IMO BREAKING NEWS BLOG

A former Governor of Taraba State, Mr. Danbaba Suntai, is dead. The former Governor, whose helicopter crashed, died in the United States of America.

Suntai had remained unconscious since the crash of the helicopter on October 25, 2012, in Adamawa State. A former Commissioner of Information in the state, Mr. Emmanuel Bello, confirmed the death of the former Governor in an interview with our correspondent in Abuja on Wednesday.

Bello, who served in the regime of Suntai, said the “former Governor died in the United States.”

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami; the police, the Department of State Service, and others, on Wednesday, conceded that Peace Corps of Nigeria was a legally registered organisation but alleged that the group was engaging in criminal activities. They said this before a Federal High Court in Abuja while opposing a fundamental human rights enforcement suit filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the Peace Corps of Nigeria, its National Commandant, Dickson Akoh, and 48 members of the group. Meanwhile, Peace Corps and Akoh are currently being prosecuted by the Office of the AGF on fraud charges before another judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Justice John Tsoho.

Justice Gabriel Kolawole, after hearing all parties to the rights enforcement suit on Wednesday, fixed noon of July 6 for judgment. The plaintiffs are through their suit seeking N2bn as compensation for the embarrassment allegedly caused the Peace Corps of Nigeria and its incorporated trustees “by the arrest and detention of its personnel carried out in a commando style by the security operatives” in March this year. The defendants to the suit are the Nigeria Police, the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris; the AGF, the National Security Adviser, Babagaba Monguno, Department of State Service and its Director-General, Mr.Lawal Daura arguing, the plaintiffs’ case on Wednesday, their lawyer, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), alleged that while the matter filed on March 8, 2017 was pending before the court, the police and the IGP took over the premises of the group.

Urging the court to grant all the 14 prayers of his clients, Agabi said the main question which the court had to determine was whether Peace Corps of Nigeria was a legitimate organisation.

A helicopter has attacked Venezuela's Supreme Court in what President Nicolás Maduro called a "terrorist" incident. Four grenades were dropped on the court and 15 shots fired at the interior ministry on Tuesday, officials said.

Rogue policeman Oscar Pérez said he had piloted the stolen helicopter to attack what he called a "criminal government". His whereabouts are unknown. Venezuela is in the midst of a political and economic crisis that has sparked mass protests.

Many of those opposed to Mr Maduro see the Supreme Court as one of his main supporters.

Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), on Tuesday faulted the claim that a Federal High Court in Abuja had, last year, affirmed the power of the National Assembly to increase budgetary estimates submitted to it by the President. Falana was the plaintiff in the suit in which Justice Gabriel Kolawole delivered the judgment cited by those who believed that the power of the National Assembly to alter the executive’s budgetary estimates had been recognised by the court. But the senior lawyer said in a statement on Tuesday, “In the entire 22-page judgment, the learned trial judge never said that the National Assembly has the power to increase any budget proposal submitted to it by the President.

“On the contrary, the Federal High Court made it categorically clear that the National Assembly lacks the legislative powers to prepare ‘budget estimates’ for the President or ‘disregard the budget proposals laid before it and substitute it with its own estimates’.” He said despite dismissing the suit on the grounds that he, the plaintiff, lacked the locus standi to institute it, the court concurred with the submissions he canvassed in the suit. He also said he had initiated an appeal to challenge the dismissal of the suit. He said, “Even though I have taken the legal battle over the dismissal of the case to the Court of Appeal, I wish to state, without any fear of contradiction, that the learned trial judge concurred with my submission that the Constitution has not vested the National Assembly with powers to increase the budget.”

Although Falana said Justice Kolawole stated in the judgment that the National Assembly was not expected to be a ‘rubber stamp parliament,’ the senior lawyer alleged that the statement of the judge was twisted to give a “misleading” impression that the power of the National Assembly to increase budgetary estimates had been recognised by court.

The CEO of MOF Group who is also a Singer, Recording and Performing Artiste, Writer, Blogger, OAP, TV Host, Entrepreneur and budding Showbiz principality, Unabunwa Samuel Chizoba Wesley popularly called Sauw Blaze was yesterday elected the President of the Indigenous People of Ogwa.

