The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Akwa Ibom State

  • ‘Nigeria still very corrupt despite Buhari’s anti-corruption war’

    Despite the anti-corruption posture of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, Nigeria is still perceived as an extremely corrupt country, the Uyo Zonal Head of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Abdulkarim Chukkul has said.

    Chukkul, who made this known Monday at the commission’s office during a press briefing in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state, said the 2017 corruption perception index scored the country low when compared with the 2016 perception report.

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    “Despite the frantic efforts by the government to tackle corruption, the 2017 corruption perception scored Nigeria low compare with the 2016 perception report. Nigeria slipped in the country-ranking by 12 position in 2017, which shows that Nigeria is still perceived as
    extremely corrupt “, he said.

    He expressed frustration over the National Assembly’s refusal to pass into law some major bills presented to it by the agency, saying that the situation has stifled the commission’s mandate of tackling corruption.

    “Beneficial ownership register is nowhere near completion and crucial asset recovery legislation such as the proceeds of Crime Bill has been stalled in the National Assembly.

    “The pledge to work towards full implementation of the Open Contracting Data Standard has not resulted in tangible actions and the much needed public procurement reform is stalled as key appointments for National Procurement Council (NPC) have not commenced, ” he said.

    Chukkul said that, at the state level, lack of procurement law has resulted in shady contracting leading to non-implementation of projects and outright abandoning of even the ones initiated, he also said that the increasing level of abandon projects across Nigeria has made the citizens not to benefit from the trillions of naira budgeted yearly for development.

    “According to the findings of our monitoring activities, 70 percent of government projects are abandoned. This is the evident as the number of abandoned projects scattering across the state. The increasing level of abandon projects across Nigeria has deprived the citizens the benefit of the trillions of naira budgeted yearly for development

    “While the citizens are deprived the benefit of governance, some few persons who are politically exposed see the opportunity of budget implementation to drain the nation of its resources,” he added.

  • Allow EFCC to do its work – Eyiboh tells A’Ibom govt

    Spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress Campaign Organization in Akwa Ibom, Mr. Eseme Eyiboh has asked Governor Udom Emmanuel to allow the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) to its work of fighting corruption.
    Reacting to the press statement issued by the Akwa Ibom State, through the Hon. Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Charles Udoh on Thursday, Eyiboh described the state government’s cry that it was been witch hunted as ” playing the ostrich “.
    He said it was preposterous for the state  government through its statement to accuse the anti graft agency of  “perpetuating illegalities against the Government and the good people of Akwa Ibom”.
    “The release is one of those empty Statements on the current corruption charge against government officials and cronies, through which Akwa Ibom funds are corruptly taken away from the people.
    “The government has continued to live in denial of the serial malfeasance that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has been unraveling in the past three years of  Udom Emmanuel administration.
    “The cry of witch-hunt and such other familiar cover-up lamentations do not answer the fundamental question of why, for instance, Udom Emmanuel’s legal fees as a governorship candidate should be paid from public coffers”, Eyiboh stated.
     He queried why huge sums are paid out to private lawyers when the state ministry of justice is populated by experienced, well trained, but poorly motivated staffers.
    “It is in the best interest of the state and for the sake of accountability to allow the EFCC do its statutory duties of checkmating corruption.

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    “If the government of Deacon Udom Emmanuel is sure that the officials are not corrupt, why do they keep blocking the anti-graft agency? The truth is that Gov. Emmanuel runs the most diseased, inept and opaque government in modern Nigeria.
    “It is futile to keep running from pillar to post, from one court to another to hide from the corruption that has always been there in the full glare of the Akwa Ibom people. If you are not hiding anything, make your officials available for investigation”, the statement read in part.
    On behalf of the APC campaign organization, Eyiboh said, ” We appeal to the EFCC not to be deterred by the resort to playing the victim’s card and baseless allegations of political motivation.
    “Akwa Ibom State, whose social services, health and educational institutions and have continued to decay as a result of poverty of the philosophy of statutory governance, often blamed on paucity of fund deserves the best.
    ” Any excuse to the contrary can only fly in the face of crippling corruption, such as the illegal withdrawal of billions paid into private coffers”.

