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APC not surprised by Moghalu’s resignation – Party

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APC not surprised by Moghalu’s resignation – Party

A founding member and first National Auditor of All Progressives Congress, Dr George Moghalu, has formally resigned his membership of the ruling party.

However, the APC leadership said it was not surprised by Moghalu’s resignation, saying he was believed to have quit the party long ago.

Moghalu’s resignation was contained in a letter addressed to his Uruagu Ward 1 chairman in Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State, a copy of which was made available to The According on Tuesday.

A copy of the letter titled ‘Resignation of membership of the APC’ was also forwarded to his state and local government chairmen.

Although the former Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority did not give a hint on his next destination, he hinged his decision on personal reasons.

The move is coming on the heels of repeated denial after months of speculations that Moghalu was planning to dump the party.

He wrote, “I bring you good wishes of my dear family and to formally notify you of my decision to resign my membership of the APC with effect from today, August 26, 2024.

“Please accept this as my personal decision. It is my utmost desire and expectation that all of us will continue to maintain the cordial relationship that we have built together over the years.

“I wish you and all the members of the party the very best. Please accept, as always, the assurance of my best regards.

Reacting to the development, the APC National Deputy Organising Secretary, Nze  Duru, told our reporter that the letter of resignation was merely a formality.

He said, “Moghalu has long left the party. He only formalised it. He left a long time ago. Any addition (to the party) is always good. But we wish him good luck wherever he departed.

“These are people who benefited immensely from being in the party and now, for reasons best known to him, he decided to leave. We can only wish him luck.”

Moghalu is believed to be nursing the ambition to contest the 2025 Anambra State governorship election.

The Deputy Publicity Secretary of the Anambra State APC, Hilary Ogemdi, said the party did not have the full details of Moghalu’s resignation yet.

Ogemdi said, “We also saw the news of his resignation in the media, but the state chapter of the party is yet to be officially briefed. When the party receives the full details, it will make an official statement on the development.

“But be that as it may, we can only wish him well in his next political destination. Before the latest development, he was also nursing the ambition to contest the 2025 Anambra State governorship election under the APC. His resignation must have been a personal decision and reason, and the party can only respect his wishes and decisions.

“The APC has become a moving train in Anambra that has been repositioned to win the state governorship election in 2025.”

Police arraign lawyer for forgery in Ondo

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Police arraign lawyer for forgery in Ondo

A legal practitioner, Olusegun Agunloye, was on Thursday arraigned before a Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Akure, the state capital, over allegations of forgery.

The lawyer was accused of presenting a fake testamentary instrument also known as the Will of one late Benjamin Ejelonu to the court probate registry in Akure.

The 49-year-old defendant was arraigned before the court by the police on two counts of conspiracy and forgery.

The police prosecutor, Nelson Akintimehin, informed the court that the defendant committed the offence on September 7, 2023, at about 10:30 am, at the probate registry, High Court in Akure

Akintimehin alleged that the defendant conspired with a sister of the deceased, one Aminat Bakare, who is currently facing trial in charge number MAK/372C/2024 in the same court, to forge the Will of the deceased and lodged it at the Probate Registry of the state High Court in Akure with the intent to defraud one Oluwamodupe Ejelonu.

According to the prosecutor, the offence committed contravened Sections 516 and 467(2)(f) of the Criminal Code Law of Ondo State, 2006.

However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to both charges.

The prosecutor asked the court to adjourn the case to enable him to assemble his witnesses and consolidate the two charges before the court.

However, the defence counsel, Kehinde Osadugbe, urged the court to grant his client bail on self-recognisance as a practising lawyer, claiming that the alleged offence was committed in the course of the defendant performing his legal duty as a lawyer.

But the prosecutor argued that the defendant was a flight risk if granted bail and that he had previously abused the administrative bail granted to him at the police station on self-recognisance.

Magistrate Kolawole Aro granted the defendant bail in the sum of N2m with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case until September 2024 for hearing and the consolidation of the cases. The defendant, who could not perfect his bail conditions, was subsequently remanded at the police station.

APC’lI win Edo gov poll– Ganduje

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APC’lI win Edo gov poll– Ganduje

The National Chairman of All Progressives Congress, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, on Thursday expressed optimism that the party will win the September 21 Edo governorship election.

Ganduje spoke while receiving the leadership of the Kano State Correspondents’ Chapel of  the NUJ led by its Chairman, Aminu Garko on Thursday.

He said a political machinery has been put in place to pave the way for a landslide victory of the party’s candidate.

