday when they stormed his residence after several calls to his cell phone went unanswered.

His neighbours told journalists that they did not suspect late Joseph was struggling depression as he was always playful and full of smiles.

Read Also : 20-year old rescued from commiting suicide in Delta river

They said he never entered into arguments or fight with anyone.

On his Facebook page, the deceased described himself as an entrepreneur that made self initiated designer wears with the brand name “Tart Angle”

One of his post reads:” Suicide kinda answers all, it’s the only thing that listens and trusts You when You left all to your self
“Good night and Good bye”.

Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike has told the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, that his recent suspension of party members loyal to the G-5 Governors will not help the PDP in the forthcoming polls.

The Governor particularly described the dissolution of the Ekiti State executive committee of the PDP by the Ayu-led NWC as an act of tyranny that would be challenged in court.

He dared Ayu to suspend him or any of the G-5 Governors and warned that the resort to despotism by the Ayu-led NWC would compound the headaches of the party ahead of the polls.

The Governor spoke at the campaign inauguration by the State PDP Campaign Council in Bori, Khana Local Government Area on Saturday.

Wike explained the dissolution of the Ekiti State working committee would be challenged in court because there were still members of the PDP, who believed in the rule of law and that the party should respect its constitution.

The Rivers Governor, who referred to Ayu’s punitive measures as total rubbish, said they had gone beyond such decisions.

He said: “Let me also use this opportunity to say to Iyorchia Ayu and his team, your dissolving Ekiti State Exco will not help you in anyway. Your suspending people will not help you in anyway. The battle line has been fully drawn. As I speak to you, we will do everything legally possible to challenge any decision we know is illegal.

Read Also : BREAKING::Suspending G-5 loyalists won’t help PDP – Wike

“So, don’t think you can threaten people by saying so, so persons have been suspended. Rubbish! Completely rubbish. We are above that level that you think you can threaten anybody, intimidate anybody with whatever illegal decision you have taken.”

The Rivers governor dared Ayu and his co-travellers to extend the despotic tendencies to the G-5 Governors and see if they could withstand the repercussion.

He said: “So, we are waiting for you to announce my own and any other of my friend. Like I have said, when a man says you will not sleep, he too, will he sleep? Will Ayu sleep? Will those his cohorts sleep? So don’t worry, we have the capacity to pay back. We have the capacity to tell you that enough is enough.

“You are doing what will give you more headaches as far as this election is concerned. We are watching and we are waiting for you to announce more of my friends. When a man says you will not sleep, will he sleep too? Will Ayu sleep?”

Seven National Assembly candidates of the People’s Democratic Party(PDP) in Ekiti State have rejected their suspension by the National Working Committee(PDP) of the party.

The affected candidates who are loyal to former Governor Ayo Fayose were suspended by the national leadership of the party for alleged anti-party activities.

The suspended chieftains include: Ayeni Funso and Ajijola Lateef, the Senatorial candidates for Ekiti North and Central respectively.

Others are Emiola Jennifer (Ekiti South II); Ajayi Samuel (Ekiti North II); Olayinka Olalere (Ekiti Central II); Yinka Akerele (Ekiti North I) and Oluwajomiloju Fayose (Ekiti Central I) who is Fayose’s son.

But, reacting to the purpoted suspension, the seven embattled National Assembly candidates, described the suspension as a joke and grave missteps by the party’s leadership.

The affected chieftains, in a statement jointly signed and made available to our correspondent in Ado-Ekiti, on Saturday said their purported suspension was a ploy to distract them from pursuing their aspirations.

They said the purported suspension will have no negative effects whatsoever on their candidacy, adding that “our concern now is how to win elections and we will not be distracted.”

Read Also : PDP crisis takes new turn as party suspends Nnamani, Fayose’s son, others,

They noted that the alleged suspension was a nullity because the action taken by the party’s leadership did not follow due process as outlined by the party’s legal framework.

The embattled chieftain explained that the PDP constitution was clear on case of suspension with the procedures to be taken explicitly enumerated, adding that the procedural steps were compromised as they were neither informed of offence committed nor invited by any committee before they were suspended.

The statement reads partly: “Section 57 (6) of the PDP constitution is clear and unambiguous. It states that ‘Any decision taken against a member who has not been informed of the charges against him or has not been given any opportunity of defending himself shall be null and void.’

“Also, Section 33 of the Electoral Act is very clear on candidates for elections and as it is, we remain candidates in line with law and we shall remain focused. Our party is a constitutional institution and we will ensure it obeys its constitution.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Section 33 of the Electoral Act provides clearly that; ‘A political party shall not be allowed to change or substitute its candidate whose name has been submitted under Section 29 of this Act, except in the case of death or withdrawal by the candidate.’

“We are therefore unperturbed. Rather, we are being propelled to work harder to ensure victory in the elections while we explore appropriate means of handling the issues.

