IMO BREAKING NEWS BLOG

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday said his administration will continue to defend the interest of law-abiding Nigerians abroad. He stated this during a meeting with Nigerians living in Spain on the sidelines of his official visit, pledging that Nigeria will continue to defend the interests of its nationals living abroad.

“Some of you are engaged in other businesses that have enhanced your socio-economic status, both here and at home. More importantly, through your commitment to your various callings, you have enhanced the name and image of our country, thereby, earning Nigeria respect in Spain,” Buhari was quoted as saying in a statement issued by his media aide, Femi Adesina.

“Many of you are here for different reasons, some for a fulfilling career in sports, especially in football from where you earn respectable incomes to sustain yourselves as well as maintain your extended families in Nigeria including investments back home.

“I have also been informed of how law-abiding you are here in Spain. I wish to encourage you to continue to be role models for our youth back home as well as sustain the image of being excellent Ambassadors of Nigeria in Spain and live peacefully in the various communities in which you reside here.”

The Diaspora team, which met with the President included John Bosco, President of the association, his deputy, Richard Omoregbe; Super Eagles player who plies his trade with Leganes FC, Madrid, Kenneth Omeruo; Obinna Okafor, a football agent, Mohammed Bashir; a student of Aviation, Segun Adedoyin, studying Global Affairs, and Bright Omorodion, a businessman. 

The suspended Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, has been released on bail by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the development. The EFCC had arrested Idris on May 16 over an N80 billion fraud.

He was arrested after failing to honour the commission’s invitations to respond to issues connected to the fraudulent act, the EFCC said. After his arrest, the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, suspended Idris.

The suspension was contained in a letter by the minister dated May 18, in which she said the move was necessitated by the need to “allow for proper and unhindered investigation into the serious allegations in line with Public Service Rules 030406”. 

The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has revealed plans to reconstitute the State Executive Council. The governor had on May 24 announced the dissolution of the council through his Special Assistant, Mr Kelvin Ebiri, with immediate effect.

However, his (Wike) decision to reconstitute the council followed his Communication to the State Assembly for the screening and confirmation of three Commissioner nominees. The Speaker of the Assembly, Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani on Friday read Governor Wike’s letter during plenary.

The nominees include two former Commissioners on the immediate past cabinet and one former Special Adviser to Governor Wike. They are former Commissioners Professor Zaccheaus Adangor (SAN), who was the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, and Mr Isaac Kamalu, who was the Commissioner for Finance.

The other nominee is Dr Alabo George-Kelly, who was Governor Wike’s Adviser on Special Project.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has launched the regulations and guidelines for the conduct of general elections in the country. INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, announced this on Friday during a meet of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

“With the coming into force of the Electoral Act 2022, it has become necessary to review the commission’s regulations and guidelines to govern the conduct of elections,” he said. “The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act 2022 and the regulations and guidelines constitute the electoral legal framework.

“On several occasions, the commission has assured Nigerians that we are finalising the regulations and guidelines for the elections. I am glad to announce that the document is ready and will be presented to Nigerians shortly. The soft copy will be uploaded to our website with the link shared on our social media platforms.”

According to the INEC chief, the electoral umpire has virtually concluded the planning processes for the 2023 polls nine months ahead of the elections, with the release of the regulations and guidelines and earlier publication of the Strategic Plan (SP) 2022-2026 and Election Project Plan 2023.

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinu­bu, a presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Pro­gressives Congress (APC), said on Thursday that he was instrumental to the electoral victory of President Muham­madu Buhari in 2015 general election.

He also confirmed that he nominated Prof. Yemi Osin­bajo as Buhari’s running mate.

While saying it is his turn to become the next president, Tinubu said he agreed with Buhari not to joke with the Yorubas.

He further revealed that the presidency has been his ambition since his days in Action Congress, Action Congress of Nigeria and the APC, adding that he nomi­nated Osinbajo to be the vice president after a campaign of calumny was allegedly launched against him by the former Senate President, Bu­kola Saraki.

The former governor also said when he was asked to submit three names for run­ning mate, he pencilled down Yemi Kadoso, Wale Edun and Yemi Osinbajo.

He added that he later set­tled for Osinbajo as running mate.

“It is my time, I’m educat­ed, I’m experienced. I have been serving you for a long time, bring me the presidency, it is my turn.

“When Atiku was be­ing flogged out of PDP by Obasanjo, he ran to me for help, I let the ticket for him. Nuhu Ribadu came to me and I backed him.