  • A’Ibom 2019: Udom, PDP move to strengthen support base 

    Amid the growing political tension in Akwa Ibom state, arising from the lingering battle between the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state and the main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) over who controls the state, Governor Udom Emmanuel and the PDP have stepped up moves to strengthen their support base and galvanize their people with the ongoing peace-building process in the party.

    Akwa Ibom state has been in the “eye of political storm” in recent weeks following the crisis in the state House of Assembly which led to a face-off between the state government and the police authority and led to heated altercations between the PDP and APC in the state.

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    Apparently to aid this galvanization process and also help in dousing the palpable apprehension in the state, the PDP Integration and Harmonisation Committee, in a statement Wednesday, December 5 2018, announced the commencement of the second phase of interactions with aggrieved stakeholders and other members of the party who have concerns over diverse issues in the party, which include what they refer to as “poor reward mechanism”.

    According to the statement in Uyo the state capital, signed by the Committee secretary, Barrister Goddy Umoh, who is also the legal adviser to the party in the state, this second phase will “entertain complaints from individuals who have sent private petitions to the Committee through its dedicated phone numbers, email and website.”

    The Committee, headed by His Excellency, Engineer Patrick Ekpotu, former deputy governor of Akwa Ibom state, was inaugurated by Governor Udom Emmanuel, in October and charged with the responsibility of bringing together every aggrieved parties in the recently concluded primary election exercise of the PDP in the state, with the aim of addressing their grouses, in order to present a united front in the coming 2019 governorship election.

    Barrister Umoh revealed that the “Integration and Harmonisation Committee started interactions with stakeholders of the first sets of local government areas on October 26. In that first phase the Committee hosted and received complaints from people from eight local government areas, which included, Ikono, Uyo, Ikot Ekpene, Itu, Nsot Ibom, Nsit Atai, Mkpat Enin and  Urue Offong/ Oruko.”

    Different interests within the party in the local government areas that have met with the committee were said to have unburdened their grievances to the committee. Issues ranging from people who felt shortchanged by the system at the party primaries after working hard for the party or communities/wards that raised concerns over seeming neglect by successive governments in the state in the areas of either projects or political appointments were presented to the committee.

    The committee, working closely with the governor on the Integration and Harmonisation process has assured that a “mechanism is in place with the full backing of the governor to address these concerns in order to assuage the apprehension of the people, because the spirit of setting up the committee is not only to help our party put its house in order, in this peculiar challenging period in the state,  but essentially to heal wounds and encourage inclusiveness by integrating every interest for peace, progress and unity of our dear state.

    “So far the response by the people has been very impressive. As should be expected in this kind of setting, we have been having explosive but very frank sessions with participants from different local government areas, as people are encouraged by the committee to air their views with sincere openness, aimed at a dispassionate resolution. The beautiful aspect of our often heated sessions is that sometimes people came with palpable apprehension, but often would live with smiles and genuine convivial embrace and handshake.”

    Umoh disclosed that after attending to these individual complainants, the Committee, would then resume its interactions with the remaining local government as according the statement, “the objective is to achieve equity, fairness and justice in the party, which will ultimately lead to peace and harmony in the PDP family, and essentially more electoral success by the party in the state.”

  • NANS condemns ‘attempt to truncate democracy’ at A/Ibom assembly

    The Senate of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has condemned what it considered as an attempt to truncate democracy in the State House of Assembly in Akwa Ibom State following the recent leadership saga.

    The Senate President NANS Comrade Abdulmajeed Oladimeji Oyeniyi at a World Press Conference addressed in Kaduna said, “We are in receipt of credible intelligence highlight plan by the opposition to use thugs to invade the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and prevent the House from carrying out its legislative business of law making.

    “It is important we call on the attention of the entire world to this undemocratic act that is about to be perpetrated by the opposition in Akwa lbom State”.