“Ultimately, it will be victory for us as candidates of the PDP.’’

They appealed to members of the party and supporters across the 177 wards in the state to remain calm in the face of of the sheer injustice.

The Director, Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), Modibbo Hamman Tukur has said it will not waive its new policy on cash withdrawal from government accounts.

He asked the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) to show some understanding because the policy was designed to save the Naira.

He said the entire financial system suffered excess liquidity and liquidity ratio infringements.

He said NFIU took preemptive measures to control the looming barrage of investigations in the nation’s financial system.

He said Nigerian banks, of recent, have been fined of millions of U.S Dollars by the United States FIU and the United Kingdom FIU due to non-compliance.

Tukur made the NFIU’s position known in Abuja following the NGF’s claim that the ban on cash transactions was outside its “legal remit and mandate.”

According to a statement by NFIU’s Chief Media Analyst, Ahmed Dikko, the Director made the clarifications when approached by newsmen to respond to Statement issued by Chairman of Nigerian Governors Forum regarding the guidelines on cash withdrawals from all government accounts,

Tukur said: “First of all, we are ready to partner with the six- man committee they set up. We will enlighten them.”

“Secondly we acted within our functions and the law. We issued the guidelines to control the barrage of investigations that we saw coming. Our guidelines were meant to help the governors not to fight them or any public servant.”

Read Also : PDP crisis takes new turn as party suspends Nnamani, Fayose’s son, others,

He said the increasing recourse to transactions by government institutions was alarming and undesirable for the country.

He said: “We reached a stage that if we allow the present scenario to continue, all public institutions will drift into structured cash withdrawals of certain amounts of money which by law, standards and best practices must be investigated continuously which is neither desirable nor reasonable.

“We feel communities must move on by accommodating changes and adjusting to new developments.

“Last time, we issued the Local government Guidelines we were taken to court but we won the case.”

Tukur also explained that it was important to save the nation’s Naira and banking sector.

He said NFIU had been tolerating some excesses in the financial and banking sectors for too long.

He added: “But more importantly we need to understand that in recent past United States FIU and United Kingdom FIU penalized Nigerian banks with fines of millions of U.S Dollars due to non-compliance.

“Internally, non-compliance with sections cited in the recent guidelines comes with heavy penalties on financial institutions. We did, on gentlemanly pretext, avoid until this moment putting a fine to financial institutions expecting, gradual learning and adjustments.

“But to eternally guarantee this kind gesture is to automatically keep abusing our laws.

We want every stakeholder to appreciate that we cooperated for too far and long.

“We held deep breath while defending these deficiencies internationally, just to continue to remain in the International pay points and competing with others.

“Finally, we also clearly stated in the preceding advisory, that the entire financial system suffered excess liquidity and liquidity ratio infringements which put hedging pressure of demand for foreign currency and gradually destroying the value of the Naira and above all creating wide room for money laundering and terrorism affecting significantly the rural populace on top of general inflation in the open market place.

“We are in support of working together to stop these challenges and in most progressive manner.”

Earlier, the NGF after a meeting in Abuja with the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele

A statement by the Chairman of the Governors Forum, Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal said:” We, the members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), received a briefing from the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, on the Naira redesign, its economic and security implications including the new withdrawal policy.

“Governors are not opposed to the objectives of the Naira redesign policy. However, we observe that there are huge challenges that remain problematic to the Nigerian populace.

“In the circumstances, governors expressed the need for the CBN to consider the peculiarities of states especially as they pertain to financial inclusion and under-served locations and resolved to:

“Work closely with the CBN leadership to ameliorate areas that require policy variation particularly the poorest households, the vulnerable in society and several other citizens of our country that are excluded.

“Collaborate with the CBN and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) in advancing genuine objectives within the confines of our laws, noting that the recent NFIU Advisory and Guidelines on cash transactions were simply outside the NFIU’s legal remit and mandate.

“Finally set up a six–member committee to be Chaired by the Governor of Anambra State, Professor Charles Soludo and the governors of the following States: Akwa Ibom, Ogun, Borno, Plateau and Jigawa as members, to engage the CBN in addressing anomalies in the country’s monetary management and financial system.”

END

Bayelsa Governor Douye Diri has advised youths to shun electoral violence and instead use their Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) to elect credible leaders with the capacity to deliver on sustainable development, peace and economic prosperity.

Diri gave the advice while addressing youths during a programme tagged, ‘Prosperity youths day 2023,’ at the Ecumenical Centre in Igbogene.

The Governor described the PVC as a tool that confers political power on the electorate and that what the youths need is the card, which he said is more powerful than an AK-47 rifle.

Read Also : Diri rewards NSF Bayelsa medallists with cash, jobs

He said: “The PVC is your AK-47. You do not need any gun or machete to intimidate anyone. Bayelsa youths are not violent but intelligent and productive.

