The leadership crisis rocking the Ebonyi State chapter of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, may soon be a thing of the past.
This followed the successful conduct of a stakeholder meeting convened by the caretaker committee chairman of the party, Barrister Steve Oruruo.
At a meeting held in Enugu on Sunday with the theme “Engagement for Peaceful and Transparent Congresses,” Oruruo reminded the stakeholders that “PDP is the bedrock of other political parties in Nigeria and, as such, shouldn’t be allowed to go down.”
Oruruo expressed optimism that peace has returned to the party at last.
“With the class of people that are here today, the PDP will bounce back. We’re not oblivious to the balkanization of the party as a result of improper conduct. The era of anyhowness is gone and every member of the party will have a say and that’s what we’ve come to do.
“Ebonyi is a PDP state, and those that have been chased away by power tussles are yearning to come back to their home, and we’re working to make the party accommodating and welcome these our brothers and sisters but the party needs to be strong enough to welcome them and as well offer the needed opposition to the APC in the state.
“We’re here to talk openly and genuinely and after this meeting, we will leave as one body,” he said.
Briefing newsmen after the meeting, which lasted for over four hours, Oruruo said: “A very successful meeting. We were able to bring the elders and leaders of the party to the table.
“For a while, there has been a kind of fuss. The fact that they came together is also a victory on the surface. Beyond that, they were able to embellish their point, and speak from different points of opinion because I’m an entity of plurality of opinion.
“So, it was nice that they aired their views and we were able to reconcile their points, bring them together and also set the tone for the next outing—the congress of the party.”
While admitting that there might still be pockets of resistance, the caretaker committee chairman assured that they’re equal to the task.
He said: “We’ve been containing the problem with constant and sustained advocacy because we prefer peace and building bridges instead of walls.
“So, with that, continuous prayer and working together, I think the pains in the party will end.”
Also speaking briefly on the official defection of Senator Anyim Pius Anyim to the All Progressives Congress, APC, Oruruo said: “Senator Anyim Pius Anyim wrote to the party many months ago, indicating that he has resigned from the party, so this celebration is just an act of establishing the fact that he has made a choice in terms of the party to serve. So joining APC is very normal.
“Our part is the biggest party in West Africa and Africa as a whole and the only party that begot every political gladiator in Ebonyi State. The party is open, the umbrella is so large and those who have defected, at the appropriate time, will be back.”
The meeting was attended by the national vice chairman of PDP, Chief Ali Odefa; former governor of the state, Senator Sam Egwu who was represented by Fred Onwe; and the governorship candidate of the party in the last election, Chief Ifeanyi Odii, who was represented by the deputy governorship candidate, Senator Igwe Nwagu Paulinus.
Others are the former national secretary of PDP, Onwe Solomon Onwe, and the members of the caretaker committee.
No faction in Ebonyi PDP – Caretaker committee chairman Oruruo
No faction in Ebonyi PDP – Caretaker committee chairman Oruruo
Spain beat England 2-1 to win Euro 2024
The Spanish national team on Sunday night defeated the Three Lions of England 2-1 to lift the Euro 2024 trophy.
Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal 86th minute goal secured the trophy for a record fourth time.
Nico Williams had earlier in the second half put Spain ahead in Berlin, Germany, before Cole Palmer levelled for England.
Meanwhile, Marc Guehi’s effort to equalise for the Three Lions at the last minute was frustrated by Dani Olmo to finally sealed the trophy for the Spanish team.
Details later…
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from According.
Contact: [email protected]
Zimbabwe launches hearings over Mugabe-era massacre
Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Sunday launched a long-awaited process of reconciliation over notorious 1980s massacres by government troops that claimed tens of thousands of lives.
Survivors will be interviewed in a series of hearings opening the way for possible compensation, in a bid to settle longstanding grievances and tensions.
“Today is a pivotal moment in our history. This is the day where we demonstrate that as a country, we are capable of resolving our disputes as Zimbabweans, regardless of their complexity or magnitude,” Mnangagwa said in the southern African country’s second-largest city, Bulawayo.