    The student body stressed that the State Legislative arm is an independent arm that do not require the intervention of external body and alleged that, “we are pretty sure that the target is not directly on the Speaker but the person of the Governor, such that if the opposition succeed by taking over the state Assembly, it will be very easy for them to impeach the Governor.

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    “Nigerian Student wish to categorically state that the era of truncating democracy or the people’s will has for long gone and our Democratic systems have come to stay, we hereby advice the opposition to desist from this act of un-patriotism to our democracy, her citizen and the country at large.

    “The leadership of Nigerian Student wish to remind the general public that the Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assemble was once a Senator of NANS and the Speaker to Nigerian Youth Parliament, therefore any attempt to stampede his activities as the Speaker of Akwa lbom State House of Assembly, the Students’ Community and Youth leaders across the country will not hesitate to invade the state capital”.

    The student body also called on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency address issues raised by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) with the view to bringing the ongoing stike to an end.

  • PDP accuses APC of instigating violence in A/Ibom, others

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised the alarm over what it declined as calculated attempts by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to instigate violence and breakdown of law and order in Akwa Ibom State.
    The plot, which the main opposition party said, was meant to be replicated in other littoral states under the control of the PDP with the view to forcefully taking over the leadership of the states in the 2019 general elections.
    At a joint media briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan and the Publicity Secretary of the Akwa Ibom chapter of the PDP, Emem Obong, said the plot was being hatched in phases.
    Obong said the APC wanted to ensure that the Governor is presented as being overwhelmed by security situation in the state in order to bring in the Federal Government to aide a forceful takeover by the APC.
    Obong said, “The end point of that plan is to ensure that on the day of election, Akwa Ibom as well as other states controlled by the PDP will be selected as flash points and kept for a separate day”.
    The PDP spokespersons said one leg of the plot was to have the governorship election postponed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the day of the first ballot and a new date fixed for the poll.
    They added that the other leg of the plot was to create room for massive deployment of security agencies for the rescheduled election like it happened in the last governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states.
    “These are schematic attempts unfolding gradually. It first started with trying to say that the former a bullet was found in the bedroom of the former Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio even when there was no piercing on any part of his building.
    “Till today there’s no evidence of such attack. It was meant to create the impression for the security agencies to believe that they are being attacked by the state government and its agents”.

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    The party spokespersons fingered the police as being part of the plot as they recalled how the state chairman of the PDP, the DG of the governor’s campaign, Speaker of the state assembly and other prominent PDP members were invited to Abuja by the Inspector General of Police over billboard issues.
    “What is the relationship between the state chairman of a party and the position of a billboard in a state? All those people were invited to Abuja on the orders of the inspector General of Police”, the stated.
    The party also linked the ongoing crisis in the Akwa Ibom state House of Assembly to part of the distabilisation plot by the APC and its agents.
    Ologbondiyan lamented that the Presidency and the APC have continued to design what he described as heinous machinations and issuing threats of violent take over of some littoral states, for which they have now directed their arsenals particularly on Akwa-Ibom state.

    He alerted Nigerian to recent “volatile outbursts” by the Buhari Campaign Organization and APC leaders, with the use of violent images and outright threats of war on Akwa-Ibom state.

    The PSP spokesman said, “Nigerians are invited to recall the violent and ominous outburst by the former Governor of Akwa-Ibom state, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who vowed that the APC will take over the state the same way Hitler overran Poland, swearing that ‘war shall see Warsaw and Warsaw shall see war’ in Akwa-Ibom state.

    “Given that this statement is the policy of the APC and the Buhari Presidency against Akwa-Ibom and other parts of our nation, where they are not in control, the President, as chief security officer of our nation, never issued a reprimand nor has Senator Akpabio been pulled in for questioning by security agencies.

    “It is now clear that the statement is an approved prelude of a pre-meditated plot by the Buhari Presidency and the APC to initiate, facilitate and superintend a mayhem and bloodletting in the peaceful and developing Akwa-Ibom, irrespective of the huge human and material damage such could cause in the state.

