By Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja

The Federal Government has opened talks with the Peoples Republic of China to have access to COVID-19 vaccines for the citizens, Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama said on Tuesday.

This is as both countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on establishment of inter-governmental committee to coordinate aspects of cooperation between both countries.

The MOU was signed by Onyeama and the Chinese State Councillor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi in Abuja on Tuesday.

The Chinese Foreign Minister is on a two-day working visit to Abuja.

Briefing reporters after their bilateral meeting, Onyeama said at this point when countries were discovering vaccines and China being one of them, Nigeria was engaging the country in the area of access to the vaccine.

Read Also: Onyeama, others stopped from harassing APC men

“We have received a lot of support from China in the area of personal protective equipment that they were very quick to provide us with. China is also one of those countries that have been able to discover vaccines for COVID-19. So, we are also engaging with China to also help with regards to access to vaccines for our people,” he said.

On 50th year bilateral relationship between both countries, Onyeama said: “We also realised that in 2021, we would be celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations between Nigeria and the Peoples Republic of China.”

On the other issues discussed, the minister said he and his Chinese counterpart looked at the trade relations between the two countries and areas that could be improved on.

“In the area of fostering relations, both countries are now considering having a direct flight from Nigeria to China. We want to establish a direct air link with China. We hope that very soon, a Nigerian carrier would be carrying out scheduled flights to China in the not too distant future,” Onyeama said.

By Robert Egbe

The Bola Ige Centre for Justice has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to find the killers of former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) Chief Bola Ige.

The Centre urged the President to resolve the nearly 20-year-old murder before he “completes his second term”.

Ige was murdered in his living Room, at Bodija, Ibadan, on December 23, 2001.

His security aides reportedly went out to eat at the same time.

The Centre’s president, Awa Bamiji, made the request at the 19th edition of the Bola Ige memorial symposium which held recently in Lagos, with the topic “19th year after Bola Ige: Assessment of Security Situation in Nigeria”.

The topic was discussed by Mr Ade Ajakaiye, former AIG Zone 6, Calabar and Ex-ADC to Chief Bola Ige alongside Comrade Mashood Erubami, Convener, Voters’ Assembly, under the distinguished chairmanship of Senator Biyi Durojaiye, a prominent June 12 activist from Ogun State.

Chief Host was Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State. The National Leader of All Progressives’ Congress, (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was the Special Guest of Honour while the Guest of Honour was Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State.

Bamiji said: “You will recall that Chief Bola Ige’s cap was rudely removed on December 15, 2001, at the Palace of Ooni of Ife by a set of well known hoodlums, and a few days later, precisely, 23 December, 2001, an assassination that shocked the whole nation took place, on that fateful Sunday’s night, in his living Room, at Bodija, Ibadan…

“This was the peak of assassination in Nigeria and Africa as a whole and the foundation for various security chanllenges that we have been confronting with since then till today.

Read Also: ‘Bola Ige killed out of envy’

“Therefore, our organised struggles for justice started immediately, 19 years ago, and we came out publicly with the formal Inauguration of the INSIGHT Magazine at the Western House of Chiefs, Ibadan, Oyo State, to commemorate the first year rememberance of Asiwaju of Esa – Oke, Chief Ajibola Ige (SAN), in December 2002.”

He explained that the Bola Ige Centre for justice was formally inaugurated in December 2004, out of the need to start having a coordinated action across various interest Groups to press home its demand for justice on the murder case.

He added: “Who killed Bola Ige? This is a riddle for his close friend of decades, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, despite his bold statement to fish out the Killers after the assassination, between December 2001 till May 29, 2007, when he became the former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Thereafter, neither the Late President Musa Shehu Yar’adua, nor former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan could break the jinx.

“It is now time for President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR), who came into power through a Progressive Platform. If Bola Ige were to be alive, he will definitely be a strong Leader of All Progressives’ Congress (Party).

“It was a general belief that he was killed by his political rivals so as to have inroad to the Southwest Region in the 2003 general elections….”

