[dropcap]D[/dropcap]elta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, Saturday, said the state has overtime become the nation’s sports destination. Governor Oborevwori stated this in his remarks at the opening ceremony of the 7th Edition of the National Youth Games holding at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba.
He said the National Youth Games had come to stay describing it “as a powerful vehicle to discover new talents from the grassroots and ensure that there is a standard programme for athletes’ succession in the country.
“Aside from athlete development, the National Youth Games has also proven to be a cost-effective and reliable tool to promote national unity and advance development and peace agendas of both the national and sub-national governments.
“Indeed, when effectively harnessed, sports have the power to positively impact on the economic and social wellbeing of any society.
He said the United Nations has recognized sports as an important enabler to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
According to the global body, sport plays a great role in “the realization of development and peace in its promotion of tolerance and respect and the contributions it makes to the empowerment of women and of young people, individuals and communities as well as to health, education and social inclusion objectives.
“During this year’s International Day of Sports for Development and Peace, the UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina J. Mohammed observed and I quote: ‘sport has the power to align our passion, energy, and enthusiasm around a collective cause. And that is precisely when hope can be nurtured and trust can be regained. It is in our collective interest to harness the tremendous power of sport to help build a better and more sustainable future for all.’
“Our belief in these ideals is unshakable. Hence, the Government of Delta State has continued to make its resources available to host national and international sporting competitions.
“In 2018, we hosted the African Senior Athletics Championship, and, in November 2022, the 21st National Sports Festival.
“Meanwhile, the Stephen Keshi Stadium has become a venue of choice for hosting national football championships. Clearly, Delta is becoming the mecca of sports in Nigeria”.
He assured participants of a peaceful and exciting games, adding that adequate arrangements have been made for hitch-free movement across the length and breadth of the city.
He commended the Delta State Sports Commission, the Local Organising Committee, the support staff, and all involved in the planning and organization of the event, “The government and good people of Delta State owe you a debt of gratitude for your sacrifice, hard work, dedication, and determination to ensure a smooth and successful athletics competition”.
He charged the athletes to use the games to launch themselves to national and international prominence.
“To all our athletes, the moment of truth has arrived. Your family, friends, and well-wishers are rooting for you to seize the moment and launch yourself into national prominence.
“I trust that you are mindful of the potentials that this opportunity holds for your future. So, I urge you to rededicate yourselves to the timeless virtues of discipline, endurance, perseverance, and good sportsmanship.
“As the saying goes, records are meant to be broken. So, I challenge you to set new records and take Nigerian sports to another level,” Governor Oborevwori stated.
Earlier while receiving the Minister and his delegation, Oborevwori said that “Delta is now a mecca for sporting activities and I want to assure you that we have been hosting lots of sports activities and we have never had any crisis or any security issues and I want to assure you that all arrangements have been made to ensure a hitch-free exercise.
“We have released the necessary funds to ensure the games goes on smoothly and all arrangements have been put in place to ensure a successful hosting,” he said.
President Bola Tinubu while declaring open the National Youth Games, urged the athletes to promote the spirit of friendship and sportsmanship amongst all states.
The President who was represented by the Honourable Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Enoh called on all state officials and athletes to compete with the spirit of fairness and togetherness, while putting the interests of the nation first.
The Minister who spoke earlier during a visit to Governor Oborevwori thanked the Governor and the good people of Delta for accepting to host the games.
“The National Youth Games are a baby of the Federal Ministry of Sports Development and it is on the 7th Edition. The previous ones have all been located in Ilorin, Kwara State.
“This is the first time that Delta State is hosting the games and I must thank the government and people of Delta State very heartily for accepting to be the host.
“From the briefs I have received since I became Minister of Sports Development, I am aware that this games are going to be in Delta for the next couple of years and I thank you for this.
“The National Youth Games are intended to discover talents amongst our young boys and girls age not more than 15. The idea is that sports men and women we engage in our sports will be getting to their retirement and we need to have a pool of talented men and women boys and girls and we take care of them.
“The challenge for us is that of transitioning them in that early stages and we are hoping that working with states like Delta we will be able to accomplish this,”
He said the National Youth Games engenders National unity like the National Youth Service Corps, adding that it gives young boys and girls the opportunity to work and compete together.
“It is our hope that the National Youth Games will be able to assist the government and the people of Nigerians to continue to live in peace and unity with one another,” he said.
The Games will take place between September 23rd – 30th, 2023 across multiple venues in the Delta state capital.
[dropcap]N[/dropcap]igeria’s presidential election tribunal on Wednesday rejected challenges by opposition rivals to Bola Tinubu’s win in February’s disputed vote, following a pattern seen in previous election years in Africa’s most populous country.
No legal challenge to the outcome of a presidential election has succeeded in Nigeria, which returned to democracy in 1999 after three decades of
Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party and Peter Obi of the Labour Party, who came second and third respectively, had asked the court to cancel the election, alleging irregularities.
Justices of the five-member tribunal, taking turns to read out judgements for more than 11 hours, rejected Atiku and Obi’s individual petitions point-by-point.
Judge Haruna Tsammani said Obi’s petition was “unmeritorious” and had “not led any credible evidence sufficient enough” to back claims of irregularities.
Tsammani said Atiku’s allegations of vote fraud and were “so lame” and dismissed his argument that Tinubu was not qualified to run for president.
“The petitions are hereby dismissed,” said Tsammani.
Obi and Atiku, who were not in court, could not be immediately reached for comment. Obi’s Labour Party in a statement rejected the judgment and said it would announce its next steps after a meeting with lawyers.
In a statement from India where he is preparing to take part in the G20 summit, Tinubu welcomed the tribunal ruling and urged his rivals and their supporters to support his government.
