WHY I IGNORED LABOUR PARTY CONVENTION – PETER OBI
WHY I IGNORED LABOUR PARTY CONVENTION — PETER OBI Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party for 2023 elections has declared his stance on the recent national convention of the party that saw Barr Julius Abure emerge as Julius Abure emerge as national chairman. Addressing Nigerians on X Space hosted by Parallel Facts on Friday, Peter Obi said he ignored the convention because the party leadership under Abure failed to do wide consultation with key stakeholders of the party before embarking on the said convention.The former Anambra Governor emphasised the need for the right thing to be done to salvage the party, adding that he is more passionate about building a new Nigeria than building a new Labour Party.
PDP APPOINTS CARETAKER COMMITTEES FOR STATES, LGAS, WARDS
PDP APPOINTS CARETAKER COMMITTEES FOR STATES, LGAS, WARDS The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has approved the appointment of the Executives whose tenures have expired in some State, Local Government and Ward chapters to serve as Caretaker Committees in the affected States, LGAs and Wards respectively. The appointment was pursuant to the provisions of Section 29 (2) (b) of the Constitution of the Party on behalf of the National Executive Committee (NEC). The PDP, in a statement by its spokesman, Hon Debo Ologunagba, said that the Caretaker Committees have been mandated to run the affairs of the Party at their appropriate levels for a period of 3 (three) months as follows: ABIA – Local Government Area (LGA): With effect from March 22, 2024; Ward: With effect from March 15, 2024 AKWA IBOM – LGA: With effect from March 21, 2024 ; Ward: With effect from March 7, 2024 BAUCHI – LGA: With effect from March 22, 2024; Ward: With effect from March 14, 2024 BAYELSA – State: With effect from March 23, 2024; LGA: With effect from March 21, 2024; Ward: With effect from March 7, 2024 BENUE- LGA: With effect from March 21, 2024; Ward: With effect from March 7, 2024 CROSS RIVER – LGA: With effect from March 21, 2024; Ward: With effect from March 7, 2024 DELTA- LGA: With effect from March 21, 2024; Ward: With effect from March 7, 2024 EKITI – Ward: With effect from March 7, 2024 ENUGU – LGA: With effect from March 21, 2024; Ward: With effect from March 14, 2024 GOMBE- State: With effect from March 23, 2024; LGA: With effect from March 21, 2024; Ward: With effect from March 14, 2024 IMO – LGA: With effect from March 21, 2024; Ward: With effect from March 14, 2024 JIGAWA- Ward: With effect from March 16, 2024 KADUNA. – Ward: With effect from March 14, 2024 NIGER. – Ward: With effect from March 7, 2024 ONDO – LGA: With effect from March 21, 2024; Ward: With effect from March 7, 2024 PLATEAU – LGA: With effect from March 23, 2024; Ward: With effect from March 7, 2024 RIVERS- State: With effect from March 21, 2024; LGA: With effect from March 18, 2024; Ward: With effect from March 14, 2024 SOKOTO- Ward: With effect from March 16, 2024 TARABA- Ward: With effect from March 14, 2024 Federal Capital Territory (FCT)- LGA: With effect from March 21, 2024; Ward: With effect from March 7, 2024 The NWC stated that in situations where vacancies occurred in the respective Excos due to death, defection and/or resignation, no replacement should be effected for such vacancies in the Caretakers Committees.The NWC charged all leaders, critical stakeholders and members of the Party to continue to work together to ensure the stability, growth and success of the Party in their respective States, Local Government Areas and Wards.
