The Osun Police Command on Sunday threatened to drag loyalists of Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola to court over ‘fallacuous allegations.’

The loyalists under the The Osun Progressives (TOP) caucus of the All Progressives Congress(APC) demanded redeployment of Commissioner of Police Olawale Olokode over alleged connivance with the camp of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola to cause mayhem during their factional meetings.

But CP Olokode, at a briefing on Sunday, told reporters the allegations were lies and fallacies.

He noted that the Police command will never be an appendage of any political party, group or individuals noting their actions and activities have shown that police under his watch discharged their duties professionally.

READ ALSO: Plant tree, save the environment for humanity – Aregbesola

Olokode stressed: “Although Aregbesola loyalists never carry the police along with their activities in the state like their meetings and State congress held outside Osogbo township stadium, we provided them security

“Osun State Police Command has not and will not be an instrument of any political party as we remain independent and work according to the rules and regulations guiding the Nigerian Police Force.

“I see the petition as a deliberate attempt to malign my name and bring disrepute to the command under me and it is unfortunate. I, therefore, wish to say that, if this does not stop, I and the command will not hesitate to take legal action against all form of lies and unfounded allegations from any corner.”

Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has described the turbaning of Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi as
Dan Amanar Daura as a big boost to the realisation of Igbo presidency in 2023.

In a statement in Kaduna on Sunday by its Secretary-General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, which described the former Rivers Governor as as beloved son of Igbo Nation and the battle-axes of Ndigbo, said Amaechi an asset to Ndigbo for the 2023 project.

Ohanaeze said: “The new Dan Amanar Daura, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi is a beloved son of Igbo Nation and the battle-ax of Ndigbo,.

“We accept the reality that the pan Nigerian postures of the honorable minister for transportation had strengthened the cordial relationship between the North and Eastern Nigeria.

READ ALSO: Masari, Ooni, Buratai, others, grace Amaechi’s turbanning in Daura

“The Minister’s gesture has brightened up the opportunity for the emergence of a New Nigeria anchored on justice and equity, Amaechi’s title has opened a new link between the North and Eastern region, which will boost the chance of Igbo in 2023.

“2023 Igbo Presidency accommodates all prominent sons and daughters from all Igbo speaking areas including Delta and Rivers states. Rt hon Chibuike Amaechi is the only bridge linking South/ south, South-East and the North, he is more of an asset to Ndigbo, as all eyes of the Igbo is on 2023, everyone is important to the realization of 2023 Igbo Presidency, and there will be no segregation in the 2023 Igbo Project.

“Ndigbo expects more efforts that will make southeastern Nigeria benefit from the dividends from the Federal Government projects under the Ministry of Transport, we have the assurances that Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi will deliver all railway, deep-sea, and dry sea projects in the southeast and South-south before the end of the year, because Ndigbo is proud of his upright declaration of his Igboness, which is the personality traits for his accomplishments right from the beginning of his political trajectory and to his future aspirations.”

Three crew members on board the Trinity Spirit Floating Production, Storage and Offloading vessel gutted by fire at the Ukpokiti Terminal last Wednesday have been confirmed alive.

Though a yet-to-be identified body was discovered close to the offshore facility in the wee hours of Sunday, the seven others remain missing.

The management of Shebah Exploration & Production Company Limited (SEPCOL) (in receivership) confirmed the development in a statement on Sunday.

According to the statement, the trio was found in a community (name undisclosed).

The Nation had reported that three of the victims were rescued by some Ilaje traders.

The statement signed by Ikemefuna Okafor, Chief Executive Officer of SEPCOL said in parts: “We can confirm that three (3) crew members have been found alive in the community and our priority is to ensure that they receive the appropriate medical attention they need.

Read Also: VIDEO: Fire guts offshore oil facility in Delta State

“Furthermore, in the early hours of Sunday 6th February 2022, one dead body was discovered in the vicinity of the FPSO. The identity of the dead body is yet to be ascertained.

