Sahara Reporters Latest News Wednesday 6th March 2019
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 06/03/19
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target=_blank>Women, Youth in Nembe-Bassambiri Protest Intimidation By Bayelsa Govt
Scores of women and youth on Tuesday staged a march at Nembe-Bassambiri community of Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State over “intimidation by the state government to cow them into voting against their choices” in the forthcoming state Assembly elections.
The indigenes of Nembe-Bassambiri bore various placards with inscriptions such as ‘Governor H.S. Dickson, Stop the Killings of APC Members in Nembe-Bassambiri’; ‘Seven Years in Office, No Single Project in Nembe-Bassambiri’ and ‘Toru-Orua for PDP While Nembe-Bassambiri is for APC’.
They insisted that the claim that the community was sacked by armed men is untrue.
Ingoebiye Braid, a woman leader in the area, said they are “faced with persecution” in the hands of the state government because of their political stance.
Speaking on the reason for the protest, Kombonimi Awo, the Community Development Committee (CDC) Secretary, debunked the reports that the community has been deserted due to violence between supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) during and after the presidential and National Assembly elections.
“People are carrying rumours and are being sponsored by the Bayelsa Government that the community has been deserted but all these are false. Nobody is running out of the community. The elders, chiefs, women and youth are going about their businesses without fear and molestation.
“There was no fight or crisis in the community during and after the National Assembly and presidential elections. The only people that are out of the community are those hired with fake uniforms and thugs.
“The rumours that the whole community has vacated is pure lie. Those paid to stage protest in the state capital are paid agents of stabilisation. The call for the cancellation of the last election is wicked and should not be honoured by INEC. We voted peacefully without intimidation.”
There had been reports that no fewer than 1,000 persons had fled and taken refuge in Yenagoa and neighbouring communities in Bayelsa as a result of activities of thugs sponsored by the All Progressive Congress (APC) and that they had mounted illegal road blocks.
The reports also claimed that the alleged sponsored thugs had resisted soldiers and policemen deployed to the area.
However, when SaharaReporters correspondent visited the community, people were seen going about their lawful activities with markets and schools opened for their daily activities.
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target=_blank>Obasanjo: I Will Continue To Criticise Buhari… I’m His Boss
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says he will continue to criticise President Muhammadu Buhari.
Obasanjo said this in Abeokuta, capital of Ogun State, on Tuesday spoke at a public lecture organised by the Centre for Human Security and Dialogue, an arm of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), to mark his 82nd birthday.
The event featured a public lecture, titled ‘Colonialism, Apartheid, Freedom and South Africa Rising’, delivered by Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi (MP), President of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) in South Africa.
After Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, the Alake of Egbaland, appealed to Obasanjo to reduce his criticism of Buhari, his boss, Obasanjo responded that we wouldn’t stop as he was also Buhari’s boss.
Oba Gbadebo had said: “You all know that I was an officer under General Buhari so each time Obasanjo criticises my boss, I always stand to say my senior, please leave the President alone! At 82, Baba is still fighting on, please fight less and be a consultant to everybody.”
However, in response, Obasanjo told the traditional ruler to advise Buhari to govern the country right.
“I believe that Africa has no alternative to democracy, good governance and development, growth and progress of our economy. We have none and if that is not happening in any country, those who keep quiet about it are accomplices to the crime,” he said.
“You see, in a democracy, you criticise a policy of government because it is not a family affair. Even if it is my brother that is there and he is not doing what I think he should do, he must be criticised. That is what democracy is all about: criticisms; saying the other side.
“So, if I say anybody in government in Nigeria or any government for that matter is not doing well, let that government prove that he is doing well. So, Kabiyesi, your boss, Buhari; there is nothing personal between me and him. Just as he is your boss, I am also his boss with due respect.
“The point is that I have been in that position longer than any Nigerian could ever be there. That is the truth because if any Nigerian comes in now and have two terms, he will not have almost four (4) years of military rule.
“I have been there longer than any Nigerian will ever be there. So, when I say something, I know what I am talking about. So, Kabiyesi, anytime you say ‘leave my boss alone’, I agree, he is your boss, but I am also his boss. So, you might also ask your boss to leave his boss alone or do what is right that his boss wants him to do.”
