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  • Ex-perm sec jailed five years for N14m theft

    Adebisi Onanuga

     

    AN Ikeja Special Offence Court on Thursday sentenced a former Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Clement Illoh to five years  imprisonment for stealing.

    Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo convicted Illoh of theft of N14 million belonging to the defunct Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programe, (SURE-P).

    He is also to make restitution to the federal government to the tune of N14 million.

    Illoh was convicted of two out of the three-count charge, bordering on stealing by conversion of property to the tune of N14 million, brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The convict was initially arraigned on October 16, 2017 by the EFCC.

    Read Also: Why court jailed ex-NBA chair

    EFCC prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo, had told the court that Illoh, while serving in acting capacity, stole the sum of N14 million from the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 279(1)(b) & 285 (6) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State No,11, 2011.

    Illoh who, was responsible for supervising numerous programmes of the government, including SURE-P, was accused of awarding fictitious contracts to himself through his company, Clement and Bob Associate, and friends.

    Earlier, in his final address, Oyedepo had told the court “If there is anybody that will deal anyhow with money, it should not be somebody who has risen to that status.

    “My lord, a permanent secretary of a ministry who was aware that the money was meant for his ministry, prevented the transfer of this money to the account of his ministry known to government.

    “We asked him if there was any contract between Clement and Bob (Illoh’s private company) and the ministry, he said, ‘No’.

    “He receives salary through an official account. Why didn’t he nominate the account of his ministry or his salary account? Why did he use his private company account?

    “We only brought N14 million here (high court). A public servant like him had N646 million in his account.

    “There were a lot of people and companies depositing money into the account, and we recovered N600 million”.

  • Cleric jailed for N37.6m fraud

    Adebisi Onanuga

     

    AN Ikeja Special Offences Court on Thursday sentenced an Islamic cleric, Afa Awojobi Ganiu to two years in prison for defrauding a United States-based businesswoman, Mrs Oluwatoyin Akinwole of N37.6million.

    Justice Mojisola Dada convicted Ganiu following a plea bargain agreement after being re-arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before the Court.

    Ganiu, who was arraigned alongside a self-acclaimed oil marketer, Adesanya Olufemi Paul, pleaded guilty to an amended charge of stealing and obtaining money by false pretence.

    The duo were alleged to have defrauded the businesswoman, leaked her nude pictures on social media and thereafter reported that she committed suicide by jumping over the Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos in 2017.

    When the charges were read, during yesterday’s proceedings, Ganiu, who was the second defendant, pleaded guilty

    However, the first defendant, Paul, maintained his not guilty plea.

    The Alfa was thereafter convicted after he pleaded guilty to two out of four count amended charges of stealing against him.

    Ganiu’s counsel, Goddy Osuyi, in his allocutus, told the court that the second defendant has pleaded with the nominal complainant, Mrs Akinwole, to accept the property, a four bedroom flat, worth N13 million.

    He said  Ganiu was now sober and has truly repented.

    Delivering her judgement, Justice Dada noted that as part of his plea bargain agreement, Ganiu has agreed to forfeit a property, a four-bedroom flat he acquired as a proceed of the fraud.

    Justice Dada also noted that the convict was initially arraigned on November 8, 2018 and the prosecutor, S.O. Daji, had already called four witnesses to testify against him.

    “I have listened to the allocutus of the second defence counsel, Goddy Osuyi, and have also considered the plea bargain agreement before the court.

    Read Also: Court remands 2 friends for unlawful possession of Cannabis

    “The second defendant is hereby sentenced to two years imprisonment as agreed in  the plea bargain.

    “The prison sentence should begin from the day of his remand by the court on November 8, 2018. This is the judgement of the court,” she held.

    It would be recalled that the businesswoman, in her earlier in her testimony told the court that her nude picture was extracted from her phone, put on social media.

    She also claimed that they framed her suicide story simply to deter and frustrate her from coming after them.

    She said, “My father even suffered stroke after seeing my nude pictures online.

