TodayPrice

Category: Opinion

  • Brazil legend Romario demands ‘cards for cash’ probe against Paqueta’s uncle

    Brazil legend Romario demands ‘cards for cash’ probe against Paqueta’s uncle

    Former Brazil World Cup winner Romario, now an anti-corruption lawmaker, on Tuesday demanded an investigation into an alleged ‘cards for cash’ scandal involving the uncle of West Ham star Lucas Paqueta.

    Romario, a senator in the country’s upper house, is the man behind a parliamentary commission report into betting patterns in football

    According to the document Paqueta’s uncle, Bruno Tolentino is on a list of suspicious gamblers.

    He is suspected of making money from bets on cards received by his nephew and another Brazil player Luiz Henrique when he played at Spanish club Real Betis.

    “The eyes of our society can’t be turned away,” Romario, a 1994 World Cup winner, said.

    The report says the commission has seen bank documents showing Tolentino allegedly paying Henrique 30,000 reais ($5,200) in February 2023 to arrange for him to receive a yellow card in a Liga match against Villarreal.

    On the same day of that match, Paqueta also received a yellow card in a Premier League match against Aston Villa.

    The two players have protested their innocence, and had been asked to testify before the commission, but failed to appear.

    Earlier this month, reports in Britain claimed 27-year-old Paqueta was facing a Football Association hearing into alleged spot-fixing.

    Paqueta is said to have deliberately got himself booked four times in Premier League matches for betting purposes.

    The FA is reported to be pushing for a lifetime ban for Paqueta if he is found guilty.

  • A word in favour of “Native Authority”(3), by Usman Sarki

    A word in favour of “Native Authority”(3), by Usman Sarki

    I believe it is necessary that Nigerians should pause for a while and collect their thoughts even in the stress of day-to-day living, and reflect on the governance situation to find ways by which better use can be made of every available opportunity to improve their conditions. I also believe that the bane of many of us is the perception that modernity and progress are one and the same thing, and that they only come about by rejecting inherited values and systems and substituting them with the so-called modern systems of governance.

    The fact that the traditional system also has its merits and consisted of the separation of powers of the executive, the judiciary and legislative arms, does not seem apparent or important enough to many of us.

    The ethics, ethos and values that established and sustained the traditional system were also perhaps seen as tenuous and insubstantial, therefore of little relevance in modern requirements of the country. These thoughts may be admissible but they also fall short of the ideal since they remain to prove the inadequacies of the traditional system and convincingly demonstrate that it should no longer play any direct or substantive role in the governance and administrative structures of the country.

    I believe these were some of the considerations that convinced the Political Bureau that was established by former President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida in 1987 to fashion out a political system for the country. The Bureau emphatically rejected any direct or substantive roles for the traditional authorities on the grounds that they were not elected and that they represented a caste or class-based dispensation.

    That may be so, but they did serve to represent the grassroots so to speak in more persuasive and acceptable manner than the apparently modern political arrangements in the country. What we are offering here is neither an apology nor a justification for the wholesale return to the old pre-colonial system of governance across the board. What we are suggesting is to give further thought to the idea that the traditional system also had some merits and continuing with its better aspects could have added more advantages in the dispensing of services in areas like the administration of justice, maintenance of law and order, land tenure systems, the extension of basic education and effective revenue generation among many other functions that could be devolved on the system.

    It is in this light that I recall the wise advice that Mr. Morel gave the British colonial administration in Nigeria in 1911 when he asked: “Will they be brought to understand all that is excellent and of good repute in this indigenous civilization; to realize the necessity of preserving its structural foundations, of honouring its organic institutions, of protecting and strengthening its spiritual agencies”?

    This sympathetic understanding of the utility of the traditional system shown by a foreigner 114 years ago contrasted sharply with the terminal and dismissive consideration of the same institution by Nigerians in 1987 when they submitted in the Political Bureau report that “as regards traditional rulers, we cannot see in which way their inclusion can provide a unifying force… they compete against the nation for allegiance, represent a force against the principle of popular democracy and are dysfunctional reminders of national differences.”

    Let Nigerians judge for themselves if their country would not be better served by an infusion of tradition and culture in government as represented by the “Native Authority” system, and advocate for its reintroduction in our administrative arrangements. That, to my mind, would be a better and more rewarding exercise than some of the perennial issues that are raised by some Nigerians with regards to alterations to our Constitution and “restructuring” the country. Right now we are grappling with the intricacies of democratic governance in the country and seeking ways to advance the purposes of civil rule in all its functions.

