NNPP GUBER CANDIDATE IN ANAMBRA STATE RELEASED BY ABDUCTORS

KIDNAPPED ANAMBRA NNPP GUBER CANDIDATE RELEASED 

 

The Governorship candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Anambra State Chief Leonard Uchendu who was kidnapped late last week has been released by his abductors.

 

Chief Uchendu was released on Monday night after spending four days in the hands of his abductors.  The NNPP had early this week raised public concern over the disappearance of its governorship candidate late last week, while his mobile phones remained switched off, making him incommunicado.

 

It would be recalled that the NNPP had late last week raised concern over attempts by some politicians in Anambra State to intimidate and harass Chief Uchendu to abandon his quest to become the next governor of the state, using the instrumentalities of the state apparatus.

 

BREAKING : young Man killed by car accident today in Lagos, see photos here

A man known as Oguntimehin Oluwayemi B. was killed by a car at about 7:00am taday Tuesday 8th of October 2013 when he wanted to cross the inward side of Mafowoku/Gbagada bus stop along Apapa/Ibadan express way. After the accident Oguntimehin was still breathing and people came to rescue him off the express way but there was no vehicle that can help to carry him to the General Hospital at Gbagada. Oguntimehin died after 20 minute of the incident. He sustains head injury, broken leg and broken hand. The ATM card in his pocket indicated his identity but we do not know where he resides. We called the emergency number 112 and 767 they promised that the emergency team will come to the scene but they do not arrive after 6 hours before we left the scene.

 

Since 1979, Apapa/Ibadan express way has been the epicenter of massacre in the history of Lagos State road accident. This Federal road has claimed many lives of innocent citizen caught across in trying to cross this express way to the other side.

 

Most especially at Gbagada bus stop opposite Mobile filling station, time without numbers, we have witnessed many innocent poor students of Gbagada Grammar School, National College and other primary Schools within,  members or patients of Gbagada General Hospital, Members of Harvesters International Christian Center HICC opposite Gbagada Mobil Petrol Station, Residents of Gbagada Estate, Aturase Estate, Sholuyi Estate and PHCN Staffs  being killed by motor vehicle along this express way. It is unfortunate that as at 1979, the Federal government does not have any contingency plan to save the populace from this frequent tragedy that normally occur at Mafowoku and Gbagada bus stop.

We have written several letters to the Federal and State government to help construction pedestrian Bridge at Mafowoku and Gbagada bus stop in order to put an end to the massacre of innocent people caused by Vehicle accident.

 

Mr Odeja Ebidolapo the assistance General secretary of Council of Oworonsoki Youth Forum re-iterated that the association have also solicited the attention of the Federal and Lagos State government towards the pedestrian bridge situated at Olopomeji area. This pedestrian bridge has deteriorated or dilapidated completely and it poses an imminent threat which could be disastrous.

 

Am back to rescue Nigeria-Tinubu

National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Governor of Lagos state, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in this interaction with newsmen on his arrival from his medical trip abroad, accuses President Jonathan of planning to use the proposed National Conference to deceive Nigerians. Our Correspondent, Ayodele Samuel was there. Excerpts:

Your long medical trip generated a lot of controversy, how was your surgery?
This is the first ever and the longest period of my absence from Nigeria's political scene since 1993; it has never happened. The only time something like this happened was when I was in exile.
Since 1999 that we returned, I have never been away for more than one week not even personal vacation. I am glad that I am back. I am fit and able. I can run 2.5 kilometre, if you want to try me, I will get down, and we can run and see who wins.
It is a great joy to be back, it is good that we are back and I really appreciate your concerns and this great gathering. I am returning today, having travelled overseas for medical attention. Among those who contributed to this are great Nigerians, well qualified, who have moved out of the country because there are no facilities, no equipment. No such opportunities in Nigeria, now the surgery was successful.
While you were away, the APC was registered by INEC, how do you feel?
I am proud to be part of the group: a set of Nigerians who are determined to say enough in the political landscape. That we should not continue to allow termites and rodents to promote corruption, unemployment, destitution, lies and unfortunately, ineptitude in government.
Our determination is to have a political platform, where true democracy will be promoted by all Nigerians. We got to a stage that we finished all the documentation before I travelled. I was confident, that we will be registered in a country where there is the rule of law. I am glad the baby was not aborted; the baby was born. That baby is the new hope, a new platform. This new platform is a rescue platform; it is not a replica platform of the past, or of the same old way.
It's a redefinition and rescue mission for Nigeria. You own it, all Nigerians own it, all Nigerians must be determined. Political success is not a game of bystanders; it's not a game of spectators. You journalists own the principle of this party, the objectives of it and if you buy into it, you will be able to see, whether this party can rule Nigeria. And definitely we will do that.
On planned National Conference and Dialogue
How long have we been talking about it? Why suddenly? There is something in political history and social history, they say beware of Greek gift. It is only a very smart rodent in a house full of little crumbs of poison that will survive the trappings of the owners. Let us, first of all, ask series of questions. But I need to consult with my party but I see a contradiction here.
How many months to the election does he develop the urge for national dialogue? I smell deception here, this government is using deceptive strategy to run the country, when the people can't trust the government what will they dialogue.
I will discuss with my party. I see a diversion here. I will discuss with my party. I see deception here. I see lack of honesty and integrity here. It is time to look at our own agenda and develop it. Nigerians are being deceived. So, where is the sovereignty? What about the Electoral Act? What about the Lemu Committee? We have not had white paper or green paper out of that. Why now? How many months to the elections? Can't you smell a good soup when it is well cooked? Can't you smell a bad one that stinks? Can't you smell the odour of the deception when it is passing by? It is left for our party and all of us to note all these development.
Some stakeholders are calling for the postponement of the 2015 polls because of the conference.
The suggestion smacked of dishonesty and fraud. That is the saying of a thief, who wants to continue to hold on to opportunity; who is enjoying and stealing and wants to continue to have that opportunity. What are you postponing about election? Is it with the head you walk or with the feet? You must stand on something; you say democracy and sovereignty of this country is about the National Assembly, but I argued then, that sovereignty belonged to the people. Now there is a diversion. Where is the agenda? I want to say beware of the poisonous gift. But I cannot conclude here today unless I consult with my party. I can only express my own feelings. I am a democrat, if the party says go this direction, I must follow them to that direction.
What's your comment on the recent plane crash in Lagos involving former Governor Segun Agagu's corpse, his children and other passengers?
It is unfortunate that one of our great politician in person of former Governor Olusegun Agugu passed away suddenly and in the process of his burial there was a tragedy. So many lives were lost; it is a sad and depressing period in our country.
Regardless of political divide, he was a perfect gentleman, committed family man, patriotic democrat and with what has happened, MIC boss, the late Tunji Okunsanya, is a close friend to everyone of us. But God has done one thing, He has shown us his wonder. Despite all of these, Feyi Agugu survived, his brother in-law survived. So, he has given room for us to give thanks to God.
Addressing the government, I think we are talking to a deaf ear. Nigeria's Aviation is a risk. We have never allowed professionals to run the aviation industry. We created too much bureaucracy, kinsmanship, ethnicity and mediocrity to intervene in our decisions. We play with the lives of Nigerians. We have no infrastructure. This runway that we landed on is one of the worst in the world. It does not meet world standards.
You allow non professionals, fraudsters, corruption, to dominate the ministry. The ministry should have nothing to do with all agencies. The professionals in the Ministry of Aviation should be adequately trained. They should be trained and retrained to meet the world standards. You allowed mediocre to take decisions. You abuse me politically or disagree with me your plane will not fly, you can ground Amaechi anytime you want to ground him, you can recall Adams Oshiomole in the mid-air, is that the way to value peoples life? Where are the professional Hangers? It's not the age of the aircraft that matters, it's record of maintenances of the aircraft but when they have already compromised in their vision, they waste our valuable life and time to give us grieve and sorrow.
We have to remove corruption; that is a cancer in our society. We have to remove ethnicism, carelessness. He is my brother he must take that job. The carelessness for qualification is a shame on this country.

Breaking News: Anambra Guber Candidate kidnapped in Awka

Breaking News: Anambra Guber Candidate kidnapped in Awka

The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP)  Guber Candidate Chief Leonard Uchendu in the forthcoming Anambra Governorship election has been kidnapped.