European Union observers had said in June that the elections were marred by problems including operational failures and a lack of transparency that reduced public trust in the process. However, the elections stirred little sign of a groundswell of popular opposition, and Tinubu has been accepted by the international community as Nigeria’s legitimate leader.
Atiku and Obi can appeal to the country’s Supreme Court to strike down the tribunal’s ruling. Any appeal must be concluded within 60 days of the date of the tribunal judgment.
While favourable to Tinubu, the tribunal’s ruling was unlikely to generate any particular euphoria or momentum for the president after an election marked by record low turnout of 29%.
In a nation of more than 200 million people of whom 87 million were registered to vote, Tinubu garnered just 8.79 million votes, the fewest of any president since the return to democracy, limiting the goodwill towards him.
[dropcap]F[/dropcap]ormer Senator representing Delta North Senatorial District in the Senate Arm of the National Assembly and Chairman, Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, Most Distinguished Senator Peter Onyelukachukwu Nwaoboshi (SPON), our Dynamic Leader, the Oracle turned Miracle of Delta Politics was set free by the Supreme Court on July 7, Delta APC stalwart, AFTER one year following a court order resulting from his illegal arrest and arraignment over a billion-naira loan deal. In this interview with Grassroots Publishers online ,the former Chairman, Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs opens up on the alleged brains behind his ordeal and his plans to bounce back into political reckoning.
Could you narrate the issues that led to your incarceration for a little over one year?
The genesis of the whole issue is making sure that I did not participate in the last February general election and also to dent my political image otherwise like the Supreme Court said, a company took a loan, I’m not a signatory to the account and then it now looks as if I once worked in that company and that I’m guilty of diversion of loan. There’s no law as diversion of loan in any of our legal books, there’s nothing called diversion of loan. And that is what the supreme court has said. There’s no such law. But more importantly, they took me to the Federal High Court. All efforts to compromise the judge at the Federal High Court failed. They did everything. But the man refused. That he would not be compromised and that justice must be done in this matter. Even the judge who was used in trying to compromise the judge who declared me innocent at the federal high court. At the right time, I’ll call his name. Because we must clean our judiciary. If you go to the prison you would see innocent Nigerians that are suffering; some people have been there for ten years awaiting trial. Some people are just there because they don’t have money. They can’t even hire lawyers. And some judges and some people will just take joy in dealing with innocent people, especially the poor. However, I got justice based on the integrity of the judge who handled the case at the Federal High Court and was declared innocent. They proceeded to the Court of Appeal still with Paris Club money that was at hand at that time. And they went, compromised some of the justices because you can not, there’s no judge who will say; I’m a lawyer with about thirty-three (33) years’ experience. I practice Law, I hold a masters degree in Law so I should be able to know my bounds. I didn’t sign a cheque, I didn’t sign an agreement, I’m not a director, I’m not a shareholder of the company, you said that I’m the alter ego. The managing director of the company is there alive, the directors of the company they’re there, they’re alive, none of them were invited. None of them was questioned . EFCC did not even visit the factory to obtain evidence. NEXIM Bank witness that they called, it’s there in the records, said that we gave this company, he didn’t say what they gave me. That we gave this company a loan of one point two billion (N1.2bn) and that they followed all the procedures and that the loan was legally granted to the company. That is their witness, not my witness, their own witness and that as he’s testifying that the company has paid the capital of (N1.2bn) that they borrowed and that as he’s giving evidence that the company has paid seven hundred million (N700m) as interest. And that the company has four months left for the tenure of the loan which is five years and what is left for them is twenty-four million (N24m) and they went further to say do you think they will pay, and they said they can pay it. They are our good customers. We did not bring any case against them. This is the evidence of NEXIM Bank. A loan that is legally obtained? My dear brother and gentlemen, money laundering is money acquired from an illegal source. And then you try to launder it like somebody who goes, if your shirt or dress is dirty, to the laundry and then you clean it up, wash it. That is what is called money laundering. Not money got from a legal source. And there’s no way a judge will say he does not understand the word: money laundering. A company that I am not a shareholder, you said that I’m the alter ego of the company. Just because one of the Justices was promised appointment to the Supreme Court of Nigeria. And so he decided to sacrifice me and to convince the other people around the judgment. There’s a lot of time. We’re in this country. And because of the Paris Club money. Why I’m speaking today is because we have to clean up our judicial system, we have to clean up whatever system we’re having in this country. And then you put me in prison and nobody said I ate money. Even the so-called petition they sent from Kpokpogri, never mentioned anything about money laundering in his evidence, all he said before the court, you can go and search it, he was talking about the Guinea House being undervalued. That’s all his evidence, Delta state government undervalued the sale of Guinea House…. and for record purposes, it is better we put the records clear when we talk. The process of the sale of Guinea House was started and the companies that bought it, the Delta state government, sold it for five hundred million naira (N500m). The company now paid fifty million (N50m). When the company paid fifty million, they couldn’t pay the balance. So His Excellency, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan now took the matter back to the State Executive Council and it revoked the sale of Guinea House and decided that they should now put it for public advertisement. We bided. The company bided. The reserve price for the house was seven hundred and twenty million. (N720m) an increase of two hundred and twenty million (N220m) from the original sale. Akpeki was the Commissioner for Housing. We now proceeded and bided. Bided for the house at eight hundred and five million naira (N805m). While Costain bided seven hundred million naira (N700m). Costain is an international company that everybody knows. Costain