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No APC in Imo without Nwafor as Chairman—Okorocha Insists

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By Jude Opara, Abuja  

Former governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha has asked the National leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to obey the court judgement that recognized Dan Nwafor as the Chairman of the party in Imo state. 

Okorocha told newsmen at the National Secretariat of the APC in Abuja on Tuesday that Nwafor remains the Imo APC Chairman following a court declaration which he said has not been vacated till date, insisting that any Congress held by the party in Imo state without Dan Nwafor as Caretaker Chairman remains an illegality.

  

The Senator who represents Imo West said he and the Imo APC pioneer group were at the party’s secretariat to meet with members of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee.

 

Okorocha said it was unfair for the party to attempt to recognize any other leadership in the state adding that he remains a founding member who also brought the party to the state and the first governor in the South East to embrace the then opposition party.

According to him, Nwafor Exco has won all the cases against its dissolution to the Appeal Court and has not been overturned. 

“We are here because of what is happening in Imo state. Primarily, things are not going right in the state as it affects the party. We are concerned about the upcoming congresses. Certain things need to be put in place before Congresses, as it affects registration and others. 

“There has been an issue about the elected excos of the party in the state. The elected excos have not been allowed to function. We are here to bring the party’s attention to it. And we know that our party is a law-abiding party. a party of rule of law. We have come to ask the party to obey the court judgement that established the right excos in the state which has not been overturned by any court. That court judgement said Daniel Nwafor excos is the authentic and elected members of the exco.

And the judge rules that not even the NEC of the APC can dissolve it. And the judgement has been there up to the court of appeal. And there has not been any other court judgement. High, Appeal courts judgement have shown that the authentic exco is led by him.  And without him, the Congresses will be illegal. We have come to remind the party as a law-abiding party to please obey the court judgement. And ensure that the court judgement on the party stands. 

“We have come a long way in building this party. I was one of the founding fathers of the party. I brought in APGA with CPC and ACN to form what was known today as APC. I was the one who gave the name APC. I was the only elected governor from the South East that made up this party. At a time when this party’s name was taboo in the south East. Everybody that became anything in the North came in the favor of President Muhammadu Buhari in the North. But we from the South East sees the name Buhari as taboo at that time. Most people never believe in the party. 

Okorocha, was in the APC National Secretariat in company of Sen. Ifeanyi Apartments, Uche Nwosu, Sir Jude Ejiogu, Hon. Paschal Obi, Hon. Ugonna Ozuruigbo, Hon Kingsley Uju, Hon. Dan Nwafor, Hon Chidinma Uwajimogu, Barr. Steve Asimobi, Chief Stanley Nzekwe, amongst others.

POLITICS

Poverty, Behind Deadly Stampedes Across Nigeria, says Falana

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By Mike Odiakose, Abuja

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, on Sunday attributed the deadly stampede that claimedmore than 105 lives in stampedes during food and cash distribution events to “poverty-induced neoliberal economic policies” and “criminal negligence.

In a statement released on Sunday, Falana, who chairs the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond ASCAB, demanded justice for victims of the tragic events, saying, “These tragic events are a national shame, the victims were not just statistics but human beings driven to desperation by systemic poverty and the gross incompetence of those entrusted with their safety.

On December 21, 12 people died and 32 others were injured in Okija, Anambra State, during a scramble for rice distributed by a philanthropist.

On the same day, a stampede at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja, resulted in the deaths of 10 individuals, including children, as over 3,000 people jostled for palliatives.

Just two days prior, on December 19, 35 children lost their lives in a stampede at a Christmas funfair at an Islamic High School, Basorun. in Ibadan, Oyo State.

“The loss of these innocent lives is heart-wrenching,” Falana lamented.

“It underscores the indignity that poverty imposes on our people.”

Falana also criticized the elite for their treatment of the poor during such events, stating, “No member of the elite invites others to lunch by throwing the food,” and condemned what he termed “class prejudice” in the distribution of humanitarian aid.

He also announced plans to mobilize lawyers to pursue civil suits against the organizers of these events.

“We will ensure survivors and families of the deceased are adequately compensated,” Falana affirmed. “Those responsible for these avoidable tragedies must be held accountable.”

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2025 budget: LP Chieftain Lauds Tinubu for Diving Priority to Security, Others

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Dr Ayo Olorunfemi, National Deputy Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) ,has commended  President Bola Tinubu for giving  priority to security and other key sectors in the 2025 Appropriation Bill .

