June 2021 | 4WARDWEGO

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PDP politicians protest at NASS complex against Onochie’s appointment as INEC Commissioner

Members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Wednesday, June 30, staged a peaceful protest at the National Assembly; calling on the Senate to reject the nomination of Lauretta Onochie as a national commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

However, Onochie’s nomination had sparked thunderous outrage from the opposition lawmakers and some from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and civil society groups; who argued that she was “too partisan” to be a commissioner in an important institution like INEC.

The Senate, after receiving Buhari’s request, referred the nominations to its committee on INEC for screening.

The PDP members led by its National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, demonstrated at the National Assembly; and asked the Senate committee to reject the nomination of Onochie “because she cannot be neutral or independent” in her role as INEC commissioner.

In a protest letter addressed to the committee’s chairman, Senator Kabiru Gaya, PDP said Onochie’s confirmation would be a wholesome abuse of democratic tenets; as well as dragging the reputation of the President and the Senate into the political mud.

The letter, signed by Sen. Umaru Ibrahim Tsauri, the National Secretary, reads: “The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has learned of the nomination of Mrs Lauretta Onochie as a Commissioner in INEC by Mr President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The nomination which was read on the floor of the Senate and forwarded to your committee for screening; has created a lot of misgivings in the court of public opinion and judgement.

“Our Party considers it as important to bring to the attention of your committee the fact that our duty is to let you know that the National Assembly must endeavour to do things right and also in accordance with the dictates of the laws of the country.

“The Nigeria Constitution 1999 as amended clearly prohibits people like Mrs Onochie, who is very partisan; in fact, a card-carrying member of a political party to be appointed into INEC as an electoral umpire.

“Section 156(i)(a) and third schedule, Part 1, Item F, Paragraph 14(1) of the Constitution have outrightly disqualified her.

“We are, therefore, writing to ask the Chairman to save the Senate President; the Senate itself as well as Mr President from being ridiculed.

“We call on your committee to reject the nomination of Mrs Onochie because she cannot be neutral or independent; as she is factually known to be an unrepentant card-carrying member of the APC with an uncountable number of proofs.

“Her confirmation will be a wholesome abuse of democratic tenets; and also dragging the reputation of the President and the Senate in the political mud.

“Please, don’t make an avoidable legislative and political mistake for the country.”

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Reps issue summons to PPPRA boss over unremitted N1.62bn IGR

The House of Reps has summoned the Executive Secretary of Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), Mr Abdukadir Saidu, over unremitted N1.62 billion Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to the Federation Account.

The Chairman, Reps Committee on Finance, James Faleke, gave the directive at an investigative hearing into alleged 30 billion dollars annual revenue leakage on Tuesday, June 29, in Abuja.

Faleke said that the directive was necessary to enable the PPPRA boss to give an explicit explanation on what actually happened to the N1.62 billion IGR and why it was not remitted to the Federation Account

He said that the Reps committee would peruse the agency’s book from 2012 to date; adding that PPPRA must provide the IGR generated since 2012.

He also stated that the agency must provide the identity of the person it loaned money to; adding that the committee needed the approval letter from the Accountant General’s office.

Faleke stated that on no account shall any withdrawal be made from the revenue account; stressing that a peep into the constitution would provide a better understanding.

The lawmaker also demanded an explanation on conflicting figures in the consumption of fuel in the country.

He added that NNPC was earlier quoted to have said that daily consumption of fuel was 93 million litres; while PPPRA had also said that daily consumption of fuel was 80 million litres per day.

4wardwego blog reports that the Executive Secretary of PPPRA, Mr Abdukadir Saidu, failed to appear before the committee to answer questions.

However, Mr Peter Etuk, PPPRA, General Manager Finance, PPPRA; while responding to the daily consumption of fuel stated that the consumption on daily basis differs.

He stated that some days, fuel consumption could go higher, while at some point it would reduce.

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Nigerian man arrested for stealing minibus

A Nigerian man was recently arrested in Osogbo, Osun State for reportedly stealing a minibus which is colloquially known as Korope.

The 43-year-old suspect, Adejumo Maruf, has disclosed that his excessive love for his wife and children led him to steal a school minibus popularly called Korope.

The Nigerian man who resides in Osogbo said his life changed negatively after his wife deserted him and took his five children along.

Maruf, who was paraded at the police command headquarters in Osogbo, Osun State, said, “It is true I stole a Korope at Criterion Nursery and Primary School, Kelebe area, after working with the school for about three months. I did it to make money and take care of my wife and children.

