Politics

Kogi APC Exonerates Arrested Party Chieftains From Crime, Calls For Immediate Release

Published

9 months ago

November 9, 2023

The All Progressives People Congress(APC) in Kogi State, has called for the release of party chieftains arrested in Dekina Local government Area(LGA) of the state.

Speaking at a press briefing in Ilorin on Wednesday, the Campaign Spokesperson for the governorship candidate of the party, Mr Kingsley Fanwo expressed reservations on the recent security operations in some parts of Kogi East, especially in Dekina LGA where he alleged that chieftains of the party were arrested without any justifiable cause.

Fanwo who said the APC subscribed to peaceful and free polls also called for responsible conduct on the part of law enforcement agencies.

“Gentlemen of the Press.

We have brought you here today to bring you up to speed on progress and issues surrounding the electioneering as well as the activities of the APC as we gear towards the Nov. 11 governorship election in Kogi state.

“The APC Governorship Campaign Council has expressed reservations on the recent security operations in some parts of Kogi East, especially in Dekina LGA where chieftains of our party were arrested for reasons unknown to us.

“Our chieftains were not involved in any act inimical to the peace of the state and should not have been subjected to such treatment.

“In as much as we subscribe to peaceful and free poll, we also call for responsible conduct on the part of law enforcement agencies in such a way that innocent citizens are not unnecessarily punished for the sins of others.

“We would not condone or defend any act of lawlessness, but we make bold to say that our leaders and members that were arrested and detained did not deserve to be subjected to such treatment as they are innocent.

“We call on security agencies to release them unconditionally so that they can be reunited with their families”, he said.

The campaign spokesperson said that security agencies must prove that every life is important.

He called on citizens of the state to come out en masse to make a big statement in order to ensure that the state will never be in the hands of division merchants and ethnic bigots.

“A member of the APC was murdered in cold blood at Kotonkarfe for daring to wear a fez cap with the logo of the APC on the day the blood suckers were in town.

“It is sad that security agencies have not informed us how far they have gone in apprehending the trigger happy thugs that committed the murder.

“We salute advocacy groups who have not lost their voices in seeking justice for Khadija, acts of terrorism must not be allowed in politics and the surest way to arrest the trend of political violence is to ensure perpetrators are brought to book.

“Those who killed Khadija have continued to think they can step on her blood to power.

“Those perpetrating violence know themselves.

“We call on Kogi people to troop out on Nov.11, we must speak unmistakably that as a people, we believe in consolidation and continuity of the laudable achievements of the present administration”, he said.

He said that those who killed for power; those who swim in mediocrity and falsehood; those who are enshrined in forgery and rumour-mongering will get their scorecards from the Kogi people on Nov. 11.

He assured that the candidate of the APC will not govern with vindictiveness, saying, he will heal the wounds and move the state forward.

“For us, Nov.11 is not just a date, but a doctrine of reward for good work.

“Let it be made clear to all that the leadership of the APC is committed and determined to keep the state within the progressive family”, he said.

Fanwo said that the People’s Democratic Party(PDP) candidate was not a threat to the victory of APC candidate in the state.

“While we have chosen not to join issues with them, their ignorance and hate campaign have strengthened the resolve of the Kogi people not to replace greatness with mediocrity.

“It must be on record that their bitterness and ethnic jingoism are borne out of the frustration of being rejected by the people. They have failed in selling themselves. They have failed in selling their manifestos. They have failed in deceiving the people. The people have rejected division. They have failed in discrediting a successful administration.

We thank the people of Kogi for showing resilience and faith in our candidate.

“Our appreciation also goes to the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu , GCFR, for insisting on credible poll and for also showing support to his party as the National Leader of the party.

“Ahmed Usman Ododo will ensure Mr President is not disappointed. We thank the National Chairman of our party and all the leaders and members of the National and Local Campaign Councils.

“We have run a campaign that has kept our state together and reassure our people that the next administration will consolidate and continue with the laudable achievements of the present administration, with Ododo, Kogi will be better”, he assured.

Politics

15th Hijrah: Muslim Clerics Task Nigerians On Good Morals

Published

8 hours ago

July 26, 2024

Sahara Weekly

15th Hijrah: Muslim Clerics Task Nigerians On Good Morals

– as Speaker charges religious leaders on impactful messages

Nigerians, irrespective of religious affiliations, must begin to embrace good morals and practise honesty, two guest lecturers at the 15th Annual Hijrah Lecture of the Lagos State House of Assembly, have urged.

This is as the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, also charged Nigeria’s religious leaders to teach messages with greater positive impacts on citizens.

Sheikh Sulaiman Onikijipa Al-miskinubilahi, general overseer of Al-Amani Islamic Organisation, and Sheikh Ridwanullah Jamiu, Chief Imam of the Central Mosque, Lekki Phase 1, said moral conducts and honesty would help create a decent society.

Speaking at the event with the theme: ‘The Increasing Wave Of Moral Decadence In The Society’, which held at the Assembly complex on Friday, the guest lecturers condemned the spate of moral decadence in the society.

