PDP Reverses Suspension Of Shema, Fayose, Anyim, reverses referral of Ortom

 March 30, 2023

Press Statement 

PDP NWC Reviews Decision on Ortom, Shema, Anyim, Others

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at its meeting today, Thursday, March 30, 2023 extensively discussed recent developments in the Party.

The NWC recognized the imperativeness of a total reconciliation among Party leaders and critical stakeholders for a more cohesive Party in the overall interest of our teeming members and Nigerians in general.

Consequent upon the above, the NWC reverses the referral of the Governor of Benue State, His Excellency, Dr. Samuel Ortom to the National Disciplinary Committee.

The NWC in the same vein reverses the suspension of the following underlisted members of our great Party:

1. H.E Ibrahim Shema (Katsina State)
2. Ayodele Fayose (Ekiti State)
3. Sen. Pius Anyim (Ebonyi State)
4. Prof. Dennis Ityavyar (Benue State) 
5. Dr. Aslam Aliyu (Zamfara State)

This decision is without prejudice to the powers of the NWC to take necessary disciplinary action against any member of the Party at any time pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017).

The NWC charges all leaders, critical stakeholders and teeming members of our Party across the country to be guided by the provisions of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017) as well as the new spirit and necessity of reconciliation, unity and harmony in our Party at this critical time.

The PDP must remain focused as we continue to take every necessary action to recover the stolen mandate freely given by Nigerians to our Party and Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, on Saturday February 25, 2023, at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.

Signed:

Hon. Debo Ologunagba 
National Publicity Secretary

Neymar Loses ₦‎1 Billion In An Hour Gambling On An Online Casino

 Neymar's poor injury luck has carried over to online gambling, as he lost £1m in just one hour of online casino which he streamed on his Twitch channel. 

The Paris Saint-Germain star - who earns £3.2m-per-month - has been left to his own devices after he was ruled out for the rest of the season with an ankle injury.

Neymar is not averse to gambling during his spare time - something of which he has plenty of, as he recovers following his surgery.

The 31-year-old pretended to cry as a mock Titanic theme began to play when his realisation set in - music which is often used on social media as a meme for moments of sadness.

I Am Suffering From Pneumonia, Cardiac Arrhythmia - Akpabio Declines EFCC Invita

 I’m Undergoing Treatment For Cardiac Arrhythmia, Lung Disease Abroad – Ex-Minister, Akpabio Postpones EFCC Invitation Over Multi-Billion Naira Fraud

[b]Godswill Akpabio, former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs says he will not honour the invitation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFFC), to report to its office.

EFCC had in a letter asked Akpabio to appear at its office on March 29, 2023.

However, the Senator-elect in a letter to the commission by his lawyer, Umeh Kalu, and obtained by SaharaReporters on Wednesday, said he would not be available due to ill health as he had already arranged medical appointments overseas.

According to Akpabio, he is suffering from pneumonia and cardiac arrhythmia.

Pneumonia is inflammation of the lungs, usually caused by an infection while cardiac arrhythmia is an abnormal heart rhythm.

The former minister asked the anti-graft commission to pick another date after the forthcoming Easter and Ramadan holidays.

The letter read, “We continue to act as solicitors to Senator Godswill Akpabio and write you at his instance. We write to convey our client's inability to honour the scheduled visit to your office on the 29th day of March, 2022, due to il health, and, already arranged medical appointments overseas.

“As mentioned in our last letter to you dated February 10, 2023, our client is undergoing treatment for pneumonia and cardiac arrhythmia, and, has recently been advised to seek further attention abroad.

“It is in the light of the above, that we respectfully request that our client's appointment with you be rescheduled to a date convenient to your officers, preferably after the forthcoming Easter and Ramadan holidays.

“This request is in no way intended to disrespect your high office, even as we regret every conceivable inconvenience that our request will occasion on you and your team of operatives. Please accept the assurances of our professional regards, while thanking you for your understanding.”

SaharaReporters had in 2021 reported how the senator-elect was detained after he attempted to bribe the Chairman of the anti-graft agency, Abdulrasheed Bawa with $350,000 (about N135million).

According to sources, Akpabio was trying to bribe the EFCC Chairman because of the tons of corruption allegations against him, dating back to the time he was governor of Akwa Ibom State.