bided for that house for N700m, we bided for N805m. And then the Delta state government decided to sell it to our company. After that the company was given six months to pay for the bid. Within the course of the process, we had a contract. That is, Suiming International had a contract of N1.5bn from the Delta state government and Suiming approached NEXIM Bank and said please can you give us a loan to enable us to execute this contract. I said if you think the period NEXIM approved the loan and the time the money was released by the bank, following all their process. In the meantime, NEXIM Bank sent in their valuers to value the Suiming Company and valued it at four point five million (N4.5m) with a foresale of three point two billion (N3.2bn) foresale is assuming you’re selling it right now without following all the due process because it was valued at N3.2bn by NEXIM external valuers. And that was the security we offered the NEXIM. We said okay you take it if we’re not able to meet the loan time. It was plain. So in between the time NEXIM Bank was now going to release the money, the original agreement was that NEXIM Bank was to pay directly to the manufacturers in China. Not to us. But NEXIM Bank was not able to raise the foreign exchange that was required and so we went back to NEXIM Bank and said please this company can not continue to wait. The contract that they have with Delta state government is for one year. If you can not raise the foreign exchange, give the company the money. The company will source their own foreign exchange. And NEXIM Bank wrote back to Suiming and said come and take your money. We’ll give you the money, whatever you want to do with the money but you must pay us our own. A sister company that was importing pay loader, grader, construction equipment had their money already there in China, we said please because of the time we have with Delta state government, can you please help us to pay for this thirty percent because he was paying thirty percent. Go and ask anybody doing business in China. If you want them to manufacture something for you, you must pay thirty percent. They now paid the three hundred and thirty two million (N332m) they now paid thirty percent to enable the China company to manufacture while they were waiting for the release of the fund from NEXIM Bank. So when the money was released by NEXIM Bank, Suiming said we have your money now, where do we pay? They said instead of transferring it to our account, why don’t you pay straight to Delta state? And give us your receipt for the payment of the money into Delta state government account. That is the full story. So when the money was released, they paid the Delta state government and gave us the receipts and handed over the money and that was what they said is money laundering. There’s no other thing. That is the story of what they said is money laundering. And that is why I, Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a former commissioner, a former special adviser, a former Chairman of PDP, a former director of… Bank, a former Chairman of Raw Materials & Research Development Council (RMRDC) was dumped into prison for one year and six days.
Senator, do you feel bitter about this experience?
How can I not feel bitter? I’m very very bitter. I’m bitter. Why? What have I done? Because you just don’t want me not to be in circulation? If you think you’re a man and there’s election, meet me in the field. I came from the scratch to what I am today. We formed PDP in Delta state in my chambers in Asaba here. That is the very first secretariat of PDP in Delta state. James Ibori is there. I was the first state secretary of PDP. I was the engine here in Asaba. The state chairman was in Warri. Our governorship candidate Chief Ibori was in Warri. Everybody was in Warri. I was the man here receiving the bullets in Asaba. And then the people, a structure that I built from scratch. For your information and for record purposes, when Okowa contested as governor, apart from what I did for him, the history is there. I approached Okowa when he was contesting, I said, I want to bring the whole people from Delta North together. I said whoever has annoyed you or you have a quarrel with, forget it, let us unite, you stoop to conquer. And who was that person? He told me it was Ned Nwoko. I went to Ned Nwoko’s house and told Ned that the problem between you and Okowa, I want to settle it. He stated his own side of the issue to me. And I said, don’t worry. When I came back to Asaba, I met Okowa in his house in GRA in Asaba. And I told him the same thing. And I said I want us to go to Ned’s house. He resisted it. I said, no, you must listen to my advice. Eventually, he agreed. I told him what I said today. I called Ned and told him that I’m bringing Okowa to him.He said it’s not possible. I said, I’m coming with him. I drove with Okowa from his house to Ned’s house and brokered peace between the two of them. I brokered peace.I was the man who brokered peace between the two of them. So, if you say, bitter, I’m not only bitter, I am very, very bitter.
Because I was innocent. Assuming it’s an offence I committed. I can understand. But thank God, I’ve been vindicated by the Supreme Court..
But Sir, there’s this perception among Nigerians that when very wealthy Nigerians get into problems with the law, they usually come out scot-free. Is this not the same case that has played out in your case?
Ans: Well, but you have seen my case. It is not the case. It’s a question of you can go and read the law. I have given you the genesis. Did anybody tell you I took government money? Did anybody tell you that I duped him? Did anybody say that he made a report against me? Even the Kpokpogri petition did not say anything about money laundering. He said that the Guinea House was undervalued. That’s what he said. He didn’t say anything. Did anybody say that he assumed he stole money? Loan. My brother, it’s loan. Guaranteed. over 300% guarantee was given for the loan.The factory is still there. Doing very well. Doing very, very well. Do you know what? Before this judgement, go and look at EFCC website. They put the factory for sale. Before this judgement of the 7th, about two months, a month before it, they put the factory for sale in their website. They wanted to sell the factory. When they were supposed to be waiting for the Supreme Court judgment, it took my lawyers to threaten EFCC, that we are going to start contempt proceedings, before they ran away. Go and check EFCC’s website. They wanted to sell the factory before the judgment.
Sir, it would seem as if there was an orchestrated plan to put you out of circulation
Yes, that’s what I’m saying.
Who could this… Are they not your a political associates or what?
It’s not hidden. I have said it. Ned Nwoko is the main man. Himself and Malami. Malami’s SA, on the 2nd of July, called me on the phone and apologised to me.I have it in this phone. I have it here.
Sir, you were not allowed to participate in the last election. Your image has also been dented. Now you’re back. What next?
