POLITICS
Anambra Election: Accord Candidate Assures Youths of Development, Canvases for Votes
Dr Godwin Maduka, a front line candidate for Anambra Governorship election on Nov. 6, said that Youths of the state have failed to attend more international competitions because they lack sponsorship.
Maduka, the Accord party candidate, disclosed this information in a press statement released to Newsmen on Sunday in Awka by Dr Emezie Madu, his media director.
He said when he performed a ceremonial kick off in a trial match at Umunze, Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra, organised by Mekon United Football Club.
“The competition involved all the eligible youths of Orumba North and South council areas of the state.
He said “What we lack in Anambra is genuine sports developments and sponsorship of those who have excelled in various sporting activities.
“We need to be honest in the development of sports activities that would empower our youths to become economically self-reliant.
“Youths who have shown passion in any area of sporting activities in our state need to be encouraged and sponsored.
“We should not make every aspect of life to be a political game, no, any society that grows up Sports, controls their youths because you have just equipped them to be self-independent in their areas of sports.
“I promise to be a partner in this venture to train the youths in sports to become world champions in their chosen areas of interest, Sports is beautiful,” he said.
He appealed to the youths to be active in the upcoming governorship election in the state and be part of decision makers in affairs that can change or mar their future.
“I beg you to mandate me to serve you better, vote for me as your next governor, I will build sports academy in this state to harness and sponsor sports lovers as a social responsibility,” he said.
Maduka commended the Chief Executive Officer of Mekon United Football Club, Chief Chukwuemeka Afusi, for his tall vision for the youths in the state.
“This is commendable. I will partner the team to grow more athletic youths for the state,” he promised.
The statement disclosed that the CEO Mekon United Football Club, Afusi, who is based in the UK, described sports as an instrument to produce giants and rid the society of social miscreants.
Afusi said that it is a way to contribute his part in the social development of the youth to engage meaningfully for the common good of the state.
In a related development, the statement said that Maduka attended 2021 “leadership training and Youthtocracy” by Aguata Diocesan Youth Council at St. Luke’s Catholic Church, Ekwulobia.
He urged the youths to vote for Accord as a credible party that would secure their future through transformational projects that would benefit youths.
Maduka said that ability which abounds in youths would tap and harness optimally to empower the youths to disengage them from being wrongly used by some unpatriotic politicians.
Also, the statement said that Maduka is a grassroots man and holds the value of the people dearly as evident in his condolence visit to Mr Alex Okeke and his siblings in Awuka Ogbunka over the death of the parents, Late Chief Felix Chukwunwike Okeke and Lady Juliana Nneka Okeke.
Maduka commiserated with the Chukwunwike family and said for their parents to die at the age of 90 and 87 years respectively was a proof of the good life they lived for God to bless them with longevity.
The theme of the rally held at Dr. Alex Ekwueme Square Aroma, Awka, by the Anglican communion is “Be strong in the lord”.
The Archbishop of the Province and Bishop of Awka, His Grace, Dr Alexandra Ibezim, presided over the rally.
He said that religious leaders should see themselves as being called to pray for the faithful and not to be dictators of the side to becomes governor or not.
“We are one and call on one God, so why the bickering of which party produces the next governor, let the candidate with capability and knowhow emerge.
Maduka urged the electorate to Vote for Accord party, the no 1 party on the ballot paper, for a better Anambra State.
“I am Mr Evidence, my developmental projects in my community Umuchukwu is a testament of what I will do in Anambra as a state, if elected,” he said. (NAN)
POLITICS
Poverty, Behind Deadly Stampedes Across Nigeria, says Falana
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.”
POLITICS
2025 budget: LP Chieftain Lauds Tinubu for Diving Priority to Security, Others
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)
POLITICS
Atiku hails Ndimi’s Oriental Energy on commissioning of first FPSO
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.