[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Col. Hameed Ali (rtd), has said the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) will by 12:00am of Wednesday, open its portal for the recruitment of 3,200 officers and men to fill existing vacancies which will last for the next three weeks. Col. Ali, who was represented by the acting Deputy Comptroller General (DCG), Human Resources Development, Sanusi Umar, during a briefing at the NCS headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, said the recruitment exercise got the approval of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and is in compliance with requirements of the Federal Character Commission (FCC).
“We are actively engaged with the Commission to ensure that the process will earn a certificate of compliance on merit,” he noted. Further explaining the process, he said the recruitment will be conducted to fill 800 space in the Support Staff for Superintendent Cadre category, while the 2,400 space will go for Customs Inspector and Customs Assistant Cadre in the General Duty category.
To properly inform the public, he said the information is being carried by seven national dailies from today while a web portal for applications has been created as a sub-domain of the NCS website. He gave the sub-site to be www.vacancy.customs.gov.ng adding that it will be opened for three weeks.
[dropcap]S[/dropcap]enator Hope Uzodinma was on Wednesday sworn-in as the governor of Imo state. His inauguration followed his victory at the Supreme Court yesterday following the sack of the former governor, Emeka Ihedioha, by the apex court. Grassroots Publishers online reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Ihedioha as the elected governor in the March 9 governorship election held in the state.
However, Uzodinma, along with the candidates of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Ifeanyi Araraume and his counterpart in the Action Alliance, Uche Nwosu had challenged the results of the election at the apex court. Grassroots Publishers online reports that Uzodinma was sworn-in at exactly 7:23pm by the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Paschal Nnadi. This was after the oath of office was administered on his deputy, Prof. Placid Njoku.
He promised to abide by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and to govern the state in the best interest of the people. Earlier, Uzodinma had arrived the Sam Mbakwe Cargo Airport where he was received by a large crowd of APC supporters and members.
In his inaugural speech, he said the victory was a reminder that God is forever faithful and does not abandon those who trust in him.
He thanked the Supreme Court for restoring the people’s confidence in the judiciary and the National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as well as the party’s central working committee for their efforts in ensuring that justice prevailed.
“It is a historic judgement which has assured Nigerians and Imo in general that the judiciary remains the hope of the common man. This victory is for all Imo people, it is victory against impunity, victory for justice,” he said.
Uzodinma said he had forgiven all his political enemies and would carry everyone along during his administration.
He said his government would focus on 3 Rs, reconstruction, rehabilitation and recovery to ensure good governance.
“I will respect the principle of separation of powers and allow the other arms of government to operate independently for a better Imo. God bless Imo state,” he said.
[dropcap]C[/dropcap]ivil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has expressed shock that the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Muhammad Tanko and the hierarchy of the Supreme Court have not reacted to the contemptuous prophecy by Enugu State based Catholic Priest, Fr. Ejike Mbaka.
The group claimed his utterance undermined the credibility of the apex court in the subsisting litigation between the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma and Governor Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP).
HURIWA has also accused the Catholic cleric of behaving like a political agent provocateur working for the APC and some forces bent on creating confusion and chaos in Imo State.
HURIWA in a statement by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko and Media Affairs Director, Miss Zainab Yusuf, said Fr. Mabaka of the Adoration Ministries in Enugu State had pointedly asked Governor Emeka Ihedioha to get ready to lose his seat this year which in the thinking of millions of people referred directly to a matter that is subsisting before the Supreme Court.
HURIWA said Fr. Mbaka’s statement had led a section of Imo people to believe that sources within the Supreme Court may have leaked out contents of the court judgment between Uzodinma and Ihedioha.
“This is not the first time that the nation’s highest court has faced criticism from the public over alleged leakage.
This time around, may we join millions of worried Nigerians to task the Chief justice of Nigeria to openly tell what is going on and why the conspiratorial silence from the Supreme Court since the Enugu State based Catholic Priest who is a well known associate and sympathiser of the APC at the national level made a contemptuous prediction purportedly and pointedly claiming that he has the esoteric knowledge of the outcome of a pending political litigation between the APC and the PDP in Imo state with specific reference to the legal challenge mounted by Senator Hope Uzodinma challenging the victory of Governor Emeka Ihedioha.”