By Ogochukwu Anioke, Abakaliki and Sunny Nwankwo, Umuahia

Ebonyi State Governor and Southeast Governors Forum Chairman, David Umahi, on Tuesday backed Prof George Obiozor for the position of President-General of Ohanaeze Ndígbo.

The former ambassador to the United States got the endorsement when he visited Umahi in his country home.

The election will hold on January 10.

Umahi said: “I will stand with Ambassador Obiozor. We want a man of his character for the Igbo people. I love anyone that loves an Igbo man.”

He urged Prof Obiozor to regenerate Igbo unity if elected.

The governor also lauded elder statesman Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu for his unrelenting effort to unite the Igbo.

Read Also: Ohanaeze poll: Aspirants reject push for Obiozor

Chief Iwuanyanwu, who led the delegation, said Obiozor was endorsed by Imo State elders for his antecedents.

He said: “After rigorous evaluation, we have discovered that Prof Obiozor’s qualifications and pedigree are quite appealing.

“We are convinced that he is the right person we can give to the Southeast Governors’ Forum and Ndigbo and we will not be disappointed.

“He is a very sound person. He has served Nigeria in so many capacities and he is the choice of Imo people.”

Obiozor thanked Umahi and the Imo State Chapter of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo for choosing him as their consensus candidate and pledged to live up to expectations.

“I thank Imo Ohanaeze for choosing me as their consensus candidate. Igbos today are in a difficult situation and we need maturity to solve those problems.

“I aim to assemble the Igbos. All we need is to create a common course. By coming to Ebonyi State today, we know that our future is bright. By the grace of God, I will never disappoint you.”

Also on Tuesday, Ambassador Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi, son of Nigeria’s first military head of state, General J.T. U Aguiyi-Ironsi, backed Ambassador Okey Emuchay as the next Secretary-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.

Speaking in Umuahia, the Abia State capital when Emuchay met with the executives of Ohanaeze in the state, Aguiyi-Ironsi said the former envoy served the nation meritoriously.

He said: “The greatest problem of Igboman today is survival, but we cannot fight. We have to negotiate and Emuchay is a man with knowledge who will defend Igbo interest, a man of compassion.”

He urged Abia delegates to the Ohaneze Ndigbo election to vote for Emuchay whom he said was qualified for the post of Secretary-General.

A chieftain of the organisation in Abia, Chief Collins Umezuruike, said the state would adopt Emuchay as its candidate for Secretary-General that was zoned to Abia.

By Sunny Nwankwo, Umuahia and Ogochukwu Anioke, Abakaliki

Any major political party that does not zone its 2023 presidential ticket to the Southeast will not get the region’s votes, some Igbo leaders said on Tuesday.

This was part of resolutions reached at the end of a bi-partisan meeting of Southeast political leaders at the Camp Neya, Igbere, in Abia State.

Camp Neya is the country home of the Senate Chief Whip and former Abia governor Dr Orji Uzor Kalu.

Former Senate President and one-time Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim, read a communiqué issued at the meeting.

The leaders told the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressives Congress (APC) and others that they would only vote for Igbo presidential candidates regardless of the party.

They alleged that the region continues to be marginalised despite its political and economic contributions to the country.

The communique reads in part: “We implore Nigerians across political, ethnic, religious and geopolitical divides and persuasions to support the people of the Southeast geopolitical zone to produce a Nigerian President of Southeast extraction as a mark of good faith and to promote justice and national harmony.

“We implore all the political parties to cede their presidential tickets in the 2023 general election to the Southeast in the interest of justice, equity and national unity.

“To make good our demand and reciprocate such good faith, we have decided as a geopolitical zone with a substantial presence in every part of the country to give a block vote and throw our full weight behind any major political party, particularly the APC and PDP, that zones its presidential ticket to the southeast in 2023 general election.

“What we seek is a Nigerian president of Southeast extraction, one that will work to further unite and develop every part of the country.

“Such a President will be President of all Nigerians irrespective of their political, ethnic, and religious backgrounds, ensuring that all citizens and every part of the country are given a sense of belonging and treated with the utmost sense of justice.

“Such was the dream of the founding fathers of this great nation whereof they declared that though tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we stand.

