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Late General Irefin: Army cautions against falsehood, insinuations over demise of senior officer

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Late General Irefin: Army cautions against falsehood, insinuations over demise of senior officer

…releases sequence of events before death

The Nigerian Army has cautioned rumour peddlers and merchants of distorted information against the spread of falsehood over the death of the General Officer Commanding 6Division, Port Harcourt, Major General Olu Irefin.

In a statement, the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Sagir Musa said, the fake news and other unnecessary insinuations being peddled is not only wicked but conceived in a very bad light to cause disaffection to the family and the general public.

The statement reads below…

The sudden death of Maj General JO Irefin is no doubt a great loss to the Nigerian Army (NA), his family and the country at large. In view of the fake news, unnecessary and wicked insinuations that started emanating from unknown group or individuals, the NA wishes to inform members of the public the sequence of events that led to the death of the late senior officer.

Recall that the Chief of Army Staff Annual Conference 2020, started on 7 December 2020 following the virtual declaration by President, Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for its commencement. The participants who were mostly Principal Staff Officers, General Officers Commanding (GOCs), Corps Commanders, Commandants of NA schools, Directors and other invited dignitaries assembled in Giri venue of the first phase of the conference during which Mr President virtually commissioned the NA Cyber Warfare Command Headquarters among other vital projects.

Among the attendees was Maj Gen JO Irefin the erstwhile GOC 6 Division NA. While at Giri, the General started complaining of discomfort. Despite the discomfort, he was at phase 2 in life camp for the commissioning of Housing Scheme for families of officers and soldiers killed in action from where he left the venue for his accommodation. He was later taken to Defence Medical Centre same day at about 2125 hours having complained of fever, headache and mild cough. Medical history revealed that he was treated for malaria with parenteral artemether a week ago at 6 Division Medical Services and Hospital Port Harcourt where he was the GOC. He had fever but oxygen saturation was normal at 99%. Other vital signs were essentially stable on presentation. A working diagnosis of drug resistant malaria to rule out lobar pneumonia and COVID 19 infection was made. He was also placed on cefriaxone and COVID 19 test was requested.

Consequently, in the morning of 8 December 2020, the fever and cough have subsided and he was eating well. On the same day (8 December 2020), he was discharged after his sample for COVID 19 test had been taken and was requested to self isolate pending the out come of the test. On 9 December 2020, the result of the COVID 19 test conducted on him was positive. As a result, he was taken to 063 Nigerian Airforce Hospital Abuja where his SpO saturation was noted to be well reduced to between 55 – 60%. He was then immediately taken to Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital, Abuja by the Commander 063 NAF Hospital for further management. At the hospital, he was immediately admitted and placed on high flow oxygen. An initial improvement of 80 – 82% oxygen saturation was noticed. He was then commenced on Anti viral agent remdesivir based on the COVID 19 test result. Other treatment included the usual COVID 19 treatment cocktail. Unfortunately, despite these efforts, at about 0510 hours on Thursday 10th of December 2020, the Commander 063 NAF Hospital Abuja was informed that the senior officer desaturated again and eventually died. The cause of his death was reported as respirotary failure secondary to the complications of COVID 19 infection.

Above are the the sequence of events that led to the demise of our late Major General JO Irefin the former GOC 6 Diivision Port Harcourt. This explanation is essential in order to ward off mischievous and wicked insinuations from certain quarters alluding unwholesome act as responsible for the death of the respected senior officer. The NA wishes to once again console and extend its condolences to the family he left behind. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace Ameen.

SAGIR MUSA
Brigadier General
Acting Director Army Public Relations
13 December 2020

FG to build 300,000 houses for Nigerians – Presidency

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FG to build 300,000 houses for Nigerians – Presidency

The Federal Government plans to build 300,000 affordable housing units for Nigerians, the presidency said on Sunday.

The Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, who disclosed this in a statement in Abuja, said the housing units would be built under the Social Housing element of the government’s Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP).

He added that 20 state governments had declared their intention to participate in the scheme.

The states are Osun, Ogun, Enugu, Delta, Bauchi, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Plateau, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The presidential aide disclosed that Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Imo, Cross River, Sokoto, Kaduna, Zamfara, Katsina, Borno, and Yobe States are also interested in the programme.

