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Presidential Jets: Ogun moves to vacate seizure order, faults fraudulent legal process by Zhongshan

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Confusion As Chinese firm targets Nigeria assets in eight countries

Presidential Jets: Ogun moves to vacate seizure order, faults fraudulent legal process by Zhongshan

 

 

The Ogun State Government on Thursday faulted the judicial process that led to the provisional attachment of three Nigerian government-owned aircraft in France by the Judicial Court of Paris on March 7th and August 2nd, 2024.

It would be recalled that a Chinese company, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Ltd, had sought several orders from the court over an aborted underlying contract between the company and the Ogun State Government, which was initiated in 2007.

In a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Strategy, Hon. Kayode Akinmade, the Ogun State Government described the latest development as new antics by the Chinese company to appropriate Nigerian assets in foreign jurisdictions, as past efforts had continually failed.

The statement described the whole legal process as nothing but a total charade with fraudulent notions, adding that the company deliberately concealed the litigation from both the Nigerian government and Ogun State, as well as their legal counsels, before hurriedly securing orders of seizure.

It added that the company must have misled the Judicial Court of Paris regarding the use and nature of the assets it sought to attach and failed to make full disclosure to the court as required by law.

According to the statement, Ogun State, together with the Federal Government, had already taken immediate action to ensure that those provisional attachments are lifted quickly, even as it accused the company of reneging on the earlier discussion for an amicable resolution of the case.

It likened the case to that of P&ID, describing it as another unfortunate case of unscrupulous individuals masquerading as foreign investors with the sole aim of defrauding Ogun State and Nigeria at large.

The statement said: “On August 14, 2024, the attention of the Ogun State Government was drawn to the provisional attachment of three Nigerian government-owned aircraft in France by the Chinese company, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Ltd. (Zhongshan). Ogun State also learned of two orders of the Judicial Court of Paris dated March 7, 2024, and August 12, 2024, respectively, both obtained by Zhongshan without notice being duly given to the Federal Government of Nigeria, Ogun State, or their legal counsel.

“This is the latest in a series of ill-advised attempts by Zhongshan to attach Nigerian-owned assets in foreign jurisdictions, none of which have to date led to the recovery of any sums from Nigeria.

“Each of the three aircraft is used solely for sovereign purposes and as such are immune from attachment under international and French laws. In obtaining the provisional attachments, Zhongshan deliberately withheld information from the Federal Government of Nigeria, Ogun State, and their legal counsel.

“Just like the P&ID case, this is another unfortunate case of unscrupulous individuals masquerading as foreign investors with the sole aim of defrauding Ogun State and Nigeria.

“It should be recalled that the underlying contract between Ogun State and Zhongshan was executed in 2007, 12 years before the present administration, for the management of a free trade zone. The parties entered into a dispute in 2015 with arbitration commencing in 2016.

“By 2019, when the current State Administration took office, the hearing at the arbitration had been all but concluded. The Arbitral Panel awarded over 60 million USD against the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), which was a co-defendant, when all Zhongshan had done was to build a perimeter fence around the free trade zone. Needless to say, this was a bad/unfair decision.

“The present State Administration could not, in all good conscience, allow such an unconscionable and baseless decision, which would dissipate the commonwealth of the good people of Ogun State, to stand.

“Accordingly, and based on erudite legal advice, this Administration resolved to resist the enforcement of the award. The resistance was successful in eight different jurisdictions. Currently, there are pending appeals against recognition orders issued in both the US and UK,” the statement read.

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Professor Muhammad Omolaja, NLP Dump SDP, join NRM

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Professor Muhammad Omolaja, NLP Dump SDP, join NRM

