In continuation of the operation clampdown on cultists embarked upon by Ogun state Police Command, ten members of dreaded Eiye confraternity who have been terrorizing Sagamu and its environs in recent time were apprehended on Saturday 6th of May 2023 by anti cultists unit of the Command.

The suspects;

Adekoya Adesina,

Ayinde Olumide,

Adebayo Jamiu,

Ajayi Temitope,

Taiwo Olatunji,

Oladapo Ayeye,

Johnson Adeyemi,

Tunde Banjo,

Gbenga Morufu

and Tunde Adenuga.

All these suspects were arrested following an information received by men of Anti cultists section, that a group of cultists were converging at different locations in Odogbolu in order to unleash terror in Sagamu in continuation of the supremacy battle going on amongst the various cult groups in Sagamu and its environs.

According to a statement by Ogun command PPRO, SP Abimbola Oyeyemi who said “Upon the information, the anti cultists team mobilized and moved to the area.

” On sighting the policemen, the hoodlums attacked them with dangerous weapons but they were subdued by the policemen after which ten amongst the cultists were apprehended. The 2i/c of the unit, SP Morakinyo Adejumo was seriously injured during the operation, and he was rushed to hospital where he is responding to treatment.
Recovered from them are eight live cartridges and large quantity of weeds suspected to be indian hemp.”

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Olanrewaju Oladimeji,  has ordered a massive manhunt for the remaining members of the group, he also vowed to make the state uncondusive for cultists and other criminals as the Command is ready to
take the battle to their doorsteps.

Nigeria: My Refinery Can Save Nigeria $10bn in Fx, Generate Another $10bn in Exports – Dangote.

Africa’s richest man and owner of the Dangote Refinery, Mr. Aliko Dangote, has said with the planned commencement of the refinery located in Lagos, Nigeria could save up to ten billion dollars in foreign exchange and generate another ten billion dollars in exports when the facility begins operation.

It is recalled that the six hundred and fifty thousand barrels per day Dangote Refinery is set for inauguration on May 22, by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Speaking in an interview with a special edition of London-based .

The Economists Magazine, titled ‘The World Ahead 2023, reported by RoyalFM News, Dangote stated that Nigeria’s economy as presently constituted has largely been built around the extraction and exportation of its natural wealth.

He noted that the soon-to-be commissioned six hundred and fifty thousand barrels per day refinery in Lagos, would enable Nigeria achieve self-sufficiency in refined petroleum products, as well as export to other African markets.

Tribunal adjourns hearing on Peter Obi’s petition

The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) has adjourned the hearing on the petition filed by Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate till Wednesday, May 10.

This was disclosed in a tweet on Monday, May 8, 2023 by one of the spokespersons for the Labour Party, LP, Kenneth Okonkwo. “After a brief pre-hearing trial, the case was adjourned to Wednesday, 10th May 2023 at 2 pm prompt,”With me is Alex Ejesieme SAN,” Okonkwo wrote.

The Tribunal began its hearing on the petitions filed by aggrieved presidential candidates on Monday.

The chairman of PEPT, Justice Haruna Tsammani, earlier dismissed the petition of the Action Alliance (AA) filed against the electoral victory of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the February 25 presidential election.

Presidential Election Tribunal Reschedules Hearing Of Atiku, APM’s Petitions.

Four political parties left after the withdrawal of Action Alliance, however, the presiding judge representing the tribunal panel, Justice Haruna Simon Tsammni on Monday postponed the hearing of their petitions to Tuesday.

The Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal has postponed the hearing of the petitions filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).

The Tribunal on Monday also struck out the petition by the Action Alliance (AA) challenging the declaration of Tinubu as the winner of the presidential election.

The Action Alliance (AA) earlier withdrew its petition at the Presidential Election Petition Court sitting in Abuja, prompting the dismissal. No reason was given for the withdrawal

The hearing began today (Monday), with tight security measures put in place around the venue in Abuja.

The February 25 presidential election was won by Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission. However, several parties, including the PDP, LP, AA, APM, and APP, filed petitions challenging the results.

The APM had endorsed Atiku as its candidate before the election, leading its candidate, Princess ChiChi Ojei, to criticize the move as a setback for Nigerian women.

The presiding judge representing the tribunal panel, Justice Haruna Simon Tsammni, postponed the hearing of the petitions until Tuesday. The APM, alongside INEC, APC, Tinubu, Kashim Shettima, and Kabir Masari, who stood as the APC placeholder during the primary election before being replaced by Shettima, submitted a joint petition.

The APM argued that Tinubu and Shettima were not qualified to contest the election due to the alleged double nomination of the vice president-elect. Meanwhile, the APP accused Tinubu of rigging the presidential election in his favor.

Why I Visited Soyinka- Obi

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, on Sunday visited nobel laureate Wole Soyinka.

       
Sharing photos of the visit on his Twitter page late Sunday, Obi said he visited Soyinka to clear the air concerning the relationship between the literary icon and the OBIdient Movement.