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target=_blank>Presidential Election Was Like A War, Says Secondus As PDP Submits Protest Letter To INEC
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Uche Secondus, the party’s National Chairman, on Tuesday in Abuja stormed the national headquarters of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register their displeasure with the outcome of the just concluded presidential election and the involvement of the military “as if there was war.”
The protest began from the Presidential Campaign Office (Legacy House) in Maitama, Abuja, and was attended by supporters of the party.
The protesters bore placards with inscriptions such as ‘Give Us Our Mandate’, ‘Buhari Must Go’, ‘We Voted for Atiku’ and ‘Mahmood Give Us Original Result’.
Secondus presented a protest letter to May Agbamuche-Mbu, the National Commissioner, stating that the PDP was exercising its rights within the confines of the law.
He condemned the deployment of the military to the strongholds of the party in the South, adding that the party had submitted a petition to the United Nations and the Commonwealth on the matter.
“We want to state clearly going forward. Is that what is going to happen on the 9th? That you will militarise the entire exercise?” Secondus asked.
He also told the commission of the “rigging and manipulation that took place across the country during the elections”, adding that the party was challenging the declaration of the commission in the court.
His words: “As a matter of fact the whole Niger Delta has been declared a state of emergency and taken over. The governors there don’t have power anymore. They cannot call Commissioner of Police. The military has taken over.
“We have come to register our protest with INEC on our displeasure with the conduct of the 2019 general election. We want to also register that as you conduct the affairs of INEC, historians are recording what is going on. Of course, we read what happened in 1960 and 1963 on the election that took place and their key actors. Where will history record INEC? It was a purely civilian exercise, and INEC involved the military as if there was war.”
He accused the security agents of bias and suppressing voters to prevent them from coming out to exercise their franchise.
Agbamuche-Mbu, who received the protest letter on behalf of the commission, assured the party that their grievances and observations would be examined.
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target=_blank>BREAKING: No Chance We Won’t Use Card Readers For Governorship Election, INEC Insists
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged members of the public to dismiss insinuations that it will jettison the use of card readers for Saturday’s governorship and state houses of assembly elections.
There were problems of voter accreditation via the smart card reader during the February 23 presidential and national assembly elections in many polling units across the country, meaning some voters were indeed manually accredited.
However, Festus Okoye Esq, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, confirmed on Tuesday that this does not in any way suggest the commission won’t use the device on Saturday.
“Since the conduct of the February 23, 2019 Presidential and National Assembly elections, there have been allegations from certain quarters that the independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was selective in its use of Smart Card Readers (SCRs) in its conduct of the elections. These allegations have led to speculations that INEC may be forced to jettison their use in the March 9, 2019 Governorship, State Houses of Assembly and Federal Capital Area Council elections,” read a statement released to SaharaReporters by Okoye.
“INEC hereby states categorically that the allegations are absolutely false and the speculations are without any basis whatsoever. The use of the Smart Card Readers is not only mandatory but its deliberate non-use attracts the sanction of possible persecution of erring officials in accordance with the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the conduct of election. This is in addition to the voiding of any result emanating from such units or areas, as was done in the Presidential and National Assembly elections of February 23, 2019.
“The general public and all officials engaged for the elections are hereby informed that the Commission is not reconsidering the use of these Smart Card Readers, which has greatly improved the credibility of our elections and instilled a high level of public trust in them.
“To clear any doubt or ambiguity, we wish to state that the deployment and mandatory use Smart Card Readers in next Saturday’s election will not only be uniform but also universal, and the provisions of the Regulations and Guidelines will be strictly and vigorously enforced. All Stakeholders are to note and be guided accordingly please.”
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target=_blank>Atiku Asks Tribunal To Compel INEC To Release Election Materials For Inspection
Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and his party have filed a suit for an order to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to make available the materials used for the presidential election held on February 23, 2019 for inspection.
The request was contained in a suit filed by Chief Chris Uche (SAN) before the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal at the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal.