    The issues of identity, citizenship and what constitutes the “state”, have become central to discourses in our country, especially under the ongoing democratic dispensation. Concurrent with the notion of the state is the idea of the citizen and citizenship which today have become issues of far-reaching significance, and are proving to be the sources of acrimony and disquiet in many communities. Attached to these two principles are the general conduct of politics and governance, and where there is relative peace and quite and happiness, a coincidental convergence of positive attributes in the exercise of sovereign power will have been demonstrated. On the other hand, it can be asserted that where there is a high degree of unease and disquiet in a community or groups of communities, such a convergence of positive ramifications of governance and administration have not been manifested, hence the prevalence of negative trends and tendencies that tend to undermine or circumscribe the tranquility and peace and security of the community or communities concerned.

    It is in this sense that the role of the traditional institutions become apparent and more palpable. The traditional system of government may seem as too superficial, loosely arranged and less sophisticated to the casual observer of today. However, when seen from the perspective of longevity, effectiveness and suitability, it can be argued that it received more respect and affection than the system enforced by the British which subsequently metamorphosed into what is obtaining in our country that

    The traditional system enjoys a closer sense of affinity and identification than the so-called modern system of government. The idea of loyalty can easily be transferred to the traditional system with the Emir or Oba or Obi or Chief as the case may be, who is seen as a father figure whose right to rule has been affirmed by the practice of centuries and religious affinities.

    Hence, rather than remaining distant and aloof from participating in government, the traditional system offers the majority of the people regardless of their identities or origins, the opportunities of active participation in the day-to-day determination of their affairs through their community leaders.

  • International Women’s Day celebration, by Afe Babalola

    International Women’s Day celebration, by Afe Babalola

    In the 1930s parents put a premium on the number of children they had. Hence, polygamy was the order of the day. The reason was that the more children they had, the more hands would be available to help on the farm. The only occupation then was farming. I believe this was one of the reasons why polygamy was the order of the day.

    When as a young adult, I was admitted into infant class at Emmanuel School, Ado-Ekiti in 1937, we were 25 in number. There were only five girls amongst us and only one completed the eight years programme leading to the primary six certificate.

    Discrimination against women in Nigeria

    The common saying was that there was no need to educate a woman because at the end of the day, she would end up in the kitchen. That was understandable because at that time, the main duty of a woman was to help the husband on the farm and cook for the family.

    A new era

    Since then, many changes have taken place. In ABUAD today, girls outnumber boys. Most interestingly, during convocation ceremonies, those who come up with the first class in all courses are women in the ratio of about nine girls to one boy. I once thought I should change the university to a girls’ university. The Vice-Chancellor, the Registrar, and the Librarian are women and perform very well.

    Since the late 19th Century, there has been a movement in civilized countries to form a world organization to fight for women’s rights which today is known as International Women’s Day.

    The first National Women’s Day

    The origins of IWD can be traced back to the United States, where the Socialist Party of America organized the first National Woman’s Day on February 28, 1909. This event was held in New York City and was aimed at advocating for equal rights for women, including suffrage. It was a response to the growing discontent among women, particularly those working in the garment industry, who were subjected to harsh working conditions, low wages, and discrimination.

    The Internationalisation of Women’s Day

    The idea to make the day international came from Clara Zetkin, a German socialist and advocate for women’s rights. In August 1910, at the International Socialist Women’s Conference held in Copenhagen, Zetkin proposed the establishment of an International Women’s Day. Her proposal was met with unanimous approval from the over 100 women from 17 countries present at the conference, representing unions, socialist parties, and working women’s clubs. Zetkin’s proposal did not specify a date, but the idea was to promote equal rights, including suffrage, for women worldwide.

    The first International Women’s Day

    The first International Women’s Day was observed on March 19, 1911, in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland, with rallies and organised meetings that attracted thousands of women. These events focused on women’s rights to work, vote, be trained, hold public office, and end discrimination. Notably, less than a week after the first IWD, the tragic Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City brought further attention to the critical need for labour reforms and safety standards in the United States, highlighting the dire conditions many working women faced.

    The date becomes official

    In 1913 and 1914, International Women’s Day began to be observed on March 8, a date that has been officially maintained since. The choice of March 8 has various explanations, but it is widely recognised for its association with women’s activism in Russia in 1917, when women striking for “bread and peace” in response to World War I initiated a series of events that led to the abdication of the Tsar and the granting of the right to vote to Russian women.

    The origins of International Women’s Day are rooted in the struggle for women’s rights and labour rights, reflecting a broader movement for social justice and equality. Over the years, IWD has evolved from a day of protest and demand for the franchise to a global celebration of women’s achievements and a continuing call for gender equality.

