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A total of 186 vehicles have been distributed to the newly appointed emirs, chiefs and district heads in Bauchi State by the government in order to…

Mr. John Ikechukwu Ozegbe, a frontline APC House of Assembly contender for Ndokwa West Constituency seat in the Delta House of Assembly come 2027, has hailed former Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, for accepting the clarion call of Delta North leaders to run for Senate in 2027.

Mr. Ozegbe gave his endorsement of the decision, in the wake of the visit by Delta North leaders to Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa with the singular objective of appealing to the former Governor, to throw his hat into the ring and contest for the Delta North Senatorial Seat in the forthcoming 2027 elections, which he accepted with great humility and solid assurance to deliver on the mandate.

Ozegbe said: “I want to wholeheartedly express my joy and happiness over the decision of His Excellency, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa (Ekwueme), to accept the call by our leaders from the zone, to contest for the Delta North Senatorial Seat in the 2027 elections.

“This is one decision that most of us have been clamoring for, because Dr. Okowa is a tried, tested and proven leader, who has already distinguished himself as a Senator. He is without doubt, the best man for the job and his acceptance to contest will provide the platform for him to consolidate on his previous sterling performance and even achieve more for Delta North come 2027 and beyond, with progressive, articulate, coordinated and experienced representation in the Senate.

“I hereby pledge my unalloyed support to Ekwueme in the conviction that his powerful presence in the red chamber will attract the bountiful dividends of democracy which the Renewed Hope programme of President Bola Tinubu has to offer, especially for the MORE Agenda of our able and dynamic governor, Rt. Hon Sheriff Oboreveori as he continues to deliver good governance to Deltans and Delta State.

“Let me also express my profound gratitude to our dear distinguished Delta State Deputy Governor, Sir Monday Onyeme, as well as the Delta North leaders who took this bold step of choosing Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa for the Delta North Senatorial Seat. Their action has cleared all doubts and uncertainties over our Senatorial representation in the Senate, with this unambiguous and decisive endorsement”, Mr. Ozegbe concluded.

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A prominent governorship aspirant of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Adamawa State, Senator Aishatu Ahmed Binani, has condemned the state, local government and ward congresses conducted in the state in defiance of a court order.

Binani addressed supporters drawn from the 21 local government areas at a gathering in Yola on Monday, where she questioned the legitimacy of the congresses after a High Court sitting in Yola directed that the exercise be suspended.

An ADC committee proceeded with the congresses over the weekend despite the suspension order issued by the court, following a suit filed by the state chairman of the party, Yohanna Shehu. Shehu had approached the court to halt the exercise, alleging that he and his executive committee were completely sidelined in the planning of the congresses.

After several of her supporters spoke at the rally held at Lamido Cinema in Yola on Monday afternoon, Binani reiterated their concerns while urging restraint and patience pending the court’s decision on the matter.

The High Court in Yola, while issuing its suspension order, directed all parties to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the substantive suit and adjourned further proceedings to Wednesday, April 15.

Binani advised her supporters to remain calm, noting that any further action would depend on the court’s ruling, particularly if the congresses are annulled but the ADC Congress Committee insists on recognising those elected during the disputed exercise.

“If the court eventually decides that the conduct of the congresses is okay despite the order suspending them, we should accept it,” she said.

Binani faults Adamawa ADC congresses conducted against court order

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike, has described the rainstorm that destroyed parts of the yet-to-be-functioning Kugbo Bus Terminal in the nation’s capital, Abuja, as a natural disaster….

Former Arsenal star, Paul Merson, has given his verdict on Manchester United’s Premier League title hopes for next season.

Since Michael Carrick stepped in as interim manager in January, taking over from Reuben Amorim, United have been climbing up the table.

They currently sit third in the table, behind only Arsenal and Manchester City this term.

Still, Merson remains unconvinced they’re ready to go all the way to win the Premier League next season.

He believes United’s immediate priority should be securing a top-four finish rather than dreaming of the title.

“I don’t think Manchester United are ready to fight for the title next season,” Merson told Sportskeeda.

“Their sole focus should be on getting back into the Champions League.”

EPL: Paul Merson rates Man Utd’s chances of winning title next season

The Nigerian Army on Monday said that the Commanding Officer of Sector 3, Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), and six combatant soldiers were killed in Monguno….