    “They deceived me into believing that I would get a 150 per cent profit after a month of investment.

    “They kept extorting money from me on the claims that the ports needed more money to perfect the transaction before releasing the oil.

    This made me borrow huge amounts from friends just to make the deal work”.

    Narrating how she found out about the scam, the businesswoman told the court that one of Paul’s workers called her and informed her that the defendants never invested her money in any oil business but rather used it to buy houses and exotic cars.

     

     

  • Lagosians beg for pedestrian bridges

    Olaitan Ganiu

     

    AS WORK continues on   Oshodi-Apapa Expressway much to the delight of residents and commuters, an appeal has gone out for pedestrian bridges to be built at strategic places to ease the movement of people crossing the busy highway.

    Pedestrians are suddenly finding very high medians where they usually walked across to both sides of the expressway.

    At Iyana Isolo, for instance, there is no pedestrian bridge to access both sides of the expressway.

    One of such road users, Mrs Toyin Williams, on Thursday lamented that the demarmation is too high to climb.

    She said, “See as the pavement stained my cloth; this is not nice at all. It took the help of two men before I could jump over, it is like climbing a mountain.”

    Williams appealed to the state governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to build bridges over those places Iyana Isolo.

    The Apapa-Oshodi Expressway is a federal project, which is why the Ministry of Works is handling its rehabilitation.

    But residents especially pedestrians are grappling with immense difficulties accessing the other side of the major road. They seem to think first of their state governor, rather than anyone else.

    Read Also: Lagos closes Costain Bridge

    A student of Lagos State Polytechnic, Isolo campus, near the Iyana Isolo, said, “I just want to appeal to our governor, to build an overhead pedestrian bridge to save lives.”

    Recently, a Lagos lawmaker, Mr Jude Idimogu also pleaded with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to construct a pedestrian bridge at Toyota Bus Stop, near Iyana Isolo

    Idimogu, a two-term lawmaker representing Oshodi/Isolo Constituency II at the Lagos State House of Assembly said the bridge, which would connect the popular Ladipo market, will save lives of residents in the area.

    “The kind of accidents and human lives that are lost in the area makes the bridge crucial. This place needs a pedestrian bridge and the former governor promised that it would be done. I just want to use this medium to appeal to the current governor, since governance is continual, to ensure the construction of a pedestrian bridge at Toyota Bus Stop on Mile 2-Oshodi- Apapa Expressway.

  • Edo, NDDC fight over ‘shoddy jobs’

    There seems to be strained relationship between the Edo State government and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). Emergency road projects appear to be the bone of contention, writes OSAGIE OTABOR

    The relationship between the Edo State government and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has not been cordial since Governor Godwin Obaseki assumed office in Edo State. The strained relationship is connected to the shoddy and sub-standard jobs executed by the NDDC contractors.

    Few months after Obaseki assumed office, he paid an unscheduled visit to some road projects being executed by the NDDC in the state. Obaseki was peeved that the contractors’ jobs were shoddy and the drainage were not linked to any primary drain. This, the governor observed, would make the water stagnant in the drains and make the road easily damaged.

    Obaseki directed the NDDC contractors handling various road projects in the state to stop work immediately. He said the NDDC would not be allowed to execute any projects in the state without meeting the state’s specifications and designs.

    The NDDC contractors were given seven days to submit the design drawings, Bill of Engineering Measurement and Evaluation of their respective projects to the State Ministry of Works.

    After some grey issues were resolved, NDDC resumed construction and rehabilitation of roads in the state. Governor Obaseki entered tripartite agreement with the NDDC and the Edo State Oil and Gas Development Commission (EDSOPADEC) on the repair of the Benin-Abraka Road. The NDDC was to pay 40 per cent of the fund. Construction work has commenced on the Benin-Abraka Road and the NDDC is yet to meet its obligation.

    Crack re-emerged in the relationship between Edo government and the NDDC over who was responsible for the massive repairs and construction of many internal roads in Benin-City and its environs.