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Supreme Court has given reasons why it nullified the governorship election of Imo State and allowed the appeal filed by Hope Uzodinma of All Progressives Congress.
The seven-man panel led by Chief Justice of Nigeria, Tanko Muhammad, agreed that results in 388 polling units were unlawfully excluded during the collation of the final governorship election result in Imo State.
The apex court noted that the result from the 388 polling units indicated that Uzodinma polled majority of the lawful vote and ought to have been declared winner of the election by the electoral body.
Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, who read the unanimous judgment of the apex court, said, “Votes due to the appellant, Senator Hope Uzodinma, and APC from 388 polling units were wrongly excluded from scores ascribed to the appellant (to them).
“It is thereby ordered that the votes from 388 polling units unlawfully excluded from the appellant declared shall be added and that the first respondent, Emeka Ihedioha, was not duly elected by a majority of lawful votes cast at the said election.
“His return as the elected governor of Imo State is hereby declared null and void and accordingly set aside.
“It is hereby declared that the first appellant (Mr Uzodinma) holds the majority of lawful votes cast at the governorship election held in Imo State on March 9, 2019, having satisfied the mandatory constitutional requirement.
“It is hereby declared that first appellant, Senator Hope Uzodinma, is winner of the governorship of Imo State held on March 9, 2019.
“The certificate issued to Ihedioha is hereby withdrawn. It is hereby ordered that the certificate of return shall be issued to the first appellant, Senator Hope Uzodinma, forthwith and he should be sworn in as governor of Imo State.”
Uzodinma had asked the court to set aside the decision of the election petition tribunal and declare him winner of the election or in the alternative order a rerun.
Three governorship candidates had filed separate appeals against the judgment of the Imo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which upheld the election of Ihedioha.
The candidates include Ifeanyi Ararume of All Progressive Grand Alliance, Uche Nwosu of Action Alliance, and Hope Uzodinma of All Progressives Congress.
[dropcap]S[/dropcap]enegalese forward Sadio Mane has won the 2019 CAF African Player of the Year award. He beats Liverpool’s teammate Mohammed Salah and Manchester City’s Riyad Mahrez to win the award at the annual awards ceremony staged in Hurghada on Tuesday.
Mane has been a finalist in the previous three editions of the CAF Player of the Year, but in all those instances, he never went back home with the coveted piece of silverware.
Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala won the Women’s Player of the Year for the fourth time ahead of Ajara Nchout (Cameroon & Valerenga) and Thembi Kgatlana (South Africa & Beijing Phoenix FC).
Meanwhile, Manchester City sensational winger, Riyad Mahrez picked up the 2019 African Goal of the Year Award for his stunning free-kick for Algeria against Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The goal helped the Desert Foxes reach the finals of the tournament and denied the Super Eagles the opportunity to win her fourth AFCON title.
Mahrez’s goal was considered ahead of the rest based on difficulty, execution and Importance but the Algerian wasn’t available to pick up the award from legendary Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger as he was involved in the Carabao Cup semifinals against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
The Manchester City forward was also listed in the CAF XI where no Nigerian was nominted. He is joined in attack by Liverpool duo Saido Mane and Mohammed Salah. Others in the CAF XI includes Andrey Onana, Serge Aurier, Joel Matip, Koulibaly, Achraf Hakimi, Gana Gueye, Hakim Ziyech, Aubameyang.
Mahrez’s Algeria was also voted the National Team of the Year at the 2019 CAF Awards.
The 2019 CAF Awards was held at the Albatros Citadel Sahl Hasheesh Hotel in Hurghada, Egypt and hosted by four-time African Footballer of the Year and Barcelona forward Samuel Eto’o.
Delta Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa (left), and the Deputy Chief of Mission of the United State Centre for Disease Control, Kathleen FitzGibbon, at the official Launch of the Delta State Anti-retroviral Therapy Surge Response in Asaba on Thursday, January 9, 2020
[dropcap]D[/dropcap]elta Governor, Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa, has pledged that the state government would commit N100 million to fight the spread of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in the state.