“For the same reason, they also committed to building a just nation where no man is oppressed so that Nigeria may be blessed with peace, plenty, and prosperity.”

Former Senate President Ike Ekweremadu; Deputy Chief Whip, House of Representatives, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha; a former All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Chairman Chief Chekwas Okorie; former Minister for State, Federal Capital Territory Chuka Odum, among others, said the zone has suffered marginalisation since the civil war ended.

They said the situation remained the same even in the last 20 years of the democratic dispensation.

Onyejeocha said: “It is still not late for the Igbos to take what belongs to them. What happened today has shown that the people of the Southeast can actually come together to speak in one voice.

“I urge President Muhhamadu Buhari to support the presidential quest of the Southeast.”

‘Why we shunned bi-partisan meeting’

Southeast governors boycotted the meeting, saying they were not carried along.

Ebonyi State Governor and Southeast Governors Forum Chairman David Umahi told reporters after the forum’s virtual meeting that they were named as organisers without their permission.

A statement announcing the meeting said members of the PDP, APC, APGA and other political parties were expected.

It said leaders expected were governors, former governors, ministers, former ministers, senators and former senators, former Senate presidents and former Speakers of House of Representatives, members and former members of the House of Representatives and their state counterparts, among others.

By Eric Ikhilae, Abuja and Bisi Olaniyi, Benin

• School: certificate not forged

• ‘Case to expire by Saturday’

• Man shot in Benin after brother testified against governor in Abuja

• Edo APC chairman condemns attack as police keep mum

Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki on Tuesday tendered before a Federal High Court in Abuja documents, including the original copy of the Bachelor of Arts certificate he said was issued to him by the University of Ibadan (UI) in 1979. It was to support his claim that he graduated from the school.

A senior official of the institution, Abayomi Samuel  Ajayi  (Deputy Registrar, Legal), was in court to tender more documents. He confirmed that the certificate tendered by the governor was the real copy issued to him by the university.

Obaseki opened his defence on Tuesday in a case the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its member, Edobor Williams, filed against the governor, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The plaintiffs, who want Obaseki disqualified as candidate in the last governorship election in Edo State, alleged that the governor forged the  first degree certificate he claimed to have obtained from UI and which he submitted to INEC as part of his educational qualifications.

They are contending that a photocopy of the certificate attached to the nomination form he submitted to INEC did not contain the signature of the Registrar of the university and the date the certificate was issued.

But from evidence during yesterday’s proceedings, Obaseki averred that the absence of the Registrar’s signature and date of issue on the copy of the certificate he submitted to INEC were due to photocopying error, which cut off those features from the original copy.

Ajayi told the court that the university made a demonstration on being informed of Obaseki’s case and confirmed that it was possible to have the signature of the bottom of the original certificate, containing the Registrar’s signature, date of issue and part of the Vice Chancellor’s signature, cut off, where a photocopy is not properly done.

The witness, who testified as the second witness of the first defendant, said the Minister of State for Education sent a copy of Obaseki’s disputed certificate, to the school in November last year for verification.

Shown some copies of the disputed certificate and asked by PDP’s lawyer, Razak Isenalumhe, if the photocopies already tendered in court could be considered as forged, as claimed by the plaintiffs, the witness said no.

The witness said different results came out when the university demonstrated, using A5 paper, A3 paper and a reduced format to photocopy a similar certificate in Classical Studies issued to Issac Adekeye Abiona, because “we did not have access to the original copy of the first defendant’s certificate”.

The witness tendered CTC copies of the same certificate demonstrated with different papers sizes – A4 (not reduced), A4 (reduced), A5 (not reduced) and A3 (not reduced).

Under cross-examination by plaintiffs’ lawyer, Akin Olujinmi (SAN), Ajayi said he joined UI on May 2, 1995, and that he was not in the university during the period Obsaeki claimed to be a student of the school.

Earlier, while being led in evidence by Obaseki’s lawyer, Ken Mozia (SAN), Ayjayi tendered other documents, including the first defendant’s application, addressed to the Registrar to collect his certificate, March 5, 1980 and proof that he collected.