    When agents of Obaseki listed roads constructed by the administration, those opposed to second term coming of Obaseki were quick to point out that majority of the roads were constructed by the NDDC but there were counter-arguments that under previous administrations, the NDDC did not execute much projects as it is doing under Obaseki. Former Edo NDDC Commissioner, Hon Saturday Uwuilekhue, published list of roads executed by the NDDC apparently to out a lie to claims by agents of Edo Government.

    However, many of the newly constructed and rehabilitated roads were washed away by heavy rains and developed potholes. Obaseki’s administration was criticised for constructing poor roads. The Apostolic Street in Bénin-City that was just asphalted was washed away and houses in the street were flooded.

    Some roads such as the College Road, Joromi Street, Aiguobasimwin and others recently reconstructed by the NDDC have developed potholes.

    Last week when the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee on abandoned NDDC projects visited Edo State, Governor Obaseki opened up on his reservation for the NDDC and why probe into its activities should commence. Obaseki stated that the N20 billion emergency funds allegedly expended by the NDDC on projects in the state in the last six months must be probed.

    Governor Obaseki said his administration was exploring the option of suing contractors handling the Commission’s projects for delivering sub-standard projects, which caused flooding in parts of the state.

    Obaseki, who reiterated his desire to stop NDDC contractors from executing sub-standard projects said there was need for synergy between the state government and the NDDC in delivering quality projects.

    He faulted claims by the interim management of the NDDC that the sum of N256 billion was spent on emergency project work, out of which N20 billion was spent in Edo State in the last six months.

    “This kind of action is embarrassing to our administration and causing us political problems as our citizens are confused about the roads we are constructing and the sub-standard roads executed by NDDC contractors.

    “I have instructed the state’s Solicitor-General to begin the process to take legal action against NDDC contractors, who execute sub-standard work in the state, particularly the contractor who handled the project on Apostolic Street off Sokponba Road, which led to flooding in the area. We will blacklist them.

    “I am surprised that the NDDC management is here as I invited them months ago when I received complaints about the quality of work done by their contractors but they ignored the invitation. There is no need having NDDC in the state when they have total disregard for the state government.

    “A year ago, barely 10 per cent of the NDDC budget for Edo State was implemented. The immediate past interim management team of the NDDC needs to come and show us how they spent N20 billion in the state.

    “Beyond what the House Committee is doing, there must be a judicial enquiry into the activities of the NDDC. People must go to jail for their corrupt acts. The 13 per cent derivation fund collected from oil-producing communities that was supposed to be used for the development of the region has not been spent by NDDC.

    “We have registered our displeasure on NDDC projects in Edo State and contest the claims of their spending N20 billion in the state for emergency work. We signed a tripartite agreement with NDDC. They were supposed to commit 40 per cent while the state provides 60 per cent. We opened an account but they didn’t remit one kobo into it,” he noted.

    Speaking during inspection of NDDC projects in Edo State by the Ad hoc Committee, Governor Obaseki said the NDDC and its contractors must pay compensation for victims whose properties were affected by flooding at the Apostolic Street.

    He said: “The contractor did the asphalt work on the road without taking into consideration the fact that there were manholes to channel water in the area. When the community advised the contractor not to block the manholes, he disregarded the complaints and blocked them. You can see the devastation that it has caused?

    “We are holding the NDDC and the contractor liable and we will take legal actions to ensure they compensate the victims affected.

    “The NDDC was supposed to contribute 40 per cent, while the state government and its agency would contribute the remaining 60 per cent to the Benin-Abraka Road project but the commission reneged on the agreement.

    “The state government has commenced work on the road and it will be completed with or without NDDC’s counterpart fund because the NDDC is grossly mismanaged.”

    Leader of the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee, Hon. Sergius Ogun, stated that they were in the state to investigate abandoned NDDC projects.

    Ogun, who expressed disappointment with the number of NDDC abandoned projects in Edo State, said some projects awarded since 2012 could not be accounted for anywhere in the state.

