News
Fraud Allegation Hits TAN
The Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), a group passionately campaigning for a second term for President Goodluck Jonathan, has been hit by allegation of fraud, with some members of the group accusing it of staging a crowd in support of the president and refusing to pay them as agreed.
TAN has conducted regional rallies in support of Jonathan since August, with the last of its six conventions held in Kano, for the North West, which comprises Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, and Kaduna states.
The Kano event held September 27, like the previous five regional rallies, was attended by senior officials of the Federal Government, and thousands of supporters.
Much of the crowd at the event was rented, some aggrieved members of the group have told our correspondent.
The politicians, who are members of the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), in Kano State, and were drafted to be part of the TAN rally, narrated how they were asked to rent a crowd for the president for an agreed fee, only to be left stranded without money to compensate hundreds of youth and women hired for the rally.
The matter is threatening to tear the support organization apart with the aggrieved members gearing to seek redress and expose the sham they claim was on parade at the events.
The aggrieved agents now have a pile of debt to settle and some of them, who spoke with our correspondent, say they do not know who to talk to about the money they spent in bringing in supporters.
One of the agents, Ibrahim Lawan, who claimed to be the secretary of the PDP Youth Awareness Initiative, Kano, told our correspondent that he was instructed to bring in 500 youth and women and to hire buses that will transport them to the venue of the rally in Kano city.
The arrangement, according to Lawan, was that each participant would be paid N500 on arrival, and N2, 000 for each bus. Those contracted to rent the crowd hired, at least, 50 busloads of supporters, he said.
The story changed once they arrived at the venue, Lawan told our correspondent.
“But to my utmost surprise and confusion, as we entered the venue, we tried to locate the organizers but we could not see them. When I called them, they said I should be patient as they would settle everything after the event. But almost immediately, we realized that the whole thing is a scam because nobody was talking to us again,” Lawan said.
He said they were left to source money and settle some of the youth who became restive and attacked them and their personal vehicles, and seized their belongings, including phones.
“This left us in rancour with over 600 angry youth who went wild due to frustration of spending lots of hours, no food or water, and also no available transportation back to their various destinations,” he said.
Lawan said he managed to escape while two of his guards were injured in the fray that followed.
Students in the state, who were also asked to put up a showing at the event, were treated the same way, he said.
Another agent, Bello Dan Alkarya, also told ou correspondent that he was asked to bring in women and youth to the venue and would be given N500 for each of them.
Alkarya said he did, but unlike Lawan, he was short-changed as only N300 was paid for each person transported to the rally venue.
Our investigation revealed that TAN has no official representation in Kano.
Our correspondent, who made findings in Kano, was told the group has only two resource persons who are responsible for the entire North West.
One of the officials, who agreed to speak, but on the condition his identity be protected, said he had received several complaints of people short-changed by the group after the event.
“I simply told them I am not an insider on the activities of TAN because I don’t know much about them. We are only two of us in the whole of North West region, and we don’t have any office. The only way I get to them is when they call me, I don’t know anything about them,” he said.
“In fact, the only person who holds everything is the owner of the group, Ifeanyi Uba. He is the one who directed one Jibrin to make sure that they get some people to bring in women and youth. Now, you can see that there is a problem in the whole thing,” the man said.
TAN’s Director of Communication and Strategy, Udenta Udenta, told our correspondent in a telephone interview last Saturday that the association was not aware of the issue, and could not have been involved in such an arrangement.
“Kano rally was our last rally. The response of Nigerians to our objective and rallies was spontaneous and they are full of passion and conviction. From the South East rally to the North West, that has been the trend.
“However, stakeholders, including those contesting elections, can mobilize people to come to the rallies. It is not like TAN is doing the entire mobilization. It is like a market place. TAN only set up a platform to accommodate various interests. Therefore, whoever made the accusation (you are talking about) should be clear on it; he should state clearly who is responsible, when the agreement was reached, date and if not, such a story should be dismissed,” Udenta said.
Lawan said he and others affected have decided to reach out to the media, the PDP leadership and the police.
“Till now, those in charge of the mobilisation and payment of transport fares and feeding stipends are nowhere to be found or contacted,” he said.
“It’s indeed a pity to see how things are being organised by TAN North West (Kano). Please, PDP, GDG and TAN members, come to my aid, I am currently under pressure and threatened by angry PDP youth to pay them their stipends,” Lawan lamented.
TAN has been at the centre of controversy before.
During its earlier rallies, the group staged the events at the peak of the Ebola outbreak in Nigeria, defying complaints and warnings from Nigerians about the possibility of helping to spread the deadly virus.
The Port Harcourt Boat Club 1947 has elected new officers to pilot its affairs.
An elder statesman and staunch supporter of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Sir Kingsley Fubara Hart emerged the club’s Secretary.
Sir Hart’s emergence followed an election conducted by the electoral committee over the weekend which threw up new officials to pilot its affairs at its corporate headquarters in Port Harcourt.
The election which was adjudged one of the most credible, fairest and freest elections in the annals of the Port Harcourt Boat Club 1947, saw the emergence of Dan Harrison as Chairman.
Other members elected to run the activities of the body are Chief Coker Jimmy, Dr Oma Awoh, Chief Bib- Manuel Afonya, Dawari Dingo, Dango Kala- Otaji, Bara Alagoma and Dago George.
Recall that Port Harcourt Boat Club 1947 was founded by the former Military Governor of old Rivers State, King Alfred Diete-Spiff.