    IWD in the early years

    The early years of International Women’s Day, IWD, are marked by a blend of activism, struggle, and the burgeoning movement towards gender equality and women’s rights. Following its establishment, IWD became a focal point for women around the world to unite in their demands for fair treatment, the right to vote, better working conditions, and equality. This period was characterized by significant events and milestones that laid the groundwork for future advancements in women’s rights.

    Early 20th Century activism

    In the years following its first observance, International Women’s Day was closely tied to the labor movements sweeping across Europe and North America. Women laborers were at the forefront, advocating for shorter work hours, better pay, and the right to unionize. The textile and garment industries, in particular, saw significant participation from women, who often worked in poor conditions for minimal wages.

    IWD gains international recognition

    Throughout the 1910s and 1920s, International Women’s Day grew in prominence and was celebrated by an increasing number of countries. It became a day not only to advocate for labour rights but also to push for women’s suffrage, education, and the right to hold public office. The Bolshevik Revolution in Russia in 1917 saw women gaining unprecedented rights, and March 8 was declared a national holiday in Soviet Russia, further elevating the day’s significance.

    Education

    I want to take this opportunity to appeal to the government on this International Women’s Day celebration that women should fight for their rightful place in politics. The question on the lips of everybody is why do women not play more active roles in politics.

    Recently in Nigeria, the National Assemblies rejected the Gender Equality Bill, which Princess Grace Adejoh, a columnist, called “an astronomical apolitical stance and aberration against, as well as a separation of Nigerian women participating in politics, which is academically, legislatively, constitutionally, statutorily, and actorally reprehensible to say the least”. Nyesom Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, also criticized the rejection, calling it a significant setback for the nation’s democratic development.

    The need to draft a constitution that will guarantee equity, fairness, and justice to all Nigerians was one of the outstanding recommendations made at the National Conference, which President Goodluck Jonathan called in 2014. After realising that the current constitutional protections are not entirely effective in preventing discrimination based on sex, religion, or ethnicity, the recommendation was made in light of the need to ensure that Nigerians of all backgrounds participate equally in every aspect of the country’s endeavours. It is clear today that women still face a lot of discrimination, particularly when it comes to their involvement in politics. I will, therefore, continue to address this issue, which continues to be of great concern to all Nigerians, including women, who are outraged by the few opportunities that women have to effectively engage in politics in Nigeria.

    Compulsory education for women

    Regrettably, some religions do not permit women to go to school or university. I believe it is our duty to fight for United Nation’s order that it is compulsory that all women should be allowed to go to school, no matter their religion. Women should fight for the review of all laws, customs or practices that forbid women from participating in politics or forbid children from going to .school

  • Natasha should save precious time and go to court, by Rotimi Fasan

    Natasha should save precious time and go to court, by Rotimi Fasan

    The fight between Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senator Godswill Akpabio looks like a case of ‘see finish’, to state it in local parlance. Her familial relationship with the President of the Senate (only they and, perhaps, their respective families know the true nature of this relationship) appears to have undermined the respect she has for him as a public officer.

    One clear proof of this is that the very incident that led to her allegation of sexual harassment occurred in the country home of Senator Akpabio and in the presence of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s husband. Both senators walked hand-in-hand, trailed by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s husband, as Senator Akpabio showed them round his house. It was in this very improbable situation that Senator Akpabio propositioned Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, asked her, in her words, to ‘make him happy’.

    This was in December 2023 just about a month after Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was elected into the Senate. Nobody heard a word of this incident, not even her husband who was within earshot and who asked to know what the gentleman senator said was told anything. Nothing until her outburst following the change of her seating position.

    Her unruly behaviour thereafter, defying the intervention of her colleagues and shouting at Senator Akpabio where he calmly sat as the presiding officer of the Senate, was in the least unflattering. It made her look unhinged. She compounded her error and made a mess of her sexual harassment and punitive discrimination allegations by rushing first to media organisations, some of which cannot conceal their bias, to report. It was like two law-enforcement officers exchanging blows in public turning to bemused bystanders watching them to know who between them was in the wrong.

    Who should ordinary members of the public turn to when fighting if legislators cannot rely on the laws or regulations they make to resolve disagreements among themselves? What was the point of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan rushing to the media to lodge complaints about the President of the Senate? Was she prevented at the Senate? Natasha is a senator of the Nigerian state not a defenceless school girl that could be shoved aside without anyone hearing of it.

    This is the point, perhaps, that the likes of Senator Florence Ita-Giwa and other past and present female senators who have spoken on the issue tried to make against the ire of preconditioned feminists for whom every male transgression is a sign of misogyny. Her position in the Senate offers her more than enough room to seek redress and in fact national attention, in case anyone tries to stifle her complaints. She has not shown that the floor of the Senate was inadequate to air her allegations except she was angling to scandalise the Senate through emotional blackmail, which she has been demonstrating with the tears she sheds at the slightest opportunity.

