The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • How Army’s Operation Positive Identification was botched

    By Okodili Ndidi, Abuja

    On October 8, Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Tukur Burutai announced that the Operation Positive Identification, which is already in force in Northeast will be extended to other parts of the country.

    The Chief of Army Staff, who was represented by Chief of Training and Operations Nigerian Army, Major General E.O. Udoh, said that the exercise was to uncover people with questionable identities.

    He said that the operation will also stop dislodged and fleeing insurgents from accessing peaceful zones.

    This was disclosed during the launching of routine military exercises Crocodile Smile IV, Egwu Eke IV and Ayem Akpatuma II.

    According to him, the operation will be directed at curtailing the movement of bandits, kidnappers, armed robbers, ethnic militia and other criminal elements.

    However, shortly after its announcement, the operation was embroiled in controversy as Nigerians kicked against the move, which they said will amount to a return of military dictatorship.

    Reacting to the plan, the House of Representatives called on President Muhammadu Buhari to suspend the Operation.

    The lawmakers described the Operation as anti-people which they said posed threats to human rights.

    The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and other groups, including the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights also deplored the exercise.
    The exercise was billed to takeoff on November 1 with massive deployment of soldiers across the states.

    But the Army in what came as a major surprise to observers on Saturday night dismissed the reported Operation as fictitious.

    The Acting Director Nigerian Army Public Relations, Colonel Sagir Musa, said the report emanated from a fictious group, Bricks Company, which he said does not have anything to do with the Nigerian Army.

    The Army spokesperson stated: “Following the widespread apprehension on the purported Nigerian Army (NA) operation positive identification from 1 November to 23 December 2019, as mischievously peddled on the social media by a hitherto unknown and fictitious organization the so called Bricks company, which alleges that the NA will conduct the operation and went ahead to state how the operation will be conducted by the Army.

    “Specifically, Bricks alleges that – “residents shall witness large numbers of uniformed Nigerian Army personnel parading the roads in an exercise known as OPI”.

    Read Also: Nigerian Army redeploys 9 Generals, approves new postings

    He added: “The NA wishes to inform members of the public that it has nothing to do with the so called Bricks company and its illusionary OPI, it is not an Army operation and the NA does not create any operation with such name or abbreviation in all its operations across the nation in a manner maliciously presented by the so called Bricks company.

    “Similarly, NA has never issued press release through private companies or third parties because it has a full fledged Directorate that coordinates its public relations and Information aspects which has a robust cordial working relationship with the press.

    “Recall that in order to compliment the ongoing operation in the North East, NA has an ongoing operation positive identification which is intelligence driven, deliberate, targeted operation and not an independent operation but is integral and complimentary to Operation LAFIYA DOLE in the North East. The aim of the operation is to arrest all those terrorists fleeing or escaping the war zone/Theatre of operation to a safe haven or peaceful areas in Nigeria.

    “Members of the public are hereby enjoined to discountenance the hitherto faceless and mischievous Bricks Company and its alleged NA OPI.

    “The NA wishes to use this opportunity to enjoin all Nigerians to cooperate with the NA and indeed all other security agencies by giving credible information that will assist in the identification and eventual arrest of the fleeing criminals/terrorists in any part of our beloved country”.

  • CLO boss survives auto crash

    Emma Elekwa, Onitsha

    Chairman of Civil Liberties Organization, Anambra state chapter, Comrade Vincent Ezekwueme, has called for immediate rehabilitation of the Southeast federal roads.

    Ezekwueme, who was involved in a motor accident together with six other passengers in an Abuja-bound sienna bus, blamed the accident on deplorable conditions of the roads in the region.

    The Nation gathered that the ill-fated bus left Upper Iweka Onitsha enroute Abuja when it reportedly somersaulted severally following a brake failure.

    The vehicle was said to have plunged into a gully after the driver lost control in attempt to avoid a bad portion of the road.

    The CLO boss and six others became unconscious and had dislocation and other degrees of injuries.