I was living a decent life in Lagos State before things nosedived over two years ago and we relocated to Osogbo. Yet, there was no change, and my wife left with our five children.

Since that time, things were even more difficult. So, I took to driving the school minibus. After about three months, I went into the school and drove it away to Lagos. I was using it as a passenger bus before I was caught after two days in the Ajah area of Lagos State. I love my wife and children and can do anything for them.”

The suspect was said to have run away with the bus on June 8, to Lagos State, where he converted it to a commercial bus before he was arrested by the police.

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NNPC reveals reason behind borrowing to acquire 20% equity in Dangote Refinery

The Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari, on Tuesday, June 29, explained why the national oil company is purchasing a stake in the Dangote oil refinery.

The refinery is expected to begin production in 2022 with an installed 650,000 barrels per day capacity.

It has been touted as a groundbreaking project for energy security in the country and for the African continent.

In May, the NNPC announced that it plans; to acquire a 20 percent equity stake in the private company led by billionaire Aliko Dangote.

Kyari made this disclosure during a guest appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.

“There is no resource-dependent country that will watch a business of this scale; which borders on energy security and has implications for fiscal security of the country; and you don’t have a say,” Mr bsaid.

He argued that the decision was also driven by the profit potential of the refinery business.

“For the Dangote refinery, we are not taking government money to buy it; which is the mistake that people are making,” he said. “We are borrowing on the back of the cash flow of this business.

“We know that this business is viable, it will work and it will return dividends. It has a cash flow that is sustainable because the refinery business; in the short term, will continue to be sustainable.

“That’s why banks have come forward to lend to us; so we can take equity in this.”

“We are very proud that we did this. This is good for our shareholders; which includes all 200 Nigerians who will also be happily buying shares from this company if they had the opportunity. But now we have done on their behalf so that ultimately the value will come to all of us.

“But there is no way you can watch a business of this magnitude, of this sensitivity; to run without the involvement of the national oil company. No country does this.”

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Man beats wife to death over N2,000 in Benin

A 45-year-old man simply identified as Mr Christopher on Saturday night beat his 39-year-old wife to death over N2,000.

The incident happened at No.1, Agbontaen Street, beside Ebvareke Secondary School, off Agboniro Street, Uselu, Benin City.

The man was said to have beaten up his wife, Mrs Isoken Christopher, a mother of three; following her failure to give him the N2, 000 loan he requested from her. The eldest child of the deceased, Augustine Christopher, noted that his mother was hale and hearty before the sad incident.

The 13-year-old boy explained that his father, who is a menial worker with a waste manager in Benin, always beat his mother at the slightest provocation.

According to him, the event that led to his mother’s death started with a phone call from his father; whom he said had called his mother to request for N2,000.

“Following the call, my father came home at about 9pm and started beating her…He accused her of always embarrassing him each time he requested for money.

“After the beating, I was trying to give my mother paracetamol and water she asked for; when my father took the water and drug from me and threw it away. It was after then she went out to pour water on her body and later lay down outside.

“My father locked us (children) inside the room and went out to pounce on my mother where she was lying down outside, already weak from the previous beating.

“That was when neighbours came and rushed her to two different hospitals…She was both pronounced dead on arrival,” he explained.

The young boy said that his father was a smoker and was always drunk.

Similarly, a neighbour to the deceased, Mrs Florence Obahiagbon, said it was the noise from the beating that brought them outside.

“On getting outside, we met the man beating his wife as usual…We tried to revive her by pouring water on her because she was weak by then. We rushed her to two hospitals within the neighbourhood where they both said she was dead on arrival.

“Thereafter, we invited vigilante that responded swiftly…They caught the deceased’s husband who was then trying to escape after committing the crime.’’

Mrs Obahiagbon said that the deceased was hale and hearty; adding that they had both attended the same party earlier in the day where she (deceased) participated in serving guests at the party. Also, she described the deceased as a hard working woman who operated a fashion shop in a caravan; which was located in front of their rented apartment where they occupied a room and parlour.

Obahiagbon said that the deceased’s corpse was taken away by the Police from the New Benin Station.

Meanwhile, the Spokesman of the State Police Command, SP Bello Kontongs, confirmed the report. However, he said the command had yet to get details of the incident from the Divisional Police Station in charge of the area.

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Rexxie – A True Champion Album

Nigerian Award winning Nigerian Record Producer & Songwriter, Rexxie decided to thrill the music airwaves with his highly anticipated project titled “A True Champion Album”.