Many years after its inception, the club is still waxing strong with notable personalities as members.
Former Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Chief AbiyeSekibo is also a prominent member of the club.
The elected officials including Sir Kingsley Fubara Hart were subsequently sworn in, signalling a new chapter for the revered group of bigwigs in the oil- rich region.
With the likes of an elder statesman, Sir Kingsley Fubara Hart on board, the narrative has changed for Port Harcourt Boat Club 1947 as expectations are high.
The newly elected boat Secretary, Sir Fubara Hart promised to work assiduously with the chairman and other members to chart a new course for the esteemed club.
He said efforts are in top gear to enroll new members who will contribute their quota to the advancement of the club.
Sir Hart described his emergence as an act of God, promising to support the new leadership to achieve the desired objective.
He hinted that the core values of the club would be upheld with vigour, saying working in synergy with the principles laid down by its founders remains their watchword.
He said the rules and regulations of the club shall be sustained in the interest of the club and every legitimate member.
The Akpajo Clan in Eleme Local Government Area was recently agog with activities following the coronation of HRH Emere Sunday Obo as the Oneh Eta Akpajo XII/paramount ruler of Akpajo clan in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Emere Obo was crowned by the traditional staff bearer of the clan, Chief Joseph Goka on behalf of the land priests at the community square.
Before his coronation, the new King was an acting traditional ruler of the community since the death of his predecessor, Emere Friedrich on the 11th of January, 2023.
He was also a member of the late King’s Council of Chiefs and member of Nchia and Eleme Council of Chiefs respectively.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after his coronation,the new Akpajo monarch said his reign will usher in peace and prosperity to the Kingdom.
He said he intends to work together with the government and companies operating in the Kingdom to attract development to Akpajo clan.
According to the monarch, he will always seek the advice of his elders and other clansmen before taking any decisions.
“I have promised them that I cannot use my authority to do anything without hearing from them first,” he said.
Emere Obo also stressed the need for the youths in the area to toe the path of peace, adding that as a traditional ruler, his responsibility is to ensure that Akpajo clan remains peaceful.
He also assured the government of support and praised both past and current administrations in the State for siting projects in the community.
Also speaking , the traditional staff bearer of the clan, Chief Joseph Goka said Emere Obo’s installation was in line with the customs and traditions of Akpajo Kingdom.
He also told newsmen that the king makers have not received any protest from any quarters concerning the installation since the process started months ago.
Chief Goka equally said his crowning of the monarch was based on instructions from the clan’s land priests and expressed optimism that Emere Obo is capable of representing the clan Traditionally and other wise.
Chief Goka described Emere Obo as trustworthy and law-abiding, adding that having worked with the late traditional ruler, Emere Obo has a full knowledge of the customs and traditions of not only Akpajo clan but the entire Eleme Kingdom.
He assured the new monarch of the support of the people of Akpajo and the entire traditional institution in the area.
Also speaking, one of the community’s land priests, Levy Kattey Jumaa said the installation of the new Akpajo monarch was in line with the customs and traditions of Akpajo and Eleme kingdom.
According to him, the new King has all the qualities expected from a chief in Eleme land, stressing that Emere Obo was only ascending the throne of his fathers having come from the royal family of Akpajo Kingdom.
He urged the public to disregard any insinuations concerning the installation, ”if at all there is any,” adding that it is only the land priests families that talk about kingship installations in Akpajo and Eleme and no other persons outside the land priests families can do that.
By: John Bibor
If urgent steps are not taken by concerned authorities, the Awo Idemili community in Orsu Local Government Area of Imo State may become a ghost town, due to incessant killings, arson and kidnapping of residents by some alleged criminal elements suspected to be members of the Indigenous People of Biafra ( IPOB).
The Tide’s sourc learnt that a certain family, the Emenikes, said the only possible solution to save the lives of the family members and that of others was to seek protection in a foreign land.
According to sources, one of the family members, Mr Peter Emenike was adbucted and murdered in a gruesome manner by people believed to be members of the IPOB recently.
It was further learnt that Peter Emenike, now deceased, was the Personal Assistant to the Imo State Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Traditional Matters and was never a member of any secret organisation as to warrant the fate that befell him.
His only offence as further gathered, was an alleged intelligence leaked to the Imo Government which the IPOB framed up in order to get him and his family members nailed.
It also learnt on a good authority that Peter Emenike’s lifeless body alongside that of his wife was found at their residence in Awo – Idemili, Imo State on 14th November, 2024 .
It was also reported that few days later, some family members of the Emenike family were declared missing and as one of them was found dead by a bush path, while others were still held hostage as at when this report was filed.
The Tide’s source claimed that a letter purportedly written by the IPOB members was delivered and dropped inside the car of the deceased bearing the insignia of the IPOB with the inscription: ‘None of your family members can hide for long’.
Unconfirmed report has it that the family, out of fear could not immediately report the matter to the Imo State Police Command as the group is believed to possess some spiritual powers to identify their perceived enemies from afar.
The family members of the deceased including oneMr Daniel Emenike, Boniface Emenike , Paul Emenike and others are now under serious threat by the separatist group (IPOB), thus the urgent need for protection especially in a foreign land.
A security analyst who pleaded anolmity, warned that the assassination of Peter Emenike and the serial killings and abduction of his family members stood as a signal to a new phase of IPOB’s operations .
“ This is not an attack on one family , but on the nation and our collective safety . The government must act swiftly not just to rescue the family but to reaffirm their stance on zero tolerance to terrorism “ he said .
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