    Her apparently manufactured pain and dramatisation of her grievance has the potential of diminishing the anguish or occluding the pain of actual victims of sexual harassment. Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan may have been sexually harassed as she has alleged but she is yet to present an actual case of sexual harassment. Nothing beyond her words despite her promise of concrete evidence. It took her all of three days after her allegation gained national attention in the media before she would table it on the floor of the Senate. Her goal, it seemed, was to blackmail the Senate and its leadership.

    What is her appeal to the media rabble about? An invitation to a lynch mob? Even while being interviewed by the obviously sympathetic and often-opinionated Arise News crew and things appeared not to be going her way, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan threatened to take her complaints to Facebook! What is it about her tireless fascination with the media and this hankering for attention? She seems to have misunderstood her role as chair of the Local Content Committee, extending its meaning to its everyday social media understanding. She has literally been creating content for Nigerians and the world.

    What prompted the PDA with her husband, where they had a kiss at the entrance of the National Assembly? When did that start- before or after her allegations? How much of her allegations are, indeed, real and how much are for the cameras? There are so many things wrong about the way Natasha has gone about her fight with Senator Akpabio and her colleagues at the Senate, including the female ones and others who preceded them to the Senate.

    They have to the last person refused to speak in her favour. There is so much the Senator needs to correct about her approach for her allegations to begin to sound plausible and thereby save herself the tag of a femme fatale. Her latest attempt at feminist activism and as latter-day Rosa Parks will not answer for these shortcomings. As a first-time senator who has headed a couple of important committees, she has clearly enjoyed the patronage of Senator Akpabio. This could not have been entirely earned. It is on record that her husband had lobbied him on her behalf.

    Senator Akpabio has a previous allegation of sexual misconduct trailing him and has not adequately acquitted himself of that. Neither has Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan who also has a similar history of making reckless allegations of sexual harassment, the most notorious being the one against Reno Omokri. It took Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan all of 14 months after the incident to lodge her complaints against Senator Akpabio. It took her six years, between 2014 and 2021, to accuse Reno Omokri of the same thing. What is the long wait for? In three weeks since her allegations, she has presented nothing close to the concrete evidence she promised. She must not expect, as she said before the Inter-Parliamentary Union, that the Senate President would stand down based on mere words and before a prima facie case of sexual harassment has been established.

    She has every right to lodge her allegation which should be treated with all the seriousness it deserves. But she must provide evidence. If she, however, has no evidence, she should admit it. It does not mean she lied but it does undermine her claim. Henceforth, she should learn to keep evidence, since she appears prone to making allegations of sexual harassment or being sexually harassed. Either way, we are perhaps at that point where the respective careers of these two senators either in being flippant and making inept remarks or self-aggrandising and engaging in manipulative conduct is about being terminated. The Senate has done its bit but only the courts are now best placed to deliver justice. Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan should cut to the chase and do what she must.

  • Journey through “reborn” Ogoniland, by Ochereome Nnanna

    Journey through “reborn” Ogoniland, by Ochereome Nnanna

    Thirty years ago, the Ogoni people’s struggle finally pierced through the iron curtain of the international community’s attention. It took the spilling of blood and emasculation of the Ogoni elite for the world to take note.

    In April 1994, I had the privilege of encountering foremost author and Ogoni activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa, at a seminar in Enugu aimed at fashioning a common Igbo position as the nation prepared for the National Constitutional Conference, NCC, empanelled by General Sani Abacha. Saro-Wiwa was a guest speaker. The event offered him and former Biafra leader, Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, the opportunity to “reconcile” after playing historical roles in opposite sides of the Nigerian Civil War.

    That was virtually Saro-Wiwa’s final public outing. A few days later, mayhem exploded in Ogoniland. Four prominent Ogoni leaders, known as the Ogoni Four – Albert Badey, Edward Kobani, Theophilus Orage and Samuel Orage – were gruesomely murdered. Their corpses were never found. Saro-Wiwa and eight other leaders of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People, MOSOP, were arrested, summarily tried and hanged for the alleged incitement that led to the lynching of the Ogoni Four.

    The Ogoni elite had been torn into two mutually destructive camps. The Ogoni Four were accused of “compromising” the struggle by being soft on the Federal Government and Shell, the oil company responsible for the environmental devastation of Ogoniland. On the other hand, the Ogoni Nine were perceived to have precipitated the killing of their counterparts. The Abacha government ignored all entreaties to spare the lives of Saro-Wiwa and his colleagues.

