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Hon Betara An Efficient Administrator Deserves To Be Next Speaker – Arewa Youth Forum

The Arewa Youth Forum (AYF), the Premier umbrella platform of all youth organisations in the North and FCT-Abuja, which has structures in the 19 Northern states, some Southern States and the diaspora has made a strong case for Honourable Aliyu Mukhtar Betara, ‘The Golden Boy’ to be voted as the Speaker of the 10th National Assembly.

This was contained in a statement signed by AYF President, Ahmed Mohammed Zagi, made available to newsmen in Kaduna on Thursday April 4, 2023, explaining why Honourable Betara who is representing Biu/Bayo/Shani Federal Constituency and Chairman House Committee on Appropriation was endorsed.

“The role in which Hon. Betara played in the 9th Assembly is that of a proficient and efficient administrator who was fair, just,
logical and sincere in the appropriation of resources for the improvement of the living
standard of Nigerians and the development of critical sectors of the economy.

“Despite obvious challenges, Hon. Betera was able to pass through the hard concrete wall with his
name printed in crystal gold,” AYF said.

The group said that they have been closely following with keen interest
the unfolding developments in the country, especially as relates to the buildup to the election of the leadership of the 10th National Assembly, especially the Green Chamber.

They explained further that the pivotal role that Honourable Betara played has earned him deep love, trust, respect and confidence from his colleagues in the Green Chamber.

“No doubt, and from our conclusion, that is why his ambition to become the next Speaker of the House of Representatives is receiving overwhelming support and endorsement from both returning and new members of the
parliament across political party bifurcation.

“As a person, Hon. Betara iswell known to be a humble, intelligent, and smart persona with the wisdom of the ancients,” the statement said.

According to them, “He is friendly, generous, easy going and accessible and always ensures fairness, transparency and logic in the discharge of his official
responsibility as Appropriation Committee Chairman.In short, most members of the 9th
Assembly have openly confessed on several occasions that Hon. Betara is the reason behind their success and sterling performance in their various constituencies as regards appropriation of fund (envelope) for the execution of projects in the various Committees
they represent.

“Already a veteran in both chambers of the NASS, Hon. Betara has been in the House since 2007,” the statement explained.

AYF recalls that Betara has held several strategic positions such as Chairman of the Sub committee on NDIC, Banking and Currency, Member of the House Committee on Interior and was later appointed Chairman of the Sub-committee on Customs, Immigration and Prisons Pension Office between 2007 and 2011.

“He also served as Chairman of, the House Committee on the Army in the 7th Assembly (2011 to 2015) and Chairman of the House Committee on Defence from 2015 –2019 before his current position as Chairman of, the House Committee on Appropriations (2019-2023).

“Hon. Betara has built bridges and the cultivated seed of friendship over time in the National Assembly across party, religious and ethnic lines.

“He has gathered ample legislative experience over the years and equally established a reputation for methodological versatility in the House of Representatives, which has baked and prepared him for the onerous obligation of the Speakership Position that he is contesting for,” they argued.

According to the statement, Betara’s administrative acumen, competence, credibility, and legislative experience combined
with his acceptability by the majority of the returning and newly elected members of the House of Representatives stands him out among other contestants and positioned him as the man to win the Speakership Position of the 10th Assembly once the election is
held.

They averred that the incoming administration of Asiwaju/Shettima does not need to be reminded that the hope of Nigerians is extremely high and they are expecting nothing short of excellent performance from the government.

“The executive arm of government, on the other hand, cannot function effectively without the complement and support of robust and sound
legislation and oversights from the legislature.

“Therefore, the cadre or calibre of “who” becomes “who” in the Leadership of the 10th Assembly should neither be taken for
granted nor seem as business as usual where competence and credibility are often sacrificed on the alter of zoning, religious or ethnic equation.

“The executive, judiciary and legislative arms of government are partners in the business of governance standing on a tripod. If any leg of the tripod becomes faulty through the wrong recruitment of its leadership, there will certainly be an overbearing effect and consequence on the other legs of the tripod.