    They were immediately rushed to National Orthopedic hospital Enugu, where they were reportedly placed on danger list.
    Speaking to the Nation on his hospital bed, Ezekwueme said: “We called the driver to order and told him not to run beyond 120km per hour but our plea fell on deaf ears.

    Read Also: Auto crashes claim 278 lives in Edo, Delta, Anambra in nine months, says FRSC

    “It was not long he suddenly saw a bad portion and on applying the brake, the bus somersaulted more than trice and plunged into a gully.

    “I sustained head fracture, hands and chest and other bofy injuries while others had broken hands, legs, fractured bodies.”

    While thanking God for giving him extra opportunity to continue contributing towards the betterment of the society, Ezekwueme regretted that the accident would have been averted if the Enugu-Nsukka federal road had been fixed.

    Also speaking, his wife, Uche, said she was devastated when she got wind of the accident.

    “God’s intervention over his life may not be unconnected with the sacrifices he made towards propagating for social justice and human rights,” she hinted.

  • I’ll present Diri, running mate to Jonathan- Dickson

    By Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

    Bayelsa Governor Seriake Dickson has promised to present the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Douye Siri and his running mate, Senator Lawrence Ewrujakpor, to former President Goodluck Jonathan as a mark of respect.

    The governor said in a statement at the weekend by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, that the decision was borne out the high respect he had for Jonathan as a leader.

    He said the presentation would take place at the earliest convenience of the former President.

    Dickson made the statement when the Ogbia Restoration Caucus,of the PDP, from Jonathan’s Ogbia Local Local Government Area, visited him for an interactive session on Sunday.

    Dickson, who described the former President as his elder brother and leader, noted that he was deeply appreciative of the mutually beneficial political alliance and relationship spanning over 17 years between the two of them.

    The governor dismissed the insinuations of a frosty relationship between him and Dr. Jonathan, saying that the report was the handiwork of self-centered politicians on a mission to use the former President’s name to cause mischief.

    He explained that politicians around the former President had been in the habit of fabricating reports of non-existent conflict between him and Dr. Jonathan over the years once they failed to achieve their political expectations.

    Dickson told Jonathan’s kinsmen that he visited the former President on 15 occasions out of respect to compare notes with him and to agree on a candidate to support collectively which unfortunately did not happen during the transition period.

    The governor commended the Ogbia Restoration Caucus and all members of the party for holding onto the PDP which gave the Ogbia people the opportunity to contest highest offices in the land.

    He said: “If the rest of this state, the rest of the Ijaw nation, the rest of Nigeria, supported us and worked with us, then the least we can expect is that we in Bayelsa and Ogbia in particular should be faithful to the PDP.”

    Dickson said that he was not particularly surprised by the defections in Ogbia as shown by the defections that immediately followed Dr. Jonathan’s lost in the 2015 elections.

    Read Also: Lyon promises to solve problems of Bayelsa students

    According to him, a week after the Presidential election of 2015, a serving Senator, a member of the House of Assembly from the Local Government Area and even the Representative defected to the APC.

    The governor said that those making allegations against him in the bid to rationalize defections and ingratitude to the PDP should make bold to tell Nigerians that they were leaving in pursuit of money and Federal appointments being dangled to them.

    Dickson further condemned the way and manner the name of the former President was brought into a governorship contest where all aspirants were his people.

    He said that no governor especially a second term governor almost completing his term would sit idly and watch politicians in his party impose a candidate on him as they tried to do.

    He said: “Nobody here is Dr. Jonathan’s mate in Bayelsa. He was a former President of Nigeria but some people around him are always dragging his name into the local politics of the state, the politics of the local government area just to have their way, and when they fail, they spread the propaganda that the former President is sidelined. I have been silent all along out of respect for the man that I respect as my oga any day.”

    END.

  • ASUU accuses AGF of imposing IPPIS on varsities

    By Bassey Anthony, Uyo

    The Calabar zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has accused the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation(OAGF) of imposing the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System(IPPIS) on universities in the country.