“This initiative is a potent symbol of our collective will to bridge the divides that have separated us for too long,” he added, describing the process as a “pilgrimage towards healing”.
The so-called Gukurahundi massacres took place a few years after Zimbabwe’s independence from Britain, as former leader Robert Mugabe asserted his power.
Starting in 1983, Mugabe deployed an elite North Korean-trained army unit to crack down on a revolt in Bulawayo’s western Matabeleland region, the heartland of the Ndebele minority.
They killed an estimated 20,000 people over several years, according to the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in Zimbabwe, a toll supported by Amnesty International.
The operation was named Gukurahundi, a term in the majority Shona language that loosely translates as “the early rain that washes away the chaff”.
Critics say it targeted dissidents loyal to Mugabe’s rival, fellow revolutionary leader Joshua Nkomo. Most of the victims belonged to the minority Ndebele tribe.
– ‘Bad patch’ –
Mugabe, who died in 2019, never acknowledged responsibility for the massacres, dismissing evidence gathered by Amnesty International as a “heap of lies”.
After taking power in 2017, Mnangagwa promised a resolution and set up a panel of chiefs to probe the massacres. The 72 chiefs will now preside over the village hearings.
But activists said the process was flawed and got off on the wrong foot, since there had been no official government apology.
“The launch was a great opportunity to say sorry, but he (Mnangagwa) did not. He should have used that opportunity,” said Buster Magwizi, a spokesman for veterans of ZPRA, a former liberation armed group loyal to Nkomo.
Mnangagwa, who has previously said the massacre was “a bad patch” in Zimbabwe’s history, was security minister at the time but has always denied any responsibility.
“It is unfortunate that the exercise that must bring healing, closure, is micro-managed by those whose hands are dripping of the blood of the innocent people who were killed,” Mbuso Fuzwayo of Ibhetshu LikaZulu, a pressure group, told AFP.
AFP
Spain emerge Euro champions as England’s 58-yr trophy wait continues
Spain have emerged champions of the Euro 2024 after beating England 2-1 in the final on Sunday.
It was yet another heartbreak for England who have lost back-to-back finals to extend their 58-year major trophy drought.
After a goalless first half, Nico Williams opened the scoring in the 47th minute before super substitute Cole Palmer gave England hope on 73 minutes.
The Three Lions kept pushing to get the winner but it was Alvaro Morata’s replacement, Mikel Oyarzabal, who fired in a winner for Spain.
Oyarzabal tapped in a fine cross in the 86th minute as an England defender’s knee helped the former escape being in an offside position.
More to follow…
The post Spain emerge Euro champions as England’s 58-yr trophy wait continues appeared first on Latest Nigeria News | Top Stories from TVN.
BREAKING: Spain beat England 2-1 to lift Euro 2024
14th July 2024
Spain vs England (PC: Euros)
The Spanish national team on Sunday night defeated the Three Lions of England 2-1 to lift the Euro 2024 trophy.
Details later…
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from According.
Contact: [email protected]
Media complaint commission probes Daily Trust’s Samoa agreement report
The National Media Complaints Commission has launched an investigation into Daily Trust’s report on the Samoa agreement, following a complaint from the Federal Government alleging that the article contained false and misleading information that threatened national security.
This was contained in statement by NMCC on Sunday which acknowledged receipt of the Federal Hovernment’s complaint.
The statement was signed by the Chairman and interim secretary of NMCC, Emeka Izeze and Feyi Smith, respectively.
It said that the Federal Government’s complaint, dated July 8, was signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, Dr. Ngozi Onwudiwe, on behalf of the minister, Mohammed Idris.
The government, according to the statement, alleged that on July 4, 2024, the newspaper published an article “containing false and misleading information that severely threatens national security”.
The statement noted that in the complaint, the government alleged that “on July 4, 2024, the newspaper published on its front page, a news item titled ‘LGBT: Nigeria Signs $150 Billion Samoa Deal.’