My brother. All I know is that I am in the tribunal. And I will not go more than that. Because I am a lawyer. The facts I am putting on the ground are undeniable facts. First, they wanted to assassinate me. They came to my house to assassinate me. I escaped by 2 minutes. I escaped. They took me to the Code of Conduct. Everything, they did everything through the Code of Conduct Bureau. The Attorney General’s office under Malami charged me at the Code of Conduct Bureau Tribunal. Because they looked for every opportunity to get at me, they could not reach me. So they went and charged me there. The chairman CCB, said that they don’t have the power. Told the attorney general’s office that they don’t have the power to bring me before the Code of Conduct Tribunal. Take the case back to the Code of Conduct Bureau. Let the Code of Conduct Bureau bring him before us.
Did you hear the case? I was already charged. The law is clear that it is only the Code of Conduct Bureau that can bring you before the Code of Conduct Tribunal. But because they have done everything, they couldn’t get at me. The Attorney general’s office now decided to take me to the Code of Conduct Bureau. And the Code of Conduct Tribunal said no. The Attorney general’s office doesn’t have power to bring me before the Code of Conduct Tribunal. Let the Code of Conduct Bureau investigate it and bring him before us. Did you hear of it again? So they have done everything. They tried to blackmail me, prosecute me. Say everything they want to say. I remain committed to the fact that I have done nothing. My house and businesses in Asaba were sealed, everything! I went to court. The High Court Judge said that he’s surprised that the Attorney General’s office will go to the extent of pursuing an innocent person.
Sir, it would seem that you and Chief James Ibori and others have been sidelined in PDP politics of Delta state?
Q: There is no gain saying the fact that the people who did this are the people in PDP.But I will not go to this. I want, I’m on camera. I want when I speak, I challenge whoever is there to go to court. I don’t mince. I am not hiding and I say it before the camera. And if they want to go too far, I will open up more. Of course, I will open up more. I’ve told you, I’ve seen it. That judge will never go to the Supreme Court, because if he goes to, I will write a petition. I will appear. Because I have facts on me. And every day, I get more facts on this thing. What I’m saying is that all the plans that they did and everything, I know the people I call. I know everybody. One of the reasons why these things were done was they don’t want me to participate in the election.
That is the main thing. There’s no other thing about that. But I’m not going to go to the extent of saying outside the facts that can go before the whole world and say this is what was done. Because, my dear, I wish that Buruji, the late Buruji was alive, he would have said more. All the plans. How he had to intervene at a material point. I said I’m going to call him. You imagine. Let me tell you. The day they gave the judgment, I think they finished the judgment on the 1st of July. A Judge in Enugu Federal High Court gave an injunction sealing all my properties, my bank accounts in an ex-parte application. I don’t know whether you understand this. They gave a judgment, the Judge, a Federal High Court judge, gave an ex-parte order. Sealed all my bank accounts. Sealed all my company’s accounts. Sealed all my lands. Everything I have in the world. They went on this…. Any company, anything that is linked to me, linked to my children, linked to everything. He gave an ex-parte order in Enugu, for matters that the locus is in Asaba, Delta state. They just gave the judgment in Enugu. On the grounds that about 15 years ago, there was a company that took out a loan and I, as a director, guaranteed the loan. So, after more than 15 years, I was the director of that company, and the loan had gone far. And so, they should give an ex-parte order. In Enugu Justice Buba gave an ex-parte order against me, against my property. And the next day, after giving that ex-parte order, he transferred the case to Federal High Court, Asaba on the grounds of territorial jurisdiction. If you have no territorial jurisdiction, why do you have the jurisdiction to give an order for all issues that happened in Delta state? Every transaction, everything, was done in Delta. Why did they go and file the case at the Federal High Court in Enugu? And then you gave the ex-parte order in Enugu. And then after giving the ex-parte order, he transferred the case to Asaba Federal High Court. I’m just asking. Can you really understand? I’m calling names. He gave the ex-parte order in the Federal High Court in Enugu. And then, you say you are transferring the case. On territorial jurisdiction. And you know, when you give an ex-parte order. Before they will manage the process and bring it to Asaba and do everything they will do for the case to come. Because with all these things, time is running out. The elections will have been over. I have to know through my lawyers. Now we went to AMCOM and we said AMCOM, Why this, this, this, this? Well that’s a story. However, we were not able. We came to the Federal High Court. They filed an application in the Federal High Court, Asaba here. And got AMCOM to file. And then AMCOM now came. And said they want to settle with us. That they want a settlement with us. That they are not ready to continue with the action. You can understand the point I’m making. And that’s because all they wanted was to incapacitate me financially, incapacitate me in everywhere, block all my accounts. Block everything I have so that I will not be able to participate in the election.
Sir, you talked about the need to rid the judiciary of corruption as a lawyer what would your advice to the Federal Government be?
You know what I’m going to do? I’m waiting for the Supreme Court. Because even though they have made what you call some pronouncements on the judgment. Where they freed me and my companies of not being involved in money laundering. The two companies also went to the Supreme Court. I’m just waiting for them. I am going to sell that property. We are going to sell that property. It’s a 12-storey building. It’s the tallest building in Apapa. We are going to sell it. We are going to use it to establish a foundation to fight injustice in Nigeria’s judicial system. I have already finished my discussion with the directors of the company. That is my contribution to this. We are going to sell it. Before I went, I had this calculation. They have offered N5 billion for the property. And we know by now, the value is higher. We are going to sell it. We are going to name certain people who are involved in this thing. We are going to give them status and name them in front of that. I have written this thing. We are going to sell it. And make it as my contribution to Nigerian society to fight injustice in Nigeria.
Senator sir, it’s a foundation. This is supposed to be altruistic. And you are putting so much of your hard-earned money into that. Why, sir?
