IMO BREAKING NEWS BLOG

A group within the Peoples Democratic Party operating under the aegis of PDP ACTION 2023, has declared that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu's presidency would simply amount to third term for President Muhammadu Buhari. The group, in a statement by its Chairman, Hon. (Dr) Rufus Omeire, categorically declared that APC represents an existential threat to Nigeria in all critical areas of the nation. The group pointed out that the APC presidential ticket for the next year's general elections is an attempt to give President Buhari a third term in office.

The PDP Action 2023 expressed surprise at the recent efforts by a former APC National Chairman and ex-Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomole, to distance Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the APC presidential candidate, from the government of the incumbent General Muhammadu Buhari, saying "this is most disingenuous for many reasons". According to the group, "The APC Presidential ticket for 2023 general elections is an attempt to give President Muhammadu Buhari a third term in office.

"Recently, a former APC Chairman and ex-Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomole, sought to distance Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, the APC Presidential candidate, from the disastrous government of the incumbent President, General Muhammadu Buhari. "This is most disingenuous for many reasons. "In the first place, by the provisions of the Constitution of Nigeria, it is a political party that sponsors a candidate for Presidential election. "In this case, Tinubu is being sponsored by the ruling APC.

Secondly, for practical reasons, it is the name of the political party that will be on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)'s ballot paper during elections and so, APC will be on the ballot, not even Tinubu. "Thirdly, Tinubu is the acknowledged and recognized National Leader of the APC, a position he shares with President Buhari. Indeed, by Tinubu's own admission, he was largely instrumental in foisting President Buhari on Nigeria. "He has given crucial support to the APC government of President Buhari and repeatedly publicly praised the policies and direction of the APC government. He is the philosopher king of APC's misrule in Nigeria.

"Fourthly, during the APC primaries, he was massively endorsed by the party to continue from where Buhari will stop. The word in the APC is continuity. "The fulcrum of the APC campaign has been a firm promise to replicate the sterling performance of the APC government of Buhari, if Tinubu happens to win in 2023. "Make no mistake about it, a Tinubu presidency would be just another term for Buhari. Note that Tinubu and Buhari have the same divisive streak, the same arrogance and contempt for peoples' views and feelings. 

"Tinubu is even a worse version, as Buhari at least, resisted the divisive Muslim - Muslim ticket in 2015. "Notwithstanding, they subscribe to the same policies and programmes. Tinubu is Buhari and Buhari is Tinubu", the group argued".

The FA will investigate Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel following Sunday's post-match comments about referee Anthony Taylor. Tuchel was angry after Harry Kane's equaliser six minutes into stoppage time earned Tottenham a dramatic 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge. 

The German suggested that Taylor should not referee Chelsea matches in future. "I can assure you that the whole dressing room of us, every person thinks that," he said. The Blues were furious that Taylor failed to penalise Rodrigo Bentancur for a challenge on fellow midfielder Kai Havertz in the build-up to Spurs' first equaliser. 

The resulting melee led to face-to-face fury between the two managers which ended with Tuchel and his opposite number Antonio Conte receiving yellow cards. But with tempers still running high, both men got involved in another spat at full-time and were sent off. However, the red cards do not trigger an automatic suspension, meaning both are almost certain to be in the dug-out for next weekend's games.

The FA will review the video footage of the incident and look at the referee's match report before deciding on any charges. There is also a right to reply for both managers before it finally goes to a commission.

Deputy President William Ruto has won Kenya's presidential election, the electoral commission chairman has said, amid dramatic scenes.

He narrowly beat his rival, Raila Odinga, taking 50.4% of the vote.

The announcement was delayed amid scuffles and allegations of vote-rigging by Mr Odinga's campaign.

Four of the seven members of the electoral commission refused to endorse the announcement, saying the results were "opaque". "We cannot take ownership of the result that is going to be announced because of the opaque nature of this last phase of the general election," said Juliana Cherera, the vice-chairperson of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

"We are going to give a comprehensive statement... and again we urge Kenyans to keep calm. There is an open door that people can go to court and the rule of law will prevail," she said.

The Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, has said the Federal Government is on course to implement a new tariff hike on data and calls. According to her, this will start with the implementation of a percent excise duty tax on all voice calls, SMS, and data services.

This is “in addition to the existing 7.5 percent Value Added Tax (VAT), paid for goods and services across all sectors of the economy,” a statement from the minister’s Special Adviser, Media & Communications, Yunusa Tanko Abdullahi, added.

“The government made the disclosure on five percent excise duty during a stakeholders’ meeting, organised by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the telecoms industry regulator.

“At that meeting, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, Honourable Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, who was represented by the Assistant Director, Tax Policy, Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Musa Umar, noted: ‘The five percent excise duty has been in the Finance Act 2020, but has never been implemented. Henceforth, the five percent excise duty will be collected by telecom operators and payment made to the federal government on a monthly basis, on or before 21st of every month,’” the statement read further.

The Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State, Chris Finebone has dumped the party for the Peoples Democratic Party. The pictures of Mr. Finebone standing in a group photograph with Governor Wike, and others surfaced on social media on Thursday evening.

Others in the picture are the PDP Governorship Candidate in Rivers State, Siminialayi Fubara and the pioneer Chairman of the APC, Davies Okanya-Ibiamu who had since joined the PDP. Mr. Chris Finebone confirmed on Friday morning that he joined the PDP to support the PDP Governorship Candidate who is his kinsman from Opobo.

Mr. Finebone, who has been the State Publicity Secretary of the APC since its inception in Rivers State, is known for his vocal, strongly-worded and critical press statements against the PDP, the administration of Governor Nyesom Wike and other individuals and groups that seem to be working against the interest of his former principal, the immediate past Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi.

His latest piece was the text of a press conference he released on June 20 to react to the exit of Senator Magnus Abe from the APC as a “successful excision of a debilitating cancer from the body”.

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has denied filing a suit against the Peoples Democratic Party, its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal.

Speaking at the commissioning of House of Assembly Quarters in Port Harcourt, Wike said he was focused on delivering the dividends of democracy to the people of Rivers State. “People have called me that I went to court against Atiku Abubakar,” he said. “I want to state categorically that I didn’t go to court. I just want to say it for Nigerians to know. I have kept quiet. I am busy with delivering the dividends of democracy.

“If they lose election, nobody should call my name. I have told the candidate. “If I wanted to go to court, I would have gone to court within two weeks. “It is the candidate’s group that are doing all these things. Let the world hear. They are the ones plotting all these things, thinking they will spoil my name.

“We are supposed to be talking about winning election.”