“Consequent to the above, which is a tip of the iceberg on the many reasons why Hon. Betera is the man fit for the job, the AYF hereby, endorses the ‘Golden Boy’ to lead the Green Chamber as Speaker in the 10th National Assembly,” they submitted.

They further argued that, “no leader among all of those aspiring has his selflessness, integrity, fear of God as a motivating principle and a
consciousness, resolute and uncompromising drive to face the battle and national challenges with all his might and prowess.

“This resolution of endorsement was made by all structures of AYF in Nigeria and the Diaspora.
We therefore call on all and sundry especially, old and new members of the Green Chamber to support the aspiration and candidature of Hon. Aliyu Mukhtar Betara as Speaker so that Nigeria “go better for the Nigerian Citizens “through qualitative and sound legislation,” they stressed.

They said their endorsement is hinged on their patriotic zeal for Nigeria.

“As an organisation that champions the course of good governance through qualitative representations we are compelled to voice out our resolutions on who to drum our support for and endorsement to serve as Speaker in the 10th National Assembly, which is expected to be officially inaugurated in June.

“Following our deep and wider consultations as well as sampling of vital opinions that cut across the length and breadth of the country, also among members of the Green Chamber on who does the cap fit for the Speakership position, we have come to the conclusion that one personality stands out among all that person is Hon. Aliyu Mukhtar Betara, ‘The Golden Boy’;

“The experienced legislator who is tailor-made for the job. Our reasons abound!

“From the constituency front, it is a well-known fact that Hon. Betara has exceeded expectations in his constituency in terms of infrastructural development (constituency projects execution), empowerment and effective representation.

“No surprise he was given
the mandate by his people for an unprecedented fifth term to represent the constituency.

“Top experts and students of business management or financial management can speak
correctly on the importance of having a prudent and proficient “administrator” or “manager” of human/resources in an organisation”.

By: Sunday Oyale

Ahead of the next Federal cabinet to be constituted by the President elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, representatives of youth groups from across the federation have called on the President elect to consider the National President of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF), Alhaji Yerima Shettima as one of his cabinet member .

The youth groups said the call has become imperative considering the role Shettima had continued to play in stabilising youth activities, promoting peace and social justice over the years, not only in the North but in all the geopolitical zones of Nigeria .

While congratulating Tinubu for emerging victorious in the Presidential election and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), the youth groups who were represented by Samuel Garry, Ahmed Mohammed Rufai and Christiana Nicholas under the umbrella of Nigeria Youth for Peace and Social Justice Forum (NYPSJF), said they found it expedient to bring Alh. Yerima Shettima to the fore and expose his salient but noble attributes to the world, so that it would attract the attention of the President elect who had emphasised on competence and youth inclusiveness in his cabinet and not mediocrity in appointments.

“Although we do not sought for Yerima Shettima’s consent before clamouring for him to be appointed as Minister in his forthcoming cabinet to represent the youths, we felt it behoves on us to search for a youth leader with impeccable credentials and who enjoys a lot of goodwill from across the divides, to be part of the in coming administration ,” they said.

The youth groups representatives, in a statement made available to journalists on Wednesday, recalled that for over a decade, Yerima Shettima was not only a galvanising factor for youth activism with direct impact on youth development and education; protection of human rights and from abuse, but had continously supported hundreds of youths, religion and tribe not withstanding in their quest for self development through education and trade.

” Yerima Shettima as the Minister would bring the desired unity in an important segment of the Nigerian population. He is well known in the promotion of political activities that encourages talents of youths in their path ways to professionalism in different endeavours .

” His offices and residences in Lagos, Kaduna and Abuja were always behives of activities where the youths and even the elderly,irrespective of religion, tribe or creed gathered to be counselled and assisted to be responsible, productive and respectable members of the larger society.

” Before, during and after the general elections ; Alhaji Yerima Shettima and his organisation had not relented in his youth crusades for peace; a fact that even the youth wings of other sociocultural organisations from the Southeast,Southwest and South South could attest to, haven hosted them on different peace and youth development missions in the North.