The witness also tendered UI’s Calendar containing admission requirements for 1976 to 1977 and Obaseki’s application that led to his admission.

Testifying earlier, Charity Aiguobarueghian, who described himself as Obaseki’s Advisor, told the court that he accompanied the governor to the PDP secretariat in Abuja where he filled his nomination form and submitted to the party’s National Secretary, in whose office the documents were uploaded onto INEC’s portal.

The witness claimed responsibility for the error in the photocopied certificate and said he did not realise that part of it was not captured until the suit by the plaintiffs was filed.

But during cross-examination by Olujinmi, the witness admitted that the photocopy he made did not contain all the information in the original copy of Obaseki’s degree certificate.

When asked to confirm whether the copies of the certificate already tendered in court were the same as the one he referred to, he said: “The documents are the same to the extent that the bottom is not fully captured.”

Read Also: Court stays hearing in suit to sack Obaseki

Isenalumhe and lawyer to INEC, M. A. Bawa, did not object to the admissibility of all the documents tendered yesterday by Obaseki’s through his witnesses.

But Olujinmi objected, saying he would make his argument at the address stage.

At a point in the proceedings, Olujinmi informed the court that one of the plaintiffs’ witnesses, who testified the previous day as the fifth plaintiffs’ witness, Gabriel Iduseri, had his house in Benin City attacked and his brother shot.

The trial judge, Justice Ahmed Mohammed, at the commencement of proceedings, drew the parties’ attention to the fact that the case will lapse on Saturday and urged lawyers to avoid delay.

Obaseki is expected to continue his defence at 10 a.m today(Wednesday).

Back home in Benin and less than 24 hours after the Southsouth Zonal Youth Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gabriel Iduresi, testified against Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki at the Federal High Court in Abuja in the current certificate forgery case by APC, his younger brother, ThankGod Iduseri, was shot yesterday in Benin, the state capital.

It was learnt that the assailants dispossessed ThankGod of one of Gabriel’s cars as he was driving on Mission Road in the state capital in the morning.

Gabriel, in a telephone conversation yesterday evening, said: “ThankGod was shot this (yesterday) morning between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. on Mission Road, Benin City. He left home and was going to Globacom’s office in Benin City in one of my vehicles.

“The assailants opened the door of the car, shot at ThankGod, pushed him out of the car and they went away with the vehicle. I thank God that he is responding to treatment in a hospital in Benin City. The incident has been reported at the police station.”

Edo State Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the APC, Col. David Imuse (retd.) condemned the attack.

By AbdulGafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

The Kaduna State Urban Development and Planning Authority (KASUPDA) on Tuesday said it demolished the Asher Kings and Queens Lounge because it lacked title and development permit.

KASUPDA Director-General Ismail Umaru Dikko told reporters that though the ‘sex party’ contravenes the COVID-19 protocols, it was only a trigger to the issue of the property title, which the Kaduna State Government deemed too important to overlook.

He said: “On Thursday, 31st December 2020, the Kaduna State Urban Development and Planning Authority (KASUPDA) took action to remove the building housing Asher Lounge.

“Since this enforcement action, much of the commentary on the matter has centred on the inaccurate statement from KASUPDA’s Twitter account. While regretting the inaccuracy of the handler of our social media account, there is no reservation about the steps taken pursuant to enforce the laws and regulations of Kaduna state on a property that was in violation of its provisions.

“Since 26th March 2020, the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Partial Lockdown Order, 2020 have been in force in Kaduna state. Although some of the regulations were significantly relaxed in June 2020, they were tightened again in December 2020 in response to a second wave of Covid-19 infections.”

Dikko added: “Indications that an activity in violation of the COVID-19 regulations was planned to be held in Asher Lounge drew attention to the property and made it necessary to examine the status of the building.

“Checks of government records showed that the building housing Asher Lounge has neither a valid title nor development permit. Once due diligence revealed the illegal status of the building, there was need for enforcement action without the notification requirements that the law compels for holders of valid title and development permits.

Read Also: Bandits kill 19 in Kaduna community attack

“The illegal status of the building became a very separate matter from the trigger event: the third-party elements who had planned and advertised an unlawful gathering on those premises.