“As earlier confirmed, the fire burnt out completely as of Thursday afternoon, 3rd Feb. 2022, thus enabling closer inspection of the vessel.

“A Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) with the relevant authorities, stakeholders, and expert organisations took place on Saturday, 5th February 2022.

“The focus of our joint efforts is to prioritise investigations towards establishing the whereabouts, safety, and security of the 7 crew members still missing, clean up and limit damage to the environment, and establish the cause of the explosion.

“We appreciate the assistance provided by the Clean Nigeria Associates, the Chevron team,
NOSDRA, NUPRC, SPDC, NIMASA and people in the community, particularly the fishermen, who have been of immense assistance since the incident occurred”.

The vessel, which eventually burnt out and sunk, had a capacity to produce 22,000 crude oil barrels daily and serves as the primary production facility for OML 108.

The Joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review has approved the separation of the office of the Minister of Justice from that of the Attorney-General of the Federation as part of the recommended amendments to the 1999 Constitution.

The matter and about 54 other proposed amendments are expected to be tabled before the legislative arm by the end of this month.

If it is passed by the two chambers and endorsed by at least two-thirds of 36 State Houses of Assembly, Nigeria will join the league of countries with a similar practice.

The Nation learnt on good authority in Abuja yesterday that the joint committee similarly proposed that independent candidates be allowed to contest elective posts.

Such candidates will not need to go through the rigour of consensus or direct/ indirect primaries.

For more representation in elective offices, special seat concessions were recommended for allocation to women at all levels.

Besides, the lawmakers resolved to effect a change in the constitution to outlaw parading of suspects by the police, Department of State Services (DSS), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and other agencies before arraigning them in court.

They were of the view that Nigeria should not subscribe to such an “act of torture” of its citizens.

It was learnt that some of the amendments were considered by the Joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review on Friday.

A source, who was privy to the deliberation at the session, said: “The National Assembly Constitution Review Committee opted to separate the Office of the Minister of Justice from the Attorney-General of the Federation because the present structure is being politicised. We need to get our justice system right from the top.

“While the Minister of Justice deals with policy and administrative issues, the AGF as the Chief Law Officer of the Federation will oversee dispensation of justice without fear or favour.

“We don’t have anyone in mind, but combining the two offices in Nigeria is becoming complex. We need a drastic reform in this respect.”

On independent candidacy, the source said: “This will enable the system to produce leaders on merit. The prevalent direct, indirect and consensus clauses promote mediocrity and imposition of candidates by state governors.

“Outside of party structure, a good candidate should be able to emerge and win elections.

“But the National Assembly is adding a proviso that at least 20 per cent of voters in a constituency or district must endorse the nomination of an independent candidate.”

Read Also: BREAKING: 1999 Constitution is Nigeria’s glorified death certificate – Bakare

The source said the constitutional provision for special allocation of seats for some elective offices is to” promote gender balance and Affirmative Action. ”

On the fate of criminal suspects or those with cases, the proposed amendment “seeks to outlaw parade of suspects before their arraignment in court. But once a suspect is put on trial, he can be paraded.

“This alteration is in line with international best practices. The law says a suspect is innocent until proven guilty.

“Look at some of those arrested and paraded for economic and financial crimes; they have been set free. They have however lost their reputation.

“This amendment will affect the police, EFCC, ICPC, NDLEA, NSCDC and other agencies. It will also guarantee citizens’ access to fair hearing.”

All the proposals have to be considered and approved by the two chambers of the National Assembly and the 36 state Houses of Assembly before the constitution can be amended.

A member of the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review said: “All these are proposals by the Joint Committee. The two chambers would have to ratify before we pass the amendments to the State Houses of Assembly.

“Going by Section 9(2 and 3) of the 1999 Constitution, the Joint Committee, the National Assembly cannot alter the 1999 Constitution without the backing of the State Houses of Assembly.