It was learnt that the meeting between Akpabio and Bawa was arranged by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN).

SaharaReporters gathered that it took a call from the Aso Villa to the EFCC Chairman to get Akpabio and his aides released.

A top source in the EFCC had said, "He arrived at the EFCC office with five others and headed to meet the newly appointed Chairman, Bawa.

"The Attorney General of the Federation who was recently arranged the meeting for the minister. You remember his bribery issue with Malami himself involving $5 million.

"He was ushered in at 1 pm to see the EFCC chairman while carrying the money personally. He was arrested and detained, along with his aides, all six of them. It was a call from the Villa that got him released after two hours."

There had been allegations of N40 billion fraud perpetrated in the NDDC, a ministry which was headed by Akpabio for three years.

The Senate and the House of Representatives in 2020 resolved to probe the alleged N40 billion financial recklessness of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the NDDC in the previous three months.

Also, there were allegations of over N86 billion contract scam involving the senator-elect and the former Acting Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Prof. Kemebradikumo Pondei, which the EFCC has been looking into.

The anti-graft agency had in the past arrested Akpabio over alleged theft of N108.1billion of Akwa Ibom funds.

Fasoranti To Adebanjo: It’s Illegal To Assert Obi Won Presidential Poll

 Leader of Yoruba’s frontline Socio-political group, Afenifere, Pa Reuben Fasanranti, yesterday, told his acting successor, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, that it was illegal to continue to assert that the candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, won the February 25 presidential election outside of the person so declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Fasoranti, however, insisted that the organisation, and indeed, the whole world acknowledged that Nigeria now has a president-elect in the person of Bola Tinubu, candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) – a man he further described as a true Yoruba son and national.

He also faulted the alleged suspension of the National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi and the National Organising Secretary of the organisation, Abagun Kole Omololu, over their position on a recent comment by a chieftain of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, saying the suspension was null and void.

Adebanjo, had in a Commuinique issued after Afenifere’s monthly General Meeting held at his country home in Isanya Ogbo, Ogun State, alleged uncouth activities and unauthorised statements in its name and the constant denigration of the organisation by Ajayi and Abagun, including asserting that Obi won the presidential poll.

But Fasoranti, a frontline educator and Second Republic Commissioner for Finance in Ondo State, in a statement wondered why the two were pronounced guilty and consequently sanctioned even before their appearance before a disciplinary committee.

The statement titled: ‘Afenifere is Law-abiding Organization’ read: “My attention has been drawn to the Communique purportedly issued after a meeting that held on Tuesday, March 27, at Isanya Ogbo, Ogun State. This statement is being issued because of the content of the said document.

“Section 2.02 of the document claims that ‘the results of the lawful votes at the Presidential election available to the Afenifere through credible sources confirm that Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, won the said election’.

“Afenifere could not have asserted that someone, other than the person declared by the body duly authorised by the Constitution and other extant laws of the land, is the winner of the presidential election held on February 25, 2023 in Nigeria.

“The body mandated to conduct elections in Nigeria, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), after the completion of this year’s presidential election on February 25th, has declared the candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu as the winner of the said election.

“Our National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Comrade Jare Ajayi, issued a congratulatory message to the President-elect after he had been issued a Certificate of Return by INEC. This was cited as an ‘uncouth activity’ by the Communique mentioned above which further stated that Abagun and Ajayi were ‘suspended sine die pending further decisions after their appearance before and recommendations by the Disciplinary Committee’. Meaning that the two were pronounced guilty and consequently sanctioned even before their appearance before a Disciplinary Committee.”

Fasoranti noted that Adebanjo’s claim that Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, won the February 25 election and thus, support his decision challenging the contrary declaration by the INEC was alien to Afenifere, which does not conduct itself as an agent of the state let alone as an electoral umpire.
His words: “Presently, the whole world knows that Nigeria has a President-elect in person of Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, a true Yoruba son and nationalist.

We in Afenifere not only acknowledge this, we take delight in his in-coming Presidency and are confident that he will, by the grace of God, return Nigeria to the glorious position that all of us will be proud, which was why I also congratulated in a personal letter I sent to him.

“The whole world is aware that I personally blessed and anointed Ahmed Bola Tinubu on October 30, 2022 in the presence of notable people from all parts of Yorubaland right here in my place in Akure. 