The governor made this known at the launch of HIV SURGE in Asaba on Thursday, January 9.
He urged that all hands must be on deck to check the HIV scourge, and warned that nobody should collect fees of any kind on HIV cases.
He also directed the state government-owned media houses not to collect any fee for HIV-related campaigns.
Okowa announced that laws against stigmatization and victimization of HIV patients would be promulgated in the state soon.
He said that HIV Testing Services should be given top priority, particularly in rural communities, saying that local areas were critical to the overall HIV/AIDS response and services.
“Let me assure all of you of my administration’s readiness to creating an enabling environment and support for all HIV/AIDS programmes.
“I am taking up the fight Against HIV/AIDS as one of my administration’s top priorities; we are committing the sum of N100 million to ensure that our people, especially those who are in the riverside communities are reached.
ALSO READ:Yingi Charges Deltans On Commitment To Environmental Sanitation
“We will treat unkindly anybody who charges users fee for HIV treatment both in the secondary and our primary health facilities.
“The Delta State Government has been offering free maternal services for all pregnant women and under-five children in the State through its equity plan in the Delta State Contributory Health Insurance Scheme, which includes free HIV test and counseling.
“Equally, the government has been making funds available to the State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS, for the procurement of HIV test kits and consumables to fill in emerging gaps in some of our facilities and support to partners,” he said.
The governor added that Delta State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS, which was critical in all HIV/AIDS matters, had been repositioned to effectively coordinate all HIV/AIDS activities in the State.
According to him, we are working to ensure that the legislature makes law against the stigmatization and victimization of people living with the HIV.
ALSO READ:Don’t Rely On White Collar Jobs, Okowa Charges Graduates, Advocates Entrepreneurship Development
“Media houses in the state should not collect money for any publication or materials for radio and television that will create more awareness for the HIV.
A group Photo of Delta Governor, U.S Representative, NGOs, Others as Delta commits N100m to fight HIV on Thursday, January 9, 2020 (Pix: Twitter/Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa)
“I wish to reiterate my earlier call for more partners and stakeholders, including friends of the State, to join hands to make Delta State HIV-free and provide succour to those already living with the virus.
“More than ever before, this is the time to redouble our commitments to tackling the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the State,” he stated.
Okowa expressed gratitude to United States Government through her PEPFAR programme, the Centre for Disease Control (CDC), CARITAS Nigeria, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and Excellence Community Educational Welfare Scheme (ECWES). Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Faith Based Organizations (FBOs), Community Based Organizations (CBOs) for their collaboration, assistance and privileges extended to the State over the years towards eradicating and working to attain zero HIV.
Also commended were Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Faith-Based Organisations (FBOs) and Community-Based Organisations (CBOs).
“I call on all Deltans to massively make themselves available for HIV testing.
“For those that are HIV positive, they have the opportunity of being enrolled into treatment immediately because, you can live a normal and positive life with HIV and these services are free,” Okowa said.
The United States Government through its Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission, Kathleen FitzGibbon, called for sustained effort to identify and put People Living with HIV (PLHIV) on life-saving Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART).
She said that it would ensure that PLHIV live a long, normal, productive, and healthy life and help in breaking the transmission of the virus.
FitzGibbon also pledged the U.S. Government’s support to the people of Delta, especially in the identification and provision of treatment to approximately 63,000 people living with HIV, in addition to the over 17,500 people already receiving such treatment through the PEPFAR program in the state to help in moving the state towards HIV epidemic control by September 2020.
[dropcap]I[/dropcap]mo state governor, Emeka Ihedioha and the 2019 governorship candidate of the Imo state All Progressives Congress, Senator Hope Uzodinma, have disagreed on the interpretation being given to the last judgement of the Supreme Court, where it disqualified Uche Nwosu on the issue of double candidature.
It was gathered yesterday in Owerri, that what may have sparked the latest controversy was when Ihedioha, through his Special Adviser on Media, Steve Osuji, interpreted the Supreme Court judgement on disqualification of Nwosu, saying that Uzodinma, was no longer a candidate of the APC.