    “It is obvious that NDDC has not partnered with the state government. We are talking about projects awarded by NDDC in 2012. Seven years after, we cannot see any visible projects. These are some of the things we will take back to Abuja.”

    Uwulekhue berated the Ad-hoc Committee and Governor Obaseki for making what he termed unfounded allegations without asking relevant questions.

    Uwulekhue said he attracted projects worth N20 billion to the state but the money was not paid to contractors as it was the NDDC policy not to mobilise contractors to site.

    He said contractors must finish their jobs and certificate issued before payments are made.

    On why the NDDC did not fund Benin-Abraka Road project, Uwulekhue stated that the contractor should show evidence of job done before money would be released.

    His words: “People are talking without reading the NDDC Act. Once you bid for job, you go to site with your own money at your own risk. If our engineers did not certify the jobs as good, we will not pay.

    “Any NDDC contractor that does substandard jobs will not be paid as files go through 43 offices before payments are made. NDDC cannot go to Treasury Single Account (TSA) account and make payment anyhow.

    “I did my best to attract N20 billion projects but the question is whether the money was released. The Ad-hoc Committee does not have any information. They are just making noise. A right thinking person will not talk like that.”

  • Foreigner with pistol among suspects arrested at borders

    AbdulGafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

     

    IN justification of the ongoing partial border closure, the Nigerian Customs Service said it has arrested one illegal immigrant attempting to enter Nigeria with a pistol.

    It also said it has in the last few days arrested 146 other illegal migrants and also seized 18,759 bags of foreign rice along the borders.

    The Customs which said some of the illegal migrants were coming into the country to cause havoc by engaging in criminal activities such as arm banditry, kidnapping among others, said one of the illegal immigrants was caught with a pistol.

    National Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the service, Deputy Controller Joseph Attah disclosed these during a sensitisation engagement with rice farmers and other stakeholders in the Kaduna.

    Attah stated emphatically that the partial border closure was aimed at ensuring that dangerous items don’t come into the country and not meant to create hardship for Nigerians.

    Read Also: Recruitment: Kaduna shortlists 13,700 applicants

    He said, “We arrested 146 illegal migrants within a period of one month. Imagine if just 46 out of the 146 arrested were coming into the country with the mindset to create havoc, to kidnapp, for armed robbery, to snatch vehicles. You can imagine the positive effect this action has already brought to Nigeria.

    “We also arrested an illegal immigrant with a pistol. What is he coming into the country to do with a pistol if not to commit crime.

    “We also seized 18,759 50Kg bags of rice, arrested 131 bags of NPK fertiliser which can be used to make explosives. We intercepted 50 cartridges. We also intercepted 4,765 jericans of vegetable oil and also stopped two tankers loaded with PMS about to be smuggled out of the country.” He said.

    He also added that, there is need for Nigerians to stop encouraging Asian rice farmers by only patronising local farmers so that they can also growth which will help promote the economy of this country.

    In his remarks, the Secretary of  Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Ishaya. G. Audu commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the decision to close the borders and for providing job opportunities for local farmers in the country.

     

     

     

  • ‘Emmanuel’s N180m largesse fueled Qua Iboe crisis’

    Bassey Anthony, Uyo

     

    AS the church at 112 Ikot Ekpene Road, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, remains shut with police operatives keeping an eye on the premises, new facts have emerged on the real reasons behind the crisis.

    The Ikot Ekpene Road branch of Qua Iboe Church, where Governor Udom Emmanuel worships, was on Sunday sealed  by police following a subsisting dispute among church leaders and members.

    Many had thought the crisis resulted from the controversy surrounding the change of name from Qua Iboe Church to United Evangelical Church.

    However, our correspondent gathered exclusively from inside sources that the major reason causing the infighting is the N180 million which Governor Emmanuel donated to the church for the welfare of members.

    The governor, according to sources, last year gave  N250 million to the church for the welfare of members, directing that every registered member regardless of age and status should benefit from it.

