IMO BREAKING NEWS BLOG

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday summoned the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to appear over the purported disqualification of Abubakar Waziri from the Adamawa governorship primary.

In a ruling on an ex-parte application by Waziri, Justice Obiora Egwuatu said it was in the interest of justice for all the parties to appear and respond to the issues in the matter.

Counsel to Waziri, Louis Alozie (SAN) had earlier informed the court that the purported disqualification of Waziri was done in breach of the Electoral Act and the party guidelines after both the Yola South Local Government Area and the Steering Committee cleared him for fulfilling all the requirements to participate in the primary election billed for May 23.

Waziri had sought the court to declare that he is qualified to contest the gubernatorial primary election of the PDP in Adamawa State for the selection of the party’s candidate for the Governorship election in Adamawa State.

Gabon captain and Barcelona striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has retired from international football, a fortnight before the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign begins. The 32-year-old made a total of 68 appearances for the Panthers and scored 29 goals, making him the nation's all-time leading scorer.

The Gabon Football Federation (Fegafoot) said it had received a letter from Aubameyang announcing his decision. "After 13 years of representing my country with pride, I would like to tell you that I am ending my international career," the former Arsenal star wrote. "I would like to thank the Gabonese people and all those who have supported me in the good times as well as the bad ones.

"I will always have great memories like the day I made my debut, or the day I came back from Nigeria with the African Player of the Year award. Sharing it with everyone is an unforgettable moment. "I want to thank my father who made me want to be like him and I hope I made him proud in wearing our colours."

In response, Fegafoot recognised his "immense career" and a player "who knew how to promote, thanks to his professionalism, the image of Gabon around the world".

The Supreme Court has granted Rivers State’s request to join in President Muhammadu Buhari’s suit against Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act.

Hearing in the suit has been fixed for May 26. The Supreme Court fixed the date after joining Rivers State as an interested party.

Justice Muhammad Dattijo adjourned the matter following the concession by Buhari’s lawyer Lateef Fagbemi that the speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly and Attorney General, Rivers State, be joined as parties.

The Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the one-item amendment to the Electoral Act 2022. The bill was transmitted to him by the National Assembly for assent last week so as to avert an imminent political crisis in the country.

The Caucus notes with grave concern that Mr. President’s delay in signing the single amendment to Section 84 (8) to the Electoral Act 2022 has thrown the nation into serious confusion and constitutes a huge threat to our democracy and the smooth conduct of the 2023 general elections.

In a statement by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, the Caucus urged the President that any further delay in signing the amendment to the Electoral Act to give political parties a sense of direction in the conduct of primaries for the election of candidates for the 2023 general elections has the capacity to derail “our entire democratic process and destabilize our dear nation”.

“As representatives of the people, the Minority Caucus urges Mr. President to avert an imminent political crisis that has the capacity of exacerbating the security situation in the country by immediately signing the Amendment to the Electoral Act 2022 and leaving a legacy of a credible electoral process to the nation.

Being one of the most misunderstood individual in the political sphere, the different feedbacks he gets from most people are defined from different angles.

Looking at the level of infrastructural developments recorded during his tenure as Governor of Imo state, it is safe to say that no government has done up to One-tenth of the numerous projects he has embarked on in the state. Creating infrastructure and an enabling environment for growth and progress is one of the key responsibility of any government dedicated to its people.

Infrastructure increases the quality of life of a society, as well as ease of living and creation of jobs.

The first cargo airport in Imo state was constructed by Rochas Okorocha and its quality was adjudged as the best in the country by the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), a service organization statutorily charged with managing all commercial airports in Nigeria and provide service to both passenger and cargo airlines.

Imo state under his tenure had the best state high court (a project embarked by him of course) and that shows the level of importance he places on the Judiciary.

Also, about 30 healthcare facilities were constructed for his people as access to hospitals was made easier.

Also, his donation of an ultra modern office complex to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is indeed a reflection of the harmonious relationship between Okorocha and the workers in his state.

And of course, this list won’t be complete if we do not add his famous educational achievements. Imo state boasts of free primary to university education, all thanks to Rochas and his investments in the educational sector.

Quality education is the passport to knowledge and knowledge in turn is power.

The Imo state ICT facility in Imo is state of the art and he says “We hope to make good use of these provisions and bring education to bear in the development of society.

As we catalogue our achievements and enumerate the great achievements, I’ll like to say, that we do not forget that we are here because of the people, and that we were elected by the people to serve the people, and we are here at their mercy.

“So, the right persons to judge our performance should have been the people. I say so because political power, whether legislature or the executive, is but a trust – a trust that can only be justified when used for the benefit of the common man.

“The question before us this afternoon is, how happy are the people? What are their emotions?” – Rochas Okorocha

The Lagos State Government on Wednesday banned commercial motorcycles, also known as Okada, from operating in six local government areas of the state. 

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu announced the ban during a meeting with police chiefs in the state, saying it is “total and indefinite”. The affected local councils are Ikeja, Surulere, Eto-Osa, Lagos Mainland, Lagos Island, and Apapa, the governor said.

“After a critical review of our restriction on Okada activities in the first six local government areas where we restricted them on February 1, 2020, we have seen that the menace has not abated,” Sanwo-Olu was quoted as saying in a statement issued after the meeting.

“We are now directing a total ban on Okada activities across the highways and bridges within these six local government and their local council development areas, effective from June 1, 2022.”