“Although not known to be aligned with any major political camp,Yerima Shettima as the Minister would undoubtedly ,further rally support for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of future elections, because he had proven to be a commanding voice in the region; who the youths earnestly listen to for guidance and subsequent action as was exemplified in different occasions in the recent past,

” Yerima Shettima’s activism dated back to days of military dictatorship where he and many others joined the struggle for liberation to the point of being arrested yet he never gave up the struggle, it is for these and many more we belief very strongly that he would be veritable tool that will stabilize the youths in this country” they said.

ENDS

*Urges EFCC, ICPC to wade in

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, on Sunday, strongly condemned a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a $15billion Trans-Niger Delta Railway Project entered into by the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Samuel Ogbuku, with Atlantic Global Resources Inc.

Frank in a statement in Abuja described the action of the NDDC’s MD as illegal and a Yahoo Yahoo abracadabra, that is fraudulently laced with deceitful intentions aimed at siphoning the resources of the commission.

He called on any of the anti-graft agencies, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (and Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, to urgently wade in, arrest, investigate and prosecute Ogbuku and his co-conspirators for attempted fraud and misappropriation.

He noted that only the Chairman of the Governing Board of the NDDC is vested with powers to enter into contracts with other firms by the act establishing the agency.

He said, “It is worthy to note, that as part of the responsibility of the Governing Board of the NDDC, as empowered by its establishment Act No 6, 2000, only the Chairman is vested with the sole power to sign contracts or MoUs with any firm or organization.

“It is curious therefore, as to how only the Managing Director and a selected few in conievance with the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs would proceed to sign an MoU without the prior knowledge of the Chairman, but rather justifying an ultra vires action.

“The position of the NDDC management in its reaction affirming that the $15billion Railway MoU was signed for the preliminary process for a railway network and not an award of contract, suggests that ongoing talks with this company is another calculated attempt to defraud the Niger Delta people in the guise of ‘Preliminary Studies’ for a Trans-Niger Delta Railway.

“This shady MoU without due consultation with the board, carried out by the MD of NDDC, Samuel Ogbuku, with Atlantic Global Resources Inc, to build a railway network connecting the nine Niger Delta states can only be described as crass carelessness and outrightly insensitive at this time.

“Mr Ogbuku must be reminded that the struggle for the attainment of a better Niger Delta was a battle fought by many and thus as stakeholders in this struggle, we’re mandated to serve the people relentlessly rather than engaging in the same setbacks of the past.”

He added: “In the light of the above therefore, it is clear that the MD and his partners are clearly toeing the same path as the pre-forensic audit of the commission.

“Besides, in pursuit of a better Niger Delta, we’re poised to applaud laudable projects and disapprove of white elephant projects in this regard.

“It is sad that whilst we continue to hope for overall growth and development of the region, we’re still confronted with weighty and dubious setbacks detrimental to the positive advancement of the zone.

“It will be foolhardy to jump on a Trans-Niger Delta Railway network’s feasibility, when the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had only recently in 2021 awarded a $11.7 Railway contract that would connect states in the entire region from Lagos.

“It is therefore shocking that an agency of government will seek to overide the prior approval of FEC and initiate another MoU on behalf of the NDDC and the Federal Government for the same project in 2023 without due process nor approval by FEC in the twilight of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

“The FEC must make its position clear as regards this recent MoU duplicating the project even as the completion of the East/West Road has since become a mirage with little or nothing done all these years.”

He called on the National Assembly, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, the nine Niger Delta States’ Governors (Advisory Board of NDDC), and all other stakeholders to outrightly reject the flawed MoU as it is of no immediate significance save for personal aggrandizement.

He said: “Any form of support in aiding the commission to secure loans for the purpose of this purported ‘Preliminary Studies’ for the railway construction must be rejected and resisted.

“The Niger Delta people are desirous of more sustainable programmes that positively

affect daily living rather than any phantom project.