According to Akande, the government will provide houses at low prices of between N1.8million and N2million to Nigerians under the scheme.

He said: “This week, the portal to invite Nigerians interested either as beneficiaries of the Social Housing or as delivery partners would be launched by the Family Homes Fund, the Federal Government agency designated to implement the scheme.

“Under the ESP Social Housing Plan, 300,000 low-cost houses would by itself create 1.8 million jobs in the housing sector and beyond, while as indicated under the ESP approved by the President and the Federal Executive Council, the Central Bank of Nigeria has now committed N200bn facility for the Social Housing Plan.

“Under the programme, the federal government will offer one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom units at low prices.

“The one-bedroom unit will cost between N1.8m and N2m, while financial assistance would be available for Nigerians to pay the mortgage.

“The form of financial assistance that will be made available to Nigerians include mortgage loans at low-interest rates.

“Financing will be arranged through the designation of a Homes Warehousing Agent that will purchase the completed housing units from the developers.”

APC sweeps Kogi local council election

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APC sweeps Kogi local council election

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has won all the 21 chairmanship and 239 councillorship positions in the Kogi State local council election held on Saturday.

The Chairman of the state Independent National Electoral Commission (KOSIEC), Mr. Mamman Eri, who announced the election results on Sunday, said the APC candidate in Lokoja local government area of the state, Mr. Mohammed Dan Asabe, polled 41,731 votes to defeat Mr. Ahmed Yabagi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who scored 14 votes.

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, Mr. Isah Yerima, scored 28 votes.

Other APC candidates elected in the election are – Joseph Salami (Adavi), Mr. Mustapha Akaaba (Ajaokuta), Mr. Ibrahim Abagwu (Ankpa), Mr. Mohammed Shuaibu (Bassa) and Mr. Shaibu Siaka (Dekina) and Mr. William Obiora (Ibaji).

Others were – Mr. Abu Odoma (Idah), Mr. James Onoja (Igala-Mela/Odolu), Mr. Taofiq Isah (Ijumu), Mr. Isah Abdulkarim (Kogi), Mr. Moses David (Mopa-Muro), Mr. Ibrahim Amodu (Ofu), Mr. Goke Oparison (Ogori-Magongo) and Mr. Abdulraheem Ohiare (Okehi).

Also elected on the APC platform were – Mr. Abdulrazak Yusuf (Okene), Mr. Friday Adejoh, (Olamaboro), Mr. Ibrahim Aboh (Omala), Mr. Asiru Abdulrazak (Yagba East), and Mr. Kolawole Pius (Yagba West).

Eri also announced that APC candidates won all the 239 councillorship positions in the 21 local government areas of the state.

Meanwhile, the state chapter of the PDP has described the conduct of the election as a mockery of Nigeria’s democracy.

The party, in a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Bode Ogunmola , described the entire process as a scam, saying it was deliberately manipulated to favour the APC.

“There is no election anywhere in Kogi,” he said.

Arabic language forges global alliance, unity, says Lai Mohammed

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Arabic language forges global alliance, unity, says Lai Mohammed

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed has extolled the role of the Arabic Language in forging global alliance and unity among disparate racial and ethnic communities and nations.

The Minister stated this at an Arabic Language Workshop on the occasion of the United Nations commemoration of the 2020 World Arabic Day, hosted by the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Abuja on Sunday.

He said the language has proven to be a veritable tool in global efforts at the realisation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDGs number 1 to 5 on the eradication of poverty and hunger, promotion of human welfare, as well as quality education and gender equality.

Mohammed said in Nigeria in particular, the Arabic Language, which is being spoken by the Shuwa-Arabs, an ethnic stock in the northeast of the country with cultural and historical affiliation to the wider Baqqara tribe in East Africa, serves as the storehouse of the nation’s history and indeed that of Africa.

He said Arabic language experts have continued to provide the intellectual capital that has incentivised development and progress in all spheres of national development.

“In other words, Arabic language is one of the ancient and earliest-known languages to mankind. It is unique and renowned for its rich diglossia, and employed on a daily basis as a medium of spiritual and theistic interactions between God and adherents of Islam, who number 1.8 billion,” he said.

