Nelson Ugwuagbo

The immediate past national chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olumide Akpata, has emerged as the governorship candidate of the Labour Party for the September governorship election in Edo.

Akpata, who was a senior partner and the Head of the Corporate and Commercial Practice Group at Templars law firm in Nigeria until his resignation on 31 August 2023, won the primary election held in Benin City, the state capital, on Friday.

Akpata was declared the winner of the primary having scored the highest number of votes.

In declaring Akpata the winner of the exercise, the election chairman said Akpata scored 316 votes to defeat his co-contestants in a landslide victory.

There was jubilation at the venue immediately Akpata was declared as the winner of the primary.

The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, will later on Friday, begin the sale of seized bags of rice to the public at the rate of N10,000 per 25kg .

The Comptroller General of the NCS, Mr Adewale Adeniyi, told newsmen in Lagos, on Thursday that buyers have been warned never to resell the seized and auctioned food items.

Adeniyi also warned that customs officers were banned from partaking in the exercise, adding that the rice would come in 25kg, which would be sold for N10,000.

The National Public Relations Officer of the service, Abdullahi Maiwada, had revealed this in a statement on Tuesday.

Giving an update on the criteria, Adeniyi said, eligible persons must provide a Nigerian Identification Number.

“The target groups included artisans, teachers, nurses, religious bodies and other Nigerians within our operational areas. The intention is to reach out directly to members through the organised structures to ensure the maximum impact of this exercise,” Adeniyi added.

He warned against profiteering or exploitation of the initiative.

“It is imperative that beneficiaries of this exercise understand that the items are not to be resold. We take a strong stance against any form of profiteering or exploitation of this initiative. We urge Nigerians to report any incidents of misuse or unauthorised resale of the seized food items.”

He maintained that the NCS was fully committed to transparency and accountability in the process.

“We will not hesitate to take decisive action against any individuals or entities found to be in violation of the terms of this program.”

Senator Monday Okpebholo has been declared winner of the Edo All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship primary election.

Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River who was the Chairman of Edo APC shadow poll, made the declaration after collating the results from the 18 local government areas.

Okpebholo scored 12,433 votes to defeat Dennis Idahosa, who scored 6,541 votes.

The collation and declaration were at Lushville Hotel and Suites, Gapiona Avenue, Government Reservation Area (GRA), Benin.

A businessman, Asue Ighodalo, has been declared the winner of the Peoples Democratic Party governorship primary election, which took place in Benin City in Edo State on Thursday.

Ighodalo defeated about nine other candidates including the Deputy Governor of the state in the election.

He polled a total vote of 577 votes to become the candidate of the PDP in the September 21 governorship election in the state.

The Chairman of the Edo PDP Primary Electoral Committee and Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State declared him as the winner of the exercise.

Details later…

The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives has directed its members to fully comply with the proposed nationwide protest slated for February 27 and 28 over the cost of living crisis in the country.

The NANNM Secretariat gave the directive in a circular signed by its Deputy General Secretary and Acting Head of Department, Industrial Relations, Otaru Shaibu, on Wednesday.

The NLC had on February 16 declared a two-day protest which would begin after the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum it issued to the Federal Government which will expire on February 22.

The warning was on account of the alleged failure of the government to implement the agreements reached on October 2, 2023 following the removal of the fuel subsidy.

The NLC and Trade Union Congress earlier on February 8 gave a two-week ultimatum to the government to meet their demands ranging from wage increments to improved access to public utilities.

The NANNM in a circular titled, “Re: Mobilisation for the nationwide protest rally,” and dated February 21, 2024, urged its members to comply with the directive to make the protest rally a huge success.

The circular addressed to the National Administration Council members, the National Executive Council members, and NANNM, partly read, “The attention of all members of the NAC and NEC is hereby drawn to the above subject matter. The Nigeria Labour Congress has scheduled a nationwide protest rally and all workers have been directed by the national leadership of the congress to embark on the protest, billed for 27th and 28th February 2024.

“All state councils of the association are hereby enjoined to comply with the directive to make the protest rally a huge success.

“Kindly mobilise our members in line with this directive. The NLC letter conveying this directive is hereby attached for your necessary action.”

Meanwhile, the TUC has backed out of the planned two-day nationwide protest declared by the NLC.

LeadingReporters gathered that The Vice-President of the TUC, Tommy Etim, on Wednesday said that the decision to protest on February 27 and 28 as announced by the NLC was not taken collectively by both unions.

The TUC in a letter dated February 19, 2024, written by its Secretary General, Dr Nuhu Toro, said the NLC unilaterally took the decision on the planned protest.

The Rivers State Police Command said an Inspector was killed by gunmen who ambushed and attacked its men on a stop and search duty at the Eliozu Flyover in Obio/Akpo Local Government Area of the state on Wednesday night.

The spokesperson of the command, Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday and sent to newsmen.

Iringe-Koko said the gunmen who were spotted in a carton-colored Sienna bus with fully tinted glasses drove in from the Rumuodumaya axis, near Port Harcourt where they launched the offensive which claimed the officer’s life.

She, however, said the team rose to the occasion and returned fire and neutralise one of the miscreants who wore masks, but that other gang members escaped by the whisker.

The statement reads, “We are deeply saddened to announce a heinous incident that occurred on 21st February 2024, involving an attack on policemen attached to Operation Sting of the Rivers State Police Command.

“At approximately 2145hrs, while conducting routine stop-and-search at Eliozu flyover, the officers were ambushed by unidentified hoodlums operating in a carton-colored Sienna bus, with fully tinted glasses.

“The registration number of the vehicle remains unknown at this time.

“The assailants drove in from the Rumuodumaya axis, and opened fire on the police team, resulting in the tragic loss of one Inspector who valiantly gave his life in the line of duty.

