By Dorcas Jonah

The Patriotic Action Nigeria (PAN), a Non-Governmental Organisation on Friday called on Nigerians to be in unity to have a true national development.

The founder of PAN, retired Gen. John Gbor, said the problem of ethnic conflicts in Nigeria had been compounded by the colonial legacy of national states whose artificial boundaries cut across many ethnic divides.

Gbor said that PAN was established to get Nigerians to pledge their individuals’ allegiance to the country.

“The mission of PAN is to provide a level playing ground that guarantees inclusiveness and fairness to every Nigerian to advocate his or her dream and aspiration in pursuit of fulfillment and happiness, devoid of oppression and suppression.

“Our cardinal objective is `The Unity of Nigeria,’ PAN seeks the realistic unity of all component parts of the Nigerian society into one solid indivisible nation,’’ he said.

Gbor said that PAN was an assemblage of patriotic Nigerians who strongly believe that once the majority of Nigerians unite into nationhood, most of the undesirable ills challenging our peaceful co-existence would be a thing of the past.

According to him, the unity of Nigeria is the key to our survival and success as a nation.

“The key to all Nigerian problems is unity. Once we unite and pledge our allegiance to Nigeria and accept one another as fellow citizens, there is hardly any problem we cannot solve.

“There is an adage which says, ‘divided we fall and united we stand.”

“Nigeria will remain undeveloped, ungovernable and poor until we, the citizens of the country give up ethnicity, the geo-political divides of North and South, and pledge our loyalty to Nigeria before we can begin to make appreciable progress.

“We must accept being just Nigerians as the Chinese are Chinese and Americans are just Americans and not English-American, French-American or Danish-American,’’ he said.

Gbor said that though Nigeria was faced with challenges such as insecurity, poverty, corruption among others, the Unity of the country was key to youths’ development, hunger eradication and women empowerment.

He said that all these would be possible only when Nigeria becomes united.

“As a link between the present and future generations, you are a critical partner of PAN,” he said.

Gbor called on governments at all levels and the private sector to take the advantage of the youth population and abundant natural resources for the growth and development of the country.

“The country has doubled its efforts to ensure the employment of youths. The youths are also encouraged to seek assistance from friendly banks to set up businesses for self-employment.

“Any nation that ignores its youths, does so at the expense of its very existence since the youths represent the future.

“It takes Nigerians to fix Nigeria.

“We have a choice, either to fix our nation for the benefit of present and future generations or, to continue to suffer the mess we inherited from the colonialists and the ones we have created for ourselves,’’ he said.”

He urged the media, as critical stakeholders to use the platform with a great sense of patriotism for the peace and unity of Nigeria.

Gbor said the media were expected to encourage the populace to partner with the government in finding solutions to the myriad of challenges facing the country from corruption, infrastructural deficits to criminality.

He reiterated that: “PAN seeks to partner with government, collects information at the grassroots and communicates with governments on all issues hindering or facilitating national unity”

He said that the country needed people’s constitution and not as Yorubas, Igbos, Kanuris, Hausas, Fulanis, Nupe’s, Ibibio, Anang, Ekwere, Tiv etc; or as Easterners, Northerners, and Westerners; or as Muslims or Christians but as Nigerians. (NAN)

By Douglas Okoro

Chief Elias Mbam, the Chairman, Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) says the All Progressives Congress (APC) will decide which zone will produce the 2023 presidential candidate of party at the appropriate time.

Mbam spoke on Friday at Mgbo-Agbaja in Nwofe community, Ebonyi Local Government Area of Ebonyi, after revalidating his membership of the party.

The APC chieftain who was reacting to the current clamour for the party to zone its presidential ticket to the South-East geopolitical zone, noted that such decision could only be taken by the APC.

Mbam, who explained that the interest of the zone was better achieved under APC, stressed that the decision to zone presidential slot was entirely reserved for the party.

“The party decides where or which zone gets the presidential slot; the party decides what it wants, it’s not given and the party will decide those that will fly its flag.

“We should desire to belong to the party at the centre because that’s where our hope lies and I want to urge our people to come and register with the ‘moving train’ to achieve our destiny as a people,’’ Mbam said.

He faulted claims by some party members that the ongoing party membership registration and revalidation was illegal and unconstitutional, said that such members were merely expressing their opinion.