However, this statement from Ihedioha, was seen as predicting the Supreme Court and as well a contempt of the court by Senator Uzodinma, adding that Ihedioha was aware that the case of Imo guber is currently before the apex court.
Apart from this issue of supreme court, both Ihedioha and Uzodinma, argued on the Reverend Father Mbaka prophesy, that “Hope is coming” Ihedioha felt bad that by Mbaka saying that Hope is coming, it meant that his position as governor could be under threat.
As a result of that Ihedioha, described Mbaka as a laughing stock boosting that Imo people love him (Ihedioha) and are happy with what he has done so far.
In this, Uzodinma, looked at Ihedioha and warned him not to pour insults on a man of God. He reminded Ihedioha, that it was the same Mbaka which he (Ihedioha) invited to pray for him at the government House adding that Ihedioha, would have been happy to have any prophesy in his favour.
Their war of words according to Ihedioha through Steve Osuji goes thus: “We read with utter dismay, the so-called ‘prophecy’ by Fr. Ejike Mbaka concerning the the on-going election petitions in Imo State.
“The matter which is between the winner and incumbent governor, Emeka Ihedioha, CON, and three others including Chief Hope Uzodinma is currently before the Supreme Court, the highest judicial arbiter in the land.
“At this juncture, it is only commonsensical that all parties will defer to the supreme dictates of the legal institutions of our land. But nay, we have seen so much desperation manifested by the petitioners. “Having lost in the Tribunal and Appeal Court, they have taken to the media castigating the judiciary without let.
We believe this desperation has crept into the church and they have found a willing tool in a so-called Catholic priest, Fr. Mbaka. “He said Imo people have suffered. Where was he these past eight years when Imo was being ravaged? Imo people now has a Governor they are happy with in EMEKA IHEDIOHA.
They voted for him and he has been magnificent so far! “No matter the garb with which Fr. Mbaka dresses his comments, what he has said represents a calculated contempt of the highest court in the land and we believe judicial notice has been taken; though this is an unprecedented low in cases of contempt. Even if Fr. Mbaka claims to be illiterate or ignorant, these are not excuses in law.
“Finally, we are not perturbed by Fr. Mbaka’s vituperations. Unbeknownst to him he now dances naked, the whole world has seen through his antics and the farce he presents as prophesy every time.
“Recently we saw his attempt to publicly arm-twist Peter Obi to dole out money to him Once again, Fr. Mbaka has made himself a laughing stock by making yet another wild and unguarded utterance in the name of prophecy.
“If only he knew that by a recent Supreme Court judgement, his Hope ceased to be a candidate in the last election
“Futher, we take solace in the holy bible which is replete with warnings about false prophets. It also cautions us about people who steal in the name of God, people filled with the spirit of marmon… but beware, God is not mocked!
“We are even more concerned that the Catholic Church has allowed this charade to go on for so long. But we know for sure that Light shall prevail over darkness eventually” Uzodinma made his own feelings known through his Director of media, Declan Emelumba. He said: “Governor Ihedioha had a few months ago invited Fr Mbaka to come and bless the government house for him, adding If he does not believe in him ( Fr. Mbaka) as an anionted man of God would he have invited him to come and pray for him in government house”.
“He believes that since the governor has on his own accord publicly assaulted on anointed Priest of God who he believes in, he has incurred the wrath of God who warned us in the bible not to touch his anointed nor do them any harm, and therefore stands guilty of contempt of God.
“On Ihedioha’s claim that a supreme court judgement of December 20 nullified his candidacy of APC, Uzodimma said the claim,coming from a man in his position, was a reckless demonstration of lack of respect for the judiciary because. “It was an unbridled wilful and malicious falsification of the sacred records of the highest court in the land.
“The truth which is well known to Ihedioha is that the supreme court judgement on Uche Nwaosu does not in any way affect Uzodimma’s APC candidacy. “The supreme court judgement declared that the double nomination of Nwosu as the governorship candidate of APC and AA was illegal and therefore void. Uzodimma’s candidacy was not an issue all through the case from high court to appeal to supreme court.