Ogwa which is one of the Biggest Clans in Owerri, the largest political Constituency in Nigeria yesterday gave Sauw Blaze their vote to pilot the affairs of IPOA alongside other Elected Executives.

Reacting to his election, Sauw Blaze  thanked the Board of Trustees' Chairman, Mr Patterson Onuegbu (South Africa) and other members of the BoT, the Immediate past President Barr Ikenna Kingsley, Patrons of the the Movement and the General Assembly of the Indigenous People of Ogwa for finding him and other elected officials worthy to lead one of the largest Movements in Mbaitoli, Imo State and Nigeria at large.

IPOA is saddled with the responsibility of advocating for the welfare, wellbeing and self actualization of every Ogwa indigene.

In his Manifesto, Sauw Blaze enthused thus:

"No Sacrifice is too big to make for the betterment of our Mother land. The Land of Our Nativity is at this point in need of men; men who shall work assiduously with like minds in tangential synergy to create a dream community. A community where education is not only free but the quality is at par with global standard and the environment is suitable for learning. I envision Ogwa where crime is alien given to the strategic engagement of the unoccupied youths, a town where talents are harnessed for the pride of the people and a place where prosperity is the trademark.

By the grace of God, IPOA, amongst other group, has been saddled with the responsibility to realise some of these yearnings highlighted in my introductory declaration. This body had already began different projects like " One Child, One Book" Campaign among others to actualize IPOA mandates. May I at this juncture commend the out-going Executive team of IPOA led by  Barr Ikenna Kingsley for the feats achieved. I would love to note that because of the preponderance of democracy, there will always come a time when there must be a transition of Government, not necessarily because the incumbent has not done well but to give room for others to take part in the leadership of the association as provided in the constitution.

Having been around for some years now and working with the out-going Executive in the Capacity of the DOS, it is my desire to see IPOA sustained in growth, relevance and impact. I have given it a broad thought and have decided to offer myself to serve IPOA in the office of the President.

I come with just one agenda which is *A better Ogwa*
As simple as the  agenda looks, it is a summary of our vision and mission which we shall work together to actualize.

To better Ogwa we have to encourage and advocate for  QUALITY *EDUCATION, SECURITY, OPPORTUNITIES, BASIC SOCIAL AMENITIES, UNITY, INCREASED INVOLVEMENT IN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE STATE AND MEANINGFUL APPOINTMENTS* amongst others. This is to say that the emphasis, when I am duly elected as the President shall be those highlighted and you can agree with me that there shall be tremendous change if the highlighted are achieved.

But I can not achieve those without your support so I hereby, with all humility, request for your support as I vie for the office of the President and for my tenure if elected as the President of the *Indigenous People of Ogwa Association*

Thanks for your anticipated support even as I look forward to working with all of us for the betterment of our Mother land. .

I remain my humble self
Unabunwa Samuel Chizoba Wesley"

Sauw Blaze Pledged to give his best to the land of his Nativity but what people are still wondering about is how he's intends to run Entertainment and Showbiz with Politics and Leadership of his clan.

--Sacked Rivers State Commissioners React

Sacked Commissioners in Rivers State said that their sack was because they told the Governor, Barr Nyesom Wike, the obvious truth.

"We were like rubber stamp Commissioners just like the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly. We don't talk in Executive Council meetings. Only the Governor does the talking. The Governor starts the meetings with intimidating talks and ends the meetings with even more intimidating and threat-filled talks.

"We had an Executive Council meeting, there and then we told the Governor to treat us as people that are also part of the government. One of us stood up to tell the Governor boldly that he, the Governor and only him alone is the one making all the money while the Commissioners cannot pay their children's school fees, hospital bills and other bills. He went on to ask the Governor to explain to them what he did with the over N150 billion loan he took from banks in addition to statutory allocations from FAAC running into billons. He also asked the Governor to explain to them what he used the recently released Paris Club Refund of about N35 billion for. At this point the Governor got so livid and went straight to the bold Commissioner. His ADC intervened. That intervention would put to an end a free-for-all in the Council Chambers and the Governor said, 'I have the power to hire and fire and I will activate it here and now, Simeon, announce their sack immediately, enough of this nonsense'."

---Sacked Commissioner Who Pleads Anonymity Reacts To Their Sack.