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Nigerians must not submit to Tinubu’s slavery – Atiku
The Atiku Campaign Organisation has cautioned Nigerians to be wary of the antics of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, and not submit to his overlordship as he is currently doing in Lagos.
Spokesman of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, Charles Aniagwu, gave the advice at a news conference on Tuesday in Asaba and warned that Nigerians would be subjecting themselves to internal slavery if they allowed Tinubu to become Nigerian president.
He said that Tinubu who already captured Lagos was looking for avenue to extend his control on the other 35 states and FCT and urged Nigerians to avoid repeating the mistake Lagosians made by allowing him control everything that happens in the entire state.
According to him, “as a campaign council we are urging Nigerians not to make the mistake of submitting themselves to internal slavery by the APC whose Presidential candidate had since captured Lagos and what he is looking for is to expand his territorial control beyond Lagos to control the entire country in form of slavery.
“For those of you who may not know, a number of the major projects and programmes in Lagos are controlled by this same individual.
“When you get to Lagos and ask them about BRT you will discover that it is handled by this man’s family. The signages in Lagos which is a very big business is handled by his son, the collection of taxes in Lagos which is the biggest in terms of tax collection is handled by a company that is said to belong to this same man.
“Needn’t I mention other sources of revenue that Lagos should have benefited from and you also know how he handpicks those who will govern Lagos to the extent that Ambode, a man that was doing well was taken out because he disagreed with them on how to share the funds of the people of Lagos.”
He said for such a person to aspire to govern our country, it will be very detrimental to all of us.
“If we don’t want to submit ourselves to slavery, Nigerians must stop Tinubu from crossing Lagos into the other 35 states and the FCT because that will amount to internal slavery for all of us where he alone will determine the next President, and who gets what and not forces of democratic governance.
“As part of that unbridled quest to expand his grip and capture the states, they have cooked up stories because they have seen that Nigerians are convinced that Atiku Abubakar is a man that has what it takes to recover this country and place it on the path of growth and development.
“They have gone to wake up a blackmailer and they call him a whistle blower. Am sure that as journalists you know who a whistle blower is and who a blackmailer is.
“Michael Achimugu was not a staff of Atiku Abubakar, he was a staff of one of the support groups with the daughter, he was not employed to work for Atiku Abubakar.
“If all he does is to record his boss and his friend and you call that whistle blowing, all of you know that is not whistle blowing but blackmail and anybody who is a blackmailer cannot be taken seriously and we are not perturbed because it was not done with the intention to help our country.
Aniagwu, who is Commissioner for Information in Delta, said the campaign council was concerned about the challenges bedevilling the nation and how to solve them and not engage in mundane issues.
“As a campaign council we know what the issues are that our youths are loosing their jobs and more than 133million Nigerians are now suffering from what they call multi-dimensional poverty, our economy is not in the best of shape while our unity is terribly challenged.
“There also the need for our children to have the best of education to curb the ‘Jappa’ syndrome and of course to progress the country from a consumption atmosphere to a much more productive environment.
“Any attempt to raise issues that doesn’t add up so that they can have their way to enslave the rest of us, we are asking Nigerians to be weary of him and ask Lagosians what they are going through in his hands.
“Our forefathers fought the slave masters and colonial masters and chased them away to where they came from so we cannot afford to enthrone internal slave masters who will decide how the country would be governed.
“Our desire is to get our economy working again, unite Nigerians against divisive tendencies, fix infrastructure, address insecurity which has stiffled productivity and weakened our fabrics as a nation.
“In doing so we will amend the constitution give way for state police and other matters. The APC has not given the country any hope in the past let alone renewing it so we cannot afford to allow them enslave the rest of the country,” he said.
The Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Rep. Aliyu Betara (APC-Borno), has congratulated the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, on his emergence as THISDAY/Arise TV Minister of the Year.
Betara, in a congratulatory message issued in Abuja, eulogised the leadership virtue and dedication of the minister to infrastructural development in the territory.
The lawmaker, representing Biu/Bayo/Shani/Kwaya Kusar Federal Constituency of Borno, said that the award was well-deserved.
“On behalf of the House of Representatives Committee on FCT, I wish to extend my warmest congratulations to the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, on your well-deserved recognition as the Minister of the Year by THISDAY/Arise TV.
“This prestigious honour is a testament to your visionary leadership, tireless dedication and exceptional contributions to the infrastructural transformation in the territory.
“Your unwavering commitment to service and your determination to improve the lives of residents and visitors alike to the FCT has been nothing short of exemplary.
“Through your bold initiatives and strategic policies, you have not only enhanced the aesthetics and functionality of Abuja, but have also reaffirmed the FCT’s position as a beacon of progress and modernity in Nigeria,” he said.
Betara said that the recognition was a reflection of the positive impact of Wike’s work and the admiration he had earned across various sectors.