    “Part of the plot is the forceful attempt to take over control of the Akwa-Ibom state legislature, for which the Presidency and the APC have been sponsoring the invasion of the House of Assembly complex and seeking ways to violently oust the duly elected leadership of the state assembly

    “Only recently, the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, who has been under fire over allegations of corruption, threatened and directly accused the erstwhile Akwa-Ibom Commissioner of Police, John Abang of refusing to carry out APC’s orders to provide security cover that will enable three legally sacked members of the 26-member legislature to effect a change of leadership.

    “The PDP has information of how the APC hierarchy thereafter, ordered the Inspector General of Police, who in compliance, summarily redeployed CP John Abang and replaced him with a new CP, Hyelasinda Musa Kimo. It is needless to say that Mr. Abang spent just one month as CP and had to be removed for not carrying out APC’s atrocious directive.

    “Since the arrival of CP Kimo, there has been mounting tension and escalated siege mentality in Akwa-Ibom state, particularly in the state legislature where thugs, backed by the police, have been invading the premises, disrupting legislative activities, harassing staff members and hindering them from performing their responsibilities.

    “This recourse to self-help, against declarative judgment by competent court of jurisdiction sacking the three lawmakers, is a deliberate attempt to instigate violence, foist a reign of terror, cause confusion, create an impression that the state has become ungovernable.

    “This is with a view to opening the way for a declaration of a state of emergency, which will enable them dismantle all democratic structures and forcefully take over control of the state.

    “The PDP wants the Buhari Presidency and the APC to bear in mind that their plot to forcefully take over Akwa-Ibom or any other PDP-controlled state will be firmly resisted by the people of those states and such may lead to a crisis of unprecedented magnitude that has the capacity of truncating our hard-earned democracy.

    “This is because the people of Akwa-Ibom state will never allow anybody, no matter how highly placed, to overrun their state or in any way attempt to foist an undemocratic leadership over them and no amount of intimidation or force will make them change this resolve”.

    The opposition party charged President Buhari and the APC to be ready to take full responsibility for any breakdown of law and order as direct consequences of the people’s resistance to their plot to forcefully take over control of Akwa-Ibom or any of the PDP-controlled states.

  • PDP, APC trade words over attack on Akwa Ibom deputy governor

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom state are in a war of words over Tuesday’s alleged attack on the deputy governor Mr. Moses Ekpo, government officials and other stakeholders by some hoodlums.

    The alleged incident is said to have taken place at the Unity Hall in Essien Udim local government area, Senator Godswill Akpabio’s hometown.

    It was during the massive declaration of support to Governor Udom Emmanuel by former and serving chapter and ward executive council members of the APC.

    In attendance were Prince Ukpong Akpabio, a younger brother and former aide of the immediate past Senate minority leader, as well as Chief Michael Afangideh, regarded as Akpabio’s political godfather.

    The PDP alleged that the thugs that attacked the state deputy governor and other stakeholders of the party were sent by supporters of Senator Akpabio.

    The party also alleged that the thugs were led by one Adionganye Akpabio a cousin to Senator Akpabio and Imo Ibara from Ukana West ward1.

    It also said that the hoodlums arrived in buses and started launching missiles and attacking everyone at the premises while the Deputy Governor was receiving the APC defectors on behalf of the Governor.

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    But the special assistant to Senator Akpabio on media, Mr. Anietie Ekong said it is not true that the deputy governor was attacked, dismissing the story as mere political propaganda against the former senate minority leader.

    Anietie said it could not have been possible for thugs to attack the deputy governor with his retinue of security personnel including the army, police and Department of State Security (DSS) operatives.

    “It is mere propaganda because having seen that they have lost Senator Akpabio who was like a life support machine for the PDP, they are now engaging in all manner of stunts. I am not surprised because ever Akpabio left the PDP they have been crying.

    “It is not possible that thugs could attack the deputy governor with his retinue security aides which include the police, DSS operatives and soldiers, so you should know that this is propaganda taken too far.