    The Coordinator ASUU Calabar Zone, Dr. Aniekan Brown, said in a press conference in Uyo on Sunday that the OAGF has introduced concepts totally alien to laws peculiar to the daily running of universities in the country.

    He wondered why the Office of the Accountant General of the Federal was so bent at forcing the university system into IPPIS, while some other federal institutions are not forced into it.

    “The attempt by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation [OAGF] to foist IPPIS on federal universities is a flagrant negation and violation of the laws of the land. University autonomy is the
    bedrock of freedom in scholarship and research, and academics guard it jealously.

    ”Apart from the danger that IPPIS portends to the university system, ASUU is poised not to aid the OAGF to violate the laws of the land. ASUU has no doubt that law-abiding Nigerians will support and stand by ASUU in the struggle.

    Read Also: There goes ASUU again

    “Again, the university system is peculiar in its modus operandi. The mode of employment, retirement age[s], sabbatical leave, adjunct, part-time, contract engagement, etc. are concepts that are unique to the university and obviously incompatible to IPPIS.

    ”The OAGF has been economical with the whole truth about addressing these peculiarities. In spite of obvious short-comings to this system of payment, the OAGF
    is bent on plunging the university system into avoidable confusion. We therefore demand that, the OAGF retrace its steps and heed to superior reasoning.

    “Dear compatriot, may we inform you that, the likes of NNPC, FIRS, NJC, CBN, Nigerian Security and Minting Press, National Assembly Service Commission, etc have not been forced into the IPPIS.

    ”This speaks volumes of the said ‘fight against corruption’. The question is why universities whose condition of service and peculiarities are incongruous with the said IPPIS forced into the scheme?”

    “ASUU Calabar Zone, frowned at the allegation of corruption leveled against it for kicking against the IPPIS, stressing that, “For the avoidance of doubt, there is no worse case of corruption than breaking or circumventing the law. As torch-bearers of Nigeria’s intellectual
    conscience, ASUU is committed to compelling the Federal government to be law-abiding”.

  • We didn’t issue Kano ‘Chip Whip’ number plate- FRSC

    The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, has ordered investigation into a particular plate number in Kano.
    The number plate has the inscription of “Chip Whip” purportedly for a member of the Kano state House of Assembly.

    Oyeyemi directed the Sector Commander of Kano State to investigate the origin of the number plate in the state.

    The Corps Public Education Officer, Mr Bisi Kazeem, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

    “The Corps marshal has directed all field commands across the country to be on vigilance and clampdown on producers and issuers of fake number plates.

    “We wish to state categorically that the said number plate did not originate from any of the FRSC Number Plate production centres, neither was it issued by the Corps.

    Read Also: Two FRSC officials docked for alleged murder

    “We are therefore making it abundantly clear to members of the public that FRSC as the lead agency in road traffic management and safety administration in the country has nothing to do with the said number plate.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, FRSC with its International Quality Management certification (ISO 9001: 2008) has rigorous quality procedures for producing and issuing any of its security documents which makes the possibility of such obvious grammatical errors on any of its licences an impossibility,” he said.

    Oyeyemi said that a careful assessment of the said number plate revealed that the characters of the dye were not the same with that of the FRSC production plants.

    He added that the colour of the graphics (Nigeria Map) on the plate is brown instead of green that FRSC uses.

    “All blanking and screen printing for such plates are done at the Gwagwalada production plant to ensure quality, uniformity and standards in line with quality procedures of the FRSC in all its produced number plates in contrast to this one.

    “So, we can confirm with certainty that this number plate was neither produced nor issued by the FRSC,” he said.

    Oyeyemi called on members of the public to immediately report any act of such illegality against all FRSC security documents. (NAN)

  • Edo APC divided over attack on Obaseki, Oba of Lagos

    By Osagie Otabor, Bénin

    Leaders of the All Progressives Congress in Edo State are divided over the attack on Governor Godwin Obaseki and Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu at the residence of National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

    Some of the leaders said the incident would eventually affect Oshiomhole negatively while other said it was the high point of Governor Obaseki’s silence in previous political attacks in the state.