Diezani Alison-Madueke, a former petroleum minister accused of benefitting form proceeds of corruption in the UK in exchange for granting government contracts has denied taking bribes.

Diezani, 65, told Southwark Crown Court on Monday that she had “tried to push back on corruption” in a country plagued by it since the days it was a British colony, BBC reports.

Several Nigerian businessmen are alleged to have bankrolled huge spending sprees, including more than £2m at luxury store Harrods and £4.6m on refurbishing homes in London and Buckinghamshire.

However, Diezani Alison-Madueke said that the cost of services laid on for her while on official duties were later repaid.

“I can state categorically that at no point did I ask for, take or receive a bribe of any sort from these persons and did not abuse my office,” Alison-Madueke told the court.

“I always sought to act impartially.”

NNPC

She said money spent on her behalf was reimbursed by the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Company, NNPC.

She added that that a service company was set up in London to handle the logistics because the financial structure of the NNPC was in a mess.

“They paid for all my hotels, chauffeurs… to allow me to perform the job that I did,” she said.

In court on Monday, the former minister said she was not aware at the time that one of her chauffeurs had delivered £100,000 in cash to her, adding that the money had had nothing to do with her.

The court heard how Alison-Madueke had risen quickly through the ranks at Shell, becoming the first senior female executive in its Nigerian operation.

This was despite her not wanting to work for the multinational company because of its treatment of her father, she said, who had once also been a senior employee.

At Shell

“I found the job uncomfortable to put in mildly, ” she said, explaining that her father, who was a tribal leader, had once unsuccessfully taken legal action against Shell “for apartheid practice in West Africa.”

She told the court how when she worked at Shell, the company was having big problems dealing with oil spills in the Niger delta area where her family was from. She didn’t believe the company had done enough “to make good on the devastation that they had caused”.

Asked about concerns with her own security, she said Nigeria was a “very patriarchal society” so to have a “woman sitting at the helm was a major no no.”

She added that she was “under dire threats of kidnap” and that members of her family had been seized.

Alison-Madueke denies five counts of accepting bribes and a charge of conspiracy to commit bribery.

Also on trial, oil industry executive Olatimbo Ayinde, 54, denies one count of bribery and another count of bribing a foreign public official.

Meanwhile, Alison-Madueke’s brother, former archbishop Doye Agama, 69, denies conspiracy to commit bribery.

The trial continues. BBC

Vanguard News

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The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intensified efforts to modernise revenue administration with the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI)…

Youth wing of apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has described as baseless a statement by one Igboayaka Igboayaka who claimed to have declared former South-East governors persona non-grata.

Igboayaka, who claimed to be President of Ohanaeze Youth Council, had attacked the leaders for endorsing President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 election.

He mentioned the likes of Senator David Umahi, Ambassador Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Ambassador Okezie Ikpeazu Sullivan Chime, Chris Ngige, among others, accusing them of political betrayal.

However, in a statement issued on Monday, the National President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, urged the general public to ignore what he called “antics of an impostor.”

Okwu, while accusing Igboayaka of impersonation, said it was unjustifiable to declare anyone persona non grata for holding a political opinion.

According to him, “it is within the rights of the former governors and indeed anyone else to decide who they want to support ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“Time has gone for people to come on the media to insult leaders simply for not aligning with their political beliefs, more so when such is coming from an impostor. Leaders in other zones of the country have also at one point or the other declared support for one political party or another, but nobody has come to insult them.

“As we inch closer to the 2027 general elections, we urge our people to be mindful of the fact that support is never gotten by cohesion but persuasion.

“Political rascalism will not be tolerated in the South-East this time; what the so-called Igboayaka did was the height of rascality and stands condemned.

“Those behind this mask should desist from disparasing our leaders. These are people who have served their states meritoriously at one point or the other, and we are not going to sit by and allow unknown quantities use them to chase clout.

“It is highly despicable to deride our most distinguished leaders, including the likes of Ambassadors Rt Hon Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Okezie Ikpeazu, who have continued to make the youths proud, as well as the workaholic works minister, Engr David Umahi. These are eminent leaders and we totally respect their decision.

“We are very much aware of people sponsoring the so-called Igboayaka and it is only a matter of time and we will expose them if they don’t desist from this infamous path,” Okwu declared.

2027: Ohanaeze warns against castigating Igbo leaders over Tinubu support

The Kebbi State Government has indicated its willingness to implement the draft policy on youth development designed by youth groups to give them…