    “In any case, Akpabio is a man of peace. He doesn’t propagate violence and he is focused on delivering Akwa-Ibom state for the APC. Three days ago he was at Nsit Atai where he cautioned  his supporters and APC members to steer clear of violence”, he said.

  • A/Ibom set to produce plastic chairs, biro, GP tanks

    The Akwa Ibom state government says it will soon start the production of plastic chairs, biro pens, storage tanks and several other industrial products.
    General Manager of the Akwa Ibom state Enterprise and Employment Scheme (AKEES), Mr. James Bassey told reporters yesterday that the move was in line with the industrialization agenda of the Governor Udom Emmanuel administration.
    Bassey, who spoke on the sidelines of an assessment tour of the impact of government’s Direct Investment on the people, disclosed that government had already procured machines for the production of biro.
    According to him the state government has given approval for the establishment of AKEES industrial park in Ikot-Ekpene and Eket
    senatorial districts that would handled the production of plastics chairs, GP tanks and others.
    “As we speak, Governor Udom Gabriel Emmanuel has placed order for the purchase of machines for the production of biro pen, red, blue and black, and the machines are going to be located here in this industrial park, in Uyo.
    “The governor has also ordered that each industrial park be established in Ikot-Ekpene and Eket senatorial districts and they will be producing plastic chairs, GP tanks and several other injection products.
    Bassey said contrary to insinuations from the opposition party, AKEES has changed the narrative of Akwa state in terms of creation of job opportunities for the teeming youth and training programme.
    “I can say that with the coming of AKEES, the narrative of our people has changed in the sense that a lot of our people have benefited from it, the ICT, the agriculture and now the industries.
    “It is the plan of the state governor to establish mega industries, but if you are building mega industries you need to start somewhere
    and get that industrial experience before you can graduate to working in Mega industries.
    “Today we see a lot of Nigerians with various degrees in electrical and mechanical engineering but because such people have never worked before he or she will find it difficult to fit into the labour market” he said.

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    According to him Governor Udom Gabriel Emmanuel through AKEES has provided the Akwa Ibom people the basic technical experience that could make excel in their future endeavors.
    “As we speak a lot of people with their experience in the toothpick manufacturing have been calling me expressing their desire to
    establish a similar industry on their own, and this is something that should be commended” he said.
    The GM however expressed disappointment with people who, for political motive, have said AKEES is a scam arranged by Governor Udom to deceive Akwa Ibom people, saying if you don’t like the governor’s face you should use that to criticize his good policies.
    “Some many people out are blind to the fact that these things are real, and some for political reason will tell you AKEES is scam to
    deceive our people but it is not true”
    Mrs Stella Etim, distributors of AKEES products who spoke with correspondents commended the high quality of the products in the market.
    “ Let me use this medium to assure all Akwa Ibom people of the quality of AKEES products, there strong and durable and people are looking for them. I am the distributor for pencil and took picks in Ikot-Ekpene but now I have come to join in the distributor for the plastics”

  • Akwa Ibom CAN denies endorsing APC governorship candidate

    The Akwa Ibom state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has denied endorsing the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Obong (Dr.) Nsima Ekere.
    State chairman of CAN, Rev(Dr.) Ndueso Ekwere in a press briefing in Uyo on Saturday said the association has not endorsed Ekere or any other governorship candidate of other political parties.
    Ekwere said he was misrepresented by some sections of the local media that it endorsed the APC governorship candidate when he paid a consultation visit to him and members of his executive.
    He said the consultation visit by the APC governorship candidate was devoid of any political connotation, adding that he merely  advised Ekere and his team to play politics with godliness and decorum.
    “On the matter of political parties and endorsement of candidates by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), that is going virile around the state and beyond in print and social media particularly alleging CAN’s endorsement of the APC governorship candidate, Mr. Nsima Ekere.

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    ” Let me say here unequivocally that CAN, Akwa Ibom state has not at anytime made such endorsement.
    “CAN is apolitical and an open church for all denominations and individuals who are Christians by their worship conduct.
    ” Every church has a mixed membership and I have not seen or heard any church so far that carries out accreditation before their worship session to know those that belong to certain political parties and then screen them out”, he said.