“If not for me that stood be­hind Buhari he wouldn’t have become the president. He tried the first time, he failed, the second time, he failed, the third time, he failed, he even wept on a national television and vowed never to contest again but I went to meet him in Kaduna and told him he will run again, I will stand by you and you will win, but you must not joke with Yorubas and he agreed.

“Since he became the pres­ident, I have never got minis­terial slots, I didn’t collect any contract, I have never begged for anything from him, it is the turn of Yoruba, it is my turn.

“Since the time we start­ed with the Action Congress (AC), Action Congress of Ni­geria (ACN) and now the All Progressives Congress (APC), I wanted to contest for presi­dent that time.

“This is me telling you between my life and God Al­mighty, Buhari called me to be his vice president. He said be­cause the first time he contest­ed, he picked Okadigbo, flam­boyant, Catholic, but Nigerians didn’t vote for him. The second time, he picked another Igbo, Umezuruike, Nigerians didn’t vote for him, that if he goes to bring the Pope to run as his vice, Nigerians won’t vote for him, but you Bola Tinubu, you have six governors, you have never lost an election before, come and be my vice.

“He knew all the calcula­tions then favoured us, that is why he wanted me as his vice, but I told him to let us build the party first.

“And when we finished building the party, after we brought in people from the PDP, Saraki now saw those from the PDP will not get anything if Buhari, a Muslim, becomes the president and me, also a Muslim becomes his vice, he won’t get the Senate President and the Senate President can­not also be a Muslim, that was how they started the campaign of calumny against me.

“And I told them that I have a candidate that is a Christian that I can nominate so that the party will not break, that was how I nominated Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. I surrendered my right to him (Osinbajo).”

He also took a swipe at Gov­ernor Dapo Abiodun, saying he wouldn’t have become a governor without his support.

“It has been over 25 years now that I have been serving them. This one sitting behind me, Dapo, can he say he can be the governor without me?

“We were together at the MKO Abiola Stadium, he was intimated, they didn’t want to give the party’s flag, I was the one that handed the flag to him. He knows that he cannot be the governor without the help of God and my support.”

The Prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, His Eminence, Samuel Kanu-Uche, who was abducted by hoodlums in Abia State, has said N100m was paid by the Church to secure his freedom.

The cleric, who spoke during a press briefing in Lagos on Tuesday, said the kidnappers showed him decomposing bodies of some past victims.

Kanu-Uche was abducted on Sunday along the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway in the Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State.

He was taken together with his chaplain, Very Rev. Abidemi Shittu, and the Bishop of Owerri, Rt. Rev. Dennis Mark.

The prelate said his team was going to the airport when they were attacked.

He said, “In order to catch up with my flight at 4pm, we took off by 2pm to go to the airport, oblivious of the fact that kidnappers were waiting on the road.

“As we were descending to Ileru in Abia State, they came out from the bush and divided themselves into three groups.

“Some were at the back, some at the centre. Then there was another group in front to make sure we did not run away. They fired shots at our vehicle and eventually abducted three of us. The communication man of the church and the driver escaped.

“They took us into the bush and tortured us. In the process of the torture, I hit my right eye on a tree and even when blood was flowing and was soaking my handkerchief, they did not feel like anything happened. All they said was that we should follow them.”

He noted that the eight-man gang was made up of “Fulani boys,” who claimed to be against the government.

The cleric said only one of the hoodlums understood English, while others spoke Fulfulde.

 “They even said that if they get Buhari, they will chew him to pieces because he had disappointed them.

“We were taken into the bush and we trekked up to 15 kilometres. Eventually at 11pm, they said we should negotiate and each of us should pay N50m, making N150m,” he added.

He said when he tried to reduce the ransom, the gang threatened to shoot him, adding that their leader was about 35 years old.

Kanu-Uche said the men later pegged the ransom at N100m.

The cleric said he reached out to leaders of the church and his wife to raise the money by all means.

The Prelate said he observed that military men were around the place where the hoodlums operated, while their cows were also around the vicinity.

“They pointed their guns at us. They threatened that if we involved the DSS, police or Army, they would kill us.

“They said down there, there is a gully of seven decomposing bodies and we cut off their heads. We also perceived the odour of killed human beings.

“Their leader asked for five Ghana-Must-Go bags for the N100m. He also said Lagos is on their radar.

“I am asking that the government should act now before another thing starts to happen.

 “The Methodist church sent N100m for the three of us who were kidnapped. The money came from members of the Methodist Church of Nigeria. The Nigerian Army is complicit in the kidnapping,” he added.

His wife, Florence, while thanking God for the safe return of the cleric, implored the Federal Government to ensure the security of lives and property.