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Presidential Poll: Atiku, PDP Approach Tribunal …Demand Poll Materials Inspection
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, have filed a motion to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to surrender all the materials that were used for the February 23 presidential election, for inspection.
The motion ex-parte was lodged before the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal, yesterday.
The tribunal will conduct its proceedings at the Court of Appeal Headquarters in Abuja.
In the motion ex-parte dated March 4, Atiku and the PDP, applied for leave of the tribunal to allow them to inspect the Voters Register, the Smart Card Reader Machines, Ballot Papers and other vital documents that were used in the conduct of the presidential election.
They equally prayed the tribunal to compel the electoral body to allow their agents to scan and make photocopies of vital documents used in the conduct of the election, for the purpose of establishing alleged irregularities.
The Applicants, through their lawyer, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, told the tribunal that the reliefs sought against INEC was for the purpose of filing and maintaining an election petition they intend to lodge against the outcome of the 2019 Presidential Election.
The motion ex-parte motion was supported with a 12 paragraphed affidavit that was deposed to by the director of Contact and Mobilization of the Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign Council, Col. Austin Akobundu (rtd).
No date has yet been fixed for hearing of the motion which has INEC, President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC), as 1st to 3rd Respondents.
Atiku, who came second behind Buhari of the APC, had earlier vowed to challenge the outcome of the presidential election in court, alleging that it was fraught with manifest irregularities.
He maintained that results collated by agents at various polling units across the federation, was at variance with what was eventually declared by INEC, in favour of Buhari.
Meantime, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Barrister Tanimu Turaki, has been released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
A source in the anti-graft agency confirmed this, yesterday.
According to the source, Babalele Abdullahi, who is the son-in-law to the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has also been released.
Turaki, a former minister and the present Deputy Director General (Administration) the PDP Campaign Organisation, was said to have been arrested, last Monday.
On the other hand, Abdullahi, who is the finance director of Atiku’s group of companies, was arrested on Saturday by EFCC operatives who reportedly stormed his residence in Abuja.
Reacting to the arrest in a tweet, last Monday, the PDP candidate said his son-in-law was detained by the EFCC and “paying the price for supporting me”.
He condemned the arrest, and warned that the government’s mandate was to pursue peace and justice for all, and not just those who support it.
Meanwhile, the PDP had claimed that Turaki was arrested and detained after being invited by the EFCC to endorse a bail document for Abdullahi.
The party said that the detention of its chieftain was part of the alleged plot by the Federal Government and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to “use state apparatus of power” to intimidate its leaders.
It, therefore, called on the anti-graft agency to release Turaki immediately and unconditionally.
Following the arrest, the EFCC had said it would make known its reasons for arresting Atiku’s son-in-law “at the appropriate time”.
In its reaction, the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), yesterday, said the Monday arrest of the Deputy Director-General (Administration) of the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Council, Tanimu Turaki (SAN), was in continuation of government’s efforts to frustrate efforts by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to approach the presidential election tribunal.
Turaki, a former Minister of Special Duties, was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Abuja.
The CUPP, in a statement by its national spokesman, Imo Ugochinyere, however, described the arrest as politically-motivated.
He wondered why the National Peace Committee that spearheaded the signing of peace agreement ahead of the general elections will remain silent while the government continues to clamp down on opposition leaders.
He said, “The Coalition of United Political Parties is raising alarm once again about the desperate attempt by Muhammadu Buhari and his foot soldiers to by all means frustrate efforts by coalition presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to retrieve his stolen mandate through a peaceful means- the tribunal where he planned to file his case today (yesterday).
“This time, Buhari, through his administration’s heavily biased and partisan, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested the Deputy Director-General (Administration) of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN.
“The CUPP wishes to condemn the politically-motivated arrest of Turaki by the EFCC, not for any crime but in a failed attempt to derail the completion of processes leading to the filing of the case at the tribunal to retrieve the stolen mandate President Muhammadu Buhari has been parading about.
“The learned Senior Advocate only went to the EFCC office in connection with the signing of bail papers for other Atiku’s associates who are in custody.
“The mode of his arrest and detention clearly shows it was upon a spontaneous realisation that he was a coordinating factor in the expected legal challenge of the rigged presidential election of February 23.
“Inside source within the commission informed us that Mr Turaki is not being questioned by EFCC officials but by a team from the Presidential Villa who are only questioning him about the details of the petition of the PDP.
“They are questioning him on the evidences the PDP has in its possession and the location of the documents/legal secretariat and list of witnesses.
“This is obviously with a view to storming the location, carting away relevant papers and derailing the filing of the papers in the tribunal which must be completed within 21 days from the date of announcement of the election results.
“We, therefore, make bold to say that his arrest at this time was not a mere coincidence but a well-orchestrated plan to ensure that they scuttle the plan to challenge the illegality that happened on February 23 in court by making sure that the suit is not filed within the timeframe allowed by law.
“We have consistently been alerting Nigerians and friends of the country on all steps being taking by this government to stop any legal means to retrieve the mandate it stole on February 23, particularly how millions of naira from tax payers’ money are being doled out to individuals, political parties and groups to continue to mount pressure on Alhaji Atiku to accept ‘defeat.’
“It is noteworthy that all these harassments and intimidations of opposition leaders are going on without a word from the National Peace Committee that midwifed the signing of peace pact ahead of the general elections.
“How can there be peace where the people’s mandate was brazenly stolen? How can there be peace when barriers are consistently being mounted against the victim of executive theft so that he cannot seek redress in court?
“Let this desperate administration that will lose its legitimacy on May 29 know that the eyes of the world are on this country and its illegal actions.”
Ugochinyere urged Nigerians not to be surprised when documents begin to get missing from the registry of the tribunal because, according to him, the President and his men are desperate to protect “their crime proceeds.”
He boasted that every effort by the Buhari administration to stop the retrieval of the stolen mandate will fail.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
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RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers
The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.