“The NDDC must focus on the implementation of its original masterplan, which no board has achieved since inception and concentrate more on Human Resource Development programmes, including training of youths, provision of better healthcare, education, etc., and cease from being used as a conduit in impovershing the people.”

A coalition of civil society organisations Nigeria Civil Society Advocacy Group (NiCAG) have called on the President- Elect, Bola Tinubu to give his total and unalloyed support for Senator Godswill Akpabio to emerge as the Senate President in the 10th National Assembly .

The group through its Spokesman Pastor Shedrach Oka explained that the incoming President would definitely need the support of the Senate for him to implement his policies .

“Oka noted that
“Only Senator Akpabio has that charisma, zeal and zest to galvanise the rest of Senators to support the incoming President .

“Do not forget, that the 10th National Assembly is very diversed and in the upper House, the APC do not have an absolute majority to push through with the policies of the incoming administration, as such,a strong willed, tactical and dolomitic Senator is needed to Marshall the progressives and others at the upper House to give the needed impetus

The group further stressed that in the interest of unity, equity and inclusiveness, Godswill Akpabio who is from the South South geopolitical zone should become the next Senate President .

“If you take a look at the Presidency, Asiwaju Ahmad Bola Tinubu is from the South West, he is the President, Shettima is from the North East, he is the Vice President, apart from region, religion is also a factor that can not be overlooked .

“The emergence of Akpabio from the South South would go along way to assuage the feelings of the Christians and the South South and it would therefore bring about the much needed unity and inclusivity that the administration so needs.

Pastor Oka also harped on the fact that Senator Akpabio has been a very loyal member of the All Progressive Congress even as he had continued to support the outgoing President in the senate .
He added that , for the incoming President to have a hitch free and loyal members at the National Assembly, it behooves on the APC and Tinubu to support Chief Akpabio, he added

*Urges EFCC, ICPC to wade in

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, on Sunday, strongly condemned a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a $15billion Trans-Niger Delta Railway Project entered into by the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Samuel Ogbuku, with Atlantic Global Resources Inc.

Frank in a statement in Abuja described the action of the NDDC’s MD as illegal and a Yahoo Yahoo abracadabra, that is fraudulently laced with deceitful intentions aimed at siphoning the resources of the commission.

He called on any of the anti-graft agencies, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (and Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, to urgently wade in, arrest, investigate and prosecute Ogbuku and his co-conspirators for attempted fraud and misappropriation.

He noted that only the Chairman of the Governing Board of the NDDC is vested with powers to enter into contracts with other firms by the act establishing the agency.

He said, “It is worthy to note, that as part of the responsibility of the Governing Board of the NDDC, as empowered by its establishment Act No 6, 2000, only the Chairman is vested with the sole power to sign contracts or MoUs with any firm or organization.

“It is curious therefore, as to how only the Managing Director and a selected few in conievance with the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs would proceed to sign an MoU without the prior knowledge of the Chairman, but rather justifying an ultra vires action.

“The position of the NDDC management in its reaction affirming that the $15billion Railway MoU was signed for the preliminary process for a railway network and not an award of contract, suggests that ongoing talks with this company is another calculated attempt to defraud the Niger Delta people in the guise of ‘Preliminary Studies’ for a Trans-Niger Delta Railway.

“This shady MoU without due consultation with the board, carried out by the MD of NDDC, Samuel Ogbuku, with Atlantic Global Resources Inc, to build a railway network connecting the nine Niger Delta states can only be described as crass carelessness and outrightly insensitive at this time.

“Mr Ogbuku must be reminded that the struggle for the attainment of a better Niger Delta was a battle fought by many and thus as stakeholders in this struggle, we’re mandated to serve the people relentlessly rather than engaging in the same setbacks of the past.”

He added: “In the light of the above therefore, it is clear that the MD and his partners are clearly toeing the same path as the pre-forensic audit of the commission.

“Besides, in pursuit of a better Niger Delta, we’re poised to applaud laudable projects and disapprove of white elephant projects in this regard.