“So, we need to build consensus with the executive at the federal and state levels and the Conference of Speakers of the State Houses of Assembly.

Section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution says: “An Act of the National Assembly for the alteration of this Constitution, not being an act to which Section 8 of this Constitution applies, shall not be passed by either House of the National Assembly unless the proposal is supported by the votes of not less than two-thirds majority of all the members of that House and approved by the resolution of the Houses of Assembly of not less than two-thirds of all the states.

Section 9(3) reads: “An Act of the National Assembly for the purposes of altering the provisions of this section, Section 8 or Chapter IV of this Constitution shall not be passed by either House of the National Assembly unless the proposal is supported by the votes of not less than two-thirds majority of all the members of that House and approved by the resolution of the Houses of Assembly of not less than two-thirds of all the states.”

Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege announced on Friday that the report of the National Assembly Joint Committee on Review of the 1999 Constitution would be presented to both chambers for consideration by the end of this month.

Omo-Agege, who doubles as co-chairman of the panel, spoke during the joint retreat of the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Constitution review.

He said the recommendations for 55 amendments stemmed from hearings and memos submitted by the public.

By Dare Odufowokan, Assistant Editor/Jide Orintunsin, Abuja/ Damian Duruiheoma, Enugu

With only 21 days to its national convention in Abuja, the All Progressives Congress (APC) seems to be racing against time to put its house in order and resolve the crises sparked by the last state congresses.

Despite the Thursday inauguration of 34 of the state chairmen in Abuja and the recent efforts of the party’s national secretariat to reconcile feuding interest groups, The Nation can now report that factionalism persists and constitutes a potential threat to the success of the convention.

An example is Enugu State where Dr. Ben Nwoye is laying claim to the position of state chairman against Chief Ugochukwu Agballah who returned to a tumultuous reception in Enugu from Abuja.

Efforts are still ongoing to unite the party factions in Sokoto and Kano, the two states whose chairmen were absent at the Thursday event.

The Chairman of the APC Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, met with the two factions of the party in Kano State in Abuja on Friday night.

Leading one faction is Governor Abdullahi Ganduje while Senator Ibrahim Shekarau leads the other.

Aggrieved chieftains and factions of the party in some other states continue to kick against the recognition of rival factions, claiming that the issues at stake have not been resolved.

Sources in Sokoto and Kano State told The Nation that the battle for the control of the party intensified following the failure of the APC national leadership to give its nod to either of the two factional chairmen being paraded in the states.

In the case of Kano State, leaders of the two factions had gone to Abuja on Thursday hoping to be recognised only to be disappointed.

A source said: “While Shekarau and his people were banking on the court judgment that affirmed the chairman-elect that emerged from their factional state congress to clinch the position, Ganduje was banking on his position as a member of the Governors’ Forum, as well as the report of the State Congress committee sent to monitor the congress held by his faction last year.

“It came as a surprise to us all as politicians that neither of the two chairmen-elect got inaugurated.

“The implication is that the crisis here in Kano is not anywhere near the end. In fact, fresh twists are daily being introduced into the crisis by the gladiators, leaving party members more confused.”

Last month, the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja dismissed two motions filed by the Ganduje-led faction. This came on the heels of earlier rulings of the court on November 30 and December 17, 2021, affirming Haruna Danzago of Shekarau’s faction as state chairman-elect.

In Rivers State, the Senator Magnus Abe faction of the APC has vowed not to recognise Chief Emeka Beke, a staunch supporter of the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, as the state chairman of the party.

In the case of Kano State, leaders of the two factions had gone to Abuja on Thursday hoping to be recognised only to be disappointed.

A source said: “While Shekarau and his people were banking on the court judgment that affirmed the chairman-elect that emerged from their factional state congress to clinch the position, Ganduje was banking on his position as a member of the Governors’ Forum, as well as the report of the State Congress committee sent to monitor the congress held by his faction last year.