“In the report, it said that the government had endorsed a European Union partnership agreement (referred to as the ‘Samoa Agreement’), with member states of the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States.
“It said that the agreement was signed ‘despite some conditional clauses that compel benefiting nations to support the agitations by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer community for recognition.’”
The government, according to the statement, described the report as “false and misleading”.
It quoted the government as saying that, as a result of the alleged false report, “individuals and government officials have been subjected to hate speech, threats, intimidation, and cyberbullying across social media”.
According to the statement, the government is, therefore, asking the NMCC to intervene in the matter and, among other things, carry out a thorough investigation of the alleged misleading publication;
It also urged the Ombudsman to direct the newspaper’s management to publicly retract and correct the alleged false information, with equal prominence as the original article.
It also urged the NMCC to direct the newspaper’s management to issue an unequivocal apology for “allegedly recklessly disseminating false information and implement stricter editorial guidelines to prevent a repeat of such alleged unwholesome report by any newspaper in the future”.
The NMCC said it had sent a formal acknowledgment letter, dated July 10, and signed by its Interim Secretary, to the ministry, informing it that the complaint was receiving the attention of the commission.
It said that the outcome would be duly communicated to the government.
“The management of Daily Trust will be contacted shortly for its response.
“As an independent media regulatory body, it is our duty to promote media adherence to the highest standards of professionalism and ethical conduct.
“We are also expected to ensure that the media operate in a free and unfettered environment,” the commission said.
It said that in accordance with the mandate and its established procedures, it had commenced an investigation into the government’s allegations.
“We assure the public that our inquiry will be thorough and impartial.
“We look forward to receiving the full cooperation of all parties involved and pledge to continue to ensure transparency throughout this process,” it said.
The NMCC is an independent, multi-stakeholder co-regulatory body.
It was established by the Nigerian Press Organisations, made up of the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria, the Nigerian Guild of Editors, and the Nigeria Union of Journalists.
It works in collaboration with the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers and the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria.
The NMCC is tasked with providing the public with an independent forum for resolving complaints about the press, resolving all complaints quickly, fairly and free of charge.
It is expected to do so, maintaining high standards of journalism practice, journalistic ethics and defending the freedom of the press and the rights of the people to know.
NAN
Kidnapped journalists: Information minister receives freed victims
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, has welcomed the release of two Kaduna-based journalists who were abducted from their homes on the outskirts of Kaduna last weekend.
Speaking when he received the two journalists, AbdulGafar Alabelewe of The Nation newspapers and AbdulRaheem Aodu of Blueprint newspapers, from the National Security Adviser, NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the minister commended security agencies for the speedy recovery of the victims.
The two journalists were released along with Alabelewe’s wife and two children.
Mohammed, who sympathised with the two families, said: “We are most grateful for what you have done. We are aware that this is part of your ongoing effort to ensure that all kidnapped victims are rescued alive and reunited with their families.
“I want to urge Nigerians to keep faith with the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and our security agencies. The security agencies under the coordination of the NSA are working tirelessly to ensure that all those who have been taken into unlawful custody are freed without paying any ransom.”
Speaking earlier, the NSA said the five victims were rescued following a combined effort of security agencies, which led to a swift search-and-rescue operation.
Responding, one of the rescued victims, Alabelewe, said: “The rescue mission which brought us out of the bush yesterday gave us hope in our country and gave us confidence to believe that the government is serious about tackling this problem of kidnapping. I never thought that within a week of our kidnap, we could get out.
“We are grateful that the government swung into action and ensured that we were released.”
Kidnapped journalists: Information minister receives freed victims
Ebonyi varsity set to build advanced research lab
Ebonyi State University, EBSU, Abakaliki, is set to build an advanced research laboratory for the conduct of biological analysis and other research works.
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Chigozie Ogbu, disclosed this when the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ebonyi State Council, paid him a working visit in his office at Ezzangbo, the permanent site of the institution.