“Violation of a set of rules and regulations may lead to a focus on the status of compliance with other laws and regulations. This happened in the case of a school whose management were caught flouting COVID-19 regulations.

“This led the relevant authorities to check official records which revealed the school to be a serial violator, quite apart from the COVID-19 infraction that drew attention in the first place.

“It is sadly true that many people have developed property without bothering to acquire valid title or secure development permit. Aware of such mass infractions, the Kaduna state government has created a pathway since 2015 to enable people to regularise their titles and move away from illegality. KASUPDA has also tried to assist willing citizens to obtain development permits for new projects and to remedy their lack of same for extant projects.

“More recently, Kaduna state government officials across agencies have been engaged in the Public Service on Wheels programme. As the development control agency, KASUPDA has been an active participant in this programme along with KADGIS, the agency responsible for land administration in the state.”

By Frank Ikpefan, Abuja

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has opened its portal for institutions to upload names of shortlisted applicants for the 2020/2021 admission.

The board said all admission processes must go through the Central Admission Processing System (CAPS) for approval.

It noted that only qualified candidates as recommended by their institutions for admission will be approved by the board.

Registrar of JAMB, Prof Is-haq Oloyede, said this in an interview with The Nation in Abuja.

Asked if the CAPS has been opened for the conduct of this year’s admission, the registrar said: “Of course, long ago. Any institution, not just public that wants to is already uploading.”

He also said most institution, particularly private had commenced admission.

Read Also: Oloyede: When integrity still counts

The registrar, however, added that public universities were yet to fully kick-start the process partly because they are yet to conclude admissions for last year.

Prof Oloyede said: “Take note also that admission is not just for universities. There are polytechnics and colleges of education and except for the closure because of COVID-19, they are not affected by the strike.

“There are different stages of the session and therefore, it is not one size fits all.”

The registrar also said a date has not been fixed for the sale of this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) forms.

By Ogochukwu Anioke, Abakaliki

Southeast states will begin a joint security patrol to check rising insecurity, the governors said on Tuesday.

They deplored rising cases of kidnapping and attacks on security agents in the region.

Southeast Governors Forum chairman and Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi said the forum would do everything to secure the region.

He spoke with reporters after a virtual meeting of the governors.

The governor assured everybody residing in Igboland of their safety irrespective of ethnic affiliation.

“We will do everything possible to ensure that all our people are protected; the security agent and all the people from other regions living with us.

“We have agreed that the Southeast security committee will be expanded, that this year we are going to have a common patrol.

“Our vehicles are going to be the same, the uniform will be the same and we will do this for our vigilante.

“We will continue to work with the people of Southeast to give them greater protection,” he said.

The governors regretted that two days ago, two policemen were allegedly killed in Imo State, with their riffles taken away.

He said there was a kidnap case along Enugu and Ebonyi border recently.

Read Also: I did not placate cultists with N3m — Umahi

Umahi believes the criminal acts were perpetrated by people of the region.

“We want the leaders of Southeast to rise above political sentiments to speak out and to condemn this act because should the security people react, the cry will go everywhere,” he said.

The governors condemned a misleading viral video in a narrator claimed herdsmen residing in Ebonyi State were being chased away by their host communities.

The governors described the video as an attempt to cause panic and disunity in the country.

Umahi said: “We are so much worried about the killings and kidnappings that are going on in the Southeast – killing our people and security agents. The situation is being heightened by the activities of very desperate politicians.

“There are so many politicians in all the political parties who are so desperate for power and they have aligned with some bandits to destabilise the nation.

“For instance, two days ago in Ebonyi State, a Fulani settlement decided to move Taraba State and retain some of their family members in Ebonyi. The man is still here.

“A politician went to put a voice and said that Igbo are chasing away the herdsmen from Ebonyi state.

“Such a video went very wide and was causing panic in other parts of the country. That is very much uncalled for.

“The Governors’ Forum condemns this and we will want the leaders of Southeast to rise to speak against this kind of attitude and against messages that tend to divide us and put our people in danger outside Southeast.”