“Undeterred, the police team responded with bravery, engaging the attackers and managing to neutralise one of them with a mask on his face, while the others managed to escape, potentially sustaining gunshot wounds.

“The command has launched a thorough investigation into this despicable act and has already identified the group responsible.

“Rest assured, we will relentlessly pursue these criminals and bring them to justice. No amount of intimidation will hinder our officers’ unwavering commitment to safeguarding the lives and property of the citizens.”

While noting that such acts of aggression against security forces detrimentally impact the safety and security of our entire society, she stressed that the command remains resolute in its duty to maintain peace and protect the well-being of the populace.

“The Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, reiterates unequivocally that those who perpetrate violence against policemen or any citizen will face the full weight of the law.

“We urge all law-abiding citizens to continue with their daily activities without panic, as we are determined to uphold our mandate of preserving lives and property in the face of such challenges.

“We extend our deepest condolences to the family and colleagues of the fallen inspector, and we assure them that his sacrifice will not be in vain. Our resolve to serve and protect remains unwavering as we stand together against those who seek to disrupt the peace and harmony of our society.”

Last year, a former Divisional Police Officer of Ahoada Division, Bako Angbashim, was ambushed and killed by a cult gang.

Since the death of the cop, the command has been on his trail, with constant land and air bombardments in the various hideouts of the Iceland cult leader, even as some of his lieutenants were gunned down previously.

However, on Monday, Grace Iringe-Koko,  said intelligence reports revealed that the wanted cult kingpin was killed in a recent joint security raid in the Idu-Ekpeye community, Ahiada East LGA.

The Federal government has halted cooking gas exportation in a bid to lower the price of the commodity in the country.

Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Ekperikpe Ekpo, broke the news to reporters at the ‘Internal Stakeholders’ Workshop’ in Abuja.

The theme of the workshop is ‘Harnessing Nigeria’s Proven Gas Reserves for Economic Growth and Development’.

He said the country will no longer, for the time being export Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), commonly referred to as cooking gas, in a bid to alleviate the scarcity and steep price surge within the country.

“We are interacting with critical stakeholders to ensure that there is no exportation of LPG.

“All LPG produced within the country will have to be domesticated. And when this is done, the volume will increase and of course, the price will automatically crash.

“I am in contact with the regulation, NMDPRA, we hold meetings almost on daily basis, and the producers such as Mobil, Chevron, and Shell. So there is that hope that things will turn around. We don’t need to make noise about it,” the minister said.

The Anambra State governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has denied procuring 800 tractors with the state’s palliative funds.

There have been reports and insinuations making the rounds that the state government has utilised part of the palliative funds it received from the Federal Government to procure tractors instead of distributing them to the targeted beneficiaries.

But in a statement on Thursday, Soludo’s Press Secretary, Christian Aburime, insisted that the claims were entirely “false” and “without merit”.

Aburime said one of the support initiatives the Soludo administration has offered farmers in the state, is the distribution of 1,100,000 hybrid coconut and palm seedlings to over 100,000 households, igniting the hope of lifting many out of poverty.

He added that this was done out of budgetary allocation to agriculture, and not with any palliatives fund.

The statement read in part, “The attention of the Anambra State Government has been drawn to a fake news story circulating online, claiming that Soludo utilised part of the state’s palliative funds to procure 800 tractors, which were subsequently distributed to farmers free of charge.

“We wish to categorically state that these claims are entirely false and without merit.

“Instead, one of the support initiatives the Soludo administration has offered farmers in the state is the distribution of 1,100,000 hybrid coconut and palm seedlings to over 100,000 households, igniting the hope of lifting many out of poverty. This was done out of budgetary allocation to agriculture, and not with any palliatives fund.

“Anambra State Government under the leadership of Soludo has always been committed to transparent and accountable governance, with a primary focus on the well-being of its citizens, particularly farmers.”

He added that the administration operates within the bounds of fiscal responsibility and prudent financial management, adding that any insinuation suggesting otherwise is baseless and misleading.

“We urge the public to disregard such fake news and refrain from spreading misinformation that may convey wrong impressions among the populace.

“The Anambra State Government remains steadfast in its commitment to promoting transparency, accountability, and inclusive governance for the benefit of Ndi Anambra,” the statement added.

Amid the economic hardship in the country, Abuja-based human rights lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, has urged Nigerian billionaires to come to the aid of hungry Nigerians by making donations similar to their generosity during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

In a statement on Wednesday, Olajengbesi noted that there is hunger in the land which may grow into public disturbances if not checked.

He said, “Our dear country is going through one of the toughest times in history, economically, no thanks to the policies of the new government.

“Multinationals are exiting the country, thousands of jobs lost.

“There is hunger in the land. And as the saying goes, ‘a hungry man is an angry man’, hence, the protests spreading over the country as demonstrators express displeasure over the hardship in the land”.

He further likened the current hardship in the country to the coronavirus pandemic four years ago that saw the philanthropic gestures of billionaires such as Aliko Dangote, who collaborated with the Central Bank of Nigeria to lead the Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19.

“It’s time for our billionaires and respected business moguls in the private sector to step in and provide succour for our teeming citizens, just like they graciously did during the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has approved the construction of Gwa Gwa-Karimo Dei Dei Road in the FCT.

The Minister assented to the road construction after listening to the plights of the resident through the Chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council, Christopher Zakka and the Sarki Jiwa, Idris Musa, during the flag off ceremony of road construction in Saburi, Abuja.

The Saburi road construction flag-off marks the final phase in the first series of area council rural and satellite towns road construction by the federal capital territory administration.

However, the FCT Minister has pledged that all the area council road construction will be completed by the end of 2024.