He said: “We are in a political season and APC enshrined freedom of speech in its constitution, hence those holding the view that the ongoing membership registration and revalidation exercise of our party is illegal are merely expressing this freedom.

“They are only expressing their view and that is not the view of our party and this view does not in any way confirm illegality.

“I don’t think the exercise is illegal; it is the decision of National Executive Council (NEC) which is the highest body of the party and as such, it is binding on all members.

“I am not part of those that say the exercise is illegal and that is why I am here; if it is illegal I won’t be here.

“I want to appeal to Ebonyi people to join the APC by coming out en masse to register and revalidate their membership; the hope and future of Ebonyi is in the party,’’ he added.

He appealed to leadership of the party to make available more registration materials to enable the large number of intending members coming to register to do so.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the RMAFC boss revalidated his membership at 11:15a.m. at Agbaja Community Central School, Polling Unit 018,Mgbom-Agbaja Ward. and was received at the registration venue by scores of his admirers and party faithful. (NAN)

By Kingsley Okoye

Senators who challenged President Muhammadu Buhari’s nomination of Mr Lamido Yuguda as the Director-General of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have withdrawn their petition.

Sen. Ayo Akinyelure, Chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, said this while presenting the report of the committee at plenary on Thursday.

Akinyelure explained that senators- Bassey Akpan (PDP – Akwa-Ibom); Christopher Ekpenyong (PDP – Akwa-Ibom); and Akon Eyakenyi (PDP – Akwa-Ibom) withdrew the petition following the intervention of the committee.

The lawmakers had challenged the nomination of Yuguda saying that Mrs Mary Uduk an indigene of Akwa-Ibom should have been nominated for the position.

Contributing, Sen. Sam Egwu (PDP – Ebonyi) urged the Federal Government to consider Akwa-Ibom in future appointments in view of the development.

Sen. Adamu Bulkachuwa (APC – Bauchi) said the consideration of the report of the committee was not necessary as the petitioners had withdrawn their petition.

Senate President Ahmad Lawan, however, observed that there was a procedural issue which made it mandatory for the committee to submit its report to the senate in spite of the withdrawal of the petition.

Accordingly, the senate while adopting a resolution by Sen. James Manager (PDP – Delta) resolved that consequent upon the withdrawal of the petition, the matter should be laid to rest. (NAN)

By Abiodun Esan
Members of the Caretaker Executive Committee of the All Progressives congress (APC) in Kwara have rejected the ongoing membership registration and revalidation exercise in the state.

The executive members, at a media briefing on Wednesday at the party’s secretariat in Ilorin, declared that the process in virtually all the registration centres was in breach of the guidelines of the APC on the exercise.

Chief Sunday Oyebiyi, the Vice Chairman of the party in the state, who read a prepared statement, said majority of the executive committee members were not carried along in the events leading to the exercise.

“We are in the dark till this very moment as per the process of the registration exercise. The same is true of our LGA Chairmen and their executives and the Ward Chairmen and their executives.

“Assuming without conceding that the Chairman, Bashir Bolarinwa, is suspended, are we all also suspended?

“Is the Organising Secretary, Samuel Ndazoko Isa, who by our parry’s constitution is supposed to be responsible for the exercise, also suspended?

“Is the majority members of the executive committee here present also suspended? So why did the Senator John Danboyi-led team sidestep all of us.

“If this is bad, what is happening on the field is worse. The guidelines are being severely raped across all the 1872 units without exception.

“Unfortunately, Senator John Danboyi and his team are not only looking away but are also seemingly enabling these aberrations for reasons best known to them.

” In virtually all units of the state that we have monitored, both the Registration Forms and the Register of Members are never provided.

“Instead, party members who are revalidating and others who are prospective are being asked to write their personal details, including their NIN, on a rough sheet of paper,” Oyebiyi said.

Oyebiyi said the guidelines of the party were being brazenly breached adding that the exercise in Kwara was different from other states.

“Since registration materials have been said to be delivered to the state, we ask, where are the materials?

“Why are people being forced to write their details on N100 exercise books instead of on APC Membership Register as provided?

“Why are people not given the Temporary Membership Slip on registration as the guidelines stipulate?

“Why is the Kwara State APC membership exercise different from the rest of other states of the federation?

“We are ashamed that the legitimate expectations of several thousands of members are being dashed right under our noses and we are unable to do anything about it.

“We are alarmed that minority elements in the party are holding the majority of members to ransom.

