Headlines
Onoh: Tinubu, best option for South East
A member of the Public Affairs Directorate of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Presidential Campaign Council and spokesman of the council in the southeast, Dr. Josef Onoh has restated that the best option for the people of the southeast in the coming 2023 election would be to vote for the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
Onoh advised the people of the southeast that it will not help the region, becoming emotionally attached to the Labour party; a political party he disclosed has little or no candidates to canvass votes for the party in 20 states of the federation.
He noted that even though the quest for a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction is what every Igbo is passionate about, not necessarily because it will enthrone the best President Nigeria will ever produce, but because the Igbo presume it would give them some sense of belonging in Nigeria.
But he advised that the passion and emotion of the people of the southeast would amount to nothing if they fail to make an informed decision at the moment to support the most prospective presidential candidate whom he said was Bola Tinubu of the APC.
In an interview with newsmen in Enugu, Onoh disclosed that from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) data, the Labour Party has no candidates for the National Assembly elections in prominent states that hold the ace when it comes to actual vote counts in the determination of election victories.
Such states he said include Lagos, Katsina, Kebbi, Borno, Ekiti, Jigawa, Ondo, Yobe, Delta, Bayelsa, Sokoto, Kogi, Niger, Cross River, Zamfara and Bauchi where he disclosed that the Labour Party either has no National Assembly candidate at all or have just one for either Senate or in the House of Representatives.
“What the statistics is saying is that out of 469 federal constituencies in Nigeria, the Labour Party where the people of the southeast have decided to rest most of their faith has no sufficient or even representative at all in these 20 states spread across the northern and southern divides of the country. For instance, The Labour Party has no single candidate for the House of Representatives positions in Borno that has nine seats, Ekiti with six seats, in Katsina that has13 seats, in Kebbi with eight seats, Lagos with 24 seats and Ondo with nine seats. The labour party has nobody to campaign for them in these critical states.
“Now, Ndigbo are people with abundant intellect and cannot be found wanting when it comes to a simple calculation such as in the 2023 presidential election. They don’t need a soothsayer to make the 2023 divination for them and have never been known for taking the risk of putting all their eggs in one basket. In practical terms, the Igbo will find it extremely difficult to actualize their dream in 2023 with the labour party and if that is the case, what option do we have?
READ ALSO: FG sued for N100billion over removal of Ararume as NNPC chairman
“If we are all in an agreement that after President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight years, a southern should succeed him, then we should be looking at the most viable southern presidential candidate, who is not only a southerner but the candidate of a ruling party and he is no other person than Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“The Igbo as good tacticians cannot dwell in lamentations beyond 53 years and that is the reason they have spread their tentacles to ensure that the people are not made exclusive to one man’s ambition, but for the interest of the region whose tradition forbids them from watching from one spot position the masquerade perform in the arena. The Igbo usually move around when a particular position or point of view becomes a subject of scrutiny.
“The Igbo cannot continue with the cry of marginalization in the Buhari government and will not do something strategic that will make them become inclusive in the next eight years of administration. I am of the opinion that what Ndigbo need is to rally around a candidate of southern extraction with the most potential of becoming the next president of Nigeria.
“It’s only Tinubu’s party, the APC, which can boast of the most prominent spread in the entire country with candidates filled for every position being contested for in the 2023 elections, particularly the national Assembly elections that will be contested for on the same day as the presidential election. Even in some cases where the labour party fielded legislative positions, they were based on sympathy and sentiments which are not tools for contesting elections. Those candidates of the labour party are breakaway candidates who for reasons of deficiency were not able to remain in their former political parties,” Onoh said.
He stated that as wise as the Igbo are, they were aware that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is the next President of Nigeria which he said has brought about a mass movement into the Tinubu presidential campaign in the southeast, stressing that an Igbo adage said that one who refused to get on board should not complain that he was left behind by the train.
“On the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the five Governors of the party are about to get the sixth one because of the inability of the party’s presidential candidate to manage the party’s remaining past glory. What it translates to is the stark reality that their presidential candidate would be unable to unify the nation since he cannot hold party members together.
“The five or six Governors have no option than to join hands to deliver Asiwaju because they can’t experiment with the neophyte Labour Party with the little resources at their individual disposals and with which they hope to use and deliver their candidates in their respective states.
“My advice for Ohanaeze Ndigbo is to follow Asiwaju who is the Google map towards the Igbo inclusion in the federal government. They should not make themselves subject of ridicule again but be strategic in their 2023 decision,” Onoh said.
He said that it was sad that notable politicians from the southeast who have benefited much from the APC government were not campaigning for Tinubu except for Senator Chimaroke Nnamani and Governors Hope Uzodinma of Imo state and Dave Umahi of Ebonyi state.