    These sad events placed the Ogoni struggle on the agenda of the United Nations which became gravely concerned over severe environmental pollution of Ogoniland after over 50 years of irresponsible oil exploitation. In 2006, the United Nations Environmental Programme, UNEP, sent experts to investigate the environmental disaster in Ogoniland and submit a report that would guide remediation. In 2011, the UNEP Report was submitted to President Goodluck Jonathan.

    It was not until April 2022 when the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, HYPREP, was created that the “Ogoni clean-up” programme concretely began. Because of the prolonged period of lip service paid to the project, many Nigerians, including major media stakeholders, never knew the amount of world class action going on under the leadership of Professor Nenibarini Zabbey at HYPREP’s Project Office in Port Harcourt. Indeed, when I sent a Facebook post from one of the shoreline reclamation project sites in Goi, Gokana LGA, people were pleasantly surprised that the clean-up was real and not mere propaganda.

    We had two days of intensive tour of all four local government areas of Ogoniland – Tai, Eleme, Khana and Gokana. We visited the HYPREP regional water scheme at Kpoghor. About 30 communities whose water resources were polluted now enjoy potable water piped to them from these waterworks. In Ajen Okpori and Ogale in Eleme, we witnessed how the polluted soil and underground water were excavated and cleaned by experts, and land restored for normal human activity. Soil and underground water purification are going on simultaneously in 39 communities across Ogoniland.

    The most eye-catching and obviously largest of the HYPREP projects is at Wiiyaakara in Khana LGA. The Centre of Excellence and Environmental Remediation, CEER, under construction by the China’s CCECC, is much like an international university town, complete with its research faculty buildings, residential zone, solar farm, sports complex and massive laboratories. It will incubate experts in all aspects of practical environmental science from all parts of the world.

    By far the most exciting adventure for us was the visit to Goi in Gokana LGA. It is a shoreline community where technicians were labouring with machines to suck out spilled oil sludge from the muddy soil of the shoreline. The experts said the presence of live periwinkles in the mud meant the shoreline restoration was beginning to work. Shoreline restoration is taking place in five communities throughout Ogoniland.

    We took a 45-minute boat ride to Bomu, also in Gokana LGA, where mangrove trees were being replanted after soil restoration. Each of us had the privilege to plant a mangrove tree! In a few years when the trees have matured, the mangrove ecosystem will hopefully be fully restored, provided that the HYPREP activities are sustained and re-pollution prevented. According to HYPREP officials, the Ogoni clean-up is just the first step towards the extension of same to all parts of the Niger Delta and beyond.

    Ogoni people and Ogoniland are harvesting the benefits of their struggle. Ogoni has become a pacesetter in many ways. Other Niger Delta agitators sprang up due to the attention the Ogoni struggle elicited from all over the world. The Ogoni clean-up is being conducted mainly with the expertise and manpower of Ogoni indigenes. The Centre of Excellence will draw experts from all over the world. Even after the clean-up, the knowledge, expertise and experience that the Ogoni men and women are accumulating will be exported to service polluted communities throughout Nigeria and beyond.

    HYPREP has trained 2,500 Ogoni youth with International Maritime Organisation, IMO, Levels 1 and 2 certification in shoreline clean-up and mangrove restoration, which they are freely deploying to make a living.

    There is a saying: “No pain, no gain”. The Ogoni struggle attracted a scorched-earth military pacification mission on the people. The names of Abacha’s hit men, Major General Obi Umahi and Brigadier General Paul Okuntimo, will remain indelible in Ogoni history. They lost their best, the Ogoni Four and Ogoni Nine. But today, Ogoniland occupies a place of pride in all Niger Delta because of dividends that the HYPREP projects are bringing on the people and their ancestral land.

    Where would the Ogoni people be today without the Ogoni struggle?

  • ‘Jandor, not Sanwo-Olu won 2023 governorship election in Lagos’  —  Galadima

    ‘Jandor, not Sanwo-Olu won 2023 governorship election in Lagos’  —  Galadima

    Alhaji Buba Galadima, a chieftain of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), has stated that Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos, won the 2023 governorship election in the state.

    Galadima while appearing on Arise Television’s ‘The Morning Show’ on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, said Adediran, also known as Jandor, won the election but “it was taken away from him.”

    Recall that Jandor, who recently dumped the PDP and returned to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), came in distant third with 62,449 votes, coming behind Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, who polled  762,134, and  312,329 votes respectively.

    According to Galadima, Jandor’s return to the APC is part of the ruling party’s ploy to decimate opposition parties. Such defections make it hard for opposition parties to play their roles ahead of the 2027 election.