BY COMRADE AJIBADE ALABI

Former presidential aspirant under the Action Democratic Party (ADP) during the 2023 general election and the National Chairman of the National Liberation Patriots (NLP), a political group having members in all the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of Nigeria – Professor Muhammad Omolaja – and his group have finally dumped the Social Democratic Party (SDP). The high profile politician cum academician per excellence together with his group members in Nigeria and in Diaspora, have joined the National Rescue Movements (NRM) ahead of the forthcoming 2027 general election. This announcement was made by the Media Director for Professor Muhammad Omolaja and NLP, Comrade Ajibade Alabi, who addressed the press in Abuja on Friday, July 18, 2025.”I have to officially announce to you the gentlemen of the press that the marriage between Professor Muhammad Omolaja, a former Chieftain of the SDP, has come to an end and so also the NLP has seized to be a political group under the SDP. The group and its National Chairman, Prof. Omolaja, have moved on to join the National Rescue Movements (NRM). We will as usual do our best in the Party (NRM) to contribute to its becoming a household name in every home throughout the nooks and corners of Nigeria and accepted to the generality of Nigerians. As the name of the Party (NRM) implies, we are out to rescue (liberate) Nigerians from the bondage that the present government of All Progressive Congress (APC) is unleashing on them. We pray and hope that comes 2027, Nigerians will take the bull by the horns and make a good choice by rally round our Party to rescue the country thereby restore its lost glory in all ramifications. Thank you all.” Ajibade concluded.  The alignment of the NLP and their new Party (NRM) took place on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, at the Abuja palatial home of the National Chairman of the Party – Chief (Dr.) Edozie Njoku – where the NLP representatives including the National Chairman, Prof. Muhammad Omolaja, were well received; and lavishly and cordially entertained. Other National Officers of the Party in attendance with the National Chairman were the Deputy National Chairman (South) – Hon. Anselem Chinadu Nebeife, Chief Freedom Okwuchukwu, the National Publicity Secretary – Hon. Henry Chinyelugo Abatete, the Deputy National Treasurer – Chief Festus Ukwu, a Leader and one of the Southern State Chairmen – Dr. Mike Nze as well as the Ogun State Chairman who was instrumental to this golden union – Prince, (Dr., Otunba, Chief) Adeyemi Alli. While formally receiving the entire NLP members both in Nigeria and in Diaspora into the Party, the National Chairman of NRM, Chief (Dr.) Edozie Njoku, used the golden opportunity to assure all new members of the Party particularly from the NLP of a perfect level-playing ground in all political engagements of the Party. He further reinstated his determination and commitment to building the great Party (NRM) into an enviable first force political platform across the nooks and corners of the Federal Government of Nigeria

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BREAKING: ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON ANAMBRA PDP GOVERNORSHIP CANDIDATE SIR JUDE EZENWAFOR — HON. PRINCE CHINEDU NSOFOR (KPAKPANDO NDIGBO) CONDEMNS DASTARDLY ACT

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BREAKING: ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON ANAMBRA PDP GOVERNORSHIP CANDIDATE SIR JUDE EZENWAFOR — HON. PRINCE CHINEDU NSOFOR (KPAKPANDO NDIGBO) CONDEMNS DASTARDLY ACT

BY JOSEPH MONDAY

Anambra, Nigeria — Hon. Prince Chinedu Nsofor, frontline PDP senatorial aspirant in the August 16th Anambra South Senatorial District bye-election, has issued a strong condemnation of the recent assassination attempt on Ambassador Sir Jude Ezenwafor, the PDP governorship candidate in the forthcoming Anambra State gubernatorial election.

The attempted attack, which comes barely a week after Nsofor himself narrowly escaped a violent kidnapping, has sent shockwaves across political circles and ignited fresh concerns about the escalating insecurity in Nigeria. In a somber statement, Nsofor said, “This is not just a coordinated attack on a person, but an attack on democracy, justice, and the will of the people.”

Nsofor recalled his own traumatic experience on Thursday July 10th, 2025, when he was ambushed by armed men disguised in military uniforms while traveling by road through Loma, Kogi State. The vehicle he had chartered for a night journey, in a bid to save campaign costs, was forcefully diverted into the forest, where he and others were severely beaten and held captive for ransom. “It was only by divine intervention — rain scattering the captors — that I was able to untie myself and escape,” he recounted.

Expressing deep concern, he added, “Barely one week after my escape from kidnappers, our party’s governorship candidate faces an assassination attempt. Who is safe in this country anymore?”

Nsofor called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to overhaul Nigeria’s deteriorating security architecture, demanding a robust intelligence and operational framework to combat violent crime and terrorism. “The Federal Government must increase intelligence gathering, equip our security forces, and act decisively to fish out the evil terrorizing our land,” he stated.

While praying for the speedy recovery and fortitude of Ambassador Ezenwafor, Nsofor did not mince words in calling for divine justice. “I pray that the judgment of God will fall heavily on the wicked men who tried to take the life of His Excellency Sir Jude and on the bandits who kidnapped me last week. May their evil plans boomerang upon them a hundredfold, in the mighty name of Jesus.”

He emphasized that such attacks should never deter good people from answering the call to serve. “We must not allow Nigeria to become a place where noble aspirations are cut short by the bullet. My thoughts are with the people of Anambra and every conscientious Nigerian who is working for a better future.”