“Elections are very serious business of choosing leaders that will lead them towards prosperity, development and growth.”

No less than six persons have been kidnapped in a one-week siege by gunmen at Ikem community in Isi-Uzo local government area of Enugu State.

The situation has worsened security matters in Isi-uzo Local Government Area that is yet to recover from the wanton killings by suspected herdsmen militia at Eha-Amufu, a neighboring community.

For three days running, the masked gunmen laid siege on Ikem-Isioroto along Obollo Afor – Nkalagu road and drove the villagers into the bush. 

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On Monday, January 16, eight masked gunmen attacked five young men, including the chairman of Federated Ikem Improvement Union Enugu branch, Mr. Emeka Odoh (aka Asokwa) as they concluded a security meeting in the neighbourhood. 

Asokwa told newsmen that he was home from Enugu to join other members of the committee to find ways to strengthen the local security ahead of the coming general elections so as to ensure that people will exercise their franchise in peace. 

He said: “As we drove out of the meeting venue, we found four gunmen on the main road brandishing guns. I was driving and instinctively reversed the car and behold there were another set of four gunmen behind us.

“The gunmen opened fire on us, shattering all the windscreens and the four tires, but I bravely drove through the hell of bullets with flat tires to safety. 

“One of us was badly hit by the bullets and was immediately rushed to Enugu where eight bullets were extracted from his body by surgeons. He is still recuperating at the intensive care unit of the hospital”.

Enraged that their preys had escaped, the gunmen kidnapped two commercial motorcycle riders and made their escape through a bush route towards the boundary with Benue State.

As they withdrew, they robbed adjoining houses and stole food items and condiments. 

The villagers narrated that as they were still reeling under the shock, the gunmen returned on Tuesday and kidnapped a native who was home from Enugu and a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) who is his tenant. They said that no ransom demand has been made yet.

“Thursday night, the gunmen returned for the third time, this time at night, kidnapped three more people and shot one person who confronted them.

“As a result the villagers all slept in the bush for fear of their lives. Friday night they still slept in the surrounding bushes for fear the gunmen would return,” narrated another native.

He continued: “Ikem-Isioroto is strategic community on the northern border of Ikem. It is bounded by Benue State in the North and the routes to the rich farmlands have become a delight to kidnappers.

“Last year three kidnap incidents took place at Ikem and all the hostages were taken out through the same route. The local catechist was the first to be kidnapped, followed by a young man who came back from Italy. The third was a trader on his way to the market.

“In each case, ransome was paid before the victims were released. 

“Security agencies made some arrests and the suspects are still being investigated. The suspects include Fulanis and their local collaborators The people are expecting quick prosecution of the suspects to serve as deterrence to others”.

A journalist and native of the affected area, Anayochukwu Agbo said “The latest attack shows a dangerous trend. The gunmen were masked, unlike in previous kidnaps, suggesting heavier involvement of locals in the attack. The way they sacked the village suggests this could be a test run to what could happen during the coming elections.

 “That is why the security agencies should take this seriously as some paid gunmen have threatened to stop the electorate from voting in the southeast. 

Army checkpoint should be approved for the hot spot where the gateaway route is located at a place called Ugwuatu.”

Gombe Chief of Staff and Director Contact Mobilisation for Tinubu Shettima Presidential Campaign Alhaji Abubakar Inuwa Kari has described the choice of Senator Kassim Shettima as a strong back up for the presidential ambition of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Kari’s comment is coming on the heels of criticism tracing the selection of the former Borno Governor as the running mate for Tinubu.

Speaking exclusively with The Nation newspaper in his office in Gombe, Kari said: “I see Shettima bringing in a lot of energy and support in this election.”

He explained when Kashim Shettima was Governor of Borno he brought the highest votes for the APC presidential candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 adding that Shettima is a household name in the North East and is going to be a very strong back up for Asiwaju.

“He is going to give him the votes. Let me also say this especially since you mentioned that Atiku comes from the zone like Shettima, Atiku has nothing to show in the North East, the only thing he is campaigning with here is that he is from the zone and that he wants to be like late Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa.

“Atiku cannot be like Tafawa Balewa and he should just stop comparing himself with him. He is from this zone and for the eight years he was Vice President he has virtually nothing to show in terms of developmental projects that he has done here,” he said.

Read Also : Shettima: Attacks on INEC offices are acts of terrorism

Kari added: “If I may ask you one question, show me one thing that Atku has done in Adamawa, his home state in those eight years as Vice President, nothing, it is zero.

“The road between Gombe and Adamawa was done by President Muhammadu Buhari so honestly Atiku should hide his head in shame for coming to the North East and ask us to vote for him. What has he done for the North East that will make him to deserve our votes but we have a lot that President Buhari has done and am very sure that Asiwaju is going to do more. I know the passion he has for this country and particularly for those of us from the North East Zone, I know Asiwaju is going to do more than the present government for us in the North East.”