“However since the supreme court has declared as void Nwosu’s double nomination, how then can a void and clinically dead issue resurrect to affect Uzodimma. “Even if the supreme court held that Nwaosu was ab initio the authentic candidate of APC by his nomination, which nomination and candidacy it declared void, how can a void act resurrect to affect Uzodimma who contested the election as APC candidate.”
[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hen AU.Sanusi, a Deputy Comptroller General, DCG, in –charge of Human Resources Development HRD, on the orders Hammed Ali, a retired Army Colonel and Comptroller General, Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, announceed the redeployment of Comptrollers Muhammed Uba Garba, Seme and Aliyu ohammed, Federal Operations Unit, FOU, Zone A, Ikeja, and two other senior officers, on Tuesday December 24, 2019 not many people expected the affected officers to resume in their new locations immediately because of the timing.
There were fears in both official and unofficial circles that the affected officers may want to resume in their new locations within the first week of January but the military tone of the redeployment letter of the affected officers which reads must ‘’handover and takeover immediately’’ may have forced them to have a rethink.
It was not surprising why Muhammed, the no nonsense Comptroller of Seme Command, now redeployed to the Border Drills sector 3, Ilorin, Kwara state, as acting sector Commander, a position reserved exclusively for Assistant Comptroller Generals, ACGs, because of the involvement of other security agencies personnel to oversee the enforcement of the Border closure with the neighboring countries of Republic of Benin, Niger and the Central African country of Cameroon had resumed at ilorin as acting Commander. He was said to have resumed on Monday, December 30, 2019, beating all precditions about his resumption date in order to sustain the the enforcement of the Border closure in the north central states of Kwara, Niger, Benue, Nassarawa, Plateau and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, to the later.
Given his vast knowledge in the anti-smuggling war both as a cadet and at the officers level, before rising to the enviable rank of Comptroller, not many people would expect him to fail in the national assignment which involved the Customs as the lead agency, Nigerian Immigration Service, NIS, the Military, Police and Department of State Security, DSS, personnel.
Security watchers opined that his stronghold at the busy Seme to ensure that the government policy that no imports, exports enters or leaves the country was maintained since the Border closure was announced last August was a plus for him. The scores of transit trucks laden cargoes caught up by the government policy at the Seme/Krake joint Border speaks volume.
The Asian country Thai par boiled rice and vehicle smugglers operating from the Benin Republic base who had attempted to test his wills despite the tight security at the land Border would never forget their experience in a hurry as their goods and vehicles were intercepted and seized.
Note that President Muhammadu Buhari led All Progressive Congress, APC, government, had ordered the closure of the Borders with these neighboring countries,Benin and Cameroon, which have functional eaports including Niger, a land locked country, , for opening their ports an to , Chinese and Thai, exporters to dump their countries manufactured and parboiled rice products which are smuggled into the Nigerian market through unapproved routes.
The Border Drill officers were said to have made elaborate preparation to receive their new sector Commander at Ilorin, the Operational base, within the first week of January going by feelers from Seme . They had wanted to use the opportunity to force him to unfold his plans on how to deal with the unrepentant smugglers. They may have been disappointed as he resumed on Monday, December 30, 2019, barely six days after the redeployment of the officers were announced.
Unknown to many, Muhammed knew that the task before him to sustain the enforcement of the Border closure in the region is very enormous . He may have gotten some snippets about the terrain of the region from Mohammed, his counterpart at FOU, Zone A, who has been redeployed to Border Drills sector as acting Commander. The sector 4, Border Drill acting Commandder was said to have served in the region as one of the Area Comptrollers and who was said to have known so much about the several Communities that share boundary with Benin republic in order to prepare his mind for the challenges ahead.
The briefing from the Border Drill patrol leaders, also according to security watchers , were said to have given him an a clue on how to map out the strategies to deal with the notorious Kwara and Niger smugglers, particular. Many believe that he may have maintained a closed sealed lips at his first informal meetings with the officers to forestall his anti-smuggling strategies for the region being leaked out to the smugglers by their Customs and other security operatives Collaborators.
