[dropcap]E[/dropcap]zekiel Afon, a lawmaker representing Pengana Constituency in the Plateau State House of Assembly has died hours after he was re-elected to represent his Constituency.
Bashir Sati, the Secretary of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state confirmed the lawmaker’s death to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Jos.
According to Sati, Afon died Sunday afternoon after a brief illness.
“It is unfortunate that we lost Afon, one of the most dedicated members of our party and a committed lawmaker just after he was declared winner to occupy his seat again.
“Though he has been sick for a while but we received the news of his demise with rude shock,” he said.
NAN reports that Afon was first elected into the Assembly under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015, but defected to the ruling APC in 2017.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Governor of Delta State and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa has expressed optimism that he will emerge victorious in the governorship polls.
Okowa spoke in his Unit 3 Ward 2, Omi Primary School, Owa-Alero, Ika North-East local government area of Delta State after casting his vote alongside other members of his family around 8.40am.
The governor who wore white long sleeve shirt, white trouser, white fez cap and black shoes was accompanied to the voting centre by his wife, Dame Edith and his children who voted in different polling units.
He said, “by the grace of God, I will emerge victorious; I have partnered with Deltans, I have worked with them, and by God’s grace, a lot of them will vote for me.
“The only thing we are doing is to ensure that those who planned to use thugs to disrupt the elections will be handled by the security agencies because, aside plans to disrupt the elections, it would be a no contest situation,” Governor Okowa who was beaming with confident smile said.
“So far, the electoral process is peaceful, and we pray to God that it remains peaceful; people are coming out in their large numbers to cast their votes, a lot of votes have been cast already despite the fact that it is still very early in the day; we hope that the voting process remains peaceful across the state.”
On his assessment of the elections, the governor said, “I believe the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has done well, everything appears to be working well, but, the day is just starting and of course, we are still perfecting our system but, the best thing is the effectiveness of the response to handle any challenge as they occur by the INEC officials.”
“INEC did well to deploy a lot of youth corpers at each polling unit, that has made the job easy as they assist themselves, we can see that there is a lot of assistance to each other,” Governor Okowa asserted, expressing hope that such would be replicated across the state”.
[dropcap]N[/dropcap]o fewer than two customs officers have been injured following attack by hoodlums along Papalanto community, the Ogun State Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has said.
Grassroots Publishers News Online recalled that an officer attached to the Command, Inspector of Custom Abdullahi Kuso was almost lynched at the same location (Papalanto) on 7th July, 2018 by a group of criminals who perceive smuggling as legitimate way of livelihood.
In a statement made available to newsmen by the command’s spokesman Abdullahi Maiwada on Friday , said a combined team of customs and other security agencies tactically succeeded in securing the seized items out of the scene in a professional manner thus avoiding any loss of life. Maiwada noted that the seized items have been secured with three suspects currently under interrogation at Customs Command Headquarters.
While narrating the ordeal which took place in the early hours ,the spokesman said : “Officers of Nigeria Customs Service Ogun Command escorting seized smuggled rice from Ilaro navigating to Abeokuta Government Warehouse for safe keeping on Friday at about 0800hours were obstructed by a group of hoodlums pelted our personnel with stones, bottles, cutlasses, sticks and other dangerous items.
“Our Officers restrained themselves by controlling the situation short of using force.
Continuing ,he stated that ” On the arrival of reinforcement teams from Army, Police, Federal Operations Unit and Command teams, the hoodlums were overpowered but not before serious injuries were inflicted on two Customs Personnel who are currently responding to treatment in the hospital. He added that “In the face of the provocative hostility, Officers tactically succeeded in securing the seizures out of the scene in a professional manner thereby avoiding any loss of life.
According to him,normalcy has since been restored with the intervention of reinforcement teams of the security agencies. Maiwada also commended the patriotic roles of other sister agencies and law abiding citizens in assisting the Command to perform its lawful duty of revenue collection and suppression of smuggling in the interest of our dear country.“We wish to categorically state that we will continue to prosecute the anti-smuggling crusade in spite of the unwarranted attacks.
“We want to use this medium to advise parents/guardians to warn their wards to desist from obstructing Customs Officers performing their legitimate duties as the Service will not hesitate to use appropriate force in the interest of the nation”, he noted.
[dropcap]R[/dropcap]ivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has alleged that the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army has concluded plans to disrupt the March 9, 2019 Governorship and State Assembly elections in the state.
Governor Wike said there are plans to stir violence in some areas within Rivers. He said “The 6 Division has mapped out local government areas where they will initiate violence to ensure that elections are not conducted as they did during the Presidential and National Assembly elections”.
Addressing journalists in Port Harcourt, Governor Wike said: “They are plotting to cause a crisis, so that the Governorship and State Assembly will be cancelled.