Ganduje said, “I believe our campaign is in high spirits, we are getting ready for that election and we believe we will be able to recover our state.

“This is because it was an APC state but because of internal bubbles, we lost it to PDP but we are sure we will recover that state.

“For Ondo state, it is already an APC state and when the former Governor died, he left a number of problems, but we were able to resolve those issues.

“We conducted primaries, we succeeded in getting the person that they want.”

He said that the party was also getting ready for the election, which comes up in November.

Ganduje said, ”If we win Edo, we will be getting an additional state for the party. It will be 21 states out of 36.

“Next year, there will be Anambra, which has been a state governed by APGA for many years, but we have introduced a new scheme.

“The North, South-East political zones are all claiming that they have been marginalised.

“The South-East geopolitical zone is saying the same thing. But what we are telling them is that marginalisation has been created by them.

“How can you have five states ruled by four political parties? What will be your political bargain?”

He said that the party was working very hard to ensure that it gets more states from the zone, saying, ” We want to start with Anambra.

“Already, we have Ebonyi and Imo. Now we are encroaching into that zone to ensure that we capture most of the states.

“And if we get what we want, we capture all the states,” Ganduje said.

 

(NAN)

Fire guts Lagos govt staff quarters 

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Fire guts Lagos govt staff quarters 

Fire gutted part of a three-storey building at the Lagos State Government Staff Quarters in Odunsanmi Street, off Wempco Road in the Ogba area of the state.

The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Dr Oluwafemi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed this in a statement on Friday.

Oke-Osanyintolu said that LASEMA received distress calls through the 767 and 112 toll-free emergency lines at about 2.39 am.

He said that the agency activated its response team from the Alausa command and control centre.

“Upon immediate response, it was confirmed that one of the two-bedrooms in Flat 5, of Block 21, a two-winged, three-story building of 16 two-bedroom flats, was engulfed.

“Investigation conducted by the agency’s response team revealed that the fire originated from the children’s room as a result of a power surge.

“The prompt and coordinated efforts of the agency, Nigeria Police Force, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, ensured the fire was contained,” Oke-Osanyintolu said.

He said that there was no injury or life lost, however, the fire completely consumed the children’s bedroom, resulting in loss of properties worth millions of naira.

“We also enlightened the occupants on the proper use of electrical appliances,” he said.

NAN

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APC encouraging internal democracy to reduce tension, factionalisation

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APC encouraging internal democracy to reduce tension, factionalisation

The All Progressives Congress National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, has stated that the party is encouraging internal democracy to reduce factionalising in its fold.

Ganduje said the measure was also aimed at reducing tension in the ruling party.

He said this while receiving members of the Correspondents Chapel of Kano State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) led by Chairman Alhaji Aminu Garko in his office in Abuja on Thursday.

“We always encourage internal democracy so that we reduce tension and factionalisation of the Party.

“Though you may have incidences here and there at the same time we have internal democracy.

“There is more understanding and there is more hope, especially when you are facing an election,” he said.

He said there was a need for synergy between party officials and political office holders.

“That is if you are talking about the governors, they have a close relationship between them and the party’s structure in the state level and the same thing at the national level.

“So, we normally invite our officials from the state level and give them some information; educate them on issues like internal democracy,” Ganduje said.

The former governor of Kano State said APC had established a Progressives Institute as an intellectual Wing of the party.

“On the issue of having an intellectual wing for the party, we established what we call the Progressives Institute.

“It is to analyse national issues so that they can get the attention of the government to become an agenda for the government,” he said.

Ganduje observed that political parties in developing countries like Nigeria were only normally active during electioneering campaigns, adding that it should be so.

This, he said, informed the decision of the APC to change the narrative and be active all-year-round.

“When we came in we said we must change the narrative. In our political party, the APC, as an institution, we want to be active throughout the year that is why we directed our offices and chapters at the ward level to ensure that all our offices are renovated so as to be habitable and also become operational.

“That is only possible when they create activities that will be taking place at the party offices right from ward level to the Local Government level up to the state level,” he said.

(NAN)

Gunmen shoot three students dead in Yobe school

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Gunmen shoot three students dead in Yobe school

No fewer than three students of Faudiya School in Geidam Local Government Area of Yobe State have been confirmed dead after an attack by gunmen at the school early Friday.

The school is reported to belong to the Islamic Movement in Nigeria — a Shiia sect.

The gunmen, who haven’t been ascertained whether they are members of the dreaded Boko Haram insurgency group or bandits, rode into the school premises on motorbikes, wielding AK-47 rifles.