    Senator Obende Domingo, who was among the guests in the entourage that was attacked, said the action was at variance with the hospitality and good nature common to Edo people.

    Domingo said the “sight was not a true representation of Edo hospitality but a clear manifestation of ignorance and total disregard to constituted authority.”

    He listed other person in the entourage to include Chairman, Honeywell Group, Oba Otudeko, Mr Kekere Ekun, Otunba Dr Alex Onabanjo, and many other notable dignitaries.

    His words: “I was shocked and dazed at what I saw. If this is the hospitality a Party National Chairman can offer his visitors and important dignitaries in our country Nigeria, then our journey can be by far imagined than concluded.”

    General Charles Airhiavbere stated that the signals of the attack have been noticed since after the presidential election which the APC lost in Edo.

    Airhiavbere said while other states are taking advantage of the border closure to grow rice but Edo State is thriving in thuggery thereby sending away investors.

    A former Special Adviser on Political Matters to Oshiomhole, Mr. Charles Idahosa, said the incident has revealed the true character of Oshiomhole to the whole world.

    “The whole world is now seeing who Oshiomhole really is. I was his political adviser for eight years. I have been attacking and telling him realistically how things should be done.

    “How would you attack a sitting governor? You invited them for lunch at your house, meanwhile, thugs were waiting for them.

    “Last week, he came to Benin and lied to the whole world that he was attacked in his compound. No single shred of evidence was put out; it was just in his imagination. This was to portray a sitting governor as a bad person.
    “The Commissioner of Police in Edo State said nothing like that happened. He submitted a petition signed personally by him to the Police and they came to Benin to come and carry our people.

    “Let me remind our people that I was a political adviser in this state while we were in the opposition and Anenih was the most powerful man in Nigeria as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and leader of the party.

    “He never sent the Police to Edo State to arrest us as members of the opposition. Is it not an irony that now, we are the ruling party at the federal and state levels and they are sending the Police from Abuja to come and pick party members in Edo? I think it is rather unfortunate.”

    He continued: “Oshiomhole has shown that he is not a fit and proper person to be a national chairman. Itsey Sagay said last week that trade unionism is not party politics. I don’t think what he is doing is right; it is an embarrassment to this country and to Edo State.”

    Edo State chairman of the APC, Barr. Anselm Ojezua, described the event as an unfortunate and disgraceful episode that now puts Oshiomhole in a difficult position.

    Ojezua said the hired thugs missed the point by trying to embarrass Obaseki when in actual fact they affected Oshiomhole negatively.
    He called on the police of arrest and prosecute the perpetrators.

    According to him: “I see it as a very unfortunate incident and I must say that whatever the intent of those boys, I don’t think it is helpful to the National Chairman. It puts him under very difficult circumstances.

    “Since the incident took place inside his premises and the governor and other dignitaries were there on his invitation, that puts him under very difficult circumstances.

    “It is a very unfortunate situation and shows that the political situation in our party is fast deteriorating and I will call on the national chairman and the governor to review the situation and do the needful because they will have to take responsibility for whatever happens subsequently.”

    Edo Speaker Frank Okiye, condemned the incident, noting that it was shameful that such eminent personalities could be humiliated at the residence of the former governor.

    According to him: “The incident is saddening. It is regrettable that such eminent persons can be attacked at the home of the national chairman of the APC. We seriously need to find a lasting solution now.”

    A former Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon Abdul Oroh, noted that Governor Obaseki was being trailed everywhere by thugs and violence.

    “These are self inflicted maladies. He was never psychologically and emotionally ready for political leadership. A man who cannot tolerate opposition or criticism is not fit to lead.

    “He should humble himself and reconcile with critical stake holders in the society and the party inEdo State or try APGA. He should spare Edo people this scourge.

    “Why did he bring his campaign people to an official event that he knew would be attended by the National Chairman of the party Adams Oshiomhole? Why did the Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu come to the event with bike riders and thugs?