“That is what the 6 Division is planning”.
He said despite the militarisation of the elections, there are areas that some political parties cannot win because they are the strongholds of the PDP.
“There are areas that are no go areas. You don’t kill people simply because you want to win. Look at how they shed innocent blood because they want to get 25percent or they want to satisfy the ego of one or two individuals “, he said.
Governor Wike said that the PDP in Rivers State is prepared for the elections . He said the party campaigned and interfaced with Rivers people.
“We have been prepared for these elections. There is no party that campaigned the way we did. Nobody is more prepared for the elections “, he said.
He added: “You cannot change the will of the people. It is difficult “.
Governor Wike believes that he has revived Rivers State through massive infrastructural projects, empowerment and economic development programmes
[dropcap]A [/dropcap]coalition of Delta state Ethnic Nationalities youth leaders have vowed to resist any external forces including the APC National Chairman Comrade, Adams Oshiomhole anywhere he is sighted during the governorship and State Assembly elections in Delta State.
The youths claimed that Oshiomhole had over time threatened to ‘seized power in Delta or cause crisis’, alleging that if anything untoward happened in the state, the APC national chairman should be held responsible.
Addressing a news conference, the youths drawn from Ijaw, Isoko, Urhobo, Itsekiri and Anioma ethnic nationalities, said that Delta state has been a peaceful state as was exemplified in the last Saturday’s presidential and national assembly but the former Edo state Governor has been scheming to cause unrest in the state ahead the governorship and State Assembly elections.
The youths said, “The State recorded no or little electoral violence during the last exercise which can be attested to its peaceful status. We do expect that the incoming elections will be more peaceful than ever before. Deltans have resolved to play an advanced and civilised politics where peace and harmony is the centre of our ambitions.
Speaking on behalf of the coalition, President-General, Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities, Barr. Pereotubo Roland Oweilaemi, warned that Oshiomhole shouldn’t dare to come near Delta State, reiterating, “we are ready to resist any external and internal conspirators who want to forment strife in our dear State.
“What we want in the elections is to allow Deltans to exercise their franchise without any form of molestation or intimidation, they said.
Continuing, the youth groups said, “We are worried that certain elements from neighbouring states want to forment trouble in the State during the elections in order that their preferred candidates win the elections by any means necessary.
“Prominent among such characters who are boasting that they will do everything necessary to rig the elections and to subvert the will of the people including coming to Delta State on the election day to coordinate the activities for his Party, is Comr. Adams Oshiomhole, the national chairman of the APC.
“While Oshiomhole is free to campaign for his Party within the confines of the law, he has a limit in meddling with the affairs of Delta State which is not his State of origin, they insisted.
Saying, “the Electoral Act, 2010 is very clear on where and how Oshiomhole should conduct himself during the elections, the youths quoted that Sections 58, 124, 125, 127, 128, 129, 130 and 131 of the Act did not permit Oshiomhole to be in Delta State on the Election Day.
“We warm him to desist from his desperate act of meddling into Delta State election. The APC National Chairman’s presence in Delta State on the Election Day will be an invitation to anarchy. It will be a recipe for total breakdown of law and order in the State.
“We the Ethnic Nationalities’ Youths Leaders in the State will not fold our arms and allow foreigners to cause an avoidable crisis for us. We will resist Oshiomhole’s desperation to plunge Delta State into a big crisis. We therefore appeal to President Buhari and people of goodwill to call Adams Oshiomhole to order before things get out of control. Should there be any breakdown of law and order in the State then Nigerians should hold Oshiomhole responsible.
“We also appeal to all members of the various political parties in the State to be law abiding and refrain from acts that will lead to needless hostilities in our dear State. Let us collectively fight against electoral violence of any kind and resist the undue interference by foreigners who are heating up the polity for us.
“On the planned deployment of security agencies to conduct the elections, we do not have much to be worried save for the fact that our courts have bared the military from being drafted into election matters. The government should simply obey what the law says.
“Again, the presence of the security agencies in the State in the last elections didn’t deter Deltans from exercising their franchise as the former were neutral to some extent. We are appealing to the security agencies to once again be neutral in the forthcoming elections. Deltans have no problem with them as far as they are neutral in the elections. They should not play partisan politics when performing their roles”.
[dropcap]P[/dropcap]resident Muhammadu Buhari and All Progressives Congress(APC) leaders will meet after the governorship poll to decide the zoning formula for sharing power at the National Assembly, a source said yesterday.
President Buhari has, however, told his strategists that “he won’t be a bystander this time around”. He said he will be involved in the talks and intrigues on the election of principal officers of the National Assembly.
The APC said it will also play an active role in choosing the new leaders of the Assembly.