Dr. Jamiu told guests that there was need to enforce laws against anti-decent practices like homosexuality, gambling, adultery and corruption.

According to him, Allah blesses those who are kind, just and are morally upright.

“People should run away from three things: indecency, aggression and wickedness. For a society to progress and develop, it must move away from what Allah kicks against.

“Justice means giving people their rights. As a boss, you have duties to your employees. Treat others the way you expect to be treated. Allah commands kindness and generosity,” he said while urging parents to be role models to their children.

On his part, Sheikh Onikijipa lamented what he described as a growing level of corruption in the society.

“At this stage of our existence, we all know that almost everyone is corrupt,” he said while urging leaders to be more transparent.

The cleric further stressed that leaders must be determined to end moral decadence in the society, adding: “See the way the government stopped the abuse of naira with necessary legislation. The same should be done for other forms of moral decadence in the society.

“There is no religion if we don’t have morals. If you observe all the five pillars of the Islam and you are morally corrupt, then you are deceiving yourself.

“If you pray regularly and you don’t have morals, then it is a waste of time. Indecent dressing should be condemned in all places,” he said.

While noting that Nigeria is challenged at the moment, Onikijipa appealed to citizens to be patient with the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

He urged religious leaders and citizens in the country to dedicate a day for fasting and prayer instead of embarking on a protest, which has a tendency to escalate into destruction of properties.

In his remarks, Speaker Obasa said everyone has roles to play in achieving an upright society.

Obasa, who said that Hijrah is meant to celebrate the clerics, added: “You would be proud of the group you belong to when people feel your impact. We should ensure that we change our immediate environment and make things better in our time.

“We must all join hands to make our society better so that we can all have a morally upright place. It is not enough to make laws, people must exhibit good qualities.”

Eromosele Ebhomele
Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.

Politics

Planned Protest: Tinubu, Sultan, Ooni, NSA, IGP In Emergency Meeting

Published

1 day ago

July 25, 2024

Sahara Weekly

Planned Protest: Tinubu, Sultan, Ooni, NSA, IGP In Emergency Meeting

The protest against economic hardship, which is gaining traction on social media, has been scheduled to be held across all states in August.

As the planned ‘EndBadGovernance’ protest slated for August draws close, President Bola Tinubu on Thursday entered an emergency closed-door meeting with top traditional rulers, security top brass in his government and governors of his party, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The high-delegation meeting was held at the State House in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

The APC governors were led to the meeting by the Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma.

Some first-class traditional rulers were spotted at the meeting with the President. They include the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi; the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Saad Abubakar III; and other traditional leaders across the country.

The meeting was also attended by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu; Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; as well as ministers and other members of the President’s cabinet.

A delegation of Islamic scholars (Ulamas) later joined the high-powered meeting with the President.

Last-Minute Efforts
Tinubu, former Lagos governor, who was sworn in as President in May 2023, has appealed to displeased youths to shelve the planned ‘EndBadGovernance’ protest slated for next month.

As part of moves to placate aggrieved citizens, the President sent a bill to raise the minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000 to the National Assembly this week. Both chambers of the legislature speedily passed the bill on Tuesday, awaiting the President’s assent.

On Thursday, the military authorities warned that unscrupulous elements plan to hijack the protest and use it to stage anarchy like what was recently witnessed in East African country Kenya.
The police had also warned against bloody demonstrations come next month just as Uzodimma surmised that the protest could be hijacked and turn violent like the EndSARS nationwide protest against police brutality back in October 2020.

The protest against economic hardship, which is gaining traction on social media, has been scheduled to be held across all states of the Federation as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, in August. The organisers of the protest have been faceless.

Prices of food and basic commodities have gone through the roof in the last months, as Nigerians battle one of the country’s worst inflation rates and economic crises sparked by the government’s twin policies of petrol subsidy removal and unification of forex windows.

Politics

Tinubu mourns Iwuanyanwu

Published

1 day ago

July 25, 2024

Sahara Weekly

Tinubu mourns Iwuanyanwu

President Bola Tinubu has extended his condolences to the family of the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, who passed away on Thursday.

Tinubu’s condolence message is conveyed in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, titled ‘President Tinubu mourns Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.’

The family confirmed his demise on Thursday evening in a statement that partly read, “The Iwuanyanwu family of Umuohii Atta, in Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State, announces the demise of our patriarch, Chief Emmanuel Chukwuemeka Iwuanyanwu-Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo.

“Chief Iwuanyanwu died on Thursday, July 25, 2024, after a brief illness. He was aged 82.”

He was an accomplished businessman and notable politician.

Ngelale said, “President Tinubu condoles with the Imo State Government, the friends and associates of the deceased, and Ndi Igbo over this irreparable loss.

“The President affirms that Chief Iwuanyanwu will always be remembered for his remarkable legacy.”

Tinubu, therefore, prayed for the repose of the soul of the departed elder statesman and comfort for his family