When contacted, the state command’s Public Relations Officer, Dungus Abdulkarim, told our correspondent in a telephone interview that the police “received a distress call that some hoodlums came on motorbikes with AK-47 rifles and then entered into the school and shot dead three,” adding that one of the students who got injured had been taken to an undisclosed hospital where he’s receiving treatment.

The state PPRO noted that a teacher who was in the school managed to escape and told the police that there was no sort of confrontation with any member of any armed groups, saying, “It came to him (the teacher) as a surprise.”

Abdulkarim added that an investigation has commenced as the police are working to “unravel who is behind it, the purpose and credible witnesses who might have seen the incident.”

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INEC fixes dates for signing of peace accord, BVAS test-run

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INEC fixes dates for signing of peace accord, BVAS test-run

Ahead of the Edo State governorship election, the Independent National Electoral Commission has announced that the signing of the peace accord will be held on September 12, 2024, in Benin City.

The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who announced this during a meeting with political parties held in Abuja on Thursday, provided crucial updates on preparations for the election.

The agency also said Mock Accreditation exercise will take place on September 10 to test BVAS deployment and result uploads.

The signing of the peace accord organised in collaboration with the National Peace Committee aims to ensure a peaceful and credible electoral process.

“After consultation with the National Peace Committee under the leadership of our respected former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar GCFR, the signing of the Peace Accord for the Edo State governorship election will take place on Thursday, September 12, 2024, in Benin City. Supported by eminent members of the Peace Committee, the occasion will be presided over by the Chairman, General Abdulsalami Abubakar.

“You may notice that unlike the previous peace accords signed a few days before the election, it was decided to do so early this time around to enable the Peace Committee to monitor compliance with the code voluntarily signed by parties, candidates and other critical players in the electoral process such as INEC and the security agencies during the remaining days to the election.

“This will add further weight to the peace accord beyond mere ceremony as demanded by many observers and even some of the political actors themselves,” Yakubu stated.

With just 22 days remaining until the election on September 21, 2024, Yakubu outlined that INEC has successfully completed 10 out of 13 planned activities.

“It is exactly 22 days (3 weeks and 1 day) to the Edo State Governorship election. Campaigns are in full swing and we have already implemented 10 out of the 13 activities listed in our Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election. The most recent activity was the presentation to political parties of the final register of voters containing details of the 2,629,025 registered voters for the election. This was done on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, in our State office in Benin City.

“We are now left with three outstanding activities, namely the publication of Notice of Poll scheduled for Saturday, September 7, 2024, the last day of the campaign by political parties which is Thursday, September 19, 2024, and, finally, the election day which is Saturday, September 21, 2024,” the chairman said.

Key preparations such as installing Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machines and printing triplicate copies of the voters’ register for all 4,519 polling units in Edo State are completed.

Yakubu noted, “In addition to these statutory activities, we have intensified our engagement with stakeholders at State and Local Government levels. Similarly, voter education is ongoing. We have concluded the training of security personnel and we are finalising the delivery of the few remaining non-sensitive materials for the election.

“We are concluding arrangements with the land and maritime transport unions for logistics. The printing of triplicate copies of voters’ registers for each of the 4,519 polling units in Edo State is virtually completed. The installation and configuration of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machines to be deployed on Election Day is completed.

“Observer accreditation tags are being produced. The portal for media accreditation closes next week and so far, 88 media organisations have applied by uploading the details of 698 personnel (journalists, technicians and crew members) to cover the election. We will soon commence the training of various categories of ad-hoc staff.”

Yakubu highlighted a significant achievement: 68.3 per cent of the new Permanent Voters Cards from the recent Continuous Voter Registration have been collected.

He urged further mobilisation to ensure even higher collection rates before the September 8 deadline.

“Early this week, the Commission announced that out of 184,438 Permanent Voters Cards from the recent Continuous Voter Registration, 125,928 PVCs representing 68.3 percent of new cards were collected at Ward level in Edo State in just five days.

“This is the highest rate of collection of PVCs since the introduction of the CVR for off-cycle elections in the Bayelsa and Kogi State governorship elections in 2015. The Commission appreciates the role played by political parties and other stakeholders in mobilising new voters to collect their PVCs. Just yesterday, Wednesday 28th August 2024, the collection of PVCs resumed in our 18 Local Government offices in Edo State.

“This will last until Sunday 8th September 2024. We once again appeal to stakeholders for the same level of mobilisation so that we can achieve an even higher rate of collection,” he stated.