According to the results of the National Assembly released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), APC won 65 of the 109 senatorial seats, representing about 59.6%. PDP won 42 senatorial seats(40.3%) and Young Progressives Party (YPP) got one (1%).
As for the House of Representatives, APC won over 230 of the 360 seats, leaving PDP with over 100 slots.
The horse-trading has started among the senators-elect and representatives-elect.
Leading the agitation for principal offices in the Senate are Senators-elect from the North-East, North-Central, South-South, and South-West.
Some of those aspiring for Senate President are Senate Leader Ahmad Lawan; former Senate Leader Ali Ndume; former Gombe State Governor and outgoing Committee on Appropriation Chairman Danjuma Goje, Parliamentary Support Group (PSG) Chairman and ex-Governor Adamu Abdullahi and Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege.
Some of the seven ranking senators from the Southwest are already jostling for either Deputy Senate President or Senate Leader or Deputy Senate Leader.
The House of Representatives Speaker may come from the Southwest, with the outgoing Majority Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, as a leading candidate. He will have a repeat match against Speaker Yakubu Dogara of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The APC has not decided on whether or not to retain its pre-2015 poll power sharing formula.
Some party leaders are said to be pushing for a review of the zoning system since the President has promised an all-inclusive government.
Senator Ayo Fasanmi, The national leader of Pan Yoruba group, Afenifere
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he national leader of Pan Yoruba group, Afenifere, Senator Ayo Fasanmi and an elder statesman and historian, Prof Banji Akintoye, have urged Yoruba to brace up for the presidency in 2023.
Speaking in Ado Ekiti at a colloquium marking the 110th posthumous birthday of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the Afenifere leader said Yoruba people must unite to ensure that the geopolitical zone produces the next president.
The 94-year old Fasanmi who made a request that Yoruba should support a candidate who shares the visions of Awolowo, publicly endorsed Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi as a possible candidate for the 2023 presidency, citing his decision on the fact that “Fayemi embodies the visions that Awolowo strived to actualise for Nigerians.”
Delivering a paper titled ‘New Engagements by Progressives,’ Prof. Akintoye said Ekiti people could become leaders in the African continent by “investing in the knowledge economy using our education advantage.”
Akintoye who recalled the huge investment of Awolowo in education, stated that “the progressive idea is the only way to make the people prosper,” adding that Fayemi has the right ideas which are similar to Awo’s.
While stating that the 2023 presidency is not just about pushing for a Yoruba man, the professor of History said it was high time Ekiti people rose up and took the lead because Nigeria needs the values of hard work, excellence, and integrity which Ekiti people are known for.
Akintoye equally called on Governor Fayemi to rise to the task ahead, stressing that Ekiti people must not let themselves to “be intimidated by what exists” but push for “what is right.
“Decent people of Ekiti should take the lead and help reposition the nation. I want to say that in 2023, we Ekiti want to aspire for what we have never aspired for. We want to produce the next president of Nigeria. We know that it takes the Ekiti character to rebuild Nigeria. Kayode (Fayemi) has the right ideas. He knows what to do in the management of our affairs. We must have the tenacity to push for what we think is right. We should not let ourselves be intimidated by what exists,” he said.
While speaking on Nigerian political leadership, Akintoye described Awolowo as a very “influential leader with “constructive ideas about how to move Nigeria along the path of progress, success, prosperity and even power.” Akintoye said Awolowo’s progressive idea focused on a Nigeria that would be orderly, stable and offer increasing economic and social opportunities for all its citizens.
“The economic and social details of progressivism are also well known. They include programmes such as free primary and secondary education for all, high quality medical service, free medical service to weaker categories of citizens, gainful employment for all, job skills programmes to qualify every person for employment, good quality transportation, communication, water supply, and electricity supply, integrated rural development to take the benefits of modern life and modern resources to farming and to rural communities,” he said.
In his remarks, Governor Fayemi said it was high time Nigerians raised the standard of development above that which was laid by Awolowo, adding that the former premier had been the yardstick for measuring the political success of political leaders in decades.
The governor said it was pathetic that the nation is endowed with human and natural resources but has not been able to take the lead in the past years, adding that it was time to do away with “arrested development.”
Fayemi, who also charged Ekiti leaders to rise up to the task ahead, stated that Ekiti should not play the second fiddle in the affairs of progressives in Nigeria.
“We have competence; we have human resources and everything that can help us survive as a nation. That was what Chief Awolowo represents today in Nigeria; we have not seen any statesman like Awolowo. That’s why any little thing we do, we make reference to him. He is the standard by which we judge development. It is time that we raised the standard now. We carry the burden of the successor generation and we must deliver to our people.