    The Nation also learnt that the governor had also given the branch pastor, Reverend Ibup Emah N25 million for his personal use.

    The bone of contention is the insistence of Pastor Emah that the church management committee chaired by Elder Onofiok Etang account for the governor’s N180 million largesse.

    The situation has split the church into two factions, with the faction loyal to the church committee chairman pressing for the transfer of the pastor.

    Read Also: Three killed in Akwa Ibom cult clash

    ”The church pastor, Reverend Emah is insisting that the committee chairman Elder Etang account for the N180 million and this is what is causing the problem.

    ”The situation has led to two factions in the church. While one of the factions is supporting the pastor to request for accountability, the other faction is standing with the church committee chairman.

    ”The governor I can tell you is on the side of Pastor Emah. He recently set up a meeting to resolve the crisis. The governor at the meeting demanded the N180 million must be accounted for and that Emah remain as the branch pastor.

    “It was agreed that election should be conducted to elect a new executive of the church committee as the tenure of Etang’s committee had long elapsed but as I speak to you none of resolutions reached at the meeting is being adhered to,” the source told our correspondent.

    The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Ekerete Udoh denied that the governor’s largesse was behind the crisis or that he is taking sides. Rather, Udoh said, the governor is committed to brokering peace in the branch of the church where he worships.

    “This is an absolute falsehood,” he said. “The Governor, as has been widely reported, is dedicated to ensuring that peace returns to both the local assembly on 112 Ikot Ekpene Road and the National at large.

    “The members have commended him for his efforts and I would advise you to discountenance this  manufactured lie.”

  • 84-year-old monarch kidnapped in Bayelsa

    Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

     

    MASKED gunmen on Thursday abducted the 84-year-old traditional ruler of Tarakiri Clan in Southern Ijaw, Bayelsa State, His Royal Majesty, King Agbabou Week.

    The monarch, who is the father of the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Doodei Week, was whisked away from his country home at Ayama-Ijaw in the council.

    The Ebenanaowei of Tarakiri Clan was reportedly kidnapped about 11:20pm on Wednesday by seven masked men, who carried weapons including AK47 rifles.

    The assailants were said to have ransacked the king’s palace, carting away a television set, jewelry and other valuables.

    They were said to have  dragged the king on the ground to the waterside, where they fled with him on speedboats.

    Speaking on the development, the paramount ruler of Ayama-Ijaw community, Chief Amen Sariki, confirmed the incident, saying the gunmen were in the community for about an hour looking for his house.

    Read Also: Four foreigners held for ‘illegal’ fishing in Bayelsa

    He said, “About 11:20pm on Wednesday, the wife and children of our clan head ran to my house crying. It was clear that they had been beaten up. They broke the news to me that the king had been kidnapped.

    “They told me that the gunmen held them hostage, while they searched the house. After searching, they carried a television set, collected jewelry and other valuable items. They then dragged the King who was wearing only pants on the ground up to the waterside.

    “At that point, I started receiving reports that the gunmen were still in the community. So I tried to reach the Joint Military Task Force and the Nigerian Police but didn’t get any response. After about an hour, I was told the gunmen had left the community.

    “When we got to the waterside, I learnt that the kidnappers held a 20-year-old girl they saw on their way at gunpoint and asked her to tell them where my house is. According to her, she lied that she is not from the community and wouldn’t know my house.

    “To mount pressure on her to talk, they stripped and sexualy harrased her for several minutes but she refused to tell them where my house was. When they got tired, they untied a speedboat belonging to the commissioner and fled the community.”

    When contacted, the Bayelsa State Police Public Relations Officer, Asinim Butswat, confirmed the incident and promised to give details later.

  • ‘Multiple taxation killing businesses’

    Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are groaning under multiple taxation with the attendant low turnover by the company’s.

    They urged government at all levels to harmonise their tax policies towards reducing the tax burden imposed on various categories of businesses in Nigeria, in other to promote business growth and job creation.