“It is sad that whilst we continue to hope for overall growth and development of the region, we’re still confronted with weighty and dubious setbacks detrimental to the positive advancement of the zone.

“It will be foolhardy to jump on a Trans-Niger Delta Railway network’s feasibility, when the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had only recently in 2021 awarded a $11.7 Railway contract that would connect states in the entire region from Lagos.

“It is therefore shocking that an agency of government will seek to overide the prior approval of FEC and initiate another MoU on behalf of the NDDC and the Federal Government for the same project in 2023 without due process nor approval by FEC in the twilight of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

“The FEC must make its position clear as regards this recent MoU duplicating the project even as the completion of the East/West Road has since become a mirage with little or nothing done all these years.”

He called on the National Assembly, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, the nine Niger Delta States’ Governors (Advisory Board of NDDC), and all other stakeholders to outrightly reject the flawed MoU as it is of no immediate significance save for personal aggrandizement.

He said: “Any form of support in aiding the commission to secure loans for the purpose of this purported ‘Preliminary Studies’ for the railway construction must be rejected and resisted.

“The Niger Delta people are desirous of more sustainable programmes that positively

affect daily living rather than any phantom project.

“The NDDC must focus on the implementation of its original masterplan, which no board has achieved since inception and concentrate more on Human Resource Development programmes, including training of youths, provision of better healthcare, education, etc., and cease from being used as a conduit in impovershing the people.”

A prominent support group of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Concerned APC Members Forum, has endorsed the candidacy of Senator Barau I. Jibrin for the position of Deputy Senate President in the 10th National Assembly leadership.

The APC chieftains said it will communicate the decision to the President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the national chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu through an official letter on Monday morning.

Addressing a press conference  on Saturday in Abuja, national convener of the forum, Comrade Okpokwu Ogenyi, demanded adherence to the Federal Character principle, adding that every geo-political zone should be given a sense of belonging.

The APC forum noted that the South-west and North-east have since produced President-elect and Vice – President respectively, the group urged the APC National Working Committee and the Progressives Governors Forum to consider zoning of President of the Senate and Deputy Senate President to the South-south and North-west.

Ogenyi said both zones contributed massive votes to the victory of the ruling party in the last February election and should be adequately rewarded.

The forum further maintained that the duo of Senator Godswill Akpabio, ( Akwa-Ibom North West) and Senator Barau Jibrin, ( Kano North) being ranking Senators from both zones should be considered for the exalted seats.

He said: “We believe that the party’s role in the National Assembly Leadership is to ensure the emergence of a competent senator who has distinguished himself over the years, devoid of religious and tribal sentiment, a pan-Nigerian who has been tested and trusted, proven worthy of integrity, character and prudent management.

“As believers in the Nigerian project, our appeal to the party is to consider the federal character in the zoning of the 10th senate leadership bearing in mind, competence and credibility with an understanding that Nigeria is a circular state with multi-faith and six geo-political zones.

“We wish to remind you the leadership of our party that, the President-elect is from the South West, and the Vice President-elect is from the North East, as such, the Senate President should be zoned to the South-South and the Deputy Senate President to the North West while the speaker of the House of Representatives and deputy should be accommodated by the other zones in view of competence and credibility of Honourable members.

“The President-elect needs highly competent senators with vast knowledge of legislative business to complement him in delivering dividends of democracy to Nigerians. To this end, we have gone ahead in shopping for highly competent, ranking Senators who shall work assiduously with the President-elect and members of the National Assembly to ensure stability and prudent financial appropriation and law-making for the overall interest of the country as the President and Deputy President of the 10th Senate.

“Although, we have watched with keen interest, the agitations from the various geo-political zones clamouring to produce the Senate President. We have also studied their request and concluded that APC as a national party should consider federal character considering the six geo-political zones and the circular nature of the country for even distribution of key government positions.