Dons Eze
- Spirituality
- March 30, 2024
- 61 views
CATHOLIC BISHOP WARNS PRIESTS AGAINST FALSE TEACHING
CATHOLIC BISHOP WARNS PRIESTS AGAINST FALSE TEACHING The Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Most Rev. Callistus Onaga, has advised priests against misleading their members with false teachings. Onaga gave the advice in a homily during a Chrism Mass held at Holy Ghost Cathedral, Enugu on Thursday. Chrism Mass is celebrated on Holy Thursday, during which priests renew their vocation and are consecrated with the oil of Chrism. According to the bishop, priests should be careful of what comes out of their mouth as people believe in them and call them Father. He emphasized that their call was a divine trust to herald the word of God given to them and urged them to do it with conscientiousness. “Our words matter a lot not just when we are in the church but wherever we find ourselves. Our flock calls us Father because they believe that we have been transformed. We should teach people true words. “If your words are lies, you are teaching your parishioners to lies and you are teaching them to tell lies and give false witnesses,” Onaga said. The cleric explained that Reverend Fathers were the custodians of the word of God adding that they should refrain from false preachings and prophecies. “We should not compare ourselves with other pastors because to him whom much is given, much is expected. We have a very sacred juice of priesthood. “The word of God is sacred and should not be defiled and the priest is the dispenser of the word of God in his place with the people of God,” he said. He charged the priests to possess a Christlike heart with love, saying priesthood is love. “It is love in us that will define what we teach our members; you don’t abuse them but teach them word of God with love and that which come from Christ we represent, should dominate everything we do”. Onaga also admonished the Catholic priests to do away with unforgiving anger, greed, selfishness and pride but engage in the work of God with love and humility.Highlight of the Holy Mass was the renewal of the vow and commitment made by no fewer than 500 priests during their ordination, blessing of the oil of the sick, oil of the Catechumen and consecration of the oil of Chrism.
ESWAMA INSISTS ON TODAY’S SANITATION EXERCISE
ESWAMA INSISTS ON TODAY’S SANITATION EXERCISE The Enugu State Waste Management Authority (ESWAMA), states that the sanitation exercise for the month of March will hold today, Saturday, 30 March, 2024, between the hours of 7am-10am. The notification was contained in a statement signed by the SPA to the Governor on Wastes, Andreas Gebauer, emphasizing that, “Movement of people and vehicles during the exercise, is prohibited as offenders will be prosecuted at the environmental mobile court of law.” Moreso, “Those that engage in sporting activities around the Okpara Square and any other location within the metropolis, are advised to postpone their sporting activities and join the clean up exercise, else they will be arrested and prosecuted as well. The ESWAMA Authority is determined to ensure maximum hygiene across the State, and therefore appeals to the general public to bag their wastes properly before disposal and equally pay their ESWAMA bills at any Commercial bank closer to them.“Please do not pay cash to anybody or any agent,” ESWAMA admonished.
- Spirituality
- March 27, 2024
- 65 views
ABAKALIKI CATHOLIC DIOCESE GETS SEVEN NEW MONSIGNORS
ABAKALIKI CATHOLIC DIOCESE GETS SEVEN NEW MONSIGNORS Seven catholic priests in the Abakaliki Diocese, Ebonyi State, were recently elevated to the status of monsignor by the Pontif, His Holiness, Pope Francis. The bishop, Most Rev. Peter Nworie Chukwu officially presented them at St. Theresa Cathedral in Abakaliki, after installation on March 16. Chukwu said that the profiles of the priests were investigated at the Vatican before seven out of the 11 names he submitted were approved to be honoured as monsignor. He advised those who were not captured to take it in good fate as the same chance might likely come their ways in future: “We are lucky for having scored seven because the number signifies completeness just as God had created the world in six days and rested on the 7th day and when it was the time to choose deacons for the church after the coming of the holy spirit, seven men of good repute were ordained. “Today, we have seven quintessential pastors who have been honoured by the Holy Father, Pope Francis as monsignors and with a closer look at each of them, one will find out that they had become priests before I entered Senior Seminary, that is one common thing among them and we are grateful to God.” He also said that the investiture of the monsignors does not undermine their priestly functions and appealed that they should continue the work with humility. It was learnt that the priests elevated by Pope courtesy of the bishop’s recommendation have distinguished themselves in their priestly functions, evangelisation and service to humanity Those installed as monsignors include Rt. Rev. Felix Uchenna Onwukike, Associate Prof. Christopher Makwe Okoro, Rt. Rev. Godwin Oguike Oluoha, Justus Odoemene, Rt. Rev. Gabriel Obazi Owoh, Rt. Rev. Matthew Ekuma Isukpa and Rt. Rev. Prof. Clement Osunwokeh. One of them. Monsignor Oluoha said that the elevation was prompted by his contribution to the growth of the church in the state and thanked the Pope for reciprocating the effort with the honour. He advised young priests to obey their vision, be brotherly with their colleagues, be the best of what they are, keep the rules of the community and the church and most importantly, obey the rules of God. His counterpart, Makwe, said that he had been working in accordance with the dictate of his conscience since April 18, 1971, stressing that the honour was a result of his activities recorded by an agent of God.He also thanked Bishop Chukwu for the recommendation and Pope Francis, for the appointment.
