National
36-yr-old declares for Kaduna PDP chair position, vows robust opposition
By Israel Bulus
KADUNA —A 36-36-year-old, Edward Auta, has declared his intention to run for the office of the Kaduna State chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Auta, a former Director, of Media Relations to the 2023 Kaduna State PDP Gubernatorial Candidate, disclosed his interest on Thursday in a press briefing with newsmen in Kaduna.
He said, he was going to rejig the party and lead a robust opposition in the State that’ll unseat the ruling party that has led the people of Kaduna State with impunity in the past eight years.
” Given the opportunity, I’ll lead a robust opposition in Kaduna State that will unseat this inept clueless Government of Senator Uba Sani come 2027.
” I hope the leaders of the party and the generality of our Party members, will look at my capacity, experience, and the love I have for this party and give me support so that we can return this party to power.
He explained that some of them between 2019 and 2023 were compelled to go back to the trenches and work in the best interest of the Party and to join forces to see how they could salvage the party, but in a “Gestapo” manner as I always describe it, the ruling party colluded with some corrupt officials to thwart the will of the electoral umpire.
” After the Inauguration of the ruling party, governance has been in a state of comma to the extent that the Governor is always absent and resting in Abuja he has no work to do in the State.
According to him, the people of Kaduna State need a voice that can hold the Government accountable on their behalf and expose the ills of the Government, so that it can take action.
” Constitutionally, the group that are responsible to hold Government accountable, are the opposition parties, So, if Government is not working, if you look deep you’ll found out that the opposition are not working the way they’re suppose to work.
” And because of this dire situation and also the dire need for the major opposition in the State to have a change of guard, the PDP in the State announced after its last NEC meeting for the conduct of Congresses from Ward to State level and Kaduna State to have a change of guards in the party.
” Because of this, people who love the PDP, have the capacity to deliver the kind of opposition, i am putting myself forward to take the mantle of leadership.
Auta, who is currently the Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs to the Kaduna State PDP Chairman, maintained that he has the digital and scientific approach to go about finding solutions either within the party or the State.
” So, in this regard, I am offering myself to challenge the position of the State Chairman of the PDP to address the animosity in the party and to further create a level playing ground for everybody were we’ll have a formidable party im the State.
End
Gunmen have abducted some female students of Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University in Makurdi, Benue state.
The students, reportedly numbering up to four, were abducted on Tuesday evening at the university’s North Core campus.
The students were said to have been headed for “night class”, a practice of late-night studying in Nigerian campuses.
The gunmen were said to have invaded the hotel area of the campus before abducting the four students.
Some moments after the incident, operatives of the Nigerian army arrived at the school.
Sewuese Anene, Benue police spokesperson, told TheCable on Wednesday that a report received by the police indicated that only two students were kidnapped during the incident.
Anene added that the police have launched an investigation into the matter.
The Markurdi incident is the latest in a series of abductions targeted at Nigeria’s tertiary school students in recent years.
In August 2024, at least 20 medical and dental students were kidnapped in Benue State while travelling to a convention in Enugu.
In September 2023, gunmen abducted approximately 20 students from a university in Zamfara state.
At Greenfield University in Kaduna State, at least 20 students and two staff members were kidnapped in April 2021.
Tragically, five students were killed during captivity before the remaining hostages were released after a month.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Jude Okoye, the elder brother and former manager of Paul and Peter Okoye of the defunct music group, P-Square, on charges of laundering ₦1.38billion, $ 1 million and £34,537.59.
Jude was arraigned alongside his company, Northside Music Ltd, before Justice Alexander Owoeye of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on a seven-count charge
One of the counts read: “That you, Jude Okoye Chigozie and Northside Music Ltd sometime in 2022, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did directly acquire a landed property known as No 5, Tony Eromosele Street Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos worth ₦850,000,000.00 (Eight hundred and fifty million naira) only, which money you knew or reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (2) (d) and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
Another count read: “That you, Jude Okoye Chigozie and Northside Music Ltd sometime in 2022, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did indirectly using bureau de change convert the sum of $1,019,762.87 (One million nineteen thousand, seven hundred and six-two dollars eighty-seven cents), domiciled in Access Bank Plc operated by Northside Music Lid to the naira equivalent and remitted into various bank accounts with the intention of concealing that the said fund form part of the proceeds of an unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (2)(a) and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
He pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.
In view of his plea, the prosecution counsel, Larry Peters Aso, applied for a date for hearing as well as for the remand of the defendant in the correctional facility pending trial.
The defendant’s counsel, Inibehe Effiong, informed the court of a pending bail application. He asked for a short date for the hearing. Effiong also asked that the defendant be remanded in the EFCC’s custody pending the hearing of the application.
Aso objected to the request for the defendant to be remanded in the EFCC custody. He argued that the EFCC custody was already congested with suspects awaiting arraignment. He urged the court to remand the defendant to the correctional facility since he had taken his plea.
Justice Owoeye adjourned the matter till February 28 for bail hearing and April 14 for trial.
He also ordered that the defendant be remanded in the Ikoyi correctional facility.
The Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested Kogi-born political activist and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Austin Okai, in Abuja.
The arrest, which took place on Wednesday morning, was reportedly carried out on the directive of Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo.
Video footage obtained by Elanza shows heavily armed security operatives storming Okai’s residence in the Federal Capital Territory before taking him away.
While no official reason has been given for his arrest, sources suggest it may be connected to his outspoken criticism of the Kogi State government.
Okai, a well-known opposition figure, has frequently condemned the administration’s policies and governance.
His wife, speaking to reporters, claimed that the DSS operatives did not present an arrest warrant before detaining him.
“They came to arrest him at our home in Abuja without a warrant,” she said.
“They ransacked our house, forced their way inside, and took him away. I asked for a warrant, but they had none.”
She further alleged that Okai’s personal gadgets were confiscated during the operation.
As of the time of this report, the DSS has not issued any official statement regarding Okai’s detention.