    “Why did Obaseki allow Andrew Momodu and Osaigbovo Iyoha who were questioned by the police a few days earlier over the attack on Oshiomhole’s residence in Benin to join them in the bus carrying him, the Oba of Lagos and other eminent citizens to Oshiomhole’s country home?

    “That was poor judgement on the part of the Governor. It shows he wanted to humiliate Oshiomhole.It was extremely provocative. The Oba must have been thoroughly embarrassed. Thank God no lives were lost.”
    Immediate past Speaker Kabiru Adjoto, condemned the attack and accused of Oshiomhole of being the mastermind of the ugly ordeal.

    Read Also: BREAKING: Oshiomhole blames Shaibu for attack on Obaseki, Oba of Lagos

    Adjoto stated that the growing popularity of Governor Obaseki is giving Oshiomhole’s EPM wing of the party sleepless nights, hence the resort to instigating violence.

    The former Speaker lamented that the dark forces Edo State was rescued from in 2007, are now hovering around Oshiomhole to mislead him into making costly political misstep of not supporting a performing Governor like Obaseki.

    He noted that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has demonstrated his incapability of managing a political party, as this was evident when APC lost about four states to the opposition.

    The former Speaker called on the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party to convey an emergency meeting with a view to calling the National Chairman to order before he completely erode the remaining fortunes of the party.

    “You don’t need a soothsayer to tell you that Oshiomhole is behind the attack on the number one citizen of the state and the revered Oba of Lagos who were at his residence”, he said.*

    “Some weeks ago in the state capital, Oshiomhole publicly spoke about his infantry division, this infantry division were mobilized by him to lay siege on Mr. Governor at his residence.

    “It is not only shameful but shocking that a National Chairman of a party has made himself a factional political leader in his state by fanning embers of disunity in the party he sworn to strengthen”.

    Former Minority Whip of the House of Representatives, Hon Samson Osagie, said the rise in political violence in Edo was encouraged by Governor Obaseki by not condemning previous attacks in the state.

    He noted that convocation ceremony was supposed to be a solemn event but was converted to a political rally by Obaseki and Shaibu.

    Osagie said the thugs action was an attempt to protect Oshiomhole who was attacked in Bénin last week.

  • Pandemonium as ANA suspends election over alleged faulty process

    By Evelyn Osagie

    The election of new executives of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) has been suspended following allegations of corruption.

    The exercise was slated for the 38th ANA international convention in Enugu State at the weekend.

    Since decisions could not be reached on how to conduct the election, past ANA president, Prof Remi Raji, told delegates after a long deliberation that ran into the night the exercise was postponed.

    He said: “After deliberation between the five-man panel led by Prof Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo and the 25 ANA branch chairmen, it was agreed that election is postponed, and would within the next 180 days as enshrined in the ANA constitution. The place or state where it would be held would be communicated to us by our chairmen”.

    The four presidential aspirants were Ahmed Maiwada, Chike Ofili, Ofonime Inyang and Camilus Uka.

    Pandemonium broke out when some of the presidential candidates raised eyebrow over what they described as “faulty” and corrupt electoral process and officials.

    There were also allegations of some presidential candidates engaging in cash tirade.

    Delegates blamed the outgoing ANA president, Mallam Denja Abdullahi, who had led the association for two terms whose tenure elapsed for the development.

    “It was indeed a show of shame. We are disappointed at how things turned out. Beginning from the opening ceremony, there had been hint of trouble when some candidates were lobbying people with money and some freebies. And Abdullahi is to blame,” a past national executive, who does not want his name in print, said.

    Abdullahi denied all accusations, saying it was a calculated attempt by a few to disrupt the process.

    He said: “Leadership is not a “do or die” affair. ANA is an association of intellectuals, anyone vying for any leadership position must do so with a mind to serve. We know of those who paid for people’s accommodation and were sharing money. Why what for? It is indeed unfortunate.”

    Read Also: Adejumoke Anike Odulaja: My passion is to promote true friendship

    Trouble started over the decision of who would form members of the election panel as the ANA congress kicked against Abdullahi constituting a panel involving some members of ANA board of trustees.