How can we then turn round and condemn the election of such a person? We never did.
“I also read in the said Communique, the purported removal and suspension of the National Publicity Secretary and the National Organising Secretary of the organisation in persons of Comrade Jare Ajayi and Abagun Kole Omololu.

“At no time was any of these officials reported to me as doing anything against what Afenifere stands for or doing anything against the interests of our race, the Yoruba. Thus, at no time was I informed that they were queried, warned or sanctioned for conducting themselves in a manner contrary to what Afenifere or the Yoruba stand for.”

Fasoranti, therefore, contended that, “being an organisation that believes in justice and fairness, being an organisation that always maintains that those at the helms of affairs should follow the rule of law, Afenifere, our organisation, cannot just wake up and pronounce some officials removed and suspended without telling them what their offences are and without giving them the opportunities to defend themselves.

“Such a step is not only against natural justice; it is also in clear defiance of the law of the land. Afenifere believes in the rule of law and in the fundamental rights of all, including right to fair hearing. For these and other reasons, the purported removal and suspension are null and void. The two officials should be commended rather than condemned for the selfless services they are rendering to Afenifere, to the Yoruba race and to Nigeria and humanity. They are hereby so commended” ,

Yul Edochie's First Son, Kambilichukwu, Is Dead

Emerging reports indicate that Nollywood actor, Yul Edochie has lost his first son, Kambilichukwu Edochie.

It was gathered that Yul’s first son was rushed to the hospital after falling unconscious.

A source who spoke to Vanguard on condition of anonymity revealed that Yul has confirmed Kambilichukwu’s death as the time this report was filed.

May’s sister who was at the scene said the boy read throughout the night preparing for his exam today. After his exam in school, he joined his mates to play football and that’s when he developed a seizure and was rushed to Mother and Child Hospital. All efforts by the doctors to resuscitate him proved abortive, the report added.

This is coming two months after Yul Edochie and his first wife May, celebrated their first son and second child as he turned 16; showering encomiums and blessings on him.
 

Obidient Tsunami In The Land, I Am Going Back To My Original Hustle - Chimaroke

 Obidient Tsunami In The Land, I Am Going Back To My Original Hustle - Chimaroke Nnamani (Photo)

Senator representing Enugu East and former governor of Enugu State, Chimaroke Nnamani, said he will be going back to his former hustle after he was defeated by Labour Party's candidate in the 2023 Senatorial election, IGBERETV reports.

He wrote on his Twitter handle;

"2023, Obidient Tsunami in the Land! Going back to my Original Hustle! Scratching out 49k for my ebeanoFAM #Chimaroke"

Interim Government: Nigerians Won’t Be Intimidated Into Submission - LP

 

The Labour Party has said it was confident that Nigerians wouldn’t be intimidated into abandoning their legitimate, legal right to seek judicial redress to reclaim their mandate which was freely given to the LP Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi which was brazenly stolen.

Chief Spokesperson of the Labour Party, Dr Yunusa Tanko, said this in response to an alarm raised by the Department of State Services, in Abuja, yesterday.

The DSS alleged that some politicians were plotting to derail democracy through demonstrations and “obtaining frivolous court injunctions” to stop the inauguration of the President-Elect, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu.

Yunusa said, “We are certain that Nigerians who want to take back their country will not be intimidated or blackmailed into abandoning a legitimate course.

“As a party, we have submitted ourselves to pursuing the course of justice through constitutional means, it will not serve as the interest of democracy collapses in Nigeria.

“We will like to ask, where was the DSS when our members and other Nigerians were being attacked, maimed and killed especially in Lagos?

“Where was the DSS when MC Oluomo and his ilk were engaged in ethnic profiling and violence against Nigerians of a certain ethnic nationality over their democratic choices?

“We needed the DSS to step up its game then but it failed. If it had done what it was supposed to, our nation would have been better for it.

“ Now that Nigerians have decided to follow laid down democratic procedures of drawing attention to injustice warnings and threats are being issued.

“The DSS ought to have issued these warnings from the beginning to show Nigerians that this country belongs to all of us and not the personal fiefdom of an individual or a group.

“We urge the DSS to send these words of caution to those bigots who are pushing this country to the brink of disaster with their utterances and violent conduct against other peace-loving Nigerians who do not subscribe to their political views or speak their language.”