Indeed, the job of Muhammed , as the sector 3 Border Drills Commander may have become more challenging with the inauguration of the Continental Free Trade Area , CfTA, Committee, at the recent Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, Authority of Heads of State and Government recent meeting at Abuja.
Recall that Suleiman Umar ,a Senator, representing Kwara North, who could not hide his feelings at the level of support which smugglers seem to be getting from the Youths of the Border Communities in the state had revealed that the government may have played into the hand of the Beninese government who had cashed in on the lack of basic infrastructural facilities in the Border Communities to provide it for them.
He had cited Bukoro, a Border Community in Baruten Local government within his Senatorial district where 84 school children had drowned while going to school in a neighboring Border Community in Benin 2009. The Senator had said that the Beninese government had responded promptly to the incident and quickly constructed a bridge across the river in order to win the heart of the people which analysts, believe was executed in order to sustain the Their informal trade with Nigeria.
The Kwara state born politician had lamented how a country which prides itself as the giant of Africa, could be at the mercy of Benin, Niger and Cameroon , which Border Communities have ‘’world class medical and education facilities’’ to entice Nigerians to do their biddings at the expense of the economy. It is not surprising why most of the Youths of these Border Communities have turned themselves to the smgglers a a way of making a living.
Senator Umar, may have given Babaga Munguno, a retired Major General and Coordinator of the Border Closure an insider information on how the Border closure would be effective through government intervention by providing basic infrastructural facilities in the five geo-political regions and 21 local government Areas across the country that share Borders with the two West African countries and Cameroon. This may have informed why Muhammed, the Border Drills sector 3 Commander has to rejig the sector’s patrol Teams he met on ground in order to strengthen their operations to become more effective.
Moreso, he has to carry the leaders of the Border Communities along in the enforcement of the Border Closure as well as embark on a sensitisation Campaign in order to make the people realise about the dangers of smuggling in the nation’s economy.
Insiders informed us that he had succeeded at the busy Seme Command in blocking parboiled foreign rice, Vehicle and Premium Motor Spirit,PMS, Popular, petrol , from being smuggled into out of the country because he had carried along the other security agencies personnel and the leaders of the Border Communities and who became sources of information to him.
The last operation he was said to have led in the Command before his subsequent redeployment to Border drills sector 3 Ilorin,, as Commander, was at the Owode Outstation in Badary north west, where he had found over 110 filling stations and 12 Surface Tanks spread deep into the bush ostensibly used to service the Beninese market. He was said to have stopped the bunkering activities in the area as most of the filling stations were forced to clos down but were still put under his close watch.
This is bad news for the north central states based smugglers and their sponsors , who may have found the south west too hot to operate that they had relocated to the region that it is no longer going to be business as usual
. Aliyu Muhammed , the sector 4 , Commander, overseeing the seven north western states of Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Kano and Jigawa is expected to ensure a total blockade of the Border Communities in the region to ensure that nothing enters or leaves the country.
His experience at FOU, Zone A, where he he had presided over the seizure of over 100,00 ‘’25’’ litres Jerry Cans of petrol, donkey skins, bullet proof and scores of other exotic vehicles, worth billions of naira, over the last 14 months speaks volume.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Ibusa Annual Soccer Championship finals played at the Umejei Primary School sports ground has come and gone, but what remains unforgettable is the memory the competition left in the minds of football enthusiasts who were thrilled with wonderful displays. Team Umuekea united set a new record by winning the Ibusa Inter Village soccer championship for the 8th time.The competition, which started December 2019 ended on a very colorful note at the finals played between Umuekea and Umuodafe as the Ibusa community stood for the last match of the tournament. It was beautifully spectacular as football fans, Anioma over yelled at every misses and applauded every good attempt too.
This records set by the Umuekea team may be difficult to shatter considering the very high degree of competitiveness and healthy rivalry growing among the the ten Quarters of the Ibusa community, football wise. The Umuekea team proved that the combination of mature-experienced and young and dynamic players are all it simply takes to demonstrate superiority in the field of soccer as potential opponents displayed fears engaging the team of Umuekea. The usefulness of the bench, something many of the opponent teams lacked must be overemphasized as one factor that enabled the Umuekea easily overran their counterparts. The expertise of the coaching crew reliably yielded results.