    “You have just seen what Jandor has done. Look at the support the people of Lagos have given Jandor. In fact, I will say that he won the election. It was taken away from him.

    “But today, look at him; he just back-pedalled and went back to the APC.

    How are we going to do opposition? We should do opposition of principles even if you are alone, stand based on your principles, not based on chop-chop.”

    Meanwhile, Jandor has explained that his decision to return to the APC was based on the party’s viability and capacity to win elections, emphasizing that the interest of Lagos State was paramount.

    He cited indiscipline and anti-party activities as reasons he left the PDP for the APC.

  • Leave Rivers Judiciary out of crisis – NBA urges Amaewhule, others

    Leave Rivers Judiciary out of crisis – NBA urges Amaewhule, others

    PORT HARCOURT: The Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, has urged the Rivers State House of Assembly and other actors in the ongoing political unrest in the state to leave the Judiciary arm out of the imbroglio.

    The eight branches of the NBA in the state, in a press statement in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, stated that they would not allow another shutdown of the court in the state.

    The press statement was jointly signed by Cordelia U. Eke (Mrs) Chairman, Port Harcourt Branch, Hilda Desmond-lhekaire (PhD), Chairman Ahoada Branch, Simple Dioha, Esq., Chairman, Isiokpo Branch, Abiye A. Abo, Esq., Chairman, Degema Branch, Dr. N.A. Duson, Chairman, Bori Branch, Dr. Celestine N. Nwankwo, Chairman, Okehi Branch, Tamunosiki A. Roberts, Esq., Chairman, Okrika Branch, and Ekeledinichukwu Ordu, Esq., Chairman, Omoku Branch.

    Addressing the press on behalf of the eight branch chairmen, Tamunosiki A. Roberts, Esq., the Chairman, Okrika Branch, said the attention of the eight branches of the NBA has been drawn to a call by the House of Assembly on the Department of State Security, DSS, to investigate the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Simeon Amadi, describing the development as unfortunate.

    Roberts cautioned that the judiciary should not be dragged into the political imbroglio in the state, adding the judiciary cannot afford to experience shutdown of courts in the state.

    He said: “The attention of the 8 branches of the NBA in Rivers State, has been drawn to a resolution passed by the Rivers State House of Assembly on Wednesday, 12th of March, 2025 directing the Department of State Security (DSS) to investigate the Rivers State Chief Judge on allegations of falsification of age. It is quite unfortunate, that despite the already heated polity in Rivers State, we are still experiencing escalations such as this.

    “Thus, there is need for mutual respect amongst all the parties. We are not unaware of the existing political impasse between the Legislature and the Executive Arms of Government in Rivers State, however, we must caution that the Judiciary should not be drawn into the ongoing imbroglio for no just cause.

    “We reiterate that the independence of the Judiciary is crucial to the sustenance of peace and stability in the State, as contending parties ultimately resort to the Judiciary for the resolution of disputes as has recently been witnessed at the Supreme Court.

    “There is no need to escalate tensions as the stability of Rivers State is crucial to the economy of the State and the Country. We can easily recall the incidents in 2014-2015 which exposed the Judiciary and Judicial Officers that resulted in the closure of our Courts. We cannot afford to experience a similar occurrence in the present times we find ourselves in the State, and especially for the interests of the good people of Rivers State to have their ongoing matters in Court without interruptions.”

    Roberts noted that there is a prescribed procedure for handling issues of such stance, noting that any complaints against any judicial officer is handled by the National Judicial Council, NJC.

    He noted that the Judiciary should not be intimidated or bullied by the bidding of any other arm of government, advocating for the use of democratic process and rule of law to resolve the political war in the state.

    Roberts said: “Every action in the Public Service has a prescribed procedure which alI should respect and observe to forestall chaos and anarchy in the State. In the case of the Judiciary, any complaint against one of its officers is dealt with by the National Judicial Council (NJC), which alone has the authority to carry out any disciplinary action or authorize any investigation against any Judge.

    “The need for the protection of the Judiciary cannot be overemphasized, as the Judiciary remains the last hope of the common man, and indeed everyone, including politicians. We continue to appeal to all contenders to sheath their swords and genuinely seek peace in the interest of Rivers State and the economy of Nigeria at large.”

  • Ndigbo chose Monday sit-at-home to show solidarity with Nnamdi Kanu – IPOB

    Ndigbo chose Monday sit-at-home to show solidarity with Nnamdi Kanu – IPOB

    NNEWI——– THE Indigenous People of Biafra (IPoB) has told the Federal government and the Nigerian Army that it can no longer be blackmailed with Monday weekly sit-at-home because the whole Nigerians and the world knows that it has no hand in its continued observation by Ndigbo.