My friend, if I, at this level, can be dealt with like this, what do you imagine is the fate of the masses? I was in prison in Kirikiri. I had discussions with so many young men. Some can’t even feed. You need to see the food they are eating. Some are living not even better than dogs. Managing their life. When I came to Kirikiri prison, there was a boy. He came to me. I didn’t know who the boy was. I was interviewing him. I said, what is your offense? He said that he had an affair with a girlfriend. And because the boy is from a poor home, he didn’t know what to do. They took him to court and gave him life imprisonment. They said it was rape. The boy is in Kirikiri. And said it was rape…life imprisonment. That he had an affair with his own girlfriend. And then they dumped him there. Of course, I’m sure you know what that means. They were able to get judgement and sent him to prison. Can you imagine that. The boy has no choice but to stay there in jail.
Many say today’s politics is filled with bitterness and witch-hunt. Was that the spirit at the conception of PDP in Delta state at the return of politics in 1999?
That was not that. You see when you talk about PDP in Delta, we came in as friends. We meet together. I joined politics in 1977. Immediately I completed my GCE A levels. but there was nobody to fund my education even when I got admission into university. I got into university on the first attempt in 1977. It was that frustration that led me into joining UPN. I was the first batch of UPN in Bendel state. We didn’t see politics as bitterness. You go to contest, you even drink with people from another political party. This one will say I’ll beat you in the election tomorrow, you’ll see. You people are still drinking, you’re enjoying, you’re eating. Alvan Ikoku contested against his son and his son defeated him. He didn’t drive him away. He didn’t. When we came in 1999, we were friends. Let me tell you, we sat down to decide positions. You will be the chairman, James Manager and Oritsejafor were contesting for the chairmanship position. Oritsejafor stepped down and Senator James Manager became chairman, and former minister Agbovo was running as state secretary. He had to step down. I won him, he left the party. And so, it was a family affair. We came together and said Ibori because you are the richest among us. He had more money. He was rich. We knew that none of us can stand his financial muscle And so we all agreed at Ibusa community. And all of us young men, as far as we were concerned, it was going to be him (James Ibori). He brought his money. I’m not an ingrate. People will be talking down on Ibori today because of ingratitude. None of us had money. Money to go for an election. Ibori was the only man who had money. Real money to go for the election. And he was virtually funding the party. I will say ninety-nine percent of the money we spent was from Ibori. I speak as the then state PDP secretary. Even the contact we used to dislodge so many people, even the electronics system, all the equipment we manned was in my chambers. All of them were done by Ibori. So if you start sowing ingratitude. My dear, the former governor Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, had one small…thing called a private clinic in Agbor there. That’s what he had. And Ibori came, brought his money, I’m not saying it. The account is there, everybody knows it . And we were in Godon Hotel Ibusa, all of us then. Who was paying? It was Ibori. That was how all of us won the election he summoned us together. You will be commissioner. We’ll tell Ibori no, there’s nobody. When Chief Eweribo was betrayed by Okowa, Okowa was already tipped by our group to be the Deputy Governor to Ibori in our caucus. I’m saying some historical facts. They were the GDM I came from the DPN. I was deputy state chairman of the DPN. And Ibori wanted to make sure that the man who’s going to take over from him was also going to be a GDM man. And because he had the money, we all deferred to him. It was a local government council election that was conducted in Ika, and our candidate Barrister Ojogu. He was brought by Chief Eweribo. I’ll say that the old man was our father, he is like a spiritual leader to us in the struggle,he is a fatherly figure for us. So we brought in Ojogu. We went to the election, we thought we were together, from nowhere Okowa went and sponsored somebody and Ojogu lost. Everybody in the state was aghast. How? What happened? And the old man swore that Okowa will not be Deputy Governor to Ibori. That was how Okowa was dropped. And then when Ibori won, the man swore that Okowa would not be commissioner. You know these are people from the Awolowo era. These people want 99.9 loyalty. Ibori disobeyed the man and appointed Okowa Commissioner. It took us more than a month of begging him before Ibori could have the courage to face him (Eweribo) and beg for Okowa to become commissioner. These are facts. I have witnesses. But Ibori did it because he was one of us. All of us were working together and he felt that there was no reason why he should not compensate him for being a member of the group. If Ibori had not appointed him commissioner, he wouldn’t have been here..did he have the money at that time? It is Ibori who used his money for us to be where we are today. The same man who did his bit, made all of us commissioners, worked for you to be secretary to the government, I was the person who went to the prison to try to mellow Ibori down on Okowa being the governor, Ibori told me three times in prison, He said it’s either Okowa or nobody. That was how we came back and I told everybody that our leader is saying it’s Okowa or nobody. It is in my house that the last meeting of the Delta North met and we voted. Of course, the voting was done, we already knew who was going to win. The whole Delta North adopted Okowa. It’s in my house in Asaba. So if a man who helped us, I was a lawyer, I was a practicing lawyer in Asaba and the man was able to put his resources, connections at our disposal, and afterwards made some of us commissioners, he made some special advisers, he made you this, he made you that, from Ministry of Agriculture to Ministry of Water Resources, from Ministry of Water Resources, from there he fought and you became a secretary to the government, and he supported you to be governor and you say that man is nothing. Life will judge you!
Sir, your party the APC lost to the PDP in the last Delta state gubernatorial elections…..