While describing the recognition as an outstanding achievement, the lawmaker prayed that the milestone would serve as an inspiration for greater accomplishments in service, with integrity and purpose.
A Federal Capital Territory High Court on Wednesday, adjourned hearing in the alleged money laundering case against former governor of Kogi, Yahaya Bello until April 3 and April 24.
Justice Maryann Anenih adjourned the case for continuation of hearing after the first witness, Fabian Nworah, a property developer, was called to testify.
The Prosecution Counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, informed the court that he had five witnesses to call for the day.
Justice Anenih said she could only take one witness as she had other matters to attend to.
The court also announced that it would not be sitting on Thursday as previously scheduled.
Counsel for the 1st and 2nd Defendants, Joseph Daudu, SAN, however, informed the court that the prosecution had not made the statements on oath of the 2nd defendant available to the defence team.
He said he was aware that the first defendant had not made any statement.
Daudu also objected to the witness presented by the prosecution, arguing that the defendants had no prior knowledge of the witness and were only seeing him in court for the first time.
Citing authorities, he emphasised that legal proceedings should not be a “hide and seek” game, stating that the prosecution was required to provide the witness’ statements on oath in advance so the defence could adequately prepare for cross-examination.
“The statements of the second defendant have not been served on us to be able to know if we will be able to represent him or not.
“So, it is a serious handicap on us. They need to serve us all the statements made by the defendants.
“I understand the first defendant has not made a statement. Fortunately, we are still within the house keeping stage of the proceeding,” he added.
Corroborating this, counsel for the 3rd Defendant, Abubakar Aliyu, SAN, said, “mine is not a comment but an observation my lord. My application is for the court to order the prosecution to provide us with the statements of the 2nd and 3rd defendants.”
When the judge asked if he had requested for the statements, Aliyu SAN said, he discovered on Tuesday that the said statements were not part of the proof of evidence served on the defendants.
He said: “I am also applying that the court order the prosecution to provide us with copies of recovered digital device and the report or the extract therefrom mentioned on Page 14 of Volume 1 of the proof of evidence and the report of the forensic expert if any.
“I am following the procedure followed in Okoye against the Commissioner of Police, which was adopted by the Supreme Court in Okemini Vs Commissioner of Police.”
The prosecution witness, however, disagreed, saying the defendants were trying to delay speedy trial.
He insisted that the proof of evidence was served on the defendants on Nov. 27, 2024.
“The constitutional provisions, which they rely on, does not imply that the prosecution should provide all the documents which it relies on.
“The law only provides that the prosecution should oblige the defence with all the documents requested for,” Pinheiro argued.
He noted that the issues would be addressed whenever they receive formal applications from the Defendants and urged the court to proceed on the business for the day.
“As it is, we have almost utilised more than an hour on these arguments,” he stated.
The judge asked the defendant’s counsel why he did not raise the issues in December.
Daudu SAN replied that it was because it had to be done after arraignment.
“I have applied and they are not obliging me. It is absolutely necessary for our defence,” counsel for the 3rd defendant said.
The judge, however, declined the application for adjournment and directed the prosecution to proceed with the case.
The prosecution then proceeded to call its first witness, Fabian Nwora, a property developer with EFAB Property Nigeria Limited.
Nwora testified that he was invited to the Economic and Financial Crimes on Feb. 8, 2023, regarding a transaction between Shehu Bello and EFAB Property concerning a property located at No. 1 Ikogosi Street, Maitama.
He stated that he sold the said property to Shehu Bello but observed that the name on the sale agreement was Dr Bello Ohiani, not Shehu Bello.
He said, in 2023, Shehu Bello approached EFAB Property, informing them that the property was under investigation by the EFCC.
He returned all documents related to the purchase and demanded a refund of the N550million that was paid.
Subsequently, he said, EFAB Property was invited by the EFCC to explain what transpired between them and Shehu Bello.
The EFCC instructed the company to refund the entire sum to an EFCC-designated account. EFAB Property complied in two batches of N400 million and N150 million.
The Kebbi Government says it is assessing the condition of the Zuru General Hospital with the aim of upgrading it to a referral centre.
Gov. Nasir Idris stated this when he visited the Emir of Zuru, Alhaji Muhammadu Sani-Sami on Wednesday in Zuru.
Idris visited the emir to thank the people of Fakai, Sakaba, Danko/Wasagu and Zuru Local Government Areas that make up the emirate.
Idris said that upgrading the Zuru General Hospital to a referral centre would ease the difficulties faced by people of the emirate.
The governor said that quality healthcare services remained an utmost priority of his administration.
He said that the Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital, Birnin Kebbi and the State Medical Centre, Kalgo, currently serving as referral health institutions were overstretched.
“The government is committed to reversing the trend by making referral hospitals close, accessible and affordable to the people of the state,” he said.
On the expansion of the Zuru Water Works and construction of urban township roads, Idris promised to reappraise the facilities for necessary action.
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