“We are alarmed that a party that professes adherence to the rule of law is being dragged in the mud without any consequence,” he said.

He said the current registration and revalidation exercise ought to be considered beyond the crisis in the party.

” The issues are about due process, about the integrity of our party, about the sanctity of our constitution.

“The issues are about the hopes and aspirations of thousands of people who worked tirelessly to bring the APC in Kwara State thus far but are now being relegated and abused for no fault of theirs.

” It is really disappointing and unfortunate,” he added.

Oyebiyi, who called for a level playing field in the conduct of the registration exercise, said the guidelines as enumerated by the party’s national leadership must be adhered to.

“If the registration is about the people, and more people, and very more people, we demand a fair and credible conduct of the exercise, without fear or favour.

“We demand an immediate deployment of the registration materials to all the units without exception. We demand that they be brought out from where they are presently being hoarded.

“We demand a complete stop to the use of exercise books to record the personal details of the registrants.

“It is an aberration that must stop and the wanton exposure of the National Identity Number (NIN) of members without control poses a grave danger for them.

“We demand a more inclusive approach to the exercise.

” If we, the State Executive Committee members are in the dark, if the LGA Chairmen and their executives are in the dark, if the Ward Chairmen and their executives are in the dark, what then is the essence of the exercise?

“We urge our members to continue to be peaceful and law abiding. No matter the level of provocation, they should remain peaceful and report swiftly to relevant security agencies,” Oyebiyi added.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the statement was signed by 26 executive committee members of the party.

By AbdulFatai Beki

The Kwara House of Assembly on Tuesday sworn-in Mr Jimoh Raheem-Agboola of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as member representing llorin South constituency.

Speaker of the House Yakubu Danladi administered the oath of office and oath of allegiance on the new member.
Danladi, in his remark congratulated the new member and expressed optimism that he would adjust to the legislative business of the House in view of his experience.

“You are already familiar with the task ahead, we say congratulations and welcome on board,” he said.

He described the inauguration of Raheem-Agboola as one of the beauties of democracy and described legislative arm as the strongest arm of government in a democracy.

The new lawmaker, while speaking with newsmen after his inauguration, described his triumph as a product of judiciary.

He promised that he will not disappoint the electorate in llorin South constituency for the confidence depose in him.
Raheem-Agboola was inaugurated in compliance with an Appeal Court Judgment in his favour. He was a member of the 4th Assembly from 1999 to 2003, and he replaced Mr AbdulAzeez Elewu who contested the 2019 election under the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The new member was accompanied to his inauguration by some PDP stalwarts led by the state Chairman, Alhaji Kola Shittu, relations, friends and well-wishers. (NAN)

By Ismail Abdulaziz
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has called on Nigerians to register with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as a vehicle and platform to achieve progress and justice.

The Vice President stated this when he revalidated his membership with the APC at his Unit in Ikenne Ward one, Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State.

Mrs Mary Noel-Berje, Chief Press Secretary to Gov. abubakar Bello of Niger, disclosed this in a statement in Ikenne on Tuesday.

Bello, who supervised the event in Ogun state, is the APC National Chairman of the Membership Registration and Revalidation Committee.

Osinbajo, who said the APC stands on the shoulders of social Democratic philosophy that ensures maximum happiness and well being of its members, enjoined party members to situate the exercise within the context of their ideology.

The Vice President said that the exercise was an opportunity to have a credible membership register so as to reach out to all their members.

” Party Registration and Revalidation is important because it offers us an opportunity to have a credible roll of our members such that we are able to reach our members from the polling booths, all the way to the Wards, Local Government and Federal Constituencies.

” The people are the Party and the Party is the people,” the Vice President said.

He said though they have come to government at a most challenging times of the country, their party is the best with the leaders to solve the problems.

Osinbajo said the present administration has continued to come up with policies and programmes such as Micro credit schemes, N-Power, Mass Agricultural Schemes among others due to their grassroots orientation.

The Vice President said the security challenges confronting the Nation is not insurmountable with renewed commitment and strategies.

Earlier in his address, Gov. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, said the exercise was an inclusive one as it would revalidate old members and register new ones.

He encouraged the old members to welcome those coming, stressing that the more their number, the more the party’s chances of winning future elections.

The Chairman National Registration and Revalidation Membership Committee of the APC and Governor of Niger State Abubakar Bello re-iterated that no one would be left behind.