  • NDDC plans industrial development centre in A/Ibom

    The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)  says it will establish an industrial development centre in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
    Managing Director of the commission, Mr. Nsima Ekere disclosed this on Tuesday in Ikot Ekpene during the flag-off of the entrepreneurship/agricultural disbursement grants for Akwa Ibom North-West (Ikot Ekpene) Senatorial District.
    The grant is initiated and sponsored by the representative of the senatorial district in the National Assembly, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
    Ekere said the NDDC was collaborating with the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) to set up the centre, located opposite Champion Breweries on Aka – Nung Udoe Road, Uyo, with the aim of training, mentoring and empowering the youths of the state for job creation.
    Ekere said, “NDDC is about development and creating jobs to banish poverty. This is what NDDC is all about.”
    The NDDC boss commended Akpabio for also working with SMEDAN to empower over 400 indigenes of his senatorial district to start businesses.

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    “What would you have expected from the uncommon Senator,” he said. “Little wonder the people of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District declared that wherever you go that they will go with you. I’m not surprised that this senatorial district loves Senator Godswill Akpabio.”
    Ekere, who is the Gubernatorial Candidate of the All Progressives’ Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State, expressed delight with the overwhelming show of support for him by the people of the senatorial district, declaring that, with similar support from the other two senatorial districts, his victory in the 2019 election was assured.
    He promised, on becoming Governor, to complete the Ikot Ekpene – Uyo Road, to open the Four Points-By-Sheraton Hotel in Ikot Ekpene and to build the international market in Ikot-Ekpene, three projects the present State Government had failed to do as promised.
    “We must showcase Ikot Ekpene as the commercial city of Akwa Ibom State,” Ekere pledged. “Dry bones shall rise again.”
    He enumerated some of the landmark achievements of Akpabio, as Governor in his first term, and pointed out that the incumbent Governor had nothing to show as similar achievements but rather had failed to complete or maintain infrastructure and amenities he inherited.
    His words: “Virtually all the things that made us proud as a state have been destroyed by the present State Government.”

  • ‘Buhari is God’s answer to outcry of Nigerians against corruption’

    Founder Solid Rock Kingdom Church in Mkpat Enin local government area of Akwa Ibom state, Apostle John Okoriko has said that President Muhammadu Buhari is God’s answer to outcries of Nigerians against the evil of corruption.

    At a press briefing marking his 70th birthday, Okoriko said on Friday that God brought Buhari to power in 2015 to rid the country of corruption which had ravaged the socio-economic and political lives of Nigerians.

    According to the cleric, the President’s integrity, passion and commitment to the fight against corruption earned him overwhelming victory in the 2015 presidential election.

    He contended that a people deserve the kind of government they yearn for, adding that “I have a lesson that I teach my church that every people deserve the government that rules them beginning from the villages.

    “If there is a particular village that is corrupt, God will put a corrupt leader there, unless they want change. There are people who want change and God will give them a person that will bring the desired change.

    “I believe that President Muhammadu Buhari may not be the best, may not be the holiest but just because there was so much cry about corruption; that is why he picked corruption as his major campaign thrust.

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    “He promised he was going to tackle corruption; that is what gave him overwhelming votes because corruption in the country was too much and embarrassing. God just gave Buhari for that purpose.

    “The integrity that he has gave him the votes when the issue of corruption was so bad. That is my belief. If we are free from corruption and we look for something else that is not found in Buhari, God will put another person because He is involved in human governance”, he said.

    Okoriko urged Nigerians to get their permanent voter card(PVC)  to enable them make the right choices of leaders in next year’s general elections so that the country can continue on the path of sanity and socio-economic progress.

    He advised religious leaders to play positive roles in providing sound admonition and values to guide political leaders in the country.

    On the proliferation of churches, he said, “You will not expect me to say that we should have more drinking joints, more hotels, and more brothels than churches”.