And: They didn’t lose. INEC announced that they lost. A party that has two senators can not lose an election. I’m a practical politician. The issue is being contested. However, I am not saying. Get my point clear. His Excellency Sheriff. I don’t have anything against him. He was a very respectful young man. Let me make my point clear. I don’t have any quarrels with him. The only thing is that we do not belong to the same political party.And from what I was told and what they said to me when I came out of the prison I don’t believe my party lost the election. It’s now left for the judiciary to decide whether he won the election or not. I want to make that point clear. I don’t have any problem with all these younger ones who came. I want to make that point clear. And there are many of them who are my friends. There are many of them who have been calling me. There are many of them while in the prison who call me from time to time, praying for me. Very many and very many of the people they think that are their friends, they think they’re my enemies. They were calling me. Some of them even were offering to come and visit me. Because politics is not a do or die. As in that’s the truth about the matter. Politics is not a do or die affair. I just want to make that clear.
What is the fate of APC in Delta state? I mean going forward?
Like I said I’m at the tribunal and we’ll wait for the outcome. The only thing I know is that APC has at its head, Ahmed Tinubu, who is a practical first class politician.He understands the rudiments of politics in Nigeria. And whatever may be the shortcomings in any party or any part of the country, he knows how to remedy it. We’re not like in the Buhari era. Now we have a first class politician, a seasoned grass rooter who understands politics. He smells it. He knows when something is happening. You don’t need to tell him. He can smell it. He’s now the leader of the party in the country and so if there’s any problem in APC Delta state, he knows how to put it together and solve it. And he’s been around. So, in any case we also have leadership in the state in the shape of Senator Omo-Agege who was much a junior boy when I was serving in ibori’s administration in 1999. But today he was a Deputy Senate President, and leader of Delta APC l have to be loyal to his leadership. That does not mean I don’t have a right to tell him that I don’t agree with him. But today, he’s the leader of the party in the state. But if another leader emerges, and he doesn’t want to obey, I’ll tell him off. That when he was the leader, even those of us who are older than him gave him all the support for him to succeed as leader. And so I don’t see myself in any way trying to struggle anything with him. Throughout my incarceration, he was there for me. He was visiting me. He was giving me words of encouragement, and you’ll also know that he was campaigning for me throughout the period. So I can not come out now and say, who’s he? That is why I query some people who are saying who is Ibori today? Because you can not after somebody has built you, made you to get to the level to which you can now become a governor, made you to the level where you can now run for vice-presidential candidate when you were nobody. You were just a practicing medical officer, with one room or clinic in Agbor there and the man who brought you up. I’m older than Ibori in age. But I call him my leader. That is how I’ve been trained. That is how we are trained in the UPN. I’m an awoist. We’re trained that you have to be loyal.
Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, the executive governor of Delta State in a group picture with members of Association of Community Newspapers Publishers of Nigeria (ACNPN)
[dropcap]R[/dropcap]t. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, the executive governor of Delta State,has urged members of Association of Community Newspapers Publishers of Nigeria (ACNPN) to always share information to effectively reach people at the grassroots. Governor Oborevwori made the call when the executives of Delta State Council of members of Association of Community Newspapers Publishers of Nigeria (ACNPN) led by Comrade Jude Obiemnyego paid him a courtesy visit in Asaba.
The Governor who lauded the fact that publishers of community newspapers have an umbrella body to champion their course, reiterated that sharing of information and ideas, would ensure that people at the rural communities are abreast with happenings in other localities.
“It is my pleasure to welcome the esteemed publishers of Community Newspapers in Delta State to Government House Asaba.
“I have looked forward to this meeting because it will give me the opportunity to formally convey my profound appreciation to you people for your contributions before, during and after the general election.
“Indeed you have been a pillar of support since my days as the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly. I am counting on your usual support and cooperation to propagate the policies and achievements of this administration”. He said community newspaper were key to information dissemination because of their closeness to the grassroot and urged the publishers to use their medium to unite the state further.
Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, the executive governor of Delta State with the state Chairman of ACNPN Comrade Obiemeyego Jude during a courtesy visit in Asaba
Governor Oborevwori enjoin the Community Newspapers to be part of this administration and he said his doors are opened to all members of Community Newspapers in the state. He urged the community newspaper publishers to abide by the ethics of the journalism profession by ensuring that rules guiding the profession were adhered to in their reportage. We have worked together before and I want to assure you that we will continue to give quality leadership to the people of Delta”.
The Governor further said he would commence project inauguration across the three senatorial districts in the state to mark his administration’s first 100 days in office.
“By Thursday, we will commence the commissioning of projects to mark our 100 days in office.
“We have also set up a committee to handle the palliative, where things will be distributed across the three senatorial districts, the Local Governments down to the wards. The Labour movement, Christian Association of Nigeria, PFN and others will be involved. We are following the palliative model of the COVID-19 era so as to get to the people in the grassroot.
“We have also set up a committee to handle the impending flood even though we are praying that the flood doesn’t come, but we are also preparing for it. We have informed our people living in flood prone areas to prepare to relocate,” he stated.
Comrade Ike Philip Abiagom, Publisher -Newsbreeze standing with His Excellency Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, the Executive governor of Delta State along with his Deputy Governor ,Chief (Sir) Monday John Onyeme during a visit to Government House by ACNPN
Earlier, Comrade Obiemeyego said they were at Government House to felicitate the Governor on his successful assumption of office and for the numerous achievements in his first 100 days in charge.He commiserated with the governor on the passage of his mother-in-law, and said they were ready to collaborate with his administration in its drive to scale up the tempo of development in the state.
Comrade Obiemeyego urged the governor to provide quality and purposeful leadership in his determination to fulfil the M.O.R.E Agenda of his administration for Deltans, even as he called for the inclusion of journalists and publishers in the state as beneficiaries of the palliative programme of the state government.
He appealed to the governor to assist members of the Community Newspapers with a bus that would enhance their mobility, just as he also, solicited for the appointment of a member of this group as the Governor’s Media Aide on Community Newspaper.