Identifying insecurity as the foremost challenge facing Nigeria, Nsofor proposed a bold and comprehensive legislative solution. “I will sponsor a bill to formally regulate the Fulani herdsmen enterprise by mandating a nationwide biometric registration system. Every herdsman must present a minimum of fifty credible guarantors and undergo biometric capturing to be issued a traceable ID card. Any herder found without this ID or operating unlawfully shall be deemed an illegal operator and face life imprisonment. Guarantors of any offender will also be held equally accountable. Through this system, we can trace, monitor, and eliminate rogue elements hiding behind a legitimate trade,” he declared.

In his closing remarks, Hon. Chinedu Nsofor raised heartfelt prayers for national healing and peace:
“I pray for divine intervention in our land. May the Almighty God protect every sincere leader and candidate from the snare of the wicked. I pray that the spirit of violence, terrorism, kidnapping, political thuggery, and assassination will be destroyed completely in Nigeria. May our military and security agencies be empowered, and may the God of justice avenge every bloodshed by evil men. I ask that the peace of God flood across the North, South, East, and West of our great nation. May no parent mourn their child because of politics, and may Nigeria rise again with a new order of safety, unity, and progress. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.”

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Constitution Review: recommendation for additional states creation, most unreasonable

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Constitution Review: recommendation for additional states creation, most unreasonable

By Ebere Agozie

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), J B Daudu says the proposal for state creation is the most unreasonable of all the proposals for amendment of the constitution.

Daudu made the assertion at a one day Rule of Law Foundation Webinar Series No. 14, organized to address the problems of modern day Nigeria through Constitutional Amendment.

The event was to commemorate the 45th year anniversary of the call to the Nigerian bar and 30 years of conferment of the Rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria on J B Daudu.

Daudu said that the reasons are not far-fetched as, allowing this brazen political agenda to proceed unabated, would appear to be the greatest breach of faith committed by the present administration.

“Firstly, the APC government promised a gravitation to true fiscal federalism when campaigning for the 2023 general elections.

“Thus, in the minds of reasonable Nigerians, this administration should encourage a debate among well-meaning Nigerians as to how to reduce the size of government.”

He called for a concerted effort to enthrone true democracy and set out plans to shrink the states and collapse them into a more manageable number such as six or eight regions or states.

The learned silk added that in financial terms, therefore, it is not viable to embark on the creation of new states for now.

“The demonstration of the unreasonableness of the demand for creation of additional states can be viewed from two angles.

“The first being that Nigeria is just about the size of the state of Texas in the United States. But if Texas was an independent nation, it would rank as the eighth largest in the world.

“The other reason which has been given, especially by the southeast, is that of marginalization and the need for additional states for balance with other places that were also regions, just like the southeast’’.

He stressed that other states are not created based on perceived marginalization but on the strength of several strong factors.

“The most important of which is viability in economic terms. Based on the weak economic ground that the nation presently stands on, what should be the agenda for state creation is the transmutation of the 36 states to six institutionalized geopolitical zones.

“That is what every patriotic Nigerian should back. Nigeria’s constitutional amendment process presents a rare opportunity to correct foundational defects in governance, justice and institutional accountability.”

He urged the National Assembly and public-spirited individuals and groups to seize this opportunity and make far-reaching and transformative suggestions for amendments that will address the root causes of Nigeria’s dysfunction.

“There have been at least five alterations to the 1999 Constitution between 2011 and 2023, the last being the 16 alteration Bills signed into law by the late President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Barely two years after the last exercise, Nigerian politicians, mainly from the National Assembly, are keen on engaging in another rash cycle of amendments, which activity has provoked in the writer veritable alarm bells signifying ‘DANGER’ to the efficacy and longevity of our political/governmental system.”

He noted that governance in Nigeria, since her independence, has operated under successive constitutional frameworks aimed at fostering unity, good governance, and infrastructural development.

“However, the 1999 Constitution (as amended) continues to reflect a unitary and overcentralised structure that limits innovation, accountability, and regional development.

“It is increasingly evident that some of Nigeria’s major challenges such as insecurity, bad individual and communal attitudes, economic underdevelopment, administrative inefficiency, and political tension, are rooted in leadership vacuum not resolvable by constitutional amendment.

“The seeming structural imbalances entrenched in the constitution are there because of the selfish agenda that have been, by subterranean means, embedded in the said document.

“These imbalances can be adjusted by realistic and unselfish constitutional amendments,’’ he added.

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