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I supported Buhari in 2019, Umahi says

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I supported Buhari in 2019, Umahi says

Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, on Monday admitted that he supported President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 general election.

Umahi, who stated this at the foundation laying ceremony of a housing project in his home town- Uburu, said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) should not waste time in accusing him of giving the president 25 percent votes during the election.

“I preached it (support for Buhari) in the entire South-East zone of the country, that the person who supports us is whom we will support,” he said.

“I joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the president’s love for Ebonyi even if for no other reason.

“My eyes are on the ball on what will get to my people.”

The governor said he would submit a proposal for the channelisation work on the housing project and expressed optimism the president would approve the request.

Umahi added: “You know I am his (Buhari) son, so you can be sure that I will get the approval.

“You can say anything you want to say but the president loves me and I love him also.

“I do not know how this love happened, but you should realise that grace is always upon the house of David.”

The governor also disclosed that he has barred all his appointees and supporters from reacting to verbal attacks from the PDP over his decision to join the APC.

“I am the father of the state and should be ashamed that Ebonyi is heading into bitterness and disunity.

“I have decided to forgive all those who wronged me and seek the same from those who may have been hurt in this process which I take responsibility for.

“We should practice the Christianity we profess and this forgiveness has ensured that my blood pressure has dropped to 110/ 20 from 120/ 20,” he stated.

Umahi, however, said the decision to forgive his critics should not be mistaken for weakness.

“The people should know that David is a man of war.

“God has directed that we stop this fight and we have no regrets being pencils in his hands.

“I thank all those who intervened in this matter such as the Catholic Bishop of Abakalki Diocese, the Christian Association of Nigeria, the state Founding Fathers’ Forum and Ohanaze Ndigbo among others,” the governor concluded

Read also: Umahi’s defection has no economic value to Nigerians – Peter Obi

Abia ‘proud’ of Orji’s exploits in NASS — Ikpeazu

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Abia ‘proud’ of Orji’s exploits in NASS — Ikpeazu

 

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has hailed the Senator representing Abia Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Theodore Orji, over the recent report that he is the most productive among former governors at tne National Assembly.

According to a statement in Umuahia by the CommissionerOkezie Ikpeazu emerges deputy Chairman of PDP Govs’ forum, as party harps on cohesion for Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, “The Government of Abia State, led by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, is proud of the strong legislative exploits of the former Governor of the State and Senator representing Abia Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly which has seen him sponsor seven bills including the NCDC Bill, and wish to put on record that such performance can only come from a Senator that is conscious of the reason the people trooped out en masse to vote for him”.

Read also: Ex Atilogwu Udo: Gov Ikpeazu lauds Army, expresses optimism on success

US adds Nigeria on religious freedom blacklist with China, Saudi Arabia

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US adds Nigeria on religious freedom blacklist with China, Saudi Arabia

The United States on Monday added Nigeria to a blacklist on religious freedoms for the first time.

The list also includes countries such as China, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the West African nation, an ally of the US, was among “countries of concern under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.”

“The US is unwavering in its commitment to religious freedom. No country or entity should be allowed to persecute people with impunity because of their beliefs,” Pompeo said in a tweet. “These annual designations show that when religious freedom is attacked, we will act.”

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the West African nation, an ally of the US, was among “countries of concern under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.”

“The US is unwavering in its commitment to religious freedom. No country or entity should be allowed to persecute people with impunity because of their beliefs,” Pompeo said in a tweet. “These annual designations show that when religious freedom is attacked, we will act.”

The US State Department found that eight out of 10 people around the world face restrictions on religious freedom. “Where religious freedom is absent, terrorism and violence fester. Our advocacy for religious communities abroad helps to ensure the protection and prosperity of Americans at home,” the State Department said in a statement.

“Religious freedom is our ‘first freedom,'” Pompeo said on Monday at a dinner gala in Washington. “When we, each of us, can worship freely and openly discuss the eternal questions of the soul, we can understand how we ought to live our lives – both individually and as a society,” he said.