    A new panel was constituted with Prof Adimora-Ezeigbo as chairman; Mr Odia Ofeimun; Prof Raji, Diego Okenyodo and chairman of Lagos ANA branch, Yemi Adebiyi.

    Fracas however, broke out during the start of the election over the accreditation process which involved delegates being sent out of the hall with some alleged DSS officials totting guns.

    Further displeased and aggravated by the discrepancies of the list of delegates qualified to vote, the swarm of writers protested, calling for the cancellation of the election.

    “This was a ploy to disenfranchised us. Why would they have two different lists and only 9 of our members out of 17 duly paid for was on them. Where did the eight disappear to?” asked delegates from ANA Akwa Ibom branch.

    This followed the calling of their names from two lists which they said was doctored to favour a particular presidential candidate.

    The day ended with the suspension of the election by the panel following a three-hour deliberation between the Adimora-Ezeigbo-led panel and the 25 ANA branch chairmen.

  • Report on 2023 zoning speculative, says PDP

    By Gbade Ogunwale, Abuja

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed as speculative media reports indicating that the party intends to retain the zoning formula it used for the 2023 presidential election.

    Recall that the party had Atiku Abubakar from the Northeast zone and Peter Obi from the Southeast zone on its 2019 presidential ticket.

    A national newspaper (not The Nation) had reported in its Sunday edition that the PDP intended to still retain the 2019 zoning formula for the 2023 presidential race.

    At a media briefing in Abuja on Sunday, the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, described those behind the report as “political terrorists”.

    According to him, their plan is to mislead the public and cause disaffection within the ranks of the party with the hope of using such fabrications to further their own selfish political ambitions.

    Ologbondiyan also refuted the report in the said publication indicating that governors elected on the platform of the PDP were divided over their ambitions ahead of the 2023 elections.

    Continuing, Ologbondiyan said: “The PDP states categorically that our governors are not divided along any lines of ambition towards 2023, neither is there any plot to stop the ambition of any of our members.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, our party is yet to discuss the 2023

    presidential election, overtly or covertly, at any time whatsoever.

    Read Also: Kogi 2019: We’ll resist PDP rigging machine – Adeyemi

    “If anything, the PDP is currently working with Nigerians on how to win its elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states and will not be distracted by individuals who found themselves operating in the highest offices of the land but failing in governance.

    “As a party, we are also working with our respective state governors and legislators across the country as they work hard, in line with the manifesto of our party, to improve on the welfare and development of Nigerians.

    “Moreover, it is also imperative to counsel, without any equivocation, that enemies of our party, who feel threatened by the rising profile of Governor Nyesom Wike, should have a rethink on their incessant attacks on the governor.

    “The PDP appreciates the contribution of Governor Wike, as well as all our governors, to the growth of our party and urge all members and supporters to ignore those seeking to cause disaffection in our ranks”.

  • PDP demands release of chieftains in Kogi

    By Gbade Ogunwale, Abuja

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded the immediate release of some of its chieftains arrested and detained by the police in at the weekend.

    Specifically, the PDP demanded the unconditional release of its head of security in Dekina local government, Mr Edeh Abutu who the party claimed was abducted by agents of Governor Yahaya Bello and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    At media briefing in Abuja on Sunday, the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, described the gun running charges leveled against Abutu as trumped.

    The party spokesman also said Abutu had been taken to an unknown destination where he and others were being tortured.

    Ologbondiyan said: “Nigerians will recall that last Thursday, October 31, 2019, the PDP alerted of the heinous plots by the APC and outgoing Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state to clampdown on key leaders in the state as well as unleash violence on the people, for their decision not to vote Yahaya Bello back to office.

    “We have called you today to notify Nigerians that the APC has commence the clampdown and punishment of innocent citizens of Kogi state, having realized that the people are not ready to change their resolve to kick out the incompetent, corrupt and disdainful Bello administration.