HUNGER: ANGER AS MANY NIGERIANS DIE IN SEARCH OF PALLIATIVES
HUNGER: ANGER AS MANY NIGERIANS DIE IN SEARCH OF PALLIATIVES Several Nigerians lost their lives in the past few days while struggling to benefit from palliatives being distributed by the government amid the rising hunger in the land. The latest is the unfortunate incident at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, where two students were reported dead during the distribution of palliatives while 23 have been hospitalised. Governor Abdullahi Sule had ordered the distribution of two 7.5 kg bags of rice and N5,000 to each student of the state university in Keffi, the state capital. However, two students- Grace Danladi and Rose Michael died in the unfortunate incident, while others were injured during a stampede ahead of the distribution of the palliatives to students of the school. An official statement said the palliatives were billed for distribution at the convocation arena of the school before some students overpowered the security on the ground, causing a stampede that resulted in the death and injuries of the students while they carted away the food items. In his reaction, Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State said the death of the two students was not as a result of government’s negligence. The governor made the statement when he appeared as a guest on Channel’s Television. “It’s not something that happened on the part of negligence by the government. “It’s very unfortunate that it happened but it had nothing to do with any planning, it has nothing to do with any negligence. We have been to eight places. “It was the last place, which would have been the ninth institution that we went to. So, all these other places that we went, everything went so smoothly,” he said. According to him, the stampede was not because of planning but because some students thought that their names were being replaced by the Students’ Union Government of the institution, hence the anxiety. “We are very sad that two students died. We are talking with the families. So, for somebody to politicise it? It’s unfortunate that we are in a country where everybody looks at a tragedy and politicize it,” he added Underhand dealings and inadequacy of the materials to meet the needs of Nigerians are some of the reasons being adduced for the deaths of citizens. Seven persons died at the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Old Zonal Headquarters in Yaba area of Lagos State while residents were making efforts to buy seized rice from the Service, which was sold at N10,000 per 25kg to alleviate people’s sufferings in the face of the economic crunch in the country. The exercise witnessed chaos and confusion when what was supposed to be a gesture of assistance from the government, the distribution of 25kg bags of rice, turned into an unpleasant scene, leaving many citizens frustrated and struggling. The stampede was said to have occurred due to poor crowd management by the Customs, as hundreds of people tried to force themselves into the venue to buy the rice. The Comptroller General of the NCS, Mr. Adewale Adeniyi, had assured the process for the sale of the food items had been perfected such that a form with all the details of the applicant including the National Identification Number, NIN, would be submitted and a bar code generated for the collection of the commodity. Another recent incident in Bauchi State also saw at least four women confirmed dead in a stampede that occurred during the distribution of zakat (almsgiving exercise) to residents in the state. The incident occurred on Sunday at the Shafa Holdings Company headquarters along Jos road in Bauchi. Ahmed Wakil, police spokesperson in Bauchi, confirmed the development, saying that a 17-year-old girl, Naima Abdullahi, sustained injuries during the stampede. Abdullahi was reported to be…
CHRISTIAN CHUKWU MARKS GOLDEN JUBILEE AS PLAYER OF RANGERS INTERNATIONAL