“We are aware that zoning is not done in a vacuum, so we highly recommend H.E Senator Godswill Akpabio for the position of Senate President and Senator Barau I. Jibrin as Deputy Senate President respectively. This will go a long way in building the confidence of APC members across the country in preparation for the future of our great party, the APC.

“It is pertinent to note that, in the South, South-South contributed the second highest votes after South-West which houses the President-elect. The North-West gave the party the highest votes in the North with Kano state consistently giving APC the highest vote per state in every election since the formation of the APC.

“More so, our submission is based on their legislative experience, prudent financial management, fair disposition towards national peace and unity, care for the less privileged, competence, reward for hard work, electoral value, and diplomatic relations.

“In the National Assembly, Senator Akpabio is the most ranking senator from the South-South under the platform of the APC while Senator Barau I. Jibrin is the most ranking senator from the North West.

“We sincerely appeal to the National Chairman of our great Party, H.E. Sen Abdullahi Adamu CON, and his National Working Committee members to zone the Senate Presidency seat to the South-South and the Deputy Senate President to the North West, preferably micro-zoned to Akwa Ibom State and Deputy Senate President to Kano State to pave way for the most ranking Senators, Godswill Akpabio and Barau I. Jibrin to emerge as the Senate President and Deputy Senate President of the 10th Senate respectively.

“We unequivocally call on the President-elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Progressives Governor’s Forum (PGF) and the State chairmen of our party to implement a government of National competence by supporting the zoning of the Senate Presidency to the South-South and Deputy to the North West.

“To this end, this organisation is publicly making this appeal to our leaders while official letters will be sent to our party’s National Chairman and the President-elect respectively in this regard.

We shall continue to advocate for good governance in promoting the ideology of our great party, APC. ”

*Ask Tinubu To Retain Isa Jere as CG

The Comptroller General of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Isa Jere has been commended for the good instituting reforms that are yielding positive results through out the country .

The National Coordinator of Concern Civil Society  Organisations and the National Secretary, Comrade Mada Ibrahim and Okpani Mike Odeh James made the commendation in a chat with media men in Kaduna .

According to Comrade Mada Ibrahim, NIS under Isa Jere has been able to curb the influx of foreigners into Nigeria during election season and this have greatly reduced to the cases of illegal aliens participating in the country’s election .

“If you recall before the election,Isa Jere gave his commandants marching orders to weed out illegal aliens and prevent them from participating in the polls .

“That order resulted in the  arrest of foreigners in Zaria, Kaduna, Akwa Ibom and Ogun  with huge number of PVCs. We also are aware of how many others with the country’s PVCs were apprehended by The Service  

“The result is what we saw during the election, zero reports of foreigners participating in our electoral process in 2023 . 

Mada went on to commend the men and women of Nigerian Immigration Service for civil and orderly conduct during the elections proper .

During the Presidential and Gubernatorial elections, reports we got showed that men and women of the Nigerian Immigration Service were very civil, diplomatic and were at the best  

These of humanity have endeared them to the hearts and minds of many Nigerians and we are saying thank you to them and their boss 

Apart from helping to conduct an election that is free from the intervention of illegal aliens, Isa Jere was also commended by the group for initiating several other reforms such the  establishment of a  Digital electronic passport portal which prevents time wasting and extortion of Nigerians seeking to obtain or renew the passport .

According to the group’s National Secretary, Okpani Mike Odeh James, 

“Jere has been able to restore discipline and hard work within the Service as men and women of NCIS are more dedicated to the jobs

staff of the Service have been retrained or maximum efficiency under Isa Jere .

Okpani Mike further added that for the good of the Service and the country, 

“we are calling on the incoming administration to allow Isa Jere continue with the reforms that he has initiated .

We asking  Bola Tinubu to add at least four more years to Jere’s tenure

*Says Tinubu unfit to rule Nigeria

The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has said that he has been able to run for the office of the President of Nigeria since 1993 without any controversy because unlike his main rival and the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Tinubu, he is unencumbered by drugs and identity scandals.

These revelations are contained in Atiku’s response to Tinubu’s and APC’s reply to his petition challenging the process and the outcome of the February 25 presidential election.

