News

Yoruba Elders warn politicians against profiling of Igbo

Published

1 year ago

August 23, 2022

Advocate News Nigeria

• Say moves to discredit Obi on 2023 polls will fail

A group, Conference of Concerned Yoruba Elders (CCYE), has warned politicians against profiling of Igbo, insisting the people are peaceful, hardworking, accommodating and law-abiding.

It said the caution followed intelligence reports suggesting desperate attempts to discredit Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate (LP), Mr. Peter Obi.

In a statement signed by National Coordinator, Prof. Olusegun Ajibola, and National Secretary, Dr. Iyabode Adisa, the group wondered why the misdeed of one Chinasa Michael, alleged to have masterminded burning of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) terminal at Oyingbo, Lagos State, should be basis for judging Igbo.

Arguing that Chinasa could not have carried out the deed alone, the group asked why some politicians championing a campaign of calumny against Igbo have not put pressure on law enforcement agencies to arrest Chinasa’s accomplices.

CCYE said: “We have watched with keen interest subtle attempts to de-market Mr. Peter Obi through the deliberate profiling of Igbo people in some parts of the country.

“On no account should the criminal tendency of a person be used to benchmark millions of others from the same geographical entity, all in a desperate bid to weaken the chances of a candidate in the 2023 presidential election.”

The elders, who clarified that they are non-partisan and non-aligned, said their concern is a fair and peaceful electoral process, as well as election of a new set of leaders, who recognise the enormity of challenges confronting Nigeria and have shown demonstrable capacity to fix the same.

The statement reads in part: “As responsible and enlightened elders of thought in Yoruba land, we are duty-bound to always stand for justice, truth and equity.

“We are constrained to respond to some negative narratives on social and traditional media against the Igbo people and the presidential candidate of Labour Party by some desperate politicians, who are having sleepless nights over his growing popularity across board.

“Even though we are Yoruba elders, we need to speak out in the interest of unity and fair play. The recent media propaganda by agents of a certain presidential candidate and others against Igbo people and Peter Obi, in particular, where they tried to desperately link the criminal attitude of a Lagos deviant, Michael Chinasa, who was recently remanded by a Lagos court over the burning of some BRT buses, is unacceptable, mischievous and calculated to blackmail the Igbo nation.

“It is wickedness of the highest degree to link the action of one single individual, who acted in connivance with others from other tribes in committing the criminal act, to judge the character of Igbo people or paint Igbo as aggressive people who don’t like the progress of Yoruba.

“This is propaganda taken too far, and must be stopped in the interest of unity. There are criminals in all tribes in the world. How come some people are frantically trying to criminalise the Igbo at all cost?

“Who is afraid of Peter Obi? There’s no way Chinasa alone could have burnt 30 BRT buses! Who are his collaborators? Why are the social media handlers of these desperate politicians silent about his other co-accused who are also standing trial or are still at-large for similar offence?

“Why are they silent about the others who where set free over the same offence? It’s our submission that criminality should be separated from tribe, since every tribe and religion have criminals among them.

“These desperate politicians are also going as far as branding anyone supporting Peter Obi as an IPOB (Indigenous People of Biafra) member just to assassinate his character and popularity. Peter Obi is like an idea whose time has come, and no amount of campaign of calumny can change the mind of those that have already made decision to vote him as the next president of Nigeria.”

News

EFCC decries rise in fake dollars circulation, cyber crime in Benue

Published

2 hours ago

September 28, 2023

Advocate News Nigeria

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has decried the sudden rise of fake dollars and cyber crimes in Benue axis.

Its Acting Chairman, Mr Abdulkarim Chukkol, who disclosed this on Thursday in Makurdi, said that the commission had taken measures to address the situation.

The EFCC chairman spoke during a workshop on “Effective Reporting of Economic and Financial Crimes,” organised for 30 journalists of major media organisations in the country.

Chukkol was represented by the Head of Makurdi Zonal Office of EFCC, Mr Friday Ebelo.

He said the primary aim of the commission was to reduce corruption in the country to barest level, and would continue to discharge its duties effectively and professionally.

“Through the commission’s enforcement activities, recoveries running into several billions of naira have been recorded and the country’s anti-money laundering framework strengthened.

“There is now a more robust regulation of the activities of these entities which are vulnerable to money laundering,” he added.

The EFCC chairman warned people against disclosing their bank details to anybody to avoid its being used for illegal financial deals.

“I will like the media to educate family members, friends, politicians and others that they run the risk of going to jail if they allow their companies or banks accounts to be used to launder proceeds of illegal activities.

“Under the Money Laundering Act, 2022 family members and close allies of politicians and public office holders, including top civil servants, are now classified as Politically Exposed Persons.

“The EFCC is determined to ensure that anyone who steals from public treasury and all those who assist them under whatever guise, are brought to justice, and ignorance of the law will not be an excuse,” he said.

Chukkol said that the commission had recorded 3,785 convictions in 2022, the highest since its establishment.

He said that the Makurdi Zonal Office, which was established in 2019, has so far recorded 107 convictions. (NAN)

News

Akwa Ibom tribunal affirms Governor Eno’s victory, dismisses ADC, NNPP’s petitions

Published

2 hours ago

September 28, 2023

Advocate News Nigeria

• Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno

The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Uyo has discarded the petition brought before it by the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Ezekiel Nyaetok, challenging the election of Pastor Umo Eno of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The tribunal had earlier thrown out suit number EPW/AKS/GOV/03/23, brought by the governorship candidate of the NNPP, Senator John James Akpan Udoedehe, challenging the election of the governor.