“It came as a surprise to us all as politicians that neither of the two chairmen-elect got inaugurated.

“The implication is that the crisis here in Kano is not anywhere near the end. In fact, fresh twists are daily being introduced into the crisis by the gladiators, leaving party members more confused.”

Last month, the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja dismissed two motions filed by the Ganduje-led faction. This came on the heels of earlier rulings of the court on November 30 and December 17, 2021, affirming Haruna Danzago of Shekarau’s faction as state chairman-elect.

In Rivers State, the Senator Magnus Abe faction of the APC has vowed not to recognise Chief Emeka Beke, a staunch supporter of the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, as the state chairman of the party.

A source close to the Senator told our correspondent that the faction, at a meeting in Port-Harcourt on Friday, resolved to continue their rejection of the congresses that produced Bekee and other members of his executive committee.

Said the source: “We have constantly stated that the outcome of their congresses will not stand sincere scrutiny, and that is what we are insisting on.

“All along, we complained to the National Secretariat of our great party that there was no ward congress in Rivers. Since there was no ward congress in Rivers, there can’t be a valid state congress for the state.

“I and others petitioned the National Secretariat.

“At a point, the party then stated how things should be resolved. Those things were not resolved. A faction hacked everything.

“We petitioned the National Secretariat and a delegation was sent to verify our petition. They found out that our petition and complaints were genuine and right.

“So, we were waiting for the National Secretariat to take a position on that, then we heard of the inauguration of someone as state chairman. That also will not stand as we will continue to challenge it.”

Last October, the Abe-led faction inaugurated a parallel executive. The move was made four days after Amaechi’s group announced its new state executive.

Before the APC state congresses held in October 2021, chieftains and members of the party had warned of a looming crisis, especially after the Supreme Court, in a ruling, sacked the Abe faction caretaker committee chairman, Igo Aguma, from office.

Party sources added that the inauguration of Beke has opened old wounds in the party.

Mum has been the word from the former Governor Ibikunle Amosun-led faction of the APC in Ogun State following the recognition of Chief Yemi Sanusi, a loyalist of Governor Dapo Abiodun, as the state chairman of the party on Thursday.

But The Nation learnt that leaders of Amosun’s faction of the party in the state have met to discuss the faction’s next line of action ahead of the 2023 general elections.

The two sides have been locked in a fierce battle for the control of the party since 2018.

But the recognition of Sanusi appears to have taken the initiative away from Amosun and his men. With the 2023 elections fast approaching, it is unlikely that the crisis rocking the state chapter of the party will abate.

“We are politicians and we will respond appropriately very soon. For now, we are meeting to decide what should be done next. Senator Ibikunle Amosun remains a leader of the APC in Ogun State,” a source close to the former governor said.

The situation in Abia State has taken a turn for the worse following the recognition of Dr. Kingsley Ononogbu as state chairman.

A few hours to the Thursday event in Abuja, an Abia State High Court sitting in Ukwa refused to grant an interim ex parte order to stop him from being inaugurated.

Ononogbu emerged at a special congress held on January 8, 2022. He belongs to the group loyal to the Secretary of APC Contact and Strategy Committee, Chief Ikechi Emenike.

But a faction in the party, which has continued to fight for the control of the leadership structure even after losing out in the congress, went to court and filed a suit to stop the scheduled inauguration.

The faction, led by Donatus Nwankpa, enjoys the backing of Senate Chief Whip, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu.

“The Nwankpa faction has as usual rejected the inauguration of Onionogbu. They have vowed to take over the party and we are ready to face them,” our source said.

The party in Enugu State  is facing a fresh challenge after Dr. Ben Nwoye declared that he remains state chairman against the Abuja-recognised Chief Ugochukwu Agballah.

Moments after Agballah returned to the state to a tumultuous reception by members of the party, Nwoye addressed a press conference, claiming that he is still in charge of the party as chairman.