In his remarks, the Ambassador of UAE to Nigeria, Dr. Fahad Al Taffaq, said Arabic Language remains a pillar of cultural diversity for humanity as the language is used daily by more than 400 million people across 25 countries, with over 10, including Nigeria, in Africa.

He said the Embassy has shown continuous commitment to promoting cultural and interfaith tolerance in Nigeria, through various initiatives such as the Essay Competition on tolerance it organized for secondary school students in Abuja, the UAE-Nigeria Cultural and Arts Exhibition it hosted in Lagos this year and the Interfaith Tolerance Dialogue it organized for religious and cultural leaders.

The World Arabic Language Day featured a paper presentation by the Director, Nigerian Centre for Arabic Research, Prof. Elkhidiru Abdul Baaq Mohammed, and Dr. Tahir Fayez Abdelaal of the Faculty of Art, University of Abuja.

 

 

 

 

GENERAL BURATAI – Between An Exceptional Leader And His Detractors

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By Kolawole Abe

It is remarkable that our patriotic military chiefs continue to give their best even in the face of these disincentives. Well before the progress made by the international coalition against ISIS, the Nigerian military and security agencies led by The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, had made a great progress against Boko Haram and its affiliates.

Many successes has been recorded under his leadership as he has been steadfast in the discharge of his duty, and providing aid to civil authority. The military has also flushed Boko Haram out of its operational base in Camp Zero, Sambisa Forest, and have also kept the terrorists out of the many towns and villages they have tried to recapture.

Report has it that, internal security in Nigeria has improved drastically from where we were in 2015 when Buratai took over command of the Nigerian Army. However, we recognize that there are potent threats that require the military to continually review their operations. The Nigeria Army has witnessed a lot of reorganization and redeployment in a bid to improve their overall operational responsiveness and professionalism. In recent time, he approved the redeployment of some field and operational commanders in order to inject new ideas in the command and control structure in various Nigeria Army operations across the country.

These are achievements that speak to the commitment of the military getting the job done for which one should ordinarily commend their sacrifices but for the fact that it is a job they willingly signed up for. They kept pressing on, holding the memories of their fallen heroes. Amidst brutal resistance in fighting the Nation just cause against insurgency, their resilience remained high.

We are not oblivious of the relentless effort, persistence and scarifices the chief of army staff (COAS) General Buratai has kept taking, in order to combat insurgency and banditry. But it is so regrettable and unfortunate that the citizens being shielded from all these dangers has given themselves out cheaply to be coaxed by politicians who are not happy with the success of our country on the way against insurgency.

In bid to detract the COAS, supports are being given to bandits to fuel the matters of terrorism, which are being masked as “Insurgency.” They fall easily for the bait given to them without reasoning beyond the monetary benefits they are being offered.

For the unwary, it is been misinterpreted as “the Boko haram groups are being hardy to an extent that it is able to dismay the Nigerian military.” The reality is however that the ability of the terrorists to regroup each time they are decimated should alarm all law-abiding citizens. The group’s seeming resilience should raise questions about the nature of support it is getting to put up such defiance. This support unfortunately is from home and abroad, some unscrupulous Nigerians and their foreign collaborators. They have masterminded this show of shame as a diet to feeding their selfish and wicked interest. They being among the greater beneficiaries of special and classified security treatment enjoyed from the effort of the military, still have the audacity to publicly discredit the ambiguous effort of General Buratai.

Having ran out of strategies, they resolved into using fund embezzlement and terrorist alliance as a tool in distracting him from getting focused.
There have been several reports about individuals, groups and organizations being closet supporters of Boko Haram. These distractions are often packaged as well-intentioned interventions by activists and NGOs, which creates bandwagon effect as people are inclined to trust the positions expressed by these opinion molders.

Report has it that some citizens have been paid to be social activists to pull down the military institution, all in the bid to discredit them is therefore highly uncalled for and should have no place in our country.
Little do we know about the effect of the strategies of these detractors, because the reality is however that the seeming interventions are unnecessary distraction elements that will reverse recent gains made on the war against insurgency. Each time such paid activists criticize the military, they therefore undermine the counter-insurgency efforts. In many instances, the damage done goes beyond the now, because as Nigeria’s foreign partners have sometimes referenced the activities of such activists as justifications for withholding military cooperation to Nigeria or to block crucial arms deals that would contribute to the anti-terror war efforts.