    “The APC, out of desperation, has started framing and arresting innocent Nigerians, harassing and victimizing women and youths, blocking peoples’ means of livelihood and issuing threats on the citizenry, all in the failed bid to inject crisis, derail the electoral process and manipulate the outcome of the polls.

    “Only yesterday, the APC, using, some hoodlums and compromised security agents, led by Bello’s illegitimate deputy governor, Edward Onoja, arrested the PDP head of security in Dekina Local Government, Mr. Edeh Abutu, over trumped up charges of possession of firearm.

    “It is instructive to state that Abutu had been threatened with arrest and frame-up, several times, by the APC; attacked and harassed on numerous occasions before he was finally framed and abducted by the APC after he pulled a gargantuan crowd for our governorship campaign rally in Dekina.

    “The PDP has been made aware of how APC thugs invaded his area of residence, traumatized and harassed citizens with gun shots and abducted Mr. Abutu to an unknown destination, after which the illegal deputy governor turned himself into the spokesman of the police by rushing to falsely claim that he (Abutu) made some confessional statement of being in possession of firearms.

    “Information at our disposal shows that at the time the illegal deputy governor was publicizing his fabricated confessional statement, there was no such record with the Police in Dekina or the State Police Command.

    “Our party has also been informed of how the abductors, coordinated by an APC Zonal Chairman, took their victims to the Governor’s Lodge in Dekina as well as how the illegal deputy governor has been mounting pressure on the Commissioner of Police to adopt his fabricated statement against their victims”.

    Read Also: Kogi 2019: We’ll resist PDP rigging machine – Adeyemi

    The PDP further said it has been made aware of plots to frame-up more of its leaders with allegations of illegal possession of firearms, sponsoring of violence, training of thugs among others, as an attempt to intimidate the citizens as well as cover APC’s violence machination against the people of the state.

    Ologbondiyan condemned what he described as desperate attempts by Governor Bello and the APC to suppress the people, inject crisis into the polity, unleash punishment on the people of Kogi state and derail the electoral process, seeing that they cannot win the November 16 election.

    Continuing, he said: “The PDP wants the APC and Governor Yahaya Bello to note that our party is aware of all their plans and that they cannot have their way.

    “Our party cautions the APC and Yahaya Bello to note that they are pushing the people of Kogi state to the wall; that the forbearance of the people of Kogi State is being stretched to the threshold, that there is a limit to what they can bear and that they may soon no longer hesitate to unleash their indignation against forces of oppression.

    “Already, the continuous detention of Edeh Abutu is mounting agitation among the people, particularly the youth, and the situation is capable of causing a crisis of unimaginable proportion in the state.

    “The people of Kogi state have resolved that Yahaya Bello must go. Arresting, harassing and intimidating the citizens will not change anything. Rather it will increase the irreversible disaffection the people of Kogi state already have for the failed Governor Bello and his APC.

    “Moreover, Yahaya Bello is surely leaving office in January 2020 after being handed an inevitable defeat on November 16.Anybody supporting him in suppressing the people may find himself sharing his badge of shame and public rejection as a failed leader.

    “The PDP therefore urges security agencies not to allow themselves to be entangled with the APC against the people as such will diminish the trust, respect and confidence that people have for them”.

  • Leicester City back in third after 2-0 win at Crystal Palace

    Caglar Soyuncu’s goal and a late effort by Jamie Vardy earned Leicester City a 2-0 win at Crystal Palace to move them back into third place in the Premier League on Sunday.

    Turkish centre back Soyuncu broke the deadlock at Selhurst Park when he headed home James Maddison’s 57th-minute corner for his first Leicester goal.

    Read Also: EPL: Liverpool, Man. City fight back to win

    Vardy fired in his 10th league goal of the season late on to seal the points and a third successive win for Leicester.
    After last week’s runaway 9-0 thrashing of Southampton, Leicester produced a controlled performance to move to 23 points from 11 games, two points behind Manchester City.

    Palace, who could have gone fifth with a win, struggled to create clear chances and remained in ninth place. (Reuters/NAN)

    KIA/MZA