Ogbu, who is the former deputy governor of Ebonyi State, said the research laboratory, when completed, would be the only such lab in the South-East and South-South regions of Nigeria.
He added that the lab would also serve researchers from other parts of the country, especially parts of the North Central Zone, such as Benue State, and would also serve as a source of revenue for the university.
He disclosed that TETFund was facilitating the building of the lab.
Prof. Ogbu disclosed that one of his major focuses, when he came on board, was to improve the research activities of EBSU, which, he said, made him establish a research club at the university to boost research activities.
“We have a committee that considers research proposals. Three weeks ago, about 42 lecturers submitted their research proposals. The committee screened it and I think over 20 were approved, and they have been sent to TETFund for funding,” he added.
He also disclosed: “Academic staff promoted to associate professor and professor in EBSU are almost over 100 since this administration came on board.
“We were promoting staff nominally without financial benefits due to paucity of funds, but because of the recent intervention of the visitor to the university, Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, who is also an alumnus of the university, we started all the promotions with the financial benefits.
“We have paid our June salary and we are preparing to pay July salary as well. Our staff are very happy this time. Promotion of staff is ongoing with the financial benefits and it’s been encouraging.”
Continuing, he said: “TETfund has been so helpful. We feel fulfilled with our new visitor (referring to Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru), one of our own, who saw to the successful dualization of the university road, increased the salary of staff by 10 per cent, reduced the school fees by 10 per cent and increased subvention from N180 million to N280 million.”
Ebonyi varsity set to build advanced research lab
Man Utd sign Dutch striker Zirkzee from Bologna for £36.5m
Manchester United signed Netherlands striker Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna in a deal worth a reported £36.5 million ($46.3 million) on Sunday.
Zirkzee agreed a five-year contract with the Premier League club that includes the option of a further 12 months.
United reportedly opted to pay slightly more than Zirkzee’s £33.6 million release clause in order to spread the fee over a three-year period to help with Profit and Sustainability Rules.
The 23-year-old rose to prominence in Serie A last season as he helped Bologna unexpectedly qualify for the Champions League.
He scored 12 goals in 37 appearances for Bologna last term and was also part of the Netherlands squad that reached the Euro 2024 semi-finals before losing to England.
United’s Dutch boss Erik ten Hag spoke to Zirkzee to convince his compatriot to make the move to Old Trafford.
“I am a player who has always dedicated everything to winning; I’m ready for this next challenge, to go to another level in my career and win more trophies,” said Zirkzee, who started his senior career with Bayern Munich and had loan spells with Parma and Anderlecht prior to joining Bologna.
“Having had discussions with the manager and the leaders of the club I know how exciting the future is going to be here and I cannot wait to play my part in achieving success for Manchester United.
“It is a privilege to join such an iconic club. I have to take a short break now after being with the national team, but I’ll be coming back ready to make an impact straight away.”
Zirkzee will compete with Rasmus Hojlund, Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Antony for a place in United’s attack in the coming season.
AFP
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from According.
Contact: [email protected]
Chima wins Nigerian Idol season 9
A contestant, Chima, has won the ninth season of the popular music reality show, Nigerian Idol.
Chima emerged as the show’s season 9 winner after several weeks of rigorous training and intense performances.
The According reports that three finalists— Chima, Lammy, and Chioma— had fought many ‘battles’ to get to the final; and their respective fans are wracked with nervousness as they hope and pray for their ‘faves’ to win this night.
During their last performance, each contestant performed to their heart’s content as they strove to convince the judges and viewers that they deserved to win the coveted prize.
At their last outing, Chioma excited viewers with her rendition of Jodie’s Kuchi Kuchi, and Jennifer Hudson’s One Night Only; while Chima’s soulful delivery of Not the Girl by Dare Art Alade, and As by Stevie Wonder left the judges in awe. Lammy’s heartfelt performance of African Queen by 2baba (formerly 2face), and Alexander Burke’s Hallelujah was applauded by guests as well.
Details later…
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from According.
Contact: [email protected]