Agballah, on the other hand, told his supporters at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu that he was set to turn around the fortunes of the party in the state.

He said the APC has come with vigour to break the 24-year-old political monopoly of the state by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“Today marks the end of monopoly. Today marks the end of senatocracy. Godfatherism is dead,” he said.

However, speaking with journalists in Enugu, Nwoye dismissed the claim made by Agballah, insisting that nobody was sworn in on Thursday in Abuja as Enugu State Chairman.

He stated that the caretaker committee under his leadership was still in charge of the party in the state at the moment. He insisted that the crisis rocking the party in the state would be amicably resolved soon.

He said: “APC is a restored party. There’s no victor, there’s no vanquished. APC in Enugu is united.”

According to him, since nobody has been inaugurated as Enugu chairman, he remained the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the party in the state.

In Zamfara, Senator Kabiru Marafa’s faction of the party dismissed the recognition of Governor Bello Matawalle’s factional executive of the party as a charade.

Spokesman for Marafa’s faction, Bello Bakyasuwa Maradun, said the recognition of Matawalle’s faction negated all principles of strategic thinking for building an enduring party that can weather the storm of 2023.

He said: “Our faction followed due process in conducting congresses at all levels that led to the emergence of a complete structure with Sirajo Garba Maikatako as state chairman.

“We also went to court to contest the legality of the congresses conducted by the government’s faction because of the breaches associated with them, including the questionable stand of their party’s membership and relevant notice enshrined in the APC constitution.

“Until the court decides on this, we consider the government faction as illegal and sustain loyalty to our legitimate factional structure. Henceforth, we will continue to enjoy watching this act of madness.”

The situation is not different in Kwara State where Ibrahim Sharafadeen, the Publicity Secretary of the APC faction loyal to Information and Culture Minister  Lai Mohammed,  said the crisis in the state chapter was far from over.

His words: “We are still at a loss as to how the chairman of the APC Caretaker Committee came to the conclusion that all the aggrieved party members in Kwara State have been reconciled.

“The claim, therefore, by Mai Mala Buni-led committee that the protracted crisis in Kwara APC was resolved is a lie from the pit of hell, which could be likened to an offensive odour of fart from a lift.

“It might be true that the crisis in Gombe, Ogun, Osun and other states as claimed, but certainly not that of Kwara State.”

The Andy Uba faction of the party in Anambra State is still savouring the recognition of Basil Ejidike as chairman by the national secretariat while the faction led by Labour and Employment Minister Chris Ngige insists that Ejidike has been sacked from the position.

The factional publicity secretary, Okelo Madukaife, in a statement, hailed the national leadership of the ruling APC for not swearing in Ejidike.

He said: “Our dynamic chapter of APC congratulates the National Leadership of our great party for the wisdom contained in the decision not to swear in anybody as Chairman of Anambra State Chapter of APC.

“This noble decision validates the position of the mainstream of our party in Anambra State that 2018 officials remain in charge of our affairs until congresses can hold, as leadership abhors a vacuum.”

State Chairmen to take the oath of office before convention

The new state chairmen of the APC who were issued with certificates of return last Thursday by the party’s Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) are now to take their oath of office and oath of allegiance before the February 26 national convention of the party.

The Nation gathered yesterday that but for the crises in Enugu, Kano and Sokoto state chapters of the party, the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) would have administered the oath on the state chairmen on Thursday.

During the Thursday event, the names of the chairmen of Kano and Sokoto states were conspicuously missing on the list of chairmen issued with a certificate of return while that of Enugu State had his certificate withdrawn.

But a well placed party source told The Nation last night that ”there is no cause for all the hues and cries over what happened on Thursday. I can tell you that within the next 10 days, the oath of office will be administered on the state chairmen.

“The truth is that they will take their oaths of office before the convention.

“We delayed the exercise due to the challenges we have in Kano, Sokoto and Enugu states, and I can assure our party members in the affected states and all our state chairmen that we shall resolve the differences and conduct the oath-taking before the convention.