    IPoB urged the Federal government to release its leader Nnamdi Kanu if it wants the Monday weekly sit-at-home to stop, saying it is now a protest by Ndigbo against the continued illegal and malicious detention of Mazi Kanu, who is now being used as a pawn against Ndigbo.

    The pro-Biafra group in a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful entitled “Do not blackmail IPoB with Monday weekly sit-at-home, instead free Nnamdi Kanu”, said that Monday weekly sit-home is no more IPoB issue but a protest by Ndigbo against the illegal and malicious detention of Mazi Kanu.

    IPoB statement read, “The noble family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, worldwide wish to categorically notify the Nigerian military and the Nigerian government that they can not blackmail IPoB and Eastern Security Network, ESN with Monday sit-at-home because we are a disciplined self-determination movement and has for long disassociated itself from Monday weekly sit-at-home.

    “IPoB members and ESN operatives are disciplined freedom-fighting volunteers fighting for survival. IPoB and ESN are the reasons that the state-sponsored terrorists have not turned Biafra land into a mass grave. ESN operatives are the reason why Ndigbo still goes to their farm to date.

    “ESN operatives are paying a heavy price in curtailing the activities of terrorists masquerading as herdsmen. The reason that the Nigerian government and her military are targeting and blackmailing ESN daily is to destroy all the defence lines of Biafrans. ESN remains the last defence for Ndigbo.

    “Nigerian Army has not defended any indigenous tribe in Nigeria against the state-sponsored foreign Fulani terrorists let alone defending Ndigbo that they wish should be exterminated. Any Igbo person falling for the Nigerian government’s blackmail against IPoB and ESN is a fool who hasn’t understood the level of hatred that the Nigerian State has against Biafran people.

    “To the Nigerian government, IPoB and ESN are big obstacles to their extermination and displacement plan against Ndigbo from our ancestral lands. No matter the level of attack, blackmail and extrajudicial executions, and disappearances caused by the Nigerian government against Ndigbo, IPoB remains committed towards safeguarding our land and the self-determination and independence efforts.

    “The Nigerian military boasted of demarketing IPoB, and to make Ndigbo hate the movement using the infamous Monday sit-at-home, which the military and Police themselves helped to enforce. Before now, the Nigerian Army and Police patrol around some rural communities in the South East on Mondays, arresting youths seen on the road, thereby helping to enforce sit-at-home.

    “The Nigerian government recruited the soulless criminals called Autopiloters to impersonate IPoB and ESN to kill and destroy our people and our people’s properties on Mondays in the name of enforcing the sit-at-home IPoB, already suspended. It was a covert operation between the Nigerian government and the agent provocateurs.

    “Their agenda is to use the Monday sit-at-home to convince Ndigbo that IPoB is destroying their economy, but today Ndigbo have known the truth about their humiliation and maltreatment of their people and are now using Monday weekly sit-at-home to protest against injustices against them, particularly the continued malicious and illegal detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

    “IPoB initiated and suspended Monday sit-at-home after its first successful compliance. We have constantly condemned the violent enforcement of the sit-at-home, which the Nigerian Army and Police are part of. Since the buffoon in Finland was arrested by the Finnish authorities, the criminals enforcing sit-at-home have gone into hiding.

    “That is to tell you that the sit-at-home enforcers were recruited to commit crimes with the name of Biafra and Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. Nevertheless, IPoB commends Ndigbo, who voluntarily chose to sit at home on Mondays in solidarity with our illegally abducted and detained leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s plight.

    “IPoB are the people, and people are IPoB. There is no strategy that the Nigerian government will adopt to make Ndigbo reject themselves. Telling Ndigbo to reject IPoB and embrace the Nigerian Army is like telling people to reject their saviour and to embarrass their killers.

    “The Nigerian Army should discard the idea of destroying, IPoB, using bullets and blackmail because that is mission impossible. IPoB is rooted in a strong ideology of survival. The more Nigeria rejects and oppresses Ndigbo, the more the IPoB ideology is fueled.

    Nigeria has rejected Ndigbo politically, socially, and economically, and Ndigbo has rejected Nigeria in our souls and spirits. To us, Nigeria has ceased to exist, but only for a time.

    “The Nigerian military has shown their incapability of protecting Nigerians from terrorists who have taken over some local governments in Northern Nigeria. They are in the Eastern region to create artificial insecurity and to extort Ndigbo.

    “How can a professional military occupy themselves with the obsession of ending a voluntary sit-at-home, which is a non-violent civil action instead of facing the rampaging terrorists ravaging the country? Only a weak military will preoccupy themselves with civil matters while leaving terrorism to thrive.