Still, the COAS has remained unperturbed and not dismayed by the futile efforts being thrown at him by his detractors. He has always been keeping the wheel of the fight against insurgency moving, and not permitting their distractions to move him in his line of duty.

The army chief and leader of the counter-insurgency operations in Nigeria, Lt.Gen. TY Buratai has not given the insurgents ample operational laxity in the Northeast where they prided in false invincible power and strength. This has remained a pain in their daunting efforts, and has reaffirmed their continuous futility as ever before. These bad eggs in human skins need to separated and broken off from the good ones, because they are a big cancer to the nation as a whole. When not weeded out, they become a menace that will bring ills, misfortune and setback to our dear country.

It is worthy of note that those who deliberately manipulate facts for the purpose of sabotaging the military should be mindful that only a thin line separates what they see to be harmless mischief and commission of crimes.

For the sake of tranquillity in the Nation, we advise detractors and their agents to leave the Chief of Army Staff alone, so that he can give maximum concentration to his works. He has been tried, and has proven himself beyond all doubts as an exceptional leader, who is ever ready to give optimal discharge of his duty any time the clarion call to action is being heard. He will never compromise for terrorists to take over the country, because he holds the interest of the country very dear to his heart.

God Bless Nigeria.

Abe is former spokesman, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).

Scores of terrorists eliminated in airstrikes in Borno

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Scores of terrorists eliminated in airstrikes in Borno

The Nigerian Air Force has killed several Boko Haram terrorists at Njimia on the fringes of the Sambisa Forest in Borno State.

In a statement issued on Saturday by the Coordinator of Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche, the terrorists were eliminated during series of airstrikes carried out by the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation Lafiya Dole on December 10.

“The Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE has recorded more successes in its air campaign against Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) in the North East of the country,” the statement partly read.

“The latest of these was achieved through airstrikes executed on 10 December 2020 at Njimia on the fringes of the Sambisa Forest in Borno State.

“The attack, which resulted in the neutralization of several BHTs as well as damage to their structures, was conducted after a series of aerial surveillance missions showed an uptick of activities in the settlement.”

The defence spokesman explained that the Air Task Force “dispatched an appropriate force package of Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jets and helicopter gunships to engage the location.”

According to him, attack aircraft delivered accurate hits in the target area resulting in the neutralization of several BHTs.

Blacklist: Centre faults Nigeria’s classification by US

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The Centre For African Liberation And Socio-Economic Rights (CALSER) has condemned the United States’ blacklist of Nigeria as a religious intolerant nation, describing the report and its intent as subjective.

According to CALSER, the U.S’ assertion is a disservice to Nigeria as it will serve to further aggravate the problems on the ground rather than help.

The centre made this known at a press conference on Friday by its Executive Director, Barrister Ehis Imoukhuede.

Contrary to claims by the United States, the CALSER said members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) or any other group were never prevented from worshipping in the fashion they prefer.

The centre further said that it is irresponsible to hold the Federal Government accountable for crimes committed by Boko Haram and ISWAP.

According to the group, it is misleading and unfair to infer that Boko Haram killed only Christians, adding that the classification of herdsmen as Muslims and farmers as Christians is a lazy stereotype that rings of racism.

The centre, however, advised the United States to send its mandarins to Nigeria to undertake a proper study of not just the religious relations in the country but to also understand the peculiar dynamics that do not lend themselves to the series of fallacies that made it into that report.

It added that the Nigerian government under President Muhammadu Buhari is working for the wellbeing of all Nigerians.

Read Full statement below:

The United States recently placed Nigeria on a religious freedom blacklist, in its Nigeria 2019 International Religious Freedom Report which is published on November 5, 2020. Let us state from the onset that this is a strategy for preparing the ground to impose sanctions on Nigeria if in the United States’ estimate it thinks that progress has not been made in ensuring religious freedom for the diverse ethnic nationalities of the country.

Unfortunately, the report and its intent are subjective going by what we can glean from it. For instance, the report in its executive summary said: “Throughout the year, Shia Muslims, under the auspices of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), conducted a series of demonstrations – including several in July against the ongoing detention of IMN leader Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky – resulting in violent confrontations between protesters and security forces, which left as many as 30 dead, including protesters and police.”