Besides, Atiku said that his own identity, comprising age, state of origin, and educational qualifications, have never been in dispute like those of Tinubu.

In his response to Tinubu’s reply to his petition, Atiku insisted that Tinubu is constitutionally disabled from contesting for the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Amongst others, Atiku alleged that Tinubu is unfit to lead Nigeria having been indicted for drug related offences in the United States of America (USA) and made to forfeit a sum of $460,000 as a compromise agreement.

In the response filed by his lead counsel, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, the PDP presidential candidate justified why the declaration of Tinubu as President-elect cannot stand, adding that against the law, “Tinubu holds dual citizenship of Nigeria and Guinea, having voluntarily acquired the citizenship of the Republic of Guinea”.

Similarly, Atiku accused Tinubu of not disclosing facts of his constitutional qualifications in his Form EC9 submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), contrary to the provisions of the law.

The petitioner while admitting that Tinubu may be a “Titan and a Maestro”, he however said that the “President-elect is certainly not a titan and maestro in national stature but in controversies such as age, state of origin, identity, educational qualifications represented by certificates obtained from universities and colleges”.

Apparently reacting to Tinubu’s response in which he described Atiku as a serial election loser, the former Vice President said that Tinubu is a giant in forfeiture, drug related offences and failure to disclose dual nationality to INEC.

“The comparison of the second respondent (Tinubu) with the first petitioner ( Atiku) who had attained the eminent position of Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for eight years is totally unfounded”, he said.

Justifying his request for the annulment of the declaration of Tinubu as President-elect, Atiku said that Tinubu and APC never won the majority of the lawful votes cast in the February 25 presidential election.

Amongst others, the PDP presidential candidate maintained that Tinubu failed part of the constitutional requirements, having failed to secure 25% of the votes cast in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, as constitutionally required.

He insisted that the return of Tinubu as the winner of the 2023 presidential election is undue, unlawful, and invalid because Tinubu did not meet the constitutional requirements as to qualification.

Rather than addressing the issues raised against him and the disputed election, Atiku said that Tinubu deliberately chose not to answer points of substance in the petition and opted for extraneous facts, contradictory, evasive, speculative and vague assertions.

In reaction to another issue raised against Atiku’s petition, the former Vice President claimed that his petition did not in any way constitute a gross abuse of any court process, adding that the originating summons of February 28, 2023, filed at the Supreme Court by Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta , Edo, and Sokoto states have since been discontinued.

At any rate, Atiku said that parties in the suit of the six PDP controlled states are not the same in his own petition and therefore prayed the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal to discountenance the objections and the averments raised against the petition by Tinubu and grant him all the reliefs sought in the petition.

Media Adviser to Atiku Abubakar, Mr. Paul Ibe said that the only thing common between Atiku and Tinubu is the year 1993.

He said while it was the year that Atiku started his presidential campaign run, it was also the same year that Tinubu fell to the US justice system over his indictment and conviction for drug trafficking and money laundering for which he forfeited a whopping sum of $460,000.

Meanwhile, J K Gadzama, SAN, has ceded the headship of the Atiku legal team of the PEPT to Chief Chris Uche, SAN.

Filings by the Atiku legal team responding to Tinubu’s and APC’s reply to Atiku’s petition were signed by Chris Uche, SAN.

Additionally, Atiku’s legal team has filed an application for pre-trial hearing notice pursuant to paragraph 18(1) and (2) of the First Schedule of the Electoral Act 2022.

The Special Assistant on Public Communication to Atiku Abubakar, Mr. Phrank Shaibu has called on the National Assembly to publish a report of its investigation on the N52bn Special Works Programme implemented by the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr. Festus Keyamo.

Shaibu said this in a statement, while reacting to Keyamo’s acquisition of a house in the United States at the cost of over $300,000.

Recall that in 2021, the Federal Government had in a bid to ameliorate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, approved the sum of N52bn for the hiring of 774,000 Nigerians across all the local government areas in the country for three months.