Olorunfemi gave the commendation while speaking with newsmeon Thursday in Lagos.

NAN reports that the President had on Wednesday  presented  the N47.

9 trillion 2025 Appropriation Bill , christened “Budget of Restoration, Securing Peace and Rebuilding Prosperity” , to a joint session of the National Assembly .

The President listed highlights of the 2025 budget allocations to include: defense and security: N4.91 trillion; infrastructure: N4.06 trillion; Health: N2.

48 trillion and Education: N3.52 trillion.

Reacting , Olorunfemi  described security as an enabler of development.

He called on the President to ensure proper implementation ,saying budgets had always been well-crafted but usually lacked monitoring and implementation.

“There is nothing that can happen if there is no security. This is good if the budget is properly utilised for the purpose.

“Our problem is not about policies and budgets, it is about monitoring and implementation.

“There is nothing wrong in bringing a budget proposal forward in terms of expectation, what we want to do, how we want to do it, and how much we want to spend.

“Now, the most important thing is the implementation,, budgets in Nigeria have always been properly crafted,” the LP boss said.

Olorunfemi called on the President to build strong institutions to prevent sabotaging of his policies.

“If this government wants to do anything, it must wake up to the responsibility of monitoring policies and ensure  severe penalty for anyone who attempts to sabotage such policies.

“We need institutions that no one will be able to interfere with. We must allow these institutions to work, that is what we expect.

“Once we have strong institutions, most of our problems are solved,” he said.

He  also called on the President to take steps to address  the problems experienced by Nigerians in the banking sector.

Olorunfemi  decried the inability of many Nigerians to get cash at  bank’s Automated Teller Machines and the high charges paid  to get cash from Point of Sales (POS) operators.

The LP boss also urged the President to devise ways of  ending multiple taxations and high fuel price, describing them as major causes  of  hardship .

Recalled that the President said that the budget was a demonstration of government’s commitment to stabilising the economy, improving lives and repositioning the country for greater performance.

He also said the budget sought to consolidate the key policies instituted to restructure the economy, boost human capital development, increase the volume of trade and investments and bolster oil and gas production. (NAN)

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Atiku hails Ndimi’s Oriental Energy on commissioning of first FPSO 

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By Mike Odiakose, Abuja

The former Vice President of Nigeria and PDP Presidential flag bearer in the 2023 general elections, Atiku Abubakar has congratulated the Chairman of the Nigerian Independent producer, Oriental Energy Resources (OER), Muhammadu Indimi, on the successful completion and commissioning of the Okwok Field’s Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel/platform in Dubai.

In a statement in Abuja by his Media Office in Abuja on Wednesday, the Former Vice President described the commissioning of the FPSO as one of the most gladdening news coming out from the upstream subsector of Nigeria’s oil industry in recent times.

“The vessel’s deployment at the Okwok field is expected to significantly increase Nigeria’s crude oil output, contributing to the government’s revenue growth and economic development objectives,” he said.

According to Atiku, “This is the first FPSO entirely funded by an indigenous Nigerian company and this landmark achievement being championed by OER showcases the rising capability of Nigerian firms in conceptualising and successfully executing complex projects in the nation’s upstream oil industry.

The successful building and commissioning of the FPSO marks a significant step toward enabling an indigenous oil and gas company to independently develop a marginal oil field. 

This development marks an important milestone for Nigeria and its indigenous energy sector, he said.

“No doubt, this latest investment would boost economic growth, generate job opportunities for Nigerians, and ensure steady growth and development of not only the oil sector but the nation’s economy in general.”

He described Indimi as a man who so much believes in the capabilities that exist in the Nigerian oil and gas industry.

“From onset of his foray into the nation’s oil sector, his vision of standing out as a player of reckon in the nation’s upstream oil business has been top-notch,” he said.

As he said, Oriental Energy’s significant investment in the oil sector has set a new standard in local investment and operational excellence in the nation’s oil business, benefiting both the company and its partners.

The 40,000 barrels per day capacity facility constructed by the Singaporean firm HBA Future Energy will commence sailing to Nigerian waters beginning February 2025 for hook-up on the Okwok Oil Field. Production is expected to commence on the oil field in the first half of next year.

Okwok Oil Field, discovered by ExxonMobil in 1967, is located in Oil Mining Lease(OML) 67, in 31 metres water depth in shallow marine, southeast offshore Nigeria with estimated recoverable reserves of 45 million barrels. OER has an ongoing multi-well drilling campaign on the field that commenced in October 2023.

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