Other noteworthy excerpts from the report are: “Terrorist groups including Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa (ISIS-WA) attacked population centres and religious targets and maintained a growing ability to stage forces in rural areas and launch attacks against civilian and military targets across the North East, according to observers.”

The report further speculated that: “Conflicts between predominantly Muslim Fulani herdsmen and predominantly Christian farmers in the North Central states continued throughout the year, although the violence was lower than during the 2017-2018 spike, reportedly due to government intervention and efforts of civil society to resolve conflicts.”
Gentlemen of the press, from the foregoing you can see that the United States’ 2019 International Religious Freedom Report conclusions on Nigeria are a disservice to Nigeria because it will serve to further aggravate the problems on the ground rather than help.

First, it is inconceivable that the United States can regard security operations against IMN as a denial of religious freedom. No one prevented IMN members from worshipping in the fashion they prefer to the extent that they also respect the rights of other people, for instance, the right of others to have access to public infrastructures like the roads that its members usually obstruct. The reality is that IMN is a proscribed group based on constitutionally recognized processes, which included a White Paper on the Kaduna State Judicial Panel of Inquiry. The trial of its leader is by a competent court of Kaduna State, which leaves one wondering if the United States will tolerate Nigeria meddling into matters being handled by its circuit courts.

Secondly, it is a travesty that borders on being irresponsible to hold the Federal Government accountable for crimes committed by Boko Haram and ISWAP, which the United States and its media organizations have refused to properly designate as terrorist groups operating in the Lake Chad Basin. This refusal to so classify Boko Haram has been behind the absence of international support to eradicate it from operating in the region.

If Boko Haram’s crimes are being imputed to Nigeria, then the United States must accept joint responsibility as the nation that created the atmosphere that allowed these terrorists to thrive and torment Nigerians of all religious shades. The US’ activities in the Middle East and North Africa supported the growth of ISIS brand of terrorism and also flooded those areas with weapons that have found their way into the hands of Boko Haram terrorists.

We must not also lose sight of the fact that it is misleading and unfair to infer that Boko Haram killed only Christians or killed more Christians. Boko Haram kill Nigerians and the loss of any human life is a tragedy. Boko Haram bombed mosques and killed Muslims, Christians, Animist, Agnostics and Atheists all alike. Reducing the acts of terror being committed by Boko Haram to a sectarian debate is an irresponsible act that should not be encouraged.

Similarly, classifying herdsmen as Muslims and farmers as Christians is a lazy stereotype that rings of racism. It is in the same territory as Americans referring to Africa as a country when it is in reality a continent. The lack of Nigeria’s sectarian appreciation on the part of the US report is a major reason to discard its findings.
Furthermore, we observe that the report significantly relied on secondary sources like “news reports”.

Unfortunately, these reports that the report relied on were dominated by fake news and organizations that are involved in the manufacture of dissent. Some of the organizations that were cited were at some points in the past found complicit in sharing military intelligence with Boko Haram, which leaves us to question the reliability of what they passed on as news or facts. Some of the individuals that these organizations cited or interview are also questionable.

It is pertinent that the United States send its mandarins to Nigeria to undertake a proper study of not just the religious relations in the country but to also understand the peculiar dynamics that do not lend themselves to the series of fallacies that made it into that report.

The US must know not to act on fake news as this detracts from its global standing.

We want to categorically tell the United States that the Nigerian government under President Muhammadu Buhari is working for the wellbeing of all Nigerians. The military is fighting Boko Haram as the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and that is because the life of every Nigerian is considered important.

If the US is interested in intervening, we believe that it should start by not paying lips service to issues of Boko Haram, ISWAP and other terrorist entities that thrive because of its geostrategic activities like supporting al-Nusra affiliates in Syria, which in turn ship their US-supplied weapons to Boko Haram and ISWAP.

Anthony Joshua will go places – Buhari

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Anthony Joshua will go places – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed delight in the Saturday night victory won by Nigerian-born international heavyweight boxing champion, Anthony Joshua, against Kubrat Pulev.