The 774,000 Nigerians were hired to take on menial jobs such as clearing of drainages, sweeping of markets, cutting grass and other community services.

Keyamo had specifically orchestrated the sacking of the Director-General of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Nasiru Argungu, insisting that he was in charge of the N52bn project which the National Assembly noted was a flop.

Both the Senate and the House of Representatives had stated that many of the beneficiaries of the funds did not get anything, while others who got did not do any job. They, therefore, questioned Keyamo’s running of the programme and promised to launch an investigation into the matter.

Reacting to Keyamo’s claim that he owns several houses in the US, Shaibu said: “The National Assembly had described the special works programme as a sham and also questioned how the funds were spent. Keyamo had, for the last two years, defended the shambolic implementation of the programme.

“With his open confession that he has acquired houses in the US, I hereby call on the National Assembly to publish its report on the failed project. I also call on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately probe the finances of Festus Keyamo, who only became a senior advocate two years before becoming a minister.

“It is public record that Keyamo was an activist and a prosecutor for the EFCC, doing mostly pro bono cases before taking public office. However, he now boasts of being a real estate mogul after becoming a minister. This is laughable and an insult to the sensibilities of Nigerians.

“In any case, Keyamo’s time as minister of state for labour and employment witnessed the highest level of unemployment, which KPMG says is about to hit 40%. Under Keyamo, universities also witnessed prolonged strikes, as ASUU proceeded on 10 months strike in 2020 and eight months industrial action in 2021. Keyamo clearly failed as a minister but grew wealthier in the process through his so-called real estate business. He thus needs to be investigated with immediate effect.”

Keyamo had said that by letters dated March 6, 2019, before he was appointed a Minister, he wrote to the relevant government agencies, informing them of the closure of his foreign accounts and the repatriation of his funds to the country since Nigerian law does not allow public officials to operate foreign bank accounts.

He further stated, “My assets declaration is there for all to see. Some of us don’t need government funds or patronage to get by. Whatever we do and whoever we support is out of our deep convictions.”

Reacting, however, Shaibu dared Keyamo to publish his asset declaration form as submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau in 2019.

He said since Keyamo had boasted many times about being an EFCC prosecutor and an anti-corruption champion, he ought to be bold enough to make his asset declaration forms public to prove that he was telling the truth.

Shaibu said, “Keyamo has one month left on his tenure as minister, which means he will need to declare his assets before the CCB next month. Let him make public his asset declaration forms, before and after office, to prove to Nigerians that he did not steal.

“The truth about Keyamo is that he is a hypocrite, a rabble-rouser who pretends to be on the side of the masses but is only after his stomach. He started as a disciple of the great Gani Fawehinmi but has since strayed from Gani’s ideals by serving as Spokesman for a man who was an anathema to Gani and who Gani had accused of forgery and fraud – Bola Tinubu.”

By: Friday Anyeve

The inability of the Federal Government to evacuate Nigerians, especially students living in conflict torn Sudan has drawn severe criticisms from a pan northern group, Arewa Youth Consultative Forum .

In a press release signed by the National President of the group, Ahmed Yerima and made available to journalists, the group noted that it is only the Nigeria government that has not taken steps to evacuate it’s citizens from the war-torn country

“It is totally unacceptable that while several countries were evacuating their citizens from Sudan, ours is the only African nation giving excuses.

The AYCF also stated that thousands of Nigerians mainly students of Northern extraction are stranded and stand the risk of being caught up in the violence that engulfed the North African country.

Furthermore, the Northern Group laid the blame squarely on the doorstep of the Nigerian Embassy in Sudan

While urging for quick action to evacuate Nigerians from Sudan, it warned that, it would hold Nigerian Embassy Staff in Sudan responsible

“With thousands of Nigerians in Sudan, especially male and female Northern students being the majority, we reject the lame excuse given in a letter by the Nigeria Embassy about the difficulty of evacuating our sons and daughters. No Northerner in this country is at peace since the killings and arson started in Sudan.