Politics
Senators Okay Ibori’s Imprisonment
Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba said last Thursday that the London Court had made its pronouncement on the James Ibori case and it had to be accepted as the evidence must have been properly evaluated
“The court has pronounced, it has pronounced. It is a judicial process and the court evaluated all the evidence before it and has made its judgment,” he added in reaction to the 13-year prison term clamped on Ibori.
Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Chairman, Senate Committee on Information, Media and Public Affairs, said, “My immediate reaction will be that crime does not pay, ‘and I will also say that it will serve as a lesson to every one in Nigeria that it is better to work for the people than to take care of your own private interest.”
The Progressive Action Congress (PAC) said the imprisonment of Ibori was a serious lesson to others involved in corrupt practises.
Ibori was sentenced to 13 year jail term by the London Court last Tuesday having been found guilty of money laundering and other miscellaneous offences.
The National Chairman of the party, Chief Charles Nwodo, said the final imprisonment of Ibori was a testimony of the fact that however clever a man is, one day that cleverness would consume him.
“ It is unfortunate that a man trusted with the running of the entire Delta State affairs looted almost half of the state resources at the expense of governance.
“ This is a great lesson for all the serving governors and the political office holders that in this world of vanity there is always a judgment day,” he said
He urged the Federal Government to re-double efforts in order to track some of the leaders who had looted the country as that would make resources available to run the economy.
“ Our fear is that peoples’ confidence in the Judiciary and the anti-graft agencies is fast failing due to corrupt cases that are not properly handled.
“ What we cannot do under many years was done in a question of some months in the British court of law,” he said
The party chieftain said it was unimaginable that an individual could amass such enormous amount of wealth that could run the budget of a nation in Africa just out of greed.
“ This puts to questions of the stability of a state in bringing about dividends of democracy to the people.
“ There should be constitutionally recognised institutions to checkmate the excesses of state governors in their appropriation of funds,” he said
He suggested that there was an urgent need for the quick introduction of e-government which would make government disbursement of funds easily traceable in government administration.
“ Our Judiciary should undergo a retreat on how to tackle corruption and also ensuring that the officials are made to declare their assets publicly.
“ Every government official must at all times reflect on the oath taken before assuming office,” he said
The Tide source reports that the committee, reportedly backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, is making moves to reclaim the Wadata Plaza headquarters months after it was sealed following a violent clash between rival factions of the party.
Senior officers at the FCT Police Command told our source that while they had not received an official briefing, police personnel would be stationed at the secretariat and other key locations to maintain peace.
The Acting National Secretary of the Mohammed-led committee, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, announced last week that the secretariat would reopen for official activities on Monday (today).
He dismissed claims that ongoing litigation would prevent the reopening, saying, “There are no legal barriers preventing the caretaker committee from resuming work at the party’s headquarters.”
However, the Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) has fiercely rejected the reopening move, insisting that Sen. Anyanwu and his group remain expelled from the PDP and have no authority to act on its behalf.
Speaking with The Tide source, the committee’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, declared: “They are living in fool’s paradise. The worst form of deceit is self-deceit, where the person knows he is deceiving himself yet continues with gusto.
“Even INEC, which they claim has recognised them, has denied them. They are indulging in a roller coaster of self-deceit.”
Mr Ememobong further revealed that letters had been sent to both the Inspector-General of Police and the FCT Commissioner of Police, stressing that the matter was still in court and warning against any attempt to “resort to self-help.”
“The case pending before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik was instituted by the expelled members. They cannot resort to self-help until judgment is delivered,” he said.
He warned that reopening the secretariat would amount to contempt of court.
A senior officer at the FCT Police Command, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that officers would be deployed to the area to avert a repeat of the November 19 violence that led to the secretariat’s initial closure.
“The command would not stand by and allow a breakdown of peace and order by the party or anyone else. Definitely, the police will have to be on the ground,” he said.
Another officer added, “There will definitely be men present at the secretariat, but I can’t say the number of police officers that would be deployed.”
When contacted, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, said she had not been briefed on the planned reopening and declined to comment on whether officers would be deployed.
Asked to confirm whether the secretariat was initially sealed by police, she responded, “Yes,” but refused to say more about the current deployment plans.
The Kano State House of Assembly has debunked the purported impeachment plan against the Deputy Governor, Aminu Gwarzo.
The Tide source recalls that the Kano State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Waiya, recently sparked controversy during an interview session with a local radio station.
Mr Waiya called on the deputy governor to resign for failing to follow his principal, Gov. Abba Yusuf, in defecting from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, the spokesperson to the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Kamaluddeen Shawai, while addressing journalists in Kano on Saturday, described reports circulating in some media outlets about Mr Gwarzo’s impeachment as baseless and misleading, emphasising that no such plan is underway.
Mr Shawai further stated that the House remains focused on its legislative duties and oversight functions rather than engaging in speculative political manoeuvres.
The spokesperson urged members of the public and the media to verify information before sharing it, stressing the importance of accurate reporting in maintaining political stability in the state.
He said, “There is absolutely no motion or initiative within the House to remove the deputy governor.
“These reports are false and should be disregarded by the public. The deputy governor continues to serve in his capacity with full support from the House.
“Our priority is good governance and serving the people of Kano, not circulating rumours.”
She made the declaration during an interview with Nigerian football legend, Mr Segun Odegbami, during a live radio interview on Saturday.
Prof. Obasanjo, who is also former commissioner in the state, ruled out a return to the Senate, stating that her focus was firmly on the governorship race.
“So, moving ahead, I’m not going to be Commissioner. Like I said, I’m not even going back to the same party because I think that’s old and I don’t see the use of it. And I’m not going to go back to the Senate,” she said.
“Like the Americans would say, there’s no need. And this is what I told my associates, when this all started. I said, the only thing I’ll come back to do is the governorship.
“And we have started that journey. We are going to see it through. And so that’s the journey I’m on. And we are very serious about it. I mean we are very dedicated to it.”
The politician also confirmed that she recently joined the APC, explaining that her return to active politics followed persistent calls from supporters.
“Like I told you, a group of people who I did not bring together, have been working, I think, for two years now. And then they started talking to me about a year ago, saying, ‘Look, we think you are the best candidate. We want you back,’” she added.
Her declaration sets the stage for what may become a keenly contested governorship race in Ogun State ahead of the 2027 elections.
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