Headlines
Commission, journalists partner to revamp water sector in Kaduna
The Kaduna State Water Services Regulatory Commission (KADWREC) says it is partnering media practitioners towards revamping water services in the state.
Mr Dogara Bashir, the Executive Chairman of KADWREC, disclosed this on Monday at a one-day workshop organised for media practitioners on regulation of ‘Water, Sanitation and Hygiene’ (WASH) activities held in Kaduna.
Bashir said the commission was aware of the importance of the role media practitioners played in the society.
He stated that the workshop was to provide an avenue to liaise with them as important stakeholders on water supply and sanitation services in the state.
Bashir said: “As media practitioners, we believe you are a gateway to the citizens so, the workshop would acquaint you with some of the regulations already in place so that you can in turn transmit it to the public
“The state of water services in Kaduna State is in dire need of attention and the State Water Corporation and KADWREC were established towards addressing the seeming challenges.
“The commission is mandated to ensure better service delivery and regulation of water and sanitation services in the State.
“The idea is that once the regulations are developed, we send them to the State Ministry of Justice to gazette and then we get the state government to endorse and give the go ahead to commence the implementation of the regulations
“We intend to implement them fully come January, 2025 God willing, as we have embarked on advocacy activities having gone to zones 1 and 2 where we talked to traditional rulers, security agencies and the Judiciary.”
He disclosed that a special Court has already been attached to the commission by the Chief Judge of the State for service providers who may likely violate regulations.
The chairman further said that amongst the commission’s objectives include ensuring security, reliability and quality of service in the production and delivery of water to the consumers as well making regulations to control the sinking of boreholes.
Others included; maximising access to water services by promoting and facilitating consumer connections to distribution systems in urban and rural areas.
According to Bashir, they also include ensuring that regulatory decision-making has regards to all the relevant health, safety, environmental and social legislation applying to the water sector.
Bashir further said that the commission collaborate with the relevant state and federal agencies on water policies.
Crime
2 ladies docked for allegedly obtaining money by fraud
The police in Lagos have dragged two women, Mmesuma Ofunna, and Blessing Adimekwe, before an Ojo Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, over alleged obtaining money by false pretence.
Ofunna, 22, and Adimekwe, 25, were arraigned before the Magistrate, Mr L K J Layeni, on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence, stealing and conduct likely to breach peace.
They each, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The prosecutor, ASP Simon Uche, told the court that the defendants conspired with others now at large, to commit the offence on Oct. 26 at the Okokomaiko area of Ojo.
He alleged that they had obtained the sum of N70, 000 from one Faith Ahamefule, with a promise not to post her nude photo on social media.
The prosecutor alleged that the defendants later posted the nude photo of the nominal complainant on social media, knowing that their promise was false.
He alleged that they stole the N70, 0000, thereby conducting themselves in a manner likely to breach public peace.
The offence contravenes the provisions of sections 168(d), 287, 314, and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
The court granted the defendants bails in the sum of N500, 000 each, with two sureties each in like sum.
He adjourned the case until Jan. 8, 2025 for mention.
Headlines
Driver jailed 6 months for attempting to steal a car
A Jos Magistrates’ Court on Monday, sentenced a 37-year-old driver, Ahmad Umar to six months in imprisonment for attempting to steal a car.
The Magistrate, Shawomi Bokkos, summarily tried and sentenced the convict after he pleaded guilty to the charge.
Bokkos in his judgment, ordered the convict to pay an option of N30, 000 fine or spend six months in prison.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp Ibrahim Gokwat, told the court that the case was reported on Oct. 10, at the Area Command Police station through a distress call by one Sydney Peacemorie the complainant.
Gokwat said the complainant parked his Toyota RAV4 in front of Access Bank and went inside to carry out some transactions, only to return to find the convict inside his car.
“The convict unlawfully opened the car and was in the driver’s seat when the complainant raised alarm and he was apprehended, but his accomplice escaped.
“The convict was severely beaten by a mob but was rescued by the police,” said Gokwat.
“The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the Plateau Penal Code Law.
-
Business3 years ago
Facebook, Instagram Temporarily Allow Posts on Ukraine War Calling for Violence Against Invading Russians or Putin’s Death
-
Headlines3 years ago
Nigeria, Other West African Countries Facing Worst Food Crisis in 10 Years, Aid Groups Say
-
Foreign3 years ago
New York Consulate installs machines for 10-year passport
-
Technology3 months ago
Zero Trust Architecture in a Remote World: Securing the New Normal
-
Entertainment2 years ago
Phyna emerges winner of Big Brother Naija Season 7
-
Business7 months ago
Nigeria Customs modernisation project to check extortion of traders
-
Business9 months ago
We generated N30.2 bn revenue in three months – Kano NCS Comptroller
-
Headlines6 months ago
Philippines’ Vice President Sara Duterte resigns from Cabinet