    Speaking at a business forum in Lagos, an industrialist, Managing Director/CEO, Layus Investment Company Limited, Mr. Olatunji Lawal, said multiple taxation has been hindering steady growth of businesses and regretted  that government at all strata have not n shown  genuine concern to address the situation.

    He relieved a scenario where government at all strata harass manufacturing companies and other SME’s operating at various localities within their jurisdiction, demanding all forms of taxes which are not healthy to such businesses and asked them to harmonise the taxes for the growth of businesses.

    The industrialist implored government to encourage business growth through their policies including moderate taxation, and also improve on other enabling infrastructure like improved and regular electricity supply and good road network to facilitate industrial growth and development, leading to more job creation for our teaming masses.

    Commenting on the menace of fake and adulterated health products in circulation, Mr. Lawal whose Company manufacture Cacatin, a brand of Skin & Hair care products with Herbal mixture for women, called on the National Agency for Food & Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to re – engineer it’s product registration policy by establishing a training centre for local manufacturers/producers, where they could undergo training and also subject their products to proper scrutiny before approval.

    He explained that by so doing, sanity would be brought into product registration, control and monitoring. He also advocated  that Herbal Products  producers  should be made to go through the training school for Herbal Medicine practitioners established by the Lagos State government.

    On his company’s projection for growth the industrialist revealed that Layus Investment Company Limited has put machinery and necessary infrastructure  in place to become a full – fledge Pharmaceutical company in a few years time by going into production of drugs like paracetamol, blood tonics, and the likes to generate more employment opportunities for Nigerians.

    He added that he was determined to promote youth employment in the country while also advising parents to encourage their wards to start small scale businesses on a low key rather than being idle away or waiting for huge elusive business capital before venturing into business engagements stressing that government alone cannot provide employment for our teeming youths.

  • Abuja groups take care of the elderly

    In life they say, every beginning has an end and every newborn will someday grow old. With better health care and healthy living, people are beginning to live longer than before. Right now, it is estimated that almost 700 million people are over the age of 60. It is also estimated that by 2020, two billion people, which is over 20 per cent of the world population, will be 60 years or older.

    While most societies care for their elderly ones through numerous initiatives and homes, the elderly in Nigerian are left to their families who sometimes abandon them or can barely take care of their needs due to financial difficulties.

    The Public Relations Officer (PRO), International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Abuja branch, Mojirayo Ogunlana-Nkanga, explained that there are several laws that have been promulgated to address issues of older persons but that implementation has remained as serious problem.

    She added that Nigeria has the relevant laws and other arrangements in place, but that there are no structures to get the initiative going. For this and other reasons, Ogunlana-Nkanga said it cannot be said in earnest that the older people in the country are being provided for or are being taken care of by the government.

    As Nigeria joined the rest of the world in celebrating the International Day of Older Persons on October 1, which was established by the United Nations General Assembly, a few groups came together to celebrate the elderly in Abuja. The elderly citizens were given free medical treatment, food and supplies.

    Founder and President, Amazing Grace Foundation Abuja, a non-governmental organization (NGO) Dr Ifeanyinwa Obegolu, explained that her foundation was set up in 2004 when the elderly were dying in the streets. Some of them, she said, were found under bridges.

    According to her, most of them were waiting in vain to collect their pensions, which they never got, while a number of them died while struggling to get their pensions.

    Obegolu said it was the plight of the elderly that motivated the Amazing Grace to focus on the elderly poor, leading the Foundation to start fetching them from the streets. Now the Foundation has been providing them with accommodation, food and medical treatment.

    “When most of them recover, they return home and are re-united with their families because this is not supposed to be permanent home”, Obegolu said.

    She added: “The Federal Government is beginning to listen now because we have created enough awareness. Even old people and many NGOs are springing up talking about elderly people. And with that, government is beginning to listen to us and I am sure they will help.

    “That is why we are here to create more awareness that people are not taking care of the elderly in the society. In fact, everything in this country is geared against the interest of the elderly. The roads we walk on are geared against the interest of the elderly.