Chief Leonard Uchendu was kidnapped early hours of today in Awka the state capital, a party member confirmed that his where about remains unknown while police authorities have been informed.

The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) on Friday raised alarm over alleged intimidation of its governorship candidate in the forthcoming November 16 governorship election in Anambra State, Chief Leonard Uchendu, saying that the idea of asking his governorship candidate in to step aside as the President-General of Umuawulu in Awka South Local Government, Anambra State is merely an intimidation with an intent to wear him down using government machinery and apparatus.

 

Addressing a press conference in Lagos, the NNPP national chairman, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam said that the letter requesting Uchendu to step aside as President-General of Uwuawule Town is a deliberate move by Governor Peter Obi-led All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) to witch hunt the NNPP candidate.

 

It would be recalled that Anambra State government in a letter signed by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Chieftaincy and Town Union Matters, Dr. G.N. Muotolu, on September 18 requested Uchendu to humbly step aside as the President-General of Umuawulu pending the conclusion of the investigations being carried out against Uchendu over a petition that he is using the town's vigilante outfit to molest, intimidate and harass people in his community. 

 

Aniebonam said that the party through a letter written to Governor Obi on October 3, has already called on Anambra State government to immediately withdraw the letter of suspension of Chief Uchendu and restore the Uwuawulu vigilante group who to all purposes and intent enjoyed the support of the members of the community they were so ably protecting.

 

His words: "From every indication it is obvious that the popularity of our Candidate in the forthcoming Gubernatorial election may be giving sleepless nights to some members of APGA because we are reliably informed that over 75 per cent of the President-Generals of the various towns in Anambra are working with him at the moment.  It is also a fact that the present majority leader in the State House of Assembly who happens to come from the same town Umuawulu with our Candidate may be feeling threatened by the popularity of our Candidate.

"It is now very clear that the idea of asking him to step aside as the President-General of Umuawulu is merely an intimidation with an intent to wear him down using government machinery and apparatus."

 

NNPP boss also noted that: "The genesis of our Candidate's problems started from when he declared his intention to run for the position of Governor in the November 2013 election in Anambra state.  There are indications that some people who felt threatened by his position ganged-up with some other people with whom he is having a case in court to write a spurious and trumped up petition against him that he was using the Uwuawulu Vigilante group to harass, intimidate and threaten the citizens of Umuawulu. 

 

"We believe that when people try to act out an evil script, they are usually blinded by all that is equitable and legal.  For the Special Adviser in charge of town union matters in Anambra state to act in such a brazen and disrespectful manner to the court of law is not only illegal but constitutes a contempt of the court.

 

"We want to crave the indulgence of Governor Peter Obi to urgently call the officer in charge of Town Union matters to immediately withdraw the letter of suspension of Chief Uchendu and restore the Uwuawulu vigilante group who to all purposes and intent enjoyed the support of the members of the community they were so ably protecting.  This action would not only be commendable but Godly.

 

"In the interest of peace and tranquility, we call on you to urgently look into this matter and cause the immediate withdrawal of the letter advising Chief Leonard Uchendu to step aside as the President-General of Umuawulu, as the allegation against him are merely trumped up and did not offer him any chance to defend himself over the allegation of intimidation, molestation and harassment of Umuawulu indigenes with the Vigilante Group."

 

 

Court not Jonathan reversed my demotion —Ribadu

Former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and 2011 Presidential candidate of the defunt Action Congress of Nigeria ACN, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu disclosed that the decision by the Police Service Commission (PSC) to demote, and later dismiss him from the police was nullified by a court, causing the reversal of the action taken by the government.

Ribadu who spoke at a public lecture to mark the official opening of a new Law office building of Tayo Oyetibo & co: Solicitors and Barristers in Lagos on Thursday said he challenged his demotion at the Federal High Court in Abuja, dissuading claims that he was pardoned by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Ribadu was reflecting  on his sojourn in the EFCC and how he  regained his rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police.

"I'm here today not just to honour my brother Barrister Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, but to sincerely express a depth of gratitude for his selfless contributions to my personal and public service career. My relationship with this remarkable lawyer is one for which I must forever remain grateful.

