POLITICS
Benue North -West: Ortom Confident of Victory
From David Torough, Makurdi
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has said that he was confident to win the Benue North-West Senatorial district seat in Saturday’s National Assembly elections.
Governor Ortom in a chat with journalists shortly after casting his vote Saturday, expressed optimism about his victory, noting that there was an improvement in the voting process.
The Governor who is the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP senatorial candidate for Benue North-West senatorial district, cast his ballot along with his wife, Dr Eunice at Tse-Ortom Polling Unit 016 of Ndzorov Council Ward.
Ortom cast his ballot at exactly 9:52am, while his wife, Dr.
Eunice cast her vote at 9:51am at their polling unit which has been relocated to Government Science and Technical College, Gbajimba the headquarters of Guma local government area as a result of insecurity.In his words, “My expectation is that I will win, and the other candidates of the PDP will also win. I already know who my candidates are. I think this is an improvement, we are not there yet, we would like to see electronic voting and transmission at the end of the day but Rome was not built in a day. A journey of a thousand kilometers starts with one step.
“This is what I have seen right here but this is an improvement to the previous accreditation and voting process and I can guess that today, it is going to be faster and before you know it everybody would have voted,” he said.
The Governor expressed satisfaction with the peaceful conduct of voters across the state.
“I am happy with the people, they have heeded my admonishment and the Tor Tiv and Och’Idoma’s admonishment that let the election be peaceful, let’s allow peace. No need to introduce violence into this election in any form and at the end we should know that John 3: 27 the Bible says, a man can receive nothing, except it given to him from above.
“Whoever that God wants will emerge as the winner and so there is no need for violence and I am happy the people have heeded to the call that there should not be any form of violence. Ultimately it is God that crowns let the election be peaceful. Let the election be free and fair and whosoever has the highest number of votes should be declared winner,” Ortom stated.
He commended INEC for the improvement in the electoral process, stressing however that they should ensure transparency in the transmission of the results.
“The INEC staff on ground and those others who will be handling the various processes that will lead to the declaration of results, they should ensure transparency, they should ensure fairness and equity for all candidates, that is the best way to go. I look forward that one day elections will be conducted in Nigeria and in Benue State and nobody will look for the alternative or litigation that is my desire,” he emphasised.
On the turnout of voters, Governor Ortom expressed satisfaction stating that “The turnout is very impressive. More people are coming, this is quite early and I believe that the people are fully mobilized. They want a good thing, nobody is happy with what is happening in our state and in our country today, as far as security issues are concerned.
“All the polling units in my council ward are voting in Gbajimba the headquarters, others are as far 30 kilometres away from here, others 15 others 20 kilometers, because the terrorists Fulani herdsmen have chased them away from their homes they have no alternative than to vote here, more people are coming and I look forward that everything will be peaceful at the end of day,” he stated.
The Governor however, slammed the EFCC for arresting the Director of the PDP campaigns in the state, Dr. Cletus Tyokyaa for being in possession of 100,000 Naira, stressing that “he wasn’t buying votes anywhere and I am calling on the EFCC to immediately release him.”
As at press time, Dr Tyokyaa was reported to have been released.
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.