    For instance, in other countries, you create pathways for the elderly, for those of them who struggle to enter bus. In Nigeria, they are pushed down. Nothing has been put in place for their benefit.

    “There is no foundation for the elderly. There is no medical welfare in this country. No social welfare, no laws protecting the elderly. We have sent this to the National Assembly. In fact, in 2006, under Senate President David Mark, they were able to pass one of the bills saying that parks should be created for the elderly. But the elderly need to eat before they go to the park. So, we want more of that legislation to ensure that the rest of the elderly are protected because in the present circumstance, the elderly have no laws protecting them.

    “Government should make laws protecting the elderly and intervene to help the NGOs like us who are trying to help. If they give us land, we can do something more like building more houses for the elderly and make their lives interesting. The government does not need to do everything for us. If the government is able to provide land, we can get people to help to build old peoples homes everywhere so that the elderly people can become more comfortable and happier”.

    Ogunlana-Nkanga also said: “You can start with widows. Widows are treated badly in some societies. We have seen a case of a widow that came and complained that she was being raped by a neighbour. We are talking a woman of over 80-years -old that was being raped. That is what we go through and nobody is taking care of them.

    “We have to understand that the society itself is already stressful for the young ones to even be able to take care of themselves. Extending that same care to the older persons may not be easy for these young ones. Government has that duty to take care of our older persons. They deserved it, they have paid their dues. Let us create social contract and social welfare package that will take care of these people”.

    She added that what should be addressed by the Federal Government is how to really take care of these older people without putting them through unnecessary stress. If they are told to come and receive their pensions, structures should be put in place to make them comfortable while they wait.

    “Also we don’t have to make it so stressful for them, we have to make sure that whatever policies that are being done are properly implemented. For instance, government should take it upon itself to build old people’s homes and the elderly should not be seen in street corners, in shackles or in bad shape.

  • ‘APC can’t displace PDP in Anambra’

    Chief Ndubuisi Nwobu is the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State. In this Interview with NWANOSIKE ONU, he says the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) cannot defeat his party in future polls.

    THE next governorship election will hold in Anambra State in 2021. How are you preparing?

    The PDP is gearing up for the 2021 governorship election in Anambra State. As you know, we’ve been out of power in this state since 2006. That’s a period of about 13 years now. And we are talking about getting back to power. It’s not just for the sake of power. We want to see that we change the narrative of what is happening presently. Anambra has gone back infrastructurally. We want to go back to where we used to stay. So, we are looking forward to getting back to, reorganising to see if we can get power back for the essence of bringing the governorship seat back to our party and that is the main essence of our reorganisation. Our main focus is how to create a major level of stability in the party, create the enabling environment for those who want to aspire to offices to run for the governorship too, to have a level playing field. It’s one thing to tell someone you will do a transparent primary, but it is important the person sees all the processes as transparent because the primary do not just start and end with the congresses. It starts long before that time. It starts from the period of campaigns going all round the whole state to canvass for support of the party, ownership and leadership. And it needs people to know that the leadership that embraces and that can be trusted. If you observe very well, the last primary of our party held before the last elections. For the very first time in this state for many years, there were no double primaries. All the primaries were held in one center and on the same day and candidates that emerged were candidates that were sponsored by the party for the elections. But, it’s not only shouting that INEC has not done it well, the question is, have you done it well in your own internal party. So, these are part of what we are doing. Again, we are presently galvanising our party rulership at the base. Very soon, you will see that the PDP will be holding seminars, retreats and workshops for our party leadership from the ward level to the local government areas and the state level. The essence is ensuring that those who believe in the party know why they believe in the party and that they are quoted in early enough as to what their role should be.We don’t want a situation whereby INEC says we start to bring in some party agents ahead of time. If you run around and you get the populace to support you and you go and pick some agents who will be there for merchandising purposes, then, all the efforts you’ve made will come to nothing. And so, these are part of the things we are putting in place. Some time ago, we gathered our stakeholders and they showed quick and tremendous zeal to move the party forward.