"He has stood with me, believed in my causes while I was at EFCC and dedicated his time and resources to representing us pro bono. Among Barrister Oyetibo's many historic victories was in my case with the Nigerian Police Force in which he challenged my dismissal in court and had the decision reversed and my ranks restored. This is a huge favour which I may never be able to repay, except with these tokens of gratitude.

"I want to seize this opportunity to thank the brilliant lawyers and brothers who stood for us and provided us with their free legal service at the EFCC, especially at the time we were under tremendous pressures in our struggles to carry out assignments considered impossible by detractors," he said.

 Speaking on the theme, 'The Social Contract: Which way Nigeria',he faulted those who believe that the problems faced by the nation today resulted from its tribal, religious and social diversity, arguing however that such ought to be the real strength upon which the nation can draw.

He added that the nations that have faced more critical crisis across the world are those with common language and religion.

The former EFCC boss cited the cases of Rwanda and Somalia, one a Christian country with a single language, but with only two tribes and the other a mostly Muslim country with a common language yet both experienced crisis of unimaginable proportion.

http://weekend.peoplesdailyng.com/index.php/news/national-news/1203-court-not-jonathan-reversed-my-demotion-ribadu

Taraba Crisis: Police release Suntai aide on bail, denies working for Ag.Governor

Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

The Senior Special Assistant to Taraba State Governor Danbaba Suntai on Media Matters, Mr. Sylvanus Yakubu Giwa has been released on bail from police custody two days after his arrest.

 Giwa  told our Correspondent yesterday on phone that  he was to go home  early Sunday morning and  report at the state police headquarters on Monday 30th September by 9am.

Giwa was arrested  at about midnight on Friday  following  a statement which he issued accusing the Acting Governor of running a parallel government in spite of the presence of the elected governor on behalf of his principal.

However The Taraba State Governor Danbaba Suntai has said he authorized his Senior Special Adviser Media Matter, Mr. Sylvanus Giwa to issue a statement accusing the Acting Governor, Alhaji Garba Umar of betrayal.  

 A press statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to Taraba Governor, Hassan Mijinyanwa  said "Mr Giwa made the statement in his capacity as the Senior Special Adviser  to the Governor of a Democratic State where freedom of speech as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria must be respected."

Mijinyanwa   also debunk information in the media that he was detained by the State police command.

The Nigeria Police Force, Taraba State Command has shed light on the arrest of Chief Silvanus Yakubu Giwa, the Senior Special Assistant to recuperating Governor Danbaba Suntai, last Friday, saying the police action was as a result of an intelligence report that Giwa and his friends were planning to invade the state House of Assembly with the aim of causing chaos.

Speaking during a press conference in his office in Jalingo, the state capital Monday, the command's Commissioner of Police, Mr. Jibril Adeniyi, said Giwa and his friends were arrested at about 11.00pm while holding a meeting on how to invade the Assembly and further create crisis in the state at a hotel on the outskirts of Jalingo.

Adeniyi said that Giwa and his group would soon be arraigned in court, adding that Giwa had since been released on bail and directed to report daily at the Command headquarters while investigation continues before they are charged to court.

Expressing the preparedness of the command to maintain the peace and security of the state, the police commissioner warned those with the intention of fomenting trouble in the state to desist from such plans, saying the command would not hesitate to arrest anybody, no matter how highly placed found to be threatening the peace of the state. 

"We are determined to maintain the existing peace and security of this state. We have been working very hard to sustain peace in Taraba State and we'll not fold our arms and allow anybody to disrupt the existing peace.  We are prepared to arrest anybody, no matter how highly placed that wants to disrupt the peace of the state. We're ready to face the challenge," he said.

Refuting the allegation that he is being used by the acting governor of the state to clamp down on his opponents, the police boss maintained that such insinuations and allegations only exist in the imagination of those making the insinuation, insisting that the peace of the state remains sacrosanct and that the command would not treat any threat to the peace of the state with levity.

He implored politicians to avoid acts that are capable of breaching the peace of the state, adding that the politicians should intensify efforts at resolving the lingering political crisis in the state as well as resolve their differences in the interest of the development of the state.