The PDP is seeking an order which will grant them permission to inspect the Smart Card Readers, voter registers, ballot papers and other documents used for the elections.
Joined in the suit are INEC, President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
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E2%80%99s-money-vote-apc target=_blank>Oshiomhole Tells Deltans To Take PDP’s Money But Vote For APC
Adams Oshiomhole, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has urged the people of Delta State to collect the money on offer by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the ruling party in the state, ahead of Saturday’s election.
However, Oshiomhole advised them to vote for the APc even after collecting PDP’s money.
Barely 96 hours to the March 9 governorship and state House of Assembly elections, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has vowed to unseat the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State.
He said this on Monday at the PTI Conference Centre, Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of the state during a town hall meeting with APC stakeholders to garner support for the party’s governorship candidate, Great Ogboru and other candidates in the election.
“The electorate can go ahead and collect money from the PDP if they decide to use the state resources to induce you. Take your money because it belongs to you and disappoint them by voting for APC during the election,” he said.
“PDP can no longer win election in Delta State since the party is now outdated. PDP is now in a political menopause throughout Nigeria. You the Delta APC have substantially weakened the rigging machines of the PDP in Delta State.
“This time around, you will stop them on Saturday and ensure that the Okowa and PDP reign in Delta State is brought to an end. No one will provide unlawful security. Security operatives should ensure that votes are counted because President Buhari wants to have cleaner elections.”
President Muhammadu Buhari, who was represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, called on Deltans to vote massively for Ogboru and other APC candidates in the election.
Buhari restated the commitment of his administration to providing adequate security for the elections.
He said: “Why should Delta be an opposition state? Why? There is no reason for it at all. For all the periods that Delta State has had high resources, what we need is a change from a progressive party. The time has come. This is the moment; let us seize that moment. I want to say there is ample reason for us as a people of this great state to ensure that we do not betray the trust of the millions of people of the state.
“Here, I speak to party members. Why the disunity and fighting among ourselves? That is what our opponents want the most. They want to see a divided party. A party where we are pointing accusing fingers at each other. If we are divided, there is no way we can possibly win. If we are divided that is the end of it. If we work together, we will definitely win and emerged victorious this Saturday. I believe that we can work together.
“What happened last Saturday is a great victory for us, but it is only the beginning because the completion of that victory is going to come by the grace of God on Saturday March 9, 2019, when we vote in our own governor, Great Ogboru, who will by the grace of God be a governor from that very day. It is their way in the past how the PDP used and abused security in the country. We have seen frequently how they manage as victors when they are actually losers. So, there is no reason at all why we should not pay special attention to security and we will do so. I will ensure that we do so.”
Earlier, Joel-Onowakpo Thomas, the APC House of Representatives candidate for Isoko Federal Constituency, narrated to the APC leaders, how officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) connived with PDP and its House of Representatives candidate to “massively rig the last House of Representatives election in the area” in favour of his opponent, and called for urgent steps to “address the abnormalities”.
On his part, Emmanuel Uduaghan, the immediate past Governor of the state and APC Delta South senatorial candidate; O’tega Emerhor, APC former governorship candidate and leader in the state; Senator Ovie Omo-Agege; Ima Niboro; Francis Waive and a host of others, called on Delta APC leaders to close ranks and work in the interest of the party in ensuring victory at Saturday’s polls.
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E2%80%99s-suspension-amosun-okorocha-others-order-peter-claver-oparah target=_blank>APC’s Suspension Of Amosun, Okorocha, Others Is In Order By Peter Claver Oparah
Last week, the All Progressives Congress, emerging from an emphatic victory at the just-concluded 2019 presidential election, wielded the big stick on some errant members of the party that have conducted themselves in riotous manners since the kick-off of the 2019 election. It was variously described as the day of the long knives as the party demonstrated an unsmiling posture in its effort to arrest gross indiscipline and the anti-party conducts in its ranks and file. Among those suspended or penciled to be queried by the party are the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, the Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, Minister for Niger Delta Ministry, Usain Usain, among others. The party’s National Working Committee made recommendations to the party to expel both Amosun and Okorocha in a move that is seen as a desirable effort to instill party discipline and warn those intent on violating the party’s disciplinary code.