    Do you think PDP can regain power in Anambra?

    Well, the present APGA government is doing the much they know, but their best is not enough for the state. That’s why I said the environmental strength was backsliding. We are not moving forward. Anambra needs to be better than this. This is the center of the Igbo race. We need to be better than what we are today. The infrastructure is poor. We are going below a certain mark. Go around Anambra now, you will marvel. There are no roads again. All the roads are decaying. We can’t continue to watch and let it go that way. They are in government, but I know by their own actions, people have come to see that it is for the personal interest of the leaders and not for the general interest of Anambra, talk less of the Igboman. If we have five states and four are PDP, why is it that Anambra will not join so that we can speak with one voice and attract what is required for our state.

    Recently, the Vice President came to Anambra and made a proclamation that in 2021, the state will join the ‘next level’ train, is PDP not worried?

    We don’t know the Next Level he is talking about. I don’t know what he is talking about next level. You graduated from primary one to primary two, if you failed primary one, you can’t talk about primary two. It’s not possible. It’s just like going back to kindergarten. So, APC is not in the equation, it’s mere wishful thinking and a figment of the party’s imagination.

    The APC Chairman Chief Basil Ejidike, who was a member of your party toed the same line and you know how powerful he is in politics. Why do you see their plans as mere wishful thinking?

    They are just individuals and not the public. Chief Basil Ejidike is a good man, but that’s where it ends. Once you put yourself in forefront and you are robbed with the power of APC, all your efforts will be in vain. Anambra people know that APC doesn’t know what they are doing and they do not have a place in the politics of the state. The people of Anambra do not belong to APC. The party that has abandoned all the infrastructure in the Southeast. Yes, everybody wants to win, but the fact still remains, what is the interest of the people and community. The people of the state are waiting eagerly for PDP to come back. The result of the last election was a testimony that the people are still in love with our party in the state by voting overwhelmingly up to 96 percent for the party.

    What is the position of the PDP on zoning?

    PDP is a national party. We can’t subdue our calculations on the basis of a party that is so localized, it’s not done. At the appropriate time, all the dynamics of the politics will come out with a policy of positions as a national political party. Again, it all depends where the best material comes from and my party has such people in abundance in the three Senatorial zones in the state. However, we will cross the bridge when we get there.

    We learnt some aspirants have started nursing the ambition to contest the  governorship in 2021 in PDP. Who are they?

    I know that people like Sen. Uche Ekwunife has declared interest, Chief Obiorah Okonkwo, Osita Chidoka, former Minister of Aviation, Azubogu and just few days ago, Chief Godwin Ezeemo, who donated a big brand new bus to the party are all interested. Some others are still being expected because so many of them have interest in PDP. What we have promised them is a free, fair and credible process that will give the party the best candidate.

    So, what you are saying now is that PDP can defeat APC and APGA…

    The trust of our assurance is that the people of the state have showed interest in our party. In the National Assembly, we were able to score 6 over 11 and we are still expecting more from the tribunal because in some local government areas, a lot of things happened. If you look at the state Assembly, despite all the pleas and cries from the governor that, if any other person wins that they might remove him from office. Today, we have six members and also have two senators. Honestly, 2019 had shown a pattern of interest of the Anambra people in the PDP, notwithstanding that we are not in power now at the center or in the state. All we need to do is to continue to show the people that our party is out to do the right thing. For me as the Chairman of the party, I want to assure transparency. Zoning is a matter of convention, it’s not a legalistic promo, any body who is qualified that wants to run an election should run an election. I believe the zonal leadership had said the contest is an open one, we are still two years away from the governorship election. As things unfold and open up, nothing is cast on stone. If there are reasons tomorrow to reflect and retain zoning, so be it. If at the end of the day, the party sees that it is in their best interest to throw it up completely, so be it. APGA is a localised party, it has no bearing root of dynamics in PDP, they should be following us not us following them. They know they have no other thing to cling on to, that’s why they are talking about this zoning thing instead of talking about good governance.