”The newly elected State chairmen will be sworn in before convention and they will lead their state’s delegates to the convention in Abuja come February 26.

“The caretaker committee is committed to the convention and we want to ensure that the exercise is hitch-free. Quote me, the state chairmen will be sworn in or if you like inaugurated before the convention.”

Asked to be specific on the date, the CECPC member said, “reconciliation is not a tea party. A lot of considerations, bargaining and negotiations will have to come to play and all these take time. All I know is that the swearing-in of the state chairmen will hold before the convention.”

Three persons were feared dead in a building collapse in Ochanja Central Market, Onitsha, Anambra State.

The structure, a two-storey building, reportedly collapsed around 5:45pm on Saturday.

Eye witnesses blamed the incident on further development on the already weak structure without necessary reinforcement.

A group of traders at the market had on Friday, protested plans by leadership of the market to erect additional structures on the existing old and weak buildings in the market.

The traders, who took their protest to Awka the State capital, appealed to Governor Willie Obiano to prevail on the market leadership to forestall any calamity.

One of the traders, who preferred anonymity, said the yet to be identified deceased were working at the site when the incident happened.

Attempts to speak with the market leaders were unfruitful as the traders were seen scampering for safety and trying to salvage their goods so as to escape being trapped.

Plateau Governor Simon Lalong, 21 Senators and 56 House of Representatives members on Saturday missed the turbaning of Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi as Dan Amanar in Daura, Katsina State.

Others who missed the ceremony were leading All Progressive Congress (APC) chairmanship aspirants Senators Tanko Al-Makura and Ali Modu Sheriff.

Read Also: Buhari hails Amaechi over conferment of Daura title

They with 42 former Senators and 50 former House of Representatives members were trapped at the presidential wing of the Nnandi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja owing to flight disruption caused by bad weather.

Also trapped were seven former Deputy Governors, 13 Assembly Speakers, Ambassadors, Emirs and Royal fathers.

The bad weather, which affected flight operations at Nnandi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja, left the dignitaries stranded at the airport.

A source at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) blamed blamed poor weather for the flight disruption.

Daura, the home town of President Mohammadu Buhari, led by the Emir Alhaji Umar Faruke Umar turbaned Amaechi as the Dan Amanar Daura (Trusted Son of Daura).

Rotimi Ameachi was Rivers Speaker for eight years and ex-Governor of the oil-rich State.

He was the Director General of Buhari Campaign organisation in 2015 and 2019.

An Abuja-based human rights lawyer Pelumi Olajengbesi has hinted Yoruba Nation activist Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho, will soon be released from detention.

Although Olajengbesi has since resigned from the team of Nigerian lawyers for Igboho, he advised Yoruba leaders not to be selfish.

Igboho has been in detention in Benin Republic since he was arrested at an airport in Cotonou by the West Africa’s nation Security Forces while he was trying to flee to Germany in July 2020.

The 49-year-old agitator fled Nigeria for Benin Republic after the Federal Government declared him wanted.

Despite frantic efforts to get him released, checks by The Nation show he has spent over 201 days in Benin Republic prison.

READ ALSO: We’ll free Sunday Igboho from Benin prison magically – Agbekoya

A Beninise court blocked the extradition of Igboho to Nigeria while ruling that the activist be remanded in prison pending further hearing.

His supporters have expressed worries over prolonged stay in detention.

Many groups, including Agbekoya Farmers Society and the Diaspora Groups have staged protests to demand the ‘unconditional’ release of Igboho.

But reacting on Saturday, Olajengbesi in a terse post on Facebook said: “Chief Sunday Igboho will be out very soon and there will be massive jubilation across the entire Yoruba land.

“He is no doubt a courageous MAN.

“This is very authoritative just that our Yoruba leaders should stop being selfish and allow good to prevail.”