    “The Nigerian Army should leave IPoB, ESN and our territory alone. The insecurity in the South East is an artificial one sponsored by the Nigerian State, who recruited criminals to destabilise the region but have failed. IPoB and ESN stand for Biafrans and remain the last line of defence for Ndigbo against the rampaging radical Islamic extremists in their conquest mission in Nigeria.

    “The Nigerian Army is working with the radical extremists to destroy Biafra’s line of defence which is IPoB in order to pave the way for the terrorists to massacre Ndigbo and occupy our land like they have done in many parts of the Northern region.

    “After the genocidal war against Ndigbo by the British and Nigerian governments. Ndigbo never had any group that is determined and courageous like IPoB and ESN. Ndigbo can’t miss the golden opportunity to support IPoB to restore our dignity as children of light, children of Chukwu Okike Abiama. A strong movement like IPoB comes once in many generations.

    The Nigerian government, her military, and South East Governors and politicians should focus on addressing the issues that are responsible for the Monday sit-at-home, which is the unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and a call for Biafra Referendum.

    “The use of intimidation and bullying people to force them out on Mondays is a cruel tactic. Will the Nigerian Army go to the people’s houses to force them out on Mondays in order to end the sit-at-home?
    The answer is NO. Any responsible government would engage in dialogue and superior arguments to win the trust of citizens, but in Nigeria everything is by military intimidation and force.

    “Ndigbo love Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and have chosen to sit at home on Mondays in solidarity with him. Igbo Governors and the Nigerian government should toe the line of wisdom and release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and the Monday sit-at-home will immediately stop. Blackmailing IPoB and ESN with Monday sit-at-home is a strategy that is dead on arrival.”

  • ‘Only APC people are moving to SDP’ — Galadima

    ‘Only APC people are moving to SDP’ — Galadima

    Alhaji Buba Galadima, a chieftain of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), has downplayed the defection wave to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), saying the party is a branch of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Galadima, speaking on Arise Television on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, said it is not out of place that NNPP chieftains are joining the SDP because, according to him, the party is an appendage of the ruling party.

    He said, “The SDP that you talked about in your introduction is a branch of the APC. It was those APC people that moved to what you now called SDP. Nothing more. How many people from other parties have moved to the SDP? That is the question the people should ask. So, it is not out of place, you’re in Lagos. this is the character of Lagos to decimate opposition.”

    Galadima’s comment followed Malam Nasir El-Rufai’s call for opposition leaders to join the SDP in 2027 to wrestle power from the APC.

    El-Rufai, who left the APC for the SDP earlier in March, has been inviting stakeholders and chieftains of other opposition parties, urging them to join his new party and form a strong force against President Bola Tinubu’s administration ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

    Recently, El-Rufai specifically invited Peter Obi of the Labour Party, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party and President Tinubu’s estranged ally, Rauf Aregbesola, to dump their parties for the SDP.

    Meanwhile, Sule Lamido, a former Jigawa State Governor and PDP chieftain, has rejected El-Rufai’s invitation to the SDP.

    In a BBC Hausa interview on Sunday, March 16, 2025, Lamido described the former governor’s invitation as an insult, saying the PDP laid the foundation for El-Rufai’s political career.

    Lamido also questioned El-Rufai’s leadership style and motive for dumping the APC for the SDP.

    “Leadership is done with patience and vision, and doing things for the peace of the followers and the country as a whole,” Lamido said.

    While restating his loyalty to the PDP, Lamido said the opposition party did nothing to warrant his defection.

  • Army urges Akwa Ibom residents to avoid shooting range during training exercise

    Army urges Akwa Ibom residents to avoid shooting range during training exercise

    The 2 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, based in Abak Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, has announced plans to conduct its first quarter range classification exercise.

    In a statement released on Monday evening, the Acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Adebowale Adejimi, disclosed that the exercise is scheduled to take place from March 19 to March 28, 2025 at the 6 Bn Range Area in Abak LGA.

    He urged residents to stay away from the designated areas and not to be alarmed by the sound of gunfire during the period.

    “Headquarters 2 Brigade, 2 Brigade Garrison, and other sub-units will be conducting the First Quarter Range Classification Exercise for the year 2025 at the 6 Bn Range Area in Abak LGA from March 19 to March 28, 2025,” the statement read.

    “We kindly appeal to the good people of Abak LGA to stay off the designated exercise area and not to panic at the sound of gunshots. Adequate measures have been put in place to ensure safety and security at the range and surrounding areas.”

    The Army also called on the public to help spread awareness of the exercise for the safety of residents.