Upcoming activities include a Mock Accreditation exercise on September 10 to test BVAS deployment and result uploads, and the signing of a Peace Accord on September 12, overseen by General Abdulsalami Abubakar. An INEC Stakeholders meeting will precede this on September 11 in Benin City.

“In the coming days, several other activities have been scheduled. On Tuesday September 10, 2024, the Commission will conduct a Mock Accreditation of voters to test-run the deployment of BVAS for the election as well as the upload of results to the INEC Result Viewing portal.

“The signing of the Peace Accord will be preceded by the INEC Stakeholders meeting to be held on Wednesday 11th September 2024 in Benin City. As usual, the meeting will be addressed by the INEC Chairman and the Inspector-General of Police,” he listed.

The INEC Chairman also addressed issues with the new digital platform for submitting polling and collation agents’ details. He stressed that manual submissions are no longer accepted and urged political parties to comply with digital procedures to ensure proper accreditation.

The National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, Yusuf Dantalle, emphasised that political parties must respect the mandate of the people and ensure the sanctity of the ballot box.

“After 25 years of uninterrupted democracy in Nigeria, we must get it right this time,” he said, noting that the Edo election will serve as a litmus test for the Ondo State governorship election on November 16, 2024, and set the tone for future elections.

Dantalle urged political parties to conduct issue-based campaigns, avoid violence, and prioritise national unity and development.

He highlighted IPAC’s role in ensuring a peaceful and credible electoral process, stating that the council will work closely with INEC, security agencies, election observers, and the media to guarantee that every vote counts.

Gunmen set ablaze LG secretariat in Anambra

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Gunmen set ablaze LG secretariat in Anambra

Some gunmen said to be in their large numbers, have attacked the Ogbaru Local Government Secretariat in Anambra State.

It was gathered that the hoodlums, who invaded the LGA secretariat in the early hours of Friday, set buildings, including a town hall meant for traditional rulers and some administrative facilities at the premises ablaze.

This is the second time in two months that gunmen would attack the Ogbaru LGA as a similar attack was carried out on June 15, 2024.

Although there were no casualties recorded at the moment, sources in the area who witnessed the Friday incident, said the hoodlums shot indiscriminately into the air thereby sending panic to residents.

The sources said the attack, however, has sparked renewed concerns about security in Ogbaru, with the locals saying that some days ago, a security man was killed as a result of bullet wounds he sustained from gunmen attack.

One of the sources in the area said, “Gunmen numbering about 30 who emerged from the bush at about 5 am, chanted songs as they stormed the local government secretariat, shooting into the air.

“They trekked from their hideouts and got to Atani Magistrate Court located near the council and started setting some buildings within the council ablaze, including the main secretariat and traditional rulers’ buildings.

“The hoodlums were about to set some other buildings ablaze before the arrival of security operatives who opened fire against them. The arrival of the police officers made them flee back into the bushes.

“Sincerely speaking a lot is happening and the security situation in the area is getting worse and nobody cares to speak up because of fear. Just yesterday a security man known as CY died as a result of the bullet wound he sustained during a gun battle with the gunmen at the Amiyi community on 27-8-2024.

“On August 5, two young men were shot dead by the hoodlums and five days ago, a retired policeman was beaten to death by the same criminal gang.”

When contacted, the Anambra state police spokesman, Superintendent of Police, Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident, adding that a joint security operation is still going on in the area.

Ikenga said, “The Commissioner of Police, Anambra state Police Command, Commissioner of Police, Nnaghe Itam, has condemned the morning attack at the Ogbaru Local Government Headquarters Secretariat by the gunmen.

“The security operatives gallantly resisted the attack of the gunmen on Ogbaru LGA in the early hours of today, August 30. Some LGA properties were destroyed, and some buildings were also affected, but no life was lost.

“The hoodlums fled the scene due to the superior firepower of security operatives. At the moment, the joint security operation is still ongoing. Further development shall be communicated, please.”

Recalled that on June 15, 2024, some yet-to-be-identified assailants, arriving in large numbers on motorcycles, had also attacked the same Ogbaru LG, after shooting indiscriminately.

The attack, which destroyed four patrol vehicles belonging to the vigilantes, was described as an act of cowardice by the police.

Obaseki not funding my campaign, says Akpata

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Obaseki not funding my campaign, says Akpata

The governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Edo state, Olumide Akpata, has denied being sponsored by the State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, as speculated ahead of the September 21 election.

The immediate past president of the Nigerian Bar Association made the rebuttal when he was featured as a guest on Thursday’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today.

Akpata said that despite being his kinsman, he could not be a Plan B to Obaseki’s government, which has been scored low by the Edo people for performing woefully in office.