Notably absent from the list was India, where critics of the Hindu nationalist BJP say the religious freedom has seen a sharp decline since Prime Minister Narendra Modi swept to power in 2014.

India has a growing relationship with Washington, and ties have improved under President Donald Trump, who has ignored the issue of declining religious freedom in the South Asian country during his tenure.

Read: Changing service chiefs won’t solve security challenges, says expert

Changing service chiefs won’t solve security challenges, says expert

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Changing service chiefs won’t solve security challenges, says expert

 

A retired professor of Political Science at the University of Ibadan (UI), Osisioma Nwolise, has said that changing the service chiefs in the country 300 times would not change the security situation.

Nwolise, who did research on spiritual security, stated this, yesterday, at the sideline of the activities marking the 70th birthday of the Ekefa Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oloye Lekan Alabi, at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan.

He lamented that the security of the country was going down.

He, therefore, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to assemble those who understood security to help in tackling insecurity in the land.

Nwolise said: “All of us know that the security of the country has gone down. Both at the physical and spiritual levels, the country is very unsafe. We need to sit down co-operatively, collaboratively, and map out strategies to save this country.

“It is beyond the military. We have overstretched the military.

Read also: Insecurity: Buhari to address National Assembly Thursday

“I am not among those who are shouting that the service chiefs should be removed. Removing service chiefs does not solve the problem. What is required is for the President to call those who know about security and get adequate advice on what to do. If you remove the service chiefs and you don’t get the political will to do what is required, nothing would change.

“You can change all the service chiefs 300 times but if the political will to do the right thing is not there, there will be no change. So, the President should call those who know what it takes that will give him correct advice and then let the service chiefs map out their strategies and give them the weapons to fight. Let’s equip the military. The military has done well outside the country. Let’s give them proper equipment and they would do the job.”

Dignitaries at the event included the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III; Chief Bayo Adelabu, Chief (Mrs.) Julie Coker, a businesswoman, Chief Nike Akande, former First Lady of Oyo State, Chief (Mrs.) Mutiat Ladoja; Ambassador Ronke Adefowope and others.

-Guardian

Insecurity: ‘Desperate’ Nigerians turn to religion for safety — Soyinka

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Insecurity: ‘Desperate’ Nigerians turn to religion for safety — Soyinka

Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has lamented the insecurity in the country, saying Nigerians are not only at war but are in a war zone.

Soyinka, who decried the seemingly intractable killings and kidnappings in the country, spoke yesterday in Lagos at the public presentation of his latest novel, Chronicles of the Happiest People on Earth.

The renowned playwright noted that religion has become one of the fastest-growing businesses in Nigeria today.

“I think we are not only at war, we are all in a war zone. There is no question about that because now, the sense of individual, collective, and community safety has virtually become equivalent to a question of survival,” he said.

Soyinka, who also observed that nothing has really changed, said the nation was in a desperate situation.

“Really, the more things seem to change, the more they remain the same. In terms of realistic differences between material existence, day-to-day existence, or even co-existence, I think humanity is more or less the same.

“There is a greater dependency on religion because the nation is desperate. When a nation is desperate, it turns to the supernatural.

“Religion has always been with us. These days, however, you can’t walk one yard without stumbling on religion. Religion is today one of the fastest-growing businesses in the nation,” the Nobel laureate noted.

Read : US adds Nigeria on religious freedom blacklist with China, Saudi Arabia

I will never return as APC chairman – Oshiomhole

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I will never return as APC chairman – Oshiomhole

Former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress Adams Oshiomhole has vowed not to return to the position.

Oshiomhole stated this in a release on Monday dissociating himself from a fresh suit instituted by the party’s former national vice-chairman (south-south), Hilliard Eta, challenging the dissolution of the National Working Committee which Oshiomhole chaired.

Oshiomhole further explained that he personally announced his decision not to contest his removal from office for personal reasons, noting that some of his colleagues in the dissolved NWC did not agree with his move.