Among other grounds, Nyaetok of ADC sought the disqualification of Pastor Umo Eno, alleging that he was convicted by a Magistrate Court in Abuja and that having been convicted, all votes accrued to him during the March 18 elections ought to be nullified.

He also challenged other candidates who scored more votes than him, alleging that they were handicapped by litigations and legal bars which hampered their eligibility to participate in the elections.

But delivering judgement on the matter, Justice Adekunle Adeleye chaired the panel and unanimously ruled that the same magistrate court presided by Emeka Iyama, delivered a judgment, nullifying its earlier conviction of Pastor Umo Eno and that once a judgement is nullified, it ceases to exist.

The tribunal also held that Nyaetok’s petition lacked merit as the petitioner was not able to establish one polling unit in which there was noncompliance with the electoral law in the March 18 Governorship elections.

After about one hour and thirty minutes of detailed and considered judgement, the governorship election panel, in a unanimous decision concluded that the petition by Senator John James Akpanudoedehe and his party against Gov Umo Bassey Eno, the PDP, and INEC deserves no less a verdict than a dismissal for lacking in merit.

The governorship election petition by the former senator followed the defective trajectory of two previous cases dismissed by the tribunal two weeks ago, by virtue of the attempt to resurrect the subject matter of certificate forgery leveled against Governor Eno, which was previously buried by the Supreme Court.

Counsel to the PDP had told the tribunal that the petition was “most unambitious”, as the Petitioners neglected and or refused to declare what they really wanted.

Akpanudoedehe of the NNPP had in his arguments claimed that Gov. Umo Eno was a convict by the Wuse Magistrate Court, Abuja, thereby robbing him of the qualification to have contested the March 18, 2023 governorship election.

He prayed the Tribunal to order that the election be cancelled, and a fresh one conducted within 90 days.

He also alleged that the Governor was born in Enugu, even though he declined to show proof of this claim as he neither front-loaded nor relied upon any document to back it.

Surprisingly, of the over 5000 voting units in the state, the NNPP candidate called only 2 witnesses with himself as one of the two.

Under cross-examination, the NNPP gubernatorial candidate admitted, when shown the enrolled order of the Wuse Magistrate Court repudiating its judgement orders, that he lacked knowledge of the existence of the order before his petition.

Counsel to the PDP and Pastor Umo Eno had noted in their submission that the NNPP petition is most unambitious, as the petitioner has not only failed to prove the criminal allegation of forgery but also failed to state what he wants.

The tribunal, presided over by Justice Adekunle Adeleye, ruled that lacking in merit, the petition had to be confined to the trashcan.

Reacting to the judgement, Counsel to the PDP, Barr Emmanuel Enoidem said the judgement was in strong agreement with the point of law.

Enoidem said the petitioners failed to prove that Pastor Umo Eno did not meet the constitutional entry requirements for office of the Governor, adding that most of their claims were pre-election matters which they could not also substantiate.

Education

NDDC Invites Applications for 2023/2024 Foreign Post Graduate Scholarship

Published

2 hours ago

September 28, 2023

Advocate News Nigeria

NDDC

The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has announced the commencement of the application process for its 2023/2024 Foreign Post Graduate (Masters) Scholarship Programme.

This marks a significant stride in the Commission’s unwavering commitment to fostering human resource development and empowerment of the youths in the Niger Delta region.

Aiming to cultivate empowerment and specialization, this initiative is designed to equip the vibrant minds of the region with indispensable skills and training. The goal is to facilitate their meaningful participation in the Federal Government’s local content programme and to enable them to excel in various professional disciplines, enhancing their global competitiveness.

Diverse Opportunities for Study:
The programme offers a broad spectrum of fields, including diverse engineering disciplines like Biomedical, Software, and Marine, and cutting-edge domains such as Artificial Intelligence and Math/Sciences. Opportunities also extend to Health and Social Sciences, with options in Medical Sciences and Law, as well as Environmental and Physical Sciences, including Architecture and Environmental Science.

Eligibility and Application:
Eligibility is reserved for individuals originating from the Niger Delta Region, possessing relevant Bachelor’s Degrees with commendable classifications from recognized institutions. Prospective candidates are invited to submit their applications online through our official website [www.nddc.gov.ng](http://www.nddc.gov.ng), with the application window closing five weeks from the date of this announcement.

Rigorous Selection Process:
Candidates will undergo a comprehensive selection process, including preliminary shortlisting, a computer-based test in Rivers State, and final verification through respective Local Government Areas and Community Development Committees. The scholarship amount will be determined based on the prevailing exchange rate of the Naira.

For detailed information on application procedures, required documentation, and other relevant aspects, applicants are encouraged to visit [www.nddc.gov.ng](http://www.nddc.gov.ng). Further enquiries can be directed to:

Contact:
Director, Education, Health and Social Services, NDDC
Mobile: +234(0)9137806550, +234(0)9049409391
E-mail: foreign.scholarship@nddc.gov.ng

The NDDC remains steadfast in its mission to facilitate the sustainable development of the Niger Delta into a region that is economically prosperous, socially stable, ecologically regenerative, and politically harmonious. We extend our sincere best wishes to all applicants and eagerly anticipate welcoming the scholars who will contribute to shaping a brighter future for the region.

Pius Ughakpoteni
Director, Corporate Affairs
September 28, 2023.