Joshua had knocked his Bulgarian opponent, Pulev, out in the ninth round of their title fight in London, retaining his IBF, WBA and WBO titles.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, President Buhari said Joshua had done Nigeria proud, just as he had served boxing enthusiasts globally an evening of pleasure through his Saturday night victory.

“President Muhammadu Buhari celebrates the decisive victory of Nigerian-born boxer, Anthony Joshua over Kubrat Pulev Saturday night.

“The President says by retaining his IBF, WBA, and WBO titles, Joshua has given boxing lovers round the world, and particularly in Nigeria, something to cheer.

“He recalls his meeting with the heavyweight champion in London earlier in the year, describing Anthony Joshua as a humble, well brought up young man, ‘who will still go places’.

“President Buhari wishes Joshua all the best in his dream fight against Tyson Fury, saying he has the prayers and goodwill of Nigerians going with him,” the statement said.

The Nation

Oyakhilome prophesied I’ll go to prison, Orji Kalu says

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Oyakhilome prophesied I’ll go to prison, Orji Kalu says

The Senate Chief Whip, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, has disclosed how the Founder and President of LoveWorld Incorporated, also known as Christ Embassy, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, told him that he would be imprisoned for about after six months.

Recall that Senator Kalu was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment in December 2019 on corruption charges but was released from Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja in June 2020.

His release was following the judgement of the Federal High Court in Lagos in line with the Supreme Court judgment nullifying his trial and conviction. The Supreme Court had, in May, ruled that the trial and judgment.

Kalu, speaking during Sunday Thanksgiving service at Christ Embassy headquarters in Lagos, said Pastor Chris Oyakhilome told him in October 2019 that no amount of intervention from world leaders would prevent him from going to prison.

He said: “I was traveling to Abuja and Pastor (Chris) asked me to drop by for dinner. We have been friends for more than 28 years, but when I was about leaving, we prayed together, and he told me what I didn’t know how to digest.

“He said I should prepare myself because I was going to be in prison for six months. He told me it is something I cannot stop, and no amount of intervention from world leaders can stop it.

He added that Pastor Chris told him to be closer to God because it’s a phase God wanted him to pass through.

“Today, I am very grateful for that experience. Then, I wished the cup could pass by but today I am glad and extremely happy very to God for everything.

According to him, that was not the first time Pastor Chris would prophesy to him but he has always disagreed with him because he doesn’t believe in prophecies.

Kalu also revealed that the Pastor prophesied that President Buhari will become President in 2015 and it came to pass.

“In 2011, he told me I should not contest for the Senate election because my mandate would be stolen and won’t be recovered. I disobeyed him and it went as he said.

“In 2014, he also told me Muhammadu Buhari would win the 2015 election. So I am here to thank God and to thank the Pastor for being the instrument God uses to speak to me,” the former governor added.

Daily Post

Ogun govt takes credit for Anthony Joshua’s victory

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Ogun govt takes credit for Anthony Joshua’s victory

Ogun State Governor, Dr. Dapo Abiodun, has congratulated Nigerian-born British boxer, Anthony Joshua on his victory against Kubrat Pulev on Saturday night.

In a Facebook post on Sunday, the Governor described Anthony Joshua’s win as a justification for the state government’s investment in sports, adding that it has brought pride to the state he hails from.

He said, “AJ’s victory gives us, Ogun State people immeasurable joy, as the IBF, WBA and WBO title holder retained his place at his outing against Kubrat Pulev yesterday.

“So, this is to congratulate, on behalf of the good people of the Gateway State, our very own Anthony Joshua on the world-celebrated victory that has brought us pride and a justification for our investment in sports and youth development.”

Joshua enjoyed another victory on Saturday as he knocked out Bulgarian boxer, Kubrat Pulev, in the ninth round of their world title bout at the SSE Arena, Wembley, to retain his WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight titles.

The fight is Joshua’s first since reclaiming his belts from Andy Ruiz in December 2019 in Saudi Arabia.

This is Pulev’s first defeat in his last eight fights since losing via knockout to Wladimir Klitschko in 2014. The 39-year-old won 28 of his previous 29 with 14 by way of knockout.

Joshua’s victory will be followed by an all-British heavyweight unification bout against Tyson Fury in 2021.

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