“This is the time to make concrete improvement in the lives of our people to banish poverty from our people. For long, we have not fought for what belongs to us because we are reticent, we don’t want to project ourselves, because we don’t want to be called noisemakers. Sometimes purposeful noise is strategic communication. Awo was not just a politician, he was a public intellectual. We must not forget this if we want a developmental democracy, the elite should drive and support programmes that aim at lifting the masses because that’s what Awo stood for. He was always on the side of the people. That is the duty we owe our people,” Fayemi said.
Dapo Abiodun visits Otunba Gbenga Daniel at his Asoludero home in Sagamu to meet PDP Stakeholders
[dropcap]F[/dropcap]ormer governor of Ogun State and Director General of Atiku Abubakar presidential campaign organisation, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, has called on members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun state to vote for Prince Dapo Abiodun of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during Saturday’s governorship election in the state.
In a statement he released on Thursday, Daniel said his directive was informed by the court decision that affirmed Senator Buruji Kashamu as the governorship candidate of the PDP in Ogun state.
Daniel, a two-term governor who was rooting for Ladi Adebutu, who enjoys the support of the national leadership of the party, said the court decision has forced him to support Dapo Abiodun.
“You would have noticed my studied silence in our local politics in recent times. I have busied myself with National politics having served the state for 8 years.
”I have also been very busy supporting the ambition of the son of our great Philantropist in Remoland to become the next governor of our dear state.
”You however would have become aware of the court decision yesterday which did not favour him.
”Going forward, I have directed all our structures statewide to cast all their votes on Saturday for Prince Dapo Abiodun, another bona fide Remo son despite current party differences.
”I therefore enjoin all to please go and cast your vote on Saturday for Dapo Abiodun in the overall interest of our people. With best regards,” he said.
Dapo Abiodun later led members of his campaign team to meet Daniel on Thursday’s evening, hours after the former governor endorsed him.
[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n a telephone conversation with President of Nigeria on Thursday, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques wished the Nigerian President success and good health in his second term in office.
The Saudi King extended good wishes of steady progress and prosperity to the government and people of Nigeria.
President Buhari expressed appreciation to the King and affirmed his readiness to enhance cooperation between the two countries in various fields.
Also, the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani sent a cable of congratulations to President Buhari on his re-election, wishing the Nigerian President success and the Nigerian people further development and progress.
Russian Ambassador to Nigeria, Alexey Shebarshin, also sent a congratulatory message, saying:
”I am honoured to extend my congratulations to you personally, Mr President, and the people of Nigeria on the successful conduct of free, transparent and credible Presidential and National Assembly elections on February 23, 2019, that will shape the destiny of this nation for the upcoming four years and beyond.”
While describing the elections as yet another substantial step towards further strengthening of Nigerian democracy, the Russian Ambassador wrote: ” It is my conviction that your decisive victory will pave the way for yet stronger and more prosperous Nigeria that you will be able to deliver on the people’s mandate. ”
The Russian Ambassador expressed the hope that the Nigerian President’s second term in office will be associated with further enhancements of bilateral cooperation and closer contacts between the two countries.
UK Minister of State for Africa, Harriett Baldwin, said: ”I offer my congratulations to President Buhari on securing a second term as the Nigerian President. The UK is a long-standing friend and partner of Nigeria and the Nigerian people, and a stable and prosperous Nigeria benefits Africa and the world. ”
French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs in its congratulatory message said:
”France congratulates President Muhammadu Buhari on his re-election on February 23. It will continue to stand by Nigeria and to provide its full support for the implementation of the country’s priorities, especially economic diversification, job creation, counter terrorism and the fight against corruption.”
President Buhari has also received congratulatory messages from Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe, Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa and Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya.
[dropcap]G[/dropcap]rassroots Publishers has congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari over his electoral victory in the February 23 Presidential election, even as it advised him to run an inclusive government in his second term.
In a statement today, Sunday by its Secretary General , Comrade Tony Okwunebe, said that Buhari’s victory at the presidential election showed evidence of his uprightness and transparency in governance.
“President Muhammadu Buhari should run an inclusive government as you promised under the new dispensation to unite the diverse of people of Nigeria now, more than ever before.
“Mr President sir, the Bible says to whom much is given, much is expected. We wish to appeal that you continue to be father to all in Nigeria as we look forward to seeing prosperous nation in the next 4 years of your second term in office.
“Aware of this victory at a time the people of Nigeria are looking up to you for quality leadership, we urge you double your effort in the fight against insurgency, internal security and corruption in the country.”
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]E[/dropcap]zekiel Afon, a lawmaker representing Pengana Constituency in the Plateau State House of Assembly has died hours after he was re-elected to represent his Constituency.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Governor of Delta State and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa has expressed optimism that he will emerge victorious in the governorship polls.
[dropcap]N[/dropcap]o fewer than two customs officers have been injured following attack by hoodlums along Papalanto community, the Ogun State Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has said.