Comrade Ike Philip Abiagom
Members of Association of Community Newspapers Publishers of Nigeria (ACNPN)
[dropcap]O[/dropcap]n August 30, 2023 at about 1330hours, the DPO Oghara division received a distress call that two persons were suspected to have been kidnapped at Oghara-Ugbenu link road and their whereabouts not known.
In an ingenious display of crime fighting craft, the Divisional Police Officer of Oghara CSP Olasunkanmi Musiliu, while working on credible and technically generated information, led a combined team of police operatives of the Division, Anti-Cult Unit, SIB Unit, and the local vigilante groups into Oghara-Ugbenu Forest on the 31st of August 2023, at about 11:30 am.
The operatives relentlessly combed the forest which forced the kidnappers to abandon the victims and escaped. The operatives rescued the two kidnapped victims unhurt and have since reunited with their families.
Four live cartridges; one Tecno Spark phone; one ATM card; and three sim cards of different telecommunication networks were recovered from the scene. Regardless of the victim’s rescue, efforts are on top gear to ensure the arrest of the fleeing suspected kidnappers.
In a similar momentous effort, the SAFE DELTA SQUAD recovered a Beretta Pistol from one Michael Danjuma ‘M’. On September 1, 2023 at about 0735 hours, while responding to a complaint received from a distress caller (name withheld), the Commander of the Safe Delta detailed operatives who stormed the Ogbezoma quarters, Okpanam where the aforementioned suspect, Michael Danjuma was arrested. Upon investigation, it was revealed that the 23-year-old suspect who is a native of Latang in Plateau state but resides in Hausa Market by Custom Okpanam majors in vandalizing cables.
A Search Warrant was promptly executed at his premises; and upon a thorough search of his place of residence, the following exhibits were recovered: One Beretta Pistol, one magazine, some vandalized cables, two ATM Cards, and one steel pair of scissors. The suspect is in custody and will be charged to court upon completion of investigation.
[dropcap]P[/dropcap]resident Bola Tinubu has recalled all Nigeria’s career and non-career ambassadors. This development was disclosed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, on Saturday.
Tuggar made this known in response to inquiries that Tinubu recalled the Nigerian Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Sarafa Ishola.
A statement by Tuggar’s media aide, Alkasim Abdulkadir, reads: “Sequel to the inquiries on the letter recalling the Nigerian ambassador to the UK, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has clarified that all career ambassadors and non-career ambassadors have been recalled on the instructions of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“Ambassadors as representatives of the country, serve at the behest of the president and it’s his prerogative to send or recall them from any country.”
However, the minister did not disclose the reason behind the recall.
The current ambassadors, including Ishola, were appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
But, Tinubu recalled him following the expiration of his tenure.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dared the leadership of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to suspend or discipline him.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that Wike made the threat during Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Wednesday.
According to Wike, he has not seen the party chieftain who will suspend or expel him from the party.
The former governor of Rivers State said he informed the PDP leadership before he took up the ministerial offer of President Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Wike said he remains a PDP chieftain despite working for the APC government. “I want to support Asiwaju (Tinubu) to finish well,” he said.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Delta State Police Command on Tuesday announced that it arrested over 100 suspected homosexuals carrying out a wedding ceremony in a hotel in Delta state.
The “gay suspects” were arrested in southern Delta state’s Ekpan town at about 2 a.m. on Monday at an event where two of them were married, state police spokesman Bright Edafe told reporters. He said that homosexuality “will never be tolerated” in Nigeria.
Arrests of gay people are common in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, where gay people can face up to 14 years in prison under the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act. Accomplices face 10 years in prison. Enacted in 2013, the law has been condemned locally and internationally though it is also supported by many in the country.
Police in Delta stormed a hotel in Ekpan where the gay wedding was being held and initially arrested 200 people, Edafe told reporters. Later, 67 of them were detained after initial investigations, he said.
He spoke at a police station where the suspects were being paraded.
suspected homosexuals
“The amazing part of it was that we saw two suspects, and there is a video recording where they were performing their wedding ceremony,” he said. “We are in Africa and we are in Nigeria. We cannot copy the Western world because we don’t have the same culture.”
He reiterated that police officers in Nigeria “cannot fold their hands” and watch gay people openly express their sexual orientation in the country.
“This is not something that will be allowed in Nigeria,” he said, adding that the suspects will be charged in court at the end of the investigation.
In a live broadcast of the suspects’ parade by the police, one of those arrested said they were not attending the wedding ceremony and were at the hotel for another engagement.
Another suspect said he does not identify as a gay person and was arrested while on his way to a fashion show.
“On my way going to the event, police attacked me and took me to the police station,” he said. “They said I have committed an offense while dressed like this but I don’t know if cross-dressing is against the constitution of the land.”
Activists have in the past accused the Nigerian police of using the same-sex prohibition law to carry out mass arrests that sometimes include straight people, including in 2017 when more than 40 people were arrested for allegedly being gay.
Nigeria is one of a growing list of African countries that have enacted laws criminalizing same-sex relationships, the latest being Uganda whose newly signed law carries a death penalty in some instances.
[dropcap]L[/dropcap]eaders and members of Izuani General Assembly, the highest ruling organ of Okpanam community in Oshimili North ll Local Council of Delta State have called for the immediate suspension from office, the traditional ruler of the community, Michael Mbanefo Ogbolu (Ugoani), pending the hearing and determination of the criminal charges against him at the Federal High Court, Asaba.
The leaders have sent a request letter to the state governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, and signed by the Asagba of Okpanam, Obi Adimabua Ozili (JP), Ogbueshi Anthony Okafor, Obi (Dr) Victor Nwokobia, the Iyase of Obodogba/Diokpa of Umuobi Odogwu Okpanam, Chief (Dr) Sylvanus Ebigwei (MON), the secretary of the Assembly, Comrade Osita Onochie and others.