“I can only accept responsibility for my own decision. Subsequently, I instructed my lawyers to withdraw the suits challenging my purported suspension from office by the proxies of those bent on removing me as chairman,” he said.

The former Edo governor also stated, “That chapter of my political life is closed. Even if another NEC decision or a court order reverses the dissolution, with utmost humility I will decline to return as APC chairman. I am proud of the accomplishments of the NWC under my leadership and I am grateful to the principled 18 members who worked as a team committed to the cause of the party.”

Scores of Bandits Killed, Camps Destroyed in Air Raids at Kusasu in Kaduna

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Scores of Bandits Killed, Camps Destroyed in Air Raids at Kusasu in Kaduna

The Air Component of Operation THUNDER STRIKE has obliterated another camp and neutralized several armed bandits at the Kusasu Area of Kaduna State.

This according to the Coordinator Defence Media Operations Major General John Enenche was achieved through air strikes executed on Sunday after Human Intelligence reports, including series of aerial surveillance missions which led to the identification of the camp of a bandits’ leader known as Alhaji Labi, an associate of Dogon Gede, a notorious bandits’ leader in Katsina State.

”Accordingly, the Air Component dispatched an appropriate force package of Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jets and helicopter gunships to attack the location.

”Overhead the target area, significant presence of the bandits, along with a large number of rustled cattle, was observed.

”The attack aircraft took turns in engaging the location, delivering devastating hits which destroyed the bandits’ structures, including their logistics storage facilities, which were seen engulfed in flames. Several armed bandits were also killed in the attack.” He said.

Insecurity: Buhari to address National Assembly Thursday

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Insecurity: Buhari to address National Assembly Thursday

President Muhammadu Buhari will address a joint session of the National Assembly on his government’s efforts at addressing the country’s security challenges on Thursday.

The president’s Personal Assistant on Social Media, Lauretta Onochie, disclosed this via Twitter on Monday.

“President @MBuhari will address a joint session of the National Assembly (@nassnigeria) on Thursday, December 10, 2020,” she wrote.

Recall that President Buhari had last week met with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila and other principal officers of the House and agreed to address the lawmakers on the country’s security challenges.

On Sunday, a member of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda, asked members of the lower legislative chamber to commence impeachment proceeding against the president for failing to tackle the country’s security challenges.

He also urged Nigerians to direct their representatives in the green chamber to commence impeachment process against Buhari.

However, the House leadership has distanced itself from the lawmaker’s call for the president’s impeachment.

In a statement issued by its spokesman, Benjamin Kalu, the House described Chinda’s call for Buhari’s impeachment as a “mere opinion of a single member of the green chamber.”

Spectacle’- The Call For Buhari’s Impeachment

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Spectacle’- The Call For Buhari’s Impeachment

Buhari re-appoints Kuru as AMCON MD, picks Hassan for NDIC

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Buhari re-appoints Kuru as AMCON MD, picks Hassan for NDIC

President Muhammadu Buhari has renominated Mr Ahmed Kuru as Managing Director (MD) and Mr Eberechukwu Uneze and Mr Aminu Ismail as Executive Directors of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) for the final term of five years.

According to a statement issued in Abuja on Monday by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President, this was contained in a letter to the President of the Senate seeking confirmation of the nominees by the Upper Chamber in accordance with Section 10(1) of the AMCON Act, 2010.

Similarly, in another letter to the President of the Senate in compliance with Sections 5(4) and 8(3) of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) Act, 2010, President Buhari has asked the Senate to confirm the nominations of Mr Bello Hassan as the Managing Director, and Mr Mustapha Muhammad Ibrahim as Executive Director of the corporation.

The statement informed that two nominees are to succeed Mr Umaru Ibrahim and Prince Aghatise Erediuwa whose second terms end on December 8, 2020, as Managing Director and Executive Director (Operations) respectively.

It added that, Hon. Omolola Abiola Edewor is to continue as Executive Director (Corporate Services) in the NDIC until her second and final term ends on January 24, 2022.

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