Obi wrote, “Today, I visited one of Nigeria’s most revered figures and an international literary icon, Prof Wole Soyinka. Prof Soyinka has been a father whom I hold in very high esteem for what he has achieved and stands for in the struggle for a better Nigeria.

“His reputation as a fighter for justice and equity in our society has been legendary and we will NEVER ignore them.“I had a very useful and enriching discussion about his aspirations for a better and greater Nigeria, and he shared a lot with me about his dream for a greater and more inclusive Nigeria.

“I reminded the Nobel laureate of the huge price he paid just before the outbreak of the civil war, fighting for the cause of the Igbos.“I cherished this Sunday’s visit which was intended to erase the needless misconceptions about the relationship between the great icon and the OBIdient family. -PO”

‘It Was Not Because We Wanted Asiwaju’.

Lalong Reveals Real Reason Northern APC Governors Supported Southern Presidency.
The Plateau state Governor, Simon Lalong has disclosed details of the idea that resulted in the emergence of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate and eventually the President-elect of Nigeria.

Lalong disclosed that the northern APC governors who promoted the return of power to the south did not set out, particularly with Tinubu in mind.

Speaking on leadership and good governance at the ninth annual Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Lecture in Lafia, Nasarawa state, Lalong disclosed that the Governors set out to demand the return of power to the south because they believe in power rotation for the stability of Nigeria.

He added that it was the APC delegates that chose Tinubu during the party’s presidential primaries and then Nigerians voted for him during the presidential election.

According to Lalong who was the director-general of Tinubu’s presidential campaign organization, the governors asked the northern presidential aspirants to withdraw from the race for national interest, justice, and fairness and not because of Tinubu as a person.

The Plateau Governor said they believed Sir Ahmadu Bello would have done the same thing in similar circumstances.

Senate Presidency: We Know Who Akpabio Is And Will Not Endorse Him – Arewa Leader.

The member of the Arewa Consultative Forum, (ACF) has spoken against the choice of Senator Godswill Akpabio as the next Senate President.

The leader of the Arewa community in Southern Nigeria, Musa Saidu stated that Akpabio’s emergence as the next Senate President would lead to the downfall of Nigeria.

Saidu, who argued that no true Northerner would endorse Akpabio for the Senate Presidency, condemned Akpabio’s endorsement by a Northern coalition.

A statement by Saidu reads partly: “We hereby dissociate ourselves from the endorsement of Akpabio for the Senate Presidency by a coalition of Northern groups.

“No true Northern group will want to endorse Akpabio for a sensitive position like that of Senate President because he is not friendly with the North.

“We are the people who know Akpabio because we are residents in the South; we know those who are friendly with the Northern people, and Akpabio is actually not one of them.”

Several Kidnap Victims Rescued As Troops Destroy Turji’s Hideouts In Zamfara.

Troops of the Joint Task Force, Northwest Operation Hadarin Daji have rescued several kidnap victims and recovered ammunition during an invasion of the camps belonging to notorious bandits’ leader, Bello Turji.
The troops in clearance operations conducted on Saturday from Magarya to Dutsi general area of Zurmi Local Government Area in Zamfara State discovered and cleared bandits’ hideouts located in Keta, Gidan Galadima, Modawa, Mazuma, and Dutsi villages respectively.

A top military source who craved anonymity confirmed to Channels Television on Sunday that troops had encountered the deadly terrorist group at Keta and Dutsi camp belonging to Turji.

The source added that the troops overpowered the terrorists who fled further into the bush and abandoned 10 kidnapped victims who were rescued by the troops.
He also revealed that the troops also recovered one rocket propel gun bomb, military radios, and some ammunition.

Buhari Govt Urged To Return $800 Million Fuel Subsidy Removal Loan

The Federal Government has been told to return the World Bank’s $800 million loan meant for cushioning fuel subsidy removal.

       
It would be recalled that the federal government took a World Bank’s $800 million loan as a palliative to cushion the effect of the proposed fuel subsidy removal by June.
However, the government reversed its proposal on the removal saying it needs more time to prepare towards it.

In a statement on Sunday, the Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Musa-Rafsanjani, said the government should return the loan since the removal of fuel subsidy has been postponed.

Musa-Rafsanjani queried the Muhammadu Buhari administration over its nonchalant attitude towards the country’s crippling debt crisis.

The CISLAC boss noted that fears of the country getting another $800 million loan from the World Bank sends waves of worries in the minds of Nigerians as Nigeria’s revenue collection in 2022 stood at N10 trillion, with a debt of about N77 trillion.

Musa-Rafsanjani said that borrowing to fund post-fuel subsidy removal palliatives is strange.

Airplane crash-lands At Abuja Airport As Tyre Bursts Into Flame.

A Max Air aircraft crash-landed at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Sunday, causing panic among passengers and airport staff.