They appealed to the governor, as a father of all citizens of the state, to enforce the suspension of Ugoani over an alleged criminal charge of grave misconduct, ranging from fraud and forgery, which they said are offences that undermined the very fabric of their community.
The leaders said their actions followed a recent ongoing charge of fraud and forgery filed against the traditional ruler, which they described as malicious and has brought shame to the community.
The traditional ruler, according to them, has not only violated these norms, but has also eroded the trust and respect the community places on its traditional rulers.
In their request, they appealed to the governor to put in place a process for the suspension of the Ugoani Michael Mbanefo, stressing that the suspension no doubt would demonstrate that no individual irrespective of his or her status is above the law.
“The move, if carried out, will further create the good impression in principle that those who hold positions of power must be accountable for their actions,” they added.
[dropcap]M[/dropcap]inister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has ordered the immediate identification and arrest of the owner of a two-storey building which collapsed in Abuja on Wednesday night.
The building, located at Lagos Crescent, Garki Village in the Garki District of the nation’s capital, was one of the first-storey buildings in the area, collapsed around 11 pm amid heavy downpour, leaving two people dead, 37 rescued while others trapped.
Speaking at the scene of the incident, Wike who noted that original residents of the area were designated for resettlement, however, wondered why for years, the FCT Administration could not carry out such resettlement.
While he applauded the rescue efforts, Wike said; “It is unfortunate that we woke up this morning to the very disturbing news of this building collapse. It is not what we contemplated. Let me thank the agencies particularly NEMA and FEMA that have supported us to rescue not less than 37 lives.
“It is unfortunate that we lost two lives. I will appeal to the Permanent Secretary to make sure that funds are raised to pay the hospital bills of those who were rescued so that we do not lose any more people, and this should be done immediately.
“Secondly, these are the things we have been saying, nobody knows whose turn it will be, therefore when government says it will take action in areas we believe there are illegal developments or buildings that do not comply with the standard codes, it is not as if anybody has any personal vendetta but for me it is for us to do the right thing.
“I don’t know why it has taken so long that the FCTA has not resettled them and so we will take immediate action to see that the indigenes of these places are resettled and then government has to plan out this place.
“When government says take building plan, it is not to suffer anybody but to make sure that everyone is protected. Cities are planned to forestall this kind of occurrences. Imagine buildings without approval. I will ask that we must identify and arrest the owner of this property. It is very important.
“Government will, of course, take over this area and make sure no further development is carried out here. I want all the stakeholders here to please work with government in the interest of everybody. No one has come here to say I like A, I don’t like B.
“I know sometimes government’s decisions may not be too comfortable with the people, but in the long run, it is in the interest of the people. Now we are all gathered here and none of us is happy we are here.
“These are the things we are trying to forestall. Again I sympathize with those who lost dear lives, while government will pick up the bills of all those in the hospital. We will also support the rescue efforts and ensure that they get to the last level and rescue everyone still trapped in the rubble”.
Confirming the development to journalists in Abuja, the Director General of Federal Emergency Management Agency, Dr Abbass Iddriss said thirty-seven people have so far been rescued at the scene of the collapsed structure, while two fatalities were recorded.
He said the victims were evacuated to various medical facilities in Abuja.
“Thirty Seven persons have so far been rescued and evacuated to hospital, others reportedly still trapped. Rescue team and others are on ground. Rescue operations on but slowly due to ongoing rain”. They are making frantic efforts at getting an excavator to remove people from the rubble”, he added.
The DG commended the efforts of all stakeholders working hard manually to rescue trapped persons, including members of the community.
It was gathered that the victims were taken to various hospitals including the National Hospital, Asokoro, Nyanya, and Garki District Hospitals, Alliance hospital and Zenith hospital.
Also speaking, Director, Department of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, explained that the building had no planning approval because the area is meant for resettlement.
“The building is located within the Garki indigenous settlement. The building had two suspended floors, one used for commercial activities while the other floors were used as residential accommodation. The building caved in yesterday (Wednesday) and 37 persons were rescued.
“The status of the place is that it is not a planned area so the development had no planning approval. In fact, the area is meant for resettlement from here to Apo resettlement town.”
We wish to inform the general public to beware of impostors who use the name of grassroots Newspaper Publishers Network to solicit for interviews, adverts or award presentation to always confirm the authenticity of such transaction through the following numbers:
09029375906 | 08149835420
As this body will not be held LIABLE for any unauthorized transaction with anyone. BE WARNED!
[dropcap]D[/dropcap]elta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, Saturday, said the state has overtime become the nation’s sports destination. Governor Oborevwori stated this in his remarks at the opening ceremony of the 7th Edition of the National Youth Games holding at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba.
[dropcap]N[/dropcap]igeria’s presidential election tribunal on Wednesday rejected challenges by opposition rivals to 
[dropcap]O[/dropcap]n August 30, 2023 at about 1330hours, the DPO Oghara division received a distress call that two persons were suspected to have been kidnapped at Oghara-Ugbenu link road and their whereabouts not known.
[dropcap]P[/dropcap]resident Bola Tinubu has recalled all Nigeria’s career and non-career ambassadors. This development was disclosed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, on Saturday.
[dropcap]L[/dropcap]eaders and members of Izuani General Assembly, the highest ruling organ of Okpanam community in Oshimili North ll Local Council of Delta State have called for the immediate suspension from office, the traditional ruler of the community, Michael Mbanefo Ogbolu (Ugoani), pending the hearing and determination of the criminal charges against him at the Federal High Court, Asaba.