Team Umuekea, being the champions of Igbuzo Soccer League Tournament, had to celebrate and dedicate their victory to Hon. Innocent Esewezie, Executive Assistant on Youth Development, who having given them the right drive to successfully plunge in a goal at the second half of the game, where indeed happy to have one of their own, supporting them to the end…
God bless Hon. Innocent Esewezie for the moral boost and being part of the gold medal and cash reward of *#500,000* being presented to Team Umuekea by *NorthWest group of companies* on a well deserved Victory.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Kwara state bureau of lands says the Saraki family did not make payment for a piece of land it occupied in Ilorin the state capital. The state government in December took over the land, saying it was originally designated for the construction of a secretariat and the parking lot of the civil service clinic. Bukola Saraki, former senate president, said the land was duly allocated and that a right of occupancy was issued on it.
However, Ibrahim Salman, director-general of the bureau of lands, in a statement on Wednesday, refuted this claim.
“The entire land was acquired in the 1970s for Overriding Public Interest and same was initially designed to host the phase II of the State Secretariat. The construction of the said State Secretariat Phase II was actually commenced and it was at superstructure level before same was abandoned,” he said.
“The entire land was later redesigned in the 1980s for the construction of a Civil Service Clinic, State Secretariat, and a parking lot for both the Clinic and the State Secretariat.
“The Clinic was subsequently constructed in 1982, while the remaining plots of land were conceived for the expansion of the Clinic into a full-fledged Hospital. The dream of the State Government was stalled when part of the land slated for the parking lot was spuriously allocated in principle to one Asa Investment for commercial purpose.
“From available records, the allocation was not based on a formal application, nor application forms filled; there was no evidence of payment for the said allocation as stipulated in the letter of allocation in principle and consequently, no right of occupancy was ever issued to the Company.
“Furthermore, in flagrant abuse of the allocation terms, the company took possession of the land and constructed what is today known as “Ile Arugbo” on part of the land that was designed as parking lot and later conceived to host the expansion of the Civil Service Clinic into a full-fledged Hospital.”
He said following a resolution of the Kwara state house of assembly mandating the government to revoke the allocation, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, governor of the state signed an instrument to reclaim the land on the grounds that it was unlawfully allocated.
He said the statement issued is to state the facts on the land as contained in the records of the bureau.
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[dropcap]S[/dropcap]enator Hope Uzodinma was on Wednesday sworn-in as the governor of Imo state. His inauguration followed his victory at the Supreme Court yesterday following the sack of the former governor, Emeka Ihedioha, by the apex court. Grassroots Publishers online reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Ihedioha as the elected governor in the March 9 governorship election held in the state.
[dropcap]C[/dropcap]ivil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has expressed shock that the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Muhammad Tanko and the hierarchy of the Supreme Court have not reacted to the contemptuous prophecy by Enugu State based Catholic Priest, Fr. Ejike Mbaka.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Supreme Court has given reasons why it nullified the governorship election of Imo State and allowed the appeal filed by Hope Uzodinma of All Progressives Congress.
[dropcap]S[/dropcap]enegalese forward Sadio Mane has won the 2019 CAF African Player of the Year award. He beats Liverpool’s teammate Mohammed Salah and Manchester City’s Riyad Mahrez to win the award at the annual awards ceremony staged in Hurghada on Tuesday.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Ibusa Annual Soccer Championship finals played at the Umejei Primary School sports ground has come and gone, but what remains unforgettable is the memory the competition left in the minds of football enthusiasts who were thrilled with wonderful displays. Team Umuekea united set a new record by winning the Ibusa Inter Village soccer championship for the 8th time.The competition, which started December 2019 ended on a very colorful note at the finals played between Umuekea and Umuodafe as the Ibusa community stood for the last match of the tournament. It was beautifully spectacular as football fans, Anioma over yelled at every misses and applauded every good attempt too.
Con
gratulations Boys and more wins to come.