CHRISTIAN CHUKWU MARKS GOLDEN JUBILEE AS PLAYER OF RANGERS INTERNATIONAL Ex-national team skipper, ‘Chairman’ Christian Chukwu, will on Thursday, commemorate his 50th anniversary as player, captain, and manager of Rangers International Football Club of Enugu (1974-2024). The event will hold with a novelty match between Ex-Rangers players and All Stars, kicking off activities at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu, by 10.00 a.m. Unveiling the programme for the anniversary celebration in Enugu, the chairman of the organising committee, Chris Gisto Mma, noted that Former Sports Minister, Jim Nwobodo, will deliver the keynote address. He said Nwobodo was qualified to present the keynote address as a former chairman of Enugu Rangers and a great lover and supporter of the club. Affirming that the former governor of the old Anambra State contributed to the glorious era of the club, Mma called on states in the former East Central State to pick on the welfare of ex-Rangers players, who brought honour and pride to the people of the region. According to Mma, after the novelty match, the celebration will move to Amadeo Event Centre, behind Oakland Hotel, Ebeano Tunnel, Enugu by 1.00 p.m. He said a book on Chukwu titled, ‘The Field Marshall,’would be launched at the occasion. “Personalities expected to grace the occasion are governors of the southeast states, with Governor Peter Mba of Enugu, as the host.“Others are former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, and president of Ohaneze Ndigbo,Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyawu, as well as great football players like Kanu Nwankwo, Adokiye Amasiemeka, Emma Okala and Jonny Egbonu.”
GOV ALIA GIVES FULL AUTONOMY TO BENUE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
GOV ALIA GIVES FULL AUTONOMY TO BENUE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS The administration of Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia has given full blessings to the autonomy of the 23 Local Government Areas in the state, with adequate plans also outlined to open up the rural areas to enable rural economies to thrive. Governor Alia gave his administration’s commitment to ensuring full local government’s autonomy on Monday, at the Royal Choice Inn, Makurdi, while declaring open a Two-Day workshop put together by the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in conjunction with Timarage Nigeria Limited, for chairmen and members of the local government interim Executives in the state. The governor pointed out that his administration has equally mapped out strategic projects and programmes for execution and implementation in all the Local Government Areas, saying by the time the projects and programmes are completed, the chequered history of the rural areas in the state will be completely reversed. “I am happy to State that my administration has given its full blessings to the autonomy of our Local Governments. Funds due to the Local Governments will be promptly. We are therefore, committed to the growth and development of the system and have outlined adequate plans to open up the rural areas to enable rural economies to thrive. Already, I have mapped out strategic projects and programmes which we are due to start execution and implementation in all the Local Government Areas. It is hoped that by the time we complete these projects and programmes, the chequered history of our rural areas will be completely reversed. The economies of our rural areas will witness tremendous growth and this will positively impact on the people,” the governor assured. While stressing the pivotal role the local government system plays in the development process of the Nation, the governor appealed to all Local Government committees to intensify efforts towards increasing their internally generated revenue, so as to boost their capacity to provide for the welfare of their people. “You are to remain closer to the people and to also uphold accountability, integrity and transparency in work, these are central areas to my administration. Embrace synergy and team work to enable a collective achievement to our set goals”, the governor urged. Earlier in his address, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Dennis Akura, said the essence of the workshop is to build the knowledge of the Chairmen and Members of the Local Government Interim Executive Committees, equipping them with a better understanding of their roles for effective service delivery at the Third Tier of Government. He urged the participants to take full advantage of the workshop so that in the end, they will be able to support the efforts of the governor at the grassroots level.The Two Day Workshop with the theme “Responsive Local Government Leadership for Effective Local Government Administration in Benue State,” has been put together for Caretaker Chairmen, their Deputies, Director General Services and Administration (DGSAs) as well as the Local Government Supervisors.