The LP governorship candidate also cleared the air when asked to tell Nigerians where he got his campaign funding.

He said, “Who is funding me? I don’t want to appear to be ducking any questions. I am finding myself, and I have friends. You know the popular saying that your net worth is your network. I have friends who believe in me and in this cause. I have people from Edo State who believe we can do much better. Firstly, I am really flattered by the fact that there is so much attention focused on me. That means I am doing something very good and right.

“As I said on another channel, Na tree wey get stone dem dey stone. Nobody will come up to you if you have nothing to offer. With them working with me, we have been able to get the kind of funding that we require. Which general goes to war without first counting the costs? So we have taken into consideration all that is required for this race and I assure you, we are going to win.

“Those who are hoping and praying we run out of steam have something else coming for them. Initially, I was set to be the agent of Governor Obaseki. We were able to debunk that. Today, I am said to be sponsored by the APC. The conspiracy theorising, as it is termed, is so stupid. But we will push back on that.”

Akpata refused to back down when asked if he was truly an agent of Obaseki or the ruling All Progressives Congress.

The lawyer insisted that with the harsh treatment meted out to him by officials of the governor and the vandalisation of his campaign materials, he can’t afford to be seen mingling with their camp.

“That was what they were saying when I became the candidate of the Labour Party. We have told them clearly that there is a gulf between myself and Governor Obaseki. It is like night and day. I cannot be associated with a government whose performance has been underwhelming.

“You know I have been attacked and my billboards pulled down. Everybody knows that I am not his choice. I am not even his Plan Z. We have local government officials and the PDP going after my billboards. But we have warned them and they have desisted,” he lamented

Ghana-based Nigerian accuses Bayelsa policemen of N3m extortion

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Ghana-based Nigerian accuses Bayelsa policemen of N3m extortion

A Ghana-based Nigerian, Liberty Isaac, has urged the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to fish out some policemen who allegedly extorted N3m from him at gunpoint on Monday.

Isaac, who hails from Nguru Nworie autonomous community in Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State, made the appeal while speaking with journalists in Owerri, the state capital on Friday.

He said the policemen accosted him and two of his friends on Monday at Udi axis in Bayelsa State and forced him at gunpoint to transfer N3m to them after manhandling him and threatening to shoot him.

Disclosing that he was in the country to attend a friend’s traditional marriage ceremony in Bayelsa State, Isaac stated that the policemen forced him to unlock his phone and on seeing a credit bank alert of N10m, they started beating him and threatened to kill him if he failed to transfer N6m to them.

He said, “I’m based in Ghana. I have not been to Nigeria for six years now. I came to Nigeria to attend a friend’s traditional wedding in Bayelsa State.

“After attending the traditional wedding, we were driving back to Imo State and around Udi axis, some policemen flagged us down. We stopped and they asked me to unlock my phone. I asked them why and they said I must open my phone. I reminded them that the Inspector General of Police asked Nigerians not to allow policemen on the road to access their phones. Immediately I said that, they started beating me.

He continued, “They handcuffed me and drove us away and continued beating me. They threatened to kill me if I refused to open it. I asked them to take me to a police station, but they refused.”

Isaac added that immediately they accessed his phone, they went to his messages log and saw a N10 million bank alert.

He continued, “Immediately they saw the alert, they shouted ‘na dem.’

“At that point, the beating increased. They said that if I didn’t give them N6m, they would kill all of us. Out of fear, I started negotiating with them and at end of the day, I transferred N3m to them in two bank accounts they provided and drove with us and stopped us at Ahoda in Rivers State and drove back.

“I have printed my account statements from my banks and these are the account details they provided to which I transferred the money.”

Isaac said he had consulted a lawyer who had written to the Police Public Relations Officer in Bayelsa State.

“All I need is my money to be returned to me and for the Inspector General of Police to fish out the policemen who are giving the Nigeria Police Force a bad image. I believe with these account details they can be fished out.

“I want justice. I want my money returned to me because it is for my project. I want justice. Let the policemen who did this to me be identified so that other Nigerians won’t become their victims.

“I don’t know if it is a crime for somebody to come back to his country. I don’t do any illicit business. I am a law-abiding citizen of this country. I want justice. Let the Inspector General of Police fish them out because they said they are from the IG Squad,” he added.

When contacted, the Bayelsa State PPRO, Musa Muhammed, said that he was unaware of the development.

He said, “I am not aware and I am yet to receive any petition to that effect. You can tell the victim to come and see me, so that we know what to do about his case.”

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