The project is compiled with 17 Amazing hit tracks with appearances from Davido, Zlatan, Naira Marley, Zinoleesky, Mohbad & Others.

Track List:

DOWNLOAD ZIP FILE: Rexxie – A True Champion Album

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SERAP to African Commission: Mandate NASS to quit bills to amend social media

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has implored the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) to order the federal government to withdraw the bill seeking to gag the media.

4wardwego blog gathered in June that the Federal Government had asked the house of representatives to enact a law; to regulate social and online media in Nigeria.

The bill to amend the laws establishing the Nigeria Press Council (NPC) and Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC) was sponsored by Olusegun Odebunmi, a lawmaker from Oyo state, as “draconian”; and an attempt to stifle free speech in the country.

However, in a statement issued on Sunday, June 27, Kolawole Oluwadare, the deputy director of SERAP, asked the commission based in Banjul, The Gambia; to issue provisional measures to urgently stop the government from pushing through the bills to gag the media.

“The push by the Nigerian government and the National Assembly to support and pass the two anti-media bills is unlawful; as passing the bills would be contrary to the country’s obligations to respect, protect, promote; and fulfill the right to freedom of expression; access to information and media freedom under articles 1 and 9 of the African Charter,” the SERAP said.

“These anti-media bills are the latest threats to freedom of expression; access to information; and media freedom in the country. The bills are not in keeping with the provisions of the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression in Africa; which supplements articles 1 and 9 of the African Charter.

“The Commission has the power to request Provisional Measures from the Nigerian government and National Assembly under Rule 100 of the Rules of Procedure to prevent irreparable harm and threats to human rights including freedom of expression, access to information and media freedom as urgently as the situation demands.

“The bills include retrogressive provisions that threaten human rights, including freedom of expression, access to information and media freedom, and could criminalize reporting and give the government overly broad powers and oversight over journalists; and also broadcast stations; media houses, as well as media practitioners.

“If passed into laws, the bills would be used by those in power to intimidate and harass their critics; and to stifle freedom of expression; access to information; as well as media freedom. The bills would have a chilling effect on the media thereby inducing some measure of self-censorship.

“Media freedom, which is an aspect of the right to freedom of expression; is now generally recognised as an indispensable element of democracy. The mass media promotes the free flow of information; which enables citizens to participate in a meaningful and informed manner in the democratic process.”

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QUEEN ICONIC BEAUTY PAGEANT 2021

Battalion Media In collaboration with DART TV and Office of the DOS FCE Pankshin
Presents

QUEEN ICONIC BEAUTY PAGEANT 2021

For picking of forms and enquires contact:
08160991888 Or
09077500557

Note:
Forms are free

There will be Audition
Audition date
03/July/2021

Main event
Date: 10 July 2021
Time: Red carpet 4 pm
Main event 5 pm.

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Bandits strike again, abduct scores of travellers

Armed bandits have continued their reign of terror in the North, abducting scores of travellers on Kaduna-Kachia road.

4wardwego gathered that the incident occurred on Friday, June 25, 2021.

Equally important, the development has been confirmed by the Police Command in Kaduna State. The Police revealed that the suspected bandits struck along the busy highway in the state; abducting an unspecified number of travellers.

This was disclosed by the Kaduna State Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige.

Specifically, Jalige revealed that three empty vehicles were recovered from the scene; adding that one person was found injured and taken to hospital for treatment. However, he said the exact number of people abducted was yet to be ascertained.

An eyewitness who did not want his name mentioned told NAN that the incident happened about 3pm at Makyalli area along Kaduna – Kachia road. The eyewitness disclosed that he was plying the road when some people alerted him a few meters to the scene of the incident.

Further, he said he and some other lucky commuters spent about 40 minutes on the highway; before security operatives came and cleared the road.

Nigeria is currently battling to rein in the scourge of armed bandits who have specialized in kidnap for ransom. The bandits often waylay travellers by attacking buses and making off with victims deep into the forests.

Meanwhile, Ebonyi State has been rated highest in substance abuse among states of the federation.

This was disclosed by Eze Ude, State Coordinator, International Society for Substance Use Prevention and Treatment Professionals (ISSUP).

Specifically, Ude disclosed this to newsmen on Friday during conclusion of a three-day workshop. The workshop was organised by officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for the National Association of Patent Proprietary Medicine Dealers (NAPPMED) in Abakaliki.