LAGOS-KANO, EASTERN LINES TO BENEFIT FROM RENEWED HOPE INFRASTRUCTURE FUND – ONANUGA
LAGOS-KANO, EASTERN RAIL LINES TO BENEFIT FROM RENEWED HOPE INFRASTRUCTURE FUND – ONANUGA The Federal Government intends to use the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Fund, which was recently approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), to finance the Lagos-Kano and Eastern Rail Lines, along with other key infrastructure projects. This is contained a statement signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, where he explained in detail what the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Fund entails. According to the statement, Renewed Hope Infrastructure Fund which was unanimously approved by the Federal Executive Council on Monday, is an initiative by the President Bola Tinubu’s administration to finance critical national projects that will accelerate infrastructure and economic development in all parts of the country, particularly in road, rail construction, agriculture, aviation, education, health, energy and technology. “Among the projects being targeted are major road networks, such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal highway, Sokoto-Badagry Expressway, Lagos-Kano and Eastern Rail Lines. Ports and aviation facilities will be modernized,” the statement read in part. Furthermore, the Fund will focus on enhancing the nation’s agricultural value chain to boost food security, as well help create employment opportunities and promote exports, among other things. The statement said that Nigeria needs $35 billion annually until 2040 to cover its infrastructure expenditure. This necessitated the establishment of the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF) by former President Muhammadu Buhari, with the National Wealth Authority playing a vital role, to bridge the infrastructural financing gap during his tenure. While the PIDF contributed to the realization of critical projects, such as the Second Niger Bridge and the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, it encountered funding constraints and delays in project execution, leading to increased material costs and bureaucratic and institutional challenges. These challenges faced by the PIDF are what the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund (RHIDF) aims to overcome, according to Onanuga’s statement. The initial capital of the RHIDF is N20 trillion (about $14 billion), with investment capital expected from pension funds, concessionary loans, insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds, private sector arms of multilateral development institutions, and bilateral private sector investors. Other financing sources include individual investors, such as Diaspora Nigerians, endowments, and equity funds.The RHIDF will be managed by a Director-General and will reside within the Presidency, aiming to streamline the bureaucratic processes that usually delay the implementation of projects.
COURT SAYS CELESTINE OMEHIA NOT ENTITLED TO BENEFIT AS FORMER RIVERS GOVERNOR
COURT SAYS CELESTINE OMEHIA NOT ENTITLED TO BENEFIT AS FORMER RIVERS GOVERNOR A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has delivered judgment on the contentious issue of Celestine Omehia’s entitlement to pension benefits from the state government. The court ruled against the demand by the Rivers State Government and the Rivers State House of Assembly for Omehia to refund over N696m paid to him as pension and other benefits until his derecognition. The court, while acknowledging that Omehia had never officially served as governor of Rivers State, held that proper interpretation of the governor and deputy governor pension and free benefits law precludes him from benefiting from the pension scheme as stipulated under the state’s pension law. Justice Daketima Kio, in his judgment on the suit filed by Omehia against the Rivers State Governor, Attorney General of the State, Speaker, and the State House of Assembly, ruled that Omehia cannot be held liable for the errors of the defendants in the suit. The court emphasized that Omehia never sought recognition from the state government or the House of Assembly, and thus cannot legitimately demand the funds paid to him erroneously. Justice Kio affirmed the Supreme Court’s characterization of Omehia as an imposter and held that he should not be accorded the status of a former governor or benefit from the governor and deputy governor pension law. The court refrained from awarding costs in favour of any party, directing that each party should bear its costs. Counsel to the Rivers State Government and House of Assembly, Success Gibert, expressed satisfaction with the aspect of the judgment favouring his clients. However, he declined to comment on the ruling regarding the repayment of funds by the claimant, stating that the government will address the matter accordingly.Counsel to Omehia declined to comment on the judgment.