The action of the party is in order and long overdue in taming the rash of indecorous conducts that has festered among the membership of the party and arrest the drift to factionalisation which riddled the party during the nomination processes. It was a desirable notice that the party would no longer tolerate its members to behave in ways that suit them and disrespect the organogram of the party in pursuing their personal interests and wishes. It was a credible response to the feeling of some members that they are above the party and are untouchable. This had been what many members of the party, peeved at the riotous conduct of some members, have been praying and asking for, especially since after the primaries.
On the day Senate President, Bukola Saraki connived with PDP members to steal the leadership of the senate, I had written an article calling on the APC to slam down heavily on Saraki for such anti-party conduct because, as I stated in the article, the party needed to send a direct message to other party members that they can’t violate the party’s disciplinary code and go scot free. I had argued that such message was very necessary for the party to rein its guards and prevent an internal implosion in the future where every party member behaves as lord unto himself without check. I had argued in the report that the party needed to wield that big stick so as to guard against future acts of indiscipline that might implode the party. Sadly, the party, perhaps through the weakness of the erstwhile leadership, played deaf ears to this and the Saraki monster blossomed to nearly rupture and sink the party and the government it is running. Perhaps, it was in response to the need for a strong and capable leadership to wield the big stick as and when due that necessitated the emergence of the Adams Oshiomhole leadership and the enthusiastic way the members of the party embraced his emergence.
Now, with Oshiomhole, it is no longer business as usual and he was able to tame the Saraki monster which led to Saraki’s humiliating defeat in the February 23 National Assembly election and the emphatic victory the party scored at both the presidential and national assembly polls last week. Again, one other monster Oshiomhole needed to cage was that of some people that felt they own the party and reserve the right to lord it on other members of the party. He was able to deal with this by introducing a direct primary option for the emergence of candidates for various elective positions. This itself bred a huge uproar as those who feel their power to dictate and impose candidates were tempered by that option. Coming very close to a critical nomination period, it was predictable that it met APC with a combustible effect as the primaries were fraught with widespread discord and acrimony among party members.
Despite the afore-mentioned challenges, the party, albeit stretched to its possible limits by the aftermaths of the primaries, was up to the task especially in brokering amity and peace among the various factions of the party. In Ogun State, Amosun’s insistence on handpicking his successor and those to go for other elective positions was challenged by the insistence of the rank and file of the party to have an open contest where whoever wins hoists the flag of the party in the elections. Amosun remained adamant and insisted on his choice or nothing else. That was the same situation in Imo where Rochas Okorocha was fixated on having his son-in-law to succeed him as governor contrary to the position of other party stakeholders. The situation was almost the same in other states but the party, through fence-mending, diplomacy and other forms of peace making, resolved every other case except those of Ogun and Imo just because Amosun and Okorocha remained implacably committed to forcing through their wills. When the party made final decision on its choice for the two states, the duo directed their supporters and followers to defect to other platforms while they remained in APC to pursue their own senatorial ambitions. While Amosun directed his followers to join Allied People Movement, Okorocha directed his followers to join Action Alliance and they made loud noise of their readiness to work against APC in every other election except the presidential and their own senatorial election.
This flagrant display of gross indiscipline and anti-party was taken notches higher by the duo when during the presidential campaign rallies in their respective states, they sponsored their followers to barge into the venues and disrupt the rallies with cat calls and other forms of antics. That of Ogun was particularly bad as Amosun instructed his followers now members of APM to cause widespread mayhem; of the magnitude that embarrassed both the President and the party. It was just natural that with the critical elections approaching, the party endured these and waited till after the election where it went home with the star prize.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the suspension of both governors. In fact, many members of the party have called for this big stick before now. Many members of the party felt that the party needed to send the signal they sent last week earlier than when they did because party supremacy remains a central ingredient in party politics. That Amosun and Okorocha deliberately remained implacable to all the reconciliatory efforts of the party and continued to cause egregious embarrassment to the party shows they feel they are above the party. This is wrong for no member, not even the President, should be above the party that gives them the platform to contest. For the duo to believe they could be given elastic tolerance to carry out anti-party activities from within the party is silly and the present action of the party against them should warn them that they are not above discipline. The party should go all out to enforce its moral code not only on the duo but other errant members of the party who continue to conduct themselves in aberrant manners that embarrass the party.