         
The incident occurred after a tire reportedly busted into flames upon the plane’s arrival from Yola, Adamawa State.

The airport’s Aerodrome Rescue and Fire-fighting Service (ARFFS) quickly responded to extinguish the fire.

Dr Mike Ogirima, former President of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), described the incident, saying the tire burst took place after takeoff from Yola Airport. Emergency officials were prepared in Abuja, putting out the fire before passengers disembarked directly onto the runway.

Tinubu: ‘Go And Prove Your Case In Court’ – Keyamo Tells At PDP.

The spokesperson of the defunct All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council, Festus Keyamo has told the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to focus on defending its case in court on Monday and stop playing to the gallery.

Keyamo told the PDP to avoid cheap emotional blackmails ahead of the commencement of the sitting by the presidential election petition tribunal.

Recall the PDP on Sunday alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is planning to influence the outcome of the 2023 presidential election tribunal in its favour.
PDP raised the alarm during a press conference addressed by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba.

The PDP alleged that apart from plans to influence the tribunal in favour of its candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the APC is also involved in the intimidation, harassment, threats, and vicious attacks against Nigerian youths and other eminent Nigerian personalities speaking out against the party’s planned moves.

The major opposition party, therefore, called on well-meaning Nigerians and the international community to prevail on the APC to allow the judiciary to work independently.

But in a quick response, Keyamo accused the PDP of trying to play reverse psychology.
While debunking the claims by the major opposition party, he said the PDP allegations are infantile, lacking in substance and devoid of proof, hence Nigerians should dismiss them with a wave of the hand.

The Minister of State for Labour submitted that the PDP and the Labour Party (LP) are the ones sponsoring those speaking out against the outcome of the 2023 presidential election which was won by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

‘I Also Lost Three Times’ – Buhari Discloses. Reason For Refusing To Anoint APC Presidential Candidate.

President Muhammadu Buhari has disclosed the reason he refused to support a presidential candidate during the All Progressives Congress, (APC) presidential primaries when he was asked to do so.

The president explained that he had to contest the presidency three times and ended up at the Supreme Court without success before finally succeeding the fourth time through a democratic process.

The president, however, wondered the reason he would go against such a system by anointing a candidate. He noted that the late Ahmadu Bello stood for fairness, equity, and justice and he also stood for the same virtues.

Buhari said this on Saturday in Lafia during the 2023 Annual Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial lecture organised by the Nasarawa State government in collaboration with Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation.

Represented by his Chief of Staff, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, the president advised individuals who were displeased with the outcome of the election to seek redress in court.

Fourth Batch Of Nigerian Evacuees Arrives In Abuja From Sudan.

Fresh four hundred and twenty-two Nigerians, on Sunday, arrived in Abuja from Sudan and were received by Federal Government officials.

The figure consists of 102 Nigerians onboard the Tarco Airlines that departed Port Sudan and another 322 Nigerians onboard the Asman Air from Aswan, Egypt.

The figures make up the fourth batch of returnees to be successfully airlifted by the Federal Government from the North African country.
It was gathered that returnees left Port Sudan International Airport around 5:25 am on Sunday and landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport around 12:40 pm.
Onground to receive them at the airport are officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) as well as security officials.

This development comes hours after the third batch of Nigerian evacuees was received in Abuja from Port Sudan by Federal Government officials on Saturday.

APC Wants To Influence Presidential Election Tribunal For Tinubu – PDP Raises Alarm.

 The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is planning to influence the outcome of the 2023 presidential election tribunal in its favour.
PDP raised the alarm on Sunday during a press conference addressed by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba.

The PDP alleged that apart from plans to influence the tribunal in favour of its candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the APC is also involved in the intimidation, harassment, threats, and vicious attacks against Nigerian youths and other eminent Nigerian personalities speaking out against the party’s planned moves.
The major opposition party, therefore, called on well-meaning Nigerians and the international community to prevail on the APC to allow the judiciary to work independently.

Senate President : 37 APC Senators Reject Tinubu’s Choice, Declare Theirs.

37 Senators have openly rejected Bola Tinubu’s choice of Godswill Akpabio and Jubrin Barau for Senate President and Deputy Senate President.

The president-elect, Bola Tinubu , informed the senators-elect of the choice of Akpabio during an APC leadership meeting in Abuja on Friday night. The president-elect also disclosed that his pick for House of Representatives Speaker is Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, who represents the Zaria federal constituency of Kaduna State.

Many of the 37 dissenting senators-elect cited national unity and cohesion as the basis for their opposition to Akpabio. Instead, they suggested Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and former Zamfara State governor, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, for the roles of Senate President and Deputy Senate President.

These APC senators demanded the president-elect remain neutral during the elections of the 10th National Assembly’s presiding and principal officers.

One source that spoke with Vanguard on the conflict between lawmakers said, “About 37 APC senators-elect have rejected the choice of Akpabio as the Senate President. He was introduced alongside Senator Barau as Deputy Senate President.