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5 Years After, Nigeria’s Political Party Suspends Dep Senate President Over Alleged Mace Theft
Five years after maize was allegedly stolen at Nigeria’s red chamber, a faction of the All Progressives Congress in the Delta Central Senatorial District, has suspended the Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, over his alleged role in the incident.
The faction urged the national secretariat of the APC to ratify its decision.
The Vice-Chairman of the Delta Central Senatorial District, Sir Michael Oruafe, confirmed the development in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday.
He said the executive of the party in the Senatorial District was already in possession of the receipt of Omo-Agege’s expulsion from his ward.
Oruafe said Omo-Agege, who is the candidate of the APC in the just concluded Governorship Election in Delta State, did not appeal seven days after he was expelled.
He said the Local Government had to approve the expulsion, and forwarded it to the state.
However, Omo-Agege, through his media aide, Ima Niboro, has described the suspension as fake.
He told our Correspondent that the people who announced the suspension were unknown to the party in the state.
He said, “The suspension is fake. You know this is not the executive committee of the State Chapter.
“No one knows who these people are. There are no factions in Delta APC.”
But Oruafe said, “We are calling on the national leadership of the party to approve Omo-Agege’s expulsion immediately without delay.
“This development shouldn’t in anyway affect members of the party, they should go about their normal business, as the call is for the benefit of the state party.
Oruafe listed Omo-Agege’s offenses to include among others, the alleged Senate Maize theft in the Eight National Assembly
He also accused the APC candidate of hijacking the party from the ward to the state and personally appointed the Publicity Secretary without consultation with anybody in the state.
He further alleged that “All the funds sent to the state during the presidential, Senate and governorship elections, was not used for the purpose it was meant for. “
He said, “Omo-Agege entered an unholy alliance with the Labour Party during the presidential election with the understanding that they will vote for him during the governorship.
“This action, which we found distasteful, affected the party’s chances in the state.
“His alleged link with Igbe confraternity we noticed angered the Church.
“This is because the Igbe confraternity was campaigning for him, the Church stopped campaigning for him. This development affected APC chances in Delta State.
“His attitude was another factor that angered the Delta APC.
“All projects coming from the Federal Government were sited in his Senatorial District, Delta Central and other districts never benefitted.
“Another issue that affected APC chances was the Maze issue, which the people in the state were not comfortable with. This is also one of the reasons the state didn’t vote the him.
“He led the party in Delta North and the entire state into disrepute, opprobrium, and hate, resulting in the abysmal performance of the APC in the Governorship of February 18, 2023.
“He boasted that Delta North will never get anything from the state if he becomes the governor.
“He created animosity among the ethnic groups, a development that caused disaffection and disunity among members of the APC family in the state.”
Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant on New Media and Public Communications to Nyesom Wike, the former Governor of Rivers State and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has responded to the recent appointment of Bashir Ojulari as the new Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.).
Olayinka took to X (formerly Twitter) to address discussions surrounding this leadership transition. His post aimed to clarify that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu did not dismiss Mele Kyari, a northerner, to replace him with a southerner, as some speculated. Instead, Olayinka pointed out that Ojulari, like Kyari, hails from the northern region of Nigeria.
According to Olayinka’s post on his official X account, he emphasised that Bashir Ojulari is from Kwara State, located in North Central Nigeria. Additionally, the new Board Chairman, Ahmadu Musa Kida, originates from Borno State in the North East.
His post stated: “Bashir Ojulari, the new NNPCL CEO, is a northerner from Kwara State, North Central Nigeria. The new Board Chairman, Ahmadu Musa Kida, is also a northerner, from Borno State, North East Nigeria.”
Olayinka’s statement came in response to narratives suggesting that the appointment was politically motivated to favour one region over another.
By Israel Bulus, Kaduna
The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has strongly condemned the extrajudicial killing of 16 travelers in Uromi, Edo State, while warning against retaliatory violence targeting Southerners in Northern Nigeria.
In a press statement released on Tuesday, MBF Spokesman Luka Binniyat denounced inflammatory threats from individuals claiming to represent Northern interests in response to the killings.
Recalled that the victims, were allegedly armed hunters, traveling from Port Harcourt to Kano when they were attacked by a mob that accused them of being kidnappers.
“The MBF strongly condemns the unlawful killing of any Nigerian citizen, including those who lost their lives in Uromi,” the statement read. “However, we categorically reject any attempt to use this tragic incident as a pretext to unleash violence against Southerners residing in Northern Nigeria.”
The forum assured that the Middle Belt would not become a battleground for reprisals, emphasizing that it remains a safe haven for all law-abiding Nigerians. It urged community leaders and youths to remain vigilant and prevent any attempts to instigate violence, calling for anyone with such intentions to be handed over to authorities.
The MBF also reaffirmed its commitment to justice for all victims of violence across Nigeria. The statement highlighted the ongoing security challenges facing Middle Belt communities, citing persistent attacks by armed herdsmen with little government intervention.
” We hope that the swift response to the Uromi killings would serve as a precedent for broader action against criminal elements terrorizing the region.
“Thousands of our people remain in captivity, and vast portions of our land are still under the control of violent outlaws—primarily Fulani militants,” the statement noted.
“Justice must be served across the board.”
The MBF concluded by reiterating its support for the ongoing investigation into the Uromi incident and calling for a fair and decisive crackdown on all forms of criminality across the country.
BY ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto
The Deputy Speaker, Sokoto State House of Assembly, Kabir Ibrahim kware, has commended governor Ahmed Aliyu for executing numerous developmental projects without taking loan from any financial institution.
Ibrahim Kware whp gave the commendation when he led other members of the State Assembly on Sallah homage to governor Aliyu, added that, the governor is very prudent in managing resources to achieve results.
“There was never a time you approached us with a request for permission to borrow money from any financial institutions whether at home or abroad,”he affirmed.
This , according to him, is worthy of commendation considering the myriad people- oriented projects the governor is executing across the state.
Speaking on behalf of the State’s Judiciary, Sokoto State Chief Judge, Justice Muhammad Sa’idu Sifawa, commended the governor for the construction of additional Court rooms at the State High Court.
Justice Sifawa also expressed delight over the way and manner the governor responds to issues affecting the Judiciary, which he said, is a clear testimony of the good working relationship existing between the three arms of government in the state.
Responding to the commendations, governor Ahmed Aliyu appealed for more synergy among the three tiers of government in the overall development of the state.
A statement by Abubakar Bawa, the Press Secretary to governor Alhmed Aliyu reaffirmed his principal’s unwavering commitment of the executive arm to providing the direly needed dividends of democracy to the people of the state,in line with his campaign promises.
The governor also urged lawmakers to present all the needs of their constituencies for prompt and diligent implementation.
“”I want to assure you that my doors are always open for you at any given time, to listen to the demands of your people.”
He reminded them on the need to put politics aside and work together with the executive arm for the progress and even development of the people they represent.
Turning to the members of the State Judiciary, the governor appealed to Judges and Khadis to ensure the quick dispensation of justice, so as to decongest the correctional centres.
“It is worrisome to see how inmates are languishing in correctional centres for minor offences in the name of awaiting trial.
“We recently appointed seven additional Judges and 7 Khadis, which is the first in the history of Sokoto State.
“The idea is to enhance the manpower in our Judiciary so as to speed up the dispensation of justice,” he added.
The governor further assured the members of the Judiciary of his administration’s readiness to ensure their welfare at all times.