I am fully in support of the actions the party had taken against Amosun, Okorocha and other misbehaving members. Let other members learn from it and fall I line. That is the idea behind the concept of party supremacy and whichever party loses this important control over its members is headed for doom.
Peter Claver Oparah
Ikeja, Lagos.
E-mail: peterclaver2000@yahoo.com
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target=_blank>Dead Lagos Uber Driver Far Too Gentle To Jump Into The Lagoon, Says Friend
Mr. Adekunle Tade when he was alive
An ally of Adekunle Tade, a Lagos Uber driver, whose corpse was found at the Lagos Lagoon, has refuted the claims that it was a suicide.
“He’s a learned person. He’s educated. Things were tough recently and he lost his job. That’s why somebody like him would have resorted to working with Uber,” said Dele Odufuye, a friend to the late Lagos Uber driver.
SaharaReporters had earlier reported how 38-year-old Tade was attacked by armed men, who forcefully snatched his car. Tade went to his boss — the vehicle owner, Mrs. Andry Nwokedi — to report the incident and he didn’t return until five days later when his dead body was found at a lagoon in Lekki, Lagos State.
But Odufuye, who knew Tade “so well”, said he could not have jumped into the lagoon just because his boss was taking him to the Police Station over the car theft.
“He couldn’t have jumped into the lagoon,” Odufuye said.
“To think that because they were taking him to the Police Station and he jumped into the lagoon is quite unbelievable. I’ve known Tade for seven to eight years now and he’s educated. So, the worst was for him to get to the Police Station and things would clear up. After all, he had gone to report the case at the Police Station by himself.”
“Secondly,” he continued, “the woman said he jumped from the Lekki toll bridge. You don’t need a camera to see who jumped on the Lekki toll bridge. People will know — there will be eye-witnesses.”
Odufuye described the deceased as a “gentleman to the core” who could not have been too bold to take such drastic step of jumping into the lagoon.
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E2%80%98we-voted-atiku%E2%80%99-%E2%80%94-hundreds-pdp-members-protest-inec-headquarters target=_blank>BREAKING ‘We Voted For Atiku’ — Hundreds Of PDP Members Protest At INEC Headquarters
Uche Secondus, National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has led hundreds of members of the party to the national headquarters of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register their dissatisfaction with the outcome of the presidential election.
The protest, which began from the secretariat of the party, located on Michael Opara Way, Wuse Zone 5, was accompanied by chants of ‘Give Us Our Mandate’, ‘Bujari Must Go’, ‘We voted for Atiku’.
Details shortly…
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Melaye Gets N5m Bail For Attempted Suicide Trial
Dino Melaye, the senator representing Kogi West district, has been granted N5million bail by an Abuja High Court over charges bordering on attempted suicide.
Melaye is standing trial on a six-count charge for attempting to escape from custody and damaging Police property.
The senator has denied committing the offences.
Giving the ruling on bail on Tuesday, Justice Silvanus Oriji, who noted that he was aware that the court had granted Melaye bail when he was arraigned before the court went on vacation on July 25, 2018, granted bail in the sum of N5million and two sureties in like sum.
The sureties must be directors in the civil service, reside in Abuja, and depose to affidavits of means.
Dr Alex Izinyon, the prosecuting counsel, alleged that the Senator committed the offences on April 24. 2018, while he was being taken in a Police vehicle to Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.
Izinyon added that Melaye sat on the ground, and threatened to poison himself, noting that he broke the glass of the vehicle with his elbow and caused damage to Police property.
The offences are said to contravene the provisions of Sections 148, 153, 173, 231, 326 and 327 of the Penal Code.
The trial has been adjourned till April 5, 2019, for hearing.
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