He said the last time similar exercise was conducted was in 2014 and since then some have died, few left the party and many have joined.

Bello added that many have also turned 18 years of age in the last seven years giving them that opportunity to register now.

Bello said the Committee members would ensure the exercise is conducted in a peaceful manner in order to allow the party grow bigger and stronger.

” As Chairman of the National Registration and Revalidation Committee, no one will be left behind. Committee members will ensure that the exercise is conducted in a peaceful manner,” he said.

Present at the event were the State Coordinator of the Registration and Revalidation exercise for SouthWest Zone Sen. Lawal Shuiabu, Ikene Ward one Chairman Prince Segun Awomuti and the former Ogun State Governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba among others.

By EricJames Ochigbo

The House of Representatives, on Tuesday adjourned plenary in honour of Rep. Ossy Prestige who died on Sunday after a brief illness in Germany at the age of 56.

Prestige was a member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and until his death, represented Aba North/Aba South Federal Constituency of Abia

The motion for adjournment was moved by the Majority Leader of the house, Rep. Ado Doguwa (APC-Kano) and was seconded by the Minority Leader, Rep. Ndudi Elumelu (PDP-Delta)

The lawmakers adjourned plenary to Wednesday, Feb. 10, to mourn the death of their colleague.

Earlier, the Speaker of the house, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila said that Prestige had been ill for a while and was moved to the United Kingdom for medical treatment.

Gbajabiamila described Prestige as a very strong and active member of the house, adding that until his death, he was a fighter.

“I traveled to visit him in UK last October and even the minority leader went to see him. He shared with me how he left Nigeria for London, and all that happened to him on the flight and it was so pathetic.

“We kept communicating, but later we lost communication when he was transferred to Germany and a few days ago the family told us he had passed on.

“He was a chairman of a powerful bloc called the house of common, if you had any important bill or motion to pass, you will have to pay homage to the house of common.

“So many members are very heavy in their hearts, we pray the Lord for his soul to  rest in peace and for the family the fortitude to bear the loss,” he said.

Until his death, Prestige was a Nigerian businessman and politician who served in the 8th and current House of Representatives. (NAN)

By Kingsley Okoye

The Senate on Tuesday, received President Muhammadu Buhari’s request to confirm former Service Chiefs as non- career ambassador designates to Nigeria foreign missions.

Buhari’s request for confirmation is contained in a letter addressed to President of Senate Ahmad Lawan and read at plenary.

Buhari in the letter said: ”in accordance to section 171, sub-section 1, 2 C and Section 4 of 1999 Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, I have the honour to forward for confirmation by the Senate, the underlisted as non-career ambassador designates.

“The non -career ambassador designates are rtd. Gen.Abayomi Olonisakin (Ekiti), rtd. Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai (Borno),
rtd. Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Cross River), rtd. Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar (Bauchi) and rtd. Air Vice Marshal Mohammed Usman (Kano)”.

Buhari also in a separate letter addressed to president of senate also sought the confirmation of appointment of Chief of Defence Staff and Service Chiefs for the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

President Buhari in the letter,  said the request was in compliance with the provision of Section 18 sub-section (1)of the Armed Forces Act CAP, Laws of the Federation of  Nigeria, 2004.

Buhari in the letter said: ”I hereby forward for confirmation by the senate, the appointment of the underlisted officers as Chief of Defence Staff and Service Chiefs of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The officials are Chief of Defence Staff, Maj.-Gen. Lucky Irabor,, Chief of Army Staff, Maj.-Gen Ibrahim Attahiru, Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshall Isiaka Amao, Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Auwal Gambo.”

Senate also received request for confirmation of appointment of Mr Adolphus Aghughu as the Auditor-General of the Federation.

Buhari also sought senate’s confirmation of Mr Victor Chinemereem Murakor for appointment as Chairman of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC).

Senate also received request for confirmation of appointment of Mr Larry Obinna Chukwu as Commissioner representing South-East at the Nigerian Law Reform Commission.

The Upper Chamber also received Buhari’s request for confirmation of Wukari Bukar as Commissioner representing Yobe, Boronu and Bauchi states at the Federal Civil Service Commission.

Senate thereafter adjourned plenary to Feb. 10, following the demise of a member of House of Representatives, Rep. Ossy Prestige who represented Aba North and South Federal Constituency. (NAN)